Manhattan

Before there were sports bars and college dorms, there were bratwurst and shooting clubs. In 1855, New York had the third largest German-speaking population in the world, outside of Vienna and Berlin, and the majority of these immigrants settled in what is today the heart of the East Village. Known as "Little Germany" or Kleindeutschland (or Dutchtown by the Irish), the area comprised roughly 400 blocks, with Tompkins Square Park at the center. Avenue B was called German Broadway and was the main commercial artery of the neighborhood. Every building along the avenue followed a similar pattern--workshop in the basement, retail store on the first floor, and markets along the partly roofed sidewalk. Thousands of beer halls, oyster saloons, and grocery stores lined Avenue A, and the Bowery, the western terminus of Little Germany, was filled with theaters. The bustling neighborhood began to lose its German residents in the late nineteenth century when Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe move in, and a horrific disaster in 1904 sealed the community's fate.
Read our full history of Kleindeutschland

History

October 2, 2014

Colorful Loft by Ghislaine Vinas Will Have You Feeling Young at Heart

Sure, this beautiful Tribeca loft by designer Ghislaine Viñas has the requisite “grown up” touches. One look at the soothing palette and economy of design in the master bedroom and the word sanctuary easily comes to mind. Similarly, the kitchen’s clean lines and austere finishes are decidedly adult. But make no mistake; this is very much a family home. Skillfully combining stark white furnishings with bursts of bright color, Viñas clearly had fun ensuring this home’s youngest inhabitants felt, well…at home.
See why children and adults alike will feel right at home

October 2, 2014

Iconic Rainbow Room Reopens with All Its Former Glitz and Glamour

The Rainbow Room served its first guests on October 3, 1934, and now, almost 80 years later to the day, the historic restaurant and event space has reopened after a restoration by Gabellini Sheppard Architects. Located on the 65th floor of the Raymond Hood-designed 30 Rockefeller Plaza (30 Rock), it was the first restaurant located in a high-rise building and for decades was the highest restaurant in the country. Suffering from a decline in business, the fine-dining establishment closed its doors in 2009. But in 2012, the Rainbow Room was declared an official interior landmark by the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), and a year later it was announced that the storied space would reopen this fall. Right on schedule, the new incarnation of the venue opened last night for a preview by the Sir John Soanes Museum Foundation.
Ogle the landmarked restaurant here

October 2, 2014

$4.4 Million Greenwich Village Loft Dazzles with Two Extraordinary Skylights

A walk down 13th Street between Broadway and University Place may seem a bit uneventful in the way of architectural standouts. However, you'll be pleasantly surprised to encounter this hidden gem at 60 East 13th Street. The handsome condominium conversion has more to offer than just a pleasantly painted façade and strong lighting. Inside it houses a stunning architectural dream of a loft, now available for $4,395,000.
Let's take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

October 2, 2014

Historic Henderson Place Townhouse Asks $7.5 Million

Oh, how the times change. In the late 19th century, developer John C. Henderson began constructing an enclave of townhouses, designed by architectural firm Lamb & Rich, and intended for “persons of moderate means”. Today, one of those Yorkville homes is available for rent, asking $25,900 per month… or if you’d like to purchase it outright, $7.495 million. If you’re looking for remnants of 146 East End Avenue’s low-income housing past, you’re in for a disappointment. The result of a “painstaking” two-year gut renovation, this desirable dwelling only speaks the language of luxury. However, if there’s any city that knows how to preserve its history while providing modern amenities, it’s New York. The final result is a beautifully updated home that pays homage to its honorable past.
Take a look inside this historic home, here

Distinctive Homes

<b>The New Upper East Side: Changes Are Coming Above 86th Street</b>

The Upper East Side isn’t just for your grandparents anymore. Photo by Ed Yourdon cc

October 1, 2014

The New Upper East Side: Changes Are Coming Above 86th Street

There's been so much talk lately about how the Upper East Side is the next cool 'hood--this guy even says it's cooler than Brooklyn--and while that may be true (the neighborhood's got a Meatball Shop; is there really any use denying it anymore?), we have our sights set slightly farther north. The high 80's and 90's, clustered between Park and 1st Avenues, is a hot spot for young professionals who are looking for little more culture and a little less of the bro-tastic bar scene, as well as for just-starting-out families who want a community feel, but not the sky-high rents of Park Avenue and Museum Mile. A slew of new residential developments are popping up in the area, as are fun, independent restaurants and bars. And this piece of Manhattan offers almost just the same transportation convenience as the Upper East Side proper, but with lower rents and a calmer feel.
More on the new Upper East Side

