6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

If 2015 was the year of the nine-figure condo sale, 2016 may be the year of the makeshift mega-mansion. From Roman Abramovich's troubled attempt to combine three Upper East Side townhouses to a $50 million Tribeca spread with 18 toilets, wealthy New Yorkers are going to great lengths to create their dream homes. The latest over-the-top offering is in Brooklyn Heights, where a five-story, 20-unit rental building just hit the market as a $22 million single-family residence. As noted by the Wall Street Journal, the building at 50 Orange Street just sold in January for $13.5 million to Benchmark Real Estate Group, who quickly hired Lee Stahl of design/build firm The Renovated Home to draw up plans for how it could be converted to a single-family dwelling. These plans include four bedrooms (only four?), a gym, an 800-bottle wine cellar, and a roof terrace and would cost an additional $10.6 million to complete over a 16-month period.
But what about the tenants?

Distinctive Homes

April 15, 2016

Quirky Transforming Table Features Fur and Wood for the Indecisive Mind

The conundrum of indecisiveness is a frustration everyone can relate to, and this quirky table from designer Karolina Fardova translates this experience into some truly playful furniture. The table is titled "Fifty Fifty," in reference to its dualistic surface which is equal parts wood and fur. In addition to a bevy of surface textures, this clever table also unfolds and can be placed flat on the floor offering functionality beyond your standard table design.
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April 15, 2016

Which Presidential Candidate Is the New Yorkiest; Why Your Ikea Table Cost $10

Clinton vs. Sanders vs. Trump: Who is the true New Yorker? [NYT] You know those $10 Ikea end tables that are surprisingly sturdy? They’re made of paper. [House Beautiful] A Hawaiian canoe that’s sailing around the world will stop in Long Island City as part of a four-year voyage to promote sustainability. [DNAinfo] Walter Rosen, the longtime […]

Uncategorized

April 15, 2016

Find Your Neighborhood on This Interactive Map Made From Local Brooklyn Litter

There's no shortage of trash in NYC–even better than seeing it picked up is when someone is doing something interesting with it. Atlas Obscura introduces us to artist-cartographer Jennifer Maravillas, who has transformed the litter found in neighborhoods throughout the 71 square miles (the map is called "71 Square Miles") of Brooklyn into a map of the borough. Each neighborhood on the map is made up of paper litter–like flyers, advertisements and notes–found in that same neighborhood. The result is a bright, multicolored collage on which each bit of litter corresponds the place Maravillas found it. You can enter your address and find it on the interactive map, along with the trash you might see every day.
Check out the trash on your block

Events & Things To Do

April 15, 2016

Post-Modern Bronx Mansion With 35-Foot Atrium and 10 Skylights Wants $2M

The Bronx's Fieldston neighborhood is considered one of the city's best preserved early 20th century suburbs, unique for its collection of revival-style homes (Tudor, Mediterranean, and Colonial, mainly). But this mansion at 4545 Delafield Avenue is in a category all its own. The post-modern structure was built in 1994 by noted local firm Isaac & Stern, who designed a stucco-covered, geometric creation that looks straight out of "Miami Vice." Now on the market for $1,950,000 (down from the original $2.4 million ask last year), the residence is just as mod inside as it is outside, with a 35-foot entry atrium complete with huge skylights, arched columns, and black granite floors.
Check it all out

April 15, 2016

For $920K, a Park Slope Floor-Through With Old-World Brooklyn Charm

For just under $1 million, this two-bedroom condominium at 307 7th Street in Park Slope is a modern and comfortable home on the third floor of a classic prewar Brooklyn building. Built-ins, brick and a wood-burning fireplace join split-system zoned A/C, a thoroughly updated custom kitchen and two baths in a prime Center Slope spot steps from Fifth Avenue.
More this way

Distinctive Homes

April 14, 2016

Funky Rockaway Houseboat Dubbed ‘Ziggy Stardust’ Now Renting for $850/Night

By Ondel Hylton and Julian Friedman

For $850 a night you could nab a room at the iconic Plaza Hotel or something much, much less traditional: a houseboat in the waters of Far Rockaway owned by a Vermont hipster. That's right, this kooky houseboat, dubbed the Ziggy Stardust, is up for rent at the aforementioned nightly price through Airbnb. It is pretty decked out inside with surfboards, guitars, and pieces of reclaimed driftwood. We'll go out on a limb and say it's one of the most unique places to spend a night in New York City.
Take a tour of the boat

