Manhattan

News at starchitect Jean Nouvel's condominium MoMA Tower (officially called 53W53) has been relatively quiet since units hit the market just over a year ago. But CityRealty brings us an update from the Billionaires' Row construction site, where the 1,050-foot-tall, tapered tower is currently getting the first of its intricate, diagrid skin, which the architect once said will resemble blood running the veins with its nighttime lighting.
More details and views this way

Listings go live for Extell’s amenity-filled Hudson Yards Skyscraper 555Ten

Model unit designed by Lillian August

October 20, 2016

Listings go live for Extell’s amenity-filled Hudson Yards Skyscraper 555Ten

After launching its affordable housing lottery for 120 below-market rate units back in May, 555Ten has revealed pricing for its 478 market-rate rentals, ranging from $3,150/month studios to $6,250/month two-bedrooms. Designed by SLCE Architects and developed by Extell, the 610-foot, 53-story glassy skyscraper will offer an over-the-top amenity package (including a dog run, two salt water pools, and a bowling alley) and custom-designed interiors from McGinley Design. The model units are open for business, and we're told that the amenity spaces will start to reveal themselves later this week in anticipation of November occupancies.
Find out more here and get a first look at the model units

October 20, 2016

A $5M price chop for the former Upper West Side mansion of Charles Schwab

There's been a significant price drop at one of the most interesting mansions of the Upper West Side. Designed by the famous architect C.P.H. Gilbert, this 11,500-square-foot, six-story abode was occupied by moneyman and steel magnate Charles Schwab between 1914 and 1917. After that, it became the “scandalous love nest” for the mistress of industrialist George Gould. Last year the property was put up for sale asking a cool $20 million, and now it's trying its hand again with a considerably lower asking price of $14.995 million.
See more of the grand interior

October 20, 2016

‘Shark Tank’ guru Barbara Corcoran unloads Upper East Side co-op for $4.8M

Real estate legend and "Shark Tank" star Barbara Corcoran bought a glamorous duplex penthouse on the Upper East Side back in April 2015. She and her husband, former FBI agent William Higgins, dropped $10 million on the pad, quite the steal considering it originally listed for $17 million. A year later, they listed their other home in the 'hood, a classic Rosario Candela-designed co-op at 1192 Park Avenue. Now, five months later, they've unloaded the home for $4.87 million (h/t NYP), just under the $4.9 million asking price and a good deal more than the $3.5 million they bought it for in 2000.
See the apartment here

October 20, 2016

For $675K this industrial-chic West Village mini-loft is small but seductive–unless you’re afraid of heights

Located in everybody's favorite part of the West Village–among the neighborhood's lovely and leafy historic streets but within blocks of the Whitney, the High Line and the Hudson River–this bright, funky, artist-designed studio at 92 Horatio Street is certainly not without its charms, including white-painted brick, a well-designed and stylish kitchen and bath, 12-foot ceilings and a custom-built lofted sleeping area that gets the bed and storage up and out of the way.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

October 19, 2016

$16.75M townhouse owned by artist Angel ‘Vlady’ Oliveros boasts banisters from the Plaza Hotel

This West Village townhouse, at 245 West 13th Street, has been given loads of personality by one of its owners, the artist Angel “Vlady” Oliveros. Not only did he do all the artwork for the striking home, he also sourced lots of historic items to complete the decor. To get to the the third and fourth floor bedroom levels, you travel up a restored staircase and vintage banisters sourced from New York's Plaza Hotel. A bathroom is outfitted with antique earthenware soaking tub from the 1920s. And there's lots more to gawk at inside the house, now on the market for $16.75 million.
Take the grand tour

October 19, 2016

East Harlem rezoning would allow for towers of up to 30 stories tall

By Diane Pham

In 2003, East Harlem received a boost when the Bloomberg administration pushed through a plan to rezone a whopping 57 blocks of the neighborhood. The initiative (the first of its kind in 40 years) allowed for increased density along First, Second, and Third avenues, while preserving the lower slung mid-blocks in between. Following the change, the area saw more than a dozen buildings of 8-12 stories sprout up along its busiest stretches. Now, the de Blasio administration is looking to build even bigger, and on Tuesday officials presented their latest upzoning proposal (pdf), a plan that would allow towers up to 30 stories tall to be constructed in the area.
more here

Affordable Housing

My 1,400sqft: Inside Puppet Maker Ralph Lee’s Live/Work Space in Westbeth Artists Housing

Our ongoing series “My sqft” checks out the homes of 6sqft’s friends, family and fellow New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to Westbeth Artists Housing in the West Village. Want your home to be featured here? Get in touch!

