Manhattan

August 27, 2014

Entertain Friends in the Giant Living Room of This Tribeca Rental

Prospective renters looking to experience quintessential New York loft living will love this furnished artist's loft at 6 Varick Street in Tribeca. The open space features 12-foot ceilings with exposed beams and Corinthian columns. The exposed brick walls and hardwood floors have been freshly whitewashed, and new, oversized windows offer views from the south and the east.
Take a look inside, here
August 26, 2014

Adam Levine’s New Wife Behati Prinsloo Sells Her Alphabet City Pad

Earlier this month, word got out that newlyweds Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo might be buying a loft in Soho's 112 Greene Street. And now things are looking good for the power couple, as Ms. Prinsloo has sold her Alphabet City apartment for $1.65 million to fellow model Noot Seear, according to city records. Located at 643 East 11th Street, the two-bedroom condo first it the market in February for $2.1 million, but was reduced to $1.875 by April. Behati picked the pad up in 2008 for $1.4 million.
Take a look inside the Victoria's Secret Model's former home
August 26, 2014

Everything Old Is New Again: The Rise, Fall, and Eventual Rise Again of Co-Op Living

The Rembrandt at 152 West 57th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues was built as Manhattan’s first co-op in 1881. Apartment ownership was already in fashion across the pond, particularly in France and Britain, but the concept of a resident-owned building was still an unknown to most of us. Developed by a syndicate led by Jared B. Flagg, a clergyman with an avid interest in real estate, and built by the notable architectural firm of Hubert & Pirsson, the group had come to the conclusion that potential buyers would be drawn to a building where they would have control over expenses. For instance, buying coal and ice in bulk in order to keep prices down, and hiring a full-time communal staff to take care of the owners’ laundry, cooking and the running the elevators. Built as a brick and brownstone building with terra-cotta trim and jerkin-head gable windows at the top, the unit mix—a result of an interlocking system of staggered floor heights to allow for very tall art studio spaces—included a few duplex apartments with as many as 12 rooms. Original brochure prices reportedly ranged between $4,000 and $5,000, with monthly maintenance as low as $50. Confident in the ultimate success of co-operative living, Mr. Flagg with Hubert & Pirsson continued to develop another six co-op projects that very same year.
The history of co-ops and their rise, fall, and rise again into popularity
August 26, 2014

Saul Rubinek Sells Nolita Loft for $4.9 Million

Entertainment jack-of-all-trades Saul Rubinek has unloaded his Nolita loft at 285 Lafayette Street for $4,875,000, according to city records. The Canadian actor, producer, director, and playwright originally listed the three-bedroom unit in May as a $22,000/month rental. The price gradually dropped to $15,000/month by July, but now he's completely parted ways with the home, selling it for much higher than the $2.95 million he paid in 2011.
Take a look inside the award-winning apartment
August 26, 2014

When is a Stable Not a Stable? When It’s This Unique MESH-Designed West Village Loft

Given the history of New York City, converting factories, carriage houses and yes, even stables, into beautiful, functional living spaces isn’t a novel idea. But trust us, MESH Architectures' transformation of this former horse’s quarters on Horatio Street takes novel to a whole new level. The only thing still stable-like about this gorgeous residence is its nearly square shape and a few original wood support columns scattered about. But you hardly notice either when you encounter the utterly unique giant glowing cube or “lantern” smack dab in the middle of the apartment.
See the interior of this glowing room and more
August 26, 2014

$4 Million Unit in the Neil Denari-Designed HL23 Shines with Unbelievable Windows

Kanye West is in luck. As of just a few days ago, a new unit popped up in the iconic Neil Denari-designed HL23 condominium he once so desperately coveted; asking $3.95 million. It’s no wonder the starchitect’s first free-standing building is such a draw. Not only did the futuristic design inspire former New York Times architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff to write car metaphors, but it's also sustainably built. Making the city a better place and looking good while doing it? What’s not to love?
Take a look inside, here
August 26, 2014

