Search Results for: Brooklyn Heights

August 7, 2019

Our 700sqft: See how two musicians (and their instruments) make it work in Greenpoint

Our series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to the Greenpoint apartment of musician-couple Sara McDonald and Amit Peled. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch! Growing up in a military family that moved almost every year, Sara McDonald tried to feel settled in each new city by furnishing her room with framed photos and special pillows. “I would always spend a ton of time organizing and decorating my room even though I knew it wasn’t permanent,” she told us. “I just wanted to feel at home where we lived.” In her Greenpoint apartment she shares with boyfriend Amit Peled, Sara has been able to do just that, styling her place exactly how she wants with Craigslist finds and unique mementos from abroad. Both musicians (they met at the School of Jazz at The New School), Sara and Amit needed space for their many instruments. Thankfully, Sara, who composes and arranges music for her big band NYChillharmonic and plays the French horn, and Amit, a guitarist, and member of a hard-core Klezmer band, can use their apartment’s second bedroom as a music studio. Their apartment boasts a vintage vibe, credited mainly to Sara’s resilient effort to find pieces she wants online. Nearly everything in the couple’s home cost them less than $200, with even the mahogany spinet piano picked up for free. “I always know exactly what I want, almost to a fault,” she said. Ahead, meet Sara and Amit and learn how they made this funky Brooklyn apartment their own.
See inside
July 29, 2019

Ranking the city’s most dangerous intersections for NYC cyclists

Just days after Mayor de Blasio unveiled a new plan to make the city’s streets safer for cyclists, another fatal accident occurred when a 30-year-old cyclist was struck near the intersection of Third Avenue and 36th Street in Sunset Park around 9 a.m. this morning. As Streetsblog reported, the incident brings the year’s death toll up to 18—nearly double what it was all of last year. Redesigning intersections is a component of De Blasio’s new $58 million initiative, which says it will ramp up NYPD enforcement at the 100 most crash-prone intersections and renovate 50 intersections. While the Department of Transportation hasn’t yet disclosed what those intersections will be, home-search platform Localize.city has created a list of the top ten most dangerous intersections for cyclists.
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July 22, 2019

To protect their Empire State Building views, these Chelsea loft owners forked over $11M for air rights

Air rights can be bought by whoever values them the most. In most scenarios, that ends up being a developer, but that’s not always the case. The New York Times recently reported on a rather unusual deal made in 2016 when a group of Chelsea loft owners refused to let a proposed condominium tower obstruct their natural light and Empire State Building views. Instead, they came together and made a substantial offer to buy the air rights themselves: $11 million. 
How much is a view worth?
July 19, 2019

As this weekend’s heat wave sweeps over the city, here are some ways to beat the heat

After a toasty week, the city's first heatwave of the year is about to get even hotter, with Friday’s expected heat index reaching 98 degrees and as high as 109 degrees over the weekend. The city is taking precautions to keep residents safe as the temperatures continue to heat up. Mayor Bill de Blasio declared an official heat emergency and directed office buildings and residents to set their AC to 78 degrees in order to prevent another power outage. The city's annual Triathlon, originally scheduled to take place on Sunday, was just canceled for the first time in its history. While the best advice is still to stay indoors as much as possible, out of the sun, and well hydrated, there are some ways to beat the heat in the city, all for free.
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July 16, 2019

Citi Bike reveals new expansion plans that keep Queens, Bronx, Upper Manhattan waiting on wheels

Citi Bike has revealed details for the much-anticipated rollout of the popular bike share program with plans to double its reach with docks in the Bronx and more of Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. But according to maps and information released in a Tuesday morning meeting obtained by Streetsblog, large swaths of the city won't see the blue bikes for four more years. As the NY Post reported, some see the Citi Bike rollout as heavily weighted toward more affluent NYC districts, which prompted a letter from several New York City Council members to the NYC Department of Transportation asking for assurance that expansion plans include low-income neighborhoods.
Where will the next blue bikes be?
June 21, 2019

