6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

A new short film takes a humanizing look at “showtime” subway dancers. [CityLab] The last known 9/11 search and rescue dog dies at 16. [Mashable] AeroFarms in Newark, the world’s biggest indoor vertical farm, will use 95 percent less water than traditional field farms. [Web Urbanist] Go inside the cheese caves 30 feet below Crown […]

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June 6, 2016

Interview: Engineer Joseph Gulden Discusses Wooden Skyscrapers Surpassing 1,000 Feet

Could wood one day again be the material of choice for buildings? In response to rising construction costs and climate change, there's been a resurgence of interest in wood construction, with some even saying that we're in the beginnings of a "timber age." Many architects, engineers and builders have started to embrace the material, having erected, or making plans to construct, high-rises that reach several hundred feet in the air. In fact, in April, one architecture firm proposed bringing a 1,000-foot timber tower to London's Barbican. But is wood really a reliable alternative to concrete and steel? What about fire safety? And how tall can we really go at this point in time without compromising a building's structural integrity? To answer these questions and many more, 6sqft decided to pick the brain of DeSimone Project Manager Joseph Gulden. DeSimone is one of the world's leading engineering firms with a roster of top NYC projects that include Zaha Hadid's High Line project, 220 Central Park South and 45 East 22nd Street; Joseph himself is a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) as well as a licensed Structural Engineer (SE) with extensive experience constructing in regions with high seismic risk. He's also worked on numerous high-rises and tall wood structures both in the U.S. and abroad. Ahead Joseph discusses some of the challenges and advantages of building with wood, engineered timber, deforestation concerns, and if a wooden supertall will ever be in reach.
read the interview here

June 6, 2016

To Increase Affordable Housing, De Blasio Pushes Bill to Lift Development Caps

In a continued quest to push ahead with his goal of adding/preserving 200,000 units of affordable housing over the next decade, Mayor de Blasio is backing a bill that will end state-imposed FAR (floor-area-ratio) caps to promote the construction of affordable housing. By lifting the size limits for residential buildings, and thereby increasing the number of units, neighborhoods currently affected by the cap, such as the Financial District, Midtown, and Hudson Yards, "could see both market-rate and affordable-housing stock soar," reports the Post. However, opponents of the bill feel that there's an underlying motive, catering to developers who have recently been called out for making hefty contributions to de Blasio.
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June 6, 2016

Condo/Cultural Building Designed by the Late Zaha Hadid Will Rise in West Chelsea

When the architecture community learned of the passing of Zaha Hadid in late March, it came as a bit of consolation that her first and only building in New York, 520 West 28th Street, had already begun to take shape along the High Line, ensuring that her legacy would last in our skyline. In much welcome news, 6sqft learns today that yet another design of hers will rise just three blocks away in Chelsea. A press release from The Moinian Group reveals that more than a year ago they worked with Hadid and her team to explore possibilities for 220 Eleventh Avenue, one of her final creations. The developer announced that the new building will be "a collection of signature loft-like condominium residences, a collection of penthouses and a cultural institution to establish itself as the hub of the world renowned art district that is West Chelsea."
More details this way

June 6, 2016

Apply Now For 63 Affordable Units Next to Woodlawn Cemetery, Starting at $865/Month

If the thought of residing next to the interred doesn't bother you, here's a chance to live just steps away from one of the city's most beautiful and historic cemeteries. A housing lottery has opened today for 63 brand-new units at Webster Commons, a large affordable development along Webster Avenue in the Bronx, just next to Woodlawn Cemetery and not far from the New York Botanical Garden and Fordham. The apartments, which are reserved for those earning 60 percent of the AMI, include $865/month studios, $929/month one-bedrooms, and $1,121/month two-bedrooms.
More on the project

Affordable Housing

June 6, 2016

$1.5M 10th Floor Co-Op Comes With Fantastic Views of Upper West Side Landmarks

Views are king at this one-bedroom apartment from the Sexton co-op, located at 530 West End Avenue on the Upper West Side. From its 10th floor perch, this corner apartment looks out to the north and west with views of a historic church, the Hudson River and fellow apartment buildings along West End Avenue and Riverside Drive. The interior is charming, too, with high beamed ceilings and a decorative fireplace.
Take a tour

