Manhattan

Sometimes one penthouse is enough. That's what the owner of a pair of sleek, terrace wrapped trophy penthouses at 110 Duane Street on the West Broadway side of Tribeca found out after the two units were on the market together for about a year starting in 2014 at $9.95 million for the pair. After a $1 million price chop, there was an attempt to further sweeten the 4,550-square-foot dream home concept with plans drawn up for a massive melding of the two. The two pricey pads parted ways in 2015, going to separate buyers, 3N for $4.25 million and 3S for $4 million. Now the latter half of the star-crossed dream home has had a trendy, Euro-pale design makeover and is back on the market for $4.9M.
At 2,200 square feet, who needs two?

Distinctive Homes

February 8, 2017

Billionaire’s plan for a West Village mega-mansion gets green light from Landmarks

By Diane Pham

It's champagne and caviar tonight for billionaire hedge funder Steven A. Cohen, who received the official go-ahead to build a massive, six-story, single-family mansion at 145 Perry Street today. The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) voted almost unanimously in favor of the plan despite outcry from local residents and, most notably, Andrew Berman of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP) who had denounced the design in a statement as “starkly modern," "fortress-like and massive," and more like a bank or a luxury retail store you'd find in Miami or Los Angeles, not the "simple but charming" Village.
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The city’s struggling garment industry finds a new home in Sunset Park

Photo via Alexandra Ferguson

February 8, 2017

The city’s struggling garment industry finds a new home in Sunset Park

At its peak in 1950, the city's garment industry employed 323,669 New Yorkers. By 2000, this number had dropped to 59,049, and in 2015, it was less than half that with just 22,626 residents "making apparel, accessories, and finished textile products," reports the Times. The struggling trade, long centered in the area bound by 5th/9th Avenues and 35th/41st Streets, has fallen victim not only to national trends of work being shipped overseas, but local issues like rising rents, outdated facilities, and competition from tech and media companies. But thanks to a collaboration between the city and the Council of Fashion Designers of America, a "new, modern garment district" is taking hold in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, where several industrial conversions offer cheaper rents, better equipped real estate, and a creative, collaborative community
Much more on the shift

Uncategorized

February 8, 2017

MKCA transforms 225-square-foot West Village pad into a super-multi-functional home

The master of small apartment design in New York is at it again. The architecture firm MKCA managed to transform a 225-square-foot space that connects to an adjoining five-foot-tall storage attic into a highly functional apartment. MKCA has made a name for itself by designing claustrophobically tiny spaces into enviable apartments through creative and space-saving techniques. (Read more about the firm's design style in this 6sqft interview with MKCA's founder, Michael Chen.) This apartment, located in the West Village, is no different--a customized wall of storage created space for a bed, table, hangers and shelving that can be taken out and tucked away as the owner desires.
learn how the apartment works

Architecture And Design

February 8, 2017

Pentagon may lease space in Trump Tower at taxpayers’ expense

By Diane Pham

The line separating Trump's personal business interests and his role as President of the United States continues to blur, as the Washington Post reports today that the Pentagon may lease "a limited amount of space" in Trump Tower. In doing so, the U.S. Defense Department says it will be able to better protect Trump's family, as Melania and Barron have decided to remain in the couple's gilded Trump Tower penthouse, and Donald himself when he is town. The move, however, has one major and obvious sticking point: rent on the space would need to be paid to the Trump Organization—and taxpayer dollars would be used to foot the bill.
more details here

Policy

February 8, 2017

Mike Myers’ $15M Tribeca loft finds a buyer just a month after he bought it

By Annie Doge

"It's freedom, baby, yeah!" At least from his Tribeca apartment. Mike Myers bought a $14.65 million loft in 443 Greenwich Street at the beginning of the year, but clearly had sudden a change of heart, re-listing it just a week later for the slightly higher price of $15 million. And now, only a month after purchasing the pad, it's gone into contract, according to LL NYC. Now if only he could so easily unload his $15.95 million Mercer Street penthouse.
more views inside here

