6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

If the federal government shutdown continues into March, the city will lose $500 million monthly, Mayor Bill de Blasio warned Thursday. Without funding for federally funded government programs, more than two million New Yorkers could lose access to vital benefits, including food stamps, Section 8 vouchers, and public school lunch. The shutdown, now the longest in history, began last month after Congress failed to reach an appropriations deal and as President Donald Trump refuses to withdraw his request for a $5.6 billion border wall.
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January 18, 2019

After more than two years, Hudson Heights’ cliffside ‘Pumpkin House’ sells for $2M

Back in 2016, 6sqft reported that the iconic “Pumpkin House,” a 1920s townhouse cantilevered from a cliff in Hudson Heights, had hit the market for the first time since 2011 for $5.25 million. Still without a buyer the following summer, the 17-foot-wide, six-bedroom brick home at 16 Chittenden Avenue received a price chop to $4.25 million. The unusual home—standing 250 feet above the Henry Hudson Parkway—finally found its new owner this Thursday, when it sold for a deeply discounted $2 million, as reported by the New York Post.
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L train shutdown is really cancelled this time, MTA says

Via Wikimedia

January 18, 2019

L train shutdown is really cancelled this time, MTA says

"The total shutdown of both tunnels and all service scheduled for April 27 will not be necessary," reads a statement from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority released Thursday. The announcement comes just a few days after the MTA held an "emergency" meeting to present the agency's board with information about the new L train plan ahead of a vote on the project. But it appears the MTA will argue that the new plan, which would not require a total shutdown of subway service, does not need board approval to move forward after all.
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Rendering of 126th Street facing north; image courtesy of NYCEDC

January 18, 2019

City’s plans for Willets Point include a soccer stadium and affordable housing

City officials have released long-awaited plans to develop the blighted Willets Point section of Corona, Queens. As 6sqft previously reported, the economic development site within the industrial neighborhood east of Citi Field known as the Iron Triangle was at one point slated for a cleanup of its toxic soil and the creation of affordable and senior housing that would replace a jumble of auto shops and industrial businesses. Finally surfacing almost four months after a task force submitted suggestions to the Econonmic Development Corp. (EDC), the plans contain two development scenarios including a soccer stadium and mixed-use scenario that includes residential development, retail and a school.
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Harlem exhibit shows an intimate side of MLK on the civil rights hero’s 90th birthday

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his wife Coretta being greeted by Rev. Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. (left) and labor leader A. Philip Randolph (right) at the Pan American World Airways terminal, in New York City: Image: Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division, The New York Public Library. (1950 – 1959).

January 18, 2019

Harlem exhibit shows an intimate side of MLK on the civil rights hero’s 90th birthday

Open as of January 15, a new photography exhibit titled, "Crusader: Martin Luther King Jr." at the New York Public Library's Schomburg Center considers Reverend King as man, traveler and friend. The show offers an intimate travelogue of the civil rights leader’s visits to India, Nobel Peace Prize acceptance in Oslo, Norway, and work as a crusader for non-violent civil rights action, captured by noted photographers of the day.
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Bruce Willis lists his 22-acre woodsy Westchester estate for $12.95M

Photo of Bruce Willis via Gage Skidmore on Flickr

January 18, 2019

Bruce Willis lists his 22-acre woodsy Westchester estate for $12.95M

Bruce Willis is packing up and moving back to the West Coast, leaving behind his massive 22-acre Westchester estate. The "Die Hard" actor's property in Bedford Corners has hit the market for $12.95 million, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. In 2014, Willis and wife Emma Heming paid $12 million for the estate, which includes a shingle-style home, antique house, and two renovated guest cottages. As 6sqft reported last January, Willis sold his co-op at 271 Central Park West for $17.75 million after buying it for around the same price in 2015.
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Here’s how the subways will be running this MLK Day weekend

Via Flickr

January 18, 2019

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

Riders of the G, L, Q, and R trains are in luck: no scheduled disturbances will get in the way of your long weekend plans. The B train, on the other hand, will not be running this weekend. And like last week, there is no J or M service between Manhattan and Brooklyn. Most lines are expecting significant delays, with 5 trains running only every 20 minutes. And on Monday, MTA services will operate on special schedules in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Subways will be running on a regular weekend schedule, Metro-North will be on an enhanced Saturday schedule, and the LIRR is offering off-peak fares throughout the day to celebrate the holiday.
Know before you go

