Manhattan

Even the city's most public places conceal secrets paved over by the years, some more hidden than others. Grand Central Station is no exception despite the 750,000 or so people who make their way through its halls each day. You may already know of the terminal's secret train track and whispering walls, but did you know that there are tennis courts in Grand Central? Once an exclusive club run by Donald Trump, the courts are now open to the public—and you can reserve a court at midnight.
From a Hungarian immigrant to Donald Trump to Night Owl Tennis

History

February 17, 2017

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

By Ondel Hylton

HOUSE39 Launches Leasing; New Curving Glass Tower Offers Two Months Free of Early Occupancy [link] Teaser Site Launches for Newly-Dubbed Hudson Yards Rental, ‘Henry Hall’ [link] Listings Debut at Hub with One Month Free; Apartments in Brooklyn’s Tallest Tower from $2,450/Month [link] FiDi’s 180 Water Street Announces March Opening; Now Leasing No Fee Rentals + […]

Real Estate Trends

February 16, 2017

Kirsten Dunst’s vintage-cool Soho penthouse returns for $5M

Kirsten Dunst bought this industrial-meets-rustic penthouse at 533 Canal Street (aka 477 Washington Street) in Soho back in 2007 for $3.09 million, claiming she needed a break from the L.A. lifestyle. But after a gut renovation that added a boatload of vintage charm, she put the loft on the rental market for $12,500 a month in late 2014. And now that she recently got engaged to her "Fargo" co-star Jesse Plemons, she seems more eager to unload the pad, as it's just reappeared as a $5 million sale.
See the whole place

February 16, 2017

Meg Ryan lists her impossibly chic Soho loft for $10.9 million

Back in 2014, actress Meg Ryan dropped $8 million on a Soho loft previously owned by actor Hank Azaria. Now, after a sweeping gut renovation by interior designer Monique Gibson and architect Joel Barkley—and a full spread cover story in Architectural Digest showing off every nook and cranny of the chic space—the Journal reports Ryan has put the home on the market for $10.9 million.
go inside the home here

February 16, 2017

Justin Timberlake tours $18.5M mod triplex penthouse in Greenwich Village

Justin Timberlake may be bringing sexy back to Greenwich Village, as the Post reports that he was seen checking out the sprawling triplex penthouse at 12 East 13th Street. The mod pad was first listed for $30.5 million in 2013, but has since been cut nearly in half to $18.5 million. It boasts amazing architectural details like a three-story, sloped wall of glass and a dramatic sculptural staircase, as well as luxury offerings including two massive terraces and two parking spots.
Check it all out

February 16, 2017

On the market for the first time since 1969, this $5M Tribeca artists’ loft is a blank canvas

As the listing for this $4.995 million Tribeca spread at 85 Walker Street says, "vintage" doesn't do this amazing artists' loft justice. Occupying the entire fourth and fifth floors of a cast iron building that dates from 1868, it's more of what we'd call a piece of New York City history; the top-floor duplex is on the market for the first time since 1969.
Layers of history, layers of paint

Distinctive Homes

February 15, 2017

The historic Astor Suite at the Plaza is for sale at $39.5M

The Astor Suite at the Plaza Hotel and Residences at 1 Central Park South just hit the market for an Astor-worthy $39.5 million. The listing calls the 4,284 square-foot, three-bedroom home "one of the most historic homes ever to become available in the United States." Currently owned by Esprit founder and former CEO Jürgen Friedrich, the suite boasts a roster of past residents that includes John Jacob Astor, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and John F. Kennedy.
Take the tour, find out more

February 15, 2017

Bethenny Frankel lists renovated Soho loft for $5.25M

If you thought Bethenny Frankel had a scattered personality on "The Real Housewives of New York," just check out her real estate game. After splitting from ex-husband Jason Hoppy, the reality star bought a $4.2 million Soho loft in April 2015, the same month she picked up a $3 million+ Hamptons compound. She also bought a second Soho loft around that time to serve as an office for her "Skinny Girl" empire. Once the embattled couple (he was recently arrested for allegedly harassing her) finalized their divorce, she sold their former $7 million Tribeca loft this past October in just one day. People now reports that Frankel put the Soho loft at 22 Mercer Street on the market for $5.25 in order to find a larger home for herself and daughter Bryn (and from the sound of it, get away from its divorce-era juju), and she admitted to the mag that, "I have been doing really well in real estate and I’ve got the bug."
See the whole spread