Distinctive Homes

June 6, 2016

Explore Over 10,000 Acres of NYC Parkland With This Interactive Map

Did you know that New York City has more ecological diversity than Yellowstone National Park? Take Central Park, for example, which is home to "more than 30 species of warbler, vireo, sparrow, thrush, and other songbirds" alone. Or Pelham Bay Park's eight species of owls. Then there's the 12 species of ferns at Queens' Cunningham Park. These tidbits come from a new interactive map by the Natural Areas Conservancy (h/t Untapped), who studied over 10,000 acres in 51 parklands across all five boroughs (an additional 10,800 acres are managed by the state and federal government and weren't included in the project). The organization created the map as a way to encourage people to explore the city's natural areas by showing them what they'll find -- "the types of plant and animal species, including those that are rare or threatened – and what activities are most commonly found."
Learn more

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June 6, 2016

A Giant Musical Swing Set Is Coming to Brookfield Place This Friday!

If you work downtown or are just looking for a break from the weekday hustle, head to Brookfield Place starting this Friday and channel your inner-child by hopping on one of the many swings of "The Swings: An Exercise in Musical Cooperation" installation. The traveling public artwork is debuting in Manhattan for the first time ever and will be on display for a month for New Yorkers to play on. Designed by studio Daily tous les jours, this interactive work consists of 21 swings, each representing a musical instrument (a harp, vibraphone, guitar or piano) and different notes. The cooperative element of the work requires that participants adjust their movements with respect to one another in order to unlock the perfect melody—a musical work that has been pre-composed by Radwan Ghazi Moumneh.
more on the swings here

Distinctive Homes

For $1.4M, this renovated Midwood home has plenty of personality and lots of living space

This $2.85M co-op with a magical garden is an elegant Upper East Side escape

From parking lot to Dumbo's largest residential development: Inside Front & York

Jackson Pollock’s former Greenwich Village loft returns to market for $1.99M

Village penthouse with rooftop 'country cottage' is for sale, asking $10.5M

This $4M Harlem brownstone is picture-perfect and move-in ready

French soccer star Thierry Henry seeks $25M for his Soho penthouse

$5.2M 'back to the studs' Williamsburg home has a glass-walled garage, roof deck, courtyard, and heated sidewalks

For $2.4M, this artfully renovated Williamsburg duplex takes loft living to a new level

This $2.6M Brooklyn townhouse puts a designer's touch into a compact historic frame

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June 6, 2016

Flexible Floor Plan at This Bright Greenwich Village Apartment, Asking $4,500/Month

This Greenwich Village rental apartment at 101 West 11th Street can wear several hats. One on hand, this could be a one bedroom with a living room and a separate dining room. On the other, it could be used as a two-bedroom apartment. Either way, it's a nice bright apartment with all the New York essentials: big windows, high ceilings, wood floors and a fireplace.
See the space

June 6, 2016

PATH Train Sees Overcrowding Due to NJ Building Boom; Google’s New Solar Panel Tool

With more new developments rising in Jersey City and nearby locations, the PATH trains are seeing unprecedented crowding. But who should pay for improvements and expansions of the system? [WSJ] This robot folds your laundry is less than one minute… but it costs $850. [Bored Panda] Google’s Project Sunroof is an online tool that will […]

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June 5, 2016

Art-Deco Masterpiece 70 Pine Street Opens, Offering Two Months Free Rent

It's not everyday that one has the chance to live in one of the world's finest skyscrapers. Details of The Pinnacle at The Woolworth Tower Residences have yet to be revealed, but for those of us still saving to buy a piece of history, the rentals at 70 Pine Street await. Soaring to a cloud-popping height of 66 stories and 952 feet, the building is essentially downtown's Empire State Building and was the world's third tallest building upon completion in 1932. Designed by Clinton & Russell, Holton & George for the utilities conglomerate Cities Service company (later known as CITGO), the tower was sold to the American International Group (AIG) in 1976, where they held their offices until the last recession. Breathing new life into the landmarked building, Rose Associates is re-conceiving the commercial icon into 644 rental apartments, a 137-room extended stay hotel, and 35,000 square feet of retail space. And for a limited time, Rose is offering two months free rent or one month free rent and paid broker's fee for newly-signed leases. The homes are divided into the city, tower, and penthouse collections and as we await construction to fully wrap up, 17 apartments are currently available throughout its mid-level city collection floors.
Find out more this way

