Harlem

In March of 2015, East Harlem's Metropolitan Hospital Center filed plans to horizontally expand and add a new facade to their former nurses' dormitory known as Draper Hall. Located at 1918 First Avenue, the 14-story building had been vacant since Hurricane Sandy, and after Dattner Architects' renovation, it's been reborn as affordable senior housing, containing 203 subsidized units. Those age 62 and older who earn between $0 and $38,200 annually are now eligible to apply for 51 of these one-bedroom residences, for which they will pay 30 percent of their income.
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Affordable Housing

May 9, 2017

Apply for a middle-income apartment in East Harlem’s amenity-rich Tapestry building, from $1,927/month

Applications are currently being accepted for middle-income units at the Tapestry in East Harlem. Located at 245 East 124th Street, the 12-story, 185-unit rental building sits near the base of the Triborough Bridge. It was built in 2010 to the designs of Pei Cobb Freed & Partners and MHG Architects and features amenities like a concierge, garage, spacious green roofs and landscaped terraces, bike storage, fitness center, and a media and entertainment lounge. The middle-income homes available range from $1,927/month studios to $2,611/month two-bedrooms set aside for New Yorkers making between $67,406-$158,500 annually.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

1932 map illustrates a vibrant nightlife during the Harlem Renaissance

Map courtesy of Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library

May 5, 2017

1932 map illustrates a vibrant nightlife during the Harlem Renaissance

During the Harlem Renaissance, some of the greatest black jazz musicians, poets, artists and writers of all time emerged in New York City between the 1920s and 30s. Thanks to an animated map acquired by Yale's Rare Book and Manuscript Library, we can get a sense of the vibrant nightlife of Harlem during this time in history (h/t Slate). This original pen-and-brush map was drawn by Elmer Simms Campbell, one of the first commercially successful, and syndicated, African-American cartoonists in the country. The map faces southwest, bound by 110th Street, and highlights the main attractions on Lenox and Seventh Avenues.
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History

May 5, 2017

Score a middle-income apartment in Harlem, from $1,900/month

Applications are now being accepted for middle-income units at Beacon Mews, an affordable housing building located in Harlem, just a block away from the Harlem River and the Madison Avenue Bridge into the Bronx. Amenities at 34 West 139th Street include a doorman, fitness center and spacious community courtyard, and the building is currently offering $1,900/month one-bedrooms, $2,350/month two-bedroom, and $2,600/month two-bedrooms with a terrace. These units, however, are reserved for households earning between $67,098 to $238,500 annually.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

May 3, 2017

City to develop 2,400 new affordable housing units in East Harlem

Mayor de Blasio and his administration have made progress in meeting their goal of building 200,000 affordable units over the span of a decade, as 21,963 new units were added in 2016, the most in 27 years. However, there continues to be a shortage in East Harlem. Out of the nearly 20,000 affordable units, the city brought to all five boroughs, just 249 units have been built in East Harlem, according to a new report by the Department of Housing and Preservation Development (HPD). To better accommodate these residents, the city plans on expediting the construction of 2,400 units of affordable housing over the next few years, as DNA Info reported.
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April 6, 2017

Funky, renovated West Harlem townhouse has hit the market for $4.5 million

This Harlem townhouse is one of a kind, thanks to a recent renovation. Located at 363 West 120th Street--just a half block from Morningside Park--the historic property was configured into an owner's triplex with a rental duplex below. While some interior details like the original tile and woodwork were integrated with the design, the overall aesthetic feels more modern, with bold additions like steel doors, recessed lighting and a super sleek kitchen. The unique finished product is now on the market asking $4.5 million.
Time to take a look

Distinctive Homes

March 23, 2017

Iconic ballet dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov buys Harlem condo for $1.4 million

By Annie Doge

Mikhail Baryshnikov, who fled the Soviet Union in 1974 and landed in Canada is today considered one of the greatest ballet dancers in history (closer to home, he also starred in "Sex and the City" as Sarah Jessica Parker's penultimate love interest). Nearly six years ago, he and his wife, former ballerina Lisa Rinehart, relocated to Harlem from the posh upstate enclave Snedens Landing, and they're clearly happy with this move, as they also recently bought a $1.4 million condo at the Strathmore, located at 1890 Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard (h/t NY Post). Their new prewar abode, originally listed for $1.32 million, boasts three bedrooms, a cozy layout, and high ceilings.
Find out more here

