Alicia Keys hired a crane when she moved out; Lenny Kravitz reportedly liked to show off his abs to his neighbors; Courtney Love allegedly had a little too much fun in the lobby — this is just some of the gossip from the former rich-and-famous tenants of 30 Crosby Street. In recent years, though, the residents have shifted from A-list celebrities to “everyday millionaires”, and instead of Grammy-winning singers and hard-partying actresses, the Nolita building is now home to rich guys like the recent buyer of unit 3B, Justin Leverenz, Director of Emerging Market Equities at Oppenheimer, who purchased the apartment for $7.8 million, according to city records filed yesterday afternoon. The seller was music industry executive Daniel Pelson who paid $2.55 million for the home in 2001. Mr. Pelson listed the property through Town Residential’s Tinnie Sassano.

What Mr. Leverenz acquired is a 4,164-square-foot, 3BR/3BA loft full of original historic details, including 19th century rough-hewn wooden columns, pinewood flooring, and exposed brick walls, mixed with contemporary additions like an Italian limestone wood-burning fireplace and a sleek, retro kitchen complete with stainless steel appliances and slab marble countertops.

Check out the rest of the digs this way

Situated in an 1880s factory building, this intriguing 1-bedroom, 2-bath home at 474 Greenwich Street offers surprises at every turn. From its adorable checkered kitchen floor to the exposed beam ceilings, every room is a conversation starter. We aren’t sure what the exposed brick walls would say if they could talk (that’s over 100 years of secrets hidden away!) but we certainly have a lot to tell.

See what there is to talk about!

Israeli industrial designer Itai Bar-On‘s favorite material is concrete — a love that stems from his family’s multi-generational construction business. But when the designer decided to test the limits of aluminum, he managed to create a stunning lighting fixture that emphasizes the natural qualities of a material that’s often blasted to a sheen or bathed in a candy-colored powder paint finish.

Check out this sweet lamp here

• A Catalog of Manhattan’s Subway Tile Mosaics: Last summer Adam Chang lived every New Yorker’s nightmare – he spent 20 hours on the MTA, stopping at every stop and photographing the mosaic signs. Citylab has more on the beautiful result of his sheer insanity.
• Man Seen Flying Kite from the Bowery: Let’s go fly a kite! Bowery Boogie has snapshots of a man who though the weekend weather was perfect for indulging in a childhood pastime. We’re just sad he didn’t have anyone to battle with.
• KWC’s Zoe, Your Kitchen’s Sexy New Addition: She has curves that are out of this world and she washes dishes like a pro but she’s no 1950s housewife. Architizer introduces the new high-end faucet that has become the talk of the kitchen.
• Elle Décor Adds New A-List Designers: 6 designers have made it to the big leagues as Elle Décor announces their annual A-List. Their Editor-in-Chief discusses it with Editor At Large.
• Lenox Hill Townhouse Asks $40mil: A five-story townhouse flaunting a décor that will make you dizzy is asking $40 million and Curbed has some strong opinions on the matter.
• Machine Turns Fruit Juice Into Fruit: Engadget has some exciting news for those who want to find more ways to pretend they’re eating healthily.
• How to Ask for Favors Online: We all get by with a little help from our friends, and Gizmodo tells us how with results from a Reddit study on successfully asking for favors online.

Images: Manhattan Subway Tiles (left), KWC’s Zoe (right)

Two Danish design powerhouses have teamed up to bring a unique city view into your dining room. Copenhagen’s BIG architecture studio and industrial design group KILO recently launched a beautiful new tableware set trimmed with 12 different skylines, including ones of New York, Berlin and Paris!

Check out the full collection here

Boo! The long Memorial Day weekend and its endless picnics are over. But you can still celebrate the short work week with all things arty!

Indulge in your love of film — from the silent era to tomorrow’s documentary stars — or channel your inner entrepreneur at a panel on how to price your own designs. Also be sure to rest up for the weekend as artist studios open up across Brooklyn with Bushwick Open Studios and NARS Foundation. Just be sure to leave some time on your schedule to check out Bushwick’s first art fair, the NEWD Art Fair!

All the best events here

What kind of apartment needs custom blinds from the Shade Store? The kind with floor-to-ceiling windows flooding the unit with light! And we’re not talking any standard floor-to-ceiling windows. Architect Michael Muroff decided to throw us a beautiful curve ball by designing a wall-sized window in the living room accented with a giant, skylight – or more appropriately, an angled ceiling of windows. The result is a living space you could practically sunbathe in.

An abundance of light isn’t the only thing 149 Skillman Avenue #4B has to offer. The 1,070-square-foot, 2BR/2BA unit has a few other surprises, including a steam shower and a private roof deck with a gorgeous view of the Manhattan skyline. That means a spectacular show for the apartment’s residents when the 4^th of July fireworks return to the East River for summer 2014.

See what else this beautiful condo has to offer here

New renderings of Fortis Property Group’s mixed-use development at 151 Maiden Lane have been revealed! As reported by New York YIMBY, permits were filed last week for the new tower which will sit upon a 281,000-square-foot waterfront development site that the company purchased back in August of last year.

Fortis’s new residential project will boast a 161,000-square-foot, 52-story luxury condominium with 74 high-end apartments each hosting “uninterrupted river views with the top floors having virtually 360-degree views,” according to Fortis’s website. The design, which holds Goldstein Hill & West as the architect of record, is another glassy high-rise that boasts a slender profile with balconies rising on the glass face in a helix-like gesture. In fact, the design looks quite a bit like an amalgamation of New York by Ghery and One Madison. (A good thing?)

Fortis also plans to build a 120,000-square-foot hotel at the western portion of the development site. The hotel will share luxury amenities with the residential section of the development. Construction will start this year.

[Via NY YIMBY]

Image via Fortis Property Group

The headquarters of the “Queen of the Wrap Dress” (ladies, you know what I’m talking about if you’ve ever stood in line for one of these sample sales!) is well known for the big, geometric glass structure that sits perched atop the traditional Meatpacking District building. Not so well known, though, is that inside this rooftop crystal is Ms. von Furstenberg’s penthouse apartment.  And just as you’d expect, the space is full of all of the sleek, yet glamorous style that the designer expresses in her clothing.

Conceptualized by Work Architecture, the Diane von Furstenberg headquarters was adapted from this landmarked meat market building to house the firm’s flagship store, administrative offices, and production space. The re-imagined rooftop is not only an apartment, but a garden oasis. The staircase, dubbed the “stairdelier” by the architects since it is lined with Swarovski crystals, ties the live/work space together and is its crowning jewel. Descending diagonally through the building’s six stories, it reflects light throughout the entire interior.

More about the sparkling staircase and all of the interior eye candy this way

China’s most provocative artist can add architect to his already extensive resume. Known around the world for his contemporary artwork and political activism, Ai Weiwei has also had a hand in designing this sprawling compound in upstate New York.

Located in bucolic Ancram — just a two-hour drive from New York City — the Tsai Residence was originally commissioned by a pair of Upper East Side art collectors. The 2,800-square-foot structure was completed in 2006 and put back on the market a few years later in 2013 for a whopping $4.25 million. But the hefty price tag comes with a unique distinction — it’s the only house in the United States that Ai has ever designed.

Take a tour of the pricey, one-of-a-kind property here