6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

Most Soho penthouses are spread across warehouse space--so it's unique to see a floorplan with a large, sunken great room. But that's what you get with the penthouse unit at 154 Spring Street, in Soho, which has just hit the market for $9.95 million. A private key-locked elevator opens to a 4,131-square-foot pad (with an extra 875 square feet outside!) lined with arched windows and skylights. There are three bedrooms over three floors, plus lots of fancy interior touches that include a glass staircase.
Check it out

Distinctive Homes

Taylor Swift gets sued for not paying the broker commission on her $18M Tribeca townhouse

Google Street View of 153 Franklin Street; Taylor Swift via Wiki Commons

January 25, 2018

Taylor Swift gets sued for not paying the broker commission on her $18M Tribeca townhouse

For someone who claims to stay away from "bad blood," Taylor Swift certainly seems to conjure up drama wherever she moves in New York City. After she bought a $20 million penthouse at Tribeca's celeb-studded 155 Franklin Street, Orland Bloom listed his unit in the building in just five months, claiming the pop star's mobs of fans and “Girl Squad” activities were too much to take. Rumors then began circulating that when she bought the apartment she got Sir Ian McKellen evicted. But now things have taken a legal turn, as The Real Deal reports that Swift is being sued by Douglas Elliman for stiffing a broker on the comission for the $18 million Tribeca townhouse she bought this past fall.
Find out more

Celebrities

Thanks to a new start-up, your Uber might be stocked with Skittles and Korean face masks

Photo via Cargo

January 25, 2018

Thanks to a new start-up, your Uber might be stocked with Skittles and Korean face masks

A new start-up wants to convert your Uber or Lyft car into a 7-Eleven on wheels while benefitting drivers in the process. The company, called Cargo, sends drivers a box packed with snacks and amenities, like Pringles, earbuds and Advil to sell to riders. While some goodies are free, others like an iPhone charging cord will cost a few bucks, but passengers can easily pay on their phones, according to Forbes. Each time a passenger uses Cargo, even if it's just for the free samples, drivers can earn money. According to the company, drivers can earn up to $300 per month, with most earning about $100 every month.
Snack on this

You can complain to 311 via Twitter 24/7; East Village bar will kick you out for saying ‘literally’

Screenshot of 311’s Twitter page (L); Google Street View of Continental bar (R)

January 25, 2018

You can complain to 311 via Twitter 24/7; East Village bar will kick you out for saying ‘literally’

By 6sqft

Screenshot of 311’s Twitter page (L); Google Street View of Continental bar (R) 311’s Twitter account will start taking requests 24 hours a day, seven days a week. [amNY] Two new laws focusing on vacant land throughout the city are aimed at identifying lots and buildings that could be used for affordable housing. [CityLand] New York Magazine’s […]

Uncategorized

The Urban Lens: Pilot-turned-photographer Jeffrey Milstein ‘leans out’ to capture NYC from above

5th Avenue/Midtown. Photo © Jeffrey Milstein

January 25, 2018

The Urban Lens: Pilot-turned-photographer Jeffrey Milstein ‘leans out’ to capture NYC from above

By Hannah Frishberg

6sqft’s series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment, Jeffrey Milstein shares his amazing aerial photos. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. In New York, it's typical for tourists to look up and ogle the skyscrapers, while locals generally walk head down towards the pavement. So who then, is stereotyped as looking down upon the city from above? Gods, pilots, and photographers are among the limited answer options, and Jeffrey Milstein checks two of these boxes. He's extensively photographed both aerial shots of cities and the aircrafts that allow him to do so. Milstein's series of NYC photos, "Leaning Out,” makes the city out to be more pattern than people. From his height, New York becomes a series of shapes, some quickly recognizable – the leafy expanse of Central Park, the top of a Macy’s Day float – others less so – the cheery tops of Coney Island’s amusements, the map-like expanse of the American Museum of Natural History. 6sqft got a chance to chat with Milstein about the surreal experience of capturing New York from the sky and his new exhibit at the Benrubi Gallery, which features his aerial shots of both New York and LA and opens tonight.
Lean out

Places

Photo of Scaramucci via the World Economic Forum’s Flickr

January 25, 2018

Anthony Scaramucci scoops up brand new Hamptons beach house for $7.5M

Anthony Scaramucci, the former White House communications director who President Donald Trump fired before he even started his job, might be having more luck in real estate than in politics. The Mooch and his wife, Deidre Ball, have snagged a mansion in Bridgehampton South for $7.495 million, according to the New York Post. The newly built home at 30 Lawrence Court boasts eight bedrooms, seven and a half baths and a swimming pool.
See the Mooch's new mansion

