6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

All images courtesy of ONE°15 Brooklyn Marina Just as the summer months are hitting their stride, two food options have arrived at Brooklyn Heights’ ONE°15 Marina in Brooklyn Bridge Park: a waterfront bistro called Estuary and a more casual cafe called Ebb & Flow. With James Beard Award-winning chef Francois Payard as Culinary Director at both locations, the emphasis is on simple dishes highlighting seasonal, local produce, seafood, and meat. Payard is joined by Executive Chef Danny Brown, who earned a Michelin star for his own Danny Brown Wine Bar & Kitchen in Queens.
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Food & Dining

A new seven-acre park will open under the Kosciuszko Bridge in Greenpoint

Rendering of ‘K-flex 2’ courtesy of Public Work

July 23, 2019

A new seven-acre park will open under the Kosciuszko Bridge in Greenpoint

Plans to build a new seven-acre public park under the Kosciuszko Bridge in Greenpoint are moving forward. Last month, the North Brooklyn Parks Alliance unveiled designs for "Under the K," a linear public space that will feature four distinct spaces and stretch to Newtown Creek. Designed by Toronto-based architecture firm Public Work, the new park will feature access to the waterfront, public art installations, performances, and areas for recreation on land currently vacant.
Get the details

Architecture And Design

Mount Sinai files plans for new $600M Beth Israel facility in the East Village

Renderings courtesy of Mount Sinai

July 23, 2019

Mount Sinai files plans for new $600M Beth Israel facility in the East Village

Mount Sinai Health System filed an application with the Department of Health to close its current facility and redesign a $600 million Mount Sinai Beth Israel facility two blocks away, slated to open in 2023, Crains reports. The new facility and Mount Sinai's New York Eye and Ear Infirmary will share a campus. The hospital's $1 billion downtown development plans also include a $140 million behavioral health center on the Lower East Side for mental health and substance-use treatment.
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New Developments

For $615K, this Upper West Side two bedroom is two blocks from Central and Morningside Parks

Listing images by Mike Tauber; courtesy of Compass

July 23, 2019

For $615K, this Upper West Side two bedroom is two blocks from Central and Morningside Parks

With lots of exposed brick and a laidback vibe, this Upper West Side pad pairs downtown style with an impressive uptown address, less than two blocks away from Central Park. The “value-priced” two-bedroom condo at 65 West 107th Street last sold in 2009 for a mere $263,000 and is now on the market seeking $615,000.
Look inside

To protect their Empire State Building views, these Chelsea loft owners forked over $11M for air rights

Image via Google Maps shows 206 West 17th Street in 2016. Now, the handful of single and four-story buildings has been replaced by a short, glassy retail space.

July 22, 2019

To protect their Empire State Building views, these Chelsea loft owners forked over $11M for air rights

Air rights can be bought by whoever values them the most. In most scenarios, that ends up being a developer, but that’s not always the case. The New York Times recently reported on a rather unusual deal made in 2016 when a group of Chelsea loft owners refused to let a proposed condominium tower obstruct their natural light and Empire State Building views. Instead, they came together and made a substantial offer to buy the air rights themselves: $11 million.
How much is a view worth?

July 22, 2019

$2.3M Village co-op offers moody, understated glamour and a huge terrace

It's tough to find family-sized apartments in downtown Manhattan neighborhoods, but this split two-bedroom co-op in the classic Bakery Building at 42 West 13th Street in Greenwich Village, asking $2.25 million, has room to create a third bedroom. Other people-friendly pluses include a recent renovation, a sunny terrace that spans the length of the apartment, plenty of room for living and dining, zoned central air conditioning, and 10.5-foot ceilings.
Take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

City demands answers from Con Edison after heat wave power outages

Image: Consumerist dot com via Flickr.

July 22, 2019

City demands answers from Con Edison after heat wave power outages

After thousands of New Yorkers lost power this weekend as temperatures soared through the 90s, the city looked to Con Ed for answers, including Mayor Bill De Blasio, who said in a Monday briefing that he was "extremely disappointed" in the utility provider, Gothamist reports. The latest shortfall, which saw over 50,000 customers in a swath of southeast Brooklyn without power this weekend, was apparently no accident; Con Ed throttled power to its customers in a "preemptive move to take those customers in southeast Brooklyn out of service in order to protect vital equipment and to help restore power as soon as possible."
What's the story, Con Ed?

