6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

A Barnes & Noble in Co-op City, the Bronx’s only bookstore, is closing by the end of the year. [New Yorker] This year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is a Norway Spruce from a backyard upstate in Oneonta. It’ll be cut down on November 10th and brought to the city on the 12th. [NBC NY] A new […]

Uncategorized

November 1, 2016

Uma Thurman makes a big profit on her Gramercy Park duplex

Uma Thurman's Gramercy Park duplex went into contract in May after hitting the market for $6.25 million less than two months prior. Considering the co-op at 1 Lexington Avenue came with five bedrooms, a classically elegant look, and a coveted key to the park, it's no shock that it actually closed for $6.61 million, more than five percent over ask, according to the Observer, and well over the $2.65 million the actress paid for it in 2006.
Take a look around

November 1, 2016

MAP: What languages New Yorkers speak at home, by neighborhood

Life in New York City in all its diversity means hearing a colorful mix of languages spoken every day. Web developer and artist Jill Hubley's new census map (h/t Gothamist) shows us which languages are spoken by New Yorkers at home in their neighborhoods. Hubley intially created the Languages of NYC map for a GISMO exhibit at the Queens Museum entitled, "Map Mosaic: From Queens to the World" with data from the United States Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The result is a colorful tableau of native tongues, from Russian in Brighton Beach to Spanish in Sunset Park, with large swaths of French Creole in Brooklyn and Chinese in lower Manhattan–and those are the ones we already expected. The map allows you to view "islands" of one or more languages or to view them all.
Check out the map

Uncategorized

November 1, 2016

Is the end of the 421-a tax abatement program ‘a self-created recession’?

By Michelle Sinclair Colman

On this past January 1, the 421-a tax abatement program expired after 44 years in existence. Any new construction permitted before January will still benefit from the program, but many want to know what the expiration of this program mean for new construction? And how will the projects still under the 421-a umbrella use their […]

November 1, 2016

The world’s 12 richest people could buy all of Manhattan’s residential stock

When it comes to the richest people in the world, the disparity is staggering, and what better way to exemplify this than by sizing these individuals up against the nation's most expensive real estate market, in a city that's home to more billionaires than anywhere else. PropertyShark took data from Forbes' World Billionaires List and created an infographic that shows how the world's 12 richest people have enough wealth to buy all of Manhattan's residential stock for $578 billion and still have some pocket change leftover.
See the full infographic here

Uncategorized

Image via Wiki Commons

November 1, 2016

Hoteliers buy historic Hotel Chelsea for $250M, will redevelop as condos and hotel

After five years of ownership changes and tenant battles, a group of well-known hoteliers is betting on the future of the historic Hotel Chelsea. The Real Deal reports that a joint venture made up of BD Hotels’ Richard Born and Ira Drukier and Sean MacPherson (who owns, among others, the Bowery Hotel and Waverly Inn) has closed on the hotel for $250 million, and they plan to convert it to condos and a likely trendy hotel.
Find out more

Events & Things To Do

November 1, 2016

FiDi Birkinstock penthouse on the rental market for $20K, international antiquities included

This 3,500-square-foot penthouse atop the Setai Wall Street at 40 Broad Street in the Financial District is a stunning home by NYC standards, but the condominium also includes a world tour's worth of collected fixtures. The two-bedroom penthouse belongs to Alex Birkenstock–scion of the trendy-crunchy European sandal family–who bought the posh pad in 2011 for just under $6 million. An attempt was made in 2104 to sell the apartment for $13 million as 6sqft previously reported. But even after being eventually chopped to $9 million, the pad still doesn't appear to have changed hands. Now it's for rent for $19,995 a month, amazing spin-the-compass collections and all. For starters, there's a 1,000-pound steel and brass safe bought from the Bank of France...
Take the tour

October 31, 2016

Amy Schumer drops $12.1M on glassy Riverside Drive penthouse

Earlier this month, 6sqft shared reports that Amy Schumer toured a $15 million, historic Beaux Arts mansion at 352 Riverside Drive. But just two weeks later, the comedian closed on a more contemporary penthouse farther south along the river. Sources told the Post that she dropped $12.1 million on a 4,500-square-foot duplex at 91st Street, and after some sleuthing, 6sqft has uncovered that it's the top-floor spread at 190 Riverside Drive. The five-bedroom Upper West Side home is described as "a Malibu beach house, with the sophistication of Manhattan architecture," which is fitting considering the wrap-around terrace surrounded by glass walls and the recent renovation by Spivak Architects.
Take a virtual tour of the penthouse

