6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

Yorkville has long been considered one of Manhattan’s more affordable uptown neighborhoods--although that's been changing in recent years--but here's a neighborhood pad that's not priced too high. For $695,000 you'll get a one-bedroom duplex within the historic brownstone at 421 East 84th Street. The upper floor boasts two large windows and a wood burning fireplace, while the lower level has enough space to fit a king-sized bed and other furniture. Plus, it's located just a few blocks away from the new Second Avenue subway station at 86th Street.
More photos this way

Distinctive Homes

April 20, 2017

Demi Moore finally sells San Remo penthouse for a much-reduced $45M

It's been exactly two years since Demi Moore first listed her incredible San Remo penthouse for $75 million. But after sitting idly on the market for 14 months, she reduced the price way down to $59 million, and The Real Deal now got wind that she's finally sold the 17-room triplex for an even more reduced $45 million. Despite the major price chop, this is still the biggest sale ever at the iconic Central Park West co-op.
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April 20, 2017

Midtown’s 1,401-foot One Vanderbilt to begin vertical construction next month

By Diane Pham

One of the city's most pivotal new office towers is approaching its latest milestone. This afternoon, developer SL Green announced that One Vanderbilt, the supertall currently under construction directly adjacent to Grand Central Terminal, will begin its vertical ascent in early May. According to a press release, the 1,401-foot skyscraper's construction manager, AECOM Tishman, has secured the procurement of more than 25,000 tons of domestically-fabricated structural steel, in addition to a New Building Permit from the New York City Department of Buildings.
more details here

April 20, 2017

First look at Domino Sugar Factory’s 11-acre park and waterfront esplanade

With building construction well under way at the Domino Sugar Factory site, Two Trees Management has now released details about the 11-acre park that will anchor the three-million-square-foot Williamsburg mega-development. To be known as Domino Park and designed by James Corner Field Operations, the quarter-mile open space will boast a new waterfront esplanade, six acres of parkland, a plethora of preserved artifacts, and easier waterfront access. In addition to sharing several new renderings, Two Trees also announced that the park will open in the summer of 2018.
All the details and renderings ahead

April 20, 2017

Affordable housing lotteries fail low-income residents and favor middle-income earners, says new report

In every state and major city in the country, extremely low-income renters face a shortage of affordable housing. Although low-income applicants in New York City display a higher need for affordable housing, policies created by Mayor de Blasio and his administration continue to set aside more units for middle-income applicants. In a detailed report, City Limits analyzed affordable housing in Brooklyn and compared the need for affordable housing to the actual number of allotted low-income and middle-income units. For just one building, the tower at 535 Carlton, nearly 95,000 households entered the lottery for its “100 percent affordable” units. However, only 2,203 applicants were eligible for the 148 middle-income units, and over 67,000 households applied for the 90 low-income units. The data shows low-income households in search of affordable housing face much tougher odds than middle-income applicants.
Find out more

April 20, 2017

$5.8M Financial District duplex off a cobblestone street comes with a lofty, open layout

This FiDi duplex was designed to impress. Location within a historic brick townhouse at 150 Beekman Street, the interior of the apartment has been completely modernized. You might say the apartment offers the best of both worlds: cobblestone streets and a historic facade, as well as a modern, open layout with luxury finishes throughout the interior. For five bedrooms, four bathrooms and 3,232 square feet, it is now asking $5.795 million.
Take a deeper look

Distinctive Homes

50 years ago, computer expert Peter Samson started the ‘subway challenge’

Peter Samson, standing in the center, and his teammates during the failed 1966 run. From the New York Herald-Tribune, via the Queens Borough Public Library

April 20, 2017

50 years ago, computer expert Peter Samson started the ‘subway challenge’

In May of 1940, electric railroad enthusiast Herman Rinke became the first person to tour the entire New York City subway system on a single token, putting in 25 some hours underground all for fun. After reading about Rinke’s journey, Peter Samson, a computer software engineer who later invented the world’s first video game Spacewar, decided to take a stab at making his own record. As the Times recounts, he formed the Amateur New York Subway Riding Committee (ANYSRC) to develop rules for the challenge. After one failed attempt in 1966, Samson, with the help of 15 volunteers and a computer program that tracked the fastest route, completed the trip in 25 hours, 50 minutes and 30 seconds on April 21, 1967. Since then, the subway challenge has taken off for puzzle and transit lovers worldwide.
Find out more

