Manhattan

6sqft marveled earlier this summer at the utter coolness of the two-unit, three-story property that atop the building at 72 East 1st Street in the East Village. The unit arrived on the market for $3.5 million in June; its top floor is comprised of one of the city’s handful of rare rooftop cabins and cottages. The Nantucket-style cottage is an artists’ studio, with a full-floor penthouse duplex below. Rare and cool clearly count for a lot, because the property has already entered contract at its asking price according to the listing site (h/t Curbed).
Take a look at how these unique homes are laid out

Yankees’ Aaron Judge may have scored a swanky Murray Hill penthouse

Photo of Aaron Judge via Wiki Commons; interior rendering via Ahead Quarters, LTD

September 5, 2017

Yankees’ Aaron Judge may have scored a swanky Murray Hill penthouse

By Annie Doge

Where did Yankees' outfielder and home run slugger Aaron Judge go yesterday after becoming the first rookie to get 100 walks in a season since 1953? Quite possibly to his pad at the glassy new rental 237 East 34th Street. A source told The Real Deal that "the Judgement" recently rented a penthouse at the Murray Hill building, and the latest such unit to go off the market is a $13,900/month duplex with two private terraces, a large open kitchen/living room plan, and East River and skyline views.
All Rise!

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

Images (L to R): THE DEAN, 88 LEONARD STREET, 33 BOND and TRIBECA TOWER

September 2, 2017

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

By Ondel Hylton

Images (L to R): THE DEAN, 88 LEONARD STREET, 33 BOND and TRIBECA TOWER Leasing Update: 555Ten Offers 2 Months Free + Launches Affordable Housing Lottery [link] A Church from 1869 Is Now Quirky Loft Rentals with Cast Iron Catwalks – Flex Units Now Available [link] 33 Bond Opens Debuting Dozens of Units + New […]

Proposal divides Columbus Circle into three zones: Conquest, Slavery, and Immigration

Photo via

September 1, 2017

Proposal divides Columbus Circle into three zones: Conquest, Slavery, and Immigration

Just two days after Mayor de Blasio spoke publicly of his idea to add contextual plaques to controversial statues around the city instead of razing them, Public Advocate candidate and Columbia University history professor David Eisenbach has proposed a completely different plan. In reference to City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito's call to remove Central Park’s Columbus statue based on accounts that the explorer enslaved and killed indigenous people, Eisenbach suggested an alternative where Columbus Circle would be divided into public educational "plazas." As reported by DNAinfo, these would include three parts of the Circle for "Conquest, Slavery, and Immigration." Instead of taking down the monument, he believes this would "tell the story of Columbus’ legacy, the good, the bad, and the ugly."
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Policy

September 1, 2017

Homespun details and an outdoor pool make this Chelsea rental stand out from the pack

Though 634 square feet might not be an endless amount of living space, this one-bedroom Chelsea condo at 133 West 22nd Street packs in a lot of livability, starting with high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, a well-appointed kitchen, a washer-dryer, central air/heating and FIOS wiring. And that's just the apartment–the building even has an outdoor pool. For $4,650 a month you could look forward to spending next summer poolside.
Get an eyeful, this way

Distinctive Homes

August 31, 2017

$975K West Village walk-up with lots of built-ins is the perfect size for one

This charming, crisp, and bright top-floor flat has sweet pre-war details, rustic style done right, and renovation where it counts. The one-bedroom West Village co-op at 78 Charles Street is asking $975,000. The bad news: It's a top-floor walk-up. The good news: A lovely roof deck is just upstairs.
Have a look around

Distinctive Homes

August 30, 2017

Foreclosure moves ahead at Billionaires’ Row supertall 111 West 57th Street

Things have been shaky for 111 West 57th Street since it came to light last month that construction on the world's will-be skinniest skyscraper was stalled at just 20 stories after Property Markets Group's Kevin Maloney and JDS Development’s Michael Stern were sued by real estate investment corporation and owner AmBase. Trying to salvage their $66 million investment, Ambase filed an injunction to stop lender Spruce Capital from seizing the $1 billion project, but yesterday a Supreme Court judge ruled that a strict foreclosure could move forward, meaning AmBase will likely lose its majority ownership, according to Crain's. On the flip side, the developers will now be able to proceed with construction on the 1,421-foot Billionaires' Row tower, whose units started going into contract earlier this month.
The full story

August 30, 2017

This slender West Village townhouse condo is well-located, well-dressed and just under $1M

