Hotelier Andre Balazs lists his flashy Soho condo for $12M

Photo Credit: Douglas Elliman

September 30, 2020

Hotelier Andre Balazs lists his flashy Soho condo for $12M

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Hotelier Andre Balazs, best known for LA's Chateau Marmont, the Mercer Hotel in NYC, and the string of trendy Standard Hotels, unsurprisingly lives a life as lavish as the destination he creates. His personal condo in Soho, taking up the entire top floor at 158 Mercer Street, is no exception. Balazs added plenty of his own panache to the 4,200-square-foot loft, including massive stretches of built-in bookshelves, a custom "wall of light," and a 13th-century Florentine fresco. He also added hotel-quality rooms like a nearly 275-square-foot closet, a personal gym, and a steam room. As the Wall Street Journal first reported, Balazs has decided to list the home for $12 million as he spends much of his time now in Europe.
Check it all out
Tribeca’s eco-friendly Pier 26 opens with innovative man-made tidal marsh

Photos by Max Guliani for Hudson River Park

September 30, 2020

Tribeca’s eco-friendly Pier 26 opens with innovative man-made tidal marsh

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A new eco-friendly public pier opened in Tribeca on Wednesday, the first to open at the four-mile-long Hudson River Park in 10 years. Designed by landscape architecture firm OLIN, Pier 26 spans 2.5 acres, features indigenous plants and trees, and boasts multi-use recreation fields. But the most unique element of the new $37.7 million pier is a man-made rocky tidal marsh and the cantilevered walkway that hangs above it, providing an ecological experience and incredible water and Statue of Liberty views at the same time.
See it here
After almost closing, famous Theater District tourist spot Ellen’s Stardust Diner will reopen tomorrow

Photo (cropped) by Jazzy Guy via Wikimedia Commons

September 30, 2020

After almost closing, famous Theater District tourist spot Ellen’s Stardust Diner will reopen tomorrow

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Ellen's Stardust Diner has been a Theater District fixture since 1987, famous for its retro '50s design, subway car entrance, and singing waitstaff. But like so many other restaurants in New York City, Ellen's struggled to reopen due to the pandemic. As Broadway World reported in July, a photo on Facebook showed a notice posted at the diner from the landlord that said Ellen's owed $618,459.22 in back rent. But good news--Time Out NY now reports that the restaurant and landlord seem to have resolved their conflict, and Ellen's will reopen (singing waiters and all!) as of tomorrow.
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Williamsburg’s beloved City Reliquary museum is in danger of closing for good

Photo via The City Reliquary

September 30, 2020

Williamsburg’s beloved City Reliquary museum is in danger of closing for good

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The City Reliquary is a strange place. It's completely cluttered and full of oddities like the bones of a subway rat and schist cores, as well as local memorabilia like the original 2nd Avenue Deli sign and vintage seltzer bottles. But that what makes it so special and so New York. The small-but-mighty Williamsburg museum has been closed during the entire pandemic, as they're completely staffed by volunteers. And in order to reopen, they need to be able to pay their rent and show their financial stability. The Reliquary is asking New Yorkers to help them meet this goal so they can avoid closing their doors for good in November.
Find out how you can help
$2.6M Park Slope townhouse is family-friendly and full of mid-century inspo

Photo Credit: Travis Mark

September 30, 2020

$2.6M Park Slope townhouse is family-friendly and full of mid-century inspo

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As soon as you enter this Park Slope townhouse, it feels like you might've just stepped into the page of a West Elm catalog. The three-bedroom home, which has been thoughtfully renovated, is full of clean lines, open spaces, and mid-century-modern design inspiration, including a Noguchi lamp and a David Weeks chandelier. The $2,595,000 price tag also gets you a second-floor terrace and gorgeous rear patio and garden.
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Everything you need to know about indoor dining in NYC

