Manhattan

Here's a chance to live above a legendary Harlem theater. Leasing kicked off on Tuesday for apartments at Ray Harlem, a new 21-story mixed-use development at 125th Street and Fifth Avenue that includes 222 units and a new home for the National Black Theatre, the longest continuously running Black theater in New York City. The gross rent for the apartments, available in June, starts at $3,145/month for studios.
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New Developments

Related modifies Hudson Yards casino proposal to include 4,000 housing units

Renderings courtesy of Related Companies and Wynn Resorts

April 28, 2025

Related modifies Hudson Yards casino proposal to include 4,000 housing units

Related Companies is more than doubling the number of housing units in its $12 billion Hudson Yards casino proposal ahead of an important City Council vote. After feedback from the community, the developer announced plans to replace a 1,400-foot-tall office tower with two residential buildings, which would increase the projected housing from 1,500 units to 4,000 total units on the site. As reported by Crain's, the change seeks to address critics of Related's efforts to modify the terms of a 2009 rezoning, which originally called for over 5,000 new homes on the site.
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Policy

This $75M Chelsea penthouse includes the city’s largest private outdoor pool

All photos courtesy of Brad Stein

April 28, 2025

This $75M Chelsea penthouse includes the city’s largest private outdoor pool

When we behold corporate executive/real estate investor David Weinreb's west side trophy penthouse at 551 West 21st Street, a few questions may arise: Why does someone need three elevators? Do we want to walk through the wine closet to get to the living room? Is the West Side Highway a $75 million streetscape? And could we perhaps have done better than artificial turf for the 4,000-square-foot rooftop terrace? That said, if you're listing your penthouse for $75 million, in addition to city and river views for days, you'd really better have the largest private outdoor pool in New York City, and Jean-Georges Vongerichten had better have designed your kitchen. This box seat in the stadium of Manhattan living covers those must-haves and many more.
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First look at the food hall opening at NYC’s Lord & Taylor building

Renderings courtesy of ICRAVE

April 28, 2025

First look at the food hall opening at NYC’s Lord & Taylor building

New York City's landmarked Lord & Taylor building will be publicly accessible for the first time since the flagship department store closed in 2019. A 35,000-square-foot food hall, dubbed Shaver Hall, will open later this year on the ground floor of the historic Fifth Avenue building. Amazon bought the property in 2020 and converted the space into offices in 2023. Newly released renderings are showing off the food hall's 11 curated stalls, wine and cheese bar, and "modern bodega."
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Food & Dining

Central Park opens stunning year-round rec center that seamlessly connects to the landscape

Courtesy of Central Park Conservancy

April 25, 2025

Central Park opens stunning year-round rec center that seamlessly connects to the landscape

A new recreation center has finally opened on the northern end of Central Park. The $160 million Davis Center at the Harlem Meer is a year-round facility integrated into the park's historic landscape with the ability to transform each season, from a pool in the summer, an ice rink in the winter, and a green lawn in the spring and fall.
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NYC could landmark five Garment District skyscrapers ahead of Midtown South rezoning

On left: Lefcourt Clothing Center, photo by Eden, Janine, and Jim on Flickr; On right: Barbey Building and Fashion Tower, courtesy of Landmarks Preservation Commission

April 24, 2025

NYC could landmark five Garment District skyscrapers ahead of Midtown South rezoning

Several notable skyscrapers in the Garment District are up for landmark status. The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) on Tuesday voted to calendar five buildings in Midtown that are architecturally notable, as well as significant to the history of the neighborhood. The potential landmarking comes as Mayor Eric Adams' plan to rezone Midtown South, which would allow for up to 10,000 new homes, enters public review.
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Beekman Place home of Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. asks $2M

Photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

April 24, 2025

Beekman Place home of Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. asks $2M

A classic, elegant co-op at 455 East 51st Street, once the home of the late high-profile historian Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., is now on the market for $1,995,000. The three-bedroom corner apartment–on the sought-after A line at Beekman Terrace–overlooks the East River and Peter Detmold Park with a private balcony from which to behold both.
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Distinctive Homes

Ai Weiwei installation coming to Roosevelt Island

Ai Weiwei, Camouflage, 2025. Rendering of installation looking Southwest. Image © Ai Weiwei.

