6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

Though he didn’t design the building, Rosario Candela gifted this sumptuous three-story Upper East Side home to his daughter as soon as it was completed in 1913. The deed has only changed hands once since, and the residence maintains its period details, including cove ceilings, paneled walls, French doors, and exquisite crown moldings throughout. With a flexible and generous layout, the bright interiors feel more like a country escape from the city, with the added bonus of being only two blocks away from Central Park and a short walk from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The 4,500 square-foot space is now on the market for $7.495 million.
Get the tour

Distinctive Homes

Lottery opens for 41 middle-income apartments in the cultural hub of Williamsburg, from $1,231/month

Via Korye Logan on Flickr

March 7, 2019

Lottery opens for 41 middle-income apartments in the cultural hub of Williamsburg, from $1,231/month

A housing lottery launched on Thursday for 41 middle-income apartments in Williamsburg. Designed by Aufgang Architects, the brand new rental at 123 Hope Street opened last summer and features a modern design mixed with a factory feel. The rental sits near all of the neighborhood's hot-spots, including restaurants like Emmy Squared and Don Pancho Villa and bars like St. Mazie Bar & Super Club and Banter Bar. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 80 and 120 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, which range from a $1,231/month studio to a $2,759/month two-bedroom.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Rockefeller Center developer reveals first NYC residential tower in Nomad

Left: Rendering of Rose Hill; credit: Pandiscio Green and Recent Spaces. Right: Still from a video by artist Marco Brambilla, commissioned by Rockefeller Group to emphasize the building’s Art Deco influence.

March 6, 2019

Rockefeller Center developer reveals first NYC residential tower in Nomad

Formed over 90 years ago to develop and build Rockefeller Center, developer Rockefeller Group has never built a residential tower in its New York City hometown–until now. Their new condominium tower, Rose Hill has just been unveiled along with the launch of the building's teaser site. The 600-foot tower is currently under construction at 30 East 29th Street. The building will be designed by CetraRuddy; first looks show an Art Deco-inspired facade that does not diverge heavily from the architectural style of Rockefeller Center.
More, this way

$14.8M historic Tribeca penthouse has a rotunda with a gorgeous stained-glass oculus

Listing images by Will Ellis of Donna Dotan; courtesy of the Corcoran Group

March 6, 2019

$14.8M historic Tribeca penthouse has a rotunda with a gorgeous stained-glass oculus

Once featured on the cover of Architectural Digest, this penthouse in the landmarked American Thread Building at 260 West Broadway just hit the market for $14,800,000. The current owners, an art collector and his fashion executive partner, bought the space in 2013 and have filled the 3,777-square-foot Tribeca residence with art by the likes of Richard Serra, Gerhard Richter, and Ai Weiwei to name just a few. Their collection extends to furniture and includes Nanda Vigo chairs from the ’70s, a 19th-century baker’s table from Marseille, and a Karl Springer acrylic table from the 1980s. They describe the blend of period architecture, contemporary art, and design accents as a "speakeasy atmosphere" perfect for entertaining. Speaking to Architectural Digest, the owner revealed that “when we closed on the place, the super took me aside and reminded me that we had a huge responsibility. ‘You’ll be living in one of the most incredible spaces in the city,’ he told me. ‘And you’d better not mess it up.’”
Look inside

Distinctive Homes

NYPL’s new entrance and public plaza on 40th Street gets green light from Landmarks

Rendering of the Marshall Rose Plaza by Mecanoo with Beyer Blinder Belle

March 6, 2019

NYPL’s new entrance and public plaza on 40th Street gets green light from Landmarks

The city's Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday approved the New York Public Library's plan to add a new public entrance and plaza to its Stephen A. Schwarzman Building in Midtown. The changes fall under the library's larger master renovation plan, a $317 million project first unveiled in 2017. The LPC approved the changes to the exterior of the building--subject to the city's landmark rules--after design modifications suggested at a presentation in February were made by the library, Curbed NY reported.
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Feeling lucky? Why some New Yorkers consult a numerologist before renting or buying

Photo via Flickr cc

March 6, 2019

Feeling lucky? Why some New Yorkers consult a numerologist before renting or buying

By Cait Etherington

No one ever said that the New York City real estate market was easy to understand or even entirely logical. Still, you might not expect numerology to be among the knowledge sets required to fully navigate the market. But from good luck and bad luck floors to lucky number combinations, numerology plays a surprisingly significant role in how some units are priced, how quickly they sell, and most importantly, to which buyers.
It's a numbers game

Real Estate Trends

Moishe’s East Village kosher bakery has closed after 42 years

Photo by James and Karla Murray of the store in 2015 afte rthe original signage was replaced following the East Village gas explosion nearby.

