6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

Intricate, carved woodwork is one of those details that you'll never find in new developments. A relic of the past, it can also be one of the most stunning features of an apartment. That's the case for this three-bedroom co-op, now on the market for $1.25 million, at 560 Dean Street in Prospect Heights. Separating the formal living and dining rooms is an impressive ornamental wood transom. It's paired with other prewar details like a decorative fireplace, the original wood mantle and oak flooring laid in a unique diagonal pattern. It's true what they say, they don't make 'em like they used to...
See all the prewar features

Distinctive Homes

September 23, 2016

Sales have launched for LES luxury condos next door to Katz’s deli for $1.075M and up

Developer Ben Shaoul's new Lower East Side condos adjacent to Katz's famous deli at 196 Orchard Street have just hit the market. Definitely in line with the 21st century version of the storied neighborhood, the 96 newly-minted apartments have luxurious finishes, expansive views and enviable amenities, with units starting at $1.075 million for a studio.
This way for more details and lots of interior renderings

$7.75M penthouse with huge roof deck tops Tribeca’s Pearl Paint-replacing condos

Inside the penthouse (L); The former facade of the building still as Pearl Paint (R)

September 23, 2016

$7.75M penthouse with huge roof deck tops Tribeca’s Pearl Paint-replacing condos

Tribeca artists' mecca Pearl Paint--the 80-year-old art supply retailer at 308 Canal Street--closed just over two years ago, and in May, Trans World Equities filed permits to convert one of the buildings into four "bespoke full-floor lofts" and build a two-story addition above the 150-year-old cast-iron structure, now going by 42 Lispenard Street. Two are already in contract, but the newly-listed penthouse awaits, with a prospective winter 2016 occupancy date.
See more expensive sheetrock

September 23, 2016

Interactive map reveals NYC buildings where affordable housing is being threatened

By Diane Pham

New York City currently maintains about 178,000 affordable housing units, a number that is getting a boost with Mayor de Blasio's plans to preserve or build 200,000 more units over ten years. However, while de Blasio has put the preservation of affordable housing at the heart of his administration's work, there's still a lot of headway to be made, and the threat for displacement remains high for a considerable number of New Yorkers. But who is at most risk? A new map (h/t DNA Info) created by the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development (ANHD) seeks to shed some light on what areas, and even more specifically, which buildings, will likely see rent hikes in the near future.
learn more about how the map was created

Affordable Housing

September 23, 2016

Bill and Hillary Clinton pick up $1.16M Westchester property next to current home

Despite hopes for a move to Washington D.C., the Clintons are expanding their Westchester property, as the couple has picked up a $1.16 million ranch-style residence right next door to their current home, a larger house that they bought back in 1999 for $1.7 million. As the Post first reported, the powerful pair now own an entire cul-de-sac at the end of a Chappaqua block. In addition to giving the Clintons more space to stretch out in, the buy will apparently also make life easier for the Secret Service.
Find out more

September 23, 2016

Spotlight: The Museum of Math’s Cindy Lawrence on making math a fun and interactive endeavor

By Susan Cohen

In a city with a museum in an elevator shaft and another all about transit history, it should come as no surprise that there's a museum dedicated to math. Located across from Madison Square Park, the National Museum of Mathematics is an institution devoted to the numerous possibilities that numbers hold. Since opening in 2012, MoMath has been a place for visitors of all ages to gets hands on with the subject through interactive exhibits that explore conundrums like how it's possible for a square-wheeled tricycle to pedal on a circular, curved surface. And as of last week, the museum offers the chance to drive remote-controlled cars on either a Möbius strip or a trefoil track in the newly opened Twisted Thruway. 6sqft recently visited the museum to speak with Executive Director and CEO Cindy Lawrence about the importance of making math interactive and most importantly, fun.
Read the interview ahead

September 23, 2016

Construction has officially begun for citywide ferry system; first boats to arrive in 2017

