6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio endorsed congestion pricing and a proposal to reorganize the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in a joint 10-point plan released on Tuesday. The joint plan, which requires legislative approval, calls for tolls to be collected south of 61st Street in Manhattan, with the exception of FDR Drive. Cuomo said on Tuesday he hopes the package of transit proposals is included in the state budget, which lawmakers must pass by April 1. The tolls would not take effect until December 2020, if approved.
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Area median income: What it means and how it’s calculated

Photo via Flickr cc

February 26, 2019

Area median income: What it means and how it’s calculated

By Cait Etherington

If you’ve ever applied for affordable housing in New York City, you’ll know that it is all about the area median income, or the AMI. If you make too little or too much, you won’t qualify at all for affordable housing. Even if you do qualify, however, your AMI will impact your likelihood of actually acquiring a unit since most buildings have more units available in some AMI bands than others. For most New Yorkers, this is one of the most confusing aspects of affordable housing, so we've broken it down, from how AMI is calculated and what the current NYC parameters are to the many controversies surrounding the guidelines.
Everything you need to know

Finalists announced in Transit Tech Lab accelerator program to help modernize NYC public transit

Image via Flickr

February 26, 2019

Finalists announced in Transit Tech Lab accelerator program to help modernize NYC public transit

As part of the much-needed effort to modernize New York City public transit, the MTA and the Partnership for New York City have announced six finalists for the inaugural Transit Tech Lab accelerator program. The eight-week program, which began this week, will give the six chosen companies an opportunity to try new technologies customized to solve for specific subway and bus priorities such as reducing cost and cutting down subway delays by employing predictive maintenance, deploying a transit network planning platform, using computer vision to untangle bus lane traffic and using sensors to address platform crowding.
More innovation this way

Pied-à-terre tax backed by NYC Council members

Via Vornado Realty Trust and Robert A.M. Stern Architects

February 26, 2019

Pied-à-terre tax backed by NYC Council members

Update 2/26/19: Council Members Mark Levine and Margaret Chin announced on Monday that they plan on introducing a resolution in support of the pied-à-terre tax, as amNY reported. The tax would be modeled after the measure sponsored by State Sen. Brad Hoylman and apply an annual surcharge on non-primary homes worth more than $5 million. Last month, billionaire Ken Griffin closed on a penthouse at 220 Central Park South for over $239 million, making it the most expensive home ever sold in the United States. Griffin, the founder of the hedge fund Citadel, said he will not use the pricey pad as a primary residence, but instead as "a place to stay when he's in town." The staggering sale has renewed support from public officials for a pied-à-terre tax, which would place a yearly surcharge on homes worth $5 million and up, and apply to non-primary residences, as reported by the New York Times.
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February 26, 2019

An unusual layout and original details paint a pretty picture at this $4.25M Soho artist’s loft

A rare find, this quintessential Soho artist’s loft in original condition has hit the market for the first time in 40 years, seeking $4,250,000. Located at 133 Wooster Street in the heart of Soho's Cast-Iron Historic District, the sprawling 3,300-square-foot space has no shortage of pre-war details. The sunny corner unit boasts 17 oversized windows with southern and eastern exposures, 10-foot tin ceilings, and original cast-iron columns. Currently the home and studio of a painter, the space is configured with two bedrooms and one-and-a-half baths, but the open, angular layout offers a lot of flexibility for future owners.
Peek inside

Distinctive Homes

Thousands of Soviet espionage artifacts on view at Chelsea’s new KGB Museum

Inside the KGB Spy Museum. All photos in this post are courtesy of the KGB Spy Museum

February 25, 2019

Thousands of Soviet espionage artifacts on view at Chelsea’s new KGB Museum

By Lucie Levine

After entering the new KGB Spy Museum on 14th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues on a recent afternoon, a young Russian man wearing all black said, "Do you know who that is?" Pointing to a stoic portrait of Vladimir Lenin on the wall, he added, "He is like a God to the Soviet people." The Soviet Era is the stock-in-trade of New York's new KGB Spy Museum, which houses a staggering collection of never-before-seen Soviet espionage artifacts used by the KGB, Soviet Russia's spy organization or "State Security Committee," once known as "the sword and shield of the Communist Party."
Get a preview

