August 18, 2015

New 15-Story Passive House Condo May Be Coming to 128 West 23rd Street

A new residential building may be coming to West 23rd Street next to Citizen condos. While no new building or demolition permits have been filed for the parcel, an eco-friendly design penned by Sven Peters in collaboration with VUW Studio / CastDesignStudios visualizes the site's full zoning potential. Their 15-story conceptual design targets the "high-end, enviro-hedonist buyer," yielding a 25,000-square-foot building with 15 full-floor loft residences and ground-level commercial space. Their website notes that the project will be designed under the German Passivhaus environmental standards and will incorporate the latest advancements in energy recovery, infiltration mitigation, and air purification.
More details ahead
August 17, 2015

Soccer Star Cristiano Ronaldo Nabs $18.5M Trump Tower Loft

If there's one name in soccer that Americans know (other than David Beckham, of course), it's Cristiano Ronaldo, the forward for Real Madrid, captain of the Portuguese national team, and multiple-time best player in the world winner. It's been rumored that the internationally-known hunk is making a move to the MLS, the United States soccer league, and a recent real estate transaction right here in NYC is fueling the fire. The Post reports that Ronaldo has scored an $18.5 million loft at the Trump Tower from Italian real estate mogul Alessandro Proto.
Check out the loft here
August 17, 2015

NeighborhoodX’s 3D Map Reveals the Blocks Where Real Estate Prices Are Soaring

Click for the expanded version >> We all have a pretty good idea which NYC neighborhoods command top dollar, but this incredible 3D map from NeighborhoodX really puts things into perspective by pinning the city's 325 neighborhoods against one another in a visually jarring side-by-side comparison. Among the most expensive? For Brooklyn, Gravesend beats out our best guess of DUMBO/Brooklyn Heights with its enclave of multi-million dollar, over-the-top mansions; and in Manhattan, Billionaires' Row rises as a whole other beast with prices soaring as high as its supertalls.
get a more detailed look here
August 17, 2015

REVEALED: New Renderings of PMG’s Queens Plaza Park, the Future Tallest Tower Outside Manhattan

Here's a closer look at Property Markets Group and the Hakim Organization's upcoming Long Island City skyscraper dubbed Queens Plaza Park. Slated to soar 70 stories-plus into Queens Plaza's burgeoning skyline, the 915-foot tall building will contain a whopping 800 units, and will be, by far, the largest and tallest residential building outside of Manhattan. Positioned at the forefront of transit-accessible Queens Plaza, the project will encircle and incorporate the 88-year old Manhattan Bank Building (affectionately dubbed "the clock tower"). The joint-venture acquired the building for $31 million last November, which itself was once the tallest building on Long Island, and is now calendared to be designated an official city landmark.
more info on the project here
August 17, 2015

Wood Detailing Galore at This Bed-Stuy Brownstone Asking $2 Million

One of our favorite things about old, well-kept brownstones? The intricate wood detailing you'll find along the doorways, mantelpieces, staircases and shelving. The phrase, "They just don't make them like that anymore" applies here. This brownstone at 429 Hancock Street in Bed-Stuy, a classic Brooklyn brownstone neighborhood, has plenty of the above details. As the listing says, the home is in the Queen Anne style with some Romanesque Revival elements thrown in. It's also got some modern upgrades to go along with it. For this blend of the historic and the new, it's going to cost you a total of $1.999 million.
Tour the interior
August 17, 2015

FiDi’s 50 West Tops Out; Let’s Build Another Borough

FiDi’s new luxury tower 50 West has just topped out. [6sqft inbox; Listings] Limited space? Why don’t we just build another borough? [The Awl] Soho’s mom and pop design shops want to stop the infiltration of corporate retailers. [AMNY] There’s a 19th century stable hidden in the heart of Midtown. [Scouting NY] After 30 years, […]

August 17, 2015

Quirky Taxi Poster Illustrates the Designs of NYC’s Iconic Cabs

Although in daily life you're more likely to curse cabs than celebrate them, this cool print by illustrator James Gulliver Hancock highlights the charms of the city's yellow icon. Featuring the cab designs of today and yesteryear, this wonderful print is a work of art and a pretty accurate representation of just how nutty NYC traffic can get.
Where to buy one here
August 17, 2015

