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With approved permits in place, Blumenfield Development Group is ready to move forward on their Bjarke Ingels Group-designed mixed-use project at 146 East 125th Street between Lexington and Third Avenues. Initial ground testing has taken place, and a construction fence has been erected along the lot's northern 126th Street frontage. According to permits filed in December 2014, the upcoming 230,000-square-foot building will contain 40,000 square feet of commercial space and 233 apartments, 20 percent of which will be designated as affordable.
More details ahead

There Will Be No Ribbon Cutting for the WTC Transportation Hub Opening

Santiago Calatrava: WTC Transportation Hub , New York (Photo: Mega Projects and Skyscrapers, via YouTube)

February 23, 2016

There Will Be No Ribbon Cutting for the WTC Transportation Hub Opening

When the subject of Santiago Calatrava's World Trade Center Transportation Hub comes up, what's most likely to come to mind is not the flying-bird-looking architecture, but the fact that it was so incredibly delayed (it’s six years off schedule) and over-budget (final construction costs ring in around $4 billion in taxpayer dollars, twice what was projected, making it the world’s most expensive train station). The latter is not sitting well with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, who oversee the hub, as they've announced that they will not host an event to mark the opening during the first week of March, calling it "a symbol of excess," according to Politico. Similarly, Governors Christie and Cuomo, who control the agency, have declined to commemorate the opening.
Get the scoop

February 23, 2016

Designer Fawn Galli’s Carroll Gardens Townhouse Is Inspired by Fantasy and Nature

The home of designer Fawn Galli is an eclectic and vibrant combination of colors, patterns and style, reflecting her not-so- typical childhood (she spent her early years living in a California home without electricity or plumbing) and and rich design background (she spent time abroad in Paris and Madrid). Located in Carroll Gardens, the Brooklyn brownstone is inspired by fantasy, nature and the world at large, bringing together unexpected combinations of style and influence.
READ MORE

Distinctive Homes

February 23, 2016

Minimalist Subway Map Posters Are More About Beautiful Design Than Finding Your Way

Cartographer Andrew Lynch has spent a lot of time looking at the NYC subway system. The CUNY Hunter alum recently perfected the entire system in a series of hypothetical but geographically accurate "Future NYC Subway" maps. But while studying the paths of the city's most important people mover, Lynch noticed they looked rather lovely, but just too, well, cluttered. From this thought came a series of colorful minimalist subway line posters (h/t CityLab) that Lynch calls "totally accurate, totally useless," but nice to look at nonetheless.
Get your own, this way

February 23, 2016

Architect/Owner of This $800K Park Slope Co-op Gut Renovated it Herself

It's hard to go wrong with an apartment that's been carefully renovated by its owner, who also happens to be an architect. That's the case at 404 3rd Street, where a two-bedroom Park Slope co-op has just hit the market for $799,000. The owner, Joana Pacheco, is not only an architect but the founder of Paperhouse, an open source architecture platform. She gut renovated the interior, opening up and brightening the space. She had good bones to work with, as the apartment retains big bay windows and its historic moldings, as well as a good location, just a few blocks from Prospect Park.
See more of her renovation

Distinctive Homes

February 23, 2016

A New Look for the Museum of Sex; The Curious Reason Barber Shops Don’t Take Credit Cards

Ever wonder why barber shops don’t take credit cards? Here’s your answer. [Atlas Obscura] The state is conducting a study to understand where and how noise affects New York City residents. [DNAinfo] Mapping just how bar-saturated the Lower East Side is. [Bowery Boogie] The luxurious wedding and remarkable home of great Brooklyn architect Montrose Morris. [Brownstoner] […]

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February 23, 2016

Rosario Candela-Designed Building at 915 West End Avenue Going Condo

West End Avenue is one of Manhattan's longest stretches of harmonious architecture. The nearly 50-block-long, better-looking half of Eleventh Avenue is the Upper West Side's answer to Park Avenue, without the median and with the community. The Avenue's rows of stately prewar buildings are raised to a mostly uniform height of 12 to 15 stories and appear as if some Haussmann-like visionary conceived their elegance and scale. Behind dignified masonry facades are wood-paneled lobbies and sprawling apartments that are stacked in classic sixes and sevens with staff quarters. Near the Avenue's starting point at Straus Park, at the northwest corner of 105th Street, 915 West End Avenue rises humbly without much fuss. The red-brick building, built in 1922, was designed by beloved architect Rosario Candela and is undergoing a conversion that would transform 43 of its 91 rental apartments into condominium residences, according to an offering plan submitted to the attorney general.
Find out more

February 23, 2016

Renderings Revealed for Upper East Side’s First Supertall at Former Subway Inn Site

In October, 6sqft reported that a 1,000+ foot condo tower could rise on the former site of beloved dive bar the Subway Inn (which, after 77 years, had to relocate to a site around the corner in August 2014). The news came nearly two years after the World Wide Group bought a six-parcel assemblage on 60th Street between Third and Lexington Avenues. Then, this past summer, World Wide enlisted Cushman & Wakefield to sell the property, "using renderings of a glassy supertall tower and talk of nearby Billionaires Row to sweeten the deal." Kuafu Properties bought the 19,685-square-foot plot for $300 million in the fall, and now Yimby has uncovered renderings of a glassy, slender tower proposed for the site.
Who designed the supertall tower?

