6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

Just an hour outside of NYC in Stamford, Connecticut, a mid-century modern gem is available for sale for the first time in 65+ years, and it's got some serious celeb history. The Post reports that the late Oscar-winning actress Luise Rainer and her husband, publisher Robert Knittel, bought a 6.64-acre site in 1950, "where they enjoyed weekend getaways in a 600-square-foot cottage." After just a couple years, though, they sold the property to Lester Rossin, one of the original Madison Avenue "Mad Men" advertising executives. He added a stunning modern home, which was designed to host his "lavish, Hollywood star-lit parties," according to the listing. Both this main home and Rainer's cottage have now hit the market for $995,000.
Take a look around

Apply for 22 energy-efficient apartments at a passive house in the Bronx from $865/month

Rendering of 3365 Third Avenue courtesy of Curtis+Ginsberg Architects

August 31, 2017

Apply for 22 energy-efficient apartments at a passive house in the Bronx from $865/month

Applications are currently being accepted for 22 affordable apartments at 3365 Third Avenue in the Bronx neighborhood of Morrisania. Developed by Bronx Pro Group and designed by Curtis+Ginsberg Architects, the project meets the passive house standard by featuring energy-efficient measures such as fiberglass triple-pane windows, LED lighting, and low-flow water fixtures -- all of which will result in energy reduction savings as high as high as nearly 90 percent. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60 or 100 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, ranging from $865/month studios to$1,969/month four-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

August 31, 2017

$975K West Village walk-up with lots of built-ins is the perfect size for one

This charming, crisp, and bright top-floor flat has sweet pre-war details, rustic style done right, and renovation where it counts. The one-bedroom West Village co-op at 78 Charles Street is asking $975,000. The bad news: It's a top-floor walk-up. The good news: A lovely roof deck is just upstairs.
Have a look around

Distinctive Homes

Lottery opens for 74 affordable units at new Downtown Brooklyn rental, from $947/month

Image via Handel Architects

August 31, 2017

Lottery opens for 74 affordable units at new Downtown Brooklyn rental, from $947/month

At the beginning of the year, Downtown Brooklyn's new 26-story rental tower at 210 Livingston Street, best known for having its own subway entrance, topped out, and it's now accepting applications for the 20 percent of units reserved as affordable housing. These 74 brand-new apartments are set aside for those earning 60 percent of the area median income and range from $947/month studios to $1,230/month two-bedrooms. In addition to the super-convenient location, all tenants will have access to an impressive suite of amenities (though many will require an additional fee), including a courtyard, 15th-floor landscaped terrace, roof deck with grills and a sun deck, lounge, game room, business center, laundry room, fitness center, and an underground parking garage.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

107 affordable units up for grabs in Brownsville’s Prospect Plaza, starting at $558/month

428 Saratoga Avenue, courtesy of Dattner Architects

August 30, 2017

107 affordable units up for grabs in Brownsville’s Prospect Plaza, starting at $558/month

Back in April of 2016, 6sqft shared the first affordable housing lottery to come online at the Dattner Architects-designed Prospect Plaza. Located in the Brownsville section of East New York--which has seen a slew of new below-market rate housing after a controversial rezoning--the 4.5-acre development will include a total of 364 units of of affordable and public housing, a 22,000-square-foot supermarket, 12,000-square-foot community facility, and a rooftop greenhouse. As of today, New Yorkers earning 40, 50, and 60 percent of the area median income can apply for 107 of these apartments at 428 Saratoga Avenue, ranging from $558/month one-bedrooms to $1,224/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Early public floating bath. Image: New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.

August 30, 2017

Floating pools on the Hudson and East Rivers kept New Yorkers cool as early as 1870

With summer winding down, New Yorkers are treading water til fall arrives–with late-season heat and kids that still need to be kept busy, back-to-school or not. The good news: Most city pools are open until September 10. This form of easily-accessible fun has been keeping NYC cool since the early days of the 20th century. The New York Times tells of the first city pools and their origins as public baths as early as 1901–and the even older pontoon-pools that floated in the Hudson and East Rivers.
More on the history of the floating pool, this way

