6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

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

Image via Pixabay.

January 28, 2020

14 un-boring ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day in NYC

There are more ways to say “Be my Valentine” than we can count, and purveyors of all things romantic will be out in full force trying to win hearts this February 14. If February's second week has you scrambling for a worthy celebration, it might be the perfect time to try something a little bit different. Below, we've rounded up 14 unexpected Valentine-inspired events–from whiskey and chocolate to bugs and sewage.
Details, this way

Events & Things To Do

January 28, 2020

Michelle Williams and Tommy Kail just bought a Brooklyn Heights townhouse for $10.8M

Actress Michelle Williams and her fiancé, theater and film director Tommy Kail (he directed the Broadway hit "Hamilton"), have just purchased a townhouse in historic Brooklyn Heights, the Wall Street Journal reports. The $10.8 million the pair reportedly paid for the 3,000-square-foot house, built in the 1820s, makes it one of the neighborhood's most expensive sales.
Find out more

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

Photos by Adrian Gaut

January 28, 2020

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

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

Williamsburg’s Dime Savings Bank opens affordable housing lottery, from $2,116/month

Renderings courtesy of Fogarty Finger Architects

January 27, 2020

Williamsburg’s Dime Savings Bank opens affordable housing lottery, from $2,116/month

A housing lottery has just launched for 54 newly constructed units inside the 23-story tower rising next to the historic Dime Savings Bank in Williamsburg. At a height of 264 feet, the mixed-use development is among the tallest in the neighborhood and includes ground-floor retail, 100,000 square feet of office space, and 178 rental apartments. The 109-year-old bank will be preserved and integrated into the project. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, which range from $2,116/month studios to $3,150/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

January 27, 2020

Travel back to the Roaring Twenties at these 10 NYC spots

By Lucie Levine

Recently, 6sqft brought you 20 fascinating photos of New York in the '20s, and now, we invite you to celebrate the new decade by following in the footsteps of the fanciest flappers in the five boroughs. Ahead, check out 10 places in NYC today to relive the Roaring Twenties. On this list, you'll find theaters, bars, and hotels; Art Deco masterpieces; addresses favored by the Follies and Fitzgerald; and at least one spot where New York offers up "its first wild promise of all the mystery and the beauty in the world."
Roar right here

History

January 27, 2020

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

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

Real Estate Trends

In Westchester, this $3.5M Gothic Revival home has 6 fireplaces, Tiffany windows, and NYC skyline views

Photos courtesy of Houlihan Lawrence.

January 27, 2020

In Westchester, this $3.5M Gothic Revival home has 6 fireplaces, Tiffany windows, and NYC skyline views

With a 10,442-square-foot interior, 50 Crows Nest Road–known more casually as Crows Nest–in the Westchester County village of Bronxville, NY seems worth its $3.5 million ask (recently reduced from $4.4 million) on that information alone. This 1849 Gothic Revival manor house was built of local stone and sits on 1.3 acres of hilltop land–with the Manhattan skyline visible in the distance. It's a suburban mansion rich with well-preserved dramatic flourishes, with modern infrastructure and design added to make it a 21st-century family home.
Tour this impressive stone mansion

Distinctive Homes

'Secret' live-work compound on Tribeca's skybridge street lists for $30M

For $3M, this charming Nomad loft has a rooftop deck with an outdoor shower

Asking $4.25M, this five-story Crown Heights mansion is filled with gorgeous historic details

For $9M, a Noho penthouse that captures the spirit of the neighborhood's past, and then some

This $3.5M Noho co-op remembers the origins of loft living

This $2.85M Crown Heights townhouse is an unspoiled historic beauty on an extra-long lot

Once a parking garage, this $85M Village penthouse is now in line to break neighborhood sales records

Steve Madden's former Trump Palace pad lists for $11.5M

For $949K, this Village co-op has a Gold Coast address, prewar charm and a splash of color

Doors of steel and glass make this $3M Soho loft feel like a box of light

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January 27, 2020

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

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

Events & Things To Do

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

Renderings courtesy of Extell Development Company

January 27, 2020

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

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

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

Photo credit: Melanie Greene courtesy of Compass.

