Manhattan

Image via Google Street View 6sqft reported in November that the 25,000-square-foot, 41-foot-wide townhouse at 19 East 64th Street belonging to art heir David Wildenstein had gone into contract for $81 million. The sale has closed for $79.5 million–$3,180 a foot–according to public records, setting a new record for Manhattan's priciest townhouse sale; the previous record was held by the Harkness mansion at 4 East 75th Street, which sold for $53 million in 2006. According to The Real Deal, the buyer, listed as 19-21 East 64th Holding LLC, is affiliated with HNA Holdings Group CEO Roy Liao. HNA Holdings Group is also behind the $2.2 billion deal to purchase 245 Park Avenue. The 1930s townhouse is the former home of the Wildenstein gallery.
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Real Estate Trends

April 5, 2017

REVEALED: Inside the model residences of Zaha Hadid’s 520 West 28th Street

Just a few days after the first anniversary of Zaha Hadid's death, developer Related Companies has revealed the first look inside the apartments at 520 West 28th Street--the Pritzker Prize-winning architect's first (and possibly only) NYC project. The first is a 4,500-square-foot, $15 million four-bedroom designed by Jennifer Post, combining her signature elegant, minimal aesthetic with Hadid's futuristic, architectural vision. The other is a 1,700-square-foot, $4.9 million unit from West Chin who employs his signature modern style in a way that complements the building's signature curves and organic indoor and outdoor architecture. Both spaces will serve as the building's sales gallery before the anticipated June 2017 move-in.
See all the renderings here

April 5, 2017

Tom Brady and Gisele looking to upgrade apartments at 70 Vestry Street

With deflatgate behind him and another Super Bowl win under his belt, Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady is looking to upgrade apartments. The Post reports that he and supermodel wife Gisele Bündchen may be trading up from the 11th floor spread at Tribeca's 70 Vestry Street they bought for $20 million in August to a $35 million unit on the floor above. Why? The speculation is that Brady wants to be on floor 12, the same number as his jersey. Perhaps it's pure ego or superstition since his jersey was recently stolen after the big game. Either way, the Robert A.M. Stern-designed building won't be complete until next year, so the power couple has some time to make a final Hail Mary.
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April 5, 2017

Ralph Lauren closing flagship store amid Fifth Avenue slowdown

Ralph Lauren announced Tuesday that it will close its flagship store on Fifth Avenue and 55th Street, citing falling revenue and rising rents. As reported by the New York Times, the company, which opened this location in 2014, plans to reorganize by investing more in their online stores. Keeping afloat a business on New York City’s most expensive shopping strip is not a problem unique to Ralph Lauren; Kenneth Cole, Juicy Couture, and H&M have also recently closed their doors. Soaring rents, plus a drop in tourism, has lead to an increase in vacant space along Fifth Avenue.
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Real Estate Trends

April 5, 2017

Robert A.M. Stern will lead the transformation of the historic Belnord into condos

By Diane Pham

The conversion of the historic Belnord into luxury condominiums is moving forward, with the property expected to be brought to market as early as the third quarter of the year. This morning, HFZ Capital announced they have tapped starchitect Robert A.M. Stern to helm the transformation, which would turn approximately 95 rental apartments in the full-block, 1908 building at 225 West 86th Street into fully converted and reimagined apartments. In all, the limestone-and-brick structure currently maintains 213 rental units.
more details here

April 5, 2017

Colorful studio right off Central Park West asks just $575K

By Emily Nonko

Here's a chance to live right off Central Park West without spending a fortune. This fun, colorful studio has hit the market for $575,000 at The Park Royal, an Upper West Side co-op just a half block from the park. The building, of course, boasts a 24-hour concierge and doorman, and the studio isn't too shabby, either. A wide arched doorway provides separate living spaces and the kitchen was smartly packed away into an alcove. Some creative design allows for a little extra space to spread out, as well.
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Distinctive Homes

April 4, 2017

Explore the homes of NYC’s notable writers with an audio-narrated tour

Some of the greatest literary giants of all time lived and wrote in New York City. In celebration of the 200th anniversary of HarperCollins, which was founded in NYC, the publishing company created an interactive walking tour map that narrates the history of each author as you walk (h/t DNAinfo). Just a few of the famed Big Apple authors include Harper Lee, Mark Twain, Zora Neale Hurston and Richard Wright.
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April 4, 2017

