Search Results for: car culture nyc

Most of us moved to New York City with nothing more than a couple suitcases, only very slowly accumulating objects to fill our bedroom—definitely not thinking about tackling our living spaces. But here's a couple that had no interest in sleeping on a mattress on a floor while they figured out how to decorate their home. After spending several years in London and bouncing from friends' places to sublets, Adam Dudd and Cami Raben (he's a graphic designer and she works in hospitality consulting) moved into their Bushwick apartment wanting to create a home to call their own as soon as possible. While IKEA seems like the no-brainer quick-fix for those on a budget with any design sensibility, Adam and Cami weren't interested in the mass-produced but instead wanted unique and quality pieces. So where did they turn without thousands of dollars to spend? Craigslist! Believe it or not, in just four months the pair managed to turn a blank slate into a perfectly outfitted apartment that's both minimal and functional and full of color and character.
Go inside their lovely home here

March 16, 2016

Go Inside the Trippy Apartments of 1970s Urban Dwellers

Mid-century modern is often touted as the ideal when it comes to design, but while that era gifted us beautiful and timeless works from the likes of Mies and Charles and Ray Eames, not everyone at the time was keen on keeping with this design aesthetic. As the 70s gave way to a slew of political and social change, many homes also saw revolution of their own from the streamlined to the downright psychedelic. Case in point: All of the interiors featured in old issues of Apartment Life, a city living lifestyle magazine from the 70s. But what might be better than ogling all the decades-old acid trip decor in these old issues is reading the captions of the glossies. Like the folks featured in our My sqft series, Apartment Life talks the challenges of urban living (like no-view windows and limited storage), in addition to offering up some tips on how to deal (solution: build yourself a "butcher block storage/coffee table" they say!). They've even got a great idea for beating the below-zero blues: A "Winter Picnic" in bed.
Go inside these apartments here

March 11, 2016

Spotlight: The Word on Whiskey From Kings County Distillery’s Colin Spoelman

Colin Spoelman moved to New York for post-grad job opportunities, but it was his home state of Kentucky that ended up giving him direction. On trips back home, he developed a deep appreciation for moonshine and distilling, and now his interest has gone from hobby to profession. Six years ago, Colin combined his Kentucky roots, his life in Brooklyn, and his love of distilling whiskey through Kings County Distillery, where he is one of the founders (along with David Haskell) and the head distiller. Founded in 2010, Kings County Distillery is making a name for itself with the whiskey and bourbon it distills at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, making it New York City's oldest operating whiskey distillery, the first since prohibition. The company started with eight five-gallon stills, and were at the time the smallest commercial distillery in America. But they now have a 250-gallon and a 180-gallon still and are beginning to distribute out west and internationally. With St. Patrick's Day coming up and lots of whiskey drinking to be had, 6sqft spoke with Colin to find out what's distilling in Brooklyn and why it makes perfect sense to make whiskey in this borough.
The full interview, this way

February 19, 2016

Skyline Wars: What’s Rising in Hudson Yards, the Nation’s Largest Construction Site

By Carter B. Horsley

Carter Uncut brings New York City’s breaking development news under the critical eye of resident architecture critic Carter B. Horsley. This week Carter brings us the third installment of “Skyline Wars,” a series that examines the explosive and unprecedented supertall phenomenon that is transforming the city’s silhouette. In this post Carter zooms in on Hudson Yards. The Hudson Yards neighborhood in Far Midtown West is one of the country’s most active construction areas. Construction cranes dot its emerging skyline and dozens more are promised now with the district's improved connection to the rest of the city. Last fall, the 7-line subway station at Eleventh Avenue and 34th Street opened with one-stop access to Times Square. The newly-minted station features a lengthy diagonal escalator bringing commuters to the front-door of the huge mixed-use project being created over the rail yards west of Tenth Avenue between 30th and 33rd streets. Originally, a second station was contemplated on 41st Street and Tenth Avenue but transit officials claimed it could not afford the $500 million expenditure, despite the enormous amount of new residential construction occurring along the far West 42nd Street corridor. Nevertheless, the finished Hudson Yards station deposits straphangers into a new diagonal boulevard and park between 10th and 11th Avenues that will ultimately stretch from the Related Companies / Oxford Property Group's Hudson Yards master plan northward to 42nd Street.
read more from carter here

