Upper Manhattan

This affordable housing at 847 Saint Nicholas Avenue lottery checks all the boxes. Most importantly, the units are actually affordable, available to low-income households earning 40, 50, or 60 percent of the area median income and ranging from $475/month studios to $1,166/month two-bedrooms. It's in the beautiful Hamilton Heights/Sugar Hill Northwest Historic District, is the new home to the Dance Theater of Harlem, and offers tenants a laundry room, fitness center, first-floor rear year, and seventh-floor terrace.
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Affordable Housing

Designs sought for two new waterfront parks in Inwood

Inwood Hill Park via Flickr

February 11, 2019

Designs sought for two new waterfront parks in Inwood

Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration is seeking ideas for two new waterfront parks in Inwood, as first reported by Curbed. The city's Economic Development Corporation released a request for proposals on Monday for a consultant or team to design a pair of parks along the Harlem River in the Manhattan neighborhood. The plan falls under the Inwood rezoning, which was approved last August and intends to deliver $200 million in public investments. During the process, stakeholders pushed for new open space and upgraded parks to be included in the rezoning, as the waterfront remains inaccessible to many in the community.
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Architecture And Design

January 25, 2019

Beautifully restored Victorian townhouse with views of Morris Jumel Mansion asks $2.8M

By Alexandra Alexa

Overlooking Highbridge Park and the historic Morris Jumel Mansion (Manhattan's oldest home), this impeccable High-Victorian townhouse at 427 West 162nd Street in Washington Heights is brimming with eye-catching details and artistry. Currently a two-family home with the potential for rental income, this is a one-of-a-kind property in a neighborhood that's been drawing a surge of new residents lately. Over four years ago, a townhouse sold on the same street for $2.4 million—a record-breaking sale for the neighborhood at that time. Now, offering six bedrooms and a combined total of 4,500 square feet, this fully restored stunner with a huge garden and amazing views is a catch for the asking price of $2,795,000.
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January 25, 2019

Washington Heights co-op has river views, two bedrooms and a fresh reno, all for $800K

It's never easy to find a two-bedroom in Manhattan for under $1 million, and this lovely co-op at 25 Chittenden Avenue in Washington Heights has even more than its $800,000 price tag to offer. Its top-floor, corner location affords its spectacular Hudson River views. Plus, it's been newly renovated with tons of chic, Scandi-style built-ins. And if you're looking for a move-in ready option, the new kitchen and sweet paint job mean your decorating could be taken care of.
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Distinctive Homes

January 23, 2019

Sweet Hamilton Heights living at this historic $3.85M brownstone on Convent Avenue

By Alexandra Alexa

Homes along the coveted tree-lined Convent Avenue in Hamilton Heights rarely become available, but here's a chance to own a piece of NYC history. The five-bedroom brownstone at 325 Convent Avenue just hit the market with an asking price of $3,850,000. The last time this property sold was back in 2001 when it was snagged for a mere $585,000! This 4,500-square-foot brownstone is a fantastic investment filled with original details, a beautiful garden, and a manicured front lawn.
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Distinctive Homes

January 18, 2019

After more than two years, Hudson Heights’ cliffside ‘Pumpkin House’ sells for $2M

By Alexandra Alexa

Back in 2016, 6sqft reported that the iconic “Pumpkin House,” a 1920s townhouse cantilevered from a cliff in Hudson Heights, had hit the market for the first time since 2011 for $5.25 million. Still without a buyer the following summer, the 17-foot-wide, six-bedroom brick home at 16 Chittenden Avenue received a price chop to $4.25 million. The unusual home—standing 250 feet above the Henry Hudson Parkway—finally found its new owner this Thursday, when it sold for a deeply discounted $2 million, as reported by the New York Post.
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Get a one-bedroom right near Washington Heights’ historic sites for $1,900/month

Morris Jumel Mansion via Wiki Commons

December 21, 2018

Get a one-bedroom right near Washington Heights’ historic sites for $1,900/month

Washington Heights has been in the news lately for its surge in millennial residents and upcoming food hall, but another draw to the neighborhood is its wealth of historic sites like the Morris-Jumel Mansion (Manhattan's oldest house!) and Sylvan Terrace (a hidden cobblestone street lined with 19th-century wooden row houses). And the latest affordable housing lottery to come online is just a few short blocks from these local landmarks. Located at 1980 Amsterdam Avenue, between West 158th and 159th Streets, this new 14-unit rental has five $1,900/month one-bedrooms available to households earning between $65,143 and $108,550 annually.
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Affordable Housing

