Chelsea

The New York City Planning Commission has voted to approve a boutique condominium project on Manhattan's west side without the mayor's new Mandatory Inclusionary Housing plan in place, the New York Times reports; a much larger development in the Bronx also got the green light, and will be among the first to be included in the new affordable housing program. 6sqft reported previously on the controversy over whether a 17-story condominium slated to replace a parking lot and two low rise buildings at 6th Avenue at West 18th should be among the first recipients of the mayor’s new mandatory inclusionary housing (M.I.H.) program. Both the city and the project's developers, Acuity Capital Partners, made the argument that the proposed project is “more of a rejiggering of the zoning than an enlargement,” and therefore does not fall under the M.I.H. rules.
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August 15, 2016

Live on the High Line for $596/Month, Lottery Launching for 75 Units at New West Chelsea Tower

As 6sqft reported last summer, "To provide a gradual transition from mid-rise West Chelsea to the enormous skyscrapers planned for the Far West Side, the Bloomberg administration in 2005 allowed more generous zoning between West 28th and 30th Streets along Tenth and Eleventh avenues." One of the projects that took advantage of this upzoning was what's now being called Maestro West Chelsea, a 35-story, 220-unit, mixed-use tower at 323 Tenth Avenue (the tallest in the neighborhood) and its two adjoining 13-story buildings at 507 West 28th Street, which are providing an additional 155 units. The two portions are on either ends of the High Line and were designed by Avinash K. Malhotra Architects. Starting tomorrow, qualifying New Yorkers earning 40 or 50 percent of the area media income have the chance to apply for 75 affordable units in the buildings. They range from $596/month studios to $979/month two-bedrooms, and amenities include an attended lobby, recreation room, roof deck, fitness center, and parking (not to mention a much-sought-after location on one of the city's biggest outdoor attractions).
Find out if you qualify here

Affordable Housing

August 9, 2016

Sixth Avenue Adorama Site May Be the First Battle Over Mayor’s New Housing Program

The New York Times reports on what is looking like the first of many fights involving the mayor’s new mandatory inclusionary housing (M.I.H.) program which went into effect earlier this year. While the project, a 17-story condominium slated to replace a Manhattan parking lot and two low-rise buildings–one of which houses the venerable Adorama camera store–may not be especially noteworthy, as one of the first developments that may use the new zoning/housing rules, the outcome has the potential to affect thousands of lower-income units in the future. So it's worth following the outcome, even though, as City Planning Commissioner Carl Weisbrod puts it, "like any legislative action, it will take time for every scenario to play out.”
What's the battle all about?

August 8, 2016

27,000 Tons of Floating Concrete and Fabulous Feats of Engineering Make Pier 57 Peerless

In the summer of 1952, when the American economy was emerging with a roar from the stagnation of the Great Depression and World War II, engineer Emil H. Praeger was chosen to create a replacement for the Grace Line’s old Pier 57 which had been destroyed by fire. Described by the New York Times, the key to what makes the resulting replacement pier so special lies hidden below the pier shed in the Hudson River at the foot of West 15th Street; Rather than resting on a conventional pile field, the bulk of its weight is held up by three floating concrete boxes known as caissons, which are permanently anchored underwater. The unique foundation of the abandoned pier is the same foundation that will host a $350 million renovation of what is being called the SuperPier by RXR Realty and Youngwoo and Associates, thanks to a lease from the Hudson River Park Trust, with new tenants to include Google offices and Anthony Bourdain's new food market.
Find out more about how enormous blocks of concrete can float

August 5, 2016

Could This Glass-Enclosed Farm/Condo Grow on Rem Koolhaas’ High Line Site?