Distinctive Homes

This $3.5M Westchester estate is a private refuge surrounded by village life

This $3.25M Gramercy two-bedroom comes with expansion potential–and a key to the park

A millwork-wrapped co-op in FiDi's iconic Morse Building asks $2.25M

This $19M sky palace high above Park Avenue has a manor house-worthy terrace garden

$3.4M Park Slope triplex condo has a roof terrace with heavenly views

Gaze at the sun, moon, and stars above from this $5.45M Tribeca penthouse

Prospect Heights pre-war co-op seen in 'Black Swan' lists for $1.7M

Love is a large, lovely $2.9M Lispenard Street loft

A diplomat's lofty home in a historic FiDi co-op asks $2.9M

This $5.75M Clinton Hill two-family home is five floors of brownstone perfection

VIEW ALL

February 23, 2016

Restaurateur Keith McNally’s Greenwich Village Townhouse Is on the Menu for $13.95M

After spending some time on the rental market, first at $25,000/month then $19,000/month, restaurateur Keith McNally's 4,600 square-foot Greek Revival townhouse at 105 West 11th Street is for sale for $13.95 million (h/t Curbed). The New York Times once called McNally, whose success stories include buzzy establishments like Balthazar, Cherche Midi, Odeon, Café Luxembourg, Schiller’s and Minetta Tavern, "the man who invented Downtown." McNally purchased the house in 2002 for $2.496 million. Built in 1910, this 21-foot-wide, five-bedroom, four-story home should appeal to historic townhouse lovers as well as anyone with kitchen ambitions. From the walk-in wine cellar to the rustic French-country interiors, the house has been restored with a floor plan that considers both entertaining and daily life. Impressive details include five wood burning fireplaces, imported timber beams, reclaimed wide plank oak floor boards, casement windows, Venetian plaster walls and landscaped outdoor spaces, all on a historic townhouse-lined Greenwich Village street.
Take a look inside

February 23, 2016

First Look at MY Architect’s 19-Story Hotel Set for Jamaica’s Transit Hub

With all corners of the city bursting at their seams, once overlooked business nodes are experiencing a resurgence of construction activity. Perhaps most foreign and far-flung to Manhattanites is Jamaica, Queens, where a cluster of high-rises is rising around its transit hub, which serves LIRR commuters and is a terminus to JFK's AirTrain network. The neighborhood's latest large project to come forward is from Flushing-based Ampiera Group, who have proposed a 100,000-square-foot hotel and office tower at 90-75 Sutphin Boulevard, just one block from the transit center. The building's exterior, comprised of a mix of glass and stone, is designed by MY Architect, who are working with the development team on at least two Long Island City projects. Approved permits and documents filed last summer co-align with images published on the architect's website that call for a double-winged building with a low-rise leg fronting Sutphin Boulevard. The low-slung retail buildings along Archer Avenue will be demolished to create a plaza at the foot of the tower.
More views and details ahead

February 22, 2016

Harper Lee Had a Crazy-Cheap Hideout on the Upper East Side for 50 Years

Famed author Harper Lee, who passed away at age 89 on Friday in her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama, was known for being extremely private and somewhat reclusive. So it's not entirely surprising that for the past 49 years, the "To Kill a Mockingbird" novelist has maintained a secret Upper East Side apartment. What is surprising is that after all that time, her rent was less than $1,000 a month. Lee moved to New York City in 1949 when working as an airline reservation agent and writing in her spare time. When the building that housed her cold-water flat was demolished in 1967, she moved to apartment 1E across the street at 433 East 82nd Street (between 1st and York Avenues), reports the Post, using it as a kind of hideout when not in Alabama (even the tenant directly below her had no idea she was a resident). Though she hadn't spent time there since having a stroke in 2007, she renewed her lease for two more years just a couple months ago. Property manager Steven Austern said she was up to date on her rent, and even though he could've terminated the lease since she was living elsewhere, he chose not to, stating "She was a personal friend of mine."
What was the average day like for Harper Lee?