October 19, 2016

My 1,400sqft: Inside Puppet Maker Ralph Lee’s Live/Work Space in Westbeth Artists Housing

When the old Bell Telephone Laboratories building was transformed to the Westbeth affordable artists' housing in 1970, one of the original creatives to move in was Ralph Lee, a theater jack-of-all trades who is best known for his larger-than-life puppets and masks. His whimsical creations served as the props for the very first Village Halloween Parade, an event that has since grown into an annual, nationally-known event. Today, his characters from the early days of the parade adorn his eclectic live/work studio in Westbeth, where he still lives and continues to make puppets and masks for his company the Mettawee River Theatre. Ralph recently invited 6sqft into his space, where we got up close and personal with the puppets and were able to see how the magic happens.
Learn about Ralph's storied career and get a special look at his home and studio

October 19, 2016

TONIGHT: Meet with SpareRoom’s CEO to score a $1/month room in his $8M loft

By Metro New York

They say you have seven seconds to make a first impression, so a few minutes is enough to find a roommate, right? SpareRoom CEO and founder Rupert Hunt announced earlier this month that he is looking for two roommates to share his luxury West Village apartment. Part of the process includes “SpeedRoommating” as he searches for […]

Affordable Housing

October 19, 2016

Listings go live at 15 Hudson Yards, the development’s first residential building

In anticipation of its sales launch, 15 Hudson Yards released a slew of new renderings last month, showcasing "new views of the bundled quad of cylinders that make up its body, as well as its rectilinear base that will abut the Shed," as 6sqft reported. And now without further ado, listings for the 285 market-rate condos (there will also be 106 affordable rentals) have officially come online, ranging from a $3.7 million two-bedroom on the 25th floor to a $13.8 million penthouse on the 84th floor, according to Curbed.
Find out more and see renderings and floorplans

October 19, 2016

An art dealer’s loft plus a superfancy townhouse equal this $10M Tribeca triplex

There's a room for just about everything in this 5,500-square-foot triplex loft at 178 Franklin Street–including a coatroom, art studio, darkroom, home office and library, atrium courtyard, five bedrooms, three entrances, and one elevator. From the outside, the 1915 brick building has the same historic loft appeal as its Tribeca neighbors, promising industrial charm, columns and wood beams, soaring ceilings, and lots of exposed brick. The interior space delivers all of the above plus just about every luxury detail an all-out renovation can confer, including half a dozen flavors of Italian marble, remote-controlled toilets, magical showers, a kitchen range the size of an SUV, and custom everything else you could possibly buy for $9.9 million.
Explore the triplex

Distinctive Homes

October 19, 2016

Lottery opens for nine $774/month SROs on foodie-friendly Hell’s Kitchen block

If you earn between $24,480 and $38,100 annually, live alone in Manhattan Community Board 4, and don't mind sharing a bathroom with your neighbors, this might be the housing lottery for you. Nine $774/month SROs are up for grabs at Stardom Hall at 330 West 51st Street in Hell's Kitchen. The brownstone tenement occupies half of a single room occupancy complex, one of only four left in the neighborhood. The units do come with kitchenettes, and there's a community room, backyard, laundry room, and on-site social services for low-income or formerly homeless households with special needs. Plus, it's located on one of the trendiest restaurant blocks in the 'hood (Ippudo, Aria Wine Bar, and Maria Pia, to name a few).
Find out about the controversy behind this project

Affordable Housing

October 18, 2016

‘The Chew’ host Michael Symon selling historic West Village townhouse for $5.8M

Chef Michael Symon--co-host of "The Chew," Food Network personality, and restauranteur--picked up the narrow, turn-of-the-century townhouse at 58 Downing Street in April 2015 for $5.14 million, but just a year and a half later, he's put the West Village home back on the market, reports Curbed. He's not looking to make much of a profit, listing it for only $5.8 million, despite what the listing calls a renovation "for a contemporary lifestyle" and its plethora of historic details and stylish decor.
See the whole place