Mapping Every County in America by Its Natural Beauty Ranking

New York has come a long way in recent years in terms of improving its "natural beauty." We added the High Line and Brooklyn Bridge Park. We increased ferry service and are sprucing up the East River esplanade. But apparently this is not enough to make our fine city a "desirable" place to live. A new mapping series from the Washington Post takes data from the USDA's Natural Amenities Scale–a measure of the physical characteristics of a county area that enhance the location as a place to live–and color codes from low to average to high just how naturally beautiful and pleasant a given county is. The scale takes into account "six measures of climate, topography, and water area that reflect environmental qualities most people prefer," which includes "warm winter, winter sun, temperate summer, low summer humidity, topographic variation, and water area." And judging by today's stickiness and last winter's polar vortex, maybe it's our extreme seasons that are putting our counties in the "low" category.
Find out more here
August 17, 2015

For $1.85M This Park Slope Floor-Through Has Pre-War Charm and Parkside Cachet

For some Park Slope buyers it might be enough that this 1,700-square-foot, three-bedroom co-op at 90 Prospect Park West is directly across from the 585-acre park. Of course, there are those three bedrooms, gorgeous pre-war bones, three exposures, custom built-ins and clean, updated interiors. But this prime Center Slope home also has that covetable Brooklyn perk: outdoor space, in the form of a sweet semi-private deck. Currently on the market for $1.85 million, the unit last changed hands in July of 2010 for $1.155 million, so the current ask would add up to a significant payday for the current owners. Another minor historic footnote: in the 1960s and '70s, the building's tenants purchased the then-rent-stabilized building and set up co-operative ownership–making it possibly the first co-op building in Brooklyn.
Take a tour
August 16, 2015

Bring the Elements of NYC Into Your Home (Sans the Grime) With These Printed Pillows

No need to reach for your hand sanitizer after handling these NYC artifacts. Ronda J. Smith's "In the Seam" pillows are meant to spruce up lackluster spaces while celebrating all that makes New York New York. Pigeons, rats and all. Works of art in their own right, each image featured has been shot by Rhonda herself (she's also a photographer specializing in food and still life), then printed on cotton sateen, hand stuffed, and sewn onto cotton-twill fabric in Brooklyn.
Where to get them here
August 16, 2015

Construction Begins on Bushwick’s AnX Artist Lofts by Gene Kaufman

Construction has begun on a cross-braced, utilitarian artists' space in the heart of Bushwick at 13 Grattan Street. According to the Wall Street Journal, after the great success of the adjacent artist production studio space The BogArt in 2005, contemporary patrons of the arts Marianne and Ted Hovivian decided to meet the growing demand for affordable work and exhibition space with a new 40,000-square-foot building. The mixed-use development will be divided between 23,000 square feet of artist lofts on the second through fourth floors and an additional 8,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor.
More details here
August 15, 2015

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks from the 6sqft Staff

Venus and Serena Williams Sell Midtown West Apartment for $2M The Bronx Is Getting a New Mixed-Use High-Rise Near Yankee Stadium Facebook Co-Founder Lists His Elegant Bespoke Soho Loft for $8.75M First Look at 23-Story Condominium Replacing Greenwich Village’s Bowlmor Lanes New York Times Custom Birthday Book Features Every Front Page Since Your Birth Inside […]

August 14, 2015

Hudson Yards’ Outdoor Observation Deck Will Be the Highest in the City

At the end of last year, we learned that 30 Hudson Yards, the 92-story tower that's part of the west side mega-development, would offer a death-defying observation deck. Initial reports said that a tilting glass walkway would jut out of the building around 1,000 feet, but a new report from the Post confirms that the actual height will be 1,100 feet. This puts it 50 feet higher than the Empire State Building's 86th-floor outdoor observation deck, making it the highest in the city. The paper also has a shiny new rendering of the deck, which will span more than 5,000 square feet and boast 360-degree views.
Find out more here
August 14, 2015

