Manhattan

Kushner Cos. will buy remaining stake in 666 Fifth Avenue from Vornado for $120M

Google Street View of 666 Fifth Avenue

June 4, 2018

Kushner Cos. will buy remaining stake in 666 Fifth Avenue from Vornado for $120M

Kushner Companies has agreed to purchase the remaining 49.5 percent stake in 666 Fifth Avenue from Vornado Realty Trust for $120 million, nearly wrapping up the drawn-out saga of the problem-plagued condo tower. According to the Wall Street Journal, Vornado said the contract with Kushner is expected to close in the third quarter of this year and is conditional and "there can be no assurance that this transaction will be completed." Kushner Cos. first purchased the 41-story building in 2007 for a record $1.8 billion, but the economic recession created enormous financial strain for the company. To help restructure the building's major debt, they brought in Vornado, which purchased the stake in the building for $80 million and the assumption of half the property's $1.2 billion mortgage in 2011.
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Policy

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

Images (L to R): The Rollins, 63 Wall Street, 1 Flatbush Avenue and Sky

June 2, 2018

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

By Ondel Hylton

Images (L to R): The Rollins, 63 Wall Street, 1 Flatbush Avenue and Sky The Rollins in Essex Crossing Now 65% Leased: Up to Three Months Free on Remaining Units [link] Luxury Rental 63 Wall Street with Residents-Only Speakeasy, Now Leasing with 1 – 2 Months Free [link] Live at SKY: Coveted 42nd Street Rental […]

Real Estate Trends

June 1, 2018

Greenwich Village apartment where Buddy Holly recorded his final songs lists for $1.6M

By Dana Schulz

Before his untimely death in 1959--the "day the music died"--Buddy Holly briefly lived at the then-brand-new Brevoort apartment building in Greenwich Village. His band the Crickets had moved to NYC in 1958 to be a part of the music scene, so Holly and new wife Maria Elena Santiago rented a corner two-bedroom apartment with a wrap-around terrace for just $1,000 a month. This unit, where he made his final recordings of "Crying," "Waiting, Hoping," and "Peggy Sue Got Married," has just hit the market for $1,595,000 (h/t Curbed).
See his former home

She shot Andy Warhol: The story behind actress Valerie Solanas’ attempt to assassinate a NYC icon

Photo of the Decker Building via Wally Gobetz on Flickr; photo of Andy Warhol via Wikimedia

June 1, 2018

She shot Andy Warhol: The story behind actress Valerie Solanas’ attempt to assassinate a NYC icon

By Andrew Berman of Village Preservation

1968 was a turbulent year marked by riots, massive protests, and assassinations of notable political figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy. But 50 years ago on June 3, 1968, an attempted assassination in New York City shook the downtown art world more deeply and personally than any of these other headline-grabbing events. Perhaps that was because it involved two quintessentially downtown figures — one a world-famous artist; the other, a struggling, mentally unbalanced aspiring writer/performer/self-proclaimed social propagandist, whose greatest claim to fame ended up being her attempt to kill the former, her one-time employer.
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History

Downtown’s historic glass sidewalks will be saved after Landmarks reverses rule changes

Vault lights in Soho, via WooJin Chung for 6sqft

June 1, 2018

Downtown’s historic glass sidewalks will be saved after Landmarks reverses rule changes

By Dana Schulz

"Viva Vault Lights!" wrote the Historic Districts Council in response to the Landmarks Preservation Commission's decision to backpedal on its rules amendments, which called for "more oversight by LPC staff but less time for public review" in proposals for alterations to historic buildings. HDC's celebratory sentiment is in response to one of the now-moot stipulations that Soho and Tribeca's vault lights--historic, industrial-era sidewalks made from small circular glass bulbs--could be removed by building owners and replaced with modern sidewalks.
Find out about all the other victories

May 31, 2018

For $1,200/night, stay in the Lexington Hotel suite once home to Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio

