All articles by Alexandra Alexa

Co-op in Nolita’s historic Astor Memorial School, featured in ‘Modern Love’ series, asks $3.5M

Listing images by Donna Dotan; courtesy of Compass

October 28, 2019

Co-op in Nolita’s historic Astor Memorial School, featured in ‘Modern Love’ series, asks $3.5M

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Fans of Amazon’s popular Modern Love series will remember this co-op as the building where Anne Hathaway’s character lives in Episode 3. But architecture buffs may recognize that the striking Victorian Gothic structure was designed by none other than Calvert Vaux as the Astor Memorial School in the late 1880s. The parlor floor unit inside this landmarked building at 256 Mott Street has just listed for $3.5 million, offering the rare chance to own a truly historic residence with a prime Nolita address right across the street from Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
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94 affordable units up for grabs in the South Bronx, from $748/month

Photo by Fletcher6 on Wikimedia

October 25, 2019

94 affordable units up for grabs in the South Bronx, from $748/month

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Ninety-four newly constructed units are up for grabs at 985 Bruckner Boulevard in Woodstock, the Bronx. Non-profit Community Access worked with Think! Architecture and Design on the project, which spans across ten floors and 170,000 square feet and includes 215 residential units and a 70,300 square foot community facility. Qualifying applicants earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for units that range from $748/month studios to $1,148/month two-bedrooms.
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The restoration of Keith Haring’s ‘Crack is Wack’ mural is now complete

Images courtesy of NYC Parks

October 25, 2019

The restoration of Keith Haring’s ‘Crack is Wack’ mural is now complete

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After a couple of months of work, Keith Haring’s iconic “Crack is Wack” mural in East Harlem is now fully restored. As 6sqft previously reported, Haring painted the 16-foot by 26-foot mural on a handball court at East 128th Street and the Harlem River Drive in 1986 to draw attention to the crack cocaine epidemic. Composed with the artist’s signature kinetic figures and bold abstract forms, the piece has been celebrated as one of his most important works. It was refurbished and repainted by artists Louise Hunnicutt and William Tibbals, with support from the Keith Haring Foundation.
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For $575K, this cute landmarked studio in the West Village is laid out like a one-bedroom

Listing images by DDReps; courtesy of Compass

October 25, 2019

For $575K, this cute landmarked studio in the West Village is laid out like a one-bedroom

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Part of the Greenwich Village Historic District, this bright studio at 715 Washington Street is now on the market for a cool $575,000. The floor-through unit—previously configured as a one-bedroom—might be small in space but it's big on charm, with pre-war details including original hardwood floors, painted brick walls, built-in shelving, and a decorative fireplace in the sleeping area.
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Studio with an elaborately carved fireplace and prime UWS location asks $529K

Listing images by Melanie Greene; courtesy of Compass

October 24, 2019

Studio with an elaborately carved fireplace and prime UWS location asks $529K

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The main living area in this charming Upper West Side studio at 123 West 80th Street only adds up to 240 square feet, but within that are all the old-world details you could ask for. For starters, there’s that enormous carved wood fireplace with a mirror that will at least add the perception of more space. Other features include original parquet wood floors, an elegant chandelier, and carved south-facing windows with restored shutters. The unit was originally listed at the beginning of the month for $539,000 and just got a $10,000 cut on its asking price. The central location—just steps away from the American Natural History Museum—certainly contributes to that.
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‘Welcome’ sign will soon replace the iconic Watchtower sign in Brooklyn Heights

Rendering courtesy of Columbia Heights Associates

October 24, 2019

‘Welcome’ sign will soon replace the iconic Watchtower sign in Brooklyn Heights

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The Brooklyn skyline will soon get a new sign to replace the iconic ‘Watchtower’ one that was put in place by the Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1970 and removed in 2017. The 15-foot-tall red sign crowned the building at 25-30 Columbia Heights for nearly five decades while the Jehovah’s Witnesses owned the campus, which served as their headquarters. The new sign will read ‘Welcome’ in similar red lettering and will be installed before the end of the month, as first reported by the New York Post.
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Upper East Side duplex with an enchanting, Greek-inspired garden seeks $1.9M

Listing images by Alan Barry; courtesy of Compass

October 23, 2019

Upper East Side duplex with an enchanting, Greek-inspired garden seeks $1.9M

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Around the corner from Madison Avenue at 42 East 73rd Street, this stylish Upper East Side duplex features a romantic, Greek-inspired garden complete with ionic columns and a variety of plantings. Inside, bronze columns frame an elegant living area on the first level, while the second floor provides a flexible guest suite or home office. The two-bedroom is seeking $1.895 million.
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Now dubbed ‘Zero Irving,’ the contested Union Square tech hub releases new renderings

