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.
May 16, 2014

Contemporary West Houston Street Duplex Loft Finds a Buyer

According to city records, this spacious contemporary duplex apartment at 200 West Houston Street just sold yesterday for $2 million through a listing held by Douglas Elliman's Donald Kemper. Located at the gateway to the Village and Soho, 200 West Houston Street was built in 1869 and today has 29 apartments on four floors. The stunning 2 BR/2 BA modern apartment sits on the top floor and boasts 1,800 square feet of space filled with natural light that pours in from its expansive windows and skylights.
More about the inviting space right this way
May 14, 2014

Bonsai-Inspired Solar Charger Also Lights Up at Night

The design of this compact solar charging lantern, called Electree Mini, was influenced by bonsai trees and fractal patterns found in nature. Created by French designer Vivien Muller, it "provides solar-derived power to environments typically void of renewable energy." On the movable branches are small solar panels which capture sunlight — a play on photosynthesis. The solar energy is then stored in small batteries that can directly power up your gadgets. Electree Mini has the capability to charge AA and AAA batteries and comes with a USB port that will charge smartphones. At dusk, the tree automatically lights up, and when rotated the LED light sensors change colors.
More design details this way
May 13, 2014

Decorative Brooklyn Heights Brownstone Closes for $7 Million

A beautiful, Italianate brownstone at 37 Remsen Street in the Brooklyn Heights Historic District sold for $7 million through a listing held by Brown Harris Stevens. It was originally listed for $6.2 million when it went on the market in January. The buyer is Jeremiah T. Healey, former Jersey City Mayor from 2004-2013, and his wife Megan McKee Healey, a tax law professor at NYU. Built in 1899, the 25-foot-wide, 7,000-square-foot home retains a wealth of historic details including fanlight windows, cast iron vent covers, etched pocket doors, and wood-paneled chair rails. The decorative elements such as ceiling medallions, painted borders, and fancy ceiling moldings were likely to the taste of the previous owner, but they certainly add a bit of whimsy to the classical home.
More photos of the five-story regal brownstone this way
May 12, 2014

A Jean Nouvel Chelsea Stunner Sells for $3.8 Million

When Jean Nouvel won the esteemed Pritzker Prize in 2008, the judges cited his "insatiable urge for creative experimentation."  His design of residential building 100 Eleventh Avenue is no exception to the boundary-pushing modern architecture for which he is celebrated. Completed in 2010, the shimmering masterpiece has the most technologically advanced and highly engineered curtain wall systems in the city. Mr. Nouvel describes it as a "vision machine," and considering its nearly 1,700 panes of glass — some up to 37-feet wide — each a different size and set a different angle, he is justified in doing so. The 21-story LEED-certified condo building, has 72 units each with south- and west-facing views, floor-to-ceiling window walls, and mechanized shade systems. Every apartment has a unique arrangement of powder-coated steel window mullions, which form specific views related to the space's location. Unit 5D, which recently sold for $3.8 million through a listing held by Douglas Elliman, looks west onto the High Line and has a spacious, elegant layout.
See the stunning interior this way
May 9, 2014

Uber Chic Apartment in W Downtown Sells for $2 Million

Have you ever walked into a house and thought to yourself, "How do they keep it so clean?!" This is one of those houses. From the pure-white Italian lacquer cabinetry to the dark ebony wood floors, unit 52D at the W Downtown Hotel & Residence exudes impeccable sleekness. According to property records, the unit, which has never before been lived in, recently sold for $2 million. The sophisticated black-and-white interior design is contemporary, yet inviting. All furnished condos were designed by Louise Sunshine's Sunshine Group, whose motto is "all square feet are not created equal." Here this rings true, as each piece in the home is thoughtfully placed — the oversized steel lamp compliments the low marble coffee table in the living room, and plush, neutral fabrics warm up the bedroom.
design details this way
May 8, 2014

NoMad Penthouse with Panoramic Views Sells for $8 Million

Two blocks north of Madison Square Park in Manhattan's increasingly trendy NoMad (north of Madison Square, if you're not up on your neighborhood acronyms) neighborhood is 241 Fifth Avenue, a 20-story boutique residential glass tower. Part of the Madison Avenue North Historic District, the building was designed by Perkins Eastman Architects and received landmarks approval in 2007. It was completed in 2013, and according to public records, its penthouse unit just sold for $8 million. Core originally held the listing at $9.75 million.
Check out the views
May 7, 2014

