6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

The latest version of the Lower East Side's beloved Essex Street Market, its name streamlined to simply Essex Market, opened Monday in its new home inside the Essex Crossing development at 88 Essex Street. It's triple the size of the original market, from which 21 vendors (yes, Shopsin's remains) have moved in, along with 18 new stalls and two full-service restaurants. The old market officially closed its doors on May 5, making this the first new public market to open in the city since 1955.
See more, this way

Food & Dining

At Green New Deal rally, De Blasio tells Trump his NYC buildings could face $2M+ in annual fines

Photo via Flickr cc

May 14, 2019

At Green New Deal rally, De Blasio tells Trump his NYC buildings could face $2M+ in annual fines

During a rally at Trump Tower yesterday, Mayor Bill de Blasio put the Trump Organization on blast as he promoted the city’s Green New Deal. Under the new climate change legislation, which requires large buildings in New York City to dramatically cut their greenhouse gas emissions, eight Trump-owned properties, referred to as "dirty, inefficient buildings," would cause the Organization to owe roughly $2.1 million in fines annually beginning in 2030. The 27,000 metric tons of greenhouse gasses that these buildings pump out each year is equal to 5,800 cars. After being passed by the New York City Council on April 18, the law is slated to go into effect on May 17.
More info

May 14, 2019

See inside the Statue of Liberty’s new museum ahead of this week’s opening

The Statue of Liberty is a universally recognized structure and symbol. But do most people know the story of its creation? Opening this Thursday, the new Statue of Liberty Museum aims to educate visitors about the history and legacy of the statue through immersive gallery spaces and artifacts. During a press preview last week, 6sqft toured the 26,000-square-foot museum and its landscaped roof, located on Liberty Island across from Lady Liberty herself.
Get a peek

Renderings courtesy of Binyan Studios

May 13, 2019

FXCollaborative’s skinny FiDi school-condo tower reveals new looks and launches sales

Sales at Trinity Place Holding’s new condominium tower at 77 Greenwich Street have officially launched, and a new batch of renderings are offering us a look inside the elegant residences. Designed by FXCollaborative, the 42-story high-rise will comprise 90 residential units on top of a new public elementary school. Though it hasn’t topped out yet, the finished building will hit 500 feet in height. The residences begin on the 15th floor and will feature sprawling river views with prices starting at $1,780,000 for a one-bedroom unit.
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Columbia Medical’s Washington Heights campus will get a new public plaza

Rendering Credit: FXCollaborative and Quennell Rothschild & Partners.

May 13, 2019

Columbia Medical’s Washington Heights campus will get a new public plaza

On May 28, work is scheduled to begin on Haven Plaza, a pedestrian plaza that will transform Haven Avenue between 169th Street and Fort Washington Avenue into an actual haven for faculty, staff, patients, students and the public at large. Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), in partnership with the New York City Department of Transportation, is creating 60,000 square feet of open green space complete with planters, benches, café tables, and chairs.
Find out more

Architecture And Design

Carnegie Deli and ‘Mrs. Maisel’ team up on a pastrami food truck this week

Photo courtesy of Prime Video

May 13, 2019

Carnegie Deli and ‘Mrs. Maisel’ team up on a pastrami food truck this week

If you watched "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," you know that Midge loves herself a good old pastrami sandwich when she dines at her favorite Jewish deli, which is why the iconic Carnegie Deli is back for its second pop-up with Amazon. Ahead of the second season's launch in December, the former Midtown deli (which closed in 2016 after 80 years) returned for an eight-day stint in a Nolita storefront. And now Prime Video has created a Carnegie Deli food truck so that New Yorkers "can enjoy the 'sandwich worth the schlep' without too much of a schlep." From today until Wednesday the retro pink truck will be serving up two signature sandwiches, black-and-white cookies, and vintage sodas.
Get your order ready

Watch New York City grow from 1609 to today with this animated video assembled from historic maps

Via The New York City Evolution Animation from Myles Zhang

May 13, 2019

Watch New York City grow from 1609 to today with this animated video assembled from historic maps