June 4, 2016

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks From the 6sqft Staff

Lottery Opens for 36 Middle-Income Apartments Across Harlem, Starting at $1,156/Month Bruce Springsteen’s Former NJ Farmhouse and Rehearsal Space Asks $3.2M Norman Foster’s First Brooklyn Project Revealed, A 7.7-Acre Red Hook Office Development The NYC Subway Accounts for 100-Percent of the Nation’s Transit Growth, Says New Study Spend July in Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s Decked-Out Former […]

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June 3, 2016

Live Off Columbus Circle for $1,146/Month, Lottery Launching for 17 Affordable Units

Two years ago, work began on a seven-story, 17-unit building at 424 West 55th Street, on the fringes of Hell's Kitchen and just south of Columbus Circle. The red brick structure known as West of Ninth was designed by Aufgang Architects and replaced a white brick church with a 3,000-square-foot theater that Arker Companies purchased in 2012 for $8.16 million. Initial reports thought the development would be only partly affordable, but a new posting on the city's affordable housing list shows that all 17 of the units will be reserved for low- to middle-income tenants. The apartments will range from $1,146/month studios to $1,709/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

June 3, 2016

45 East 22nd Street Tops Out, Officially Tallest Skyscraper Between Midtown and Downtown

Who would have thought the most alluring residential skyscraper addition to the city's post-recession boom would not rise in Midtown, near its overly-discussed Billionaires' Row, or near the city's historical skyscraper center, the Financial District, but rather smack dab between the two at 45 East 22nd Street in the Flatiron. Overlooking Madison Square Park and its turn-of-the-century engineering marvels--the Flatiron Building and Metropolitan Life Building--the svelte glass spire has fully ascended to its full 65-story, 777-foot peak. A malnourished baby on the world stage, the building's height is less than a third of the world's tallest building and will contain a paltry 83 condominium units priced from $2.5 million for a one-bedroom to $38 million for one of its two penthouses.
More on the building this way

June 3, 2016

Spotlight: Adam Caslow Carries on ‘A Lox’ of History at Acme Smoked Fish

By Susan Cohen

For many smear-loving New Yorkers, there's no better way to usher in the weekend than with a bagel and lox. And one of the companies keeping this culinary tradition alive is Brooklyn-based Acme Smoked Fish, a family business that traces its roots back to 1906 when Harry Brownstein started selling fish out of a wagon. For over 100 years, members of the Brownstein and Caslow families have been providing New York with smoked salmon, herring, fish salads, and other specialties. Adam Caslow and his cousin David Caslow are part of Acme’s fourth generation, continuing to grow the company and adapt to the city's current "Renaissance in appetizing." 6sqft recently spoke with Adam to learn more about Acme's rich history, smoked fish, and how he feels about carrying on a family tradition.
Read the full interview

June 3, 2016

Designing This Shingle-Style Home in East Hampton Was a Family Affair for a Young Architect

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

The East Hampton Northwest Woods home is unlike most other projects by CWB Architects. Founding principal Brendan Coburn designed it as the firm was in its infancy, working in collaboration with his father, who was also an architect, and his mother, an interior designer. Its 2,200 square feet are complete with enough space for residents and occasional guests, each bedroom has its own bathroom, and the cupola allows for cross ventilation.
Learn more about this shingle-style home

Architecture And Design

June 3, 2016

$17.5M Tribeca Triplex Has an Insane Roof Deck With Outdoor TV

"Go big or go home" may as well be the motto of this Tribeca penthouse apartment, located at the newish condo building 137 Franklin Street. The development only holds three units, and this one has hit the market for an impressive price tag of $17.5 million. With four bedrooms, four bathrooms, 4,000 interior square feet and 1,400 square feet outside, this apartment is dripping with luxury details from the automatic shades (outfitted on all 45 windows!) to the outdoor television set. It was designed by Julie Hillman, who is known, according to the listing, for her "modern eclectic signature look."
Take the grand tour

