Manhattan

August 3, 2016

Landmarks Approves Morris Adjmi’s Debated Noho Office Building

Less than a month ago, the Landmarks Preservation Commission asked contextually proficient architect Morris Adjmi to modify his design for a 10-story, terra cotta office and community facility building in Noho. The site, at 363 Lafayette Street within the Noho Historic District, is controversial for the fact that it's adjacent to the live/work studio of artist Chuck Close, who filed a lawsuit in 2008 against the previous owner to prevent construction of a different office building that would've blocked his loft's natural light. Yesterday, Adjmi presented a revised version of the project, which the LPC this time approved, reports New York Yimby. The new design eliminates the five two-story setbacks and opts for slightly angular, less dramatic, floor-by-floor setbacks.
More details ahead
August 2, 2016

Famed Basketball Sportscaster Marv Albert Buys $10M Tribeca Penthouse

It was all the way back in the fall of 2014 that sportscaster Marv Albert sold his Lincoln Square penthouse for $15 million. We're not sure where he's been living since, but he's just picked up another penthouse, this time at 5 Franklin Place in Tribeca, the new luxury condo from ODA Architects. According to city records released today, "the voice of basketball" paid $10.3 million for the 3,700-square-foot, four-bedroom home that comes with an additional 660 square feet of terrace space.
See what the place looks like
August 2, 2016

Lottery Opens for 50 Middle-Income Units at High-End Rental West End Towers

Most of the affordable housing lotteries that have been coming online through the city's portal have served low-income New Yorkers. The latest, though, has a higher income range, catering to middle-income tenants who earn 130 percent of the area median income, or $70,732 for an individual up to $117,700 for a family of four. The 50 available units are located at West End Towers, a luxury 1,000-unit rental at West End Avenue and 63rd Street, less than a block away from Riverside Park and just two blocks from Lincoln Center. The apartments range from $2,024/month studios to $2,611/month two-bedrooms.
Learn about the high-end amenities
August 2, 2016

Tom Brady and Gisele Pick Up a $20M Pad in Robert A.M. Stern’s 70 Vestry

Pre-deflategate, in 2013, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and his supermodel wife Gisele Bündchen bought a sprawling apartment at glassy Flatiron tower One Madison. The following year, they put it on the market for $40,000 a month, and it rented out in just two days. But it looks like they'll soon be selling, as the Post reports that the power couple has picked up a $20 million+ pad at Robert A.M. Stern's forthcoming Tribeca project 70 Vestry Street. Though it's not confirmed which unit they acquired, sources say it's 5,000 square feet, on a high floor, and comes with a large terrace. Rumor also has it they chose the waterfront building because of the privacy that its covered porte-cochère entrance provides.
More this way
July 31, 2016

Revealed: Rem Koolhaas’ First NYC Building in Gramercy

As 6sqft previously reported, "thirty-eight years after the publication of his acclaimed book 'Delirious New York,' Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas and his global architecture firm the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA)... have finally landed their first ground-up New York City commission." And now, CityRealty.com has uncovered the first official renderings of the two-towered condo development, located at 122 East 23rd Street in Gramercy. The Pritzker Prize winner has designed a crystalline glass and concrete facade with a chiseled corner on the north building that exposes its glass edges. In between the two buildings will be a courtyard surrounded by private apartment terraces. The courtyard will lead into a pool area, children's play area, and screening and party rooms on the building's lower levels. There will also be a robotic parking system that brings cars to underground storage.
More details
July 29, 2016

Spotlight: Olympic Silver Medalist Tim Morehouse Hopes to Create a Fencing Hub on the UWS

The opening ceremonies for the 2016 Rio Olympics are a week away, and for many of us it's all about the swimming, gymnastics, and track and field. But for Tim Morehouse, the main event is fencing, a sport with three weapons (sabre, foil, and epee) that has tremendous depth internationally. In 2008, Tim was part of the US men's sabre team that won silver in Beijing, and in 2012 in London, he reached the quarterfinals in the men's individual sabre event. Four years later, Tim has transitioned from a competitor to a fencing ambassador, aiming to raise the sport’s profile in the United States. To accomplish this, he founded and runs Fencing in the Schools, a non-profit organization that teaches physical education teachers the basics of fencing so they can introduce it to their students - especially those who might otherwise not have the opportunity to try it - with the hope of a few of them wanting to take it beyond gym class. In November 2015, Tim continued his mission by opening his own sabre club on the Upper West Side. Though less than a year old, the club is already making a name for itself on 91st, as well as way beyond; at the recent United States Fencing Association's National Championships in Dallas, two of club's students medalled. 6sqft recently spoke with Tim to discuss the Olympics, starting his own club, and his goals of making fencing accessible to everyone.
Read the full interview here
July 29, 2016

Floor-Through, Two-Bedroom With Historic Touches Asks $9,500/Month in the Village

Charm abounds at this two-bedroom West Village apartment, which spans a full floor of the 1875 brownstone building 69 Perry Street. The interior boasts some beautiful historic details like moldings, carved fireplace mantles and original shutters. The fully-furnished apartment also comes with the owner's impressive collection of antique mantel pieces, 19 century paintings and antiques, and an Italian ceramic collection. Overall, not a bad spot to cozy up for a year.
See more of the apartment
July 29, 2016

Lottery Opens For 75 Affordable Units in Fisher Brothers’ Glassy New Murray Hill Tower