When it comes to the development of New York City over many, many years, we tend not to see the forest for the trees, so to speak. Here Grows New York, an animated map created by urban development buff Myles Zhang, gives us a seriously forest-eye view of how the city changes from the time the first native American tribes populated the five boroughs in 1609 to the noisy tangle of highways of 2019. Complete with cool facts and a soundtrack, the map visually animates the development of this city’s infrastructure and street grid using geo-referenced road network data, historic maps, and geological surveys, highlighting the kind of organic growth spurts that drive development over time, providing an "abstract representation of urbanism."
Watch the city grow before your eyes

May 13, 2019

For $4M, a newly renovated Brooklyn Heights carriage house on a car-free cul-de-sac

Located at Grace Court Alley in the heart of Brooklyn Heights, this charming red brick carriage house has just hit the market for $3,950,000. Originally built in 1895, the residence was recently restored by the current owner—an interior designer and teacher—who added a series of elegant touches, including brand new floors throughout, a balcony on the second floor, and an in-ground fountain in the back garden. The house is right at the end of the quiet block—which doesn't allow street parking—so you'll be removed from the typical noise and traffic of the city.
Get the full tour

Distinctive Homes

Distinctive Homes

This $6.75M Gothic Revival townhouse in Park Slope was once a church rectory

For $5.25M, this Gramercy townhouse has a live-work option for a very short commute

Justin and Hailey Bieber buy West Village condo for $12M

For $2.3M, this Amzi Hill-designed Bed-Stuy brownstone gives you plenty of options

A colorful converted convent in Hamilton Heights asks $2M

This $6.75M Gowanus compound combines a townhouse, gallery, garage, and lofts in one unusual property

Three bedrooms and plenty of living space make this $1.7M Park Slope condo a special find

$15M penthouse in a gold cupola high above Fifth Avenue heads to auction this month

Drew Barrymore finds buyer for gut-renovated Westchester estate

This $4M Flatbush townhouse stays true to its Victorian roots

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Via Wikimedia

May 13, 2019

The $32M skylight of the World Trade Center’s Oculus is leaking

A rubber seal that runs along the middle of the retractable skylight of the World Trade Center's Oculus has ripped, causing leakage, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday. The tear may have stemmed from the reopening of the skylight during last year's anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, according to the Port Authority, which owns the World Trade Center site.
More here

Uncategorized

Macy’s moves July 4th fireworks to Brooklyn Bridge

Photo from the 2014 Brooklyn Bridge display, via Flickr cc

May 10, 2019

Macy’s moves July 4th fireworks to Brooklyn Bridge

For the first time since 2014, Macy's will move its Fourth of July fireworks to the Brooklyn Bridge, and this year's display will "add three times more pyrotechnic firepower," according to a press release, with more spectacular effects being set off across the entire bridge, as well as from four barges off the shore of the South Street Seaport District's Pier 17. The 43rd annual event, the largest July 4th celebration in the nation, will see the launch of "tens of thousands of shells and effects."
More details

Events & Things To Do

May 10, 2019

A designer couple transformed this $3.2M Gowanus townhouse into a practical two-family home

A few years ago designers Merrill Lyons and Charles Brill started the full renovation of their Gowanus townhouse, which involved "gutting it down to the brick facade, beams, and stair railings" and adding a deck in the back. The results—worthy of a feature in Dwell Magazine—mix the historic townhouse bones with modern lines and pops of color. With three bedrooms, space to spread out outdoors, and an inviting ambiance throughout, the residence is very family-friendly. The garden level is currently an income-generating rental unit, but it could be incorporated into the upper floors to create a larger single-family residence. Originally built in 1901, this completely transformed property is now on the market for $3,195,000.
Look inside

Distinctive Homes

Target expansion plans face community resistance in Queens

Image via Google Earth.

