Manhattan

Within the Empire State Building's five o'clock shadow, an eruption of glossy residential high-rises are nipping at the dame's feet. Embracing a thoroughfare most familiar for its commercial connotations, the latest tower to ascend is a 33-story condo simply known by its address, 172 Madison Avenue. The 130,000-square-foot skyscraper is being developed by Tessler Developments and is among a half-dozen residential buildings planned for a central, yet undefined neighborhood that is almost Murray Hill, but not quite NoMad. Its topped off concrete frame rises nearly 450 feet above its East 33rd street corner, which was previously occupied by a ubiquitous clump of commercial, low-slung masonry structures. Now with its debut pegged for early next year, the symmetrically-massed tower designed by Karl Fischer Architects is being dressed in its sparkly coat of reflective glass that is accentuated by robust onyx-colored frames. And along with this debut, comes new renderings of the triplex penthouse dubbed the SkyHouse, which is a massive marble palace with two outdoor pools.
All the details and renderings ahead

May 3, 2016

Late Portrait Artist Aaron Shikler’s UWS Co-op in the Iconic Studio Building Asks $7.8M

Late portraitist Aaron Shikler is best known for his classically gorgeous paintings of the American elite, most notably an official White House portrait of Jacqueline (then) Kennedy as First Lady and (posthumously) President John F. Kennedy as well as paintings of notables like Lady Bird Johnson, the Duchess of Windsor and the portrait of Ronald Reagan that appeared on Time magazine’s Man of the Year cover in January 1981. The Brooklyn-born artist and his wife, who died in 1998, lived at the standout Studio Building cooperative at 44 West 77th Street overlooking Central Park for over 50 years with their family. Shikler passed away last year at 93, and since ownership appears to have been transferred to the couple's two children in 2013, we'll assume they're the ones who have just put this classically grand three-bedroom Upper West Side co-op on the market for $7.795 million. Among the most thrilling of its many assets is the light-filled, enormous art studio where Shikler worked. The artist's fascinating paintings are visible throughout the apartment (though we doubt they're part of the deal).
Take a look around this creative co-op

May 2, 2016

Hedge Funder Daniel Nir’s $52M Co-op Sale Is This Year’s Biggest

When Daniel Nir, founder and CEO of hedge fund Gracie Capital, and his wife, philanthropist Jill Braufman, listed their sprawling Upper East Side co-op for $48 million a year ago, it certainly caught raised a few eyebrows. But the 16-room home at 4 East 66th Street has actually sold over ask for $52 million, making it this year's biggest co-op sale and the seventh biggest co-op sale to date. It's also the first time this pre-war building has cracked the top-ten list. The couple bought the home in 2007 from hotelier Robert H. Burns for $29 million, leaving them with a nice chunk of change.
See what all the fuss is about

Real Estate Trends

May 2, 2016

Study: Hudson Yards Will Add $18.9 Billion to the City’s GDP

According to a recent study, economic activity at the $20 billion Hudson Yards West Side development–the nation's largest construction site–will contribute $18.9 billion to the city–more than the gross domestic product of Iceland ($15.3 billion), Crains reports. The study, commissioned by the project's developer, Related Cos., predicts that the companies projected to occupy the massive project that will stretch between West 30th Street and West 34th Street along the Hudson River will generate economic activty in the form of, among other things, salaries for new jobs and money paid to the MTA by the developer both during the 14-year construction period and once the development is complete in 2025.
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Real Estate Trends

May 2, 2016

New Renderings of West Chelsea’s SkyBox Development and Art Gallery

A unique mixed-use development in West Chelsea may be the paradigm of what new development in Manhattan could aspire to. Combining new construction and rehabilitation, and marrying ostentatious high-end condos with affordable rentals and an art museum/gallery, the project dubbed Chelsea SkyBox will satiate a wide spectrum of urbanites. The 250-foot tower will rise directly south of Annabelle Selldorf's metal-face condo 200 Eleventh Avenue (aka the "Sky garage") and will host ten full-floor apartments plus a spectacular five-story penthouse that developer Jonathan Leitersdorf told the Journal he will ultimately occupy. The project also will rehabilitate the corner SRO building next door known as the Chelsea Highline Hotel. The ground floors of both buildings will be shared, and there will be 15,000-square- feet of commercial space that will have 30-foot-high ceilings and accommodate an art museum and a private gallery to contain works by Picasso, Keith Haring, Kandinsky, and Anish Kapoor.
Lots more renderings ahead

May 2, 2016

This $7,600/Month West Chelsea Duplex Has a Secret Garden and a Hidden Bedroom Bar

