Society pianist Peter Mintun, has just sold his stunning Washington Heights townhouse to Columbia Artists Music mogul Jean-Jacques Cesbron and his wife, for $2.2 million.

The beautiful four-story, 5BR/3BA  home was designed by Henri Fouchaux and constructed in 1896. Located at 436 West 162 Street in the Jumel Terrace Historic District, it is considered one of the best preserved buildings of its type. Original wood and details like speaking tubes, skylights, pocket doors, a working dumb waiter, and seven tiled fireplaces are just some of the incredible features that can be found within. The home has even appeared in the scenes of several movies and documentaries, and is often highlighted on neighborhood tours.

See more photos of the interior

The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission has just approved the creation of the Park Avenue Historic District, but with major modifications that could mean big changes for the neighborhood.

The boundaries of the district were proposed to run from 79th to 96th Street, but the final version passed today excludes the blocks north of 94th Street, which encompasses the Morris Ketchum Jr.-designed Hunter College School as well as The Loyola Grammar School at 48 East 84th Street.

More importantly, today’s ruling would appear to give Extell Development the green light to replace a Park Avenue church rectory with a condominium tower.

Park Ave will soon be afoot with change

Famed French architect, and Pritzker Prize winner, Christian de Portzamparc is causing quite a stir. Take a glance at his website and you’ll be met with a rendering of the new Riverside Center that would inspire hope in the most pessimistic NIMBY.

After a disappointing official rendering of the first building cast some serious doubt on the fate of the much-anticipated development, de Portzamparc has unveiled a new vision, and fingers are crossed that it will be realized.

More on de Portzamparc’s design here

No, that’s not a typo, though this futuristic lamp does have a satellite-like design form. A creation of the Anon Pairot Design Studio, it is constructed using spot welding and hundreds of woven 0.5 millimeter steel rods. The copper-colored, geometric orb is one of many Anon Pairot designs that feature a pattern reminiscent of traditional Thai textiles.

More about the design here

Fort Greene is easily one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in all of Brooklyn. With tree-lined streets and plenty of historic homes and churches throughout, just strolling its blocks will usually send you into a state of architectural splendor.

This weekend is your chance to take a look inside these incredible spaces. Sponsored by the Fort Greene Association, this ambitious self-guided walking tour offers unique insights into the neighborhood’s thriving new cultural district, as well as its coveted homes. See an assortment of townhouses and private residences, including a quirky brownstone featured in an episode of HBO’s hit series Girls!

Find out where to get tickets here

A new 80-unit condominium tower at 45 East 22nd street will bring the distance between New York’s two preeminent skylines a bit closer. Ian Bruce Eichner’s, Continuum Company has plans to build the loftiest skyscraper between the Empire State Building (1,250 feet) in Midtown and the Woolworth Building (792 feet) in the Financial District. The project designed by the high-rise pros of Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, stretches skyward 60 floors — a whopping 778 feet from an unassuming 50-foot wide lot currently occupied by two row-homes.

We recently stopped by the site to see how things are coming along, and it looks like demolition has just started. Check out our survey and snaps of the project ahead.

More photos and renderings here

Every NYC neighborhood has its archetype, and this infographic by Apartment List perfectly depicts every Manhattan nabe to a tee.

While you’ll of course find the obvious characterizations like the Goldman Sachs associate who galavants around the Upper East Side, hilarious insights like what Chelsea residents do for fun (“People watching at the High Line, eating a popsicle”) will give you a giggle. The infographic also provides useful info like the average cost of one- and two-bedroom apartments, as well as how much cash you can save by sharing — all in terms any New Yorker can understand (ex. in Tribeca you can pocket $1,548/month; a.k.a. 19 pairs of Lullemon pants). And though Apartment List’s creation just depicts Manhattan ‘hoods right now, given the easy target that lies just across the East River, we’re keeping our eyes peeled for their take on Brooklyn.

Check out the full-size version here

According to property records filed with the city in Friday, it appears that George Stephanopoulos is moving on up in his 30 East 72nd Street co-op!

The Good Morning America co-anchor and his comedian wife, Alexandra “Ali” Wentworth, purchased a sizeable 2BR/2BA apartment located on the 10th floor of their current building for $2.2 million. The pair already own a 3,300-square-foot, ninth-floor apartment at the same property, purchased for $6.5 million in 2010. Word is that the couple will merge the two apartments into one luxurious home.

More on the deal here

One of the city’s noblest professions is “sidewalk superintendent.” These intrepid pedestrians love to peer through holes in the wall to watch large equipment playing the construction game. The more sophisticated of these curiosity-seekers also look for holes in the city’s facades to glimpse the progress of larger-than-normal, future skyline stars.

You can imagine the astonishment, therefore, when I noticed, a couple of days ago, that 432 Park Avenue had adopted a “patriotic” stance, and that its fenestration grid now is highlighted, from top down, in red, blue and white, the colors of the American flag, and also the French flag — a stark divergence from the pristine, streamlined design set out by the building’s architect, Rafael Vinoly.

For sidewalk superintendents, the former Drake is startlingly colorful

If Gucci was to start canning pickles, would that make eating them more appetizing? A new series by artist Paddy Mergui is re-imagining everyday foods as luxury products.

The collection, titled “Wheat is Wheat is Wheat”, wraps over a dozen common foods in designer patterns and well-recognized packagings, playing on our susceptibility to big names and brand recognition. “[Design is] so under the radar that people think it’s nice and that it’s giving them self esteem,” Mergui tells The Verge. “Actually, be aware that you’re being manipulated by the visual aspects of packaging.”

From Apple’s iMilk to Burberry ramen to Cartier coffee to a dozen Versace eggs, see all the products ahead.

More Images of the re-branded food ahead