6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

Photo via Flickr cc From 6-7pm this Christmas Eve, the Gramercy Park Block Association will open the park's iron gates to the public for its annual holiday caroling hour with the local Parish of Calvary-St. George's. And though this may not seem like much time, it's probably the only chance New Yorkers will get; all other times, Gramercy Park is only accessible to those who live in the 39 building surrounding the square and are lucky enough to have one of the 400 keys.
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Events & Things To Do

December 17, 2018

Nitehawk Cinema will open in Park Slope this week with 7 theaters and bar with Prospect Park views

The Nitehawk Cinema will open a second location of its popular theater in Brooklyn this week after two years of renovation work. The theater will open on Wednesday in Park Slope at a refurbished Pavilion Theater, an iconic cinema that was built in 1928 and shuttered in 2016. Dubbed Nitehawk Prospect Park, the 34,000-square-foot facility includes seven theaters and a second-floor cocktail bar that overlooks Prospect Park.
More this way

New Developments

December 17, 2018

$2,500/month studio may be small, but it’s in the heart of the Upper West Side

The age-old question for apartment-hunting New Yorkers is space or location? And if you fall into the latter camp, this bright and cozy studio on the Upper West Side at 140 West 69th Street may be for you. It's itty bitty, but there's still a functional kitchen, clever storage built-ins, a roomy living area, and a lofted bed to open things up. And best of all, it's located at the corner of 69th and Broadway, right near Lincoln Center, the 1/2/3 trains, Trader Joes, and Central Park and a quick walk to Columbus Circle and Riverside Park. Does all that warrant the small space's $2,500/month ask?
Decide for yourself

Distinctive Homes

December 17, 2018

This map will help you navigate the system when the L train shuts down

As the dreaded L train shutdown of April 2019 looms ever nearer, the fine folks at Citymapper have created an addition to their interactive mapping app to show you what your commute will look like when the L is not an option. Use the SuperRouter to plan a trip between Brooklyn and Manhattan and see which of your alternative routes works best.
More detai s, this way

My 280sqft: How a wellness expert used plants and DIY to open up her tiny West Village studio

Our ongoing series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to wellness entrepreneur and innovation consultant Ilse Paanakker’s West Village studio. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

December 17, 2018

My 280sqft: How a wellness expert used plants and DIY to open up her tiny West Village studio

"Wellness" is definitely a buzzword these days, but Ilse Paanakker, a self-described "habit-based wellness guru" is definitely not just talk. By day, Ilse works as an innovation consultant, but she's also the founder of Habit House, a wellness technology that helps women build healthy lifestyles one habit at a time. And it when it came to her 280-square-foot West Village studio, Ilse was sure to use her expertise to create a home that not only feels much larger than its tiny footprint but empowers her to maintain her personal healthy habits. From her beautifully curated collection of plants (it's "meditative to take care of them," she says) and DIY projects to her accountability board and streamlined kitchen that's perfect for meal-prep, Ilse's home is the true definition of a wellness lifestyle.
Take the tour!

December 17, 2018

Google to invest $1B in Hudson Square campus, doubling its workforce

Google will invest $1 billion to open 1.7 million square feet of office space in Hudson Square, the company announced on Monday. The new campus includes property at 315 and 345 Hudson Street and will also be centered around 550 Washington Street, the former freight terminal, St. John's Terminal. With this expansion from its Chelsea offices at 111 Eighth Avenue, Google said its workforce will double over the next 10 years, adding another 7,000 New York-based staff members.
Find out more

The New York Public Library reveals list of the most-checked-out books of 2018

Image via publicdomainpictures.net

December 17, 2018

The New York Public Library reveals list of the most-checked-out books of 2018

The New York Public Library has announced its annual top checkouts list for the year; The most sought-after title in the three public library systems–including books and e-books from the New York Public Library (covering the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island), Brooklyn Public Library, and Queens Library–was Jennifer Egan's "Manhattan Beach." Egan won a Pulitzer Prize for "A Visit From the Goon Squad" in 2011; her newest novel is, as the New York Times puts it in a review, "principally a novel of New York" that "pays tribute to the city’s iconography."
More of the top checkouts, this way

