Manhattan

Trophy pad alert: A 12,557-square-foot penthouse in Central Park Tower at 217 West 57th Street just hit the market, asking for a skyscraping $175,000,000. The duplex Billionaires' Row condo spans the 107th and 108th floor of what is to date the Western Hemisphere's tallest residential tower. It's a tower filled with superlatives–including the world's highest residence, a $250 million triplex just a few floors above. If this two-story sky mansion gets its asking price, it could be New York City's second-biggest residential sale ever.
Behold this Central Park Tower penthouse in the sky

Distinctive Homes

Upper West Side rejects proposed rest hub for delivery workers

Photo by Jimmy Baikovicius on Flickr

March 9, 2023

Upper West Side rejects proposed rest hub for delivery workers

The Upper West Side voted against a proposed rest stop for delivery workers on 72nd Street and Broadway, as first reported by Gothamist. During a public hearing Tuesday, Manhattan Community Board 7 voted 27-8 against the transformation of an empty newsstand into a charging station for delivery workers.
More here

For $3M, this light-filled Midtown duplex loft is surrounded by Manhattan skyline views

All photos courtesy of Compass

March 9, 2023

For $3M, this light-filled Midtown duplex loft is surrounded by Manhattan skyline views

This sun-filled penthouse co-op at 241 West 36th Street, asking $3,000,000, has the kind of size and layout that make a classic loft apartment so special. Atop a Schwartz & Gross-designed former button factory completed in 1928, the space has plenty of authenticity, lots of natural light, and panoramic New York City views framed by 22 windows. The same views can be had outdoors on the 2,750-square-foot, three-bedroom apartment's terrace.
Take the penthouse tour

Distinctive Homes

Artist Ai Weiwei lists Chelsea condo for $2M

All photos courtesy of H5 Property

March 7, 2023

Artist Ai Weiwei lists Chelsea condo for $2M

Artist and human rights activist Ai Weiwei is selling his New York City apartment for $2,000,000. The oversized one-bedroom at 420 West 25th Street measures 1,400 square feet and features a flexible floor plan and an abundance of natural light. As first reported by Bloomberg, the condo has been staged with several of Ai's works, none of which are for sale but highlight the home's gallery-like space.
See inside

$1.75M co-op combines industrial loft vibes with West Village bohemian charm

All photos courtesy of Celeste Godoy for The Corcoran Group

March 7, 2023

$1.75M co-op combines industrial loft vibes with West Village bohemian charm

This maisonette co-op at 92 Horatio Street in the scenic West Village combines classic loft style and pre-war charm, with hidden perks and expansion potential. Asking $1,750,000, the co-op can easily be re-imagined as a two-bedroom. In its present one-bed, two-bath state, the apartment has a "mezzanine" sleeping loft accessed by a spiral stair.
Have a look around

Distinctive Homes

The Wing’s former HQ at historic East Village building lists for $22.5M

All photos by Tory Williams

March 7, 2023

The Wing’s former HQ at historic East Village building lists for $22.5M

The New York City headquarters of the now-defunct women's-only co-working company The Wing is for sale. As first reported by Curbed, the landmarked brick and terra-cotta building at 137 Second Avenue in the East Village hit the market last week for $22,500,000. The Wing, which shut down last summer as a result of the pandemic, moved into the building in 2019, bringing the company's signature pastel colors and cozy, custom furniture to the 1880s building, which was once home to the Stuyvesant Polyclinic Hospital.
Details here

Distinctive Homes

Iconic NYC subway busker Ballerina Mime to perform at Lincoln Center

Photos by Lawrence Sumulong, © Lincoln Center

March 6, 2023

Iconic NYC subway busker Ballerina Mime to perform at Lincoln Center

A New York City busking sensation will emerge above ground to perform at Lincoln Center on Wednesday. The famed living statue the Ballerina Mime will perform alongside original chamber music from cellist Titilayo Ayangade and violist Edwin Kaplan, playing together as duo kayo. The event, called Living Statues, Living Music, will take place at the David Geffen Hall's Kenneth C. Griffin Sidewalk Studio on March 8 at 8 p.m.
See more here

