6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

Demolition has begun at the Lenox Hill site of a forthcoming 30-story condominium being developed by Orlando-based Inverlad Development and Steve Mills’ Third Palm Capital. The future 45-unit, 481-foot tower will replace the five-story Art & Design Building at 1059 Third Avenue and utilizes development rights from an adjacent apartment building at 1065 Third Avenue, which will also host an entryway for the Lexington/63rd Street station of the Second Avenue Subway. The developers paid an entity associated with the Battaglia family $31.5 million for the property in 2012. Building permits were approved in late October, granting the team the go-ahead to build a narrow, slab-shaped tower designed by Manuel Glas. According to DOB filings, the first three floors will contain office space and a healthcare facility, and above are 32 residential units. The amenity floor on level 12 will feature a fitness center, spa, swimming pool, tenants' lounge, and an outdoor terrace. Above level 13, seventeen full-floor residences will possess commanding views of the burgeoning Billionaires' Row skyline, East River and Central Park.
More details ahead

December 11, 2015

30 Brooklyn Doors Make Up Lovely Poster; Is This the Most Uncomfortable Chair?

Local architect and photographer Joseph Lee Sweeney created “The Doors of Brooklyn” in 2004. To mark the one-year anniversary of his passing, you can buy a crowd-sourced version of the poster with 31 doors from Instagram. [Brownstoner] Fly around the world in a Millennium Falcon, Darth Vader’s Tie Fighter, or Luke’s X Wing with Star […]

Uncategorized

December 11, 2015

Subway Breaks One-Day Ridership Record With 6,217,621 Passengers

For reasons unknown, the third Thursday in October is traditionally one of the busiest days for the NYC subway. Last year, on October 30th, a record was set with 6,167,165 passengers, and now, the MTA has put out a press release announcing that this past October 29th, this record was smashed when 6,217,621 customers swiped their MetroCards. "The new record day was one of five days in October when ridership exceeded the prior year’s record, and was one of 15 weekdays with ridership above 6 million. Daily subway ridership records have been kept since 1985, but the new record is believed to be the highest since the late 1940s," the agency reports.
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Transit

December 11, 2015

MAPS: Where to Find the Five Best Condo Bargains in Every NYC Neighborhood

With so much focus given to top-of-the-market condo sales and listings, we decided to take a look at the condos at the more "affordable" end of the spectrum, highlighting available apartments priced furthest below their neighborhood median prices. This week we take a look at five listings in five neighborhoods: Chelsea, Park-Fifth Avenue between 50th and 79th streets, Fort Greene, and Murray Hill. But first, be sure to check out 6sqft's interactive maps which pinpoint five of the best available condo bargains in every Manhattan and northern Brooklyn neighborhood compared with their median prices.
Check it all out

Distinctive Homes

December 11, 2015

This Boerum Hill Duplex Comes With a Private Patio and 600-Foot Jogging Track

When a residential building is called the Skytrack Condominium, you know the roof deck is going to be awesome. This building, at 120 Boerum Place in Boerum Hill, was originally a manufacturing building back when the neighborhood was filled with boarding houses for ironworkers working on Manhattan’s bridges and skyscrapers. The building went condo in 1983 and maintained many of the old industrial interior details, including a “skytrack” that wraps around the roof of the building. The track, which runs around the perimeter of the building's roof deck, is now used as a walking or jogging path by residents. While residents share the roof deck distinguished by the "skytrack" feature, this condo up for sale comes with even more outdoor space. A private deck off the master bedroom—with its very own skytrack (!)—is a nice perk of the lofty duplex going for $1.575M.
See it here

December 10, 2015

Amoeba-Like Floorplans for Herzog & de Meuron’s 160 Leroy Revealed

When you work in the real estate field, looking at floorplans can get a bit monotonous–rectangular box, square rooms, maybe a patio if you're lucky. But every once in a while, you'll see some schematics that cause pause, like these amoeba-shaped floorplans at Herzog & de Meuron's 160 Leroy (h/t Curbed). The 15-story, glassy West Village building has 49 condos, ranging from a $2.6 million one-bedroom unit to a $25 million penthouse. Depending where they're located along the undulating facade, the interior layouts can be long and windy or compact and curving.
See them all

