Manhattan

January 19, 2016

The West Village In Springtime, Yours for $5,995 a Month in This Cozy Sublet

New York City is at its best in springtime, and we can't think of too many places that illustrate this better than the West Village. This furnished two bedroom co-op at 29 Perry Street is available for sublease from March through June, which is just about perfect, season-wise—as the listing gushes, "walking these blocks feels like being on a movie set." It's just a matter of whether the $5,995 monthly rent works, wallet-wise.
See what's here and what's missing
January 18, 2016

Judy Garland’s Former Dakota Apartment, Now a Designer Pad, Asks $16.7M

Just last week, 6sqft featured a "girly-modern Tribeca triplex" that's asking $3.75 million. It belongs to buzzed-about young designer Sasha Bikoff, who was also featured in a 2014 NY Times lifestyle piece about NYC’s young contemporary millionaires. And as it turns out, she also designed a colorful yet glam apartment in the famed Dakota, the same unit that reportedly once belonged to Judy Garland. According to the Observer, the Central Park West residence is asking $16.75 million. But before you get too blown away as to how this 27-year-old designer got such a high-profile commission, public record shows that it was owned by her mother Jacqueline Bikoff, an Iranian pianist and ballerina (and Studio 54 regular) who passed away last September. Sasha undertook the renovation two years ago, earning her spreads in design publications such as MyDomaine and the Times. The latter is where the Judy Garland claim surfaced, but Douglas Elliman listing agent Katherine Gauthier is skeptical as to its validity. No matter, the apartment is definitely legendary.
See all around, here
January 18, 2016

Lower Income Residents of Extell’s ‘Poor Door’ Building Find Glaring Disparities

After receiving 88,000 applications for 55 affordable apartments last February, the residents chosen from among them have been moving in to the rental side of the 33-story luxury building at Extell Development's 50 Riverside Boulevard in Lincoln Square. The lower-income/luxury split sparked the heated “poor door” controversy due to the significant amenity differences and efforts to physically separate the two parts of the building (the rental, low-income portion of the building actually has a separate address of 40 Riverside Boulevard). Now, according to the Post, low-income tenants have been discovering that the differences are indeed notable.
A lavish lobby and a forbidden courtyard
January 18, 2016

This $3M Chelsea Loft Condo Works Two Ways, Depending on Your Lifestyle

This 1,500 square-foot modern loft in the Chelsea Mercantile building at 252 Seventh Avenue, with interiors by popular decorator and current owner Anthony Baratta, has at its center a 600-square-foot living room, making it the perfect home if you entertain regularly; a wall of windows in said living room also makes for an easy upgrade if you'd prefer to add another bedroom instead. That, plus the popular building's impressive landscaped roof deck and celebrity cachet have undoubtedly figured into its $2.995 million ask.
Take a look
January 15, 2016

Fox and News Corp. Ditch Plans to Move Into 2 World Trade Center

Big news on the 2 World Trade Center front. After several months of negotiation and hashing out design plans, News Corp. and 21st Century Fox Inc. have decided not to move into the new tower. The Post first broke the news, reporting that the media companies will remain at their Midtown headquarters at 1211 and 1185 Sixth Avenue where they currently have a lease in effect until 2020. "After much careful consideration we have decided to maintain our New York headquarters and other business operations. We have extension options that could continue our occupancy on Sixth Avenue through 2025,” the companies wrote in a joint statement. Sources added that the move would have been "a huge distraction for the companies' global operations."
FInd out more here
January 15, 2016

Why Does This East Village Building Have a Statue of Vladimir Lenin on Top?

