Manhattan

Photo by Luke Hayes On Thursday, Friends of the High Line are hosting their "first-ever High Line Hat Party, a raucous, downtown party for the creative and bold." What better to don for this party than a swooping, sinuous lined hat inspired by one of the most prominent High Line building's iconic curves? Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) director Patrik Schumacher designed the gorgeous, 3D printed, 520 West 28th-inspired hat for the party’s fashion show (h/t dezeen). Just as the building's beautiful swirls of glass are intersected with dark steel bands, this hat replicates that aesthetic.
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June 13, 2018

Renderings revealed for Morris Adjmi’s proposed luxury condo on East Village gas explosion site

By Hannah Frishberg

Rendering by Morris Adjmi Architects Just over three years ago, an explosion from an illegal tap into the gas main destroyed three buildings on Second Avenue and killed two people in the East Village. Last year, two lots of the three at the site were sold for just over $9 million. And this week renderings have been revealed for a new condo building set to rise on the same plot. The images were found by EV Grieve in an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness by the new building's developer, Yaniv Shaky Cohen's Nexus Building Development Group. The plan will be reviewed by Community Board 3's Landmarks Committee next Monday. (A paper meeting notice was taped to the fence surrounding the property on Monday, according to EV Grieve). Designed by Morris Adjmi Architects, the renderings depict a single 21-apartment, six-story, grey brick luxury building to encompass both lots, with a detailed cornice and ground floor retail.
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June 13, 2018

17-foot stacked, bronze rhino sculpture finds new home in Downtown Brooklyn

Photo via Goodbye Rhinos project The iconic stacked rhino sculpture is switching boroughs. Designed by artists, Gillie and Marc Schattner, The Last Three is a 17-foot-tall, bronze sculpture depicting the last three Northern White Rhinos Najin, Fatu and Sudan, and represents a protest of rhino horn sales. The artists announced on Tuesday that the sculpture will move from its current home at Astor Place and be permanently installed at Forest City New York’s MetroTech Center in Downtown Brooklyn. The first public viewing will start Wednesday at 6 pm.
Get the details

Events & Things To Do

June 12, 2018

New marble-clad interior renderings revealed for Bjarke Ingels’ High Line-facing XI

Renderings via Dbox for HFZ Capital Group Back in April, 6sqft brought you a new batch of renderings showing Bjarke Ingels and developer HFZ Capital's XI (or the Eleventh) at 76 Eleventh Avenue ahead of a May 7 sales launch. The West Chelsea hotel-condo project is notable not only for being Ingels’ first NYC condo project but for its asymmetrical, twisting silhouette. Those renderings showcased the pair of towers and their sky-bridge, along with, for the first time, the central courtyard and an apartment interior. Now, as Curbed learned, we get a preview of the project's interiors, clad in several different flavors of dramatically-veined creamy beige and white statement marble and pale chevron flooring with wood accents–and stunning NYC and river views in every direction.
See more, this way

June 12, 2018

Where I Work: Inside C.O. Bigelow Apothecaries in the Village, the oldest pharmacy in the country

By James and Karla Murray

6sqft’s series “Where I Work” takes us into the studios, offices, and off-beat workspaces of New Yorkers across the city. In this installment, we’re touring the oldest pharmacy in the United States, C.O. Bigelow Apothecaries in Greenwich Village, and talking with owner Ian Ginsberg. Want to see your business featured here? Get in touch! C.O. Bigelow Apothecaries was established in 1838. It is the oldest apothecary in America. It was originally called the Village Apothecary Shop and was opened by the Vermont physician, Galen Hunter. It was renamed C.O. Bigelow Apothecary when it was purchased by an employee, Clarence Otis Bigelow in 1880. The apothecary is in fact so old that it once sold leeches and opium as remedies. According to legend, the chemists at Bigelow even created a salve for Thomas Edison to treat his burned fingers when he was first developing the light bulb. In 1922, the apothecary was sold to the pharmacist, Mr. Bluestone, employed by Bigelow, thereby continuing the unique legacy of passing ownership from employer to employee. Bluestone sold the pharmacy to yet another pharmacist employee, William B. Ginsberg in 1939. And since 1939, three generations of Ginsberg’s have owned and operated the shop, passing down from father to son to most recently grandson, Ian Ginsberg, who 6sqft spoke with at this historic pharmacy in Greenwich Village at 414 Sixth Avenue.
See inside

