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 280sqft: How a wellness expert used plants and DIY to open up her tiny West Village studio

Our ongoing series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to wellness entrepreneur and innovation consultant Ilse Paanakker’s West Village studio. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

December 17, 2018

My 280sqft: How a wellness expert used plants and DIY to open up her tiny West Village studio

"Wellness" is definitely a buzzword these days, but Ilse Paanakker, a self-described "habit-based wellness guru" is definitely not just talk. By day, Ilse works as an innovation consultant, but she's also the founder of Habit House, a wellness technology that helps women build healthy lifestyles one habit at a time. And it when it came to her 280-square-foot West Village studio, Ilse was sure to use her expertise to create a home that not only feels much larger than its tiny footprint but empowers her to maintain her personal healthy habits. From her beautifully curated collection of plants (it's "meditative to take care of them," she says) and DIY projects to her accountability board and streamlined kitchen that's perfect for meal-prep, Ilse's home is the true definition of a wellness lifestyle.
Take the tour!

Where I Work: Ample Hills opens NYC’s largest ice cream factory in Red Hook

6sqft’s series “Where I Work” takes us into the studios, offices, and businesses of New Yorkers. Want to see your business featured here? Get in touch!

December 14, 2018

Where I Work: Ample Hills opens NYC’s largest ice cream factory in Red Hook

This summer, Brooklyn ice cream phenomenon Ample Hills opened NYC's largest ice cream factory in Red Hook. Founders Jackie Cuscuna and Brian Smith wanted "to create a place where people from all over the world could come together, share a scoop and learn the magic behind making ice cream." From a single cart in Prospect Park eight years ago to the new 15,000-square-foot factory, museum, and shop that can produce 500,000 gallons of ice cream a day, Ample Hills certainly has delivered on this goal. 6sqft recently visited the factory and, of course, had a sampling of all the whimsical flavors (including the factory's signature flavor that is an homage to the Dutch settlers of Red Hook). We also took a tour of the space with Ample Hills' creative director Lauren Kaelin, who designed the space's interactive 22-foot-wide map of Brooklyn and educational exhibits. She took us behind-the-scenes in both the ice cream production side and the bakery (Ample Hills makes all its mix-ins by hand) and filled us in on some secrets of the sweet company.
Take the sweet tour

Announcing 6sqft’s 2018 Building of the Year!

Rendering via Hill West Architects; frame via Pixabay

December 13, 2018

Announcing 6sqft’s 2018 Building of the Year!

The votes have been tallied, and it's time to name the 2018 Building of the Year! The winning title belongs to none other than Long Island City's Skyline Tower. The 778-foot-tall tower beat out 11 other significant NYC buildings in a competitive two-week competition held by 6sqft. Out of nearly 3,000 votes cast, the Hill West-designed structure took first place with a whopping 1,021 votes or 35.5% of the total. Was it the fact that the Skyline Tower is on course to become the borough’s tallest building? Or that it has an estimated $1.088 billion sellout, the first in the borough to break the one billion mark? Or perhaps it's the LIC location, the forthcoming home to 25,000 Amazon employees?
More on this year's winner!

MTA confirms that ‘disabled train’ announcement was really for a bathroom break

Photo via Flickr cc

December 12, 2018

MTA confirms that ‘disabled train’ announcement was really for a bathroom break

In the summer of 2017, the MTA implemented a new policy to get rid of stock recordings ("we are delayed because of train traffic ahead of us” or “we are being held momentarily by the train’s dispatcher") and "give more detailed announcements" when trains are delayed. And it looks like they have now taken their honesty campaign to Twitter, correcting a rider that his train was not delayed by another disabled train but rather because "one train crew member had to make an emergency pitstop to the restroom."
It happens to the best of us

Is $1,850/month for this 272-square-foot Clinton Hill studio a deal for the location?

December 12, 2018

Is $1,850/month for this 272-square-foot Clinton Hill studio a deal for the location?

