Search Results for: "prospect park"

February 25, 2015

The Only Two Living Things in NYC to Have Been Landmarked Are Trees

Last week we looked at the city's oldest and tallest tree in Alley Pond, Queens, which got us thinking about one of the questions at the Preservation Trivia night we recently attended. What are the only two living things in NYC to have ever been landmarked? We'll admit, we were stumped. We guessed Peter Stuyvesant's pear tree and the World Trade Center Survivor Tree, which were both wrong. But they are trees: the Weeping Beech Tree in Flushing, Queens and the Magnolia Grandiflora in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn. And to make it even more exclusive, only the latter still survives; the Beech Tree died and was cut down in 1999.
Find out the history of how these landmarks came to be
February 25, 2015

Old-World Victorian Home in Ditmas Park Lists for $2.3M

Let’s take a trip to the quiet, tree-lined streets of Victorian Flatbush where a 111-year-old home in the Fiske Terrace-Midwood Park landmarked historic district awaits, asking $2.275 million. This quarter-acre lot is large enough for a pool and a guesthouse or your own little secret garden. And while the curb appeal sets the bar high, the inside takes it to a new level, blending old-world charm with modern updates.
More pics inside
February 16, 2015

Darling Tin-Ceilinged One-Bedroom in the Heart of Gowanus Asks $2,550/Month

There’s a new rental available in up-and-coming Gowanus, and it’s asking $2,550 per month. This one-bedroom has a shared garden and laundry facilities along with a dizzying black-and-white checkered bathroom that will either make you fall in love or just get really disoriented. But even if that's not your thing, charming original details like tin ceilings and wide-plank hardwood floors more than make up for it.
Check out the rest of the rental
February 12, 2015

Spectacular Park Slope Mansion Comes with Private Parking and a Twice-Reduced Price

A short walk from Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza is a row of four neo-classical townhouses that have been presiding over Plaza Street West in Park Slope since the late 1800s. Anyone strolling past will be instantly charmed by the intricately carved cornices, striking wrought iron doors, and relief-cast designs gracing the limestone façades. As beautiful as they are on the outside, one can only imagine what treasures can be found inside. And the residence at #5 does not disappoint.
Check out this home's spectacular interior
February 6, 2015

New Yorker Spotlight: CurlNYC Has Brought Curling to New York and They Want You to Try It

Maybe it's the throwing, or the sweeping, or just the way the athletes yell down the ice, but something about curling intrigues us every four years during the Winter Olympics. And now, thanks to the efforts of CurlNYC, New Yorkers can try their hand at the game. Since 2013, CurlNYC has been on a mission to get the city hooked on the sport. The visionaries behind this start-up are Dean Roth, Dean Gemmell, a former U.S. Curling National Champion who competed at the 2012 World Championships, and Chad McMullan. Their eventual goal is to build the first ice facility in the five boroughs dedicated to the sport, and they're well on their way. Upsilon Ventures hired the group to manage the curling program at LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Brooklyn's Prospect Park and the South Street Seaport. CurlNYC has a roster of curling instructors, like husband-and-wife duo Luke Hansen and Kendall Speten-Hansen, to introduce the sport through demonstrations at both locations and during league play at Lakeside. We recently spoke with U.S. National Champion Dean Gemmell and curling instructors Kendall and Luke to find out why New York and curling are a winning combination.
Read the full interview here
February 6, 2015

The NYC Subway Is Filled with Bacteria and DNA from Unidentifiable Organisms

If you're a hand sanitizer-wielding New Yorker who often finds yourself ridiculed by friends for your hypochondriac germaphobe ways, good news, because you've got the last laugh—sort of. A team of researchers from Weill Cornell Medical College spent the past 17 months mapping the DNA found in the New York City subway system, and what they uncovered will certainly make your skin crawl. Not only were some bacteria samples associated with bubonic plague and anthrax, but they also found that nearly half of the DNA found on subway infrastructure—we're talking turnstiles and ticket kiosks amongst other things—did not match any known organism.
Find out more here
January 23, 2015

