Midtown

You’ll need timed tickets to see the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree this year

Photo by Alex Haney on Unsplash

November 30, 2020

You’ll need timed tickets to see the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree this year

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Starting this Thursday, December 3, if you want a chance to see the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree for five minutes (yep, there's a time limit), you'll need to reserve advance tickets. In his press conference today, Mayor de Blasio outlined the new system, which includes closing 49th and 50th Streets between 6th and 7th Avenues to vehicular traffic and setting up four-person "pods" where guests will be directed to see the tree. "This is going to be a challenging holiday season in a lot of ways, but it's still going to be a beautiful one," said the mayor.
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Penthouse inside historic Central Park South tower’s copper roof to be auctioned off

All renderings courtesy of Concierge Auctions and Nest Seekers International

November 17, 2020

Penthouse inside historic Central Park South tower’s copper roof to be auctioned off

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A three-level penthouse apartment in a Billionaires' Row building with pre-approved, construction-ready designs will hit the auction block next month. Currently listed for $40 million and appraised at $100 million after renovations, the apartment at 150 Central Park South will sell with no reserve to the highest bidder during an online auction hosted December 18 to December 22 through Concierge Auctions. Plans from SPAN Architecture call for a five-bedroom, five and a half bathroom penthouse with four terraces and unobstructed Central Park views.
More here
The 2020 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree has officially arrived in NYC

Photo by Michael Vadon via Wikimedia 

November 16, 2020

The 2020 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree has officially arrived in NYC

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The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree has taken its rightful place in Midtown. This year, a 75-foot tall, 11-ton Norway Spruce from Oneonta, N.Y. will serve as the centerpiece for the famous event. Donated by Daddy Al's General Store, the approximately 80-year-old tree last week was cut down, hoisted by a crane, and delivered by flatbed truck to Manhattan on Saturday. The public cannot attend the tree lighting ceremony this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, but the live event will be broadcast nationally on December 2.
More here
Can Times Square ever be completely car-free?

Rendering courtesy of 3deluxe

November 10, 2020

Can Times Square ever be completely car-free?

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It's been over ten years since cars were first banned in some sections of Times Square. Is it time for additional street closures along bustling Broadway? In a new design study, the Germany-based architecture firm 3deluxe has reimagined Times Square to prioritize pedestrians and cyclists, trading vehicular traffic lanes for recreational activities, landscaped features, and public transportation. The concept comes as New York and other cities continue to reexamine the value of safe public space as the fight to control the coronavirus pandemic continues.
Get the details
The Rockefeller Center ice skating rink will only be open for two months this year

Photo by Shinya Suzuki via Flickr cc

November 9, 2020

The Rockefeller Center ice skating rink will only be open for two months this year

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Photo by Shinya Suzuki via Flickr cc As was first reported by the New York Times, the famous ice skating rink at Rockefeller Center will be be open for the holidays this year, but it will be a much abbreviated season. The rink will open a month later to give more time to restaurants currently using the plaza for outdoor dining, and it will close several months early on January 17 to begin work on a major revamp that was approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission in April.
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Midtown condo of the late ‘Odd Couple’ actress Carole Shelley lists for $1.35M

Photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

October 22, 2020

Midtown condo of the late ‘Odd Couple’ actress Carole Shelley lists for $1.35M

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Tony Award-winning actress Carole Shelley, who is best known for her roles as Gwendolyn Pigeon in The Odd Couple and Madame Morrible in the original Broadway cast of Wicked, passed away in 2018 at the age of 79, leaving behind her NYC pied-à-terre at 340 West 57th Street. The Midtown West condo is located in the elegant, pre-war Parc Vendome, which is just a few blocks from Central Park South. The spacious one-bedroom home is listed for $1,350,000.
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Ice skating rink and holiday market to open at Bryant Park’s Winter Village this month

Photo by Colin Miller

October 19, 2020

Ice skating rink and holiday market to open at Bryant Park’s Winter Village this month

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When the ice skating rink and holiday market opens at Bryant Park this month, things will look a little different than usual because of the coronavirus pandemic. This year, the Bank of America Winter Village will require face coverings, reservations for the rink, and will debut a new layout of shops for optimal distancing. Now in its 19th year, the winter village will open on October 30 and run through March 7, 2021.
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After almost closing, famous Theater District tourist spot Ellen’s Stardust Diner will reopen tomorrow

