6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

By Andrew Berman of Village Preservation

The Meatpacking District gained a new architectural landmark this week. Construction of Studio Gang's 40 Tenth Avenue is officially complete, making it Jeanne Gang and her firm's first New York City building. Nicknamed the Solar Carve Tower because the way its facade seems to have been "sculpted by the angles of the sun," the 10-story, High Line-facing office tower is designed to allow for lots of sunlight without casting shadows on the neighboring green space.
Details this way

August 8, 2019

Uncovering the stories behind downtown’s overlooked synagogues

On August 8, 2008, Village Preservation and the East Village Community Coalition (EVCC) submitted a request to the LPC to landmark a little-known but remarkable survivor– Congregation Mezritch Synagogue at 515 East 6th Street between 1st Avenue and Avenue A. The building was the last operating “tenement synagogue” in the East Village. A young, little-known developer named Jared Kushner was planning to tear it down and replace it with condos and a new space for the tiny congregation, which had operated out of the building since 1910. The story has a (relatively) happy ending – the synagogue and much of its surroundings were landmarked in 2012, and the demolition plan was dropped. But unlike the deservedly beloved and celebrated Eldridge Street Synagogue, now a National Historic Landmark, Mezritch is one of several unique but in many cases overlooked historic synagogues still standing in and around Greenwich Village, the East Village, and the Lower East Side, which in the early 20th century contained what was by many accounts the largest Jewish community in the world. Ahead, we take a look at the history of seven of them and what makes them so unique.
Learn about the history

History

August 8, 2019

Karlie Kloss and Josh Kushner’s Nolita pad sells for $6.6M

Supermodel Karlie Kloss and hubby Josh Kushner, investor and brother to Trump advisor/son-in-law Jared Kushner, have sold their downtown Manhattan newlywed nest at 211 Elizabeth Street for $6.6 million, the New York Post reports. The pair, who tied the knot last year, listed the 2,000-square-foot home with interiors by Roman and Williams and a 1,120-square-foot landscaped terrace, last February for $6.9 million.
Take the tour

NYC extends cap on Uber, Lyft for another year

Via Flickr

August 8, 2019

NYC extends cap on Uber, Lyft for another year

The city's Taxi and Limousine Commission voted on Wednesday to extend the cap on for-hire vehicle licenses for one year and reduce the time drivers can travel without passengers, the Wall Street Journal reported. The cap on licenses, the first of its kind in the country, was first introduced last year as part of a pilot program aimed at regulating the growing for-hire vehicle industry as well as reducing traffic and pollution.
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August 8, 2019

This freshly-renovated $50M Upper East Side townhouse was Gloria Vanderbilt’s childhood home

By Annie Doge

The 27-foot-wide, seven-story townhouse at 39 East 72nd Street is iconic even without the celebrity claim; a sandstone-clad facade and copper cornice cast an ethereal glow, yet blend with the stately homes on the Upper East Side block. Mansion Global reports that also-iconic socialite and businesswoman Gloria Vanderbilt lived in the home in her "Poor Little Rich Girl" childhood. The options for this pristine property are many. It's currently set up as three separate condos, but a combo would make a Vanderbilt-worthy manse.
Take a look inside

BAM commissions a series of public artworks for its Fort Greene campus

Rendering of Teresita Fernández’s Paradise Parados courtesy of Brooklyn Academy of Music

August 8, 2019

BAM commissions a series of public artworks for its Fort Greene campus

BAM will soon be adding a series of site-specific public artworks to its Fort Greene campus. Brooklyn-based artists Teresita Fernández and Hank Willis Thomas have been commissioned to create new works for BAM, and Leo Villareal—whose LED light installation “Stars” can already be seen illuminating the arched façade windows of BAM’s Peter Jay Sharp Building—will create two new works. One additional artist will be commissioned in the near future.
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Events & Things To Do

Astoria food hall opening this fall promises to showcase the diverse cuisines of Queens

Rendering courtesy of EJ Stevens Group

August 7, 2019

Astoria food hall opening this fall promises to showcase the diverse cuisines of Queens

