Manhattan

FREE RENT: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

Images (L to R): 325 Lafayette Avenue, Alvista Towers, 88 Leonard Street and 180 Riverside Boulevard

September 22, 2018

FREE RENT: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

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Images (L to R): 325 Lafayette Avenue, Alvista Towers, 88 Leonard Street and 180 Riverside Boulevard Newly Built 325 Lafayette Avenue in Clinton Hill Offers 2 Months Free: Net Effective Prices from $2,375/Month [link] Live at Alvista Towers from $1,729/Month; Get 1 Month Free on Leases Signed by Nov. 1st [link] Tribeca Rental Specials at […]

Will 2018 be the year quirky and historic Hamilton Heights ‘Art House’ sells for $2.7M?
September 21, 2018

Will 2018 be the year quirky and historic Hamilton Heights ‘Art House’ sells for $2.7M?

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This unusual three-family townhouse at 532 West 148th Street in Hamilton Heights was purchased by Portuguese-born architect Luis Da Cruz in 2006 for $995,000 and thoroughly renovated as a canvas for the artist's personal creative vision. Cruz restored the 1920 home's carved wood stairways and railings, moldings, five fireplaces, beamed ceiling, and exposed brick walls, and added his signature art pieces to an eclectic, bohemian decor, calling the house Musée Maison (Museum House) and making it his studio and workshop. He also hosted art events during which all of the work was for sale and he would perform tricks on aerial silks suspended from the ceiling. The house itself has been on and off the market since 2007. In 2015 6sqft featured the artsy listing at $2.5 million and again after a broker change in 2017 asking $2.7M. Now, another broker switch and more conventional photos–but no change in price–herald the latest attempt to find a suitably visionary buyer.
Tour the toned-down version of this unusual townhouse
Plan for eight-story hotel next to historic Merchant’s House Museum faces major setback
September 21, 2018

Plan for eight-story hotel next to historic Merchant’s House Museum faces major setback

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In June, a petition was filed in New York Supreme Court to prevent the construction of an eight-story hotel next door to the historic Merchant’s House Museum in the East Village. Now, Curbed reports, the proposal to build the hotel was unanimously rejected Thursday by the City Council’s subcommittee on zoning and franchises. The 186-year-old townhouse belonged to hardware merchant Seabury Tredwell, who bought the 10,000-square-foot residence for $18,000 in 1832.
Find out more
Grand Central Terminal celebrates 20 years of retail with 1998 pricing

Via Wikimedia

September 21, 2018

Grand Central Terminal celebrates 20 years of retail with 1998 pricing

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Grand Central Terminal is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its retail renovation; the iconic terminal's shops and restaurants will be offering 1998 pricing on select products and menu items on October 1. Participating businesses include Cafe Grumpy, The Campbell Bar, Grand Central Oyster Bar and Restaurant, Moleskine, Dyptique and many more. In addition, there will be a special exhibition in Vanderbilt Hall celebrating the terminal’s storied 105-year history.
Find out more
Anthony Bourdain’s Upper East Side apartment is asking $3.7M

Photo of Bourdain via Wikimedia

September 19, 2018

Anthony Bourdain’s Upper East Side apartment is asking $3.7M

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The Upper East Side home of late chef Anthony Bourdain is for sale for $3.7 million, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. Located at 40 East 94th Street in the Carnegie Hill Tower, the apartment features five bedrooms, a sleek high-end kitchen, and lots of custom built-in storage. Bourdain and his ex-wife Ottavia Busia purchased the condo in late 2014 for $3.35 million, according to city property records.
See it here
How the East Village grew to have the most community gardens in the country

Community Gardeners at the Bowery Houston Community Farm and Garden, 1974 via Liz Christie Community Garden

September 19, 2018

How the East Village grew to have the most community gardens in the country

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Awash in gray pavement and grayer steel, New York can be a metropolis of muted hues, but with 39 community gardens blooming between 14th Street and East Houston Street, the East Village is the Emerald City. The neighborhood boasts the highest concentration of community gardens in the country thanks to a proud history of grassroots activism that has helped transform once-abandoned lots into community oases. By the mid-1970s, as the city fought against a ferocious fiscal crisis, nearly 10,000 acres of land stood vacant throughout the five boroughs. In 1973, Lower East resident Liz Christie, who lived on Mott Street, refused to let the neglected lots in her neighborhood lie fallow. She established the urban garden group Green Guerillas, a rogue band of planters who lobbed “seed bombs” filled with fertilizer, seeds, and water into vacant, inaccessible lots, hoping they would flourish and fill the blighted spaces with greenery.
Get to the root of the story!
An architect’s historic UES townhouse with an elevator and a floating circular staircase asks $20M
September 19, 2018

