Manhattan

Nina Dobrev, best known for her role in "The Vampire Diaries," appears to be making the move to Manhattan. The actress recently toured a two-bedroom pad at Blue, a Lower East Side condominium at 105 Norfolk Street, according to the New York Post. The roughly 1,400-square-foot condo boasts lots of natural light, state-of-the-art appliances and a private outdoor space. Originally listed for $2.31 million in 2016, the condo is currently asking $1.88 million.
See inside

Celebrities

March 1, 2018

$2.7M Noho triplex stuns with library walls, glass ceilings, and gilded mirrors

The listing for this 3,000-square-foot home at 710 Broadway in Noho invokes Shakespeare, but we think the triplex, asking $2.695 million, has loftier ambitions. The three-story space is ideal for "an artist, photographer, bibliophile, therapist, or just somebody who likes to entertain," or even someone who doesn't: It's built for privacy, with sleeping areas tucked away on the top and bottom floors and public areas in between (h/t Curbed). A glass-topped solarium awaits off the bookshelf-lined living room, and a lower level opens onto an enclosed patio for solitary or social pursuits.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

New construction photos show One Vanderbilt’s 1,401-foot ascent

Photo courtesy of Max Touhey

February 28, 2018

New construction photos show One Vanderbilt’s 1,401-foot ascent

After beginning its vertical construction last June, One Vanderbilt's progress shows no signs of slowing. According to SL Green, the supertall is currently rising two floors per month and after the 13th floor is completed, three floors will be installed every month. The planned 1,401-foot tower, which will become the city's second tallest skyscraper when completed, will measure over one million square feet. In addition to the above-ground construction, the project includes $220 million in public transit improvements as well as a passageway for direct access to the subway.
See it here

NYC Ferry routes coming to the Lower East Side and the Bronx this summer

Image © 6sqft

February 28, 2018

NYC Ferry routes coming to the Lower East Side and the Bronx this summer

Two neighborhoods underserved by transit will get a bit more accessible this summer. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Wednesday that construction has officially kicked off for new NYC Ferry landings on the Lower East Side and in the Soundview neighborhood of the Bronx. Skanska USA will construct four docks at Corlears Hook, East 90th Street and Stuyvesant Cove on the East River as well as at Clason Point Park in Soundview. According to the city, the new LES and Bronx routes will serve more than 1.4 million riders each year.
More here

Transit

February 28, 2018

Fashion exec buys $17M Dakota combo of Judy Garland’s and Roberta Flack’s former addresses

6sqft takes notice when homes in the storied Dakota at 1 West 72nd Street hit the market; word was out that the three-bedroom co-op in the iconic Upper West Side building that was the alleged onetime home of Judy Garland had recently changed hands after several price chops, and Roberta Flack’s mirror-walled co-op went into contract after having been on the market since 2015. Now Mansion Global reports that power couple Eric and Stacey Bendet Eisner are the buyers of the massive co-op combo. Ms. Eisner is chief executive and creative director of clothing company Alice + Olivia, and her husband Eric (son of former Walt Disney Company CEO Michael Eisner) is an entertainment and media mogul.
See more of this iconic property combo

February 27, 2018

‘Store Front’ photographers plan a life-size memorial to lost Lower East Side mom-and-pops

By Dana Schulz

Photographers James and Karla Murray published their first account of small businesses in NYC a decade ago with their seminal book “Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York,” which captured hundreds of mom-and-pops and their iconic facades, many of them since shuttered, along with interviews with the business owners. They've since published two follow-ups, "New York Nights" and "Store Front II-A History Preserved," winning countless awards and gaining local and national fame for their documentation of a vanishing retail culture. And this summer, they're bringing their work to a larger scale than ever. The Lo-Down reports that 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 disappeared--a bodega, a coffee shop/luncheonette (the recently lost Cup & Saucer), a vintage store, and a newsstand.
More details

Events & Things To Do

February 27, 2018

Finalists for Park Avenue design contest propose an artificial mountain and a river for kayak commutes