Photo by Fábio Alves on Unsplash

September 29, 2020

Everything you need to know about indoor dining in NYC

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After being shut down for more than six months, indoor dining in New York City returns tomorrow. The biggest difference is that restaurants can only operate at 25-percent capacity, but there is also a long list from the state of rules and regulations. Plus, Governor Cuomo has instituted a compliance component that will deploy 400 enforcement personnel and allow New Yorkers to fill out online complaint forms. If you're thinking about partaking in indoor dining, we've put together a guide that outlines everything you need to know.
All the info
Lottery opens for 34 units at new Coney Island rental one block from the beach, from $1,700/month

Photo of Coney Island by Shinya Suzuki on Flickr

September 29, 2020

Lottery opens for 34 units at new Coney Island rental one block from the beach, from $1,700/month

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The city is now accepting applications for 34 middle-income apartments in a new 20-story rental in Coney Island located just one block away from the beach. The Sea Breeze Tower, located at 271 Breeze Avenue, contains 115 units and sits across the street from the Asser Levy Park, with the beach and landmarked Riegelmann Boardwalk just a five-minute walk away. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, which range from $1,700/month studios to $2,950/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
10th annual Archtober kicks off in NYC with virtual and in-person design events

Little Island May 2020 © CityRealty

September 29, 2020

10th annual Archtober kicks off in NYC with virtual and in-person design events

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New York City's annual month-long celebration of architecture and design returns to the five boroughs this week. In its 10th year, Archtober offers hundreds of architect-led building tours, lectures by design experts, and exploration of lesser-known wonders of New York's built environment every day during the month of October. Like everything else, this year's festival will look a bit different because of the coronavirus pandemic, with virtual talks and tours, self-led activities, and socially-distanced in-person events.
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Built into a rock ledge, this $7.7M Hudson Valley estate has guest pods, a treehouse, and a pond

All renderings by S3 Architecture, courtesy Corcoran Country Living

September 29, 2020

Built into a rock ledge, this $7.7M Hudson Valley estate has guest pods, a treehouse, and a pond

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Sylvan Rock is a new micro compound being designed in partnership by S3 Architecture and Aston Martin. Located in the Dutchess County town of Milan, the 55-acre property was conceptualized as a nature-first retreat that focuses on sustainability and wellness with an eye towards self-contained living. To that end, there is the nearly 6,000-square-foot main house, three guest pods, a treehouse, two reflecting pools, a pool house with a wellness pavilion, a pond, and an agricultural food garden.
Tour the whole property

Distinctive Homes

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Photo by Daniel Lee on Unsplash

September 28, 2020

Cuomo extends New York’s COVID-19 eviction moratorium through 2020

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday signed an executive order extending the moratorium on residential evictions through the rest of the year. The freeze, which officially began in late March because of the pandemic, was set to expire on October 1. The order extends the Tenant Safe Harbor Act, which protects tenants who can prove they experienced financial hardship during the COVID-19 crisis, to January 1, 2021. According to the governor, the executive order will extend these protections to eviction warrants "that existed prior to the start of the pandemic," which were not previously included under the original law.
More details this way
These neighborhoods had the biggest rent drops since March

Fifth Avenue and East 75th Street; Photo by Eden, Janine, and Jim on Flickr

September 28, 2020

These neighborhoods had the biggest rent drops since March

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Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in March, rental prices in Manhattan have dropped by 24 percent. While the market is slowly recovering on the island, with asking rent slightly up over the last month, new data from CityRealty shows which neighborhoods are still reeling from the state-mandated lockdown and overall financial impact of the health crisis. According to the report, the Manhattan neighborhoods that experienced the largest drop in rental prices between March and September include the Upper East Side, specifically part of the southern portion of Fifth Avenue from 59th to 79th Street, and Noho.
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This $5M modern glass home in Sagaponack is architect Shigeru Ban’s only work on Long Island

Photo credit: Compass

September 28, 2020

This $5M modern glass home in Sagaponack is architect Shigeru Ban’s only work on Long Island