By Michelle Sinclair Colman

The Lexington Hotel has a full and wonderful history filled with celebrities and hula dancing. At present, the most notable feature is their recently renovated $1,200/night Norma Jean Suite, named after Marilyn Monroe who briefly called the 600-square-foot suite home during her 22-month marriage to Joe DiMaggio, from January 1954-October 1955 (h/t NYP). This is also where she lived while filming “The Seven Year Itch”--and its iconic skirt-blowing scene!--just a few blocks away on 52nd and Lex.
See inside the suite where 'everyone likes it hot'

May 31, 2018

New 9/11 Memorial monument honors first responders exposed to Ground Zero toxins

By Dana Schulz

Sixteen years ago as of yesterday, the rescue and recovery effort for the September 11th attacks ended. It's estimated that 400,000 people were exposed to life-threatening toxins, and since then, nearly 70,000 first responders and more than 14,000 survivors have enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Program. Yesterday, former “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart and 9/11 Memorial & Museum president Alice Greenwald revealed the official design for Memorial Glade, a monument to all those who have lost their lives or are sick due to these related illnesses. In addition to increasing awareness about the health crisis, the memorial will also "recognize the tremendous capacity of the human spirit, as exemplified during the rescue, recovery and relief efforts following the 9/11 attacks."
Learn about the design

May 31, 2018

Get a taste of Hell’s Kitchen with a food festival at the Intrepid this summer

By Devin Gannon

Photo via MrTMan on Flickr There is no shortage of food halls, food markets and food trucks in New York City to satisfy your every craving. However, none of these eating events take place next to an aircraft carrier on the Hudson River. Until now. The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum announced this week that it will host a food festival at Pier 86, featuring more than 20 local vendors from the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood. The waterfront food fest, WestsideEATS, runs from 10 am to 6 pm on June 9 and June 10 (h/t TimeOut).
More this way

May 31, 2018

202-year-old Soho rowhouse lists for just under $8M

By Michelle Sinclair Colman

Here's a chance to own one of the oldest homes in Manhattan, and likely the oldest home in the neighborhood, for $7.75 million (h/t Curbed). The Federal-style rowhouse at 57 Sullivan Street was built in 1816 and throughout its 200+ year-history it's served as a microcosm for the diversity of the neighborhood, first owned by a local mason, then by both Irish and Italian immigrants, and most recently by a couple who fought the property's inevitable landmarking in 2016.
Check it out

Lottery opens for 12 new affordable units in East Harlem, from $856/month

Photo via Peter Ashe

May 30, 2018

Lottery opens for 12 new affordable units in East Harlem, from $856/month

By Dana Schulz

With East Harlem becoming hipper by the month, this affordable housing lottery for 12 units at the new building 2183 Third Avenue is a super steal, especially considering the building offers a gym, rooftop, recreation area, and laundry room. From $856/month studios to $1,114/month two-bedrooms, the apartments are available to households earning 60 percent of the area median income. Located at the northeast corner of East 119th Street and Third Avenue, the 12-story building is not only three blocks from the 6 train, but it's right near local hot spots like the original Patsy's Pizza and Hot Jalapeno, as well as the Target and Costco at East River Plaza.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

May 30, 2018

Controversial expansion of the Frick Collection hits another road block

By Devin Gannon

All renderings courtesy of Beyer Blinder Belle and Selldorf Architects The planned expansion of the Frick Collection is delayed again after the Landmarks Preservation Commission decided Tuesday to not vote on the project, following hours of public testimony. Dozens of neighborhood advocates, preservationists and museum goers attended the hearing to discuss the Beyer Blinder Belle and Selldorf Architects-designed expansion, which would include 60,000 square feet of repurposed space and 27,000 square feet of new construction. The plan would expand the existing Upper East Side building's second level, add two set-back stories above the music room and an addition behind the Frick Art Reference Library. According to Curbed NY, critics of the expansion said the additions would be too large and block the design of the existing library. Despite a presentation from head architect Annabelle Selldorf, no decision was made about whether to grant the $160 million project its certificate of appropriateness.
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A mecca of African American history and culture, Central Harlem is designated a historic district