March 6, 2019

Moishe’s East Village kosher bakery has closed after 42 years

Moishe's, the beloved kosher bakery on 2nd Avenue, instantly recognizable by what the New York Times called its "stopped-in-time storefront," has served its last hamantaschen. Owner Moishe Perl told local photographers James and Karla Murray that yesterday was the bakery's last day, and that the entire building has been sold. In business since 1977, everything was baked on the premises daily. Moishe's challah bread, rye bread, hamantaschen, rugelach, babka and sugar kichel were legendary.
Find out more

Food & Dining

City to build four new statues honoring women who have shaped NYC

Via Women.NYC

March 6, 2019

City to build four new statues honoring women who have shaped NYC

New York City is commissioning four more statues of trailblazing women as part of a campaign to address the inequity of the city's public spaces. First lady Chirlane McCray and Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen announced on Wednesday plans to honor Billie Holiday, Elizabeth Jennings Graham, Dr. Helen Rodríguez Trías, and Katherine Walker with monuments. In November, the city announced it would commission a statue of Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman elected to Congress, to be built outside of the entrance to Prospect Park.
More here

City Living

Distinctive Homes

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

This $8M Dumbo condo with a private rooftop spa embodies penthouse living

A long-neglected Clinton Hill townhouse gets a total glow-up and a $5.5M ask

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

This $4M Park Slope duplex is house-sized, with condo simplicity and outdoor space

Lily Allen's Brooklyn townhouse is for sale for $8M

Andrew Rannells lists his Chelsea triplex with a terrace for $2.4M

This $585K Village studio makes a fine pied-à-terre in a fabulous neighborhood

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

This $18.5M penthouse is Village living on a luxury level

VIEW ALL

56 Leonard sidewalk gets outlined in anticipation of Anish Kapoor’s bean sculpture

Rendering by Anish Kapoor.

March 6, 2019

56 Leonard sidewalk gets outlined in anticipation of Anish Kapoor’s bean sculpture

Herzog & de Meuron's striking "Jenga" condo tower at 56 Leonard Street in Tribeca is a conversation piece on its own, with its cantilevered rectangles of glass rising into the sky. The long-anticipated flourish that will anchor the skyscraper–artist Anish Kapoor's reflective bean-shaped sculpture–is finally on the way, as evidenced by an intricate set of circles and arrows that just arrived on the building's sidewalk. The spray-painted outline will inform installation of the sculpture, which resembles a similar public art icon in Chicago, where Kapoor's "Cloud Gate" sculpture apparently attracts millions of tourists every year and has become an Instagram staple.
What's taking so long, the anticipation is killing us

Events & Things To Do

Bespoke finishes and hanging gardens create an enchanted oasis at this $10M Soho penthouse

Photo courtesy of Compass. Photo credit: Donna Dotan.

March 6, 2019

Bespoke finishes and hanging gardens create an enchanted oasis at this $10M Soho penthouse

The interiors of this fifth-floor co-op at 12 Greene Street in Soho bring to mind a perfectly redesigned deco-era London terrace house or a dreamy country estate more than the average Manhattan penthouse. To top it off, three levels of private roof terrace gardens wouldn't be out of place in either, complete with mature trees and a reflecting pool. As unusual as it is expensive–it’s asking $9.95 million–this three-bedroom downtown oasis boasts a renovation that spared no luxury and considered every angle, from a rustic loft-like kitchen and a fabulous array of bespoke floor tiles to the aforementioned gardens.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

Corey Johnson proposes new city-controlled transit system called Big Apple Transit or ‘BAT’

Via City Council Speaker Corey Johnson

March 5, 2019

Corey Johnson proposes new city-controlled transit system called Big Apple Transit or ‘BAT’

In a self-proclaimed atypical State of the City address, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson on Tuesday laid out his vision for city control over New York City's mass transit system. Johnson said municipal control "means we decide how our system is run, we decide how we raise money, and we decide how we spend it." He added: "Municipal control means saying goodbye to the MTA." The new entity would be controlled by the mayor and called Big Apple Transit, or "BAT."
Is it goodbye MTA?