Charming studio on a tree-lined block in Cobble Hill seeks $395K

The sweet details at this classic Cobble Hill studio will distract you from the caveats of small-space living, including a charming fireplace framed by exposed brick to anchor the living space. And if that doesn’t get you, the centrally located address at 177 Amity Street certainly earns this petite, 350- square-foot pad it’s $395,000 asking price.
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June 13, 2019

MTA rolls out rainbow MetroCards and train decals for Pride month

The Federal government may be banning Pride flags at U.S. embassies, but here in New York, our city agencies are prouder than ever to show off the rainbow. The latest initiative comes from the MTA, who has revealed a special set of Pride MetroCards, along with Pride-themed Transit merchandise and a new Pride logo on select subway cars. All of the festive additions mark not only World Pride being hosted in NYC this year but the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising.
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June 5, 2019

This loft-like Kensington townhouse with ground floor commercial space seeks $1.5M

Located in laid-back Kensington just a few blocks south of Prospect Park, this two-story building at 711 Church Avenue is neither a typical loft nor townhouse. The 2,590-square-foot building, asking $1.495M, may be compact, but it's full of opportunities. The building's ground floor is a commercial space perfect for an artist (it was formerly being used as a studio and gallery), doctor, dentist or retail shop and a great source of rental income. Upstairs the residential space is a chic, loft-like home.
Get a closer look
June 4, 2019

$2.8M Greenwood townhouse comes with cinematic cemetery views

Listing photos by DDReps, courtesy of Compass Perched at the highest point in Brooklyn in Greenwood Heights, tucked into a quiet street surrounded by greenery, this contemporary townhouse at 614a 7th Avenue, asking $2.75 million, would be equally at home in California or the sun-baked tropics. Balcony doors can be thrown open for panoramic views, which include the Statue of Liberty–and the endless vistas of the adjacent Green Wood Cemetery. On the lucky additions side, there's a curb cut and a garage. Even better: A mural of Basquiat–a Brooklyn native–on the garage door.
See more, this way
June 3, 2019

50 ways to celebrate Stonewall 50 and Pride Month in NYC

Fifty years have passed since the Stonewall Uprising changed New York City forever and gave the world a symbol of the struggle for LGBTQ rights and recognition. There are a seemingly endless number of ways to celebrate this milestone, learn about the history of the gay rights movement and enjoy a rainbow of diversity. Heritage of Pride, the nonprofit organization behind New York City’s official LGBTQIA+ WorldPride events, offers an interactive map to help navigate the many events planned this month. Below, you'll find 50 ways to celebrate Pride Month.
Pride, parades and parties, this way
June 3, 2019

$1.1M Park Slope co-op with a private terrace charms inside and out

Just one block away from Prospect Park, this sunny two-bedroom co-op at 50 7th Avenue in Park Slope comes with a terrace that “allows you to enjoy a vast outdoor space without the compromises of a garden level unit,” as the listing notes. The apartment charms on the inside as well, where high ceilings, exposed brick, hardwood floors, and other pre-war details bring warmth and character, while a recent renovation adds modern comfort. The unit is now listed for $1.1 million.
Peek inside
May 17, 2019

All of I.M. Pei’s New York City projects

Following Thursday’s news of the death of 102-year-old Pritzker Prize-winning Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei, the spotlight has been focused on his many contributions throughout the world. His firm, Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, has had a hand in dozens of projects throughout New York City, though Pei himself was the principal designer for only a rare few. Below is a roundup of I.M. Pei’s NYC buildings, from a pedestrian plaza “superblock” in residential Brooklyn to the iconic Four Seasons Hotel, to the JFK Aiport Sundrome that was sadly demolished in 2011, and a never-realized futuristic 1956 Hyperboloid design that was to be a replacement for Grand Central Terminal
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April 25, 2019

The Lower East Side’s forgotten Lung Block: The Italian community lost to ‘slum clearance’