From multidisciplinary architectural firm Weston Baker Creative comes this vision of glass, grass and sass in the form of a mixed-use high-rise springing from the Rem Koolhaas parcel along Tenth Avenue and West 18th Street on banks of the High Line. As CityRealty reported, the mixed-use concept would include residences, an art gallery and ten levels of indoor farming terraces. The 12-story structure would rise from a grassy plaza, with the tower's concrete base meeting the High Line walkway in a full-floor, glass-enclosed gallery that would sit at eye level with the park.
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August 4, 2016

Own the Chelsea House Where ‘The Night Before Christmas’ Was Written for $8.7M

By Annie Doge

Around the holidays, 6sqft recounted the local history of Clement Clarke Moore’s quintessential Christmas tale, “The Night Before Christmas," which was written right here in Chelsea in 1822. The author was a major landowner in the neighborhood and lived with his family on a huge estate at 23rd Street and 9th Avenue, then considered the backwoods of the city. Their home was at 348 West 22nd Street, but Moore sold it in 1835. Six years later, it was rebuilt as the Greek Revival townhouse that stands today, and according to the Post, it's now for sale for $8.65 million.
More on the house

July 27, 2016

Kelsey Grammer Lists Chelsea Condo in Jean Nouvel’s 100 Eleventh Avenue for $9.75M

By Annie Doge

While in the midst of a very public divorce from third wife Camille in 2010, actor Kelsey Grammer moved from their 15 Central Park West pad to a much more mod condo at Jean Nouvel's glassy 100 Eleventh Avenue in west Chelsea. Apparently, says the Observer, he tried to keep the $6.4 million purchase "top-secret" as he was "buying it for himself and his then-mistress Kayte Walsh." The "Frasier" star eventually married Walsh, and they now have two children together; his publicist confirmed that he's listed the three-bedroom spread for $9.75 million since they've "outgrown" the space.
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July 26, 2016

$7K/Month Chelsea Rental Gets Points for Townhouse Charm and a Private Garden

Chelsea living on a beautiful tree-lined street feels even better when the living is being done in an utterly charming pastel-tinted townhouse like the one at 353 West 22nd Street. Surrounded by equally lovely townhouse neighbors and near the High Line, the West Village and all of Chelsea, it's a great downtown location with tons of curb appeal. The apartment itself is also nothing like the average cookie-cutter rental space. With lots of warm wood and brick, impossibly high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling casement windows and a gem of a private garden, this $7,000/month two-bedroom bi-level rental may be on the small side but it gets points for charm and outdoor space.
Take a look around

Distinctive Homes

July 18, 2016

Plans Filed for Condo/Cultural Building in West Chelsea by the Late Zaha Hadid

At the beginning of June, 6sqft reported that the Moinian Group would be moving ahead with a project at 220 Eleventh Avenue in Chelsea that they had collaborated on over a year ago with the late Zaha Hadid. This is located just three blocks away from the starchitect's only other New York Commission at 520 West 28th Street along the High Line. At the time, the developer announced that the new building will be "a collection of signature loft-like condominium residences, a collection of penthouses and a cultural institution to establish itself as the hub of the world renowned art district that is West Chelsea." Yimby has now revealed that Moinian filed official permits for the 11-story structure, which will boast 40 large condos, a museum, and a restaurant.
More details right this way

July 12, 2016

Stylish 470-Square-Foot Chelsea Loft Has More Space Than You’d Expect

While a 470-square-foot studio sounds pretty small when it comes to living space—and we certainly wouldn't expect much in the way of storage—this $699,000 co-op at 100 West 15th Street excels in lots of unexpected ways. Sleeping lofts can be tricky—especially when they're touted as the second floor of a "duplex" for twice the price of this unit–but in this case it works. A sizable sleeping platform with a wall of closets makes this studio look spacious rather than cell-like, and is in keeping with the Chelsea building's industrial loft history. Finishes also have a loft aesthetic, enough to look like they belong without looking precious. And the quality of the home's fixtures shows that whoever renovated this space meant business when it came to maximizing style and function in every square foot.
Find out more about this chic, efficient loft

Distinctive Homes

July 11, 2016

This $1.2M Chelsea Loft Has Great Architectural Details and a Bonus Room

This pretty co-op loft at 131 West 28th Street right in the middle of bustling Chelsea boasts stunning design elements like original arched windows, tin ceilings and custom cabinetry. The one-bedroom space, asking $1.175 million, is currently being used as two (or you'll get a great home office). On one hand that's called a bonus room for a reason; on the other, there are some challenges in the apartment's layout that could use an architect's touch. As far as what's within steps of this 7th Avenue-area address? Basically, everything. The block isn't exactly serene, but we're guessing peace and quiet isn't why anyone's moving to Chelsea (with some possible exceptions).
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Distinctive Homes

