The High and Low: A House at the Top

 7 Harrison Street (L); 203 East 13th Street (R)

June 29, 2015

The High and Low: A House at the Top

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Though townhouses, row houses, and wooden houses exist in NYC in lower density areas like Brooklyn and Queens, in Manhattan, there’s often nowhere to build but up. It follows that those who enjoy the conveniences of modern condos sacrifice the feel of a free-standing house, and vice-versa. Penthouse living provides a rare exception; if you’re the top dog, you can basically build what you want, and the highest surface becomes your backyard and front porch. Penthouse bulkheads take a variety of shapes, with the most elaborate ones resembling nothing so much as a modernist masterpiece hovering above it all. In a few notable cases, this allowance is taken more literally than usual. The handful of log cabins, wood houses and such are curiosities atop the city’s tall buildings. The pair of lofty dwellings below exemplifies this good fortune. The first, a glass-walled rectangle above one of Tribeca’s most coveted converted industrial buildings removes the need for a Palm Springs retreat, though the $22.5 million price tag is definitely New York City-sized. The second, at $4.45 million, is more average-penthouse-priced, but the East Village home is definitely unique–its top floor resembles a country cottage.
See more of these have-it-all rooftop pads this way…
June 29, 2015

‘Poor Doors’ No Longer Allowed with New Rent-Regulation Bill

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Thanks to a provision added to the newly extended and altered 421-a tax abatement passed last week, developers looking to segregate their wealthy tenants from their affordable rate renters will have to think again. According to The Post, Mayor de Blasio inserted a reform into the tax program plan that would ban the practice in which developers build a separate entrance for folks occupying the cheaper, below market-rate apartments in their buildings—better known as "poor doors."
More on the move here
FAO Schwarz Readies for a Move to Times Square; The Top 20 Power Players in NYC Real Estate
June 29, 2015

FAO Schwarz Readies for a Move to Times Square; The Top 20 Power Players in NYC Real Estate

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FAO Schwarz is wrapping up negotiations for a Christmas opening in Times Square. [CO] My Micro NYC has finished stacking its modular housing pods. [Field Condition] Jennifer Lawrence spotted looking at an apartment at Tribeca’s 443 Greenwich. [NYDN] The 20 biggest power players in NYC real estate. Norman Foster, Dbox, Soo K. Chan, Annabelle Selldorf and […]

VIDEO: See the 1970s Graffiti Culture of NYC in This BBC Documentary
June 29, 2015

VIDEO: See the 1970s Graffiti Culture of NYC in This BBC Documentary

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Watch this 26-minute video without sound and you'll see a striking, visual portrait of the 1970s graffiti movement in NYC, where everything from park monuments to subway cars was covered in tags. Listen to the commentary, though, and you'll find something much deeper. Created as a mini-documentary for BBC, the video explores the root of graffiti culture. Is it folk art, youngsters marking their territory, planned-out vandalism, a result of pent-up anxiety, or quiet rebellion? Keep in mind this one of the roughest and crime-ridden decades in the city, so it's interesting to see how some of those interviewed saw graffiti as a parallel to the crime, while others felt it was an artistic alternative that typified the energy of New York.
Watch the video here
Wooden Sauna Welcomes Guests to Sweat Out the Stress of the City
June 29, 2015

Wooden Sauna Welcomes Guests to Sweat Out the Stress of the City

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Located among grain silos, dairy barns, greenhouses and a grand 1940s estate house in Staatsburg sits a beautiful wood sauna construction. Designed by Andre Tchelistcheff Architects, it features long horizontal windows that span all of its facades, each window framing majestic views of the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains. Its woodland surroundings together with its cozy and scented interiors make this modern sauna perfect for sweating out any stress brought in from the city.
Learn more about this warm wooden retreat
June 29, 2015

Domino Sugar Factory Might Get a Photobook; NYC’s Economic Pizza Principle

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Urban photographer Paul Raphaelson is raising funds on Kickstarter to produce a photobook called “Sweet Ruin: The Brooklyn Domino Sugar Refinery” in which he’ll feature his shots of the abandoned site. [CO] Check out these fun photos from yesterday’s “exultant” Gay Pride Parade 2015. [Gothamist] Though it won’t open for another year, here’s a first look […]

Discover Your Inner Activist in This Brooklyn Heights Home of Women’s Rights
June 29, 2015