March 7, 2017

Lottery opens for historic brownstone-replacing apartments in Harlem, from $659/month

The block of East 126th Street between Madison and Park Avenues was once a rare, uninterrupted row of century-and-a-half-old brownstones. But many of them sat vacant in recent years, their windows boarded up and adorned with graffiti. One of these was number 58 in the middle of the block. In 2012, its roof was caving in and its floors collapsing. The city deemed it structurally unsound, as the Times reported at the time, and slated it for demolition. Despite arguments from local preservationists that this would destroy the historic block's uniformity, the site was replaced with a new modern, mixed-use rental building that extends through to 125th Street. The building, which goes by 69 East 125th Street, topped off this past summer and now its 15 affordable apartments--20 percent of the total 75 rentals--are available through the city's lottery process. They're available to those earning 60 percent of the area median income and range from $659/month studios to $797/month two-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

March 6, 2017

$2.95M for a modernized townhouse with a glass terrace right in Central Harlem

A big renovation left this four-story townhouse at 310 West 137th Street, in Harlem, feeling sleek and modern. Configured as a triplex over a rental apartment on the garden floor, the house boasts an open living plan, a new kitchen decked out with marble finishes, and also a glass terrace that looks out over a large backyard garden. While the inside feels brand spanking new, the exterior still boasts a historic facade. The property is now up for grabs, priced just under $3 million.
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Distinctive Homes

March 1, 2017

139th Street revisited: Bob Dylan’s former townhouse on Striver’s Row for sale for $3.7M

Not only has this landmarked four-story home standing among the rarely available townhouses in Harlem's Saint Nicholas Historic District–better known as Strivers' Row–been featured in district house tours–it used to belong to Bob Dylan. The early 1900s townhouse at 265 West 139th Street is one of a handsome row designed the firm of McKim Mead & White; the current owners purchased it from the enigmatic Pulitzer Prize-winning polymath for $560,000 in 2000. Times have been a-changin' in the central Harlem neighborhood, and it's now on the market for $3,689,000.
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My 680sqft: A staging professional mixes family heirlooms and eclectic finds in a modern Harlem condo

Our ongoing series “My sqft” checks out the homes of 6sqft’s friends and fellow New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to the Harlem apartment of realtor and interior staging professional Ellen Silverman. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

February 28, 2017

My 680sqft: A staging professional mixes family heirlooms and eclectic finds in a modern Harlem condo

Ellen Silverman grew up in the large apartment complexes along Eighth Avenue in Chelsea with "three mothers"--her grandmother who worked at Macy's for 40 years, her aunt who worked for Butterick Patterns, and her mother who loved browsing furniture stores. Needless to say, decorating and design have been in Ellen's blood from the beginning. After moving out on her own, she lived for 20 years in the architecturally rich pre-war co-ops of Washington Heights, but five years ago, she found herself in a brand-new condo in burgeoning Harlem. Determined to bring that old-warm charm into an otherwise "white box," Ellen used her upbringing to influence the design of her new home, blending family heirlooms, eclectic and colorful accessories and art, and plenty of personality--all of which led her to start her own staging company, Staging With Style.
Take a tour of Ellen's home

February 24, 2017

South Harlem community board wants brokers to stop calling it ‘SoHa’

Harlem's gentrification and increasing real estate prices aren't news at this point, but a local community board thinks certain real estate brokers have crossed a line. As DNAinfo reports, Keller Williams created a separate office for "SoHa," their new branding for South Harlem. Following in the footsteps of NoLo (SoHo + Nolita + Lower East Side), DoBro (Downtown Brooklyn), and Hellsea (Hell's Kitchen + Chelsea), the moniker is seen as an attempt to make buyers and renters feel like they're cashing in on the next trendy 'hood. But residents of the Central Harlem area, roughly West 110th to 125th Streets, feel the marketing tactic is "arrogant" and "disrespectful," and so Community Board 10 has introduced a resolution that would prevent brokers from using the nickname.
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Uncategorized

