6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

New York City is home to over 36,000 architecturally, historically and culturally significant buildings and sites, as designated by the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission. To make information about the thousands of landmarks in the city more accessible, the LPC launched on Monday an enhanced interactive map that allows users to search and filter building data by architectural style, architect, building type and era. The nearly 34,000 sites on the map build upon the existing 1,400 individual landmarks and 141 historic districts the commission had mapped last year.
Check it out

Policy

December 18, 2017

World Trade Center developer Larry Silverstein lists Park Avenue pad for $14M

After deciding that he wants to move downtown, mega-developer Larry Silverstein has put his longtime Park Avenue pad on the market for $13.9 million, reports the Wall Street Journal. Silverstein Properties is responsible for much of the World Trade Center redevelopment, so it's no surprise that Larry is opting to trade his Central Park views for those of the WTC site; last year, he and his wife Klara dropped $34 million on a penthouse at nearby 30 Park Place. The couple moved from White Plains to 500 Park Avenue 33 years ago when their children left for college.
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Distinctive Homes

Who should pay to extend Staten Island Rapid Transit across the Bayonne Bridge?

Bayonne Bridge via Wiki Commons

December 18, 2017

Who should pay to extend Staten Island Rapid Transit across the Bayonne Bridge?

Something else was missing from recent news that cost for reconstruction of the Bayonne Bridge has now grown between $350 to $400 million from $1.3 to between $1.65 and $1.7 billion. Ongoing work is two years behind schedule. This past fall was the 89th anniversary of the ground breaking for construction of the Bayonne Bridge. […]

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Republican tax bill cuts critical funding for the MTA, report says

Photo via Wikimedia

December 18, 2017

Republican tax bill cuts critical funding for the MTA, report says

If Congress passes the GOP-backed tax reform bill this week, the already-beleaguered Metropolitan Transportation Authority will find itself in even more financial trouble, says a joint study released by transit advocacy groups Riders Alliance and the Tri-State Transportation Campaign on Sunday. The legislation adds $1.46 trillion in debt by providing the wealthiest Americans and corporations with tax cuts. As amNY reported, the tax plan would jeopardize the financing of major projects from the MTA like expanding the Second Avenue subway and even everyday operations. The MTA relies on federal funds to pay for about 23 percent of capital needs.
Find out more

December 18, 2017

Next president of New York City Transit says subway lines may be shuttered for repairs

This November, the MTA announced it had hired Andy Byford as the next president of New York City Transit, the MTA agency responsible for subways, buses, para-transit services, and the Staten Island Railway. And already he's suggested that the city's struggling transit system requires aggressive steps to improve. According to the New York Times, he is weighing the option of shutting down lines for long periods of work with the goal of modernizing the system in years, rather than decades.
It may be a controversial choice

Transit

The history of the Rockettes: From St. Louis to Radio City

The Rockettes in 1925, courtesy of The Rockettes

December 18, 2017

The history of the Rockettes: From St. Louis to Radio City

For nearly a century, the Rockettes have been an icon of Christmas in New York. From humble St. Louis origins (no, the troupe was not formed in the Big Apple) to performing when Radio City Music Hall was in disrepair and shuttering for weeks at a time, they've managed to continue dancing throughout the decades. Not only that, they've emerged as America’s best known dance troupe. Here's the incredible history of this small team of female dancers, who have pulled off astounding, razor-sharp choreography while also fighting for higher wages and the landmarks designation of Radio City. The Rockettes are a New York icon, but only after a hard-fought battle to keep performing in the city.
Keep reading to learn more

December 18, 2017

William Lescaze’s modernist Upper East Side townhouse asks $20 million after a gut reno

One of New York City's earliest modern residences, designed by architect William Lescaze on the Upper East Side, is searching for a new owner after a gut renovation. Known as the Raymond C. and Mildred Kramer House, after its first owners, it was built at 32 East 74th Street in 1934. Lescaze was a Swiss-born, American architect credited with pioneering modernism in America. He designed New York's first modernist home for himself in Midtown East (pictured to the right) one year prior to this uptown commission (pictured to the left). At 32 East 74th, any remnants of his interior design have mostly disappeared after years on and off the market. The current owner paid $14.5 million for it in 2015, gutted it, and re-listed it as an investment property holding three duplex rental units. As Curbed points out, it's now asking a cool $20 million.
Take a look

