6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

Photo by Axel Drainville on Flickr Three middle-income units are up for grabs at a newly constructed building in the East Tremont neighborhood of the Bronx. Located at 1779 Weeks Avenue, the rental sits just steps from the B and D train, making Midtown commutes a breeze. Plus, residents can enjoy open space, playgrounds and a public pool at Claremont Park, which is just a few blocks south. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for one $1,100/studio and two $1,300/month one-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

INTERVIEW: Lighting designer Joel Fitzpatrick on his desire to permanently illuminate Manhattan

Aurora at 277 Fifth Avenue, courtesy of Victor Group and Lendlease

June 8, 2018

INTERVIEW: Lighting designer Joel Fitzpatrick on his desire to permanently illuminate Manhattan

Joel Fitzpatrick is a master of many trades. He has a diverse background in theater, fashion, interior design, and dance but the one common element through everything he does is light. Fitzpatrick started as a sculptor but yearned for more collaboration and found that through lighting. In his most recent work, a dynamic, multicolored light show called "Aurora" for Rafael Viñoly's 277 Fifth Avenue, his career has come full circle. After feeling the cosmos pulsate with the northern lights, there was no turning back. Now Fitzpatrick dreams of building an outdoor light show to permanently shine on the Manhattan skyline. 6sqft recently talked to Fitzpatrick, who shines a light on how his past informed his present and what to expect from him in the future.
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East Harlem’s affordable Sendero Verde complex gets fresh renderings and a 384-unit mixed-use tower

Rendering courtesy of Handel Architects

June 8, 2018

East Harlem’s affordable Sendero Verde complex gets fresh renderings and a 384-unit mixed-use tower

Permits have been filed for a 37-story, 384-unit tower in East Harlem as part of Sendero Verde, a massive mixed-use complex developed by Jonathan Rose Companies and L + M Development. The site's newest building is set to rise at 1681 Madison Avenue and measure just over 385,000 square feet. Floors five through 36 of the Handel Architects-designed building will contain 12 apartments each; offices and retail space will occupy the first three levels, as CityRealty learned. A fresh pair of renderings of Sendero Verde highlights the winding central landscaped path, nonprofit DREAM's charter school and the extensive community space planned for the development.
More this way

Affordable Housing

June 8, 2018

Deal struck to fund discounted MetroCards for low-income New Yorkers

Image by Ged Carroll on Flickr Reduced-fare MetroCards may soon become a reality for low-income straphangers, as Mayor Bill de Blasio and the City Council have reached a deal Wednesday to provide roughly $100 million in funding to the program. The mayor's agreement with Speaker Corey Johnson, who has been one of the most vocal supporters of a Fair Fares program, means the city would fully subsidize the cost of providing half-price MetroCards to New Yorkers who fall below the federal poverty line, or a household income of $25,000 for a family of four. Nearly 800,000 New Yorkers could benefit from the discounted fares. Under the tentative deal, the city would allocate $106 million in its upcoming budget, which would pay for six months of the program beginning in January, according to the New York Times.
Find out more

June 8, 2018

Three outdoor spaces make this Park Slope triplex worth its $2.2M ask

This two-bedroom North Park Slope triplex at 694 Degraw Street has three extremely covetable outdoor spaces--two balconies and one gorgeous, sun-drenched rooftop deck. It also has plenty of indoor charm, with exposed brick walls, a cool library mezzanine, and a red metal staircase. At just under 1,600 square feet, the condo is asking $2,195,000.
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Distinctive Homes

June 8, 2018

Progress, pricing and new renderings for David Adjaye’s 130 William Street skyscraper

Back in April 6sqft reported on the progress of British-Ghanian architect David Adjaye's first NYC skyscraper at 130 William street, with the nearly-800-foot tower at street level and rising. Adjaye, who has achieved international renown for projects like the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, has been knighted by Queen Elizabeth II and named one of TIME’s 2017 most influential people, was inspired by the historic masonry architecture of the Financial District for the new building's anything-but-ordinary design. And we're now seeing more of that design: The New York Times reveals information on what the pricing for the building's 800 units is likely to be once sales launch, along with some new renderings of its unique architecture and interiors.
Let's hear those prices. And when can we move in?