Events & Things To Do

February 25, 2019

Anne Hathaway’s former Midtown love nest hits the market for $19.5M

By Annie Doge

The Midtown five-bedroom condo once owned by actress Anne Hathaway hit the market this week for $19.5 million. The A-list Oscar winner rented the duplex in the 52-story Olympic Tower on Fifth Avenue for $37,000 per month with ex-boyfriend Raffaello Follieri, who was jailed in 2008 for fraud and money-laundering. Hathaway previously owned a loft in Dumbo's Clocktower building, which sold for $4.25 million in 2014, and a few years later picked up a Central Park-adjacent penthouse on the Upper West Side for $2.55 million.
See inside

Image: Wikimedia commons.

February 25, 2019

East River Esplanade projects to receive $75M in mayoral funding

NYC Parks has announced that Mayor Bill de Blasio has allocated $75 million in additional funding for ongoing East River Esplanade reconstruction projects underway from East Midtown through East Harlem. The new funding has been allocated to three distinct esplanade projects: East Harlem from 114th to East 117th Streets, the Upper East Side from East 90th to East 94th Streets and Midtown East from East 62nd to East 63rd Streets.
Find out more

Uncategorized

Distinctive Homes

Live in a former convent with panoramic Hudson River views for $3.4M

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

$10.25M Chelsea condo atop Shigeru Ban's Metal Shutter Houses is everything a penthouse should be

Turn this $6.9M Brooklyn Heights three-family townhouse into an urban mansion with original details galore

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

A loft-sized Harlem studio in a former school asks $599K

This $4.5M Sutton Place penthouse has a wraparound terrace and a literary pedigree

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

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

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

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February 25, 2019

Star opera tenor Michael Fabiano lists Battery Park City condo for $1.2M

Newlywed star tenor (and private pilot) Michael Fabiano and husband Bryan M. Fabiano, associate director of the Metropolitan Opera’s board of directors, just put their pristine Battery Park City condo at 70 Little West Street on the market for $1,195,000. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the space in light while custom built-in storage solutions make the 930-square-foot one bedroom as efficient as possible.
Take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

MTA touts subway improvements as more service disruptions lie in wait

Via Colin Mutchler on Flickr

February 25, 2019

MTA touts subway improvements as more service disruptions lie in wait

The subway has seen its best on-time performance and the fewest number of delays across the system in four years, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced on Sunday. But while the stats reveal a promising start for the Subway Action Plan, launched by the agency and Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2017, the gains come at a cost for straphangers with off-peak commutes. The rescue plan, as well as New York City Transit President Andy Byford's $40 billion plan to fix the subway, both which require new sources of funding, will require many subway lines to close on nights and weekends for years, as the New York Times reported.
Learn more

Transit

February 25, 2019

MTA announces public meetings to discuss revised L train repair plans

The MTA said in a press release that 100 percent of riders during high ridership hours will have full service under the revised approach to L train repairs. Also, added transit options such as more G, 7 and M service, new Williamsburg Link buses and free transfers will benefit evening and weekend riders. Starting in March, the MTA will be holding open houses with the community to discuss the plan.
Open house dates and more info this way

Plan for affordable housing and industrial space back on the table for ex-Amazon site in LIC

A rendering from 2017 depicting the proposed mixed-use site; courtesy of TF Cornerstone

February 25, 2019

Plan for affordable housing and industrial space back on the table for ex-Amazon site in LIC

The city's plan to bring a thousand residential units and a mix of industrial space to Long Island City is back on the table after Amazon last month announced it will not open a complex in the neighborhood. James Patchett, the president of the city's Economic Development Corporation, said during the Crain's New York Business breakfast on Thursday that the city will forge ahead with its original plan of bringing a mix of businesses and homes to the Queens neighborhood, Gothamist reported.
More here

Affordable Housing

Delays, disruptions, and despair: Nearly every subway line to see service changes this week

