Manhattan

The childhood home of Beastie Boys rapper Mike D has found a buyer, after a year on the market and a $4.5 million price cut. The apartment at the Upper West Side's enviable El Dorado building belonged to the estate of Hester and Harold Diamond, owners of one of the world’s finest art collections and parents of Mike Diamond. The duplex co-op hit the market in May 2022 for $19,500,000 and relisted this past March for $14,995,000 before entering contract on Tuesday, as first reported by the New York Post.
Details here

Real Estate Trends

New exhibition celebrates design icon Milton Glaser’s grooviest work

Questor. Annual report, 1969. Questor Corporation. All images courtesy of SVA

May 10, 2023

New exhibition celebrates design icon Milton Glaser’s grooviest work

A New York City exhibition is showing off rarely-seen whimsical work of famed late illustrator Milton Glaser. Hosted at the School of Visual Art's Gramercy Gallery, "Milton Glaser: POP" features nearly 150 items drawn from the Glaser archives, including book, album, and magazine covers as well as posters and advertisements. Many of these pieces have not been viewed since they were originally published, and some have never been published at all. Free and open to the public, the exhibition will be on view from Wednesday, May 17 through Monday, June 5.
Find out more

Events & Things To Do

This $2.5M loft in a former East Village synagogue once belonged to photographer William Wegman

Photo credit: Rachel Kuzma for Sotheby’s International Realty

May 9, 2023

This $2.5M loft in a former East Village synagogue once belonged to photographer William Wegman

Now on the market for $2,500,000, this East Village loft at 431 East 6th Street is one of three in a building with a history that's in keeping with its colorful downtown neighborhood. Available for the first time in 40 years, the apartment, belonging to model and interior designer Maria Von Hartz, represents the latest incarnation of what was once an abandoned synagogue. The building, which is a tenancy-in-common property, was purchased in the 1980s by a group of artists who transformed the abandoned house of worship into beautiful loft homes. Among these artist-owners was celebrated photographer William Wegman of whimsical Weimaraner fame.
Take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

At $25M, Chelsea’s most expensive townhouse will set a new record

Photo credit: Brown Harris Stevens

May 8, 2023

At $25M, Chelsea’s most expensive townhouse will set a new record

This four-story townhouse at 334 West 20th Street, asking $25,000,000 set a neighborhood record when it changed hands in 2021 for $22,500,000, according to the Wall Street Journal. Chelsea's priciest townhouse is on track to outdo its previous record if it fetches its current ask. From the cellar gym to the elevator to the sprawling rooftop terrace, AD100 firm Gachot made use of every inch of usable space in a redesign that turned the home into a modern Manhattan mansion while preserving its historic elegance.
Tour this modern Manhattan mansion

Distinctive Homes

Mike Myers lists five-bedroom High Line penthouse for $20M

Photo courtesy of Will Ellis/COMPASS

May 5, 2023

Mike Myers lists five-bedroom High Line penthouse for $20M

Another of comedian and actor Mike Myers' fabulous homes is for sale. This 5,600-square-foot penthouse adjacent to the High Line at 505 West 19th Street in West Chelsea, asking $20,000,000, has two terraces and five bedrooms, with designer interiors courtesy of Thomas Juul Hansen, the building's architect. According to the Wall Street Journal, the “Shrek” star purchased the home for $15.35 million in 2017.
Take the penthouse tour

A suspended spherical concert hall will hang in The Shed at Hudson Yards

A rendering of Sonic Sphere in The Shed’s 115-foot-tall McCourt space, 2023. Courtesy The Shed.

May 3, 2023

A suspended spherical concert hall will hang in The Shed at Hudson Yards

A 65-foot-tall spherical concert hall will hang suspended inside The Shed in Hudson Yards. Created by avante-garde architects Ed Cooke, Merijn Royaards, and Nicholas Christie, the Sonic Sphere offers concertgoers a truly unique experience with immersive 3-D sound and light explorations of music that redefine the idea of a concert hall. Performances in the sphere will run from June 9 through July 7.
See more here

Events & Things To Do

Photo courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

May 3, 2023

British Consulate’s Midtown East penthouse, asking $7M, hits the auction block starting at $2M

