Manhattan

July 27, 2016

In the 1980s a Group of Feisty Tenants Blocked Evictions by Donald Trump

It's no secret that Donald Trump has engaged in some shady real estate dealings over the years, from his fraught attempt to own the Empire State Building, to the "public" gardens at Trump Tower that allowed him to build taller, to a lost battle with China over two major office buildings (not to mention his many bankruptcies). But there was at least one snafu that he wasn't able to weasel himself out of, and it was all thanks to a group of feisty residential tenants. In the early 1980s, Trump planned to evict rent-controlled and rent-stabilized tenants from 100 Central Park South (now known as Trump Parc East) and build a larger tower on this site and that of the adjacent Barbizon Plaza Hotel. He hired a management firm that specialized in emptying buildings, and they began eviction proceedings. After claiming reduced services, a lack of repairs, and overall harassment, the tenants decided to fight back, and in the end 80 percent of them remained, leading to this revelation by the Donald: "What I've learned is that the better the location and the lower the rent, the harder people fight. If I were a tenant, I'd probably be a leader too."
Get the full story here
July 27, 2016

For $1.2M This Bright Village Loft Is at the Crossroads of Everything

This $1.195 million co-op at 9 East 13th Street just off Fifth Avenue is a classic vintage downtown Manhattan loft updated for the 21st century. In a bustling spot at the crossroads of old and new near NYU and Parsons and between Union Square and Washington Square Park, the building may be old but as with most lofts, this bright one-bedroom home's interiors are filled with light and lots of white, brick and pale wood. And this particular loft has the distinction of having an impressive amount of private finished outdoor space perched above the Village scene.
Take the tour
July 27, 2016

Kelsey Grammer Lists Chelsea Condo in Jean Nouvel’s 100 Eleventh Avenue for $9.75M

While in the midst of a very public divorce from third wife Camille in 2010, actor Kelsey Grammer moved from their 15 Central Park West pad to a much more mod condo at Jean Nouvel's glassy 100 Eleventh Avenue in west Chelsea. Apparently, says the Observer, he tried to keep the $6.4 million purchase "top-secret" as he was "buying it for himself and his then-mistress Kayte Walsh." The "Frasier" star eventually married Walsh, and they now have two children together; his publicist confirmed that he's listed the three-bedroom spread for $9.75 million since they've "outgrown" the space.
Check it out
July 27, 2016

INTERVIEW: George Cominskie on the History and Future of the Westbeth Artist Community

Westbeth Artists Housing at 55 Bethune Street in the West Village opened in 1970 to provide affordable live/work spaces for artists. A young Richard Meier took the project on as one of his first commissions, transforming the former home of Bell Laboratories into 384 units open to artists of all disciplines. Today, Westbeth remains home […]

July 26, 2016

This Is What the Lower East Side Skyline Could Look Like, More Tall Towers Planned

The hotly contested Two Bridges neighborhood--the area along the East River, near the footings of the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges where the Lower East Side meets Chinatown--has been making headlines nearly every week, whether it be for a new supertall tower or local residents' opposition to what they feel is out-of-scale development for the mostly low-rise and low-income neighborhood. Just yesterday, The Lo-Down obtained information through a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request that reveals preliminary plans for two more residential projects that together "would add more than 2,100 residential units and 1.7 million square feet" to the area. A building at 271-283 South Street may rise 60 stories, while another at 260 South Street could reach 66 stories. To put into perspective just how much this planned and under-construction new development will alter the LES skyline, CityRealty.com has put together this Google Earth rendering of all the proposed towers.
Get all the details right here
July 26, 2016

My sqft: A British Expat and Aspiring Food Vlogger Makes a Home in Hamilton Heights

Hamilton Heights isn’t quite the neighborhood you’d expect to find a London girl who’s new to the city, but expat Vanessa Lee revels in the distance of her out of the way ‘hood. “I'm one of the outliers that don't mind traveling over an hour across town to discover a cute little bar or coffee shop," she says, "I try somewhere new every opportunity I can.” Like most New York newbies, Vanessa was looking for an affordable place to live when she arrived. This meant that living alone was out of the question, and living in a neighborhood like Soho or Tribeca would mean squeezing into an expensive sardine can with several others. So rather than settling into any downtown address she could find, she turned her budgetary constraints into an opportunity for observation and discovery. Ahead she talks to 6sqft about her transition from London to NYC; why she chose out of the way Hamilton Heights; and how she's now using food and video as a way to explore and share her adventures around the city with others.
More from Vanessa this way
July 26, 2016

