West Village

The Village is on fire right now with celebrities coming and going. Heidi Klum is renting in the 'hood for the summer; Topher Grace is renting out his loft; Francis Ford Coppola is moving into the same building as De Niro; and just this morning we learned that Julia Roberts is selling her apartment. Now, Hilary Swank is the latest star on the list. The Observer reports that she's renting out her stylish apartment at 400 West 12th Street (the Superior Ink building) for $20,000 a month. Swank bought the 1,500-square-foot, two-bedroom condo in 2009 for $3.64 million. She then enlisted designer Mark Zeff to "create a place that would give her a sense of grace and harmony." The space was photographed for Elle Decor in 2011, where the neutral palette, clean-lines, and serene decor were featured prominently, as was the living room wall made out of reclaimed barn wood. But now that the actress is spending more time on the West coast, she's looking to rent out her West Village home.
Take a look around the apartment

July 17, 2015

Francis Ford Coppola Buys $2.5M Apartment in the Same West Village Building as Robert De Niro

Famed director Francis Ford Coppola, responsible for “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now,” has picked up a $2.5 million apartment at 32 Morton Street, according to The Real Deal. The West Village address is the same building where Robert De Niro and his stepdaughter Drena bought a $2.8 million penthouse back in December. Coppola’s new loft has two […]

July 10, 2015

James Gandolfini’s Former Village Apartment Listed for $21,000/Month

The late James Gandolfini once shared a West Village apartment with his ex-wife Marcy Wudarski Gandolfini, whom he was married to from 1999 to 2002. Several years before splitting, the couple bought two adjacent units in 99 Jane Street–first an $850,000 unit and then a $1 million unit. They combined them into one large four-bedroom pad, but when they split, Wudarski kept the home, and Gandolfini went on to marry wife Deborah Line in 2008 (they were married up until his untimely death in 2013). Now, Wudarski has listed the apartment for $21,000 a month, according to the Daily News.
Take a look around

July 8, 2015

This West Village One-Bedroom with a Built-In Ice Cream Maker Is Cute Indeed

By Emily Nonko

A renovation at this one-bedroom apartment, located in the West Village co-op building at 82 Charles Street, has left the unit looking downright adorable. The listing promises it to be a "perfect blend of prewar character and modern conveniences perched on one of the most bucolic blocks in the city." It's hard to argue with the location. And we like how more traditional design elements (exposed brick) are paired with some surprising modern additions (built-in ice cream maker!). It's now on the market asking $899,000.
See more of the interior

Distinctive Homes

July 7, 2015

Rent Topher Grace’s Stylish West Village Loft for $16,000

Actor Topher Grace of "That '70s Show" fame is shaking up his real estate game. After selling his Los Angeles home for $1.69 million, he's now looking to rent out his stylish West Village condo, according to the Daily News. This also comes on the heels of Grace's recent engagement to actress and model Ashley Hinshaw. He bought the two-bedroom, full-floor loft at 59 Bank Street for $2.2 million in 2006, but has been renting it out over the past several years, starting at $14,000 in 2011 and now going for $16,000.
Take a look around

July 2, 2015

Heidi Klum Settles on a $70K/Month West Village Rental for the Summer

It was recently reported that Heidi Klum was eyeing this 3.5-acre $11 million private island off Manhattan as her next retreat, but it looks like the supermodel has decided to slum it in the West Village instead. The Post reports that Klum will be renting out a 7,200-square-foot Bob and Cortney Novogratz creation located at 400 West Street through the summer. The home is not an unfamiliar spot for the model who has shot hoops, hot tubbed, and made pizza at the glamorous property when she rented it in previous years.
Have a look inside her glamorous summer home

Photo by George Steinmetz via Gothamist

June 18, 2015

Lucky Family Lives in a Cabin with a Meadow…on the Roof of Their West Village Building

Most New Yorkers looking for a bit of suburban living move to areas of Brooklyn like Ditmas Park that offer free-standing houses with yards, or they abandon ship altogether and pack it in for Jersey or Westchester. But this lucky family fulfilled their country dreams–complete with a cottage and attached porch, green meadow, and stone garden walkway–without leaving the island of Manhattan. Located at 719 Greenwich Street, in the heart of the West Village, this bucolic dwelling isn't visible from the street. Instead, you'll need to take a helicopter ride to scope it out, which is exactly how photographer George Steinmetz discovered this one-of-a-kind rooftop paradise.
Get the scoop on this unusual home