Leonardo DiCaprio is renting at this shiny new Nomad tower

Promotional photo of 172 Madison Avenue; Leonardo DiCaprio photo via UN Climate Change/Flickr

January 25, 2018

Leonardo DiCaprio is renting at this shiny new Nomad tower

Leonardo DiCaprio has spent the last few months breaking in a newly-minted three-bedroom penthouse apartment at the shiny new development at 172 Madison Avenue, according to the New York Post. He's starring in Quentin Tarantino's Charles Manson-themed movie, set to be released in 2019–his first big gig since his Oscar turn in 2015’s “The Revenant.” Leo has been living in a three-bedroom unit in the recently-completed luxury condo "for several months,” a spy says.
Find out more

Celebrities

MTA funding dispute postpones $200M of Cuomo’s subway stations renovations

R211 subway car prototype © MTA/Flickr

January 25, 2018

MTA funding dispute postpones $200M of Cuomo’s subway stations renovations

The board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Wednesday delayed a vote on construction contracts to renovate two stations in the Bronx and six in Manhattan after MTA members, appointed by Mayor Bill de Blasio, objected. The contracts fall under Gov. Andrew Cuomo's $1 billion plan to outfit 33 subway stations with countdown clocks, LED lighting, USB ports and other amenities. The board's city representatives questioned why so much money was being put towards unnecessary, cosmetic improvements at stations that are in decent condition already, instead of funding signal and track repairs. As the New York Times reported, the decision to postpone the vote has ramped up the public dispute between de Blasio and Cuomo over MTA funding.
More this way

Distinctive Homes

Village penthouse with rooftop 'country cottage' is for sale, asking $10.5M

For $2.4M, this artfully renovated Williamsburg duplex takes loft living to a new level

A historic LES synagogue, now an artist's studio, asks $10.95M

Jay Manuel's $4.7M Connecticut estate is like a modern spa retreat

From parking lot to Dumbo's largest residential development: Inside Front & York

This $2.85M co-op with a magical garden is an elegant Upper East Side escape

Is this $4M NJ farmhouse your 'Green Acres'?

For $775K, residents of this renovated Bed-Stuy loft get a rooftop gym and terrace with city views

Former Morgan Stanley CEO lists UES townhouse for $80M

This $8M Rye estate has a private dock on the Long Island Sound

VIEW ALL

January 25, 2018

50 Cent’s Connecticut mansion gets a $13M price cut ahead of ‘Million Dollar Listing’ stint

50 Cent's lavish Connecticut mansion--which has undergone some pretty significant price chopping--is about to get its 15 minutes of fame. The New York Post reports that the house will soon be featured on Bravo’s "Million Dollar Listing." There's certainly a lot to show off on this 17-acre estate: the property boasts 19 bedrooms, 25 bathrooms, an indoor pool and hot tub, night club, indoor basketball court, multiple game rooms, a "green screen room," recording studio, gym, conference room and home theater. (And there are some 50 Cent-themed amenities to boot.) But it hasn't had any luck finding a buyer, with the price getting slashed from $18.5 million down to $4.995 million.
See the insane interior

January 25, 2018

In Clinton Hill, two Brooklyn Home Company-designed carriage houses ask $3.4M apiece

We love the uniqueness of restored 19th century carriage houses, in part because we don't see them on the market as often as standard-issue townhouses. In this case you get two chances at owning one: Adjacent carriage houses at 409 and 411 Vanderbilt Avenue in Clinton Hill just emerged from top-to-toe renovations by designer fix-and-flip favorites The Brooklyn Home Company. They're up for sale for $3.4 million and $3.35 million, respectively.
See double, take the tours

January 24, 2018

Design studio White Arrow turned a Ridgewood townhouse into a modern two-family home

The plan to turn an early 1900s Ridgewood townhouse into a two-family home was also an opportunity for the Manhattan design firm White Arrow to design bold, modern interiors throughout. The two-story townhouse is now configured with an upper-level owner's level, and a rental unit on the ground floor. More importantly, the spaces are finished with modern furniture, bursts of color, and a playfulness that makes it hard not to want to move right in.
Get the full look

January 24, 2018

Subway map designer Massimo Vignelli’s Upper East Side home hits the market for $6.5M

