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If you want real loft living without many of the sacrifices (except the $4.25 million ask, of course) that often come with it, this stunning full-floor Greenpoint "historic penthouse" atop 190 West Street is your unicorn. Modern, stylish and well-crafted finishes, comforts like central air and radiant floor heat, windows and views that never quit, and a prime location add up to a dream loft. Wait, did we mention the 3,600 square feet of private outdoor space?
Check out pre-war historic loft perfection, this way

Distinctive Homes

November 24, 2015

Revealed: Zambrano Architectural Design’s Striking Yellow-Brick Rental in Central Harlem

Here's our first look at Dabar Development's eight-story, mixed-use project set to rise at 400 Lenox Avenue in central Harlem. The 40,000-square-foot development will anchor the southeast corner of West 130th Street and Lenox Avenue and will house 30 rental units, 2,000 square feet of retail at the ground level, and a second-floor community space for Pentacostal Faith Church, the owner of the project site. The design provided by Zambrano Architectural Design rises flush with the street wall and sports a distinctive yellow-brick cladding of "elongated artisanal bricks." According to Dawanna Williams, managing principal at Dabar, "the facade is inspired by the historical masonry context of the surrounding blocks of Harlem." The two uppermost levels are cutaway from the corner resulting in a large recreational terrace for residents. As per plans filed with the DOB this past summer, floors 2-6 will contain six apartments each, while floors 7 and 8 will provide four units apiece.
More on the project

Renderings © Bjarke Ingels Group via Yimby

November 23, 2015

REVEALED: Bjarke Ingels’ Brand New High Line Towers

Back in February it was revealed that HFZ Capital Group was in talks to bring a “monumental” new structure to a lot at 76 11th Avenue in the Meatpacking District right along the High Line. And between shortlisted architects Rem Koolhaas and Bjarke Ingels, in April the developer decided to move forward with starchitect-of-the-moment Ingels for the high-profile project. Now Yimby has our first look at the design that may rise atop the coveted site: two very angular, asymmetric towers measuring 402 and 302 feet, with 800,000 square feet for a hotel, retail, amenities and about 300 luxury condos.
see more renderings here

November 23, 2015

REVEALED: SHoP Architects’ Long Island City Waterfront Development

Here's our first peek at Simon Baron Development, Quadrum Global and CRE Development's three-tower Long Island City development slated to rise alongside the former Paragon Paint factory building at 45-40 Vernon Boulevard. Permits for the first tower were filed with the DOB back in June and detail a 28-story, 296-unit rental tower designed by SHoP Architects. The tower is part of a larger master plan that will revamp the eastern extents of the Anable Basin inlet with a waterfront esplanade and bring an additional 14-story residential tower at 45-24 Vernon Boulevard and an eight story building along 45th Road. As per the renderings provided by SHoP, the design of the two lower towers is consistent with many of the firm's recent New York City projects and feature copper-clad, orderly bases yielding to playful facades of angled projecting windows. The central tower partially rises from within the rear section of the Paragon Paint factory building and its form will be a sheer 300-foot glass prism creased along each elevation to better capture sweeping views of the East River and Manhattan skyline.
More details ahead

November 23, 2015

A Soho Loft With a Secret Cat Tunnel; Penthouse at the Lowell Going for $300K/Month

Luxury real estate for cat ladies: this $23 million Soho loft has a secret cat tunnel that leads from the kitchen to a litter box in the pantry. [WSJ] Tips for hosting Thanksgiving in a tiny apartment. [Curbed] 10 tips for renovating an old house. [Brownstoner] It’s not the $500,000/month suite at the Pierre Hotel, […]

Real Estate Trends

November 23, 2015

Katris: Tetris-Style Modular Furniture That Doubles as a Cat Scratcher

Cats could be considered the perfect city pet because unlike dogs these furry creatures don't require early morning walks or small blue poop bags. But they do come with their own set of challenges, and keeping your furniture scratch free is one of them. Enter Katris, a multi-use cat scratch post that doubles as a stylish piece of furniture. From the innovative design firm Papercut Labs, each of the five available pieces takes the familiar shape of a Tetris piece, and just like in the game, they easily fit together into different formations.
More on Katris here

November 23, 2015

$1.7M West Village Co-op Feels Prim and Proper

Here's a co-op apartment that has everything in place, prim and proper as can be. It's a one-bedroom, two-bathroom unit that's located on the second floor of a West Village townhouse at 53 Horatio Street. The pre-war brick building, constructed in 1848, also looks pretty proper and stately, without any adornments or flourishes. That is carried to the interior, which has a nice but not extravagant design. The apartment was last listed in 2013 for $1,100,000, then sold soon after for $1,040,000. Two years later, the owners are looking to make a sizable profit with an ask of $1,699,000.
See the rest