Transit

City pulls permits for Extell’s controversial Upper West Side tower

Rendering courtesy of Binyan Studios/Snøhetta

January 17, 2019

City pulls permits for Extell’s controversial Upper West Side tower

Less than two months after rejecting a challenge against the tallest tower planned for the Upper West Side, the Department of Buildings has decided to pull permits for Extell Development’s 775-foot tower at 50 West 66th Street, as NY1 first reported. In December, opponents argued that the Snøhetta-designed structure was misusing structural voids—where a building’s mechanical equipment is stored—to add height without increasing square footage. They said the 160-foot mechanical spaces were designed not out of necessity, but presumably to boost the overall height of the apartments—and their price tags. Now, the DOB has made a surprise reversal, ruling that these spaces do not meet the current standards of the New York City Zoning Resolution.
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Distinctive Homes

For $3M, this charming Nomad loft has a rooftop deck with an outdoor shower

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

$2M mid-century modern home in Westchester has 21st-century energy efficiency and zero carbon footprint

This $6.4M Chelsea condo is like having a library, cafe, and office in a three-bedroom loft

This $4M Strivers' Row home is a link to Harlem history with five floors of townhouse living and a private garage

$5M Yorkville home offers a flexible frame for townhouse living

For $949K, this Village co-op has a Gold Coast address, prewar charm and a splash of color

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

From the pool to the pergola, this $1.1M Hudson Valley home blends Colonial with contemporary

Steve Madden's former Trump Palace pad lists for $11.5M

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January 17, 2019

World Trade Center developer Larry Silverstein sells Upper East Side apartment at a loss

He may have hit it big at the World Trade Center redevelopment, but super-developer Larry Silverstein lost nearly $5 million on the sale of his long-time Park Avenue apartment. He first put the residence at 500 Park Avenue on the market for $13.9 million a little over a year ago, not long after he and his wife Klara bought a $34 million penthouse at Silverstein Properties' own development 30 Park Place, which overlooks the WTC site. The Silversteins have now sold the Upper East Side home, according to the Post, but for only $9.3 million.
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Make way for the Women’s March on NYC: Street closings, maps and more

2017 Women’s March on NYC; image: mathiaswasik via Flickr.

January 17, 2019

Make way for the Women’s March on NYC: Street closings, maps and more

The streets of NYC will fill once again this Saturday, January 19 for the third annual Women's March on New York City. The first march took place in 2017, as a demonstration in support of women's rights and in resistance to a growing list of gender-related injustices during the inauguration of President Donald Trump. Last year's march drew an estimated 200,000 participants. As with any jubilant mass display of human resilience, there will be street closings. Read on for info on where to march, how to avoid traffic snarls and what makes this year's march different.
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Events & Things To Do

Campaign to save Westsider Books raises $27,000 in just one day

Via Google Street View

January 17, 2019

Campaign to save Westsider Books raises $27,000 in just one day

Editor's Note 1/22/19: Westsider Books has been saved after over 800 people contributed to the campaign, raising more than $52,000 in just four days. The campaign's organizer, Bobby Panza, told 6sqft: "It's beautiful to see the community, at large, come together like this. Sometimes you don't know what you have until the precipice of losing it. Most times you can't go back and do anything, but here we could. And we did. Thank you to everyone involved. I hope we cherish the great things we love, like Westsider Books and patronize them to keep them in business." News broke earlier this week that the beloved Westsider Books, the Upper West Side's last used book store, would be shutting its doors next month after 35 years at its home on Broadway between 80th and 81st Streets. Co-owner Dorian Thornley had told UWS blog West Side Rag that he would consider staying open if he could raise $50,000. And now a group of locals are trying to do just that, starting a Go Fund Me campaign and raising more than $27,000 in just one day! A tipster tells 6sqft that after hearing the news, a stunned Dorian said, "This renews my faith in humanity."
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Uncategorized

LPC approves sky bridge between landmarked Williamsburg church and new residential tower

Via Syndicate Architecture and Li/Saltzman Architects for LPC

January 17, 2019

LPC approves sky bridge between landmarked Williamsburg church and new residential tower