February 18, 2016

Common’s Shared Living Concept Brings $3,000 Bedrooms to Williamsburg

The perpetual waves of recent graduates and other young professional hopefuls streaming into New York City seem to be finding themselves stuck when it comes to finding a place to bunk between cubicle and pub. So it's no surprise that a growing field of enterprising entrepreneurs--after observing the moderate success of the co-working model and the mind-melting success of Airbnb–have stepped in with a hybrid of all of the above. 6sqft previously noted the Wall Street launch of co-working startup WeWork's communal living concept. Now, another co-living player, Common, who recently brought upscale shared housing to Crown Heights, will be opening the doors on a communal residence in prosaically trendy Williamsburg at the corner of South 3rd Street and Havemeyer. Common CEO Brad Hargreaves with partner Henry Development is building a 12-suite, 51-bedroom, 20,000-square-foot residence, the company's first ground-up effort here. The most buzz-worthy bit about this new addition is that members will pay $1,800 to $2,700 a month for a bedroom in one of 12 duplex suites, with one, two or three other roommates. The higher-end numbers represent rooms with a private bath–essentially a studio with friends with benefits.
What's the story here

February 5, 2016

Spotlight: Erika Chou Brings the Flavors of China’s Yunnan Province to the Lower East Side

If you're looking to celebrate the Lunar New Year with Chinese food, you'll likely end up with Cantonese or Szechuan cuisine, those most popular in the city. But if Erika Chou has anything to do with it, New Yorkers will soon be adding to their repertoire the flavors of China’s Yunnan province. Erika, who studied art and formerly worked in fashion photography, was introduced to the Yunnan culture and flavors several years ago on a trip to China. By 2012, she made the decision to start a restaurant celebrating this province and opened Yunnan Kitchen on the Lower East Side with esteemed chef Doron Wong in the kitchen. This past fall, Erika reopened the restaurant as Yunnan BBQ and revamped the menu with Doron to offer small plates like a Chrysanthemum Salad made with asian pear and large, barbecue-focused plates such as Pecan-Smoked Chicken Wings and Yunnan Curry Beef Brisket. Earlier this week, Erika and Doron’s efforts were celebrated when the New York Times included Yunnan BBQ in an article discussing Chinese-American chefs and restaurants. On the eve of Chinese New Year, 6sqft spoke with Erika to find out what drew her to the Yunnan province, how her background in art helps as a restaurateur, and to find out about a misconception surrounding Chinese food.
The delicious interview right this way

They Paved Washington Square Park and Put Up a Parking Lot

Image via NYU Local

February 4, 2016

They Paved Washington Square Park and Put Up a Parking Lot

It's true: Washington Square Park was, in part, Washington Square parking lot. In the 1960s, at the peak of the nation's car culture fixation, the Greenwich Village park was put into use as a parking lot, until cars were finally banished altogether in the 1970s, when the large circular plaza around the fountain was added. Some say the parking lot was an effort to keep hippies from gathering in the beloved public space.
Find out more

January 28, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week – 1/28-2/3

By Lori Zimmer

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers! Last week's blizzard Jonas may have made a fun day for jumping in snow piles, but it put a total damper on a bevy of artists waiting to present themselves to the hungry art world. This week, make up for lost time at Last Rites' rescheduled Allison Sommers opening or the most popular winter pool party at the Grace Hotel, hosted by artist Annika Connor. Two LA artists with opposing views come together at Joseph Gross Gallery, while Katya Grokhovsky invites visitors to put their hands all over her exhibition. Peter Caine brings a pooping robotic Ronald Reagan to a gallery on the Lower East Side (enough said). Times Square Arts invites guests to meet their first artists in residence, and the Schomberg Center invites Basquiat fans to a talk relating his work to its effects on African Diasporic communities.
All the best events to check out here

Events & Things To Do

January 13, 2016

All You Need to Bring to This Curated Noho Loft Is a Toothbrush and $6,500 a Month

This classic loft at 49 Bleecker Street comes completely furnished, all set up for a short-term rental at $6,500 a month. It may be suitable for corporate renters as the listing suggests, but the 950-square-foot co-op on a perfect Noho block looks like it would be just as much fun if you’re in town for play rather than work. Funky flea market-chic furniture, colorful wall art and cool design elements–throws, pillows, vintage lighting, culturally relevant non-fiction–have been carefully selected and casually distributed.
Have a look around

