Manhattan

In a city of unique homes, a condo in this landmarked castle on Central Park West may take the cake. Constructed in a spectacular French Renaissance style, the brick building with majestic turrets at 455 Central Park West opened in the late 1880s as the first cancer hospital in the country. After a later notorious stint as a nursing home, the building sat vacant for decades before becoming a luxury condominium in the early aughts. One of the units is now on the market for $10,500,000, offering circular rooms, a Central Park-facing terrace, and a fascinating history.
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Distinctive Homes

Black Comic Book Festival returns to NYC this month

All photos courtesy of Bob Gore

April 5, 2024

Black Comic Book Festival returns to NYC this month

A festival highlighting the work of Black comic book creators is back and bigger than ever. The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture will host the 12th annual Black Comic Book Festival on April 26 and 27, attracting thousands of comic enthusiasts and giving a platform to Black comic book and graphic novel creators. Attendees can immerse themselves in panel discussions, workshops, a cosplay showcase, and more fun activities during the two-day event.
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Events & Things To Do

For $8.85M, a condo with Central Park and Manhattan skyline views from every room

Photo credit: Allyson Lubow for Corcoran

April 3, 2024

For $8.85M, a condo with Central Park and Manhattan skyline views from every room

Want priceless views of Central Park and the Manhattan skyline? It will cost you $8,850,000. Every room of this newly available corner condo unit at the Deutsche Bank Center at 25 Columbus Circle, provides front-row urban and park vistas, high above it all. Sprawling and sunny, the 67th-floor apartment measures 2,400 square feet and contains three bedrooms.
views and more views

Distinctive Homes

April 3, 2024

Sammy’s Roumanian Steak House will reopen on the Lower East Side

A legendary Lower East Side restaurant known for its Jewish Romanian dishes and vodka-fueled party atmosphere is making a comeback after closing during the pandemic. Sammy's Roumanian Steak House announced plans to reopen at 112 Stanton Street, with service starting on Passover, as EV Grieve first reported. Daily service is expected in June.
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Food & Dining

Unidentified photographer, Manhattan: the Hippodrome, Sixth Avenue between, 43rd Street and 44th Street, 1905. Patricia D. Klingenstein Library, New-York Historical Society

April 2, 2024

New-York Historical Society exhibit looks back at NYC’s lost landmarks

A new installation at the New-York Historical Society explores the forgotten places that once defined New York City. The installation, called "Lost New York," brings to life the city's lost landmarks, including the original Penn Station, the Croton Reservoir, the Chinese Theater, and river bathhouses, through more than 90 items from the museum's collections and first-hand accounts from community voices. On view from April 19 through September 29, the museum is launching a new pay-as-you-wish program on Friday evenings from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. to coincide with the new exhibition.
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Leasing begins at luxury Chelsea rental with a ground-floor Target, homes from $4,500/month

Renderings courtesy of Redundant Pixel

April 2, 2024

Leasing begins at luxury Chelsea rental with a ground-floor Target, homes from $4,500/month

Leasing launched this week for 190 luxury apartments in the heart of Chelsea. Located at 280 West 24th Street, Chelsea Canvas is a new block-long rental building offering modern homes with interior design by INC Architecture and Design, an exclusive amenities package, and a Target on the ground floor. The building has a mix of studios, one, two, and three bedrooms; pricing currently starts at roughly $4,500/month.
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New Developments

Photo credit: Anastassios Mentis for Brown Harris Stevens

April 2, 2024

A diplomat’s lofty home in a historic FiDi co-op asks $2.9M

John Berry, the former Ambassador to Australia under President Obama, has just listed his renovated FiDi co-op at 145 Nassau Street for $2,895,000. Located in the landmarked cast-iron, terra cotta, and red brick Potter Building, constructed in 1886 near City Hall (then known as Newspaper Row), this one-bedroom-plus-mezzanine apartment combines downtown loft living with the opulence of the city's grandest residences.
Tour the quintessential downtown manhattan home

Distinctive Homes

Take the elevator from the gym and English garden to the roof terrace in this $13.5M UES townhouse

Photos courtesy of Francisco Rosario at DDReps and Douglas Elliman

April 1, 2024

Take the elevator from the gym and English garden to the roof terrace in this $13.5M UES townhouse

Once forest and farmland, the Jones Wood section of Lenox Hill is known for its "secret" gardens and historic townhouses. This five-story, 6,000-square-foot corner townhouse at 157 East 65th Street embodies the neighborhood's beauty, with a London-style private garden at the back and top-floor terraces in front and rear. Asking $13,450,000, the townhouse has been thoroughly renovated, with an elevator that travels to all floors, from the basement gym to the top-level loft.
take the townhouse tour

Distinctive Homes

$24M revamp of Lower East Side’s Nuyorican Poets Café is underway

Renderings courtesy of the NYC DCLA

March 29, 2024

$24M revamp of Lower East Side’s Nuyorican Poets Café is underway

The Nuyorican Poets Café, a beloved performance space on the Lower East Side for half a century, is undergoing a $24.1 million transformation. The city's Department of Cultural Affairs and the Department of Design and Construction on Thursday kicked off the project, which will renovate and expand the cultural institution's lobby, add new performance spaces and offices, improve accessibility, and perform extensive repairs on the building's exterior. Designed by Rice+Lipka Architects, the reconstruction project is slated for completion in spring 2026.
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Architecture And Design

Kips Bay Decorator Show House New York announces 2024 designers

The 2023 NYC Show House at River Mansion, a Beaux Arts townhouse on Riverside Drive. Room design by GV Interiors. Photo © Nickolas Sargent Photography.

