6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

If you're a resident of New York, you know that this is no city for strolling. We all have places to be and we can't be bothered trying to sidestep slow walkers—and we certainly don't have time for niceties like "excuse me." As such, the NYC Department of Pedestrian Etiquette has a new set of rules to keep slow pokes, sidewalk blockers and the entirely un-self-aware off the streets: "Effective April 1, 2016, all new residents and visitors to New York City [o]ver the age of 16 will be required to take a mandatory training session on Proper Etiquette for navigating the sidewalks and streets of the greater metropolitan area."
Click here to read the whole memo

City Living

July 13, 2015

‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ Townhouse Sells; Skyscrapers Could Soon Reach 2,000 Feet

The townhouse where Miss Holly Golightly lived in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” has sold for $7.4 million. [NYO] Midtown rents are getting so high many companies can’t afford them anymore. [NYP] Blink Fitness is leasing the entire Brooklyn Lyceum in Park Slope. [Crain’s] A structural engineer predicts that 2,000-foot towers are in the near future, and after […]

Real Estate Trends

July 13, 2015

Own an Entire Stone Mini-Estate in Putnam County for $500,000

Carmel, New York, located in Putnam County just an hour and a half north of the city, was described by the Times as "a quiet hamlet" where "many residents are highly protective of the lifestyle the 10-square-mile, semirural community offers." And just take one look at this historic stone estate and you'll understand why Carmel's residents are so loyal to their charming community. Built in 1935, the 2,050-square-foot home sitting on a full acre has "European Chalet charm" according to the listing, and it's all available for just $495,000.
Explore the estate here

July 13, 2015

Charming Loft in the Dietz Lantern Building Asks $12,500/Month

Here's a cool Tribeca loft rental in the Dietz Lantern Building, boasting original details like barrel-vaulted ceilings and exposed brick. This 2,100-square-foot two-bedroom has an interesting layout with access to the second bedroom from the master, and it's available for $12,500 a month.
More pics inside

Distinctive Homes

July 13, 2015

NYC’s Bigbelly Trash and Recycling Bins Double as Wi-Fi Hotspots

We've all been that person who puts their Starbucks cup on top of an already heaping and overflowing garbage can, especially since it seems more often than not that this is the state of our city's waste bins. But if you've looked for a trash receptacle downtown recently, you might have been pleasantly surprised with the Bigbelly. These solar-powered "smart" trash and recycling bins are "equipped with a chip that detects when the bin is full or too smelly, allowing trash collectors to make a pick-up where they’re needed most," according to CityLab. And, as if that wasn't enough, Bigbellies can double as Wi-Fi hotspots, providing enough bandwidth to power a small business.
Learn more about the new technology

July 13, 2015

Park Slope Brownstone Has the Perfect Yard for Summer

Talk about a garden to die for. This Park Slope brownstone at 121 Lincoln Place has a backyard we wish we could camp out in this summer. The "private, lush, botanical landscaped garden," as the listing calls it, impressively extends over 86 feet. There's a shade garden in the back and a sun garden in the middle, not to mention two separate patios. As for the greenery, you've got roses, hydrangeas, honeysuckle, a rhododendron, azaleas, lilies, evergreen shrubs, a cypress, hemlock and more. Is the outdoor space enough to sell you on this home? Luckily, the interior isn't too bad either. It's on the market now for $3.795 million.
Take a tour

Distinctive Homes

Distinctive Homes

Fire Island modernist icon Pyramid House asks $3.3M

This $2.3M Murray Hill co-op offers historic townhouse living without the price, upkeep, and daily stair-climbing

This $5M Soho co-op will give your friends loft envy

Two bedrooms plus a home office for $1.7M in this FiDi duplex loft

This $8M Rye estate has a private dock on the Long Island Sound

This $5M Sutton Place penthouse is wrapped in a garden terrace overlooking the city