Maya Angelou’s Historic Harlem Brownstone Finds a Buyer for $4M

The historic Harlem brownstone of author, poet, and civil rights activist Maya Angelou listed for $5.1 million in February, and after a drop to $4.95 million in March, it's now found a buyer for a reduced price of $4 million, The Real Deal tells us. Dr. Angelou purchased the four-story home, built in 1909 in the Mount Morris Park Historic District, sight unseen in 2002 to serve as her northeast residence when she wasn't teaching at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. But she didn't move in until 2004 (vandals had turned it into a "dilapidated shell"), when East Harlem-based architect Marc Anderson had completed a gut renovation that added contemporary amenities such as an elevator, two skylights, and a basement entertainment area, while retaining historic details like the original oak-front door, wainscoting, carved banister, and decorative fireplaces.
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July 26, 2016

$3M Art Deco Co-op Boasts Wrap-Around Terraces With Views of Central Park

It's one thing to have views of Central Park from your apartment. It's quite another when those views come from two wrap-around terraces that surround your penthouse. That's what happening at 336 Central Park West, where this 17th floor, one-bedroom pad is now on the market for $2.995 million. There's more square footage outside than there is inside--with 1,100 interior square feet and 1,720 exterior square feet. And the interior boasts twelve large windows, with the original steel-cased frames, that look out onto both incredible terrace spaces.
See more of this outdoor shangri-la
July 26, 2016

$7K/Month Chelsea Rental Gets Points for Townhouse Charm and a Private Garden

Chelsea living on a beautiful tree-lined street feels even better when the living is being done in an utterly charming pastel-tinted townhouse like the one at 353 West 22nd Street. Surrounded by equally lovely townhouse neighbors and near the High Line, the West Village and all of Chelsea, it's a great downtown location with tons of curb appeal. The apartment itself is also nothing like the average cookie-cutter rental space. With lots of warm wood and brick, impossibly high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling casement windows and a gem of a private garden, this $7,000/month two-bedroom bi-level rental may be on the small side but it gets points for charm and outdoor space.
Take a look around
July 26, 2016

Lottery Opens for 13 Affordable Units in Washington Heights, Starting at $868/Month

In April 2015, developer Sutton Management applied to utilize the city's 421-a program for a new project at 607 West 161st Street in Washington Heights, just off the New York Presbyterian campus. They received approvals that 13 of the Jeffrey Cole Architects-designed building's 62 units would be reserved for those earning 60 percent or less than the area median income, and today these units have come online through the city's affordable housing lottery. They range from $868/month studios to $1,085 two-bedrooms, and for an additional fee, lottery residents will have access to a fitness center and bicycle room.
Find out if you qualify
July 25, 2016

Gigi Hadid Now a Resident of Trendy 10 Bond Street in Noho

Last summer, after a stalker tried to break into her apartment at 250 Bowery in Nolita, supermodel Gigi Hadid listed the home for $2.45 million. It closed in January for $2.3 million, around which time Hadid and then-new flame Zayn Malik were seen checking out a $6.5 million apartment nearby at Noho's 10 Bond Street. Seven months later, it look like Gigi's officially shacked up in the Annabelle Selldorf-designed building, as she and Malik have been exiting the building together to a swarm of paparazzi.
What's it look like inside?
July 25, 2016

Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Former West Village Apartment Up For Rent Asking $10,250/Month

Acclaimed actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, who tragically died from a drug overdose in February 2014, was a regular fixture in his West Village community, sitting out on his stoop, frequenting local coffee shops, and helping to establish the neighborhood's LAByrinth Theater. He moved into his apartment at the Pickwick House, a former 19th century printing plant, in October 2013, after splitting from his wife. The unit first hit the market for $10,500 a month just a month after his passing, but even after dropping to $9,995, it couldn't find a tenant. It's now trying again reports the Post, asking $10,250 a month.
Take a look
July 25, 2016

Apply for 53 Affordable Units in Historic Harlem, Starting at $494/Month

The lottery is open for 53 brand new affordable units at 275 West 140th Street in central Harlem. The building, dubbed Strivers Plaza in reference to its proximity to the nearby historic homes of Striver’s Row, is an eight-story structure designed by affordable housing gurus Aufgang Architects. As previously reported by Yimby, Radson Development was able to build bigger than zoning would normally allow due to the inclusion of the below-market rate units, as well as an 8,000-square foot supermarket in what's considered a "food desert." Available units go from $494/month studios to $2,405/month two-bedrooms for people with a wide range of annual earnings -- 40 to 165 percent of the area median income.
See if you qualify here
July 25, 2016