Photo via LPC

May 29, 2018

A mecca of African American history and culture, Central Harlem is designated a historic district

By Devin Gannon

The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) on Tuesday designated three blocks in Central Harlem as a historic district in recognition of the significant role African Americans played in social change in New York City and beyond during the 20th century. The Central Harlem District measures West 130-132nd Streets, the mid-blocks between Lenox and Seventh Avenues. LPC notes how Harlem residents used residential buildings to accommodate cultural, religious and political activities, starting with the Harlem Renaissance through the civil rights movement of the 1960s. "This collection of buildings is exactly why we designate historic districts: it's an architecturally distinctive and historically significant set of structures that together tell an essential piece of Central Harlem's story,” Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer said. The commission also launched an interactive story map as a way to illustrate the unique influence of this district through photos, maps and video.
Get the details

May 24, 2018

$345K tiny Upper West Studio studio only allows tiny pets

By Michelle Sinclair Colman

At around 300 square feet, this $345,000 Upper West Side studio may be tiny, but it makes the most of the space by taking advantage of the 11-foot-high ceilings by putting the sleeping loft above the kitchen and using every square inch to its max. However, the co-op, located at 203 West 87th Street, will only allow equally tiny pets.
See a

Distinctive Homes

15 Central Park West via Wikimedia

May 23, 2018

15 Central Park West still reigns as the best selling condo in New York City

By Devin Gannon

With 10 years of closings officially on record, 15 Central Park West takes the top spot as New York City's best performing building for yet another year. According to a CityRealty 100 report released Wednesday, the average price per square foot of units at Robert A.M. Stern's "Limestone Jesus" was roughly $6,405, between April 1, 2017 and March 31, 2018. In that time period the building saw a total of eight sales, including apartments which sold for $28 million and $21.5 million. Sales at the limestone tower were able to outperform newer developments, like One57 and 432 Park Avenue.
Get the details

Real Estate Trends

Help bring this sculpture of lost Lower East Side mom-and-pops to Seward Park

Rendering of the installation

May 23, 2018

Help bring this sculpture of lost Lower East Side mom-and-pops to Seward Park

By Dana Schulz

After publishing their first account of small businesses in NYC a decade ago with their seminal book “Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York,” photographers James and Karla Murray are now ready to bring their work back to the street. As 6sqft previously reported, "the husband-and-wife team has designed an art installation for Seward Park, a wood-frame structure that will feature four nearly life-size images of Lower East Side business that have mostly disappeared--a bodega, a coffee shop/luncheonette (the recently lost Cup & Saucer), a deli (Katz's), and a newsstand (Chung’s Candy & Soda Stand). Though the installation is part of the Art in the Parks UNIQLO Park Expressions Grant Program, there are still high costs associated with materials, fabrication, and installation, so James and Karla have launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise the additional funds.
More details

Events & Things To Do

May 23, 2018

Study looks at the tallest buildings ever demolished and confirms 270 Park Avenue will top the list

By Michelle Cohen

Back in February, 6sqft reported that the Union Carbide Building at 270 Park Avenue–currently the JP Morgan Chase headquarters–was set to be the largest intentionally demolished building in history when plans move forward to replace the 700-foot-tall structure with a tower that will likely rise to over 1,200 feet. ArchDaily brings us a study done by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) that looks at the 100 tallest buildings ever to be demolished by their owners. The study, aptly titled, "Tallest Demolished Buildings," confirms that if the current plans move forward, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill's 270 Park Avenue would indeed become the tallest to go down–and the first over 200 meters in height.
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Jennifer Connelly trades Tribeca co-op for $15M Brooklyn Heights townhouse