August 30, 2017

Katharine Hepburn’s former waterfront Connecticut estate sells for $11.5M

The Old Saybrook, Connecticut home where Katharine Hepburn lived until her death in 2003 has sold for $11.5 million, according to the Post. New York-based developer and builder Frank Sciame paid $6 million for the 3.4-acre waterfront estate in 2004, first listing it for $14.8 million in 2014. The 8,368-square-foot home, built in 1939, sits on 1.5 acres and overlooks a private pond and 220 feet of secluded Long Island Sound beachfront. It also has another claim to fame--in the 1930s and '40s, Howard Hughes would land his seaplane on the property's private dock.
Tour the whole property

Apply for 12 affordable apartments in Bed-Stuy, from $1,230/ month

27 Albany Avenue rendering via Loci Architecture

August 30, 2017

Apply for 12 affordable apartments in Bed-Stuy, from $1,230/ month

Applications are currently being accepted for 12 affordable apartments at 27 Albany Avenue in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant. Located on the bustling corner of Fulton Street, the building rises 10 stories with 50 residences. Amenities include on-site parking, a virtual doorman, package room, fitness center, communal terraces and a lounge. New Yorkers earning 80 percent of the area median income can apply for five one-bedrooms for $1,230 per month and seven two-bedrooms for $1,486 per month.
Find out more

Affordable Housing

Distinctive Homes

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

This $1.8M Park Slope co-op feels like a townhouse, private deck included

Live within a former artists' colony in this $3.5M Upper West Side co-op

$5.2M 'back to the studs' Williamsburg home has a glass-walled garage, roof deck, courtyard, and heated sidewalks

Jackson Pollock’s former Greenwich Village loft returns to market for $1.99M

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

Former Morgan Stanley CEO lists UES townhouse for $80M

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

For $1.4M, this renovated Midwood home has plenty of personality and lots of living space

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

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Citi Bike considers adding dockless bicycles to their fleet

Image via Citi Bike

August 30, 2017

Citi Bike considers adding dockless bicycles to their fleet

By Diane Pham

Just a couple weeks ago, San Francisco-based bike-share Spin announced plans to bring 300 dockless bikes to NYC. However, the day before the operator was set to drop off its convoy, the Department of Transportation slapped the company with a cease and desist letter. Although Spin's dockless entrance into NYC's market has been thwarted, Citi Bike appears to be stepping up in its place. The Post reports that Citi Bike is now exploring how they can incorporate dockless vehicles into their system. As it stands, the blue bike network includes about 10,000 bicycles across Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn, all of which must be returned to designated stations following use.
more here

Transit

August 30, 2017

Foreclosure moves ahead at Billionaires’ Row supertall 111 West 57th Street

Things have been shaky for 111 West 57th Street since it came to light last month that construction on the world's will-be skinniest skyscraper was stalled at just 20 stories after Property Markets Group's Kevin Maloney and JDS Development’s Michael Stern were sued by real estate investment corporation and owner AmBase. Trying to salvage their $66 million investment, Ambase filed an injunction to stop lender Spruce Capital from seizing the $1 billion project, but yesterday a Supreme Court judge ruled that a strict foreclosure could move forward, meaning AmBase will likely lose its majority ownership, according to Crain's. On the flip side, the developers will now be able to proceed with construction on the 1,421-foot Billionaires' Row tower, whose units started going into contract earlier this month.
The full story

Photo courtesy of Roman Kruglov’s Flickr

August 30, 2017

City workers missed over 17,000 hours of work due to subway delays this year

New Yorkers employed by the city have missed 17,143 hours of work because of transit delays and malfunctions, according to the Daily News. A new analysis by the Independent Budget Office (IBO), shows that city workers are on track to miss nearly 26,000 hours of work for the entire year, an increase of almost 30 percent from previous years. The report found the incident that caused the most city workers to be late happened in January when city workers lost a total of 1,075 hours after water spilled onto the tracks at West 4th Street-Washington Square station.
Find out more

August 30, 2017

This slender West Village townhouse condo is well-located, well-dressed and just under $1M

There's no question, West 10th Street in the West Village is an absolutely lovely street to call home, enviably lined with historic townhouses and surrounded by iconic Village establishments and street life. Tucked within the townhouse condominium at number 223, this renovated apartment, currently asking $999,000, has the right dose of pre-war character and modern conveniences even if its size and layout put it squarely in divided studio territory.
See more West Village cuteness this way

