Search Results for: Brooklyn Heights

July 2, 2015

Cute Cobble Hill Condo with Fun Pops of Pink Asks $800k

The listing calls this 800-square-foot condo a studio, but given its spacious duplex layout, we think it functions more like a one-bedroom. Located at 473 Hicks Street in Cobble Hill, the apartment puts a contemporary spin on its classic bones. The huge, geometric bookshelves, translucent kitchen stools, and funky bedroom wallpaper all elevate the home from a boring box to a designer-worthy pad. But what especially draws us in is the subtle use of pink, which doesn't read girly, but rather sophisticated and fun.
See the rest here
June 30, 2015

New Map Plots Every Airbnb Listing in NYC

"Adding data to the debate" is the tagline of this new interactive map called Inside Airbnb, which has plotted all listings as of June 1st from the popular room-sharing website. The searchable bird's eye map was created by Bed Stuy photographer Murray Cox to show "how Airbnb is being used to compete with the residential housing market" in cities around the world (h/t Gothamist). In addition to looking at the trend across the city as a whole, the map allows users to zoom into a specific neighborhood and look at how an Airbnb presence has changed in a given area over the past few years.
Learn more about the map
June 27, 2015

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks from the 6sqft Staff

Landmarks Preservation Commission Maps 150 Years of LGBTQ History in Greenwich Village For $1.25M You Can Live Like a Governor’s Daughter in This Historic Victorian Home Are You Rich? The Wealthometer Will Tell You 2,000 NYCHA Apartments Are Vacant Despite 270,000-Name Waiting List Unique Brooklyn Heights Studio Comes with Clever Space-Saving Ideas and a Private […]

June 23, 2015

Lofty Co-Op With Flexible Space Asks $1.5 Million in Greenwich Village

This one-bedroom at University Mews, a co-op building at 39 East 12th Street in Greenwich Village, is more than meets the eye. It's not a huge apartment, but smart design has allowed for some surprising extra space. That's no big shock, since the unit's previous owners were architects. So how much for a one bedroom that's located between the Village and Union Square, right in the heart of NYU? It has hit the market asking $1.595 million.
See inside
June 19, 2015

Windows Galore at This Gramercy Loft, on the Market for $3.5 Million

There's nothing but light coming into this three-bedroom loft co-op at Ruggles House, a Gramercy Park building located at 112 East 19th Street. Ruggles House was built in 1913 as an industrial loft building with high ceilings and huge windows. When it was converted into a residential building, only two apartments were put on each of the 12 floors. The result at this particular unit is a sprawling floor plan with those old industrial interior details. It is currently on the market for $3.5 million.
See the interior
June 12, 2015

New Yorker Spotlight: Al Diaz on NYC Street Art and Working with Jean-Michel Basquiat

Artist Al Diaz is often asked to speak at panel discussions about Jean-Michel Basquiat or to lend his expertise for new exhibits about the world-famous artist. But Diaz was just as much a part of the downtown street art movement as his buddy Basquiat; in fact, the two got involved with the art form together. They met in high school and created the tag SAMO©, which appeared throughout lower Manhattan between 1977 and 1979 and put them on the map. They were first-generation NYC subway graffiti artists, and Diaz later became a text-oriented street artist. Today, you'll see his hand in the subway again with his WET PAINT series, which uses individually-cut-out letters to create "clever, surreal and sometimes poignant anagrams." We recently chatted with Al Diaz to get the inside scoop on street art history in New York City, what it was like to work with Basquiat, and how he and his art work are much more than a shadow of his famous friend.
Read the full interview here
June 8, 2015

Harlem Rents Jump 90 Percent over the Past 12 Years, Bed-Stuy Not Much Better at 63 Percent

