The Urban Lens: Inside the Christmas wonderland that is Rolf’s German Restaurant
December 2, 2016

The Urban Lens: Inside the Christmas wonderland that is Rolf’s German Restaurant

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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. In this installment, award-winning photographers James and Karla Murray return with a look inside Rolf's German Restaurant, known for its over-the-top Christmas decorations. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. Beginning the last week of September, a six-man team starts the process of adorning Rolf's German Restaurant with 15,000 Christmas ornaments, 10,000 lights, and thousands of icicles. By the first of November, the process of turning this historic Murray Hill restaurant into a holiday wonderland is complete, attracting both locals and tourists who are eager to see the one-of-a-kind display of Victorian-style decorations. We recently paid a visit to Rolf's, capturing everything from dolls found in New England antique shops to 19th century German ball ornaments worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. And we've shared an interview with owner Bob Maisano where he talks about the building's past life as a speakeasy during Prohibition, German history in NYC, and what makes Rolf's a unique holiday destination.
All the photos and the interview with Bob
Rent an eclectic, fully furnished East Village loft overlooking Tompkins Square for $6,500/month
December 2, 2016

Rent an eclectic, fully furnished East Village loft overlooking Tompkins Square for $6,500/month

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This floor-through apartment at 307 East 10th Street in the East Village is a convenient and chic option for someone on the hunt for a short-term rental. Asking $6,500 a month, it's a furnished space with lots of drool-worthy furniture and a good location right across from Tompkins Square Park. It'll be available from January 15th through April 15th, with the option to extend if a renter happens to fall in love.
Take a look
Live along Clinton Hill’s bustling Myrtle Avenue for $735/month, lottery open for 29 units
December 2, 2016

Live along Clinton Hill’s bustling Myrtle Avenue for $735/month, lottery open for 29 units

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The stretch of Myrtle Avenue in Clinton Hill between Hall Street and Classon Avenue, just across from Pratt Institute, is bustling with construction activity. As CityRealty recently reported, three mixed-used projects are in development along the street-- condo 525 Myrtle Avenue, the recently opened rental 490 Myrtle Avenue, and the soon-to-open rental 531 Myrtle Avenue--and between these projects will be a pedestrian plaza with streetscape improvements, seating areas, and trees. The latest to join the list is 504 Myrtle Avenue, a 143-unit rental with ground-floor retail that's rising on the former Pratt Station Post Office. Twenty-nine of its units are now available through the city's affordable housing lottery, and they include 10 $735/month studios, 12 $741/month one-bedrooms, and seven $888/month two-bedrooms reserved for individuals earning no more than 60 percent of the area media income.
More on the lottery
Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week- 12/1-12/7

Image © Luigi Rocca/Arnott Gallery

December 2, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week- 12/1-12/7

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In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers! If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to compose a Wikipedia entry, do it in style this week at the Guggenheim’s #guggathon while helping beef up the entries on Chinese artists. If you’re feeling down on the current state of affairs, indulge in Luigi Rocca’s hyperrealistic acrylic paintings that honor the honest beauty of roadside Americana, or check out the fresh works from the artists in residence at the New York Studio Residency Program. Celebrate the beauty of the beard (yes, seriously) at Atlantic Gallery, and take a look at wearable art at Tee Time by Choice Royce. If lectures are your thing, head to the historic Loews Theater for a day of TEDx Jersey City, or pop over to the Mid-Manhattan Library for an artist talk with Paul Sunday. Finally, experience the media mogul Kippy Winston, in his talk-show style lecture that looks at current issues through an artistic lens.
More on all the best events this way
On World AIDS Day, NYC AIDS Memorial is dedicated in Greenwich Village
December 1, 2016

