Manhattan

September 14, 2015

Carriage House Apartment in Chelsea With Lush Landscaped Roof Wants $1.3 Million

We know every broker uses the word "charming" to describe their listing, but this co-op apartment at 337 West 20th Street, in Chelsea, really is. It is located in the Muffin House, a building where the Thomas family originally baked English muffins in the late 1800s. Now it's a co-op, located on a lovely and quiet residential block, that has eleven units, three of which are in the carriage house. The co-op also boasts an interior cobblestone courtyard, lined with hydrangeas, that leads back to this tucked-away carriage house apartment. Are you charmed yet?
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September 11, 2015

You Can Rent Lady Gaga’s Former LES Apartment for $2,000

Lady Gaga's old Lower East Side apartment is on the market once again. This time around, the rent-stabilized pad at 176 Stanton Street is going for a very reasonable $2,000 a month. In addition to its obvious star cachet, the unit offers a sizable bedroom with two windows, a kitchenette with new appliances, french doors, a bathroom with a full tub (ooh la la), and the place has even got a skylight. Okay, so it's not quite as glam as the pop star, but we've definitely seen worse for this price.
See more inside here
September 11, 2015

New Renderings of Vinoly’s 125 Greenwich Street, Downtown’s Future Tallest Residential Skyscraper

On the 14th anniversary of the day that caused the city to question our skyward building ambitions, we give you a new look at lower Manhattan's future tallest apartment tower, 125 Greenwich Street. Not only has the city regained its confidence in building high again, but it has now been feverishly erecting 1,000-plus-foot supertall towers at a faster rate than nearly any other global metropolis. This particular residential spire will soar 77 stories and roughly 1,100 feet high, some 200 feet taller than downtown's next tallest ground-up residential buildings, 30 Park Place (937 feet) and New York by Gehry (870 feet).
Find out more here
September 11, 2015

Behold the City Skyline From a Room of Curved Glass Atop This $12.5M Chelsea Penthouse

We're fairly certain that if you look in the dictionary under "cool modern Chelsea penthouse," there's a picture of this apartment–because this duplex co-op at 143 West 20th Street pretty much nails the concept. Though there are certainly pricier pads, at over $12M, this four-bedroom stunner would certainly be someone's idea of a trophy–and it lives up to the job. Beginning on the 12th floor of an historic 1910 loft building at the classic Manhattan neighborhood's heart, the apartment's design treads the line between high-end generic contemporary and an attempt at hat-tipping the modernism of earlier decades via sleek minimal luxe. The listing says, "...one needs to walk through the space to experience it fully." But the pictures definitely get our attention with what looks a lot like a modern art museum that would be fun to live in.
Take the tour
September 11, 2015

Lavish Lenox Hill Pad of Late Socialite and Philanthropist Carroll Petrie Lists for $30M

The lavish pad of the late socialite and philanthropist Carroll Petrie at big-name favorite 834 Fifth Avenue has just hit the market, and it's asking a very impressive $30 million. The big question is, where will the sale money go when the time comes? Carroll, who was married to the late retailing giant Milton Petrie, passed away in February, but drama quickly started brewing over her $100 million will. She left $12.5 million to her daughter Andrea Portago, whom she had with her former late husband, Spanish race car driver Alfonso de Portago, but with an odd stipulation based on their contentious relationship. The bulk of her estate was left to her Carroll Petrie Foundation, which supports the Dog Rescue Project of the ASPCA. But this likely isn't sitting well with Andrea, who already retained estates and trust attorney Harvey E. Corn (he also worked on the cases of Brooke Astor and Huguette Clark). Whatever the legal outcome, the 11-room home will certainly make its new owner feel like NYC royalty.
Take a look around the impressive apartment
September 11, 2015

