Manhattan

November 18, 2021

The 15 best NYC holiday markets of 2021

Even a pandemic can't keep a New York City shopper down. The city's retail landscape may look different now, but that hasn't dimmed the sparkle of beautiful baubles, clever crafts, and the company of fellow shoppers. While most of the city's holiday markets went virtual last year, many of our favorites have returned in their fabulous original form. The big Manhattan markets at Union Square, Bryant Park, and Columbus Circle are still impressive, but smaller, more intimate neighborhood gems shine brightly on their own. They're all great places to find seasonal delights like ice skating, live music, drinks, food, and family fun designed to keep shoppers' spirits bright.
Find out where the goods are
November 17, 2021

See billionaire Bill Ackman’s plan for a glass house atop a historic UWS building

A plan funded by one of the world's wealthiest people and designed by one of the world's most famous architects still can't get approved in New York City. Billionaire Bill Ackman on Tuesday presented to the Landmarks Preservation Commission his plan to construct a new glass penthouse addition designed by Norman Foster on top of a 100-year-old Upper West Side co-op building where he owns an apartment. After hours-long public testimony, LPC Chair Sarah Carroll sent Ackman and his team back to the drawing board, calling for a scaled-down design.
See it here
November 17, 2021

16-foot-tall ‘Flyboy’ sculpture from artist Hebru Brantley unveiled at The Battery

A 16-foot-tall steel and fiberglass sculpture of a superhero has been installed at The Battery in Lower Manhattan. Designed by artist Hebru Brantley, the artwork, called The Great Debate, is part of a series featuring the character Flyboy, an aviator goggle-wearing, crime-fighter. The sculpture will be on display through November 13, 2022.
Get the details
November 17, 2021

New report shows NYC’s wealthiest neighborhoods saw the highest pandemic exodus

New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer's office released a report this week revealing the impact the Covid-19 pandemic had on the city's population. The numbers show that net residential migration out of NYC tripled during 2020–and residents of the city's wealthiest neighborhoods were the ones most likely to move out. But those numbers appear to be reversing to a pre-pandemic level: Since July 2021, the city has gained an estimated 6,332 residents, and outward-bound migration has actually been lower than it was in 2019.
Who left, and where did they go?
November 17, 2021

Asking $6.6M, this duplex loft in Chelsea has a solarium and a rooftop with panoramic views

Just listed for $6,600,000, this top-floor duplex loft in Chelsea feels like a sanctuary in the sky. Located at 147 West 15th Street, the two-bedroom penthouse has a solarium that opens onto a sprawling landscaped rooftop terrace. Offering 360-degree views, the rooftop has a pergola, lounge area, a garden with a water feature, and an outdoor shower.
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November 15, 2021

The 2021 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree has arrived in NYC

With the arrival of this year's Rockefeller Christmas Tree in Midtown, the holiday season in New York City has officially begun. Donated by a family in Elkton, Maryland, the 79-foot-tall Norway spruce was cut down last week, hoisted by a crane, and arrived in Manhattan this weekend following a roughly 140-mile journey via flatbed truck. Considered one of the world's most famous holiday trees, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree will be decorated with thousands of multi-colored lights and a sparkling star topper. The official lighting ceremony is planned for Wednesday, December 1.
More here
November 15, 2021

This $9.9M UWS duplex in the landmarked Apthorp is a house-sized condo with a perfect layout

Asking $9,888,000, this mint-condition 4,200-square foot-duplex in the Apthorp at 390 West End Avenue is a classic luxury Upper West Side condominium with the size and layout of a house. With four upstairs bedrooms and three and a half baths, the layout is perfect for families, guests, and entertaining. The landmarked 1908 building is a Manhattan icon, with Riverside Park a block away.
Take the grand tour
November 10, 2021

New employer survey shows 54 percent of Manhattan workers remain fully remote

In March, 6sqft reported that only 10 percent of Manhattan's office employees had returned to the workplace full-time. Since then, a recent survey shows, only 28 percent are back in the office on an average weekday. According to a survey of major employers between October 19 and October 29 by The Partnership for New York City, only 8 percent of employees are in the office five days a week and 54 percent are only working remotely. A third of employers surveyed said their need for office space will go down over the next five years, and 13 percent expect a reduction of jobs physically located in NYC, especially in the financial services industry.
-More on who's not heading back to the office->
November 9, 2021

Lottery opens for 102 mixed-income units in Harlem’s tallest building, from $755/month

At 27 stories and 340 feet high, the new Victoria Towers redevelopment at 230 West 126th Street in central Harlem–the site of the former Victoria Theater–has the distinction of being the neighborhood's tallest building. Leasing opened in July, and now 102 of its units are available for those earning 50, 60 or 130 percent of the area median income and range from studios at $755 /month to $3043/month two-bedrooms (market-rate studios start at $2,238/month). Designed by Aufgang Architects, the mixed-use building complex is also home to a Renaissance Marriott hotel and a cultural arts center.
Find out how to apply
November 9, 2021