Mayor Bill de Blasio, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and Citywide Ferry operator Hornblower have announced that construction has officially begun on 19 vessels that will kick off New York City's first citywide ferry system, with vessels sporting the latest in 21st century maritime technology. The mayor said in a statement, “We are moving full steam ahead and bringing modern ferry boats, outfitted with the latest technology and safety features, to our waterways. This new fleet will help us connect commuters and visitors alike to neighborhoods throughout the city.”
Find out more

Transit

September 22, 2016

REVEALED: Port Authority releases five design proposals for new bus terminal

On Tuesday, an agreement was reached between West Side elected officials and the Port Authority that said the agency would expand the planning process for a new $10 billion bus terminal with more local input. And just today they've revealed the five proposals that were submitted to a design competition to replace the currently loathed site. Crain's brings us videos of the ideas, which come from big-name firms Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, Arcadis, AECOM in partnership with Skidmore Owings & Merrill, Perkins Eastman, and Archilier Architecture Consortium. Though this seems counter to the agreement, John Degnan, the Port Authority's New Jersey-appointed chairman, said he doubts "any one of them will be the final design," since they either further complicate existing planning issues or cost billions over budget.
Take a look at them all here

Distinctive Homes

Cobble Hill's most expensive home finds a buyer

$15M penthouse in a gold cupola high above Fifth Avenue heads to auction this month

This $12M home in a Chelsea Deco icon has a terrace and room for an extra bedroom

This $4M Brooklyn Heights duplex adds condo convenience to old-world elegance

Steven Van Zandt's Village penthouse in a converted church asks $15M

For $6.25M, a stately 1847 Boerum Hill townhouse has historic charm and a dramatic glass solarium

For $7.15M, this Sag Harbor 1930s cottage is a timeless waterfront refuge

One of the oldest wood-frame houses in Brooklyn Heights asks $4.9M

This $22.5M maisonette offers townhouse privacy with classic Upper East Side co-op luxury

For $2.3M, this Amzi Hill-designed Bed-Stuy brownstone gives you plenty of options

VIEW ALL

September 22, 2016

Charming Hell’s Kitchen railroad apartment hits the market for $510K

Not everyone will want to live just a block from Times Square, but this Midtown West apartment at 347 West 44th Street may be cute enough to convince buyers otherwise. It's located two flights up a brownstone building (yes, there are brownstones in Times Square!) and is asking $510,000. An open living room/kitchen fronts the railroad apartment, followed by a cozy bedroom and finally a bathroom.
Walk through the space

Distinctive Homes

September 22, 2016

Paul Foeckler creates rustic indoor lighting using reclaimed California firewood

By Rebecca Paul

For fireplace-starved apartment dwellers, here's an alternative way to bring in some woodsy warmth as we approach the cooler months. Designer Paul Foeckler's Split Grain lighting collection is made from firewood he forages himself in California and then slices uses a splitting technique that reveals the grain patterns of the cross sections. These intricacies are then highlighted when the light emanates from the sculptural piece.
See more of these beautiful lights

September 22, 2016

Unleash your inner foodie at this year’s Taste of Red Hook

Ten years ago, five or six new restaurants brought their food to a house in Brooklyn. Less than 100 people bought tickets for a tasting of the new businesses wares. More than $10,000 was raised for the Red Hook Initiative, a community nonprofit. It was a success. This year, tickets for the Taste of Red Hook are on […]

Events & Things To Do

September 22, 2016

Sandy-damaged homes could cost city $1M each; the story of NYC’s most colorful apartment building

The city plans to allocate $500 million in NYC taxpayer money for Sandy repairs, as 53 homes in low-lying Queens could cost up to $1 million each to repair. [WSJ] A second art gallery is opening on Roosevelt Island’s Main Street, and its owner thinks others will follow, creating a “mini-Chelsea.” [DNAinfo] The tenement building on the […]