February 14, 2017

432 Park owner attempts to sell $20M apartment with iPhone photos

If you've been as curious as we have to know what the inside of 432 Park looks like IRL, look no further than unit #52C, now for sale by owner. LLNYC spotted the listing today which boldly ditches professionally staged photos for somewhat sloppy phone snapshots of the interiors. As the mag points out, 432's developers have been keen on putting the luxury tower's best foot forward, revealing only sleek renderings or retouched images of impeccably outfitted model units to press and onlookers.
more inside here

Distinctive Homes

February 14, 2017

One57 apartment underneath the supertall’s arched-glass walls asks $13.94M

Here's your chance to live in an iconic unit of the super-luxury Midtown tower One57 at a relative discount. According to CityRealty, the "usual" average price per square foot for an apartment at the building is $6,120—but this four-bedroom, four-and-a-half bath pad is asking $13.9 million at a price of $3,742 per square foot. It's also located right under the skyscraper’s distinctive arched-glass walls at both the top and middle of the tower.
Take a look

Distinctive Homes

Dreamy Scandi-chic Soho studio renting for $5K deserves a big <i>hygge</i>

February 14, 2017

Dreamy Scandi-chic Soho studio renting for $5K deserves a big hygge

Other than "expensive," (at $5,000 for a diminutive studio), we really can't think of a better description for this clean and cozy pad than hygge, the Scandinavian super-meme that has recently been sweeping the lifestyle and interiors world. Pronounced “hoo-guh,” and defined as "a concept, originating in Denmark, of creating cosy and convivial atmospheres that promote wellbeing," it pretty much sums up this sweet studio at 110 Thompson Street.
Come in and relax

Distinctive Homes

February 13, 2017

Thrillist co-founder Ben Lerer lists colorful, pop art-filled Soho loft for $7.4M

This 3,800-square-foot townhouse-sized spread at 101 Wooster Street right in the middle of Soho's Cast Iron Historic District combines the industrial cool factor of a loft with the space and storage of a house, throwing in a generous helping of color, texture and modern luxury. With so much going for it, we can see this impressive co-op's appeal to its previous owner, comedienne Whoopi Goldberg, who sold it for just over $3 million in 2010. The current owners, tech and VC heavyweight Ben Lerer (he's a founder of Thrillist and investor in scores of others; father Ken was a HuffPo founding partner) and his wife, Emily, were the parties responsible for the current riot of art, color and general eye candy–and the current $7.395 million price tag.
Prepare to be amazed

Distinctive Homes

February 13, 2017

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz drops $40M on the Greenwich Lane’s most expensive penthouse

It's safe to say this $40 million penthouse is of the "venti" size, considering it's the priciest unit in new mega-development the Greenwich Lane and, at $7,159/square foot, one of the most expensive residential sales in Greenwich Village to date. Though The Real Deal reports that the buyer is Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, whose estimated $3 billion net worth makes this a drop in the bucket. The 5,587-square-foot duplex spans the 16th and 17th floors and boasts floor-to-ceiling windows with skyline views and more than 1,600 square feet of private outdoor space.
READ MORE

February 13, 2017

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

By Ondel Hylton

More Amenities Unveiled at Extell’s Midtown Rental 555Ten; Leasing Continues with Free Rent Offer [link] Stonehenge Offering Two Months Free + $1,000 Security Deposits at 101W15 in Chelsea [link] Long Island City’s 1QPS Tower Launches Leasing with Two Months Free; Studios from $1,989/Month [link] 100 West 143rd Street Offering One Month of Free Rent on […]

Real Estate Trends

February 11, 2017

Charming $615K slip of a West Village co-op shuns the generic box

Though this narrow pre-war alcove studio with some interesting angles at 138 West 10th Street may not be big, it's not cookie-cutter either. The Village location is about as pricey as you can get in Manhattan, so anyone questioning the $615,000 ask might keep that in mind; there's also a landscaped roof deck, so you never have to feel boxed-in.
Take a look