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Editor's Note: At the time of publication, a contract was signed for the home. Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architect Shigeru Ban is known for his use of unconventional materials such as paper and corrugated plastic, as well as his humanitarian efforts. He's also known for his clean, modernist lines, which are fully on display at this Sagaponack home that he designed, the only work he's ever completed on Long Island. The six-bedroom, 8,000-square-foot residence also boasts Ban's signature melding of indoor/outdoor spaces with a gorgeous pool and outdoor patio serving as a courtyard for the home.
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‘Notorious RBG’ exhibit to open at New-York Historical Society next year

Chief Justice William Rehnquist Administers the Oath of Office to Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg as Associate Supreme Court Justice at the White House (1993); Courtesy of the National Archives

September 28, 2020

‘Notorious RBG’ exhibit to open at New-York Historical Society next year

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A special exhibit dedicated to Ruth Bader Ginsburg will open at the New-York Historical Society next fall. Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, on view from October 1, 2021, to January 23, 2022, will include archival photos and documents, a robe from Ginsburg's Supreme Court dress, and three-dimensional "reimaginations" of significant places of her life, including her childhood home in Midwood, Brooklyn. Ginsburg passed away at her home in D.C. on September 18.
Get the details
Bronx Brewery taps inventive empanada food lab as first full-time food partner

Photos courtesy of the Bronx Brewery

September 25, 2020

Bronx Brewery taps inventive empanada food lab as first full-time food partner

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Two South Bronx businesses are teaming up to bring New Yorkers a unique new culinary experience. The Bronx Brewery announced a deal last week to make Empanology a full-time food partner at the bar's spacious backyard. The partnership involves some tasty collaborations, including a BBQ sauce that incorporates the brewery's "World Gone Hazy" IPA and other limited-edition menu items.
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Waterline Square’s amenities include an indoor skate park, full tennis court, and a rock-climbing wall

All amenity photos credit: Evan Joseph

September 25, 2020

Waterline Square’s amenities include an indoor skate park, full tennis court, and a rock-climbing wall

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Waterline Square is often known for the starchitects who designed its three glassy towers--Richard Meier & Partners (One Waterline Square), Kohn Pedersen Fox (Two Waterline Square), and Rafael Viñoly (Three Waterline Square)--but another accolade the Upper West Side development holds is its incredible amenity package, which has been fully unveiled today. At 100,000 square feet and spread over three floors, it's one of New York City's largest indoor private amenity spaces and includes everything from an indoor skate park and full tennis court (both a first in NYC) to a 30-foot rock climbing wall to a gardening studio to an entire pet suite.
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NYC outdoor dining will be year-round and permanent

St. Marks Place outdoor dining; Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

September 25, 2020

NYC outdoor dining will be year-round and permanent

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Outdoor dining will be a permanent, year-round feature for New York City restaurants, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Friday. The city's popular "Open Restaurants" program, which launched in June and allows restaurants to set up outdoor seating on sidewalks, patios, and on some streets closed to cars on weekends, was set to expire on October 31. During his weekly appearance on WNYC's The Brian Lehrer Show, de Blasio said the program will be "part of the life of the city for years to come." The "Open Streets: Restaurants" program, which has closed roughly 87 streets to traffic for car-free dining on weekends, will also be made permanent, the mayor said.
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Empire State Building’s Art Deco spire returns in all its glory after restoration

Progress of the restoration; Courtesy of the Empire State Realty Trust

September 25, 2020

Empire State Building’s Art Deco spire returns in all its glory after restoration

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What's old is new again. The iconic spire of the Empire State Building has returned to its original 1931 silhouette following a year-long restoration. The Empire State Realty Trust removed a network of archaic antennas and other unnecessary material found between floors 88 and 103 from the mooring mast, providing an obstacle-free look at the skyscraper's unique 200-foot Art Deco pinnacle.
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See inside the secret train track hidden in the depths of Grand Central Terminal

