Manhattan

A massive wall of windows anchors this artsy Tribeca loft, complete with high ceilings, exposed brick walls and Corinthian columns. It's located at 6 Varick Street, a condo conversion with no shortage of distinct loft apartments. After being on the market last year, asking $1.695 million and not selling, this pad is trying its luck with the higher price tag of $1.8 million. The next buyer will have free range across 1,079 square feet of open apartment.
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Distinctive Homes

For $6,500 you can buy your very own ‘Fearless Girl’ statue

The statues available for sale. Photo Credit: Jafe Parsons.

March 28, 2018

For $6,500 you can buy your very own ‘Fearless Girl’ statue

It was bound to happen. Two-foot-high replicas of the popular, controversial "Fearless Girl" statue of a young girl standing up to Wall Street’s “Charging Bull” are now for sale, Huffington Post reports. The statue's creator, artist Kristen Visbal, is selling reproductions of the infamous statue for $6,500; the statues will be part of a limited edition with only 1,000 made in total.
How can I get one?

Events & Things To Do

March 28, 2018

The final frontier of history and hip: Developments and amenities shaping the Lower East Side

For many New Yorkers, the Lower East Side is one neighborhood that still has a lot of authenticities and good 'ole New York grit left. It has been described as Manhattan’s "last frontier of cool. The promised land of old as well as new... Where the Godfather lives side by side with a hipster movie." Put more tangibly by Benjamin Baccash of Taconic Investment Partners, the developer of LES's Essex Crossing, "The Lower East Side has wonderful restaurants, art galleries, and great street life. It’s a real neighborhood and that’s what a lot of people are looking for." In addition to great diversity, personality, and transportation, the city is undertaking huge improvements on the east river waterfront, and developers are erecting new developments at all corners of the 'hood. Ahead, 6sqft takes a look at everything that's keeping the Lower East Side a vestige of old New York during its contemporary resurgence, from massive projects like Essex Crossing to a booming art gallery scene.
As Irving Berlin once said, “Everybody ought to have a Lower East Side in their life.”

Real Estate Trends

Investor group may create its own cryptocurrency to fund purchase of the Plaza

Photo via Wally Gobetz/Flickr

March 28, 2018

Investor group may create its own cryptocurrency to fund purchase of the Plaza

Photo via Wally Gobetz/Flickr Cryptocurrencies make the wild west look tame. Yet despite their volatility, they’re becoming more of a presence in NYC real estate. Five days ago, when we reported on the first Bitcoin closings in Manhattan, the value of Bitcoin was $8,592. It is currently $7,999. According to a CNBC report, Chimera, a group of foreign investors interested in buying the Plaza Hotel, is considering offering partial payment for the transaction in a new cryptocurrency. Chimera has proposed the creation of the “Plaza Token,” an asset-backed securitized token, to raise more than $375 million. They are being advised about this initial coin offering by a company called Securitize. “This would give cryptocurrency investors the chance to diversify into luxury real estate and receive certain concessions inside the Plaza Hotel,” CNBC reports.
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Mike Myers finally unloads $14M Soho penthouse

Photo of Mike Myers via Wikimedia

March 27, 2018

Mike Myers finally unloads $14M Soho penthouse

By Annie Doge

After three years on the market, Mike Myers' Soho penthouse has gone into contract. The actor bought the duplex at 72 Mercer Street back in 2007 for just under $8 million and renovated to its current contemporary state. He first listed in 2015 for $17 million, shortly after adding another unit in the building to the sale, upping the combo price to $21.5 million. This past November, Myers tried yet again, relisting the original penthouse unit for the reduced price of $14 million, and it looks like that did the trick as it's now in contract.
Get a look inside

March 27, 2018

A baronial co-op belonging to designer Francine Coffey asks $2.25M on the Upper East Side

Designer Francine Coffey brought an elegant aestheitc--inspired by American history and the Federal era--to her co-op spanning the full parlor floor of the Upper East Side mansion at 36 East 69th Street. The prewar, baronial-feeling home spans 1,425 square feet, all of it dripping with lavish details that include fireplaces, French doors, wood moldings and decorative ceilings. Coffey has listed the grand spread for a grand total of $2.25 million.
Go inside

