Manhattan

Here's your chance to nab an apartment in the famous Ansonia for $12 million. The 4,500-square-foot pad is the place to entertain all your friends, boasting the tallest ceilings in the entire building, and stunning Upper West Side views from east, south, and west exposures. The space is actually a combination of three units that used to form their own wing of the building, representing the largest original layout ever designed by the building's architect, Duboy of Graves and Duboy. Its current owner, Michel Madie, spent nine years collecting all of the units to bring the space back to its former glory.
More pics inside

May 13, 2015

The Light Is Guiding You to This Chelsea Townhome Owned by an Emmy Winner

It's good to have options. Take this former "Guiding Light" actress's 4,000 square-foot early Greek revival townhouse on James Phelan Row, for instance. It can either be delivered to you as three separate apartments with a potential rental income of $20,000 per month, or you can convert it into one giant dream home. Either way you've got three large outdoor spaces waiting for you during the warmer months, and eight wood-burning fireplaces ready to warm you during New York's fierce winters. And all these options can be right at your feet for $9.5 million.
More pics inside

May 13, 2015

$7.2M Tudor City Penthouse Boasts Amazing Gothic-Style Terraces

If you want an apartment that will truly bowl people over, and you have millions to spare, look no further than this penthouse unit at 5 Tudor City Place in Turtle Bay (h/t Curbed). Massive windows, soaring ceilings, and a private terrace with griffins and gargoyles will definitely impress. The seller is Gordon Bowen, founder of the big-time advertising firm mcgarrybowen. He's unloading his Don Draper-worthy penthouse to the tune of $7.2 million.
See the interior

Distinctive Homes

May 13, 2015

Jean Nouvel Says He Has ‘No Favorite Color’ at Event Honoring 53W53

Last night, MoMA held an event to honor Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel and his much talked-about project 53W53, which is also known as the MoMA Tower for its location next to the museum and the fact that the institution will occupy three of its lower floors. Furthermore, its developers bought more than 240,000 square feet of development rights from MoMA, as well as the St. Thomas Episcopal Church, for $85.3 million back in September, at which time they also secured a $860 million construction loan for the 1,050-foot asymmetrical tower. And now that construction has moved forward and interior renderings of the condos were revealed, what better time to pat this long-stalled project on the back. The celebration drew a diverse crowd, including Richard Meier, Martha Stewart, and broker to the stars Dolly Lenz. In a Q&A with filmmaker Matthew Tyrnauer, Nouvel discussed his inspiration for the forthcoming project. Dressed in head-to-toe black (down to his socks and tie), he also revealed that he has "no favorite color," according to the Observer.
Find out about Nouvel's inspiration for 53W53 here

May 12, 2015

Go Inside 190 Bowery This Saturday for an Art Opening

More good news from 190 Bowery! After finding out last week that the Landmarks Preservation Commission-approved plans for the building include keeping its iconic graffiti, we've now gotten word that the storied structure will open its doors to the public this Saturday evening, May 16, for an art opening. The Lo-Down reports that Aby Rosen, the developer who bought the building for $55 million last fall and who is also an avid art collector, is hosting an art opening on the ground-floor in collaboration with curator and art dealer Vito Schnabel. The event runs from 5 to 8pm, plenty of time to take a look around the historic former Germania Bank Building.
More details ahead

The Nordstrom Tower Will Not Be Taller than 1 World Trade Center, Says Developer Gary Barnett

Rendering of the tower NY Yimby

May 12, 2015

The Nordstrom Tower Will Not Be Taller than 1 World Trade Center, Says Developer Gary Barnett

Yesterday, new details on Extell's Nordstrom Tower were leaked, stating that the tower's height had been stretched 20 feet to trump the One World Trade Center. But it looks like the news was all fodder as Extell Development boss Gary Barnett has stepped out denying that his supertall slated for 217 West 57th Street will reach such heights. The NY Post spoke with Barnett late yesterday and the developer told the paper that the tower “will categorically not be taller than One World Trade Center.” Barnett clarified that the building will reach 1,775 feet (with its spire) as planned, which is just one foot shorter than the One World Trade Center.
More on what Barnett had to say

