6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

With coastal storms and flooding set to become more common, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a $145 million investment to help protect the Rockaways. The mayor made the announcement Sunday on the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Sandy, which wreaked havoc on New York City in 2012. The Rockaways in Queens were hit particularly hard, and the peninsula […]

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Snøhetta tapped as lead architect for $300M Sony Building restoration

Rendering of 550 Madison Avenue, via DBOX/ Snøhetta

October 30, 2017

Snøhetta tapped as lead architect for $300M Sony Building restoration

Over the last few years, plans to refurbish the former headquarters of AT&T and Sony Building at 550 Madison Avenue have come and gone, including a proposal to convert the upper floors into luxury condos designed by Robert A.M. Stern. Now, with those plans long abandoned, Olayan America and Chelsfield revealed plans on Monday for a $300 million renovation of the tower, modernizing the lower levels of the building with high-quality amenities and a sprawling 21,000-square-foot public garden. With Snøhetta as lead architect, the renovation will be the first major project in East Midtown since its revitalization plan was approved earlier this year.
See the new design

Architecture And Design

October 30, 2017

Seth Meyers’ $4.5M West Village condo is in contract after only a month

Just over a month after listing his West Village condo at 302 West 12th Street for $4.5 million, the “Late Night” host has reportedly found a buyer for the two-bedroom unit (h/t Curbed). Meyers and his wife, Alexi, purchased the pad for $3.5 million in 2013, but last summer they dropped $7.5 million on a five-bedroom co-op at 32 Washington Square West.
See more, this way

MTA to install flood-proof doors at subway stations

Photo courtesy of the MTA on Flickr

October 30, 2017

MTA to install flood-proof doors at subway stations

On Friday, the MTA unveiled custom doors designed to protect the city’s subway system from future floods. In October of 2012, Hurricane Sandy crippled Lower Manhattan, as well as most other parts of the city, with a 13-foot surge of water. Now, five years later, the MTA is installing custom-made, marine doors, equipped with inflatable gaskets to seal out water to be installed at the bottom of the subway’s stairwell (h/t WSJ). In addition to these doors, other stations will get metal hatch doors below street subway grates, fabric curtains to block flowing water and a system of interlocking stop logs at the entrance of some stations.
Find out more

Transit

Roman Abramovich buys fourth townhouse on Upper East Side block for $96M mega-mansion

Rendering of the revised LPC proposal from June 2016; via Steven Wang Architects

October 30, 2017

Roman Abramovich buys fourth townhouse on Upper East Side block for $96M mega-mansion

In the wake of Mayor de Blasio's claims that Russian oligarchs "basically stole the wealth of their country with the help of their government" and then used these "ill-gotten gains" to buy up property here in the city, one of the country's best-known billionaires, steel magnate and owner of the Chelsea Football Club Roman Abramovich, has purchased a fourth townhouse on a landmarked Upper East Side block in order to create an unprecedented mega-mansion. According to the Post, Abramovich's latest buy was a secret one but brought his total assemblage up to a whopping $96 million. Though he could've created the "biggest home the city has ever seen," reps for architect Stephen Wang tell us that the project will still remain a three-townhouse combination, now with a different trio included.
More details ahead

Celebrities

New Domino Sugar Factory renderings show barrel-vaulted glass topper and taller towers

292-314 Kent. Rendering by Practice for Architecture and Urbanism via Landmarks Preservation Commission.

October 30, 2017

New Domino Sugar Factory renderings show barrel-vaulted glass topper and taller towers

Update 10/31/17: The Landmarks Preservation Commission did not approve the new plans at the hearing, instead suggesting the architects present revised designs that address how the newly exposed brick will be preserved and how the ground floor will interact with the open space. The Commissioners were divided on the glass topper, with some feeling it appropriately references the building's arches and others feeling it inappropriately treats the structure as a ruin. 6sqft previously shared the latest round of designs for the three million-square-foot Domino Sugar Factory mega-development in Williamsburg, done by Vishaan Chakrabarti‘s Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU). Developer Two Trees broke ground on the first tower in the Domino Sugar Refinery Master Plan last spring, and the lottery opened for 104 affordable units at the SHoP Architects-designed building, the 16-story 325 Kent Avenue. Now, more new renderings of the complex have been released ahead of an October 31 presentation before the Landmarks Preservation Commission (h/t Brownstoner).
More new renderings this way