Distinctive Homes

August 30, 2017

MAP: Find out when fall foliage will hit its peak in your area

By Diane Pham

The temperature is falling, the air is brisk, and the kids are heading back to school. This can only mean one thing: Autumn is upon us. While you may lament the end of days spent sunning beachside, don't forget that sweater weather brings with it a bounty of fiery colors. If you're hoping to catch the changing season in all its beauty, there's no better tool to plan your leaf peeping expedition than SmokeyMountains.com's Fall Foliage Map. This handy interactive cartograph will tell you when and where foliage is expected to appear, and more importantly, when it will peak in your area.
try the map out

Events & Things To Do

De Blasio suggests adding contextual plaques to controversial city statues

Mayor de Blasio via Wiki Commons (L); Columbus Circle’s Christopher Columbus statue via Eden, Janine and Jim/Flickr

August 29, 2017

De Blasio suggests adding contextual plaques to controversial city statues

Peter Stuyvesant and Christopher Columbus might stick around if Mayor de Blasio's "plan B" regarding controversial statues takes shape, according to the Post. In response to a proposal from City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito to remove Central Park’s Columbus statue based on accounts that he enslaved and killed indigenous people he met during his explorations, the Mayor said that many of the monuments in question may receive plaques that put their history in context instead of being completely razed. This came just moments after he announced that he'll still be walking in the Columbus Day Parade as it's about "ethnic pride." He also urged concerned parties "to take a step back" and not "prejudge" before an official city commission is assembled to review such monuments.
READ MORE

Policy

August 29, 2017

For $1.85M, live in Mark Twain’s former Connecticut farmhouse

Known as “Jean’s Farm,” the 18-acre Connecticut property that literary great Mark Twain bought for his daughter in 1909, is for sale for $1.85 million. Located in Redding, the estate at 325 Redding Road includes a farmhouse built in 1787, an antique barn and a studio. While it has been recently renovated, the sprawling estate maintains its rustic charms (h/t TODAY.com). Residents of the five-bedroom, three and a half bathroom home have access to lots of open space and greenery, as well as a heated gunite pool.
See the sprawling estate

August 29, 2017

Young Projects used interior gardens to combine three floors at a Tribeca penthouse

Brooklyn architecture firm Young Projects is known for transforming New York properties in inventive and visually stunning ways--just look at how they upended the traditional townhouse for this Williamsburg project. For their Hudson Street Residence project, the firm took the top three levels of a Tribeca building and created a gorgeous 13,000-square-foot penthouse apartment tied together by interior garden courts and topped with a striking roof garden. A continuous cast aluminum surface--which the firm specially designed for this project--gracefully weaves together each living space of the residence.
You have to see these outdoor space

3 Hudson Boulevard gets new spire-less rendering as construction commences

Rendering via FXFOWLE/Moinian Group (L); Current construction shot via CityRealty (R)

August 29, 2017

3 Hudson Boulevard gets new spire-less rendering as construction commences

Earlier this month, a new view of 3 Hudson Boulevard added a 300-foot spire, bringing its total height to 1,350 and setting it up to become the tallest tower in Hudson Yards and the fifth tallest in the entire city. However, CityRealty has uncovered another new rendering of the FXFOWLE-designed supertall, which was posted at the work site now that construction has commenced, and noticeably absent is the spire. While the superlative height isn't confirmed, the new rendering does maintain the updated design of a five-story retail podium, tapered body, terraces and "sky gardens," and a rooftop terrace surrounded by glass windscreens.
More details ahead

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

August 29, 2017

New Queens-to-Manhattan NYC Ferry route launches today

The Astoria route of the NYC Ferry officially launched today, the fourth route introduced by the city this year. The service stops in Astoria, Roosevelt Island, Long Island City, East 34th Street and Wall Street, the complete trip totaling 47 minutes. While the ferries have been popular with commuters, two extra boats were added and fleets under construction were redesigned to be larger in June, concerns about recreational boaters coexisting without colliding into ferries have grown. As the New York Times reported, one free kayaking class won’t run their program until deciding it’s safe enough to do so.
Find out more

Transit

August 29, 2017

$2.5M Windsor Terrace house offers suburban living right near Prospect Park

This laid-back little Windsor Terrace townhouse occupies a fortunate spot on a tree-lined block among similarly adorable Arts and Crafts-style homes, just on the edge of Prospect Park. The updated semi-attached, single-family home is no bargain at $2.468 million, but there are at least four bedrooms, plus more than enough space, modern comfort, and charm for the whole family. And while it may not be designer-perfect, it offers far more space than the average condo, and it's the kind of place that looks like home.
See the backyard

