6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

The Archdiocese of New York announced that 12 Catholic churches in Manhattan and The Bronx may be sold after declaring them no longer sacred sites for worship. As DNAinfo reported, the Catholic church released a list of properties, including some that had been shuttered since around 2015 when the church restructured many of its parishes by merging many together. After the diocese quietly posted the decrees over the July Fourth holiday weekend, many parishioners were angry that they had less time to appeal. Now some fear the churches will be converted luxury housing building, which has happened many times in the past few years due to the financial pressure on churches.
Find out more

Real Estate Trends

July 27, 2017

Explore the history of human communication through 100 Barclay’s ceiling murals

By Diane Pham

This post has been sponsored by 100 Barclay. To learn more about available condos or to schedule a tour, visit the official 100 Barclay website. Much attention has been given to the landmarked 100 Barclay as of late thanks to a recent redevelopment of the upper floors into luxury apartments by Magnum Real Estate Group and the CIM Group. The full-block building, which sits on a site at the southern edge of Tribeca and just off the Hudson River waterfront, was originally constructed between 1923 and 1927 as the headquarters of the New York Telephone Company. Then known as the Barclay-Vesey Building (also the New York Telephone Building), the tower was the world's first Art Deco skyscraper, designed by a young Ralph Walker while he was just an associate at McKenzie Voorhees & Gmelin. Walker's design provided not only a launching pad for his own career (he soon after became a partner in his firm and later went on to become one of the country’s most esteemed architects) but the Barclay-Vesey would provide inspiration for many of New York's future skyscrapers.
explore the murals here

Places

July 27, 2017

MTA board members seek an end to routine fare hikes, mulls selling subway station naming rights

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority revealed on Tuesday an $800 million emergency rescue plan to fix the city’s failing subway system, which includes hiring 2,700 workers, removing some seats and adding additional train cars. And on Wednesday the MTA board grappled with ways to pay for the plan, with some members calling for the agency to end its routine fare and toll hikes and find revenue through other means. However, according to the New York Times, the authority’s chief financial officer, Robert Foran, said the agency needed to continue to raise fares by roughly 4 percent every other year as part of their long-term financial plan.
Find out more

July 27, 2017

World’s skinniest skyscraper at 111 West 57th Street stalled at 20 stories by soaring costs

The construction of Property Markets Group and JDS Development’s 1,421-foot-tall tower at 111 West 57th Street has been the subject of much anticipation and excitement, as it's slated to be among the tallest residential skyscrapers anywhere and the world's most slender with a height-to-width ratio of 24:1. But after rising only 20 stories, the SHoP Architects-designed Billionaires' Row addition has stalled, plagued with budget overruns and headed for foreclosure, the New York Post reports.
What could possibly have happened?

Photo via Wiki Commons

July 26, 2017

The history behind how Great Jones Street got its name

After 34 years of serving giant Cajun-Creole portions alongside obscure jukebox music, Great Jones Cafe is closing its doors for good tonight. The notorious Noho bar at 54 Great Jones Street opened in 1983 when the block was so empty patrons used be able to play whiffle ball in the street, but its closure serves as a reminder of the history of Great Jones Street. This superlative name dates way back to 1789 when politician Samuel Jones donated land to the city under the terms that they name any street within the property after him. But there was one little issue....
Where did the street name come from?

History

July 26, 2017

NYC Ferry hits 1 million riders as it readies to launch Astoria route

Considering the NYC Ferry has been so popular since launching on May 1st that it had to charter two extra boats to meet demand, it's not surprising that the city-subsidized ferry hit the 1 million rider mark as of today, a month earlier than expected. Mayor de Blasio celebrated the milestone earlier today with a press conference in Long Island City, also announcing that the fourth ferry route, the Astoria line, will launch on Tuesday, August 29th.
More ferry news

Transit

July 26, 2017

‘Hercules’ actor Kevin Sorbo chops the price of his giant Hamptons estate to $6.5M