March 5, 2019

Live in a Tudor City penthouse like the one in ‘The Godfather’ and ‘Spider-Man’ for $2.85M

This pre-war triplex penthouse, listed for $2.85 million, sits atop the Murray Hill apartment complex known as Windsor Tower at 5 Tudor City Place where "Scarface," "The Godfather," and "Spider-Man" were filmed; a nearly identical penthouse unit can be seen onscreen as the home of Spider-Man’s green nemesis, Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin in the popular movie and yet another penthouse was featured in both Woody Allen’s “Bullets Over Broadway” and “The Godfather: Part III.” But you don't need Hollywood cachet to appreciate 18-foot ceilings, a wall of casement windows overlooking the East River, a wood-burning fireplace, or a dramatic staircase that curves its way up to an intimate terrace.
Three floors of charm, this way

Distinctive Homes

Hudson Yards Park renamed in honor of activist and former NY congresswoman, Bella Abzug

Rendering via MVVA and the Hudson Yards Development Corporation

March 5, 2019

Hudson Yards Park renamed in honor of activist and former NY congresswoman, Bella Abzug

Update 3/25/19: Tishman Speyer bought last week an auto repair building on West 36th Street for $20 million, the New York Post reported Monday. The company will demolish the two-story building to make way for a greenway that will be the next segment of Bella Abzug Park. In exchange for paying for the new park, Tishman Speyer will get air rights from the city to put up a tower bounded by Tenth and Eleventh Avenues. The city on Friday renamed a park near Hudson Yards in honor of the late Bella Abzug, a former U.S. Representative of New York and stalwart supporter of the women's rights movement. The greenspace, formerly Hudson Yards Park, stretches just over two acres between West 33rd and 36th Street. First developed with the extension of the 7 subway line to 34th Street, the park will soon be extended to 39th Street and run over an Amtrak rail cut.
Details here

Architecture And Design

Latest StuyTown lottery provides ‘affordable’ apartments for single people earning $120K

Via StuyTown Property Services

March 5, 2019

Latest StuyTown lottery provides ‘affordable’ apartments for single people earning $120K

You're a single New Yorker earning over $120,000 a year--do you really need subsidized housing? Apparently, yes. And apparently, a $2,975/month one-bedroom or a $3,695/month two-bedroom is now considered "affordable." These are the benchmarks for Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village's 2019 affordable housing lottery, which opens the waitlist for one- and two-bedroom units to households earning 165 percent of the area median income.
Get the scoop

Affordable Housing

City will expand Fair Fares program to all eligible New Yorkers by 2020

Image via Flickr

March 5, 2019

City will expand Fair Fares program to all eligible New Yorkers by 2020

After facing criticism for the delayed and limited roll-out of Fair Fares, Mayor de Blasio and City Council Speaker Johnson have announced plans to expand the program. Starting this fall, eligible New Yorkers in NYCHA, enrolled students at CUNY, and military veterans below the poverty line will have access to the program, which provides half-priced MetroCards for low-income New Yorkers. By January 2020, open enrollment will expand to all New Yorkers at or below the federal poverty line (a household income of $25,750 for a family of four). The program has also been criticized for its reversal on reduced fares for single trips, but Monday's announcement came with the good news that a pay-per-ride option will be available by mid-March.
READ MORE

After $13.4M beach replenishment, closed-off portion of Rockaway Beach set to reopen this summer

Photo via Flickr cc

March 5, 2019

After $13.4M beach replenishment, closed-off portion of Rockaway Beach set to reopen this summer

Last summer, 11 blocks of Rockaway Beach were closed due to safety issues from erosion. The decision to shutter the half-mile stretch came just days before the city's beaches were set to open on Memorial Day weekend. Though the city said at the time that it might take years to get it reopened, a press release this week announces that the beach will reopen in time for this summer season, thanks to a $13.4 million beach replenishment project in which the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will dredge 300,000 cubic yards of sand.
All the details

Uncategorized

De Blasio signs off on basement apartment conversion program for East New York

Via Flickr

March 5, 2019

De Blasio signs off on basement apartment conversion program for East New York

Certain basement apartments in East New York will be transformed into legal and affordable homes thanks to a new law signed by Mayor Bill de Blasio on Monday. The legislation creates a three-year pilot program that helps homeowners renovate cellar and basement units to meet the new code standards, which include minimum ceiling heights, window sizes, and proper safety requirements. "There are thousands of basement apartments in our City, but too many are illegal and unsafe," de Blasio said in a statement. "This program will help New Yorkers secure safe, affordable homes and give homeowners a new legal source of income."
Get the details

35 Hudson Yards reveals new interior renderings and details ahead of March 15 sales launch

New details and lots of renderings were released this week revealing the 143 residences at 35 Hudson Yards, the tallest residential building in the Hudson Yards mega-development, ahead of a just-announced March 15 sales launch with units starting at $5 million. At over 1,000 feet, the building was designed by David Childs and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill with interiors by Tony Ingrao. In addition to the neighborhood's loftiest homes, the building is home to the world's first Equinox Hotel.
New renderings, this way

