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.
October 12, 2018

A touch of Versailles comes to the Upper East Side in this luxuriant $2.2M co-op

It may not have the size of Versailles but in just 1,200 square feet, this Upper East Side co-op packs an opulent punch that'll have you saying "oui s'il vous plaît." The $2.2 million duplex is located within a former mansion at 8 East 68th Street, just a few buildings in from Central Park. And in addition to location, it boasts intricate crown moldings and ceilings medallions, reclaimed oak herringbone floors, and an incredibly ornate marble fireplace mantle.
Get a look around
October 11, 2018

Live at 15 Hudson Yards for just $858/month, lottery opens for 107 affordable units

Hudson Yards' first residential building to rise, the 88-story 15 Hudson Yards, has just opened its affordable housing lottery for 107 of its nearly 300 units. Listings for the market-rate condos went live two years ago, ranging from a $3.8 million two-bedroom to a $32 million penthouse. By comparison, the affordable rentals, available to New Yorkers earning 50 or 60 percent of the area median income, range from $858/month studios to $1,350/month two-bedrooms. And in addition to the incredible price point, residents will have access to all of the mega-development's amenities, including new parkland, The Shed performance space, and plenty of retail and restaurant space. Plus, 15 Hudson Yards has a 24-hour attended lobby, two floors of wellness offerings including a gym, yoga studio, and swimming pool, and a skytop lounge with views of the Hudson River and Thomas Heatherwick's huge climbable installation, the Vessel.
Find out if you qualify
October 8, 2018

Asbury Ocean Club wants to bring Manhattan luxury to the Jersey Shore

In just 70 minutes, you can drive from Manhattan to Asbury Park, New Jersey, and escape to one of the state's most up-and-coming areas (think Williamsburg meets Bruce Springsteen-land meets Venice Beach). And if you want to do this pretty regularly, the town's mega-developer, iStar, thinks it has found the perfect balance of urban luxury and beachfront living at their new condo/hotel the Asbury Ocean Club. Ranging from $900,000 one-bedrooms to two $6 million penthouses, the pricing is certainly more NYC, but on a recent visit, it was clear that the artsy vibe, live music scene, and booming foodie culture is uniquely Jersey Shore.
Learn all about this new development
October 4, 2018

For $795,000, live out your ‘Lord of the Rings’ fantasies in this energy-efficient hobbit house

Lucky for him, this "Lord of the Rings" superfan is a civil engineer who works in construction, so when he had the urge to build his very own hobbit house in the Dutchess County town of Pawling, it wasn't just a pipe dream. After spending more than six years constructing the residence, and even building it to Passive House standards, Jim Castigan has put the home on the market for $795,000, according to Gothamist. In addition to being built right into a hillside, the home shares other details with its Tolkien inspiration BagEnd, such as faux circular door and geometric patterns etched into the interior concrete.
Get the scoop
October 4, 2018

MTA will run a temporary ferry service during L train shutdown

Express buses, shuttle service, electric scooters, Citi Bike--now New Yorkers can add the ferry to their list of alternate transportation modes during the impending L train shutdown. The MTA announced that when the 15-month hiatus hits in April, they'll launch a temporary ferry service that will run express from Williamsburg to Stuyvesant Cove near the East Village. According to the agency, "In response to feedback from customers and elected officials, the temporary service will now include 240-passenger vessels that will provide up to 61% more capacity than originally planned."
All the details
October 3, 2018

Central Park ‘Squirrel Census’ needs your help counting rodents

"You will see [the park] through the eyes of the squirrel and you will learn the personalities of the Central Park squirrels," said Jamie Allen, creator of the Squirrel Census, to amNY. The multimedia science, design, and storytelling project has set its sites on Central Park and is recruiting volunteers to count just how many of the furry rodents, specifically the Eastern gray squirrel, call the park home. Why, you may ask? Because "determining the squirrel density of a park is a way to understand the health of that green space."
Get cracking
October 3, 2018

Upper West Side school-to-condo conversion reveals $18M solarium penthouse in former gymnasium