NYC’s 1940s ‘Dream Airport’ Would Have Been on a Giant Midtown Rooftop

Manhattan Airport image via Archidose

May 12, 2015

NYC’s 1940s ‘Dream Airport’ Would Have Been on a Giant Midtown Rooftop

Imagine never having to sit in hours of traffic heading to JFK or enduring all the local stops on the 7 line trying to get to LaGuardia? Your dreams almost came true in 1946 with the proposed 990-acre Manhattan Airport, which would have "stretched 144 blocks from 24th to 71st Streets and 9th Ave to the Hudson River at 200 feet above street level," according to Untapped. The idea of real-estate mogul William Zeckendorf, who owned the Chrysler Building and Astor Hotel, the airport would have cost a whopping $3 billion, a staggering sum in the 1940s, which was planned to be paid off in 55 years from rental income.
More on NYC's Manhattan Airport

May 12, 2015

Cozy Gramercy Park Co-Op Comes with Its Own Private Garden and Koi Pond

It's unusual for a small apartment to come with such a big private outdoor space, but that's the case at this one-bedroom co-op apartment up for sale at 22 Irving Place. This Gramercy Park pad is cute on the inside, but even better with its 500-square-foot garden. Not only is it beautifully landscaped, with enough space for a table and barbecue, it's also got its very own koi pond. How much for this little oasis in one of the most desirable neighborhoods of Manhattan? $999,000.
See the rest of the interior here

Distinctive Homes

The LES Site of 90-Year-Old Streit’s Matzo Factory Sells for $30.5 Million

Image by Leo London/Flickr

May 12, 2015

The LES Site of 90-Year-Old Streit’s Matzo Factory Sells for $30.5 Million

When word hit that the Lower East Side's Streit's Matzo Factory would be shuttering, it was sad news not only for longtime residents in the neighborhood, but a horror for New Yorkers worried about the city's transformation into a sea of characterless new constructions. The Real Deal now reports that the site of the historic institution has officially changed hands, closing yesterday for $30.5 million. According to city records, Midtown developer Cogswell Realty is the new owner of the four-building property which totals 50,000 square feet.
So, what's next for this site?

Nordstrom Tower Adds 20 Feet to Become the Tallest Building in NYC and Western Hemisphere

Rendering of the tower at its new height by NY Yimby

May 11, 2015

Nordstrom Tower Adds 20 Feet to Become the Tallest Building in NYC and Western Hemisphere

One World Trade Center's claim to the title as the city's tallest building could soon be nil. NY Yimby reports that the ultra-super-tall Nordstrom Tower at 217 West 57th Street has experienced a growth spurt that's pushed its already jaw-dropping height from 1,775 to 1,795-feet. Though the addition of 20 feet seems insignificant for a skyscraper of such size, the consequences are not: The tower will now not only be the tallest building in the city (19 feet higher than 1 WTC) when completed, but also the tallest in the U.S. and the western hemisphere.
FInd out more here

May 11, 2015

Geraldo Rivera Buys $5.6M Condo, His Second Purchase in UES Building

By Annie Doge

Despite a string of recent on-air comments that were controversial to say the least, Geraldo Rivera is still movin' on up. The news personality, along with his wife Erica, just nabbed a $5.6 million condo on the 40th floor of 45 East 89th Street according to city records released today. This is the couple's second purchase in the massive Upper East Side building; they bought a 36th floor unit for $3.4 million in 2011. Geraldo's latest acquisition is a four-bedroom, 2,500-square-foot pad with remarkable Central Park views.
Take a look around here

May 9, 2015

May Design Agenda: 6sqft’s Guide to Navigating NYCxDesign Week

By Michelle Cohen

NYCxDESIGN, New York City’s official celebration of all things design, hits town from May 8–19, 2015. Home to more designers than any other US metro area, NYC is one of the world’s design capitals. Now in its third year, NYCxDESIGN spotlights the city’s diverse design community and its contributions to our economy and everyday life and increases awareness of and appreciation for design with a collaborative mix of cultural and commercial offerings. The seemingly endless program lineup offers exhibitions, installations, trade shows, talks, launches, open studios and receptions all across the city to celebrate the efforts of everyone from students to stars of the local and international design community. This year will see hundreds of events covering topics from graphic design to architecture, technology and urban design to fashion and product design, interiors to landscape, furniture to design thinking and more. It will be hard to head in any direction and not stumble into a design-related event, but we've compiled a guide to a few of the top collaborative efforts and highlighted some of our picks.
Check out our Design Week picks, this way

