Manhattan

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has unveiled its last commission for its rooftop until 2030. On view at the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden through October 19, "Ensemble" by Jennie C. Jones includes large sculptures based on string instruments that play sounds activated only by the wind. Free with museum admission, the installation marks the 12th and final Roof Garden commission before work begins on the new five-story Tang Wing for modern art designed by Frida Escobedo.
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City Planning Commission advances $12B Hudson Yards casino plan

Renderings courtesy of Related Companies and Wynn Resorts

April 14, 2025

City Planning Commission advances $12B Hudson Yards casino plan

A $12 billion proposal to bring a casino complex to Hudson Yards just cleared a key step in the approval process. On Wednesday, the City Planning Commission (CPC) voted 9-2 to advance Related Companies and Wynn Resorts' "Hudson Yards West" plan, which calls for a resort and casino, a 5.6-acre public park, a public school, office space, and hundreds of new affordable homes atop the site’s undeveloped western rail yards. The proposal seeks to amend a 2009 plan that envisioned a primarily residential neighborhood with more than 5,000 new homes—a figure that has since been reduced to just over 1,500.
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Policy

Image courtesy of Warren LeMay on Flickr

April 11, 2025

Saks Fifth Avenue drops casino proposal

Saks Fifth Avenue has folded its bid for a gaming license, ending the company's plan of adding a casino atop its Midtown flagship store. As first reported by Crain's, the department store withdrew its bid for one of three coveted downstate gaming licenses expected to be awarded by the end of the year, with a Saks spokesperson saying the company is now "focused on other strategic priorities." In recent months, minimal communication between Saks’ parent company, Saks Global, and those involved in the casino process had suggested that the retailer was abandoning its proposal.
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Policy

This old West Village firehouse is now a peerless $21M townhouse with a jazz club in the basement

Photo credit: Yale Wagner for Sotheby’s International Realty. Staging by Interior Marketing Group

April 10, 2025

This old West Village firehouse is now a peerless $21M townhouse with a jazz club in the basement

Lovely on its own, but even more interesting as a former firehouse, the five-story building at 78 Morton Street was built in the 1800s. In its current life, the 6,850-square-foot townhouse is a single-family residence that makes a remarkably strong case for living up to its $21 million ask. In addition to the peerless perk of a private, wood-paneled elevator that accesses each of its five floors, the exquisite home has a four-car garage/gallery space with a curb cut, a landscaped terrace garden, a glass-paneled penthouse level with a roof terrace, and an elegantly outfitted jazz club–complete with stage–in the basement.
step into the elevator for a tour

Distinctive Homes

Photo courtesy of Michael Weinstein from MW- Studio

April 8, 2025

$8M for ultra-modern townhouse living with a yard and six bedrooms in a Nomad condo

It's not easy to find a Manhattan apartment with six full bedrooms and enough outdoor space for a summer full of barbecues without investing in a multi-story townhouse–and the maintenance burden that comes with it. Asking $7,985,000, this duplex condo at 120 East 29th Street is a study in contemporary design, surrounded by all the convenience and fun of the Nomad neighborhood and nearby Madison Square Park. Its six bedrooms are separated to give breathing space to family and guests; perhaps best of all, a wall of windows on the home's lower level opens onto 1,600 square feet of private landscaped backyard and patio space.
take the tour

Distinctive Homes

NYC’s congestion pricing could continue into the fall

Credit: Jorge Ramírez on Unsplash

April 8, 2025

NYC’s congestion pricing could continue into the fall

President Donald Trump's administration and New York transit officials reached a deal to allow the city’s congestion pricing program to continue until at least mid-summer and likely through the fall, according to new court filings. Both parties will present their arguments under a newly determined timeline expected to extend until at least October as part of a lawsuit filed by the MTA against the federal government. The Trump administration originally gave the state until March 21 to end the program but granted a 30-day extension one day before the deadline.
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Upper West Side’s Metro Theater on track to reopen after 20 years