For $1.7M, this compact Bay Ridge townhouse is big on looks and livability

A historic LES synagogue, now an artist's studio, asks $10.95M

East Village 'Peace House' asks $6.95M

Jay Manuel's $4.7M Connecticut estate is like a modern spa retreat

VIEW ALL

July 13, 2015

West Chelsea’s Tallest Tower Rises and Finally Reveals Itself

By Ondel Hylton

Residential construction along the High Line continues at full steam as a rash of activity along the park's northern extents rises higher and larger than earlier developments farther south. To provide a gradual transition from mid-rise West Chelsea to the enormous skyscrapers planned for the Far West Side, the Bloomberg administration in 2005 allowed more generous zoning between West 28th and 30th streets along Tenth and Eleventh avenues. Earlier this week Curbed, via ILNY's Flickr photostream, gave us our first look at West Chelsea's future tallest structure, a 425-foot rental tower at 319 Tenth Avenue that is part of a trio of buildings being developed by Long Island-based Lalezarian Properties.
Take a look at this new tower and learn more about it

July 13, 2015

MoMA Is the Loudest Museum in NYC; Sushi Shakeup Coming to Raw-Fish Restaurants

Here are the results of taking a decibel counter to the five biggest art museums in Manhattan. [Bloomberg] The city says all raw fish must be frozen before serving, but secretly most sushi restaurants are doing that anyway. [Gothamist] Sagamore Hill, Teddy Roosevelt’s Long Island summer home, has reopened its doors to visitors. [NYO] What does […]

Uncategorized

July 11, 2015

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks from the 6sqft Staff

Katie Holmes and Suri Renting a $25,000 Penthouse in Chelsea Construction Update: NYC’s First Micro Apartment Complex Is Now Fully Stacked Jet-Setting Fashionista’s Sprawling Tribeca Loft Shines with Bold Decor VIDEO: Port Authority Was Considered a ‘Milestone of the Century’ When It Opened Construction Update: Robert A.M. Stern’s 220 Central Park South Begins Race into […]

Uncategorized

July 10, 2015

New Yorker Spotlight: Doug Steinberg Keeps the Doors Open at 110-Year-Old New York Central Art Supply

By Susan Cohen

In 1905, Benjamin Steinberg opened up a store on Third Avenue between 10th and 11th Streets. Little did he know then that one day artists like Willem de Kooning would walk through its doors. For the last 110 years, New York Central Art Supply has served the needs of New York's amateur and professional artists. Three generations of the Steinberg family have supplied paper, paints, brushes, and canvases to everyone from first-year art students to Keith Haring. And over the last year, Doug Steinberg, Benjamin's great-grandson, has taken a more active role at New York Central, planning for the store's future. While Doug never formally joined the family business (he currently owns and runs his own company), New York Central has been a constant in his life. He says he's worked there "on and off since I was born," and has a deep appreciation for what his great-grandfather started and his father Steve grew in the '60s and '70s. We recently spoke with Doug to learn about New York Central's rich history, why so many well-known artists purchased and continue to purchase supplies here, and how the store is preparing for its 21st century evolution.
Read the interview right here

July 10, 2015

James Gandolfini’s Former Village Apartment Listed for $21,000/Month

By Annie Doge

The late James Gandolfini once shared a West Village apartment with his ex-wife Marcy Wudarski Gandolfini, whom he was married to from 1999 to 2002. Several years before splitting, the couple bought two adjacent units in 99 Jane Street–first an $850,000 unit and then a $1 million unit. They combined them into one large four-bedroom pad, but when they split, Wudarski kept the home, and Gandolfini went on to marry wife Deborah Line in 2008 (they were married up until his untimely death in 2013). Now, Wudarski has listed the apartment for $21,000 a month, according to the Daily News.
Take a look around

July 10, 2015

Charming Brooklyn Heights Duplex with Versatile Backyard Asks $1.25M

Here's a nice two-bedroom garden duplex with oversized windows and prewar details, located on a serene block on Remsen Street in Brooklyn Heights. This $1.25 million, 1,000-square-foot pad offers a renovated kitchen and bathroom and a beautiful shared backyard with a private entrance onto Hunts Lane with its famed carriage houses.
More pics inside

Distinctive Homes

July 10, 2015

Construction Update: Extell’s Controversial 800-Foot Tower Ready to Rise at 250 South Street