Events & Things To Do

Historic Flatiron Building headed to auction to end dispute between owners

Photo by Jermaine Ee on Unsplash

March 3, 2023

Historic Flatiron Building headed to auction to end dispute between owners

New York City's iconic Flatiron Building will be put up for auction to resolve a dispute between its current owners, according to a recent judgment filed in state Supreme Court. As first reported by PincusCo, the decision to sell the vacant landmarked building was made by GFP Real Estate, Newmark, Sorgente Group, and ABS Real Estate Partners, which make up 75 percent of the building's owners. The auction is set to take place on March 22 with Mannion Auctions.
Find out more

Real Estate Trends

Little Italy’s Alleva Dairy cheese shop finds new home in New Jersey

Image courtesy of Marcela on Flickr

March 3, 2023

Little Italy’s Alleva Dairy cheese shop finds new home in New Jersey

After falling behind on rent and closing its doors due to the pandemic, Little Italy's historic cheese shop has found a new home in New Jersey. Alleva Dairy, the 130-year-old cheese shop that was forced to close in February, will move to a bigger location in Lyndhurst, New Jersey, as first reported by NBC New York. The new location is currently under construction and is expected to open to customers in August.
Learn more here

In this chic $1.4M Harlem condo, architectural built-ins invite light and banish clutter

Photos courtesy of Compass

March 3, 2023

In this chic $1.4M Harlem condo, architectural built-ins invite light and banish clutter

This two-bedroom home at 258 Saint Nicholas Avenue reveals an architect's eye for both clean lines and convenient living. Asking $1,395,000, the 1,331-square-foot apartment's interior was completely redesigned by the current owners with flexibility and modern design in mind: Two rooms become one via sliding panel; closets, electronics, and shelves recede into sleek white walls, and floor-to-ceiling glass fills spaces with sunlight and city views.
See it here

Distinctive Homes

Ex-Good Morning America anchor Amy Robach and husband Andrew Shue sell NYC co-op for $5.1M

Street view of 59 Barrow Street © Google

March 2, 2023

Ex-Good Morning America anchor Amy Robach and husband Andrew Shue sell NYC co-op for $5.1M

Former "Good Morning America" anchor Amy Robach and her husband Andrew Shue have sold their West Village apartment for $5,100,000, according to property records. The estranged couple put their co-op at 59 Barrow Street on the market last September and the property entered contract in November, just before news broke of Robach's relationship with co-anchor T.J. Holmes. Records show the deal closed at the end of February.
Details here

For $7.2M, this designer’s home is quite possibly the perfect Upper East Side apartment

Photo credit: DDreps for Sotheby’s International Realty

February 28, 2023

For $7.2M, this designer’s home is quite possibly the perfect Upper East Side apartment

Published in House Beautiful, and looking every bit the part, this four-bedroom pre-war co-op, owned by interior designer Eliza Dyson, is about as turn-key as it gets. Asking $7,200,000, this Upper East Side refuge at 1160 Park Avenue added a smaller unit, resulting in an impeccably-designed, sophisticated eight-room home with plenty of space to spare.
Tour this perfect Park Avenue pad

Distinctive Homes

Rupert Murdoch buys $30M Central Park South co-op

The Hampshire House is known for its steeply-pitched copper roof with two tall chimneys; Photo via Wikimedia Commons

February 28, 2023

Rupert Murdoch buys $30M Central Park South co-op

Media giant Rupert Murdoch is in contract to purchase a full-floor co-op on Billionaires' Row. As first reported by the Wall Street Journal, the News Corp founder bought a 6,500-square-foot apartment on the 27th floor of the Hampshire House that was last listed for $30,000,000; the final sales price has not been made public. The seven-bedroom, five-bathroom residence was the longtime home of late hedge-fund magnate Julian H. Robertson Jr. and famed philanthropist Alice Tully.
Details here

Full LIRR service begins at Grand Central Madison

Image courtesy of Marc A. Hermnan / MTA on Flickr

February 27, 2023

Full LIRR service begins at Grand Central Madison

Grand Central Madison finally opened with full Long Island Rail Road service on Monday, with a totally new schedule for commuters and a 41 percent increase in service levels. Starting February 27, an additional 271 LIRR trains per day have been added to the system for a total of up to 936 trains per day; 296 of these trains will be traveling to and from Grand Central Madison, with the remaining to Penn Station. According to officials, the new terminal will make commutes for LIRR riders up to 40 minutes shorter.
More here