Last summer, a developer announced plans to convert a restaurant supply store and warehouse in Astoria into a food hall. Now, after some construction delays, the World Artisan Market is officially moving forward, as Eater NY first reported on Wednesday, with an expected opening date in the late fall. Developed by the EJ Stevens Group, the former warehouse at 34-39 31st Street will be converted into a retail space with 18,000-square-feet of storefronts which will offer a diverse mix of vendors, from Korean barbecue to a French-Scandinavian bakery.
Find out more

Food & Dining

Distinctive Homes

Trump's childhood home in Queens back on the market for $2.3M after gut renovation

Studio 54 founder Ian Schrager lists Westchester estate for $7.5M

Amy Schumer sells Brooklyn Heights townhouse at $1.25M loss

Pre-war warmth meets polished loft lines in this $4.25M Village co-op

The kitchen in this $1.53M Murray Hill co-op is like a ray of sunshine

For $2M, a Boerum Hill co-op with a colorful Scandi kitchen

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

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

This $599K Ditmas Park co-op has a 'secret' private park

A celebrated artist's Upper East Side co-op asks $4.75 million

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City Winery opens outdoor garden pop-up at Rockefeller Center ahead of move

Photo via City Winery

August 7, 2019

City Winery opens outdoor garden pop-up at Rockefeller Center ahead of move

City Winery’s SoHo location may officially be closed, but that doesn’t mean saying goodbye to the food and wine for which it's known. The restaurant and music venue has opened an outdoor garden pop-up at Rockefeller Center, serving up Mediterranean bites and locally-made wine on tap. As 6sqft previously reported, the restaurant and music venue will soon move from its long-time home on Varick Street to a new spot at Pier 57, after the Walt Disney Corporation purchased the property last year. The new Hudson River Park location isn’t expected to open until 2020. In the meantime, the seasonal pop-up in Midtown will meet your wine needs through the fall.
Find out more

Food & Dining

Search begins for artist to design Hurricane Maria memorial in Battery Park City

Image via Wiki Commons

August 7, 2019

Search begins for artist to design Hurricane Maria memorial in Battery Park City

The search is on for the architect or artist who will design the Hurricane Maria Memorial in Battery Park City. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced plans for the project last September, on the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Maria’s landfall. The tragic event claimed more than 3,000 lives and brought more than 11,000 displaced victims to New York. The memorial will be a way for the city to honor the victims and survivors, as well as the city’s strong connection to Puerto Rico.
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Uncategorized

‘Waterfront Planning Camp’ invites New Yorkers to help the city improve 520 miles of NYC waterfront

Image courtesy of the Department of City Planning.

August 7, 2019

‘Waterfront Planning Camp’ invites New Yorkers to help the city improve 520 miles of NYC waterfront

The Department of City Planning (DCP) on Wednesday invited New Yorkers of all ages to help shape the city's next Comprehensive Waterfront Plan, starting with a “Waterfront Planning Camp” event on Governors Island. In an effort to get community input and feedback on how to make the city's 520 miles of waterfront better, the DCP is hosting a free Waterfront Planning Camp on Governors Island at Nolan Park, Saturday, August 17th from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Find out more

August 7, 2019

Asking $1M, this sweet Connecticut ‘Mouse House’ cottage is just a whisker from the beach

This adorable cottage, dubbed “The Mouse House” with a plaque on the front gate, is steps from coveted Campo Beach in Westport, Connecticut. Asking $999,000, the 1,229 square-foot four-bedroom home has been a popular Airbnb listing. It has literary cred as well: The current owner is a bestselling novelist.
Beach house tour, this way

Distinctive Homes

14th Street busway pilot program will begin next week after judge gives project green light

Image via Flickr

August 7, 2019

14th Street busway pilot program will begin next week after judge gives project green light

The city is set to begin a 14th Street busway pilot on August 12 after a judge lifted a temporary injunction on the project, Streetsblog reported. The busway had most recently been delayed after several block associations along the street filed a lawsuit against the project, claiming that the city failed to conduct an environmental review for the work. State Supreme Court Judge Eileen Rakower reviewed a traffic analysis submitted by Deputy Commissioner for Traffic Eric Beaton and found that the traffic, health, and safety impacts of the project fall within the city’s routine traffic management work, thereby allowing the project to move forward.
More details