December 10, 2015

The First Panda Ever in the U.S. Lived in a NYC Apartment

Having a pet and living in the city isn't always the easiest arrangement, and unfortunately for many animal lovers it's just not doable. While some of us reluctantly accept the limitations of our living situation, fashion designer and New York socialite Ruth Harkness went beyond the norm on all counts. In 1936, Mrs. Harkness traveled to China in search of a panda, one of the rarest animals of the time. Not only did she find what she was looking for, but she also took her new baby panda back with her to New York.
Get the full story

History

Distinctive Homes

Park Slope townhouse sells for $13.9M, a new neighborhood record

For $9M, a Noho penthouse that captures the spirit of the neighborhood's past, and then some

This $4M Park Slope duplex is house-sized, with condo simplicity and outdoor space

For $5.5M, a gallerist's Soho loft is the perfect backdrop for your art collection

This $2.85M Crown Heights townhouse is an unspoiled historic beauty on an extra-long lot

$22M Cobble Hill brownstone is five floors of architectural perfection, from the wine cellar to the rooftop deck

$10.25M Chelsea condo atop Shigeru Ban's Metal Shutter Houses is everything a penthouse should be

$4M Prospect Heights penthouse has three bedrooms, a wraparound terrace, and views in every direction

For $1.2M, this Park Slope brownstone co-op gets the top-floor perk of a private roof deck

For $2M, a Boerum Hill co-op with a colorful Scandi kitchen

VIEW ALL

December 10, 2015

Using Public Subsidies to Build 2 WTC Gets OK’d; Vacancy Rate in Manhattan Rising

The vacancy rate in Manhattan is the highest it’s been since April 2009, but rents are still up. [Crain’s] How many people have been shot in your neighborhood this year? [Brownstoner] The Community Board 3’s land use committee wants the Economic Development Corp. to rescind its RFEI (Request for Expressions of Interest) for the abandoned underground […]

Real Estate Trends

December 10, 2015

‘Maximalist’ UES Townhouse of Designer Juan Pablo Molyneux Sells for Less Than Half Its First Ask

By Annie Doge

Back in 2012, Chilean interior designer Juan Pablo Molyneux placed his sprawling townhouse at 29 East 69th Street up for sale for a newsmaking $48 million. Unable to find an immediate buyer (or possibly anticipating seller's remorse), he took it off the market shortly after. But then earlier this year in January, he brought it back for a much lower $34 million. Now, it looks like Molyneux's day has come, and according to city records, he's finally parted ways with the gigantic spread—although for a relatively paltry $22.5 million.
go inside here

December 10, 2015

Inside Rolf’s $60K Christmas Wonderland; 31 Beloved Spots That Closed in 2015

Inside the Christmas wonderland that is Rolf’s German Restaurant, where they spend $60,000 a year on holiday decorations. [Business Insider] The most nauseating Brooklyn-branded products on Etsy. [DNAinfo] This balloon furniture won’t pop when you sit on it. [Mental Floss] FAO Schwarz, Market Diner, Trash Bar, Tribeca Cinemas–these are just some of the NYC spots that […]

Uncategorized

December 10, 2015

POLL: Are You Pro or Anti Santacon?

We know it’s a loaded question, but after all these years of holiday debauchery, the debate surrounding Santacon rages on. The founder of the event recently contacted Gothamist, requesting an interview to set the record straight. He said the press is failing to focus on the notorious event’s “more important messages of anti-consumerism, creativity, jolly gay […]

December 10, 2015

Affordable Housing Coalition Proposes $4B NY State Budget to Address Housing Crisis

According to a press release put out today, an affordable housing coalition of ten groups has proposed a five-year, $4 billion capital plan to address the housing crisis in New York. As Governor Cuomo and the state legislature begin the 2016 legislative session, the group hopes that the plan, proposed for 2017-2021, can combat the fact that "more than half of statewide renters pay over 30 percent of income on housing costs, and more than 80,000 people are homeless across the state." Specific to the city, the plan wants to close the NYCHA funding gap and increase senior housing.
More details this way

