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.

My 500sqft: How an architect brought chic sensibility to her Hell’s Kitchen apartment

Our series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to architect and designer Nicky Chang’s Hell’s Kitchen apartment. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

February 6, 2019

My 500sqft: How an architect brought chic sensibility to her Hell’s Kitchen apartment

Shanghai native Nicky Chang is nothing if not accomplished in her field, having graduated from the Yale School of Architecture and worked for firms such as Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. But when she had a chance to combine her passions of architecture, interior design, and culinary arts, she couldn't pass up the chance. Nicky is now the head of design and strategy at Junzi Kitchen, a fast-casual Northern Chinese restaurant founded on Yale's campus with locations in Morningside Heights, Greenwich Village, and soon at Bryant Park. When Nicky moved from New Haven to Hell's Kitchen, she was downsizing by three times. Luckily, as she jokes, "architects have mild OCD tendencies when it comes to organization," so she was able to maximize her 500-square-foot walk-up without sacrificing style. Ahead, take a tour of Nicky's calm, chic, and cozy home and hear from her about her plant collection, love of cooking, and what it's like to work in hospitality design.
Take the tour

In East Flatbush, a new middle-income housing lottery is throwing in ‘free rent’

Photo via CityRealty

February 5, 2019

In East Flatbush, a new middle-income housing lottery is throwing in ‘free rent’

The next culprit in a long list of the city's non-affordable "affordable" housing lotteries is an opportunity for "middle-income" New Yorkers to apply for 28 units at East Flatbush's new rental Ensemble. It's available to New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the median income, which begs the question: Is a single person earning $95,000 a year really in need of subsidized housing? But the most questionable part of this lottery is that it's offering "six months free rent on the last six months of one and two-year leases." Rental concessions like this are typically reserved for market-rate buildings that are having trouble leasing or need to attract tenants in a slow market. But since these affordable rents are minimally lower than the market-rate, maybe it's operating as such.
Is $2,600/month affordable?

Affordable Housing

First housing lottery opens at the Bronx’s $600M affordable redevelopment of the Lambert Houses

A rendering of 988 East 180th Street, courtesy of the office of Ritchie Torres

February 4, 2019

First housing lottery opens at the Bronx’s $600M affordable redevelopment of the Lambert Houses

It's been over two years since work got underway to demolish 14 building at the Bronx's 1970s-era Lambert Houses and replace them with taller towers that will hold 1,665 affordable apartments. In addition to doubling the site's number of affordable units, the $600 million project will have a public school and three times the amount of retail space. Though the entire overhaul won't be complete for another 11-12 years, applications are now being accepted for the first new residential building (h/t Welcome2TheBronx). The 49 below-market-rate residences are reserved for those earning 60 or 100 percent of the area median income and range from $761/month studios to $1,600/month two-bedrooms.
READ MORE

Affordable Housing

One-bedroom Hell’s Kitchen co-op has high style and a low $425K price tag

February 4, 2019

One-bedroom Hell’s Kitchen co-op has high style and a low $425K price tag

The listing describes this Hell's Kitchen co-op as "a first time home buyers' dream" and when you consider it's chic, industrial-style interior and low $425,000 price tag, that sounds about right. Not only is it a true one-bedroom, but the apartment at 715 9th Avenue was also recently renovated. Being right on restaurant-lined 9th Avenue might sound like a lot, but you're just one block away from the C and E trains at 50th Street.
See more

Distinctive Homes

$2.8M Chelsea co-op has an enchanted two-level garden complete with a fire pit and pergola

February 1, 2019

$2.8M Chelsea co-op has an enchanted two-level garden complete with a fire pit and pergola

This magical Chelsea backyard has us dreaming of warm summer days filled with fire pits, barbecuing, gardening, and kicking back with the sun our faces. But for now, the interior of this duplex at 436 West 23rd Street is plenty spacious and beautiful to keep us safe from the cold. Located within the historic Fitzroy Townhouses, an incredibly intact row of 19th-century Italianate houses, the 1,250-square-foot co-op boasts a double-height living room with 17-foot ceilings, a modern and colorful renovation, and, of course, that incredible two-level garden.
Go inside