October 30, 2017

Global interiors and a 1,000-square-foot garden put this $1.8M East Village maisonette in a class by itself

This impeccably decorated one-bedroom garden maisonette at 645 East 11th Street has East Village charm, international flair and a claim to the "largest private garden in Manhattan." Adding to the apartment's unique style is the treasure trove of interior details that reflect the owners' extensive travels to Asia, Bali and elsewhere including ceiling fans from the Metropole Hotel in Vietnam, a rosewood fireplace mantel, 19th century mahogany doors, a 19th century Chinese armoire and 10-foot teak walls surrounding a dozen bamboo trees in teak planters in the massive back garden.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

October 29, 2017

For $1.25M, Juliet balconies and an enchanted garden create romance on the Upper West Side

This bright and cozy garden duplex co-op at 24 West 69th Street on the Upper West Side has pre-war details like high beamed ceilings, built-in bookshelves, crown moldings, French doors and two Juliet balconies; but it's the 731-square-foot private enchanted garden just outside those French doors that makes this one-bedroom-convertible-to-two such a charmer.
Have a look

Distinctive Homes

Images (L to R): CHELSEA29, 800 UNION, ARC and 363 BOND

October 28, 2017

This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

By Ondel Hylton

Images (L to R): CHELSEA29, 800 UNION, ARC and 363 BOND New Rental Tower ‘Chelsea29’ Offers Two Months Free & Launches Affordable Housing Lottery [link] Brand New Rentals Debut in Ridgewood at ‘The Mill’ from $2,000/Month [link] Exclusive Residences Debut at 91 Crosby Street in SoHo, Including Rare $30K Triplex Penthouse [link] Rentals Debut at […]

Real Estate Trends

Distinctive Homes

This $795K Hudson Valley farmhouse has clean, classic curb appeal–and a guest house in the back

Theater director David Saint lists his East Village penthouse with huge terrace for $5M

Live like royalty on the Upper East Side for $5.8M

$5.9M Civil War-era Clinton Hill mansion is a three-family home and an architectural gem

This $7M limestone townhouse brings restored Park Slope perfection to historic beauty

$8.2M Soho penthouse loft feels like an airy beach house surrounded by terraces

Asking $800K, this notable modern Princeton home once belonged to Joyce Carol Oates

This $2.6M apartment offers classic Upper East Side elegance with condo simplicity

Cozy Brooklyn Heights co-op has pre-war charm and a bright, sunny kitchen for $1.5M

19th-century townhouse in Hudson, NY has three units, retail space, and a three-bay garage for $2M

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Snag an affordable apartment in this greenery-rich Williamsburg building, from $670/month

Rendering of 695 Grand Street courtesy of St. Nicks Alliance & NYHC

October 27, 2017

Snag an affordable apartment in this greenery-rich Williamsburg building, from $670/month

Located just steps away from Williamsburg's bustling Metropolitan Avenue, a mixed-use building at 695 Grand Street is now accepting applications for 38 affordable units. Developed by St. Nicks Alliance and designed by Magnusson Architecture and Planning (MAP), the eight-story rental features sustainable design elements like a landscaped terrace and rooftop, as well as a vertical green wall planted trellis on its facade. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 30, 50, 60 and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for units ranging from $670/month studios to $2,056/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

South Ferry subway station flooded after Sandy. Image: Flickr/MTA

October 27, 2017

Residential development has boomed in areas hit hardest by Sandy

It has been five years since Superstorm Sandy devastated homes and buildings across New York, and the city has been in the process of repairing itself ever since. Along with rebuilding the homes that were affected by the storm, new developments have continued to pop up in vulnerable flood zones. More than 85 percent of […]

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Crown Building’s five-story penthouse is the latest to join Midtown’s $100M+ club

Penthouse rendering (Aman Resorts)

October 27, 2017

Crown Building’s five-story penthouse is the latest to join Midtown’s $100M+ club