Where I Work

June 11, 2018

This East Village duplex condo hides a solarium, a garden and minimalist interiors for $2.2M

The East Village is famous for its creative and quirky-cool spaces, and this surprisingly spacious duplex at 407 East 12th Street is on the cool end of quirky, as long as you don’t mind a bit of street-level living and a more-than-bargain price tag at $2.195 million. The stylishly renovated 1,400-square-foot two-bedroom condo with a charming private garden looks as much like a southern California pad as a New York City apartment, complete with glass-clad solarium. Times are good in the neighborhood: The adjacent one-bedroom unit was listed last year for $1.7 million and sold in three months for about $1.6M.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

Via Silverstein Properties

June 11, 2018

3 World Trade Center officially opens, the fourth WTC building completed

Right on schedule for a June opening, developer Silverstein Properties took the lead in celebrating on Monday the highly anticipated opening of 3 World Trade Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Led by CEO Larry Silverstein, the morning celebration at 3 World Trade Center at 175 Greenwich Street marked the official completion of four of the five buildings in the new World Trade Center complex. With nearly 40 percent of the building leased on opening day, the 80-floor tower designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners rises to 1,079 feet. "Starting with 7 WTC and the rest of the towers that followed, we sought to create modern, environmentally-conscious and technologically-advanced offices," Larry Silverstein, the chairman of Silverstein Properties, said in a statement. "Places that foster creativity where young people would want to work and collaborate. That meant great architecture and sustainable design, but also improved transportation, a more vibrant streetscape, new shops and restaurants, great public spaces, and exciting and fun public space art."
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My 500sqft: An art collector from Philly swaps space for amenities at Hell’s Kitchen’s 555Ten

6sqft’s series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to retiree Andrew Ackerman’s new studio in Extell’s 555Ten. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

June 11, 2018

My 500sqft: An art collector from Philly swaps space for amenities at Hell’s Kitchen’s 555Ten

A year ago, retired lawyer Andrew Ackerman gave up his long-time home, a 1,300-square-foot duplex in a Philadelphia brownstone, to move to NYC. Wanting to be near his friends, the theater district and art museums, and transportation options, he settled on Hell's Kitchen, and ultimately found the perfect high-rise apartment in Extell Development's luxury rental building, 555TEN. Getting used to the hustle and bustle of the city was easy for Andrew, but downsizing to a 500-square-foot alcove studio was a bit more challenging, especially considering he's been an avid art collector since childhood. 6sqft recently visited Andrew at 555Ten to see how he made the adjustment, which art pieces made the cut, and why the jump was all worth it.
Take a tour of Andrew's place

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

Images (L to R): 325 Kent Avenue, House No. 94, 485 Marin Boulevard and 99 Gold Street

June 9, 2018

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

By Ondel Hylton

Images (L to R): 325 Kent Avenue, House No. 94, 485 Marin Boulevard and 99 Gold Street Two Months Free at 325 Kent Avenue; See New Photos [READ MORE] Prospect Lefferts Gardens Rental Debuts: The Lawrence Leasing from $1,938/Month [READ MORE] Leasing Kicks Off at Williamsburg Rental House No. 94 with 2 Months Free [READ […]

Real Estate Trends

East Harlem’s affordable Sendero Verde complex gets fresh renderings and a 384-unit mixed-use tower

Rendering courtesy of Handel Architects

June 8, 2018

East Harlem’s affordable Sendero Verde complex gets fresh renderings and a 384-unit mixed-use tower