Celebrities

February 22, 2016

A Three-Year Renovation and a Glass Rooftop Studio Perfect This $26M West Village Townhouse

The listing calls this $26 million historic West Village townhouse a "singular and exceptional offering," and it’s hard to disagree (h/t Curbed). Brit expat and tech entrepreneur Jos White and his wife Annabel, former director of The Rug Company, bought the house from interior designer James Huniford in 2009 for $7.25 million and embarked on a three-year renovation helmed by notable architect Basil Walter of BWArchitects with interiors by Poonam Khanna. The end result, according to the architects, "fuses past and present into a new, sophisticated 4,000-square-foot home," which includes a wild rooftop glass atelier (inspired by the Maison de Verre in Paris), 17th-century wood paneling, and a never-ending roster of impressive decor.
Check out the interiors

February 22, 2016

Lions and Tigers and Buildings, Oh My! The Architecture of the Bronx Zoo

By Stephanie Hoina

As home to four thousand animals representing more than 650 species, the Bronx Zoo has been delighting children and grownups alike since 1899. But it’s not simply the extensive array of wildlife that makes this world-renowned conservation park a pleasure to stroll around. Nestled among the 265-acres of parklands and beautifully-replicated natural habitats is a collection of architecture that almost rivals the main attraction. Ahead we'll visit the zoo's most notable constructions, which though may draw upon the architectural styles of various eras—from Beaux-Arts to Brutalism—do culminate into one succinct and spectacular display of design.
Tour the zoo's architectural beauty

February 22, 2016

City Auctioning Off a 62-Year-Old Fireboat for Just $510

If the houseboat lifestyle piques your fancy, this may be your big chance to live life on the open seas right here in NYC, as the city is auctioning off a 62-year-old fireboat. Though the initial asking price was $510, there have surprisingly been 17 bids since Wednesday, putting the current highest price at $3,050. Keep in mind, as Gothamist points out, that although this seems like a steal, it will likely cost thousands more a month to dock the 129-foot boat, on top of maintenance and transportation costs (it's being sold "AS IS" and "WHERE IS"). Some of the "amenities" you'll get include water cannons (it's not known if they actually work, but they certainly still look cool), a lookout tower (binoculars not included), and co-living style bunkbeds.
The whole deal

Architecture And Design

February 22, 2016

Supermodel Irina Shayk Buys $6M West Village Condo at 150 Charles Street

By Annie Doge

If you don't know supermodel Irina Shayk from the pages of Sports Illustrated, you may recognize her as the often-photographed girlfriend of Bradley Cooper. Rumors have been circulating for nearly a year that the couple was looking to shack up together. First, Cooper was spotted checking out a sprawling $8.5 million spread at the Hubert in Tribeca in May, then Shayk listed her apartment at 166 Perry Street in the West Village for $4 million back in December. LLNYC now reports that the swimsuit model has picked up an off-market $6 million pad at 150 Charles Street, nearby in the West Village.
More on Shayk's (and likely Cooper's) new digs

February 22, 2016

Pricing and Renderings Released for the Jackson, Industrial-Inspired Condo in Long Island City

Situated squarely between Long Island City's waterfront towers and its burgeoning Court Square and Queens Plaza business districts, an upcoming industrially-inspired condominium named the Jackson is beginning construction work. On Friday, the New York Times unveiled pricing information for the 70,000-square-foot project, and a polished set of renderings has been published on the developer's website. The 11-story, 54-unit project is being shepherded by a joint-venture among Charney Construction & Development, Ascent Development, and Tavros Capital. The development site, located around the corner from MoMA PS1, was formerly occupied by a parking lot and a nondescript two-story building. Fogarty Finger, the building's architects, have designed several other low- to mid-scale residential projects in LIC that complement the fleetingly-gritty neighborhood's aesthetic. Here they accomplish that by using raw material such as steel, concrete, and wood, as well as oversized windows that feel like an old industrial loft building.
This way for details, renderings, and pricing

February 22, 2016

MTA May Spend $66M to Meet 2nd Avenue Subway’s December Deadline; Introducing Archemoji

In order to meet the December deadline for the Second Avenue subway, the MTA may spend $66 million to speed up work. [Second Avenue Sagas] A new study finds that 46% of New Yorkers have agued with their neighbors over noise. [DNAinfo] Did you know the Oscar statuettes are crafted in New York state? [Fox 5] […]

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‘Fatal Flaw Analysis’ Says Brooklyn-Queens Streetcar Could Require Two New Bridges

The proposed Brooklyn-Queens Connector (BQX) streetcar may require the construction of two new bridges, one over Newtown Creek and another over the Gowanus Canal. The New York Times reported that the potential need for the new bridges–the Pulaski Bridge and the bridge across the Gowanus Canal at Hamilton Avenue might not be able to accommodate streetcars–was one of the more substantial details released by Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen and other top officials Friday. In a "fatal-flaw analysis," it was found that that though there would be "major challenges" to creating the system, it was feasible, Ms. Glen said. Like all things New York City, the proposed BQX proposal "would dwarf other recent streetcar systems in the United States." The cost involved in constructing the new bridges is already included in the project's $2.5 billion cost estimate. They would include bicycle and pedestrian paths.
Find out more

