Manhattan

What’s better than getting $56.5 million for your 7,600-square-foot, five-bedroom duplex? Joining forces with your neighbor and adding in your second apartment to list the whole kit and caboodle for a record $118.5 million. At least that’s what Five Star Electric’s Gary Segal chose to do, according to the Wall Street Journal. Segal briefly listed his Ritz-Carlton duplex, which has two terraces and views of the Statue of Liberty and One World Trade Center, for $56.5 million last year before apparently getting shiny ball syndrome and taking it off the market. Who wants $56.5 million when you could get $7,600 per square foot? It appears his neighbor, financier Randall Yanker, agreed after putting his 4BR/5BA duplex up for sale earlier this year, asking $23 million, then lowering to $19 million, before ultimately taking it off the market.
Check out some photos of the three-condo combo here

Distinctive Homes

June 20, 2014

$7.5 Million Award-Winning Renovated Loft With Two-Story Living Room Has Us Going Overboard

If you’re looking for a conveniently located loft with over 4,000 square feet of interior space and enough outdoor space to turn the phrase “in the doghouse” into a reward, this award-winning penthouse in The Chelsea Quarter might be your pad. PHAB at 129 West 20th Street is a beautifully renovated two-story condominium with a National Design Award from the Society of American Registered Architects to back it up. There’s something about this home we find adorably endearing; perhaps because it makes us a bit nostalgic for an ‘80s yachting movie. And we mean that in the best way possible.
Take a peek inside this award-winning loft here

Distinctive Homes

June 19, 2014

5 Prohibition-Style Speakeasies to Transport You Back to the Gilded Age

By Jason Carpenter

Speakeasies and retro bars have been the new trend in New York for so long that this style may not be a trend at all. These "speakeasy bars" hearken back to a time somewhere between the Gilded Age and Prohibition, giving their interior designers a chance to play around with this fantastic historical style. The five speakeasies and retro bars below show a true design sense that transports us to the time of outlawed alcohol and tiny flapper dresses.
See our speakeasy gallery here

NYC Guides

June 19, 2014

WORKac Designs Creative NYC Headquarters for Ad Agency Wieden+Kennedy

It takes a lot of teamwork to come up with a winning advertisement, so when renowned agency Wieden+Kennedy enlisted WORKac to design its New York City headquarters, the mission was clear: to move away from the recent "office-as-playground" trend and create an environment that fosters creative thinking.
Take a tour of the office right this way

June 19, 2014

Renderings of Pritzker Winner Tadao Ando’s Concrete and Glass Condo for Nolita Revealed

It was announced back in March that Pritzker Prize winning architect Tadao Ando would be bringing his signature style to Nolita, and we've been waiting with bated breath to see what beauty he would design for the city. Wait no more... It looks like a few renderings of the 7-story, 8-unit residence planned for 152 Elizabeth Street have finally been unveiled!
See more images of 152 this way

June 19, 2014

Orlando Bloom Purchases Tribeca Loft for $4.88 Million

Orlando Bloom just got a lot closer to Taylor Swift, and she didn’t even have to write a break-up song about him. The Lord of the Rings star has just purchased a $4.88 million three-bedroom loft at 155 Franklin Street, in the building formerly known as the Sugarloaf Warehouse. (We figure that sentence would make Prince proud.) We’re guessing this building has a certain appeal to hobbit acquaintances as the penthouse, now home to Swift, was formerly home to director Peter Jackson. So, it’s the hobbit gift that keeps on giving. According to the New York Post, the star was drawn to the loft’s “cast-iron columns, exposed brick walls, open chef’s kitchen and wood-beamed ceilings”. We would be too.
Take a look inside the hobbit star's Sugarloaf loft here

June 19, 2014

The Country Meets the City in This $6.7 Million Old-World Charmer

Hiding away in the premier St. Urban, 285 Central Park West #12W is what you imagine was the result when old-world country mouse met old-world city mouse… and the two bought a lavish Central Park apartment. With gorgeous pre-war details accented with a touch of country chic, this 3,000-square-foot Beaux-Arts style apartment has a combination of opulence and southern comfort to make anyone happy. In fact, we suspect if Oliver and Lisa from Green Acres had purchased this place, it would have settled all their arguments.
Find out why this Central Park West pad is the place to be here