Permits have been filed for a 37-story, 384-unit tower in East Harlem as part of Sendero Verde, a massive mixed-use complex developed by Jonathan Rose Companies and L + M Development. The site's newest building is set to rise at 1681 Madison Avenue and measure just over 385,000 square feet. Floors five through 36 of the Handel Architects-designed building will contain 12 apartments each; offices and retail space will occupy the first three levels, as CityRealty learned. A fresh pair of renderings of Sendero Verde highlights the winding central landscaped path, nonprofit DREAM's charter school and the extensive community space planned for the development.
More this way

Affordable Housing

June 8, 2018

Progress, pricing and new renderings for David Adjaye’s 130 William Street skyscraper

Back in April 6sqft reported on the progress of British-Ghanian architect David Adjaye's first NYC skyscraper at 130 William street, with the nearly-800-foot tower at street level and rising. Adjaye, who has achieved international renown for projects like the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, has been knighted by Queen Elizabeth II and named one of TIME’s 2017 most influential people, was inspired by the historic masonry architecture of the Financial District for the new building's anything-but-ordinary design. And we're now seeing more of that design: The New York Times reveals information on what the pricing for the building's 800 units is likely to be once sales launch, along with some new renderings of its unique architecture and interiors.
Let's hear those prices. And when can we move in?

June 7, 2018

Lincoln Square’s grand finale: From slum clearance to a new master plan

Lincoln Square, a part of the Upper West Side, is a literal square of approximately 50 blocks that runs east-west from Central Park West to the West Side Drive and north-south from 59th to 72nd Streets. The neighborhood, which is bisected by Broadway and contains the Lincoln Center “superblock,” has an enormous amount of culture, loads of prestigious schools, tons of old-school luxury residences lining the park, and a massive, five-acre, four-building new development called Waterline Square, finalizing a decades-long master plan for the neighborhood. Ahead, we take a look at the neighborhood's history, from its Dutch roots to Robert Moses' slum clearance, modern residential development, and all the amenities that make this area more fun than one may think.
Your guide to Lincoln Square

Events & Things To Do

June 7, 2018

$3.7M historic Hamilton Heights townhouse hits the market for the first time in 50 years

Here's a rare opportunity to own one of the gorgeous neo-Tudor townhouses on Convent Avenue in Hamilton Heights. Built in 1890 and offered for the first time in 50 years, 327 Convent Avenue is asking $3.7 million. Located a gorgeous block steeped in history (Alexander Hamilton's country estate was originally just one block away), this six-bedroom home is nearly 5,000 square feet with tons of original details and a sun-drenched backyard.
Get a look inside

June 6, 2018

Rafael Viñoly reveals new renderings of ‘Auto Row’ office addition

Historically, Auto Row, the stretch of eleventh in the 50s, has been somewhat a no-man's land to most, save for those rare New Yorkers who own a car. But with Hudson Yards pushing development westward, it's now coming out of the shadows. One of these projects is Rafael Viñoly Architects' addition to 787 Eleventh Avenue, an Art Deco industrial building that was originally home to the Packard Motor Company when it opened in 1927 to the designs of Albert Kahn. Viñoly's $100 million commission is adding two stories off office space to the top of the eight-story building, converting the other floors to commercial space, and retaining the current auto dealerships on the lower five levels. It's been more than two years since the first renderings were revealed, and now the firm has released an additional batch that show aerial views of the addition, more office views, and a closer look at the 12,000-square-foot roof deck.
More details and renderings ahead

June 6, 2018

Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards unloads Washington Square penthouse at a loss

By Annie Doge

It was only four years ago that Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards and his wife, model Patti Hansen, bought the penthouse at celeb-filled 1 Fifth Avenue for $10.5 million. Two years later, after an overhaul by architect Joe Serrins, the rock legend listed the Greenwich Village spread for $12.23 million. But as it goes, "You Can't Always Get What You Want," and in October 2017 he dropped the price to $12 million even and brought it celebrity stager Cheryl Eisen. The price continued to decline, dropping to $11 million this past November, and most recently $9.95 million. Now, the Observer reports that it's gone into contract, meaning he more than likely took a loss.
Check out the penthouse