The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday approved a plan to build a sky bridge between a historic 19th-century church in Williamsburg and a neighboring residential tower. The new mixed-use building is currently under construction at 304 Rodney Street, next to the landmarked St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church. As Brownstoner reported, commissioners expressed concern over the financial feasibility of the project and whether proceeds from the sale of the church's air rights would be enough to cover the substantial work planned.
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January 17, 2019

For $825K, this Hell’s Kitchen duplex is as efficient as it is charming

On a tree-lined block in Hell’s Kitchen, this two-bedroom co-op just hit the market for a cool $825,000. The cozy 800-square-foot duplex at 455 West 43rd Street offers a loft vibe filled with beautiful details—dramatic high ceilings, wood floors, exposed brick, a spiral staircase, and a fireplace—along with all the modern amenities you need to live in true comfort.
Get the tour

Distinctive Homes

Cuomo pledges $23M for Hudson River Park project in State of the State speech

Rendering by Pier55 Inc/Heatherwick Studio

January 17, 2019

Cuomo pledges $23M for Hudson River Park project in State of the State speech

Gov. Andrew Cuomo's State of the State speech Tuesday included a $23 million pledge to go toward the completion of Hudson River Park. That nearly-hidden line item in the state budget represents the governor's mediation efforts in a billionaire-vs.-billionaire feud involving Barry Diller's 2.7-acre park at Pier 55 on the water near West 14th street (often referred to as Diller Park), Crains reports.
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Architecture And Design

Where I Work: How design firm ICRAVE makes memorable experiences at its Nomad studio

6sqft’s series “Where I Work” takes us into the studios, offices, and businesses of New Yorkers across the city. In this installment, we’re going inside innovative design firm ICRAVE’s Nomad studio. Want to see your business featured here? Get in touch!

January 17, 2019

Where I Work: How design firm ICRAVE makes memorable experiences at its Nomad studio

According to the founder of hospitality design firm ICRAVE, Lionel Ohayon, it’s not about the materials used in a project, but the memories created. “I always say, people may hate or like our spaces, but the most important thing is that they remember them,” the Toronto-native told us. Through design, the innovative studio focuses on creating memorable experiences for its clients, a long and varied list that includes the Dallas Cowboys and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. The firm’s mission is ingrained in the culture at ICRAVE, a 40-member team consisting of graphic designers, architects, and public relations pros, an office where creativity is fostered through a mixture of collaboration and independence. The open layout of the studio makes this work culture possible, with custom-designed doors and partitions to transform the space into however necessary. On a recent tour of ICRAVE’s studio near Madison Square Park, Ohayon told 6sqft about the firm's wide range of projects and how his team turns ideas into unforgettable adventures.
See iCRAVE's studio and meet Lionel

Where I Work

Demolition permits filed for world’s tallest teardown at 270 Park Avenue

The existing 270 Park Avenue, MikePScott via Flickr

January 17, 2019

Demolition permits filed for world’s tallest teardown at 270 Park Avenue

Demolition permits were filed Tuesday for the JPMorgan Chase HQ at 270 Park Avenue, CityRealty reports. The building will be the tallest planned demolition in history. The filing is a significant step for the bank on the way to replacing the 1.5-million-square-foot Modernist tower previously known as the Union Carbide Building with a 2.5-million-square-foot skyscraper, to be designed by British Pritzker Prize winner Norman Foster/Foster + Partners architectural firm.
Down with the old, up with the new

New Developments

NYC added a record-breaking 34,160 affordable homes in 2018

Via CC

January 16, 2019

NYC added a record-breaking 34,160 affordable homes in 2018

The city created and preserved 34,160 affordable homes in 2018 alone, 40 percent more than the record set last year, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Wednesday. And, according to the mayor, 10,099 new homes were financed last year, another record for new construction in the city. The additional homes fall under de Blasio's Housing New York 2.0, which aims to create and preserve 300,000 affordable homes by 2026. To date, the housing plan has helped finance nearly 122,000 affordable apartments since 2014.
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In 2018, NYC drew a record 65 million tourists—and that number will keep rising

NYC & Company, the city's tourism and marketing agency, announced on Wednesday that the number of visitors to the city rose to a record high of 65.2 million in 2018, as the New York Times first reported. This is a notable jump up from 2017's 61.4 million and the ninth straight annual increase. Most visitors still come from within the United States, but the number of tourists from China saw an uptick from 1.04 million in 2017 to 1.1 million. The agency was expecting an overall drop in tourism numbers, and particularly from China, due to President Donald Trump's trade battle with the country and "America First" rhetoric, but the industry continues to thrive in the president's hometown.
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January 16, 2019

