6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

The perfect winter coat for every New York neighborhood. [Refinery29] Calling all historic architecture buffs! Sign up now for preservation trivia. [HDC] 10 decorating lessons from Friends. Number one? DO NOT gamble away your rent-controlled apartment. [Apartment Therapy] It’s a big day for Friends…this artist created a miniature, paper replica of Monica and Rachel’s apartment. […]

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January 12, 2015

NYC Design Firm Axis Mundi Creates a Work of Art to House Their Client’s Works of Art

What do you get when you mix the classic bones of a landmarked Greek Revival townhouse built in the 1840s with the bold, award-winning, and decidedly 21st century esthetic of New York-based design firm Axis Mundi? A Greenwich Village residence that is an absolutely stunning work of art. When tasked with not only the gut renovation of a timeless building but also ensuring a suitable context for their client’s spectacular and thoroughly modern art collection, Axis Mundi made certain to respect the charms and scale of the original style while creating a fitting showcase for the likes of Warhol, Haring, and Basquiat.
See why every inch of this home is a work of art

January 12, 2015

Checking In on 56 Leonard: The Rising Star in the Downtown Skyline

Esteemed architect and historian Robert A.M. Stern once said that "New York is a constellation of magic moments. No city as complex as New York rebuilds itself so often, and often so well." Two stars are being born in that nebula of irregular streets we call Downtown. The taller of the two, 30 Park Place, is designed by the famed starchitect himself, and has recently surpassed its neighbor, the Woolworth Building, to soon take its place as the tallest residential perch in the district. The other star, 56 Leonard, may still shine brighter, however. While absent any height superlatives, 56 Leonard may very well end up being the most interesting skyscraper Downtown has produced in decades. Nicknamed the "Jenga-building" and the "tower of penthouses," 56 Leonard's design comes from the Swiss architectural firm of Herzog & de Meuron while working with the residential know-it-alls at Goldstein Hill & West. Currently, the concrete frame is approximately 700 feet tall with little more than 100 feet to rise before topping off. The floors progressively stagger at varying configurations creating cantilevered interior spaces as well as outdoor balconies for each of the residences.
More details ahead

January 12, 2015

Minimalist Prospect Heights Carriage House Asks $2.5M

This converted carriage house in Prospect Heights is back on the market with another price drop, this time, asking $2.499 million. The minimalist 22.5-foot wide home has a touch of European farmhouse charm in a raw modern warehouse, with some vintage accents like reclaimed sinks, found antique gates, repurposed mirrored French doors and tin ceilings. Not to mention the fact that the home comes with a private garage (currently being used as an artist studio space).
Take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

January 10, 2015

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks from the 6sqft staff

New Study Reveals It’s More Important to Have a MetroCard Than a College Degree in NYC 158-Year-Old Legally-Embattled Building on Leonard Street Finally Sells for $11.2 Million Will Streetcars Make a Comeback in the Bronx? Construction Update: High Line-Embracing Condo 505 West 19th Street Gets Its Skin Once Vibrant but Long Vacant Graffitied Boyce Thompson […]

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January 9, 2015

Once Vibrant Graffitied Boyce Thompson Institute in Yonkers Will Get a New Lease on Life

While not officially landmarked, the Federal-style masonry building that formerly housed the Boyce Thompson Plant Institute has been part of the Yonkers landscape for nearly a century. After the institute relocated to the Cornell University campus in the late '70s, the original location fell into disrepair, becoming an eyesore the city was anxious to remedy. Enter Simone Development, who welcomed the opportunity to purchase the property and conclude the city's decades-long quest to find the right owner.
Find out about the Institute's new life and the architects behind it

January 9, 2015

Don’t Judge This Gorgeous Williamsburg Rental Loft by Its Cover

The exterior of this 1000-square-foot loft located at 457 Grand Street in Williamsburg isn’t particularly awe-inspiring. A typical turn-of-the-century red masonry building with charming window details, it’s pleasant to look at but doesn’t quite take your breath away. The same cannot be said for the gorgeously renovated and exceptionally bright loft hiding within. The space beautifully takes advantage of the building’s original features like hardwood floors, brick walls, and exposed ceiling beams, then ups the ante with a host of modern touches including multiple skylights, tons of custom built-ins, and a stunning, larger-than-life glass wall/door separating the bedroom from the living area.
See why this book is even better than its cover

Distinctive Homes

January 9, 2015

Real Estate Wire: Nearly a Quarter of NYC Apartments Aren’t Primary Residences; How Expensive Is Your Neighborhood?

