Search Results for: own village

May 12, 2017

Official NYC dog name map reveals most popular pooch names by neighborhood

There’s almost no end to the amount of information you can find out about folks in your neighborhood, from two-legged to four, right down to which streets harbor the biggest poop non-scoopers. Now you can find out what name your neighbor's pet is likely to answer to (h/t Brick Underground): A newly-released official NYC dog name map shows the city's most popular dog names as well as the most common names unique to each neighborhood, based on 2016 registered dog license data.
More doggie demographics this way
May 12, 2017

The Urban Lens: Travel back to the gritty Meatpacking District of the ’80s and ’90s

6sqft’s ongoing series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation shares archival images of the gritty Meatpacking District from the 1980s to early 2000s. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. "Few parts of New York City have transformed as dramatically in the last decade or so as the Meatpacking District. Changes in the area are physical as well as spiritual. What was once a deserted ghost town by day, nightlife, sex club, and prostitution hub by night, and bustling workaday center of the Meatpacking industry from early morning to noon is now a glitzy, glamorized center of shopping, dining, tourism, strolling, and arts consumption," says Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation. The organization recently released a collection of archival photos of the neighborhood's post-industrial grit, "before the Whitney, before the High Line, before Apple and Diane von Furstenberg, even before Sex and the City discovered the neighborhood." Ahead, 6sqft shares these images, from the 1980s to the mid-2000s, which document the major transformation that's taken place in just the past decade.
See all the photos here
May 12, 2017

INTERVIEW: Urban archaeologist Joan Geismar on the artifacts she’s dug up across New York

Joan Geismar boasts a job that'll make any urban explorer jealous. For the past 32 years, she's operated her own business as an archaeological consultant, digging underneath the streets of New York City to find what historical remnants remain. Her career kicked off in 1982, with the major discovery of an 18th-century merchant ship at a construction site near the South Street Seaport. (The land is now home to the 30-story tower 175 Water Street.) Other discoveries include digging up intact remnants of wooden water pipes, components of the city’s first water system, at Coenties Slip Park; studying the long-defunct burial ground at the Brooklyn Navy Yard; and working alongside the renovation in Washington Square Park, in which she made a major revelation about the former Potter's Field there. With 6sqft, she discusses what it felt like unearthing a ship in Lower Manhattan, the curious headstone she found underneath Washington Square Park, and what people's trash can tell us about New York history.
The full interview ahead
May 11, 2017

Comedian Chris Rock lists Clinton Hill carriage house for $3.85M

Chris Rock has just listed his cool carriage house in the Clinton Hill Historic District, according to the New York Post. The comedian, who has owned the three-story home at239 Waverly Avenue since 1994, has been renting it since moving out in '96. The historic 1901 property was last listed for rent in 2013 with an ask as high as $15,000/month at one point. The new sales ask is $3.85 million for the renovated residence with room for two or three bedrooms, a 23-foot-wide master suite with skylights, and the elusive urban perk of being above a parking garage for not one but two cars.
Find out more about the carriage house and its twin
May 5, 2017

Interview: Developer Ben Shaoul on 196 Orchard Street, his Lower East Side condo rising next to Katz’s

Ben Shaoul founded Magnum Real Estate Group in 1999, focused on renovating small, rundown rental apartments. After growing its portfolio extensively over the past five years to includeretail properties, condos, and even a dormitory, the firm is now one of the city’s leading ground-up development companies. Their impressive portfolio includes 389 East 89th Street on the Upper […]

May 5, 2017

The Urban Lens: ‘Zombie City’ exposes distracted New Yorkers in a gentrifying city

6sqft’s ongoing series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment, fine art and portrait photographer James Maher exposes the changing face of NYC post 9/11. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. It all started at the University of Madison in Wisconsin with a surprisingly successful fake ID "business," which was James Maher's first introduction to portraiture and Photoshop. After moving back to his hometown of New York post-graduation, Maher studied at the International Center for Photography, assisted commercial photographers, and became a certified tour guide, exploring the architecture and streetscapes of the city. In 2006, he opened his own photography business, combining his varied interests, which also come through in his black-and-white series "Luxury for Lease," where New Yorkers are captured candidly against the background of New York. In it, Maher exposes how quickly things changed in the years after 9/11; instead of coming for "acceptance and freedom" and "a culture of creativity," wealthy persons from the suburbs and elsewhere began to move back "with an insatiable appetite." By snapping photos of distracted New Yorkers, many of whom are zombie-fied staring at their phones, Maher examines the "disconnection, hyper-gentrification, conformity, and consumerism" that's infiltrated our streets.
See the series here
May 3, 2017