Architectural styles combine in this historic Greenwich Village townhouse, now asking $13.5M

This five bedroom townhouse at 37 West 11th Street is an impeccable property nestled within Greenwich Village’s “Gold Coast," the seven-block stretch of Fifth Avenue between 14th Street and Washington Square Park where you’ll find some of the most refined homes in the city. Originally built in 1848 in the Greek Revival style, it was given Italianate flourishes in the 1920s and now exemplifies both genres of New York City townhouse architecture. The home has only had five owners in its 170-year history, and it’s easy to see why nobody would want to let this gem go. Now on the market for $13.5 million, a chance to own this rare piece of New York architectural history in a prime location has opened up.
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Distinctive Homes

Pay tribute to your family’s heritage at Ellis Island’s American Immigrant Wall of Honor

Via Flickr

January 16, 2019

Pay tribute to your family’s heritage at Ellis Island’s American Immigrant Wall of Honor

There's a steel wall in the Hudson River that celebrates immigrants, the only place in the United States where heritage can be honored at a national monument. The American Immigrant Wall of Honor first opened on Ellis Island in 1990 to recognize the country's many immigrants and to raise money for the site's National Museum of Immigration and the Statue of Liberty. Currently, there are 770 panels engraved with the names of nearly 775,000 immigrants. But spots on the wall are filling up, as the New York Times reported on Wednesday. Just five panels remain empty, enough space for roughly 3,300 names.
No, not that wall

City Living

January 16, 2019

Amazon fuels HQ2 buzz with shiny new job postings

A pair of job postings listed by online retail giant Amazon kicked the excitement level up a notch in anticipation of the company's new "HQ2" headed for Long Island City, Queens. According to Bloomberg, the ads, seeking a software development manager and software engineer, referred to the company's impending New York expansion by saying the new HQ would be the site of a 50-person team starting in 2019 as part of its Intelligent Cloud Control group. Following a flurry of press inquiries, Amazon quickly added that though they would begin hiring for HQ2 later in 2019, the listings were for positions in an already-existing office.
More Amazon excitement this way

City Living

Power to the people: Looking back on the history of public protests in NYC Parks

First Earth Day, April 22, 1970. View of crowds in Union Square, NYC Parks Photo Archive, Neg #53262_28. All of the photos in this post are courtesy of the Parks Department.

January 16, 2019

Power to the people: Looking back on the history of public protests in NYC Parks

By Lucie Levine

Maybe you’ve gathered in Union Square. Perhaps you’ve marched up Fifth Avenue to Central Park. You could have even held signs aloft in Columbus Circle, Tompkins Square, or Zuccotti Park. If you have ever been part of a protest in any park across the five boroughs, you're in good company. New York City’s parks have a rich history of social protest that stretches back to the American Revolution. Today, the NYC Parks Department's Ebony Society will kick off a celebration of that history with “Power to the People," which will feature archival photographs alongside mixed-media art on the theme of public demonstration. To celebrate the exhibit, we checked out the history behind some of the protests highlighted in the show.
Read on for the history of seven protests in NYC Parks

History

January 16, 2019

Rustic and industrial touches mix at this $725K Chelsea co-op

Distressed whitewashed brick walls and country chic accessories come together with raw lighting and stainless accents at this Chelsea co-op, creating a vibe that is both rustic and industrial at the same time. The one-bedroom unit at 261 West 22nd Street has just hit the market for $725,000, and it's got plenty of perks like an in-unit washer-dryer, a renovated kitchen, and plenty of custom storage.
Have a look

Distinctive Homes

Five years ago, transit officials rejected L train plan similar to Cuomo’s over safety concerns

Via Flickr

January 15, 2019

Five years ago, transit officials rejected L train plan similar to Cuomo’s over safety concerns

Earlier this month, Gov. Andrew Cuomo shocked New Yorkers when he called off the 15-month shutdown of L-train service, part of the plan to fix the Canarsie Tunnel which had been in the works for years. Instead, the governor, along with an expert panel of engineers, presented a new, never-been-done-before plan that would require less construction in the century-old tunnel. But the New York Times reported on Tuesday that a similar plan was rejected by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority nearly five years ago over safety and feasibility concerns.
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Upper West Side’s last used bookstore will close after 35 years

Inside Westsider Books, via Google Street View

January 15, 2019

Upper West Side’s last used bookstore will close after 35 years

The age of Amazon is now more in-your-face than ever for local bookstores. And though the Lower East Side's McNally Jackson and Midtown's Drama Book Shop were recently saved, it looks like the Upper West Side's beloved Westsider Books will not be so lucky. West Side Rag reports that the shop, which opened on Broadway between 80th and 81st Streets 35 years ago, will close next month amid decreasing sales.
What happened?