August 7, 2019

Our 700sqft: See how two musicians (and their instruments) make it work in Greenpoint

Our series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to the Greenpoint apartment of musician-couple Sara McDonald and Amit Peled. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch! Growing up in a military family that moved almost every year, Sara McDonald tried to feel settled in each new city by furnishing her room with framed photos and special pillows. “I would always spend a ton of time organizing and decorating my room even though I knew it wasn’t permanent,” she told us. “I just wanted to feel at home where we lived.” In her Greenpoint apartment she shares with boyfriend Amit Peled, Sara has been able to do just that, styling her place exactly how she wants with Craigslist finds and unique mementos from abroad. Both musicians (they met at the School of Jazz at The New School), Sara and Amit needed space for their many instruments. Thankfully, Sara, who composes and arranges music for her big band NYChillharmonic and plays the French horn, and Amit, a guitarist, and member of a hard-core Klezmer band, can use their apartment’s second bedroom as a music studio. Their apartment boasts a vintage vibe, credited mainly to Sara’s resilient effort to find pieces she wants online. Nearly everything in the couple’s home cost them less than $200, with even the mahogany spinet piano picked up for free. “I always know exactly what I want, almost to a fault,” she said. Ahead, meet Sara and Amit and learn how they made this funky Brooklyn apartment their own.
See inside

This $950K West Village brownstone co-op has patina, personality, and a wood-burning stove

Image credit: Rise Media for The Corcoran Group.

August 7, 2019

This $950K West Village brownstone co-op has patina, personality, and a wood-burning stove

This one-bedroom co-op at 78 Charles Street in the heart of the West Village is on the top floor of a classic brownstone. Asking $950,000, it gets plenty of light, so moody blue hues and dark wood paneling add up to tons of style and charm.
See more, this way

Distinctive Homes

Williamsburg summer survival guide: Where to cool off, hang out, and enjoy an icy treat

Photo by Scott Beale

August 6, 2019

Williamsburg summer survival guide: Where to cool off, hang out, and enjoy an icy treat

Summer in the city can be a slog, but neighborhoods like Williamsburg turn the dog days into a wealth of seasonal perfection with peerless places, rare and unique tastes, and unbeatable views around every corner. From pools and parks and ice cream parlors for family fun to chic rooftop boîtes overlooking the Manhattan skyline, Brooklyn’s trendiest neighborhood offers endless urban opportunities to beat the heat. Below are just a few ways to keep cool and carry on.
The Williamsburg summer survival guide

Events & Things To Do

New York’s first fleet of self-driving cars launches at the Brooklyn Navy Yard

Photo courtesy of Optimus Ride

August 6, 2019

New York’s first fleet of self-driving cars launches at the Brooklyn Navy Yard

New York's first fleet of self-driving vehicles has officially landed in Brooklyn. Six autonomous vehicles will roll into the Brooklyn Navy Yard on Wednesday, shuttling passengers in a loop around the 300-acre industrial site for free. Optimus Ride, the Boston-based technology company behind the fleet, will run the autonomous shuttle between 7 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. on weekdays, between the NYC Ferry stop at Dock 72 and Cumberland Gate at Flushing Avenue.
Ride this way

$825K Turtle Bay pad has a floating staircase and glass-bottom sleeping loft

This one-bedroom home in Turtle Bay Towers at 310 East 46th Street, asking $825,000, plays with creative design and dramatic custom construction to give it the feel of an industrial loft. Steel and tempered glass surround a floating staircase, and grand dimensions and open spaces make this condop stand out from the average full-service midtown Manhattan pack.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

Parts of the old Kosciuszko Bridge and Staten Island Expressway become an artificial reef

Images via Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Flickr

August 6, 2019

Parts of the old Kosciuszko Bridge and Staten Island Expressway become an artificial reef