Distinctive Homes

June 18, 2014

Caveat to DeBlasio’s Grand Central Terminal Area Rezoning Would Require Special Permit for New Hotels

The impetus behind the rezoning plan allowing taller towers in the blocks surrounding Grand Central Terminal - specifically the five blocks of Vanderbilt Avenue from East 42nd Street to East 47th Street - is to keep New York competitive with office development in other major cities like London and Shanghai. However, according to the Wall Street Journal, the hotel-workers union, which had a key role in the demise of a similar proposal under former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, has flexed its muscles once again, seeking a concession that would require any new hotels to receive a special permit from the City Planning Commission and the City Council.
More details on the rezoning here

Real Estate Trends

June 17, 2014

Your Daily Link Fix: Million Dollar Condos Come to Bed Stuy; Working Out in the Streets

Everybody Loves Brooklyn… Except Brooklyn: The Observer talks about the fact that the name Brooklyn may be a top name everywhere else, but Brooklynites are so over it. Million Dollar Condos Come to Bed Stuy: Before you know it, we common folk won’t be able to afford Brooklyn. The Brownstoner has some details and beautiful […]

Uncategorized

June 17, 2014

$8M Full Floor Greene Street Loft Leaves Us Speechless

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and we’re inclined to agree. While we love using words to tell you all about some of the most amazing residences on the market, we’re not sure words can quite do this Soho beauty justice. Located in a landmarked building at 60 Greene Street, with its cobbled stones and quaint charm, this nearly 4,000-square-foot full floor condominium loft not only took our words away, it took our breath away too!
See why this loft took our words - and our breath - away

Distinctive Homes

June 17, 2014

A Garden So Private No One Has The Key? Now We’ve Heard It All

Forget the legendary and uber-privileged access to the oasis known as Gramercy Park. The newest wave of private gardens are apparently so exclusive even residents can’t enjoy a stroll through the lush greenery. Take the 2,400-square-foot courtyard currently being designed at The Sterling Mason, a new Tribeca loft building where an apartment can set you back up to $24 million. In a city where even the tiniest bit of green space is viewed as the ultimate amenity, turning what would have been a barren airshaft into a verdant outdoor sanctuary seems like a terrific idea. Tapping Deborah Nevins, one of the world’s most sought-after landscape designers to do it, an even better one. Keeping residents from enjoying more than a visual inspection of the rich white blossoms, lush green leaves, ivy walls and sculptural stream? Eh, we’re not so sure about that.
What's up with this off limits trend?

Architecture And Design

June 17, 2014

Helen Hunt Finally Sells Upper West Side Pied-a-Terre for $2.58 Million

It looks like Helen Hunt has finally sold her Upper West Side apartment to the tune of $2.58 million. This new development comes after having the apartment on the market for nearly 9 months. That’s essentially like having a baby. Hunt purchased the apartment at 320 West 86th Street for $2.43 million in 2006, according to the Daily News, and was using the 3/BR as a pied-a-terre. Her main residence is in California. After acquiring the co-op, Hunt completely renovated the pad, creating a six-room layout with restored herringbone floors, hideaway office spaces and decorative fireplaces.
Take a look inside the star's pad here

June 17, 2014

Time Warner V.P. Unloads Upper West Side Condo for $4.3 Million

By Dana Schulz

A strikingly elegant co-op apartment at 375 West End Avenue has for $4.3 million, according to city records. The seller, Paul T. Cappuccio, Vice President and General Counsel at Time Warner, Inc., bought the 5BR/3.5BA unit in July 2011 for $3.5 million, netting him an almost $1 million profit. The handsome, 2,400-square-foot space is a mix of traditional design and convenient, modern touches. Stunning, detailed moldings and shiny herringbone hardwood floors work alongside barely-there recessed lighting and a contemporary, marble bathroom. Ten-foot ceilings and large windows framed by panel molding are decorative elements that harken back to the building's prewar construction, while custom walk-in closets and a laundry room with full-size washer/dryer are 21st-century touches.
Take a look at the rest of this swoon-worthy pad

