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This Water Mill waterfront home at 38 Cobb Isle Road could easily be a glittering international resort, complete with gorgeous indoor pool and spa right off the kitchen. The pool becomes an outdoor pool in warm weather, and the house itself is on Mecox Bay with the views you'd expect, surrounded by water. Asking $9,495,000, the home, designed by renowned Southampton-based architect Mark C. Matthews, spans 6,150 square feet and has six bedrooms; there's a gym and full bath above the garage, which could become a guest suite.
More waterfront getaway, this way

Distinctive Homes

Image by Nick Normal via Flickr

November 20, 2019

Plan moves forward to convert 14 more cluster sites into housing for 200 homeless families

In 2017, the de Blasio administration announced a five-year “Turning the Tide on Homelessness” plan to convert hundreds of cluster apartments, occupied by homeless families across the city, into permanently affordable units. Earlier this year, the City was able to complete the first phase of that plan by financing not-for-profit developers to acquire 17 buildings, rehabilitate them, and turn them into permanent affordable housing. Now the administration is moving forward with a second phase that will convert 14 more “cluster site” buildings. The first phase created housing for roughly 450 homeless families and the second phase is expected to aid another 200 families.
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Photo credit: Rise Media, courtesy of Compass.

November 20, 2019

This $2M boho-chic Crown Heights row house would make a great apartment alternative

This two-story row house in Crown Heights at 996 Saint Johns Place has plenty of space for family and friends without being too much house to handle. Asking $1.975 million, the barrel-fronted limestone facade looks out over a small front garden, and there's lots more room in the back for al fresco activities. Interiors have been lovingly restored without being too fancy, and lots of old details remain.
Take the townhouse tour

Distinctive Homes

Weeks before winter begins, thousands of NYCHA residents have been without heat or hot water

More than 2,460 residents at the LaGuardia Houses on the LES were affected by the outages Tuesday; photo via Wikimedia

November 20, 2019

Weeks before winter begins, thousands of NYCHA residents have been without heat or hot water

Thousands of public housing residents did not have heat and hot water on Tuesday, making it the second widespread outage in less than two weeks. As first reported by Gothamist, 10,000 New York City Housing Authority tenants across six complexes suffered from the outages this week. And last week, when temperatures dropped below freezing, roughly 23,000 NYCHA residents did not have heat or hot water at some point.
Get the details

Policy

November 20, 2019

13 Brooklyn condos with the best waterfront views

By Michelle Sinclair Colman

Way back in 1992 when David Dinkins was mayor, a Department of City Planning report began, "New York City's waterfront is a valuable but still untapped resource. Decades of declining maritime activity have left much of the city's waterfront dormant. Today, after years of neglect and revitalization attempts stalled by the clash of competing interests, New Yorkers are coming together to fulfill the public's claim to productive use and increased enjoyment of this resource." Today, this transformation is perhaps the most evident along the Brooklyn waterfront, where views of Manhattan and beyond are enjoyed from contemporary towers, restored industrial buildings, and cool, open lofts. Ahead, we round up 13 condominiums with the best views on the waterfront in Brooklyn.
Check them all out

Events & Things To Do

Construction breaks ground for Greenpoint Landing’s OMA-designed towers

Rendering courtesy of OMA/ nuur.nu

November 20, 2019

Construction breaks ground for Greenpoint Landing’s OMA-designed towers

Construction is now underway on the next phase of development at Greenpoint Landing, which includes one acre of additional public waterfront space designed by James Corner Field Operations and two new residential towers designed by Rem Koolhaas’ international architecture firm, OMA. In addition to 745 units of mixed-income housing, the new towers will also add 8,600 square feet of ground-floor retail.
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NYC’s only open-air rooftop ice skating rink opens this week

Photo courtesy of The Howard Hughes Corporation

November 19, 2019

NYC’s only open-air rooftop ice skating rink opens this week

Ice skating in New York City is a must during the winter, with spots like the festive rink at Rockefeller Center, Bryant Park's winter village, and even newbie Runway Rink at the landmarked TWA Hotel. But there's only one NYC ice rink where you can "skate the skyline." Returning for a second season, The Rooftop at Pier 17 in the Seaport District opens this week, promising an even more spectacular season of skating as the city's only open-air rooftop rink.
Find out more

