Manhattan

Over the summer we got a couple of teaser renderings for Pritzker Prize-winning architect Tadao Ando's forthcoming Nolita condo at 152 Elizabeth Street. But now the Times has released the entire batch of starchitecture porn, including a full building shot and interior details. Ando's first-ever standalone building in New York is a seven-story condominium with just seven units, and its design is completely representative of his signature style. Described as a "glass jewel box" by the Times, it's made of in-situ concrete, galvanized steel and glass, combining to create a simplistic, modern esthetic that blends with the area's industrial character. The Japanese self-taught starchitect wanted to create "a space which no one has created before with a very common material which anyone is familiar with and has access to. Concrete can be made anywhere on earth."
Pricing info and renderings this way

March 27, 2015

$12M Duplex Designed by Robert Couturier Brings a Bit of Versailles to the Upper East Side

There's a beautiful four-bedroom duplex available at 953 Fifth Avenue on the Upper East Side, asking $12 million. The Robert Couturier-designed apartment seamlessly incorporates classic and contemporary styles while offering great views of the park. And it all starts with a private elevator entrance and a foyer with beautiful wood floor details.
More pics inside

Distinctive Homes

March 26, 2015

The Knickerbocker: Times Square’s First Luxury Hotel Is Reborn as a Modern Landmark

When John Jacob Astor IV built the Knickerbocker Hotel in 1906, he launched a generation of luxury Times Square hotels. The Beaux Arts masterpiece attracted the likes of F. Scott Fitzgerald, John D. Rockefeller, and Italian tenor Enrico Caruso. It was the birthplace of the martini and the site where the sale of Babe Ruth from the Red Sox to the Yankees took place. But after just 15 years, the hotel's success declined just as fast as it emerged and it was repurposed as an office space, later becoming the Newsweek Building. Today, though, the landmark is reclaiming its title of ultimate luxury hotel under its original moniker. After a two-year, $240 million modern renovation, the Knickerbocker offers 330 guest rooms, a rooftop bar and lounge with the ultimate view of the Times Square ball drop, and a foodie destination restaurant from chef Charlie Palmer.
Uncover the history and future of the Knickerbocker

March 26, 2015

Woody Johnson’s Co-op Sale Still Sets Record, but Comes In Lower Than Expected at $77.5M

The real estate world was abuzz last fall when the news hit that Jets owner Woody Johnson had sold his Upper East Side apartment to billionaire Leonard Blavatnik for $80 million, setting the record for most expensive co-op sale ever. The official city documents have hit, though, and the sale price came in lower than expected at $77.5 million. But […]

Real Estate Trends

March 26, 2015

Sprawling Soho Loft Featured in ‘Sex and the City’ Lists for $18K/Month

If this incredible Soho loft looks familiar, it's likely because it's been used as a location on "Sex and the City," "Ugly Betty," and the Will Smith movie "Hitch," to name a few. It's also been featured in numerous architectural books and commercials. We're not surprised as to why location scouts and interior design publications flock to the sprawling, full-floor residence at 55 Greene Street, as it has all the quintessential and historic loft details one would hope for, like 15-foot pressed-tin ceilings, classic Corinthian cast-iron columns and wrap-around 10-foot-high windows. The famous three-bedroom pad is now listed as an $18,000/month rental.
Take a look around

Distinctive Homes

Construction Update: ODA Architects’ 155W 18th Gets Its Skin

155W 18th Street under construction © 6sqft

March 26, 2015

Construction Update: ODA Architects’ 155W 18th Gets Its Skin

By Ondel Hylton

Flying under the radar, an 11-story, 30-unit condominium at 155 West 18th Street has topped off and is applying a dignified bluestone facade to its concrete structural frame. Developed by Eldad Blaustein's Izaki Group and designed by ODA Architects, 155W 18th joins a list of recent and upcoming downtown residential buildings sensitive to the rhythms and proportions of their neighbors, while still introducing fresh forms and rich materials to excite our senses and enhance our surroundings. With young design firms such as ODA, SHoP, and DDG leading the way, a cool and confident downtown vernacular has emerged, trading cookie-cutter layouts, flat glass skins, and pastiche styling for spacious light-filled floor plans and exteriors composed of sumptuous materials that provide a kind of weight and timelessness to the structures.
More details on 155 West 18th Street's progress

