Architecture And Design

December 23, 2024

Festive public art installations now illuminate the Meatpacking District

The Meatpacking District's charming cobblestone streets have been transformed into an enchanting holiday forest. Back for another festive season, "Lights on the Cobbles" illuminates Ninth Avenue with large-scale installations, including dazzling holiday lights, a reflective illuminated pathway through Gansevoort Plaza, larger-than-life snow people, and more. The captivating holiday decor is on display through January 15.
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December 20, 2024

Hochul announces plan for $1.35B mixed-use project with 1,400 new homes across from the Javits Center

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Thursday that a $1.35 billion mixed-use development with nearly 1,400 new homes will be built across from the Javits Center. The governor tapped a partnership of developers called the Hudson Boulevard Collective to develop "Site K" at 418 11th Avenue. The project includes a 72-story residential tower and a 28-story hotel, along with a five-story podium that will hold a permanent home for the Climate Museum and community facilities. Thanks to recent zoning reforms, the development will be the first in New York City in over 60 years to exceed the 12-floor area ratio (FAR), allowing for more housing to be built.
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December 18, 2024

Greenpoint rental that is New York’s largest geothermal residential building gets new name, renderings

The largest geothermal residential project in New York has received a fresh rebranding ahead of leasing next year. Lendlease unveiled new branding and renderings for The Riverie, an 834-unit multi-family development at 1 Java Street along the Greenpoint waterfront. The project comprises five interconnected buildings, including a 37-story and a 20-story tower. The development features an all-electric design and a geothermal system that reduces annual carbon emissions from heating and cooling by 53 percent compared to traditional residential systems.
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December 17, 2024

Breuer Building up for individual, interior landmark designation

The interiors of the Whitney Museum's former Brutalist home may be preserved ahead of a planned renovation. The city's Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to calendar the Breuer Building at 945 Madison Avenue for consideration as an individual and interior landmark. Calendaring comes as the auction house Sotheby's prepares to relocate its headquarters to the Marcel Breuer-designed building; news of a renovation set to begin next year prompted preservationists to urge the agency to landmark the interiors.
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December 13, 2024

Vote for 6sqft’s 2024 Building of the Year!

This year, New York City's residential market started heating up, particularly at the top. For the first time in two years, the city recorded sales exceeding $100 million, including a $135 million penthouse at the Aman New York and a $115 million penthouse at Central Park Tower. In addition to the nine-figure deals, new luxury developments sparked interest beyond Billionaires' Row, including a pink-wrapped condo in Fort Greene and an "urban-style resort" on the Williamsburg waterfront. Historic hotels and iconic office buildings entered new chapters, while long-anticipated projects, and some repeat Building of the Year candidates, either marked their completion or are finally nearing the finish line. 6sqft has narrowed our picks down to 16 of the most notable residential projects of the year. Which do you think deserves to be crowned the 2024 Building of the Year? Polls for our 10th annual competition will remain open through 5 p.m. on Friday, December 20. A winner will be announced on Monday, December 23. Happy voting!
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December 12, 2024

The duplex apartment in Paul Rudolph’s Modulightor Building may be landmarked

A year ago, the Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the Modulightor Building, a Midtown East building designed by renowned architect Paul Rudolph, as a New York City landmark. Now, the agency will consider landmarking the interior of the building as well. On Tuesday, the agency voted to calendar a duplex apartment on the third and fourth floors of 246 East 58th Street designed by Rudolph. According to the commission, the apartment is a "complex, multi-layered late modern residential interior unlike any in New York City."
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December 10, 2024

Met Museum unveils design for new modern and contemporary art wing designed by Frida Escobedo

The Metropolitan Museum of Art on Tuesday unveiled the design for its new wing dedicated to contemporary and modern art. Designed by Mexico City-based architect Frida Escobedo, the five-story Oscar L. Tang and H.M. Agnes Hsu-Tang Wing, named for the couple who gave a lead donation of $125 million, includes a three-story base, a recessed fourth floor, and a further setback fifth floor, a scaled facade inspired by the 1971 masterplan from Roche Dinkeloo. The $500 million new wing will better connect to the rest of the museum's galleries and address accessibility and sustainability needs. The project, the first Met Museum wing designed by a woman in its 154-year history, will go through a public review process starting in 2025. It is expected to open in 2030.
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December 9, 2024

New Lots Library redesign will recognize site’s legacy as an African Burial Ground

A transformational library redesign in East New York will honor the site's legacy as an African Burial Ground. The Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) on Saturday revealed plans for the redesigned New Lots Library by MASS Design and Marble Fairbanks, designed to better serve local residents and recognize the formerly unacknowledged African Burial Ground while celebrating African American culture. The library is slated to close for construction in fall 2025.
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December 6, 2024