Distinctive Homes

For $8.85M, a condo with Central Park and Manhattan skyline views from every room

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

This $1.4M Astoria home is all about flexible, fabulous, and fun townhouse living

For $4.6M, this classic Park Slope limestone updates history without erasing the details

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

This $3.25M Gramercy two-bedroom comes with expansion potential–and a key to the park

Asking $20M, a university president's Greenwich Village residence enters a new chapter

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

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

At former Streit's Matzo Factory, a Lower East Side penthouse with two terraces asks $4.35M

VIEW ALL

October 31, 2016

Tensions over gentrification escalate over Crow Bar controversy in Crown Heights

Even before it opened its doors, the new tavern on Franklin Avenue in Crown Heights was under attack. The name of the place, Crow Bar, was racist, complained many residents of the neighborhood, which was once predominantly black. The residents point out that Crown Heights was known as “Crow Hill” for much of the 19th century, and […]

Uncategorized

October 31, 2016

12 experts suggest creative ways to handle 9 million future New Yorkers

With New York City's population on its way to nine million, the city's infrastructure may be impressive, but it has its limits–including red tape and resource shortages–that will make it difficult to withstand the projected surge. Reminding us of the transformative innovations of Robert Moses–he of the big ideas and ego to match–Crains invited 12 firms who make their living wrangling infrastructure to hit us with some big ideas. Ahead of the upcoming summit, "Getting Ready for 9 Million New Yorkers," they've shared these visions for future (bigger, better) New York from top architects, designers and real estate experts. Ideas include some that have already proven themselves (repurposing existing track beds) and some already in the works (Bushwick's Rheingold brewery project) to others that Robert Moses might not love (shrinking the city's highways).
Take a look at these futuristic ideas for moving the city forward.

October 31, 2016

Celebrating Halloween in the West Village in 1993; St. Paul’s Chapel Unveils 9/11 Chapel of Remembrance

St. Paul’s Chapel, Manhattan’s oldest church that survived the September 11th attacks without even a broken window, marks its 250th anniversary by unveiling a 9/11 Chapel of Remembrance. [NBC] 10 “trumpkins” that are making Halloween great again. [Inhabitat] There are 47 gravestones at the Old Southampton Burial Ground on Long Island, but a cemetery-mapping service found close to […]

Uncategorized

October 31, 2016

Interior and amenity renderings revealed for Hub, Brooklyn’s tallest tower

For now, Downtown Brooklyn's Hub holds the title of tallest building in Brooklyn. Topping off at 610 feet, the Dattner Architects-designed, Douglas Steiner-developed slab tower at 333 Schermerhorn Street will offer 740 apartments, 150 of which became available through the city's affordable housing lottery earlier this month. But aside from its height and number of units, the 55-story building has been turning heads for its list of amenities--a landscaped outdoor terrace with sun deck, 75-foot pool, fitness center with yoga studio, dog run, grilling terrace, indoor and outdoor movie screens, children’s playroom, and bike storage for every unit. And Curbed has gotten its hands on the first set of renderings that show these swanky offerings, along with views of the apartments and news that leasing for the market-rate units will begin in January.
More details and renderings

October 31, 2016

A historic stable house with completely modern interior asks $8.35M in Murray Hill

The interior of 149 East 38th Street in Murray Hill looks insanely modern--but just wait until you see the exterior. This home was carved out of the Bowdoin Stables, an imposing carriage house built in 1902 for the real estate developer and clothing executive William R. H. Martin. According to Daytonian in Manhattan, the structure sold to financier George S. Bowdoin in 1907 (hence the stable's name), and Bowdoin’s horses lived on the first floor while his coachmen lived upstairs. The building has served as everything from a home to art gallery to cultural center since then; now it's on the market as an impressive residence asking $8.35 million.
See it all here

October 31, 2016

René Lalique’s windows saved this Fifth Avenue building from destruction in the 1980s

By Tracy A. Marciano

In 1984, a series of grime-covered windows at 714 Fifth Avenue caught the attention of an architectural historian by the name of Andrew Dolkart. Seemingly innocuous, and almost industrial in aesthetic—at least from afar—the glass panes would later become the foundation for a preservation victory.
more this way