Discover Your Inner Activist in This Brooklyn Heights Home of Women’s Rights

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Here's an opportunity to own a piece of history in this beautiful $2.995 million parlor-floor duplex in the mansion that once housed the Brooklyn Women's Club and the Brooklyn Woman Suffrage Association. This very building at 114 Pierrepont Street was the gathering place of visionaries like Laura Curtis Bullard, Elizabeth Tilton and Ida Sherwood Coffin, who hosted lectures on world politics and peace advocacy as well as events like card games. And the apartment is as grand as its history.
More pics inside
Joan Rivers’s Opulent UES Penthouse May Have a New Owner
June 29, 2015

Joan Rivers’s Opulent UES Penthouse May Have a New Owner

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It's been almost five months since the late, great Joan Rivers's opulent Upper East Side penthouse hit the market for $28 million, and now the Post is reporting that the lavish triplex at 1 East 62nd Street may have a new owner. "Last Thursday, its final day, art and antiques storage specialists packed and hauled the remainder of what was heading to Christie’s and elsewhere... The sale’s not gone to contract, but there is a buyer," notes the paper.
Find out more here
Live the Charmed Life in This $1.3M Historic Babylon Victorian
June 28, 2015

Live the Charmed Life in This $1.3M Historic Babylon Victorian

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With one look at this house you can immediately see the harmony at work between modern and traditional. Only a modern house would dare to be coated in a color so striking. However, the Victorian features of this Babylon, NY home elevate it from merely striking to sophisticated and chic. This 3,956-square-foot Babylon Victorian (h/t CIRCA) is perfect for the person who loves old world charm with modern conveniences (and who has $1.3 million to spend).
Look around the house here

Distinctive Homes

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Weekly Highlights: Top Picks from the 6sqft Staff
June 27, 2015

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks from the 6sqft Staff

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Landmarks Preservation Commission Maps 150 Years of LGBTQ History in Greenwich Village For $1.25M You Can Live Like a Governor’s Daughter in This Historic Victorian Home Are You Rich? The Wealthometer Will Tell You 2,000 NYCHA Apartments Are Vacant Despite 270,000-Name Waiting List Unique Brooklyn Heights Studio Comes with Clever Space-Saving Ideas and a Private […]

Live in the Funky Former UES Factory of 1930s Gnome Bakers for $14K
June 26, 2015

Live in the Funky Former UES Factory of 1930s Gnome Bakers for $14K

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There are few things in life more charming than a gnome. We're willing to bet Americans would take more vacations if they could just pack that little guy from Travelocity along with them. Well, we'll do you one better. We are talking an actual gnome house. That's right, this $14,000 rental at 316 East 59th Street was once home to Gnome Bakers, a little bakery that sold oddly shaped breads and rolls.
More pics inside
Darling Upstate Cottage Looks Like It Came Straight out of a Storybook
June 26, 2015

Darling Upstate Cottage Looks Like It Came Straight out of a Storybook

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Looking for a place to live happily ever after? We couldn't have dreamt up a more picturesque home than this little beauty located in Ghent, New York. Described by its listing as "pure magic in a storybook setting," this charmer comes with streams and ponds right at its doorstep and a wooden bridge to welcome guests home, and it's surrounded by miles and miles of pristine woodlands to get lost in. Really, the only things missing here are Golidlocks and three bears!
Have a look inside the fairy tale home
New Yorker Spotlight: Patty Dolan Shares Stories of Running the Hampton Jitney for 16 Years
June 26, 2015

New Yorker Spotlight: Patty Dolan Shares Stories of Running the Hampton Jitney for 16 Years

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Memorial Day might be the unofficial start of summer, but the end of June marks a distinct shift in the city. With temperatures climbing, school finally out, and July 4th a week away, New Yorkers are ready to beat the heat by heading east. For many, that means booking a seat on Hampton Jitney, where they can enjoy the Long Island Expressway in style. Since 1974, Hampton Jitney has been a pioneer in Manhattan-to-East-End transportation. What began with one van has blossomed into a major transportation operation, and the company relies heavily on its experienced employees like Patty Dolan to keep service running smoothly. Patty has worked at Hampton Jitney for 16 years. She has held various positions, and in her own words, has done everything but drive and fix the buses. Today, Patty serves as both a reservations manager and dispatcher, which has turned her into a multitasking problem solver extraordinaire. In time for Hampton Jitney's peak season, we spoke with Patty to find out how she helps keep the wheels turning, as well as to pick up a few travel tips.
Read the full interview here
Inside a Bed-Stuy Home with Over $10M in African Art; Greenpoint Landing Breaks Ground
June 26, 2015