Kevin Sorbo bought this five+ acre Bridgehampton property back in 2001 for $900,000. After building a massive, 12,500-square-foot, eight-bedroom home in 2004, the actor and his wife Sam Jenkins listed it for $10.5 million in 2012. It was taken off the market the following year, after which time it hit the rental market and gained its notorious reputation as the ultimate party pad, according to the Post. These "illegal" and ticketed bashes were often hosted for new product launches, but once Sorbo found out they went against town codes he presumably used some Herculean strength to put an end to it. Curbed Hamptons now reports that the sprawling residence is back on the market for the much-reduced price of $6.5 million.
Take the full tour

July 26, 2017

Mid-century modern home built in 1966 with a Techbuilt core asks $979K in Connecticut

This unique property is located just one hour outside of Manhattan, nestled in the woods of New Canaan, Connecticut. The striking structure was constructed in 1966 as a Techbuilt home, a style pioneered by the architect Carl Koch. Since then, the property received stone expansions to build out a 5,700-square-foot residence with five bedrooms, five bathrooms and a great room with vaulted, beamed ceilings. It's on the market for the first time ever, with an ask of $979,000.
See many more glass, wood and stone details

Distinctive Homes

Live in a former convent with panoramic Hudson River views for $3.4M

This $2.85M Crown Heights townhouse is an unspoiled historic beauty on an extra-long lot

Greenwich Village townhouse where Oscar Wilde once stayed asks $7.45M

A loft-sized Harlem studio in a former school asks $599K

Lily Allen's Brooklyn townhouse is for sale for $8M

World's highest duplex lists for $128M at Central Park Tower

Greenwich Village townhouse at the center of NBA gambling scandal listed for $22.5M

Once a parking garage, this $85M Village penthouse is now in line to break neighborhood sales records

This $2.25M Bed-Stuy townhouse has iconic Brooklyn style, well-designed spaces, and rental opportunity

Turn this $6.9M Brooklyn Heights three-family townhouse into an urban mansion with original details galore

VIEW ALL

Brooklyn politicians want to decriminalize subway turnstile jumping

Image via WNYC

July 26, 2017

Brooklyn politicians want to decriminalize subway turnstile jumping

According to the Daily News, in 2016, roughly 92 percent of persons arrested for fare evasion were people of color, many of whom were also low-income and ended up spending at least one day in jail. With this in mind, State Senator Jesse Hamilton of Crown Heights and Assemblywoman Tremaine Wright of Bed-Stuy, both Democrats, will introduce legislation to decriminalize turnstile jumping cases. Instead of the offense warranting an arrest, misdemeanor charges, and a $100 fine, they propose the MTA's Adjudication Bureau handle it as a civil matter.
All the details ahead

July 26, 2017

MTA announces $800M emergency rescue plan for a distressed subway system, includes removing seats

After months of what has seemed like rapidly accelerating deterioration, scary incidents, complaints and finger-pointing, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority revealed on Tuesday an $800 million emergency rescue plan for the city’s beleaguered subway system, the New York Times reports. Some key solutions identified for the initial phase of the plan, called "MTA Moving Forward," included taking out seats on some cars–Boston’s transit system has done this in some cases to make room for more commuters. When asked when riders would begin to see the benefits of the plan, MTA chairman Joseph Lhota said that key parts of the plan’s initial phase would be implemented “relatively quickly.”
A hefty tab and a bitter feud

July 26, 2017

$1.4M South Slope condo has a brilliant layout, loads of style, and a private garage

In a picturesque corner building in a laid-back part of south Park Slope just a few blocks from the park, this full-floor condominium at 341 15th Street seems nearly perfect; it even comes with a private parking garage. If you're into current design trends, flawlessly executed, you'll want to have a look. Asking $1.395 million, the layout of this pre-war home is not only generous with plenty of closets, but there's even room for a third bedroom.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

July 25, 2017

Manhattan’s first-ever water park is coming to the Upper East Side—and it looks like a giant dishwasher!