Pieces from the old Kosciuszko Bridge are now underwater off the coast of Fire Island, as part of New York State’s ongoing artificial reef expansion efforts. Governor Cuomo launched the second year of the largest artificial reef expansion in state history this past weekend. Recycled materials from the Staten Island Expressway, the Kew Gardens, and Kosciuszko bridges, as well as retired U.S. Army Corps of Engineers steel vessels, were cast into the water at Fire Island Reef, where they will create new marine habitats and boost Long Island's fishing and diving industries.
More information

Neighborhood Tours

Disney files plans for a 19-story headquarters in Hudson Square

304 Hudson Street via Google Street View

August 6, 2019

Disney files plans for a 19-story headquarters in Hudson Square

The Walt Disney Company has tapped Skidmore Owings & Merrill to design its new Hudson Square headquarters, according to a pre-filing application filed last week with the Department of Buildings. As first reported by the Real Deal, the building will rise 19 stories and include "East" and "West" towers. Last July, the media company purchased the rights to develop the property at 4 Hudson Square from Trinity Church, which owns a large percentage of buildings in the neighborhood, for $650 million under a 99-year agreement.
More this way

Real Estate Trends

James Turrell installation reopens at MoMA PS1 after nearby construction impedes views

Image via Flickr cc

August 6, 2019

James Turrell installation reopens at MoMA PS1 after nearby construction impedes views

James Turrell's celebrated Skyspace installation at MoMA PS1 is open to the public again after views from a high-rise construction encroached on the piece and forced a temporary closure back in January. Meeting is a site-specific, permanent installation that was installed in the museum in the 1980s and offers a simple pleasure: gazing upwards toward an unobstructed view of the sky. The aperture is framed by LED lights that change over the course of the day, creating interesting optical effects between the color of the sky and that of the room.
More info

Events & Things To Do

Fabled 242-square-foot West Village ‘Wee Cottage’ is back on the market for $429K

Photos by Zio and Sons courtesy of Halstead

August 6, 2019

Fabled 242-square-foot West Village ‘Wee Cottage’ is back on the market for $429K

6sqft previously featured this unique West Village studio for its clever design in 2014, when its owners, Jourdan Lawlor and Tobin Ludwig, who bought the charming co-op for a mere $270,000, transformed the 242-square-foot pied-a-terre at 352 West 12th Street into a marvel of brilliant design and space-optimizing solutions. The pair dubbed it “The Wee Cottage” and invested in a renovation that became the stuff of micro-apartment legend (Refinery29 named it the Coolest Tiny Apartment in NYC, and it’s an Instagram favorite). After a spin as a rental, they put their mini-masterpiece on the market last year for $500,000. Now its price has gotten a wee bit smaller, currently asking $429,000 (h/t Curbed).
Take another peek

Distinctive Homes

Photo credit: Drew Dies and Katherine Pastrana courtesy of Compass.

August 5, 2019

This $2.3M Ditmas Park Victorian adds modern convenience to bygone-era charm

This seven-bedroom free-standing Ditmas Park townhouse at 777 Rugby Road, asking $2.275 million, has plenty of curb appeal, starting with a big, gracious front porch perfect for summer afternoons. On a leafy block lined with ornate Victorians, this home has been renovated to create plenty of space for modern living while keeping its bygone-era charm.
Step inside for a look

Distinctive Homes

August 5, 2019

‘Friends’ pop-up in Soho will let fans experience the iconic (if unrealistic) interiors of the hit series

It’s been 25 years since the world met Ross, Rachel, Joey, Monica, Chandler, and Phoebe in the hit 90s sitcom Friends. But it wasn’t just the characters who became iconic—the interiors portrayed throughout the show, Monica and Joey’s (completely unrealistic) apartments, and of course, Central Perk, became influential “characters” in their own right. To celebrate this year’s big anniversary, New Yorkers will have a chance to experience those interiors first-hand in a new, immersive pop-up featuring set recreations that will bring you right into the center of the Friends universe.
More details

Events & Things To Do

Queens locals say Billie Holiday monument should be in historic Addisleigh Park, not Kew Gardens