After being slapped with a partial stop-work order about three weeks ago for causing a local street to sink, Extell's Lower East Side mega-development at 250 South Street appears to be back on track. A recent visit to the site shows that piles for the building are again being driven into the bedrock. However, it appears excavation will continue to be an arduous journey since most of the parcel sits on landfill and is only a few feet above street level. Since its reveal last year, the tower has been met with intense public outrage due to its unprecedented height for the mid-rise neighborhood. The building was first reported to be 68 stories, then 71 stories, then 56 stories, and now the latest filing with the Department of Buildings has a revised height pinned again at 68 stories, or 800 feet at its highest floor. To put that in perspective, the neighboring Manhattan Bridge is only 330 feet tall, and just 170 feet at its roadway—meaning the building will be nearly five times the height of the bridge's road deck.
FInd out more here

New Developments

July 10, 2015

Taking Inventory at Billionaires’ Row; Lowline Creators Raise $224K on Kickstarter

Here’s a closer look at what’s going on along Billionaires’ Row. [Market Watch] Clothier David Chu has listed his 15 CPW pad for $8.6M. [NYO] ODA’s Williamsburg tower condos have hit the market. [Curbed] “Scandal” actor Tony Goldwyn has nabbed himself an Upper West Side co-op. [TRD] The Lowline underground park has raised a staggering […]

Real Estate Trends

July 10, 2015

VIDEO: Retro News Report Reveals Old Resentment for New York’s Graffiti

These days graffiti is celebrated in New York City. From top ten lists to graffiti tours, people can't seem to get enough of this street art form. But this sentiment is a far cry from how New Yorkers felt 30 years ago, when the city's graffiti epidemic seemed to be at its height. WPIX recently unearthed a news report from the summer of 1985 that shows the anti-graffiti resentment among New Yorkers, as well as the extent to which the city was coated in spray paint.
Watch the report here

History

Know of something cool happening in New York? Let us know:

July 10, 2015

Would You Eat from Plates Printed with Bacteria?

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

Brazilian artist Vik Muniz and U.S. bioengineer Tal Danino recently joined forces to make the invisible stunningly visible. They created a hauntingly beautiful set of tableware with colorful abstract patterns for French porcelain maker Bernardaud. Fittingly named Petri Dishes, like the shallow glass dishes biologists use to culture cells, the unique plates feature exploded photographs of bacteria like paenibacillus and salmonella.
Learn more about this bizarre and beautiful tableware

July 10, 2015

NYPL Fountains Are Back in Action; How Often Does Your Subway Station Get Cleaned?

Patience and Fortitude, the NYPL’s marble lions, are now joined by Beauty and Truth, the grand fountains flanking the entrance that just started flowing again. [NYT] Smorgasburg Queens launches tomorrow in Long Island City. [Brownstoner Queens] The designers of the subway station poster talk about the Transit Authority Graphic Standards Manual, Massimo Vignelli, and people’s love […]

Uncategorized

July 10, 2015

This Wrecked, Landmarked Townhouse in Fort Greene Is Asking $2 Million

How much would you pay for a completely rundown townhouse in the heart of the Fort Greene Historic District? This home, at 183 Lafayette Avenue, is a three-story wood frame that is likely one of the older buildings in the neighborhood. Its age is apparent from the facade, with its peeling yellow paint. Inside, the story is even worse, with an interior that demands a pretty significant renovation. And yet, the asking price comes in at a hefty $1.995 million. Is the Brooklyn market so hot that this crumbling home could actually fetch this price?
See the rest of the interior to decide

Distinctive Homes

July 10, 2015

LAST DAY to Win a Free Pass to the New York Times Cities for Tomorrow Conference (Worth $595!)

Cities for Tomorrow is back again for its second year, and we’ve teamed up with the New York Times to give one lucky 6sqft reader a free pass (worth $595!) to the event taking place July 20th–21st in Midtown Manhattan. Join leaders in the real estate, architecture and urban planning fields such as New York City’s police commissioner, […]

My 425sqft: Tour a Bubbly Packaging Designer’s Boerum Hill Studio Filled with Eclectic Finds

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 Boerum Hill, Brooklyn. Want your home to be featured here? Get in touch!