For three Saturdays in August, nearly seven miles of NYC thoroughfares, from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park, will be closed to traffic as part of the city’s annual Summer Streets program. And this year's event has some pretty adventurous offerings, including a 270-foot waterslide, rock-climbing wall, and a 165-foot-long zipline. Guests will also get to visit Manhattan's first-ever water park on the Upper East Side, courtesy of LG Electronics. The giant inflatable park, called LG QuadWash™ Water Park, will measure 30-feet wide by 50-feet long and it's designed to look like both the interior and exterior of LG's new dishwashers, including cutlery-shaped slides, jet stream sprinklers, and "3rd rack" monkey bars.
Learn how you’ll be able to play in a giant dishwasher

Events & Things To Do

July 25, 2017

Meg Ryan’s moody, ‘Megan-ized’ Mercer Street loft sells for $9.9M

Meg Ryan's 4,100-square-foot apartment at 84 Mercer Street in Soho has been officially scooped up for $9.9M, LLNYC reveals. 6sqft previously reported that the actress had listed the full-floor home–which she bought from fellow actor Hank Azaria for $8 million in 2014–for $10.9 million back in February of this year. After a designer gut renovation and a spread in Architectural Digest, the three-bedroom home didn't stay on the market long—it went into contract just three months after Ryan listed it.
Tour the loft

July 25, 2017

$350K UES studio designed in the ’80s by Adam Tihany resembles a luxury train car

A quirky studio designed by the interior designer Adam Tihany, praised as one of the greatest American interior architects by the New York Times, has hit the market for $350,000. The design has essentially remained unchanged since the apartment was featured in an early 1980s issue of Metropolitan Home, which compared the design to that of a luxury train car. According to the listing, this modest interior, packed with inventive storage, is an early example of Tihany's world renowned hotel work (some of his commissions include the Mandarin Oriental in Vegas, the Beverly Hills Hotel, and two Four Seasons in Dubai). It's located in the 16-unit Upper East Side co-op 223 East 78th Street, which has one more studio for sale asking $315,000.
Check it all out

Distinctive Homes

Elon Musk and Tesla seek East Coast domination with new mid-priced electric car model

Tesla’s Red Hook sales and service shop. Image via Tesla

July 25, 2017

Elon Musk and Tesla seek East Coast domination with new mid-priced electric car model

Just a few days ago, Elon Musk received “verbal approval” for his Hyperloop One, a high-speed tube that will take passengers from NYC to D.C. in just 29 minutes. Adding to his East Coast and New York takeover, Musk’s Silicon Valley-based company Tesla will release its first mid-priced electric car, the Model 3, later this month for the moderate price of $35,000. But because New York law requires cars to be sold to consumers by dealerships and not manufacturers, Tesla hopes proposed legislation aimed at changing that law will expand their sales dramatically throughout the state, according to Crain’s.
Find out more

Aby Rosen signs fashion company Totokaelo as first retail tenant at 190 Bowery

Image: Before the 2005 sale

July 25, 2017

Aby Rosen signs fashion company Totokaelo as first retail tenant at 190 Bowery

It's been two-and-a-half years since developer Aby Rosen of RFR Realty scooped up the former Germania Bank Building for $55 million. He bought it from photographer Jay Maisel, who in 1966 turned the then-abandoned landmark into his own private 72-room mansion. After removing the Nolita building's iconic graffiti last summer, Rosen is now all systems go for his conversion to an office building with ground-floor retail. As the Post reports, Seattle-based fashion retailer Totokaelo (who counts among its designer offerings Acne Studios, Comme des Garçons, Jil Sander and Proenza Schouler) signed a lease for 8,918 square feet at street level. However, the deal only covers early fall through March 2018 for a large-scale pop-up store.
All the details ahead

Uncategorized

July 25, 2017

REVEALED: Tishman Speyer’s Long Island City office development boasts food hall and rooftop park

Long Island City, New York City’s fastest growing neighborhood, shows no signs of slowing down. Following the completion of Jackson Park, the residential phase of Tishman Speyer Properties’ massive Gotham Center development, renderings have been revealed for their creative office space across the street at 28-01 Jackson Avenue. As CityRealty learned, the development, called the JACX, consists of two identical towers that will include over 40,000 square feet of retail space, with a gourmet market, food hall, dining, and boutique fitness centers, as well as a one-acre rooftop terrace.
See inside