Fisher Brothers unveiled on Tuesday the 17 finalists chosen for its "Beyond the Centerline" design competition after receiving more than 150 submissions. Participants were asked to think of creative and ambitious ideas to transform the traffic medians along Park Avenue between 46th and 57th Streets. The finalists did not disappoint. Proposals call for an Alpine mountain, a massive aquarium, floating gardens, mini-golf, an elevated walkway and more. Although a jury will select the grand prize winner, all 17 proposals will be on display for public voting at Park Avenue Plaza, located at 55 East 52nd Street, from March 5 to March 9 for the second-place prize. Below, check out all of the unique projects.
See the ambitious ideas

Architecture And Design

My 700sqft: Mommy blogger Brianne Manz balances work and parenting in Battery Park City

6sqft’s series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to the Battery Park City apartment of “Stroller in the City” founder Brianne Manz. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

February 27, 2018

My 700sqft: Mommy blogger Brianne Manz balances work and parenting in Battery Park City

By Dana Schulz

The term "mommy blogger" is fairly well known today, but when Brianne Manz started Stroller in the City nearly a decade ago, she was charting new waters. A fashion industry veteran, Brianne has grown the site into a full-scale lifestyle resource, offering tips on raising a family in New York City, the latest in kids' fashion, and "all things that are mommy." 6sqft recently visited Brianne at the Battery Park City apartment she and her husband found 15 years ago but now share with their three children (their oldest son in nine and two daughters are six and four). Not only did we get to see first-hand how this entrepreneur balances work and parenting, but we chatted with her about why she loves her neighborhood, why having kids in NYC is a great idea, and how anyone can create a family-friendly home.
All this and more ahead

New details revealed for Pier 17, the foodie oasis coming to the South Street Seaport

A rendering of Pier 17’s proposed temporary rooftop structure via LPC/ Howard Hughes Corp.

February 27, 2018

New details revealed for Pier 17, the foodie oasis coming to the South Street Seaport

The Howard Hughes Corporation has worked since 2010 to revitalize the Seaport District as a destination for New Yorkers, bringing more than 400,000 square feet of cultural and culinary space to the waterfront. The highlight of the $731 million redevelopment remains Pier 17, a four-story building designed by Achim Menges with a see-through canopy, dining options, an iPic theater, retail and more. The Landmarks Preservation Commission approved the revised designs for the project in December and the New York Post has just learned more information about the project's timeline, with nearly everything set to open at some point this year.
More this way

February 27, 2018

Asking $10M, this huge Tribeca loft has a cashmere-lined bedroom and 20-foot fireplace

In the impressive converted Tribeca loft condo building at 137-141 Duane Street and 62-66 Thomas Street known as Diamond on Duane, this three- or four-bedroom loft with 75 feet of world-facing windows has a recent renovation going for it in addition to 5,800 square feet of living space. In that renovation, no luxury was spared including a cashmere-lined bedroom, and "apartment-sized" closet/dressing room, a library with a full wet bar and a 20-foot gas fireplace.
Apartment-sized closet and more, this way

Distinctive Homes

Design competition proposals call for fish tanks and mini-golf in the middle of Park Avenue

Rendering courtesy of Eric Spencer

February 26, 2018

Design competition proposals call for fish tanks and mini-golf in the middle of Park Avenue

In November, Fisher Brothers first launched a design competition to bring life to the boring traffic medians along Park Avenue, between East 46th and East 57th Streets. The privately-funded contest, dubbed "Beyond the Centerline," aims to spur creative thinking and unique ideas never before considered for the traffic medians. After the developer received more than 150 submissions from landscape architects and urban planners, the list has been narrowed to 17 finalists (h/t New York Times). Stand out proposals from the finalists include a mini-golf course, a glass aquarium and a curvy, elevated park.
More details here

Architecture And Design

February 26, 2018

Dick Cavett’s old-world Central Park West co-op lists for $6M

Back in 2009, Dick Cavett paid $4.2 million for an amazingly preserved unit at the historic Central Park West co-op the Kenilworth. But all of this old-world charm wasn't enough to keep the talk-show host and comedian, as the three-bedroom home, which the listing describes as "fit for Royals," has just hit the market for $5,995,000. A lucky buyer will get to enjoy a slew of pre-war details, including leaded glass windows and doors, the original oak-paneled dining room, floor-to-ceiling custom built-ins, decorative fireplaces, and carved woodwork and moldings.
Take a tour