Historic Harlem Townhouse, Restored to Victorian Standards, Asks $2.795 Million

Here's a Harlem townhouse that's been in the news before. Its former owner, Hugh Crean, is a professional preservationist and a MET curator that painstakingly restored the house "to Victorian specifications," according to Curbed. While under his ownership, it was elaborately designed and decorated, and eventually hit the market in 2009 for $1.595 million. It sold the next year for $1.55 million and now is back on the market again. Of course, in today's market, you should expect the price to have skyrocketed -- it's now asking $2.795 million. The current owners don't have it decked out like it used to be, but the house still retains its impressive interior details.
Keep looking
September 11, 2015

Times Square Characters and Performers May Get Confined to Designated ‘Activity Areas’

It looks like Mayor de Blasio's wish of coralling the costumed characters and topless performers in Times Square may be coming true. The Daily News reports that the Times Square Alliance has endorsed the "Times Square Commons" plan, which Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and Councilmen Daniel Garodnick and Corey Johnson publicized in an op-ed in the paper yesterday. The proposal would rezone Times Square's pedestrian plaza so that instead of being mapped as a street it would become a special district called Times Square Commons. This area would be divided into three zones: general civic zones, which would feature tables and chairs and arts events; pedestrian traffic flow zones, areas to walk with no physical obstructions; and the aforementioned designated activity zones, small slivers of space that "would allow any activity involving the immediate exchange of money for goods, services or entertainment."
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September 10, 2015

You Can Call One of Manhattan’s Last Skybridges Home

We've seen our fair share of quirky listings before, but a personal skybridge included with an apartment is a first. Gothamist reports that, in a very serendipitous twist of fate, the two Tribeca residences (one a townhouse, one an apartment) on either side of the Staple Street skybridge are currently for sale. And according to the Post, the whole package will cost you $30 million. In a recent newsletter, Town Real Estate noted the unusual offering: "By way of total coincidence, 9 Jay Street and 67 Hudson #3B are being offered for sale, off market, by one of those guys on 'Million Dollar Listing.' This will include the bridge connecting 9 Jay to the third floor apartment across Staple Street. Yes—the bridge will be all yours. The interiors are extremely bare, and open, compared to the historical exteriors. The price is available by request only."
More on the historic skybridge
September 10, 2015

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week, 9/10-9/16

No matter what age you are, for everyone, September has that overwhelming feeling of "Back to School." Educate yourself (while supporting female artists) and listen to Grimanesa Amorós speak about her work at El Museo del Barrio, or bone up on your French with the last free French film screening of the season at Columbia. Art galleries are back in full swing, and I'm personally looking forward to Tahiti Pehrson's epic paper cuts at Joseph Gross, Elias Sime's remixing of elements from Ethiopia at James Cohan Gallery and the heart-wrenching portraits investigating prostitution around the globe by Yapci Ramos at Catinca Tabacaru. Visitors are welcome to taste the boom of the Williamsburg/Greenpoint neighborhood—literally, and you can also relive the New York classic "The Warriors" for a grandiose reunion and day-long celebration at Coney Island. Finish the week with No Longer Empty's contribution to the newly redeveloped South Street Seaport with an installation about the converging of waters.
All the best events to check out here
September 10, 2015

Construction Update: Related Companies’ Rental Tower at Hudson Yards’ Front Door Begins to Rise

Related Companies' new mixed-use rental tower at the front door of Hudson Yards is forging ahead. Located at 530 West 30th Street, just south of the towering Coach Tower (10 Hudson Yards) and west of the recently finished Abington House (also developed by Related), the 28-story building will bring 174 new rental homes to the rapidly evolving neighborhood. 530 West 30th shares its lot with 529 West 29th Street, an all-affordable, 126-unit building Related opened last year with apartments set aside for artists, seniors, and local residents of Community District 4.
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September 10, 2015