Uncategorized

September 22, 2016

W train service starts up again November 7th

NY1 has learned that the W train will make its triumphant return on Monday, November 7th. The line was taken out of service in 2010, along with the V train, due to MTA budget cuts, but the idea to revive the line came about last summer as a way to better connect Astoria when the Q train is rerouted once the Second Avenue Subway opens. As Curbed notes, at first it will operate between 57th Street and Whitehall Street in Lower Manhattan, but will eventually extend to Astoria-Ditmars Boulevard.
More details

Transit

September 22, 2016

Combine Gwyneth Paltrow’s Tribeca penthouse with downstairs loft for the ultimate duplex

The 4,400 square-foot penthouse at the River Lofts at 416 Washington Street in Tribeca that Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin kept as a Manhattan landing spot before their conscious uncoupling has yet to find a buyer. The New York Post reminds us that Gwynnie's loft is still available, along with the 1,900 square foot apartment downstairs owned by restaurateur Reika Yo Alexander (her EN Japanese Brasserie is a celebrity fave, and fashion luminaries like Karl Lagerfeld and Alexander Wang have hosted events at the chic Izakaya), and that the two units might be consciously coupled in a stellar package deal.
Have a look at the Tribeca loft possibilities

September 22, 2016

Alec and Hilaria Baldwin continue house hunt with $16.6M Nomad condo

It's been just 10 days since Alec and Hilaria Baldwin welcomed their third child together into the world, but they're wasting no time continuing the hunt for a larger home to accommodate their growing brood. After touring a $16.5 million Chelsea penthouse at the beginning of the month, they've now set their sites on a similarly-sized, $16.6 million spread at Nomad's 212 Fifth Avenue, reports the Post. The 1912 neo-Gothic buiding sits at the northwest corner of Madison Square Park, and the four-bedroom unit that caught the couple's eyes boasts soaring ceilings, three exposures with views south to the Flatiron building and Freedom Tower, a marble-floored entry foyer, and a twelve-foot-long Calacatta gold marble kitchen island.
Check it out

September 22, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s top event picks for the week – 9/22-9/28

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! Art openings aren’t for everyone; some thrive on jam-packing themselves into hot galleries, clamoring for two inches of cheap wine and a glimpse of a corner of a painting, while others have gotten over the “I saw it first” mentality and prefer to leisurely enjoy show offerings at their own pace, long after the crowds have seceded. That said, put your best shoes on and enjoy a night (or day) out at these excellent exhibits this September. My list this week includes losing yourself in the trippy, yellow-hued world of Os Gemeos at Lehmann Maupin, and taking in the larger than life works of graffiti artist John Matos, a prolific contributor to the New York graffiti scene since the late 70s. And if you're looking to dance this weekend, school is also back in session with a wild high school-themed party at MoMA PS1!
More on all the best events this way

Events & Things To Do

September 22, 2016

Adele might be saying ‘Hello’ to swanky Gramercy duplex

Between performing this week at Madison Square Garden, Adele has been keeping herself busy checking out real estate around the city. The Post reports that she inquired about a five-and-half bedroom duplex at the new Gramercy condominium 234 East 23rd Street. Her people had supposedly asked about short-term rentals, but the "sky duplex" is about to hit the market for $12 million.
See more

Celebrities

It may be small, but this $445K Chelsea studio is cute as a button and a block from the High Line

Chelsea may not be the first place anyone looks for bargains, but this sunny pre-war studio with 10-foot ceilings, exposed brick walls and a huge overhead loft space for storage or sleep is as cute as the neighborhood is pricey. Tucked into a turn-of-the-century townhouse at 356 West 23rd Street in the heart of the popular gallery-, food market- and shop-filled neighborhood, this tranquil studio overlooks charming brownstone gardens for peace and quiet, and it's near a collection of subway lines for convenience and a block from the High Line for High Line awesomeness.
Take a peek inside