Nearly one quarter of the apartments in New York City are not used as primary residences. Instead they serve as either as pieds-à-terre or investment properties that are rented out to tenants. [NYT] How pricey is your neighborhood? This map will give you an idea of how things stack up. [TRD] Jared Kushner’s Kushner Companies […]

Real Estate Trends

Distinctive Homes

$8.2M Soho penthouse loft feels like an airy beach house surrounded by terraces

19th-century townhouse in Hudson, NY has three units, retail space, and a three-bay garage for $2M

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

Landmarked Boerum Hill townhouse owned by 90s designer Daryl K asks $6M

$14M penthouse atop landmarked Astor building has pre-war details and palatial private terrace

$5.9M Civil War-era Clinton Hill mansion is a three-family home and an architectural gem

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

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

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

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

VIEW ALL

January 9, 2015

Muddy Construction Commences on Jardim, Isay Weinfeld’s Condominium on the High Line

The construction boom in Chelsea along the High Line continues unabated with the start of another condo development penned by a highly acclaimed foreign architect. This latest condominium, dubbed “Jardim” (Portuguese for garden), comes from the office of visionary Brazilian architect Isay Weinfeld. Developed by Harlan Berger's Centaur Properties, Jardim's site is situated at 525 West 25th Street between 10th and 11th Avenues–just a single starchitect's lot away from the High Line. Construction at the currently muddy site has commenced, and we got a first-hand look at the progress.
More on the project here

January 9, 2015

The Beaverbrook Cottage Is a Charming Quonset Hut Retreat in the Country

If you daydream about spending a few days in a wooden cottage surrounded by an old-growth forest, bush blueberries and native wildlife, don’t worry, paradise is just around the corner. We found this charming two-bedroom, curved-roof retreat in Catskills which looks like the perfect place to unwind without having to leave your beloved modern amenities behind. Sweet and spacious, the Beaverbrook Cottage features spacious bright interiors, a modest country-style decor, a wood-stove, a piano, and a romantic garden complete with a gazebo.
Learn more about this charming curved-roof cottage

January 9, 2015

Daily Link Fix: Williamsburg Bar Will Open in a Water Tower; The Best 100-Year-Old Restaurants in NYC

Photo series explores the faith and modesty of Orthodox Jewish women from Brooklyn to Paris. [Elle] A new Williamsburg hotel will open a bar/lounge in a rooftop water tower. [Bedford + Bowery] Here are the 11 best 100-year-old restaurants in NYC. [Thrillist] Sad about the closing of Streit’s Matzo? Take a look at these historic photos of the factory’s […]

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January 9, 2015

NoMad’s Commune Hotel Reaches Street Level, Will Feature a Public Roof Deck at 300 Feet

After lying fallow for years, the site of the city's first Commune Hotel at 11 East 31st Street is abuzz with construction activity and has risen to street level. Developed by Simon Development Group, Cube Capital, and Eagle Point Hotel, the 250-room, 32-story hotel situated between Fifth and Madison Avenues will be among a dozen new residential and hotel developments slated to transform the once-sleepy NoMad neighborhood. With Gwathmey Siegel Kaufman Architects serving as the design architects and Mancini-Duffy Architecture as the architects of record, the slender 335-foot tower will feature a 125-seat restaurant, lounge, and a rooftop bar providing sweeping skyline vistas and front-row views of the Empire State Building.
More on the hotel and construction progress ahead

January 9, 2015

Community Board Likes Pier55 Floating Park Overall, but Wants More Transparency

It's been relatively quiet over the past six weeks or so as far as news about the proposed offshore park and performance space in the Hudson River known as Pier55. But this week, Community Board 2's Parks and Waterfront Committee reviewed the project, and though they liked Thomas Heatherwick's design overall, they cited their main concern as transparency. The board's issue stems from the fact that billionaire media mogul Barry Diller, who committed $130 million to the 2.7-acre park, and the Hudson River Park Trust had been working secretively for two years on the plans. According to Curbed, committee member Arthur Schwartz said, "Probably the main public critique of this project has been the way that so much of the design was developed in infinite detail before it even became a matter of public knowledge."
More on the outcome of the public meeting

