Midtown West

New York developer Stillman Development International LLC has signed a 73-year-maximum lease on the Times Square Theater on West 42nd Street with plans for a $100 million makeover in keeping with neighbors like Hershey’s Chocolate World and Old Navy, the Wall Street Journal reports. Shuttered for almost 30 years, the theater, which opened on September 30, 1920 with Florence Reed starring in "The Mirage," is seen by some as the last vestige of the neighborhood's descent into late 20th century blight before rising to new heights as a tourist mecca.
A new idea: Retail!

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Cuomo reveals new LIRR entrance and public plaza at Penn Station

Rendering via the Governor’s office

September 6, 2018

Cuomo reveals new LIRR entrance and public plaza at Penn Station

Rendering via the Governor's office At a well-timed press event this morning, Governor Cuomo touted the state's $100 billion building program, the largest in the nation, and said if elected for another term, he'd increase that commitment to $150 billion. Among the many airport redesigns and the subway emergency plan, perhaps no project is more dear to Cuomo's heart than that of Penn Station. And after a tour of the Moynihan Train Hall, on budget and on track to open by the end of 2020, the Governor announced that the dire safety, security, and circulation situation at Penn Station cannot wait two more years. While construction wraps up at the LIRR and Amtrak's future home, the state will build a new LIRR facility in the existing Penn Station. The proposal will double access to the trains with new entrances and an enlarged concourse and will create a permanent public plaza at 33rd Street and 7th Avenue.
All the renderings and details ahead

PHOTOS: Get an up-close look at Moynihan Train Hall’s massive new skylights

Via Governor Cuomo’s office on Flickr

September 6, 2018

PHOTOS: Get an up-close look at Moynihan Train Hall’s massive new skylights

At a construction tour of Moynihan Train Hall this morning, 6sqft had the rare opportunity to get up close and personal with the massive skylights that will crown this new concourse. The transformation of the historic James A. Farley Post Office into a bright, modern transportation hub is on time and on budget for its late 2020 opening, at which time it will increase the footprint of Penn Station by 50 percent, providing a new home for the LIRR and Amtrak. To date, 800 people working every day have logged more than one million hours of labor, and the four, massive skylights are perhaps the most stunning example of their efforts.
See all the views

The West 35th Street/Hudson Blvd entrance under construction. Image via Wiki Commons.

September 4, 2018

The second entrance at 34th Street-Hudson Yards 7 station is finally open

The Manhattan 7 subway extension makes it the only line south of 59th Street to offer service west of Ninth Avenue, providing a long-awaited public transit option–with a station at 34th Street and Eleventh Avenue–for the Jacob Javits Convention Center, the High Line, and Hudson River Park and serving as a selling point for Hudson Yards and the many new developments rising on the far west side. Delays plagued the extension overall, with its opening in September of 2015 happening two years behind its original scheduled date. It was announced at the time that the station's second entrance on 35th Street would take longer to complete. Now, two years later, the second entrance is open.
More ways to hit the west side

Transit

July 31, 2018

1.5M Midtown duplex has every season covered with a roof deck and a wood-burning fireplace

This two-bedroom condominium at The Armory at 520 West 42nd Street may not have its own rooftop bocce court, but it has spring and summer sussed with a large private rooftop terrace for gardening, barbecuing, and entertaining. In colder months, head indoors where a working fireplace awaits, and watch the snow fall through big greenhouse windows. The Hell's Kitchen home is asking $1.499 million.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

July 5, 2018

Live in Al Pacino’s former Central Park South condo for $2.7M

By Annie Doge

Before the stretch became known as Billionaires' Row, Al Pacino called 301 West 57th Street home. The Oscar-winning actor, best known for his roles in "Scarface" and "The Godfather," lived in different units in the building between 1988, when the building was built, and 2013, including a 14-floor corner condo that just hit the market for $2.7 million, reports the Post.
Check it out

July 3, 2018

Billionaires’ Row coalition sues NYC to keep homeless men out of their neighborhood

Image © 6sqft A group of New Yorkers who live near Billionaires' Row, an area with some of the most expensive residences in the world, filed a lawsuit on Monday to block a homeless shelter from opening in the Midtown West neighborhood. The West 58th Street Coalition sued New York City to stop the conversion of the old Park Savoy Hotel at 158 West 58th Street into a homeless shelter for men, a plan announced by Mayor Bill de Blasio in February. The coalition claims the shelter, which would house 140 single men, would have "an enormous impact on our densely populated, narrow, high-pedestrian-traffic street." While describing themselves as a group of "compassionate New Yorkers," the Change.org petition says instead of the city paying $50,000 per person to stay at the Park Savoy, "a homeless man could have his own apartment, living in the neighborhood where he came from." The new shelter sits behind One57, a known for the city’s most expensive residential sale ever: a penthouse that sold for $100 million in 2015.
More here