April 20, 2017

Art Nerd New York’s top event picks for the week – 4/20-4/26

By Lori Zimmer

In a city where hundreds of interesting events occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Ahead Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer shares her top picks for 6sqft readers! Photography lovers are in for a treat this week: New York legend Martha Cooper opens a new exhibition of her photographs of graffiti in the 1970s and 80s; historic works from India by iconic street photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson are on show at the Rubin Museum; and touching portraits of West Africa by young photographer Anne Barlinckhoff are being showcased at The Quin. If you need a break from real life, take in the immersive and contemplative installation of Doug Wheeler, or float away on Pinaree Sanpitak’s meditative piece at Brookfield Place. Finally, join in on an Earth Day conversation in Times Square, or take in the work of “forgotten “ New York street artist Richard Hambelton in an event happening one night only.
More on all the best events this way

Events & Things To Do

Distinctive Homes

This $4.6M upstate New York property is a modern woodland sanctuary

French soccer star Thierry Henry seeks $25M for his Soho penthouse

Former Morgan Stanley CEO lists UES townhouse for $80M

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

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

Fire Island modernist icon Pyramid House asks $3.3M

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

This extra-wide $8M Park Slope brownstone is a rare find with historic details intact

Two bedrooms plus a home office for $1.7M in this FiDi duplex loft

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

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April 20, 2017

Enter the waitlist for $2,611/month middle-income apartments at creative Greenpoint rental Eleven33

The waitlist is open for $2,611/month two-bedroom apartments at Greenpoint's super-trendy rental Eleven33, which goes out of its way to check all the boxes in terms of "Brooklyn living" -- from a cyber café with an espresso bar to a landscaped rooftop terrace to a fitness center complete with CrossFit equipment. The affordable housing lottery is open to middle-income households of two, three, and four people earning between $106,080 and $158,550 annually.
Find out if you qualify here

Affordable Housing

April 20, 2017

The Apple Store’s iconic Fifth Avenue glass cube will be temporarily removed

Boston Properties, who owns the former General Motors Building at 767 Fifth Avenue that has the Apple flagship located on its lower level, was issued a permit by the Department of Buildings to remove the iconic glass cube outside the store's entrance. The Post reports that it'll cost a staggering $2 million to take the structure down while Apple expands the Midtown location from 32,000 to 77,000 square feet.
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Uncategorized

April 20, 2017

Cheery Prospect Park condo is house-sized with a smart layout and sophisticated details

You don't hear much about the "townhouse alternative," as homeowners are more focused on the space and freedom of having a house, even if it's a small "condo alternative." But this high-floor, graciously arranged and elegantly detailed pre-war condominium at the park's edge in prime Park Slope asking $1.895 million has as much living space as a small house, without the stairs and expensive repairs. The three-bedroom home at 163 Prospect Park West also boasts a collection of subtle, sophisticated renovations–like concrete sinks in the master bath and dark, elegant walls in the den.
Tour this most satisfying apartment

April 19, 2017

First home designed by Philip Johnson seeks $1M and a preservation savior

As any modern architecture aficionado knows, the Glass House is Philip Johnson's best-known residence. However, it's not his first. That title goes to the Booth House, built in 1946 (three years prior to the New Canaan beauty) in rural Bedford, New York. Like the Glass House, it boasts Johnson's iconic floor-to-ceiling glazing, location atop a grass podium, and internal organization around a central fireplace. But unlike the Glass House, now a historic house museum, the Booth House is not protected, and moreover, its title is in litigation which means it could very well face the wrecking ball. Therefore, Archpaper tells us that the long-time owners have listed the home for $1 million in hopes that a preservation-minded buyer will step up.
Find out more

April 19, 2017

Noocity’s all-inclusive ‘Growkit’ is perfect for urban green thumb wannabes

Thanks to Growkit, a farming kit for beginners developed by Portugal-based startup Noocity, city dwellers short on time and space can still take a stab at gardening and harvest their own organic food (h/t Gearminded). The kit includes an entire gardening system--a Growbag irrigated planter, a Growpack with seasonal plants, potting soil, fertilizer, and step-by-step audio instructions--all delivered right to your doorstep.
Find out more