As of today, listings are live for developer/architect Cary Tamarkin's 555 West End Avenue. The project converted the former Catholic St. Agnes Boys High School into a 13-unit luxury condo. Not only does it retain the facade's original 1908 English collegiate- and Gothic-style elements, but the interiors benefit from the historic structure's 12-foot ceilings and oversized windows. The most impressive of these residences is undoubtedly the solarium penthouse, carved out of the school's one-time gymnasium. Listed for $18 million, the incredible space has a soaring 20-foot-high vaulted glass ceiling and an enormous, floor-to-ceiling arched window wall.
Lots more to see
October 2, 2018

100-unit lottery opens at all-affordable wing of Taconic’s Hell’s Kitchen rental, from $1,091/month

Nearly five years ago, the city rezoned a portion of Hell's Kitchen to allow the Clinton Housing Development Corporation and developers Taconic Investment Partners and Ritterman Capital to undertake a two-building residential project between 10th and 11th Avenues. The larger of the two, a 22-story rental with 392 units at 525 West 52nd Street, launched an affordable housing lottery for 80 apartments two summer ago. The shorter, 13-story component is located next door at 540 West 53rd Street, and as of today, New Yorkers earning 80, 100, 125, or 165 percent of the area median income can apply for all 102 of its residences. They range from $1,091/month studios to $3,270/month two-bedrooms and have access to amenities including two terraces, children's "splash pad," a fitness center, laundry room, and the adjacent public community garden.
Find out if you qualify
October 2, 2018

My 750sqft: Instagram’s ‘Apartment Botanist’ grows nearly 200 plants on the Upper West Side

Amassing 24,000 Instagram followers in just over a year is nothing to sneeze at, but when you have a collection of nearly 200 plants in a 750-square-foot Manhattan apartment, you're going to attract some attention. Artist Alessia Resta moved into her Upper West Side home seven years ago, and when she saw how much light came in through the west-facing, 16th-floor windows, she decided to finally start assembling the plant collection she always wanted, and there was born the Apartment Botanist. Today, Alessia, her boyfriend Micah, and their two dogs live very happily among the greenery, which includes many philodendrons (perhaps the most popular species among Insta-planties), Monsteras, and succulents. 6sqft recently visited their apartment to get a first-hand look at the plant paradise and learn what it takes to upkeep the operation. 
Take the tour!
October 2, 2018

Listings go live at the world’s skinniest skyscraper, 111 West 57th Street

The race to build the tallest residential building in the world has long been underway along Billionaires' Row, but 111 West 57th Street not only boasts height (at 1,428 feet it'll surpass the current record holder, 1,396-foot 432 Park Avenue until the 1,500-foot Central Park Tower tops out) but a frame that is so slender (a ratio of 1:24) it garners it the title of skinniest skyscraper in the world. And after six years watching the development unfold, listings have finally gone live for the 46-unit condo, first spotted by Curbed. The first batch includes seven units, six of which are three-bedrooms ranging from $18 to $30 million, along with a $56 million penthouse.
Ogle the floorplan porn
October 1, 2018

Go pumpkin picking and trick-or-treating on Governors Island

It's officially October, which means it's time to start planning your fall agenda. And while there are plenty of great places for pumpkin picking and foliage peeking outside the city, there are still some ways to enjoy autumnal activities without leaving NYC. On Governors Island, you'll find one of New York City’s only pumpkin patches, complete with a backdrop of fall foliage, live music, a beer garden, and pumpkin painting with the Children’s Museum of the Arts. And on Saturday the 27th, the Island will host free trick-or-treating.
Get the details
October 1, 2018

Lord & Taylor will end its 104-year run with a massive sale and just two holiday windows

Photo courtesy of Lord & Taylor At the beginning of next year, Lord & Taylor will close its Fifth Avenue flagship after a 104-year run. Owner Hudson’s Bay Co. sold the 676,000-square-foot Italian Renaissance building to WeWork for $850 million a year ago in an attempt to keep the department store brand afloat. With just a few months left at their storied location, Lord & Taylor will launch on Thursday a final “store closing” sale that will last through the holidays, according to the Post. And speaking of the holidays, they've also decided that instead of their normal six window displays between 38th and 39th Streets, they'll only decorate two this holiday season.
READ MORE
October 1, 2018

Lower East Side Coastal Resiliency Project will get fast-tracked with an updated design

