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This commercial space at 183 Concord Street is a bit of a project, but it already has some great qualities like exposed brick walls, tall ceilings, and a hot Downtown Brooklyn location near the Manhattan Bridge. More importantly, the second-floor offices already have approved residential plans, and you know what that means: it’s build-your-dream-home time.
More pics inside

Distinctive Homes

A Tale of Two Cities: Disco-Era Bushwick Burns While Manhattan Boogies (PHOTOS)

The Village People Stepping Out, The Grand Ballroom, NY, NY, June 1978 (l); Three Amigos, Bushwick (r). By Meryl Meisler.

March 3, 2015

A Tale of Two Cities: Disco-Era Bushwick Burns While Manhattan Boogies (PHOTOS)

By Michelle Cohen

It’s 2015 and Bushwick is on fire. But instead of being lost to the flames of neglect and destruction, buildings are being sold and rented like hotcakes. Photographer Meryl Meisler’s first monograph, “Disco Era Bushwick: A Tale of Two Cities,” published by Bizarre Bushwick gives us an insider’s view of the streets and scenes of New York City during the glam/gritty 1970s and ‘80s when Manhattan’s iconic dance clubs like Studio 54 and Paradise Garage were in their heyday–and there was no brunch to be had in Bushwick.
See more of a bad and bygone Bushwick this way

March 3, 2015

Dare to Shower in This $10.5M David Mann-Designed Tribeca Loft

If you want to live in a classic Tribeca loft and build a stronger relationship with your partner, you can cancel those therapy sessions and just head over to this 4,000-square-foot pad in the Dietz Lantern Building, because for better or for worse, you will definitely get a lot closer in this home thanks to a see-through master bathroom behind the artful hanging bed. For some reason, the space appears to have been struggling on the market since 2011, with a price tag that has fallen from $12.995 million to its current $10.5 million asking. Maybe couples aren’t as interested in being so open with each other after all. But we think that if they considered advertising at the voyeuristic Standard Hotel on the High Line this home could get snatched up in no time.
Take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

March 3, 2015

Penthouse from ‘9 1/2 Weeks’ Wants $20K/Month; Chelsea’s Oldest House Asks $6.5M

For $20,000 a month, you can rent this sun-soaked penthouse once featured in the Mickey Rourke/Kim Basinger erotic thriller “9 1/2 Weeks.” [NYDN] The oldest house in Chelsea, located at 404 West 20th Street, has hit the market for $6.5 million. [Curbed] Related CEO Jeff Blau is the mystery buyer of the city’s second most expensive townhouse, […]

Real Estate Trends

March 3, 2015

VIDEO: Inside the Adrenaline-Filled Lives of NYC Urban Explorers

Whether it's climbing the 90 flights of stairs to the top of 432 Park or roaming abandoned subway tunnels, the boundary-pushing feats of urban explorers have given us some of the most amazing views of city life that we'll probably never experience first-hand on our own. After spending several weeks tagging along with some self-professed urban explorers, filmmaker Jeff Seal has released a short video that documents the literal highs and lows that these adrenaline junkies go to for an Instagram-worthy shot.
Watch the video here

City Living

March 3, 2015

RES4’s Beautiful Mountain Retreat Sits on Stilts for Privileged Views of the Catskills

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

The owners of this beautiful woodland dwelling have swapped the hustle and bustle of NYC for the sweeping views of the Catskill Mountains. Designed by Resolution: 4 Architecture, the Mountain Retreat was carefully crafted into its unique surroundings, partially resting on high concrete stilts to get the best views of the landscape. Combining warm cedar siding with cool gray concrete panels and glass, the stylish property takes full advantage of its picturesque mountain setting.
Learn more about this Catskill retreat on stilts

March 3, 2015

$2.4M Joe Ginsberg-Designed Prospect Heights Loft Has a Suspended Office

Get ready to feast your eyes on this stunning Prospect Heights loft located in the Newswalk Condominium–and unlike anything offered on the Brooklyn market today. Every detail was masterfully created by award-winning designer Joe Ginsberg, from original furniture pieces fabricated in the artist’s atelier and included with the home to the specialized techniques and processes used in creating the distinctive wall and ceiling finishes.
More of this one-of-a-kind home

