December 14, 2016

Ivanka Trump puts her stodgy Park Avenue pad up for sale, asks $4.1M

It looks like America's next first daughter—and quasi-first lady—is looking to slim down her real estate holdings. As Luxury Listings NYC first reports, Ivanka Trump has just listed her apartment at 502 Park Avenue for $4.1 million. The somewhat bland spread hosts two bedrooms and two baths and is outfitted in a palette of cream and powdery blue hues. Although one might think the sale has something to do with her father's recent presidential victory—as not even two weeks ago, CNN reported that she and husband Jared Kusher were house hunting in Washington D.C.—Ivanka, in fact, also owns one the building's penthouses, which she bought for $16 million nearly six years ago. It's also been no secret that the Trump/Kushner brood has been mulling a move into the Puck Penthouses, one of Jared's beautiful ultra-luxe developments.
have a closer look inside
December 14, 2016

Announcing 6sqft’s 2016 Building of the Year!

You came, you voted, and now it's time to award the title of 2016 Building of the Year to none other than 520 West 28th Street! The undulating beauty along the High Line beat out 11 other game-changing buildings in a fierce two-week competition held right here on 6sqft. Out of nearly 25,000 votes cast, the Zaha Hadid-designed, Related Companies-developed structure emerged as the winner, taking away 8,382 of the count, or 33.62% of the total.
more details on the runners-up
December 14, 2016

Turn anything into a table or shelf in minutes using Be-elastic’s SNAP

NYC apartments often have irregular layouts and odd corners, and finding pre-made furniture that will fit nicely can often be a lofty task. As such, the founders of Be-elastic have designed an innovative furniture solution called SNAP to solve this problem. The SNAP assembly system is comprised of a simple snapping mechanism that allows users to design and assemble tables, stools, or shelving using whatever material they can find. The team has already experimented with a variety of items, creating tables from dart boards, vintage doors, and even bicycle wheels. But you can use your own design savvy to decide the color and number of legs your item requires.
READ MORE
December 14, 2016

Historic map shows the manufacturing industries of 1919 NYC

As part of their new exhibit "Mastering the Metropolis: New York and Zoning, 1916–2016," the Museum of the City of New York has shared this historic map of manufacturing industries across the city. Published in 1922 using census data from 1919, the colorful depiction shows us that women's wear was the industry of the time, with more than 8,000 factories employing 169,965 people and coming in with a yearly product value of $1.7 billion. Manhattan was all but covered with manufacturing, and as CityLab points out, this included everything from rubber tires and umbrellas to coffins and cigar boxes.
Get a closer look
December 14, 2016

Scooter-shares posed as NYC’s next CitiBike, L train alternative

Transportation alternatives to the L train when the subway line is suspended for renovation in 2019 are getting sexy. As city agencies scramble to come up with alternatives for the 250,000 people riding the L train through Manhattan and Brooklyn every day, the think tank at the NYU Rudin Center for Transportation Policy & Management put out “A Scooter […]

December 14, 2016

POLL: Would you spend $500K for a down payment in Manhattan?

6sqft has previously shared data that it only makes sense to buy a home in New York City after having lived here for 18.2 years, longer than anywhere else in the nation by a long shot. When and if that time comes, Manhattanities are looking to drop an average of $500,000 for a down payment, according to a new report from Property Shark. To put this figure into perspective, the average price nationwide to buy an entire home is $300,000. And in the Manhattan luxury market, the median down payment is a whopping $3.15 million, which might explain why, according to 2014 census data, only 32% of New Yorkers owned their homes.
What would you do?
December 14, 2016

Average Manhattan sales price tops $2M for first time

Despite chatter about the luxury market slowing down, 2016 has seen Manhattan real estate prices continue to climb and set records. The average sales price for an apartment (including both co-ops and condos) was $2.2 million, topping the $1.9 million record set last year, according to CityRealty's newly released Year-End Manhattan Market Report. This is a whopping 91 percent increase from 2006. And things heat up even more in the new development sector, where 1,800 units sold for a projected total of $8.9 billion, a huge jump from last year's $5.4 billion for $1,464 units.
More record-setting data ahead
December 14, 2016

New renderings from Albo Liberis offer up two visions for Brooklyn’s next skyscraping office tower

