Manhattan

Lottery opens for ‘affordable’ units at luxury Union Square rental, from $2,523/month

Courtesy of NYC Department of Housing Preservation & Development

March 26, 2021

Lottery opens for ‘affordable’ units at luxury Union Square rental, from $2,523/month

By Devin Gannon

Here's an opportunity to live in a luxury Manhattan rental at a discount. A housing lottery launched this month for a dozen middle-income units at One Union Square South, a Related Companies-developed building most recognizable for the massive electronic clock art piece on its facade. While it's hard to call this lottery affordable, the available apartments do offer significant savings compared to the building's market-rate units. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, which include $2,523/month studios, $2,700/month one-bedrooms, and $3,235/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Get a sneak peek of the Waldorf Astoria’s restored Grand Ballroom

Rendering courtesy of Waldorf Astoria New York

March 26, 2021

Get a sneak peek of the Waldorf Astoria’s restored Grand Ballroom

It's been four years since the Waldorf Astoria closed its doors for a restoration and reimagination that will bring 375 luxury condos to the storied landmark. And since then, the team has been teasing out renderings of what we can expect when the Waldorf finally reopens in early 2023. The latest is a look at the Grand Ballroom, one of the largest in NYC (it can accommodate more than 1,000 people) that's hosted the likes of JFK, Queen Elizabeth II, and Grace Kelly. The Art Deco space is an interior landmark, and the restoration will return it to its 1931 splendor.
More details and views here

Huge Flatiron loft that was once home to artist Julian Schnabel asks $10M

Photos by Travis Mark for Sotheby’s International Realty

March 25, 2021

Huge Flatiron loft that was once home to artist Julian Schnabel asks $10M

Sure, this three-bedroom Flatiron co-op checks all the boxes of a downtown loft--sprawling footprint (7,100 square feet to be exact), high ceilings, 32 oversized windows, a cool mezzanine setup--but its artistic pedigree is what's really unique. Located at 20 East 20th Street, the home was converted in 1977 by influential artists Gordon Matta-Clark and Les Levine, and it was at one time home to both Anselm Keifer and Julian Schnabel, the latter of whom also used the space as his studio. It's now on the market for $9,995,000.
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Distinctive Homes

Remembering the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire and the women who fought for labor reform

“Mourners from the Ladies Waist and Dressmakers Union Local 25 and the United Hebrew Trades of New York march in the streets after the Triangle fire” 1911. Reproduction. The National Archives, via Wikimedia Commons

March 25, 2021

Remembering the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire and the women who fought for labor reform

By Lucie Levine

Around 4:30 p.m. on March 25, 1911, a fire broke out on the eighth floor of the Asch Building at Washington Place and Greene Streets, just as the young employees of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, who occupied the building’s top three floors, were preparing to leave for the day. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire killed 146 people, nearly all of them Jewish and Italian immigrant women and girls who toiled in the city’s garment industry. Triangle stood out as the deadliest workplace tragedy in New York City before 9/11. It served as a bellwether in the American labor movement, galvanizing Americans in all walks of life to join the fight for industrial reform. It also highlighted the extraordinary grit and bravery of the women workers and reformers – members of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union, and the Women’s Trade Union League – who fought and died for fairer and safer working conditions in New York and around the country.
Find out the whole history

History

Hudson River tow pound at Pier 76 to open as a public park in June

All photos courtesy of NY State Parks on Flickr

March 24, 2021

Hudson River tow pound at Pier 76 to open as a public park in June

By Devin Gannon

A former New York City Police Department tow-pound on the Hudson River will open as a public park this summer, more than 20 years after the state designated the lot as future open space. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday said work at Pier 76 has already begun, with an expected opening date as early as June 1. The plan for the 5.6-acre park aligns with the governor's ambitious $51 billion redevelopment of over 100 acres of Midtown West, announced earlier this year.
Find out more

Architecture And Design

A rolling library ladder is just one fun addition at this $550K Upper East Side one-bedroom

Listing images courtesy of Douglas Elliman

March 24, 2021

A rolling library ladder is just one fun addition at this $550K Upper East Side one-bedroom

This Upper East Side one-bedroom may be small, but there's something unique to see almost everywhere you look--a wall of built-in shelving with a rolling library ladder, beamed ceilings, exposed brick walls, and a creatively compact kitchen. Located at 334 East 77th Street, the co-op is asking $550,000.
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Distinctive Homes

In Gramercy, a former parish house is now a modern garret for $2M

Listing photos by Vistabee

March 22, 2021

In Gramercy, a former parish house is now a modern garret for $2M

The historic St. George's Episcopal Church is located on the west side of equally historic Stuyvesant Square Park. Around the corner at 205 East 16th Street, the former parish house was built in 1888 and converted in 2005 to a boutique condominium known as The Abbey. The homes are incredibly unique, including this top-floor duplex that just hit the market for $2 million. It underwent a recent gut renovation that features vaulted ceilings with skylights, exposed steel beams, a custom-built aluminum staircase, and a roof terrace.
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Distinctive Homes