Photo via Wikimedia

August 5, 2019

Queens locals say Billie Holiday monument should be in historic Addisleigh Park, not Kew Gardens

Residents in southeast Queens are pushing the city to place a monument of jazz artist Billie Holiday in their neighborhood, instead of Kew Gardens, as the city proposed. In March, First lady Chirlane McCray announced plans to erect four statues of trailblazing women across the boroughs, including commissioning one of Holiday near Queens Borough Hall. But as Patch reported this week, locals want the monument to be in the Addisleigh Park Historic District, where Holiday, as well as many other prominent jazz musicians, lived in the late 1940s and '50s.
More here

City Living

August 5, 2019

Billionaires’ Row kosher deli fights high-rise developer over eviction

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

Cafe Classico, a kosher delicatessen that has occupied the storefront on West 57th Street next door to an 1891 French-style townhouse for 19 years has asked a judge to spare it from eviction, the New York Post reports. The LeFrak Organization and Vornado Realty have plans to build a high-rise tower on the next-door property at 29 West 57th Street, and the deli's landlord, 35 West Realty Co., has threatened to evict the longtime business over insufficient insurance coverage.
Find out more

New Developments

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De Blasio secured mortgages for his Park Slope homes from bank tied to dubious deal with city

A mortgage for the mayor’s home at 384 11th Street came from Wall Street Morgage Bankers

August 5, 2019

De Blasio secured mortgages for his Park Slope homes from bank tied to dubious deal with city

The mortgages secured by Mayor Bill de Blasio for his two Park Slope homes came from a bank linked to a firm that received millions of dollars from the city in a controversial housing deal. The Daily News reported on Monday that the founder of the bank that gave the mortgages to de Blasio is Abraham Podolsky, the brother of Jay and Stuart Podolsky, whose firm sold 17 buildings to the city for $173 million earlier this year. Critics have questioned the deal with the Podolsky brothers, who are known for owning poorly maintained properties, and City Comptroller Scott Stringer called on City Hall to release the deal's appraisals.
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Policy

$11.5M Beekman Place duplex is a rare piece of Manhattan social history, Warhol connection included

Listing photos by Donna Dotan, courtesy of Compass

August 5, 2019

$11.5M Beekman Place duplex is a rare piece of Manhattan social history, Warhol connection included

This 5,200-square-foot duplex at 1 Beekman Place, on the market for the first time in 50 years, is a rare piece of NYC history. The seller is socialite and one-time Warhol muse Barbara Allen de Kwiatkowski. With 60 linear feet of windows overlooking the East River on each level, this palatial 12-room co-op offers five bedrooms, three fireplaces, a private balcony, two terraces overlooking the East River and a one-bedroom staff apartment on a separate floor.
More of the grand tour, this way

Distinctive Homes

MTA plans major upgrades for 100-year-old 42nd Street Shuttle

Image via Flickr

August 5, 2019

MTA plans major upgrades for 100-year-old 42nd Street Shuttle

The 42nd Street Shuttle is set to undergo a “historic transformation” as the MTA has announced plans to modernize the 100-year-old train that connects riders between Grand Central Terminal and Times Square, two of the busiest stations in the city. Work will include replacing the Times Square Shuttle terminal with a larger, fully accessible station, reconfiguring platforms at Grand Central, and modernizing the signaling system.
More details

Transit

August 2, 2019

Pottery Barn’s new ‘Friends’ collection will be there for you…and your apartment

"Friends" is set to leave Netflix by the end of the year, but devoted fans now have a new way to keep their favorite moments close by. As the show prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary, Pottery Barn has just launched the much-anticipated FRIENDS x Pottery Barn collection, comprised of furniture, tableware, and other household accessories inspired by the classic '90s sitcom. Ranging from a $1,099 apothecary coffee table to a $29.50 throw pillow featuring the iconic shade of purple in Monica’s apartment—there’s a little something for everyone, whether you’re a Rachel, a Joey, or a Phoebe.
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Demolition of debated vacant oil tanks in Williamsburg begins