In July, Rebuild by Design released an RFP for a stewardship partner for the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project (ESCR), a  reconstruction of the 64-acre, 1.5-mile East River Park, a flood protection system conceived in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. ESCR is the first of three phases in Bjarke Ingels' Big U, a series of self-sufficient flood zones stretching from West 57th to East 42nd Streets. Under the city's new mandate, construction on ESCR, which spans the loop from Montgomery Street on the Lower East Side to East 25th Street, will begin in spring 2020. Roughly 70 percent of the design will be updated, allowing flood protection to be in place one year earlier, by summer 2023, with the entire project wrapping up six months sooner. According to a press release from the Mayor's Office, the updated $1.45 billion design will also "raise the entire East River Park, with the flood wall at the water’s edge integrated with the bulkhead and esplanade that does not obstruct views to the water."
More details on the updated plan
September 28, 2018

$75,000/night Upper East Side hotel room is the most expensive in the nation

Most New Yorker don't spend $75,000 a year on rent, but a hotel room on the Upper East Side is asking that hefty sum for just one night. First reported by Bloomberg, the duplex penthouse suite is at the swanky Mark Hotel and boasts six bathrooms, five bedrooms, two wet bars, a 25,000-square-foot rooftop terrace overlooking Central Park, and a living room under the landmarked building's cupola that can be converted into a full-sized Grand Ballroom. In addition to being the country's most expensive hotel suite, it's also the largest at 10,000 square feet.
See the whole place
September 28, 2018

Where to find fall foliage in Central Park

You don't have to go upstate to experience the magic of fall foliage--right here in Central Park, there are 20,000 trees, many of which "transform into golden shades of yellow, orange, red, and more." Which is why the Central Park Conservancy has released its 2018 Fall Guide, complete with a map of the best spots to catch the autumnal bliss, as well as a list of upcoming fall tours.
READ MORE
September 27, 2018

Renzo Piano unveils his third and final building at Columbia’s Manhattanville Campus

Sixteen years after Columbia University president Lee Bollinger announced the development of the school's $6.3 billion 17-acre Manhattanville campus, he joined Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano to celebrate and unveil the third and final building of the starchitect's ensemble in West Harlem. Previously, Piano completed the Jerome L. Greene Science Center and the adjacent Lenfest Center for the Arts, and today he marked the completion of the Forum, the ship-like structure that peaks at the triangular intersection of Broadway and West 125th Street. The 56,000-square-foot building will serve as a flexible meeting and conference hub, and like its siblings, was purposefully designed with a transparent, public ground floor surrounded by plazas.
See photos of the Forum
September 27, 2018

Forest Hills Gardens Tudor can be your enchanted hideaway for $1.9M

Dating back to its early 20th-century roots as NYC's first garden city, Forest Hills Gardens is a treasure trove of historic Tudor homes. This especially enchanting beauty at 45 Markwood Place, just steps from Forest Park, has just hit the market for $1,875,000. Not only does it have all the characteristics of this fairytale-esque style--like exposed ceiling beams, terra cotta tiles, wrought-iron railings, and stained-glass windows--but it boasts a large, lovely backyard patio, two balconies, a one-car garage, and a spacious layout with four bedrooms.
See some more
September 26, 2018

Where I Work: Gregory Wessner organizes NYC’s biggest ’Open House’

As a media sponsor of Archtober--NYC’s annual month-long architecture and design festival of tours, lectures, films, and exhibitions--6sqft has teamed up with the Center for Architecture to feature some of their 70+ partner organizations as part of our Where I Work series. "Nothing replaces the first-hand experience of a great building or city," says Gregory Wessner, the Executive Director of Open House New York. And from October 12-14, New Yorkers will be able to experience stepping into building such as 3 World Trade Center and the Dime Savings Bank of Brooklyn, along with public spaces like Domino Park and Hunter's Point South--all as part of this year's OHNY Weekend. Wessner joined the organization five years ago, during which time the Weekend has exploded in popularity. Ahead of the big event, he gave us the low-down on what it's like to plan tour and talks with more than 250 buildings and projects across the five boroughs, his favorite buildings in NYC, and what we can expect from OHNY in the future.
Read the interview
September 26, 2018

First look at interiors and private park at Jeanne Gang’s Downtown Brooklyn condo

To coincide with the sales launch at Downtown Brooklyn's 57-story tower at 11 Hoyt Street, Tishman Speyer has released a slew of new renderings of the Jeanne Gang-designed condo. Previous views have shown how Gang's signature metallic rippling effect will be applied to the facade, but the new batch gives us a better look at the nearly 27,000-square-foot private park and the first glimpse of the interiors and amenity spaces.
All the renderings and details this way
September 25, 2018