Artist proposes installing a Hollywood-style ‘Brooklyn!’ sign to attract visitors

"Brooklyn is a potent idea as well as a place,” according to Susanna Briselli, who explains in the Brooklyn Eagle that the borough's name "summons vivid images and associations.” Briselli, who is an artist and photographer, suggests this potent chemistry is a compelling enough reason to create an enormous free-standing illuminated sign that reads “Brooklyn!” The massive work would be used to draw in more visitors and increase value, placed where the soon-to-be removed "Watchtower" sign in Brooklyn Heights now stands, or at another highly visible site such as Pier 7.
A sign of the times

Events & Things To Do

July 25, 2017

Sunny Park Slope sublet asks $4,750/month, co-op board approval not required

This quintessentially lovely Park Slope apartment on the parlor floor of a gorgeous historic townhouse at 369 Sixth Avenue is available for sublet without co-op board approval, which may just set the stage for the easy life in this sunny Brooklyn home. An in-unit washer-dryer, a nice big bay window, a recent renovation and a tree-lined street add to the idyllic picture.
Take a look

A rejected design for Central Park from 1858 shows colorful, whimsical topiaries

John Rink’s rejected design proposal for Central Park, via NY Historical Society

July 24, 2017

A rejected design for Central Park from 1858 shows colorful, whimsical topiaries

Central Park, which celebrated its 164th anniversary this month, required elaborate planning to make it what it is today: the most visited urban park in the country. New York City launched a design competition in 1857 for the development of the open space between Manhattan’s 59th and 110th Streets. Most New Yorkers know that out of 33 total entrants, the city chose Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux's "Greensward Plan." However, just five of the losing designs survived and can be seen at the New York Historical Society. One particularly unique design was submitted by park engineer John Rink, who planned Central Park to be highly decorated with whimsically shaped sections dominated by topiaries (h/t Slate).
Find out more

July 24, 2017

Jon Bon Jovi tries to sell West Village duplex as part of a $30M combo unit

Jon Bon Jovi hasn't released a new album in quite some time, but one way he's managed to stay in the spotlight is his real estate game. In 2015, he sold his Soho penthouse for $34 million, shortly thereafter picking up a sprawling duplex condo at new celeb-favorite 150 Charles Street for $13 million. Less than two months ago, he listed the West Village pad for $17.25 million, but he's already gotten impatient, now offering the pad as part of a $29.5 million combo unit with the neighboring duplex according to Curbed.
Check out both duplexes

July 24, 2017

Muslim-backed cultural center would be the first of its kind in NYC

As a way to promote inter-religious coexistence and cultural exchange, the American Society for Muslim Advancement and Buro Koray Duman Architects have collaborated to create a design proposal for an Islamic cultural center, the first Muslim-sponsored multi-faith community center in New York City. According to ArchDaily, the design for the center, called Cordoba House, is based on the historic “Kulliye,” an Ottoman Islamic center, and features a vertical landscape design. It will stretch 100,000 square feet and include recreation, culinary, art, retail and administrative spaces.
More this way

Architecture And Design

July 24, 2017

Rent Stella McCartney’s laid-back Hamptons beach cottage for $30,000/month

This Hamptons beach cottage may not be super fashion-forward, but considering Stella McCartney's tailored style and commitment to animal rights, it makes sense that the designer would opt for a more laid-back look. And if this fresh, summery aesthetic appeals to you, you're in luck; the Observer reports that McCartney and her husband Alasdhair Willis, the creative director of Hunter boots, have listed the Napeague Bay house as a $30,000 a month rental (or $20,000 after the summer). The couple bought the property, along with the adjacent empty lot, for $1.7 million last August, opting for an Amagansett location not far from where Paul McCartney has owned a large estate since the '90s.
Get a better look

