Murray Hill/Kips Bay

After last week's rush of news surrounding the American Copper Buildings--the launch of its affordable housing lottery for 160 units and the first reveal of its interior renderings--6sqft decided to take a tour inside the SHoP Architects-designed project. JDS Development Group's dancing East River towers have become best known for their copper facade (made up of 5,000 metal panels) and its three-story, amenity-filled skybridge that hovers 300 feet above the site at 626 First Avenue. Not only did we walk through the bridge, but we also took a peek at the buildings' already greening copper patina, had a first look at the lap pool on the 28th floor that will float between the towers, and also checked out the insane views from the roof.
See it all this way

Architecture And Design

August 11, 2016

Renderings Revealed for SHoP-Designed Interiors at the American Copper Buildings

Today is the day for big reveals at the American Copper Buildings. Earlier, 6sqft broke the news that the affordable housing lottery for the project's low-income units will begin Monday (with homes ranging from $833/month studios to $1,247/month three-bedrooms), and now Curbed has shared the first interior renderings of the 761 apartments, as well as some additional amenity details. SHoP Architects, who designed the pair of dancing towers for JDS Development, are also responsible for the interiors, an unusual occurrence for the firm. They've outfitted the residences with 10-foot ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows, and custom-designed oak floors, kitchens, lighting, and shades.
Check out all the renderings

August 11, 2016

Live in SHoP’s American Copper Buildings for $833/Month, Lottery Launching for 160 Affordable Units

One of the flashiest new residential projects on the horizon is the American Copper Buildings, the SHoP Architects-designed dancing towers along the East River that have become best known for their three-story, amenity-filled skybridge, the highest such structure in the city at 300 feet above street level. As 6sqft previously reported, when completed early next year, the shimmering buildings will offer 761 rental units, 20 percent of which will be earmarked for low-income households. This latter group of 160 apartments has now officially come online through the city's affordable housing lottery, ranging from $833/month studios to $1,247/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify here

July 29, 2016

Lottery Opens For 75 Affordable Units in Fisher Brothers’ Glassy New Murray Hill Tower

Starting today, New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for 75 brand new units at 225 East 39th Street, the 36-story, curving glass high-rise from the Fisher Brothers and designed by Handel Architects. Located at an interesting crossroads of residential Murray Hill and tower-laden Midtown East, the 373-unit rental offers an impressive pack of amenities, including a fitness center, swimming pool, hot tub and sauna, yoga studio, game room, outdoor terrace, courtyard garden, roof deck with cabanas and barbecue stations, and on-site parking. The affordable units, which may be required to pay additional fees for some of these amenities, range from $833/month studios to $1,247/month three-bedrooms.
More on the building and application process

Affordable Housing

June 24, 2016

$1M Murray Hill Co-op Features 15-Foot Barrel Ceiling With Terracotta Tiles

By Emily Nonko

Having high ceilings is a common feature of many New York apartments, but this is something different: the 15-foot-tall, barrel ceiling that's lined with terra cotta tiles in this co-op for sale at 372 5th Avenue, in Murray Hill. It's a stunning feature of the one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment, and a lofted bedroom means you get to enjoy the ceiling from up close. The apartment comes from an 11-story co-op that was built for clothing store Best & Co back in 1910.
See the ceiling up close

Distinctive Homes

June 23, 2016

Live in Tennessee Williams’ Former East Side Townhouse for $1.85M

This three-bedroom duplex at 151 East 37th Street with three fireplaces, skyline views and exclusive roof rights, listed at $1.849 million, has the added cachet of being in the townhouse where famed playwright Tennessee Williams lived in the 1940s (h/t New York Post) before the debut of "The Glass Menagerie" on Broadway. More historic firepower: The house was built in 1860 by President Martin Van Buren as a home for his daughter. A 1940 postcard from the scribe to his father describes the well-known strategy of living with roommates to defer steep housing costs in NYC: "Settled in lovely new apt., 151 E. 37 St. 3 big rooms and other a roof with skyline & view of river for $18.50 (3 of us) each (per month)..."
Have a look at the apartment

June 1, 2016

VIDEO: JDS Takes Us Behind the Construction of the American Copper Buildings’ Skybridge

Aside from their "dancing" silhouette, what makes the SHoP-designed American Copper Buildings (named for the 5,000 metal panels that make up the facade) so unique is the three-story diagonal skybridge that connects the 470- and 540-foot towers. Floating 300 feet over the street at 626 First Avenue, it's the city's first major new skybridge in over 80 years and will be the highest such structure in New York when completed. Though the bridge is no small feat—its steel trusses weigh over 421,000 pounds, it has 24 connection points, and it will be close to one million square feet—it all started with a single piece of string. In a new video from their "Building Know-How" series, JDS Development takes us behind the construction of this architectural wonder, sharing their approach
Watch the full video here

