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.
Pier 55 Floating Park Moves Forward with a Lease Deal
February 12, 2015

Pier 55 Floating Park Moves Forward with a Lease Deal

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Last we heard about Pier55–the 2.4-acre futuristic floating park and performance space proposed by billionaire media mogul Barry Diller that would jut 186 feet into the Hudson at 13th Street–Community Board 2 had mixed feelings about the project. They liked Thomas Heatherwick's design, but cited concern over the lack of transparency from Diller and the Hudson River Park Trust. Despite these feelings, though, we've learned today from the Times that the Trust approved a lease agreement with Pier 55 Inc., a nonprofit group controlled by Diller, to help develop the $130 million public space. Diller has already pledged $113 million toward the project through the Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation (his wife is fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg). So, what's next?
What's to come for Pier 55
The New Broadway Plan Could Bring 3,000 Housing Units to West Harlem, 50 Percent Will Be Affordable

Broadway and 146th Street, a typical stretch in West Harlem

February 11, 2015

The New Broadway Plan Could Bring 3,000 Housing Units to West Harlem, 50 Percent Will Be Affordable

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You may remember the Harlem Promenade project, which proposed transferring air rights over the Amtrak rail lines in West Harlem to create affordable housing and using the sale of the air rights to pay for $170 million in community improvements in Hamilton Heights, including a High Line-esque park. We've now learned that the project has taken on a new life as the New Broadway Plan, which may be smaller in scope than the original plan, but would be the largest creation of affordable housing in Manhattan since 1959 if fully realized. It would also make a huge dent in Mayor De Blasio's goal of creating or preserving 200,000 affordable units over ten years. The Plan proposes a rezoning of portions of Broadway from 125th to 155th Streets in order to build 3,000 new units of housing, 50 percent of which will be permanently affordable, and to equalize the amount of new affordable to market rate housing stock, which is currently at a disproportionate ratio of 20 percent to 80 percent, respectively.
Get the scoop here
Snøhetta Transforms a Gowanus Warehouse into a Mural Studio for Cuban Artist José Parlá
February 11, 2015

Snøhetta Transforms a Gowanus Warehouse into a Mural Studio for Cuban Artist José Parlá

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You've probably seen the murals of Cuban-American artist José Parlá in the lobbies of One World Trade Center and the Barclays Center. With such high-profile clients, it's no wonder he worked with starchitecture firm Snøhetta, who completed the 9/11 Memorial Museum Pavilion, to create his personal artist's studio. Collaborating together, Parlá and Snøhetta transformed a Gowanus warehouse into a double-height workspace that retains industrial characteristics of the building like beamed ceilings, exposed piping and electrical fixtures, and concrete floors. To tailor the studio to their client's needs, the firm re-opened old skylights to let natural light in to the middle of the work space, and they painted all the walls neutral grey tones so Parlá's bright paintings really stand out.
More on the project
New Research Shows More Than 58 Percent of NYC Airbnb Listings Possibly Illegal

Photo courtesy of Airbnb via Facebook

February 11, 2015

New Research Shows More Than 58 Percent of NYC Airbnb Listings Possibly Illegal

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Airbnb has been under constant scrutiny in recent months, whether for its potential threat to the affordable housing market or the fallout for bed and breakfasts forced to shutter in the wake of the battle. Now, new research from Capital New York shows that more than 58 percent of New York City's Airbnb listings could be illegal, as they are for "entire apartments or houses, meaning no one else would be present during a stay." According to a state multiple dwelling law that was introduced in 2010, it's illegal to lease homes (excluding one- and two-family homes) for less than 30 days when the owner or tenant isn't present. But Capital found that of the 15,977 apartments listings on Airbnb, only one cites a requirement for a stay longer than a month. While the data isn't conclusive on how many listings could be exempt from the law, more than 10,000 listings are in Manhattan where single-family residences are less likely.
More on the findings ahead
New York’s Airports Come In Last for Mass-Transit Accessibility

Photo via Continental Airlines Boeing 737-500; N16617@LGA;05.02.2008/498af via photopin (license)

