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.

Listing photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

August 10, 2020

$695K Upper East Side one-bedroom has a terrace twice as large as the apartment

By Dana Schulz

The interior of this one-bedroom Upper East Side condo measures a not-too-shabby 719 square feet, but the amazing terrace is nearly twice that size at 1,100 square feet. It's set up with four separate areas for meditating, lounging, dining, and even playing ping pong. Located at 400 East 90th Street, the apartment was recently listed for $695,000.
Lots more to see

Distinctive Homes

UrbanSpace will open a new food hall at Union Square tech hub

Rendering of Zero Irving courtesy of RAL Development Services

August 7, 2020

UrbanSpace will open a new food hall at Union Square tech hub

By Dana Schulz

Pioneering food hall operator Urbanspace is opening its latest outpost at Union Square reports the NY Post. They've leased 10,000 square feet at Zero Irving, the contested tech hub on 14th Street that will serve as office space, a technology training center and incubator, co-working spaces, and an event space when it opens in the first half of 2021.
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Food & Dining

$3.45M Nomad loft is full of tech and bold design

Photo credit: Eytan Weber and Evan Joseph

August 7, 2020

$3.45M Nomad loft is full of tech and bold design

By Dana Schulz

We hate to use the term millennial, but for that younger generation with the means to buy a luxury condo, this Nomad home has all the stylish design, tech features, and outdoor space that would be on the checklist. Located at 76 Madison Avenue and just listed for $3,450,000, the two-bedroom apartment was renovated by renowned NYC and NOLA firm Brockschmidt & Coleman, and it has everything from hidden televisions to app-controlled lighting and shades.
Look around

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New downtown Jersey City rental will have a ‘Miami-inspired resort’ on its rooftop

Rendering by Pax Brooklyn

August 6, 2020

New downtown Jersey City rental will have a ‘Miami-inspired resort’ on its rooftop

By Dana Schulz

DVORA 175 is a new 148-unit rental building coming to Jersey City, and just like a lot of the luxury rentals springing up in the area, it has a rooftop pool, this one with a "Miami-inspired resort" vibe, according to a press lease. The 14-story building at 175 Second Street is located in what's known as the Powerhouse Arts District, a section of downtown full of old warehouse buildings. Though pricing has not yet been released, leasing will kick off next month with initial occupancy slated for October.
More on the development here

Sunny Chelsea studio has everything you need for $435K

Listing photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

August 6, 2020

Sunny Chelsea studio has everything you need for $435K

By Dana Schulz

If you're on a budget but still want to be a homeowner, sometimes a studio is your best bet. And this lovely place at 451 West 22nd Street in Chelsea has just about everything you'd want in a starter home despite its tiny footprint. The sunny south-facing studio feels even brighter thanks to high ceilings, and it maximizes space with a built-in Murphy bed and a full wall of closets.
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Distinctive Homes

August 6, 2020

Krispy Kreme opens in Harlem with NYC’s first doughnut hot light

By Dana Schulz

There are a few things Krispy Kreme is known for--its melt-in-your-mouth glazed doughnuts, paper hats, and its "hot light," which lights up to show customers that doughnuts are hot out of the oven. This week, they opened their latest NYC outpost at 319 West 125th Street in Harlem, and it features the city's very first hot light. The shop will serve these right-off-the-line doughnuts at a production rate of more than 100 per hour.
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Food & Dining

Historic Connecticut estate built by the man behind the Empire State Building lists for $8.3M

All photos courtesy of Houlihan Lawrence

August 5, 2020

Historic Connecticut estate built by the man behind the Empire State Building lists for $8.3M

By Dana Schulz

This sprawling English Manor-style estate in Greenwich, Connecticut was built in 1928 by Paul Starrett, one of the main developers behind the Empire State Building and the Plaza. Set on nearly three acres, the seven-bedroom home has grand interiors, romantic landscaping, and a gorgeous pool. It's just hit the market for $8,295,000.
Have a look around here