Image via Flickr

February 25, 2019

Delays, disruptions, and despair: Nearly every subway line to see service changes this week

This week's slate of planned subway service changes rivals the weekend's—and maybe even exceeds it. Service on parts of the B and D will continue to end early, 5 service between E 180 Street and Bowling Green will end at 8:30 p.m. from Monday to Thursday, and the L is only running every 24 minutes during the day. The A and C are the only lines without scheduled work, but unplanned signal issues are likely to shake things up there as well.
Know before you go

Transit

February 22, 2019

Sotheby’s announces $55M expansion and redesign of NYC headquarters by Rem Koolhaas’ OMA

Renowned auction house Sotheby’s has revealed renderings of its reimagined Upper East Side headquarters, designed by OMA New York’s Shohei Shigematsu. Slated to open on May 3rd to coincide with their auctions of Impressionist & Modern and Contemporary Art, the redesign features 40 galleries across four completely transformed floors and will increase Sotheby’s exhibition space from 67,000 square feet to more than 90,000 (a whopping two acres of space!).
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Architecture And Design

February 22, 2019

Waterline Square’s Italian food hall will open on the Upper West Side this summer

If getting to 23rd Street is tricky for you (or you'd just rather not deal with the Eataly tourists), another Italian food mecca will be opening on the Upper West Side this July or August. As 6sqft previously reported, GID Development Group tapped the Cipriani family to create a 28,000-square-foot "experiential food market" for their Waterline Square mega-development. After attending a recent Community Board 7 meeting, West Side Rag got more details about what the food hall will offer, including a full-service restaurant, pasta lab, bellini bar, and, of course, cheese shop.
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INTERVIEW: Architect Nancy Ruddy on 30 years in NYC, adding to the skyline, and restaurant design

Photo courtesy of CetraRuddy

February 22, 2019

INTERVIEW: Architect Nancy Ruddy on 30 years in NYC, adding to the skyline, and restaurant design

When Nancy Ruddy and her husband John Cetra formed architecture firm CetraRuddy in 1987, they wanted to "create inspirational spaces and buildings based upon the ideas of craft and the human touch." Thirty-one years later, and the 100-person firm has achieved this goal and then some, marking the skyline with their soaring One Madison tower, transforming Tribeca's 443 Greenwich Street into the hottest celebrity residence, and adapting historic buildings by prolific architects such as Ralph Walker and Rosario Candela. They've also distinguished themselves by combing architecture and design practices, which was most recently showcased at their designs for the new Time Warner Center restaurant Bluebird London. Ahead, 6sqft talks with Nancy Ruddy about how all of these successes came to be, where she sees the architectural landscape of NYC heading, and what it was like creating a destination dining space overlooking Central Park.
Hear from Nancy

NYHS exhibit celebrates cartoonist Mort Gerberg’s witty take on city life and social issues

Mort Gerberg, “No, not a ‘D’ – it’s a ‘B’! You know, like in Beowulf…Botticelli…Brahams…”, cartoon for the Saturday Review, 1965 Courtesy of the New York Historical Society

February 22, 2019

NYHS exhibit celebrates cartoonist Mort Gerberg’s witty take on city life and social issues

By Lucie Levine

Sometimes, the daily grind of New York City life - from waiting for the subway, to getting hit with unidentified "New York Drip," to sharing an apartment with God-knows-how-many people, can be overwhelming. Other times, you just have to laugh. Beloved cartoonist Mort Gerberg has been helping New Yorkers laugh about the various predicaments of city life, current events, politics, and even sports for more than 50 years. Now through May 5th, the New-York Historical Society is hosting "Mort Gerberg Cartoons: A New Yorker's Perspective," a retrospective of his work that offers over 120 cartoons, drawings, and pieces of sketch reportage spanning the whole of Gerberg's career.
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Events & Things To Do

Another Manhattan condominium building tries to dump Trump name

The condominium board at 120 Riverside Boulevard announced Thursday that they had voted to remove the "Trump Place" sign from their building's facade, the Washington Post reports. The vote follows a decision last October to remove the Trump Place sign from the nearby condo at 200 Riverside Boulevard. Since Trump was elected president, five New York City buildings have opted to remove the Trump stamp in an expression of displeasure with the former reality show host who got his start here.
Hey, we didn't vote for the guy

