Architecture And Design

After a top-to-toe renovation of their 1870s Clinton Hill two-family townhouse that spanned two years (read all about it here), 6sqft writer Michelle Cohen and her husband, Stanley Peck, decided to relegate sprucing up their brownstone backyard to “phase 2.” They’d already added a rear terrace with steps to the yard and created a small roof deck above their lower extension. The couple certainly planned to address the neglected outdoor space–even though the existing weed-jungle-meets-mud-patch had a certain overgrown charm. Below, hear from Michelle about the results, along with professional advice for creating a verdant outdoor space in the city.
How to create an urban garden retreat

Architecture And Design

For $2.65M, own a piece of the historic NJ estate built by the owners of Macy’s

All images courtesy of Nettie of Architectural Media Services, unless otherwise noted

August 22, 2022

For $2.65M, own a piece of the historic NJ estate built by the owners of Macy’s

A home that is one part of the sprawling New Jersey estate built by the Straus Family, the owners of Macy's, is now available. Located in Red Bank at 310 Cooper Road, Cobble Close Farm is a 13-acre estate with French Norman-style buildings, including several residences. The estate was built in the 1920s by Herbert Nathan Straus and his wife Therese Kuhn Straus; Herbert's father was Isidor Straus, the co-owner of Macy's who died on the Titanic. A 4,500-square-foot co-op on the property recently hit the market for $2,645,000, which includes an additional apartment and shared ownership of the historic farm.
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Photo courtesy of The Corcoran Group

August 18, 2022

A $26M duplex co-op in Jacqueline Onassis’ childhood building recalls the Gilded Age

A mansion-sized 14-room duplex at 740 Park Avenue, a building considered to be Manhattan's most luxurious residential address, is now on the market for $26,000,000. Built in 1929 by James T. Lee, grandfather of Jacqueline Bouvier (later Kennedy Onassis), who lived there as a girl, the Art Deco building was designed by Rosario Candela. One of its first notable residents was John D. Rockefeller, Jr., who resided in a duplex similar to the one featured here.
Step inside one of the city's grandest homes

Photo of water towers on East 57th Street via Wikimedia

August 17, 2022

The history behind NYC’s water towers

For over 100 years, water towers have been a seamless part of New York City’s skyline. So seamless, in fact, they often go unnoticed, usually overshadowed by their glassy supertall neighbors. While these wooden relics look like a thing of the past, the same water pumping structure is still built today, originating from just three family-run companies, two of which have been operating for nearly this entire century-long history. With up to 17,000 water tanks scattered throughout NYC, 6sqft decided to explore these icons, from their history and construction to modern projects that are bringing the structures into the mainstream.
Everything you need to know

See inside One Wall Street, the largest office-to-residential conversion in NYC

Photo credit: Evan Joseph for Macklowe Properties

August 17, 2022

See inside One Wall Street, the largest office-to-residential conversion in NYC

A New York City Art Deco landmark is showing off its second act as a luxury residential tower. Once one of New York's tallest office buildings, One Wall Street now boasts a new superlative: the largest office-to-residential conversion in the city's history. Developed by Macklowe Properties, the 566-unit tower sits within the restored former Irving Trust Company Building, designed in 1931 by famed architect Ralph Walker. New images of the residences and innovative co-working space were released this week, providing a first peek inside one of the city's most unique new residential buildings.
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Massive marketplace from Jean-Georges opens in the restored Tin Building at the Seaport

All photos courtesy of Nicole Franzen

August 12, 2022

Massive marketplace from Jean-Georges opens in the restored Tin Building at the Seaport

Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten's highly-anticipated culinary hotspot will be giving New Yorkers a taste of its food offerings in preparation for the market's grand opening in the fall. The historic Tin Building has been converted into a 53,000-square-foot marketplace that includes grocery stores, six full-service restaurants, six quick-service counters, four bars, and other retail and private dining offerings. During the month of August, the Tin Building will be open for a limited preview Thursdays through Sundays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
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English manor-style Yonkers home designed by noted architect hits market for $2.2M

All images courtesy of Douglas Elliman

August 2, 2022

English manor-style Yonkers home designed by noted architect hits market for $2.2M

The only known Westchester house designed by famed American architect Wilson Eyre is for sale. Asking $2,225,000, the home at 573 North Broadway was modeled after country homes seen by Eyre during an 1895 trip to England. Built in 1910, the single-family brick home was nearly demolished in 2007, but a design-savvy couple bought the home and completed a restoration of the historic property.
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All photos courtesy of Allyson Lubow for The Corcoran Group

July 8, 2022

Brooklyn Heights’ oldest home is back on the market with refreshed interiors for $4.25M

The oldest home in Brooklyn Heights is once again for sale, following an update to its interiors. The history of the Federal-style corner property at 24 Middagh Street is fuzzy, but reports date the home's construction between 1790 and 1829. The five-bedroom home, which also includes a separate two-story carriage house and a private courtyard, was last on the market in 2018 for $4,500,000; it is currently listed for $4,250,000.
Take a look inside

