Manhattan

An adorable two-bedroom renovated loft, designed by Nikolai Katz, has just popped up on the market, asking $4.895 million. The 2,200-square-foot pad is basically the best of all worlds, with original details and modern updates, and a prime Noho location. There are actually a few proposed options for this flexible floor plan. Each one makes the most of the natural light provided from the home’s oversized, northern and southern-facing windows. An open living space showcases many of the loft’s original details, such as exposed brick walls, 10-foot ceilings, exposed beams and a cast-iron column.
Take a look inside, here

Distinctive Homes

October 20, 2014

Extraordinary Dwellings: These Amazing Homes Are Hidden in Plain Sight

By Michelle Cohen

It isn’t unusual to see old warehouses, churches and banks converted into luxury multi-unit condos and apartments. But far more rare, and often shrouded in myth and mystery, are one-of-a-kind buildings that had former lives as banks, schools, a synagogue, a public bath house, a Con Ed substation, even a public restroom and a hillside cave–and have more recently served as home and workspace for a lucky handful of bohemian dreamers (and hard-working homeowners).
Find out who lives behind the gates of those those cavernous, mysterious buildings

Architecture And Design

October 20, 2014

Palatial Co-op at the Sherry Netherland Reduces Price to $85 Million

An influx of new property in Manhattan has made Liberty Travel founder Gilbert Haroche reconsider the hefty $95 million price tag for his 15-room co-op at the Sherry Netherland. Haroche had a similar change of heart a year ago, when he lowered the price to $88 million, however he quickly returned to his astronomical initial asking. Now, after sitting on the market for an entire two years, the sprawling simplex is available for a slightly less jaw-dropping $85 million.
Take a look inside, here

Distinctive Homes

October 17, 2014

Peeking into the East Village’s Marble Cemeteries

Today we think of cemeteries as spooky, haunted places that we avoid, or as sad, depressing spots reserved for funerals. But they were once quite the opposite--in fact, they were the earliest incarnations of public parks. In New York City, burials took place on private or church property up until the mid-1800's when commercial cemeteries began popping up. And in the East Village there are two such early burial grounds hidden among the townhouses and tenements--the New York Marble Cemetery (on the west side of Second Avenue just above Second Street) and the New York City Marble Cemetery (on the north side of Second Street between First and Second Avenues). Though their titles are extremely similar and they're located less than a block apart, the two cemeteries are operated separately and have their own unique history. And during openhousenewyork weekend, we were lucky enough to take a peek beyond the cast iron gates and into these important pieces of the East Village's past.
Explore the Marble Cemeteries

History

October 17, 2014

New Yorker Spotlight: Emmy-Winning Journalist Christine Chen on Moving from the News Desk to the Yoga Mat

By Susan Cohen

Long before Christine Chen was an Upper West Sider, she was living in Great Falls, Montana. A year out of U.C. Berkeley, she landed her first gig in broadcast journalism—a job that transplanted her from her native Bay Area to a small town in Big Sky Country. For Christine, it was the beginning of a very impressive career that included anchoring at KCPQ, the Fox affiliate in Seattle, and hosting About the Money on KCTS, the PBS station in Seattle. Along the way, she won two Emmys for her work as both a reporter and an anchor. After dealing with severe back pain, Christine knew her body needed a change. Looking for relief, she sought out yoga, which quickly evolved beyond exercise into both a lifestyle and career change. Today, New Yorkers in Chelsea, the Upper West Side, and Westchester have the chance to learn and take classes with Christine. 6sqft recently spoke with Christine to find out how New Yorkers engage with yoga, and what they can look to forward reading next March.
Our interview with Christine Chen

October 17, 2014

Ruler of the Sharjah Emirate Buys at 15 Central Park West for $14.25M

Sultan III bin Mohammed Al-Qasimi, a member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates and current ruler of the Sharjah emirate, has just purchased an apartment at 15 Central Park West with his daughter Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, the 34th Most Powerful Arab Women as noted by Forbes. According to city […]

October 17, 2014

Renovated Chelsea Home Greets with a Bi-Level Garden Framed by a Two-Story Glass Wall

By Stephanie Hoina

The minute you walk into this gorgeously renovated three-bedroom apartment at 442 West 23rd Street in Chelsea you are greeted with the most unexpected of views: a breathtaking bi-level garden. Beautifully framed by a two-story Portella-designed architectural steel door and window combination, the 1,000-plus square feet of landscaped perfection is the focal point of this exquisite home.
See why this apartment will take your breath away

Distinctive Homes

October 17, 2014

Loft in Soho’s Little Singer Building Stands Out with Perfectly Framed Views

An opportunity to live in architect Ernest Flagg’s Little Singer Building may already be considered a treat by many, but take one step inside this 2,300-square-foot loft, on the market for $6,250,000, and you’ll immediately see that this particular unit has a little something extra up its sleeve. Thanks to the building’s distinctive original façade, which convenes to form an elaborate wrought iron arch right in front of unit 11A, residents and friends alike will always be able to enjoy a perfectly framed view of downtown Soho.
Take a look inside, here