Distinctive Homes

The Bronx’s Lambert Houses may be replaced with 1,665 affordable housing units

Google Earth view of the current Lambert Houses

September 21, 2016

The Bronx’s Lambert Houses may be replaced with 1,665 affordable housing units

When it comes to the Mayor's affordable housing push, the Bronx is a force to be reckoned with. Not only were more than 43 percent of these units constructed in the first half of the year in the borough, but the City Council recently approved the La Central development, which will bring nearly 1,000 affordable units to Melrose under de Blasio’s mandatory inclusionary housing legislation. Though not part of MIH, another new project may one-up this, ushering in a whopping 1,665 affordable apartments on the site of the Bronx Zoo-bordering Lambert Houses. As CityRealty.com explains, "If proposals are approved, the new mega-development will feature more than double the affordable housing units and triple the existing retail space, create a new public school, and better integrate the community into the surrounding neighborhood."
Find out more

Affordable Housing

Image: Yorkville

September 21, 2016

7 hot NYC neighborhoods for renters in search of a deal

Young New Yorkers have simple needs: love, a decent job and an affordable apartment to wake up in without experiencing a total loss of self respect. Every month more people seem to be competing for more costly housing, pushing the search to neighborhoods you never knew existed or previously wouldn’t consider. Now, NeighborhoodX, a real estate analytics […]

Uncategorized

September 21, 2016

Adorable 400-square-foot Park Slope studio asks just $335K

Who says you can't pack a lot of charm into 400 square feet? That's the size of this Park Slope studio, at 144 Park Place, now on the market for a reasonable $335,000. Located in a four-story, six-unit brownstone, the co-op apartment doesn't feel cramped thanks to pre-war details like high ceilings and wide archways. The original moldings and wood floors don't look bad, either.
Here's a look

Distinctive Homes

September 21, 2016

NYC’s most expensive listing gets a $24M price chop; the meaning behind Grand Central’s chandeliers

New York’s most expensive listing was just reduced from $120 million to $96 million after five months on the market. [LLNYC] MoMA releases a new digital archive of every exhibition they’ve held since 1929. [Open Culture] Is this the world’s most beautiful hot dog cart? [Fast Co. Design] A Long Island brewery used George Washington’s 260-year-old […]

Uncategorized

September 21, 2016

POLL: Is Journal Square the Next Brooklyn?

These days, everything seems to get the Brooklyn stamp. The Post even went so far as to declare Pennsylvania's Amish Country the new incarnation of the borough. But a bit closer to home, Jersey City's Journal Square is making serious headway in the race to become the next frontier. As CityRealty.com recently explained, the slightly-inland area, easily accessible to Manhattan via the PATH train, is prime for development due to lower land and construction costs than the waterfront. At least 10 major residential projects are planned for Journal Square, and according to Ken Pasternack, chairman of developer KABR Group, "Rents for a new-development high rise will be $40 a square foot here, as opposed to $100 in Manhattan. We’re betting tens of millions of dollars that in the next 10 years, the neighborhood will be a brand on par with Brooklyn."
Do you agree?

Real Estate Trends

September 21, 2016

Sales launch at Renzo Piano’s first residential project in NYC

Last we heard from starchitect Renzo Piano's 565 Broome SoHo, his first residential project in the city, it was March and with construction underway, a slew of new renderings came online of the Soho condominium. Now Curbed reports that sales have finally launched at the pair of glassy, 30-story structures, with currently available units ranging from a $990,000 studio to a $6,135,000 two-bedroom (the penthouses and duplexes will top $20 million). Perhaps the most noteworthy tidbit from the press release is that some residences will feature "enormous private terraces with 25-foot private, saltwater pools," which seems to be a growing trend in the luxury market.
More details and new views

September 21, 2016

The Urban Lens: A walk through the 90th annual Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy

