September 17, 2015

Sleek Tribeca Loft Redesign Features Undulating Walls and Inspiring Idea Lab

This Tribeca loft is situated on the sixth floor of an eight-story building in Manhattan. The space measures 3,500 square feet and in 2014 it underwent a complete interior renovation led by the design team at Voorsanger Architects. The exterior of the existing building was also recently updated but its renovation was meant to replicate the historic character of the former industrial neighborhood. What we see on the inside of this loft is a far different approach.
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September 17, 2015

New York Public Library Hires Dutch Architecture Firm Mecanoo to Lead Renovation

On Tuesday, news surfaced that eight architecture firms were being considered for the redesign of the New York Public Library's main branch, the landmarked Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on 42nd Street, one of whom was starchitect Bjarke Ingels. The list also included Ennead Architects, Studio Gang Architects, and Robert A.M. Stern Architects. One name that wasn't mentioned, however, was the Dutch firm Mecanoo, but the New York Times is reporting that the architects from the Netherlands have been selected by the library to lead the $300 million renovation, which also includes a complete overhaul of the Mid-Manhattan branch at Fifth Avenue and 40th Street.
More details ahead
September 17, 2015

How Two Women Live Comfortably in 350 Square Feet; NYC’s Leaning Tower of Pisa?

Residents of Chinatown and Little Italy want Historical District signs. The area received designation from the National Register of Historic Places nearly six years ago, yet no street signs have been updated to reflect such. [BB] Help get the 42nd Street theaters landmarked. [DNA Info] SHoP Architects First Avenue project is also taking shape. The building’s subtle […]

September 17, 2015

Luna Globe Lights Will Illuminate Your Living Space Just Like the Moon

At night, the New York City skyline is illuminated with the artificial glow of its towering skyscrapers and bridges. While this sight is breathtaking and often reminds us of why we love the city so, we can't help but long for an occasional glimpse of the stars and moon. This was Acorn Studio's sentiment and inspiration for the design of Luna, an artificial globe light that looks just like the moon!
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September 17, 2015

This $17.5 Million Co-Op at the Dakota Has Gone Totally Mod!

While many of the apartments at The Dakota, the historic co-op building at 1 West 72nd Street on the Upper West Side, are dripping with historic detail, this one is an anomaly. The four-bedroom unit does retain many of the classic details of these famed apartments—12-foot ceilings, wood-burning fireplaces, floor-to-ceiling windows and grand, well-sized rooms. But it's been significantly renovated with bold, modern design in the kitchen and bedrooms. To have a touch of modernism in one of the most iconic and historic apartment buildings of New York is going to cost you $17.5 million. The unit last sold in 2010, for $11.5 million.
See it all
September 17, 2015

First Renderings of Moshe Safdie’s 800-Foot Bancroft Building Replacement Revealed

Plans for the Bancroft Building have been ultra-hush with much speculation swirling around the design that would ultimately replace the recently demolished, and much beloved, landmark building. But now, the NY Post has the first official rendering of the luxury condo tower that could rise in place of the historic structure located on a block-through site between West 29th and West 30th streets. Though 6sqft was previously told by reps of the development that the rendering seen here was in no way an affiliated project, the two designs do remain visually similar.
more details here
September 17, 2015

Mats Zuccarello Is Second NY Rangers Player This Week to Scoop Up a Downtown Condo

We're not sure how "the Rags" are going to do on the ice this year, but they sure will have some nice digs to come home to. Just yesterday, we learned that New York Rangers center Derick Brassard scored a $4.1 million condo at One York Street in Tribeca. And today, the Observer reports that the team's right wing, and perhaps THE fan favorite, Mats Zuccarello has picked up a $3.15 million pad at 345 West 14th Street in the Meatpacking District. Zucc's new condo is spread out over 1,228 square feet and offers two bedrooms, views of Gansevoort Square, and high-end finishes.
Have a look around
September 17, 2015

Inside Mast Brothers’ Williamsburg Chocolate Shop Revamp; Brooklyn Jumps on the Cat Cafe Train