Largest and most expensive Stegosaurus fossil now on view at AMNH

One of the largest and most complete Stegosaurus fossils ever discovered—and the most expensive—is now on display at the American Museum of Natural History. Known as Apex, the 150-million-year-old fossil, measuring 11.5 feet tall and 27 feet long, was unveiled on Thursday just inside the entrance to the museum's Richard Gilder Center in the Kenneth C. Griffin Exploration Atrium. Nearly 80 percent complete, the fossil was loaned to AMNH by Griffin, who purchased it for a record-breaking $44.6 million at a Sotheby’s auction in July, according to Gothamist.
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December 5, 2024

Feds approve $10B Port Authority Bus Terminal redesign

A $10 billion plan to transform Midtown's aging Port Authority Bus Terminal into a world-class transit hub has received approval from the federal government and the city of New York. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) on Wednesday was issued a record of decision by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) after an "exhaustive" environmental review. The first phase of work, which will construct deck-overs above Dyers Avenue, is slated to begin early next year.
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December 3, 2024

Conversion of Bushwick’s 19th-century William Ulmer Brewery into a mixed-use development begins

Work has begun to transform Bushwick's landmarked William Ulmer Brewery into a mixed-use development. Developed by Rivington Company and designed by DXA Studio, the two-phase project restores the 19th-century building's ground floor and three cellar levels for commercial use, while converting the second, third, fourth, and penthouse levels into apartments. The project will also breathe new life into the building's exterior, with a rehabilitation of its masonry and a new roof.
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November 25, 2024

Make a wish at a new public art installation in the Financial District

A new public art installation shines bright in the Financial District. Created by design studio Hou de Sousa, "Star Light Star Bright" draws inspiration from the cultural tradition of wish trees, where people attach wishes in writing, artwork, ribbons, and cloth, hoping they come true. Located at the plaza in front of 140 Broadway, the immersive installation invites New Yorkers to tie colorful "wish ribbons" to the chain links, growing into a Chia Pet-esque artwork full of hopes and dreams.
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November 25, 2024

NYC’s first pro soccer stadium in Queens to be called ‘Etihad Park’

New York City's first professional soccer stadium will be called Etihad Park, named after the airline of the United Arab Emirates. New York City FC on Thursday announced a 20-year agreement with Etihad Airways, granting the airline exclusive naming rights for the 25,000-seat soccer stadium currently under construction in Willets Point, Queens. Set to open in time for the 2027 season, the stadium will become a "cathedral of soccer in the United States," according to NYCFC. The news came ahead of the team's loss to the New York Red Bulls during the MLS Cup Eastern Conference semifinal match on Saturday.
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November 21, 2024

See inside Williamsburg’s tallest penthouse at One Domino Square

Here's a first look at a custom-designed penthouse in One Domino Square, the tallest condo in Williamsburg. The three-bedroom, three-bath home is the first penthouse designed by acclaimed Irish furniture brand Orior, with interiors that echo the luxurious yet simplistic design of the Selldorf Architects-designed residential skyscraper and magnificent views stretching beyond the Manhattan and Brooklyn skylines.
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November 21, 2024

NYC’s first Passive House public schools open in Downtown Brooklyn

New York City's first Passive House-certified public schools have opened in Downtown Brooklyn, setting the bar for sustainable education. Designed by Architecture Research Office (ARO), the ultra-low-energy-use building houses two schools: the Khalil Gibran International Academy, the nation’s first English-Arabic public high school, and the Elizabeth Jennings School for Bold Explorers (aka P.S. 456). Part of the mixed-use development Alloy Block, the facility consumes less than a third of the energy of a typical NYC public school.
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November 19, 2024

Andy Warhol’s Trump Tower painting, which Trump never paid for, sells at auction

An Andy Warhol painting of Trump Tower commissioned by Donald Trump—but never paid for—has sold at auction. Requested in 1981 by the then up-and-coming real estate developer to hang in the lobby of his new Fifth Avenue skyscraper, the artwork is one of eight portraits from Warhol's "New York Skyscrapers" series depicting Trump’s first namesake development. The auction, first reported by Artnet, took place on November 19 at 5 p.m., and sold for $952,000, well beyond its originally projected $500,000 to $700,000 price range.
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November 18, 2024

American Museum of Natural History’s origami holiday tree features 1,000 pouncing paper animals