There's no question, West 10th Street in the West Village is an absolutely lovely street to call home, enviably lined with historic townhouses and surrounded by iconic Village establishments and street life. Tucked within the townhouse condominium at number 223, this renovated apartment, currently asking $999,000, has the right dose of pre-war character and modern conveniences even if its size and layout put it squarely in divided studio territory.
See more West Village cuteness this way

Distinctive Homes

August 29, 2017

Young Projects used interior gardens to combine three floors at a Tribeca penthouse

By Emily Nonko

Brooklyn architecture firm Young Projects is known for transforming New York properties in inventive and visually stunning ways--just look at how they upended the traditional townhouse for this Williamsburg project. For their Hudson Street Residence project, the firm took the top three levels of a Tribeca building and created a gorgeous 13,000-square-foot penthouse apartment tied together by interior garden courts and topped with a striking roof garden. A continuous cast aluminum surface--which the firm specially designed for this project--gracefully weaves together each living space of the residence.
You have to see these outdoor space

3 Hudson Boulevard gets new spire-less rendering as construction commences

Rendering via FXFOWLE/Moinian Group (L); Current construction shot via CityRealty (R)

August 29, 2017

3 Hudson Boulevard gets new spire-less rendering as construction commences

Earlier this month, a new view of 3 Hudson Boulevard added a 300-foot spire, bringing its total height to 1,350 and setting it up to become the tallest tower in Hudson Yards and the fifth tallest in the entire city. However, CityRealty has uncovered another new rendering of the FXFOWLE-designed supertall, which was posted at the work site now that construction has commenced, and noticeably absent is the spire. While the superlative height isn't confirmed, the new rendering does maintain the updated design of a five-story retail podium, tapered body, terraces and "sky gardens," and a rooftop terrace surrounded by glass windscreens.
More details ahead

A Guide to the gilded age mansions of 5th Avenue’s Millionaire Row – Part II

Mrs. Astor’s House on 65th Street and Fifth Avenue. Image via Library of Congress

August 28, 2017

A Guide to the gilded age mansions of 5th Avenue’s Millionaire Row – Part II

By Michelle Young

Last week, 6sqft went through the many mansions, predominately lost, along Millionaire's Row on Fifth Avenue up to 59th Street. Most of this stretch has been converted into upscale luxury retail and corporate skyscrapers, but Millionaire's Row continued northwards along Central Park, which opened in 1857. Though some have been lost, a significant number of these opulent Gilded Age mansions still stand within this more residential zone. The AIA Guide to New York City calls this area of Fifth Avenue from 59th Street to 78th Street the "Gold Coast," and rightly so. Walking up 5th Avenue, you'll first pass the decadent Sherry-Netherland Hotel with its recently uncovered 1927 Beaux-Arts mural and the Stanford White-designed Metropolitan Club, founded by J.P. Morgan in 1891 for friends who were rejected from the old-money Knickerbocker Club. But even before the construction of the Metropolitan Club, a mansion was rising less than a block away on 61st Street and Fifth Avenue.
Find out more about these incredible mansions here

August 28, 2017

Alexander Skarsgärd lands Parker Posey’s former East Village co-op for $2.3M

By Annie Doge

Alexander Skarsgärd, an Emmy-nominee for his role in “Big Little Lies” and star of “True Blood,” has just purchased a co-op at 119 East 10th Street for $2.3 million, $300,000 over the asking price (h/t LLNYC). The East Village apartment once belonged to actress Parker Posey who sold it in 2008 for $1.3 million. Chloe Sevigny also lived in the same building for a few years before making the move to Brooklyn in 2013. The newly-single Swedish actor, who first looked at a penthouse at 415 East 6th Street back in December, chose the historic loft-like one-bedroom, which features wood-beamed ceilings, oversized windows and a communal garden, instead.
See inside

August 25, 2017

James Wagman Architect designed this East Village apartment around a custom helix staircase

By Emily Nonko

This 1,410-square-foot apartment in the East Village, owned by sculptor Yvonne Hananel, is the work of the Manhattan-based firm James Wagman Architects. Their client needed a reconfiguration of the interior to improve its "circulation" and increase the livable square footage for studio space. The entire pad got upgraded, then the architect added a custom-designed, open helix staircase not only as the focal point but as a way to open up more floor space. As for the design, Hananel kept it minimalist. “By keeping the walls white and uncluttered, everything from the green leaves of my ficus trees to the colorful books on the shelves stand out in high relief,” she told Houzz.
Hear more about this East Village reno

The Urban Lens: ‘Fifth Avenuers’ is a visual registry of the iconic street’s vibrancy and diversity

Photos © Nei Valente

August 25, 2017

The Urban Lens: ‘Fifth Avenuers’ is a visual registry of the iconic street’s vibrancy and diversity