January 27, 2020

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

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

Distinctive Homes

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

Credit: VMI Studio

January 24, 2020

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

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

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

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

January 24, 2020

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

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

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

Photo credit: Matt Vacca for Douglas Kampsen, Compass

January 24, 2020

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

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

Distinctive Homes

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

Photos by Katie Breitic for Tom Cooper, courtesy of Compass

January 24, 2020

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

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

After Andy Byford resigns as transit chief, New Yorkers lament the loss of ‘Train Daddy’

NYCT President Andy Byford spent New Year’s Eve 2019 going around the system thanking Transit employees and our partners in the NYPD. Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit via Flickr

January 24, 2020

After Andy Byford resigns as transit chief, New Yorkers lament the loss of ‘Train Daddy’

Two years into his tenure as New York City Transit chief, Andy Byford resigned on Thursday, Politico first reported. The British native came to NYC in January 2018—in the aftermath of the transit system's so-called "Summer of Hell"—after running the Toronto Transit Commission for five years. Byford inherited a state of emergency but hit the ground running as soon as he arrived. He's been credited with boosting the subway's on-time rate from only 58 percent to 80 percent, securing funding to upgrade signal systems, and putting an emphasis on accessibility. Praised by riders and transit advocates, Byford earned the nickname "Train Daddy" which exploded on Twitter following the news of his resignation. Ahead, we've rounded up some of our favorite social media reactions to the news.
Hear what New Yorkers have to say

January 23, 2020

176 affordable units available at new Brownsville rental, from $367/month

Nearly 200 affordable apartments are up for grabs at a new rental building in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn. A housing lottery launched on Thursday for 176 units at 672 Powell Street, which is part of the massive Ebenezer Plaza project that will bring four towers to two sites on the block. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 30, 40, 50, and 60 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, which range from $367/month studios to $1,472/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Apply for 75 middle-income apartments in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, from $1,721/month

A housing lottery will launch Friday for 75 middle-income apartments in a newly constructed Brooklyn building. Located at 350 Clarkson Avenue in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, the building, dubbed "The Lois," contains 250 apartments with 6,000 square feet of ground-floor retail. Designed by Cetra Ruddy, the eight-story building boasts a masonry facade with copper panel details, a nod to the area's industrial history. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, which range from $1,721/month studios to $2,975/month three-bedrooms.
Do you qualify?

Affordable Housing

11 ways to celebrate Australia Day in NYC this weekend

Photo: Lachlan Fearnley via Wikimedia Commons

January 23, 2020

11 ways to celebrate Australia Day in NYC this weekend

On January 26, Australia Day is celebrated around the world to mark the arrival of the first fleet of British ships in New South Wales. This year's festivities have an added sense of urgency. Over the past few months, widespread bushfires have burned over 40,000 square miles and killed more than one billion animals in Australia. In NYC, Australia Day celebrations this year are focused on extending support to the ongoing relief efforts. Below, we round up 11 events where ex-pats and New Yorkers alike can come together over traditional Aussie food, music, and comedy—best of all, they're each donating all or a significant chunk of proceeds to various relief funds.
More info

Events & Things To Do

Fairway confirms bankruptcy filing, will sell remaining stores

The original Fairway at West 74th and Broadway; image via Wikimedia Commons

January 23, 2020

Fairway confirms bankruptcy filing, will sell remaining stores

Earlier this week, the New York Post reported that beloved grocery chain Fairway would be filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy and closing all of its stores, but on Wednesday, Fairway took to Twitter to deny the claims. "Despite reports, Fairway Market has no intention to file for Chapter 7 or liquidate all of its stores," the grocer tweeted. It's unclear why the grocer made these statements since it's now confirmed that they have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, under which they will engage in a supervised sale of their remaining stores, reports the Times.
More details

City Living

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

Exterior photo via Wikimedia; Photo of bell tower © 6sqft

January 23, 2020

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

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

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

General photo of Charles Street by Spencer Means via Flickr cc

January 23, 2020

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

By Annie Doge

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

Celebrities

MTA considers restoring passenger service to freight line between Bay Ridge and Ridgewood

The Bay Ridge Branch crossing Ralph Avenue in Canarsie, photo by Jim Henderson / Wiki Commons

January 23, 2020

MTA considers restoring passenger service to freight line between Bay Ridge and Ridgewood

Since the 1990s, the Regional Plan Association has been advocating for the restoration of passenger service to a rail line known as the Bay Ridge Branch that runs from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn to Astoria, Queens and is now used as a freight line. The MTA has announced that it will begin a feasibility study to "evaluate the potential for subway, commuter rail, light rail or bus service" along the line, which the agency notes would create the potential for reverse commuting and connect to 19 subway lines and the LIRR. In October, the RPA's Kate Slevin explained to NY1, "We don't have unlimited resources here in New York City, as we know, so the fact that we already have tracks there, that are underutilized, really means a lot."
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Transit

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

Image credit: RISE Media courtesy of The Corcoran Group.