City Living

Distinctive Homes

For $1.85M, this Chelsea co-op is a work of art

Location, location, location–and a pretty renovation–make up for square footage in this $620K East Village co-op

Big, beautiful Boerum Hill townhouse has a barefoot lawn and a finished basement for $7.8M

Live in a former Park Slope bank for $5.5M

Live in perpetual sunlight in this $5M contemporary Crown Heights townhouse

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

For $595K, this Turtle Bay pre-war co-op elegantly maximizes every square inch of space

This $5.2M penthouse brings a western vibe to the West Village

Drew Barrymore's amazing 12-acre Westchester estate asks $5M

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

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Ink and water: How the printing industry helped build the Port of New York

Bowne & Co. Stationers today, via Flickr cc

July 22, 2019

Ink and water: How the printing industry helped build the Port of New York

By Lucie Levine

Bowne & Co. Stationers, which the South Street Seaport Museum bills as the city’s “oldest operating business under the same name,” has been a presence in Lower Manhattan since 1775. That year, Robert Bowne opened a dry goods and stationery store at 39 Queen Street. Following the American Revolution, Bowne & Co. grew along with the Port of New York, providing the advertising, stationary, and financial printing that made it possible for life and commerce at the port to function and thrive. Because New York’s printers were responsible for printing everything from stock certificates to tugboat notices, steamship broadsides to cargo invoices, fishmongers’ business cards to bankers’ prospectuses, the industry helped the city emerge as the world’s busiest port, and its preeminent financial center.
Press on!

History

Development with affordable housing and city’s first civil rights museum gets the green light in Harlem

Rendering courtesy of Empire State Development

July 22, 2019

Development with affordable housing and city’s first civil rights museum gets the green light in Harlem

New York’s first civil rights museum will soon land in Harlem, as the city pushes forward with a new $260 million development near the Adam Clayton Powell office building on 125th Street. Empire State Development is planning a 17-story mixed-use building that, in addition to the museum, will house the headquarters of civil rights nonprofit National Urban League (which was founded in the neighborhood in 1910 and currently has offices downtown), office space (including below-market-rate for Harlem-based nonprofits), retail, and 170 affordable apartments targeted to New Yorkers making 30-80 percent of the area median income.
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Persistent tech failure blamed for Friday’s subway shutdown that left riders stranded in the heat

Image ©6sqft.

July 22, 2019

Persistent tech failure blamed for Friday’s subway shutdown that left riders stranded in the heat

At the start of the Friday evening rush hour last week, about a third of the New York City subway system–the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and Times Square shuttle lines–ground to a halt, leaving commuters stranded–some for as long as 90 minutes–in the sweltering heat. AM New York reports that the cause of the breakdown was a computer glitch the MTA has been fighting for months.
Delays and more delays this way

July 22, 2019

Upper East Side townhouse with artist connections, a garage, and a studio gets a price chop to $15M

If you’re an artist who needs space to create–or you're just into having an artist-approved address–you’ll enjoy living and working in this 7,200-square-foot townhouse at 167 East 69th Street on the Upper East Side. The 25-foot-wide Neo-Georgian former carriage house–listed in April of 2018 for $18.95 million–is currently owned by Ann Brashares, author of the young adult series “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” and her husband, painter Jacob Collins. Previously, the building was owned by the Sculpture Center. Neighbors have included Mark Rothko and art dealer Larry Gagosian. Now, after a broker change and a price cut, it’s asking $14.995 million, studio, garage, curb cut, and artistic pedigree included.
Explore the possibilities

Distinctive Homes

Rockaways beach house with bay views and an in-ground pool seeks $3.85M

Listing images by Matt Vacca; courtesy The Corcoran Group

July 19, 2019

Rockaways beach house with bay views and an in-ground pool seeks $3.85M

If you don’t mind the trek, you can find some nice properties out in the Rockaways—like this home at 148-16 Newport Avenue, nestled in the affluent enclave of Neponsit. With a $3.85 million price tag, it’s by no means a bargain—despite its distance from pricier Manhattan and Brooklyn—but if you have the budget, you’ll get 4,800 square feet of living space and an impressive backyard complete with an in-ground pool, gazebo, and sweet Jamaica Bay views.
Get the full tour