February 10, 2015

New York’s Airports Come In Last for Mass-Transit Accessibility

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If you've ever endured the long ride to any of the area's airports, all the while lugging your suitcase and anxiously wondering if you'd miss your flight, then this statistic probably comes as no surprise. According to a study by the Global Gateway Alliance, "John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports rank last and third-to-last, respectively, in mass-transit accessibility compared with 30 of the world's busiest airports," reports Crain's. The analysis looked at total travel time for public transit users, mode of transportation and number of transfers and cost, scoring them from 0 to 100. And if Anthony Weiner is correct, the new LaGuardia AirTrain will only increase travel times–not good news those for us who prefer not to sit in insane taxi traffic or fork over $99 for a private helicopter ride.
More on the study here
What Would NYC Look Like If Sea Levels Rose 100 Feet?
February 10, 2015

What Would NYC Look Like If Sea Levels Rose 100 Feet?

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We know that rising sea levels are one of the scarier parts of global climate change. Just take a walk past the beachfront houses in the Rockaways or on Staten Island that have been raised on stilts. According to the Real Deal, "the US Geological Survey estimates that if all the world’s glaciers melted, sea level would rise by about 80 meters, or more than 260 feet." Though this could take thousands of years, it would make unrecognizable many of the world's coastal cities, including New York City. A stunning map series created by Jeffrey Linn, a Seattle resident with a background in geography and urban planning, visualizes major US cities in "this doomsday scenario" using actual geographic data. In New York City, after sea levels rose just 100 feet, the island of Manhattan is almost submerged; Brooklyn and Queens look like little archipelagos; and the Statue of Liberty is out to sea.
More details ahead
50 Building Inspectors and Contractors to Be Charged in Bribery Scheme
February 10, 2015

50 Building Inspectors and Contractors to Be Charged in Bribery Scheme

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It's not going to be a good day for up to 50 city building inspectors and contractors, as well as two mob associates, who are expected to be charged today in "one of the biggest corruption crackdowns in years." After a year-long investigation into projects that have been fast-tracked and received certificates of occupancies in return for cash, the Department of Investigation (DOI) and the Manhattan district attorney plan to charge 12 crooked city inspectors and nearly 40 contractors, according to the Daily News. Early this morning, the charged parties surrendered to authorities
More details on the charges
Mapping Where in NYC Millennials Live
February 9, 2015

Mapping Where in NYC Millennials Live

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The initial results may not surprise you–young adults living in New York City tend to set up shop in North Brooklyn, the Far West Side, the Upper East Side, the East Village and western Queens. This data is courtesy of a new mapping project from the University of Waterloo School of Planning in Ontario called Generationed City. Using census and crowd-sourced data, the project compares demographic patterns of millennials (typically defined as those born between 1980 and 2000) to that of older generations like baby boomers. It looks at North American cities with populations over 1 million where it's commonly accepted that millennials live in central parts of cities. While the largest chunk of NYC-based data is pretty on par with what we already knew, there are some other trends, both within the city and compared with other cities, that are a bit more curious.
More findings ahead
There Were Nearly 600 Manhole Fires Last Week; The Psychology behind NYC’s Wildest Wardrobes
February 9, 2015

There Were Nearly 600 Manhole Fires Last Week; The Psychology behind NYC’s Wildest Wardrobes

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Last week, thanks to salt in melting snow, there were 570 manhole explosions, fires, and other incidents. [DNAinfo] Just in time for Valentine’s Day, take a culinary tour of 15 Harlem bakeries. [Untapped] The past and present of Park Slope’s Plaza Hotel. [Brownstoner] Check out this handmade rope screen at a new Chelsea restaurant. [Contemporist] […]

Foreign Shell Companies Hide the Names of the Seedy Buyers of NY’s Luxury Real Estate

The Time Warner Center

February 9, 2015

Foreign Shell Companies Hide the Names of the Seedy Buyers of NY’s Luxury Real Estate