January 23, 2020

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

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

Distinctive Homes

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

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

January 22, 2020

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

This rare historic mansion right in the middle of Nolita on the Soho border at 38 Prince Street is on the rental market for a princely $65,000 per month. The historic Federal-style Manhattan townhouse, built in 1826, is unique in many ways. It was once the Saint Patrick's Convent dating back to 1826. The building has seen a thorough overhaul with no expense spared, and it's now a five-story, 9,600-square-foot mansion with an elevator and top-quality finishes throughout, anchored by a dramatic spiral staircase at its midst. Also here: A Pilates room, a "zen pillow room," a music room–and more!
Explore the many rooms of this Soho mansion

Rendering courtesy of Murr Architekten

January 22, 2020

Finalists announced for this year’s City of Dreams pavilion on Roosevelt Island

Snag the Greenest Seat in Town: Gufram's 1972 Pratone Chair is Shaped Like a Patch of Grass

Arts organization FIGMENT, the Emerging New York Architects Committee (ENYA) of the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter (AIANY), and the Structural Engineers Association of New York (SEAoNY) have just announced the finalists in the 2020 City of Dreams Pavilion Design Competition. The competition is an annual program that invites designers to create a temporary architectural pavilion that is efficient and sustainable while considering the life cycle of the building materials used. This year's pavilion will be in Lighthouse Park on Roosevelt Island.
See more of the winning entries

THE 6SQFT SHOP

The 6 best furniture rental companies in NYC

8 best places in NYC to thrift for home goods

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15 quintessential NYC gifts for the New Yorker in your life

Raising chickens in NYC: Laws, tips, and everything else you need to know

Everything you need to know about affordable housing: applying, getting in, and staying put

10 best plants for apartment dwellers

New York City's best holiday markets of 2023

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Preservationists suggest the Frick should buy Jeffrey Epstein’s Upper East Side mansion

Image via Google Maps

January 22, 2020

Preservationists suggest the Frick should buy Jeffrey Epstein’s Upper East Side mansion

Preservationists who have long fought against the Frick Collection's planned expansion are proposing a rather unique solution: the museum could take over Jeffrey Epstein's "cursed mansion" across the street instead. "The fact that it’s so convenient to the museum means that the Frick could potentially lay Jeffrey Epstein’s name to rest by purchasing it and changing the function," architect Theodore Grunewald, who runs preservationist group Save The Frick, told the Daily News. "It could essentially be cleansing the house."
More details

MTA unveils first look at new open-gangway subway cars

Photo courtesy of the MTA on Flickr

January 22, 2020

MTA unveils first look at new open-gangway subway cars

Straphangers will soon be able to move freely between some subway cars. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Tuesday released photos of the city's newest subway fleet which features an "open-gangway" design, or accordion-like walls located at the ends of cars. The R211 car design is meant to increase capacity by allowing for better movement and "customer flow." Expected to be partially delivered later this year, the new subway cars are part of a nearly $4 billion contract awarded to Kawasaki Industries in 2018.
See it here

Transit

Meryl Streep’s waterfront Tribeca penthouse finds a buyer for $15.8M

Listing images by Travis Mark; courtesy of Sotheby’s International Realty

January 22, 2020

Meryl Streep’s waterfront Tribeca penthouse finds a buyer for $15.8M

Roughly a year and a half after it was first listed, Meryl Streep has sold her Tribeca penthouse for $15.8 million, the Wall Street Journal reports. Located in the waterfront River Lofts condominium, the 4,000-square-foot residence has four bedrooms and a landscaped terrace that wraps around three sides of the penthouse. The revered Oscar winner bought the home with her husband, Donald Gummer, for $10.13 million in 2006. It was initially listed for $24.6 million in the summer of 2018. Following a broker switch, the price was slashed to $18.25 million, and it was relisted last August. Listing agent Juliette Janssens of Sotheby's International Realty—who held the most recent listing with Allison Koffman—told the Journal that despite selling for 36 percent less than the original asking price, the final sale still reflects a "very strong number" for today's market.
Have a look around

LPC approves COOKFOX’s plans to convert Chelsea’s historic Terminal Warehouse into an office complex

All renderings by COOKFOX

January 22, 2020

LPC approves COOKFOX’s plans to convert Chelsea’s historic Terminal Warehouse into an office complex

