Manhattan

The landmarked Tammany Hall at 44 Union Square East could be getting a modern makeover in the form of a restored facade, brand new storefront, 27,000 square feet of office space, and, most notably, a two-story glass dome topper that would bring the height of the building up to 85 feet. BKSK Architects presented their plans to gut and revamp the historic building this week to the Community Board 5’s Landmarks Committee. And though no one could argue with the design's glassy allure, board members were otherwise not all that thrilled.
Find out more here

History

November 6, 2014

Lauren Bacall’s Dakota Apartment Will Go for a Jaw-Dropping $26 Million

Since Lauren Bacall passed away this summer, many have been watching the iconic actress’s longtime Dakota home in hopes of catching a glimpse of the interior—and a chance at owning Hollywood history. Now word has it that the residence will hit the market any minute now with Warburg Realty brokering what is expected to be a $26 million listing. […]

November 6, 2014

Carmelo and LaLa Anthony Step Up Penthouse Search and Tour a $48M Tribeca Duplex

By Annie Doge

If you were impressed by the $15 million Chelsea penthouse that Carmelo and LaLa Anthony toured last month, you're definitely going to think their latest real estate interest is a slam dunk. The couple recently toured a $48 million duplex penthouse in Tribeca's Sky Lofts at 145 Hudson Street. James Carpenter, the same architect responsible for 7 World Trade Center, designed the four-bedroom glass house atop an historic Art Deco loft building. And with 7,500 square feet of interior space as well as a 4,500-square-foot wrap-around terrace, the home set a record for highest-priced Manhattan apartment south of Columbus Circle when it was originally purchased for $30 million in 2009 (a record later broken by the $50.9 million sale of the Walker Tower penthouse).
Tour what may be the future house of Carmelo

November 5, 2014

Andrew Franz Transforms an Old Soap Factory into a Tranquil Tribeca Oasis

Architect Andrew Franz is known for his nature-inspired designs, and he has successfully infused his signature aesthetic into the tranquil interior of this Tribeca home. Franz transformed a 19th century Manhattan soap factory into what is now a gorgeous example of adaptive reuse. The designer's goal for this project was to create the feeling of being outdoors when inside the walls of the Romanesque Revival building, while also maintaining as much of the original structure as possible. By combining modern clean lines and open spaces with rustic wooden columns and raw brick walls, Franz creates a visual narrative celebrating the preservation of something old in the creation of something new and beautiful.
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November 5, 2014

$3.58M Forsyth Revitalization Project Will Bring an Elevated Park Off the Manhattan Bridge

If you've ever walked or biked across the Manhattan Bridge, or simply tried to make your way past the off-ramp on foot, you know that it can be a heart-thumping jaunt that often requires expert maneuvering to avoid collision. A new design proposed for a triangular section of land beside the Manhattan Bridge along Forsyth Street could bring some much-needed calm to the frenetic energy of this area. Tomorrow, the Department of Design and Construction will present their plan to transform this elevated space into a public green space that's being likened to the High Line Park.
Find out more here

Architecture And Design

November 5, 2014

POLL: Can One World Trade Center Get to 100% Occupancy?

On Monday, anchor tenant Condé Nast moved into One World Trade Center. It was, of course, a significant day for many reasons, but it left a lot of people wondering if they would feel comfortable working in the 104-story tower. And since the building is currently only 58% leased, we want to know if you think One WTC […]

Real Estate Trends

November 5, 2014

Classic Loft with Retractable Door in Historic Tribeca Asks $3.1 Million

Something about this one-bedroom renovated loft at 55 Walker Street seems to define understated character. Of course the floor-through unit has the typical soaring ceilings, oversized windows and exposed brick walls you would expect in a quintessential Tribeca loft. But this special 1,850-square-foot space has a few unexpected features that work together to give it the personality of a larger home, while still maintaining its stylish New York vibe.
Take a look inside, here

