July 28, 2016

Knicks Star Kristaps Porzingis Rents $8K/Month Penthouse in Fitness-Centric Midtown Building

Knicks star Kristaps Porzingis recently rented out an $8,000 a month penthouse at Midtown West's amenity-rich Sky. Located at 605 West 42nd Street, the glassy slab tower affords the 7-foot-3-inch Latvian player with a Carmelo Anthony-designed NBA regulation-sized basketball court, which is part of a 70,000-square-foot recreation facility that also boasts gyms, three pools, a café, yoga and cycling studios, billiards lounge, and a spa. As the Post tells us, "Godzingis" also rented out another two high-floor units for his brothers Martins and Janis.
See it all here
July 28, 2016

Time Lapse Video Shows How Midtown’s Tall Towers Will Cast Dark Shadows on the Park

A dozen supertalls (1,000 feet or higher) in the construction or planning stages in Manhattan include a significant number on the rise along the Billionaires’ Row strip just south of Central Park. This trend has been causing concern due to the shadows the looming towers will cast on the park. Now, a slightly ominous time-lapse video from Cube Cities shows how Billionaires' Row will have a sundial effect on the park (h/t Gothamist). The length and duration of the shadows will vary as the sun's angle changes with the seasons; fall and winter days are looking dark, with the tall towers' long shadows reaching as much as a mile into the park.
Watch the tall towers darken the park on a fall day in the future
July 28, 2016

Rupert Murdoch’s Multi-Terraced West Village Townhouse Sells for $27.5M in Just Five Months

Last August 6sqft reported that News Corp. head and Fox News founder Rupert Murdoch had put his West Village townhouse–the one he'd bought just five months prior for $25 million–on the market. Now, just five months after listing the 25-foot-wide, four-story brick home for $28.9M, the house has found a buyer, the New York Observer reports. Whomever is behind the entity known as West 11th Street, LLC has purchased the 6,500-square-foot Greek Revival manse for $27.5 million. The deal represents a $2.5M profit for Murdoch (and we all know how much he needs a few more million).
See what else makes this townhouse so buy-able
July 27, 2016

In the 1980s a Group of Feisty Tenants Blocked Evictions by Donald Trump

It's no secret that Donald Trump has engaged in some shady real estate dealings over the years, from his fraught attempt to own the Empire State Building, to the "public" gardens at Trump Tower that allowed him to build taller, to a lost battle with China over two major office buildings (not to mention his many bankruptcies). But there was at least one snafu that he wasn't able to weasel himself out of, and it was all thanks to a group of feisty residential tenants. In the early 1980s, Trump planned to evict rent-controlled and rent-stabilized tenants from 100 Central Park South (now known as Trump Parc East) and build a larger tower on this site and that of the adjacent Barbizon Plaza Hotel. He hired a management firm that specialized in emptying buildings, and they began eviction proceedings. After claiming reduced services, a lack of repairs, and overall harassment, the tenants decided to fight back, and in the end 80 percent of them remained, leading to this revelation by the Donald: "What I've learned is that the better the location and the lower the rent, the harder people fight. If I were a tenant, I'd probably be a leader too."
Get the full story here
July 27, 2016

13 Chances to Live in a Cool Williamsburg Rental For As Low As $722/Month

Starting today, an affordable housing lottery is open for 13 units at Williamsburg's new rental the Brooklyn Grand. Located at 774 Grand Street, the Meshberg Group-designed building is eight stories tall with ground-floor retail and offers a total of 64 units, 20 percent of which are reserved for individuals earning 60 percent of the area median income. The units up for grabs range from $722/month studios to $900/month two-bedrooms, and tenants will have access to the building's roof terrace and fitness center and, for an additional fee, parking and bike storage.
See if you're qualified to apply
July 27, 2016

For $1.2M This Bright Village Loft Is at the Crossroads of Everything

This $1.195 million co-op at 9 East 13th Street just off Fifth Avenue is a classic vintage downtown Manhattan loft updated for the 21st century. In a bustling spot at the crossroads of old and new near NYU and Parsons and between Union Square and Washington Square Park, the building may be old but as with most lofts, this bright one-bedroom home's interiors are filled with light and lots of white, brick and pale wood. And this particular loft has the distinction of having an impressive amount of private finished outdoor space perched above the Village scene.
Take the tour
July 27, 2016

