Architecture And Design

One year ago, Trinity Church Wall Street revealed plans for a $300 million mixed-use tower designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli that would link to the historic Neo-Gothic church by a footbridge over Trinity Place. Earlier plans for luxury condos were squashed by the community, so Trinity decided instead to build an office tower and community space that will "allow the church to continue to shape the area and advocate for the community in the future," as the Rector, Rev. Dr. William Lupfer, explained. And it looks like the future is now; according to CityRealty, the Department of Buildings approved plans for the 26-story building and construction is underway.
READ MORE

October 18, 2017

Where I Work: Inside the plaster and mural studios at Evergreene Architectural Arts

6sqft’s new series “Where I Work” takes us into the studios, offices, and off-beat workspaces of New Yorkers across the city. In this installment, we’re touring the Industry City space of Evergreene Architectural Arts, one of the nation's foremost restoration and conservation firms. On Monday evening, the Historic Districts Council will present their 29th annual Landmarks Lion Award to Jeff Greene of EverGreene Architectural Arts, one of the nation's foremost experts in specialty contracting for both traditional and new, innovative techniques for restoring and conserving murals, ornamental plaster, and decorative finishes. "Jeff has been pivotal in restoring some of New York City’s most beloved landmarks to their proper glory," said HDC’s executive director Simeon Bankoff. And indeed, this is true; their commissions include the recent restoration of the New York Public Library’s Rose Reading Room, Brooklyn's Loew’s Kings Theater, the Eldridge Street Synagogue, and the McKim, Mead and White-designed University Club, where the event will be held, and this only scratches the surface of their hundreds of projects throughout the country. In anticipation of Jeff's recognition, 6sqft was given a behind-the-scenes tour of EverGreene's new office and studios in Industry City, where the firm's master artisans were hard at work painting murals, casting plaster moldings, and researching the history of several upcoming projects. We also spoke with Jeff himself about what inspired him to get into the field ("I ate the crayons before marking the walls," he says), how preservation has changed since he started the firm in 1978, and what some of his favorite projects have been.
Hear from Jeff and take a tour of EverGreene's incredible space

Eateries and entertainment venues proposed for Governors Island

Photo of Governors Island via simplethrill on Flickr

October 18, 2017

Eateries and entertainment venues proposed for Governors Island

Since Governors Island first opened in 2005, transforming the 172-acre piece of land in the New York Harbor into a public space has been slow. However, after a 40-acre park with a playground opened last year the ball has officially started rolling. According to Crain’s, the Trust for Governors Island recently released two requests for proposals aimed at making the waterfront location a destination for entertainment and cultural activities. The trust is offering licenses for up to three years during the island's season, which runs from May 1 through October 31.
Find out more

October 18, 2017

For $125M, you can own this 46-acre North Shore island compound

For the third time in a 100-year history, this island compound off the North Shore of Long Island is looking for a buyer. Anybody willing to spend $125 million can own what's known as Dosoris Island--which includes 46 acres of land, 10 acres of underwater rights and a 28-acre pond. On top of that, the island is home to a compound built by Junius Morgan, a J.P. Morgan scion, with six homes, landscaping by Frederick Law Olmsted, and all sorts of other perks. A pool, private dock, and horse stables--it's all included in this magnificent private island package listed by Sotheby's.
Get a closer look

Bjarke Ingels’ curvy East Harlem tower tops out

Rendering of E126 courtesy of Bjarke Ingels Group

October 18, 2017

Bjarke Ingels’ curvy East Harlem tower tops out

The concrete, t-shaped residential tower designed by starchitect, Bjarke Ingels and his firm BIG, topped out over the weekend, adding diversity to Upper Manhattan’s usual upright architecture. The East Harlem project at 158 East 126th Street, known as E126, uniquely slopes inward as it rises upward, allowing more sunlight to hit the street. As CityRealty learned, the unusual configuration will provide residents incredible views of the East River and Central Park from a rooftop garden.
Check it out

Architecture And Design

A Beaux-Arts style building will rise on the Upper East Side’s 79th Street, the block’s first condo

27 East 79th Street, renderings courtesy of Adellco

October 17, 2017

A Beaux-Arts style building will rise on the Upper East Side’s 79th Street, the block’s first condo

The Upper East Side's 79th Street, stretching between Madison and Fifth Avenues, remains known for its architecturally beautiful 19th and early 20th-century homes. Now, as CityRealty learned, the stretch of street will soon gain its first condominium at 27 East 79th Street, also the block's first new building in 40 years. The Parisian-inspired, 15-story building will have interiors designed by Cabinet Albert Pinto, whose trademark style mixes old-world luxury with modern design. The firm's previous clients include the French President and royal families of Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Albert Pinto's team, run by Linda Pinto, will be working with local firm, HTO Architects.
See inside