It's hard to find a decent studio these days for under $2,000 a month, let alone one with 12-foot ceilings, original exposed brick, and plenty of natural light. But this Clinton Hill cutie at 126 Willoughby Avenue is asking $1,850. It is, however, less than 300-square-feet. But what it lacks in space it makes up for in location; it's just six blocks from Fort Greene Park, three blocks from the G at Clinton-Washington, and in the heart of all the neighborhood hotspots along DeKalb and Myrtle Avenues.
Some different angles

Distinctive Homes

For just $429K, this cheerful Sunnyside co-op is the perfect family starter pad

December 12, 2018

For just $429K, this cheerful Sunnyside co-op is the perfect family starter pad

Buying a home in NYC is rarely easy for young people, especially when they're looking for that coveted second bedroom. But this newly renovated co-op at 47-37 45th Street in Sunnyside might just be the diamond in the rough. Not only is the place a 15-minute subway ride from Midtown, but it has a small second bedroom/office (currently used as a nursery) and cool barn-style decor--all for the very reasonable price of $429,000.
Take a look around

Distinctive Homes

See this year’s completely outrageous Dyker Heights Christmas lights

December 11, 2018

See this year’s completely outrageous Dyker Heights Christmas lights

Where else can you see 25-foot toy soldiers, a two-story Santa, or a house decked out with 30,000 lights other than Dyker Heights, Brooklyn. The suburban neighborhood, historically a quiet, Italian-American enclave, has been putting on its legendary holiday spectacle since 1986, when Lucy Spata moved to the area. Her over-the-top Christmas displays started as a way to honor her mother's memory (she also loved holiday decorations) and quickly her neighbors followed suit. Today, Lucy is known around town as "Mrs. Claus" and the Dyker Heights lights attract up to 150,000 visitors each season. 6sqft's resident photographers, James and Karla Murray, recently visited Dyker Heights and captured the outrageous lights and decorations in all their glory. And they were even lucky enough to meet Lucy herself!
See this year's insane Christmas light extravaganza

GIVEWAY: Join a 6sqft editor for a special ‘Christmas History in Gramercy’ tour

Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress

December 7, 2018

GIVEWAY: Join a 6sqft editor for a special ‘Christmas History in Gramercy’ tour

Did you know the nation's first public Christmas tree went up in NYC? Or how about the fact that Santa Claus was born here in both literature and drawing? And have you seen the famous restaurant decorated with 15,000 Christmas ornaments, 10,000 lights? Join 6sqft's managing editor Dana Schulz for her Christmas in Gramercy tour with the Municipal Art Society to see and learn about all this and more. Taking place, Saturday, December 15th, the two-hour event will reveal the surprising origins of our most beloved holiday traditions.
Enter to win tickets here!

Events & Things To Do

Our 4,700sqft: How European expats found a family home in a historic Hamilton Heights brownstone

Our ongoing series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to Laurence and Antoine’s 19th-century Hamilton Heights townhouse. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

December 4, 2018

Our 4,700sqft: How European expats found a family home in a historic Hamilton Heights brownstone

France natives Laurence and Antoine moved to NYC in 2006, after spending 12 years in Frankfurt, Germany. Antoine's career as a software developer brought the family of six across the pond, where they landed in Turtle Bay. But once they got acclimated, they knew they wanted a neighborhood with more character. So eight years ago, they bought a historic brownstone in Hamilton Heights. When asked if they miss anything about living in Midtown they quickly say "no," as they've fallen in love with Hamilton Heights' charm, convenience, and friendly neighborhood feel. But take away what's outside, and Laurence and Antoine's home alone would be enough to make any New Yorker fall in love. Built in 1890, the 21-foot-wide brownstone retains almost all of its original details, such as elaborately carved moldings and fireplaces (five, to be exact), cozy window seats, and jaw-dropping foliated screens in the master bedroom. However, with their children now out of the house, the couple is ready to downsize and has put their home on the market. But before they depart, Laurence and Antoine invited us in for a personal tour.
Have a look around