Distinctive Homes

October 16, 2014

New Proposal Could Pave the Way for a Harlem High Line Park

By Diane Pham

The success of the High Line Park continues to inspire all corners of the world—including Queens—and now the latest neighborhood to jump on the elevated park bandwagon is Harlem. DNA Info reports a nonprofit called the Housing Partnership has proposed a plan to bring 2,000 affordable housing units and $170 million dedicated to public projects in Hamilton Heights. The new park encompassed within the nonprofit's 'Harlem Promenade' plan would run alongside the West Side Highway atop a portion of Amtrak rail lines.
More on the proposed harlem high line project here

October 16, 2014

REVEALED: Renderings for Santiago Calatrava’s Ground Zero Church

Ahead of the groundbreaking this weekend, a new video and renderings have been revealed for Santiago Calatrava's church near Ground Zero, which will overlook the 9/11 Memorial. The new St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church will be constructed of white Vermont marble, inspired by a mosaic of the Madonna and Child Enthroned at the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.
More on the design here

October 16, 2014

There’s a Balcony in Every Bedroom of This $7.5M TriBeCa Loft

From the Skinnygirl to the Queen Bey, 195 Hudson Street has won the hearts of quite a few stars, and now the former industrial space has a new unit on the market asking $7.45 million. This bottom floor space offers everything you would want out of an authentic Tribeca loft, with 15-foot ceilings and the building’s signature four columns serving as its anchor. And just like the former home of Bethenny Frankel (her home is currently occupied by her soon-to-be ex-husband while the Skinnygirl house hunts), the columns are masterfully incorporated into the living space.
Take a look inside, here

Distinctive Homes

New Woolworth Building Listing Reveals Additional Residential Details

Rendering of unit 31A terrace

October 16, 2014

New Woolworth Building Listing Reveals Additional Residential Details

First came the floorplans for the $110 million penthouse, then the first set of interior renderings, and now we have a new sneak peak inside the highly anticipated Woolworth Tower Residences. The Post has profiled unit 31A, a four-bedroom, full-floor unit on the market for $26.4 million. And along with a written description--"a kitchen with all the modern conveniences, a massive formal dining room, hidden bars, a library and...two terraces to enjoy the view from 31 stories up"-- come two new renderings, those of the terrace and the kitchen.
More details ahead

New Developments

October 15, 2014

75% of Grand Central’s $210M Renovation Money Will Go to the 4, 5, 6 Trains

By Diane Pham

New York City's most taxed line is about to get a sizable cash infusion. Of the $210 million that developer SL Green Realty has budgeted for improving Grand Central's subway station for the green light to construct a 65-story office tower next door, more than 75% will go toward the Lexington Avenue line, Crain's reports. Yesterday, a 63-page study was delivered to Manhattan's Community Board 5 and to transportation advocates who have called for Midtown East's rezoning to include improvements to transportation infrastructure to meet current demand as well as the influx of nearly 16,000 workers as new lines are drawn. So where exactly will the money go?
Where will the money will go?

October 15, 2014

Clive Wilkinson’s 4,400-Square-Foot “Superdesk” Puts Literal Twist on Collaborative Workspace

By Stephanie Hoina

Visitors to this past weekend’s 12th Annual Open House New York were treated to tours of Manhattan’s first fully robotic parking system, an African Burial Ground National Monument in Tribeca, and this 4,400-square-foot “superdesk" winding its way through the Chelsea offices of the Barbarian Group, a New York-based creative agency.
Right this way for more on this fun and functional

October 15, 2014

Fabrica 718’s Renovation of Soho Loft in Former Department Store is Highly Fashionable

By Stephanie Hoina

Firehouses, stables, factories – even churches – have long offered designers the opportunity to carve out unique living spaces from non-traditional structures. So it should come as no surprise that in a city as fashion conscious as New York, even department stores are fair game for residential conversion. When this co-op building in Soho was subdivided into loft apartments, each inherited some awkward and quirky features courtesy of its former life, but that didn’t stop Brooklyn-based designer Fabrica 718 from turning one of the apartments within into a different kind of showcase.
See more of Fabrica 718's fashionable renovation

October 15, 2014

CNN’s Don Lemon Buys Harlem Condo in 2280FDB

According to city records released today, Emmy Award-winning CNN news anchor Don Lemon has purchased a condo in Harlem's 2280FDB (2280 Frederick Douglas Blvd.) for $867,780. He already owns the neighboring unit, so this may be an expansion opportunity for the journalist. The newly acquired 859-square-foot, one-bedroom, contemporary unit comes complete with a spacious terrace, boasting impressive city views.
Take a look inside