July 9, 2015

My 425sqft: Tour a Bubbly Packaging Designer’s Boerum Hill Studio Filled with Eclectic Finds

When we heard that freelance packaging designer Amy Sprague has traveled to 25 countries, we assumed her apartment would be filled to the brim with souvenirs from far-off places including Morocco, Germany, Cambodia, Australia, and Japan. We thought this would be even more true when we learned of her love for antiquing. But the charming Boerum Hill studio is perfectly edited, providing just the right amount of eclectic touches, while still maintaining the feeling of a calm oasis. This is especially true of her lovely outdoor space, where a canopy of trees provides a serene escape from bustling Brooklyn. Amy lived for several years in the Gramercy neighborhood of Manhattan, but after dividing her time in 2013 and 2014 between New York and Offenbach, Germany (a small city outside Frankfurt), she decided to make the move across the East River. We recently visited Amy at her 425-square-foot studio and saw that her apartment's decor is just as fun and bubbly as she is. Let's have a look at how this design-minded gal was able to tastefully display her collection of antiques and travel mementos.
Tour the super-cute space right here

July 9, 2015

Construction Update: NYC’s First Micro Apartment Complex Is Now Fully Stacked

Moving day inches closer for those looking to claim a module in the city's first micro apartment complex. As of this week, My Micro NY is fully stacked, rising 120 feet from its site at 335 East 27th Street at the border of Gramercy in Kips Bay. The project, also known as Carmel Place, is the product of a city-sponsored design competition launched by former mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2012 as a way to test out if micro dwellings could be an answer to the city's housing shortage, and in turn give enough reason for adjusting NY's dated building codes to allow for smaller units better suited for today's shrinking households. As it stands, the legal minimum is 400 square feet, while My Micro NY's apartments measure a mere 260 to 360 square feet.
More images of the construction

July 9, 2015

Supermodel Gigi Hadid Lists Mod Nolita Pad for $2.45M

By Annie Doge

You've probably seen Gigi Hadid's face plastered across town on Guess or Maybelline billboards, or maybe if you're a "Real Housewives" junkie you'll recognize her from the Beverly Hills franchise, as she's the daughter of the show's Yolanda Foster. After moving to NYC to attend the New School, she bought an ultra-modern apartment at 250 Bowery last year for $1.92 million, through a trust in her mother's name. The duo's time decorating the home was featured on the "Real Housewives" show, and it was definitely worlds away from the typical Bed, Bath and Beyond sophomore-year shopping. Now, after reportedly checking out a $3 million Lower East Side condo at 100 Norfolk Street (and getting together with Joe Jonas), Hadid has listed her Nolita apartment for a cool $2.45 million, according to the Daily News.
Check out her pad here

July 9, 2015

Robert De Niro’s 15 CPW Rental Now Selling for $55M; Brooklyn Rents and Home Prices at a Record High

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

There’s a documentary film coming out about Brooklyn’s infamous Broken Angel House. [NYO] Sales launch at 200 East 62nd Street. [via 6sqft inbox; listings] The 15 Central Park West pad Robert De Niro has been renting just hit the market for $55M. [NYDN; listing] Don’t call Brooklyn the borough with better deals. Rents and home prices are at […]

Real Estate Trends

THE 6SQFT SHOP

The 6 best furniture rental companies in NYC

8 best places in NYC to thrift for home goods

The best websites for buying and selling used furniture in NYC

Everything you need to know about using a guarantor in NYC

50 places to shop locally in NYC for that perfect gift

15 quintessential NYC gifts for the New Yorker in your life

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

Snag the Greenest Seat in Town: Gufram's 1972 Pratone Chair is Shaped Like a Patch of Grass

10 best plants for apartment dwellers

VIEW ALL

July 9, 2015

POSH City Club Aims to Upgrade Your Public Restroom Experience

At any given time there are well over one million people in Manhattan who aren't Manhattan residents. This figure, obtained from a report from NYU's Wagner School of Public Service, accounts for tourists and commuting workers from the suburbs and the outer boroughs. That being said, non-residents don't usually have the luxury of popping home to drop off a few things, using a clean restroom, or especially showering. POSH City Club, a luxury storage and bathroom facility, plans to change that.
Learn more about this innovative startup here