On World AIDS Day, NYC AIDS Memorial is dedicated in Greenwich Village

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When the AIDS epidemic struck in the 1980s, New York City was the first place in the country to report a case, and in the years following, the area around Greenwich Village had more cases and deaths than anywhere in the city. The now-shuttered St. Vincent's Hospital at 11th Street and Seventh Avenue South became known as the "ground zero" of the epidemic; it was the nation's second institution to treat HIV, and its staff of Catholic nuns refused to turn away any patient. To commemorate this effort and honor those who were lost, the city has today, on World AIDS Day, dedicated the new $6 million NYC AIDS Memorial, located in St. Vincent's Triangle, across from the old hospital site (h/t Curbed). Designed by architecture firm Studio a + i, the 18-foot geometric steel canopy hovers above granite pavers by visual artist Jenny Holzer that feature selections from Walt Whitman’s "Song of Myself."
See images of the new memorial and today's dedication
$2.5M for a Central Park duplex with its own romantic terrace
December 1, 2016

$2.5M for a Central Park duplex with its own romantic terrace

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This duplex from the 444 Central Park West co-op, in the Upper West Side, has a lot going for it. Its upper-floor location—and three exposures to the east, west and north—affords views over Central Park, St. John the Divine Cathedral and upper Manhattan. It is also decked out with unique details like wood paneling from an 1800s English church, crown moldings and a marble fireplace. The asking price comes in at $2.5 million.
Take the grand tour
NYC’s first ever piece of sidewalk art appeared in December 1969

Image Archives of the Century

December 1, 2016

NYC’s first ever piece of sidewalk art appeared in December 1969

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Sidewalks and street art are pretty much synonymous in modern day New York City, but have you ever stopped to question when it all started? In the winter of 1969, New York City saw the birth of the sidewalk sculpture. While public art in an outdoor setting was not necessarily a new concept, this was the very first time it was situated immediately on the sidewalk. The work was a marble sculpture made by artist Gonzalo Fonseca, commissioned by the Twentieth Century Fund. Upon completion, it stood six feet outside of the organization's headquarters and weighed a whopping two tons.
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My 2,200sqft: Rug designer Amy Helfand shows us around her organic live/work home in Red Hook

Our ongoing series “My sqft” checks out the homes of 6sqft’s friends and fellow New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to the Red Hook rowhouse where rug designer Amy Helfand both works and lives with her family. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

December 1, 2016

My 2,200sqft: Rug designer Amy Helfand shows us around her organic live/work home in Red Hook

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Artist Amy Helfand has been creating her own line of rugs for over a decade. The gorgeous pieces are hand-woven in Nepal as part of the GoodWeave program, but the design process takes place in Amy's charming Red Hook rowhouse, where she and her family also reside. As she explains, "At heart, I remain a collector: of images, forms and colors, as well as rocks, sticks, and other ephemera from the natural world," and it's this combination of geometry and organic inspiration that's seen throughout her home and studio. From a dining table centerpiece made of rocks to the chicken coop in the backyard, everything reflects Amy's unique vision. 6sqft recently toured the home and found out about Amy's favorite decor, artistic process, thoughts on the neighborhood, and how they rebuilt after Hurricane Sandy.
Take the tour this way

Distinctive Homes

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Michael Bloomberg’s daughter looking to sell Tribeca loft for $3.5 million
December 1, 2016

Michael Bloomberg’s daughter looking to sell Tribeca loft for $3.5 million

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Though Emma Bloomberg–daughter of former mayor Mike Bloomberg–may be trying to patch up her relationship with Donald Trump, she's looking to part ways with the sprawling loft at 62 Beach Street that she and husband Christopher Frissora bought for $2.45 million in 2007. And though it's certainly no little pink house, John Cougar Mellencamp was among the interested parties eyeing the two-bedroom 1,528 square-foot home, currently on the market for $3.5 million, according to the New York Post. The rocker recently split from Christie Brinkley after a year of dating, and we can't think of a better post-breakup man-cave.
Another day, another Tribeca loft fit for a celebrity
Victoria’s Secret model Candice Swanepoel lists East Village penthouse for $6,200/month
December 1, 2016

Victoria’s Secret model Candice Swanepoel lists East Village penthouse for $6,200/month