December 10, 2015

This Pint-Sized Penthouse Has Two Terraces and a Big View of the Hearst Tower

A mere block from where Midtown’s newest Billionaires’ Row continues to rise along 57th Street south of Central Park, you'll find a thriving example of the classic New York City streetscape that has long-defined Midtown West, in places a jumble of skyscrapers, low-lying brick and rows of standard-issue mid-(20th)-century apartment buildings, in one of which you'll find this cozy co-op studio at 310 West 56th Street, described aptly by its listing as “the perfect pied-a-terre penthouse.” The 1964 co-op building is in a spot that’s getting more prime by the decade, already steps from the park, Columbus Circle and the Time Warner Center and blocks from Lincoln Center; then there’s that glittering condo canyon to the east and Bjarke Ingels’ game-changing Via rising to the west. The iconoclastic Norman Foster-designed Hearst Tower was among the vanguard–and it’s right across the street. Whoever lives here should probably be a fan of its gleaming white-and-glass geometric grid frame. Because they’re going to be seeing a lot of it.
Take a look

Distinctive Homes

December 10, 2015

Revealed: Karl Fischer’s 12-Story East Harlem Residential Tower

Here's our first peek at a 12-story residential building designed by Karl Fischer Architects for the northwest corner of 110th Street and Park Avenue in East Harlem. The property was picked up last fall by Brooklyn-based Isaac Schwartz who has now placed the 7,000-square-foot property on the market for $13.9 million. According to the sales brochure prepared by Ariel Property Advisors, the lots 1516-1520 Park Avenue and 94 East 111th Street present a full block-front opportunity to construct a development up to 48,600 square feet. The property would be delivered with DOB-approved plans that call for the 12-story, 44-unit residential building shown above.
More details ahead

December 10, 2015

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week – 12/10-12/13

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! Ease back into real life after a super rainy Art Basel Miami by upping your experiential art intake. Take a journey across the Atlantic Ocean without leaving New York in this month's #MidnightMoment film taking over the screens in Times Square. Help fight Parkinson's disease while celebrating the work of two artists whom the disease has affected in an exhibition benefitting the Michael J. Fox Foundation at Waterhouse & Dodd, then head to the Bronx to check out emerging artist Eric Orr's first solo exhibition. Art on paper gets a new avenue with the introduction of Paper Crown Press, and Joseph Gross has rounded up their favorite artists for a new wintry group show. Kraftwerk is the focus at a night of art and music at the Morbid Anatomy Museum, and Yoko Ono opens one show in two Chelsea galleries on the same night (and claims she'll attend both openings). Finish off the weekend with a free jazzy brunch celebrating the art of Judy Rifka and Jay Milder.
All the best events to check out here

Events & Things To Do

December 9, 2015

Announcing the Winner of 6sqft’s 2015 Building of the Year!

By Alyssa Alimurung

A couple of weeks ago, 6sqft asked you which building you thought deserved the title of 2015 Building of the Year. We gave you 12 of the hottest new buildings in NYC, noteworthy for their envelope-pushing design, record-breaking prices, or unprecedented height. And now is the time to reveal the winner!
Drumroll please….

VIDEO: Watch Ironworkers Set Panels on Bjarke Ingels’ Via Tetrahedron

Earlier today, 6sqft announced that Via, aka BIG’s 57th Street tetrahedron, is the winner of the 2015 Building of the Year competition. What likely made the starchitect-designed rental building such a frontrunner is its unusual shape, rising 460 feet from its site. Since progress has been right on track, it's easy to forget that the unconventional form yields some unique design and construction challenges. In this video from from Ironworkers Local 580, who set a Gopro up on the crane, we can see the skill required to set the shimmering panels on the slope wall. We also get a very vertigo-inducing view of the building from its apex looking down.
Watch the full video

December 9, 2015

Did You Know There Was a Movie Theatre in Grand Central for 30 Years?