October 31, 2016

Bobby Flay finds a renter for his $22,500/month Chelsea duplex

Famed chef and Food Network personality Bobby Flay has had a tough time unloading his Chelsea Mercantile duplex since splitting with his ex-wife, "Law & Order: SVU" actress Stephanie March. He originally listed the sprawling home a year ago for $7.95 million, then added the option to rent it for $22,500/month in January, followed by a $1 million price chop in May. But the Post reports today that the Iron Chef has finally found a renter to take the pad off his hands.
Take a look around

October 31, 2016

MAP: East Williamsburg would be fined the most by new Airbnb law

After Governor Cuomo recently signed into effect a bill that would impose fines of up to $7,500 on those offering illegal short-term Airbnb rentals, the company filed a federal lawsuit against the legislation, saying it would "impose significant immediate burdens and irreparable harm." And according to an analysis from ValuePenguin, shared by DNAinfo, it's East Williamsburg that would be hit the hardest by the new regulations. The personal finance website says that, as of October 1st, the neighborhood (zip code 11211) has 314 full apartment rental listings, which could result in $2,355,000 in fines. It's followed by zip code 10003, which covers parts of Greenwich Village, Gramercy, and the East Village, the Lower East Side (10002) and Chelsea (10011).
More data ahead

Policy

October 31, 2016

Maya Angelou’s second Harlem townhouse sells for $2M

Over the summer, 6sqft shared the sale of the late Maya Angelou's historic Harlem brownstone. After listing last February for $5.1 million, the beautifully preserved home in the Mount Morris Park Historic District finally sold for $4 million in July. But as it turns 0ut, this wasn't the only property she owned that hit the market at the beginning of the year. The Post reports that the author and activist also owned a property for which she was the landlord, just about ten blocks away at 29 East 129th Street, and after hitting the market for $2.6 million and going through two price chops, it's now found a buyer for $1.98 million.
More this way

This $7.5M West Village townhouse was once home to Derek Jeter and A-Rod

According to the listing for this otherwise nondescript brick townhouse on a pretty West Village street, both Derek Jeter and fellow former Yankee Alex Rodriguez were one-time residents. Jeter was renting the 2,800 square-foot home until last spring, and Curbed tells us that while Courtney Love took a look but didn't bite, the four-story home at 56 Bank Street has been on the market for quite some time, most recently asking $7.495 million.
Take a look inside

October 30, 2016

Join the Society of Magicians on Halloween for a séance at Harry Houdini’s former Upper East Side home

Last week, a commemorative plaque was installed on the facade of the former Upper East Side home of Harry Houdini at 244 East 79th Street, marking the 90th anniversary of his death and celebrating National Magic Week. To coincide with this, the Society of American Magicians will meet tomorrow for a séance at the building's Sojourn restaurant in hopes of contacting the great illusionist. As the Wall Street Journal notes, when he and his family moved into the top-floor studio of the boardinghouse in 1887, a young Houdini practiced his tricks and escapes in the space that now holds the eatery.
The rest of the story here

October 30, 2016

$629K apartment in Park Slope packs charm into a cozy space

This one-bedroom apartment, at 132 St. Marks Place in Park Slope, does a lot with just 665 square feet. The unit comes from an eight-unit condo in a four-story walkup building—and from what we can gather it's on the top floor. But once you're there it's charming indeed, with 11-foot ceilings, painted exposed brick, and a skylight that fills the apartment with light. (Hey, it's one perk of being on the top floor.)
Take a tour

Distinctive Homes

October 29, 2016

20-foot-wide townhouse with unused air rights asks $7.9M in the West Village

Calling all buyers who have dreams of a designing their own mega-mansion. This West Village townhouse, at 541 Hudson Street, already has tons of living space over four floors, and comes with an additional 1,400 square feet of unused air rights. It's an opportunity, as the listing puts it, for "the purchaser to increase the size of this extraordinary home"--but you'll have to cough up $7.995 million first. Currently, the townhouse is broken up into an income-producing commercial space and two separate, impressive apartments.
Check it out

Distinctive Homes

October 28, 2016

As the election nears, sales at Trump buildings decline

Now that we're nearer to the election, and since the negative press surrounding all things Donald Trump has come to a head, things are starting to crumble for his real estate empire. Not only did his personal hotel brand decide to drop his moniker, but a group of Trump Place tenants even went so far as to petition their board to remove his name from their buildings. A report out today in the Times takes a closer look at how sales are declining, and data from CityRealty confirms that from 2015 to 2016, there was a 17 percent decrease in the number of sales at Trump condos.
Find out more this way

