Manhattan

The city on Wednesday unveiled the first phase of safety upgrades to a stretch of 10th Avenue in Hell's Kitchen. Installed between West 38th Street and West 52nd Street, a new 10-foot wide northbound bike lane will more safely accommodate the growing number of cyclists, e-bike riders, and micro-mobility device users. Additional improvements include new concrete pedestrian islands, new bike corrals, and redesigned intersections to slow down drivers when turning.
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276 units available at affordable Passive House in East Harlem, from $498/month

Renderings courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

December 13, 2023

276 units available at affordable Passive House in East Harlem, from $498/month

Applications are being accepted for 276 mixed-income units at the world's largest fully affordable Passive House in East Harlem. Located at 50 East 112th Street, the building is the second phase of Sendero Verde, a mixed-use project with affordable housing, outdoor space, a school, community space, and retail. New Yorkers earning 30, 50, 60, and 110 percent of the area median income, or between $19,646 for a single person and $192,610 for a household of seven, can apply for the units, which range from $498/month studios to $3,169/month for three bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

For $20M, one Tribeca townhouse, three condos, many options

Photo credit: Allyson Lubow Photography

December 13, 2023

For $20M, one Tribeca townhouse, three condos, many options

If you're interested in living large at 46 Laight Street in Tribeca's historic district, there are plenty of options to consider, assuming you've got plenty of money. Behind its charming brick facade, the 19th-century townhouse has been thoroughly re-imagined as three luxurious urban residences, each one a separate condominium. The building has also gained a curb-cut garage and a gym. The top floors of the home comprise a three-story "penthouse" asking $9 million; an $8 million three-story "maisonette" anchors the building; between the two is a single-floor flat can be included in either purchase. For the serious trophy-seeker, the entire building is asking $19,995,000. Once you've bought the building, you can combine the units, mansion-style, or enjoy a flexible investment property.
So many choices, so much $$$$

Distinctive Homes

Office-to-residential conversions could significantly lower NYC’s carbon emissions: report

Image courtesy of Carl Solder on Unsplash

December 12, 2023

Office-to-residential conversions could significantly lower NYC’s carbon emissions: report

New York City could drastically decrease its carbon footprint if the eligibility for office-to-residential conversions is expanded, according to a new report. In the study "Office to Residential Conversions: The Carbon Story," sustainable development consultant Arup found updating zoning rules to allow for more office buildings to become apartments could cut carbon emissions by 54 percent by 2050.
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Revamped One Times Square, home to the New Year’s Eve ball drop, tops out

Image courtesy of Jamestown

December 8, 2023

Revamped One Times Square, home to the New Year’s Eve ball drop, tops out

The $500 million redevelopment of One Times Square, home of the New Year's Eve ball drop, is moving closer to completion. Developer Jamestown on Thursday celebrated the topping out of the project, which is transforming one of the world's most famous buildings into a year-round entertainment hub with a new visitor center, a viewing deck overlooking Times Square, a museum, and lots of advertisements. Located at 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue, One Times Square is expected to reopen to the public in 2025.
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New Developments

Photos show off One High Line as new addition to Chelsea’s hub of high-end architecture

All photos courtesy of Evan Joseph.

December 8, 2023

Photos show off One High Line as new addition to Chelsea’s hub of high-end architecture

Work has wrapped up on One High Line, the two-tower residential development designed by Bjarke Ingels, marking a major milestone for a project that has hit a few bumps along the way. Located next to the iconic elevated park for which it shares a name, the distinctive condominium at 500 West 18th Street consists of a 36-story tower and a 26-story tower that twist in tandem away from each other, maximizing city and Hudson River views. One High Line joins several notable high-end architecture projects in West Chelsea, like Lantern House, 520 West 28th Street, and The Cortland.
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Leasing launches at Pearl House in the Seaport, NYC’s largest office-to-rental conversion

All renderings courtesy of Williams New York

December 7, 2023

Leasing launches at Pearl House in the Seaport, NYC’s largest office-to-rental conversion

