6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

New York City's West Indian-American Day Carnival and Parade returns to Brooklyn this Labor Day. The festival, which typically attracts over a million spectators, takes over a stretch of Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights, celebrating the diversity of Caribbean culture with dancing, elaborate costumes, traditional music, and food.
What you need to know

Events & Things To Do

August 29, 2024

12 museums just outside NYC perfect for a day trip

New York City is celebrated as one of the world's art capitals, with travelers coming far and wide to visit its world-class museums. However, you can find many cultural gems beyond the borders of the five boroughs. Ahead, here are some of the best museums worth visiting on a day trip from NYC, from the expansive sculpture fields of Storm King Art Center and Art Omi to the historic charm of house museums at the Olana State Historic Site and Philip Johnson's Glass House.
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NYC’s Open Streets will expand to 70+ schools

School children participate in activities with Street Lab on an Open Street: School. Credit: Street Lab

August 29, 2024

NYC’s Open Streets will expand to 70+ schools

New York City's Open Streets program is expanding to more than 70 schools this year. The city's Department of Transportation on Thursday announced a record-breaking expansion of the program, with 71 schools across the five boroughs set to gain additional outdoor space for students to learn and play. This initiative will improve safety by simplifying the pick-up and drop-off process. Most of the new open streets will be located outside of schools in underserved communities in the outer boroughs, including 12 in the Bronx, 12 in Brooklyn, and 20 in Queens.
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Vintage bus festival rolls into Brooklyn Bridge Park

2019 Bus Festival. Photo by Filip Wolak, New York Transit Museum

August 29, 2024

Vintage bus festival rolls into Brooklyn Bridge Park

Buses of a bygone era will be rolling into Brooklyn Bridge Park. The New York Transit Museum's annual Bus Festival takes place at Emily Warren Roebling Plaza on Sunday, September 8, bringing a collection of retro buses under the Brooklyn Bridge for transit buffs to explore.
ride this way

Events & Things To Do

The 15 best parks in NYC for outdoor grilling

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels

August 28, 2024

The 15 best parks in NYC for outdoor grilling

While our tiny apartments and fire escapes may not always be the greatest spots to host a barbecue, the city's parks provide some of the best places to dine on hamburgers and hot dogs this holiday. Ahead, 6sqft rounded up 15 of the best NYC parks to host outdoor barbecues, from old standby Prospect Park to less-known locales like Staten Island's Clove Lakes Park.
Fin the best BBQ spots in your neighborhood

As nearly half of NYC bus riders don’t pay, MTA deploys inspectors to combat fare evasion

Photo by Marc A. Hermann/ MTA on Flickr

August 28, 2024

As nearly half of NYC bus riders don’t pay, MTA deploys inspectors to combat fare evasion

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is ramping up its efforts to stop fare evasion in the bus system following a report that nearly half of all riders are not paying. The MTA on Monday revealed that new unarmed fare inspectors will be deployed on local buses throughout the city to enforce fare payment, with fare evaders being asked to leave the bus and potentially facing a summons or arrest. The city bus system has the worst fare evasion problem of any major city in the world, costing the transit agency more than $300 million every year.
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Modulightor. Image credit: Joe Polowczuk

August 28, 2024

The Met to host first major museum exhibition dedicated to architect Paul Rudolph

The Metropolitan Museum of Art will host the first-ever major museum exhibition dedicated to the works of influential architect Paul Rudolph. Running from September 30 through March 16, 2025, "Materialized Space: The Architecture of Paul Rudolph" examines the career and legacy of the Modernist architect and how his contributions to architecture continue to inspire innovative designs in cities across the globe. The exhibition will feature over 80 works, ranging from small objects he collected throughout his life to drawings, models, furniture, material samples, and photographs.
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Lottery opens for 90 mixed-income apartments at first Gowanus rezoning project, from $784/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

August 27, 2024

Lottery opens for 90 mixed-income apartments at first Gowanus rezoning project, from $784/month