June 16, 2014

Fashion Meets Utility Inside Lela Rose’s Tribeca Loft Designed by WORKac (Catwalk Included)

New York is a true walking city, but can you imagine installing a sidewalk inside your apartment? That's essentially what the architects at Work Architecture Company (WORKac) did for this minimalist White Street loft. At the very heart of the living and dining rooms sits a row of Japanese-style tables that can be extended or retracted to act as a dance floor, catwalk or stage. That's just one of the many stunning features conceived by WORKac and the home's owner, fashion designer Lela Rose.
Take a peek inside right this way

June 16, 2014

Prodigy Network Announces Winning Designs for 17John “Cotel” – NYC’s First Crowdsourced Hotel

By Annie Doge

Remember that competition held in February to crowdsource the design of a hotel to be located in downtown Manhattan? Looks like the results are in and Prodigy Network just announced the winners of the competition for the 17John ‘Cotel’ (collaborative + hotel = cotel). The winning designs cover both the public interior spaces and the private rooms of 17John, and as the competition brief outlined, all the rooms are specifically tailored to the modern business traveler. Rooms range from long-term living spaces to more standard short-stay hotel rooms. The hotel will also be equipped with flexible spaces for work and meetings, and digital services that "provide comfort, community, and connectivity for its guests".
see the winning designs here

June 16, 2014

Unusual Bathroom Design May Have You Going Hmmm But the Rest of This $1.6M Soho Loft Will Have You Going Mmmm

Thirteen windows wrapping around three sides of this 1,100 square foot loft means bright and airy in a big way – even the bedroom closet and bathroom are filled with sunlight! Overlooking two of the building’s three charming courtyards this gorgeous unit at 140 Sullivan Street has a wonderfully open floor plan with extra high ceilings exposing all of the original wood and steel beams, wide plank cherry floors throughout, and built-ins galore. And while a NYC curator created this open concept to merge the aesthetics of uptown chic with the artistic and architectural details of downtown, this home presents its next owner with a virtual clean slate as there is plenty of space to carve out additional bedrooms, an office, even formalize the dining and living areas.
Right this way for hmmm and mmmm

Distinctive Homes

June 16, 2014

Frick Museum Expansion Renderings Unveiled

The Frick Collection just announced their plans for expansion last week and today they’ve unveiled renderings. The construction, designed by Davis Brody Bond architectural firm – the same firm responsible for the interiors in the 9/11 Museum - plans to expand the space by 60,000 square feet, connecting their Upper East Side mansion with the museum’s art reference library.
More on the massive expansion this way

Real Estate Trends

June 13, 2014

GLUCK+’s Showstopping Facade on This Midtown Townhouse Hides a Space-Efficient Home

There's no doubt that the aluminium facade of this Midtown townhouse is a showstopper. Set between two traditional red brick homes on East 51st Street, the building's shiny, punctuated front is sure to get every passersby's attention. But it wasn't designed just to become talk of the town — it's also meant to give the owners some much-needed privacy.
The interiors are just as unique

June 13, 2014

$17.25M Greenwich Village Townhouse Not Just Another Multi-Million Dollar Listing

With its conversion completed only a few months ago, and dubbed “Vaux Mansion”, a nod to Calvert Vaux who designed the russet neo-Gothic structure that is part of the property, the eclectic mix of exteriors at 215 Sullivan Street make a stately presence in its Greenwich Village neighborhood. And in a city filled with multimillion dollars homes, this 39’ wide townhouse sits at the head of the class. We’ve taken a peek inside many a gorgeous residence, but this one is truly lovely. The interior of this six-bedroom, seven-bath home is everything you would expect – 6,861 square feet of soaring vaulted ceilings, rift-sawn wide plank white oak flooring, and exquisite finishes.
See why this home is not just another multimillion dollar listing

Distinctive Homes

June 13, 2014

Infamous Greenwich Townhouse with ‘Explosive’ Past for Sale Again, Now $13.5M

Lovers of NYC landmarks rejoiced just last week when it was announced that Justin Korsant of Long Light Capital would be keeping the frontage of his recent Greenwich Village buy intact. But even with plans in the works to gut the interior and start fresh, Long has no intention of living in the home at 18 West 11th. The soon-to-be-updated pad and was just listed for $13.5 million over at Urban Compass. Long originally paid $9.25 million for the property. Downtown flip, anyone?
See the new floorplan and renderings here

