Search Results for: Long Island City

December 14, 2017

For $55M, own the 47-acre Long Island waterfront estate once home to Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt

Photo of Brangelina via Wiki Commons A property spanning 47 acres of Long Island waterfront that includes a 22,000-square-foot Tudor revival-style mansion in the secluded Gold Coast village of Lloyd Neck is on the market asking $55 million. In addition to offering a private cove with its own pier, a 30-by-60-foot pool, lush gardens and a tea house, the estate was famously home to Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and family in 2009 when Jolie was filming “Salt” on Long Island (h/t New York Post). And it's only a 15 minute trip to Manhattan by helicopter.
Tour the grounds of this amazing waterfront retreat
November 21, 2017

Narofsky Architecture built this Long Island home using trees knocked down during Hurricane Irene

In the summer of 2011, Hurricane Irene landed in New York City and on Long Island, heavily damaging the area, the storm's heavy rainfall and strong winds knocking down trees and causing major power outages. Turning destruction into art, Narofsky Architecture designed a house on an Irene-destroyed site using the wood from fallen trees (h/t dezeen). Based in Nassau County, the home features black locust, a rot-resistant wood, for its exterior paneling and shower benches and darkened pin oak for floors throughout the home. Even some of the home's furniture was made from fallen trees, including its bookcases, mantels, dining table, and cabinetry.
Take a tour
November 15, 2017

Bronx lottery opens at city’s first model that co-locates homeless shelter and affordable apartments

Applications are now being accepted for 24 new affordable rentals at 233 Landing Road in the University Heights neighborhood of the Bronx. The newly-minted elevator building will offer residents a computer lab, a live-in super, bicycle storage, a community room and an on-site laundry room. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 50 and 60 percent of the area median income may apply for units ranging from a $714/month one-bedroom to a $1,058/month two-bedroom.
Find out more, this way
November 10, 2017

Frank Lloyd Wright had a plan to build a ‘city of the future’ on Ellis Island

Ellis Island, well known as the processing center for millions of American immigrants until 1954, has figured heavily in the nation's history; once the center was closed and neither of its current owners, the states of New York and New Jersey, knew of an alternative for its re-use, the island was offered for sale. Among the bidders for the 27-acre site were a pair of young NBC executives whose idea included breathtaking plans conceived by none other than Frank Lloyd Wright. According to Metropolis, Wright's idea supported the media execs' vision for “an entirely new, complete, and independent prototype city of the future."
So what happened?
October 27, 2017

Proposal for gap along East River greenway calls for two wave-like lanes and flexible outdoor rooms

In April, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the city will spend $100 million on closing the gap that stretches from 53rd to 61st Street along the East River Greenway in Manhattan. Beginning in 2019, the city plans on connecting all 32-miles of the greenway's coastline with waterfront amenities for the public. As ArchDaily learned, an interdisciplinary design practice, wHY, has submitted a request for proposal to the New York City Development Corporation for the greenway’s 1.1 mile-long, undeveloped gap. The firm’s $70 million proposal calls for two lanes: a slow one for plants and pedestrians and a fast-lane for bikers and runners.
Find out more
October 19, 2017

City officially pitches four neighborhoods for Amazon’s HQ2

Mayor Bill de Blasio and the New York City Economic Development Corporation released their official pitch for Amazon's second headquarters on Wednesday, one day before the deadline. Boasting the city's talented tech workforce, the de Blasio administration has pitched Midtown West, Long Island City, the Brooklyn Tech Triangle (DUMBO, Downtown Brooklyn and the Navy Yard), and Lower Manhattan as the four best spots for Amazon to call home. The tech giant's nationwide competition, announced in September, set out to find their next headquarters, called HQ2. The company promises the headquarters will bring 50,000 new jobs and $5 billion in initial city investment.
Find out more
October 6, 2017

As deadline nears, New York City’s bid for Amazon’s second headquarters heats up

With the deadline for proposals due Oct. 19, New York City politicians, business leaders and real estate developers are putting the finishing touches on their pitches intended to lure Amazon into building their second headquarters in the city. After Amazon first announced HQ2, which will bring $5 billion in initial city investment and 50,000 new jobs, over two dozen site proposals in 23 neighborhoods were crafted in New York. According to Crain’s, a group of city and state agencies is working together on a bid, with less than two weeks left before the due date. So far, proposals for neighborhoods like Williamsburg, the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Sunset Park's Industry City, Long Island City and areas in the Bronx have been discussed.
Find out more
September 29, 2017

INTERVIEW: Architect Lee H. Skolnick on designing New York City’s 9/11 Tribute Museum