April 24, 2025

Ai Weiwei installation coming to Roosevelt Island

Artist and activist Ai Weiwei will unveil his first major artwork in New York City since 2017 this fall. Four Freedoms Park Conservancy on Thursday announced it had commissioned the Chinese artist for a monumental installation on Roosevelt Island that will open this September. "Camouflage" will take over all 3.5 acres of FDR Four Freedoms State Park, with an open architectural structure that rises above its granite walls and is draped in camouflage netting.
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Events & Things To Do

Photo credit: The Charlie Attias Team / Compass

April 23, 2025

Frank Lloyd Wright’s corner apartment at the Plaza finds a buyer

Frank Lloyd Wright's former apartment at the Plaza Hotel has found a buyer. Listed for $18,900,000 in February, the 4,000-square-foot home entered contract on Tuesday, as first spotted by the New York Post. The architect lived in the corner residence at 1 Central Park South from 1954 to 1959 while he was working on the Guggenheim Museum.
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Real Estate Trends

Banksy mural rescued from a Red Hook warehouse wall on view at Brookfield Place

Courtesy of Guernsey’s

April 22, 2025

Banksy mural rescued from a Red Hook warehouse wall on view at Brookfield Place

In a decade-long story with elusive British graffiti artist Banksy at its heart, an upcoming Guernsey's auction on May 21 will bring a 7,500-pound chunk of a Red Hook, Brooklyn warehouse to The Winter Garden at Brookfield Place. An outer wall of the warehouse in question was the site of a warehouse-wall-sized work created by Banksy in 2013, titled "Battle to Survive a Broken Heart," consisting of a bandaged red heart-shaped balloon. The painting bears the distinction of being the only one of his works that the artist has gone back to retouch after its completion.
Intrigued? Read on.

Events & Things To Do

The Upper East Side co-op where George Plimpton entertained the literary elite asks $5.25M

Photography credit: Ellen Silverman Photography for Douglas Elliman

April 18, 2025

The Upper East Side co-op where George Plimpton entertained the literary elite asks $5.25M

This house-sized duplex at 541 East 72nd Street, like so many of its Upper East Side neighbors, represents an era in New York City's social and cultural history. The 4,700-square-foot co-op is the former residence of literary luminary George Plimpton. The journalist, writer, and editor was known for hosting the city's literary elite. Asking $5,250,000, the duplex also housed the offices of The Paris Review, which Plimpton co-founded.
explore this literary landmark

Distinctive Homes

The Frick Collection reopens after $220M renovation: See inside the revitalized Gilded Age museum

West Gallery, The Frick Collection, New York. Photo: Joseph Coscia Jr.

April 17, 2025

The Frick Collection reopens after $220M renovation: See inside the revitalized Gilded Age museum

The Frick Collection is back and more accessible than ever. Following a five-year, $220 million renovation, the Gilded Age house museum reopened on Thursday with more gallery space, an auditorium, improved accessibility, a new cafe, and access to the second floor for the first time. Designed by Selldorf Architects with Beyer Blinder Belle, the project marks the first upgrade and expansion of the 1914 mansion since the home became a museum 90 years ago.
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Upscale sushi restaurant to open inside the Wegmans on Astor Place

All photos courtesy of Nico Schinco unless otherwise noted

April 17, 2025

Upscale sushi restaurant to open inside the Wegmans on Astor Place

An upscale sushi restaurant is opening inside the East Village Wegmans. On April 30, the supermarket will debut Next Door, a restaurant with a "fresh take on contemporary Japanese cuisine" inside the Astor Place store. Designed in a warm and inviting Art Deco-inspired style, Next Door will offer a main dining room, a champagne bar, and a sushi counter, where diners can enjoy fish sourced by Wegmans directly from Tokyo, an extensive raw bar, and small plates and entrees from the robata grill.
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Food & Dining

Three works by sculptor John Chamberlain make their U.S. debut at Rockefeller Center

