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With the MTA fare hike just over the horizon, the question of whether or not all of New York has fair access to affordable public transportation comes into play. The hike, effective March 22nd, will push the cost to $2.75 per ride and $116.50 for a 30-day MetroCard, an increase of a quarter and $4.50, respectively. Like New York, cities across the globe are struggling with the same issue, but there are more than a handful of rogue riders in each taking matters into their own hands. About 500 riders in Stockholm have banded together to create Planka.nu (translation: "Dodge the fare now"), a scheme that has members pay $12 in monthly dues (an unlimited ride pass for 30 days costs about $120) which results in a cash reserve that can more than cover any fines that a member may occur. While illegal, the actions of these few scamps shed light on one important policy that's already being taken on by cities across the U.S.: subsidies. As noted in a recent article by The Atlantic, in the U.S., where government subsidies cover between 57 and 89 percent of operating costs for buses and 29 to 89 percent of those for rail, many public transit systems are quite affordable, costing in most cases less than $2, on average. So they ask, why not make the whole system free?
Is free transportation in New York unthinkable?

Developers Rush to Break Ground and Add Affordable Housing Before Tax Incentives End

Image via Pexels

February 2, 2015

Developers Rush to Break Ground and Add Affordable Housing Before Tax Incentives End

It would be nice to think that developers added affordable housing to their projects out of the goodness of their hearts, but it probably has more to do with the construction bonuses and tax incentives afforded for up to 25 years to developers when they reserve at least 20 percent of a building's units for poor and moderate-income tenants. But this real estate tax break, known as the 421a abatement, is set to expire on June 15, lighting a fire under developers to break ground on new projects. The concern, though, is that some development sites receive 421a benefits as of right (meaning solely for putting up a new building), while others are required to include affordable housing. The difference is based on geographic location. For example, Manhattan between 14th and 96th Streets and the waterfronts of Brooklyn and Queens must include affordable housing. According to Crain's, some housing advocates "want projects to get abatements only if they create affordable units—which are priced for renters who earn 60 percent or less of the area's median income."
What does this mean for the future of affordable housing?

February 2, 2015

Jaw-Dropping Photos of Williamsburg Covered in Ice; American Bible Society Sells HQs for $300M

By now you’ve probably heard about the fire raging on in Williamsburg, but you probably haven’t seen these unbelievable images of the neighborhood frozen in ice. [NYDN] The American Bible Society has sold its Lincoln Square headquarters for $300 million. [WSJ] 10 of Frank Lloyd Wright’s buildings, including the Guggenheim Museum in NYC, have been […]

Real Estate Trends

February 2, 2015

A 1960s Woodland Residence Gets a Modern Extension Set on Stilts

Updating an old home comes with its challenges, but when you're faced with an unconventional site like the one seen above, adding a room isn't as easy as pouring some foundation. When approaching this project in Pound Ridge, Method Design wasn't afraid of thinking outside the box, and they applied a clever, eco-friendly design solution to the challenging renovation: a new room set on stilts. This beautiful addition is not only functional, but it also perfectly mirrors and melds with its sloped and wooded locale.
Learn more about this striking eco-extension

February 2, 2015

Brooklyn Paramount Theatre Will Reopen as a Gilded Public Performance Venue

Back in the summer we uncovered the history of the Brooklyn Paramount Theatre, which has been home to Long Island University's gymnasium since 1963. But now, the day before the Loew's Kings Theatre, a fellow historic movie house in Brooklyn, is set to reopen to the public, we've learned that the Paramount will follow suite. Brooklyn Daily reports that the Flushing Avenue theatre in Downtown Brooklyn will once again show live performances to the public, thanks to a deal between LIU and an affiliate of the Barclays Center, which will bring 1,500 seats back to the venue (down from the original 4,000) and showcase musical and comedy performances and boxing matches, all with an emphasis on emerging artists. The remainder of the space will still serve as a practice gym for LIU athletics.
More details ahead

