Search Results for: garden

6sqft recently covered the controversial proposal by the Alliance for Downtown New York (ADNY), the Department of City Planning (DCP), and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC), to change zoning laws to allow property owners in the Water Street Subdistrict of lower Manhattan–at One New York Plaza, for example–to bring in retail tenants like restaurants and clothing stores in exchange for making improvements and upgrades to the public plazas and arcades adjacent to their buildings. Crains reports that the City Council passed a bill Tuesday that would allow the Financial District landlords to convert the public corridors in front of 20 buildings in the Water Street corridor to retail shops. The public corridors, which cover ten blocks, were created when the Water Street buildings that abut them were built. Building developers agreed to create the public arcades and walkways in exchange for more buildable square footage.
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My 1200sqft: Inside Summer Rayne Oakes’ Williamsburg Oasis Filled With 500+ Plants

Our ongoing series “My sqft” checks out the homes of 6sqft’s friends, family and fellow New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to Summer Rayne Oakes’ plant-filled Williamsburg loft. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

June 21, 2016

My 1200sqft: Inside Summer Rayne Oakes’ Williamsburg Oasis Filled With 500+ Plants

As far as multi-hyphenate models go, Summer Rayne Oakes may be the most impressive we've come across. More than being a cover beauty, Summer is also a writer, businesswoman, activist, chef (she's working on her first cookbook), and an ecologist by training (she graduated from Cornell with degrees in Environmental Science and Entomology). Unsurprisingly, this overachiever's multifaceted talents touch ever corner of her life, including the space she's called home for the past 11 years. On the top floor of an unassuming Williamsburg building is a 1200-square-foot loft that's been transformed into a veritable jungle with over 500 plants (and 150 species) and a handful of exotic insects, including African millipedes and Madagascar hissing cockroaches (they're confined to a terrarium, if you're wondering). While her home at first glance appears to be dominated by plants, Summer's space is also decorated with dreamy touches, carefully curated vignettes, and furniture she's built with her father using wood found on the street. Ahead Summer takes us through her unique loft and gives us some insight into the work she's done, her perspective on her changing neighborhood, as well as some tips for raising plants in the city.
Inside Summer's unbelievable home this way

June 20, 2016

This Hive Lets Urbanites Raise Bees in Style

When 6sqft interviewed beekeeper and founder of Andrew's Honey Andrew Coté, he described how when he first started beekeeping in the city he placed his beehives wherever he could -- "on top of the bridge cafe in the Financial District, community gardens, friends’ rooftops or balconies." Though he now has an entire system of rooftop hives, other New Yorkers looking to get buzzing can still employ his small-scale take on apiculture. It was with this urban beekeeper in mind that German illustrator Maria Emmrich designed her modular Manufaktur Eins, which takes up less room than a standard hive. Designboom notes that it "combines the natural needs of the insects and the ergonomic requirements of the beekeepers" to create a stylish way to raise honeybees anywhere from a balcony to a garden.
More on this design-friendly beehive

June 20, 2016

Historic Prospect Heights Rowhouse, Asking $12,500/Month, Has All Its Woodwork Intact

William H. Reynolds may not be a recognizable name in New York City history today, but back in his day he was known as an influential real estate developer, politician, and entrepreneur who developed much of Prospect Heights. He is responsible for this lovely townhouse at 323 Sterling Place, located right off Grand Army Plaza. Over the years much of the interior has been preserved, so the home feels like a time machine taking you back to the days Reynolds was building up the neighborhood.
Take an interior tour

Distinctive Homes

June 18, 2016

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks From the 6sqft Staff

Landmarks Approves Roman Abramovich’s $80M UES Makeshift Mansion Taylor Swift Staying in a $40K/Month Village House During Tribeca Penthouse Renovations Design Teams Propose Inflatable Tunnel, New Train Lines As Solutions to L Train Shutdown Developer Wants to Erect the World’s Tallest Free-Fall Ride Atop Penn Station Lottery Launches for 10 Brand New Theater District Apartments, […]

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June 17, 2016

$13M Historic Greenwich Village Townhouse Might Keep You From Moving to the Suburbs

At 22 feet wide and situated in one of Manhattan's most coveted historic neighborhoods, this four-story 1910 Greek Revival townhouse at 34 West 11th Street has all the charm and turnkey convenience buyers battle over. With interiors that could be taken straight from a suburban estate or a Junior League show house, a back yard, and six bedrooms for the whole family, thoughts of a move to the genteel suburbs could end right here–assuming you've got the big-city bank account to cover the $13 million ask. For added bragging rights, the house was the official residence of the chancellor of New York University from 1966 to 1973.
Tour the house

