Manhattan

When most people think of George Washington and New York City they envision the Washington Square Arch, not only one of the city's most notable landmarks, but one that clearly pays homage to our nation's first president. Real history buffs may also recall the Equestrian Statue of Washington in Union Square. But before both of these sites were erected (in 1895 and 1865, respectively), there was a plan in 1847 to honor him on the Upper East Side by building a 425-foot monument that would've dwarfed Trinity Church, the tallest building in the city at the time.
So what happened?

History

August 31, 2016

Kim and Kanye now enjoying a $30M Tribeca pad for $0, courtesy of Airbnb

If you needed any more proof that Kim Kardashian is the Queen of Social Media, look no further than her latest Instagram post where she can be seen lounging on the cream couch of a $30 million Tribeca penthouse—the spread she and hubby Kanye will be living in for free through October. As 6sqft previously reported, the couple was in talks with Airbnb the last few months for a lavish pad that would be provided to them at no monetary cost, so long as Kim posted something on one of her many social media accounts about it. And lo and behold, as The Post first reports, Kim sealed the deal yesterday on Instagram with a sultry shot captioned with “Just checked into our NYC penthouse. Thanks @airbnb for the gift of our home away from home.”
find out more here

August 31, 2016

Kate Spade founder’s boho East Village townhouse returns as a $40,000/month rental

We'll take any opportunity to admire the four-story townhouse at 215 East 12th Street in the East Village, just south of the bustle of Union Square, and its appearance on the rental market for $40,000 a month is as good an excuse as any. Just a few months ago, the townhouse owned by Pamela Bell, one of the founders of fashion brand Kate Spade, popped up for sale at $16 million accompanied by many pretty pictures of its gently renovated historic-chic interiors and beautifully-preserved 1800s origins. Bell bought the house in 2007 for $4.3 million, so there's a tidy sum to be made if it snags a buyer; in the meantime, renters get a chance to experience nine-bedroom garden-filled townhouse living in a vibrant, 24-hour neighborhood.
Take the tour

August 30, 2016

Vintage 1901 film captures the infamous 23 Skidoo of the Flatiron

The Flatiron building is best known for its angular form and its striking architectural details. But back in the early 1900s it gained notoriety for something far less virtuous: the 23 skidoo. Because the Flatiron building sits at the intersection of 5th Avenue and Broadway, which together form a sharp angle, winds will often collect to create currents strong enough to lift a woman's skirt. While by today’s standards bare legs and ankles aren't worth taking note of, back then this sight was a real treat for the fellas. As such, hordes of men would flock to 23rd Street in hopes catching one of the many old-timey wardrobe malfunctions that occurred throughout the day. In fact, according to Andrew S. Dolkart, professor of Historic Preservation at the Columbia's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, the number of men who gathered would sometimes become so disruptive that police would have to shoo them away!
watch the full 23 skidoo here

History

August 30, 2016

Apply for 116 brand new apartments at an amenity-loaded UWS tower, units from $833

Starting tomorrow, qualifying New York residents can apply for 116 sparkling new apartments at 10 Freedom Place South in Christian de Portzamparc’s masterfully planned Riverside Center on the Upper West Side. The affordable offer is part of Silverstein Properties and the Elad Group's luxurious new Pelli Pelli Clarke-designed 1 West End Avenue project, built through the city's 421-a Inclusionary Housing Program. As such, the development's 365 units have been divided into two sections served by two separate entrances—116 affordable apartments located in the lower eight floors marked by stone, and 249 lavish market-rate units topping them off in the glass tower.
Pricing and income requirements this way

Affordable Housing

August 29, 2016

$2.3M Financial District pad has been completely remodeled into an open-concept loft

This three-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment at the Financial District condo 54 Pine Street has been totally remodeled into an open-concept loft. The owners moved the kitchen (and then outfitted it with new appliances) to create the third bedroom/office space. The open kitchen now looks out onto a long, open living and dining room that's anchored by exposed brick and arched ceilings. The entire apartment, in fact, boasts lots of lofty details, and it's now on the market for $2.285 million.
Take a look around