Distinctive Homes

August 28, 2017

19th century Hudson River estate built for an Astor gets a price cut to $20M

This incredible 290-acre estate was built in 1851 for Franklin Hughes Delano (whose great-nephew was Franklin Delano Roosevelt) and Laura Eugenia Astor (granddaughter of John Jacob Astor, known as the nation’s first multi-millionaire). The property was listed last summer for $22 million by its current owners, the investor Martin Sosnoff and his wife Toni. Now it's just gotten a price cut to $20 million. That will get you a 17,000-square-foot mansion with 28 rooms, 10 full bathrooms, 18-foot coffered ceilings and 16 fireplaces, along with rolling, green hills, a guesthouse, gardener’s cottage, equestrian center, and pool house. After 133 years in Astor and Delano ownership, the property--known as Atalanta--is looking for its next buyer.
Go inside the lavish home

‘Citymapper’ app translates confusing MTA alerts into easy-to-read alternative directions

Graphic via Citymapper

August 28, 2017

‘Citymapper’ app translates confusing MTA alerts into easy-to-read alternative directions

With subway disruptions and delays becoming a part of daily life in New York City, even lifelong New Yorkers sometimes have trouble finding alternative routes when their F train switches to a different line. Thankfully, there’s now an app that aims to make commuting in NYC a little less confusing. Citymapper, a transportation software start-up based in the UK, uses artificial intelligence to recommend new routes in response to MTA alert statuses. As CityLab reported, the app’s “bot” reads the complicated message from the authority and uses the relevant information to offer a clearer route change to avoid the problem.
Find out more

A Guide to the gilded age mansions of 5th Avenue’s Millionaire Row – Part II

Mrs. Astor’s House on 65th Street and Fifth Avenue. Image via Library of Congress

August 28, 2017

A Guide to the gilded age mansions of 5th Avenue’s Millionaire Row – Part II

By Michelle Young

Last week, 6sqft went through the many mansions, predominately lost, along Millionaire's Row on Fifth Avenue up to 59th Street. Most of this stretch has been converted into upscale luxury retail and corporate skyscrapers, but Millionaire's Row continued northwards along Central Park, which opened in 1857. Though some have been lost, a significant number of these opulent Gilded Age mansions still stand within this more residential zone. The AIA Guide to New York City calls this area of Fifth Avenue from 59th Street to 78th Street the "Gold Coast," and rightly so. Walking up 5th Avenue, you'll first pass the decadent Sherry-Netherland Hotel with its recently uncovered 1927 Beaux-Arts mural and the Stanford White-designed Metropolitan Club, founded by J.P. Morgan in 1891 for friends who were rejected from the old-money Knickerbocker Club. But even before the construction of the Metropolitan Club, a mansion was rising less than a block away on 61st Street and Fifth Avenue.
Find out more about these incredible mansions here

August 28, 2017

Alexander Skarsgärd lands Parker Posey’s former East Village co-op for $2.3M

By Annie Doge

Alexander Skarsgärd, an Emmy-nominee for his role in “Big Little Lies” and star of “True Blood,” has just purchased a co-op at 119 East 10th Street for $2.3 million, $300,000 over the asking price (h/t LLNYC). The East Village apartment once belonged to actress Parker Posey who sold it in 2008 for $1.3 million. Chloe Sevigny also lived in the same building for a few years before making the move to Brooklyn in 2013. The newly-single Swedish actor, who first looked at a penthouse at 415 East 6th Street back in December, chose the historic loft-like one-bedroom, which features wood-beamed ceilings, oversized windows and a communal garden, instead.
See inside

August 28, 2017

$675K for a custom renovated condo in a beloved, historic building of Cobble Hill

Most Cobble Hill residents are familiar with the Cobble Hill Towers, distinctive red brick buildings—nine six-story walk-ups in all—built in 1879 by the philanthropist Alfred Tredway White. The buildings were converted to condos in 2010, and what was formerly envisioned as worker's tenements is now hot Brooklyn real estate. This particular one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment has been thoroughly renovated, with some custom touches from the dining table to the closet doors. The apartment sold three years ago for $416,120, and has just hit the market asking $675,000.
Check out the interior