Inside a Bed-Stuy Home with Over $10M in African Art; Greenpoint Landing Breaks Ground

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Model and Kardashian friend Gigi Hadid checks out an apartment on the East Side. [NYDN] Greenpoint Landing broke ground today. The half-mile, 22-acre stretch along the East River will include 1,400 affordable housing units, a new 640-seat public school, and four acres of resilient public green space along the waterfront. [6sqft inbox] Why it’s a renter’s market and […]

Moooi Makes Stunning Photorealistic Carpets Using iPhone Photos
June 26, 2015

Moooi Makes Stunning Photorealistic Carpets Using iPhone Photos

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Dutch design is famous for its daring, playful, and smart solutions, and these photorealistic carpets by Moooi completely exemplify that esthetic. The furniture and lighting brand recently launched Moooi Carpets, a sister company with an advanced print-on-demand technology that allows people to design their own rug -- or choose one from its Signature Collection by the likes of Ross Lovegrove or Christian Lacroix. Featuring extreme high definition and available in immense dimensions that could cover floors, walls, and ceilings, these stunning carpets might be setting a new trend for interior decoration.
Learn more about these customizable carpets
QUIZ: Can You Name These Starchitects by Their Distinguishing Features?
June 26, 2015

QUIZ: Can You Name These Starchitects by Their Distinguishing Features?

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Is it his rounded spectacles that give him away? Or is it that perfectly touseled hair? And her? That mane totally says Zaha Hadid. When it comes to architecture you may know your post-modern from your mid-century, but how familiar are you with the famed names that have shaped architecture's most important movements? This fun quiz called The Distinguishing Features Game is quite the brain teaser and comes courtesy of "Archi-Graphic," an upcoming book of more than 60 arch-centric infographics from author, architect and assistant professor at the Faye Jones School of Architecture, University of Arkansas, Frank Jacobus.
Find out more here
Study Says Wood Buildings Are Cheaper to Build; New York Wheel Groundbreaking Delayed Again
June 26, 2015

Study Says Wood Buildings Are Cheaper to Build; New York Wheel Groundbreaking Delayed Again

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The world’s oldest person  lives in Brooklyn, and she attributes her longevity to sleep. [NYDN] New study shows that timber buildings can be up to 10-15 percent cheaper to construct than traditional designs. [ArchDaily] Photo exhibition at the Four Seasons pits Philip Johnson’s Glass House against Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House. [Untapped] Groundbreaking for the New York Wheel, a.k.a. the […]

Chris Meloni of ‘Law & Order: SVU’ Fame Tries Again to Unload Park Imperial Condo
June 26, 2015

Chris Meloni of ‘Law & Order: SVU’ Fame Tries Again to Unload Park Imperial Condo

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Everyone's favorite "Law & Order" hunk is looking to ditch NYC for good. Christopher Meloni left the incredibly popular television show in 2011 after a 12-year run, relocating with his family to a home in the Hollywood Hills. The following year, he put his 3,000-square-foot, three-bedroom Park Imperial condo on the market for $12 million, but after failing to get the asking price, he settled on renting it out for the past several years. Now it's back, asking a significantly reduced $8.95 million (he bought the Midtown West pad for $5.45 million back in 2005), reports the Wall Street Journal.
See what Meloni has to say about his condo
Pitch a story icon Know of something cool happening in New York? Let us know:
2,000 NYCHA Apartments Are Vacant Despite 270,000-Name Waiting List

Photo via Wiki Commons

June 25, 2015

2,000 NYCHA Apartments Are Vacant Despite 270,000-Name Waiting List

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Photo via Wiki Commons For many New Yorkers, public housing is the only affordable way to live in the city, but despite an ever-growing waiting list, thousands of these homes are sitting empty, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal about an audit of NYCHA by Comptroller Scott Stringer. At a release of the findings yesterday at the Raymond V. Ingersoll Houses in Brooklyn, Stringer said: "Even though 270,000 New Yorkers are on the waiting list for housing, desperate to put a roof above their heads, we found that NYCHA is sitting on over 2,000 apartments they identify as vacant." The audit shows that 1,366 apartments are empty awaiting repairs, and 967 are between tenants.
More audit findings ahead
$2M Gefter-Press House Was Designed as an Homage to Philip Johnson’s Glass House
June 25, 2015