Distinctive Homes

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June 3, 2016

City Council Will Vote on Controversial Changes to the Landmarks Law

Over the past couple years, preservationists have waged two big battles pertaining to the 51-year-old landmarks law. First, there was Landmarks Preservation Commission's decision to de-calendar 95 historic sites--in other words, remove them from the "waiting list" to be considered for landmarking, leaving them in jeopardy. The LPC eventually withdrew this plan after massive public outcry, but then proposed a bill, Intro. 775, to implement timelines for reviewing possible landmarks, which was met with criticism again for a perceived catering to developers who want to demolish or alter a property. The proposal stalled, but the Council is back at it, now "proposing a half-dozen recommendations to simultaneously streamline and expand the landmarks process" that they will vote on this month, reports the Times.
Learn about all the points

Policy

June 3, 2016

Red Hook-Governors Island Pedestrian Bridge Gets Funded; Climb 1 WTC’s Spire in This Video

The tragic fire at Flatiron’s historic Serbian Orthodox Cathedral was caused by Easter candles. [NYP] Citizen Bridge, a proposed pop-up pedestrian bridge connecting Red Hook to Governor’s Island, will likely take shape thanks to a successful crowdfunding campaign. [Pop Up City] The Citicorp Center may become the youngest landmark in the city. [WSJ] A new exhibit at the Met will […]

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June 3, 2016

New Affordable Housing in the Hamptons Will Be for Those Earning Less Than $106,200

A new plan to bring affordable housing to one of the Hampton's priciest stretches has residents up in arms, reports The Post. The town of Amagansett is planning to erect a below-market rate complex that would add 12 two-bedroom and 12 three-bedroom homes to the area, with rents ranging from just $1,100 up to $2,300 a month. The development would mingle with the estates and New York City escapes of the rich and famous, including that of Naomi Watts, Jerry Seinfeld, Gwenyth Paltrow and Scarlett Johansson—just to hame a few. Incredibly, a family of four could be earning as much as $106,200 annually (120 percent of the AMI) to qualify.
find out more here

Affordable Housing

June 3, 2016

Revealed: Morris Adjmi Pens Coffered Facade For Condos Next to Bowlmor Lanes Site

Here's our first look at the Morris Adjmi-designed condos slated for the southwest corner of West 13th Street and University Place in Greenwich Village. The project, tentatively addressed 34 East 13th Street, rubs shoulders with Annabelle Selldorf's 21 East 12th Street condo development, which replaced the large building that held Bowlmor Lanes. Last year, NYREJ reported that Ranger Properties and Sagamore Capital purchased the three-building corner assemblage for $22 million or $1,100 per square foot, one of the most expensive residential development transactions ever downtown.
More details ahead

June 3, 2016

Dreamy Two-Bedroom in West Soho Hits the Rental Market For $8,500/Month

There's something ethereal about this co-op, now up for rent at 57 Thompson Street in Soho. Maybe it's the artwork, or the exposed brick that's been painted white, or the nine-foot ceilings, or the treetop views from the big windows. Simply put, we believe the listing when it says this two-bedroom apartment has a dreamy, peaceful quality to it.
See the entire space

June 2, 2016

$4B Overhaul of LaGuardia Airport to Begin This Summer, New Renderings

When Governor Cuomo revealed details and flashy renderings for his planned $4 billion overhaul of LaGuardia Airport, he assured New Yorkers "It’s not a plan; it’s not a sketch; it’s not a dream; it’s not a vision—it’s actually happening." And he wasn't kidding; LaGuardia Gateway Partners, a public-private partnership formed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, announced yesterday that they closed on the deal to develop a "replacement to the maligned LaGuardia Airport's Central Terminal Building and operate the new facility through 2050," according to Crain's. With work expected to kick off this summer, Curbed has also uncovered a few new renderings of the plan.
More details ahead

First Full Look at Nolita’s 75 Kenmare Street, Will Have Lenny Kravitz-Designed Condos

Rendering via the Rinaldi Group

June 2, 2016

First Full Look at Nolita’s 75 Kenmare Street, Will Have Lenny Kravitz-Designed Condos