For $12M This West Village Townhouse/Condo Has It All, Plus a Rooftop Pool

For amenities that rival those shared by residents of the city's top luxury condo buildings–a gym, sun deck with hot tub and privacy cabana, laundry, media room–you won’t even need to get dressed, because all those things are under your roof. But if you should choose to venture from your 4,382-square-foot, four-bedroom triplex "townhouse" at 385 West 12th Street, a whole other level of amenities awaits; the boutique condo building offers a roof-deck with a 50-foot lap pool, an expansive spa, an outdoor shower, two gas grills and a dining area. Should you exit the premises completely rather than just letting the whole world just come to you, you’re on a pretty cobblestoned street in the West Village. So for the $11.995 million this supercondo is asking, it’s pretty much win/win/win.
Check it all out this way
July 22, 2016

Local Pols Say Port Authority’s $10B Bus Terminal Plan Is a Hot Mess

A request to put the brakes on a $10 billion plan for a new West Side bus terminal and rethink the process with more input from local officials and the public was rebuffed by the Port Authority chairman, reports Crain’s. Rep. Jerrold Nadler and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer were joined by Deputy Mayor Anthony Shorris, state Sen. Brad Hoylman, Assembly members Richard Gottfried and Linda Rosenthal and Councilman Corey Johnson in backing the effort to slow the Port Authority's call to move ahead with a design competition to get ideas for the West Side plan. The controversy emerged after a board meeting on Thursday. "We’re not going to defer the design and deliverability study,” was the reply from John Degnan, the New Jersey-appointed chairman, amid concerns that the new terminal will necessitate the seizure of private property using eminent domain, threaten area homes, small businesses and other organizations and belch more carbon from a larger fleet of buses into the air in an area that already "runs afoul of federal air-quality standards."
Find out what the fuss is all about
July 21, 2016

See Day and Night Views From 1,400 Feet in the Air at 432 Park!

Earlier today, 6sqft brought you flashy new renderings of the amenity spaces at 432 Park Avenue. The reveal came with a link to the official building website, which has a section offering jaw-dropping photos that showcase the views from the 1,396-foot tower, the tallest residential building in the Western Hemisphere. As the site notes, they span from the Hudson River to the East River, from Westchester to Brooklyn, and from Central Park to the Atlantic Ocean.
See them all here
July 21, 2016

432 Park Reveals Renderings of Rafael Viñoly-Designed Amenity Spaces

To date, 46 of the 106 residences at 432 Park Avenue, the tallest residential building in the Western Hemisphere, have sold. And perhaps in an attempt to sweaten the deal for those remaining, which now includes rentals, the sales team has released renderings of the swanky amenity spaces, also designed by the building's starchitect Rafael Viñoly. In addition to views of the indoor swimming pool, billiards room and library, fitness center, massage treatment room, and movie theater, the press release brings fresh details on the restaurant, which will be open only to residents and their guests.
See all the renderings here
July 21, 2016

Live in a Charming Midtown Co-op Just Off Billionaires’ Row For $449K

For a rare low-six-figure price, this one-bedroom co-op shares a neighborhood with the big-ticket buyers at One57 and 15 Central Park West, as well as easy access to the same great perks, like Lincoln Center, Central Park, the Time Warner Center and lots of theater options. While it might have a lot less interior space, the fourth-floor walk up at 431 West 54th Street looks bright, quiet and comfortable, and might just cost less per month than most rentals in the area. Just north of vibrant Hell's Kitchen, the neighborhood is a growing residential favorite on its own with buyers and renters who love Manhattan living.
Get a look at this find
July 20, 2016

MoMA Has Already Raised $650M for Renovation and Expansion, And More Is Coming

Just this week, it came to light that the Metropolitan Museum of Art may lay off as many as 100 employees as part of efforts to cut its $30 million deficit. As the New York Times previously explored, the struggling state of the Met exemplifies a shift in the art world towards modern and contemporary art. And standing as a true testament to this is MoMA's current financial status. The midtown museum has already raised $650 million towards its fundraising campaign, far exceeding the $450 million needed for its planned renovation and addition of three new gallery floors. In addition, they'll also sell $280 million of tax-exempt bonds "to raise money for the project and refinance debt as borrowing costs drop to the lowest on record," reports Crain's.
More details ahead
July 20, 2016

Landmarks Tells BKSK Architects to Cut Height of Proposed Eight-Story UWS Resi Building

