Manhattan

166 Perry Street, the futuristic, Asymptote-designed condo with a vertical undulating façade, has become notorious for its failed flipping attempts. But the curse might be lifted at the eight-story West Village residence thanks to the recent $2.5 million sale of apartment 1B, a 2BR/2.5BA duplex that has been outfitted with modern touches and funky details. The 2,526-square-foot unit initially sold in 2010, a year after the building's completion, for $1.756 million. When the pad went on the market this time around in January 2013, it was listed for $3.995 million. Though today's owner had to lower the asking price, she still made a profit of nearly $1 million.
Check out the colorful digs here

July 10, 2014

Brooklyn Rents on the Rise With Crown Heights and Bed-Stuy Leading the Charge; Manhattan Rents Relatively Stable

By Diane Pham

This past week there has been a lot of talk about Crown Heights and Bed-Stuy finally having their "moment", and it looks like there are numbers in to back that up. MNS's June rental market report for Brooklyn and Manhattan reveal that both developers and renters are looking to move away from saturated areas like Williamsburg and DUMBO. By MNS's measure, average rents in Brooklyn increased from $2,556 to $2,741, or 6.2%, as compared with June of last year — very much driven by rent hikes in gentrifying areas. Manhattan rents on the other hand fell just slightly.
More on the Brooklyn and Manhattan rental markets here

Real Estate Trends

July 10, 2014

Kimora Lee Simmons Buys a Phat Apartment at the Marquand

Well, it only makes sense for the creator of Baby Phat to live in a phat crib. Investment banker Tim Leissner, otherwise known as Mr. Kimora Lee Simmons, just dropped $19 million on an 8th floor apartment at The Marquand, according to the NY Post. The 5BR/5.5BA unit has its own private elevator landing and wood burning fireplaces, and while we’re not sure what other features the actual apartment boasts, other apartments in the building have bay windows, a chef’s kitchen, and a media niche with a concealed A/V closet.
Take a look inside the Baby Phat crib here

July 10, 2014

Extell’s Nordstrom Tower Will Be Just a Foot Shorter Than One World Trade at 1,775 Feet

The endless race to the top in the NYC skyscraper world continues with Extell's Nordstrom Tower, which will rise 1,479 feet, with a spire that reaches a height of 1,775 feet--just one foot shorter than One World Trade. Assuming it's financed, the sky-high tower at 225 West 57th Street will be the tallest residential building in the world, surpassing Mumbai's World One Tower by 29 feet, and will reclaim the "tallest roof" category for Manhattan from Chicago's Willis Tower, which has a roof height of 1,451 feet.
More on the newest soaring addition to the NYC skyline

July 9, 2014

Bizarre $1.8 Million Soho Loft Has Giant Wood Shed

Looking at so many beautiful homes can get to be exhausting (not really) so we decided to change things up and show you a new kind of luxury. We’re not quite sure what we want to call it yet, but we’re thinking something like woodsman chic or garage chic. Either way, we’re thinking if the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were real, they would gladly shell out the $1.8 million asking price for this unit at 49 Howard Street.
Oh there's more... here

Distinctive Homes

July 9, 2014

Was Louis Kahn’s Four Freedoms Park inspired by the Masonic Pyramid on the $1 bill?

By Diane Pham

The Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedom's Park may have opened relatively recently in 2012, but architect Louis Kahn was brewing up the design for the memorial park nearly 40 years earlier. Kahn's death in 1974 (a somewhat tragic one which left him dead and alone in a Penn Station bathroom after a heart attack) was unfortunately accented by a dwindling reputation — Kahn's sordid multi-family affairs had come to light upon his passing and his fading architecture practice was loaded with debt. But beyond all the scandal, Kahn also left behind a number of sketchbooks packed with complete sets of unrealized projects. One of these projects was the Four Freedom's Park. While plenty of accolades have been given to successful realization of the project so far after Kahn's death, few have tracked where the architect may have pulled his inspiration for the design. That is until now. As a number of Kahn's sketches emerge for public viewing, some are asking: Was the the design of Louis Kahn's Four Freedom's Park inspired by the Eye of Providence found on the U.S. dollar bill?
What people are saying

