Real Estate Trends

400-unit rental at 250 Water Street in South Street Seaport can move forward

Images courtesy of The Howard Hughes Corporation/SOM

May 22, 2024

400-unit rental at 250 Water Street in South Street Seaport can move forward

A 400-unit rental planned for a parking lot in the South Street Seaport historic district can officially move forward, ending a multi-year legal saga over the site. The New York Court of Appeals on Tuesday rejected a challenge from preservationists who opposed the Howard Hughes Corporation's $850 million project at 250 Water Street. With the ruling, and the extension of the 421-a tax break, the developer can proceed with constructing the 27-story mixed-use development.
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The historic Bronx Post Office is for sale again

All photos courtesy of Avison Young

May 7, 2024

The historic Bronx Post Office is for sale again

By Devin Gannon

One of the most iconic buildings in the Bronx is for sale again. The Bronx General Post Office at 558 Grand Concourse is looking for a buyer five years after a deal to buy the landmark fell through. Developer Young Woo & Associates purchased the property from the United States Postal Service in 2014 with plans to revitalize the 90-year-old building and transform it into a mixed-use development with a food market. After a sale failed in 2019, the property has returned to the market, advertised as having the potential to become residential or a hotel with retail space.
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Stephen Sondheim’s Connecticut country home sells for $3.25M

Photos courtesy of Klemm Real Estate & Michael Bowman Photography

April 18, 2024

Stephen Sondheim’s Connecticut country home sells for $3.25M

By Devin Gannon

The longtime Connecticut home of late Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim sold for the full asking price of $3,250,000. After hitting the market last November, the Roxbury property, which includes a main house, one-bedroom pool house, and a detached garage, found a buyer in just 12 days, according to Klemm Real Estate, the firm with the listing.
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Photo courtesy of Evan Joseph

April 1, 2024

Brooklyn Tower faces foreclosure

By Aaron Ginsburg

Despite setting a record for Brooklyn's most expensive studio last week, the Brooklyn Tower is facing foreclosure. JDS Development has defaulted on a $240 million mezzanine loan issued by Silverstein Capital Partners in 2019 for the 93-story development, as reported by The Real Deal. Silverstein has scheduled a foreclosure auction for June 10.
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Real Estate Trends

$905K Brooklyn Tower studio sets new sales record for the borough

Photo by Max Touhey

March 27, 2024

$905K Brooklyn Tower studio sets new sales record for the borough

By Devin Gannon

The tallest tower in Brooklyn just broke another record. A studio apartment in the Brooklyn Tower has sold for $905,000, marking the most expensive studio sale on a price-per-square-foot basis in the borough. Situated over 720 feet above ground, the 440-square-foot apartment boasts soaring, unobstructed views of the city and way beyond. According to city records, the property fetched a little over $2,000 per square foot.
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Real Estate Trends

Focus on 57th Street: Manhattan real estate insiders Leslie Hirsch and Howard Morrel chart the rise of Billionaires’ Row

Photo by Martti Salmi on Unsplash

March 13, 2024

Focus on 57th Street: Manhattan real estate insiders Leslie Hirsch and Howard Morrel chart the rise of Billionaires’ Row

By Michelle Cohen

New York City’s most successful real estate agents make it their business to know the city’s highlights, hot spots, secrets, and specialties; many are NYC natives or longtime residents whose love for the city’s streets and avenues adds indisputable value to their career of choice. We’ve asked a few top agents to tell us about their favorite neighborhoods and share their views on what the city's future may hold. Read on for insights from Leslie Hirsch, an insider with an enviable view from Billionaires' Row.
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Kate Moss and Johnny Depp’s one-time Greenwich Village home sells for $12M

All photos courtesy of The Corcoran Group

March 6, 2024

Kate Moss and Johnny Depp’s one-time Greenwich Village home sells for $12M

By Devin Gannon

The nearly 200-year-old Greenwich Village townhouse that Kate Moss and Johnny Depp called home in the 1990s has found a buyer. After listing for $15,000,000 last May, the Federal-style property at 112 Waverly Place, which measures 6,300 square feet and includes a triplex carriage house, sold last week for $12,005,000.
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February 28, 2024

7 must-have luxury apartment perks in NYC, according to brokers

By Lidia Ryan

There’s a running joke among New Yorkers that having in-unit laundry means you’ve "made it." And, according to Corcoran broker Vicki Negron, at this point, in-unit washer-dryers are an "absolute must" for a New York City apartment to be considered part of the "luxury" market. "People are eager for any opportunity to avoid a trip to the laundromat. Even if it means sacrificing closet space to accommodate an in-unit washer and dryer, it's a trade-off that many are willing to make,” she added. So now that we’ve reached peak washer/dryer necessity, what are the next big things in NYC luxury apartment living? Real estate brokers dished on what’s hot on the market right now.
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Real Estate Trends

Google opens new NYC office at historic St. John’s Terminal

All photos courtesy of Google.