Grand Central Terminal is one of New York City's most beloved landmarks, and over the years this historic transportation hub has stood the test of time. While the majority of the structure has remained intact, the businesses inside the station have seen their fair share of changes since first opening in 1871. But one of the station's more notable and less widely known tenants includes a special movie theatre designed specifically for travelers.
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History

December 9, 2015

This $14.8M UWS Townhouse Does Not Have a Pool in the Back Yard

But it almost did. In 2008, when Turkish millionaire and Mavi Jeans mogul Ragip Ersin Akarlilar and his wife bought this historic 1870 four-story Italianate home at 51 West 83rd Street among the brownstones of the Upper West Side for $4.3 million, it was in need of renovation. Plans were drawn for a gut overhaul, including a sleek wall of glass at the back that could open up to encompass an outdoor swimming pool (shown here in the Post). Neighbors balked at the proposed additions, and a kerfuffle ensued. Akarlilar eventually obtained permission from the Landmarks Preservation Commission, permits were granted, and work began. According to the Observer, the homeowners “unintentionally fell in love with another house,” and sold the home, mid-reno, for $6.8 million to a buyer/flipper who intended to finish the ambitious job–sans pool. Forward to now. The home recently hit the market for $14.8M. The renovation is not only quite attractive, but an additional lower level has made the home a whopping 6,300 square feet with a nifty bi-level backyard.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

December 9, 2015

NYC’s Priciest Studio Apartments; Trans-Hudson Tunnel Moves Forward

Inside the sales gallery of Tadao Ando’s first NYC building in Nolita. [Curbed] The plan to build a new Hudson River tunnel is moving ahead thanks to a $300B transportation bill. [NYT] Don’t expect any deals on these diminutive apartments. [NYP] Queens’ most expensive developments by total sell out. [TRD] Images: A studio apartment at the Plaza via […]

Real Estate Trends

December 9, 2015

The Penn Station Atlas Wants to Make the Awful Space Less Confusing

"The concept behind this project is simple but powerful: a user-centric atlas of a complex space – a unique set of maps designed to help anyone easily find the best way to their destination in Penn Station." Designer John Schettino realized that even though he traveled through Penn Station every day, he'd still find himself lost in the labyrinth that has become one of New Yorkers' most loathed destinations. So he studied maps of the underground station and observed how people interacted with the space to create the New York Penn Station Atlas. The project uses 2D and 3D models that make up a set of maps to show general layout, key locations, and routes for getting from one point to another. Schettino, with a boost from the Municipal Art Society, hopes all these resources will become available for electronic devices at no cost.
Plenty more details this way

December 9, 2015

Landmarks Approves Collegiate School Redevelopment: 66 Condos and Garden Planned

The development team involved in the rehabilitation and redevelopment of the Collegiate School academic buildings adjacent to West End Collegiate Church announced yesterday that their two-building scheme has been unanimously approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Situated in the West End Collegiate Historic District on the Upper West Side, the residential development at 260 West 78th Street and 378 West End Avenue is being developed by the Collegiate Churches of New York and designed by Rick Cook of COOKFOX Architects. Funds generated by the development will be used to support the Collegiate Church's charitable and housing programs, as well as maintain its landmarked Dutch-Flemish Renaissance Revival campus.
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December 9, 2015

Cute Co-op Asks $489K at the Whitby, an Emery Roth-Designed Building in Midtown

Architect Emery Roth was considered the master of apartment design back in his day. In the early 1900s, he masterminded an impressive number of buildings with sprawling floor plans and luxurious finishes. (That was a time when the rich still needed to be convinced to live in apartments, rather than mansions.) He finished the Whitby, at 325 West 45th Street in Midtown West, in 1923. Since then the building has been broken down into mostly small studio, one- and two-bedroom co-ops. This is a one-bedroom in the building that still has some pre-war details, although it's lacking the gracious floor plan that made Roth so famous. Still, it's a central location at a decent asking price, $489,000. And the apartment is pretty darn cute.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

December 9, 2015

LEGO Unveils NYC Skyline; Keep Your Apartment From Smelling Like Latkes

Go backstage with the Rockettes. [Racked] The newly released LEGO skyline collection includes the Flatiron Building, Chrysler Building, Empire State Building, One World Trade Center and the Statue of Liberty. [Gothamist] A hidden bolt in Central Park dates back to the early 19th century when John Randel Jr. was plotting the NYC street grid. [Business Insider] Don’t […]

Uncategorized

December 9, 2015

Revealed: Crowne Plaza Hotel Rises South of Times Square, Boasts Streetwall-Friendly Atrium

Snag the Greenest Seat in Town: Gufram's 1972 Pratone Chair is Shaped Like a Patch of Grass