Taking its name from an elaborate pyramid-shaped crown, the Crown Building at Fifth Avenue and 57th Street has been described as one of the city's most desirable retail locations. Michael Shvo and Russian developer Vladislav Doronin bought the non-retail upper floors of 730 Fifth Avenue in 2015 and filed plans to redevelop the Billionaires' Row property, and new details have been revealed, CityRealty reports. An 83-key luxury hotel with a three-story spa, a members-only lounge, a jazz club and cigar bar and two restaurants will start on the fourth floor. Above the hotel, 20 luxury condominiums known as Aman New York Residences will start on the 11th floor. The building's crown jewel will be a 14,000 square-foot five-story penthouse on floors 22-26 asking $100 million.
See more, this way

New Developments

October 27, 2017

The Urban Lens: Remembering the darkness of Hurricane Sandy five years later

6sqft’s series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment, Orestes Gonzalez shares his series "Dark Sandy," photos he took five years ago when lower Manhattan lost power during Hurricane Sandy. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. "Never had I seen Manhattan in such darkness... I had to get over there and experience this dark phenomenon with my camera," says Orestes Gonzalez of his series of photographs taken the night Hurricane Sandy hit New York City. As we now approach the fifth anniversary of the Superstorm, the photos are a reminder of how far we've come, and in some cases, how much work still needs to be done. In fact, 20% of the 12,713 families who enrolled in the city's Build it Back program are still waiting for construction to wrap up or for a property buyout. But despite some of the post-storm issues, in the wake of the disaster, Orestes remembers the "sense of camaraderie" he experienced during those dark times, a trait that New Yorkers have come to be known for.
Hear from Orestes and see the full series

Places

October 27, 2017

Proposal for gap along East River greenway calls for two wave-like lanes and flexible outdoor rooms

In April, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the city will spend $100 million on closing the gap that stretches from 53rd to 61st Street along the East River Greenway in Manhattan. Beginning in 2019, the city plans on connecting all 32-miles of the greenway's coastline with waterfront amenities for the public. As ArchDaily learned, an interdisciplinary design practice, wHY, has submitted a request for proposal to the New York City Development Corporation for the greenway’s 1.1 mile-long, undeveloped gap. The firm’s $70 million proposal calls for two lanes: a slow one for plants and pedestrians and a fast-lane for bikers and runners.
Find out more

October 27, 2017

Mayor de Blasio announces new $250M program to keep Mitchell-Lama developments affordable

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday that the city will invest $250 million to protect 15,000 Mitchell-Lama apartments from going to market rate. The investment is part of the city's initiative to create or preserve 300,000 units of affordable housing by 2026. The new program will address over 15,000 Mitchell-Lama homes where affordability is at risk over the next eight years.
Find out more

October 27, 2017

First look at proposed Greenwich Village tower by Robert A.M. Stern

If there's one neighborhood in NYC where new developments face the most challenges it's Greenwich Village. One of the city's first historic districts and once home to preservation godmother Jane Jacobs, the low-scale community is arguably the most vocal and steadfast in the city. But it looks like Madison Realty Capital didn't get the memo, as they've tapped starchitect Robert A.M. Stern to design a hulking, 27-story condo tower at 14 Fifth Avenue, just a block north of Washington Square Park, according to NY Yimby. And while Stern's signature classy, limestone design fits in well with the stretch's other apartment buildings, the proposed 367-foot height will likely not sit well with locals. However, at this point, the tower is merely conceptual and will still require a public review need Landmarks Preservation Commission approvals.
More looks and details

System Architects’ fiery Tribeca townhouse is partially unveiled

First glimpse of Jeremy Edmiston’s “Unhistoric Townhouse” at 187 Franklin Street. Photo courtesy of Tribeca Citizen.

October 27, 2017

System Architects’ fiery Tribeca townhouse is partially unveiled

The latest Tribeca distraction: the partial unveiling of the single-family townhouse at 187 Franklin Street, a funky flame-façaded new building that its architect, Jeremy Edmiston of System Architects, refers to as the Unhistoric Townhouse. Tribeca Citizen reports that workers at the building (which also resembles a Yankees logo) were lifting off some of the mesh that conceals the wavy wonder, perhaps to install one of its metal-mesh balconies. 6sqft previously covered the building, whose design of an undulating red façade complemented by those silvery, net-like balconies was first proposed in 2010.
Landmarks approved rendering, this way

