Manhattan

Earlier in the year, this uniquely shaped apartment at 840 Broadway was for sale by owner, asking $5.8 million. However, it appears that after months of sitting on the market and a few price drops, said owner has called in the experts at Douglas Elliman, headed up by Fredrik Eklund, to save the day. The one-of-a-kind listing, currently priced at $4.95 million, is quite the marvel, with 14 giant windows, cast-iron columns, and closet space conveniently hidden around every corner.
Let's take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

August 28, 2014

Thomassons: Those Peculiar Architectural Relics That Serve No Purpose

By Diane Pham

We've all seen them. They're those weird outcrops, stairs, doors and out of place architectural adornments that just have us going "Whaa?" As it turns out, these urban vestiges that serve absolutely no purpose have a name. They're called "Thomassons." Inspired by the recent the Roman Mars 99% Invisible podcast which talked about the urban phenomenon, we decided to scope out some of the Thomassons around New York. What we uncovered is pretty amusing.
All of our findings here

Architecture And Design

August 28, 2014

Rihanna Caught Eyeing this Full-Floor Apartment at One York in Tribeca

Surely ready to rest her bones after a whirlwind tour with Eminem, Rihanna was recently spotted scoping out the 10th floor at the Enrique Norten-designed One York in Tribeca. According to the Post, the pop star toured the luxurious $18 million listing along with her personal assistant and entourage. The 10th floor is currently made up of three units—which means a bit of work is required to adapt the space for the celeb—but when combined, the apartment will be a monstrous 5,350-square-foot floor-through home with four bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms.
take a peek inside here

August 28, 2014

Impeccably Finished Condo at the Plaza Asks $50 Million

Just weeks after Tommy Hilfiger put his Plaza Hotel estate up for sale, another one is following suit, asking an astronomical $49.5 million, nearly triple the amount it was purchased for back in 2008. However, as ambitious as the price may be, this three-bedroom condo is pretty spectacular. The 3,413-square-foot Art Deco residence has exquisite details, 13-foot ceilings, and stellar views of Central Park—including those of the pond and Gapstow Bridge—from every major room.
Take a look inside this impressive residence

Distinctive Homes

August 27, 2014

HS2 Architecture’s Wooster Street Loft: Elegant Furnishings plus Industrial Details Add up to Perfection

By Stephanie Hoina

Sometimes when we’re presented with a blank page, we aren’t sure where to start. Thankfully, when HS2 Architecture set out to transform the entire top floor of a classic Soho building, they knew exactly what they wanted to achieve. When they looked at their blank slate they saw the “opportunity to create a large central sunlit hall with a sculptural steel and walnut stair connecting the living areas to a large private roof-top garden.” This is why we write about architecture and don’t practice it. But lucky for us that means we get to bring you the stunning end result of their vision.
Check out the result of HS2's vision

August 27, 2014

Meg Ryan Snags Hank Azaria’s Spacious Soho Loft for $8M

End of summer celebrity moves abound, and this latest closing sees Meg Ryan scooping up a gorgeous Soho pad from Hank Azaria for $8 million. The full-floor, 4,000 square foot loft at celebrity (and misfit) favorite 84 Mercer Street has previously been featured in Elle Decor and boasts three spacious bedrooms, three bathrooms, a media room, a bright and airy 50-foot atrium hall, a key-lock elevator, and a private gym—amongst many other luxuries. Azaria himself gave up downtown living back in May when he moved his family into a more cozy and quiet $9.2 million Central Park West pad.
Check out Meg's new home here

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

Distinctive Homes

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

By Lauren Price

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

By Stephanie Hoina

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

By Diane Pham

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 […]

Real Estate Trends

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

Distinctive Homes

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

By Jason Carpenter

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 […]

Uncategorized

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

Distinctive Homes

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

Real Estate Trends

August 22, 2014

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