In 1989, the same year as the fall of the Soviet Union, Red Square was erected as one of the first large-scale private developments in the East Village. Today, it blends in with the other big-box apartment buildings that dot this stretch of Houston Street. That is, until you look up and see the statue of Russian dictator Vladimir Lenin. The 18-foot bronze statue by Yuri Gerasimov was actually commissioned by the Soviet Union in the early '80s as a tribute to their leader's supposed commitment to the working class. When the USSR fell, however, it was never unveiled. But in 1994, when Red Square developers Michael Rosen (a former NYU professor of radical sociology) and Michael Shaoul came across the Lenin statue in a Moscow backyard, it made its way up to the top of their building.
The full history and the story behind that clock
January 15, 2016

With a Cool Renovation and a Sunroom, This Tiny East Village Home Transcends the Ordinary

It's probably a good idea to start off by saying that this quirky co-op at 228 East 13th Street is comprised of 300 square feet of interior space. That's about the same as the "large" model in most luggage sets. Ok, it's actually bigger than a suitcase, but not by much; that fact aside, there's a lot you can do with a small space. And if you're going to live in one, it might as well be a good one, in a great location–like a gorgeous brick-and-brownstone block of the East Village a few blocks from Union Square and actually near subways. With something special–like a sunroom.
Definitely worth further investigation
January 14, 2016

World Reaches 100 Supertall Skyscrapers With Completion of 432 Park Avenue

As of December 23, when the slender 1,396-foot-tall 432 Park Avenue condominium tower was officially pronounced complete by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) as the building was "partially habitable," it became the world’s 100th supertall skyscraper (h/t TRD), categorized as those at least 984 feet in height. In addition to being the world's tallest all-residential building, 432 Park Avenue is also the world's 14th-tallest building overall and the city’s seventh supertall skyscraper. In fact, New York has the second-highest number of supertalls on the planet.
Find out more about the world's tallest towers
January 14, 2016

For $450K There’s a Lot to Love About This Sweet Cornelia Street Studio

It's not Valentine's Day yet, but for anyone who's dreamed of a lovely little garrett in the West Village, with plenty of whitewashed brick and an enchanted garden, we can see this impossibly charming studio co-op at 24 Cornelia Street tucked into a heart-shaped box. And the price, a fairly lovable $450,000, might set hearts aflutter, too; it's hard enough to find any apartment in New York City for under $500,000, let alone in the West Village.
See more of this sweet Village studio
January 14, 2016

Extell Files Permits to Demolish Six Midtown Buildings for a New Mega Development

Yesterday, Gary Barnett's Extell (the developer behind the Nordstrom Tower, One57, and the controversial 250 South Street, to name just a few) filed a string of demolition permits with the city's Department of Buildings to raze six buildings along West 46th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. The doomed four- and five-story structures are at 3 West 46th Street, 5 West 46th Street, 7 West 46th Street, 9 West 46th Street, 11 West 46th Street and 13 West 46th Street. And on Monday, The Real Deal reported that Barnett has secured ownership of two neighboring properties at 562 and 564 Fifth Avenue from Thor Equities and SL Green Realty. The prolific developer also owns 2 and 10 West 47th Street on the northern side of the block in the heart of the Diamond District. Back in 2014, sources said that Extell was planning for a new hotel tower at the site, but given the large amount of land the savvy developer has assembled (more than 30,000 square feet by our count) it will likely yield the largest tower built on Fifth Avenue in more than a generation.
More details ahead
January 14, 2016

Two-Bedroom East Village Co-op Asks Just $695,000, but There’s a Catch

In normal circumstances, it would be easy-as-pie to find a buyer for this East Village co-op, located in the five-story building at 268 East 4th Street. The apartment isn't fancy, but it has two bedrooms and 700 square feet. The ask comes in at a very reasonable $695,000, and that's topped with a very reasonable monthly maintenance of $575. But like all things that sound too good to be true in New York City real estate, there's a catch, and it's not even that this is a fourth-floor walkup. The unit comes from an HDFC regulated cooperative, which means that a buyer must meet certain income guidelines to own it.
More details on the cap
January 14, 2016