Renderings courtesy of RAL Development Services

October 23, 2019

Now dubbed ‘Zero Irving,’ the contested Union Square tech hub releases new renderings

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The vision for a contested tech hub currently underway at 124 East 14th Street—the site of the former P.C. Richard & Son building—is coming into sharper focus. RAL Development Services released a new batch of renderings and rebranded the project with a new name, Zero Irving, presumably a nod to neighboring Irving Place. The 21-story building will include office space, a technology training center and incubator, co-working spaces, an event space, and a street-level food hall. The project broke ground over the summer and is slated for completion toward the end of 2020.
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New renderings revealed for FXCollaborative-designed Brooklyn Music School expansion

Renderings courtesy of FXCollaborative

October 22, 2019

New renderings revealed for FXCollaborative-designed Brooklyn Music School expansion

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The Brooklyn Music School has just announced plans for a new 20,000 square-foot facility as part of a 167,000 square-foot mixed-use development in the heart of the Brooklyn Cultural District. In addition to expanding the school’s existing facilities to meet growing demand, the FXCollaborative-designed project will also create 120 new residential units with 36 of those reserved for moderate-income households earning 70 to 100 percent of the area median income.
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City seeks operator for long-planned memorial and cultural center at Harlem’s African burial ground site

Image of 126 Street Bus Depot courtesy of NYCEDC

October 22, 2019

City seeks operator for long-planned memorial and cultural center at Harlem’s African burial ground site

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The city’s Economic Development Corporation (EDC) is now accepting bids for the long-planned redevelopment of the East 126th Street Metropolitan Transportation Authority Bus Depot into a memorial and cultural education center honoring the historic African burial ground found in the early 2000s at the site. In collaboration with the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, the EDC has released a request for expressions of interest looking for a non-profit organization to operate the cultural center and outdoor memorial in Harlem.
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Asking $995K, this rustic West Village co-op has soaring brick barrel-vaulted ceilings
October 22, 2019

Asking $995K, this rustic West Village co-op has soaring brick barrel-vaulted ceilings

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Listing images by David Palmieri courtesy of Citi Habitats Housed inside a former printing house built in the 1880s, this one-bedroom at 9 Barrow Street “embraces its rich architectural history,” as the listing notes. Plaster was stripped away during a recent renovation to feature the warm exposed brick and nearly 11-foot barrel-vaulted ceilings. It’s not just the character-filled interior that earns this co-op it’s $995,00 asking price. Located on a quaint, tree-lined Greenwich Village block, the property easily checks off the “great location” box. Elevator access and a small but charming private terrace round out the package.
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This upstate farmhouse comes with 30+ acres and an abundant fruit orchard for just under $700K

Listing images courtesy of Houlihan Lawrence

October 21, 2019

This upstate farmhouse comes with 30+ acres and an abundant fruit orchard for just under $700K

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The deed for this 30+ acre Greek Revival farmhouse and apple orchard at 340 Route 9H in Claverack (a hamlet with views of the Catskills located about five miles from Hudson) has only changed hands three times since it was built in 1842. If you’re looking for a place to grow some roots—and apples—this retreat has plenty to offer. Also known as Miletus Farm, the sprawling property includes a 2,200 square foot home, several outbuildings, a tennis court, and a garage, in addition to the idyllic orchards, which also grow peaches and apricots. The property was on the market last fall for $999,000 and is now listed for a reduced $699,000 with the option of including a three-bedroom caretaker’s house into the sale for a total of $899,000.
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Sophisticated, gut-renovated Fort Greene townhouse with just enough rustic charm asks $4.35M

Listing images courtesy of Douglas Elliman

October 21, 2019

Sophisticated, gut-renovated Fort Greene townhouse with just enough rustic charm asks $4.35M

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The bones of this two-family townhouse at 362 Clermont Avenue date back to 1899, but inside, a gut renovation has brought the property well into the 21st century. Several wood-burning fireplaces and the original doors were restored while other materials, like the reclaimed wood floors, were carefully sourced to reflect what was originally there. The 22-foot-wide Fort Greene home spans across 3,650 square feet (not including the basement apartment) and is seeking $4.35 million.
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William Lescaze’s modernist Upper East Side townhouse is back for a slightly reduced $19.5M

Listing images courtesy of Warburg Realty

October 18, 2019

William Lescaze’s modernist Upper East Side townhouse is back for a slightly reduced $19.5M