$2M Gefter-Press House Was Designed as an Homage to Philip Johnson’s Glass House

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This must be the week of glass houses: Yesterday we took a look at Philip Johnson's Wiley House–built as a successor to his world-famous Glass House–which is on the market for $14 million; today we're checking out the $1,950,000 Gefter-Press House, inspired by Johnson's Glass House as well as Mies van der Rohe's Farnswoth House in Plano, IL. The U-shaped, single-story, all-glass-and-steel home was designed in 2007 by Columbia University professor and architect Michael Bell, "as an essay in transparency," according to the listing. He had previously displayed a model of the home at a 1999 MoMA exhibit titled "The Un-Private House." Philip Gefter, the former culture pictures editor at the New York Times, and his partner, filmmaker Richard Press, had seen the model, and called Bell when they were ready to build their own version of the modernist masterpiece on their 12-acre property in Ghent, NY.
Check out the entire home here
Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week, 6/25-7/1

Image by Vivienne Gucwa via flickr

June 25, 2015

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week, 6/25-7/1

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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 which start tonight! The dominating celebration of this week and weekend is of course NYC Pride, a city-wide, days-long series of festivities celebrating LGBT, diversity and an overall message of LOVE. If you can't take the crowds during the iconic March, make sure not to miss the screening of "Paris is Burning," which will include a reunion with original cast members. On the art side, enjoy a survey of stencil art at Dorian Grey, while the Gladstone Gallery will be transforming its walls into literal art works. The Lower East Side Printshop shows off its most recent artists in residence, and Chashama's Harlem space will be hosting a show about Spinozan ethics (go to at least find out what that means). Artist Andrew Jeffrey Wright blends art, comedy and a dance party (together at last!) and innovative fashion collective threeASFOUR creates a fashion-meets-art installation for you and your dog on the beach in Fire Island.
All the best events here
VIDEO: Here’s What It Was Like to Live in 1960s Greenwich Village, a ‘Countrified Cosmopolitan’
June 25, 2015

VIDEO: Here’s What It Was Like to Live in 1960s Greenwich Village, a ‘Countrified Cosmopolitan’

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Yes, the 1960s were a rocky period; a turning point for a nation at war and an era that birthed a counterculture movement that would transform the world as everyone knew it. But amongst all the chaos, life went on in NYC. And in Greenwich Village things were especially great. We recently uncovered this fun little film that takes viewers through the trends and lifestyles that permeated throughout the beloved neighborhood. Although the times were far different—apartments were filled with struggling creatives like Dylan Thomas, Norman Mailer and Bob Dylan versus wealthy celebs like Leonardo DiCaprio and Sarah Jessica Parker—the life that's depicted isn't all that different from what the neighborhood's uber-rich residents enjoy today. Daily habits, or "chores" as the video calls them, ranged from "minding the laundry, browsing through antique shops for possible bargains, or discovering a rare volume in a quaint bookstore." Folks would then of course follow up all that work up with a "relaxing moment" at one of the many sidewalk cafes where they'd find an artist ready to draw them.
Watch the video here
Bloomberg’s Ex Lists Her Noho Pad for $12M; China’s Richest Man Buys in the Adirondacks
June 25, 2015

Bloomberg’s Ex Lists Her Noho Pad for $12M; China’s Richest Man Buys in the Adirondacks

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Susan Brown, Mayor Bloomberg’s ex-wife, is asking $11.7M for her NoHo penthouse. [NYDN] China’s wealthiest man just purchased 28,100 acres of land in the Adirondacks for $23M. [NYDN] Poor whites tend to live in wealthier neighborhoods than do middle class blacks and Latinos, a new study reveals. [Washington Post] The New York City Economic Development Corp […]

Workshop/APD’s ‘Crafted Modern’ Hudson Views Home Grows out of an Old Ranch
June 25, 2015

Workshop/APD’s ‘Crafted Modern’ Hudson Views Home Grows out of an Old Ranch

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anchCan you believe this grand contemporary home was once a ranch? The architects in charge of the surprising renovation, NY-based Workshop/APD, updated a traditional '60s ranch building, retaining much of its original shape. Situated in Briarcliff Manor, the aptly named Hudson Views home boasts sweeping river views and its original gabled roof, and it still sits atop the ranch's original foundation dating back to its agricultural days.
Learn more about the home
Landmarks Preservation Commission Maps 150 Years of LGBTQ History in Greenwich Village
June 25, 2015

Landmarks Preservation Commission Maps 150 Years of LGBTQ History in Greenwich Village