Image © Emily Nonko for 6sqft

September 25, 2020

See inside the secret train track hidden in the depths of Grand Central Terminal

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The iconic Grand Central Terminal is a building with more than a few secrets. Constructed in 1913 with the wealth of the Vanderbilt family, there was a lavish private office (now known as The Campbell Apartment), glass catwalks, a hidden spiral staircase, and even artists' studios on an upper floor. One of the most infamous secrets of the terminal, however, was a secret track used specifically for a president to access one of the most famous hotels in the world. Known as Track 61, it leads to a special platform that was never used or intended to be used in regular passenger service—it just happened to be in the right place.
Keep reading about Grand Central's secret track
NYC opens new lab that will process COVID-19 tests within 48 hours

Image: Matt Monath Photography

September 24, 2020

NYC opens new lab that will process COVID-19 tests within 48 hours

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A lab dedicated to processing New York City coronavirus tests within 24 to 48 hours officially opened on Thursday. The "Pandemic Response Lab" is located in the Alexandria Center for Life Science on First Avenue and East 29th Street in Manhattan. The lab, led by the city's Economic Development Corporation and run by robotics company Openetrons, will expand testing capacity citywide while also providing a quicker turnaround time to get results from samples collected at NYC Health + Hospitals sites.
More details here
John Lennon’s former ‘Lost Weekend’ penthouse in Manhattan asks $5.5M

Photo Credit: James Smolka/ Brown Harris Stevens

September 24, 2020

John Lennon’s former ‘Lost Weekend’ penthouse in Manhattan asks $5.5M

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One of New York City's most storied apartments has just hit the market. John Lennon's former penthouse at 434 East 52nd Street, where he briefly lived with his mistress May Pang during the 1970s and famously spotted a UFO, is asking $5.5 million. The 4,000-square-foot triplex in the Southgate co-op, located where Sutton Place, Beekman, and Midtown East meet, was also where the iconic photos of Lennon wearing a tank top that said "New York City" were taken.
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Apply for 28 middle-income units in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, from $2,000/month

Photo via CityRealty

September 24, 2020

Apply for 28 middle-income units in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, from $2,000/month

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An affordable housing lottery has launched for those earning 130 percent of the area median income. There are 28 units up for grabs at 50 Clarkson Avenue, a new Prospect Lefferts Gardens rental with convenient amenities like a gym, a dog-washing station, and a parking garage. The available units include $2,000/month studios, $2,150/month one-bedrooms, and $2,500/month two-bedrooms.
See if you qualify
10 NYC apartments you can buy for under $600K
September 24, 2020

10 NYC apartments you can buy for under $600K

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For roughly $600,000, would you prefer a two-bedroom in a pre-war building located across from a park in south Brooklyn or a studio on a high floor of a Park Avenue co-op in Murray Hill? A recently renovated studio in Lincoln Square with Central Park views or a two-bedroom corner unit in Bay Ridge? Whether you're prioritizing square footage over location or green space access over public transit options, you'll be able to find a home in New York City that meets your specific needs, thanks to record-high inventory. Ahead, we've rounded up 10 apartments across the city now on the market for under $600,000.
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This big, beautiful Victorian in Newburgh is asking just $650K

Photo by Roy Savage

September 24, 2020

This big, beautiful Victorian in Newburgh is asking just $650K

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The city of Newburgh, about an hour-and-a-half drive from Manhattan, often gets a bad rap for its past crime statistics. But in recent years, shops and restaurants have been sprouting up, the arts scene is booming, preservation groups are working to save the wealth of historic mansions, and the relatively affordable housing stock is enticing buyers. Take, for example, this 1875 Victorian home. It's over 3,500 square feet, is beautifully preserved, and overlooks the Hudson River and Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site. And it's asking just $650,000.
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Industry City developers withdraw rezoning application

Photo by Steven Pisano on Flickr

September 23, 2020

Industry City developers withdraw rezoning application

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Plans to rezone Industry City in Sunset Park are dead after developers behind the project decided to withdraw their application on Tuesday. As Politico New York first reported, the decision to pull out of the plan, first proposed six years ago, comes as developers were unable to convince Brooklyn residents and officials, particularly Council Member Carlos Menchaca, the local representative, to support the rezoning efforts. Supporters of the rezoning said it would have brought thousands of new jobs to the city, which currently is seeing an unemployment rate of about 20 percent because of the coronavirus pandemic.
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Metropolitan Opera announces it will stay closed for another year