The Upper East Side home of iconic designer-duo Lella and Massimo Vignelli will be listed for $6.5 million, according to the New York Times. The 3,900-square-foot three-bedroom duplex at 130 East 67th Street features super high ceilings, wide plank oak floors and a beautiful library. The Italian-born couple first bought the home in 1978 for $250,000, and it served as their first New York abode. While best known in NYC for his 1972 design of the subway map for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Massimo, who died in 2014, is also credited with creating iconic branding for companies, like the big brown bag logo for Bloomingdales. His wife, Lella, who died in 2016, was a licensed architect and created furniture and tableware for Vignelli Designs. According to the son of the late couple, Luca, the apartment served as a "cultural hub for artists and designers."
See inside the mod duplex

Photos from 1968 show the Museum of Natural History’s 94-foot blue whale being hung

Photo courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History Library

January 24, 2018

Photos from 1968 show the Museum of Natural History’s 94-foot blue whale being hung

Back in 1968, the staff and contractors at the American Museum of Natural History got to constructing, mounting, and finally hanging the 94-foot fiberglass-and-polyurethane blue whale model that's become an icon of the museum. Though the hulking whale looks like it's been hanging from the Hall of Ocean Life ceilings since the museum's opening, it's actually the second version of the installation. According to Slate, the museum made the decision in the early 1960s to overhaul a paper-mâché model hung in the early 20th century because it looked outdated. The replacement was set to be nothing less than dramatic: a display to "create the illusion of having joined the whale in its own domain," as As Alfred E. Parr, oceanographer and past director of the AMNH, wrote at the time.
See more photos

History

Earn less than $30,560 annually? Apply for affordable units in East Harlem, from $613/month

1955 First Avenue, image via Aspen Management Office

January 24, 2018

Earn less than $30,560 annually? Apply for affordable units in East Harlem, from $613/month

An East Harlem building, dubbed the Aspen, is currently accepting applications for low-income studio and one-bedroom apartments and will also replenish its waitlist. Designed by Costas Kondylis and Magnusson Architecture and Planning, the building, located at 1955 First Avenue, rises seven stories and features 232 apartments. Qualifying New Yorkers earning between $22,903 and $26,720 can apply for $613/month studios, and those earning between $25,549 and $30,560 are eligible for $659/month one-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

January 24, 2018

Pre-war prestige: NYC’s top-10 buildings designed by Emery Roth

By Matthew Marani

From the Bronx to Brooklyn, architect Emery Roth (1871-1948) left an indelible mark on the architecture and cityscape of New York. Specializing in luxury apartment buildings, the advent of steel-frame construction facilitated Roth’s projection of historicist designs to new heights. While Roth is best known for prestigious projects such as his slew of residences along Central Park West, he also designed numerous middle-class homes and houses of worship. Adding to the impressiveness of his scope of work is the story behind the man.
Learn about Emery Roth and his most distinctive projects

De Blasio joins group of mayors in Washington to talk infrastructure with Trump

Photo via Wikimedia

January 24, 2018

De Blasio joins group of mayors in Washington to talk infrastructure with Trump

Editor's Note: Although City Hall previously said the mayor would meet with Trump, on Wednesday he tweeted: "I will NOT be attending today’s meeting at the White House after @realDonaldTrump’s Department of Justice decided to renew their racist assault on our immigrant communities. It doesn’t make us safer and it violates America’s core values." Mayor Bill de Blasio will meet with President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday, the first meeting between the two since the president's inauguration. De Blasio, along with the rest of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, will discuss infrastructure funding with Trump, who is expected to release his long-awaited plan this month. During his campaign, the president pledged to introduce a $1 trillion proposal in his first 100 days in office, later changing the deadline to the third quarter. The White House claimed a detailed infrastructure plan would be released in early January (h/t Daily News).
Find out more

Did the Obamas just close on this classy Upper East Side duplex for almost $10M?

Barack and Michelle Obama via Wiki Commons; One of 10 Gracie Square’s terraces overlooking the East River, via CityRealty

January 24, 2018

Did the Obamas just close on this classy Upper East Side duplex for almost $10M?