By James and Karla Murray

6sqft’s ongoing series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment, award-winning authors and photographers James and Karla Murray introduce us to the faces and food vendors that make up the 2016 Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. 2016 marks the 90th anniversary of the Feast of San Gennaro, which is held in the "Little Italy" neighborhood of lower Manhattan from Thursday, September 15 through Sunday, September 25th. The Feast is an 11-day salute to the Patron Saint of Naples, Saint Januaries, and it is the longest and most popular street fair in New York City (anticipated to bring in one million tourists and New Yorkers this year). Little Italy was once known for its large population of Italian immigrants and is now centered on Mulberry Street between Broome and Canal Streets. Italians first began to settle in the area during the 1850s, but by the 1960s, wealthy Italians began to move out and Chinese merchants for the first time began to move north of Canal Street—the traditional boundary between Chinatown and Little Italy. Observing the changes in the neighborhood, Italian merchants and restaurateurs formed an association dedicated to maintaining Mulberry Street north of Canal as an all-Italian enclave, which it still largely remains. Ahead we document some of the longtime New Yorkers, tourists, and decades-old Italian vendors who've added their own flavor to this year's festivities.
our account and more photos here

September 21, 2016

Debt-beleaguered site of Norman Foster’s 3 Sutton Place condo tower is cleared for sale

Snag the Greenest Seat in Town: Gufram's 1972 Pratone Chair is Shaped Like a Patch of Grass

A US Bankruptcy Court judge has approved a plan to sell the 3 Sutton Place site at at 426-432 East 58th Street, one of the city's most luxurious old enclaves, reports the New York Post. Brokers have been selected to conduct the marketing of the 262,000-square-foot project that includes plans for a 900-foot-tall condominium tower drawn up by British architect Sir Norman Foster of Foster + Partners.
Find out more

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50 places to shop locally in NYC for that perfect gift

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

10 best plants for apartment dwellers

VIEW ALL

September 21, 2016

PHOTOS: Check out NYPL’s new $2.6M ‘Book Train’ conveyor system

Last week, the New York Public Library released stunning photographs of the renovation of its historic Rose Main Reading Room and Bill Blass Public Catalog Room, along with news that the spaces would be reopening to the public on October 5th. As of this day, when guests request research materials, they'll come from a new, $23 million state-of-the-art storage facility below Bryant Park. To bring the materials up, the library installed an innovative conveyor system known as the "book train," which, according to a press release, "consists of 24 individual red cars that run on rails and can seamlessly and automatically transition from horizontal to vertical motion," transporting up to 30 pounds of materials at a time in just five minutes.
Check out photos and video of the Book Train

Policy

September 21, 2016

UWS duplex is both a ‘Tuscan villa’ and ‘Swiss chalet’ with three fireplaces and roof garden

According to the listing, this brownstone duplex at 316 West 90th Street on the Upper West Side is "a Tuscan villa in the warmer months and a romantic Swiss chalet in the winter." That sounds like a pretty tall order for a two-bedroom co-op, even for $1.8 million. But upon closer inspection, three toasty fireplaces definitely have fall and winter dialed in, and two decidedly Tuscan villa-esque decks await once al fresco season arrives.
Pick a room, pick a season, this way

Distinctive Homes

September 20, 2016

De Blasio announces early progress on green building programs

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Tuesday early progress on green building programs in conjunction with the eighth annual Climate Week held in the city, which runs from September 19-25. With a new president of the United States being elected in just weeks, “Climate Week NYC 2016 will gather leaders from business and government to demonstrate […]

September 20, 2016

Should the 7 train get extended to NJ?; Harlem African Burial Ground memorial moves forward

The Port Authority plans to release a study that resurfaces the push for an extension of the 7 train to Secaucus. [Politico] Rem Koolhaas’s first NYC building at 121 East 22nd Street gets a teaser site. [CityRealty.com] The Vladimir Lenin statue that sat atop an East Village rental has been removed amid rumors that the […]

