Midtown

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

Photo courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

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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$74.34M penthouse at Aman New York is NYC’s biggest sale of the year

All renderings courtesy of Aman New York

July 8, 2022

$74.34M penthouse at Aman New York is NYC’s biggest sale of the year

By Devin Gannon

A penthouse on New York City's Billionaires' Row has sold for $74.34 million, the highest closed sale of 2022 so far. Taking up the entirety of the 20th floor of the Aman New York, a new hotel and residential project at the iconic Crown Building on Fifth Avenue, the home measures over 6,700 square feet and features a private saltwater swimming pool, cabana, and two terraces. The apartment--dubbed the "Jala Penthouse"--was originally listed for $83.53 million.
Details this way

Broadway will drop mask mandate for month of July

Photo by Luca Bravo on Unsplash

June 22, 2022

Broadway will drop mask mandate for month of July

By Aaron Ginsburg

Masks will no longer be required at all of Broadway's 41 theaters next month, the Broadway League announced Tuesday. Starting July 1, masks will be optional for audiences at shows. The League said masking protocols for August and beyond will be reviewed on a monthly basis, with an updated decision made in mid-July. While masks will not be required, audience members are still encouraged to wear them.
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See inside Central Park Tower’s newly-unveiled 100th floor amenities club

Photo credit: Evan Joseph

June 21, 2022

See inside Central Park Tower’s newly-unveiled 100th floor amenities club

By Michelle Cohen

Central Park Tower, the world's tallest residential building, has officially unveiled New York City's most elevated (literally) private club on the condominium tower's 100th floor. Perched more than 1,000 feet above Billionaires’ Row, the high-flying portion of the building's Central Park Club offers residents of the building's 179 condominiums a suite of private dining and entertaining spaces with incomparable views. Extell Development Company's 1,500-plus-foot-tall tower is also home to the Nordstrom flagship retail store located at its base.
Gaze at the city from the 100th floor

Real Estate Trends

Radio Park debuts summer garden dining series atop Radio City Music Hall

Radio Park above Radio City Music Hall. Photo credit: Rockefeller Center

June 20, 2022

Radio Park debuts summer garden dining series atop Radio City Music Hall

By Michelle Cohen

With the start of summer comes summer dining, and this July will mark the debut of an event that combines the excitement of Rockefeller Center with the experience of dining in a garden oasis high above New York City. Radio Park, the 24,000-square-foot landscaped rooftop that opened last year above Radio City Music Hall, will host "Dine at Radio Park," a new weekend dining series led by two celebrated local chefs.
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Ain’t Misbehavin; Designed by Derek McLane. Rendering courtesy of the Museum of Broadway

June 14, 2022

The Museum of Broadway announces November opening date

By Devin Gannon

The first permanent museum dedicated to Broadway has an official opening date. The Museum of Broadway will open its doors at 145 West 45th Street in Times Square on November 15. Along with an opening date, new renderings of the space were released on Tuesday, showing off the museum's immersive experiences and "behind-the-curtain" look at the history of Broadway.
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Events & Things To Do

Nick Cave’s vibrant ‘Soundsuits’ subway station mosaics capture the energy of Times Square

All photos courtesy of MTA/Trent Reeves, unless otherwise noted

May 17, 2022

Nick Cave’s vibrant ‘Soundsuits’ subway station mosaics capture the energy of Times Square

By Devin Gannon

Two new mosaics by the artist Nick Cave were unveiled in Times Square on Monday, completing a permanent artwork and marking the largest mosaic project in New York City's subway system. Commissioned by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's public art program, the artwork, titled "Each One, Every One, Equal All," features Cave's wearable sculpture works "Soundsuits" translated into 4,600 square feet of colorful mosaic. The new artwork is part of a larger revamp of the 42nd Street station, including a new entrance and upgraded mezzanine level.
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For $6M, this classic Central Park South co-op has park views, possibilities, and space to spare

All photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

May 17, 2022

For $6M, this classic Central Park South co-op has park views, possibilities, and space to spare