June 28, 2016

Sales Begin at Jardim, Isay Weinfeld’s Serene High Line-Adjacent Oasis

For those longing for Hamptons serenity without leaving Manhattan, Isay Weinfeld has designed a condominium for you. Sales officially kicked-off last week for the Brazilian architect's first New York commission, which has aptly been named Jardim for its leafy oasis in the heart of hard-edged West Chelsea. The homes are divided among two 11-story fraternal buildings that come dressed in a textually rich skin of cast-concrete interrupted by elongated ribbons of glass. Thirty-six light-filled homes frame the lushly planted, multi-level courtyard designed by Future Green Studio. And like all Manhattan real estate surrounding coveted greenery, the units come at a premium. Asking prices for the three currently available homes stand at $2,475 per square foot, according to CityRealty. The lowest priced abode is a 2,218-square-foot three-bedroom on the fourth floor going for $4.25 million; another three-bedroom on the third floor has an ask of $4.25 million; and a four-bedroom on the seventh floor has an ask of $7.55 million.
find out more here

June 20, 2016

Chelsea Townhouse Has Lots of Wood, Brick and Sunshine and a Leafy Garden for $18K/Month

The term used in the listing to describe this renovated four-bedroom townhouse in the residential midst of bustling Chelsea is "intelligently modernized," and it fits. The 3,600-square-foot townhouse at 240 West 21st Street, built in 1840, has, like most of its kind, a long and storied history; constructed as a family home (in this case for the well-to-do Hanks family) it saw generations of residents through the best and worst of times. But unlike some, this particular residence has emerged once more as a spacious and comfortable single-family home with more perks than quirks and is now on the rental market for $18,000 a month. Summer is a fine time to enjoy its sun-dappled leafy back yard and private upper deck. A hip loft-style kitchen and lots of brick set the interiors apart from some of its historic counterparts, and a slightly unusual layout means the living room is in the back–where the sunshine is.
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Distinctive Homes

June 13, 2016

Fashion Designer’s Chelsea Townhouse Renovated by Winka Dubbeldam Asks $13.75M

When Tia Cibani, creative director of popular Canadian fashion brand Ports 1961, left the label after the birth of a new baby, she was far from abandoning her fashion career. The young international designer launched her eponymous label in 2013. Though a creative career and family life are a lot to balance, being able to call this four-story, 5,000-square-foot West Chelsea townhouse home certainly didn't hurt. When Cibani purchased the home for $4.4 million in 2007, it needed a total overhaul, and noted Dutch architect Winka Dubbeldam, designer of Tribeca's V33 and the Greenwich Street Project at 497 Greenwich Street, was just the innovative force the project needed. The 1910 townhouse–with colorful contemporary interiors that are anything but stodgy–is now on the market for $13.75 million.
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Distinctive Homes

June 6, 2016

Condo/Cultural Building Designed by the Late Zaha Hadid Will Rise in West Chelsea

When the architecture community learned of the passing of Zaha Hadid in late March, it came as a bit of consolation that her first and only building in New York, 520 West 28th Street, had already begun to take shape along the High Line, ensuring that her legacy would last in our skyline. In much welcome news, 6sqft learns today that yet another design of hers will rise just three blocks away in Chelsea. A press release from The Moinian Group reveals that more than a year ago they worked with Hadid and her team to explore possibilities for 220 Eleventh Avenue, one of her final creations. The developer announced that the new building will be "a collection of signature loft-like condominium residences, a collection of penthouses and a cultural institution to establish itself as the hub of the world renowned art district that is West Chelsea."
More details this way