May 8, 2015

Mad Men’s Christina Hendricks Buys $1.16M Midtown Pad That’s Anything but Modern

By Annie Doge

We don't think the uber-chic, ever-polished Joan Harris would approve of this pretty basic, slightly cluttered midtown apartment that her real-life counterpart Christina Hendricks just picked up, but seeing that the actress is so well known for her timeless fashion sense, we think she'll turn it into her very own glam pad in no time. The Daily News reports that Hendricks and her husband, actor Geoffrey Arend, bought the one-bedroom unit at the Parc Vendome at 353 West 56th Street for $1.16 million. The timing makes sense, as "Mad Men," which films in Los Angeles, is airing its series finale in just a couple weeks.
Take a look around the home here

LES Sunshine Cinema Gets Shopped Around as $35M Development Site

Image via Cinema Treasures

May 8, 2015

LES Sunshine Cinema Gets Shopped Around as $35M Development Site

The Sunshine Cinema at 139-143 East Houston Street has been a neighborhood staple since it was built in 1898, but that soon may change, according to The Real Deal. First serving as an anchor for the Lower East Side's Yiddish theater community, and now as a favorite spot for "art-house movie buffs and devotees of late-night cult flicks," the theater is now being shopped around to developers for upwards of $35 million. This comes on the heels of a 2012 request by Mark Cuban and Todd Wagner of L.A.-based Landmark Theatres, the cinema's operator, for a liquor license to turn the location into a dinner-and-drinks theater like Williamsburg's Nitehawk Cinema. Community Board 3, however, denied the application, despite Landmark's claims that they couldn't maintain the Sunshine due to rising rents.
More details ahead

New Developments

May 8, 2015

Brooklyn Buyers Sell Off Their Homes and Head Back to a Cheaper Manhattan

Brooklyn has long been thought of the place to find great deals, but increasing interest in the borough has also brought with it an increase prices across the board. A story published today by the Times takes a look at the shift back to Manhattan as the "better value" for buyers and renters. Although the median price in the city does remain higher than Brooklyn—$970,000 versus $610,894—northern neighborhoods like Washington Heights, Inwood and Morningside Heights do provide a much cheaper alternative to coveted neighborhoods like DUMBO and Boerum Hill. But is the offer really worth the move?
More on the shift here

Uncategorized

May 8, 2015

Classic Soho Loft Features Two Art Studios and a Unique Lofted Bedroom

Let's be honest. When you think of New York living, the name Soho comes up a lot. And when you think of Soho, you think of the perfect loft. Well, this $13,500-a-month rental may just check all the boxes on your wish list. We're talking 4,200 square feet of open space with the coveted sky-high ceilings, whitewashed exposed brick, hardwood floors, and oversized windows. Plus, a perfectly situated mezzanine maximizes the space and houses one of the home's two bedroom suites. Let's take a look.
More pics inside

Distinctive Homes

VIDEO: Bjarke Ingels Takes Us Through His 57th Street Pyramid ‘Courtscraper’

Photo by Field Condition

May 7, 2015

VIDEO: Bjarke Ingels Takes Us Through His 57th Street Pyramid ‘Courtscraper’

Even though big dreamer and BIG architect Bjarke Ingels's 57th Street pyramid was recently christened a less-than-desirable "Via" by its developer, Ingels and his team have given the building a moniker of their own, nicknaming it "courtscraper." In this video produced by Bloomberg, the architect takes us inside his 625 West 57th Street project, which he describes as "the lovechild of a courtyard building and a skyscraper."
Watch the video here

May 7, 2015

$13M Madison Avenue Condo Will Have One of the City’s Largest Private Pools

Now that $1 million parking spots are the new norm and luxury apartment buildings are all but expected to offer outrageous amenities like vitamin C-infused showers, pet spas, and bowling alleys, developers have to get creative with their over-the-top offerings. So, how about a private swimming pool one-third the length of an Olympic pool? According to the Daily News, that's exactly what's up for grabs at newcomer 172 Madison Avenue. "It’s the Pacific Ocean compared to the wading pools in even the fanciest new condo buildings," says the paper, and that's certainly true considering it will be 50 feet long.
More here

May 7, 2015

Former Beekman Home of CBS Founder Lowers Price to $37.5M

This palatial Beekman Place mansion, designed by Eldridge Snyder, has served as a domicile to the head of CBS and to the shah of Iran's twin sister. The majestic home stands eight levels tall, with eight to ten bedrooms covering 10,500 square feet. Unfortunately, the home has had a visit from the price chopper, falling from an initial asking of $49.9 million in February 2014 to a current asking of a much lower $37.5 million.
More pics inside