What’s Your Subway Cred? New Game Judges You Based on the Number of Stations You’ve Visited

Akin to pinning all of the cities you've visited on a world map, "What's your Subway Number?" allows you to visually quantify your worldliness—or in this case your "New Yorkness"—by accounting for every subway stop you've stepped foot in. The game is the clever creation of digital designer Mike Solomon, and breaks straphangers down into four categories: Rich Tourist, Junior Commuter, Official Resident, and NYC Lifer.
Find out more here
August 14, 2015

VIDEO: This Guy Pays $1,100 to Live in an 100-Square-Foot Apartment

Madison, Wisconsin transplant Grayson Altenberg is paying $1,100 a month for a 100-square-foot apartment in a 4th-story walk-up. Yes, it’s as insane as it sounds. [Village Voice] Helping sugar daddies and their sugar babies find apartments on the hush is big business. [NYDN] A $150,000/month apartment at One57 is the city’s priciest non-hotel rental. [Curbed] The […]

Pitch a story icon Know of something cool happening in New York? Let us know:
August 14, 2015

New Yorker Spotlight: BriAnne Wills, Creator of the Latest Internet Sensation ‘Girls and Their Cats’

Cats are certainly having their moment. From memes to museum exhibits to full-page articles in major publications, felines are everywhere these days. And for the women who love their cats, there's a chance to join in on the fun thanks to fashion photographer BriAnne Wills. Earlier this year, BriAnne founded Girls and Their Cats, a photography series capturing the intimate bond between New York women and their kitty companions. She initially launched her work on a Tumblr page, expecting it to be a quick project before she got back to the fashion world. Instead, cat lovers found BriAnne, and she now has almost 4,000 followers on Girls and Their Cats' Instagram account. She is currently expanding the series to accommodate the growing community of like-minded women relishing their fondness for felines. We recently chatted with BriAnne about how her small project is quickly becoming a big one and why women and their cats are in the spotlight.
READ MORE
August 14, 2015

Map Shows the Countries Other Than Mexico That Have the Most Immigrants in Each U.S. State

New York prides itself on its diversity, so it comes as no surprise that we have the second-highest immigration population in the country. But what may be surprising is that the most immigrants–other than those from Mexico–in our state come from China, according to this informative map. In nearby New Jersey and Connecticut, India is responsible for the largest immigrant group.
More on the map here
August 14, 2015

Cozy Ground-Floor Duplex in Midtown West With Big Terrace Asks $1.1 Million

If you're looking for space and a central location like Midtown Manhattan, check out this one-bedroom co-op that is now for sale by owner. It's a duplex in Midtown West at 453 West 43rd Street located on the ground and lower floors. It comes with two bedrooms, 900 square feet, and a large, 575-square-foot terrace. Of course, extra space and a convenient Manhattan location don't come cheap–the ask comes in at $1.1 million.
See the interior
August 14, 2015

Photographs Document Transformation of Freshkills; Pool Floatie Explodes Like a Jack-in-the-Box

A new Lomography photography exhibit shows Freshkills‘ transformation from landfill to park. [DNAinfo] Have a look at the colorful murals coming to the construction fence of Brooklyn’s Pacific Park mega-development. [Curbed] Why John Scioli, the 30-year owner of Cobble Hill’s beloved Community Bookstore, is cashing out. [Gothamist] Take a tour of a family’s magical farmhouse upstate […]

August 14, 2015

Construction Kicks Off at Morris Adjmi’s 540 West 26th Street, New Renderings Revealed

Construction has kicked off on a sleek, nine-story commercial and gallery building in the heart of West Chelsea's gallery district. It's being developed by Savanna Fund, the Manhattes Group, and the Silvermintz family. Located just half a block from the High Line, the 145,000- square-foot, 159-foot-tall project at 540 West 26th Street replaces a parking lot and a two-story commercial building once home to the Lehmann Maupin Gallery. The building's straitlaced design, penned by Morris Adjmi Architects, is massed in two tiers and adorned with a repeating grid of factory-sash, floor-to-ceiling windows. Adjmi's site notes that the facade's "bead-blasted aluminum frame" is a nod to the district's robust industrial character. Furthermore, the interiors will be detailed with blackened steel, finished concrete, and salvaged wood. The lower level will house gallery spaces, while the floors above will provide full-floor commercial offices with generous floor-to-ceiling heights. The setback of the upper two floors allow for a spacious landscaped terrace with views of the Hudson River.
More on the project right this way
August 14, 2015

