Manhattan

Times Square Arts debuted the 2020 Times Square Valentine Heart yesterday, a tradition that started in 2009. This year's installation, Heart Squared, was selected by the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum and designed by MODU and Eric Forman Studio. The sculpture is composed of a 10-foot-tall cubic steel lattice structure that approximates the form of an anatomical heart and 125 mirrors that are suspended within and tilted at various angles to create a kaleidoscopic collage of the urban environment. The arrangement of the mirrors might seem random at first but they're precisely calibrated to form an anamorphic projection—meaning that the mirror array creates a surprise image when viewed from a specific vantage point, which is marked on the ground with white paint.
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Events & Things To Do

Photo credit: H5 Property, courtesy of Compass.

January 31, 2020

This Upper West Side brownstone co-op gives you three levels to love for $725K

Tucked into one of the elegant brownstones that, along with stately apartment buildings, line an enviable Upper West Side block, this one-bedroom home at 169 West 73rd Street has pre-war charm–with a twist. On the second floor of a brownstone co-op building, the space has a main living area, a step-down kitchen and dining area, a lower bedroom, and a lofted home office/bonus room, fitting more rooms into what would be a more limited space if it were on just one level.
Look up, look down

Distinctive Homes

This $2.5M Gramercy co-op comes with a key to the park and an opportunity to buy the place next door

Photo credit: DDReps, courtesy of Compass.

January 30, 2020

This $2.5M Gramercy co-op comes with a key to the park and an opportunity to buy the place next door

First things first: If you should happen to move into this elegant pre-war residence at 34 Gramercy Park East, we hope you like Jimmy Fallon. Because he owns five apartments in the building (Richard Gere also owns a unit here). Built in 1883, it's also NYC’s oldest co-op, known for its Aesthetic Movement architecture and stunning lobby with a Tiffany glass ceiling. The $2.495 million asking price for this two-bedroom co-op also gets you Gramercy Park views, and, of course, that mythical key to New York City's only private park.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

An Italian-style food hall is coming to Canal Street’s historic First National City Bank building

Rendering courtesy of Mercato Fabbrica

January 30, 2020

An Italian-style food hall is coming to Canal Street’s historic First National City Bank building

Plans to bring an Italian market to the First National City Bank building at 415 Broadway (or 296 Canal Street) have just been announced. The narrow block between Lispenard and Canal Streets once housed the largest commercial bank in the world and is known for its Art Moderne facade. The 35,000-square-foot interior will be transformed into Mercato Fabbrica, a "culinary destination inspired by the great markets, department stores and social clubs around the world." The idea has been in the works since 2018 and is slated to open later this year.
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Food & Dining

Renderings courtesy of Krispy Kreme

January 30, 2020

Krispy Kreme opening five new NYC stores ahead of Times Square flagship

Iconic doughnut chain Krispy Kreme announced in June that it will bring its "doughnut theater experience" to a 45,000-square-foot retail space at the corner of 48th Street and Broadway in Times Square where visitors will be able to watch the doughnut-making process–complete with glaze waterfall–or just grab one to go at the walk-up window. It won't open until May, but to hold you over, Krispy Kreme will soon open five new Manhattan locations, in addition to reopening their long-time Penn Station outpost after a renovation (h/t Time Out NY).
More, this way

Food & Dining

January 30, 2020

City Bakery founder opening a hot chocolate bar in Greenwich Village

City Bakery founder Maury Rubin has spent the past weeks in a "Wonka-ish frenzy," Grub Street tells us, as he prepares to launch his latest venture: the Wonderbon Chocolate Co. Rubin and his partner have taken out a three-month lease on a storefront at 257 Bleeker Street—most recently occupied by Sugar and Plumm—which will feature a menu of twelve hot chocolate flavors in an espresso-bar setting. The opening comes just in time for February, the month Rubin made famous for his hot chocolate festival at City Bakery, a tradition he began in 1992 that attracted more than 50,000 customers each year.
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Food & Dining