Events & Things To Do

New renderings show 72,600-square-foot public park coming to Brooklyn’s Pacific Park development

Renderings of park courtesy of MNLA

November 19, 2019

New renderings show 72,600-square-foot public park coming to Brooklyn’s Pacific Park development

Developer TF Cornerstone this week released new renderings for two sites within Brooklyn's long-delayed Pacific Park development that have yet to break ground: 615 and 595 Dean Street. Their plans will bring 72,600 square feet of public open space with community amenities, 800 units of mixed-income housing, and retail to Pacific Park. In addition, Chelsea Piers is set to open a Field House that will offer a wide range of family and youth-focused programming when the site opens in 2023.
More details

New Developments

Distinctive Homes

This $7M Gilded-Age mansion on the Upper West Side has a private garage and a theatrical history

This $4M Strivers' Row home is a link to Harlem history with five floors of townhouse living and a private garage

This $6.4M Chelsea condo is like having a library, cafe, and office in a three-bedroom loft

$5M Yorkville home offers a flexible frame for townhouse living

For $5.9M, this architect-designed former Crown Heights carriage house has a guest studio and garage

'Hunger Games' director Gary Ross lists his Cobble Hill townhouse for $10.6M

Asking $2.8M, this two-family Bed-Stuy townhouse looks like a good place to spend a sunny afternoon

This $5M three-family Crown Heights townhouse is a modern triplex with two rental apartments

$2M mid-century modern home in Westchester has 21st-century energy efficiency and zero carbon footprint

Filmmaker John Sayles' former Hoboken townhouse lists for $2.5M

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My 1,600sqft: In her eponymous shop and Soho loft, designer Michele Varian celebrates creativity

Our series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to the Soho loft and eponymous shop of designer Michele Varian. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

November 19, 2019

My 1,600sqft: In her eponymous shop and Soho loft, designer Michele Varian celebrates creativity

For the design-minded, Michele Varian’s Soho storefront is a must-visit destination, stocked to the brim with her own designs alongside a rotating cast of 100+ designers. Since opening her first store in 2001, Michele has sought to create an oasis for quality pieces that straddle the line between tradition and modernity. Like a cabinet of curiosities, the shop offers an antidote to the increasing homogeneity of the retail experience in Soho. Just a couple blocks away on Broadway, Michele lives in a quintessential Soho loft with her rock star husband, Brad Roberts of the Crash Test Dummies. Michele’s signature aesthetic and eye for the handmade is apparent in the duo’s eclectic and inviting space, which is a testament to their lives together. Filled with bold pattern plays, curiosities from their travels, and Brad’s collection of musical instruments, there’s hardly a surface that doesn’t catch the eye or capture the imagination. Ahead, tour Michele’s shop and loft and find out how she balances (and often intertwines) work with life.
Take the tour

Get a new look at Hudson River Park’s Pier 97 after $38M revamp

Images: !melk/Hudson River Park Trust

November 19, 2019

Get a new look at Hudson River Park’s Pier 97 after $38M revamp

Hudson River Park's northernmost pier is being transformed from a concrete strip to nearly two acres of green space with an esplanade and other amenities, Curbed NY reports. Renderings from design firm !melk, who is working with the Hudson River Park Trust on the revamp of Pier 97, located off 12th avenue and 57th Street in Hell's Kitchen, show a verdant respite from the city and din of the nearby West Side Highway. The vision for the new space at the gateway to Hudson River Park will consist of a series of connected spaces with walkways, sculptural canopies and a playground, with an elevated "belvedere" overlooking the river.
More renderings, this way

Architecture And Design

Self-driving buses proposed for busy lane in Lincoln Tunnel

Photo by Elvert Barnes on Flickr

November 19, 2019

Self-driving buses proposed for busy lane in Lincoln Tunnel

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is looking to increase the capacity of one of the country's busiest bus lanes by employing self-driving vehicles. The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that the agency will test autonomous buses in the Lincoln Tunnel's exclusive bus lane, which runs 2.5 miles along New Jersey Route 495. The Port Authority estimates the tech could allow for 200 more buses to run during each morning weekday rush, giving 10,000 more NJ commuters a ride to the Midtown terminal.
More details here