March 28, 2024

Kips Bay Decorator Show House New York announces 2024 designers

The Kips Bay Decorator Show House New York has just announced the 24 top designers and architects who will be helping to transform a historic Upper East Side townhouse at 125 East 65th Street. The annual Show House, a fundraiser for the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, is one of the city's favorite design events, just ahead of spring's bounty of design and art offerings. The 2024 Show House will open to the public on Thursday, May 2nd. Read on for this year's participants and more information.
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Events & Things To Do

Image courtesy of SoHo News International

March 28, 2024

NYC celebrates 85th anniversary of Batman with pop-up comic book giveaways

New York City is honoring the 85th anniversary of Batman with free pop-up giveaways. On Saturday, March 30, Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Comics are giving away special-edition copies of "Detective Comics #27," the 1939 issue debuting Batman to the world, at a pop-up in Soho. The comic books will be given away one per person at SoHo News International, located at 186 Prince Street, starting at 11 a.m., while supplies last.
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Events & Things To Do

NYC congestion pricing program gains final approval, with June start date

Photo by Jesús Mirón García on Pexels

March 27, 2024

NYC congestion pricing program gains final approval, with June start date

The plan to charge drivers entering certain parts of Manhattan received final approval on Wednesday, signaling the imminent start of the country's first congestion pricing program. The Board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority voted 11-to-1 to approve the toll rates for the program, which includes a fee of $15 for passenger and small commercial vehicles entering below 60th Street from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Unless held up by the several legal challenges the program currently faces, congestion pricing is expected to start in June.
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At former Streit’s Matzo Factory, a Lower East Side penthouse with two terraces asks $4.35M

All photos courtesy of Allyson Lubow for The Corcoran Group

March 27, 2024

At former Streit’s Matzo Factory, a Lower East Side penthouse with two terraces asks $4.35M

At the site of a former matzo factory on the Lower East Side, a shiny new penthouse is available for purchase. The seven-story condo building 150 Rivington Street replaced Streit's Matzo Factory, a neighborhood icon in operation for nearly 90 years before closing in 2015. Atop the brand-new project is a sun-drenched three-bedroom apartment with over 500 square feet of outdoor space and classic city views, listed for $4,350,000.
details here

Distinctive Homes

New ‘portal’ sculpture to provide real-time live stream between New York City and Dublin

Image courtesy of portals.org

March 26, 2024

New ‘portal’ sculpture to provide real-time live stream between New York City and Dublin

A new art installation debuting in New York City this spring is like something out of a science fiction novel. Created by Lithuanian artist Benediktas Gylys, The Portal is a public sculpture broadcasting real-time video of two places. This spring, the interactive art installation will debut in the Flatiron District and in Dublin, Ireland, visually linking the iconic cities and their residents.
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Events & Things To Do

Penn Station’s Tracks Bar to open in Grand Central Madison

Renderings courtesy of the MTA

March 25, 2024

Penn Station’s Tracks Bar to open in Grand Central Madison

A former Penn Station mainstay and favorite of Long Island Rail Road commuters will be the first restaurant to open in Grand Central Madison. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Friday revealed plans to make Tracks Raw Bar & Grill its first major commercial tenant at the new LIRR terminal--which opened in Grand Central last January--as first reported by the New York Post.
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Macy’s annual Flower Show brings sights and scents of spring to Herald Square

Photo credit: Macy’s, Inc.

March 25, 2024

Macy’s annual Flower Show brings sights and scents of spring to Herald Square

It may still feel like winter in most of New York City, but in Herald Square, spring has sprung. Macy's on Sunday unveiled its 49th annual Flower Show, filling its flagship store in Midtown with thousands of unique living plants and flowers. This year's show features Christian Dior Parfums with an installation and pop-up boutique exploring the history of the iconic Miss Dior fragrance.
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Green-Wood Cemetery. Photo Credit: Amy Nieporent

March 21, 2024

Take a cherry blossom tour in NYC

Thousands of cherry blossom trees across the five boroughs have begun to sprout their vibrant petals, marking the arrival of spring in NYC. One of the best ways to experience the breathtaking flora is by embarking on a tour through one of the city's cherry blossom hot spots. Luckily, plenty of locations across the city offer tours of cherry blossoms and spring flowers, including Central Park, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the Green-Wood Cemetery, and more.
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Photo credit: David Paler for The Corcoran Group

