All articles by Alyssa Alimurung

Alyssa is a NYC-based Jane of all trades, but here at 6sqft she’s the blog’s Community Manager. Previously, she was the Operations Manager at Inhabitat and a contributing writer for Ecouterre and Inhabitots. And daily, she daydreams about owning her own vintage clothing store slash DIY taco bar. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @nahnah_alyssa.
October 20, 2015

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October 6, 2015

My 2,200sqft: A Couple Brings Serene California-Style Living to Their Park Slope Brownstone

Our ongoing series “My sqft” checks out the homes of 6sqft’s friends, family and fellow New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to Park Slope. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch! We've all been there: dreaming of leaving the city behind and heading out west for a new adventure. Some of us do it, but most of us continue dreaming. For financial services executive Bill Fellows and his graphic designer and nurse practitioner-in-training wife Kerr, change wasn't something to be feared, and more than six years ago the pair took a leap of faith and left for San Francisco. However, as anyone who's spent more than a year in the Big Apple can attest, once you've lived in a city as great New York, it's only a matter of time before you're sucked back in. And after a long stint on the other side of the country, Bill and Kerr came back to the city—this time in search of a calmer experience more akin to what they had on the west coast. Since August of last year, the pair have been cozying it up in the bottom two floors of a Park Slope brownstone. Originally an unkempt photography studio and living space, Bill signed for the house before Kerr even had a chance to see it (now that's trust, people). When Kerr did finally check out the place, her design-background kicked in. She saw the challenges and opportunities that steeped the 2,200 square feet, and she got to work. Keep reading to find out how Kerr and Bill turned a shamble into a tranquil, well-composed space.
Inside the home here
September 29, 2015

LAST CHANCE: Win Two V.I.P. Passes to the New York Media Festival Tech Crawl (Worth $2,200!)

The New York Media Festival is back again and better than ever, ready to offer everyday folks an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at NYC's top tech firms. The three-day event, held October 6–9th, will bring together more than 1,000 leaders in digital media, games, music, television, and more. Our partners at CityRealty are on the amazing list of participants, and as part of the Tech Crawl event—which will also take ticket-holders into the workspaces of iHeart Radio, Conde Nast Entertainment, DOTS and many, many others—they're hosting "Boozy History of New York City," featuring drinks from local breweries and distilleries accompanied by facts, figures and history on the neighborhoods from which they hail—all to make for an educational and enlightening evening through the lens of real estate tech, architecture, and, well, booze. We've teamed up with CityRealty and New York Media Festival to give one lucky 6sqft reader two V.I.P. all-access passes to the festival (WORTH $2,200), which includes all the fun going down at CityRealty on Wednesday, October 7th. To enter, all you need to do is: 1. Follow CityRealty on Twitter Follow @cityrealtyny // 2. Tweet this message "I want to throw one back with @cityrealtyny and learn about NYC brewery history!" Tweet And that's it—you're entered to win an all-access pass to the New York Media Festival! The deadline to enter is Wednesday, September 30th. Please note that the event at CityRealty will be held on Wednesday, October 7th. The conference takes place over three days from October 6-9th.
More details on the event this way
August 25, 2015

My 770sqft: Tour a Media Executive’s Urban Zen Upper West Side Apartment

Our ongoing series “My sqft” checks out the homes of 6sqft’s friends, family and fellow New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to the Upper West Side. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch! Carlos Alimurung has been calling Manhattan home for nearly all of his life; he's lived in Midtown East, the West Village, and today he can be found in the Upper West Side. But for Carlos, the neighborhood is more than just a place to lay his head. Rather, he feels a very special connection with it: his parents met at a party there in the 1970s and he has fond memories of eating freshly sliced hot pastrami at Zabar's as a kid. As such, in 2007, while hunting for a new home to settle into, Carlos decided to replant his roots along 88th Street in a one-bedroom apartment in a pre-war condo conversion. As a media executive and a passionate traveler, Carlos has been around the globe and back, collecting art, baubles and all sorts of worldly items along the way. But while world travelers are often susceptible to hoarding goods, Carlos has created an ultra-zen space in the city that feels like a museum without all the "do not touch" signs. From the South American and Asian artifacts he's collected during his expat days to mementos from his parents' time living in NYC to gifts from the friends he's met on his journeys, see how this cultured minimalist has outfitted his 770-square-foot Upper West Side pad.
Tour this well-traveled residence
August 24, 2015

The Significance Behind the Flag Atop Cobble Hill’s Trader Joe’s; Hold the Phone – Cinnabon Now Delivers

Have you ever noticed the flag atop Trader Joe’s in Cobble Hill? Here’s the reason why the chain store flies the flag. [DNAinfo] Feeding your suburban-mall-food craving, Focus Brands (parent company to Carvel, Cinnabon and Auntie Anne’s) will now be delivering in the city starting this week. [CNN Money] A timeline of how Empire Stores went […]

August 20, 2015

Spin FAILE’s 7-Foot Prayer Wheel in Times Square; Fly Over the Most Majestic Spots in the Hamptons

Find some peace in Times Square at FAILE’s hand-carved, seven-foot tall prayer wheel installation. [Gothamist] Enjoy the Hamptons without all the popped collars in this amazing drone video. [Curbed Hamptons] A Homepolish designer works her magic on her own Columbus Circle home. [Design Milk] Good job, New Yorkers. Our most used emoji is the Statue […]

August 19, 2015

There’s a Spanish-Style Adobe Home in Brooklyn Heights; Heroic Food Farms to Provide Employment for Military Vets

Be transported to a Spanish villa just by looking at this unique adobe-style house in Brooklyn Heights. [Gothamist] Mister Softee may serve up summer deliciousness, but don’t mess with him when it comes to his jingle. He’s suing a rival ice cream truck for allegedly stealing the signature tune. [NYDN] Ennead Architects and RAFT Landscape Architecture plan to build a Heroic […]

August 18, 2015

Vote to Bring the East River Skyway to SXSW 2016!