In 1933, a new development rose on the Lower East Side. It was Knickerbocker Village, the first federally-funded apartment complex in the United States, and one of the first developments that would later fall under the umbrella of the city’s “Slum Clearance” program. The “slum” that Knickerbocker Village replaced wasn’t just any rundown collection of buildings – it was the notorious “Lung Block” between the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges, bounded by Cherry, Monroe, Market and Catherine Streets, which in 1903, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ernest Poole named the most congested and disease-ridden place in the city, or, perhaps, the world. But was it? “The Lung Block: A New York City Slum and its forgotten Italian Immigrant Community,” a new exhibit opening April 25th at the NYC Department of Records curated by researchers Stefano Morello and Kerri Culhane, will revisit the neighborhood and the immigrant community that called it home. With maps, journals, photos and other artifacts, the exhibit will consider the connections between health and housing, affordability and gentrification, public health and progressive reform, and architecture and the immigrant experience.
Learn more about this community
April 23, 2019

Pacific Park construction accelerates with groundbreaking at tallest tower

Long in the works, construction at the Pacific Park complex in Brooklyn is set to ramp up after Greenland Forest City Partners announced a partnership with the Brodsky Organization to develop 18 Sixth Avenue. Designed by Perkins Eastman, the building will exceed 500 feet and become the tallest in Pacific Park. As 6sqft previously reported, Brodsky was also tapped for another apartment building in the complex at 664 Pacific Street, which will also include public space and a school. Groundbreaking at both sites is set to take place within the next two weeks.
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April 19, 2019

Parts of every NYC borough will go car free next weekend for Earth Day

To celebrate Earth Day next weekend, New York City is closing some of its streets to cars. As part of an annual event run by the city's Department of Transportation, 30 blocks of Broadway from Times Square to Union Square will be closed on April 27 to allow pedestrians and cyclists to roam and ride free between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Along the nearly two-mile route, the city will offer some environmental programs and nonprofit organizations will be on-site to educate walkers about climate change and sustainability.
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April 19, 2019

14 of this year’s best spring house tours in and around New York City

House tour season is kicking off on May 2 this year with the opening of the Kips Bay Decorator's Show House and will continue throughout the summer at various sites throughout the city, New Jersey, and farther afield. For architecture buffs, history junkies, and avid gardeners, this time of year offers the rare opportunity to get an insider's look at some of the most spectacular homes and surprising gardens in and around New York City. Below we've rounded up 14 of the season's best tours, from the Upper East Side to Park Slope to Nyack to Long Beach Island, and we're sure everyone will find something to suit their interests and budget.
All the Spring House Tour info ahead
April 15, 2019

10 sites in New York City connected to the Titanic

When you hear “Titanic” you may think of icebergs, tragedy, Jack, Rose, and a two-hour fight between life and death in the North Atlantic some 375 miles off the coast of Newfoundland. You may not necessarily think of New York City. But the ship, which left Southampton, England on April 10, 1912, was bound for New York and due at Pier 59 on April 17th. After sinking during the early hours of April 15th, the Titanic would never dock in New York, but survivors of the tragedy sailed into the city aboard the Carpathia on April 20th and disembarked at Pier 54. Ultimately, New York’s connection to that fateful voyage goes well beyond its waterfront. In fact, you’ll find sites associated with the Titanic and its passengers throughout the city.
10 NYC sites associated with the Titanic
April 11, 2019

This Park Slope garden duplex has funky vintage style within and a sweet back patio for just over $1M

This colorful co-op at 487 6th Avenue in Park Slope three blocks from Prospect Park is brimming with vintage-modern charm throughout its two custom-designed levels. The duplex–currently being used as a two-bedroom–is asking $1,050,000, and it's uniqueness goes beyond decor. Just a few cool features in 1,100 square feet of indoor space include a customized office area with a built-in library nook with antique salvage doors and windows and an original mural hand-painted by a celebrated picture book maker; at the rear, a one-of-a kind treehouse overlooks a landscaped garden.
Have a look around
April 9, 2019