Architecture And Design

June 11, 2015

Photographer Bob Estremera Shows Us That Greenwich Village Is Still Full of Character

When we talk about the allure of Greenwich Village, we're often referring to it in past tense, reminiscing about the good old days of folk music, ridiculously cheap apartments for artists, and the free-spirited bohemians that transformed the enclave into a cultural hub. And when we do talk about the Village in present tense, it's often because we're examining gentrification, whining about those pesky NYU students, or looking at the ever-rising rents. But if we stop feeling bitter about the fact that we can't get a $600/month studio there anymore, the Village still has plenty of charming and quirky storefronts, buildings, and characters. Photographer Bob Estremera captured this essence of the neighborhood in an impromptu rainy-day photo shoot that reminds us to take the time to look around and appreciate the small things.
See all the amazing black-and-white photos here

Places

May 29, 2015

New Yorker Spotlight: Peter Kaye Keeps the Turntables Spinning at Bleecker Street Records

By Susan Cohen

In the age of streaming music, it may be surprising to learn that not only are record stores still in existence, but millennials are buying more than their fair share of albums. Perhaps it's because records are tangible and there is a movement for feeling and touching items, or maybe it's a natural progression of hipsterdom, but 20-something New Yorkers are buying the same records their parents listened to as well as current chart toppers—yes, even Taylor Swift releases vinyl. One of the happy observers of this resurgence is Peter Kaye, a manager at Bleecker Street Records in the West Village. For the last 18 years, Bleecker Street Records has been a go-to destination for those looking for records, CDs, and "extracurriculars" as Peter calls the posters, patches, pins, and playbills the store carries. While its address no longer matches its name, the musical mission at Bleecker Street Records remains the same. Peter has a very important hand in how the store runs. As both a manager and the LP guy, he's responsible for finding the records and serving as an in-store historian. He's able to put each record into context and explain why it matters, which helps lesser-known albums have their moment in the spotlight. We recently spoke with Peter to find out what it's like to manage a record store in a digital era.
read the interview with him here

May 26, 2015

Lovable Pied-à-terre on Bleecker Street Comes with a Landscaped Garden

Here's a really cool ground-floor pied-à-terre at 175 Bleecker Street with a private garden, available for $849,000. The fully-renovated loft has a crisp, clean feel with tall casement windows, white floors, and whitewashed exposed brick. And the landscaped garden is easy to maintain so it looks beautiful all year long—plus imagine stepping out into your own verdant space with a cup of coffee in hand.
More this way

Distinctive Homes

May 26, 2015

Starchitect Rafael Vinoly to Design a 10-Story Meatpacking District Building

By Diane Pham

Look out—not up—because there’s a new low-rise Rafael Vinoly-designed building coming our way. The architect mastermind behind the city’s tallest residential tower, 432 Park Avenue, has just been chosen to design a comparatively demure ten-story office-and-retail building in the Meatpacking District, reports The Real Deal. The new addition is being developed by Vornado Realty Trust and Aurora […]

May 6, 2015

Gorgeous West Village Carriage House Boasts a Lovable Interior with Lots of Wood

By Emily Nonko

New York City carriage homes tend to be lovable pieces of real estate, and we're totally swooning over this one at 29 Downing Street in the West Village (h/t Curbed). It was built in 1829 and has been owned by two artists, John Bennett and Karen Lee Grant, for the last 40 years. According to the listing, upon purchasing this building it only "had one light bulb on each level, no bathroom, and only a sprocket for water." The owners transformed it into a truly spectacular residence and artist studio that is now asking $13 million. The listing calls it "a completely unique piece of art," and "one of Manhattan's certified treasures."
Tour the interior here

Distinctive Homes

May 4, 2015

Amy Poehler and Will Arnett’s Former West Village Home Asks $10 Million

That's right. Live in this 1 Morton Square condo and you can brag to your friends that you'll always have a little piece of Amy Poehler and Will Arnett with you. In happier times, the former couple owned a portion of this condo combo before selling it for $2.2 million and, as the Jeffersons say, "movin' on up" to a higher and more expensive floor in the building. Now their unit, #5B has been combined with unit #5C for one exquisite four-bedroom $9.995 million pad.
More pics inside