Kelsey Grammer Lists Chelsea Condo in Jean Nouvel’s 100 Eleventh Avenue for $9.75M

While in the midst of a very public divorce from third wife Camille in 2010, actor Kelsey Grammer moved from their 15 Central Park West pad to a much more mod condo at Jean Nouvel's glassy 100 Eleventh Avenue in west Chelsea. Apparently, says the Observer, he tried to keep the $6.4 million purchase "top-secret" as he was "buying it for himself and his then-mistress Kayte Walsh." The "Frasier" star eventually married Walsh, and they now have two children together; his publicist confirmed that he's listed the three-bedroom spread for $9.75 million since they've "outgrown" the space.
Check it out
July 27, 2016

INTERVIEW: George Cominskie on the History and Future of the Westbeth Artist Community

Westbeth Artists Housing at 55 Bethune Street in the West Village opened in 1970 to provide affordable live/work spaces for artists. A young Richard Meier took the project on as one of his first commissions, transforming the former home of Bell Laboratories into 384 units open to artists of all disciplines. Today, Westbeth remains home […]

July 27, 2016

Tribeca Mural Is a Tribute to Ellis Island; New Yorkers Meet Wi-Fi Kiosks With Mixed Reviews

Famed graffiti artist JR unveiled his latest mural at the upcoming condo project 100 Franklin Street in Tribeca. It’s a tribute to Ellis Island’s emotional past. [CityRealty.com] Momofuku Milk Bar owner Christina Tosi bought this appropriately fun and colorful Chelsea loft for $3.7 million. [LLNYC] An Ikea food truck is giving out free meatballs in Brooklyn all […]

July 27, 2016

Should the MTA Consider These Gymnastics Ring-Like Straps in Their New Subway Design?

Every day, stoic straphangers face the crowds, dirt and other nasty stuff in the city's subway system (when it's running), and we don't often consider how the various moving parts of the commuting experience are designed. The old subway cars had straps to hang onto (hence the term) in addition to poles and horizontal rails; newer generations have nixed the strap altogether, including the new high-tech designs recently unveiled by Governor Cuomo. While it doesn't sound as cool as a self-driving bus, Keita Suzuki at the Japanese firm Product Design Studio has designed a transit strap that could add a little more comfort to the daily commute.
See more of a good idea
July 27, 2016

$2.5M Freestanding Italianate House Charms in Bay Ridge

The charm of a freestanding home in the middle of New York City will never get old. This Italiante home, at 237 77th Street in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bay Ridge, pretty much exudes all the charm and is now asking a cool $2.5 million. The 11-room house has a landscaped front yard that leads to a wrap-around porch. Once inside, a grand entrance leads you to a formal living room with hand-restored crown molding, the original windows, stained glass doors and a side entry back out to the porch. The rest of the house, too, is decked out with historic extravagances like stained glass, pocket doors and a wood-burning fireplace.
Take a look inside
July 27, 2016

Nearly 200 Affordable Units Up For Grabs in East New York, Starting at $788/Month

The affordable housing go-to's at Dattner Architects are at it again, this time with a six-building complex in East New York known as Stanley Commons, which includes five four-story buildings and one seven-story building surrounded by a large courtyard. There will also be a 19,000-square-foot community facility operated by Good Shepherds Services, a social service and youth development organization, and Man Up Inc., a local agency focusing on neighborhood improvement. The City Planning Commission recently approved a controversial rezoning of the neighborhood, part of de Blasio's push to increase affordable housing here, so it makes sense that 191 units are now up for grabs through the city's housing lottery for individuals earning 60 percent of the area media income. This ranges from a $788/month studio to $1,182/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify here
July 26, 2016

This Is What the Lower East Side Skyline Could Look Like, More Tall Towers Planned

The hotly contested Two Bridges neighborhood--the area along the East River, near the footings of the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges where the Lower East Side meets Chinatown--has been making headlines nearly every week, whether it be for a new supertall tower or local residents' opposition to what they feel is out-of-scale development for the mostly low-rise and low-income neighborhood. Just yesterday, The Lo-Down obtained information through a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request that reveals preliminary plans for two more residential projects that together "would add more than 2,100 residential units and 1.7 million square feet" to the area. A building at 271-283 South Street may rise 60 stories, while another at 260 South Street could reach 66 stories. To put into perspective just how much this planned and under-construction new development will alter the LES skyline, CityRealty.com has put together this Google Earth rendering of all the proposed towers.
Get all the details right here
July 26, 2016