Photo by Seth Hoffman on Unsplash

September 23, 2020

Metropolitan Opera announces it will stay closed for another year

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In an announcement that is sure to reverberate throughout the theater and performing arts worlds, the Metropolitan Opera said today that it will extend its COVID-inflicted closure and cancel its entire 2020-2021 season, not reopening until September of next year. As the New York Times, who first reported the news, said, the decision "sends a chilling signal that American cultural life is still far from resuming."
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New COVID-19 clusters found in South Brooklyn and Queens, where virus cases have tripled

Borough Park, Brooklyn; Photo via Wikimedia

September 23, 2020

New COVID-19 clusters found in South Brooklyn and Queens, where virus cases have tripled

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Urgent action is required in four areas across Brooklyn and Queens where there has been a serious uptick of positive coronavirus cases, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday. The city's Health Department identified a new cluster in Midwood, Borough Park, and Bensonhurst, which officials are calling the Ocean Parkway Cluster, after the avenue that connects the neighborhoods. Health officials have also found an increase in cases in Edgemere-Far Rockaway, Williamsburg, and Kew Gardens. The new cases account for 20 percent of all cases citywide as of September 19.
More here

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Lottery launches for 185 affordable apartments at Long Island City’s Hunter’s Point South

Rendering via TF Cornerstone

September 23, 2020

Lottery launches for 185 affordable apartments at Long Island City’s Hunter’s Point South

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A year-and-a-half ago, developer TF Cornerstone broke ground on their two-building, 1,194-unit project at Hunter's Point South, located along the East River in Long Island City. Anchored by a new half-acre public park, the pair of ODA-designed towers will be 60 percent affordable. Today, a lottery launched for 185 of these low- and middle-income units, available to those earning 50, 130, and 165 percent of the area median income. The available homes range from $698/month studios to $2,704/month two-bedrooms.
See if you qualify
Futuristic tower proposed for Roosevelt Island is 2,400 feet and covered in 10,000+ plants

All renderings via Rescubika Studio

September 23, 2020

Futuristic tower proposed for Roosevelt Island is 2,400 feet and covered in 10,000+ plants

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In response to the idea of the "city of tomorrow," one that will become carbon neutral by 2050, French architecture firm Rescubika created a proposal for a 2,418-foot tower on Roosevelt Island. With wood construction materials, 36 wind turbines, 8,300 shrubs, 1,600 trees, 83,000 square feet of plant walls, and nearly 23,000 square feet of solar panels, it would be the world’s tallest "carbon sink" tower--one that absorbs more CO2 than it releases.
See more here
New York pol calls on Cuomo to reopen comedy clubs

Photo by ajay_suresh on Flickr

September 22, 2020

New York pol calls on Cuomo to reopen comedy clubs

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New York gyms, malls, museums, and restaurants, have all been given the green light from officials to reopen. Why not comedy clubs? State Sen. Michael Gianaris is proposing new measures that would allow comedy venues to immediately reopen under the same coronavirus restriction placed on other indoor activities, which would include a 25 percent capacity limit. "I challenge anyone to explain why comedy clubs would be less safe to operate than restaurants or bowling alleys," Gianaris, who represents parts of Queens, told the New York Post.
Get the details
Art Deco P.S. 48 becomes the first historic landmark in South Jamaica, Queens

Photo courtesy of the Landmarks Preservation Commission

September 22, 2020

Art Deco P.S. 48 becomes the first historic landmark in South Jamaica, Queens

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The NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission voted today to designate Public School 48 in South Jamaica, Queens as an individual landmark. Built in 1936, PS 48 was an early example of a school building serving as a "monumental civic structure" in the community. "Its Art Deco style details, which are quite striking in person, make it unique, and it is one of the first elementary schools New York City to incorporate this architectural style," said LPC Chair Sarah Carroll, who also noted that it's the neighborhood's first historic landmark.
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101st-floor restaurant at 30 Hudson Yards will reopen for indoor dining next month