July 9, 2014

Steel City: Architecture in Formation Structurally Redresses a Chelsea Duplex Using Digital Fabrication

Words that come to mind when we think of steel are heavy, imposing, and grey. In this Chelsea duplex penthouse, however, the material is widely used, but the space feels light, airy, and crisp. The "structural redressing" of the 1,500-square-foot apartment was completed by Architecture in Formation with the goal of creating "a stunning, sexy, one-of-a-kind home; and consummately New York.” To design the space, the firm used off-site, state-of-the-art digital design and fabrication methods to create its three main components: the back-lit, CNC-cut Corian screen; an origami folded-plate steel and Corian staircase; and the bedroom mirror/TV/light-wall.
Get up close and personal with these three architectural marvels, as well as the rest of the stunning home

July 9, 2014

Sprawling Outdoor Space Beautifully Complements This Wooster Street Penthouse’s Equally Roomy Interior

Let’s see…. charming cobblestone streets, Soho’s artistic vibe, Nolita’s incomparable bakeries and restaurants, or the nearly 2,400 square feet of outdoor space? Yep, it’s hard to pick what would be our favorite part of living at 7 Wooster Street — and we haven’t even made it inside this magnificent penthouse. Once the key-locked elevator opens into this full floor 4-bed, 3-bath, 2,600-square-foot trophy residence we have even more to add to our list of “favorites”.
See more of this spacious residence

Distinctive Homes

July 9, 2014

Charming UWS French-Country Apartment Will Sell You with Its Urban Roof Deck

We'll admit it--even though New York City is our home, we sometimes long for the comforts of the suburbs. That's why we were so excited to find this floor-through apartment in a turn-of-the-century Upper West Side townhouse. Apartment 4 at 129 West 80th Street, which is listed at $1.695 million, is a 1BR/1.5BA co-op. Not only has it been renovated to exude a nostalgic, French country feel, but its spectacular roof deck gives you all the charms of backyard living without having to battle summer traffic to the Jersey Shore or Hamptons. And you can't get those skyline views in suburbia!
See what else this little slice of heaven has to offer

Distinctive Homes

July 9, 2014

Parkview Developers Ian Reisner and Mati Weiderpass Sell Southmoor House Penthouse for $11.9 Million

It appears that Ian Reisner and Mati Weiderpass of Parkview Developers have sold one of their Southmoor House penthouses. The 17-floor building serves as more than just home to the Out Hotel developers. It’s also headquarters for their company. And like true developers, they own a big chunk of the building, making them one of the co-op’s biggest shareholders. While the newly troubled pair seems quite committed to their own symmetrical pad—turning down a $15.5 million cash offer a few years back without batting an eyelash—that doesn’t stop them from making serious bank on some other units. And you won't hear us complaining, because that means we get to check out this 3BR/3BA penthouse.
Take a look inside this premier pad here

July 9, 2014

Rubbermaid VP Snatches Up Patrick Naggar-Designed Chelsea Penthouse for $7 Million

We're guessing this penthouse loft at 138 West 17th Street is going to get very organized when new owner Mark Tarchetti, Chief Development Officer and Executive Vice President of Newell Rubbermaid Inc., moves in. He may not need to bring in too many plastic bins, though, as internationally acclaimed architect/designer Patrick Naggar executed a stunning combination of high function and low maintenance in this 3BR/3BA, 3,200-square-foot Chelsea apartment. Naggar incorporated exotic materials and top-notch artisanry to create a sleek, modern home that feels luxurious and comfortable. Natural light and 360-degree unobstructed views abound thanks to 20 huge windows and five skylights.
Think the penthouse was worth the $7 million price tag? Check out more details right this way

July 8, 2014

You Will Go ‘Gaga’ When You Learn Who Once Lived in the Building of This $4.5M Upper West Side Residence

The historic building standing at 135 West 70th Street was built in 1927 to serve as a singular meeting place for all the Knights of Pythias lodges of NYC. Designed by architect Thomas W. Lamb, best known for his ornate movie palaces, it’s no wonder that the Pythian is richly decorated in brightly colored and glazed terra cotta embellishments. Though converted to a condominium in 1983, architect David Gura was careful to retain most of the building's ornamental features. Taking great pains to ensure that elements removed from their original positions were salvaged for use elsewhere within the building, his renovation earned a residential design award from the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
See why this apartment has earned our applause