Distinctive Homes

August 29, 2016

Facebook co-founder Sean Parker buys three Greenwich Village townhouses to create mega-mansion

There must be something about the Village and Facebook that go together. Back in January, the social media company's co-founder Chris Hughes sold his Soho loft for $8.5 million and relocated to a $23.5 million West Village townhouse. And now the Post reports that the other founding partner, Sean Parker, who also created Napster, has acquired three homes along West 10th Street, where he plans to create one big mega-mansion.
READ MORE

August 29, 2016

$1.4M Chelsea duplex has lots of charm and a magical garden, but a few flaws

If you're looking for an apartment that's, as the saying goes, "perfect for one person or a couple," this charming Chelsea co-op at 335 West 21st Street looks to be every bit the "jewel box oasis" the listing claims. On a prime and pretty block near the High Line, asking $1.395 million, this one-bedroom-plus-den duplex has been optimized for livability–if you can live with a few flaws.
Take a look around

Distinctive Homes

August 26, 2016

Where I Work: Inside Thompson Square Studios, Soho’s members-only co-working space

6sqft’s series “Where I Work” takes us into the studios, offices, and off-beat workspaces of New Yorkers across the city. In this installment, we take a tour Thompson Square Studios, a private members club-style co-working space in Soho. Want to see your business featured here? Get in touch! After starting his career as an architect in London, Robert Herrick went on to found Visualhouse, a "creative ideas" agency focusing on the architecture and design fields, in 2006. With offices now in London, New York, Los Angeles, Miami and Hong Kong, Visualhouse has produced work from branding campaigns to digital renderings for the likes of Zaha Hadid, Norman Foster, and Rafael Vinoly. In 2013, Robert took his expertise and created the Thompson House Group with the goal of delivering private member experiences in workspaces, hotels, and restaurants. The Group's first project was Thompson Square Studios, a "private member club for work and play." Unlike traditional co-working spaces, the Studio has a membership board that selects tenants from the creative industries based on what they can bring to the collective whole. 6sqft recently caught up with CEO and founder Robert, who took us on a tour of the impeccably designed space filled with copper accents, industrial decor, and sleek yet moody furniture. We also got a look at how Visualhouse operates within the club.
Tour the space and hear from Robert

August 26, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s top event picks for the week- 8/25-8/31

By Lori Zimmer

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers! Summer is winding down, but we're not ready to move back indoors. Jump a ferry and celebrate the season's end on Governors Island with an old fashioned oyster shuck. Get down (silently) outside at the Coney Island Art walls at the Quiet Clubbing Festival, or join artist Santhori in making a giant mural at the park on East 1st Street. Stretch out and appreciate Times Square on Jurgen Mayer H's XXX easy chairs, then head to the Bowery Wall to find your friends in Logan Hicks' giant new mural. Finally, the gallery prince of darkness JJ Brine is bringing his Vector Gallery back to New York, and two artists are turning Brooklyn's Ground Floor Gallery into a giant loom installation.
More on all the best events this way

Events & Things To Do

August 25, 2016

Here’s your chance to own off Central Park West for just $425K

Location is the draw when it comes to this studio apartment at the Franconia co-op, located right off Central Park West at 20 West 72nd Street. It's a very cozy space that will require a Murphy bed setup. As for a dining table...forget it. But who needs a big apartment when you've got Central Park and the Upper West Side right outside your door? The current apartment owner looks to be Johanna Rosaly, a Puerto Rican actress, singer, and television host. She bought it in 2011 for $270,000 and has listed it at a significant bump, for $425,000.
See more of the studio

Distinctive Homes

August 25, 2016

Rebuilding efforts begin for historic Flatiron church destroyed by fire

By Metro New York

More than three months have passed since the historic Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Sava went up in flames, leaving the Flatiron landmark in ruin and heartbroken parishioners praying for the future of their cultural and spiritual site. During that time, church officials have been meeting with city agencies, and now rebuilding is inching closer to […]

