Manhattan

Starting in January, the World Trade Center PATH station will close on weekends to finish repairing damage to tunnels and equipment caused by Hurricane Sandy. Once the repairs start on January 5, service to WTC will terminate at the Exchange Place Station on Saturdays at 12:01 a.m., and reopen at 5 a.m. on Mondays after each weekend.
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Transit

December 5, 2018

Cute, compact Chelsea two-bedroom asks just under $1M

While this charming Chelsea co-op at 223 West 21st Street doesn't have much in the way of extra space, it's a two-bedroom apartment with a solid reserve of pre-war charm. Mint-condition renovations and an elevator building, combined with the fact that it's priced at less than a million at $995K make this listing worth a look.
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Distinctive Homes

Legendary Apollo Theatre is expanding with two additional theaters

Rendering via Kostow Greenwood

December 5, 2018

Legendary Apollo Theatre is expanding with two additional theaters

Harlem's legendary Apollo Theater, which helped launch the careers of Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Jackson, and other such luminaries, is expanding for the first time since it opened in 1934, by adding two new performance spaces and additional office space as part of the redevelopment of the Victoria Theater on West 125th Street. Scheduled to open in fall 2020, the new Apollo Performing Arts Center will allow the nonprofit Apollo Theater to increase the number of programming, educational, and community programs it offers.
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New Developments

December 5, 2018

Snøhetta reveals more preservation-friendly redesign for Philip Johnson’s 550 Madison

Architecture firm Snøhetta unveiled this week a preservationist-friendly revision to a controversial design for an updated AT&T building at 550 Madison Avenue. The latest design is one of several revisions, each followed by controversy over being seen by preservationists as diverting too much from the building’s original design by Philip Johnson and John Burgee. In addition to comparisons to the original, new designs have had to consider the subsequent revamp that made it the Sony building in 1994, which replaced the building's open Madison Avenue arcade with “Sony Experience” storefronts and covered a rear public arcade with a glass roof.
'Hands off my Johnson'

Photo via Wiki Commons

December 4, 2018

Beloved bookstore the Strand fights back against landmarking proposal

Earlier today, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a public hearing to consider landmarking seven buildings on Broadway between East 12th and 14th Streets, one of which many already recognize as an unofficial NYC landmark -- The Strand bookstore. In advance of the hearing, The Strand voiced strong concerns that the designation would place crippling restrictions on the scrappy business and potentially threaten its future, as the New York Times reported. Referencing the recent tax incentives that Amazon received to relocate to Long Island City, Strand owner Nancy Bass Wyden said, "The richest man in America, who’s a direct competitor, has just been handed $3 billion in subsidies. I’m not asking for money or a tax rebate. Just leave me alone."
Find out what happened at today's hearing

Policy

City rejects bid to stop tallest Upper West Side tower

Courtesy of Binyan Studios/ Snøhetta

December 4, 2018

City rejects bid to stop tallest Upper West Side tower

By Chava Gourarie

The Department of Buildings this week rejected a challenge against the tallest tower planned for the Upper West Side, as first reported by Crain's. Community groups argued that the design of Extell Development’s 775-foot condominium tower at 50 West 66th Street violated the city’s building code, but the department overruled those objections.
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Our 4,700sqft: How European expats found a family home in a historic Hamilton Heights brownstone

Our ongoing series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to Laurence and Antoine’s 19th-century Hamilton Heights townhouse. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

December 4, 2018

Our 4,700sqft: How European expats found a family home in a historic Hamilton Heights brownstone

France natives Laurence and Antoine moved to NYC in 2006, after spending 12 years in Frankfurt, Germany. Antoine's career as a software developer brought the family of six across the pond, where they landed in Turtle Bay. But once they got acclimated, they knew they wanted a neighborhood with more character. So eight years ago, they bought a historic brownstone in Hamilton Heights. When asked if they miss anything about living in Midtown they quickly say "no," as they've fallen in love with Hamilton Heights' charm, convenience, and friendly neighborhood feel. But take away what's outside, and Laurence and Antoine's home alone would be enough to make any New Yorker fall in love. Built in 1890, the 21-foot-wide brownstone retains almost all of its original details, such as elaborately carved moldings and fireplaces (five, to be exact), cozy window seats, and jaw-dropping foliated screens in the master bedroom. However, with their children now out of the house, the couple is ready to downsize and has put their home on the market. But before they depart, Laurence and Antoine invited us in for a personal tour.
Have a look around

