All articles by Dana Schulz

Dana is a writer and preservationist with a passion for all things New York. After graduating from New York University with a BA in Urban Design & Architecture Studies, she worked at the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, where she planned the organization's public programs and wrote for their blog Off the Grid. In her free time, she leads walking tours about the social and cultural history of city neighborhoods. Follow her on Twitter @danaschulzNYC.

The best places in Central Park to see fall foliage

Photo of the Mall courtesy of Central Park Conservancy

October 11, 2024

The best places in Central Park to see fall foliage

By Dana Schulz

Some of the most breathtaking fall foliage can be found outside of NYC, but when it comes to autumnal bliss within the boroughs, not many places can compare to Central Park. The park experiences a different fall foliage season than other parts of the city because of the tall buildings that surround it and cast shadows on its trees. According to the Central Park Conservancy, the trees have a "distorted sense of the seasons," creating a later foliage season for Central Park. To make the most of this beautiful season, the Conservancy released its annual fall guide, complete with ideas for exploring the park, and their handy fall foliage map, which lets you know the best spots to see the park's 18,000 trees in all their yellow, orange, and red glory. Ahead, find eight spots that take the lead for leaf-peeping.
Get the guide to the best foliage spots

Events & Things To Do

A history of the U.S. Open in New York: From the West Side Tennis Club to Arthur Ashe Stadium

Photo by Jeff Horne on Flickr

August 22, 2024

A history of the U.S. Open in New York: From the West Side Tennis Club to Arthur Ashe Stadium

By Dana Schulz

U.S. Open fever has again swept New York City. Although nowadays it's all Coco and Djokovic and Honey Deuce cocktails and lobster rolls, there's a long history behind the world-famous event. Ahead, take a look at how the international tournament made its way from an elite, private club in Newport, Rhode Island to Forest Hills' West Side Tennis Club and finally to its current home in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, even uncovering a little connection to the 1964 World's Fair.
All the tennis history right this way

History

10 places to find mooncakes in New York City

Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich on Pexels

September 28, 2023

10 places to find mooncakes in New York City

By Dana Schulz

This year, the first day of the Mid-Autumn Festival falls on Friday, September 29. Also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, the Asian holiday celebrates what is considered the brightest and fullest moon of the year, as well as the fall harvest. In China, where perhaps the holiday is most popular, it's similar to Thanksgiving, with families gathering for a meal, accompanied by lantern lighting. Symbolizing the harvest moon, the round-shaped mooncakes are another important component of the holiday. The pastries are traditionally filled with red bean or lotus seed paste and wrapped around a salted duck egg. They're then pressed into a mold to emboss the top of the pastry in detailed designs, which all have different meanings. Ahead, find a few of the best places in New York City to find all varieties of mooncakes, along with a few options for ordering online.
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March 22, 2023

12 best spots to see cherry blossoms in New York City

By Dana Schulz

New York City might not be known for its cherry blossoms like D.C., but we've still got our fair share of pretty pink buds. We haven't quite hit peak bloom season yet, but with spring officially here, we're getting close. Ahead, we've rounded up the best places across the city to see cherry blossoms, from standbys like Central Park and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden to smaller spots like Sakura Park and the New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden.
Check out the full list

Events & Things To Do

A history of the New York City Veterans Day Parade

The 369th Infantry (old 15th National Guard of New York City) was the first New York regiment to parade as veterans of Great War; Photo via National Archives / Wikimedia Commons

November 10, 2022

A history of the New York City Veterans Day Parade

By Dana Schulz

New York City's Veterans Day Parade, known as "America's Parade," is the perfect way to honor our servicemen and women; it's the country's largest event marking the November 11 holiday. Like most events in New York City, the parade has a history all its own, so 6sqft decided to explore that a bit further as our way of saying thank you to the brave veterans who have fought for our freedom.
Find out the history of the NYC Veteran's Day parade here

A history of the Village Halloween Parade: Puppets, performers, and NYC pride

Photo via John St John / Flickr

October 12, 2022

A history of the Village Halloween Parade: Puppets, performers, and NYC pride

By Dana Schulz

The Village Halloween Parade may not be as completely outrageous as it once was, but this annual holiday extravaganza is quintessential Greenwich Village. Though many parade attendees are there to show off their costumes and check out those of others, there's a large number of guests who revel in the nostalgia of a New York tradition that's marched downtown since 1973. But there's a lot more history to the parade than most people may know. For instance, it didn't always go up 6th Avenue, and there's an entire art form behind those supersized puppets.
All the history right here

The 2007 Times Square Ball during construction. Image courtesy of Focus Lighting.