Take everything you think you know about "affordable" alternatives to pricey neighborhoods and throw it out the window. This map from the Community Service Society (first shared by the Daily News) analyzes newly released census data that compares median rents between 2002 and 2014. The data is drawn from a New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Urban Development survey of 18,000 New Yorkers every three years who had recently moved, which "eliminates the tendency of lower rents paid by long-time tenants to smooth out market changes and mask the changes that affect tenants who are looking for a place to live," according to CSS. The report shows that rents citywide have increased 32 percent over the past 12 years, not a new or surprising figure. But it also shows drastic increases in neighborhoods that have been traditionally thought of as more affordable. Central Harlem saw the biggest jump at 90 percent; the average rent in 2002 for new residents was $821 and now it's skyrocketed to $1,560. Other no-longer-affordable neighborhoods are Bed-Stuy at a 63 percent increase and Washington Heights/Inwood at 55 percent. The other 'hoods topping the list include less surprising areas like Brooklyn Heights/DUMBO/Fort Greene at 59 percent and Williamsburg/Greenpoint at 53 percent.
More findings from the report
May 21, 2015

‘Girls’ Star Zosia Mamet Buys Unimpressive Upper West Side Co-op for $1.2M

When we took a look at the real estate of the stars of "Girls," we said the characters "live in Greenpoint, not the Upper West Side." The same cannot be said for their real-life digs, as evidenced by Zosia Mamet's (she plays Shoshanna on the hit show) purchase of a pretty bland Upper West Side co-op. According to city records released today, she paid $1,225,000 for the two-bedroom apartment at 522 West End Avenue. We knew she was looking to relocate–she and her boyfriend listed their Bushwick house back in October, and it recently sold–but we can't deny that we're a little surprised by her choice.
See Zosia's new home here
May 21, 2015

Park Slope Townhouse Sporting Woody Interior Asks $1.5M

There's something intriguing about this $1.5 million two-family townhouse at 326 15th Street in Park Slope. The home almost looks like an upscale tool shed with wood everywhere you look: wooden built-ins, wooden beams, hardwood floors. But with the right owner and enough tender love and care, this 1,800 square-foot beauty could be a dream home in the making. Built around 1899, and available for the first time in 35 years, it can be yours for $1.5 million.
More pics inside
May 12, 2015

If Robert Moses Visited NYC Today, Here’s Where We’d Take Him

If you have even the slightest interest in architecture, urban planning, and NYC history, you know Robert Moses. Unforgettably profiled as the "Power Broker" by Robert Caro, Moses was the "master builder" of mid-20th century New York and its environs. He was a larger-than-life character who had very set ways of approaching urban design. He advocated for highways over public transportation (he built 13 expressways through NYC), dense housing towers over low-scale neighborhoods, and communities segregated by race and class over organic, mixed-demographic areas. Of course, there are plenty of much-loved aspects of the city that also came from Moses–Jones Beach, the United Nations, and ten public swimming pools like the one in McCarren Park. Regardless of your feelings on Robert Moses, though, we can all agree that the city would not be the same without him. But a lot has changed since he lost his post as director of the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority in the mid 1960s and even more so since he passed away in 1981. So we can't help but wonder what he would think of our fair city in 2015. To have a little fun, we planned a present-day tour for the ghost of Robert Moses.
See where we'd take the Power Broker here
May 5, 2015

House Tours Galore: Where to Get a Look Inside the Area’s Most Fabulous Homes and Gardens

Temperatures have finally hit the high 70s mean, and that can only mean one thing–it's house tour season. Architecture buffs, history lovers, and die-hard New Yorkers look forward to these events all year. It's a time to see how the other half lives; get some design inspiration; and just enjoy a nice day out looking at beautiful homes and gardens. From Harlem brownstones to Hamptons estates to the gardens of Jackson Heights, we've rounded up this season's hottest tours.
See our full list of tours here
May 4, 2015

Westward Ho! More and More New Yorkers Are Moving to Los Angeles

New York and Los Angeles have long been rivals, but while New York has historically emerged as the center of all things cool, the tides seem to be turning. The Times reports that more and more of the city's creatives are turning to Los Angeles as a place to call home, spurring a renaissance in a town once considered a cultural wasteland. No longer is L.A. a sun-soaked land littered with dejected actors and models, but instead it's emerging as a haven for those looking to experiment with their art without struggling to make ends meet. Read: The rents are cheap!
Find out more here
April 30, 2015