Washington Heights’ first food hall announces spring opening and vendors

An early rendering of North End Food Hall, via NADA

December 18, 2018

Washington Heights’ first food hall announces spring opening and vendors

Earlier this year, the Post called Washington Heights “the new Williamsburg,” after census data revealed that the upper-Manhattan neighborhood has more millennials than any other area in the entire city. After being priced out of areas like Bushwick, the Heights is a cheaper but equally convenient place to settle down. And like any good up-and-coming NYC spot, Washington Heights will soon be getting its very own food hall. Eater reports that North End Food Hall will open this spring at 4300 Broadway, at 183rd Street, with local favorites like Dashi Ramen (from the team behind Jin Ramen), Harlem Public, and Salt and Bone Smokehouse.
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Food & Dining

Landmarks designates new Inwood historic district

Image courtesy of NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission via Flickr.

December 11, 2018

Landmarks designates new Inwood historic district

The city's Landmarks Preservation Commission voted today to designate the Park Terrace West-West 217th Street Historic District in the Inwood section of Manhattan. The historic district features an enclave of picturesque early 20th-century houses with landscaped topography that stand out among the neighborhood’s apartment buildings.
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Our 4,700sqft: How European expats found a family home in a historic Hamilton Heights brownstone

Our ongoing series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to Laurence and Antoine’s 19th-century Hamilton Heights townhouse. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

December 4, 2018

Our 4,700sqft: How European expats found a family home in a historic Hamilton Heights brownstone

France natives Laurence and Antoine moved to NYC in 2006, after spending 12 years in Frankfurt, Germany. Antoine's career as a software developer brought the family of six across the pond, where they landed in Turtle Bay. But once they got acclimated, they knew they wanted a neighborhood with more character. So eight years ago, they bought a historic brownstone in Hamilton Heights. When asked if they miss anything about living in Midtown they quickly say "no," as they've fallen in love with Hamilton Heights' charm, convenience, and friendly neighborhood feel. But take away what's outside, and Laurence and Antoine's home alone would be enough to make any New Yorker fall in love. Built in 1890, the 21-foot-wide brownstone retains almost all of its original details, such as elaborately carved moldings and fireplaces (five, to be exact), cozy window seats, and jaw-dropping foliated screens in the master bedroom. However, with their children now out of the house, the couple is ready to downsize and has put their home on the market. But before they depart, Laurence and Antoine invited us in for a personal tour.
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November 15, 2018

MVRDV’s vibrant ‘vertical village’ hotel breaks ground in Washington Heights

Netherlands-based architecture firm MVRDV on Thursday broke ground on its first major project in the United States: a 22-story tower in Manhattan's Washington Heights neighborhood. Dubbed the Radio Tower & Hotel, the mixed-use building will feature a hotel, retail, and office space all in a colorful, boxy structure. According to the architects, the vibrant boxes take inspiration from the colors of "storefronts in the majority-Hispanic neighborhood" and keeps them the same size as other buildings in the area.
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November 6, 2018

At $790K, this full-floor Hamilton Heights condo is a great investment

The secret's been out about Hamilton Heights for quite some time now, but there are still some great real estate deals to be had. For example, this completely charming condo at 789 Saint Nicholas Avenue takes up the full floor of a townhouse, has two bedrooms, and offers a winning combo of vintage details and renovated amenities--all for $790,000. And with a location just four blocks from the A, C, B, and D trains at 145th Street, you can get to Midtown in no time.
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Distinctive Homes

September 21, 2018

Will 2018 be the year quirky and historic Hamilton Heights ‘Art House’ sells for $2.7M?

This unusual three-family townhouse at 532 West 148th Street in Hamilton Heights was purchased by Portuguese-born architect Luis Da Cruz in 2006 for $995,000 and thoroughly renovated as a canvas for the artist's personal creative vision. Cruz restored the 1920 home's carved wood stairways and railings, moldings, five fireplaces, beamed ceiling, and exposed brick walls, and added his signature art pieces to an eclectic, bohemian decor, calling the house Musée Maison (Museum House) and making it his studio and workshop. He also hosted art events during which all of the work was for sale and he would perform tricks on aerial silks suspended from the ceiling. The house itself has been on and off the market since 2007. In 2015 6sqft featured the artsy listing at $2.5 million and again after a broker change in 2017 asking $2.7M. Now, another broker switch and more conventional photos–but no change in price–herald the latest attempt to find a suitably visionary buyer.
Tour the toned-down version of this unusual townhouse