This summer, the 9/11 Tribute Museum opened in a brand-new space at 92 Greenwich Street in the Financial District. The 36,000-square-foot gallery became the second iteration of the museum which originally occupied the former Liberty Deli from 2006 until earlier this year. While many are more likely to be familiar with the 9/11 Memorial Museum just a few blocks up the street, the Tribute Museum differs in that rather than focusing on the implications of the tragedy, documenting the events as they unfolded and examining its lasting impact, it assumes a more inspired take, dedicating its exhibits and installations to the stories of the survivors, first responders, relatives of victims, and others with close connections to the tragedy who found hope in the terror and stepped up to help their fellow New Yorkers. Ahead, Lee Skolnick, principal of LHSA+DP and lead architect of the 9/11 Tribute Museum, speaks to 6sqft about the design and programming of this important institution, and how he hopes its message will inspire visitors to do good in their communities during these uncertain times.
read 6sqft's interview with Skolnick here
September 12, 2017

For less than $500K, live like you’re on vacation in this adorable City Island cottage

The seashore village of City Island, an island off the Bronx that's about a mile and a half long by a half mile wide, offers a lifestyle arguably not found anywhere else in NYC. It's like a less-touristy version of Cape Cod but is still accessible from Manhattan via the 6 train and an express bus. And if this nautical, vacation-type vibe is what you're looking for, then this fairy tale-esque cottage may be just the ticket. Plus, it's asking a hair under $500,000, an attribute definitely only found on island time.
Get a look around
September 6, 2017

100 free things to do in New York City

Despite being one of the most expensive cities to live in, New York City offers many free activities, events, and attractions all year round, letting you pinch pennies when the rent check is due. From free lectures at the Met to free group meditation classes, there are tons of activities that don't cost a dime. To help New York visitors and natives alike, we've put together a guide of the 100 best wallet-friendly things to do in the Big Apple.
More this way
August 31, 2017

City will convert long-vacant Greenpoint Hospital into hundreds of affordable housing units

It's been 35 years since the Greenpoint Hospital shut its doors, since which time the city has tried and failed to convert the vacant 146,100-square-foot complex into affordable housing. But Mayor de Blasio, explaining that the "the need for affordable housing in Greenpoint and Williamsburg is too high to leave even one stone unturned," will now seek proposals from developers to transform the site into anywhere between 300 to 600 below-market rate apartments and supportive housing, along with green space, commercial space, and a relocated 200-bed shelter and clinic (h/t DNAinfo).
The past and future of the site
August 21, 2017

Loss of affordability at Coney Island’s Trump Village highlights issues with the city’s Mitchell-Lama program

Built by Donald Trump’s father, Fred, in 1964, Trump Village in Coney Island features seven 23-story towers with 3,700 co-op and rental apartments. To pay for the $70 million project, which would total $564 million today, Fred Trump used Mitchell-Lama, a government program that granted financial incentives in exchange for setting aside affordable housing. The typical rental contract lasts 20 years, and after that, landlords can opt-out of the program. As Crain’s reported, Trump Village became one of the first co-ops to exit the Mitchell-Lama program in 2007, letting residents sell their apartments for whatever the market allowed. Owners of 38,000 Mitchell-Lama apartments, representing 28% of the program's housing, have left in the past 20 years. But as the value of these apartments, which were once affordable, keeps rising, New Yorkers looking for affordable housing there, and other former Mitchell-Lama apartments, may be out of luck.
Find out more
August 18, 2017

Take a free tour of City Island, Bronx with the ‘land ferry’

A small town in the northeastern part of the Bronx, City Island sits about 1.5 miles long by half of a mile wide. While its quaint nautical-vibe seems out of place in New York City, City Island is very much a part of the Bronx’s history. Thanks to the City Island Chamber of Commerce, New Yorkers who want to learn about the island can ride the “land ferry,” or a decorated minibus, on the island for a free tour of the neighborhood’s artistic and musical sites, as amNY reported. The blue painted bus with wood paneling picks up riders, from April to December, at the end of the No. 6 train in Pelham Bay Park on the first Friday of every month.
Find out more
August 2, 2017

Report predicts NYC’s vacancy rate will triple alongside falling rents

A new forecast by online real estate marketplace Ten-X predicts that New York City's apartment vacancy rate will exceed 11 percent by the end of next year as thousands of apartments hit the market, the Wall Street Journal reports. The study also points to a slowing job growth rate, which drives the rental market, as a factor in what could be a "grim reckoning" for landlords.
Find out more
July 20, 2017

Help the NYPL geotag historic photos of New York City

The New York Public Library has a challenge for all history gurus and NYC experts: Place unlabeled historic photos of the city at the correct location on a map. The new website called Surveyor crowdsources geotags of the NYPL's photo collections with the goal of creating a digital database to make it easier to find images by the location they were taken. While some photos come with helpful titles that describe the location or the address, others only include the neighborhood or vague details. Since algorithms and search engines won’t be able to pick up locations of these old photos, the NYPL is seeking help from the public.
Get more info
July 19, 2017

