Search Results for: brownstone

January 30, 2015

RES4 Brings a Beautiful Prefab Home to the Hamptons with the ‘Swingline’

When a brownstone-living couple were looking to build an idyllic family home in the Hamptons, they turned to Resolution: 4 Architecture to create a place the could call home far from the city. Called “Swingline,” this wonderful retreat was completely prefabricated and assembled on site. And with six bedrooms, seven baths, a pool house, a rooftop deck and numerous […]

January 29, 2015

Modern Smart Home in Cobble Hill Sells for $6M

The blogosphere was not impressed last year when they saw the contemporary brownstone conversion at 325 Degraw Street in Cobble Hill, calling the grey structure a "sad transformation." And while the nondescript façade may pale in comparison to its neighboring historic homes, what lies beyond is an impressive 5,800-square-foot smart home, complete with over 800 square feet of outdoor space, a landscaped roof deck, and a basement media room. Known as the Light House, the modern mansion designed by architect James Anzalone has now found an owner, a couple who paid a hefty $6 million, according to city records released today.
Check out the rest of the smart home
January 28, 2015

A 12-Acre Mixed-Use Project Is Set to Wake Up Sleepy Red Hook

If you've been to Red Hook lately chances are you were visiting the Fairway for lunch or taking the ferry to Ikea for a new $10 end table and some Swedish meatballs. But we soon may have many more reasons to visit the sleepy, industrial, square-mile Brooklyn neighborhood. The Red Hook Innovation District is a plan for a 12-acre, 1.2 million-square-foot, mixed-use project that would include offices, retail space, performance venues and a promenade. Last month, Los Angeles-based development firm Estate Four purchased the final property on the site. They now plan to roll out the $400 million project in phases over five years.
More details ahead
January 28, 2015

Bunny Mellon’s Mansion Sells for $37M; East New York Focuses on Affordable Development to Stop Gentrification

Netscape co-founder James Clark has scooped up Bunny Mellon’s incredible Upper East Side mansion for $37 million. [TRD] As a way to “cushion against gentrification” in East New York, the city is vying to reserve the area for up to 7,000 affordable housing units. [DNA Info] Trump Soho may turn its condo component into hotel […]

January 27, 2015

As Younger Renters Move to the UES, Trendy Commercial Tenants Follow

You don't have to tell us twice that the Upper East Side is trading its reputation as a stodgy, ladies-who-lunch spot for a younger, more hip vibe. Not only do we think it's a hidden hot spot for artists, but we recently profiled the unofficial "new" Upper East Side, the high 80s and 90s, clustered between Park and 1st Avenues. And let's not forget how the Second Avenue subway is already shaking things up. But with a new generation of Upper East Siders gobbling up the surprisingly affordable real estate offerings, it's no surprise that trendy commercial spots are also getting in on the action. Small, local shops and restaurants create little communities that you might expect to find in brownstone Brooklyn, and larger, big-name businesses like Warby Parker and Whole Foods promise to make it a neighborhood to rival Union Square or Chelsea.
More on the real estate trend ahead
January 27, 2015

‘Rent Is Too Damn High’ Patriot Receives Eviction Notice; Live in an Incredible Brooklyn Church Conversion

Jimmy Mcmillan, a.k.a. founder of the ‘Rent Is Too Damn High’ movement, receives an eviction notice. [NYDN] Leasing starts tomorrow at the incredible Cartlon Mews church conversion development. [Brownstoner] The HPD is selling a coveted piece of land in Fort Greene near BAM to Jonathan Rose Companies for $1. In return the company must build a […]

January 20, 2015

Goldilocks Blocks: Lowry Triangle in Prospect Heights, Where the Gritty Meets the Gentrified

It’s...gritty. But it’s Prospect Heights. Anchoring an oddly magical Brooklyn crossroads where Prospect Heights, Crown Heights and Clinton Hill meet, bisected by noisy, gritty Atlantic Avenue, Lowry Triangle and its surrounding blocks form a literal mashup of three neighborhoods, all of which began hitting their gentrification strides at slightly different times. On a map it’s legitimately Prospect Heights, whose border is a block to the east at Grand Avenue. It’s a small but decidedly cool zone, open and semi-industrial, where old brick buildings share space with a growing number of sleek, modern boutique condos, compact cubes fronted by vast expanses of glass; a fascinating juxtaposition of old and new.
What you might not notice if you're just passing through
January 20, 2015

INTERVIEW: Architects Michael Loverich and Antonio Torres of Bittertang Farm on Their Wild and Colorful Designs