Construction is getting vertical on Raber Enterprises' 251-room Crowne Plaza Times Square South. The expected four-star, 118,200-square-foot building at 320 West 36th Street will only be the second in Manhattan to carry the Crowne Plaza flag, whose larger, 795-room location at 1605 Broadway has been operational since 1989. Situated between Seventh and Eighth avenues, the 8,200 square-foot parcel formerly held a parking garage that the team purchased with two other lots in December 2012 for $33.5 million. The metal-clad 28-story tower is designed by Flatiron-based Stonehill & Taylor Architects & Planners and will feature an 85-foot tall base that will thankfully adhere to the consistent streetwall of the Garment District. The base will be clad in corrugated-aluminum and its interior will hold an 80-foot high, galvanized steel atrium containing a restaurant and the reception lobby. The architects note that the metallic aesthetic "celebrates the neighborhood’s manufacturing and transportation hub heritage and also produce a play of light and shadow on the building’s deeply modulated surfaces." Flintlock Construction are the builders, WSP Flack & Kurtz the mechanical engineers and GACE, the structural engineers.
more on the project here

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VIEW ALL

Where to See the Best Lights in NYC This Holiday Season

Rolf’s Christmas Display via Rolf’s

December 8, 2015

Where to See the Best Lights in NYC This Holiday Season

It's Christmastime in the city! It's also time to see what New York City has to offer in this year's twinkly lights department. We've seen it time and time again—New York City painted as a romantic holiday backdrop, perfect for evoking the true Christmas spirit. Most of us are already familiar with classic destinations like Rockefeller Center and the Macy's window display, so in lieu of the standard roster 6sqft has put together the following list to help you find some of the less obvious (but no less spectacular) places to see fabulous lights for the 2015 holiday season.
Check out our list of where to see the best lights this holiday season

December 8, 2015

Mapping the Depressing Annual Salaries of Millennials Across the U.S.

This year, snake people became the largest share of the U.S.'s voting-age population, surpassing 76.4 million baby boomers for the title. But while this younger generation (generally defined as those born between 1981 and 1997) may be dominating in numbers, they're trailing when it comes to their median annual salaries. This map created by Business Insider using data from the from the Minnesota Population Center's 2014 "American Community Survey" in the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series reveals just what working snake people are earning annually—and the results are somewhat depressing. While Midwest states showing medians in the low 20s aren't all that shocking given a lower cost of living, it is surprising to see that economic power players like California and New York ring in at just $21,900 and $25,000, respectively.
See the map in detail here

City Living

December 8, 2015

Quiz: Test Your Knowledge of 2015 Real Estate; Program for Senior Roommates Is a Win

The Port Authority is considering using $43M in subsidies to develop 2 World Trade Center, a skyscraper designed by Bjarke Ingels that will tentatively be the new home of 21st Century Fox and News Corp. [Wall Street Journal] Victoria’s Secret model Sara Sampaio is in contract to buy a two-bedroom at the Beekman. [NYP] Residents of starchitect […]

Real Estate Trends

December 8, 2015

Which NYC Neighborhoods Charge the Most for Christmas Trees?

Just like real estate, the price of a Christmas tree will vary significantly depending on which neighborhood you center your search. DNA Info recently conducted a reader poll to find which local tree dealers are gouging evergreen buyers and which are keeping with a more charitable holiday spirit. Pollsters zoomed in on several neighborhoods across Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens and found some major price disparities even when it came to minor details like whether a vendor was set up on a street corner or just a typical stretch. Just check out the $50 price difference at two Williamsburg locales ahead...
have a closer look at their findings

December 8, 2015

Personalized Manhole Doormat Will Welcome You Home to Your Urban Oasis

Incorporating urban inspired design accessories into your home decor can be fun for the whole family. From towering skyscrapers to bustling streets, the city is packed full of interesting visual references, and graphic designer Jim Holodak choose the often overlooked manhole cover as the muse for his doormat design. Now you can enjoy the excitement of the city's raw energy without leaving your house!
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December 8, 2015