March 26, 2015

Fashion Stylist Joe Zee Sells Chelsea Pad to Famed Designer Narciso Rodriguez for $2M

In a very fashion-friendly transaction, stylist and journalist Joe Zee–creative director of Elle for seven years and currently the editor-in-chief and executive creative officer of Yahoo Fashion and host of a fashion-based television show called “All on the Line”–has sold his Chelsea apartment at 300 West 23rd Street to clothing designer Narciso Rodriguez for $2 million, according to city […]

March 26, 2015

Joan Rivers’ Neighbor Lists Her ‘Shabby’ Apartment for $6M

Here's a chance to own a different kind of piece of history. This one-bedroom condo at The Spencer was the subject of a contentious five-year legal battle between the owner, the condo board, and the estate of Joan Rivers, and was actually referred to as the shabbiest apartment in the entire building. Now owner Elizabeth Hazan has listed the unit, asking $6 million, a far cry from the $28 million Rivers' estate is requesting for her former penthouse.
Take a look inside, here

Distinctive Homes

March 25, 2015

$5.35M Live/Work Loft in Tribeca by Dean/Wolf Architects Is a ‘Triomphe’ of Arches

By Stephanie Hoina

From the Gateway Arch in St. Louis to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris to our very own Washington Square Arch, the curved symmetrical formations known simply as arches have a way of lending a certain cachet to even the most mundane structures. And though there is nothing remotely mundane about this sprawling Tribeca loft at 108-110 Franklin Street, its six fully revealed foot-and-a-half-thick brick archways elevate the home’s natural beauty to a new level.
Six gorgeous arches this way

Distinctive Homes

March 25, 2015

Artist Abby Leigh Asks $38M for Her Elevator-Equipped Upper East Side Townhome

Famed artist Abby Leigh has listed her five-story townhome at 49 East 68th Street for $38 million. The 25-foot wide, 12,500 square-foot red brick limestone townhome sets itself apart right at the entrance, boasting a ground-floor round arched arcade that was more commonly seen among commercial buildings of its time. And inside you can catch glimpses of Leigh's own artwork, which can also be found exhibited at the Met, the Guggenheim, the Whitney, and internationally.
Let's have a look inside

Distinctive Homes

Rent Stabilization Demystified: Know the Rules, Your Rights, and if You’re Getting Cheated

Image by Jorbasa Fotografie / Flickr

March 24, 2015

Rent Stabilization Demystified: Know the Rules, Your Rights, and if You’re Getting Cheated

By Michelle Cohen

In New York City there are currently about one million rent stabilized apartments–about 47 percent of the city’s rental units. So why is it so hard to snag one? What are the benefits of having one (other than affordable rent, of course)? According to the New York City Rent Guidelines Board nearly 250,000 rental units have lost the protections of rent regulation since 1994. Why are we "losing" so many of them?
Find out the facts and how they could affect you

March 24, 2015

Enjoy 50 Shades of Grey Brick in This Lovely Upper West Side Pad Asking $715K

Something about this charming Upper West Side pad just won us over from the start, and we’re thinking it has something to do with the gray exposed brick. This two-bedroom apartment at 316 West 82nd Street has some prewar charm and a split floor plan, all for $715,000.
More pics inside

Distinctive Homes

VIDEO: The Fascinating History of the Manhattan Municipal Building

The Manhattan Municipal Building toward the end of construction in 1913, via Shorpy

