Manhattan

At first glance, this urban-chic apartment with its industrial vibe and cool pops of geometric colors definitely appears to be located in trendy Soho or any up-and-coming section of Brooklyn. But it's actually in the neighborhood that's often considered the most unhip of all–the Upper East Side. A creation of The New Design Project, this 400-square-foot Uptown apartment was inspired by the urban features that the design team uncovered during the renovation at the landmarked Cherokee Apartments. Exposed brick walls and metal frames were left raw and are juxtaposed with bold colors, geometric patterns, and custom artwork. As the firm states, "the result is a space that does not take itself too seriously, where each room has a strong personality that delivers a happy experience."
Tour the apartment here

January 20, 2015

$4.8M ‘Duplex of Baronial Splendor’ Comes with a Dali Sketch on the Living Room Wall

One look at this richly decorated Central Park West maisonette in The Atelier and you'll be swept away into a scene harkening back to 18th century Vienna where couples minuet across the floor to strains of Mozart playing softly in the background. Turns out your imagination wouldn’t bring you too far from the truth, as in recent years this home has become a beloved gathering place for artists and art lovers alike, attracting opera singers, conductors, musical soloists, cabaret entertainers, diplomats, artists, aristocrats, and movie celebrities. The annual Christmas parties given here are legendary, as are frequent dinners and musical soirées for up to 150 guests.
Feast your eyes on more of this exquisite home

January 19, 2015

Russian Billionaire Roman Abramovich Buys Up Three UES Townhouses to Build a Makeshift Mansion

While some billionaires are busy eyeing the glass penthouses of the city's up-and-coming and ultra-luxe towers, others are taking a more DIY approach to realizing their dream home. The latest to join the building-your-own-mansion trend is billionaire Roman Abramovich, who according to the NY Post has just "secretly" purchased a 9,495-square-foot townhouse at 11 East 75th Street for $29.7 million from developer Larry Gluck. The buy follows Abramovich's December purchase of another 7,286-square-foot townhouse two doors down for $18.3 million, and word on the street is that he's in contract for the townhouse wedged right in between.
READ MORE

January 19, 2015

VIDEO: Santiago Calatrava Explains the Design of His Ground Zero Church

By Alyssa Alimurung

Back in October, we revealed renderings for Santiago Calatrava’s Ground Zero Church, which will overlook the 9/11 Memorial. Now we have a BBC video that features Calatrava explaining his vision for Saint Nicholas Church. ArchDaily, who spotted the feature, writes that “the building, which broke ground last year, has been described by Calatrava as a ‘tiny jewel’ for lower […]

January 19, 2015

A Waterfall, a Bridge and a Moat Can All Be Found Inside David Ling’s Self-Designed Loft

“I wanted to create my own world.” Those are the words used by architect David Ling when describing the design inspiration for his Manhattan-based live/work loft. And he most definitely succeeded. As one meanders through Mr. Ling's "rough-around-the-edges-on-the-surface-but-oh-so-refined" dwelling there are surprises at every turn, all beautifully orchestrated into three distinct areas (work/live/sleep) with the bridge and moat, plus a cantilevered second story, providing the transitional elements.
See more of this home's unique design

January 16, 2015

$100 Million Condo Sale at One57 is NYC’s Most Expensive Ever

Expect another blockbuster year for the super-luxury tower that launched a slew of other wannabe developments across the city. A palatial unit occupying the 89th and 90th floor of One57 has just sold for a record-breaking $100,471,452.77—the most expensive condo purchase ever recorded Manhattan. The buyer of the massive 10,923-square-foot penthouse apartment remains a mystery—city records simply show an […]

Real Estate Trends

January 16, 2015

How the Fletcher-Sinclair Mansion Went from Private Home to the Ukrainian Institute of America

Earlier this week, the Ukrainian community rang in the new year, so we thought it appropriate to take a look at one of the city's largest centers of Ukrainian-American life. Located at 2 East 79th Street at the corner of Fifth Avenue, the Fletcher-Sinclair mansion was built in 1897 by famed architect Charles Pierrepont Henry Gilbert (C. P. H. Gilbert) as a single-family home for Isaac D. Fletcher, a banker, broker, and railroad investor. Today, the French Gothic masterpiece houses the Ukrainian Institute of America, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the art, music and literature of Ukraine and the Ukrainian diaspora. But how did this massive home become home to the Institute?
Find out here