April 14, 2016

Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo Put Sexy Soho Loft on the Market for $5.5M

By Annie Doge

Just a month after announcing that they're expecting their first child, uber-sexy couple Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo have listed their equally sexy Soho loft. The Observer reports that the pair is looking to unload the sprawling, 2,800-square-foot spread at 112 Green Street to the tune of $5.5 million, $1 million more than they purchased it for in August, 2014. The brokers, Adam Mahfouda and Jules Borbely of Oxford Property Group, are the same team Ms. Prinsloo used to sell her Alphabet City apartment. If the loft-like details--six original cast-iron columns, old-time radiators, restored exposed brick walls, and 13-foot tin ceilings--weren't enough to make you drool, let us throw in the fact that this sale can include all the furniture. We've got our eyes on the huge velvet couches and giant light fixture, but we're not sure if those Louis Vuitton trunks in the master bedroom are part of the deal.
Take the full tour

Distinctive Homes

Jay Manuel's $4.7M Connecticut estate is like a modern spa retreat

Live in a fashion designer's historic atelier and studio in the Catskills for $645K

This $9.7M Nolita loft is a luxury confection in a former chocolate factory

Two bedrooms plus a home office for $1.7M in this FiDi duplex loft

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$6.75M Tribeca loft condo leaves nothing to chance, parking included

Is this $4M NJ farmhouse your 'Green Acres'?

This $5M Soho co-op will give your friends loft envy

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

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

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April 14, 2016

As Rem Koolhaas Finally Designs First NYC Building, A Look Back at His Unbuilt Proposals

Thirty-eight years after the publication of his acclaimed book "Delirious New York," Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas and his global architecture firm the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) seem to have finally landed their first ground-up New York City commission. Excavation is already underway at the 22,000-square-foot project site located at 122 East 23rd Street and will soon host a pair of block-through residential towers articulated by faceted elevations and chiseled corners. While there has been no official announcement that Koolhaas is on board, several consultant websites and Linkedin profiles indicate that the Pritzker Prize-winner has been tapped, while New York-based SLCE will serve as the architects of record. To mark the occasion, and as we eagerly await the design unveiling, 6sqft has rounded up Koolhaas' prior unlucky attempts to build in the city. The proposals befell to the usual suspects that typically stymie bold architecture in the city—community opposition, economic downturns, and the conservative nature of the city's developers and public sector. *Update 4/21: OMA has confirmed their involvement in the project and share that Shohei Shigematsu, partner and director of the firm's New York office, is leading the design effort.
See it all right here

April 14, 2016

Zoe Saldana Sells Kew Gardens Co-op for $280K

By Annie Doge

"Star Trek" and "Avatar" star Zoe Saldana is letting go of her Queens roots, as the Post reports that the actress has sold her Kew Gardens co-op for $280,000. Saldana spent her early life not far away in Jackson Heights and has owned the apartment at 118-18 Union Turnpike since at least 2002, before she really hit it big. The two-bedroom spread is nothing fancy, but is located in a doorman building and features stainless steel appliances, spacious bedrooms, and lots of closet space.
See the entire apartment

April 14, 2016

Mayor’s Affordable Housing Push Brings Tough Questions on Racial Integration

Affordability vs. racial inclusion may sound like an odd battle to be having, yet it's one that often simmers below the surface in discussions of neighborhood change. The words "Nearly 50 years after the passage of the federal Fair Housing Act..." are, of course, no small part of the reason. And in a city known for its diversity–one that often feels more racially integrated than it is–the question of how housing policy might affect racial makeup tends to be carefully sidestepped, but the New York Times opens that worm-can in a subsection called "Race/Related."
Is there a tradeoff between integration and affordability?