As the weather warms and green things begin to grow, thoughts turn to our own gardening fantasies. Whether you've got a green thumb or a license to grill (with apologies to Mike D), with the private garden of a picturesque 1900s West Chelsea townhouse at 411 West 22nd Street all to yourself, what more do you need? This interesting custom-designed garden duplex has its quirks, and it's a rental so there's no long-term commitment necessary.
Take a tour

Distinctive Homes

April 30, 2016

The Upper West Side Readies For Two Synagogue-Replacing Condo Skyscrapers

The Upper West Side has proven to be one of the most difficult areas to build, with a growing amount of land area contained in historic districts and much of the remainder constrained by tight zoning regulations. Over the years, its protective residents have been involved in the city's most memorable development battles: fighting tooth and nail to reduce the scale of the Riverside South master plan; lessen shadows caused by the redevelopment of the New York Coliseum site (Time Warner Center); and more recently spearheading the downzoning of a 51-block swath of Broadway due to grievances caused by Extell's Ariel East and West towers. For the most part, the defensive strategy has allowed the neighborhood to retain much of its pre-war charms and human-scaled side streets. However, along its southern edge, where the buildings around Lincoln Center scale upwards to Midtown, zoning allowances are more generous. Two as-of-right towers are sure to ruffle some preservationists' feathers and are poised to be the neighborhood's biggest yet.
Get the scoop on the towers here

April 29, 2016

Kitchen Balcony Creates ‘Critical Romance’ in This Contemporary West Village Loft

By Rebecca Paul

Loft living in the West Village is nothing short of a New York City fantasy, and this gorgeous property renovated by Daniel Frisch Architecture is certainly a dream come true for its lucky inhabitants. The multi-level apartment features a dramatic double-height master bedroom and living room, but the real showstopper is the snake-like upper level, which has a suspended balcony that hovers over the kitchen, creating the perfect perch for enjoying ariel views of the space below.
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April 28, 2016

Ozzy Osbourne Meets Hansel and Gretel in Video Director Johan Renck’s $3M Tribeca Loft

With classic industrial loft bones and downtown shabby chic interiors, this big, bold loft at 79 Worth Street in Tribeca is asking $3.1 million. At 1,909 square feet, there's plenty of room to choose between shabby and chic, and to be fair, the decor is not only on-trend but fairly awesome. According to records, the current owner is noted Swedish video director Johan Renck (he's worked with everyone from David Bowie and Madonna to Karl Lagerfeld and directed episodes of "Breaking Bad"), who purchased the loft in 2009 for $1.5 million. We don't know if he's responsible for the apartment's current look, but we can definitely see both a creative and a Scandinavian influence.
Check out the rest of the loft this way

Distinctive Homes

April 28, 2016

JDS and SHoP Architects Unveil Plan for 900-Foot Lower East Side Tower

There's a new tallest tower taking over the Lower East Side, and unsurprisingly it comes to us via the supertall super-team of JDS Development and SHoP Architects, the same duo responsible for the 1,438-foot-tall 111 West 57th Street and 9 DeKalb Avenue, Brooklyn's first 1,000+ foot tower. Their latest record-setter is a 900-foot, 77-story rental building planned for 247 Cherry Street, reports The Lo-Down. It will rise directly next to Extell's One Manhattan Square, which made waves for its 850-foot height in the low-scale Two Bridges area. The newest tallest tower between Midtown and Downtown will have a 10,000-square-foot retail base with 600 rental apartments above, about 150 of which will be made permanently affordable. Though the design isn't finalized, SHoP says it will likely be terracotta brick and glass and feature outdoor terraces in the middle. There will also be a top-floor amenity space for all residents, and SCAPE Landscape Architecture has been tapped to create a publicly accessible plaza surrounding the structure.
More details this way

April 28, 2016

Former Home of Alexander Hamilton Jr. on St. Mark’s Place Sells for $10M

Tickets to Broadway's Hamilton just keep going up and up, but the famous surname didn't seem to help Alexander Hamilton Jr.'s former East Village home in the price department. The founding father's son was the first owner of the Federal-style townhouse at 4 St. Mark's Place, which hit the market back in November for $12 million. But the Commercial Observer reports that the landmarked property (and recent home of famous punk store Trash and Vaudeville) sold for only $10 million to Castellan Real Estate Partners.
The history and future of Hamilton's former home

April 28, 2016

A-Rod Spotted Checking Out 15 CPW Rentals Despite Being Banned for Bad Behavior

Yankee Alex Rodriguez was recently spotted checking out apartments at 15 Central Park West, according to the Post. A-Rod had formerly rented a $30,000 a month, two-bedroom apartment at the Upper West Side building and was allegedly banned from returning due to his propensity for hosting (many, many) hookers back in his Cameron Diaz era.
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Celebrities