May 6, 2015

Gorgeous West Village Carriage House Boasts a Lovable Interior with Lots of Wood

New York City carriage homes tend to be lovable pieces of real estate, and we're totally swooning over this one at 29 Downing Street in the West Village (h/t Curbed). It was built in 1829 and has been owned by two artists, John Bennett and Karen Lee Grant, for the last 40 years. According to the listing, upon purchasing this building it only "had one light bulb on each level, no bathroom, and only a sprocket for water." The owners transformed it into a truly spectacular residence and artist studio that is now asking $13 million. The listing calls it "a completely unique piece of art," and "one of Manhattan's certified treasures."
Tour the interior here

Distinctive Homes

May 6, 2015

New Renzo Piano-Designed Residential Tower to Rise in Soho

Renzo Piano's versatility continues to win the hearts of NYC developers, and it looks like the starchitect is finally getting his chance to flex his muscle in the residential realm. The Post reports that Piano—who just cut the ribbon to the new Whitney to rave reviews—has been chosen by Michael Shvo and Bizzi & Partners to design a brand new 290-foot tower at 100 Varick Street in up-and-coming Hudson Square bordering Soho.
FInd out more here

May 6, 2015

Billionaire Carlos Slim Looks to Break Record for Priciest Townhouse Ever Sold with $80M Ask

Carlos Slim, Mexican business magnate and former world's richest person, is looking to break the record for most expensive townhouse ever sold in NYC. As the Daily News first reported, he's listed his Upper East Side Beaux Arts mansion at 1009 Fifth Avenue for $80 million, after buying it for only $44 million five years ago from Russian oil mogul Tamir Sapir. Built in 1901, the limestone-and-red-brick home is known as the Duke-Semans Mansion and is one of the last remaining private homes on Fifth Avenue. It's located directly across from the Met, rises eight stories, and encompasses a whopping 20,000 square feet. According to the listing, the French Renaissance interiors "feature soaring ceilings, hand-carved wood paneling, lovely trompe l'oeil accents, gold-leaf trimmed fixtures and intricate plaster friezes."
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May 6, 2015

Photographer Jacob Getz Asks $5.5M for Live/Work Tribeca Loft

You'll never run out of inspiration when surrounded by this light-filled loft's high ceilings, cast-iron columns, exposed brick, and brick masonry, among other original details. In fact, the triplex maisonette has been the subject of countless significant photography and video shoots over the last 15 years, as it was home to prolific photographer Jacob Getz, who snapped pictures of the likes of Lauren Bacall and Madonna, according to the Post. The commercial live/work space covers nearly 5,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space in the well-run 81 Walker Street condo. Your options are plenty in this potentially four-bedroom pad. Use it as is, with separate sleep, live, and work areas or use it as a studio only. Bottom line, though, this $5.5 million loft has enough space, flexibility, and charm to use as you see fit.
More pics inside

Distinctive Homes

May 6, 2015

Landmarks Greenlights 190 Bowery Restoration Plan with Iconic Graffiti Intact

After several weeks of back and forth on whether or not the new owner of 190 Bowery, Aby Rosen’s RFR Realty, would keep its iconic graffiti, it's now official that the historic Germania Bank Building will remain in all its tagged glory. As Yimby reports, the Landmarks Preservation Commission approved the proposed restoration and conversion to an office building with ground-floor retail. The plan, conceptualized by preservation architecture firm Higgins Quasebarth & Partners with the help of MdeAS Architects, "calls for restoration of metal gates, wooden doors, stained glass, and other elements, but not removing the graffiti or cleaning the façade."
More on the approved plans here

May 5, 2015

New York Times Columnist Frank Bruni Nabs a Broadway Corridor Pad for $1.65M

By Annie Doge

The Times may be struggling to make ends meet, but it looks like their Op-Ed contributor and former chief restaurant critic Frank A. Bruni is doing just fine. City records show that the NYC tastemaker has just closed on a classic six in a brick-clad prewar at 123 West 74th Street for $1.65 million. Although the apartment is in need of quite a bit of work, Bruni has the perfect canvas to create his dream home. The apartment comes with high ceilings, well-kept hardwood floors, and is soaked in light thanks to three large south-facing windows in the living room and two bedrooms.
Have a closer look inside

May 5, 2015

The Former Upper West Side Mansion of Charles Schwab Is Asking $20 Million