A housing lottery launched this week for 90 mixed-income apartments at the first residential project developed under the Gowanus rezoning. The two-tower rental at 420 Carroll Street includes 360 apartments, 25 percent of which are priced below market rate, commercial space, and a new public promenade along the Gowanus Canal. New Yorkers earning 40, 60, 100, and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $784/month for studios to $3,298/month for three bedrooms.
learn if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Distinctive Homes

Luxury finishes take this $4.4M landmarked Soho loft beyond the white box

A world traveler's Catskills haven is now a $2M mountaintop home

For $5.1M, this pretty Gramercy condo comes with a key to the private park

$475K Bed-Stuy co-op is a cozy home in a historic mansion

This $8.25M Cobble Hill brownstone is move-in ready, inside and out

Milk Bar founder Christina Tosi lists Chelsea condo for $5.9M

This $9M Soho loft is the ultimate designer-approved bachelor pad

Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy are selling their West Village townhouse for $9.75M

Pre-war penthouse on the Upper West Side with soaring ceilings and a huge terrace asks $5.95M

For $3.25M, this West Village duplex puts angles and corners in their best light

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60 luxury condos planned for the Flatiron Building

Photo by David Becker on Unsplash

August 27, 2024

60 luxury condos planned for the Flatiron Building

More details on transforming one of New York City's most iconic buildings into apartments were revealed this week. Developers GFP Real Estate, the Brodsky Organization, and the Sorgente Group filed plans with the city to convert the Flatiron Building into 60 residential units, as first reported by Commerical Observer. The homes could be complete by 2026, according to the Environmental Assessment Statement (EAS) filed with the Department of City Planning.
more this way

NYC seeks proposals for redesign of Park Avenue medians

Image by Fabio Fistarol on Unsplash

August 27, 2024

NYC seeks proposals for redesign of Park Avenue medians

New York City is moving forward with a plan to put the "park" back in Park Avenue. The Department of Transportation released a request for proposals (RFP) on Tuesday seeking designs to transform the traffic medians on Park Avenue between East 46th Street and East 57th Street with more green space and pedestrian-friendly areas.
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Architecture And Design

Babe Ruth’s ‘called-shot’ Yankees jersey sells for $24M at auction

All images courtesy of Heritage Auctions, HA.com

August 27, 2024

Babe Ruth’s ‘called-shot’ Yankees jersey sells for $24M at auction

The New York Yankees jersey worn by Babe Ruth when he "called his shot" during the 1932 World Series sold in an auction for $24.12 million, a new record for the most expensive sports collectible. After a bidding war that lasted over six hours, the jersey, which Ruth wore when he pointed to the outfield and proceeded to hit a home run to deep center field, sold on Sunday at Heritage Auctions. The jersey was recently photo-matched by multiple third parties using images from Getty Images and the Chicago Daily News, which show Ruth wearing it in the Wrigley Field dugout on October 1, 1932.
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City Living

Photo credit: Gabriel Zimmer / Catskill Image

August 27, 2024

A world traveler’s Catskills haven is now a $2M mountaintop home

Just 15 minutes from trendy Hudson, N.Y., and five minutes from the town of Catskill, this unusual Arts-and-Crafts-style property at 5280 Cauterskill Road has roots in modern architecture and international travel. Asking $1,975,000, this Catskills mountaintop aerie stands on a 32-acre lot, offering a main house, a separate guest house, a heated saltwater gunite pool, and acres of secluded rock paths and lush gardens. The home was built in 1920 for Alleyne Ireland, a British author known for his well-documented travel throughout Asia; his friendship with architect Frank Lloyd Wright inspired the design of this upstate estate.
tour this catskills home

