Upper West Side

Photos courtesy of Book Culture The latest independent bookstore in danger of closing is the Upper West Side's beloved Book Culture. Owner Chris Doeblin issued an open letter earlier this week in which he urges the city to provide assistance in the form of an immediate loan. Despite good business—they've been able to expand to three storefronts uptown and one in Long Island City—Doeblin has stated that he would need a minimum of $500,000 to keep things afloat and fend off the "awful spiral" of unpaid vendor debts and loans.
More info

City Living

Dorrance Brooks Square Historic District, St. Marks United Methodist Church. Image courtesy of NY State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

June 17, 2019

Historic places in the UWS, Harlem and Sunset Park are recommended for state and national designation

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Friday that the New York State Board for Historic Preservation has recommended adding 18 properties, resources, and districts to the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The new nominations include the Upper West Side home of author and civil rights activist James Baldwin, the Dorrance Brooks Square Historic District and the former 32nd Precinct Station House complex in Harlem, and the Fourth Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church in Sunset Park, Brooklyn in addition to 14 other nominated places throughout the state.
Find out how New York continues to recognize varied historic places

Seven years in the works, Jeanne Gang’s $383M Museum of Natural History expansion breaks ground

A rendering of the front façade of the Gilder Center (L) by Studio Gang, 2019; Center interior (R) by MIR and Studio Gang, 2019.

June 12, 2019

Seven years in the works, Jeanne Gang’s $383M Museum of Natural History expansion breaks ground

Following delays caused by a lawsuit aimed at protecting the adjacent, city-owned Theodore Roosevelt Park, a groundbreaking ceremony on June 12 officially kicked off construction of the American Museum of Natural History’s new Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation. Designed by architect Jeanne Gang—who was initially brought on board the project seven years ago—the $383 million Center will add new galleries, classrooms, a theatre, and an expanded library while linking 10 museum buildings for better circulation throughout the campus. Originally slated to open in 2020, the construction process is expected to last three years.
All the details

May 30, 2019

Cozy Upper West Side two-bedroom with lots of built-ins seeks $749K

This cozy Upper West Side two-bedroom stands out with multiple custom built-ins and proximity to both Riverside and Central Parks. It also benefits from two more unusual perks: The co-op at 242 West 104th Street runs a small lending library from the basement, and residents can also be part of the West 104th Street Association, which provides private block security and hosts an annual block party in addition to numerous other community events. It's now listed for $749,000 after last selling in 2014 for $637,000.
Peek inside

Distinctive Homes

May 24, 2019

Diane Keaton’s former San Remo apartment returns for a discounted $14.5M

By Annie Doge

Diane Keaton's very first NYC apartment was this full-floor co-op in one of the San Remo's iconic towers. She bought the Upper West Side pad in the late '70s after gaining fame in Woody Allen's "Annie Hall." At the time, Mary Tyler Moore was living in the other tower, and rumor has it that Warren Beatty found this quite convenient since he was dating both actresses at the same time. In more recent years, the apartment was home to the late Gordon McLeod, the former head of digital publications at Dow Jones. He sold the home to investment banker Larry Slaughter and his wife Constance in 2012 for $13.5 million. They first listed the residence in March 2018 for $17.5 million, but have now re-listed it for a discounted $14.5 million.
See the rest

Listing photos by VHT, courtesy of The Corcoran Group

May 23, 2019

$5.3M Upper West Side townhouse has a wealth of possibilities in its 18 rooms

Listing photos by VHT, courtesy of The Corcoran Group The four-story, five-family townhouse at 135 West 78th street could compete with any of its neighbors for the title of the prettiest house on an elegant brownstone-lined Upper West Side block. Inside, the 20-foot-wide home is currently configured as five units including an owner’s duplex, a top-floor two-bedroom market-rate flat, and three one-bedroom rent-stabilized units. In addition to living in a large, characterful duplex with a glass-walled garden view and receiving income from the variety of rental apartments, the new owner has the future option of conversion to a 4,500-square-foot single-family home when units become vacant.
Get a peek at some of those 18 rooms