Distinctive Homes

Construction of affordable housing complex on former juvenile jail site in Hunts Point set to begin

Rendering courtesy of WXY Architecture + Urban Design and Body Lawson Associates

July 19, 2019

Construction of affordable housing complex on former juvenile jail site in Hunts Point set to begin

The first phase of a project that will bring more than 700 units of affordable housing to the Bronx neighborhood of Hunts Point will get underway in the coming weeks, developers announced Tuesday. Dubbed the Peninsula, the mixed-use complex will rise on the site of the former Spofford Juvenile Detention Center, which closed in 2011 after the city recognized its awful conditions and treatment of children. The first phase, costing about $121.5 million, includes the construction of 183 affordable units by 2021.
Get the details

July 19, 2019

This $3.8M Village live/work duplex condo was among the neighborhood’s first lofts

After 25 years as the home of The Phillip and Edith Leonian Foundation, this 3,200 square-foot duplex condo asking $3.75 million is still a classic Village live/work loft. The late, famed photographer Phillip Leonian is known for his iconic portrait of Muhammad Ali in a crown and red velvet robe; the foundation has funded photographic education and documentary photography across the United States. The American Felt Building at 114 East 13th Street was once home to the suppliers of the hammer and bushing felt for the Steinway piano company; it was among the area's first to be re-purposed for loft living, loved for the high ceilings and massive windows that made former industrial spaces so popular.
See more, this way

Distinctive Homes

July 19, 2019

Where I Work: Inside Monarch Theater, Williamsburg’s new modern Asian restaurant

By 6sqft

"Asian fusion" is undoubtedly one of the most popular categories on Seamless, but for restauranteurs Lawrence and Ayako Elliott, it wasn't about following the trends. "When we went out to dinner, we ate mostly [East] Asian food... so we wanted to create a menu that we would find interesting," Lawrence told 6sqft. And this is exactly what they did at their Metropolitan Avenue restaurant Monarch Theater, which opened in February. Not only is the food influenced by traditional East Asian cuisine, but the design of the two-story restaurant--which the Elliots worked on themselves--was inspired by the former theater that occupied the site. Ahead, take a look around and learn more about this new Williamsburg gem.
Look around!

As this weekend’s heat wave sweeps over the city, here are some ways to beat the heat

Image via Flickr

July 19, 2019

As this weekend’s heat wave sweeps over the city, here are some ways to beat the heat

After a toasty week, the city's first heatwave of the year is about to get even hotter, with Friday’s expected heat index reaching 98 degrees and as high as 109 degrees over the weekend. The city is taking precautions to keep residents safe as the temperatures continue to heat up. Mayor Bill de Blasio declared an official heat emergency and directed office buildings and residents to set their AC to 78 degrees in order to prevent another power outage. The city's annual Triathlon, originally scheduled to take place on Sunday, was just canceled for the first time in its history. While the best advice is still to stay indoors as much as possible, out of the sun, and well hydrated, there are some ways to beat the heat in the city, all for free.
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City Living

First NYCHA federal oversight report recommends using drones to help with building inspections

Independent federal monitoring of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) began this year, and the first resulting quarterly analysis is expected to be released as early as Monday, POLITICO reports. The quarterly analysis will provide a summary of progress made to date in addressing issues that have long plagued the public housing authority such as lead paint, mold, broken heating systems and shabby kitchens and bathrooms. According to sources familiar with its content, the report also contains the unexpected suggestion of using drones to inspect building rooftops and facades.
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Deluge of dirty water from construction site next door floods Queens subway station

Image courtesy of @subwaycreatures via Youtube.