Distinctive Homes

The Story Behind Those Infamous ‘Sick Passenger’ Subway Announcements

Image via MTA/Flickr

November 23, 2015

The Story Behind Those Infamous ‘Sick Passenger’ Subway Announcements

Admit it–despite your general concern for the well-being of your fellow New Yorkers, you can't help roll your eyes when that dreaded "sick passenger" announcement comes over the subway intercom. "Why get on the train if you're not feeling well?" or "Can't they just move the person to the platform?" are common moans heard during these all-too-common delays. But, it turns out, it's a lot more complicated than that. The New York Times took a look at the rise in sick passengers, up to 3,000 a month this year as compared with 1,800 each month in 2012. Every time this happens, the train crew has to notify the rail control center, who then will call an ambulance. It depends on the specific station and time of day how long it will take emergency medical workers to locate the sick patient. Then, if it's deemed the passenger cannot safely walk, he or she must remain on the train to be assessed. Further, if the passenger has no one to wait with them and there's no police officer available, it falls on the train conductor to stay with the patient until help arrives. This can lead to the train being pulled out of service altogether. And of course, the delays start a ripple effect throughout the line.
More this way

Distinctive Homes

Behind this $9.9M Chelsea townhouse, a secret path leads to a backyard carriage house

For $665K, this little upstate home is the answer to your log cabin fantasies

Cozy Brooklyn Heights co-op has pre-war charm and a bright, sunny kitchen for $1.5M

For $2.95M, this parlor floor Chelsea co-op has brownstone charm and a private terrace

Bed-Stuy brownstone living in a compact condo for $725K

$14M penthouse atop landmarked Astor building has pre-war details and palatial private terrace

$1.8M restored Marcel Breuer house on the Hudson has kept its mid-century modern spirit intact

For $995K, this dreamy upstate farmhouse gets every detail just right

At former Streit's Matzo Factory, a Lower East Side penthouse with two terraces asks $4.35M

Longtime UES home of Barbara Walters back on the market for $17M after deal falls through

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November 23, 2015

Two Free MetroCard Transfers Not Happening; The Toilet With a Cult Following

Governor Cuomo vetoed a bill that would’ve given New Yorkers two free MetroCard transfers. He says it would have cost the city an extra $40 million a year. [Gothamist] Coney Island’s Wonder Wheel will be open on New Year’s Day for the first time. [amNY] Join photographers James and Karla Murray, who document the disappearing […]

Uncategorized

November 23, 2015

Listings Go Live Today for NYC’s First Micro Apartment Complex

Carmel Place (formerly known as My Micro NY), the city's much-talked-about first micro apartment complex, began accepting applications for its affordable studios back in September (since then, 60,000 people have applied). And now, a press release from developer Monadnock has announced that listings for 12 of the market-rate units will go live today in anticipation of the February opening date. Along with the launch comes news of Ollie, "an innovative housing model that delivers an all-inclusive living experience." The nine-story modular development will have 55 studios ranging from 260 to 360 square feet, 22 of which will be affordable (of these, 8 will be set aside for formerly homeless veterans) and go for between $950 and $1,500 a month depending on family size and income. The remaining 33 will see prices ranging from $2,540 for a 265-square-foot, furnished, third-floor unit to $2,910 for a 335-square-foot, furnished, second-floor unit.
Find out more

November 23, 2015

Former House & Garden Editor Lists Upper East Side Co-op for $4.75M

If you're fan of the elegant, old-fashioned Upper East Side, pre-war co-ops and stylishly-decorated interiors, you can't go wrong with this five-room, two-bedroom-plus home at 563 Park Avenue. The seller is the former editor-in-chief of Travel + Leisure magazine (and before that, Condé Nast's House & Garden, where she replaced Anna Wintour as EIC), Nancy Novogrod and her husband, John, an estate attorney; so we'd expect that show-house-worthy interiors are a given.
READ MORE