February 22, 2016

$1.4M Williamsburg Condo Comes With an Artist Studio and Private Rooftop Cabana

This two-bedroom, apartment at 125 North 10th Street doesn't come from a Williamsburg warehouse, but it's still got those high ceilings, big windows, and open floorplan. It's also got some fun, creative quirks like an artist studio and massive chalkboard wall in the open kitchen. But the major draw here is the outdoor space: the 900-square-foot apartment comes with a 160-square-foot private terrace, as well as a 328-square-foot private rooftop cabana outfitted with a BBQ grill. And once you're up there, you won't want to leave.
Take a tour

Distinctive Homes

February 21, 2016

Funky Desk Is Kid-Friendly and Has Secret Compartments

This funky table from furniture retailer Rafa Kids is cleverly designed to resemble the letter K when viewed from the side (hence its name, K Desk). The design also features rounded corners (to keep little noggins safe) and a useful lid that reveals a second table top when lifted. The underside of the lid also doubles as a bulletin board to hang drawings or photos.
More design details this way

February 20, 2016

Williamsburg’s William Vale Hotel Launches Website, New Renderings & Video

Williamsburg likely has the highest concentration of awful new buildings in the city. The neighborhood has lots of things going for it, but architecture has not been one of them. However, just north of Kiss + Cathcart's noteworthy Bushwick Inlet Park is a cluster of development that finally flaunts the design creativity for which the borough has become renowned. Centered around the Walentas' Wythe Hotel, four exciting new hotels and office buildings are in the works. Tallest of them all, and farthest along, is the 21-story, 250-foot William Vale Hotel between North 12th and North 13th Streets. The striking pile of structural acrobatics topped off last fall and recently launched their website with a handful of new renderings.
More info and all the renderings

February 20, 2016

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks From the 6sqft Staff

This Map Explains the Historic Tile Color System Used in NYC Subway Stations Get a Head Start on the Creative Possibilities in This $2.5M Funky Tribeca Live/Work Loft Looks Like Sarah Jessica Parker Is Combining Two West Village Townhouses Apply Now for 13 New Affordable Apartments Across Williamsburg, Starting at $756/Month New Rendering, Details of […]

Uncategorized

February 19, 2016

Spotlight: Ron Ben-Israel on the Art and Architecture of Creating a Wedding Cake

By Susan Cohen

If you're one of the many who just got engaged over Valentine's weekend, it's time to get into planning mode, and what better way to start than with a spectacular wedding cake. A New York wedding calls for a cake that tastes great, makes a statement about the newlyweds, but can also stand on its own amidst the glamour of the Plaza, the Art-Deco glitz of the Rainbow Room, and the skyline that twinkles all around at the Mandarin Oriental. For this, brides and grooms turn to cakemaker extraordinaire Ron Ben-Israel. Throughout the planning, baking, and cake delivery processes, Ron draws on a number of disciplines, including chemistry, architecture, art, and transportation science. His cakes are versatile in style, but have a common thread that comes from attention to detail and the pursuit of excellence. He's received high praise for his cakes, with the New York Times writing of him: "Mr. Ben-Israel is the Manolo Blahnik of wedding cakes, a high-priced craftsman who knows that just as beautiful shoes are useless if they are not comfortable, beautiful cakes are useless if they are not delicious." With the season for "I do" quickly approaching, 6sqft spoke with Ron to discuss his love for the baking process, the thinking and work behind every cake, and the joy he experiences each time one is completed.
Read the full interview here

February 19, 2016

Dream Subway Map Includes a 10th Avenue Subway and a PATH to Staten Island

For most New Yorkers, subway dreams are simple things like trains arriving on time and getting a seat, but cartographer Andrew Lynch has big visions for what could become of NYC's transit system (h/t Gothamist). In his most recent iteration of the Future NYC Subway map, he "sought to plan out a system expansion which would be as cost effective as possible by addressing current service bottlenecks, train car issues, current ridership and population growth." This includes: a PATH train to Staten Island: a K line to connect the Brighton Beach Line (B/Q) to the Crosstown (G) at Bedford-Nostrand Avenues; a 10th Avenue L train extension; a majorly enhanced Second Avenue subway; and a Bushwick-Queens line.
The details on all these ideas

Transit

February 19, 2016

Be a Soho Insider in This Landmarked Prince Street Loft

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

New York City is filled with lofts we love; their iconic style is synonymous with the city's historic architecture and industrial and creative recent past. Even as glass towers and luxury limestone hog the spotlight, the flexibility and bohemian spirit unique to these spaces continues to charm—and their value continues to rise. So it's still exciting to get a look inside whenever the chance presents itself. This loft co-op in the Cast Iron Historic District is a prime example. Built in 1900, the now-landmarked building at 131-135 Prince Street was the second co-op in Soho. This 1,800 square-foot home, on the market for $3.295 million, boasts its own presentation website with a level of design that rivals some of the city's more luxurious new developments, complete with full-color isometric views of each room. Though it looks like a lovely loft in a prime location in any light, the fabulous visuals certainly don't hurt.
Take a look around