February 2, 2015

NYC Breaks Tourism Record in 2014, Sees Increase in Chinese Visitors

After our commute this morning we couldn't help dreaming of getting out of this city for a couple of weeks (or months, who's counting), but 56.4 million people had the exact opposite idea in 2014. That's how many tourists visited the big apple this past year, smashing the previous record of 54.3 million visitors in 2013. One country that helped with the increase was China, not surprising considering the growing trend of wealthy Chinese investing in the NYC real estate market. According to the Times, "City officials estimate that more than 740,000 visitors came from China in 2014, almost five times as many as in 2009."
More on the record-breaking tourism trend

City Living

February 2, 2015

Great Piggery War Was an Early Gentrification Battle; Meet the Man with the Most Pizza Boxes in the World

Gentrification battles can be traced back to the 1850s when Midtown West’s many piggeries were set to be replaced with apartments. [NYP] Vote for building of the year in 14 categories featuring thousands of projects from all corners of the globe. [ArchDaily] Tour a cozy Carroll Gardens apartment that was six years in the making. [Apartment […]

Uncategorized

February 2, 2015

Build Your Own Urban Utopia with Ittyblox’s Ultra-Detailed Miniature City Blocks

Modernists and preservationists can now plan the city of their dreams without a war of words from their opposing side. Called Ittyblox, this 3D-printed modular collection features tiny structures, ranging from Tudors to modern towers, that can be arranged—and re-arranged—to make a diorama of dynamic city blocks.
See more here

Distinctive Homes

$10.25M Chelsea condo atop Shigeru Ban's Metal Shutter Houses is everything a penthouse should be

World's highest duplex lists for $128M at Central Park Tower

Sky mansion with dramatic curves on Billionaires' Row asks $10M

For $5.5M, a gallerist's Soho loft is the perfect backdrop for your art collection

Greenwich Village townhouse where Oscar Wilde once stayed asks $7.45M

$4M Prospect Heights penthouse has three bedrooms, a wraparound terrace, and views in every direction

For $825K, a sweet South Slope co-op near Prospect Park

Trump's childhood home in Queens back on the market for $2.3M after gut renovation

For $950K, a condo with a terrace that puts the 'green' in Greenpoint

For $9M, a Noho penthouse that captures the spirit of the neighborhood's past, and then some

VIEW ALL

February 2, 2015

Charming Renovated Upper East Side Duplex Asks $2.5M

There’s a nice new Upper East Side duplex on the market, asking $2.5 million. This turn-of-the-century pad is on the fourth and fifth floors of 165 East 60th Street, and it has been “cautiously renovated,” making sure to maintain all of its old school charm such as beamed ceilings and hardwood floors even though it sports modern updates.
Take a look inside here

Distinctive Homes

February 1, 2015

Altius Architecture’s Wooden Boathouse Puts a Contemporary Twist on Traditional Canadian Design

Toronto-based Altius Architecture took inspiration from traditional Canadian Muskoka Lake boathouses to build this stunning, tranquil retreat in upstate New York. Dubbed Lake Joseph Boathouse, the contemporary wooden home features a stark black pitched roof and is connected to the land by a wooden platform and a wooden bridge on the upper level. Although the overall design was driven by strict local guidelines, the architects have managed to create a magical weekend home designed to enjoy the beautiful mirrored waters.
Learn more about this lake retreat

Architecture And Design

New Yorker Spotlight: Jessica Siskin of Misterkrisp Builds Food Art from Rice Krispies Treats

Photo courtesy of Erin Kestenbaum

January 30, 2015

New Yorker Spotlight: Jessica Siskin of Misterkrisp Builds Food Art from Rice Krispies Treats