Distinctive Homes

December 18, 2017

Extell’s first outer-borough skyscraper, Brooklyn Point, gets new renderings

In October, Extell Development released a website with details about their luxury high-rise planned for Downtown Brooklyn. Two months later, they've released additional renderings of 138 Willougby, their first outer-borough tower. As YIMBY learned, the 720-foot skyscraper called Brooklyn Point, temporarily the tallest in Brooklyn, will have 458 condominiums designed by Katherine Newman that focus on blending "Brooklyn industrial chic” with a “refined mid-century aesthetic."
Get a first look inside

Distinctive Homes

Former Morgan Stanley CEO lists UES townhouse for $80M

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

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

This $9.7M Nolita loft is a luxury confection in a former chocolate factory

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

This $2.3M Murray Hill co-op offers historic townhouse living without the price, upkeep, and daily stair-climbing

This $6.5M Hell's Kitchen townhouse has a heavenly rooftop oasis

For $945K, this pretty pre-war co-op in Brooklyn Heights is steps from the Promenade

$15M townhouse-sized Fifth Avenue maisonette was a billionaire's pied-à-terre

$6M Park Slope townhouse is a standout in more ways than one

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December 18, 2017

Macy’s executive pays $10.5M for Hilary Swank’s former West Village townhouse

What was once Hilary Swank's picture-perfect townhouse, at 33 Charles in the West Village has found a new owner. Mansion Global reports that Harry A. Lawton III, the president of Macy's department store, paid $10.5 million for the three-story home. The townhouse was built in 1899, designated a New York City landmark in 1969, and has more recently undergone a gorgeous renovation. Adding to the home’s cachet, Swank lived here with then-husband Chad Lowe from 2002, when she purchased it for $3.9 million, until 2006, when it was sold for $8.25 million. The townhouse was then listed this June by Corcoran for $11.995 million and went into contract early November. The sellers, according to property records, are Clyde and Summer Anderson, who run Books-a-Million, the second largest bookstore chain in the U.S.
Take a look at the digs

The Urban Lens: The Museum of the City of New York looks back at NYC ice skating over the centuries

Skaters at Sara D. Roosevelt Park, 1935. Courtesy New York City Parks Photo Archive

December 15, 2017

The Urban Lens: The Museum of the City of New York looks back at NYC ice skating over the centuries

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, we take a look back at New York City's ice skating history just days before the Museum of the City of New York's "New York on Ice" exhibit opens to the public. 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 are few New York winter activities more iconic than ice skating. The rink, the blades, the gliding people attempting to balance – the elements of the pastime are minimal, and so the pictures of it over the centuries are not so very different despite the decades. On view this Wednesday through April 2018, the Museum of the City of New York will be hosting an exhibit titled "New York on Ice: Skating in the City" featuring many of the images below of ice skating in NYC from the 1800s to the present day. In addition to paintings, postcards, and vintage photographs, the exhibit will also showcase costumes, posters, and more.
See the collection

$1.8B LIRR expansion gets underway; Meet the men operating NYC’s manual elevators

LIRR via Wiki Commons (L); manual elevator via vmiramontes/Flickr (R)

December 15, 2017

$1.8B LIRR expansion gets underway; Meet the men operating NYC’s manual elevators

Only a few dozen of New York’s 69,381 passenger elevators are still manually operated–here’s what it’s like to control them. [NYT] New York state is a hard-cider capital, but you can now enjoy the beverage with upstate apples right in Brooklyn. [Grub Street] After lacking inspections for four years, 81 percent of NYCHA apartments have a potential […]

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New York drivers and pedestrians are the angriest in the country

Photo via Pexels

December 15, 2017

New York drivers and pedestrians are the angriest in the country

Car horns can seem like part of the New York soundtrack, and it’s not just your imagination. Drivers here honk at pedestrians more often than in any other state, according to a new report. Road rage doesn’t only extend to other cars, of course, but also to the thousands of pedestrians on New York City […]

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December 15, 2017

It’s feeling festive at this revamped Williamsburg townhouse asking $3.7M

Historic townhouses are fairly rare in Williamsburg, better known for its warehouses, but this one is part of the the Fillmore Historic District, a historic stretch of homes and the only landmarked district in the neighborhood. The Neo-Grec style home, which dates back to 1881, was completely renovated and returned to single-family status this year. The result? A modern, minimalist design that's brighter and loftier than the average townhouse. And the Christmas decorations don't look bad in here, either! It's now on the market for $3.7 million.
You'll want to see inside