May 27, 2016

Angular Skyscraper One Sixty Madison Offering Two Months Free Rent

Soaring nearly 500 feet into the Manhattan skyline, One Sixty Madison is a shimmering 45-floor rental tower at the boundary of the Murray Hill and Nomad neighborhoods. Developed by J.D. Carlisle Development and designed by SLCE Architects, with interiors by Philip Koether Architects, the uniquely massed building is rotated 45 degrees from its Madison Avenue and 33rd Street frontages, guaranteeing homes an abundance of light and air and stunning skyline views. For a limited time, the leasing team is offering incoming renters two months free on two-year leases and one month free on one-year leases, both with paid OP (broker fees). Current availabilities include an 11th floor studio with a net effective price of $3,263/month, one bedrooms starting from $4,412/month, and two-bedrooms beginning at $6,692/month.
Find out more about the building

May 26, 2016

Apply for 55 Middle-Income Apartments in Prime Murray Hill

A common complaint about the city's affordable housing lotteries is that they don't often pertain to middle-income New Yorkers who are struggling to pay market-rate rents just the same. But here's the chance for this often-overlooked group to get in on the action -- a lottery launches tomorrow for 55 middle-income apartments at 325 East 25th Street. Not only do the rents range from $1,715/month studios to $2,216/month two-bedrooms, but the building is located in a prime Murray Hill location just north of Gramercy and right in the mix of restaurants and bars (okay, maybe just bars) for which the 'hood is known.
Get the full breakdown here

Affordable Housing

May 19, 2016

Fisher Brothers’ Curving Rental Tower at 225 East 39th Street Reaches Full Height

By Julian Friedman

Without a hitch, Fisher Brothers' parking garage-crushing development at 225 East 39th Street has ascended to its full 395-foot structural height. More pause-worthy is that its reflective curtain wall has climbed high enough to show us how its reflective skin will accentuate its gracefully curving form. The 36-story high-rise is situated at the boundary of residential Murray Hill and the skyscraper canyons of Midtown East.
more one the progress here

May 4, 2016

$14M Gilded Age Mansion in Murray Hill Was the Home of J.P. Morgan’s Attorney

Most of New York City's grand and historic homes have been altered for modern-day use as apartments, libraries, hotels, diplomatic buildings and the like. And when it comes to those that have remained as opulent single- or multi-family homes, most have changed hands so many times that we don't know much about their history. That is not the case for this massive 9,300-square-foot townhouse across the street from the Morgan Library. The home was originally the residence of J.P. Morgan's attorney John Trevor, Sr. and is currently in use as a 10-unit apartment building–albeit a rather special one with some unique spaces like a private office and a gorgeous rear parlor with symphony-ready acoustics and 13-foot ceilings. Whoever purchases the home, on the market for $14 million, could create a vast five-story mansion (there's already an elevator), or any number of alternate configurations–but they'll still have great sound in that back parlor.
The neighborhood blows up, then the lawyers move in

May 3, 2016

172 Madison Tops Out and Reveals Renderings for Incredible Penthouse with Two Pools

Within the Empire State Building's five o'clock shadow, an eruption of glossy residential high-rises are nipping at the dame's feet. Embracing a thoroughfare most familiar for its commercial connotations, the latest tower to ascend is a 33-story condo simply known by its address, 172 Madison Avenue. The 130,000-square-foot skyscraper is being developed by Tessler Developments and is among a half-dozen residential buildings planned for a central, yet undefined neighborhood that is almost Murray Hill, but not quite NoMad. Its topped off concrete frame rises nearly 450 feet above its East 33rd street corner, which was previously occupied by a ubiquitous clump of commercial, low-slung masonry structures. Now with its debut pegged for early next year, the symmetrically-massed tower designed by Karl Fischer Architects is being dressed in its sparkly coat of reflective glass that is accentuated by robust onyx-colored frames. And along with this debut, comes new renderings of the triplex penthouse dubbed the SkyHouse, which is a massive marble palace with two outdoor pools.
All the details and renderings ahead

April 20, 2016

SHoP’s East River Towers Named American Copper Buildings; Go Inside Their Skybridge