October 26, 2017

$2.6M Soho condo boasts a tricked out roof deck and cozy sleeping nook

By Emily Nonko

This one-bedroom condo at Soho's 118 Wooster Street is offering up plenty of unique features to its next buyer. For one, the 1,250-square-foot interior got a cozy sleeping nook to hold a second bedroom. Then, under 20-foot ceilings, a massive great room, plus a formal bedroom, await. The stairs take you up to a glass atrium, which opens to an 800-square-foot roof deck with a water and electric hookup. For all these indoor and outdoor perks, it'll cost $2.649 million.
Go see the roof deck

Distinctive Homes

Live in a brand new building near Yankees Stadium, from $396/month

Applications are now being accepted for 198 affordable units at Elton Crossing, a new mixed-use development in the Melrose neighborhood of the Bronx. The building at 899 Elton Avenue features on-site laundry, fitness rooms, a landscaped seating area, resident gardening program and spots for parking. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 30, 40 50, 60, and 100 percent of the area median income can apply for units ranging from a $396 per month one-bedroom to a $1,740 per month three-bedroom.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Cubic MTA payment system. Rendering courtesy of Cubic Corporation.

October 26, 2017

MTA approves $574M MetroCard-replacing e-readers; new video and renderings

By Andrew Berman of Village Preservation

Cubic, the San Diego-based company who was awarded the job of creating the MTA's new cardless fare system, has just announced that the $539.5 million contract award (with additional options worth $33.9 million) has been approved by a vote of the MTA Board. As 6sqft previously reported, Cubic is the same company that developed the MetroCards that replaced subway tokens over 30 years ago. The new MTA system is modeled on the one that has been in use in London’s Underground and commuter railroads.
See the new fare payment system in action

Rare photos of the High Line being demolished in the 1960s tell the story of a changing West Village

Crane with wrecking ball mounted on the trestle. Photo by Peter H. Fritsch (1962). Photo courtesy of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation/Fritsch Family Collection.

October 26, 2017

Rare photos of the High Line being demolished in the 1960s tell the story of a changing West Village

Few structures have had a more far-reaching impact upon the West Village and Chelsea than the High Line. Its construction in 1934, then partial demolition in the early '60s, and final preservation and conversion into a park a decade ago have profoundly shaped the way these neighborhoods have changed over the last 85 years. And while photos of its heyday and those of it today as an internationally recognized public space are plenty, few exist of those interim years. But GVSHP recently acquired some wonderful images of the High Line being demolished in 1962 at Perry Street, donated by the Fritsch Family who lived nearby at 141 Perry Street. The Fritschs’ photos say a lot about how the High Line, and its demolition, changed the West Village. It’s apparent from the images just how much more industrial, and gritty the Far West Village was in those days. But it also shows how the demolition of the High Line left a huge gap in this unpretentious neighborhood, which housed both disappearing industry and a diverse and vital residential community.
See the other photos and learn the whole history

History

Image Twitter/@NYCityAlerts

October 26, 2017

Statue of Teddy Roosevelt outside Natural History Museum vandalized with red paint

Just weeks after activists staged an alternative tour of the American Museum of Natural History to call for its removal, among other things, the equestrian statue of Teddy Roosevelt was vandalized early Thursday morning. The base of the statue, which is maintained by the city’s Department of Parks and not the AMNH, was splattered with red paint […]

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Photo courtesy of Roman Kruglov on Flickr

October 26, 2017

Report breaks down how much time New Yorkers waste waiting for delayed subways

The Independent Budget Office released yet another incriminating report this week about New York City's subway system. Not only are the subway's growing delays costing the city up to $389 million each year, but the IBO also found that delays end up setting back New Yorkers nearly $1.23 million every day in lost work time, totaling about $307 million every year. And now, the budget office on Wednesday released a report that breaks down the length of time passengers wait on a station platform for every subway line, except shuttles. According to the report, the average number of passenger hours lost to delays systemwide during the work week between 7am and 10am this year grew by 45 percent from 2012, up from 24,000 hours to 35,000 hours.
Find out more

Transit

October 26, 2017

Buy Rihanna’s Chinatown penthouse for $17M

By Annie Doge

Rihanna began renting this duplex penthouse at 129 Lafayette Street back in 2013 for $39,000 a month. Since then, the rent has climbed to $50,000, which could be why it's now hit the sales market for $16.95 million (h/t NYP). The sprawling home, located on the border of Chinatown, Little Italy, and Soho, has a massive 2,500-square-foot wrap-around terrace with Empire State Building views, a steel-and-wood floating staircase, custom concrete flooring, and an open layout perfect for hosting soirees.
Check it out