Three historic East Harlem buildings designated as New York City landmarks

Photos via LPC

March 27, 2018

Three historic East Harlem buildings designated as New York City landmarks

By Devin Gannon

The city's Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) on Tuesday officially designated three East Harlem buildings as individual landmarks, marking them as some of the neighborhood's most culturally significant structures. The landmarks include a former 19th-century meatpacking house and two former public schools. The LPC chair, Meenakshi Srinivasan, said the buildings were designated for their architectural and cultural significance. "They embody East Harlem's unique development history and recognize the civic institutions and businesses that helped shape the lives of the neighborhood's immigrant groups," Srinivasan said in a statement.
More here

Policy

Downtown’s historic glass sidewalks may become a lost relic

Vault lights in Soho, via WooJin Chung for 6sqft

March 27, 2018

Downtown’s historic glass sidewalks may become a lost relic

By Dana Schulz

Last week, 6sqft outlined the Landmarks Preservation Commission's series of new proposed rules, which "calls for more oversight by LPC staff but less time for public review" in proposals for alterations to historic buildings. But these rule changes extend further than buildings--right down to the sidewalks. As Treehugger first pointed out, one of the LPC's new rules pertains to the removal of vault lights--historic sidewalks made from small circular glass bulbs that are seen throughout Soho and Tribeca. As 6sqft previously explained, "the unique street coverings are remnants from the neighborhood's industrial past when they provided light to the basement factories below before electricity was introduced."
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Saudi prince wants Trump building’s ‘grossly disproportionate’ rent lawsuit thrown out

Image courtesy of CityRealty

March 27, 2018

Saudi prince wants Trump building’s ‘grossly disproportionate’ rent lawsuit thrown out

Trump Park Avenue LLC, a unit of President Trump's company, sued Faisal bin Abdul Majeed al-Saud in February claiming the Saudi prince signed a lease on the Manhattan condo at 502 Park Avenue in 2013 but hasn't paid rent since January 2017. Bloomberg reports that according to a complaint filed in New York State Supreme Court, the Trump Organization says the defendant agreed in June 2014 to extend his lease through June 2019. The defendant, on the other hand, says the landlord failed to comply with lease’s terms and is asking the judge to toss out a lawsuit seeking almost $2 million in unpaid rent, claiming that he gave back the keys to the penthouse last year.
More international drama and intrigue this way

Uncategorized

New looks at Manhattan West and Empire Station developments show the future Midtown West

Via Visualhouse

March 26, 2018

New looks at Manhattan West and Empire Station developments show the future Midtown West

By Devin Gannon

Imagine a future Midtown West with state-of-the-art retail and office towers, an abundance of open green space and an attractive, efficient transit station. While plans to bring all of that is in the works, it could be years away from becoming reality. As CityRealty learned, one of the neighborhood's busiest developers, Brookfield Properties, is giving us a preview of what the area will eventually look like, with new renderings for its expansive, six-building Manhattan West project. Plus, the developer also created a CGI video that provides a virtual tour of the Empire Station, the hall currently undergoing renovations at Penn Station.
Take a peek

March 23, 2018

21 chances to buy an affordable condo at Extell’s chic Upper East Side tower, from $357K

By Devin Gannon

Rendering of The Kent via Beyer Blinder Belle; Photo via CityRealty Applications are now being accepted for 21 brand new, affordable condominiums at Extell Development's Upper East Side tower, The Kent. Designed by Beyer Blinder Belle, the 30-story building, located at 200 East 95th Street, has a facade covered in red brick with accents of dark metal. Qualifying New Yorkers earning between $79,333 and $119,250 annually can apply for the studio, one- and two-bedroom condo units, which range in price from $356,700 to $427,000.
Find out if you qualify

March 23, 2018

$995K Flatiron co-op has a sophisticated entertaining space downstairs and a cozy loft above

If you can't choose between living in a brownstone or a loft, this unique Flatiron co-op at 41 East 19th Street could be just what you're looking for. You get all the grand old style of living on the parlor floor of a lovely landmarked brownstone, with the exposed beams and brick–and the creative use of space on two levels–that make loft living so cool.
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Distinctive Homes

March 22, 2018

A fresh renovation for a classic Apthorp apartment asks $7.8M

At one of the Upper West Side's most historic apartment houses, this four-bedroom spread has undergone a fresh modern revamp. The 3,069-square-foot apartment comes from the Apthorp, a condo built in 1908 for William Waldorf Astor. This apartment belongs to a designer couple, who oversaw the reno but maintained prewar details like fireplaces, moldings and wood floors. They gave the historic interiors pops of color, plus modern amenities. After selling in 2015 for $5.5 million, it's asking $7.75 million after the flip.
Look around

