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.
January 23, 2017

Amtrak tearing down Penn Station departure board; Billy Bush lost $1.4M on his Chelsea house

Penn Station’s archaic-yet-iconic Amtrak departure board is officially coming down today to make way for a series of updated, smaller information screens. [ABC 7] Mapping the top 10 fast food chains around the country. [Story Maps] A year ago, the feds began databasing high-end real estate buyers making all-cash transactions or hiding behind an LLC in […]

January 20, 2017

Express N train tunnel will close for a year in Brooklyn; Map shows the CO2 savings of CitiBike

The express N train tunnel between the 36th and 59th street stations in Brooklyn will close for a year for repairs starting next spring. [BK Paper] Brooklyn Brewery scrapped plans to relocate to the Navy Yard and will remain in Williamsburg. [NYT] Mapping the CO2 emissions of CitiBike and how they compare to the equivalent vehicle rides. [Inverse] […]

January 20, 2017

VIDEO: Watch the MTA clean subway tracks with their new Mobile Vacs

This past May the MTA recorded 50,436 subway delays, 697 of which were caused by track fires that could have been ignited by the 40 tons of trash that are removed from the system every day. To curb this ongoing issue, the agency announced in August "Operation Trash Sweep," an initiative that upped the frequency by which the 622 miles of tracks get cleaned. At the time, the MTA said it would also employ individually-operated Mobile Vacs that workers can use to quickly suck up trash. Yesterday, the agency released a video of the Vacs being tested, which not only shows their incredible force, but gives an overview of how the Operation is shaping up.
Watch the full video here
January 20, 2017

The Urban Lens: Inside ‘Little Odessa,’ Brighton Beach’s quaint beachfront Russian community

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, Chaz Langley explores the people and establishments that breathe life into Brighton Beach. 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 Chaz Langley's photo series "A Stroll in Chinatown," where he captured the neighborhood's unique cultural establishments and the everyday comings and goings of its residents. He's now taken the same approach with Brighton Beach, Brooklyn's beach-front community that's often referred to as "Little Odessa" for its strong Russian community. Langley, a Nashville native who moved to New York almost a decade ago to pursue a career as a singer/songwriter/actor/model, has taken to sharing his location-specific collections on Instagram, integrating his graphic design background in their presentation. From a fruit stand to boardwalk, his Brighton Beach series certainly paints a picture of the neighborhood.
See all the photos here
January 20, 2017

MTA backs plan to raise subway and bus fare to $3 come March

At a board meeting over the summer, the MTA began discussions about increasing subway and bus fare to $3 by 2017 "in an effort to raise more than $300 million annually," as 6sqft reported at the time. The Daily News has now learned that the agency will officially recommend the four-percent increase at their board meeting next week. Though they'll be passing on another option that would've kept fares at $2.75, the hike will increase the bonuses that come with re-loading one's MetroCard from 11 to 16 percent, "an extra 96 cents for every $6 purchase."
Find out more
January 19, 2017

You can now apply for IDNYC online; Bjarke Ingels featured in new Netflix design series

Bjarke Ingels will be featured in Netflix’s new series, “Abstract: The Art of Design” as one of eight design professionals in different fields. [ArchDaily] You can now forego the long lines at enrollment centers and apply for IDNYC online. [Brokelyn] Restaurateur Keith McNally’s historic West Village townhouse has been on and off the market since 2012, but […]

January 19, 2017

Gain free admission to these NYC cultural institutions on Inauguration Day

A couple weeks ago, a long list of artists, including Cindy Sherman and Richard Serra, started a petition calling for cultural institutions to close on Inauguration Day as "an act of noncompliance" against "Trumpism." That list has grown to 740 artists and critics, and many galleries, museums, and academic spaces will shut their doors tomorrow according to the J20 Art Strike. But there's also a long list of museums and cultural institutions across the city that have decided to take an alternate approach and remain open, offering free admission and/or special programming. From a marathon reading of Langston Hughes’s"Let America Be America Again" at the Brooklyn Museum to special gallery tours at the Rubin, these are all the (free!) ways to use the arts as an outlet on Inauguration Day.
See the full list here
January 19, 2017

$10.5M Federal-era house in Brooklyn Heights was Truman Capote’s muse

When he penned an essay about his neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights in 1959, it was this wood-frame house at 13 Pineapple Street that inspired Truman Capote. "Cheerfully austere, as elegant and other-era as formal calling cards, these houses bespeak an age of able servants and solid fireside ease; of horses in musical harness," he wrote, referencing the 1830 Federal-era home that was around the corner from his personal house. The Wall Street Journal reports that, for the past 26 years, the residence has been preserved by a couple who were drawn to its grey shingles as a reminder of the old houses in Nantucket they love. But now that their children are grown, they're looking to downsize and have listed the storied property for $10.5 million.
All the history right this way
January 18, 2017