January 16, 2015

Check Out the Rear…Garden of This Adorable $1.3M West Village Pad

By Aisha Carter

Here’s a cute new listing at 92 Horatio Street, asking $1.349 million. A West Village location is already pretty idyllic. Add charming details like exposed brick walls, hardwood floors, and lots of light, and you’ve really hit the jackpot. But this quaint co-op’s most prized feature is definitely the romantic private garden.
Take a look at the quaint space here

Distinctive Homes

January 16, 2015

Sportscaster Marv Albert’s Lincoln Square Penthouse Sells for $13M, $2M Less Than Initial Reports

By Annie Doge

Though it was originally reported that famed sportscaster Marv Albert sold his sprawling penthouse at 150 Columbus Avenue for $15 million, city records released today show that the 3,553-square-foot pad actually sold for $13 million after being listed in May. Marv and his wife, former ESPN producer Heather Albert, originally purchased the home in 1996 for $2.39 million, turning a pretty impressive profit in time for their move downtown to Tribeca.
Take a look inside here

January 16, 2015

$2M Tudor City Place Penthouse Will Get More Than Your Spidey Sense Tingling

If you missed the opportunity in 2013 to snap up this one-of-a-kind Midtown East penthouse that played home to Spiderman’s green nemesis, you’re in luck. Back on the market for a cool $2 million–$400,000 more than when it was last listed–this duplex residence at Windsor Tower features dramatic proportions, which made it the perfect pad for Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin in the popular movie.
Learn more about this one-of-a-kind home

Distinctive Homes

January 16, 2015

Last Low-Rise Buildings Along Delancey Street Will Likely Be Razed for Condos

It looks like the home of Get Set, Happy Wok, Taj Gold, and Sneaktip will soon be no more. Bowery Boogie reports that Ashkenazy Investments, the owner of the commercial stretch, has just listed their site at 156-164 Delancey Street for $7.5 million. Ashkenazy purchased the property two years ago simply leasing the units out, but as one would expect, they've just been waiting for the right moment to make a flip. With this week's reveal of the SHoP/Handel Architects/Beyer Blinder Belle/Dattner Architects-designed mega-development Essex Crossing just across the street, the timing couldn't be better.
Find out more here

January 15, 2015

111 West 57th Street: The World’s Skinniest Tower Will Rise to 1,421 Feet

That's a lot of accolades for one building, but the SHoP Architects-designed tower at 111 West 57th Street is looking to sweep the supertall competition. Originally planned to rise 1,397 feet, the tower will now soar to 1,421 feet, surpassing 432 Park Avenue (the current tallest residential building in the Western Hemisphere) by 24 feet, according to city records uncovered by Crain's. It will also retain its title as the world’s slenderest tower.
More details ahead

New Yorker Spotlight: Carol Paumgarten of Steps on Broadway on Training World-Famous Stage Stars

Studio image via Sofia Negron Photography

January 15, 2015

New Yorker Spotlight: Carol Paumgarten of Steps on Broadway on Training World-Famous Stage Stars

By Susan Cohen

Atop the hustle and bustle of 74th Street and Broadway, three flights of stairs above the busy Fairway Market, is the famous dance studio Steps on Broadway, renowned for its teachers, dancers, classes, and, of course, the large flag that hangs outside the building. Presiding over the studio is owner and artistic director Carol Paumgarten. Carol opened the studio with a partner in 1979, and over the years developed Steps into a much sought-after studio for professional dancers, budding stars as young as two years old, and anyone who just feels like dancing. The studio is part of a larger world of dance that sits center stage on the Upper West Side. With Lincoln Center and the musicals of Broadway right down the street, there's a lot of movement and creativity happening in this neighborhood. We recently spoke with Carol to find out how Steps on Broadway made the leap from a small studio with a few classes to a dance institution known worldwide.
Read the full interview here