Of course Brooklyn is getting a cat cafe. The Cat’s Meow will be in Fort Greene starting this Saturday and until October 24th. [Gothamist] The top ten hidden restaurants in NYC. [Untapped] With their upcoming move to the Barclays Center, the Islanders have gotten new Brooklyn-esque Jerseys. [BK Paper] On September 24th, the National Academy Museum […]

September 17, 2015

Long Island Equestrian Estate Featured in ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ Hits the Market for $4M

If you secretly envied the life of Jordan Belfort in "The Wolf of Wall Street," you can now own a slice of his luxurious lifestyle. The sprawling Long Island estate that served as the backdrop for a scene where Belfort (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) is advised by Manny Riskin (Jon Favreau) and Max Belfort (Rob Reiner) to make a deal with the SEC and quit Wall Street. The Post reports that the seven-acre compound is on the market for $3.98 million. The Olympic-sized equine estate is called Mill Hill Farm and features a 5,000-square-foot, five-bedroom mansion, a 16-stall mahogany horse barn, four-stall quarantine shed, a giant fenced-in jumping space, and plenty of outdoor areas for spectating.
Take a tour around the stunning property
September 16, 2015

Where I Work: Inside Made in Americana’s Bed-Stuy workshop and collaborative

6sqft’s series “Where I Work” takes us into the studios, offices, and off-beat workspaces of New Yorkers across the city. In this installment, we meet the founders of Brooklyn's Made in Americana. Want to see your business featured here? Get in touch! Many of us come to New York with certain goals in mind, but more often than not we're at the whim of the city which has plans of its own. But this is not always a bad thing. Case in point: When college friends Jordan Johnson and Joey Grimm moved to NYC a few years ago, they wanted to be performance artists; now they're running a burgeoning furniture business called Made in Americana. Today, the pair work out of a massive industrial studio at the border of Hasidic Bed-Stuy and Bed-Stuy Bedford, designing custom interiors and building modern pieces meant to last for generations. But that's not all, they've opened their very large and very well-equipped space to other newbie BK designers to create a collaborative environment that gives others the opportunity to not just get their works made, but refine them with top-of-the-line sustainable materials to get them showroom-ready—with their help, of course. Jump ahead to learn more about what Jordan and Joey are doing, exactly how they got to where they're at, and of course to tour of their quirky, and quite cool, DIY studio space.
Go inside their awesome studio here
September 16, 2015

Lang Architecture Updates a Carroll Gardens Brownstone With a Two-Story Wall of Windows

Prior to renovation, this Carroll Gardens brownstone came complete with tattered wall-to-wall carpeting and three separate apartment units. Plus, it was just 14 feet wide. The arduous task of transforming the four-story Italianate home into an attractive one-family residence was awarded to Drew Lang of Lang Architecture (the same firm responsible for Hudson Woods, the Catskills eco-community). When first approached, Lang's clients said they wanted to restore the historic elements of the house, but also make it feel airy, light, and modern.
See how Drew Lang rose to the challenge
September 16, 2015

Back in ’68 an East Village Hippy Ran for President Against Nixon

Before there was the wild presidential run of Donald Trump, there was another absurd (albeit much more endearing) campaign by an East Village hippy looking for political greatness. A fun and fascinating recollection by Ephemeral NY tells the tale of Louis Albolafia, a 27-year-old abstract expressionist artist, nudist, and the first person to establish a runaway shelter and hotline in New York, who ran on the "Love" party ticket. Though Albolafia was obviously not the term winner (that title goes to Richard Nixon), he did get a considerable number of write-ins during the race.
Find out more about his campaign here
September 16, 2015

POLL: Is Brooklyn Heading Into a Housing Glut?

