6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

Let's start by saying we just might live in a paper grocery bag if it were on this street. Now that we've got that out of the way–this barely-big-enough one-bedroom co-op on a dreamy West Village block at 68 Barrow Street has more than location going for it. The double-exposure floor-through got a snappy makeover in 2013 by NYC designer/developers ASH–its owner is company founder Ari Heckman–and has been featured in New York Magazine among others. Bold design choices and a modern aesthetic set this co-op apart from the average Village aerie.
Check it out here

Distinctive Homes

December 15, 2015

Pearl River Mart’s Closing Date; Greenpoint’s Gingerbread House

It looks like Soho’s beloved Pearl River Mart may close in February. [Vanishing NY] Why people are pissed at Tina Fey about the Natural History Museum’s expansion. [DNA Info] Meet the guy who owns the gigantic gingerbread Christmas house in Greenpoint. [DNA Info] Mapping 2015’s celebrity moves. [Curbed] Images: Pearl River Mart (L); Greenpoint gingerbread house […]

Real Estate Trends

December 15, 2015

Ditch the Laundromat With This Eco-Friendly, Foot-Powered Washing Machine

Admit it–you've been that person who's gone out and bought new underwear to avoid lugging 40 pounds of dirty clothes down to the laundromat. But now you can avoid this wasteful temptation thanks to a compact, eco-friendly washing machine called Drumi. Plus, it's foot-powered, so you can burn some calories while watching Netflix. First spotted by TreeHugger, the machine was created Yirego, a Toronto-based sustainable household design company. It's electricity-free and low-water and can wash a five-pound load in just five minutes. Of course, this isn't much (it equates to one pair of jeans or eight pairs of boxers), but it'll certainly save you from having to wear a bathing suit as undergarments.
Find out more

December 15, 2015

Gramercy Duplex With Three Exposures and Lots of Light Asks $7,500/Month

There's a certain prestige that comes with living in the Gramercy Park neighborhood. Sure, if you're renting an apartment a block away you're not going to get one of the prized keys into the park. But still, it's nice to walk by and take a peek at how the other half lives. This rental apartment, a duplex at 228 East 22nd Street, sure isn't inexpensive—it's asking $7,500 a month—but it's still less than the millions you'd pay to live in a condo off the park. Best of all, this apartment comes with plenty of exposures and big windows to soak in the beautiful neighborhood around you.
Take a look

Distinctive Homes

December 15, 2015

The Most-Stolen Items at NYC Restaurants; Second Avenue Subway Faces Another Delay

Brooklyn now has a liquid nitrogen ice cream shop. [Brooklyn Based] Salt and pepper shakers, copper mugs, even entire place settings — these are the most stolen items from NYC restaurants. [NYP] How deaf-blind audience members are experiencing the revival of “Spring Awakening.” [WSJ] An engineer told the MTA that there’s a “moderate risk” of […]

Uncategorized

December 15, 2015

New York in the ’60s: Political Upheaval Takes a Turn for the Worst in the Village

By Penelope Bareau

"New York in the ’60s" is a memoir series by a longtime New Yorker who moved to the city after college in 1960. From $90/month apartments to working in the real “Mad Men” world, each installment explores the city through the eyes of a spunky, driven female. In the first two pieces we saw how different and similar house hunting was 50 years ago and visited her first apartment on the Upper East Side. Then, we learned about her career at an advertising magazine and accompanied her to Fire Island in the summer. Our character next decided to make the big move downtown, but it wasn’t quite what she expected. She then took us through how the media world reacted to JFK’s assassination, as well as the rise and fall of the tobacco industry, the changing face of print media, and how women were treated in the workplace. Now, she takes us from the March on Washington to her encounter with a now-famous political tragedy that happened right in the Village–the explosion at the Weather Underground house.
Read all about it