Photo (cropped) by Jazzy Guy via Wikimedia Commons

September 30, 2020

After almost closing, famous Theater District tourist spot Ellen’s Stardust Diner will reopen tomorrow

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Ellen's Stardust Diner has been a Theater District fixture since 1987, famous for its retro '50s design, subway car entrance, and singing waitstaff. But like so many other restaurants in New York City, Ellen's struggled to reopen due to the pandemic. As Broadway World reported in July, a photo on Facebook showed a notice posted at the diner from the landlord that said Ellen's owed $618,459.22 in back rent. But good news--Time Out NY now reports that the restaurant and landlord seem to have resolved their conflict, and Ellen's will reopen (singing waiters and all!) as of tomorrow.
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See inside the secret train track hidden in the depths of Grand Central Terminal

Image © Emily Nonko for 6sqft

September 25, 2020

See inside the secret train track hidden in the depths of Grand Central Terminal

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The iconic Grand Central Terminal is a building with more than a few secrets. Constructed in 1913 with the wealth of the Vanderbilt family, there was a lavish private office (now known as The Campbell Apartment), glass catwalks, a hidden spiral staircase, and even artists' studios on an upper floor. One of the most infamous secrets of the terminal, however, was a secret track used specifically for a president to access one of the most famous hotels in the world. Known as Track 61, it leads to a special platform that was never used or intended to be used in regular passenger service—it just happened to be in the right place.
Keep reading about Grand Central's secret track
NYC’s first store dedicated to COVID essentials opens in Herald Square

Photo courtesy of CV-19 ESSENTIAL

September 16, 2020

NYC’s first store dedicated to COVID essentials opens in Herald Square

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It was bound to happen--a store selling solely coronavirus-related products. CV-19 ESSENTIAL opened today in Herald Square, selling everything from masks and cell phone sanitizers to plexiglass dividers and UV lights. There's even a "Safe Zone" Interactive Experience Center where shoppers can try out the gadgets (we're assuming they'll be sanitized between uses).
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$66M triplex penthouse at 111 West 57th Street sits 900 feet above Central Park

Penthouse 72 Loggia, courtesy of 111 West 57th Street

September 11, 2020

$66M triplex penthouse at 111 West 57th Street sits 900 feet above Central Park

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Two new impressive units just hit the market at New York City's most slender supertall. At 111 West 57th Street, a three-level, four-bedroom penthouse with over 7,000 square feet of interior space and an additional 1,367 square feet in private outdoor space with picture-perfect views over Central Park has hit the market for $66 million. And a duplex with three bedrooms and unobstructed park views is now asking $39.5 million. The latest multi-million dollar listings at the Billionaires' Row tower come after two $30 million units sold earlier this summer during the coronavirus shut down, giving a boost to the city's nearly stagnant luxury market.
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Free outdoor sculpture garden opens at Rockefeller Center

Illusory Progression, True to Myth, and Rhizogenic Rhythms by artist Thaddeus Mosley; Photo courtesy of Diane Bondareff/AP Images for Tishman Speyer

September 2, 2020

Free outdoor sculpture garden opens at Rockefeller Center

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Another free public art installation has opened at Rockefeller Center. In its second year, the Frieze Sculpture at Rockefeller Center opened on Tuesday as an outdoor sculpture garden with works from six major international artists. Originally scheduled to open this past spring as part of art programs offered by Frieze New York, the installation was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Get the details
Krispy Kreme unveils new Times Square flagship

All photos courtesy of Krispy Kreme

August 26, 2020

Krispy Kreme unveils new Times Square flagship

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Just like their doughnuts, Krispy Kreme says its new 24-hour Times Square flagship will be "fresh and one-of-a-kind." Opening on September 15, the massive, immersive new shop will feature the world's largest glaze waterfall, a doughnut-making theater, and the ability to produce 4,560 doughnuts an hour.
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Tiffany & Co. reveals plans for a glass addition to Fifth Avenue flagship