Transit

This $849K Gramercy co-op has two bedrooms and plenty of options for more

Photo credit: Jake DiPietro, Courtesy of Compass

November 19, 2019

This $849K Gramercy co-op has two bedrooms and plenty of options for more

This charming fifth-floor pre-war co-op just two blocks from Union Square, asking $849,000, has plenty of room to expand beyond its current two bedrooms. Situated around a central kitchen, the apartment even comes with instructions (in the form of alternate floor plans, shown in the gallery below). On a quiet landmarked townhouse block in the heart of Gramercy, the Beaux-Arts co-op building at 210 East 17th Street is a well-maintained walk-up.
Have a closer look

Distinctive Homes

This $2.7M Village duplex across from Film Forum is great for movie buffs

Images courtesy of Douglas Elliman.

November 18, 2019

This $2.7M Village duplex across from Film Forum is great for movie buffs

This two-floor co-op at 200 West Houston Street, asking $2.695 million, may be on a busy Village thoroughfare, but its location across from the critic favorite Film Forum movie theater–and screening-room-ready lower level–might make it the perfect spot for someone who wants to immerse themselves in film. There's room to configure the space differently (it's currently set up as a one-bedroom), and each level has a separate entrance.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

Enjoy a ‘Victorian Christmas’ at Westchester’s Octagon House

All photos courtesy of the Armour–Stiner House

November 18, 2019

Enjoy a ‘Victorian Christmas’ at Westchester’s Octagon House

Not only is Westchester's Octagon House the stuff that Instagram dreams are made of, but it is the world’s only eight-sided, fully-domed Victorian home. This holiday season, the Armour–Stiner House, as it's officially known, will open its doors at night for a special event that invites guests to tour the restored 1872 house while it's full of seasonal decorations. There will also be hot refreshments served and "dramatic interpretations of Washington Irving's 'Old Christmas.'"
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Will restored details and a flawless renovation land $3.5M for this Bed-Stuy brownstone?

Images courtesy of Douglas Elliman.

November 18, 2019

Will restored details and a flawless renovation land $3.5M for this Bed-Stuy brownstone?

Brownstone-obsessed Brooklyn developers Dahill & Bunce have put their obsession to work in this 20-foot-wide Bed-Stuy townhouse, which, after a design-savvy renovation, they've served up for sale at a notable-for-the-neighborhood $3.495 million. The meticulous renovation puts all the right airy, livable modern finishes into place while preserving plenty of details that distinguish the 1882 Neo-Grec townhouse at 158 Halsey Street. The resulting three-bedroom triplex–plus garden apartment–totals about 4,000 square feet. The house has an extension which puts it at a rare 60 feet deep, and there are five private outdoor areas throughout.
More sexy brownstone interiors this way

Distinctive Homes

The top NYC holiday markets and pop-up shops of 2019

Photo courtesy of Grand Bazaar

November 18, 2019

The top NYC holiday markets and pop-up shops of 2019

New York is a city of shoppers, and though the retail landscape may be undergoing a sea change, there’s still a lot to be said for perusing yards of beautiful baubles and quirky crafts you won't find online in the company of other shoppers and plenty of good cheer. There’s no shortage of holiday markets this season, with one in practically every corner of town; and each one is unique in its own way. The big Manhattan markets–at Union Square, Bryant Park, Grand Central Station, and Columbus Circle–get points for sheer volume, but some of the best finds can be had at smaller, more intimate neighborhood affairs. And they all sparkle with winter wonderland delights from ice skating and music to drinks, food, workshops, tarot readings, nail art, and family fun to keep shoppers' spirits bright.
Find out where to get the goods

Events & Things To Do

Proposed MTA budget calls for layoffs, fare hikes, and more cops

Photo by rhythmicdiaspora via Flickr

November 15, 2019

Proposed MTA budget calls for layoffs, fare hikes, and more cops

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Thursday unveiled its proposed $17 billion 2020 budget and its four-year financial plan as the agency grapples with massive impending debt. With a projected operating deficit of $426 million by 2023, the MTA wants to lay off 2,700 workers and raise fares twice by four percent over the next four years. Despite the impending financial crisis, the agency plans to spend nearly $250 million over the next four years to hire 500 police officers to patrol subway stations.
Details here