Lofty Duplex in Greenpoint Comes With Double Height Ceilings and a Parking Space

149 Huron Street, a 30-unit Greenpoint condo building, was constructed in 2007 and is dominated by big windows and balconies on its facade. There is one unit up for sale in the building, a duplex, and it's asking $1.2 million. Over 985 square feet and two floors you'll find a big, towering window, lots of open space, a flexible floorplan and modern finishes. This is one of the priciest apartments in the entire building, and the history of its price tag says a lot about how much Greenpoint has changed since 2007. The unit sold in 2009 for $560,037 and then was listed in 2012 for $629,000. It looks like it never sold back then, but now it's trying its luck past the $1 million mark.
See the interior

December 8, 2015

The Founder of SantaCon Speaks; Buy a $45,000 ‘Cocktail Hamper’ from Rolls-Royce

The Whitney Museum invites guests to take selfies. [NYP] “A bunch of Tisch grads are trying to make it in the big, bad world of acting in New York City. How are they not all famous actors yet? It’s been like two years.” A satirical roundup of web series. [New Yorker] The founder of SantaCon said the […]

Uncategorized

Stiletto-Friendly Subway Grates Are Finally Here

Image via MTA

December 8, 2015

Stiletto-Friendly Subway Grates Are Finally Here

Don’t you just hate getting your heel stuck in a subway grate and then ruining those beautiful stilettos? Well fear not, fashionistas, the MTA is employing high heel-friendly subway grates in their East Side Access Project. As Gothamist noted, the agency announced that they’ve completed construction on the 150-feet-below-ground ventilation facility at East 55th Street between […]

December 8, 2015

Get a Look at the 900-Foot Views From Norman Foster’s Sutton Place Tower

Bauhouse Group received permits just a week ago to raze a string of buildings at 428-432 East 58th Street in Sutton Place, and as 6sqft previously reported, the developer had tapped starchitect Norman Foster to design the 900-foot luxury residential tower. New York Yimby now has a first look at the building's stunning views from 100 feet and up. From the top, "just some of the things you’ll be able to see are Central Park, the George Washington Bridge, 432 Park Avenue, the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, Sony Tower, the Citigroup Center, One World Trade Center, the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, Roosevelt Island, the RFK Bridge, the Hell Gate Bridge, the United Nations, and the Williamsburg Bridge."
More views and details

December 8, 2015

For $3.5M This Sweet Nolita Loft Doesn’t Give Up Condo Comforts

Named for its envy-inspiring spot in downtown Manhattan's chic Nolita neighborhood–where Soho and Little Italy meet the colorful edges of Chinatown, the Solita building at 161 Grand Street is a classic 1911 loft building that was converted to condos in 2001. Among its 18 rarely-available half- and full-floor units–one of which belonged to Sofia Coppola and hubby Thomas Mars until they sold it in 2012–is this updated and colorful 1,831 square-foot two-bedroom loft, which just arrived on the market for $3.5 million. With a private elevator, central air, package-fetching super, video intercom and rooftop terrace, there's no need to trade condo comfort for loft bones. But the price–about a million more than its (most recent) 2012 sale price–more likely reflects the tiny collection of impossibly cool boutique shopping, dining and residential blocks that have long been among the city's most coveted while retaining at least some of their charming, ever-so-slightly gritty old New York feel.
Look around the loft

Distinctive Homes

December 7, 2015

Could This Otherworldly 102-Story Tower Covered in Ornaments Be Coming to 57th Street?

Jaded by glass boxes and architectural imitations of styles gone by? Well this fascinating design by Mark Foster Gage Architects is sure to turn your architectural world upside down. Here's our first look at their 102-story residential supertower seemingly flown in from some advanced airborne civilization in a galaxy far, far away. While details are scarce, this eagle lands in the heart of Midtown's Billionaires' Row along West 57th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. The whimsical design is a habitable sculpture of sorts, adorned from top to bottom in ornaments ranging from gears and propellers to an abstracted pair of birds diving in for a landing on two wing-supported balconies. The tower is topped by a temple-like observational platform which is then crowned by a golden wreath-like structure fit for any victorious Roman general.
more eye-popping visuals this way

December 7, 2015

Chart Compares Suburb and City Commute Times–and How Much Extra We Pay for Convenience

When most of us rationalize our outrageous rents (and for buyers, real estate prices), our first go-to argument usually involves something along the lines of how great it is to live so close to work and the bustling city. But as it turns out, there are actually more than a handful of neighborhoods outside of the borders of Manhattan that boast way better commute times than even Brooklyn. Real estate data start-up NeighborhoodX is back again with yet another eye-opening visualization, this time pitting the commute times and real estate prices of various New Jersey, New York and Connecticut suburbs, and a few popular Queens and Brooklyn nabes, against one another.
See all the comparisons here

December 7, 2015

VOTE for 6sqft’s 2015 Building of the Year!