Inside Hillary and Bill Clintons’ Sprawling $100K Hamptons Rental

It looks like Hillary Clinton is hoping to add some R&R to her campaigning spree at the end of August. The Post reports that the Democratic presidential candidate and husband Bill are renting a sizable mansion at 44 Broadview Road in Amagansett from Republican art collector Andre Nasser and his wife, Sotheby's real estate bigwig, Lois. The reported price? Oh, a mere $100,000 for two weeks.
Go inside the Hamptons home here
August 14, 2015

Elegant Brownstone in Sleepy South Slope Asks $2.65M

The Brooklyn neighborhood of Greenwood–with Park Slope to the north and Sunset Park to the south–has become a top choice for buyers priced out of other headline-stealing neighborhoods. It retains its somewhat sleepy old-Brooklyn feel, while enabling residents to stay in the loop with an ever-growing roster of amenities–including those in nearby Park Slope, Gowanus and Red Hook. The area is convenient, transit-wise; Prospect Park is its northeast border, and adjacent Green Wood Cemetery is one of the city's most treasured green spaces. South Slope itself has seen a precipitous price leap as it has gone from being a dodgy lower annex to merely a more laid-back option. And homes in Greenwood are no longer the "steal" they once were, but they are still expected to be considerably less costly than their northern counterparts. The row of stately four-story 19th century brownstones that includes 228 17th Street seems almost out of place among the eclectic mix of wood-frame, vinyl-sided and brick homes, larger townhouses and apartment buildings, some of them with modern renovations (plus the unavoidable march of new construction), that give both South Slope and Greenwood their laid-back feel. But variety is certainly welcome here. The home was first listed in April with Brooklyn Properties for $2.95 million, reduced to $2.750 million shortly thereafter, delisted in July, then listed anew in the able hands of Halstead at its current ask.
Take a tour
August 13, 2015

Marilyn Monroe and Milton Greene Conspired in This Upper East Side Townhouse

Back in 2006, this 3,500 square-foot four-story Upper East Side townhouse first surfaced on the rental market, and again three years later; in 2010, its owner attempted to find a renter for the winter holiday season (a portion of December) apparently without much luck. After bouncing through several different agencies, 127 East 78th Street landed at Sotheby's in 2011 with the intent of marketing the house as a summer rental for $25K; not much luck there either, as townhouse renters tended to want something more long term. A lesson seems to have been learned here, as there are no short-term stipulations mentioned in its new listing for $27,500.00 a month. What is mentioned is more interesting: The townhouse once belonged to famous fashion photographer Milton Greene–known for his collaboration with Marilyn Monroe on photo shoots as well as their joint film production company–and his wife, Amy. Marilyn considered the home a sanctuary among friends when she was in town. And though its interiors have likely been updated since Marilyn's day, the elegant Upper East Side enclave still retains the aura of an East Coast refuge for Old Hollywood.
Take a look around
August 13, 2015

Could This Honeycomb Tower Be Moshe Safdie’s Bancroft Building Replacement?

Images of a mysterious high-rise project have been posted on the website of Architecture Work Office, depicting a balcony-laden 50-story residential tower that balloons in area as it rises. The rendered skyscraper appears to align with a block-through development site near the corner of West 29th Street and Fifth Avenue that has been assembled by Ziel Feldman's HFZ Development. That site was purchased from the Collegiate Churches of New York in 2013 and was partially occupied by the striped brick and limestone Bancroft Building dating to 1896. Despite pleas from preservationists, the building was demolished earlier this year and has gone down as one of the city's most heart-wrenching architectural losses in recent years.
is this new tower in the works?
August 13, 2015

