Midtown East

March 28, 2023

$3.5M four-bedroom Sutton Place co-op has the sophisticated good looks of a designer show house

In the quietly covetable east side enclave of Sutton Place, this jumbo four-bedroom home at 345 East 57th Street is the result of a combination of two apartments. But unlike some combo units, there are no awkward turns and oddly-placed bathrooms, just an enormous amount of space, every inch of it forged with an eye for chic interior design and ease of living. Asking  $3,475,000, the eleventh-floor co-op is pretty on the outside, too, blessed with dramatic southern views.
Tour this sprawling Sutton Place home
February 27, 2023

Full LIRR service begins at Grand Central Madison

Grand Central Madison finally opened with full Long Island Rail Road service on Monday, with a totally new schedule for commuters and a 41 percent increase in service levels. Starting February 27, an additional 271 LIRR trains per day have been added to the system for a total of up to 936 trains per day; 296 of these trains will be traveling to and from Grand Central Madison, with the remaining to Penn Station. According to officials, the new terminal will make commutes for LIRR riders up to 40 minutes shorter.
More here
February 16, 2023

A mini version of NYC’s Hippo Ballerina sculpture is now in Turtle Bay

A smaller version of New York City's Hippo Ballerina sculpture debuted this week in Turtle Bay. Created by Danish artist Bjørn Okholm Skaarup, Hippo Ballerina is a 15-foot-tall sculpture that has been seen over the years in front of Grand Central Terminal, the Flatiron Building, and Lincoln Center. The new mini sculpture, along with Hippo Ballerina, pirouette and Rhino Harlequin, pirouette, can now be found in front of the skyscraper at 885 Second Avenue in Midtown through March 2024.
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February 8, 2023

This $7M Sutton Place co-op honors the pre-war building’s Rosario Candela design

The 1928 co-op at 447 East 57th Street in quietly elegant Sutton Place is about as classic pre-war Manhattan as it gets. The 15-story building, designed by notable architect Rosario Candela, contains only 23 apartments, and this available sprawling four-bedroom co-op occupies the entire top floor. Asking $6,950,000, the nine-room residence is currently home to architect Stephen Corelli, who redesigned the space with an eye to Candela's legacy, while installing 21st-century amenities and timeless style.
Tour this Sutton Place home
February 1, 2023

Latest casino proposed for NYC includes a giant Ferris wheel near the U.N.

As the competition for three New York City casino licenses heats up, the latest contender, Soloviev Group, announced this week a partnership with Mohegan in a plan that would include a partially subterranean casino anchoring a Midtown entertainment district near the United Nations headquarters. In addition to the casino, the mixed-use development known as Freedom Plaza would include a hotel, two residential towers, green space, a performance venue, a giant Ferris wheel, and–because nothing says "democracy" like a casino and a Ferris wheel–a museum dedicated to democracy.
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January 27, 2023

NYPL acquires archive of Joan Didion’s papers including personal photos, letters, and more

The New York Public Library (NYPL) has acquired an extensive collection of papers and personal items belonging to writer Joan Didion and her husband, writer John Gregory Dunne. The archive of writings, correspondence, photographs, and ephemera provides a rich portrait of the celebrated couples' life and work.
Find out more about the collection
January 25, 2023

New uniforms for Empire State Building workers take cue from the skyscraper’s Art Deco flair

Employees of the Empire State Building's 86th-floor Observatory will look a little different the next time you see them. The uniforms of Observatory hosts and gift shop attendants have been given a modern makeover, courtesy of fashion designer Peyman Umay, who for the last two years worked to create a look that would complement the style of the iconic Art Deco building and the observatory's exhibit galleries. Replacing the previous burgundy and black attire, the new uniforms are light gray with blue trimming on the lapels, collars, and pocket flaps.
See more here
January 24, 2023

LIRR service to Grand Central Madison starts this week

After a month-long delay due to vent exhaust problems, Grand Central Madison will officially open this week, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced Tuesday. The first Long Island Rail Road train with service to Manhattan's east side is scheduled to leave Jamaica at 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday and arrive at the new terminal at 11:07 a.m. As part of the initial roll-out, there will be limited shuttle service between the two stations to help commuters get familiar with the new terminal, which cost roughly $12 billion, according to the transit agency.
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January 23, 2023