Distinctive Homes

$120M project to close gap in Manhattan’s East River greenway moves forward

Image courtesy of the NYC Economic Development Corporation

August 26, 2024

$120M project to close gap in Manhattan’s East River greenway moves forward

A decade-old plan to fill in the gap in the East River greenway near the United Nations is finally moving forward. The city's Economic Development Corporation last week issued a request for proposals (RFP) from contractors to supervise the construction of the proposed esplanade, which will span less than a mile between East 41st and East 53rd Streets, as first reported by Gothamist. The project is the city's latest effort to reach its goal of creating a 32-mile cycling and pedestrian path along Manhattan's waterfront.
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Policy

Coney Island Cyclone shut down indefinitely after mid-ride breakdown

Photo courtesy of Luna Park

August 26, 2024

Coney Island Cyclone shut down indefinitely after mid-ride breakdown

The Coney Island Cyclone has been closed indefinitely after a mechanical failure caused the iconic roller coaster to halt mid-ride. While the famous Luna Park coaster ascended to its drop on Thursday, an operator stopped the ride after noticing a damaged chain sprocket in its motor room, as reported by the Associated Press. The nearly century-old attraction is currently undergoing repairs and will reopen once the work is complete and the ride passes an inspection by the city's Department of Buildings (DOB), according to Luna Park.
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Policy

Photo credit: Tim Waltman with Evan Joseph for Douglas Elliman

August 26, 2024

For $5.1M, this pretty Gramercy condo comes with a key to the private park

From the outside, the ornate, historic building at 36 Gramercy Park East is a neighborhood icon; its stunning pre-war architecture is enhanced by the surrounding 19th-century townhouses and the greenery of Gramercy Park just across the street. Only a few hundred New Yorkers possess keys to that rare private oasis, and this parkside residence offers a chance to be among them. The four-bedroom home, asking $5,100,000, brings modern comfort and style to a classic frame, with sophisticated finishes, big windows, and light-filled open spaces.
take the tour

Distinctive Homes

165 affordable apartments available at new Brownsville housing complex, from $454/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

August 23, 2024

165 affordable apartments available at new Brownsville housing complex, from $454/month

Applications are now being accepted for 165 affordable apartments at a new housing complex in Brownsville, Brooklyn. Located at 589 Christopher Avenue, the building is the second and final phase of Ebenezer Plaza, a sprawling mixed-use development bringing much-needed affordable housing to the community. New Yorkers earning 30, 50, 70, and 80 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $454/month for studios to $2,949/month for three bedrooms.
learn if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Celebrities join last-minute effort to save Elizabeth Street Garden

Photo by James and Karla Murray exclusively for 6sqft

August 23, 2024

Celebrities join last-minute effort to save Elizabeth Street Garden

With its eviction looming, Little Italy's Elizabeth Street Garden is throwing one last hail mary. New York celebrities Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese, and Patti Smith penned letters to Mayor Eric Adams this week, asking him not to build an affordable senior housing development on the city-owned site of the community garden, a plan approved in 2019 but delayed by legal challenges. The A-listers join thousands of residents who oppose replacing the unique green space with apartments, despite the city's current housing crisis. Demolition of the garden could begin next month after the nonprofit that runs the space lost two separate court battles.
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Barneys New York returns to Soho for a New York Fashion Week pop-up

Attention New Yorkers: Barneys New York is returning to Soho, but only for a limited time. The beloved luxury retailer will host a five-week-long pop-up at 14 Prince Street from September 5 through October 11, to coincide with New York Fashion Week. Managed by beauty brand Hourglass Cosmetics, the 1,500-square-foot pop-up will feature a selection of both established and up-and-coming brands, including Marc Jacobs, Thom Browne, Christopher John Rogers, and Khaite, and newcomers Reome, Perfumehead, and AKT, according to Retail TouchPoints.
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Events & Things To Do