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week, 8/13-8/19

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 end of week picks for 6sqft readers! This week, time travel to relive two iconic, yet very different, New York moments. Head to Times Square to recreate the 1945 sailor kiss that became famous on the cover of LIFE Magazine, or scoot up to the Bronx for the restaging of City Maze, the seminal exhibition from 1980 during the dawn of street art. Revive Marcel Duchamp at the Queens Museum, experience the exciting new present of an art-infused South Street Seaport, or get a glimpse of the future by spotting a dude walking around in an air conditioned suit (we swear it's art). You can live in the now and see what Brooklyn’s Cotton Candy Machine is up to, or see if athletes can really cut it in contemporary art.
All the best events to check out here
August 13, 2015

Rents Are Soaring Everywhere; Brooklyn and Queens Set New Records

We always hear that the summer months are the worst time to move, and the July rental report from Douglas Elliman confirms this belief, as median rental prices rose in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. Like they did in June, median Brooklyn rents set a new record, rising 4.1 percent to $2,968, just $450 less than the median Manhattan rent. If you thought you could seek refuge in Queens, you'd better go to your plan B; the borough's median rent rose 14 percent, coming in at $48 above Brooklyn, also setting a new record after several months of decline. And unlike Manhattan and Brooklyn, large apartments in Queens had higher rent increases.
More from the report
August 13, 2015

Inside Brooke Shields’ Hamptons Cottage; A NY Cabby Scores a $226/Month Chelsea Pad

Taxi driver Hamidou Guira has finagled himself a $226/month apartment at the Chelsea High Line Hotel using a little known rent regulation law. [NYP] Take a tour of Brooke Shields’ colorful and classy cottage on Long Island. [Better Homes and Gardens] Real Estate bigwig and “Shark Tank” star Barbara Corcoran is reportedly eyeing Tavern Island as her […]

August 13, 2015

This Chair Helps Break Smartphone Addiction by Blocking All Cellular and Wireless Service

As much as most of us hate to admit it, we're completely addicted to our smartphones. We eat dinner with a fork in one hand, iPhone in the other. We walk down busy streets like zombies. We even found a way to project a touch screen onto our bare arms. But there's still hope for curing these nasty habits, and a good first step might come in the form of a chair. First spotted by designboom, the Offline Chair by Polish product and furniture designer Agata Nowak looks fairly simple at first glance, but it's actually a brilliant piece of technology. An exterior "offline pocket" blocks all Wi-Fi and mobile signals to the device inside, leaving the phone owner free to sit sans scrolling and typing.
Find out more about the Offline Chair
August 13, 2015

Drovers Tavern, an Upstate Property with Many Past Lives, Seeks a New Owner

In its 195 years of existence, Drovers Tavern has changed hands several times; however, the one thing that hasn't seemed to change is its facade. Completed around 1820, the Cazenovia, New York property is a typical Federal-style house, but its history is anything but. In its earliest days, the four-bedroom house served as a resting spot for drovers shipping livestock down to New York City. After the completion of the Erie Canal in 1825, the droving profession, and consequently the tavern, became obsolete. Eventually, the 114-acre property was put to use as a family farm. Drovers Tavern has had its share of notable residents. It was home to Melville Clark, the creator of the Clark Irish Harp, and his nephew Melville Clark, Jr., a physicist who worked on the Manhattan Project. Now up for auction, the historic mansion is in search of a new owner to continue its long, quirky history. Bids start at $525,000 and will be accepted until August 31st.
Tour the historic tavern here
August 13, 2015

West Village Co-op Asking $800K Fits In Charm Over 650 Square Feet

If you're on the lookout for a Manhattan property in a great neighborhood that costs less than $1 million, you're going to have to compromise on space –that's just the daunting real estate market we live in right now. Take, for example, this one-bedroom co-op at 80 Charles Street in the West Village. It's asking $800,000 and you're getting 650 square feet. That's not a ton of room, but this unit definitely manages to fit in personality and charm. And of course, it doesn't hurt that it's located right in the heart of the Village, between Bleecker and West 4th Street.
Check it out
August 13, 2015