April 14, 2016

There’s Room for the Whole Crew in This Pretty Brooklyn Heights Co-op, Asking $2.7M

The neighborhood's gorgeous, the block is gorgeous, and all the gorgeous things Brooklyn Heights is known for (the Promenade, shops and cafes on Montague Street, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pierrepont Playground) are steps away -- and the inside of this $2.7 million apartment in the historic co-op at 61 Pierrepont Street has no trouble living up to its surroundings. With a gracious and logical layout, the three-plus bedroom apartment is tastefully renovated and custom-configured beyond the standard bedrooms-and-common-space, all kind of squished together. There's a living room and a dining room. Not only are the bedrooms on opposite sides, but one has a cozy den next door. Find an office. Find a guest suite. Got kids? No problem. In-laws? Did we mention the thing about the bedrooms being well separated? And, there's an elevator.
Take a look around

Distinctive Homes

April 14, 2016

Deesawat’s Indoor and Outdoor Sofa Includes a Pod for Your Pup

While traditionally our pet's furniture and our living room couch are not one in the same, our limited space in the city makes the separation easier said than done. In an effort to resolve this potential conflict, Deesawat, a furniture company in Thailand, has recently released PET. This innovative multi-use piece of furniture, not only includes a separate space especially for your pooch, but it is also moveable and weather resistant, making it easy to enjoy both inside and out.
on this design here

April 14, 2016

NYC Buildings in the Desert; ‘Shark Tank’ Searching for Entrepreneurs in the Bronx

Brooklyn photographer and designer Anton Repponen’s “Misplaced Monuments” series puts famous NYC buildings in the desert, the mountains, or the depths of the ocean. [designboom] Mapping the states that love bacon the most. [Mental Floss] Think you’ve got a million-dollar business idea? “Shark Tank” is holding a casting call in the Bronx. [DNAinfo] “Murder of a […]

Uncategorized

April 14, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week – 4/14-4/20

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! This week, check out the giant swimming pool that is smack in the middle of Rockefeller Center, or frolic with the two-story bunnies in Battery Park City. Photographer Joe Russo shares pieces from his years of shooting celebs and artists, and the annual AIPAD photographer show takes over the gorgeous Park Avenue Armory. Music novelist Ben Vendetta talks about 90s Brit Pop at Otto's Shrunken Head, and old school graffiti artist BIO shares new work in the Bronx. And finally, save your pennies to party in style with Swizz Beatz at the Brooklyn Museum.
more on all the best events this way

Events & Things To Do

April 14, 2016

Lottery Opens for 10 Affordable Units in the Bronx’s Crotona Park East Neighborhood

In 1977, when President Jimmy Carter visited the South Bronx and declared it the worst neighborhood in the country, he was standing in Crotona Park East, a small neighborhood nestled in the triangle bordered by the Cross Bronx Expressway, the Harlem River, and Crotona Park. Though the Bronx dropped this reputation a long time ago, Crotona Park East was one of a few areas that seemed slow to catch up with the rest of the borough, but five years ago, the city rezoned this stretch from light industrial use to residential, creating a boom in affordable housing opportunities. The latest such development is located at 1702 Bryant Avenue, where 10 newly constructed affordable units are up for grabs through the city's housing lottery. The unit are $931/month one-bedrooms for one person earning between $31,920 and $38,100 annually and two people earning between $31,920 and $43,500.
READ MORE

Affordable Housing

April 14, 2016

LAST DAY to Win a ‘Burgopoly’ Board Game, A Williamsburg-Themed Monopoly!

By Diane Pham

The Bronx has its own hot sauce, Bushwick has its own candle, and now Williamsburg has its own board game, thanks to Compass broker and Williamsburg resident Ralph Modica! "Burgopoly" is a BK-themed version of the classic real estate game Monopoly, taking players through the trials and tribulations of living in NYC—think bedbug infestations, your tub overflowing and the end of tax abatements on your condo (eek)—while setting them in Brooklyn's trendiest neighborhood. Although the game isn't for sale (Ralph created it for clients who meet him at the closing table), 6sqft has paired up with the Modica team to give away THREE Burgopoly board games to THREE lucky readers. The last day to enter is Thursday, April 14, 2016.
Enter to win a burgopoly + read 6sqft's interview with ralph

Architecture And Design

Know of something cool happening in New York? Let us know:

April 13, 2016

New Photos of Judy Garland’s Former Dakota Apartment Designed by Sasha Bikoff

6sqft has already covered the listing for this impeccable and impressive $16.7M apartment previously owned by the one and only Judy Garland, but now we've come across additional images offering a more detailed look into this space at the iconic Dakota. The home was designed by Sasha Bikoff, and from room to room the interior seamlessly combines a variety of patterns and pieces, spanning across design styles and movements without a hiccup. The color palette is simultaneously both bold and soft, and each room is packed full of unique design vignettes.
Have a closer look at the stunning home here

