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.
NYC’s 10 best historic house museums
May 17, 2017

NYC’s 10 best historic house museums

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Did you know there are 23 house museums across the five boroughs? All of which are supported by the Historic House Trust, a nonprofit that works in conjunction with the Department of Parks & Recreation to preserve these sites of cultural and architectural significance. From farmer's cottages to gilded mansions, these public museums span 350 years of city history and offer fun additions such as art collections, historic holiday-themed events, and specialized tours. Ahead, 6sqft has put together a list of 10 house museums that represent some of NYC's most storied history.
Check out our favorite house museums
Landmarks approves plans to disassemble RKO Keith’s Flushing Theater’s historic interiors
May 16, 2017

Landmarks approves plans to disassemble RKO Keith’s Flushing Theater’s historic interiors

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In a rare case, the RKO Keith's Flushing Theater is an interior landmark, but the building it's inside is not landmarked. Built in 1928 to the designs of noted theater architect Thomas Lamb, the elaborately ornamented Churrigueresque-style movie palace has sat decrepit for the past three decades, until Chinese firm Xinyuan Real Estate (they're also behind Williamsburg's Oosten condo and the forthcoming Hell's Kitchen condo that will be anchored by a Target) bought the vacant theater for $66 million last year with plans to develop it into a 269-unit luxury condo. Moving ahead with this vision, they've tapped Pei Cobb Freed & Partners and preservation specialists Ayon Studio to erect a 16-story glass tower at the site, which includes plans to "enclose the interior landmark, and to disassemble, restore off-site, and reinstall salvaged ornamental plasterwork and woodwork and replicas" in a new residential lobby. Despite some opposition from the Historic Districts Council (HDC) regarding public accessibility, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted in favor of the plan, congratulating the architects and expressing great admiration for their design.
More details ahead
The Urban Lens: Travel back to the gritty Meatpacking District of the ’80s and ’90s
May 12, 2017

The Urban Lens: Travel back to the gritty Meatpacking District of the ’80s and ’90s

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6sqft’s ongoing series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation shares archival images of the gritty Meatpacking District from the 1980s to early 2000s. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. "Few parts of New York City have transformed as dramatically in the last decade or so as the Meatpacking District. Changes in the area are physical as well as spiritual. What was once a deserted ghost town by day, nightlife, sex club, and prostitution hub by night, and bustling workaday center of the Meatpacking industry from early morning to noon is now a glitzy, glamorized center of shopping, dining, tourism, strolling, and arts consumption," says Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation. The organization recently released a collection of archival photos of the neighborhood's post-industrial grit, "before the Whitney, before the High Line, before Apple and Diane von Furstenberg, even before Sex and the City discovered the neighborhood." Ahead, 6sqft shares these images, from the 1980s to the mid-2000s, which document the major transformation that's taken place in just the past decade.
See all the photos here
City may bring back ‘Barnes Dance’ crossing systems to high-crash intersections

A Barnes Dance crossing in Chicago, via Kevin Zolkiewicz/Flickr

May 11, 2017

City may bring back ‘Barnes Dance’ crossing systems to high-crash intersections

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At many intersections throughout the city, pedestrians who have the walk signal still have to contend with vehicles turning left or right. But at some of Manhattan's busiest crossings, the city may bring back the "Barnes Dance" system, which stops traffic in all directions, allowing pedestrians to cross to any corner, including diagonally. As Gothamist reports, yesterday the City Council unanimously passed legislation that requires the Department of Transportation to conduct a feasibility study about implementing these systems at 25 of the most high-crash intersections.
Read more
Lottery opens for affordable senior housing building at East Harlem’s Metropolitan Hospital site

Draper Hall, rendering via Dattner Architects

May 10, 2017

Lottery opens for affordable senior housing building at East Harlem’s Metropolitan Hospital site

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In March of 2015, East Harlem's Metropolitan Hospital Center filed plans to horizontally expand and add a new facade to their former nurses' dormitory known as Draper Hall. Located at 1918 First Avenue, the 14-story building had been vacant since Hurricane Sandy, and after Dattner Architects' renovation, it's been reborn as affordable senior housing, containing 203 subsidized units. Those age 62 and older who earn between $0 and $38,200 annually are now eligible to apply for 51 of these one-bedroom residences, for which they will pay 30 percent of their income.
Get all the info
New renderings of Hudson Yards’ retail and restaurant spaces
May 9, 2017