Distinctive Homes

June 16, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week – 6/16-6/22

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! Get sexy with art twice this week, with House of Yes's LUST event where art, erotica, performance and food combine, or bust out your best clam shell bra for the 34th annual Mermaid Day Parade in Coney Island. Get schooled by some of the world's best creatives during the Awwwards Festival, learn how to focus your career with Hope McGrath, then get into the mind of threeASFOUR's Ange for an artist talk at Untitled. The International Print Center gears up for their Summer Show, and Williams Carmona reflects on Cuba at HG Contemporary. With summer here, the French Films on the Green are back, with free screenings each week in parks across the 5 boroughs.
More on all the best events this way

Events & Things To Do

June 16, 2016

POLL: Do You Prefer Bjarke Ingels’ Wave-Like Tower or the Free-Fall Ride for Penn Station?

While Governor Cuomo is busy trying to make his plans for $3 billion in renovations at Penn Station a reality, developers are hot to come up with a new design for 2 Penn Plaza, the tower directly above the station and Madison Square Garden. Vornado Realty Trust, who owns roughly nine million square feet around Penn Station including 2 Penn Plaza, released renderings in March for a glassy, wave-like tower by starchitect of the moment Bjarke Ingels. The concept is quite a departure from the current, stale state of the site, but yesterday an even more futuristic idea came to the table. Brooklyn Capital Partners tapped AE Superlab to create a plan for the world's tallest free-fall tower ride above the station. "Halo," as it would be called, would rise 1,200 feet from the roof, have 11 cars, and move as quickly as 100 miles per hour, giving it a top-to-base free fall of about six seconds. BIG's design wouldn't change much in the way of 2 Penn Plaza's current configuration, but it would create more retail space at the base. Halo, though it would cost $637 million to build, claims it would bring in up to $38 million a year for the state. Since Brooklyn Capital is contending with Vornado Realty Trust and Related Companies to upgrade the space, we want to know which of these ideas you think is a better fit.
Vote for your choice!

Real Estate Trends

June 16, 2016

One Month Free at 76 North 4th Street, Steel Factory Turned Rental in Williamsburg

For the renter looking for a balance between Williamsburg's old warehouse buildings and its newer luxury development, the Lewis Steel Building beckons. This 83-unit rental was co-developed by Cayuga Capital and Jake Toll, the son of the developer behind Toll Brothers. They transformed a 1930s steel factory into modern apartments while keeping the 13-foot ceilings, exposed beams and factory-sized windows intact. Leasing launched last year and there are now six apartments left, ranging from a $3,117/month one-bedroom to a $5,683/month three-bedroom. And for any renters who pick up the remaining apartments, they're getting the first month of rent free.
Take a look around

June 15, 2016

Lighting Science’s Fred Maxik Discusses How to Use Interior Light to Improve Sleep and Health

Studies have shown that getting a good night's sleep is critical to keeping one's self happy, healthy and fully functioning. But with advances in technology, modern humans have increasingly found themselves typing and swiping into the wee hours of the night without any regard for what time it is. Unfortunately, exposure to light before bed can have serious negative effects on our body, messing with our circadian rhythms and suppressing our ability to produce melatonin—the hormone that controls our sleep and wake cycles. But beyond feeling tired and irritable the next day, not getting enough sleep also has tremendous long-term effects that include, but are certainly not limited to, depression, immune stress, weight gain, premature aging and disease. Luckily, there are researchers out there harnessing the power of the light spectrum to engineer light bulbs that work with our bodies and environment, rather than against them. To help urban dwellers sleep better, we tapped Lighting Science Group founder and Chief Technology Officer Fred Maxik to learn more about the challenges we face when it comes to city and indoor light, as well as for some tips on how to improve health, productivity, sleep, and even happiness by simply switching bulbs. Lighting Science is one of the world’s leading LED manufacturers and they've worked with everyone from NASA to national sports teams to the creators of the Lowline Underground Park.
Learn more about what lighting is best for your home and health here

June 15, 2016

Historic Home Upgraded by High-End Furniture Designer Asks $2.995M in Bed-Stuy

588 Madison Street is a French Neo-Grec brownstone built in 1889 by the architect William Godfrey. While the single-family, Bed-Stuy home is steeped in history, a recent owner has brought it stylishly into modern day. The owner/developer, a principle at the design firm KGBL, specializes in designing high-end furniture. Here, they played off the existing historic details to add some unique, modern touches. And the mashup of historic and modern is asking nearly $3 million.
Take a look