History

December 15, 2015

REVEALED: Domino Sugar Factory’s Tiny New Neighbor at 349 Kent Avenue

In the shadow of the Williamsburg Bridge and across from the massive Domino Sugar Factory redevelopment underway by Two Trees, a tiny corner site at 349 Kent Avenue and South 5th Street will give rise to a six-story, 10-unit residential building designed by Brooklyn-based Workshop DA. The 4,000 square-foot lot was purchased for $1.3 million by Eugene Bushinger's 351 Kent Realty LLC in early 2011 and in May, it was reported that building permits were filed for a 15,300 square-foot residential building. The pre-existing, two-story structure that once provided a welcome splash of color along the Brooklyn Greenway has since been demolished. Its worn, brick faced boasted a geometric and robot-infused mural painted by R. Nicholas Kuszyk (a.k.a. RRobotsollaboration) with How and Nosm in 2011.
find out more about the development here

Distinctive Homes

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

This $4M Flatbush townhouse stays true to its Victorian roots

For $1.6M, this magical Rockaway Beach 'surf shack' has a sauna, plunge pool, and music studio

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

An artist's mural in this $1.4M Hit Factory condo will remind you of its colorful past

Throw garden parties all summer long at this $1.8M Brooklyn Heights co-op

For $1.6M, this Connecticut estate has an art studio, guest house, pool, and a vintage modern vibe

$45M for a two-for-one penthouse palace at the top of the Plaza

This $8M Rye estate has a private dock on the Long Island Sound

This $6.75M Gothic Revival townhouse in Park Slope was once a church rectory

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December 14, 2015

What if Broadway Was Turned Into a Giant Linear Park?

New York has undertaken several projects over the years in an effort to beautify its stark, gridded streets. There was the Park Avenue Malls, turning major intersections like those at Madison Square and Times Square into seating and entertainment areas, bike lanes, and Summer Streets. But this new proposal from Perkins Eastman Architects certainly puts the rest to shame, as they'd like to turn a more-than-40-block stretch of Broadway into one big linear park. First spotted by Dezeen, the Green Line concept envisions a park that stretches along Broadway from Columbus Circle to Union Square, connecting these two hubs with Madison Square, Herald Square, and Times Square. The park would be open only to pedestrians and bicyclists, save for emergency vehicles needing to bypass traffic. Unlike other linear parks like the High Line and Lowline, the Green Line would be at street level, creating what the architects feel is "much needed active and passive recreational space in the heart of the city."
More details and renderings ahead

Living in a Micro Apartment Could Be Harmful to Your Health

New rendering of Carmel Place interiors, via Monadnock Development/nARCHITECTS

December 14, 2015

Living in a Micro Apartment Could Be Harmful to Your Health

An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but living in a micro apartment may drive you to seek professional psychological help. A recent article in The Atlantic takes a look at the tiny living trend that has taken the nation—and in particular New York, with developments like My Micro NY and teeny renovations like this one—by storm, and finds that squeezing into an extra-small space could lead to health risks. “Sure, these micro-apartments may be fantastic for young professionals in their 20's,” says Dak Kopec, director of design for human health at Boston Architectural College and author of Environmental Psychology for Design, to the magazine. “But they definitely can be unhealthy for older people, say in their 30’s and 40’s, who face different stress factors that can make tight living conditions a problem.”
find out more here

December 14, 2015

Pizza Ovens and Real Estate; How Close Do You Live to a NYC Gang?

Cluster-housing program for the homeless will receive $200M from the de Blasio administration. [Crain’s] Who knew an 1800s pizza oven could be the main selling point for signing a lease on a space. [NYP] DUMBO’S 51 Jay Street tops out. [6sqft inbox] How close do you live to the gangs and street crews of NYC? This map will tell you. […]

Real Estate Trends

December 14, 2015

Famed Tiny Transforming ‘Life Edited’ Apartment Sells for $790K

By Annie Doge

Early last year eco-entrepreneur Graham Hill placed what might be the world's most famous tiny apartment at 150 Sullivan Street (it's been featured in the Times, it's won awards, and it even has its own TED Talk) on the market for just under $1 million. While some people balked at the asking price that gave way to a price per square foot of $2,369, Hill has managed to make a sale—albeit for a much discounted $790,000. The lucky new owner will have plenty to muse over in this micro-dwelling, which packs the functional equivalent of eight rooms into just 420 square feet.
more this way

December 14, 2015

Staten Island Ferris Wheel Projected to Bring in More Revenue Than the Empire State Building