Distinctive Homes

January 12, 2016

Where I Work: Inside interior designer Ghislaine Viñas’ colorful, playful Tribeca loft

By Dana Schulz

6sqft’s series “Where I Work” takes us into the studios, offices, and off-beat workspaces of New Yorkers across the city. In this installment, we take a tour of designer Ghislaine Viñas' colorful and Tribeca loft. Want to see your business featured here? Get in touch! The work of interior designer Ghislaine Viñas is unmistakable; the bright colors, bold prints, and fun and funky decor have made her the go-to firm for both local Tribeca residents and international clients looking to jazz up their homes. After 25 years and winning countless awards (many of which celebrate her use of color), appearing on television stations like HGTV, and gracing the pages of publications from The New York Times to Vogue, Ghislaine is showing no signs of slowing down. Long fans of her work, 6sqft recently toured Ghislaine's live/work space, which, not surprisingly is the perfect example of her playful, yet modern, aesthetic. We learned about what influences her designs, how her team works together, and new product collaborations. We also got some tips on how to incorporate color into our homes like a pro.
All this and more ahead

December 21, 2015

Did Mast Brothers Fool Us Into Buying Crappy Chocolate?; ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’ Monetized

By Dana Schulz

How the Mast Brothers fooled the world into paying $10 a bar for crappy hipster chocolate. [Quartz] A 30,000-square-foot bowling and karaoke amusement complex is coming to Bushwick. [Gothamist] Hess Triangle, the city’s smallest piece of real estate, gets the cartoon treatment. [New Yorker] The ridiculous amount it would take to buy all the items in […]

Uncategorized

December 18, 2015

Spotlight: A Cold Dip With the Coney Island Polar Bear Club’s Dennis Thomas

The city may be having an unseasonably warm December, but it's fair to say most New Yorkers still find it a bit too chilly for the beach. Members of the famed Coney Island Polar Bear Club, on the other hand, relish the drop in temperature as they head out for an ocean swim. The Polar Bear Club is a New York institution dating back to 1903. While the organization is renowned for its annual New Year’s Day swim where New Yorkers gather to welcome the year with a chilly dip, it’s far from the only time the club embraces the cold water. In fact, they meet 12 times throughout the winter months and draw a sizable membership that's a mix of ages, backgrounds, and cultures from the metropolitan area and beyond. At the club's helm is president Dennis Thomas, who fell in love with Coney Island years ago and later discovered the serenity of swimming on brisk days. More than thirty years after he first became a member, Dennis spoke with 6sqft about the Polar Bear Club's history, what a typical swim is like, and what happens when hundreds of New Yorkers turn out for a New Year's Day swim that supports Camp Sunshine.
Read the interview here

November 11, 2015

The Gazel Sofa Features a Wrap-Around Shelving Unit Perfect for Space-Starved New Yorkers

Finding the right piece of furniture to fit your living space can be the difference between a happy and a cluttered home. And as New Yorkers, most of us are working with limited square footage and need to make these decisions considering both space and function. The Gazel sofa and shelving unit designed by Faruk Malhan for Koleksiyon is a great example of the multifunctional pieces we city dwellers should be looking for. Its elegant and modern design features wrap-around shelving, adding both visual interest and functionality to what otherwise would be a lackluster surface.
Check it out

October 19, 2015

Eeeek! This Frightful $550K Village Fixer-Upper Is a Diamond in the (Very) Rough

To kick off Halloween season, 6sqft has found a listing that will strike terror in the heart of anyone looking to move right in; this underdressed underachiever of a "one-bedroom" co-op at 138 West 10th Street looks just a fright. The listing throws in the towel and offers, "West Village pre war one bedroom wreck in beautifully preserved building on one of the most sought after tree lined blocks.” Which, if you think about it, is only one word away from lots of folks' dream apartment. Once you get past the completely spooky condition of the small but well-located space, it's worth noting that it actually has quite a bit going for it given its $550,000 ask, which, though more than the price of a Brooklyn cemetery plot, is far less than you'd pay for the average Village one-bedroom apartment. But it’s clearly up to you, brave buyer–plus an architect, a contractor and a lot of patience–to clear away the cobwebs and make the dream happen.
Follow the screams

