Search Results for: Brooklyn Heights

It's not often that a three-bedroom apartment in prime Brooklyn rings in at under a million; if it does, it's likely to be a co-op with a steep monthly fee, and/or badly in need of an update. This pre-war condo in the heart of Clinton Hill is the rare exception: tastefully renovated, it offers pretty pre-war details, three bedrooms, and a location that's hard to beat. 207 Saint James Place is on one of this historic neighborhood's most beautiful streets, lined with 150-year-old brownstones and wood-frames, carriage houses and churches. There's plenty of colorful local history as well: The childhood home of Biggie Smalls is in a similar building just across the street at number 226–the late rapper's former apartment sold for $725k in 2013. Having survived the ravages of the late 20th century, these ornate 1930s limestone apartment buildings can be a great place to find lovely and livable–and somewhat rare–apartments like this one.
Take a look, this way...

Distinctive Homes

September 15, 2015

Fort Greene Townhouse, Up for Rent at $8,500 a Month, Has Its Very Own Treehouse

If a New York townhouse is only as good as its outdoor space, this place in Fort Greene is one of the best. Located at 283 Adelphi Street, the historic brick house boasts a beautiful interior with both modern and historic touches, and then a downright awesome exterior. A fire pit, an outdoor dining area, and yes, there's a treehouse. (It looks just large enough to fit a grownup, too!) Simply put: this house has us sold, inside and out. It's up for rent during a six-month period–January 2016 to June 2016–asking $8,500 a month.
See it all

September 11, 2015

New Yorker Spotlight: William Helmreich Went on the Ultimate 6,000-Mile Walking Tour of NYC

By Susan Cohen

New Yorkers are known for spending their free time taking leisurely strolls through the city's numerous neighborhoods. They even use their feet as a means to learn by going on weekend walking tours to discover the history, the mystery, as well as the evolution of their favorite places—and there are certainly plenty of tours out there to serve all sorts of curiosities. But when William Helmreich decided he wanted to learn more about New York on foot, he took walking tours to another level. In fact, he decided to walk the entire city. William is a sociology professor at The City College of New York and also teaches at the Graduate Center, City University of New York. Over the course of four years, he has walked just about every block in New York City. It was an adventure William was primed for as a lifelong New Yorker who possesses a research interest in urban studies; his background allowed him to be at ease while speaking with city residents in the five boroughs, and he had the eagerness necessary to uncover hidden gems in the lesser known nooks and crannies of our metropolis. The culmination of William's journey is his book, "The New York Nobody Knows: Walking 6,000 Miles in New York City," which was published in 2013 and released last month in paperback. We recently spoke with William about his long walk, and to find out what it taught him about New York.
Meet William here

September 1, 2015

Loft Renovation in DUMBO’s Eagle Warehouse Building Is Playful and Strategic

By Rebecca Paul

This playfully decorated loft is located in DUMBO's landmarked Eagle Warehouse Building. Although the space has always been generous in square footage, prior to the renovation the original residence only had two small windows and very little natural light. To open up and brighten the home, Etelamaki Architecture removed the kitchen walls and introduced various design treatments to increase the presence of natural light and to define distinct functional spaces.
Check out the rest of the loft

August 28, 2015

This Tiny Upper West Side Studio Knows How to Maximize Its Space

If you've got very little living space to work with, you have to be smart. That's the situation at this tiny studio apartment, located inside the Upper West Side co-op building at 327 West 85th Street. There's no square footage listed–probably because there isn't much to list–but it's basically an open living area and kitchen, with one closet and a bathroom. The current owner, however, has created a space that seems liveable and downright cute. It's currently asking $398,000.
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Distinctive Homes

August 24, 2015

Should Poor Neighborhoods Stay Poor to Avoid Gentrification? Mayor De Blasio Speaks Out

Recently on the Brian Lehrer radio show on WNYC, Mayor De Blasio addressed questions about the effects inclusionary development–i.e. giving developers the green light to build market rate housing if they set aside 25-30 percent of the units for low- and middle-income residents–has on the quality of life in lower-income neighborhoods. A growing concern among housing activists is that reliance on this kind of inclusionary zoning leads to gentrification that pushes out the lower income residents due to the 70-75 percent of market rate units bringing new, wealthy residents and new businesses that will cater to them.
Hear what the mayor has to say

Affordable Housing

August 20, 2015

You’ll Get Sunlight, Rooftop Memories–and Plenty of Exercise–in This Fifth Floor West Village Rental

This light-filled roost at 281 West 11th Street, available for 4-12 months, comes furnished "in a mid-century modern style." The one-bedroom walk-up is on the fifth floor, so while you don't have to worry about upstairs neighbors, you'll certainly be able to stay in shape. For an equally-steep $6,500 a month, the pre-war co-op delivers those lovely 10-foot ceilings, exposed brick walls and a wood-burning fireplace to make the whole picture even more charming. On the modern creature comforts side there's a washer dryer combo in the apartment, and a Bang & Olufsen sound system. In addition, you get dibs on a quarter of the roof. And it's in a lovely and convenient part of the West Village that looks good from any angle.
Check it out, here