April 19, 2017

Cobble Hill brownstone rental asks $8,500/month after a modern renovation

This may be a traditional Brooklyn brownstone on the outside, but the duplex rental occupying its parlor and garden floors looks as modern as it gets. The home, located at 284 Warren Street in Cobble Hill, underwent a gut renovation in 2007 and has been occupied by the same owner ever since. They're now renting out the bottom two floors for $8,500 a month, and any new renter is going to like one thing in particular, especially with summer coming up--a double-height wall of glass that frames the private, stone-paved backyard.
This way for a tour

Distinctive Homes

April 19, 2017

A Brooklyn artist is bringing street art down to a first-grade reading level

He’s going to spell it out for you: art feeds young minds. Pierre Francillon has a dream to fill the outer walls of Prospect Lefferts Gardens with building-sized flashcards to catch the eyes of the area’s fastest growing population: kids under 10. And with the help of a team of emerging and established artists, he […]

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April 19, 2017

Tour Zaha Hadid and Frank Gehry buildings around the globe with the new Google Earth

As part of its relaunch, Google Earth, a program that allows users to explore the planet virtually, now features guided tours of projects by various architects, like Frank Gehry and the late Zaha Hadid. As ArchDaily learned, the relaunch allows users to orbit the entire globe in 3D, instead of simply exploring isolated cities. It also enhanced the web application’s accessibility, with searches within the app providing snapshots of information about the places. Plus, using the app is free of charge and users do not have to pay or install any software.
Explore the Google Earth relaunch

April 19, 2017

10 chances to live in hip East Williamsburg from $833/month

This rental building at 66 Ainslie Street may look like your quintessential warehouse conversion, but it was actually built from the ground up last year, designed by Aufgang Architects to blend in with East Williamsburg's trendy industrial vibe. Of its 50 apartments, 10 are reserved for those earning 60 percent of the area median income. These units include two $833/month studios and eight $895/month one-bedrooms and, as of tomorrow, are up for grabs through the city's affordable housing lottery.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

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

April 19, 2017

This bold corner loft will remind you of Williamsburg’s early artist outpost days

The 1,800-square-foot pre-war loft in the Northside Arts Industries Condominium is as classic as it gets, with impossibly high ceilings, exposed brick, wood beams and pipes and a flexible layout. The New York Times tells us that the building was developed back in 1983, when the neighborhood's north side was a burned-out jumble of factories, ethnic enclaves and a smattering of artists. The latter had come to escape Soho rents, taking over abandoned factories and warehouses and paying rents that averaged around $550 a month for a one-bedroom apartment. In 1986, a loft space in the building could be rented for $5 a square foot. Today, a sprawling home at 119 North 11th Street asks $8,500 a month ($57 a foot) and the trendy and amenity-packed neighborhood's artists have (mostly) escaped eastward once again.
Find out more about this totally 21st century loft

Distinctive Homes

April 18, 2017

NBC News anchor Lester Holt lists classy Nomad apartment for $6.6M

There's no "debating" that NBC Nightly News and Dateline NBC anchor Lester Holt has good taste in real estate, as evidenced by the listing photos for his classy Nomad apartment. The fact that his wife, Carol Hagen-Holt, is one of the listing brokers probably doesn't hurt either. The Observer first noticed that the couple put the three-bedroom spread at 225 Fifth Avenue on the market for $6.6 million, a far cry from the $3.3 million they bought it for in 2007. It boasts views of Madison Square Park and the Flatiron Building, a private terrace, and a sumptuous mix of furnishings and decor.
Take a look around

April 18, 2017

Residents in the noisiest NYC neighborhoods are healthier, says new study

While loud noise has been found to be harmful, new research shows residents who live in the loudest NYC neighborhoods may be healthier than residents living in quieter nabes. According to a study by NYU Langone Medical Center, neighborhoods that called in the most noise complaints to 311 had residents with a lower body mass index and blood pressure (h/t Metro NY). While researchers do not believe the actual noise is behind the healthier numbers, the study points to an area’s walkability to be a contributing factor to the health of residents.
Find out more

City Living

April 18, 2017

Former Knicks star Allan Houston lists tricked-out Westchester estate for $20M

Allan Houston, a former Knicks basketball player and current assistant general manager of the team, is selling his massive, almost 20,000-square-foot French revival home in Westchester County for just under $20 million. As the New York Post learned, the home located in Conyers Farm, a private gated community that borders Greenwich, Connecticut and Armonk, New York, has seven bedrooms and 10 marble bathrooms. Although it’s been on and off the market, sources told the Post that Houston wants to move his wife Tamara and their seven children to Manhattan in order to be closer to work. Facing Converse Lake, the expansive residence features a custom-designed basketball court, movie theater, trophy room, heated outdoor pool and, golf putting green.
See the Westchester estate