Distinctive Homes

March 22, 2018

Rent Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis’ former Meatpacking love nest for $13.5K/month

Though the couple sold the Meatpacking pad at 66 Ninth Avenue for $3.8 million in 2015 and acquired a stately Clinton Hill mansion, this corner two-bedroom loft in the Porter House condominium is just as lovely at its new rental price of $13,500 a month, as the Post reports. The then-engaged couple (they're married now) sold the home in just five months.
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March 21, 2018

One of only two condos with private terraces at One57 lists for $28.5M

By Dana Schulz

Sure, Michael Dell has bragging rights to buying One57's $100 million penthouse, the most expensive home ever sold in New York City, but Bill Ackman's $91.5 million buy a few floors down came with a coveted terrace. Only two units in the Billionaires' Row building claim "private outdoor space on the park," and the second has just come on the market for the first time, asking $28.5 million. Dubbed the Spring Garden Residence (as opposed to Ackman's "Winter Garden Penthouse," as Curbed notes), the 41st- and 42nd-floor duplex boasts a 43-foot-long great room wrapped in floor-to-ceiling windows that lead to a 671-foot solarium and a terrace with views of the park and skyline.
Take a tour

Distinctive Homes

March 21, 2018

Amy Poehler and Will Arnett’s former West Village condo seeks new life as a $24K/month rental

One-half of this colorful condominium at 1 Morton Square was once home to former couple Amy Poehler and Will Arnett. In happier times, the celeb pair owned a portion of this condo before selling it for $2.2 million in 2007. After being combined, the condo listed for sale again for $10 million in May 2015. Though it's still for sale–at a reduced $7 million–the spacious four-bedroom pad is seeking yet another incarnation as a high-priced rental, asking $23,999 a month.
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Chelsea Market plans international outposts as Google closes on $2.4B purchase of flagship building

Photo courtesy of Jamestown

March 21, 2018

Chelsea Market plans international outposts as Google closes on $2.4B purchase of flagship building

Jamestown, the real estate investment company that just closed on the $2.4 billion sale of the 1.2 million-square-foot Chelsea Market building to Google yesterday, is getting in on the corporate game. The developer will continue to manage Chelsea Market and, according to the Wall Street Journal, they maintained the branding rights and intellectual property connected to the Chelsea Market name outside of Manhattan. The article reports that Jamestown is already scoping out “emerging neighborhoods” throughout the U.S. and Europe and hopes to announce one to two new locations for their new concept before the end of the year. Phillips told the Journal, “The concept travels...Our intention is to create this community of buildings.”
Get the details

Uncategorized

March 20, 2018

INTERVIEW: Developer Edward Baquero explains how he brought old-New York luxury to 20 East End

When I first interviewed Edward Baquero, President of Corigin Real Estate Group, his art curator, Elizabeth Fiore, was furiously texting him images from the Armory Show with potential art for two remaining walls in the stately 20 East End’s octagonal lobby. Baquero is a perfectionist to the nth degree with an obsessive eye for detail, highly skilled research capabilities, a luxurious aesthetic sensibility and a ridiculously funny sense of humor. These two alcove walls were just as important to Baquero as every other detail in his building, no matter how big or small. Nothing in 20 East End was chosen without thorough research and reason followed by multiple iterations of tests and retests. What Baquero created in 20 East End evokes a time when the Astors, Vanderbilts, and Rockefellers dominated Manhattan and defined luxury. Baquero is bringing back the best of the past and melding it with the present to create a model many will replicate in the future. Ahead, 6sqft talks with him about how he achieved this, his inspirations, and what it was like working with Robert A.M. Stern.
Hear what Edward has to say

Empire State Building gets a new, nightly sparkling light show

Via Empire State Realty Trust

March 20, 2018

Empire State Building gets a new, nightly sparkling light show

Via Empire State Realty Trust If you're lucky enough to be blessed with Empire State Building sightlines, your views will, as of this week, include a five-minute sparkling light show every hour, on the hour, between sunset and 2 AM nightly. As Time Out New York reports, this latest addition to the iconic spire's light show repertoire joins a lighting tradition that began in 1932 and includes holiday flair–red, white, and blue lights on the Fourth of July, the green and orange of the Irish flag on St. Patrick’s Day–music-enhanced light shows, and color changes to salute occasions and organizations every night of the year.
See the skyline sparkle