Policy

June 21, 2018

PHOTOS: See Moynihan Train Hall’s massive skylight being installed

By Michelle Sinclair Colman

After starting construction last summer, Skidmore Owings & Merrill (SOM)'s reimagined Moynihan Train Hall is now beginning to take shape. Part of Governor Cuomo's Empire Station Complex revamp of Penn Station, the old James A. Farley Post Office will be transformed into a crystal palace-esque boarding concourse with a 92-foot high skylight atop the 1913 building's original steel trusses. CityRealty recently got an exclusive aerial look at how construction is progressing on the glass skylights ahead of the Train Hall's anticipated 2020 opening.
See more construction shots

City unveils plan to keep fashion industry in the Garment District

Photo via via Alexandra Ferguson

June 5, 2018

City unveils plan to keep fashion industry in the Garment District

The city released on Monday a plan to preserve at least 300,000 square feet of production space in the Garment District for the fashion industry by providing tax breaks for owners who lease manufacturing space. While the district, bound by 35th and 40th Streets and Broadway and Ninth Avenue, was once home to hundreds of thousands of fashion jobs, it has lost 85 percent of firms in the last three decades. In addition to the tax incentives, the plan creates a new zoning rule that would help limit the construction of hotels by introducing a special permit. The Garment Center IDA program, backed by City Hall, the city's Economic Development Corporation, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and industry leaders, also includes lifting previous protections from a 1987 mandate that preserves millions of square feet of apparel-production space on certain side streets. According to the Wall Street Journal, if the plan is approved by the city council, owners would be allowed to convert buildings to other uses, like offices.
More here

Policy

FREE RENT: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

Images (L to R): The Rollins, 63 Wall Street, 1 Flatbush Avenue and Sky

June 2, 2018

FREE RENT: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

By Ondel Hylton

Images (L to R): The Rollins, 63 Wall Street, 1 Flatbush Avenue and Sky The Rollins in Essex Crossing Now 65% Leased: Up to Three Months Free on Remaining Units [link] Luxury Rental 63 Wall Street with Residents-Only Speakeasy, Now Leasing with 1 – 2 Months Free [link] Live at SKY: Coveted 42nd Street Rental […]

Real Estate Trends

May 9, 2018

Three gorgeous Osborne co-ops of the late Hollywood personality Robert Osborne hit the market

The building name might be coincidental, but it's certainly no fluke that the late Robert Osborne's historic apartments at the Osborne co-op are perfectly preserved and decorated impeccably. Best known for his 20+ year run as the host of Turner Classic Movies and as the author of the official history of the Academy Awards, Robert moved into the Midtown West building in 1988 after Carol Burnett mentioned a friend was selling a residence there. He told the Times in 2006, "I was interested that there was a building called the Osborne spelled the same way I spell my name," and so he toured that unit with Bette Davis. This became the first of three homes he'd purchase in the co-op, and as of today, all three of these are on the market--a one-bedroom unit on the third-floor asking $1.25 million, a second-floor one-bedroom asking $725,000, and a much smaller one-bedroom on the first floor asking $575,000.
See both units

Live in Manhattan West’s massive Eugene rental for just $613 month, lottery opens for 103 units

Renderings via The Eugene

May 3, 2018

Live in Manhattan West’s massive Eugene rental for just $613 month, lottery opens for 103 units

Between the adjacent mega-developments Hudson Yards and Manhattan West, the far west side is banking on becoming a city within a city. And if this amenity-rich lifestyle appeals to you, here's a chance to get in on the action for less. Starting tomorrow, the second phase of the affordable housing lottery at Manhattan West's massive rental the Eugene will be open for 103 low- and middle-income apartments, ranging from $613/month studios to $2,519/month two-bedrooms. Designed by Skidmore Owings & Merill (SOM), the 62-story glass tower at 435 West 31st Street offers amenities like a rock climbing wall, "sky lounge," pet spa, and fitness center. These are in addition to Manhattan West's two-acre public park and 240,000 square feet of curated food, retail and other pop-up events
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Vornado likely to keep Bjarke Ingels’ wave-like canopy design for 2 Penn Plaza overhaul