March 5, 2019

Get a rare look inside 220 Central Park South thanks to this $59K/month rental

Here's a rare chance to glimpse inside the secretive interiors of 220 Central Park South, which have previously been kept completely private by developer Vornado Realty Trust (h/t NYP). This is the first rental listing to open up in one of New York's most coveted addresses, where billionaire Ken Griffin closed on a penthouse for just shy of $240 million, setting the record for the most expensive home ever sold in the United States. For $59,000 a month, the 3,114-square-foot home comes with some of the best views in town--even from the bathroom!
Look inside

Proposed project would bring 167 affordable housing units to East New York using modular construction

Rendering courtesy of Think! Architecture and Design

March 4, 2019

Proposed project would bring 167 affordable housing units to East New York using modular construction

Hoping to create affordable housing more quickly and at a lower cost, New York City is turning to cutting-edge construction methods. The city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development announced on Monday plans to develop 167 affordable housing units in the Brooklyn neighborhood of East New York using modular construction. The $70 million project would become the first under Mayor Bill de Blasio's Housing New York 2.0 program to use this method of building on property owned by the city. As first reported by the Wall Street Journal, officials think modular construction could reduce the project's timeline by 25 to 30 percent.
Learn more

Emily Ratajkowski and millionaire hubby live rent free thanks to city’s loft law, Noho landlord says

The loft building at 49 Bleecker Street in Noho. Image: Google maps.

March 4, 2019

Emily Ratajkowski and millionaire hubby live rent free thanks to city’s loft law, Noho landlord says

There have been a lot of discussions recently about the city's lack of affordable living space causing artists to flee the city, and about the relevance of regulations like the Loft Law, created to allow artists to live in neighborhoods like Noho and Soho. The New York Post now brings us the case of millionaire movie producer Sebastian Bear-McClard, 31, and his wife, model/actress Emily Ratajkowski, 27. The pair is reportedly living rent-free in a sprawling Noho loft at 49 Bleecker Street. The pair's landlord, of course, isn't happy with the fact that Bear-McClard, who is apparently worth an estimated $12 million, has been claiming protection under the state's Loft Law since 2017, to the tune of $120,000
unfair advantage, this way

Does the subway ‘Pizza Principle’ still hold?

Image via Flickr

March 4, 2019

Does the subway ‘Pizza Principle’ still hold?

For decades some New Yorkers have believed that the price of subway fares and pizza slices are linked. Known as the “Pizza Principle,” the economic theory/urban legend tries to account for the fact that, for the past 40 or so years, the cost of a plain slice of pizza has pretty much tracked with the cost of a single ride fare. So far nobody has been able to provide a clear explanation of why that might be—or if there’s more to it than coincidence. The latest MTA board vote on fare increases may have severed the connection between subway and pizza before we could fully understand it. As the Wall Street Journal reports, the “Pizza Principle” doesn't hold now that gourmet offerings have bumped the average cost of a slice to the $3-$3.50 range while the MTA is maintaining the base fare at $2.75.
More on New York's strangest economic theory

Some NYC subway newsstands will be replaced by vending machines

Via Jens Schott Knudsen on Flickr

March 4, 2019

Some NYC subway newsstands will be replaced by vending machines

The magazine-stuffed and candy-filled newsstands found across New York City's subway system may soon be a thing of the past. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said it will replace some of the old-school booths with high-tech vending machines, the Daily News reported on Monday. The move comes as the cash-strapped MTA struggles to fill vacant newsstands, with 40 percent of 326 retail spots on the agency's property empty or closed.
More this way

Transit

DXA Studio’s pedestrian bridge design would connect Hudson Yards and Moynihan Train Hall

Rendering: DXA Studio.