Uncategorized

January 15, 2019

Williamsburg townhouse offers a unique live/work solution for $4.5M

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

Located in a prime Williamsburg location one block away from the water, this townhouse at 64 East 4th Street is a catch with an asking price of $4,495,000. The four-floor home was gut renovated a few years ago and boasts a slew of modern amenities: a top-of-the-line kitchen, a home gym, and a beautiful garden. Best of all, the entire top floor is a ready-to-go office, making this an exciting opportunity for those seeking a live/work solution.
Have a look for yourself

Distinctive Homes

THE 6SQFT SHOP

The 6 best furniture rental companies in NYC

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Raising chickens in NYC: Laws, tips, and everything else you need to know

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

10 best plants for apartment dwellers

50 places to shop locally in NYC for that perfect gift

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FDNY says Amazon’s HQ2 may overwhelm an already stretched LIC fire department

Google Street View of Long Island City’s engine 261

January 15, 2019

FDNY says Amazon’s HQ2 may overwhelm an already stretched LIC fire department

Google Street View of Long Island City's engine 261 In 2003, when then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg shuttered six city firehouses including Engine Company 261 at 37-20 29th Street in Long Island City, the growing neighborhood was nowhere near its current density. Since then, a veritable mini-city of high-rise residential towers has sprung up in the once-industrial Queens neighborhood; the FDNY has been considering the need for more firepower to keep the mini-metropolis safe. The recent announcement of Amazon's impending arrival with 25,000 jobs in tow has given more urgency to concerns about the increased demand for emergency services, according to the Wall Street Journal.
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Policy

173-unit project planned for the Greenpoint waterfront moves forward

Previous rendering by Young Kim for Atlantis Arts Studio/ Quadrum Global

January 15, 2019

173-unit project planned for the Greenpoint waterfront moves forward

New permits were filed this month for a 14-story development on the Greenpoint waterfront, a residential project 6sqft first reported on over two years ago. According to the documents filed with the city's Department of Buildings, 173 units are planned for the Brooklyn development at 53 Huron Street, which faces the East River and stretches a block to West Street (h/t YIMBY).
Details here

My 500sqft: Author William Middleton trades Texas life for High Line views in Related’s Abington House

Our series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to author William Middleton’s West Chelsea apartment. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

January 15, 2019

My 500sqft: Author William Middleton trades Texas life for High Line views in Related’s Abington House

Writer William Middleton is no stranger to cities, having spent five years in NYC, 10 years in Paris, and 10 years in Houston, where he moved to work on the biography "Double Vision," about French couple Dominique and John de Menil, who transformed the Houston art scene. But after 16 years researching and writing, William knew he wanted to move back to NYC. A little over a year ago, he moved into Related's Hudson Yards-adjacent rental Abington House, where his handsome one-bedroom boasts an incredible view right onto the final spur of the High Line. Using his favorite dark gray paint color and a wall of floating bookshelves, William transformed his one-bedroom into a "clean and modern" oasis for himself and his six-year-old French Bulldog, Hubert. Ahead, take a tour of William's home and hear about his urban experiences, why he chose this building and neighborhood, and what it's like to have one of the best people-watching perches in all of NYC.
Take the tour

January 15, 2019

A 20-foot wall of windows stuns in this romantic Gramercy Park townhouse, asking $15M

There are many blocks in New York that leave us drooling, but the original “block beautiful” is 19th Street between Irving Place and Third Avenue, one block away from Gramercy Park. Most of the brick and brownstone rowhouses on the block were built in the 1850s but were considered dour by the turn of the century. After moving to New York in 1906, British architect Frederick Sterner bought the home at 139 East 19th Street and renovated it with what would become his playful signature touch: a coat of tinted stucco, shutters, decorative ironwork, and a projecting tile roof. Many—if not most—of the other homes on the block received Sterner makeovers, giving the street a distinctive charm. Now you can own the house right across the street from Sterner’s own, at 140 East 19th Street, for $15,250,000.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