Palatial 57th Street co-op offers old-world sophistication for $3.5M

Listing photos by Heidi Solander for Sotheby’s International Realty

March 18, 2021

Palatial 57th Street co-op offers old-world sophistication for $3.5M

The Osborne co-op was built on the northwest corner of 57th Street and 7th Avenue in 1885 as one of NYC's first grand apartment buildings. Just four years later, Carnegie Hall would rise across the street, cementing its stature among the city's elite addresses. A two-bedroom apartment in the building has hit the market for $3,500,000, and just by looking at its opulence, one feels transported back to the 19th century. From the imposing coffered ceilings and stately columns to the decadent fabrics and gilded decor, the home offers an old-world sophistication not often found anymore.
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Distinctive Homes

Lavishly luxe Chelsea townhouse with ties to Mother Teresa lists for $16M

Listing images courtesy of The Corcoran Group

March 17, 2021

Lavishly luxe Chelsea townhouse with ties to Mother Teresa lists for $16M

Just listed for $15,995,000, this Chelsea townhouse at 328 West 23rd Street will have you drooling from the first look. In addition to the decadent decor and architecture, the home has three large balconies, a full-length roof terrace, and a large garden complete with a hot tub. It also has a very cool 1,000-bottle wine cellar that even has a dumbwaiter to move the wine to the level above. The bragging rights don't stop here, though. The house was built in the 1850s and later served as a convent for the “Sisters of Saint Agnes,” a charitable order, and when visiting New York, Mother Teresa stayed here.
Take the full tour

$3.5M condo in the Upper West Side’s Apple Bank Building is patterned to perfection

Listing photos courtesy of The Corcoran Group

March 17, 2021

$3.5M condo in the Upper West Side’s Apple Bank Building is patterned to perfection

Between the fabrics and the wallpapers, there's a playful pattern almost everywhere you look at this Upper West Side condo. Located at 2112 Broadway, the historic Apple Bank Building, the two-bedroom home keeps the fun coming with mid-century decor, industrial French doors, and a 100-square-foot vented laundry room. The home is currently on the market for $3,500,000.
Have a look

Distinctive Homes

Radio City Music Hall is getting a rooftop park and skybridge

Rendering by G3 Architecture Interiors Planning; Courtesy of the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission

March 16, 2021

Radio City Music Hall is getting a rooftop park and skybridge

By Devin Gannon

A skybridge that leads to a landscaped rooftop park is coming to Radio City Music Hall. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday approved plans from G3 Architecture Interiors Planning and Tishman Speyer to construct a simple pedestrian bridge clad in statuary bronze that would connect the building at 1270 Avenue of the Americas to the planned roof garden atop the historic theater, which will be amenity space for Rockefeller Center tenants. Interconnected green terraces were part of the original architectural vision for the Rockefeller Center complex and this project, to be called Radio Park, will finally bring the plan to fruition.
See it here

New Hell’s Kitchen condo has an 8,000-square-foot elevated park and a Target

All renderings by VISUALHOUSE

March 16, 2021

New Hell’s Kitchen condo has an 8,000-square-foot elevated park and a Target

Occupying the full block of 10th Avenue between West 44th and 45th Streets, the new 92-unit condo Bloom on Forty Fifth at 500 West 45th Street has officially launched sales. Designed by Marvel, the eight-story building is in keeping with Hell's Kitchen's lower scale, but the geometric architecture mixing glass, concrete, and steel is modern and fresh. The most unique aspect of the residence its 8,000-square-foot elevated terrace between the north and south towers, and, very conveniently, there's a Target in the base. Units start at $750,000 for studios, $892,500 for one-bedrooms, $1,695,750 for two-bedrooms, and $2,875,000 for three bedrooms.
Find out more here

For $3.5M, a historic Gramercy co-op with a heavenly backyard

Listing images courtesy of Douglas Elliman

March 16, 2021

For $3.5M, a historic Gramercy co-op with a heavenly backyard

Not only does this Gramercy co-op come with a coveted key to the park, it has its own magical outdoor oasis for the asking price of $3,495,000. Located within the historic townhouse at 10 Gramercy Park South, the two-bedroom home underwent a modern renovation that retained its old-warm charm. Highlights include original moldings, an elegant marble fireplace mantle, and floor-to-ceiling French doors that lead to the planted garden.
Get a look

Distinctive Homes

Soaring terraces and a hotel-like feel are on offer at new Upper East Side condo The Leyton

All renderings courtesy of Binyan Studios

March 15, 2021

Soaring terraces and a hotel-like feel are on offer at new Upper East Side condo The Leyton