My 900sqft: A podcasting pioneer fills her family’s West Village apartment with historic American relics

6sqft’s ongoing series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to the West Village apartment of podcasting pioneer and DJ Suzy Chase. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

April 18, 2017

My 900sqft: A podcasting pioneer fills her family’s West Village apartment with historic American relics

By Diane Pham

Years ago, when Suzy Chase was presented with the opportunity to bring every piece of furniture from her childhood Kansas home to NYC, there was no question of what she'd take, but rather how she'd take it all with her. Steeped in a bounty of antiques and heirlooms, Suzy knew she could never part with the items that she loved so much growing up. So rather than putting it all into storage, she made the decision to clear out her family's 900-square-foot West Village apartment and fill it with as much of her Kansas furniture as possible. While many of you are probably asking why she didn't consider selling or donating these items, there is, of course, a twist to this story, and her situation is one that is quite unique: She's a descendant of the Chase family, one of the United States' most important political families. Ahead, have a look inside Suzy's home, a modestly sized two-bedroom filled with relics from the Revolutionary and Civil wars, centuries-old paintings, rare books and photographs, and countless other objects that were on American soil well before the Mayflower even touched Plymouth Rock.
see more inside here

April 18, 2017

INTERVIEW: Co-founder of the Brooklyn Home Company, Bill Caleo

By Michelle Sinclair Colman

The Brooklyn Home Company (THBCo) is a family-run cooperative of artists and builders that develop unique residential spaces in booming Brooklyn. Best described as white and wood but never cookie cutter, their work is always light and airy, and blend modern style with historic elements. It's this signature style that's made THBCo a favorite amongst both renovators and Pinterest enthusiasts alike. But what inspires their designs and how do they decide where to develop projects? Ahead, 6sqft speaks to THBCo's co-founder and Head of Operations, Bill Caleo, about the business. Find out how this family-run establishment firmly roots itself in working with local makers, how they've grown their business model to include sustainability, and why they always add a custom piece of art to all their homes.
our interview with bill here

Related’s Stephen Ross kicks off construction on Hudson Yards’ 150-foot climbable ‘Vessel’

First Piece of Vessel Installed 04.18.2017 – courtesy of Related-Oxford

April 18, 2017

Related’s Stephen Ross kicks off construction on Hudson Yards’ 150-foot climbable ‘Vessel’

The standard for public art spaces has officially reached new heights. Today, the installation has begun on Vessel, an innovative landmark designed by Heatherwick Studio at Hudson Yards. As 6sqft previously wrote, the project’s idea stems from Related Companies' chairman Stephen Ross, who chose Heatherwick to design the $200 million (up as of today from the original $150 million estimate) large-scale piece of art. After being fabricated and constructed in Monfalcone, Italy, the first ten pieces of the 150-foot-tall steel structure arrived in January at the Port of Newark via ship and then traveled across the Hudson River. And as of this morning, Ross was on site to mark the first of these massive components (they each weigh close to 100,000 pounds) being put into place by crane.
See photos from Vessel's installation and watch a video of Stephen Ross' remarks

April 18, 2017

Apply for an affordable apartment at Chelsea Centro, two-bedrooms priced at $1,574/month

By Diane Pham

TF Cornerstone is once again accepting applications for affordable studio, one- and two-bedroom units at their very well located Chelsea Centro rental at 200-220 West 26th Street. The full-time doorman building was erected in 2001 and boasts an 80/20 mix of low-income and market-rate units. As noted by the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development, TF will be accepting applications from qualifying individuals and families until all the building's affordable vacancies have been filled and its waiting list replenished. The current units up for grabs range from $1,215 per month for a studio up to $1,574 per month for a comfortable two-bedroom spread.
find out if you qualify here

Affordable Housing

April 18, 2017

This $21M Tribeca penthouse boasts exceptional outdoor space complete with a heated infinity pool

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

Inside this massive Tribeca penthouse you've got custom marble, bronze and mahogany details, not to mention light fixtures crafted by a Steampunk designer. The spectacular pad spans two floors over 5,100 square feet and holds four bedrooms and six bathrooms. Outside, over 2,500 square feet, there's a fully irrigated and planted terrace, as well as a roof deck complete with an outdoor kitchen and heated infinity pool. Simply put: anywhere you go at this penthouse apartment, now asking $21 million at the Tribeca condo 169 Hudson Street, you will be impressed.
So see the rest of the space