October 18, 2016

Knicks player Lance Thomas scores $3.56M Tribeca condo

Nets players might be gobbling up Brooklyn real estate, but when it comes to the Knicks it's all about staying near MSG in Manhattan. Recently, both Sasha Vujacic and Kristaps Porzingis rented units in Midtown West's fitness-centric Sky, and Joakim Noah picked up a $6 million Chelsea penthouse. Now, forward Lance Thomas is settling down a bit farther south, as LLNYC reports that he dropped $3.56 million on a sprawling Tribeca triplex at 52 Lispenard Street, which makes sense since he recently inked a four-year, $27 million deal with the team.
See his new home

October 18, 2016

Bethenny Frankel checks out Robert DeNiro’s former $20M West Village penthouse

It hasn't even been a week since Bethenny Frankel triumphantly sold her $7 million Tribeca loft in just one day, but the Skinny Girl is already back on the hunt. The Post reports that she and "Million Dollar Listing's" Fredrik Eklund (he's also responsible for her recent sale) checked out a $20 million West Village penthouse yesterday. The incredible, 11,000-square-foot duplex at 165 Perry Street--which boasts glass floors, floor-to-ceiling windows, several landscaped terraces around a central courtyard, and a seven-car garage--was famously rented by Robert DeNiro for two years after his Upper West Side apartment caught fire in 2012.
Check out the jaw-dropping space

October 18, 2016

SL Green breaks ground on One Vanderbilt, NYC’s second tallest tower – see new renderings

By Diane Pham

Yesterday 6sqft brought you a time-lapse video showing an entire Midtown block being demolished to make way for the 1,401-foot supertall One Vanderbilt. Now with a cleared site—plus $1.5 billion in construction financing secured—SL Green is ready to build anew, and Tuesday morning the developer held an official groundbreaking ceremony to mark the momentous occasion.
see more here

October 18, 2016

Bill Ackman thinks he can flip One57 penthouse for $500M

When hedge fund manager Bill Ackman closed on a $91.5 million penthouse at One57 in April 2015, he had already boasted that he had no intention of ever living in the place, but that he'd host parties there and eventually flip it as a "fun" investment. It seems that over the past year and a half, Ackman, whose net worth is estimated at $1.6 billion, has gotten even more optimistic, as a source close to him told Vanity Fair that he thinks he'll be able to sell the 13,500-square-foot duplex for $500 million. As The Real Deal notes, this claim comes despite the fact that other units in the building have been recently listed at a loss and that his fund Pershing Square Capital is down to $11.4 billion under management from $20 billion in March of 2015.
More on this ahead

Where I Work

October 17, 2016

Timber framed loft transformed to two-bedroom condo asks $2.75M in Tribeca

This two-bedroom apartment, at the condo 288 West Street in Tribeca, practically luxuriates in all its lofty details. The former timber frame loft building still retains much of its incredible interior, which has left this apartment decked out with ceiling beams, arched brick entryways, wood floors and high ceilings. It has just hit the market for $2.75 million after trying to sell earlier this year for $3.175 million.
Peek inside

Distinctive Homes

October 17, 2016

Diego Rivera’s psychedelic Rockefeller Center mural was destroyed before it was finished, 1934

By Tracy A. Marciano

In 1932, Mexican artist Diego Rivera was commissioned by Nelson Rockefeller to add a mural to the soaring lobby of Rockefeller Center. Despite being known for his petulant temper and loyalty to Communism, Rivera was still one of the most highly sought after artists of his time, lauded for his creative genius and his detailed paintings. But politics, artistic vision, power and wealth collided in 1934 when a displeased Rockefeller had the very mural he commissioned from Rivera chiseled off the wall the night before it was to be completed.
read about the mysterious mural here

October 17, 2016

$14.5M Annabelle Selldorf-designed Chelsea duplex was once a YMCA gym and running track