January 9, 2015

Shoot Hoops in This Novogratz Townhouse for $70K a Month

It’s probably fitting that this striking townhouse has a basketball court because it appears that the owners, husband-and-wife design team Bob and Cortney Novogratz, are going to have to jump through hoops just to get it off their hands. The celebrity duo has been trying to unload this West Village townhouse since 2009, but for some reason they just can’t seem to get out from under it. It’s a bit surprising when you consider the specs: 7,180 square feet of interior space, 1,900 square feet of exterior space, high ceilings and views from every level in downtown Manhattan. And we haven’t even gotten to the good part. Well, now they’re bringing the home back to the market, this time as a rental, asking $70,000 per month.
Take a look inside, here

Distinctive Homes

January 8, 2015

The Lena Dunham Real Estate Effect: Looking at the Homes of the Stars of ‘Girls’

One of the reasons Girls became such an instant hit is because it was lauded as the anti-Sex & the City. Its characters live in Greenpoint, not the Upper West Side; they wear Converse instead of Manolos; they struggle to pay the rent rather than living in completely unrealistic apartments. But when it comes to their real lives in New York City, the cast of the HBO show is definitely not struggling to make ends meet, as is evidenced by their impressive collection of real estate. So, in anticipation for this Sunday's season four premier, let's take a look at how Lena Dunham and her posse actually live in the city, as compared with their characters' fictional digs.
See where the stars of 'Girls' live on and off the screen

January 8, 2015

Rents in Brooklyn Still Up Even with a Boom in New Listings

MNS has just released the December rental reports covering Manhattan and Brooklyn. Far from surprisingly, rents were up in both boroughs, each seeing a solid increase year over year. But one finding that definitely stood out was Brooklyn's 9 percent uptick in new listings between November and December 2014. Whether rents will reflect the new inventory the coming months has yet to be seen; November on December figures slow only the slightest decrease with average rents falling from $2,677 to $2,666 (a 0.39 percent drop). Bigger picture figures show that since December 2013, rent prices have increased 3.08 percent rising from $2,587 to $2,667 in December 2014. Brooklyn neighborhoods that did especially well last year included Boerum Hill, which saw an average rent increase of 15.7 percent from $2,668 in December 2013 to $3,088 in December 2014; and Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, which saw a 9.5 percent increase since December 2013—a continuing trend for the nabe. So, is Brooklyn still having its moment?
More details on Brooklyn and the Manhattan dispatch this way

Real Estate Trends

January 8, 2015

Leave the City Behind in This Charming $15K a Month Brownstone

Yes, this is actually a Manhattan residence, not a Brooklyn pad in disguise. The renovated single-family brownstone is located just a block from Central Park and is brimming with charm. The cozy and familiar home has an owner of practically 50 years who has updated the interior with modern comforts like radiant heated floors, but it's details like decorative fireplaces and stained glass accents that make this place truly special.
More pics inside

Distinctive Homes

Real Estate Wire: Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis List Home for $4M; Jared Kushner Wants $66M for Top Puck Penthouse

With a new baby in tow, Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis are looking for a new home and putting their Meatpacking District home on the market for just under $4M. [NYP] Jared Kushner is looking to set a downtown record with his $66M listing for the uppermost penthouse at the Puck Penthouses. [WSJ] The upcoming World Trade Center […]

Real Estate Trends

January 8, 2015

Cozy Rustic Cabin Near the Finger Lakes Comes with a Sauna and Serene Surroundings

Sweet, wooden and eco-minded, this small guest-home offers a humble retreat in nature not too far from the city. Perched on a ravine in the forest, the cabin is perfect for both nature and wine lovers as it's just a short walk from the Finger Lakes Wine Trail and National Forest. The compact escape is well-equipped despite its diminutive size and features a lofted bed area, a composting toilet, a sauna, and the perfect porch for relaxing and taking in those soothing woodland aromas.
Learn more about this charming wooden cabin