July 24, 2017

565 Broome Soho aims to be Manhattan’s first ‘Zero Waste’ residential high rise

New York City developers have been increasingly competing to seek environment-friendly accreditations based on standards like Passive House, LEED and wellness to distinguish their offerings. Recently "Zero Waste," defined by the U.S. Zero Waste Business Council as, “achieving over 90% diversion of waste from landfills, incinerators and the environment,” is rising in popularity, with good reason: Certified buildings won't be generating the mountains of garbage that are the bane of NYC living. 565 Broome Soho, the under-construction condominium tower at the crossroads of Soho, Hudson Square and Tribeca, hopes to be Manhattan’s first Zero Waste-certified residential building, CityRealty reports.
Find out more

July 24, 2017

De Blasio urges Cuomo to ‘take responsibility’ for MTA

The ongoing public debate over whether the state or city controls the subway continued this weekend when Mayor de Blasio, riding a Manhattan-bound F train on Sunday, demanded Governor Cuomo “take responsibility” over the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The mayor’s comments come after Cuomo and Joseph Lhota, the recently appointed chairman of the MTA, called on de Blasio and the city last week to contribute more money to the authority for repair work. As the New York Times reported, de Blasio said the MTA has a lot of money that they’re not spending, including the $2.5 billion contributed by the city in 2015, to the MTA's 2015-2019 capital plan.
Find out more

July 24, 2017

Form meets function at this cute $2,850/month Chelsea studio

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

This cute little studio at 410 West 23rd Street in Chelsea has a lot going for it in the looks department thanks to a considered renovation that kept an eye on form as well as function. A massive dressing room/closet makes sure your living space stays uncluttered, and a petite entry foyer adds class to the one-room-living experience.
Get a closer look

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

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

10 best plants for apartment dwellers

New York City's best holiday markets of 2023

VIEW ALL

July 22, 2017

Pre-war condo asks $450K in Ditmas Park, a nabe better known for freestanding homes

The Brooklyn neighborhood of Ditmas Park has made a name for itself because of the freestanding Victorian homes lining its suburban-like streets, but here's a two-bedroom, pre-war condo up for sale in the 'nabe, what the listing calls "truly a rare find" for the area. It's asking $450,000 at 2108 Dorchester Road, a 1912 building with 48 units. Inside, high ceilings and three exposures make for a cheery, bright apartment.
The apartment also boasts an open layout

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

Images (L to R): 363 Bond Street, 525W52, Offerman House and 100 Steuben

July 22, 2017

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

By Ondel Hylton

Images (L to R): 363 Bond Street, 525W52, Offerman House and 100 Steuben Tour Hell’s Kitchen’s Industrially-Inspired 525W52 Courtesy of Field Condition [link] Bond Street Development Redefines Living Next to the Gowanus Canal; See Inside [link] New Rentals Launch with 1 Month Free at Historic Offerman House in Downtown Brooklyn [link] Leasing Kicks Off at […]

Real Estate Trends

July 21, 2017

In Williamsburg, an 1800s brick townhouse built for dockworkers asks $2M

This Williamsburg property comes from a row of townhomes along North 9th Street originally built in the 1870s for dockworkers. Those days are long gone, and the three-bedroom home is now asking $1.995 million. The interior, admittedly, isn't stunning--as the listing says, you'll need to "bring your architect and/or designer to realize this property's full potential." But the house does come with a prime 'burg location, air rights to build an addition, and a wonderfully deep, lush backyard garden.
You have to see this green space

Distinctive Homes

Nearly complete tunnels under Hudson Yards need more funding to finish

Photo of Hudson Yards Amtrak tunnel encasement via Tutor Perini

July 21, 2017

Nearly complete tunnels under Hudson Yards need more funding to finish

Currently, the first part of two box tunnels under the Hudson Yards development, below 10th and 11th Avenues on Manhattan’s west side, sits mostly finished. While construction of the final piece has yet to begin, when it’s complete the remaining section would link the tubes to the proposed new tunnel under the Hudson River, providing better access to Penn Station. However, according to the New York Times, both tunnel projects, which fall under the multi-billion dollar Gateway Program, lack the funding needed to finish.
More details here