After getting a peek of its entryway facade in March and announcing that rocker/actor Lenny Kravitz will mold its interior residences, we now have our first full look at DHA Capital's 35-unit condominium 75 Kenmare Street. Situated at the corner of Mulberry Street in Nolita, the upcoming seven-story development converts and expands upon a parking garage which DHA, in partnership with AMS Acquisitions and First Atlantic Capital, purchased for $50 million last year. Manhattan-based architect Andre Kikoski designed a sumptuous masonry skin composed of "richly textured and finely scaled" cast-formed concrete, and the apartments are expected to go from $1.7 million to more than $12 million.
Find out more

June 2, 2016

Bruce Springsteen’s Former NJ Farmhouse and Rehearsal Space Asks $3.2M

As any good New Jerseyan knows, The Boss loves living low-key at the Shore. From his days rocking the Stone Pony (where he'll still make the occasional surprise appearance) to his time living in this little beach bungalow, Bruce Springsteen has never been one to adopt a high-profile lifestyle. This is further evidenced by the suburban house in which he lived during the 1970s and '80s. Yes, it's a bit of a mansion, but it's located in the unassuming community of Holmdel, and when he took up residency there in 1976, he was only paying $700 a month. It was here that he wrote and rehearsed with the E Street Band much of the "Darkness on the Edge of Town" and "The River." After listing previously as a $5,000/month rental, the farmhouse at 7 The Summit is now asking $3.2 million, according to the Asbury Park Press.
Get to know more about Bruce's former residence

June 2, 2016

Fusing Art and Luxury Real Estate, Two Pros Discuss Their Approach

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

With so many high-end and ultra-luxury towers coming to the market, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for developers to stand out in the crowd. While wild amenities have typically dominated as a way to distinguish one’s building, some developers are trying to extend their reach even further by appealing to the artistic sensibilities of the wealthy. As CityRealty writes, for […]

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June 2, 2016

East Village Duplex With a Private Parking Garage and Patio Is Up for Rent

On the hunt for serious space (and a place to park your car) in the East Village? This roomy condo, now on the rental market for $15,950/month, might do the trick. The 2,400-square-foot duplex apartment is located at 211 East 2nd Street, an eight-unit development known as the Carriage House. Besides all that space, the apartment also boasts 14-foot wooden beamed ceilings, a private patio and your own private indoor parking garage.
Check it out

Distinctive Homes

June 2, 2016

Emmut Properties Plans Another Faux-Loft Building in the Bowery’s Shrinking Lighting District

The future of the Bowery's "lighting district" continues to dim as Emmut Properties plans a second mixed-use building along the former Skid Row still home to more than a dozen lighting stores. Emmut's latest Lower East Side foray is planned at 331 Broome Street. According to the developer's website, the new building will ascend eight floors and feature ground level retail, hotel suites and apartments above.
More details this way

June 2, 2016

Apartment in Miles Davis’ Old Upper West Side Townhouse Asks $495K

By Annie Doge

Jazz legend Miles Davis lived in the Renaissance Revival brownstone at 312 West 77th Street from roughly 1960 until he moved to LA in the mid '80s. He often hung out on the stoop with his Upper West Side neighbors and hosted other jazz greats such as Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, and Tony Williams. It was also in this house that he wrote the music for his albums "Kind of Blue" and "Bitches Brew." After he moved out, the five-story home was chopped up into six apartments. One of these units, a charming one-bedroom, has hit the market for $495,000, reports DNAinfo.
See more of the apartment

June 2, 2016

Apply to Be a Bacon Critic; Burn Calories at Work With New Desk Attachment

Time Inc.’s new breakfast-centric site is hiring a bacon critic, and it’s not a joke. [Brokelyn] The MTA has begun testing whether or not to add Wi-Fi service on subway cars, installing it on four E train cars as a test. [NY1] HOVR, a desk attachment that lets you flail your legs about, claims it burns […]

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June 2, 2016

Apply for 65 New Affordable Apartments in Mott Haven, Studios Start at $494/Month

