6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

Over the weekend, 6sqft brought you a listing for a charmingly historic upstate house that was once an Underground Railroad safe house. With its location on sprawling land in a small town, this makes sense, but even houses in bustling New York City played a role in the historic story. There was the 1830s historic mansion at 45 Grove Street, and there's this 1847 West Village townhouse at 95 Barrow Street. The Post reports that the home, now on the rental market for $21,900 a month, was a stop on the Underground Railroad. The three-bedroom residence retains its historic details in the form of exposed brick walls galore, wooden beamed ceilings, and original wide-plank pine floors. But it's also recently undergone a gut renovation that added modern amenities such as radiant heat flooring (and sidewalk!), a chic kitchen, and lots of custom built-ins.
Check it out

November 12, 2015

NYC Trees Getting Their Own Email Addresses; Go Inside the S.S. Columbia

A slew of signs tagged #Slopelandia are popping up in Park Slope storefronts. Some make fun of local cliches (i.e. Kale Kidz) while others go for the shock factor (an ad for a Donald Trump office). [DNAinfo] 200 trees might get personal email addresses “as a mechanism for deepening public engagement with the trees.” [Gothamist] Richard Haas’ famous […]

Uncategorized

November 12, 2015

POLL: Will Brooklyn Soon Have a Tower as Tall as Manhattan?

Earlier this week, 6sqft published the official renderings for Brooklyn’s first 1,000-foot tower, making it the tallest building in the outer boroughs. Prior to this, rumors were circulating that the SHoP-designed structure could actually rise higher than the 1,250-foot Empire State Building. To some, this may seem a little far-fetched, but others think it’s just a matter […]

Architecture And Design

November 12, 2015

Ludovic Falédam’s Celestial Luminaries Take Inspiration From Greek Mythology

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

Inspired by ancient Greek mythology, Ludovic Falédam from Barbadine Design created a series of sculptural pendants that will make any living space shine. When creating the lamp, the French designer was particularly interested in the story of queen Cassiopeia and her daughter Andromeda, both of whom in their tale abandon their human bodies to become a constellation of stars. Beautiful and intricate like the story itself, these luminaries will bring the celestial patterns into your home—something we don’t see much of in New York City.
find out more here

November 12, 2015

Pretty Pink Co-op Asking $435K Has Pre-War Potential

Though we so often hear that an eye for interiors–or a good decorator–can make even the smallest apartment feel like a gracious home, we love to see real-life examples that aren't in magazines shot by highly-paid photographers. This slender Upper East Side one-bedroom co-op at 330 East 94th Street with a relatively manageable $435,000 price tag is an inspiring example. In addition to the fact that with ownership comes the right (co-op board willing of course) to transform the space with any number of clever solutions, it would take far less to create a charming pied-a-terre, for example, without that level of effort or expense.
Look around

Distinctive Homes

November 11, 2015

For $3.45M This Unique UES Townhouse Condo Offers the Best of Both Worlds – and a Private Park

New York City in the 1980s saw an enormous building boom similar to the one we've recently been witnessing. And similarly, when it came to large residential developments, the emphasis was on the trendy and the luxurious to attract moneyed buyers. While the new-construction townhouse, integrated with apartment units as with The Greenwich Lane or left solo like Williamsburg's Wythe Lane, is today a growing trend in luxury residential development, at the time this handful of townhomes at 245 East 93rd Street wasn't, shall we say, as much of a thing. City folk wanted city apartments-and still felt doormen equalled safety. But as in a much earlier time, a house in the city represents a certain kind of luxury, a self-contained home without the limitations that come with apartments. And though we may hear mention of the Trump Towers (1983) and the One57s more often, it’s refreshing to see a variation in what’s available to the discerning buyer. Built in 1985, this 2,100 square-foot, three-story (plus lofts and terraces), three-bedroom townhouse, on the market for $3.45 million, is one of twelve that, along with a 33-story tower, comprise the 290-unit Astor Terrace condominium development. This unique home has a 20th-century-modern smartness–along with a spare, modernist look in dark red-grey brick and black-framed casement windows; a recent and thorough renovation has given it the benefit of contemporary luxury and convenience.
Explore this unusual Upper East Side home