Photo by James and Karla Murray exclusively for 6sqft

August 2, 2019

Demolition of debated vacant oil tanks in Williamsburg begins

Ten decommissioned tanks located along the Williamsburg waterfront will get demolished by the city this week, quashing plans from organizers to transform the silos into public space. Over the last four years, a team of designers and park advocates, led by Karen Zabarsky and Stacey Anderson, has pushed for adaptive reuse of the vacant 50-foot tanks into possible performance space, greenhouses, and art galleries. But without enough support from public officials, the team's project, The Tanks at Bushwick Inlet Park, now comes to an end as the city begins razing the oil tanks.
More here

Architecture And Design

August 2, 2019

Pale timber, historic details and DIY done right define this $5,500/month Bed Stuy townhouse rental

Built in 1891, this three-story brick townhouse at 401A Monroe Street in Bed-Stuy uses each of its three floors to the best advantage of whomever's lucky enough to be in residence. The single-family home is available for rent for $5,500 per month beginning September 15. Within are four bedrooms, two baths, a finished basement and a private backyard.
Tour the triplex, consider the options

Distinctive Homes

Did you know the country’s only floating pool is in the Bronx?

Photo by Danny Avila for NYC Parks

August 2, 2019

Did you know the country’s only floating pool is in the Bronx?

Although it's technically safe, you may not want to swim in the East River. Swimming on the East River, however, is an entirely different story. The Floating Pool Lady is not just a pool. It’s a floating pool located in a retrofitted barge that’s currently docked in Barretto Point Park in the Hunts Point neighborhood of the Bronx. Best of all, it's the only floating pool in the country.
Jump in

Architecture And Design

Bruce Willis’ 22-acre Westchester estate gets a price chop, now asking $9.4M

Photo of Bruce Willis via Gage Skidmore on Flickr; listing photo: Robert Lowell courtesy of Douglas Elliman

August 1, 2019

Bruce Willis’ 22-acre Westchester estate gets a price chop, now asking $9.4M

Bruce Willis put his massive 22-acre Westchester estate on the market back in January for $12.95 million, with plans to head back to the West Coast. The "Die Hard" actor's Bedford Corners property just got a hefty discount, now asking $9.39 million, the New York Post reports. In 2014, Willis and wife Emma Heming paid $12 million for the estate, which includes a shingle-style home, antique house, and two renovated guest cottages. As 6sqft reported last January, Willis sold his co-op at 271 Central Park West for $17.75 million after buying it for around the same price in 2015.
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MTA plans more elevators for 14th Street subway complex, making it fully accessible

Image via Flickr

August 1, 2019

MTA plans more elevators for 14th Street subway complex, making it fully accessible

After committing to install four elevators at the 14th Street and Sixth Avenue F, M, and L stop as part of a lawsuit settlement, the MTA has now announced it will also be adding elevators to access the 1, 2, and 3 platforms at Seventh Avenue. As The City reported, the 14th Street subway complex between Sixth and Seventh Avenues is one of the busiest stops in the city, servicing more than 48,000 riders a day. The expanded project will make the entire complex fully accessible, though it won't happen overnight.
More details

Transit

Camp for free under the stars in The Battery

Photo courtesy of the Battery Conservancy

August 1, 2019

Camp for free under the stars in The Battery

It's your chance to have a free quintessential summer experience, albeit not typical a New York City one. The Battery Conservancy on Thursday will open a lottery for free tickets to camp at the historic 25-acre public park. As part of the Battery CampOut, families are provided with tents, campfire singalongs, s'mores, and a lightning bug show. But remember to bring your own sleeping bag.
Find out how to enter

Events & Things To Do

Katz’s iconic deli fare pops up at The Met this month

Image: City Foodsters via Flickr.