July 21, 2017

How to keep cool without an air conditioner and cut your electricity bill

6sqft’s series Apartment Living 101 is aimed at helping New Yorkers navigate the challenges of creating a happy home in the big city. With temperatures climbing, we put together the best products and tips for keeping your apartment cool this summer. If you're not one of the lucky ones who has central cooling in their apartment, the summer months can be a challenge. A regular old fan won't always do the trick, and traditional wall-unit air conditioners are bulky, hard to install, loud, expensive to run, and often associated with health risks such as respiratory issues, headaches, and skin irritation. If you're looking to try something new this season, 6sqft has rounded up several products and innovations perfect for keeping apartment dwellers from sticking to the sheets when the mercury rises. We've also put together a list of tips for those who want to go completely off-the-grid and for those who simply can't give up the wall unit, but want to be less wasteful.
Get it all this way

New City Council bill would create a comprehensive urban agriculture plan for New York

Image courtesy of Gotham Greens.

July 21, 2017

New City Council bill would create a comprehensive urban agriculture plan for New York

A new bill introduced in New York City Council Thursday addresses the need for an urban agriculture plan that doesn't fall through the cracks of the city's zoning and building regulations, the Wall Street Journal reports. The bill, introduced by Councilman Rafael Espinal and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and assigned to the Land Use Committee, also raises the possibility of an office of urban agriculture. If a New York City farm bill seems surprising, you may also be surprised to know that NYC has the country's largest urban agriculture system, including community gardens, rooftop farms and greenhouses.
Outgrowing the system

July 21, 2017

Cuomo says New York City is responsible for subway system, not the state

Although New York City’s subway is currently in a state of emergency, no government official seems to want to take ownership of the failing transit system. Governor Cuomo and Joseph Lhota, the recently appointed chairman of the Metropolitan Transit Authority, called on Mayor de Blasio and City Hall to contribute more money for repairing the subway system on Thursday, citing a law that puts the city in charge of the track system. As the New York Times reported, Lhota and the MTA are preparing an emergency plan to deal with the subway, expecting more funds to come from the city. The plan, which Cuomo ordered the MTA to create within 30 days, is set to be completed by the end of next week.
Find out more

July 21, 2017

$875K Carroll Gardens duplex sports industrial details from its milk factory days

The listing calls this two-bedroom condo on the lower two floors of a converted milk factory at 395 Smith Street "the most unique hideaway in Carroll Gardens," and we'll agree there's some extremely creative use of space at work. Besides that, there are two stories, two bedrooms, and two baths for a reasonable-sounding $875,000 in an expensive and lovely neighborhood.
Take a look around

Distinctive Homes

July 20, 2017

eBay exec’s madly mod and colorful Chelsea pad asks $2.2M

eBay executive and Fab.com shopping site founder Bradford Shellhammer raced back from a vacation weekend to tour the Chelsea home he's now selling for $2.2 million. He's looking for more space that's "more about texture than color," the New York Post reports. In the years he's been a resident at 575 Sixth Avenue, Shellhammer has transformed the Chelsea loft into a Memphis-style-meets-mid-century-modern masterpiece in sherbet hues, complete with art by Andy Warhol and Keith Haring. Refinery29 once called the home “The Most Colorful Apartment We’ve EVER seen.”
Have a look

Distinctive Homes

July 20, 2017

Help the NYPL geotag historic photos of New York City

The New York Public Library has a challenge for all history gurus and NYC experts: Place unlabeled historic photos of the city at the correct location on a map. The new website called Surveyor crowdsources geotags of the NYPL's photo collections with the goal of creating a digital database to make it easier to find images by the location they were taken. While some photos come with helpful titles that describe the location or the address, others only include the neighborhood or vague details. Since algorithms and search engines won’t be able to pick up locations of these old photos, the NYPL is seeking help from the public.
Get more info

History

July 20, 2017

Elon Musk says he received ‘verbal’ approval to build Hyperloop One between NYC and D.C.