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Victoria’s Secret beauty Candice Swanepoel may be this year's eighth highest paid model, but her East Village apartment doesn't scream dollar signs. The rather standard, modern condo at 311 East 11th Street has two bedrooms, a balcony, and a corner penthouse location, and it's available for rent for $6,200 a month, reports the Post. The South African supermodel and her boyfriend, Brazilian model Hermann Nicoli, welcomed their son in October, so perhaps they're looking for some extra room.
READ MORE
Artists’ storied 187-year-old West Village carriage house finally finds a buyer
December 1, 2016

Artists’ storied 187-year-old West Village carriage house finally finds a buyer

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A 187-year-old carriage house at 29 Downing Street on a quintessential West Village block has appeared in print for so many reasons it's hard to name them all–starting with the six-degrees-of-"Hamilton" fact that it was built in 1829 on land owned by third U.S. vice president Aaron Burr. 6sqft featured the historic home owned by artists John Bennett and Karen Lee Grant in early 2015 when it was listed for $13 million. The homeowners' vision reflected in this remarkable art studio, gallery and living space was featured in House Beautiful, Elle and two coffee table books; the Wall Street Journal called the 25-foot-wide home a "time capsule of development in the West Village." Not only is it one of the most photographed homes in the neighborhood, it's also among the oldest. Purchased by Bennett in 1977 for $155,000 with the help of a loan from the previous homeowners, the house recently sold for $6.8 million–about half the original ask–after two years on the market and several broker changes and price chops (h/t Curbed).
Get a peek inside this rare slice of Village life
Upper East Side townhouse in contract for $81M will be most expensive ever sold
November 30, 2016

Upper East Side townhouse in contract for $81M will be most expensive ever sold

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When Carlos Slim, Mexican business magnate and former world’s richest person, listed his Upper East Side Beaux Arts mansion for $80 million in May 2015 he was looking to break the record for most expensive townhouse ever sold in NYC. An attempt was then made by this $84.5 million home on East 62nd Street, but now another neighborhood home is set to take the title. As the Post shares, 19 East 64th Street was listed for $100 million in August, and it's now in contract by a Chinese conglomerate for a reported $81 million. If it closes, the price will far surpass the current record, the $53 million sale of the Harkness Mansion at 4 East 75th Street in 2006.
But there's some drama behind the sale
This Connecticut pyramid designed by mid-century architect John Black Lee asks just $750K
November 30, 2016

This Connecticut pyramid designed by mid-century architect John Black Lee asks just $750K

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Just outside of New York City in New Canaan, Connecticut is the incredible home of the late John Black Lee, a renowned mid-century architect. He designed this glass and concrete pyramid for himself into the hill overlooking the Silvermine River in 1990, and lived there until his death this April. A striking open floorplan surrounded by the glassy pyramid walls embraces the surrounding wilderness; Lee had said that "this house is the only one in New Canaan that you enter through a skylight." It's now on the market for $750,000 after a recent price chop of $249,000.
Take a look inside
Help the Washington Square Arch open to the public; Rent Deron Williams’ Tribeca Penthouse
November 30, 2016

Help the Washington Square Arch open to the public; Rent Deron Williams’ Tribeca Penthouse

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Check out the Obamas’ final White House holiday decorations. [Curbed] Tomorrow you can testify at City Hall to have currently inaccessible parks–like North Brother Island, Hart Island, the New York State Pavilion, and the Washington Square Arch–opened to the public. [Untapped] After first listing his sprawling Tribeca penthouse for $33.5 million in July 2015, former Nets star […]

10 eco-friendly Christmas tree alternatives for small spaces and apartments
November 30, 2016