February 8, 2017

$8.8M Flatiron duplex boasts customized features, from a floating staircase to millwork closets

An intensive re-design of this massive, lofty condo at 10 East 22nd Street, in Flatiron, left the 4,000-square-foot interior with tons of customized details. Asking $8.8 million, the duplex apartment boasts a grand living room with 17-foot-tall wood beam ceilings, a customized kitchen, crazy closet space, and a dramatic floating staircase. Best yet, a "terrace oasis" off the main floor comes with views of the Flatiron Building.
Take a look

February 7, 2017

Massive Sendero Verde project will bring 655 affordable ‘passive house’ rentals to East Harlem

A massive, mixed-use development is moving ahead in East Harlem, reports Politico, as the city has selected Jonathan Rose Companies to work with L+M Development Partners on the 751,000-square-foot project. Dubbed Sendero Verde ("green pathway"), the site is located on the block bound by East 111th and 112th Streets and Park and Madison Avenues, and it will create 655 affordable passive house apartments, as well as a YMCA, job training center, 85,000-square-foot DREAM charter school, space for the local non-profit Union Settlement, a grocery store, restaurant, and preventative health care facility run by Mount Sinai.
All the details ahead

February 7, 2017

City continues push to raise fee for Theater District air rights transfers

In November, the City Planning Commission voted to raise the cost of air rights transfers in the Theater District, allowing the city to take a 20 percent cut of any sales and establishing a minimum floor price of $346, a roughly 400 percent increase over the current $17.60 flat fee that they feel will be more in line with current property values. Despite vocal opposition from the Real Estate Board of New York, who back Theater District landlords and believe the increase is "is onerous, excessive and unfair," this month the Commission is hoping to have the proposal approved by the City Council, reports Crain's.
Find out more

Policy

February 7, 2017

$2.88M Tribeca loft has glass and steel doors from City Hall and closets from heaven

If your closets are no match for your shopping addiction, let this historic Tribeca loft in (appropriately) a 1910 mercantile warehouse at 77 Hudson Street inspire you. While original and reclaimed materials like wide timber beams, cast iron posts, original pine flooring, a claw foot tub and those floor-to-ceiling sliding doors of steel and glass sourced from the historic City Hall set the stage, the current setup of this 2,000 square-foot loft, on the market for $2.88 million, makes fashion a priority.
But how many pairs of heels can it hold?

Distinctive Homes

February 7, 2017

Five chances to live in burgeoning East Harlem for $985/month

With the Second Avenue Subway sending Upper East Side real estate prices climbing as far north as 96th Street, East Harlem's upward trajectory is sure to only heat up. The former El Barrio has been on the cusp of gentrification since a 2003, 57-block rezoning that increased density allowances along First, Second, and Third Avenues, spurring a bevy of new residential projects. One such development is 2139 Third Avenue, a modern, 21-unit rental at the corner of 117th Street, which just launched its affordable housing lottery for five $985/month one-bedroom units, available to one- or two-person households earning no more than 60 percent of the area median income.
Have a look at the interiors

Affordable Housing

February 6, 2017

New Stuyvesant Town lottery opens for middle-income units from $2,805/month

It's been almost a year since Stuyvesant Town opened a 15,000-name wait list for its affordable apartments, and they've now launched another lottery, this time for households earning between $84,150 and $149,490 annually. The availabilities are spread throughout Stuy Town and Peter Cooper Village and include $2,805/month one-bedrooms and $3,366/month two-bedrooms.
Find out more

