Manhattan

On a tree-lined Central Park-adjacent block on the Upper East Side, this pre-war co-op has the distinction of being the late singer and actress Lena Horne's "private refuge," according to the New York Times. The celebrated diva moved into the Volney hotel-turned-co-op at 23 East 74th Street in the 1980s, eventually owning five units on the building's fifth floor. Asking $2,195,000, this 2,100-square-foot, two-bedroom home–currently owned by Horne's daughter–is the last of those units to be listed. A combo of two units, the space is currently configured as a huge one-bedroom, but can easily accommodate two bedrooms with space to spare.
Take the tour

This map of Central Park tracks fall foliage in real time

The Reservoir; Photo courtesy of the Central Park Conservancy

October 21, 2022

This map of Central Park tracks fall foliage in real time

The Central Park Conservancy has launched a new, interactive Peak Fall Foliage map to let parkgoers know the best times and locations to take in autumn's most vibrant colors. In the coming weeks, approximately 18,000 trees across Central Park's 843 acres will reach their peak color. The map's real-time information is provided by Central Park's arborists who take care of more than 170 species of trees on a daily basis.
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City Living

Norman Foster’s 78-story office tower opens in Hudson Yards

Photo © Nigel Young / Foster + Partners

October 20, 2022

Norman Foster’s 78-story office tower opens in Hudson Yards

A boutique luxury office building designed by Norman Foster officially opened in Hudson Yards this week. Described as "multiple buildings within a building," 50 Hudson Yards is a 1,011-foot-tall tower that takes up a full block between Hudson Boulevard and 10th Avenue, between 33rd and 34th Streets. Developed by Related Companies, Oxford Properties, and Mitsui Fudosan America, 50 Hudson Yards is already over 84 percent leased, with Meta and BlackRock as two of the tower's anchor tenants.
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New Developments

Caesars Palace casino proposed for Times Square office tower

Photo by Andrae Ricketts on Unsplash

October 20, 2022

Caesars Palace casino proposed for Times Square office tower

New York City's bustling entertainment hub may soon welcome a casino. Developer SL Green and Caesars Entertainment on Thursday announced plans to pursue a gaming license for a potential Caesars Palace casino in the heart of Times Square at 1515 Broadway, a 54-story office building. The bid comes after the state legislature in April approved up to three casinos to open in the New York City area.
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Photo courtesy of Douglas Elliman Realty

October 19, 2022

This $27M Fifth Avenue condo spans the entire 6th floor, with staff rooms and a separate studio

Located on the most coveted stretch of the Upper East Side, just across from the Central Park Zoo, this sprawling 10-room pad at 838 Fifth Avenue offers the kind of Manhattan luxury that $27 million can buy. The mansion-sized condominium spans 5,427 square feet including a 45-foot corner expanse, with Central Park and skyline views in every direction. The home's opulent interiors are more Versailles than Vogue, heavy on the upholstery and French Provincial style beneath coffered ceilings and ornate moldings. But we're guessing the next buyer of this eight-figure refuge will be able to afford the renovation of their dreams–and Manhattan skyline views never go out of style.
Opulence on the Avenue, this way

For $5.75M, experience cottage living surrounded by gardens–on a Gramercy rooftop

Photos courtesy of Compass

October 18, 2022

For $5.75M, experience cottage living surrounded by gardens–on a Gramercy rooftop

Manhattan's limited collection of rooftop cottages is the stuff of legend, but they're rarely available for sale. One of those legendary structures, part of a penthouse co-op atop a classic Gramercy loft building at 105 East 16th Street, is now on the market for $5,750,000. Along with the freestanding sky-cottage is a stylish main apartment and multi-level gardens and terraces. This unusual urban aerie has been published in New York Magazine–it's the East Coast home of Mark Lee, Broadway producer and former CEO of Barneys and Gucci.
Get a peek at this Gramercy rooftop garden cottage