Distinctive Homes

FREE RENT IN BROOKLYN: This week’s roundup of rental news

Images (L to R): 1326 OCEAN AVE, 153 REMSEN STREET, 27 ALBANY AVE and 1004 GATES AVE

August 26, 2017

FREE RENT IN BROOKLYN: This week’s roundup of rental news

By Ondel Hylton

Images (L to R): 1326 OCEAN AVE, 153 REMSEN STREET, 27 ALBANY AVE and 1004 GATES AVE Building Opens on Ocean Ave in Flatbush near Brooklyn College; Rentals from $1,800/Month [link] Brand New Rentals Debut in Brooklyn Heights (A Rare Occurrence); Peek Inside 153 Remsen Street [link] Carter Reviews Domino Sugar Rental 325 Kent, No […]

Real Estate Trends

August 25, 2017

James Wagman Architect designed this East Village apartment around a custom helix staircase

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

This 1,410-square-foot apartment in the East Village, owned by sculptor Yvonne Hananel, is the work of the Manhattan-based firm James Wagman Architects. Their client needed a reconfiguration of the interior to improve its "circulation" and increase the livable square footage for studio space. The entire pad got upgraded, then the architect added a custom-designed, open helix staircase not only as the focal point but as a way to open up more floor space. As for the design, Hananel kept it minimalist. “By keeping the walls white and uncluttered, everything from the green leaves of my ficus trees to the colorful books on the shelves stand out in high relief,” she told Houzz.
Hear more about this East Village reno

THE 6SQFT SHOP

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

10 best plants for apartment dwellers

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August 25, 2017

18-foot, concrete beveled ceilings top this Williamsburg apartment renting for $6,995/month

This Williamsburg apartment takes full advantage of its soaring, 18-foot ceilings lined with concrete beams. The lofty living room features floor-to-ceiling, built-in bookshelves that require a ladder to fully access, four massive casement windows, and a loft with a glass wall that overlooks the soaring space. Located at the Esquire Lofts at 330 Wythe Avenue—a former shoe polish factory—this apartment spans 1,450 square feet and includes two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The unit hit the market last month asking $7,500 a month, but its owners just gave it a small price cut, bringing the monthly rent to $6,995.
Go take a look

The Urban Lens: ‘Fifth Avenuers’ is a visual registry of the iconic street’s vibrancy and diversity

Photos © Nei Valente

August 25, 2017

The Urban Lens: ‘Fifth Avenuers’ is a visual registry of the iconic street’s vibrancy and diversity

6sqft’s series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment Brazilian designer and street photographer Nei Valente presents his series "Fifth Avenuers." Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. Fifth Avenue: the street that divides Manhattan east to west; home to many of the world's most prestigious museums and famous buildings; high-end shopping destination; the road to Central Park; office district. There's no one way to describe the thoroughfare, nor is there one type of person associated with it. It's this vibrancy that branding designer and street photographer Nei Valente set out to capture in his new series "Fifth Avenuers." Over several months, Nei used his lunch breaks to capture "the unusual mix of tourists, blue- and white-collar professionals, and shoppers," creating "a visual registry of people and moments from one of the most iconic avenues in the world." His editorial style and candid technique is not dissimilar from that in "Newsstands," in which he documented the changing face of newsstands around the city. Ahead, Nei shares all his photos from "Fifth Avenuers" and fills us in on what went on behind the scenes.
Get it all right here

Photo via Kev Harb via Flickr

August 25, 2017

The ‘summer of hell’ at Penn Station will finish on time, Amtrak says

The emergency Penn Station repairs that began in July will be completed on time with regular operating service resuming on Sept. 5, Amtrak announced Thursday. After delays and a few train derailments, Amtrak closed 21 tracks at Penn earlier this summer. Nearly seven weeks of the eight scheduled weeks of repair work for this “summer of hell” have been completed thus far.
Find out more

Jewish rights group wants Peter Stuyvesant monuments removed over anti-semitism

Monument to Peter Stuyvesant in Stuyvesant Square via edenpictures via photopin

August 25, 2017

Jewish rights group wants Peter Stuyvesant monuments removed over anti-semitism

Earlier this week, the de Blasio administration said it would give "immediate attention" to a proposal from City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito to remove Central Park's Christopher Columbus statue based on accounts that the explorer enslaved and killed many indigenous people. And it looks like Peter Stuyvesant might be next on the chopping block. The Post reports that Jewish rights group Shurat HaDin-Israel Law Center is "demanding Mayor de Blasio scrub all traces of the anti-Semitic Dutch governor from city property" as part of the city's 90-day review of symbols of hate. Not only do they want monuments of him removed, but his name erased on everything from the public Stuyvesant High School to Stuyvesant Square Park to the entire neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant.
Find out the full history