Distinctive Homes

March 3, 2015

Are Taxis Safer Than Uber?; New York’s Disappearing ‘Papaya’ Hot Dog Chains

Most major cities don’t keep comprehensive data about assaults against passengers in either Uber cars or taxis. [Atlantic] Forget manspreading, let’s talk about dreadspreading on the subway. [Gothamist] Sorry London, NYC is the world’s most economically powerful city. [CityLab] Why Is Santiago Calatrava’s World Trade Center PATH station covered in rust? [NYO] Manhattan has only eight spots […]

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Distinctive Homes

This $3.2M waterfront house on the Hudson in Edgewater, NJ, would be right at home in Malibu

For $55K, spend a post-modernist summer in a designer's Long Island home and studio

This $5.75M Clinton Hill two-family home is five floors of brownstone perfection

Daring details add a spark of personality to a classic $2.35M Village co-op

This $3.5M Westchester estate is a private refuge surrounded by village life

Asking $800K, this notable modern Princeton home once belonged to Joyce Carol Oates

For $665K, this little upstate home is the answer to your log cabin fantasies

This new $14.75M Cobble Hill townhouse looks like it's been standing for a century

Yorkville duplex has five balconies, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a philanthropic tie for $6.5M

Gaze at the sun, moon, and stars above from this $5.45M Tribeca penthouse

VIEW ALL

March 3, 2015

New Ruling: Landlords Can’t Kick a Bankrupt Tenant Out of Their Rent-Controlled Apartment

Going broke will no longer mean losing out on your rent-controlled apartment in NYC. According to Bloomberg, city tenants who file for bankruptcy will now be able to keep the keys to their affordable apartments as public assistance. The decision is taken from two opinions formed by the New York State Court of Appeals and the Manhattan-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Previously bankrupt tenants faced a threat of eviction even when they were current on rent.
Find out more here

March 3, 2015

Taxi Mogul Looks to Set Queens Record, Lists Long Island City Penthouse for $5.4M

A local taxi mogul is hoping to set the record for most expensive single-family home ever sold in Queens. The Long Island City penthouse at 46-30 Center Boulevard is listed for $5.4 million, and the current record is a $3.35 million sale that went through last year in LIC. According to the Daily News, the three-bedroom pad was last purchased for just $2.5 million in 2009. The impressive penthouse features an expansive wraparound terrace, exquisite dark wood floors, and cathedral ceilings.
Check out the rest of the apartment

Distinctive Homes

March 2, 2015

Animated GIF Shows How NYC’s Subway Has Evolved over the Last 100 Years

If you’ve ever wondered what subway lines were the first to appear in NYC, this cool animated map has all the answers and then some. Created by Appealing Industries via Paste Magazine (h/t Untapped), the map shows the evolution of the city’s various lines over the 100-plus years that it’s been in operation. Surprisingly, Brooklyn is the first to see action on […]

March 2, 2015

Upstate Greek Revival Beauty Dating to the 1700s Can Be Yours for under $500K

Want an historic home to call your own, but don't feel like paying $17 million for a West Village townhouse or $5 million for a Hamptons estate? Take your dreams a bit north to Queensbury, New York, where there's a completely charming Greek Revival home on the market for $479,000. Known as the Nehemiah Wing House, the five-bedroom residence can trace it roots to the 1700s, when the clapboard rear of the current house was built. The brick addition was constructed in 1852 after then owner Nehemiah Wing, whose grandfather founded the town, was successful in the Gold Rush. The current owners purchased the property in 1978 for a mere $49,000, and since then they have restored it to a picture-perfect Early American dream home.
Find out more about this historic charmer

March 2, 2015

Broker Ryan Serhant Bares (Almost) All to Sell One57 Pad; Landlord Owes Tenant $112K for Overcharging

It’s a good day for the little guy: A landlord now owes a tenant $112,000 after overcharging him for years. Ramon Hernandez paid $1,600 a month even though the legal rent of his apartment was only $233. [DNA Info] “Sexy” broker Ryan Serhant strips down in a Flaunt magazine spread to sell a One57 apartment he holds a […]