As the future Brooklyn skyline takes shape, one of the borough's largest office towers-to-be, a 36-story commercial skyscraper, is slated to rise at 625 Fulton Street in Downtown Brooklyn. Brooklyn-based Rabsky Group purchased the lot for $158 million and, as The Real Deal reports, plans are in the works to create 700,000 square feet of leasable space, for which the developer is in talks with City Planning to take advantage of a plaza bonus. Albo Liberis (see Williamsburg's William Vale Hotel) has been commissioned as the architect, and while no design has been officially revealed or finalized by Rabsky, the firm's site does offer up some insight into what is being considered for the game-changing tower.
Check out the renderings
December 14, 2016

City spending an average of $400,000 a night on hotel rooms for the homeless

Less than a week after the city announced that they'll be increasing the number of commercial hotel rooms housing homeless families and individuals by more than 500, a report from Comptroller Scott Stringer puts the average cost a night citywide for the current batch at $400,000, according to the Daily News. The report, which is being released today, says that since November 2015, the city booked a total of 425,000 hotel rooms, costing more than $72.9 million. As of last month, there were 5,881 homeless New Yorkers staying in hotels, with the average nightly bill climbing from $163 to $194 over the past year.
Find out more
December 14, 2016

Moroccan villa meets artsy loft, times two, for rent in Greenpoint

Whether they're luxury penthouses or shoebox-sized studios, New York City apartments don't often deviate much from the standard; so when apartments like the two now on the rental market at 658 Leonard Street in Greenpoint pop up, they tend to get our attention. The townhouse that is home to this pair of unique dwellings is, we're told, owner-occupied, and we're guessing the same owner made the effort to design these unique interiors with international flair, from the mahogany cabinetry and French-style mahogany windows to antique Moroccan tiling and hand-rubbed plaster walls. The higher-floor unit ($3,680/month) is slightly larger and has been divided to create two bedrooms, while the parlor-floor apartment ($3,280/month) has more of an open loft layout. In both, you get a spin-the-compass approach to home design while keeping quality and comfort in mind.
This way to the Kasbah
December 13, 2016

Gamma Real Estate’s $98M bid wins debt-ridden Sutton Place site at foreclosure auction

The debt-beleagured Sutton Place site that included plans for a 900-foot-tall luxury condo from starchitect Norman Foster has finally had its day at the auction, and the winning bidder was N. Richard Kalikow’s Gamma Real Estate, according to The Real Deal. A bankruptcy judge authorized the sale of the property at 3 Sutton Place in September, after Joseph Beninati's Bauhouse Group failed to pay back creditors and partners on the 262,000-square-foot development. Gamma controlled the entities that originally loaned Beninati $130 million, but as of today the developer outbid Brooklyn investor Isaac Hager, paying $86 million for the site and $12 million for additional air rights, far less than the predicted $187 million price tag.
READ MORE
December 13, 2016

Lofty two-bedroom Williamsburg pad with massive windows asks $1.395M

This two-bedroom condo comes from 80 Metropolitan Avenue, which you might mistake for a converted warehouse. But this blue brick building with punched, multi-paned windows was actually constructed in 2009 in the loft style that's popular around Williamsburg. From the inside of this apartment, 10-foot ceilings, huge windows and wood floors make it hard to tell the difference between old and new. The condo first hit the market this fall for $1.435 million and now the ask is down to $1.395 million.
This way for a tour
December 13, 2016

NYC will rent out public parking spaces to car-sharing companies

The city will roll out a pilot program in the spring that allows car-sharing companies such as ZipCar and Car2Go to rent out scarce public parking spaces and even metered spaces. A shared goal of many city agencies is to minimize the number of cars in the city—on account of environmental factors, space, and traffic, […]

December 13, 2016

Jessica Chastain parties at 432 Park; Why this architect spent 10 years trying to float a pool in the East River

Jessica Chastain threw a bash to celebrate her new role in “Miss Sloane” in the $40 million apartment on the 86th floor of 432 Park. [Page Six] Check out this new video about the Lowline, including commentary from the co-founders. [Lowline] Oana Stanescu, one of the four architects behind the plan to build a floating, water-purifying pool in […]

December 13, 2016

Rare modernist pieces by Prouvé, Le Corbusier, Gaudí and more up for auction today

