Manhattan

The penthouse craze began in the early 20th century thanks to media tycoon William Randolph Hearst. He took up residence in a three-floor apartment at the Clarendon at 137 Riverside Drive and, when his landlord refused to let him expand further, Hearst bought the entire building, adding two new floors to the top of his mansion, crowned by a new copper mansard roof. Now, 100 years later, the rich and famous are still making headlines with their pricey penthouse purchases. Fellow media mogul Rupert Murdoch recently purchased a $57.25 million triplex penthouse, along with an additional full-floor unit (because why stop at just three?) at One Madison. His bachelor pad totals more than 10,000 square feet of interior space, wrapped in floor-to-ceiling glass. Is this the new standard for penthouse living? We're taking a look at some of the top sky-high listings in Manhattan to find out.
Don't miss these incredible penthouse stunners

Coffee Culture: Are Neighborhood Cafes the First Sign of Gentrification?

Photo: Cafe Grumpy in Greenpoint by Premshree Pillai cc

September 3, 2014

Coffee Culture: Are Neighborhood Cafes the First Sign of Gentrification?

By Michelle Cohen

From “coffices” to lab-like minimalist gourmet coffee meccas to cozy neighborhood hangouts, neighborhood cafes are a fine example of the essential “third place” mentioned in discussions of community dynamics: that place, neither work nor home, where regulars gather and everyone’s welcome. Along with yoga studios, art galleries, community gardens, vintage clothing shops, restaurants with pedigreed owners and adventurous menus and, some say, a change in the offerings on local grocery shelves, cafes are often the earliest sign of neighborhood change. The neighborhood cafe serves as a testing ground for community cohesiveness while adventurous entrepreneurs test the still-unfamiliar waters around them. Beyond the literal gesture of offering sustenance, cafes provide a place where you can actually see who your neighbors are and appreciate the fact that at least some of them are willing to make an investment locally.
Get a fleeting glimpse of old New York City cafe culture in the West Village, meet the future of coffee distribution in Red Hook.

September 3, 2014

Fashion Wunderkind Kira Plastinina Buys $2.5 Million Chelsea Apartment

You may remember Kira Plastinina making headlines back in 2008, when she, all at the age of 16, launched her namesake fashion line, opened a dozen US stores, and later that same year closed them all and filed for bankruptcy. Originally from Moscow, Kira has now launched a new high-end fashion line called Lublu in Dallas, Texas, but it looks like she might also be planning to make some moves in the Big Apple. According to city records, she purchased apartment 3A at the Slate Condominium at 163 West 18th Street for $2.45 million.
Take a look inside here

September 3, 2014

REVEALED: SHoP-Designed Condos by Anbau on the Upper East Side

Looks like the Upper East Side will be adding another luxury condo project to its roster--but this time it's an "affordable luxury" building. Located at 1711 First Avenue at East 89th Street, the 34-story building is being designed by SHoP Architects for Anbau Enterprises, who has shared renderings of the project with New York YIMBY. The building will have a bluestone base with a small cantilever over the 89th Street entrance. The rest of the façade will be brick and glass, offering floor-to-ceiling windows without the total curtain wall appearance. The western façade will be slightly glassier than the rest of the building.
More details here

September 3, 2014

Historic Renwick Triangle Townhouse in the East Village Asks $7.5 Million

Situated in the St. Mark’s Historic District, 114 East 10th Street and the surrounding Anglo-Italianate houses make up what many consider the most beautiful street in the East Village. Prominent architect James Renwick Jr. designed the original home as part of the distinguished Renwick Triangle back in 1861—some of the last single-family dwellings built in the neighborhood. This gut-renovated, historic townhouse didn’t have the best of luck when it sold for $5 million cash after several price drops from its initial $7 million asking. However, after four years, the six-story townhouse has emerged bright, fresh, and asking $7.5 million.
Take a look inside, here

September 3, 2014

Prodigy Network Closes on $85 Million FiDi Site for Their ‘Cotel’ Crowdfunded Hotel

Back in June, we took a look at the winning designs for Prodigy Network's 17John 'Cotel' (collaborative + hotel = cotel), the city's first crowdsourced hotel and the world's first collaborative hotel. Now, the real estate crowdfunding startup has closed on the 15-story rental building at 17 John Street for $85.3 million, $25 million of which came from crowdfunded equity. Additional financing came from Deutsche Bank and another institutional investor. The property will be transformed into a 23-story, 191-unit extended-stay hotel, designed for the next generation of business traveler.
More on the first-of-its-kind project in NYC