March 24, 2015

VIDEO: The Fascinating History of the Manhattan Municipal Building

When we think of the city's early skyscrapers, landmarks like the Woolworth Building and Flatiron Building usually come to mind. But there's an equally fascinating and beautiful icon that often gets overlooked–the 1914 Manhattan Municipal Building. One of New York's first skyscrapers, the 580-foot Beaux Arts masterpiece influenced civic construction throughout the country and served as the prototype for Chicago's Wrigley Building and Cleveland's Terminal Tower, among others. A new video from Blueprint NYC (produced by the Office of NYCMedia) takes us into this historic structure, discussing everything from the reason for construction (after the 1898 consolidation of the five boroughs, there was a need for increased governmental office space) to interesting factoids (the building was designed from a rejected sketch of Grand Central Terminal Station) to the turn-of-the-century innovations that made this unique structure possible.
Watch the video

History

March 23, 2015

Two Best Friends Sell Their Massive Midtown Artists’ Loft for $4.83M

Remember this amazing loft we featured on 6sqft back in September? Well it looks like it's found a new owner to fill its cavernous spaces. According to city records, the two-loft combo at 361 West 36th Street sold today for $4.83 million. While when we last wrote about this cool apartment we were going gaga over its beautiful 4,800 square feet of sun-soaked spaces, it turns out the story of the two women–both artists–who once dwelled within its walls is far better anything else found inside.
Find out more here

Real Estate Trends

March 23, 2015

Rob Stuart Interiors Infuses Romantic, Turn-of-the-Century Charm into a Modern West Village Townhouse

Take one look at this Greenwich Street townhouse and you'll likely assume it's a historic West Village brownstone, but, in fact, the stately residence is only a decade old. Rob Stuart Interiors was commissioned by a "fearless family" that wanted a colorful yet calming design "with the detail and nuance of a rarified turn-of-the-century townhouse." The firm achieved this goal by romantically layering vintage mantles, traditional moldings, patterned wallpapers, and colorful fabrics.
Tour the entire West Village beauty here

March 23, 2015

Take In the City from This $2.5M Renovated Chelsea Loft

If you’re looking for an awesome, high-floor loft in a prime location with brag-worthy views, this two-bedroom apartment in the Capitol Building might be just what the doctor ordered. The 1,686-square-foot renovated loft features beamed 10.6-foot ceilings, 7.5-inch wide plank oak flooring, and enviable views of the Empire State Building, all for $2.495 million.
More pics inside

Distinctive Homes

March 23, 2015

$4M Loft in Renowned Hellmuth Building Has Graced the Pages of Architectural Digest

By Stephanie Hoina

It seems fitting that a turn-of-the-century factory building built by and named after a manufacturer of printer’s ink would one day house an apartment featured in one of the premier design publications in the world. Why, it’s entirely possible that one of Charles Hellmuth’s inks may have even been used to print the very first issues of Architectural Digest, which first debuted in 1920. In any event, we know for sure the two subsequently became intertwined when this striking 2,400-square-foot-home located in the renowned Hellmuth Building graced the pages of the popular magazine.
See more of this Architectural Digest star

Distinctive Homes

March 23, 2015

Carmelo and LaLa Anthony’s UES Rental Hits the Market for $12M

Though their lease doesn't end until August, Carmelo and LaLa Anthony's Upper East Side/East Harlem rental has hit the market for $12 million, according to the Post. Fear not, though, the New York Knicks star and his wife will not be homeless. They inked a deal last month for an $11 million, High Line-adjacent, full-floor unit at Cary Tamarkin’s new complex at 508 West 24th Street. The couple's rental at 1212 Fifth Avenue is a 4,000-square-foot, five-bedroom, pre-war condo with exceptional Central Park views.
Take a look around the former Anthony pad

March 20, 2015

Charming West Village Rental Is Wrapped in Beautiful Brick Walls and Downtown Views

Does it get any more New York than brick walls, hardwood floors and great views of Manhattan's iconic buildings? This wonderful $4,500/month rental located at 237 West 11th Street is a charmer looking for an equally lovely resident who wants to spend a year or more within its sun-soaked spaces. With ample southern light and large windows framing a quintessential NYC scene highlighted by West 11th Street, church-top views and the Freedom Tower, this is the kind of New York apartment that seems to only exist in movies.
Take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

March 19, 2015

DHD Interiors’ Spectacular Tribeca Penthouse Design Is Fun, Fashionable, and Family-Friendly