Stunning Mahogany Woodwork Steals the Show in This $3.5M Park Slope Brownstone

It’s everything you imagine a classic brownstone to be. For nearly 50 years this townhouse at 266 Berkeley Place in Park Slope has been under the careful stewardship of a single owner, and the love they showered on their home is evident in every one of its four floors—even the basement is immaculate with its whitewashed walls and brick archways.
take a tour here
January 21, 2015

Get ‘Em While They’re Cheap: A Look at Crown Heights Real Estate Past and Present

What once seemed unheard-of in terms of where to rent or buy in tertiary neighborhoods is now a thing of the past—be it Harlem, Williamsburg, Hell’s Kitchen, Long Island City, or the Lower East Side. But one of the best examples of rapid transformation is Brooklyn. Certainly there are many coveted communities such as Brooklyn Heights, Prospect Heights, and Park Slope, but there is another neighborhood making what looks like a very successful run at gentrification: Crown Heights.
More on the Crown Heights renaissance here
January 14, 2015

Home Temporary Home: Picturesque Park Slope Rental Makes Perfect Short-Term Retreat

If you’ve ever wanted to try out living in one of the city’s most sought-after neighborhoods without making a long-term commitment, now is your chance. This picturesque Park Slope two-bedroom located at 473 13th Street beautifully combines traditional touches with modern conveniences—and "stays" available from one month to twelve offer a rare opportunity to decide if one of Brooklyn’s premier locales is the right place for you. Even better, since it’s fully furnished all you need to do is move in and enjoy!
See more of this picturesque rental
January 12, 2015

Minimalist Prospect Heights Carriage House Asks $2.5M

This converted carriage house in Prospect Heights is back on the market with another price drop, this time, asking $2.499 million. The minimalist 22.5-foot wide home has a touch of European farmhouse charm in a raw modern warehouse, with some vintage accents like reclaimed sinks, found antique gates, repurposed mirrored French doors and tin ceilings. Not to mention the fact that the home comes with a private garage (currently being used as an artist studio space).
Take a look inside
December 8, 2014

Park Slope’s Iconic Pavilion Theater May Go Residential

Images on the website of architecture firm Architecture Outfit reveal that Park Slope's historic Pavilion Theater at 188 Prospect Park South may go residential. The theater is currently owned by a consortium led by Ben Kafash who purchased the theater from Morristown, NJ-based Cinedigm in 2011. One scheme shows a six-story residential building rising behind the theater's sublime Moorish façade and from a neighboring lot just south of the theater. It conceptualizes a mix of apartments along the circle dubbed Bartel-Pritchard Square and contextually scaled townhouses along narrow 14th Street. The second scheme preserves the theater in its entirety and limits new construction to the neighboring lot at 190 Prospect Park West where a nondescript one-story building currently stands.
More information here
November 19, 2014

Spectacular Park Slope Pad with Bookshelf-Lined Walls Asks $1.5 Million

There are few things New York buyers love more than prewar detail, modern updates, and a great location. Well, this parlor-floor apartment of the brownstone at 917 President Street has all that wrapped up with nice wooden bow. The two-bedroom 1,350-square-foot co-op was lovingly renovated to preserve its origins while catering to the needs of the modern day homeowner, all while offering a relaxing haven on a tree-lined street in Park Slope. If wood isn’t your thing, consider yourself warned, but if you have an appreciation for exquisite millwork you’ll love the charm of this $1.495 million unit.
See more, here
October 23, 2014

Park Slope Townhouse Featured in ‘Moonstruck’ Asks $4.3M

One of Park Slope’s most recognizable homes is available for $4.29 million. The 4,800-square-foot, semi-detached townhouse—which has been featured in numerous music videos, as well as in the movie Moonstruck—is one of a row of townhouses on 4th Street built by the Allan Brothers in 1892. A five-bedroom triplex with a beautiful garden, this red brick and stone Romanesque Queen Anne townhouse features such romantic details as a turret bay façade, a castle-style balcony, transom stained glass, and a Spanish-tiled spire with an ornamental finial. The terracotta roof of this landmark dwelling also stands out with elaborate cornices. And we haven’t even stepped inside yet.
There's more, here
October 15, 2014