Soccer Star Frank Lampard Checks Out a $52,000/Month Pad at 15 Central Park West

It certainly is the season for international soccer stars to get in on the NYC real estate game. First, hunky player Cristiano Ronaldo bought an $18.5 million loft at Trump Tower shortly after it was rumored that he'd be moving from Real Madrid and the Portuguese national team to the MLS (the United States soccer league). Then just ten days later, Italian player Andrea Pirlo scoped out a $29,995/month penthouse at 205 East 59th Street, as he had recently joined the New York City Football Club. And now, the Post reports that English footballer Frank Lampard was seen checking out a $52,000/month pad at 15 Central Park West. Lampard, often considered one of the greatest midfielders of his generation, is the all-time leading goalscorer for Chelsea. As of this year, he signed a two-year contract with the New York City Football Club, so it makes perfect sense why he's now house hunting. He reportedly looked at the 2,761-square-foot apartment with his fiancée, Northern Irish broadcaster Christine Bleakley.
Take a look around the loft
September 10, 2015

Traditional Japanese Design Defines This $2.7M West Side Maisonette With Two Tea Rooms

In the world of modern interiors, traditional Japanese design concepts have led to some very innovative interpretations that also meet residents' needs such as providing a peaceful retreat, keeping the flow of life organized, or, as in this case, offering flexibility of space and rooms that serve multiple functions. This duplex maisonette, however, would be counted among the more traditional end of the spectrum in its execution. Though having a nine-room apartment certainly helps when it comes to versatility, this particular space achieves its goals and more. The home's $2.7 million ask seems reasonable for this large duplex loft at 419 West 55th Street in increasingly popular West Midtown; though monthly maintenance fees seem a bit high for a condo at $4,333 (with no mention of taxes) when compared to the price, those generally reflect unit size, and–though no square footage is listed–there's no denying that attribute. So, pros and cons aside, let's take a look at this carefully-crafted testament to the owners’ vision of creating a loft space with a Japanese aesthetic.
Take the tour this way, shoes off, please
September 9, 2015

Live in Kate Moss and Johnny Depp’s Former ’90s Love Nest for $14.9 Million

Here's a blast from the past that's sure to get you nostalgic for the '90s. A 6sqft tipster has pointed out that the beautiful NYC townhouse that equally beautiful Johnny Depp and Kate Moss rented in when they were engaged 20-plus years ago is now on the market. Priced at $14.9 million, the brick-clad stunner at 112 Waverly Palace is an historic 1820s structure spanning five levels with four income-producing units that include a duplex penthouse, a 925-square-foot one-bedroom, a garden duplex, and, of course, the spectacular carriage house that Moss and Depp canoodled in during the mid-90's. Let's have a look inside, shall we?
Go inside here
September 9, 2015

REVEALED: First Look at 1399 Park Avenue, 23-Story Tower Coming to East Harlem

Here's our first look at Heritage Real Estate Partners' 23-story, 108-unit residential building underway at 1399 Park Avenue in East Harlem. Designed by Goldstein Hill & West Architects (GHWA), the 253-foot tall, glass and cast-stone tower is expressed as a stack of variably-sized, staggered volumes creating numerous terraces that face north towards the East River and west towards Central Park. Fittingly, Heritage has filed permits under the alias "Heritage on the Park LLC," possibly hinting at the official name for the tower.
More details ahead
September 9, 2015

Lauren McGrath’s Upper East Side Pied-a-Terre Is an Elegant Mix of Traditional and Contemporary

Keeping business in the family is extremely common, but it's not everyday that you meet a mother-daughter interior design team with taste this impeccable. Lauren McGrath and her mother Suzanne, who make up the aptly titled firm McGrath II, are already known for their stunning townhouses, country homes and pied-a-terres, so when it came time to revamp her own Upper East Side apartment, Lauren led the way without hesitation.
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September 9, 2015