March 4, 2019

DXA Studio’s pedestrian bridge design would connect Hudson Yards and Moynihan Train Hall

A curvy urban pathway designed by DXA Studio could allow commuters to pass between the new Moynihan Train Hall at West 31st Street to the High Line and Hudson Yards at 30th Street without having to deal with cars at all. The design is the grand prize-winning entry–for a $15,000 prize–in the 2019 Design Challenge by Metals in Construction magazine. The contest asked architects, engineers, and students to create a pedestrian bridge that could safely move the approximately 100,000 people daily that travel from the train hall to Hudson Yards while keeping the foot traffic from affecting the street below.
Find out more

Architecture And Design

March 4, 2019

City launches campaign to support women-owned businesses in NYC

New York City is home to more than 350,000 women-owned businesses, which generate more than $50 billion in revenue each year. But because women face bigger barriers when starting or growing a company, the businesses fall behind in size and employment compared to businesses run by men. A new campaign launched last week that aims to bring attention to the many women-owned businesses located across the five boroughs. In a partnership between women.nyc, a city initiative to help women navigate careers and finances in NYC, and American Express, the month-long campaign "Shop Women-Owned NYC" kicked off on Friday, coinciding with the start of Women's History Month.
Here's where to shop

It’s a loft! It’s a townhouse! It’s a full-service co-op! It’s $825K!

Image courtesy of Compass; photo credit: Rise Media.

March 4, 2019

It’s a loft! It’s a townhouse! It’s a full-service co-op! It’s $825K!

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

As if the building name–The Penny Lane–of this unusual home at 215 East 24th Street in Manhattan's Kips Bay wasn't sweet enough, the building is a former ice cream factory that was transformed into a full-service co-op. On the market for $825,000, this maisonette-style apartment is accessible through a private entrance from the street or via a full-service lobby. It's a duplex of sorts, with loft-like proportions and an interesting layout.
See more, this way

Distinctive Homes

THE 6SQFT SHOP

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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

New York City's best holiday markets of 2023

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Old-fashioned porches and a pool make this striking $1.8M NJ home perfect for a summer day

Image courtesy of Sotheby’s International Realty. Photo credit: Warren Young.

March 1, 2019

Old-fashioned porches and a pool make this striking $1.8M NJ home perfect for a summer day

The listing for the circa 1867 Thomas Watlington house in Ridgewood, New Jersey's Prospect Street Historic District calls it "unforgettable," and it's certainly not one you'd pass by without taking note. The six-bedroom Second Empire style home at 226 Prospect Street, on the market for $1.825 million, is filled with historic details. But the home's wide, gracious porches, grand port-cocheres, in-ground heated pool and 3-car garage make it especially well suited for enjoying everyday life.
Take a look around

Distinctive Homes

March 1, 2019

Grubhub maps all of the restaurants in NYC run by women

Coinciding with the first day of Women's History Month, Grubhub announced on Friday that it is partnering with the James Beard Foundation to support initiatives that help advance women in the culinary field. Through the end of March, diners who order food on Grubhub can donate their change to the foundation's Women's Leadership Programs. And the delivery service company has added thousands of women-led restaurants to its nation-wide RestaurantHER map, which launched last year as the first of its kind.
More this way

Food & Dining

Farm-to-table in NYC: Local restaurants respond to growing demand for fresh food

Via Flickr

March 1, 2019

Farm-to-table in NYC: Local restaurants respond to growing demand for fresh food

By Cait Etherington

Since the early 2000s, a host of new health-conscious establishments have transformed the restaurant scene nationwide. While some of these establishments focus on serving exclusively organic or vegan fare, others have a mandate to deliver local and farm-to-table products. In the beginning, most of these restaurants were on the pricier side, but increasingly, even fast-food or quick-service restaurants are focusing on local and farm-to-table products. But this raises a question: In New York City, what exactly does local or farm-to-table mean? 6sqft investigated to find out how these concepts are being defined and what types of local products are most likely to end up on plates and bowls in our city’s restaurants.
Learn what's local

Food & Dining

Sale prices rose 125 percent between 2014 and 2018 around Bronx’s Grand Concourse

View from the Grand Concourse; photo courtesy of Dan DeLuca via Flickr.

March 1, 2019

Sale prices rose 125 percent between 2014 and 2018 around Bronx’s Grand Concourse

According to an analysis by Property Shark, the area surrounding the thoroughfare once known as the “Park Avenue of the Middle Class” has seen an elevated housing demand that has brought median home sales prices along with it, showing an increase in just 5 years that ranges from 56.2 percent in Bedford Park to a whopping 124.5 percent in Mott Haven.
Bronx rising, this way

Real Estate Trends

March 1, 2019

$650K Chelsea studio proves maximalism is possible in 500 square feet

It doesn't take much for a studio to feel cramped, but this maximalist co-op at 465 West 23rd Street manages to toe that fine line. Asking $650,000, this cozy, sun-drenched unit packs a lot into just 500 square feet. And if you ever need to stretch out, the studio is located in Chelsea's massive London Terrace Towers—a virtual mini-city in itself—which offers residents a ton of amenities.
Look inside