Uncategorized

August 25, 2016

Six months after $6M buy, supermodel Irina Shayk lists 150 Charles condo as a $20,000 rental

When Sports Illustrated supermodel Irina Shayk bought a $6 million condo at celebrity favorite 150 Charles Street back in February, it was rumored that she'd be shacking up there with boyfriend Bradley Cooper. But it looks like she was getting in on the investment game; only six months later she's put the two-bedroom spread on the rental market for $20,000 a month. The Observer reports that Shayk never even moved in to the West Village building, where Ben Stiller, Jon Bon Jovi, and fashion photographer Steven Klein have also purchased units. This could be because she's still living at her other West Village condo at 166 Perry Street, which she listed last December for $4 million. Regardless, the new tenant of this sleek abode will be in good company.
See more of the apartment

City releases Midtown East Rezoning plan; could add 16 new towers

Conceptual image depicting all the proposed sites of the East Midtown rezoning fully built out. Courtesy CityRealty

August 25, 2016

City releases Midtown East Rezoning plan; could add 16 new towers

After Mayor Bloomberg's failed 2013 attempt, the city has released its long-awaited Midtown East Rezoning plan, a controversial upzoning of the area bound by Madison and Third Avenues and 39th and 50th Streets, which would encourage taller, more modern office towers in an area that many feel is no longer attracting commercial tenants. According to Crain's, their proposal, the first step in the formal rezoning process, would allow the tallest buildings around Grand Central, increasing the maximum density by 30 percent. Along Park Avenue and near subway stations north of the Terminal, density would be increased, too. The proposal also will permit owners of landmarked buildings to sell their air rights across the district, rather than just to adjacent properties like the current law dictates.
More details ahead

August 24, 2016

Tribeca duplex with two enclosed loggias asks $22,500/month

This Tribeca rental, from the 12-unit condo D'Arte House, boasts nothing but space: two floors, 6,300 square feet, a giant master bedroom with tons of closet space, and two enclosed loggias. The loggias—located off the master and the upstairs bedrooms—are the most unique feature of the apartment, offering faux outdoor space you can use in whatever type of weather. The whole pad is available furnished to a renter for $22,500 a month.
Look around

Distinctive Homes

August 24, 2016

Summer work on Barry Diller-funded futuristic offshore park complete

Work on the Barry Diller-funded Pier55 park is advancing nicely, even after being slapped with a lawsuit and a stop work order in June. As the Hudson River Park Trust (HRPT) and Pier55 Inc. announced this afternoon, the first nine piles propping up the 2.7-acre undulating park have been installed. Per the pair's press release, the milestone marks the completion of summer work and is part of the initial work of the first phase of construction.
more on the progress here

August 24, 2016

Rent this fabulously curated Village loft with civilized co-op amenities for $4,000 a month

The look is architect's design meets artsy loft at this one-bedroom co-op in the International Tailoring Company Building at 111 Fourth Avenue in Greenwich Village. Modern finishes provide a backdrop for cool collections and funky details (like a baby blue retro Smeg refrigerator), while the overall result "exudes a refined aura of contemporary city living." The "duplex" has a classic loft setup, meaning it's comprised of a sleeping loft perched above the apartment's main space. Located at the crossroads of Greenwich Village, the East Village and Union Square, it's not a spot for peace and quiet, but it gets top marks for supreme convenience to just about everything downtown Manhattan has to offer, which might make the $4,000 rent worthwhile. And unlike some historic loft buildings, this particular co-op offers an elevator, a doorman, laundry on every floor, and two landscaped roof decks.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

August 23, 2016

Penn Station’s archaic departure board to get a digital upgrade

By Metro New York

Amtrak has plans to upgrade their main departure board located at Penn Station with new digital information screens. The idea behind the new departure screen is to provide passengers with clearer and detailed travel information. There will be several information screens placed throughout the concourse to improve the flow of passengers at the station. READ MORE […]