PHOTOS: See Coney Island’s historic Wonder Wheel get ready for the season

Honoring a 60-year tradition of opening on Palm Sunday, Coney Island Amusement Park will be back in business this Sunday, April 14th. One of the many activities will be the annual blessing of the rides at Deno’s Wonder Wheel. The 150-foot-tall, 100-year-old structure is one of the most iconic pieces remaining at Coney Island. But there's a lot that goes into this seasonal opening than even the most well-versed New Yorker may not know. Each winter, the 200-ton ride is repainted, and all of its 24 cars are removed. But come spring, second-generation co-owner Steve Vourderis goes through the process of precisely reinstalling and aligning the cars. We were lucky enough to visit Steve and his brother Dennis on a recent frigid Sunday to watch the magic happen.
Go behind-the-scenes at the Wonder Wheel
April 9, 2019

$3.2M historic Bed-Stuy home keeps the details and gets the designer treatment

The landmarked 1894 row house at 386 Stuyvesant Avenue, among the elegant Beaux-Arts limestones of Brooklyn's Stuyvesant Heights neighborhood, has the impressive layout and scale of a trophy brownstone and the interiors of a designer show house. Brought back to life by designer duo Dahill Bunce, the two-family home is asking $3.195 million. Rich in original detail, the 19' x 48' home has a few surprises that set it apart, like a convenient "summer kitchen" leading to an enviable back garden.
Take the tour
April 8, 2019

Aussie artist Jeremyville’s renovated Bed-Stuy brownstone asks $2.7M

This two-family townhouse at 408 Macon Street in Bed-Stuy's Stuyvesant Heights Historic District was renovated a few years ago by Australian expats Jeremy Andrew–the artist Jeremyville whose colorful feel-good graphics have a sizable following–and Megan Mair. The creative pair–she's a creative director, curator and brand strategist–bought the home for $1.5 million in 2013, when it was divided up into three units. They gave it a top-to-toe renovation, as featured in Brownstoner. The 3,400-square-foot four-story Neo-Grec brownstone was built around 1880 by local builder Charles Isbill.
Townhouse tour, this way
April 8, 2019

Study for Utica Avenue subway extension launches four years after city secured $5M for it

A study examining the feasibility of extending Brooklyn's Utica Avenue subway line has finally launched, NY1 reported. As part of the Utica Avenue Transit Improvement Study, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the city will look into extending the 3 and 4 train south of Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights to neighborhoods like East Flatbush and Marine Park. Funding for the study has been in place since 2015 when Mayor Bill de Blasio designated $5 million for it as part of his One NYC plan.
Details this way
April 4, 2019

My 3,000sqft: Power broker Louise Phillips Forbes shows her family-friendly Upper West Side home

Louise Phillips Forbes moved to NYC from Nashville to further her dance career on Broadway when she was in her 20s. When an injury forced her to change her plans, she fell into real estate, quickly realizing that not only had she found her home in New York, but also her true passion. For close to three decades now, Forbes has been a powerhouse in the real estate field; in fact, her sales team is the number one at Halstead with more than $3.5 billion in career sales. But Louise has the highly coveted ability to truly balance her work and personal lives. At home, everything is about her husband and two sons and their time together. And when she renovated her Upper West Side apartment, this comfortable, welcoming feel was her number one priority. When she's not closing sales or watching her sons' hockey games, Louise can be found at her local Soul Cycle or serving on the board of Change for Kids, as well as the advisory committees for several non-profit arts organizations. To get a glimpse into how she does it all, 6sqft recently visited Louise, took a tour of her home, and got to know her a little better.
Take the tour and meet Louise
April 2, 2019

The 10 best spots for plant classes in NYC

Even if you've never managed to keep a succulent alive for more than a month, there's no denying that apartment greenery is having a moment. Luckily, New York is full of plant shops and other great spots offering classes and workshops to locals looking to shore up their green thumbs and maybe not kill a plant the second it crosses their threshold. Ahead, we've rounded up the 10 best, from terrarium and flower-crown making to botanical mixology to the principles of hydroponics.
Check out the list
March 29, 2019

The city is selling historic artifacts and photos from NYC’s bygone era of baseball

To celebrate the start of the baseball season this week, the city's Department of Records & Information Services released a series of artifacts and historic photos for sale. From architectural drawings of Brooklyn's Ebbets Field to photos of Babe Ruth at the 1936 World Series, the images provide a look back at our national pastime's origin in New York City.
How to buy them