Manhattan

"Today" co-host Savannah Guthrie and her husband, communications pro Michael Feldman, have put their turn-key Tribeca loft on the market for $7,100,000. The full-floor four-bedroom received a modern renovation by AD100 architects Ike Kligerman Barkley and AD100 interior designer Monique Gibson. After calling the apartment home for over five years, the couple has decided to sell because they have a "vision and dream of living in a townhouse," Guthrie told the Wall Street Journal, which first reported the listing.
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NYPL acquires archive of Joan Didion’s papers including personal photos, letters, and more

Joan Didion, undated.

January 27, 2023

NYPL acquires archive of Joan Didion’s papers including personal photos, letters, and more

The New York Public Library (NYPL) has acquired an extensive collection of papers and personal items belonging to writer Joan Didion and her husband, writer John Gregory Dunne. The archive of writings, correspondence, photographs, and ephemera provides a rich portrait of the celebrated couples' life and work.
Find out more about the collection

History

New 34th Street station entrance features mosaic depicting clock from old Penn Station

Image courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

January 27, 2023

New 34th Street station entrance features mosaic depicting clock from old Penn Station

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Thursday unveiled new accessibility improvements at Penn Station. In addition to four newly modernized elevators, the new, fully accessible entrance at 7th Avenue and 33rd Street features artwork by Diana Al-Hadid. Measuring nearly 15 feet tall, the glass mosaic, called The Time Telling, was inspired by a photograph of the clock that hung at the entrance of the old Penn Station.
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Plan to resurrect NYC’s iconic Brooklyn Banks skate park moves forward

The Brooklyn Banks in 2009. Photo credit: Rasmus Zwickson via Flickr

January 27, 2023

Plan to resurrect NYC’s iconic Brooklyn Banks skate park moves forward

Tony Hawk’s The Skatepark Project announced plans Thursday to bring the much-loved Brooklyn Banks skate park back to life in a partnership with the nonprofit Brooklyn Bridge Manhattan/Create Gotham Park project. The organizations have joined an ongoing initiative to develop Gotham Park and return the iconic skateboarding mecca to the community by creating a new public park under the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge. During his State of the City speech on Thursday, Mayor Eric Adams voiced his support for the new public space.
Find out more about bringing back the Banks

Photo credit: Eytan Stern Weber at Evan Joseph Images

January 26, 2023

Pool sharks and party people: Don’t sleep on this $8M Soho pad

Bachelor/ettes with a taste for a certain kind of downtown Manhattan living will be lining up for this classic loft co-op at 515 Broadway (also known as 84 Mercer Street): $8,000,000 snags a 6,100-square-foot party-ready spot in the heart of Soho, complete with Corinthian columns and soaring ceilings, a ballroom-sized living room, a music studio, home gym and billiards room, a burled walnut wet bar and a giant walk-in dressing room for your sneaker collection.
Classic Soho loft living, this way

Distinctive Homes

Photo credit clockwise: Jessica Minghi/Borough Chocolates, Jacques Torres Chocolates, Jessica Minghi/Borough Chocolates, Chocolate Noise.

January 25, 2023

The best local chocolate shops in NYC

It doesn't have to be Valentine's Day to crave chocolate. But the sugar-coated holiday certainly provides a good excuse to indulge. Far beyond the red-wrapped drugstore box, creating the sweet (or bitter) treat is now recognized as a craft all its own. Chocolate purveyors range from the old-fashioned to the eco-conscious to makers who hand-mix exotic ingredients and flavors. If you're really hooked, you can make an event of it at a chocolate-themed restaurant, factory tour, or private tasting. Whether you're looking for a last-minute gift for someone special or just a sweet snack, the New York City establishments listed here have something for every chocolate lover–and you can order online or visit the source right in your borough.
Find the chocolate of your dreams, this way

Live in Zaha Hadid’s Chelsea masterpiece with four bedrooms and a curvy balcony for $10.5M

Photo credit: Fortem Media for The Corcoran Group

January 25, 2023

Live in Zaha Hadid’s Chelsea masterpiece with four bedrooms and a curvy balcony for $10.5M