An architect’s historic UES townhouse with an elevator and a floating circular staircase asks $20M

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This neo-Federal townhouse, less than a block from Central Park at 9 East 81st Street, received recent exterior and interior renovations from architect Peter Pennoyer–whose work epitomizes Upper East Side style–in partnership with the renowned landscape architect Madison Cox. Better yet, the home's owners since 2014 are Christopher Davis and Sharon Davis, who is herself a celebrated New York City-based architect (you can see her work featured on 6sqft here and here.). The listing says the house has been "fully and continually renovated by the current owner," so we can see why it's so stunning. It was last purchased for $22 million, and it's currently asking $19,950,000. But with features like an elevator, a grand floating spiral staircase, and 6,150 square feet of living space over five floors, we wouldn't rule out a bidding war.
Take the grand tour
Times Square Theater to get a $100M makeover; developer hopes for Apple, Amazon, or Coke

Rendering of the theater post-renovation. Image: Stillman Development International

September 19, 2018

Times Square Theater to get a $100M makeover; developer hopes for Apple, Amazon, or Coke

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New York developer Stillman Development International LLC has signed a 73-year-maximum lease on the Times Square Theater on West 42nd Street with plans for a $100 million makeover in keeping with neighbors like Hershey’s Chocolate World and Old Navy, the Wall Street Journal reports. Shuttered for almost 30 years, the theater, which opened on September 30, 1920 with Florence Reed starring in "The Mirage," is seen by some as the last vestige of the neighborhood's descent into late 20th century blight before rising to new heights as a tourist mecca.
A new idea: Retail!
WeWork is officially Manhattan’s largest private office tenant

Photo via WeWork

September 18, 2018

WeWork is officially Manhattan’s largest private office tenant

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With 5.3 million square feet of office space, WeWork is officially Manhattan's largest private office tenant. Last month, we reported that the co-working giant needed just 74,000 more square feet to take the title from JPMorgan Chase & Co., and with their new, 258,344-square-foot location at 21 Penn Plaza, their 50th in the borough (they have 60 in NYC total), they've now surpassed them. The news comes via a blog post by WeWork exec Granit Gjonbalaj, who credits the company's "expertise" and the team's "holistic nature" that has allowed them to "identify, build, and deliver new locations better and more quickly than a typical developer."
Get the details
Where I Work: The trio behind Van Leeuwen ice cream show off their pastel-painted UWS shop

Ben (left), Laura and Pete in their UWS store

September 18, 2018

Where I Work: The trio behind Van Leeuwen ice cream show off their pastel-painted UWS shop

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Ten years ago, with $60,000 on hand and no factory, Laura O’Neill and Pete and Ben Van Leeuwen decided to operate an ice cream truck in New York City. Instead of using gum stabilizers and fillers, they wanted to make their ice cream with all-natural, pure ingredients. The trio, none of whom have a culinary background, started testing ice cream recipes in the kitchen of their shared Brooklyn apartment. Today, Van Leeuwen has grown into a multimillion-dollar, multi-city dessert empire with numerous trucks and brick-and-mortar stores throughout NYC and Los Angeles. Van Leeuwen remains known for its rich and delicious vegan flavors, which hit their menu about five years ago. With a formula of raw cashews, extra virgin coconut oil, pure cocoa butter, coconut cream, and organic cane sugar, the ice cream is beloved by vegans and non-vegans. "It's not just good vegan ice cream--it's incredible ice cream that happens to be vegan," Laura told us. Pete, Ben, and Laura recently gave us a tour of one of their new NYC stores, a small pastel-painted shop on the Upper West Side. Ahead, hear from Laura about Van Leeuwen's humble start in Brooklyn, the decision-making-process behind new flavors, and plans to expand even further.
Read the sweet background here
South Street Seaport’s Pier 17 will be transformed into a rooftop winter village

Rendering by Visualhouse, courtesy of the Rockwell Group and Howard Hughes Corporation