Distinctive Homes

This $16.7M Cobble Hill home is like having your own private club in a Brooklyn brownstone

Park Avenue penthouse with enormous terrace owned by Maurice Tempelsman lists for $5.5M

For $59.5M, live in Bobby Axelrod's Tribeca penthouse from 'Billions'

Sting's former Central Park West pad is back on the market for $45M

185-acre equestrian estate that once belonged to the Carnegie family heads to auction

Brooklyn Heights townhouse sells for $24.5M, the borough's priciest sale of 2026

An elevator makes this $4.2M Greenpoint townhouse a timeless forever home

Bob Dylan's historic Harlem townhouse sells for $2.8M

This $5.5M two-family townhouse is classic East Village living at its best

$15M penthouse in a gold cupola high above Fifth Avenue heads to auction this month

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Late night weekday subway changes once again rival the weekend in terms of disruption

Photo via Christina McCartey/Flickr

June 8, 2018

Late night weekday subway changes once again rival the weekend in terms of disruption

By Hannah Frishberg

For the second week in the row, the incumbent late night weekday service changes are arguably worse than those on the weekend. The Q and S alone are the only lines without set service changes, and who knows what kind of signal delays might change even that small bit of reassurance.
In terms of service changes, the weekdays are beginning to meld with the weekends

Transit

How the cardboard box was accidentally invented in a NYC factory

55 Washington Street in 1907, courtesy of the Skyscaper Museum

June 7, 2018

How the cardboard box was accidentally invented in a NYC factory

New Yorkers are known for their innovative thinking: Inventions like Scrabble, credit cards, and even Baked Alaska all came from local creators. A little less exciting, but still a crucial contraption, the cardboard box was also invented in New York City. Like many discoveries, the box came to be only after a careless mistake. Scottish-born entrepreneur Robert Gair owned a paper bag factory on Reade Street in Manhattan. One day in 1879, a pressman accidentally cut through thousands of small seed bags, instead of pressing them. Following the accident, Gair, who moved headquarters to Dumbo, developed a method for the mass production of cardboard boxes and later supplied major companies like Kellogg and Nabisco.
Find out more

History

June 7, 2018

Live next to foodie-favorite Smorgasburg in Williamsburg, from $1,407/month

Photo via Harold Navarro on Flickr A lottery launched this week for affordable apartments across two multi-family apartment buildings in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn. Located at 27 and 34 North 6th Street, the 347-unit site sits just steps away from the waterfront as well as the East River State Park, home to stunning views and beloved weekly market, Smorgasburg. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 80 percent of the area median income can apply for the units ranging from a $1,407/month studio to a $1,820/month two-bedroom.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

June 7, 2018

Lincoln Square’s grand finale: From slum clearance to a new master plan

Lincoln Square, a part of the Upper West Side, is a literal square of approximately 50 blocks that runs east-west from Central Park West to the West Side Drive and north-south from 59th to 72nd Streets. The neighborhood, which is bisected by Broadway and contains the Lincoln Center “superblock,” has an enormous amount of culture, loads of prestigious schools, tons of old-school luxury residences lining the park, and a massive, five-acre, four-building new development called Waterline Square, finalizing a decades-long master plan for the neighborhood. Ahead, we take a look at the neighborhood's history, from its Dutch roots to Robert Moses' slum clearance, modern residential development, and all the amenities that make this area more fun than one may think.
Your guide to Lincoln Square

Events & Things To Do

New Jersey City rental debuts in leafy, historic Hamilton Park

Interior ‘canyon’ with stepped terraces via HWKN.

June 7, 2018

New Jersey City rental debuts in leafy, historic Hamilton Park

Following the much-documented Jersey City launches of the Journal Squared and Ellipse projects, a new rental building has opened at 485 Marin Boulevard in JC's Hamilton Park neighborhood, known for its historic Victorian homes and streets lined with colorful cafes, shops and restaurants. The new residence comes from KRE Group– the developers behind the Journal Squared project–and is offering studios and one, two and three-bedroom apartments that start at $2,300 for a studio with the added incentive of a free month on a 13-month lease and two free months on a 26-month lease.
Get a closer look