Photo by london road on Flickr

April 7, 2025

Upper West Side’s Metro Theater on track to reopen after 20 years

A long-vacant, landmark movie theater on the Upper West Side finally has new owners following a $3.5 million funding boost from Gov. Kathy Hochul. The nonprofit Upper West Side Cinema Center on Sunday purchased the Metro Theater for $6.9 million, with help from Hochul and an additional $500,000 in grants from the State Senate. The nonprofit plans to restore the historic Art Deco building, located on Broadway near 99th Street, with five new screens, a lobby lounge, an education center, and a public cafe.
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City Living

Towering steel sculptures take ‘root’ in the Garment District

All photos courtesy of Alexandre Ayer / @DiversityPics for the Garment District Alliance

April 4, 2025

Towering steel sculptures take ‘root’ in the Garment District

A new striking sculptural installation has taken 'root' in Midtown. The Garment District Alliance on Thursday unveiled "New York Roots," a series of seven towering steel sculptures that invite viewers to reflect on how relationships, families, and communities intertwine to support a common purpose—much like roots that strengthen and sustain a tree. Created by conceptual artist Steve Tobin, the installation is now on view along the Broadway plazas in the Garment District, between 39th and 40th Streets and 40th and 41st Streets.
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Events & Things To Do

Penthouse at 111 West 57th Street hits the market for $110M

All image courtesy of Hayes Davidson

April 3, 2025

Penthouse at 111 West 57th Street hits the market for $110M

The penthouse at the very top of supertall skyscraper 111 West 57th Street has hit the market for $110 million. Taking up four floors of the Billionaires' Row tower, the "quadplex" apartment measures a palatial 11,480 square feet, with over 600 square feet of outdoor terraces. The residence is currently New York City's most expensive property publicly listed.
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Distinctive Homes

Angles, curves, and character define this $5M Winka Dubbeldam-designed Noho loft

All photos courtesy of Udom Surangsophon/MW Studio for The Corcoran Group

April 3, 2025

Angles, curves, and character define this $5M Winka Dubbeldam-designed Noho loft

If you can't bear the thought of living in a "cookie cutter" apartment, but you don't want to trade personality for outdated infrastructure or unwelcome quirks, look no further than this cool, creative co-op at 33 Bleecker Street. Thanks to design by noted Dutch architect Winka Dubbeldam, this top-floor loft, asking $4,995,000, has modern European style dialed in.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

A three-story penthouse atop an Emery Roth-designed Upper West Side co-op asks $6M

All photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

April 2, 2025

A three-story penthouse atop an Emery Roth-designed Upper West Side co-op asks $6M

This triplex co-op at the Oliver Cromwell at 12 West 72nd Street is classic Manhattan living with the added privilege of impressive outdoor space and dazzling, unobstructed Central Park views. Asking $5,995,000, the co-op, with its three floors of living space, feels like a townhouse. The pre-war details that come with the iconic Emery Roth-designed building are enhanced by interiors redesigned by Mutuus Studio; the home has even been featured in Architectural Digest.
take the three-floor tour

Distinctive Homes

Babe Ruth’s Upper West Side apartment asks $1.6M

All photos courtesy of Celeste Godoy Photography. Images are virtually staged.

April 1, 2025

Babe Ruth’s Upper West Side apartment asks $1.6M

Baseball is back, and so is Babe Ruth's New York City apartment. The New York Yankees legend called this apartment at 345 West 88th Street on the Upper West Side home for more than 10 years near the end of his historic career. In 2015, the apartment was listed for $1,595,000. A decade later, the co-op returns to the market at the same price.
It's a homerun

Distinctive Homes

Bryant Park Grill sues to stop Jean-Georges takeover

Bryant Park Grill. Photo via Wikimedia Commons

April 1, 2025

Bryant Park Grill sues to stop Jean-Georges takeover

The owner of Bryant Park Grill is taking legal action to stop the 30-year-old restaurant from being replaced by a new Jean-Georges Vongerichten venture. Michael Weinstein's Ark Restaurants Corp on Monday filed a lawsuit against Bryant Park Corporation (BPC), alleging the bidding process was neither publicly advertised nor transparent and was "unfairly steered" toward the Seaport Entertainment Group, the winning bid. The lawsuit also claims BPC ignored the grill's "right of first lease" and rejected its bid of $1 million more in annual rent than offered by Seaport.
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Food & Dining