Distinctive Homes

Russ & Daughters will open new location at Hudson Yards skyscraper

Rendering courtesy of Hudson Yards

October 17, 2022

Russ & Daughters will open new location at Hudson Yards skyscraper

Iconic New York City culinary institution Russ & Daughters is opening a new outpost in Hudson Yards next year. The 109-year-old mainstay of the Lower East Side will serve its famed Jewish delicacies on the ground floor of 50 Hudson Yards, a Foster + Partners-designed skyscraper that topped out last year. As the New York Post first reported, the new location, opening in the spring of 2023, will take up 4,500 square feet and offer hand-sliced fish, a glass-enclosed bagel bakery, and a caviar and champagne bar.
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Food & Dining

Yayoi Kusama and Kiki Smith to create floor-to-ceiling mosaics at new Grand Central Madison terminal

Yayoi Kusama, 2020 Photo by Yusuke Miyazaki © YAYOI KUSAA Courtesy Ota Fine Arts, Victoria Miro, David Zwirner

October 17, 2022

Yayoi Kusama and Kiki Smith to create floor-to-ceiling mosaics at new Grand Central Madison terminal

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has tapped two contemporary artists to create permanent artwork for the long-awaited 700,000-square-foot Long Island Rail Road terminal opening at Grand Central this year. MTA Arts & Design, the agency responsible for commissioning public art in subway stations, announced artists Yayoi Kusama and Kiki Smith will design site-specific floor-to-ceiling mosaics for the new terminal, dubbed Grand Central Madison.
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New York to open $1.6B life science campus in Kips Bay

A conceptual rendering of the SPARC Kips Bay campus. Courtesy: New York City Economic Development
Corporation

October 14, 2022

New York to open $1.6B life science campus in Kips Bay

A $1.6 billion state-of-the-art life sciences hub will open in Kips Bay, Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams announced Thursday. Located on East 25th Street and First Avenue, the Science Park and Research Campus will provide modern facilities for 4,500 City University of New York students, as well as an ambulatory care center, a Health + Hospitals training center, a health care and sciences high school, and a training center for forensic pathologists. SPARC Kips Bay will be funded jointly by the city and state with additional private investment, according to officials.
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New Developments

Photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

October 14, 2022

For $845K, this Central Park West garden duplex comes with a private slice of backyard paradise

While we wouldn't think it would be easy to find a cute, well-appointed apartment anywhere near Central Park West for under $1 million, it's even harder to imagine finding one with private outdoor space. Asking $845,000, this bright garden co-op at 71 West 83rd Street in a classic Upper West Side pre-war building is just that rare find.
Check out both floors, the loft and the yard

Distinctive Homes

Times Square hotel will serve as temporary shelter for migrant families

Image via WikiCommons

October 13, 2022

Times Square hotel will serve as temporary shelter for migrant families

A four-star Times Square hotel will become an emergency shelter for hundreds of migrant families, Mayor Eric Adams announced on Wednesday. Located at 700 8th Avenue in Midtown West, the Row NYC Hotel will house at least 200 families, with the ability to host more in the coming weeks. The hotel, the second intake center/shelter to open for asylum seekers in the city, will offer food, medical care, casework services, and a "range of settlement options," according to a press release.
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Policy

A stunning renovation transforms Sen. Jacob Javits’ former Sutton Place co-op, just listed for $7.2M

Photo credit: MW Studio/Compass

October 13, 2022

A stunning renovation transforms Sen. Jacob Javits’ former Sutton Place co-op, just listed for $7.2M

The former residence of Senator Jacob Javits and his wife Marion at 322 East 57th Street is once again on the market, asking $7.2 million. 6sqft featured the classic Sutton Place co-op--designed in 1933 by Art Deco architect Joseph Urban--when it was listed in 2017 for $5.2 million; the unit found a buyer at $4.4 million within a year. The 3,300-square-foot duplex has since undergone a thoroughly modern renovation under the direction of the current owner and Sandra Arndt of Studio AKTE. The resulting bold, contemporary design is as noteworthy as its rich history.
Tour the co-op's latest incarnation, this way