Distinctive Homes

November 22, 2015

Revealed: Boutique Condos Coming to 231 West 26th Street in Chelsea

Here's our first look at a seven-unit boutique condominium slated for a mid-block site at 231 West 26th Street in northern Chelsea. The developer is the New York-based Azimuth Development Group who plans to supersize the existing four-story building between Seventh and Eighth Avenues. Permits were filed and approved earlier this year and DOB signs have already been posted on the doorway. The 24-foot addition will blot out a few floors of lot-line windows of the adjacent co-op 233 West 26th Street, where a three-bedroom home is on the market for $4.5 million, a price that will likely be similar to its new neighbor.
More details ahead

November 21, 2015

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks From the 6sqft Staff

New Renderings of SuperPier: Google’s New NYC Digs + Bourdain Food Market To Arrive in 2018 Bought for Just $7,600 in the ’70s, Prospect Heights Co-op Returns 43 Years Later for $2.15M This 80-Story I.M. Pei-Designed Tower Almost Replaced Grand Central The World’s Largest Display of Miniatures Is Coming to Times Square in 2017 Interactive […]

Uncategorized

REX Revealed as the Architects Redesigning the World Trade Center Performing Arts Complex

Image pointing to the site of the Performing Arts Center at the World Trade Center. Rendering by DBOX

November 20, 2015

REX Revealed as the Architects Redesigning the World Trade Center Performing Arts Complex

Ever since Frank Gehry and his design for the Performing Arts Center at the World Trade Center (PACWTC) site got the boot last year, many have been eager to know who would be taking the helm in his place. Since July, the PACWTC has been working with an anonymous architectural firm to hash out a new concept, and now, nearly five months later, the board has finally released the name of the lead architect: Brooklyn-based studio REX led by Joshua Prince-Ramus, a former protégé of starchitect Rem Koolhaas. PACWTC chairman John Zucotti said in a statement, "The selection of REX and the Lower Manhattan District Council’s renewed commitment are critical milestones in our collective effort to create a vibrant new cultural and community anchor for all of Lower Manhattan. We are now two important steps closer to completing the World Trade Center and fully realizing our vision of Lower Manhattan as the world’s most dynamic, 24/7 urban community."
more details on the design here

City Will Start Accepting Proposals for Underground Lowline Space

Lowline Lab via 6sqft

November 20, 2015

City Will Start Accepting Proposals for Underground Lowline Space

In 2009, James Ramsey and Dan Barasch started planning a solar-powered subterranean park on the Lower East Side, the underground equivalent of the High Line. They set their sites on the 60,000-square-foot abandoned Essex Street Trolley Terminal below Delancey Street and named their project The Lowline. Now, six years later, they've launched the Lowline Lab, "a high-tech, miniaturized precursor to the city’s first underground park," as 6sqft put it in a recent interview with Ramsey and Barasch. Located in a vacant warehouse on Essex Street, the Lab most certainly served its purpose, as The Lo-Down is reporting that the city and MTA have finally agreed to accept proposals for the space. The Economic Development Corporation (EDC) will release on Monday a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI), followed by a briefing next month with Community Board 3.
Find out more ahead

November 20, 2015

Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent List Their Greenwich Village Penthouse for $10.5M

By Annie Doge

Back in September Architectural Digest dedicated a whole cover plus photo spread to Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent "settling in" to their pristine apartment, a penthouse at the Emery Roth-designed 39 Fifth Avenue in the heart of the Village. While the pair spent the better part of the piece gushing about how they'd finally found their dream home (“We couldn’t stop thinking about the apartment, believing we were meant to live there...we were able to create the home of our dreams," Brent said to AD at one point), it looks like the family, which includes their young daughter Poppy, couldn't quite get as comfy as they'd hoped, because they've just listed their spacious pad for $10.5 million.
Tour their beautiful penthouse

November 20, 2015

This Upper East Side Townhouse Makes Up in Charm What It Lacks in Its 13-Foot Width

When you've got a house that's just a hair over 13 feet wide, you'd better know a good interior design pro. Fortunately the owners of this slender 1899 townhouse at 259 East 78th Street took that caveat to heart when they purchased it for $2 million in 2009. It's now on the market for $5.5 million, and every inch of its 2,600 square feet has been put into use with enough warmth, character and smart design decisions to keep any "narrow-minded" thoughts at bay. And there's nothing skimpy about the location on a gorgeous townhouse-lined street just a few blocks from Central Park on the Upper East Side.
Have a closer look inside this charmer