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In 2013, the New York Times described the William Lescaze townhouse at 32 East 74th Street—one of the first modernist residences built in NYC—as being “just at the edge of passing from worn to shabby, waiting for a new owner to bring it back to flawlessness.” After years of being on and off the market, a new owner came into the picture in 2015, when he bought the property for $14.5 million and transformed it into a three-unit investment property. Lescaze designed the house for Raymond C. and Mildred Kramer in 1934, one year after completing a modernist home for himself at 211 East 48th Street. Both feature his characteristic use of white stucco and glass bricks. The landmarked exteriors have remained intact, but as 6sqft previously noted, the interiors have long shed any trace of Lescaze’s interior design. The transformed property was most recently on the market in 2017 with a $20 million ask and is now back for a slightly reduced $19.5 million.
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Charming, airy West Village co-op with a designer renovation asks $1.6M

Listing images by Ryan Lahiff for Rise Media; courtesy of Compass

October 17, 2019

Charming, airy West Village co-op with a designer renovation asks $1.6M

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Featuring a fresh renovation by the owner, interior designer Shawn Henderson, this West Village co-op at 791 Greenwich Street blends a loft-like feel with classic Village charm. The biggest move made by Henderson—who counts Will Ferrell and Glenn Close as clients—was demolishing the wall between the former living and dining rooms in favor of an open concept. He also restored the original pine floors and created "pockets" of white and exposed brick throughout. Add to those charming details a hard-to-beat location near the corner of Bethune Street ("in the heart of the quietest and quaintest part of the West Village," as the listing boasts) and you're looking at a quintessential downtown pad for the asking price of $1.6 million.
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DOB releases new, interactive map tracking after-hours construction permits throughout the city

Photo by Doug Davey via Flickr cc

October 17, 2019

DOB releases new, interactive map tracking after-hours construction permits throughout the city

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The City’s Department of Buildings has just released a new, interactive map that shows the location of all building construction projects that have been granted permits to proceed with work outside of normal business hours. These types of permits, known as an after-hours variance (AHV), apply to work taking place before 7 a.m., after 6 p.m., or anytime during the weekend. The DOB issued 18,866 AHV permits in 2018 and received 3,729 public complaints through the 311 system regarding construction work illegally performed after hours. The map will be updated daily and include links to further information about each project so that tenants have a way of confirming the status of construction projects on their block.
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Second round of Transit Tech Lab accelerator launches with emphasis on accessibility

Photo by Shinya Suzuki on Flickr cc

October 16, 2019

Second round of Transit Tech Lab accelerator launches with emphasis on accessibility

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The MTA and the Partnership for New York City have announced the second round of the Transit Tech Lab accelerator program that launched earlier this year. The inaugural run selected six finalists to participate in an eight-week program dedicated to developing innovative, private sector solutions for the challenges facing our subway, bus, and rail services. Of those six, four companies have already started piloting their products with the MTA. The new round of submissions is specifically seeking entrepreneurs with products that improve accessibility (a major component of the MTA’s recently unveiled capital plan), enhance traffic coordination, or create new sources of revenue. Submissions are open through November 30.
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Cuomo announces state commission to build Mother Cabrini statue following ‘She Built NYC’ snub

Image via Governor Cuomo’s Flickr

October 14, 2019

Cuomo announces state commission to build Mother Cabrini statue following ‘She Built NYC’ snub

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Despite garnering the most votes in a public poll, Mother Frances Cabrini will not be memorialized as part of the She Built NYC program run by First Lady Chirlane McCray. Controversy has followed the decision to not include Cabrini in recent days, with Mayor Bill de Blasio stepping in to suggest she would be a contender in future editions of the program during The Brian Lehrer Show last Friday. Gov. Andrew Cuomo responded by calling the decision an “affront” to the Italian-American community. During Monday's Columbus Day Parade, the governor announced a new state commission that will lead the creation of a separate memorial for Cabrini.
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Resembling an English estate, Sir John Richardson’s full-floor Flatiron co-op seeks $7.2M

Listing images by DDReps; courtesy of Compass

October 14, 2019

Resembling an English estate, Sir John Richardson’s full-floor Flatiron co-op seeks $7.2M

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The estate of renowned Picasso biographer and art historian Sir John Richardson—who passed away in March—recently listed his Flatiron co-op for $7.2 million. The seventh-floor loft at 73 Fifth Avenue spans across 5,400 square feet but despite some original details—dark oak floors, wood beams, exposed pipes, and oversized windows—it looks more like “a vast English country house” than a traditional loft, as New York Magazine noted. Currently configured as a two-bedroom with plenty of library space, the home is filled with a “mash-up of exotic and classical furniture,” alongside countless artworks from friends like Lucian Freud and Andy Warhol, and other curiosities.
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179-year-old Chelsea townhouse featured on ‘Seinfeld’ seeks $8.65M