Distinctive Homes

February 19, 2016

Skyline Wars: What’s Rising in Hudson Yards, the Nation’s Largest Construction Site

By Carter B. Horsley

Carter Uncut brings New York City’s breaking development news under the critical eye of resident architecture critic Carter B. Horsley. This week Carter brings us the third installment of “Skyline Wars,” a series that examines the explosive and unprecedented supertall phenomenon that is transforming the city’s silhouette. In this post Carter zooms in on Hudson Yards. The Hudson Yards neighborhood in Far Midtown West is one of the country’s most active construction areas. Construction cranes dot its emerging skyline and dozens more are promised now with the district's improved connection to the rest of the city. Last fall, the 7-line subway station at Eleventh Avenue and 34th Street opened with one-stop access to Times Square. The newly-minted station features a lengthy diagonal escalator bringing commuters to the front-door of the huge mixed-use project being created over the rail yards west of Tenth Avenue between 30th and 33rd streets. Originally, a second station was contemplated on 41st Street and Tenth Avenue but transit officials claimed it could not afford the $500 million expenditure, despite the enormous amount of new residential construction occurring along the far West 42nd Street corridor. Nevertheless, the finished Hudson Yards station deposits straphangers into a new diagonal boulevard and park between 10th and 11th Avenues that will ultimately stretch from the Related Companies / Oxford Property Group's Hudson Yards master plan northward to 42nd Street.
read more from carter here

THE 6SQFT SHOP

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10 Ways to Decorate an Exposed Brick Wall Without Drilling

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10 Great Places to Buy Affordable Art in New York City

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February 19, 2016

Reasonably Priced Condos at NINE52 in Hell’s Kitchen Hit the Market, Starting at $679K

After years of decay, the second building of the old Saint Clare's Hospital in Hell's Kitchen has been reborn. Named NINE52, due to its address near Ninth Avenue at 416 West 52nd Street, the seven-story red-brick structure has been rehabilitated into 155 affordably-priced condominium homes. Seven units at NINE52 hit the market earlier this week with asking prices starting at $679,000 for 450-square-foot studios, $859,000 for 725-square-foot one-bedrooms, and $1.319 million for an 875-square-foot two-bedroom. According to CityRealty's February Market Report, the median price-per-square-foot for closed condominium sales in Midtown West over the past 30 days stood at $1,833, a bit above the $1,603-per-square-foot asking prices at NINE52.
Get a look at the apartments

Fairway Market in Red Hook via Cindy Day/Flickr

February 19, 2016

Fairway Grocery Stores Struggling to Stay Afloat in Competitive Market

Though they once had ambitious plans to expand beyond New York City, Fairway Group Holdings Corp. is struggling with debt instead, reports Bloomberg Business. The company has incurred massive debt in order to finance its expansion plans and is in danger of default, according to analyst reports, and its "capital structure remains unsustainable." In addition to putting the brakes on expansion plans, the company has been advised to close some stores outside New York. Known for quality produce and well-curated private brands, Fairway Market stores are seen as perhaps the most representative of New York City when conversations turn to regional grocery loyalties. The gourmet grocery's original store at 74th and Broadway on the Upper West Side, with its cramped-and-bustling atmosphere, is a cult favorite for Manhattanites. The 52,000-square-foot Red Hook location in an historic coffee warehouse, opened in 2006, is credited in part with anchoring that neighborhood's renaissance.
Competition and bad timing

City Living

February 19, 2016

The Bronx Riviera May Rise Again; Have a Rooftop Drink Inside a Giant Bubble

Drink inside a massive bubble at the Hyatt Times Square, the highest rooftop hotel bar in NYC. [Travel + Leisure] Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. will commit $10 million to a $40 million restoration of the landmarked, Art Deco Orchard Beach Pavilion, once known as the Bronx Riviera. [Welcome2TheBronx and TRD] A Red Hook artist is training thousands […]

Uncategorized

February 19, 2016

Morris Adjmi-Designed Commercial Building Coming to Controversial Noho Site

Yesterday, Ironstate Development filed permits to construct a nine-story, 46,000-gross-square-foot office and community facility building at 363 Lafayette Street in Noho. The long-vacant parcel spans the entire block front of Lafayette Street between Bond and Great Jones Streets and sits adjacent to the to the live/work studio of renowned artist Chuck Close at 20 Bond. The Real Deal reported in 2008 that Close filed a lawsuit against the previous property owner, Olmstead Properties, to prevent the construction of an office building that would block the loft building's natural light, which he argued many of the artists inside depend on. But the project seems to be moving ahead.
More details ahead