City Living

December 17, 2018

This charming upstate barn has enough warmth for a winter weekend at $255 a night

Tons of artfully created details, a wood-burning stove and modern comforts–from rain shower head to reading nooks–add up to a warm welcome at this upstate barn listed on Airbnb for $255 a night. It looks like a perfect escape from city life without having to rough it–and barns are cooler than cabins anyway. The hosts have been at this for a while, so they've got all the details covered, including wifi and a programmable smart TV so you don’t have to miss your shows. Set on four-and-a-half acres in the quaint-but-cool town of Tivoli, NY, about 100 miles from New York City in the Hudson River Valley near Bard College, the barn offers five beds on three levels, for up to six guests.
Have a look around

Distinctive Homes

Amy Schumer paid $6.25M for Central Park West condo

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

For $3.1M, this rambling Flatbush Victorian is a welcome refuge

For $8M, a proper Park Avenue penthouse with an artistic pedigree

For $1.3M, easy living with a view in a Brooklyn high-rise condo

Flatbush mansion sells for $6.25M, a neighborhood record

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

'Hunger Games' director Gary Ross lists his Cobble Hill townhouse for $10.6M

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

Dine in a gold-domed cupola in this $13.5M Chelsea penthouse

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

Images (L to R): ARO, Bridgeline, Paris New York, Paramount Tower and in center, Denizen Bushwick

December 15, 2018

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

By Annie Doge

Images (L to R): ARO, Bridgeline, Paris New York, Paramount Tower and in center, Denizen Bushwick Denizen Bushwick: The Best Rental of 2018 [LINK] The Paris New York: Upper West Side Rentals Offer 2 Months Free on 18-Month Lease [LINK] Paramount Tower: Murray Hill’s 51-Story Tower Leasing 1 to 3 Bedroom Layouts from $3,995/Month [LINK] […]

Real Estate Trends

This New Yorker wants you to take advantage of your ‘right’ to free admission at NYC museums

Via Wikimedia

December 14, 2018

This New Yorker wants you to take advantage of your ‘right’ to free admission at NYC museums

The Metropolitan Museum of Art and 12 other New York City institutions should be free of charge for New York residents, claims one local resident. New Yorker Pat Nicholson this week launched a website aimed at educating the city about the "right" to free admission to museums like the Met and others, as Metro reported. According to Nicholson, a 19th-century law states the Met should offer free admission five days a week in exchange for a rent-free lease on city property.
Find out more

Events & Things To Do

6sqft’s series “Where I Work” takes us into the studios, offices, and businesses of New Yorkers. Want to see your business featured here? Get in touch!

December 14, 2018

Where I Work: Ample Hills opens NYC’s largest ice cream factory in Red Hook

This summer, Brooklyn ice cream phenomenon Ample Hills opened NYC's largest ice cream factory in Red Hook. Founders Jackie Cuscuna and Brian Smith wanted "to create a place where people from all over the world could come together, share a scoop and learn the magic behind making ice cream." From a single cart in Prospect Park eight years ago to the new 15,000-square-foot factory, museum, and shop that can produce 500,000 gallons of ice cream a day, Ample Hills certainly has delivered on this goal. 6sqft recently visited the factory and, of course, had a sampling of all the whimsical flavors (including the factory's signature flavor that is an homage to the Dutch settlers of Red Hook). We also took a tour of the space with Ample Hills' creative director Lauren Kaelin, who designed the space's interactive 22-foot-wide map of Brooklyn and educational exhibits. She took us behind-the-scenes in both the ice cream production side and the bakery (Ample Hills makes all its mix-ins by hand) and filled us in on some secrets of the sweet company.
Take the sweet tour

December 14, 2018

Moby sells midcentury Westchester gem for charity for $1.1M

Recording artist, real estate buff, animal rights activist and philanthropist Moby has sold his two-bedroom midcentury house in Westchester County for $1.1 million in a trade for which he has the best of intentions, according to Mansion Global. 6sqft reported in July that Moby, whose real name is Richard Melville Hall, was putting the 3,100-square-foot modern home in Pound Ridge on the market for $1.3 million just four months after buying it for $1.24M. At the time he explained the sale on Instagram by saying, "It’s one of the most beautiful houses I’ve seen, but to be honest, I’m rarely there. So I’m going to sell it and take the money to: support progressive political candidates, support my animal rights foundation, produce documentaries, and fund scholarships."
Get a last look