March 31, 2025

Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost buy $13M Park Ave penthouse

Actress Scarlett Johansson and SNL staff writer Colin Jost are moving to a Park Avenue penthouse. As first reported by the Wall Street Journal, the A-list couple paid $13,000,000 for a 14-room triplex at 1220 Park Avenue, a Rosario Candela-designed co-op in Carnegie Hill. The magnificent residence measures 6,000 square feet across three levels and includes six bedrooms, five terraces, and eight balconies.
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East Village rental opens lottery for 40 mixed-income apartments, from $989/month

Credit: NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

March 31, 2025

East Village rental opens lottery for 40 mixed-income apartments, from $989/month

A housing lottery launched last week for 40 mixed-income apartments at a new mixed-use development in the East Village. Located at 280 East Houston Street, the 12-story building, called "The Houston," offers modern residences, exclusive amenities, and a prime location at the intersection of the East Village and the Lower East Side. New Yorkers earning 40, 60, and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $989/month studios to $4,543/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Whitney Museum to celebrate 10 years in the Meatpacking District

Whitney Museum of American Art. Photograph by Matthew Carasella

March 27, 2025

Whitney Museum to celebrate 10 years in the Meatpacking District

The Whitney Museum of American Art is celebrating 10 years in the Meatpacking District with 10 weeks of special public programs, starting in May. Running through mid-July, "Decade Downtown" will feature engaging activities like dance parties, live music, DJ nights, tours, art-making activities, and more. Visitors can also take advantage of the museum's Free Friday Nights from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. weekly and Free Second Sundays, which offers free admission on the second Sunday of each month.
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Events & Things To Do

Signs of spring in NYC: Bryant Park’s famed lawn is installed

Photo by Jean-Christophe BENOIST on Wikimedia

March 26, 2025

Signs of spring in NYC: Bryant Park’s famed lawn is installed

Bryant Park's seasonal transformation has begun. Last weekend, the landscaping team of the Midtown Manhattan park spent nine hours laying the grass sod of the central lawn, turning the ice skating rink at the Bank of America Winter Village into a green oasis for spring. While not quite ready for use, the lawn will soon be home to move nights, live performances, yoga, and other activities that make New York City so special during the warmer months.
spring is here

Events & Things To Do

NYC’s congestion pricing raised $52M in February amid Trump pushback

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

March 25, 2025

NYC’s congestion pricing raised $52M in February amid Trump pushback

New York City's congestion pricing program brought in nearly $52 million in revenue last month, keeping it on track to reach its $500 million goal by the end of the year. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on Monday released new data on the tolling system showing congestion pricing collected $51.9 million in revenue between February 1 and 28, about $3 million more than January. While the figures are promising, the program’s future remains uncertain due to ongoing tensions between New York State and the Trump administration, which ordered Gov. Kathy Hochul to shut it down.
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Live like an early-aughts media icon in Nick Denton’s $3.5M Soho loft

Photo credit: Kate Glicksberg

March 25, 2025

Live like an early-aughts media icon in Nick Denton’s $3.5M Soho loft

Though Hungary might not be the first place that comes to mind when planning one's escape from 2025 America, Gawker founder Nick Denton is leaving his Soho home base and relocating his family to Europe, with precisely that destination in mind, according to New York magazine. European health care might be superior, but it will be hard to top his sexy loft at 76 Crosby Street. Asking $3,500,000, the two-bedroom loft condo is at the epicenter of downtown Manhattan living.
get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

Proposed Freedom Plaza casino complex next to U.N. reveals waterfront public park

Renderings courtesy of OJB Landscape Architecture

March 21, 2025

Proposed Freedom Plaza casino complex next to U.N. reveals waterfront public park