February 9, 2017

Proposed East Harlem mixed-use development may contain city’s tallest building with affordable housing

Looking to take advantage of the newly opened Second Avenue Subway stop at 96th Street, the New York City Educational Construction Fund and AvalonBay Communities are working their way through the city approval process to build a 1.14 million-square foot, full-block, mixed-use development in East Harlem. CityRealty tells us that the project located at 321 East 96th Street would hold two new school buildings for three different local schools, 20,000 square feet of retail space, a rebuilt playground, and a 68-story, 760-foot residential tower that would offer between 1,100 and 1,200 units and possibly become the city's tallest building to contain affordable housing (roughly 330 below-market rate units).
More details and renderings

February 7, 2017

Massive Sendero Verde project will bring 655 affordable ‘passive house’ rentals to East Harlem

A massive, mixed-use development is moving ahead in East Harlem, reports Politico, as the city has selected Jonathan Rose Companies to work with L+M Development Partners on the 751,000-square-foot project. Dubbed Sendero Verde ("green pathway"), the site is located on the block bound by East 111th and 112th Streets and Park and Madison Avenues, and it will create 655 affordable passive house apartments, as well as a YMCA, job training center, 85,000-square-foot DREAM charter school, space for the local non-profit Union Settlement, a grocery store, restaurant, and preventative health care facility run by Mount Sinai.
All the details ahead

February 7, 2017

Five chances to live in burgeoning East Harlem for $985/month

With the Second Avenue Subway sending Upper East Side real estate prices climbing as far north as 96th Street, East Harlem's upward trajectory is sure to only heat up. The former El Barrio has been on the cusp of gentrification since a 2003, 57-block rezoning that increased density allowances along First, Second, and Third Avenues, spurring a bevy of new residential projects. One such development is 2139 Third Avenue, a modern, 21-unit rental at the corner of 117th Street, which just launched its affordable housing lottery for five $985/month one-bedroom units, available to one- or two-person households earning no more than 60 percent of the area median income.
Have a look at the interiors

Affordable Housing

February 6, 2017

Concert pianist Inon Barnatan looks to unload his Harlem loft for $2.25 million

When concert pianist Inon Barnatan was on the hunt for a Manhattan apartment, it had to satisfy one big requirement: enough space to hold a grand piano. He found this lofty condo at 140 West 124th Street, in Harlem, paying $1.182 million back in 2007, according to a profile in the Wall Street Journal. Located in a former warehouse built in 1906—that was allegedly used as a speakeasy during Prohibition—the two bedroom boasts historic barrel ceilings and a spacious living room fit for a piano.
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Distinctive Homes

Karim Rashid’s East Harlem HAP Five gets its bright pink trim

Final rendering of HAP FIVE (l), Construction progress as of January 27; CityRealty

January 30, 2017

Karim Rashid’s East Harlem HAP Five gets its bright pink trim

Construction is progressing at the very Karim Rashid-esque HAP Five residential project at 329 Pleasant Avenue in East Harlem, CityRealty reports. The building's frame has been enclosed in glass and its balconies are getting the hot-pink trim chosen by neighborhood residents after a bolder color scheme was nixed. HAP Investment Developers has specified that the project will be rental apartments instead of condos; the 21,500-square-foot, eight-story new project will offer 20 apartments including studios and one- and two-bedroom units created by the award-winning designer, all of which will have open kitchens and offer access to either a balcony, terrace or backyard.
New construction photos, this way

January 27, 2017

Lottery opens for 40 affordable units across Central Harlem, starting at $822/month

Second to the Bronx, Central Harlem has seen perhaps the most new affordable housing opportunities in the city. The latest is a 40-unit lottery spread across four buildings near Jackie Robinson Park--304 West 152nd Street, 232 West 149th Street, 2797 Frederick Douglass Boulevard, and 2472 Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Boulevard. The units are available to those earning 50 or 60 percent of the area media income and range from $822/month studios to $1,371/month four-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