December 14, 2018

You can live on Billionaires’ Row for just $325K

It seems as if almost every day we hear of a new big-ticket sale on Manhattan's "Billionaire's Row," the glittering corridor just south of Central Park in Midtown. Eight-figure sales at a growing collection of supertalls like One57, 432 Park Avenue and 111 West 57th Street seem almost ordinary. But it's still possible to snag a home among the oligarchs and moguls: Two units on the market at the classic co-op building at 100 West 57th Street can be yours for $325K (for a studio) and $450K (for a spacious one-bedroom). If you're looking for more than a pied-a-terre, you could even combine both contiguous units and still come in under a mil.
Take a look at your options

Distinctive Homes

December 14, 2018

Cuomo tours damaged L train tunnel four months before shutdown

While the plan to shut down the L train for over a year to perform necessary repairs in the East River tunnel it runs through has been in the works for years, Gov. Andrew Cuomo decided this week to see the damage for himself, four months ahead of the looming closure. During a midnight tour of the Canarsie Tunnel on Friday, which connects Manhattan and Brooklyn, Cuomo said he saw "a very old tunnel that needed a lot of work," the New York Post reported. The governor toured the tunnel with two engineering experts from Cornell and Columbia Universities to get a first-hand look and determine whether a 15 month-shutdown is the best-case scenario for commuters.
Too little, too late?

Delays and station closures but no major outages on the subway this weekend

Via Flickr

December 14, 2018

Delays and station closures but no major outages on the subway this weekend

The bar is set pretty low for the MTA these days. Even with plenty of station closures, trains operating only every 10-12 minutes, and many trains rerouted via other lines, overall it seems like a decent weekend schedule with no major disruptions. Check out a detailed list of the planned service changes below.
Know before you go

Transit

Starbucks is opening a massive ‘immersive coffee experience’ with a cocktail bar in Chelsea

Photo by Matt Glac for Starbucks

December 13, 2018

Starbucks is opening a massive ‘immersive coffee experience’ with a cocktail bar in Chelsea

Starbucks is opening a new cafe in Chelsea on Friday, but it won't be anything like the stores that dot every block in Manhattan. Called the Starbucks Reserve Roastery, the store on 9th Avenue stretches across 23,00 square feet and three levels and promises to bring an "immersive coffee experience" for java lovers. In addition to having a working coffee roastery, the space features two coffee bars, cocktail bar, bakery, and a terrarium inspired by the Starbucks coffee farm in Costa Rica.
Take a look inside

Food & Dining

December 13, 2018

1820s New Paltz estate on 240 acres is a country living fantasy for $3M

If you've ever dreamed of getting out of the city (but not too, too far out), and nesting in a country estate amid rolling hills, White Duck Farm awaits. For $2.95 million, this 240-acre Ulster County estate is just a couple of hours from New York City in the Shawangunk Ridge-Mohonk Mountain Preserve, set back from the road and possessed of rolling pastures, woodlands, a pond, a pool, a party barn and a guest cottage–and a gorgeous, renovated brick Federal-style home (h/t CIRCA).
It's just as charming on the inside

Billy goats and beer: When Central Park held goat beauty pageants

By Lucie Levine

1930s New York brought us many things: Superman, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, Joe DiMaggio, and, of course, goat beauty pageants in Central Park. Following the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, the Brewer’s Board of Trade was eager to revive the springtime tradition of Bock Beer festivals and put out an appeal for the most gorgeous goats in Gotham. The goats would go horn to horn in beauty pageants in Central Park to claim the title of “Mr. Manhattan,” and the right to return to the park for regional competitions to determine which beautiful Billy Goat would be “Mr. Bock Beer,” the brewer’s mascot, and the face of ubiquitous bock beer advertisements.
Get more Goats here!