Brooklyn Laboratory Charter Schools/SITU/WXY

August 5, 2020

This sidewalk ‘front porch’ was designed to help students return to school in COVID times

By Dana Schulz

The list of anxieties surrounding a return to school for students and their parents is seemingly endless, but the architects at SITU and WXY have designed an outdoor lobby that they hope can help alleviate some of this stress. Built upon the work of design-forward scaffolding firm Urban Umbrella, the "Front Porch" concept has been installed at the Brooklyn Laboratory Charter School to "allow students and faculty to be protected from the elements while queuing to enter, while hand sanitizing and having their temperatures taken," according to a press release.
Find out more

Architecture And Design

This $4M modern Seaport loft is actually in an 18th-century building

Listing photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

August 5, 2020

This $4M modern Seaport loft is actually in an 18th-century building

By Dana Schulz

One of the fun things about New York City's architecture is how hidden its history can be. Take for example 130 Beekman Street in the South Street Seaport Historic District. The five-story building was actually built in 1798, but it's undergone several renovations over the years, and its condo units are completely modern. Just listed for $3,995,000 is the building's crown jewel, a three-bedroom, top-floor loft with two beautiful outdoor spaces.
Look around

Distinctive Homes

$1.5M Boerum Hill beauty has a backyard sanctuary and barnyard-chic interiors

Image Credit: Alex Mahgoub/Compass

August 4, 2020

$1.5M Boerum Hill beauty has a backyard sanctuary and barnyard-chic interiors

By Dana Schulz

This duplex at 50 3rd Avenue in Boerum Hill definitely looks like it could've been designed by Chip and Joanna Gaines. Though we're pretty sure they didn't travel to Brooklyn to design this two-bedroom condo, it has plenty of their famous "modern farmhouse" design elements, most notably reclaimed wood on the walls and ceiling. The aesthetic is carried over to the backyard, where twinkly lights and climbing vines set the stage for a true outdoor oasis. The apartment has just listed for $1,474,000.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

Radio City cancels the Rockettes this Christmas

By Dana Schulz

In a not-surprising announcement, Radio City Music Hall says they will not put on their famous Christmas Spectacular featuring the Rockettes this year, the first time since 1933. The decision comes after Broadway said it will stay dark for the rest of the year and other venues like the Met Opera, Lincoln Center, NYC Ballet, and Carnegie Hall cancelled the rest of their 2020 seasons. As NBC New York noted, the Rockettes typically rehearse for more than 200 hours leading up to the show's November debut.
More details here

Events & Things To Do

Photo of The Greens courtesy of The Howard Hughes Corporation

August 4, 2020

You can lounge and dine at a rooftop ‘lawn’ at the South Street Seaport

By Dana Schulz

Social distancing guidelines have definitely gotten restaurants to be extra creative, like The Rooftop at Pier 17 which has just opened a new dining experience where guests can book one of 28 "mini-lawns." Called The Greens, the experience has transformed the South Street Seaport rooftop venue into private cabana-style plots, each of which can accommodate eight guests.
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Jennifer Lawrence sells Upper East Side penthouse at a $6M loss

All photos courtesy of Compass

August 4, 2020

Jennifer Lawrence sells Upper East Side penthouse at a $6M loss

By Dana Schulz

In 2016, Jennifer Lawrence picked up a $15.6 million penthouse on the Upper East Side. She must have really wanted to offload it, because last summer, she listed it for $15,450,000 and dropped it to $12 million earlier this month. According to city property records, the Oscar-winning actress ultimately sold the home at 400 East 67th Street for $9,900,000, taking a nearly $6 million loss. Listing agent Pamela D'Arc of Compass declined to comment on the sale.
Go inside

After original church was destroyed on 9/11, construction restarts at new St. Nicholas Shrine

All photos courtesy of Governor Andrew Cuomo/Flickr

August 3, 2020

After original church was destroyed on 9/11, construction restarts at new St. Nicholas Shrine

By Dana Schulz

It's been nearly 20 years since St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine was lost in the attacks on 9/11, but today, Governor Cuomo announced the restart of construction on the new Santiago Calatrava-designed church. Work originally began in 2015, but stalled in late 2017 when the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America ran out of funding.
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New Developments

De Blasio says outdoor dining will return to NYC next summer

Outdoor dining on West 71st Street between Central Park West and Columbus. Photo by 6sqft.