December 30, 2021

How the Times Square Ball is made

By Dana Schulz

When midnight hits this New Year's Eve, the Times Square Ball will dazzle people just the same from five feet away or on their television. Making this magic happen is no easy feat, though. To learn a bit more about how the nearly 12,000-pound ball was created, we chatted with principal designer Christine Hope of Focus Lighting, the architectural lighting design firm that conceptualized the current ball more than 10 years ago. From engineering a new system to make all 2,688 Waterford Crystal triangles sparkle to dreaming up the magical light show that plays leading up to the ball drop, Focus Lighting shares the inside scoop on this world-famous tradition.
READ MORE

The history of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, a NYC holiday tradition

The 1931 tree, courtesy of Tishman Speyer

December 1, 2021

The history of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, a NYC holiday tradition

By Dana Schulz

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, considered the "worldwide symbol of Christmas," will be lit on Wednesday, marking the 89th tree lighting ceremony. After last year's event was closed to spectators because of the pandemic, the tree lighting will once again welcome the public to kick off the holiday season. Ahead of the event, learn about the history of the iconic spruce, from its start as a modest Depression-era pick-me-up for Rockefeller Center construction workers to World War regulations to its current 900-pound Swarovski star.
More on the history here

The NYC Marathon: history, greatest moments, and what to expect this year

The lead female runners at 81st Street and 1st Avenue in 2015, photo © 6sqft

November 1, 2021

The NYC Marathon: history, greatest moments, and what to expect this year

By Dana Schulz

The world's largest marathon takes place this Sunday, returning to the five boroughs after a pandemic hiatus last year. On November 7, the 50th New York City Marathon will look slightly different this year, bringing together roughly 33,000 runners, which is about 20,000 fewer participants than usual because of Covid-19. The marathon wasn't always the largest in the world, however. Started by the New York Road Runners Club in 1970, the race began as a few loops around Central Park with just over 100 runners. But the passion of its founders, coupled with the spirit of the city, grew the marathon into a monumental event. In honor of the upcoming 2021 Marathon, 6sqft is taking a look back at the history of the race, its greatest moments, and what's in store for this year.
All that right this way

For just $345K, this Park Slope studio is just two blocks from Prospect Park

Listing photos courtesy of The Corcoran Group

October 11, 2021

For just $345K, this Park Slope studio is just two blocks from Prospect Park

By Dana Schulz

If you're looking to get into the Park Slope real estate scene on a budget and don't mind climbing a ladder to go to sleep, this is your place. The cute studio at 475 7th Avenue is asking just $345,000, and it has enough space for a full living room, full-size appliances, and hidden storage. Plus, it's only two blocks from Prospect Park.
Check it out

Distinctive Homes

There’s room for your Peloton and plenty of outdoor fun at this $3.3M Park Slope townhouse

By Dana Schulz

As the listing says, this townhouse in Park Slope has "the rarest of amenities – a double-wide 37' garden oasis." The huge outdoor area has beautiful blue stone landscaping, tiered planting beds, and room for multiple gathering spaces. Inside, the added perks keep coming. Both the dining room addition and the full-floor primary bedroom suite have multiple skylights. There's also a bonus den and home office, as well as the perfect nook for that Peloton bike. The three-bedroom home is on the market for $3,295,000.
See the whole place

Distinctive Homes

$5.75M Amagansett beach house is a modern all-season retreat

Listing photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

October 7, 2021

$5.75M Amagansett beach house is a modern all-season retreat

By Dana Schulz

Beach houses tend not to resonate the same way when you look at them after the summer, but this Amagansett gem would surely make a lovely fall or winter escape as well. Just off Napeague Ocean Beach, the modern home underwent a full custom renovation last year thanks to its owner, fashion designer Tony Melillo. So it's no surprise that the property echoes the same "embodiment of relaxed elegance" that is the calling card for his signature ATM collection. From the special charred cedar wood facade to the Dineson Douglas fir floors from Denmark, the materials feel cool in the summer and warm in the colder months, while the outdoor space is also set for any temperature, with a patio fireplace and outside shower.
See the whole place

Distinctive Homes

For $875K, this Greenpoint duplex has its own sauna and a hidden backyard

Listing photos courtesy of The Corcoran Group

October 7, 2021

For $875K, this Greenpoint duplex has its own sauna and a hidden backyard

By Dana Schulz

Think that's a lot for well under $1 million? You wouldn't be wrong. And you also wouldn't be realizing that, in addition, you're getting two full bathrooms, good closet space, a washer/dryer, and a nearly 320-square-foot full-floor bedroom. Located at 198 Monitor Street in Greenpoint, it's asking $875,000.
Check it out