By Susan Cohen

Food artist Jessica Siskin requires just three ingredients before getting to work: Rice Krispies, marshmallows, and butter. Yes, Jessica's specialty is masterfully molding Rice Krispies Treats, but these are far from your average after-school snack. She has taken the childhood favorite up a few notches to create edible works of art, and developed it into her business, Misterkrisp. The company was born a little over a year ago in Jessica's New York kitchen. Since then, she's been exploring the Rice Krispies possibilities all the while growing a loyal following on Instagram where 15,000 followers delight in her work. A quick scroll through Misterkrisp's photo page reveals everything from classic New York bagels to emojis to a bowl of ramen–all made out of Rice Krispies Treats. It's fair to say that Jessica's creativity is limitless, especially since many of her krisps, as she calls them, are customer requests. We recently spoke with Jessica to learn more about the architecture of Rice Krispies Treats and the daily rewards of providing New Yorkers with food art.
Read the full interview here

January 30, 2015

$1.25M Lower East Side Loft Offers a Beautiful Blank Slate and a Glass Bedroom Wall

By Stephanie Hoina

The expansive living area of this rare-to-the-market designer loft in the former Garfield Building on the Lower East Side offers complete flexibility within its gorgeous exposed brick walls. Floor-to-ceiling double-paned windows, beamed ceilings, and white oak floors all artfully combine to present a beautiful blank slate easily configured to perfectly suit your needs.
More pics this way

Distinctive Homes

January 30, 2015

‘Workplace of the Future’ Winner Attaches Health-Conscious Sky Gardens to Existing Buildings

Wouldn't it be great if you could stock up on kale during the workday without having to wait on the lunchtime line at Whole Foods? If Organic Grid+, the winner of Metropolis magazine's "Workplace of the Future" design competition, comes to fruition you'll be able to grow your own greens at the office while taking in the various other health benefits that the proposed sky gardens afford. Conceived by London-based interior designers Sean Cassidy and Joe Wilson, Organic Grid+ proposes a flexible office layout, health-conscious technology, and glass sky gardens that latch onto existing buildings–all with the goal of improving the physical and mental well-being of employees as well as changing "the negative associations of working in open-plan offices."
More details here

January 30, 2015

Crumbling 150-Year-Old Church Renting for $18K; More Than $55B Worth of Properties Sold in 2014

Rent a crumbling historic church in Fort Greene $18,000 a month. [DNA Info] More than $55 billion worth of NYC properties sold last year. This includes multifamily buildings, development sites, and commercial buildings across New York City. It was the best investment sales market seen in 30 years. [Crain’s] Things got heated over the 421-a […]

Real Estate Trends

January 30, 2015

Philippe Malouin Designs Space-Saving Hanger-Chair Hybrid

Hosting dinner parties can be a challenge for those of us who live in cramped city apartments. If you don't enjoy asking your guests to eat while sitting on the floor, there's a simple space-saving solution that will help with this common dilemma. Created by London-based, Canadian-born designer Philippe Malouin, the Hanger Chair is an elegant collision between, you guessed it, a hanger and a folding chair. When you don't need the extra seating, you can hang the chairs in the closet, neatly and out of sight.
Learn more about this innovative chair with a hook

January 30, 2015

Cedar-Clad House on Mt. Merino Boasts Breathtaking Views of the Hudson River and Mountains

Award-winning firm Joel Sanders Architect specializes in designing residential spaces with an approach that merges architecture, interiors and landscape. One expertly-executed example is the design of a house on Mt. Merino. The contemporary home located in Hudson is perched at the peak of a mountain and features a distinctive butterfly roof and beautiful cedar and bamboo cladding. Being so well-sited, this lovely retreat takes full advantage of iconic views of the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains.
Learn more about this stunning modern home

RES4 Brings a Beautiful Prefab Home to the Hamptons with the ‘Swingline’

By Alyssa Alimurung

When a brownstone-living couple were looking to build an idyllic family home in the Hamptons, they turned to Resolution: 4 Architecture to create a place the could call home far from the city. Called “Swingline,” this wonderful retreat was completely prefabricated and assembled on site. And with six bedrooms, seven baths, a pool house, a rooftop deck and numerous […]

January 30, 2015

Gale Brewer Shows Support for One Vanderbilt, Negotiates Even More Public Improvements