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We're right in the middle of NYC Pride Week, and this Sunday will be filled with festivities surrounding the 45th annual Pride Parade, the largest parade of its kind in the world. And in a perfectly timed decision, the Landmarks Preservation Commission announced on Tuesday that it had designated the Stonewall Inn as the city's first LGBT landmark. The LPC now has even more to share, releasing a fun new interactive map called Taking Pride, which documents 150 years of LGBTQ history in Greenwich Village, the hub for gay activism in the city, and even the world.
READ MORE
100 Years Ago the BMT Subway Changed Brooklyn; New App Gives Access to Clean Public Bathrooms
June 25, 2015

100 Years Ago the BMT Subway Changed Brooklyn; New App Gives Access to Clean Public Bathrooms

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Here’s an interview with Ghislaine Viñas Interior Design, notable for their colorful and whimsical designs, as well as an inside look at their work studio. [Design Milk] A new app called SpotPog lets Brooklynites identify street parking spots, reserve them, and offer a spot to someone else. [Next City] Another app, this one called Looie, gives users access […]

$2M Townhouse in Downtown Brooklyn Has a Goldfish Pond and 30 Types of Flowers
June 25, 2015

$2M Townhouse in Downtown Brooklyn Has a Goldfish Pond and 30 Types of Flowers

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Sitting on a quiet block of colorful, historic homes in Vinegar Hill (okay, Downtown Brooklyn, but minor details...) is the perfect three-bedroom townhouse for a budding family. The 100-year-old storybook home covers 1,878 square feet and features a shady landscaped backyard with more than 30 types of flowers, a stone goldfish pond, and a winding path. And it's back on the market for $1.995 million.
Check it out here

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Following a Meticulous Renovation, Philip Johnson’s Wiley House Is on the Market for $14M
June 24, 2015

Following a Meticulous Renovation, Philip Johnson’s Wiley House Is on the Market for $14M

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The listing says it's "perhaps the ultimate Mid-Century Modern home available in the world." We can't confirm or deny that statement, but we can assure you that this property, Philip Johnson's Wiley House, is a pretty incredible piece of modern architecture. Located in New Canaan, the same Connecticut town as the architect's world-famous Glass House, the Wiley House is considered the most "livable" of all Johnson's works. It was built in the 1950s, sits on six acres of land, and is "a transparent glass rectangle cantilevered over a stone podium," according to the Wall Street Journal. Wall Street executive Frank Gallipoli bought the property for $1 million in 1994, a time when buying modernist homes was not as popular as it is today. He then spent millions more to restore the property, preserving Johnson's original design, but adding green upgrades like heat-insulating glass panes and floor heating. Gallipoli told the Journal that living in the home is like being "up in a treehouse."
Check out the rest of this amazing property
Looking at NYC’s 10 Scenic Landmarks and What Sets Them Apart from Other Public Parks
June 24, 2015

Looking at NYC’s 10 Scenic Landmarks and What Sets Them Apart from Other Public Parks

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Since 2015 marks the 50th anniversary of the New York City landmarks law, we've been talking a lot about historic buildings–those that have been saved, those that were destroyed, secrets of some of the city's most famous spots. We even discovered that there are two landmarked individual trees. And starting tomorrow, the New York City Parks Department is hosting a new exhibit at the Arsenal in Central Park called Living Landmarks, which takes a look at nine of the city's ten scenic landmarks, showcasing "their contributions to landscape design and to the dynamism of the city through historical and contemporary photography, renderings, maps, artifacts, and memorabilia." Many of these, like Central Park, Prospect Park, and Bryant Park, are no brainers, while others like Verdi Square, Fort Tryon, and Ocean Parkway, are a little more under-the-radar.
See the rest and find out what makes these public spaces landmark-worthy
First Look: Andrés Jaque’s Wild, Water-Purifying ‘COSMO’ Now Open at MoMA PS1!

Photo © Miguel de Guzman

June 24, 2015

First Look: Andrés Jaque’s Wild, Water-Purifying ‘COSMO’ Now Open at MoMA PS1!

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"COSMO" has officially brought the party to MoMA PS1. The winning project of MoMA PS1's 16th Young Architects Program (YAP) is now open for public viewing in the museum affiliate's courtyard. "COSMO: Give me a pipe and I will move/celebrate the Earth," which was designed by Andrés Jaque/Office for Political Innovation, is a moveable artifact made from customized irrigation components that puts out an effort to make visible–and enjoyable–the hidden urbanism of the water pipes we live by. We stopped by the courtyard earlier today as "COSMO" got its finishing touches, and we must say, this installation looks as incredible as its renderings.
Your first look here
The World’s Largest Geodesic Dome Home on Long Island Now Selling for $1M
June 24, 2015