Michelin-starred restaurateur to open new dining concept at 550 Madison Avenue

Simon Kim, the restaurateur who founded the Michelin-starred COTE Korean Steakhouse, will be opening a new dining concept inside the landmark 550 Madison Avenue. The new "multi-faceted" concept will span 15,000 square feet across three floors at the tower's base, boast soaring 60-foot ceilings, and provide direct access to the building's new landscaped, half-acre public garden. Olayan Group is currently leading a renovation of 550 Madison Avenue, which was designed by Philip Johnson and John Burgee in the 1980s as the world's first postmodern skyscraper.
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December 29, 2022

City Winery’s Gilded Age-inspired restaurant Cornelius opens in Grand Central

Cornelius, a new high-end restaurant by City Winery, opened in Grand Central Terminal last week. The 75-seat restaurant offers patrons farm-to-table fare inspired by Gilded Age menus and created by Chef Zach Bondy. The restaurant joins two other concepts from City Winery, including a signature experience with tasting bars and City Jams, which has a first-of-its-kind wine-to-go program and an all-day menu. 
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December 19, 2022

NYC proposes pedestrian-friendly path on Fifth Avenue from Bryant Park to Central Park

Mayor Eric Adams on Sunday released a plan that reimagines a stretch of Fifth Avenue from Bryant Park at 42nd Street to Central Park at 59th Street as a pedestrian-focused space that prioritizes safety, mass transit, and the public realm. This new vision of one of the world's most iconic tourist destinations and commercial districts is part of a broader plan to make the area more appealing to new residents and workers and builds upon the recent closure of Fifth Avenue this month for the holidays.
See the plan
December 16, 2022

This $2.5M Park Avenue classic six is a book lover’s dream

It's rare to find a classic deco-era co-op that has been beautifully renovated, yet retains every bit of its pre-war charm and grace. This three-bedroom home at the Emery Roth-designed 480 Park Avenue is just such a find. Asking $2,495,000, this six-room residence boasts a 28-foot living room, a formal dining area, oversized proportions, high ceilings, and hardwood floors. Beyond the elegant features and architectural details, built-in bookshelves that line several of the rooms make this a perfect home for your treasured book collection.
Read on
December 2, 2022

Official Grand Central Terminal tours return after pandemic hiatus

Official guided tours of Grand Central Terminal are returning for the first time since the start of the pandemic. MTA Metro-North announced this week City Experiences's sightseeing company "Walks" will become the new operator of the official tour of Grand Central. Tours of the historic landmark are available daily, starting at 3 p.m. Tickets cost $35 for adults and $30 for children.
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November 30, 2022

Santa Claus is coming to the Empire State Building’s observation deck

Santa Claus will be visiting the Empire State Building Observatory for the first time ever this holiday season. On two days in December, visitors can meet Santa and share their Christmas wishes on the iconic building's 80th floor. The landmark skyscraper will be decked out with festive decor and offer musical performances.
How to meet Santa
November 17, 2022

See Snøhetta’s lush public garden now open at 550 Madison Avenue

The new public garden at Philip Johnson's 550 Madison Avenue building opened this week, the final component of the postmodern landmark's renovation led by the Olayan Group. Designed by Snøhetta, the lush privately-owned public space (POPS) is located adjacent to 550 Madison in a formerly enclosed mid-block passageway. Increasing the public space at the site by 50 percent, the half-acre garden is now the largest in Midtown East.
See more here
November 16, 2022

Starbucks opens three-level Reserve location inside the Empire State Building

Starbucks is opening another of its premium, immersive roasteries within the Empire State Building on Wednesday. Spanning 23,000 square feet across three floors, the new Starbucks Reserve Empire State Building store features immersive experiences like hands-on workshops and guided tasting flights, as well as an extensive menu of coffee beverages, craft cocktails, and artisan food only available at the location.
See more here
October 17, 2022

Yayoi Kusama and Kiki Smith to create floor-to-ceiling mosaics at new Grand Central Madison terminal

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has tapped two contemporary artists to create permanent artwork for the long-awaited 700,000-square-foot Long Island Rail Road terminal opening at Grand Central this year. MTA Arts & Design, the agency responsible for commissioning public art in subway stations, announced artists Yayoi Kusama and Kiki Smith will design site-specific floor-to-ceiling mosaics for the new terminal, dubbed Grand Central Madison.
Get the details
October 13, 2022

A stunning renovation transforms Sen. Jacob Javits’ former Sutton Place co-op, just listed for $7.2M

The former residence of Senator Jacob Javits and his wife Marion at 322 East 57th Street is once again on the market, asking $7.2 million. 6sqft featured the classic Sutton Place co-op--designed in 1933 by Art Deco architect Joseph Urban--when it was listed in 2017 for $5.2 million; the unit found a buyer at $4.4 million within a year. The 3,300-square-foot duplex has since undergone a thoroughly modern renovation under the direction of the current owner and Sandra Arndt of Studio AKTE. The resulting bold, contemporary design is as noteworthy as its rich history.
Tour the co-op's latest incarnation, this way
October 10, 2022