Distinctive Homes

Hudson Yards exhibit space Snark Park puts tickets on sale for its first show

Rendering of “Lost and Found” via Snark Park

January 31, 2019

Hudson Yards exhibit space Snark Park puts tickets on sale for its first show

When Hudson Yards opens on March 15th, one of the many places New Yorkers will get to check out for the first time will be Snark Park, a permanent exhibition space for immersive installations. The space will reimagine "everyday objects and familiar settings," according to a press release from designers Snarkitecture, "creating unexpected and memorable moments that challenge the mind to reassess visual cues and investigate the commonplace with a fresh curiosity." If this sounds a little out-there to you, tickets to the first exhibit have just gone on sale, along with some more info. The inaugural showcase titled "Lost and Found" will be a modern interpretation of an enchanted forest, providing "audible, visual, and tactile experiences" within a series of "massive, inhabitable cylinders."
All the details

Events & Things To Do

TransitCenter maps out the next 50 subway stations that should be made accessible in NYC

Photo via Flickr cc

January 31, 2019

TransitCenter maps out the next 50 subway stations that should be made accessible in NYC

Photo via Flickr cc Roughly 75 percent of New York City's 472 subway stations are not accessible--a fact that has long plagued disability advocates but has now taken on a more pressing call to action after 22-year-old Malaysia Goodson died after falling down the stairs carrying her baby in a stroller at one of these stations. To visualize this dire need, TransitCenter has put together a map that proposes the next 50 subway stations that should be made accessible under the MTA’s Fast Forward plan. If implemented, their plan would "more than triple the potential station-to-station trips riders who rely on elevators can make using accessible stations."
How did they choose these 50 stations?

Apply for 174 mixed-income units in the Parkchester area of the Bronx, from just $462/month

The Parkchester Oval, via Wiki Commons

January 31, 2019

Apply for 174 mixed-income units in the Parkchester area of the Bronx, from just $462/month

Last week, it was announced that the Parkchester section of the Bronx, served only by the 6 train, would be receiving a new Metro-North station, connecting it to Penn Station. And for those New Yorkers who qualify for the city's newest affordable housing lottery--earning 40, 60, or 100 percent of the area median income--there's a chance to get into the neighborhood on the heels of this news. There are 174 mixed-income apartments up for grabs at the new, two-building development Westchester Mews, and they range from $462/month studios to $1,888/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Hudson Yards arts center The Shed announces 121-seat restaurant from Danny Meyer

Photo: Brett Beyer

January 30, 2019

Hudson Yards arts center The Shed announces 121-seat restaurant from Danny Meyer

When Hudson Yards opens on March 15th, New Yorkers will have plenty of big-name bites to nosh on, with 25 restaurant and food concepts from chefs like David Chang, Michael Lomonaco, Thomas Keller, Costas Spiliadis, as well as a massive Spanish food hall from José Andrés. And the latest to join the ranks is Union Square Hospitality Group's Danny Meyer (yes, the guy who brought you Shake Shack). The Wall Street Journal reports that Meyer will operate a 3,000-square-foot, 121-seat all-day cafe called Cedric's on the ground floor of The Shed, Hudson Yards' multi-use art center with a movable shell.
What we know so far

Food & Dining

Enter to win a pair of tickets to 6sqft & Untapped Cities’ tour of FXCollaborative’s architecture studio

Photo courtesy of FXCollaborative

January 30, 2019

Enter to win a pair of tickets to 6sqft & Untapped Cities’ tour of FXCollaborative’s architecture studio

Join 6sqft and our friends at Untapped Cities for the second installment of our new joint event series where we'll offer behind-the-scenes tours of some of the city’s top architectural and design firms’ studios. This month, we'll be visiting architecture firm FXCollaborative, who will open up their Flatiron office space the evening of Wednesday, February 13th. Guests will be treated to a tour of the creative space and a conversation with Senior Partners Dan Kaplan and Sylvia Smith, along with Partner Nicholas Garrison, Principal Gustavo Rodriguez, and Principal/Design Director of Interiors Angie Lee. Learn about the firm's holistic approach through current projects such as Downtown Brooklyn's 1 Willoughby Square, 77 Greenwich Street, and the new Statue of Liberty Museum. Interested in attending? Enter our raffle for a chance to win a pair of tickets!
Learn how to enter