This Sunday, get access to Grand Central’s secret glass catwalk

View from the catwalk, photo via Wikimedia Commons

January 29, 2020

This Sunday, get access to Grand Central’s secret glass catwalk

Grand Central Terminal's upcoming 107th anniversary isn't the round number typical of big celebrations, but nevertheless, the NYC icon is marking the occasion with a "major treat" that will appeal to all architecture and history buffs. The catwalk above the Main Concourse—normally closed off to the public—will be opened up for one day only on Sunday, February 2. To take advantage of the rare bird's eye perspective, you'll have to register for one of three showings that will take place that day. If this piques your interest, you'll want to hurry: only 45 spots are available and registration ends at 5 p.m. today.
More info

Events & Things To Do

For $6.5K/month, this Chelsea brownstone apartment offers charm and flexibility

Listing images by RISE Media; courtesy of The Corcoran Group

January 29, 2020

For $6.5K/month, this Chelsea brownstone apartment offers charm and flexibility

Perfect for remote workers, this Chelsea rental at 331 West 19th Street comes with a flexible floor plan that can be adapted to suit your working needs. In addition to a sunny master bedroom, the 1,400-square-foot unit has a dedicated (windowless) home office and two smaller rooms that could be used as an additional office, den, guest room, or even for extra storage (as you'll see below). The practical pad is a floor-through unit on the first floor of a charming brownstone. It's now available to rent for $6,500 a month.
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Chef José Andrés will open two new restaurants at the forthcoming Ritz-Carlton in Nomad

Rendering courtesy of Flag Luxury Group; portrait of José Andrés by Blair Getz Mezibov

January 29, 2020

Chef José Andrés will open two new restaurants at the forthcoming Ritz-Carlton in Nomad

Renowned chef José Andrés is growing his presence in New York City with two new restaurants in The Ritz-Carlton hotel currently rising in Nomad. Andrés' ThinkFoodGroup has been tapped by developer Flag Luxury Group to oversee all food and beverage at the 250-room hotel which is slated to open in 2021. In addition to the two restaurants, the group will run a rooftop bar, lobby lounge, and in-room dining services. Andrés made his NYC debut in 2019 with the opening of Mercado Little Spain at Hudson Yards, a 35,000 square-foot food hall encompassing three restaurants, tapas kiosks, a Spanish goods market, and several bars.
Details here

Food & Dining

Construction of Upper West Side’s tallest tower can proceed

Rendering of 50 West 66th Street courtesy of Binyan Studios/ Snøhetta

January 28, 2020

Construction of Upper West Side’s tallest tower can proceed

Construction of Extell's controversial supertall on the Upper West Side can move forward, the city's Board of Standards and Appeals ruled Tuesday. In an unusual 2-2 split decision, the BSA said the mechanical space planned for the tower at 50 West 66th Street is appropriate, rejecting a challenge from the preservation organization Landmark West. The group had argued that Extell abused the zoning code by including tall mechanical floors in its design in order to boost the overall height of units at the building, without increasing square footage.
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Policy

Sales launch from $1.4M at Thomas Heatherwick’s Lantern House, amenity spaces revealed

Courtesy of Related Companies

January 28, 2020

Sales launch from $1.4M at Thomas Heatherwick’s Lantern House, amenity spaces revealed

Sales have officially launched at Thomas Heatherwick's condo project on the High Line, developer Related Companies announced Tuesday. Located at 515 West 18th Street, Lantern House consists of two bubbled towers that straddle the elevated park, one at 10 stories and 22 stories. Pricing for the residences, which include one- to four-bedroom units, start at roughly $1.395 million and go up to about $17 million. And more details on the building's amenity spaces were released, with renderings now available of the Equinox-curated health club with a swimming pool, outdoor terrace, roof deck, and private dining space.
See inside

In Gramercy’s new Fotografiska museum, Verōnika restaurant takes a creative approach to preservation

Photos by Adrian Gaut

January 28, 2020

In Gramercy’s new Fotografiska museum, Verōnika restaurant takes a creative approach to preservation