No Walls in Sight at the Ultimate Loft, Asking $1.3 Million in Tribeca

What more could you ask from a loft apartment? A big space, tall ceilings, exposed brick, quirky details and no full walls. It's all here at 10 Leonard Street in Tribeca, a co-op apartment that is now on the market for $1.345 million. Although you don't have any separating walls, the apartment is large enough to create distinct spaces–as the listing puts it, "With great bones and a flexible layout, the possibilities abound for your creative vision." While a renovator could build out separate rooms here, this is the type of apartment where you've just got to embrace the loft living.
Check it out
September 9, 2015

Channel the Spirits of Tesla, Carnegie and Edison in the Former Engineers’ Club HQ for $14K/Month

Like so many places in this fascinating city, this listing comes with some interesting history: Known today as Bryant Park Place, the primarily residential co-op building at 32 West 40th Street was once the clubhouse of the Engineers' Club. Founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1907, members included–in addition to Carnegie himself–Thomas Edison, President Herbert Hoover, H.H. Westinghouse and Nikola Tesla, who was honored here upon receiving the Edison Medal in 1917 and enjoyed feeding the pigeons in the park across the street. Units 1A and 1K currently comprise a commercial listing–with residential possibilities if you're willing to do your homework. The property–two connected co-op units–is for sale for $3.1 million, and also for rent at $14K a month (in the latter case it would make a pretty impressive HQ for that hot new startup–and since there's a small kitchen, those all-nighters won't be a problem). Buyers may need to unwind some red tape, but according to the listing, residential conversion is possible along with some serious subsequent upside.
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September 8, 2015

Hedge Fund Tycoon May Be the Buyer of $200M Penthouse at 220 Central Park South

We first got wind of the potentially record-setting penthouse listing at 220 Central Park South back in March, when it was reported that the unit could sell for between $150 and $175 million. In June, sources said that a Qatari billionaire was looking to combine multiple apartments in the Robert A.M. Stern-designed building to create a $250 million mega-penthouse. Then last month, the Post speculated that another high-profile buyer was Ken Griffin, the billionaire hedge fun tycoon who is currently in the midst of a messy divorce from wife Anne Dias-Griffin (she's asking for $1 million a month in child support). Now the paper reveals that it's Griffin who's looking to snatch up the $200 million+ penthouse in what's being called the "billionaire's bunker."
More details this way
September 8, 2015

Handcrafted Organic Materials Meet Seamless Smart Home Tech in This $5.4M Village Loft

Loft lovers and perfectionists will covet this sprawling Greenwich Village condominium at 8 East 12th Street; it's both spacious and luxurious, boasting handcrafted organic materials in custom-designed interiors and switched-on, "smart home" creature comforts high and low. For your $5.4 million, you're getting location (near just about all the reasons you'd want to live downtown) and 2,330 square feet of painstakingly-created space for you to move in and enjoy. The current setup offers two bedrooms and 2.5 baths, but there's enough space here for any combination–and all the bells and whistles are already installed.
Take a look around...
September 8, 2015

Soren Rose Studio’s Tribeca Loft Interior Design Contrasts the Old and New of New York City

When approached with the redesign of a Tribeca loft, the architects at Soren Rose Studio found themselves with the ideal canvas to work their magic. Perfectly primed with large windows, double height ceilings and plenty of square footage to flex their creativity, they used the generous space to fashion a playful, fresh take on contemporary New York City style. Here, white walls and lightly colored wood flooring run throughout the space enhancing the home's open airy feel, while the monochromatic space is broken up by boldly colored accent walls, modern furniture and painterly graphic artwork.
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September 8, 2015

Elegant and Historic Carnegie Hill Townhouse Asks $7.45 Million

Carnegie Hill, a neighborhood of the Upper East Side, is known for its good bones—much of the area lies within historic districts and is dominated by brownstones, townhouses, mansions and museums. This particular property, at 121 East 91st Street, is located on a leafy and residential block of impressive architecture. The townhouse, built at the turn of the century, is no less impressive. It's been well-maintained from the outside and well-modernized from within. It is now on the market for $7.45 million after selling for $4.4 million back in 2003.
Take the tour
September 8, 2015