Congressman introduces bill that would offer tax credits to rent-burdened Americans

Photos via Wikimedia (l) and Pixbay (r)

August 25, 2017

Congressman introduces bill that would offer tax credits to rent-burdened Americans

Rep. Joeseph Crowley announced federal legislation this week that aims to create two refundable tax credits for low- and middle-income renters. For rental households across the U.S. with incomes of $125,000 or less, the Rent Relief Act would provide them with one of two tax credits, if the bill becomes law. According to the Democratic congressman, who represents part of the Bronx and Queens in New York’s 14th congressional district, roughly 111 million Americans live in rental housing, with about two-thirds of all households in New York City currently renting, twice the national average.
Find out more

August 25, 2017

Whitney museum architect Marcel Breuer designed this $1.6M modern stone home in Connecticut

By Andrew Berman of Village Preservation

Acclaimed modernist architect Marcel Breuer is perhaps best known in New York for designing the original Whitney Museum of Art, now home to the Met Breuer. But his work wasn't limited to iconic museums--he also designed homes, like this one in Orange, Connecticut. The 4,000-square-foot abode known as the Donald N. Clark House was built in the 1950s with stone, ceilings of wood, and open, airy patios. The owner has also filled the house, as well as the 5.5-acre property, with unique artwork and sculptures. And it could be yours for $1.6 million.
Take a look inside

August 24, 2017

‘National Lampoon’s’ child actress lists grown-up East Village duplex for $800K

By Annie Doge

Best known for her role as daughter Audrey Griswold in the classic 1983 comedy “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” Dana Barron has listed her East Village duplex for $799,000. The small but adorable pad sits on a tree-lined block near Tompkins Square Park at 418 ½ East Ninth Street, and, as the New York Post reported, the one-bedroom apartment boasts a working fireplace, walk-in-closet and classic spiral staircase.
See inside

August 24, 2017

How LGBT activism led to NYC’s most notorious bank robbery: The real story behind ‘Dog Day Afternoon’

The most notorious bank robbery in New York City history took place on August 22, 1972, during the decidedly dog days of that long hot summer. Immortalized in the film "Dog Day Afternoon," it was an unlikely anti-hero tale with a backstory that began in Greenwich Village, interwoven with the social and political currents running through the city at the time, most notably the growing LGBT movement that had taken hold after the Stonewall Riots.
Get the whole surprising history this way

History

$2B redevelopment of Times Square’s Palace Theater gets new renderings

Rendering of the Palace Theatre entrance via Maefield Development

August 24, 2017

$2B redevelopment of Times Square’s Palace Theater gets new renderings

Two years since the plan’s approval by the LPC, the redevelopment of the historic Palace Theatre at 1568 Broadway is nearly ready to take off. The theater will be raised 29 feet above its current level, making room for 70,000 square feet of new retail and entertainment space. With help earlier this month from L&L Holding Company, who became an equity and development partner, the ambitious project continues to progress; as CityRealty discovered, new renderings show the theater enveloped by an expanded Doubletree Guest Suites hotel, a new glass facade, and a sweeping LED screen at its podium. And though the gilded Beaux-Arts interiors will be preserved (they're interior landmarks), some preservationists have expressed concerns that moving the actual structure is a bit too aggressive.
Find out more

August 24, 2017

Hamptons estate that was F. Scott Fitzgerald’s inspiration for ‘The Great Gatsby’ asks $17M

F. Scott Fitzgerald's cult-classic novel "The Great Gatsby," about hard-partying Long Island millionaires in the '20s, was inspired by actual soirees the author attended at mansions along the North Shore, aka the Gold Coast. One such locale, a French Normandy-style residence on Sands Point known as the Rumsey-Harriman Estate, is said to have inspired the book's fictional East Egg, and as the Post first reported it's just hit the market for $16,880,000. Designed in 1928 by none other than McKim, Mead & White, the 5.3-acre waterfront property was owned by Junior League founder Mary Harriman Rumsey, whose father was railroad tycoon E.H. Harriman and brother New York governor W. Averell Harriman. Fitzgerald spent a good deal of time at the home with Rumsey and her family, widely believed to have inspired Gatsby.
Take a tour

