Color Me NYC Turns Urban Streetscapes into Color Palettes
March 30, 2015

Color Me NYC Turns Urban Streetscapes into Color Palettes

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It's become commonplace for interior design magazines to offer up the color palettes of various rooms or design schemes they showcase, featuring the hues and paint colors as a row of circles. But there are plenty of places outside of the home from which we can take color inspiration, and this is exactly the message that art project Color Me NYC conveys. Created by architect and advertising art director Andrew C. Bly, Color Me NYC takes photographs of New York City streetscapes and distills them into color palettes. His inspirations are everything from iconic landmarks and traditional houses to construction sites and garbage dumpsters.
See more photos and color palettes here
19th Century ‘Stench Map’ Explains Why Brooklyn Became the Industrial Borough

Map Showing Location of Odor Producing Industries of New York and Brooklyn, circa 1870 (“Charles F. Chandler Papers,” Columbia University Rare Books and Manuscript Library)

March 30, 2015

19th Century ‘Stench Map’ Explains Why Brooklyn Became the Industrial Borough

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A stench map today would include things like urine, rotting pizza, cigarettes and flavored vapors, and whatever unidentified odor of the day is pouring out of the subway. And while these are clearly unpleasant, at least they can be neutralized with some soap and water or the passing of time. But in the 19th century, the stenches of the city were far more permanent, stemming from the various industrial sites across Manhattan and Brooklyn (the five boroughs weren't yet consolidated). CityLab has uncovered an historic map from 1870 that shows the locations of New York's odor-producing industries, including oil refineries, slaughter houses, fat renderers, and gas works. In the 19th century, it was believed that foul odors carried diseases, so the New York City Metropolitan Board of Health created the map of stenches (then known as "offensive trades") to pinpoint the areas affected.
What did this mean for Brooklyn?
Airbnb Continues to Thrive Even as New York City Wages Battle
March 30, 2015

Airbnb Continues to Thrive Even as New York City Wages Battle

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The city and the hotel industry have been waging war against Airbnb since last September in an effort to both preserve affordable housing and to protect hotel operators throughout the city. Though millions of dollars have been spent by both parties campaigning for change, apart from a couple of rulings ousting affordable renters for putting their apartments on the home-sharing site, not much has changed. Airbnb has failed to sway lawmakers, and the group leading the anti-Airbnb movement, ShareBetter, has only kept Airbnb from changing a state law that prohibits tenants in buildings with three or more units from renting out their home for short stays. In fact, according to Crain's, Airbnb is thriving in NYC with now more than 27,000 rooms and apartments on its site.
Find out more here
Fly-Through Video of ODA’s 10 Jay Street Shows Crystalline Facade from Every Angle

Rendering via ODA

March 30, 2015

Fly-Through Video of ODA’s 10 Jay Street Shows Crystalline Facade from Every Angle

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We've been seeing a lot of innovative work from ODA Architecture lately–from their Bushwick rental project that looks uncannily similar to a project by Bjarke Ingels in Denmark to their provocative ziggurat-like proposal for Gowanus. And last week, their design for the northern façade of 10 Jay Street in Dumbo won approval from the Landmarks Preservation Commission. The site was formerly a sugar refinery, which inspired ODA's crystal-like design, and the warehouse will be turned into condos with ground-floor retail. We've now uncovered a fly-through video of the building, which shows the façade from every angle. The video description says: "When there is no wall to preserve and no façade to restore, contemporary architecture can tell a story about a sequence of historical events. The architect is a visual biographer writing a tale of one building from 1897 to 2015 arguably doing more for preservation than imitating reality."
Watch the video here
Design Vidal’s Peter Hassler Breathes New Life into an Historic Bed-Stuy Brownstone
March 29, 2015

Design Vidal’s Peter Hassler Breathes New Life into an Historic Bed-Stuy Brownstone

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When owner Peter Hassler wanted to update his Bed-Stuy brownstone, the budding designer took matters into his own hands. After living there for nearly a decade, he teamed up with Design Vidal, a Los Angeles-based firm that specializes in restoring historic buildings. The partnership helped give Hassler's Stuyvesant Avenue home–built in 1892–a much-needed renovation, while also breathing new life into its original accents.
See how they balanced the old with the new
March’s 10 Most-Read Stories and This Week’s Features
March 28, 2015