Distinctive Homes

November 11, 2015

432 Park in Numbers: New Renderings and Superlatives Will Blow You Away

By Ondel Hylton

Now that Macklowe Properties'/CIM Group's 432 Park Avenue is nearing completion, with occupancy slated to begin in mid-2016 and 70 percent of units reportedly in contract, the development's marketing and branding agency DBOX has released a bevy of never-before-seen images of our skyline's newest icon. Being the tower of superlatives it is, it comes as no surprise that it boasts a marketing campaign to match. Employing sky-cams, drone photography, a million-dollar film, and breath-taking renderings and photography, 432 Park has perhaps the most elaborate promotional campaign ever conceived for a Manhattan condominium. With dozens of spectacular images to choose from, we hand picked a few to recap the development of this monumental supertower. We've also put together a timeline in numbers–from its record breaking height to its 1,200-pound marble sinks–to illustrate the extraordinary undertaking that has paved the way for the tower to become the most successful and desirable condominium ever erected in the city (sorry One57).
See it all right here

November 11, 2015

Iconic Halston House Where Andy Warhol Partied Hits the Market for $40M

In the 70s, there was Studio 54 and then there was the Halston House at 101 East 63rd Street. According to the Post, the mid-century modern gem where famous names like Andy Warhol, Liza Minnelli and Bianca Jagger danced their decadent disco-glamour nights away has quietly been put on the market for $40 million.
Find out more here

Distinctive Homes

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

Asking $20M, a university president's Greenwich Village residence enters a new chapter

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

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

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

Step from the glass-clad conservatory onto a magical tea porch in this $7.25M Brooklyn Heights townhouse

Asking $5.3M, the elusive Williamsburg townhouse is here, renovated and party-ready

This $6M Tribeca loft has bedrooms surrounded by terrace and sky

Landmarked Boerum Hill townhouse owned by 90s designer Daryl K asks $6M

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

VIEW ALL

November 11, 2015

A New York Minute With Gerard Koeppel, Author of ‘City on a Grid’

By Alyssa Alimurung

We're kicking off a fun new series called A New York Minute, where we ask influential New Yorkers spitfire (and sometimes very random) questions about their life in the big city. Want nominate yourself or someone you know? Get in touch! Gerard Koeppel is an author and historian of New York streetscapes and he's lived in NYC his entire life (he was actually born in a Manhattan hospital that's since been replaced by a high rise condo). Gerard just released a brand-spankin' new book yesterday, "City on a Grid: How New York Became New York," and between talks at the Museum of the City of New York and book signings, he was nice enough to answer some quick questions about his personal New York experience.
a NY minute this way

November 11, 2015

Julia Roberts Makes a $5.35M Sale on Her ‘Beachy’ Greenwich Village Apartment

By Annie Doge

It didn't take much time for Julia Roberts to unload her apartment at 45 West 10th Street. According to the Observer, Ms. Roberts has just closed a $5.35 million sale on her Greenwich Village pad, pulling in more than $850K over her original $4.5 million ask. The apartment, which was being described as “easy breezy” and “Hamptons/California-style beachy” when it was listed in July, went to investment exec Nicolas de Croisset who recently tied the knot in a lavish beachside wedding in Greece with Vogue's Phoebe de Croisset. Not a bad starter home for newlyweds...
Take a tour of ROberts' former digs

November 11, 2015

Two Cutting Edge Condo Designs Planned for Midtown

Developer Macklowe Properties has started construction on 200 East 59th Street, a new 35-story residential condominium development designed by CetraRuddy. [6sqft inbox] Go inside the Hudson Yards construction site. [Tech Insider] Brooklyn Bridge Park is asking for $90 million to repair its wooden piers. The organization is requesting that money generated by two controversial Pier 6 towers […]

Real Estate Trends

November 11, 2015

Could This 19-Story Tower Replace Two Beloved Kips Bay Businesses?