Mapping NYC subway stops according to their most popular Instagram hashtags

The Houston Street 1 station is #cronut; the PATH train’s World Trade Center station is #neverforget; and the Cathedral Parkway/110th Street station is #Seinfeld. This is the NYC subway map according to each stop's most popular Instagram hashtag. CityLab first shared the fun visualization, titled #tagsandthecity, and pointed out that, though the map has categories for sightseeing/monuments, shopping, leisure, culture/museums, and hotel/travel, it's the food and drink that really takes the cake. From #redrooster and #robertas to #shakeshack and #halalguys, it seems New Yorkers really like to post some food porn.
See the full map
January 18, 2017

Of NYC’s 150 historic statues, only five are female; inside Carnegie Hall’s secret archives

There are 145 statues around the city honoring historical male figures, but only five for women. The Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Statue Fund hopes to change this. [Gothamist] The Department of Finance estimates that NYC’s real estate is now worth $1.16 trillion. [TRD] Did you know there are more than 300,000 historical artifacts in […]

January 17, 2017

Department of Health says it’s okay to eat Gowanus Canal fish in moderation and kayak in the water

The real estate community has been looking closely at Gowanus as of late thanks to rezoning plans that will likely spur high-end development and proposals for a public esplanade. To some, this waterfront vision seems a bit off due to the toxicity of the Canal and its history as a Superfund site, but naysayers may be changing their tune as a new report from the New York State Department of Health tells us that "limited direct contact with the canal's waters, through boating or fishing" doesn't increase the risk of cancer and other diseases, according to Gothamist. It's still not safe to swim in the water, but, believe it or not, men and women of certain ages can even eat some of the Canal's fish.
Find out more
January 17, 2017

Tour Trump’s childhood home before it goes to auction tonight; Ambassador Grill interiors landmarked

Seven places to go in NYC to hibernate from Inauguration Day. [Untapped] Donald Trump’s childhood home in Jamaica Estates, Queens is headed to auction tonight, but you can take a virtual tour beforehand. [NYT] A year after Fox and News Corp. ditched their plans to move into 2 World Trade Center, they’ve signed extension and expansion leases at […]

January 17, 2017

A look back at the lost Grand Centrals of the late 19th century

Historic photos of the original Penn Station are almost as common as images of the current site, since its demolition in 1963 is often credited with spearheading the modern preservation movement (and because its grandeur is a startling reminder of how loathed the current station is). Conversely, Grand Central is typically celebrated as a preservation victory. In 1978, the courts ruled in favor of the Landmarks Preservation Commission when Penn Central Railroad sued them to build a huge tower atop the terminal and demolish one of its facades. But believe it or not, the 1913 Beaux-Arts building was not the first Grand Central, and photos of these grand earlier structures are rarely shared.
See them here and get the full history
January 17, 2017

Trump to name New York developers Richard LeFrak and Steven Roth to oversee new infrastructure council

President-elect Donald Trump has previously outlined his $1 trillion infrastructure plan not just as a means to repair and build bridges and roads, but as a real estate platform for private entities to build and subsequently own public works such as schools, hospitals, or energy pipeline expansions through $137 billion in tax credits. So it comes as no surprise that he's tapped two of his longtime buddies and big-time New York real estate developers to head up the new council that will monitor this spending. The Wall Street Journal reports that Trump asked Richard LeFrak and Vornado's Steven Roth to manage this council of 15 to 20 builders and engineers, referring to the men as "pros" because "...all their lives, they build. They build under-budget, ahead of schedule."
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January 16, 2017

Helen Hayes’ former Nyack home asks $719K

Helen Hayes' acting career spanned nearly 80 years, earning her the nickname "First Lady of American Theatre" and garnering her distinctions such as being one of only 12 people to win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and a Tony and earning her the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the National Medal of Arts. When her storied life came to an end in 1993, she was living in Nyack, New York, where she first took up residency when she married playwright and screenwriter Charles MacArthur in 1928. At that time, the couple moved into a home at 29 Shadyside Avenue that Charles' father had built in 1908. Now dubbed the "Helen Hayes Honeymoon Cottage," the lovely Arts and Crafts-style home is on the market for $719,000 (h/t CIRCA).
See it all
January 16, 2017

With the rise of ride-hailing apps, daily yellow cab trips fell 27 percent since 2010

6sqft recently shared analysis that 3,000 ridesharing vehicles could replace the city's fleet of 13,587 taxis. And while this was more a comment on how carpooling can decrease congestion and emissions, it also points to a changing landscape for yellow cabs. In a piece this weekend, the Times looks at how taxis have fallen out of favor with New Yorkers since apps like Uber and Lyft came onto the scene; these vehicles now number more than 60,000. In 2010, for example, yellow cabs made an average of 463,701 trips, 27 percent more than the 336,737 trips this past November, which also resulted in a drop in fares from $5.17 million to $4.98 million. And just since 2014, the cost of a cab medallion was cut in less than half of its former $1.3 million price tag.
Read more on this trend
January 16, 2017