On Brooklyn’s largest private rooftop, you can pick your own apples

All images courtesy of Evan Joseph, unless otherwise noted

July 6, 2022

On Brooklyn’s largest private rooftop, you can pick your own apples

Forget the annual fall trip upstate to go apple picking. At One Prospect Park West, a new condominium in Park Slope, residents have access to a pick-your-own apple orchard on the rooftop. Designed by ODA, the rooftop measures nearly 7,500 square feet, boasts panoramic views, and is considered the largest private roof terrace of any condo development in the borough. New images were released this week of the rooftop, which represents the first landscape-only project from ODA.
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Architecture And Design

New York looks for architect to design new $7B Penn Station

The plan to modernize Penn Station has officially entered the design phase. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday announced the state is now requesting proposals from architecture and engineering firms to redevelop the dark and crowded Midtown transit hub into a light-filled train station "worthy of being the epicenter of the most vibrant city on the planet," according to the governor. Proposals are due July 28 and a winning bid could be selected by late summer or early fall.
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The Morgan Library unveils $13M exterior restoration and new garden with public access

The Morgan Garden, view looking north. Courtesy of the Morgan Library & Museum, New York. © Brett Beyer, 2022.

June 9, 2022

The Morgan Library unveils $13M exterior restoration and new garden with public access

The Morgan Library and Museum will unveil the recently restored exterior of the Morgan Library and the new Morgan Garden to the public this month. The six-year-long, $13 million project marks the first-ever comprehensive restoration of the historic 115-year-old library’s exterior. Designed by architect Charles Follen McKim for J.Pierpont Morgan, the library was completed in 1906 and later became a public institution. The project restores one of the nation's finest examples of Neoclassical architecture, enhances the surrounding grounds, improves the building's lighting, and enables public access to the grounds of the 36th street site for the first time ever.
Stroll the garden, this way

Enjoy unlimited food and rich history at Brooklyn’s landmarked Lott House

Photo courtesy of Friends of the Lott House, Alyssa Loorya

June 2, 2022

Enjoy unlimited food and rich history at Brooklyn’s landmarked Lott House

Come enjoy unlimited dining from food trucks at the longest continually owned and occupied single-family home in New York City. Located in Marine Park, Brooklyn, the historic Hendrick I. Lott House is a rare surviving Dutch-American farmhouse situated on a parcel of land first purchased in 1719. The non-profit organization that preserves the grounds, Friends of the Lott House, this month will host "Taste the Neighborhood," a special ticketed event that includes unlimited food from local food trucks and encourages exploration of the historic site. The event will be held on June 12 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at 1940 East 36th Street.
Details here

$1.6M upstate Dutch Colonial home is summer-ready with a saltwater pool, pergola, and outdoor kitchen

Images courtesy of Douglas Elliman

June 1, 2022

$1.6M upstate Dutch Colonial home is summer-ready with a saltwater pool, pergola, and outdoor kitchen

Situated on over two acres in Orangetown, NY, the Sickles-Tallman House at 231 Sickletown Road, built in 1770, greets the 21st century as a red stone Dutch Colonial home. With amenities you'd expect in a contemporary mansion–a saltwater pool and jacuzzi, pergola, pool house, and outdoor kitchen, to name a few–this 3,300 square-foot, five-bedroom historic Rockland County homestead is asking $1,598,000.
Take a stroll around the grounds

Photo credit: MW Studio for The Corcoran Group

May 31, 2022

Manhattan’s oldest home, a 1795 East Village house built by the Stuyvesant family, asks $8.9M

Old house lovers will want to note this sale: Manhattan's oldest home, built in 1795 for Nicholas Stuyvesant, a great great grandson of city founder Peter Stuyvesant, is on the market for $8,900,000. The East Village townhouse at 44 Stuyvesant Street in the St. Marks Place Historic District has retained most of its original layout, according to Mansion Global. The 5,500-square-foot, 24-foot-wide home is the oldest building in Manhattan that has been used continuously as a single-family dwelling.
Discover the secrets of this historic East Village gem

See the new stucco sculpture by Jan Hooss on display in the Upper East Side’s tallest tower

Photo courtesy of Alex Stein

May 26, 2022

See the new stucco sculpture by Jan Hooss on display in the Upper East Side’s tallest tower

World-renowned plaster artist Jan Hooss has installed a custom stucco art installation in the lobby of 180 East 88th Street, a new condo tower designed by Joe McMillan's DDG. Inspired by an architectural style widely used on the Upper East Side at the beginning of the 20th century, the art piece "fuses a rococo design with a whimsically modern aesthetic," according to a press release. The stucco sculpture sits above the vaulted lobby's fireplace, contrasting its flowing, water-like quality with the fire below.
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New exhibit at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden features dozens of birdhouses made by artists and architects

Photo © Brooklyn Botanic Garden

May 23, 2022

New exhibit at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden features dozens of birdhouses made by artists and architects

An outdoor exhibition featuring dozens of artist-made birdhouses will open at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden next month. Debuting on June 11, "For the Birds" highlights the connection between birds, plants, and the importance of protecting plant ecosystems. The installation coincides with the release of "For the Birds: The Birdsong Project," a multi-album collection of original songs and readings inspired by birds compiled by music supervisor Randall Poster.
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The 92nd Street Y rebrands as 92NY and kicks off $200M redevelopment