October 1, 2014

Enjoy Your Own Private Rooftop Pool in the Heart of the City for $40K a Month

Apparently, even 1,500 square feet of mesmerizing outdoor space isn’t enough to get renters to pay the $40,000-per-month asking price for this Union Square penthouse at 17 East 17th Street. The unique home has had a pretty rocky history during its last few years on the rental market, and it appears to still be searching for a temporary dweller nearly a year after it last became available. As stunning as this 4,000-square-foot triplex is—and it’s a stunner—there's one interesting choice that might make apartment hunters take pause. You’ll see what we’re talking about after the break.
See what's inside, here

Distinctive Homes

October 1, 2014

Impeccably Classic Residence in the Legendary Osborne Lists for $7M

Often overshadowed by the Dakota, its more famous “cousin” further uptown, the Osborne was one of New York’s first major luxury apartment buildings. Located in the heart of Midtown West and completed in 1883, the Osborne's somber appearance rising up from 205 West 57th Street belies the dazzling lobby within, “a luminous Byzantine dream of gilded tiles.” But the lobby isn’t the only treasure awaiting your entrance. This classically elegant, 12-room corner duplex exemplifies everything one would expect from a residence in such a legendary building. And it's on the market for $6,950,000.
See what makes this home so impeccably classic

Distinctive Homes

October 1, 2014

Strivers’ Row Home Tour & Exhibit at Macy’s Showcase Harlem’s Elegant Enclave

This weekend, all you old-house lovers will have two opportunities to step back in time and explore the elite Harlem enclave known as Strivers' Row. Located on West 138th to West 139th Streets, between Adam Clayton Powell and Frederick Douglass Boulevards, the area was once home to prominent, wealthy African-American performers, artists, and professionals who lived in the harmonious row of stately brick dwellings. Running until Sunday, October 5th is an exhibit at Macy's called “Strivers’ Row Style: Uptown Comes Downtown,” which will feature vignettes by various designers of what the interiors of these historic homes would have looked like during the heyday. Also on the 5th is the Strivers' Rome Home Tour, which lets participants inside eight of the distinctive residences and four historic churches.
More on Striver's Row and the upcoming events

October 1, 2014

Two Puck Building Penthouses List for a Combined $57M

It was pretty big news back in June when Penthouse IV at the landmarked Puck Building sold for $28 million, netting real estate tycoon Jared Kushner a pretty penny. It was the second largest out of the six units in the penthouse-only building. As we reported then, there were four others that were yet to be listed, and they were expected to sell for between $21 and $60 million. Well, it looks like we weren't too far off the mark, as two additional penthouses at 295 Lafayette Street have now listed for a combined $57 million. PHII, is a three-bedroom, five-bathroom home, with 5,222 square feet of interior space and 800 square feet of outdoor space, listed for $35.1 million; and PHVI, the smallest of the "limited edition" penthouses at 4,895 square feet, is on the market for $22 million (it originally went up for sale in January for $21 million).
More details and floor plans ahead

September 30, 2014

Makeshift Mansions: How Today’s Filthy Rich are Creating Homes of Epic Proportions

By Bonnie Clark

For Manhattan’s jet-set crowd, the 2010s are starting to look an awful lot like the 1900s. New York’s upper crust are embracing a return to the Gilded Age, moving out of their fancy penthouses, co-ops and lofts and into opulent single-family mansions. From Aby Rosen’s quest to build the largest private mansion on Park Avenue to Jared Kushner’s conversion of three former Brooklyn Law School buildings into single-family townhouses—the most affluent buyers are now on the hunt for New York’s ultimate trophy prize.
More on makeshift mansions

September 30, 2014

The Price of Parking: There’s More Than One $1 Million Parking Space in Manhattan

By Lauren Price

Car-owing New Yorkers can probably recite year-round alternative-side parking laws on cue, but most will also tell you how they loathe circling their block for 20 minutes, tracking which days to stay put, the inconvenience of babysitting a spot before the switch, figuring out a cluster of parking signs or, worse yet, arguing with a paid-for parking squatter. It often drives one batty. Yet, there is an option and that’s paying for a monthly but costly sliver of asphalt—hopefully an elevator ride away or at the very least, a quick walk a few doors down. However, the key word here is “paying” and if you live in New York, that slice of space could put you back a pretty penny, especially if you're shoveling out dollars for one in a new development. Unless you’ve been living under a real estate rock, there’s no doubt you’ve read about the $1 million dollar spaces at 42 Crosby Street’s garage in SoHo. Is this lofty price tag for parking a market first? Nope.
more on the price of parking here