April 13, 2016

East Village Speakeasy Turned Condo Building Has a Duplex Up for Rent

Many, many years ago, the East Village building at 12 Avenue A was a speakeasy and dancehall. Today, it's a luxury condo with a very pricey unit up for rent—a four-bedroom duplex asking a hefty $24,500/month. The owner is looking for a short- or long-term renter to enjoy this lofty, open space. Its days as a dance hall are long gone, as the sleek interior is now decked out with modern artwork, a private roof deck and fancy finishes like Carrara marble and dark oak floors.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

April 13, 2016

Tips for Keeping Pets Happy and Healthy in an Apartment

By Alyssa Alimurung

6sqft’s series Apartment Living 101 is aimed at helping New Yorkers navigate the challenges of creating a happy home in the big city. This week we offer up helpful tips on how to live with a furry family member (or members) from choosing the right furniture to actually getting your pet OK'd to move into a new place with you. Owning a dog or cat in the city is a decision that should not be taken lightly. Not only can small apartments and loud noises be stressful for humans, but animal anxiety can also be exacerbated by these external elements (and de-stressing for them isn't as easy for them as getting a massage or happy hour). On top of this, pet messes and their manic outbursts can seem exponentially larger when compacted into an home that's barely 500 square feet. Ahead, with the help of Erin McShane, owner of Manhattan's new cat cafe and teahouse Little Lions, we've rounded up a few tips and things to consider when it comes to making apartment living with dogs and cats comfortable for all—especially humans.
A happy home, happy pet and happy you this way

April 13, 2016

AC/DC Bassist Cliff Williams’ Former West Village Condo Is Back on the Market for $3M

This two-bedroom condominium in a chic and adorably urban corner of the West Village at 63 Downing Street looks a lot like an apartment a model or actress buys after she gets her first big gig (though in that context the ask is pretty steep; what kind of world is it when starter model apartments are selling for $3M?). She'll move in with a boyfriend soon thereafter, and rent the pad out for a few years. Then if she's done well, she'll make celebrity real estate headlines when she sells it and buys a big loft in Williamsburg or Bushwick. There are a lot of models and actresses out there, so this sunny downtown pad with almost as much outdoor space as indoor should be snapped up in no time. Apparently, it's the kind of apartment that elder statesman rockers with plenty of cash buy, too, because AC⚡️DC bassist Cliff Williams owned this unit with his wife Georganne for nine years before selling it in 2013 for $2.3 million—well over the $1.89M ask (the couple have a daughter who's a model and actress, so it all fits somehow). Williams made a killing selling his Fort Myers, Florida mansion for $7 million about a year ago, so there's something to be said for his real estate karma.
Take a look at these summer-ready terraces

April 13, 2016

‘Breaking Bad’-Themed Coffee Shop Opening in Bushwick; Pencils Are Big Business

Walter’s Coffee Roastery, a “Breaking Bad”-inspired shop that started in Istanbul, is opening in Bushwick. Coffee is served in little beakers and some employees wear HazMat suits. [Eater] Here’s what today’s female architects have to say about sexism, equal pay, and more. [NYT] After being put in jeopardy of a massive “de-calendaring,” Long Island City’s Pepsi-Cola sign […]

Uncategorized

April 13, 2016

Bid on Dinner at Daniel Libeskind’s Tribeca Apartment or Cocktails With the Lowline Founder

Sick of just reading about today's architects and designers? Now's your chance to meet some of these prolific figures in the flesh, through the Van Alen Institute's third annual Auction of Art + Design Experiences. Launched today, the experiences you can bid on include dinner at Daniel Libeskind's Tribeca apartment cooked by his wife Nina, the chance to harvest cocktail ingredients in the Lowline Lab with founder James Ramsey, pedicures in Brooklyn with artist Diana Al-Hadid, and a recipe tasting in Bon Appétit's One World Trade Center offices.
Get the scoop on some of the most exciting experiences

Architecture And Design

April 13, 2016

POLL: Will You Miss the MetroCard Swipe?