Distinctive Homes

November 4, 2014

Dennis Mehiel Re-Lists Carhart Mansion Condo Asking $35 Million

Dennis Mehiel, corrugated cardboard magnate who ran against Gov. Cuomo in a 2002 election for lieutenant governor, has put his sprawling 10,350-square-foot duplex at the Carhart Mansion on the market, asking $35.9 million. This, after attempting to claim $35 million for it back in 2008, just a few years after he purchased the pad for only $15 million in 2005--"only" being a relative term, of course. The award-winning condo has a two-story master, an 1,100-square-foot grand salon, and the potential for six more private chambers..
Take a look inside, here

Distinctive Homes

November 4, 2014

How the Historic Apartments and Hotels of the Upper West Side Came to Be

By Michelle Young

It's hard to imagine today that people had to be lured to settle on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, but such was the case at the turn of the 20th century when the first New York City subway line opened. The Interborough Rapid Transit Line (IRT) started at City Hall, with the most epic of subway stations (now closed off to the public except on official Transit Museum tours). The Astors and other enterprising investors owned the land uptown, purchased in a speculative property boom. Now, the question was how to brand the area.
The history behind the opulent doors of the Upper West Side

Architecture And Design

November 4, 2014

See How Top Architects Build Sculptures from 100,000 Cans of Food to Help the Hungry

Food drives and can collections are not uncommon as we approach the holidays. And with Thanksgiving right around the corner, Canstruction is back again for its 22nd year with a brand new exhibit that invites New Yorkers to not only think about food in a whole new way, but to take part in a good cause. This year's event has invited 32 teams made up of NYC's top architecture and engineering design firms to turn 100,000 cans of food into spectacular sculptures at Brookfield Place. To give you a taste of what's to come when the exhibit opens this Thursday, some of last year's participants included big names like Skanska, Perkins Eastman, CetraRuddy, Ennead Architects, Arup, and Dattner Architects. Yes, these are more than just a bunch of stacked cans.
More on the new exhibit

November 4, 2014

Designer Loft in the New Museum Building Listed for $10.5 Million

Recognized as one of Lower Manhattan's most sought after addresses, this gorgeous condo at 158 Mercer Street has a lot to live up to. However, with 4,200 square feet to work with, this three-bedroom loft might be up for the challenge. The sophisticated sun-blasted space features high ceilings, dark wood floors and stately columns. Plus, the interior was meticulously designed by de la Torre design studio—a talented team once named one of Elle Decor's top 25 designers. The property was recently put on the market and the current listing price is $10.5 million.
Tour the interior with us

Distinctive Homes

November 4, 2014

Midtown Site of the Iconic Lutèce Restaurant Sells for $17M – Will It Be Demolished?

These three townhouses may not look like much to you, but they've for decades been making appearances in pop culture, from the penned to motion pictures, including The Prince of Tides, Wall Street, Crossing Delancey, and most recently, Mad Men. Located at 249-253 East 50th Street, this site once housed the world-renowned Lutèce restaurant. Though today the structures can be described as dilapidated at best, that hasn't stopped a group of Chinatown investors from scooping up the properties for $17 million from East 50th Development LLC. Now in new hands, what's up next for this famed locale?
More details here

November 3, 2014

This 16-Room Upper East Side Penthouse with Conservatory is Back for $4M Less

Real estate in NYC has its own special 'wow' factor that many of us have become accustomed to. However, every now and again you come across a property of truly epic proportions, and this seven-bedroom, 16-room penthouse located at 52 East 72nd Street on the Upper East Side is just that. The massive space spans approximately 6,300 square feet and includes 1,200 square feet of elegantly landscaped terraces. The listing price for this beauty is $17.95 million—and yep, if you've been following it, it has indeed returned to the market for $4 million less than its April listing price.
Take a peek inside