July 19, 2019

Deluge of dirty water from construction site next door floods Queens subway station

A rush of brown water flooded into the Court Square-23rd Street station in Long Island City Wednesday night, making for a soggy commute–and a dangerous one for one passenger who was nearly swept onto the tracks. The MTA said the unfortunate overflow was caused by a plywood construction wall in a nearby building site, where the skyscraper known as Skyline Tower is rising, giving way in the recent downpour, the Daily News reports.
More subway surfing, this way

Rent a polished Fort Greene one bedroom with a wood-burning fireplace for $3K/month

Listing images by Russ Ross; courtesy of The Corcoran Group

July 18, 2019

Rent a polished Fort Greene one bedroom with a wood-burning fireplace for $3K/month

This one bedroom on the third floor of a four-story co-op at 416 Clermont Avenue is "nestled in the treetops in prime Fort Greene," per the listing. Judging from the green views out the windows, that description isn't far off. The charming apartment was recently renovated to reflect more modern tastes but it held on to some of it's best prewar details, like the wood-burning fireplace with a carved marble mantle in the living room. The unit is now available to rent for $3,000 a month.
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Distinctive Homes

Nostalgia trains to roll into Coney Island this weekend

Photos via the New York Transit Museum

July 18, 2019

Nostalgia trains to roll into Coney Island this weekend

By Nicole Mondrus

This weekend, both history buffs and New Yorkers looking to hit the beach can ride on one of the NY Transit Museum’s vintage subway cars. Part of the museum’s “Nostalgia Rides,” on Saturday, passengers can board 1910s BMT B-Type Standards and 1930s IND R1-9 cars and ride them from the 96th Street/2nd Avenue station in Manhattan all the way to Coney Island.
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8 things you may not know about the American Museum of Natural History

Photo via Flickr cc

July 18, 2019

8 things you may not know about the American Museum of Natural History

By Lucie Levine

This year, the American Museum of Natural History celebrates its 150th anniversary. Though best known for its spectacular T. Rex skeletons and incredible hanging blue whale, the story of this Upper West Side museum isn’t just one of dinosaurs and dioramas. For example, did you know that Ulysses S. Grant laid the cornerstone? Or how about that in the 1930s, there was a proposal to build a promenade through Central Park to connect the Museum with the Met? Ahead, we've rounded up eight things you might not know about the American Museum of Natural History.
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LPC approves Bjarke Ingels’ plan for a rooftop addition at a Brooklyn Heights landmark

Rendering via LPC

July 18, 2019

LPC approves Bjarke Ingels’ plan for a rooftop addition at a Brooklyn Heights landmark

The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday approved plans from starchitect Bjarke Ingels to build a rooftop addition at a landmarked building in Brooklyn Heights. As part of a penthouse renovation of the 29th and 30th floors of the St. George Tower at 111 Hicks Street, Ingels would construct a fake water tower to hold a new elevator shaft, raise the roof deck, and add a pool. As first reported by Brownstoner, the Danish architect, whose firm is known for New York City projects like The Eleventh and the Spiral, presented his plan to the commission as a personal project. "I have a massive self-interest because I hope to make it my home," he said.
See the plans

July 18, 2019

New court ruling may mean more delays for Lower East Side’s Two Bridges megaproject

A recent ruling by a panel of state appellate judges may add more delays–at the very least–to the rise of JDS Development Group's proposed addition to the multi-tower Two Bridges development on the Lower East Side/Chinatown waterfront, The City reports. The ruling states that the property's long-term leaseholder, Little Cherry LLC, which has 25 years left on their lease at the currently-vacant 235 Cherry Street, must have a say in how the property’s development rights are used. The developer plans to stack a 1,000-foot, 100-story waterfront apartment tower on top of and cantilevered over the Two Bridges Senior Apartments and one-story retail space–and they need the Cherry Street property's development rights to move forward.
More details this way

1, 2, and 3 lines will get hit with major disruptions over the next six weekends

Image via Flickr

July 18, 2019

1, 2, and 3 lines will get hit with major disruptions over the next six weekends

The MTA is preparing an extensive upgrade to track switches on the 1, 2, and 3 lines at and north of 96 Street, which will cause significant weekend service changes for the rest of the summer. The work will be done in three phases over the next six weekends, with reduced service expected throughout the Upper West Side. During the final two weekends of repair work in August, there will be a full suspension of service at all 1, 2, 3 stations between Harlem and Downtown Brooklyn. “We scheduled the work for these summer weekends when our ridership has been historically low,” the MTA said.
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Transit