The ye-olde MetroCard swipe has made national headlines in recent weeks, thanks to Hilary Clinton’s inability to get through the turnstile and Bernie Sanders’ belief that we’re still in the dark ages using subway tokens. The fact that these snafus are so attention-grabbing goes to show how intrinsic the simple act of swiping a MetroCard is […]

April 13, 2016

Amid Renovations, MoMA Will Close Architecture and Design Galleries

MoMA didn't make many friends in the architecture community when they razed the Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects-designed American Folk Art Museum to make way for their Diller Scofidio and Renfro-designed expansion, and now they might be even more alone on the playground thanks to an announcement that the renovation will close the institution's notable architecture and design galleries. The Architect's Newspaper reports that the Terrence Riley–designed third floor space that holds the design collection has already been disassembled to make way for a new exhibition, and the architecture gallery on the same floor will soon meet the same fate. This is rather shocking news considering MoMA was the first museum in the world to have a sustained department of architecture and design, one which, since the 1960s, has amassed a collection "of nearly 30,000 architectural models, works on paper, design objects, and interiors like the Frankfurt Kitchen."
More details ahead

April 13, 2016

Apply for 86 Affordable Apartments in Brownsville’s Prospect Plaza, Starting at $689/Month

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

Through tools like rezonings, the city has been trying in recent years to increase affordable housing opportunities in lower-income Brooklyn neighborhoods like East New York and Brownsville, and the latter now has 86 brand new apartments available through the city's affordable housing lottery. The units are part of the much larger Prospect Plaza development by Dattner Architects, which altogether will transform a 4.5-acre site into 364 units of affordable and public housing, as well as a 22,000-square-foot supermarket, 12,000-square-foot community facility, and a rooftop greenhouse. The first batch of units to come online, located at 1740-1760 Prospect Place and 396 Saratoga Avenue, range from $689/month one-bedrooms to $1,181/month three-bedrooms for families earning between $24,995 and $63,060 annually. They'll feature "exquisitely finished kitchen and bathrooms," energy efficient appliances and fixtures, on-site laundry rooms, a fitness room, and parking for an additional fee.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

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April 12, 2016

Miko Mercer Is Building a 160-Square-Foot Tiny House in Crown Heights

Brooklyn resident Miko Mercer, 30, joined the Tiny House Movement, and she's done more than just take a passing interest. The New York Times recently visited Ms. Mercer and the 160-square-foot DIY dwelling she's constructing, not on a homesteader's plot, but inside a big Crown Heights warehouse. Mercer, who runs the skin care division at popular beauty subscription service Birchbox and draws a six-figure income, still found that, as a single person, she couldn't afford to buy a home in a city where the average price of an apartment is $1.7 million. She ordered a trailer bed, leased the warehouse space and got to work, designing the house herself using a 3-D modeling application called Sketchup, meticulously managing the budget using a spreadsheet. She puts the estimated cost of her tiny house at about $30,000.
Find out what's in the plans for this tiny home

Architecture And Design

April 12, 2016

Keith Olbermann Lists Trump Palace Condo for $4M in Opposition to Presidential Candidate

CityRealty recently took a closer look at if and how Donald Trump’s divisive rhetoric is affecting his real estate empire. They found that, despite how polarizing he is a presidential candidate, it's unlikely that anything will change thanks to an established trust in his brand and the city's current supply and demand status. But there's at least one New Yorker who disagrees, and he's taken a bold step to prove it. The Wall Street Journal reports that liberal commentator Keith Olbermann has listed his Upper East Side condo in the Trump Palace for $3.9 million in opposition to the presidential candidate. Though he's taking a loss on the listing price (he bought the 40th floor pad for $4.2 million in 2007, near the height of the market), he said "I feel 20 pounds lighter since I left... If they had changed the name of it to something more positive like Ebola Palace I would have happily stayed."
But what does Mr. Trump have to say?

April 12, 2016

The Bronx’s Depression-Era Boxcar Village, Where Lodging Was $3/Month

When the Great Depression hit, homelessness exploded, leaving most cities ill prepared to house this growing population. As 6sqft previously reported, "Homeless people in large cities began to build their own houses out of found materials, and some even built more permanent structures from brick. Small shanty towns—later named Hoovervilles after President Hoover—began to spring up in vacant lots, public land and empty alleys." The largest such settlement was on Central Park's great lawn, but smaller Hoovervilles popped up elsewhere, especially in Inwood and the Bronx, where many working-class New Yorkers had moved to follow north the construction of the subway. At Spuyten Duyvil Road and 225th Street there was a Boxcar Village, a collection of 40 boxcars where rent was $3 a month to live four men to a car.
The full history, this way