In October, 6sqft reported that Barack and Michelle Obama had been spotted on their way to view a listing in Yorkville's 10 Gracie Square. At the time, it was speculated that they checked out a five-bedroom duplex that had gone into contract for $10 million shortly following the visit. The buyer wasn't confirmed, but the unit has now closed for $9.64 million (h/t Katherine Clarke), purchased through a "Gracie Square Revocable Trust. So while it's still not confirmed that the Obamas are moving to the Upper East Side, the building is one of New York City's most prestigious addresses, located just a stone's throw away from the Mayor's residence and over the years attracting the likes of Alexander Woollcott, conductor Andre Kostelanetz, Gloria Vanderbilt and Madame Chiang Kai-Shek.
Take another look

Know of something cool happening in New York? Let us know:

January 23, 2018

$1.4M Dumbo loft is decked out with tin ceilings and locally crafted millwork

If you're looking to live in Dumbo, as many are, loft living is definitely the way to go. 50 Bridge Street, built in 1907 as a warehouse in what is now the waterfront neighborhood's landmarked historic district is offering this two-bedroom condominium loft with ceilings over 10 feet, a recent renovation, and plenty of modern convenience. Asking $1.425 million, the 1,259 square-foot space brings tin ceilings and millwork by a local craftsman to the mix, setting this loft apart from so many of its white-box-and-brick neighbors.
See more of the loft

Distinctive Homes

After seven years, Landmarks approves controversial Canal Street apartment building

Revised Design for 312-322 Canal Street courtesy of Paul A. Castrucci Architects

January 23, 2018

After seven years, Landmarks approves controversial Canal Street apartment building

For Trans World Equities and Paul A. Castrucci Architects, the third time is truly the charm. Nearly seven years after they first proposed a plan to replace a row of five buildings at 312-322 Canal Street with a residential building, the Landmarks Preservation Commission officially approved on Tuesday the duo's revised design. The updated plan reduces the height of the building from nine to seven stories and mutes the color of the facade from a bright-red brick to terracotta. During the developer's third presentation for LPC, the commissioners said the building's rhythm and height will now fit better with the district, according to CityRealty.
See the approved replacement

January 23, 2018

This map tells you how far you can walk, bike, drive or ride public transit in a set amount of time

Here's a handy map that will allow you to find areas you can reach by walking, cycling, driving or using public transport, anywhere in New York, in a set amount of time. Called TimeTravel, it's a pretty straightforward tool: you plug in an address, a time frame, and mode of transportation. The map then comes up with a layout where you can go from that point in a given amount of time on a certain mode of transit. Above, you're looking at how far a New Yorker could travel in 15 minutes, from Union Square East, on public transit. The map even allows you to specify what date and time you're leaving, to give you the most accurate estimate possible.
You can also search for nearby amenities

Transit

Attend a public meeting about the L train shutdown; Does NYC have a food hall ‘glut’?

L train via Wiki Commons (L); Urban Space Vanderbilt via Shinya Suzuki/Flickr (R)

January 23, 2018

Attend a public meeting about the L train shutdown; Does NYC have a food hall ‘glut’?

By 6sqft

This Etsy shop will build a Lego replica of your home. [Apartment Therapy] The first major exhibition about the borough’s waterfront is now open at the Brooklyn Historical Society DUMBO. [Untapped Cities] The city has named four public artists in residence who will tackle the social issues of domestic violence, discrimination, prison reform, and probation through […]

Uncategorized

With redevelopment imminent, are Red Hook’s industrial spaces at risk?

Red Hook waterfront; photo courtesy of Sunghwan Yoon’s Flickr

January 23, 2018

With redevelopment imminent, are Red Hook’s industrial spaces at risk?

Like many waterfront communities in New York City, Red Hook is posed for a major redevelopment, with officials itching to bring new housing, commercial space and even mass transit to the industry-heavy Brooklyn neighborhood. In Gov. Andrew Cuomo's State of the State address this month, he said the neighborhood is "full of untapped potential" and called on the Port Authority to "accelerate consideration of relocating its Red Hook maritime activities to free up this waterfront for more productive community use." While almost all of the area is zoned for manufacturing purposes, there's been a significant reduction of industrial space in Red Hook, concerning its long-time residents as retail space has started displacing manufacturing, according to Crain's.
More this way

Real Estate Trends

Pitch us! Send 6sqft your freelance submissions.

Photo via Pixabay

January 23, 2018

Pitch us! Send 6sqft your freelance submissions.

By 6sqft

Know of an up-and-coming architect with a lot to say? Have a knack for scoping out hidden gems around the five boroughs? Love diving into the history of a particular place? Then you might have what it takes to be featured on our site. 6sqft is accepting pitches for in-depth, original feature stories covering the […]

Uncategorized

De Blasio administration falls short of pledge to open 20 homeless shelters in 2017

Photo via Wikimedia

January 23, 2018

De Blasio administration falls short of pledge to open 20 homeless shelters in 2017

