Architecture And Design

Curvaceous ‘Morph Tower’ Begins Its Rise at 15 Hudson Yards, Abutting the Culture Shed
March 23, 2016

Curvaceous ‘Morph Tower’ Begins Its Rise at 15 Hudson Yards, Abutting the Culture Shed

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The foundation mat has been poured, and Hudson Yards' first residential building, Tower D at 15 Hudson Yards, is beginning its climb into the burgeoning far west side skyline. Situated alongside the High Line, at the northeast corner of West 30th Street and Eleventh Avenue, 15 Hudson Yards will house nearly 400 apartments and soar more than 900 feet high upon completion. Discounting the enormous spire on the New York Times Building, the tower will be for a short while the tallest building in Manhattan west of Eighth Avenue. It will also abut the Culture Shed, likely to be the city's next great cultural venue. The skyscraper will be the first of two residential towers that Related Companies and the Oxford Properties have planned for eastern rail yards. The second will be the 1,000-foot-tall 35 Hudson Yards, and they will join the 900-foot Coach Tower at 10 Hudson Yards and the 1,296-foot 30 Hudson Yards.
More details and renderings ahead
Flyte Is a High-Tech LED Lamp That Floats, Defying Gravity
March 23, 2016

Flyte Is a High-Tech LED Lamp That Floats, Defying Gravity

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Simon Morris -- a New York City-born, Stockholm-based scientist -- has created a revolutionary wireless light bulb that floats and gently rotates while it shines. Called Flyte, a combination of Flying and Light, the magical high-tech lamp takes inspiration from Tesla's magnetic levitation technologies to defy gravity, hovering above a wooden base. Flyte can be switched on and off by touching its base, it need no batteries, and has an amazing lifespan of 22 years. Plus, the base doubles as a wireless charging station for smart phones and other devices.
Learn more about this anti-gravity light
Morris Adjmi’s 465 Pacific Street Tops Out, Only One Penthouse Unit Remains
March 23, 2016

Morris Adjmi’s 465 Pacific Street Tops Out, Only One Penthouse Unit Remains

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When 6sqft checked in on Boerum Hill's 465 Pacific Street in November, it was little more than a hole in the ground with roughly 50 percent of its 30 condo units already in contract. Now, a little more than four months later, its seven-story concrete skeleton has topped off and just a sole penthouse unit remains. The $55 million development was forged through a partnership between Avery Hall Investments and ARIA Development Group, who purchased the block-through lot for $18 million in 2013. With Morris Adjmi Architects at the helm, the development is composed of two seven-story wings encompassing 85,000 square feet of floor space. Lower levels of the building are faced in a uniform skin of red brick and red mortar joints, while upper levels are finished in dark steel to pay homage to the Mohawk ironworkers who once maintained a community within the neighborhood.
Find out more right here
Despite Landmarks Approval, 190 Bowery May Shed Its Iconic Graffiti After All

190 Bowery getting a bath; photo via Bowery Boogie

March 23, 2016

Despite Landmarks Approval, 190 Bowery May Shed Its Iconic Graffiti After All

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Though the Landmarks Preservation Commission approved a proposal to restore the former Germania Bank Building at 190 Bowery with its controversial coat of graffiti intact, the on-again-off-again spray paint layer looks to be on its way out according to onlookers (h/t Bowery Boogie). Power-washing and a "paint-removal system" are reportedly underway, disappearing decades of scrawl.
Refresh your memory on what's in the future for 190 Bowery
First Look at Scaled-Down West Village Condos Slated for 111 Leroy Street
March 22, 2016

First Look at Scaled-Down West Village Condos Slated for 111 Leroy Street

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Moving past a resounding rejection from the local community board, Property Markets Group (PMG) is forging ahead with a smaller, as-of-right plan to build a condominium and townhouse development at 111 Leroy Street. On a Belgian block stretch of the street, bestriding leafy West Village and mixed-use Hudson Square, the development will replace a long-time parking lot and small commercial building at the northeast corner of Leroy and Greenwich streets. Permits filed last year indicate PMG is seeking to build a 10-story condo tower with five adjoining townhouses. In all, the development will span 44,000 square feet, just half the scope PMG asked the community board to approve last year. That abandoned option called for a larger 30-unit condo building anchoring the site’s corner and spanning much of the Leroy Street frontage. Towards the eastern end of the site, they proposed a modest five-story affordable senior supportive housing facility as a concession to build bigger.
More details ahead
Three Nordic Designers Collaborate on These Curious Candleholders
March 22, 2016