Flatiron Loft Sells for $7.6 Million, More Than Double its 2010 Price Tag

It's not often a flip yields a $4,655,000 profit in just four years, but that's exactly what happened at the 10th-floor loft at 17 West 17th Street. The full-floor Flatiron apartment sold in 2010 for $3,095,000, but was a massive, raw studio at the time with only one bathroom and no formal kitchen. It's now a true four-bedroom space with three additional bathrooms and a clear definition of rooms. The intensive renovation paid off, netting previous owner Peter Vogelsang, a lawyer with the Alberleen Group, an impressive $7.6 million, according to recent city records.
Let's take a look at the profitable pad
August 25, 2014

Real Estate Wire: The Plaza Hotel is Still for Sale; How to Convert a Church Into a Rental

The sultan of Brunei’s interest in the Plaza was all fluff, but the landmark hotel is still up for sale. The hotel will likely fetch $2B, but any deal will be extremely complicated given the current ownership structure. [NYT] Post-gentrifiers are upset with the post-post-gentrifiers that have driven Williamsburg’s prices sky high. [NYT] The George Washington Bridge Terminal […]

August 25, 2014

Get Lost in This $9.6M Pol Theis-Designed Loft with Separate Private Wing

It’s time to get lost in a sprawling 3,525-square-foot loft in Tribeca’s esteemed Tower 270 condominium. We imagine being located in a prestigious white-glove building with three brand new gyms, a children’s playroom, and a landscaped roof deck is a pretty big selling point on its own. However, apartment #11F is next-level elite. The $9.6 million unit has the mark of P & T Interiors founder Pol Theis, who created a sumptuous modern loft ideal for lavish entertaining, comfortable living, and—if you read the wallpaper—a little educational supplementing.
Tour the rest of the impeccable home
August 25, 2014

Actress Julia Stiles Sells Off Her Gramercy Apartment for $2.75M

Actress Julia Stiles may not make the news much these days, but she found her way into Variety over the weekend with the sale of her Gramercy duplex apartment. The three-bedroom pad, which sits in a six-unit brownstone building at 310 East 15th Street directly across from historic Stuyvesant Square, was placed on the market last summer for $3.5 million. While the apartment saw a price chop just a few months after being listed, Stiles still managed to finagle $2.7 million from a less than famous buyer—a pretty nice profit considering she originally paid $1.995 million for the unit 10 years ago.
Take a look inside Stiles' former digs
August 24, 2014

Neon, Metal, and Patty Melts: A Look at Classic New York City Diner Design

American diners are neon-lit time capsules of architecture and design. They are the '57 Ford Thunderbird of restaurants, shaping post-war optimism and far too much metal into something beautiful and quintessentially American. Best of all, you can still find plenty of little diners doing what they have always done, among the rising skylines and property values of New York City.
See our diner photos here
August 23, 2014

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks From the 6sqft Staff

Our list of architectural saviors includes sites saved from the wrecking ball, as well as those that have remained intact and been adaptively reused. We looked at the history of Herald Square AND Gramercy Park (it was a nostalgic kind of week). Floorplans of the Woolworth Building’s $110 million ‘Pinnacle’ penthouse were revealed, making it one of the […]

August 22, 2014

This $7.25 Million Tribeca Penthouse Features Gorgeous Barrel-Vaulted Ceilings

It’s not very often that we show you an unfurnished listing, but we were so drawn to this duplex penthouse in the stunning Bazzini Building that we decided to break the rules. This 4,000-square-foot quintessential Tribeca loft is a buyer’s dream with exposed brick walls and giant windows, but it’s not looking to blend in with the rest of the inventory in Tribeca. This loft embraces its unique side with barrel-vaulted ceilings and arched windows framed in chestnut.
Take a look inside, here
August 22, 2014

Stuyvesant Square: Not Gramercy Park Nor Stuyvesant Town

That's right--Stuyvesant Square is its own neighborhood. Haven't heard of it? That may be because you've been confusing it with neighboring Gramercy Park or Stuyvesant Town. But in fact, this charming little neighborhood is a highly desirable enclave in its own right. Situated around Stuyvesant Square Park, the area is bound roughly by 14th and 18th Streets and First and Third Avenues. It could be considered the southeastern corner of Gramercy Park or an extension of planned development Stuyvesant Town, but some real estate professionals like the exclusivity that the lesser-known moniker offers. Others have come up with creative alternatives like "Gramercy Park on Stuyvesant Square." But regardless of what you call it, Stuyvesant Square has a unique blend of limited space, historic landmarks, and mixed uses that makes for a bustling New York City neighborhood.
More on Stuyvesant Square here
August 22, 2014