All photos courtesy of Tishman Speyer

April 16, 2025

Three works by sculptor John Chamberlain make their U.S. debut at Rockefeller Center

Large-scale sculptures by the late American artist John Chamberlain are making their first United States appearance at Rockefeller Center. On view from April 16 through May 29, "Chamberlain Goes Outdoors at Rockefeller Center" showcases three sculptures by Chamberlain, who was best known for his distinctive works made of scrap metal and aluminium foil. Free and open to the public, the installation offers a rare opportunity to experience one of Chamberlain’s final bodies of work.
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Events & Things To Do

Jessica Chastain’s Osborne co-op returns to market with nearly $1M discount

All photos courtesy of Evan Joseph / Sotheby’s International Realty

April 16, 2025

Jessica Chastain’s Osborne co-op returns to market with nearly $1M discount

Actress Jessica Chastain's stunning home in The Osborne is back on the market for nearly $1 million less than the original asking price. Last year, the sprawling four-bedroom apartment at 205 West 57th Street in Midtown West, which once belonged to Leonard Bernstein, was listed for $7,450,000. Nearly a year later, the apartment has been relisted for $6,499,000.
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Tompkins Square Park’s infamous bathrooms reopen after $5.6M renovation

All photos courtesy of NYC Parks / Daniel Avila

April 15, 2025

Tompkins Square Park’s infamous bathrooms reopen after $5.6M renovation

You no longer have to hold your nose when using the bathroom at Tompkins Square Park—at least for now. On Monday, the city’s Parks Department reopened the East Village park’s field house following a two-year, $5.6 million renovation, finally restoring the restrooms after years of being known as some of the filthiest facilities in the five boroughs. The project included a full overhaul of the four bathrooms, with upgrades to the building’s electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems, as well as improvements to accessibility and the building’s exterior.
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Architecture And Design

Lincoln Center announces hundreds of free events as part of ‘Summer for the City’ festival

Credit: Lawrence Sumulong

April 15, 2025

Lincoln Center announces hundreds of free events as part of ‘Summer for the City’ festival

Lincoln Center has announced the lineup for its fourth annual Summer for the City festival, with hundreds of free events and performances at the world-renowned cultural hub. Running from June 11 through August 9, the festival features a slate of events spanning dance, theater, opera, and more that celebrate the diversity of New York City's cultural landscape. Summer for the City will activate every corner of the Lincoln Center campus, with events held across indoor and outdoor spaces at the famed arts center.
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Events & Things To Do

The Met unveils last rooftop commission until at least 2030

Jennie C. Jones (born 1968, Cincinnati, Ohio). Installation view of The Roof Garden Commission: Jennie C. Jones, “Ensemble,” 2025. Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Photos by Hyla Skopitz

April 15, 2025

The Met unveils last rooftop commission until at least 2030

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has unveiled its last commission for its rooftop until 2030. On view at the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden through October 19, "Ensemble" by Jennie C. Jones includes large sculptures based on string instruments that play sounds activated only by the wind. Free with museum admission, the installation marks the 12th and final Roof Garden commission before work begins on the new five-story Tang Wing for modern art designed by Frida Escobedo.
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City Planning Commission advances $12B Hudson Yards casino plan

Renderings courtesy of Related Companies and Wynn Resorts

April 14, 2025

City Planning Commission advances $12B Hudson Yards casino plan

A $12 billion proposal to bring a casino complex to Hudson Yards just cleared a key step in the approval process. On Wednesday, the City Planning Commission (CPC) voted 9-2 to advance Related Companies and Wynn Resorts' "Hudson Yards West" plan, which calls for a resort and casino, a 5.6-acre public park, a public school, office space, and hundreds of new affordable homes atop the site’s undeveloped western rail yards. The proposal seeks to amend a 2009 plan that envisioned a primarily residential neighborhood with more than 5,000 new homes—a figure that has since been reduced to just over 1,500.
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Policy