In 2017, Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration opened just 10 out of the 20 shelters planned for New York City under an initiative aimed at curbing the city's growing homelessness crisis. Last February, the city unveiled its "Turning the Tide on Homelessness" plan that included opening 90 shelters over five years, with about 20 shelters each in 2017 and 2018. But, according to the New York Times, the city fell short of its target last year, opening just half the number of shelters planned due to delays in the permit process, time-consuming negotiations with nonprofits that run the shelters and backlash from the community and public officials. Under de Blasio, the homeless population has grown. When the mayor took office in 2014, about 68,000 New Yorkers were without homes. Today, roughly 77,000 people are considered homeless in NYC, with 3,900 on the street, the largest homeless population in the U.S.
Find out more

My 460sqft: Comedian Pat Brown recharges in her relaxed Harlem home

6sqft’s series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to comedian Pat Brown‘s Harlem apartment. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

January 23, 2018

My 460sqft: Comedian Pat Brown recharges in her relaxed Harlem home

By Dana Schulz

When it comes to her stand-up routines, comedian Pat Brown (you may recognize her from the "Late Show with Stephen Colbert" or as the winner of the Las Vegas Comedy Festival's best female comic) doesn't shy away from bold topics, touching on personal issues, politics, and NYC-specific themes. But after finishing a set at one of New York's many comedy clubs, Pat prefers a less in-your-face aesthetic at home, opting for comfortable furniture, soothing colors, and a display of keepsakes from several trips to Africa. 6sqft recently paid Pat a visit at her Harlem apartment and got a glimpse into her professional and personal lives. She filled us in on how she decorated her place after moving from her hometown of Atlanta, what makes performing comedy in New York City unique, and how she's seen the neighborhood change--"I'm beginning to see white people on the weekdays now," she jokes.
Have a laugh and tour Pat's apartment

January 23, 2018

$1M West Village condo looks chic with high ceilings and exposed brick

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

223 West 10th Street is a historic five-story, 20-unit brick building that went condo back in 2005. We've featured units here before, like this one asking $999,000 last summer. The latest unit to hit the market is #3A, a chic one bedroom asking a hair over $1 million. It's a sponsor sale, completely renovated, with the high ceilings and exposed brick giving it a lofty vibe.
The location isn't bad either

Distinctive Homes

THE 6SQFT SHOP

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8 best places in NYC to thrift for home goods

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50 places to shop locally in NYC for that perfect gift

15 quintessential NYC gifts for the New Yorker in your life

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

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

10 best plants for apartment dwellers

VIEW ALL

Jason Biggs sells custom-designed Tribeca loft for $2.7M

Photo of Jason Biggs via Wikimedia

January 22, 2018

Jason Biggs sells custom-designed Tribeca loft for $2.7M

"American Pie" actor Jason Biggs and his wife Jenny Mollen have sold their spacious three-bedroom Tribeca loft for $2.65 million, after first putting the pad on the market nearly a year ago. The 2,200-square-foot apartment at 288 West Street boasts authentic details throughout, like timber beams and columns, as well as hardwood oak floors. As the Observer learned, Biggs and Mollen bought the apartment for $2.55 million in October 2013 and tapped designer Cliff Fong to decorate the space. The couple moved to the West Village this past summer after purchasing a $6.98 million four-bedroom condo at the Shephard.
See inside

January 22, 2018

Lavish Renaissance Revival brownstone just outside Prospect Park asks $6M

This five-story Brooklyn brownstone--packed with pre-war details--is less than 25 yards from the borough's beloved Prospect Park. Located at 572 1st Street in Park Slope, it's currently configured as an owner’s triplex with a rental duplex on the top two floors. And it's huge: the building measures 22 feet wide and 52 feet deep, with 18 feet extensions on two levels. Details include everything from tiled fireplaces to stained glass to enormous mirrors to ornate woodwork. It's just been listed for the substantial sum of $5.995 million.
Take a look around

The new Nordic: Scandinavian design goes from Ikea to luxury NYC real estate

505 West 19th Street via Thomas Juul Hansen

January 22, 2018

The new Nordic: Scandinavian design goes from Ikea to luxury NYC real estate

By Michelle Sinclair Colman

Scandinavian design is on the rise in luxury residences. At first, that might seem like an oxymoron since Scandinavian design was founded on the principles of utility, affordability, and simplicity - and high-end residents are not. But luxe and Scandinavian design have found much common ground. From its early 20th century roots, based on Germany's Bauhaus school and developed in the Nordic region, to the mass-produced appeal of Ikea, the trend has certainly remained at the forefront of the design world. And perhaps now it's seeing its biggest moment, serving as a major selling point for hot new NYC condo projects such as Carroll Gardens' 145 President and being reimagined by of-the-moment firms like Morris Adjmi and Denmark's own Thomas Juul-Hansen.
READ MORE