March’s 10 Most-Read Stories and This Week’s Features

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March’s 10 Most-Read Stories Woody Johnson’s Co-op Sale Still Sets Record, but Comes In Lower Than Expected at $77.5M REVEALED: ODA Architects Design Cantilevering Ziggurats for Gowanus Site Supermodel Freja Beha Erichsen Snags a Stunning $3M Carroll Gardens Townhouse Construction Update: COOKFOX’s 855 Sixth Avenue Tops Off, Ties for City’s ‘Shortest Skyscraper’ Tiny 500-Square-Foot Apartment […]

REVEALED: ODA Architects Design Cantilevering Ziggurats for Gowanus Site
March 27, 2015

REVEALED: ODA Architects Design Cantilevering Ziggurats for Gowanus Site

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Another eye- and volume-popping mega-project by ODA Architects may be coming to Brooklyn, and this week's chosen neighborhood is Gowanus. A recently posted video by ODA delves into the thought process of Eran Chen's burgeoning firm and provides some shots of their recent work, including the provocative rendering shown here. We recognized the location only by the "Stop & Frisk Hands Off the Kids" text scrawled across the defunct Brooklyn Rapid Transit Powerhouse building (the "Bat Cave") and pinpointed the project for the full-block parcel at 175-225 Third Street purchased by Kushner Companies and LIVWRK last year. Update via LIVWRK/Kushner’s reps: "The developers are not working with ODA on this project and these designs do not represent our vision for this site or the Gowanus. We are committed to putting forth an outstanding plan that respects the context of the neighborhood and responds to the voices of local stakeholders.” As it turns out, ODA is one of many firms that pitched, and the design was ultimately turned down because it was out of touch with the direction of the neighborhood. Though it won't come to fruition, it does give some scale of what's to come—which will indeed be transformative for the area.
More information here

Distinctive Homes

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New Yorker Spotlight: Gil Shapiro of Urban Archaeology Re-Imagines Beautiful Old Things
March 27, 2015

New Yorker Spotlight: Gil Shapiro of Urban Archaeology Re-Imagines Beautiful Old Things

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Native New Yorker Gil Shapiro founded Urban Archaeology in the early 1970s, when the salvaging movement was just catching on. With a collector’s–and creator's–eye and an entrepreneurial spirit, he began re-imagining architectural remnants as treasured additions to the home environment. This month the company has been preparing for an auction taking place on March 27th and 28th, handled by Guernsey’s auction house, when nearly 1,000 of their long-treasured pieces of history will be sold to prepare for a move to a new location. First opened in Soho in 1978, the store's early customers–including Andy Warhol and other denizens of what was undisputedly the epicenter of the art world–adored the unique and time-treasured aspects of Shapiro's restored architectural salvage pieces, yet they would always find ways they wished they could customize their favorite items. Finding that he excelled at bringing a fresh perspective to pieces of historical and architectural importance, he started reproducing individual pieces as well as creating new lines of bath fixtures and lighting, many of which originated in places like the Plaza Hotel, New York’s Yale Club and the St. Regis Hotel.
Read our interview with Gil here
This Fort Greene Townhouse Looks All Grown Up, but Quirky Details Just for Kids Abound
March 27, 2015

This Fort Greene Townhouse Looks All Grown Up, but Quirky Details Just for Kids Abound

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We know New Yorkers love to spoil their kids, but this incredible renovation of a Fort Greene townhouse by Leone Design Studio takes things to a whole new level. As stunning and sophisticated a space as you'd expect when walking into a historic Brooklyn townhouse, this home also boasts tons of details dedicated to its pint-sized residents.
Have a peek inside here
Norman Foster-Designed Residential Tower to Rise in Sutton Place; Peek Inside BIG’s West 57th Street Pyramid
March 27, 2015

Norman Foster-Designed Residential Tower to Rise in Sutton Place; Peek Inside BIG’s West 57th Street Pyramid