New South Street Seaport Will Be the City’s Next Foodie Destination by 2017

Perhaps spearheaded by the Smorgasburg foodie culture, putting multiple local food vendors in one place has become a recipe for success in NYC development projects. There's the Hudson Eats food hall at office-filled Brookfield Place, the forthcoming food court by Anthony Bourdain at Pier 57, Danny Meyer's possible giant food hall at Hudson Yards, the 55-vendor Dekalb Market Hall planned for Downtown Brooklyn's City Point, and the food hall at Sunset Park's Industry City, to name just a few. So it comes as no surprise that the South Street Seaport redevelopment will boast not one, but two massive food halls. The Post reports that none other than three Michelin-starred chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten (ABC Kitchen, the Mercer Kitchen, and JoJo are just a few of his famed restaurants) will be spearheading the foodie revolution at the Howard Hughes Corporation's $1.5 billion mega-development. According to the paper, "The great chef and his business partner Phil Suarez have signed a lease/partnership contract with NYSE-listed Hughes to launch two major Seaport projects — a 40,000 square-foot, seafood-themed marketplace inside the Tin Building and a 10,000 square-foot restaurant in a rebuilt Pier 17." Both are expected to open in 2017.
Find out more right here
September 6, 2015

First Look at Rawlings Architects’ 20-Story Mixed-Use Murray Hill Building

Charles Blaichman’s CB Developers have begun construction on a 20-story mixed-use building directly adjacent to their nearly finished rental tower the Frontier. Located at 210 East 39th Street, the building is designed by Rawlings Architects in conjunction with the grey metal and glass Frontier next door. The project is replacing a small townhouse owned by the Kingdom of Lesotho; the small African country contributed its property as a joint venture with the developers, and they will receive a commercial unit within the building's lower three floors to use as a mission.
More details ahead
September 4, 2015

PBDW Architects Add a Dramatic Rear Conservatory to This Greenwich Village Townhouse

The scope of this beautiful Greenwich Village Townhouse renovation, completed back in 2003 by PBDW Architects, was massive, but from what we can see, totally worth it. It included adding complete structural reinforcement and new building systems. Additionally, the home's exterior and interior spaces were fully restored, and a new garden and conservatory was added to the back of the building.
See the full renovation
September 4, 2015

For $2.65M This Corner Tribeca Loft Has Classic Bones, Snappy Interiors and Windows Galore

This classic Tribeca loft at 2 Hubert Street gives you a corner spot with walls of windows, a traditional-meets-modern custom renovation, a private elevator, closet space, and great original details reworked to accommodate daily life. Though this is a busy corner near the highway entrance, that description fits much of the neighborhood, and, in a way, it adds to the unique industrial feel when taken together with these big-shouldered loft buildings. Built in 1890, 2 Hubert–also known as 151 Hudson Street–is an intimate eight-unit loft condominium building. For $2.65 million, you don't get a lot of space at 1,222 square feet, but the layout could certainly be reconfigured, and it is, indeed, a two-bedroom apartment in Manhattan's most expensive residential neighborhood. And the charmingly updated interiors are a definite plus for anyone who wants to move in and get right down to the business of living.
Take the tour
September 4, 2015

In the 19th Century Men Who Didn’t Pay Alimony Went to the Ludlow Street Jail

Public shaming of cheaters was around long before the Ashley Madison scandal. In fact, in the 19th century, men who divorced their wives and didn't pay alimony were sent straight to jail. Atlas Obscura uncovered the fascinating history of the Ludlow Street Jail, New York City's federal prison on Ludlow and Broome Streets. Built in 1862, the jail mostly held debtors, but it also was where men who cheated on their alimony payments ended up, thus turning the "prison" into a glorified clubhouse for divorced men known as the New York Alimony Club. In addition to cigar smoking and unsavory jokes, the Ludlow Street Jail became known for back-door deals, rampant corruption, and the baffling semi-imprisonment of Boss Tweed.
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