Real Estate Trends

March 2, 2015

Carroll Gardens Rental Takes Creative Cues from One of ‘The Women Who Saved New York’

What do you get when you mix a classic turn-of-the-century townhouse with the artistic sensibility of a graphic designer praised as one of “The women who saved New York?” This magnificently restored home at 16 2nd Street in the heart of Carroll Gardens. Flawlessly modernized and brought to 21st century splendor, this gorgeous four-floor home exudes the kind of creative panache one would expect from the person responsible for the cover art of a young Madonna’s debut album. Lucky for us, she’s willing to make it available to the masses–well, to those of us with $15,000 a month to spend.
tour this beautiful home

Distinctive Homes

March 2, 2015

Record $150M Sony Building Penthouse Will Also Be the City’s Biggest

Those who found themselves gobsmacked when news broke that the Sony building’s penthouse would be priced at $150 million, look out, here’s another jaw-dropping fact headed your way. TRD has reported that not only will the unit be the priciest in history if sold, but when complete, it will also hold the title of the city’s largest. At […]

Distinctive Homes

March 2, 2015

Ikea Releases Furniture Collection That Will Wirelessly Charge Your Phone

The latest trend in the electric world is USB outlets, which allow you to charge your devices right there in the wall socket without a plug. That still requires getting off the sofa and walking the probably two feet over to the outlet, though, which can really put a cramp in one's "House of Cards"-binge-watching style. But thanks to a new furniture collection from Ikea, you can power up your phone without having to search for a cord and while still in the reclined position. The new line of lamps, bedside tables, and desks features integrated charging pads that allow users to simply place their wireless gadget on top.
Learn more about the new collection

Policy
Shop

March 2, 2015

The Orchid Show Returns to NYBG; Crayon Fashion on Display at Bloomingdale’s

Head to the New York Botanical Garden and pretend it feels like spring. The Orchid Show is back until April 19th. [Welcome2theBronx] Where New Yorkers met for coffee in the 1790s. [Ephemeral NY] Don’t clip your nails on the bus, please. The MTA extends its courtesy campaign to buses. [7online] A Lower East Side artist has a […]

Uncategorized

Where Will Mayor de Blasio Land on the 421-a Tax Abatement Debate?

Developers have been rushing to break ground on projects before June, when the controversial 421-a tax abatement is set to expire, as it provides incentives to developers for up to 25 years when they reserve at least 20 percent of a building’s units for low- and moderate-income tenants. However, those against the 40-year-old program criticize it for using working people's tax dollars to build swimming pools and pet hotels for the world's billionaires; after all, the construction of One57, where a penthouse recently sold for $100 million, was built using subsidies from the program. But on what side of the debate does Mayor de Blasio, whose goal is to implement "the largest affordable housing program that any city, any state has attempted in a ten-year time span in the history of the republic," fall? Though many of his supporters oppose 421-a, in order to reach his goal of building 80,000 new affordable housing units–especially in places like East New York where a rezoning would be necessary to allow for denser construction that mandates the inclusion of permanently affordable apartments–de Blasio says he needs the program, according to Capital New York.
More on the 421-a debate here

March 2, 2015

Leonardo DiCaprio Renting Out His Super Eco-Friendly Greenwich Village Apartment for $25K

A-lister Leonardo DiCaprio isn't going to lose out on NYC rent while he's out schmoozing models and moguls across the globe. The Post reports that the actor has been renting out his Delos pad for a cool $25,000 a month to Jonathan Orszag, an economic policy advisor for President Clinton during the 1990s and a senior managing director of economic consulting firm Compass Lexecon.
See more here

Celebrities

March 2, 2015

You’ll Love This $1.2M Triplex as Much as This Painting Does

There’s a reason the kid in this painting is smiling with arms wide open, and it’s because he’s welcoming you into the coolest pad in the Upper East Side Historic District. This two-bedroom triplex at 18 East 63rd Street sold for just $497,000 in 2011. But after an extensive renovation, it’s back on the market with all the right bells and whistles, asking $1.15 million.
More cartoony fun inside

March 1, 2015

Map This: Seven Cool New York City Maps That Will Enlighten You

Maps have changed quite a bit since we were kids. The information age and rapidly evolving technology have allowed us to turn once-intimidating amounts of data and numbers into cool visualizations that can totally transform the way we understand the world. From looking at where tourists flock in our city to surveying how old every building in Manhattan is to measuring just how noisy NYC is compared to the rest of the states, here are seven of our favorite city maps—all of which will help navigate New York in a whole new way.
Who doesn't a love a good map?