WeWork will open its office spaces to graduate students seeking online degrees

Photo via pixabay

January 22, 2018

WeWork will open its office spaces to graduate students seeking online degrees

The co-working company WeWork made headlines in November for announcing its plan to open a private elementary school in New York City designed for "conscious entrepreneurship." Now, the company has an idea to appeal to a slightly older market: graduate students. According to Bloomberg, WeWork will partner with 2U Inc., an online education provider, to give students seeking an online graduate degree access to any of the co-working offices, with the ability to rent conference rooms for study groups and enjoy the fast WiFi.
More this way

Policy

MTA will spend $4 billion to buy 1,600+ new subway cars

R211 subway car prototype © MTA/Flickr

January 22, 2018

MTA will spend $4 billion to buy 1,600+ new subway cars

Following a very rough year for the city's subway system, the MTA announced it'll spend close to $4 billion to buy over a thousand new train cars to modernize the aging fleet. The New York Times calls it "a major investment meant to help remedy the delays and breakdowns that plague the system." The MTA has set up a three-phase contract with the Japanese company Kawasaki in which the first new cars should be delivered July 2020. Known as the R211, the cars will have brighter lighting, 58-inch-wide doors, rather than the current 50 inches, and eight digital screens displaying information and advertisements. An initial batch of 20 trains will feature the open-gangway cars, pictured above and on display to New Yorkers late last year.
The cars will also perform

Transit

This boxy glass tower will replace the Lower East Side’s Sunshine Cinema

Rendering by Real Estate Arts via New York Times.

January 22, 2018

This boxy glass tower will replace the Lower East Side’s Sunshine Cinema

As planned, the beloved Sunshine Cinema's screens went dark for good Sunday night in fittingly dramatic fashion, after a 10:15 showing of “Darkest Hour.” The movie theater, which served as a cultural touchstone in the rapidly changing Lower East Side neighborhood for its offerings of independent and foreign films since 2001, will be demolished and replaced by a 65,000-square-foot nine-story office building, according to East End Capital, who, with K Property Group purchased the 30,000-square-foot building for $31.5 million last year. The New York Times recently showed new renderings of the theater's replacement-to-be.
Find out more

New Developments

Cuomo says New York will pay $65K per day to keep Statue of Liberty open during shutdown

Photo of the Statue of Liberty courtesy of the NPS

January 22, 2018

Cuomo says New York will pay $65K per day to keep Statue of Liberty open during shutdown

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday said the state of New York will pay $65,000 per day to reopen the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island during the ongoing federal government shutdown, which forced the park to close over the weekend. Cuomo said the state made an agreement with the Department of the Interior, which oversees the National Park Service, to keep New York Harbor's landmark open. The government closed midnight on Saturday after Republican and Democrats in Congress failed to pass an appropriations bill. "The Statue of Liberty is a symbol of freedom and opportunity for all, and it is a gross injustice that this administration's dysfunction caused it to shut down," Cuomo said. "When this administration tries to deport immigrants, when they close down the Statue of Liberty, they are attacking who we are."
Find out more

Policy

January 22, 2018

Josh Hartnett’s Tribeca penthouse just sold for $3.55M

Back in July, 6sqft reported that the elusive Josh Hartnett ("Black Hawk Down," "Pearl Harbor") had surfaced to list his sprawling Tribeca co-op at 16 Hudson Street for $4.25 million. Though the corner penthouse, which Hartnett bought in 2004 for $2.4 million, looks massive, it’s only got one bedroom. The heartthrob actor-turned-producer just had a second child with longtime girlfriend Tamsin Egerton, so we're guessing more space is key. The 1,965-square-foot apartment with One World Trade Center views recently sold for $3.55 million, according to Mansion Global.
Get a final look

January 19, 2018

L trains running every 30 minutes, and more weekend subway service changes

By Hannah Frishberg

The MTA can’t even get its service change updates right: As of 4:50pm, The Weekender is showing duplicates for many track maintenance notifications, as if to repeatedly subject straphangers to service changes in writing. Easily the cherry on the cake of weekend transit hell, however, is that tomorrow, from 7am to 7pm, the L train will be running “approximately every 24 minutes between Broadway Junction and Rockaway Pkwy.” Oof, allow for some serious extra time. Many trains will also be running local.
The rest of it