If your idea of a perfect stocking stuffer is a classic Serge Mouille three-armed ceiling light, the auction of items from the private collection of architect Lee Mindel, which begins today, is just what your gift list ordered. "Light & Aerie: The Collection of Lee F. Mindel, FAIA" includes dozens of rare modernist pieces from the architect's personal collection. Mindel is moving from his Chelsea loft in a former hat factory to a new aerie in Tribeca's rare and collectible Herzog & de Meuron-designed "Jenga tower" at 56 Leonard Street; Mindel's loft is available, too, if you've got a really big stocking to fill. Auction house Phillips is handling the sale, which includes stunning pieces ranging from art to furniture, lighting and decorative items by the likes of Jean Prouvé, Antoni Gaudí, Georges Braque, Hans J. Wegner, Ettore Sottsass, Jr. and many, many more.
Check out some of the iconic pieces headed for auction
December 13, 2016

For $560K, this spacious Sunset Park co-op has a Scandinavian heritage and interior style to match

We're told this big and bright pre-war apartment at 1413 9th Avenue is in a 1923 Finnish co-op building. We know that's not unusual for Sunset Park: In the first half of the 20th century, the neighborhood was home to a large Scandinavian community. But this particular home's charming interiors are also the picture of Scandi-chic (though we're pretty sure it's coincidental). At $560,000, three big bedrooms with plenty of space to spare make the laid-back minimal decor that much easier on the eyes.
Tour this lovely southwest Brooklyn gem
December 13, 2016

Track affordable housing across NYC with this new map and data tool

Instead of weeding through the city's constantly changing portal of affordable housing opportunities, New Yorkers can now track these addresses in one central location. Brownstoner shares CoreData.nyc, a new interactive data portal from the NYU Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy that shows subsidized housing throughout the five boroughs and allows users to narrow down the map by factors such as median income, demographics, sales volume and pricing, zoning, and crime.
Find out more this way
Pitch a story icon Know of something cool happening in New York? Let us know:
December 13, 2016

Historic districts and landmarking: What they mean and how they could affect you

In New York City, where buying and selling real estate is a high-stakes endeavor, the topic of historic and landmark designation is frequently raised. There are heated discussions on the subject of listing neighborhoods or buildings on the State and National Register of Historic Places or having them designated by the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission. It's important to know what those organizations do and the distinctions between them. You could even be eligible for significant financial aid for your renovations if you own property in an historic district.
Find out what these designations mean, how you could benefit from them and why they're sometimes controversial.
December 13, 2016

Renderings revealed for 724-foot Lower East Side tower, final piece of controversial site

The historically low-income, low-slung neighborhood of Two Bridges--the area along the East River, near the footings of the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges where the Lower East Side meets Chinatown--has become a high-rise hotbed over the past year. Despite the controversy that the four planned projects, all upwards of 700 feet, have caused, they're moving along fairly swiftly, and The Lo-Down now has the big reveal for the final site--Starrett Group's 259 Clinton Street. Perkins Eastman Architects have designed the 724-foot, 62-story glass tower, which will have ground-floor retail and 732 apartments, 25 percent of which will be permanently affordable with a good chunk being set aside for low-income seniors.
More details and renderings ahead
December 13, 2016

Interactive map reveals the income gap that divides NYC’s richest and poorest

According to a 2016 Pew report, the middle class is shrinking in 90 percent of U.S. cities. It's the first time in our nation's history that the middle class doesn't make up the economic majority. Instead, the highest- and lowest-income households combined comprise over 50 percent of the population. And in New York City, the divide is startling. One in five New Yorkers live below the poverty line, while the upper five percent of Manhattan residents earned more than $860,000 in 2014. GIS software company Esri has created a series of interactive maps that visualize this wealth divide in NYC and across the country, revealing where the richest and poorest live and the new economic divisions that are forming in our major metropolitan areas.
Maps, this way
December 13, 2016

Own the incredible Arts and Crafts home where Milton Glaser designed the ‘I ♥ NY’ logo

Graphic design legend Milton Glaser's most famous works are arguably the I ♥ NY logo and the psychedelic Bob Dylan poster, both of which were created at his upstate home in Woodstock. He and wife Shirley have owned this incredible, early 20th century stone-and-glass home for more than 50 years, adding a contemporary aesthetic to its historic Arts and Crafts style and maintaining the 76+ acres of gardens and forest. It's now hit the market for $1.8 million since, according to Gothamist, the couple has reached a point "where downsizing has become the obvious choice."
READ MORE
December 12, 2016