Uncategorized

New Yorker Spotlight: Paleontologist Mark Norell Spends His Days with Dinosaurs at the Museum of Natural History

Photo © AMNH

February 27, 2015

New Yorker Spotlight: Paleontologist Mark Norell Spends His Days with Dinosaurs at the Museum of Natural History

By Susan Cohen

While the closest to dinosaurs most of us come is plastic toys and the occasional viewing of Jurassic Park, Mark Norell gets up close and personal with these prehistoric creatures on a daily basis, and it's fair to say he has one of the most interesting jobs in New York. As the division chair and curator-in-charge of the American Museum of Natural History’s Division of Paleontology and professor at Richard Gilder Graduate School, Mark's work is very exciting. He studies not just dinosaurs, but a wide range of fossils from various time periods, and conducts research that benefits our understanding of both the prehistoric and modern world. And an extra perk of the job is surely his office–he occupies the entire top floor of the museum's historic turret on the corner of 77th Street and Central Park West (we don't recall Ross Geller getting an office like that!). We recently spoke with Mark to learn more about paleontology and what it's like to work at the museum.
Read the full interview here

February 27, 2015

This Impeccable $16K/Month Park Slope Rental Is Bikini Ready

Let’s face it, with spring right around the corner (yes, it is coming) some of us may be feeling a little less than excited to shed those extra layers of clothing. But this impeccably renovated triplex at 726 Carroll Street in Park Slope is more than ready to show off its beautiful “nearly-bare” self. Even without staging of any kind, its amazing combination of elegant original details and tasteful modern appointments add up to a stunning four-bedroom residence.
More pictures of this bikini-and-move-in-ready triplex

Distinctive Homes

February 27, 2015

The Five Furnishings Joan Rivers Loved Most; Inside Harlem’s New SROs

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

Here are the five items in Joan Rivers’ Upper East Side apartment that she loved most. [WSJ] Inside a fancy modern-day SRO in Harlem. [Curbed] Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and Councilwoman Margaret Chin say they are in talks with developers to come up with an alternative to the current plan for a tower at the South Street […]

Real Estate Trends

February 27, 2015

Revealed: AB Architekten’s 29 Clay Street to Bring Manhattan Modernism to Greenpoint

By Ondel Hylton

A proposed 12-story residential building near the mouth of Newtown Creek in Greenpoint may bring some avante-garde design to a neighborhood better known for its low-slung factories, unpretentious row-houses, hearty Polish community, and an immense wastewater treatment plant. Coming from the office of AB Architekten, led by Alexander Blakely, a 70,000-square-foot proposal at 19-29 Clay Street is envisioned to rise directly across from the long-promised Box Street Park, and it may be the first of a multitude of high-rises set to radically transform the neighborhood's waterfront.
More information on the proposed project

THE 6SQFT SHOP

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15 quintessential NYC gifts for the New Yorker in your life

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

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10 Great Places to Buy Affordable Art in New York City

VIEW ALL

February 27, 2015

‘NYC Anthropocene’ Maps Visualize the City’s Oil and Chemical Spills Since 2010

When we think of chemicals, oil spills and toxic land, locales like Gowanus and Freshkills are among the first to come to mind. But all across the city are hotspots where spills have taken place. In an ongoing project called NYC Anthropocene, graphic designer and data guru Michael Appuhn is documenting all the areas where the city has seen these flubs since 2010, as well as some of the areas in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens storing oil, petroleum and various chemicals in bulk. While the map isn't really anything to have a scare over—many of these are used for home heating or are fuel stations (although we won't discount that spills can cause groundwater contamination including some public water supplies)—it's interesting to see the distribution across the city.
See the map in full here