2,050 affordable apartments coming to former Peninsula Hospital site in Far Rockaway

The City Council voted yesterday to give the go-ahead to the Arker Companies' massive redevelopment of the former Peninsula Hospital site in Far Rockaway. Named Edgemere Commons, the 11-building project in the Edgemere neighborhood will include 2,050 units of affordable housing, the largest such project by a private developer under the de Blasio administration. It will also have commercial, community facility, and retail space, including a new supermarket, as well as a playground and a public plaza (rendering also show, of course, a food hall). After 104 years, the hospital closed in 2012 due mainly to financial troubles. The Edgemere Commons project hopes to "reactivate the site" and "spur economic growth in Far Rockaway," according to a press release.
See more renderings

Runway Rink lands at landmark TWA Hotel’s tarmac for daily skating and ice shows

Photo courtesy of TWA Hotel.

November 15, 2019

Runway Rink lands at landmark TWA Hotel’s tarmac for daily skating and ice shows

Yet another cool way to experience the Eero Saarinen-designed TWA Hotel at JFK Airport arrives this month: Starting November 30, a custom 56-by-44-foot Runway Rink will be open for ice skating on the hotel's tarmac surrounding the 1958 Lockheed Constellation Connie airplane-turned-cocktail-lounge. In addition to sharpening your figure-8 skills, you can catch nostalgic ice skating shows and chill with frosty beers, sno-caps and more.
Winter wonderland, this way

Events & Things To Do

Festive facts and figures about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Opening of the parade; photo courtesy of Macy’s, Inc

November 15, 2019

Festive facts and figures about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

It's turkey time! The annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade hits the streets of Manhattan for the 93rd time on Thursday, Nov. 28. Since 1924, the parade has kicked off the holiday season each year with balloons, live performances, and a sense of cheer. If you're going to be one of 50 million people watching the festivities from home, or joining the crowd of 3.5 million people attending, there are a ton of fun facts and figures to know ahead of time. From the number of marching band members (2,793) to the hours of work put in by Macy's team pre-parade (50,000), learn the ins and outs of one of NYC's greatest celebrations, by the numbers.
The full rundown

Events & Things To Do

Via will offer $15 and $20 shared rides from LaGuardia to anywhere in NYC

Photo courtesy of Via

November 15, 2019

Via will offer $15 and $20 shared rides from LaGuardia to anywhere in NYC

Just in time for the holiday madness that is getting one's self out of LaGuardia, on-demand rideshare platform Via has partnered with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to offer $15 (from Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens) and $20 (from the Bronx and Staten Island) flat-rate rides from the airport. Not only does the service, called "LGA Connect," seek to help travellers get where they're going more quickly, but it will hopefully reduce traffic and congestion on the roads.
Get the scoop

Transit

City Council votes to make Hart Island, nation’s largest public cemetery, more accessible

Photo of Hart Island by David Trawin on Flickr

November 15, 2019

City Council votes to make Hart Island, nation’s largest public cemetery, more accessible

On Thursday, the New York City Council approved legislation that transfers ownership of Hart Island, the nation's largest public cemetery where over 1 million people are buried, to the city's Parks Department. The 101-acre island off the coast of the Bronx contains a potters field that has been the final resting place for destitute New Yorkers as far back as the Civil War. The island is currently operated by the Department of Correction (DOC), with Rikers Island inmates paid $1 an hour to bury bodies there. This week's vote comes after a years-long fight to end the onerous process required of visitors who wish to pay their respects to loved ones buried there; its intent is to make the island more accessible to the public and improve its dilapidated conditions.
Find out more

Policy

East River flood protection plan gets the green light from NYC Council

Rendering courtesy of the Department of Design and Construction

November 15, 2019

East River flood protection plan gets the green light from NYC Council

The $1.45 billion East Side Coastal Resiliency Project (ESCR), designed to protect a section of Manhattan's east side from flooding, was approved on Thursday in a full City Council vote. The vote is the final City Council approval of the project, which passed the city's land use committee earlier this week and is the culmination of a long and at-times controversial process. As 6sqft previously reported, the project was born in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, and was designed to flood-proof over two miles of Manhattan’s east side between East 25th Street and Montgomery Street and improve waterfront access to waterfront space. According to the city, the ESCR project would protect over 110,000 New Yorkers.
Find out more