May 27, 2016

All Engines SHVO at Three New Manhattan Condo Developments

Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal profiled broker-turned-developer Michael Shvo and revealed his development company SHVO now has more than $4 billion dollars worth of projects in the works for the city. While many are still in planning stages and have yet to be released to the public, construction is moving ahead on a trio of condominium developments along Manhattan's western spine -- the Getty, 125 Greenwich Street, and 565 Broome SoHo (as a development partner). While varied in neighborhood and scale, they all enlist high-caliber architects and will bring Shvo's characteristic high level of attention to detail and "pursuit of perfection."
Get the rundown on all three developments

May 26, 2016

C3D Architecture’s 232 Seventh Avenue Begins Its 17-Floor Climb in Chelsea

Near Chelsea's raggle-taggle intersection of Seventh Avenue and 23rd Street, a new residential building has begun its 17-floor rise skyward. The 53,135-square-foot tower designed by C3D Architecture will boast 50 rental apartments with first and cellar levels dedicated to commercial and retail uses. Floors two through 11 will be configured with four apartments per floor and floors 12-16 just two apartments apiece. According to C3D, the exterior will be clad in a subdued mix of limestone and metal panels with full-height glass windows wedged in between. The second floor will be provided a large rear terrace and all levels above will have west-facing balconies. The twelfth floor is setback and the uppermost four levels will be outfitted with street-facing balconies.
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Jamestown Will Spend up to $50M to Double Retail Space at Chelsea Market

Views of addition courtesy of Neoscape

May 26, 2016

Jamestown Will Spend up to $50M to Double Retail Space at Chelsea Market

Back in March, 6sqft got a first look at renderings for Jamestown Properties' 240,000-square-foot addition to Chelsea Market. Known as BLDG 18, the nine-story topper designed by Studios Architecture will sit atop the westernmost building of the complex. In addition, the developer plans to spend $35 to $50 million doubling the size of the retail space. Though there's no new images to accompany the news, Crain's explains that the additional 80,000 square feet of retail will go in the building's now mostly unused lower level. Here, among other renovations, Jamestown will convert a boiler room into a restaurant and add a central corridor similar to the existing one on the ground level.
More details ahead

New Developments

May 24, 2016

Triplex Penthouse at the Late Zaha Hadid’s High Line Condos Lists for $50M

The 6,853-square-foot triplex penthouse atop the 11-story 520 West 28th Street condominium on the High Line, designed by the late Pritzker Prize-winning architect Zaha Hadid, has arrived on the market for the first time for the as-promised ask of $50 million. The architecturally unique 39-unit building, Hadid’s first–and, sadly, only–ground-up structure in New York City, has interiors also overseen and designed by the architect. Related Companies, the building's developer, speaks of the honor of collaborating with "one of the world’s most visionary architects, Dame Zaha Hadid, on the design for 520 West 28th. The design is being realized as she envisioned–each residence is a work of art unto itself–and the penthouse in particular is a spectacular example of this, including various unique elements such as a sculptural three-story staircase, designed by Hadid, which unites all levels of the triplex residence.”
Find out about this one-of-a-kind penthouse

May 10, 2016

$2.5M Chelsea Co-op Has Custom Everything and Plenty of Space For Art

By Emily Nonko

Right in the heart of Chelsea, a neighborhood known for its art galleries, is this $2.499 million apartment at 143 West 20th Street, being marketing for art lovers. The two-bedroom co-op was gut renovated by its developer-owner, who created a flexible, open floorplan with plenty of opportunities to hang artwork. It's been smartly designed with custom everything -- from the china cabinets in the dining room to the Murphy bed in the second bedroom.
Take a look

Distinctive Homes

May 2, 2016

New Renderings of West Chelsea’s SkyBox Development and Art Gallery

A unique mixed-use development in West Chelsea may be the paradigm of what new development in Manhattan could aspire to. Combining new construction and rehabilitation, and marrying ostentatious high-end condos with affordable rentals and an art museum/gallery, the project dubbed Chelsea SkyBox will satiate a wide spectrum of urbanites. The 250-foot tower will rise directly south of Annabelle Selldorf's metal-face condo 200 Eleventh Avenue (aka the "Sky garage") and will host ten full-floor apartments plus a spectacular five-story penthouse that developer Jonathan Leitersdorf told the Journal he will ultimately occupy. The project also will rehabilitate the corner SRO building next door known as the Chelsea Highline Hotel. The ground floors of both buildings will be shared, and there will be 15,000-square- feet of commercial space that will have 30-foot-high ceilings and accommodate an art museum and a private gallery to contain works by Picasso, Keith Haring, Kandinsky, and Anish Kapoor.
Lots more renderings ahead