May 10, 2019

Target expansion plans face community resistance in Queens

A planned expansion by Target into several Queens neighborhoods has run afoul of politicians and community groups. The chain store hopes to open new stores in Astoria and Elmhurst by 2022, but activists in the borough have been fighting to stop the new additions, objecting to the fact that they'll replace mom-and-pop stores and concerned about the effects of gentrification in their neighborhoods. Another concern is that Target's non-union workforce will replace union jobs, The City reports.
Find out more

New Developments

100 artists will open their studio doors at Industry City this month

Image of Micol Hernandez in her ceramics studio; image courtesy of Industry City Open Studios

May 10, 2019

100 artists will open their studio doors at Industry City this month

Understanding an artist’s process can really expand the extent to which we understand and appreciate art, and getting the chance to spend some time with an artist in their studio is the best way to do that. For the sixth year, one of the city’s largest artist enclaves is opening its doors to the public next weekend for Industry City Open Studios, where visitors will see how artists shape their studio environments, take a closer look at finished pieces and maybe even glimpse some in-process work. More than 100 of the artists in the Sunset Park industrial complex will participate in the event, which is happening alongside the Industry City Design Festival by WantedDesign during the citywide NYCxDESIGN festivities.
More info

Events & Things To Do

May 10, 2019

This sweet Clinton Hill two-bedroom is ‘just right’ for $650K

In the charming Clinton Hill neighborhood near the buzzy Navy Yard, this two-bedroom co-op at 153 Clinton Avenue checks all the "just right" boxes. Asking $650,000, the bright and airy home has two large–but not too large–bedrooms, a spacious living/dining room, a cute kitchen and lots of closets. It has just enough of everything–including a wall of exposed brick–to be a cool and cozy home.
Bears not included

Distinctive Homes

Here’s how the trains will be running this Mother’s Day weekend

Image via Flickr cc

May 10, 2019

Here’s how the trains will be running this Mother’s Day weekend

This weekend, riders of the C and G trains will be better off than most, with no planned service changes on either line. The main source of frustration will be skipped stops across most other lines, with further reduced service after 11:45 p.m. on the 3, 5, 6, D, and N trains. Below, all the updates you need to make sure you don't keep Mom waiting.
Know before you go

Transit

The nine-foot windows in this $1.4M Brooklyn Heights loft frame perfect views of the Brooklyn Bridge

Listing images by DDreps; courtesy of Compass

May 9, 2019

The nine-foot windows in this $1.4M Brooklyn Heights loft frame perfect views of the Brooklyn Bridge

This large Brooklyn Heights loft is located right across from Brooklyn Bridge Park in the landmarked building at 8 Old Fulton Street—a five-story walk-up that welcomes you with a charming red door. Renovated by an architect, the residence boasts all the loft qualities you look for but elevated with contemporary touches and smart storage throughout. And luckily you'll be saved from any unwanted workouts because this unit is on the first floor. It’s currently on the market for $1,385,000.
Look inside

Distinctive Homes

May 9, 2019

Have your apartment photographed by 6sqft!

By 6sqft

Did you spend months decorating your apartment? Is your home historic or quirky? If you live in a unique or just plain beautiful space, 6sqft wants to see it! We'll send a reporter out to your residence for a photo shoot and short interview and then feature your abode in all its glory for our Mysqft series!
How to submit your home!

Home Tours

NYC Council approves 17 tenant protection bills, including one that closes ‘Kushner loophole’

The New York City Council on Wednesday passed a package of 17 bills intended to protect tenants from landlord abuse. The legislation includes closing the so-called "Kushner loophole," which had allowed landlords to file false paperwork with the city's Department of Buildings. The bill comes a year after President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner's family's firm, Kushner Companies, was found to have falsely claimed it had no rent-regulated tenants in dozens of buildings it owned when it actually had hundreds.
Learn about the bills

Policy

The many rooms of this $4.6M Prospect Heights brownstone are as colorful as they are historic

Photos by Elizabeth Dooley, courtesy of Compass

May 9, 2019

The many rooms of this $4.6M Prospect Heights brownstone are as colorful as they are historic

Renovated brownstones may be lovely, but once you've seen a few, they tend to blend together in a blur of pale walls and chandeliers. This Prospect Heights gem at 130 St. Marks Avenue is a very intact two-family home complete with restored wood trim and paneling that resembles neither a museum nor the usual house-tour staple. Color sets each room apart, and, as the listing points out, updates were done with an artist's eye to highlight old details while adding modern design. As configured, the home, asking $4.575 million, has a five-bedroom owner's triplex and a one-bedroom rental apartment on the garden floor. There's plenty of charm left over for private outdoor spaces as well, including the little-known neighborhood bonus of an extra-long back yard.
Take a room-by-room tour