Uncategorized

September 20, 2016

Look inside Roberta Flack’s mirror-covered Dakota apartment, now $2M cheaper

Roberta Flack first listed her Dakota apartment in June 2015 for $9.5 million, and it's now come back on the market for $7.5 million with rare interior photos, reports LL NYC. We can't imagine all those wall-to-wall mirrors will help her case, but it's always a treat to get a look inside the storied address, especially when the unit is next door to none other than Yoko Ono.
Take a look around

September 20, 2016

Massive skylights drench this $2.2M Greenwich Village co-op in light

What's better than 19-foot, wood-beamed ceilings? Those same ceilings lined with two giant skylights. This apartment, also decorated with red brick walls and a wood-burning fireplace, is located within the 16-unit Greenwich Village co-op 66 West 11th Street. The co-op is a collection of 1853 Italianate townhouses with apartments that've been uniquely renovated. This two- bedroom, two-bathroom pad (in which the bedrooms and a bathroom also boast skylights) occupies the entire top floor of one of the townhouses.
See more of the interior

Distinctive Homes

Renderings revealed for Tishman Speyer’s massive, mixed-use developments in Long Island City

Residential tower at 28-10 Jackson Avenue (L); Commercial tower at 28-07 Jackson Avenue (R). Via Tishman Speyer

September 20, 2016

Renderings revealed for Tishman Speyer’s massive, mixed-use developments in Long Island City

There are currently nearly 30 under-construction and proposed projects in Long Island City, which, as 6sqft recently described "is sprouting a small city worth of skyscrapers, ushering in thousands of new residents, hundreds of hotel rooms, and a few hundred thousand square feet of office space." Two big-time projects come from Tishman Speyer Properties, who are erecting a trio of slab residential towers that will together usher in 1,900 new apartments. In a Wall Street Journal piece today, we get a first look at this glassy consortium, along with new details about the developer's adjacent two-towered commercial project that will be home to WeWork, Macy's, and yet another food hall.
Find out more about these projects

New Developments

The next frontier: A roundup of new developments reshaping NJ’s Journal Square

A Google Earth rendering of future Journal Square. Created by CityRealty

September 20, 2016

The next frontier: A roundup of new developments reshaping NJ’s Journal Square

The migration of the New York development rush over to Jersey City was no surprise. Located along the waterfront, Jersey City boasts impressive views of the skyline and easy access into Manhattan from the PATH train. But as new development arrived at a rapid pace, it has resulted in rising prices and a lack of […]

Architecture And Design

September 20, 2016

Sales begin at Annabelle Selldorf’s 42 Crosby Street, Soho condo with $1M parking spots

Sales officially launched today at 42 Crosby Street, Atlas Capital Group's 50,000-square-foot Soho condominium designed by Annabelle Selldorf of Selldorf Architects. Nine three-bedroom residences and a penthouse at the seven-story luxury residence will start at $8,250,000 (the penthouse is going for $25 million). According to the press release, the building's design offers "a contemporary interpretation of the Soho neighborhood’s cast iron architecture," and of course, there's those $1 million parking spots.
Find out more and see renderings

Lowline team releases official proposal for $83M underground park

Lowline Lab via 6sqft

September 20, 2016

Lowline team releases official proposal for $83M underground park

Just a couple months ago, the NYC Economic Development Corporation granted preliminary approvals to the Lowline, the world's first underground park. This came after the city put out a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) late last year for the 60,000-square-foot abandoned trolley terminal below Delancey Street. The Lowline proposal was the only one received, and initially the 154-page document was only to be publicly available through a Freedom of Information Law request, but the group worked with the EDC to release it to the community. The Lo-Down got a look at the document, which reveals everything from the projected cost of the project ($83 million) and operating hours (6am to 9pm, five days a week) to specific design elements like a "ramble" and 1,600-square-foot cafe/bar.
Lots more details this way