Landmark Limestone Townhouse in Park Slope Returns for $4M

One of Park Slope’s landmark limestone townhouses has just returned to the market. The 5,100-square-foot, Frederick Tyrrell-designed home was built in 1901 at the height of the neo-classical style’s popularity. With a well-maintained original four-story building, along with a new extension, original details, and a private gated driveway, this $3.995 million home is definitely worth a look.
Take a closer look, here
September 23, 2014

City Kids: Why Parents Pick City Living Over the Suburbs

The 'American Dream' may have dominated the last few decades, causing a mass exodus to the suburbs, but today's families are reversing the trend and turning their attention back to the city. The reasons are many: An appreciation for cultural offerings, the camaraderie and creative cross-pollination of networks of colleagues, friends and family, the convenience of being able to walk or bike to school, work or child care without a long commute—just to name a few. New York City has always been a haven for the forward-thinking, albeit a challenging one. And its newly-”discovered” outer boroughs as well as an unprecedentedly low crime rate have made the city a prime choice for family living. But what is it about those city kids—the ones with parents who planned from the start to raise their kids in a non-stop urban environment? We interrupted the busy schedules of five families currently raising school-age (or soon-to-be) children in New York City's many diverse and multifaceted neighborhoods to get some insight about why they wouldn’t have it any other way.
Hear what five parents of city kids have to say
September 10, 2014

Anatomy of a Killer Flip: The Townhouse Everybody Wanted Heads Back to the Market

In January of 2013, in the dead of winter, an 1899 detail-laden Italianate townhouse fixer-upper at 102 Gates Avenue hit an inventory-starved rising market. The listing price of $1.295 million, was a double-take for many, even though it was less than what properties like it were selling for in the area. Fast forward to September 2014, where renovations, which commenced almost immediately after the sale, are nearing completion (and according to reports, they’ve been done right). Word is that the house is about to head back to the market—at more than twice its winter selling price.
Find out why 375 people waited in the cold for the first open house
September 5, 2014

New Yorker Spotlight: Sue Chin on Designing for a Very Different Type of Client at the Wildlife Conservation Society

Susan (Sue) A. Chin, FAIA is an architect and designer with a very different type of clientele. Currently, her roster includes tigers, gorillas, and sharks, all of whom have very specific design needs. As the Vice President of Planning & Design and Chief Architect at the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Sue oversees the architectural and design needs of the Society's zoos and parks (Bronx Zoo, New York Aquarium, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, and Queens Zoo), as well as their conservation work around the globe. The organization currently has about 500 projects in 65 countries, which means her work is showcased as far away as Madagascar. 6sqft recently spoke with Sue about WCS, how she got into the field as a teenager, her clients (both human and non), and the exciting new exhibit under construction at the New York Aquarium in Coney Island.
Read our full interview with Sue here
September 4, 2014

Unique South Slope Loft Breaks the Mold with a Steel Mezzanine

On a quiet tree-lined block, among the rowhouses of South Slope, you’ll find 459 12th Street. Being a mid-century loft surrounded by turn-of-the-century conversions might already set this building apart from the rest. Yet, unit #3D takes it to the next level, as a previous owner decided to make the most of the high ceilings… and added an entire second floor.
Take a look inside this quirky loft, here
August 13, 2014

454 Rugby Road Joins the Million-Dollar-Sale Club in Victorian Flatbush

We tend to feature a lot of historic townhouses, and while we love these brownstone beauties, it's always a treat when we come across the less-common Victorian home. Not surprisingly, this charming, free-standing house is located in Ditmas Park West, part of what is known as Victorian Flatbush. Built in 1905, the home at 454 Rugby Road recently sold for $1,975,000 million according to city records, almost $100,000 above the asking price and not far behind another recent Rugby Road sale that was one of the most expensive in the neighborhood to date.
See why this painted lady is a deserving member of Victorian Flatbush's Million-Dollar Club
June 16, 2014