By Ondel Hylton

The busy architects over at Issac & Stern posted on their website an image of a yet-to-be-built 19-story tower at 378-380 Third Avenue in Kips Bay. Their page indicates the building will be residential and commercial and will encompass approximately 61,000 square feet of floor area. The development would replace two existing five-story walk-ups that each contain well-regarded drinking and eating establishments. The ground floor of 378 Third Avenue is occupied by the east side branch of the highly rated Italian restaurant Coppola’s Trattoria, and next door at 380 Third Avenue, the ground floor is occupied by the bar Tavern on Third, which hails itself as one of the best Chicago Bears bar in New York City.
More details ahead

November 11, 2015

The Gazel Sofa Features a Wrap-Around Shelving Unit Perfect for Space-Starved New Yorkers

Finding the right piece of furniture to fit your living space can be the difference between a happy and a cluttered home. And as New Yorkers, most of us are working with limited square footage and need to make these decisions considering both space and function. The Gazel sofa and shelving unit designed by Faruk Malhan for Koleksiyon is a great example of the multifunctional pieces we city dwellers should be looking for. Its elegant and modern design features wrap-around shelving, adding both visual interest and functionality to what otherwise would be a lackluster surface.
Check it out

November 11, 2015

100 Books Every New Yorker Should Read; Why You Can’t Use Real Dirt for Rooftop Gardens

It’s no secret that the city is food-hall obsessed, so here they all are mapped. [Gothamist] Upper East Siders get the most massages in Manhattan. [DNAinfo] The 100 books every New Yorker should read. [BK Mag] A living replica of Vincent van Gogh’s ear (titled Sugababe) is coming to NYC. [ArtNet] If you’ve always dreamed of having […]

Uncategorized

November 10, 2015

Amy Schumer’s Lovely Upper West Side Co-op Lists for $2M

By Annie Doge

If you're a fan of comedy's It girl, instead of just watching "Inside Amy Schumer," you can actually go inside Amy Schumer's home, a charming Upper West Side co-op that has just hit the market for $2,075,000, according to the Post. The floor-through residence occupies the top story of a historic townhouse on West 80th Street, just steps away from the Museum of Natural History. In addition to its cozy traditional decor, it offers two wood-burning fireplaces, several skylights, and a beautiful private roof terrace.
Go inside Schumer's pad here

November 10, 2015

Developers Chop 432 Park’s Full-Floor Apartments Into Smaller, Cheaper Units

Is the city's tallest residential tower seeing a slowdown in sales? Crain's reports that 432 Park developers CIM and Harry Macklowe have begun splitting full-floor apartments at the 1,396-foot-tall tower into two with the hopes of attracting smaller ticket buyers who can't swing $80 million for a posh pad—but wouldn't be opposed to shelling out $40 million. The paper adds that the move "may signal a slowdown in sales for $50 million-plus apartments," particularly as the market gets inundated with ultra-luxe developments. "There is some concern that there aren't enough buyers who can afford apartments priced in the tens of millions of dollars—an increasingly common figure for the latest crop of ultra-luxury condos."
find out more here

November 10, 2015

Combine the Joys of an Adult Coloring Book With the Convenience of a Notebook

As adults, most of our time is spent at work, and it seems unfair that we're no longer given the opportunity to delve into our creative side as often as when we were children. However the trend of adult coloring books it helping to right this injustice, and new to its roster of titles is the "Coloring Notebook." This clever take combines all of the joys of a coloring book with the convenience of a compact notebook.
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VIDEO: Travel to India and See How NYC’s Manhole Covers Are Made

Manhole covers fall into that category of things New Yorkers walk by (and in this case, walk on) every day, but rarely notice. If you look closely, though, you'll see that right under "N.Y.C. Sewer" they say "Made in India." Fascinated by this interesting pairing on one of the city's most iconic urban elements, filmmaker and anthropologist Natasha Raheja traveled to Howrah, India (a city of one million full of foundries from the British Colonial era) to document how these manhole covers are made and to "learn more about the labor infrastructure concealed in the built infrastructure of our cities." Raheja's resulting 26-minute documentary called "Cast In India" provides a glimpse into the physical labor of manhole covers, as well as the lives of the men creating them. In the trailer, (h/t Gothamist) we see barefoot workers in a dirt-floor factory using their feet to press the shape into the 300-pound metal covers, carrying buckets of pig iron on their heads, pouring molten metal from the buckets, and more.
Watch the video here

City Living

Interview: Ansonia Insider Michel Madie Shares Stories of the Iconic NYC Building

Photo of the Ansonia by Jeffrey Zeldman

November 10, 2015

Interview: Ansonia Insider Michel Madie Shares Stories of the Iconic NYC Building