September 30, 2014

One-of-a-Kind Red Brick Dream Home in TriBeCa Features Five-Story Atrium

Who wants to deal with an arduous New York City commute when you can have your workspace and live in it too? Well, there’s a beautiful red brick townhouse in the heart of Tribeca offering just that, for $20,000 per month. The 25-foot wide townhouse at 155 Duane Street was initially built in 1830 and restored in the 1990s. It features a fully equipped storefront office space with seven workstations, and a four-floor residence above. Now the entire one-of-a-kind building is available for 12-18 months, for the first time ever.
Let's take a look inside, here

Distinctive Homes

September 29, 2014

Triangular Townhouse in Greenwich Village with Italian Renaissance Interior Sells for $5M

Fashion director and stylist Alessandra Gambaccini (who goes by Sciascia) purchased her Greenwich Village townhouse at 45 West 12th Street in 1996 for $865,00, and has now sold it for a whopping $4,975,000. But it's not just the incredible profit Ms. Gambaccini made that makes this historic home stand out--it's also its unusual triangular shape, the result of having been built in 1846 diagonal to Minetta Brook, since covered over by the city. There are hidden remnants of the old creek all throughout the Village, and this Greek Revival townhouse is definitely one of the most storied. Sciascia spoke to the Wall Street Journal about her fascinating home and how she was rather intrigued by its unusual shape. The four-bedroom house is also noted for its opulent interior, outfitted with custom-made Italian décor thanks to Milan-based architect and decorator Roberto Gerosa. And if those weren't enough talking points, the deed to the cobblestone courtyard is said to have once been owned by English royalty, and Frank Lloyd Wright's sister is a past inhabitant.
Now, let's check out those interiors

September 29, 2014

Even Wackier Design Emerges for an Earthship Home at 61 Pitt Street

By Diane Pham

Some of you may remember a proposal from 3+ years ago to bring a sustainable Earthship home to 61 Pitt Street—a vacant Lower East Side lot zoned for a twelve-story building. The proposed design was the brainchild New Mexico-based architect Michael Reynolds and backed by local resident Ken Ruck who championed for its construction with the LES' Community Board 3. Surprisingly, the board wasn't against it, nor was the site's owner, but Ruck and Reynolds didn't make much headway beyond that meeting and quietly disappeared without any word on what would come next. Now fast forward to 2014, and Mr. Reynolds is back with a new and improved (but equally out-of-this-world) iteration that employs the popular floor-maximizing cantilever taking our city by storm.
More on the updated here

September 29, 2014

Daily Link Fix: How the Apple Cube Landed in Midtown; Packstache Is a Cardboard Bike Carrier

New app Getaround lets New Yorkers borrow cars from strangers on demand. It’s the freedom of driving without the anxiety of alternate side parking. More on Business Insider. Daily Intelligencer uncovers the little-known story of how the Apple cube actually landed in Midtown. Packtasche is an architect-designed cardboard carrier that makes toting groceries and the like while […]

Uncategorized

September 29, 2014

$5.25M Dietz Lantern Building Loft Is Historic Tribeca Living at Its Finest

High, barrel-vaulted ceilings? Check. Exposed brick? Check. Classic columns? Check. Oversized windows? Check. This apartment in the Dietz Lantern Building at 429 Greenwich Street offers everything you'd want from a historic Tribeca loft and is on the market for $5.25 million. The four-bedroom, 2,700-square-foot apartment is located within the Tribeca North Historic District in a former factory building, erected in 1887, that manufactured lanterns for horse-drawn carriages. It was converted to condominium in 1996, and today its homes boast an enviable mix of historic details and modern conveniences.
Take a look inside unit 7B here

Distinctive Homes

September 29, 2014

Ultra Modern Condo in the Asymptote-Designed 166 Perry Street Asks $3 Million

Superstar broker Fredrik Eklund has a new listing for a two-bedroom condo in the Asymptote Architecture-designed 166 Perry Street, asking $2.995 million. The avant-garde structure with its sleek angled glassy façade began turning heads long before its 2009 completion. It resides in the desirable far West Village, with a few equally stunning Richard Meier structures close by. So let’s take a look behind the intriguing mirrored exterior and see what the inside of this apartment has to offer.
Check it out here