Rendering: OMA/Bloomimages.de

August 24, 2020

Tiffany & Co. reveals plans for a glass addition to Fifth Avenue flagship

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At the beginning of the year, Tiffany & Company moved after 80 years from its Fifth Avenue flagship to a temporary spot next door while the original location at 727 Fifth Avenue began a renovation. Today, the iconic jewelry company revealed the three-story glass addition that will top their reimagined home, designed by Rem Koolhaas' Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA).
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Amazon will hire 2,000 NYC employees at new Lord & Taylor building location

Photo courtesy of Lord & Taylor

August 19, 2020

Amazon will hire 2,000 NYC employees at new Lord & Taylor building location

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Despite a national shift towards working from home, Amazon announced a $1.4 billion plan to hire 3,500 employees across six major U.S. cities, a 10-percent expansion of its current corporate workforce of 35,000, according to the New York Times. This includes 2,000 employees in New York City, who will work from the e-commerce behemoth's newly acquired location at the historic Lord & Taylor building on Fifth Avenue. WeWork bought the landmarked building in 2017 for $850 million, but after a troubling few years, they sold it to Amazon in March for a reported $1.15 billion.
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Here’s what Facebook’s huge new office will look like at Midtown’s former Farley Post Office

Rendering courtesy of Vornado Realty Trust

August 4, 2020

Here’s what Facebook’s huge new office will look like at Midtown’s former Farley Post Office

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Facebook has signed a lease for 730,000 square feet at the former James A. Farley Post Office, a Midtown landmark currently being converted into a mixed-use building, Vornado Realty Trust announced Monday. Reports of the deal first surfaced last December, but the coronavirus pandemic put into question the need for massive office space with thousands of workers. But Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the deal shows New York's resilience as the city recovers from the crisis. "Vornado's and Facebook's investment in New York and commitment to further putting down roots here - even in the midst of a global pandemic - is a signal to the world that our brightest days are still ahead and we are open for business," Cuomo said in a statement. "This public-private partnership fortifies New York as an international center of innovation."
Find out more
See the 193 new Rockefeller Center flags designed by the public

Courtesy of Tishman Speyer

August 3, 2020

See the 193 new Rockefeller Center flags designed by the public

By
The iconic flags that surround the Rink at Rockefeller Center got a makeover over the weekend. Public art initiative "The Flag Project" opened on Saturday with 193 new flags designed by the public, as well as a number of well-known artists and designers. Led by Tishman Speyer, the installation aims to celebrate New York City as the city continues its fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
Find out more
$100M penthouse closes at 220 Central Park South, third-most-expensive NYC sale ever

Photo of 220 Central Park South in front of 111 West 57th Street (cropped) by Jim Henderson via Wikimedia Commons

July 28, 2020

$100M penthouse closes at 220 Central Park South, third-most-expensive NYC sale ever

By
Photo of 220 Central Park South in front of 111 West 57th Street (cropped) by Jim Henderson via Wikimedia Commons As of July 1, 2020, the average price per square foot for a New York City condo came in at $1,110, according to CityRealty. But this duplex penthouse at 220 Central Park South sold for a whopping $12,164 per square foot. First spotted by The Real Deal and confirmed in city property records, PH 76 at the Billionaires' Row tower just closed for $99,903,375, making it the third-most-expensive sale ever, behind billionaire Ken Griffith’s $238 million purchase also at 220 CPS in early 2019 and Michael Dell’s $100 million buy at One57 in 2015. The sale takes the number-three spot from a $92.7 million sale at 220 CPS, which sold in late 2019 to billionaire hedge-funder Daniel Och.
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See inside an apartment at the world’s tallest residential building

Photo by Evan Joseph

July 24, 2020

See inside an apartment at the world’s tallest residential building

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It's been nearly two years since sales launched at Extell's Central Park Tower and one year since the 1,500-foot condominium topped out along Central Park South, making it the tallest residential building on the globe. And now, we've got our first look inside one of the enviable apartments at this Billionaires' Row building. The model residence is a 3,401-square-foot, three-bedroom corner unit on the 43rd floor, priced at $17,500,000. Not surprisingly, the interiors are decked out to the nines, but, of course, it's the insane views we can't stop ogling.
Take the full tour
10 iconic streets and spots in NYC open for outdoor dining
July 22, 2020