February 19, 2016

Stained Glass and Pitched Ceilings at This $2.8M Freestanding Victorian in Ditmas Park

This week, 6sqft is digging the freestanding Victorians that make up the Brooklyn neighborhood of Ditmas Park. Who wouldn't, considering how charming the historic homes are, with front porches, lawns and plenty of luxurious space? This Victorian is located at 112 Marlborough Road, within the Prospect Park South enclave of the neighborhood. (It's a historic district that was developed in 1899 by developer Dean Alvord, who purchased 60 acres of farmland to build rus in urbe, "the country in the city.") The historic windows, stained glass and wood floors are still there, and the top-floor bedrooms sit under a pitched roof. But it's also been renovated with recessed lighting, new sconces and pendants, and central AC and heat. It'll cost you $2.825 million for such a lovely home base in Brooklyn.
See more of the interior

Distinctive Homes

February 18, 2016

MAPS: Where to Find the Best Studio Rental Bargains Right Now

Last week we took a look at the lowest priced studio condominiums in Manhattan and northern Brooklyn. Now, here's a glance at the lowest priced rental studio units currently on the market. More than 60 percent of city-dwellers are renters—that's more than double the national average. And with the rental vacancy rate hovering around three percent, it's no surprise NYC is among the most expensive places to rent in the country. The most affordable neighborhood in Manhattan or northern Brooklyn to find a studio rental apartment is Bedford-Stuyvesant, where the median rent is $1,422 per month. Bed-Stuy is then closely followed by Crown Heights and Harlem, with median rents of $1,550 per month. The most expensive neighborhoods to rent in are NoLiTa ($3,848), the Lower East Side ($3,489), and TriBeCa ($3,465). Below you'll find a list of ten of the best individual studio deals on the market right now, and a map showing the studios priced farthest below their neighborhood medians. But move fast because these deals tend to disappear very quickly!
See it all here

Distinctive Homes

February 18, 2016

New Rendering, Details of Brooklyn’s Future Tallest Tower

A little over a month ago, 6sqft learned that Brooklyn’s first 1,000+ foot tower, designed by SHoP Architects, would rise a whopping 1,066 feet, amounting to 556,164 square feet of total space. It all started back in 2014 when developers Michael Stern and Joe Chetrit purchased 340 Flatbush Avenue Extension (a five-story mid-century building that takes up about one third of the triangular site in Downtown Brooklyn) for $46 million with plans to demolish it. Then, in December, they closed on the adjacent Dime Savings Bank building for $90 million, providing 300,000 square feet of air rights needed to construct the 73-story tower. Along with a new rendering, a piece today in the Times reveals some additional details, namely that the supertall will have nearly 500 rental units, at least 20 percent of which will be affordable under the city's 421-a program. But there's one issue that could make things a little complicated...
More on that, here

February 18, 2016

Common’s Shared Living Concept Brings $3,000 Bedrooms to Williamsburg

The perpetual waves of recent graduates and other young professional hopefuls streaming into New York City seem to be finding themselves stuck when it comes to finding a place to bunk between cubicle and pub. So it's no surprise that a growing field of enterprising entrepreneurs--after observing the moderate success of the co-working model and the mind-melting success of Airbnb–have stepped in with a hybrid of all of the above. 6sqft previously noted the Wall Street launch of co-working startup WeWork's communal living concept. Now, another co-living player, Common, who recently brought upscale shared housing to Crown Heights, will be opening the doors on a communal residence in prosaically trendy Williamsburg at the corner of South 3rd Street and Havemeyer. Common CEO Brad Hargreaves with partner Henry Development is building a 12-suite, 51-bedroom, 20,000-square-foot residence, the company's first ground-up effort here. The most buzz-worthy bit about this new addition is that members will pay $1,800 to $2,700 a month for a bedroom in one of 12 duplex suites, with one, two or three other roommates. The higher-end numbers represent rooms with a private bath–essentially a studio with friends with benefits.
What's the story here

February 18, 2016

Circular Wall Garden Takes Advantage of Your Home’s Vertical Space

It's widely known that house plants provide a myriad of benefits, but if you live in an urban area, it's likely that your floor and counter space are limited. Floral designer Kim Fisher has come up with an ingenious solution that can help you bring living greenery into your apartment (without needing to throw out the toaster to make room) with her sleek wall-hanging circular planter. And no green thumb is necessary -- the planter was designed specifically to hold succulents and airplants (all quite difficult to kill) -- and it's very easy to set up.
Find out how to get your own