May 1, 2015

West Village Rowhouse Once Home to Photographer Diane Arbus Lists for $13.5M

If you've ever seen the work of legendary photographer Diane Arbus, you know her style is a little offbeat. Born into a rich NYC family in 1923, Arbus became famous for capturing "deviant and marginal people," those who would otherwise seem ugly to most, with her camera. Unfortunately, she's also remembered for taking her own life at the age of 48 while living at the Westbeth Artists Community. But before moving to the well-known artists' complex, Arbus lived in an appropriately "secret world," a West Village back house that was once a stable, hidden behind its classic, Federal-style rowhouse at 131 Charles Street. She moved into the rear carriage house in 1959 after separating from her husband Allan Arbus and lived there until around 1968. As the Wall Street Journal reports, both the front and back houses are now on the market for $13.5 million.
Look inside this magnificent, historic home

April 28, 2015

Is the Third Time a Charm for This $40M Penthouse with Glass Floors and a Seven-Car Garage?

All it takes is one glance at this head-turner to see that it's pretty special. The 11,000-square-foot duplex features glass floors, floor-to-ceiling windows offering 360 degree views of the Hudson River and the city, and 5,200 square feet of outdoor space in the form of several terraces. The stunning penthouse has had a time of it on the market, first popping up in 2012 with an $80,000 a month price tag, and then reappearing in October 2014 asking $95,000 a month. Now it's trying its hand at the sales market for $39.8 million.
More pics inside

Distinctive Homes

April 21, 2015

Asking Double Its 2012 Price, Brooding West Village Townhouse Features a Two-Story Wall of Glass

By Stephanie Hoina

Every now and then a Cool Listing comes along that is so spectacular we find ourselves at a loss for words. Well, not today. That’s because there’s so much to share about this incredibly sumptuous home at 75 Bedford Street in the West Village we’re afraid we’ll run out of room! Let’s start with those responsible for our enthusiasm–namely, M.N. Ahari, architect for the recent renovation, and interior designer Fernando Santangelo, the genius behind one of Hollywood’s havens for the rich-and-famous, the Chateau Marmont, who transformed this historic townhouse from an all-white Zen oasis into a brooding bachelor pad for his friend James Oakley, a filmmaker who originally hails from Tennessee. Oakley, whose stepfather owns the Cleveland Browns, bought the home in 2012 for $5.8 million, but after the extensive renovation he's now looking to unload the residence for $12.5 million.
See why there's so much to talk about

Distinctive Homes

April 21, 2015

Charming ‘Back House’ Apartment Is a Tiny Treasure in the West Village

The cool thing about tiny living spaces is how it makes you so aware of all the wasted space you have in your own home. This micro apartment at 340A West 11th Street makes the most of every inch of its usable space, and if storage is key, then this pad has the combination. We think you’ll quickly see that inside this red brick “back house” less really is more.
More pics inside

Distinctive Homes

Rendering of the penthouse, which occupies the tower’s top three floors

April 17, 2015

Rupert Murdoch Lists One Madison Penthouse for $72M, Is Reportedly Buyer of $25M West Village Townhouse

The Wall Street Journal reports today that News Corp. and 21st Century Fox chairman Rupert Murdoch has listed his penthouse at One Madison for $72 million. He bought the 6,850-square-foot triplex last February, in conjunction with a full-floor unit on the 57th floor below, for $57.25 million. He originally intended to use the smaller apartment as a guest suite, and moved into it while architect Jose Ramirez built out the penthouse. But Murdoch has now shifted gears, putting the penthouse on the market, keeping the 57th-floor unit, and buying a $25 million West Village townhouse where he plans to live full time. Interestingly, the townhouse is reportedly the former purple bed and breakfast turned single-family mansion, which hit sales records on Wednesday.
More details on Murdoch's real estate moves

April 15, 2015

Former West Village B&B Sells as a Single-Family Townhouse for $25M

The West Village mansion at 278 West 11th Street hit the market for $30 million in March of last year, which was a huge jump from the $8.2 million owner George Agiovlasitis paid for it in 2011. But he did buy the property when it was a purple bed and breakfast and transform the 6,500-square-foot Greek Revival townhouse into a single-family home, revealing its original brick façade and replacing the historic stoop. Agiovlasitis has now made quite the profit, unloading the house for $25 million, according to city records released today. The buyer is Paula Wardynski, senior vice president of finance at 21st Century Fox, according to The Real Deal.
Take a look around the stunning residence