Ikea’s first Manhattan store will open this spring on East 59th Street

Rendering of what the new Ikea storefront will look like, via Ikea

December 3, 2018

Ikea’s first Manhattan store will open this spring on East 59th Street

After teasing us last week with news that they were in the "preliminary" planning stages of opening a city-center store in New York City, Ikea has today announced, that they will, in fact, open their first Manhattan store in spring 2019. The IKEA Planning Studio--a delivery-only store concept that focuses on "smart solutions for urban living and small spaces"--will open at 999 Third Avenue, right across the street from Bloomingdales at 59th Street and just over the Queensboro Bridge from Long Island City where Amazon is readying to bring 25,000 employees.
All the details

Uncategorized

Popular Articles

After a price chop to $18,500/month, Michael Cohen’s Tribeca condo goes into contract

November 29, 2018

After a price chop to $18,500/month, Michael Cohen’s Tribeca condo goes into contract

After dropping its price from $25,000 to $18,500 a month on November 12th, Michael Cohen's ill-fated Tribeca condo went into contract on Tuesday, 6sqft uncovered. The timing could not be more perfect for Trump's former personal lawyer, who pled guilty today in federal court to lying about previous dealings with Russia. Cohen bought the condo at 111 Murray Street for $6.7 million in July but promptly put it on the rental market in August. Apparently, he bought the apartment as an "investment" when he faced pressure to defer the taxes on the $3.3 million sale he made last year on his Trump World Tower apartment. As we explained. "by closing on a new unit, he was able to take part in the 1031 exchange that allows investors to roll proceeds from one transaction over to another."
All the dirt

Celebrities

After more than 20 years, Coney Island brings back holiday lights along Mermaid Avenue

Photo courtesy of the Alliance for Coney Island

November 29, 2018

After more than 20 years, Coney Island brings back holiday lights along Mermaid Avenue

For the first time in more than 20 years, Coney Island's Mermaid Avenue, its main retail corridor, will light up for the holidays. Alexandra Silversmith, the Alliance for Coney Island's executive director, told us that the snowflake-themed display "invites shoppers to visit Mermaid Avenue and support our local merchants while simultaneously welcoming residents home."
READ MORE

Events & Things To Do

The $600K pricetag is just as charming as the design at this Chelsea co-op

November 28, 2018

The $600K pricetag is just as charming as the design at this Chelsea co-op

Perhaps the Homepolish-designed interiors were not enough to entice buyers, as the price of this Chelsea co-op at 221 West 21st Street has dropped to $599,000 since it was first listed for $665,000 in August. Last year, we featured the unit below, which was then owned by BuzzFeed coder & investment banker Will Nathan, who became a partner in the interior design startup after they redid his place. Looks like word spread around the building, because the interiors at this unit are just as chic and charming, with colorful accents popping against exposed brick walls and bold statement pieces. Like the look? These furnishings are available for purchase, too.
See more

Distinctive Homes

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

November 28, 2018

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

6sqft and our friends at Untapped Cities recently announced a new joint event series where we'll offer behind-the-scenes tours of some of the city’s top architectural and design firms’ studios. First up is COOKFOX, who will open up their Midtown office space this coming Monday evening. Guests will be treated to a tour of the space's biophilic tools, wellness technology, and functional outdoor spaces, as well as a discussion with the firm about some of their most notable projects past and present. Interested in attended? Enter our raffle for a chance to win a pair of tickets!
Enter here