July 9, 2015

Build Your Own Mathematically Accurate Geodesic Dome with Hubs

Last month we introduced Kodama Zomes, a unique hanging lounger shaped like a geodesic dome that's perfect for reading, meditating, or just plain relaxing outside on a summer day. But for the more scientifically inclined, we've now found a build-it-yourself geodesic dome. The product may not come with built-in cushions, but it is mathematically accurate and educational. First spotted by designboom, Hubs makes building a dome so simple that one can be erected in under 30 minutes.
Find out how it works here

July 9, 2015

This One-Bedroom Co-op in Park Slope Has the Parisian Touch

Could this one-bedroom co-op, located at 404 3rd Street in Park Slope, blend right in in Paris? The broker seems to think so, calling the unit a "precious bijou on Park Slope's Champs Elysees!" Indeed, the apartment has a little French flair and is located in one of the nicest areas of the Slope, on a tree-lined block of historic townhouses. This particular unit is now on the market with an asking price of $575,000.
Tour l'intérieur

Distinctive Homes

July 9, 2015

Relatives Now Allowed to Visit Mass Graves on Hart Island; How the Lowline Will Capture Sunlight

Hart Island, the largest tax-funded cemetery in the world, which holds over one million unclaimed bodies, will now allow relatives to visit graves. [NYT] Chatting with the owners of 121 Charles Street, who moved their little country home in 1967 from Yorkville all the way to Greenwich Village, where it remains today. [Off the Grid] Here’s the […]

Uncategorized

July 9, 2015

EVENT: Is Historic Preservation Elitist?

Many folks argue that historic preservation is elitist, time-consuming, expensive and a drain on resources, further claiming that it’s a whole lot easier, cheaper and more practical to replace an old building with something new—especially when that means more housing. However, on the other side of that coin is the argument that historic districts and the architecture preserved within them are […]

July 9, 2015

This $8,500/Month Renovated Soho Loft Has a Bright, Summery Attitude

Here's a gorgeous, fully renovated loft at 88 Crosby Street in Soho. This top-floor space features exposed brick walls, exposed beams, high tin ceilings, hardwood floors, and even a skylight. The bright decor–which includes plenty of potted plants, hot pink sofas, and an umbrella mosaic above the bed–makes this the perfect summer escape. It's been on the rental market since 2009 with what looks like one-year leases. And it's available now for $8,500 a month.
More pics inside

Distinctive Homes

Construction Update: Robert A.M. Stern’s 220 Central Park South Begins Race into the Sky

Image courtesy of Desimone Engineering

July 8, 2015

Construction Update: Robert A.M. Stern’s 220 Central Park South Begins Race into the Sky

By Ondel Hylton

Billionaire's Row's race into the sky continues. Two of its biggest projected selling towers are beginning to rise out of their gargantuan foundations and are rushing to claim their piece of coveted Central Park-fronting airspace. Construction of Vornado's 220 Central Park South development has an early lead against Extell Development's significantly larger Central Park Tower (formerly Nordstrom Tower) across West 58th Street. The first level of concrete and re-bar are now poking up above street level and the elevator/stairway cores are now clearly visible to pedestrian passersby.
See new images of the tower here

July 8, 2015

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week, 7/9-7/15

By Lori Zimmer

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! Summer jams mean we do things a little differently in the art world, assuming most of the population escapes the hot city streets each weekend. Thursday and Friday nights are the art-heavy celebrations of the art openings we love to see and be seen at. Explore the pop-color collage world of Anthony Iacono, or a real life Facebook status as performed by Katya Grokhovsky, or become part of the performance with Quinn Dukes' "Mapping Ritual." Friday it's time for the je ne sais quois, first with an exhibition and Edith Piaf's 100th birthday at Dejavu Gallery, then a free screening of a Tunisian love triangle, "Goha." If you're still around Saturday, spend the day meeting your makers at Open House New York's open studios across the city, or settle into the air conditioning of the Guggenheim and explore the wild wild world of Matthew Barney in an all-day film screening.
Get the details on all these events here