Despite controversy, several delays, and a $30 million crowdfunding attempt, the New York Wheel is projecting major first-year revenue. According to The Real Deal, developers of the 630-foot Staten Island ferris wheel expect to bring in a staggering $127.85 million in 2017, a figure that will make it more lucrative than the Empire State Building's observation deck, which raked in $111.5 million last year. Of the total revenue, $96 million is projected to come from admission fees (which come in at $35 a person, as compared to the Empire State Building's $32); $10 million from sponsorships; and $8.7 million from gift shop sales. And if you're impressed by these numbers, annual revenue will likely grow to $166.52 million by 2021!
Find out more

Real Estate Trends

December 14, 2015

VIDEO: 10 Days and 120 Subway Stations in Two Minutes

Most New Yorkers would be overjoyed if they only had to witness their subway station for a hot second. But since we can't teleport, this video from Snowday is the next best way to live out our fantasies (h/t Fast Co. Design). Titled "Stations: A Quick Scan Through NYC," this two-minute video was shot over ten days at 120 subway stations throughout the five boroughs, compiling footage as if the viewer were changing television channels. The quick scan, which features a somewhat odd blend of scripted scenes and documentary footage, is meant to evoke the "unique texture of New York...in a new and compelling way."
Watch the full video this way

Transit

December 14, 2015

The ‘New Yawk’ Accent and Politics; Take a Nap With This Fake Hand

IDNYC cardholders will get additional perks this year, like annual memberships for the Guggenheim, MoMA, and the Metropolitan Opera. [amNY] Getting to know NYC’s Christmas tree vendors. [Thrillist] How the “New Yawk” accent is playing into the presidential race. [Daily Intelligencer] This fake hand will let you take sneaky naps at work. [Design You Trust] The ghosts of […]

Uncategorized

December 14, 2015

A Massive Living Room Defines This Two-Bedroom Soho Co-op, Asking $2 Million

This two-bedroom, two-bathroom loft comes from a historic building at 37B Crosby Street, between Broome and Grand in Soho, that's been converted to a cooperative. Like many other downtown loft apartments, it is distinguished by its massive "great room"–an open living room, dining room and kitchen. Unlike the traditional loft, the bedrooms are built out in separate spaces. The design is completely modern and refined, paired with those great old loft details like high ceilings, big windows and exposed brick (there are even two working fireplaces throughout the apartment). It's all up for sale asking a cool $2 million. The apartment last sold in 2008 for $1.495 million.
Check it out

Distinctive Homes

December 14, 2015

Soho Loft Perfection ‘By the Same Designer as Barneys’ Asks $8.77M

This 3,162 square-foot three-bedroom loft at 104 Wooster Street hits all the high notes when it comes to just-right modern interior design and what we love about lovely Soho lofts. With interiors, according to the listing, "by the same designer as Barneys," the apartment last changed hands in 2012 for $5.35 million (below its $5.7M ask) to a partner in a commercial law firm; it looks to have gotten its expertly turned-out design upgrade since then–perhaps part of the reason for the $3M price-bump. Ascending by key-locked elevator to the fourth floor of this eight-unit boutique condo building on a quintessential Soho block, you'll immediately notice the light from a wall of windows and the presence of condo comforts like central air, built-in speakers and a home automation system. For celebrity cred, Academy Award-winning director Barry Levinson ("Rain Man," "Diner," "Bugsy") owns a loft two floors below.
Get more loft inspiration this way

Distinctive Homes

Newly-Renovated Townhouse Duplex Asks $6,500 a Month on the Upper West Side

You'd be hard pressed to find an architecture-loving New Yorker who hasn't dreamt about living in one of the incredible townhouses that line Central Park, especially those on the side streets of Central Park West. Here's one to start drooling over if you can't afford the multi-million-dollar price tag and are looking to rent. 14 West 95th Street is an elegant, four-story limestone townhouse that has been broken down into rental units. As for the location, the listing calls it "perfectly situated" and we'd have to agree–right on 95th Street, directly off of Central Park West. The rental apartment that's now on the market has been renovated, so it looks more modern than old-world New York. For three bedrooms and two bathrooms over both floors, it's asking $6,500 a month.
Check it out