June 7, 2018

Anti-bigotry ‘service’ posters hit NYC subway stations for Pride Month

The normally drab service posters found across the city's subway stations got a burst of color this month. Instead of detailing changes to late-night train service, these rainbow-adorned signs remind commuters that no "bigotry, hatred or prejudice" is allowed at any time, as Pride Month, a celebration of LGBTQ love, kicks off. Originally created by School of Visual Arts faculty member Thomas Shim and alumni Ezequiel Consoli and Jack Welles (Kyle Harrison was added to the core team this year), the posters will remain fastened to the station walls throughout the month of June.
More details here

June 7, 2018

$3.7M historic Hamilton Heights townhouse hits the market for the first time in 50 years

Here's a rare opportunity to own one of the gorgeous neo-Tudor townhouses on Convent Avenue in Hamilton Heights. Built in 1890 and offered for the first time in 50 years, 327 Convent Avenue is asking $3.7 million. Located a gorgeous block steeped in history (Alexander Hamilton's country estate was originally just one block away), this six-bedroom home is nearly 5,000 square feet with tons of original details and a sun-drenched backyard.
Get a look inside

Torn off by a fan in 1973, a right field sign from the old Yankee Stadium just sold for $55K

Photo via Clean Sweep Auctions

June 7, 2018

Torn off by a fan in 1973, a right field sign from the old Yankee Stadium just sold for $55K

On September 30, 1973, during the last home game at Yankee Stadium before the historic arena underwent two years of renovations, diehard baseball fans came wielding screwdrivers and hammers. Not to fight fans from the opposing team of that night's game, the Detroit Tigers, but to dismantle any memorabilia from "The House That Ruth Built." One fan somehow got his hands on a right field sign wall that designates the 296-foot distance from home plate (h/t Forbes). A family member of the brazen fan put up the sign for auction last month and on Wednesday, after 18 bids, the 1960s era sign sold for a final sale price of $55,344.
Find out more

History

June 7, 2018

Study: A former freight line on the Lower Montauk branch could help a Queens transportation desert

How do you connect the fastest-growing census tract in the U.S. to New York City’s public transportation hubs? Architecture firm Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), whose New York City work includes the master plan for Hudson Yards, One Vanderbilt and Two Waterline Square, has released a "visioning study" that explores how the repurposing of the QNS, an 8.5 mile Lower Montauk Branch rail line, into a new transit line in Queens that could revitalize neighborhoods, provide affordable housing, create jobs and add transit service to the over nine square miles of New York City that contain three of the city’s largest and most successful Industrial Business Zones (Maspeth, Long Island City, and North Brooklyn) and two of Queens’ largest central business districts (Long Island City and Jamaica Center), adding to the long-term growth of those districts and creating thousands of potential new jobs.
Find out more

Rafael Viñoly reveals new renderings of ‘Auto Row’ office addition

Historically, Auto Row, the stretch of eleventh in the 50s, has been somewhat a no-man's land to most, save for those rare New Yorkers who own a car. But with Hudson Yards pushing development westward, it's now coming out of the shadows. One of these projects is Rafael Viñoly Architects' addition to 787 Eleventh Avenue, an Art Deco industrial building that was originally home to the Packard Motor Company when it opened in 1927 to the designs of Albert Kahn. Viñoly's $100 million commission is adding two stories off office space to the top of the eight-story building, converting the other floors to commercial space, and retaining the current auto dealerships on the lower five levels. It's been more than two years since the first renderings were revealed, and now the firm has released an additional batch that show aerial views of the addition, more office views, and a closer look at the 12,000-square-foot roof deck.
More details and renderings ahead

June 6, 2018

Apply for 4 affordable apartments in blossoming Bushwick, from $985/month

Rendering via Andy McGee Design Located where Bushwick's bustling Myrtle and Central Avenues meet, a newly constructed rental building at 1164-1168 Greene Avenue is offering up four affordable apartments. The 20-unit, four-story building features amenities like a lounge, laundry room and terraces. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for two $985/month one-bedrooms and two $1,114/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

June 6, 2018

Old and new meet at this $1.4M Greenpoint duplex with brick feature wall and glass-enclosed staircase

Located in 62 Norman Avenue, a three-story building built in 1898 on the border of Greenpoint and Williamsburg, this large, 1,250-square-foot duplex condo has been beautifully renovated, blending old and new. With an exposed brick feature wall and beautiful, custom glasswork around the stairs, the stylish two-bedroom is asking $1,395,000.
Get a look