This four-bedroom condo in The Residences by Zaha Hadid at 520 West 28th Street is a rare opportunity to live in the late starchitect's residential masterpiece. The unique loft-like 3,840-square-foot residence, asking $10,495,000, features Hadid's signature curves, curated amenities, and a balcony with views of the architecturally significant Chelsea skyline. Details include 10-foot-wide motorized windows with distinctive curved detailing, high ceilings, and generous proportions.
Tour this curvy, curated Chelsea home

New uniforms for Empire State Building workers take cue from the skyscraper’s Art Deco flair

All photos courtesy of the Empire State Building

January 25, 2023

New uniforms for Empire State Building workers take cue from the skyscraper’s Art Deco flair

Employees of the Empire State Building's 86th-floor Observatory will look a little different the next time you see them. The uniforms of Observatory hosts and gift shop attendants have been given a modern makeover, courtesy of fashion designer Peyman Umay, who for the last two years worked to create a look that would complement the style of the iconic Art Deco building and the observatory's exhibit galleries. Replacing the previous burgundy and black attire, the new uniforms are light gray with blue trimming on the lapels, collars, and pocket flaps.
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Uncategorized

See what a casino atop Saks Fifth Avenue could look like

Renderings courtesy of Hudson’s Bay Company

January 25, 2023

See what a casino atop Saks Fifth Avenue could look like

Last week, plans to build a casino atop Saks Fifth Avenue in Midtown were released. Hudson's Bay Company announced it would pursue a gaming license in order to convert the upper floors of the flagship store at 611 Fifth Avenue into a casino. New conceptual renderings of the casino, first spotted by the New York Post, reveal a red carpet-lined entrance, lavish interiors, and a rooftop space that overlooks Rockefeller Center.
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City Living

$27.5M palatial penthouse has a front-row view of Central Park and beyond

All photos courtesy of Stefano Ukmar

January 24, 2023

$27.5M palatial penthouse has a front-row view of Central Park and beyond

You can wake up to picture-perfect New York City views every day at this regal penthouse on the Upper West Side. Not only does the apartment at 115 Central Park West offer sweeping park and city vistas from nearly every room, but the home also boasts a whopping 900 square feet of outdoor space, including a 100-foot-long terrace that appears to hover over the world's most famous green space. Asking $27,500,000, the corner penthouse measures 6,000 square feet inside and has five bedrooms and five and a half baths.
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Distinctive Homes

LIRR service to Grand Central Madison starts this week

Photo of Grand Central Madison in December 2022; Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

January 24, 2023

LIRR service to Grand Central Madison starts this week

After a month-long delay due to vent exhaust problems, Grand Central Madison will officially open this week, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced Tuesday. The first Long Island Rail Road train with service to Manhattan's east side is scheduled to leave Jamaica at 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday and arrive at the new terminal at 11:07 a.m. As part of the initial roll-out, there will be limited shuttle service between the two stations to help commuters get familiar with the new terminal, which cost roughly $12 billion, according to the transit agency.
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This $950K Midtown co-op has the colorful, creative look of a classic Manhattan loft

Photo credit: Kellen Houde for Sotheby’s International Realty

January 24, 2023

This $950K Midtown co-op has the colorful, creative look of a classic Manhattan loft

If this colorful studio at 529 West 42nd Street embodies the creative-industrial vibe of a classic New York City loft, it might be because the home's current owner, Lisa Menichino, is a downtown nightlife denizen; Menichino runs Cubbyhole in the West Village, the city's best-known lesbian bar. Located in The Armory, a true live/work building, the $950,000 co-op has pre-war charm and a clean, modern interior.
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Distinctive Homes

Michelin-starred restaurateur to open new dining concept at 550 Madison Avenue

Image courtesy of Alex Fradkin

January 23, 2023

Michelin-starred restaurateur to open new dining concept at 550 Madison Avenue

Simon Kim, the restaurateur who founded the Michelin-starred COTE Korean Steakhouse, will be opening a new dining concept inside the landmark 550 Madison Avenue. The new "multi-faceted" concept will span 15,000 square feet across three floors at the tower's base, boast soaring 60-foot ceilings, and provide direct access to the building's new landscaped, half-acre public garden. Olayan Group is currently leading a renovation of 550 Madison Avenue, which was designed by Philip Johnson and John Burgee in the 1980s as the world's first postmodern skyscraper.
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Food & Dining