10 eco-friendly Christmas tree alternatives for small spaces and apartments

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Our ongoing series Apartment Living 101 is aimed at helping New Yorkers navigate the challenges of creating a happy home in the big city. This week we've rounded up some alternative holiday tree ideas for those living in tight spaces. While you could buy a Charlie Brown tree, or try ask to have a few feet knocked off that pine when you hit the register, if you're a small space dweller who wants a more eco-friendly holiday arbol this year, there are plenty of options for you beyond the classic artificial fir (which fyi is even more environmentally unsound than chopping down an evergreen thanks to the carcinogens produced during manufacturing and disposal). From edible trees to LED pines to DIY options that smell just as good as the real thing, 6sqft has searched high and low for 10 different types of sustainable Christmas tree alternatives to jazz your apartment up with this year—and years to come.
ten alternative ideas here
Pitch a story icon Know of something cool happening in New York? Let us know:
Renderings revealed for adaptive reuse Maker Park along the Williamsburg waterfront
November 30, 2016

Renderings revealed for adaptive reuse Maker Park along the Williamsburg waterfront

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Plans for Bushwick Inlet Park, a 28-acre open space along an unused industrial stretch of the Williamsburg waterfront, first came about in 2005, when the Bloomberg administration rezoned the area to allow for new residential development in exchange for the open space. Fast forward to last week, and the city finally acquired the last piece of land for the project, the controversial Citistorage site. Now that the park is on its way to becoming a reality, a trio of grassroots creatives hopes to bring their alternative vision for the former Bayside Oil Depot site to the forefront. Maker Park is the proposal to adaptively reuse this seven-acre parcel's architectural infrastructure--namely the ten 50-foot decommissioned fuel containers--and create a "park as creative as the neighborhood around it." The Architect's Newspaper recently revealed the first set of renderings, which showcase performance venues, art galleries, hanging gardens, reflecting pools, and an adventure playground.
More views and design details
Jared Kushner will lend $1B to developers over the next five years
November 30, 2016

Jared Kushner will lend $1B to developers over the next five years

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When Charles Kushner founded real estate development firm Kushner Companies in 1985, he may have had visions of his son Jared taking over the company (which he did in 2007), but he never could have predicted the role his kin would have in one of the country's most contentious presidential elections. Because of his political involvement, many have speculated what will come of the company, but Jared shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, the Post reports today that the firm plans to lend $1 billion over the next five years--or $200 million annually--to other developers' projects through Kushner Companies' new lending arm, Kushner Credit Opportunity Fund, which was launched earlier this year.
Find out more
The 15 best NYC holiday markets and indie pop-up shops
November 30, 2016

The 15 best NYC holiday markets and indie pop-up shops

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December's first days bring a dazzling parade of holiday gift markets all vying for the opportunity to find new homes for a bounty of goodies and crafty gifts. We're all familiar with the big NYC markets at Bryant Park and Union Square, but some of the best finds—and the most fun—can be found at smaller, cooler pop-ups and neighborhood markets. Some are only around for a weekend, others for the whole month or longer. In addition to locally-made jewelry and crafts, vintage finds, artfully curated fashions, home items and other things we didn't know we needed, these hip retail outposts sparkle with drinks, food, workshops, tarot readings, nail art, music, and family fun to keep shoppers' spirits bright.
Find out where to get the goods
Designers at ArX Solutions offer their own take on a Waldorf Astoria interior renovation
November 30, 2016

Designers at ArX Solutions offer their own take on a Waldorf Astoria interior renovation

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The final checkout for hotel guests at the iconic Waldorf Astoria is March 1st, after which its new owner, Chinese insurer Anbang Insurance Group, will begin converting the 1,413 hotel rooms into 840 renovated hotel rooms and 321 luxury condos to the tune of $1 billion. Earlier this month, the developer filed these plans with the Department of Buildings, which also call for adding retail space, a restaurant, and a fitness center on the ground floors. They'll retain the historic ballrooms, exhibition space, dining rooms, and banquet rooms, but will still need approvals from the Landmarks Preservation Commission for any work on these public spaces; the building has long been an exterior landmark, but the LPC recently calendared a request to landmark the Art Deco interiors. Though no designs have been approved or confirmed, CityRealty dug up renderings from architectural visualization firm ArX Solutions that show their vision of space*.
More renderings and details
$16.8M Village townhouse has details, a celebrity history–and a secret artists’ cottage in back
November 30, 2016