Photo by Charissa Fay

September 22, 2020

101st-floor restaurant at 30 Hudson Yards will reopen for indoor dining next month

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The restaurant on the 101st floor of 30 Hudson Yards will reopen for indoor dining on October 6. Peak, which first opened to the public in March and then closed later that month because of the coronavirus pandemic, has again started taking reservations for its massive 10,000-square-foot dining room, which sits one floor above Edge, the 1,100-foot-high outdoor sky deck. The restaurant said it will not take any parties larger than 10 guests and will not accept cash payments.
Get the details
After 21 years, Tribeca’s Amish Market will close

Photo of Amish Market by Paul Sableman via Flickr cc

September 22, 2020

After 21 years, Tribeca’s Amish Market will close

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Photo of Amish Market by Paul Sableman via Flickr cc Amish Market opened in Tribeca in 1999 but after 21 years as a neighborhood staple, they, too, have fallen victim to COVID-19. Tribeca Citizen reported the news that the grocery story-meets-bodega (where Cardi-B was famously a cashier during high school) will likely close its doors by the 26th after a 90-percent drop in business.
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There’s an indoor pool and a rooftop yoga studio at this $8M Brooklyn Heights house

Listing photos via Duplex Imaging

September 22, 2020

There’s an indoor pool and a rooftop yoga studio at this $8M Brooklyn Heights house

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This $7,995,000 townhouse in Brooklyn Heights is truly one of the most unique homes we've seen. From the street, it looks like your average wood-frame house, but a modern addition in the rear is quite the surprise. Other unexpected perks include a two-car driveway, a 22-foot-long indoor pool, and a greenhouse that's currently set up a glass-box yoga studio.
Take the tour
In Union Square, a massive ‘climate clock’ counts down to Earth’s deadline

Photo by Zack Winestine

September 21, 2020

In Union Square, a massive ‘climate clock’ counts down to Earth’s deadline

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The massive electronic clock in Union Square that has puzzled New Yorkers for over two decades has been repurposed as a count down to climate disaster. Created by Gan Golan and Andrew Boyd, the "Climate Clock" displays the years, days, hours, minutes, and seconds the world has left to make significant changes before the effects of global warming become permanent. The new installation comes as Climate Week NYC kicks off this week, alongside the United Nations General Assembly.
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MAP: Predict when fall foliage will peak in your area

Image courtesy of Smoky Mountains

September 21, 2020

MAP: Predict when fall foliage will peak in your area

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It officially feels like Fall, and whether you're good and ready for sweater weather or you're sorry to see summer go, there's no avoiding the fact that cooler temps and shorter days are on the way. One way to savor the changing seasons is to enjoy the majestic hues of autumn foliage. If you're hoping to catch the changing season at its peak, there's no better tool to plan your leaf-peeping strategy than SmokyMountains.com's Fall Foliage Prediction Map. This interactive infographic will tell you when and where foliage is expected to appear, and when it will reach its peak, in your area. Here in NYC, expect peak foliage to hit around mid-October.
See the full map
Huge hound sculptures made of recycled materials take over Midtown

Photos by Alexandre Ayer/Diversity Pictures for the Garment District Alliance

September 21, 2020

Huge hound sculptures made of recycled materials take over Midtown

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Over-sized sculptures of dogs have been installed along Broadway in Midtown's Garment District. Created by artist Will Kurtz, the gigantic public art exhibit "Doggy Bags," features six sculptures of different breeds of dogs, all made out of recycled single-use materials, like plastic bags. The exhibit, which can be found between 38th and 40th Streets, will be on display through November 20.
See more here
Help save the historic neon sign at the Bronx’s 64-year-old Palomba Academy of Music