August 3, 2020

De Blasio says outdoor dining will return to NYC next summer

By Dana Schulz

In a press conference this morning, Mayor de Blasio announced that the city's popular Open Restaurants program will return on June 1, 2021, if not earlier in the spring. He recently expanded this year's outdoor dining program through October 31 after it was found to be successful and safe and after the state indefinitely postponed indoor dining in New York City. De Blasio said that an estimated 80,000 jobs from more than 9,000 participating businesses have been saved since the program launched on June 22 when the city entered phase two of reopening.
More details ahead

NYC’s latest set of outdoor dining open streets includes 13 blocks on the Upper West Side

Open streets outdoor dining along West 47th Street, photo by CityRealty

August 3, 2020

NYC’s latest set of outdoor dining open streets includes 13 blocks on the Upper West Side

By Dana Schulz

Open streets outdoor dining along West 47th Street, photo by CityRealty On Friday, Mayor de Blasio announced that an additional 15 locations would be closing to traffic and opening their streets for outdoor dining through a combination of the city's Open Streets and Open Restaurants programs. This brings the total to 62 participating streets. Some of the latest include 13 blocks along Amsterdam Avenue on the Upper West Side, another stretch in Chinatown, Koreatown, a few in Noho/Soho, and five blocks along Vanderbilt Avenue in Prospect Heights. Since restaurants were first able to open for outdoor dining when phase two began on June 22, more than 9,500 have signed on to participate.
The full list of open streets

July 31, 2020

For $5.25M, you can own a modernist ‘House at Sagaponac’ in the Hamptons

By Dana Schulz

Designed by Calvin Tsao and Zack McKown of renowned contemporary firm Tsao & McKown Architects, this residence is one of the original Houses at Sagaponac, a modernist development conceived in the early 2000s by developer Harry "Coco" Brown and architect Richard Meier. The original plan was for 32 homes to be built by different prominent architects, but after Brown's death and the recession, only eight were completed, making them even more special. This five-bedroom home utilizes moveable glass walls and oversized windows to take in views of the surrounding greenery and incredible 60-foot pool and sun deck.
The full tour ahead

Distinctive Homes

For $3M, this Williamsburg townhouse was designed as an airy artist’s home

Photo credit: DDReps

July 31, 2020

For $3M, this Williamsburg townhouse was designed as an airy artist’s home

By Dana Schulz

At first look, you might assume that this townhouse at 580 Driggs Avenue in North Williamsburg is new construction, but it was actually built in 1899 and completely gut renovated inside and out in 2019. The "custom artist's home," as the listing calls it, was designed as "an airy open layout and plenty of room to spread out, work from home, or relax on the roof deck or in the garden." Listed for $2,950,000, it's just over 2,300 square feet and has four bedrooms.
See the whole place

Distinctive Homes

Photo credit: Gamut Photos

July 30, 2020

Second Empire brownstone in Fort Greene has been beautifully restored for $4M

By Dana Schulz

There's something very romantic about this brownstone at 374 Vanderbilt Avenue in Fort Greene. The interiors have been beautifully preserved and the home modernized, but not so much so that it's lost its old-world charm. The five-bedroom Second Empire townhouse was built in 1899 and is part of the Fort Greene Historic District. It's asking $3,995,000, and has a studio apartment in the basement level for added income.
See the whole place