Uncategorized

February 27, 2015

Helicopter Taxi Service Brings Commuters to JFK or Newark Airport in Six Minutes

And you thought taking an Uber to the airport was fancy. Gotham Air, a helicopter livery operator, has launched its airborne taxi service which can bring New Yorkers from Manhattan to JFK or Newark Airport in just six minutes. The service is currently priced at $149/flight for those who register for the BETA group, but standard fares will likely start at $219. So, pretty much the same as an Uber during surge pricing.
Find out more about the swanky new transportation service

Transit

February 27, 2015

Heartbeat Urban Drum to Become a ‘Heartseat;’ 53 New Citi Bike Stations for Brooklyn

Stereotank’s heart-shaped urban drum in Times Square known as Heartbeat will turn into a “heartseat.” [Inhabitat] A Kickstarter campaign is raising funds for a documentary film about Horn & Hardart’s iconic Automat. [Gothamist] Mapping the 53 new Citi Bike stations coming to Williamsburg and Greenpoint. [BK Paper] A small shop in Ridgewood, Queens is the reason NYC […]

Uncategorized

City Council Proposes New Law That Would Allow Tenants to Sue Landlords for Using Airbnb

Via Airbnb

February 27, 2015

City Council Proposes New Law That Would Allow Tenants to Sue Landlords for Using Airbnb

One week ago we learned of the landmark ruling to evict a rent-stabilized tenant from his ultra-luxe 450 West 42nd Street building for listing the unit on Airbnb for nearly triple what he was paying, a show of just how serious the city is about the issue. Now they're getting even more aggressive, as two City Council members want to pass a new law that would let tenants sue their landlords for renting out neighboring apartments as illegal hotels through Airbnb.
More details ahead

February 27, 2015

Elegant Throwback Penthouse in Sutton Place Returns for $5.1M

Who needs a shiny new development when you can have a penthouse in the highly sought-after Sutton Place neighborhood that has brag-worthy qualities like soaring coffered ceilings, a solarium, and terraces on all four sides. But for some reason, it just can’t seem to sell. The apartment at 345 East 57th Street first appeared on the market a year ago, asking $6.5 million. Then it was briefly taken off the market in December after a price cut to $5.9 million. Now it’s back, hoping the third time is a charm, and that an avid fan of Edith Wharton novels drops in with $5.1 million in her pocket.
More pics inside

Distinctive Homes

February 26, 2015

Saudi Prince’s UWS Apartment with Three Bullet-Proof Panic Rooms Lists for $48.5M

But if panic rooms aren't your thing, there's also a sushi island bar, fitness center, billiards room, hair salon, ventilated cigar room, 60-foot living room overlooking the Hudson River, and a lounge with a six-person Jacuzzi. It certainly sounds like Prince Nawaf bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud has been having fun in his 10,500-square-foot Heritage at Trump Place triplex, which was previously listed in 2013 for $75 million. The four-bedroom Upper West Side pad is now back on the market for $48.5 million, according to the Wall Street Journal. Ryan Serhant of Million Dollar Listing fame is one of the listing agents, and though he declined to confirm the owner, he said he is selling because he rarely uses the residence anymore.
You can't miss seeing the rest of this incredible home

Distinctive Homes

February 26, 2015

Apartable Website Helps Renters Find Out if a Building Has a Negligent Landlord

Looking to buy in NYC is a task, but finding the right place to rent can be a veritable nightmare. While apartments may look spic 'n span on the surface, oftentimes tenants find out the hard way (e.g. after hastily throwing down thousands on a broker fee and signing a two-year lease for fear of losing out on the space) that their landlord is pretty terrible when it comes to maintenance and safety. Enter Apartable, a new website that helps potential tenants investigate whether or not a building they're interested in is a slum they need to avoid, or if it's up to snuff.
Find out more here

City Living

February 26, 2015

Using Smells to Sell Your Home; Anderson Cooper Sheds Westhampton Home for $3M

We’ve all heard about freshly baked cookies being a selling scent when it comes time for an open house, but here are some other aromas than can make or break a deal. [BrickUnderground] Anderson Cooper has sold his beautiful wood-clad Westhampton home for $2.97 million. [NYP] The state has shut down an illegal hotel posing as […]