Photo © James and Karla Murray

September 21, 2020

Help save the historic neon sign at the Bronx’s 64-year-old Palomba Academy of Music

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Palomba Academy of Music has been teaching music lessons from its storefront in the Williamsbridge section of the Bronx for 64 years, but they've sadly had to close due to COVID-19. However, there's a piece of this business that photographers James and Karla Murray hope to preserve. They are working with iconic NYC neon shop Let There Be Neon to remove Palomba's historic, 25-foot neon sign and have it relocated to the American Sign Museum in Cincinatti, Ohio. But they need your help...
Here's how you can contribute
New York will construct a statue of Ruth Bader Ginsburg in her native Brooklyn

Ruth Bader Ginsburg at her confirmation hearing / R. Michael Jenkins, Congressional Quarterly. Courtesy of the Library of Congress

September 21, 2020

New York will construct a statue of Ruth Bader Ginsburg in her native Brooklyn

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United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will be recognized with a statue in her hometown of Brooklyn, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Saturday, just one day after the death of the trailblazing icon. Born in 1933 to Russian-Jewish immigrants and raised in a clapboard house on East 9th Street in Midwood, Ginsburg attended the city's public schools and later Cornell and Columbia Universities. In 1993, Ginsburg, who fought for gender equality her entire career, became the second woman to ever serve as a justice on the Supreme Court.
Find out more
Indoor pools at NYC residential buildings and gyms can open next week

Photo by Richard R. Schünemann on Unsplash

September 18, 2020

Indoor pools at NYC residential buildings and gyms can open next week

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On September 30, the same day that indoor dining resumes, indoor pools in New York City will be able to reopen at 33 percent capacity, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Friday. "Swimming pools are a community anchor, an exercise center, and an oasis in their neighborhoods—both literally and figuratively. New Yorkers have worked hard to fight back COVID-19. As transmission rates remain low, we’re proud to offer more ways to slowly return to business as usual," said the mayor in a statement.
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In Westchester, a historic bank building is now a $1.9M contemporary home

Photos by Rob Shaw, RHS Photography

September 18, 2020

In Westchester, a historic bank building is now a $1.9M contemporary home

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A unique industrial loft in a former 20th-century bank building has hit the market in the Westchester village of Dobbs Ferry. The home, where "Tribeca meets Main Street USA," as the listing describes, was formerly the Greensburgh Savings Bank and has been converted into a one-of-a-kind townhouse. Asking $1.899 million, the four-bedroom home at 81 Main Street measures over 6,300 square feet, has a private backyard, and features remnants of its past life, like a bank vault and super tall ceilings.
Take the tour
Shuck yeah! The Billion Oyster Project is throwing a virtual party next week

Photo by Viviana Rishe on Unsplash

September 18, 2020

Shuck yeah! The Billion Oyster Project is throwing a virtual party next week

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Did you know that when Henry Hudson first arrived on the shores of New York Habor in 1609, he encountered 220,000 acres of oyster beds--nearly half the oyster population of the entire world! In recent years, however, that number had almost entirely diminished, which is where the Billion Oyster Project came in. Since 2014, they've been working to restore oyster reefs to the harbor with the goal of adding one billion oysters by 2035. Their work hasn't stopped during COVID, and this year, the nonprofit's annual party is going virtual. Next Thursday, join the Billion Oyster Party for a shucking lesson (don't worry, you'll get your mollusks in the mail!), food demonstrations, timely discussions, and more.
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Fall back in love with NYC through this new book of ‘hidden’ art treasures

Images courtesy of Running Press

September 18, 2020

Fall back in love with NYC through this new book of ‘hidden’ art treasures

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While New York City is home to some of the best and biggest cultural institutions in the world, it's the more obscure masterpieces found on streets, subway stations, and tucked away in bars and buildings that inspired author Lori Zimmer's latest book. In Art Hiding in New York: An Illustrated Guide to the City's Secret Masterpieces, Zimmer highlights 100 hidden-in-plain-sight and surprising spots across the city and explores the unique history of the art and the artists behind them. From a massive Roy Lichtenstein mural in the Times Square subway station to fragments of the Berlin Wall painted by artist Thierry Noir, incredible pieces of art can be found everywhere in New York, even beyond galleries and museums. Ahead, we chat with Zimmer about her guide to New York City's underground art world, the beautiful illustrations paired with each work, and the city's perpetual reinvention.
Learn more and meet the author
35 mixed-income apartments up for grabs at new East Williamsburg rental, from $924/month