Three Nordic Designers Collaborate on These Curious Candleholders

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These strange but beautiful candleholders come via a collaborative effort by designers from three different Nordic countries. Hugdetta from Iceland, Petra Lilja from Sweden, and Aalto+Aalto from Finland joined forces for an experiment entitled 1+1+1, which "examines and reimagines objects by having each studio design an object consisting of three distinct parts and then mixing the parts up into unpredictable combinations." The result is a series of cabinets, mirrors, lamps, and these candleholders.
Learn more about these strange candleholders
The Sale of This $2.8M Stuyvesant Heights Corner Limestone Beauty Will Benefit Creative Kids
March 21, 2016

The Sale of This $2.8M Stuyvesant Heights Corner Limestone Beauty Will Benefit Creative Kids

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There's so much to love about this 4,100-square-foot, four-story limestone townhouse at 271 Stuyvesant Avenue we hardly know where to start. For lovers of historic homes, this 1890s townhouse has a bounty of intact original details on every floor, from fireplaces to inlaid parquet floors to moldings and wainscoting. It's in a great corner spot in the prized Stuyvesant Heights historic district, the Bed-Stuy neighborhood known for its rows of architecturally notable brownstones and limestones. There's outdoor space and a deck; use the garden-level apartment for extra income (or live in the lower unit, with the yard and finished cellar). But perhaps the most rare blessing of this property is that proceeds from the sale of the $2.795 million home will "enable the launch of a non-profit creative residency for marginalized youth," founded by the current owner, renowned photojournalist and Guggenheim Fellow Brenda Kenneally.
Tour this amazing historic townhouse
Slate Property Group Seeks to Convert Greenpoint Savings Bank Annex Into Apartments
March 21, 2016

Slate Property Group Seeks to Convert Greenpoint Savings Bank Annex Into Apartments

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Slate Property Group is seeking approvals from the Landmark Preservation Commission to convert the rear annex of the landmarked Greenpoint Savings Bank into apartments. Situated within Greenpoint's historic district, at the southeast corner of Calyer and Lorimer Streets, the plan would add an additional two stories to an existing three-story office structure at the corner, ultimately yielding 25 units throughout 40,000 square feet of residential area.
More details ahead
Teaser Site Launched for Restored Harlem Gem on Morningside Park, Leasing Begins This Spring
March 21, 2016

Teaser Site Launched for Restored Harlem Gem on Morningside Park, Leasing Begins This Spring

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Built in 1901 as a seven-story residential building, the distinctive Beaux Arts-style apartment house at 92 Morningside Avenue in Harlem has shed its scaffolding after a two-year renovation/restoration by ND Architecture & Design. It's also officially launched its teaser website that announces leasing of its 45 rental units will begin this spring. The site reveals unit interiors will have "prewar-inspired floor plans, contemporary design, and masterfully crafted finishes." The living experience is branded as "prewar parkside perfection" with “luxurious parkside living in a re-imagined Beaux-Arts masterpiece." Layouts will range from one- to four-bedroom residences with some duplex apartments. Amenities will include bike parking, a recreation room, a rooftop terrace and professional concierge services.
The full history of the site
Revealed: First Look At the Builtd’s Condos Coming to 570 Broome Street
March 18, 2016

Revealed: First Look At the Builtd’s Condos Coming to 570 Broome Street

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Who would have thought the hottest new address downtown would be along the approach to the Holland Tunnel? Recently, we published a new set of images showing a Renzo Piano-designed condo tower to rise at 565 Broome Street, last week we unveiled S9 Architects' renderings of a 30-story residential building to rise at 111 Varick Street, and now here's our first look at another stack of condos slated for 570 Broome Street. The rendering posted on the project site's construction fence shows a smart design of staggered setbacks and window groupings that offer an interesting solution to the area's tightly prescribed building envelopes. Designed by Tahir Demircioglu, builtd's facade is composed of a warm stone that clads both the lot-line walls and frames three-story high expanses of glass.
see even more this way
$850K Architect-Designed Clinton Hill Condo in a Gothic Cathedral Is Just as Cool on the Inside
March 18, 2016