My sqft: A British Expat and Aspiring Food Vlogger Makes a Home in Hamilton Heights

Hamilton Heights isn’t quite the neighborhood you’d expect to find a London girl who’s new to the city, but expat Vanessa Lee revels in the distance of her out of the way ‘hood. “I'm one of the outliers that don't mind traveling over an hour across town to discover a cute little bar or coffee shop," she says, "I try somewhere new every opportunity I can.” Like most New York newbies, Vanessa was looking for an affordable place to live when she arrived. This meant that living alone was out of the question, and living in a neighborhood like Soho or Tribeca would mean squeezing into an expensive sardine can with several others. So rather than settling into any downtown address she could find, she turned her budgetary constraints into an opportunity for observation and discovery. Ahead she talks to 6sqft about her transition from London to NYC; why she chose out of the way Hamilton Heights; and how she's now using food and video as a way to explore and share her adventures around the city with others.
More from Vanessa this way
July 26, 2016

Maya Angelou’s Historic Harlem Brownstone Finds a Buyer for $4M

The historic Harlem brownstone of author, poet, and civil rights activist Maya Angelou listed for $5.1 million in February, and after a drop to $4.95 million in March, it's now found a buyer for a reduced price of $4 million, The Real Deal tells us. Dr. Angelou purchased the four-story home, built in 1909 in the Mount Morris Park Historic District, sight unseen in 2002 to serve as her northeast residence when she wasn't teaching at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. But she didn't move in until 2004 (vandals had turned it into a "dilapidated shell"), when East Harlem-based architect Marc Anderson had completed a gut renovation that added contemporary amenities such as an elevator, two skylights, and a basement entertainment area, while retaining historic details like the original oak-front door, wainscoting, carved banister, and decorative fireplaces.
See it all
July 26, 2016

$3M Art Deco Co-op Boasts Wrap-Around Terraces With Views of Central Park

It's one thing to have views of Central Park from your apartment. It's quite another when those views come from two wrap-around terraces that surround your penthouse. That's what happening at 336 Central Park West, where this 17th floor, one-bedroom pad is now on the market for $2.995 million. There's more square footage outside than there is inside--with 1,100 interior square feet and 1,720 exterior square feet. And the interior boasts twelve large windows, with the original steel-cased frames, that look out onto both incredible terrace spaces.
See more of this outdoor shangri-la
July 26, 2016

De Blasio Ahead of Schedule on Ambitious Affordable Housing Plan

It looks like it's been another successful year for Mayor de Blasio's affordable housing goals. When he took office in 2014, he pledged to build or preserve 200,000 such units over 10 years. In a January 2015 speech, he announced that during his first year, the city exceeded its goal by 1,300 apartments, building or preserving a total of 17,300 units. Now, an announcement on Monday from his administration says that the city is ahead of schedule with its goals thus far, financing the creation or preservation of nearly 53,000 affordable apartments. As reported in the Times, "just in the fiscal year ending June 30, more affordable housing units — 23,284 — had been built or preserved than at any time since 1989." In a statement the Mayor said, "This engine is in full gear, financing enough affordable homes for 130,000 people in just two and a half years."
More details this way
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July 26, 2016

$7K/Month Chelsea Rental Gets Points for Townhouse Charm and a Private Garden

Chelsea living on a beautiful tree-lined street feels even better when the living is being done in an utterly charming pastel-tinted townhouse like the one at 353 West 22nd Street. Surrounded by equally lovely townhouse neighbors and near the High Line, the West Village and all of Chelsea, it's a great downtown location with tons of curb appeal. The apartment itself is also nothing like the average cookie-cutter rental space. With lots of warm wood and brick, impossibly high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling casement windows and a gem of a private garden, this $7,000/month two-bedroom bi-level rental may be on the small side but it gets points for charm and outdoor space.
Take a look around
July 26, 2016

Lottery Opens for 13 Affordable Units in Washington Heights, Starting at $868/Month