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Have a look inside construction at BIG’s pyramid at 625 West 57th Street. [Field Condition] A 269,000-square-foot tower designed by Foster + Partners will rise at 426-432 East 58th Street. The developer, Bauhouse, plans to raze four properties in Sutton Place to create the 95-unit building. [6sqft inbox] Manhattan condo inventory hit an historic low in February. [NYDN] The rise […]

$2.2M Brooklyn Heights Loft with Gothic-Style Stained Glass Windows Is Simply Heavenly
March 27, 2015

$2.2M Brooklyn Heights Loft with Gothic-Style Stained Glass Windows Is Simply Heavenly

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No matter what your spiritual beliefs, we think it’s safe to argue that throughout history churches have represented some of the most beautiful architecture in the world, and the historic Presbyterian Church at 99 Clinton Street in Brooklyn Heights is no exception. Within its rich, mid-nineteenth-century stone exterior you will find this thoughtfully converted two-bedroom duplex loft, blessed with double-height ceilings, original wide-plank hardwood floors, exposed beams, and a series of stunning stained glass windows that will make living here feel like your own little piece of heaven.
Check out the gorgeous windows
New App Pivot Shows Historic Images and Videos of Your Exact Location
March 27, 2015

New App Pivot Shows Historic Images and Videos of Your Exact Location

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We've taken a look at a couple of fascinating websites that let users tour their city's history through historic photos or overlaid maps from 1600 to present day, but a new app is trying to reach a similar goal on your mobile phone in real time. Pivot is an augmented reality app that alerts users when they're near a "pivot point," at which time they can raise their phones and see pictures and videos of what that exact location looked like in the past. The app's creators hope this will become a historical preservation platform.
READ MORE
New Renderings Revealed for Tadao Ando’s ‘Glass Jewel Box’ Condo in Nolita
March 27, 2015

New Renderings Revealed for Tadao Ando’s ‘Glass Jewel Box’ Condo in Nolita

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Over the summer we got a couple of teaser renderings for Pritzker Prize-winning architect Tadao Ando's forthcoming Nolita condo at 152 Elizabeth Street. But now the Times has released the entire batch of starchitecture porn, including a full building shot and interior details. Ando's first-ever standalone building in New York is a seven-story condominium with just seven units, and its design is completely representative of his signature style. Described as a "glass jewel box" by the Times, it's made of in-situ concrete, galvanized steel and glass, combining to create a simplistic, modern esthetic that blends with the area's industrial character. The Japanese self-taught starchitect wanted to create "a space which no one has created before with a very common material which anyone is familiar with and has access to. Concrete can be made anywhere on earth."
Pricing info and renderings this way
Where Did Ross on ‘Friends’ Live?; Battery Park’s SeaGlass Carousel Will Open in May
March 27, 2015

Where Did Ross on ‘Friends’ Live?; Battery Park’s SeaGlass Carousel Will Open in May

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Two people now reported missing; 25 injured after yesterday’s 2nd Avenue explosion. [EV Grieve] We know where Monica, Rachel, Chandler, and Joey lived on “Friends,” but what about Ross when he took over Ugly Naked Guy’s apartment? [Off the Grid] Battery Park‘s $16 million SeaGlass carousel, which boasts 30 hydraulic fiberglass fish, will open this Memorial Day. [Downtown Express] Get […]

$12M Duplex Designed by Robert Couturier Brings a Bit of Versailles to the Upper East Side
March 27, 2015

$12M Duplex Designed by Robert Couturier Brings a Bit of Versailles to the Upper East Side

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There's a beautiful four-bedroom duplex available at 953 Fifth Avenue on the Upper East Side, asking $12 million. The Robert Couturier-designed apartment seamlessly incorporates classic and contemporary styles while offering great views of the park. And it all starts with a private elevator entrance and a foyer with beautiful wood floor details.
More pics inside
NYC Will Get Richer and Denser, New Report Reveals

Bethesda Fountain Bethesda Fountain – Central Park via photopin (license)