Stuff you should know: What’s really in your water tower and what to expect when it’s replaced

Photo via Flickr cc

January 14, 2019

Stuff you should know: What’s really in your water tower and what to expect when it’s replaced

By Cait Etherington

One of the most distinctive architectural features of New York City buildings is their water towers. Many New Yorkers assume these towers are a relic of another era—a time when people did store water in wooden barrels. In fact, nearly all of the city’s wooden water towers are still in use, and many are newer than one might expect. If a building is actually following city guidelines, their water tower should be no more than three decades old. Unfortunately, compliance is an ongoing problem when it comes to water tower inspections and maintenance. In fact, many of the city’s charming water towers aren’t so charming when you take a look inside the barrel.
Everything you need to know

Emergency MTA meeting on Cuomo’s L train plan set for Tuesday

Via Gov. Cuomo’s Flickr

January 14, 2019

Emergency MTA meeting on Cuomo’s L train plan set for Tuesday

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Tuesday will hold an emergency public meeting for its board to review Gov. Andrew Cuomo's L train reconstruction proposal. Earlier this month, the governor unexpectedly presented a new plan to fix the Carnasie Tunnel that would not require it to close for 15 months and halt L train service between Manhattan and Brooklyn, but instead be repaired on nights and weekends. The MTA board is expected to question the agency on the feasibility of the new plan, which was announced by Cuomo just three months before the shutdown was set to begin in April.
Find out more

Transit

Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard put Park Slope townhouse on the market for $4.6M

Listing photos courtesy of Gamut Photos/Sotheby’s International Realty; Photo of Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgarrd via Wiki Commons

January 14, 2019

Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard put Park Slope townhouse on the market for $4.6M

Nearly thirteen years ago, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard spent $1.91 million on a Park Slope townhouse at 36 Sterling Place. Though their two daughters grew up and went to the exclusive St. Ann’s school in the friendly neighborhood, they now attend school elsewhere, so the couple has decided to list the brownstone in favor of being "able to walk [the children] to school," Gyllenhaal told the Wall Street Journal. In addition to convenience, however, they'll also be looking at a nice profit, considering the home has hit the market for $4,599,000.
Take a look around

January 14, 2019

Four-bedroom City Island home with huge backyard and private beach access asks just $680K

Built in 1901, this adorable four-bedroom home at 11 Fordham Street on idyllic City Island could be a great option for those looking to live farther away from the typical hustle and bustle of NYC. Currently on the market for $679,000, the 1,779-square-foot home comes with a huge backyard, waterfront access, and a private beach. With hardwood floors throughout, it features amazing bones that could easily be modernized. The property has been featured in several commercials and was one of the main locations for the 2006 movie "The Groomsmen," and it’s ready to step into action again.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

Amazon could be the Chrysler Building’s new tenant

Via Creative Commons

January 14, 2019

Amazon could be the Chrysler Building’s new tenant

Amazon is close to reaching a deal to lease 10,000 square feet at the Chrysler Building, the New York Post reported on Sunday. News of the impending lease comes less than a week after it was reported that the Art Deco landmark is up for sale. Amazon announced in November plans to open a massive office complex in Long Island City to serve as their "HQ2." The company will start moving to the neighborhood this year, temporarily leasing space at One Court Square, a 50-story building with incredible views of the Manhattan skyline.
More here

Real Estate Trends

Affordable housing wait list opens at the iconic Manhattan Plaza Mitchell-Lama apartments

Manhattan Plaza (photo via LIHC Investment Group)

January 14, 2019

Affordable housing wait list opens at the iconic Manhattan Plaza Mitchell-Lama apartments

A lottery to snag a waiting list spot for Mitchell-Lama rental apartments in Manhattan Plaza at 400 West 43rd Street–where, according to the Hollywood Reporter, Alicia Keys was born and Samuel L. Jackson was the first security guard–has just opened (h/t CityRealty). Senior citizens and residents of all ages in Community Board 4 are eligible to apply for studio to one-bedroom apartments. Rents aren't listed, but you can expect a significant discount from the neighborhood median of $3,000/month for studios and $3,600/month for one-bedrooms. There are four lists (community studio list, community studio elderly list, community one-bedroom list, community elderly one-bedroom list) with 500 spots available on each. The deadline to apply for all is January 31, 2019.
Get more info and see if you qualify, this way