Events & Things To Do

Popular Articles

49-square-foot Upper West Side ‘studio’ might actually be a prison cell for $510/month

Listing photo courtesy of Citi Habitats

January 30, 2019

49-square-foot Upper West Side ‘studio’ might actually be a prison cell for $510/month

For some reason, the Upper West Side is a hotbed for ridiculously small and semi-uninhabitable apartments, but this "studio" at 276 West 71st Street by far takes the cake (h/t Reddit). At first glance, the SRO could easily be mistaken for a prison cell, but in fact, the 49-square-foot (yes, you read that right) apartment is asking $510/month plus a 15 percent broker's fee. Beware of the sticky NYC summers, though; as the listing generously divulges, "No Air conditioners are allowed. You can only use a fan."
READ MORE

Distinctive Homes

Our 220sqft: This couple has made it work for 24 years in a Chelsea Hotel SRO

January 29, 2019

Our 220sqft: This couple has made it work for 24 years in a Chelsea Hotel SRO

Twenty-four years ago, when writer Ed Hamilton and his wife Debbie Martin moved into the Chelsea Hotel "everybody at the hotel was in the arts. There were always parties, and somebody was always having a show of some kind." They've spent more than two decades in a 220-square-foot SRO room, and despite not having a kitchen and sharing a bathroom, they have loved every second of it. Where else could you live down the hall from Thomas Wolfe's one-time home? Or share a bathroom with Dee Dee Ramone? But eight years ago, the landmarked property was sold to a developer, and since then, it has changed hands several times. Ed and Debbie have lived through nearly a decade of "renovations" (it's still unclear when and if the property will eventually become luxury condos), all the while watching their rent-stabilized neighbors dwindle as the construction and legal battles got to be too much. In true old-New York fashion, however, Ed and Debbie have no thoughts of giving up their Chelsea Hotel life. They recently showed us around their bohemian apartment, and even as they took us through the building, covered in dust and drop cloths, they speak fondly of their memories and their commitment to staying put. Ahead, get a closer look at why trading off space for history was the right choice for this couple and learn how they've made it work, what their wildest stories are from the hotel's heyday, and what their most recent tenant lawsuit may mean.
You don't want to miss this apartment tour!

Blue Point wants to help frustrated New Yorkers with ‘What the L?’ beer

Photo courtesy of Blue Point Brewing Company

January 25, 2019

Blue Point wants to help frustrated New Yorkers with ‘What the L?’ beer

The L train shutdown may be canceled, but don't let Cuomo's Superman tactics trick you into thinking you'll get off unscathed. Even without a full 15-month shutdown, there will be a slew of headaches and, like beer company Blue Point Brewing Company says, "who knows what will happen next?!" And when in doubt, an adult beverage can help soften the blow, which is why Blue Point developed its new "What the L?" brew, complete with a very Williamsburg-esque label created by local graphic designer and subway artist Winston Tseng.
Get the scoop

Washington Heights co-op has river views, two bedrooms and a fresh reno, all for $800K

January 25, 2019

Washington Heights co-op has river views, two bedrooms and a fresh reno, all for $800K

It's never easy to find a two-bedroom in Manhattan for under $1 million, and this lovely co-op at 25 Chittenden Avenue in Washington Heights has even more than its $800,000 price tag to offer. Its top-floor, corner location affords its spectacular Hudson River views. Plus, it's been newly renovated with tons of chic, Scandi-style built-ins. And if you're looking for a move-in ready option, the new kitchen and sweet paint job mean your decorating could be taken care of.
Look around

Distinctive Homes

One-bedroom in a rare Upper East Side clapboard house lists for $500K

January 24, 2019

One-bedroom in a rare Upper East Side clapboard house lists for $500K

A little over a year ago, 6sqft discovered a listing for one of three co-op units at 229 East 81st Street, a rare 19th-century white clapboard house. This duplex was listed for $695,000 and recently went into contract for $500,000. Now, the one-bedroom unit on the first floor has also hit the market, asking $499,000. In addition to the house's magical patio and prime Yorkville location, the apartment benefits from several skylights, modern appliances, and a spacious layout.
See inside