It's back to the drawing board for BKSK Architects, reports CityRealty.com. At yesterday's LPC meeting, architects Harry Kendall and Todd Poisson presented BKSK's proposal for a new seven-unit residential building at 466-468 Columbus in the Central Park West Historic District being developed by the Roe Corporation. The project would require the demo of an innocuous three-story brick building dating back to 1894 (the existing building facade was updated in 2006), replacing it with an even taller masonry building with a facade punctuated by terra cotta louvers and topped with a modern cornice. The building would also host two retail units on its ground floor and an eighth-floor setback that would give the penthouse a private terrace. While the LPC had no issue with knocking down the existing building, they were less keen on some of the other items.
More here
July 20, 2016

You Could Say This Four-Bedroom Village Co-op Is About $1M Per Bedroom–With Room to Spare

For starters, there's a mudroom–it's right across from the laundry room. And an underground garage. There are some bedrooms, maybe four, maybe less–or more...how many do you need? Suburban sprawl isn't a problem at all when it's inside your apartment, and the apartment is on a tree-lined West Village block. You could say this $4 million home in a boutique co-op residence at 247 West 12th Street known as Greenwich House rings in at $1 million per bedroom, with some room to spare.
Take a look around this expensive-but-adaptable living space
July 19, 2016

Pricing Revealed for Essex Crossing’s SHoP-Designed Condo Tower

Though Essex Crossing will bring 1.65 million square feet of residential, community, and commercial space to the Lower East Side, only one of the 10 sites will offer condos--242 Broome Street. Located at Site One, the SHoP Architects-designed tower is currently getting its foundation poured, and along with this groundbreaking comes a sales website with new details on the project, reports CityRealty.com. The 14-story building will have a five-story base to house retail and commercial tenants and a bowling alley from Splitsville Luxury Lanes. On the fifth floor will be a cultural space (the Andy Warhol Museum previously planned to open an outpost here) and rooftop sculpture garden. Above will be 55 one- to three-bedroom condos, 11 of which will be affordable. Tentative pricing for the market-rate units ranges from $1,275,000 to $7,000,000, according to the latest edition of Elliman Magazine (the brokerage will be handling sales).
More details this way
July 19, 2016

$4.5M Industrial Tribeca Loft Is Both Cavernous and Airy

The adjectives "cavernous" and "airy" don't usually go together, but a gut renovation at this Tribeca loft created an industrial-chic space that manages to feel bright and open while retaining its dark, underground moodiness. Located at the 19th century building 55 North Moore Street, the two-bedroom home boasts historic details like exposed wood ceilings, brick walls, and steel columns, along with more modern touches such as the amazing skylight made of frosted glass blocks. The loft last sold in 2004 for $1.78 million, and after the reno, the owners thought they could pick up a cool $10.6 million last year. The price has now dropped significantly to $4.5 million, however.
Take a look around this incredible home
July 19, 2016

Court Says Work Can Proceed at Barry Diller’s Futuristic Offshore Park

At the end of last month, an appellate court issued an injunction that said work must temporarily stop at Barry Diller's Pier 55 until at least September when opponents of the futuristic offshore park (who claimed it had gone through inadequate environmental impact evaluations) could present their case again. But The Real Deal reports today that work has resumed much sooner than expected, as an appeals court lifted the stop work order yesterday.
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July 18, 2016

Beyond the Four Seasons: Aby Rosen Talks Maintenance and Costs at the Seagram Building

On Saturday night, after what seems like an eternity of speculation followed by lamentation, the iconic Four Seasons hosted its last dinner. Last summer, Seagram Building owner Aby Rosen of RFR Realty chose not to renew the iconic restuarant's lease, and even before this, he faced criticism when he removed Picasso's largest ever work, Le Tricorne, from the space. But despite the constant contention, the developer is speaking out, hoping to get a little credit for the work and money he has put into the office building. "I see myself as a custodian," he told the Times, referring to the fact that it costs RFR an estimated 20 percent more to maintain the landmarked structure than it would a typical tower of the same size and age. But experts say this is par for the course when one willingly purchases a designated building, which Rosen did in 2000 for $379 million.
Rosen breaks down the specifics
July 18, 2016

Plans Filed for Condo/Cultural Building in West Chelsea by the Late Zaha Hadid

At the beginning of June, 6sqft reported that the Moinian Group would be moving ahead with a project at 220 Eleventh Avenue in Chelsea that they had collaborated on over a year ago with the late Zaha Hadid. This is located just three blocks away from the starchitect's only other New York Commission at 520 West 28th Street along the High Line. At the time, the developer announced that the new building will be "a collection of signature loft-like condominium residences, a collection of penthouses and a cultural institution to establish itself as the hub of the world renowned art district that is West Chelsea." Yimby has now revealed that Moinian filed official permits for the 11-story structure, which will boast 40 large condos, a museum, and a restaurant.
More details right this way