September 20, 2016

Fort Greene brownstone from ‘Girls’ looks even better in real life, asks $5.6M

Remember that season on Girls where Lena Dunham's character falls for a handsome doctor with a gorgeous, pristine renovated brownstone? The townhouse that hosted those episodes is, in fact, the same 5,600-square-foot landmarked home that just hit the market for $5.6 million. Located at 52 Oxford Street in leafy, historic Fort Greene, it's currently owned by actor, screenwriter, and sometimes interior designer, Billy Morrissette, and according to the listing, also did star turns on Elementary, SNL and Difficult People. But the five-story 19th-century beauty with thoughtfully chosen and luxurious finishes, a sprawling deck, a deep landscaped yard and an industrial-chic glass-walled sun room has plenty of star power even when the cameras aren't rolling.
Tour all five star-quality stories of townhouse glory

September 19, 2016

63-acre Connecticut island could be the country’s most expensive residential property at $175M

Could this insane Connecticut property break the record for the most expensive residential property ever sold in the country? Now on the market for $175 million, Great Island spans 63 acres and holds a mansion, beach cottages, a polo field, caretaker's house with a greenhouse, yacht basin with docks, and a cow barn to boot. Such an impressive estate is owned by the family of the 19th-century industrialist William Ziegler. He acquired it in 1902 to use as a summer destination--one that rivals any other "summer house" we've seen. And according to The Real Deal, if this sells for its full asking price it would beat the record for priciest house ever sold in the U.S., which belongs to the 2014 sale of a $147 million home in the Hamptons.
Now, time to tour the grounds

September 19, 2016

When does daylight saving time end in 2016?

Now that Labor Day is over and the kids are back in school, summer is becoming a distant memory and fall’s cooler weather is on the horizon. The end of summer also means shorter days are coming, with the sun setting before some of us can even escape the office. Daylight saving time (DST), which gave us […]

City Living

September 19, 2016

Stay in NYC’s first shipping container home in Williamsburg for $96/night

There's plenty of cool shipping container architecture that's popped up around the city in recent years, from a retrofitted carriage house to the home of a radio station. But the title of first (legal) home built entirely of recycled containers goes to this architectural gem in Williamsburg, made of six stacked containers totaling 1,600 square feet. The lovely, 320-square-foot ground-floor apartment is now up for rent through Airbnb for a surprisingly affordable $96/night.
See the whole place

September 19, 2016

Saudi Prince’s apartment with three panic rooms gets $8.5M price chop; the evolution of pumpkin spice

Greenwood Cemetery will start selling its own honey called “the Sweet Hereafter,” made by its 100,000 bees. [BK Paper] After staying in a Zaha Hadid-designed Madrid hotel, musician Moby said, “Literally sleeping in a dumpster would have been more comfortable.” [LLNYC] Go inside the workshop of architect Robert A.M. Stern during a typical busy workday. [TRD] Saudi […]

Uncategorized

MAP: More millennials live with their parents in the New York region than anywhere in the U.S.

Click here to view the full-size map.

September 19, 2016

MAP: More millennials live with their parents in the New York region than anywhere in the U.S.

It's no one's dream to live in their parents' basement, but since the recession this has been a growing norm for young adults across the country. As Digg points out, a recent study from the Pew Research Center reports that in 2014, for the first time in 130 years, adults ages 18 to 34 were more likely to live with their parents than with a spouse or partner. They attribute it mainly to the postponement of marriage, fueled by social shifts as well as career and salary concerns. But this trend is not blanketed evenly across the country, and a new map from Metric Maps breaks down the trend by both state and county, which shows us that the Tri-State region has more millennials living at home than anywhere in the U.S.
More this way

City Living

September 19, 2016

A Trump empire built on $885 million in tax breaks has cost the city a fortune

If you've followed Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump's gold-plated real estate career, you might already know how much of his success has been due to his family's extensive political connections–and generous tax breaks, grants and incentives from the government and taxpayers. In case you haven't read Trump's 1987 bestseller "The Art of the Deal," the New York Times illuminates the role that hundreds of millions in tax breaks have played in the Trump empire. While Trump may not be much different from other developers in seeking tax breaks, the candidate vociferously paints a picture of a rigged system and a fixed game. But these very fixes have enabled him to achieve a net worth estimated at 4.5 billion and the opportunity to indulge a run for the nation’s highest office.
So what's been going on here?