October 16, 2015

Billionaire Art Collector in Contract to Buy Andy Warhol’s $85M Former Montauk Compound

By Annie Doge

"I knew Andy in the early 1980s as a very young man, and I’m a collector of his work . . . I’m very lucky to have this opportunity to live out this dream. It’s a work of art." This is what billionaire art collector and Upper East Side gallery owner Adam Lindemann told the Post regarding going into contract on Andy Warhol's $85 million former Montauk estate and equestrian farm. Warhol bought the 30-acre compound, known as "Eothen," in 1972 along with filmmaker friend Paul Morrissey for a mere $225,000, putting Montauk on the map as an A-list retreat on par with the East End. As 6sqft reported when the listing hit the market in June, "For years, the artist used the compound as a city retreat, entertaining friends and luminaries that included Jackie Onassis, Mick Jagger, Elizabeth Taylor and John Lennon. Back then, guests of Warhol enjoyed 600 feet of private oceanfront and 24 acres on the bluffs overlooking the ocean." And now Lindemann, whose fortune comes from his father George Lindemann's success in pharmaceuticals and pipeline companies, can try to relive these glory days.
READ MORE

October 14, 2015

These Bike Helmets Are Designed to Resemble the Human Head

Bike culture in NYC is a vibrant part of the city, so we love any quirky bike swag that might make heads turn. These crazy bike helmets called Project:Human Helmet from Dubai-based designer Jyo John Mulloor are a great example. The conceptual gear doesn't look like a regular helmet, but rather it was designed to resemble the surface of a human scalp. Weird, right?
Find out more about these helmets

October 2, 2015

New Yorker Spotlight: John Philis Serves Up Luncheonette History at Lexington Candy Shop

On the corner of 83rd Street and Lexington Avenue sits a luncheonette with a lot of history. Lexington Candy Shop was opened in 1925 by third-generation owner John Philis’ grandfather, and for nine decades the shop has served American classics to Upper East Siders. In a city that was once full of luncheonettes, this is believed to be the only one left in Manhattan. Perhaps it's because John is carrying on two traditions–keeping a family business alive and preserving a piece of American culture. He takes great pride in Lexington Candy Shop’s rich personal and national histories, especially since 2015 marked the shop's 90th year in business. We recently spoke with John to learn about the shop’s history and find out how the local gem mixes the past and present in every milkshake.
Get John's story this way

September 28, 2015

These Brightly Colored Rugs Are Inspired by Graffiti and Patterns in Nature

When we think about decorating an apartment, most of us start with our walls, but with these new rug designs from Swedish artist Jonathan Josefsson you might want to consider your floor first. Josefsson is based in Gothenburg and has a background in graffiti. His brightly colored rugs take cues from his street art days and depict organic and playful patterns that will certainly liven up even the drabbest living space.
Find out more about the rugs

New Yorker Spotlight: Corey William Schneider Turns New Yorkers Into Explorers at the NY Adventure Club

Corey and the Loew’s Valencia Theatre

September 25, 2015

New Yorker Spotlight: Corey William Schneider Turns New Yorkers Into Explorers at the NY Adventure Club

When New Yorkers think about going on an adventure, they might envision heading west, abroad, or at least outside the city. In New York, the only adventure they're likely to take is navigating the grid (or lack thereof in certain neighborhoods) during rush hour. But Corey William Schneider is on a mission to turn the five boroughs into a land of exploration for city residents. As the founder of New York Adventure Club, Corey helps New Yorkers get in touch with their inner explorers through unique walking tours and events. His goal is to awaken city dwellers' curiosity by offering them the chance to uncover, experience, and engage with the city and tri-state area's numerous hidden treasures. We recently spoke with Corey to find out why New Yorkers are secretly longing for adventure and how his club is helping them broaden their local horizons.
Our chat with Corey