New renderings of South Bronx passive house feature vegetated roof deck and solar shading

Rendering of 425 Grand Concourse, courtesy of Dattner Architects

August 24, 2017

New renderings of South Bronx passive house feature vegetated roof deck and solar shading

Adding to the passive house development push happening in New York City, Dattner Architects released new renderings of their energy-saving project at 425 Grand Concourse in the South Bronx’s Mott Haven neighborhood. Formerly the site of the Gothic-style P.S. 31, the mixed-use and mixed-income development will sit at the corner of Grand Concourse and East 144th Street. According to CityRealty, when it opens in 2020, this project will be the tallest in Mott Haven and the largest development of its kind in the country (though East Harlem's massive Sendero Verde complex will steal the title soon after). The highly-insulated building features a vegetated roof deck, solar shading, solar panels, cogen power generation, and an energy recovery system.
See the design

Chinatown’s low-income senior building is taking applications for the first time in 25 years

96 Baxter Street via Google Street View

August 24, 2017

Chinatown’s low-income senior building is taking applications for the first time in 25 years

The 13-story, 88-unit rental building for low-income seniors at 96 Baxter Street in Chinatown has opened its waiting list to new applicants this week for the first time in 25 years (h/t Lo-Down). Only people aged 62 and older (over 18 if they are mobility impaired) can apply. The units rent for 30 percent of one's annual income; studios are available to those earning less than $33,400 a year and one-bedroom to those earning less than $38,200. The waitlist originally contained over 3,000 names, a number which now stands at only a handful. Among the building's current tenants, two are reportedly 108 years old. The youngest residents are about 85.
See the qualifications

Affordable Housing

August 24, 2017

This $699K custom-designed Brooklyn Heights studio elevates small-space living

This 589-square-foot Brooklyn Heights studio loft at One Brooklyn Bridge Park at 360 Furman Street gives you plenty to work with from the start, with 13-foot ceilings and huge east-facing windows. The kitchen, living, dining and sleeping areas each pull their own weight in the space, and the resulting whole feels like a home. The apartment is asking $699,000.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

De Blasio considering removal of Christopher Columbus statue near Central Park

Photo via

August 23, 2017

De Blasio considering removal of Christopher Columbus statue near Central Park

"Christopher Columbus is a controversial figure for many of us, particularly those that come from the Caribbean," said Puerto Rican-born City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. According to DNAinfo, Viverito is calling on the city to consider removing the Columbus Circle statue of the Italian explorer as part of their larger 90-day review of "symbols of hate." She first introduced the proposal on Monday at a rally in East Harlem to remove another controversial statue, that of Dr. James Marion Sims, who achieved his title as the father of modern gynecology by performing experiments on slaves without consent and without anesthesia. Columbus, honored for discovering the Americas, is also believed to have enslaved and killed many of the indigenous people he encountered. In response, the Mayor's office said the proposal will receive "immediate attention." But of course, not everyone is happy about it.
Both sides of the debate

Policy

BFDO Architects renovated this Brooklyn rowhouse to capture light from every corner

Photo courtesy of BFDO Architects

August 23, 2017

BFDO Architects renovated this Brooklyn rowhouse to capture light from every corner

Photo courtesy of BFDO Architects Brooklyn townhouses aren't exactly known for their light-filled, modern interiors. But BFDO Architects (aka Barker Freeman Architects) had the opportunity to completely re-imagine this 20-foot wood-frame home, which came with a four-foot-wide side yard as well as front and rear extensions. The goal: bring in light wherever possible and bring textures to the exterior and interior in the forms of natural wood, gray tones, and graphic tile patterns. The firm "selectively carved and expanded" each room, adding skylights and window walls to create a super bright, super open house that welcomes you inside.
Time to go in

If you don’t mind sharing a bathroom, live in happening Hell’s Kitchen for $714/month

View of 330-332 West 51st Street via Google Stret View

August 23, 2017

If you don’t mind sharing a bathroom, live in happening Hell’s Kitchen for $714/month

Just about a year ago, nine $774/month SROs at Stardom Hall at 330 West 51st Street became available through the city's affordable housing lottery. While it was quite the deal--more so for its location on what is arguably Hell's Kitchen's most foodie-friendly block--the units had shared-floor bathrooms and just kitchenettes. But if those aren't deterrents for you, 13 more units at the building next door, 332, are now up for grabs, asking $714/month. They're available to single persons currently residing in Manhattan Community Board 4 and earning 60 percent of the area median income.
See the qualifications

