Search Results for: 84 New York Ave

November 6, 2018

Behind the Scenes at Queens’ Loew’s Valencia, once the most successful Wonder Theatre in NYC

Earlier this year, 6sqft got an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour at the majestic Loew’s Jersey City Theatre, as well as the United Palace Theatre in Washington Heights. In 2016, we joined Untapped Cities and NYCEDC on a tour of Brooklyn Kings Theatre, and just last month, as part of Untapped Cities Insider’s Tours, we were lucky enough to tour and photograph the former Loew’s Valencia Theatre on Jamaica Avenue in Queens, which is now home to the Tabernacle of Prayer for All People church. The majestic Loew’s Valencia Theatre opened on Saturday, January 12, 1929, as the first, largest, and most famous of the five flagship Loew’s “Wonder” Theatres established in the New York City area from 1929-30. All of the grand movie palaces were built by Marcus Loew of the Loew’s Theatres chain to establish the firm as a leader in film exhibition and to simultaneously serve as a fantastical yet affordable escape for people of all classes from the tedium and anxieties of their daily lives. The Valencia most definitely did not shy away from this fantastical approach, with its Spanish/Mexican Baroque architecture, gilded ornamentation, rich jewel-tone colors, and elaborate carvings.
Take the grand tour
November 2, 2018

You can buy the earliest ‘portable’ NYC subway map for $12,000

New Yorkers have used maps to navigate the city's subway system since the first year the system opened 114 years ago. And one of only two known examples of the Interborough Rapid Transit's first guide is for sale for $12,000, the New York Times reported. That 1904 transit guide, along with many more historic maps of New York, can be found at the Martayan Lan Gallery, which is kicking of its  "New Amsterdam to Metropolis: Historic Maps of  New York City 1548-1964" exhibit on Nov. 9.
More this way
November 1, 2018

Stopped in its tracks: The fight against the subway through Central Park

In 2018, Mayor Bill de Blasio closed all of Central Park’s scenic drives to cars, finishing a process he began in 2015 when he banned vehicles north of 72nd Street. But not all mayors have been so keen on keeping Central Park transit free. In fact, in 1920, Mayor John Hylan had plans to run a subway through Central Park. Hylan, the 96th Mayor of New York City, in office from 1918 to 1925, had a one-track mind, and that track was for trains. He had spent his life in locomotives, first laying rails for the Brooklyn Union Elevated Railroad (later the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company, or BRT), then rising through the ranks to become a conductor. In that capacity, he was involved in a near-accident that almost flattened his supervisor, whereupon he was fired from the BRT. Nevertheless, Hylan made transit his political mission, implementing the city's first Independent subway line and proposing that it run from 59th Street up through Central Park to 110th Street.
So, what happened?
October 30, 2018

Museum of Natural History expansion plans stalled by restraining order and lawsuit

As 6sqft previously reported, last October the architects at Studio Gang tweaked their proposal for the American Museum of Natural History expansion to preserve more public parkland–and the Landmarks Preservation Commission unanimously approved the plans. Now, Curbed reports, those expansion plans have been put on hold after a temporary restraining order (TRO) was issued against the Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education and Innovation by New York State Supreme Court justice Lynn Kotler. The TRO follows a lawsuit filed by a community group that has been opposed to the expansion, saying it will destroy the park, cause trees to be removed and endanger the safety and environment surrounding the construction area.
How big a setback is this?
October 26, 2018

John Lennon, Muhammad Ali, and the 1970s: Jeff Rothstein takes us back to a bygone NYC

6sqft’s series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment, Jeff Rothstein shares a collection of 1970s street photos. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. Brooklyn native Jeff Rothstein bought his first 35 mm camera in 1969, hoping to get some good shots at the Yankees and Mets game he frequently attended. But what he found was a love for NYC that turned him into an avid street photographer for the rest of his life. Jeff recently compiled a selection of these black-and-white images in his book "Today’s Special: New York City Images 1969-2006," and he shared a subset of 1970s photos with 6sqft. From John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and Muhammad Ali to protests shows at the Filmore East, and candid shots of everyday New Yorkers, Jeff's work captures a bygone NYC with a delicate intimacy.
Hear from Jeff and travel back to 1970s NYC with him
October 25, 2018

Remembering Soho’s Tunnel Garage: An automobile age marvel

As the old saying goes, you win some, you lose some.  That’s particularly true in preservation, where sometimes in spite of the most heroic of efforts and compelling of cases, historic treasures succumb to the wrecking ball. GVSHP is frequently asked, “Which fight do you most regret losing; which building do you mourn the loss of most?” It often comes as a surprise that the answer, inevitably, is a parking garage — one which seemed to almost eerily peer into the future. But the Tunnel Garage, at Broome and Thompson Streets, where the South Village meets Soho, was no ordinary parking garage. Built in 1922, it was a thing of extraordinary beauty, a sublime ode to the dawn of the automobile age and to the engineering marvel of its time which was the Holland Tunnel.
So, what happened?
October 25, 2018