September 24, 2015

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week, 9/24-9/29

By Lori Zimmer

'Tis a weekend of open studios, and if you are art-thletic enough, you can hit them all. Non-profit chashama is offering free ferry rides to check out the studios of 85 artists (including 6sqft friend Barry Rosenthal!) at the Brooklyn Army Terminal. Hop on the Governors Island Ferry to the LMCC open studios, or get yourself to DUMBO for Smack Mellon's open studios. The work week just got a little better for those of you in the Garment District, as the annual UrbanSpace market opens for the season, offering up tasty delights. Roving gallery Standard Practice is at it again, with a new opening in Williamsburg, and Harlem's Hi-ART kicks off their season with a photo show. If you're going to the World Maker Faire, be sure to check out FIGMENT Festival's David Koren as he talks about co-creating your own reality. Finish off the week with the Public Art Fund's talk at the New School with exhibiting artist Jeppe Hein. And that's a wrap!
All the best events to check out here

Events & Things To Do

September 23, 2015

Elizabeth Roberts Combines Styles for a Traditional Yet Hip Park Slope Brownstone

One of the best things about design and architecture in New York City is the constant flow of culture and influence, and the combination of styles and custom architectural detailing found inside this Italianate brownstone reflects this ever-present vibrancy and rhythm. The home is situated on quaint Bergen Street in Park Slope and recently underwent a gut renovation led by the design team at Elizabeth Roberts Design/Ensemble Architecture. The structure that now boasts four bedrooms is perfect for a growing family (plus it has a rental apartment on the garden level), and its interior is decorated with a combination of cool muted tones and dark bold accents.
Tour the home

Infographic: The Most Popular Housing Typology in Major Cities Across the U.S.

Created by the Washington Post

September 21, 2015

Infographic: The Most Popular Housing Typology in Major Cities Across the U.S.

The American dream may be to own a sprawling single-family home with a picket fence, but clearly very few New Yorkers are interested in that fantasy. Instead, as this fascinating infographic breaking down the most-popular housing typologies across the 40 largest U.S. cities points out, less than 10 percent of NYC inhabitants live in a detached single unit. The majority, in fact, reside in buildings with 20 or more apartments.
See how 40 of America's largest cities stack up against one another

Architecture And Design

September 18, 2015

SHoP Architects Are Bringing a Wooden Condo Building to Chelsea

By Dana Schulz

In March, an Austrian architecture firm announced plans to build the world's tallest wooden skyscraper in Vienna. They noted that by using wood as opposed to concrete they'd save 3,086 tons of CO2 emissions. Then, a study showed that timber buildings actually cost less to build. These benefits really must have stuck with SHoP Architects, who are developing plans for a ten-story residential building in Chelsea, overlooking the High Line at 475 West 18th Street, that will be made entirely of wood, according to the Wall Street Journal. SHoP's project came via a competition hosted by the United States Department of Agriculture, in partnership with the Softwood Lumber Board and the Binational Softwood Lumber Council, that asked architecture firms to design buildings at least 80 feet tall that employed wood construction technologies. SHoP's design, dubbed 475 West, won the competition along with a 12-story building in Portland. The firms will split a $3 million prize to "embark on the exploratory phase of their projects, including the research and development necessary to utilize engineered wood products in high-rise construction."
More on the project here

September 18, 2015

Five-Story Brooklyn Townhouse Makes the Best-Dressed List in Pretty Pastels and Contemporary Flair

If you've got a big family and you want to live within city limits, it's said that you'd better be able to afford it; this Brooklyn Heights house helps make the case. This whopping 5,000-square-feet of townhouse goodness at 281 Henry Street is missing very little as far as house-in-the-city perfection. There's a stylishly appointed room ready for everyone and their guests—and an opportunity for rental income with a freshly renovated garden apartment to help offset costs. It almost makes the $7.2 million price tag seem like a deal. The current owner has decorated the five-story, six-bedroom brownstone to the nines with a cake-frosting-pastel palette and contemporary design elements, while retaining the home's lovely historic details; the basic infrastructure is as modern as can be with central a/c, alarm and intercom systems and every appliance, fixture and finish freshly and stylishly updated. Besides the fact that the home is actually a bit narrow at 15.5 feet (though over 54 feet deep) there's only one thing we can think of that would improve this impressive townhome: An elevator.
Five floors of eye candy, this way...

Distinctive Homes

September 16, 2015

Where I Work: Inside Made in Americana’s Bed-Stuy workshop and collaborative