Distinctive Homes

MTA installs free mask dispensers inside buses

Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit

July 30, 2020

MTA installs free mask dispensers inside buses

By Dana Schulz

In a continued effort to COVID-proof public transportation, the MTA has installed mask dispensers at the entrance to city buses. The pilot program is now on 100 buses in the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island, and it will expand to 400 buses in all five boroughs by next month. The free surgical mask dispensers--each of which holds 50 masks and will be refilled daily--are mounted at the front door of express buses and at the front and rear doors of SBS and local buses. Masks are required to ride any bus or subway.
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$3.25M waterfront loft in Brooklyn Heights has view of the Brooklyn Bridge and Statue of Liberty

Photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

July 30, 2020

$3.25M waterfront loft in Brooklyn Heights has view of the Brooklyn Bridge and Statue of Liberty

By Dana Schulz

Through oversized north- and west-facing windows at this Brooklyn Heights loft, you're staring directly at the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, East River, and even the Statue of Liberty in the distance. Located at 8 Old Fulton Street, the two-bedroom co-op is asking $3,250,000 and was renovated by the well-known architects at Studio DB.
Have a look

Distinctive Homes

Long Island mansion with an indoor pool and movie theater sells for record-setting $9.2M

Listing photos courtesy of Compass

July 29, 2020

Long Island mansion with an indoor pool and movie theater sells for record-setting $9.2M

By Dana Schulz

This over-the-top Mediterranean-style mansion on Long Island just sold for $9,225,000, making it the most expensive home sold this year in Nassau County, as well as the most expensive home sold in Sands Points since 2016 and the fourth-highest sale in the North Shore over the last five years. Sales records aside, the home's opulence speaks for itself. At a whopping 20,000 square feet, the waterfront estate has an indoor pool, movie theater (complete with a ticket booth and stage curtains!), a personal arcade (with skee ball and pinball machines), and tons of marble.
Take the full tour

Real Estate Trends

Photo by ajay_suresh via Flickr cc

July 29, 2020

Upper West Side and Murray Hill saw the biggest price drops during the COVID crisis

By Dana Schulz

Anyone who follows the NYC real estate market knows that there are deals to be had right now. But WHERE exactly can you get the most bang for your buck? CityRealty compared sale listings in January to those last week and found that the overall listing price among Manhattan condo, co-op, condop, and townhouse listings has fallen an average of 11 percent to $2,175,000 in the past seven months. And when it comes to specific neighborhoods, Lincoln Center, the Upper West Side neighborhood mainly centered around the 60s, saw prices fall the most at 32 percent. Murray Hill was next at 26 percent, followed by Beekman/Sutton Place at 22 percent.
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Real Estate Trends

A zen garden with a sunken hot tub awaits at this $2.5M Greenwich Village co-op

All photos by Evan Joseph

July 29, 2020

A zen garden with a sunken hot tub awaits at this $2.5M Greenwich Village co-op

By Dana Schulz

This Greenwich Village co-op at 2 East 12th Street is the perfect year-round oasis. For those cold winter months, the interiors are super cozy, with two working fireplaces. But in the summer, the backyard is a true retreat. It's two levels, along with a side patio and, most notably, a sunken Japanese-style cedar hot tub. You'll also find a large Ipe wood deck with a built-in banquette, plenty of planters, and a cedar potting shed for all those gardening needs.
You've got to see this place

Distinctive Homes

Karlie Kloss sells her West Village home for $2.4M

Staged interiors by Christopher Henry Designs. Photo credit: Donna Dotan courtesy of Compass.

July 28, 2020

Karlie Kloss sells her West Village home for $2.4M

By Dana Schulz

After listing her townhouse co-op in the West Village for $2.75 million last September, supermodel and philanthropist Karlie Kloss has found a buyer at the slightly reduced price of $2,382,609, reported CityRealty. The three-bedroom triplex at 151 Charles Street is chic and contemporary and has both a front garden and a second-floor terrace. Kloss bought it in 2012 for $1,975,000. She and husband Josh Kushner sold their Nolita apartment for $6.6 million last August.
Take a tour

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