Central Park’s Belvedere Castle and two playgrounds to close for renovations this summer
April 12, 2017

Central Park’s Belvedere Castle and two playgrounds to close for renovations this summer

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While the outside of the Belvedere Castle looks strong, the inside of the 146-year-old fortress is actually crumbling. The cracked pavement, leaking roof, and plumbing issues encouraged the Central Park Conservancy to start a 10-year $300 million campaign last summer to renovate its structures, as well as surrounding playgrounds. As DNAInfo reported, beginning at the end of this summer and early fall, the castle, the Bernard Family Playground, and the Billy Johnson Playground will be closed for reconstruction.
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Burrow’s new modular couch is designed for millennials’ nomadic lifestyle
April 12, 2017

Burrow’s new modular couch is designed for millennials’ nomadic lifestyle

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With moving frequently an assumed part of being a young adult today, furniture startup Burrow has released a new line of modular sofas that are easily assembled, affordable (prices range from $550 for a single chair to $1,150 for a four-seat couch), and can adapt to new spaces with pieces that can be tacked on or removed. The company also mixed the principals of two millennial-loved companies--Ikea's flatpack approach to shipping and Casper matresses' one-week free shipping and 100-day free return policy.
Find out more
‘Charging Bull’ sculptor takes action against ‘Fearless Girl’ statue; help raise $40K for a Jim Henson exhibit in Queens
April 12, 2017

‘Charging Bull’ sculptor takes action against ‘Fearless Girl’ statue; help raise $40K for a Jim Henson exhibit in Queens

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Upper East Side establishments that suffered during the Second Avenue Subway construction are now seeing an uptick in business. [am NY] Take an interactive walking tour of 42nd Street’s history. [NY Mag] Astoria’s Museum of the Moving Image is raising $40,000 on Kickstarter to open a permanent Jim Henson exhibit. [DNAinfo] Six landlords own one-third […]

Perched on a Staten Island hillside with stunning bay views, this cute country cottage is only $739K
April 12, 2017

Perched on a Staten Island hillside with stunning bay views, this cute country cottage is only $739K

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This single-family home in a storybook hillside setting with some of Staten Island's most attractive property below and Raritan Bay and the Atlantic Highlands beyond is a testament to the island's diversity of places. Built by an artist who made sure the home's windows were positioned to take advantage of the natural light, the crimson cottage at 298 Lighthouse Avenue, whose listing calls it a "Hansel & Gretel gingerbread home," sits on a half-acre lot, sharing Lighthouse Hill with the Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art (h/t Curbed). So much uniqueness comes at the relatively surprising price of $739,500.
Check it out
My 1400sqft: Inside creative couple Molly Young and Teddy Blanks’ perfectly outfitted Williamsburg loft

Our ongoing series “My sqft” checks out the homes of 6sqft’s friends, family and fellow New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to the Williamsburg loft of Molly Young and Teddy Blanks. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

April 12, 2017

My 1400sqft: Inside creative couple Molly Young and Teddy Blanks’ perfectly outfitted Williamsburg loft

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Melding belongings is often a struggle for couples who take the leap and move in together. Many fear that their individuality will be lost to their partner’s vision, personal items packed away because there’s “just not enough room.” But for Molly Young, a New York Times Magazine contributor and crossword puzzle creator, and Teddy Blanks, a graphic designer and director, checking one’s ego and a co-regent rule are key to creativity and authenticity in the home. In this week's My sqft, Molly and Teddy bring us into their incredible 1400-square-foot loft, a hidden gem situated within an innocuous factory building along an even more innocuous Williamsburg street. Filled with color, whimsical artwork, and quirky objects procured everywhere from eBay to Etsy to a failed Sotheby's auction, this pair's apartment reveals that cohabitation can and should be a co-creative adventure that both inspires and amuses.
go inside molly and teddy's home
Optimism remains for Hudson River tunnel project despite threat of Trump cuts
April 12, 2017