August 1, 2019

Katz’s iconic deli fare pops up at The Met this month

Starting August 2, visitors at Manhattan’s venerable Metropolitan Museum of Art will be able to indulge in a taste of the iconic Lower East Side deli in a pop-up within the museum's cafeteria, Food & Wine reports. Through the end of summer, hungry culture vultures can choose from turkey or pastrami sandwiches, potato salad, pickles and a selection of Dr. Brown's soda. “Expert cutters” will even be on-site to serve up the hand-carved platters. The pop-up will occupy a temporary version of the downtown delicatessen, complete with a mini Katz's lightbox on display. The pop-up will be open Thursday through Monday starting at 11:30 A.M.
Still hungry? find out more

Sting drops $66M on penthouse in millionaire-magnet 220 Central Park South

Photo of 220 CPS via CityRealty; photo of Sting via Wiki Commons

August 1, 2019

Sting drops $66M on penthouse in millionaire-magnet 220 Central Park South

By Dana Schulz

It's been three years since rumors surfaced that Sting and wife Trudie Styler were in negotiations to buy an apartment in ultra-exclusive 220 Central Park South. Since then, they sold their nearby 15 Central Park West penthouse for $50 million and reportedly rented a swanky pad at Zaha Hadid's High Line condo. But now The Real Deal has confirmed those early whispers and reports that the couple has purchased a $66 million penthouse at the Central Park South building, which has become a magnet for high-wealth house hunters after hedge funder Ken Griffin dropped $238 million on a residence there, becoming the most expensive home in the country.
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MTA board members are wealthier and whiter than straphangers

Via Flickr

August 1, 2019

MTA board members are wealthier and whiter than straphangers

The board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which has the power to increase fares and approve service changes, looks nothing like the straphangers who use the transit system it oversees. A report released this week by the government watchdog group Reinvent Albany found MTA board members are richer, whiter, and more likely to live outside of New York City than riders.
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After local condo board sues, judge rules that Central Park West bike lane can go forward

Via Public Domain

August 1, 2019

After local condo board sues, judge rules that Central Park West bike lane can go forward

Earlier this week, a group of Upper West Side residents from the Century Condominium filed a suit against the city for its plans to install a protected bike lane on Central Park West, attempting to cease its construction immediately. As 6sqft previously reported, the bike lane plan consists of installing a northbound protected lane from 59th Street to 110th Street–eliminating 400 parking spots in the process (another point of contention for the plaintiffs). But yesterday, Supreme Court Justice Lynn Kotler ruled against their request for a “temporary restraining order” and expressed skepticism over their claims that the bike lane would bring “immediate and irreparable harm to the neighborhood,” as Streetsblog reported. Work crews will continue putting in the bike lane—which doesn’t actually involve any construction, just painting street markings—until city lawyers and plaintiffs reconvene in court on August 20.
More info

August 1, 2019

Spend six months perfecting your act in this $10K/month UWS rental with a rehearsal studio

This furnished six-month rental opportunity at 236 West 78th Street on the Upper West Side is not only perfectly located near Central Park and Lincoln Center, the gorgeous loft-like home features a soundproof rehearsal studio space complete with professional lighting and theater seats, two home office spaces–and a sunny landscaped private patio. Available from November 1st thru April 30th, the 2,240-square-foot one-bedroom home is asking $10,000 per month.
Get a closer look

This weekend, take a trolley tour of the Bronx’s breweries with Woodlawn Cemetery

Photo via Bronx Brewery

July 31, 2019

This weekend, take a trolley tour of the Bronx’s breweries with Woodlawn Cemetery

Tours of breweries in NYC are nothing new. But if you’re looking to shake things up, consider taking a tour of Bronx breweries that takes place on a trolley and starts at one of the largest cemeteries in the city. This Saturday, Woodlawn Cemetery, in partnership with the Bronx Historical Society, is offering a trolley tour that delves into the history behind the borough's beer-brewing legacy and takes guests into some of the Bronx’s newest breweries and beer halls.
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Real estate investors buy $1.2B worth of NYC market-rate rentals with plan to make them affordable

The River Crossing building in Harlem; Photo by CTC Creative

July 31, 2019

Real estate investors buy $1.2B worth of NYC market-rate rentals with plan to make them affordable

A group of real estate investors is buying 2,800 New York City rental apartments for $1.2 billion. But instead of keeping with the industry's custom of converting affordable units into market-rate homes, L+M Development Partners and its partner Invesco Real Estate plan on returning a chunk of those units to long-term regulation. The venture involves the purchase of five former Mitchell-Lama buildings in Manhattan, with four in Harlem and one on Roosevelt Island.
Keep reading