Gramercy Duplex by Slade Architecture is a Healthy and Eco-Friendly Home

Oftentimes when environmentally friendly homes are designed the client wants to keep a low carbon footprint or be sensitive to the surrounding landscape. But there's another very important reason to go green in residential design, which is personal health. And that's exactly why Slade Architecture was asked to take an eco-friendly approach when creating this contemporary Gramercy Duplex. The renovation combined two existing one-bedroom duplex units into a single two-bedroom duplex. All materials were specified as low VOC, including recycled denim insulation, recycled paper countertops, Low-e windows, and Eco Spec paint.
Take a look at how Slade created a functional space with a green mentality
August 21, 2014

This Whimsical Noho Rental Has a Tin Ceiling, a Swing, and a Tree House

Okay, so this two bedroom rental at 5 Great Jones Street doesn’t really have a tree house, but given all the interesting touches in this Noho apartment, it wouldn’t surprise us. The “tree house” is actually a fully enclosed and windowed loft space overlooking the enormous master bedroom and accessed via a metal spiral stair. It’s suspended in such a way that it reminded us of a leafy escape; and the whimsical swing hanging at its side certainly lent to our imagination. Call it what you want, this elevated room is as functional as it is fun and can be used as a small den and adjoining office without sacrificing any of the master's 800-square-feet, which perhaps is so large because it once doubled as puppeteer Kermit Love's set studio, where Sesame Street's Big Bird and Snuffleupagus were born.
Tour the enchanting home here
August 21, 2014

Floor Plans of the Woolworth’s $110M ‘Pinnacle’ Penthouse Revealed

It looks like Alchemy Properties' plan to price the penthouse at the Woolworth building for $110 million has been approved by the New York Attorney General’s office, making it one of the most expensive listings to ever hit the downtown market at $11,700 per square foot. According to The Real Deal, who got a first look at the floor plans, the unit will be called the "Pinnacle" and host 9,400 square feet with about 500 square feet of outdoor space.
More plans and pricing this way
August 21, 2014

Mastering the Master Plan: A Look at NYC’s Planned Neighborhoods

We often think of the street grid as New York's greatest "master plan." Officially known as the Commissioners' Plan of 1811, this put in place the original, gridded street pattern that we still know today. But there have been several other master plans that took shape on a smaller scale within the linear configuration of Manhattan. These planned communities were largely conceived to transform blighted or underutilized areas into suburban enclaves or peaceful oases within the big city. And just like the neighborhoods that grew organically among the street grid, these master-planned areas each have a unique character. They've also influenced a new crop of developments, currently under construction on the West Side and in Brooklyn.
We take a look at planned communities that historically changed the fabric of the city, as well as those on the horizon
August 20, 2014

Pulltab Design’s Penthouse Renovation Lets the Light in with a Beautiful Brise-Soleil Sun Room

There’s no question that indoor/outdoor living is a trend that is alive and here to stay. And when you live in a neighborhood as lively and eclectic as the East Village, it’s only natural to want a peaceful haven that still allows you to enjoy the energy of the city that never sleeps. The owners of this residence were looking for just that. They wanted a seamless indoor/outdoor living space off their fifth floor loft that was conducive to entertaining guests as well as enjoying a quiet afternoon with a book. Enter Pulltab Design who set out to create a home that was both durable and elegant, while accommodating the practical needs of their clients.
Take a look inside this sturdy renovation, here
August 20, 2014

Daily Link Fix: Find Out What It’s Like To Inspect A Tenement; The Story Behind Your Favorite Brooklyn Heights Restaurants