Real Estate Trends

Phase I of the Second Avenue Subway Now 78.7 Percent Complete–and Still on Track

Image: MTA Capital Construction / Rehema Trimiew

February 26, 2015

Phase I of the Second Avenue Subway Now 78.7 Percent Complete–and Still on Track

By Alyssa Alimurung

It seems to be taking forever for the Second Avenue Subway (SAS) to be finished, but alas, never say never. Yesterday evening, community members and MTA Capital Construction officials gathered at Temple Israel for the SAS eighth quarterly workshop to discuss the line's construction updates, future plans and to take any comments or concerns from citizens. In his opening statement, MTA Capital Construction President Dr. Michael Horodniceanu reported that Phase I is now 78.7 percent complete (as of February 1, 2015). The number seemed to please many, but in light of the MTA's budget crisis, the top question on everyone's mind was still: "Is this thing on schedule to be completed in December 2016?" Dr. Horodniceanu reassured everyone, "We've been having these workshops for four years, and the date has stayed the same."
the next stop will be...

February 26, 2015

Lap Pool and Art Gallery Update This 18th Century Farmhouse Built Amongst Silos

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

Within its perfect rural setting, Gluck+ renovated and extended an 18th century farmhouse into a country retreat. Called Farmhouse with Lap Pool, it features a mix-and-match style, combining the old with new, modern details, all while paying respect to the surrounding environment and the site's history.
See more photos here

February 26, 2015

Live in a Haunted, Grey Gardens-esque Staten Island Mansion for $2M

For many New Yorkers, living on Staten Island is scary enough (just kidding!), but for those looking for an extra thrill, a historic, landmarked haunted mansion just hit the market for $2.31 million. The 7,700-square-foot, 10-bedroom Italianate villa-style home is located at 2475 Richmond Road in Egbertville and is known as the Gustav Mayer House for its original owner, an inventor who created the recipe for Nabisco's Nilla Wafers. Built in 1885, the house served as a Grey Gardens-esque residence for Mayer's two daughters, who stayed sequestered inside until their 100th birthdays. It's said that their ghosts still roam the hallways, along with the presence of their father, according to the Post.
Get the full story here

February 26, 2015

A Comprehensive Database of Frank Lloyd Wright Architecture; New Yorkers Love French Bulldogs

The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation’s website gets a beautiful overhaul that includes a comprehensive, searchable database of the architect’s works. [Fast Co. Design] Tour a tiny, pattern-filled Chinatown studio. [The Cut] The French bulldog was the most popular dog breed in NYC in 2014. See what breed reigned supreme in your neighborhood. [DNAinfo] Second annual Lower […]

Uncategorized

February 26, 2015

$9,850/Month Enchanting Greenwich Village Rental Comes with a ‘Juliet’-Inspired Balcony

Although the original architectural details in this floor-through townhouse pad postdate Shakespeare’s classic tome about star-crossed lovers by about 300 years, they offer the perfect setting for a different kind of romance, because this one-bedroom rental at 4 West 9th Street in the Village is easy to fall in love with.
See more of why you'll fall in love

February 26, 2015

$2.3M Carriage House in Clinton Hill Blends the 19th Century with the 21st

We found a charmer in Clinton Hill that will make you forget you’re in the city; and let’s be honest, sometimes that’s just what the doctor ordered. This adorable former carriage house was fully renovated in 2009, so you get the perfect modernized version of old-school charisma, for $2.315 million.
More pics inside

Distinctive Homes

February 25, 2015

Do You Really Know Your Neighborhood? Interactive Map Helps You Find Out More on Who’s Around

No, this isn't a celebrity stalker map. This cool new map from PlaceILive lets you find out more about how your neighborhood rates when it comes to everything from demographics to health to transportation to daily life, safety, sports and leisure and entertainment, which even takes into account how many ramen houses and cheese shops are within reach.
Find out more here

City Living

The Only Two Living Things in NYC to Have Been Landmarked Are Trees

Magnolia Grandiflora via Wiki Commons (L); Weeping Beech Tree via NY State Archives (R)