Westbeth Artists Housing starts its own post-it therapy project, ‘Write Now’

A West Village exhibit is taking a page from the fluttering layers of post-it notes scrawled with messages of hope and frustration that have cropped up in underground passageways around the city since the election. The “Write Now” exhibit is adopting the zeitgeist—this apparent need among New Yorkers to both purposefully express their feelings and […]

December 12, 2016

$1.65M brick townhouse in South Slope has a sunroom and a lush garden with a pond

This three-story brick townhouse is nestled in the South Slope, a charming enclave just south of--you guessed it-- the Brooklyn neighborhood of Park Slope. For $1.65 million you get interior details like custom millwork, exposed and white-washed brick, a potbelly fireplace and a customized new kitchen. Outdoor lovers will appreciate the sunroom and the backyard, which has been completely decked out with plantings, pathways, and a lovely little pond. The home was last purchased in 2006 for $800,000 by the accomplished stage manager Tricia Toliver.
Take a look
December 12, 2016

Amtrak’s Hudson River tunnels project could bring 3 years of traffic jams

Back in January, Amtrak unveiled its $24B Gateway Program, a plan that would overhaul the Hudson River rail tunnels by building a brand new tunnel and repairing another that is currently in disrepair. Work under the plan would also encompass expanding Pennsylvania Station in Manhattan and replacing rail bridges in New Jersey. While details on the course of construction were previously thin, according to draft proposals obtained by Reuters, we now know that work on the new tunnel will begin in 2019, and the West Side Highway could be subject to three years of traffic jams as a result.
more details here
December 12, 2016

The complicated history of seesaws in NYC; Last year’s Rockefeller Center tree built two upstate homes

An Upper West Side park is believed to have the only remaining city-maintained wooden seesaw. Where did the rest go? [NYT] Can “Mensch on a Bench” become the new “Elf on a Shelf?” [Bloomberg] Last year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas tree became the beams and flooring for two Habitat for Humanity homes in Newburgh, New York. [NYP] Sculptor Anish Kapoor […]

December 12, 2016

SOM’s Kenneth Lewis on redefining the city with One WTC, Time Warner Center, and sustainability

In 1986, Kenneth Lewis began his career architecture firm SOM as a mere junior designer. Now fast forward to present day and Lewis can be found at the front-lines of the globally recognized company serving as a partner. Over his 30-year tenure with SOM, Lewis has been in involved in the realization of game-changing developments like the Time […]

December 12, 2016

Office landlord SL Green may trade One Vanderbilt for J.P. Morgan’s two Midtown office towers

SL Green, the city's largest office landlord, "pulled off one of New York's biggest office deals of 2016" when they secured $1.5 billion in construction financing for their supertall tower One Vanderbilt, which is expected to ultimately cost a whopping $3.14 billion. The developer is now looking to rake in even more dollars off the deal, reports the Wall Street Journal, as they've proposed to J.P. Morgan Chase (one of the Syndication Agents in the financing) a swap out where the bank would trade its two headquarters buildings at 383 Madison Avenue and 277 Park Avenue for the recently-under-construction, 1,401-foot office tower.
More on the story
December 12, 2016

Willem Dafoe unloads Lower East Side co-op for $860K

Though he's usually cast as the villain, off screen, Willem Dafoe leads a much less destructive life, splitting his time between Rome, Los Angeles, and NYC with his Italian-born wife Giada Colagrande. While in the big apple, the actor resides in a West Village penthouse, but in 2005, he and his son Jack purchased a Lower East Side co-op for $606,000. It went on the market for $850,000 in May, and judging by the listing photos (a little bit artsy, a little bit messy), it was either the younger Dafoe (a public-policy researcher) or another renter who was living there. The Observer reports that it's now sold above ask for $860,000.
See the place here
December 12, 2016

Governor Cuomo is ‘cautiously optimistic’ about Second Avenue subway opening deadline