Architecture And Design

David Adjaye reveals designs for an interactive spy museum in Midtown

Renderings courtesy Adjaye Associates

October 17, 2017

David Adjaye reveals designs for an interactive spy museum in Midtown

One of the reasons for Ghanaian British architect David Adjaye's rise to international fame is his work on renowned museums, from Washington D.C.'s National Museum of African American History and Culture to Denver's Museum of Contemporary Art to the recently released plans for the Studio Museum in Harlem. And he'll now add to that list, again in NYC, but this time the project is a bit on the lighter side. The Architect's Newspaper reveals Adjaye Associates' renderings for SPYSCAPE, a spy museum and interactive experience that will open at 250 West 55th Street on February 16th. Spread over two floors in the office building, the exhibitions will be divided among individually designed pavilions, each one exploring one of the seven themes of spying. This format, according to the firm's Associate Director Lucy Tilley, allowed them to "challenge the traditional museum typology with a design that straddles the physical and digital worlds."
More details and renderings ahead

Architecture And Design

October 17, 2017

MAS’ new ‘Accidental Skyline’ report offers 10-point plan to keep supertalls in check

6sqft has reported previously on the increasing alarm caused by New York City's future skyline and its growing army of skyscrapers-to-be, with community groups expressing deep concern about the shadows cast across the city's parks by the tall towers. The Municipal Art Society (MAS) has been leading the pack when it comes to thorough analysis of the issue, which they see as having its roots not only in the sheer height of the new buildings but in a lack of regulation of how and where they rise in the larger context of the city. This "accidental skyline" effect reflects the fact that New York City currently has no restrictions on the shadows a tower may cast–the city doesn’t limit height, it only regulates FAR (floor area ratio). At this week's MAS Summit for New York City, the organization released its third Accidental Skyline report, calling for immediate reform in light of an unprecedented boom in as-of-right–and seemingly out-of-scale–development. MAS president Elizabeth Goldstein said, “New York doesn’t have to settle for an ‘accidental skyline.’”
See more future NYC skyscrapers, mapped

Beyer Blinder Belle overseeing $50M restoration of FiDi’s iconic Equitable Building

Rendering via MAQE

October 17, 2017

Beyer Blinder Belle overseeing $50M restoration of FiDi’s iconic Equitable Building

One of New York's best-known office buildings will get a major restoration. According to Curbed, Equitable Building owner Silverstein Properties plans to spend $50 million to return the Financial District building to its former glory, restoring many design elements that were on display when it first opened in 1915. Beyer Blinder Belle will oversee the reno, which includes the restoration of the entrance, a new lighting system with hanging bronze fixtures, a new reception desk, and a granite accent wall. For those unfamiliar with the Equitable Building, it actually played a huge role in the city's current zoning laws. The H-shaped tower, which takes up the entire block on Broadway between Pine and Cedar Streets, caused a scandal when it opened due to the long shadows it cast on nearby streets, leading the city to establish the first-ever zoning laws to regulate the height of future tall buildings.
Read about the restoration details

Architecture And Design

Art meets architecture at 180 East 88th including an intricate plasterwork installation in the lobby

CityRealty previously reported on the highly anticipated–and visually unique–skyscraper rising at 180 East 88th Street. Developers DDG want the 50-story condominium tower to stand apart from the sea of glass towers rising on the Upper East Side, and renderings show that the building's design is indeed a breathtaking departure from the average both inside and out, from herringbone-patterned brickwork to each unit’s herringbone floors imported from Austria. As an example of the project's unmatched level of individuality and attention to detail, DDG is working with a series of artists, including the renowned stucco artist Jan Hooss, who is creating an intricate plasterwork installation above the fireplace that will anchor the building's lobby. Based in Stuttgart, Germany, the artist has worked with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie at Chateau Miraval. DDG CEO Joseph McMillan told CityRealty, "We wanted something unique and different for this building which is why we went with stucco art."
Watch a video of the artist describing his work for Brad Pitt and for the new building

Museum of Natural History reveals designs for new Halls of Gems and Minerals

Conceptual rendering of the south entrance to the new Allison and Roberto Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals, from the Arthur Ross Hall of Meteorites. Visitors will be greeted by 9- and 12-foot amethyst geodes. Courtesy of Ralph Appelbaum Associates.