By 6sqft

If you thought 2014 was an outstanding year that gave way to great new developments, 2015 could easily be considered epic. In the last 12 months, we've seen the rise of the supertalls along Billionaires' Row, a few groundbreaking structures that challenge traditional architectural geometry, and starchitect-designed towers with absurd asking prices. Here we've vetted 12 of the hottest buildings in NYC, noteworthy for their envelope-pushing design, record-breaking prices, or unprecedented height. So, in our second annual poll, we want to know what you think: Out of the dozen, which deserves the title of “2015 Building of the Year?” To help you make an informed decision, we've provided an overview of each contender, along with news highlights from the year. We're taking votes up until 11:59 p.m., Monday, December 7th, and we will announce the winner on Wednesday, December 9th. Happy voting, 6sqft readers!
Learn more about all the buildings in the running ahead

December 7, 2015

This $8.5M Turtle Bay Townhouse Is a Timeless Classic With Pops of Modern

Without hype or hyperbole—though certainly compliment-worthy—this 1890s townhouse on a classic and lovely East Side block has all the modern upgrades you'd need, thanks to complete renovation in 2006. And for traditional brownstone buffs, 327 East 51st Street’s refined facade, gated courtyard, interior details and traditional stoop all add up to a quintessential New York City townhouse. Mechanicals, plumbing, lighting and electrical systems have all been updated and now include a new Crestron home audio system, a four-zone HVAC system, four automatic gas fireplaces, a state-of-the-art security system and lots of well-planned storage space.
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Distinctive Homes

December 7, 2015

Four Neighborhoods to Find Affordable One-Bedrooms; Trump Makes Money off Central Park Name

Who says Snake People are bad with money? This generation is increasingly buying homes in NYC. [Metro.US] Four NYC neighborhoods where you can still find an affordable apartment. [Thrillist] Few support Mayor de Blasio’s rezoning plan. [Crain’s] 20 years ago Donald Trump applied for a non-exclusive trademark to use the words “Central Park” to sell wares. Since then he’s become […]

Real Estate Trends

December 7, 2015

Soho Loft by SMH Architects Features a Modern Wrap-Around Library

Loft living is a dream come true for many lucky New Yorkers, but more often than not these sought after open spaces require some custom design work. The residents of this Soho loft wanted to add custom work to showcase their spectacular book collection, and they now share their home with this exquisite library. Designed by the New York firm Smith-Miller and Hawkinson Architects (SMH), the space features shelving with clean, modern lines and dramatic lights that transform the standard bookshelf into a work of art.
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December 7, 2015

Skyline Wars: One Vanderbilt and East Midtown Upzoning Are Raising the Roof…Height!

By Carter B. Horsley

Carter Uncut brings New York City’s breaking development news under the critical eye of resident architecture critic Carter B. Horsley. This week Carter brings us the second installment of nine-part series, "Skyline Wars," which examines the explosive and unprecedented supertall phenomenon that is transforming the city's silhouette. In this post Carter zooms in on Midtown East and the design of One Vanderbilt, the controversial tower that is being pinned as the catalyst for change in an area that has fallen behind in recent decades. Despite some objections from community boards and local politicians, New York City is moving ahead with the rezoning of East Midtown between Fifth and Third avenues, and 39th and 59th Streets; and earlier this year, the de Blasio administration enacted an important part of the plan, a rezoning of the Vanderbilt Avenue corridor just to the west of Grand Central Terminal. The Vanderbilt Avenue rezoning included approval of a 1,501-foot-high tower at 1 Vanderbilt Avenue on the block bounded by Madison Avenue, 42nd and 43rd Streets. The tapered, glass-clad tower, topped by a spire, is being designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox for SL Green. Mayors Bloomberg and de Blasio have championed the 1 Vanderbilt proposal despite serious concerns voiced by numerous civic organizations over the rezoning scheme that some see as “spot zoning” and the fact that the city has still not finalized nor published its complete rezoning package. Using air-rights transfers from the Grand Central Terminal area and zoning bonuses for providing $210 million for infrastructure improvements in the area, the tower will significantly alter the midtown skyline, rising several hundred feet above the nearby Chrysler Building and the huge and bulky but lower MetLife Tower straddling Park Avenue just north of Grand Central Terminal. Its 63 stories are several less than the Chrysler Building and just a few more than the MetLife Tower, which might be interpreted by some observers as indicated that it was in “context” with such prominent neighbors, but they are wrong.
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Transit Museum Brings Back Its Vintage Subways and Buses for the Holidays