History

April 12, 2016

Vinyl, Kale or Condos: It’s Your Move in the ‘Settlers of Brooklyn’ Board Game

In the Settlers of Brooklyn (pronounced inexplicably in the lost tongue of the High Middle Ages), an "award-winning game of entitlement, self-discovery and brunch," there are five resources available: coffee, vinyl, bicycles, skinny jeans, and kale. All of which sound like reasonably life-enhancing additions, but when combined with a tableful of flannel-wearing gits, such as those portrayed in the video below, set on engineering the perfect endless brunch, the whole picture begins to grate like the line outside Egg on a Sunday morning. So the best thing to do may be just to roll with it, which is the idea behind this quick video sendup from snarkmeisters Above Average.
Watch the full video here

City Living

April 12, 2016

Wood and Copper Wardrobe Provides a Streamlined Alternative to Bulky Dressers

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

Minimalists who've gotten a little carried away accumulating a few too many clothes, shoes and other goods will appreciate this streamlined wardrobe design by Rianne Koens. Called Otura Dirsek, this beautiful storage solution is inspired by, and named after, the copper gas pipes seen in Turkish homes. Rather than placing the pipes behind walls, Turkish people instead run them along the exterior, conveniently creating extra space to hang household items.
Learn more about this minimal wooden wardrobe

April 12, 2016

$3.8M Soho Pad Boasts a Townhouse Design in a Condo Building

You don't find many townhouses in Soho, a neighborhood better known for its massive warehouses converted to lofty apartments. The next best thing? This triplex condo at 29 King Street that feels a whole lot like a townhouse. Each of the three floors is accessed by a private elevator, with a double-height living room that looks out onto the unit's 900-square-foot garden. The townhouse layout then comes with condo perks like a full-time super, laundry room and storage.
See more

Distinctive Homes

April 12, 2016

Brooklyn’s Sleeper Neighborhoods Outpricing Dumbo; What Hunger Looks Like in NYC Today

Though Dumbo usually comes in as Brooklyn’s most expensive area, median sale prices this quarter in the Columbia Street Waterfront District came in at number one, followed by Prospect Lefferts Gardens. [Brownstoner] The MTA is testing out Flex-Gates, a sort of roll-up security gate, to prepare for another Superstorm Sandy. [Daily Intelligencer] This Brooklyn-based photojournalist is capturing […]

Uncategorized

April 12, 2016

The Port Authority Paid $47.6M in 2015 to Cover Condé Nast’s Move to One WTC

Though the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey would like you to think it's been smooth sailing finding tenants for One World Trade Center, their spending habits say otherwise. As Crain's reported, more than a year after Condé Nast made the big move from 4 Times Square to One World Trade, the agency is still dropping $3 million a month to pay for the old lease. This deal came about in 2011 when the Port Authority offered the incentive to entice the media company to relocate amid floundering activity at the downtown tower. In 2015 alone, they spent $47.6 million, and the payments are expected to continue into 2019 (when the lease ends) unless building owner the Durst Organization can find a new tenant.
More details ahead

Policy

April 12, 2016

Luciano Pavarotti’s $10.5M Pied-à-Terre and Next Door Unit Listed as $20M Combo

The 2,000-square-foot co-op at the Hampshire House at 150 Central Park South that was for three decades the favorite Manhattan pied-à-terre of the late operatic tenor Luciano Pavarotti, is for sale for $10.5M–or as part of a two-unit, $20.5 million option to create a 3,300 square-foot three-bedroom dream home with two balconies and iconic Central Park views. The neighboring two-bedroom apartment–listed in February for $10 million–is about half the size of Pavarotti's place, but has a 40-foot terrace with park views from every room. The resulting three-bedroom combo has 72 feet of park frontage and the kind of stunning views Central Park South is known for. The opera star, who passed away in 2007, had several apartments in the city but was particularly fond of this one, in part because of its proximity to the Met. The other two members of the "Three Tenors" opera supergroup, Plácido Domingo and José Carreras have lived at this building as well at various times.
Take in the view, this way

April 11, 2016

Uma Thurman’s Newly-Listed $6.25M Gramercy Duplex Comes With a Key to the Park

Actress Uma Thurman has just listed her Gramercy Park duplex co-op at 1 Lexington Avenue for $6.25M; a key to the private park is part of the deal. Thurman lived at the prewar co-op for nearly 15 years, buying several additional units and combining them—while keeping a hand in the real estate game all the while, including a four-bedroom co-op at the venerable River House at 435 East 52nd Street, purchased from romance author Barbara Taylor Bradford in 2013 for $10 million. She's finally parting ways with her Gramercy home to make that move uptown. The "Kill Bill" star reminisces in a NY Times interview about her family life in the building, "It was such a cozy place—it really was home for us."
Check out the gorgeous home that resulted

April 11, 2016

How Much Is Eloise’s Plaza Apartment Worth? And Stuart Little’s Gramercy Townhouse?