October 16, 2017

Museum of Natural History reveals designs for new Halls of Gems and Minerals

The giant blue whale and equally massive dinos might get all the glory at the American Museum of Natural History, but a new acquisition is bringing another exhibit into the extra-large club. This morning, the institution unveiled a 12-foot-tall, 9,000+ pound amethyst geode from Uruguay (one of the largest in the world) that will anchor its all-new Halls of Gems and Minerals. Ralph Appelbaum Associates is handling the renovation of the 11,000-square-foot space, which is being designed in anticipation of AMNH's upcoming $340 million expansion by starchitect Jeanne Gang. The Halls previously ended in a cul-de-sac but the new Halls will feature a "stunning Crystalline Pass" to connect to Studio Gang's 235,000-square-foot Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education and Innovation.
See all the renderings and watch a timelapse video of the geode's installation

Architecture And Design

A short history of New York City’s foul air shafts

Image by Bikes And Books

October 16, 2017

A short history of New York City’s foul air shafts

By Cait Etherington

If you think there is nothing worse than renting an apartment with windows and no view, think again. At one point in the city’s history, where one may now enjoy a small sliver of daylight and at least some fresh air, there was no light or air at all. Indeed, at some points in the history tenants’ windows looked out onto slits—sometimes a mere 28 inches wide—that were teeming with waste, rancid smells, and noise.
on the history of NYC air shafts

Rafael Vinoly’s Three Waterline Square tops out, first of starchitect trio

Three Waterline Square. Photos: Noe Associates with The Boundary (left), CityRealty (right)

October 13, 2017

Rafael Vinoly’s Three Waterline Square tops out, first of starchitect trio

Rafael Viñoly's tapering, pinstriped Three Waterline Square has topped out construction, CityRealty reports, and Richard Meier's neighboring One Waterline Square is rapidly approaching its final 36-story height. Construction crews pitched an American flag atop the nearly-400-foot-tall Viñoly-designed building signifying that vertical construction is complete. 6sqft has previously reported on the trio of glassy residential towers known as Waterline Square, highlighting the starchitect designs and amazing amenities of the under-construction West Side additions.
More photos and renderings this way

October 13, 2017

$4.4M carriage house off Cobble Hill Park was a stop on the Underground Railroad

This is one of the select few carriage homes that line the charming Cobble Hill Park, and now it's up for grabs asking $4.4 million. What you're getting is a house full of history: constructed in the 1840s through 1860, the carriage houses on this block served as homes for both the servants and horses of the wealthy homeowners along nearby Warren and Clinton streets. 20 Verandah, in particular, later served as a stop on the Underground Railroad. Of course, the interior is lovely too, with original details like bricks, ceiling beams and wood-burning fireplaces maintained within the four-bedroom, two-family home.
Get a look around

October 12, 2017

New Affiliates makes plywood look modern and sexy in this Bed-Stuy reno

Plywood doesn't have the reputation of a desirable material when it comes to chic home renovations. But the Manhattan design studio New Affiliates used it in this Bed-Stuy loft reno to surprising results. By using raw plywood and rough materials like exposed steel and mesh screens as finishes, the space retains its industrial edge while pulling off a clean, modern--even sexy--aesthetic by pairing such materials with stark blocks of color. As the firm says, "These adjacenies of contrasting materials work to produce something clean, light, and unprecious while maximizing usable space in the loft." All we have to say is, who knew plywood could be so appealing?
See more photos of the project

October 12, 2017

Two Boots Pizza founders’ amazing $10.5M townhouse is filled with memories of a bygone East Village

New York City is filled with homes–and stories–that are truly one-of-a-kind, and this massive, customized-from-top-to-bottom townhouse at 113 East 2nd Street in the East Village is a perfect example. The five-story townhouse is brimming with creative additions by residents who themselves helped shape one of the city’s most storied neighborhoods. The 7,000-square-foot property finds itself finally on the market for $10.5 million after a decade-long dispute between its owners, Phil Hartman and Doris Kornish, founders of the now-national pizza chain Two Boots, as the New York Post reports. The two divorced in 2008 and have been fighting over the home, where the pair raised three children, ever since. The 25-foot wide two-family townhouse is currently configured as an owner's unit with seven bedrooms and a separate one bedroom apartment on the parlor floor with "very limited and specific commercial uses." Though there are endless details that add originality and livability within, highlights include a serene rear garden and a performance space in the basement and cellar that's complete with a stage and 14-foot ceilings.
Explore this rare bit of East Village history

Brooklyn Point, Extell Development’s first tower in the borough, will rise 720 feet

New rendering of City Point courtesy of Extell Development

October 12, 2017

Brooklyn Point, Extell Development’s first tower in the borough, will rise 720 feet