The World’s Largest Geodesic Dome Home on Long Island Now Selling for $1M

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We've featured this incredible green dome home on 6sqft before, but now comes word that this spectacular dwelling has hit the market for $1 million. The home, located at 1489 Sound Avenue in Calverton on Long Island, is the world's largest geodesic dome home, measuring a massive 70 feet in diameter, 45 feet high, with 5,850 square feet at its disposal. In fact, according to its owner Kevin Shea, it's so big that "two traditional homes can fit inside!"
Have a look inside
Mike Myers Selling Two Soho Apartments for $21.5M; South Street Seaport Named an Endangered Historic Place
June 24, 2015

Mike Myers Selling Two Soho Apartments for $21.5M; South Street Seaport Named an Endangered Historic Place

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Mike Myers ups the ante on his penthouse listing, adding another unit and a few extra million dollars to the price tag. [Curbed] South Street Seaport is one of the nation’s most endangered historic places. [Crain’s] The developer of the Rheingold Brewery site in Bushwick is allegedly trying to nix including any affordable housing. [DNA […]

‘Sofa So Good’ Is Finnish Designer Janne Kyttanen’s Latest 3D Printed Piece
June 24, 2015

‘Sofa So Good’ Is Finnish Designer Janne Kyttanen’s Latest 3D Printed Piece

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Finnish designer and conceptual artist Janne Kyttanen first fell in love with 3D printing while studying at Amsterdam's Gerrit Rietveld Academy. After graduating, he soon started imagining a future where products would be scaled down into digital files and people could just download any design they liked. His "Sofa So Good" piece is one of his latest and most intricate 3D printed designs, which joins a wide collection of objects he's created that includes lamps, tables and packaging as well as ping-pong paddles and futuristic shoes.
Learn more about sofa so good
Whole Foods Is Ripping Us Off; The Strange Collections Jay Maisel Left Behind at 190 Bowery
June 24, 2015

Whole Foods Is Ripping Us Off; The Strange Collections Jay Maisel Left Behind at 190 Bowery

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Keith Haring’s six-story Statue of Liberty mural is going up for auction. [NYP] Turns out there is some validity to the “Whole Paycheck” nickname for Whole Foods. The grocery store has been overcharging for pre-packaged foods. [Gothamist] Past and present: Manhattan Beach’s “Apartcot” bungalow colony. [Brownstoner] According to an interview with real estate investor Aby […]

June 24, 2015

POLL: How Do You Like the Nordstrom Tower’s New Name, Central Park Tower?

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We knew the name Nordstrom Tower wasn’t going to stick; the unofficial moniker came only from the fact that the building will have a Nordstrom department store at its base. And just a week after news hit that the supertall from Extell will be the country’s highest by roof height, we’ve learned the official name: Central Park […]

Renderings Revealed for Pacific Park Mega-Development’s Eight-Acre Green Space
June 24, 2015

Renderings Revealed for Pacific Park Mega-Development’s Eight-Acre Green Space

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Formerly known as Atlantic Yards, Pacific Park Brooklyn will be a 22-acre site anchored by the Barclays Center in Prospect Heights and containing eight million square feet of mixed-use development that includes 16 condo towers and 2,250 units of affordable housing, as well as an eight-acre park. Almost a year ago, developers Forest City Ratner Companies and Greenland USA (now merged as Greenland Forest City Partners) announced that they'd chosen Thomas Balsley Associates to design the green space. And now, we're finally seeing the first set of renderings for the public space, in addition to a master plan. The Daily News first shared the renderings, showing "the long, meandering park, which will follow the footprint of the new towers." The outdoor space will boast a public plaza and promenade, toddler and children's play areas, a bocce ball court, basketball court, dog run, glowing lanterns, sloping lawns, and a water garden.
More details ahead
$3M Brooklyn Heights Duplex Features Huge Outdoor Living Area Complete with a Fire Pit
June 24, 2015

$3M Brooklyn Heights Duplex Features Huge Outdoor Living Area Complete with a Fire Pit

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Here's a $2.995 million garden duplex at 132 State Street in Brooklyn Heights with a gorgeous private backyard. The 25-foot-wide brownstone apartment features 2,275 square feet on the garden and parlor levels. And it's almost an insult to call the 1,000-square-foot rear garden "just" a backyard. It's actually more like an outdoor living room, but we'll get to that later.
More pics inside
INTERVIEW: Fōz Design’s Fauzia Khanani, a Young Architect Goes Solo in NYC
June 23, 2015