September 18, 2018

South Street Seaport’s Pier 17 will be transformed into a rooftop winter village

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Update 9/19/18: The LPC approved Howard Hughes' and David Rockwell's proposal. It might still be steamy outside, but the colder months are upon us, and this year, NYC will have a brand new ice skating rink. CityRealty uncovered renderings that show how the Howard Hughes Corporation would like to transform the South Street Seaport's Pier 17--the SHoP Architects-designed food/drink, retail, and entertainment complex--into a rooftop winter village. The proposal by David Rockwell Group calls for an ice rink just slightly smaller than that at Rockefeller Center, a skate shop, and a warming hut. The team is presenting the plan to the Landmarks Preservation Commission (Pier 17 is part of the South Street Seaport Historic District) this afternoon, so check back for updates on the vote.
Check out all the renderings
$2.4M Tribeca loft has a cool corner layout, arched windows, and amazing views
September 17, 2018

$2.4M Tribeca loft has a cool corner layout, arched windows, and amazing views

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This corner artists' loft at 6 Varick Street is about as classic as a downtown Manhattan loft can get, with original steel beam columns, massive oak beams and arched windows, original wooden plank floors, exposed brick walls, and 10-foot-tall tin ceilings. In addition to being on a high floor, the loft's corner configuration gives it an unusual layout that sets it apart from the standard "white box." Unobstructed views to the south and east look out over the neighborhood. The condop loft's current interiors–a cozy and bright combo of shabby-chic and Scandinavian-inspired–show just how pretty even the most industrial loft can be.
Tour the loft
Roman Abramovich signs over Upper East Side megamansion to ex-wife in $92M transfer
September 17, 2018

Roman Abramovich signs over Upper East Side megamansion to ex-wife in $92M transfer

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6sqft recently reported that construction had begun on Russia-born billionaire Roman Abramovich's Upper East Side megamansion combo of three existing  townhouses on East 75th Street. Plans for the megamansion with a pool, art room, backyard and a glass and bronze curtain wall connecting the three townhouses in the rear, designed by Stephen Wang + Associates, were approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission in November of 2017. The LPC approval came a few months after Abramovich announced a split from arts patron and businesswoman Dasha Zhukova, whom he married in 2008 and with whom he has a son and a daughter. Now, the New York Post reports, Abramovich has transferred ownership of the properties at 9, 11 and 13, along with at least one other Upper East Side address to his ex.
Find out more
The Second Avenue Subway’s second act: How the Q train has impacted real estate in Yorkville

Photo via Flickr cc

September 17, 2018

The Second Avenue Subway’s second act: How the Q train has impacted real estate in Yorkville

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For over a decade, a large swath of the Upper East Side was under construction, but for many residents, it felt more like being under attack. As the Q Line was being built—after a century-long wait—the neighborhood not only had to tolerate restricted traffic along Second Avenue above ground but also more dramatic interruptions. Indeed, at one point in the subway line’s construction, underground explosions even shattered the windows of several local businesses. But with the noise, traffic, and disarray of the Second Avenue Subway in the past, the surrounding neighborhood has already quickly bounced back. As per predictions, since the completion of the line, real estate values, volume of sales, and rental prices in Yorkville have experienced an upswing.
Get the data
$3M Greenwich Village co-op does urban farmhouse right
September 17, 2018

$3M Greenwich Village co-op does urban farmhouse right

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The visual impact of the interiors at this 1838 Greenwich Village townhouse co-op at 7 East 9th Street is one of sophistication, considered design and a high-end rustic aesthetic. In addition to an exquisite renovation, this top-floor penthouse, asking $2.895 million, comes with private roof ownership. From your private landing (we assume this means stair landing, since no elevator is mentioned), enter the two-bedroom home through a casement-windowed atrium, keeping in mind that the included architectural plans can help you envision the possibilities of an upper level with a third bedroom, third bathroom and rooftop terrace.
Take a look, imagine the possibilities
FREE RENT: This week’s NYC rental roundup includes 3 months free rent on the Williamsburg waterfront

Images (L to R): LEVEL BK, BKLYN AIR, Synergy Chelsea and Denizen Bshwk

September 15, 2018

FREE RENT: This week’s NYC rental roundup includes 3 months free rent on the Williamsburg waterfront