By 6sqft

Today, the Upper West Side's Ansonia is considered one of the city's most iconic and prestigious addresses. With former residents ranging from Sergei Rachmaninoff, Gustav Mahler, Babe Ruth and more recently Natalie Portman, its history reaches far back. And along its more than century-old ride, it's no surprise that it has also attracted plenty of strange activity, including playing host to what probably was the city's first rooftop farm in 1904 and a debaucherous sex club known as Plato's Retreat. While there's lots of ground to cover when looking back on this 111-year-old building, we decided to tap an insider for his take on this storied structure. Michel Madie of Michel Madie Real Estate Services has over the years become an unofficial historian of sorts to the Ansonia. Madie moved from France to New York in 1984 and almost immediately fell in love with the French-inspired building. However, being near-penniless at the time, the thought of ever taking up space in such a grand building seemed like just a dream. But as he found success in the real estate business, he focused his attention on the Ansonia. He eventually purchased an apartment and then spent decades tending to the architecture, restoring its original layouts and recreating original finishes and fixtures in the building's many units whenever the opportunity would arise. During this time, Madie also learned a thing or two about the residence, stories which he shares with 6sqft ahead.
stories from michel this way

November 10, 2015

Architect Lee Mindel Lists Penthouse; Chinese Finger Trap-Like Hotel Proposed for Hudson Yards

Remember this $10.7M sculptural penthouse featured on 6sqft? Turns out the owner is architect Lee Mindel. [WSJ] Here are all the marketing stops Extell is pulling to attract foreign buyers to One Manhattan Square. [BB] Blackhouse Development has tapped L.A. architecture firm M-Rad to design a wild 740-foot tall hotel at the Hudson Yards. “Imagine a hotel that can move […]

Real Estate Trends

November 10, 2015

A Modern Reno Inside This Modest Clinton Hill Townhouse, Asking $1.8 Million

This Clinton Hill townhouse is looking to stand out— it even has its very own website. Although it's got a modest, albeit historic, three-story facade, a renovation has left its imprint on seemingly every room of the house. The floorplan has been opened up, the staircase rebuilt, and the fixtures replaced by materials imported from Italy. Pretty much everything has a modern touch while the exterior remains well preserved. If you're a townhouse purist it may not be your cup of tea, but you'll have to admit it's unique. It's currently on the market with a price tag of $1.795 million.
See more of it here

Distinctive Homes

November 10, 2015

Pretty West Village Duplex Wants a Pretty Penny for Design, Location and a Private Roof Deck

This one-bedroom, 872-square-foot duplex condominium at 387 Bleecker Street couldn’t possibly be cuter, or in a better location. Tucked above trendy luxury handbag shop Mulberry in a 1817 townhouse, on a postcard-ready historic West Village street, it radiates designer charm everywhere from its sleek, white kitchen to its private roof terrace. So if this picture-perfect apartment is perfect enough for you, and you’re in possession of $3.15 million, this could be your new home.
Take a look around

Distinctive Homes

November 10, 2015

World’s Only Jet Pack Flies Around the Statue of Liberty; The History of the NYC Grid

Gerard Koeppel, author of “City on a Grid: How New York Became New York,” is giving a lecture and book signing tonight at the Museum of the City of New York. [MCNY] The man who owns the world’s only real jetpack just flew it around the Statue of Liberty and made a video of it. […]

Uncategorized

November 9, 2015

Rendering Revealed for Brooklyn’s First 1,000-Foot Tower

News broke back in August that Brooklyn's first tower over 1,000 feet might rise in Downtown Brooklyn as the result of the $90 million acquisition of Brooklyn’s landmarked Dime Savings Bank building by JDS Development. Previously, they bought the site next door for $43 million, and combined with the bank's 300,000 square feet of development rights, they acquired the means to build a tower of nearly 600,000 square feet at 340 Flatbush Avenue Extension. 6sqft got a taste of what's to come when we revealed a video that showed the insane views from the top of the could-be tower, but now Yimby has unveiled the official renderings and specs for the project, which come courtesy of starchitects SHoP. As previously speculated, it will reach 1,000 feet, making it the tallest building in the outer boroughs. The 90-story, vaguely Art Deco tower will have 466,000 square feet of residential space, amounting to 550 condo units, as well as 140,000 square feet of commercial space.
More on the development ahead