October 26, 2017

Kristen Stewart buys a $5.6M fixer-upper artists’ loft in Noho

Kristen Stewart just purchased a potential-filled Noho artists' loft at 1 Bond Street, the New York Observer reports. The "Twilight Saga" actress and model snagged a 3,000-square-foot fixer-upper in the historic Robbins & Appleton building that boasts three exposures, Corinthian columns, a "highly customizable floor plan" and endless possibilities–for $5.64 million.
More this way

Celebrities

Barry Diller’s Pier 55 offshore park plan is back on with backing from Cuomo

Photo: Pier 55, Inc./Heatherwick Studio.

October 26, 2017

Barry Diller’s Pier 55 offshore park plan is back on with backing from Cuomo

In September, 6sqft reported that billionaire IAC Chairman Barry Diller was giving up on the $250 million project that promised to bring a futuristic offshore park and cultural destination to the Hudson River’s dilapidated Pier 54. Since its beginnings in 2014, the seemingly ill-fated project, known as Pier 55 (or sometimes “Diller Park”), was beleaguered by opposing factions–eventually revealed to be funded by prominent New York real estate developer Douglas Durst–that blocked its progress at every turn. Diller, who had imagined the project as a new Manhattan waterfront icon to rival the nearby High Line, had had enough. In a cautiously optimistic turnaround, it was announced Wednesday that the media mogul–now backed by his recent legal foes and Durst in addition to Governor Andrew Cuomo–was renewing his commitment to move ahead with the project, according to Crain's. Diller said in a statement, "I have had countless people tell me how much they were looking forward to having this new pier, and how unfortunate were the circumstances of its cancellation."
So what happened?

October 25, 2017

An earthy West Village pad with barrel-vaulted brick ceilings asks $2M

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

Located on a tree-lined, cobblestone street in the West Village, an apartment at 131 Perry Street has hit the market for $1.895 million. Currently configured as a two-bedroom, two-bathroom, the home boasts beautiful exposed brick walls and ceilings and a wood burning fireplace. The barrel-vaulted, brick arched ceilings make this a New York City gem, a design element reminiscent of Grand Central Station's ceilings. This unit is one of 14 lofts in a boutique co-op, located within walking distance to Hudson River Park and the Whitney Museum.
See inside

Distinctive Homes

THE 6SQFT SHOP

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10 Ways to Decorate an Exposed Brick Wall Without Drilling

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10 Great Places to Buy Affordable Art in New York City

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262 Fifth Avenue, the tallest tower between Empire State Building and One WTC, gets new details

Rendering via DBOX for Meganom

October 25, 2017

262 Fifth Avenue, the tallest tower between Empire State Building and One WTC, gets new details

There will be a lot of firsts at 262 Fifth Avenue--Nomad's first supertall, Moscow-based firm Meganom's first U.S. project, and NYC's first Russian-designed supertall. 6sqft first uncovered renderings of the super-skinny, 1,009-foot skyscraper in May, revealing its aluminum and glass facade and "striking arched observation deck" at its top. Now, Yimby has gotten its hands on a new rendering, just a day after the Department of Buildings approved plans for the project.
See the new rendering in full

In 1917, a German U-Boat submarine ended up in Central Park

Photo via Library of Congress

October 25, 2017

In 1917, a German U-Boat submarine ended up in Central Park

By Emily Nonko

On October 25th, 1917, New Yorkers were celebrating "Liberty Day," a holiday invented by the federal government to finance the massive effort of entering World War I. One-third of the war's funding would come from the imposition of progressive new taxes, while two-thirds would come from selling "Liberty Bonds" to the American people. The holiday was part of an unprecedented publicity campaign to convince the public to buy the bonds. New Yorkers are notoriously hard to impress, so it's no surprise the government rolled out all the punches: a three-engine Caproni bomber plane flew low among the skyscrapers, a parade of military motorcycles traveled up 5th Avenue, and a captured German U-boat submarine lay festooned with American flags inside Central Park.
Read more about the day's events