Transit

January 19, 2018

A magical private patio is tacked onto this $599K co-op in Lenox Hill

Summer feels far away... but this apartment's lovely patio will at least bring back memories of New York's warmer months. The very private, enclosed outdoor space is a part of this one-bedroom at the Lenox Hill cooperative 150 East 61st Street. After selling in 2010 for $400,000 it's back on the market asking $599,000. The ground-floor abode boasts some unique design quirks like colorful wallpaper and decor, but a new buyer will have an opportunity to make the interior--as well as that awesome patio--their own.
Head inside

Distinctive Homes

Here is what might temporarily close in New York City if the government shuts down

Federal Hall, photo courtesy of Wikimedia

January 19, 2018

Here is what might temporarily close in New York City if the government shuts down

If you're an out-of-towner planning a classic, tourist-attraction-filled trip to New York City soon, you may want to rethink your visit. The U.S. government might be headed toward a shutdown, with its funding set to expire by midnight Friday. Although it's not totally clear yet what will be affected in NYC, the last government shutdown in 2013, which lasted 16 days, temporarily closed national parks and a few federally-funded museums citywide. While there's a chance the national parks and museums might choose to stay open, ahead find which ones might be affected in the event of a government shutdown.
More this way

The Urban Lens: The quest to document every diner in NYC

Metro Diner on Broadway and 100th Street

January 19, 2018

The Urban Lens: The quest to document every diner in NYC

By Dana Schulz

6sqft’s series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment, Riley Arthur documents NYC's vanishing diners. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. "There's no comparison to a New York diner experience," says photographer Riley Arthur, which is what led her to start documenting all of the establishments throughout the five boroughs. Though she recently moved from Astoria to Florida, over the past two-and-a-half years she's photographed roughly 215 diners ("I've lost count," she says), usually hitting 10-12 a day and ordering a matzo ball soup at each! Since she began, at least a dozen diners have closed, usually due to rising rents, but Riley still has about 60 left to photograph. She shares her journey on the popular Instagram account Diners of NYC, where you'll see everything from the faux-stone and shiny metal facades to the greasy bacon and eggs to the massive plastic menus to the neon signs and leather banquettes. Riley shared a set of her snapshots with 6sqft and filled us in on her process and favorite spots.
See Riley's photos here

When it comes to attracting new residents, NYC wins big, but it’s complicated

Photo via WNYC/Flickr

January 19, 2018

When it comes to attracting new residents, NYC wins big, but it’s complicated

A new data analysis effort from the Washington Post titled "The top 10 places people are moving, and how their choices differ by race" offers some interesting insights into where people are ending up when they come from...elsewhere. Though it's not the article's intent, the first thing we notice is that New York City is number one in attracting sheer masses, huddled and otherwise. And the biggest comparable block of hopeful humanity is coming "from abroad." The attraction factor gets more complex, though, when we adjust for size, looking at the percentage of the overall population the newcomers comprise. In that case, metro areas like Colorado Springs and San Jose move to the top. And what about race? Even more complicated.
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City Living

Under proposed congestion plan, driving a car into Manhattan will cost $11.52

Photo courtesy of Davide Gabino’s Flickr

January 19, 2018

Under proposed congestion plan, driving a car into Manhattan will cost $11.52

Drivers entering the busiest areas of Manhattan might soon be required to pay $11.52 per trip under a congestion pricing plan expected to be released by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday. According to the New York Times, the proposal comes from an advisory panel "Fix NYC," a group assembled by the governor to explore ways to reduce congestion and also fund the city's strapped-for-cash transit system. Under the proposal, trucks would pay $25.34 and taxis would see a surcharge of $2 to $5 per ride if entering the "pricing zone," which would run south of 60th Street. Cuomo first introduced the idea of a congestion pricing plan to fund the MTA's transit repairs in August, after declaring the subway in a state of emergency earlier that summer.
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January 19, 2018

Pantone creator’s $39.5M Park Avenue pad may not be colorful, but it’s as classic as they come

This 17-room co-op in the Rosario Candela-designed 778 Park Avenue is the kind of apartment you don't see every day. The co-op's owner is equally unique: Pantone creator Lawrence Herbert is asking $39.5 million for the six-bedroom spread occupying the entire 11th floor, with interiors by designer Peter Marino (h/t Curbed).
Explore this grand example of Park Avenue living

Distinctive Homes

Décor Aid’s founder shares his 2018 design predictions; This year’s best food hall bites

Central Park West living room by Decor Aid, courtesy of CityRealty (L); Urban Space Vanderbilt via Shinya Suzuki/Flickr (R)

January 18, 2018

Décor Aid’s founder shares his 2018 design predictions; This year’s best food hall bites