Limited-edition ‘Game of Thrones’ MetroCards launch today at Grand Central

Image via HBO

December 4, 2018

Limited-edition ‘Game of Thrones’ MetroCards launch today at Grand Central

After a slight delay, limited edition "Game of Thrones"-themed MetroCards will be available starting today at Grand Central Terminal. The MetroCards are part of a larger #ForTheThrone campaign in anticipation of the series' final season debuting sometime in April 2019. The MTA partnered with HBO for the "Game of Thrones" takeover at Grand Central, which includes more than 150 promotional posters that will remain at the station through Dec. 23, as Gothamist reported.
Get the details

Transit

The Henry Street Settlement’s new exhibit showcases 125 years of progressive reform

Students from Camp Henry at the exhibit, courtesy of The Henry Street Settlement

December 3, 2018

The Henry Street Settlement’s new exhibit showcases 125 years of progressive reform

By Lucie Levine

In honor of its 125th anniversary, the Henry Street Settlement, the community hub and social services organization at 265 Henry Street, has mounted a new permanent exhibit in its historic 1830 landmarked headquarters. "The House on Henry Street" is a multi-media exhibit that highlights the legacy of the Settlement’s founder, Lillian Wald, and explores over a century of social activism, urban poverty, and public health on the Lower East Side through the lens of the Settlement’s own history. Incorporating archival photos, video and sound recordings, historic objects, and quotations from both settlement workers and clients, the exhibit distills over a century of history into a stunningly rich and deeply moving meditation on the vital importance of community-oriented social activism.
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William Wegman’s famous dog murals cheer up the newly reopened 23rd Street F, M station

William Wegman stands with one of his newly unveiled murals. Photos © Dana Schulz for 6sqft

December 3, 2018

William Wegman’s famous dog murals cheer up the newly reopened 23rd Street F, M station

After four months of renovations, the 23rd Street F/M Subway reopened last week. In addition to platform repairs and tech upgrades, the station now features a series of 11 charming murals of artist William Wegman's infamous Weimaraners, Flo and Topper. Set against bright, colorful backgrounds, the dogs look out onto the platform as if they were waiting for the train themselves, echoing some of the emotions felt by straphangers and bringing a bit of humor and life to the subway.
See the murals

December 3, 2018

In the market for a palace? This massive FiDi landmark is 50% off

A FiDi landmark with a storied past is back on the market with a significant price drop. The American Bank Note building was built in 1908 by architects Kirby, Petit & Green to serve as the company’s headquarters, then later bought by a foundation of the late Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and used as a meditation retreat. The landmarked building at 70 Broad Street was last sold to a Chinese construction firm in 2010 for $18 million. The new owners renovated the opulent Neo-Classical structure in 2015 and put it on the market for a whopping $88 million in 2016. On Friday, the listing hit the market again, this time with a slightly more moderate $43 million price tag.
Take a look

Nomad’s One Madison Avenue is getting an 18-floor addition designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox

Current view of 1 Madison Avenue via Flickr; Rendering of 1 Madison via SL Green Realty

December 3, 2018

Nomad’s One Madison Avenue is getting an 18-floor addition designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox

By Devin Gannon

The Nomad office tower that neighbors the Met Life Tower is getting a major makeover, SL Green announced Monday. The 13-story building at One Madison Avenue will undergo a redevelopment, including an addition designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox and a modernization of the building's existing podium. The real estate company said it will reduce the building to its ninth floor and create 18 additional column-free floors above. A rendering released on Monday shows off the planned glassy addition, as well as wraparound and rooftop outdoor terraces that will measure over one acre.
Get the details

Architecture And Design

Ikea’s first Manhattan store will open this spring on East 59th Street

Rendering of what the new Ikea storefront will look like, via Ikea

December 3, 2018

Ikea’s first Manhattan store will open this spring on East 59th Street

After teasing us last week with news that they were in the "preliminary" planning stages of opening a city-center store in New York City, Ikea has today announced, that they will, in fact, open their first Manhattan store in spring 2019. The IKEA Planning Studio--a delivery-only store concept that focuses on "smart solutions for urban living and small spaces"--will open at 999 Third Avenue, right across the street from Bloomingdales at 59th Street and just over the Queensboro Bridge from Long Island City where Amazon is readying to bring 25,000 employees.
All the details