Photo by Korye Logan on Flickr

September 18, 2020

35 mixed-income apartments up for grabs at new East Williamsburg rental, from $924/month

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Applications are now being accepted for 35 mixed-income apartments at a new apartment building in East Williamsburg. Located at 222 Johnson Avenue, the seven-story rental is located just one block from the L train and is surrounded by some of Brooklyn's best restaurants and entertainment venues. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60, 125, 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, ranging from $924/month studios to $2,876/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
$16.5M Upper East Side townhouse has a magical roof garden with a mini pool

Photos courtesy of The Corcoran Group

September 18, 2020

$16.5M Upper East Side townhouse has a magical roof garden with a mini pool

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All five stories of this Upper East Side townhouse are just as classic and formal as the stately exterior might suggest. But on the roof, an enchanting garden complete with a small pool, Central Park views, and an outdoor kitchen add a welcome dose of fun. Located at 11 East 93rd Street, just off the park, the home underwent a renovation and restoration by architect and designer Reza Nouranian and is now asking $16,500,000.
See the whole place
See the ambitious proposal for a climate change research center on Governors Island

Rendering of the western promenade; Credit: WXY architecture + urban design/bloomimages

September 17, 2020

See the ambitious proposal for a climate change research center on Governors Island

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Plans to bring a climate change research center on Governors Island are moving ahead. The Trust for Governors Island on Thursday unveiled a proposal for a new research center that would be dedicated to studying the impacts of climate change and serve as a platform for environmental justice organizations and solutions-based public programs. The project involves rezoning the southern end of the island to make space for up to about 4 million square feet of development. The rezoning proposal is expected to enter the city's formal public land-use review process next month.
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ODA Architects bring their signature boxy aesthetic to new 14th Street condo

Renderings via ODA Architecture

September 17, 2020

ODA Architects bring their signature boxy aesthetic to new 14th Street condo

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ODA Architecture has made its mark all over the city, and it's easy to tell when a project bears their name thanks to the firm's signature boxy aesthetic, often filled with cantilevers and stacked volumes. Their latest project--a boutique condo at 101 West 14th Street--is no exception. The mixed-use development on the corner of Sixth Avenue features 44 residential units, half of which will be duplexes, as well as retail space at street level.
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40 NYC streets will now be open for outdoor dining on weekdays

Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim via Flickr cc

September 17, 2020

40 NYC streets will now be open for outdoor dining on weekdays

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Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim via Flickr cc Just days after he expanded the city's popular Open Streets program to 87 streets and nine pedestrian plazas, Mayor de Blasio announced that 40 of these locations will now be open on weekdays to accommodate outdoor dining. Previously, the car-free streets were only allowed to operate on Friday evenings, Saturdays, and Sundays. "Restaurants deserve every chance they can get to serve more customers this fall – and, as the weather gets cooler, New Yorkers deserve every chance they can get to enjoy outdoor dining," said Mayor de Blasio.
More info here
NYC delays in-person learning at public schools again

Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Carranza tour New Bridges Elementary in Brooklyn to observe the school’s PPE delivery and reopening preparations; Photo: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

September 17, 2020

NYC delays in-person learning at public schools again

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New York City schools will no longer open in-person instruction for most students on Monday, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Thursday. Just four days before city school buildings were set to physically reopen for students, the mayor delayed in-person learning for the second time after complaints from school staff over safety and staffing. In-person instruction will now start in phases, with preschool students starting on Monday, K-8th grade students on September 29, and high school and some middle-school students on October 1.
Find out more

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