Real Estate Trends

October 28, 2016

Wine condoms provide ‘on-the-go protection’ for your bottle of vino

Wine and condoms often go hand-in-hand, but one product has actually combined the two. Wine Condoms, available on Amazon, are so popular that they are currently sold out through the online retailer. Their description also claims that Amy Poehler, Sharon Stone, Mila Kunis, Madonna, Bethenny Frankel, Melissa McCarthy, Patricia Arquette, Rosie O’Donnell and Ruby Rose “have […]

October 28, 2016

$600M overhaul at the Lambert Houses underway to bring 1,665 affordable housing units to the Bronx

When it comes to affordable housing, the Bronx is booming. 6sqft previously reported that proposals were being heard to bring 1,665 affordable apartments to the site of the Bronx Zoo-bordering Lambert Houses, which would double the development's current affordable housing units, triple the existing retail space, create a new public school, and help to better integrate the community into the surrounding neighborhood. As reported by the Times, Phipps Houses, the complex's nonprofit owner and developer, has moved ahead on plans to demolish the existing 14 buildings and build taller towers, a project that's gotten a $600 million price tag.
Find out more

Affordable Housing

October 28, 2016

Church details adorn this $6.35M triplex condo in Gramercy

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

The St. George’s Church conversion, at 205 East 16th Street in Gramercy, did an amazing job of preserving church details as well as integrating them into residential units. Now known as the Abbey Condominium, it's not unusual for these luxury units to boast stained glass, pews or wrought iron lantern lights. This triplex, which has just hit the market, is decked out with remnants from the church--even in the apartment's solarium--and it's asking $6.35 million.
Go inside

Distinctive Homes

THE 6SQFT SHOP

The best websites for buying and selling used furniture in NYC

The 6 best furniture rental companies in NYC

8 best places in NYC to thrift for home goods

Everything you need to know about using a guarantor in NYC

New York City's best holiday markets of 2023

15 quintessential NYC gifts for the New Yorker in your life

10 Ways to Decorate an Exposed Brick Wall Without Drilling

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

10 Great Places to Buy Affordable Art in New York City

VIEW ALL

October 28, 2016

The Urban Lens: A walk through the wild and wonderful Village Halloween Parade

By James and Karla Murray

6sqft’s ongoing series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment, award-winning photographers James and Karla Murray return with a series of snapshots from last year's debaucherous Village Halloween Parade. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. Started by Greenwich Village mask maker and puppeteer Ralph Lee in 1973, the Village Halloween Parade began as a “wandering neighborhood puppet show.” The event was a walk from house to house in Lee's neighborhood, created for his children and their friends to enjoy. In the three years that followed, the parade took on new shapes and sizes, propelled first by George Bartenieff and Crystal Field of the Theater for the New City, who staged the production in its second year as part of their City in the Streets program; and then two years later when the parade became a non-profit with its own resources to put on a major show. By 1985, the parade morphed into an extravaganza that marched down Sixth Avenue, attracting 250,000 participants and onlookers. Today, the Village Halloween Parade is the largest celebration of its kind, considered by Festivals International to be "The Best Event in the World" for October 31st.
see more here

October 28, 2016

For New York City rats, getting here is easy, surviving is tough

To investigate the question, “What is a New York City rat, and where did it come from?” the New York Times checks in with researchers at Fordham University, led by Jason Munshi-South, who have embarked on a rat-tracking study to find the answer to that very question (among others). It turns out that–much like the city's millions of two-legged inhabitants–the answer is "everywhere," from Galapagos and Brazil to New Zealand and Japan.
We're all immigrants at some point

City Living

October 28, 2016

Domino Sugar Factory reveals renderings of creative office building The Refinery

Commercial landlords looking to compete with cutting-edge co-working spaces like the Navy Yard's New Lab or amenity-filled developments like Industry City have their work cut out for them, and it looks like Two Trees is pulling out all the requisite stops for their new office building The Refinery at Williamsburg's massive, under-construction Domino Sugar Factory complex. Curbed got its hands on the first set of renderings of the 380,000-square-foot office space, which show how tenants can work with architects Beyer Blinder Belle to customize their spaces for "innovation" and "authenticity." The interiors preserve the former industrial details (exposed brick, ceilings beams), while incorporating creative perks such as suspended glass-and-steel office pods, an indoor skate park, and a bevy of common areas.
More details and renderings ahead