Distinctive Homes

Service changes coming to all but six subway lines this weekend

Photo by John Fraissinet / Flickr

December 15, 2017

Service changes coming to all but six subway lines this weekend

By Hannah Frishberg

Per the MTA’s Weekend Subway Service Advisory, there are a ton of changes in store for straphangers this weekend, which, when compounded with the weather forecast, makes for all the more reason to stay home. There are a number of trains that have scheduled delays or will be making local stops – ahead are the direst of the weekend service changes.
READ MORE

Transit

Calculate holiday tips for your doorman with this helpful ‘tip-o-meter’

Photo courtesy of Steven Pisano on Flickr

December 15, 2017

Calculate holiday tips for your doorman with this helpful ‘tip-o-meter’

By Michelle Sinclair Colman

Not sure how much to tip your doorman this holiday season? Triplemint has released its very own, first-of-its-kind "Holiday Doorman Tip-O-Meter" to dynamically calculate exactly how much tip you should give. With six quick questions (ranging from your building size to how generous a tipper you are), the Tip-O-Meter immediately generates a minimum-maximum tip range suggestion. The program's algorithm is based on data collected from surveys conducted on over 100 NYC doormen in major neighborhoods in Manhattan. NYC doormen were asked: How much do you recommend you give residents this year (based on apartment size Studio, 1-Bedroom, 2-Bedroom, 3-Bedroom +)? Do you expect More/Same/Less than last year? And what is the size of your building?
Tips on tipping this way

NY and NJ commit $5B to the Hudson River tunnel project, but still no word from Trump

Photo via The Gateway Program Development Corporation

December 15, 2017

NY and NJ commit $5B to the Hudson River tunnel project, but still no word from Trump

Govs. Andrew Cuomo and Chris Christie on Thursday announced commitments to totally fund New York and New Jersey's share of the Gateway Hudson Tunnel Project. The project aims to fix the 107-year-old tunnel damaged by seawater during Hurricane Sandy. It serves as the only intercity passenger rail crossing into NYC from NJ, a critical link for 200,000 daily passengers. Although two state officials wrote letters to the U.S. Department of Transportation detailing their combined $5.5 billion funding of the project through various agencies, the Trump administration has not agreed to fund the rest of the $12.7 billion project. As Crain's reported, a senior official at DOT called the states' funding commitment "entirely unserious."
Find out more

‘True Blood’ actor Denis O’Hare sells landmarked Fort Greene carriage house duplex for $1.7M

Denis O’Hare image via Wikimedia Commons

December 15, 2017

‘True Blood’ actor Denis O’Hare sells landmarked Fort Greene carriage house duplex for $1.7M

The Fort Greene condo listed in September by actor Denis O'Hare of "American Horror Story" and "True Blood" fame has sold for $1.7 million according to city records. The Tony Award-winner and Emmy nominee purchased the duplex at 159 Carlton Avenue for a mere $175,000 in 1998. The landmarked 2,015-square-foot carriage house was formerly the Feuchtwanger Stable. O'Hare's husband, interior designer Hugo Redwood, spent the last 19 years renovating the historic condo, preserving the arched windows that once allowed horses and carriages to enter, transforming the space into an open, loft-like home. The condo was listed for $1,595,000.
Take a look

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First official look at David Adjaye’s 800-foot Financial District condo tower

Renderings courtesy of Lightstone

December 15, 2017

First official look at David Adjaye’s 800-foot Financial District condo tower

Nearly four years after wrapping up his first NYC project, Harlem's Sugar Hill affordable housing development, renowned British architect David Adjaye is inching closer to completing his first skyscraper in the city. Preliminary plans for his Financial District condo tower surfaced in May, but developer Lightstone has shared the first official reveal of the tower, now known as 130 William. The height has increased from 750 to 800 feet, or 61 to 66 stories, and it will hold 244 residences. Adjaye says the "rich history" of one of "the city's earliest streets" influenced the building's unique concrete form. "I was inspired to craft a building that turns away from the commercial feel of glass and that instead celebrates New York’s heritage of masonry architecture with a distinctive presence in Manhattan’s skyline," he said.
More details and renderings ahead

JFK’s TWA Flight Center Hotel tops out, on track to open in 2019 with the world’s largest hotel lobby

Image courtesy of MCR and Morse Development; Photo: Max Touhey.