March 27, 2015

NYC Will Get Richer and Denser, New Report Reveals

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Think New York City is crowded now? You ain't seen nothing yet. According to census data and a new report by the Brookings Institute on job proximity, the city is on track for a population boom of professionals raking in big bucks. The city has by far the highest job density in the country, even when the national trend is for both people and jobs to move to the suburbs. Similarly, NYC tops the list of increase in population of college grads between 2007 and 2012 by a landslide. And as The Atlantic observes, this combination is creating a feedback loop that will make our already rich and crowded city even richer and more crowded. "The densest cities tend to be the most educated cities, which are also the richest cities, and often the biggest cities. They’re gobbling up a disproportionate share of college grads. And, as a result, they are becoming richer, denser, and more educated."
More details ahead
Pitch a story icon Know of something cool happening in New York? Let us know:
The Knickerbocker: Times Square’s First Luxury Hotel Is Reborn as a Modern Landmark
March 26, 2015

The Knickerbocker: Times Square’s First Luxury Hotel Is Reborn as a Modern Landmark

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When John Jacob Astor IV built the Knickerbocker Hotel in 1906, he launched a generation of luxury Times Square hotels. The Beaux Arts masterpiece attracted the likes of F. Scott Fitzgerald, John D. Rockefeller, and Italian tenor Enrico Caruso. It was the birthplace of the martini and the site where the sale of Babe Ruth from the Red Sox to the Yankees took place. But after just 15 years, the hotel's success declined just as fast as it emerged and it was repurposed as an office space, later becoming the Newsweek Building. Today, though, the landmark is reclaiming its title of ultimate luxury hotel under its original moniker. After a two-year, $240 million modern renovation, the Knickerbocker offers 330 guest rooms, a rooftop bar and lounge with the ultimate view of the Times Square ball drop, and a foodie destination restaurant from chef Charlie Palmer.
Uncover the history and future of the Knickerbocker
Woody Johnson’s Co-op Sale Still Sets Record, but Comes In Lower Than Expected at $77.5M
March 26, 2015

Woody Johnson’s Co-op Sale Still Sets Record, but Comes In Lower Than Expected at $77.5M

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The real estate world was abuzz last fall when the news hit that Jets owner Woody Johnson had sold his Upper East Side apartment to billionaire Leonard Blavatnik for $80 million, setting the record for most expensive co-op sale ever. The official city documents have hit, though, and the sale price came in lower than expected at $77.5 million. But […]

Sprawling Soho Loft Featured in ‘Sex and the City’ Lists for $18K/Month
March 26, 2015

Sprawling Soho Loft Featured in ‘Sex and the City’ Lists for $18K/Month

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If this incredible Soho loft looks familiar, it's likely because it's been used as a location on "Sex and the City," "Ugly Betty," and the Will Smith movie "Hitch," to name a few. It's also been featured in numerous architectural books and commercials. We're not surprised as to why location scouts and interior design publications flock to the sprawling, full-floor residence at 55 Greene Street, as it has all the quintessential and historic loft details one would hope for, like 15-foot pressed-tin ceilings, classic Corinthian cast-iron columns and wrap-around 10-foot-high windows. The famous three-bedroom pad is now listed as an $18,000/month rental.
Take a look around
Construction Update: ODA Architects’ 155W 18th Gets Its Skin

155W 18th Street under construction © 6sqft

March 26, 2015

Construction Update: ODA Architects’ 155W 18th Gets Its Skin

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Flying under the radar, an 11-story, 30-unit condominium at 155 West 18th Street has topped off and is applying a dignified bluestone facade to its concrete structural frame. Developed by Eldad Blaustein's Izaki Group and designed by ODA Architects, 155W 18th joins a list of recent and upcoming downtown residential buildings sensitive to the rhythms and proportions of their neighbors, while still introducing fresh forms and rich materials to excite our senses and enhance our surroundings. With young design firms such as ODA, SHoP, and DDG leading the way, a cool and confident downtown vernacular has emerged, trading cookie-cutter layouts, flat glass skins, and pastiche styling for spacious light-filled floor plans and exteriors composed of sumptuous materials that provide a kind of weight and timelessness to the structures.
More details on 155 West 18th Street's progress
Mayor’s Affordable Housing Plan Flawed, More Likely to Harm Brooklyn’s Most Expensive Nabes
March 26, 2015

Mayor’s Affordable Housing Plan Flawed, More Likely to Harm Brooklyn’s Most Expensive Nabes