Distinctive Homes

Hudson Yards unveils new contemporary art by Jaume Plensa, Frank Stella, and Joel Shapiro

Unnamed by Frank Stella at 50 Hudson Yards; Rendering courtesy of Related-Oxford

January 24, 2019

Hudson Yards unveils new contemporary art by Jaume Plensa, Frank Stella, and Joel Shapiro

Just yesterday Hudson Yards announced that it would officially open on March 15th, and when visitors first visit the mega-development, they'll now have even more art to peruse. According to a press release from developer Related, the complex has unveiled large-scale contemporary art installations by three renowned artists--Jaume Plensa, Frank Stella, and Joel Shapiro. "I have always been passionate about the impact art, sculpture and design can have on our lives – the memorable experiences they create and the warmth they bring to the places we live and visit," said Related chairman Stephen Ross.
See all the artworks and hear from the artists

Events & Things To Do

23 chances to live in Brooklyn Heights’ new luxury rental, starting at $596/month

Rendering courtesy of The Pierrepont

January 24, 2019

23 chances to live in Brooklyn Heights’ new luxury rental, starting at $596/month

When it comes to the city's affordable housing lotteries, many of the same neighborhoods seem to pop up over and over again, so it's always refreshing to see a new area come online, like this opportunity for 23 units in Brooklyn Heights. Available to New Yorkers earning 40, 60, or 130 percent of the area median income, the apartments are located at The Pierrepont, a recently completed luxury rental designed by local favorite Marvel Architects. The affordable units range from $596/month studios to $2,993/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

The Bronx is getting four new Metro-North stations

Aerial view of Co-op City via Wiki Commons

January 22, 2019

The Bronx is getting four new Metro-North stations

According to Governor Cuomo, the MTA, Empire State Development, and Amtrak have reached an agreement to build four new Metro-North Railroad stations along an underutilized rail line in the east Bronx, giving this very much underserved area access to Penn Station. The "transit desert," as the press release calls it, will receive stations at Hunts Point, Parkchester/Van Nest, Morris Park, and Co-op City. And considering the Bronx had the most approved residential units last year, the news couldn't come at a better time. The buried news here is that this will also be the first time Metro-North will come into Penn Station.
What's the timeline?

Transit

Can Extell make Central Park Tower the most expensive condo in U.S. history?

Rendering courtesy of Wordsearch

January 18, 2019

Can Extell make Central Park Tower the most expensive condo in U.S. history?

"Some people wonder if Mr. Barnett will become a victim of the condo explosion he helped create," wrote the Wall Street Journal today in a rare expose of Extell's Gary Barnett, referring to the success he had with One57, considered the catalyst for the supertall, ultra-luxury condo boom, and the more challenging climate he's facing with the Central Park Tower. The latter, which will be the world's tallest residential building at 1,550 feet, launched sales in October, but in a soft luxury market, it's not a sure bet that the mega-developer will be able to achieve his projected $4 billion sellout and the title of the nation's most expensive condominium ever. In a likely noncoincidental move timed with the Journal story, Extell today launched the tower's new website (h/t Curbed), and it gives us mere mortals some of the first views inside the billionaire bunker.
See inside and hear from Barnett himself

Campaign to save Westsider Books raises $27,000 in just one day

Via Google Street View

January 17, 2019

Campaign to save Westsider Books raises $27,000 in just one day

Editor's Note 1/22/19: Westsider Books has been saved after over 800 people contributed to the campaign, raising more than $52,000 in just four days. The campaign's organizer, Bobby Panza, told 6sqft: "It's beautiful to see the community, at large, come together like this. Sometimes you don't know what you have until the precipice of losing it. Most times you can't go back and do anything, but here we could. And we did. Thank you to everyone involved. I hope we cherish the great things we love, like Westsider Books and patronize them to keep them in business." News broke earlier this week that the beloved Westsider Books, the Upper West Side's last used book store, would be shutting its doors next month after 35 years at its home on Broadway between 80th and 81st Streets. Co-owner Dorian Thornley had told UWS blog West Side Rag that he would consider staying open if he could raise $50,000. And now a group of locals are trying to do just that, starting a Go Fund Me campaign and raising more than $27,000 in just one day! A tipster tells 6sqft that after hearing the news, a stunned Dorian said, "This renews my faith in humanity."
Get the whole scoop