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Images (L to R): LEVEL BK, BKLYN AIR, Synergy Chelsea and Denizen Bshwk Williamsburg Waterfront Rental LEVEL BK Offers 3 Months Free on 2-Year Leases + Free Car Share [link] BKLYN AIR Offering Half-Month Free for Leases Starting Before Sept. 30th [link] New High-Tech Corporate Residences Coming Soon to Synergy Chelsea at 232 7th Avenue […]

An UES townhouse is transformed in the Arts and Crafts style, with a self-pollinating rooftop garden
September 14, 2018

An UES townhouse is transformed in the Arts and Crafts style, with a self-pollinating rooftop garden

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For a client who had attempted two previous renovations in an Upper East Side townhouse that had retained its grand details from a 1937 remodel, the third time was a charm with the guidance of architect Anik Pearson. The townhouse received a complete overhaul of its infrastructure and service core to maximize performance and efficiency, with the layer of history reflected in its rooms and details carefully restored and preserved. Among the best of the renewal was the redesign of an existing rooftop garden to include sustainable elements like a grass roof, live-roof sedum and herb garden modules, a vegetable patch, a flower cutting garden, an orchard, a worm compost and a beehive for pollination.
Take a look
$13.5M UES mansion has a glass elevator, a 50-foot-wide garden, and two floors of the mansion next door
September 14, 2018

$13.5M UES mansion has a glass elevator, a 50-foot-wide garden, and two floors of the mansion next door

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Manhattan's Upper East Side is filled with enormous private mansions with configurations that you'd never guess from looking at their tidy facades, and the five-story, 20-room bow-fronted house at 207 East 71st Street, asking $13.5 million, is no exception. This 10,550-square-foot brick manse, built in 1982, is one of three in a row erected by friends who happened to be prominent real estate professionals. In this particular case, the already massive house includes a long-term lease on the first two floors of the adjacent mansion, allowing for a 50-foot-wide garden–one of the widest in Manhattan.
Tour the mansion
See the Meatpacking District’s 20-year metamorphosis from desolate to under-construction

© Brian Rose

September 14, 2018

See the Meatpacking District’s 20-year metamorphosis from desolate to under-construction

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6sqft’s series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment, Brian Rose shares his past and present Meatpacking streetscapes. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. A native of Virginia's Colonial Williamsburg, photographer Brian Rose moved to New York City in 1977 and captured some of the most fleeting, bankrupted moments of the Meatpacking District in one January of 1985. In 2013, he returned to the neighborhood – impossibly changed – and once again photographed it. He then presented both sets of photos in his 2014 book "Metamorphosis: Meatpacking District 1985 + 2013." Read on for an interview with Rose on old-school NYC, 9/11, and the city's unknowable future.
See the before-and-afters
Steven Mnuchin lists swank Park Avenue co-op for $33M
September 14, 2018

Steven Mnuchin lists swank Park Avenue co-op for $33M

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Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has just listed the Park Avenue duplex that has been in his family since the 1960s for $32.5 million, the New York Post reports. Mnuchin bought the 12-room, 6,500 square-foot Upper East Side duplex from his aunt for $10.5 million in 2000, so even if the co-op in tony 740 Park Avenue doesn't fetch the ask, he'll pocket a tidy profit. The Rosario Candela-designed building is known for its wealthy residents who have included Rockefellers, Kochs and Bronfmans as well as being Mrs. Onassis' childhood home. The former Goldman Sachs investment banker and Hollywood film producer was based in California before accepting a position with the Trump administration and has never claimed the Park Avenue home as his primary residence.
See more, this way
CNBC anchor Sara Eisen lists renovated, polished-rustic Chelsea loft for $2.6M
September 13, 2018

CNBC anchor Sara Eisen lists renovated, polished-rustic Chelsea loft for $2.6M

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The renovated two-bedroom Chelsea loft owned by CNBC co-anchor Sara Eisen ("Squawk on the Street," "Power Lunch") and her husband Matthew Levine, head of U.S. Programming at Bloomberg TV, just hit the market for $2.595 million. The 1,200-square-foot condominium is in the Spears Building at 525 West 22nd Street, a former factory built in 1880 and converted in 1996. Twelve-foot beamed ceilings, exposed brick, and polished concrete floors pay homage to the building’s historical roots, while recent updates assure modern comfort and design.
More pictures, this way
See George Washington’s handwritten farewell address and more at NYPL’s new permanent exhibit