By Michelle Cohen

On the 12th floor of the iconic copper-topped Hampshire House co-op at 150 Central Park South, this 2,640-square-foot residence has a parkside seat and the views to match. Asking $5,995,000, the three-bedroom (or two bedrooms and a dreamy den) classic seven is a combination of two units for an unusually spacious layout, rooms to spare, and an alternate floor plan in case you need ideas on what to do with all of them. Pre-war bones, a private south-facing balcony, and warm-toned herringbone floors tie it all together.
More park views and big, sunlit rooms, this way

Distinctive Homes

NYC announces first-ever parade celebrating Asian American heritage

Image courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

May 12, 2022

NYC announces first-ever parade celebrating Asian American heritage

By Aaron Ginsburg

The city's first-ever parade celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander New Yorkers will take place this weekend, Mayor Eric Adams announced Wednesday. On Sunday, May 15, the AAPI Cultural and Heritage Parade will start in Midtown at 6th Avenue and West 44th Street and head north to West 55th Street. New York City's newest parade comes during AAPI Heritage Month and as the city continues to experience a spike in hate crimes targeting Asian Americans.
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Events & Things To Do

Talea Beer Co. opens outdoor pop-up brewery next to Grand Central

All images courtesy of Talea Beer Co.

May 11, 2022

Talea Beer Co. opens outdoor pop-up brewery next to Grand Central

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's first and only female-owned and operated production brewery has opened a pop-up outside of Grand Central Terminal. Located at the corner of Vanderbilt Avenue and 45th Street, Talea Beer Co.'s pop-up brewery is open daily from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and offers five different beers on tap, as well as canned beers and draft pours to go. Open through September, the brewery also offers cocktails and wine for non-beer drinkers.
Details here

Food & Dining

$500M One Times Square revamp includes outdoor viewing deck, museum, and even more ads

All renderings courtesy of Jamestown

May 6, 2022

$500M One Times Square revamp includes outdoor viewing deck, museum, and even more ads

By Devin Gannon

One of the most valuable advertising locations in the world will cash in on its prime location even further. One Times Square, home of the New Year's Eve ball drop, will undergo a $500 million redevelopment to become a new visitor center with a viewing deck, museum, and 12 floors of interactive "branded" experiences, developer Jamestown announced on Friday. While the 26-story building, located at 42nd Street and 7th Avenue, has been vacant for years, its exterior is covered in giant billboards. As part of the half-a-billion-dollar project, advertisers will be able to reach more consumers through immersive "digital, virtual, and augmented reality integrations" inside One Times Square.
Details here

Historic Palace Theatre finishes 30-foot lift above Times Square

Images courtesy of TSX Broadway

May 5, 2022

Historic Palace Theatre finishes 30-foot lift above Times Square

By Aaron Ginsburg

The redevelopment of a historic Times Square theater hit a major milestone this week. L&L Holding Company on Wednesday announced the 30-foot lift of the Palace Theatre is completed after seven weeks. The project is part of TSX Broadway, a 46-story $2.5 billion mixed-use development set to open next year with a performance venue, 660-key hotel, retail, and a restored theater on the third floor. Using techniques that defied traditional engineering, the theater's lifting unlocks 100,000 square feet of retail and entertainment space.
Details here

City Winery to open a new location in Grand Central

Photo courtesy of Stephen H on Unsplash

April 27, 2022

City Winery to open a new location in Grand Central

By Aaron Ginsburg

Performance venue and restaurant chain City Winery will open a new location at one of the city's busiest transit hubs. As first reported by Gothamist, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Monday approved a license for a restaurant and bar to take up nearly 16,000 square feet of space in Grand Central Terminal, at the western end of Vanderbilt Hall.
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Food & Dining

30 Rock’s new ‘skylift’ observation platform and rooftop ride approved by Landmarks

All renderings courtesy of Tishman Speyer

April 26, 2022

30 Rock’s new ‘skylift’ observation platform and rooftop ride approved by Landmarks

By Devin Gannon

A popular New York City observation deck will soon offer a new point of view. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved plans for several upgrades to the Top of the Rock at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, including a rotating ride, a rooftop beacon, and a new "skylift" viewing platform that takes visitors above the 70th floor and offers uninterrupted 360-degree views.
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Policy