January 8, 2015

There’s No Place to Hide in This Former Printing Press Turned Soho Loft Home

We love how New York’s historical mashup of factories, businesses, places of worship, carriage houses, etc., means that modern living spaces often have unique and interesting former lives. This Soho loft originally housed a printing press, and JENDRETZKI Architects was given the enviable task of transforming its hard edges and wide-open floor plan into a contemporary and functional home—although those who desire lots of privacy may not be so keen on some of the views afforded within the interior.
From printing press to posh loft

Architecture And Design

January 8, 2015

Daily Link Fix: Why NYC Is Awesome in Winter; the 3,200 Doorways Photographed in One Year

Be an optimist today while your hair is growing icicles. Here’s 50 reasons why NYC during winter is awesome. [TONY] Want a free-standing house with a front porch, but don’t fancy moving to NJ or Westchester? Better check out Ditmas Park. [NYT] The Brooklyn District Attorney’s office is investigating the Gowanus rabbit colony. [DNAinfo] Photographer Ray […]

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January 8, 2015

Fox News Host Kimberly Guilfoyle Buys $3.4M Central Park West Apartment Full of Taxidermied Animals

Generally speaking, the ultra-conservative crowd isn't spending their free time volunteering with PETA. So it's quite fitting that Fox News host Kimberly Guilfoyle just picked up the infamous taxidermy-filled apartment in the Beresford. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your thoughts on decorative dead animals, the long-time owner, journalist Gregory Speck, is sending his massive collection of stuffed friends to the Virginia Museum of Natural History, according to the Post. And Guilfoyle has already hired architect Campion Platt to renovate the two-bedroom, "classic six" home. Lucky for us, though, it's not too late to see the bizarre (or some may say terrifying) Central Park West home.
Take a look inside

January 8, 2015

Tour All Five NYC Boroughs in Five Minutes with This Amazing Drone Video

We thought Google’s new 3-D maps of NYC were cool, but this incredible aerial video of the city’s five boroughs blows Google Earth out of the water. Sky Tech One Aerial Photography created a spectacular montage of footage with the help of a drone, and what’s captured is truly something else. Spanning Lower Manhattan to Yankee Stadium […]

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January 8, 2015

Construction Update: High Line-Embracing Condo 505 West 19th Street Gets Its Skin

The area surrounding the High Line continues to serve as the city's hotbed of avant-garde architecture, and Thomas Juul-Hansen's 505w19 is the latest jewel to stud West Chelsea's verdant necklace. The two-building project, whose 10-story volumes straddle either side of the High Line, will join the ranks of Foster's 551W21, Selldorf's 520 West Chelsea, and Shigeru Ban's Metal Shutter House as a timeless, modern addition that contextually blends into the west side's no-nonsense streetscape. We recently got a peek at the construction of this 35-unit condo development, which is currently getting its skin--a dark-grey saw toothed façade with exposed concrete columns and slab edges.
Take a look at the progress here

158-Year-Old Legally-Embattled Building on Leonard Street Finally Sells for $11.2 Million

Image via Tribeca Trib

January 7, 2015

158-Year-Old Legally-Embattled Building on Leonard Street Finally Sells for $11.2 Million

It's been a rough year for an even rougher 158-year-old structure located at 17 Leonard Street. Since 2013, there's been an ongoing dispute over damage in the building that caused an evacuation ordered by the Department of Buildings. Owner Christopher Rolf has been feuding with his next-door neighbor, Steven Schnall, who is constructing a seven-story condo building with a two-story penthouse next door at 15 Leonard. The dispute concerns the cause of several giant cracks that Rolf alleged appeared once Schnall started construction. Rolf claimed Schnall's project was the reason for the damage, while Schnall insisted that the old structure was already in shambles long before he even broke ground. The drama has dragged on for over a year, but a recent sale points to the end of the saga at 17 Leonard—at least for Rolf. According to public records, Rolf has finally parted ways with the property, striking a deal with an undisclosed buyer (listed simply as "17 Leonard Properties, LLC") for $11.165 million.
More details here

January 7, 2015

Gorgeous Renovated Loft in Williamsburg’s Mill Building Asks $2.7M

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

There’s an exquisite loft in Williamsburg’s historic Mill Building available for $2.65 million. The one-bedroom stunner stands out from the rest with sumptuous upgrades contrasted with original detail like restored wide-plank floors and prewar beams. True, some of the fun, quirky elements—like the Warhol-esque paintings on the red wall and the trendy furniture—don’t come with the condo, but it’s still the perfect blend of character and luxury.
Take a look inside here