Uncategorized

February 22, 2019

$5M Park Slope mansion was built as a gift of love from an architect to his bride

Situated on a stately Park Slope street lined with Victorian-era row houses, this 25-foot-wide red brick Neo-Georgian mansion at 633 2nd Street was, according to its $4,995,000 listing, constructed in 1908 as a token of love by architect Thomas O'Connor for his bride. Between the historic home's grand center stair and rare double parlor, it would still be quite the fabulous romantic offering today. With its historic details beautifully preserved, the 4,127-square-foot, six-bedroom house is comprised of three stories over an English basement.
Take the grand tour

Distinctive Homes

Not a single subway line to be left unscathed this weekend

Image via Flickr

February 22, 2019

Not a single subway line to be left unscathed this weekend

By Andrew Berman of Village Preservation

A majority of train lines will have to deal with service changes this weekend, with lots of skips, delays, and convoluted routes, especially on the E. To top it all off, the MTA just announced there will be no 7 service on Saturday between Queensboro Plaza and 34 Street-Hudson Yards from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., due to urgent track repair needs.
Know before you go

Transit

February 21, 2019

CNN anchor Chris Cuomo and wife Cristina list cute Hamptons retreat for $2.9M

By Annie Doge

Journalist Chris Cuomo and his wife Cristina, the editor in chief of Purist, have listed their Southampton's home for $2.9 million, the New York Post reported Thursday. The five-bedroom, four bathroom measures roughly 3,000 square feet and sits on a little under an acre of land. The shingle-style home is fit for summer, with a full-length back deck, backyard, an in-ground heated pool, and a quick drive to the beach.
See inside

February 21, 2019

10 (more) of the most charming spots in the Greenwich Village Historic District

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the designation of the Greenwich Village Historic District on April 29, 1969. One of the city’s oldest and still largest historic districts, it’s a unique treasure trove of rich history, pioneering culture, and charming architecture. GVSHP will be spending 2019 marking this anniversary with events, lectures, and new interactive online resources, including a celebration and district-wide weekend-long “Open House” starting on Saturday, April 13th in Washington Square. This is part of a series of posts about the unique qualities of the Greenwich Village Historic District marking its golden anniversary. Trying to limit oneself to just 10 of the most charming spots in the Greenwich Village Historic District is truly a fool’s errand. And not one without controversy -- since the last column, more than a few disgruntled New Yorkers whose favorites didn’t make the list have reached out (in almost all cases these were places which actually originally made the list, but something had to be cut). So by popular demand (of sorts), here are 10 more of the most charming spots in the Greenwich Village Historic District, from the smallest piece of privately owned property in New York to a series of "squares" that are anything but.
See them all!

History

Siah Armajani: “Bridge Over Tree” 1970/2019; wood, steel and evergreen tree. Photo: Timothy Schenck.

February 21, 2019

Siah Armajani’s ‘Bridge Over Tree’ now open in Brooklyn Bridge Park

Iranian-born, Minneapolis-based artist Siah Armajani’s installation "Bridge Over Tree" (1970) was unveiled Wednesday at Brooklyn Bridge Park on the Empire Fulton Ferry Lawn between the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges. The seminal work, which was first shown as a temporary sculpture at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis in 1970, is comprised of a 91-foot-long walkway with open, trussed sides and a shingled roof. A set of stairs at the sculpture's midpoint climb up and down over a small evergreen tree. This is the first re-staging of the installation in almost 50 years
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Events & Things To Do

February 21, 2019

The massive roof deck at this $15.5M Flatiron penthouse has a 20-foot pool and full bar

Spanning an entire block, this sprawling penthouse at 5 East 17th Street boasts four bedrooms, two private elevators, a 25-foot glass atrium, and a 4,000-square-foot “private sky yard” with a swimming pool, fire pit, and gorgeous city views. No luxury has been spared in this fully-renovated, sleek, and abundantly sunny condo, centrally located on the border of Flatiron and Union Square. A previous sale fell through at the last moment, and now the $15,500,000 unit is back on the market.
Take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

February 21, 2019

Pols suggest R train be split to save Brooklyn riders from Manhattan delays

A few Brooklyn elected officials asked the MTA to halt half of R subway service at Court Street, with Queens-Manhattan service covering the Whitehall and 71st Avenue stations on the other half, in the interest of streamlining the route and avoiding the traffic delays that plague the line, AM New York reports.
R they serious?