Distinctive Homes

24 weed-eating goats have arrived in Riverside Park

Photo © 6sqft

May 21, 2019

24 weed-eating goats have arrived in Riverside Park

This morning, hundreds of local residents, news outlets, and local school children packed into Riverside Park at 120th Street to see a herd of 24 goats released into the park. The spectacle kicked off the Riverside Park Conservancy's GOaTHAM, an initiative to use "retired" goats from a local farm to help clear out a surge of invasive species from a hard-to-access area of the park. From today until August 30th, the team of goats will be noshing on poison ivy, bittersweet, wineberry, and more.
Watch the hungry goats in action

Events & Things To Do

LPC calendars six sites linked to New York City’s LGBT history for possible landmark status

Top, left to right: GAA Firehouse, James Baldwin Residence, LGBT Community Center; Bottom, left to right: Audre Lorde Residence, Women’s Liberation Center, Caffe Cino; All photos courtesy of NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project

May 14, 2019

LPC calendars six sites linked to New York City’s LGBT history for possible landmark status

The city's Landmarks Preservation Commission voted on Tuesday to calendar six individual sites related to the history of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in New York City. The proposed landmarks highlight both groups and individuals who have advanced the LGBT rights movement by providing structure for community and political support, as well as raising public awareness. The commission's decision to calendar the sites comes ahead of next month's 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising and NYC's annual Pride celebration. LPC Chair Sarah Carroll said on Tuesday a public hearing to discuss the sites will be held June 4.
Find out more

A herd of hungry goats will save Riverside Park from invasive plants

Unrelated, these goats were found loitering on the subway tracks last year by the MTA. Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit via Flickr.

May 7, 2019

A herd of hungry goats will save Riverside Park from invasive plants

The hilly terrain of the Upper West Side's Riverside park is becoming overgrown with invasive plant species, poison ivy included; but the green hordes will be no match for 24 goats that the park plans to unleash on the hard-to-reach patches human gardeners have had a hard time taming. The goats are being brought out of a cushy retirement upstate to graze on a fenced-in area between 119th and 125th Streets, I Love the Upper West Side blog reports.
'Goatham' returns, this way

City Living

Manhattan intersection is permanently renamed to honor 50th anniversary of ‘Sesame Street’

Image credit: Paige Polk/Mayoral Photography Office

May 2, 2019

Manhattan intersection is permanently renamed to honor 50th anniversary of ‘Sesame Street’

The city has officially renamed the intersection of West 63rd Street and Broadway in Manhattan "Sesame Street," to honor the beloved educational program's 50th anniversary. As part of a year-long celebration, Mayor Bill de Blasio was joined by Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Oscar, Elmo and other members of the "Sesame" crew at a renaming ceremony at the bustling West Side corner–the location of the Sesame Workshop offices. "We’re here because we believe in what Sesame Street means today and what it’s meant for half-a-century, what it’s done for our children."
de Blasio and Big Bird: separated at birth?

City Living

April 19, 2019

Barbra Streisand’s former Central Park West penthouse hits the market for $11.25M

By Devin Gannon

Barbra Streisand's former penthouse at an Emery Roth-designed building on the Upper West Side is asking $11.25 million. Found at 320 Central Park West in the Ardsley, one of the city's most notable Art Deco residential towers, the duplex includes four bedrooms, three and a half baths, and 2,500 square feet of terraces. The "EGOT" winner moved to the building in 1963 and remained there for over 30 years, according to the New York Times.
See inside

April 11, 2019

Extell’s Upper West Side tower going forward despite city’s amendment on mechanical voids

Rendering courtesy of Binyan Studios/ Snøhetta Following a revised design and review by the FDNY, developer Extell has been granted permission to proceed with plans for the Snøhetta-designed tower at 50 West 66th Street, Gothamist reports. This comes a few months after the Department of Buildings threatened to pull the building’s permits over concerns that the project was misusing mechanical voids in order to boost the overall height of units in the building. The DOB approved Extell's revised plans last Thursday, allowing the project to go forward despite a 12-to-1 City Planning Commission vote yesterday to crack down on the mechanical void loophole.
More info