Bowerbird architects create a custom nest in a Boerum Hill loft with details in steel and reclaimed wood

"Everything evolves," begins the mission statement by architecture and design firm Bowerbird, explaining how their namesake (the bowerbird) evolved to design and decorate its home with an eye for detail. The firm explores the idea that good design and creativity similarly "does not spring forth in a single moment of inspired genius;" they work to produce an uncommon solution for each undertaking. Evolved design is definitely in effect in this Boerum Hill loft, resulting in a home with a fresh look that leaves crowded, overdone design and cold, unfinished lofts in the dust. Rooms are polished, elegant and comfortable without being fussy. And natural and reclaimed details aren’t contrived, but rather fit in well with the former factory’s big-shouldered loft bones.
See more of this timeless loft design
April 30, 2017

This $1.3M converted barn in Garrison, NY hails from the horse and buggy era with the modern feel of a loft

Tucked away amid the dirt roads and country atmosphere of Garrison, NY, fifty miles from Manhattan in Putnam county, this 1840s brick carriage house at 65 Indian Brook Road is the kind of home you rarely find in either city or hamlet. The 4,000 square-foot, three-bedroom home (h/t Circa), asking $1.295 million, has open loft-like proportions, hand hewn beams, a cozy wood-burning stove and high ceilings, with modern details like floor-to-ceiling glass, central air and a gunite pool off the back patio. 
Take the tour, and check out the pool
April 28, 2017

Waitlist reopens for affordable apartments at two rentals near Lincoln Center, from $613/month

One Columbus Place via Brodsky Qualifying New Yorkers aching to be in the thick of the city's performing arts scene now have an opportunity to join the waitlist for two Midtown West rental towers: One Columbus Place and 55-75 West End Avenue. The NYCHDC is currently accepting applications for studio and one-bedrooms priced at $613 and $659, respectively. The towers, both developed by the Brodsky Organization in the mid-90s, boast not only a fantastic location close to Columbus Circle, Central Park, and Lincoln Center, but also come with great perks like roof decks, swimming pools, laundry facilities, gyms, and concierge and doorman service.
find out if you qualify
April 26, 2017

16 spring house tours to check out in and around NYC

It's that time of year again—house tour season! Architecture buffs, historic home junkies, and garden lovers revel in the spring lineup of events, and to make planning a bit easier, 6sqft has rounded up 16 tours in and around New York City. From Harlem brownstones and Park Slope townhouses to Hamptons estates and Nyack mansions to Jersey shore beachfront homes and Hoboken's secret gardens, there's a little something for everyone.
The full event roster, right this way
April 26, 2017

New Jane Jacobs documentary spotlights her achievements in NYC and lessons to be carried forward

One of the most iconic battles to decide the fate of New York City was waged, in the 1950s and '60s, by Jane Jacobs and Robert Moses. He, a Parks Commissioner turned power broker, was known for his aggressive urban renewal projects, tearing tenements down to build higher, denser housing. She, often dismissed as a housewife, emerged as his most vocal critic—not to mention a skilled organizer with the ability to stop some of Moses' most ambitious plans. A new documentary, Citizen Jane: Battle for the City, takes a close look at the groundbreaking work of Jane Jacobs and its importance in our urbanizing world today. Matt Tyrnauer, the director behind Valentino: The Last Emperor, compiled footage of both Jacobs and Moses alongside 1950s and '60s New York, which is paired with voiceovers of Marissa Tomei and Vincent D’Onofrio as the battling duo. Experts in urban planning—everyone from Paul Goldberger to Robert A.M. Stern—also discuss Jacobs’ massive influence on housing policy and urban planning, as the film makes a convincing argument that Jacobs' planning philosophies are needed now more than ever.
Read our review of the film
April 22, 2017

Weekly highlights: Top picks from the 6sqft staff

NBC News anchor Lester Holt lists classy Nomad apartment for $6.6M First look at Domino Sugar Factory’s 11-acre park and waterfront esplanade Mayor de Blasio christens New York’s first Citywide Ferry with a ride into Brooklyn Bridge Park First home designed by Philip Johnson seeks $1M and a preservation savior Affordable housing lottery for seniors […]