July 18, 2019

Live in a charming garret tucked above the gables in the Dakota for $1.3M

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

This compact co-op at 1 West 72nd Street would be charming even if it weren't perched above the gables of the iconic Dakota residence. The building's instantly recognizable historic architecture anchors Central Park West, symbolizing the elegance of old New York City. Asking $1.295 million, this rare one-bedroom unit gets all the benefits of the full-service building in addition to the famous address.
Take a peek inside

Distinctive Homes

THE 6SQFT SHOP

The 6 best furniture rental companies in NYC

8 best places in NYC to thrift for home goods

The best websites for buying and selling used furniture in NYC

Everything you need to know about using a guarantor in NYC

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

50 places to shop locally in NYC for that perfect gift

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July 17, 2019

$3.65M Williamsburg townhouse with an in-ground pool is a summer retreat in the city

Having a private, in-ground pool is a luxury of which most New Yorkers can only dream. If you have the budget to scoop up this $3.65 million townhouse at 35 Devoe Street, your summer days would receive a major upgrade. In addition to the large pool and backyard oasis, the Williamsburg pad is pretty impressive on the inside too. A recent renovation transformed the 3,822-square-foot home with a crisp, minimal aesthetic that’ll be easy to transition into, regardless of your style.
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Distinctive Homes

Photo via Blue Man Group

July 17, 2019

New Blue Man Group exhibit at MCNY lets visitors play their iconic pipes

By Nicole Mondrus

NYC’s favorite blue-painted performance group is getting its very own exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York. Starting this Friday and lasting until September 2nd, Blue Man Group will debut an exhibition that showcases their unique, paint-covered style. The exhibit is just as zany as the group, and features LED screens with endlessly scrolling text, an interactive camera, and their original 27-year-old PVC pipe instrument decorated with UV paint, on loan from the Group's archives. Visitors are encouraged to interact with the installation, as well as bang out some tunes of their own.
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Events & Things To Do

July 17, 2019

This $2.2M Tudor home is part of the Upper West Side’s ‘hidden’ Pomander Walk

As one of New York City’s many hidden-in-plain-sight secret addresses, Pomander Walk is a gated 1920s community of Tudor-style mini-homes resembling an English village tucked away in the middle of Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Asking $2.175 million, the landmarked three-story Tudor-style co-op triplex behind a private gate at 263 West 94th Street, landscaped with hydrangeas and rose bushes and framed by window boxes and enchanting views is part of a unique village-in-the-city community.
Get a closer look

Queens’ priciest condo ups asking price to $3.9M

Photo courtesy of Compass

July 17, 2019

Queens’ priciest condo ups asking price to $3.9M

The most expensive condo in Queens just raised its asking price. The penthouse at 46-30 Center Boulevard in Long Island City made news last year when its price actually dropped from $4.25 million to $3.65 million during the so-called Amazon effect, a time when condo prices soared in the neighborhood as the tech giant prepared to move there. Sticking with its outlier trend, the penthouse is now listed for $3.988 million, despite Amazon pulling out of its planned headquarters in LIC earlier this year.
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Port Authority seeks ideas for JFK Central mixed-use hub from top designers and developers

Illustrative rendering of the developed northwest corner of the site courtesy of PANYNJ.

July 17, 2019

Port Authority seeks ideas for JFK Central mixed-use hub from top designers and developers

As part of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's planned $13 billion transformation of JFK into a modern international airport, it was announced Tuesday that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is issuing a Request for Information for the design and development of JFK Central, a 14-acre mixed-use space at the airport's core at the Ground Transportation Center. The site offers designers and developers a blank canvas for creating a unique centrally located public space for travelers, employees and the community, offering commercial and recreational services.
Ideas and examples for the site, this way

Billionaire developer Stephen Ross lists Time Warner Center penthouse for $75M

Listing images by Evan Joseph and Nina Poon; courtesy of The Corcoran Group

July 17, 2019

Billionaire developer Stephen Ross lists Time Warner Center penthouse for $75M

As Related CEO and Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross prepares to move into the penthouse at one of his most recent developments, 35 Hudson Yards, he’s first unloading one of his older properties at another one of the company’s Skidmore Owings & Merrill-designed building, the Time Warner Center. (The Real Deal's roundup of his properties shows Ross's penchant for “getting high off his own supply.”) First reported by the Wall Street Journal, Ross has listed the 80th-floor condo he shares with his wife, jewelry designer Kara Ross, for a staggering $75 million—one of the most expensive properties on the market in New York City.
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All photos in this post were taken during the Central Park Moon-In, July 20th, 1969, by Parks Photographer Daniel McPartlin. Courtesy of the NYC Parks Photo Archive.