Rendering via BIG

May 2, 2018

Vornado likely to keep Bjarke Ingels’ wave-like canopy design for 2 Penn Plaza overhaul

Instead of razing and redeveloping its 2 Penn Plaza office tower, Vornado Realty Trust said on Tuesday it will simply renovate the building. As Commercial Observer reported, the company's CEO, Steven Roth, said earlier plans of demolishing the 31-story tower and grabbing 5 million square feet of development rights from Madison Square Garden to build a bigger tower, would not be feasible. Moving forward with option B, Vornado will likely stick with designs from Bjarke Ingels Group. More than two years ago, BIG revealed renderings that showed a wave-like canopy of glass panels that would envelope 2 Penn Plaza above the retail entrances on the ground floor.
More this way

Architecture And Design

April 13, 2018

Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard is renting at Midtown’s athlete-filled Sky

By Annie Doge

Not only do the Mets have a winning record on the field to star the season, but their star pitcher Noah Syndergaard is racking up the runs when it comes to real estate. Last year, he rented at Midtown's swanky MiMA tower, and now Curbed reports that he's spending this season just a few blocks west on 42nd Street at the pro athlete-filled Sky, the largest rental in NYC. Not only does fellow Mets pitcher A.J. Ramos live there, but so do Knicks stars Kristaps Porzingis and Sasha Vujacic. Plus, the building has a Carmelo Anthony-designed NBA regulation-sized basketball court and 70,000-square-foot recreation facility.
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Celebrities

April 10, 2018

With Pfizer as an anchor tenant, construction on Bjarke Ingels’ Spiral tower will begin in June

Rendering via Tishman Speyer With an anchor tenant and necessary financing secured, Tishman Speyer announced on Tuesday plans to officially begin construction this June on Bjarke Ingels' 65-story office tower planned for Hudson Yards, the Spiral. The developer has reached a deal with Pfizer, a biopharmaceutical company, for an 800,000 square-foot lease at the Spiral, and has secured funding for the $3.7 billion project. The Spiral will reach 1,031 feet high and boast a facade of cascading landscaped terraces and hanging gardens. The tower will spread an entire block, stretching from West 34th to West 35th Streets and 10th Avenue to the Hudson Park and Boulevard.
More this way

An eco-conscious pavilion made of scaffolding and moss could bloom in Times Square

Rendering via Sam Biroscak/ Design Pavilion 2018

April 6, 2018

An eco-conscious pavilion made of scaffolding and moss could bloom in Times Square

New York City has 280 miles of scaffolding, totaling more than 7,700 sidewalk sheds in front of 7,752 buildings. Described as pervasive eyesores and sunlight-blockers, scaffolding has an unflattering reputation in the city. Artist Sam Biroscak is looking to change the public perception of these sidewalk sheds, by highlighting it as an "under-appreciated" urban element in his conceptual design. Dubbed Mossgrove, Biroscak's project would create an architectural pavilion in Times Square made of two materials seen as nuisances: moss and scaffolding. The proposal calls for the installation be built during NYCxDESIGN, a nine-day event featuring interactive installations and talks. The theme of this year's Design Pavilion will be "From This Day Forward" (h/t Untapped Cities).
See the design

Governor Cuomo looking to give the state control of Penn Station area

Photo outside Penn Station via Maciek Lulko/Flickr

March 29, 2018

Governor Cuomo looking to give the state control of Penn Station area

By Michelle Sinclair Colman

Less than one week before the state's deadline to adopt its budget, Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed the “New York Pennsylvania Station Area Redevelopment Project,” a state-controlled development area around Penn Station. In the constant one-upmanship between Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio, this would give Cuomo control over one of Manhattan’s top name-brand landmarks, according to a draft proposal acquired by Politico.
More details ahead

New looks at Manhattan West and Empire Station developments show the future Midtown West

Via Visualhouse

March 26, 2018

New looks at Manhattan West and Empire Station developments show the future Midtown West

Imagine a future Midtown West with state-of-the-art retail and office towers, an abundance of open green space and an attractive, efficient transit station. While plans to bring all of that is in the works, it could be years away from becoming reality. As CityRealty learned, one of the neighborhood's busiest developers, Brookfield Properties, is giving us a preview of what the area will eventually look like, with new renderings for its expansive, six-building Manhattan West project. Plus, the developer also created a CGI video that provides a virtual tour of the Empire Station, the hall currently undergoing renovations at Penn Station.
Take a peek