In April 2015, developer Sutton Management applied to utilize the city's 421-a program for a new project at 607 West 161st Street in Washington Heights, just off the New York Presbyterian campus. They received approvals that 13 of the Jeffrey Cole Architects-designed building's 62 units would be reserved for those earning 60 percent or less than the area median income, and today these units have come online through the city's affordable housing lottery. They range from $868/month studios to $1,085 two-bedrooms, and for an additional fee, lottery residents will have access to a fitness center and bicycle room.
Find out if you qualify
July 26, 2016

Underwater New York Offers Found Objects From NYC Waterways to Spark Imagination and Art

The collectors of curious things at Atlas Obscura bring us the work of Underwater New York, a fascinating catalogue of all the weird stuff that’s been found bobbing, sinking or washed-up from the murky depths of the city’s waterways, from a giraffe skeleton to a grand piano, with a bag of lottery tickets thrown in for good measure. In a fascinating study in what-is-it-and-where-is-it-coming from, founder Nicki Pombier Berger and the site's editors and contributors (artists, filmmakers, musicians, photographers and other storytellers) create contexts for the curiosities that find their way to this aquatic lost and found. New York City waterways, like the swampy southern Brooklyn beach known as Dead Horse Bay, and their submerged treasures are the inspiration for works in this digital gallery of sorts. Berger and fellow editors Helen Georgas and Nicole Haroutunian compile a growing list (it currently contains 150 objects) of waterfront finds that they've discovered via everything from news articles to anecdotes. Contributors are encouraged to use the objects to weave their stories in whatever medium they choose.
Find out more of the bizarre items found beneath the waves
July 25, 2016

Gigi Hadid Now a Resident of Trendy 10 Bond Street in Noho

Last summer, after a stalker tried to break into her apartment at 250 Bowery in Nolita, supermodel Gigi Hadid listed the home for $2.45 million. It closed in January for $2.3 million, around which time Hadid and then-new flame Zayn Malik were seen checking out a $6.5 million apartment nearby at Noho's 10 Bond Street. Seven months later, it look like Gigi's officially shacked up in the Annabelle Selldorf-designed building, as she and Malik have been exiting the building together to a swarm of paparazzi.
What's it look like inside?
July 25, 2016

MTA Announces Details on L Train Shutdown To Begin in 2019

The MTA plans to announce today that the long-dreaded L train shutdown for repairs needed on the Canarsie tunnel that runs beneath the East River will commence in 2019 and take the line out of service from Manhattan to the Bedford Avenue station in Brooklyn for 18 months, as reported by the New York Times. The 18-month option was the expected choice, the alternative being a partial three-year shutdown that would give about one in five passengers service to Manhattan (20 percent of current service). The agency needs to do major repairs on damage done by the 2012 superstorm Sandy, and while the tunnel is “not in grave danger of collapse,” according to the MTA, it can’t go untreated. As 6sqft previously reported, night and weekend service is off the table because of the amount of work that needs to be done, and building a third tube would be time- and cost-prohibitive.
Find out more
July 25, 2016

Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Former West Village Apartment Up For Rent Asking $10,250/Month

Acclaimed actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, who tragically died from a drug overdose in February 2014, was a regular fixture in his West Village community, sitting out on his stoop, frequenting local coffee shops, and helping to establish the neighborhood's LAByrinth Theater. He moved into his apartment at the Pickwick House, a former 19th century printing plant, in October 2013, after splitting from his wife. The unit first hit the market for $10,500 a month just a month after his passing, but even after dropping to $9,995, it couldn't find a tenant. It's now trying again reports the Post, asking $10,250 a month.
Take a look
July 25, 2016

Apply for 53 Affordable Units in Historic Harlem, Starting at $494/Month

The lottery is open for 53 brand new affordable units at 275 West 140th Street in central Harlem. The building, dubbed Strivers Plaza in reference to its proximity to the nearby historic homes of Striver’s Row, is an eight-story structure designed by affordable housing gurus Aufgang Architects. As previously reported by Yimby, Radson Development was able to build bigger than zoning would normally allow due to the inclusion of the below-market rate units, as well as an 8,000-square foot supermarket in what's considered a "food desert." Available units go from $494/month studios to $2,405/month two-bedrooms for people with a wide range of annual earnings -- 40 to 165 percent of the area median income.
See if you qualify here
July 25, 2016