October 28, 2016

Apply for 63 newly-built affordable units off the Rockaway Beach waterfront, from $494

By Diane Pham

Rockaway Beach is having a rebirth of sorts as more and more New Yorkers head for its waters on the hottest of days. On top of new restaurants, coffee shops, art galleries, surf clubs and other hipster hotspots popping up along its main drags, now comes an opportunity to live in a brand-new construction at 9306 Shore Front Parkway, just steps from the sand. Per the NYC Housing Connect, households of up to six earning 40, 50 or 150 percent of the area median income can now apply for 63 studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments priced between $494 and $2120.
more details here

Affordable Housing

October 28, 2016

Elton John’s former Soho loft, complete with hidden cat tunnel, gets a price chop to $16M

When this enormous Soho loft at 50 Wooster Street hit the market for $23.3 million last December, 6sqft ogled its sleek renovation, complete with a motorized headboard, twin beds that slide together to form a king, copper tub, color-changing walls, and a secret cat tunnel that goes from the kitchen to the litter box in the pantry. But this wasn't enough to entice a buyer, as it's now gotten a pretty major price chop down to $15.95 million. If saving $7 million doesn't do the trick, though, LL NYC has uncovered that the 4,800-square-foot pad once belonged to none other than Sir Elton John. He sold the loft in 2010 for $7.45 million to its current owner, art consultant Sara Tecchia, who enlisted Jeff Goldberger at Urban Edition Architecture to complete the uber-contemporary and tech-forward renovation.
Check out the whole place

October 28, 2016

102 affordable apartments up for grabs in brand-new Greenpoint Landing building, rents from $368

By Diane Pham

This may be your opportunity to live in one of northern Brooklyn's most transformative new developments. Starting today, both low- and middle-income New Yorkers can apply for 102 newly-built affordable units at Five Blue Slip, one of Greenpoint Landing's three affordable buildings slated for completion by the end of next year. Available apartments range from studios to two-bedrooms priced between $368 and $1065, and households of one to four individuals earning between 30 and 60 percent of the area median income are eligible to apply.
find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

October 27, 2016

Julianne Moore’s onetime West Village loft asks $4.3M

Oscar-winning actress Julianne Moore bought a duplex loft at 345 West 13th Street in 1999 for just $911,500. After she and her husband, director Bart Freundlich, decided to upgrade to the West Village building's penthouse in 2002, they turned quite the profit, unloading the apartment for $1.95 million. The couple now live in a townhouse nearby at 335 West 11th Street, which they bought in 2003 for $3.5 million and subsequently renovated to the nines, but their original downtown abode is back on the market, this time asking $4.3 million, according to the Observer.
More on the apartment here

October 27, 2016

Nearly 9,000 apply for SpareRoom CEO’s $1/month shares in his $8M loft – meet two top applicants

When SpareRoom CEO and founder Rupert Hunt announced earlier this month that he was looking for two roommates to share his $8 million West Village apartment--both of whom would be paying just $1 a month--we knew the interest would be high. And after a "SpeedRoommating" session on the 19th, the room share service's version of speed dating, we've learned that a whopping 8,795 people applied for a chance to live in the triplex loft. According to a press release, Hunt is narrowing it down to 10 lucky finalists, and he'll be hosting them next week at house party, where he can learn more about them and see who gets along best.
More on the deal of a lifetime

Uncategorized

October 27, 2016

Zagat’s new pop-up cafe will serve microscopic versions of NYC’s best food

Zagat is celebrating the release of its 2017 guidebook by opening a Tiny Café in Astor Place beginning Thursday, October 27, through Saturday, October 29. Inspired by the idea that shorter reviews are easier to digest, they’ve applied that concept to the signature dishes from some of its highest-rated restaurants in the city, including Los Tacos, […]

Uncategorized

October 27, 2016

‘Judgmental Maps’ unleash culture on the geography of modern cities

Residents of today's cities and neighborhoods are acutely aware of the cultural histories and social nuances that shape them almost as much as their streets and bridges, architecture and businesses. A few years ago Trent Gillaspie's "judgmental maps," from his site by the same name, hit a nerve and went viral; the totally unserious (but not necessarily inaccurate) maps pair geography with a snapshot of real life in modern cities, towns and neighborhoods. Gillaspie's "Judgmental New York City" was spot on in many ways with its Manhattan of "amply rich people," "super rich people," "aging punks" and the "worst train station ever" and a Brooklyn that went from Jay-Z to Zombies. Now, Gillaspie is releasing a book (h/t Untapped) of his signature reality-check maps, including an updated New York City map and the city's neighborhoods, decoded.
Your city, judged