By Andrew Berman of Village Preservation

6sqft’s series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment Brazilian designer and street photographer Nei Valente presents his series "Fifth Avenuers." Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. Fifth Avenue: the street that divides Manhattan east to west; home to many of the world's most prestigious museums and famous buildings; high-end shopping destination; the road to Central Park; office district. There's no one way to describe the thoroughfare, nor is there one type of person associated with it. It's this vibrancy that branding designer and street photographer Nei Valente set out to capture in his new series "Fifth Avenuers." Over several months, Nei used his lunch breaks to capture "the unusual mix of tourists, blue- and white-collar professionals, and shoppers," creating "a visual registry of people and moments from one of the most iconic avenues in the world." His editorial style and candid technique is not dissimilar from that in "Newsstands," in which he documented the changing face of newsstands around the city. Ahead, Nei shares all his photos from "Fifth Avenuers" and fills us in on what went on behind the scenes.
Get it all right here

August 24, 2017

‘National Lampoon’s’ child actress lists grown-up East Village duplex for $800K

By Annie Doge

Best known for her role as daughter Audrey Griswold in the classic 1983 comedy “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” Dana Barron has listed her East Village duplex for $799,000. The small but adorable pad sits on a tree-lined block near Tompkins Square Park at 418 ½ East Ninth Street, and, as the New York Post reported, the one-bedroom apartment boasts a working fireplace, walk-in-closet and classic spiral staircase.
See inside

August 24, 2017

How LGBT activism led to NYC’s most notorious bank robbery: The real story behind ‘Dog Day Afternoon’

The most notorious bank robbery in New York City history took place on August 22, 1972, during the decidedly dog days of that long hot summer. Immortalized in the film "Dog Day Afternoon," it was an unlikely anti-hero tale with a backstory that began in Greenwich Village, interwoven with the social and political currents running through the city at the time, most notably the growing LGBT movement that had taken hold after the Stonewall Riots.
Get the whole surprising history this way

History

$2B redevelopment of Times Square’s Palace Theater gets new renderings

Rendering of the Palace Theatre entrance via Maefield Development

August 24, 2017

$2B redevelopment of Times Square’s Palace Theater gets new renderings

Two years since the plan’s approval by the LPC, the redevelopment of the historic Palace Theatre at 1568 Broadway is nearly ready to take off. The theater will be raised 29 feet above its current level, making room for 70,000 square feet of new retail and entertainment space. With help earlier this month from L&L Holding Company, who became an equity and development partner, the ambitious project continues to progress; as CityRealty discovered, new renderings show the theater enveloped by an expanded Doubletree Guest Suites hotel, a new glass facade, and a sweeping LED screen at its podium. And though the gilded Beaux-Arts interiors will be preserved (they're interior landmarks), some preservationists have expressed concerns that moving the actual structure is a bit too aggressive.
Find out more

Chinatown’s low-income senior building is taking applications for the first time in 25 years

96 Baxter Street via Google Street View

August 24, 2017

Chinatown’s low-income senior building is taking applications for the first time in 25 years

The 13-story, 88-unit rental building for low-income seniors at 96 Baxter Street in Chinatown has opened its waiting list to new applicants this week for the first time in 25 years (h/t Lo-Down). Only people aged 62 and older (over 18 if they are mobility impaired) can apply. The units rent for 30 percent of one's annual income; studios are available to those earning less than $33,400 a year and one-bedroom to those earning less than $38,200. The waitlist originally contained over 3,000 names, a number which now stands at only a handful. Among the building's current tenants, two are reportedly 108 years old. The youngest residents are about 85.
See the qualifications

Affordable Housing

De Blasio considering removal of Christopher Columbus statue near Central Park

Photo via

August 23, 2017

De Blasio considering removal of Christopher Columbus statue near Central Park

"Christopher Columbus is a controversial figure for many of us, particularly those that come from the Caribbean," said Puerto Rican-born City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. According to DNAinfo, Viverito is calling on the city to consider removing the Columbus Circle statue of the Italian explorer as part of their larger 90-day review of "symbols of hate." She first introduced the proposal on Monday at a rally in East Harlem to remove another controversial statue, that of Dr. James Marion Sims, who achieved his title as the father of modern gynecology by performing experiments on slaves without consent and without anesthesia. Columbus, honored for discovering the Americas, is also believed to have enslaved and killed many of the indigenous people he encountered. In response, the Mayor's office said the proposal will receive "immediate attention." But of course, not everyone is happy about it.
Both sides of the debate

