November 16, 2016

VIDEO: Go inside Donald Trump’s personal office in Trump Tower

Donald Trump has already made it clear that he hopes to ditch convention and spend weekends in his Trump Tower penthouse during his presidency (despite the unprecedented traffic snarls and security issues it'll cause). In addition to sleeping in his own bed, this will allow him to work out of his personal office. The 26th floor space is covered in awards, sports memorabilia, family photos, and an unsurprisingly narcissistic collection of magazines with yours truly on the cover. Business Insider uncovered two videos from last year--one from the Washington Post, one from the Wall Street Journal--where Trump provided tours of the office, and it looks like our next president may be working on international politics with one of Shaquille O'Neal's sneakers sitting next to him.
Watch both videos here
November 16, 2016

For $4.2M this four-bedroom Village loft condo is the picture of understated luxury and charm

While the $4.2 million price may sound steep, this sprawling 10th floor loft at 8 East 12th Street on the east side of Greenwich Village checks the boxes for just about every dreamy detail you'd need or want in a city apartment. At 2,330 square feet with four bedrooms, closets galore and an enormous great room, there's more than enough space for family, friends and guests. High-floor views go all the way down to One World Trade, and high ceilings accentuate the brightness in every room–and then there are the sunsets. Though there may be no million-dollar parking spots or Olympic-sized pool, this covetable condo is far from no-frills. Central air, a laundry room, marble baths and a chef-ready European kitchen are just a few just-right details; the building is located in one of the finest spots a Manhattan dweller could ask for, just blocks from Washington Square Park, the East Village, the Union Square Greenmarket and nearly every subway in the city.
Get a closer look
November 15, 2016

Upper West Side buildings to dump Trump name following petition

“The building is beautiful, the service is impeccable,” Marjorie Jacobs, a resident of the Upper West Side complex currently known as Trump Place told Bloomberg in October, “But the name is very embarrassing." An outcry by similarly-minded residents and a petition have culminated in the decision to remove the president-elect's name from the buildings and instead name them according to their street addresses at 140, 160 and 180 Riverside Boulevard, reports Crains.
Find out more
November 15, 2016

See new photos inside the world’s tallest modular tower; leasing kicks off at 461 Dean

It's been a long an tumultuous journey for 461 Dean, also know as the B2 tower, and better known as the world's tallest prefab tower. The fire-engine-red stacked building has seen numerous delays in the last four years thanks to lawsuits, leaks, and alignment issues. Its developer Forest City Ratner even opted to exit the modular business last month—although that's not to say that the technology developed is any less valuable (more on that ahead). But now that celebratory champagne bottle can finally be popped, as this afternoon the developer held a grand opening ceremony to kick off the official start of leasing.
more details here
November 15, 2016

Giant mural pays tribute to Seinfeld

Seinfeld may be one of America’s most popular sitcoms of all time, but the Australians sure love to celebrate the show about nothing. After one man opened a George Costanza-themed bar in Fitzroy, Melbourne, last New Year’s Eve, featuring pictures and a menu dedicated to the 90s show, another Australian is paying homage to its unforgettable […]

November 15, 2016

Brooke Shields’s former Soho loft with 27 over-sized windows lists for $4.55M

If they can manage a sale, it will be quite a windfall for the owners of Brooke Shields's former spread at 458 Broadway. The full floor co-op Shields shed in 2012 has just hit the market for $4.55 million, a price tag that is higher than the $3.05 million that was originally paid for it four years ago. While the jump may be difficult to swallow, the apartment itself is far more palatable.
have a closer look inside
November 15, 2016

Live a Tribeca artist’s loft life in the center of it all for $7,500K/month

When you tell them you live in a loft, this sprawling specimen is pretty much what you'd hope to be describing. For a mere $7,500 a month, this newly-renovated picture of loft living at 6 Varick Street (known for its authentic-but-updated lofts), where Tribeca is arguably at its most Tribecan–if not its most quiet–even comes with art supplies, or at least a place to store them.
Have a look around, this way
November 15, 2016

Where I Work: Go inside Lite Brite Neon’s colorfully gritty Gowanus workshop and showroom