November 9, 2015

Tiny House ‘MUJI Huts’ Will Start at Just $25,000

For lovers of the tiny house movement and eco-design, it was pretty big news when environmentally conscious, "no-brand" Japanese household company MUJI announced that they'd be launching three tiny prefab cabins called MUJI Hut. The three models are of varying materials (wood, cork, and aluminum) and size, created by three well-known designers (Naoto Fukasawa, Jasper Morrison, and Konstantin Grcic). One is envisioned as a true tiny home for living off the grid, another as a vacation retreat, and the third as a place to temporarily escape. The models first launched last week at Tokyo Design Week, but now Spoon & Tomago has uncovered the pricing, which ranges from $25,000 to $40,000.
Get inside all three designs

November 9, 2015

Furnished Nolita Loft in Moby’s Former Building Will Cost You $12,500 a Month

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

262 Mott Street is a Nolita condo building that was formerly an 1850s armory. More recently, the building has gained notoriety for its creative loft spaces, with an apartment featuring moveable bookshelf walls and another with translucent partitions. Moby once owned one such space in the building, which he bought in 1996 for $215,750 and then sold for around $2 million last year. This apartment, a two bedroom, feels much more like a loft than Moby's modern pad, with wood beams galore and a nice open "great room." It's being offered as a six-month furnished rental for the not-so-low rent of $12,500 a month. Nobody said living in such a famously creative building–with some awesome furniture to boot–would come cheap.
Take a look

Distinctive Homes

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10 Great Places to Buy Affordable Art in New York City

VIEW ALL

November 9, 2015

New York’s Tunnel Dwellers; High Line-Hugging Solar Carve Tower Approved

The story of New York’s legendary mole people. [Narratively] Here’s what your New York buck will get you in L.A. when it comes to real estate. [LA Curbed] Studio Gang’s Solar Carve tower has gotten the go-ahead for construction. The cutting-edge design will rise atop a prime site along the High Line. [Curbed] Has Miami become a suburb […]

Real Estate Trends

November 9, 2015

Sitskie’s Innovative Wood Furniture Mimics Memory Foam to Conform to Your Body

Buying furniture can be a significant investment, so you want to make sure you're putting your money towards something that will last. While fluffy upholstered pieces can help you take a load off at the end of a busy day, fabric furniture is often more difficult to care for and maintain than wood. Designer Adam Friedman from Los Angeles' Sitskie design studio, who spent years working in furniture sales, has created a new line of furniture that aims to solve this problem. His solid wood pieces conform to the body like memory foam, giving users the best of both worlds.
READ MORE

November 9, 2015

Hipsters Get a Stache Shield; Gowanus Canal May Have Spawned a Three-Eyed Fish

Libraries in New York and Seattle are battling for the title of fastest book sorter. [NYT] A man fishing in the Gowanus Canal claims he caught a three-eyed catfish and plans to eat it. [Gothamist] Calling all hipsters: here’s a device called the Stache Shield that will keep your beard clean of latte foam and hotdog […]

Uncategorized

November 9, 2015

Seven Floors of One57 Hit the Market for $250 Million

It may not be the penultimate $100 million penthouse, but an investor with enough dough can still make headlines buying into the city's most expensive condo tower. According to the Journal, Extell is selling a block of 38 rentals in its blockbuster One57 for $250 million. The paper writes that unloading the units will bring the developer $3,800 a square foot, or an average of more than $6.5 million per apartment—more than double the $1,800 average of Manhattan condos sold during the third quarter.
FInd out more

November 9, 2015

‘Scrubs’ and ‘Clueless’ Star Donald Faison Sells $2.5M Harlem Brownstone

By Annie Doge

Depending upon your age, you may know actor Donald Faison best for his role as Murray on "Clueless" or as Dr. Chris Turk on "Scrubs." But long before he became a household face, Faison grew up right here in Harlem, with his parents active in the National Black Theatre in Harlem. In 2010, he returned to his roots and bought a historic townhouse at 206 West 137th Street for $1.4 million, but The Real Deal reports that he's now sold the six-bedroom home, last listed for $2.5 million.
Take a look around

November 9, 2015

Noroof Architects Transformed This $1.6M Historic Bed-Stuy Home With Modern Appeal

No matter how lavish, developer and flipper renovations rarely hold a candle to the custom designs executed by architects for their clients' homes–even more so when the architects are the clients and the homes are their own. This unassuming townhouse at 702 Monroe Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant, on the market for $1.635 million, is a prime example. In this case, the innovative pair behind architecture firm noroof (they received national recognition for their "Slot House" and specialize in designing small spaces) worked their creative and practical magic on a comparatively compact historic Brooklyn townhouse with a unique front porch and a lot of potential charm. Based on love and respect for the porch as a gathering, sheltering and enhancing element, they've named the resulting project "porchouse," an elegantly-designed home with a clean, modern interior that's perfect for family living–with plenty of curb appeal.
See how the magic happened