April 27, 2016

It’s Official! Construction on Barry Diller’s Futuristic Offshore Park to Begin This Summer

Earlier this month, Barry Diller's futuristic offshore park got closer to reality when the Manhattan Supreme Court dismissed a case against the development that claimed it could have a negative environmental impact. And now the $130 million project known as Pier 55 has cleared its final hurdle, gaining regulatory approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. According to Crain's, the Hudson River Park Trust revealed today that construction will commence this summer.
More ahead

Architecture And Design

Transit Think Tank Says MSG Move Could Be a $5B Example of ‘Architects Run Wild’

Rendering for a proposed new MSG by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates

April 27, 2016

Transit Think Tank Says MSG Move Could Be a $5B Example of ‘Architects Run Wild’

Moving MSG to make room for a bigger, better Penn Station train hub would be really expensive and probably not a good idea, according to a new report by transit think tank Rudin Center for Transportation Policy. Commercial Observer reports that the just-released study outlines the concern that moving the arena would come with a price tag of over $5 billion, take, like, forever, and would generally "become an urban planner’s worst nightmare." The study refers to the proposed overhaul of Pennsylvania Station and the idea of extending it to the post office off Eighth Avenue as well as suggestions by urban planners for relocating MSG.
So what's going to cost so much?

April 27, 2016

Exclusive Photos: Tour the Lavish South Wing of the Gilded Age Villard Houses

By Emily Nonko

The Gilded Age mansions that once stood along 5th Avenue -- nicknamed Millionaire's Row -- have mostly met the wrecking ball. But the Villard Houses remain remarkably preserved since their construction in 1884. The famed architecture firm McKim, Mead and White designed this visionary six-house complex for Henry Villard, a railroad magnate whose empire began to crumble as construction wrapped. Today -- after many changes in ownership and a landmark designation -- the buildings stand as the entrance to the Lotte Palace Hotel. The hotel has just offered several rooms inside the south wing of the property, the former home of Villard himself, up for lease, offering a rare look into the lavish interior that's hardly changed since it was designed over 100 years ago.
More history and lots of interior photos this way

April 27, 2016

Rent the Opulent Upper East Side Mansion Once Home to Versace for $120,000/Month

By Annie Doge

Now's your chance to live like fashion royalty, as the opulent Upper East Side townhouse once owned by Gianni Versace is on the rental market for the first time, asking a whopping $120,000. The Italian designer bought the house at 5 East 64th Street for $7.5 million in 1995, just two years before he was murdered in Miami. It sold again for $30 million in 2005 to Swedish hedge fund manager Thomas Sandell, but it still retains many of the details left over from Versace's renovation, including marble floors, massive chandeliers, and the painted living room ceiling.
See the whole place

April 26, 2016

Lottery Launches for $822/Month Studios in Brand New East Harlem Building

As the Upper East Side continues to extend itself northward, the southern portions of East Harlem are becoming increasingly trendy, yet still relatively affordable compared to other on-the-cusp 'hoods. And if you're looking to get in on the action, three $822/month studios have just come up through the city's affordable housing lottery at 1674 Park Avenue, a newly constructed rental building at 118th Street. They're available for single persons earning between $28,183 and $36,300 annually.
Get a look at the apartments

Affordable Housing

April 25, 2016

Chetrit to Sell Sony Building, Abandons Plans for Robert A.M. Stern-Designed Condos

In a very unexpected twist, The Real Deal has learned that the Chetrit Group is selling the Sony Building, scrapping its flashy plans to convert the office building's upper floors to luxury condos designed by none other than Robert A.M. Stern. Olayan America, a division of the Saudi conglomerate Olayan Group, is in contract to purchase 550 Madison Avenue, partnering with European and Asian asset manager Chelsfield. According to the Post, they'll pay between $1.4 and $1.5 billion, a profit of at least $300 million for Chetrit. In a statement, Olayan said they'll lease space to "high-quality commercial tenants."
Find out more

New Developments

April 25, 2016

Tricked Out Reno by DB Studio Features Six-Story Staircase, Basketball Court and Home Theater

By Rebecca Paul

Renovated by Studio DB, this single-family Manhattan dwelling is a modern design modeled after the needs of a young family where a massive section of the house is dedicated to entertainment and recreation—perfect for keeping three young boys out of trouble. The building dates back to 1888, and its rich history creates a contrasting backdrop for the home's contemporary and functional design. The structure was once a grocery distribution center and has been transformed into an opulent living space designed around a continuous stair atrium that visually and physically connects the home's six above- ground levels. The layout also maximizes daylight within, and the effect is amplified by two large skylights and the upper level's glass flooring.
Check it all out