Distinctive Homes

Meatpacking District Gets the Brooklyn-as-Brand Treatment

The Brooklyn-as-a-brand ship has long sailed, but we've lately seen other boroughs (take for example this Bronx Hot Sauce) and neighborhoods (see this candle that promises to make your home smell like Bushwick) trying to cash in on the action. Unsurprisingly, the increasingly trendy Meatpacking District is the latest locale to jump on the bandwagon. Fast Co. Design has a first look at the new visual identity of the neighborhood, commissioned by the Meatpacking Business Improvement District and created by Base Design. "Anchored by a wordmark that divides "Meatpacking District" into two different typefaces, it suggests a neighborhood with multiple personalities: equal parts ritzy and wild," explains Fast Co. But the real reason behind the branding campaign may surprise you.
Learn more about the rebranding

Architecture And Design

November 20, 2015

Check Out George Steinmetz’s Stunning Aerial Photos of ‘New’ New York

Earlier this week, 6sqft shared National Geographic's interactive map of what the NYC skyline will look like in 2020. To accompany it, the publication has released a piece by New York's resident journalist Pete Hammill, in which he "reflects on 72 years of transformation as his hometown is continuously rebuilt." Hammill laments on loss (Ebbets Field, the old Madison Square Garden, and Stillman's Gym, to name a few), but says of the present-day city that it's "in a bad way." Though he says New York is "wealthier and healthier" than when he was young, he feels that "its architectural face is colder, more remote, less human, seeming to be sneering." While describing the shadow-casting supertalls and influx of the super-rich, Hammill points to the stunning aerial photography of George Steinmetz, since "the best view of New York might be from above." Steinmetz's photos, taken from a self-designed helicopter, appear in the December issue of National Geographic magazine as an illustration to Hammill's essay. They're part of his new book "New York Air: The View from Above." We've chosen five of our favorite photos that represent the changing landscape of New York City.
See them here

Uncategorized

November 20, 2015

Construction Update: 100 Barrow Street Rises Above Street Level From St. Luke’s Churchyard

By Heather Cooper Vivares

With the foundation finally laid, Toll Brothers' 100 Barrow Street has made its way above ground and will bring 35 brand new apartments to the West Village. The tower is being built on the site of a pre-existing parking lot on the full-block grounds of the Church of St. Luke in the Fields. While no demolition of existing structures or reduction of green space was necessary, the site does lie at the western edge of the Greenwich Village Historic District and across from the Archives Building, which is an individual landmark. Proceeds from the development will be used to fund the church's own new buildings, which include an expansion of its existing private school and the construction of a new mission where L.G.B.T.Q. homeless youth and under-served individuals can receive meals and shelter. The latter will also serve as a 24/7 drop-in center where people will be able to get a change of clothes and take showers.
More details and renderings this way

November 20, 2015

Brooklyn Gets a Temporary Tattoo Parlor; New York Is Not a Cat-Friendly City

She lives in NYC; he lives in Seoul. So they created an Instagram project called Half&Half that juxtaposes pictures of them in both cities. [Mashable] Tattly, “the masters of temporary tattoos,” have opened a brick and mortar tattoo parlor in Boerum Hill. [Design Milk] Five places to download free, ethnically diverse render people. [ArchDaily] Here’s a […]

Uncategorized

November 20, 2015

$16M ‘Trophy’ Penthouse Boasts Solarium, Wrap-Around Terrace, and Lots of Color

The listing calls this a "trophy" penthouse, and with all the bells and whistles that come with the apartment, they're not lying (h/t Curbed). The co-op spans the 17th and 18th floors of 400 East 59th Street, a prewar building in Sutton Place built in 1928 and converted in 1981. It's got four bedrooms, five bathrooms, and more outdoor space than you likely thought possible: a wrap-around terrace, a double-height solarium, a terrace off the master bedroom, and a private roof deck. In case you're wondering, that's 1,450 square feet of terrace space total. Oh yeah, there's also a dressing room in the master that's the size of a studio apartment. All this can be yours for a cool $16 million, a huge leap from its last sale in 2011 for a mere $4.35 million.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

November 20, 2015

Spotlight: Pernell Brice Shares How FeedingNYC Delivers 3,000 Thanksgiving Dinners

By Susan Cohen

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, New Yorkers are busy perfecting their menus and preparing to do some serious supermarket shopping. But for many in the city, celebrating Thanksgiving is not a given—and this is particularly true for families living in shelters. But that's where the Dream Big Foundation's annual Thanksgiving project, FeedingNYC, steps in. Since 2001, FeedingNYC has been on a mission to help families in shelters celebrate the holiday by providing them with all of the Thanksgiving essentials. What started out as 75 meals in shelters has turned into 3,000 dinners delivered each year, for a total of 35,000 meals over the program's 14 years. And to make this happen, it takes a lot of fundraising, numerous partnerships and a wonderful group of volunteers. Pernell Brice, executive director of Dream Big Foundation, is responsible for growing and expanding this important project, and every year he makes sure it goes off without a hitch. 6sqft recently spoke with Pernell to learn more about FeedingNYC and what it takes to get all those meals out to those who need them.
6sqft's interview with Pernell this way