Distinctive Homes

NYC Council approves JPMorgan’s 70-story Midtown East tower

Via Flickr

May 9, 2019

NYC Council approves JPMorgan’s 70-story Midtown East tower

The New York City Council on Wednesday approved the first supertall to be constructed under the Midtown East rezoning. JPMorgan Chase will build a new 70-story headquarters at the site of its current offices at 270 Park Avenue. The rezoning, adopted by the city in 2017, affects more than 70 blocks around Grand Central Terminal and encourages the construction of taller, more modern office towers in the neighborhood. Designed by Norman Foster's Foster + Partners, the 1,400-foot building is set to become one of the tallest structures in the city and the tallest office building by roof height.
More here

Policy

A mini-Smorgasburg is coming to Hudson Yards

Photo courtesy of Timothy Schenck for Related-Oxford

May 9, 2019

A mini-Smorgasburg is coming to Hudson Yards

At least this means there will be more affordable bites at the far west side mega-development. As first reported by Eater, open-air food market Smorgasburg will be setting up shop at Hudson Yards every Tuesday and Wednesday this spring/summer, starting next week. In addition to offering less-expensive options (say than, $17.50 fava beans and $14 sides of fries), the market will also bring some local flavor to the corporate complex, from Queens-based Destination Dumplings to the Red Hook Lobster Pound.
Check out the list of vendors

Food & Dining

Historic Districts Council to host symposium on immigrant-run businesses in NYC

Via Flickr

May 8, 2019

Historic Districts Council to host symposium on immigrant-run businesses in NYC

Nearly half of New York City's 220,000 small businesses are owned by immigrants. To celebrate this community, the Historic Districts Council is hosting an event this weekend that highlights immigrant-run businesses in New York City. Taking place at the Bohemian National Hall on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the symposium will discuss the ins and outs of running a business in a city that is constantly changing.
Learn more

Events & Things To Do

Interview: Design star Genevieve Gorder on ‘Trading Spaces,’ her new show, and life in NYC

Genevieve Gorder on the set of “Best Room Wins” with Elle Decor Editor-in-Chief Whitney Robinson. Photo by Nicole Weingart/Bravo.

May 8, 2019

Interview: Design star Genevieve Gorder on ‘Trading Spaces,’ her new show, and life in NYC

From getting her first design job at MTV during the station's height in the '90s to being selected as one of the original designers on TLC's "Trading Spaces," Genevieve Gorder says she feels eternally grateful for her timing. "I hit a lot of those key moments at the right time for when I was born, and I don’t know how I keep doing it, but I’m very grateful I do." When Genevieve says she's "grateful," we know it's authentic. This is why the interior designer has achieved the success she has, appearing in more than 20 TV shows over her 20-year career. She's a person everyone feels comfortable around, whether it's with a family who shares her Midwestern roots or a New York City neighbor. Her latest endeavor, the design show "Best Room Wins," aired last week, and once again, it's Genevieve's warmth, grace, and exceptional talent that are on full view. 6sqft recently caught up with Genevieve to learn more about her background and time on "Trading Spaces," why she feels the new show is "smarter, sexier, and more real," and what her favorite spots in the city are.
Read the interview

May 8, 2019

Living at the top of the world’s first Art Deco skyscraper just got $20M cheaper

According to the listing for The Penthouse at One Hundred Barclay, the Tribeca building, designed in 1927 by renowned architect of the era Ralph Walker, is the world's first Art Deco skyscraper. This 14,500-square-foot duplex penthouse is the crowning glory of its 21st century life. In addition to bragging rights to one of the largest living rooms in New York City at over 3,000 square feet, a mere $39.95 million–nearly $20 million less than the property's original asking price of $59 million–gets you unobstructed views of the Statue of Liberty, Hudson River and New York City skyline.
Penthouse grand tour, right this way

Distinctive Homes

LPC approves new bike lane for Prospect Park’s perimeter

Rendering courtesy of the Prospect Park Alliance, via LPC

May 8, 2019

LPC approves new bike lane for Prospect Park’s perimeter

Brooklyn is getting a new bike lane. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday approved a plan from the city's Parks Department to build a protected bike lane on Ocean Avenue around the perimeter of Prospect Park. But two LPC commissioners opposed the design because it calls for removing 57 healthy trees to make way for the new path, the Brooklyn Eagle reported.
Details here