NYC finally launches containerized trash bin pilot

Image courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

April 21, 2022

NYC finally launches containerized trash bin pilot

By Aaron Ginsburg

Mayor Eric Adams and Department of Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch on Wednesday unveiled a new containerized waste bin that the city will eventually deploy across all five boroughs in hopes of thwarting rats, making more room on the sidewalks, and improving the overall quality of life for residents. The new bins are part of the city's Clean Curbs Pilot program, which was announced two years ago. The first bins were installed in Times Square on Wednesday.
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These giant sculptures in the Garment District ‘wave hello’ to New Yorkers

All images courtesy of Alexandre Ayer / @DiversityPics for the Garment District Alliance

April 18, 2022

These giant sculptures in the Garment District ‘wave hello’ to New Yorkers

By Aaron Ginsburg

New Yorkers will be greeted with outstretched arms the next time they walk through Midtown. Located on Broadway between 38th and 41st Streets, Here is a public art exhibition featuring 14 oversized sculptures with their hands raised high above their heads. Created by artist Santi Flores, Here is meant to represent unity, diversity, and individuality, and is dedicated to all New Yorkers. The installation is the latest public art exhibition to be sponsored by the Garment District Alliance and is free and open to the public until August 29.
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A roller skating rink is now open at Rockefeller Center

Credit: © Albert Vecerka/Esto

April 15, 2022

A roller skating rink is now open at Rockefeller Center

By Aaron Ginsburg

Rockefeller Center's ice rink has been transformed just in time for the warm weather. Starting Friday, The Rink at Rockefeller Center will instead be Flipper's Roller Boogie Palace, a retro-themed outdoor roller skating rink that will include a food program, viewing deck, and a retail store. Opened by Liberty Ross, the rink will include weekly and seasonal programming, DJ sets, and live music.
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New art installation is a tranquil sanctuary in the heart of Times Square

Rendering of Raúl Cordero’s Public Art Project, The Poem. Courtesy of the artist and Times Square Arts.

March 22, 2022

New art installation is a tranquil sanctuary in the heart of Times Square

By Aaron Ginsburg

Take a moment to escape the hustle and bustle of the city at this new public art installation opening in Times Square. Next month, Times Square Arts will debut Raúl Cordero's The Poem, a large-scale sculptural tower with illuminated text in its interior and cascading foliage on its exterior, reminiscent of a temple sanctuary. Guests step into the artwork and look up through 20 feet of cascading mountain laurel foliage only to see the night sky and the lines of a haiku fixed to the walls. The Poem is on view from April 8 through May 4.
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Events & Things To Do

Penn Station’s transformation takes next steps with removal of low-hanging beams

All images courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA

March 9, 2022

Penn Station’s transformation takes next steps with removal of low-hanging beams

By Aaron Ginsburg

A major step in the transformation of Penn Station has begun. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on Tuesday announced they would begin the removal of seven massive low-hanging beams known as "head knockers," dated structural beams that have limited the height of passageways in Penn Station's Long Island Rail Road Concourse to under 7 feet. The removal of these beams will help project crews reach their goal of increasing the ceiling height to 18 feet across the entire concourse, doubling the width of the 33rd Street corridor to 57 feet, and improving lighting.
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Pebble Bar to open at historic four-story townhouse at Rockefeller Center

Interior photos courtesy of Nicole Franzen, unless otherwise noted

February 25, 2022

Pebble Bar to open at historic four-story townhouse at Rockefeller Center

By Devin Gannon

A 19th-century townhouse once home to a beloved Irish saloon that refused to move during the construction of Rockefeller Center is getting a new life as a glamorous multi-level bar. Set to open on February 28, Pebble Bar will stretch across three floors at 67 West 49th Street, where the pub named Hurley's served New Yorkers for over 100 years. Designed by Gachot Studios, Pebble Bar features a bar overlooking Sixth Avenue, a moody 35-seat dining room with a marble-lined oyster bar, and fourth-floor flexible event space and "secret" entrance.
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Food & Dining

Live like Midge Maisel in this 60s-themed suite at the Plaza, starting at $1,675/night

All images courtesy of The Plaza

February 17, 2022

Live like Midge Maisel in this 60s-themed suite at the Plaza, starting at $1,675/night