Policy

Mid-century-modern meets rustic retreat at this $835K A-frame home in Connecticut

All photos by Michael Bowman Photography

November 14, 2019

Mid-century-modern meets rustic retreat at this $835K A-frame home in Connecticut

The great thing about this house in Litchfield, Connecticut is that it can satisfy two ends of the design spectrum (h/t Curbed). For mid-century-modern lovers, its six-part A-frame design and geometric interiors check the boxes, while its country setting and wood-filled rooms will please a more rustic sensibility. Listed for $835,000, the four-bedroom home sits on 15 acres and boasts three stone fireplaces, multiple outdoor decks, and exposed redwood beams throughout that frame incredible double-height views.
Take the full tour

City’s new homeless outreach program will utilize 18,000 municipal employees

Photo by Zachary Shakked on Unsplash

November 14, 2019

City’s new homeless outreach program will utilize 18,000 municipal employees

"Mass surveillance" or massive outreach effort? The verdict seems to still be out on Mayor de Blasio's new initiative to help solve the homelessness crisis in New York City. In a press release today announcing the new Outreach NYC program, the city says it will "mobilize thousands of frontline City Agency staff to request outreach assistance via 311 when they observe individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness" as a way to help them into shelters. To be exact, the total number of city employees who will receive this training is 18,000. But the Coalition for the Homeless feels that the plan merely implements "mass surveillance of homeless New Yorkers" without making investments in solutions.
READ MORE

Policy

November 14, 2019

161 affordable apartments available in the South Bronx, from $331/month

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

In the Melrose section of the South Bronx, a new building is now accepting applications for 161 affordable apartments. Located at 735 Cauldwell Avenue, just a couple blocks from the 2 and 5 trains at Jackson Avenue, the building has a part-time attended lobby, roof deck, fitness center, party room, and laundry. The units are available to households earning 30, 50, or 100 percent of the area median income and range from $331/month studios to $1,910/month three-bedrooms.
See if you qualify

Affordable Housing

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A first look inside the Waldorf Astoria’s historic conversion

Renderings by Noë & Associates/The Boundary

November 14, 2019

A first look inside the Waldorf Astoria’s historic conversion

We now have a sneak peek inside the historic condo conversion currently underway at the Waldorf Astoria, now called The Towers of the Waldorf Astoria. Beijing-based Anbang Insurance Group Co. has released an updated teaser website and new renderings of the project, which will bring 375 private residences and 350 renovated hotel rooms to the storied building. Condo sales were initially expected to launch this fall, but are now slated to hit the market in early 2020 with the project wrapping up by 2021.
More details

Facebook snags 1.5 million square feet across three buildings at Hudson Yards

Image by Timothy Schenck; courtesy of Related-Oxford

November 14, 2019

Facebook snags 1.5 million square feet across three buildings at Hudson Yards

Facebook this week has signed a lease for 1.5 million square feet of office space across three buildings at Hudson Yards. Starting next year, the tech company will expand to 30 Hudson Yards, 55 Hudson Yards, and 50 Hudson Yards, the latter which will not be open until 2022 and will consist of the bulk of the lease at 1.2 million square feet.
Get more details here

Real Estate Trends

For $2.4M, this classic pre-war condo in Midtown is dressed to impress

Photo credit: Real Arch Media, courtesy of Compass

November 14, 2019

For $2.4M, this classic pre-war condo in Midtown is dressed to impress

Located in the massive four-building Parc Vendome condominium complex that spans nearly a full city block in Midtown West, this designer-renovated home at 340 West 57th Street is worthy of any hyperbole bestowed upon it. On the 14th floor, with the pre-war building's highest ceilings (according to the listing) that reach 16 feet, this 1,165-square-foot, one-bedroom home is dressed to impress and asking $2,395,000.
More impressive interior goodness, this way

Distinctive Homes

SOM reveals designs for new Disney HQ in Hudson Square

Renderings © SOM / bloomimages

November 14, 2019

SOM reveals designs for new Disney HQ in Hudson Square

Last July, Disney purchased the rights to develop the property at 4 Hudson Square from Trinity Church for $650 million under a 99-year agreement and earlier this year tapped Skidmore, Owings & Merrill to design a new HQ for the media giant. SOM and developer Silverstein Properties have just revealed the first renderings of the project, which will occupy an entire city block and span across 1.2 billion square feet—including retail on the ground floor—and house up to 5,000 employees.
More details

Live on two glorious floors of an Upper East Side French Gothic mansion for $4M

Photo credit: Donna Dotan, courtesy of Compass.