Distinctive Homes

Trinity Church Will Build First Residential Developments in Hudson Square

A map of Trinity’s current real estate holdings in Hudson Square

November 3, 2014

Trinity Church Will Build First Residential Developments in Hudson Square

Trinity Real Estate, the property arm of Trinity Church, oversees 5.5 million square feet of office space in buildings that it owns in the city, a $3 billion portfolio. But now the Episcopal church is looking to branch out into residential development for the first time since it received 215 acres of land in downtown Manhattan from Britain's Queen Anne over three centuries ago. Led by Jason Pizer, Trinity Real Estate will build four luxury residential towers in Hudson Square and a part-residential tower near Wall Street, amounting to over 1 million square feet of residential space.
More on Trinity's plans here

New Developments

November 3, 2014

Today’s the Day: Condé Nast Moves into One World Trade Center

More than nine years after ground broke at One World Trade Center, the tower's first and largest tenant, Condé Nast, is moving in. Though the media company will not complete its move until January, the relocation actually began last weekend when 2,800 orange crates full of files, photos, and books were carted downtown from the media company's Times Square office. Today, 175 employees will start their days at One WTC, the first wave of the 3,400 employees at 18 magazines. And as the New York Times notes, the scene they're encountering is much different than when construction began nearly a decade ago. As the number of financial institutions has declined, tech firms, advertising agencies, and media companies have made the Financial District their new home, along with a residential population of 61,000.
More on the big move here

November 3, 2014

Brighten Your Mood with this $4M Colorful Maria Brito-Designed Co-op

Who needs lifestyle tips from Goop when you can live like Gwyneth Paltrow instead? That’s right. 320 East 72nd Street has an apartment designed by Maria Gabriela Brito, self-proclaimed luxury lifestyle consultant with a Rolodex full of clients like P. Diddy and Gwyneth. The colorful Lenox Hill apartment is not afraid to show its fun side, and it’s now on the market, asking $3.795 million. The Brazilian-inspired design is definitely not for the faint of heart, but Brito anchors the vibrant accents with a neutral backdrop, creating a lively yet sophisticated space.
Take a look inside, here

Distinctive Homes

November 2, 2014

And About That Grecian Temple on the Henry Hudson Parkway…

By Stephanie Hoina

New York City is filled with an abundance of structural treasures that are hard to miss. From the Brooklyn Bridge to the Chrysler Building to the soon-to-be-opened Freedom Tower, there is no shortage of architectural eye candy vying for your attention. Which means some pretty spectacular little gems get lost in the shuffle. Like the curious white, Doric-columned structure located off the Henry Hudson Parkway near West 190th Street. Part of Fort Washington Park, this scenic overlook perched over 100 feet above the Henry Hudson River is known as Inspiration Point – a perfect moniker given its breathtaking vistas of the river, George Washington Bridge, and the majestic Palisades in neighboring New Jersey.
Learn more here

October 31, 2014

Live-Work Loft in SoHo is a Museum for Luxury Living

This live-work loft, currently home to a prominent art dealer and his a notably impressive art collection, was recently put on the market for $6.5 million. Located in the heart of SoHo at 84 Mercer Street, this galley-style home occupies a full floor that was gutted and rebuilt with the help of loft architect Todd Ernst. The building was first constructed in 1884, and in 1978 was declared a National Historic Landmark. The cast-iron structure features massive windows, 16' ceilings, a private elevator, and a definitively cool interior style.
Tour this spectacular loft

Distinctive Homes

October 31, 2014

Visit This Quirky Museum Hidden in a Chinatown Elevator Shaft

Looking for something off-the-beaten-path to do this Halloweekend? Mmuseumm might be right up your alley. And speaking of alleys, it's located on Cortland Alley in Chinatown within a single, abandoned elevator shaft. The 60-square-foot Mmuseumm is a modern natural history museum that exhibits contemporary artifacts, illustrating "the complexities of the modern world." Its eclectic collection of everyday items includes toothpaste tubes from around the world and papers left behind in copy machines. It even manages to fit a gift shop and café in its tiny footprint.
More info on the museum here