These are the facts: NYC subways still run on 1930s technology, the delays are getting longer, and there’s no stopping the residential development boom happening not only in Manhattan, but also in Brooklyn. If you’ve commuted from Brooklyn to Manhattan (and vice-versa) during rush hour you know that the subway ride is a nightmare. That's why we need the East River Skyway, an aerial gondola system that would run along the Brooklyn waterfront and into Manhattan, bringing commuters over the river in just 3.5 minutes. The project is being led by Dan Levy, the president and CEO of CityRealty* and a Williamsburg resident, who noticed while skiing how quickly gondolas moved and how comfortable they were. He has spent several years investigating the technology and completed preliminary studies to see what it would take to adapt a similar system to meet the needs of New York City. What he found was that implementation would be relatively inexpensive and quickly deployable.
Learn how you can help
August 6, 2015

Huge Head Made of Reclaimed Materials Lands in Tribeca; 131 Years of the Dakota

Artist Nicholas Holiber crafts a big head out of reclaimed materials that’ll be on display in Tribeca Park until September. [Contemporist] From brothels to boutiques, GreeneStreet.nyc maps out 400 years of one Soho street’s gentrification. [WIRED] CUNY professor William Helmreich did something meshuga (our new favorite word): He walked every block in every borough. [CBS […]

August 4, 2015

Morpholio’s New Journal App Is the Digital Sketchbook You Never Knew You Needed

Whether you carry around notebooks for sketching, journaling, or keeping a running grocery list, one thing is for certain; we'd be lost without these little pads of paper. They quickly become a part of our lives, holding ideas and thoughts, even if is just a reminder to buy toilet paper. Today The Morpholio Project, the innovative creators behind Mood Board and Crit, launches a brand new app to their suite: Journal. This free app for iPhones and iPads redefines the sketchbook as a catch-all for your photos, drawings, ideas, and thoughts. Think of it as your trusty notebook, but just way more intuitive. Now creatives of all mediums can write, draw, sketch, collage, paint, or color on anything, anywhere.
Sketch your way over here
August 3, 2015

Modern Playgrounds for Design Lovers; Are You a Gentrifier? Find out with This Calculator

Are you guilty of gentrifying your neighborhood? Find out with this gentrification calculator. [Slate] New Yorkers don’t like to follow directions. Looks like we’ve been illicitly cracking open fire hydrants for centuries. [Atlas Obsurca] Ten modern playgrounds in the city design-loving-parents will love taking their tiny tykes to. [Curbed] All of the states’ economies were ranked from worst to […]

July 31, 2015

Documenting the Changing Coney Island Boardwalk; Potholes Cost Taxpayers $138M in Six Years

Photo essay by Nathan Kensinger documents the changing Coney Island boardwalk. [Curbed] The city’s 10 oldest surviving commercial real estate dynasties. [BisNow] Thomas Heatherwick’s designs may be unique and evocative (just look at the renderings for his Pier 55 floating park), but at what price? [NYTimes] A new infographic from the Design Trust links urban agriculture to positive […]

July 21, 2015

Decorative Busts from the East Village’s Past as Little Germany; What Made the ‘I Love Lucy’ Apartments So Lovable

The East Village may no longer be considered Little Germany, but there are still decorative elements that remind us of its rich history. [Off the Grid] An app paired with Bluetooth beacons can help the blind navigate the subway system. [PSFK] Follow one director as he struggles to capture the fast-disappearing essence of the Lower […]

June 15, 2015

Send In Your Questions and Get Them Turned Into Stories

Ever wondered how designers work around NYC’s tiny apartments? We’ll get in touch with the space-saving gurus at noroof Architects. Or maybe you want to know about the origins of the city’s street art? We know an artist who was part of the first generation of subway graffiti artists. Or it could be as simple as wanting […]

May 22, 2015

YOU’RE INVITED: Come Celebrate Our 1st Birthday with Us!

6sqft is officially one year old and to celebrate we’re throwing a party in Manhattan—and you’re invited! Join us on Tuesday, June 2nd for a night of trivia, prizes, photobooth fun, grub and booze. It’s the perfect opportunity to take a break from your weekly grind and party hardy with your fellow New Yorkers. See you soon! When: Tuesday, June […]

May 14, 2015

See the Northern Part of Central Park on the S.S. Hangover; Citi Bike Stations Coming to UWS

Here’s an excuse to head up to Upper Manhattan. Setting sail tomorrow, the S.S. Hangover will launch its six-week installation showing people the wonders of the northern end of Central Park [Untapped Cities] 39 Citi Bike stations will pop up in the Upper West Side by late summer [DNAinfo] Sad to see the Snowden bust go? Now you can get a […]

May 5, 2015

Renderings Revealed for the World’s First 3D-Printed Estate and Pool

When we interviewed architect Adam Kushner back in September, he had just gotten power at the site of his planned 3D-printed estate and pool in Gardiner, NY. Now thanks to Inhabitat we’re getting a better look at the ground-breaking design being developed by the architect and the CEO of D-Shape, James Wolff. Just a month ago, Wolff presented new renderings of […]