Uncategorized

Rustic and industrial touches mix at this $725K Chelsea co-op

January 16, 2019

Rustic and industrial touches mix at this $725K Chelsea co-op

Distressed whitewashed brick walls and country chic accessories come together with raw lighting and stainless accents at this Chelsea co-op, creating a vibe that is both rustic and industrial at the same time. The one-bedroom unit at 261 West 22nd Street has just hit the market for $725,000, and it's got plenty of perks like an in-unit washer-dryer, a renovated kitchen, and plenty of custom storage.
Have a look

Distinctive Homes

Upper West Side’s last used bookstore will close after 35 years

Inside Westsider Books, via Google Street View

January 15, 2019

Upper West Side’s last used bookstore will close after 35 years

The age of Amazon is now more in-your-face than ever for local bookstores. And though the Lower East Side's McNally Jackson and Midtown's Drama Book Shop were recently saved, it looks like the Upper West Side's beloved Westsider Books will not be so lucky. West Side Rag reports that the shop, which opened on Broadway between 80th and 81st Streets 35 years ago, will close next month amid decreasing sales.
What happened?

Uncategorized

My 500sqft: Author William Middleton trades Texas life for High Line views in Related’s Abington House

Our series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to author William Middleton’s West Chelsea apartment. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

January 15, 2019

My 500sqft: Author William Middleton trades Texas life for High Line views in Related’s Abington House

Writer William Middleton is no stranger to cities, having spent five years in NYC, 10 years in Paris, and 10 years in Houston, where he moved to work on the biography "Double Vision," about French couple Dominique and John de Menil, who transformed the Houston art scene. But after 16 years researching and writing, William knew he wanted to move back to NYC. A little over a year ago, he moved into Related's Hudson Yards-adjacent rental Abington House, where his handsome one-bedroom boasts an incredible view right onto the final spur of the High Line. Using his favorite dark gray paint color and a wall of floating bookshelves, William transformed his one-bedroom into a "clean and modern" oasis for himself and his six-year-old French Bulldog, Hubert. Ahead, take a tour of William's home and hear about his urban experiences, why he chose this building and neighborhood, and what it's like to have one of the best people-watching perches in all of NYC.
Take the tour

At $700K, this cozy duplex is an Upper West Side treasure

January 14, 2019

At $700K, this cozy duplex is an Upper West Side treasure

Living on 73rd Street right off Columbus Avenue sounds like a seven-figure dream to many Manhattan real estate seekers. You're less than a block from Trader Joes and the 1, 2, 3 trains, just one block from the most classic part of Central Park near the Dakota and John Lennon memorial, and smack in the middle of all the new restaurants and shops popping up along the avenues. But this cozy co-op at 126 West 73rd Street is asking just $699,000. The 700-square-foot co-op not only gives you a coveted location but two floors of living space, a rare second half-bath, and three large street-facing windows.
Step inside

Distinctive Homes

Go inside Bjarke Ingels’ vibrant new U.S. headquarters in Dumbo

Photos by Max Touhey

January 11, 2019

Go inside Bjarke Ingels’ vibrant new U.S. headquarters in Dumbo

Bjarke Ingels Group has certainly lived up to its moniker BIG, with studios in New York, Copenhagen, and London, 17 partners, more than 500 employees, and roughly 50 projects currently in development. To keep up with this astonishing growth, the 14-year-old firm recently moved its U.S. headquarters to a vibrant new space in Dumbo's 45 Main Street. The 50,000-square-foot office fits 250+ employees and boasts cool features like Brooklyn Bridge views, a private outdoor terrace, chromatized steel doors, and tons of furniture and lighting by Danish brand and BIG collaborator KiBiSi.
Take the tour!

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