Midtown

1,300-foot-high duplex at Central Park Tower asks $150M

Courtesy of Extell Development

August 17, 2021

1,300-foot-high duplex at Central Park Tower asks $150M

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For $150,000,000, a luxury apartment situated 1,300 feet above ground can be yours. As first reported by Bloomberg, the available duplex is located on the 127th and 128th floors of Central Park Tower, the tallest residential building in the world. According to the listing, the eight-bedroom "trophy home" is the highest duplex in the skyscraper, which stands more than 1,500 feet tall over Central Park. If it fetches the asking price, it would become the third most expensive sale in New York City ever.
Get the details
Museum of Broadway to open in Times Square next summer

Rendering by Paul Bennett Architects PC

August 16, 2021

Museum of Broadway to open in Times Square next summer

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The first permanent museum dedicated to Broadway will open in Times Square next year. Originally scheduled to debut in 2020 but delayed because of the pandemic, the Museum of Broadway will open at 145 West 45th Street in the summer of 2022, officials announced on Monday. The interactive experience will explore and celebrate the history and legacy of Broadway musicals, plays, and theatres.
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KAWS unveils new 18-foot sculpture at Rockefeller Center

Courtesy of Diane Bondareff/AP Images for Tishman Speyer

August 12, 2021

KAWS unveils new 18-foot sculpture at Rockefeller Center

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The distinct art of KAWS is now on display at Rockefeller Center. The 18-foot tall bronze sculpture, dubbed SHARE, features two of the artist's signature cartoon-like figures, Companion and BFF. The installation, which coincides with the current sweeping exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum, "KAWS: WHAT PARTY," will be on view at the Center Plaza until October 29.
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The history of Central Park’s Hooverville, the Great Depression shanty town

“A Scene in Shantytown, New York” appearing in the March 4, 1880 edition of the New York Daily Graphic, via Wikimedia Commons

August 4, 2021

The history of Central Park’s Hooverville, the Great Depression shanty town

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Following the October stock market crash of 1929, there was an unprecedented number of people in the U.S. without homes or jobs. And as the Great Depression set in, demand grew and the overflow became far too overwhelming and unmanageable for government resources to manage. Homeless people in large cities began to build their own houses out of found materials, and some even built more permanent structures from brick. Small shanty towns—later named Hoovervilles after President Hoover—began to spring up in vacant lots, public land and empty alleys. Three of these pop-up villages were located in New York City, the largest of which was on what is now Central Park's Great Lawn.
Learn more here
On the 66th floor of the world’s tallest residential building, a carefully curated condo for $22M

All photos by Evan Joseph

July 29, 2021

On the 66th floor of the world’s tallest residential building, a carefully curated condo for $22M

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As residents start to move into the world's tallest residential building, we're getting another look at one of the impressive residences there. The three-bedroom, three-bathroom on the 66th floor of the Central Park Tower, the 1,500-foot tall condo tower on Billionaires' Row, has interiors designed by Australian-based Blainey North & Associates and features bold and elegant, but welcoming, elements throughout. The 3,165-square-foot sky-high home with incredible city and Central Park views is asking $21,890,000.
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Under new Netflix management, historic Paris Theater will reopen next month

All photos by The Brinsons

July 21, 2021

Under new Netflix management, historic Paris Theater will reopen next month

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Midtown's Paris Theater is New York City's longest-running arthouse cinema and only remaining single-screen movie theater. On August 6th, the historic theater on 58th Street will hold its grand re-opening following a renovation that added new carpeting, drapes, and a marquee. After opening in 1948, the 571-seat theater closed in 2019 when its lease expired. But later that same year, Netflix announced that it reached a lease agreement to preserve the landmark and keep it open for "special events, screenings, and theatrical releases of its films."
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See inside the $169M penthouse at 432 Park Avenue

Listing photo by Donna Dotan

July 21, 2021

See inside the $169M penthouse at 432 Park Avenue

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The top-floor penthouse at 1,396-foot-tall tower 432 Park Avenue has been publicly listed for the first time ever, asking $169 million. It is the most expensive listing currently in New York City, and if it fetches the asking price, it would become the second-biggest sale in the city's history and set a record with its $20,500 per square foot price tag. As 6sqft reported last month, the 96th-floor unit is currently owned by billionaire Saudi real estate developer Fawaz Alhokair, who bought the apartment for only $88 million in 2016. Listed with Ryan Serhant, founder and CEO of SERHANT., the unit spans 8,225 square feet and has six bedrooms and seven bathrooms, as well as 240 linear feet of glass windows. The home is being sold with all of its art and furniture, which includes pieces from Hermes, Fendi, and Bentley.
See the whole place
Billionaire Joe Tsai revealed as buyer of $157.5M condos at 220 Central Park South