Distinctive Homes

THE 6SQFT SHOP

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8 best places in NYC to thrift for home goods

The best websites for buying and selling used furniture in NYC

Everything you need to know about using a guarantor in NYC

50 places to shop locally in NYC for that perfect gift

15 quintessential NYC gifts for the New Yorker in your life

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

10 best plants for apartment dwellers

VIEW ALL

April 17, 2017

$3.5M South Slope townhouse has incredible custom wall coverings and a home theater

Located just one block from Park Slope's 5th Avenue hub, a beautiful, Miles Redd-designed townhouse is listed for $3,495,000. The South Slope home at 258 11th Street has been totally renovated and rebuilt, with custom wall coverings and custom-mixed Farrow & Ball paint, but it still boasts that Brooklyn brownstone charm. Plus, the 3,334-square-foot beauty has four bedrooms, a moody home theater, and a magical private garden.
See the Park Slope townhome

Distinctive Homes

April 17, 2017

The hotel industry prepares a national fight against Airbnb

With its value nearing $30 billion dollars, it’s hard to deny Airbnb’s influence and disruption in the American hotel industry. Since its founding in 2008, the short-term lodging company has serviced about 150 million travelers, in three million listings in more than 191 countries. And as the New York Times reported, the hotel industry has launched a plan to take action against the company’s growing market share. The plan includes a national campaign at the local, state and federal levels to counter Airbnb by lobbying politicians and attorneys general to reduce the number of Airbnb hosts and fund studies that show they do not collect hotel taxes and are not required to follow the same safety and security regulations that hotels must follow.
Find out more

April 17, 2017

Mayor de Blasio christens New York’s first Citywide Ferry with a ride into Brooklyn Bridge Park

To celebrate the ahead-of-schedule launch of the Citywide Ferry service, Mayor de Blasio rode the first ferry (named "Lunchbox" by second graders from Bay Ridge) this morning into Brooklyn Bridge Park's Pier 1 as part of an official dedication ceremony. Beginning May 1st, all New Yorkers can join in the revelry when the new Rockaway Route and the existing East River Route kick off. Service to South Brooklyn starts in June, and the Astoria route will be launched sometime in August. In all, there will be 21 stops added throughout the city as part of the expanded service. On top of today's festivities, the city also released the official new ferry schedules.
See the NYC Ferry routes

April 17, 2017

City’s PoetweetNYC poetry contest begins today

By Igor Josifovic and Judith de Graaff

This one is for the subway writers. The city’s annual PoetweetNYC Twitter poetry contest, celebrating National Poetry Month, is open for submissions today at 9 a.m. through April 27 at 5 p.m. Contest winners and their poems, selected by mayoral first lady Chirlane McCray and a panel of four other judges, will appear here in […]

Uncategorized

April 17, 2017

Toolbox Tutorials: Learn to make a simple macramé plant hanger

6sqft's new series Toolbox Tutorials shares step-by-step guides for simple, affordable DIY projects. This week, Igor Josifovic and Judith de Graaff, founders of Urban Jungle Bloggers and authors of the new book "Urban Jungle: Living and Styling With Plants," teach us how to make an easy macramé plant hanger. Have a project you'd like to share? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. In small apartments, the valuable real estate on shelves and windowsills gets used up fast, but don't let this deter you from bringing in some greenery. Even if your flat surfaces aren't available, there's always room for a hanging plant, which can be suspended from the ceiling, a wall or window, or a doorknob that's not used on a daily basis. To do this, we're showing you how to make macramé hangers for anything from regular terracotta pots to colorful salad bowls that have rounded bottoms.
The illustrated, step-by-step guide ahead

April 17, 2017

Apply for 20 affordable units near the Queensboro Bridge, starting at $1,254/month

The price is right, but the location may not be the most desirable for this new affordable housing building, as it's situated directly alongside the off-ramp to the Queensboro Bridge. Traffic views aside (we're hoping they installed sound-proof windows), these 20 apartments at 321 East 60th Street include $1,254/month one-bedrooms and $1,511/month two-bedrooms for those earning 80 percent of the area median income.
More on the project here

Affordable Housing

April 17, 2017

Glamorous $5.5M UES co-op sits directly across from the Metropolitan Museum of Art