History

MTA will test floor-to-ceiling protective barrier on L-train platform

Photo of the L-train via Wikimedia

October 25, 2017

MTA will test floor-to-ceiling protective barrier on L-train platform

As part of its NYC Subway Action Plan aimed at enhancing the straphanger experience, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will install a floor-to-ceiling screen at the L-train’s Third Avenue station to prevent people from jumping or being pushed onto the tracks. As a pilot program, the new screen doors will be put into place in 2019 during the train’s shutdown and are expected to be ready in 2020 when the L-train resumes service. As the New York Post reported, the authority is still working on a design that could work in different sized-stations in the future.
More ahead

15 chances to live around the block from Penn Station, from $621/month

Renderings of Chelsea29 courtesy of CBSK Ironstate & Hill West Architects

October 25, 2017

15 chances to live around the block from Penn Station, from $621/month

Applications for the second batch of affordable apartments at Chelsea29, a 21-story rental building designed by Hill West Architects, are now being accepted (the first batch of 19 launched in May). The luxury tower sits at 221 West 29th Street, conveniently located near Penn Station, the art galleries of Chelsea, and soon-to-be bustling Hudson Yards. Residents will have access to a full-time attended lobby, roof terrace with spots for barbecuing, lounge, and a fitness center. New Yorkers earning 40 and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for 15 apartments ranging from $621/month studios to $2,743/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

City launches online survey for New Yorkers to weigh in on controversial monuments

Photo via

October 25, 2017

City launches online survey for New Yorkers to weigh in on controversial monuments

Almost two months after Mayor de Blasio announced the 18-member Mayoral Advisory Commission on City Art, Monuments and Markers, formed to assess controversial statues and public art on city-owned property, his administration has now revealed that they'll be welcoming feedback from all New Yorkers. According to the Daily News, the city has launched an online survey for the public to weigh in on which markers classify as "symbols of hate" and which should be kept, relocated, or altogether removed. In addition, survey participants can suggest if a monument should receive a contextual or educational plaque, as well as suggest ideas for totally new monuments.
More details ahead

Policy

October 25, 2017

$900K West Village duplex is so cute you won’t notice it’s only eight feet wide

The listing says "Blink and you'll miss it!" and this diminutive duplex at 15 Jones Street in the West Village is definitely not one to miss. To be fair, the warning refers to charm-filled Jones Street, the city's sixth-smallest street, not the fact that this chic retreat on the market for $900,000 is only a bit wider than the average queen-sized bed. The co-op's two floors add a surprising amount of space, separating living and sleeping, with a bathroom on each floor making it great for couples, entertaining and guests.
Take a look at all the good stuff in here

Distinctive Homes

October 24, 2017

De Blasio increases affordable housing goal by 100,000 units

When Mayor de Blasio took office in 2014, one of his main initiatives was his ambitious goal to build and protect 200,000 units of affordable housing over 10 years. But in an announcement today, he revealed that his administration will reach this goal two years early, by 2022, and therefore has set a new goal of 300,000 units by 2026, which will mean securing 25,000 affordable apartments annually by 2021. According to a press release, "the Mayor will unveil a battery of new programs designed to realize this new goal," one of which is the "Neighborhood Pillars" program that "deploy a $275 million public-private fund to target fast-changing neighborhoods where aggressive speculators threaten traditional rent-regulated apartment buildings."
All the details ahead

October 24, 2017

MTA kicks off leaf-fighting season to prevent track ‘slip slide’

Autumn in New York is one of the most majestic times of year—until those beautiful leaves you’re peeping fall on train tracks. So while we’re all oohing and ahhing over the changing trees, the MTA’s leaf-fighting season is in full swing, just in time for the wet weather on the horizon for Tuesday. Crews from the Long Island […]

Uncategorized

Former MTA official suggests a surcharge on rents to pay for transit maintenance

One night, workers removed 41,800 pounds of scrap debris, photo via MTA

October 24, 2017

Former MTA official suggests a surcharge on rents to pay for transit maintenance

Although it’s obvious New York City’s subway system remains in desperate need of repair, it’s less clear how these renovations, and the required infrastructure maintenance, will be funded. During a “Fixing Mass Transit” event hosted by Crain’s, a former official with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Michael Horodniceanu, suggested creating a “transit-maintenance district.” By adding a $1.50 charge to the core business district’s $60-to $70-per-square-foot rents, more than a billion dollars could be raised for transit upkeep, Horodniceanu said (h/t Crain's).
Find out more