We've been referring to SHoP Architects' pair of East River rental buildings at 626 First Avenue as the "dancing towers," but now that they've shimmied up to their full 470- and 540-foot heights, they've been officially named with a more mature moniker, the American Copper Buildings. First reported by Curbed, the title is "a nod to the 5,000 metal panels that make up the facade," which weigh in at a whopping 2,100 tons. In addition, developer JDS has released a teaser site and a fresh set of renderings that finally show the interior of the three-story, amenity-filled skybridge.
Get a look inside

SHoP’s Dancing East River Towers Top Out With Plenty of Flood-Proofing Below

Construction shots via R. Douglas/Tectonic

March 25, 2016

SHoP’s Dancing East River Towers Top Out With Plenty of Flood-Proofing Below

Three-and-a half years after Superstorm Sandy, New York developers are taking to the sea at a faster pace than ever. The most dramatic changes are in store for the East River shoreline, where more that two dozen developments are in construction or planned on both the Brooklyn and Manhattan sides. Ranging from the two million-square-foot Cornell Tech campus to the second largest condominium tower in the city going up at One Manhattan Square, the developments will usher in thousands of new residents and a sprinkling of workers to the flood-prone areas. As of late, the tidal strait's most striking addition has been a pair of asymmetrical, copper-clad towers at 626 First Avenue in Murray Hill. Last week, the team led by Michael Stern's JDS Development topped off construction on the 470-foot-tall southeastern tower. The taller 49-story, 540-foot northwestern tower finished its vertical rise some time earlier this month.
How is the project protecting itself from another possible storm?

March 4, 2016

Why Micro-Apartments in Carmel Place Are So Expensive

We’ve been hearing a lot recently about the city’s new micro-apartments. As 6sqft has reported, NYC’s first micro-apartment complex Carmel Place (formerly My Micro NY) at 335 East 27th Street began leasing at the end of last year. The nine-story modular development in Kips Bay has 55 studios that are 260 to 360 square feet. Of these, 22 are affordable and they’ll go from $950 to $1,500 a month. Market-rate units on the other end range from $2,540 to $2,910. According to CityRealty, the average rental price per square foot for New York City apartments overall is $51, while Carmel Place units ring in at $98 per square foot. The idea of micro-housing was presented, in part, to address the need for more affordable apartments. So why is it that the result is what a recent New Yorker article calls “micro-luxury" housing?
Small Is Beautiful–but Not Affordable

February 29, 2016

With Terraces, Fireplaces and a Hidden Bar, This $2.5M Murray Hill Duplex Is Classic Manhattan

On a picture-perfect residential block lined with historic townhouses and understatedly elegant pre- and postwar apartment buildings–yet around the corner from bustling Midtown East, this duplex at 34 East 38th Street may be the Manhattan equivalent of that perfect Craftsman bungalow in a hip suburban neighborhood. It doesn't shout or come with shiny marketing literature, but for the die-hard Manhattan worshipper, it’s just right. The two-bedroom co-op in a five-story Murray Hill townhouse would certainly make a perfect pied-a-terre: Mint renovations mean effortless comfort and style; it's convenient to just about everything the city offers, in a neighborhood where old-fashioned elegance in architecture blends with every modern 21st century amenity catering to busy residents of all ages.
Tour the duplex

Distinctive Homes

February 6, 2016

Slate Property Group Files Permits to Demolish Tenement Building in Murray Hill

Slate Property Group filed permits fully demolish a five-story walk-up building at 203 East 33rd Street in Murray Hill. No details of their plans have been made public, but the team has the ability to transfer development rights from the string of adjacent properties they own to construct a mid-size building. Built in the early 1900's, the structure is one of seven adjacent tenement buildings between Second and Third Avenues that the development group purchased in 2013 that are altogether called The Collective. In all, the buildings comprise 146 rental apartments and eight retail spaces. A $10 million renovation and rebranding reconfigured the units into smaller apartments with high-end appliances aimed at young college students and post-graduates. All seven buildings are linked with an underground tunnel, which features a screening room and a game room. Other amenities include a part-time doorman, dishwashers, and a huge shared rooftop terrace with outdoor seating.
More details here

February 1, 2016

How Do Rents at NYC’s First Micro Apartment Complex Compare to Regular Studios?