$850K Architect-Designed Clinton Hill Condo in a Gothic Cathedral Is Just as Cool on the Inside

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It's hard not to stare in awe at the impressive building at 555 Washington Avenue on the northeast corner of Atlantic and Washington Avenues near the border between Clinton Hill and Prospect Heights; the spectacular Gothic cathedral–fittingly known as Cathedral Condominiums–was built in 1914 as a seminary and converted to condos in 1988. The building's gargoyles and cathedral windows make it the kind of place it's hard not to try to imagine coming home to. This one-bedroom-plus-loft "duplex" apartment would be a nice place to call home in any building, but the fact that it's tucked away in this one makes it that much more special. While the interior is neither Gothic nor solemn, custom details, four distinct living areas and a great design eye make this feel like a find at $850K.
Take a look around
1,436-Foot Supertall May Rise at 80 South Street in the Financial District
March 18, 2016

1,436-Foot Supertall May Rise at 80 South Street in the Financial District

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The sale of 80 South Street from Howard Hughes Corp. to China Oceanwide Holdings has been finalized, reports The Real Deal. The $390 million deal was first announced in August, but closing was contingent on Howard Hughes transferring an additional 303,113 square feet in air rights to the address after already securing 104,167 square feet. With this, 80 South Street's development potential has grown to 817,784 square feet and a tower of 1,436 feet (to put this in perspective, 432 Park is 1,396 feet tall, while 1 WTC is 1,368 feet tall by roof height) with 113 floors could soon rise on the site which has sat in redevelopment limbo for over a decade.
more here
First Look: The Annabelle Selldorf Condos Replacing Bowlmor Lanes in Greenwich Village

Image: 21E12

March 18, 2016

First Look: The Annabelle Selldorf Condos Replacing Bowlmor Lanes in Greenwich Village

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The 23-story residential tower that will rise at 110 University Place, home of the beloved now-demolished Bowlmor Lanes, will be designed by starchitect Annabelle Selldorf, Curbed reports. Accompanying this news are brand new renderings and a teaser site for the 56-unit condominium building, which is being developed by William Macklowe Company. The condos replacing the Greenwich Village bowling mecca will be known as 21E12, with sales expected to launch in the next several months. As 6sqft previously reported, in 2012, Billy Macklowe, founder and CEO of William Macklowe Company and son of 432 Park Avenue developer Harry Macklowe, acquired control of the property from a partnership group.
See more, this way
New Views Inside and Out of Renzo Piano’s First New York Residential Building
March 17, 2016

New Views Inside and Out of Renzo Piano’s First New York Residential Building

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In January, 6sqft unveiled a set of illustrations and drawings detailing the exterior of Renzo Piano's forthcoming condominium tower 565 Broome Street (formerly known as 555 Broome). Now, with construction finally underway, the investors at Cindat Capital Management have published an online gallery providing a better taste of what's to come. Pitched between two of the city's most coveted neighborhoods, Soho and Tribeca, the much-anticipated development will rise nearly 320 feet in height along a full Varick Street block front between Broome and Watts Streets. The 25-story structure is being propelled forward by a joint venture among Bizzi & Partners Development, Michael Shvo and Itzhaki Acquisitions. Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano was tapped as the design architect, while the local talents at SLCE are serving as the architects of record.
More details and renderings ahead
Bjarke Ingels Reveals Glassy Wave-Like Design for 2 Penn Plaza Overhaul
March 16, 2016

Bjarke Ingels Reveals Glassy Wave-Like Design for 2 Penn Plaza Overhaul

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Another day, another reveal from Danish wunderkind Bjarke Ingels. This time the starchitect has taken on a project at much-loathed Penn Station, transforming 2 Penn Plaza (the tower directly above the station and Madison Square Garden) from a nondescript, monolithic slab to a shiny, playful tower. The renderings, first spotted by NY Yimby, show a somewhat typical glass mass, but the fun begins above the ground levels, where a wave-like canopy of glass panels ushers people in to a new retail base.
More details on the proposal
Michelle Williams Submits Plans to Renovate Historic Prospect Park South Mansion
March 16, 2016