City Living

October 27, 2016

Petition urges city to legalize bodega cats; MoMA adds original emoji to permanent collection

After a bodega got a bad Yelp review because of its in-house feline, a petition is asking the city to legalize bodega cats. [Metro] And other New Yorkers are suing the state over a law that makes it a crime to photograph ballots in a polling booths (hence take selfies). [DNAinfo] 130 years ago, the Statue of Liberty […]

Uncategorized

MAP: Two thirds of landlords benefiting from 421-a tax breaks didn’t file rent regulation paperwork

View the map from ProPublica in its interactive form here >>

October 27, 2016

MAP: Two thirds of landlords benefiting from 421-a tax breaks didn’t file rent regulation paperwork

The city's 421-a program, which expired in January, provides tax breaks of up to 25 years to new residential buildings that reserve at least 20 percent of units as affordable. Proponents of the program feel it offers a much-needed incentive to build low- and moderate-income housing, but those not in favor think it gives unfair tax breaks to the wealthiest developers. The latter camp may be gaining steam, as a new report from ProPublica, outlined in Gothamist, says that nearly two thirds of the 6,400 rental buildings where landlords received tax reductions through 421-a didn't have required rent stabilization paperwork on file, meaning they could raise rents as much as they chose. ProPublica compiled this data in both an interactive map and searchable database.
Is your landlord cheating the system?

October 27, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s top event picks for the week – 10/27-11/2

By Lori Zimmer

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers! This week, come join me as I present comic abstraction artist Ellanah Sadkin before heading to enjoy Eric Helvie’s film noir surrealist paintings in Chelsea. Untapped Cities wants to share Eldridge Street’s secrets with you, and Emilio Perez wants to bring you inside one of his paintings across the Times Square screens. Halloween is also upon us, and Last Rites does it right with a massive macabre show and after party. And if you want to keep the party going after, you can join nightlife legend Susanne Bartsch for her annual ball at MoMA PS1—or succumb to artist collective CHERYL on Monday at Le Poisson Rouge. Finally, get glamorous at the National Arts Club for the Accessible Art Fair, which is making its New York debut after a successful run in Brussels.
More on all the best events this way

Events & Things To Do

Former juvenile jail in Hunts Point will be replaced with $300M mixed-use affordable housing complex

Rendering courtesy of WXY Architecture + Urban Design

October 27, 2016

Former juvenile jail in Hunts Point will be replaced with $300M mixed-use affordable housing complex

The Spofford Juvenile Detention Center (later renamed Bridges Juvenile Center) was built in 1957 in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx, quickly gaining a reputation for its poor conditions--the Daily News once described it as "vermin-infested" and said it "held about 100 youth in dark cells with no air conditioning." It was closed in 2011, at which time urban revitalization consultant Majora Carter began her quest to have the site transformed into a mixed-use housing complex. The city eventually stepped in, and today officials announced plans for the Peninsula, an affordable housing development that will rise on the five-acre site and offer 740 apartments, 52,000 square feet of open and recreational space, 49,000 square feet of light industrial space, 48,000 square feet for community facilities like health care providers, 21,000 square feet of retail, and 15,000 square feet of artist space, reports the Wall Street Journal.
Find out more right this way

October 27, 2016

Independent engineer says two Second Avenue Subway stations are still far from ready

By Diane Pham

Despite MTA Chairman Tom Prendergast's seemingly unwavering optimism that the Second Avenue Subway will open on time, it's still not clear if the line's stations will be ready for their December ribbon cutting. According to the Times, following a Wednesday MTA board presentation outlining some of the outstanding issues (and the agency's commitment to smoothing them out over the next eight weeks), Kent Haggas, an independent engineer for the project, offered up a very somber outlook. As he told the paper, two of the three stations set to open December 31st have fallen behind, and that the system's "rigorous testing schedule was not being met." More alarmingly, he added that progress to date would need to be almost tripled on a weekly basis if the MTA is to meet its deadline.
Yikes

