Search Results for: loft

October 30, 2014

6 of New York’s Spookiest, Scariest and Downright Strangest Homes

Every day at 6sqft we pretty much find ourselves in awe saying "We can't believe people live like this!" But every so often we come across a home that has us muttering "People live like this??" In celebration of All Hallow's Eve, we've rounded up six spooky and scary Manhattan and Brooklyn residences. One is filled to the brim with dead animals, another hides a secret underground portal, and another harbors an incredible tale of murder and deceit. Jump ahead to see all six them all—and if you'd ever dare live in one of these petrifying pads, you're in luck because several of these homes are for sale. Lucky you?
For these homes, it's Halloween year-round
October 29, 2014

Forget Showrooms, Developers Turn to Oculus Rift to Virtually Immerse Buyers in Pricey Properties

Though more and more house hunters are back to buying off of blueprint in this hot real estate market, that hasn't stopped developers from tricking out their sales offices with hopes of trumping the competition. Ultra-detailed scaled models line spaces, and the priciest of couches and countertops fill life-sized mockups blocks away from the actual address. More recently, buildings like 50 West have built out entire theaters wrapped with screens intent on showing buyers the panoramic city views their shelling out millions for. Clearly, cost is not a concern. But watch out, there's a new group on the scene ready to really shake things up. Architecture visualization firm ArX Solutions has turned to a piece of virtual reality tech that everyone seems to be talking about: Oculus Rift. With their specially designed virtual reality tours, clients can see exactly what its like to walk through a home with all their sensations engaged. Cool? Absolutely. But this tour doesn't come cheap. Like the lofty homes it features, a trip with Oculus Rift rings in at a jaw-dropping $95,000.
Find out more about taking an Oculus Rift real estate tour
October 28, 2014

I-Beam Design’s Pixelated Chelsea Renovation is Made From 20,000 LEGO Bricks

We all love and played with LEGO when we were kids, and this New York loft apartment is just another great example of how versatile the colorful Danish bricks are. The story begins when the son of Melissa Marks and Vicente Caride got too old not to have a door on his bedroom, so his parents decided to renovate their Chelsea loft in an innovative and playful way. I-Beam Design was called to do the job, and together with LEGO artist Sean Kenney they created an amazing pixelated new stair railing and wall using 20,000 LEGO bricks.
Learn more about this pixelated home
October 28, 2014

Cindy Gallop Puts Her Stefan Boublil-Designed “Black Apartment” Back on the Market for $6M

New York City’s most famous bachelor pad—ironically owned by a woman—is back after being taken off the market earlier this year. The distinctive $5.995 million loft at 213 23rd Street, formerly the men’s locker room of the first YMCA in the U.S., was purchased by businesswoman Cindy Gallop in 2006 for $1.5 million. With an additional million, and the help of Stefan Boublil of interior design firm The Apartment, she gave the space a dramatic makeover, stating she wanted to feel like she was in a Shanghai nightclub. Its resulting “lacquered Chinese box” vibe has earned the Black Apartment a featuring role in Law & Order SVU, Notorious B.I.G’s “Nasty Girl” video, and many photo shoots. The notable home has undergone quite a transformation, rendering it practically unrecognizable as it prepares for a new owner, but let’s take a moment to admire its former interior in all its glitzy splendor.
See more of this unique pad, here
October 27, 2014

Renée Zellweger Lists Her Historic East Hampton Home for $4.45M

Believe it or not, this is a story about Renée Zellweger that has nothing to do with her new appearance. The actress has listed her historic East Hampton home for $4.45 million, quite a big increase from the $2.15 million she paid for it in 2003. Located at 30 Egypt Lane, a pretty prestigious street, the circa 1900, 2,000-square-foot farmhouse sits on almost a full acre of land with beautifully landscaped "mature gardens."
Take a look inside and around the grounds here
October 25, 2014

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks from the 6sqft Staff

If we’re ever going to get a new Penn Station Madison Square Garden will have to move, so a group of urban planners has proposed relocating the arena to a nearby post office. Ghislaine Viñas’ colorful and eclectic loft design seamlessly blends together in Tribeca. Ever wonder about those strange faces on the Woolworth Building? We’ve […]