For $12M This West Village Townhouse/Condo Has It All, Plus a Rooftop Pool

For amenities that rival those shared by residents of the city's top luxury condo buildings–a gym, sun deck with hot tub and privacy cabana, laundry, media room–you won’t even need to get dressed, because all those things are under your roof. But if you should choose to venture from your 4,382-square-foot, four-bedroom triplex "townhouse" at 385 West 12th Street, a whole other level of amenities awaits; the boutique condo building offers a roof-deck with a 50-foot lap pool, an expansive spa, an outdoor shower, two gas grills and a dining area. Should you exit the premises completely rather than just letting the whole world just come to you, you’re on a pretty cobblestoned street in the West Village. So for the $11.995 million this supercondo is asking, it’s pretty much win/win/win.
Check it all out this way
July 25, 2016

Lottery Launches for 76 Affordable Units at 300 Ashland Place, From $889/Month

It's been 14 years since Enrique Norten's ship-like design was chosen to sail upon a triangular site in an ambitious arts district planned for the area around the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Initially proposed as an eight-story glass building to house the Brooklyn Library for the Visual and Performing Arts, the project was altered to a mixed-use high-rise when Two Trees Management was brought onboard during the economic downturn in 2008. Now officially known as 300 Ashland Place, the slab-shaped tower is a silvery 32-story icon that architecture critic Carter Horsley praises as a "gleaming, but mysterious steed" in the emerging Downtown Brooklyn skyline. It will house a smattering of public uses in addition to 379 apartments above. Earlier this July, leasing began on the 300 market-rate apartments that go for roughly $2,850/month for studios, $3,600/month for one-bedrooms and $5,750/month for two-bedrooms. And now, a housing lottery has launched for the 76 affordable units that include $889/month studios, $949/month one-bedrooms, and $1,087/month two-bedrooms.
Find out here if you qualify
July 24, 2016

The Location is Good and the Price Is Right for This Cozy $440K Prospect Heights Co-op

This one-bedroom co-op at 786 Washington Avenue may have its limits–space and windows, for example–but the Prospect Heights neighborhood is a winner, a slice of old-meets-new-Brooklyn with a collection of grocery stores, cafes, restaurants and bars that grows daily, and just a few blocks from Prospect Park, Crown Heights and Park Slope for even more options. The street's a bit busy, but then again you're on the third floor where it's quieter, and if you like exposed brick, you're in luck–possibly for less per month than lots of folks are paying in rent for a one-bedroom–or even a studio.
See this little Brooklyn pad from all angles
July 23, 2016

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks From the 6sqft Staff

New High-Tech Subway Station and Car Designs Unveiled by Governor Cuomo $4.5M Industrial Tribeca Loft Is Both Cavernous and Airy See Day and Night Views From 1,400 Feet in the Air at 432 Park! 432 Park Reveals Renderings of Rafael Viñoly-Designed Amenity Spaces New Photos of NYC’s First Residential Urban Farm at Urby Staten Island […]

July 22, 2016

Grand Mansion on Michelle Williams’ Street With a Huge Ballroom Asks $3M

Actress Michelle Williams' exquisite taste in real estate has had us swooning over each of the extraordinary properties she's bought and/or transformed–and renovation plans for the pixie-haired star's historic 18-room Colonial Revival-style mansion on Albemarle Road were recently approved. In quiet Prospect Park South, her fame has paved the way for a new level of exposure for historic homes like this one at 1305 Albemarle, which hit the market yesterday for a neighborhood record-setting $2.98 million. The unusual and somewhat haunting (though hopefully not haunted) 10,000-plus-square-foot, 23-room mansion would turn a few heads on its own, but a celebrity neighbor certainly doesn't hurt. The impressive home has 10 bedrooms, six full baths and floors of pine, cherry, mahogany and oak. There’s a two-car garage and decks galore, including one with a six-person hot tub. But the Oscar for cool house features definitely goes to the unbelievably massive and dramatic third floor ballroom, complete with wet bar.
Is this antebellum manse cool, or creepy? You decide.
July 22, 2016