July 17, 2019

Historic photos show New Yorkers celebrating the Moon Landing at Central Park’s Moon-In

By Lucie Levine

This Saturday, July 20, will mark 50 years since Neil Armstrong made one giant leap for mankind and set foot on the lunar surface. On Earth, hundreds of millions of people held a collective worldwide breath, then let out an ecstatic whoop of awe and excitement as man met moon. Earthlings around the globe may have wished to be aboard Apollo 11, but New Yorkers knew at least one thing for sure: If they couldn’t go to the moon, they could definitely dress up as the moon, head to Central Park, and witness the out-of-this-world walk from any of three 9’ X 12’ screens, offering coverage from NBC, CBS, and ABC. So began the greatest watch party in New York’s history. Roughly 8,000 New Yorkers, dressed all in white, sprawled across the Sheep Meadow for a blowout celestial-celebration known as The Moon-In.
See more photos and learn all about the event

History

NY real estate groups file lawsuit challenging new rent laws, calling them ‘unconstitutional’

Via Creative Commons

July 16, 2019

NY real estate groups file lawsuit challenging new rent laws, calling them ‘unconstitutional’

A group of real estate groups and individual property owners filed a lawsuit Monday, challenging newly passed laws that strengthen rent and tenant protections in New York City. Last month, Democratic officials in Albany passed a landmark package of bills that close loopholes that have allowed landlords to increase rents and deregulate stabilized apartments. The lawsuit, filed by the Rent Stabilization Association (RSA), the Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP), and seven individual property owners, claims that the laws, as well as the entire rent regulation system, violate the 14th and Fifth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution, as reported by The Real Deal.
Get the details

Newly uncovered report finds ties between city’s affordable housing policy and segregation

Image via Wiki Commons

July 16, 2019

Newly uncovered report finds ties between city’s affordable housing policy and segregation

Following years of efforts to keep a report about segregation in the city’s affordable housing lottery system under wraps, a federal court ruling finally led to the report’s release on Monday. As the New York Times first reported, the findings, written by Queens College sociology professor Andrew A. Beveridge, found unequivocal racial disparities at every stage of the process and in every community district where a majority of residents are of one race or ethnicity.
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Tribeca stays on top and Hudson Yards emerges as #2 on the city’s priciest neighborhood list

Photo: Ajay Suresh via Flickr.

July 16, 2019

Tribeca stays on top and Hudson Yards emerges as #2 on the city’s priciest neighborhood list

According to Property Shark's just-released ranking of New York City's most expensive neighborhoods, Tribeca once again takes the top spot in residential sales with a median price of $4.34 million. The bigger news is Hudson Yards, on the list for the first time as the city's second-costliest neighborhood in Q2 of 2019 at $3.86 million. Also notable was Little Italy, the city's third most expensive neighborhood, which saw median home prices increase by 153 percent over last year's numbers.
More of the list, this way

Real Estate Trends

Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory proposes new stand just steps from old Fulton Ferry spot

Rendering by Edward M. Weinstein Architecture + Planning, courtesy of the LPC

July 16, 2019

Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory proposes new stand just steps from old Fulton Ferry spot

Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory will open a new stand in Dumbo, just steps from its former home at Fulton Ferry Landing. After 17 years of operation in the landmarked Marine Fire Boat Station, the ice cream shop was not chosen by the Brooklyn Bridge Park during last year's request for proposals process. Instead, the organization went with Ample Hills Creamery as the building's new tenant. But according to Brooklyn Eagle, Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory filed plans with the Landmarks Preservation Commission to open a new stand across the street from its old home.
Get the details

Food & Dining

July 16, 2019

Citi Bike reveals new expansion plans that keep Queens, Bronx, Upper Manhattan waiting on wheels

Citi Bike has revealed details for the much-anticipated rollout of the popular bike share program with plans to double its reach with docks in the Bronx and more of Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. But according to maps and information released in a Tuesday morning meeting obtained by Streetsblog, large swaths of the city won't see the blue bikes for four more years. As the NY Post reported, some see the Citi Bike rollout as heavily weighted toward more affluent NYC districts, which prompted a letter from several New York City Council members to the NYC Department of Transportation asking for assurance that expansion plans include low-income neighborhoods.
Where will the next blue bikes be?