October 24, 2014

Billionaire Real Estate Developer Leonard Stern Sells Soho Penthouse for $15M

Leonard Stern, billionaire businessman and real estate developer and namesake of NYU's Stern School of Business, has sold his "ultimate Soho penthouse" for $14,650,000 according to city records released today. In April 2014, a year after Stern originally listed the apartment, New York Magazine released a video tour of the 4,315-square-foot, four-bedroom duplex, revealing everything from a zen solarium to a restaurant-caliber kitchen. Stern bought the penthouse of 459 West Broadway in 2010 for $14,250,000, but the small profit likely won't affect him too much since his net worth is estimated at $3.8 billion.
Check out the billionaire digs and watch the video tour
October 23, 2014

Accounting for the Strange Faces That Adorn the Woolworth Building (And Other Fun Facts)

The 101-year old Woolworth Building has been in the news quite a bit lately, especially since it was first announced that the top 30 floors would be turned into 34 apartments; one of which is a nine-story penthouse is expected to hit the market for a record $110 million. But the Woolworth has long been at the center of New York life with its storied past and lofty 792-foot height. It cost $13.5 million to erect the tower in 1913, and the building was the world's tallest when it first debuted. Though a number—50 to be exact—have surpassed it in height, the Woolworth Building has remained one of the world's most admired for its detailed and compelling ornamentation. Like other prestigious companies of its time, Frank W. Woolworth wanted something unforgettable and the building's architect, Cass Gilbert, certainly delivered. The tower is filled to the brim with mosaics, stained-glass, golden embellishments and of course tons of those carved faces and figures.
See the faces of the Woolworth building
October 23, 2014

2.5³ is a Multifunctional Living Cube for Contemporary Nomadism

2.5³ is Maciej Chmara and Ania Rosinke's proposal for living minimally. The multifunctional space reduces life’s material needs down to the bare essentials and follows ideas of utopian thinking from the 60s and 70s, when many architects and designers were working on modular and mobile living structures. Perfect for small homes or as a functional island within a large loft or warehouse space, this cubic wooden structure will let you sleep, eat, relax and work within its reduced design.
Find out more about this multifunctional space
October 23, 2014

Old World Charm and 21st Century Finishes Combine Seamlessly in This Spectacular Tribeca Penthouse

Located at 55 North Moore Street, in a prewar building dating to the 1800's on one of the most charming cobblestone streets in the heart of Tribeca, and impeccably renovated in 2007, this gorgeous four-bedroom penthouse boasts the kind of quintessential old-world charm that will never go out of style. An abundance of exposed brick walls (we can’t get enough of them), elegant white tin ceilings (truly exquisite), and original wood beams, columns, and ceiling rafters (gorgeously rustic) immediately set a cozy and welcoming tone.
See how 19th-century charm merged with 21st-century finishes in this penthouse
October 23, 2014

Brooklyn Nets All-Star Joe Johnson Shopping for a New Home in the Clocktower Building

Brooklyn Nets' Joe Johnson is hunting for a home and he's got his eye on a beauty at the Clocktower Building in DUMBO. According to the NYP, the 33-year-old shooting guard was spotted scoping out a two-bedroom renting for $9,500 a month at the iconic waterfront building. The corner loft home features concrete beamed 11-foot high ceilings, hardwood flooring and big, bright windows facing the Manhattan Bridge.
Let's have a look inside
October 22, 2014

Goldilocks Blocks: Hope Street in Williamsburg

It’s hard to imagine any corner of Williamsburg that doesn’t embody some form of the neighborhood’s upscale hipster paradise. With the opening of The Gorbals restaurant–to excellent reviews–atop the 6th Street Urban Outfitters on the North Side and the South Side sprouting condos and charter schools, the term “prime Williamsburg” has become meaningless. But in every district there are places that retain that charming, slightly unruly je ne sais quoi. The four blocks that comprise Hope Street fit this description.
What makes Hope Street so 'just right?'
October 22, 2014