Distinctive Homes

Interactive tool tracks the declining affordability of New York City

Phoo via CC0 License

June 6, 2018

Interactive tool tracks the declining affordability of New York City

Between 2005 and 2016, the cost of basic needs like housing, transit, food and healthcare has grown at twice the rate of incomes in New York City, according to a new report released by City Comptroller Scott Stringer on Monday. Stringer's office created a first-of-its-kind Affordability Index to track how much money New Yorkers have left over after taxes and basic expenses. The numbers are not comforting. The report found that single adults living in NYC had just $641 leftover after taxes and basic expenses in 2016, compared to $831 a decade ago. "Over the last decade, the money that New Yorkers could be putting away – for retirement, for college, or even for a simple family night out – has been shrinking," Stringer said in a press release. "Our growing affordability crisis is making it harder for families to enjoy a basic middle-class lifestyle – and is forcing them to choose between staying in New York City and leaving."
Explore the index

June 6, 2018

Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards unloads Washington Square penthouse at a loss

By Annie Doge

It was only four years ago that Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards and his wife, model Patti Hansen, bought the penthouse at celeb-filled 1 Fifth Avenue for $10.5 million. Two years later, after an overhaul by architect Joe Serrins, the rock legend listed the Greenwich Village spread for $12.23 million. But as it goes, "You Can't Always Get What You Want," and in October 2017 he dropped the price to $12 million even and brought it celebrity stager Cheryl Eisen. The price continued to decline, dropping to $11 million this past November, and most recently $9.95 million. Now, the Observer reports that it's gone into contract, meaning he more than likely took a loss.
Check out the penthouse

City’s Gowanus rezoning draft calls for more public space, residential development

The banks of the Gowanus. Image courtesy of Department of City Planning

June 6, 2018

City’s Gowanus rezoning draft calls for more public space, residential development

Attempts to rezone the area surrounding the Gowanus Canal, a neighborhood both affluent and in transition, have been in the works for over a decade. Now, Brownstoner reports, the long-anticipated Draft Planning and Land Use Framework of Gowanus has just been released by the Department of City Planning (DCP). The 188-page report is the result of 100 hours of outreach since the launch of the Gowanus PLACES Study in 2016 as well as information contained in a previous Bridging Gowanus Study released in 2014.
Find out more

Architecture And Design

June 6, 2018

All the places in NYC to watch free outdoor movies this summer

After a winter like ours, who wants to go inside again? Thankfully, there are tons of opportunities in New York City to stay outside all day, even to see movies. And what's better than enjoying the warm weather by scoping out your place on the lawn, picnicking, sipping your favorite summer drink, and enjoying a film under the city lights. (Best of all, they’re free!) Ahead, we've rounded up 16 of the best outdoor movie screenings, from spots up and down the Hudson to cool rooftops to unique locales like the plaza outside the Oculus and the Intrepid's flight deck.
Check out the whole list

Events & Things To Do

Amazing aerial photos show One Vanderbilt’s ascent

Photo by Max Touhey

June 6, 2018

Amazing aerial photos show One Vanderbilt’s ascent

Construction of SL Green's supertall One Vanderbilt continues to push forward, with the steel erection on the 16th floor now complete. By the end of the year, the developer expects to reach the 30th floor of the Kohn Pedersen Fox-designed, 1,401-foot skyscraper, which will become the city's second tallest skyscraper when completed in 2020. A fresh set of aerial photos of the tower provide a new perspective of the surrounding buildings, including neighboring Grand Central Terminal. And with even more sky-high news, SL Green reportedly announced that tickets to One Vanderbilt's 1,000-foot observatory will cost about $39, or $5 more than that of One WTC.
See the pictures