November 20, 2015

10 Unexpected and Affordable Host Gifts for Thanksgiving

It's always tough when your Thanksgiving host tells you not to worry about bringing anything for the meal. With stuffing and pumpkin pie out of the question, what can you bring as a token of gratitude? Forget standard run-of-the-mill host gifts like a jar of jam or Yankee candle–6sqft has rounded up some fun and affordable options that are unexpected yet surprisingly useful. From a clever wine tote made in Brooklyn to an adopted olive tree in Italy, here are our top ten hostess gift picks.
See them all

November 19, 2015

Think You Can Design a Better NYC Subway System? Try It With Mini Metro

The New York subway system is a complex but pretty efficient network that (for the most part) gets us to where we need to get when we need to get there. But that's not to say there aren't some neighborhoods that wouldn't benefit from a few more stations—and better connections from one line to another. Well, if you're a savvy straphanger that thinks that you can engineer a far more efficient system than the MTA, the game Mini Metro is the perfect place to flex your dormant urban planning skills.
Where to try out the game here

November 19, 2015

Alexander Hamilton Jr.’s Former Home on St. Mark’s Place Lists for $12M

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

The Hamilton name certainly comes with big price tags. Resale tickets to the Broadway show are climbing up to $2,500 each, and the Founding Father's son's home is now asking $11.9 million, 6sqft has learned. Col. Alexander Hamilton Jr. was the first owner of the townhouse at 4 St. Mark's Place in the East Village. British-born real estate developer Thomas E. Davis was erecting Federal-style homes along the street at the time as homes for wealthy New Yorkers seeking refuge from the cholera epidemic further downtown. In 1833, three decades after his father died in a duel with Aaron Burr, Hamilton Jr. bought the home and moved in with his mother Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton (who was riddled with debt after her husband's death), wife Eliza, and his sister Eliza Holly and her husband Sidney. Known as the Hamilton-Holly House, it features Flemish Bond, a signature of the Federal style, as well as a marble English basement level, high stoop with Gibbs surround entryway, and two dormer windows.
More on the house

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Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week – 11/19-11/22

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!

November 19, 2015

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week – 11/19-11/22

By Lori Zimmer

This week is heavy on the Thursday art events, so put on some comfortable shoes and go big tonight. Start by checking out SOFTlab's brand new crystalline pavilion in front of the Flatiron building before heading west to Chelsea where Ron English debuts his new quirky evolution nativity set. Hop over to the The International Print Center to see 68 new prints inspired by Dante's "Divine Comedy." Then hop south to Castor Gallery for Stacy Leigh's creepy yet sexy photos of sex dolls, and end the night by nabbing a piece of nightlife history at the Mudd Club Rummage Sale. Kick the weekend off by immersing yourself in the incredible vibrant world of Ebony G. Patterson at the Museum of Art and Design, then have a religious experience at Catinca Tabacaru Gallery, which will be transformed into a chapel of your dreams. Wrap up the weekend with a cultural experience celebrating sound art at PS 1 for Sunday Sessions.
All the best events to check out here

November 19, 2015

South American Financier Transforms Small Chelsea Apartment Into Tailor-Made Luxury Hotel Room

New York apartments take all different shapes and sizes, but we're particularly interested in seeing inside the homes of city dwellers who use design to maximize space and livability. This elegant pied-a-terre from Michael Rubin Architects is located in Chelsea and owned by a South American financier who visits New York as often as his schedule allows. More often than not, his visits are last-minute, and his limited use of the apartment has allowed for some wiggle room in the design of the kitchen as well as other areas inside the home. The outcome, an open airy space that features funky design concepts and an out-of-the box approach.
More views inside here

Distinctive Homes

November 19, 2015

Inside a Queens Shanghai-Meets-Hollywood Studio; What X-mas in Bryant Park Looked Like 11 Years Ago

Inside a beautiful Queens studio that mashes up the best of Shanghai and Hollywood styles. [NY Mag] The former Time & Life building is getting a $325 million update. [WSJ] Why is it taking so long to construct the Second Avenue Subway? [Crain’s] Christmas in Bryant Park, 2004 vs. 2014. [reddit] 190 Bowery gets new windows. […]