Melissa DeRosa, the governor’s chief of staff, said Friday that Governor Andrew Cuomo was “cautiously optimistic” about a December opening for the long-awaited Second Avenue subway project, according to AM New York. After several weekly visits to the under-construction 72nd Street site, the governor appeared confident that the MTA would be able to meet the project's December 31 deadline. U.S. representative Carolyn Maloney had also expressed confidence in the Second Avenue subway meeting its year-end deadline.
Find out more
December 12, 2016

Historic 1865 Chelsea firehouse was Andy Warhol’s 1949 refuge, now renting for $33K

The Chelsea Firehouse at 323 West 21st Street would be an historic icon based on its origins alone, beginning in the late 19th century as an actual firehouse, built to accommodate a shiny new horse-drawn steam pumper engine (h/t Daytonian in Manhattan). The mid-Victorian era structure not only survived the ensuing decades, but in 1999, Architectural Digest featured the duplex shown here, by then one of three luxury apartments, calling it "indisputably one of a kind." In the years between, the building was home to free-spirited performers and artists, including Andy Warhol and Philip Pearlstein who sought refuge here from seedy lodgings in the East Village. The designer-renovated, uniquely-configured 4,000 square-foot duplex in this storied building is now on the rental market for $33,000.
Find out more about this iconic home
December 10, 2016

VOTE for 6sqft’s 2016 Building of the Year!

For new developments, 2015 was the year of reveals, but 2016 was all about watching these buildings reshape our city. Ahead we've narrowed a list of 12 news-making residential structures, each noted for their distinctive design, blockbuster prices, or their game-changing potential on the skyline or NYC neighborhoods. Which of these you think deserves 6sqft's title of 2016 Building of the Year? Have your say below. Polls for our third annual competition will be open up until 11:59 p.m., Sunday, December 11th*, and we will announce the winner on Tuesday, December 13th!
Learn more about each of the buildings in the running here
December 10, 2016

12 alternative holiday events, exhibits, and outings in NYC

From the swarms of tourists, long lines at stores, and increased prices on everything from theater tickets to cocktails, the holidays in New York can be more of a headache than anything. But fear not--there are plenty more ways to get festive other than battling the crowds at Rockefeller Center or paying an arm and a leg to see the Rockettes. 6sqft has rounded up a dozen alternative events, including a sexy rendition of the Nutcracker, an exhibit of Santa's history in NYC, a latke festival, and a special Kwanzaa dance performance.
All the events this way
December 10, 2016

Live like ‘Doctor Strange,’ Flatiron penthouse at 21W20 hits the market for $13.5M

Since being released last month, Marvel's "Doctor Strange" has grossed over $635 million worldwide, centering on the alternate dimension of an egotistical surgeon turned wizard, played by Benedict Cumberbatch. A few key scenes are filmed in Dr. Stephen Strange's spectacular Flatiron loft; the fictional abode would lie just west of Broadway and directly south of the Flatiron Building on 23rd Street. Coincidentally, a palatial and similarly-situated residence has just been released at Gale International's boutique condominium development 21W20. The full-floor unit, known as Penthouse One, boasts 4,841 square feet of interior space and 541 square feet of outdoor terraces and is just one of two remaining homes at the 13-unit project comprised of four penthouses designed by Beyer Blinder Belle.
READ MORE
December 10, 2016

Weekly highlights: Top picks from the 6sqft staff

Iconic JFK Terminal begins its life as the ‘TWA Hotel’ with new signage There’s an ‘exotic’ Christmas tree selling for $1,000 in the Village One Vanderbilt confirms 1,020-foot observation deck West Chelsea mansion reboot with gym, pool, elevator, theatre and wine room ready for its $36.8M close-up NYU reveals design for $1B 23-story building at […]

December 9, 2016

KBA Architects reveal ziggurat-like tower for Kellogg’s Diner-adjacent site in Williamsburg

Back in March, 6sqft reported that a new hotel/rental tower at 500 Metropolitan Avenue had risen above ground, but there was still a bit ambiguity surroundings its final design. Now, just as the Williamsburg building has topped out, CityRealty uncovered the final renderings from KBA Architects. The firm created a 14-story, ziggurat-like structure that will slope down from the adjacent site of longtime local haunt Kellogg's Diner and offer a slew of trendy amenities.
More views and details
December 9, 2016

Google’s Window Wonderland lets you tour Fifth Avenue holiday window displays from your home