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The revitalization of East New York is at the center of Mayor Bill de Blasio's affordable housing plan, but like his ambitious Sunnyside Yards project, his ideas for the fallen areas of Brooklyn are apparently also filled with holes. According to a piece published by the Wall Street Journal yesterday, de Blasio's plan to re-zone 15 neighborhoods to allow for taller and denser housing won't do much good for affordable housing. The main reason? The rents are too low. In fact, housing experts believe that his plan is more likely to hurt the character of Brooklyn's most tony areas, including Park Slope, Fort Greene, and Crown Heights, amongst many others.
More on their findings here
Fashion Stylist Joe Zee Sells Chelsea Pad to Famed Designer Narciso Rodriguez for $2M
March 26, 2015

Fashion Stylist Joe Zee Sells Chelsea Pad to Famed Designer Narciso Rodriguez for $2M

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In a very fashion-friendly transaction, stylist and journalist Joe Zee–creative director of Elle for seven years and currently the editor-in-chief and executive creative officer of Yahoo Fashion and host of a fashion-based television show called “All on the Line”–has sold his Chelsea apartment at 300 West 23rd Street to clothing designer Narciso Rodriguez for $2 million, according to city […]

Joan Rivers’ Neighbor Lists Her ‘Shabby’ Apartment for $6M
March 26, 2015

Joan Rivers’ Neighbor Lists Her ‘Shabby’ Apartment for $6M

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Here's a chance to own a different kind of piece of history. This one-bedroom condo at The Spencer was the subject of a contentious five-year legal battle between the owner, the condo board, and the estate of Joan Rivers, and was actually referred to as the shabbiest apartment in the entire building. Now owner Elizabeth Hazan has listed the unit, asking $6 million, a far cry from the $28 million Rivers' estate is requesting for her former penthouse.
Take a look inside, here

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128-Square-Foot Tiny Heirloom Home Offers Rustic Elegance and Chic Quarters to Go
March 25, 2015

128-Square-Foot Tiny Heirloom Home Offers Rustic Elegance and Chic Quarters to Go

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Living small is the new living large—at least that's what trend pieces would point to. While realistically most of us would rather stretch out in a four-bedroom, if we had to squeeze into a micro home, we definitely wouldn't mind shacking up in a Tiny Heirloom. Easily more elegant and better-styled than most NYC apartments (including our own!), this miniature abode is the glamorous incarnation of your typical tiny home and comes with all the bells an whistles you could possibly imagine, including free electricity provided by the sun or wind!
More photos of the 128 square foot home
VIDEO: Tour New Yorker Staff Cartoonist Roz Chast’s Connecticut Home and Studio

Roz Chast in her home. Image courtesy of the New Yorker

March 25, 2015

VIDEO: Tour New Yorker Staff Cartoonist Roz Chast’s Connecticut Home and Studio

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Some born-and-bred NYC residents will tell you that you're not a true New Yorker until you have a subscription to The New Yorker. As much as we all want to be thought of as part of the city's intellectual elite, it can often be challenging to read the hefty magazine from cover to cover (though you can now watch the publication on Amazon), but one thing we never skip are the witty cartoons, especially those from legendary staff cartoonist Roz Chast. Known for her "colorful, wry, and slightly deranged" cartoons, Chast's work has graced the pages of The New Yorker for 36 years, leading to the publication of more than 1,270 cartoons in the magazine and over a dozen books. A new video from the magazine takes readers inside her Ridgefield, Connecticut home and studio, where she's lived with husband and humor writer Bill Franzen since 1990. Chast describes her residence as "a kind of notebook" where she creates her weekly batch of cartoons.
Watch the video here
$5.35M Live/Work Loft in Tribeca by Dean/Wolf Architects Is a ‘Triomphe’ of Arches
March 25, 2015

$5.35M Live/Work Loft in Tribeca by Dean/Wolf Architects Is a ‘Triomphe’ of Arches

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From the Gateway Arch in St. Louis to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris to our very own Washington Square Arch, the curved symmetrical formations known simply as arches have a way of lending a certain cachet to even the most mundane structures. And though there is nothing remotely mundane about this sprawling Tribeca loft at 108-110 Franklin Street, its six fully revealed foot-and-a-half-thick brick archways elevate the home’s natural beauty to a new level.
Six gorgeous arches this way
Chatting with Strangers on Your Commute Will Make You Happier, Study Says

Photo via 2010-03-12 via photopin (license)

March 25, 2015

Chatting with Strangers on Your Commute Will Make You Happier, Study Says

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Here's a way to bring some relief to those seemingly never-ending subway delays: strike up a conversation with the stranger next to you. Research conducted by behavioral scientists Nicholas Epley and Juliana Schroeder reveals that engaging in chitchat with your fellow straphangers can actually improve your well-being.
learn more about their study
What Would You Do for a 212 Area Code?
March 25, 2015

What Would You Do for a 212 Area Code?