Events & Things To Do

July 8, 2015

VIDEO: Travel Through History to See How Transportation Has Changed

The fact that skiing has gone from a major mode of transportation to a winter recreational activity says a lot about how getting from point A to B has changed over the course of human history. "Here to There," the latest video in the Atlantic's 10-part animated series (we previously featured an installment on housing through time), traces the history of transportation from the canoe in 8,000 B.C. to the recent debut of the hydrogen fuel-cell car. Covering more than 10,000 years in two-and-a-half minutes, this video shows that there is much more to the timeline of transportation than the switch from horses and buggies to motor vehicles.
Watch the video here

July 8, 2015

This West Village One-Bedroom with a Built-In Ice Cream Maker Is Cute Indeed

A renovation at this one-bedroom apartment, located in the West Village co-op building at 82 Charles Street, has left the unit looking downright adorable. The listing promises it to be a "perfect blend of prewar character and modern conveniences perched on one of the most bucolic blocks in the city." It's hard to argue with the location. And we like how more traditional design elements (exposed brick) are paired with some surprising modern additions (built-in ice cream maker!). It's now on the market asking $899,000.
See more of the interior

Distinctive Homes

July 8, 2015

Will Michelle Williams Ruin Prospect Park South?; ‘Cobble Hook’ the Next ‘It’ Neighborhood

A Gowanus high-rise developer has been dumping muddy water into the already heavily polluted canal. [DNA Info] Will Michelle Williams be the downfall of Ditmas Park? The actress recently purchased a home in the area for $2.45M. [NYP] A restaurant owner is trying to make “Cobble Hook” happen. [Gothamist] A Lower East Side condo project […]

Real Estate Trends

July 8, 2015

Park Slope Townhouse by Etelamaki Architecture Uses a Nondescript Facade to Stand Out

This renovation of a Park Slope townhouse by Etelamaki Architecture puts into practice the old saying "less is more." According to Contemporist, the recently completed project "maximizes the potential of a non-descript building shell, and limited budget, to create a modern, light filled home that acknowledges the building’s past, while envisioning the neighborhood’s future." Since the block is filled with a mix of early 20th century apartment buildings and newer condos, the architects didn't have to worry as much about maintaining a historic style, giving them the opportunity to create something totally new and bold. The top three floors were transformed into an owner's duplex and the ground-floor into a rental.
Get a look inside here

July 8, 2015

Over-the-Top Upper West Side Townhome Wants $30K/Month

You know how there are some things that are ahead of their time? Well this five-bedroom residence at 48 West 85th Street is not one of them. If anything, it's straight from Liberace's vision board. The 6,000-square-foot home was listed for $13.8 million a year ago, but, alas, it must not have found a buyer. Now, for $30,000 a month you can travel back in time and enjoy over-the-top furnishings like "Baccarat crystal chandeliers" and "Tiffany dishes."
More pics inside

Distinctive Homes

July 8, 2015

Buy a Bag of Williamsburg Air for $40; Meet the East Village’s Last Pigeon Keeper

Here are nine of New York’s most insane unsolved mysteries. [Refinery 29] An East Elmhurst couple turned their garage into a beach-inspired Tiki bar. [DNAinfo] Hurry on over to Ebay and buy your very own bag of Williamsburg air for $40. Just think, the “mystery oxygen” could’ve spent some time on the set of “Girls.” [BK Mag] […]

Uncategorized

July 8, 2015

Lawsuit Against City Wants to End Affordable Housing Allotments to Certain Communities

Currently, the city allots half of its new affordable housing stock to residents of the specific community district where the project is being built and who meet the income requirements. But the Anti-Discrimination Center says this "community preference" policy violates the 1968 Fair Housing Act, "which prohibits discrimination in housing sales, rentals and financing based on race or national origin," according to an article today in the Wall Street Journal. The New York-based group filed a suit against the city on these grounds, claiming that it adds to existing segregation patterns. If they are successful, the verdict would undoubtedly impact Mayor de Blasio's plan of adding 80,000 new affordable housing units in the next ten years.
More details ahead

July 7, 2015

Jet-Setting Fashionista’s Sprawling Tribeca Loft Shines with Bold Decor

This Tribeca loft, located at 90 Hudson Street, may be a one-bedroom unit but it's still huge. That means plenty of space for cool furniture and decor, which the current owner has definitely taken advantage of. The seller, Marika Wagle, manages merchandising and buying for designer fashion brands in New York City and also sells home decor, jewelry and clothing from her travels through India, Morocco, Turkey and Africa. That means that just because the apartment will come empty upon sale, you could still fill it with a similar design.
See the rest of the interior

Distinctive Homes

Gentrification Sale: Get a Single Hand-Cut Summer French Fry for Just $8.99!