Distinctive Homes

Image via CityRealty

March 1, 2019

Cuomo pleads with Amazon to reconsider Long Island City deal

Update 3/1/19, 1:10pm: According to Crain's, Governor Cuomo said today on WNYC's Brian Lehrer Show, "They have given no indication that they would reconsider. I have no reason to believe that Amazon is reconsidering. Would I like them to? Certainly. But I have no reason to believe that." Amazon's Valentine's Day breakup with New York City has been rough on Governor Andrew Cuomo; the New York Times reports that Cuomo has continued to beseech the retail giant to build one of its two new headquarters in Long Island City, Queens, as it had announced plans to do last November. According to the Times, Cuomo has privately assured Amazon officials that he would ease the company's path to any needed approvals and is "working intensely behind the scenes"–including a personal pitch to founder Jeff Bezos–to get Amazon to reconsider.
Baby, come back

Policy

6 and 7 trains are the only lucky ones this weekend

Image via Flickr cc

March 1, 2019

6 and 7 trains are the only lucky ones this weekend

We're looking forward to another weekend of convoluted service changes impacting nearly every line. The 6 (lucky you!) is the only line with no planned changes, but the 7 is also looking good. Service changes will continue to spill into late night and early morning hours over the week. Take note: The A needs some last minute "urgent track repairs" and will not run between Jay Street-MetroTech and Utica Avenue on Monday and Tuesday. Read on for the full details.
Know before you go

Transit

Rendering of “Big Bend” via Oiio Studio

February 28, 2019

Win tickets to hear Rafael Viñoly, José Andrés, and more speak at the 92Y’s ‘City of Tomorrow’ summit

By 6sqft

Some of the leading voices in architecture, real estate, city planning, and design will meet next month for a two-day symposium full of panel discussions and interactive workshops. Presented by the 92nd Street Y and Hundred Stories PR, the City of Tomorrow: Real Estate, Architecture & Design Summit features conversations with renowned architects like Rafael Viñoly and Annabelle Selldorf, restaurateurs José Andrés and Missy Robbins, developer Steven Witkoff, and dozens more. 6sqft has partnered with the organizers to offer two lucky readers a pair of tickets to the March 15 and 16 conference.
Find out how to enter

Events & Things To Do

Karlie Kloss and Joshua Kushner just put their Nolita condo on the market for $7M

Photo of Karlie via Flickr

February 28, 2019

Karlie Kloss and Joshua Kushner just put their Nolita condo on the market for $7M

Recently-wed supermodel Karlie Kloss and Joshua Kushner, venture capitalist, and brother of presidential son-in-law/advisor Jared Kushner have just listed their two-bedroom condo at 211 Elizabeth Street for $6.995 million, the New York Post reports. The 2,000-square-foot home boasts interiors by Roman and Williams and a 1,120-square-foot landscaped, irrigated terrace.
Get a closer look

Spin your wheels at MCNY’s upcoming exhibit ‘Cycling in the City: A 200 Year History’

New York Awheel―On the Riverside Drive, Near the Great Monument, Munsey’s Magazine, May 1896, Illustrator: J.M. Gleeson, Private collection courtesy of the Museum of the City of New York

February 28, 2019

Spin your wheels at MCNY’s upcoming exhibit ‘Cycling in the City: A 200 Year History’

By Lucie Levine

With 100+ miles of protected bike lanes, a flotilla of Citi Bikes, and the robust Five Boro Bike Tour, New York City ranks as one of the top 10 cycling cities in the country. In fact, the nation's very first bike lane was designated on Brooklyn's Ocean Parkway in 1894, and the city's cycling history reaches back two centuries. Beginning March 14th, the Museum of the City of New York will celebrate and explore that history in the new exhibit, "Cycling in the City: A 200 Year History."
READ MORE

Long Island City restaurant owner traveled to Seattle in an attempt to revive Amazon deal

John Brown Smokehouse on 44th Drive in LIC via Flickr

February 28, 2019

Long Island City restaurant owner traveled to Seattle in an attempt to revive Amazon deal

The owner of a Long Island City barbecue restaurant flew to Seattle on Monday in an attempt to revive the city's deal with Amazon. Josh Bowen, who owns neighborhood joint John Brown Smokehouse, met with executives from the company for two hours, according to Qns.com. Earlier this month, Amazon announced it would no longer open a headquarters at the proposed waterfront location in Queens after facing resistance from local politicians and activist groups. During the meeting, the businessman asked if they would reconsider their decision to pull out of the project. Their response? "Never say never," the executives told him, according to Bowen.
More here