By Aaron Ginsburg

With the highly anticipated fourth season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel set to hit Amazon Prime Video this Friday, New York City's iconic Plaza Hotel is giving fans of the show the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of Midge Maisel. The Plaza has recreated Midge's aesthetic within a one-bedroom suite, furnished with antiques and accouterments straight from the 1950s and 60s. As part of the event, The Palm Court at The Plaza has created the "Midge Menu," which reimagines the three-tiered afternoon tea tradition and includes NYC classics like pastrami sandwiches on rye, black and white cookies reimagined as macarons, and Nutella babka cheesecake.
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Events & Things To Do

NYC commission withholds support for Hochul’s plan to rebuild Penn Station

Rendering courtesy of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

February 2, 2022

NYC commission withholds support for Hochul’s plan to rebuild Penn Station

By Aaron Ginsburg

Gov. Kathy Hochul's massive redevelopment plan of Penn Station hit a roadblock last week. The City Planning Commission said it will withhold support for Hochul's new transit hub due to uncertainties over funding and a lack of improvement to transit and the public realm. Before the city recommends its full support, the project's planners must resolve these issues, as the commission wrote in a letter to the Empire State Development Corporation.
Details here

Joe Tsai’s firm revealed as buyer of $190M penthouse at 220 Central Park South

Via Vornado Realty Trust and Robert A.M. Stern Architects

January 24, 2022

Joe Tsai’s firm revealed as buyer of $190M penthouse at 220 Central Park South

By Devin Gannon

Earlier this month it was reported billionaire Daniel Och sold his penthouse at 220 Central Park South for $190 million, roughly double what he paid for the home in 2019. While the identity of the buyer was unknown at the time, city records first reported last week by Bloomberg show Blue Pool Capital, the firm that manages some fortunes of Alibaba co-founders Joe Tsai and Jack Ma, paid $188 million for the property.
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Real Estate Trends

Billionaire Daniel Och sells 220 Central Park South penthouse for $190M

220 Central Park South. Photo by Jim.henderson (cropped) via Wikimedia Commons.

January 14, 2022

Billionaire Daniel Och sells 220 Central Park South penthouse for $190M

By Devin Gannon

Billionaire Daniel Och has sold his penthouse at 220 Central Park South for an astounding $190 million, nearly double the amount he paid for the home in 2019. As first reported by the Wall Street Journal, the sale marks one of the most expensive deals ever in New York. The buyer has not been disclosed.
Get the details

Real Estate Trends

New art exhibit lets you walk through a glowing tunnel in the Garment District

Image courtesy of Alexandre Ayer / @DiversityPics for the Garment District Alliance

January 11, 2022

New art exhibit lets you walk through a glowing tunnel in the Garment District

By Aaron Ginsburg

A small section of Broadway in the Garment District has been transformed into a glowing tunnel. The Garment District Alliance today revealed Passage, an art installation consisting of 20 illuminated circles that form a tunnel for pedestrians to walk through. The art piece is interactive, with each ring radiating light and emitting sound as participants pass by them. Located on Broadway between 39th and 40th Streets, the free immersive art experience will be open to the public until February 13.
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For $1.8M, a co-op in a Lenox Hill landmark has two exposures and five-star hotel service

Photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

January 7, 2022

For $1.8M, a co-op in a Lenox Hill landmark has two exposures and five-star hotel service

By Devin Gannon

A perfectly proportioned two-bedroom co-op next to Central Park is now available. The home sits in the iconic Sherry Netherland, a 38-story cooperative residential hotel at 781 Fifth Avenue built in the 1920s. Now asking $1,795,000, the residence boasts East and West exposures, pouring light into the home through its incredible 12 windows.
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Distinctive Homes

New Year’s Eve ball drop in Times Square to be scaled back because of Covid

Image by Anthony Quintano via Flickr

December 27, 2021

New Year’s Eve ball drop in Times Square to be scaled back because of Covid

By Aaron Ginsburg

After announcing last month that this year's Times Square New Year's Eve celebration will return to maximum capacity, Mayor Bill de Blasio broke the news on Thursday that the celebration will be scaled back to protect attendees from the Omicron variant. Usually hosting 58,000 guests, the celebratory event will be reduced to 15,000 attendees and include additional safety measures like the use of masks. Those planning on taking part in the celebration must provide full proof of vaccination with photo identification.
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Events & Things To Do

255 East 77th Street

Lenox Hill

Upper East Side condos with Central Park views

3 beds starting at $5,300,000
4 beds starting at $7,400,000
5 beds starting at $8,750,000

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