On the second floor of the new Fotografiska outpost in Gramercy—a branch of the Swedish photography museum—is a sumptuous new restaurant that's quickly becoming one of the city's most sought-after reservations. Verōnika (named after the patron saint of photography) was designed by Roman and Williams (known for their work on similarly chic Le Coucou, Upland, and La Mercerie) who worked closely with restaurateur Stephen Starr to define the space. Informed by the tradition of grand European cafés, the 150-seat restaurant is filled with elegant details and textures: soaring 20-foot ceilings, warm brass chandeliers, wood-trimmed arched doorways, velvet banquettes, and leather chairs.
Take a closer look

January 27, 2020

The Chelsea Flea will return to its longtime lot under new lease with Brooklyn Flea founders

A beloved flea market and antique fair in Chelsea that closed last month will reopen this spring. The Chelsea Flea Market, which first opened in 1976 and attracted antique-lovers and artists like Andy Warhol, is set to return to its original location on West 25th Street in April, but under new management, as Gothamist first reported. Co-founders of Brooklyn Flea, which also runs the market Smorgasburg, Eric Demby and Jonathan Butler, have reached a lease agreement for the parking lot at 29 West 25th Street.
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Real Estate Trends

January 27, 2020

Fundraiser launches for the Museum of Chinese in America after fire destroyed 85K-item archive

The Museum of Chinese in America has launched an online fundraiser after a fire likely destroyed most of its extensive archive. Last Thursday night, a fire broke out at 70 Mulberry Street in Chinatown, in a building that housed a number of nonprofits, including about 85,000 irreplaceable items from the museum's collection. According to the New York Times, priceless artifacts like traditional wedding dresses from the early 1900s and documents from 1883 about the Chinese Exclusion Act are thought to be among items lost.
Get the details

Events & Things To Do

See inside Central Park Tower’s 100th floor residential club

Renderings courtesy of Extell Development Company

January 27, 2020

See inside Central Park Tower’s 100th floor residential club

As Extell Development's Central Park Tower nears the finish line, newly released renderings of the Billionaires' Row supertall are giving us a peek into the private residential club that will occupy the 100th floor with a suite of high-end amenities. Reaching over 1,000 feet in the sky, the amenity space, called the Central Park Club, will be the highest lounge of its kind in the world, offering hard-to-beat views over Billionaires' Row and Central Park.
And the views are exceptional

$775K East Village co-op in a former rectory has 13-foot ceilings and a loft

Photo credit: Melanie Greene courtesy of Compass.

January 27, 2020

$775K East Village co-op in a former rectory has 13-foot ceilings and a loft

This cozy East Village pad at 300 East 4th Street has the modern chic vibe that gives apartments in this neighborhood such charm. The building also has the architectural distinction of being in a former rectory that was converted to co-ops, giving each unit within a unique footprint. Asking $775,000, the one-bedroom home near picturesque and lively Avenue C gets 13-foot ceilings and a loft for storage or sleeping.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

New details and looks for Essex Crossing’s second condo building

Credit: VMI Studio

January 24, 2020

New details and looks for Essex Crossing’s second condo building

Sales will launch at Essex Crossing's second condo building this spring, developers announced. Dubbed One Essex Crossing, 202 Broome Street is the seventh of nine buildings currently under construction or completed at the Lower East Side site. A teaser website and new rendering were released this week for the 83-unit tower, as first reported by Curbed NY, as well as additional details about the impending sales launch.
More here

Where I Work: Marvel Architects’ studio brings tropical flair to a classic Tribeca loft

All photos taken by James and Karla Murray exclusively for 6sqft

January 24, 2020

Where I Work: Marvel Architects’ studio brings tropical flair to a classic Tribeca loft