Image via Bill de Bodega

July 7, 2015

Gentrification Sale: Get a Single Hand-Cut Summer French Fry for Just $8.99!

Jarritos with an $11.99 corkage fee, a hipster breakfast for $8.99? Act fast because you won't want miss out on all the great deals going on at the Washington Heights "Gentrification in Progress Sale." A row of mom and pops located along a stretch between 162nd and 163rd streets got a Williamsburg-worthy facelift on Monday as Brooklyn locals Doug Cameron and Tommy Noonan plastered storefronts with scathingly sardonic signage pointing to the area's demise. The campaign, first reported on by Vanishing NY, was created in response to the ousting of several of the block's 30-plus-year-old businesses by a new landlord in order to make way for commercial tenants willing to pay higher rents.
See more here

Policy

Before NYC’s Slave Market, Freedmen from Africa Were Allowed to Own Farmland

Map of freedmen’s farmland via Slavery in New York (L); Harper’s Magazine illustration of the New York City slave market in 1643 (R)

July 7, 2015

Before NYC’s Slave Market, Freedmen from Africa Were Allowed to Own Farmland

By Penelope Bareau

A stranger on horseback in 1650 riding up a road in Manhattan might have noticed black men working farmland near the Hudson River. It was not an unusual sight, and if he remarked on it at all to himself, he would have thought they were simply slaves working their masters' land. But no–these were freedmen working land they personally owned and had owned for six years. It was land in what is now the Far West Village and it had been granted to eleven enslaved men along with their freedom in 1644. In 1626, the year Manhattan was formally settled by the Dutch, these eleven African men had been rounded up in Angola and Congo and shipped to the New World to work as slaves clearing land and building fortifications. We know they were from there because the manifests of Dutch ships list them with names such as Emmanuel Angola and Simon Congo. Another of the eleven was named Willem Anthonys Portugies, suggesting that he may have been bought and sold in Portugal before reaching his final destination in New Amsterdam.
How did these men get the right to own land?

History

July 7, 2015

Norman Foster’s Next Condo Tower Will Be 900 Feet; How to Shed Affordable Tenants

Jennifer Lawrence continues her search for a NYC pad, now with Chris Martin in tow. [NYDN] Much to locals’ dismay, reports confirm that Norman Foster’s new condo tower planned for Sutton Place will indeed be 900 feet tall. [NYDN] Rising mortgage rates could block millennials from buying. [AOL] How to get rid of rent-stabilized tenants and make a killing. [The […]

Real Estate Trends

July 7, 2015

VIDEO: Port Authority Was Considered a ‘Milestone of the Century’ When It Opened

When Port Authority bus terminal opened in 1950 it was considered "among the miracles of transport and the milestones of the century." Though we're pretty sure this sentiment is entirely lost today, it's still interesting to see how shiny and new Port Authority was regarded as 65 years ago. This video was a promotional newsreel for the terminal, and it notes that Port Authority wasn't just built to keep buses off the busy Manhattan streets, but because "the states of New York and New Jersey also wanted to make life pleasanter for the traveler."
Watch the video here

History

July 7, 2015

Epiphyte Lab’s Stripy Hsu House Is Designed to Mimic the Sky and Seasons

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

The Hsu House’s story began when Epiphyte Lab's Kevin Pratt was teaching with his studio co-founder Dana Cupkova at Cornell University. The pair were conducting a lecture and in the middle of class they noticed that a stranger had dropped in. The man sitting in the audience was Tony Hsu, a soon-to-be client that had been planning an ambitious, ultra-sustainable home but was in need some assistance. Once past the formalities, the trio quickly went about designing a unique retreat that not only catches the eye with its unconventional form and materiality, but also boasts tons of energy-efficient features like heat storage and rainwater harvesting.
Learn more about this home

July 7, 2015

Kimberly Peck’s All-White Union Square Loft Is Surprisingly Perfect for a Modern Family