Policy

May 8, 2019

The terraces surrounding this $2.2M Carroll Gardens penthouse feel more beach house than Brooklyn

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

This top-floor condominium in Brooklyn's Columbia Street Waterfront district has the space–2,300 square feet of it–and the views to feel more beachfront than brownstone. The neighborhood has a history of its own, and though the building at 53 Summit Street may be new, 10-foot ceilings and steel-framed windows look right at home in the formerly industrial neighborhood. Asking $2.195 million, this lofty duplex offers three or four bedrooms to configure as you wish and two custom decks for summertime lounging.
Feel the sea breezes, this way

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

50 places to shop locally in NYC for that perfect gift

Everything you need to know about affordable housing: applying, getting in, and staying put

10 best plants for apartment dwellers

VIEW ALL

Christie Brinkley finally sells her $18M Sag Harbor vacation home

Listing images courtesy of Douglas Elliman; photo of Christie Brinkley via Wiki Commons

May 8, 2019

Christie Brinkley finally sells her $18M Sag Harbor vacation home

By Annie Doge

Christie Brinkley’s idyllic Sag Harbor home officially has a new owner. The sale closed this week for just under the final asking price of $17,990,000, though the precise amount has yet to be confirmed. The supermodel bought the five-bedroom residence in 2004 for $7,150,000 and first listed it back in 2010. As 6sqft previously reported, the 5,500-square-foot property sought its highest asking price in 2016—a cool $25,000,000 with Enzo Morabito of Douglas Elliman. The price tag was lowered incrementally until it hit $17,999,000 last summer, as Brinkley continued to search for the right buyer.
Take a peek inside

The world’s first Transatlantic flight took off from the Rockaways in 1919

“They’re off!” The NC-1, NC-3 and NC- 4 begin their journey across the Atlantic May 8th, 1919. Via the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

May 8, 2019

The world’s first Transatlantic flight took off from the Rockaways in 1919

By Lucie Levine

Did you know that the world's first Transatlantic flight took off from the Rockaway Naval Air Station on May 8th, 1919? The plane, a US Navy Seaplane NC-4, not only departed from the Rockaways but also was assembled there. The NC-4 was one of three planes that vied to be the first across the Atlantic. The NC-1 and NC-3 started out alongside the NC-4 that day in the Rockaways. The planes set course for Plymouth England, and the NC-4 proved victorious, making landfall there on May 31, 1919, after a whopping 57 hours and 16 minutes in the air.
READ MORE

History

Sunset Park residents urge LPC to preserve neighborhood built by immigrants

Photo via Flickr

May 7, 2019

Sunset Park residents urge LPC to preserve neighborhood built by immigrants

Sunset Park residents on Tuesday urged the city's Landmarks Preservation Committee to protect the neighborhood's century-old buildings and designate four historic districts. During a packed public hearing, lifelong residents and new homeowners alike testified in favor of landmark designation for all four areas, citing the neighborhood's cohesive and intact architecture, as well as its connection to generations of diverse immigrant communities.
More details here

Policy

Target’s latest NYC store will open in Washington Heights

Google Street View of 600 West 181st Street

May 7, 2019

Target’s latest NYC store will open in Washington Heights

New Yorkers love to emphasize their non-suburban tendencies, but something about big-box retailer Target must be working because they've just announced plans to open yet another store in NYC. First reported by The Real Deal, Target will open a Washington Heights outpost at 181st Street and St. Nicholas Avenue in 2020.
Get the scoop

Uncategorized

Amazon is building a $5.6M factory in Queens, no high-paying tech jobs expected

Image via Flickr.