Affordable Housing

February 6, 2017

BKSK Architects share new renderings of artsy, boutique Noho condo 22 Bond

It's been a long time since Noho went from a creative warehouse district, home to the likes of Basquiat and Warhol, to a trendy enclave full of multi million-dollar lofts and Michelin-starred restaurants, but the 'hood has seen a recent influx of new boutique residential buildings, specifically 22 Bond, which may be the overall embodiment of the area. The 11-story condo offers only six units that begin at $9.8 million, but BKSK Architects' purposeful inclusion of large-scale art, both in the lobby and on the building itself, keep the neighborhood's creative history in play. The project has now launched its official page, which bring us new looks at its facades, art work, and interiors.
All the renderings and details ahead

February 6, 2017

Concert pianist Inon Barnatan looks to unload his Harlem loft for $2.25 million

When concert pianist Inon Barnatan was on the hunt for a Manhattan apartment, it had to satisfy one big requirement: enough space to hold a grand piano. He found this lofty condo at 140 West 124th Street, in Harlem, paying $1.182 million back in 2007, according to a profile in the Wall Street Journal. Located in a former warehouse built in 1906—that was allegedly used as a speakeasy during Prohibition—the two bedroom boasts historic barrel ceilings and a spacious living room fit for a piano.
Take a look

Distinctive Homes

February 3, 2017

Samantha Bee gets ‘Full Frontal’ with new $3.7M Riverside Drive co-op

By Annie Doge

Now that political commentator Samantha Bee is into her second season hosting "Full Frontal" it looks like she wants to put down some permanent roots near the show's west side studio at CBS. According to city records, she and her husband, fellow comedian Jason Jones, dropped $3.7 million on a somewhat basic Riverside Drive co-op.
Check it out

February 3, 2017

Designing One Vanderbilt: The architects of KPF discuss the incredible 1401-foot undertaking

By Diane Pham & Ondel Hylton

There are a number of towers on the rise poised to change the New York City skyline, but few are anticipated to have an impact as significant as One Vanderbilt. Developed by SL Green and designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), the glassy supertall will extend an incredible 1,401 feet into the clouds to become the city's third tallest tower (following One World Trade Center and the in-progress Central Park Tower) while also bringing a staggering 1.7 million square feet of office space to Midtown Manhattan. But beyond its height and girth, this massive development is expected to elevate its surroundings a profound way. Indeed, the enshadowed "iconic but aging" district surrounding Grand Central, long-deprived of public space and life beyond weary commuters, will be turned into a verdant block dedicated to all New Yorkers.
6sqft's interview with the architects this way

February 3, 2017

FREE RENT: A roundup of NYC’s latest rental concessions

By Ondel Hylton

Co-Living Rental ‘Common Baltic‘ Makes its Debut, Offers Leases with One Month of Free Rent [link] An Astounding Four Months of Free Rent with Two-Year Leases at Brooklyn Rental, The Williams [link] Live in Downtown Art Deco High Rise with Two Months of Free Rent; Studios Starting from $2,775 [link] Hoboken Rental, The Rivington, Offers […]

Real Estate Trends

February 3, 2017

11 chances to live in the heart of Murray Hill for as low as $833/month

A little over two years ago, Charles Blaichman’s CB Developers began construction on a 19-story, mixed-use building at 210 East 39th Street. Designed by Rawlings Architects, the Murray Hill building has a ground-floor retail podium, glassy second-story amenity space, and terra cotta rainscreen-clad frame. In all, there will be 57 rental units, 11 of which are set aside for those earning no more than 60 percent of the area media income. These affordable apartments include one $833/month studio, seven $895/month one-bedrooms, and three $1,082/month two-bedrooms.
Find out more about the building and the lottery

Affordable Housing

February 3, 2017

$1.75M Flatiron loft is an art studio, office, library and cool bedroom retreat under one roof

The Flatiron District is known for its big, basic loft apartments, often creatively customized by residents, and this duplex co-op at 131 Fifth Avenue is no exception. Currently on the market for $1.75 million, the art-friendly home has understated bragging points like 15-foot ceilings and 10-foot windows overlooking 5th Avenue, as well as a full suite of interior design tools for creative living.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