Distinctive Homes

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10 Ways to Decorate an Exposed Brick Wall Without Drilling

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

10 Great Places to Buy Affordable Art in New York City

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January 7, 2015

Real Estate Wire: Curious Wedge-Shaped Building Sprouts in South Williamsburg; The Upper East Side Redrawn

A funny wedge-shaped two-family building has popped up on a tiny triangle in South Williamsburg on Heyward Street. [Brownstoner] The borders of the Upper East Side redrawn so no block is excluded. [Curbed] The Bnai Zion Foundation is looking to sell its long-time U.S. headquarters in Murray Hill for $21M. [TRD] The buyer of Kiefer Sutherland’s […]

Real Estate Trends

January 7, 2015

Tyra Banks Lists Nolita Condo for $3.8M

By Annie Doge

Fashion-forward supermodel Tyra Banks has listed her surprisingly unfashionable Nolita condo for $3.8 million, according to the Daily News. She bought the two-bedroom pad back in 2005 for $2.1 million. The historic Cass Gilbert-designed Beaux Arts building known as the Spring is located at 225 Lafayette Street and has quite the celebrity following. Actress Dakota Fanning currently resides there, and John Mayer sold his unit there for close to $4 million in 2013. We're guessing it wasn't the limelight that persuaded Banks to list, though.
Take a look around the rather un-fierce apartment here

January 7, 2015

The City Began Rebuilding 1,002 Sandy-Damaged Homes in 2014

Mayor de Blasio’s 2014 goal for Hurricane Sandy reconstruction was to start the rebuilding of 1,000 homes and distribute 1,500 reimbursement checks to homeowners who paid for repairs out of their own pockets. And not only have those goals been met, but they’ve been exceeded. According to the Daily News, the city has begun construction on 1,002 […]

January 7, 2015

Daily Link Fix: How Central Park Looked in the 1980s; What if Apple Made iMilk?

This Greenpoint artist uses discarded glass found on the street and McCarren Park turf to create mini sculptures [DNAinfo] Here’s what Central Park looked like in the 80s…a lot different than today. [Gothamist]. What if Nike sold oranges and Apple made iMilk? An artist reimagines fashionable brands as they’d exist in the grocery store. [Fast […]

Uncategorized

January 7, 2015

POLL: Will 2015 Manhattan Sale Prices Surpass Record-Breaking Average of 2014?

Yesterday we learned that the average Manhattan sale price reached an all-time high in 2014, climbing to $1,718,531 and surpassing the pre-recession record of 2008. We weren’t totally surprised, considering the past year’s slew of new, high-end developments. We predict that this trend will continue into 2015, with even more luxury listings hitting the market. But what […]

Real Estate Trends

January 7, 2015

Prospect Heights Row House Once Literally “Gone to the Dogs” Is Now Best in Show

Like most townhouses of its time, this Prospect Heights abode suffered from what Delson or Sherman Architects referred to as "common row-house ailments." Dark in the middle and spatially flat, coupled with the fact that it had housed a kennel in one of its former lives, this home had literally gone to the dogs in more ways than one. But wait until you see how the firm transformed the Brooklyn house.
From dark and flat to bright and layered

January 7, 2015

Palatial Tribeca Triplex with Coveted Keith Haring Mural Finds a New Owner

An 8,000-square-foot Tribeca triplex with a 45-square-foot entertaining space, an original Keith Haring mural, cast iron columns, soaring arched windows and 26+ foot coffered ceilings is not such a hard sell. So we were not surprised to see that this palatial pad sold for the asking price of $10 million according to city records. Located in the historic American Thread Building at 260 West Broadway, this regal home combines the privacy of townhouse living with the security and services of a fully staffed building. When it hit the market back in May we were seriously swooning over its museum-like feel and impressive art collection. But that's not all...
Take a look around the rest of the home here

January 6, 2015

Will Streetcars Make a Comeback in the Bronx?