Listing images by Yoo Jean Han; courtesy of Sotheby’s International Realty

October 11, 2019

179-year-old Chelsea townhouse featured on ‘Seinfeld’ seeks $8.65M

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Seinfeld fans may recognize the exterior of this townhouse at 408 West 20th Street as the home of character Elaine Benes, though current owners Harry Azorin and Lori Monson, who bought the home for $950,000 in 1995, don’t get many questions about it anymore. “Maybe twice a month, someone would walk by, and they’d say, ‘Is this Elaine’s house?’...I’d say, about 10 years ago, it stopped,” Monson told the Wall Street Journal. Originally built in 1839, the residence is now on the market for $8.65 million. Even though Seinfeld was largely set on the Upper West Side, the house is actually located “on the most desirable street in Chelsea,” as the listing boasts, “perfectly positioned” on historic Cushman Row and overlooking the General Theological Seminary.
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Reports find open space falls short of key goals in Bushwick, Long Island City, and part of Staten Island

Photo via Joe Mabel / Wiki Commons

October 11, 2019

Reports find open space falls short of key goals in Bushwick, Long Island City, and part of Staten Island

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New Yorkers for Parks has released three new Open Space Index reports, a series of in-depth “neighborhood snapshots” of parks and open space in Staten Island's Bay Street Corridor, Bushwick, and Long Island City. According to the reports, the Bay Street Corridor failed 11 of 14 open space goals, Bushwick failed 12 of 14, and Long Island City failed 11 of 14. The goals factor in characteristics including the total amount of open space, access, tree canopy, and overall maintenance. According to the City’s own standards, all of the neighborhoods lack sufficient open space and what does exist is often hard to get to or improperly maintained.
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For $1.2M, a lovely Greenpoint duplex with a private patio and proximity to McCarren Park

Listing images by Rise Media; courtesy of The Corcoran Group

October 10, 2019

For $1.2M, a lovely Greenpoint duplex with a private patio and proximity to McCarren Park

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Two blocks away from Greenpoint’s bustling Graham Avenue and within walking distance of McCarren and McGolrick Parks, this garden-level duplex also comes with a charming private patio for the days when you don’t want to venture out. The two-bedroom home is located at 252 Richardson Street, a 12-unit condo building that was finished in 2002. Complete with central AC, a dishwasher, and in-unit laundry, the sunny pad was last sold in 2013 for $865,000 and has just hit the market seeking $1.2 million.
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Jenny Holzer explores gun violence in a new public artwork at Rockefeller Center

Projection at Rockefeller Center. For The City © 2005 Jenny Holzer, courtesy of Artists Rights Society (ARS)

October 10, 2019

Jenny Holzer explores gun violence in a new public artwork at Rockefeller Center

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Artist Jenny Holzer—known for her practice of displaying text in the public sphere—is partnering with Creative Time for the third time on a new public art project at Rockefeller Center. VIGIL is a series of light projections addressing gun violence in America through first-hand accounts, poems, and responses by Americans who have had to reckon with the everyday reality of gun violence. The words will be beamed across the iconic Midtown destination each night from October 10 to 12 beginning at 8 p.m.
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Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. could be your landlord in Nolita for $6,750/month

Listing images by Joel Pitra, DDReps; courtesy of Compass

October 9, 2019

Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. could be your landlord in Nolita for $6,750/month

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Musician Albert Hammond Jr. has put his Nolita loft up for rent, seeking a cool $6,750 a month. The Strokes guitarist bought the pad in 2012 for $1.25 million from Victoria’s Secret model Maryna Linchuk, according to the New York Post. The 1,033-square-foot studio loft at 354 Broome Street—also known as the Ice House Condominium—features exposed brick walls, original columns, freshly refinished oak floors, and beamed ceilings. It’s not the first time Hammond is taking on the role of landlord. The unit has been rented out a couple of times during his ownership, fetching as much as $7,500 a month in 2015.
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NYC bus stops that are too close together slow down service, report says

Photo courtesy of the MTA on Flickr

October 8, 2019

NYC bus stops that are too close together slow down service, report says

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A group of transportation experts released a new report yesterday identifying a simple way to improve bus service: space bus stops farther apart. While frequent bus riders have likely already identified this as a frustrating problem, the advocates found that 32 pairs of bus stops throughout the five boroughs are within 260 feet of one another—even though the MTA’s own guidelines stipulate stops should be at least 750 feet apart and international standards suggest 1,000 feet or more. As part of their new report, the Tri-State Transportation Campaign decided to bestow the worst culprits with a cheeky “Cozy Award,” as Gothamist first reported.
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