The entire city block bound by 11th and 12th Avenues and 27th to 28th Streets in West Chelsea is occupied by the Terminal Warehouse complex, a former freight distribution hub built in 1891. After losing its place in the shipping industry in the 1930s, it then became infamous in the 1980s and '90s as the home of The Tunnel nightclub. Now, after years as a mini-storage facility and commercial offices, the structure will once again see new life, this time as a wholistic, modern office complex. L&L Holding and Normandy Real Estate Partners have partnered with COOKFOX architects to adaptively reuse the building, preserving and restoring its historic elements, as well as to add shops and restaurants on street level, a central courtyard, and a contemporary glass addition. Yesterday, the Landmarks Preservation Commission unanimously approved the plans.
More looks and details

Beloved Upper West Side shop Book Culture closes for good

Book Culture on Columbus on Thursday 1/9/20, taken by 6sqft

January 21, 2020

Beloved Upper West Side shop Book Culture closes for good

Drawing comparisons to "The Shop Around the Corner" in the movie "You've Got Mail" (which is also set on the Upper West Side), Book Culture became a beloved neighborhood shop for its whimsical atmosphere, great selection of books, and cozy children's reading room. But this past year, the store's owner penned a letter to city officials asking for a $500,000 loan to stay afloat amid unpaid vendor debts and loans. Earlier this month, a city marshal seized the store for "eviction action" due to unpaid rent, West Side Rag reported. Though the store was hopeful it could find a solution to remain open (even starting a Post-it Note campaign where customers left their support on the storefront), they announced today in an email that their doors are shut forever.
What happened?

Real Estate Trends

In Park Slope, this $500K compact co-op has a working fireplace and lots of brownstone charm

Image credit: RISE Media courtesy of The Corcoran Group.

January 21, 2020

In Park Slope, this $500K compact co-op has a working fireplace and lots of brownstone charm

This one-bedroom, pre-war co-op at 19 7th Avenue is just one flight up from a classic north Park Slope street. Asking $499,000, it has the proper postcard charm of a lovely landmarked brownstone–working fireplace included–and it's just a few blocks from Prospect Park.
Brooklyn brownstone charm, this way

Distinctive Homes

Cuomo taps Martin Luther King III, Lucy Liu, and Lin-Manuel Miranda to lead 2020 census campaign

Image by Maciek Lulko via Flickr

January 21, 2020

Cuomo taps Martin Luther King III, Lucy Liu, and Lin-Manuel Miranda to lead 2020 census campaign

As part of the city’s ongoing efforts to count every New Yorker in the upcoming 2020 census, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Monday the creation of the Census Council, which will coordinate the state’s campaign to “get out the count.” Martin Luther King III, Lucy Liu, and Lin-Manuel Miranda have been tapped to serve as co-chairs for the council. They will “act as the state’s coordinating arm” to oversee outreach efforts and make sure the count is as complete as possible. Cuomo also proposed adding an additional $10 million to the state’s effort, bringing the total up to $70 million.
Details here

Policy

In debate over $119B sea wall to protect NYC from superstorms, Trump says ‘get your mops’

Flooded Battery Park Tunnel after Hurricane Sandy. Image: Timothy Krause via Flickr.

January 21, 2020

In debate over $119B sea wall to protect NYC from superstorms, Trump says ‘get your mops’

A barrier wall proposed by the Army Corps of Engineers as one of several options being evaluated to shield the New York area from rare storms–which may well become less rare and more destructive with global warming–is the subject of a heated debate among planners and environmental experts. Supporters suggest that a barrier be constructed in the outer New York Harbor where it's mostly hidden from view, saying it would go the farthest in protecting people, land and valuable landmarks along the waterfront from a storm surge. Others fear the idea is a short-sighted measure that doesn't address major climate threats–and could even worsen matters by trapping sewage and toxins during flooding from high tides and storm runoff. President Donald Trump, however, remains the sole proponent of the mop-and-bucket approach, as the New York Daily News reports.
What will save us from a tweetstorm?