6sqft’s series “Where I Work” takes us into the studios, offices, and off-beat workspaces of New Yorkers across the city. In this installment, we take a tour of the Gowanus studio of Lite Brite Neon. Want to see your business featured here? Get in touch! Among the manufacturing and arts tenants in the Old American Can Factory, a converted six-building industrial complex at the Gowanus Canal, is Lite Brite Neon, which has been described as "the darling of artists and designers." And after touring their funky workspace/showroom, the description definitely fits. They were founded in 1999 in Brooklyn and have been creating neon art, signage, lighting, and displays ever since, in addition to preserving and restoring historic neon. 6sqft recently got an insider's look at their colorfully gritty home and spoke to lead designer Wayne Heller about how the company functions and what makes neon unique.
Take the tour here
November 15, 2016

Officials contemplate 5th Avenue shutdown whenever Donald Trump is in town

If you thought it was inconvenient whenever President Obama came to town, under a Trump presidency, things are going to get much worse. The Daily News reports that law enforcement officials are mulling a shutdown of 5th Avenue whenever the president-elect decides to stay in his penthouse in Trump Tower. As many know, the area is one of the busiest commercial hubs in the Manhattan, a mix of mid- and high-end retailers, paying top rents and pulling in millions of tourists annually. Moreover, it is also home to thousands of New Yorkers, a handful of which who live in Trump Tower and are already fed up with the disturbances that have emerged as of late. Immediately after the 2016 election results were announced, Trump Tower was swarmed by protestors—and guards wielding heavy ammunition.
what this could mean here
November 15, 2016

#NotMyAIA: Architects reject AIA statement pledging to ‘work with’ Trump

. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) issued a statement last Wednesday pledging that "The AIA and its 89,000 members are committed to working with president-elect Trump to address the issues our country faces, particularly strengthening the nation's aging infrastructure." The statement issued by organization chief Robert Ivy assured that the country's architects would help the incoming president and congress with construction industry-related matters: "During the campaign, president-elect Trump called for committing at least $500 billion to infrastructure spending over five years,” said Ivy–possibly providing an imperative for the message. But that does not appear to be reason enough for members, who say they do not necessarily "stand ready to work with him and with the incoming 115th Congress.” A swift and indignant backlash led to an apology by Ivy released early this week.
Read on
November 15, 2016

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’s childhood home gets a major price cut to $29.5M

There have been some big price chops for an apartment at 740 Park Avenue, one of New York's most iconic co-ops, once lived in by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis herself. The former first lady—whose grandfather developed 740 Park in 1929—lived in this apartment between the ages of two to seven. It is now owned by David Ganek, a hedge fund manager, who has used the Rosario Candela-designed co-op as a home for his impressive modern art collection. He first listed it in 2014 for $44 million, and now it's on its third price chop down to $29.5 million.
Take a look
November 14, 2016

Apartment building designed by notable Brooklyn architect Montrose Morris asks $6.25M

The prolific and talented Brooklyn architect Montrose Morris was known for designing some of the first multi-unit apartment buildings in the borough. This is one of them, at 109 South 9th Street. Built in 1890, the Williamsburg building is decorated with stone, brick and terra cotta alongside oversized, bracketed cornices. Inside is a massive, four-story space with nine bedrooms and eight bathrooms. To make the whole building look good, it's going to require a big renovation from any buyer.
Take a look at this reno project
November 14, 2016

Brooklyn Museum is offering free admission this weekend

In the aftermath of the election, many of us are looking for ways to both distract and motivate ourselves. Some upset by Tuesday’s results have already taken action, protesting throughout the city; others have opted to lay low and practice self-care. While inaction could have devastating consequences in the long run, this early into doomsday it’s […]

November 14, 2016

New York Wheel’s first two pedestals arrive on Staten Island

In early October, the New York Wheel welcomed its four massive legs at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal in Sunset Park—the first physical components of the project to find their way to NYC. Now another milestone has been met, as Friday marked the first delivery of parts to the official Staten Island construction site. According a press release, two of the wheel's four pedestals have been unloaded, and another two will arrive later this week.
check out the photos
November 14, 2016

This $3.5M Tribeca apartment has the bones of a loft, the polished interiors of a mansion

This two-convertible-to-three-bedroom condominium at 58 Walker Street has all the credibility it needs as an authentic Tribeca loft, but wood-paneled walls, a marble-mantled fireplace and super-luxe details assure there won't be any need to sacrifice grown-up elegance. 13-foot ceilings, massive loft windows and exposed brick walls within a cast iron loft building frame a 1,927 square-foot home whose interiors were created by the design team of kureck/jones. An added rare-in-a-loft perk: There's a private terrace off the master bedroom.
Take a tour
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November 14, 2016