The best affordable and student-friendly off-campus neighborhoods in NYC

Columbia campus, via Pixabay

August 9, 2018

The best affordable and student-friendly off-campus neighborhoods in NYC

By Cait Etherington

If you can’t bear the idea of living in the dorms for another year, you’re not alone. Unless you happen to go to Columbia where over 90 percent of students live on campus, there's a high likelihood you’ll be searching for your own apartment at some point during your college years, just like 57 percent of students at NYU and 74 percent at The New School. And if you're like most students, you’ll be looking for an apartment far from downtown that strikes the right balance between affordability, commutability, and access to services. To help you make the smartest decision possible, 6sqft has compiled a list of affordable, student-friendly neighborhoods in Manhattan and Brooklyn. By New York City standards, all of these are both safe (e.g., reported fewer than 1.5447 crimes per 1000 people in June 2018) and within reach (e.g., on average, three-bedroom units can still be rented for less than $5,000 per month). Using July 2018 City Realty data on average neighborhood rents, we've broken down how much you’ll pay on average to live in a three-bedroom shared unit in each of these neighborhoods. We’ve also provided average commute times to both Union Square, which is easily walkable to NYU, The New School, and Cooper Union, and to the Columbia University campus.
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59-block Inwood rezoning vote draws protests from residents who fear its character will be lost

Inwood Hill Park; Image: Dana via Flickr.

August 9, 2018

59-block Inwood rezoning vote draws protests from residents who fear its character will be lost

On Wednesday the City Council approved a rezoning plan for a 59-block section of Inwood, a neighbhorhood often referred to as the "last affordable neighborhood in Manhattan," the New York Times reports. The plan was approved last week by the city's zoning subcommittee and the Land Use Committee. The Inwood rezoning is part of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan to rezone neighborhoods across the city as part of the push to create and preserve 300,000 affordable housing units by his goal date of 2026. Inwood is the fifth neighborhood–including the also-controversial East New York and East Harlem–to be approved for rezoning under the plan.
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July 23, 2018

$970K Hamilton Heights condo has a sunny disposition and a farmhouse vibe

The interiors at this Upper Manhattan condo at 370 Convent Avenue are as tranquil as they are feminine, and as spacious as they are cozy. The corner apartment is on the 4th floor of a five-story pre-war condo with only two apartments per floor. It's asking $969,000, and while it doesn't currently have a craft room, it's roomy enough to find space for one, and it would certainly fit the surroundings.
Take the tour

July 11, 2018

For $2.7M, a Hamilton Heights townhouse with a pretty garden on a historic block

A corner home located in the spine of the Hamilton Heights Historic District has hit the market for the first time in nearly two decades. Located at 381 Convent Avenue, on the same block where Alexander Hamilton once lived, a four-story townhouse is asking $2.675 million. Built in 1893 by John M. Cahill, the Romanesque Revival property measures 3,200 square feet, contains five bedrooms, four bathrooms and an adorable, private garden. Just a few houses down at 327 Convent Avenue, another historic townhouse is for sale for a $3.7 million.
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Distinctive Homes

Live in new ‘hipster haven’ Washington Heights for $1,705/month

Coogan’s Restaurant in Washington Heights, via CityRealty

July 5, 2018

Live in new ‘hipster haven’ Washington Heights for $1,705/month

A recent Post article dubbed Washington Heights "the new Williamsburg," referencing census data that shows the upper-Manhattan 'hood has more millennials than any other area in the entire city. Noting that New Yorkers age 20 to 34 have been priced out of places like Bushwick, NYU adjunct professor of urban planning Michael Keane said, "they’re thinking, ‘Hey, Washington Heights is in Manhattan, it’s easy to get to Midtown, crime is down and the rent is several hundred dollars less.’" And this new middle-income housing opportunity at 516 West 162nd Street, is even less, with five one-bedrooms up for grabs for $1,705 a month and one two-bedroom for $2,055. By comparison, market-rate one-beds in the building go for $2,300 and two-beds for $3,050.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

June 15, 2018

Snag a one-bedroom at a passive house in Washington Heights, from $1,650/month

A newly constructed rental that meets passive house standards has launched a lottery for six middle-income apartments in Washington Heights. Designed by PM Architecture, the Uptown six-story building contains 20 units and boasts a facade of charcoal-painted insulated panels. Located at 577 West 161st Street, the building will have a medical office on its first floor, residences above it, and an outdoor recreation space in the back. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the $1,650/month and $1,800/month one-bedroom apartments.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