140 Columbia Heights via Google Earth; Photo of Jennifer Connelly via Wikimedia

May 23, 2018

Jennifer Connelly trades Tribeca co-op for $15M Brooklyn Heights townhouse

By Annie Doge

Actors Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany are switching boroughs by selling their Tribeca co-op and picking up a Brooklyn Heights townhouse for $15.5 million. The sale represents one of the most expensive deals in Brooklyn ever, according to the Wall Street Journal. While the transaction was off-market, an old listing for the Brooklyn property at 140 Columbia Heights describes the 8,000-square-foot home as having views of the Statue of Liberty and the Lower Manhattan skyline. The sellers are Timothy Ingrassia, a Goldman Sachs executive, and his wife Stephanie, who serves as a vice chair on the Brooklyn Museum's board of trustees. The Ingrassias paid $10.75 million for the property in 2006.
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Adriana Urbina brings Venezuelan flavors to Nolita’s De Maria while empowering female chefs

Restuarant photo credit: Nicole Franzen; Portrait credit: Kathryn Sheldon

May 22, 2018

Adriana Urbina brings Venezuelan flavors to Nolita’s De Maria while empowering female chefs

By Dana Schulz

Earlier this month, Nolita restaurant De Maria won the coveted James Beard Award for best restaurant design or renovation in North America. The designers at The MP Shift replicated an artist’s studio, with Soho in the ‘70s and the Bauhaus movement in mind. But it's not just the space that's beautiful; Venezuelan-born chef Adriana Urbina's dishes, composed heavily of veggies and seafood, look like they were made for Instagram. Outside of the visuals, however, what sets De Maria apart is Urbina's socially conscious approach. Not only does she mix her South American heritage with her fine dining background (she started her career as an apprentice at Michelin 3-star restaurant in Spain, Martín Berasategui and was a 2017 winner of Food Network's "Chopped"), but she's committed to empowering female chefs and business owners, as well as using food as a way to connect people and raise awareness about what's going on in the world. 6sqft recently enjoyed an insanely delicious meal at De Maria and chatted with Adriana about her journey, the restaurant scene in NYC, and why this Nolita restaurant is the perfect place to see out her dreams.
Meet Adriana and get hungry!

John Legend and Chrissy Teigen pick up the penthouse in their former Nolita building for $9M

Photo of John Legend and Chrissy Teigen via Disney|ABC Television on Flickr

May 22, 2018

John Legend and Chrissy Teigen pick up the penthouse in their former Nolita building for $9M

By Annie Doge

Power couple John Legend and Chrissy Teigen have bought a $9 million penthouse apartment at 374 Broome Street in the same Nolita building they once lived. The duo, who first toured the three-bedroom penthouse in December, sold their former one-bedroom unit for $4 million in August 2016. John and Chrissy, who recently welcomed a baby son Miles, will get more space with the loft, which measures 2,610 square feet and includes a private rooftop terrace. According to The Real Deal, who first reported the sale, the seller is Matthew Swann, a Stubhub executive who bought the apartment for $8.6 million in 2016.
Take a peek

Celebrities

Kirsten Dunst finally unloads her stylish Soho penthouse for $4.4M

Photo of Kirsten Dunst via Wikimedia

May 22, 2018

Kirsten Dunst finally unloads her stylish Soho penthouse for $4.4M

By Annie Doge

After nearly four years on the market, Kirsten Dunst has finally sold her industrial-meets-rustic penthouse at 533 Canal Street (aka 477 Washington Street) in Soho. The actress first bought the two-bedroom apartment in 2007 for $3.09 million, claiming she needed a break from the L.A. lifestyle. Following a gut renovation that added lots of vintage charm, she put the loft on the rental market for $12,500 a month in late 2014 and later listed it for $5 million last February. Now, as the Observer reported, Dunst has sold her apartment for $4.43 million, a slight discount from the asking price of $4.5 million.
See the whole place

May 21, 2018

Asking $1.5M, this classic Upper West Side duplex has a magical private rooftop escape

By Michelle Cohen

Located on the top floor of a dreamy Upper West Side townhouse at 307 West 82nd Street, a block from Riverside Park, this two-bedroom duplex asking $1.475 million appears to be every inch the classic Manhattan co-op, from its blonde wood floors to subdued pale walls. But this uptown aerie speaks volumes in the form of a huge private wraparound roof terrace.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