Another Mott Haven affordable housing lottery has just kicked off, today's bringing us a slew of brand new units at 463 and 469 East 147th Street. The development, named the Brook Avenue Apartments, falls under Mayor de Blasio's Housing New York plan, which seeks to create and preserve 200,000 units of affordable housing in NYC over 10 years. The de Blasio administration paired up with local developer Yuco Real Estate Company on the project and uses city-owned land. When construction wraps this year, this part of South Bronx will gain 65 much-needed, below-market units ranging from studios to three-bedrooms in two buildings. Apartments have been priced for those earning between 40 to 60 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI).
Find out more about the units and if you qualify

Affordable Housing

June 1, 2016

Norman Foster’s First Brooklyn Project Revealed, A 7.7-Acre Red Hook Office Development

Back in 2005, the Joesph Sitt-led Thor Equities spent $40 million on a vacant, 7.7-acre parcel of land in Red Hook that juts 700 feet into the Erie Basin, between the Ikea parking lot and the Fairway. Preliminary visions for the former Revere Sugar Factory site included retail, office space, and residential buildings, but according to a press release sent out today by Thor, there will be no housing. Today's major announcement, however, is the architect selection: Norman Foster will helm the design of the new waterfront office complex, which will "include two heavy timber frame buildings totaling more than 600,000 square feet of creative office space, and 23,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space." Foster is a surprising choice for the project, as his commissions are typically flashy and in high-profile areas like Midtown or the Financial District. In fact, this will be his first building in Brooklyn. But the sole rendering shows his signature mix of contemporary panache (glassy construction with a cantilevering portion) and contextual thoughtfulness (low-scale, boxy structures in keeping with the industrial area).
More details ahead

June 1, 2016

VIDEO: JDS Takes Us Behind the Construction of the American Copper Buildings’ Skybridge

Aside from their "dancing" silhouette, what makes the SHoP-designed American Copper Buildings (named for the 5,000 metal panels that make up the facade) so unique is the three-story diagonal skybridge that connects the 470- and 540-foot towers. Floating 300 feet over the street at 626 First Avenue, it's the city's first major new skybridge in over 80 years and will be the highest such structure in New York when completed. Though the bridge is no small feat—its steel trusses weigh over 421,000 pounds, it has 24 connection points, and it will be close to one million square feet—it all started with a single piece of string. In a new video from their "Building Know-How" series, JDS Development takes us behind the construction of this architectural wonder, sharing their approach
Watch the full video here

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week – 6/2-6/8

FIGMENT 2015, Billion Oyster Pavilion

June 1, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week – 6/2-6/8

By Lori Zimmer

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers! After a relaxing long weekend of picnics and barbecues, jump back into your culture addiction. The power of female sex is illuminated, literally, at Catinca Tabacaru Gallery with Sophia Wallace's neon show. Brian Leo gives his tiny paintings a big voice at Amy Li Projects, while Martí Cormand sticks to the medium size of 5x7 for a postcard-themed show. Hop on a ferry and celebrate the tenth FIGMENT art festival at Governors Island all weekend long for free. Experience the visual stylings of musical act Baby Alpaca or the musical stylings of Australia with Anna Copa Cabanna. Cap it off by giving back at the Amref African Health gala or the wacky Times Square-fueled Chashama gala at the former offices of Vogue.
More on all the best events this way

Events & Things To Do

June 1, 2016

A Gracious Floor Plan for this $1.25M Upper West Side Co-op

The 1920s were a great decade for New York City floor plans, with architects like Rosario Candela designing elegant mansions in the sky. In 1922, architect Michael Zenreich designed the brick apartment building at 250 West 75th Street, in the Broadway Corridor of the Upper West Side, with those high standards in mind. The floor plan at this apartment has a wonderful flow, dedicated dining and living areas, and two spacious bedrooms. The building was converted to co-ops in the 1980s and this unit is now asking $1.25 million after last selling in 2012 for $815,000.
Go through the space

Distinctive Homes

June 1, 2016

POLL: Could China’s Street-Straddling Bus System Work in New York?

