Search Results for: green

February 6, 2016

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks From the 6sqft Staff

Anne Hathaway Buys $2.55M Upper West Side Co-op De Blasio to Announce $2.5B Brooklyn-Queens Streetcar Line Maya Angelou’s Historic Harlem Brownstone Lists for $5M Bjarke Ingels Is Designing a $50M NYPD Station House in the South Bronx They Paved Washington Square Park and Put Up a Parking Lot For $23 Million You Can Be Donald […]

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
February 4, 2016

De Blasio to Announce $2.5B Brooklyn-Queens Streetcar Line

Earlier in the month, 6sqft shared news of a detailed proposal from non-profit advocacy group Friends of the Brooklyn Queens Connector that called for a Brooklyn-Queens streetcar line to connect "underserved, but booming" areas of the boroughs. The city must've been listening, because Mayor de Blasio is expected to announce today in his State of the City speech that he'll be backing such a proposal. Like the original scheme, the city's plan will run 16 miles along the East River, from Astoria to Sunset Park, but at a projected cost of $2.5 billion, it will be significantly more expensive than the previous estimate of $1.7 billion, but significantly less than a new underground subway. Not only would the streetcars serve bustling commercial hubs like the Brooklyn Navy Yard and Long Island City, but they'd provide access for about 45,000 public-housing residents.
More details
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
February 4, 2016

Sarah Jessica Parker Peeps Shephard Condo Conversion in West Village

She's no Little Bo Peep, but according to the Post, SJP and hubby Matthew Broderick may be flocking to the Shephard, a new condo conversion at 275 West 10th Street. The 19th century warehouse and former rental building is in the process of being converted to luxury condominiums by Naftali Group. On a pretty tree-lined West Village street, the 38-unit Shephard boasts interior design by Gachot and oversized arched windows; a definite possibility for Parker would be one of three penthouses currently listed at the building, starting at $18.5 million. The pair sold their Greenwich Village townhouse for $18.25 million last year (they'd bought it for $19 million in 2011–and apparently never moved in.)
See what's cool about the Shephard
February 3, 2016

Bronx Rail Yards Could Become a $500M Mega-Development

Back in September, Bronx borough president Ruben Diaz Jr. put forth a plan to transform an abandoned stretch of rail tracks in Mott Haven into a Lowline-style park. There hasn't been much in the way of updates since then, but now Diaz is turning his sights to another set of tracks, this one much larger and in the northwest Bronx. The Real Deal cites findings from the borough prez that claim the MTA's Concourse Yards, a 19-acre open-air subway depot, could be decked over to yield two million square feet of development rights, resulting in a mega-project like Hudson Yards. At an estimated cost of $350-$500 million (Hudson Yards cost $800 million by comparison), the project would require no rezoning and would be "a real opportunity to not only provide much-needed homeownership, mixed-income housing and retail space, but to allow Lehman College to expand by better connecting it to the Bedford Park neighborhood and making it a true community campus," according to Diaz's report.
More details
February 3, 2016

RKTB Architects Design Two New Affordable Housing Buildings in the Bronx

Yesterday, the architecture world was abuzz with newly released renderings of Bjarke Ingels' NYPD station house in the Bronx. Nearby, a couple of other buildings are set to rise, and though they may not have the same starchitect cachet, they'll certainly attract some attention for the fact that together they'll offer 269 units of affordable housing. Designed by RKTB, the architects behind our favorite castle conversion at 455 Central Park West, the buildings are planned for Saint Anne's Avenue in the South Bronx, and their designs illustrate how far the city has come in raising the aesthetic quality of government-funded housing.
Find out all about the projects here
February 2, 2016

Bjarke Ingels Is Designing a $50M NYPD Station House in the South Bronx

Taking a break from his glitzy builds like the Via tetrahedron and 2 World Trade Center, starchitect Bjarke Ingels is taking on a project that is much more modest, yet just as laudable–a station house for the NYPD's 40th Precinct in the South Bronx (h/t Curbed). The $50 million commission, facilitated under the Department of Design and Construction, is located in the Melrose section of the borough and will resemble a "stack of bricks," according BIG's website, "referencing the rusticated bases of early NYC police stations." Spanning three stories, rising 59 feet, and encompassing 43,000 square feet, the precinct will be the first ever to include a green roof, not surprising considering Ingels' commitment to incorporating nature into his buildings.
More details ahead
February 2, 2016