History

Via NYCEDC and Wiki Commons

December 13, 2018

‘I ♥ NY’ designer Milton Glaser not thrilled with Amazon rip-off

This week the city's Economic Development Corporation released documents of its detailed pitch to lure Amazon to move to the city, which included offering up prime real estate in four different New York City neighborhoods and nearly $3 billion in incentives. Another thing city and state officials pitched to the tech company, which chose Long Island City last month for its HQ2 complex, is the state's famous "I love NY" logo. In their pitch, city and state officials swapped the iconic logo's heart out for Amazon's arrow-smile, which assumingly reads "I Amazon NY."
Glaser's thoughts ahead

Announcing 6sqft’s 2018 Building of the Year!

Rendering via Hill West Architects; frame via Pixabay

December 13, 2018

Announcing 6sqft’s 2018 Building of the Year!

The votes have been tallied, and it's time to name the 2018 Building of the Year! The winning title belongs to none other than Long Island City's Skyline Tower. The 778-foot-tall tower beat out 11 other significant NYC buildings in a competitive two-week competition held by 6sqft. Out of nearly 3,000 votes cast, the Hill West-designed structure took first place with a whopping 1,021 votes or 35.5% of the total. Was it the fact that the Skyline Tower is on course to become the borough’s tallest building? Or that it has an estimated $1.088 billion sellout, the first in the borough to break the one billion mark? Or perhaps it's the LIC location, the forthcoming home to 25,000 Amazon employees?
More on this year's winner!

December 13, 2018

This $5.2K/month furnished Stuyvesant Heights townhouse is a mix of sophistication and charm

Available from January through August of 2019 at $5,250 per month, this freshly-renovated brownstone triplex at 458 Hancock Street in Bed-Stuy's coveted Stuyvesant Heights historic district presents a great opportunity to get to know the city and the neighborhood. Interiors are bright and spacious, and you don't need to bring anything but your family or friends, and your toothbrush. The four-bedroom home with lots of space to spare plus a private deck and yard comes ready for living, complete with cool furniture and plants.
Take the townhouse tour

Port Authority launches public poll to decide fate of awkward Holland Tunnel holiday decorations

Photo via Flickr cc

December 13, 2018

Port Authority launches public poll to decide fate of awkward Holland Tunnel holiday decorations

Update 12/17/18: Following the public poll, the Port Authority says they will move the Christmas tree over the A and remove the wreath over the U in Tunnel. The Port Authority is asking commuters to weigh in on the great Holland Tunnel holiday decoration debacle that many are calling an "OCD nightmare." While the decorations have historically been placed to sit aligned symmetrically above the tunnel lanes, workers who were tasked with decking out the tolls created an eyesore by placing a triangular tree over the N in "Holland" and by putting a wreath over the U, turning the "Tunnel" into a "Tonnel." As the New York Post reported, Cory Windelspecht of Tribeca decided to start a Change.org petition to challenge the decor faux pas. “I look at it and it makes me itch. It gives me anxiety and anger," he fumed. "Why wouldn’t they just put [the tree] in front of the A?”
Find out more

NYC plans to sell $1B in NYCHA air rights to developers

Via Creative Commons

December 13, 2018

NYC plans to sell $1B in NYCHA air rights to developers

The New York City Housing Authority will sell its unused air rights to developers for the first time ever, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Wednesday. The authority said it will transfer a portion of its 80 million square feet of air rights to generate $1 billion in capital repairs for nearby developments. The air rights announcement is one part of a 10-year plan the mayor unveiled, called NYCHA 2.0, which aims to resolve $24 billion in necessary repairs at public housing. In total, the agency needs nearly $32 billion over five years for necessary repairs.
Get the details

MTA confirms that ‘disabled train’ announcement was really for a bathroom break

Photo via Flickr cc

December 12, 2018

MTA confirms that ‘disabled train’ announcement was really for a bathroom break

In the summer of 2017, the MTA implemented a new policy to get rid of stock recordings ("we are delayed because of train traffic ahead of us” or “we are being held momentarily by the train’s dispatcher") and "give more detailed announcements" when trains are delayed. And it looks like they have now taken their honesty campaign to Twitter, correcting a rider that his train was not delayed by another disabled train but rather because "one train crew member had to make an emergency pitstop to the restroom."
It happens to the best of us

December 12, 2018

Is $1,850/month for this 272-square-foot Clinton Hill studio a deal for the location?