Manhattan apartments are bigger now than a decade ago

Photo by Goh Rhy Yan on Unsplash

February 23, 2023

Manhattan apartments are bigger now than a decade ago

Believe it or not, new apartments in Manhattan are getting bigger. Despite being notorious for its small, compact apartments, Manhattan rentals actually gained an average of 19 square feet since 2013, an increase of 3 percent, according to new data released this week by RentCafe. The borough is an outlier when looking at the rest of the country, where newly constructed units continue to shrink in size, and even compared to other parts of New York City. The average space of new rentals in Brooklyn and Queens decreased by seven percent over the last decade, costing renters roughly 45 square feet.
See more here

Real Estate Trends

This $1.3M Upper East Side co-op has a secret powder room tucked behind a library wall

Photos courtesy of The Corcoran Group

February 23, 2023

This $1.3M Upper East Side co-op has a secret powder room tucked behind a library wall

This classic one-bedroom-plus-loft co-op at 71 East 77th Street, asking $1,295,000, has definitely seen the benefits of a designer and architect. Rooms retain their gracious pre-war proportions and high beamed ceilings, plus extras like closets and an entry foyer. The living room offers a wood-burning fireplace and there are one-and-a-half baths–including a secret powder room tucked behind a library bookshelf wall. The comfort factor is up-to-date, with central A/C and a renovated kitchen and bathrooms.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

Michelin-starred Chef Gabriel Kreuther to run two restaurants at Hudson Yards’ Spiral tower

Rendering courtesy of Tishman Speyer

February 22, 2023

Michelin-starred Chef Gabriel Kreuther to run two restaurants at Hudson Yards’ Spiral tower

A starchitect-designed office tower in Hudson Yards will offer cuisine curated by a Michelin-starred chef. The Spiral, the 66-story building designed by Bjarke Ingels, will be home to two new dining concepts created by Gabriel Kreuther, known for his eponymous restaurant near Bryant Park, developer Tishman Speyer announced Wednesday. Kreuther will operate a full-service restaurant and an all-day cafe serving breakfast and lunch; both are expected to open next year.
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Food & Dining

Skinny Upper East Side townhouse with literary ties asks $4M

All photos courtesy of Eitan Gamliely for Sotheby’s International Realty

February 22, 2023

Skinny Upper East Side townhouse with literary ties asks $4M

A 19th-century Italianate-style house on the Upper East Side with New York political and literary ties hit the market this week. Constructed in 1867, the red brick townhouse at 255 East 78th Street was once home to State Sen. John Gilmore Boyd and most recently, cultural critic John Leonard, who died in 2008. While the narrow property is just 14 feet wide, the home measures nearly 2,700 square feet across four levels, plus there's a basement, rear deck, garden, and air rights to add two more floors. The townhouse is currently available for $3,995,000.
More this way

Distinctive Homes

Your guide to Nomad: A new chapter for a historic Manhattan neighborhood

Photo by Jeffrey Zeldman on Flickr

February 22, 2023

Your guide to Nomad: A new chapter for a historic Manhattan neighborhood

No matter how old or established they may be, New York City neighborhoods are in a constant state of change. With each new chapter, boundaries shift and new architecture and commerce arrive. The Manhattan neighborhood known as Nomad (for its location north of Madison Square Park) is a fine example. Nomad became a top residential choice, as well as an international dining destination and an all-around rising star, at the beginning of the 21st century. The neighborhood stretches from approximately 25th Street to 30th Street between Sixth and Lexington Avenues, but the bounty that surrounds it in the neighborhoods of Chelsea, Midtown, Union Square, and Gramercy knows no bounds.
What to do and see, and where to live in Nomad