The ‘empty mansions’ of Huguette Clark: Luxury and mystery of an era past

Photo courtesy of Emptymansionsbook.com.

September 19, 2016

The ‘empty mansions’ of Huguette Clark: Luxury and mystery of an era past

Reclusive copper heiress Huguette M. Clark died in 2011 at the age of 104; in the years preceding and after her demise, obsessive followers of her story puzzled over her decision to remain in a small hospital room for the last 20 years of her life after having rarely left her apartment in the decades before. In this day of heiresses who run fashion companies and give house tours, Huguette Clark’s wealth and her retreat from the public eye—despite being by all accounts entirely lucid—have made her the target of endless fascination. But almost as fascinating are the storybook-grand properties that still stand as remnants of a gilded age long past and what remains of one of its biggest fortunes, barely touched and preserved as if in aspic until their recent acquisition by a new generation of magnates and heirs.
See more of Huguette Clark's abandoned Gilded Age opulence

720 West End Avenue

Upper West Side

Serene Upper West Side homes near Riverside Park

1 beds starting at $1,005,000
2 beds starting at $2,495,000
3 beds starting at $3,495,000
4 beds starting at $5,850,000

Learn More

September 19, 2016

Historic upstate charmer once owned by Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier asks $5.5M

After filming "Gone with the Wind," Vivien Leigh lived with husband Laurence Olivier in this charming Greek Revival home in Palisades, New York, and the Post reports that it's now on the market for $4.45 million. Built in the 1820s, it's known as the Captain John House and is located in the upscale hamlet of Snedens Landing, which the couple must really have loved since they also lived in another home here that called Orson Welles and John Steinbeck residents, too.
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UES residents not happy about plan to turn their playground into high-end housing

Google Street View of the Holmes Towers with the playground in question in the foreground

September 19, 2016

UES residents not happy about plan to turn their playground into high-end housing

This past spring, the de Blasio administration revealed plans to lease "empty" NYCHA land--parking lots and grassy areas--for the creation of market-rate housing, which certainly ruffled the feathers of affordable housing advocates. Though the proposal hasn't been set into motion city-wide, it is taking shape at one housing project on the Upper East Side, the Holmes Towers on 92nd to 93rd Streets and 1st to York Avenues. As the Daily News reports, NYCHA recently "described tenant support for the plan to let a developer build 300 units — half market rate, half affordable — where the Holmes playground now sits." But this "tenant stakeholder committee" says they feel very differently.
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September 19, 2016

Video: Visit designer Kate Spade in her art-filled, unfussy Upper East Side home

Ultra-popular clothing and accessories designer Kate Valentine Spade invites us into the Upper East Side apartment she shares with her husband/business partner Andy Spade and young daughter, courtesy of People magazine. She's managed to snatch a free moment away from her new accessories line Frances Valentine to give us a whirlwind tour of her two favorite rooms.
Step inside and have a look

September 18, 2016

$900K brownstone condo is proof that your money still goes a little farther in Harlem

While the $899,000 ask on this two-bedroom, floor-through apartment at 30 West 126th Street in Harlem may not be a total steal, an apartment of this size with well-designed custom renovations, central heat and air, closet space, and a cozy balcony would likely be much more costly in many other Manhattan neighborhoods. And certainly a pretty brownstone block steps from shopping (a Whole Foods is on the way) and subways would up the price even more. Yet this brick-lined, light-filled home has every bit as much townhouse appeal as its West Village counterparts.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

September 17, 2016

Weekly highlights: Top picks from the 6sqft staff