J.Lo Buys $22M NoMad Penthouse with Celeb Neighbors

Though she was recently spotted eying a $14 million Tribeca loft, it's rumored that J.Lo has inked a deal on a $22 million duplex penthouse in NoMad's Whitman Building at 21 East 26th Street. She may have decided to up her budget thanks to a two-year, $26.3 million residency deal in Las Vegas. Or perhaps it was the Whitman's A-list roster of residents that swayed her; her neighbors will include Chelsea Clinton and NASCAR's Jeff Gordon. Lopez's new digs feature four bedrooms, six bathrooms, and 3,000-square-feet of outdoor space spread over four terraces with views of Madison Square Park.
Take a look inside Jenny from the Block's new home
October 21, 2014

Ghislaine Viñas’ Colorful and Eclectic Design Seamlessly Blends Together on Greenwich Street

Just like the bright pink background of her website, Ghislaine Viñas’ interior designs grab your attention and never let it go. Bold color combinations that might seem garish in the hands of a lesser talent only serve to underscore Viñas’ “off roading” philosophy of experimentation and exploration.
Immerse yourself in this colorful home here
October 20, 2014

Extraordinary Dwellings: These Amazing Homes Are Hidden in Plain Sight

It isn’t unusual to see old warehouses, churches and banks converted into luxury multi-unit condos and apartments. But far more rare, and often shrouded in myth and mystery, are one-of-a-kind buildings that had former lives as banks, schools, a synagogue, a public bath house, a Con Ed substation, even a public restroom and a hillside cave–and have more recently served as home and workspace for a lucky handful of bohemian dreamers (and hard-working homeowners).
Find out who lives behind the gates of those those cavernous, mysterious buildings
October 20, 2014

NYC’s First Certified “Passive House” by FABRICA 718 is Lean, Mean and Incredibly Green

When this Park Slope brownstone was first built in 1899 we’re pretty sure energy efficient design wasn’t a guiding factor in its construction. But over 100 years later an award-winning Passive House retrofit by FABRICA 718 has turned this classic residence into one that consumes approximately 90% less heat energy than the average home and 75% less energy overall.
See what consuming 90% less heat energy looks like
October 15, 2014

Daily Link Fix: Battery Chair Design Winner Announced; Odin is a Stylish, 3D-Printed Dog Toy

NYC Parks and the Battery Conservancy announced that the Fleurt Chair by Canadian designer Andrew Jones is the winner of the first-ever design competition to create a moveable, outdoor chair for a New York City park. Rego Park has a new “green” playground, complete with colorful murals, fitness stations, and an outdoor classroom, reports DNAinfo. Get […]

October 10, 2014

Living on Hallowed Ground: NYC Religious Buildings Being Converted to Luxury Housing

New Yorkers know it often takes some divine intervention to land a great apartment. Luckily, with dozens of churches and synagogues now being partially or totally converted into luxury residential buildings, high-end apartment hunters can go straight to the source. As congregations grapple with changing demographics, shrinking memberships, and costly upkeep of historic buildings, many religious institutions are concluding that it makes better financial sense to sell off a portion of their development rights, relocate to a more affordable site, or even close their doors for good.
Here's a look at New York’s hottest and holiest developments
October 9, 2014

Former R.E.M Frontman Michael Stipe Unloads Soho Penthouse for $9.6M

Michael Stipe, former lead singer for the 80's rock band R.E.M., has sold his duplex penthouse at 533 Canal Street in Soho for $9.6 million, according to city records released today. Stipe listed the co-op in June 2012 for $10.95 million, after purchasing it in 2007 for $5.75 million while it was being renovating. The unit has an impressive celebrity past; Stipe bought it from Ben Affleck's younger brother Casey, who bought it from “Good Will Hunting” director Gus Van Sant. And recently actress Kirsten Dunst put her penthouse in the building on the rental market for $12,500 a month. The three-bedroom penthouse has a light-filled central atrium, 2,500-square-foot terrace with Hudson River views, and an industrial-style kitchen designed by Mario Batali. Stipe had said that he was looking to move further downtown to a loft/work space for himself and his partner.
Take a look at the rockin' digs
October 8, 2014

Renovation Diary: Defining a Dream, Assembling a Team

Our Renovation Diary series follows 6sqft writer Michelle Cohen as she takes on the challenge of transforming her historic Clinton Hill townhouse into a site-sensitive modern home. This week she shares her plans for the storied structure and the first big step she's taken to make her dream home a reality: assembling the professionals needed to make it happen. After two years of tireless searching, we finally took the big, scary step of buying an old townhouse on a leafy block in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Clinton Hill. We loved the house at first sight; but to understate matters a bit, it needs some work. It’s a fixer-upper, though far from a wreck. This renovation diary is an attempt to share what we learn over the next many months as this terrifying adventure unfolds, and let others learn from our mistakes!
Find out more about the huge renovation adventure we have ahead of us and what the first important decisions are.
October 8, 2014