Bullet-proof Upper East Side townhouse designed by Rafael Viñoly lists for $50M

Uruguayan-born architect Rafael Viñoly is best known for designing 432 Park, the tallest residential building in the Western Hemisphere, but apparently, he makes time for private homes, too--at least when they come with headline-making features like a bullet-proof glass facade. His firm was first tapped to design the townhouse at 162 East 64th Street back in 2015 by Argentinian business mogul and billionaire Eduardo Eurnekian. Originally, the seven-story (don't worry, there's an elevator) residence was to serve as both his home and U.S. headquarters, but it looks like he instead decided to list the finished product for $50 million (h/t CityRealty).
Check this out
September 25, 2018

REVEALED: Designs for Hudson Yards’ second phase of parkland

Last month, financing was secured for the second phase the extension of Hudson Park and Boulevard at Hudson Yards. The $374 million expansion--which will expand the existing park by 75 percent with a three-acre park over an Amtrak rail cut from West 36th Street to West 39th Street, between 10 and 11th Avenues--has gotten some slack for its price tag, which would make it NYC’s most expensive park project ever. But new renderings of the green space uncovered by CityRealty show everything this Western end of the project will bring to the mega-development, including an open lawn that will be turned into an ice-skating rink in the winter, curving stone paths amidst plush landscaping and tall trees, a food kiosk, and a colorful children's playground.
Have a look
September 25, 2018

Cuomo will bring a Hurricane Maria Memorial to Battery Park City

To mark the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Maria last week--along with new reports that confirm 3,000 Puerto Ricans lost their lives in the third-most-powerful storm to ever hit the U.S.--Governor Cuomo signed an executive order establishing a new Hurricane Maria Memorial Commission to provide recommendations pertaining to the site, design, and installation of a permanent memorial in Battery Park City. New York City has the largest number of Puerto Rican residents in the U.S. mainland and, to date, Cuomo has set aside $13 million to aide the more than 11,000 displaced Hurricane Maria victims living in New York state.
READ MORE
September 19, 2018

Live in a new East Williamsburg building with roof deck and courtyard for $801/month

If the Manhattan-fication of Williamsburg proper isn't quite your thing but you still want some of that artsy, gritty edge, consider heading a bit east. And if your household earns 60 percent of the area median income, or between $33,875 and $62,580 annually, you might want to apply for one of the 25 affordable units currently available at 125 Borinquen Place, a new 133-unit rental building with an impressive roster of amenities: a rooftop with hammocks, cabanas, dining, and outdoor movies; an indoor cinema room; a duplex fitness center; co-working areas; and a lovely landscaped courtyard. The units range from $801/month studios to $974/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
September 18, 2018

WeWork is officially Manhattan’s largest private office tenant

With 5.3 million square feet of office space, WeWork is officially Manhattan's largest private office tenant. Last month, we reported that the co-working giant needed just 74,000 more square feet to take the title from JPMorgan Chase & Co., and with their new, 258,344-square-foot location at 21 Penn Plaza, their 50th in the borough (they have 60 in NYC total), they've now surpassed them. The news comes via a blog post by WeWork exec Granit Gjonbalaj, who credits the company's "expertise" and the team's "holistic nature" that has allowed them to "identify, build, and deliver new locations better and more quickly than a typical developer."
Get the details
September 18, 2018

South Street Seaport’s Pier 17 will be transformed into a rooftop winter village

Update 9/19/18: The LPC approved Howard Hughes' and David Rockwell's proposal. It might still be steamy outside, but the colder months are upon us, and this year, NYC will have a brand new ice skating rink. CityRealty uncovered renderings that show how the Howard Hughes Corporation would like to transform the South Street Seaport's Pier 17--the SHoP Architects-designed food/drink, retail, and entertainment complex--into a rooftop winter village. The proposal by David Rockwell Group calls for an ice rink just slightly smaller than that at Rockefeller Center, a skate shop, and a warming hut. The team is presenting the plan to the Landmarks Preservation Commission (Pier 17 is part of the South Street Seaport Historic District) this afternoon, so check back for updates on the vote.
Check out all the renderings