Cuomo dubs revised 421-a plan ‘Affordable New York,’ advances new legislation

A year after the city’s 421-a tax exemption program expired, a new version of the affordable housing incentive is officially moving forward. In August, Governor Cuomo released a new version of the plan that which include wage subsidies for construction workers and extended terms for the tax breaks, and after the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York and the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) reached an agreement in November to move ahead with this version, the Governor's office now reports that they'll be advancing new legislation to move ahead the program that's now been re-named "Affordable New York." Cuomo says this will create 2,500 new affordable housing units per year.
All the details this way
January 13, 2017

Bronx Commons will bring 305 affordable apartments and a new music venue to the South Bronx

Not only did the Times recently name the South Bronx one of this year's hottest travel destinations, but the up-and-coming 'hood has become a hotbed for new development. Many of these include affordable housing, which is the case at Bronx Commons, a mixed-use development in the Melrose Commons neighborhood that broke ground this morning. The $160 million project includes 305 all-affordable apartments, retail, and a landscaped public plaza, all of which will be anchored by the Bronx Music Hall, a new 300-seat venue that will serve as an "arts-centered community hub focused on the deeply rooted history of cutting edge Bronx music," according to a press release from developers WHEDco and BFC Partners.
Find out more about the project
January 13, 2017

Own Frank Lloyd Wright’s horseshoe-shaped ‘Tirranna’ home in New Canaan, CT for $8M

For the first time in 20 years, Frank Lloyd Wright's "Tirranna" home in New Canaan, Connecticut is on the market. The Wall Street Journal reports that the home, which Wright built just before his death in 1959 on a 15-acre wooded estate, has been listed for $8 million by the estate of its long-time owner, the late memorabilia mogul and philanthropist Ted Stanley and his wife Vada. Though the couple renovated the horse-shaped home, they maintained its original architectural integrity, preserving classic Wright details like built-in bookshelves, cabinets and furniture, as well as other unique features such as a rooftop observatory with telescope, gold leaf chimneys, and sculpture paths that wind through the woods.
See it all right here
January 13, 2017

The Urban Lens: Nei Valente’s ‘Newsstands’ shows the changing face of media

By day, Nei Valente is a designer at branding agency Brand Union, but in his free time he photographs street scenes around the city, many of which are taken once the sun has set. In "Newsstands," he captures the changing face of newsstands around the city, exploring how their evolution relates to our shift from print to digital media. Inspired by Moyra Davey's newsstand series of 1994, Valente finds it fascinating how newsstands have changed over the last couple of decades.
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January 13, 2017

Third lottery opens at Pacific Park Brooklyn, apply for 303 affordable units from $532/month

Last spring, the first housing lottery opened at Pacific Park Brooklyn when 181 affordable units at SHoP's 461 Dean Street (the world's tallest modular tower) came online. It was followed a few months later by 298 openings at 535 Carlton Avenue, COOKFOX's entirely affordable building, and now the third set of apartments for low- to middle-income New Yorkers is open. SHoP Architects also designed an all-affordable building at 38 Sixth Avenue, adjacent to the Barclays Center, and as of today these 303 residences are up for grabs, ranging from $532/month studios to $3,695/month three-bedrooms. Households earning between 101 and 165 percent of the area media income (or up to $173,415 annually) are eligible for 198 of the units, while 105 units are set aside for those earning between 30 and 100 percent (as low as $20,126 a year).
More details and the whole qualification breakdown
January 12, 2017

The Met delays its new $600M wing; photographing NYC’s abandoned coffee cups

Following a $31 million deficit, the Met will delay its new $600 million Modern and contemporary art wing by up to seven years, instead focusing on roof/skylight work in the European paintings galleries. [NYT] In his series “Morning Joe,” photographer David Joseph captures discarded, abandoned coffee cups on the streets of NYC. [Untapped] The city’s 3.3 million immigrants, who […]

January 12, 2017

The city added 21,963 affordable housing units in 2016, the most in 27 years

When Mayor de Blasio took office in 2014, he vowed to build or preserve 200,000 units of affordable housing over 10 years, and so far, he's made good on his word, despite the loss of the city's controversial 421-a program. The Times reports that today the Mayor will announce that his administration has added 21,963 affordable units in 2016, the most since 1989. Of these apartments, 6,844 were in newly constructed buildings and roughly 4,400, or 20 percent, were reserved for low-income New Yorkers earning less than $25,000 (much more than the eight percent goal). More than 30 percent were in Manhattan, followed by 29 percent in both the Bronx and Brooklyn.
More details