Transit

My 600sqft: How interior designer Habiba Koroma keeps her grown-up Harlem home kid-friendly

Our series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all five boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to interior decorator Habiba Koroma’s apartment in Central Harlem. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

July 16, 2019

My 600sqft: How interior designer Habiba Koroma keeps her grown-up Harlem home kid-friendly

Habiba Koroma always had an eye for design, but she never imagined her passion could be pursued professionally. It was not until her mother became ill that she gained the courage to follow her decorating dreams. But it wasn’t simple. After leaving her job at a nonprofit, Habiba went on many informational interviews, held an internship at a residential firm, and received her degree from the Parsons School of Design. Now as an interior design consultant for Restoration Hardware, Habiba has been able to surround herself with the latest trends, all while learning about materials and getting inspiration for her own place. Both Habiba's skill set and enthusiasm for design are on display in her Central Harlem apartment, which has been featured on Apartment Therapy and wallpaper company Spoonflower. Not only has she expertly mixed colors and patterns, but she's also created a special--and kid-friendly--space for her three-year-old son Miles. Habiba transformed an IKEA bunk bed into a fun hideout for Miles, filled with books, toys, and a whiteboard. There's even a colorful ball pit on the top bunk. Ahead, meet Habiba, tour her apartment, and learn how she keeps things Miles-friendly without ever sacrificing style.
Meet Habiba and tour her pad

Try out townhouse living with this $8.5K/month Clinton Hill home, complete with a huge backyard

Listing images by Amanda James, DDReps; courtesy of Compass

July 16, 2019

Try out townhouse living with this $8.5K/month Clinton Hill home, complete with a huge backyard

Since it last sold in 2016 for $2.35 million, the five-bedroom, three-bathroom townhouse at 12a Monroe Street (located right on the Clinton Hill, Bed-Stuy border) has undergone some key layout changes to maximize the home’s narrow 14-foot width and make it feel as spacious as possible. Now on the rental market seeking $8,500 a month, the 2,568 square-foot home boasts eight marble mantels, pocket shutters, wide plank floors, a gorgeous center staircase, and an expansive 52-foot backyard.
Take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

Con Ed warns of potential blackouts from impending NYC heat wave

Governor Cuomo announces power has been fully restored following the widespread power outage in Midtown Manhattan. Photo: Gov. Andrew Cuomo/Flickr

July 16, 2019

Con Ed warns of potential blackouts from impending NYC heat wave

The most recent intel on Saturday's power outage that left the country's densest urban area dark from 72nd Street south to 30th Street is that a burning 13,000-volt cable at a substation near West 65th Street was the culprit, according to the New York Times. Consolidated Edison said Monday that the burning cable shut down the flow of electricity to more than 72,000 Midtown Manhattan customers. And while the blackout wasn't a direct result of an overtaxed grid, the New York Post reports, Con Ed warned Monday that mind-melting temperatures in the 90s expected this weekend–Saturday's 97 degrees will feel like 106–could lead to service outages.
What havoc will the heat wreak

City Living

As plans for 5 WTC push forward, long-time FiDi residents seek more involvement in the process

Image via Flickr

July 15, 2019

As plans for 5 WTC push forward, long-time FiDi residents seek more involvement in the process

Last month, Gov. Andrew Cuomo put out a request for proposals for 5 World Trade Center, the last remaining site at World Trade Center’s southern end and the former home of a Deutsche Bank Building that was severely damaged during the September 11 attacks. The RFP seeks commercial or mixed-use proposals for a roughly 900-foot-tall building, that may include a residential component. As the process continues to unfold—and rapidly, with a site tour for interested developers scheduled on July 22—local residents worry that their voices are being left out, as Daily News reported.
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Blackstone halts improvement work on Stuy Town apartments following rent law changes

Via StuyTown Property Services

July 15, 2019

Blackstone halts improvement work on Stuy Town apartments following rent law changes