INTERVIEW: Fōz Design’s Fauzia Khanani, a Young Architect Goes Solo in NYC

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Apart from Zaha Hadid, Jeanne Gang and Annabelle Selldorf, very few women in architecture manage to grab headlines like their male counterparts. But a relative newcomer named Fauzia Khanani is hoping to help change all of that. Fauzia started her practice, Fōz Design, back in 2011 with a single project in upstate New York. Since then, she's grown what was then a huge leap of faith into a full-fledged design studio working on residential, commercial office and public spaces from New York to California. We recently caught up with Fauzia to learn more about what it's been like to go out on her own in such competitive city, the challenges of being a female minority architect in world being designed by men, and how taking a "reflective design" approach can really improve a space.
Read our interview with Fauzia here
3 World Trade Center Gets Update to Better Complement Its Bjarke Ingels-Designed Neighbor

Original design of 3 WTC (L); Revised design without the roof masts (R)

June 23, 2015

3 World Trade Center Gets Update to Better Complement Its Bjarke Ingels-Designed Neighbor

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Ever since starchitect Bjarke Ingels revealed renderings for 2 World Trade Center (after taking over the design from Norman Foster), the building has been the talk of the architecture world, especially since Ingels has been so generous about giving interviews to the press. The tower has now even influenced the architects of 3 World Trade Center (a.k.a. 175 Greenwich Street) to rethink their design. As Yimby reports, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners have amended their plan for the third-tallest building on the site to have a more streamlined roof, now void of its spires, to better complement 2 World Trade.
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Join Global Architecture, Urban Planning and Real Estate Pundits at the NYT’s Cities for Tomorrow Conference
June 23, 2015

Join Global Architecture, Urban Planning and Real Estate Pundits at the NYT’s Cities for Tomorrow Conference

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The New York Times Cities For Tomorrow conference is back again and better than ever, this time promising to deliver even more riveting talks centered on the forward-thinking innovations that are rapidly reshaping the world as we know it. This year, join Times architecture critic Michael Kimmelman as he leads the two-day event, running July […]

$2.3M Tribeca Penthouse Boasts Angled Skylights and Huge Terrace
June 23, 2015

$2.3M Tribeca Penthouse Boasts Angled Skylights and Huge Terrace

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A unique two-bedroom penthouse lined with massive angled skylights is available at City Hall Tower in Tribeca, asking $2.3 million. But this premier pad is touting more then just greenhouse windows and multiple exposures. It also features a planted wraparound terrace surrounding it on three sides. So we're not just talking about a prime location, but a prime location with a lot of outdoor space. Winning!
More pics inside
General Lee Avenue and Other Markers Pay Tribute to Brooklyn’s Confederate Past

General Lee Avenue and Robert E. Lee’s former home on Fort Hamilton, via Jeremy Bender/Business Insider

June 23, 2015

General Lee Avenue and Other Markers Pay Tribute to Brooklyn’s Confederate Past

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We've all seen the news this week regarding the debate over Confederate flags in the South following the tragedy in Charleston. But a fascinating article today from Business Insider reminds us that the issue isn't necessarily limited to the southern states. In fact, there's an homage to the Confederacy right here in Brooklyn, and it goes largely unnoticed. General Lee Avenue is a half-mile street that runs through Fort Hamilton, the city's last remaining active-duty military base, and is named for Confederate commander General Robert E. Lee, who was the base's engineer before he left for the south. Additionally, there's a plaque marking the home where Lee lived from 1841 to 1846.
Find out more here
Illustrator Federico Babina Reimagines Famous Directors as Architecture
June 23, 2015

Illustrator Federico Babina Reimagines Famous Directors as Architecture

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We've seen famous buildings inspired by inanimate objects, and architecture likened to food, but here are 27 buildings that personify the style of the world's most-noted movie directors. In a fun series called "ARCHIDIRECTOR," Barcelona-based architect-turned-illustrator Federico Babina envisions everyone one from Michel Gondry to the Coen brothers to Stanley Kubrick as fanciful architectural structures that borrow from the imagery of their subjects' most popular films.
Check out all of the posters here
Could the Empire State Building Have Been Built with Wood?

Courtesy of Metsä Wood

June 23, 2015

Could the Empire State Building Have Been Built with Wood?