Distinctive Homes

August 18, 2015

‘Exceptional Quirks’ and Reclaimed Materials Abound in This Historic Williamsburg Church Conversion

One of the neighborhood's oldest landmarks, the Saint Vincent De Paul Church at 167 North Sixth Street in Williamsburg's uber-trendy North Side was recently converted into 40 rental apartments known as the Spire Lofts. We know that converted churches get people's attention at the very least–but like many historic building conversions, they can be a disappointment. The apartments here don't try to be especially historic–but the interiors differ somewhat from the usual boilerplate rental "lofts" that tend to spring up like weeds in North Brooklyn. The building's recently-listed batch of two- and three-bedrooms ranges from $6,400 to $8,000 (the spoken-for one-bedrooms started at $4k), so they're pricey. The interiors are somewhat innovative, though. The listing promises "...modern details and state-of-the-art finishes [that] blend flawlessly with expertly salvaged materials, including original exposed brick, reclaimed Heart Pine pillars and beams, arched stained glass windows, custom steel work and exceptional quirks around every corner." On the down side, there's no floor plan and no mention of square footage.
Take a look at the loft-style interiors, this way

August 17, 2015

NeighborhoodX’s 3D Map Reveals the Blocks Where Real Estate Prices Are Soaring

By Diane Pham

Click for the expanded version >> We all have a pretty good idea which NYC neighborhoods command top dollar, but this incredible 3D map from NeighborhoodX really puts things into perspective by pinning the city's 325 neighborhoods against one another in a visually jarring side-by-side comparison. Among the most expensive? For Brooklyn, Gravesend beats out our best guess of DUMBO/Brooklyn Heights with its enclave of multi-million dollar, over-the-top mansions; and in Manhattan, Billionaires' Row rises as a whole other beast with prices soaring as high as its supertalls.
get a more detailed look here

Real Estate Trends

August 15, 2015

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks from the 6sqft Staff

Venus and Serena Williams Sell Midtown West Apartment for $2M The Bronx Is Getting a New Mixed-Use High-Rise Near Yankee Stadium Facebook Co-Founder Lists His Elegant Bespoke Soho Loft for $8.75M First Look at 23-Story Condominium Replacing Greenwich Village’s Bowlmor Lanes New York Times Custom Birthday Book Features Every Front Page Since Your Birth Inside […]

Uncategorized

August 14, 2015

Cozy Ground-Floor Duplex in Midtown West With Big Terrace Asks $1.1 Million

If you're looking for space and a central location like Midtown Manhattan, check out this one-bedroom co-op that is now for sale by owner. It's a duplex in Midtown West at 453 West 43rd Street located on the ground and lower floors. It comes with two bedrooms, 900 square feet, and a large, 575-square-foot terrace. Of course, extra space and a convenient Manhattan location don't come cheap–the ask comes in at $1.1 million.
See the interior

Distinctive Homes

August 11, 2015

New Census Fact Finder Sheds Surprising Light on Neighborhood Demographics

Think you live in a hipster 'hood? Constantly complaining about the stroller parades down your block? While you may think you have your neighbors pinpointed, a quick look at the hard facts may surprise you. Last week, the Department of City Planning revealed its updated Census Fact Finder, an interactive application that uses data from the U.S. Census Bureau's annual American Community Survey to provide highly detailed neighborhood profiles. Take for example the Lower East Side, often thought of as a playground for well-off post-grads. As The Lo-Down noted, 47 percent of the neighborhood's population is unemployed, only 34 percent have a college degree, and 35 percent pay less than $500/month in rent.
More findings right here

City Living

August 10, 2015

Permits Filed for New Faux-Loft Building at the Intersection of Boerum Hill and Gowanus

By Ondel Hylton

Avery Hall Investments filed permits last week for an eight-story, 20-unit residential building at the corner of Third Avenue and St. Marks Place. The site is situated in the area where bucolic Boerum Hill meets the utilitarian factory lofts of Gowanus. The development at 125 Third Avenue will replace a one-story commercial building that Avery picked up earlier this year for $5.65 million according to city records. The team also recently broke ground on another Boerum Hill condominium at 472 Atlantic Avenue designed by the context-sensitive Morris Adjmi Architects.
More details on the project

August 7, 2015

Live in This Cool, Summery Duplex Located in an 1851 Church for $8,750

One thing we can say about this apartment currently for rent at 215 Degraw Street (a.k.a. 56 Strong Place) in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn: The listing broker likes it. She writes, and we quote: "...this incredible 3 bedroom 3 bath duplex offers more to one lucky renter than this writer can ever hope to convey." But she gives it a shot just the same, explaining that for a mere $8,750 a month, you can bag "The triple Crown of Rentals!" She says more, too, but let's take a look at what's causing all this excitement. First, Landmark at Strong Place is a circa 1851 Gothic Revival church that was converted into a 23-unit condominium in 2010. So already it's more interesting than your average apartment.
And there's more! (this way)