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Last month we posed the question, "Is 212 Fifth Avenue the ultimate Manhattan address?" Developers of a new condo at the location are hoping that the prestige of Fifth Avenue coupled with the synonymy of 212 with Manhattan (it served as the borough's sole area code for 45 years) will make their new residence the New York-iest address in town. But the 212 fanfare goes far deeper than a real estate marketing tactic. Just as “Seinfeld"'s Elaine stole her dead neighbor’s 212 phone number after hers got changed to a 646 area code, real New Yorkers are going to great lengths to secure a phone number beginning with those three coveted digits. Today, the New York Times delves into the hype surrounding the 212 area code, looking at those who buy the phone numbers from "brokers" who sell them for upwards of $1,000, as well as the mathematics behind the area code system.
What's with all the 212 hype?
NYCxDESIGN’s 2015 Event Lineup Announced!

Last year’s WantedDesign event in Chelsea, via Ikonphoto+Nudesignstudio

March 25, 2015

NYCxDESIGN’s 2015 Event Lineup Announced!

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NYCxDESIGN is an annual celebration that brings together the design, commerce, culture, education, and entertainment communities for a full lineup of programs including exhibitions, installations, trade shows, talks, launches and open studios. Now in its third year, the city-wide festival will take place this year from Friday, May 8th to Tuesday, May 19th. The events calendar will be continually updated, but it's already full of can't-miss programming.
Check out some of the highlights here
A Rare Interview with Infamous Subway Map Designer Massimo Vignelli; Where to Hide During a Zombie Apocalypse
March 25, 2015

A Rare Interview with Infamous Subway Map Designer Massimo Vignelli; Where to Hide During a Zombie Apocalypse

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You can own the original lease for Andy Warhol’s first NYC studio. [Curbed] Read an interview with graphic designer Massimo Vignelli, who in 1972 created a subway map that sparked controversy for its geometric simplicity and geographical inaccuracy. [Fast Co. Design] Marvel comics debuts special New York-centric covers. [NYDN] In the event of a zombie apocalypse, lower […]

March 25, 2015

POLL: Has Brooklyn Been Dethroned as Hipster Central USA?

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Our article last week on Hoboken being named the hipster capital of America certainly got people talking. Some felt that Hoboken is the frat capital of the country, while others were simply shocked that Brooklyn, the land of artisanal mayonnaise and lumbersexuality, didn’t even make the list of most hipster cities. The New Jersey city […]

Artist Abby Leigh Asks $38M for Her Elevator-Equipped Upper East Side Townhome
March 25, 2015

Artist Abby Leigh Asks $38M for Her Elevator-Equipped Upper East Side Townhome

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Famed artist Abby Leigh has listed her five-story townhome at 49 East 68th Street for $38 million. The 25-foot wide, 12,500 square-foot red brick limestone townhome sets itself apart right at the entrance, boasting a ground-floor round arched arcade that was more commonly seen among commercial buildings of its time. And inside you can catch glimpses of Leigh's own artwork, which can also be found exhibited at the Met, the Guggenheim, the Whitney, and internationally.
Let's have a look inside
Rent Stabilization Demystified: Know the Rules, Your Rights, and if You’re Getting Cheated

Image by Jorbasa Fotografie / Flickr 

March 24, 2015

Rent Stabilization Demystified: Know the Rules, Your Rights, and if You’re Getting Cheated

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In New York City there are currently about one million rent stabilized apartments–about 47 percent of the city’s rental units. So why is it so hard to snag one? What are the benefits of having one (other than affordable rent, of course)? According to the New York City Rent Guidelines Board nearly 250,000 rental units have lost the protections of rent regulation since 1994. Why are we "losing" so many of them?
Find out the facts and how they could affect you
Are You Considered ‘Middle Class’ in NYC?