Wood-clad Windsor Terrace House Mixes a Modern Layout with Rustic Elements

Row after row of wood-framed houses fill the quaint, tree-lined streets of Brooklyn's Windsor Park neighborhood. Many are decades old and like this cozy home on Reeve Place, require a bit of a face-lift after many years of wear and tear. In 2013, the owners enlisted the architects at Brooklyn's Barker Freeman Design Office to give the semi-detached house a makeover, complete with a brand new wood-paneled exterior.
See how they mix the old with the new straight ahead
May 19, 2014

Magical Garden at 645 Carlton Avenue Is Hard to Keep Silent About

A few years before this limestone duplex was built, Prospect Heights was enjoying the success of one of its very own, the original “it” girl, famed silent film actress Clara Bow. And just as Clara became synonymous with the “Roaring Twenties”, the residence at 645 Carlton Avenue is typical of the classic row houses one finds throughout the tree-lined streets of its Brooklyn environs. From the moment you first enter through the gorgeous Palladian arch, there is no mistaking the timeless details that make this carefully restored 2BR/2BA parlor/garden apartment something truly special.
See why this duplex will make you
May 16, 2014

Market Snapshot: The Week of May 16, 2014

Flatiron and Midtown West have seen dramatic neighborhood price increases over the last 90 days. And surprise, surprise, sales in One Madison and the uber pricey, uber tall One57 are the two forces driving the change. Azad Ali talks about two decades spent preserving and restoring old homes in Prospect Park South, Ditmas Park and Midwood in Brooklyn. Fans of Breakfast at Tiffany’s will want to check out the $10 million listing for that little townhouse where fictional Holly Golightly entertained her many suitors. Learn about Mexico-born Ismael Leyva, the workhorse architect who has risen to prominence designing interiors for Related Companies projects like One Carnegie Hill, the TriBeCa Royale and The Brompton.   For market trends, cool listings and interesting tidbits about New York's most noteworthy buildings and neighborhoods, we turn to CityRealty‘s Weekly Market Snapshot for the scoop.
Get the full report here
May 13, 2014

If These Walls Could Talk: The Former Home of Two Brooklyn Mayors Goes on the Market

A large part of the appeal of New York City is the historical nature of the buildings. However, how many buildings can boast that they were once own by not one, but two mayors? Well, the 4-story townhome at 405 Clinton Avenue has those bragging rights, and it’s on the market for a new owner. The townhouse was initially designed in 1889 by William Bunker Tubby, the architect responsible for Pratt Institute’s library. He designed it for Charles A. Schieren, one of Brooklyn’s last mayors. It’s rumored that the home was also the residence of Brooklyn’s jazz-Age mayor Jimmy Walker, many decades before its current owners purchased it in 2009. After paying $1.75 million for the landmarked building, owner Sean Wilsey and his wife Daphne Beal gutted the entire place, adding roughly 100 new windows and a patio among other things.
Check out more photos of this gorgeous renovation here
May 8, 2014

Gateways: Filling in the Architectural Gaps Along Cobblestoned Bond Street

If you've spent time in the NoHo Historic District and Extension, then you've probably notice that there are two highly visible voids in the short stretch between Broadway and the Bowery — a destination that has become one of the city’s most interesting and admired architecture ensembles. The city is about to get a new architectural gateway in this locale, situated at the intersection of Lafayette and Bond Streets. The new gateway will consist of two quite similar, small, new residential buildings designed by different architects on the north side of Bond Street.
More on the new buildings and our city's gateways here
May 2, 2014

Director Ken Burns Scoops Up a Condo in Richard Meier’s Prospect Heights Tower

It looks like documentary filmmaker Ken Burns is moving his family into Pritzker Prize winning architect Richard Meier’s On Prospect Park. The Burns family dropped $2.75 million on the home, which is located in one of Brooklyn's most beautiful (and active) corners — just steps away from Prospect Park, the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, and the incredible Brooklyn Museum and Public Library. It's reported that the Mamma and Papa Burns spend most their time in New Hampshire, so it's likely that the 2,107-square-foot, 3BR/2.5BA modern abode will become the love nest of his daughter Lily (who was also listed on city records) and her fiance Tony Hernandez, both of whom are producers.
A look inside the on prospect park apartment here