Gale Brewer is no shrinking violet when it comes to city planning, and having her on your side is never a bad thing. The borough president of Manhattan has just come out as a full-fledged supporter of not only Midtown East's rezoning, but more notably, One Vanderbilt, the controversial 1,514-foot supertall slated to pop up right next door to Grand Central. Curbed reports that Brewer coupled her approval with an announcement that her office negotiated a slew of additional community benefits from developer SL Green—the developer that has already put up $210 million for the improvement of Grand Central’s subway station.
More on what's included in the plan

New Developments

January 30, 2015

MTA’s ‘Courtesy Counts’ Etiquette Campaign Is Brought to Life in a New Video Parody

Regardless of which side of the man-spread debate you're on, you've definitely heard plenty about the MTA's new Courtesy Counts etiquette campaign. To get their point across, the MTA has deployed a new set of posters featuring the ubiquitous faceless green and red stick figures doing uncourteous things on the subway, including pole dancing, grooming, and, of course, manspreading. Two New Yorkers, Christian “CJ” Koegel and his partner Chris Zelig, have now created a one-minute, tongue-in-cheek video where they don full-body red and green spandex suits to bring Courtesy Counts to life as part of the #ridewithclass hashtag campaign.
Watch the amusing video

January 30, 2015

Soho Pad with ‘Ghost’-ly Past Returns to the Market as a $32,500/Month Rental

This pristine full-floor condo at 102 Prince Street has a lot to brag about. For starters, it's newly renovated and stunning, landing a spot in Interiors magazine’s "Best of 2011" issue. But its biggest claim to fame is that the apartment above is where Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze shot their iconic pottery scene in Ghost. The only thing more brag-worthy would be if Whoopi Goldberg dropped by occasionally to tell the future tenants, “You in danger, girl!” The unit sold for an impressive $13.8 million just this past March, netting the seller a $4.9 million profit (they had purchased it in March of 2013 for $8.9 million). The 2014 sale was the highest price anyone had paid for a non-penthouse unit in Soho. And now, after just six months, it's back on the market as a $32,500/month rental.
More pics inside

January 29, 2015

Bushwick Buzz: A Look at the Neighborhood That’s Dethroned Williamsburg as Brooklyn’s Most Hipster

By Lauren Price

Of Brooklyn's gentrifying neighborhoods, few have seen such rapid change as Bushwick. The neighborhood, which sits in the northern portion of the borough, running from Flushing Avenue to Broadway to Conway Street and the Cemetery of the Evergreens, has grown as a natural extension of Williamsburg—a haven for creatives and young folks looking for lower rents. But well before its trendy vibe put it on the map, Bushwick was a forested enclave originally settled by the Dutch—its name is derived from a Dutch word "Boswijck,"defined as “little town in the woods”—and later, German immigrants who began building breweries and factories. Unfortunately, as the breweries along Brewer’s Row and factories closed and farms disappeared, derelict buildings and crime took hold—with the looting, arson and rioting after the city’s blackout during the summer of 1977 playing a starring role. According to the New York Times, "In a five-year period in the late 1960s and early 70s, the Bushwick neighborhood was transformed from a neatly maintained community of wood houses into what often approached a no man's land of abandoned buildings, empty lots, drugs and arson.”
More on Bushwick's past... and present

History

January 29, 2015

Reduced! $125 Million Pierre Penthouse Now Asking Just $63 Million

Desperate times call for desperate measures? This dazzling former home to eccentric stock investor Martin Zweig has just received a near 50 percent price cut by the late investor's widow, Barbara Zweig, who is now asking a mere $63 million. The 41st floor co-op at the Pierre first hit the market in 2013 for what would have been a record-breaking $125 million, but the home didn't sell—even after being slashed to $95 million in December 2013. Now it looks like Zweig just wants to rid herself of the property which occupies the top three levels of the Pierre. The penthouse is the highest prewar co-op apartment in Manhattan, meaning not only do you have views of the skyline, but you're also part of the skyline. But that's not to discount the 360-degree vistas of the city, which include all of Central Park. So, will someone bite at $63 mill?
Let's take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