December 15, 2017

JFK’s TWA Flight Center Hotel tops out, on track to open in 2019 with the world’s largest hotel lobby

MCR and Morse Development announced this week the topping out of the TWA Hotel at JFK Airport less than a year after breaking ground on the project. Designed by celebrated 20th-century architect Eero Saarinen in 1962, The hotel is set to reopen in early 2019, when it will become JFK's only on-airport hotel. Saarinen’s iconic TWA Flight Center terminal building will serve as the hotel's lobby; at 200,000 square feet, it is thought to be the world's largest hotel lobby. Hotel guests and passengers will be able to access the hotel through the famous Saarinen passenger tubes that connect directly to JFK’s Terminal 5 as well as through via the AirTrain system.
Find out more about the rebirth of this mid-century modern icon

December 14, 2017

1880s Yorkville townhouse, fresh off a renovation, is asking $6.5M

This Yorkville townhouse at 433 East 85th Street manages to strike the right balance between historic and modern. The home was built in the 1880s, according to the listing, but it has hit the market for the first time since a major renovation. Prewar details like wood-burning fireplaces and moldings are complemented by impressive new finishes of imported Calacatta Gold, marble glass mosaics, and natural limestone. And the backyard was totally redone, now decked out with 700 square feet of comfortable outdoor space. It's all asking $6.5 million.
Take a look

Distinctive Homes

On the site of a former Bronx church, 76 affordable units are up for grabs, from $718/month

Rendering of 1180 Fulton Avenue via Magnusson Architecture and Planning

December 14, 2017

On the site of a former Bronx church, 76 affordable units are up for grabs, from $718/month

St. Augustine Apartments, a brand new affordable multi-family building in the Morrisania neighborhood of the Bronx, is accepting applications for 76 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. Located on the site of the demolished St. Augustine's Church at 1180 Fulton Avenue, the complex, designed by Magnusson Architecture and Planning, contains 112 units and measures slightly more than 117,000 square feet. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 50 and 60 percent of the area median income can apply for affordable units ranging from a $718/month studio to a $1,229 three-bedroom.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

December 14, 2017

How will the NYC Ferry fare with winter weather?

Now that winter seems to have New York City in its cold grip, you may be wondering how the weather is going to affect the NYC Ferry, which quickly became a popular alternative to the issue-plagued subway since its May launch. “Weather and precipitation are a big driver of whether people decide to take the ferry or not,” […]

Uncategorized

December 14, 2017

For $300, own a used subway trash can from the MTA

By Andrew Berman of Village Preservation

Every month the MTA sells outgoing buses and subway cars, station signs, doors, seating and other fixtures from retired subways to lucky buyers who for some reason want to bring the underground experience into their homes. This holiday season, the MTA and the New York City Transit are offering discounted prices of memorabilia and collectibles until Dec. 18, making it easy to check off all holiday shopping lists. Brand new items up for grabs include a used "authentic, unique" refuse canister (read: trash can) for $300 and an "iconic" 10-foot-long wooden subway bench for a staggering $650.
Check out the full list of MTA memorbilia

Transit

NYC’s first elevated train and the world’s first streetcar began in Greenwich Village

The Ninth Avenue El near 14th Street c. 1914. Via Bain Collection, Library of Congress.

December 14, 2017

NYC’s first elevated train and the world’s first streetcar began in Greenwich Village

Greenwich Village is known as the birthplace of many things – the modern gay rights movement, Off-Broadway theater, the New York School of artists and poets, the “new urbanism” pioneered by Jane Jacobs, among many other trailblazing firsts. Less closely associated with the Village, however, are radical and transformative innovations in transportation technology. But while little known, the Village was in fact home to the first elevated rail line, and the first streetcar.
The whole history right this way

Image via Wikimedia Commons.