Real Estate Trends

November 19, 2015

Have a Picturesque Holiday Inside This Historic, Fully Furnished Park Slope Brownstone

What better way to enjoy the holidays than from a historic, beautifully-furnished brownstone in Park Slope, Brooklyn? This entire three-bedroom, two-bathroom home is now up for short-term rent, with a minimum stay of five nights. (To stay the month, it'll cost you $12,500.) There's plenty of room to host, with enough space to fit a six-person dining room table. It's also a good location from which to enjoy all of Brooklyn, as it's located two blocks away from Prospect Park and right between the main drags of 5th and 7th Avenues. Twelve-foot tin ceilings, a fancy chef's kitchen, plenty of bedrooms and a leafy Park Slope street–if that sounds like a vacation to you, keep reading.
See the rest of the house

Distinctive Homes

November 19, 2015

Permits Filed to Demolish a String of Buildings Near Gramercy Park for New Condo

Alfa Development has filed plans with the Department of Buildings to demolish a string of low-rise buildings huddled near the northeast corner of East 21st Street and Third Avenue. The development team led by Michael Namer is known for its environmentally conscious downtown condo towers, which include Chelsea Green, Village Green, and Village Green West. Now, Alfa appears set on sprinkling some of their sustainable magic on a corner-site in Gramercy that could hold a tower of more than 90,000 square feet and rise up to 210 feet tall. Last month, Alfa purchased the the four-building development site from Kevin Maloney’s Property Markets Group and Apex Investments for $69.6 million. The previous owners had planned to build a 25-unit affordable housing building to generate 40,000 square feet of bonus square footage for an undisclosed luxury development, but instead chose to sell the site to focus on other projects.
More details ahead

November 19, 2015

Walk Around the East Village in 1968; Half of New Yorkers Can’t Make Ends Meet

A newly released archival video shows the East Village in the summer of 1968. [EV Grieve] A new poll shows that half of NYC residents say they’re “struggling economically, making ends meet just barely, if at all.” [NYT] During the month of September, there were almost 50,000 subway delays on weekdays, 3,000 of which were due to sick […]

Uncategorized

November 19, 2015

Mapping All 1.1 Billion NYC Taxi Trips Since 2009

That's 183,333,333 trips a year; 15,277,777 a month; and roughly 510,000 a day. And it likely took software developer Todd W. Schneider a long time to put all of that data into this stunning map of taxi pickups and drop offs over the past six years. Green boro taxis are represented in their signature color and traditional yellow cabs in white, with brighter areas representing more taxi activity. As Gothamist first noted, "Yellow cab pickups are concentrated south of Central Park in Manhattan, while drop offs spread north and east into Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx; drop off and pickup activity snakes like a glowworm from Manhattan to the airports: along the Van Wyck Expressway to JFK, and by 278 and 495 to La Guardia." Using the TLC's public data, Schneider also created charts and maps that show taxi travel compared with uber rides; weekend destinations of bridge-and-tunnelers; a late-night taxi index; how weather affects taxi trips; weekday drop-offs at Goldman Sachs and Citigroup; airport traffic; cash versus credit card payments; and the dramatic increase in North Williamsburg taxi activity.
Get a look at the data here

November 19, 2015

Live Like a Snowbird With Sunrise Views in This Williamsburg Rental for $3,450/Month

They call people who head to Florida for the winter “snowbirds,” flying off to southern climes to avoid the chilly season. This one-bedroom condo at 275 South First Street, on the rental market for $3,450 a month, resembles that seasonal roost in a subtropical spot, albeit with the substantial bonus of amazing Manhattan views and a prime Williamsburg location. Three sunny exposures and two terraces provide your imagination with a big boost in conjuring the beachfront experience and giving winter the brush-off.
See the whole place

Distinctive Homes

November 18, 2015

Bought for Just $7,600 in the ’70s, Prospect Heights Co-op Returns 43 Years Later for $2.15M

In the statuesque Art Deco-style Turner Towers co-op along what’s arguably the most picturesque stretch of the grand Olmsted and Vaux-designed boulevard in Prospect Heights, this sprawling four-bedroom residence at 135 Eastern Parkway has been a family home for 43 years. The current owner moved to–and fell in love with–the neighborhood in the early ‘70s, when it was on the cusp of far darker times. How she came to acquire the spacious 14th-floor apartment, with unobstructed views over the treetops, the park and to the Verrazano Bridge and beyond, for $7,600 (nope, that’s not a typo) is a classic New York story.
Read More on the brains, luck and community spirit of Brooklyn in the 70s