10 iconic streets and spots in NYC open for outdoor dining

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Since Mayor Bill de Blasio rolled out the open restaurants program last month, allowing eateries to serve diners on sidewalks and in adjacent parking spots, over 9,000 eateries have reopened for outdoor dining. Offering another lifeline to the struggling industry, especially now that indoor dining has been postponed indefinitely, the city has also closed more than 40 blocks to traffic for its weekend-only open streets dining program, overseen by community organizations and neighborhood Business Improvement Districts. With so many al fresco dining options available, we're rounding up the most iconic New York City streets and establishments now open for outdoor dining, from the most photographed block in Brooklyn and New York's oldest bar in Queens to open-air plazas with views of city landmarks.
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See the ‘Black Lives Matter’ mural in front of Trump Tower

All photos by Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

July 9, 2020

See the ‘Black Lives Matter’ mural in front of Trump Tower

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After announcing last month that he'd be painting "Black Lives Matter" in front of Trump Tower, Mayor de Blasio today helped paint the mural in bright yellow letters outside the building on Fifth Avenue between 56th and 57th Streets. "Let’s show Donald Trump what he does not understand, let’s paint it right in front of his building for him," the mayor said today.
Details here
$2.5M Central Park South penthouse has a wrap-around rooftop with beer taps, grills, and a ‘lawn’

Images courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

June 11, 2020

$2.5M Central Park South penthouse has a wrap-around rooftop with beer taps, grills, and a ‘lawn’

By
A heated pergola, outdoor kitchen with both barbecue and teppanyaki grills, beer taps, a wine fridge, entertainment center, outdoor lounge, and a recreation "lawn" -- this is just some of what you'll get at this Central Park South's wrap-around rooftop terrace. The two-bedroom penthouse at 152 West 58th Street also has incredible views of the adjacent skyscrapers along Billionaires' Row, including the famous Essex House sign that reflects into the glass of One57. The interiors are super open and sleek, and the home has just hit the market for $2,490,000
See more here
Public art campaign lights up Times Square in support of essential workers

PSA by Carrie Mae Weems; Photo by Maria Baranova

May 19, 2020

Public art campaign lights up Times Square in support of essential workers

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A public art campaign is lighting up Times Square in support of New York City's healthcare and essential workers. As part of a joint effort by Times Square Arts, For Freedoms, and Poster House, "Messages for the City," now in its second phase, features work from more than 30 artists and designers on digital public service announcements in New York, Boston, and Chicago.
Find out more
New Yorkers invited to design iconic Rockefeller Center flags

Photo by Sharon Mollerus on Flickr

May 18, 2020

New Yorkers invited to design iconic Rockefeller Center flags

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A public art competition launched last week that asks New Yorkers to submit designs for the iconic flags that surround the Rink at Rockefeller Center. Led by the site's developer Tishman Speyer, "The Flag Project" is looking for artwork that celebrates New York City, whether it be through graphic design, a drawing, or collage. Winning designs will be made into flags and flown from Rockefeller Center's 192 flagpoles this August as part of a temporary exhibit.
Find out more
Rockefeller Center revamp gets Landmarks approval

Rendering by Gabellini Sheppard Associates courtesy of Tishman Speyer; via Landmarks Preservation Commission

April 28, 2020

Rockefeller Center revamp gets Landmarks approval

By
A proposal to renovate Rockefeller Center's public realm was approved on Tuesday by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Led by Tishman Speyer and designed by Gabellini Sheppard Associates, the project aims to restore the connection between the concourse and the sunken plaza, an element included in the original plans for the historic Midtown site. The design, which was revised following a public hearing in January, focuses on the pools of the channel gardens, the sunken plaza, and new seating and planting to maintain the plaza's well-defined edges.
More here
The Empire State Building’s new light shows honor essential workers and first responders

Photo by Neil Cooper on Unsplash

April 27, 2020

The Empire State Building’s new light shows honor essential workers and first responders

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After kicking off on Saturday, the Empire State Building will continue to put on nightly light shows in honor of specific first responders and essential workers. The landmark began its #HEROESSHINEBRIGHT series by paying tribute to the FNDY and EMS on Friday, doctors, nurses, and the medical community on Saturday, and correction officers on Sunday. Tonight, watch the building blink orange, blue, and white in honor of the U.S. Coast Guard, as well as blue and gold in honor of the U.S. Navy.
See the rest of the lineup
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