A history of the Village Halloween Parade: Puppets, performers, and NYC pride

Photo via John St John / Flickr

October 12, 2022

A history of the Village Halloween Parade: Puppets, performers, and NYC pride

By Dana Schulz

The Village Halloween Parade may not be as completely outrageous as it once was, but this annual holiday extravaganza is quintessential Greenwich Village. Though many parade attendees are there to show off their costumes and check out those of others, there's a large number of guests who revel in the nostalgia of a New York tradition that's marched downtown since 1973. But there's a lot more history to the parade than most people may know. For instance, it didn't always go up 6th Avenue, and there's an entire art form behind those supersized puppets.
All the history right here

At new Harlem rental, lottery opens for 51 middle-income apartments, from $2,150/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

October 12, 2022

At new Harlem rental, lottery opens for 51 middle-income apartments, from $2,150/month

A two-tower development in the heart of Harlem launched a housing lottery this week for 51 middle-income units. Known as Marcus Garvey Village, the development on West 124th Street consists of a pair of 18-story buildings with 330 total apartments. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income, or between $94,972 for a single household to $187,380 for a household of five, can apply for the apartments at the first building at 224 West 124th Street, priced from $2,150/month for studios.
Do you qualify?

Affordable Housing

Star Broadway director’s $2.9M Soho loft has plenty of quiet, private spaces

Photo credit: Kellen Houde for Sotheby’s International Realty

October 12, 2022

Star Broadway director’s $2.9M Soho loft has plenty of quiet, private spaces

This sunny, spacious co-op at 292 Lafayette Street has classic loft bones and a Broadway pedigree. Owned by Michael Greif, award-winning director of Broadway favorites like Rent, If/Then, Next to Normal, Grey Gardens, War Paint, and Dear Evan Hansen the corner two-bedroom unit is on the market for $2,900,000. The 1,500-square-foot home has the appearance of a downtown dream loft with 11-foot ceilings and double-height windows; within are two cozy bonus rooms in addition to two bedrooms.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

The Garment District’s iconic button & needle kiosk will be redesigned

Rendering courtesy of the Garment District Alliance

October 11, 2022

The Garment District’s iconic button & needle kiosk will be redesigned

The iconic button and needle sculpture and information kiosk that has sat on a Garment District corner since the 1970s is getting a makeover. Located on Seventh Avenue and 39th Street, the new permanent art installation will be 28 feet tall and include a 15-foot diameter aluminum button and a 32-foot brushed stainless steel needle, according to the Garment District Alliance. The sculpture, which will replace the now-vacant kiosk, is set to be completed in December.
See more here

Events & Things To Do

NYC’s famous skinny house in Greenwich Village last listed for $4.2M enters contract

Listing photos by Rich Caplan

October 10, 2022

NYC’s famous skinny house in Greenwich Village last listed for $4.2M enters contract

One of New York City's skinniest homes entered contract this week. At just nine-and-a-half feet wide, the townhouse at 75 1/2 Bedford Street in Greenwich Village is famous not only for its super slender frame but for its one-time resident, the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Edna St. Vincent Millay. The home, known as the Millay House, hit the market in August 2021 for $4,990,000 but got a price cut this summer to $4,199,000.
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Architecture And Design

Sutton Place maisonette is an art collector’s dream for $2.7M

Photo credit: Real Estate Production Network for Sotheby’s International Realty

October 10, 2022

Sutton Place maisonette is an art collector’s dream for $2.7M

Full of antiques and paintings, this Manhattan pre-war co-op looks more like a fine art museum than a New York City apartment. Found in the enclave of Sutton Place at 419 East 57th Street, the lively maisonette duplex has two bedrooms, a 24-foot-long great room, and an expansive dining room, with handpainted trompe-l’oeil details throughout the home. Asking $2,695,000, the ground-floor apartment has its own street-level entrance.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

New exhibition at Grand Central traces 100 years of urban planning and design in NYC

Photos courtesy of Regional Plan Association

October 7, 2022

New exhibition at Grand Central traces 100 years of urban planning and design in NYC

In celebration of its centennial, the civic group Regional Plan Association has opened a free public exhibition in Grand Central Terminal's Vanderbilt Hall. Designed by James Sanders Studio and curated by RPA, The Constant Future: A Century of the Regional Plan explores 100 years of New York City's development from 1922 to the present day. The two-story display will be on view through October 24.
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Whimsical ‘Wonderland’-inspired art exhibit and bar opens in Midtown