Photo credit: Daniel Levin

June 6, 2018

REVEALED: First look at Williamsburg’s Domino Park ahead of Sunday opening

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

Two Trees Management announced today that Domino Park, the long-awaited new waterfront recreational public space at the 11-acre Domino Sugar Factory site, will celebrate its grand opening this Sunday, June 10. In April, 6sqft revealed renderings of the new park and esplanade that will anchor the three-million-square-foot Williamsburg mega-development at the Domino Sugar Factory site, designed by James Corner Field Operations (of the High Line fame). The quarter-mile long public park, located just north of the Williamsburg Bridge, celebrates the history of one of the city's most iconic industrial waterfront sites with adaptively reused syrup tanks, warehouse columns, and original cranes (now painted the park's signature turquoise color "untealed"). There will also be a taco kiosk from Danny Meyer, a water feature, bocce courts, and a children's playground designed by Mark Reigelman as a reinterpretation of the original factory.
Check out industrial artifacts, water features and more

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

50 places to shop locally in NYC for that perfect gift

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

10 best plants for apartment dwellers

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June 5, 2018

Lord & Taylor is closing its 104-year-old Fifth Avenue flagship store

Photo courtesy of Lord & Taylor Lord & Taylor's iconic New York City flagship store will close its doors next year, after occupying the Fifth Avenue building for 104 years. In an attempt to keep afloat last year, Hudson's Bay, owner of the department store, sold the 676,000-square-foot building for $850 million to WeWork, who planned to make the landmark its new global headquarters. While Lord & Taylor was left with roughly 150,000 square feet of space at 424 Fifth Avenue, the company struggled to maintain profitability after the turnover of the building to WeWork. Including the iconic flagship, the company will also close as many as 10 Lord & Taylor stores total (h/t Bloomberg). In a first-quarter report, Hudson's Bay said: "Exiting this iconic space reflects Lord & Taylor's increasing focus on its digital opportunity and HBC's commitment to improving profitability."
More here

Real Estate Trends

June 5, 2018

Lottery opens for 13 middle-income units in Bed-Stuy, from $1,744/month

As any New Yorker knows, convenience is key, but it'll often cost you. The city's latest affordable housing lottery, however, offers a location on the same block as the Franklin Avenue stop in Bed-Stuy, and just a short walk to both the subway and LIRR at Nostrand Avenue. The brand new building at 1068 Fulton Street has 13 middle-income units up for grabs for New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income, including $1,744/month one-bedrooms and $2,099/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

51 stunning ‘Sing for Hope’ pianos will hit the streets of NYC this summer

Sing for Hope Pianos via Sing for Hope

June 5, 2018

51 stunning ‘Sing for Hope’ pianos will hit the streets of NYC this summer

Starting this week, 51 beautifully painted pianos will pop up across New York City, available to anyone interested in striking a few keys. As part of its seventh annual event, Sing for Hope is setting up the pianos in parks, public spaces and other high-traffic outside locations in the city from June 4 to June 24. Following this summer stint, the pianos will get permanent homes in 50 public schools. The brightly colored and funkily patterned pianos were painted by artists from around the world, with each instrument featuring its own theme.
Learn more

Events & Things To Do

The West Side Cowboys and the railway cars that killed 436 people before 1906

West Side Cowboy on Death Avenue, via Kalmbach Publishing Co.

June 5, 2018

The West Side Cowboys and the railway cars that killed 436 people before 1906

By Rebecca Paul

The now-defunct elevated train lines of Manhattan are well known today thanks to their reincarnation as the High Line. But before this raised structure was put in place, the west side was home to a deadly train system appropriately referred to by locals as "The Butcher." The full-size railway line ran from 1846 to 1941 between 10th and 11th Avenues without barriers, fences or platforms, earning the route the nickname "Death Avenue" before it was taken out of operation for causing more than 430 fatalities--deaths that not even true western cowboys could stop.
The whole history right this way

June 5, 2018

Jessica Lange drops $3.3M on her second co-op at 1 Fifth Avenue

Jessica Lange is movin’ on up. According to city property records first spotted by The Real Deal, the Academy-award winning actress bought the two-bedroom co-op directly above her current home in 1 Fifth Avenue. Lange paid $3.3 million, more than $500,000 under the asking price, for the sun-filled unit, which is much in need of updating. But this won't be a problem if the speculation that she's looking to combine the two apartments is true.
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City unveils plan to keep fashion industry in the Garment District