At the 19th annual Beijing International High-Tech Expo, China flexed some of its public transportation prowess by debuting a model of a proposed bus system that would hover over vehicular road traffic, straddling existing highways. Dubbed the "Transit Elevated Bus," the radical idea has been kicked around for several years, but now the WSJ reports that China will be building a trial run of the system in its Hibei province later this year. While here in the U.S., we are still scavenging for mass transit dollars and desperately trying to convince politicians that adding more lanes to highways does not actually relieve congestion, China may literally leap above and beyond U.S transport planning if these "air buses" come to fruition. The engineers claim each bus could hold more than 1,200 commuters at a time and travel up to 40 miles per hour. Additionally, construction would be one-fifth the cost of a subway line and could be completed in a single year.
Should we consider a similar plan for NYC?

June 1, 2016

Leasing Begins at The Giovanni in Downtown Brooklyn, Rents From $2,379 Plus a Month Free

John Catsimatidis' Big Apple Group has kicked-off leasing for The Giovanni, the latest addition to a quartet of rental buildings ushering in more than 1,000 units along a once underutilized section of Myrtle Avenue. Located at 81 Fleet Place within the crossroads of bucolic Fort Greene and thriving Downtown Brooklyn, the recently finished 15-floor building is comprised of 205 no-fee apartments with retail space along its lower levels. Like its sister buildings, the Andrea and the Margo, Dattner is the building's architect and the firm has configured a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments, many featuring balconies or roof terraces.
more on what's available here

June 1, 2016

Climate Change Puts the Statue of Liberty at Risk; Philip Johnson’s Influences for His Glass House

A new report from UNESCO puts the Statue of Liberty among 31 of its sites that are at a “high-risk” for future damage from climate change. [Curbed] Fred W. McDarrah was the famed photographer for the Village Voice for 50 years. Now his son uses his images to lead walking tours of the Village. [Crain’s] From the […]

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Donald Trump’s Stake in Two Major Towers Came From a Lost Battle With China

1290 Avenue of the Americas in NYC (L); 555 California Street, formerly Bank of America Center, in San Francisco (R); Images courtesy of Vornado

June 1, 2016

Donald Trump’s Stake in Two Major Towers Came From a Lost Battle With China

When Donald Trump made an attempt to own the Empire State Building, he partnered with a foreign real estate investor, in this case from Japan. But it ended in a lawsuit and a public smear campaign before he ultimately sold back his stake. A similar turn of events surrounded his dealings with another high-profile Midtown building and related San Francisco tower; you may recall this quote from the day he announced his candidacy: "I beat China all the time. I own a big chunk of the Bank of America building and 1290 Avenue of the Americas that I got from China in a war. Very valuable." As the Times explains, the battle may not have gone down quite like the Donald says, with him schmoozing his way to the top and eventually waging a losing legal battle.
The full story ahead

June 1, 2016

A Classic Prewar on Riverside Drive for $2.65M, Dazzling Sunsets Guaranteed

By Michelle Cohen

This two-bedroom prewar co-op on a pretty stretch of Riverside Drive on the Upper West Side has all the necessities in place to be, as the listing says, a retreat from busy city life–like closets galore and a layout built for convenience (laundry room, office, bedrooms opposite the living area). The corner unit means plenty of windows for enjoying the view, an unobstructed eyeful of the Hudson River, Riverside Park and the evening sunset, depending on the time of day and which direction you happen to be facing. For $2.65 million you could easily move in, forward the mail and call it a day, but there are plenty of improvements, enhancements and personalizations to be made–give that kitchen some love, for example, since there’s plenty of space to elevate it to eat-in status.
See all the angles

Distinctive Homes

May 31, 2016

The NYC Subway Accounts for 100-Percent of the Nation’s Transit Growth, Says New Study

Although the NYC subway system may be hemorrhaging money, unable to turn a profit despite annual fare increases, expanded services and a slew of other measures, there is one thing that it can gloat about. According to a just-released annual report from the American Public Transportation Association (h/t New Geography), the New York City subway accounts for ALL of the transit increase seen in the United States between 2005 and 2015. In the last decade, subway ridership has ballooned nearly a billion trips, while transit systems outside the New York City subway saw a loss of nearly 200 million riders over the same period. And if current figures are any indication of what's to come, this trend will only strengthen. As 6sqft reported in April, NYC subway hit 1.7 billion annual trips, the highest since 1948 when ridership was at its peak.
more details here

Transit

May 31, 2016

Celebrated Neurologist and Author Oliver Sacks’ West Village Apartment Lists for $3.25M