Distinctive Homes

Yelp and Chasing Paper have a new wallpaper highlighting small businesses in NYC

Photo courtesy of Chasing Paper

October 6, 2021

Yelp and Chasing Paper have a new wallpaper highlighting small businesses in NYC

By Dana Schulz

Yelp has teamed up with home decor brand Chasing Paper to create a series of three wallpaper prints featuring beloved small businesses in San Francisco, NYC, and Austin, with 10 percent of proceeds benefitting a select charity in each city. The New York City print highlights spots like Amy Ruth's, Di Fara Pizza, Jim's Shoe Repair, and Books are Magic, and its sales will support Hot Bread Kitchen. The trio of fun wallpapers was designed by Amanda Giuffre of Noun New York.
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$10.65M unit at Brooklyn Heights’ Quay Tower goes into contract, setting 2021 condo record

Photo by Jason Puma

October 6, 2021

$10.65M unit at Brooklyn Heights’ Quay Tower goes into contract, setting 2021 condo record

By Dana Schulz

Assuming the condo at Brooklyn Heights' Quay Tower closes for its $10,650,000 asking price, it'll become Brooklyn's priciest condo sale of the year. This is not the first record-setter for the luxury waterfront tower. In April 2020, a penthouse closed for $20,301,000, making it the borough’s most expensive residential sale ever at the time. (It was outdone by a $25.5 million Brooklyn Heights townhouse sale in January of this year, but it's still the borough's biggest condo sale.) The latest sale is for a 4,544-square-foot, four-bedroom unit with amazing skyline and harbor views.
READ MORE

Real Estate Trends

Handsome Park Slope co-op asks $750K with super-low maintenance

Listing photos courtesy of The Corcoran Group

October 6, 2021

Handsome Park Slope co-op asks $750K with super-low maintenance

By Dana Schulz

This lovely Park Slope co-op is certainly handsome, but it avoids being overly austere and maintains its delicate, pre-war lightness. Located in a brownstone at 135 Garfield Place, the one-bedroom home is filled with wood details old and new, including an original fireplace mantel, pocket shutters, and moldings, as well as new built-in cherry bookshelves. It's asking $750,000 with monthly maintenance of $443.
See more

Distinctive Homes

For $1.2M, a lovely three-bedroom condo in the Clinton Hill building where Biggie Smalls grew up

Listing photos by Rise Media

October 5, 2021

For $1.2M, a lovely three-bedroom condo in the Clinton Hill building where Biggie Smalls grew up

By Dana Schulz

Thanks to a 2019 street co-naming, it's well known that Chris Wallace, better known as Notorious B.I.G. or Biggie Smalls, grew up in an apartment at 226 St. James Place in Clinton Hill. The late rapper's childhood home was a three-bedroom unit on the third floor, and now, the unit just below it has hit the market for $1.2 million. Like Biggie's apartment, it's been fully renovated and features a lovely bay window, pretty moldings, and a renovated kitchen. It also has three bedrooms and totals 1,121 square feet.
Check it out

Distinctive Homes

Skylit loft on Dumbo’s famous Instagram intersection lists for $5M

Listing photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

October 5, 2021

Skylit loft on Dumbo’s famous Instagram intersection lists for $5M

By Dana Schulz

If you haven't taken a selfie there yourself, you've definitely seen more of them than you can count--the corner of Washington and Water Streets, a cobblestone block with two brick warehouse buildings on either side framing a view of the Manhattan Bridge, often considered the most Instagrammable spot in Brooklyn. This loft is located in one of those buildings at 31 Washington Street, and it's just as photogenic as what's outside. The four-bedroom, top-floor condo is one of the largest in the neighborhood at 3,200 square feet, and it has 25 windows, four exposures, and three huge skylights.
Have a look around

Distinctive Homes

After 30+ years, Andy Warhol’s art director lists Noho penthouse for $6M

Listing photos by Daniel Wang of Brown Harris Stevens

October 4, 2021

After 30+ years, Andy Warhol’s art director lists Noho penthouse for $6M

By Dana Schulz

Marc Balet was the longtime art director for Andy Warhol's Interview Magazine, as well as for his talk show 15 Minutes that aired on MTV from 1985 to 1987. Around this same time, in the late '80s, he purchased a three-floor loft at 620 Broadway in Noho that was used as a dance studio. He transformed it into a beautiful, light-filled live-work home, even calling on his friend Fran Lebowitz to have her father, who owned a furniture store, create custom curtains for the 17-foot-tall space. The window treatments remain today, as do many other personal mementos, including lava lamps gifted by Pee-Wee Herman and a huge wall of celebrity photographs. Balet has now decided to put the home on the market for $5,995,000 and considering it also has an incredible amount of outdoor space, it's a place not to be missed.
Check it all out