New renderings of Hudson Yards’ retail and restaurant spaces

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Yesterday, it was announced that celebrity chef José Andrés, credited with bringing the small-plate concept to the U.S., will be opening a massive Spanish food hall at Hudson Yards, closing a deal for the 35,000-square-foot space at 10 Hudson Yards that Shake Shack guru Danny Meyer had previously been in talks for. On the heels of the news, developers Related Companies and Oxford Properties Group released new renderings of the retail and restaurant spaces coming to the mega-development (h/t Curbed), most of which will be located in the "Shops and Restaurants at Hudson Yards," a seven-story building that will hold the majority of the 25 restaurants and anchor tenant Neiman Marcus.
More renderings and details ahead
The Urban Lens: ‘Zombie City’ exposes distracted New Yorkers in a gentrifying city
May 5, 2017

The Urban Lens: ‘Zombie City’ exposes distracted New Yorkers in a gentrifying city

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6sqft’s ongoing series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment, fine art and portrait photographer James Maher exposes the changing face of NYC post 9/11. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. It all started at the University of Madison in Wisconsin with a surprisingly successful fake ID "business," which was James Maher's first introduction to portraiture and Photoshop. After moving back to his hometown of New York post-graduation, Maher studied at the International Center for Photography, assisted commercial photographers, and became a certified tour guide, exploring the architecture and streetscapes of the city. In 2006, he opened his own photography business, combining his varied interests, which also come through in his black-and-white series "Luxury for Lease," where New Yorkers are captured candidly against the background of New York. In it, Maher exposes how quickly things changed in the years after 9/11; instead of coming for "acceptance and freedom" and "a culture of creativity," wealthy persons from the suburbs and elsewhere began to move back "with an insatiable appetite." By snapping photos of distracted New Yorkers, many of whom are zombie-fied staring at their phones, Maher examines the "disconnection, hyper-gentrification, conformity, and consumerism" that's infiltrated our streets.
See the series here
Live around the corner from Penn Station for $833/month

Rendering via GHWA (L); Construction topped off as of September 2016 via CityRealty (R)

May 2, 2017

Live around the corner from Penn Station for $833/month

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That might not sound like the most enticing location, but with Chelsea's galleries nearby, Nomad's booming restaurant and fitness scene just a five- or 10-minute walk away, and Hudson Yards shaping up to the northwest, this newly constructed building at 221 West 29th Street might have more to offer than you'd think. And as of tomorrow, those earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for 19 units here through the city's affordable housing lottery, ranging from $833/month studios to $1,082/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
16 spring house tours to check out in and around NYC
April 26, 2017

16 spring house tours to check out in and around NYC

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It's that time of year again—house tour season! Architecture buffs, historic home junkies, and garden lovers revel in the spring lineup of events, and to make planning a bit easier, 6sqft has rounded up 16 tours in and around New York City. From Harlem brownstones and Park Slope townhouses to Hamptons estates and Nyack mansions to Jersey shore beachfront homes and Hoboken's secret gardens, there's a little something for everyone.
The full event roster, right this way
My 360sqft: Realtor Michael Miarecki brings calming beach vibes and clever storage to the Upper East Side

6sqft’s ongoing series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to the Upper East Side studio of real estate broker Michael Miarecki. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

April 25, 2017

My 360sqft: Realtor Michael Miarecki brings calming beach vibes and clever storage to the Upper East Side

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When Michael Miarecki moved from a huge house in Miami Beach to a 360-square-foot studio on the Upper East Side he knew he needed to get creative. As a busy real estate agent with Sotheby’s International, he says his space "is a good example of taking a small space and creating a big story in it." By combining a beachy vibe of neutral tones, light fabrics, and comfortable furniture with clever small-space fixes like his custom-built bed platform, hidden shelving, and a carefully curated selection of mementos, he's created a calming oasis that feels twice its size. He's even worked out how to host eight guests over for a movie, six for a dinner party, and four to sleep. 6sqft recently paid Michael a visit to see how he does it and what a typical day uptown is like for him.
Take the tour
Stay in a 180-square-foot ‘Glass House’ in the Hudson Valley for $145/night
April 22, 2017

Stay in a 180-square-foot ‘Glass House’ in the Hudson Valley for $145/night

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ESCAPE Homes, who build "travel-ready" tiny RVs, have put their latest offering in the Hudson Valley up on Airbnb for $145/night. Known as "The Glass House," the super-compact, 180-square-foot getaway shares the rectangular footprint and oversized windows of Philip Johnson's masterpiece, but other than that, this rental is one-of-a-kind. Solar powered and off-grid, it sits on 30 acres of rolling hills just 90 minutes from Manhattan and can fit a queen-size bed, fully functional kitchen, dining area, and full bath with a tub/shower in its itsy footprint.
READ MORE
Weekly highlights: Top picks from the 6sqft staff
April 22, 2017