Uncategorized

December 3, 2018

This $8M Chelsea townhouse has a soap opera past, a new renovation, and a flexible future

Back in 2015, 6sqft featured this charm-filled brick townhouse for sale at 426 West 22nd Street; the 19-foot-wide beauty, built in 1843, was listed for $9.5 million by Emmy-winning soap opera actress Ellen Parker, best known for a long run as Maureen Reardon Bauer on “Guiding Light.” The West Chelsea home on a tree-lined block near Clement Clarke Moore Park was divided into three residences for lots of options. The home has been renovated since then, still-charming but updated and restored, with modern finishes and fixtures. It's back on the market for $7.995 million–possibilities intact.
Take a look

Distinctive Homes

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

Images (L to R): Otto Greenpoint, Estuary, 181 Front Street, and Vernon Tower.

December 1, 2018

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

By Ondel Hylton

Vernon Tower: Astoria waterfront rentals across from Socrates Sculpture Park from $2,300/month [LINK] Otto Greenpoint: Brooklyn rentals at 211 McGuinness Boulevard from $2,317/month [LINK] 181 Front Street: New rentals in DUMBO offer 1 month free on 13-month lease [LINK] Estuary Weehawken: Luxury waterfront rentals with skyline views from $2,363/month [LINK] 111 Murray Street: Michael Cohen’s […]

Real Estate Trends

Madonna loses three-year legal battle with Upper West Side co-op board

1 West 64th Street via CityRealty (l); Madonna via Wikimedia Commons (r)

November 30, 2018

Madonna loses three-year legal battle with Upper West Side co-op board

By Annie Doge

Madonna lost an almost three-year legal battle with her Upper West Side co-op board after a judge this week tossed her complaints, Page Six reported. The pop star had first sued her building, Harperley Hall, in April of 2016 after the board attempted to enforce a rule that prohibited her family or staff to be in the home without her being physically present.
More here

Celebrities

Lillian Wald’s Lower East Side: From the Visiting Nurse Service to the Henry Street Settlement

Henry Street Nurses, courtesy of The Henry Street Settlement

November 30, 2018

Lillian Wald’s Lower East Side: From the Visiting Nurse Service to the Henry Street Settlement

By Lucie Levine

In 1893, the 26-year-old nurse Lillian Wald founded the Lower East Side’s Henry Street Settlement, and what would become the Visiting Nurse Service of New York. Two years of nursing school had given her the “inspiration to be of use some way or somehow,” and she identified “four branches of usefulness” where she could be of service. Those four branches, “visiting nursing, social work, country work and civic work,” helped guide the Settlement’s programming, and turned Wald’s home at 265 Henry Street into a center of progressive advocacy, and community support, that attracted neighbors from around the corner, and reformers from around the world.
Learn about Lillian

History

November 29, 2018

After a price chop to $18,500/month, Michael Cohen’s Tribeca condo goes into contract

After dropping its price from $25,000 to $18,500 a month on November 12th, Michael Cohen's ill-fated Tribeca condo went into contract on Tuesday, 6sqft uncovered. The timing could not be more perfect for Trump's former personal lawyer, who pled guilty today in federal court to lying about previous dealings with Russia. Cohen bought the condo at 111 Murray Street for $6.7 million in July but promptly put it on the rental market in August. Apparently, he bought the apartment as an "investment" when he faced pressure to defer the taxes on the $3.3 million sale he made last year on his Trump World Tower apartment. As we explained. "by closing on a new unit, he was able to take part in the 1031 exchange that allows investors to roll proceeds from one transaction over to another."
All the dirt

Celebrities

November 29, 2018

Design studio Snarkitecture brings Snark Park to Hudson Yards with treats and ‘childlike wonder’