The Weeknd and Bella Hadid rent a party-perfect penthouse at 443 Greenwich for $60K/month

Celebrity couple The Weeknd and Bella Hadid have moved into 443 Greenwich Street, becoming the latest pair of stars to take over the Tribeca building. The famous singer-model duo has picked up a $60,000/month penthouse, which spans three levels and includes over 1,000 square feet of private outdoor space, as the New York Post reported. Due to its emphasis on privacy (it claims to be "paparazzi-proof" and includes an underground parking garage), A-listers like Jake Gyllenhaal, Meg Ryan, Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel, and Jennifer Lawerence all call the luxury property home.
See the pad
October 24, 2018

At $4.8M, this historic Upper West Side townhouse costs less than a Midtown condo

With its crimson brick facade, stepped gables, and graceful archways, this four-story 1886 townhouse at 383 West End Avenue is one in a row of eight. It's a legal two-family dwelling (so there's rental income potential) currently being used as a single-family home. The building's stained glass transoms, original fireplaces, and winding staircase reflect the artistry and Victorian stylings of designer Frederick B. White. Currently asking $4.795 million, it's a house in one of the city's most beloved neighborhoods with plenty of room for living, and it rings in at far less than the average luxury condominium, where you probably wouldn't even get a sunken garden and a magical third-floor terrace.
Gorgeous townhouse tour, this way
October 22, 2018

Salted fish, puppet shows, and spitting: Strange ways to break the law in NYC

New York may be known around the world as a city where anything goes, but in fact, the NYC is home to a long list of unusual, and in some cases, archaic laws that suggest the opposite may hold true. Most of these laws—with the exception of those concerning postering—are not readily enforced, but they are technically still on the books. As for the consequences of breaking some of the city’s more peculiar laws, they run the gamut from small fines of $25 to jail time up to thirty days.
Get the scoop
October 18, 2018

Where I Work: The Four Freedoms Park team talks Louis Kahn, FDR, and preserving a legacy

As a media sponsor of Archtober–NYC’s annual month-long architecture and design festival of tours, lectures, films, and exhibitions–6sqft has teamed up with the Center for Architecture to explore some of their 70+ partner organizations. In 2012, 40 years after it was conceived by late architect Louis Kahn, Four Freedoms Park opened on four acres on the southern tip of Roosevelt Island. Part park, part memorial to FDR (the first dedicated to the former president in his home state), the site was designed to celebrate the Four Freedoms that Roosevelt outlined in his 1941 State of the Union address--Freedom of speech, of worship, from want, and from fear. In addition to its unique social and cultural position, the Park is set apart architecturally--the memorial is constructed from 7,700 tons of raw granite, for example--and horticulturally--120 Little Leaf Linden trees are all perfectly aligned to form a unified sight line. And with these distinctions comes a special team working to upkeep the grounds and memorial, educate the public, and keep the legacy of both Kahn and Roosevelt at the forefront. To learn a bit more about what it's like to work for the Four Freedoms Park Conservancy, we recently toured the park with Park Director Angela Stangenberg and Director of Strategic Partnerships & Communications Madeline Grimes, who filled us in on their day-to-day tasks, some of their challenges, and several secrets of the beautiful site.
Take the tour!
October 18, 2018

Style icon Beatrix Ost’s $4M Hotel Des Artistes duplex is just as fabulous as you’d imagine

Designed as an artist's cooperative apartment building and the largest "studio" building in the city, the Hotel Des Artistes at 1 West 67th Street on the Upper West Side is one of NYC's most famous and illustrious buildings. As one of a constellation of style stars in Ari Seth Cohen's "Advanced Style" universe, former model, artist and muse to fashionistas of all ages Beatrix Ost is beloved for her perfect balance of creativity, confidence and cool. In a rare confluence of New York City fabulousness, the apartment Ost has shared with her husband, Ludwig Kuttner, since 2006 is on the market for $4 million–and the offbeat but ridiculously stylish space is every bit what we'd expect.
Take the tour
October 18, 2018

Cuomo tours Hudson River tunnel to expose severe damage and calls on Trump for funding

Gov. Andrew Cuomo plans on sending video footage of the damaged tunnel under the Hudson River to Washington to show why federal funds are necessary for the repair project. On late Wednesday night, Cuomo toured the century-old tunnel that was severely damaged by Hurricane Sandy and called on President Donald Trump to fund the Gateway Tunnel Project, which includes fixing the existing tunnel and constructing a new tunnel under the river. While President Barack Obama had pledged to split the cost of the $30 billion project, the Trump administration has said it won't contribute federal funds.
See the damage
October 18, 2018