If You’re Not In Brooklyn, You Can’t Be “Brooklyn Made”: This is for all the posers out there capitalizing on the made-in-Brooklyn trend. AM NY reports that the Brooklyn Commerce will now be certifying big and small companies in King County that are “Brooklyn born and made.” Restaurants in the Heights History: Brooklyn Heights Blog […]

August 19, 2014

Quirky West Village Co-Op Has Beams Made from Salvaged Ship Parts

For some bizarre reason the owner of this remarkable home decided to put her stamp on it, then vacate. Well, life’s too short to contemplate all of its mysteries. Instead we’ll just accept this twist of fate as the perfect opportunity to take a glimpse behind the private gate on Greenwich Street, and inside a truly unique West Village co-op. You’ll feel like a kid in a candy shop the minute you step inside this 3,000-square-foot, oversized playhouse at 719 Greenwich Street. Unit 1S is filled with whimsy, from the salvaged sailing ship beams that adorn its nearly 13-foot ceilings, to the international door collection, which includes a few beveled glass models from a hotel in Fleury, France.
Take a look inside this charismatic loft here
August 19, 2014

From Swamps to Swank: A Brief History of Gramercy Park Hotel and the Garden’s Highly Coveted Keys

With a prime location overlooking Gramercy Park, accessible solely to those with keys, the 183-year-old Renaissance revival Gramercy Park Hotel was built on the site of infamous architect Stanford White’s home (which had replaced the house where novelist Edith Wharton was born) nearly 90 years ago. The neighborhood, the park, and the hotel date as far back as the 1830s, when more than 60 swampy lots were allocated to developers looking to lure downtown city folks to a new “uptown” community. In time, those lots were transformed into what is now 39 dwellings surrounding a leafy park reserved for a select few lucky enough to live in luxurious homes framing the two-acre park between 20th and 21st Streets at Irving Place. But it wasn't until 1925 that the stately hotel opened its doors at 2 Lexington Avenue. By 1930, it was extended westward along the park frontage on 21st street, and today it is one of the city's most coveted quarters.
More on the history of Gramercy Park Hotel here
August 19, 2014

Soho Loft with Taxidermy Tendencies Sells for $4.7M

We were quite astounded when, earlier this summer, we came across a taxidermy-filled apartment on Central Park West (there's a first time for everything!). And now, in an even more surprising twist, we've stumbled upon another "stuffed animal" loving pad. Though not filled to the brims like our first find, this apartment at 465 West Broadway will still make you look twice. The three-bedroom unit has been picked up by jewelry designer and artist Lisa Pevaroff for $4.7 million. Likely selling points include 15 windows, four exposures, and an easily convertible floor plan.
Check out the rest of this funky home
August 19, 2014

Steven Harris Architects’ West 87th Street Townhouse is a True Urban Sanctuary

Walking down West 87th Street past the stately brick and brownstone townhouses, a stunning white home with huge picture windows stands out as something special. The magic really starts, though, upon entering the house. Renovated by Steven Harris Architects, this striking townhouse not only provides a spacious layout filled with tasteful contemporary furniture, but the firm's work retains historic details like ornate crown moldings and the original, commanding staircase. The highlight of the townhouse is the oversized windows, which let in plenty of natural light, offer cross ventilation, and open to an abundance of outdoor space.
Tour the rest of this Upper West Side beauty
August 18, 2014

This West Village Remodel by HS2 Architecture Wows with a Greenhouse Dining Room

It’s rare that you see a townhouse as grand and spacious as this 6,500-square-foot West Village dwelling. So, it’s no wonder the team at HS2 Architecture was delighted for the opportunity to renovate the historic house of their clients, the family of a work-from-home author. The goal was to create a home that reflected the clients’ lifestyle, transforming the space into a residence that makes a strong architectural statement while maintaining a level of comfort and functionality.
Take a look inside this Greenwich Village remodel here
August 18, 2014

Amazing NYC Office Interiors That Inspire and Promote Innovation

Workplace designers are always trying to find new ways to make offices a more inspiring and productive place, especially for professional creatives. A beautiful work space can keep employees excited when they clock in every day, and make sure that the water cooler talk is about new ideas, not the shoddy carpet. These new NYC offices are pretty to look at and to work in.
See our gallery of amazing workplaces here