February 21, 2024

Google opens new NYC office at historic St. John’s Terminal

By Devin Gannon

Google on Wednesday officially opened its newest New York City office. What once was a freight terminal in an industrial section of lower Manhattan is now a high-performing modern workplace for thousands of employees. Anchoring Google's larger campus in Hudson Square, the historic St. John's Terminal building at 550 Washington Street has been reimagined by COOKFOX Architects with a nine-floor addition atop three existing floors, a sustainable and biophilic design, diverse work areas, and outdoor communal spaces with Hudson River views.
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Real Estate Trends

Photos courtesy of Evan Joseph for The Corcoran Group

February 20, 2024

Annie Leibovitz sells UWS home for $2M over asking price

By Aaron Ginsburg

Annie Leibovitz has sold her Upper West Side co-op for nearly 24 percent over the asking price. The duplex, located in the star-studded Brentmore building at 88 Central Park West, fetched $10,625,000, roughly $2,000,000 more than what it listed for in October. But the sale was still a loss for Leibovitz, who paid about $11,250,000 for the home in 2014. The Brentmore is known for its high-profile residents, including Robert DeNiro, Paul Simon, and Sting. Kim Cooper, a general counsel at Apple, and Gregg Zehr, the creator of the Kindle, are listed as buyers of the residence, as Curbed first reported.
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$19.5M Tribeca townhouse of late designer Thierry Despont sells after three years

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Tribeca townhouse of late French architect Thierry Despont, best known for renovating New York City landmarks like the Statue of Liberty and the Carlyle Hotel, has finally sold after three years on the market. The five-bedroom townhouse at 182 Franklin Street entered contract with an asking price of 19.5 million, according to CityRealty. Despont, who died in August at the age of 75, listed the property in 2021 for $25 million.
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Real Estate Trends

Village Cigars in Greenwich Village closes amid rent dispute

Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim via Flickr cc

February 12, 2024

Village Cigars in Greenwich Village closes amid rent dispute

By Aaron Ginsburg

Village Cigars, the iconic Greenwich Village smoke shop in front of Hess Triangle, New York City's smallest piece of private land, has closed after over a century in business. The shop, located at 110 Seventh Avenue and Christopher Street within a distinctive red triangle-shaped building, shut its doors amid an alleged rent dispute between owner Andy Singh and landlord Jon Posner, as reported by Curbed. Posner claims that he signed a separation agreement with Singh, which required him to vacate the store by February 7.
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NYC real estate developer arrested in $86M+ fraud scheme

Photo courtesy of Nicole Franzen

February 8, 2024

NYC real estate developer arrested in $86M+ fraud scheme

By Aaron Ginsburg

The former executive of a luxury New York City development firm has been arrested for his connection to an $86 million fraud scheme. Nir Meir, the former managing director of HFZ Capital, was taken into custody on Monday along with other high-ranking industry officials, for stealing money from investors, subcontractors, and the city of New York, according to the indictment. Prosecutors claim Meir, who managed the firm's largest projects, specifically The XI (now One High Line), directed more than $253 million of the project's funding to LLCs controlled by HFZ despite being legally required to use the money for the development.
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All images courtesy of Aman New York

February 6, 2024

Aman New York condo sells for $61.58M

By Devin Gannon

An apartment on Fifth Avenue has sold for $61.58 million, according to city records. Terence Chan, chair of Hong Kong-based private equity firm Bay Area Capital Partners, closed on the four-bedroom apartment at Aman New York, an ultra-luxe hotel-condo with 83 hotel rooms and 22 residences inside the iconic Crown Building, Crain's reported.
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Real Estate Trends

January 31, 2024

$72.5M Greenwich Village townhouse sale is priciest in downtown Manhattan

By Devin Gannon

An unnamed buyer paid $72.5 million for a townhouse in Greenwich Village, setting a new record for the property type in downtown Manhattan. As first reported by the Wall Street Journal, the home at 138-140 West 11th Street is a combination of two four-story 19th-century homes. The seller was Dexter Goi, the former CEO of Altice USA, according to the Journal.
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Real Estate Trends

Frank Lloyd Wright’s horseshoe-shaped home in Connecticut sells for $6M

Photos by Udor Photography

January 29, 2024

Frank Lloyd Wright’s horseshoe-shaped home in Connecticut sells for $6M

By Devin Gannon

A 1950s Connecticut home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright has sold for $6 million. Known as "Tirranna," an Australian Aboriginal word meaning "running waters," the home at 432 Frogtown Road in New Canaan measures over 7,000 square feet and sits on 14 acres, making it one of the largest private residences ever completed by the famous architect. The horseshoe-shaped home, which cantilevers over a pond and waterfall, has had only four owners in the last 70 years, according to Mansion Global. The property was listed in May by Coldwell Banker Realty's Marsha Charles and Albert Safdie for $8 million and closed last week.
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Real Estate Trends