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We've been talking a lot lately about foreign investors with their hands in the NYC real estate market, but a story in the Times took the investigating one step further by uncovering the secrecy of more than 200 shell companies at the Time Warner Center, documenting "a decade of ownership in this iconic Manhattan way station for global money transforming the city’s real estate market." Though most of these were simply wealthy Americans, at least 16 were rich foreigners who "have been the subject of government inquiries around the world, either personally or as heads of companies," ranging from environmental violations to financial fraud. In 2014, around 50 percent of all $5 million+ sales were to shell companies, but at the Time Warner Center it was 80 percent. With this growing trend, however, the government hasn't taken a closer look at the money being used to buy luxury real estate, allowing shell companies to make the movement of foreign funds largely untraceable.
Find out more about Mr. Low and this real estate trend
Weekly Highlights: Top Picks from the 6sqft Staff
February 7, 2015

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks from the 6sqft Staff

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Map Revealed for de Blasio’s City-Wide Ferry System Developers Rush to Break Ground and Add Affordable Housing Before Tax Incentives End What Would Happen if New York Let Everyone Ride the Subway for Free? Wake Up Over and Over Again in This $6M Yorkville Townhouse with Soaring Vaulted Ceiling Brooklyn’s Most Expensive Listing Ever: A […]

As Developers Favor Large Apartments, Studio Prices Are on the Rise

Studio 505N at 540 West 49th Street, available for $815,000 via Halstead

February 6, 2015

As Developers Favor Large Apartments, Studio Prices Are on the Rise

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As anyone who lives in a studio apartment can tell you, it's often the best–if not the only–way to live without a roommate in New York. But with developers finding it much more profitable to build large apartments, studio apartments may be heading to extinction. And those existing one-room units are seeing steep price increases as demand is outpacing supply. As the Daily News reports, "Listings for new studios compose just 4% of the units in Manhattan — down from 15% in 2013... As of January, just 30 such apartments were on the market, compared with 161 in January 2012." The median price for a new Manhattan studio rose over the past year to $930,000, a whopping 60 percent increase. Comparatively, the median price for a new one-bedroom unit rose 30 percent and for a two-bedroom home it dropped by 11 percent.
More on the real estate trend here
Chinese Real Estate Investors Expanding Their Search to the Long Island Suburbs

Old Westbury Gardens, a Gold Coast mansion also known as “the Gatsby House”, © Old Westbury Gardens

February 6, 2015

Chinese Real Estate Investors Expanding Their Search to the Long Island Suburbs

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In recent years, the Manhattan real estate scene has had a major upswing in the amount of wealthy buyers from China, who feel that New York City condos and other properties are a safe place for their money. In fact, high-profile real estate firms are even tapping Chinese brokers to cater to this growing clientele. But now the trend is moving east, with Chinese buyers eyeing the stately mansions that make up the Gold Coast suburbs of Long Island. According to the Times, "Some Chinese buyers are parking money in what they see as a low-risk investment. Others are seeking a trophy home. Still others are intent on living in these places full time while their children attend the area’s high-performing schools."
More details ahead
Photographer Jay Maisel Officially Sells 190 Bowery for $55M
February 6, 2015

Photographer Jay Maisel Officially Sells 190 Bowery for $55M

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It's being considered one of the greatest returns on investment in New York City real estate history, reports the Daily News. Photographer Jay Maisel bought the now-famous graffiti-covered home at 190 Bowery back in 1966 when it was abandoned for only $102,000, and he's now officially sold the Gilded Age bank building to developer Aby Rosen of RFR Realty for $55 million. Developers have been urging Maisel to sell ever since the Bowery changed from a seedy row of drugs and flop houses to a trendy destination for foodie-favorite restaurants and high-end boutiques. Rosen finally convinced the artist, who lived in the six-story, 72-room mansion with his wife and daughter, to sell on the basis that it had no heat and was in disrepair.
More on the epic sale
Andrés Jaque/Office for Political Innovation wins the 2015 Young Architects Program at MoMA
February 5, 2015

Andrés Jaque/Office for Political Innovation wins the 2015 Young Architects Program at MoMA