February 2, 2017

Rich wood details abound at this $5.75M sixth floor loft in Tribeca

There's nothing timid about this three-bedroom loft apartment, perched on the sixth floor of the Tribeca condo 28 Laight Street. The sprawling living room is dominated by exposed wood ceilings, with wide-plank ebonized oak floors below. Massive windows framed by exposed brick bring light into the bold and striking space. Such an impressive interior design will set a buyer back $5.75 million.
Look around the apartment

Distinctive Homes

February 2, 2017

Historic Calvert Vaux-designed co-op that was once a refuge for girls, now asks $1.35M as a cozy duplex

Time hasn’t erased the historic feel of this unusual one-bedroom-plus-sleeping loft co-op, diminutive as it is elegant. It has the look of a renovated townhouse in one of the city’s most creative neighborhoods. At $1.35 million this petite pad may be an expensive refuge, but in its earliest days it was a refuge of a different sort with a history as interesting as its architecture–especially at a time when the ability to offer shelter to those in need is firmly in the spotlight. Landmarked in 2008, the subtly ornate red-brick facade of 307 East 12th Street was designed in 1892 by the firm of Calvert Vaux, who co-designed Central and Prospect Park among other enduring landmarks. Built for the Children’s Aid Society, the building was known as the Elizabeth Home for Girls; the New York Times tells us that it housed "several dozen young women rescued from abusive homes, offering them safe lodging, job training and healthy communal activities.”
Find out more about the building's early residents

Extell reveals renderings of new Central Park West condo tower

Rendering of 36 West 66th Street via Extell (L); Approved zoning diagram via NYC DOB (R)

February 1, 2017

Extell reveals renderings of new Central Park West condo tower

Though Extell is best known for sky-high mega-developments like One57, the Central Park Tower, and One Manhattan Square, they've also been taking on some slightly smaller residential projects, gobbling up swaths of real estate in the upper Midtown area. Their latest venture is a partnership with Megalith Capital Management to build a new condo tower near Central Park West. Located at 36 West 66th Street, the 292-foot, mid-block building will replace three small office buildings and the synagogue of Congregation Habonim. The latter will be incorporated into the new design, for which CityRealty has uncovered the first rendering and updated details.
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February 1, 2017

$1.5M Chelsea pad boasts lofty living room that opens out to a private backyard

It's hard not to swoon over a room that boasts 18-foot ceilings and opens out onto a lush, private backyard. That's the focal point of this two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment at the Chelsea co-op 155 West 15th Street. Asking $1.5 million, the triplex apartment offers plenty of chic space to sprawl out both indoors and out.
See the private backyard

Distinctive Homes

February 1, 2017

The history of Little Syria and an immigrant community’s lasting legacy

In the light of Donald Trump's ban on Syrian refugees, 6sqft decided to take a look back at Little Syria. From the late 1880s to the 1940s, the area directly south of the World Trade Center centered along Washington Street held the nation's first and largest Arabic settlement. The bustling community was full of Turkish coffee houses, pastry shops, smoking parlors, dry goods merchants, and silk stores, but the Immigration Act of 1924 (which put limits on the number of immigrants allowed to enter the U.S. from a given country and altogether banned Asians and Arabs) followed by the start of construction on the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel in 1940, caused this rich enclave to disappear. And though few vestiges remain today, there's currently an exhibit on Little Syria at the Metropolitan College of New York, and the Department of Parks and Recreation is building a new park to commemorate the literary figures associated with the historic immigrant community.
The full history and details on the new developments

History

February 1, 2017

See dazzling new renderings of Union Square’s Tammany Hall overhaul

By Diane Pham

The redevelopment of Union Square's Tammany Hall is moving full steam ahead. As CityRealty reports, leasing has launched, and along with a brand new website, a slew of new renderings showing off the historic building's impending transformation have also been revealed.
more here

New Developments

February 1, 2017

In just a month, Second Avenue Subway eases congestion on the Lexington Avenue line by 11 percent