The American Museum of Natural History’s beloved Origami Holiday Tree returns this year, featuring over 1,000 hand-folded paper models inspired by the world’s leaping critters. In honor of the leap year's end, this year's theme is "Jumping for Joy," celebrating animals that hop, from rabbits, grasshoppers, and kangaroos to frogs, squirrels, and the newly-discovered leaping leech. The 13-foot tree will be on display in the Ellen V. Futter Gallery on the first floor starting November 25 through mid-January.
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November 18, 2024

More public space opens under the Brooklyn Bridge in Manhattan

New Yorkers can now enjoy more public space under the Brooklyn Bridge in Manhattan. The latest phase of "The Arches" opened on Monday, adding 15,000 square feet of park space to an area closed to the public for more than a decade, the city's Department of Transportation announced. The space, now with lush greenery and new seating, had been closed for nearly 15 years while serving as a staging site for several bridge restoration projects. The Arches sits next to the Brooklyn Banks, a haven for skateboarders that partially reopened last year.
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November 14, 2024

The tallest building in Queens tops out over 800 feet

The tallest building in Queens topped out this week at over 823 feet. Developed by BLDG Management Company and designed by Perkins Eastman, the Orchard is a 70-story rental in Long Island City with 824 studio to three-bedroom apartments, 248 of which are designated as affordable. Located at Orchard Street and Jackson Avenue in the Court Square section of the neighborhood, the rental boasts over 100,000 square feet of amenities, including a huge backyard with a swimming pool, three pickleball courts, an outdoor movie theater, and more.
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November 13, 2024

NYBG’s Holiday Train Show is a tribute to NYC’s architectural heritage

A quintessential New York City holiday tradition is back for its 33rd year. The New York Botanical Garden's beloved Holiday Train Show enchants guests with G-scale miniature trains that zip through nearly 200 plant-based models of iconic city landmarks, displayed inside the historic Enid A. Haupt Conservatory and outdoors. For the first time, guests can experience the show in a new light with Holiday Train Nights, where the trains and displays twinkle under the night sky. The show runs from November 16 through January 20, 2025.
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November 7, 2024

$50M penthouse is the last residence available at the Upper East Side’s famed Surrey Hotel

Manhattan's famed Surrey Hotel is making a comeback. Following bankruptcy proceedings, new owners, and a renovation, the 100-year-old Art Deco landmark at 20 East 76th Street on the Upper East Side reopened last month as a condo hotel, with 100 hotel rooms and 14 condos, part of the Surrey Residences. Now, after a whisper sales campaign, just one remaining apartment is about to hit the market: a three-bedroom duplex penthouse asking $50,000,000. The sprawling residence, the building's most expensive, offers 5,195 square feet plus 2,346 square feet across three terraces and a private rooftop.
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November 4, 2024

The Frick to reopen in April after renovation of Upper East Side mansion

The Frick Collection is set to reopen its newly renovated historic home at 1 East 70th Street on the Upper East Side in April 2025. The renovation, designed by Selldorf Architects, will provide a fresh and exciting way to experience the museum's legendary collections, featuring revitalized historic spaces, new amenities, and expanded galleries, including public access to the mansion's second floor for the first time. During the renovation, the museum temporarily resided in the iconic Breuer Building from 2021 until March 2024.
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November 1, 2024

11 public projects in NYC recognized for excellent design

Eleven innovative projects across New York City have been recognized for their contributions to nurturing a more sustainable and engaging public realm. Mayor Eric Adams this week announced the winners of the 42nd annual Awards for Excellence in Design, selected by the city's Public Design Commission (PDC) from hundreds of submissions in 2023. This year's award-winning projects exemplify how urban planning can vastly enhance the daily lives of New Yorkers, transcending mere aesthetics to create resilient infrastructure, foster community bonds, and provide accessible recreational and educational spaces.
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October 25, 2024

Landmarked East Harlem public library reopens after $34M renovation

After a three-year $34.4 million renovation, a landmarked New York Public Library branch in East Harlem is reopening this month. Designed by McKim, Mead & White in 1904, the building at 224 East 125th Street had fallen into disrepair and had been closed since 2021. The revamped building will celebrate its reopening on October 30 at 10 a.m.
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October 23, 2024

Sales launch for boutique condos with private outdoor spaces in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, from $835K

Sales launched this week at one part of a unique two-building luxury development in Brooklyn's Prospect Lefferts Gardens neighborhood. Developed by Kingsdel Real Estate and designed by Palette Architecture, Calvert Villas at 624 New York Avenue is a six-story boutique condo building with 10 two- to four-bedroom apartments, each with private outdoor space. Prices start at $835,500.
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