April 21, 2017

The history of NYC’s Quonset Huts, Robert Moses-era veterans housing

When veterans returned to NYC from WWII, they were met with a Depression-era housing shortage that resulted from a nearly 15-year lack of new development. To immediately address the issue, "master builder" Robert Moses (who by this time was reigning over the city's public housing projects) proposed erecting Quonset huts on vacant land in Brooklyn and Queens. These curved, corrugated steel "shacks" were used in the Pacific as barracks and offices, as they were lightweight and quick and easy to assemble. As the Brownstone Detectives tell us, after much debate, the city agreed to use more than 500 Federal surplus huts as temporary public housing on land along the Belt Parkway in the South Brooklyn neighborhoods of Canarsie and Jamaica Bay, as well as in Jackson Heights, Middle Village, and Corona in Queens.
Get the whole history
April 18, 2017

NBC News anchor Lester Holt lists classy Nomad apartment for $6.6M

There's no "debating" that NBC Nightly News and Dateline NBC anchor Lester Holt has good taste in real estate, as evidenced by the listing photos for his classy Nomad apartment. The fact that his wife, Carol Hagen-Holt, is one of the listing brokers probably doesn't hurt either. The Observer first noticed that the couple put the three-bedroom spread at 225 Fifth Avenue on the market for $6.6 million, a far cry from the $3.3 million they bought it for in 2007. It boasts views of Madison Square Park and the Flatiron Building, a private terrace, and a sumptuous mix of furnishings and decor.
Take a look around
April 11, 2017

INTERVIEW: Paula Scher on designing the brands of New York’s most beloved institutions

Paula Scher is one of the most recognizable names in the design world, considered legendary in the industry for creating the identities of major New York institutions. Scher moved to New York in the 1970s to begin her design career and got her start in the music industry. As art director for CBS, she designed around 150 albums a year and produced numerous ads and posters. Her record covers include everything from the Rolling Stones' Still Life to Leonard Bernstein's Stravinky, four of which were recognized with Grammy nominations. As a record designer, Scher was credited with reviving historical typefaces and design styles—and typefaces still play heavily in her work today. Scher left Atlantic Records to begin her own design firm in 1982, and in 1991 she joined her current firm, Pentagram, as the company's first female principal. Although Pentagram is an international design company, its New York office is behind the identities of some of the city's most beloved establishments. It was at Pentagram Scher established her reputation as a New York designer who created unique, lasting identities.
more with Paula Scher here
April 10, 2017

Past Prisons: Inside the new lives of 7 former NYC jails

The past week has been full of news about Rikers Island and Mayor de Blasio's announcement that the notorious prison will be closed and replaced with smaller facilities throughout the boroughs. Ideas for re-use of its 413 acres have included commercial, residential and mixed-use properties; academic centers; sports and recreation facilities; a convention center; or an expansion of nearby LaGuardia airport. And while anything final is estimated to be a decade away, this isn't the first prison in NYC to be adaptively reused. From a health spa to a production studio to a housing development, 6sqft explores the new lives of seven past prisons.
READ MORE
April 6, 2017

Clever and compact Kammerspiel provides an all-inclusive living unit for studio apartments

For many city-dwellers, living spaces often comes limited, so much so that it's not uncommon for homes to be referred to as "micro-apartments." German designer Nils Holger Moormann has created Kammerspiel for these tiny abodes, a sleek, all-in-one unit for sleeping, eating, working and storage. This is the largest piece of furniture he's ever engineered, and the purpose of the multi-functional structure is to provide a space-saving solution for people with limited square footage.
see more here
April 6, 2017

Rosie O’Donnell checks out $5.75M mod co-op on the Upper West Side

It's been two-and-a-half years since Rosie O'Donnell sold her chic Greenwich Village penthouse for $9 million, presumably spending more time at her other home in Nyack. But it looks like she's ready to move back to NYC, as the Post says that she's been house hunting on the Upper West Side. O'Donnell reportedly checked out a $5.75 million spread at the historic artist co-op 27 West 67th Street--part of the West 67th Street Artists’ Colony History District. The ultra-mod duplex is currently owned by internationally famed artist Abby Leigh, whose late husband was Tony-winning “Man of La Mancha” composer Mitch Leigh.
Take a look around
April 5, 2017