Jonas Brothers Get Back Together to Check Out a $10M Chelsea Penthouse

Fans looking for a Jonas Brothers comeback will be happy to know that the trio was recently spotted checking out an apartment together, reports the Post. Though this doesn't come with news that Joe, Nick, and Kevin will be getting on stage together again, it does hint that they're working on something here in Manhattan. The musicians looked at a swanky penthouse unit at 560 West 24th Street in Chelsea. The $10.25 million duplex spread has three bedrooms (how appropriate), a glass-enclosed living area with soaring 13-foot ceilings, and a large terrace complete with an outdoor fireplace.
Check it out
January 13, 2016

See How Atelier & Co. Would Transform This 432 Park Unit Into a Palace in the Sky

432 Park Avenue recorded its first closing last week: a 4,000-square-foot, 35th-floor pad that sold for a cool $18.1 million. For the critics who find the supertower's minimalist exterior and Deborah Berke-designed interiors a bit too austere, take a peek at this layout designed by the classically-attuned firm of Atelier & Co. The unit's square footage and its north-, south-, and east-facing exposures are akin to the unit that closed last week. Raphel Viñoly/WSP Cantor Seinuk's structural tube design provides column-free layouts, allowing for flexible reconfiguration of interior spaces. For this 40th floor spread, Atelier nearly doubles the size of the master bedroom and removes the sitting room to create a vast living and dining area dissected by a grand and ornate bookcase.
See it all right here
January 13, 2016

All You Need to Bring to This Curated Noho Loft Is a Toothbrush and $6,500 a Month

This classic loft at 49 Bleecker Street comes completely furnished, all set up for a short-term rental at $6,500 a month. It may be suitable for corporate renters as the listing suggests, but the 950-square-foot co-op on a perfect Noho block looks like it would be just as much fun if you’re in town for play rather than work. Funky flea market-chic furniture, colorful wall art and cool design elements–throws, pillows, vintage lighting, culturally relevant non-fiction–have been carefully selected and casually distributed.
Have a look around
January 13, 2016

WeWork’s Communal Living Concept on Wall Street Gets Its First Residents

Co-working space provider WeWork (which has 40,000 members in 19 US, European and Asian cities that share office space with perks like free coffee, cool furniture and a communal atmosphere) has launched their new "co-living" apartment concept, beginning with 45 units in a Wall Street building. FastCompany reports that last weekend, 80 new residents moved into furnished apartments at 110 Wall Street, where the company already runs a co-working space on the building’s first seven floors. They're part of what the company says is the first stage of beta testing for this community-driven concept, with New York City as the guinea pig. The concept is, according to a company spokesperson, "focused on enabling people to live more fulfilling lives. During this testing phase, we’ll be listening to feedback from our community." Plans are in the works to accommodate 600 people on 20 floors of the building.
Find out more about the latest co-living experiment
January 13, 2016

New Views of Robert A.M. Stern’s Limestone-Clad 70 Vestry Street

The Related Companies has launched the teaser website for its upcoming Tribeca condominium 70 Vestry Street. Related CEO Jeff Blau signed the purchase contract in December 2013 and closed on the six-parcel lot from Ponte Equities for $115.3 million in early 2014. Site excavation is already well underway, and new renderings of the Robert A.M. Stern-designed building have now surfaced. The project will pay homage to the neighborhood's distinctive warehouse architecture, and in true Stern fashion, will be clad in sumptuous French limestone.
More details ahead
January 12, 2016

Where I Work: Inside interior designer Ghislaine Viñas’ colorful, playful Tribeca loft

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 of designer Ghislaine Viñas' colorful and Tribeca loft. Want to see your business featured here? Get in touch! The work of interior designer Ghislaine Viñas is unmistakable; the bright colors, bold prints, and fun and funky decor have made her the go-to firm for both local Tribeca residents and international clients looking to jazz up their homes. After 25 years and winning countless awards (many of which celebrate her use of color), appearing on television stations like HGTV, and gracing the pages of publications from The New York Times to Vogue, Ghislaine is showing no signs of slowing down. Long fans of her work, 6sqft recently toured Ghislaine's live/work space, which, not surprisingly is the perfect example of her playful, yet modern, aesthetic. We learned about what influences her designs, how her team works together, and new product collaborations. We also got some tips on how to incorporate color into our homes like a pro.
All this and more ahead
January 12, 2016