March 21, 2024

This $19M sky palace high above Park Avenue has a manor house-worthy terrace garden

This penthouse duplex at 895 Park Avenue is every bit of what you'd expect in an Upper East Side co-op asking $19,000,000, from private passenger and service elevators to an endless landscaped wrap terrace to a dramatic, sweeping stair. Pre-war grandeur is a given, and the home's interiors are as palatial as its proportions. With six bedrooms on one sprawling floor and a living and entertaining level surrounded by breathtaking city views, this classic sky mansion embodies the opulence of a long-gone Gilded Age.
Get lost in the gilded age, this way

Distinctive Homes

For $2.95M, this parlor floor Chelsea co-op has brownstone charm and a private terrace

Photo credit: Michael Weinstein studio/ The Corcoran Group

March 20, 2024

For $2.95M, this parlor floor Chelsea co-op has brownstone charm and a private terrace

In the heart of Chelsea's historic district on a tree-lined brownstone street, this just-right-sized two-bedroom co-op at 347 West 22nd Street offers the best of townhouse charm. With 12-foot ceilings and the elegant proportions often found on the parlor floor of a brownstone, this carefully renovated home, asking $2,950,000, offers a wood-burning fireplace and a private terrace overlooking the tranquil back garden, along with room for a bedroom, office, or guest room, and plenty of open entertaining and living space.
chelsea townhouse co-op tour, this way

Distinctive Homes

William Kentridge’s video animation of historical figures on view at Moynihan Train Hall

Images courtesy of Amtrak

March 18, 2024

William Kentridge’s video animation of historical figures on view at Moynihan Train Hall

A cast of historical figures is watching travelers as they bustle through the waiting area of Moynihan Train Hall. Created by South African artist William Kentridge, "We Will Make Shoes from the Sky" is a multi-panel video animation featuring characters based on famous people from history, including several Black leaders like James Baldwin, Josephine Baker, and Aimé and Suzanne Césaire. The installation is currently on view on the digital screens in the main waiting area of Moynihan Train Hall.
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NYC Chinese food festival returns next month with expanded lineup

Photos courtesy of Dragon Fest

March 18, 2024

NYC Chinese food festival returns next month with expanded lineup

Dragon Fest, New York City’s first-ever outdoor Chinese food and culture festival, is returning next month after a successful debut last year. This year’s festival includes an expanded lineup, featuring 16 unique events hosted in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens from April 6 through October 6. Attendees can enjoy Chinese art, cultural traditions, and more than 100 varieties of Chinese food from esteemed local vendors such as Nan Xiang and MìLa.
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Taconic unveils plans to build 28-story office tower in Hudson Square

Renderings courtesy of Taconic Partners

March 15, 2024

Taconic unveils plans to build 28-story office tower in Hudson Square

Taconic Partners and Nuveen Real Estate on Wednesday unveiled new renderings of One Grand, a new 28-story office tower in Hudson Square designed by renowned architecture firm SHoP Architects. Located on the corner of Grand and Varick Streets where the neighborhoods of Soho, Hudson Square, and Tribeca intersect, the building will serve as a state-of-the-art headquarters, offering 430,763 square feet of rentable space, 20,040 square feet of outdoor space, and a public school on the ground floor, according to The Real Deal.
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Behind this $9.9M Chelsea townhouse, a secret path leads to a backyard carriage house

Photo credit: Brown Harris Stevens

March 15, 2024

Behind this $9.9M Chelsea townhouse, a secret path leads to a backyard carriage house

If you love the idea of an 1848 brick townhouse restored to its original glory, with a back garden, a roof terrace, and a pretty carriage house down a hidden "horse walk," the middle of Manhattan might not be the first place you'd look. This three-unit townhouse at 331 West 20th Street, asking $9,900,000, is like having a private country estate right in the heart of Chelsea. The 25-foot-wide, five-story Greek Revival home is large enough to contain three large private units. A two-story rear carriage house is an unexpected surprise.
townhouse and carriage house tour, this way

Distinctive Homes

Focus on 57th Street: Manhattan real estate insiders Leslie Hirsch and Howard Morrel chart the rise of Billionaires’ Row

Photo by Martti Salmi on Unsplash

March 13, 2024

Focus on 57th Street: Manhattan real estate insiders Leslie Hirsch and Howard Morrel chart the rise of Billionaires’ Row

New York City’s most successful real estate agents make it their business to know the city’s highlights, hot spots, secrets, and specialties; many are NYC natives or longtime residents whose love for the city’s streets and avenues adds indisputable value to their career of choice. We’ve asked a few top agents to tell us about their favorite neighborhoods and share their views on what the city's future may hold. Read on for insights from Leslie Hirsch, an insider with an enviable view from Billionaires' Row.
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A mini forest is coming to Roosevelt Island

Images courtesy of SUGi

March 13, 2024

A mini forest is coming to Roosevelt Island