Optimism remains for Hudson River tunnel project despite threat of Trump cuts

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As 6sqft reported recently, President Trump may include two major New York transportation projects in his proposed budget cuts, including the Gateway Program that would build a new train tunnel under the Hudson River and a program which extends the Second Avenue subway in Manhattan to East Harlem. The Gateway Program, which would add a much-needed second rail tunnel beneath the Hudson River and upgrade aging rail infrastructure in New York and New Jersey, has been relying on the federal government for half of its estimated $24 billion cost. WNYC reports that even if the funding is pulled, the agency may look to funding from a public-private partnership.
Find out what the options are
April 12, 2017

Astoria, Morningside Heights and Bay Ridge have highest turnover of rent-stabilized apartments

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Scoring a rent-stabilized apartment is a big win in New York City, as these regulated pads usually offer rent at below-market rates and provide tenants more protections against landlords. While more than 925,000 rent-stabilized apartments still exist in the city, these units turn over at a faster rate in certain neighborhoods than others, and their availability continues to dwindle (h/t WYNC). According to a new report by the city’s Independent Budget Office (IBO), the neighborhoods of Astoria, Morningside Heights and Bay Ridge all have high concentrations of rent-regulated housing built prior to 1974 and therefore, higher rates of turnover compared to other parts of the city.
Find out more
Snag a clean, classic design from gallery owner Taymour Grahne at this $3.5M Tribeca condo
April 12, 2017

Snag a clean, classic design from gallery owner Taymour Grahne at this $3.5M Tribeca condo

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You would expect the apartment of an art gallery owner to look stunning, and this Tribeca condo does not dissapoint. It's owned by Taymour Grahne, founder of the local Taymour Grahne Gallery. He paid $2.7 million for the two-bedroom pad at 8 Warren Street back in 2011, and now it's asking $3.5 million. The interior, of course, has some great artwork alongside a simple, paired-down design that compliments the exposed brick and high ceilings.
Get the grand tour

Distinctive Homes

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Skyscraper proposal drapes Billionaires’ Row tower with flexible materials
April 12, 2017

Skyscraper proposal drapes Billionaires’ Row tower with flexible materials

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Yesterday, 6sqft shared a proposal for an inside-out Midtown tower that received an honorable mention in Evolo's 2017 Skyscraper Competition. Another that made the list is the Flexible Materials Skyscraper, an idea for a Billionaires' Row supertall with an exterior made of a new material that can be folded, cut, sewed, and turned over, falling into a pattern. The designers called it “draping,” and hope building skyscrapers with flexible materials will allow architects to explore a new model of building while also cutting down on the construction process.
See renderings of the skyscraper
Coughlin Architecture gives an actor’s 500-square-foot penthouse an efficient design update
April 11, 2017

Coughlin Architecture gives an actor’s 500-square-foot penthouse an efficient design update

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Living in a tiny apartment no longer has a stigma attached to it. If anything, their inhabitants and the architects who outfit them seem to revel in their diminutive stature. One such example is this mere 500-square-foot penthouse apartment located on West 56th street across from the Hearst Tower, recently given a sweeping update by Coughlin Architecture. The home's owner, an actor splitting time between NYC and LA, requested an open, bright space, with a minimal kitchen and bathroom.
see more inside
Spend the summer creating in this Soho artists’ loft with a giant studio for $7,300 a month
April 11, 2017

Spend the summer creating in this Soho artists’ loft with a giant studio for $7,300 a month

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This 2,500 square-foot full-floor space at 458 Broadway definitely captures the essence of the timeless Soho artists' loft, from the enormous window-lined studio to the sleek loft kitchen and colorful bath. It's available for rent from June through August for $7,300 a month; furnished and in the midst of non-stop Soho, it could be the perfect way to step into the loft life for the summer.
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Morpholio’s AVA squeezes every interior design tool into one app
April 11, 2017