$1.4M Hotel des Artistes co-op has a secretive past of forbidden love

Listing images by Andrew Kiracofe for Compass

April 10, 2019

$1.4M Hotel des Artistes co-op has a secretive past of forbidden love

This Hotel des Artistes apartment has a surprising claim to fame: it was the home of Italian actor Rudolph Valentino’s mistress, while Valentino—who was known as the "Great Lover" of the 1920s for his roles in romantic dramas—lived next door. To facilitate their liaisons, a secret passage linking the two apartments was created, though it’s not clear from the listing if current residents will have access to it. There’s still plenty to love about the one-bedroom co-op at 1 West 67th Street, which features a double-height living room, original oak floors, and an upstairs bedroom with a Juliette balcony overlooking the living area. The Central Park West unit just hit the market seeking $1,425,000.
Take a look inside

Construction progresses on $10M retail project with a roof terrace at 70 West 93rd Street

Rendering courtesy of Beyer Blinder Belle

April 8, 2019

Construction progresses on $10M retail project with a roof terrace at 70 West 93rd Street

It's been in the works since 2015, but the 15,000-square-foot glass-enclosed retail addition fronting the apartment tower at 70 West 93rd Street is quickly coming together, I Love the Upper West Side neighborhood blog reports. The new retail addition, designed by Beyer Blinder Belle, is replacing the outdoor plaza that surrounded the rental building.
More renderings, this way

New Developments

Sample the wares and see what’s new at NYC’s top flea and food markets

Image courtesy of Brooklyn Flea; photo credit: Scott Lynch

April 5, 2019

Sample the wares and see what’s new at NYC’s top flea and food markets

The city's local flea and food markets set up shop in springtime, bringing irresistible edibles and covetable goods to a neighborhood near you. Though dates and locations vary and favorite vendors come and go, the mighty market phenomenon keeps growing. The shop-and-nosh mecca Brooklyn Flea again changes locations (hello, WTC!), a favorite night market returns in Queens, and the Manhattan classics are back to offer more of what you didn't know you couldn't live without. Some of the best fairs are the most fleeting, and one-offs like the annual Renegade Arts and Crafts Fair are always worth the trip. The list below rounds up the city's top food and flea picks. Let the hunting and gathering begin!
Plan your market strategy

Events & Things To Do

April 4, 2019

My 3,000sqft: Power broker Louise Phillips Forbes shows her family-friendly Upper West Side home

Louise Phillips Forbes moved to NYC from Nashville to further her dance career on Broadway when she was in her 20s. When an injury forced her to change her plans, she fell into real estate, quickly realizing that not only had she found her home in New York, but also her true passion. For close to three decades now, Forbes has been a powerhouse in the real estate field; in fact, her sales team is the number one at Halstead with more than $3.5 billion in career sales. But Louise has the highly coveted ability to truly balance her work and personal lives. At home, everything is about her husband and two sons and their time together. And when she renovated her Upper West Side apartment, this comfortable, welcoming feel was her number one priority. When she's not closing sales or watching her sons' hockey games, Louise can be found at her local Soul Cycle or serving on the board of Change for Kids, as well as the advisory committees for several non-profit arts organizations. To get a glimpse into how she does it all, 6sqft recently visited Louise, took a tour of her home, and got to know her a little better.
Take the tour and meet Louise

March 29, 2019

Upper West Side duplex with plenty of pre-war charm and a serene terrace asks $1.1M

On a quintessential Upper West Side block—just two blocks away from both Riverside and Central Parks—this one-bedroom duplex at 141 West 85th Street packs a lot of pre-war Manhattan charm. Exposed brick and wood beams, a wood-burning fireplace, a spiral staircase—check, check, and check. Best of all, the top-floor residence comes with a patch of private outdoor space in the form of a lovely landscaped terrace off the bedroom. It’s now on the market for $1,075,000 after selling in 2017 for $915,000.
Take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

Listing photo courtesy of Douglas Elliman; photo of Jennifer Hudson via Wiki Commons

March 28, 2019

Jennifer Hudson’s former Apthorp apartment is back on the market for $8M

The apartment that was home to "Dreamgirls" Oscar winner and singer Jennifer Hudson from 2015 to 2016 just hit the market for $7.9 million, the Post reports. The 3,000 square-foot 11th floor unit in the elegant Upper West Side residence at 2211 Broadway was on the rental market in 2016 for a suitably diva-esque $21,000 a month, as 6sqft reported. The gut-renovated four-bedroom condo has plenty of star power on its own, starting with a marble entryway, a formal dining room and multiple fireplaces.
See what's new