Newly released renderings offer a closer look at a public waterfront park planned alongside a proposed casino complex near the United Nations. Unveiled on Thursday, the new video and imagery showcase the nearly 5-acre public park planned as part of Soloviev Group's proposed Freedom Plaza casino project. Designed by OJB Landscape Architects, the green space would feature an 18,000-square-foot central lawn, 1.2 miles of accessible pathways, a children's play area, an amphitheater, scenic overlooks, and more.
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Printemps opens in NYC, bringing French flair and fashion to Wall Street

The Red Room. All photos courtesy of Gieves Anderson for Printemps New York

March 20, 2025

Printemps opens in NYC, bringing French flair and fashion to Wall Street

Parisian retailer Printemps opened its first United States concept in New York City this week. The 160-year-old French store has taken over two floors of One Wall Street, a 50-story Art Deco tower in the Financial District that is now home to over 500 luxury apartments. Designed by architect Laura Gonzalez, the 55,000-square-foot concept is made to feel like a whimsical interpretation of a Parisian apartment, with five food and beverage experiences, beauty and treatment rooms, clothing repair, and more, bringing together retail, dining, hospitality, and culture under one roof.
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For $1.75M, your own private oculus with skyline views on the Upper West Side

All photos courtesy of Celeste Godoy for The Corcoran Group

March 19, 2025

For $1.75M, your own private oculus with skyline views on the Upper West Side

Tucked under the eaves at the Ansonia condo at 2109 Broadway, this petite penthouse offers a unique way to experience panoramic city vistas. The circular windows that punctuate the Upper West Side building's signature Beaux-Arts architecture create an oculus effect that brings in light and provides a birds-eye view of Manhattan. Asking $1,750,000, the two-bedroom home has the air of a Parisian garret (without the stair climb), with the added condo convenience of the iconic address.
high-floor heaven, this way

Distinctive Homes

The Affordable Art Fair returns to NYC with artwork for every budget

Photo courtesy of Phillip Reed Photography and the Affordable Art Fair.

March 19, 2025

The Affordable Art Fair returns to NYC with artwork for every budget

By Lidia Ryan

Art is at New Yorkers’ fingertips, from the world’s most famous and significant works housed in the hallowed halls of The Met, MoMA, and Guggenheim, to countless art galleries and exhibitions across the five boroughs. However, when it comes to building a personal collection, or even just owning one special piece, art becomes less accessible with prices soaring into the tens of thousands. But for the past 23 years, the Affordable Art Fair has been bringing one-of-a-kind art pieces to New Yorkers at a price range of $100 to $12,000. There’s even a curated installation called Wonders Under $1,000 marked by pink stickers. This year, the spring fair runs from March 19 to March 23 at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Chelsea with 78 exhibitors and 400 contemporary living artists from all over the world.
details here

Photo credit: Jon Nissenbaum

March 18, 2025

A newsroom icon’s sprawling Upper West Side co-op asks $5.5M

A year after the passing of PBS journalist Robert "Robin" MacNeil (of MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour fame) the Canadian-American TV journalist's nine-room home at 44 West 77th Street is for sale. Asking $5,500,000, the pre-war co-op on the Upper West Side is the kind of classic Manhattan residence that feels like a rambling country estate, where you could throw lavish parties–or hide from just about everyone (even the news).
take the tour

Distinctive Homes

March 18, 2025

350 Park Avenue supertall office tower officially enters public review

A proposed 1,600-foot-tall office tower set to reshape the New York City skyline officially entered public review this week. The Department of City Planning on Monday certified an application for 350 Park Avenue, a proposed 62-story building in Midtown East led by Vornado Realty Trust, Citadel, and Rudin Management, kicking off the seven-month uniform land use review procedure (ULURP). Designed by Foster + Partners, the project—the first new office building presented to the City Planning Commission in five years—calls for 1.8 million square feet of office space and a new public concourse, with Ken Griffin's Citadel and Citadel Securities as anchor tenants.
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Gracie Abrams buys Greenwich Village penthouse for $5.5M

Lead photo by BruceSchaff on WikiCommons. All other photos courtesy of Yale Wagner. Listing photos are virtually staged.

March 17, 2025

Gracie Abrams buys Greenwich Village penthouse for $5.5M