November 13, 2019

Live on two glorious floors of an Upper East Side French Gothic mansion for $4M

This rare condo conversion in a Gilded Age mansion on the Upper East Side sits just across from Central Park and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Designed by C.P.H. Gilbert, 3 East 78th Street was built in 1899 as a six-story, 35-foot-wide private residence and converted to condominiums in 1964, keeping its ornate French Gothic limestone looks intact. The lush apartment within, asking $3,995,000, is a grande dame of a duplex spanning the mansion's fourth and fifth floors, with an elevator to get you there.
Tour this elegant Upper East Side home

Distinctive Homes

Barry Diller’s $250M offshore Pier 55 park dubbed ‘Little Island’

Rendering courtesy of Little Island

November 13, 2019

Barry Diller’s $250M offshore Pier 55 park dubbed ‘Little Island’

The offshore park currently under construction in the Hudson River has been officially christened "Little Island," the Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation announced Wednesday. The Pier 55 project, which is being funded by billionaire Barry Diller and overseen by the Hudson River Park Trust, includes over two acres of public green space across a wave-shaped structure near West 13th Street in the Meatpacking District. First proposed in 2014 for $35 million, Little Island is expected to cost $250 million and open in the spring of 2021.
Get the details

Architecture And Design

Staten Island officials revive call for the borough to secede NYC

Photo by InSapphoWeTrust on Flickr

November 13, 2019

Staten Island officials revive call for the borough to secede NYC

Staten Island officials this week said they will push forward plans for the borough to leave New York City, reviving a fight partially won over 25 years ago. As first reported by the Staten Island Advance, Republican Council Members Joe Borelli and Steven Matteo, who represent the borough, plan to introduce two pieces of legislation that would create a committee to determine the logistics and costs of the secession, as well as a commission a study to look at the feasibility of designating county governments within the city. In 1993, Staten Island residents voted to leave the Big Apple, but the measure never went further after failing to pass in Albany.
Sayonara, Staten Island?

Policy

Rendering of the new shop, courtesy of David Korins

November 13, 2019

Midtown’s Drama Book Shop gets a new location and a 2020 opening date

Midtown's 100-year-old Drama Book Shop has a new home and an opening date after being revived by Lin-Manuel Miranda and three “Hamilton” collaborators, the New York Times reports. Earlier this year, the garment district mainstay was forced to close due to rising rents. With investment help from the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment, Miranda's team bought the store from owner Rozanne Seelen and packed up the storefront at 250 West 40th Street, where it had been located since 2001. Since then, they've found a new location just one block south at 266 West 39th Street, which is expected to open in March.
More details

Uncategorized

10 things you didn’t know about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Photo courtesy of Macy’s, Inc.

November 13, 2019

10 things you didn’t know about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

By Lucie Levine

Since New York City invented the Holiday Season as we know it, it’s only fitting that this city kicks things off in fine form. Thankfully, the good folks at Macy’s have been doing just that since 1924, when they sent the very first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade sauntering down Broadway. The Parade has been synonymous with Thanksgiving for more than 90 years, and it has more secrets up its sleeve than it has balloons in the air. From “balloonatics” and “falloons” to the only time in history the parade was canceled, here are 10 things you might not know about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Float on!