May 7, 2019

Amazon is building a $5.6M factory in Queens, no high-paying tech jobs expected

Last week brought news that a $5.6 million Amazon conversion project is coming to the former Bulova facility at 26-15 Boody Street in Woodside, Queens that will turn the warehouse into a delivery center for the retail giant. Though the new project is expected to create 2,000 new jobs, an Amazon spokesperson told 6sqft they're likely to be $18-$25 per hour jobs rather than the 25,000 $150K professional salaries the no-go Amazon HQ had promised.
Find out more

New Developments

My 1,100sqft: Pizza pundit Scott Wiener’s Midwood home holds the world’s largest pizza box collection

Our series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to Scott Wiener’s Midwood

May 7, 2019

My 1,100sqft: Pizza pundit Scott Wiener’s Midwood home holds the world’s largest pizza box collection

apartment. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch! How does one person amass 1,471 pizza boxes you may ask? After spending a few minutes with Scott Wiener, this will seem like a silly question. Scott founded Scott's Pizza Tours 11 years ago, and since his first tour, he has become NYC's resident pizza expert. In addition to his company's signature bus tours, it now hosts daily walking tours, and Scott is often cited in both gastronomy and historical publications. But the real reason people from all over the world are keen to send Scott one of their pizza boxes is his genuine personality. Whether he's talking about the different types of flour used to make dough or discussing how he used 19th-century tax maps to unearth the various coal-fired ovens that once existed in the city, you can't help give Scott your full attention; his passion is contagious. And he's just a really nice guy. When a couple recently got engaged on his tour, Scott told us that he had been texting for months with the groom to make sure everything was perfect. 6sqft recently paid Scott a visit at his Midwood apartment and got to learn even more about him, from how he developed his pizza passion to what an average day looks like. Of course, we also got a behind-the-scenes look at that record-setting pizza box collection.
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Rent a rare West Village townhouse in the gated Greenwich Mews for $27.5K/month

Listing images by Ken Chen of Evan Joseph; courtesy of Compass

May 7, 2019

Rent a rare West Village townhouse in the gated Greenwich Mews for $27.5K/month

This townhouse is located in the heart of the West Village, but since it’s nestled within the gated Greenwich Mews at 687 Greenwich Street, it gives the feel of being in a suburban enclave with extra privacy, a dedicated parking garage, and an enclosed courtyard. Combining a great city address with country-living vibes, this elegant residence was recently renovated into a modern three-bedroom home spanning over four levels. It’s currently on the rental market, seeking $27,500 a month.
See more

Distinctive Homes

A herd of hungry goats will save Riverside Park from invasive plants

Unrelated, these goats were found loitering on the subway tracks last year by the MTA. Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit via Flickr.

May 7, 2019

A herd of hungry goats will save Riverside Park from invasive plants

The hilly terrain of the Upper West Side's Riverside park is becoming overgrown with invasive plant species, poison ivy included; but the green hordes will be no match for 24 goats that the park plans to unleash on the hard-to-reach patches human gardeners have had a hard time taming. The goats are being brought out of a cushy retirement upstate to graze on a fenced-in area between 119th and 125th Streets, I Love the Upper West Side blog reports.
'Goatham' returns, this way

City Living

Brooklyn’s Weeksville Heritage Center launches crowd-funding campaign to stay afloat

The Hunterfly Road Houses, part of the Center, via Wiki Commons

May 7, 2019

Brooklyn’s Weeksville Heritage Center launches crowd-funding campaign to stay afloat

By Lucie Levine

The Weeksville Heritage Center is dedicated to documenting, preserving and interpreting the history of free African American communities in central Brooklyn and beyond. Built on the site of Weeksville, once the second-largest free black community in Antebellum America, the center maintains the landmarked Hunterfly Road Houses, which are the last standing historical remnants of that remarkable community, and mounts exhibitions, installations, and community programs. But rising operational costs have left the Center in a precarious financial position, and without support, the organization may have to close its doors as early as July. To meet its short-term operating costs, the Weeksville Heritage Center has launched a crowd-funding campaign in the hopes of raising at least $200,000 by June 30th.
READ MORE

Events & Things To Do

Staten Island intersection is renamed to honor legacy of the Wu-Tang Clan

Photo by Jeff Reed, courtesy of NYC Council/Flickr

May 6, 2019

Staten Island intersection is renamed to honor legacy of the Wu-Tang Clan

Following a unanimous New York City Council vote back in December, The Wu-Tang Clan was made a permanent part of New York City on Saturday when the Park Hill neighborhood of Staten Island was renamed The Wu-Tang Clan District. As CNN first reported, city officials, fans, community members, and several Wu-Tang members gathered for the unveiling of the new street sign—located at the corner of Targee Street and Vanderbilt Avenue, where the music video for "Can It All Be So Simple" was filmed—that makes it official. "I never saw this day coming," Ghostface Killah said in a speech at the event. "I knew we were some ill MCs, but I didn't know that it'd take it this far."
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Celebrities