Via *Bitch Cakes*/Flickr

December 7, 2015

Transit Museum Brings Back Its Vintage Subways and Buses for the Holidays

Regardless of your faith, the holidays in New York City are a one-of-a-kind experience that many of us look forward to all year. For die-hard New Yorkers, it's not so much about the big attractions, but the smaller festivities that show the spirit of the city. Here at 6sqft, one of our favorites is the MTA's and New York Transit Museum's Nostalgia Trains. According to Gothamist, this year, they're rolling out eight subway cars from the 1930s to '70s and vintage buses from the 1940s to '80s, so holiday shoppers and history enthusiasts alike can revel in a little old-school charm.
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Bergen Brooklyn

323 Bergen Street

Boerum Hill

World-class design rooted in Brooklyn charm

studios starting at $825,000
1 beds starting at $1,200,000
2 beds starting at $1,925,000
3 beds starting at $3,050,000
4 beds starting at $6,000,000

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December 7, 2015

A Guide to the Lights of Dyker Heights; Brooklyn’s ‘Star Wars’ Ice Cream

A new food delivery app will donate a portion of proceeds to City Harvest through the month of December with the goal of feeding 100,000 hungry city children. [NYDN] Here’s a guide to experiencing NYC’s largest holiday light display in Dyker Heights. [Gothamist] How Brooklyn’s Ample Hills Creamery landed Disney’s limited edition “Star Wars” ice cream. […]

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December 7, 2015

Lofty Lower East Side Condo Boasts 14 Windows and Four Exposures

This lofty condo apartment at 241 Eldridge Street on the Lower East Side is all about the light. With 14 big windows through the apartment and four different exposures, there's plenty of it coming in. That's paired with three bedrooms, high ceilings, and a flexible layout. Not a bad combination when it comes to a living space. The apartment, located on the top floor of a ten-unit, 1904 pre-war building, is now on the market asking $1.477 million.
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Distinctive Homes

December 7, 2015

Brooklyn Bath Bombs Will Leave Your Skin Smelling Like Brownstones

We can't say we're surprised that now you can bathe in the scent of Brooklyn neighborhoods. But we are surprised that these Brooklyn Flavors bath bombs don't offer gimmicky scents like "Hipster's Beard" for Williamsburg or "Bacon Cupcake" for Crown Heights. As Brooklyn Mag explains, the creator of the products "conducted demographic research of the residents that live in the neighborhood—past and present—to create each scent." For example, the Church Avenue bath bomb has a Caribbean scent representative of the neighborhood's West Indian demographic.
More neighborhood scent profiles

Modern Menorahs: Celebrate Hanukkah With Design in Mind

Image via Jonathan Adler

December 6, 2015

Modern Menorahs: Celebrate Hanukkah With Design in Mind

By Susan Cohen

Tonight marks the beginning of Hanukkah, and for eight nights, Jews will be celebrating by lighting menorahs of all shapes and sizes in their homes, as well as in public spaces throughout New York. While Hanukkah might not traditionally be thought of as a design-oriented holiday, in recent years menorahs have become more and more creative and diverse. From contemporary interpretations to dinosaur versions to express your inner paleontologist, there is a menorah out there for everyone. We put together a list of some of our favorites that you can buy, in addition to three must-view menorahs in New York City.
Check out this festive holiday list here

December 5, 2015

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks From the 6sqft Staff