It's hard to find a decent studio these days for under $2,000 a month, let alone one with 12-foot ceilings, original exposed brick, and plenty of natural light. But this Clinton Hill cutie at 126 Willoughby Avenue is asking $1,850. It is, however, less than 300-square-feet. But what it lacks in space it makes up for in location; it's just six blocks from Fort Greene Park, three blocks from the G at Clinton-Washington, and in the heart of all the neighborhood hotspots along DeKalb and Myrtle Avenues.
Some different angles

Distinctive Homes

December 12, 2018

This tool maps thousands of plaques around the world, including hundreds near NYC

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

While most New Yorkers know the city has been full of historical events and figures since its founding, it's sometimes hard to remember where all these significant milestones took place. An interactive map called "Read the Plaque" features 17,000 plaques found across the world, with over 100 in New York City alone. As part of the radio project 99% Invisible, Read the Plaque imports plaques from around the world, with each featuring locations, descriptions, and pictures.
Explore NYC's plaques

History

THE 6SQFT SHOP

The 6 best furniture rental companies in NYC

8 best places in NYC to thrift for home goods

The best websites for buying and selling used furniture in NYC

Everything you need to know about using a guarantor in NYC

15 quintessential NYC gifts for the New Yorker in your life

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

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

10 best plants for apartment dwellers

50 places to shop locally in NYC for that perfect gift

VIEW ALL

December 12, 2018

Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 6 rental tower reveals new renderings ahead of 2019 leasing launch

The Landing at 15 Bridge Park Drive, the rental portion of the Pier 6 two-building development in Brooklyn Bridge Park, is preparing for a 2019 launch with a new website and new renderings of amenity spaces and exteriors, Curbed reports. 6sqft reported back in September that the lottery for 100 affordable housing units had officially opened. Rents for the tower's 40 market-rate units will start at $3,100 per month and range from studios to three-bedrooms.
See more of what's to come

My 1,600sqft: Adam Elzer shares what it’s like to live above his own East Village pizzeria

Our ongoing series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to restauranteur Adam Elzer’s East Village duplex. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

December 12, 2018

My 1,600sqft: Adam Elzer shares what it’s like to live above his own East Village pizzeria

Adam Elzer likes being close to his work. So close in fact, that the fourth-generation New Yorker recently moved above Sauce Pizzeria, his new pizza parlor in the East Village, after previously living above Sauce Restaurant, his eatery on the Lower East Side. As the co-founder and CEO of Everyday Hospitality, Elzer, in addition to the two Sauce restaurants, also oversees LES Pizza and Coco & Cru, an Australian-inspired cafe. When he's not running his restaurants, Adam enjoys going to flea markets and mills, finding unique items and pieces of wood, upcycling them, and creating something totally new. His creativity can be seen throughout his East Village apartment, from the walls and ceilings Adam painted himself to the handmade wooden pieces, like his kitchen countertop. Ahead, tour Adam's colorful duplex, decorated with what he describes as "bohemian and rustic" decor.
See Adam's abode

Home Tours

December 12, 2018

For just $429K, this cheerful Sunnyside co-op is the perfect family starter pad

Buying a home in NYC is rarely easy for young people, especially when they're looking for that coveted second bedroom. But this newly renovated co-op at 47-37 45th Street in Sunnyside might just be the diamond in the rough. Not only is the place a 15-minute subway ride from Midtown, but it has a small second bedroom/office (currently used as a nursery) and cool barn-style decor--all for the very reasonable price of $429,000.
Take a look around

Distinctive Homes

December 12, 2018

New Historic Districts Council website lists every landmark in NYC

Preservationists, advocates, history buffs and anyone interested in finding out about the history of New York City's neighborhoods and landmarks has an exciting new resource at their fingertips. The Historic Districts Council (HDC) has launched a new website that offers a complete list of every historic district, individual landmark, interior landmark and scenic landmark in New York City.
Get a closer look

Cuomo gets involved in L train shutdown plans; Jean-Georges will bring fine dining to the TWA Hotel