Extell Development released a teaser website on Thursday ahead of its sales launch for Brooklyn Point, the group’s first tower in Brooklyn, and revealed more details about the luxury high-rise. Rising 68 stories and 720 feet high, the tower at 138 Willoughby Street will be the tallest building in the borough until 9 DeKalb Avenue rises, which will be roughly 1,000 feet tall. As the last phase of City Point, Brooklyn Point will join two other residential buildings, the Brodsky Organization’s 7 DeKalb and City Tower.
More this way

October 12, 2017

‘Orange is the New Black’ star Natasha Lyonne checks out $2M East Village synagogue condo

6sqft reported last year that "True Blood" star Alexander Skarsgård had viewed the penthouse-in-a-synagogue at 415 East 6th Street in the East Village; now, the New York Post reports that "Orange Is the New Black" star and noted native New Yorker Natasha Lyonne was seen checking out the 2nd floor unit in the unique condominium building, whose still-active congregation Adas Yisroel Anshe Meseritz will meet in a new space with a separate entrance on the first floor. The $1.99 million apartment–one of only three in the building–has plenty of perks like a key-locked private elevator entry behind its carefully-restored 1910 limestone facade with original stained-glass windows and architectural details.
Take a look,this way

October 11, 2017

The Hub, Brooklyn’s tallest building, unveils even more awesome amenities

In addition to being Brooklyn’s tallest tower, the Hub might also take the title for having the borough's best amenities. The Dattner Architects-designed 610-foot tall luxury rental at 333 Schermerhorn Street in Boerum Hill will feature a 75-foot indoor/outdoor lap pool, a gym, outdoor fitness level, a dog park and much more (h/t Curbed NY). The more than 40,000 square feet of amenities will provide residents with grilling cabanas, a landscaped terrace, club lounge and party rooms.
See the amenities

Architecture And Design

New Museum taps Rem Koolhaas’ OMA to design next phase of Bowery expansion

231 Bowery sits next to the New Museum, image via New Museum

October 11, 2017

New Museum taps Rem Koolhaas’ OMA to design next phase of Bowery expansion

The New Museum Board of Trustees announced Wednesday that OMA's Rem Koolhaas and Shoehei Shigematsu will design the museum's new building at 231 Bowery as part of the institution's expansion. The new structure, purchased by the contemporary art museum in 2008, will link the museum's Sanaa-designed building and double their footprint on the Bowery, adding 50,000-square-feet of space. OMA's first public project in New York City, 231 Bowery is expected to break ground in 2019.
Find out more

Bureau V’s 160-square-foot Urban Cabin is an homage to NYC Immigrants

Photos by Frank Oudeman/OTTO

October 10, 2017

Bureau V’s 160-square-foot Urban Cabin is an homage to NYC Immigrants

MINI has been working for the past couple years to expand its purview from tiny cars to tiny homes. Their endeavor began with a micro-living concept to address a lack of attractive, affordable housing in urban settings, and they've now expanded on this idea with an even more compact and personal model. First revealed at last month's London Design Week, the MINI Living Urban Cabin "fuses clever use of space with insights from local architects to create an area and structure suited for their city." British architect Sam Jacob was inspired by London's decline in libraries, but here in NYC, Greenwich Village-based firm Bureau V responded to larger global issues and based their design around New York’s history as an immigrant city.
See more this way

Architecture And Design

Hill West design a modest, 19-story condo for Billionaires’ Row

Rendering of 7 West 57th Street found at its construction site, via CityRealty

October 9, 2017

Hill West design a modest, 19-story condo for Billionaires’ Row

As Billionaires' Row on Manhattan's West 57th Street continues to grow with supertall towers, developer Sheldon Solow plans on constructing a more modest addition to the block. New renderings of the boutique condo at 7 West 57th Street, designed by Hill West, reveal a 19-floor building with an unassuming glass facade and a convex face, as CityRealty learned. The tower plays off of Solow's concave tower next door at 9 West 57th Street.
More this way

October 9, 2017

This $988K Tudor in Bayside, Queens looks like something out of a fairy tale

A turreted entryway, arched front door, leaded and stained glass windows and wood beamed ceilings--it all makes for a mini-castle in the heart of Bayside, Queens. This Tudor home at 48-12 217th Street was built in the 1930s, and is located in a neighborhood filled with other Tudor beauties with well manicured front yards. This home comes with plenty of suburban perks, like a front and back yard, garage and finished basement. Combined with the 1930s period details, it's a unique property that's now on the market for $988,000 and may just lure you out to eastern Queens.
There's even a Tiffany chandelier

Construction of Norman Foster’s ritzy One Hundred East 53rd Street tower is complete!

One Hundred East 53rd Street, photo via CityRealty

October 5, 2017

Construction of Norman Foster’s ritzy One Hundred East 53rd Street tower is complete!