By Annie Doge

Oliver Sacks, British neurologist, author and enchanted, inspired seeker of the human mind finally succumbed to cancer last August at the age of 83; the good doctor’s apartment (used as his office in recent years) in one of the city's venerable prewar apartment buildings developed by the legendary Bing and Bing at 2 Horatio Street is now for sale for $3.25 million. Apartment 3G (fittingly, somehow, as we can imagine the denizens of the soap-noir newspaper comic strip living in one of these prewar classics) is one among many in the developer's iconic Manhattan residences that boasts lovely prewar architecture, generously-sized rooms and enduring modern design.
Take a look

May 31, 2016

After a Luxurious Gut Renovation, this Beekman Townhouse Asks $14.5M

It's pretty bold for a listing to deem its property "sheer perfection," but that's the case when it comes to 319 East 51st Street, a townhouse in the Beekman enclave of Midtown East. The home was last purchased by the hedge fund executive Timothy Greatorex and his wife Deborah Greatorex for $4.6 million in 2011. After a top-to-bottom, dripping-in-luxury gut renovation, it's back on the market for a cool $14.5 million.
See more of the reno

Distinctive Homes

Lottery Opens for 36 Middle-Income Apartments Across Harlem, Starting at $1,156/Month

View across West 133rd Street, where three of the buildings are located

May 31, 2016

Lottery Opens for 36 Middle-Income Apartments Across Harlem, Starting at $1,156/Month

Now that de Blasio's made a pretty significant dent in his goal of building or preserving 200,000 units of affordable housing over the next decade, there seem to be more middle-income housing lotteries opening, in addition to the influx of low-income lotteries that began popping up with a vengeance at the end of last year. The latest offers 36 newly rehabilitated units across five Harlem buildings, running from the border of Morningside Heights at 116th Street up to 138th Street. They're priced between $1,156 for studios, $1,562 for one-bedrooms, $1,591-$2,611 for two-bedrooms, and $1,831-$3,009 for three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

May 31, 2016

Lift-Bit Is the World’s First Digitally-Transformable Sofa

By Rebecca Paul

For the first time, a remote will control a section of your living room furniture that doesn't include your lights or home entertainment center. From the international design and innovation studio Carlo Ratti Associati, Lift-Bit is the world’s first digitally-transformable sofa. The wired furniture was created with the support of Swiss-owned furniture company Vitra and is made up of a series of modular seats fully stacked with the Internet-of-Things (IoT) technologies. Each separate seat has the ability to raise or lower independently, thus introducing a multitude of seating configurations and functionality that can be controlled with the click of a button.
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May 31, 2016

Historic Wood-Frame House With a Lush Garden Asks $8,750/Month in Clinton Hill

Wood-frame houses are some of the oldest standing townhouses in Brooklyn, and the neighborhood of Clinton Hill boasts quite a few of them. This one at 123 Cambridge Place is now up for rent and would make for a nice summer pad. Not only does it have a rustic, country vibe inside the home, it's got a garden growing strawberries, plums, tomatoes and zucchini.
Take a look around

May 31, 2016

First Hudson Yards Tower Opens, Welcomes Coach to Its New HQ

By Michelle Cohen

10 Hudson Yards, the first building in what is one of the country's largest construction sites, is officially open for business on Manhattan's far west side. Fashion brand Coach is in the process of moving its headquarters to the 900-foot, 52-story mixed-use structure–known as Coach Tower–from its former location a few blocks away, the Wall Street Journal reports. For the luxury brand, the move represents an important milestone in a quest to re-establish its upscale image. The deal to move into a 738,000-square-foot office in the Kohn Pederson Fox-designed building made headlines when it was announced in 2013. Coach invested $750 million to buy the retail condo space for its new headquarters. Coach's design team worked with STUDIOS Architecture on their new workspace and dedicated entry lobby, which will feature a replica of the company’s famed product library: On display will be 2,000 handbags from past times to present, viewable by High Line visitors.
Find out what else is in store for 10 Hudson Yards

Real Estate Trends

May 31, 2016

Ice Cream Truck Turf Wars; No One Wants to Stay at Trump Hotels