December 14, 2017

New Amtrak app helps you navigate through Penn Station’s chaos

If you've ever found yourself lost in a maze of corridors or trampled in a boarding stampede at Penn Station, help may have arrived in the form of yet another useful mobile app. Beginning this week, Amtrak will offer a free app, FindYourWay, that helps travelers–65,000 of whom pass through the station each day–find their way through the station and avoid the crush of crowds that form around electronic boards announcing train departures, the New York Times reports.
Find out more

A public waterfront park is finally taking shape at Greenpoint’s first skyscraper

Rendering of The Greenpoint via +TOM

December 14, 2017

A public waterfront park is finally taking shape at Greenpoint’s first skyscraper

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

The Greenpoint, a 40-story waterfront rental and condo tower and the neighborhood's tallest building, topped out in February, launched sales in July and now, is a few months away from getting a public 275-foot long promenade at its waterfront site. After nearly a decade of delays, the Brooklyn walkway, the first of its kind to be privately built in Greenpoint, will open in the spring. According to the Wall Street Journal, the park will total 29,500 square feet, including a 4,000-square-foot playground with lots of trees and colorful oval panels above.
Find out more

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For $55M, own the 47-acre Long Island waterfront estate once home to Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt

Photo of Brangelina via Wiki Commons

December 14, 2017

For $55M, own the 47-acre Long Island waterfront estate once home to Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt

Photo of Brangelina via Wiki Commons A property spanning 47 acres of Long Island waterfront that includes a 22,000-square-foot Tudor revival-style mansion in the secluded Gold Coast village of Lloyd Neck is on the market asking $55 million. In addition to offering a private cove with its own pier, a 30-by-60-foot pool, lush gardens and a tea house, the estate was famously home to Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and family in 2009 when Jolie was filming “Salt” on Long Island (h/t New York Post). And it's only a 15 minute trip to Manhattan by helicopter.
Tour the grounds of this amazing waterfront retreat

MTA releases plan to address impending 15-month shutdown of L train

Photo of the L-train via Wiki Commons

December 13, 2017

MTA releases plan to address impending 15-month shutdown of L train

The MTA unveiled on Wednesday its much-anticipated plan for the 15-month shutdown of the L train, set to begin in April of 2019. Hurricane Sandy heavily damaged the 100-year-old Carnarsie Tunnel in 2012, filling it with 7 million gallons of saltwater and forcing a total reconstruction of the tunnel. The 225,000 daily L train riders that travel from Brooklyn through the tunnel to Manhattan will be given alternative travel options, as amNY reported. The MTA's plan calls for a new bus route that would run between Brooklyn and Manhattan, a busway on 14th Street in Manhattan with a two-way bike lane on 13th Street and increase subway service on nearby lines.
Find out more

‘Affordable’ Whole Foods opens next month in Downtown Brooklyn; How the Poinsettia made its way to NYC

300 Ashland Place via TEN Arquitectos (L); Poinsettias via Public Domain Pictures

December 13, 2017

‘Affordable’ Whole Foods opens next month in Downtown Brooklyn; How the Poinsettia made its way to NYC

Joining the new Apple store, the East Coast’s first Whole Foods Market 365, an affordable, no-frills version of the grocer, will open on January 31st at 300 Ashland Place. [6sqft inbox] The MTA is hiring a contractor to build the subway’s first platform safetey barrier. [NYDN] This holiday, give the gift of rat extermination. [Brokelyn] […]

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NYU’s Brooklyn tech campus expansion opens in former MTA headquarters

Rendering of 370 Jay Street via NYU

December 13, 2017

NYU’s Brooklyn tech campus expansion opens in former MTA headquarters

A long-vacant MTA building has been given a tech-filled new life. New York University announced Wednesday that the school’s Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP) has moved into 370 Jay Street in Downtown Brooklyn, a site that was previously home to the headquarters of the New York City Transit Authority. The New York City […]

Uncategorized

Lottery opens for 98 units at site two of Lower East Side’s Essex Crossing, from $519/month

Rendering of 115 Delancey Street via Handel Architects

December 13, 2017

Lottery opens for 98 units at site two of Lower East Side’s Essex Crossing, from $519/month

Applications are now being accepted for 98 mixed-income apartments located at 115 Delancey Street, known as site two of the sprawling nine-site Essex Crossing Development. The 26-story tower is the tallest building on the $1.9 billion complex and will host the Essex Street Market and a 14-screen Regal Cinemas Theater. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 40, 60, 120 and 165 percent of the area median income can apply for units ranging from a studio for $519/month to a three-bedroom for $3,424/month.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Sales at NYC’s 11 Trump-branded condos fall below average for the first time ever