September 2, 2014

An Endless Spiral Staircase Ties This Spacious David Hotson-Designed Soho Loft Together

By Stephanie Hoina

Anyone who incorporates an 80-foot multi-floor slide into a home and repurposes a riveted steel column into a 50-foot-tall climbing wall in the living room knows how to make the most out of a space in our book. When we saw what architect David Hotson did in the penthouse in FiDi, we were more than happy to check out another Hotson-designed residence: this stunning Soho loft featuring an incredible spiral staircase that winds though the entire home.
What does White and Bright and Stunning Look Like? Read on

September 2, 2014

INTERVIEW: Andrew Berman, Executive Director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation

There's been a lot of controversy around preservation in New York City as of late, and through it all, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP) seems to always make its voice heard. From debunking myths about affordable housing and historic districts to advocating for the Village's next great landmark, GVSHP remains on the front lines of the field. Founded in 1980 to preserve the architectural heritage and cultural history of the Village, the organization now includes the East Village, South Village, Far West Village, Noho, and Meatpacking District in its purview. Part of the reason for GVSHP's expansion stems from the tireless efforts of its longtime Executive Director, Andrew Berman. Since 2002, he has overseen the research, educational programming, and advocacy of one of the city's leading preservation nonprofits. We recently sat down with Andrew to learn more about his views on the current state of preservation in the city and where he hopes to take GVSHP in the future.
Read our full interview here

September 2, 2014

Daily Link Fix: The East Village 30 Years Ago Compared to Now; Interactive Map Shows You the Best Place to Hail Cabs

By Alyssa Alimurung

The East Village 30 Years Ago – Laughing Squid featured photographer Daniel Roots’s collection of photos comparing the ones he took in the 80s to the ones he took this year. See how much the nabe has changed in just 30 years. What It Means To Be “Local” – Mashable sent one of its writers to follow […]

Events & Things To Do

September 2, 2014

REVEALED: 125 Greenwich Street Will Rival One WTC and Become Downtown’s Tallest Residential Tower

The latest in the world of New York City supertalls comes to us from New York YIMBY, who has revealed renderings for the Rafael Viñoly-designed 125 Greenwich Street. At 1,356 feet, it will become Downtown's tallest residential tower, the first to rival the 57th Street skyscrapers like Extell's planned Nordstrom Tower, which will rise 1,479 feet. It will also be just 12 feet shy of One World Trade Center's roof, making it the second tallest skyscraper in the Financial District.
More details and renderings here

What It Takes to Maintain the Fraunces Tavern Museum

Image credit: MAAP

August 29, 2014

What It Takes to Maintain the Fraunces Tavern Museum

By Alyssa Alimurung

The Fraunces Tavern Museum at 54 Pearl Street in FiDi has a long history of use, changing hands and purpose countless times since it was constructed back in the 18th century. What started as a simple rental home was later turned into a dance studio, eventually finding itself as a popular tavern-slash-boarding-home-slash-community center throughout and after the Revolutionary War. The […]

August 29, 2014

New Yorker Spotlight: Bonnie Slotnick Takes Us Through Her Greenwich Village Cookbook Store

By Susan Cohen

Amongst the endlessly expanding restaurant options in Greenwich Village, there is another culinary experience cooking on West Tenth Street. Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks is devoted to out-of-print cookbooks of all shapes, sizes, and cuisines. And while Bonnie isn’t offering the latest cronut-esque obsession, she provides New Yorkers, and customers all over the world via the internet, something much more special--a chance to leaf through bygone cooking eras and own a piece of culinary history. Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks has been a go-to location for out-of-print books since opening in 1997 in a Village basement, when perusing the stock was by appointment only. In the current location, shelves are brimming with books from all over the world that date as far back as the 18th century. Bonnie was even called upon to provide cookbooks for the film Julie & Julia starring Meryl Streep as Julia Child. 6sqft recently stopped by to speak with Bonnie about the world of out-of-print cookbooks and what it means to live and work in Greenwich Village.
Read our full interview with Bonnie

August 29, 2014

Sprawling Wedge-Shaped Loft Near Union Square Asks $5 Million

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