Trump hopes to spend weekends in NYC at Trump Tower during presidency

It appears that Donald Trump missed the memo that being President is a round-the-clock job, not a 9-5 gig. As the Times reports, the president-elect has been asking aides how many nights he'll have to pass in D.C., and whether or not he'll be able to stay in his 5th Avenue penthouse on weekends. "He has told them he would like to do what he is used to, which is spending time in New York when he can," writes the paper. During the campaign, Trump would often forgo local hotels, opting instead to fly to NYC late at night just so he could sleep in his own bed.
find out more here
November 14, 2016

Queens, Brooklyn see ‘drastic’ rise in foreclosures

October brought a significant spike in home mortgage foreclosure rates, according to The New York Post, with more than 1,100 homes heading into foreclosure. That number represents a 32 percent increase from the previous month and a 37 percent increase from one year ago, with 400 new cases in Queens (nearly twice as many as a year ago). 365 cases were recorded in Brooklyn, a 20 percent increase, with the state overall seeing a 15 percent increase since September and 10 percent year over year, according research by Attom Data Solutions.
Find out more
November 14, 2016

New York’s dirty little secret: The apartment kitchen

Unlike the warm and welcoming kitchens found in many U.S. cities, in New York, kitchens are more likely to be dark and dank hallways or neglected corners crammed with miniature appliances than actual rooms. In many New York apartments, kitchens don’t even merit their own room but take the form of what is commonly described on listings sites as the “open concept living/kitchen area” (a feature welcomed only by those who don’t use their kitchen or have no qualms about grilling a steak just inches away from their sofa). Worse yet, New York kitchens not only frequently merge with living rooms but also other parts of the home. In many old tenements, bathtubs and showers can be found in the kitchen too.
more on the history of the NYC kitchen
November 14, 2016

Chandeliers and custom closets at this $3.25M Greenwich Village co-op

There's lots of lofty space at this three-bedroom apartment at 303 Mercer Street, a Greenwich Village cooperative. Two units were combined into one and the seamless space was designed with chic, upscale finishes like mahogany doors, crown moldings and Brazilian hardwood floors. (Not to mention three different chandeliers.) The listing calls it Greenwich Village’s only three-bedroom, two-bathroom pad under $3.5 million with an ask of $3.25 million.
Go check it out
November 13, 2016

This $3M Clinton Hill townhouse gives you another chance to weigh in on the tub-in-the-bedroom trend

While a bathtub and hand shower in the bedroom may conjure images of East Village walkups with the shower tucked next to the kitchen fridge, or worse, the free-standing bathtub has been appearing in the best of boudoirs for some time now. This $2.995 million two-family brownstone at 107 Greene Avenue in historic Clinton Hill puts the tub at a jaunty angle right smack in the middle of the master bedroom. The rest of the home is the obligatory mix of painstakingly restored original details (wide plank hardwood floors, tin ceilings, marble mantles, original lighting fixtures and medallions, hardwood doors with elegant glass doorknobs) and modern updates (washer/dryer, Viking kitchen, laundry room), and 3,600 square feet of space, plus rental income, may be worth getting lathered up over.
Take the tour
November 12, 2016

Weekly highlights: Top picks from the 6sqft staff

Subway Therapy let thousands of New Yorkers leave their election grief on Post-it notes Proposed Penn Station-topping free-fall ride gets new video, details $3.95M Yonkers castle with more than 20 rooms is out of this world Photographer Danica O. Kus provides new interior views of Bjarke Ingels’ Via 57 West Trump Tower residents are sick […]

November 11, 2016

This $675K prewar studio is right across from the Museum of Modern Art

This 650-square-foot pad is nestled inside a six-story, Beaux Arts brick and limestone townhouse located just across the street from the Museum of Modern Art. Located at 35 West 54th Street, in Midtown West, this is a former one-bedroom apartment renovated into a spacious, open studio by its owner architect. The reno retained some of the classic Beaux Arts details while giving the interior a modern look.
Take a peek
November 11, 2016

432 Park Avenue will become a beacon of light beginning Monday

Just in case you had trouble spotting the Western Hemisphere's tallest residential tower, beginning Monday, 432 Park Avenue will debut a brand new lighting feature that will turn the 1,396-foot supertall into a glowing beacon. As LLNYC reports, 32 LEDs will fill the tower's five open-air "drum floors" where the building's mechanicals are situated. 432 Park's starchitect, Rafael Viñoly, worked with HDLC Architectural Lighting Design to develop the scheme.
more details here
November 11, 2016