January 15, 2015

Take a Drone Tour of the Hearst Building with Starchitect Norman Foster

In 2006, the doors of the Hearst Tower were swung open for business. The design of starchitect Norman Foster, the building was one of the most cutting-edge of its time, lauded for its diagrid form, its green construction, and the then-radical approach of marrying the old with the new. Apart from becoming one of New York's most iconic structures, the building also holds a special cultural significance in city's history: It was the first skyscraper to break ground after September 11th. Now, a decade later, Foster has returned to the Hearst Tower to mark its anniversary and reflect on his creation.
Watch the film here

Architecture And Design

January 15, 2015

Chelsea Apartment Is Flea Market Chic with a Pop Art Punch

There's no shortage of trendy flea markets in the city these days. From Brooklyn Flea to Green Flea, New Yorkers can easily deck out their entire apartments in retro, second-hand finds. And that's exactly what Brazilian design entrepreneur Houssein Jarouche did in his Chelsea pied-à-terre. But to keep the studio loft from looking like one big antique store, he enlisted the help of his friend and New York-based interior designer Ana Strumpf and infused the space with punches of contemporary, pop art and quirky pieces that reflect his passion for the American Industrial Era.
Take a tour around the flea market-chic apartment

First Four Essex Crossing Buildings Revealed

Rendering via SHoP Architects

January 15, 2015

First Four Essex Crossing Buildings Revealed

After 45 years of sitting vacant on the Lower East Side, the failed SPURA (Seward Park Urban Renewal Area) project site is being transformed to a $1.1 billion, 1.65 million-square-foot, mixed-use mega-development anchored by 1,000 residential units and a mix of cultural, community, and retail facilities. We've gotten snippets here and there on what the Essex Crossing project will look like–such as the Andy Warhol Museum and a 14-screen movie theater–but now Curbed has revealed renderings of the development's first four buildings. Construction on phase one of the project, which will occupy sites one, two, five and six (there are nine sites in total), is expected to commence this spring, and the notable architects who will spearhead the charge are SHoP, Handel Architects, Beyer Blinder Belle and Dattner Architects.
See what these architects have planned for Essex Crossing

January 15, 2015

Tribeca Bachelor Pad with Pool Table Asks $3.5 Million

By Aisha Carter

It’s pretty clear right from the start that this loft at 81 Walker Street is a bachelor pad built for entertaining: partial walls, fluid floor plan, questionable bathroom artwork that would make your mother blush. It’s all there. But don’t let appearances fool you. This $3.475 million renovated full-floor condo has original loft details and quality finishes that make it ideal for any party.
Take a look inside, here

Distinctive Homes

January 14, 2015

To Ski or Not to Ski? That Is the Question in This Adorable Thorndale Condo

By Aisha Carter

We dare you to look at this home and not want to make a cup of hot cocoa, sit down in front of the gas-burning fireplace, wrap yourself up in a blanket and lose yourself in a good book. This 1,209-square-foot Thorndale pad charms with ski lodge appeal, making the cold winter months an experience–and it’s available for rent, asking $8,500 per month.
Hold on while we grab some cocoa, then let’s take a look inside

Making the Cut: Is NYC Still the World’s Fashion Capital?

Via j-No via photopin cc

January 13, 2015

Making the Cut: Is NYC Still the World’s Fashion Capital?

By Michelle Cohen

Will 21st century New York City be able to retain its fashion capital status? How does an aspiring fashionista build a brilliant career? The answers come from a winning combination of education, innovation and inspiration, plus financial and media support. Though styles come and go with dizzying speed and designers fall in and out of favor, New York City has held the title of global fashion capital since the mid 20th century, when it rose to prominence with the unprecedented idea of developing sportswear as fashion. Today’s NYC is home to some of the world's top fashion schools whose famous graduates add to the city’s fashion culture and networks. Foreign designers choose to live and work here because of this status and creative energy, adding even more to the fabric. We may share this pedestal with quirky London–and trés chic Paris, the brainy Belgians, the stylish Scandinavians and the ascendant Aussies make things more interesting–but NYC is known as the place where style ideas and trends are born and exchanged.
But is NYC still the world's fashion capital?