Leasing has launched at New York City's largest office-to-rental conversion to date. Developed by Vanbarton Group and designed by Gensler, Pearl House at 160 Water Street in the Seaport District includes 588 luxury apartments and three levels of resort-style amenities at what was a 1970s-era office building. Pricing starts at $3,500 for studios, $4,700 for one-bedrooms, and $6,400 for two-bedrooms, according to Bloomberg.
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See plan to replace former Harlem prison next to Central Park with 105 affordable homes

All renderings courtesy of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office

December 6, 2023

See plan to replace former Harlem prison next to Central Park with 105 affordable homes

A plan to replace a former Harlem prison with affordable housing is moving forward. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday unveiled Seneca, the winning proposal for a project that will transform the Lincoln Correctional Facility at West 110th Street, which shuttered in 2019, into 105 affordable homes for purchase. The governor selected a team led by Infinite Horizons, L+M Development Partners, Urbane, and Lemor Development Group to develop the roughly $90 million project, which will go through a public review process before final approval.
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Fifth Avenue’s sparkling snowflake is brighter than ever

Image courtesy of the Fifth Avenue Association

December 6, 2023

Fifth Avenue’s sparkling snowflake is brighter than ever

Fifth Avenue's famous snowflake, a cherished New York City holiday fixture for 40 years, is back and brighter than ever. The Fifth Avenue Association and the Stonbely Family Foundation on Sunday celebrated the lighting of the refurbished snowflake, which features 16,500 sparkling crystals and new high-intensity full-color LED lights. The twinkling 30-foot-wide snowflake is suspended 50 feet above Fifth Avenue and 57th Street from four buildings: the Aman Hotel, Bergdorf Goodman, Bulgari, Louis Vuitton, and Tiffany & Co.
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Events & Things To Do

Photo credit: Nina Poon/MW Studio for The Corcoran Group

December 5, 2023

James Beard Foundation foodie’s Gramercy penthouse with twin terraces asks $3.3M

"Chef's kitchen" is a common term when it comes to residential listings, but the current owner of this Gramercy co-op at 201 East 21st Street, former James Beard Foundation Chief Strategy Officer and (current) culinary consultant Mitchell Davis, has entertained some of the world's greatest chefs in his kitchen. Asking $3,295,000, the three-bedroom post-war penthouse has one terrace for drinks, another for dining, and a full menu of bespoke designer details in addition to its foodie pedigree.
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Distinctive Homes

Stay in a ‘Wonka’ inspired suite at NYC’s Park Lane New York hotel

All images courtesy of Booking.com

December 4, 2023

Stay in a ‘Wonka’ inspired suite at NYC’s Park Lane New York hotel

Booking.com is giving candy lovers the chance to travel to a world of pure imagination with a stay in a Willy Wonka-themed hotel suite. Inspired by the release of Warner Bros. Pictures' film "Wonka" this month, the exclusive offer includes a two-night stay at the Park Lane New York in Midtown in a room transformed into a sugary wonderland. Booking at the sweet-filled suite opens on December 13 for a two-day stay on December 15-16, priced at $12.15 in honor of the film's release date.
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Events & Things To Do

NYC receives $7.5M from feds for new Governors Island hybrid ferry

Renderings courtesy of the Elliott Bay Design Group

December 4, 2023

NYC receives $7.5M from feds for new Governors Island hybrid ferry

Ferry systems in New York City are getting a boost from the federal government. The U.S. Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has awarded the city over $10 million to modernize its fleet, including $7.5 million for the new Governors Island hybrid ferry and $3 million for a storage facility for the Staten Island Ferry. The funding stems from President Joe Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which was enacted in 2021 and includes up to $108 billion for public transportation.
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Transit

30 Rock opens new rooftop ride ‘The Beam’ recreating iconic construction photo

Visitors enjoy Rockefeller Center’s new interactive experience “The Beam” at Top of the Rock Observation Deck on the 69th floor. Photo credit: Diane Bondareff/AP Images for Tishman Speyer

December 1, 2023

30 Rock opens new rooftop ride ‘The Beam’ recreating iconic construction photo

The observation deck at 30 Rockefeller Plaza is taking visitors to new heights. On Friday, the Top of the Rock debuted The Beam, a new rooftop ride on the 69th floor that recreates the iconic 1932 photo of ironworkers eating lunch on a beam during the construction of the building. During the experience, visitors sit on a beam and are lifted 12 feet above the platform then rotated 180 degrees to face Central Park. Tickets to The Beam cost $25 per person as an add-on for Top of the Rock general admission and come with a digital photo.
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Events & Things To Do

For $1.7M, this compact Village loft is a sleek, seamless machine for city living

Photo credit: Edward Menashy.