Calatrava’s St. Nicholas National Shrine gets its dome roof; New Yorkers turn empty closets into bars

Construction continues on Santiago Calatrava‘s new Ground Zero church in the World Trade Center’s Liberty Park. [DNAinfo] These New Yorkers had unused closet space (?!), so they turned them into a bar, sound booth, and even another bedroom. [NYTimes] Did you know 40 Wall Street is owned by Donald Trump? Here are the top 10 secrets […]

November 11, 2016

Lawsuit: Co-op board told Madonna she can’t have daughter Lourdes stay at her pad when she’s out

In a recent court filing, Madonna's attorney wrote that the pop star was “entitled” to have her “adult daughter” Lourdes live in the $7.3 million duplex that she purchased in 2008, The New York Post shares. As 6sqft previously reported, Madge sued the board at 1 West 64th Street, known as Harperley Hall, in April after they attempted to ban the performer's family and staff from being in the apartment when she wasn't there. According to court papers, the co-op building's board illegally changed her original lease in 2014 to say that no one under 16 could reside in the apartment unless an adult over age 21 was present.
Find out more
November 11, 2016

Trump Tower residents are sick of protestors; problem unlikely to improve

Since Donald Trump announced his run for office, Trump Tower, where the President-elect both lives and keeps his political headquarters, has been a hotspot for protestors. While in the past few months, inconveniences haven't escalated far beyond anti-Trumpers stopping by to give the building the finger, after the 2016 election results were announced, it's become veritable zoo outside the 5th Avenue tower as thousands have convened to denounce (and to be sure, support) a Trump presidency. The situation has become a major disruption for residents of the luxury skyscraper who are now annoyed with the crowds. As The Post so fittingly writes, "It’s not so easy being a member of the 1 percent if you live at Trump Tower."
more on the complaints here
November 11, 2016

The Urban Lens: Chaz Langley captures the people and places that make Chinatown tick

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, Chaz Langley explores the people and establishments breathe life into Chinatown. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. Nashville native Chaz Langley moved to New York to pursue a career as a singer/songwriter/actor/model, but along the way began snapping iPhone photos of his adopted city as another creative outlet, finding the process therapeutic. Through his Instagram account, he tells the stories of the people, places, and things that inspire him, using his other skill set of graphic design as a way to curate his collections. In "A Stroll in Chinatown" he captures the unique cultural establishments of Chinatown and the everyday comings and goings of the neighborhood's residents.
See all the photos here
November 11, 2016

$70M FXFOWLE-designed Statue of Liberty Museum receives approval

It's full steam ahead for the FXFOWLE-designed Statue of Liberty Museum. Per the Journal, The National Park service approved plans on Wednesday to erect the free-standing structure on Liberty Island. The development team broke ground on the project in early October and at the same time releasing renderings of what would eventually rise on the site. As 6sqft previously reported, the $70 million museum is being helped along by Diane von Furstenberg, who has been named the honorary “godmother” of the project. Von Furstenberg is currently spearheading fundraising efforts for the museum and hopes to secure $100 million from donors for the development. Von Furstenberg, along with her husband Barry Diller, are also in the midst of pushing another civic project forward, Pier55 Park.
find out more here
November 11, 2016

Cuomo’s revised 421-a plan will move ahead as REBNY and construction trades come to agreement

Ever since the city's 421-a tax exemption program expired in January, the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York and the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) have been negotiating under what terms to extend and/or modify the program. Both groups took part in what the city believes were "secret talks" with Governor Cuomo over the summer, after which he released his proposal to revise 421-a with wage subsidies for construction workers. REBNY was concerned about this stipulation, claiming it would increase construction costs by up to 30 percent, but a press release sent yesterday evening reports that they've reached an agreement with the Trades Council to move ahead with Cuomo's version of the plan, which, in addition to setting a $60 hourly wage for qualifying projects in Manhattan and $45 in Brooklyn and Queens, extends the tax breaks up to 35 years (up from de Blasio's proposed 25 years) and mandates newly created affordable units be kept in place for 40 years.
More details this way
November 11, 2016