Guttenberg Bible; Via Jonathan Blanc/NYPL

September 13, 2018

See George Washington’s handwritten farewell address and more at NYPL’s new permanent exhibit

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The New York Public Library announced on Thursday it will open a permanent exhibition of rotating treasures at their Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street location. The exhibit will be the first to showcase the depth of the library's holdings, which includes over 46 million items in its research collection. While the specifics are still being determined, some notable artifacts from the collection being considered for the treasures exhibit include the original Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence written by Thomas Jefferson, a handwritten farewell address from George Washington, the original Winnie-The-Pooh, writings from Lou Reed, and manuscript material from Maya Angelou.
See the treasures
The oldest house in the Village? It’s not what you think
September 13, 2018

The oldest house in the Village? It’s not what you think

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The Village is known as one of the oldest parts of New York City, where historic architecture can be found everywhere, and charming houses from a bygone era still stand. Here at the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, a perennial question we’re asked is “which is the oldest house in the Village?” It’s a great question, with a complicated answer. Is it one of the two charming wooden houses? The "brick" house with connections to Paul Revere? The Merchant's House Museum, Manhattan's first individual landmark? The handsome Stuyvesant Street house built by Peter Stuyvesant's great-grandson?
The answer might surprise you
Latest StuyTown affordable housing lottery opens, rents from $1,462/month

Via StuyTown Property Services

September 13, 2018

Latest StuyTown affordable housing lottery opens, rents from $1,462/month

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A lottery launched this week for newly available apartments at Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village in the East Village. New Yorkers earning 80 and 165 percent of the area median income (or between $43,860 and $268,620 annually) can apply for the available units, which range from $1,462/month studios to $5,508/month five-bedrooms. As Manhattan's largest rental community, StuyTown includes a 24-hour on-site property manager, laundry, a cafe, children's playroom, a fitness center and shared outdoor space across 80 acres.
Find out if you qualify
Hudson Yards’ second-tallest tower reveals new looks

Rendering via Binyan Studios

September 13, 2018

Hudson Yards’ second-tallest tower reveals new looks

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A fresh set of renderings was revealed Wednesday of 35 Hudson Yards, the tallest residential tower in the rapidly developing Manhattan neighborhood. David Childs of Skidmore Owings & Merrill (SOM) designed the 92-story supertall, which topped out at 1,009 feet in June. The limestone and glass tower will contain 143 condos, 22,000 square feet of private amenities, and an Equinox club, spa, and 200-room hotel. Following 1,296-foot-tall 30 Hudson Yards, which topped out in July, neighboring 35 Hudson Yards is the second-tallest tower at the site.
Take a peek
See inside WeWork’s first elementary school in NYC designed by Bjarke Ingels

Via WeWork/WeGrow

September 12, 2018

See inside WeWork’s first elementary school in NYC designed by Bjarke Ingels

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WeWork opened its first elementary school in Chelsea last week, equipped with modular classrooms, tree houses and giant floor cushions, dezeen reported Wednesday. Bjarke Ingels was tapped last year to design the WeGrow school on West 18th Street, designated for children ages three to nine, with a focus on education through play and interaction. New photos from the co-working company reveal open-plan classrooms with multi-functional furniture and lots of natural light.
Take a tour
102-year-old Orwasher’s Bakery is preserving NYC nostalgia while adapting to the times
September 12, 2018

102-year-old Orwasher’s Bakery is preserving NYC nostalgia while adapting to the times

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There's a good chance that if you've walked into one of Orwasher's Bakery's Manhattan storefronts over the past decade you've assumed the 102-year-old business is still family owned. But the original Orwasher family sold it in 2007 to Keith Cohen. The likely confusion comes from Cohen's dedication to maintaining the mom-and-pop feel of his Upper East and West Side locations, along with the vintage recipes for New York staples such as rye bread, challah, and sourdough. But he's also used his business smarts to make some well-received updates, including a major expansion of the wholesale business, a new line of wine breads in collaboration with Long Island-based vineyard Channing Daughters, a formula for the perfect baguette (he even traveled to Paris to learn the art!), and, perhaps most impressively, the addition of the elusive New York bagel. 6sqft recently visited Cohen at the two-year-old Upper West Side location to learn a bit more about his journey as master baker and proprietor of one of NYC's most beloved old-school businesses and get a behind-the-scenes look at where the magic happens.
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