Proposal to rezone strip of Central Park North includes 33-story mixed-use building

View of the proposed new tower, looking north from 5th Avenue and 108th Street

May 6, 2019

Proposal to rezone strip of Central Park North includes 33-story mixed-use building

A church has filed an application with New York City to rezone a strip of Central Park North in order to make way for a new mixed-use tower. La Hermosa Christian Church is seeking zoning changes to all or part of at least five lots along West 110th Street, as first reported by YIMBY. A 188-page environmental assessment statement prepared for the Department of City Planning this week details the development of a 33-story mixed-use tower with 160 units, of which roughly 48 would be affordable.
See the plan

May 6, 2019

Robert Indiana’s famous ‘LOVE’ sculptures arrive along the High Line

This past fall, the Kasmin Gallery opened a 5,000-square-foot space + rooftop sculpture garden next to Zaha Hadid's futuristic condo 520 West 28th Street. And to kick off the summer season, the High Line-adjacent space has just announced a new sculpture garden show--a trio of works from Robert Indiana's famous "Love" series. The pieces showcase the word in English (Love), Spanish (Amor), and Hebrew (Ahava), which, according to a press release "represent three of New York’s most historic and influential dialects, celebrating immigration and lingual diversity in one of the most visited public art spaces in the city."
READ MORE

Events & Things To Do

Preservationist groups call out lack of transparency in Union Square tech hub development

Rendering via NYCEDC

May 6, 2019

Preservationist groups call out lack of transparency in Union Square tech hub development

The city’s plans to create a tech hub at 124 East 14th Street near Union Square have been embroiled in a preservation battle since they were first announced. Community organizations like the Cooper Square Committee and Village Preservation have advocated for the past year that any rezoning should come with protections for the adjacent neighborhood, which is largely residential. As the Daily News reported, Village Preservation recently criticized the city for its lack of transparency in the development process, while claiming that it gave out a “sweetheart deal” based on political alliances and campaign donations.
Get the scoop

Proposed project from Vornado and Rudin calls for 1,450-foot tower in Midtown East

Via Vornado Realty Trust and Rudin Management Company

May 6, 2019

Proposed project from Vornado and Rudin calls for 1,450-foot tower in Midtown East

A tentative joint venture between two developers could bring another supertall to Midtown East. Vornado Realty Trust and Rudin Management Company may team up to develop a 1,450-foot office tower at 350 Park Avenue, the Real Deal reported Friday. A leaked brochure for the potential project includes renderings of the proposed tower, revealing a glassy building with a series of setbacks that would allow for outdoor terraces and floorplates of various sizes.
See it here

Real Estate Trends

Photo courtesy of NYCxDESIGN

May 6, 2019

NYCxDESIGN 2019: A guide to New York City’s annual celebration of design

You can expect to see the stars of NYCxDESIGN–sinuous sofas, luminous lighting, fab furniture, terrific textiles, and amazing accessories–for the next several years in magazines, blogs and showrooms, but you'll be seeing them here first. It’s not strictly for design geeks only, but if modern objects are your thing, get out your calendar and get ready for design heaven. ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair) anchors an international celebration on a par with the Milan Furniture Fair and Stockholm Design Week, with hundreds of thousands of attendees and designers from across the globe converging on the city's five boroughs from May 10–22; much of the mid-May action happens in Manhattan, but Brooklyn weighs in with a full calendar of collective events in hotspots like the Navy Yard and Industry City that serve as design hubs 365 days a year. Read on for a handful of highlights.
What's next in design, this way