Transit

October 27, 2016

Bjarke Ingels’ curving East Harlem rental breaks ground and gets new renderings

When 6sqft first got a look at Bjarke Ingels' curved East Harlem rental, it sported a red corten steel facade reminiscent of the surrounding brick buildings, but a new set of renderings shows a blackened stainless steel exterior that the Danish starchitect told Curbed is "inspired by an elephant’s skin" and will capture and reflect sunlight. Now dubbed Gotham East 126th Residential, the 11-story structure from Blumenfeld Development Group broke ground yesterday, beginning its journey to offer 233 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments, 46 of which will be affordable.
More details and renderings and the first view inside

October 27, 2016

20 years ago, the city told Donald Trump he couldn’t put his name on the Columbus Circle globe

These days, New Yorkers are going to great lengths to get Trump's name off their buildings, and even his company itself has personally shed his moniker from their hotel brand amid declining bookings. But back in the '80s and '90s, the Donald would freely slap his name on just about anything he wanted. That is until 1996, when the Giuliani administration (sense the irony here?) denied his request to brand the giant globe outside the Trump International Hotel & Tower. The Times recently got its hands on a 20-year-old City Planning Department memorandum that outlines how the agency deemed any lettering on the sculpture illegal.
Get the full story

October 26, 2016

Pier 55 appeal dismissed in court; park construction can move ahead

After nearly a year and a half of yo-yo-ing back and forth between stop work orders and lawsuits, the Barry Diller-funded Pier 55 park can finally move ahead freely. The New York Law Journal reports that yesterday the state Court of Appeals denied the City Club of New York's appeal of September's ruling in favor of Pier 55 and the Hudson River Park Trust (HRPT) that said construction could continue on the 2.75-acre offshore park, dismissing the opponents' claims that the park failed to go through adequate environmental impact evaluations and violated the public trust doctrine by planning to host private events.
What this means for Pier 55

Brooklyn Point

138 Willoughby Street

Downtown Brooklyn

America's highest infinity pool + 25-year tax abatement

Studios starting at $985,000
1 beds starting at $1,200,000
2 beds starting at $1,885,000
3 beds starting at $2,700,000

Learn More

October 26, 2016

Elite international schools are attracting buyers to new developments on the Upper East Side and Nomad

By Katy Cornell

Families looking to buy apartments in the Big Apple often have a standard list of demands: safe area, family-friendly neighborhood, and space to accommodate their children. But perhaps most important is the desire to be close to a top school. Though not a new idea, this trend appears to be growing among international buyers who are […]

Real Estate Trends

October 26, 2016

Citee t-shirts are covered with city maps from 230 different locations

By Rebecca Paul

It's no secret that we're huge fans off all things map related, and that's especially true when it comes to wall decor and t-shirt design. Alex Szabo-Haslam, a designer from Sheffield, England, recently launched a campaign for "Citee," an exclusive collection that includes exactly these items. In phase one of this project, Alex printed highly detailed maps of 80 cities onto t-shirts, and now he's using Kickstarter to fund round two where he'll expand his line to include another 150 locations.
READ MORE

October 26, 2016

Pearl River Mart reopening in Tribeca next month; Brace yourself for Santacon 2016

Soho’s beloved Pearl River Mart closed its doors in February after nearly 50 years in business, but it will reopen next month in Tribeca. [Crain’s] Santacon 2016 announces details that’ll bring 20,000 drunk revelers out to Williamsburg. DNAinfo] All the criminals (and gangsters, billionaires, and celebrities) who have called Trump Tower home. [Bloomberg] A Queens funeral […]

Uncategorized

October 26, 2016

POLL: Is Fifth Avenue losing its luster amid soaring rents and empty storefronts?

Fifth Avenue is known around the world as the high-end shopping address, but rising rents are leading to an increase in vacant space along the retail corridor. According to data from Cushman & Wakefield reported by Crain's, the availability rate spiked to 15.9 percent in the third quarter of this year, up 10 percent from the same time last year. On the stretch that has the world's highest rents, from 49th to 60th streets, retail space is listed at an average of $3,213 per square foot, up from $2,075 in 2011. To put this in perspective, current rents in Times Square are $2,104 per square foot after tripling over the past four years.
Do you think Fifth Avenue can get over the hump?

Real Estate Trends

October 26, 2016

Bronx officials tell Tim Cook the borough is ‘ripe’ for an Apple Store