Events & Things To Do

Ikea reveals ‘preliminary’ plans to open Manhattan store

An Ikea store on Tottenham Court Road in central London, via Ikea

November 27, 2018

Ikea reveals ‘preliminary’ plans to open Manhattan store

Amazon, Target, and Trader Joe's have all cemented their Manhattan presence in recent years, and it looks like Ikea does not want to be left out of the action. In a Wall Street Journal story today that discusses the Swedish furniture company's larger restructuring plans (which includes slashing 7,500 jobs in an attempt to focus on delivery and digital efforts), it was revealed that Ikea will open 30 new stores in city centers over the next two years. There is currently a store in central London, and the next foray into major urban hubs will be its largest yet, a 5,000-square-foot space in Paris. After that, they'll open a city-center store in NYC, which we assume will be somewhere between FiDi and the 80s.
More details

City Living

For $900K, this Yorkville co-op offers two floors, a clever layout, and a private backyard

November 26, 2018

For $900K, this Yorkville co-op offers two floors, a clever layout, and a private backyard

Unless we're talking about a "sleeping loft," it's not that easy to find a true one-bedroom on the Upper East Side for under $1 million, but this charmer at 335 East 90th Street offers that and so much more. The completely renovated duplex not only has a large open living/dining area on the upper level, but below, it boasts a bedroom, bonus room, and 660-square-foot landscaped backyard. Pre-war touches such as exposed brick and a wood-burning fireplace remain but are complemented by modern built-in storage, a sleek kitchen, and contemporary spiral staircase.
There are even more surprises

Distinctive Homes

Join 6sqft and Untapped Cities for a new tour series of NYC architecture studios

November 26, 2018

Join 6sqft and Untapped Cities for a new tour series of NYC architecture studios

It's pretty simple to get a look at renderings and photos of NYC's latest architecture projects, and oftentimes just as easy to get inside the buildings. But what about the firms behind the buildings? To offer a fresh take on the architectural landscape of New York, 6sqft has teamed up with Untapped Cities to offer a brand new behind-the-scenes tour series of some of the city's top architectural and design firms' studios. Our first event will take place next Monday, December 3rd, at the Midtown offices of COOKFOX. Not only will you have the chance to explore the space, which has been outfitted with biophilic tools, wellness technology, and functional outdoor spaces, but you'll hear from Jared Gilbert, COOKFOX's Director of Communications, about designing the studio and how some of the firm's biggest projects (the proposed St. John’s Terminal addition where Google is rumored to be headed, a mixed-use tower at the Domino Sugar site that will be Williamsburg’s tallest, and the Bank of America Tower, NYC's first LEED Platinum skyscraper) have come to fruition.
Sign up for a spot on the tour!

Events & Things To Do

Local brewery honors Grand Central’s constellation ceiling with new beer

November 21, 2018

Local brewery honors Grand Central’s constellation ceiling with new beer

Of all Grand Central's amazing architectural feats and quirky secrets, nothing is more iconic than its famously backward celestial ceiling. So when Sunset Park-based Five Boroughs Brewing Co. started thinking about their next brew, they decided to pay homage to this work of art. "We may be biased, but to us, New York City is the Center of the Universe," Five Boroughs told 6sqft. "This beer pays homage to the beautiful ceiling at Grand Central Terminal and this amazing city we are lucky to call home."
Find out more

City Living

For just $450K, this Bronx co-op is cute, roomy, and three blocks from Yankee Stadium

November 21, 2018

For just $450K, this Bronx co-op is cute, roomy, and three blocks from Yankee Stadium

The hipster-taxidermy theme may be a bit strange, but that aside, everything about this Bronx co-op at 860 Grand Concourse is perfect--especially the $450,000 price tag. As the listing says, the spacious, two-bedroom spread is "contemporary, classic and sophisticated," with an infusion of colorful, quirky decor. And if moving to our northernmost borough seems like a hike, think again. With a location in the Grand Concourse Historic District just three blocks from Yankee Stadium, that means the building is equally close to the 4, B, and D trains, as well as right next to the shops at Concourse Village.
READ MORE