Amazing aerial photos show One Vanderbilt’s ascent

Photo by Max Touhey

June 6, 2018

Amazing aerial photos show One Vanderbilt’s ascent

Construction of SL Green's supertall One Vanderbilt continues to push forward, with the steel erection on the 16th floor now complete. By the end of the year, the developer expects to reach the 30th floor of the Kohn Pedersen Fox-designed, 1,401-foot skyscraper, which will become the city's second tallest skyscraper when completed in 2020. A fresh set of aerial photos of the tower provide a new perspective of the surrounding buildings, including neighboring Grand Central Terminal. And with even more sky-high news, SL Green reportedly announced that tickets to One Vanderbilt's 1,000-foot observatory will cost about $39, or $5 more than that of One WTC.
See the pictures

June 5, 2018

Lord & Taylor is closing its 104-year-old Fifth Avenue flagship store

Photo courtesy of Lord & Taylor Lord & Taylor's iconic New York City flagship store will close its doors next year, after occupying the Fifth Avenue building for 104 years. In an attempt to keep afloat last year, Hudson's Bay, owner of the department store, sold the 676,000-square-foot building for $850 million to WeWork, who planned to make the landmark its new global headquarters. While Lord & Taylor was left with roughly 150,000 square feet of space at 424 Fifth Avenue, the company struggled to maintain profitability after the turnover of the building to WeWork. Including the iconic flagship, the company will also close as many as 10 Lord & Taylor stores total (h/t Bloomberg). In a first-quarter report, Hudson's Bay said: "Exiting this iconic space reflects Lord & Taylor's increasing focus on its digital opportunity and HBC's commitment to improving profitability."
More here

Real Estate Trends

June 5, 2018

Jessica Lange drops $3.3M on her second co-op at 1 Fifth Avenue

Jessica Lange is movin’ on up. According to city property records first spotted by The Real Deal, the Academy-award winning actress bought the two-bedroom co-op directly above her current home in 1 Fifth Avenue. Lange paid $3.3 million, more than $500,000 under the asking price, for the sun-filled unit, which is much in need of updating. But this won't be a problem if the speculation that she's looking to combine the two apartments is true.
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City unveils plan to keep fashion industry in the Garment District

Photo via via Alexandra Ferguson

June 5, 2018

City unveils plan to keep fashion industry in the Garment District

The city released on Monday a plan to preserve at least 300,000 square feet of production space in the Garment District for the fashion industry by providing tax breaks for owners who lease manufacturing space. While the district, bound by 35th and 40th Streets and Broadway and Ninth Avenue, was once home to hundreds of thousands of fashion jobs, it has lost 85 percent of firms in the last three decades. In addition to the tax incentives, the plan creates a new zoning rule that would help limit the construction of hotels by introducing a special permit. The Garment Center IDA program, backed by City Hall, the city's Economic Development Corporation, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and industry leaders, also includes lifting previous protections from a 1987 mandate that preserves millions of square feet of apparel-production space on certain side streets. According to the Wall Street Journal, if the plan is approved by the city council, owners would be allowed to convert buildings to other uses, like offices.
More here

Policy

June 4, 2018

For under $1M, this Soho co-op has a dreamy urban terrace

The railroad layout may not seem ideal at first, but this one-bedroom Soho co-op more than makes up for it with two bathrooms and a dreamy outdoor terrace. Asking $945,000, the apartment at 57 Thompson Street lends itself to a shabby chic aesthetic, with whitewashed brick walls, cozy angled rooms, and large windows perfect for window boxes and hanging plants.
The inside is just as charming

Distinctive Homes

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

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 Andrew Berman of Village Preservation

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

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

"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