$16.8M Village townhouse has details, a celebrity history–and a secret artists’ cottage in back

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This 185-year-old West Village townhouse at 121 Washington Place would enchant any lover of historic homes. Well-preserved details are everywhere, from a brick facade to a distinguished wood-paneled library and full-length arched drawing-room windows. Then there are the features that would thrill any homeowner; at 22 feet wide, the four-story house has an elevator and, best of all, the unexpected surprise of a pint-sized skylit English cottage/artists' studio with a full bath at the back of an idyllic walled garden. Even beyond its current charms, this home and its unique little studio have seen many a colorful, creative life and hosted artists, poets and other notables from Mark Twain to Hillary Clinton.
Read on to find out more
Own a glass-box Hamptons home designed by One World Trade Center’s structural engineer
November 29, 2016

Own a glass-box Hamptons home designed by One World Trade Center’s structural engineer

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Jeff Smilow is the Executive Vice President of buildings at WSP|Parsons Brinckerhoff, and perhaps his greatest accomplishment has been serving as the structural engineer for One World Trade Center. His streamlined, rhythmic approach is also seen at this contemporary glass and steel home in East Hampton, which he completed just this year. Now on the market for $5.5 million, the transparent residence best exemplifies Smilow's handiwork on its first floor, where the 5,000-square-foot open plan is surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows, completely unencumbered by columns.
Check it all out
Rafael Esquer uses 600 hand-drawn metallic icons to map Manhattan at night
November 29, 2016

Rafael Esquer uses 600 hand-drawn metallic icons to map Manhattan at night

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Artist Rafael Esquer, founder of Soho’s Alfalfa Studio, previously created a wonderfully whimsical depiction of Manhattan named Iconic New York. Made up of more than 400 hand-drawn city icons, the map took him two-and-a-half year to complete. Forging ahead, Esquer has now released a new version of the map that features an additional 200 icons. Called Iconic New York Illuminated, its drawings are shimmering metallics that represent the lights, noise, and pulse of the island after dark.
More on the map

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After getting caught for scaling One WTC in 2014, noted daredevil climber is back at it
November 29, 2016

After getting caught for scaling One WTC in 2014, noted daredevil climber is back at it

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It was major news a couple years ago when then-16-year-old Justin Casquejo snuck past security at the not yet opened One World Trade Center and posted a picture of himself after climbing to the top of the tower. Though he got caught and convicted, Casquejo seems unphazed by these legal troubles. The Post uncovered dozens of photos and videos he posted recently to Instagram and YouTube that show him and his friends "dangling from Manhattan skyscrapers," including the Time Warner Center, 220 Central Park South (where another urban explorer recently made waves), and Coney Island's Parachute Jump.
What does the NYPD have to say?
$9M for a live/work Soho loft designed by a world-renowned photographer
November 29, 2016

$9M for a live/work Soho loft designed by a world-renowned photographer

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The days of artists sneakily living in lofts not zoned for residential living are mostly over, but there's still this live/work loft in Soho at 145 Sixth Avenue. The apartment, says the listing, is a "commercially-zoned corner condominium... in a discreet, converted 1900s column-and-beam loft building." (Previously, it looks like the loft was home to the New York jewelry boutique Talavera.) For nearly $8 million you can have your own commercial space tacked onto this well-designed apartment, which the listing promises was envisioned by an unnamed, famous photographer.
Take the tour
St. Nicholas National Shrine at the World Trade Center tops out with cross

Images st_nicholasshrine Instagram / WTC Progress Facebook

November 29, 2016

St. Nicholas National Shrine at the World Trade Center tops out with cross

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It's been a long and arduous process rebuilding the St. Nicholas National Shrine, a Greek Orthodox Church that was destroyed on 9/11 when the second trade tower toppled on it. Only last year was the foundation poured, and only two weeks ago were the steel ribs of the structure's defining dome installed. But despite construction moving forward at a glacial pace, officials yesterday celebrated a major milestone with a “topping out ceremony” at the church's new site at Greenwich and Liberty streets. The touchstone event was notably marked by the addition of a temporary 6-foot-3-inch Justinian cross, reports the Times.
see more photos here
JDS reveals interior and courtyard views of SHoP-designed American Copper Buildings
November 29, 2016