New Renderings, Shape Shifts for Bjarke Ingels-Designed High Line Towers

New renderings have appeared via YIMBY for 76 Eleventh Avenue, the Bjarke Ingels-designed High Line-adjacent towers first revealed this past November. The planned project, developed by HFZ Capital with the goal of creating a "self contained kind of city," was expected to include a hotel, retail space, and around 300 luxury condos with prices to start at just below $4 million. The most noticeable changes from the earlier renderings, which showed the towers fitting together at an angle, show more space between the buildings, which now appear as more of a pair than two complementary parts of a "jigsaw-like" whole.
See what else has changed
January 12, 2016

Asking $3.75M, Young Designer’s Tribeca Triplex Is a Perfect Girls’ Night In

This girly-modern Tribeca triplex belonging to young interior designer Sasha Bikoff was featured–along with its owner–in a buzzed-about 2014 NY Times story about how NYC's young contemporary millionaires live, illustrating a penchant for downtown glamour over uptown gilt. The then-26-year-old–who's designed her share of uptown interiors–is pictured in the stylish pad, which she purchased in 2011 for $2.3 million and bestowed with a total makeover. The article highlights architect Ben Hansen's dazzling glass-fronted boutique condo residence at 471 Washington Street as one of a handful favored by the iconoclastic (and well-heeled) under-40 set. Bikoff listed the apartment a year ago for an ambitious $4.5 million; it has since changed brokers and toned down its earlier ask to $3.75 million. The apartment's decor–and a bedroom-sized dream closet–make it clear that stylish singles' pads aren't just for the boys.
See more of the glamorous pad
January 12, 2016

See How 6 Columbus Circle Could Change the Central Park Skyline

Last Friday, a marketing brochure was released promoting the sale of 6 Columbus Circle, an 88-room boutique hotel that exudes a modernist '60s flair throughout its spaces. While the brick and limestone gem owned by the Pomeranc Group received an ungainly five-story addition in 2007, its ornate 58th Street facade survived intact–though now, its days may be numbered. The New York Observer reported last month that the owners have placed the building up for sale, tapping Cushman & Wakefield as exclusive marketers. With angled views of Central Park starting at less than 100 feet above street level, a source estimates the property could fetch a staggering $1,400 per buildable square foot, a pot of gold to developers' eyes. And the marketing brochure makes the possibilities very clear, conceptualizing a 700-foot-tall, mixed-use spire from the nimble, 42-foot-wide lot.
See how this could change the skyline
January 11, 2016

Two-Bedroom Loft in Former Little Italy Warehouse Asks $7,250 a Month

This former warehouse building, constructed in 1915 at 138 Baxter Street, is right in the heart of Little Italy, just a block away from the Italian restaurants lining Mulberry Street. At some point, the seven-story building was converted into a six-unit apartment building, and this one is now on the rental market for $7,250 a month. It's a two-bedroom apartment with super high 14-foot ceilings, big windows and a nice open living, dining and kitchen area–it spans 1,200 square feet total. It's got all the loft bases covered, with some fun and funky interior decoration added on top. There have also been some sleek renovations in the kitchen and bathrooms.
Take a tour
January 11, 2016

Gramercy Park’s Luminaria Condo Conversion Lights Up in Preparation for Sales Launch

In anticipation of its official sales launch later this winter, Ben Shaoul's Magnum Real Estate Group has illuminated Luminaire, a 103-unit condominium-conversion at 385 First Avenue in downtown's Gramercy Park neighborhood. According to the marketing team, the cool-blue lighting scheme, specified by Magnum, is inspired by the building's floor-to-ceiling windows and sun-bathed units.
more here
January 8, 2016