This is a prime Upper East Side location if we've ever seen one: the three-bedroom co-op at 1016 Fifth Avenue is located directly across from the Metropolitan Museum of Art with unobstructed views. After a full renovation the apartment has hit the market for $5.495 million. (It last sold in 2011 for $3.35 million.) It's undeniably luxurious, and not just because of the location. The apartment is only one of two when you exit the elevator, and the interior is flanked with columns, built-in bookcases, a fireplace and much more.
Take a look

Distinctive Homes

April 17, 2017

Affordable housing lottery for seniors opens at Essex Crossing, from $396/month

At the beginning of last month, the first affordable housing lottery opened for Essex Crossing at Beyer Blinder Belle's huge mixed-use building 145 Clinton Street, where 104 below-market rate units were up for grabs. As of today, the second lottery is open, this time at Dattner Architects' 175 Delancey Street, a 14-story, 100-unit building at the megadevelopment's site 6 that will also offer ground-floor retail, medical offices for NYU Langone, and a senior center and job training facility from the Grand Street Settlement. These 99 one-bedroom apartments are set aside for one- and two-person households that have at least one resident who is 55 years of age or older. They're also earmarked for those earning 0, 30, 40, 60, and 90 percent of the area median income and range from $396/month to $1,254/month.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

April 16, 2017

Dreamy duplex in a 19th century Boerum Hill townhouse asks $6,100/month

If you love the historic aesthetic of the Brooklyn brownstone, this Boerum Hill duplex will charm you. It's located on the top two floors of 433 Pacific Street, a 19th century rowhouse that's well intact. Any renter willing to pay $6,100 a month will have the benefit of living alongside two working fireplaces with marble mantlepieces, refinsihed original wide-plank floors and the original moldings. The listing says the space boasts "wonderful character," and we can't disagree.
Take the interior tour

Distinctive Homes

April 15, 2017

Weekly highlights: Top picks from the 6sqft staff

By 6sqft

Hyperloop One plan would take travelers from NYC to D.C. in 20 minutes Why is New York City called the Big Apple? ‘Human Castell’ tower proposal turns the traditional skyscraper inside out ‘How I Met Your Mother’ actress Cobie Smulders lists Battery Park City condo for $4M There’s plenty of charm packed into this 330-square-foot […]

Uncategorized

April 14, 2017

1100 Architect’s Watermill estate uses glass structures to integrate the surrounding landscape

By Rebecca Paul

Located in the Hamptons neighborhood of Water Mill , this modern yet surprisingly rustic family retreat includes a main house, pool house, guest house, bunkhouse, and garage. The mini-complex was designed by 1100 Architect and occupies a total of 15 wooded acres. The main house's design is a balanced combination of glass and location, as it's situated on the plot's highest peak, providing the structure with expansive and unobstructed views of the surrounding property and shoreline from the roof terrace.
Take the tour

Architecture And Design

April 14, 2017

An upgraded and expanded 1900 schoolhouse is now a charming residence for sale upstate

"A century’s worth of historical appeal" is how the listing describes this unique property upstate, located at 636 Bedford Road in the town of North Castle. Indeed, this structure was built in 1900 and originally served as a school house (h/t CIRCA). In 1980 it was expanded and renovated without taking away any of that century-old character. Details like six-inch oak flooring and exposed beams from a Brooklyn shipyard distinguish the property, and it doesn't hurt that it sits on almost an acre of land. The price, of course, is what you might pay for a one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan: $855,000.
Don't miss this property tour

April 14, 2017

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

By Ondel Hylton

Images (L to R): 3 Journal Square, Stuyvesant Town, 253 West 72nd Street, Myrtle & Steuben 2 Months Free at New Hell’s Kitchen Rental [link] 1 Month Free at West 72nd Street Prewar [link] StuyTown Offering $3,600 Move-In Bonus Until April 16th [link] 1 Month Free at Newly Launched Clinton Hill Rental [link] Renovated Rentals […]

Real Estate Trends

April 14, 2017

Black and white photos of Passover in Coney Island

Hasidic Jews took to Coney Island beach and amusement park for part of the Passover holiday, which extends from April 10 to 18. The warm weather brought out many families with schools being closed and adults taking off from work for the religious observance. Coney Island has two amusement parks—Luna Park and Deno’s Wonder Wheel […]