Transit

February 21, 2019

Leasing launches for first rental at Astoria’s Halletts Point mega-development, from $2,150/month

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

Leasing has officially begun at 10 Halletts Point, the first tower of seven to rise at the Durst Organization's development in Astoria. Designed by Dattner Architects, the rental building features two towers, at 22- and 17-stories, originating from the same base. The no-fee rentals at 10 Halletts Point start at $2,150/month for studios, $2,525/month for one-bedrooms, and $3,595/month for two-bedrooms. According to a Durst spokesperson, two studio apartments rented the same day leasing opened and "a couple of thousand" more people have expressed interest. Current concessions offered include one free month of rent on a 13-month lease, and two months free on a 26-month lease.
Details this way

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10 best plants for apartment dwellers

New York City's best holiday markets of 2023

VIEW ALL

Lottery opens for 38 affordable units in Hamilton Heights’ new Dance Theater of Harlem building

Rendering via BRP Companies

February 20, 2019

Lottery opens for 38 affordable units in Hamilton Heights’ new Dance Theater of Harlem building

This affordable housing at 847 Saint Nicholas Avenue lottery checks all the boxes. Most importantly, the units are actually affordable, available to low-income households earning 40, 50, or 60 percent of the area median income and ranging from $475/month studios to $1,166/month two-bedrooms. It's in the beautiful Hamilton Heights/Sugar Hill Northwest Historic District, is the new home to the Dance Theater of Harlem, and offers tenants a laundry room, fitness center, first-floor rear year, and seventh-floor terrace.
See the qualifications

Affordable Housing

February 20, 2019

The 11 best things to do on Roosevelt Island

By Ben Kharakh

Roosevelt Island: it's an opportunity to get away from New York while still being in New York. Whether you drive, bike, or take public transportation, this narrow strip of land sandwiched between Manhattan and Queens has much to offer in terms of a day's delight. You've got parks, the arts, and enough photo opportunities to make your Instagram friends totally jelly. From the famous abandoned Smallpox Hospital to the flashy new buildings of Cornell Tech, here's everything to do on your island excursion.
Our top 11 picks

Events & Things To Do

Photo via Wiki Commons

February 20, 2019

Strand bookstore owner offers a compromise in last-ditch attempt to avoid landmark status

In a heated second hearing before the Landmarks Preservation Commission, the owner of the iconic Strand Bookstore, Nancy Bass Wyden, continued her fight to keep the famed bookseller's building from being designated a city landmark along with seven buildings on Broadway between East 12th and 14th Streets. Instead, Wyden is offering to put in place a historic preservation easement on the storefront, Gothamist reports. The easement would be the result of an agreement between the property's owner and a nonprofit group that would serve as a steward for the building's preservation, ensuring that, in this case the building's facade, would be properly preserved. At a previous LPC hearing The Strand's owner voiced strong concerns that a historic designation would place crippling restrictions on the scrappy business and potentially threaten its future.
Find out more

Policy

Sip 1960’s-inspired cocktails at the TWA Hotel’s restored retro bar, opening this May

Image of Sunken Lounge pre-construction in 2017, courtesy of MCR and Morse Development; Photo: Max Touhey

February 20, 2019

Sip 1960’s-inspired cocktails at the TWA Hotel’s restored retro bar, opening this May