Michelle Williams Submits Plans to Renovate Historic Prospect Park South Mansion

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When word got around this past June that Michelle Williams had bought a $2.5 million Colonial Revival mansion in Prospect Park South, 6sqft noted that the grand home was in need of some TLC. So, not surprisingly, the Brooklyn-loving actress submitted a proposal to the Landmarks Preservation Commission yesterday, reports Brownstoner. Williams enlisted Matiz Architecture & Design (who have worked on numerous historic projects across the city) to draw up the plans for 1440 Albemarle Road, which include restoring the original clapboard siding, replacing a door with a stained glass window, fencing in the rear yard, and transforming the small back porch with four columns into a porch twice the size with three columns.
More information this way
Checking in on Downtown’s Next Supertall, 125 Greenwich Street by Rafael Viñoly Architects
March 16, 2016

Checking in on Downtown’s Next Supertall, 125 Greenwich Street by Rafael Viñoly Architects

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It's been some time since 6sqft checked on 125 Greenwich Street, a slender tower that will soar more than 1,000 feet high and offer a limited collection of condominium residences with unparalleled views of the lower Manhattan skyline and beyond. Developed by a joint venture comprised of Michael Shvo, Bizzi + Partners Development, and Howard Lorber's Vector Group, the 9,000-square-foot corner site will yield 275 compact residences spread over 306,000 square feet of space, along with a retail- and amenity-filled podium. Plans submitted to the Department of Buildings in October show that most of the building's floor plates will house six apartments each.
Get a look at the current site
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Former Plaza Suite Gets a Price Cut to $26M
March 16, 2016

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Former Plaza Suite Gets a Price Cut to $26M

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The 4,000-square-foot Plaza suite that Frank Lloyd Wright once briefly called home just got a price reduction (and a broker change) from $39.5 million to $26 million (h/t Curbed). As 6sqft discovered last year, Wright lived in the corner apartment from 1954 to 1959 while he was working on the Guggenheim Museum. Though the architect's past residency certainly adds interest, the impressive pad at 1 Central Park South does a fine job impressing us on its own—and we're not alone, clearly, since the home was featured in Architectural Digest in 2014. Current owners James and Lisa Cohen (chairman of Hudson Media and home editor at DuJour magazine, respectively) bought the sprawling condo for $13 million in 2009 to use as a Manhattan pied-a-terre (their main residence is in New Jersey). Then they proceeded to gut-renovate and redesign the home with help from Louis Lisboa of VL Architects and interior designer Susanna Maggard. The apartment headed back to the market last year for a renovation-reflecting $39.5 million. Now the colorful, luxurious and impossibly large four-bedroom pad is asking a significantly slimmer but still sizeable $26 million.
READ MORE
New Interactive Map Lets You Explore New York City’s Landmarks
March 16, 2016

New Interactive Map Lets You Explore New York City’s Landmarks

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The Landmarks Preservation Commission has just launched a new interactive map that allows anyone to explore all of the city’s landmarked sites (h/t Curbed). The map, called Discover NYC Landmarks, is part of an LPC initiative to "bring greater transparency, efficiency, and public access to the agency." The new tool has mapped every single one of the city’s designated landmarks, including 1,347 individual buildings, 117 landmarked interiors, 114 historic districts, 10 scenic landmarks and even sites that are calendared for LPC consideration.
Start exploring, this way
New Views of Diller Scofidio + Renfro’s Columbia School of Business Buildings
March 16, 2016

New Views of Diller Scofidio + Renfro’s Columbia School of Business Buildings

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Back in 2004, Diller Scofidio + Renfro unveiled their proposal to build a new facility for the Eyebeam Atelier/Museum of Art and Technology. Their winning competition bid resembled the insides of a mitochondria dyed baby blue and blown up to an extreme proportion. DSR presented a more poetic explanation, referencing a pliable ribbon where horizontal surfaces turned into walls and vertical planes slouched into floors. The ribbon's thin divide would separate the production spaces of the museum from the presentation areas. The project was never realized, but fast forward 12 years, after the completion of the firms' well-regarded Lincoln Center overhaul and three phases of the High Line, and DSR has dusted off their undulating ribbons for Columbia University. Now that their Columbia University Medical and Graduate Education Building is nearly complete, their next set of wiggles are planned for a pair of academic buildings at the University's now-under construction Manhattanville campus in West Harlem. Amounting to 460,000 square feet of space, the two buildings will be separated by a central outdoor green space, and their insides will house classrooms, faculty offices, lounge areas, and support spaces for Columbia's Graduate School of Business.
Lots more renderings and details ahead
This Couple Ditched Their Apartment to Live on a 200-Square-Foot Boat for $360/Month
March 15, 2016