February 18, 2016

$3M Warm and Spacious Flatiron Loft Needs No Excess or Eccentricity

Located on a bustling but attractive street in the indisputably popular and convenient Flatiron District, this fourth-floor loft co-op at 14 West 17th Street looks like a home we might not want to leave. Asking $2,975,000, the two-bedroom-plus-office loft maintains a balance of well-preserved history, modern style, and the kind of warmth found in a custom renovation. The co-op's current owner is Henri Bendel department store president Chris Fiore, who purchased it for $1,275,000 in 2006–a significant leap in value, but there has clearly been some investment in the space, and the neighborhood's ascent goes without saying. What works so well here are elegant finishes and loft charm, done well enough that the home doesn't need to distract with quirky artists' effects or super-luxury finishes by an ambitious developer or expensive designer.
Have a look around

Distinctive Homes

February 18, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week – 2/18-2/24

By Lori Zimmer

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! This week's less-frigid temperatures mean a great opportunity to head to Doris C. Freedman Plaza at the bottom of Central Park to experience the Public Art Fund's latest installation before it closes next week. Across the park, the final performance of the New York City Ballet's collaboration with artist Marcel Dzama is guaranteed not to disappoint (those costumes!). Ground Floor Gallery in Brooklyn is opening a group show inspired by the rare stone lapis, and Charlie Chaplin lights up the theater at the Rubin Museum. Semi-autobiographical film "Candy Apple" will accompany a chance to chat with director Dean Dempsey, and iconic art critic Hal Foster speaks at the Pratt Institue. Finally, as the ultimate example of the Williamsburg rent hike, seminal Williamsburg gallery PIEROGI opens its doors in... Manhattan.
All the best events to check out here

Events & Things To Do

February 18, 2016

The Simplified City Map; Inside the Brooklyn Nets’ Industry City Training Facilty

If you’re not a rich person living on the waterfront, you’re basically a bear, says this funny simplified city map. [The Map Room] The waters surrounding NYC contain at least 165 million plastic particles, and they’re making their way into the food supply. [NYDN] Check out the Brooklyn Nets’ new 70,000-square-foot practice facility in Industry City. [Crain’s] […]

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The Brooklyn-Queens Streetcar Would Run Entirely Through Flood Zones

Map of streetcar route via NYC mayor’s office (L); Map of flood-prone areas via FloodHelpNY (R); combined image via Streetsblog

February 18, 2016

The Brooklyn-Queens Streetcar Would Run Entirely Through Flood Zones

Leading up to Mayor de Blasio's press conference on Tuesday about his proposed Brooklyn-Queens streetcar plan, the internet has been abuzz with criticism and concerns, including whether or not it will accept MetroCard transfers, how it won't really connect to existing subway lines, funding matters, and the issue that the system may favor "tourists and yuppies." But Streetsblog makes another very interesting point–the fact that the proposed route will run almost entirely through city- and FEMA-designated high-risk flood zones, which "raises questions about how the streetcar infrastructure and vehicles would be protected from storm surges, as well as the general wisdom of siting a project that’s supposed to spur development in a flood-prone area."
What does the Mayor have to say about this?

February 18, 2016

Full-Floor Loft With an Actual Artist’s Studio Asks $3M in Soho

Back in the '60s and '70s, pretty much every Soho loft doubled as an art studio. Artists fought successfully to legally convert the former manufacturing buildings into live/work lofts, and today there's still a special zoning resolution that permits the use of former industrial spaces as homes only if the resident is an artist certified by the city. That zoning rule is often ignored, and with Soho lofts priced into the millions, you don't see many left that include studios. But this one, which occupies the entire second floor of 123 Prince Street, is the exception--at least when it comes to the art studio. (The price, of course, is high, at $3.125 million.) The open apartment has been built out with a lofted bedroom, office, studio space and mini bar.
Take a look around

Distinctive Homes

February 17, 2016

Looks Like Sarah Jessica Parker Is Combining Two West Village Townhouses

By Annie Doge

Carrie Bradshaw may not have been able to make her mind up about men, but Sarah Jessica Parker is more indecisive when it comes to real estate. The actress and hubby Matthew Broderick sold their Greenwich Village townhouse for $20 million back in March, which came after quite a few price cuts and almost three years on the market. And just a couple of weeks ago, they were seen checking out the Shephard, a new condo conversion in the 'hood. But it looks like SJP misses her townhouse, because broker-to-the-celebs Dolly Lenz shared an Instagram picture today, announcing that the couple is the buyer of two adjacent brick homes at 273 and 275 West 11th Street. Her caption implies that the power duo will combine the residences, which would result in a 50-foot-wide, 13,900-square-foot mega mansion, according to Curbed. The properties were last listed for $35 million total.
Find out more

February 17, 2016

INTERVIEW: Micro-Housing Architect Michael Chen Shares His Thoughts on the Tiny Trend