Over the last year, building permits have risen by 156 percent, hitting levels not seen since 1963. And this percentage rises to 749 when compared with the 2010 post-slump low. This building boom is particularly rampant in Brooklyn, where, according to a report put out last month by CityRealty, northern Brooklyn alone will get 22,000 new […]

September 16, 2015

NY Rangers Star Derick Brassard Scores a $4M Tribeca Condo

The Real Deal reports that New York Rangers center Derick Brassard has scored a $4.1 million condo at One York Street in Tribeca. The French-Canadian hockey star signed a $25 million, five-year contract extension with the Blueshirts last year, so it looks like this sprawling downtown pad is a celebratory gift to himself. The 1,670-square-foot, two-bedroom apartment boasts 14-foot ceilings, wide oak wood floors, motorized shades, and 200 square feet of outdoor space. The seller is interior designer Sterling McDavid, who bought the sixth-floor unit for $3.4 million in 2011.
Take a look around
September 16, 2015

Trader Joe’s to Open in Downtown Brooklyn’s City Point; REBNY Landmarking Report Flawed Says Data Source

Trader Joe’s has officially inked a 13,700-square-foot lease at the 1.9-million-square-foot site at City Point. It’s scheduled to open in 2016. [City Point; 6sqft inbox] Here are the before and afters of the numerous towers going up in Queens. [Rent Cafe] Red Hook’s upcoming massive waterfront tech campus has gotten an updated design. [Curbed] Airbnb […]

September 16, 2015

Actress Kathleen Turner Sells Trump Place Condo for $3.8M

You know you're a star when you have a neon sign of your name hanging above your desk. The great actress, activist, and stage director Kathleen Turner has parted ways with her 200 Riverside Boulevard condo, selling it for $3.8 million according to city records released today. Turner bought the Trump Place pad in 2003 for $2.3 million. The three-bedroom, 2,086-square-foot Upper West Side home offers incredible views of Central Park, the Hudson River, and Manhattan skyline. A special feature is the custom solid cherry wood doors and cherry wood built-ins throughout. And while we love Ms. Turner on the stage and in film, we must admit we're not quite as impressed with her design aesthetic.
Look around here
September 16, 2015

Bright, Modern Clinton Hill Three-Bedroom on Biggie’s Old Block Offers Lots of Options for $950K

It's not often that a three-bedroom apartment in prime Brooklyn rings in at under a million; if it does, it's likely to be a co-op with a steep monthly fee, and/or badly in need of an update. This pre-war condo in the heart of Clinton Hill is the rare exception: tastefully renovated, it offers pretty pre-war details, three bedrooms, and a location that's hard to beat. 207 Saint James Place is on one of this historic neighborhood's most beautiful streets, lined with 150-year-old brownstones and wood-frames, carriage houses and churches. There's plenty of colorful local history as well: The childhood home of Biggie Smalls is in a similar building just across the street at number 226–the late rapper's former apartment sold for $725k in 2013. Having survived the ravages of the late 20th century, these ornate 1930s limestone apartment buildings can be a great place to find lovely and livable–and somewhat rare–apartments like this one.
Take a look, this way...
September 16, 2015

Liven Up Your Walls With Bike Art Inspired by the New York City Streets

Original art is a great way to adorn the walls in your home, but for some of us, it can also be outside of our budget. One excellent solution to this conundrum is to purchase original prints from local artists like Massimo Mongiardo. Mongiardo recieved his BFA in Illustration from the Massachusetts College of Art, and he now lives and works in New York City. His playful collection of bike prints were inspired by the bike culture he observed around his studio.
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September 16, 2015

West Village Condo, Asking $2.4 Million, Calls Itself a Bibliotheque

If you're a reader, prepare to fall in love. This West Village condo apartment at 302 West 12th Street is essentially one big book shelf, and beautifully designed at that. It's also located in a pre-war apartment building right in the heart of the West Village and just a short walk away from the Hudson River Greenway, the Chelsea art galleries and the Meatpacking District. For bookshelves galore and such a charming location: $2.4 million.
Check it out
September 15, 2015

Fort Greene Townhouse, Up for Rent at $8,500 a Month, Has Its Very Own Treehouse

If a New York townhouse is only as good as its outdoor space, this place in Fort Greene is one of the best. Located at 283 Adelphi Street, the historic brick house boasts a beautiful interior with both modern and historic touches, and then a downright awesome exterior. A fire pit, an outdoor dining area, and yes, there's a treehouse. (It looks just large enough to fit a grownup, too!) Simply put: this house has us sold, inside and out. It's up for rent during a six-month period–January 2016 to June 2016–asking $8,500 a month.
See it all
September 15, 2015