Morpholio’s AVA squeezes every interior design tool into one app

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Interior designers who have been looking for a way to streamline their creative and production processes will appreciate Morpholio's newest app feature, AVA. Short for Automated Visual Assembly, AVA makes it easier for users to create not just presentation boards but also to produce cut sheets and specs for drawings, and product lists for purchasing. As professional designers know, projects are imbued with many moving parts that are difficult to manage piecemeal. AVA puts all of these pieces in one program, allowing designers to do everything they need within one application, reducing the opportunity for error. Plus, it's presentation ready, meaning there's no need to spend hours laying out images and assembling the details for client review.
find out more
‘Human Castell’ tower proposal turns the traditional skyscraper inside out
April 11, 2017

‘Human Castell’ tower proposal turns the traditional skyscraper inside out

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Evolo has announced the winners of its 2017 Skyscraper Competition, and though projects specific to NYC didn't take the top spots this year, several of the honorable mentions looked at new ways to build high-rise projects in New York. This one, the Human Castell Skyscraper, comes from a New Zealand-based team who wanted to address the question "where does art end and architecture begin?" Inspired by the castells of ancient Catalonia, the designers eliminated exterior walls for the Midtown tower to open its insides out towards the city, tapping into the history of architecture using sculptural expression to speak of its inhabitants' "myths and tales."
More on the proposal ahead
Number of elderly Airbnb hosts jumps 60 percent in NYC
April 11, 2017

Number of elderly Airbnb hosts jumps 60 percent in NYC

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To make money and stay social after retirement, older New Yorkers are turning to Airbnb. According to a report by the company, the population of senior citizens hosting visitors through the website continues to grow faster than any other demographic in both New York State and City. The Daily News reports that in NYC, the number of elderly Airbnb hosts jumped 60 percent in the last year. Specifically, the Bronx saw a 120 percent leap and Queens a 199 percent increase. While this shows a clear boost, senior citizens still only make up about four percent of the city’s total listings, or about 1,043, up from 649 the year before.
Find out more
Contest winners suggest a car-free 14th Street with shuttles and bike lanes during L train shutdown
April 11, 2017

Contest winners suggest a car-free 14th Street with shuttles and bike lanes during L train shutdown

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Advocacy group Transportation Alternatives has been trying to stay focused on grounded solutions–literally, as opposed to the tunnel and skyway ideas that are also being discussed–to mitigate the anticipated possible chaos when the dreaded 15-month L train shutdown hits. The organization is aiming for the ear of the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the MTA which control street design and bus expansion, respectively. The group recently held an "L-ternative" contest seeking pedestrian-centered proposals for main transit corridors along the L line, such as 14th street, Gothamist reports. The winning proposal, called 14TH ST.OPS, imagines a (car) traffic-free 14th Street with a six-stop shuttle bus using dedicated lanes, plus protected bike lanes.
Check out the winning post-L-Train vision
INTERVIEW: Paula Scher on designing the brands of New York’s most beloved institutions
April 11, 2017

INTERVIEW: Paula Scher on designing the brands of New York’s most beloved institutions

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Paula Scher is one of the most recognizable names in the design world, considered legendary in the industry for creating the identities of major New York institutions. Scher moved to New York in the 1970s to begin her design career and got her start in the music industry. As art director for CBS, she designed around 150 albums a year and produced numerous ads and posters. Her record covers include everything from the Rolling Stones' Still Life to Leonard Bernstein's Stravinky, four of which were recognized with Grammy nominations. As a record designer, Scher was credited with reviving historical typefaces and design styles—and typefaces still play heavily in her work today. Scher left Atlantic Records to begin her own design firm in 1982, and in 1991 she joined her current firm, Pentagram, as the company's first female principal. Although Pentagram is an international design company, its New York office is behind the identities of some of the city's most beloved establishments. It was at Pentagram Scher established her reputation as a New York designer who created unique, lasting identities.
more with Paula Scher here
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A design proposal envisions a cantilevered transit hub on Roosevelt Island
April 11, 2017