Distinctive Homes

September 26, 2014

D’Aquino Monaco-Designed Apartment at 15 Central Park West Is Colorful and Whimsical

Tucked away within the austere limestone façade of Architect Robert A.M. Stern’s 15 Central Park West is this fabulous apartment courtesy of Carl D’Aquino and Francine Monaco of New York-based design firm D’Aquino Monaco. Every single room is a treat to the senses, with bold splashes of color and unusual finishing touches combined to create a living space as cozy as it is quirky.
Tour the colorful and whimsical home here

Architecture And Design

September 26, 2014

$1.8M Greenwich Village Pied-a-Terre Is Charming on so Many Levels

As you’re walking in the midst of the hustle and bustle of Union Square, it might not occur to you that you’re just paces away from a rather gorgeous retreat waiting to be someone’s home or pied-a-terre. But just a few blocks from the thriving landmark, one such adorable unit at 49 East 12th Street has popped up on the market, asking $1.795 million.
Take a look inside here

Distinctive Homes

September 25, 2014

Beautiful Inside and Out: $2.5M Tribeca Loft is the Epitome of Cast Iron Elegance

How we love New York’s cast-iron buildings...there’s something to be said for the craftsmanship and history that comes with these turn-of-the-century gems. With New York boasting the world’s largest collection of cast-iron architecture, it’s hard to imagine a time when many of the most significant of these buildings faced a date with the wrecking-ball. Fortunately, early preservationists advocated for their protection, and this hard work paved the way for the 1973 designation of the SoHo-Cast Iron Historic District and, subsequently, individual landmarks and historic districts, like the Ladies’ Mile, NoHo, and the Tribeca South, West, and East Historic Districts. These efforts mean we get to appreciate the simple beauty of places like 47 Walker Street, where the interior of this 1,350-square-foot loft is just as elegant as the building's historic facade. With soaring 12-foot ceilings; huge, original four-by-ten-foot arched leaded windows; and a grand, open living space, this true Tribeca loft is respectful of its cast-iron-era roots.
See why we think this home is a beauty inside and out

Distinctive Homes

September 25, 2014

Timeless Trophy: 740 Park Avenue

New York City may have an ever-revolving cast of hottest restaurants, hippest clubs, and even most desirable neighborhoods, but some real estate titans never go out of style in this metropolis. Known as the "Tower of Power," 740 Park Avenue is one such mainstay. The Upper East Side 19-story, Art Deco building was completed in 1930 to the designs of Rosario Candela, often considered the finest architect of luxury apartment interiors, as the last of the grand dames erected along Manhattan's Gold Coast. It didn't reach its peak until the real estate boom of the 1980s, but is today one of the most sought-after addresses with 31 apartments, mostly all duplexes, triplexes, and penthouses. The massively scaled residences feature grand living rooms, formal dining rooms, spiral staircases, high ceilings, expansive foyers, and an abundance of windows.
Plenty more on this timeless trophy residence and its long list of well known inhabitants

September 25, 2014

$9.7M David Abelow-Designed Penthouse at the Apple Bank Building Boasts a Futuristic Kitchen

The listing for penthouse B at the Apple Bank Building has returned this week, asking $9.68 million. The David Abelow-designed condo first appeared on the market a year ago, asking $12 million. Then the property was delisted earlier this year after dropping its price to $10 million. Now, this 4,055-square-foot duplex may reside in a Beaux Arts building built in 1927, but you wouldn’t know it by the looks of its modern interior. In fact, house hunters might be pleasantly surprised to find a state-of-the-art, chef’s kitchen right out of the space age waiting for them as they enter.
See what we're talking about here

Distinctive Homes

September 25, 2014

Project Apartment Hunt: Heidi Klum Checks Out Bon Jovi’s $37.5M Soho Penthouse

By Annie Doge

Looks like rocker Jon Bon Jovi may be saying "Auf Wiedersehen" to his Soho penthouse at 158 Mercer Street's New Museum Building, as supermodel Heidi Klum was seen checking out the $37.5 million digs. The six-bedroom, 7,452-square-foot duplex is chock full of luxurious amenities such as wood-burning fireplaces, landscaped terraces, screening and projection rooms, and living and kitchen areas on both floors. Klum was scoping out several downtown homes, but it's not going to be easy to pass up this superb penthouse.
Take a tour of the stunning space

September 24, 2014

The Penthouse at the Mark Refuses to Budge on $60M Price Tag