Awesome Attics: Inside the ‘Other Penthouses’ of New York City

New York City is abuzz with penthouse talk, whether it's the $100M blockbuster sale at One57, the unbelievable $150M ask for the topper at the Sony Building, or if it's all the chatter around just how much more folks are willing to pay to have these two letters in their address: PH. While we love playing the game "If I had the money..." as much the next person, we thought before we start daydreaming too far out of our financial means—or cursing the system altogether—that we'd pay homage to the city's "other penthouses," the ones far closer in reach. Okay, so they're really just tiny attics or additions, but what each of these little spaces lacks in floor area, they certainly make up in character. Check out some of the coolest, cutest and just downright amazing attic spaces we've dug up ahead!
NYC's Amazing and Adorable Attics This Way
April 3, 2015

Mad for Modern: NYC Homes That Are Cooler Than Don Draper’s Park Avenue Pad

We admit it: We’re a bit obsessed with mid-20th century modern design–its architecturally and socially advanced concepts so often result in a perfect mix of aesthetic appeal and livability. Sometimes met with suspicion and derision in its earlier days, modernist architecture has endured the test of time and is having an enormous resurgence in popularity and appreciation. How else could you explain fans' obsession with the award-winning and pitch-perfect mid-mod sets on Matthew Weiner’s “Mad Men.” It’s often said that the best ideas in home design are the ones that make the home a great place to live; the origins of modernist design had that idea at their heart. We've rounded up a few of the city’s mid-century architectural treasures and a handful of homes that embody modernist style.
More on the 'Mad Men'sets and NYC's Mid-Century Modern gems this way
April 1, 2015

The High and Low: Two ‘Mad’ Pads Offer Modernist Details, Timeless Appeal

In honor of the final season of "Mad Men," we've found a pair of current listings with the modern appeal of the Draper apartment at (fictional) 783 Park Avenue. Accents that might come straight from the pages of a mid-century magazine—like a sunken living room, wood paneling and a Nelson hanging light–or 21st century perks like open kitchens, floor-to-ceiling windows, balconies and city views add up to just as much modern cool as they did in the "Mad Men" era. $2.8 million gets you a serious mid-century pedigree, an enclosed balcony and a prime Greenwich Village location, but for $925,000, a top-floor Upper East Side pre-war pad with a recent renovation, city views and a compellingly modernist vibe looks like a serious deal.
Check out these two 'Mad Men'-worthy pads here
March 21, 2015

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks from the 6sqft Staff

Construction Update: COOKFOX’s 855 Sixth Avenue Tops Off, Ties for City’s ‘Shortest Skyscraper’ Supermodel Freja Beha Erichsen Snags a Stunning $3M Carroll Gardens Townhouse Move Over Brooklyn, Hoboken Is the Hipster Capital of America Sales Launch at the Long-Awaited 52 Lispenard Street in Tribeca Railfan Atlas Maps Train Porn Photos from All Over the World […]

February 3, 2015

7,279 NYC Homes Are Valued at More Than $5 Million

If you think that statistic is jaw-dropping, consider this, too–those 7,279 homes valued at more than $5 million amount to a total fair market value of $65.2 billion, according to data from the city’s Independent Budget Office. The Wall Street Journal requested the data to take a closer look at the proposal to impose higher property taxes on pied-à-terre owners, and the findings show that "the city’s most expensive homes would generate less money from a higher tax surcharge than what its advocates have suggested."
More details here
January 26, 2015

Billionaire’s DIY Mansion Likely to Hit a Roadblock with the LPC; Summing Up the ‘Save the View’ Debate

Billionaire Roman Abramovich will likely butt heads with the Landmarks Preservation Commission over the creation of his makeshift mansion. [Observer] All the layers of the ‘Save the View’ controversy happening by the Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn Heights. [Curbed] More than 32 contracts for homes priced at $4 million or more were signed last week. [TRD] City Tower, […]