These Upper West Side buildings stick out like sore thumbs

Google Street View of 249 West End Avenue

March 27, 2019

These Upper West Side buildings stick out like sore thumbs

By Mike Mishkin

From brownstones to art-deco co-ops to glassy towers, the Upper West Side is home to an incredibly diverse mix of architectural styles. And this contrast is seen in its most abundant light when these different styles are located on a single street! Ahead, we've rounded up five buildings that really stick out like sore thumbs among their neighbors.
See them all here

Architecture And Design

Ahead of summer opening, Waterline Square reveals first look at Italian food hall

The Cipriani food market, courtesy of Waterline Square

March 26, 2019

Ahead of summer opening, Waterline Square reveals first look at Italian food hall

Earlier this year, we got the first taste of what's to come at Waterline Square's Cipriani-branded Italian food hall, including a pizza bar, pastry shop, and full-service restaurant. And now, we've got the first look. The vision of hospitality designer Martin Brudnizki, the 28,000-square-foot “experiential food market” appears to have a retro-glam vibe, complete with old-school banquettes, wood paneling, architectural light fixtures, and, as any true Italian food market would have, a display of hanging cured meats.
More details and another look

For $1.4M, this Upper West Side two-bedroom blends old-world charm with sleek, modern lines

Listing photos by Travis Mark

March 22, 2019

For $1.4M, this Upper West Side two-bedroom blends old-world charm with sleek, modern lines

This floor-through two-bedroom on the Upper West Side melds the old and the new in one of the city's most coveted neighborhoods. Located in a boutique townhouse at 121 West 80th Street, the $1,395,000 co-op was recently renovated and decked out with marble accents and top-of-the-line amenities to bring modern comforts into the home. But its old-world charm still comes through in the restored moldings and millwork.
Take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

Lou Reed archive opens at New York Public Library, complete with special edition library card

Image courtesy of NYPL.

March 18, 2019

Lou Reed archive opens at New York Public Library, complete with special edition library card

The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, located in Lincoln Center, has just announced that the Lou Reed Archive is open to the public. The archive documents the life and history of the musician, composer, poet, writer, photographer and tai-chi student through his own extensive collection of papers, photographs, recordings and other materials that span Reed's creative life starting with his 1958 Freeport High School band, the Shades, right up to his last performances in 2013. In addition, the archive's opening is being celebrated with a special edition library card as well as a display of items in the collection and more events.
Find out more

Rendering of 200 Amsterdam Avenue via SJP Properties/ Elkus Manfredi

March 15, 2019

Court rules against the 668-foot tower already rising at 200 Amsterdam Avenue

A state Supreme Court ruling on Thursday overruled the city’s decision to allow a permit for 200 Amsterdam Avenue, the controversial Upper West Side condo project that has been challenged by community groups and elected officials because of its oddly-shaped, gerrymandered lot. As Crain’s reports, the Board of Standards and Appeals, which approved the project last year, has been ordered to go back to the drawing board and re-evaluate the permit for the project led by developers SJP Properties and Mitsui Fudosan, who have already started construction at the 69th Street site.
More info

February 27, 2019

This classic Upper West Side one-bedroom is a steal for $595K

Half a block from the American Museum of Natural History, this classic one-bedroom offers a prime Upper West Side location on a tree-lined block in the midst of the bustling Broadway Corridor, where you'll find some of the area's best cultural institutions, restaurants, and shops. It boasts high ceilings, a decorative fireplace, and a fully renovated kitchen and bathroom. Best of all, this cozy co-op at 155 West 80th Street is asking just $595,000.
Take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

February 22, 2019

Waterline Square’s Italian food hall will open on the Upper West Side this summer

If getting to 23rd Street is tricky for you (or you'd just rather not deal with the Eataly tourists), another Italian food mecca will be opening on the Upper West Side this July or August. As 6sqft previously reported, GID Development Group tapped the Cipriani family to create a 28,000-square-foot "experiential food market" for their Waterline Square mega-development. After attending a recent Community Board 7 meeting, West Side Rag got more details about what the food hall will offer, including a full-service restaurant, pasta lab, bellini bar, and, of course, cheese shop.
READ MORE

Another Manhattan condominium building tries to dump Trump name

Photo via Nick Normal’s Flickr

February 22, 2019

Another Manhattan condominium building tries to dump Trump name