January 29, 2015

Historic $1.4M Brooklyn Heights Charmer Solves Dilemma of Classic 1960s TV Series

By Stephanie Hoina

As soon as we saw the country charm inside this city dwelling we couldn't help be reminded of the classic TV series Green Acres. Even if you're too young to remember the clash of wills between attorney-turned-farmer Oliver Wendell Douglas (played by Eddie Albert) and his metropolis-loving and glamorous wife Lisa (played by Eva Gabor), it doesn't mean you can't appreciate the exquisite juxtaposition of rustic beauty and urban convenience found in this historic wood frame home at 80 Poplar Street in Brooklyn Heights.
See more of this country-meets-city home

January 29, 2015

Citi Bike Expanding to the Upper East and West Sides; Mary-Louise Parker Lists Her Village Apartment

With more and more younger folks moving to the Upper East Side (and bringing with them trendy shops), Citi Bike’s move to expand into the nabe along with the Upper West Side is right on the money. [NYP] Mary-Louise Parker has put her apartment back on the market for $9 million, up from the $7.45 million […]

Real Estate Trends

January 29, 2015

Modern Smart Home in Cobble Hill Sells for $6M

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

The blogosphere was not impressed last year when they saw the contemporary brownstone conversion at 325 Degraw Street in Cobble Hill, calling the grey structure a "sad transformation." And while the nondescript façade may pale in comparison to its neighboring historic homes, what lies beyond is an impressive 5,800-square-foot smart home, complete with over 800 square feet of outdoor space, a landscaped roof deck, and a basement media room. Known as the Light House, the modern mansion designed by architect James Anzalone has now found an owner, a couple who paid a hefty $6 million, according to city records released today.
Check out the rest of the smart home

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

15 quintessential NYC gifts for the New Yorker in your life

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

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

10 best plants for apartment dwellers

New York City's best holiday markets of 2023

VIEW ALL

January 29, 2015

See New York’s Subway Through the Eyes of a 17-Year-Old Stanley Kubrick (Photos)

As one of the world's most respected film directors, screenwriters, producers, cinematographers and editors, it's really no surprise that Stanley Kubrick was also quite the shutterbug. Well before creating mind-bending movies like A Clockwork Orange and Dr. Strangelove, Kubrick was shooting for New York's (now defunct) LOOK magazine as a way to help make ends meet. His street photos, which are quite dramatic in subject and composition, give us a look into the mind of a young Kubrick, who at just 17 was already showing a talent for creating atmosphere with a lens.
See more photos ahead

January 29, 2015

Wishbone: The World’s Smallest Smart Thermometer Checks Body, Object, and Environment Temperature

There's only so much our iPhones can do when it comes to thermometer functions. They can tell us the temperature in a specific geographic location, but not in the exact spot where we're standing, and they can't read our personal body heat or that of a pot of water. Enter Wishbone, the world's smallest smart thermometer that can accurately check body, object, or environment temperature in two seconds (compared with 30 seconds for a traditional thermometer) just by hooking up to your smart phone. And it requires no contact at all.
More info ahead

Policy
Shop

January 29, 2015

WXY Studio Converts Old Factory into Bronx Charter School for the Arts

By Alyssa Alimurung

An old factory in Hunts Point has been given new life as a colorful learning center for kids, thanks to the team over at WXY Studio. The Bronx Charter School for Arts was built using 80 percent repurposed materials, with the the biggest recycled piece being the façade. Though on a tight budget, WXY Studio was able to […]

January 29, 2015

Actress Gina Gershon Sells Chelsea Duplex in Celeb-Favorite 200 11th Avenue for $8.2M