Distinctive Homes

November 18, 2015

Luxury Buildings Help Drive Climate Change, Says New Study

"Elite Emissions: How the Homes of the Wealthiest New Yorkers Help Drive Climate Change" is a new report from Climate Works for All, a project of advocacy group ALIGN. As 6sqft has previously reported, New York City is expected to be hotter, rainier, and severely underwater in the future, and this new study points to luxury buildings as one of the main culprits. As first explained by Curbed, "The group looked at the Forbes Billionaire List, then Business Insider's 20 Most Expensive Buildings in New York City list, and cross-referenced this information with the city's Energy Benchmarking data." They then drew up a list of the top ten offenders, all of which received an F for energy efficiency. Leading the pack is 838 Fifth Avenue, followed by 101 Warren Street, Trump Park Avenue, and Trump Tower, respectively.
More details and the full list

November 18, 2015

New York Buildings Photoshopped Into the Paris Cityscape Create a Dramatically Different Skyline

What makes Paris so enchanting is its wonderful architecture, and while many of New York's oldest buildings take inspiration from the City of Light, placing them in a Parisian context isn't quite as seamless an act as one would think. In Paris, where low-slung architecture is favored over the supertall (buildings are rarely more than five or six stories tall, and until 2010 the height limit on all new buildings was 121 feet), a new project called "Haussmanhattan" (Haussman + Manhattan) reimagines what the landscape would have looked like if the European city had joined the great skyscraper race of the early 20th century.
Check out all the eye-popping mashups here

November 18, 2015

MoMA Files Plans for American Folk Art Museum Expansion; Fifth Avenue Has the Highest Retail Rents in the World

The Diller Scofidio + Renfro expansion design for the American Folk Art Museum appears to finally be moving forward. [Curbed] This new tool helps you find a bank that invests locally. [Next City] Fifth Avenue is the world’s most expensive place for retail. [Crain’s] New construction photos of Zaha Hadid’s High Line-hugging condo building. [Tectonic] […]

Real Estate Trends

November 18, 2015

Compare Dubai’s Most Expensive Penthouse to New York City’s

By Annie Doge

Playing the real estate comparison game is always fun, and more often than not, pinning New York prices against any other city will bring you to much bigger and more luxurious spaces. But here's a real estate showdown that might lead you to shrug off that usual urge to say "But it's not New York!" when you try to justify the city's outrageous prices. Word has it that Dubai's most expensive penthouse is now up on the market for a whopping $74.5 million. The sprawling pad (really a compound-like construction) comes with over 43,000 square feet and is steeped in private amenities. Now compare this to NYC's current title-holder for most expensive home—the $100 million penthouse at One57—and you've got a real estate death match in a league of its own.
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Architecture And Design

November 18, 2015

Hand-Stitched City Quilts Are Made to Counter the Rapid Digitization of Daily Life

With winter just around the corner, now is a good time to take stock of what you've got packed away in the warm blanket department. If you're coming up short, these City Quilt throws from Haptic Lab can provide both warmth and style. Replicating the age-old tradition of quilting, the Brooklyn-based studio hand-stitches city maps–including details like roadways, rivers, and city blocks–onto fluffy 60-inch x 70-inch cotton blankets. They're available for both Brooklyn and Manhattan (as well as other big cities like Paris, Boston, and Chicago), and Haptic will even add custom details for an extra fee.
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November 18, 2015

POLL: Can the Last Seven Downtown Meatpackers Survive in the Meatpacking District?

Earlier this week, Crain’s put out an in-depth article about the last seven meatpackers in the Meatpacking District, all of whom reside in an 80,000-square-foot warehouse with 120 employees. While this may seem like a lot since we often talk about the industry’s mass exodus to Hunt’s Point in the ’90s, at its peak in the 1950s […]

Real Estate Trends

November 18, 2015

Get a Sexy Cab Driver Calendar; ‘Hoverboards’ Are Illegal in NYC

Read these one-star Amazon reviews of famous architecture texts. [Archinect] Forget those beefy firemen, cab drivers are the new monthly pinups. Proceeds from the 2016 NYC Taxi Drivers Calendar go to University Settlement. [CityLab] In other cabbie news, here’s some insight into who taxi drivers are talking to on the phone. [Vice] Those self-balancing scooters you keep […]