March 21, 2018

One of only two condos with private terraces at One57 lists for $28.5M

Sure, Michael Dell has bragging rights to buying One57's $100 million penthouse, the most expensive home ever sold in New York City, but Bill Ackman's $91.5 million buy a few floors down came with a coveted terrace. Only two units in the Billionaires' Row building claim "private outdoor space on the park," and the second has just come on the market for the first time, asking $28.5 million. Dubbed the Spring Garden Residence (as opposed to Ackman's "Winter Garden Penthouse," as Curbed notes), the 41st- and 42nd-floor duplex boasts a 43-foot-long great room wrapped in floor-to-ceiling windows that lead to a 671-foot solarium and a terrace with views of the park and skyline.
Take a tour

Distinctive Homes

Crown Building penthouse may be in contract for $180M, beating NYC record by $80M

Penthouse rendering courtesy of Aman Resorts

March 16, 2018

Crown Building penthouse may be in contract for $180M, beating NYC record by $80M

Another Billionaire's Row sky mansion–this one with a piano lounge, two kitchens, a wraparound terrace, and two swimming pools spread out over five stories at 730 Fifth Avenue–is on its way to record-smashing glory, according to The Real Deal. Sources say an unknown buyer has spoken for the 12,536-square-foot residence in the actual crown of the Crown Building, to the tune of $180 million. If the sale closes, it will be the New York City's most expensive sale ever at $14,358 per foot (also a record), surpassing Michael Dell's $100.5 million penthouse atop Extell Development’s One57.
Check this place out

March 9, 2018

Waiting list opens for 840 more affordable units in Hudson Yards rental complex

Adding to yesterday's announcement of the waitlist launch for affordable apartments at TF Cornerstone's 455 West 37th Street, a waiting list is now open for 840 more units in the Hudson Yards/Midtown West development just across the avenue at 505 West 37th Street. Similarly, the affordable units are available for households earning 40 percent of the area median income or between $22,903 and $38,160, and range from $613/month studios to $801/month two-bedrooms. Residents can enjoy amenities like a 24-hour attended lobby, an on-site resident manager, a sun terrace, a fitness center, party rooms and a laundry room (additional fees may apply in some cases).
Find out whether you qualify

Affordable Housing

March 8, 2018

Waitlist opens for affordable units at Hudson Yards district rental, from $613/month

The lottery is now open for a waitlist for affordable rental apartments at TF Cornerstone's 455 West 37th Street in the Hudson Yards district in West Midtown. The units are available for households earning 40 percent of the area median income or between $22,903 and $38,160, and range from $613/month studios to $801/month two-bedrooms. Amenities at the 23-story building include a 24-hour attended lobby, an on-site resident manager, a sun terrace, a fitness center, party rooms and a laundry room (additional fees may apply in some cases).
Find out whether you qualify

Affordable Housing

March 5, 2018

Concept renderings for West Midtown skyscraper show super-slender ‘high performance office tower’

Architecture firm RB Systems has just published a set of renderings that explore the new supertall tower typology that's been gaining popularity in New York City in recent years. First spotted by New York Yimby, the "New York’s Super Slender” tower in the renderings is shown on a small (only 30 meters by 30 meters) vacant West Midtown site at 265 West 45th Street. The tower was designed to squeeze onto a 98-foot wide lot, which would put it among New York City's most slender towers. Rising 1,312 feet high, the theoretical building would provide modern, ergonomic, sustainable office spaces. The project reflects a likely path for skyscraper design in the coming years, when the city's towers will need to meet the challenges of dense city centers and a dearth of large vacant lots coupled with a demand for new properties.
Find out more

March 2, 2018

85th floor unit at One57 gets an $11M price chop, now listed at $59M

6sqft reported back in October that an 85th-floor unit in the building known for the city’s most expensive residential sale ever was back on the market after a total overhaul for a noteworthy $70 million. The 6,240-square-foot condominium was purchased by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll for $55.6 million in 2014. After four months, the sprawling sky mansion has been discounted by $11 million according to Mansion Global; the building's third-highest listing is now asking $59 million.
The view is just as good at $59 million

Distinctive Homes

Billionaire Michael Dell revealed as the secret buyer of One57’s $100M penthouse

Image courtesy of Extell/One57

February 22, 2018

Billionaire Michael Dell revealed as the secret buyer of One57’s $100M penthouse