November 30, 2023

For $1.7M, this compact Village loft is a sleek, seamless machine for city living

What this high-floor corner loft in the International Tailoring Company Building at 111 Fourth Avenue lacks in floor space, it makes up in well-designed form and function. The three-room co-op, asking $1,695,000, has been freshly renovated with an architect's expert eye; the result is sophisticated rather than small. Breathtaking city skyline vistas through massive loft windows–and 13-foot ceilings–add a definite boundless quality to the picture.
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Distinctive Homes

Drivers will likely pay $15 to enter certain parts of Manhattan as part of congestion pricing plan

Photo by Raidarmax on Wikimedia Commons

November 30, 2023

Drivers will likely pay $15 to enter certain parts of Manhattan as part of congestion pricing plan

Drivers entering certain parts of Manhattan could be charged a $15 toll as part of New York City's congestion pricing program, the first of its kind in the nation. As first reported by the New York Times, the Traffic Mobility Review Board released a report on Thursday detailing the pricing structure for the tolls for the Central Business District Tolling Program, which covers an area of Manhattan from 60th Street to the Battery. The program aims to alleviate traffic, encourage the use of public transit, and reduce pollution, all while generating $1 billion in annual revenue for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
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This $22.5M Chelsea townhouse is like living in your own private modern museum

Photo credit: REPN for Sotheby’s International Realty

November 29, 2023

This $22.5M Chelsea townhouse is like living in your own private modern museum

From the garage, gym, and sauna on the lower floors to a roof terrace that floats above the highest ones, this newly minted $22,500,000 Chelsea townhouse is an architectural wonder in the form of a massive modern mansion. Finally available after a lengthy design and construction phase helmed by renowned architect Andrea Steele, this 9,000-square-foot home at 217 West 20th Street goes beyond bold contemporary design to include a private parking garage, an elevator, and innovative glazing that fills all six floors with sunlight. The 25-foot-wide townhouse has 1,500 square feet of exterior space on two terraces and a subterranean garden. All of this effort hasn't gone unnoticed: The home received the Society of American Registered Architects' Award of Excellence.
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Distinctive Homes

Stephen Sondheim’s Turtle Bay townhouse sells for $7M

All photos courtesy of Compass

November 29, 2023

Stephen Sondheim’s Turtle Bay townhouse sells for $7M

Late songsmith Stephen Sondheim's Turtle Bay townhouse has sold for the asking price of $7,000,000. As first reported by the Wall Street Journal, the unnamed buyer of 246 East 49th Street lives in New York and is a fan of the Broadway legend. The seven-bedroom home hit the market in July and entered contract the following month.
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Central Park views and a classic Upper East Side address for $2.5M

Photo courtesy of DDreps

November 28, 2023

Central Park views and a classic Upper East Side address for $2.5M

If you love the classic architecture and elegance of the Upper East Side, this charming co-op at 1 East 66th Street deserves a look. Located in a coveted Fifth Avenue full-service building designed by renowned architect Rosario Candela in 1949, the apartment benefits from five-star hotel services and plenty of amenities. Within, the turn-key home, asking $2,495,000, is bathed in south-facing light and blessed with Central Park views.
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Distinctive Homes

Central Park’s Bow Bridge closes for renovations

Photo by Pierre Blaché from Pixabay

November 28, 2023

Central Park’s Bow Bridge closes for renovations

The famous Bow Bridge in Central Park will close for two months for renovations. The Central Park Conservancy on Sunday announced in a social media post the iconic bridge will not be open to the public from November 27 through January 2024 for repairs that include replacing its wood decking. Parkgoers will still be able to access the Bethesda Terrace and Ramble area from the East and West Drives through West 77th, West 78th, East 74th, and East 78th Streets, as well as from Belvedere Castle going south, according to TimeOut.
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Policy