Uncategorized

November 18, 2015

$575K Inviting Co-op on Riverside Drive Comes With Cast Iron Juliet Balconies

This one-bedroom apartment, now on the market for $575,000, comes from the historic co-op building the Riviera, located at 790 Riverside Drive in Washington Heights. CityRealty's architecture critic Carter Horsley offers a good review of the architecture: "This very distinguished, five-sided, building has a most unusual floor plan with five deep light wells. It was designed by Rouse and Goldstone and erected in 1910 by the Riveria Realty Company in an Italian Renaissance-palazzo style. The 13-story building has a three-story, rusticated limestone base, limestone quoins, and arched windows at its top floor beneath a quite distinctive cornice of multiple arches. There are several very handsome decorative balconies and the building has spacious lobbies." The luxury apartments, which originally came with as many as 10 rooms, were designed with libraries, butlers’ pantries and parquet flooring. Many of the units–like this one–have been chopped up and made smaller, but this apartment retains the historic cast-iron balconies.
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Distinctive Homes

November 17, 2015

Interactive Map Shows the NYC Skyline in 2020

"Before 2004, Manhattan was home to 28 skyscrapers 700 feet and taller. Since then, an additional 13 have been built, 15 are under construction, and 19 are proposed—47 more in all." Because of this supertall building boom, National Geographic has created an interactive map that lets users explore the NYC skyline in 2020 (h/t Untapped). The light blue buildings are those completed between 2004 and 2015; the orange are under construction; and the yellow proposed.
Get a look at the map here

New Developments

Front & York

85 Jay Street

Dumbo

Upscale DUMBO living with timeless views

1 beds starting at $995,000
2 beds starting at $1,699,000
3 beds starting at $2,475,000

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November 17, 2015

325-Square-Foot Greenwich Village Apartment Is Smartly Designed to Pack All the Comforts of Home

NYC is an exciting city that often sets the stage for non-stop, action-packed living. But this fast-paced lifestyle often comes at the cost of some serious square footage. This didn't stop seasoned New Yorker and producer Andrea Mitchell from successfully putting together a stylish and efficient home with just 325 square feet to work with. Located in Greenwich Village, her tiny apartment includes all the comforts of home and mixes simple Ikea buys with eclectic flea market finds. In a recent interview with Inhabitat, she reveals some savvy design tips for living large in a small space.
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November 17, 2015

The World’s Largest Display of Miniatures Is Coming to Times Square in 2017

Micro is all the rage in NYC right now, and currently in the works is another teensy project with designs on taking up a less-than-diminutive space in the heart of Times Square. Called Gulliver's Gate, this miniature spectacular will showcase more than 300 buildings, 1,000-plus model trains, cars and planes, and a vast collection of 3D-printed global replicas that include Times Square, Grand Central, and lower Manhattan, to become the biggest Lilliputian installation in the world at 49,000 square feet. According to Crain's, Gulliver's Gate has just signed a 15-year lease for the first and second floors of the former New York Times Building at 216 West 44th Street. The attraction, "the largest, most intricate, most technologically advanced display anywhere" according co-creator Eiran Gazit, will cost $30 million to build.
Find out more here

November 17, 2015

The High Line Park in 1995; Williamsburg Dumpster Apartment Rental a Fake

Here’s what the High Line below 14th Street looked like back in 1995. [reddit/flickr] The historic LES home of Streit’s Matzo Factory will be partially razed to make way for new residences. [BB] The Climate Works for All Coalition wants the city to enact regulations that would require luxury buildings to cut down on their energy […]

Real Estate Trends

November 17, 2015

This Greenwich Village Co-op, With Exposed Brick and Fireplaces, Is Like a Mini Chateau

This co-op apartment at 7 Gay Street in Greenwich Village packs in a lot of rustic charm for a one-bedroom. Flanked with exposed brick, with four wood-burning fireplaces, you could pretend like you're in a miniature mountain chateau rather than a NYC pad. Although there's only one bedroom, this co-op has been renovated to include a second apartment so it spans a total of 1,000 square feet. It's also a corner unit with both southern and western exposures. In case you're rushing to buy it–hold tight. The owner has only put it up on the rental market for either short- or long-term tenants. It's asking $6,250 a month unfurnished, or $7,000 a month for all the furniture to stay.
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Distinctive Homes

Craig Ward Creates Prints of Bacteria Found in NYC Subways

E. Coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and mold (the big fuzzy blobs) on the D train

November 17, 2015

Craig Ward Creates Prints of Bacteria Found in NYC Subways