JDS reveals interior and courtyard views of SHoP-designed American Copper Buildings

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The team behind the American Copper Buildings--JDS Development Group and SHoP Architects--teased a few interior renderings of the rental back in August, but now the project's full site is live and there's a slew of images of the SHoP-designed model apartments, as well as never-before-seen renderings of SCAPE Landscape Architecture's courtyard plaza. Along with these new views comes news from Curbed that though listings for the 600 market-rate units aren't available yet, (160 others became available through an affordable housing lottery) rents will start at $2,800/month for studios, $4,100/month for one-bedrooms, and $6,800/month for two-bedrooms.
See all the new looks
New renderings for COOKFOX’s 700-foot Financial District condo tower 25 Park Row
November 28, 2016

New renderings for COOKFOX’s 700-foot Financial District condo tower 25 Park Row

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Over the summer, L+M Development Partners demolished the former Financial District flagship of J&R Music and Computer World to make way for a 54-story, mixed-use condo tower at 25 Park Row, just across from City Hall Park in an area quickly becoming a more vibrant, 24-hour neighborhood. Site excavation is now well underway for the 700-foot building, reports CityRealty, […]

‘Sixth Borough’ map shows 14,000+ city-owned and leased properties that equal the size of Brooklyn
November 28, 2016

‘Sixth Borough’ map shows 14,000+ city-owned and leased properties that equal the size of Brooklyn

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The Municipal Art Society of New York sent out a press release today that announces their new interactive map of the more than 14,000 city-owned and leased properties. Fittingly titled "The Sixth Borough," it shows how these sites amount to 43,000 acres, a land area the size of Brooklyn or one-third of the city's total land area, and the extent to which these public holdings--22 percent of which are listed as having no current use--affect the environment, infrastructure, landmarks, population, and neighborhood rezonings.
All the findings ahead
Funky freestanding home in Gravesend hits the market for $1.5M
November 28, 2016

Funky freestanding home in Gravesend hits the market for $1.5M

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Although Gravesend is a neighborhood way out in South Brooklyn, it doesn't necessarily mean it's a good place to find a deal. In fact, the area is known for its multi-million dollar real estate because of its large Sephardic Jewish population--homes near synagogues and Jewish Community Centers have asking prices that soar into the millions. This house at 8738 23rd Avenue is asking nearly $1.5 million. It's a freestanding four-bedroom property with a funky, cottage-like exterior and a few interior quirks.
Take a look
Locals push for Sutton Place rezoning ahead of auction for site of planned 950-foot tower
November 28, 2016

Locals push for Sutton Place rezoning ahead of auction for site of planned 950-foot tower

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Despite the fact that the site is headed to the auction block next month, local residents and elected officials are rallying to prevent the possible construction of a 950-foot condo tower on East 58th Street in tony Sutton Place. Curbed reports that the group, which includes Councilmen Ben Kallos and Dan Garodnick and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, have submitted a plan to the City Planning Commission that proposes a height cap of 260 feet for the area bounded by East 52nd and East 59th streets east of First Avenue where there is currently no limit on how tall apartment towers can be.
READ MORE
Fidel Castro Threatens to Sleep in Central Park in Outrage Over Hotel Prices During 1960 Visit

Castro at the U.N.  General Assembly

November 28, 2016

Fidel Castro Threatens to Sleep in Central Park in Outrage Over Hotel Prices During 1960 Visit