In a tweet around 11:00am Thursday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said he "just received verbal govt approval for The Boring Company to build an underground NY-Phil-Balt-DC Hyperloop." The Hyperloop One plan will take passengers from NYC to D.C. in a mere 29 minutes via a high-speed tube moved by electric propulsion, with stations at each city center and "up to a dozen or more entry/exit elevators in each city," according to Musk. In a response to a comment on his initial tweet, he said: "First set of tunnels are to alleviate greater LA urban congestion. Will start NY-DC in parallel. Then prob LA-SF and a TX loop."
Get the full scoop

How to start an art collection: A guide for new buyers and investors on a budget

The Jean-Michel Basquiat painting that sold for $110.5 million at Sotheby’s. Image courtesy of Sotheby’s

July 20, 2017

How to start an art collection: A guide for new buyers and investors on a budget

By Diane Pham

Our ongoing series Apartment Living 101 is aimed at helping New Yorkers navigate the challenges of creating a happy home in the big city. This week we have tips on how to start an art collection for both fun and future profit. In May 2017, Jean-Michel Basquiat’s 1982 painting of a skull sold for a mind-numbing $110.5 million at Sotheby's, becoming the sixth most expensive work in history to sell at auction. In fact, Sotheby's is known to record billions of dollars in art sales annually fed by wealthy art enthusiasts clamoring to hang the most rarefied of works. But for us plebeians who find the thought of buying fine art alluring but lack the finances needed to bid on a Pollock or a Picasso, what options are available to us? Ahead, Krista Scenna, an independent curator, gallerist and co-owner of Brooklyn's Ground Floor Gallery, gives 6sqft the low-down on how regular folks can begin to build a museum-worthy art collection on a budget. Addressing everything from how to vet emerging artists for value to the top three questions you need to ask yourself before you even begin your hunt to simply why you should invest in art in the first place, if you're new to the world of buying art, this guide is for you!
everything you need to know here

July 20, 2017

John McEnroe gets another grand slam, sells Southampton beach estate for $11.25M

We can't imagine he'll be having any public outbursts over the $7 million profit he just made on his Southampton estate. The Observer reports that confrontational tennis legend John McEnroe, along with his wife, musician Patty Smyth, has sold his beach-front house for $11.25 million, 18 years after buying it for $4.2 million. Not surprisingly, the home on Squabble Lane (how's that for ironic?) has a full-size Har-Tru tennis court and a gym, as well as a heated pool, private beach access, and the 8,000-square-foot mansion.
Take a look around

July 20, 2017

Governor Cuomo will invest $5.6B to transform the LIRR

With the renovations at Penn Station just getting underway, the state released a plan on Wednesday to invest $5.6 billion in renovating 39 Long Island Rail Road stations. This includes the reconstruction of the system’s tracks, switches and signals. According to Governor Cuomo, the project, part of his encompassing $100 billion infrastructure plan, would increase rider capacity by more than 80 percent.
Find out more

July 20, 2017

Colorful Pop art-filled East Village townhouse designed by Annabelle Selldorf asks $7.5M

The neighborhood is known for its tiny, cramped apartments, so living in an East Village townhouse already seems impossibly fortunate. But this four-story, 5,200-square-foot townhouse at 26 East 5th Street has the extra bragging rights to a top-to-toe renovation by starchitect Annabelle Selldorf. Built in 1900, this single-family home uses a 35-foot deep extension to add light and square footage, and the current residents have packed those square feet with a colorful Pop art collection and perfectly imperfect details. Minus the art, it's asking $7.5 million.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

July 19, 2017

East Hampton’s ‘Driftwood House’ employs traditional Japanese charred wood techniques

On a half-acre lot perched 18 feet above Gardiner's Bay in East Hampton sits a unique site, shielded by neighboring waterfront homes on its east and west sides, but completely open in front to the bay. With these two extremes as their inspiration, MB Architecture designed the Driftwood House, using both reclaimed wood from the property's previous home and charred cypress prepared using the traditional Japanese Shou-Sugi-Ban technique. The result is a sustainable residence that "[weaves] the line of the horizon through its spaces, slowly unveiling the views, with glimpses through layers and framed transparencies."
See the whole house