Lofty Park Slope Co-op Boasts Double-Height Ceilings and a Spiral Staircase

Forget the brownstones with historic detailing that dominate Park Slope. This apartment, located at the co-op building 302 5th Avenue, is modernly renovated and downright lofty, with double-height ceilings and a raised space above the kitchen. The sleek spiral staircase also adds a contemporary touch. And with two bedrooms, 1,700 square feet over three floors, and a garden, there is plenty of room to spread out. The triplex has just hit the market for $1.5 million.
Take a tour
February 1, 2016

Maya Angelou’s Historic Harlem Brownstone Lists for $5M

During the last decade of her life, author, poet, and civil rights activist Maya Angelou split her time between Winston-Salem, NC (she taught American studies at Wake Forest University) and New York. While in the Northeast, she resided in an historic Harlem brownstone, located at 58 West 120th Street in the Mount Morris Park Historic District, according to the Times, which is now on the market for $5.1 million. The four-story home was built in the early 1900s, but when Dr. Angelou purchased it sight unseen in 2002, "it was a dilapidated shell...the victim of vandals, with missing stairs and rotting floor beams." She hired architect Marc Anderson of East Harlem-based firm M. Anderson Design to oversee a gut renovation that preserved the brownstone's historic details while adding contemporary amenities.
See the whole house
February 1, 2016

Jeanne Gang’s FDNY Training Center; Derek Zoolander Wants a ‘Cure’ for Brooklyn

Starchitect Jeanne Gang is designing an FDNY training facility in Brownsville, Brooklyn. [ArchDaily] Staten Island Chuck vs. Punxsutawney Phil: Who’s the better forecaster? [DNAinfo] The city will cut helicopter traffic in half. [NYP] In a promo for the new movie, Derek Zoolander participates in Vogue’s 73 Questions. When asked his thoughts on Brooklyn, he says, […]

January 31, 2016

A New York Minute With Urban Revitalization Consultant Majora Carter

6sqft's new mini-series A New York Minute features influential New Yorkers answering spitfire (and sometimes very random) questions about their life in the big city. Want to nominate yourself or someone you know? Get in touch! The last time we checked in with Majora Carter she was spearheading a proposal to turn Spofford Juvenile Center in Hunts Point into mixed-income housing—but that's just a kernel on her resume. Majora is an urban revitalization strategy consultant, real estate developer, and Peabody Award winning broadcaster. Her 2006 TEDtalk "Greening the Ghetto," was one of the first six videos to ever appear on TED's website, and in it she passionately describes her solutions for environmental equality in the South Bronx. Now, fast forward ten years later, and she's still pushing for green infrastructure projects in her beloved neighborhood. We recently caught up with Majora to find out some fun facts, including what she loves, hates and would change about New York City.
Majora's NY minute this way
January 30, 2016

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

January’s 10 Most-Read Stories REVEALED: 45 Broad Street, Slated to Be Among the Highest Condo Buildings Downtown First Look at the 331-Foot Sheepshead Bay Tower Set to Dwarf Its Neighbors Judy Garland’s Former Dakota Apartment, Now a Designer Pad, Asks $16.7M $1.7B Light Rail Connecting the Brooklyn-Queens Waterfront Proposed My 1,400sqft: Painter Stephen Hall Brings […]

January 28, 2016

Comedian Louis C.K. Buys Third Unit in West Village Brownstone for $565K

Louis C.K. is a self-professed lover of the Village, and he's certainly putting his money where his mouth is, as he's just picked up a third unit at 345 West 4th Street, a ten-unit co-op. The comedian and his ex-wife, painter Alix Bailey, paid $564,900 for the country-charming studio, according to The Real Deal. The former couple (C.K. has spoken publicly about retaining a good relationship with his ex for the sake of his two daughters) bought their first unit in the building in 2006 for $250,000, and then another in 2013 for $475,000.
See the rest of the pad
January 28, 2016