Affordable Housing

January 14, 2019

Get a closer look at Snøhetta’s new designs for Phillip Johnson’s 550 Madison Avenue

In December, 6sqft reported that architecture firm Snøhetta had unveiled a preservationist-friendly revision to a controversial design for an updated AT&T building at 550 Madison Avenue. Now you can get a look at the full details of the Certificate of Appropriateness proposal that will be presented to the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) tomorrow. The latest design is one of several revisions, each followed by controversy over being seen by preservationists as diverting too much from the building’s original design by Philip Johnson and John Burgee. In addition to comparisons to the original, new designs must consider the subsequent revamp that made it the Sony building in 1994, which replaced the building’s open Madison Avenue arcade with “Sony Experience” storefronts and covered a rear public arcade with a glass roof.
Compare the new with the old

January 14, 2019

At $700K, this cozy duplex is an Upper West Side treasure

Living on 73rd Street right off Columbus Avenue sounds like a seven-figure dream to many Manhattan real estate seekers. You're less than a block from Trader Joes and the 1, 2, 3 trains, just one block from the most classic part of Central Park near the Dakota and John Lennon memorial, and smack in the middle of all the new restaurants and shops popping up along the avenues. But this cozy co-op at 126 West 73rd Street is asking just $699,000. The 700-square-foot co-op not only gives you a coveted location but two floors of living space, a rare second half-bath, and three large street-facing windows.
Step inside

Distinctive Homes

FREE RENT: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

Images (L to R): 321 Wythe Avenue, EVE, Summit, and 535 Carlton Avenue

January 12, 2019

FREE RENT: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

321 Wythe in Williamsburg Debuts Luxury Rentals with All-Star Amenities + Skyline Views [LINK] The Hamilton, 1735 York Avenue: Yorkville Rental Leasing 1- to 3-Bed Rentals with 1 Month Free [LINK] OTTO, 211 McGuinness Boulevard: Upscale Greenpoint Rentals from $2,317/Month [LINK] Summit, 222 East 44th Street: Ultra Luxury Midtown East Rental Launches Leasing [LINK] 535 […]

Real Estate Trends

City’s plans for Soho and Noho may include rezoning and removal of Artist In Residence law

Image: Steven Pisano via Flickr.

January 11, 2019

City’s plans for Soho and Noho may include rezoning and removal of Artist In Residence law

The Department of City Planning, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and City Council Member Margaret Chin announced today the launch of a six-month public engagement process addressing the future of NYC's Soho and Noho neighborhoods. The series of public meetings and consultation with local stakeholders are an early phase in outlining a vision for the future of those neighborhoods; the city's plans include updating what many consider outdated zoning laws, including the removal of rarely-enforced restrictions on ground floor retail tenancy and Soho's Artist In Residence law.
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Policy

After less than a year, J.Lo and A-Rod put 432 Park apartment on the market for $17.5M

432 via DBOX; Alex Rodriguez via Wiki Commons; Jennifer Lopez via Wiki Commons

January 11, 2019

After less than a year, J.Lo and A-Rod put 432 Park apartment on the market for $17.5M

Less than a year after dropping $15.3 million on a trophy pad at 432 Park Avenue, J-Rod (J.Lo + A-Rod) has decided to put the sprawling, apartment back on the market. First spotted by the Post, the place is now asking $17.5 million. The news comes just five months after the couple put their considerably smaller apartment at 15 Central Park West on the rental market for $11,500 a month. Why are they selling so soon? Though three bedrooms and 4,000 square feet sounds large to most, a source told the Post that "They love the building, but when their kids are all together, it’s too small. They need something bigger for the family."
On to bigger and better

Odds of winning an affordable housing lottery in NYC are better than you think

Via public domain

January 11, 2019

Odds of winning an affordable housing lottery in NYC are better than you think

While applying for affordable housing lotteries in a city with millions of applicants seems daunting, paying below-market rent in New York City is enough of an incentive to persevere through the process. Especially since it's not totally unattainable. The New York Times reported on Friday that in 2018, the odds of winning an affordable apartment through a lottery were 1 in 592. Those are actually better chances for those applying now rather than for applicants in 2016 when the odds were about 1,000 to 1.
More this way