NYU Gets Green Light for Village Expansion; Locals Vow to Appeal the Decision

A rendering of the NYU expansion plan

October 15, 2014

NYU Gets Green Light for Village Expansion; Locals Vow to Appeal the Decision

The battle between New York University and local residents and community preservation groups just got a little fiercer, as just yesterday the appellate court overturned a previous decision by the New York Supreme Court that prohibited the university's $6 billion, 1.9 million-square-foot expansion plan. NYU now has the green light to move forward with their colossal project, which includes taking over "implied park land" that has been used by the public for years. Local community groups vow to appeal the decision. The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, NYU Faculty Against the Sexton Plan, Community Board 2, and local residents, filed the lawsuit against the school in 2012.
More on the latest ruling and what it means for NYU and the Village

October 14, 2014

It’s Official: 432 Park Avenue is NYC’s Tallest Residential Building

NYC supertalls all over town are weeping: 432 Park Avenue is officially the tallest residential building in the city as of today, topping out at 1,396 feet, and the second-tallest tower after One World Trade Center. Concrete on the highest floor of the Rafael Viñoly-designed building is being poured, probably as we speak, cementing (no pun […]

October 14, 2014

Willem Dafoe Sells His Lovely Perry Street Pad for $2.9 Million

After making a move on up to the penthouse this past spring, actor Willem Dafoe has shed his full-through third floor pad for $2.875 million, according to city records filed today. Dafoe originally purchased the two-bedroom co-op located at 67 Perry Street for $1.6 million back in 2005—meaning the actor made a tidy $1.28 million profit with the recent sale. The cozy home comes with exposed brick walls, a wood-burning fireplace, separate study nook with built-in bookshelves, and tranquil tree-top views from oversized bay windows.
Ihside the home here

October 14, 2014

Spacious Penthouse Loft in Soho Designed as an Escape from City Noise

By Rebecca Paul

New York City is a constant flow of sights and sounds, and with all of the buildings and people it can sometimes feel cramped. One of the best parts of loft-living in NYC is the openness these spaces provide amid the claustrophobic surroundings. This quintessential penthouse loft takes spacious living to the next level with its sprawling living area featuring 13-foot pressed-tin ceilings and an enormous skylight that dramatically crowns the open living/dining room. Located at 75 Grand Street atop of a 19th century terracotta-detailed building in historic Soho, this loft has clean modern lines, brilliant light and authentic architectural details throughout.
READ MORE

Distinctive Homes

October 14, 2014

Billy Joel Unloads Another Apartment at 128 Central Park South

Piano man Billy Joel has just sold off his one-bedroom pad at 128 Central Park South for $775,000, according to public records. The sale is the second for Joel at the building, the first being an $11 million deal he struck last year for the two-bedroom, 10,000-square-foot penthouse he once shared with ex-wife Christie Brinkley. The one-bedroom is a comparably modest pad situated on a high floor of the building. An eat-in kitchen, abundant south light and city views are some of the perks, but the listing (now offline) noted that the home needed renovation. The apartment was previously rented out, though Joel and Brinkley did entertain it as a penthouse extension. The transaction was managed by Joel's accountants Gelfand, Rennert and Feldman. Adam Modlin of the Modlin Group brokered the deal.
See the floor plan here

October 13, 2014

Holiday Field Trip: Where to Find Christopher Columbus in NYC

It's easy to forget that Columbus Day is more than just a day off from work (which we're not complaining about), but rather a holiday celebrating Christopher Columbus' arrival in the Americas on October 12, 1942. But if you need reminding, look no further than these memorials scattered around New York City.
Take a tour of where to find Christopher Columbus monuments in NYC

October 13, 2014

Adorable Upper West Side Co-op Charms with Old-World Touches

Something about this charming pre-war co-op at 316 West 82nd Street makes us feel like we’re on the set of a Woody Allen film. The two-bedroom pad is nostalgic for its 1910 inception with graceful lines, exposed brick, and quiet views of the well-maintained early twentieth century buildings outside the windows.
Let's take a look inside, here

Distinctive Homes

October 13, 2014

$4M LES Loft Mixes 19th Century Architectural Details with Contemporary Design

While we always love a good listing in a Soho cast iron building, it's always exciting to see this type of architecture sprinkled throughout other neighborhoods. 345 Grand Street on the Lower East Side is one such example, built in 1888, and an available loft in the building has hit the market for $3.85 million. The 2,349-square-foot, full-floor apartment elegantly combines original 19th century architectural details with contemporary design elements like large, globe lanterns, sleek teak built-ins, and top-of-the-line appliances.
Tour the rest of this past-meets-present pad

Distinctive Homes

October 13, 2014

Condos at Bruce Eichner’s Glassy Flatiron Tower Will Be Priced Up to $42.5 Million

By Diane Pham

It’s going to cost you at least $2.5 million to live at 45 East 22nd Street. In a recent profile on the up-and-coming building, the Times revealed pricing and some juicy details about what’s planned for glassy tower. One-bedrooms averaging 1,074 square feet will be going for 2.5 mill, while the penthouse may go for as much as […]

October 13, 2014

7,000-Square-Foot Soho Penthouse Sells for $10M