Daniel Libeskind will redesign a new star for the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

Image via Swarovski

May 18, 2018

Daniel Libeskind will redesign a new star for the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

By Devin Gannon

Swarovski has tapped architect Daniel Libeskind to redesign a new star to top the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, the first time it will be replaced in 14 years. Libeskind, who is best known for designing the master site plan for the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site, called the star "a symbol that represents our greatest ambitions for hope, unity and peace." According to Architectural Digest, Libeskind's geometric, angular designs made him an easy choice as the new topper's designer.
Get the sparkling details

From casino to Malcolm X: The colorful history of Harlem’s Malcolm Shabazz Mosque

Photo via Wiki Commons

May 18, 2018

From casino to Malcolm X: The colorful history of Harlem’s Malcolm Shabazz Mosque

By Hannah Frishberg

At 102 West 116th Street in Harlem sits a mosque singularly incorporated into the cityscape. The building houses street-level commercial businesses and is topped by a large green dome, the structure in-between used as a Sunni Muslim mosque. While the property has seen much local history pass through it, it is not landmarked. Before becoming a religious structure, the lot used to contain the Lenox Casino, a space which was often rented for meetings by the Socialist Party and used as a theatrical performance venue for a number of then-renowned artists. Built in 1905 and designed by Lorenz F. J. Weiher, the Lenox Casino was raided in 1912 for showing "illegal films" in an escapade grippingly documented by the New York Times.
The structure has had many lives

History

Elizabeth Blackwell’s NYC: The historic sites where America’s first female doctor made her mark

An 1870 newspaper illustration of Elizabeth Blackwell giving an anatomy lecture alongside a corpse at the Woman’s Medical College of New York Infirmary. Courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress.

May 17, 2018

Elizabeth Blackwell’s NYC: The historic sites where America’s first female doctor made her mark

By Andrew Berman of Village Preservation

One of the most radical and influential women of the 19th century changed the course of public health history while living and working in Greenwich Village and the East Village. Elizabeth Blackwell, America’s first female doctor, established cutting-edge care facilities and practices throughout these neighborhoods, the imprint of which can still be felt to this day in surviving institutions and buildings. In fact, one recently received a historic plaque to mark this ground-breaking but often overlooked piece of our history.
Take a tour of Elizabeth Blackwell's NYC

May 16, 2018

$1.2M East Village condo has a cool blue kitchen and a roof deck with a view

By Michelle Cohen

This one-bedroom East Village "penthouse" condo at 72 East 3rd Street, asking $1.19 million, is on the market for the first time in 20 years, but it has a fresher look than any we've seen in a while. On a block with lots of neighborhood history and plenty of charm, it has recently gotten a stunning custom renovation and comes with a private roof deck with unrestricted Empire State Building views.
Take a look

Distinctive Homes

May 16, 2018

Behind the scenes at the United Palace, Washington Heights’ opulent ‘Wonder Theatre’

By Dana Schulz

Earlier this year, 6sqft got an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour at the Loew's Jersey City, one of the five opulent Loew’s Wonder Theatres built in 1929-30 around the NYC area. We've now gotten a tour of another, the United Palace in Washington Heights. Originally known as the Loew's 175th Street Theatre, the "Cambodian neo-Classical" landmark has served as a church and cultural center since it closed in 1969 and was purchased by televangelist Reverend Ike, who renamed it the Palace Cathedral. Today it's still owned by late Reverend's church but functions as a spiritual center and arts center. Thanks to Reverand Ike and his church's continued stewardship, Manhattan's fourth-largest theater remains virtually unchanged since architect Thomas W. Lamb completed it in 1930. 6sqft recently visited and saw everything from the insane ornamentation in the lobby to the former smoking lounge that recently caught the eye of Woody Allen. We also chatted with UPCA's executive director Mike Fitelson about why this space is truly one-of-a-kind.
Take the incredible digital tour

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720 West End Avenue

Upper West Side

Serene Upper West Side homes near Riverside Park

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2 beds starting at $2,495,000
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