Policy

Why Ken Griffin’s $238M condo is taxed like it’s worth $9.4 million

220 Central Park South. Image via Vornado Realty Trust and Robert A.M. Stern Architects.

February 28, 2019

Why Ken Griffin’s $238M condo is taxed like it’s worth $9.4 million

We've heard it before, but it's always a shock to hear about how the city’s tax system undervalues big-ticket apartments in expensive neighborhoods. The Wall Street Journal reports that the effective tax rate on billionaire hedge funder Ken Griffin’s sky mansion at 220 Central Park South comes out to about 0.22 percent–compared with about one percent in the city's less affluent neighborhoods. The reasoning behind this is tied to a complicated city property tax system that assesses all co-ops and condos as if they were rental properties. Rental income at nearby buildings is assessed in order to estimate a condo's value.
What's going on here?

Policy

From natural history museum to municipal weather bureau: The many lives of Central Park’s Arsenal

The Arsenal c. 1914, via Library of Congress

February 28, 2019

From natural history museum to municipal weather bureau: The many lives of Central Park’s Arsenal

By Lucie Levine

New York City boasts more than 1,700 parks, playgrounds, and recreational facilities covering upwards of 14 percent of the land across all five boroughs. This sprawling network of greenery falls under the jurisdiction of the NYC Parks Department. Once the storied provenance of Robert Moses, the Department functions today under the less-Machiavellian machinations of Mitchell Silver. Though no longer the fiefdom it once was, Parks still operates out of a medieval fortress known as the Arsenal, a commanding bulwark stationed in Central Park at 5th Avenue and 64th Street. The Arsenal also houses the Arsenal Gallery, the City Parks Foundation, the Historic House Trust, and the New York Wildlife Conservation Society. This wide array of agencies reflects the varied legacy of building itself. Since construction began on the Arsenal 1847 (completed 1851), it has served a stunning array of purposes, from police station to menagerie to weather bureau. The Arsenal has had time to live so many lives: it is one of just two buildings in Central Park that predate the park itself, which was established in 1857.
Hear more history of this historic headquarters!

History

City Winery files lawsuit against Trinity Church following $650M deal with Disney

Via Wikimedia

February 28, 2019

City Winery files lawsuit against Trinity Church following $650M deal with Disney

The Walt Disney Company announced last July it would move its offices from the Upper West Side to Hudson Square after buying the rights to develop a property owned by Trinity Church. For $650 million, Disney plans to develop 4 Hudson Square, which currently contains four buildings. One of those buildings was occupied by City Winery, an entertainment space whose flagship has been located at 143 Varick Street for over ten years. Now after being forced to relocate because of the deal with Disney, the venue's owner, Michael Dorf, is filing a lawsuit against its landlord Trinity Church seeking over $2 million in damages for “misleading” information.
More details here

Real Estate Trends

180 East 88th tower tops out at 524 feet, set to be tallest tower north of 72nd Street

Rendering via DDG; Construction shot of 180 E 188th in early January via CityRealty

February 28, 2019

180 East 88th tower tops out at 524 feet, set to be tallest tower north of 72nd Street

The highly anticipated tower rising at 180 East 88th Street recently topped out, taking the title of the city’s tallest building north of 72nd Street, as CityRealty first reported. Developed by DDG, the 524-foot structure will bring 48 expansive condos to the Upper East Side and is expected to open this Spring. Photos from a recent construction visit show crews adding the final pieces of the concrete-enclosed rooftop bulkhead. Crews are still working to fully cover the facade of the 32-story tower in hand-laid Kolumba brick (there are 593,987 individual bricks) which will be accented by bronze-colored window frames.
See the shots

Gowanus landmarking group wants to save historic sites; Webster Hall reopens in May

Gowanus via Wally Gobetz/Flickr cc (L); Webster Hall via Flickr cc (R)

February 27, 2019

Gowanus landmarking group wants to save historic sites; Webster Hall reopens in May

By 6sqft

After being closed for nearly two years for renovations, Webster Hall will reopen on May 1st with a show from Patti Smith. [Gothamist] Check out the progress of the glassy office tower rising about Downtown Brooklyn’s Macy’s. [Brownstoner] A bill introduced in the Senate wants to make baseball New York state’s official sport. [amNY] These 10 […]

Uncategorized

Trump’s Soho hotel experiences business boom after rebranding without the president’s name

Image: Trump Soho; Donald Trump via Wikimedia Commons

February 27, 2019

Trump’s Soho hotel experiences business boom after rebranding without the president’s name