February 25, 2015

The Only Two Living Things in NYC to Have Been Landmarked Are Trees

Last week we looked at the city's oldest and tallest tree in Alley Pond, Queens, which got us thinking about one of the questions at the Preservation Trivia night we recently attended. What are the only two living things in NYC to have ever been landmarked? We'll admit, we were stumped. We guessed Peter Stuyvesant's pear tree and the World Trade Center Survivor Tree, which were both wrong. But they are trees: the Weeping Beech Tree in Flushing, Queens and the Magnolia Grandiflora in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn. And to make it even more exclusive, only the latter still survives; the Beech Tree died and was cut down in 1999.
Find out the history of how these landmarks came to be

February 25, 2015

Elegant Village Rental Has Ties to the Underground Railroad and Lincoln’s Assassin

In a city rich with history it’s always fun to learn of a building’s interesting past, and the walls of this 1830s historic mansion at 45 Grove Street, in which you’ll find this elegant West Village rental, must certainly have some stories to tell. Not only was it a secret stop on the Underground Railroad, but one of its former residents, actor Samuel K. Chester, claimed that John Wilkes Booth visited there in early 1865 and tried to convince him to join a “conspiracy to take over the government” and kidnap President Abraham Lincoln. Chester wanted nothing to do with the plan and Booth went on to assassinate the president in April of that year.
See more of this historic beautiful rental

Distinctive Homes

February 25, 2015

Rents Rising Faster Than Inflation; Tour the Brooklyn Kings Theatre

NYC rents have been rising faster than inflation over the last three years. [NYT] East New Yorkers are trying to stop some of the “new frontier” developments big-wigs are looking to bring to the neighborhood at the center of the de Blasio administration’s affordable housing plan. [Village Voice] A worker at Barclays Center installing the arena’s green […]

Real Estate Trends

One Manhattan Square

252 South Street

Lower East Side

Sweeping views and endless amenities

1 beds starting at $1,230,000
2 beds starting at $1,990,000
3 beds starting at $2,790,000

Learn More

February 25, 2015

Is 212 Fifth Avenue the Ultimate Manhattan Address?

That's what developers of a new condominium at 212 Fifth Avenue are hoping. The prestige of Fifth Avenue is world-famous (it also adds a 5- to 10-percent premium to the price of an apartment), and as anyone who was around back in the days of analog phone exchanges knows, 212 is synonymous with Manhattan. Reporting on the "New York-iest address," the Daily News mentions how even "Seinfeld"'s Elaine steals her dead neighbor's 212 phone number after she gets changed to a 646 area code. "The bearer of a 212 phone number looks like a longtime New Yorker. It's the ultimate luxury accessory," the paper says.
Is all the fuss justified?

Real Estate Trends

February 25, 2015

Spectacular ‘Working Girl’ Townhouse on Star-Studded West Village Street Sells for $17 Million

The West Village home that's captured the hearts of film buffs, film makers, preservationists, pinners, real estate oglers—need we go on?—across the globe has just sold for a sweet $17 million, according to city records filed today. Although it was previously reported that the home needed work, buyers were certainly not deterred. A bow-fronted facade, dramatic staircase, 40-foot garden, and spectacular storied details surely kept the bidding war going strong for this 66 Morton Street beauty which was originally listed for just $13 million last October.
have a look inside this way

February 25, 2015

Looking at Ramblersville, Queens, the City’s Smallest Neighborhood; Where To Go Seal Watching in NY

Have you heard of Ramblersville in Queens? If not, it could be because it’s the city’s smallest neighborhood. [Curbed] Architect Thomas Juul-Hansen (the interiors of One57 are just one of his projects) shares details about his personal and professional life, broken down by numbers. [NY Post] Looking for a fun cold-weather activity? Why not go seal […]

Uncategorized

February 25, 2015

POLL: Will the NYU Expansion Plan Move Ahead?

After years of contention, we learned yesterday that opponents of the controversial NYU expansion plan would receive their final day in court to try to block the massive redevelopment. While Villagers have long been known as preservation pioneers (Jane Jacobs’ successful fight against Robert Moses’ destructive plans for the area is probably the best-known example), […]

Policy

Renderings Revealed for West Village’s New Triangular Park That Will Feature AIDS Memorial

Park renderings via Hayes Davidson

February 25, 2015

Renderings Revealed for West Village’s New Triangular Park That Will Feature AIDS Memorial