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Back in March, an Austrian architecture firm announced plans to build the world's tallest wooden skyscraper in Vienna, noting that by using this material instead of concrete, they'd save 3,086 tons of CO2 emissions. The news launched a lot of musings from the architecture community on the benefits of wood construction versus steel or concrete. A new story, originally published on ArchDaily by Patrick Kunkel, takes a look at whether or not the Empire State Building could have been built with timber. Michael Green has teamed up with Finnish forestry company Metsä Wood and Equilibrium Consulting to redesign the Empire State Building with wood as the main material. The project is part of Metsä Wood’s “Plan B” program, which explores what it would be like for iconic buildings to be made of timber. Their work shows that not only can wood be used to produce enormous structures in a dense urban context, but also that timber towers can fit into an urban setting and even mimic recognizable buildings despite differences in material.
Read the rest here
NYPL Opens Its Outdoor Reading Rooms; Are Mets Fans Bad Spellers?
June 23, 2015

NYPL Opens Its Outdoor Reading Rooms; Are Mets Fans Bad Spellers?

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The NYPL opens its outdoor reading rooms today, complete with retro tables and chairs, loungers, and artificial grass. The design is based on a famous 1970 photo. [Gothamist] Twenty of NYC’s top interior designers share their favorite apartments. [Refinery 29] Fun, interactive timeline shows all the things built while we waited 96 years for the Second […]

Lofty Co-Op With Flexible Space Asks $1.5 Million in Greenwich Village
June 23, 2015

Lofty Co-Op With Flexible Space Asks $1.5 Million in Greenwich Village

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This one-bedroom at University Mews, a co-op building at 39 East 12th Street in Greenwich Village, is more than meets the eye. It's not a huge apartment, but smart design has allowed for some surprising extra space. That's no big shock, since the unit's previous owners were architects. So how much for a one bedroom that's located between the Village and Union Square, right in the heart of NYU? It has hit the market asking $1.595 million.
See inside
Are You Rich? The Wealthometer Will Tell You
June 22, 2015

Are You Rich? The Wealthometer Will Tell You

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In a city like New York it's easy to feel poor. Even if you're pulling down six figures, you still probably cringe at your monthly rent and can't afford that summer share on the Hamptons. On the other side of the coin, we can just as easily start to feel richer than we are thanks to the fact that we live in the greatest city in the world and have access to opportunities that few places in the world can claim. But outside of our skewed bubble of NYC, most of us are actually just plain old middle class. As Fast Co. Exist reports, "For all that wealth inequality is now discussed in America, people consistently under- and overestimate their own place on the wealth spectrum. The wealthy think they’re middle class. The poor think they’re middle class. The actual middle class is probably struggling. One reason is that most people know people about as rich or poor as themselves, so everyone thinks they are more normal than they are." There's a new tool, however, to set us all straight. The Wealthometer, created by Harvard University economist Maximilian Kasy, has you enter your assets, and it then tells you where you fall in the distribution of wealth.
Find out more
The High and Low: Architecturally Distinct Modern Townhouse in Brownstone Brooklyn

81 Hanson Place (L); 21 State Street (R)

June 22, 2015

The High and Low: Architecturally Distinct Modern Townhouse in Brownstone Brooklyn

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Townhouses are having a moment. Manhattan’s most lavish single-family homes are top-ticket trophies for the superwealthy. And families who've outgrown their apartments, investors banking on rising rents, and a celebrity or two, are snapping up brownstones on leafy Brooklyn blocks. But a handful of more adventurous buyers -- seeking space and privacy and possessed of some architectural vision -- chose the less-traveled road of creating modern-design homes on the decidedly un-trendy historic blocks of brownstone Brooklyn many decades ago. On the market now is the rare pair below. The first, more of a compound than merely a house, has a creative pedigree and architectural icon status (and a $13 million price tag). This combination of a 1892 school building and the townhouse next door sits among the impressively ornate 19th-century mansions of Fort Greene and boasts an un-missable modern extension and peerless minimalist interior, not to mention sheer size. The second is a more modest home–for a relatively more modest $3.5 million–but is also a unique modern dwelling with a laid-back and livable interior on a coveted tree-lined block of historic Brooklyn Heights.
See more of these unique modern homes this way
Wood and Brick Dominate at This $20,000 a Month Little Italy Rental
June 22, 2015

Wood and Brick Dominate at This $20,000 a Month Little Italy Rental

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This Little Italy loft apartment at 161 Mulberry Street is all wood and brick. You've got striking exposed ceiling beams in the open living and dining area and brick walls in pretty much every room of the apartment. The result is a boho-chic pad with a big price tag: $20,000 a month, to be exact. Think it's worth a stay in this sprawling apartment? We should mention that the price includes all the fancy furniture as well.
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