$6.4M Penthouse at the Renwick Modern Offers City Views from Five Different Terraces

Nest Seekers' Ryan Serhant may have just found his nest egg at the Renwick Modern, but that doesn’t mean he’s slowing down at all. The star broker is now hard at work on the listing for the neighboring Penthouse 1, which is asking $6.35 million. This luxurious loft-like condo stuns with a sprawling 2,700 square feet of never-before-lived-in interior space and an additional 1,380 square feet of outdoor space in the form of a roof deck and four separate terraces. Sound impressive? Let’s take a closer look.
See More of this Modern pad, here
October 7, 2014

45 Park Place: Tribeca’s Latest Condo Tower Could be an Architectural Stunner

New images have been uncovered of an upcoming 39-story condominium tower poised to rise from a storied site in Tribeca. Curbed first broke the rendering reveal back in July and a representative of the developers noted that tower depicted in renderings are not quite final. Nevertheless new images posted on of SOMA Architects' website give us additional glimpses of what the project could be. Simply known as 45 Park Place (for now), the development is comprised of a 665-foot tower luxury tower and an Islamic museum, is being developed by a consortium led by Soho Properties, headed by Sharif El-Gamal. The tower is being crafted by Michel Abboud of SOMA Architects, with Ismael Leyva serving as the architect of record. Renderings posted on SOMA's website convey a light, airy tower composed of stem-like volumes bundled by delicate bands of lattice-like mullions. The ground-level view gives us our first glimpse of the adjacent Islamic museum and prayer space reportedly designed by Pritzker Prize–winning French architect Jean Nouvel. A small plaza fronting the museum will expose a vegetated side wall of the neighboring building that houses popular downtown grocer Amish Market.
More on the development here
October 7, 2014

Million Dollar Listing’s Ryan Serhant Nabs a Love Nest at the Renwick for $3.7M

It looks like Ryan Serhant of Million Dollar Listing fame is preparing for his upcoming nuptials by buying a lofty love nest atop the Renwick Modern. According to The Real Deal, the reality TV star just closed on the full 9th floor penthouse at the 22 Renwick Street building for $3.7 million. The 1,895-square-foot apartment hosts three bedrooms, a home office, a top of the line kitchen, and keyed elevator access. And for that little bit of extra oomph, the kitchen cabinets are clad in leather.
Inside the home here
October 7, 2014

INTERVIEW: Architect Andrew Franz, A Modernist But Not a Minimalist

Architect Andrew Franz first caught our eye when we spotted his incredible renovation of a West Village townhouse just months ago. Since then, we've often found ourselves ogling his site for design inspiration, further falling in love with his ability to blend the old with the new through thoughtful material choices and a unique use of light and space. It goes without saying Andrew is a standout amongst the city's seemingly inexhaustible supply of homogeneous architects. We recently caught up with Andrew to find out about some of his latest projects, how collaboration plays into his process, and how he approaches the design of homes and buildings in a dynamic and storied environment such as New York City. Keep reading to find out what he had to share with us.
Read our interview with Andrew here
October 7, 2014

16-Story Residential Sliver Building to Rise Near Union Square

**UPDATE 10/10/2014: We've been informed that the Spector Group is no longer involved in this project. Beyer Blinder Belle has taken over the design. We will provide new renderings of the project when available. A new 16-story residential sliver tower will squeeze its way skyward from a narrow lot at 10 West 17th Street, situated just a block from foodie-hub Union Square in the Ladies' Mile Historical District. Permits filed with the NYC Department of Buildings call for a 47,000-square-foot residential building with 15 units. The architect of record is Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners, a firm well adept in crafting developments in historically sensitive locations and navigating the city's Landmark's approval process. The majority of units in 10 West 17th will likely be full-floor apartments. The renderings shown here are designs from the Spector Group website, but it's unknown if they are still involved in the project.
More on the plans here