Rows of Bookshelves Under 11-Foot Ceilings Line This $2M Nomad Loft

There's no better apartment for a book lover than a loft. The open space and high ceilings are the perfect setting for rows of bookshelves, which also can serve as impromptu dividers throughout an apartment that lacks lots of walls. This lofty three bedroom at 50 West 29th Street in Nomad has a massive, open living and dining room that the owners are using almost like a library. There are tons of bookshelves under the 10-foot-9-inch ceilings, as well as a few used to break up the living and the dining areas.
Check out the rest of the space
January 27, 2016

Facebook Co-Founder Revealed As Buyer of $23.5M West Village Townhouse With an Underground Tunnel

When it was revealed last week that Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes sold his massive Soho loft for $8.5 million, it was also speculated that he and husband Sean Eldridge were the buyers of a $23.5 million West Village townhouse. When that sale hit records in September, the name on the deed was revealed as Tom van Loben Sels, the same person behind the recent Soho transaction. The Post now confirms through their sources that the power couple are in fact the lucky new owners of the historic home at 157 West 12th Street. According to the paper, the landmarked home has an underground tunnel. The ten-foot-wide and "well-lit" passageway apparently has "no tunnel feel at all" and starts in the home's finished basement, ending at a staircase that leads to the carriage house that can be used as a guest house. Other perks of the three-bedroom, 4,164-square-foot spread include a wine cellar, home theater, wood-burning fireplace, exposed brick, 19th-century columns, and a "book-lined library" (likely a selling point considering the men had a similar room in their last place).
More here
January 27, 2016

In 1933, a Ham Sandwich Cost 25 Cents at the Empire State Building Observatory

Today, the only thing you'll be spending money on when you travel to the 102nd floor of the Empire State Building is the $50+ Observation Deck ticket. But back in the '30s, it was a much more glamorous experience, complete with the Empire State Observatory Fountain and Tea Room. The New York Public Library recently digitized 18,000 of its 40,000 restaurant menus, which range from 1851 to 2008, including this one from the Empire State Building in 1933. As you'll see, sandwiches (ham, peanut butter, and tomato and lettuce, to name a few) were a mere 25 cents, the same price as their six types of ice cream sundaes and ten flavored sodas. In terms of actual food, your only choice other than a sandwich would've been a pretty blah-sounding salad, some pastries, or a selection of "candy and cigarettes."
More right this way
January 26, 2016

Beautiful Brick and Wood Make This West Village Rental Beyond Cozy

If any "Sex and the City" fans out there have lingering dreams of renting a lovely apartment in a West Village brownstone, this two-bedroom unit is looking promising. (Only steps from Magnolia Bakery, the listing says!) It's a fourth-floor walkup on the top-floor of the brownstone at 283 West 11th Street. Once inside, it isn't hard to warm up to this apartment, with its fireplace, exposed brick, and overall charm. Plus, there's a roof deck, which is shared by the building, right above you. It is now on the rental market for $5,600 a month—so sadly no, not a rent most freelance writers like Carrie could afford.
Take a look around
January 26, 2016

$25K a Month Is the Price of Near-Perfection in This West Village Townhouse Triplex

Sometimes with listings, pictures just speak for themselves. This 2,250-square-foot West Village townhouse triplex at 407 Bleecker Street is a fine example. In addition to being in one of the city’s most covetable neighborhoods, this pretty, historic home checks all the boxes that might be on a tenant wish list. Modern but not aggressively so, grand without ostentation—the $25,000 a month rental price doesn’t surprise, though it might well put the three-plus-bedroom home out of reach for many. One might just bring up the fact that you’re not, in fact, getting the whole house; there’s a retail store at the street level, and the home is on the three floors above. There’s no yard (though there’s a sun deck, which really is just as good); the oodles of recessed lighting and ceiling speakers might not be to everyone’s taste–but then again you’re not buying the house. At 2,250 square feet it’s not exactly huge. But by Manhattan standards it's palatial.
See what else this townhouse has going for it
January 26, 2016

Could This Modern Residential Tower Replace the Historic Barney’s Building at 115 Seventh Avenue?