Google Maps introduced a street-view look at NYC's holiday windows a couple years ago, but their Shopping app has now completely revamped the feature, launching this year as Window Wonderland. The interactive tool lets users take a high-resolution digital tour of 18 stores, including audio tours from their creative directors and real-life background street noise. See the 34 hand-sculpted animals in Lord & Taylor's "Enchanted Forest," explore the candy and couture at Saks Fifth Avenue's "Land of 1000 Delights," or see the gang from South Park at Barney's.
READ MORE
December 9, 2016

Brooklyn’s Morbid Anatomy Museum needs $75K to stay afloat

Brooklyn’s Morbid Anatomy Museum, the black corner building at Seventh Street and Third Avenue dedicated to the beauty of death, is having a hard time staying alive. The museum opened two years ago with a full-bodied program of salon discussions, film and lecture series and quaint exhibitions such as “The Kittens’ Wedding” featuring Victorian-costumed taxidermied […]

December 9, 2016

Duplex penthouse atop a prewar Tribeca condo renting for $25,000/month

An opulent duplex penthouse that's been on the market since last year is trying its hand as a rental. Located at the Powell Building, a prewar Tribeca condo at 105 Hudson Street, the apartment is up for grabs at $25,000 a month. It first hit the market in 2015 asking $9 million, and has been slowly price chopped down to its current ask of $7.995 million. That sales or rental price will get you four bedrooms over 3,000 square feet, 3,300 more square feet of outdoor space and stunning views from the top of the building.
Take a look
December 9, 2016

Pantone hopes their 2017 color ‘greenery’ will give us hope; Chelsea Market is the world’s best food hall

Pantone’s 2017 color of the year is greenery, a “zesty yellow-green shade that evokes the first days of spring.” [Fast Co. Design] A new report says NYC is the “indisputable food hall capital of the world,” and Chelsea Market is number one. [CO] Eight toys designed by architects since the 1940s. [Architizer] This sombering photos […]

December 9, 2016

114 affordable units at the Bronx’s new Compass Residences complex up for grabs, from $822/month

When the West Farms Redevelopment Plan came to fruition in 2011, it was the largest private rezoning ever in the Bronx. The 17-acre, 11-block site in Crotona Park East was a former industrial area that's being transformed according to a master plan by Dattner Architects that calls for a total of 1,325 units of affordable housing and 46,000 square feet of retail space and community facilities. The first two buildings in the complex, also designed by Dattner, are called the Compass Residences and offer 237 units organized around a series of "gracious courtyards." As of today, 114 of these apartments are available through the city's affordable housing lottery. They're open to individuals earning 60 percent of the area media income and range from $822/month studios to $1,224/month three-bedrooms.
READ MORE
December 9, 2016

The Urban Lens: Harlan Erskine explores an eerie Midtown after midnight in 2008

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 Brooklyn resident Harlan Erskine highlights the Midtown lobbies and streets past midnight, during the Great Recession. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. Though Midtown is now booming with larger-than-life skyscrapers and blockbuster condos along the likes of Billionaires' Row, 9 years ago at the peak of the Great Recession, it was a much different story. In 2008, Brooklyn photographer Harlan Erskine took to the city after dark and documented the ghost town that was Midtown. While New Yorkers are today used to seeing bustling crowds spilling into the streets at all hours, Harlan's photographs depict the polar opposite: empty office lobbies, streets and sidewalks.
photos this way
December 9, 2016

Public petition asks Mayor de Blasio to back East River Skyway

A month ago, U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, City Councilman Stephen Levin, and State Assemblyman Joseph Lentol drafted a letter to the Mayor, urging him to advocate for the East River Skyway as a solution for the impending L train shutdown. Building on this momentum, a digital petition addressed to de Blasio has launched on Change.org where the public can show their support for the plan, as well.
Find out more
December 9, 2016

New York City awarded $80.2 million in state funding competitions for 121 projects

NYC will get a big boost thanks to Governor Cuomo's Regional Economic Development Council competitions, a six-year-old initiative that provides "ground-up" funding driven by a community's success in improving quality of life and growing the local economy. New York City was named a "top performer" by the administration and awarded $80.2 million. The hefty sum will be allocated towards 121 projects across all five boroughs, including $1 million to build a tech incubator facility in Brooklyn, $1 million for a shuttle-bus service for the Brooklyn Navy Yard, $2.1 million to support the Green Point Manufacturing and Design Center, and $1.24 million to complete the final section of the Brooklyn Bridge Park beneath the bridge. Money will also go towards brownfield clean-up, supporting workforce expansion in local organizations, job training, and improving parks in low-income neighborhoods.
find out more
December 9, 2016