All renderings courtesy of Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners LLP

May 11, 2022

The 92nd Street Y rebrands as 92NY and kicks off $200M redevelopment

A New York institution is getting a makeover---and a new name. The 92nd Street Y announced on Tuesday it has rebranded to 92nd Street Y, New York (with a nickname of 92NY), as part of a post-pandemic transformation that also involves a major revamp and new online programs. This month, a $200 million redevelopment of the organization's Upper East Side home at 1395 Lexington Avenue led by Beyer Blinder Belle will begin, starting with a renovation of its public performance space, a new dance center, and improvements to the gym.
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May 9, 2022

NYCxDESIGN 2022: What to see and do at New York City’s biggest celebration of design

Taking place in one of the world's most innovative design capitals, New York City's largest design festival will be celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. NYCxDESIGN: The Festival is a showcase of the newest and most creative offerings in furniture, lighting, textiles, and accessories–many of which you'll be seeing for the next several years in magazines, blogs, and showrooms–with festival attendees from points far and near converging on the city’s five boroughs from May 10–20. Design theory, urbanism, and big-picture issues like the environment and inequality inform brainy panel discussions and workshops. And if modern objects are your thing, you'll be in design heaven with popular programs like Apartment Therapy's Small / Cool providing a serious opportunity to get ideas for your own urban living space. Read on for a handful of highlights.
NYC X Design Festival 2022 highlights, this way

NYC gives billionaire Bill Ackman green light to build rooftop penthouse on Central Park West

All renderings designed by Foster+ Partners, courtesy of the Landmarks Preservation Commission

May 3, 2022

NYC gives billionaire Bill Ackman green light to build rooftop penthouse on Central Park West

Billionaire Bill Ackman is getting his Central Park-facing rooftop glass penthouse designed by Norman Foster after all. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday approved plans from the hedge fund founder to build a glass penthouse addition on top of a 100-year-old Upper West Side co-op building where he owns an apartment. First presented last November as a two-level glass box on the roof of 6-16 West 77th Street, the approved proposal includes a scaled-down design and more muted materials.
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NYC finally launches containerized trash bin pilot

Image courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

April 21, 2022

NYC finally launches containerized trash bin pilot

Mayor Eric Adams and Department of Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch on Wednesday unveiled a new containerized waste bin that the city will eventually deploy across all five boroughs in hopes of thwarting rats, making more room on the sidewalks, and improving the overall quality of life for residents. The new bins are part of the city's Clean Curbs Pilot program, which was announced two years ago. The first bins were installed in Times Square on Wednesday.
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$7.9M Village townhouse was the home of civil rights lawyer William Kunstler

Photo courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

April 19, 2022

$7.9M Village townhouse was the home of civil rights lawyer William Kunstler

This landmarked brick row house at 13 Gay Street in Greenwich Village was once the home and office of noted American civil rights attorneys William Kunstler and Margaret Ratner Kunstler. Best known for defending the Chicago Seven, William Kunstler's client roster included Malcolm X, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., and the Attica prison rioters among many others. Now asking $7,900,000, the four-story single-family Greek Revival townhouse was built in 1844. Two garden floor spaces are zoned for live/work.
Village townhouse tour, this way

New public orchard on Governors Island grows fruit not found in NYC for centuries

Rendering of The Open Orchard project site on Governors Island in full bloom; courtesy of Sam Van Aken

April 11, 2022

New public orchard on Governors Island grows fruit not found in NYC for centuries

An orchard with trees containing fruit varieties native to the New York City region will open to the public this month on Governors Island. Created by artist Sam Van Aken, the artwork, The Open Orchard, consists of 102 trees bearing fruits grown in the state within the past 400 years but which have gone extinct due to climate change and industrialization. The orchard will serve as a gene bank for rare fruit species that can no longer be found naturally here, allowing New Yorkers to taste fruit that has not existed for hundreds of years, while also preserving them for future generations. The Open Orchard will officially open on Arbor Day, April 29, the Trust for Governors Island announced on Monday.
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NYC celebrates Frederick Law Olmsted’s bicentennial birthday with a month of parks programs

All images courtesy of Daniel Avila / NYC Parks

April 8, 2022

NYC celebrates Frederick Law Olmsted’s bicentennial birthday with a month of parks programs

Throughout April, the city's parks will celebrate the 200th birthday of Frederick Law Olmsted, the landscape architect whose visionary work on Central Park, Prospect Park, and many other public parks helped influence the future of urban green space design. The Parks Department will be teaching New Yorkers about Olmsted's influence on urban design with an exhibition at the Arsenal Gallery, tours led by the Urban Park Rangers, and much more.
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Sales launch at Robert A.M. Stern’s waterfront Chelsea condo, two-bedrooms priced from $4M

All images courtesy of Related Companies

April 7, 2022

Sales launch at Robert A.M. Stern’s waterfront Chelsea condo, two-bedrooms priced from $4M