This 6,000-square-foot full-floor residence in the Beekman Regent condominium at 351 East 51st Street, currently asking $6,995,000 (down from $8,500,000 in 2021), may provide an opportunity for auction lovers: The penthouse with city views and five bedrooms is headed for online auction by the British government, with bids starting at $2,000,000. The penthouse has functioned as the British Consul General in New York's residence, so it's a given that its flexible floorplan and nearly 10-foot ceilings would add up to the perfect space for lavish parties and regal receptions.
Take a look inside

$25M Upper East Side carriage house was once J.P. Morgan’s garage

Photo credit: MW Studio for The Corcoran Group

May 2, 2023

$25M Upper East Side carriage house was once J.P. Morgan’s garage

This 25-foot-wide carriage house at 118 East 83rd Street has 7,500 square feet of living space, a private garage, a roof deck and terraces, an elevator–and an interesting New York City story. Situated on a leafy Upper East Side block lined with carriage houses, this particular one has several distinctions. Built in 1908, it was originally owned by the J.P. Morgan family and served as the noted financier's garage and staff quarters. Constructed at the dawn of the automobile era, the building was among the first to be built specifically to hold cars. After a complete renovation by the current owners, this four-story home is a modern mansion with peerless amenities–including a private garage–now listed for $25,000,000.
Find out more

Distinctive Homes

Lottery opens for 70 mixed-income units at High Line-facing rental in Hudson Yards, from $772/month

Photo courtesy of The All-Nite Images on Flickr

May 1, 2023

Lottery opens for 70 mixed-income units at High Line-facing rental in Hudson Yards, from $772/month

A new high-rise tower in Hudson Yards launched a housing lottery last week for 70 mixed-income apartments. Dubbed the 30th and 11th Apartments, the mixed-use building at 606 West 30th Street sits across from the High Line and just south of New York City's newest neighborhood. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 40, 60, and 100 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, priced from $772/month studios to $2,592/month two-bedroom apartments.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

This $12.5M penthouse spans the entire floor of a 1930s Upper West Side hotel

Photo courtesy of Evan Joseph

May 1, 2023

This $12.5M penthouse spans the entire floor of a 1930s Upper West Side hotel

The building that began life as a "skyscraper church" and home to the storied Manhattan Towers Hotel at 2166 Broadway was converted to 113 co-ops–and one massive penthouse–in 1980. That penthouse–a rooftop villa with the interiors of a modern farmhouse mixed with a loft–is now on the market for $12,500,000. With a wrap-around terrace and a solarium, the sprawling five-bedroom co-op is blessed with unobstructed 360-degree views of Central Park, the Hudson River, the Midtown skyline, and the George Washington Bridge from every window as well as its dazzling outdoor spaces. A multi-level loft-like floor plan comprises the entire top floor, for endless space in addition to peerless views.
Discover this unusual aerie

Distinctive Homes

Dine-in movie theater to open at Bjarke Ingels’ VIA 57 West

Image via WikiCommons

April 27, 2023

Dine-in movie theater to open at Bjarke Ingels’ VIA 57 West

A new dine-in movie theater is opening inside a luxury residential building in Midtown next month. Located within the Bjarke Ingels-designed and Durst Organization-developed VIA 57 WEST, Look Dine-In Cinema's new flagship location offers a premium movie experience with large screens, state-of-the-art sound systems, luxury seating, and extensive food and beverage options. The theater opens on Thursday, May 4.
See more here

Get a sneak peek of AMNH’s Studio Gang-designed Gilder Center before it opens

The Staircase in the Kenneth C. Griffin Exploration Atrium. Photo courtesy of Iwan Baan

April 27, 2023

Get a sneak peek of AMNH’s Studio Gang-designed Gilder Center before it opens

The American Museum of Natural History's highly anticipated science center officially opens next week. Designed by Jeanne Gang's Studio Gang, the Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation will serve as a space for scientific discovery with cutting-edge collections, research facilities, next-generation classrooms, and interactive exhibitions. Opening on Thursday, May 4, the Gilder Center is also New York City's latest architectural treasure, with its curving structure inspired by caves and canyons now nestled within the museum's existing historic campus.
See inside the new science center

Lincoln Center to host public celebration of Harry Belafonte’s life

Photo via Wikimedia

April 26, 2023

Lincoln Center to host public celebration of Harry Belafonte’s life

New Yorkers will come together this week to remember one of their own. Harlem native Harry Belafonte, who died Tuesday at the age of 96, was not only a legendary performer and EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony) winner but a political activist who befriended and supported Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement. At 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Lincoln Center will host a public celebration of Belafonte's life and his influence.
Find out more