Headed for auction, Trump’s childhood home could fetch Queens couple $10M

A divorcing couple in Jamaica Estates, Queens just got something new to fight over: proceeds from the sale of their relatively modest six-bedroom Tudor home at 85-15 Wareham Place, which will head for the auction block in the first week in December. The house, which the estranged couple tried to sell for $1.65 million, chopped to $1.2 million, then pulled from the market, just happens to be where President Elect Donald Trump spent his terrible twos, and is expected to fetch at least 10 times that ask at auction, according to the New York Post.
A rising Trump floats at least one boat
November 10, 2016

East River Skyway endorsed by local politicians as L train alternative

It looks like the East River Skyway is getting a big boost from local elected officials. Three politicians have jumped on the idea, including U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, City Councilman Stephen Levin, and State Assemblyman Joseph Lentol. The trio together drafted a letter to Mayor de Blasio, encouraging him to back the transit initiative as a solution to impending L train closure. "This is the coolest thing we could do for the neighborhood," Lentol, told DNA Info. "I don’t want to denigrate the BQX but this is even a greater plan to have a gondola going from Brooklyn to Manhattan forever."
find out more here
November 10, 2016

Subway Therapy let thousands of New Yorkers leave their election grief on Post-it notes

In addition to last night's anti-Trump rallies, the 14th Street-6th/7th Avenue subway tunnel was transformed into a post-election grieving center of sorts. Here, the artist Levee installed a temporary art installation called Subway Therapy that was a colorful collection of thousands of Post-it notes on the wall where people wrote in their feelings. "Because of how stressful the last couple of days were, I thought it would be nice to have something that people could do really quickly so they could maybe get something off their chest," Levee told ABC7.
See more photos of the installation
November 10, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s top event picks for the week – 11/10-11/16

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! Let’s immerse ourselves in some art this weekend to ease some of the stress we’ve gone through during this election, shall we? First, get the inside scoop on Times Square’s latest Midnight Moment artist Emilio Perez, then head to the beautiful Park Avenue Armory to experience the Art Deco and mid-century modern world at the Salon Art + Design. Later “Once More, with Feeling” will take you into a group show that delves into emotional expression, and over at C24, Katja Loher transforms the inside and outside of the gallery into an alternative world. After that, transport yourself to the mountains of Nepal with the new sound installation at the Rubin Museum of Art, and then bone up from art experts at the Art Conference. Finally, if you need one last goodbye to Obama, head to the Marcy Project on Saturday for their tribute show, and if you’re still feeling blue, dance it away at the Whitney’s Annual art party.
More on all the best events this way
November 10, 2016

Studio Seilern designs boxy, mixed-use tower for West Chelsea’s ‘starchitects row’

The stretch of Eleventh Avenue that winds through Chelsea in the 20s has become a hotbed of starchitecture activity ever since plans were announced for the High Line. ArchDaily brings us the latest project that may rise along the corridor, and though it doesn't have the name recognition of its neighbors, its interesting design, inspired by MoMA's famed sculpture garden, fits right in. The 24-story glass tower from London's Studio Seilern Architects will have commercial space for a gallery on the lower levels with residential units above. Judging from the views, the project site appears to be near the corner of West 21st Street and Eleventh Avenue, directly across from Norman Foster's 551W21 and a block north of Jean Nouvel's 100 Eleventh Avenue and Frank Gehry's IAC Building.
More renderings and details this way
November 10, 2016

Real estate industry likely to benefit from a Trump presidency

The city's real estate industry isn't too worried about a Donald Trump presidency. Real estate insiders feel that the man whose family's fortune was made in the industry and padded by its favorable tax breaks, foreign investments and still-rising market will be unlikely to bite the hand that has fed it so well, Crains reports.
Loopholes safe; affordable housing not so much
November 10, 2016

Sports Illustrated model Kate Bock picks up sleek, $1.35M Greenwich Village duplex

Things have been heating up between Cleveland Cavaliers basketball player Kevin Love and Canadian supermodel Kate Bock, but the Sports Illustrated beauty doesn't seem to be settling down in Ohio anytime soon. The Post reports that she's the lucky new owner of this sleek Greenwich Village duplex, last listed for $1.35 million. Located in the Cast Iron Building at 67 East 11th Street, the one-bedroom loft boasts a mod, all-white interior highlighted by two enormous ten-foot windows and a contemporary floating staircase.
Take a look around
November 10, 2016