By Annie Doge

Just after Robert Pattinson checked out a $20 million penthouse with a private, drive-in elevator at 200 Eleventh Avenue, actress Gina Gershon sold her duplex unit in the building for $8.2 million, reports the Post. She and her partner Bobby Dekeyser, founder of outdoor furniture brand DEDON and subject of the biography Not for Sale!, purchased the $2,391-square-foot Chelsea pad in 2012 for $6.6 million, and after listing in June for $9.5 million, they've made the sale for a little more than a million under the asking price.
See inside here

Living Breakwaters: An Award-Winning Project Brings ‘Oyster-tecture’ to the Shores of Staten Island

Image courtesy of SCAPE / LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE PLLC

January 28, 2015

Living Breakwaters: An Award-Winning Project Brings ‘Oyster-tecture’ to the Shores of Staten Island

By Michelle Cohen

We know what you're thinking: what is oyster-tecture, anyway? Just ask Kate Orff, landscape architect and the founding principal of SCAPE Studio. SCAPE is a landscape architecture and urban design office based in Manhattan and specializing in urban ecology, site design, and strategic planning. Kate is also an associate professor of architecture and urban design at the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, where she founded the Urban Landscape Lab, which is dedicated to affecting positive social and ecological change in the joint built-natural environment. But the Living Breakwaters project may be the SCAPE team’s most impactful yet. The “Oyster-tecture” concept was developed as part of the MoMA Rising Currents Exhibition in 2010, with the idea of an oyster hatchery/eco-park in the Gowanus interior that would eventually generate a wave-attenuating reef in the Gowanus Bay. Describing the project as, “a process for generating new cultural and environmental narratives,” Kate envisioned a new “reef culture” functioning both as ecological sanctuary and public recreation space.
Find out more about what oysters and other creatures can do for NYC

January 28, 2015

No Need to Read, Now You Can Watch ‘The New Yorker’ Magazine on Amazon

As much as we love The New Yorker, we have to admit it's often difficult to find time every week to read the magazine from front to back. But enter Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney and producer Dave Snyder, ready to save us from our literary guilt. Now you can watch every issue of the magazine comfortably from your screen. Amazon has just launched The New Yorker Presents, a brand new docu-series that compacts the experience of reading the weekly mag into an easily digestible half-hour.
Find out more here

City Living

January 28, 2015

A 12-Acre Mixed-Use Project Is Set to Wake Up Sleepy Red Hook

If you've been to Red Hook lately chances are you were visiting the Fairway for lunch or taking the ferry to Ikea for a new $10 end table and some Swedish meatballs. But we soon may have many more reasons to visit the sleepy, industrial, square-mile Brooklyn neighborhood. The Red Hook Innovation District is a plan for a 12-acre, 1.2 million-square-foot, mixed-use project that would include offices, retail space, performance venues and a promenade. Last month, Los Angeles-based development firm Estate Four purchased the final property on the site. They now plan to roll out the $400 million project in phases over five years.
More details ahead

January 28, 2015

Bunny Mellon’s Mansion Sells for $37M; East New York Focuses on Affordable Development to Stop Gentrification

Netscape co-founder James Clark has scooped up Bunny Mellon’s incredible Upper East Side mansion for $37 million. [TRD] As a way to “cushion against gentrification” in East New York, the city is vying to reserve the area for up to 7,000 affordable housing units. [DNA Info] Trump Soho may turn its condo component into hotel […]

Real Estate Trends

January 28, 2015

The Storefront for Art and Architecture Gets Shrink Wrapped by SO-IL

We get frustrated every time we try to use Saran Wrap on the leftover half of a lemon, so we can't imagine shrink-wrapping the entire ground floor of a building. But that's exactly what design firm SO-IL did at the Storefront for Art and Architecture. The installation is part of Storefront's latest exhibit BLUEPRINT, which showcases 50 blueprints from various disciplines dating from 1961 to 2013. The show was also curated by SO-IL. By wrapping the exterior of the space, the gallery is "totally open, yet perpetually closed and fixed... wrapped in time and in space."
More on the exhibit and installation

January 28, 2015

BergDesign Architecture Transforms a Williamsburg Mechanics Garage into a Multi-Use Space with a Hidden Bar