City Living

March 20, 2018

$2.7M FiDi penthouse occupies the former attic of one of NYC’s earliest skyscrapers

This full-floor penthouse is located within the former attic of one of New York's early skyscrapers, the Liberty Tower. Built at 55 Liberty Street in 1909 by Chicago architect Henry Ives Cobb, the Gothic Revival-style office building was the tallest in the world when completed. It was home to FDR's law offices and, later, to German spies plotting to prevent American from joining WWI. Architect Joseph Pell Lombardi converted the tower to co-ops in 1979, with the attic unit retaining vaulted ceilings, exposed beams, and 29 windows offering views across the city. It's now listed for $2.695 million.
See it up close

Distinctive Homes

March 19, 2018

Noho’s Wormhole apartment brings ‘Batman’s cave’ to a Second Empire space

The multidisciplinary architecture/design firm Dash Marshall does it again. Before they evoked water with their “Raft Loft” in Tribeca, and now they turn to the soil with the “Wormhole” in Noho, which takes inspiration from dark tunnels underground that emerge into the bright sun. Inspired by science fiction, like "2001: Space Odyssey," and clients who were amenable to the stories they create, Ritchie Yao, one of the firms’ co-founders explained, “We built a Wormhole above Bond Street by invading a historic structure with futuristic bits to create a world within a world: new inside of old, dark inside of bright, minimal inside of maximal.”
See the whole place

March 19, 2018

Authentic Soho artist loft owned by fashion photographer Greg Kadel asks $4M

Behold, 2,700 glorious square feet of authentic artist loft, located in the middle of Soho on the corner of Crosby and Grand Streets. The open interior is decked out with soaring 14-foot ceilings, cast iron columns, exposed brick and six massive side-by-side wood framed factory windows. The fashion photographer and filmmaker Greg Kadel purchased the home in 2005 for $1.73 million, according to public records. And now the co-op has been listed for $3.895 million.
Explore inside

Distinctive Homes

March 19, 2018

Zayn Malik drops $10M on Soho penthouse after Gigi Hadid breakup

By Annie Doge

After supermodel Gigi Hadid bought a condo at Noho's trendy new building 10 Bond Street in July 2016, she was often seen leaving the building with then-new flame Zayn Malik. But the couple, dubbed ZiGi. Malik by their swarms of fans, announced their breakup last week, and it looks like the pop star was well prepared to begin his bachelor lifestyle, as the Post reports that just days after the news went public, Malik closed on a $10.69 million Soho penthouse at 63 Greene Street.
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Banksy unveils mural at historic Houston Bowery Wall protesting Turkish artist’s imprisonment

Photos courtesy of Goldman Properties

March 16, 2018

Banksy unveils mural at historic Houston Bowery Wall protesting Turkish artist’s imprisonment

The provocative and still anonymous artist Banksy has come back to New York after a five-year hiatus (he was last seen in New York selling his work for $60 a piece in Central Park). After a tease yesterday, his 70-foot mural on the Houston Bowery Wall, made famous by Keith Haring in 1982, depicts 365 hash marks and an image of the Turkish artist Zehra Dogan behind prison bars and the final prison bar transforms into a pencil. The image represents the amount of time Dogan has spent in jail for painting a picture of a war-torn town in Turkey.
Get the whole story and see more photos

March 16, 2018

Restaurateur Keith McNally gets $10M for his French-country Greenwich Village townhouse

After a long run on the market--renting at $25,000/month, $19,000/month, then listed for $13.95 million--restaurateur Keith McNally‘s 4,600 square-foot Greek Revival townhouse has sold. According to The Real Deal, an unknown buyer paid $10.3 million. McNally, behind buzzy establishments like Balthazar, Cherche Midi, Odeon, Café Luxembourg, Schiller’s and Minetta Tavern, bought the 1842 townhouse at 105 West 11th Street in 2000. The design is fit for a restaurateur, with a stunning kitchen, walk-in wine cellar and rustic French-country interiors.
Take one last look inside

March 16, 2018

New photos show Zaha Hadid’s stunning 520 West 28th Street in all its completed glory