Real Estate Trends

April 1, 2015

West Village Townhouse is Formal and Fun with a Bold Palette, Eclectic Furnishings – and Penguins

By Stephanie Hoina

New York City is rich with buildings from another time, each offering a unique blend of period details, classic lines, and historical features. As a result, the homes within, as beautiful as they are, can sometimes seem a little, well, stuffy. Faced with the challenge of bringing a more modern aesthetic to their client’s West Village townhouse while respecting the home’s time-honored elegance, Brooklyn-based design firm The New Design Project incorporated a bold palette, eclectic furnishings, and a whimsical family of penguins to instill a fun atmosphere and give the space a younger feel.
Those penguins and more this way

March 31, 2015

Spend the Summer in a Furnished Bohemian Loft in the West Village for $7K/Month

We're pretty sure the definition of the best of both worlds is a rustic luxury loft in Manhattan. This spacious West Village studio at 289 Bleecker Street boasts original details and high ceilings, and this summer it can all be yours, fully furnished mind you, for $7000 a month. The loft has all the classic enviable details like whitewashed brick and refinished original wide plank hardwood floors. The double-height ceilings allow for two levels of giant windows with skylights to give the space an airy feel, while details like exposed wood beams add even more character to the space.
More pics inside

Distinctive Homes

March 23, 2015

Rob Stuart Interiors Infuses Romantic, Turn-of-the-Century Charm into a Modern West Village Townhouse

Take one look at this Greenwich Street townhouse and you'll likely assume it's a historic West Village brownstone, but, in fact, the stately residence is only a decade old. Rob Stuart Interiors was commissioned by a "fearless family" that wanted a colorful yet calming design "with the detail and nuance of a rarified turn-of-the-century townhouse." The firm achieved this goal by romantically layering vintage mantles, traditional moldings, patterned wallpapers, and colorful fabrics.
Tour the entire West Village beauty here

March 20, 2015

Charming West Village Rental Is Wrapped in Beautiful Brick Walls and Downtown Views

Does it get any more New York than brick walls, hardwood floors and great views of Manhattan's iconic buildings? This wonderful $4,500/month rental located at 237 West 11th Street is a charmer looking for an equally lovely resident who wants to spend a year or more within its sun-soaked spaces. With ample southern light and large windows framing a quintessential NYC scene highlighted by West 11th Street, church-top views and the Freedom Tower, this is the kind of New York apartment that seems to only exist in movies.
Take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

The High and Low: Two Picture-Perfect Bow-Front Townhouses Go Head-to-Head

66 Morton Street, $17M (left); 280 Park Place, $3.5M (right)

March 9, 2015

The High and Low: Two Picture-Perfect Bow-Front Townhouses Go Head-to-Head

By Michelle Cohen

A classic bow-fronted Prospect Heights townhouse (above, right) offers many of the things we love about this star-studded $17 million West Village home (above, left)–for a lot less. The big-ticket Manhattan beauty set records and made movies. But for $3.5 million, a new-to-market gem in one of Brooklyn's most coveted neighborhoods is just as charming, and even offers some perks the Manhattan home lacks.
Compare these four-story homes with very different prices

February 25, 2015

Elegant Village Rental Has Ties to the Underground Railroad and Lincoln’s Assassin

By Stephanie Hoina

In a city rich with history it’s always fun to learn of a building’s interesting past, and the walls of this 1830s historic mansion at 45 Grove Street, in which you’ll find this elegant West Village rental, must certainly have some stories to tell. Not only was it a secret stop on the Underground Railroad, but one of its former residents, actor Samuel K. Chester, claimed that John Wilkes Booth visited there in early 1865 and tried to convince him to join a “conspiracy to take over the government” and kidnap President Abraham Lincoln. Chester wanted nothing to do with the plan and Booth went on to assassinate the president in April of that year.
See more of this historic beautiful rental

Distinctive Homes

February 25, 2015

Spectacular ‘Working Girl’ Townhouse on Star-Studded West Village Street Sells for $17 Million