By 6sqft

Sean Juneja, co-founder of interior design firm Décor Aid, talks about his inspirations and predictions for 2018. [CityRealty] The East Harlem statue of unethical gynecologist Marion Sims will be moved from public Central Park to private Green-Wood Cemetery. [Brooklyn Paper] Check out the five finalists selected for the 2018 City of Dream Pavilion on Governors Island. […]

Uncategorized

New York City’s first crosstown bike lanes proposed for Midtown

Photo via Wikimedia

January 18, 2018

New York City’s first crosstown bike lanes proposed for Midtown

By Andrew Berman of Village Preservation

Crosstown protected bike lanes may finally come to Manhattan's Midtown neighborhood, the first of its kind in New York City. The city's Department of Transportation presented on Wednesday a series of proposals to create bike lanes that stretch from the East River to the Hudson River, traveling east to west instead of north to south. The first two protected lanes are proposed to run east on 26th Street and west on 29th Street, where an existing lane will be replaced. Officials are also looking to add a lane moving west on 55th Street and east on 52nd Street. DOT's move to add more protected bike lanes in Midtown comes after the city experienced an increase in the number of cyclist deaths in 2017, despite it being the safest year on record for traffic fatalities.
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January 18, 2018

Lottery launches for 80 $675/month studios at COOKFOX’s huge Bronx development

By Dana Schulz

It's been almost a year since the first lottery launched at Webster Avenue, COOKFOX's two-building affordable and supportive housing complex in the Tremont neighborhood of the Bronx. Four months after the lottery went live for the 227 units at Park House, nonprofit developer Breaking Ground reported that they'd received a staggering 55,163 applications. Now, they'll need to get ready for another influx; as of today, the lottery is live for the second building, Webster Residence. Here, single New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income, or between $25,000 and $40,000 annually, can apply for 80 $675/month energy efficient studios.
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Affordable Housing

January 18, 2018

From house of worship to NYU dorm: The story of the East Village’s ‘ghost church’

The disembodied church steeple sitting in front of a 26-story NYU dorm on East 12th Street between 3rd and 4th Avenues makes for one of the more head-scratching sights in New York. This jarring juxtaposition results from a confluence of powerful New York forces, including religion, immigration, real estate, and the expanding appetite of one large institution, New York University, and the shrinking resources of another, the United States Postal Service.
The whole story right here

History

New York City, Newark officially contenders for Amazon’s HQ2

Photo courtesy of Robert Scoble’s Flickr

January 18, 2018

New York City, Newark officially contenders for Amazon’s HQ2

Amazon announced on Thursday it narrowed its list of potential cities for its second headquarters to 20, with New York City and Newark as candidates. The tech giant said it received 238 proposals, evaluating each based on the criteria outlined in their RFP and then selecting cities to move on to the next phase. The 20 chosen cities will now work with Amazon to provide any additional information needed, with the company expected to make a decision in 2018 about where its HQ2 will land.
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Policy

Chris Rock’s cool Clinton Hill carriage house sells for $3.35M

Chris Rock image via Wikimedia Commons.

January 18, 2018

Chris Rock’s cool Clinton Hill carriage house sells for $3.35M

Back in May 6sqft noted that Chris Rock had just listed his tricked-out Clinton Hill carriage house for $3.85 million. The comedian bought the historic property at 239 Waverly Avenue in 1994 for just $370,000. The 1901 home was also listed for rent in 2013 with an ask as high as $15,000/month at one point. Records now show that the renovated residence with room for two or three bedrooms, a 23-foot-wide master suite with skylights, and the elusive urban perk of being above a private two-car garage sold in September for $3.35 million. That's well below the ask, but still a tidy profit for Rock, who was recently spotted, according to the New York Post, checking out a posh penthouse and a townhouse at the Element condo tower at 555 West 59th Street.
Find out more, take a tour

City to open homeless shelter adjacent to One57 on Billionaires’ Row

Image © 6sqft

January 18, 2018

City to open homeless shelter adjacent to One57 on Billionaires’ Row

Mayor Bill de Blasio plans to open a new homeless shelter for 150 single adult men on Manhattan's Billionaires' Row, part of the city's initiative to open 90 new shelters over the next five years. According to the New York Post, a former hotel at 158 West 58th Street, the Park Savoy, will be converted into the shelter and open in March. The Central Park South building sits behind One57, a supertall known for the city's most expensive residential sale ever: a penthouse that sold for $100 million in 2015.
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Policy

January 18, 2018

$329K Tudor City studio packs a punch with charming prewar details