‘Real Housewife’ Jill Zarin prepares to downsize, lists Upper East Side condo for $3.3M

After her late husband, Bobby Zarin, passed away earlier this year, original "Real Housewives of New York" cast member Jill Zarin has put her Upper East Side condo on the market for $3.3 million, after living there for 18 years. Since her daughter is also out of the house, she told Forbes, "it's time for a change of scenery," which likely be warmer weather since she added, "Since I love tennis, I want to spend more time in a climate that is suited for it." Likely in anticipation of selling, Jill renovated the three-bedroom apartment at 401 East 60th Street less than a year ago, working with designers at Schoeller + Darling on a contemporary makeover.
Check it out
October 16, 2018

My 730sqft: It’s a retro pink party at fashion designer Stella Rose’s Bushwick pad

"Why not make your living space look like a party every day?" says fashion designer, stylist, and model Stella Rose Saint Clair. And that's exactly what she did in her unapologetically pink Bushwick apartment. In fact, she's painted every NYC apartment she's lived in this same hue because it makes her feel "optimistic, rebellious, wacky." When asked to sum up her fun and festive aesthetic, she explained, "I love over-the-top vintage interiors and the retro obsession around pink for household decorating. I am also a sucker for tropical plants and party supplies." From the Rococo sofa she found on Craigslist and bought from an eccentric divorcée on Staten Island to the collection of vintage food packaging in the kitchen, everything in Stella's apartment has a story, many of which will make you laugh. But behind the giggles and bubblegum walls, Stella is not afraid to get real--"I don't have my shit together, and I'm okay with it."--and take a serious look at how obstacles in her life, such as being bullied as a teen, have shaped her into the creative force she is today. Ahead, take a tour of Stella's one-of-a-kind apartment and get to know her a bit better.
Take the tour!
October 15, 2018

15 Hudson Yards reveals model home with shoppable interiors by Neiman Marcus fashion director

The first phase of the Hudson Yards megaproject, including the public square and gardens and its centerpiece, Vessel, as well as The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards, which will be anchored by NYC's first Neiman Marcus store, is preparing to open this March. Now, Fifteen Hudson Yards has announced that that Neiman Marcus fashion director Ken Downing has designed and styled the interiors for a new model home at the 88-story luxury condominium. Furthering the connection between the upper-crust department store and the development's high-end aspirations is a freshly-launched Neiman Marcus microsite that will allow people to purchase select items in the residence.
Interiors you can buy, this way
October 12, 2018

Marvel Architects reveal condo conversion of 200-year-old Nolita school

Marvel Architects has completed its school-to-condo conversion in Nolita, bringing seven condos and one private townhouse to the former site of the Old St. Patrick's School on Prince Street. The project restored the facade of the four-story building, which was built in 1826, as well as its dormer windows and arched doorways. Because the interiors of the building, dubbed the Residences at Prince, were not landmarked, the architects were able to add new modern elements like steel columns and white oak floors while retaining original brick walls and roof timbers.
See it here
October 11, 2018

Troubled Upper East Side mansion tries again for $88M after record-breaking deal fell through

Fourth time's the charm? A 20,000-square-foot townhouse on the Upper East Side with its own movie theater and a panic room has hit the market again for $88 million. While the palatial home at 12 East 69th Street went into contract last December for $80 million, which at the time would have been the most expensive townhouse ever sold in New York City, the deal fell through this summer. The seven-bedroom home, built in 1884, was previously listed in 2013 for $114 million and then for $98 million in 2014. But if you're not ready to commit permanently to the mansion lifestyle, the home is also available to rent for $175,000.
See inside
October 11, 2018

Scarlett Johansson scoops up $4M ivy-clad house in secluded Snedens Landing

Actress Scarlett Johansson has closed on a property in Snedens Landing, a haven near the Palisades known for attracting celebrities. Dubbed the "Ivy House," the Rockland County home at 40 Washington Spring Road sold for $4 million (h/t New York Post). The ivy-clad four-bedroom home was designed by Eric Gugler, an architect tapped in 1933 by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt to design the Oval Office in the White House. Boasting water views from every room, the stunning home overlooks the Hudson River and has a pool and adjacent cabana house.
See the starlet's home
October 9, 2018

Where modernism meets tradition: Inside the Japan Society’s historic headquarters