For $32.5K/month, rent a five-story designer townhouse in Gramercy

Photo credit: Zoe Wetherall for Duplex Imaging

August 22, 2024

For $32.5K/month, rent a five-story designer townhouse in Gramercy

Even for those with plenty to spend, renting is often preferred for the flexibility it offers, especially in uncertain financial times. This gorgeous Italianate townhouse at 238 East 19th Street in Gramercy Park, asking $32,500 per month, awaits a renter who needs plenty of space and a turnkey experience. The restored 19th-century home's interiors have been featured in Architectural Digest as a showcase of historic beauty and modern style. Architectural flourishes and designer details include steel-framed rear glazing, landscaped outdoor space, iconic lighting, and high-end fixtures and finishes in every room.
gramercy townhouse luxury, this way

A history of the U.S. Open in New York: From the West Side Tennis Club to Arthur Ashe Stadium

Photo by Jeff Horne on Flickr

August 22, 2024

A history of the U.S. Open in New York: From the West Side Tennis Club to Arthur Ashe Stadium

By Dana Schulz

U.S. Open fever has again swept New York City. Although nowadays it's all Coco and Djokovic and Honey Deuce cocktails and lobster rolls, there's a long history behind the world-famous event. Ahead, take a look at how the international tournament made its way from an elite, private club in Newport, Rhode Island to Forest Hills' West Side Tennis Club and finally to its current home in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, even uncovering a little connection to the 1964 World's Fair.
All the tennis history right this way

History

New Jersey Symphony gets a permanent home in Jersey City

Renderings courtesy of the New Jersey Symphony

August 22, 2024

New Jersey Symphony gets a permanent home in Jersey City

The New Jersey Symphony will soon have its first-ever permanent home at a new cutting-edge theater in downtown Jersey City. Mayor Steven Fulop and the New Jersey Symphony on Wednesday announced the Symphony will relocate to a 44,000-square-foot performance space on the corner of Provost and Morgan Streets in the Powerhouse Arts District in spring 2026. The 550-seat theater, dubbed Symphony Center, will also offer educational and community programs and include 8,000 square feet of office space.
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Architecture And Design

NYC secures largest civil rights settlement in city history for housing discrimination

Parkchester, East Bronx. Photo by TheBronxNYC on Wikimedia

August 22, 2024

NYC secures largest civil rights settlement in city history for housing discrimination

New York City has secured the largest civil rights settlement in history, holding a prominent landlord accountable for rampant discrimination against housing voucher holders. Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday announced the landmark settlement, which imposed $1 million in civil penalties against Parkchester Preservation Management and secured 850 apartments to be set aside for voucher holders. The settlement represents the highest fine and largest number of apartments secured in a settlement by the New York City Commission on Human Rights.
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Policy

Photo credit: Anton Brookes/H5 Property for The Corcoran Group

August 21, 2024

From rental income to solar panels, this $3.5M Bed-Stuy brownstone checks all the boxes

Brooklyn brownstone dreams often involve transforming historic properties into 21st-century dream homes. Adding sustainable features and luxurious amenities means lots of work and a big investment. The classic 20-foot-wide townhouse at 508 Madison Street in Bed-Stuy, asking $3,495,000, offers the end result, complete with solar panels for sustainable energy, a garden apartment for rental income, and lots of outdoor space, in a move-in-ready package. Built in 1931, the 4,000-square-foot home even has a finished basement, for five stories of living space.
take the townhouse tour

Distinctive Homes

Magnolia Bakery lands at LaGuardia Airport

Images courtesy of Magnolia Bakery

August 21, 2024

Magnolia Bakery lands at LaGuardia Airport

Flying out of LaGuardia Airport just got sweeter. New York City icon Magnolia Bakery will open at Delta's Terminal C this week, marking the shop's first airport location. Starting Thursday, the bakery will sell its world-famous banana pudding as well as other tasty treats as part of a new food hall in the terminal.
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Food & Dining