What You Need to Know When Buying a Townhouse in New York City

Historic details, gardens, privacy, numerous bedrooms and bathrooms… In a crowded city like New York where quarters often come cramped, townhouse living is truly what real estate dreams are made of. However, while townhouses can offer far more space and flexibility than say an apartment in a glass tower, unlike buying into a condo or a co-op, they also come with a whole other […]

July 22, 2016

Dreamy Hamptons Vacation Home Designed by Mid-Century Architect Andrew Geller Asks $2M

Vacation homes don't get much better than this. The abode at 375 Brick Kiln Road in the Hamptons was designed by the Mid-century architect Andrew Geller. He was known for designing creative homes across Long Island that utilize low-cost materials in unconventional ways, according to Curbed Hamptons, and he created this one--known as the Elizabeth Reese house--in 1963. The striking $2.2 million beach cottage, featuring triangular windows with projecting flaps, sits on a beautiful five acres of land. It comes with a tennis court, swimming pool and an impressive stone fireplace, making this one of the coolest vacation pads we've come across.
Take a look
July 22, 2016

Units at Trump’s 11 Manhattan Condo Buildings Are Still Selling at a Premium

Historically, the Trump brand has boosted sales prices at Manhattan condos. Since 2005, units in the Donald's buildings have sold for an average of 31 percent more than other NYC condos. But with his beyond-contentious presidential run, it's been unclear if his real estate empire would take a hit in a city where 70 percent of registered voters are Democrats. New data brought to us by MarketWatch, however, shows that he's "still king of New York." According to an analysis by CityRealty.com of 2016 sales data at Trump's 11 Manhattan condos, these units sold for an average of $1,974 a square foot, compared with $1,873 for all other condos, a five percent advantage that was also echoed in 2015.
READ MORE
July 22, 2016

Juno Jeon’s Bedside Table Has Scales That Act Like a Living Creature

We interact with our furniture everyday--when we sit on a couch or open a drawer--but most of the time we don't even think about it. To make those interactions more visible (and fun) designer Juno Jeon creates ordinary objects with a surprising twist. One example is Pull Me to Life, a wooden bedside table complete with scales that react when in use.
Learn more about this piece
July 22, 2016

Spotlight: John D’Agostino Wants You to Go Wild for the Staten Island Yankees

New York is fortunate to not only have two Major League Baseball teams, but two Minor League teams—the Mets-affiliated Brooklyn Cyclones and the Yankees-affiliated Staten Island Yankees. The latter is based right near the Staten Island Ferry in St. George, and for 15 years, it's been a team for Yankees players who are tuning up after rehab or future Major League players to get their start. Unlike the Major Leagues, the SI team has a shorter season that runs from mid-June until September, and the focus at games is all about the entertainment factor. This is where John D'Agostino comes in. John grew up a Staten Island Yankees fan, but now serves as the team’s Director of Entertainment, where he's responsible for making sure every game has a range of fun programming that gets fans laughing and cheering. 6sqft recently spoke with John to learn all about baseball on Staten Island and why more New Yorkers should hop on the ferry and head to a game!
Read the interview here
July 22, 2016

Local Pols Say Port Authority’s $10B Bus Terminal Plan Is a Hot Mess

A request to put the brakes on a $10 billion plan for a new West Side bus terminal and rethink the process with more input from local officials and the public was rebuffed by the Port Authority chairman, reports Crain’s. Rep. Jerrold Nadler and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer were joined by Deputy Mayor Anthony Shorris, state Sen. Brad Hoylman, Assembly members Richard Gottfried and Linda Rosenthal and Councilman Corey Johnson in backing the effort to slow the Port Authority's call to move ahead with a design competition to get ideas for the West Side plan. The controversy emerged after a board meeting on Thursday. "We’re not going to defer the design and deliverability study,” was the reply from John Degnan, the New Jersey-appointed chairman, amid concerns that the new terminal will necessitate the seizure of private property using eminent domain, threaten area homes, small businesses and other organizations and belch more carbon from a larger fleet of buses into the air in an area that already "runs afoul of federal air-quality standards."
Find out what the fuss is all about
July 21, 2016

See Day and Night Views From 1,400 Feet in the Air at 432 Park!