$3.2M Chelsea brownstone duplex has a magical private garden and a fireplace in every room

Photo courtesy of Rachel Kuzma for The Corcoran Group

April 26, 2023

$3.2M Chelsea brownstone duplex has a magical private garden and a fireplace in every room

A rambling, landscaped private garden with wisteria, ivy, and mature trees is a prize that often comes with townhouse living. This duplex co-op at 326 West 22nd Street, asking $3,200,000, offers that rare urban oasis in the middle of Chelsea, without the hassle and expense of owning an entire house. What's more, this beautifully-designed duplex within an 1840s Greek Revival townhome has a wood-burning fireplace in nearly every room, so it's just as dreamy in the indoor days of winter.
See more

Distinctive Homes

Photo credit: Travis Mark for Sotheby’s International Realty

April 25, 2023

This colorful $3.25M Harlem townhouse was the home of DC Comics head Jenette Kahn

This Georgian Revival-style townhouse at 234 West 138th Street on Harlem's historic Strivers' Row appears elegant and unassuming from the outside, but the four-story home's interiors tell a more colorful story. Asking $3,250,000, the stately–but hardly stodgy–townhouse was the longtime residence of comic book editor and publisher Jenette Kahn, who served as president of DC Comics and MAD Magazine for over 26 years. The art-filled–and artfully curated–home's current resident is a movie producer, so the creative energy remains.
Tour this colorful, art-filled home

Distinctive Homes

$700M climate research campus designed by SOM headed to Governors Island

Aerial view of The Exchange, showing the iconic forms designed to evoke the dramatic landscapes and hills of Governors Island. © SOM | Miysis

April 24, 2023

$700M climate research campus designed by SOM headed to Governors Island

New York City has revealed its vision for a first-in-the-nation climate research hub on Governors Island. Led by Stony Brook University, the New York Climate Exchange will be a nonprofit organization dedicated to climate research and solutions and serve as a center for climate education and green job training. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the 400,000-square-foot campus includes classrooms, laboratories, new open space, student and faculty housing, university hotel rooms, and more. Construction on the $700 million project is expected to begin in 2025, with the first phase slated for completion in 2028.
See the designs

Eataly Flatiron unveils rooftop restaurant inspired by the Italian countryside

All photos courtesy of Eataly

April 21, 2023

Eataly Flatiron unveils rooftop restaurant inspired by the Italian countryside

Eataly Flatiron's seasonal rooftop restaurant has undergone a floral transformation for spring. Located on the 14th-floor rooftop of the esteemed Italian food and beverage marketplace, Serra by Birreria opened for the season on Thursday. The restaurant's lush, intricate design was created and installed by Less Than 3 Studio and is inspired by Southern Italy's countryside. Over the course of these warmer months, Serra will host a jam-packed schedule of programming and events, including live DJ sets, and the restaurant's first-ever zodiac night.
Find out more

Food & Dining

Barbara Walters’ longtime Upper East Side apartment lists for $19.75M

Image credit: Donna Dotan

April 21, 2023

Barbara Walters’ longtime Upper East Side apartment lists for $19.75M

The 11-room, full-floor co-op that celebrated TV journalist Barbara Walters called home for 30 years until her death last year is now on the market for $19,750,000. The sprawling residence at 944 Fifth Avenue is a classic Upper East Side pre-war gem, with Central Park views, five bedrooms, and a layout befitting a resident who entertained and interviewed politicians, princes, stars, and scoundrels alike as just another day on the job.
Take the tour

80+ free outdoor performances happening in Times Square this summer

Images courtesy of the Times Square Alliance

April 20, 2023

80+ free outdoor performances happening in Times Square this summer

New York City's annual celebration of its diverse creative community returns to Times Square this May. Hosted by the Times Square Alliance, TSQ Live will offer over 80 free, open-air performances at plazas throughout the neighborhood, allowing performers to show their craft on one of the world's most public stages. Running through September, TSQ Live features a variety of events, including live DJ sets, concerts, and dance performances from NYC institutions like Carnegie Hall, Pioneer Works, and Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Find out more

Events & Things To Do

Live in Kendall Roy’s luxurious UES penthouse as seen on ‘Succession,’ now for $29M

All photos courtesy of Sean Hemmerle

April 19, 2023

Live in Kendall Roy’s luxurious UES penthouse as seen on ‘Succession,’ now for $29M