Elegant Park Slope Townhouse Sells for $2.3 Million

The polished, Italianate rowhouse at 354 10th Street in Park Slope sold for $2.3 million, according to city records filed yesterday evening. The listing was held by Corcoran Group. Built in 1899, the two-family home has a modest façade with carved window lintels and an intact cornice. One in a row of three similar houses, it's basement level is brownstone and the upper two stories are brick. Inside, the refined details continue with decorative picture moldings and original tin ceilings.
rowhouse eye candy this way
May 6, 2014

Ultra Hip Tribeca Loft at 137 Duane Street Sells for $2 Million

According to public records, unit 2D at 137 Duane Street in Tribeca was recently sold by photographer Sebastiano Tomada for $1,995,000 via Douglas Elliman. Located in the Tribeca South Historic District, the spacious apartment has a long, narrow floor plan, perfect for open-layout lovers or someone looking for a live/work space. 14-foot ceilings, natural oak floors, and entryways on both Duane and Thomas Streets are just a few of the other selling points. Is it worth its price tag? Find out more about the space ahead, and let us know your thoughts in the comments.
photos and design details this way
May 2, 2014

Amoeba-Shaped Transportation Hub Proposed for Queens

Amoeba, organ, extraterrestrial creature — take your pick; this transportation hub dubbed the Urban Alloy Towers is quite interestingly shaped. The creation of Chad Kellogg and Matt Bowles of AMLGM, the structure is proposed for the area around where the LIRR station in Woodside, Queens links to the 7 train. The idea came from the notion that large-scale housing development is most successful when located near transportation. So, Kellog and Bowles figured they'd put their development "directly on the intersections between surface and elevated train lines," utilizing the remnant spaces surrounding the train infrastructure. Included in this multi-use structure would be live/work spaces, retail, small offices, both market-rate and luxury residential units, SROs, and a central atrium.
Read more about the design here
April 29, 2014

Anon Pairot’s Stunning Zatellite Lamp is Handwoven with Steel

No, that's not a typo, though this futuristic lamp does have a satellite-like design form. A creation of the Anon Pairot Design Studio, it is constructed using spot welding and hundreds of woven 0.5 millimeter steel rods. The copper-colored, geometric orb is one of many Anon Pairot designs that feature a pattern reminiscent of traditional Thai textiles.
More about the design here
April 22, 2014

383 West Broadway Penthouse Sale Almost Breaks Real Estate Record

The Soho penthouse of artist Charles Ross closed for $25.58 million, falling just short of breaking the record for most expensive sale of a downtown co-op (the current record holder is 141 Prince Street's penthouse, which sold for $27.5 million in April 2011). Located in a former cast-iron manufacturing building, the space originally went on the market in November 2013, listed for $32 million. The 7,500-square-foot duplex unit includes four bedrooms and five full bathrooms. It also boasts a wine cellar that can hold 1,500 bottles, a media room, a massage room, original cast-iron columns, and a 4,200-square-foot roof terrace that has an outdoor kitchen and shower, a covered patio, and a manicured lawn.
Take a Look inside. Is it worthy of its hefty price tag?
April 22, 2014

Yoko Ono’s Greenwich Village Condo Sells for $8.3 Million

We’re not sure if the new owners will be staging any sit-ins, but they’ll certainly have plenty of room to do so in this 5,700-square-foot Greenwich penthouse that they purchased for $8.3 million from Yoko Ono. Ono bought the condo at 49 Downing Street in 1995 for her son Sean Lennon, but it’s sat empty since the first few years when he lived there (Ono famously still lives in the Dakota apartment she once shared with John Lennon). The home originally hit the market in July 2013, but was taken off shortly thereafter while Ono battled her co-op board in court, citing that they interfered with her plans to sell. It was listed again in November 2013 for $6.5 million, and earlier this month public records listed the final selling price at $8.3 million.
A closer look inside here