A design proposal envisions a cantilevered transit hub on Roosevelt Island

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Roosevelt Island, the mile-long neighborhood that lies in the East River between Manhattan and Queens, will be a stop on the NYC Ferry route that connects Astoria to Wall Street beginning in August. While this will ease access to other parts of the city for residents of the island, French architect Victor Ostojic has another idea. As Curbed reported, Ostojic published a conceptual proposal of a cantilevered glass-covered ferry terminal on the western side of the island. Located parallel to Manhattan’s East 63rd Street, the terminal would include ground-floor retail, a food court, office space and a luxury hotel on top.
See renderings of the transit hub
$4.5M multi-family townhouse in Williamsburg boasts glass walls and a floating staircase
April 11, 2017

$4.5M multi-family townhouse in Williamsburg boasts glass walls and a floating staircase

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This multi-family townhouse in Williamsburg, at 455 Grand Street, offers a buyer plenty of opportunities to get creative. It is currently configured with a ground floor commercial space, a basement recording studio, an owners loft, and rental apartments above. The listing suggests it could be transformed into a massive single-family property, or the zoning even allows you to build an extra floor. The current home, however, is full of cool details, like glass walls, lots of exposed brick and a floating staircase that leads you to a sleeping loft.
Take a look
The New Design Project’s Park Avenue apartment has an uptown address with downtown style
April 10, 2017

The New Design Project’s Park Avenue apartment has an uptown address with downtown style

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This beautiful Park Avenue apartment from the The New Design Project reflects the elegance and refinement synonymous with its Upper East Side address but also boasts a unique downtown vibe made possible by the studio's signature aesthetic. The light-filled home is adorned with modern furniture and lighting, as well as carefully curated floor treatments and accessories.
See the whole home
There’s plenty of charm packed into this 330-square-foot Tudor City pad, asking $364K
April 10, 2017

There’s plenty of charm packed into this 330-square-foot Tudor City pad, asking $364K

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You can do a lot with 330 square feet, and for proof, look no further than this studio apartment at 45 Tudor City Place, one of the co-ops that makes up Tudor City in Murray Hill. The unit has just hit the market for an appealing price tag of $364,000. It's a corner studio with exposures to the south and west and views over Tudor City Park. Large closets and a murphy bed help with storage, while high ceilings and the large, original windows provide extra breathing room.
See more right this way
Boom in TV and film is lucrative for some New Yorkers, a nuisance for others
April 10, 2017

Boom in TV and film is lucrative for some New Yorkers, a nuisance for others

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In response to the state’s film production tax break, a record number of TV and movie crews have scouted NYC locations for shoots. The mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment issued 149 location permits for 72 projects to film between March 9 and March 15 alone. And as reported by Crain’s, studios will pay residents hefty sums to rent their apartments or homes for shoots. While this can be quite profitable for those occupying the property, with location managers doling out anywhere between $5,000 and $20,000 per day, some neighbors are tired of the inconveniences these projects create on their block.
Find out more
Past Prisons: Inside the new lives of 7 former NYC jails

A 1938 photo showing the Women’s House of Detention south of the Jefferson Market Courthouse, via NYPL

April 10, 2017

Past Prisons: Inside the new lives of 7 former NYC jails

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The past week has been full of news about Rikers Island and Mayor de Blasio's announcement that the notorious prison will be closed and replaced with smaller facilities throughout the boroughs. Ideas for re-use of its 413 acres have included commercial, residential and mixed-use properties; academic centers; sports and recreation facilities; a convention center; or an expansion of nearby LaGuardia airport. And while anything final is estimated to be a decade away, this isn't the first prison in NYC to be adaptively reused. From a health spa to a production studio to a housing development, 6sqft explores the new lives of seven past prisons.
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Gamma Real Estate closes on $86M purchase of 3 Sutton Place, taps Thomas Juul-Hansen for new design