It's hard to flip through the home and garden television channels these days without seeing a program about tiny homes. But the trend has been gaining momentum for years, long before it made its way onto our TV screens. One of the creative forces behind this revolution is Michael Chen, firm principal of Michael K. Chen Architecture. With design offices in New York and San Francisco and 14 years of experience, Michael is considered a pioneer of innovative micro-housing. Not only does he share his "love of tinkering, of drawing, of discourse, and of making" with his clients, but he teaches at Pratt Institute School of Architecture in Brooklyn. Having recently finished the 5:1 Apartment–a compact, 390-square-foot space that fits all the functional and spatial elements for living, working, sleeping, dressing, entertaining, cooking, dining, and bathing–MKCA is taking the design world by storm with their thoughtful approach and clever product design. 6sqft decided to pick Michael's brain on just how he packs so much into such small footprints, where he thinks the micro-housing movement is headed, and the secrets behind some of his most spectacular spaces.
The interview, this way

Map by vanshnookenraggen.com via Reddit.

February 17, 2016

This Map Explains the Historic Tile Color System Used in NYC Subway Stations

We know the crowds that pack into our city’s subway cars each day are more than colorful enough, but the system also has a super-geeky color-coded navigation system that exists even outside of the main map’s primary colored lines. The city-owned Independent Subway was opened between 1932 and 1940. Up until 1967, it was the last of three former competing subway systems, and contributed six major lines to what is now the unified New York Subway: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, Q (partial). Squire J. Vickers, the system’s architect, designed a special color coding system for each station. Color coded stations were then grouped between express stations to make riders aware of the zone they were passing through. At each express station, the color of the tiles would change. Some station tile color patterns have been altered with subsequent renovations. The system map is based on the original color coding sheet from 1930. After WWII, almost all new subway stations featured their own unique architectural designs and colors
Find out what color your stop is

February 17, 2016

Get a Head Start on the Creative Possibilities in This $2.5M Funky Tribeca Live/Work Loft

If you're looking for quintessential loft living in downtown Manhattan (and you're not looking for a bargain), Tribeca is the perfect spot to start. The once-industrial-reborn-as-fancy neighborhood is filled with historic former factory and warehouse buildings (many converted to co-ops and condominiums) and new buildings made to look like them. The co-ops that occupy the former sail factory at 474 Greenwich Street are the real deal (we toured a similarly one-of-a-kind higher-floor unit in the same building a while back). For $2.5 million, this ground-floor live/work residence has the space, the artistic pedigree, the decidedly colorful present, and the totally flexible future for the loft-seeking buyer.
See the entire funky space

1289 Lexington Avenue

Carnegie Hill

Refined living on the Upper East Side

2 beds starting at $2,495,000
3 beds starting at $4,995,000
4 beds starting at $5,250,000
5 beds starting at $8,995,000

Learn More

February 17, 2016

Lacquered Coffee Table Was Inspired By a Japanese Noodle Box

Talented furniture designer Tracey Boyd gathers inspiration for her work by collecting ideas, experiences, and unique items found throughout her extensive travels. In the past, she's designed pieces based on salvaged drawer pulls from her hometown in England and ancient murals from across the world. Her Lacquered Cache Coffee Table, part of a collection with Anthropologie, is derived from the shape and function of a Japanese noodle bowl and is separated into four equal sections. Each quadrant opens to allow for additional storage within the table.
More on the table

February 17, 2016

Pro Golfer Cristie Kerr Gets a Hole in One With $6M West Village Condo Sale

By Annie Doge

It's reported that pro LPGA golfer Cristie Kerr has over $15 million in career earnings, and it looks like her bank account is about to get even fatter, as city records show that she and her husband/agent Erik Stevens have sold their West Village condo for $5.9 million. The couple bought the impressive three-bedroom home at 1 Morton Square back in 2009 for $2.3 million, but then enlisted famed interior designer Thom Filicia to give the high-floor residence a luxurious, modern renovation that, according to the listing, cost more than $1 million.
Check it out

February 17, 2016

The Secret Life of the Bodega Bagel; 5,000-Seat Amphitheater Coming to Coney Island

Has the landmarks law become a catchall? Michael Kimmelman looks at the soon-to-be-decided fate of the city’s 95 backlogged sites. [NYT] Everything you ever wanted to know about bodega bagels (but were too afraid to ask). [Eater] And in other bagel news… that Williamsburg shop selling the infamous “rainbow bagel” has been forced to close […]

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February 17, 2016

POLL: Is IKEA a Blessing or a Curse for Relationships?

By now, we’ve all heard the jokes about IKEA breaking up relationships–whether it’s getting lost in the store’s maze, figuring out how to pronounce a word with ten consonants in a row, agreeing upon one of 400 throw pillows, or putting together an entire entertainment center with one Allen wrench. To poke fun at the common […]

City Living

February 17, 2016

$2.7M Ditmas Park Beauty Is Historic Victorian Outside, Hip Brooklyn Inside