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MoMA PS1 has just announced the winning design for this year's Young Architects Program (YAP), which will be featured this summer in the Long Island City museum's outdoor courtyard, setting the stage for the Warm Up summer music series. The top spot goes to Andrés Jaque of the Office for Political Innovation for COSMO: Give me a pipe and I will move/celebrate the Earth, a moveable environmental artifact made out of customized irrigation components that will make visible and enjoyable the typically hidden urbanism of pipes. According to MoMA PS1, COSMO "is engineered to filter and purify 3,000 gallons of water, eliminating suspended particles and nitrates, balancing the PH, and increasing the level of dissolved oxygen. It takes four days for the 3,000 gallons of water to become purified, then the cycle continues with the same body of water, becoming more purified with every cycle."
More on the winning design
Listings Launch at Fort Greene Church Conversion 232 Adelphi Street
February 5, 2015

Listings Launch at Fort Greene Church Conversion 232 Adelphi Street

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When we first got a look inside the church conversion at 232 Adelphi Street we were blown away by the amount of original architecture retained from the structure's holy days, including stained glass windows, vaulted ceilings with exposed steel beams, arched doorways, reclaimed hardwood floors, and plenty of exposed brick. And now that listings have launched at the Fort Greene rental building, we have even more to ogle at. Formerly the Carlton Mews Church, the landmarked 1888 Gothic Revival Church was completely restored by RSVP Studio to feature 12 distinct apartments, including studios, one- and two-bedroom duplexes, and three-bedroom triplexes.
Take a look at the offerings here
Musical Data Project is the Soundtrack to Income Inequality Along the Subway
February 5, 2015

Musical Data Project is the Soundtrack to Income Inequality Along the Subway

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While we love a good infographic or interactive map, this "musical data-viz project" really sparked our interest as a new way of looking at geographic trends. Artist and programmer Brian Foo translated a 1.5-hour subway ride on the 2 train into a 4.5 minute song that rises and falls based on the income of the neighborhood the train is passing through. What results is an audibly beautiful rendition of the often not-so-pretty diversity in the city's income levels.
Listen to the full song here
92 Years of Architecture Through Time Magazine Covers; NY Accent on Its Way Out
February 5, 2015

92 Years of Architecture Through Time Magazine Covers; NY Accent on Its Way Out

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Brush up on architectural history through Time magazine covers from 1923 to now. [Curbed] Most New Yorkers leave their houses at 8am, according to this interactive map of when Americans leave for work. [FlowingData] If this isn’t romantic, we don’t know what is. Take a Valentine’s Day tour of the Newtown Creek sewage plant’s digester eggs. [Gothamist] Sean Lennon’s […]

Renderings Revealed for Sustainable Hudson Square Park by Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects
February 5, 2015

Renderings Revealed for Sustainable Hudson Square Park by Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects

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Back in June, the Hudson Square Connection (a neighborhood BID) announced their plans to turn Soho Square, the half-acre open space at the intersection of Spring Street and Sixth Avenue in Hudson Square, into a public park. Since then, the Business Improvement District, in partnership with the city and neighborhood stakeholders, has been seeking input from the community to inform the $6 million renovation. Just last night, the design by Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects was presented to the Community Board 2 Parks Committee, and it features sustainable, green infrastructure, storm water management, and more.
Check out the renderings here
Map Revealed for de Blasio’s City-Wide Ferry System
February 4, 2015

Map Revealed for de Blasio’s City-Wide Ferry System

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While there were plenty of highlights in Mayor de Blasio's State of the City address yesterday–from affordable housing to raising the minimum wage–it was undoubtedly the announcement of a city-wide ferry system that really got New Yorkers talking. De Blasio said that the ferry service will open in 2017, with pricing on par with the Metrocard, as a way to accommodate the growing population of New York. It will serve neighborhoods including the Lower East Side, Astoria, the Rockaways, Sunset Park, Brooklyn Army Terminal, Bay Ridge, Red Hook, and Soundview, among others. A new map released today shows the entirety of the system, breaking down existing ferry lines, those planned for 2017 and 2018, and those proposed.
More details and the full interactive map ahead
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