January 19, 2015

Construction Resumes at 432 Park; The Case Against Supertalls and Their Super-Long Shadows

Work has resumed on 432 Park. This follows last week’s stop work order issued after an eight-foot pole fell from tower and crashed into the street below. [Dezeen] Critics of supertalls blast NYC’s “as of right” development policy and what little has been done to protect the urbanscape from the shadows cast by these massive buildings. [The Guardian] A window washer […]

January 8, 2015

The Lena Dunham Real Estate Effect: Looking at the Homes of the Stars of ‘Girls’

One of the reasons Girls became such an instant hit is because it was lauded as the anti-Sex & the City. Its characters live in Greenpoint, not the Upper West Side; they wear Converse instead of Manolos; they struggle to pay the rent rather than living in completely unrealistic apartments. But when it comes to their real lives in New York City, the cast of the HBO show is definitely not struggling to make ends meet, as is evidenced by their impressive collection of real estate. So, in anticipation for this Sunday's season four premier, let's take a look at how Lena Dunham and her posse actually live in the city, as compared with their characters' fictional digs.
See where the stars of 'Girls' live on and off the screen
December 13, 2014

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks from the 6sqft Staff

Park Slope’s Iconic Pavilion Theater May Go Residential Telecom Mogul Michael Hirtenstein Combines Three Apartments into One Elegant Tribeca Triplex REVEALED: New Look for Hell’s Kitchen Radio City Lofts Built Atop Historic Post Office Lena Dunham Buys $4.8M Brooklyn Heights Condo Traffic Light Installation Lets You Play Pong with Pedestrians on the Other Side of […]

December 12, 2014

Ridgewood Gets Its Fourth Historic District with 990 Buildings

On the heels of the recent landmarks controversy, Queens' hottest new neighborhood just got its fourth landmarked historic district, the Central Ridgewood Historic District. The 40-block, 990-building area joins Ridgewood's three existing historic districts, Ridgewood North, Ridgewood South, and Stockholm Street. The district includes buildings along Madison Street and Catalpa Avenue, as well as others, which were recognized by the Landmarks Preservation Commission for exemplifying working class housing. Most of the Renaissance Revival brick row houses were built by German immigrants between 1906 and World War I.
More on Ridgewood's newest historic district
November 21, 2014

Real Estate Wire: Most Expensive Townhouse Lists for $63M; High-Rise Towers Could Rise Along Gowanus Canal

Morris Adjmi will design condos to replace the Brooklyn Heights Cinema. [BK Heights Blog] New York’s most expensive townhouse officially hit the market for $63 million. [Curbed] Queens real estate is getting a lot of attention lately. [NYT] An $18 million Williamsburg warehouse sold for $434/square foot, among the highest sales ever in the borough. [Crain’s] Gowanus […]

November 13, 2014

Even More Skyscrapers Set for NYC: Living in the Sky Part III

We recently brought you parts one and two of our tallest residential skyscrapers series, which totaled 63 projects poised to scrape the sky. But this list doesn't even take into consideration the development boom occurring in Jersey City, unreleased plans on the drawing board, and the numerous office and hotel projects also rising throughout the city. So here you have it, part three of the series to complete our look at NYC skyscrapers.
Check out the list here
October 30, 2014

6 of New York’s Spookiest, Scariest and Downright Strangest Homes

Every day at 6sqft we pretty much find ourselves in awe saying "We can't believe people live like this!" But every so often we come across a home that has us muttering "People live like this??" In celebration of All Hallow's Eve, we've rounded up six spooky and scary Manhattan and Brooklyn residences. One is filled to the brim with dead animals, another hides a secret underground portal, and another harbors an incredible tale of murder and deceit. Jump ahead to see all six them all—and if you'd ever dare live in one of these petrifying pads, you're in luck because several of these homes are for sale. Lucky you?
For these homes, it's Halloween year-round