Affordable Housing

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

Images (L to R): 325 Kent, Instrata Gramercy, 63 Wall Street and Watermark LIC

August 23, 2017

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

By Ondel Hylton

Instrata Gramercy: No Fee Rentals with Commanding Manhattan Views Offering Free Month’s Rent [link] Court Square’s Watermark LIC Now Ready for Habitation; Studios from $2,307/Mo. [link] New Listings at 63 Wall Street Offer 1 Month Free Rent [link] Up to Two Months Free + $1000 Security Deposits at The Olivia on West 33rd Street [link] […]

Uncategorized

15 Central Park West. Image: Wikimedia Commons

August 23, 2017

15 Central Park West still reigns as New York City’s most expensive condo

Even with a rapidly rising field of competitors, 15 Central Park West still holds the title of New York City's most expensive condominium, according to the just-released CityRealty100. Robert A.M. Stern's "Limestone Jesus," built in 2007, has many a superlative under its limestone-clad belt, but the one that puts it in the top spot tallies the eight apartments sold in the past year for an average price per square foot of $7,227. 15 Central Park West also grabbed the top three most expensive sales by PPSF, with the $50.5 million Penthouse 40B, sold by Barclay’s CEO Bob Diamond to an unnamed Chinese buyer, topping the list at $9,581/square foot.
Find out more about the city's priciest properties

Real Estate Trends

Construction Update: SHoP’s first Domino Sugar Factory building approaches completion

Image by CityRealty

August 23, 2017

Construction Update: SHoP’s first Domino Sugar Factory building approaches completion

By Diane Pham

Just over one year ago, 6sqft reported on the initial climb of 325 Kent Avenue, the first tower of the SHoP-designed Domino Sugar Refinery master plan slated for the Williamsburg waterfront. Now, CityRealty shares that the building is nearly finished with its distinct, upside-down U-formation standing tall. When complete, the 189-foot, 400,000-square-foot building will be the second largest residential structure in the neighborhood (just after 2 North 6th Street), fronted by a spectacular 11-acre park designed by James Corner Field Operations that will open next summer.
see more photos

August 23, 2017

Cuomo calls de Blasio’s millionaires tax plan ‘dead on arrival’

As the dilemmas of New York City's subway system continue, so does the public feud between Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio. Cuomo on Tuesday called de Blasio’s plan for the wealthiest New Yorkers to fund the MTA’s emergency action plan “dead on arrival” because of Republican opposition in Albany. As the Daily News reported, Cuomo’s remarks come just a day after de Blasio said he does not "believe in" congestion pricing, an idea the governor said he will be pushing for in January.
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August 23, 2017

Loft in an 1896 Newspaper Row skyscraper has a sunroom and a terrace for $8.3K a month

The Beaux Arts skyscraper known as the American Tract Building at 150 Nassau Street is among the city's oldest landmarks. It was built in 1896 as the headquarters for the American Tract Society, one of the nation's largest religious printing companies. As an anchor of the Seaport district's Newspaper Row, it was among the city's tallest office towers of its time and one of the city's first steel skeletal frame skyscrapers. Like many historic NYC buildings, it has since been transformed into luxury condominiums like this sprawling 1,700 square-foot two-bedroom designer loft, now on the rental market for $8,250 a month.
Check out the space

Distinctive Homes

67 years ago in Queens, Althea Gibson became the first African-American on a U.S. tennis tour

West Side Tennis Club via Joe Shlabotnik/Flickr; Althea Gibson via Wiki Commons

August 22, 2017

67 years ago in Queens, Althea Gibson became the first African-American on a U.S. tennis tour

On August 22, 1950, what was then known as the United States Lawn Tennis Association (USLTA) accepted Harlem's Althea Gibson into their annual championship at Forest Hills, New York (the precursor to the U.S. Open). The spot on the championship roster made Gibson the first African-American athlete to compete in a U.S. national tennis competition, launching a storied career in which she won a whopping 16 Grand Slams, including the 1956 French Open where she became the first person of color to win such a title.
Find out more

August 22, 2017

For $3M, a sprawling 1930s Tudor on Staten Island with pool and greenhouse