If you’ve got $14.5 million to invest, and you'd like living in Chelsea, you should grab this loft at 213 West 23rd Street right away. Because someone will. Lofts–even expensive architect-designed ones–make a stunning first impression but often disappoint when it comes to livability. This space, however–in the landmarked former home of the McBurney YMCA, whose gymnasium and running track make up the living areas–is a winner. Designed by Annabelle Selldorf, with interiors by Jeffrey Beers, this remarkable duplex spans a full 7,000 square feet, split between two levels with a soaring 29-foot-high living space at the center. Rooms–including four bedrooms–are organized in an intelligent and gracious plan for glamorous entertaining as well as maximum comfort and privacy.
Check out this amazing space (and find out more cool trivia about it)

Distinctive Homes

October 17, 2016

Watch the time-lapse demolition of an entire Midtown block for supertall One Vanderbilt

6sqft recently reported that One Vanderbilt, developer SL Green's new Midtown supertall, has secured $1.5 billion in financing, giving the green light to the 1,401-foot-tall, full-block office tower slated to rise at One Vanderbilt Avenue between 42nd and 43rd Streets directly adjacent to Grand Central Terminal. Demolition of a full block of commercial buildings next to Grand Central began a year ago to make way for the tower. Now, YIMBY brings us a time lapse video of the lengthy demolition courtesy of One Vanderbilt’s PR team.
Watch an entire block of pre-war buildings disappear

The flagship New York Public Library shelves books by size, not subject matter

Image by timetrax23

October 14, 2016

The flagship New York Public Library shelves books by size, not subject matter

By Diane Pham

With over four million research books in their possession, finding a place for each and every title has been an ongoing challenge for the New York Public Library (NYPL). First starchitect Norman Foster was brought in to help remedy the issue, but his plans for expansion were dropped when researchers realized a redesign would mean moving 1.5 million books to Jersey for an undefined amount of time; and more recently, the library unveiled a brand new $23M storage facility below Bryant Park, complete with a $2.3M "Book Train" able to zip miles of volumes across the library's 11 floors. But even with this new facility, space remains a challenge. So in hopes of increasing capacity, the NYPL has decided to abandon the Dewey Decimal System for a more space-friendly cataloging system. Yes, when it comes to sorting, subject is no longer of interest—rather, it's size that matters.
find out more here

Architecture And Design

October 14, 2016

Renderings revealed for High Line-adjacent condo on hot West Chelsea block

West 29th Street between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues is quickly becoming to Chelsea what Bond Street is to Noho--a delightfully concentrated mishmash of high-profile architecture projects. Over on the west side, this one-block stretch is already home to SCDA Architects' Soori High Line with its noted private pools, Cary Tamarkin's 550 West 29th Street, and Maestro West Chelsea, a 35-story trio of rentals. CityRealty now shares a look at the block's newest project, a 10-story, 61-unit condo at 519 West 29th Street from developer Six Sigma, which is distinguished by a glass facade punctuated by rectangular balcony alcoves flanked with green walls.
More news related to the project ahead

October 14, 2016

This $825K Turtle Bay condop is a greenhouse and a treehouse with a little bit of loft

This unique condop (financially a co-op with condo-like rules) at 310 East 46th Street in Manhattan's genteel east Midtown Turtle Bay district is one of those apartments that makes you go, "hmm..." While it has plenty of eye appeal with a stunning glass atrium wall, Chrysler and Empire State Building views, 12-foot vaulted ceilings and custom teak built-ins, the current layout makes it hard to transcend long, narrow studio status, which makes the $825,000 ask seem like less of a deal. What's here, though, is a sight to behold; and there's potential. And amenities!
See what the options are

Distinctive Homes

October 14, 2016

Duplex penthouse with dramatic outdoor terrace and shower on the market for $14.9M

This Tribeca penthouse, at 39-41 North Moore Street, has been waiting patiently for a buyer. It first hit the market in 2012 for $21.5 million. In 2014, the price was down to $14.995 million. Now it's back, trying for $14.999 million. The sprawling apartment comes with 4,600 square feet of interior living space and 2,300 more square feet outside. The listing goes so far to call it "one of the city's most dramatic terraces." But when your terrace comes with an outdoor shower, outdoor kitchen, pergola and plenty of shaded seating areas, we'll admit that it's something to brag about.
Take a look

Distinctive Homes

October 14, 2016

Bethenny Frankel sells $7M Tribeca loft in just one day