L train via Wiki Commons (L); TWA Terminal courtesy of MCR and Morse Development. Photo by Max Touhey. (R)

December 11, 2018

Cuomo gets involved in L train shutdown plans; Jean-Georges will bring fine dining to the TWA Hotel

By 6sqft

This Thursday night, Governor Cuomo will tour the Sandy-damaged Canarsie Tunnel and “personally” vet the L Train shutdown plans. [amNY] Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten will run a restaurant and a lounge inside the TWA Hotel, which will bring back some classic dishes from in-flight TWA menus from the 1950s and ’60s. [NYT] Is Manhattan West trying to compete with […]

Uncategorized

Landmarks designates new Inwood historic district

Image courtesy of NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission via Flickr.

December 11, 2018

Landmarks designates new Inwood historic district

The city's Landmarks Preservation Commission voted today to designate the Park Terrace West-West 217th Street Historic District in the Inwood section of Manhattan. The historic district features an enclave of picturesque early 20th-century houses with landscaped topography that stand out among the neighborhood’s apartment buildings.
Find out more

How New York won Amazon: See the official proposals for each NYC neighborhood

A rendering of One Court Square, where Amazon will temporarily move in 2019; via NYCEDC

December 11, 2018

How New York won Amazon: See the official proposals for each NYC neighborhood

City and state officials lured Amazon to open its new office complex in New York with an extensive pitch, complete with four suggested neighborhoods and the promise of prime real estate, according to documents released by the city's economic development corporation on Monday. In exchange for 25,000 new jobs, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio are offering Amazon nearly $3 billion in incentives and grants. And while last month Amazon selected the Queens neighborhood of Long Island City as its new home, officials had proposed bringing Amazon's campus to the Farley Building, 3 World Trade Center, Brooklyn Height's Watchtower building, Bjarke Ingels' The Spiral, and even Governors Island.
See the full pitch

Policy

December 11, 2018

For $43M, restore two Gilded Age Upper East Side co-ops to their historic grandeur

A three-bedroom co-op in the Rosario Candela-designed 720 Park Avenue, the epitome of 1920s Gilded Age grandeur, is on the market for $20 million. It was once part of an even grander duplex that belonged to onetime Macy's president and ambassador to France Jesse I. Straus. The lower unit is asking $23 million. The two owners are offering a $43M combo that could restore the home to its original impressive status with eight bedrooms and staff quarters that, according to the Wall Street Journal, include a flower room, a vegetable closet and a valet room where cuffs and collars were pressed.
See more of this impressive piece of old New York history

December 11, 2018

See this year’s completely outrageous Dyker Heights Christmas lights

Where else can you see 25-foot toy soldiers, a two-story Santa, or a house decked out with 30,000 lights other than Dyker Heights, Brooklyn. The suburban neighborhood, historically a quiet, Italian-American enclave, has been putting on its legendary holiday spectacle since 1986, when Lucy Spata moved to the area. Her over-the-top Christmas displays started as a way to honor her mother's memory (she also loved holiday decorations) and quickly her neighbors followed suit. Today, Lucy is known around town as "Mrs. Claus" and the Dyker Heights lights attract up to 150,000 visitors each season. 6sqft's resident photographers, James and Karla Murray, recently visited Dyker Heights and captured the outrageous lights and decorations in all their glory. And they were even lucky enough to meet Lucy herself!
See this year's insane Christmas light extravaganza

Rendering via Studio Gang

December 11, 2018

Judge rules in favor of Studio Gang’s Natural History Museum expansion plans despite lawsuit attempt

In October, plans by Studio Gang to expand the American Museum of Natural History and create the Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education and Innovation were stopped in their tracks after New York State Supreme Court Justice Lynn Kotler issued a temporary restraining order. A lawsuit had been filed by a community group opposed to the expansion on the grounds that it would destroy public parkland and threaten the surrounding environment. Judge Kotler on Monday ruled in favor of the museum in a decision confirming that all appropriate procedures in preparation for the project were followed. The decision will allow the museum to proceed with the $383 million expansion project.
Find out more

Via Practice for Architecture and Urbanism

December 11, 2018

A megachurch in East New York will become an ‘urban village’ with 2,100 affordable apartments