As a media sponsor of Archtober–NYC’s annual month-long architecture and design festival of tours, lectures, films, and exhibitions–6sqft has teamed up with the Center for Architecture to explore some of their 70+ partner organizations. For the last 111 years, the mission of the Japan Society has remained the same: to create a better understanding between the United States and Japan. While strengthening relations originally meant introducing Japanese art and culture to Americans, today in its second century, the nonprofit’s purpose, along with its programming, has expanded, with education and policy now a core part of its objective. The headquarters of the Japan Society is located in Turtle Bay at 333 East 47th Street, purposely constructed just blocks from the United Nations. In addition to being known for its extensive curriculum, the architecture of the society's building also stands out. Designed by architects Junzō Yoshimura and George G. Shimamoto, the building is the first designed by a Japanese citizen and the first of contemporary Japanese design in New York City. The structure, which first opened in 1971, combines a modern style with traditional materials of Japan. In 2011, the building was designated a city landmark, becoming one of the youngest buildings with this recognition. Ahead, learn about the Japan Society's evolving century-long history, its groundbreaking architecture, and its newest exhibition opening this week.
Take a look inside the landmarked building
October 9, 2018

Governor Cuomo says controversial Columbus monument will get historic listing

Photos via Public Domain Pictures and Flickr cc Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced yesterday that New York City's Central Park-adjacent monument to Christopher Columbus has been listed on the State Register of Historic Places by the New York State Board for Historic Preservation. Cuomo also recommended the 76-foot rostral column statue, erected in 1892 by the city's Italian-American community, for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The statue was the subject of controversy earlier this year after violent white supremacist groups in Charlottesville, Virgina protested the city’s plan to remove a statue of Robert E. Lee. Mayor Bill De Blasio announced the statue would remain, following a 90-day review of the city’s monuments by a mayoral advisory commission.
Find out more
October 4, 2018

REVEALED: Cuomo’s $13B JFK Airport overhaul to feature an indoor ‘park’ and food hall

Gov. Andrew Cuomo revealed new details Thursday of his $13 billion plan to overhaul John F. Kennedy Airport and transform it into a 21st-century transit hub. In addition to two much-needed new international terminals, the overhaul will bring NYC's biggest tourist attractions into its passenger waiting areas and a central hub. There will be interior green space called "Central Park at JFK," a food hall modeled after Chelsea Market, an elevated walkway called "The High Line," and artwork and exhibits honoring iconic landmarks, including the Statue of Liberty's torch.
See the new renderings
October 4, 2018

10 of NYC’s most impressive Terra-cotta buildings

Terra-cotta, Latin for "fired earth," is an ancient building material, made of baked clay, first used throughout early civilizations in Greece, Egypt, China the Indus Valley. In more modern times, architects realized that "fired earth" actually acts as a fire-deterrent. In the age of the skyscraper, terra-cotta became a sought-after fire-proof skin for the steel skeletons of New York’s tallest buildings. In the early part of the 20th century, the City’s most iconic structures were decked out in terracotta. You’ll find terra-cotta on famous facades from the Flatiron to the Plaza, but the material often flies under the radar of pedestrians and architecture buffs alike because it can mimic other materials, like cast-iron or carved wood. Now, this long-underappreciated material is getting its due. On October 24th, the Historic Districts Council will present its annual Landmarks Lion Award to the terra-cotta firms Boston Valley Terra Cotta and Gladding, McBean, which work to keep terra-cotta alive worldwide, and to the preservation organization Friends of Terra Cotta, which has worked to preserve New York’s architectural terra-cotta since 1981. The ceremony will take place at Grand Central’s Oyster Bar, under the magnificent Guastavino terra-cotta ceiling recently restored by Boston Valley Terra Cotta. Fired up about finding “fired earth” around town? Here are 10 of the most impressive examples of New York terra-cotta!
Learn more about New York's Terra Cotta Treasures
October 3, 2018

Roy Lichtenstein’s former Nomad loft hits the market for $4.5M

The former Nomad loft of late pop-art artist Roy Lichtenstein is for sale, asking $4.5 million. Lichtenstein, who was a native of New York City, lived at the four-bedroom home at 105 East 29th Street from 1984 to 1988. Located on the eighth floor, the sprawling space measures 3,200 square feet and features four exposures from 19 windows. As 6sqft reported last year, Lichtenstein's son Mitchell listed a home in the Greenwich Village Historic District for $25 million; today it's back on the market for just under $20 million.
Take the tour
October 2, 2018

To lure Google workers, investors drop $83M on a block of Chelsea apartments

Real estate investors Dalan Management Associates and Elion Partners announced a joint venture on Tuesday to acquire eight adjacent buildings in Chelsea for $83 million. The buildings, which run along Eighth Avenue from West 15th to West 16th Streets, contain 102 multi-family units and 10 ground-floor retail spaces known as the Chelsea Collection. Because the property sits directly across from Google headquarters, developers hope to attract workers from the tech giant, Crain's reported.
Find out more