November 8, 2015

$350K Catskills Colonial Was an Underground Railroad Safe House

Built in 1795 in a "central chimney, post and Beam Colonial style," this home in the Catskills village of Andes was originally used as a tavern. It then had lives as a farmhouse, meeting house during the Anti-Rent War (a tenants' revolt in the early 19th century), and, most impressively, a safe house for the Underground Railroad (h/t CIRCA). In its most recent incarnation, it's served as a private home, with the current owners preserving its historic integrity, including five fireplaces, beamed ceilings, hardwood floors, and .62 acres of conservation land. They've now listed the property for $350,000.
Check it all out

November 8, 2015

Morris Adjmi’s 465 Pacific Street Now 50 Percent in Contract

By Ondel Hylton

Just one month after kicking off sales, Boerum Hill's hottest new condominium development, 465 Pacific Street has already signed half of its 30 units into contract. Even more impressive is that the $55 million development is slated for completion some 18-months from now, with foundation pouring just commencing last month. The project is conceived by a partnership between Avery Hall Investments and ARIA Development Group who paid $18 million ($373 per buildable square foot) for the L-shaped lot in May 2013, a record for a large Brooklyn parcel according to Crain's New York.
more on the project

November 7, 2015

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks From the 6sqft Staff

Rent a Literal Dumpster Apartment in Williamsburg for $1,200 a Month–or $200 a Night The World’s Most Expensive Dollhouse Will Be On Show at Columbus Circle This Month 220 Central Park South Costs $5,000 Per Foot to Build, Now 50 Percent Sold Rafael Viñoly’s 432 Park Reportedly Showing Cracks in Its 1,400-Foot Facade Renderings Revealed […]

Uncategorized

November 6, 2015

Yet Another Burial Vault Uncovered Near Washington Square Park, Comes Filled With Coffins

Employees of the Department of Design and Construction are definitely being kept on their toes this week. After uncovering a hidden vault containing the skeletal remains of at least a dozen people believed to be approximately 200 years old, workers have uncovered a second burial vault, this one filled with wood coffins. Workers tasked with upgrading 19th-century water mains under the park stumbled upon the latest burial ground Wednesday night, a day after their first finding at the corner of Waverly Place and Washington Square Park East.
find out more here

History

November 6, 2015

$4.25M Forest Hills Mansion Has Multiple Personalities

Check out this Tudor mansion at 70 Greenway South in Forest Hills Gardens. This Queens enclave is home to some of the finest–and most magnificent–freestanding Tudor homes in all of New York, and the neighborhood's quiet and winding streets feel way more like a suburb than most of the city. This house, according to the listing, was "awarded First Prize for excellence in design and civic value in 1929." While we couldn't find more details on the award, it sure sounds fancy– there's even a plaque up on the facade. The exterior is really impressive, with inlaid stone, a turret above the entryway, and a highly-pitched roof. You also can't go wrong with a yard and a stone walkway out front, with another yard and two-car garage in back. But inside, this house is having an identity crisis. It's medieval with a hint of...something.
See more

More Manhattan Rentals Are Listed Above $15,000 Than Under $2,000

Graph courtesy of The Real Deal

November 6, 2015

More Manhattan Rentals Are Listed Above $15,000 Than Under $2,000

Looking for a rental under $2,000 a month? Keep your fingers crossed and head to the Upper East Side. In a new analysis of on-line residential exclusive listings data as of October 8th, The Real Deal concludes that there are more Manhattan rentals priced above $15,000 than there are under $2,000, further proving that the uber-luxury market is not letting up. But for the latter category, the neighborhoods of Yorkville, Carnegie Hill, and Lenox Hill are the best bet. In fact, the UES has more listings below $2,000 than all of Manhattan south of Central Park.
More on the trends this way

Real Estate Trends

November 6, 2015

Buy Actor Steve Martin’s Cast-Off Furniture, Items Going for $249–$70,000

It looks like comedian/actor/author/musician Steve Martin is cleaning house. Martin has joined forces with online furniture consignment shop One Kings Lane to curate a collection of his personal furniture and other pieces of decor for their Tastemakers Tag Sale. Martin's picks are wide-ranging with weird, kooky and classic stuff making his list, including a "camelback couch," bronze snakes, hand-painted chairs, and even a pencil portrait of the actor himself. But as you may have guessed, the items aren't quite priced like those at Goodwill. The cheapest piece in the bunch is a blue bucket and planter going for $249, while the priciest, an original set of artwork from Robert Crumb, rings in at a whopping $69,995. There's also a set of drapes going for $1,300.
See what Martin is selling here

November 6, 2015

Did You Know Brooklyn Has Its Own Saint?