By Michelle Sinclair Colman

It is well known that Eloise lived in The Plaza. But the book was published in 1955, well before Manhattan real estate skyrocketed. So what would her apartment be worth today? In fact, many children’s books have been set in New York City—think "Harriet the Spy" or "Stuart Little." In this day and age of record-setting prices, how much would those fictional characters have to pay to live in their homes today? Who would have seen the most appreciation, Eloise or Lyle Crocodile? Much detective work (à la Harriet) reveals the residences of a boy-mouse and a anthropomorphized girl dog span various neighborhoods including the Upper East Side, Gramercy Park, and Park Slope. What follows is a survey of six iconic picture books set in New York City and the current valuations of their fictional homes.
Check them out here

Real Estate Trends

April 11, 2016

Last Chance to Apply for 282 Middle-Income Apartments at Downtown Brooklyn’s 250 Ashland Place

By Ondel Hylton

Today is your last chance to apply for 282 affordable housing units at 250 Ashland Place in Downtown Brooklyn. The 52-story skyscraper rises from the heart of Brooklyn's cultural district and is near a multitude of subway lines, the Atlantic Terminal transit hub, and the Barclays Center. Developed by the Gotham Organization, the skyscraper encompasses 580,000 square feet of space and soars 568 feet into the burgeoning Brooklyn skyline, making it the second tallest in the borough after the nearby rental tower AVA DoBro. Designed by New York-based FXFowle Architects, the building is sheathed in a contextual brick and glass exterior, relating both to the charming brownstones of Fort Greene and the dynamism transforming Downtown Brooklyn.
Find out if you qualify

April 11, 2016

One of Manhattan’s Last Wood Frame Homes Is Up For Rent Asking $13K/Month

There are very few wood frame homes remaining in Manhattan -- with some sprinkled throughout neighborhoods like the Upper East Side and the Village -- but here's one at 312 East 53rd Street, in Turtle Bay. It was constructed in 1866, right before the city prohibited further construction of wooden buildings due to the fire hazard. Since then, this home, and its wood-framed neighbor next door, amazingly still stand. Residents of both homes can be traced all the way back to 1866 -- No. 312 was once occupied by Lincoln Kirstein, who would go on to found the New York City Ballet. Its latest owners are Jessica and Robert Nacheman, a principal at the engineering firm Thornton Tomasetti, who bought it back in 2012 for $2.275 million and put it up for rent.
See more of the interior

April 11, 2016

Decorative ‘Blokosha’ Nests Paper Replicas of Post-War Buildings Like Matryoshka Dolls

Much like New York, after World War II, European cities found themselves in need of additional housing. In response, large estates were built and the post-war urban landscape began to take shape. In the 1950s-1980 these "house factories" were in their prime and advancements in building methods and technology allowed developers to build entire districts from scratch especially in the Eastern Block (the former communist states of Central and Eastern Europe). Inspired by this type of architecture, Designer Zupagrafika's Blokosha is a playful look at these concrete modernist estates, where paper replicas can be tucked away much like Russian nesting dolls.
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April 11, 2016

Did You Know the MTA Uses Pantone Colors to Distinguish Train Lines?

It's likely that every subway rider can name the colors that mark each train line -- blue for the A, C, E, red for the 1, 2, 3. But did you know that these aren't just arbitrary hues pulled from some MTA Crayola box, but rather 10 Pantone® spot colors? Even E-Z Pass and the LIRR and Metro-North lines have their own specific colors. The color coding dates back to the mid '60s when the city was in an economic downturn and people were staying off the rundown, haphazardly organized subways. To give the system a fresh, user-friendly look, the Transit Authority turned to graphic design, then an up-and-coming profession. They hired Italian designer Massimo Vignelli and Dutch designer Bob Noorda, both of whom were proponents of the popular "Swiss" style that featured solid, bright colors, simplistic illustrations, typographic grids, and the sans-serif font Helvetica. The men combined these elements into the 364-page New York City Transit Authority Graphics Standards Manual, forming the basis for the subway design we know today.
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Do Poor New Yorkers Live Longer? Study Says Yes, Despite the Income Gap

“The Association Between Income and Life Expectancy in the United States, 2001-2014,” by the Journal of the American Medical Association; Life expectancy for all income quartiles.