Weekly highlights: Top picks from the 6sqft staff

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NBC News anchor Lester Holt lists classy Nomad apartment for $6.6M First look at Domino Sugar Factory’s 11-acre park and waterfront esplanade Mayor de Blasio christens New York’s first Citywide Ferry with a ride into Brooklyn Bridge Park First home designed by Philip Johnson seeks $1M and a preservation savior Affordable housing lottery for seniors […]

The history of NYC’s Quonset Huts, Robert Moses-era veterans housing

A row of Quonset huts in Canarsie, via Brooklyn Public Library

April 21, 2017

The history of NYC’s Quonset Huts, Robert Moses-era veterans housing

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When veterans returned to NYC from WWII, they were met with a Depression-era housing shortage that resulted from a nearly 15-year lack of new development. To immediately address the issue, "master builder" Robert Moses (who by this time was reigning over the city's public housing projects) proposed erecting Quonset huts on vacant land in Brooklyn and Queens. These curved, corrugated steel "shacks" were used in the Pacific as barracks and offices, as they were lightweight and quick and easy to assemble. As the Brownstone Detectives tell us, after much debate, the city agreed to use more than 500 Federal surplus huts as temporary public housing on land along the Belt Parkway in the South Brooklyn neighborhoods of Canarsie and Jamaica Bay, as well as in Jackson Heights, Middle Village, and Corona in Queens.
Get the whole history
Trump’s travel restrictions may result in $600M loss of foreign tourism spending in NYC
April 21, 2017

Trump’s travel restrictions may result in $600M loss of foreign tourism spending in NYC

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After Donald Trump put in place his strict and controversial travel restrictions, foreign travelers unsurprisingly became wary or coming to the U.S., notably student and youth groups and those from Mexico. In New York City, international visitors make up just 20 percent of tourists, but they account for more than 50 percent of spending, dropping an average of $2,000 each during their stays, which also include more stays in the outer boroughs. However, NYC & Company, the city’s tourism agency, expects the number of foreign tourists to drop by 300,000 fewer than 2016, when 12.7 million international visitors came to NYC, the first drop in seven years. According to the Daily News, this will result in $120 million less in tax revenue for the city and state and $600 million less spending in the city.
More details ahead
First look at Domino Sugar Factory’s 11-acre park and waterfront esplanade
April 20, 2017

First look at Domino Sugar Factory’s 11-acre park and waterfront esplanade

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With building construction well under way at the Domino Sugar Factory site, Two Trees Management has now released details about the 11-acre park that will anchor the three-million-square-foot Williamsburg mega-development. To be known as Domino Park and designed by James Corner Field Operations, the quarter-mile open space will boast a new waterfront esplanade, six acres of parkland, a plethora of preserved artifacts, and easier waterfront access. In addition to sharing several new renderings, Two Trees also announced that the park will open in the summer of 2018.
All the details and renderings ahead
Enter the waitlist for $2,611/month middle-income apartments at creative Greenpoint rental Eleven33
April 20, 2017

Enter the waitlist for $2,611/month middle-income apartments at creative Greenpoint rental Eleven33

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The waitlist is open for $2,611/month two-bedroom apartments at Greenpoint's super-trendy rental Eleven33, which goes out of its way to check all the boxes in terms of "Brooklyn living" -- from a cyber café with an espresso bar to a landscaped rooftop terrace to a fitness center complete with CrossFit equipment. The affordable housing lottery is open to middle-income households of two, three, and four people earning between $106,080 and $158,550 annually.
Find out if you qualify here
The Apple Store’s iconic Fifth Avenue glass cube will be temporarily removed
April 20, 2017

The Apple Store’s iconic Fifth Avenue glass cube will be temporarily removed

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Boston Properties, who owns the former General Motors Building at 767 Fifth Avenue that has the Apple flagship located on its lower level, was issued a permit by the Department of Buildings to remove the iconic glass cube outside the store's entrance. The Post reports that it'll cost a staggering $2 million to take the structure down while Apple expands the Midtown location from 32,000 to 77,000 square feet.
READ MORE
10 chances to live in hip East Williamsburg from $833/month
April 19, 2017