The Best Places to Buy Cheap Vintage and Antique Furniture in NYC

Finding the time and money to properly adorn your living space is challenging in any capacity, and living in a city as expensive as New York makes it that much more difficult. However, this bustling metropolis is not only filled with people, it's also home to all of their furniture! As the saying goes, one man's trash is another man's treasure, and New York is the perfect town to hunt for good deals on vintage pieces that are often better in quality and better looking than what you'd buy new from IKEA (minus the ferry ride). To save you time, we've put together this list of some of our favorite NYC spots to hunt for cheap vintage furniture and accessories. We also included a few new and not so new websites that also offer excellent deals.
The best shops to find great deals here
September 15, 2015

Is Bjarke Ingels Redesigning the New York Public Library Flagship?

Bjarke Ingels is most certainly on his way to New York architectural greatness, and scattered on the path behind him are the remains of Norman Foster's abandoned designs. Curbed has caught wind that the baby-faced starchitect is currently being considered for the redesign of the New York Public Library's landmarked Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on 42nd Street. Yesterday afternoon, Theodore Grunewald, Vice President of the Committee to Save the New York Public Library, tweeted that both Bjarke Ingels and Ennead Architects were among the eight finalists being considered for the project—a list that also includes Studio Gang Architects and Robert A.M. Stern Architects.
Find out more here
September 15, 2015

Never-Built Coney Island Globe Tower Would Have Been a Massive Boardwalk in the Air

In 1906, architect Samuel Friede announced his plans to build the Coney Island Globe Tower, a 700-foot-tall, 11-story structure that would have contained the Brooklyn neighborhood's attractions in one giant globe in the air. A New York Tribune cover revealing the project said investors were being offered "a ground floor chance to share profits in the largest steel structure ever erected...the greatest amusement enterprise in the whole world...the best real estate venture." Had the $1,500,000 plan gone through, the whimsical structure (part Unisphere, part Eiffel Tower) would have contained restaurants (one of which would rotate), an observatory, the United States Weather Observation Bureau and Wireless Telegraph Station, a vaudeville theater, the world's largest ballroom, bowling alley, roller skating rink, casinos, 50,000-room hotel, 5,000-seat hippodrome, and a four large circus rings.
Read the rest of the history
September 15, 2015

Obama No Longer Staying at the Waldorf Astoria; 32nd Street Plaza to be Cleared of Homeless for Pope

Obama is no longer staying at the Waldorf Astoria, purportedly because of China’s Anbang Insurance Group’s takeover of the hotel. [Guardian] The city’s office building boom still isn’t enough to meet demand. [Crain’s] The homeless will be cleared from an area near the 32nd Street plaza between Penn Station and Herald Square in anticipation of the Pope’s arrival. [NYP] Brokerage […]

September 15, 2015

There’s a Secret Bathhouse Modeled After Ancient Greco-Roman and Ottoman Traditions in Tribeca

We don't always have enough free time to escape NYC as often as we'd like (or need). However, when we find ourselves desperate for some immediate R and R there are a few gems of tranquility hidden inside the walls of this concrete jungle. One breathtaking example is AIRE's Ancient Bath House located right in Tribeca behind a very unassuming cast iron storefront (we didn't know it existed either!). This sexy newcomer offers guests access to a suite of amenities including pools of hot, warm, cold and ice water; jet and salt baths; and a steamy hammam.
Have a look inside the incredible space ahead
September 15, 2015

Gorgeous Roof Garden Atop This $3M Flatiron Loft Has an Outdoor Cinema and Cinematic Views

As much as we love lofts, they're sometimes better in theory than reality; they're either too slick and highly customized as someone's dream palace, or they're a little too raw and lack privacy and separation of space. And their rooftops, while huge, are often gritty urban spaces. In the penthouse loft at 22 East 18th Street asking $2.995 million, you can have your cake in a custom kitchen worthy of a newly-minted luxury apartment and eat it in a verdant enchanted roof garden high above the Flatiron district. This one- (convertible to two-) bedroom co-op has authentic 1900 cast-iron loft bones, details and all, state-of-the-art interiors and mechanical systems (central air and sound and a private elevator to name just a few), plus tons of light and, perhaps best of all, a magical common roof garden with self-irrigated plantings, benches and a custom outdoor cinema–and movie-worthy views of the city.
Have a look around, this way...
September 15, 2015