Colorful studio right off Central Park West asks just $575K

Here's a chance to live right off Central Park West without spending a fortune. This fun, colorful studio has hit the market for $575,000 at The Park Royal, an Upper West Side co-op just a half block from the park. The building, of course, boasts a 24-hour concierge and doorman, and the studio isn't too shabby, either. A wide arched doorway provides separate living spaces and the kitchen was smartly packed away into an alcove. Some creative design allows for a little extra space to spread out, as well.
Peek inside
April 4, 2017

Explore the homes of NYC’s notable writers with an audio-narrated tour

Some of the greatest literary giants of all time lived and wrote in New York City. In celebration of the 200th anniversary of HarperCollins, which was founded in NYC, the publishing company created an interactive walking tour map that narrates the history of each author as you walk (h/t DNAinfo). Just a few of the famed Big Apple authors include Harper Lee, Mark Twain, Zora Neale Hurston and Richard Wright.
Find out more
April 4, 2017

The 10 best neighborhoods for New York City artists

Like most things in New York, creative communities come and ago as new development and rising rents force artists to move on to the next best, or cheaper neighborhood. While 6sqft found 'hoods like the Upper East Side, Harlem and Long Island City to be the best places for artists a few years back, we've updated our top-10 list to reflect the changing times. Ahead you'll find some areas you may expect--Sunset Park and Bushwick, for example, along with more up-and-coming artsy enclaves like Newark, Washington Heights, and the South Bronx.
The full list right this way
March 31, 2017

Tyra Banks’ enormous Battery Park City duplex hits the market for $17.5M

Two years ago, Tyra Banks put her gigantic Battery Park City pad on the rental market for $50,000 a month, but the Times now reports that she's decided to part ways with it completely, listing the 7,000-square-foot Riverhouse duplex for $17.5 million. Banks, who welcomed her first child last year, is spending most of her time at her homes in Los Angeles and Northern California since her new makeup line is headquartered in LA and both of her hosting gigs--for “America’s Got Talent” and “America’s Next Top Model”--also film there. She did, however, tell the Times that she'll miss "the feeling of having a home in the sky."
Read the apartment's drool-worthy description
March 30, 2017

Studio V’s art-focused development will bring 1,200 residential units to Journal Square

With significantly lower rents than Manhattan and a less than 20-minute PATH ride to the city, Journal Square continues to blossom into the next hip neighborhood. In addition to the 10+ major residential projects going up in the neighborhood, it's also looking to become an official Art District. According to Jersey Digs, the newest project to follow suit is a two-tower, mixed-use complex at 808 Pavonia Avenue, adjacent to the historic Loew's Jersey Theater. Developer Harwood Properties tapped Studio V Architecture to create a pedestrian neighborhood, focused on arts and cultural facilities.
Find out more here
March 29, 2017

A fanciful miniature New York City is coming to a 49,000-foot space in Times Square

Minimodel maven Eiran Gazit's latest project is anything but small: The former Israeli soldier and his team are putting the finishing touches on Gulliver's Gate, a sprawling exhibit of the world made of minimodels set to open on April 4 in a 49,000-square-foot space at 216 West 44th Street in Times Square, reports Crain's. The $40 million extravaganza represents a decade of dreams and hard work for Gazit, in this case the chief dreamer, plus years of seeking investors, coordinating with dozens of artists around the world and months of installation.
Find out more
March 24, 2017

Behind the counter and into the caves at Murray’s Cheese

Murray's Cheese was founded in 1940 on Cornelia Street. When Rob Kaufelt bought the business in 1991, he grew the store into an internationally known food destination that now includes educational programs, a full-service restaurant, catering, and state-of-the-art cheese aging caves in Long Island City. Personally, our love affair with Murray’s Cheese began in 1994, when we were newlyweds on a budget, often buying cheese from the small Bleecker Street store to eat with some freshly baked bread purchased from the nearby Zito & Sons Bakery. Plus, with Murray’s being our namesake, we felt an immediate connection to the store. Just last month, the Kroger Company purchased the equity of Murray’s Cheese and its flagship Greenwich Village location to form a merger of the two companies. As this new era approaches, we decided to capture all the cheesy goodness of the store, restaurant, and caves, as well as chat with Rob, cavemaster PJ, and Murray's Cheese Bar's general manager Jake Goznikar to learn about Murray's history, unique contributions to local and world-wide food culture, and future.
Take the grand tour