10 chances to live in hip East Williamsburg from $833/month

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This rental building at 66 Ainslie Street may look like your quintessential warehouse conversion, but it was actually built from the ground up last year, designed by Aufgang Architects to blend in with East Williamsburg's trendy industrial vibe. Of its 50 apartments, 10 are reserved for those earning 60 percent of the area median income. These units include two $833/month studios and eight $895/month one-bedrooms and, as of tomorrow, are up for grabs through the city's affordable housing lottery.
Find out if you qualify
Apply for 20 affordable units near the Queensboro Bridge, starting at $1,254/month
April 17, 2017

Apply for 20 affordable units near the Queensboro Bridge, starting at $1,254/month

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The price is right, but the location may not be the most desirable for this new affordable housing building, as it's situated directly alongside the off-ramp to the Queensboro Bridge. Traffic views aside (we're hoping they installed sound-proof windows), these 20 apartments at 321 East 60th Street include $1,254/month one-bedrooms and $1,511/month two-bedrooms for those earning 80 percent of the area median income.
More on the project here
Affordable housing lottery for seniors opens at Essex Crossing, from $396/month
April 17, 2017

Affordable housing lottery for seniors opens at Essex Crossing, from $396/month

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At the beginning of last month, the first affordable housing lottery opened for Essex Crossing at Beyer Blinder Belle's huge mixed-use building 145 Clinton Street, where 104 below-market rate units were up for grabs. As of today, the second lottery is open, this time at Dattner Architects' 175 Delancey Street, a 14-story, 100-unit building at the megadevelopment's site 6 that will also offer ground-floor retail, medical offices for NYU Langone, and a senior center and job training facility from the Grand Street Settlement. These 99 one-bedroom apartments are set aside for one- and two-person households that have at least one resident who is 55 years of age or older. They're also earmarked for those earning 0, 30, 40, 60, and 90 percent of the area median income and range from $396/month to $1,254/month.
Find out if you qualify
The Urban Lens: Zooming in on New York’s captivating corner architecture
April 14, 2017

The Urban Lens: Zooming in on New York’s captivating corner architecture

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6sqft’s ongoing series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment, Sam Golanski highlights New York's unique narrow and corner buildings. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. 6sqft recently featured Sam Golanki's photography series "Park Avenue Doormen," where he gave the men who safeguard the Upper East Side's ritzy buildings a chance to step out from behind the velvet ropes and in front of the camera. He's now taken a similar approach--albeit this time with buildings, not people--in his collection "Narrow and Corner Buildings." Choosing to forego iconic structures like the Flatiron Building, Sam instead focuses on small structures off the beaten path that may otherwise be overlooked. "I realized the corner is the center of each block, a place for small businesses, barbershops, and coffee shops," he said, explaining that he didn't pre-plan the series, but rather was drawn to these unique structures while strolling the city.
Get a look at all the photos
‘Charging Bull’ sculptor takes action against ‘Fearless Girl’ statue; help raise $40K for a Jim Henson exhibit in Queens
April 12, 2017

‘Charging Bull’ sculptor takes action against ‘Fearless Girl’ statue; help raise $40K for a Jim Henson exhibit in Queens

By

Upper East Side establishments that suffered during the Second Avenue Subway construction are now seeing an uptick in business. [am NY] Take an interactive walking tour of 42nd Street’s history. [NY Mag] Astoria’s Museum of the Moving Image is raising $40,000 on Kickstarter to open a permanent Jim Henson exhibit. [DNAinfo] Six landlords own one-third […]

Sutton Place rezoning submitted in wake of planned 850-foot tower; sleep over at the Bronx Zoo
April 11, 2017

Sutton Place rezoning submitted in wake of planned 850-foot tower; sleep over at the Bronx Zoo

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The Union Square Greenmarket will offer Saturday beer and spirit tastings from licensed state breweries and distilleries. [Gothamist] Attend an adult sleepover at the Bronx Zoo next month. [UpOut] Zoning proposal capping the height of Sutton Place towers at 25 stories is officially submitted to the city, a day after Gamma Real Estate made headway in […]

‘Human Castell’ tower proposal turns the traditional skyscraper inside out
April 11, 2017

‘Human Castell’ tower proposal turns the traditional skyscraper inside out

By
Evolo has announced the winners of its 2017 Skyscraper Competition, and though projects specific to NYC didn't take the top spots this year, several of the honorable mentions looked at new ways to build high-rise projects in New York. This one, the Human Castell Skyscraper, comes from a New Zealand-based team who wanted to address the question "where does art end and architecture begin?" Inspired by the castells of ancient Catalonia, the designers eliminated exterior walls for the Midtown tower to open its insides out towards the city, tapping into the history of architecture using sculptural expression to speak of its inhabitants' "myths and tales."
More on the proposal ahead
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