First expansion of Harlem’s historic Apollo Theater to open this winter

Photo by Shahar Azran

November 27, 2023

First expansion of Harlem’s historic Apollo Theater to open this winter

Harlem's world-famous Apollo Theater will open the doors to new performance space in February. The highly anticipated expansion, the first in the institution's 90-year history, will deliver a new 25,000-square-foot facility with two theaters, office space, a central lobby, and gallery space on the third and fourth floors of the Victoria Theater on West 125th Street. The Apollo Stages at The Victoria will open on February 1.
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KISS announces NYC takeover, including limited-edition MetroCards

Image courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

November 22, 2023

KISS announces NYC takeover, including limited-edition MetroCards

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is releasing a limited-edition KISS MetroCard in honor of the iconic New York City-native rock band's final shows at Madison Square Garden. To mark the "End of the Road" shows on December 1 and 2, the MTA will load MetroCard machines at two busy Manhattan subway stations with 50,000 limited-edition cards. MetroCards featuring a portrait of the band will be available for purchase on a first-come, first-served basis starting Monday, November 27.
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Events & Things To Do

JPMorgan’s all-electric supertall at 270 Park Avenue tops out in Midtown East

Photos courtesy of Max Touhey for JPMorgan Chase unless otherwise noted.

November 21, 2023

JPMorgan’s all-electric supertall at 270 Park Avenue tops out in Midtown East

New York City's largest all-electric skyscraper has topped out in Midtown East. JPMorgan Chase on Monday announced the placement of the final steel beam at 270 Park Avenue, a nearly 1,400-foot-tall building that will serve as the company's global headquarters. Designed by Foster + Partners, the 60-story tower will house 14,000 employees across 2.5 million square feet of flexible space. The net-zero building features a striking "fan-column" structure that rises roughly 80 feet above street level and outdoor space on Park and Madison Avenues.
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Architecture And Design

Penn Station opens new accessible entrance with glass canopy at 7th Ave and 32nd Street

All images courtesy of Fernando Sandoval/MW

November 20, 2023

Penn Station opens new accessible entrance with glass canopy at 7th Ave and 32nd Street

Travelers will now have a much easier time entering Penn Station. The transit hub's busiest entrance at 7th Avenue and 32nd Street reopened on Sunday following a renovation led by Amtrak and Vornado Realty Trust. The passageway is now fully ADA-accessible, with a 50 percent wider entrance, a new elevator, two new escalators, and a new glass canopy designed by Norman Foster's Foster + Partners that replaces the original concrete overhang.
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Middle Eastern grocer Sahadi’s opening at Pier 57 food hall in Chelsea

Photo of Sahadi’s on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn via WikiCommons

November 20, 2023

Middle Eastern grocer Sahadi’s opening at Pier 57 food hall in Chelsea

Brooklyn's beloved Middle Eastern grocery store Sahadi's is returning to Manhattan after 75 years. Opening in Chelsea at Pier 57's new food hall next week, the outpost will feature seated dining and bar service. Sahadi's has roots in the borough; its first store opened on Washington Street in 1895 in what was considered to be "Little Syria," before moving to Cobble Hill in 1948. Sahadi's will officially open at Market 57 on Monday, November 27.
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Food & Dining

November 17, 2023

SOM completes $100M restoration of Midtown’s Lever House

The $100 million restoration of Park Avenue's famous Lever House tower by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the iconic building's original architects, has been completed. The project revitalized the tower for the 21st century while preserving the distinct architectural aesthetic the building has expressed since it was first completed in 1952. Lever House features a reimagined lobby, ground-level public plaza, modernized building systems, and a new indoor and outdoor hospitality suite called the Lever Club.
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Architecture And Design

Behind a classic Soho facade, there’s nothing raw about this $4.25M loft triplex

Photo courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

November 16, 2023

Behind a classic Soho facade, there’s nothing raw about this $4.25M loft triplex