Starting today, New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for 75 brand new units at 225 East 39th Street, the 36-story, curving glass high-rise from the Fisher Brothers and designed by Handel Architects. Located at an interesting crossroads of residential Murray Hill and tower-laden Midtown East, the 373-unit rental offers an impressive pack of amenities, including a fitness center, swimming pool, hot tub and sauna, yoga studio, game room, outdoor terrace, courtyard garden, roof deck with cabanas and barbecue stations, and on-site parking. The affordable units, which may be required to pay additional fees for some of these amenities, range from $833/month studios to $1,247/month three-bedrooms.
More on the building and application process
July 29, 2016

Drivers Wanted (Again) for This $4.5M Soho ‘Ferrari’ Bachelor Pad

Anchoring a Soho building that began life as a horse stable for the fire department, this two-story live/work space at 554 Broome Street, just listed for $4.5 million, has quite a few stories to tell–though by now they may be familiar ones, as this instantly-recognizable property is no stranger to the market. First, there's the story of the late Italian count, prince and duke who was also the relative of two popes, a Ferrari dealer, avid car collector, and playboy. Roffredo Gaetani (full name: Roffredo Gaetani di Laurenzana dell’Aquila d’Aragona Lovatelli) was also frequent gossip column fodder in the 1990s because he and Ivana Trump (Donald's first wife) were a high-profile item for a time. Gaetani died in a car crash in 2005, and his estate sold the racy pad to then-bachelor brothers Arash and Daniel Gohari, who are known for the far less gossip-worthy founding of the Xerxes Group real estate investment company.
If these walls could talk...
July 28, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week- 7/28-8/3

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! The beautiful hills of Governors Island has a new sculpture by British artist Rachel Whiteread, and it is yours to discover through the entire season. Bring a tote or a T and get a custom screen print by Brian Leo, or head to GHOST art lounge to talk all things about artists JMR and CRASH. Head outdoors for a day time dance party at MoMA PS1, for a French film at Tompkins Square Park or to the gorgeous Morris-Jumel Mansion for live art and jazz. Celebrate sound at Pioneer Works, or if you're feeling adventurous; hop a train to Asbury Park for sun, surf and the Art Star Craft Bazaar.
More on all the best events this way
July 28, 2016

POLL: Will Whole Foods Drive Up Real Estate Values in Harlem?

6sqft has previously written about the Whole Foods Effect--the pattern of real estate values increasing when a new grocery store opens nearby. In fact, national data from Yahoo! Finance showed that "homes with a Whole Foods in the ZIP code appreciated by nearly 34 percent." And here in New York, the Effect seems to be taking hold in Harlem, where a Whole Foods will open next year at 125th Street and Lenox Avenue in a six-story commercial building spanning over 200,000 square feet (other tenants will include Burlington Coat Factory, Nordstrom Rack, Olive Garden and TD Bank). Citi Habitats agent Chyann Sapp told the Post that "there’s a one-bedroom two blocks away for $1,800. And the owner said that once Whole Foods opens he thinks he could easily get $2,000, $2,100 for it." The store was first announced in 2012, at which time the area's price per square foot was $594, according to appraisal firm Miller Samuel. As of 2015, it had risen to $839. Similarly, townhouse prices have doubled from $2 million to $4 million in this time.
Is Whole Foods behind it?
July 28, 2016

Knicks Star Kristaps Porzingis Rents $8K/Month Penthouse in Fitness-Centric Midtown Building

Knicks star Kristaps Porzingis recently rented out an $8,000 a month penthouse at Midtown West's amenity-rich Sky. Located at 605 West 42nd Street, the glassy slab tower affords the 7-foot-3-inch Latvian player with a Carmelo Anthony-designed NBA regulation-sized basketball court, which is part of a 70,000-square-foot recreation facility that also boasts gyms, three pools, a café, yoga and cycling studios, billiards lounge, and a spa. As the Post tells us, "Godzingis" also rented out another two high-floor units for his brothers Martins and Janis.
See it all here
July 28, 2016

Time Lapse Video Shows How Midtown’s Tall Towers Will Cast Dark Shadows on the Park

A dozen supertalls (1,000 feet or higher) in the construction or planning stages in Manhattan include a significant number on the rise along the Billionaires’ Row strip just south of Central Park. This trend has been causing concern due to the shadows the looming towers will cast on the park. Now, a slightly ominous time-lapse video from Cube Cities shows how Billionaires' Row will have a sundial effect on the park (h/t Gothamist). The length and duration of the shadows will vary as the sun's angle changes with the seasons; fall and winter days are looking dark, with the tall towers' long shadows reaching as much as a mile into the park.
Watch the tall towers darken the park on a fall day in the future
July 28, 2016

Rupert Murdoch’s Multi-Terraced West Village Townhouse Sells for $27.5M in Just Five Months

Last August 6sqft reported that News Corp. head and Fox News founder Rupert Murdoch had put his West Village townhouse–the one he'd bought just five months prior for $25 million–on the market. Now, just five months after listing the 25-foot-wide, four-story brick home for $28.9M, the house has found a buyer, the New York Observer reports. Whomever is behind the entity known as West 11th Street, LLC has purchased the 6,500-square-foot Greek Revival manse for $27.5 million. The deal represents a $2.5M profit for Murdoch (and we all know how much he needs a few more million).
See what else makes this townhouse so buy-able
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.
See it all
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