Neither did we. But the New York Times sheds some light on Raphael Hawaweeny, a Syrian (not Catholic or European) who helped bring the Eastern Orthodox Church to America, and who is being celebrated tonight and tomorrow to mark the 100th anniversary of his death. In 1904, Saint Raphael of Brooklyn became the first Orthodox Christian bishop consecrated in North America, leading him to found the present-day Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese. The first of its 29 parishes was and is located in Boerum Hill–the Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Brooklyn–not far from what was then Little Syria. The Archdiocese describes him as "neither a wonder-worker nor a clairvoyant elder, St. Raphael embraced a life of total abandonment of self for the service of God and his fellow man: a life of true spiritual asceticism."
Find out more

November 6, 2015

WSP Burial Vaults Belonged to a Church; Natural History Museum Expansion ‘Part Dr. Seuss, Part Jurassic Park’

The recently uncovered Washington Square Park burial vaults belonged to the Pearl Street Church or the Cedar Street Church, say archaeologists. [DNAinfo] Watch the 78-foot Rockefeller Center Christmas tree make its way into 30 Rock. [Reddit] Michael Kimmelman calls the Jeanne Gang-designed American Museum of Natural History expansion “part Dr. Seuss, part Jurassic Park, part parametric extravaganza,” […]

Uncategorized

November 6, 2015

Spotlight: Brian Whiting Shares How the USO of Metropolitan New York Supports Our Troops

By Susan Cohen

On November 11th, the country will gather to honor those who have heroically served in the armed forces. In New York, Veterans Day will be marked with a parade down Fifth Avenue. And during this time when Americans reflect on service, it's important to think about the many men and women who are actively serving around the globe. One organization that looks after the needs of troops and their families is the USO. While many associate the organization with Bob Hope and its renowned Show Troupe, entertainment is only one part of its mission. On a daily basis the USO runs centers around the world, providing a wide range of important services and programs, from keeping families in touch during deployment to supporting wounded warriors back home. Brian Whiting, the President and CEO of USO of Metropolitan New York, is responsible for the organization's work in the tri-state area, as well as managing the operations for two national programs: the renowned USO Show Troupe and Operation That’s My Dress, which provides military families access to dresses for proms and formals. With Veterans Day approaching, 6sqft spoke with Brian to learn more about the USO's mission and work, the New York chapter's services, and ways New Yorkers can support the troops throughout the year.
Hear from Brian this way

November 6, 2015

Construction Update: FXFowle’s Circle-Hugging Harlem Condominium Rises Over Central Park

By Heather Cooper Vivares

Artimus Construction's upcoming Harlem condo development Circa Central Park is rapidly rising skyward. After lengthy site remediation work due to a pre-existing BP gas station, the structure is finally above ground and already beginning to frame its sixth floor. Ultimately, the building will stand 11 stories/140 feet high and will contain some 126,362 square feet of total floor area. Artimus picked up the 13,500-square-foot site at 2040 Frederick Douglass Boulevard (285 West 110th Street) for $25 million in late 2013 after being selected through a bidding process conducted by the city's Economic Development Corporation. As part of the deal, Artimus must build space for the local Millennium Dance Company, which will occupy 8,000 square feet of the ground floor, and 20 percent of the building's 51 apartments must be designated as affordable housing.
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November 6, 2015

LAST DAY: Three Chances to Win a Copy of ‘Culture+Typography’ by Nikki Villagomez!