Rent model Erin Heatherton’s rustic-chic West Village condo for $15K/month

Back in October Sports Illustrated and Victoria’s Secret model—and onetime Leonardo DiCaprio arm candy—Erin Heatherton put her renovated 1,345 square-foot, two-bedroom Village condo at 1 Morton Square on the market for $2.85 million; we don't know if her thorny relationship with the building's condo board has had anything to do with it, but the two-bedroom apartment's rustic-chic interiors like exposed beams, stacked wood in the kitchen and stunning La Cornue range, plus a massive custom walk-in closet, have not yet found the model buyer: The apartment is now on the rental market for $15,000.
Take the tour
December 9, 2016

Lottery opens for 100 units in Far Rockaway’s new Passive House, from $653/month

Edgemere is a small neighborhood in the Rockaways that was full of beachfront hotels and bungalows back at the turn of the century. After Robert Moses tore down its most magnificent hotel and replaced it with a parking lot in 1941, the area soon fell into disrepair and became a ghost town. Just this year, however, the city released its Resilient Edgemere Community Planning Initiative to repair Sandy damage, protect the neighborhood from future flooding, improve transportation, and build resilient housing. One of these new projects is called Beach Green Dunes, a brand new Passive Building at 44-19 Rockaway Beach Boulevard with amenities like a roof garden, courtyard, parking, and fitness center. An affordable housing lottery for its 100 units opens today, ranging from $653/month studios to $1,597/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
December 8, 2016

NYU reveals design for $1B 23-story building at controversial Greenwich Village site

NYU's controversial plan to replace their Coles Sports Center site at the corner of Mercer and Houston Streets received approvals way back in 2012, but due to community opposition and lawsuits, they only filed plans and began demolition this October. The Wall Street Journal now shares the first renderings of the hulking, 23-story, 735,000-square-foot building at 181 Mercer Street designed by Davis Brody Bond (who's also responsible for the 9/11 Museum) and KieranTimberlake. It will cost a whopping $1 billion and host a bevy of uses, including 60 classrooms, common spaces, two cafes, practice/instruction rooms for the arts, three theaters, a giant athletic facility that'll have four basketball courts and a six-lane lap pool, 30 to 60 faculty apartments, and a 420-bed freshman dorm.
Lots more renderings and details
December 8, 2016

Minimalist guest house by Studio Padron keeps upstate New York enlightened in style

Black has always been in style for New Yorkers, and our penchant for the commanding hue continues with this discreet, minimalist cabin in the woods by Studio Padron and design think tank SMITH. Built entirely from mature red oak trees that were removed during construction of the property's main house, the tiny abode uses materials that would have otherwise been discarded. Duality is also a strong design principle of the project and it creates a refined balance in the one-room library and guest house.
Check out the stunning photos
December 8, 2016

12-foot ceilings and a wall of windows at this $1.049M Prospect Heights apartment

Loft lovers will appreciate what this apartment at 535 Dean Street, in Prospect Heights, is delivering. The large, open living space--perfect for that flexible loft floorplan--boasts 12-foot-tall ceilings and wall-dominating windows. In addition, there are two bedrooms and a customized loft space built out by a local Brooklyn designer. This apartment, with its many built-ins and creative bedroom spaces, is now asking a hair over $1 million.
Check it out
December 8, 2016

Mod co-working building to rise at Brooklyn Navy Yard; Bed-Stuy artist’s giant igloo stolen

S9 Architecture designed a 16-story co-working building for tech and creatives startups on the Brooklyn Navy Yard waterfront. It’ll be called Dock72. [Dezeen] China’s street-straddling bus has been scrapped. [Curbed] Take a video tour of the abandoned Worth Street subway station. [Untapped] A Brooklyn artist/musician had his 16-foot inflatable igloo stolen. The 300-pound structure is where he […]

Our Mission

More than just current events, here you'll learn about the places, people, and ideas that are shaping your city.