The city’s first marina in 50 years is coming to Brooklyn Bridge Park

Rendering courtesy of ONE°15

May 6, 2019

The city’s first marina in 50 years is coming to Brooklyn Bridge Park

New Yorkers will soon have more opportunities to reconnect with the waterfront as the city’s first new marina in 50 years is set to start operating at full capacity this spring in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Managed by Singapore-based conglomerate SUTL, the ONE°15 marina will accommodate over 100 boats ranging from 30 to 200 feet in length. In the works since 2015, the eight-acre facility between Piers 4 and 5 cost $28 million and involved the collaboration of multiple city, state, and federal agencies to complete the complex infrastructure work required.
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Architecture And Design

$1.6M Park Slope duplex has a unique layout and a great back patio

Listing images by Allison Lubow

May 3, 2019

$1.6M Park Slope duplex has a unique layout and a great back patio

This flexible duplex at 246 Fifth Avenue in Park Slope feels more like a townhouse with its wood-burning fireplace and a dreamy outdoor space that's perfect as both your quiet retreat and the venue for your next party. Currently being used as a three bedroom, the residence features charming material details—there’s both white-washed and exposed brick—and some cool layout features, including a private lofted area in one of the bedrooms. The unique listing is fresh on the market for $1.595 million.
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Distinctive Homes

Life science campus to open at former West Harlem bakery site, adding to the Factory District’s revival

Rendering courtesy of The Janus Property Group.

May 3, 2019

Life science campus to open at former West Harlem bakery site, adding to the Factory District’s revival

From the mid-19th to early 20th century, an area in West Harlem known as Manhattanville was a bustling industrial village dotted with factories and breweries. Now the area is transforming from a unique former factory district into a home for a growing roster of commercial businesses, nonprofits, and students and researchers from Columbia University and CUNY’s City College. Leading the way on developing this evolving neighborhood is Janus Property Group. The company announced that its 11-story Taystee Lab building will break ground next week, bringing the city’s first major life science campus to the site of a former bread bakery.
More uptown excitement, this way

New Developments

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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Interview: How tequila entrepreneur Joe Cruz Jr. remains true to his Harlem roots

Joe Cruz Jr. (right) at the Jalisco distillery

May 3, 2019

Interview: How tequila entrepreneur Joe Cruz Jr. remains true to his Harlem roots

With Cinco de Mayo on Sunday, New Yorkers most certainly have margaritas on the brain. And while we may typically associate tequila with Mexico, a new label here in NYC is bridging the divide between our southern neighbor and local entrepreneurship. Joe Cruz Jr. grew up in Harlem, spending much of his younger years hanging out in the Bronx. After working in the beverage industry for many years, he decided to take a mere $25,000 and create his own "ultra-smooth" tequila right from Harlem. And so in late 2017, YaVe Tequila was born. Not only has the company garnered culinary headlines (it produces the first-ever mango-flavored tequila), but it's caught the attention of local stakeholders thanks to Joe's commitment to working with his neighborhood.
Read on for our interview with Joe

City Living

Rendering via MVVA and the Hudson Yards Development Corporation

May 3, 2019

Arts center near Hudson Yards faces demolition from city to make way for new park

To make room for New York City's most expensive park project ever, a handful of properties near the Hudson Yards site face demolition. One of those buildings is Affirmation Arts, a gallery on West 37th run by William Hillman. According to THE CITY, Hillman said he is willing to give his building to the city for free, on the condition it remains a cultural center. "I would like to give this building to the people of New York City to share with the world," Hillman said during a hearing Tuesday.
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Uncategorized

There’s plenty of natural light for your plant collection at this $999K Bed-Stuy loft

Listing images by Shannon Dupre, Donna Dotan, DDreps; courtesy of Compass

May 3, 2019

There’s plenty of natural light for your plant collection at this $999K Bed-Stuy loft

Built in 1947 as the Cocoline Chocolate Factory, the pale-orange brick building at 689 Myrtle Avenue in Bed-Stuy now houses 45 condo apartments with unique, spacious layouts. This two-bedroom corner unit offers a quintessential Brooklyn loft, spruced up with a fresh renovation, pops of color, and clever space-maximizing ideas. The 1,182 square-foot residence just hit the market seeking $999,000.
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Distinctive Homes

The 3 and C are the only trains without planned track work this weekend

Via Flickr cc

May 3, 2019

The 3 and C are the only trains without planned track work this weekend