The original rendering of 3 Sutton Place by Foster + Partners

April 10, 2017

Gamma Real Estate closes on $86M purchase of 3 Sutton Place, taps Thomas Juul-Hansen for new design

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Following a contentious legal battle, Gamma Real Estate has won the foreclosure auction and closed on the $86 million acquisition of 3 Sutton Place, a development site where the firm plans on building a 700-foot-tall condominium tower. As Commercial Observer learned, this includes three neighboring lots at 428-432 East 58th Street between First Avenue and Sutton Place. Earlier this year, 6sqft explained that a bankruptcy judge authorized the sale of the property after Joseph Beninati’s Bauhouse Group failed to pay back creditors. While Stephen B Jacobs remains the executive architect, Gamma has hired Thomas Juul-Hansen, a Danish-born architect, who will design the skyscraper.
Find out more

THE 6SQFT SHOP

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Everything you need to know about using a guarantor in NYC Everything you need to know about using a guarantor in NYC
15 quintessential NYC gifts for the New Yorker in your life 15 quintessential NYC gifts for the New Yorker in your life
Raising chickens in NYC: Laws, tips, and everything else you need to know Raising chickens in NYC: Laws, tips, and everything else you need to know
Snag the Greenest Seat in Town: Gufram's 1972 Pratone Chair is Shaped Like a Patch of Grass Snag the Greenest Seat in Town: Gufram's 1972 Pratone Chair is Shaped Like a Patch of Grass
Everything you need to know about affordable housing: applying, getting in, and staying put Everything you need to know about affordable housing: applying, getting in, and staying put
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5Pointz graffiti artists whose work was destroyed will get a chance to face developer in court

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

April 10, 2017

5Pointz graffiti artists whose work was destroyed will get a chance to face developer in court

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Photo via Wikimedia Commons Starting with the news that the iconic graffiti-covered warehouse known as 5Pointz in Long Island City, Queens, visible from passing trains since its beginnings the 1990s as an artists' studio and exhibition space, was being razed and replaced by rental apartments, the building has been the subject of heated controversy. As 6sqft previously reported, in 2013 the complex was whitewashed of its colorful exterior murals under cover of night, and renderings surfaced for the rental towers that would replace it; as if to add insult to injury, the building's owner, Jerry Wolkoff of G&M Realty, revealed plans to use the name 5Pointz as a marketing angle for the new development. Several attempts were made at intervention–and prevention of a similar fate for artists' spaces since then. Now, the New York Times reports, a federal lawsuit filed by 23 5Pointz artists against Wolkoff, who ordered the art destroyed, is getting its day in court. On March 31, Judge Frederic Block of Federal District Court in Brooklyn ruled that the federal lawsuit against Wolkoff, who ordered the artwork destroyed–could have a jury trial, an incremental legal victory for the artists and a chance to confront Wolkoff in court to seek redress.
Find out more
Hyperloop One plan would take travelers from NYC to D.C. in 20 minutes
April 10, 2017

Hyperloop One plan would take travelers from NYC to D.C. in 20 minutes

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Future New Yorkers may travel between cities faster than ever before. Hyperloop One--the California-based tech company whose transportation concept was first proposed by Elon Musk-- revealed its plan for a high-speed tube that could take passengers from NYC to D.C. in just 20 minutes, reports NBC New York (by comparison, Amtrak’s Acela Express currently takes a little more than three hours). Travelers would board magnetically levitating pods that move by electric propulsion and travel at more than 700 miles per hour. This would connect 80 percent of the country, making a cross-country trip just about five hours long. According to the company, nearly 83 million people would benefit from this hyperloop between our nation’s capital and the Big Apple.
Find out more
Lotto opens for Bushwick church conversion, 20 units available from $822/month
April 10, 2017