Distinctive Homes

A little steampunk adds vintage flair to this $900K Riverside co-op

November 20, 2018

A little steampunk adds vintage flair to this $900K Riverside co-op

This Upper West Side co-op at 224 Riverside Drive would be a great deal on its own, with a spacious one-bedroom layout, totally renovated kitchen, and oversized windows that let in lots of sun and incredible Hudson River views. But add in these subtle steampunk touches--moody grey walls paired with whitewashed brick, vintage-style furnishings like a leather Chesterfield sofa and industrial lighting, and an all-black bathroom--and that $900,000 price tag seems like even more of a steal.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

Incredible Greenwich Village co-op can be your own personal library for $5M

November 16, 2018

Incredible Greenwich Village co-op can be your own personal library for $5M

Library or apartment? The lines are blurred at this amazing duplex co-op at 40 Fifth Avenue that just hit the market for $4,995,000. The entire maisonette spread is full of pre-war details mixed with modern amenities, but it's the dramatic double-height living room that steals the show. The first level has creative built-ins that extend to the furniture, and the second floor is a wrap-around atrium balcony lined completely with bookshelves and window seats overlooking Fifth Avenue and 11th Street.
It doesn't stop there for bibliophiles

Distinctive Homes

The 25-year history of the Union Square Holiday Market

Photo via Flickr cc

November 16, 2018

The 25-year history of the Union Square Holiday Market

Today, flea markets, pop-up shops, and food halls are an everyday part of city life, but 25 years ago, this wasn't the case. In 1993, after working for several years at Urban Space Management in the UK, Eldon Scott arrived in NYC with the goal of opening a holiday market similar to those he'd worked on developing in London. He quickly set up the Grand Central Holiday Fair and shortly thereafter the Union Square Holiday Market. Modeled loosely on Christkindlmarkts, traditional holiday street markets held during advent that began in Germany, the Union Square market is now a holiday tradition for New Yorkers and out-of-towners alike, with 150+ vendors.
More history and info about this year's market

Events & Things To Do

De Blasio announces new Delancey Street bike lanes ahead of L train shutdown

Delancey Street via Wiki Commons

November 15, 2018

De Blasio announces new Delancey Street bike lanes ahead of L train shutdown

Mayor de Blasio has announced the opening of a new quarter-mile, two-way protected bike lane along Delancey Street on the Lower East Side. The stretch connects to the Williamsburg Bridge, the most traveled by cyclists of all the East River crossings, and is "expected to play a central role during the shutdown of L train service between Brooklyn and Manhattan" when it begins on April 27th. Currently, 7,300 cyclists cross the Bridge each day, and the Mayor expects the new bike lanes to double or even triple that number.
READ MORE

Transit

Co-living startup Common announces first Manhattan location in Hell’s Kitchen

Photo of another location, via Common

November 15, 2018

Co-living startup Common announces first Manhattan location in Hell’s Kitchen

As of April 2018, co-living startup Common had raised $40 million in Series C venture funding, far more than the $15 and $11.5 million raised by its competitors Ollie and HubHaus. Since opening its first NYC location in 2015 in Crown Heights, Common has expanded with 10 locations in Brooklyn and Queens, but they've now decided to turn their attention to Manhattan. The company announced today that they will open a 32-bed building at 47th Street between Ninth and Tenth Avenues in Hell's Kitchen--"a short subway ride on the C or 7 trains into Long Island City and Amazon's HQ2."
More details

Real Estate Trends

New renderings of Sunshine Cinema-replacing office tower reveal “Houston Alleyway”

November 14, 2018

New renderings of Sunshine Cinema-replacing office tower reveal “Houston Alleyway”

Nearly a year ago, we got our first look at the glassy box that would replace the Lower East Side's formerly iconic Sunshine Cinema. And now, developer East End Capital has launched an official website to market the office spaces at 141 East Houston Street that includes a trio of new renderings. First uncovered by CityRealty, not only do they show an interior commercial space and the ground-level retail, but they reveal "Houston Alleyway," a new green-walled passageway that will run south from Houston Street.
See all the renderings

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