June 7, 2018

$3.7M historic Hamilton Heights townhouse hits the market for the first time in 50 years

By Michelle Sinclair Colman

Here's a rare opportunity to own one of the gorgeous neo-Tudor townhouses on Convent Avenue in Hamilton Heights. Built in 1890 and offered for the first time in 50 years, 327 Convent Avenue is asking $3.7 million. Located a gorgeous block steeped in history (Alexander Hamilton's country estate was originally just one block away), this six-bedroom home is nearly 5,000 square feet with tons of original details and a sun-drenched backyard.
Get a look inside

May 16, 2018

Behind the scenes at the United Palace, Washington Heights’ opulent ‘Wonder Theatre’

Earlier this year, 6sqft got an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour at the Loew's Jersey City, one of the five opulent Loew’s Wonder Theatres built in 1929-30 around the NYC area. We've now gotten a tour of another, the United Palace in Washington Heights. Originally known as the Loew's 175th Street Theatre, the "Cambodian neo-Classical" landmark has served as a church and cultural center since it closed in 1969 and was purchased by televangelist Reverend Ike, who renamed it the Palace Cathedral. Today it's still owned by late Reverend's church but functions as a spiritual center and arts center. Thanks to Reverand Ike and his church's continued stewardship, Manhattan's fourth-largest theater remains virtually unchanged since architect Thomas W. Lamb completed it in 1930. 6sqft recently visited and saw everything from the insane ornamentation in the lobby to the former smoking lounge that recently caught the eye of Woody Allen. We also chatted with UPCA's executive director Mike Fitelson about why this space is truly one-of-a-kind.
Take the incredible digital tour

April 26, 2018

Asking $1.4M, this renovated Castle Village co-op is a candy-colored uptown oasis

Tucked away in the prime line of the captivating Castle Village co-op at 260 Cabrini Boulevard in Hudson Heights, this two-bedroom home is blessed with high-bluff vistas and a riot of colorful interiors that qualifies it as, to quote the listing, a "residential work-of-art." Even without its definitely-non-beige decor, the light and views in every room make this unique home a one-of-a-kind oasis even in a city of millions,
Take a whirlwind tour

When the Bronx Bombers were the Highlanders: A brief history of the Yankees

The Highlanders play a game at Hilltop Park in 1912, photo via The Library of Congress

March 29, 2018

When the Bronx Bombers were the Highlanders: A brief history of the Yankees

Not unlike their current powerhouse lineup, the most dominant team in American sports got off to quite a rocky start. Not only did the New York Highlanders, now known as the Yankees, have a losing record for many years, but the team’s first home field was also a mess: it was located near a swamp, the outfield had no grass, and the ballpark sat mostly unfinished. In just six weeks, 500 men hastily built the stadium on Broadway and 168th Street in Washington Heights, known as Hilltop Park, in time for the Highlanders' first home game on April 30, 1903. Due to the unsavory, rock-filled conditions, the last big league game at Hilltop Park was played in October of 1912. Following its closure, the Highlanders changed their name to the Yankees in 1913, moved to the Bronx, and went on to become one of the most successful sports teams in the world.
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History

Inwood Library project will have 175 affordable apartments and a new Pre-K

Renderings courtesy of Fogarty Finger Architecture and Andrew Berman Architect

March 7, 2018

Inwood Library project will have 175 affordable apartments and a new Pre-K

By Emily Nonko

The former site of the Inwood Library is undergoing a major upgrade, with the city announcing a shiny new development that will hold the branch, 175 units of deeply affordable apartments, and a brand new pre-k facility. The decision to tear down the old library building is the result of months of community engagement and neighborhood planning exercises through the city's Inwood Affordable Housing and Library Planning Process.
See interior renderings

February 12, 2018

Enjoy zen vibes from this lofty condo asking $775K in Hamilton Heights

By Emily Nonko

This two-bedroom pad comes from the prewar condo at 706 Riverside Drive, in Hamilton Heights. Though the building is classic the apartment's been renovated to look more like a zen loft downtown. A "double loft wonderland" was added to the second bedroom, alongside reclaimed wood shelving and unique decor. After last selling in 2007 for $349,830, it is now asking $775,000.
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Distinctive Homes

November 30, 2017

Art-filled ‘Musée Maison,’ Hamilton Heights home of artist/acrobat, still a tough sell at $2.7M