A Christian megachurch in East New York is partnering with the Gotham Organization to redevelop their East New York campus into a mixed-income community, or "urban village" as Reverend A.R. Bernard calls it, of 2,100 affordable units and neighborhood amenities. The plan from the Christian Cultural Center, led by Bernard, will supplement the existing church at 12020 Flatlands Avenue in Brooklyn and create a community with CCC at its core.
Find out more

Affordable Housing

Via Joe Schulz on Flickr

December 10, 2018

Time Warner Center will be renamed for Deutsche Bank

Columbus Circle's Time Warner Center will be renamed the Deutsche Bank Center, Commercial Observer reported on Monday. The name change comes as the Deutsche Bank inked a deal for 1.1 million square feet at the complex. The 25-year lease gives the German bank all available office space at the building except on its 20th floor.
More here

Real Estate Trends

The High Line Plinth will showcase public art as a gathering spot in the park’s newest section

Image by James Corner Field Operations and Diller Scofidio + Renfro, courtesy of the City of New York.

December 10, 2018

The High Line Plinth will showcase public art as a gathering spot in the park’s newest section

The Spur, the last section of the High Line, extending east along 30th Street and ending above 10th Avenue, is scheduled to open in 2019. Unlike other sections of the park which are more linear and perfect for strolling, this section will feature a large-scale plaza for public programming and art and areas for seating and gathering. Anchoring the new section will be the High Line Plinth. As Designboom reports, the Plinth will be one of the only sites in New York City with the purpose of featuring a rotating series of new contemporary public art commissions.
Renderings of the Plinth, this way

December 10, 2018

Live in this fully-furnished designer Brooklyn Heights studio for $2,450/month

On a quiet block in the heart of Brooklyn Heights, this charming studio at 38 Livingston Street doesn't offer a ton of square footage but the thoughtful design details make it worth a look. The fully-furnished unit is outfitted with chic, just-trendy-enough pieces that make a bold statement, and it's asking the semi-reasonable rent of $2,450 a month.
See the whole petite place

Distinctive Homes

December 10, 2018

Scraps from ill-fated New York Wheel will go up for auction next month

The project to build the would-be world's tallest Ferris wheel in Staten Island was called off in October, after nearly a decade of delays and $450 million in investment. While the proposed 630-foot New York Wheel is officially dead, parts of the ill-fated attraction will go up for auction next month, the New York Post reported. Items up for sale include the wheel's legs, valued at $9.2 million, and drive towers, for $3.3 million.
Get your hands on the wheel

Uncategorized

See new images of Barry Diller’s $250M Pier 55 park taking shape in the Hudson River

Photo by CityRealty

December 10, 2018

See new images of Barry Diller’s $250M Pier 55 park taking shape in the Hudson River

Back in July 6sqft reported construction progress at the enthusiastically on-again Pier 55 public park project on the Hudson River funded by billionaire businessman Barry Diller. The park broke ground in April, and some snaps courtesy of CityRealty revealed new concrete pylons arranged in various heights that will act as the wave-shaped floating park’s support structure. Now, the New York Times details further and more fascinating progress on the $250 million park and performing arts venue, including the installation of its stylistic anchor in the form of a system of concrete supports called pots, the underpinnings of Diller's unconventional architectural vision. And CityRealty once again reveals photos of what's happening in the Hudson just west of the Meatpacking District.
Take a look at what's rising from the Hudson

To reduce delays, MTA to increase subway speed limits at 100 locations

Via Wikimedia

December 10, 2018

To reduce delays, MTA to increase subway speed limits at 100 locations

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority over the weekend doubled the speed limit on parts of two lines in Brooklyn, the N and R trains, from 15 miles per hour to as much as 30 miles per hour. These lines are the first of many the MTA will speed up, with transit officials planning to change the speed limits at 100 locations by the spring, the New York Times reported on Monday. The changes in speed limits are part of NYC Transit Chief Andy Byford's $40 billion plan to modernize the problem-plagued subway system and improve service. "This is all about getting the safe maximum out of the existing signaling system," Byford told the Times.
Get the details

Transit

50 years at Co-op City: The history of the world’s largest co-operative housing development