By Devin Gannon

Sales have launched at a new condo tower on the Upper East Side that offers large, light-filled residences and hotel-inspired amenities. The Leyton, located at 1059 Third Avenue in the Lenox Hill neighborhood, contains 38 luxury homes, priced from $2.1 million for a one-bedroom to $11.6 million for a four-bedroom, along with a duplex penthouse with the price available upon request. Designed by former Rafael Viñoly architect Manuel Glas, the glass and stone tower features an Art Deco-inspired exterior with chic interiors from Frampton Co and distinctive amenity space by Champalimaud Design.
Details here

Play cornhole, bocce, croquet, and more at the South Street Seaport’s new Lawn Club

Rendering courtesy of the Howard Hughes Corporation

March 15, 2021

Play cornhole, bocce, croquet, and more at the South Street Seaport’s new Lawn Club

The Lawn Club is opening this fall at the South Street Seaport District's historic Fulton Market Building. This first-of-its-kind interactive concept features 10,000 square feet of indoor grass transformed into lawn game courts so you can play cornhole, bocce, croquet, and mölkky all year round. And during the warmer months, The Lawn Club will set up additional outdoor courts on the sidewalk surrounding South Street, Fulton Street, and Front Street.
Find out more here

Events & Things To Do

230-square-foot Gramercy studio comes with a key to the park for $395K

Listing photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

March 15, 2021

230-square-foot Gramercy studio comes with a key to the park for $395K

This Gramercy studio is just about 230 square feet, but it's been designed with an intelligence and sophistication that makes the tiny footprint seem less obvious or obstructive. And when you factor in that it comes with a coveted key to Gramercy Park for its $395,000 price tag, it's even better. The apartment is located at the 38 Gramercy Park East co-op and boasts 11-foot ceilings, mirrored walls, and a renovated kitchen and bathroom.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

Just 10% of Manhattan office employees have returned to the workplace

Via Creative Commons

March 12, 2021

Just 10% of Manhattan office employees have returned to the workplace

By Devin Gannon

Although New York City entered phase two of the state's reopening last June, which allowed offices to reopen to nonessential workers, just 10 percent of Manhattan office employees have returned to their workplace as of March. The Partnership for New York City this week released a survey of major employers to find out how long the borough's one million office workers will continue to work from home. According to the Partnership, employers expect less than half of their workers to return to the office by September.
Find out more

Policy

Asking $4.75M, this nearly 200-year-old West Village rowhouse was originally a wagonshed

Listing photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

March 12, 2021

Asking $4.75M, this nearly 200-year-old West Village rowhouse was originally a wagonshed

Just by looking at this tiny brick house in the West Village, you get the sense that it has a lot of history. Aside from its nearly 200-year-old lifespan (it was built in the 1830s), this is quite true. No. 34 Commerce Street abuts 77 Bedford Street, also known as the Isaac-Hendricks House, a wooden house built in 1799 and thereby the oldest house in the Village. The house on Commerce Street was owned by the Hendricks family, too, and was originally built as a wagonshed. After several decades of use as a factory, it was altered to a residence in the 1920s. It's now on the market for the first time in 20 years, asking $4,750,000.
Go inside

Lincoln Center marks anniversary of NYC’s first COVID death with memorial events

Courtesy of Lincoln Center

March 12, 2021

Lincoln Center marks anniversary of NYC’s first COVID death with memorial events

By Devin Gannon

To mark the anniversary of the first reported coronavirus death in New York City, the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts will host two memorial events this Sunday. At 12 p.m. on March 14, a virtual performance by the Young People's Chorus of New York City singing "You'll Never Walk Alone" will be available to view online. Later that evening, hundreds of candles will be lit around the Revson Fountain to honor the roughly 30,000 New Yorkers lost to the pandemic.
Find out more

Events & Things To Do

Once occupied by JFK and British royalty, the Plaza’s famous Astor Suite is back for $20M

Listing photos by Rich Caplan

March 12, 2021

Once occupied by JFK and British royalty, the Plaza’s famous Astor Suite is back for $20M

Considered "one of the most well-known homes in America and the finest in the world-renowned Plaza," the fabled Astor Suite has come on the market for $19,950,000. The four-bedroom corner suite faces both Central Park and Fifth Avenue and was previously occupied by John Jacob Astor, John F. Kennedy, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. In fact, the interior architects at S.R. Gambrel Inc. brought in master artisans that rebuilt Windsor Castle in England to help transform the space. From hand-drawn plaster to rich English oak paneling to hand-hammered leather walls from France, this home is certainly fit for royalty.
Have a look around

The Shed reopens in Hudson Yards next month with live music and comedy shows

Caption: The Shed’s McCourt configured for “An Audience With…” live performance series. Photo: Jasdeep Kang