January 17, 2017

CNN’s Don Lemon sells Harlem condo for small profit

By Annie Doge

Emmy Award-winning CNN news anchor Don Lemon picked up a somewhat modest condo a little over two years ago in Harlem‘s 2280FDB (2280 Frederick Douglas Blvd.). He paid $867,780 for unit 11A, right next door to 11B that he already owned. 6sqft speculated that he was planning to combine the condos, but according to city records released today, Lemon's sold off 11A for $969,000.
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January 10, 2017

Construction update: FXFOWLE’s Circa Central Park nears the finish line

Last we heard from Circa Central Park, the circle-hugging Central Park north condo from architects FXFOWLE and developers Artimus, the lottery had launched for 10 affordable units in the building. Seven months later, with occupancy slated for this year and nearly all apartments sold, CityRealty stopped by the Harlem site to check on construction. They've shared some great views of the nearly-completed glass, metal, and brick facade, which utilizes "a brise soleil system of horizontal louvers and vertical fins" to reduce solar gain and add depth to the structure by highlighting them in bright colors.
More details ahead

December 22, 2016

42 new affordable condos available at West Harlem’s Parkadon, from $225K

By Diane Pham

Qualifying New Yorkers can now apply to purchase one of 42 affordable condos in West Harlem's Parkadon Condominiums. Currently under construction, Harlen Housing Associates has been planning the structure located at 70 West 139th Street for nearly a decade and construction finally commenced on the project in 2015. Although move-in day is still a ways off, the building has topped off and the brick facade is currently being applied. Once finished there will be a total of 64 units (the difference pegged as market-rate) across 55,355 square feet, which includes 1,878 square feet of communal space on the ground floor. The NYC Housing Partnership relays that affordable apartments will range from one- to two-bedrooms priced from $225,545 and $440,381 and will be available to those earning between $50,400 and $149,490.
find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

December 21, 2016

VIDEO: Neil Patrick Harris gives a holiday tour of his Harlem brownstone

Neil Patrick Harris and hubby David Burtka first made real estate headlines when they purchased a $4 million Harlem brownstone in 2013, setting a neighborhood record. They then spent over a year renovating the five-story residence at 2036 Fifth Avenue to be the perfect family home for their twins Gideon and Harper (now five years old) and two dogs. Last year, the couple invited Architectural Digest in for a tour, showing off their elegant but fun design choices, impressive art collection, and restored architectural features. They've now opened up their home again, this time for Vogue's 73 Questions (h/t Apartment Therapy), complete with Christmas decorations.
Watch the video here

December 15, 2016

This $5.4M townhouse is Harlem historic on the outside, Soho sleek on the inside

This historic Harlem townhouse at 22 West 120th Street fits right in with its neighbors on a gorgeous brownstone block just across from Marcus Garvey Park (and just a couple of blocks north of Central Park). Once you enter the four-story home, though, you could easily be in a luxury downtown penthouse. A custom renovation created statement features like a vast and dramatic skylight, radiant heated floors, a unique metal staircase and four ultra-modern wood burning fireplaces.
Have a look around

Distinctive Homes

Fidel Castro Threatens to Sleep in Central Park in Outrage Over Hotel Prices During 1960 Visit

Castro at the U.N. General Assembly

November 28, 2016

Fidel Castro Threatens to Sleep in Central Park in Outrage Over Hotel Prices During 1960 Visit

Just four months after Cuban President Fidel Castro led a successful revolution to overthrow Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959, he visited New York City for 11 days on an invitation from the American Society of Newspaper Editors. With his signature green army uniform and boots, bushy beard, and exuberant nature, Castro reportedly hired a PR firm (though it seems he hardly needed to), enjoyed the city’s famous hot dogs, and "kissed ladies like a rock star, and held babies like a politician," according to Mashable. During a tour of the Bronx Zoo, which he called “the best thing New York City has,” Mr. Castro is said to have jumped a railing and stuck his hand into a cage to pet a Bengal tiger.
More shenanigans to come

November 4, 2016

$1.45M Harlem duplex comes with an enormous private backyard