Listen to the First 3D-Printed Violin; 50-Year-Old Subways to Remain in Service Until 2022

Subway trains from 1964 on the C and J/Z lines won’t be replaced until 2022. [NYDN] A local artist is planning a funeral procession down the High Line. [DNAinfo] The world’s first 3D-printed violin sounds pretty darn good. [Fast Co. Design] Have fun in the sun on Saturday at Coney Island’s 25th Anniversary sand sculpting competition. [Brownstoner] These […]

August 13, 2015

Study Says: The 4 Train Is the Worst Performing, the L Train the Best

The L train may be painfully packed during rush hour, but at least it can tout the title of being the best performing of all of NYC's subway lines—which appear only to be getting worse. The Journal reports that an audit recently conducted by the state comptroller’s office revealed that, on average, the subway system's on-time performance (how frequently a train reaches its last stop within five minutes of the scheduled time) is on the decline, falling to 74 percent on weekdays and 81 percent on weekends in 2014, from 81 percent and 85 percent in 2013. But the worst performing train of all? The 4 train.
More on the best and worst trains here
August 12, 2015

Green, Grand, Great Eats: A History of Jackson Heights and Its Future as the Next Hot ‘Hood

As the transformation of Queens reaches a bit deeper into the borough, it’s really no surprise that Jackson Heights is quickly becoming a focal point for savvy buyers and renters. The area, roughly bounded by Northern Boulevard, Junction Boulevard, Roosevelt Avenue and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, is fully loaded with stunning pre-war co-ops practically everywhere and shiny new redevelopments for under $800,000. Combine this with its diverse cultural offerings and a myriad of subways that can always get you smack dab in the middle of Manhattan in less than 30 minutes (that’s better than a lot of the up-and-coming areas of Brooklyn, mind you), it has all the makings for the next hipster-setting housing boom.
Why Jackson Heights is one to consider
August 12, 2015

Venus and Serena Williams Sell Midtown West Apartment for $2M

Just in time for the U.S. Open, superstar tennis sisters Venus and Serena Williams have sold their Midtown West apartment for $2.1 million, according to city records released today. The 1,800-square-foot loft at 28 West 38th Street is currently configured as a one-bedroom, but the wide open layout lends itself to a two- or three-bedroom setup. The sisters bought the unit in 2005 for $1,335,000, but were quoted a couple years later saying they had yet to furnish the space. And judging by the seemingly staged listing photos, they may never have gotten around to it. The buyers are Ted Wells, the criminal attorney recently hired by the NFL to investigate the "deflategate" issue, and his wife Nina Mitchell Wells, former Secretary of State of New Jersey.
See the rest of the space
August 12, 2015

Map Lets Users Draw Where They Think Their Neighborhood Borders Are

Back in the day, there was no East Village; it was all the Lower East Side. The Upper West Side was one big neighborhood; there weren't subdivisions like Broadway Corridor or Riverside. Brokers didn't invent acronyms like NoMad and DoBro. As time goes on, areas in New York City seem to multiply, but this really all depends on who you're talking to. Since the city has no actual neighborhood boundaries (they divide the city by much larger community districts), everyone has their own idea of where one neighborhood ends and the other begins. And a new interactive map from DNAinfo allows New Yorkers to draw what they think their neighborhood borders are and see how their approximations compare to others.'
See how we did at our first attempt
August 12, 2015

Former Jehovah’s Witness-Owned Carriage House Asks $9.95 Million in Brooklyn Heights

The Jehovah's Witnesses have a long history in the neighborhoods of DUMBO and Brooklyn Heights, but over the past five years the religious group has slowly retreated from the neighborhoods for a hefty profit. For a little backstory, Jehovah's Witnesses set up a headquarters in Brooklyn Heights way back in 1909, and then went on to acquire significant real estate holdings in the area that included homes in Brooklyn and big hulking warehouses in DUMBO. They decided to start selling off real estate holdings in 2011, which brought in millions upon million of dollars. This carriage house, at 165 Columbia Heights, was sold by the Jehovah's Witnesses in 2012 for $4.1 million. And after a very significant renovation, it's now back on the market asking $9.95 million.
See the reno
August 12, 2015