Photo via via Alexandra Ferguson

June 5, 2018

City unveils plan to keep fashion industry in the Garment District

The city released on Monday a plan to preserve at least 300,000 square feet of production space in the Garment District for the fashion industry by providing tax breaks for owners who lease manufacturing space. While the district, bound by 35th and 40th Streets and Broadway and Ninth Avenue, was once home to hundreds of thousands of fashion jobs, it has lost 85 percent of firms in the last three decades. In addition to the tax incentives, the plan creates a new zoning rule that would help limit the construction of hotels by introducing a special permit. The Garment Center IDA program, backed by City Hall, the city's Economic Development Corporation, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and industry leaders, also includes lifting previous protections from a 1987 mandate that preserves millions of square feet of apparel-production space on certain side streets. According to the Wall Street Journal, if the plan is approved by the city council, owners would be allowed to convert buildings to other uses, like offices.
More here

Policy

June 5, 2018

$1.2M 18th-century stone mill in NJ was transformed into a home full of original details

Less than 50 miles from NYC, a piece of history is for sale for $1,175,000 in Hackettstown, New Jersey (h/t CIRCA). The landmark Beattystown Stone Mill, built around 1750, was redesigned, reconstructed, and renovated by Yale architect/owner Charles Buckley, in the 1980s. Sitting above the Musconetcong River in Warren County on over 1,500 feet of river frontage, this incredibly unique home with four bedrooms has almost 6,000 square feet of open concept, loft-style living space with exposed hewn ceiling beams and structural and sculptural beams, stone walls, an entire wall of glass, and even the original millrace that still flows under the living room!
You have to see inside

June 4, 2018

City sells million-dollar homes in Bed-Stuy to 10 families for roughly half price

Photo via CityRealty New York City has sold 10 homes valued between $1 and $1.2 million to Brooklyn families for about half the price, as part of an initiative to promote affordable homeownership throughout the five boroughs. The two-family homes are located throughout the Bed-Stuy neighborhood and sold for between an estimated $407,000 and $625,000 (h/t NY Post). To qualify for the affordable homes, the families had to apply through a housing lottery and earn 90 or 130 percent of the are median income, which ranges roughly between $50,856 for a family of three and $153,790 for a family of seven.
Get the details

Why is Woodlawn Cemetery carving its trees into animals?

Photos courtesy of William Christ

June 4, 2018

Why is Woodlawn Cemetery carving its trees into animals?

By Stephanie Hoina

Opened in 1863, and long known as the final resting place of some of history’s most notable figures-- Irving Berlin, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Robert Moses, F.W. Woolworth, and Herman Melville, to name a few--the Bronx’s Woodlawn Cemetery and Conservatory is also home to many treasures of the living variety. When one of Woodlawn's trees (of which there are a whopping 140 different species!) meets its ultimate fate, the cemetery doesn't merely bury it but rather celebrates its life by carving it into an animal that can be found on the grounds.
Find out the meaning behind this tradition

June 4, 2018

For under $1M, this Soho co-op has a dreamy urban terrace

The railroad layout may not seem ideal at first, but this one-bedroom Soho co-op more than makes up for it with two bathrooms and a dreamy outdoor terrace. Asking $945,000, the apartment at 57 Thompson Street lends itself to a shabby chic aesthetic, with whitewashed brick walls, cozy angled rooms, and large windows perfect for window boxes and hanging plants.
The inside is just as charming

Distinctive Homes

Kushner Cos. will buy remaining stake in 666 Fifth Avenue from Vornado for $120M

Google Street View of 666 Fifth Avenue

June 4, 2018

Kushner Cos. will buy remaining stake in 666 Fifth Avenue from Vornado for $120M

Kushner Companies has agreed to purchase the remaining 49.5 percent stake in 666 Fifth Avenue from Vornado Realty Trust for $120 million, nearly wrapping up the drawn-out saga of the problem-plagued condo tower. According to the Wall Street Journal, Vornado said the contract with Kushner is expected to close in the third quarter of this year and is conditional and "there can be no assurance that this transaction will be completed." Kushner Cos. first purchased the 41-story building in 2007 for a record $1.8 billion, but the economic recession created enormous financial strain for the company. To help restructure the building's major debt, they brought in Vornado, which purchased the stake in the building for $80 million and the assumption of half the property's $1.2 billion mortgage in 2011.
Find out more