Lotto opens for Bushwick church conversion, 20 units available from $822/month

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It's been two years since Cayuga Capital's "horizontal addition" to the former St. Mark’s Lutheran School and Evangelical Church in Bushwick topped out, and now the 20 affordable apartments at the site are up for grabs through the city's housing lottery. The new, seven-story structure, along with the preserved 1890 Victorian Gothic church, and four-story former school building in between, will offer 99 rentals in total and have been dubbed The Saint Marks. The below-market rate units range from an $822/month studio to $1,071/month two-bedrooms, available to individuals earning 60 percent of the area median income.
Find out if you qualify
Village carriage house rented by Taylor Swift with a pool, garage and elevator asks $24.5M
April 10, 2017

Village carriage house rented by Taylor Swift with a pool, garage and elevator asks $24.5M

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Last June, 6sqft reported that pop siren Taylor Swift was renting a carriage house at 23 Cornelia Street in the West Village for $40,000 a month while the Tribeca penthouse she'd purchased was undergoing a $535,000 renovation. The 1912 brick carriage house, which features a swimming pool, an elevator and a private garage, is now on the market for $24.5 million. The renovated home, owned by Soho House executive David Aldea who purchased it for $5.3 million in 2005, also boasts five bedrooms and several terraces in addition to its idyllic location and historic charm.
Take the tour
Weekly highlights: Top picks from the 6sqft staff
April 8, 2017

Weekly highlights: Top picks from the 6sqft staff

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REVEALED: Inside the model residences of Zaha Hadid’s 520 West 28th Street First look at the iconic Hotel Chelsea’s glamorous interior renovation Massive high-rise complex with 900 apartments, retail, offices and schools coming to Downtown Brooklyn Sale of $79.5M Upper East Side mansion sets new record for Manhattan’s most expensive townhouse 11 New York-based firms […]

For $1M this Hell’s Kitchen duplex has lots of wood and brick and plenty of flexibility
April 8, 2017

For $1M this Hell’s Kitchen duplex has lots of wood and brick and plenty of flexibility

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This two-bedroom duplex co-op at 357 West 55th Street in West Midtown has a lot going for it considering its $999,000 ask. With a double-height, exposed-brick wall and wood details such as the spiral stair that connects its two floors, there's a warmth that makes this apartment unique. Two full baths make the space guest-friendly, in addition to the fact that you can enter from either floor.
See more of both floors
What this $492K Chelsea studio lacks in size it makes up for in beauty and brains
April 7, 2017

What this $492K Chelsea studio lacks in size it makes up for in beauty and brains

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On the top floor of a classic walk-up co-op building in the Chelsea Historic District, which happens to possess one of the loveliest roof decks in the neighborhood, this compact studio apartment at 333 West 21st Street offers old-world charm and some smart ways to make the small space work. For the first, high beamed ceilings, a wall of exposed brick, a decorative fireplace and large windows work their magic. For the second, a sleeping loft adds to the floor space. At $492,000 it's less than you'd expect to pay for any size Chelsea apartment that's well-appointed and ideally located.
Explore this small but smart apartment
Wouter Scheublin’s spider-inspired table will walk right into your home
April 7, 2017

Wouter Scheublin’s spider-inspired table will walk right into your home

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When describing furniture as nomadic, it usually denotes lightweight, modular pieces that can easily be taken apart to move with you. But Dutch designer Wouter Scheublin created a table that needs no dismantling, as it can quite literally walk to your next home. Inspired by eight-legged creatures, the Walking Table is still graceful enough not to leave scuffing marks on your floor.
Learn more about this crawling table
Why you shouldn’t walk on escalators; Manhattan’s most expensive townhouse will become offices
April 7, 2017

Why you shouldn’t walk on escalators; Manhattan’s most expensive townhouse will become offices