Distinctive Homes

February 11, 2017

The Urban Lens: Sam Golanski gives Park Avenue doormen their moment in the spotlight

6sqft’s ongoing series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment, Sam Golanski gives Park Avenue doormen their moment in the spotlight. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. Sam Golanski grew up in a small town in Poland, but has been residing in Manchester, U.K. since 2005. Though he thinks New York is "a tough place to live," he fell in love with its energy as a child watching films set in Manhattan from the '60s and '70s. Now all grown up, he comes to New York frequently to visit friends and work on his urban and social photography projects ("I have to admit I shredded a few pairs of shoes by just walking up and down for days everywhere with my camera bags," he says). In his series "Park Avenue Doormen," Sam gives the men who safeguard the Upper East Side's ritziest buildings an opportunity to step from behind the velvet ropes and in front of the camera.
See all the photos

February 10, 2017

Brazilian supermodel Caroline Trentini lists her East Village duplex for $2.65M

Brazilian supermodel Caroline Trentini is hoping to unload her East Village condo, a 1,355-square-foot, two-bedroom duplex, for $2.65 million. She purchased the pad, which is located at 311 East 11th Street, in 2010 for $1.715 million, according to LLNYC. For a glamorous supermodel the interior is pretty tame, although the garden-floor apartment does boast an enviable 750-square-foot private backyard.
Take a look

February 10, 2017

Greenwich Village studio with wall of windows and private backyard gets a price chop to $995K

This charming Greenwich Village studio costs just a hair under $1 million after a recent price chop. Located at the cooperative 45 West 10th Street, the pad first hit the market last summer asking $1.075 million and the price has whittled away in the months since down to $995,000. (It last sold in 2007, for $495,000.) This studio does boast some perks, like a separate bedroom nook that creates space for a charming, bookshelf-lined living room, as well as a massive private backyard.
Take a look

Distinctive Homes

February 9, 2017

Matthew Perry checks out a sleek $25K Midtown West rental

The Chick and The Duck would surely approve of those river views. LLNYC reports that actor Matthew Perry, a.k.a. Chandler Bing from the long-running sitcom "Friends," is on the hunt for some NYC digs. Perry's rep was recently spotted scoping out a $25,000/month apartment at the luxurious Atelier on 42nd Street. The sleek spread includes three bedrooms, three bathrooms, unobstructed river views and a location just a short subway ride from the MCC Theater where the actor will star in play he wrote called "The End of Longing" this summer.
more details here

Celebrities

February 9, 2017

Proposed East Harlem mixed-use development may contain city’s tallest building with affordable housing

Looking to take advantage of the newly opened Second Avenue Subway stop at 96th Street, the New York City Educational Construction Fund and AvalonBay Communities are working their way through the city approval process to build a 1.14 million-square foot, full-block, mixed-use development in East Harlem. CityRealty tells us that the project located at 321 East 96th Street would hold two new school buildings for three different local schools, 20,000 square feet of retail space, a rebuilt playground, and a 68-story, 760-foot residential tower that would offer between 1,100 and 1,200 units and possibly become the city's tallest building to contain affordable housing (roughly 330 below-market rate units).
More details and renderings

February 9, 2017

VIDEO: How a man lives and works in a 78-square-foot Hell’s Kitchen ‘studio’

The going rate for a Hell's Kitchen studio is upwards of $2,000/month, but when now 32-year-old Luke Clark Tyler moved into his pad in 2011, he signed a lease for only $750. This might sound like a bargain, but the freelance designer/architect is living (and working!) in an astonishingly small 78 square feet, which by Sharably's account is the smallest apartment in America. And when you break that down by price per square foot, he's actually paying almost twice as much as the neighborhood average. But nevertheless, Tyler is happy to have the extra cash to enjoy the many dance performances in his 'hood and says that after living tiny for more than five years, "we adapt very easily as people."
Let Luke give you a tour of his VERY humble abode

Distinctive Homes

February 8, 2017

Half of Tribeca dream penthouse pair, whitewashed but still dreamy, hits the market for $4.9M

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

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.
READ MORE

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