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Just four months after Cuban President Fidel Castro led a successful revolution to overthrow Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959, he visited New York City for 11 days on an invitation from the American Society of Newspaper Editors. With his signature green army uniform and boots, bushy beard, and exuberant nature, Castro reportedly hired a PR firm (though it seems he hardly needed to), enjoyed the city’s famous hot dogs, and "kissed ladies like a rock star, and held babies like a politician," according to Mashable. During a tour of the Bronx Zoo, which he called “the best thing New York City has,” Mr. Castro is said to have jumped a railing and stuck his hand into a cage to pet a Bengal tiger.
More shenanigans to come
$1.7B BQE rehab will be Department of Transportation’s most expensive project ever
November 28, 2016

$1.7B BQE rehab will be Department of Transportation’s most expensive project ever

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When it was built in the 1940s, the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway became immediately notorious for the fact that Robert Moses planned it to rip through otherwise quiet, low-scale neighborhoods. Today, it's poor reputation has more to do with potholes, bumps, congestion, and pollution. But that will soon change, as the city is embarking on a five-year rehab of the heavily trafficked, 1.5-mile stretch of the highway that runs between Atlantic Avenue and Sands Street in Brooklyn and includes "21 concrete-and-steel bridges over local roads," according to the Times. And at $1.7 billion, it will be the Department of Transportation's most expensive project ever undertaken.
More details ahead
With massive skylights and a private rooftop garden, this $5.75M Soho loft is like a greenhouse with benefits
November 28, 2016

With massive skylights and a private rooftop garden, this $5.75M Soho loft is like a greenhouse with benefits

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It doesn't get much more Soho than this rare (in this century) live/work-legal penthouse at 35 Wooster Street, in one of the neighborhood's most iconic buildings–not least of all due to the fact that the popular art institution and gallery The Drawing Center anchors the building as the street-level tenant on landmarked Wooster Street. This beautifully-preserved pre-war cast-iron three-bedroom loft has the typical open layout, tons of detail and character (including high ceilings, a fireplace and amazing skylights), and plenty of light.
See more
Taxpayers could be footing $3M annual bill to move Secret Service into Trump Tower
November 28, 2016

Taxpayers could be footing $3M annual bill to move Secret Service into Trump Tower

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Plans are underway to turn what the New York Times calls “White House North” into an armed bunker as the president-elect’s family defers D.C.. As 6sqft reported last week, Donald Trump has said he'd like his family to remain in Trump Tower, though the gilded Fifth Avenue fortress that Trump, wife Melania and son Barron call home is particularly difficult to secure. The round-the-clock protection the family has been receiving from the NYPD has come at a cost to the city of over $1 million a day. Now, the New York Post reports that the Secret Service is in talks with the Trump Organization over plans to occupy two floors of the 68-story tower. It's standard policy for the federal agency to provide full protection for every president at their various homes–it cost around $2 million a year for the U.S. Coast Guard to protect George H. W. Bush’s estate in Kennebunkport, Maine during his presidency, for example. But in this instance taxpayers would be paying the incoming president's own company for the space in a lease deal which could cost more than $3 million a year.
Wait, what??
Live in SHoP’s Domino Sugar Refinery tower for $596/month, lottery open for 104 units
November 28, 2016

Live in SHoP’s Domino Sugar Refinery tower for $596/month, lottery open for 104 units

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Earlier this fall, the first building at Two Trees’ three million-square-foot Domino Sugar Refinery mega-development topped out. The 16-story, $200 million tower at 325 Kent Avenue was designed by SHoP Architects, the same firm responsible for the entire Williamsburg project's master plan, and features a two-winged scheme with a central courtyard. It'll hold a whopping 522 rental units, 104 of which will be reserved for individuals earning 40 percent of the area media income. As of today, these affordable apartments are up for grabs through the city's housing lottery, where availability ranges from $596/month studios to $979/month two-bedrooms.
READ MORE
Spotlight on Jared Kushner, real estate wunderkind and unexpected presidential advisor

Image Kushner Co./LIVWRK

November 28, 2016

Spotlight on Jared Kushner, real estate wunderkind and unexpected presidential advisor

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Our newest president’s right hand man got his start—much like Donald Trump—as a New York real estate developer. Kushner Companies is a private family real estate company now run by Jared Kushner, husband of Ivanka Trump and son of Charles Kushner, who founded the firm in 1985. Kushner, as Donald Trump’s son-in-law, was an early […]