Policy

6sqft guide: How to find a child-friendly apartment in NYC

Photo via Pexels

June 4, 2018

6sqft guide: How to find a child-friendly apartment in NYC

By Cait Etherington

Everyone loves kids, right? While this may be true in most cases, when it comes to renting and buying apartments, kids can be a deal breaker. To be clear, in NYC, owners cannot discriminate against renters with children, but there are a few exceptions. For example, co-ops, which are free to come up with their own selection criteria so long as it doesn’t overtly discriminate, can privilege quiet tenants over potentially loud tenants. If you have a couple of toddlers or even teens who look like they might be prone to hosting all-night parties or jam sessions in your living room, you might find yourself looking for housing elsewhere. But don’t be discouraged. After all, New York is home to more kids than any other U.S. city. As of 2016, over 21% of New York City residents were under 18 and more than 6.6% were under five. With roughly 1.8 million infants, toddlers, kids, tweens, and teens living here, most city buildings are home to children and adolescents. The challenge facing parents is finding a building that is not only tolerant of kids but has the facilities, location, and support needed to make one’s childrearing experience easier rather than harder. This 6sqft Guide offers tips for prospective and new parents, as well as those who are not new to parenting but are new to the city, who are looking to rent or buy in a child-friendly building and neighborhood.
Our full guide to finding a child-friendly home in NYC

Cynthia Nixon calls for congestion pricing and millionaires’ tax to fund subway repairs

Photo via Wikimedia

June 4, 2018

Cynthia Nixon calls for congestion pricing and millionaires’ tax to fund subway repairs

Actress and candidate for governor Cynthia Nixon released last week her plan to fix New York City's transit system and many of the ideas look pretty familiar. To pay for much-needed subway repairs, Nixon's plan calls for congestion pricing, a concept supported by her opponent Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and a millionaires' tax, an idea backed by Mayor Bill de Blasio (h/t NY Post). Her campaign also details imposing a polluter fee on fossil fuel companies to "generate billions of dollars to be used to fund New York’s transition to green energy." And while disparaging the MTA remains one of the focal points of her campaign, Nixon's plan to upgrade the subways is nearly identical to the Fast Forward plan released by NYC Transit Authority President Andy Byford last month. Jon Weinstein, a spokesperson for the MTA, said in a statement: "After three months of slamming the MTA in the press, Ms. Nixon released a plan to fix the subways and it was the MTA’s plan. Thanks."
More details here

June 4, 2018

Long Island Arts and Crafts home with a barn and koi pond asks 1.2M

Once a working farm, this Arts & Crafts home sits on a 2.2-acre property that abuts a deeded horse preserve in the Historic District of East Moriches, Long Island. Asking $1.2 million, the home blends vintage details like quality craftsmanship, wood and glass details, and a classic floor plan with modern amenities like a renovated gourmet kitchen, central air, and a new master bath. And the charm extends, too, with rolling gardens, a heated barn, and even a koi pond.
Tour the whole property

Distinctive Homes

Images (L to R): The Rollins, 63 Wall Street, 1 Flatbush Avenue and Sky

June 2, 2018

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

By Ondel Hylton

Images (L to R): The Rollins, 63 Wall Street, 1 Flatbush Avenue and Sky The Rollins in Essex Crossing Now 65% Leased: Up to Three Months Free on Remaining Units [link] Luxury Rental 63 Wall Street with Residents-Only Speakeasy, Now Leasing with 1 – 2 Months Free [link] Live at SKY: Coveted 42nd Street Rental […]

Real Estate Trends

June 1, 2018

Greenwich Village apartment where Buddy Holly recorded his final songs lists for $1.6M

Before his untimely death in 1959--the "day the music died"--Buddy Holly briefly lived at the then-brand-new Brevoort apartment building in Greenwich Village. His band the Crickets had moved to NYC in 1958 to be a part of the music scene, so Holly and new wife Maria Elena Santiago rented a corner two-bedroom apartment with a wrap-around terrace for just $1,000 a month. This unit, where he made his final recordings of "Crying," "Waiting, Hoping," and "Peggy Sue Got Married," has just hit the market for $1,595,000 (h/t Curbed).
See his former home

Lottery launches for a boatload of affordable apartments across Brooklyn, from $850/month

Photo via CityRealty

June 1, 2018

Lottery launches for a boatload of affordable apartments across Brooklyn, from $850/month