Events & Things To Do

Design perfection and ideal location meet in this $1.25M pre-war Gramercy co-op

Photo credit: Douglas Elliman Realty

February 21, 2023

Design perfection and ideal location meet in this $1.25M pre-war Gramercy co-op

This stunningly-designed high-floor one-bedroom home in a pre-war building is surrounded by beauty, inside and out. The Art Deco building at 235 East 22nd Street, known as Gramercy House, is just two blocks from Gramercy Park, near Union Square, Nomad, the East Village, Midtown, and more. Southern light, stunning city views–and a wood-burning fireplace–make this jewel-box co-op, asking $1,250,000, a tempting choice for anyone seeking visual inspiration and creature comforts in a renovated and move-in-ready package.
Explore this classic Gramercy co-op

Distinctive Homes

In an UWS studio building, $4.4M co-op has original stained glass and 17-foot ceilings

Photo credit: Tim Waltman for Sotheby’s International Realty

February 17, 2023

In an UWS studio building, $4.4M co-op has original stained glass and 17-foot ceilings

On a stretch of West 67th Street just off Central Park, there are eight buildings that were constructed over a century ago by artists looking for live-work spaces. Located within what is now known as the West 67th Street Artists' Colony Historic District, the studio buildings have apartments with soaring windows that stream in natural light and double-height living rooms that also function as studio space. A two-bedroom co-op is now available at 27 West 67th Street, one of the first artist studio buildings to be constructed on this block. Asking $4,400,000, the duplex boasts original stained glass windows, a wood-burning fireplace, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, and the unique New York City prestige that comes with the address.
See it here

Distinctive Homes

See the Garment District’s new Big Button sculpture

Photo © 6sqft

February 16, 2023

See the Garment District’s new Big Button sculpture

The Garment District's iconic button & needle sculpture has been replaced with a new, permanent art installation. The Garment District Alliance on Thursday unveiled the new Big Button sculpture on the corner of Fashion Avenue and 39th Street. Designed by Local Projects and UAP Company, the sculpture measures 28 feet tall and has a 15-foot diameter aluminum button with a bright yellow automotive finish and a 32-foot brushed stainless steel needle, honoring the neighborhood's rich history in the world of fashion.
See the button

Events & Things To Do

Central Park’s iconic Loeb Boathouse set to reopen this summer

Photo by Ajay Suresh via Wikimedia Commons

February 16, 2023

Central Park’s iconic Loeb Boathouse set to reopen this summer

After closing its doors last year, the iconic Loeb Boathouse in Central Park will reopen this summer with a new operator. Mayor Eric Adams and the city's Parks Department on Thursday announced Legends Hospitality, the group that operates at Yankee Stadium and One World Observatory, has been selected to manage the Boathouse as part of a 10-year lease. If the contract is approved by the city's Franchise and Concession Review Committee next month, the venue could be open to the public as early as June.
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A mini version of NYC’s Hippo Ballerina sculpture is now in Turtle Bay

Photos courtesy of Cavalier Galleries

February 16, 2023

A mini version of NYC’s Hippo Ballerina sculpture is now in Turtle Bay

A smaller version of New York City's Hippo Ballerina sculpture debuted this week in Turtle Bay. Created by Danish artist Bjørn Okholm Skaarup, Hippo Ballerina is a 15-foot-tall sculpture that has been seen over the years in front of Grand Central Terminal, the Flatiron Building, and Lincoln Center. The new mini sculpture, along with Hippo Ballerina, pirouette and Rhino Harlequin, pirouette, can now be found in front of the skyscraper at 885 Second Avenue in Midtown through March 2024.
See more here

Events & Things To Do

Vornado pauses plan to redevelop area around Penn Station

Rendering courtesy of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office

February 16, 2023

Vornado pauses plan to redevelop area around Penn Station

The plan to redevelop the area around Penn Station with several new skyscrapers is officially on hold. During a conference call this week, Steven Roth, the chief executive officer at Vornado Realty Trust, the developer behind the project, said new construction is "almost impossible" because of current market conditions, as Crain's first reported.
Details here

Policy

New website explores the forgotten NYC neighborhood of San Juan Hill

San Juan Hill neighborhood, 1939.Lee Sievan (1907-1990). Museum of the City of New York. 92.70.1. Gift and © Howard Sieven, Executor of the Estate of Lee Sievan

February 15, 2023

New website explores the forgotten NYC neighborhood of San Juan Hill