February 26, 2018

First-floor pad with some prewar charm asks $1M on the Upper West Side

By Emily Nonko

You're getting something of a deal for this two-bedroom co-op up for sale at 301 West 108th Street on the Upper West Side. The spacious pad is asking $1.12 million due to its first-floor location and lack of views. (It hit the market for $1.249 million last year and didn't sell.) But the listing does promise that it isn't the "typical" ground-floor unit, considering that it's "elevated well above ground level." Prewar touches that include archways, moldings, wainscoting and hardwood floors--plus a stunning building lobby--don't hurt, either. The apartment last sold in 2015 for $995,000.
See what you think

Distinctive Homes

How the Second Avenue Subway is hurting Upper East Side businesses

96th Street entrance to the Second Avenue Subway, via MTA/Flickr

February 26, 2018

How the Second Avenue Subway is hurting Upper East Side businesses

By Cait Etherington

On Valentine’s Day, The Source, a long-running store on Third Avenue that sold everything from stationary and household cleaning products to cards and candles, closed its doors for good. Since early January, when the owner hung a going-out-of-business sign in his window, he had been telling Upper East Siders shoppers that he was shutting down for two reasons: rising rents but the drastic decline in business brought about by the Second Avenue Subway’s opening in January 2017. Although one might assume that a business like The Source is really a victim of Amazon and the rise of other online retailers, the increasing vacancy rates along Third and Lexington Avenues on the Upper East Side over the past year appear to confirm his speculation. As much as the Second Avenue Subway has been good news for businesses in Yorkville, its opening seems to have dealt a devastating blow to businesses located just west of the new line.
What’s the deal?

Transit

More than half of NYC’s 20 most expensive sales were at One57 and 432 Park

432 Park Avenue via CIM Group/Macklowe Properties

February 26, 2018

More than half of NYC’s 20 most expensive sales were at One57 and 432 Park

The buyer of One57's $100 million penthouse was unveiled as Michael Dell last week, finally solving the mystery of which billionaire set New York City's record for the most expensive home ever sold. The reveal sparked CityRealty's interest in finding out where other costly buildings fall in comparison. Unsurprisingly, Midtown's One57 and 432 Park make up 12 out of the city's 20 priciest homes ever sold with single units going for $100.47 million and $91.5 million, respectively. While those two buildings on Billionaires' Row easily take the top three spots, 15 Central Park West ranks fourth, with its $88 million penthouse sold in 2012.
More this way

Real Estate Trends

Highly elegant and highly classified: The history of espionage at the St. Regis

Photo via Wally Gobetz/Flickr

February 26, 2018

Highly elegant and highly classified: The history of espionage at the St. Regis

By Lucie Levine

You know that Old King Cole had a pipe and bowl, but did you know he also had a cloak and dagger? New York’s hyper-illustrious St. Regis Hotel, home to the famous King Cole Bar, has a clandestine pedigree that goes straight to its core. Founded by a family of spies, the Hotel became headquarters for the nation’s wartime spy service, and in the process helped inspire not only the Bloody Mary cocktail but also the Invasion of North Africa.
Read on for the history of Midtown’s preeminent spy den

February 26, 2018

This $6K/month West Village loft comes with a ton of exposed brick and a dash of fun

The listing for this "truly unique" 1,200-square-foot loft at 73 8th Avenue at the Meatpacking/West Village border tells of its "ton of exposed brick," and though we're not sure that's an exact measurement, we know it's asking exactly $6,000 a month to enjoy its one bedroom, 14-foot ceilings, wide-plank cherry wood floors and private outdoor paradise.
Looks like a fun place to live

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

Images (L to R): 525W52, Hudson Crossing, 27 ON 27TH and 247N7

February 24, 2018

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

By Ondel Hylton

Images (L to R): 525W52, Hudson Crossing, 27 ON 27TH and 247N7 Neighborhood’s Rich History Embraced in 525W52’s Art Program; See the Installations Live at Hudson Crossing in Midtown West: Studio to 2-Bed Rentals from $2,475/Month Live in LIC at 27 on 27th: Rentals from $2,384/Month in Full-Service Luxury Tower Williamsburg’s 247N7 Offers Stylish Apartments […]