$650K co-op with a grand fireplace and Moroccan tiles graces the Upper West Side
November 26, 2016

$650K co-op with a grand fireplace and Moroccan tiles graces the Upper West Side

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341 West 87th Street is a gorgeous and historic apartment house located just around the corner from Riverside Drive on the Upper West Side. And you can now snag a six-digit apartment there, this one-bedroom co-op on the market for $650,000. Like the building itself, the apartment has a historic feel with one very impressive wood-burning fireplace, moldings and a juliet balcony. Renovations have brought nice quirks, like a bonus loft space and Moroccan tile decorations.
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VIDEO: Watch the Frenzy of New York Holiday Shoppers in 1930
November 25, 2016

VIDEO: Watch the Frenzy of New York Holiday Shoppers in 1930

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Before the days of Amazon, last-minute holiday shopping actually required putting clothes on and interacting with other human beings. To fully understand just how far we've come (and really appreciate the ability to "add to cart"), take a look at this HD stock footage from Critical Past that shows the rush of New York holiday shoppers in 1930. The sidewalks are a sea of black trench coats, with shoppers trying to squeeze their way into stores on 34th Street and buy wares from vendors on what looks like it may be Orchard Street, once the hub of discount shopping.
Watch the full video
Airbnb settles suit against the state, but will continue to fight the city
November 23, 2016

Airbnb settles suit against the state, but will continue to fight the city

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When the state passed a bill in October that would impose fines of up to $7,500 on those who list illegal short-term rentals on Airbnb, the company fired back, filing a federal lawsuit on the grounds that the new law "would impose significant immediate burdens and irreparable harm on Airbnb." They've since withdrawn the suit against the state, reports the Journal, instead focusing their efforts on New York City, as they feel it's the city's jurisdiction under which these regulations fall and that they're violating Airbnb's First Amendment rights.
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Live in an elegant townhouse near the new Second Avenue Subway for $8M
November 23, 2016

Live in an elegant townhouse near the new Second Avenue Subway for $8M

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As 2016 winds down, New Yorkers are still hoping that the Second Avenue Subway will finally open this year without (more) delay. The new subway stops promise to transform the surrounding area and perhaps boost real estate prices. So that's something to consider with this Upper East Side townhouse, which has hit the market for a hair under $8 million. It's located at 310 East 84th Street, just twos block from the new subway stop planned for East 86th Street and Second Avenue. This historic townhouse isn't too shabby, either, with many of its prewar details intact.
Take a look inside
Proposed towers could bring 500 apartments to Crown Heights, including 140 affordable units

Google Earth rendering created by CityRealty; Image depicts the massing of the proposed buildings, not the design

November 23, 2016

Proposed towers could bring 500 apartments to Crown Heights, including 140 affordable units

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Crown Heights is a neighborhood undergoing rapid change, but the western area south of Eastern Parkway has remained relatively quiet and unaltered by new development. However, it appears that could soon change. As The Real Deal reports, Cornell Realty Management is hoping to rezone two parcels at 40 Crown Street and 931 Carroll Street, just one block from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, to make way for a pair of towers that would house more than 500 residential units.
more here
City may take a 20 percent cut from Midtown East landmarks that sell their air rights
November 23, 2016

City may take a 20 percent cut from Midtown East landmarks that sell their air rights

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At the end of August, the city released its long-awaited, very controversial Midtown East Rezoning plan. In addition to allowing 16 new towers to spring up in the area bound by Madison and Third Avenues and 39th and 50th Streets, the upzoning will "permit owners of landmarked buildings to sell their air rights across the district, rather than just to adjacent properties like the current law dictates," as 6sqft previously explained. The following month, the city embarked on a study of these unused development rights, which would amount to an additional 3.6 million square feet over the next 20 years. And part of their conclusion is that they're considering taking a 20 percent cut of these air rights sales, reports Politico.
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