Trump International via Wiki Commons; Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore/Flickr

December 13, 2017

Sales at NYC’s 11 Trump-branded condos fall below average for the first time ever

As we close in on Donald Trump's first full year as President, it's interesting to look at his business endeavors have fared, and here in NYC, it looks as though the Donald's real estate empire is starting to crumble. According to CityRealty's Year-End Manhattan Market Report, both average sales price and average price per square foot at the 11 Trump-branded condos fell below the Manhattan condo average for the first time ever. Not surprisingly, the Trump International Hotel & Tower on Central Park West was the worst-performing, with average prices falling 27 percent. One of the company's most visible buildings, the condo was often the site of protests against the Trump administration throughout the year.
More on the 2017 market

Real Estate Trends

December 13, 2017

This map of NYC’s subway distorts geography to give commuters more realistic arrival times

While the standard map of New York City's subway from the MTA might be easier to read, it distorts the geographic distance between stops making it tough to really know how far apart they are from one another. Many designers and architects have taken a stab at creating more accurate maps to ease the struggle of subway straphangers. And now designer Nate Parrott has released his own interactive subway map that shows how many minutes it takes between point A and point B, as Co.Design reported. Click on a station and the whole map changes to show the travel time to reach every stop.
Find out more

Transit

December 13, 2017

INTERVIEW: Zoning and land-use attorney Michael Hiller fights to uphold the Landmarks Law

By Penelope Bareau

Michael Hiller is a zoning and land-use attorney who has represented community groups in seemingly impossible quests for about 20 years. His high-profile cases have often been against the Landmarks Preservation Commission, notably Tribeca's iconic Clock Tower Building and new construction along historic Gansevoort Street, both of which are pending appeal by the defendants. As one legal observer commented, "He has become an expert in the nuances of the Landmarks Law from a legal perspective. In court, he is very talented on his feet before a very hot bench, before judges who ask a lot of tough questions." His successes have won him designation as a Super Lawyer every year since 2009 as well as the 2017 Grassroots Award from the Historic Districts Council. 6sqft recently visited Michael at his office to learn more about his work.
Ahead, hear from Michael and learn more about his current cases

December 13, 2017

Soho style arrives at this dreamy Turtle Bay loft asking $999K

You wouldn't necessarily expect an artist loft up for sale in Turtle Bay, but here's one asking just a hair under $1 million at the Turtle Bay Towers condop complex. The open floorplan was renovated in the style of a Soho loft, according to the listing, but you get all the conveniences of being in East Midtown. After its renovation the space saw a big price jump in just a few years--it was asking $689,000 in 2012 before selling for $649,000.
Head inside

Distinctive Homes

December 13, 2017

Essex Crossing rental gets new renderings and a new name to honor jazz legend Sonny Rollins

Legendary jazz saxophonist and New York City native Sonny Rollins lived in an apartment on the Lower East Side home for many years during the late 1950s. Although the building he called home has long been demolished, the sprawling development rising on the same site, Essex Crossing, will pay tribute to the iconic artist by naming one of the buildings after him. The Rollins, a 15-story rental building at 145 Clinton Street, sits near the entrance of the Williamsburg Bridge, a spot where Rollins practiced every day for two years. As the New York Times reported, the Rollins, designed by Beyer Blinder Belle, will include 107 market-rate apartments, which start at $3,150 for a studio, $4,450 for a one-bedroom, $5,800 for a two-bedroom and $8,450 for a three-bedroom. Leasing will begin in January for these market-rate units.
More this way

Real Estate Trends

MTA to close East River tunnel to speed repairs

Image ©6sqft

December 13, 2017

MTA to close East River tunnel to speed repairs

As part of an effort to speed up its emergency repair plan, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has announced plans to close the E and M line tunnels under East River between Manhattan and Queens for five days at the end of this month, the New York Times reports. The shutdown will start early on December 26 and end early on Dec. 31, taking advantage of a rare lull: Almost a million fewer people use the subway during that time than other weeks of the year— five million compared with 5.9 million according to MTA data.
Find out the timing is right for a shutdown

Apply for a mixed-income unit at CetraRuddy’s Hell’s Kitchen rental, from $596/month