April 22, 2016

Marc Jacobs President Lists Fashion-Forward Village Townhouse for $17M

One of several fabulous and fancy Greenwich Village townhouses owned by Marc Jacobs' friend and business partner Robert Duffy is back on the market. Duffy purchased the 3,800-square-foot, four-story 1839 brick home at 62 West 12th Street for $10.25 million in 2013. The brick beauty has been thoroughly modernized with attention paid to the aesthetics and function of every detail, from the massive steel-framed glass wall separating the ground floor from the rear garden to the fact that there’s an elevator to get you there from upstairs. Despite having all the comforts of home, the house has retained much of its architectural integrity and pre-war charm.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

April 22, 2016

Artist Hopes to Raise $25K to Build a Pedestrian Bridge from Red Hook to Governors Island

From her back window on Columbia Street in Brooklyn, artist Nancy Nowacek could see Governors Island and Buttermilk Channel (the strait connecting Brooklyn to the island), and it seemed incredibly close. In fact, it's the equivalent of only about four city blocks away. So since 2012, Nowacek has been working on her vision of building Citizen Bridge over New York Harbor, a floating modular pedestrian bridge over the 1,400-foot span from Red Hook to Governor's Island. In what is currently planned as a one-day-only event, she sees Citizen Bridge as a completely new way to experience New York City harbor, rather than seeing it from the shore, from a bridge above, or from a boat. As noted by Mental Floss, Nowacek has turned to Kickstarter to raise money for a pilot phase. The project's goal of $25,000 would fund a proof-of-concept, which is the final phase before launching for real. So far, they've prototyped seven bridge designs in full-scale sections.
Find out more about this plan to walk on water

Architecture And Design

April 22, 2016

Live in a Swanky Former East Village Synagogue for $30K a Month

By Emily Nonko

Just in time for Passover, this historic East Village synagogue turned residence has reappeared on the rental market. Known as the 8th Street Shul, there was a long battle to keep the building preserved as a synagogue after it was damaged by a fire in 1982. Ultimately, the building, at 317 East 8th Street, was turned over to real estate interests and converted into a single-family luxury home. It's been on the rental market before, asking $25,000 a month, and now it's back at a higher price.
Some of the synagogue details remain

April 22, 2016

Construction Update: Perch Harlem, NYC’s First Market-Rate Passive House, Shows Some Skin

Work on the city's first market-rate Passive House, Perch Harlem, is moving apace, and just in time for Earth Day, a bit of construction netting was taken down, giving passersby a glimpse of its super-insulated white exterior (good for heat deflection) and seamless rectangular windows. The seven-story structure rises midblock at 542 West 153rd Street and recently topped out in January. When finished later this year, its 34 units will boast superior workmanship, low energy bills and exceptional indoor air quality. The project's developers, the Synapse Development Group with Taurus Investment Holdings, purchased the 10,000-square-foot former parking lot back in 2013 and have been growing their Perch brand of buildings that strive to provide environmentally low-impact living and community-oriented design.
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April 22, 2016

Rendering, Details Revealed for Glassy Condos Replacing Streit’s Matzo Factory

If you're getting ready for this evening's seder, you've likely picked up a box of matzo, and chances are pretty good that your unleavened bread comes from Streit's. For 90 years the company produced matzo at the rate of almost 900 pounds an hour at 150 Rivington Street, but in early 2015 news hit that the country's last family-owned matzo factory would be relocating to Rockland County. Developer Cogswell Realty bought the site for $31 million, embarking on plans for a condominium, and today, ironically timed with the first day of Passover, the first rendering of the project has been revealed. The image was published in a New York Times article about Lower East Side institutions being replaced by condos. Design-build firm Gluck+ are the architects, and they've created a fairly standard, seven-story, glass box with some planted terraces along the top-floor setbacks. Though the design lacks any reference to the iconic business, the developers have said they plan to include Streit's memorabilia in the lobby.
This way for pricing details

April 21, 2016

100architects Propose a Vertical Park Made of Stacked Glass Pods for Times Square

Shanghai-based architecture firm 100architects noticed how New Yorkers are always trying to get out of Times Square as fast as possible, which made them wonder if there was a way to engage people in the urban setting without them having to deal with the chaos at street level. That's where their proposal for Vertical Times comes in (h/t Architizer). The 180-foot-tall tower is a stack of six cylindrical glass pods along a central column that "multiplies the intended space for public recreation in a vertical way." Within these spaces would be a carousel, ball pit, hammock plaza, sky garden, restaurant, and bar.
Get the rest of the details

Architecture And Design

April 21, 2016

$1.4M Co-op in Jackie Onassis’ UES Childhood Building Looks Exactly Like You’d Imagine