April 11, 2016

Do Poor New Yorkers Live Longer? Study Says Yes, Despite the Income Gap

The New York Times recently took a look at the results of a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Using data compiled from anonymous earnings records and death certificates, the results offer some provocative insights into the importance of geography to how long people live–poor people in particular. There is, as we've already assumed, a longevity gap between the rich (in this study, people with household incomes of over $100,000 per year) and poor (those with incomes less than $28,000). In Manhattan, for example, the average poor person will die about six years before the average rich one. But that gap is about a year and a half smaller than the same income/longevity gap for the United States as a whole. Tulsa and Detroit, for example, were two cities with the lowest levels of life expectancy among the low-income population, with the results already adjusted for differences based on race.
Find out what the numbers look like where you live

April 11, 2016

Continent’s Largest Outdoor Boulder Gym Comes to Brooklyn; Streit’s Matzo Factory Documentary

Come April 16th, Brooklyn Bridge Park will be home to North America’s largest outdoor boulder gym. DUMBO Boulders will have 4,886 square feet of climbable surface area that can fit 51 climbers at once. [DNAinfo] Did you grow up in a bubble? These zip codes say you did. [PBS] This townhouse rental is “practically the only townhouse […]

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April 11, 2016

VIDEO: Take an Aerial Tour of Prospect Park

If this temperamental April weather has been keeping you from enjoying NYC's great outdoors, you can now visit Prospect Park from the comfort of your couch. Plus, you'll get to experience the 585-acre park like you never could on foot -- from the aerial view of a drone. As first noted by Curbed, "the creator is drone enthusiast Airtistry," and it features "both time-lapse and real-time photography." The video was taken on April 2nd, so though it's a bit gloomy, there are some cherry blossoms in bloom to brighten things up, and the fact that the background music is a remix of a-ha's "Take on Me" doesn't hurt either.
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April 10, 2016

Robert Young Gives an Outdated ’80s Home in East Hampton a Mid-Century Mod Makeover

This East Hampton home was originally built in the 1980s, but was recently renovated with a modern and airy flair reflective of its inhabitants' colorful personalities. Led by Robert Young Architects, the transformation included new roof lines, as well as the addition of a small dining room and an outdoor living space, strategically placed to open up the existing space and bring in more natural light, which was the secondary goal of the update.
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Architecture And Design

April 10, 2016

Construction Begins at Gene Kaufman-Designed Gramercy Hotel

By Ondel Hylton

Construction work has begun on Sam Chang's latest endeavor for his McSam Hotel Group, a 12-story, 130-key hotel tower at 111 East 24th Street in Gramercy, a 6,000-square-foot site that was formerly a parking lot operated by Champion Parking. Approved plans filed with the Department of Buildings list Chang's designer of choice, Gene Kaufman, as the architect of record, and the illustration posted on the construction fence depicts a lackluster design comprised of two six-story volumes with differentiating fenestration.
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April 9, 2016

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks From the 6sqft Staff

Madonna Sues Upper West Side Co-Op Board Because Rules Don’t Apply to Her Screw Smiles Bring Happiness to Your Hardware and Polio Vaccines to Children in Need $8M Tribeca Penthouse Is a Downtown Dream With a Dramatic Staircase and Heavenly Sunsets Rafael Viñoly’s Meatpacking Building to Include World’s Largest Starbucks, See New Renderings UES Firehouse […]

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April 8, 2016

VIDEO: Watch Plants Consume New York in This Beautiful Short Film ‘Wrapped’

"Wrapped," a visual effects-driven short film by Roman Kälin, Falko Paeper and Florian Wittmann, flips on the FX switch and gets to work pumping out one of the wildest visions ever dreamt up for our cityscape. To a soundtrack that progresses from tentative to triumphant, fast-moving foliage gets a foothold and gains ground, starting with an opening shot of a dead street rat getting subsumed by verdant moss. The flora continues its takeover of Manhattan’s man-made infrastructure and concrete canyons, with a conclusion we won’t spoil.
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Events & Things To Do

April 8, 2016

Judge Gives the Go Ahead to Barry Diller’s Pier 55 Offshore Park