The 10 best neighborhoods for New York City artists

Like most things in New York, creative communities come and ago as new development and rising rents force artists to move on to the next best, or cheaper neighborhood. While 6sqft found 'hoods like the Upper East Side, Harlem and Long Island City to be the best places for artists a few years back, we've updated our top-10 list to reflect the changing times. Ahead you'll find some areas you may expect--Sunset Park and Bushwick, for example, along with more up-and-coming artsy enclaves like Newark, Washington Heights, and the South Bronx.
The full list right this way

April 4, 2017

This $499K East Village co-op serves up modern rustic and cozy chic

Though it shares a neighborhood with celebrities and models, this charming East Village flat at 633 East 11th Street may not break the bank at $499,000. The sunny one-bedroom home boasts historic details like stained glass pocket doors, exposed brick, original moldings and high ceilings, with custom contemporary updates in the kitchen and bath. Its classic railroad layout—the bath is at one end of the apartment, behind the bedroom—is definitely best for one or a cozy couple.
C'mon in

Distinctive Homes

April 3, 2017

FREE RENT: Roundup of NYC’s latest rental concessions

By Ondel Hylton

Andre Kikoski-Designed Apartments in Chelsea Offer One Month Free & Discounted Deposits [link] Upscale Rentals in a Landmarked Building Offering Two Months Free [link] Hoboken’s New Rental 600 Harrison Now Leasing Spacious 1 to 3 Bedroom Apartments [link] Inspired Rentals at Leonard Pointe in Williamsburg Offering One Month of Free Rent [link] New Two-Bedroom Brooklyn […]

Real Estate Trends

Update 4/4/2017: 6sqft has been informed that Kara Mann’s design will likely not move forward because of changes with the development team. We will provide additional updates as we receive them.

April 3, 2017

First look at the iconic Hotel Chelsea’s glamorous interior renovation

By Rebecca Paul

While there's no shortage of hotels to visit in New York City, some are more worthy of the trip than others, and the restored Hotel Chelsea will certainly be one of them when it reopens in 2018. The renovation of this famous hotel—known since the 1960s as a haven for artists, writers, and musicians, housing famous tenants including Bob Dylan, Stanley Kubrick, Jasper Johns, Patty Smith, Dylan Thomas and Leonard Cohen—has been in the works since 2011, with lots of drama, ultimately finding some direction following a $250M purchase by Richard Born and Ira Drukier of BD Hotels and hotelier Sean MacPherson, last year. Following the sale, the new owners announced they would redevelop the property as a hotel and condos, departing from previous plans of simply converting the structure into a high-end hotel. Now, with its re-opening just around the corner, the first few images of the glamorous new interiors designed by Kara Mann have emerged.
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April 3, 2017

A skyscraper may be built on top of Lord & Taylor’s Fifth Avenue flagship

The 103-year-old landmarked Lord & Taylor flagship store at 424 Fifth Avenue may be getting a luxurious makeover. As the New York Post learned, the speculative project includes constructing a steel-and-glass skyscraper and redeveloping the building into an office and residential tower, keeping the 11-story department store as the base. Sources tell the Post that NYC property executive Richard Baker, who acquired Lord & Taylor in 2008, is behind the development talks. And though few details are known, "real estate insiders" point out that nearby towers rise as high as 60 stories.
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New Developments

April 3, 2017

Alexis Bittar, Clara Sunwoo ink leases at Industry City, bringing total fashion space to 350,000+ square feet

There's been much talk in the past couple months about the city's push to drive the fashion industry from its long-time home in the Garment District to new, lower-cost space in Sunset Park. The new, $136 million, 200,000-square-foot "Made in NYC Campus" has become synonymous with the shift, but the adjacent Industry City mega-development has been at the forefront since even beforeBelvedere Capital and Jamestown Properties took over in 2013. With tenants such as the Gap, Bauble Bar, and Rag & Bone, they've now announced that internationally known jewelry company Alexis Bittar will lease an additional 10,000 square feet (they already have 17,000), and a source tells us that women's apparel label Clara Sunwoo is leasing 14,000 square feet of space, moving completely from the Garment District. This brings Industry City's total space leased to fashion companies to 350,000 square feet, more than 200,000 of which is manufacturing space.
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Real Estate Trends