By Stephanie Hoina

One of the key challenges to successful design is understanding the day-to-day needs of your client and marrying those needs with a sensorially pleasing aesthetic. When tasked with reconfiguring this 5,500-square-foot triplexed penthouse found in one of New York’s original cast iron façade buildings, DHD Interiors' goal was “to create a cool and chic family home ideal for entertaining but also conducive to a fun family life.”
See more photos of DHD's design

March 19, 2015

$2.7M Noho Loft Flaunts Its Exposed Brick and Beamed Ceilings

These days, the word "loft" is thrown around in real estate for any space with an open floor plan or high ceilings, but if you're searching for a true old-fashioned loft, then look no further than this $2.7 million Noho co-op at 33 Bleecker Street. A myriad of exposed brick walls, chunky wooden beamed ceilings and columns, wrap-around oversized windows, hardwood maple floors and an expansive layout make this two-bedroom apartment the ultimate in downtown loft living.
Take a look around here

Distinctive Homes

March 19, 2015

Sarah Jessica Parker Finally Sells Greenwich Village Townhouse for $20M

After quite a few price cuts and almost three years on the market, Sarah Jessica Parker has found a buyer for her Greenwich Village townhouse at 20 East 10th Street. Originally listed for $25 million in 2012, and most recently re-listed in September for $22 million, the 6,800-square-foot, five-bedroom home finally entered into contract for $20 million, according to the Daily News. Parker and her husband Matthew Broderick bought the townhouse in 2011 for $19 million. They completed a full renovation, but reportedly the family never actually lived there, using the home as a massive closet and residing in another Village townhouse.
Take a look around the house here

It’s a Hip-Hop Revolution! Photos of a Pop Culture Movement Born in New York

Busta Rhymes (Leaders of the New School). 1990. Photographer: Janette Beckman

March 18, 2015

It’s a Hip-Hop Revolution! Photos of a Pop Culture Movement Born in New York

By Diane Pham

New York has long been a haven for creatives, with some of art and music's most iconic producing their most profound works within the borders of our city. But few movements have proved as significant and lasting an influence on global fashion, politics and culture than hip-hop. In a new photo exhibit coming to the Museum of the City of New York (MCNY) next month, three of the most dynamic and renowned photographers of the hip-hop scene, Janette Beckman, Joe Conzo, and Martha Cooper, share their experiences at the height of the movement in the 1980s when it took not only the nation by storm, but the world. The trio of shutterbugs share photos that zoom into hip-hop's pioneering days in the South Bronx, as DJs, MCs, and b-boys and b-girls were inventing new forms of self-expression through sounds and movement. Prominent hip-hop figures such as Afrika Bambaataa, LL Cool J, Run DMC, Salt N Pepa and Flava Flav are just a few of the faces documented, and in the series you'll get a look at the kind of life and vibrancy that permeated the Bronx and Harlem during the 1980s. MCNY recently sent 6sqft a slew of the more than 100 photographs that will be on show starting April 1st. Jump ahead to get a taste of what's sure to be one of your most memorable and nostalgic museum visits.
See all the incredible photos here

March 18, 2015

Construction Update: COOKFOX’s 855 Sixth Avenue Tops Off, Ties for City’s ‘Shortest Skyscraper’

By Ondel Hylton

In the shadow of the Empire State Building, the concrete frame of 855 Sixth Avenue has quietly risen to its full 500-foot height. Spanning the full western blockfront of Sixth Avenue between West 30th and 31st Streets, the 41-story mixed-use tower, designed by COOKFOX Architects and co-developed by the Durst Organization and Fetner Properties, is poised to bring 190,000 square feet of commercial space and 375 rentals to the southern fringe of Herald Square later this year. While unremarkable in design and imperceptible in the city's skyline, the building's small claim to fame may be that its 152-meter (slightly under 500 feet) height is sometimes regarded as the benchmark figure for defining a skyscraper. Therefore, statistically, 855 Sixth could be considered the shortest skyscraper in New York. Huzzah!
More details ahead

March 18, 2015

Rent Tyra Banks’s Massive Battery Park City Apartment for $50,000/Month