Convivial Production’s Structured Hanging Planters Are Perfect for Crawling Greens and Succulents

In a recent edition of 6sqft's Apartment Living 101 we featured the best plants for apartment dwellers, which put us on the lookout for cool planters to house all your leafy greens. This Structured Hanging Planter from designer Chentell Stiritz of Convivial Production Inc. was created specifically for crawling plants and succulents. The planters are made to order and constructed in porcelain and stoneware.
More on the planters here
September 15, 2015

Brooklyn Brownstone by McGrath II Shines With Subtle Color Palettes and Curated Accessories

The mother-daughter design team that makes up McGrath II recently renovated this beautiful Brooklyn brownstone. Their eclectic but elegant aesthetic combines traditional furnishings with contemporary style, resulting in a whole that's definitely greater than its parts. Not only is their ability to curate refined yet surprising design accessories apparent in all of their projects, their talent for selecting subtle colors outlined by bold, bright accents is also always worth another look.
Explore the space in greater detail
September 15, 2015

$20M Allocated to New Technology That Will Let NYC Vehicles ‘Talk’ to Each Other

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced that $42 million will be allocated to new technology in New York City, Tampa, and the state of Wyoming that allows vehicles to "talk" to one another and their surroundings "in order to reduce congestion, prevent accidents, and cut emissions," according to Daily Intelligencer. The city is receiving $20 million of the funds, with which it will create "connected vehicles" that can hopefully reduce traffic accidents by up to 80 percent. By gaining access to real-time traffic data, both drivers and pedestrians will be alerted (or do the alerting) of potential hazards.
Learn about the specifics of what this technology entails
September 15, 2015

New Report Says Landmarked Districts Don’t Protect Affordable Housing

The war wages on between the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) and citywide preservationists. Many thought the contention between the groups over whether or not historic districts lessen affordable housing was a personal sentiment of former REBNY president Steven Spinola. But his successor John Banks has released a new report that claims landmarking doesn't protect affordable housing. The report looks at the number of rent-stabilized units in landmarked and non-landmarked districts between 2007 and 2014, finding that "citywide, landmarked properties lost rent stabilized units (-22.5%) at a much higher rate (-5.1%) than non-landmarked properties." Of course preservationists quickly fired back. Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP) calls the study "bogus" and says it does nothing to address how many units would have been lost had these areas not been landmarked.
More on the report
September 14, 2015

Russian Castle on Long Island With 35 Bathrooms Asks a Whopping $100M

Imagine stepping into an overly opulent palace in St. Petersburg where you find an indoor lazy river, myriad fountains, a two-story built-in dollhouse, a private shooting range, 13 bedrooms and 35 bathrooms. You'd probably guess you had stumbled upon the estate of a former czar. But then imagine you weren't actually in Russia, but on Long Island, New York, and the property's owner had no royal lineage, but rather made his fortune in the NYC real estate market. This is the Estate at Kings Point, an over-the-top estate designed to resemble the Peterhof Grand Palace in St. Petersburg, built in 1928 by the late Soviet Union billionaire Tamir Sapir as a display of his wealth (and possibly his ego). An unknown buyer (shielded by an LLC) bought the palace from Sapir in 2013 for $15.85 million, and they're now looking to make an unfathomable profit, re-listing the home for $100 million, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Check out the unbelievable estate
September 14, 2015

Historic Soho Townhouse With Massive Rec Room and Skylights Galore Asks $16.3M

We'd figure that a large and lovely townhouse on a prime Soho block would have a hefty price tag just by virtue of its location; this four-story, 20-foot-wide-by-100-foot-deep home is no exception. But for your $16.3 million, you're getting an 1832 house that, after a three-year gut renovation, achieves a rare level of near-perfection. The couple who purchased the house at at 27 Vandam Street from revered choreographer Paul Taylor in 2009 for a (relatively) mere 3.3 million reconfigured what was at the time four apartments into one grand single-family residence while retaining its historic character. The result: Every detail–and there are many–in this home is state-of-the-art and every inch has been custom-designed for maximum comfort, convenience and peerless good looks.
Tour the interior of this beautiful house
September 14, 2015