Bargain hunters were distraught when Loehmann's shuttered their NYC locations two years ago. It perhaps hit hardest at their Chelsea location, at the northeast corner of 16th Street and Seventh Avenue. Later that year it was announced that upscale retailer Barney's would be opening a five-level store in the space, which also happens to be the site where they were founded in 1923, and remained until 2007. Next door, at the southeast corner of Seventh Avenue and 16th Street, also once part of Barney's downtown flagship, 6sqft has uncovered a rendering showing a modern residential tower with a retail base that may replace the historic Romanesque-style building.
Get the full story right here
January 25, 2016

NYC’s 190 Miles of Scaffolding a Result of ’80s Law and Billion Dollar Industry

It definitely seems that every day, more of New York City is covered by the ubiquitous wood and steel building shed scaffolding, making daily life an urban obstacle course of weaving and tunnel trekking. It's not just your imagination: Currently there are almost 9,000 sheds camped out over city streets, reports Crains, based on numbers from the Department of Buildings, up from around 3,500 in 2003. That adds up to 190 miles–one million linear feet—worth of sheds, enough to encircle Manhattan six times. The city’s maze of construction sheds are the result of a 1980s law and a billion dollar industry that keeps growing. "New York is insatiable right now when it comes to sheds," says George Mihalko, a shed-equipment supplier. "I've never seen anything like it in 30 years." This demand is driven in part by the new wave of construction spurred by the city's building boom. But there is apparently another, more important reason.
Why don't the sheds ever go away?
January 24, 2016

A New York Minute With Veselka Restaurant Owner Tom Birchard

In 6sqft's fun new series A New York Minute we ask influential New Yorkers spitfire (and sometimes very random) questions about their life in the big city. Want to nominate yourself or someone you know? Get in touch! In 1965, Tom Birchard was busy studying business administration at Rutgers University when he met Marta, daughter of Wolodymyr Darmochwal, at a fraternity party. Her father owned the Ukrainian restaurant Veselka at Second Avenue and Ninth Street in what was then a largely Easter European community. Tom and Marta married the following year, and ever since then Tom started working at the restaurant part time, helping it grow into the iconic establishment it is today, famous for its 24-hour pierogis and borscht. Though he and Marta eventually separated (Tom is now married to Dr. Sally Haddock who owns St. Marks Veterinary Hospital), Tom took ownership of the business in 1975, and has since been at the helm, living in the East Village, which he describes as "young, funky, artsy." Not only does he keep the Ukrainian spirit alive, but he's active in the community, serving on the board of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation and actively sponsoring local performance artists.
READ MORE
January 23, 2016

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks From the 6sqft Staff

Judy Garland’s Former Dakota Apartment, Now a Designer Pad, Asks $16.7M Lower Income Residents of Extell’s ‘Poor Door’ Building Find Glaring Disparities The Best Address for Less: Live in the Dakota for $1.85M Loophole Allows Developers to Build ‘Skyscrapers on Stilts’ to Give Residents Ocean Views Confirmed: Calatrava’s WTC Transportation Hub Will Open First Week […]

January 22, 2016

SOM Architects Reveal New Renderings of Hudson Yards-Adjacent Manhattan West Towers

Architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has released new drawings of the Brookfield Properties-developed Manhattan West project located between 32nd and 33rd Streets and Ninth and Tenth Avenues, Dezeen reported today. The glass-clad Manhattan West towers–punctuated by green public space–will be rising next to the Hudson Yards development. The five-million-square-foot project will include two office towers, a rental tower with 844 apartments at 435 West 31st Street, retail space and a new landscaped public plaza designed by James Corner Field Operations, the firm responsible for the design of the High Line.
Take a look at the latest images
January 21, 2016

Facebook Co-Founder Gets $8.5M for Massive and Masculine Soho Loft

Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes and husband Sean Eldridge, financier and former Democratic congressional candidate, make quite the power couple. So it comes as no surprise that the dapper duo got $8.5 million, just below the $8.75 million asking price, for their bespoke Soho loft at 30 Crosby Street. They bought the home for $4.5 million in 2010, and then undertook a serious renovation that resulted in a masculine but elegant interior. It hit the market back in August, and now the Observer reports that the massive 4,100-square-foot pad has been picked up by Helliot Property Holdings Inc.
Take a look around