City moves forward with scaled-back McGuinness Boulevard redesign

McGuinness Boulevard. Courtesy of NYC DOT

August 21, 2024

City moves forward with scaled-back McGuinness Boulevard redesign

A plan to take away lanes of traffic and add protected bike lanes on busy McGuinness Boulevard in Greenpoint will be scaled back. The Department of Transportation shared its plan with elected officials on Tuesday for the street's redesign, which will extend a bike lane to the southern half of McGuinness but not reduce the number of traffic lanes or create a protected bike path as originally proposed, The City reported. According to reports, Mayor Eric Adams' administration pushed for the watered-down redesign, citing community concerns over the plan.
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Adams directs NYC agencies to find city-owned land for potential housing development

Photo © 6sqft

August 21, 2024

Adams directs NYC agencies to find city-owned land for potential housing development

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

Mayor Eric Adams is finding new ways of meeting his goal of building 500,000 new homes in New York City over the next decade. The mayor on Wednesday signed an executive order directing every city agency to determine if housing can be built on property it owns. As the New York Times first reported, this could mean constructing new homes on properties like underused parking lots or garages.
more here

THE 6SQFT SHOP

The best websites for buying and selling used furniture in NYC

The 6 best furniture rental companies in NYC

8 best places in NYC to thrift for home goods

Everything you need to know about using a guarantor in NYC

15 quintessential NYC gifts for the New Yorker in your life

New York City's best holiday markets of 2023

Raising chickens in NYC: Laws, tips, and everything else you need to know

10 Ways to Decorate an Exposed Brick Wall Without Drilling

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

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Cathedral of St. John the Divine gets $1.5M grant to transform historic building into community hub

Photos by Brian Kutner

August 20, 2024

Cathedral of St. John the Divine gets $1.5M grant to transform historic building into community hub

A historic, underutilized building on the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine campus will become a social services center for New Yorkers facing poverty. The Morningside Heights church on Tuesday announced it received $1.5 million in city funding to support the renovation of Synod Hall, transforming it into an expanded hub for Cathedral Community Cares (CCC), the cathedral's social services arm that focuses on combating poverty with preventative services, education, and advocacy, with a focus on issues of health and hunger.
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Architecture And Design

Harris proposes 3 million new homes, $25K in down payment assistance

Image courtesy of Wake Technical Community College on Flickr

August 20, 2024

Harris proposes 3 million new homes, $25K in down payment assistance

Vice President Kamala Harris last week released several proposals to lower housing costs for Americans if elected. During a speech in North Carolina on Friday, Harris outlined her plans to construct three million new housing units, expand tax incentives for developers who build affordable rentals, encourage the construction of starter homes for first-time homebuyers, and provide $25,000 in down-payment assistance for first-time buyers.
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Photo by Anete Lūsiņa on Unsplash

August 20, 2024

30 best travel essentials for any trip

By Terri Williams

Whether traveling for business or pleasure (or both), having the right gear makes a difference. Feeling comfortable in any situation, enjoying the comforts of home, keeping the kids occupied, and having the confidence that you’re prepared to face emergencies, can make your trip more enjoyable. Ahead, find travel essentials to consider bringing on your next trip.
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Shop

Landlords register more rent-stabilized units to avoid fines

Image courtesy of Ruoyu Li on Unsplash

August 19, 2024

Landlords register more rent-stabilized units to avoid fines

Thousands more rent-stabilized apartments have been filed with the state of New York this year after a new law passed last year that fines landlords who fail to register units, as The City first reported. So far in 2024, roughly 919,500 apartments have been registered, up from between 750,000 and 800,000 registrations in recent years.
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Luxury rental near Fordham University opens lottery for 50 apartments, from $2,200/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

August 19, 2024

Luxury rental near Fordham University opens lottery for 50 apartments, from $2,200/month

A housing lottery has opened for 50 mixed-income apartments at a new luxury rental near Fordham University in the Bronx. Located at 4720 3rd Avenue in Belmont, the Arabella offers residents brand-new units and modern amenities, all in a prime location. New Yorkers earning 80 and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $2,206/month for one-bedroom apartments to $3,950/month for three bedrooms.
learn if you qualify