By Dana Schulz

Marvel Architects say they were drawn to their Tribeca office space 25 years ago because of its connection to NYC history and its openness, qualities that also resonate throughout the firm and its practice. They regularly work on cultural projects (like TheatreSquared and the Northeast Bronx YMCA), adaptive reuse projects (such as St. Ann's Warehouse and the Bedford Armory in Brooklyn) and affordable housing developments (like the Stonewall House and Rockaway Village) and they are receptive to community feedback (as was the case with their current One Clinton project). With another office in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Marvel continues this open dialogue throughout its team, as staff members contribute reciprocally to projects in both cities. To learn more about this unique firm, 6sqft had a chat with founding principal Jonathan Marvel and founding partners Lissa So and Guido Hartray and toured their open and airy office that brings a bit of tropical flair to Tribeca.
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Where I Work

For $2.75M, this dreamy Village duplex is the next best thing to a private townhouse

Photo credit: Matt Vacca for Douglas Kampsen, Compass

January 24, 2020

For $2.75M, this dreamy Village duplex is the next best thing to a private townhouse

It's easy to forget that this gorgeous duplex at 136 West 13th Street isn't an entire townhouse. Located on the kind of Village block that inspires envy in even the most jaded passerby, it has all of the best bits within its two gracious floors. With historic charm in full effect and a stylish, sophisticated renovation adding custom design, the two-story, one-bedroom co-op is asking $2.75 million.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

Get a little glam in this spacious Chelsea one-bedroom asking $750K

Photos by Katie Breitic for Tom Cooper, courtesy of Compass

January 24, 2020

Get a little glam in this spacious Chelsea one-bedroom asking $750K

By Dana Schulz

If there's one name that harkens to the glamour of pre-war architecture, it very well might be Emery Roth, the designer of the 1931 building at 300 West 23rd Street. And this one-bedroom corner unit, currently on the market for $750,000, has taken this notion of Art Deco glamour and infused it into a modern renovation that also adds some glitz and mid-century nods. With two gracious walk-in closets, a contemporary open kitchen, and plenty of street-facing windows, the co-op is sure to turn some heads.
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Distinctive Homes

January 23, 2020

Go behind the scenes at Morningside Heights’ Riverside Church and its 400-foot-tall bell tower

After nearly 20 years, the iconic bell tower of the Riverside Church in Morningside Heights has officially reopened. The impressive Gothic-style cathedral is home to the 74-bell Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Carillon, which includes a 40,000 pound Bourdon bell, the largest tuned bell in the world. The tower closed to the public almost two decades ago following 9/11 but reopened for public tours earlier this month. 6sqft recently took a tour of the stunning Riverside Church, known for its interdenominational services and dedication to social justice causes.
Take the tour

Sarah Jessica Parker may be selling one of her West Village townhouses

General photo of Charles Street by Spencer Means via Flickr cc

January 23, 2020

Sarah Jessica Parker may be selling one of her West Village townhouses

By Annie Doge

For being such a high-profile couple, Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick have managed to keep a fairly low profile in the West Village, but when it comes to their real estate, the gossip is inevitable. The latest whisperings come via a source who told the Post that the couple is selling their townhouse on Charles Street for $19 million off-market. In 2016, Parker and Broderick dropped $34.5 million on two adjacent townhouses on West 11th Street with the intention of combining them into one mega-mansion. While the work has been ongoing, they've been living on Charles Street, so perhaps the sale plans means their new home is ready.
Get the scoop

Celebrities

For $875K, this bright two-bedroom with lots of exposed brick is a Lower East Side classic

Image credit: RISE Media courtesy of The Corcoran Group.

January 23, 2020

For $875K, this bright two-bedroom with lots of exposed brick is a Lower East Side classic

It's a challenge to find a nice apartment of any size for under $1 million–save perhaps a studio–in prime downtown neighborhoods like the Lower East Side. This two-bedroom co-op at 85 Stanton Street is a classic tenement walk-up with a small second bedroom; but in addition to location, it has a sparkling renovation on its side plus lots of brick and pre-war charm, and it's only asking $875,000.
Have a look around

Distinctive Homes

Rent a 9,600-square-foot Nolita mansion in a former convent for $65K a month

Photo credit: Elizabeth Dooley for The Trentham Team, courtesy of Compass.

January 22, 2020

Rent a 9,600-square-foot Nolita mansion in a former convent for $65K a month