Mark our words: Bittertang Farm is a studio to keep your eye on in 2015. Led by Michael Loverich and Antonio Torres, Bittertang features two enterprising architects who are bringing us wild works that have more than once been described as "squishy," "vivid," "frozen," and "frothy." Definitely not your run-of-the-mill designers, Bittertang's work is all about using innovative materials—often filled with gases and liquids, or brimming with plant life—to create public spaces that get people thinking about daily life and living in a whole new way. The studio's whimsical works have won them everything from an exhibit at the Storefront for Art and Architecture to an "AIA New York New Practices Award" just last year, and Antonio himself was even honored as a TED Fellow in 2013. But if that isn't enough to convince you of their rising stars, the studio was also recently short-listed as a finalist in MoMA PS1's 2015 Young Architects Program, which, for those who don't know, has for the last decade seen its entrants grow into globally recognized names. Keep reading for our interview with the up-and-coming duo as they discuss their work, their mind-bending process, and a few of the projects they're most excited about.
Get a taste of Bittertang Farm here
January 16, 2015

Could These Portable Temporary Homes Help Solve NYC’s Affordable Housing Crisis?

As the De Blasio administration struggles to find ways to remedy the city's affordable housing crisis, here comes a solution from overseas that could help solve their woes while also putting the city's nearly 15,000 revitalization-ready vacant lots to use. Dubbed Heijmans ONE, these Dutch-made prefab homes are easily portable, easily deployable, and are designed specifically to provide cheap housing for those who need it.
More details on the beautiful design here
January 14, 2015

Real Estate Wire: Historic Home up for Sale for the First Time in 40 Years; Richard Meier Beauty Asks $10.5M

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity has emerged: A two-floor home in the former Lodging House/Children’s Aid Society in the East Village is for sale. The home hasn’t been available for sale in nearly 40 years. [EV Grieve] A lofty full-floor apartment in Richard Meier’s 165 Charles Street hits the market for $10.5 M. [Curbed] Work has resumed on the B2 […]

January 14, 2015

Daily Link Fix: Fear-of-Heights-Inducing Aerial Photos of NYC; Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks Is Moving to the East Village

Check out this Harlem brownstone where a teacher and a perfumer live. [Design Sponge] To get these amazing aerial photographs of NYC, the artist hung out of a helicopter flying at 7,500 feet. [Gizmodo] Good news for independent book stores; Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks will reopen in an East Village rowhouse. [Jeremiah’s Vanishing NY] In preparation for its […]

January 13, 2015

Paying $3 Million-Plus for a Brooklyn Townhouse Is Now the Norm

Brooklyn's real estate market is hot, but the market for historic townhouses is searing. Today, the NY Post cites Ideal Properties' latest report which reveals that $3 million-plus townhouse sales in Brownstone Brooklyn and North Brooklyn increased 579 percent in the last five years, and accounted for 9.5 percent of the 1,035 townhouses sold just last year. Record-breaking sales in the last quarter gave the segment its biggest boost, and rising inventory is expected to swell this number even further over the coming year.
Find out more here
January 9, 2015

The Beaverbrook Cottage Is a Charming Quonset Hut Retreat in the Country

If you daydream about spending a few days in a wooden cottage surrounded by an old-growth forest, bush blueberries and native wildlife, don’t worry, paradise is just around the corner. We found this charming two-bedroom, curved-roof retreat in Catskills which looks like the perfect place to unwind without having to leave your beloved modern amenities behind. Sweet and spacious, the Beaverbrook Cottage features spacious bright interiors, a modest country-style decor, a wood-stove, a piano, and a romantic garden complete with a gazebo.
Learn more about this charming curved-roof cottage
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
January 7, 2015

Real Estate Wire: Curious Wedge-Shaped Building Sprouts in South Williamsburg; The Upper East Side Redrawn

A funny wedge-shaped two-family building has popped up on a tiny triangle in South Williamsburg on Heyward Street. [Brownstoner] The borders of the Upper East Side redrawn so no block is excluded. [Curbed] The Bnai Zion Foundation is looking to sell its long-time U.S. headquarters in Murray Hill for $21M. [TRD] The buyer of Kiefer Sutherland’s […]

January 3, 2015

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks from the 6sqft Staff

Michelle Williams Sells Boerum Hill Townhouse for $8.8M Jessica Helgerson-Designed Brooklyn Brownstone Features Colorful Modern Design REVEALED: 141 Willoughby, 30-Story Mixed-Use Tower to Replace Site Once Slated for Eminent Domain Takeover West Village Townhouse by 1100 Architect Maximizes Natural Light in a Historic Structure Sandy-Ravaged Chelsea Building to Sprout New Apartments Daphne Oz, Co-Host of […]