When its retro cocktail bar opens this May, TWA Hotel guests will be able to sip Sixties-style beverages in an expertly designed space. The Sunken Lounge will not only offer classic drinks like Old Fashioneds and Martinis but also views through its floor-to-ceiling windows of the 1958 Lockheed Constellation airplane parked outside. MCR and MORSE Development announced on Wednesday that Gerber Group, of Mr. Purple and The Campbell bar fame, will operate the restored Sunken Lounge, which will officially open on May 15, the same day the first guests will be welcomed to the hotel at John F. Kennedy Airport.
Drink it in

February 20, 2019

$600K studio goes contemporary-zen in an Art Deco Gramercy co-op

This Gramercy Park studio at 102 East 22nd Street recently underwent a renovation inspired by the modern, airy, and space-efficient living solutions you would find in the pages of DWELL magazine. With a large sunny living area, custom storage solutions, hardwood floors throughout, and a prime location in an Art Deco building, this petite pad is now listed for $599,000.
Take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

Understudy; image credit: Liz Clayman.

February 20, 2019

City Point’s Dekalb Market adds a performance space and speakeasy

Downtown Brooklyn's City Point is pulling out all the stops to boost its cool factor. The 1.8-million-square-foot mixed-use development at 445 Albee Square West is already home to the subterranean food mecca known as Dekalb Market Hall as well as the popular dine-in cinema-slash-supper-club Alamo Drafthouse. City Point recently announced the additions of a speakeasy-style cocktail bar called Understudy within the food court and Dekalb Stage, a 7,500-square-foot events and live entertainment space just next door.
More fun per square foot, this way

City Living

Staten Island Levee project secures funding, will move forward

Rendering of original sea wall plan via Governor Cuomo’s office

February 19, 2019

Staten Island Levee project secures funding, will move forward

Mayor Bill de Blasio, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, United States Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, and United States Congressman Max Rose announced today that funding has been secured for the Staten Island Levee project. The news gives the green light for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to build a long-awaited 5.3 mile sea wall that would protect waterfront communities in Staten Island from future storms.
Good news for Staten Island

February 19, 2019

Plans for Norman Foster’s Red Hook office complex may be kaput

According to sources close to the project, plans for Norman Foster’s Red Hoek Point, a 7.7-acre commercial campus at the former Revere Sugar Factory on the Red Hook shoreline, appear to be getting scrapped, The Real Deal reports. The website still advertises the “revolutionary office campus on the Brooklyn waterfront,” but Thor Equities is reportedly going to abandon the 800,000-square-foot complex and replace it with warehousing, a change of course that Thor’s founder Joseph Sitt may have been considering as early as last October, as new renderings for Red Hoek Point were being developed.
More info

No weeknight service on parts of the B and D lines in the Bronx for three weeks

Photo via Flickr cc

February 19, 2019

No weeknight service on parts of the B and D lines in the Bronx for three weeks

Bronx residents who ride the B and D lines, take note: beginning today and lasting for three weeks, maintenance, cleaning, and repair work will cause the MTA to close stations between 161st Street-Yankee Stadium and Norwood-205th Street from 9:30pm to 5am as part of their larger Subway Action Plan.
All the details

Transit

February 19, 2019

This $2.3M Upper East Side penthouse has a wraparound terrace that’s a gardener’s heaven

This pretty two-bedroom penthouse co-op at 115 East 90th Street, asking $2,295 million, is the picture of classic pre-war charm. Its best feature: It's wrapped on every side with landscaped terraces surrounding the home with a garden paradise no matter where you look.
More greenery in every direction

Distinctive Homes

Why American buyers are replacing foreigners in the luxury market

Photo via Pixabay

February 19, 2019

Why American buyers are replacing foreigners in the luxury market

By Cait Etherington

Over the past decade, there has been no shortage of headlines about the impact of foreign buyers on the New York City real estate market. At one time, the headlines about Russian oligarchs and Chinese business tycoons buying up luxury properties in New York City were true, but as of 2019, the real estate market in New York City and across the country is shifting. New restrictions on foreign buyers combined with a perception that the United States is no longer a friendly market for foreign buyers has slowed foreign sales. In fact, over the past twelve months, the highest closes in New York City have all been to U.S. buyers.
What's the deal?