May 2, 2016

This $7,600/Month West Chelsea Duplex Has a Secret Garden and a Hidden Bedroom Bar

As the weather warms and green things begin to grow, thoughts turn to our own gardening fantasies. Whether you've got a green thumb or a license to grill (with apologies to Mike D), with the private garden of a picturesque 1900s West Chelsea townhouse at 411 West 22nd Street all to yourself, what more do you need? This interesting custom-designed garden duplex has its quirks, and it's a rental so there's no long-term commitment necessary.
Take a tour

Distinctive Homes

April 8, 2016

$12M Chelsea Townhouse Has a 30-Foot Saltwater Pool in the Living Room and a Two-Story Waterfall

This week brings another superlatively funky dream home, both totally unique and impossible to sell on a grand scale, both getting a thorough market-friendly renovation. This particular property has been in and out of the media spotlight for the past decade and with reason. A five-story historic townhouse in Chelsea has plenty of dream house potential to begin with, but the house at 232 West 15th Street also has a 30-foot long, eight-foot deep heated saltwater pool (in the living room) under a two-story solarium. Also, a cascading waterfall. Also a poolside wet bar, self-irrigated planters and seven fireplaces (six wood-burning and one ethanol) and a roof deck with an outdoor shower. And two top-floor two-bedroom apartments ready to rent if you don't need the entire 4,800 square feet. Though the home has been freshly re-imagined as a sleek, contemporary vision in white, pale wood and glass, part of the fascination has been with the fabulously eclectic interiors that its current owner's family maintained, where turtles swam in the pool and a suit of armor looked on.
Tour this amazing townhouse

April 6, 2016

Flower District Getting 35-Story Moxy Hotel With Affordable Rooms for Young Travelers

The remainder of Chelsea's flower district continues to shrink, blossoming new hotels instead of floral shops. This latest stalk will rise mid-block at 105 West 28th Street and will be the largest lodge yet, growing 35 stories and budding 343 rooms, according to recently approved building permits. The tower is anticipated to be among New York's first batch of Moxy hotels, a new Marriott brand focused on affordable three-star accommodations for young travelers. Last year, Bloomberg reported that Lightstone is committing $2 billion to develop and invest in lodging properties over the next few years, and will be building five Moxy hotels in New York. Recently, financing was secured for a 618-room Moxy flagship at 485 Seventh Avenue in the Garment District.
More views and details

March 25, 2016

Actor Stephen Dorff Lists Chelsea Penthouse Loft With Party-Ready Roof Deck for $3M

The Chelsea loft penthouse at 251 West 19th Street belonging to actor Stephen Dorff just hit the market for $3 million, reports the Wall Street Journal. The apartment's best feature is undoubtedly its 850-square-foot private roof terrace with a wet bar/kitchen, outdoor shower and Empire State Building views. Dorff was a teen heartthrob in the '90s–known for the boxing film, "The Power of One" (1992), and the 1998 superhero film “Blade”–and an indie It Boy of sorts in the following decade, appearing in cult films like John Waters' "Cecil B. Demented" and slacker/grunge time capsule "S.F.W.." A stream of typical "evil guy" roles followed until 2010, when he starred in the Sofia Coppola film "Somewhere," which, perhaps ironically, is the tale of a disaffected hotel-dwelling actor. But Dorff has definitely worked hard if nothing else. And he may finally be seeing the benefits: WSJ quotes the actor in a 2013 interview as describing his less-than-savvy spending habits during the early days of his career: "After movies, I would rent these really expensive houses, and then I would run out of money and have to do another movie. I didn't like that feeling of having to take something I didn't want," he says. "Now I'm into buying—forget this renting stuff."
See more of this indoor-outdoor duplex

March 4, 2016

VIDEO: Get a Digital Tour of the Chelsea Market’s New Addition