A multi-disciplinary event/performance space, retail store, and hidden bar all in one–we must be in Williamsburg. Located at 94 Wythe Avenue, in a slower-to-gentrify, industrial section of the neighborhood, this outpost of Kinfolk Studios was transformed by BergDesign Architecture from a mechanics garage into a space that feels like "it was designed for an off-the-grid Pacific Northwest hippy mathematician" by adding wood-clad geodesic dome shell structures to divide the space into separate functions.
Find out more about this impressive design

Architecture And Design

January 28, 2015

18th Century Colonial Farmhouse in Claverack Sits on Ten Acres with Its Own Pond

Today we’re going to venture to the idyllic town of Claverack, New York, where a four-bedroom side-hall Colonial farmhouse awaits, asking $695,000. The 2,900-square-foot home sits on an expansive 10-acre lot with rolling hills and beautiful trees, but the prime selling point is having your own one-acre, spring fed, aerated pond.
There’s even more after the jump

Distinctive Homes

January 28, 2015

It’s Time for the Slush Lagoons; Dating Advice from NYC Bartenders

Did you buy ten loaves of bread and four gallons of milk at Trader Joes in anticipation of snopocalypse? You can donate your blizzard leftovers. [Blizzard Leftovers, via NYT] City snow is pretty for about one hour. Then it’s time for the slush lagoons. [Gothamist] NYC bartenders have heard it all. Now they spill on […]

Uncategorized

January 28, 2015

POLL: Should Frank Gehry Design the New South Street Seaport?

Before 9/11, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum planned a new outpost on the East River in Lower Manhattan, sculpted by none other than starchitect Frank Gehry. But after the tragedy, the project was scratched. Now, the planned South Street Seaport project would replace the area’s main pier with a lower, glass structure that looks like a surburban mall […]

January 28, 2015

Striking Duplex Penthouse in North Tribeca Asks $7.5 Million

If you’re looking to drop $7.5 million on a showstopper in a prime location, you’re going to love this North Tribeca duplex penthouse at 39 Vestry Street. The Jessica Shaw-designed home sets the bar high with a northern skylight climbing from 11 feet to 22 feet and covering the entire living and dining areas. And it only gets better from there.
More inside

Distinctive Homes

As Younger Renters Move to the UES, Trendy Commercial Tenants Follow

Say goodbye to afternoon tea and hello to happy hour, via roboppy via photopin cc

January 27, 2015

As Younger Renters Move to the UES, Trendy Commercial Tenants Follow

You don't have to tell us twice that the Upper East Side is trading its reputation as a stodgy, ladies-who-lunch spot for a younger, more hip vibe. Not only do we think it's a hidden hot spot for artists, but we recently profiled the unofficial "new" Upper East Side, the high 80s and 90s, clustered between Park and 1st Avenues. And let's not forget how the Second Avenue subway is already shaking things up. But with a new generation of Upper East Siders gobbling up the surprisingly affordable real estate offerings, it's no surprise that trendy commercial spots are also getting in on the action. Small, local shops and restaurants create little communities that you might expect to find in brownstone Brooklyn, and larger, big-name businesses like Warby Parker and Whole Foods promise to make it a neighborhood to rival Union Square or Chelsea.
More on the real estate trend ahead

Park Here: Eyeing the Real Estate Surrounding Two of NYC’s Most Splendid State Parks

Riverbank State Park. Image via Dattner Architects

January 27, 2015

Park Here: Eyeing the Real Estate Surrounding Two of NYC’s Most Splendid State Parks