Latest luxury rental on the Lower East Side has three floors of ‘micro-units’

All renderings courtesy of Conway and Partners, unless otherwise noted

January 23, 2023

Latest luxury rental on the Lower East Side has three floors of ‘micro-units’

A big new residential development on the Lower East Side is going small. When it opens this spring, the 30-story 55 Suffolk Street will offer three floors of "micro-units," apartments that measure between 315 and 350 square feet and feature space-saving built-in furniture and storage. Developed by the Gotham Organization, the building, dubbed The Suffolk, includes 378 total residences, indoor and outdoor amenities, and a new home for the Chinese-American Planning Council. This week, the building released a teaser site and 6sqft got a first look at the unique new development.
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An iridescent sculpture seen at Burning Man is now on view at Brookfield Place

Pulse Portal at Brookfield Place New York. Artwork and photos by Davis McCarty

January 20, 2023

An iridescent sculpture seen at Burning Man is now on view at Brookfield Place

A new iridescent public art installation on the lower Manhattan waterfront shines with transforming colors and casts colored shadows that shift with the time of day. Created by world-renowned sculpture artist Davis McCarty, Pulse Portal is a 20-foot archway made of material that can change color depending on how the light hits it and the perspective of the viewer. Pulse Portal is on view at Brookfield Place's Waterfront Plaza through March 10.
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Events & Things To Do

January 20, 2023

New York’s second legal weed dispensary is opening on Bleecker Street

New York's second legal recreational cannabis shop is set to open in Greenwich Village next week, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Thursday. Smacked LLC, located inside a nearly 200-year-old building at 144 Bleecker Street, will open its doors to the public on January 24 at 10 a.m. The store is the first in the state to be opened by an entrepreneur with a cannabis conviction, as part of a program to ensure equity in licensing. Owned and operated by Roland Conner, Smacked LLC will operate as a soft "popup" through February 20 and re-open as a long-term business at a later date.
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Policy

$10M penthouse at Robert A.M. Stern’s Claremont Hall sets sales record for Morningside Heights

Renderings courtesy of Binyan Studios

January 20, 2023

$10M penthouse at Robert A.M. Stern’s Claremont Hall sets sales record for Morningside Heights

A penthouse at a Robert A.M. Stern-designed tower in Morningside Heights is in contract for $10 million, marking a record for the Manhattan neighborhood. The full-floor residence sits atop Claremont Hall, a 41-story building located within the campus of Union Theological Seminary. Positioned at one of the highest points in the area, Penthouse 41 is a four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath home with stunning city, park, and river views.
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Real Estate Trends

Hell’s Kitchen church home to first Black Catholic parish in the north sells for $16M

Photo by James Russiello on WikiCommons

January 19, 2023

Hell’s Kitchen church home to first Black Catholic parish in the north sells for $16M

The first Black Catholic church to open above the Mason-Dixon line has been sold for $16 million, as first reported by Bisnow New York. Located at 342 West 53rd Street in Hell's Kitchen, the former St. Benedict the Moor church was constructed in 1869 as the only church for Black Roman Catholics. The property was sold by the Archdiocese of New York to developer Walter Wang's JMM Charitable Foundation, whose future plans for the site are unknown, according to W42ST.
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In Harlem, controversial truck depot opens on site of failed housing project

Rendering courtesy of SHoP Architects

January 19, 2023

In Harlem, controversial truck depot opens on site of failed housing project

On the Harlem lot where a residential development with hundreds of housing units was once proposed, a truck depot opened this week. As Patch first reported, the first trucks drove on Wednesday to the stop on West 145th Street, the site of the One45 proposal. After the council member refused to support the new mixed-use development, citing gentrification and lack of affordable housing, the developer scrapped the plan in May and moved forward with one that did not require zoning changes. The depot can hold up to 200 vehicles.
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‘Living’ lantern installation offers a moment of zen in Midtown