Distinctive Homes

December 12, 2015

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks From the 6sqft Staff

Could This Otherworldly 102-Story Tower Covered in Ornaments Be Coming to 57th Street? Chart Compares Suburb and City Commute Times–and How Much Extra We Pay for Convenience Mapping the Depressing Annual Salaries of Millennials Across the U.S. VIDEO: Watch Ironworkers Set Panels on Bjarke Ingels’ Via Tetrahedron This Pint-Sized Penthouse Has Two Terraces and a […]

Uncategorized

December 11, 2015

A Wood Boat Hull Makes Up the Mezzanine of This Colorful Chelsea Loft

There is an abundance of cool lofts in Chelsea, and we love exploring the interiors of these impressive open spaces. The best part is that the design of each individual unit is often left up to the tenants, resulting in some truly unique layouts. However, it's not so often that we see two units with different owners following they same program, but for the families living in these two adjacent apartments it was the perfect solution. Together they hired SYSTEMarchitects to create two bedrooms in each of their narrow spaces, as well as access to an exterior deck that maximizes natural light and air. Plus, both spaces' 11-foot ceilings gave the design team enough room to create a sleeping and storage mezzanine, which was inspired by a wood boat hull.
See the entire space

December 11, 2015

Manure Heaps, Fat Melting, and Offensive Privies: Mapping NYC’s 19th Century Nuisances

A New York City nuisance map today would consist of things like text-walking zombies, pizza rats, and Soul Cycle locations. But back in the 19th century, people had bigger problems, such as manure heaps, hog pens, and 400 families wading through "a disgusting deposit of filthy refuse" just to get home. Atlas Obscura uncovered these amazing maps that were created in 1865 by the Citizen’s Association of New York as part of a 300-page report on the city's sanitation and public health conditions in the wake of the smallpox and typhoid epidemics. "Rapid population growth, overcrowded apartment buildings, dirty streets and poor sanitation standards had meant that New York in 1860 had the mortality rate of medieval London," according to the blog.
See the maps and learn more

History

December 11, 2015

This $23 Million Soho Loft Comes With Designer Furniture and a Motorized Headboard

This enormous and undeniably awe-inspiring condominium at 50 Wooster Street seems pretty straightforward: A huge Soho loft with a sleek and expensive-looking contemporary renovation. And you have a choice! You can rent this gleaming 4,800 square-foot downtown pleasure palace for $40k a month, or just buy it for a mere $23.3 million.
Find out more

Spotlight: Meet Chef Jon Lovitch, Builder of the World’s Largest Gingerbread Village

Portrait of Jon by Keith Hodan, adapted by 6sqft

December 11, 2015

Spotlight: Meet Chef Jon Lovitch, Builder of the World’s Largest Gingerbread Village

By Susan Cohen

Chef Jon Lovitch is no amateur when it comes to building gingerbread houses. In fact, every year Jon constructs an entire village called GingerBread Lane that takes nearly 12 months to make. It's a holiday tradition he first started twenty years ago in Kansas City, Missouri, with just 12 houses, and he's since grown the project into an epic display of sweets shown everywhere from Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh, and now New York. Two years ago, GingerBread Lane found a local home at the New York Hall of Science in Corona, Queens, where Jon’s villages set Guinness World Records in 2013 and 2014 for the world's largest gingerbread exhibit. This year's village just set another Guinness record on November 17th with its 1,102 houses. But beyond seeking a world title, Jon hopes his labor of gingerbread love inspires kids and adults of all ages to get creative and start building projects of their own. 6sqft recently spoke with Jon to find out the history behind this tasty tradition, and what it takes to build an enormous gingerbread village each year.
Read the interview with NYC's gingerbread man here

December 11, 2015

Demolition Begins on 500-Foot UES Condo Replacing the Art & Design Building

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

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

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

THE 6SQFT SHOP

The 6 best furniture rental companies in NYC

8 best places in NYC to thrift for home goods

The best websites for buying and selling used furniture in NYC

Everything you need to know about using a guarantor in NYC

15 quintessential NYC gifts for the New Yorker in your life

50 places to shop locally in NYC for that perfect gift

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

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

10 best plants for apartment dwellers

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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

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….

December 9, 2015

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

720 West End Avenue

Upper West Side

Serene Upper West Side homes near Riverside Park

1 beds starting at $1,005,000
2 beds starting at $2,495,000
3 beds starting at $3,495,000
4 beds starting at $5,850,000

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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.
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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

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

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