This Couple Ditched Their Apartment to Live on a 200-Square-Foot Boat for $360/Month

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When most New Yorkers want to start shaving money off the monthly rent bill they shack up with roommates, move far out in the boroughs, or relocate altogether. But this savvy couple found a way to save more than $4,500 a month without leaving downtown Manhattan, though they did sacrifice significantly on space (h/t Curbed). Mel Magazine made a video, "A Couple's Guide to Living on a Boat in New York in Winter," that profiles Victoria Fine and Jon Vidar, who share a 200-square-foot houseboat that's docked in the East River, along with their dog. Jon says he's been known to be "a drunken sailor" at times, but that being hungover on a boat is probably the worst part of sea living. And they both agree that you can forget personal space, with Victorian referencing a recent time she was sick with a cold.
Watch the full video
Architects Say Glue May Be the Best Choice to Hold Skyscrapers Together

Designed by architecture firm Snøhetta, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s expansion has the largest composite-based facade in the U.S.

March 15, 2016

Architects Say Glue May Be the Best Choice to Hold Skyscrapers Together

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Adhesives and composite materials are joining 3D printing as innovations that may revolutionize the construction industry. According to architect Greg Lynn, using fast-drying glue to connect today's lighter, stronger and cheaper building materials like carbon fiber, fiberglass and other structural plastics is a more efficient means of construction, reports Dezeen. The combination could mean a new chapter in construction methods, and "lead to entire towers being glued together," making screws, rivets and bolts obsolete.
Find out more
10 Ways to Decorate an Exposed Brick Wall Without Drilling

6sqft’s series Apartment Living 101 is aimed at helping New Yorkers navigate the challenges of creating a happy home in the big city. This week we offer up ideas for decorating exposed brick walls without drilling.

March 15, 2016

10 Ways to Decorate an Exposed Brick Wall Without Drilling

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Exposed brick is one of the most common architectural elements in NYC apartments -- even otherwise bland spaces often feature the material. Though it offers tons of character, it can make decorating quite challenging since drilling into brick isn't the easiest task. Renters especially have a tough time, as putting holes in a brick wall can be a big no-no for landlords. But 6sqft has come up with 10 ways to dress up such walls, no drill necessary. Thanks to decor like string lights and ladders, you'll never have to stare at a blank brick wall again.
See all the ideas ahead
Mygdal Plantlamp Makes it Easy to Grow Plants in the Dreariest Basement or Cubicle
March 15, 2016

Mygdal Plantlamp Makes it Easy to Grow Plants in the Dreariest Basement or Cubicle

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In New York City we're almost always strapped for space, and more often than not we're also left wanting sunlight and greenery. While there are many different products on the market that attempt to help us solve for these deficiencies, our current obsession is with the Mygdal Plantlamp. This amazing new product allows users to grow plants anywhere without sunlight, regardless of how dreary your space may be. It employs LED technology to replace natural sunlight and is almost totally self-sufficient. According to its designers, the plant can grow for years without water, as the "self-sustaining ecosystem" imitates the process of photosynthesis.
Find out more here
First Look at Austere East Harlem Tower Set for 1790 Third Avenue
March 15, 2016

First Look at Austere East Harlem Tower Set for 1790 Third Avenue

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Foundation and groundwork is making headway for an upcoming rental tower at 1790-1792 Third Avenue in East Harlem. Here's our first look at the IBI Group-Gruzen Samton-designed building that will bring some 95 new rentals to the block, where it will be the tallest structure, rising 13 stories and encompassing 48,377 gross square feet of space. The rather austere design features a gunmetal-grey facade, a single setback at the ninth floor, and south-facing lot-line windows that are allowed because the developers secured the adjacent building's air rights. According to the approved permits, there will be an ambulatory facility and commercial retail space at the ground floor, and residential amenities will include a roof deck and bike storage. Some upper floor units will have views overlooking the tree-filled Cherry Hill Playground, the recently rehabilitated El Barrio's Artspace PS109, and the East River.
More ahead
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