VIDEO: Take a Sweeping Drone Tour of Bjarke Ingels’ West Side Pyramid

Few NYC projects are as architecturally exciting as the massive tetrahedron on the rise along West 57th Street. The design, which is the creation of starchitect-of-the-moment Bjarke Ingels, will soar 460-feet from its site (fun fact: the Great Pyramid of Giza stands 455 feet tall) and is slated for completion later this year. While the final form can already be appreciated by passersby from street level at this point—the architect has by now led camera crews through what he calls the "courtscraper" ("the lovechild of a courtyard building and a skyscraper," to be exact)—here's a spectacular, and quite poetic we might add, new video produced by Dark Horse that gives us expansive ariel views of the whole thing through the eye of a drone.
watch the drone tour here
September 14, 2015

Studio Cheha’s Awesome BULBING LED Lamps Are Actually 2D Cutouts

Talk about space-saving design. We're all for products and furniture that help us use space efficiently, but we like these 2-dimensional LED desk lamps either way. At first glance it's difficult to understand how this lamp is flat, but at closer inspection you'll see the 3D illusion is achieved with a flat laser-carved acrylic surface. The clever desk accessory comes from Studio Cheha, a design firm located in Tel Aviv, and can be pre-ordered through their Kickstarter project.
More on the lamps
September 14, 2015

Pile: Transforming, Space-Saving Furniture for Life on the Ground

German designer Karl Frederik Scholz joined Israeli Michal Blutrich to create Pile, a stackable space-saving furniture system for relaxation and conversation right on the floor. Perfect for small apartments, the collection features different shaped and colored items that can be arranged into various horizontal, vertical or compact combinations. Pile also has seat cushions, a table, and a lamp that adapt to different needs and put a multi-hued, sculptural twist on traditional Japanese tatami mats.
Learn more about this multifunctional furniture system
September 14, 2015

Resolution: 4 Architecture’s Romantic Brooklyn Townhouse Renovation Is a Bevy of Soft Textures

This beautiful four-bedroom Brooklyn townhouse was renovated by the New York architecture firm and 6sqft favorite Resolution: 4 Architecture. The project added a significant addition to a traditional single family row house, bringing with it a new roof deck and sleek media room. The interior palette consists mostly of white and neutral wood tones enhanced with poppy adornments like large floral wall art or boldly colored accent walls. Expansive windows dominate the communal areas, making each space feel open and airy regardless of the square footage.
READ MORE
September 14, 2015

Explore the Met From Your Desktop With This Interactive Hand-Illustrated Map

Now that adult coloring books are sweeping the nation, we don't have to hide our love for youthful illustrations and activities--like this new hand-drawn map of the Metropolitan Museum of Art called MetKids Map. The fun interactive platform is dotted with yellow and red circles for which children search and click, opening a separate window full of information about a gallery or work of art.
See more of the fun illustration and learn how it works
September 14, 2015

Carriage House Apartment in Chelsea With Lush Landscaped Roof Wants $1.3 Million

We know every broker uses the word "charming" to describe their listing, but this co-op apartment at 337 West 20th Street, in Chelsea, really is. It is located in the Muffin House, a building where the Thomas family originally baked English muffins in the late 1800s. Now it's a co-op, located on a lovely and quiet residential block, that has eleven units, three of which are in the carriage house. The co-op also boasts an interior cobblestone courtyard, lined with hydrangeas, that leads back to this tucked-away carriage house apartment. Are you charmed yet?
See more
September 13, 2015

Get to Know New NYC Neighborhoods Through Food With Like A Local

If you're like most New Yorkers, you probably keep within a ten block radius of your home when you have downtime, maybe venturing out on a Sunday afternoon for brunch. A tired routine? Well, here's the perfect opportunity to spread your wings a bit. Like A Local is a cool startup that invites folks to chow on some of the best eats a neighborhood has to offer, while also giving them a taste of a place's history—from the art to architecture to the origin of what they're biting down on. Basically if you love eating and you love learning, they've got four tours worth your time.
Find out more here
September 12, 2015