432 Park Avenue Records Its First Blockbuster Closing at $18.1M!

And so it begins! Closings at Macklowe Properties/CIM Group's Billionaires' Row blockbuster 432 Park Avenue have officially commenced with its first sale showing an impressive $18.116 million figure, as city records released this afternoon reveal. The unit is #35B, a massive 4,003-square-foot, three-bedroom pad with four-and-a-half baths, a private elevator landing, and 10-foot by 10-foot windows providing southern and western exposures with park views. Documents show that the palatial home was purchased via a LLC, 432 PARKVIEW.
more on the sale and the floor plan here
January 8, 2016

Man Overcharged by Landlord for 16 Years Awarded $900K and a $784/Month Apartment

Score one for the little guy! After having his rent-stabilized apartment illegally deregulated and his rent jacked up to more than five times what it should have been, an appellate court has awarded Upper West Side man Lane Altschuler $900,000 in damages, and they've re-stabilized his 1,500-square-foot pad to just $784 a month. According to the Daily News, Altschuler moved into the three-bedroom, two-bath unit at 478 Central Park West back in 2000, but his landlord, Mann Realty, illegally began raising the rent shortly after he got settled. The figure eventually ballooned to $3,750 a month in 2009, right after the building was converted into luxury condos.
more on what happened here
January 8, 2016

Supermodel Gigi Hadid’s Nolita Apartment Closes for $2.3M

Just yesterday, 6sqft reported that supermodel Gigi Hadid was spotted checking out a $6.5 million apartment at Noho's 10 Bond Street along with new flame, former One Direction member Zayn Malik. Her timing couldn't have been better, because according to city records released today, her current home at 250 Bowery, nearby in Nolita, has closed for $2.3 million. The unit, which was owned by a trust in the name of her mother Yolanda Foster (of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" fame), first hit the market this past July, asking $2.45 million. Gigi bought the ultra-modern pad in 2014 for $1.92 million, but rumor has it she decided to sell after a stalker tried to break in.
See more of the space
January 8, 2016

Scofflaw Taxi Baron’s Big, Bold Tribeca Penthouse Back on the Market for $25M

The meter’s running again on the Tribeca penthouse belonging to Simon Garber, the yellow cab king (his company, SLS Jet Management, is one of the city's largest taxi medallion owners) who made news a few years ago for squeezing drivers with fake fees. In 2014 reports had the 6,300-square-foot duplex–plus 2,450 square feet of outdoor space–in the lavish 101 Warren Street condo ready to hit the market for $27 million. After only a few days the listing mysteriously disappeared, only to reappear as a rental, asking a traffic-stopping $100,000 a month. Last June, Compass re-introduced the listing for sale at $30 million, which soon slunk to $25 million, then disappeared again. Now it’s back on the market, this time at the slightly-trimmed but still hirsute $25 million.
Get a shiny eyeful, this way
January 8, 2016

New and Improved Design for Shalimar Management’s 543 Second Avenue

In a well-wishing New Year note, Charles Fridman, president of Shalimar Management, announced that their planned ten-story residential project at 543 Second Avenue will break ground this year, and he's now unveiled a revised set of renderings depicting a substantially different design. Evolving from banal to brutal, the previously thin-skinned, glass-and-metal design has been beefed up into an energetic, cast-in-place concrete structure of undulating floor slabs and tilting exterior columns. Fridman's page states: "We’re planning a 10 Story rental building with 1-2 bedroom apartments. Each apartment will have its own balcony, and part of the building will cantilever over our other property at 249 East 30th Street." Outdated building applications from early 2014 detail a 12-story building housing 18 units spread across 19,000 square feet of floor area. New permits have yet to be filed and according to Fridman, the team came close to building the previous design, but "thankfully" held off.
Find out more ahead