Spend the holidays in the infamous 28-room Grey Gardens estate

Though now this 28-room mansion looks like your typical East Hampton property, it was once a decrepit, crumbling, cat-infested, overgrown horror that came to be known as the Grey Gardens Estate, based on the title of the 1975 documentary that immortalized the isolated and impoverished lives of its residents Edith wing Bouvier Beale and her daughter Edith Bouvier Beale (the aunt and cousin to Jackie O). Back in September 2015, 6sqft shared that the now-restored 1.7-acre estate was up for rent asking $175,000 a year (except for August, when the owners presumably holiday). The Post also reports that there's shorter-term options for the upcoming holidays--$7,500 for Thanksgiving week and $12,500 the week of Christmas.
Get the full story ahead
November 10, 2016

‘Not my president’: Thousands join Anti-Trump protests across New York City

Demonstrations broke out across the country yesterday evening as hundreds of thousands gathered to protest the election of Donald Trump for president. NYC itself was largely activated by two groups, Socialist Alternative and Answer Coalition, who used social media to call upon New Yorkers to gather at Union Square and Columbus Circle, near Trump International Tower. Thousands of participants held signs emblazoned with a swath of issues now under threat, from LGBT to Black Lives Matter to the environment. Chants like "Not my president!" "Trump Makes America Hate" and "Don't Lose Hope" rang through the streets as protestors marched through Midtown to convene at Trump Tower. Among the crowds, however, were also Trump supporters who showed up to celebrate the victory.
more photos from the demonstrations
November 10, 2016

NY1 anchor Pat Kiernan keeps townhouse, sells duplex condo in Williamsburg

Popular NY1 news anchor Pat Kiernan made news himself when he and his wife Dawn and their two children moved from an Upper West Side co-op to a four-story townhouse at 135 Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg. The Kiernans bought the house for $2.03 million–a neighborhood record for a single-family home–and proceeded to undertake major renovations. Turns out that in 2013 the Kiernans also purchased a two-bedroom, two-bath duplex at 171 North 7th Street for $860,000. The condo must have become one property too many; it was recently sold for $1.095 million (h/t Observer).
Have a look, this way
November 9, 2016

Anti-Trump protests planned in Union Square and Columbus Circle, tonight

After nearly two years of controversial campaigning, countless protests and seemingly endless division, Donald Trump has been elected the 45th president of the United States. While many Americans are either celebrating the win or reeling at its results, some still have some fight left in them—or at least a protest. Socialist Alternative is planning just that Wednesday […]

November 9, 2016

Spectacular Upper East Side apartment is enlivened with vivid colors and uncommon shapes

The Upper East Side is home to a plethora of elegant residencies, and the interior of this 79th Street apartment from the design firm S.R. Gambrel is luxury at its best. Each room is impeccably outfitted to tell its own story, individual in point of view, but still fits together into one cohesive aesthetic. From the vivid color palette and wall decor to the ornate light fixtures and floor textiles, everything in this home is vibrant, lively and not to be missed.
READ MORE
November 9, 2016

Historic church near Penn Station to be converted to modern retail space

The Church of St. John the Baptist, located at 213 West 30th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues, has stood in Midtown since 1872. Designed in the French Gothic-style by architect Napoleon LeBrun, it first served New York City's German population and was later assumed by the Capuchin Friars. In 1974, a brown brick Brutalist structure was added on the other side of the site at 210 West 31st Street, facing Penn Station, to serve as the Capuchin Monastery of St. John the Baptist. This two-story building was recently acquired by KBS Capital and Onyx Equities, who plan to spend $14.2 million converting the property into a 30,000-square-foot retail space, reports The Real Deal. Though initial plans don't seem to touch the 144-year-old church, a rendering of the 31st Street project shows a glassy, neon-laden facade.
More details ahead
November 9, 2016

Lincoln Center: From Dutch enclave and notorious San Juan Hill to a thriving cultural center

The glossy cultured patina of Lincoln Center reveals nearly nothing of what the neighborhood once was, and New Yorkers, accustomed to the on-going cycle of building and demolition, have likely forgotten (or never knew) about the lively San Juan Hill neighborhood that was demolished to make way for the famous cultural center. Any such development dating from the 1960s wouldn't be without the fingerprints of the now-vilified Robert Moses, who was more than willing to cut up neighborhoods both poor and wealthy in the eye of progress.
Learn more about Lincoln Center's incredible past here

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