By Lauren Price

In a city that moves so fast that the Sunday edition of the New York Times comes out on Saturday, it is not surprising that New Yorkers might overlook some interesting factoids. For instance, New York City is home seven state parks! So, instead of enjoying a day inside other state parks filled with the ubiquitous lush greenery and a plethora of activities that might surely mean a couple of hours of driving—cityside state parks are but a subway ride away or possibly a short walk to the likes of the East River State Park on Kent Avenue in Williamsburg, the Clay Pit Ponds State Park in Staten Island and the Roberto Clemente State Park in the Bronx. One of the most popular, with its grassy stretches of pastoral idyll against a spectacular backdrop, is the 28-acre Riverbank State Park near 143rd Street (seen in the two images above). A multi-level facility set 69 feet above the Hudson River on Riverside Drive, it opened in 1993. What’s more, this park is the only one of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. Inspired by Japan’s urban rooftop designs, it was created on top of a now-odorless sewage treatment facility on the Hudson.
READ MORE

January 27, 2015

Photographer Jaka Vinsek Captures the Desolate Streets of New York During Last Night’s Blizzard

While the rest of us were bundled up indoors last night in anticipation of Snor'easter Juno, Brooklyn photographer Jaka Vinsek set out on a journey to capture New York's streets covered in snow. "I started at 10pm and got home at 7am," he says. "I walked on foot around nine miles." With transit shuttered at 7pm Monday, and a city-wide ban on vehicles (except emergency) beginning at 11pm, what Vinsek captures on camera is a desolate but eerily beautiful city. His photos feature unlikely scenes, including a completely empty Grand Central, as well as some wonderful moments of lone souls roaming amidst the city's dedicated workers pounding the pavement. Vinsek's photos show another, more peaceful side to our city that we often forget exists.
See more of the photos here

Events & Things To Do

January 27, 2015

‘Rent Is Too Damn High’ Patriot Receives Eviction Notice; Live in an Incredible Brooklyn Church Conversion

Jimmy Mcmillan, a.k.a. founder of the ‘Rent Is Too Damn High’ movement, receives an eviction notice. [NYDN] Leasing starts tomorrow at the incredible Cartlon Mews church conversion development. [Brownstoner] The HPD is selling a coveted piece of land in Fort Greene near BAM to Jonathan Rose Companies for $1. In return the company must build a […]

Real Estate Trends

255 East 77th Street

Lenox Hill

Upper East Side condos with Central Park views

3 beds starting at $5,300,000
4 beds starting at $7,400,000
5 beds starting at $8,750,000

Learn More

January 27, 2015

Enchanting Upstate Stone House Is a Year-Round Weekend Getaway

Just a stone's throw away from NYC in Brewster, NY, this charming Tudor-style home sits atop a rock bluff on four private acres of lush grass, Japanese maple trees, enchanting woods and seasonal streams. Built in 1940 by architect Manus Imber, and featuring three bedrooms and 1,273 square feet of space, this is the perfect place to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. The Stone House is chock full of original details like the stone fireplace and hearth, wide pine floors, Dutch doors, built-ins, and decorative wood trims.
The magic continues here

January 27, 2015

Ienami Bonkei Planters Are Tiny Houses with Green Roofs

We're big fans of green roofs here at 6sqft, so we were pretty excited when we found these planters that let us have our own miniature green roof right on our desks. A design of Metaphys, the Ienami Bonkei planters are simplistic models of homes with actual planted green roofs or gardens. The Japanese art of Bonkei refers to 3D, miniature landscapes created using dry materials like rock, cement, or sand. They often feature tiny figurines of people, buildings, and other outdoor elements.
More details on the Bonkei planters

January 27, 2015

Let Your Imagination Run Wild in This Wacky $8.3M East Village Home

By Stephanie Hoina

Located just a few steps off the Bowery, this five-story home at 4 East 2nd Street in the East Village, currently functioning as four separate units, offers a multitude of options. Looking to stretch out and have nearly 6,000 square feet all to yourself? Go right ahead, as the house will be delivered vacant and is ready for your personal touch. Or perhaps you’d prefer to keep the parlor floor as a gallery space and make do with the remaining few thousand square feet to accommodate your humble abode. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.
See more of this imaginative home

January 27, 2015

13 Secrets of the Brooklyn Museum; Turn Your Cat’s Litter Box into a Sled