Affordable Housing

For $8.5M, this Gramercy townhouse is a slender slice of reclaimed history

Photo credit: Shannon Dupre and Francisco Rosario / DD-Reps

August 19, 2024

For $8.5M, this Gramercy townhouse is a slender slice of reclaimed history

From seven working fireplaces to reclaimed pine floors, this Gramercy Park townhouse at 143 East 18th Street puts its 1854 origins into a 21st-century context for maximum appreciation. Asking $8,499,000, the brick-fronted Anglo-Italianate-style home, like many of its neighbors in the historic Manhattan district, has been restored to its graceful best. Five floors of living space give the 14-foot-wide home a vertical space advantage, and a compact backyard provides an enviable outdoor urban oasis.
take the manhattan townhouse tour

Distinctive Homes

New signs along Flatbush Avenue honor Brooklyn’s African heritage

Photo courtesy of the NYC Department of Transportation on Flickr

August 19, 2024

New signs along Flatbush Avenue honor Brooklyn’s African heritage

New cultural signs honoring Brooklyn's rich African heritage have been installed along Flatbush Avenue. The signs mark the beginning of the Black History + Heritage Corridors project, which connects the Lefferts Historic House and the Flatbush African Burial Ground and celebrates the history and culture of Brooklynites of African descent.
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Architecture And Design

New York Botanical Garden to host ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’-inspired light trail this fall

Rendering of Disney “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas” Light Trail. Credit: LETSGO COMPANY, Creative Director: Felype de Lima, Illustrator: Borja Arrufat

August 16, 2024

New York Botanical Garden to host ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’-inspired light trail this fall

A Tim Burton-themed light trail is coming to the New York Botanical Garden this fall. Running on select nights from September 27 through November 30, the light experience inspired by "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas" will illuminate the garden with iconic characters, scenes, and songs from the classic Disney film. The immersive outdoor experience features over 8,300 square feet of stunning light installations, interactive video projections, LED lighting, and 3D-printed sculptures of Jack Skellington, Sally, and other beloved characters from the movie.
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August 16, 2024

Hitch a ride to Rockaway Beach on a Ramones-themed NYC Ferry

You can "hitch a ride to Rockaway Beach" on a Ramones-themed ferry ride this weekend. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the legendary punk band's first performance at the East Village dive bar CBGB, Rhino Entertainment and NYC Ferry are offering three Ramones-themed ferry rides to the Rockaways. The limited rides include an exclusive "50 Years of Ramones" sticker, a Ramones digital takeover, free samples from Rockaway Soda, and a raffle for a special Ramones prize pack.
GO TO Rock-rock, Rockaway Beach

Events & Things To Do

NYC Council approves East Bronx rezoning that will add 7,000 new homes

An illustration of the rezoning’s potential effects along Eastchester Road. Image courtesy of DCP.

August 16, 2024

NYC Council approves East Bronx rezoning that will add 7,000 new homes

The New York City Council on Thursday approved a major rezoning that will bring thousands of homes and $500 million in investments to the East Bronx. The Bronx Metro-North Station Area Plan targets 46 blocks around four new Metro-North stations planned for Co-op City, Hunts Point, Morris Park, and Parkchester/Van Nest. The rezoning, which includes over a million square feet of commercial space and retail space, and 10,000 new permanent jobs, is the first approved under Mayor Eric Adams.
details here

Eataly is opening in Hudson Yards next year

Eataly opened at 200 Lafayette Street in Soho last fall. Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

August 15, 2024

Eataly is opening in Hudson Yards next year

Eataly's fourth New York City outpost is coming to Hudson Yards next year. The beloved Italian marketplace on Wednesday announced it will continue its Big Apple expansion by opening its fourth Manhattan store in the Shops and Restaurants at Hudson Yards in spring 2025. The company currently operates 12 North American locations and over 50 stores worldwide.
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Food & Dining