Sutton Place maisonette is an art collector’s dream for $2.7M

Full of antiques and paintings, this Manhattan pre-war co-op looks more like a fine art museum than a New York City apartment. Found in the enclave of Sutton Place at 419 East 57th Street, the lively maisonette duplex has two bedrooms, a 24-foot-long great room, and an expansive dining room, with handpainted trompe-l’oeil details throughout the home. Asking $2,695,000, the ground-floor apartment has its own street-level entrance.
Take the tour
October 7, 2022

New exhibition at Grand Central traces 100 years of urban planning and design in NYC

In celebration of its centennial, the civic group Regional Plan Association has opened a free public exhibition in Grand Central Terminal's Vanderbilt Hall. Designed by James Sanders Studio and curated by RPA, The Constant Future: A Century of the Regional Plan explores 100 years of New York City's development from 1922 to the present day. The two-story display will be on view through October 24.
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September 27, 2022

City Winery’s new Grand Central location will offer wine to go as part of reusable bottle program

Picking up a bottle of wine for dinner on the way home from work will soon get easier. City Winery's newest location in Grand Central Terminal, opening on November 1, will debut a reusable bottle program, allowing guests to take wine to go, return the bottle to be washed, and receive a $5 credit toward the next one. Located on the west end of Vanderbilt Hall, the new City Winery includes three dining concepts: a signature experience with tasting bars, a grab-and-go all-day menu at City Jams, and a high-end restaurant, Cornelius.
Find out more
September 15, 2022

See inside the ‘secret’ sushi restaurant now open in Grand Central

Jōji, a new sushi restaurant housed underneath Midtown's One Vanderbilt skyscraper, opened its doors to the public on Wednesday. Located within an alcove in Grand Central Terminal, the restaurant offers sushi lovers an "intimate omakase dining experience," as 6sqft reported last month. Jōji is run by Chef George Ruan, the former sushi chef of Masa, and Chef Daniel Boulud.
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August 25, 2022

A ‘secret’ sushi restaurant is opening below Midtown skyscraper One Vanderbilt

A new sushi restaurant will open below Midtown's tallest office tower next month. Located in a hidden nook in Grand Central Terminal and underneath the 1,401-foot office tower One Vanderbilt, Jōji will offer an "unexpected Omakase experience" led by Chef George Ruan, the former sushi chef at high-end Masa, and Chef Daniel Boulud.
More details here
August 17, 2022

Jean-Georges to open restaurant at Norman Foster-designed office tower 425 Park Avenue

Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten is opening another restaurant in New York City. L&L Holding Company on Monday announced the world-renowned chef will create and operate a 14,000-square-foot, two-floor restaurant on the ground floor of 425 Park Avenue, a recently completed 897-foot office tower in Midtown designed by Norman Foster. The restaurant, which will boast soaring ceilings and a 1,000-square-foot show kitchen, is expected to open by late 2023.
See more here
August 10, 2022

See inside the new theater, music, and culinary spaces at The Towers of the Waldorf Astoria

The Towers of the Waldorf Astoria has released a first look inside two new amenities spaces that honor the iconic hotel’s connection to music history and culinary innovation. The Stage & Screen Theater and The Chrysler Room were designed to add to the building's glamorous history while introducing a new era for the celebrated Park Avenue address.
Take a look inside
August 3, 2022

MTA unveils new 18-foot ceilings at Penn Station’s LIRR concourse

Let there be light! The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Tuesday unveiled the first section of new 18-foot ceilings at Penn Station's Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) concourse. Installed by Skanska/AECOM, the new soaring ceilings consist of lighted panels supported by an inventive structural framing system that allowed work crews to remove "head knockers," aging structural beams that limited the height of passageways within Penn Station, earlier this year.
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July 13, 2022

NYC sues illegal Airbnb operator who earned $2M and deceived thousands of guests since 2018

New York City is suing an operator of an illegal short-term rental in Midtown East who officials say ran more than 78 Airbnb listings and "deceived more than 6,500 guests." According to the lawsuit, announced on Tuesday by Mayor Eric Adams, Arron Latimer, a licensed broker, Apex Management, and Esther Yip, used several limited liability corporations to run a short-term rental operation at 344 East 51st Street in Turtle Bay. The lawsuit is the first under a new city law that requires short-term rental platforms to regularly report data on listings and their hosts.
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