Real Estate Trends

The Chinese government now owns the Waldorf Astoria

Photo via Wikimedia

February 23, 2018

The Chinese government now owns the Waldorf Astoria

The Chinese government has taken control over debt-ridden Anbang Insurance Group, a Beijing-based firm known for snatching up prominent properties around the world for billions of dollars. One of those high-profile properties includes New York City's iconic Waldorf Astoria, which the group purchased for $1.95 billion in 2014. According to the New York Times, the government takeover comes after Abang violated regulations, although the exact violations committed are unclear so far. Anbang will be overseen for one year by a group that includes China's central bank, the country's securities and banking regulator, the regular of foreign exchanges and other government agencies.
Find out more

Events & Things To Do

February 23, 2018

This classic $6.4M West Broadway loft is the stuff of Soho dreams

In a 1900-era loft-building on a bustling West Soho block, this full-floor loft co-op at 459 West Broadway spans 3,150 square feet of brick-lined, impossibly high-ceilinged living space. On the market for $6.35 million, the three-bedroom loft has all the old-school historic details that are often copied but increasingly rare in the era of the celebrity-filled loft condo.
Take a look

Distinctive Homes

Soon to be largest deliberately demolished tower ever, 270 Park Avenue proposal faces backlash

270 Park Avenue via MikePScott’s Flickr

February 22, 2018

Soon to be largest deliberately demolished tower ever, 270 Park Avenue proposal faces backlash

Plans to replace JPMorgan Chase's current headquarters at 270 Park Avenue with a much taller tower at the same site is facing opposition from architecture and preservation buffs, shortly after the proposal was announced. Not only will the project become the largest intentionally demolished building in history, as YIMBY reported, the landmark-worthy Union Carbide Building was also designed in 1960 by Natalie de Blois, a pioneer of American architecture and one of the few female senior designers at that time. As the first project under the Midtown East rezoning, JPMorgan Chase's existing 700-foot tall structure will be bulldozed to make way for a tower that will most likely be over 1,200 feet tall.
More this way

February 22, 2018

Did you know the Flatiron Building used to have a massive restaurant in the basement?

By Emily Nonko

New York's iconic Flatiron building, built in 1902, gets plenty of attention for its distinctive, triangular design. But the massive restaurant that operated out of the landmark's basement--known as The Flat Iron Restaurant and Cafe--has seemingly been lost to the ages. The basement restaurant allegedly could seat up to 1,500 guests. And by 1906, Madison Square had transformed from a desirable residential neighborhood for the city’s elite, as it had been in the Gilded Age, to a bustling commercial hub. The lengthy menu reflects that, with offerings that include affordable dishes of shellfish, meats, and sandwiches.
Check out the menu

Billionaire Michael Dell revealed as the secret buyer of One57’s $100M penthouse

Image courtesy of Extell/One57

February 22, 2018

Billionaire Michael Dell revealed as the secret buyer of One57’s $100M penthouse

Founder and CEO of Dell Technologies, Michael Dell, was revealed as the buyer of the sprawling penthouse at One57 for $100.47 million, the most expensive home ever sold in New York City. According to the Wall Street Journal, Dell first entered a contract to buy the unit in 2012 when the Billionaires' Row building, located at 157 West 57th Street, was still under construction. He closed the transaction through a limited liability company in 2014.
Get the details

Real Estate Trends

February 22, 2018

‘Glee’ actor Matthew Morrison puts his beachy Chelsea condo on the market for $2.5M

Actor Matthew Morrison of "Glee" fame must really want to part ways with his Chelsea condo because he and his wife Renee have just listed the two-bedroom at 540 West 28th Street for $2.495 million, according to People, barely more than the $2.25 million they bought it for in 2014. The couple was using the two-bedroom corner unit as a pied-a-terre while Morrison starred on Broadway in "Finding Neverland" from 2015-2016, but after welcoming their first child, a son named Revel, four months ago, they may be looking to reprioritize.
Take a look around

Christie Brinkley leaves Hamptons homes behind for a $30K/month Tribeca rental

Photo of Christie Brinkley via Wikimedia

February 21, 2018

Christie Brinkley leaves Hamptons homes behind for a $30K/month Tribeca rental