Image via 6sqft flickr

March 24, 2015

Are You Considered ‘Middle Class’ in NYC?

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Following up on our recent post taking a look at how much you need to earn to be considered "rich" where you live, here's a brand new study by Quoctrung Bui of NPR's Planet Money which investigates what's considered "middle class" in the United States. Although most Americans would humbly identify themselves as median earners, whether they're raking in $30K or $300K, there are actually benchmarks for this segment of the population. But as you may have guessed, they vary greatly depending on where you live.
Find out where you stack up here
Live in a Sprawling Queens Mansion; Things to Consider Before Subletting
March 24, 2015

Live in a Sprawling Queens Mansion; Things to Consider Before Subletting

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Some very important things to take into account before subletting your apartment. [BU] A sprawling Jamaica Estates mansion in Queens has hit the market for $3.49M. [Brownstoner Queens] A 100-acre manufacturing area in northern Inwood is being eyed for rezoning for housing and tech. [Curbed] New $200 million, 14-mile bus route unveiled for Queens. [NYDN] Robert Durst linked to yet […]

Smart Street Furniture Responds to the Needs of the Blind, Elderly and More
March 24, 2015

Smart Street Furniture Responds to the Needs of the Blind, Elderly and More

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Bullet trains, self-driving cars, autonomous people-moving pods, windowless jets with panoramic views of what's outside—transportation is without question rapidly evolving, but at the more basic level, infrastructure remains relatively unchanged in most major cities. The design of street lamps, crosswalks and other street furniture is generally a one-size-fits-all game that follows the needs of the average user, but the reality is that it takes far longer for an elderly woman to make her way across a busy intersection than it does a teen. Enter UK designers Ross Atkin and Jonathan Scott of RAA who have developed a system of “responsive street furniture” that adapts to the needs of the people using them. This means if you need more light, the street lamps will adjust. More time to cross? Done. Need to rest? A seat will unlock. And when a blind person walks past a streetlight, the post will read out the name of the store in front to help them orient themselves. So how does it work?
More about the high tech street furniture here
VIDEO: The Fascinating History of the Manhattan Municipal Building

The Manhattan Municipal Building toward the end of construction in 1913, via Shorpy

March 24, 2015

VIDEO: The Fascinating History of the Manhattan Municipal Building

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When we think of the city's early skyscrapers, landmarks like the Woolworth Building and Flatiron Building usually come to mind. But there's an equally fascinating and beautiful icon that often gets overlooked–the 1914 Manhattan Municipal Building. One of New York's first skyscrapers, the 580-foot Beaux Arts masterpiece influenced civic construction throughout the country and served as the prototype for Chicago's Wrigley Building and Cleveland's Terminal Tower, among others. A new video from Blueprint NYC (produced by the Office of NYCMedia) takes us into this historic structure, discussing everything from the reason for construction (after the 1898 consolidation of the five boroughs, there was a need for increased governmental office space) to interesting factoids (the building was designed from a rejected sketch of Grand Central Terminal Station) to the turn-of-the-century innovations that made this unique structure possible.
Watch the video
Scale the City’s Tallest Building for a Good Cause; Imaginative Forgotten Plans for NYC
March 24, 2015

Scale the City’s Tallest Building for a Good Cause; Imaginative Forgotten Plans for NYC

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Visiting a hidden shoe repair shop in Grand Central. [Jeremiah’s Vanishing NY] Climb all 180 flights of stairs of One World Trade Center to support the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation and Captain Billy Burke Foundation, charities that help the families of 9/11 first responders and military veterans. [amNY] Astoria residents mourn the city’s decision […]

Beautifully Renovated $1.5M Colonial in Forest Hills Is Not Far to Go for Room to Grow
March 24, 2015

Beautifully Renovated $1.5M Colonial in Forest Hills Is Not Far to Go for Room to Grow