Earlier today, 6sqft brought you flashy new renderings of the amenity spaces at 432 Park Avenue. The reveal came with a link to the official building website, which has a section offering jaw-dropping photos that showcase the views from the 1,396-foot tower, the tallest residential building in the Western Hemisphere. As the site notes, they span from the Hudson River to the East River, from Westchester to Brooklyn, and from Central Park to the Atlantic Ocean.
See them all here
July 21, 2016

432 Park Reveals Renderings of Rafael Viñoly-Designed Amenity Spaces

To date, 46 of the 106 residences at 432 Park Avenue, the tallest residential building in the Western Hemisphere, have sold. And perhaps in an attempt to sweaten the deal for those remaining, which now includes rentals, the sales team has released renderings of the swanky amenity spaces, also designed by the building's starchitect Rafael Viñoly. In addition to views of the indoor swimming pool, billiards room and library, fitness center, massage treatment room, and movie theater, the press release brings fresh details on the restaurant, which will be open only to residents and their guests.
See all the renderings here
July 21, 2016

Unpretentious Beach House by Space Exploration Is a Perfect Retreat For a Creative City Pair

Understandably busy creative couple Elisa Restrepo, co-founder of the luxurious minimalist shoe label Dieppa Restrepo, and restaurateur Dylan Dodd (Karasu, Walter’s, Walter Foods, and Barrio Chino) turned to Brooklyn architects Space Exploration to transform their three-story split-level house in the laid-back (though lately less so) surfing village of Montauk. 6sqft has featured the firm's work before, and they've done another fine job creating an un-fussy and livable space with white and pale woods, earthy textiles and plenty of natural light. The house underwent a full gut remodel, including extensive landscaping, which took a year, but looks completely worth the effort.
Summer serenity this way
July 21, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week- 7/21-7/27

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! The wall made famous by Keith Haring, now known as the Bowery Wall, gets a fresh coat of paint this week- head down to check out the process of photorealist stencil artist Logan Hicks. The Gallery@Spring opens its doors for a rare look at New York Fashion from the Time LIFE archives, and the irrepressible No Wave performance artists host a night of seedy New York storytelling at the Django. The High Line finally lets visitors stay late to experience a night of illuminated art works, and do-gooders Beauty For Freedom are hosting an art party to benefit young women in India. Be sure to catch a pop up exhibition and book release by Iranian brothers and stencil artists Icy & Sot, and take in a powerful show by female artists at the Untitled Space.
More on all the best events this way
July 21, 2016

Trendy, ‘Affordable’ Food Hall and Beer Garden Headed to the South Bronx

Controversial South Bronx Developer Keith Rubenstein of Somerset Partners has purchased a 16,000-square-foot warehouse (expandable to 30,000 square feet) at 9 Bruckner Boulevard for $7.5 million and intends to create a Gansevoort Market-style food hall called Bruckner Market, reports The Real Deal. According to the developer, who purchased two other South Bronx waterfront sites last year, the space will offer a fresh food market, kiosks and restaurants and may have a beer garden, though he made a point of addressing how the new addition will affect the community: “It will provide great food and beverage options at affordable prices for the existing community and new community.”
Find out more
July 21, 2016

Live in a Charming Midtown Co-op Just Off Billionaires’ Row For $449K

For a rare low-six-figure price, this one-bedroom co-op shares a neighborhood with the big-ticket buyers at One57 and 15 Central Park West, as well as easy access to the same great perks, like Lincoln Center, Central Park, the Time Warner Center and lots of theater options. While it might have a lot less interior space, the fourth-floor walk up at 431 West 54th Street looks bright, quiet and comfortable, and might just cost less per month than most rentals in the area. Just north of vibrant Hell's Kitchen, the neighborhood is a growing residential favorite on its own with buyers and renters who love Manhattan living.
Get a look at this find
July 21, 2016

Transportation Coalition Wants NYC to Fix Failing Bus Service

On the heels of Governor Cuomo's major announcement that the MTA will build 1,025 new subway cars and modernize 31 of the city’s more than 400 stations, some New Yorkers are hoping to turn the attention to buses instead of trains. The NYC Bus Turnaround Coalition, which the Wall Street Journal notes is a newly formed partnership of transit advocacy groups, hopes to fix "a broken system plagued by outdated routes and slow, unreliable service." Since 2002, subway usage has increased by nearly 25 percent, while bus ridership has decreased by 16 percent. And between 2010 and 2015 alone the system lost 46 million riders. In response, the group released a report titled "Turnaround: Fixing New York City’s Buses" that calls for more bus lanes and bus-boarding islands, queue-jump lanes (additional bus lanes at intersections that would allow buses to bypass lines of vehicles at red lights), reconfigured bus routes, and implementing "tap-and-go" far collection at all bus doors.
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July 21, 2016