220 Central Park South as seen in May 2020. Photo by Jim.henderson (cropped) via Wikimedia Commons.

July 20, 2021

Billionaire Joe Tsai revealed as buyer of $157.5M condos at 220 Central Park South

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As was first reported by the Wall Street Journal in June, a buyer shelled out $157,500,000 for two units at 220 Central Park South. Property records showed the $82.5 million purchase of the 60th-floor unit and the $75 million purchase of the 61st-floor unit, both made using an LLC. But CNBC has now revealed that the buyer is billionaire Joe Tsai, Alibaba co-founder and owner of the Brooklyn Nets. The sale is the second biggest in New York City history and the third-largest ever in the U.S. The number-one spot occurred at the same Billionaires' Row tower, with billionaire Ken Griffin's $238 million purchase in early 2019. 
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Huge new LEGO flagship opens at Rockefeller Center

All photos of the LEGO Store, 5th Avenue by Cindy Ord/Getty Images unless otherwise noted

June 29, 2021

Huge new LEGO flagship opens at Rockefeller Center

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A LEGO flagship store opened in Midtown this week with new hands-on experiences and New York City-inspired builds. Located at 630 Fifth Avenue within the Rockefeller Center complex, the store measures more than 7,100 square feet across two levels. The new shop celebrates the Big Apple with a classic yellow taxi cab, skyscrapers like the Empire State Building, and the lights and billboards of Times Square and Broadway theaters, all made of LEGO bricks.
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Top-floor penthouse at 432 Park lists for $169M, double the previous sale price

Photo by Sebastiandoe5 via Wikimedia Commons

June 29, 2021

Top-floor penthouse at 432 Park lists for $169M, double the previous sale price

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An $88 million profit? That's what the current owner of the 96th-floor penthouse at supertall tower 432 Park Avenue is hoping to achieve. As the New York Times first reported, billionaire Saudi real estate developer Fawaz Alhokair has listed his apartment at the 1,400-foot-tall condo for $169 million, double what he paid for it in 2016. If it fetches the asking price, it would become the second most expensive home ever sold in New York City and would set a record with its $20,500 per square foot price tag.
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After $200M overhaul, NYPL’s central circulating library opens in Midtown with public rooftop terrace

Photo © John Bartelstone courtesy of Mecanoo, Beyer Blinder Belle, New York Public Library

June 4, 2021

After $200M overhaul, NYPL’s central circulating library opens in Midtown with public rooftop terrace

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The New York Public Library this week opened a new central circulating library in Midtown following a major $200 million renovation project. Located at 455 Fifth Avenue, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (SNFL) was built within the shell and steel frame of the existing building formerly known as the Mid-Manhattan Library. Designed by Dutch architecture firm Mecanoo in collaboration with Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners, the new 180,000 square foot library boasts a dramatic light-filled atrium and an incredible rooftop terrace, which is now the only free and publicly accessible rooftop in Midtown.
Details here
Asking $2.1M, author E.L. Doctorow’s former Sutton Place home is perfect for any aspiring writer

Photos by Erickson Jaquez, Empire Optix for Sotheby’s International Realty

May 26, 2021

Asking $2.1M, author E.L. Doctorow’s former Sutton Place home is perfect for any aspiring writer

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With a library, built-in bookshelves, and views that could cure writer's block, this Sutton Place home is perfect for any aspiring novelist. It worked for the apartment's former owner, the late author E.L. Doctorow, who penned The March, Homer & Langley, and Andrew's Brain here. Located at 333 East 57th Street, the 3,000-square-foot co-op is now on the market for $2,100,000.
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Daniel Boulud’s Le Pavillon opens at One Vanderbilt with lush greenery and city views

All photos courtesy of SL Green Realty

May 19, 2021

Daniel Boulud’s Le Pavillon opens at One Vanderbilt with lush greenery and city views

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Chef Daniel Boulud this week officially opened Le Pavillon, a new restaurant in the Midtown office tower One Vanderbilt. Located directly across from Grand Central with views of the Chrysler Building, Le Pavillon boasts soaring, 57-foot ceilings and a nature-inspired design by Brazilian architect Isay Weinfeld that includes lots of greenery and natural elements.
See more here
25-foot tall sculpture designed by Sanford Biggers takes over Rockefeller Center