If hanging out at 900 feet in the air isn't your thing, NYC's newest neighborhood, Hudson Yards, promises plenty of fun things to do with your feet on the ground. As the first phase of the megaproject prepares to open this spring, New York-based design studio Snarkitecture will be introducing Snark Park, its first permanent exhibition space in Hudson Yards. Known for their clever reinterpretations of the familiar, Snarkitecture’s Snark Park will be a site for immersive installations housing design environments for all ages to explore, discover and enjoy.
Find out more

City scraps controversial plan for a new 40-story jail on top of the Manhattan marriage bureau

80 Centre Street via Wiki Commons

November 29, 2018

City scraps controversial plan for a new 40-story jail on top of the Manhattan marriage bureau

On Wednesday, city officials announced that plans to build a 40-floor high-rise detention center at 80 Centre Street will not be moving forward, reports the Daily News. The site had been proposed earlier this year as part of a plan to close the jail at Rikers Island and relocate the inmate population to four local jails spread throughout the boroughs. The de Blasio administration cited logistical challenges associated with moving the current tenants, which include the Manhattan Marriage Bureau and offices of the Manhattan District Attorney, as reason for the decision.
More details

Policy

November 28, 2018

The $600K pricetag is just as charming as the design at this Chelsea co-op

Perhaps the Homepolish-designed interiors were not enough to entice buyers, as the price of this Chelsea co-op at 221 West 21st Street has dropped to $599,000 since it was first listed for $665,000 in August. Last year, we featured the unit below, which was then owned by BuzzFeed coder & investment banker Will Nathan, who became a partner in the interior design startup after they redid his place. Looks like word spread around the building, because the interiors at this unit are just as chic and charming, with colorful accents popping against exposed brick walls and bold statement pieces. Like the look? These furnishings are available for purchase, too.
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Distinctive Homes

‘Fearless Girl’ statue begins her move to permanent Stock Exchange home

Image credit: State Street Global Advisors.

November 28, 2018

‘Fearless Girl’ statue begins her move to permanent Stock Exchange home

The four-foot bronze "Fearless Girl" statue was removed from her spot across from the iconic “Charging Bull” in Bowling Green Tuesday night, AMNew York reports, and is on her way to a more pedestrian friendly spot in front of the New York Stock Exchange. Since its appearance in 2017 a day before International Women’s Day, sending a message to Wall Street for the need of gender equality in the financial world, the diminuitive statue has become a major attraction, drawing millions of tourists and locals. State Street Global Advisors, the investment company that owns the statue, said she'd be installed in her new home by December 31.
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Events & Things To Do

November 28, 2018

Tribeca loft where Edward Albee wrote his famous plays lists for $9M

Located in what was once a cheese warehouse at 14 Harrison Street in Tribeca, this 4,500-square-foot loft has been the home of American playwright Edward Albee since 1977. According to Mansion Global, Albee held his famed annual Christmas party here, with luminaries like Lauren Bacall and Kathleen Turner in attendance. The duplex co-op spanning the building's fifth and sixth floors is a fascinating home even without the literary connection; the classic loft, with an elevator that opens on each floor, is currently for sale asking $8.995 million.
Take the tour, this way

How to get around Midtown during tomorrow’s Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting

Via Flickr cc

November 27, 2018

How to get around Midtown during tomorrow’s Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting

By Devin Gannon

Driving in Midtown is never advised, but really must be avoided this Wednesday. The 86th annual lighting ceremony of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree kicks off tomorrow, bringing with it more than 100,000 spirited visitors and blocks of street closures. The city's Department of Transportation designated Wednesday a "Gridlock Alert Day" for the celebration, meaning drivers can expect travel throughout the area to take twice as long as usual.
Plan ahead

November 27, 2018

Permits filed for 22-story Union Square tech hub with plans for major digital training center

The New York Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) has filed permits to construct a 22-floor tech hub at 114 East 14th Street near Union Square, CityRealty reports. Officially known as the Union Square Tech Training Center, the 254,000-square-foot, $250 million, facility has big plans to ramp up NYC's high-tech firepower: In addition to affordable office space for startups, market-rate office space for tech companies, and a retail and market area run by Urbanspace, the nonprofit Civic Hall will be running a new digital skills training center at the midblock site once occupied by a PC Richard & Son electronics store.
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New Developments

November 26, 2018

For $900K, this Yorkville co-op offers two floors, a clever layout, and a private backyard