Here is a chance to own Kendall Roy's luxurious penthouse featured on the latest episode of HBO's "Succession" for a discounted price of $29,000,000. Located at 180 East 88th Street, the stunning triplex five-bedroom residence is the tallest home north of 72nd Street on the Upper East Side. The penthouse measures 5,508 square feet with 3,501 square feet of exterior terrace space across its three floors. The astounding penthouse first hit the market in September 2022 for $33,000,000 as 6sqft previously reported.
Find out more

Distinctive Homes

Ancient Egypt and South Central L.A. meet in monumental installation on the Met’s roof

Lauren Halsey (American, b.1987) Installation view of The Roof Garden Commission: Lauren Halsey, “the eastside of south central los angeles hieroglyph prototype architecture(I),”2022 ©Lauren Halsey. Courtesy of the artist; David Kordansky Gallery, Los Angeles/New York. Image credit: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Photo by Hyla Skopitz

April 19, 2023

Ancient Egypt and South Central L.A. meet in monumental installation on the Met’s roof

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's latest rooftop commission brings to life the history of South Central Los Angeles with the use of ancient Egyptian architecture. Created by artist and activist Lauren Halsey, "the eastside of south central los angeles hieroglyph prototype architecture (I)" consists of a cube-like structure that rises 22 feet tall and has more than 750 glass-fiber-reinforced concrete tiles, surrounded by four columns and four sphinxes. Located on the museum's Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden, the towering structure provides a new perspective of Central Park and the city skyline through an open ceiling and large entryways.
Learn more here

Events & Things To Do

Rockefeller Center plans to fill vacant office space with its first luxury hotel

Photo courtesy of qwesy qwesy on Wikimedia

April 19, 2023

Rockefeller Center plans to fill vacant office space with its first luxury hotel

Rockefeller Center has announced a deal with Aspen Hospitality to open a luxury hotel at the iconic Midtown campus. Aspen plans to open the second location of its Colorado-based Little Nell Hotel on 10 floors of vacant office space above the NBC "Today" show studios, the Wall Street Journal reports. The proposed conversion of unused office space is the latest move to address the substantial shift away from full-time office work since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Find out more

Events & Things To Do

Carnegie Hill co-op owned by FDR’s granddaughter lists for $7M

All photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

April 18, 2023

Carnegie Hill co-op owned by FDR’s granddaughter lists for $7M

The Upper East Side home of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's granddaughter hit the market this week. Sara Delano Roosevelt Whitney Wilford, the daughter of Betsey Cushing Roosevelt Whitney and James Roosevelt, the oldest son of FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt, lived in this nine-room residence at 1120 Fifth Avenue in Carnegie Hill. Wilford, who died in 2021, was a psychologist and professor at Sarah Lawrence College for more than three decades. Asking $6,995,000, the 3,000-square-foot co-op has picture-perfect views of Central Park and the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir.
Details this way

Photo credit: Gamut Photos for The Corcoran Group

April 18, 2023

$3.25M Village co-op stays true to its bohemian roots, musical history, and prewar bones

The Albert at 23 East 10th Street in Greenwich Village has a creative, bohemian history befitting the neighborhood. The one-time hotel is known for being frequented by musicians; the hit song "California Dreamin" by The Mamas and the Papas was reportedly written within its walls. This three-bedroom co-op, asking $3,250,000, continues the tradition in its current owner, film composer Dan Teicher. The pre-war home has been thoroughly updated while keeping details like high ceilings, exposed brick walls and archways, and decorative fireplaces intact.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

Hearst Plaza design by Clint Ramos. Rendering by Evan Alexander

April 17, 2023

Lincoln Center’s summer arts festival to feature free events and garden-like outdoor spaces

A three-month-long arts festival will return to Lincoln Center this summer, with its iconic campus transformed into a botanical-inspired oasis. After a successful debut season last year, the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts announced on Monday the second annual "Summer for the City" festival, which will feature hundreds of free events and thousands of artists across 16 acres of outdoor space from June to August. And for the first time in its history, Lincoln Center's outdoor spaces will be reimagined by a single designer: Creative director and designer Clint Ramos.
Get the details

Events & Things To Do

New Penn Station overhaul proposal adds Vishaan Chakrabarti to design team

All images courtesy of ASTM North America

April 17, 2023

New Penn Station overhaul proposal adds Vishaan Chakrabarti to design team