All photos included in this post were taken at Co-op City in the early 1970s and are courtesy of Co-op City

December 10, 2018

50 years at Co-op City: The history of the world’s largest co-operative housing development

By Lucie Levine

When Governor Rockefeller, Robert Moses, Jacob Potofsky of the United Housing Foundation, and Abraham Kazan, known as “the father of US cooperative housing,” broke ground on Co-op City in the Baychester section of the Bronx on May 14, 1966, they were doing something truly groundbreaking. In fact, Rockefeller called it a “completely sound investment in a better society.” Co-op City is the world’s largest co-operative housing development. Built on 320 acres just north of Freedomland, the sprawling, self-contained development provides homes for over 15,000 families across 35 buildings, and supports its own schools, weekly newspaper, power plant, and planetarium. Originally built by the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America and the United Housing Foundation as cooperative, affordable, middle-income workers’ housing, Co-op city has remained dedicated to open membership, democratic control, distribution of surplus, and diversity for half a century.
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History

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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December 10, 2018

This Hudson carriage house, featured on Netflix, could be your upstate getaway for $325 a night

By Andrew Berman of Village Preservation

Hudson, NY, is the place to head these days for a picture-perfect out-of-the-city weekend. Filled with fabulous restaurants, chic shops and darling dive bars, the Columbia County town's mix of sophistication and small-town life hits just the right note. If you've dreamed of moving there and fixing up a quaint townhouse, you can live vicariously for a few nights–at $325 each, via Airbnb–at this charming carriage house. Featured on the Netflix renovation show, "Stay Here," The Hudson River Carriage House is just a half block from the Warren Street main drag, but it's so cute you may just want to stay in.
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Top 10 Rental Buildings in FiDi & This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

Images (L to R): Renting Downtown: Top 10 Rental Buildings in Financial District + Battery Park City

December 8, 2018

Top 10 Rental Buildings in FiDi & This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

By Annie Doge

Renting Downtown: Top 10 Rental Buildings in Financial District + Battery Park City [LINK] Cobalt Lofts in Harrison Launches Luxury Rentals from $1,915/Month; 20 Minutes from NYC [LINK] Contemporary Rentals at Historic 71 Broadway: No-Fee Listings from $3,035/Month [LINK] Bed-Stuy Rentals Launch at 1247 Atlantic Avenue with 1 Month Free; Net Prices from $1,825/Month [LINK] […]

Real Estate Trends

From Mark Twain and the Lovin’ Spoonful to Tech Hub: The overlooked history of Union Square South

Photo of 801 Broadway by Jim Henderson via Wikimedia Commons

December 7, 2018

From Mark Twain and the Lovin’ Spoonful to Tech Hub: The overlooked history of Union Square South

Straddling Greenwich Village and the East Village, the neighborhood south of Union Square between Fifth and Third Avenues was once a center of groundbreaking commercial innovations, radical leftist politics, and the artistic avant-garde. With the city’s recent decision to allow an upzoning for a "Tech Hub" on the neighborhood’s doorstep on 14th Street, there are concerns that the resilient and architecturally intact neighborhood may face irreversible change. While they’re still here, take a tour of some of the many sites of remarkable cultural history, nestled in this compact neighborhood just south of one of our city’s busiest hubs.
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History

GIVEWAY: Join a 6sqft editor for a special ‘Christmas History in Gramercy’ tour

Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress

December 7, 2018

GIVEWAY: Join a 6sqft editor for a special ‘Christmas History in Gramercy’ tour

Did you know the nation's first public Christmas tree went up in NYC? Or how about the fact that Santa Claus was born here in both literature and drawing? And have you seen the famous restaurant decorated with 15,000 Christmas ornaments, 10,000 lights? Join 6sqft's managing editor Dana Schulz for her Christmas in Gramercy tour with the Municipal Art Society to see and learn about all this and more. Taking place, Saturday, December 15th, the two-hour event will reveal the surprising origins of our most beloved holiday traditions.
Enter to win tickets here!

Events & Things To Do

December 7, 2018

1960s modern house in Brooklyn Heights designed by Merz Architects is for sale asking $3.9M