Uncategorized

April 14, 2017

731-foot Long Island City skyscraper may briefly be Queens’ tallest building

With another skyscraper proposal approved, Long Island City moves one step closer to looking like a Manhattan copycat. The latest sky-high tower to get its site cleared and zoning approved sits in Court Square at 43-30 24th Street. As covered by CityRealty, the permits show this building, developed by commercial real estate firm Stawski Partners, will hold 921 condos and rise 731 feet, almost 75 feet higher than the borough’s current tallest building at One Court Square. And if it finishes before the Court Square City View Tower next door, set to rise 66 stories and become Queen's tallest, it will briefly hold that title.
Find out more

April 14, 2017

Robert A.M. Stern’s 520 Park Avenue, Upper East Side’s tallest building, hits pinnacle height

520 Park Avenue, well on its way to being the tallest skyscraper on the Upper East Side, is putting its final crowning members in place, CityRealty reports. The developer of the 54-story tower just off Park Avenue at East 60th Street is the multi-generational Zeckendorf real estate dynasty who brought us 50 U.N. Plaza, 15 Central Park West and the neighborhood-transforming Worldwide Plaza and Union Square's Zeckendorf Towers.
Find out more

April 14, 2017

Apply for 16 affordable units in the Tremont section of the Bronx, from $716/ month

As of today, qualifying New Yorkers can apply for 16 newly renovated, affordable apartments in the Tremont section of the Bronx. The units at 565 East 178th Street and 2089-91 Arthur Avenue--which are right near Tremont Park and just a short walk to the Bronx Park and Zoo--are available to those earning 50 to 60 percent of the area median income, ranging from $716/month studios to $1,292/month three-bedrooms.
Find out more

Affordable Housing

April 14, 2017

The Urban Lens: Zooming in on New York’s captivating corner architecture

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, Sam Golanski highlights New York's unique narrow and corner buildings. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. 6sqft recently featured Sam Golanki's photography series "Park Avenue Doormen," where he gave the men who safeguard the Upper East Side's ritzy buildings a chance to step out from behind the velvet ropes and in front of the camera. He's now taken a similar approach--albeit this time with buildings, not people--in his collection "Narrow and Corner Buildings." Choosing to forego iconic structures like the Flatiron Building, Sam instead focuses on small structures off the beaten path that may otherwise be overlooked. "I realized the corner is the center of each block, a place for small businesses, barbershops, and coffee shops," he said, explaining that he didn't pre-plan the series, but rather was drawn to these unique structures while strolling the city.
Get a look at all the photos

Places

April 14, 2017

$625K boho duplex is a cave-like East Village hideaway

The listing for this quirky little bohemian bolthole at 121 East 10th Street, near the iconic St. Marks Church in-the-Bowery, uses words like "special," "handpicked" and "salvaged," and there's a reason beyond salesmanship. Looking at this enchanted mini-loft does, in fact, make us feel "transported to another time and place." Another time, at least: The place is the old East Village of legend. Who knows, this could even be the apartment that invented exposed brick.
Have a look around this creative little pad

Why is New York City called the Big Apple?

Photo via Public Domain Pictures

April 13, 2017

Why is New York City called the Big Apple?

Most of the nicknames ascribed to New York make literal sense: Gotham; Empire City; the City That Never Sleeps; the City So Nice They Named It Twice. However, the context behind the “Big Apple” nickname isn’t as obvious. To help us understand the moniker, the New York Public Library detailed a history of the name, taking us through a tour of what “big apple” has meant throughout centuries.
Find out more

History

April 13, 2017

‘How I Met Your Mother’ actress Cobie Smulders lists Battery Park City condo for $4M

The star actress of the long-running TV show, "How I Met Your Mother," Cobie Smulders, and husband Taran Killam, Hamilton actor and SNL veteran, have listed their apartment at 2 River Terrace in Battery Park City for $3.995 million. As first reported by Luxury Listings NYC, the 1,580-square-foot-condo has three bedrooms, three bathrooms and boasts a private landscaped terrace. Other celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and Tyra Banks have also lived in the building, and filmmaker Oliver Stone just bought an apartment there.
Check out the Battery Park City pad here

April 13, 2017

Groups criticize New York’s free college tuition program

On Monday, Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Excelsior Scholarship, a first-in-the-nation program that provides free tuition to full-time college students whose families earn up to $125,000 a year, passed the state budget vote and will be phased in as early as fall of 2017. Although Cuomo had originally tried to include undocumented immigrants in the legislation, the […]

Uncategorized

April 13, 2017

Are Montreal bagels better than New York?; Donald Trump Jr. won’t run for NY governor