MTA announces $750M plan to overhaul 42nd Street subway stations

Renderings courtesy of Metropolitan Transportation Authority

January 21, 2020

MTA announces $750M plan to overhaul 42nd Street subway stations

The MTA has unveiled a new plan to integrate all the planned work along the 42nd Street corridor—at the Grand Central, Bryant Park, and Times Square stations—into one project. In doing so, the agency expects the newly bundled 42nd Street Connection project will both cut costs and speed up the schedule. The plan encompasses several rehabilitation projects along one of the city’s busiest transportation corridors, including the redesign and rebuild of the 42nd Street shuttle.
READ MORE

Transit

Rendering of 1277 East 14th Street by Maqe

January 21, 2020

91 middle-income units up for grabs at brand new Midwood rental, from $2,346/month

A housing lottery launched Tuesday for 91 middle-income apartments at a newly constructed building in Midwood. Located at 1277 East 14th Street in the central Brooklyn neighborhood, the building sits on the former site of Vitagraph Studios, an acclaimed production company founded in the borough in 1897. The Vitagraph Apartments, which opened last summer, contain 302 units and amenities like a landscaped roof deck and fitness center. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, which includes $2,346/month one-bedrooms and $2,830/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Check out The Sill’s first Brooklyn brick-and-mortar in Cobble Hill

Photos by Tory Williams, courtesy of The Sill

January 17, 2020

Check out The Sill’s first Brooklyn brick-and-mortar in Cobble Hill

Cobble Hill got a little more green with the opening of The Sill's first brick-and-mortar in Brooklyn (they also have a recently opened kiosk at City Point). The outpost at 195 Pacific Street features an apartment-friendly collection of succulents, cacti, and tropical plants that can be potted in the store's own line of planters or purchased on their own. And to make it easy for newbies, each plant has straight-forward labels that you know how much sunlight and water it needs, as well as if it's pet-friendly.
More info

Uncategorized

This $529K co-op tucked between Columbia and Riverside Park could be a smart move

Image credit: RISE Media courtesy of The Corcoran Group.

January 17, 2020

This $529K co-op tucked between Columbia and Riverside Park could be a smart move

By Andrew Berman of Village Preservation

Asking $529,000, this first-floor home at 606 West 113th Street is on a pretty tree-lined street in Morningside Heights between Riverside Park and Columbia University/Barnard College. Located in an historic co-op building with a gorgeous lobby and plenty of pre-war details, this charming one-bedroom apartment has bay windows, 10-foot ceilings, and exposed brick in the living room and bedroom.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

From Civil War generals to Oscar winners: 7 historic figures who called 14-16 Fifth Avenue home

Streetview of 14-16 Fifth Avenue, Map data © 2020 Google; Painting of Henry Breevort via public domain, Photo of General Daniel Edgar Sickles courtesy of the Library of Congress, and photo of Celeste Holm via public domain

January 17, 2020

From Civil War generals to Oscar winners: 7 historic figures who called 14-16 Fifth Avenue home

Madison Realty Capital filed plans last month to demolish 14-16 Fifth Avenue, a five-story apartment building constructed in 1848, and replace it with a 244-foot-tall tower. Because it is located within the Greenwich Village Historic District, it can only be demolished if the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission rules that the building itself is of no historic or architectural merit, and does not contribute to the character of the district (the public hearings where this would be debated and decided have not yet been scheduled). What may seem like a nondescript apartment building actually has an incredibly rich and varied history. Throughout its 170-year history, 14-16 Fifth Avenue was home to Civil War generals, Gold Rush writers, Oscar-winning actors, railroad magnates, pioneering industrialists, inventors, and politicians. What follows is just some of the history behind this easily-overlooked lower Fifth Avenue landmark.
One building, tons of history

Image courtesy of Gammahaus

January 17, 2020

New looks revealed for 3 Hudson Boulevard, the next office tower to rise at Hudson Yards

A new design–the third so far–has been revealed for 3 Hudson Boulevard, the next office tower to rise at Hudson Yards. Located at the northwest corner of West 34th Street and Hudson Boulevard, the tower, which has long been in planning stages, will have 1.85 million square feet of office space. The latest designs reveal a height of just under 1,000 feet with 56 stories, the New York Post reports. Some floors will have ceilings of almost 30 feet with terraces at the end.
Find out more

$5.2M Chelsea loft is a showcase of design talent, with endless room options

Images courtesy of The Corcoran Group.