Rendering of 572 Eleventh Avenue courtesy of the Moinian Group

December 13, 2017

Apply for a mixed-income unit at CetraRuddy’s Hell’s Kitchen rental, from $596/month

A CetraRuddy-designed building at 572 Eleventh Avenue is now accepting applications for 46 newly constructed, mixed-income studios, one- and two-bedroom apartments. Developed by the Moinian Group, the Hell's Kitchen rental, which recently topped out this June, rises 13 stories high and features 10,000 square feet of commercial retail at its cellar and ground floors. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 40, 60 and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for units ranging from a studio for $596/month to a two-bedroom for $2,715/month.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Michael C. Hall buys $4.3M El Dorado classic six

Michael C. Hall image via Wikimedia Commons.

December 13, 2017

Michael C. Hall buys $4.3M El Dorado classic six

The iconic El Dorado seems to have retained some of its celebrity cachet despite the decampment of Alec Baldwin and Bruce Willis; the New York Post reports that Michael C. Hall of "Dexter," "Six Feet Under" and David Bowie’s “Lazarus” fame just snagged a 10th floor apartment at 300 Central Park West. The Golden Globe winner and his wife Morgan paid $4.3 million for a newly-renovated 2,200 square-foot two-bedroom unit in the Emery Roth-designed co-op, according to city records. The Golden Globe-winner also owns a two-bedroom apartment in the pricey Greenwich Lane complex at 160 West 12th Street which was on the rental market last year for $15,000 a month.
Take a peek

December 12, 2017

LPC approves Achim Menges’ futuristic rooftop pavilion and stage for Pier 17

Between the controversial–and eventually nixed–condo tower and the news of ESPN's new studio plans, it's hard to keep up with what's taking shape at Pier 17 in the Seaport district. The latest arrival comes from above: Developers Howard Hughes Corporation announced plans earlier this year for a "crown jewel" for the new pier, a rooftop stage and installation with a see-through canopy that will maintain sightlines of Lower Manhattan. The high-tech topper was designed by German architect Achim Menges, known for ethereal, high-concept structures made with 3-D printers or woven from carbon fibers. Set for a summer 2018 opening, the new performance space will occupy 60,000 square feet according to Downtown Express. The project on Tuesday was approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission, who said it will "set a standard for all future temporary seasonal structures."
Renderings of the high-tech sky canopy this way

December 12, 2017

COOKFOX unveils design for five eco-conscious high-rises in Hudson Square

COOKFOX Architects released new renderings this week of its five proposed high-rise buildings in Hudson Square, part of the redevelopment of St. John's Terminal into a nearly two-million-square-foot complex of housing, retail and office space. As CityRealty learned, the design calls for an industrial-meets-earthy design with deftly sculpted towers detailed with geometric setbacks and planted terraces. Located near Pier 40, the proposed buildings will hold a total of 1,586 apartments, with 30 percent of them below market rate, office spaces, a hotel and about 400,000 square feet of retail.
Find out more

Photo via iStock

December 12, 2017

NYC establishes a digital hub for urban agriculture

The New York City council passed a bill today that will create the city’s first centralized digital hub meant specifically for urban agriculture. This hub will be run entirely by the city and will hopefully be seen as a resource for both new and established businesses. This bill, entitled 1661-A, is sponsored by council member […]

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December 12, 2017

Former ‘ Million Dollar Listing’ star lists Lenox Hill co-op that’s bursting with color for $4.8M

Calling this apartment colorful would be a total understatement. Each room of the Lenox Hill co-op, at 875 Fifth Avenue, is decked out in bold paint colors, artwork, and decor. The space was renovated in 2014 by the interior designer Nick Olsen for Michael Lorber, a former star of "Million Dollar Listing," who purchased the pad in 2014 for $3.6 million. Now fully renovated, the three-bedroom spread overlooking Central Park is on the market for $4.795 million.
Check out the decor

Distinctive Homes

December 12, 2017

Announcing 6sqft’s 2017 Building of the Year!

The votes have been tallied, and so it's time to name the 2017 Building of the Year! The winning title belongs to no other than One Manhattan Square, the Lower East Side meets Chinatown skyscraper that will be home to NYC’s largest outdoor private garden when it opens next year. The 800-foot-tall tower beat out 11 other significant NYC buildings in a competitive two-week competition held by 6sqft. Out of 3,782 votes cast, the Extell-developed, Adamson Associates-designed structure took first place with 959 votes or 25.35% of the total.
More on this year's winner!