Bay Ridge Home with ‘Architectural Drama’ Asks an Absurd $4.58M

The quiet old-school neighborhood of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn is filled with grand and storied homes, from the elegant to the eclectic and, more than occasionally, the awkward. Overlooking the Brooklyn shore of the New York Harbor's Upper Bay, Shore Road is an architectural mashup of eras and styles, with everything from Deco-esque apartment buildings both plain and fancy to more than its fair share of large and luxurious dwellings that trade for equally luxurious sums. A $4,580,000 ask breathes some rarified air even in this crazy market, but the house itself fits well within a certain mid- to late-Bay Ridge-style, perhaps best described as an early '90s interpretation of a Catskills resort contained within a suburban home. This wouldn't be the first of its kind on Shore Road to command upwards of $4 million; while it's not the All Marble Everything house, which sold for the tidy sum of $4.4M in April, the house at 7529 Shore Road has charms of its own. The listing promises, "all the architectural drama you can imagine, yet warm and intimate feeling." And there's a wall-length aquarium.
Architectural drama, this way
August 12, 2015

A Toast to Tribeca: More Images Revealed of KPF’s 111 Murray Street

Grounded in the foothills of the downtown skyline, where the quaint streets of Tribeca scale upwards into the shimmering temples of capitalism, lies the 35,000-square-foot construction site of an upcoming 62-story condominium known as 111 Murray (previously called 101 Murray). Architecture critic Carter Horsley exclaims, "111 will be the most elegant addition to the downtown skyline in decades." Truly, the  Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates-designed tower–reminiscent of a champagne flute with its curvaceous body, narrowing mid-section, and flared crown–will be a refreshing expression of form and fluidity that will counteract the blocky towers that have shrouded the once romantic skyline. We've uncovered some brand-new renderings of the tower, and they continue to impress.
Take a look right here
August 12, 2015

1940s Machine Built a House in 24 Hours; No One’s Using LOL Anymore

Greenpoint has the most cases of illegal trash dumping. [NYP] A 1940s house-building machine could supposedly crank out a two-bedroom home in 24 hours. Was this the original 3-D printer? [CityLab] This 17-year-old just opened a gelato shop on the Lower East Side. [Yahoo! Food] Thanks to “hehe,” “haha,” and emoji, no one is using LOL anymore. […]

August 12, 2015

POLL: Do You Agree That the New LaGuardia Plan Is Non-Functional and Uninspiring?

On Monday, resident architecture critic Carter B. Horsley shared his thoughts on the the new $4 billion LaGuardia airport proposal, and let’s just say he is not impressed. He feels the design is “especially lackluster and uninspired when compared to many new 21st-century airports” with no “new urban mascot, logo or icon to offer and amuse.” He […]

August 12, 2015

$29M Historic Townhouse Looks to Take Back the Title of Most Expensive Sale on the UWS

On Monday, the New York Times reported about the listing of an Upper West Side house at 24 West 71st Street – "a historically significant granite-and-iron-spot-brick townhouse with fanciful terra-cotta embellishments and distinctive interior millwork." The stately residence sold for $4.3 million back in 1996, setting a record for the neighborhood. Now, 20 years later, it's back and is looking to reclaim its title of most expensive townhouse sale on the UWS. The home is asking $29 million, more than the current record holder 247 Central Park West, which sold for $25 million earlier this year. The 7,134-square-foot house was built in 1892 by architects Lamb and Rich, and it underwent a $1 million renovation in 1988 that turned it from a ten-unit apartment building back to a single-family mansion, surely helping seal the record-breaking sale in '96 to current owners Arrien and Robin Schiltkamp. According to the just-launched listing, "Immaculately maintained, the six-bedroom, six and a half-bath townhouse has retained the gorgeous original details that infuse every corner, while augmenting them with opulence by Jonathan Rosen Interiors." Some enviable features of the home include six bedrooms; an elevator; a private, south-facing back garden; top-floor terrace; almost all of the original woodwork; stained glass windows; a 400-pound original door; ten gas fireplaces; and a Japanese-inspired spa.
Find out all about the townhouse
August 11, 2015