Scaffolding costs Manhattan businesses $9.5K in monthly revenue, study finds

Photo courtesy of Billie Grace Ward on Flickr

August 15, 2024

Scaffolding costs Manhattan businesses $9.5K in monthly revenue, study finds

Scaffolding and sidewalk sheds cost Manhattan businesses up to $10,000 in monthly revenue. Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday released a study conducted in collaboration with Mastercard that found cardholders spend between $3,900 and $9,500 less every month at Manhattan businesses covered by scaffolding and sidewalk sheds. Restaurants and bars are hit the hardest, with a 3.5 to 9.7 percent decrease in weekly transactions during the six months following the construction of sidewalk sheds.
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Policy

This $3M Ditmas Park Victorian surprises with bold and delightful interiors

Photos courtesy of Joel Pitra of DD Reps and Douglas Elliman

August 15, 2024

This $3M Ditmas Park Victorian surprises with bold and delightful interiors

From the outside, the dove-gray Victorian house at 231 Argyle Road in Ditmas Park has all the historic charm for which the Brooklyn neighborhood is known. A wraparound porch shaded by a roof and vines, a verdant front yard with trees and flowering bushes, and a driveway and garage make it an enviable urban refuge even from the curb. Inside, the single-family home, asking $3,000,000, continues to impress, but with a clever and colorful modern design that elegantly complements the historic architecture.
take the townhouse tour

Distinctive Homes

Inside the world of NYC birding: City wildlife is more than ‘just pigeons and cockroaches’

Photo credit: NYC Bird Alliance

August 15, 2024

Inside the world of NYC birding: City wildlife is more than ‘just pigeons and cockroaches’

By Lidia Ryan

Angie Co’s favorite spots for birding in New York City are Prospect Park, Greenwood Cemetery, and Jamaica Bay, a wildlife refuge and National Park that’s host to over 325 species of birds, mostly migratory waterfowl. But it was in a community garden a few blocks from her Brooklyn home that her husband, also an avid birder (and one gifted in recognizing bird songs), spotted a bright yellow Kentucky warbler. Within minutes, birders descended on the park with cameras; they had gotten a rare bird alert on eBird. Co prefers not to sign up for alerts. "I like to be surprised and find birds myself," she said. "I don’t like to chase birds."
details here

NJ lawmaker calls for riders to get refunds for Amtrak, NJ Transit delays

NJ Transit hall in Penn Station. Photo by Chris Rycroft on Flickr.

August 15, 2024

NJ lawmaker calls for riders to get refunds for Amtrak, NJ Transit delays

A New Jersey official wants Amtrak and NJ Transit to refund riders when their travel plans are delayed or canceled. NJ Rep. Josh Gottheimer on Monday introduced the All Aboard Act, which includes a "Rail Passenger Bill of Rights" that guarantees refunds to riders experiencing transit disruptions, as reported by Gothamist. If passed, the legislation would require the rail company to invest in improving maintenance issues and service times. In the meantime, Gov. Phil Murphy on Thursday announced NJ Transit trains and buses will be free for one week at the end of August to thank commuters for putting up with a summer of service problems.
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How hot is your NYC bus stop? A new report reveals the city’s most sweltering stops

A bus shelter on Fulton Street in Brooklyn. Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

August 14, 2024

How hot is your NYC bus stop? A new report reveals the city’s most sweltering stops

New York City's hottest bus stops are 14.5 degrees hotter than its coolest stops, with most of the sweltering stations found in low-income neighborhoods of color, according to a new report. Transportation Alternatives (TA) collaborated with NASA to analyze summer daytime temperatures at city bus stops using thermal heat imaging satellites. The study found that bus riders in Black, Latino, Asian, and high-poverty communities, particularly in Queens and the Bronx, experienced the warmest waits. The report identified 100 bus stops and three routes in need of intervention and recommended ways to cool them down.
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New Yorkers launch fundraising effort to save West Village diner La Bonbonniere