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks From the 6sqft Staff

Mapping the Never-Built Highways of NYC from Robert Moses and Others You Can Call One of Manhattan’s Last Skybridges Home Hamptons Island Could Go for $1B, Despite Being Contaminated With Foot-And-Mouth Disease Norah Jones Is Buyer of $6.25M ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ Carriage House in Cobble Hill Turn Hot Coffee to Iced in Minutes With the […]

September 11, 2015

You Can Rent Lady Gaga’s Former LES Apartment for $2,000

Lady Gaga's old Lower East Side apartment is on the market once again. This time around, the rent-stabilized pad at 176 Stanton Street is going for a very reasonable $2,000 a month. In addition to its obvious star cachet, the unit offers a sizable bedroom with two windows, a kitchenette with new appliances, french doors, a bathroom with a full tub (ooh la la), and the place has even got a skylight. Okay, so it's not quite as glam as the pop star, but we've definitely seen worse for this price.
See more inside here
September 11, 2015

New Yorker Spotlight: William Helmreich Went on the Ultimate 6,000-Mile Walking Tour of NYC

New Yorkers are known for spending their free time taking leisurely strolls through the city's numerous neighborhoods. They even use their feet as a means to learn by going on weekend walking tours to discover the history, the mystery, as well as the evolution of their favorite places—and there are certainly plenty of tours out there to serve all sorts of curiosities. But when William Helmreich decided he wanted to learn more about New York on foot, he took walking tours to another level. In fact, he decided to walk the entire city. William is a sociology professor at The City College of New York and also teaches at the Graduate Center, City University of New York. Over the course of four years, he has walked just about every block in New York City. It was an adventure William was primed for as a lifelong New Yorker who possesses a research interest in urban studies; his background allowed him to be at ease while speaking with city residents in the five boroughs, and he had the eagerness necessary to uncover hidden gems in the lesser known nooks and crannies of our metropolis. The culmination of William's journey is his book, "The New York Nobody Knows: Walking 6,000 Miles in New York City," which was published in 2013 and released last month in paperback. We recently spoke with William about his long walk, and to find out what it taught him about New York.
Meet William here
September 11, 2015

New Renderings of Vinoly’s 125 Greenwich Street, Downtown’s Future Tallest Residential Skyscraper

On the 14th anniversary of the day that caused the city to question our skyward building ambitions, we give you a new look at lower Manhattan's future tallest apartment tower, 125 Greenwich Street. Not only has the city regained its confidence in building high again, but it has now been feverishly erecting 1,000-plus-foot supertall towers at a faster rate than nearly any other global metropolis. This particular residential spire will soar 77 stories and roughly 1,100 feet high, some 200 feet taller than downtown's next tallest ground-up residential buildings, 30 Park Place (937 feet) and New York by Gehry (870 feet).
Find out more here
September 11, 2015

Behold the City Skyline From a Room of Curved Glass Atop This $12.5M Chelsea Penthouse

We're fairly certain that if you look in the dictionary under "cool modern Chelsea penthouse," there's a picture of this apartment–because this duplex co-op at 143 West 20th Street pretty much nails the concept. Though there are certainly pricier pads, at over $12M, this four-bedroom stunner would certainly be someone's idea of a trophy–and it lives up to the job. Beginning on the 12th floor of an historic 1910 loft building at the classic Manhattan neighborhood's heart, the apartment's design treads the line between high-end generic contemporary and an attempt at hat-tipping the modernism of earlier decades via sleek minimal luxe. The listing says, "...one needs to walk through the space to experience it fully." But the pictures definitely get our attention with what looks a lot like a modern art museum that would be fun to live in.
Take the tour
September 11, 2015

Muebloc Introduces a Variety of Wood Finishes to the World of LEGO Furniture

We're first on line when it comes to LEGO-esque furniture, so we were especially excited to stumble upon Muebloc. Not only does this modular furniture system feature blocks that can create different combinations--including bedside tables, dressers, wardrobes, and desks--each block is available in a variety of wood finishes. And although we love the brightly colored blocks from some of Mueblocs competitors, we're happy to welcome a more neutral palette to the LEGO furniture family.
Click here for more from Muebloc

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