One of Manhattan’s most ornate office building lobbies is now a NYC landmark

One of Manhattan's grandest lobbies is officially a New York City landmark. The Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to designate the ornate, T-shaped first-floor lobby of 200 Madison Avenue on Tuesday. Designed by Warren & Wetmore in 1925--the firm behind Grand Central Terminal--the Murray Hill lobby features a 200-foot-long through-block arcade that boasts a beautiful vaulted ceiling, polished marble walls, and other stunning elements reflective of the era.
Get the details
November 9, 2021

For $7.25M, a carefully curated classic six on the Upper East Side

A stylish classic six located a block from Central Park and Museum Mile is now available. Asking $7,250,000, this two-bedroom, two-bath at 14 East 75th Street was impeccably designed by Emily Summers, an award-winning interior designer. In addition to its coveted Upper East Side location, the home offers unique architectural elements, including 16-foot ceilings, a wood-burning fireplace with an antique mantle, and ten fully restored 17th-century Swiss stained-glass panels.
Take the tour
November 5, 2021

Townhouse living coupled with co-op convenience at this unique $4.7M Upper West Side residence

If you're looking for classic Upper West Side living, steps from Central Park, this 3,200-square-foot, four-bedroom co-op is as good as it gets. For $4,750,000, the three-floor home in a unique co-op at 31 West 93rd Street offers townhouse living–including lots of private outdoor space–as well as common space, staff, and elevator access to the top floors of this charming New York City residence. Legend has it that both Jackie Robinson and Betty Friedan lived in the building.
Get a closer look
November 4, 2021

New food hall The Hugh opens in Midtown’s Citigroup Center, with 17 restaurants under one roof

The Hugh, Midtown's new food hall at 157 East 53rd Street in the Citigroup Center opened its doors last month, adding a host of delicious new dining options to the neighborhood. Developed by Boston Properties and Local Culture Management, the food hall offers diverse dining options and was inspired by New York City neighborhoods, from Greenpoint to Harlem. The Hugh also has a full calendar of cultural events and live music curated by Seth Abramson of Jazz Standard.
Meet the new Midtown food hall
November 3, 2021

Famed designer Thierry Despont lists ritzy five-floor Tribeca townhouse for $25M

The architect who has worked on New York City icons like the Statue of Liberty, the Carlyle Hotel, the Woolworth Building, and 220 Central Park South is selling his Tribeca home. Thierry Despont, a French-born designer who specializes in high-end designs and renovations for residential buildings and hotels around the world, listed his luxe five-floor townhouse at 182 Franklin Street for $24,999,999. Despont bought the home 25 years ago and converted the 1915-constructed building into a sprawling single-family home.
See inside
November 3, 2021

Smash your past-it pumpkins for fun and compost at these NYC parks

Pent-up aggression, post-Halloween boredom, or just a desire to do something useful with your jack-o-lanterns that have seen better days–they're all good reasons to join in the fun at a pumpkin smash. Post-holiday pumpkins make fabulous compost material, and several (free!) events around the city are offering a chance to "squash" your way to a greener community while teaching kids about composting. To quote Noreen Doyle, president and CEO of Hudson River Park: “By encouraging our community to smash, bash and crash their leftover pumpkins into compost, we can all play an active role in working towards a greener future.”
Pumpkin smashing and more ways to recycle unwanted goodies
November 2, 2021

Former Anthony Bourdain food hall team to open Singaporean hawker center in Midtown

Roughly four years since late chef and author Anthony Bourdain canceled his proposal to build a massive Singaporean-inspired food hall in New York City, the plan for the market has been revived. Urbanspace and KF Seetoh, founder of Makansutra, which runs several food courts in Singapore, are teaming up to bring a food market with 18 street-food vendors to 135 West 50th Street in Midtown Manhattan. The market, described as the first authentic Singaporean hawker center in the United States, will open in early 2022.
Get the details
November 1, 2021

Irish Arts Center’s new $60M arts hub opens in Hell’s Kitchen next month

The non-profit organization Irish Arts Center (IAC) will open the doors of a 21,700-square-foot space at 726 11th Avenue in early December. The long-awaited arts hub will occupy a century-old tire shop and garage after a decade-long transformation of the $60 million building led by New York-based architects Davis Brody Bond, the firm behind the National September 11 Museum and The Ronald O. Perelman Performing Arts Center, along with Ireland's Office of Public Works. Inaugural programming for the new center will include theatrical performance, dance, music, visual arts, literature, and education, beginning with Camille O’Sullivan’s "Where Are We Now?"
Find out more
November 1, 2021