Events & Things To Do

October 31, 2014

The City’s Priciest Rental is a $500,000/Month Suite at The Pierre

Because if you've got the cash, why buy a $6 million home when you can rent one for a year at the same price? The WSJ reports that the newest most expensive rental in the city is located on the the 39th floor of The Pierre and it's going for a cool half-a-million dollars a month. The floor includes the 2,000-square-foot Presidential Suite, which can combine with other rooms for a total of 4,786 square feet (or six bedrooms with six-and-a-half bathrooms), or be rented separately for $400,000 per month with the additional rooms ranging from $20,000 to $40,000 per month.
Find out more here

Distinctive Homes

<b>6 of New York’s Spookiest, Scariest and Downright Strangest Homes</b>

You can live here!

October 30, 2014

6 of New York’s Spookiest, Scariest and Downright Strangest Homes

Every day at 6sqft we pretty much find ourselves in awe saying "We can't believe people live like this!" But every so often we come across a home that has us muttering "People live like this??" In celebration of All Hallow's Eve, we've rounded up six spooky and scary Manhattan and Brooklyn residences. One is filled to the brim with dead animals, another hides a secret underground portal, and another harbors an incredible tale of murder and deceit. Jump ahead to see all six them all—and if you'd ever dare live in one of these petrifying pads, you're in luck because several of these homes are for sale. Lucky you?
For these homes, it's Halloween year-round

October 30, 2014

Townhome in Hidden English Tudor Village on Upper West Side Asks $2M

It would be easy to walk right past Pomander Walk on a trip down 95th street, between Broadway and West End Avenue. The quaint little enclave is well concealed by an unsuspecting gate. However, walk through that gate and you’re in for quite a treat. Behind it is one of the most unexpected co-ops on the Upper West Side—an enclave so enchanting that it won the hearts of American treasures like Rosalind Russell, Lillian Gish, and Humphrey Bogart. And right now, one of those co-ops is available for $1.995 million.
Let's take a look

Distinctive Homes

October 30, 2014

President Obama’s College Apartment is Now Renting for $200 Cheaper

Live like a president—back when that president was a struggling student in college. The tiny two-bedroom apartment President Barack Obama once shared with another student while at Columbia is now renting for $2,300 a month, a couple hundred bucks less than its previous $2,500 a month listing price. The quaint home located in a rental building at 142 West 109th Street comes with an old photo of the prez standing in the doorway, and according to the listing, living here could be the road to political greatness: "who knows you might end up at the WHITE HOUSE one day!"
Inside Obama's college digs here

October 30, 2014

East Village Condo’s Celebrated Design Will Make Your Dreams Come True

On any given day New York City has the potential to make all of your dreams come true, and this beautiful three-bedroom East Village condo, located at 211 East 3rd Street, might make that dream a little sweeter. This amazing property underwent an all-inclusive renovation just two years ago, and the result is an exquisitely curated interior enhanced by architectural sophistication that is sure to grab your attention. The renovation also garnered features in Martha Stewart Living, the Wall Street Journal and several other magazines and papers.
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Distinctive Homes

October 30, 2014

Construction Halted on Karim Rashid’s Harlem Condo After Buddha Statue Gets Decapitated

Karim Rashid's condo at 329 Pleasant Avenue just can't seem to win. Weeks ago, the designer was forced to scrap the building's cyan and magenta color scheme for a more subdued palette, and now DNA Info reports that the city has issued a partial stop-work order on the building. The halting of construction comes after the city received complaints from neighbors that their foundations were being damaged by digging and careless workers. But the greatest victim in all of this? How about this Buddha statue which was decapitated by a construction worker.
More on the drama

October 29, 2014

Greenwich Village Townhouse Boasts Cool Rooftop Office and Personal Secret Garden