Chelsea’s first passive house building launches affordable lottery with units from $1,169/month

Rendering via ZH Architects

July 31, 2019

Chelsea’s first passive house building launches affordable lottery with units from $1,169/month

As Cityrealty reported, construction topped out at Flow Chelsea at 211 West 29th Street last fall; the 24-story building's distinguished stone facade and framed windows are all the way up, and as work winds down, an affordable lottery has been announced for 17 of the building's 55 units. Individuals and households earning 70 to 130 percent of the area median income are eligible to apply for studio through three-bedroom apartments with rents that range from $1,169/month for studios to $3,051/month for a two-bedroom. As Chelsea's median rent ranges from $3,112/month for studios to $7,295/month for two-bedrooms (figures per CityRealty listings), this is quite a deal.
Find out how to apply

255 East 77th Street

Lenox Hill

Upper East Side condos with Central Park views

3 beds starting at $5,300,000
4 beds starting at $7,400,000
5 beds starting at $8,750,000

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Steven Holl’s geometrically fabulous Catskills ‘Y House’ asks $1.6M

Image credit: Alon Koppel for Sotheby’s International Realty.

July 31, 2019

Steven Holl’s geometrically fabulous Catskills ‘Y House’ asks $1.6M

Designed by renowned architect Steven Holl, this modern retreat in Middleburgh, NY says yes from the minute you see it. Holl's bright sunset red "Y House," perched atop a hill in the Catskills, extends two arms ending in balconies, ready to embrace daily sunlight throughout the three-bedroom residence. One of Holl's most accomplished works, the house is an organic presence on a 33-acre site blessed with gorgeous views, a pond and a boat house. Asking $1.6 million, the property is less than three hours from NYC.
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Image via Wiki Commons

July 31, 2019

Chelsea Hotel owners have sent nearly $60,000 to de Blasio in attempt to gain favor for construction

It’s been several years since Ira Drukier and Richard Born took over as owners of the historic Chelsea Hotel with plans to turn it into a luxury hotel. The rent-stabilized tenants who remain in the hotel even as it’s been turned into a construction zone have filed multiple complaints with the city, hitting the new owners with violations and a lawsuit. But The City has uncovered a link between those complaints and Drukier and Born’s donations to Mayor de Blasio’s political funds. Over the course of less than a year—from August 2018 to June—18 checks totaling $57,400 were sent to de Blasio’s presidential campaign from either the owners or people associated with them. The checks started coming soon after city building inspectors began responding to tenant complaints about hazardous living conditions.
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NYC financed a record number of affordable homes for seniors and homeless New Yorkers this fiscal year

Via Creative Commons

July 31, 2019

NYC financed a record number of affordable homes for seniors and homeless New Yorkers this fiscal year

New York City added a record number of supportive housing units and affordable homes for homeless New Yorkers and seniors this fiscal year, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Tuesday. While the total number of affordable units preserved or created is down to 25,299 this fiscal year from last year's 32,444, the city said it still expects to meet the mayor's goal of creating 300,000 affordable homes by 2026.
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Brooklyn Botanic Garden ramps up fight against proposed Crown Heights towers with new exhibit

Photo courtesy of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden

July 31, 2019

Brooklyn Botanic Garden ramps up fight against proposed Crown Heights towers with new exhibit

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden's fight against two high-rise towers in Crown Heights continues this week with the opening of a new educational exhibit. The display is part of the garden's larger "Fight for Sunlight" campaign opposing a proposal from developers to amend the area's current zoning and build two 39-story towers across the street. The garden argues the proposed towers on Franklin Avenue would obstruct necessary light from shining on the garden's 23 greenhouses, nurseries, and growing spaces, putting rare plants at risk.
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Is this marker in Woodside, Queens really the center of NYC?

Photos via Nicole Mondrus for 6sqft

July 30, 2019

Is this marker in Woodside, Queens really the center of NYC?