NYC brokerage to pay state $260K after allegedly charging excessive broker fees

Photo by Tomas Anton Escobar on Unsplash

January 26, 2024

NYC brokerage to pay state $260K after allegedly charging excessive broker fees

By Aaron Ginsburg

A Manhattan real estate brokerage accused of scamming tenants with excessive broker fees has agreed to pay the state $260,000 in penalties. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday announced a settlement with brokerage firm City Wide Apartments, Inc. after an investigation by the New York Department of State, which licenses real estate agents, found the firm charged exorbitant brokerage fees, in one case charging more than $20,000 in added fees to tenants searching for housing.
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Central Park Tower penthouse last listed for $149.5M finds buyer

Image courtesy of Extell

January 18, 2024

Central Park Tower penthouse last listed for $149.5M finds buyer

By Devin Gannon

Only two weeks into 2024 and New York City is already seeing record real estate deals. A 12,557-square-foot penthouse in Central Park Tower at 217 West 57th Street has entered contract, as first reported by the Wall Street Journal. The duplex condo at the Billionaires’ Row tower, considered the tallest residential building in the Western Hemisphere, was first listed in March for $175 million and most recently asked $149.5 million, according to CityRealty. The final deal turned out to be closer to $115 million, according to the Journal. The buyer has not been named.
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Real Estate Trends

NYC developers filed plans for just 9,909 housing units in 2023

Image courtesy of robertotmn on Flickr

January 9, 2024

NYC developers filed plans for just 9,909 housing units in 2023

By Devin Gannon

In 2023, housing production in New York City slowed dramatically. According to a new Real Estate Board of New York report, developers filed 285 multi-family foundation plan applications with just 9,909 apartments proposed, a 78 percent drop in total unit filings from 2022 when there were over 45,500 units proposed. The number of dwelling units proposed last year is 50 percent of the roughly 20,000 units produced per year between 2000 and 2020. REBNY blames the expiration of the 421-a tax break for the major decline.
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Real Estate Trends

January 5, 2024

Former Barneys flagship in Chelsea to become luxury condos

By Aaron Ginsburg

The former Barneys flagship store in Chelsea is going condo. Douglas Tiesi's Argentic Investment Management, which took over the shuttered department store at 115 7th Avenue from developer Ben Ashkenazy in 2020, sold the property to Flushing developer and architect Raymond Chan for $22 million, as first reported by the Real Deal. Ashkenazy paid $57 million for the building in 2014. Chan plans to convert the property into a luxury residential development with ground-floor retail space, according to Curbed.
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Real Estate Trends

All-cash home deals in Manhattan hit record high

Photo by Joe Taylor on Unsplash

January 3, 2024

All-cash home deals in Manhattan hit record high

By Devin Gannon

In New York City, cash is king. In the fourth quarter, the share of all-cash real estate transactions in Manhattan jumped to 67.9 percent of all sales. This marks a record-high market share of all-cash deals, according to appraiser Miller Samuel's new Elliman Report detailing Manhattan sales in the last three months of 2023.
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Real Estate Trends

December 29, 2023

6sqft’s top stories of 2023!

By 6sqft

As 2023 comes to a close, 6sqft is looking back on our most popular stories of the year. Over the last 12 months, readers pored over articles on everything New York City-related, from new fare evasion-stopping subway turnstiles and the construction of the city's largest all-electric skyscraper to the best seafood spots and the return of the holiday nostalgia trains. Readers enjoyed getting a look inside some of the city's most unique real estate listings, too, including the homes of photographers William Wegman and Annie Leibovitz and a historic Brooklyn carriage house turned Passive House.
what you read this year

Every NYC borough saw a decline in chain stores over the past year

Image courtesy of Peter Burka on Flickr

December 12, 2023

Every NYC borough saw a decline in chain stores over the past year

By Aaron Ginsburg

Nearly 250 chain stores in New York City have closed in the last year, the second-largest decrease since the pandemic began in 2020. The Center for an Urban Future (CUF) on Tuesday released its annual "State of the Chains" report, which found a 3.1 percent decrease in the number of chain stores across the five boroughs over the past year. This year's decline breaks a two-year streak of moderate growth of NYC chain stores.
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Real Estate Trends

Stephen Sondheim’s Turtle Bay townhouse sells for $7M

All photos courtesy of Compass

November 29, 2023

Stephen Sondheim’s Turtle Bay townhouse sells for $7M

By Devin Gannon

Late songsmith Stephen Sondheim's Turtle Bay townhouse has sold for the asking price of $7,000,000. As first reported by the Wall Street Journal, the unnamed buyer of 246 East 49th Street lives in New York and is a fan of the Broadway legend. The seven-bedroom home hit the market in July and entered contract the following month.
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Flatiron Building to become luxury condos

Photo by David Becker on Unsplash

October 26, 2023

Flatiron Building to become luxury condos

By Devin Gannon

One of New York City's most famous office buildings is going residential. Developer Brodsky Organization has bought a stake in the Flatiron Building and plans to work with the current owners to turn the landmark into a luxury condominium, as The Real Deal first reported.
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