Distinctive Homes

August 4, 2015

Relax, There’s No Bubonic Plague on the Subway; A Brief History of Jaywalking in NYC

Turns out, there actually is no bubonic plague or anthrax on the subway. The scientists who made these claims back in February are now backing off their findings. [WSJ] Check out this photo essay of lower Manhattan in 1980. [Tribeca Citizen] The term jaywalking, which was coined in the Times in 1915, is celebrating its centennial year. It […]

Uncategorized

July 28, 2015

Where to Find the NYC Haunts and Houses of Famous Writers

By Jason Carpenter

New York City has always been a hub for writers. Whether they were living in luxury or getting their start as starving artists, famous writers have lived and worked all across New York, and you can still see many of these writerly abodes today. Whether you're a fan of the Beat Generation, Sci-Fi, or even Southern Gothic, you might be interested in tracking down a famous writer's home.
See where writers lived and worked here

July 28, 2015

Quirky Park Slope Duplex with Charming Backyard Asks $629K

Talk about quirky... this is a property you don't see in Brooklyn every day. The unit in question is located at 429 7th Avenue, in Park Slope. It's a duplex with a kooky sleeping loft instead of a bedroom, a unique layout, and a really nice private backyard. It's not going to be for everyone but that outdoor space, plus a location two blocks west of Prospect Park, will certainly appeal to some. Don't mind the idea of curling up in a loft to go to bed? Well, the apartment is now for sale by owner asking $629,000.
See the rest of it

Distinctive Homes

July 27, 2015

Entertain on Three Levels in This $2.5M Modern Chelsea Loft

While most lofts offer a spacious open interior, this recently-listed $2.5 million Chelsea triplex extends vertically as well; a stylish recent renovation gets creative with windows and skylights to maximize light flow throughout all three floors. The 1,797-square-foot, two-bedroom condo at 251 West 19th Street–known as Chelsea 19, the classic loft building was built in 1910 and converted to condos in 2002–is just the spot for a three-story soiree (or a well-divided live-and-work space).
Check out all three floors...

Distinctive Homes

July 27, 2015

Flushing and the Upper East Side Top the List of Most Traffic Accidents in NYC

Between March 2014 and April 2015, the city reported 223,141 motor vehicle accidents, almost 25 percent of which resulted in injury or death. The Auto Insurance Center used this open-source data, which includes geographical coordinates for the accidents, to create maps and graphs examining where and when the collisions happened (h/t Brokelyn). Queens accounted for 29.5 percent of the total collisions, with Brooklyn coming in right behind at 28 percent. In terms of neighborhoods (broken down by police precincts), Flushing, Queens takes the top spot, followed by Queens Village, the Upper East Side, Cypress Hills, Brooklyn, and Long Island City, respectively.
More data and maps right here

Transit

July 24, 2015

New Yorker Spotlight: Gabrielle Shubert Reflects on Her Ride at the New York Transit Museum

By Susan Cohen

On the corner of Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street in Downtown Brooklyn is what looks like a regular subway entrance. But upon further inspection, it becomes clear that there's no uptown and downtown platforms here. This is the New York Transit Museum, the largest museum dedicated to urban public transportation in the country. It's fittingly located inside a decommissioned–but still working–subway station. And over the last 40 years, it has told one of New York's most important stories–how mass transit and city development are intricately connected and how public transportation is one of the city's crowning achievements, in spite of its delays and crowded rides. Gabrielle Shubert has served as the museum's director for the past 24 years. She transformed a young institution into a go-to destination for learning about and engaging with urban history. From vintage cars to subway fares, Gabrielle has offered visitors a chance to go behind the scenes and marvel at the wonders of New York City's incredible public transportation system. On the eve of her retirement, we sat down with Gabrielle in one of the museum's vintage cars and found out about her early days as director, the range of exhibits and programming she has overseen, and the institution's bright future.
Read the interview here

July 20, 2015

Live in a Rare Red Wood Cabin Near Prospect Park

By Diane Pham

One look at this unassuming wood home and you might find yourself rubbing your eyes, but rest assured this charming little cabin is indeed located in Brooklyn. Said to be the former "vacation home" of a wealthy 19th century Brooklyn Heights family, this 1800s construction has just been put on the market for $1.249 million. Interestingly, its 658 Vanderbilt Street locale in Windsor Terrace hasn't always been its address. The home was previously sited, oddly enough, in the middle of Prospect Park.
Find out more here

July 17, 2015

The United States of Cursing; Take a Tour of Queens’ Historic Valencia Movie Palace