As 6sqft reported last month, the state recently passed legislation containing landmark changes to rent regulations that were set to expire, significantly strengthening New York’s rent laws and tenant protections. Private-equity giant Blackstone Group, who purchased the massive 11,000+ unit Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village apartment complex for $5.5 billion in 2015, is among landlords who say the new rent regs will keep them from making important property upgrades, Crain's reports. Blackstone says it is pausing apartment renovations and other planned work at Stuy Town and Peter Cooper Village as a result of rule changes which dramatically limit the allowable rent increases landlords can charge as a result of renovations and repairs.
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Affordable Housing

JetBlue’s ‘Soar with Reading’ initiative brings free book vending machines for kids across NYC

The founder of #1000BlackGirlBooks 14-year-old Marley Dias (pictured above), has partnered with the initiative as an ambassador; photo courtesy of JetBlue

July 15, 2019

JetBlue’s ‘Soar with Reading’ initiative brings free book vending machines for kids across NYC

After runs in cities like Detroit, San Francisco, Oakland, and Washington D.C., JetBlue’s free book vending machine program "Soar with Reading" is coming to New York City. The literacy initiative aims to create more access to age-appropriate books in underserved communities. JetBlue will install six vending machines—one in each borough and two in Queens—and will restock and rotate new titles every two weeks, with options available in both English and Spanish.
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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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City presents new design for its East Side Coastal Resiliency Project following community feedback

Preliminary design for Corlears Hook Bridge Landing

July 15, 2019

City presents new design for its East Side Coastal Resiliency Project following community feedback

The city unveiled last week an updated design for its plan to protect an area stretching from the Lower East Side to East 25th Street from flooding. The Department of Design and Construction (DDC) presented on Thursday its preliminary design for the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project (ESCR) to Community Board 3, as Curbed NY reported. In response to concerns from residents about the closure of East River Park during the construction period, the city's updated design incorporates community suggestions, including a new amphitheater and an outdoor fitness area.
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New consulting firm report suggests the MTA cut costs by merging 40 groups into six departments

Image via Flickr.

July 15, 2019

New consulting firm report suggests the MTA cut costs by merging 40 groups into six departments

AlixPartners, a Manhattan-based consulting firm hired by the MTA this year has released a report with recommendations for ways the organization can save money, AM New York reports. Suggestions include a reorganization plan that would see the MTA, including the Long Island Rail Road, consolidating back-office operations and merging more than 40 groups into six departments. The firm was paid $3.75 million to come up with two reports; additional suggestions for the first reorganization in 50 years include the hiring of new high-level positions to oversee changes, and updating union contracts to attract top talent.
Also: new hires and no more cheating on overtime

For $6K/month, a trendy loft studio with a piano in Williamsburg’s popular Mill Building

Listing images courtesy of Compass

July 15, 2019

For $6K/month, a trendy loft studio with a piano in Williamsburg’s popular Mill Building

A loft in Williamsburg’s popular Mill Building at 85 North 3rd Street—just a few blocks from the waterfront—is now available to rent for $6,000 a month. The trendy abode has all the details loft lovers look for: soaring 15-foot ceilings, exposed brick, wood columns and beams, and large windows. The open layout is currently set up as a studio, but with over 1,000 square feet there's plenty of space to play around with. The apartment can come fully furnished or vacant—the only permanent fixture is the Yamaha upright piano next to the kitchen, making this pad extra sweet for musicians.
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Distinctive Homes

$3M East Hampton retreat mixes Hollywood glam with contemporary geometry

Photo credit: Rise Media, courtesy of The Corcoran Group.

July 12, 2019

$3M East Hampton retreat mixes Hollywood glam with contemporary geometry

The Hamptons are known for being a showplace of eye-catching architectural styles from cute cottages to sprawling stone mansions and contemporary creations. This sleek retreat at 5 Discovery Lane in the Settlers Landing section of East Hampton, asking $2.890 million, is definitely the latter. Its glam-packed modern angles conceal a wealth of breezy living spaces and cool comforts like a heated pool and several gas fireplaces.
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Distinctive Homes

Lottery opens for a handful of middle-income units in East Williamsburg, from $1,689/month

Rendering courtesy of Reside New York

July 12, 2019

Lottery opens for a handful of middle-income units in East Williamsburg, from $1,689/month