By Alyssa Alimurung

Whether you've been a long-time typography enthusiast or just recently jumped on the bandwagon of Helvetica fans and Comic Sans haters, you'll love this new book from South Carolina-based graphic designer Nikki Villagomez. Titled "Culture+Typography How Culture Affects Typography," her book investigates how design choices from type selection, color usage and more can be informed by the language of the cultural surroundings. If you're looking for a new great design for your brand or you're just a font fanatic, this book will be a great addition to your collection or your coffee table. We've teamed up with Nikki and are giving away THREE of her books to three lucky readers! To enter, all you need to do is: 1. Subscribe to our newsletter (if you haven't already) Email Address First Name Last Name 2. Comment below answering this question: "What is your favorite font and why?" And that's it! You have three chances to win, so be sure to invite your friends to enter. The deadline to enter is TODAY Friday, November 6th. Find out more about the book and why typography is so important from the author herself ahead.
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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 6, 2015

Iconic Plastic Armchair Sells at Sotheby’s Auction for $409,000

At a recent Sotheby's auction in London, the Miss Blanche armchair, from the Japanese designer Shiro Kuramata, sold for a whopping £269,000 ($409,000 U.S. dollars). The iconic plastic resin chair was named after Blanche Dubois from Tennessee Williams' play "A Streetcar Named Desire" and was created in 1988, three years before the artist's death. The production of the chair was rather complex, as it required each artificial rose to be held in place for long periods of time so the resin could harden around it. The artist also experimented with using actual roses, but the acrylic resin ruined the flowers before setting. Ultimately it was decided that "fake" materials were more appropriate because Blanch Dubois was in fact superficial.
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November 6, 2015

Listings Launch for Nomad’s 212 Fifth Avenue Condo Conversion

Though sales began a few weeks ago, listings are up for 212 Fifth Avenue, the highly-anticipated in-progress Nomad condo conversion by NYC-based firm Helpern consisting of 48 two-, three- and four-bedroom residences in a landmarked 1912 neo-Gothic building at the northwest corner of Madison Square Park. Listings with Town Residential–16 currently–range from 5C, a $3.9 million fifth-floor two-bedroom home, to $16.1 million for one of the building's 4,000-square-foot+ four-bedroom residences on the 15th floor. Floors 3-13 of the 24-story building offer three units per floor while floors 14-19 offer two; two immense triplex penthouses with Empire State Building and city skyline views are still to come. All homes boast multi-zoned heat and air, vented kitchens and bathrooms and smart home technology. Interior finishes were created by renowned designers Pembrooke & Ives and include eight-foot doors, book-matched marble, solid oak floors and custom cabinetry.
Floor plans and renderings this way

November 5, 2015

Hidden Burial Vault and the Skeletal Remains of 12 Found Under Washington Square Park

It's pretty well known that Washington Square Park started out as a potters field, a burial ground for the poor, and later as a resting place for those who died from yellow fever. But this has always been something out of the history books. Until now. Recently, a group of city workers in the process of upgrading water mains under the park came upon a hidden vault containing the skeletal remains of at least a dozen people believed to be approximately 200 years old. According to officials from the Department of Design and Construction, the vault is eight feet deep, 15 feet wide, and 20 feet long. While the exact details are unknown right now, a team of anthropologists and and archaeologists will be requested to evaluate and determine the age of both the remains and the vault.
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History

November 5, 2015

Renderings Revealed for Jeanne Gang’s $325M Museum of Natural History Expansion

One of the many things that makes the American Museum of Natural History so fascinating is its combination of architecture–very different styles from varying time periods that together make up 25 separate structures. The original Victorian Gothic building was erected in 1877, followed and eclipsed quickly by the southern neo-Romanesque stretch. Then, in 1936, the grand Beaux-Arts entrance was added, and in 2000 the famous glass box known as the Rose Center for Earth and Space was built. Now, the museum is growing yet again, reports the Times, this time with a $325 million expansion courtesy of Studio Gang. In addition to its hefty price tag and undulating form, the addition is significant for the fact that it will be the first female-led project associated with the museum structure, as the firm is headed up by starchitect Jeanne Gang. The Times calls the concept for the new Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education and Innovation "both cautious and audacious," noting that it "consumes less coveted park space than expected, while introducing a contemporary aesthetic that evokes Frank Gehry’s museum in Bilbao, Spain, in its undulating exterior and Turkey’s underground city of Cappadocia in its cavelike interior." The new 218,00-square-foot Center will help solve circulation issues (it will create more than 30 access points across ten buildings) and will be an integrated space for museum activities and research.
More renderings and details ahead

Architecture And Design

November 5, 2015

Check Out the Retro Kitchen in This Otherwise Historic Italianate Brooklyn Brownstone