Photos courtesy of Alexandre Ayer / @DiversityPics for the Garment District Alliance

January 19, 2023

‘Living’ lantern installation offers a moment of zen in Midtown

A new animated public art installation is radiating light and tranquility in Midtown. Located on the Broadway pedestrian plazas between 39th and 40th Streets, Living Lantern is a dynamic sculpture with wooden pieces that move with the wind. Measuring roughly 14 feet tall and 20 feet wide, the illuminated lantern evokes a calming effect through shifting colors and movements. Created by NEON and Frankie Boyle, the installation is meant to serve as a beacon of hope, brightness, and a guiding light in Midtown. Open to the public for free through February 24, Living Lantern is the latest public art exhibition sponsored by the Garment District Alliance.
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Events & Things To Do

Enjoy panoramic Manhattan views from the bath in this $20M Flatiron duplex

Photos courtesy of The Corcoran Group

January 18, 2023

Enjoy panoramic Manhattan views from the bath in this $20M Flatiron duplex

Is nearly 6,000 square feet of living space and 360-degree New York City vistas from the bath worth $20 million to you? If so, this dramatic duplex in the sky at 45 East 22nd Street in the Madison Square Park Tower awaits. Asking $19,995,000, the four-bedroom condominium offers iconic river-to-river views that will never fail to impress.
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Distinctive Homes

Lunar New Year brings celebrations and joy to NYC’s Chinatown

All photos courtesy of Welcome to Chinatown unless otherwise noted

January 18, 2023

Lunar New Year brings celebrations and joy to NYC’s Chinatown

By Lidia Ryan

In early 2020, Vic Lee, who grew up in Manhattan's Chinatown, noticed that there was less foot traffic in her neighborhood. "It was obvious something was going on that Lunar New Year,” Lee said. “We talked to business owners, and it was because of xenophobia and racist rhetoric." During the height of the coronavirus pandemic in March of that year, she co-founded Welcome to Chinatown as a way to amplify small businesses and entrepreneurs in Chinatown via their Longevity Fund. The organization also has a meal donation program for underserved residents and does research and data collection. And this month, for the third year, Welcome to Chinatown will be hosting Lunar New Year celebrations to usher in the Year of the Rabbit, which begins January 22. We spoke to Lee about what to expect and what Lunar New Year means to her, as well as the Chinatown community.
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Saks Fifth Avenue proposes casino atop flagship store in Midtown

Image courtesy of Warren LeMay on Flickr

January 17, 2023

Saks Fifth Avenue proposes casino atop flagship store in Midtown

The owner of one of the world's most iconic department stores wants to open a casino at its iconic New York City flagship. Hudson's Bay Company, the owner of the Saks Fifth Avenue, announced last week it would pursue a gaming license to convert the top three floors of its store at 611 Fifth Avenue into a casino, as first reported by the New York Times.
Details this way

City Living

Photo credit: Al Siedman/VHT for The Corcoran Group

January 11, 2023

Tech and media power couple’s West Village townhouse asks $11M

Who wouldn't want a townhouse in the West Village with a $2.5 million renovation and a glass-enclosed rooftop office and deck? Beth Comstock, the current owner of the house at 62 Jane Street, has been lucky enough to live in the five-story home since she and her husband, tech executive Chris Travers, bought it for $5.75 million in 2012. Comstock was the first woman to be named vice chair of General Electric, a position she held after a long career as a media executive. The couple has listed the property for $10.995 million, the Wall Street Journal reports.
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Distinctive Homes

This $2.5M classic six is the definition of understated Upper East Side elegance

Photo credit: Compass

January 10, 2023

This $2.5M classic six is the definition of understated Upper East Side elegance

Asking $2,500,000, this three-bedroom "classic six" co-op at 333 East 68th Street is the very picture of Upper East Side prewar charm and historic beauty. The apartment has been home to acclaimed landscape artist, photographer, and former model Kate Cordsen for 13 years.
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Distinctive Homes

Civil rights lawyer William Kunstler’s former Village townhouse sells for $6.5M

Photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens unless otherwise noted

January 10, 2023

Civil rights lawyer William Kunstler’s former Village townhouse sells for $6.5M