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Slow turn boxes, aka curb extensions, are part of a new pilot program at intersections where turning drivers are known to injure pedestrians. [Planetizen] Research finds that it’s more efficient if everyone stands on an escalator instead of some people walking on it. [NYT] Postal workers in Brooklyn and Flushing, Queens are among the most attacked […]

Gorgeous $25M Village townhouse owned by Roy Lichtenstein’s son for sale for the first time in 170 years
April 7, 2017

Gorgeous $25M Village townhouse owned by Roy Lichtenstein’s son for sale for the first time in 170 years

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In the heart of the beautiful Greenwich Village Historic District, this 24-foot-wide 1847 Greek Revival townhouse at 118 West 12th Street is on the public market for the first time in 170 years, asking $25 million. In addition to rare and perfectly restored historic details, the home has been renovated with a collector's eye for the eclectic and unique, incorporating the best in contemporary comforts, adding even more character to its already magical rooms. While we wish we could say the dizzying collection of Roy Lichtenstein works and other art that adorns the walls of this amazing home were part of the deal, we'd imagine the current owner, filmmaker Mitchell Lichtenstein–the Pop artist's son–and his husband Vincent Sanchez, will be holding on to those treasures.
View the rooms and collections of this remarkable home
How much do amenities impact rent prices in NYC?
April 7, 2017

How much do amenities impact rent prices in NYC?

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When looking for that perfect city abode, apartment hunters often create a list of must-have amenities that also fit within a budget. Now, thanks to Priceonomics and Renthop, you can determine which apartment features have the greatest impact on the overall rent. While the number of bedrooms and bathrooms drive up rent prices the most, the research found that having a doorman, an elevator, available parking and/or laundry-in-building most likely would increase the total rent. In a closer look at NYC, the data shows having a doorman creates the biggest increase of rent in the city, adding about $260 each month.
Find out more
The Urban Lens: Sid Kaplan shares historic photos of the Third Avenue El coming down
April 7, 2017

The Urban Lens: Sid Kaplan shares historic photos of the Third Avenue El coming down

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6sqft’s ongoing series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. This week’s installment comes courtesy of a new exhibit at the Transit Museum, "Deconstruction of the Third Avenue El: Photographs by Sid Kaplan." Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. After the city consolidated its underground subway lines in 1942 (they were previously owned by private companies), fewer New Yorkers were riding the elevated lines. This decreased ridership, along with the fact that the Els ate up valuable street-level real estate and created dangerous dark spaces, led to the city taking down the Second Avenue Elevated line in 1942. In 1955, the Third Avenue Elevated came down as well, catching the eye of a then 17-year-old Sid Kaplan, whose photos of the dismantling are currently on display at the Transit Museum’s Grand Central Gallery Annex. The museum tells us, "From his perch on the roof of an apartment building, or leaning out the window of an office, his images capture a unique perspective of the removal of a hulking steel structure, the hard-working people who dismantled it, and the ever-changing landscape of New York City."
More on the El history, Sid's work, and all the amazing photos
50 percent fewer homeless families being admitted to shelters after new requirements
April 7, 2017

50 percent fewer homeless families being admitted to shelters after new requirements

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In February Mayor de Blasio announced that he plans to open 90 new homeless shelters, but during this same month, only 38 percent of families seeking shelter through the Department of Homeless Services were approved, reports the Daily News. This is a 50 percent drop from the same time last year, which comes after the agency's Commissioner, Steven Banks, received approval from the state in November to require families seeking shelter to present "clear, convincing and credible evidence" that they absolutely have nowhere else to go.
Find out more
Ari Onassis’ former Sutton Place townhouse hits the market for $30M
April 7, 2017