Affordable Housing

Photos by Max Touhey

January 11, 2019

Go inside Bjarke Ingels’ vibrant new U.S. headquarters in Dumbo

Bjarke Ingels Group has certainly lived up to its moniker BIG, with studios in New York, Copenhagen, and London, 17 partners, more than 500 employees, and roughly 50 projects currently in development. To keep up with this astonishing growth, the 14-year-old firm recently moved its U.S. headquarters to a vibrant new space in Dumbo's 45 Main Street. The 50,000-square-foot office fits 250+ employees and boasts cool features like Brooklyn Bridge views, a private outdoor terrace, chromatized steel doors, and tons of furniture and lighting by Danish brand and BIG collaborator KiBiSi.
Take the tour!

De Blasio creates new office to protect NYC tenants from landlord abuse

Via Pexels

January 11, 2019

De Blasio creates new office to protect NYC tenants from landlord abuse

Mayor Bill de Blasio on Thursday created a new city office to protect tenants from landlord abuse. During his State of the City address, de Blasio signed an executive order to form the Mayor's Office to Protect Tenants, which will lead the city's anti-harassment and outreach initiatives across multiple agencies. The mayor warned that the "city's worst landlords will have a new sheriff to fear," referring to the new oversight office.
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Policy

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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January 11, 2019

Billionaire’s Midtown penthouse got the biggest price chop in NYC history, now $70M off

Everything goes on sale after Christmas, and that’s certainly true of hedge fund billionaire Steve Cohen’s Beacon Court penthouse at 151 East 58th Street. The SAC Capital Advisors founder bought the 9,000-square-foot duplex for $24 million in 2005 and hired noted architect Charles Gwathmey to give it a once-over. The condo hit the market again in April of 2013 for a whopping $115M (around the time Cohen received a wrist-slap to the tune of $1.2 billion for insider trading). No takers at that price. Or the next one ($82M). Or the one after that ($79M)–you probably get where this is going. Where the five-bedroom aerie on the building's 51st and 52nd floors ended up today: Deeply discounted to $45 million after eight price cuts adding up to a $70 million drop, making it the heftiest haircut to happen in New York City history according to The Real Deal.
Take a closer look

Distinctive Homes

Illuminated Garment District installation ‘Iceberg’ wants you to think about climate change

Photos courtesy of Alex Ayer/Diversity Pics

January 11, 2019

Illuminated Garment District installation ‘Iceberg’ wants you to think about climate change

Earlier this week The Garment District Alliance unveiled "Iceberg," an immersive art installation on the Broadway pedestrian plazas along Broadway from West 37th to 38th Streets. Created by ATOMIC3 & Appareil Architecture, in collaboration with Jean-Sébastien Côté and Philippe Jean, the installation allows the public to generate a light and sound show as they pass through the metal arches of the installation, which react to the pace of each participant by turning different colors. But there’s more to it than pretty lights—the installation also carries an environmental message.
See the lights

Events & Things To Do

No J or M between Brooklyn and Manhattan and other weekend subway updates

Via Flickr

January 11, 2019

No J or M between Brooklyn and Manhattan and other weekend subway updates

Let's start things off with some good news: The L and G trains will be running smoothly with no anticipated changes this weekend. The worse news is that many lines will experience station closures and delays. Riders of the 5 will be hit especially hard, with trains running only every 20 minutes. Traveling between boroughs won't be easy either. 7 service between Queensboro Plaza and 34 Street-Hudson Yards continues to be out and there will be no J or M service between Brooklyn and Manhattan. Those free shuttle buses are sure to be packed.
Know before you go

Transit

January 10, 2019

Historic Harlem townhouse combo seeks record-breaking $27M

A record-shattering listing just hit the market: twin adjacent townhomes in Harlem are seeking a whopping $27,000,000 for both properties. The homes are currently independent but could be combined into a rather impressive megamansion. The price is unparalleled in the area and five times the record selling price of a Harlem townhouse, which sold last February for $5.1 million. As Mansion Global reported, listing agent Siddiq Patterson of the Corcoran Group said he believed the price was justified by the property’s scale and storied past. "The bones and the history is something you just don’t get" with other homes in the area, he stated.
See it all

Distinctive Homes

Via NYC Ferry

January 10, 2019

Staten Island, Coney Island to be added to NYC Ferry system