January 17, 2020

$5.2M Chelsea loft is a showcase of design talent, with endless room options

This renovated loft, asking $5.175 million, spans the full ninth floor of a classic early 1900s building at 142 West 26th Street in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood. The 4,000-square-foot co-op apartment was designed by Fernando Santangelo, who is known for the famous Chateau Marmont Hotel in Los Angeles. In addition to reflecting a brilliant eye for color and detail, the home hits every luxury loft high note, from 11-foot ceilings to vast room proportions. Though it's currently set up with three "official" bedrooms, its current collection of spaces--including a formal living room, a great room, and a library--offer room for many more (see the "alternate" floor plan in the gallery below for just one version).
Tour the fabulous, flexible loft

Distinctive Homes

Gorgeous West Village townhouse once owned by Hilary Swank hits the market at $11M

Listing images courtesy of Halstead Real Estate

January 16, 2020

Gorgeous West Village townhouse once owned by Hilary Swank hits the market at $11M

The charming West Village townhouse that was once home to Hilary Swank is back on the market for $10.995 million (h/t Curbed). Swank and her then-husband Chad Lowe bought the four-story property at 33 Charles Street for $3.9 million in 2002 and sold it four years later for $8.25 million, a significant profit. The current owner is Harry A. Lawton III, the president of Macy's, who closed on the home in 2017 for $10.5 million, just under the current asking price.
Take a look around

January 16, 2020

Photo exhibit highlights the disappearing single-story buildings of the East Village and LES

In 2015, photographer Adam Friedberg was passing through Astor Place and took notice of the two single-story buildings on Third Avenue and St. Marks Place--the one that housed Continental Bar and the other a McDonald's. From there, Friedberg began a project to photograph all the single-story buildings throughout the changing East Village and Lower East Side neighborhoods and the negative space they created. After capturing 97 of the roughly 105 structures, his work is now on view at the Center for Architecture in an exhibit titled "Single-Story Project."
See more of the photos

Events & Things To Do

Photo by Caleb Minear on Unsplash

January 16, 2020

10 best places to work remotely in NYC

By Rebecca Fishbein

One of the best things about freelancing in New York City is not having to fight with the subway to get to my desk on time, something I did almost daily when I had an office job. One of the worst things, though, is feeling permanently stuck in my cramped apartment. Luckily, this city has lots of great, airy spaces that lend themselves well to remote work, whether you do it full time or are just looking to spend the day free of fluorescent lighting and Gary from HR. Ahead, discover 10 of our favorites.
See the full list

City Living

720 West End Avenue

Upper West Side

Serene Upper West Side homes near Riverside Park

1 beds starting at $1,005,000
2 beds starting at $2,495,000
3 beds starting at $3,495,000
4 beds starting at $5,850,000

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Developer scraps Bjarke Ingels-designed 2 WTC for revamped Norman Foster tower

Previous rendering of 2 World Center via DBOX, courtesy of Bjarke Ingels Group

January 16, 2020

Developer scraps Bjarke Ingels-designed 2 WTC for revamped Norman Foster tower

It looks like Norman Foster's design for 2 World Trade Center might rise after all. First unveiled in 2006, the original Foster + Partners proposal was scrapped in 2015 for Bjarke Ingels' stacked tower, which was deemed more suitable to prospective media tenants. After leases with Fox and News Corp. fell through in 2016, the future of the tenant-less tower has remained uncertain. Absent any takers, developer Larry Silverstein is now pivoting back to the Foster vision, the New York Post reports. The old design is being "significantly modified to be more reflective of contemporary needs and taste," Silverstein said.
More details

Photo credit: MW Studio for Compass

January 16, 2020

For $520K, this customized Murray Hill studio has a sleeping alcove, built-ins, and plenty of personality

Located on the 10th floor of Lindley House at 123 East 37th Street, this pre-war studio, asking $520,000, is that rare NYC apartment that has been recently renovated yet retains its classic details, with colorful uniqueness added. Though not a large space, the co-op has a sleeping alcove separated by doors, a separate kitchen, and lots of thoughtfully-designed storage
More cool studio surprises, this way

Distinctive Homes

City likely to rename Bronx block outside of Yankee Stadium after Derek Jeter

Photo by Daniel Vargas on Unsplash

January 16, 2020

City likely to rename Bronx block outside of Yankee Stadium after Derek Jeter

Although he's moved on to a new team and city, former Yankee Derek Jeter will always be a Bronx Bomber in the eyes of fans. As a way to honor the star shortstop and current Miami Marlins coach, two Bronx Council Members are introducing legislation to rename East 161st Street, the block in front of the stadium, "Jeter Street," as amNY first reported.
More details here

Celebrities

All photos courtesy of Wagstaff New York/The Howard Hughes Corportation

January 15, 2020

Head to Pier 17 to ride a sonic wave of illuminated seesaws in a new public art installation