My 350sqft: A Modern Bachelor Opens Up His Creative and Clever Brooklyn Heights Studio

Our ongoing series “My sqft” checks out the homes of 6sqft’s friends, family and fellow New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to Brooklyn Heights. Want your home to be featured here? Get in touch! When we typically think of bachelor pads, we imagine dark rooms, garbage bags full of empty beer cans, and heaping piles of clothes that aren't discernibly clean or dirty. But today's generation of single man is out to dispel the frat-guy stereotype. Take for example investor relations associate Owen Boyle, whose colorful Brooklyn Heights studio is perfectly curated and ridiculously organized. Though the first-floor pad on Pineapple Street is only 350 square feet, the mix of creative decor and clever design make for a home that is sure to entice any interior design-loving lady. Owen worked with a good friend and designer to transform his first solo apartment into a funky mix of Jersey Shore nostalgia (where he grew up), Brooklyn hip (there's a record player), and laid-back professionalism (see his impressive tie collection). He recently let us in his home, where everything from his shoehorn to the American flag has personal meaning.
Tour this modern bachelor pad here
August 11, 2015

Cookbook Author and New York Times Food Columnist Mark Bittman Gets $1.8M for UWS Co-op

If you want to get in on the million dollar real estate game, get a food-related editorial job at the New York Times. First, we learned that op-ed columnist (and former chief restaurant critic) Frank A. Bruni bought a $1.65 million Upper West Side pad at 123 West 74th Street, quickly followed by the sale of his old apartment in the same building for $1.95. Now, just a few blocks away at 17 West 71st Street, the Times' famed food columnist Mark Bittman and his wife Kelly Doe, an art director at the paper, have sold their apartment for $1.82 million, according to city records released today. The couple bought the home in 2009 for $999,999, so they've almost doubled their money. Bittman is also the author of 14 cookbooks (the most well known of which might be "How to Cook Everything") and a regular judge on Food Network competition shows. This makes it curious that the kitchen of his Central Park West pad is rather small and dull.
Take a look around here
August 11, 2015

The Bronx Is Getting a New Mixed-Use High-Rise Near Yankee Stadium

Brooklyn and Queens have been flush with new condos and rental developments lately, now it's time for the Bronx to get in on the action. Local developer M. Melnick & Co. has begun construction of a mixed-income, 17-story residential and commercial high rise at 810 River Avenue that will be the area's first since it was rezoned in 2009. The company dates back to 1934 and has proven to be reliable builders of multi-family, senior, supportive and mixed-use housing developments around the city.
Find out more right here
August 11, 2015

First Look at 23-Story Condominium Replacing Greenwich Village’s Bowlmor Lanes

Here's our first peek at the 23-story condominium tower replacing the former home of Greenwich Village's iconic Bowlmor Lanes at 110 University Place. Documents filed with the Department of Buildings depict a modest 280-foot-high tower rising from a block-long, one-story retail podium. Situated on a charming stretch of University Place lined with an assorted mix of low and mid-rises, the existing four-story, 75,000-square-foot building housed a parking garage in addition to the famed bowling alley. In 2012, Billy Macklowe, founder and CEO of William Macklowe Company and son of 432 Park Avenue developer Harry Macklowe, purchased a long-term controlling position in the building, which effectively made Macklowe the building's landlord for the next 72 years.
More details right this way
August 11, 2015

Take a Walk Down ‘Do the Right Thing Way’; NY Real Estate Could See a Slowdown in Chinese Investment

A look at the new Goethals Bridge on Staten Island, now under construction. [SI Live] A street in Bed-Stuy has officially been named after Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing.” The name applies to Stuyvesant Avenue, a stretch between Lexington Avenue and Quincy Street. [Brooklyn Mag] The devaluation of the Chinese renminbi could lead to slowdown in New York investments. China has […]

Our Mission

More than just current events, here you'll learn about the places, people, and ideas that are shaping your city.