Once upon a time in a city now known for its web of transportation options, the world’s very first streetcar made its debut in 1852 on the roads New York. At the height of their popularity, streetcars could be seen running on just about every major thoroughfare; but pressure from New York City's Board of Transportation for a unified bus transportation system across the city soon led to their demise. By 1948, the streetcar lines in the Bronx and Manhattan were gone, seemingly lost forever to the nostalgia of simpler times. Today, a perfect storm of factors may pave the way for the resurgence of this once-popular mode of transportation that promises to yield a bevy of benefits for Bronxites and beyond.
Streetcars back in the Bronx?

Transit

January 6, 2015

Dean/Wolf Architects’ Amazing Brooklyn Townhouse Has an Operable Tetris-Like Facade

Fusing indoor and outdoor space is a rare occurrence in places like New York City, where outside real estate rarely constitutes anything more than a 2 foot x 5 foot fire escape. So when the residents of this Brooklyn Heights townhouse moved into their new pad, they knew that their spacious backyard would have to be the star of their home. As such, the Brooklynites called upon Dean / Wolf Architects to take on the task of breathing new life into their townhouse, and by the looks of things, they couldn't have chosen better. Instead of simply employing floor-to-ceiling windows to make the connection, the savvy architects designed an operable, puzzle-like rear facade that allows the home's inhabitants to seamlessly join the indoors and the out with just a few turns of the wrist.
More on the aptly named 'Operable Boundary Townhouse/Garden' here

January 6, 2015

Ultra-Modern NoMad Loft Returns to the Market with a $1M Price Increase

The unusual $3.84 million loft at 50 West 29th Street is sure to be a head-turner, but not necessarily for the reason you may be thinking. Oh, we know what you’re thinking. Just look at it: a 20th century industrial loft with a modern 21st century twist. Sprawling spaces that make you want to whip out your bowling shoes. Pipes for days. But what you won't see in the architecture is the mysterious $1 million added to the price tag since it disappeared from the market last year. We’ll cast aside all judgment for a moment as we take a look at this remarkable space, because, let’s be honest, it’s a looker.
Take a look around here

Distinctive Homes

January 6, 2015

Real Estate Wire: 90-Year-Old LES Matzo Maker to Shutter; 45 Park Place Gets Its Demo Permits

Streit’s Matzo Factory, the last family-owned matzo factory in the U.S., is in contract for purchase by an unnamed developer. The properties, located in the Lower East Side, were listed for $25M. [Bowery Boogie] Soho Properties has received demolition permits for 45 Park Place, the site where a 665-foot tower luxury tower and an Islamic museum will rise. [CO] The […]

Real Estate Trends

January 6, 2015

Average Manhattan Sale Price Reaches All-Time High in 2014

According to Douglas Elliman’s fourth-quarter sales report, 2014's average sale price climbed to a new record high of $1,718,531, surpassing the pre-recession record of 2008. Plus, the fourth quarter had the second-highest sales volume in 25 years with 2,718 closed sales (the highest was in 2013, with 3,297 closed sales). What's to thank (or blame, depending on your feelings)? Jonathan Miller, author of the report and president of real estate appraisal firm Miller Samuel, told Curbed "Prices are up for two key reasons. New development contracts from the past few years are beginning to close, and new development is skewed towards high end. Plus, inventory is up 20 percent from last year's 15-year record low but most of that increase is from new development."
More findings from the report here

Real Estate Trends

January 6, 2015

Gorgeous Sagaponack Stone House Gets a Brise-Soleil Addition by Martin Architects

This Daniels Lane residence consists of two contrasting parts—an existing stone beach house and a textured modern addition to its side. Settled atop a grassy site in the Southampton village of Sagaponack, this beautiful dwelling was re-designed by local studio Martin Architects, who not only created a striking second volume with a layer of wood screens, but cleverly lifted and rotated the old stone beach house to provide new views and more light.
Learn more about this modern contrasting home

January 6, 2015

Wonderfully Wallpapered Custom Condo Combo in Boerum Hill Asks $3 Million

There’s a gorgeous new condo available in the recently built 233 Pacific Street. The 3,000-square-foot pad is actually a four-bedroom combination of two apartments. Add some customizations like wide-plank Brazilian cherry floors and custom paneling and molding throughout, and you have a true stunner for $2.995 million.
Take a look inside, here

Distinctive Homes

January 5, 2015

General Assembly Design’s Merging of Two Vinegar Hill Apartments Produces Sweet Results