January 2, 2015

The Brooklyn Home Company Blends the Old with the New to Transform a Park Slope Home

As an artist, there’s nothing more liberating than being given total control to show what you can really do. So we’re guessing the design team at The Brooklyn Home Company was more than happy to be approached by a Park Slope family to renovate and redesign this historic four-story Lincoln Place townhouse. The team was given complete creative license while incorporating the family’s substantial art and furniture collection into the design. The final product is a completely fresh and new look for the owners, even though it features many familiar elements of a classic Brooklyn brownstone.
More photos inside
December 31, 2014

6SQFT’S TOP STORIES OF 2014!

5, 4, 3, 2..... It's hard to believe but 2014 has almost come to a close, so we thought what better time than now to reflect on the past year's stories. We launched 6sqft back in May and since then, New York's lively, dynamic, and ever-evolving urbanscape and inhabitants have kept us on our toes. From architecture and new developments to celebs and your fellow New Yorkers, here are the 6sqft stories that really caught our and—more importantly—your eyes this year.
See all the top 6sqft stories here!
December 27, 2014

December’s 10 Most-Read Stories and This Week’s Features

December’s Top 10 Stories Vote for 2014′s Building of the Year! Park Slope’s Iconic Pavilion Theater May Go Residential New Yorker Spotlight: Drag Queen Coco Peru Reminisces About Her Hometown of City Island in the Bronx Walk This Way: How Observant Jews Shop for Real Estate with the Torah in Mind Hudson Yards Observation Deck […]

December 26, 2014

As the Met Prepares to Move into the Whitney’s Old Building, A Madison Avenue Block Is Transformed

All eyes have been on the construction of Renzo Piano's new downtown home for the Whitney Museum, set to open in May. But let's not forget about what's happening to the Whitney's old Marcel Breuer-designed building on Madison Avenue and 75th Street. The Brutalist building opened in 1966 and has since dominated its Upper East Side surroundings. It's set to be taken over as a satellite location for the Metropolitan Museum of Art to showcase their contemporary and modern art collections when it reopens in March 2016. And though the Met will not alter the façade of the landmarked museum building, its surroundings will certainly look different than in the Whitney's days. The biggest changes are happening right next door, where the row of six 19th-century Italianate and Greek Revival brownstones on Madison Avenue and two townhouses on East 74th Street are being reimagined as condos and retail space by developer and healthcare entrepreneur Daniel Straus, who bought the properties from the Whitney in 2010 for $95 million and subsequently was granted approval by the Landmarks Preservation Commission for their new design by Beyer Blinder Belle. According to the Times, who profiled the development, the flurry of construction could be considered "the Met effect."
More on the development here
December 24, 2014

Say Goodbye to Williamsburg’s Iconic Diner, New Six-Story Apartment Building Coming

Amongst Williamsburg's ever-growing, rapidly-rising new developments remains a neighborhood icon that has managed to stick around in the face of change. However, it looks like time has finally caught up to this tiny 1950s treasure, as Brownstoner reports that permits were filed today to replace the classic metal structure with a six-story, 10-unit apartment building. The replacement may not surprise too many given the transformation of the area, as well as the restaurants taking up space—from a diner in '52 to a beloved burger joint from '97 to 2010 to today providing a somewhat less fitting location for upscale La Esquina's satellite Mexican restaurant/cafe—but without a doubt it's still one that we're sad to see happen.
More details here
December 17, 2014

$2.5M Romanesque Revival Rowhouse in Prospect Heights Is Full of Original Details

"I want something with character." This is definitely a line brokers hear all the time. And if their current character-seeking client is looking to move to brownstone Brooklyn, this $2.5 million Romanesque Revival rowhouse in Prospect Heights is the perfect place to satisfy their check list. Located at 268 Prospect Place, the three-bedroom, 2,430-square-foot home was built by William L. Beers in 1899. It's oozing with historic details, including six fireplaces, stained glass transom windows, moldings galore, a carved wood staircase, sand wood floors, original wainscoting, cornices, and shutters.
Tour the historic home here
December 17, 2014

Real Estate Wire: Ridgewood Apartments Going for Over Half a Million; The Condo Replacing Clinton Hill’s White Castle

Units in a brand new five-story residential building in Ridgewood are going for $339,000 all the way up to $769,000. The listings have only been live a day and two units are already in contract. [Curbed] Here are some renderings of the condo replacing Clinton Hill’s White Castle on Myrtle Avenue. [Brownstoner] The Naftali Group has sold The Bergen for […]