New LIRR concourse at Grand Central unveiled as part of long-awaited East Side Access project

The project that will bring direct Long Island Rail Road service to Grand Central Terminal hit a major milestone this weekend. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Sunday rode the first passenger LIRR train into the new concourse at the Midtown East transit hub and gave the public a first look at the terminal. Expected to officially open in December 2022, the East Side Access project will provide direct service to Manhattan's east side for Long Island and Queens commuters, while also reducing crowds at Penn Station.
Get the details
November 1, 2021

Grammy winner Kenny ‘Babyface’ Edmonds’ former Midtown townhouse asks $5.7M

The four-story townhouse at 241 East 52nd Street on a classic Midtown Manhattan block is the former residence of 12-time Grammy winner Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds. Inside, the 2,728-square-foot home is a study in baby blue. Asking $5,695,000, the slender 1899 townhouse has been renovated with every modern luxury.
Take the tour
October 29, 2021

Bryant Park’s Winter Village is now open for the season

Bryant Park has once again transformed into a winter wonderland. The Bank of America Winter Village opened for the season on Friday, offering New Yorkers the only free admission ice skating rink in the city, an open-air holiday market, and cocktails rinkside. The village, now in its 20th year, will be open daily from October 29 through March 6, 2022.
Get the details
October 27, 2021

After $5M restoration, NYC’s historic Highbridge Water Tower reopens for public tours

Described in 1967 by the Landmarks Preservation Commission as "one of Manhattan's most picturesque architectural monuments," the Highbridge Water Tower reopened on Wednesday following a restoration project. Located in Washington Heights, the octagonal tower opened in 1872 and served as part of the Croton Aqueduct system, helping increase water pressure throughout the borough. While it no longer is part of the city's water system, the 200-foot landmark is the only one of its kind that remains today. The Parks Department also announced free public tours of the inside of the tower led by the department's Urban Park Rangers will resume next month.
Get the details
October 27, 2021

Apply for 27 middle-income loft apartments in East Harlem, from $1,700/month

A lottery is now open for 27 apartments at a new rental building in East Harlem near the East River. Located at 2269 First Avenue, the building, known as East River Lofts, offers unique homes with loft areas and a long list of amenities. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income–between $58,286 annually for a one-person household and $167,570 annually for a five-person household–can apply for units that range from $1,700/month studios to two-bedrooms for $2800/month.
Find out how to apply
October 26, 2021

World’s highest outdoor building climb to open in NYC atop Hudson Yards’ Edge

If simply standing on the highest outdoor observation deck in the Western Hemisphere isn't enough of a thrill, how about scaling the outside of a supertall skyscraper? On Tuesday, Edge, the 100th-floor sky deck that opened at 30 Hudson Yards last spring, debuted "City Climb," a ticketed adventure that challenges visitors to cross a series of open-edged outdoor platforms and stairs along the top of the tower, which stands over 1,200 feet tall. When it officially opens on November 9, City Climb will become the highest external building climb in the world.
Get the details
October 26, 2021

Actor Anthony Rapp’s Noho loft studio, bought with ‘Rent’ money, is now asking $1.95M

This classic loft studio in the landmarked building at 1 Bond Street was, for 23 years, the home of actor Anthony Rapp, who played the leading role of Mark Cohen in the Broadway hit "Rent," as well as in the film version. The actor, who had lived in an East Village walk-up much like the ones featured in the play, purchased the downtown loft 23 years ago for $375,000 saved from his burgeoning acting career. The 1,250 square-foot second-floor studio–with beautifully designed custom renovations added by Rapp over the years–is now asking $1.95 million.
Tour the classic Noho studio
October 25, 2021

See the Mexican folk-art sculptures on display around Rockefeller Center for Day of the Dead

Rockefeller Center last week kicked off a nearly two-week celebration of Mexican culture and Día de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, with the installation of larger-than-life Mexican folk-art sculptures and other artworks around the plaza. As part of the campus-wide commemoration, see an 11-foot dragon and a 13.5-foot feathered jaguar, an exhibition of fashionably dressed skeleton figures, a Día de Los Muertos display altar, and a floral installation adorning the center's iconic bronze statue Atlas.
Get the details
October 25, 2021

Tiptoe through the tulips in your private garden at this $20M Tribeca penthouse

At a vast 5,499 square feet, this new-to-market Tribeca penthouse at 37 Warren Street is nothing short of a modern sky mansion, wrapped with an outdoor terrace for al fresco living and watching your garden grow. On the market for $19,995,000, the two-floor condo has four bedrooms, five full baths, two half baths, and pristine interiors designed by Steven Harris Architects.
Tour this pretty, pricey penthouse