Real Estate Trends

New Crown Heights mixed-use project could bring 800 affordable apartments

Image courtesy of NYC Department of City Planning

February 19, 2019

New Crown Heights mixed-use project could bring 800 affordable apartments

A proposed mega-project from Continuum Companies and Lincoln Equities on a large, partially-vacant site at 960 Franklin Avenue would include 1,578 apartments that would be divided evenly between market-rate and affordable units, Curbed reports. The developers are seeking zoning amendments from the city for a pair of 39-story towers, each 421 feet high plus 40 feet for a mechanical bulkhead, on a 120,000-square-foot site near the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in Crown Heights.
Find out more

February 15, 2019

The ‘Summer White House’ of the Hamptons is back for a reduced $13.5M

In addition to his Murray Hill townhouse, President Chester A. Arthur also owned this three-story Victorian mansion built in 1796, which he considered his “Summer White House.” The luxurious fully renovated Hamptons property was last on the market in 2016 for $14.2 million, or $480,000 annually for potential renters. Just in time for Presidents Day, the six-bedroom, four-and-a-half bathroom home is back for a reduced $13.5 million. As 6sqft previously noted, the cost to rent this presidential pad between Memorial and Labor Day was estimated to be $390,000.
Take a look inside

The Urban Lens: ‘Manhattan Meltdown’ photo series aims to preserve and celebrate food of NYC

6sqft’s series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment, Aaron Bernstein shares his “Manhattan Meltdown” photo series of famous NYC foods, frozen. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected].

February 15, 2019

The Urban Lens: ‘Manhattan Meltdown’ photo series aims to preserve and celebrate food of NYC

Photographer Aaron Bernstein was overwhelmed when he first moved to New York City for his career in fashion. One way to adjust to his new home was through different food experiences. “Food was this daily thing that I could measure small successes with,” Aaron told us. “If I was able to cook for myself or buy myself a meal, I saw it as a tiny victory." And now as an Adobe Creative Resident, Aaron is exploring the intersection of food and art through the “digital guise” of “Hungry Boy,” an online platform that shows off his colorful, food-centric photos. Aaron recently shared with 6sqft his “Manhattan Meltdown” series, which features beloved food seen as synonymous with the city’s culture-- from Anthora coffee cups to black and white cookies from William Greenberg Desserts, all encased in ice. While the photos are fun and playful, they also represent a bigger truth about the disappearance of beloved Manhattan mom-and-pop shops due to skyrocketing rents and the growing popularity of big businesses. Ahead, get a taste of Aaron's work and hear what the photographer has planned next.
Meet Aaron and see his tasty work

Places

NYC officials discussed underground tunnel system to JFK with Elon Musk’s company

Via Flickr

February 15, 2019

NYC officials discussed underground tunnel system to JFK with Elon Musk’s company

In looking for out-of-the-box ways to cut travel time between Manhattan and JFK Airport in Queens, New York officials recently reached out to Tesla founder Elon Musk for engineering ideas, Crain's reports. Musk's The Boring Company reportedly outlined strategies for connecting John F. Kennedy International Airport with Manhattan based on the tunnel system the company has developed, though several challenges were immediately evident.
Find out more

Transit

JPMorgan Chase will revise design of 270 Park Avenue tower to increase open public space

Image via Flickr

February 15, 2019

JPMorgan Chase will revise design of 270 Park Avenue tower to increase open public space

In response to pushback, JPMorgan Chase will be redesigning its planned 1,400-foot office tower at 270 Park Avenue with additional open public space, as Crain’s first reported. Under the East Midtown rezoning, new developments are required to provide 10,000 square feet of public space, but because two-thirds of the site sits above the Grand Central Terminal train shed, architects for the project argued they could only come up with 7,000 square feet. This notion was challenged by members of Manhattan Community Board 5 and elected officials. JPMorgan has now agreed to submit new designs increasing the size of the public space to 10,000 square feet and making it an open-air area instead of enclosed as it was in the initial design proposal.
Get the details