After a prolonged economic slump and a not-so-subtle rebranding, Soho’s Dominick Hotel—formerly known as the Trump Soho—has experienced a formidable increase in revenue, as Bloomberg reports. The revenue per available room rose more than 20 percent from last year. The hotel’s average nightly rate increased by $51 (a 20 percent increase compared to just 2 percent among the hotel's competitors) and had 7,000 more bookings in 2018 than in 2017.
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Events & Things To Do

Senior housing complex at Elizabeth Street Garden site gets borough president approval

Rendering courtesy of Curtis + Ginsberg Architects

February 27, 2019

Senior housing complex at Elizabeth Street Garden site gets borough president approval

Update 3/6/19: The Elizabeth Street Garden (ESG) and the garden's creator Allan Reiver filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against the city and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development to challenge the development of Haven Green. The plan to build an affordable senior housing development at the site of the Elizabeth Street Garden in Nolita got a much-needed push forward on Tuesday after receiving approval from Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer. In December 2017, the city revealed plans for Haven Green, a passive house with units reserved for seniors earning between roughly $20,000 and $40,000 to be built on the site of the park. Elizabeth Street Garden advocates are fighting the city's plan to demolish the one acre of green space to make way for affordable housing and are taking legal action to save the park.
More here

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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Reservations to climb Hudson Yards’ giant public sculpture are open!

Rendering of the completed Vessel and plaza, courtesy of Heatherwick Studios for Related-Oxford

February 27, 2019

Reservations to climb Hudson Yards’ giant public sculpture are open!

As of today, those who did not sign up for advanced tickets to enter Thomas Heatherwick's 150-foot-tall, honeycomb-shaped public art installation at Hudson Yards can reserve their one-hour time slot. Formerly known as The Vessel, (it's now awaiting an official name), the climbable sculpture officially opens along with the entire development this Friday. The free tickets must be reserved 14 days in advance, so chances are even though the structure can hold a whopping 1,000 people at a time, it's going to be a crowded spring.
More details

Events & Things To Do

My 1,300sqft: Artist Rob Wynne’s glass installations mix with eclectic decor in his Soho loft

Our series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to artist Rob Wynne’s Soho loft. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

February 27, 2019

My 1,300sqft: Artist Rob Wynne’s glass installations mix with eclectic decor in his Soho loft

"If you have something to say, you figure out what material will help you fulfill that destiny," said artist Rob Wynne, referencing the various mediums in which he works, from hand-embroidered paintings to sculpture to molten glass. It's this "alchemy" that is currently being explored through his exhibit "FLOAT" at the Brooklyn Museum, a show of 16 works that "seemingly floating within the American Art galleries." But Wynne's talent is perhaps on display nowhere more so that his home and studio in Soho. Wynne moved to the artist's loft in the '70s, and what has resulted is an organic and eclectic mix of decor and furniture from decades of travel, meeting fellow NYC artists, and finding inspiration through various disciplines. 6sqft recently visited Rob at his home and explored his collections of curiosities. We also got an up-close look at the process behind his large-scale mirrored glass installations, as well as many of his other incredible works.
Hear more from Rob and explore his studio

Partial shutdown of Hudson River tunnel would cause NY and NJ home values to drop by $22B, report says

Via Amtrak

February 27, 2019

Partial shutdown of Hudson River tunnel would cause NY and NJ home values to drop by $22B, report says

If the only rail link between New Jersey and Manhattan shuttered, homes in the region would see a drop in home value by $22 billion, according to a report released on Tuesday. An analysis from the Regional Plan Association highlights the economic effects of a partial shutdown of the Hudson River tunnel, which was severely damaged by Hurricane Sandy and carries 200,000 daily passengers via Amtrak and NJ Transit. To make repairs to the 110-year-old tunnels, officials have called for a $13 billion project that would construct a second tunnel to keep service operating while the existing tunnel is restored. But President Donald Trump's administration said it will not support the Gateway tunnel project, making a partial shutdown of the tunnel more likely, according to the RPA (h/t Crain's).
Get the details

February 27, 2019

This classic Upper West Side one-bedroom is a steal for $595K

Half a block from the American Museum of Natural History, this classic one-bedroom offers a prime Upper West Side location on a tree-lined block in the midst of the bustling Broadway Corridor, where you'll find some of the area's best cultural institutions, restaurants, and shops. It boasts high ceilings, a decorative fireplace, and a fully renovated kitchen and bathroom. Best of all, this cozy co-op at 155 West 80th Street is asking just $595,000.
Take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

IKEA’s newest curtains will purify indoor air

Images courtesy of Ikea

February 26, 2019

IKEA’s newest curtains will purify indoor air