48 more subway stations, including Penn Station, will get the MTA’s tap-to-pay system next month

Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit / Flickr

November 13, 2019

48 more subway stations, including Penn Station, will get the MTA’s tap-to-pay system next month

At the end of May, the MTA rolled out its new tap-to-pay fare system, called OMNY (One Metro New York), at 16 subway stations on the 4, 5, and 6 lines between Grand Central-42nd Street and Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center, in addition to all Staten Island buses. After a successful pilot--OMNY surpassed three million taps last week--the agency has now announced that it will add the contactless payment system at 48 more subway stations next month, including Penn Station, Whitehall Street, and all stops on the 1 train between Rector Street and 59th Street-Columbus Circle.
See the full list of additions

$52M supportive housing complex with health-focused amenities opens in the South Bronx

Rendering by Peter L. Woll Architect, P.C; Courtesy of Community Access

November 13, 2019

$52M supportive housing complex with health-focused amenities opens in the South Bronx

An affordable housing complex with health and wellness perks officially opened in the South Bronx on Tuesday, after breaking ground more than two years ago. The $52 million building at 111 East 172nd Street in the neighborhood of Mount Eden contains 126 apartments, with 60 of them set aside for those living with mental illness. The units are affordable for households earning 60 percent of the area median income.
More here

Affordable Housing

Norah Jones is selling her 19th-century Cobble Hill townhouse for $8M

Photo by Christian Harder for Nest Seekers International

November 12, 2019

Norah Jones is selling her 19th-century Cobble Hill townhouse for $8M

Grammy Award winner Norah Jones has listed her four-story townhouse in Cobble Hill for $8 million, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday. The Brooklyn home sits 25 feet wide at 166 Amity Street and contains five bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a backyard with a disappearing heated pool and hot tub. The singer-songwriter first picked up the 19th-century pad in 2009 for $4.9 million. Unfortunately, the vintage Krakauer piano found by the back door is not included in the sale.
Take the tour

$1.1M Noho duplex is a futuristic white box

Photo credit: Warchol Photography, Courtesy of Compass.

November 12, 2019

$1.1M Noho duplex is a futuristic white box

Located in Noho's nondescript-modernist Bleecker Court at 77 Bleecker Street, this unique home was designed in 2003 by architect and educator Diane Lewis for an art-world client who wanted, according to the listing, "a cross between Mies van der Rohe and Barbarella." She definitely achieved that goal, creating a downtown apartment that's perfect for anyone with collections to archive and display or who is seeking a sleek, pristine home that does a lot in a small space. It's asking $1,075,000.
More views of this modern architectural wonder

Distinctive Homes

Where to go out for Thanksgiving dinner in NYC

Photo by Dana Balding, courtesy of The Smith

November 12, 2019

Where to go out for Thanksgiving dinner in NYC

The city that never sleeps also doesn't take a rest for the holidays. Though we tend to assume most businesses are closed on Thanksgiving, in New York City, there are plenty of restaurants keeping their doors open and their ovens full of turkeys. Ahead, we've rounded up 40+ places where you can enjoy a holiday meal if you don't plan on spending the day in the kitchen. From New York classics like Tavern on the Green and the ridiculously cozy Freemans to splurge-worthy picks like Gramercy Tavern and Union Square Cafe to affordable options like Veselka and The Smith to something with a little twist on the traditional like Ginny's Supper Club's jazz buffet and pizza spot Emily's Turbo Turkey Sandwich.
Check out all your options

Image by Leif Knutsen on Wikimedia Commons

November 12, 2019

More businesses to shutter in LIRR concourse amid Penn Station renovations

Beginning next April, at least 17 additional businesses in Penn Station's LIRR concourse will shutter to make way for the station's $600 million revamp. As the New York Post reports, the closings will impact the north-side of the concourse, which is operated by real estate developer Vornado. Commuter-favorites like Shake Shack, Pret a Manger, and two Starbucks locations are among the merchants who will close shop, leaving commuters with significantly fewer fast-food options. Papyrus, Godiva, and Le Bon Cafe are also on the list.
More info

Zagat New York City restaurant guide returns to print after three years

Photo by Emily Schindler for Zagat

November 12, 2019

Zagat New York City restaurant guide returns to print after three years

The iconic pocket-sized guide to New York City restaurants has released its first print edition since 2016. Zagat's 2020 New York City Restaurants guidebook, available on Tuesday, includes more than 1,400 new reviews and a compilation of reports from the past 40 years of the beloved "burgundy bibles." Google purchased Zagat, which first launched in 1980, from its founders in 2011, expanded its digital presence over the next seven years, and then sold it last year to The Infatuation, which plans to rebuild the guide's online platform.
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Food & Dining