Photo courtesy of the UN

October 24, 2017

The history of the United Nations in NYC

Every year on October 24th, 193 countries celebrate United Nations Day, the international holiday commemorating the anniversary of the ratification of the 1945 UN Charter. Beginning in 1948, the holiday is part of a broader United Nations Week, which runs from October 20th to 26th. While the day is a global holiday, the UN and UN Day continue to be unique to New York City, home to the peacekeeping organization’s headquarters since 1952.
More this way

Lord & Taylor’s iconic Fifth Avenue building will become WeWork’s global headquarters

Photo courtesy of Lord & Taylor

October 24, 2017

Lord & Taylor’s iconic Fifth Avenue building will become WeWork’s global headquarters

With rising rents and a national shift towards e-commerce, retail vacancies in NYC have continued to rise, especially in affluent areas like the Fifth Avenue corridor. Old-school department stores, which once served as cultural destinations where shoppers would spend entire afternoons, have been hit especially hard since they occupy such large sites. One of Midtown's most iconic, the 103-year-old Lord & Taylor flagship at Fifth Avenue and 39th Street, has decided to stay afloat by selling its 676,000-square-foot Italian Renaissance building to WeWork for $850 million. The co-working company will relocate its global headquarters to the landmark, reports the Times, leaving less than a quarter of the space, roughly 150,000 square feet, to Lord & Taylor.
Get the whole scoop

Uncategorized

Study: New York City could get hit with a flood every five years instead of every 500

Flooded Battery Park Tunnel after Hurricane Sandy. Image: Timothy Krause via Flickr.

October 24, 2017

Study: New York City could get hit with a flood every five years instead of every 500

With the October 29th anniversary of superstorm Sandy approaching and storms leaving the world's coastlines waterlogged, 6sqft recently covered a new report predicting rising sea levels and a growing flood risk. Now a new study, published Monday, found that New York is almost halfway through a 500-year span of rising seas that began in 1800–and the worst is yet to come. But according to the Washington Post, this increased likelihood of flooding has a silver lining.
Find out more

City Living

Rezoning plan for Sunset Park’s Industry City set into motion

Photo courtesy of Industry City

October 24, 2017

Rezoning plan for Sunset Park’s Industry City set into motion

The public review process for the rezoning of Industry City begins Tuesday, an effort to boost total capital investment of the sprawling campus to $1 billion and generate 13,000 on-site jobs and 7,000 off-site jobs over the next decade. Currently, Industry City sits on 35 acres with 16 buildings in its waterfront Brooklyn neighborhood of Sunset Park. The rezoning would restore the century-old campus and increase total usable square footage from 5.3 million to 6.6 million square feet. After presenting plans to the City Planning Commission and creating an environmental statement, the project will then enter the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) this Spring, followed by the public review process.
Find out more

October 24, 2017

Extroverts, voyeurs and people with nothing to hide will love this $5M Chelsea loft

If you love to entertain–and you think privacy is overrated–this two-bedroom Chelsea loft at 130 West 17th Street is definitely the apartment for you. Asking a lofty $4.95 million, the listing doesn’t mention square footage, though past listings have it at about 2,700 square feet. And though it's described as “intimate enough for private living,” it’s definitely “blurring the lines between public and private spaces” with a shower that’s as crowd-friendly as the home’s three entertainment zones.
See it all, this way

Distinctive Homes

October 23, 2017

Hamptons’ infamous Grey Gardens estate sells for the first time in 40 years

After two years as a rental and seven months on the market, the infamous Grey Gardens Estate has gone into contract for the first time in 40 years. The 28-room mansion was last listed for $18 million, but according to the Washington Post, the exact sales price and buyer haven't yet been revealed. Though now a stunning Hamptons home, as 6sqft previously explained, it gained notoriety as a "decrepit, crumbling, cat-infested, overgrown horror," after its isolated residents, Edith wing Bouvier Beale and her daughter Edith Bouvier Beale (the aunt and cousin to Jackie O), were featured in the 1975 documentary "Grey Gardens."
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Comptroller wants on-time rent payments to count towards credit scores