All photos courtesy of Diane Bondareff/AP Images for Tishman Speyer

May 6, 2021

25-foot tall sculpture designed by Sanford Biggers takes over Rockefeller Center

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A massive bronze sculpture has been installed at Rockefeller Center as part of a new multi-part public art exhibition. Designed by Sanford Biggers, Oracle stands 25 feet tall at the foot of the Channel Gardens and is a continuation of the artist's recent Chimera sculpture series. As the first campus-wide takeover by a solo artist at Rockefeller Center, the exhibition also includes a flag installation at the iconic flagpoles, small-scale sculptures, a virtual experience, and murals, in addition to the sculpture that weighs over 15,000 pounds.
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Macy’s annual Flower Show blossoms with hope and love

Photos: Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Macy’s

May 3, 2021

Macy’s annual Flower Show blossoms with hope and love

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The 46th annual Macy's Flower Show opened on Sunday, transforming the Herald Square store into a whimsical floral oasis. This year's theme, Give. Love. Bloom., aims to inspire hope for New Yorkers after a tough year with grand gardens, flower displays, and larger-than-life butterflies taking over the store, the iconic windows, and even outside, at Herald Square Park.
Get the details
See what a renovated Penn Station could look like

View from 33rd Street, a shared space for pedestrians

April 22, 2021

See what a renovated Penn Station could look like

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A dark and cramped Penn Station could soon be replaced with a light-filled transit hub with more space for commuters. Gov. Andrew Cuomo unveiled on Wednesday two possible options for the reconstruction of the Midtown train station as part of his broader Empire Station Complex project, which would unify an upgraded Penn Station and the new Moynihan Train Hall. The interconnected station would increase train capacity at the site, which is considered the busiest in the country. It could serve 830,000 daily passengers by 2038, up from 600,000 the station served each day before the pandemic.
More here
$350M redevelopment of century-old Textile Building reimagines office space with fresh air and greenery

Renderings courtesy of Tribeca Investment Group

April 20, 2021

$350M redevelopment of century-old Textile Building reimagines office space with fresh air and greenery

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A 100-year-old property in Midtown South will be reimagined as a modern office building with courtyards and terraces, flexible workspace, and lots of greenery, amenities the owners hope will draw tenants back to in-person work post-pandemic. Tribeca Investment Group, PGIM Real Estate, and Meadows Partners announced this week plans for a $350 million redevelopment of 295 Fifth Avenue, also known as the Textile Building. The owners acquired a 99-year ground lease for the 17-story building in 2019 for $375 million.
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Dining, shopping, and 25 live performances are coming to Bryant Park

Photo by Krisztina Papp on Unsplash

April 16, 2021

Dining, shopping, and 25 live performances are coming to Bryant Park

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Kicking off yesterday and running through June 20th, "Spring Up" is a new immersive dining and shopping experience in Bryant Park. Managed by food hall operator Urbanspace, the market will feature original art, antique collectibles, jewelry and cuisines from more than 40 local small businesses. And from June 9th through September 20th, the Bryant Park Corporation will present 25 free performances from local institutions including the New York Philharmonic, Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Joe’s Pub, the Classical Theater of Harlem, and Paul Taylor Dance Company.
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Magnolia Bakery opening new location on Columbus Circle

Photo by Ralph Daily via Wikimedia Commons

April 14, 2021

Magnolia Bakery opening new location on Columbus Circle

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Grabbing some to-go cupcakes to enjoy in Central Park is going to get a lot easier when Magnolia Bakery opens its new Columbus Circle location tomorrow. As was first reported by I Love the Upper West Side, the announcement comes as the famous sweet shop's Upper West Side location has seen a surge in customer traffic. The new location will be at 1784 Broadway, between 58th and 59th Streets, and, unlike the other NYC locations, will offer self-serve refrigerators with pre-packaged favorites like banana pudding and cupcakes, as well as a partnership with Australian coffee cafe Bluestone Lane.
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Phillips auction house readies to open white-cube location at 432 Park
April 5, 2021

Phillips auction house readies to open white-cube location at 432 Park

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British auction house Phillips is getting ready for its June move into the white, glassy cube base of supertall 432 Park Avenue. Designed by studioMDA’s Markus Dochantschi, the 35,000-square-foot concourse space at 56th Street will be the only Manhattan auction room visible from the street, breaking down "the classical typology of the 'auction behind closed doors,'" according to a press release. It will have a grand auction room, exhibition galleries, viewing rooms, and a VIP mezzanine.
More info here
Palatial 57th Street co-op offers old-world sophistication for $3.5M