Image courtesy of Warren LeMay on Flickr

April 11, 2025

Saks Fifth Avenue drops casino proposal

Saks Fifth Avenue has folded its bid for a gaming license, ending the company's plan of adding a casino atop its Midtown flagship store. As first reported by Crain's, the department store withdrew its bid for one of three coveted downstate gaming licenses expected to be awarded by the end of the year, with a Saks spokesperson saying the company is now "focused on other strategic priorities." In recent months, minimal communication between Saks’ parent company, Saks Global, and those involved in the casino process had suggested that the retailer was abandoning its proposal.
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Policy

This old West Village firehouse is now a peerless $21M townhouse with a jazz club in the basement

Photo credit: Yale Wagner for Sotheby’s International Realty. Staging by Interior Marketing Group

April 10, 2025

This old West Village firehouse is now a peerless $21M townhouse with a jazz club in the basement

Lovely on its own, but even more interesting as a former firehouse, the five-story building at 78 Morton Street was built in the 1800s. In its current life, the 6,850-square-foot townhouse is a single-family residence that makes a remarkably strong case for living up to its $21 million ask. In addition to the peerless perk of a private, wood-paneled elevator that accesses each of its five floors, the exquisite home has a four-car garage/gallery space with a curb cut, a landscaped terrace garden, a glass-paneled penthouse level with a roof terrace, and an elegantly outfitted jazz club–complete with stage–in the basement.
step into the elevator for a tour

Distinctive Homes

Photo courtesy of Michael Weinstein from MW- Studio

April 8, 2025

$8M for ultra-modern townhouse living with a yard and six bedrooms in a Nomad condo

It's not easy to find a Manhattan apartment with six full bedrooms and enough outdoor space for a summer full of barbecues without investing in a multi-story townhouse–and the maintenance burden that comes with it. Asking $7,985,000, this duplex condo at 120 East 29th Street is a study in contemporary design, surrounded by all the convenience and fun of the Nomad neighborhood and nearby Madison Square Park. Its six bedrooms are separated to give breathing space to family and guests; perhaps best of all, a wall of windows on the home's lower level opens onto 1,600 square feet of private landscaped backyard and patio space.
take the tour

Distinctive Homes

NYC’s congestion pricing could continue into the fall

Credit: Jorge Ramírez on Unsplash

April 8, 2025

NYC’s congestion pricing could continue into the fall

President Donald Trump's administration and New York transit officials reached a deal to allow the city’s congestion pricing program to continue until at least mid-summer and likely through the fall, according to new court filings. Both parties will present their arguments under a newly determined timeline expected to extend until at least October as part of a lawsuit filed by the MTA against the federal government. The Trump administration originally gave the state until March 21 to end the program but granted a 30-day extension one day before the deadline.
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Upper West Side’s Metro Theater on track to reopen after 20 years

Photo by london road on Flickr

April 7, 2025

Upper West Side’s Metro Theater on track to reopen after 20 years

A long-vacant, landmark movie theater on the Upper West Side finally has new owners following a $3.5 million funding boost from Gov. Kathy Hochul. The nonprofit Upper West Side Cinema Center on Sunday purchased the Metro Theater for $6.9 million, with help from Hochul and an additional $500,000 in grants from the State Senate. The nonprofit plans to restore the historic Art Deco building, located on Broadway near 99th Street, with five new screens, a lobby lounge, an education center, and a public cafe.
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City Living

Towering steel sculptures take ‘root’ in the Garment District

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

April 4, 2025

Towering steel sculptures take ‘root’ in the Garment District

A new striking sculptural installation has taken 'root' in Midtown. The Garment District Alliance on Thursday unveiled "New York Roots," a series of seven towering steel sculptures that invite viewers to reflect on how relationships, families, and communities intertwine to support a common purpose—much like roots that strengthen and sustain a tree. Created by conceptual artist Steve Tobin, the installation is now on view along the Broadway plazas in the Garment District, between 39th and 40th Streets and 40th and 41st Streets.
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Events & Things To Do

Penthouse at 111 West 57th Street hits the market for $110M

All image courtesy of Hayes Davidson

April 3, 2025

Penthouse at 111 West 57th Street hits the market for $110M