Photo via Wikimedia

October 23, 2017

Comptroller wants on-time rent payments to count towards credit scores

City Comptroller Scott Stringer unveiled a plan on Monday that would allow renters in New York City to count on-time, monthly payments toward their credit score. While homeowners who punctually pay a mortgage can boost their credit, renters currently cannot count on-time payments in the same way. Those without credit or bad credit often pay higher interest rates on loans and other monthly bills, like utilities or cell phone payments. As the New York Times reported, Stringer’s office looked at a sampling of tenants who pay less than $2,000 per month and found that 76 percent of them would improve their credit scores if rent payments were reported. Stringer told the Times that his plan "could create a powerful credit history that could lift you out of poverty."
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NYC trick-or-treat: The best neighborhoods for sweets and scares

Screen capture of ‘Hocus Pocus’

October 23, 2017

NYC trick-or-treat: The best neighborhoods for sweets and scares

By Susan Cohen

Halloween is a lot like real estate; both the holiday and the industry place a premium on size and neighborhood, it's not unheard of to hear phrases like "tons of it" and "prime location" used to describe trick-or-treating or a new listing, and when it comes down to it, apartment hunters and trick-or-treaters want the same things: the best block, thoughtful exteriors, attention to details, and most importantly, value. Ahead, 6sqft has put together a list of some of the best blocks across the five boroughs to score sweets and scares. Just remember to bring along your broker parent and to count the square feet pieces of candy.
Where to spend Halloween this year

October 23, 2017

J.P. Morgan’s 120-year-old ‘Great Camp Uncas’ in the Adirondacks finally sells

By Emily Nonko

A new owner has claimed the stately Great Camp Uncas compound, nestled among the Adirondack forest and lakefront. The secluded property was built in 1895 by Brooklynite William West Durant, credited with perfecting the style of the Adirondack Great Camps of the Gilded Age. This particular camp—at 1,500 acres—was impressive enough for financier J.P. Morgan to purchase it in 1897. It was used as a vacation home for him and his family the next 50 years. Since then the property has traded hands several times, and a parcel of it last hit the market in 2015 for $3.25 million. An unsuccessful sales run caused a price drop, in 2016, to $2.7 million. According to the brokerage firm Franklin Ruttan, one lucky owner has snapped it up.
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One Manhattan Square

252 South Street

Lower East Side

Sweeping views and endless amenities

1 beds starting at $1,230,000
2 beds starting at $1,990,000
3 beds starting at $2,790,000

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Prospect Park will go permanently car-free starting January 2, 2018!

Image Prospect Park Alliance

October 23, 2017

Prospect Park will go permanently car-free starting January 2, 2018!

For walkers, joggers, and cyclists, Prospect Park will soon be a completely car-free refuge. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Monday that the park will permanently become car-free, beginning January 2, 2018. Currently, Prospect Park’s East Drive is still open to cars during morning rush hour. Prospect Park previously went car-free this past summer. From […]

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MTA’s new cardless fare system will be rolled out by 2020

Image: Phil Hollenback via Flickr.

October 23, 2017

MTA’s new cardless fare system will be rolled out by 2020

6sqft previously reported on the launch of testing on a mobile device scanning and fare payment system with the goal of eventually phasing out the use of MetroCards in the New York City subway system. New turnstiles have already been installed in the Bowling Green and Wall Street Stations, where riders can make the transfer using scanners that allow them to swipe their phones. According to the New York Times, a rollout of the new fare system citywide is not far off: The new readers will hit 500 subway turnstiles and 600 bus fare boxes starting in late 2018; the remainder of subway stations and buses will have them by late 2020.
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De Blasio unveils five-point plan to reduce congestion on NYC’s busiest streets

Photo via Lucas Klappas on Flickr

October 23, 2017

De Blasio unveils five-point plan to reduce congestion on NYC’s busiest streets

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Sunday a five-point plan designed to ease congestion in the city’s busiest neighborhoods. The program, called “Clear Lanes,” includes a series of initiatives like creating new moving lanes in Midtown, clearing curbs during rush hour and expanding NYPD enforcement of block-the-box violations. Beginning in January, in addition to the heavily congested Midtown, rush-hour deliveries will be banned during a six-month test run on Roosevelt Avenue in Queens and Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn (h/t New York Times).
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October 23, 2017

For $3,500 a month, this Bed-Stuy brownstone rental has charm, personality, and a private backyard