March 11, 2021

The Shed reopens in Hudson Yards next month with live music and comedy shows

By Devin Gannon

As spring returns to New York City, so does its arts and culture scene. The Shed, the Hudson Yards performance center with a distinct moveable shell, announced this week it will reopen with a five-night indoor performance series kicking off on April 2. Following state guidelines, the capacity will be limited to 150 people and all attendees must present confirmation of a negative coronavirus test within 72 hours or vaccination completed at least two weeks before the event.
Details this way

Events & Things To Do

Upper East Side townhouse where Eleanor Roosevelt lived in her final years asks $16M

Listing photos by Evan Joseph for Compass

March 10, 2021

Upper East Side townhouse where Eleanor Roosevelt lived in her final years asks $16M

The historic Upper East Side townhouse at 55 East 74th Street that former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt once called home has hit the market for $16 million. Though the home has undergone a modern renovation in recent years, Mrs. Roosevelt lived on the bottom floors from 1959 up to her death in 1962. Not only did she host the likes of John F. Kennedy, Leonard Bernstein, and Nikita Khrushchev here, but it's where she wrote her syndicated newspaper column, at a desk overlooking the street, according to the Wall Street Journal.
See the whole place

Famed chef Eric Ripert puts Upper East Side condo on the market for $3.5M

Listing photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

March 10, 2021

Famed chef Eric Ripert puts Upper East Side condo on the market for $3.5M

As was first reported by the Post, celebrity chef Eric Ripert has put his Upper East Side condo on the market for $3,495,000.The French chef and cookbook author is best known for his three-Michelin-starred restaurant Le Bernardin, located in Midtown. He and his wife Sandra bought the three-bedroom home at 515 East 72nd Street in 2010 for $2,850,000. Sandra is now one of the agents selling the apartment for Douglas Elliman. She told the Post, "Eric designed the open kitchen, and it features an island where everyone gathers and watches while he cooks, especially on holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas."
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Affordable, no-fee luxury rentals in Midtown West

All photos courtesy of the Gotham Organization

March 9, 2021

Affordable, no-fee luxury rentals in Midtown West

By Devin Gannon

With its rooftop garden and courtyard, luxury residences, and prime Hell's Kitchen location, Gotham West ticks off all the boxes. What makes the four-building complex truly stand out against other amenity-rich developments, other than its proximity to both Hudson River Park and the culinary darlings of the neighborhood, is its affordable housing. When it opened in 2013, Gotham West was the largest affordable project by a private developer at the time, with about 55 percent of the units restricted by income. Today, applications are being accepted for its no-fee rentals, ranging from studios to three-bedrooms, which are designated for middle-income New Yorkers earning up to 135 percent and 165 percent of the area median income (AMI).
Learn more

$6.5M Tribeca penthouse is a sky-lit sanctuary with tons of bonus space

Listing images courtesy of Douglas Elliman

March 9, 2021

$6.5M Tribeca penthouse is a sky-lit sanctuary with tons of bonus space

Natural light can take a space from average to amazing, and that is definitely the case at this Tribeca penthouse. Located at the condo 19 Murray Street, the five-bedroom triplex has eight skylights, as well as a landscaped roof deck and a balcony. Listed for $6,495,000, the home has a cool, contemporary feel and plenty of bonus space.
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Distinctive Homes

The Boathouse in Central Park will reopen on March 29

Photo by Ajay Suresh via Wikimedia Commons

March 8, 2021

The Boathouse in Central Park will reopen on March 29

After speculation that Central Park's beloved Loeb Boathouse would be closed for good, West Side Rag reports that the venue will reopen on March 29 for lunch, brunch, and private events. Even their famous rowboats rentals will be available. The boathouse announced the news on Instagram, the first time they've posted since last April. The lakeside restaurant and event venue has been in business since 1954 and is not only an iconic spot for New Yorkers, but it's been featured in films like When Harry Met Sally and 27 Dresses.
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Food & Dining

European sophistication meets Midtown living at this $1.6M loft

Listing photos by Eitan Gamliely for Sotheby’s International Realty

March 8, 2021

European sophistication meets Midtown living at this $1.6M loft

You may not think of Midtown East as a neighborhood to buy a historic loft, but this two-bedroom co-op at 351 East 50th Street feels like a downtown pad with all of Midtown's convenience. The full-floor apartment underwent a two-year "floor-to-ceiling renovation down to the studs," according to the listing, and the resulting product is a truly unique home that is reminiscent of a Parisian flat but with plenty of modern conveniences.
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Distinctive Homes

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720 West End Avenue

Upper West Side

Serene Upper West Side homes near Riverside Park

1 beds starting at $1,005,000
2 beds starting at $2,495,000
3 beds starting at $3,495,000
4 beds starting at $5,850,000