Photo by Elizabeth Acevedo

October 6, 2022

Whimsical ‘Wonderland’-inspired art exhibit and bar opens in Midtown

A new interactive art experience is bringing the whimsical world of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland to Midtown. Created by artist Alexa Meade, the Wonderland Dreams art installation includes more than 20 playfully hand-painted rooms in Meade's signature 3D style. Meade has painted every inch of the 26,000-square-foot space, from floor to ceiling, creating a multi-dimensional work of art inspired by the Lewis Carroll novel. Taking over the old Best Buy at 529 Fifth Avenue, the limited exhibition opens on Friday, October 7 and runs through April 2023. The accompanying wine bar is expected to open later this month.
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This Lower East Side bar was ranked best in the U.S.

Double Chicken Please, image courtesy of World’s 50 Best Bars

October 6, 2022

This Lower East Side bar was ranked best in the U.S.

On this year's list of the World's 50 Best Bars, announced during a ceremony in Barcelona this week, New York City leads with six bars, more than any other city in the world, including two making the top 10. The Lower East Side's Double Chicken Please ranked sixth in the world, and the best in North America, and was given the highest new entry award. Katana Kitten, which serves Japanese-inspired drinks and fare in the West Village, came ninth.
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Pumpkin picking and fall festivities return to Governors Island

Photo via Governors Island

October 5, 2022

Pumpkin picking and fall festivities return to Governors Island

Governors Island is welcoming back visitors for its annual Pumpkin Point fall festival. Hosted in Nolan Park, guests are invited to come and pick their pumpkins for free with a suggested donation. The event also includes a variety of activities, including arts and crafts, pumpkin painting, and more. Pumpkin Point will take place on the weekends of October 22- 23 and October 29- 30 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Events & Things To Do

Photo credit: Tim Waltman / Evan Joseph

October 5, 2022

For $6.5M, this townhouse-sized Apthorp condo offers old-world elegance accented by paintbox hues

Known for some of the most impressive (and expensive) apartments in New York City, the historic Apthorp condominium building at 390 West End Avenue in the heart of the Upper West Side was built for William Waldorf Astor in 1908. Located just minutes from Central Park, the unique building surrounds an interior courtyard. Asking $6,499,999, this five-bedroom residence is one of the building's largest; distinguished by decorator-enhanced interiors accented with subtle painterly hues, the 4,200-square-foot home possesses the size and grandeur of a townhouse with condo convenience and amenities.
Feast your eyes on this regal residence

SHOP THE LISTING: Baz Luhrmann’s Gramercy Park townhouse

Photo courtesy of Nina Poon/MW Studio for the Corcoran Group

October 3, 2022

SHOP THE LISTING: Baz Luhrmann’s Gramercy Park townhouse

Famed director Baz Luhrmann’s Gramercy Park townhouse could be yours to rent for $75,000/month. Located at 243 East 17th Street, the six-bedroom home spans five stories and overlooks Stuyvesant Square Park. The extravagant townhouse is also available for purchase. Luhrmann and his wife Catherine Martin first listed the home for $19,995,000 in March but later dropped the price to $18,999,500. If you’re loving the interior design of this home, we’ve sourced a few key pieces that are identical or similar to the items in the listing photos. So you can get the look–without having to move.
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Renderings via Dattner Architects

October 3, 2022

At former LES synagogue site, lottery opens for 86 affordable senior units, from $654/month

On the Lower East Side, a new senior housing development opened a lottery this week for 86 affordable apartments. Located at 60 Norfolk Street, the building is part of the Gotham Organization's Broome Street Development, a project that will bring mixed-income and senior housing, new cultural and religious space, and retail to the neighborhood. New Yorkers earning 40, 50, 60, and 70 percent of the area median income, or between $25,372 for a single person and $84,070 for a household of three, can apply for the apartments, which range from $654/month studios to $1,416/month one bedrooms. To qualify, applicants must be or have at least one household member who is 62 years of age or older.
Do you qualify?

Affordable Housing

October 3, 2022

$3.5M three-bedroom loft sits in one of Tribeca’s finest landmarks