Photo via Nick Allen on Flickr

July 19, 2017

Experts say NYC’s noise issues will only grow worse

With its 8.5 million residents, honking taxis, constant construction and vibrant nightlife scene, New York City remains one of the noisiest places on Earth. Although quieter neighborhoods like the Upper East Side once offered a quiet reprieve from the city’s cacophony, these pockets of peace are getting harder to find as NYC’s population expands. As the New York Times reported, despite the fact that noise pollution has already been linked to harmful health effects like stress, hypertension and heart disease, about 420,000 noise complaints were filed citywide with the city’s 311 hotline in 2016, more than doubling the number of complaints made in 2011.
Find out more

July 19, 2017

Strikingly modern duplex rents for $15,000/month in a historic West Village co-op

The Greenwich by Rafael Vinoly

A renter gets the best of both worlds at this West Village apartment: a modern duplex with lofty, white interiors set in a historic, 1848 Greek Revival building along a cobblestone street. The building in question is 288 West 12th Street, a five-floor, eight-unit co-op. This particular three-bedroom can be rented for a cool $15,000 a month. Over 1,525 square feet, there are details like a wood-burning fireplace, 18-foot ceilings, and customized closets, not to mention access to a 350-square-foot private garden space.
See more of the modern pad

Distinctive Homes

125 Greenwich Street

Financial District

The new altitude of downtown living

studios starting at $1,110,000
1 beds starting at $1,495,000
2 beds starting at $2,785,000
3 beds starting at $3,600,000

Learn More

July 19, 2017

The history of Fort George: Manhattan’s long-lost amusement park in Inwood

Did you know Washington Heights and Inwood used to be home to a giant amusement park? In 1895, the Fort George Amusement Park opened on Amsterdam Avenue between 190th and 192nd Streets, overlooking the Harlem River in what is now Highbridge Park. Located in the same spot as George Washington’s fight against the British, "Harlem’s Coney Island" rivaled Brooklyn’s Coney Island with roller coasters, Ferris wheels, a skating rink, fortune tellers, music halls, casinos, and hotels.
Learn more about the Fort George Amusement Park

History

July 19, 2017

MTA considers ban on subway dining; snacking might be ok

After an upper Manhattan track fire this week reminded them that trash catches fire, the Metropolitan Transit Authority is considering limiting the all-too-familiar practice of stuffing one's face with hot, messy food while riding the subway. The New York Times reports that MTA chairman Joseph J. Lhota said Tuesday that he'd like to curb inappropriate eating as a way to eliminate fires caused by the ensuing litter.
Have another french fry. For now.

July 19, 2017

New York State gets approved for $550M loan for new Moynihan Station

The first phase of Governor Cuomo’s plan to revamp Penn Station wrapped up last month with two new entrances opening on the corners of West 31st and West 33rd Streets and Eighth Avenue. Plus, the West End Concourse was expanded and now boasts a new color scheme, LED screens and murals. Adding to the project's progress, the state was approved for a federal loan on Tuesday for up to $550 million for the second phase of the plan, which will convert the Farley Post Office across the street into Moynihan Train Hall, expanding Penn Station floor space by 50 percent, as reported by Politico NY.
Find out more

July 19, 2017

Colorful decor pops against massive brick walls at this $6,950/month Gramercy rental

If you love Gramercy and you're into classic lofts and/or pre-war apartments you'd have to be thick as a brick to pass up this $6,950 two-bedroom rental opportunity–because this sizable sunny second-floor walk-up at 116 East 19th Street is of all of the above. Gut-renovated and air-conditioned, the apartment's multitude of brick serves as a reminder that you're in a New York City building and not, say, a North Carolina time share.
More lofty brick this way

Distinctive Homes

July 18, 2017

$2,500/month Soho studio fits a lot of storage and charm into 200 square feet