Listing photos by Heidi Solander for Sotheby’s International Realty

March 18, 2021

Palatial 57th Street co-op offers old-world sophistication for $3.5M

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The Osborne co-op was built on the northwest corner of 57th Street and 7th Avenue in 1885 as one of NYC's first grand apartment buildings. Just four years later, Carnegie Hall would rise across the street, cementing its stature among the city's elite addresses. A two-bedroom apartment in the building has hit the market for $3,500,000, and just by looking at its opulence, one feels transported back to the 19th century. From the imposing coffered ceilings and stately columns to the decadent fabrics and gilded decor, the home offers an old-world sophistication not often found anymore.
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Radio City Music Hall is getting a rooftop park and skybridge

Rendering by G3 Architecture Interiors Planning; Courtesy of the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission

March 16, 2021

Radio City Music Hall is getting a rooftop park and skybridge

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A skybridge that leads to a landscaped rooftop park is coming to Radio City Music Hall. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday approved plans from G3 Architecture Interiors Planning and Tishman Speyer to construct a simple pedestrian bridge clad in statuary bronze that would connect the building at 1270 Avenue of the Americas to the planned roof garden atop the historic theater, which will be amenity space for Rockefeller Center tenants. Interconnected green terraces were part of the original architectural vision for the Rockefeller Center complex and this project, to be called Radio Park, will finally bring the plan to fruition.
See it here
Once occupied by JFK and British royalty, the Plaza’s famous Astor Suite is back for $20M

Listing photos by Rich Caplan

March 12, 2021

Once occupied by JFK and British royalty, the Plaza’s famous Astor Suite is back for $20M

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Considered "one of the most well-known homes in America and the finest in the world-renowned Plaza," the fabled Astor Suite has come on the market for $19,950,000. The four-bedroom corner suite faces both Central Park and Fifth Avenue and was previously occupied by John Jacob Astor, John F. Kennedy, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. In fact, the interior architects at S.R. Gambrel Inc. brought in master artisans that rebuilt Windsor Castle in England to help transform the space. From hand-drawn plaster to rich English oak paneling to hand-hammered leather walls from France, this home is certainly fit for royalty.
Have a look around
The wild and dark history of the Empire State Building
February 18, 2021

The wild and dark history of the Empire State Building

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Known for its record-breaking height and sophisticated Art Deco style, the Empire State Building is one of New York City’s, if not the world's, most recognized landmarks. While the building is often used in popular culture as light-natured fodder—such as the opening backdrop to your favorite cookie-cutter rom-com or the romantic meeting spot for star-crossed lovers—the building's past is far more ominous than many of us realize. From failed suicide attempts to accidental plane crashes, its history casts a vibrant lineup of plot-lines and characters spanning the past 90 years.
Read about the dark side of the empire state building
After four years and $150M, the barricades come down around Trump Tower

Photo by Paul Sableman via Flickr cc

February 11, 2021

After four years and $150M, the barricades come down around Trump Tower

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Photo by Paul Sableman via Flickr cc What was once referred to as the Trump Tower "occupied zone" is back to being a normal stretch of Midtown. The barricades that surrounded the building for the past four+ years have finally been removed, both a logistical and perhaps symbolic end to the Trump presidency. In an email to Gothamist, NYPD Sergeant Edward Riley wrote, "In partnership with the United States Secret Service the decision was made to remove the barriers around Trump Tower." As Patch recently reported, it's cost $150 million over the years to secure the area surrounding the building.
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You can stay overnight at Bryant Park’s Winter Village this Valentine’s Day

All images courtesy of Booking.com

February 9, 2021

You can stay overnight at Bryant Park’s Winter Village this Valentine’s Day

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Travel company Booking.com is transforming Midtown's Bryant Park into a unique overnight experience this Valentine's Day. As part of its "Love Letters to America" campaign, the company is celebrating cities across the U.S. that have been hit hard by the coronavirus and inviting others to share adventures they are looking forward to once it's safe to travel again. As a tribute to the Big Apple, Booking.com has converted the Polar Lounge at the Bank of America Winter Village into an après ski-inspired chalet, available to book for two nights only on February 13 and February 14.
Details this way
Long-plagued Midtown office tower will be reborn as 660 Fifth Avenue: See new looks

All renderings credit Brookfield Properties

February 3, 2021

Long-plagued Midtown office tower will be reborn as 660 Fifth Avenue: See new looks

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The office tower formerly known as 666 Fifth Avenue has shed both its superstitious address and its controversial connection to the Kushners. Brookfield Asset Management bought the 99-year ground lease for the 41-story Midtown office building between 52nd and 53rd Streets in 2018 from Kushner Cos., announcing the following year a $400 million overhaul designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates. Brookfield has now released new renderings of the 660 Fifth Avenue project, which will have a new glass facade and floor-to-ceiling windows, a new lobby and retail spaces, and new outdoor terraces when it's completed in 2022.
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