City will convert cluster apartments occupied by homeless New Yorkers into affordable housing

Photo via Public Domain Pictures

December 12, 2017

City will convert cluster apartments occupied by homeless New Yorkers into affordable housing

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Tuesday another plan aimed at adding to New York City's affordable housing inventory, while combating homelessness. As the New York Times reported, the plan converts hundreds of cluster apartments, occupied by homeless families across the city, into permanently affordable units. Cluster or scatter-site housing are typically private apartments in buildings in which landlords rent out to the city to house homeless people. To lower the number of homeless New Yorkers and add more affordable housing, the city's plan could potentially place 3,000 people into permanent housing, allowing some homeless families to remain in the same apartment and not be considered homeless any longer by the city.
Find out more

December 12, 2017

Where I Work: Glaser’s German bakery has been satisfying Yorkville’s sweet tooth for 115 years

6sqft’s series “Where I Work” takes us into the studios, offices, and off-beat workspaces of New Yorkers across the city. In this installment, we’re touring Glaser's Bake Shop, a 115-year-old German bakery in Yorkville.Want to see your business featured here? Get in touch! In the early 20th century, New York's German immigrants relocated from the East Village to the Upper East Side neighborhood of Yorkville, which soon became known as Germantown. The community was so culturally rich, that German was spoken more than English in this area. 86th Street was dubbed "Sauerkraut Boulevard" and was lined with German butchers, restaurants, and bakeries. After the dismantling of the Second and Third Avenue elevatrated trains in the 1940s and '50s, most of the German community moved out, but several of these old-time businesses still remain, one of which is Glaser's Bake Shop. When German immigrant John Glaser opened his bakery in 1902, there were half a dozen nearby competitors. 115 years later, the perfectly preserved storefront on First Avenue and 87th Street is the last of its kind in Yorkville, but it's still filled everyday with new neighbors and long-time residents alike, eager to satisfy their sweet tooths with the extra chocolately brownies, jelly donuts, Bavarian pastries, and their famous black-and-white cookies. Glaser's is now owned by John's grandsons Herbert and John, who are committed to keeping their family's traditions alive. 6sqft recently stopped by to watch Herb work on massive gingerbread village and chat with him more about the baker's history and how he's seen Yorkville change over the years.
Get a behind-the-scenes look and hear from Herb

Where I Work

December 12, 2017

Waterline Square mega-development tops out on the Upper West Side

Waterline Square, a mega-development consisting of three luxury residential high-rises and measuring 2.2 million square feet, officially topped out this week, one of the most ambitious projects to hit the Upper West Side in decades. GID Development Group commissioned three major New York City architecture firms, Richard Meier & Partners, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates and Rafael Viñoly, to design One Waterline Square, Two Waterline Square and Three Waterline Square, respectively. The 263 condominiums of the development, located between West 59th Street and West 61st Street on the Hudson River, will commence closings in late 2018. There will also be 800 rental units available, with 20 percent of them below market rate. Hill West Architects serves as the executive architect on the project.
More this way

December 12, 2017

$6.25M Flatiron loft’s bohemian-luxe style reflects its owner’s international flair

Iconic even among the Flatiron district's classic loft buildings and historic architecture, the neo-Gothic 1892 MacIntyre Building at 874 Broadway rises 12 stories above the downtown neighborhood with its handsome turrets, Byzantinue columns and Romanesque arches. Asking $6.25 million, this corner loft co-op occupying two of the building's floors is right at home, overlooking Union Square. A thorough renovation merged two units, resulting in one massive three-bedroom home with a custom-engineered steel and glass staircase and 12-foot ceilings. According to city records, the loft's current owner is writer-director Tannaz Hazemi ("Before the Bomb"), whose culturally diverse international lifestyle may well have influenced the loft's spin-the-compass bohemian-luxe decor.
Tour this fabulously funky loft

Distinctive Homes

NJ farm selling rainbow-colored Christmas trees; new MTA president ‘confident’ he can fix the subway

Via Wyckoff Christmas Tree Farm (L); Via Dan Phiffer/Flickr (R)

December 11, 2017

NJ farm selling rainbow-colored Christmas trees; new MTA president ‘confident’ he can fix the subway