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While many welcome the opportunity to raise a family in the heart of New York City, others eventually seek the slower pace and solitude of the suburbs right around the time their first little bundle comes along. But part of the magic of the city we love is that you don’t ever have to venture outside of the five boroughs to find room to grow yet still be a hop, skip, and a jump from "civilization." One of those places is Forest Hills in Queens, and this lovingly maintained and beautifully renovated Colonial at 108-18 69th Road has all the space you need even if you don’t plan on sharing it with anyone else any time soon. At 2,000 square feet, it’s not too overwhelming for one or two, but has the requisite “room-to-grow” if a few new family members–or roommates–make an appearance.
See more of this beautiful home
Manhattan BP Gale Brewer Unveils Plan to Save Small Businesses in NYC

Papaya King, a dying small business breed, via Papaya King via photopin (license)

March 24, 2015

Manhattan BP Gale Brewer Unveils Plan to Save Small Businesses in NYC

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Yesterday, standing inside the Upper West Side's Halal Guys restaurant, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer unveiled her "Small Business Big Impact: Opportunity for Manhattan Storefronts" report (PDF), which outlines ideas to help small businesses survive and thrive in a city where even Starbucks can't afford the rents. A major part of the plan is a mandatory negotiation period between landlords and commercial tenants, where the landlord would have to notify the store owner 180 days in advance of the end of the lease whether a renewal will be offered. The borough president and Councilman Robert Cornegy, chair of the small business committee, are drafting a proposed bill that would enforce the plan. "Small storefront businesses and vendors create jobs and add value, vibrancy, and diversity to our neighborhoods—New York would not be New York without them," asserted Brewer.
More details on Brewer's plan
INTERVIEW: Melinda Hunt Memorializes the Unclaimed New Yorkers Buried on Hart Island
March 23, 2015

INTERVIEW: Melinda Hunt Memorializes the Unclaimed New Yorkers Buried on Hart Island

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Since 1980, inmates at Rikers Island have buried 62,000 unclaimed and unidentified New Yorkers in mass graves on Hart Island, a small, mile-long piece of land to the east of the Bronx that is the largest tax-funded cemetery in the world, holding over one million bodies. Before its current use, the island served many uses, including a prison, psychiatric institution, tuberculosis sanatorium, and a boys' reformatory. The Department of Corrections gained control of the land in 1968, and it has been closed to the public ever since. That's all changing, though, thanks to artist Melinda Hunt, who created the Hart Island Project, an interactive online memorial that provides access to information about the burials on Hart Island and tools for storytelling so that no one is omitted from history. The site's Traveling Cloud Museum lets users look up information on their loved ones and share their personal memories. Last year, Melinda led the introduction of legislation that would give control of the cemetery to the Department of Parks and Recreation so that New Yorkers can freely visit the island and its graves. And coming up this Labor Day weekend, Emmylou Harris will sing at the gated entrance to the dock, calling attention to the Hart Island Project's efforts. We chatted with Melinda about her passion for Hart Island, how the Project has evolved, and what we can expect in the near future.
Read our interview with Melinda Hunt here
Two Best Friends Sell Their Massive Midtown Artists’ Loft for $4.83M
March 23, 2015

Two Best Friends Sell Their Massive Midtown Artists’ Loft for $4.83M

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Remember this amazing loft we featured on 6sqft back in September? Well it looks like it's found a new owner to fill its cavernous spaces. According to city records, the two-loft combo at 361 West 36th Street sold today for $4.83 million. While when we last wrote about this cool apartment we were going gaga over its beautiful 4,800 square feet of sun-soaked spaces, it turns out the story of the two women–both artists–who once dwelled within its walls is far better anything else found inside.
Find out more here
The Subway That Could Have Been: Mapping Never-Built Train Lines and Abandoned Stations

City Hall subway station via John-Paul Palescandolo

March 23, 2015

The Subway That Could Have Been: Mapping Never-Built Train Lines and Abandoned Stations

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We all know now that NYC has the worst commutes in the nation and that our subway system just keeps getting more unbearable. So it makes perfect sense that proposals for new train lines and alternate modes of transit like gondolas, ferry systems, and streetcars keep popping up. But this isn't a new phenomena; there have been many proposed subway lines that were never built, as well as stations that were taken out of service. A fun interactive map from WNYC called Lost Subways shows both of these, illustrating the subway that could have been.
Explore the map here

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