Just before the new year, listings went live for NYC's first micro apartment complex Carmel Place (aka My Micro NY aka 335 East 27th Street) in anticipation of its opening in March. The nine-story modular development in Kips Bay has 55 studios that are 260 to 360 square feet. Of these, 22 are affordable (more than 60,000 people applied for them), and they'll go from $950 to $1,500 a month depending on size and income. The remaining market-rate units will range from $2,500 to $2,900 per month, which has left many skeptics questioning why anyone would fork over nearly three grand for a space that is far smaller than conventional studios. To put this argument into an actual visualization, the data gurus over at NeighborhoodX created a simple, yet informative graph that compares the rental price per square foot at Carmel Place with that of regular studios across the city (h/t Curbed).
More here

Real Estate Trends

January 28, 2016

A Former Engraver’s Studio in Sniffen Court, Now a Townhouse, Asks $6.45 Million

By Emily Nonko

Who wouldn't want to live in a townhouse with lots of interesting history, located in one of just a few private mews in New York City? Enter this listing at 156 East 36th Street, a Murray Hill townhouse that originally served as stables during the Civil War era, then was converted to an engraver's studio in 1915. The Romanesque building is also a part of the Sniffen Court Mews, which is blocked from the public by a private gate off East 36th Street. Sniffen Court was constructed between 1863 and 1864 as a collection of carriage houses–the off-street placement helped solve noise and odor issues related to the horses. The stables were in use until the early 1920s, when automobiles replaced horses, and eventually they were converted to residential.
Read more about this house

January 8, 2016

New and Improved Design for Shalimar Management’s 543 Second Avenue

In a well-wishing New Year note, Charles Fridman, president of Shalimar Management, announced that their planned ten-story residential project at 543 Second Avenue will break ground this year, and he's now unveiled a revised set of renderings depicting a substantially different design. Evolving from banal to brutal, the previously thin-skinned, glass-and-metal design has been beefed up into an energetic, cast-in-place concrete structure of undulating floor slabs and tilting exterior columns. Fridman's page states: "We’re planning a 10 Story rental building with 1-2 bedroom apartments. Each apartment will have its own balcony, and part of the building will cantilever over our other property at 249 East 30th Street." Outdated building applications from early 2014 detail a 12-story building housing 18 units spread across 19,000 square feet of floor area. New permits have yet to be filed and according to Fridman, the team came close to building the previous design, but "thankfully" held off.
Find out more ahead

Living in a Micro Apartment Could Be Harmful to Your Health

New rendering of Carmel Place interiors, via Monadnock Development/nARCHITECTS

December 14, 2015

Living in a Micro Apartment Could Be Harmful to Your Health

By Diane Pham

An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but living in a micro apartment may drive you to seek professional psychological help. A recent article in The Atlantic takes a look at the tiny living trend that has taken the nation—and in particular New York, with developments like My Micro NY and teeny renovations like this one—by storm, and finds that squeezing into an extra-small space could lead to health risks. “Sure, these micro-apartments may be fantastic for young professionals in their 20's,” says Dak Kopec, director of design for human health at Boston Architectural College and author of Environmental Psychology for Design, to the magazine. “But they definitely can be unhealthy for older people, say in their 30’s and 40’s, who face different stress factors that can make tight living conditions a problem.”
find out more here

November 23, 2015

Listings Go Live Today for NYC’s First Micro Apartment Complex

Carmel Place (formerly known as My Micro NY), the city's much-talked-about first micro apartment complex, began accepting applications for its affordable studios back in September (since then, 60,000 people have applied). And now, a press release from developer Monadnock has announced that listings for 12 of the market-rate units will go live today in anticipation of the February opening date. Along with the launch comes news of Ollie, "an innovative housing model that delivers an all-inclusive living experience." The nine-story modular development will have 55 studios ranging from 260 to 360 square feet, 22 of which will be affordable (of these, 8 will be set aside for formerly homeless veterans) and go for between $950 and $1,500 a month depending on family size and income. The remaining 33 will see prices ranging from $2,540 for a 265-square-foot, furnished, third-floor unit to $2,910 for a 335-square-foot, furnished, second-floor unit.
Find out more

November 11, 2015

Could This 19-Story Tower Replace Two Beloved Kips Bay Businesses?

The busy architects over at Issac & Stern posted on their website an image of a yet-to-be-built 19-story tower at 378-380 Third Avenue in Kips Bay. Their page indicates the building will be residential and commercial and will encompass approximately 61,000 square feet of floor area. The development would replace two existing five-story walk-ups that each contain well-regarded drinking and eating establishments. The ground floor of 378 Third Avenue is occupied by the east side branch of the highly rated Italian restaurant Coppola’s Trattoria, and next door at 380 Third Avenue, the ground floor is occupied by the bar Tavern on Third, which hails itself as one of the best Chicago Bears bar in New York City.
More details ahead

September 27, 2015

This $6,500/Month Murray Hill Rental Says City Apartment in Front, Suburban House in Back