Architecture And Design

January 13, 2015

$6.8M Soho Duplex with Tin Ceilings Will Make You “Greene” with Envy

It doesn’t get more classic than this five-bedroom Soho loft located at 33 Greene Street between Broome and Grand Streets. From the building’s gorgeous cast iron façade to the nearly 5,000 square feet of living space, you’ll be easily won over by the duplex’s 13 oversized windows, 12-foot tin ceilings, large arched doorways, and beautifully preserved wood floors.
Envy, this way

Distinctive Homes

January 13, 2015

Chetrit Group Plans $1.8B Sellout for 96 Condos in the Sony Tower

Back in June, we learned that the Chetrit Group was planning to partially convert the Philip Johnson-designed Sony Tower at 550 Madison Avenue to high-end condos. And it has now been revealed that the 96 condo units will amount to a jaw-dropping $1.8 billion sellout, according to plans the developer filed with the Attorney General's office. By comparison, the initial total sellout at One57 was $2 billion, and at 432 Park Avenue it was $2.4 billion.
More on the luxury conversion

January 12, 2015

Four Architects Reimagine Times Square as a Place You Actually Want to Visit

While beloved by tourists, Times Square is easily the most hated destination for those who actually live in New York City. And it's no wonder: Shoulder to shoulder traffic, blinding lights, costumed (and un-costumed) characters, honking cars, and not a tree in sight—Times Square is pretty much your worst nightmare come to life. But could this congested consumerist hellscape one day become a place "Real New Yorkers" want to visit? Last year, the Institute for Rational Urban Mobility and vision42 held a competition asking designers and architects to rethink 42nd Street—from the East River to the Hudson River—as a "pedestrian-friendly, auto-free, sustainable boulevard." 200 submissions were received, and the institute has just announced the four finalists.
See the four finalists here

Architecture And Design

January 12, 2015

Construction Update: One Manhattan Square, Extell’s Mega-Rental Complex in Two Bridges

By Ondel Hylton

Groundwork continues on Extell Development's 847-foot-tall mega-rental complex at the foot of the Manhattan Bridge. Rumored to be called One Manhattan Square, the project at 250 South Street will bring a staggering 790 luxury rentals and 205 affordable units to a remote section of the Two Bridges/Chinatown neighborhood. The project rises on the former site of a cherished one-story Pathmark supermarket and its sprawling parking lot. While details of the design remain scarce, public documents reveal a two-towered development of 68 and 23 stories to rise atop a three-story podium that will contain 30,000 square feet of retail. Blogger Bowery Boogie uncovered the residential amenity package, which will include two swimming pools, a health club, basketball court, squash court, bowling alley, golf simulator, and 137 on-site parking spaces.
More details on One Manhattan Square

January 12, 2015

EVENT: Is the Vanderbilt Corridor the Future of East Midtown?

The proposed East Midtown Rezoning has been a hotly debated issue over the past few years. First introduced by Mayor Bloomberg, and backed by Mayor de Blasio, the rezoning would allow developers to build larger and taller than the current Grand Central Terminal district zoning allows in exchange for financial contributions to the area's infrastructure needs. The Department of City Planning feels the rezoning would ensure that the area maintains its spot as a global business center, but others think it would forever ruin the historic nature of the neighborhood. One of the most major components of the project is One Vanderbilt, a 68-story, 1,514-foot zigzag tower that will stand adjacent to Grand Central. Along with the building comes a reconfiguration of the Vanderbilt Corridor, the streetscape around the Terminal. A panel discussion at the Museum of the City of New York on January 20th will examine both the tower and the corridor and what they mean for Midtown East.
More about the event here

January 12, 2015

New Public Art Piece Will Have All of Times Square Yawning at Once

And not out of boredom. Sebastian Errazuriz has created a new public art piece for Times Square that is the antithesis of the high-energy, fast-paced neighborhood. It's a close-up, black-and-white, three-minute video of the artist looking around and yawning that plays on 50 digital billboards throughout Times Square, which triggers a domino effect of sleepy, open mouthed gaping, since we all know yawns are contagious. Errazuriz's idea was to instill "a pause in the city that never goes to sleep," which informs the title of the work. The yawn-athon takes place every night through January 17th at 11:47pm from 42nd to 47th Streets between Broadway and 7th Avenue.
More (yawn) details ahead

Events & Things To Do

January 12, 2015

NYC Design Firm Axis Mundi Creates a Work of Art to House Their Client’s Works of Art