A converted dairy farm in Connecticut is now a cool, rustic residence asking $1M

Listing photos by Michael Bowman

October 1, 2021

A converted dairy farm in Connecticut is now a cool, rustic residence asking $1M

By Dana Schulz

Just 90 minutes from Manhattan, this dairy farm in Kent, Connecticut was built in 1900 and converted to a residence by its previous owners. In addition to retaining the beautiful silo (which now holds an office and home gym), they preserved the original hand-hewn posts and beams and cathedral ceilings with skylights and invested in antique furniture and art to highlight the history of the space. The kitchen and bathrooms were modernized, and a wonderful pool deck was added. The property sits on 14 acres along the Housatonic River, and the grounds include hiking trails. All of this is asking just $1 million.
See the whole place

Distinctive Homes

Asking $4.3M, this historic Harlem brownstone is move-in ready and dressed to impress

Listing photos by Carol McGuinness and Daniel Wang

October 1, 2021

Asking $4.3M, this historic Harlem brownstone is move-in ready and dressed to impress

By Dana Schulz

This gorgeous Neo-Grec home in Harlem's coveted Mount Morris Park Historic District is perfectly preserved on the exterior, and the interiors, though they've been somewhat updated, retain much of their old-world charm. Located at 102 West 123rd Street and on the market for $4,295,000, the home is composed of an owner's triplex plus ground-floor apartment. Throughout, you'll find loads of original paneling, moldings, and stained glass transoms along with stylish but period-appropriate upgrades.
Take a tour

Distinctive Homes

For $829K, this Connecticut ‘Deck House’ is an intact gem from the 1960s prefab boom

Photographs by Bleacher Everard Photography

September 30, 2021

For $829K, this Connecticut ‘Deck House’ is an intact gem from the 1960s prefab boom

By Dana Schulz

We all love a good mid-century-modern time capsule, but this property in Woodbury, Connecticut has the added retro perk of being an original "deck house." In the 1960s, the Deck House Co. built more than 20,000 prefabricated mid-century homes, mainly in the northeast. This specific deck house was built in 1966 and features the signature open floorplan, glass walls, and high ceilings. It sits on seven acres and has three bedrooms, two-and-half bathrooms, and 2,000 square feet of space. It's on the market for just $829,000.
See inside

Distinctive Homes

Asking $17.95M, this stately Carnegie Hill brownstone has a brick solarium and magical garden

Listing photos by Eitan Gamliely for Sotheby’s International Realty

September 30, 2021

Asking $17.95M, this stately Carnegie Hill brownstone has a brick solarium and magical garden

By Dana Schulz

The brownstones of Carnegie Hill are some of the most regal on the Upper East Side, and this seven-bedroom stunner at 25 East 92nd Street is definitely no exception. Listed for $17,950,000, the 100-year-old house has over 7,000 square feet of interior space and 944 square feet of beautiful planted gardens and terraces. A unique brick solarium, tons of wood built-ins, and a wine cellar are just some of the special features you'll find here.
Take a tour

Distinctive Homes

Travis Scott and Kylie Jenner’s rental townhouse in Greenwich Village hits the market for $26.5M

Listing photos by Shannon Dupre of Donna Dotan

September 29, 2021

Travis Scott and Kylie Jenner’s rental townhouse in Greenwich Village hits the market for $26.5M

By Dana Schulz

Over the summer, rapper Travis Scott was renting this massive Greenwich Village townhouse at 80 Washington Place, where his girlfriend Kylie Jenner, who's pregnant with the couple's second child, would come to stay. The home was designed by the firm Clodagh, and it's a whopping 8,700 square feet spread across six stories. There are six bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a custom glass elevator, roof deck, backyard with an outdoor kitchen, terrace hot tub, and a wine cellar and tasting lounge. Another fun fact? The home was once owned by composer John Philip Sousa, known for his famous military marches. It's now hit the market for $26.5 million.
Check it all out

Listing photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

September 29, 2021

For $20M, a beautiful townhouse-carriage house combo in Brooklyn Heights

By Dana Schulz

When it listed in 2019 for $18 million, this Brooklyn Heights townhouse at 88 Remsen Street was the borough's most expensive home. The record has since been shattered, but the townhouse is now trying again for $20 million. The price may be steep, but this property consists of the main house that includes a garden-level rental, as well as a rear carriage house that serves as a rec room, garage, and a second possible rental unit. All the spaces are beautiful in their own unique way and the neighborhood can't be beaten.
See it all

Distinctive Homes

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