June 13, 2014

The Unveiling of 101 Tribeca Is Better Than Expected

If you didn’t like the renderings revealed earlier this year for the much-anticipated tower at 101 Murray Street, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to know that they were incorrect. New renderings – the right renderings- have been released to New York YIMBY… and she’s a beauty. 101 Tribeca, as she’ll be called, is being developed by Fisher Brothers and The Witkoff Group, and designed by Kohn Pederson Fox. The building is set to soar over Tribeca at roughly 950 feet tall with a sleek, slender design that elegantly bevels out at the top. The 63-story structure will house 129 condominiums, totaling 433,800 square feet. Its tall ceilings, coupled with its sheer height, promises to deliver unobstructed views that will stretch as far as New Jersey and Long Island.
Find out more about this record-breaking structure here

NYC Trying to Preserve Low Rents in Stuy Town, Asks CWCapital Asset Management to Hold Off on Sale

Photo via Wiki Commons

June 13, 2014

NYC Trying to Preserve Low Rents in Stuy Town, Asks CWCapital Asset Management to Hold Off on Sale

Photo via Wiki Commons Here we go again. Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village on Manhattan’s east side have a long history of being an affordable option for middle-income workers. But these days its hold on that place in the city’s housing landscape appears tenuous at best. Though rent-stabilizations laws have been in effect for many units and about half are below-market rates, the remainder is comprised of luxury apartments, with one-bedroom units fetching as much as $2,900 a month, more than double the rate in 2006 when nearly ¾ of the units were below market. And with the property poised to sell for billions of dollars, the trend towards more luxury rentals seems likely.
More on the city's plan to keep rents low

Uncategorized

June 13, 2014

Downtown Flips: Four of the Biggest Moneymakers of All Time

By Dana Schulz

At any given hour when you turn on a home design television channel you have about a 50% chance of landing on a realty show about flipping houses. In real life, though, it's not all hunky property brothers and fairy tale endings; trying to flip a house is a gamble, which is why oftentimes the most successful flippers are those on the inside, like real estate developers and seasoned brokers. For anyone looking to make a flip, New York is ripe with opportunity thanks to low inventory and a constant race to be bigger and better. Within the city, Downtown Manhattan is the ripest fruit on the vine. Full of highly desirable, trendy neighborhoods, it's a hot bed for investors. There's no textbook definition of a flip, but it's generally thought of as a three-year turnover. Downtown there have been 58 apartment swaps within the past three years. We take a look at some of the greatest hits.
This way for all the triumphant flips

Real Estate Trends

June 12, 2014

This Narrow Greenwich Loft Makes Up for Its Slim Lines with Dramatic 16-Foot Ceilings

Most New Yorkers are used to squeezing into small quarters, but few of those spaces boast dramatic ceilings like this beautiful little home at 67 East 11th Street in Greenwich Village. Measuring approximately 950-square-feet, this duplex loft is perfect for a single or for a no fuss no muss couple that wants to live minimally. And unlike the other tiny spaces of Manhattan, this loft is a light-filled abode with 10-foot tall windows and southern exposures that ensure every day will be a sunny one in the village.
Take a peek inside the Greenwich digs here

Distinctive Homes

June 12, 2014

Walmart Heiress Alice Walton Buys a $25 Million Park Avenue Pad

Walmart heiress, philanthropist, and the 14th richest person in the world, Alice Walton, will be moving into a $25 million duplex condo at 515 Park Avenue. The Post reports that the Walton claimed the 30th and 31st floors of the Lenox Hill co-op building — a unit with 6,346 square feet of space hosting five bedrooms, six bathrooms, a grand staircase, and 52 windows that offer up panoramic views of the city. 515 Park also has its own exclusive kitchen and caterer, Chef Daniel Boulud, and 15 private, climate-controlled wine cellars.
Take a look inside here

June 12, 2014

The Beautiful Condos at Naftali Group’s Brand-New Gramercy Tower Have Hit the Market