Policy

If you don’t mind sharing a bathroom, live in happening Hell’s Kitchen for $714/month

View of 330-332 West 51st Street via Google Stret View

August 23, 2017

If you don’t mind sharing a bathroom, live in happening Hell’s Kitchen for $714/month

Just about a year ago, nine $774/month SROs at Stardom Hall at 330 West 51st Street became available through the city's affordable housing lottery. While it was quite the deal--more so for its location on what is arguably Hell's Kitchen's most foodie-friendly block--the units had shared-floor bathrooms and just kitchenettes. But if those aren't deterrents for you, 13 more units at the building next door, 332, are now up for grabs, asking $714/month. They're available to single persons currently residing in Manhattan Community Board 4 and earning 60 percent of the area median income.
See the qualifications

Affordable Housing

15 Central Park West. Image: Wikimedia Commons

August 23, 2017

15 Central Park West still reigns as New York City’s most expensive condo

Even with a rapidly rising field of competitors, 15 Central Park West still holds the title of New York City's most expensive condominium, according to the just-released CityRealty100. Robert A.M. Stern's "Limestone Jesus," built in 2007, has many a superlative under its limestone-clad belt, but the one that puts it in the top spot tallies the eight apartments sold in the past year for an average price per square foot of $7,227. 15 Central Park West also grabbed the top three most expensive sales by PPSF, with the $50.5 million Penthouse 40B, sold by Barclay’s CEO Bob Diamond to an unnamed Chinese buyer, topping the list at $9,581/square foot.
Find out more about the city's priciest properties

Real Estate Trends

August 23, 2017

Loft in an 1896 Newspaper Row skyscraper has a sunroom and a terrace for $8.3K a month

The Beaux Arts skyscraper known as the American Tract Building at 150 Nassau Street is among the city's oldest landmarks. It was built in 1896 as the headquarters for the American Tract Society, one of the nation's largest religious printing companies. As an anchor of the Seaport district's Newspaper Row, it was among the city's tallest office towers of its time and one of the city's first steel skeletal frame skyscrapers. Like many historic NYC buildings, it has since been transformed into luxury condominiums like this sprawling 1,700 square-foot two-bedroom designer loft, now on the rental market for $8,250 a month.
Check out the space

Distinctive Homes

Zaha Hadid’s futuristic 520 West 28th Street gets rental listings, from $15,000/month

520 West 28th Street via Zaha Hadid Architects

August 22, 2017

Zaha Hadid’s futuristic 520 West 28th Street gets rental listings, from $15,000/month

Just last month, closings began on Zaha Hadid’s 520 West 28th Street, a structure 6sqft crowned as Building of the Year in 2016. Now, rental apartments at the luxury residential building have officially hit the market (h/t Curbed NY). The late architect’s signature curved and organic architectural style is complemented with interiors like a marble-clad kitchen island, glass walls and energy-efficient lighting. In total, the building has 39 units, with three currently on the rental market: Units No. 31, No. 17 and No. 18. The three units range from $15,000 per month to $22,500 per month.
Take a peek inside

To avoid the PATH, will Hoboken commuters pay for pricey ferry service?

NY Waterway Ferry via Wikimedia

August 22, 2017

To avoid the PATH, will Hoboken commuters pay for pricey ferry service?

As 6sqft reported in April, NY Waterway launched an additional ferry route running from Hoboken to Midtown Manhattan in response to a train derailment and delays at Penn Station. And since Amtrak closed a few tracks for repairs, more commuters have opted to take the scenic ferry as an alternative. While the eight-minute ride was normally only available during transit crisis, it will become a permanent transit option on Sept. 5. And although the ferry is perhaps a quicker and more scenic alternative, it comes with a steep price of $274.50 per month, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Find out more

Transit

August 22, 2017

90 apartments up for grabs at Extell’s 555Ten in Hudson Yards from $613/month

Applications are currently being accepted for the second phase of affordable apartments at 555 Tenth Avenue and 41st Street in booming Hudson Yards on Manhttan's West Side. Extell Development’s luxurious 610-foot-tall, the mixed-use tower includes 56 stories and spans 725,000 square feet. The amenities seem endless, with residential access to the building’s 24-hour fitness center with a yoga studio, indoor pool, outdoor rooftop pool, outdoor landscaped space, a bowling alley and a putting green. New Yorkers earning 40 and 120 percent of the area median income can apply for units ranging from $613 per month studios to $2,875 three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Statue of Dr. J. Marion Sims in Central Park. Image: Wikimedia Commons.

August 21, 2017

East Harlem statue of unethical M.D. should be the next ‘hero’ to fall, says community board