Prime Park Slope duplex with a lovely private garden asks $6,500/month

Listing images courtesy of The Corcoran Group

November 12, 2019

Prime Park Slope duplex with a lovely private garden asks $6,500/month

Right around the corner from Park Slope's bustling 5th Avenue, this two-bedroom duplex at 695 Degraw Street is convenient, cozy, and comes with a private, well-maintained garden. Located in a three-unit building dating back to 1899, the home still has some of its classic pre-war details alongside all of the modern conveniences that are on your list: central AC, a laundry room, and more. For the asking rent of $6,500 a month, the apartment can come partially furnished or vacant.
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November 11, 2019

For $807K, light, pattern, and color wake up this two-bedroom Morningside Heights co-op

Situated within the amenity-filled Morningside Gardens co-operative complex, this two-bedroom home at 70 La Salle Street in Morningside Heights was renovated less than a year ago. The result is a cheerful and chic mix of color, pattern, and well-configured space that's highlighted by an abundance of natural light. With ceilings of over nine feet tall and floor-to-ceiling windows, this corner unit, asking $807,000, maximizes space with plenty of closets in addition to large and livable rooms.
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Distinctive Homes

Bergen Brooklyn

323 Bergen Street

Boerum Hill

World-class design rooted in Brooklyn charm

studios starting at $825,000
1 beds starting at $1,200,000
2 beds starting at $1,925,000
3 beds starting at $3,050,000
4 beds starting at $6,000,000

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November 11, 2019

The 9/11 Tribute Museum might be closing its doors

Google Street View of the 9/11 Tribute Museum in October 2017; Map data © Google The 9/11 Tribute Museum—perhaps “overshadowed” by the better-known Memorial Museum just a few blocks away—might be closing its 92 Greenwich Street location, as Crain’s reports. Real estate investment firm Thor Equities has placed the museum's three-story space on the market for $30 million. It’s not yet clear whether the museum will close down completely or be able to relocate.
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Events & Things To Do

$90/night Chelsea listing on Airbnb turns the spotlight on NYCHA housing

Queensbridge Houses. Photo credit: Metro Centric via Wikimedia Commons

November 11, 2019

$90/night Chelsea listing on Airbnb turns the spotlight on NYCHA housing

The New York Times recently told of a pair of visitors from Boston who signed up for a sweet Airbnb deal on a Chelsea pad for $90 a night–and were surprised to have it turn out to be a seventh-floor unit in the neighborhood's 11-building NYCHA Fulton Houses complex. The would-be guests noticed that "something seemed off," starting with the roach trap next to the bed. The travelers tipped off the company, who refunded their money, and their story quickly became internet history as yet another way homestay platforms are being taken advantage of and another log on the fire of the debate that rages over what to do about it.
Airb-n-beware?

With a new ‘Arid Room’ focused on rare cacti and succulents, Tula is growing its roots in Greenpoint

Images courtesy of Tula Plants & Design

November 11, 2019

With a new ‘Arid Room’ focused on rare cacti and succulents, Tula is growing its roots in Greenpoint

Less than a year after opening their new flagship in Greenpoint, Tula Plants & Design has expanded its lush storefront with a dedicated space for cacti and succulents. Owners Christan Summers and Ivan Martinez recently completed a 400-square-foot expansion in the nearly 100-year-old warehouse at 59 Meserole Avenue, adding a desert plant oasis to complement their tropical plant offerings. The “Arid Room” is packed with varieties young and old and specializes in sourcing rare, hard-to-find species.
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City Living

13 places to volunteer in NYC this holiday season

Photo by Rommel Demano for God’s Love We Deliver

November 11, 2019

13 places to volunteer in NYC this holiday season

The winter holiday season is a time of overflowing bounty for so many. While giving thanks and exchanging gifts, it's a fine opportunity to share the wealth, good cheer–and extra time off–with fellow New Yorkers in need. There are hundreds of ways to volunteer from now through the New Year (and beyond), and we've rounded up 13 ways to help this year, from meal delivery to serving Thanksgiving dinner to preparing your own putlock dish.
The list, this way

The city introduces a new branding initiative to unite NYC’s public markets

Photo of the Arthur Avenue Retail Market by Leonard J. DeFrancisci via Wikimedia Commons

November 11, 2019

The city introduces a new branding initiative to unite NYC’s public markets