New Developments

Dine and dance under the stars in Prospect Park

Credit: J Grassi; courtesy of Prospect Park Alliance

February 15, 2019

Dine and dance under the stars in Prospect Park

The beloved community event known as the Prospect Park Soiree is coming back for its third year on Saturday, June 22; tickets are on sale now. This magical evening of dancing and dining under the stars for a one-night-only celebration of Brooklyn’s Backyard is brought to you by Prospect Park Alliance. Expect thousands of friends and neighbors to gather at the Peninsula in festive attire; bring your favorite bottle of wine and the feast of your choosing–the park will come through with the entertainment.
Find out more

Events & Things To Do

Country-chic West Village ‘house within a house’ asks $3.25M

Listing photos by Brynne Levy Photography for Compass

February 15, 2019

Country-chic West Village ‘house within a house’ asks $3.25M

In the heart of the West Village at 53 Horatio Street, this three-bedroom home has just listed for $3.25 million. The 1834 Federal rowhouse was divided into six co-ops, but the units still retain their 19th-century charm. This residence spans an impressive four floors, hence why the listing describes it as a "house within a house." In addition to its spacious, vertical layout, the apartment is the perfect mix of country decor and contemporary amenities.
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Distinctive Homes

One Domino Square

8 South 4th Street

Williamsburg

Spectacular living on the Williamsburg waterfront

1 beds starting at $1,925,000
2 beds starting at $2,055,000
3 beds starting at $3,030,000

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Here’s how the subways will be running this Presidents’ Day weekend

Image via Flickr

February 15, 2019

Here’s how the subways will be running this Presidents’ Day weekend

Many New Yorkers are looking forward to a long weekend, but it won't be without its fair share of service changes. On Monday, MTA services will operate on special schedules, with Metro-North and the LIRR offering off-peak fares throughout the day. The worse news is that subways and buses will be on a Saturday schedule, meaning that many of the planned service interruptions listed below will extend into Monday, and in some cases, even Tuesday.
Know before you go

Transit

NYPL marks 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots with new photo exhibition and events

Photo by Diana Davies, Gay Liberation Front marches on Times Square, New York, 1970. Courtesy of New York Public Library, Manuscripts and Archives Division

February 14, 2019

NYPL marks 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots with new photo exhibition and events

Beginning in the season so many associate with love, the New York Public Library is commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots through a major exhibition, a series of programs, book recommendations, and more. "Love & Resistance: Stonewall 50" chronicles the emergence of LGBTQ activism with over 150 photographs and ephemera. An opening celebration will kick off both the exhibition and the Library After Hours series on Friday, February 15 from 7-10 P.M.
'Tis the season

Facing poor sales, the partners behind Jean Nouvel’s 53W53 seek additional price chops

Rendering by Hayes Davidson

February 14, 2019

Facing poor sales, the partners behind Jean Nouvel’s 53W53 seek additional price chops

The partners behind the Jean Nouvel-designed tower at 53 West 53rd Street (also known as the MoMA Tower) will be serving even more price chops to the ultra-luxury project in the midst of lackluster sales, though they disagree on how much that should be. As Crain’s reported, Hines, Goldman Sachs, and Singapore’s Pontiac Land Group recently underwent an arbitration process to settle the matter, with Hines seeking aggressive discounts. The 1,050-foot condo building has already received $167 million in price cuts since hitting the market almost four years ago with a projection of $2.14 billion in sales. About 15 percent of the 145 units at 53W53 are under contract currently, with closings set to begin in the spring, a spokeswoman for the project said.
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Via CityRealty

February 14, 2019

Amazon will not move to Long Island City

Amazon said on Thursday it will no longer build a new headquarters in Long Island City, the New York Times reported. The online retail giant selected the Queens neighborhood last year for its "HQ2" campus following a 14-month nationwide contest. Amazon had promised to bring 25,000 jobs to New York City in exchange for nearly $3 billion in state and city incentives. In a statement, the company said it does not plan to look for another location at this time.
Details here

Policy

The TWA Hotel at JFK is now accepting reservations

Photo by David Mitchell

February 14, 2019

The TWA Hotel at JFK is now accepting reservations