April 3, 2017

$4.75M Soho loft in an artists’ co-op is authentic but not outdated

This $4.75 million Soho loft at 138 Grand Street--in one of the neighborhood's original artists’ co-op buildings--is an authentic 1977 conversion that's completely updated for today’s live/work demands. The Ironclad Artists' loft building is a six-story icon with a rich architectural history that's significant to the neighborhood, distinguishable by features like a cast iron facade and a mansard roof. Within, this fifth-floor home is quiet and serene while also surrounded by the heart of Soho.
Tour the loft

Distinctive Homes

March 31, 2017

Tyra Banks’ enormous Battery Park City duplex hits the market for $17.5M

Two years ago, Tyra Banks put her gigantic Battery Park City pad on the rental market for $50,000 a month, but the Times now reports that she's decided to part ways with it completely, listing the 7,000-square-foot Riverhouse duplex for $17.5 million. Banks, who welcomed her first child last year, is spending most of her time at her homes in Los Angeles and Northern California since her new makeup line is headquartered in LA and both of her hosting gigs--for “America’s Got Talent” and “America’s Next Top Model”--also film there. She did, however, tell the Times that she'll miss "the feeling of having a home in the sky."
Read the apartment's drool-worthy description

March 31, 2017

Morris Adjmi reveals ‘The Warehouse,’ High Line-adjacent office complex

Morris Adjmi is no stranger to converting and reinterpreting industrial architecture, so it's fitting that Elijah Equities tapped the "contextual king" to redevelopment the Carolina Manufacturing Company's former distribution facility and apparel-manufacturing space at 520 West 20th Street, right next to the High Line in Chelsea (h/t ArchDaily). For the project, known as "The Warehouse," Adjmi will add a three-story, steel-framed addition to the current 65,000-square-foot structure, resulting in 100,000 square feet of office and retail space with more than 18,000 square feet of rooftop and outdoor amenity space.
All the renderings and details ahead

March 31, 2017

NYC may have to compete for Trump Tower security funds

While the President has yet to visit Trump Tower since his inauguration, the price of protecting the First Lady and 10-year-old Barron costs the city an average of $136,000 per day, according to the NYPD. Congress offered only $7 million to reimburse the city for the $24 million the police department said they have spent protecting the building between the period of Trump’s election and his inauguration. However, as Crain’s learned, that payment is not guaranteed, and NYC may have to compete with New Jersey and Florida, both places the president frequents, for the money.
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Policy

March 31, 2017

Flexible pad with plenty of exposed brick and a terrace asks $985K in the East Village

By Emily Nonko

This prewar co-op at 315 East 12th Street, in the East Village, has no shortage of charming apartments: here's a one bedroom with an outdoor terrace perfect for a barbecue, and here's another, cozier one-bedroom apartment that hit the market for $535,000 a few months ago. The latest apartment from the building to hit the market is this unit currently configured as a one bedroom with enough space for a second. With a wall of exposed brick and massive windows, it's up for grabs asking $985,000.
Take a look

Distinctive Homes

From the Westside Cowboys to the Oreo cookie: 10 secrets of Chelsea Market

Image courtesy of Chelsea Market

March 30, 2017

From the Westside Cowboys to the Oreo cookie: 10 secrets of Chelsea Market

Today it seems like there's a new food hall popping up every day, but one of the first incarnations of this trend was at Chelsea Market, when Irwin Cohen and Vandenberg Architects transformed the former Nabisco factory in the 1990s into an office building, television production facility, and food-related retail hub. New York City history buffs likely know that this is where a certain famous cookie was invented, but there are plenty of other fun facts about the location that are much less well known. Therefore, 6sqft has rounded up the top 10 most intriguing secrets of Chelsea Market.
Find out everything here