Transit

August 23, 2016

$2.3M railroad apartment on the Bowery boasts a 35-foot-long terrace

This one-bedroom condo at 354 Bowery in Noho has mastered the art of combining indoor and outdoor space. A long exposed brick wall not only anchors the apartment but leads to a 35-foot-long private terrace in the back of the unit. The result is a striking living space that gives the railroad apartment a good look.
Take a look

Distinctive Homes

August 22, 2016

Local writer raising $150,000 to save Langston Hughes’ $3M Harlem townhouse

Prolific writer and leader of the Harlem Renaissance Langston Hughes lived at 20 East 127th Street, an 1896 brownstone, in the 1950s and '60s, until he passed away in 1967. As Curbed notes, in more recent years, the ivy-covered, landmarked home has been plagued by lawsuits over its use and maintenance. The current owner listed it for $1.2 million in 2009, but it didn't sell even after the price was lowered in 2010. Today, it's estimated to be worth more than $3 million, though it's sitting vacant with its paint chipping. But local writer Renee Watson has big plans for the house that don't involve a multi-million-dollar sale that could potentially gut the interior, where Hughes' typewriter still sits on a shelf. CNN Money reports that she's launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise $150,000 to rent the home, renovate it, and turn it into a cultural center for Harlem-based artists.
Find out more

Celebrities

August 22, 2016

Gawker founder Nick Denton can’t pay mortgage on Soho condo, needs renter approved

If you visit Gawker.com today, you'll see a final farewell that simply says "F— It," leading up to Univision's takeover of the media company later this month. But Gawker Media founder Nick Denton isn't so quick to throw in the towel in every aspect of his struggling empire; according to the Post, he's found a renter for who will fork over $12,500 a month for his $4.2 million Soho condo (in the same building where Kelly Ripa sold her penthouse at a $4.5 million discount). After publishing a sex video of him, Gawker was notoriously sued by Hulk Hogan, who won a $140 million settlement against the company, forcing Denton to file bankruptcy since he's personally liable for $10 million. So in May, he put his apartment at 76 Crosby Street on the market for $15,000 a month, the cost of his monthly mortgage payment that he now can't make, along with $3,400 in condo fees. But in order for the deal to go through, Denton needs a bankruptcy judge to approve the lease.
Check out the space

August 22, 2016

Reimagining Streit’s Matzo Factory on the Lower East Side: Two perspectives

The closing of Streit’s Matzo Factory last year was difficult for many long-time Lower East Siders to stomach. The factory was a near century-old institution that represented a bygone era untouched by gentrification. Unsurprisingly as a result, the condos designed to rise on the storied site have come under the scrutiny since their debut. But those grievances reveal just one side of the story. […]

August 22, 2016

Off the avenue: Is Park Avenue losing its edge in the office market?

Park Avenue has for decades been the office district of choice for many of the city's high-profile–and high-rent–corporations. But a recent Crain's article points to impending departures–such as the decision of investment firm Black Rock to decamp for new space in Hudson Yards or the World Trade Center, raising the question of whether the avenue's biggest office zone, from East 45th to East 59th streets, is falling out of favor with big-ticket business tenants. The city's office market is, without a doubt, changing. Industries like tech are growing and the financial industry is consolidating and in some cases downsizing its office space. The neighborhood, which charges the city's highest average rents, has been slow to catch up with the needs of new office tenants.
People moving out, people moving in

Real Estate Trends

August 22, 2016

For $7M, spend the afterlife in a crypt at Nolita’s Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral

When 6sqft learned of Manhattan's last two burial plots for sale at the New York Marble Cemetery for $350,000, we thought that was some steep real estate. But it looks like the Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral in Nolita has them beat, as the Post reports that the historic Mulberry Street location is opening "its 200-year-old crypt to the public for the first time — selling a six-person family vault in the catacombs for $7 million."
More on where you can spend the afterlife

History

August 22, 2016

Scarlett Johansson looks to the Cielo for an Upper East Side rental