Distinctive Homes

July 8, 2014

$35 Million Richard Meier Penthouse up for Resale for First Time Ever

The penthouse of Pritzker Prize-winning starchitect Richard Meier’s last residential masterpiece is on the market for the first time since it was built in 2005. You know what that means. It means we get to glimpse inside the stunning West Village pad so we can begin brainstorming fundraising ideas to get this hot $35 million trophy. As if it’s not impressive enough that this 165 Charles Street penthouse sits atop an iconic building that won the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects 2005 Housing Design Award, this condo was designed by the starchitect himself. Now, if that’s not something to brag about, we don’t know what is.
Take a look inside the masterfully designed penthouse here

July 8, 2014

West Village Federal Rowhouse with Surprise Attic Space Sells for $6 Million

Attics get a bad name as the cobweb-laden crawl space to store holiday decorations, the makeshift bedroom for the angry teenager in the house, or the unknown room that no one even dares enter. But behind the dormer windows of 651 Washington Street is a modern, spacious attic space that has been transformed to fit two sunny bedrooms, one of the many factors that likely led to its recent $6 million sale. Other selling points of the five-story, 2,800-square-foot home include four bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms, a full-floor finished basement outfitted with a home gym, a private outdoor garden, and two separate dining rooms. The lucky buyer is Charles Modica, Co-Founder and Chancellor of St. George's University located in Grenada, West Indies.
See what else Mr. Modica will get to enjoy in his new residence

July 7, 2014

Jaw-Dropping $3.4 Million Central Park West Pad Has Taxidermied Animals Everywhere

If Norman Bates were a real person we imagine he’d be rather fixated on this terrifying homage to our furry and feathery friends at The Beresford. If you ask Halstead realtor Robert Dowling about 211 Central Park West #3J, he would tell you that it’s a rare gem with soaring 10-foot ceilings, and plenty of windows. The woman in the shower… would tell you to run. Either way, we just couldn’t pass up the chance to explore this unique pad and its current owner's interesting style. But you might want to make sure Fido leaves the room before you continue.
Check out this taxidermists' dream here

July 7, 2014

Ready for Its Close-up: $19.5M Park Avenue Apartment With Interior Staging by Jed Johnson Associates Does Not Disappoint

Park Avenue is synonymous with luxury living and this 3BR/4.5BA apartment at the corner of 71st Street does not disappoint. The sprawling residence at 737 Park Avenue features over 4,300-square-feet of perfection starting the moment you step off the elevator onto your own private landing. We won't blame you for doing a little fist-pump after taking possession of the keys. Expertly staged by Arthur Dunnam of renowned interior design firm Jed Johnson Associates (whose work has been featured in Architectural Digest, Elle Décor, and Interior Design), the home is beautifully divided into public and private spaces.
Take a closer look at Mr. Dunnam's interior vision

Distinctive Homes

July 3, 2014

Your Daily Link Fix: A Skycraper on Top of a Building; Run, Don’t Walk, to Shake Shack Today

IKEA Lamp Changes Colors with Your Mood: It’s the mood ring of the 21st century. PSFK examines how designer Vittorio Cuculo hacked an IKEA lamp so that the world may know exactly how he’s feeling. Invasion of privacy? Possibly. Totally awesome? Definitely. Architects Pushing Fashion Forward: Architizer shows us that architects love fashion, and demonstrates it […]

Uncategorized

July 3, 2014

Stunning Penthouse Illustrates Why “Time and Again” The Dakota is One of Manhattan’s Most Treasured Residences

Author Stephen King considers Jack Finney’s classic novel, Time and Again, to be “THE great time-travel story” ever, and figuring prominently in the main character’s attempts to travel back to the late 1800’s is the building that still sits prominently at 1 West 72nd Street, The Dakota. Its significance in the plot is not simply because it was completed around the time of the story’s setting, but rather for a more interesting notion: The Dakota faces a section of Central Park which, when observed from the apartment in the story, remains relatively unchanged from the day it was completed in 1884. A timeless view.
see how 19th Century charm meets 21st Century chic