Distinctive Homes

June 15, 2016

Construction Kicks Off on a Pair of Condo Buildings in the Columbia Street Waterfront District

By Ondel Hylton

Avery Hall Investments and co-developer OTL Enterprises are forging ahead with the development of pair of understated five-story condominium buildings at 161-163 Columbia Street in Cobble Hill's Columbia Street Waterfront District. The team picked up the lots in 2014 through a unique deal with the nonprofit Carroll Gardens Association where proceeds of the sale would be used to preserve below-market rate rents for 28 units on the street and possibly develop 70 more affordable units in nearby Red Hook.
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June 15, 2016

242-Square-Foot West Village Love Nest Asks $3K/Month

6sqft previously featured this 242-square-foot love nest at 352 West 12th Street, tucked into a dreamy cobblestoned corner of the West Village, as a fine example of brilliant interior design and creative small-space living. The apartment has served as home sweet home for newlywed couple Jourdan and Tobin Ludwig–she works in business development and he's a purveyor of artisanal bitters–who have lived in what they call their "wee cottage" since moving in together six years ago. Jourdan bought the co-op in 2011 for $270,000, and the couple invested $300,000 in a sanity-saving renovation. After spending their "best years in in the city" here, the owners have listed the home for $3,000 a month, reports the Post.
Take a look at how cool small can be

Distinctive Homes

June 14, 2016

Landmarks Approves Roman Abramovich’s $80M UES Makeshift Mansion

Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich started assembling his $78 million trio of Upper East Side townhouses at 11-15 East 75th Street back in January of 2015, but it wasn't until this past March that he first released his proposal to combine the townhouses into a giant mansion. The Department of Buildings rejected his initial, $6 million proposal, which called for "an 18,255-square-foot mansion with a six-foot front yard, 30-foot backyard, and pool in the cellar," as 6sqft previously reported. But since the homes are located within the Upper East Side Historic District, it's the Landmarks Preservation Commission who has the final say. The LPC also rejected Abramovich's first proposal in April, but today they reviewed and approved a revised plan from his architect Steven Wang, along with big-name firm Herzog & de Meuron as design consultant. It calls for a modified restoration of the current facades and the removal of the rear yard building elements to be replaced with a garden and new glass facade that unites the three homes.
More details this way

June 13, 2016

Get Rid of Mosquitoes and Stop Bites This Summer With These Simple Tips

6sqft’s series Apartment Living 101 is aimed at helping New Yorkers navigate the challenges of creating a happy home in the big city. This week we’ve rounded up tips on how to get rid of and deal with mosquitoes this summer. New York's hot and humid summers bring all sorts of agony, but the bites of unrelenting mosquitoes may be the worst of all. While in past years these buzzers haven't been much more than a itchy nuisance, this year, the Zika virus has everyone on high alert. In February, the World Health Organization declared the virus a threat to public health across the globe. To date, no vaccine exists. As of June 8th, there have been 133 cases of Zika reported in NYC. However, the species of mosquito spreading Zika (the Aedes aegypti) has not yet been spotted in the city and all cases caught the virus while abroad. Nonetheless, with a potential threat looming, the city has launched a campaign to get New Yorkers to do their part, which includes tips on how to prevent the mosquito population from propagating. Ahead we'll cover some of the same ground, on top of other tips to keep mosquitoes from entering your home and attacking your body—because any way you look at it, mosquito bites are no fun!
What you can do, this way

June 13, 2016

Fashion Designer’s Chelsea Townhouse Renovated by Winka Dubbeldam Asks $13.75M

When Tia Cibani, creative director of popular Canadian fashion brand Ports 1961, left the label after the birth of a new baby, she was far from abandoning her fashion career. The young international designer launched her eponymous label in 2013. Though a creative career and family life are a lot to balance, being able to call this four-story, 5,000-square-foot West Chelsea townhouse home certainly didn't hurt. When Cibani purchased the home for $4.4 million in 2007, it needed a total overhaul, and noted Dutch architect Winka Dubbeldam, designer of Tribeca's V33 and the Greenwich Street Project at 497 Greenwich Street, was just the innovative force the project needed. The 1910 townhouse–with colorful contemporary interiors that are anything but stodgy–is now on the market for $13.75 million.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