Ari Onassis’ former Sutton Place townhouse hits the market for $30M

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The exclusive neighborhood of Sutton Place has been described as a "riverside enclave for the well-to-do," and Sutton Square, which sits at the end of 58th Street and offers its residents an expansive shared garden perhaps best embodies this exclusivity. It makes sense then that Aristotle Onassis and his first wife Tina once lived in this magnificent townhouse at 16 Sutton Square; John Whitehead later lived in the same home for the last 26 years of his life. The 12-room house, now on the market for $29,950,000, also has a private backyard, as well as a terrace perfect for boat watching and a spectacular glass, circular staircase that "virtually cantilevers over the river."
See the exclusive townhouse here
Townhouse once owned by President Martin Van Buren hits the market for the first time in 53 years
April 7, 2017

Townhouse once owned by President Martin Van Buren hits the market for the first time in 53 years

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You could now own a piece of New York presidential history for $4.9 million. The Federalist-style townhouse at 150 East 38th Street, in Murray Hill, was once called home by President Martin Van Buren. This is, without a doubt, one of the most unique properties in New York--besides the presidential ownership, ironwork frames the entryway, a squat structure connected to the four-story townhouse. It was built in 1857, altered in 1935, and then restored in the early 2000s. The interior will bring you back in time, with fireplaces, wood paneling and coffered ceilings.
Don't miss the interior tour
Kwong Von Glinow’s new prototype for affordable housing can be stacked to fit any lot size
April 7, 2017

Kwong Von Glinow’s new prototype for affordable housing can be stacked to fit any lot size

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The first place winners of the New York Affordable Housing Challenge, an architectural competition run by Bee Breeders, have been announced. Kwong Von Glinow Design Office received first prize for their entry “The Table Top,” a modular system that aggregates and stacks to provide density and diversity in a city as varied as New York. Designed as a prototype for affordable housing in New York City, the flexible system could accommodate the city's wide range of lot sizes and is adaptable to a variety of unit combinations for diverse types of residents. With an affordable housing crisis abetting an increasingly socially divided city with the majority of its residents spending over half of their annual income on rent, the project speaks to Mayor de Blasio’s emphasis on the dire need to create more affordable housing at both new and redeveloped existing sites.
Find out more about this flexible, scalable design for living
Funky, renovated West Harlem townhouse has hit the market for $4.5 million
April 6, 2017

Funky, renovated West Harlem townhouse has hit the market for $4.5 million

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This Harlem townhouse is one of a kind, thanks to a recent renovation. Located at 363 West 120th Street--just a half block from Morningside Park--the historic property was configured into an owner's triplex with a rental duplex below. While some interior details like the original tile and woodwork were integrated with the design, the overall aesthetic feels more modern, with bold additions like steel doors, recessed lighting and a super sleek kitchen. The unique finished product is now on the market asking $4.5 million.
Time to take a look
Clever and compact Kammerspiel provides an all-inclusive living unit for studio apartments
April 6, 2017

Clever and compact Kammerspiel provides an all-inclusive living unit for studio apartments

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For many city-dwellers, living spaces often comes limited, so much so that it's not uncommon for homes to be referred to as "micro-apartments." German designer Nils Holger Moormann has created Kammerspiel for these tiny abodes, a sleek, all-in-one unit for sleeping, eating, working and storage. This is the largest piece of furniture he's ever engineered, and the purpose of the multi-functional structure is to provide a space-saving solution for people with limited square footage.
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Rockaway Ferry to take off in May, one month ahead of schedule
April 6, 2017

Rockaway Ferry to take off in May, one month ahead of schedule

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Mayor de Blasio announced today that the Citywide Ferry Service, now officially named “NYC Ferry,” will be launching two routes on the first day of May: the new Rockaway Route and the existing East River Route. As DNA Info learned, the Rockaway route takes passengers from the new dock on Beach 108th Street to the Brooklyn Terminal, and then Wall Street’s Pier 11. Expect service on the South Brooklyn Route with stops in Bay Ridge, Sunset Park, Red Hook and Brooklyn Bridge Park to begin on June 1. The Astoria Route will be launched sometime in August and the Lower East Side and Soundview Routes have a launch date set in 2018.
Find out more here

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