Distinctive Homes

July 3, 2014

Former Bear Sterns Exec Richard Harriton’s Belaire Penthouse Sells for $8.7 Million

White collar defense lawyer Thomas J. Kavaler and his wife Loretta Preska have just purchased Richard Harriton’s Belaire Condominium penthouse, according to city records. The stunning apartment went on the market earlier this year, asking $9.2 million, but Harriton gave the couple a $500k discount, possibly after realizing that it never hurts to have a good defense lawyer on your side.
Take a look inside this splendid penthouse here

July 2, 2014

Flashback: See Five Famous New York City Buildings and Bridges Under Construction

By Jason Carpenter

As the Freedom Tower is being completed, New Yorkers are losing a once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunity: The chance to snap pictures of a landmark while it is still being built. It is incredible to imagine getting to see a half-built Empire State Building, or a mess of wires that will soon be the Manhattan Bridge, or an excavated hole in the ground where Rockefeller Center will soon be placed. With old photos, we can see what these buildings looked like before they were finished, and what New York looked like before its landmarks were in place.
See what the landmarks of New York looked like in-construction here

July 2, 2014

Jane Kim Design’s Tribeca Loft Lifts the Bedroom to Create an Oversized Living Space

In an endless attempt to maximize space in tiny New York City apartments, the lofted bed has become a popular mechanism. This usually consists of a mattress hoisted up on wooden supports, leaving just about a foot of space below the sleeper's head and the ceiling. But in a beautiful Tribeca loft renovation, Jane Kim Design masterfully tackled this issue by lifting the entire bedroom volume only slightly off the ground, encasing it in an architectural glass cube, and installing cabinetry, bike storage, HVAC, and a washer/dryer beneath.
Take a look at the rest of this ingenious space

July 2, 2014

Demolition Permits Filed at 101 Murray – The Site of Downtown Manhattan’s Future Tallest Condo

By Ondel Hylton

Demolition permits have been filed with the Department of Buildings for the tallest condominium building south of 'Billionaires' Row.' The approximately 950-foot tower revealed by real-estate blogger YIMBY last month will house 129 condos within a dramatic champagne flute-like design by the architects Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates. Tentatively named 101 TriBeCa, the uppermost floorplates increase in size to take greater advantage of views uptown and towards the river that most likely will remain unobstructed years to come due to restrictive zoning in TriBeCa and Battery Park City.
more on the new tower here

July 1, 2014

With a Shamir Shah Designed Interior, $5.25M West Chelsea Duplex Is a Work of Art

Smack dab in the middle of the West Chelsea Arts District sits this exquisitely appointed 3BR/3.5BA duplex at 456 West 19th Street. We couldn’t think of a more perfect location for this glorious work of art which showcases the wonderfully creative and tasteful touches of world-renowned interior designer Shamir Shah and offers huge canvases of wall space tailor-made for your own artistic influences.
Tour the home here

Distinctive Homes

July 1, 2014

$3.45 Million West Village Loft Accented with Glazed Glass Sells for Asking

The sprawling 3,200-square-foot loft at 377 West 11th Street has just sold for asking, according to city records. Apartment 1A is currently configured as a 3BR/2BA loft, but one of the bedrooms can be a guest bedroom or study, depending on what the new owner desires. The $3.45 million airy loft is accented by glazed glass throughout, making for an even more light-filled space. This architect-designed co-op doesn’t do anything halfway, with a spectacular foyer greeting you and ushering you into a living/dining room with 15-foot ceilings, a wood-burning fireplace, and custom bookshelves. And we’re not talking just a few books, here. Get out your library card because these bookshelves have their own second story.
Want more? Look here

July 1, 2014

The Air Up There: New Map Shows Untapped Development Potential of Every Manhattan Property

When Extell Development, Hines and JDS Development Group tapped into air space along West 57th Street to push their projects to well above 1,000 feet, preservationist groups were up in the arms. Their outrage prompted The Municipal Art Society, a non-profit whose mission is to “fight for intelligent urban design, planning and preservation through education, dialogue and advocacy”, to create a new map showing just how much untapped development potential exists in the square footage above every property in Manhattan.
More on how the map was developed

June 30, 2014

SoHo’s Jendretzki Bubble Loft is Out of This World