History

March 30, 2017

Meg Ryan scopes out a $28K/month West Village townhouse

Just a little over a month ago, Meg Ryan listed her super chic Soho loft for $10.9 million, which she bought in 2014 for $8 million from fellow actor Hank Azaria. Despite her love of revamping apartments--she recently told Architectural Digest, "I love renovating. I think it's tied to living the actor's life... it’s a chance for me to bring my vision into the world."--Ryan may be opting to rent, as the Post reports that she was seen checking out one of the modern townhouses at the West Village's 1 Morton Square development, which is currently available for $28,000/month.
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March 30, 2017

$29K/month West Village townhouse got a modern, romantic renovation by Annabelle Selldorf

The thoroughly modern gut-renovation of this 1869 single family home at 281 West 4th Street is the creation of noted starchitect Anabelle Selldorf, and we're assuming that its romantic-contemporary decor was inspired by the owners' creative talents. Luxuries, comforts, and conveniences fill this somewhat narrow, 2,720-square-foot historic private home, from a finished and functional cellar to a planted and enchanted roof garden. For the why-own-when-you-can-rent-for-more monthly price of $29,000, you can step into this dream of a West Village townhouse, cue up a rooftop party and fire up the parlor-floor movie screen.
Take the tour

March 29, 2017

Director Ron Howard lists Central Park West co-op in the Eldorado for $12.5M

For $12.5 million, you can live in Oscar-winning director Ron Howard's classic Upper West Side co-op. He and wife Cheryl told the Wall Street Journal that they decided to list the three-bedroom spread at the iconic Eldorado--which they bought in 2004 for $5.575 million--to move farther downtown, closer to Howard's editing and post-production facilities. Not only does the home occupy the 26th floor of the Art Deco building's north tower, but it has a private elevator landing, 50 feet of direct Central Park frontage, and a flexible layout perfect for entertaining that the Howards implemented as part of a complete renovation.
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Anbang taps Skidmore, Owings & Merrill for Waldorf Astoria renovation

Proposed rendering of the Park Avenue foyer, via Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

March 29, 2017

Anbang taps Skidmore, Owings & Merrill for Waldorf Astoria renovation

On March 1st, the Waldorf Astoria closed its doors to the public so that its new owners, Chinese insurer Anbang (who just today backed out of an even larger project to redevelop the Kushner Companies' 666 Fifth Avenue) can undertake a two- to three-year renovation to convert 1,413 hotel rooms into 840 renovated hotel rooms and 321 condos, as well as spiff up the public spaces. This last part was worrisome at first, but earlier this month, these iconic Art Deco interiors were designated an official city landmark, meaning Anbang will need to preserve them and receive approvals for any work from the LPC. Wasting no time, they've now released plans for both the interior and exterior renovations and announced that architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) and renowned interior designer Pierre Yves Rochon (PYR) will "protect [the] beloved spaces and restore original features of the Waldorf not seen for decades."
See all the renderings

March 29, 2017

A fanciful miniature New York City is coming to a 49,000-foot space in Times Square

Minimodel maven Eiran Gazit's latest project is anything but small: The former Israeli soldier and his team are putting the finishing touches on Gulliver's Gate, a sprawling exhibit of the world made of minimodels set to open on April 4 in a 49,000-square-foot space at 216 West 44th Street in Times Square, reports Crain's. The $40 million extravaganza represents a decade of dreams and hard work for Gazit, in this case the chief dreamer, plus years of seeking investors, coordinating with dozens of artists around the world and months of installation.
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Events & Things To Do

A rendering of 666 Fifth Avenue. Credit: Kushner Companies/Zaha Hadid Architects

March 29, 2017

Chinese company Anbang backs out of 666 Fifth Avenue deal with Kushner Cos.

"Kushner Companies is no longer in discussions with Anbang about 666 Fifth Ave.’s potential redevelopment, and our firms have mutually agreed to end talks regarding the property," a spokesman for the developer told the Post. The timing of the Chinese insurance company backing out of the deal--which the Kushners hoped could increase the Midtown's skyscraper's value to a whopping $12 billion and include a flashy new Zaha Hadid design--is uncannily timed with investigations into Jared Kushner's supposed meetings with a scandalous Russian bank. But despite the controversy surrounding ex-CEO and current White House advisor Jared, Kushner Cos. "remains in active, advanced negotiations around 666 Fifth Ave. with a number of potential investors."
The full story ahead

Uncategorized

March 28, 2017

Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel are bringing sexy back to Tribeca with new penthouse buy