Photos © 6sqft

August 14, 2024

New Yorkers launch fundraising effort to save West Village diner La Bonbonniere

New Yorkers are fighting to save an iconic West Village diner from closing. A group of New Yorkers launched a GoFundMe to help La Bonbonniere, a century-old, cash-only luncheonette on 8th Avenue, renovate the restaurant and disassemble the eatery's outdoor dining curbside structure. While outdoor dining helped the diner survive the pandemic, owner Gus Maroulletis said the new guidelines surrounding outdoor structures have made it difficult to participate in the program.
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Food & Dining

Photo courtesy of The Agency Brokerage

August 14, 2024

For $3.25M, this West Village duplex puts angles and corners in their best light

On a charming, tree-shaded West Village street, this duplex co-op at 104 Bedford Street takes a pre-war home with a mix of odd angles and floods it with sunlight. Asking $3,250,000, the 1,500-square-foot apartment boasts a recent renovation, gracious proportions, three bedrooms, 18 windows, and several skylights.
get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

The 74

201 East 74th Street

Lenox Hill

Gracious Upper East Side condos with Central Park and skyline views

2 beds starting at $3,380,000
3 beds starting at $4,850,000
5 beds starting at $11,950,000

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Brooklyn Children’s Museum begins $15 million garden makeover

The Brooklyn Children’s Museum’s terrace, courtyard, and outdoor spaces will be modernized under the project. Rendering courtesy of Gans and Company / NYC DDC

August 14, 2024

Brooklyn Children’s Museum begins $15 million garden makeover

Work has begun on the $15 million revitalization of outdoor space at the Brooklyn Children's Museum. The city's Departments of Cultural Affairs and Design and Construction this week broke ground on the project to beautify the Crown Heights museum's courtyards and terraces and create 20,000 square feet of accessible outdoor programming space for young New Yorkers and their families. The project is being funded by the Mayor's Office, City Council, and the Brooklyn Borough President's office.
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Architecture And Design

NYC is selling authentic ‘Cornelia Street’ signs

Image courtesy of NYC DOT

August 13, 2024

NYC is selling authentic ‘Cornelia Street’ signs

Attention Swifties! New York City's Department of Transportation (DOT) is selling a limited number of authentic, commemorative Cornelia Street signs, as part of the agency's monthly "sign drops." Taylor Swift once rented a home on the Greenwich Village street and name-dropped the block in the 2019 song "Cornelia Street."
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8 iconic NYC venues still hosting live music

Cafe Wha? Photo by Meredith Ryncarz

August 13, 2024

8 iconic NYC venues still hosting live music

Live music has always been an integral part of New York City's identity, with many of the last century's cultural movements taking root in the basements and stages of iconic music venues. While many of these historic spots have disappeared, a few continue to host live performances today. Ahead, we dive into the best music venues in NYC that are still rocking, from the recently restored Brooklyn Paramount to iconic places like Cafe Wha? and the Bitter End in Greenwich Village, where legendary performers like Bob Dylan made their start.
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Converted 19th-century St. John’s College building in Bed-Stuy opens lottery, from $2,495/month

All renderings courtesy of Woods Bagot

August 13, 2024

Converted 19th-century St. John’s College building in Bed-Stuy opens lottery, from $2,495/month

A 19th-century Romanesque Revival building in Bed-Stuy originally home to St. John's College is now a luxury rental building. The Hartby, located on the corner of Willoughby and Lewis Avenues, is an adaptive reuse conversion of the former school, designed in the 1870s by Patrick Keely, a prolific architect for the Catholic Church. Developed by Property Resources Corporation and designed by Woods Bagot, the Hartby opened a housing lottery for 62 rent-stabilized apartments this week. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the residences, priced from $2,495/month for studios, $2,795/month for one-bedroom units, and $3,939/month for two-bedroom units.
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Photos courtesy of Alejandro Leon/DD Rep

August 12, 2024

Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy are selling their West Village townhouse for $9.75M