June 10, 2016

Apply for 20 Affordable Apartments on East 165th Street, Starting at $690/Month

By Ondel Hylton

Applications are now being accepted for 20 brand new affordable homes at 491 East 165th Street in the Morrisania section of the Bronx. The 10-story building will house eight studio apartments priced at $690 per month for qualified applicants earning between $24,995 and $38,100 annually. Six one-bedroom units are priced at $775/month and are available to one- or two-family households earning between $27,943 and $43,500 per year, and six two-bedroom units will go for $950/month for two- to four-person households earning between $33,943 and $54,360 per year.
Get more info right here

June 9, 2016

Micro-Apartments at Carmel Place Starting from $2,570 and Offering a Month Free

By Ondel Hylton

For you minimalist gurus who also relish on-site amenities, there is a now a building for you. Earlier this spring, leasing kicked off for the city's first micro-housing development, Carmel Place (formerly known as My Micro NY) at 335 East 27th Street. Developed by Monadnock Development and designed by nARCHITECTS, the newly finished no-fee building is a prototype meant to test compact and efficient living arrangements within the city's tight housing market, as well as accommodate the city’s growing population of one- and two-person households. Thee leasing team led by Citi-Habitats is offering one month free on all 12- and 24-month leases. According to CityRealty, there are seven micro-studios available ranging from 265 to 360 square feet. Though the units are nearly half the size of typical studio apartments, monthly rents are not analogously micro with current asking prices ranging from $2,570 to $2,920 per month. That's an average of $110 per square foot, significantly more than $83 per square foot median studio price in Murray Hill and $60 per square foot in Gramercy.
Find out more this way

June 9, 2016

A Rare Historic Townhouse in Long Island City Asks $2.4M

Long Island City is a neighborhood better known for its warehouses and new waterfront development than it is historic townhouses. But there are a few blocks of the neighborhood that look more Brooklyn than Queens, with 19th century townhouses along tree-lined streets. It's not everyday that one of these gems hits the market--here's a charming home that was listed this spring--but this one at 45-10 11th Street is now asking $2.395 million. It's been in the same family for 34 years and still has lovely interior details from when the home was constructed in 1911.
Take a tour

Distinctive Homes

June 8, 2016

$19.75M for the Former Gramercy Home of the Catholic Sisters of the Immaculate Heart

Yet another religious property has hit the market, although this is no typical church. These two townhouses, at 238 East 15th Street in Gramercy, have long served as the home for the Catholic Sisters of the Immaculate Heart. The sisters bought the first townhouse in 1948 and the second in 1952, combining them with a doorway on each floor. In the years that followed, according to the NY Times, hundreds of the sisters of the Immaculati Cordis Mariae (which began in Belgian) have passed through, decorating the townhouse interiors with souvenirs from missions around the world. Only one sister now lives in the 15,600-square-foot property, which has just hit the market for nearly $20 million.
See the interior

June 6, 2016

Apply Now For 63 Affordable Units Next to Woodlawn Cemetery, Starting at $865/Month

If the thought of residing next to the interred doesn't bother you, here's a chance to live just steps away from one of the city's most beautiful and historic cemeteries. A housing lottery has opened today for 63 brand-new units at Webster Commons, a large affordable development along Webster Avenue in the Bronx, just next to Woodlawn Cemetery and not far from the New York Botanical Garden and Fordham. The apartments, which are reserved for those earning 60 percent of the AMI, include $865/month studios, $929/month one-bedrooms, and $1,121/month two-bedrooms.
More on the project

Affordable Housing

June 6, 2016

Flexible Floor Plan at This Bright Greenwich Village Apartment, Asking $4,500/Month

This Greenwich Village rental apartment at 101 West 11th Street can wear several hats. One on hand, this could be a one bedroom with a living room and a separate dining room. On the other, it could be used as a two-bedroom apartment. Either way, it's a nice bright apartment with all the New York essentials: big windows, high ceilings, wood floors and a fireplace.
See the space

June 3, 2016

New Affordable Housing in the Hamptons Will Be for Those Earning Less Than $106,200

A new plan to bring affordable housing to one of the Hampton's priciest stretches has residents up in arms, reports The Post. The town of Amagansett is planning to erect a below-market rate complex that would add 12 two-bedroom and 12 three-bedroom homes to the area, with rents ranging from just $1,100 up to $2,300 a month. The development would mingle with the estates and New York City escapes of the rich and famous, including that of Naomi Watts, Jerry Seinfeld, Gwenyth Paltrow and Scarlett Johansson—just to hame a few. Incredibly, a family of four could be earning as much as $106,200 annually (120 percent of the AMI) to qualify.
find out more here

Affordable Housing

June 2, 2016

Bruce Springsteen’s Former NJ Farmhouse and Rehearsal Space Asks $3.2M