The history of Fort George: Manhattan’s long-lost amusement park in Inwood

Did you know Washington Heights and Inwood used to be home to a giant amusement park? In 1895, the Fort George Amusement Park opened on Amsterdam Avenue between 190th and 192nd Streets, overlooking the Harlem River in what is now Highbridge Park. Located in the same spot as George Washington’s fight against the British, "Harlem’s Coney Island" rivaled Brooklyn’s Coney Island with roller coasters, Ferris wheels, a skating rink, fortune tellers, music halls, casinos, and hotels.
Learn more about the Fort George Amusement Park
July 5, 2017

City seeks to revoke access to office rooftops made for employee mingling

Update 7/31/17: The Post reports that the DOB recently sent landlords a draft memo clarifying that, aside from minor details, terraces are allowed "as open passive recreation space."  To give workers a comfortable and conducive work space, some companies have outfitted their offices with amenities like on-site fitness centers, free coffee and outdoor space. However, the city’s Department of Buildings has launched a campaign to stop or delay these rooftop terraces on office towers, claiming the spaces can only be used for plants, not people. As the New York Post reported, DOB may not approve office terrace plans and may even rescind already approved plans.
Find out more
June 14, 2017

Impressive duplex townhouse asking $875K may lure you to Staten Island

This is the home that will lure New Yorkers onto the ferry and straight to Staten Island. It's a unique property--a duplex townhouse that's part of a cooperative--with a stunning interior. Under 18 foot ceilings, the main level is lined with exposed brick, wood ceilings, and a ceramic tile floor, alongside a gas fireplace and massive windows. It's located at 48 Bay Street Landing, right off the waterfront and within walking distance to the Staten Island ferry. And its asking price of $875,000--far lower than similar properties in Manhattan and Brooklyn--is sure to bring in potential buyers from around the city.
Tour the rest of the home
June 7, 2017

The lost plan to connect Brooklyn to Staten Island with a ‘boulevard under the sea’

Back when New York City planners were dreaming of building new tunnels and bridges, they set their sights toward Staten Island. It was the turn of the 18th century and the city was in the midst of a Brooklyn boom following the debut of the Brooklyn Bridge in 1883. In 1909, the Manhattan Bridge opened to accommodate the growth of Brooklyn residents who needed ways to get in and out of the newly-developed borough. So the city started thinking about Staten Island. Today, of course, the two boroughs are connected by the Verrazano Bridge. But according to Brownstone Detectives, "Before talk of a bridge began... there was talk of a grand tunnel."
Learn more about the tunnel and why it never came to be
June 2, 2017

New Jersey is the official owner of Ellis Island

Photo via Wiki Commons Sorry, New York. Ellis Island, America’s first and biggest immigration center, technically belongs to New Jersey. In May of 1998, the Supreme Court ended a long-standing argument between New Jersey and the Empire State over who actually owns the Island, as Smithsonian Magazine discovered. Based on a land claims agreement between the two states made before Ellis Island became a gateway for nearly 12 million immigrants, the Court decided it belonged mostly to New Jersey, in addition to the federal government, since it's overseen by the National Park Service.
But it wasn't so easy
May 30, 2017

With delays and long lines, some New Yorkers are frustrated with new ferry service

Mayor de Blasio’s citywide ferry service initiative, which launched May 1, was meant to provide commuters with an alternative to the problem-plagued subway. However, just under a month after the city launched the NYC Ferry service, passengers have faced delays, long lines, and overcrowding. As the New York Times reports, the ferry service transported roughly 26,000 passengers in total this past holiday weekend, with the East River Route carrying more than 9,600 people each day. In response to high demand, an extra three boats were put into service.
Find out more
May 29, 2017

$700K modern ‘tree house’ on Fire Island is a minimalist’s dream summer getaway

A long weekend that heralds the start of summer living is a good time to think about beach house possibilities. This thoughtfully-designed house at 10 First Walk in the in Davis Park area of Fire Island feels like an airy cabin or a more polished tree house–or a little bit of both (h/t Brick Underground). With three bedrooms and a well-appointed kitchen and dining area, and a location that's a block from the ocean, it's got just enough going on to keep things focused on enjoying your summer getaway.
See more of this seaside retreat
May 1, 2017

NYC’s Citywide ferry service officially sets sail today!

The much-anticipated NYC Ferry service begins today, lessening the commute to Manhattan for many outer borough residents. The first commuter ferry took off from the new Rockaway route at 5:30 a.m. Monday, picked up more passengers at Sunset Park and then arrived in Lower Manhattan in just about one hour. Newly renovated ferries will also launch today on the East River Route, which services Midtown and Financial District communities. On Sunday, Mayor de Blasio held a christening ceremony and took the first ferry ride from the Rockaways to Wall Street.
Find out more
April 28, 2017

Five million dead in Queens: The history of New York City’s ‘cemetery belt’

You may have noticed when driving from Queens to Brooklyn that at some point you find yourself surrounded by a sea of headstones in every direction. The city's "cemetery belt"–reportedly visible from space–stretches for two and a half miles along the Queens/Brooklyn border and is so populous that there are more than twice as many dead people in Queens than living ones. What's up with this cemetery city?
Find out why the dead outnumber the living in Queens