A lottery launched this week for 16 renovated, affordable apartments across five different Brooklyn neighborhoods: Prospect Heights, Clinton Hill, Flatbush, Williamsburg and Bushwick. Units available include four studios, four one-bedrooms, six two-bedrooms and two four-bedrooms. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for the affordable units ranging from $850/month studios to $1,427/month four-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

June 1, 2018

Own a pair of 1840s clapboard houses in Clinton Hill for $4.4M

By Andrew Berman of Village Preservation

Wooden houses are certainly dispersed throughout Brooklyn, but it's a rare opportunity when one hits the market. A few months ago, we uncovered a listing for Crown Heights' oldest home, a circa-1850s wood frame. Now, a pair of rare clapboard homes have hit the market in Clinton Hill and they're even older. Numbers 448 and 450 Waverly Avenue are thought to have been built in the 1840s or even earlier, according to the neighborhood's designation report. "The unusual pair of extremely wide (25 feet) clapboard houses" are the only example of pure Greek Revival buildings in the district, and they can be yours, individually or together for $4.4 million.
Take the tour

720 West End Avenue

Upper West Side

Serene Upper West Side homes near Riverside Park

1 beds starting at $1,005,000
2 beds starting at $2,495,000
3 beds starting at $3,495,000
4 beds starting at $5,850,000

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She shot Andy Warhol: The story behind actress Valerie Solanas’ attempt to assassinate a NYC icon

Photo of the Decker Building via Wally Gobetz on Flickr; photo of Andy Warhol via Wikimedia

June 1, 2018

She shot Andy Warhol: The story behind actress Valerie Solanas’ attempt to assassinate a NYC icon

1968 was a turbulent year marked by riots, massive protests, and assassinations of notable political figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy. But 50 years ago on June 3, 1968, an attempted assassination in New York City shook the downtown art world more deeply and personally than any of these other headline-grabbing events. Perhaps that was because it involved two quintessentially downtown figures — one a world-famous artist; the other, a struggling, mentally unbalanced aspiring writer/performer/self-proclaimed social propagandist, whose greatest claim to fame ended up being her attempt to kill the former, her one-time employer.
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History

June 1, 2018

Enjoy a living green roof at this $800K Prospect Heights co-op

This very well thought out, bright and light, architect-designed Prospect Heights co-op has amazing outdoor spaces with a private 350-square-foot roof deck surrounded by a common living green roof. The one-bedroom plus sleeping loft at 430 Sterling Place also boasts high ceilings, exposed white brick walls, and a ton of built-in storage, all for $799,000.
See it all

Distinctive Homes

June 1, 2018

New, permanent public pool coming to Brooklyn Bridge Park

A conceptual rendering of the pool via Brooklyn Bridge Park After five years of having a pop-up pool at Pier 2, Brooklyn Heights is getting its own permanent public pool. This morning, Brooklyn Bridge Park officially announced plans to build a pool at Squibb Park, above Pier 1 near the Pierhouse condo. Together with the NYC Parks Department, BBP will develop, operate and maintain the pool and future amenities. Tentatively, the pool is scheduled to open in 2020, with community planning sessions to be held this summer and fall ahead of issuing a Request for Design Proposals.
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Architecture And Design

Delayed feasibility study for proposed BQX streetcar costing taxpayers at least $7M

Photo via Friends of the BQX

June 1, 2018

Delayed feasibility study for proposed BQX streetcar costing taxpayers at least $7M

The plan to bring a 16-mile light-rail trolley between Brooklyn and Queens has already cost taxpayers millions of dollars, even before the feasibility of the project has been determined. The study has cost the city $7 million in taxpayer money so far, according to the New York Post. And while the city's Economic Development Corporation promised to have the study completed last fall, this week the agency said they would not put a timeline on its release. Mayor Bill de Blasio first backed the Brooklyn Queens Connector (BQX) project in February 2016, but a series of delays and funding concerns have put the trolley on hold. The proposed streetcar was left out of the city's budget proposal last month, further delaying studies into the project's plausibility.
More this way

Downtown’s historic glass sidewalks will be saved after Landmarks reverses rule changes

Vault lights in Soho, via WooJin Chung for 6sqft

June 1, 2018

Downtown’s historic glass sidewalks will be saved after Landmarks reverses rule changes