Versace’s Former Mansion Gets $55K/Month Price Cut; The Seafood Restaurants of City Island

The opulent UES mansion once home to Versace listed for for $120,000/month in April, but it’s now been reduced to $65,000. [Curbed] Here’s a dining guide to the seafood utopia of City Island. [Gothamist] New York Times architecture critic Michael Kimmelman talks tall buildings, Greenwich Village, and his crusade for a 21st century transportation hub. [Common Edge] […]

July 20, 2016

MoMA Has Already Raised $650M for Renovation and Expansion, And More Is Coming

Just this week, it came to light that the Metropolitan Museum of Art may lay off as many as 100 employees as part of efforts to cut its $30 million deficit. As the New York Times previously explored, the struggling state of the Met exemplifies a shift in the art world towards modern and contemporary art. And standing as a true testament to this is MoMA's current financial status. The midtown museum has already raised $650 million towards its fundraising campaign, far exceeding the $450 million needed for its planned renovation and addition of three new gallery floors. In addition, they'll also sell $280 million of tax-exempt bonds "to raise money for the project and refinance debt as borrowing costs drop to the lowest on record," reports Crain's.
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July 20, 2016

New Photos of NYC’s First Residential Urban Farm at Urby Staten Island

Urban farms are nothing new to NYC, but the first one at a residential building is taking shape at Staten Island's Urby. The $250 million, 900-unit rental development is located on the borough's North Shore waterfront, just minutes from the ferry, and is a collaboration between Ironstate Development and Dutch architecture and design firm Concrete. There will be 35,000 square feet of retail space, and though the units are quite nice and modern, it's the health-centric amenities that really set this LEED-certified project apart. Urby will offer an outdoor pool, a two-story fitness center, filtered communal well, landscaped courtyards with fire pits, a rooftop apiary with beehives, a 300-car garage with electric car chargers, and access to a waterfront esplanade. In the food department, there's one of the city's largest urban farms, which is employing New York's first farmer-in-residence, as well as an on-site bodega, cafe, and communal test kitchen.
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July 20, 2016

Landmarks Tells BKSK Architects to Cut Height of Proposed Eight-Story UWS Resi Building

It's back to the drawing board for BKSK Architects, reports CityRealty.com. At yesterday's LPC meeting, architects Harry Kendall and Todd Poisson presented BKSK's proposal for a new seven-unit residential building at 466-468 Columbus in the Central Park West Historic District being developed by the Roe Corporation. The project would require the demo of an innocuous three-story brick building dating back to 1894 (the existing building facade was updated in 2006), replacing it with an even taller masonry building with a facade punctuated by terra cotta louvers and topped with a modern cornice. The building would also host two retail units on its ground floor and an eighth-floor setback that would give the penthouse a private terrace. While the LPC had no issue with knocking down the existing building, they were less keen on some of the other items.
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July 20, 2016

MAP: NYC’s Rental Concessions on the Rise, See Where Landlords Are Offering Deals

“There’s some crazy stuff going on in New York.” David Neithercut, President and CEO of Equity Residential, told Bloomberg in April during the company’s Q1 Earnings Call. COO David Santee sums up why: “We had to join the concession party to close deals.” Equity Residential is following a growing trend of many other New York City landlords, and is doing so out of necessity. They are under immense pressure to keep their buildings full in the face of increasing vacancy rates. According to the June 2016 Elliman Report, in Manhattan, “The vacancy rate rose from 2.07 percent to 2.3 percent when compared to the same month a year ago, and is the highest vacancy rate for June in four years.” The report also notes that the median rental price is up 2.2 percent since last June, and the number of new leases is up 33.5 percent as tenants continue to push back against increases applied at the time of renewal. Tenants were offered concessions on 9.7 percent of all new leases, up from 3.9 percent last June. While this has become a point of stress for landlords (Equity Residential alone gave an estimated $600,000 in concessions during the first quarter), as you may have guessed, this is great news for prospective renters.
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