Aristotle’s wise words,"The whole is better than the sum of its parts," are certainly true in the case of this beautifully designed Vinegar Hill home. With owners who were used to a large, sprawling Victorian in equally sprawling Los Angeles, combining two apartments in a bland developer-style building in Brooklyn proved to offer the perfect replacement, given the right amount of ingenuity.
See more of this 'sweet' home

Architecture And Design

January 5, 2015

New Study Reveals It’s More Important to Have a MetroCard Than a College Degree in NYC

A new study conducted by NYU's Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management shows just how much impact proximity to public transit–in this case to Manhattan–can have on one's earning power. The Rudin Center examined 177 NYC zip codes and found that those living closest to transit have the highest median income and the lowest unemployment rate. “In New York, mass transit is the path to economic mobility, not education,” Mitchell Moss, the center’s director, told the WSJ. “It’s far more important to have a MetroCard than a college degree.”
Find out the startling figures here

January 5, 2015

The Twins: Otherworldly Upstate Vacation Homes Designed for Two Brothers

Architect William O'Brien Jr. was approached by twin brothers to create two vacation homes that neighbor each other. Designed to be built on the same plot of land upstate, the homes, like the twins, are fraternal but not identical. Both of the structures are based on the polygon, and the black, futuristic dwellings are separated yet joined by a seasonal food garden.
Learn more about these futuristic twin homes

January 5, 2015

Real Estate Wire: Flip or Hold in 2015?; Patrick Stewart Loves Park Slope

Should you flip or hold in 2015? [AOL Real Estate] “Ooh, I like this place.” Patrick Stewart muses about living in Park Slope. [NYDN] Super-luxury condos are struggling to attract buyers. [Crain’s] 7 reasons a brokers won’t sell your apartment. [Brick Underground] Citizens band to ‘Save the View Now’ at Brooklyn Bridge Park. [Brooklyn Eagle] […]

Real Estate Trends

Front & York

85 Jay Street

Dumbo

Upscale DUMBO living with timeless views

1 beds starting at $995,000
2 beds starting at $1,699,000
3 beds starting at $2,475,000

Learn More

January 5, 2015

1949 Film Shows Iconic NYC Sights in Amazing Technicolor

Seventy years from now, new generations of New Yorkers will be able to watch old episodes of Law & Order or Girls to get a glimpse into a past life in the city. Our generation isn't so often afforded that luxury, unless we're looking at a grainy black-and-white video. But a clip from the 1949 film Mighty Manhattan – New York’s Wonder City showcases some of the NYC's most iconic sights in amazing Technicolor.
See New York in 1949 here

History

January 5, 2015

The Rumbles Are 3D-Printed Pendant Lights by Studio MeraldiRubini

We're no strangers to the 3D printing movement (we even know someone who's printing an entire estate), but we still get excited when we find a product that not only incorporates the technology, but is also a beautiful, striking design. The Rumbles made just that impression on us. Using 3D printers, industrial design firm Studio MeraldiRubini created this collection of three pendant lights characterized by soft and sinuous shapes that artistically filter light.
More details on the Rumbles ahead

January 5, 2015

Daily Link Fix: Watch Out for Talking Buses; Why We Lost the Original Penn Station

NYC will get talking buses to warn pedestrians in their path. [Next City] Next time you’re waiting for a train in the hot, smelly depths of Penn Station, you can thank the desperate executives of the Pennsylvania Railroad. [NYT] It’s the 80th birthday of the First Houses, the city’s first foray into public housing. [Bedford […]

Uncategorized

January 5, 2015

NYC Sees an Increase in Solar Energy

We've been talking so much about real estate trends and all the swanky new condo developments that we can expect to see in 2015, but there's another, more subtle trend that's already taking shape. And it's environmentally friendly. As CNBC reports, "New York City is experiencing a solar renaissance." The city has seen a recent flurry of initiatives that advocate for green building, including Governor Cuomo's $1 billion commitment to solar projects and his law that doubles tax breaks for those who install solar panels on their properties. Plus, in November, the City Council passed a bill that says New York City must cut greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050.
Learn how NYC buildings are incorporating solar energy

January 5, 2015

Interior Designer Athena Calderone Wants $4.3M for Industrial Chic DUMBO Pad