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.
Zen Out in Your Apartment With the Meditation Tipi
June 9, 2016

Zen Out in Your Apartment With the Meditation Tipi

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Even the most cynical, high-strung New Yorkers need a little "namaste" time. If committing to a yoga membership seems like too much, why not get one of these Meditation Tipis, which allow you to "create your own sacred space for meditation, connection, writing, reading and more." Made in Bozeman, Montana by Little Turtle's Tipi, these handmade canvas teepees come with an imitation fur rug and a salt crystal aroma lamp for your favorite essential oils. And with a diameter of only six feet and height of seven, they're perfect for even the smallest apartments.
Find out how to get your own
Work Begins on Times Square ‘Activity Areas’ to Confine Characters and Performers
June 9, 2016

Work Begins on Times Square ‘Activity Areas’ to Confine Characters and Performers

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Mayor de Blasio first started pushing to corral the costumed characters and topless performers in Times Square last August, and now almost a year later work has begun on a reconfiguration of the area, reports the Daily News. A preliminary map that divided the plazas into three zones was released in September, but a new, final version was issued on Wednesday. Called "TSq Plaza Rules Cheat Sheet," it splits the tourist mecca into Chill Zones (places to "sit, nosh, meditate, take in the sites"), De$ignated Activity Zones ("commercial activities, street entertainment, posing for photos, vendors of expressive matter... in exchange for compensation, donation, or tips"), and Express Lanes ("pedestrian through lanes, NYC style"). After the City Council passed legislation eight weeks ago that gave the Department of Transportation the power to relocate the performers and ticket sellers, workers began painting the colored lines to delineate the zones on Wednesday night.
See the full map
Time Warner Actually Is the Worst; Can ‘Hamilton’ Beat the Robots?
June 9, 2016

Time Warner Actually Is the Worst; Can ‘Hamilton’ Beat the Robots?

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We’ve been right all along; Time Warner Cable has the worst customer satisfaction in the country. [Gothamist] To prevent Zika, a Long Island town is installing homemade wooden boxes to attract bats that can eat 1,000 mosquitoes an hour. [Inhabitat] West 103rd Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue has officially been renamed Norman Rockwell Place. [NYT] Anthony […]

‘Muhammad Ali Way’ Street Sign Appears Outside Madison Square Garden

Via DOT

June 8, 2016

‘Muhammad Ali Way’ Street Sign Appears Outside Madison Square Garden

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If you walk by Madison Square Garden today, you'll likely notice a group of people snapping photos of the street sign at the southwest corner of 33rd Street and 7th Avenue. That's because yesterday a temporary honorary street name was added in memoriam of Muhammad Ali (h/t Untapped). The sign that reads "Muhammad Ali Way" is positioned in front of a digital billboard that features another tribute.
See more photos here
MoMA Announces Major Frank Lloyd Wright Retrospective in 2017 to Mark His 150th Birthday
June 8, 2016

MoMA Announces Major Frank Lloyd Wright Retrospective in 2017 to Mark His 150th Birthday

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Today is the 149th anniversary of prolific architect Frank Lloyd Wright's birth, and with next year being the big 150, the Museum of Modern Art has announced a major exhibition in 2017 that will feature roughly 450 works that he created from the 1890s through the 1950s. "Frank Lloyd Wright at 150: Unpacking the Archive" will include architectural drawings, models, building fragments, films, television broadcasts, print media furniture, tableware, textiles, paintings, photographs, and scrapbooks, some of which have rarely or never been exhibited.
Find out more
POLL: Will Solar Canopies Be the New Wave of Solar Power in NYC?
June 8, 2016

POLL: Will Solar Canopies Be the New Wave of Solar Power in NYC?

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Installing solar systems in NYC can be tricky due to strict regulations and the complexity of buildings sites. But yesterday, 6sqft shared Brooklyn Solar Works' and Situ Studio's clever Solar Canopy, which "not only adheres to the city’s strict building codes, but has been developed specifically for the characteristically flat rooftops of NYC." The A-frame structures' columns bolt to rails attached to a building and are oriented at a 33-degree pitch to maximize panel efficiency when pointed south. And since they have a head clearance of ten feet, they don't eat up roof space. They've already been installed atop homes in Brooklyn, but at a price point of around $30,000 (though tax incentives bring that down to about $7,000) and a pretty obvious visual presence, can Solar Canopies replace traditional solar panel systems in the city?
Tell us what you think!
Local Governments Say State Law Gives MTA Too Much Zoning Freedom

Construction at Hudson Yards, where the MTA says it worked with local elected officials

June 8, 2016

Local Governments Say State Law Gives MTA Too Much Zoning Freedom

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New Yorkers know all too well that the debt-ridden MTA is constantly on the hunt for ways to raise funds, most of which, like fare hikes and toll increases, come straight out of our pockets. But the Wall Street Journal brings to light another, less direct way the agency may be looking to boost revenue. Under a provision in the state budget, the MTA would be exempt from local laws and zoning regulations when developing property. For example, a new apartment building on MTA-owned and -leased land "could be exempt from local property taxes and not contribute to the cost of services for the new residents." Local governments are concerned that this stipulation would lead to build-happy developers seeking out MTA property to bypass typical local reviews.
READ MORE
One Vanderbilt Will Cost a Whopping $3.14 Billion
June 7, 2016

One Vanderbilt Will Cost a Whopping $3.14 Billion

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Another supertall tower will join the $3 billion+ club. The Real Deal reports that SL Green Realty has pegged the cost of One Vanderbilt, Midtown's future tallest tower, at $3.14 billion. The city's largest office landlord also said it hopes to close on a $1.5 billion construction loan by the end of the summer, leaving $1.64 in equity needed to complete the 1,401-foot tower designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox. As TRD notes, One World Trade Center became the world's most expensive office tower in 2014 when it opened with a final cost of around $3.8 billion. Bjarke Ingels' planned High Line tower known as the Spiral is also expected to run over $3 billion.
More details this way
Long Island House Where ‘Amityville Horror’ Murders Occurred Asks $850,000
June 7, 2016

Long Island House Where ‘Amityville Horror’ Murders Occurred Asks $850,000

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When 6sqft looked at data regarding how murders affect home values, we learned that "prices fall about 4.4 percent when a home is located within 0.2 miles of a murder that occurred in the past year." The gruesome killings that inspired the "Amityville Horror" book and movies took place all the way back in 1974, but it looks like they're still a bit of a deterrent to prospective buyers. The Long Island house where then-23-year-old Ronald DeFeo Jr. shot his parents and four younger sisters while they slept has come back on the market for $850,000, less than the $950,000 the current owners paid in 2010, according to amNY.
Learn more this way
Rendering Revealed of Midtown’s $20,000/Month Assisted Living Facility
June 7, 2016

Rendering Revealed of Midtown’s $20,000/Month Assisted Living Facility

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It's being called the "One57 of Assisted Living," and though the location near Billionaires' Row and the exorbitant price points (rooms are expected to start at $20,000 a month, not covered by insurance) back up that claim, the team behind the project describes the building's design as being inspired "by classic Park Avenue apartment houses." The Wall Street Journal brings the first official rendering of the 15-story structure that will rise at the northeast corner of East 56th Street and Lexington Avenue, replacing a T.G.I. Friday’s restaurant to offer assisted-living and memory-care services to wealthy Manhattanites. Designed by SLCE Architects, it will feature private apartments, some of which will have terraces. "This is a place where these people can be reminded of things in their past, potentially by the design of the building and by the location of the building and have a significantly better quality of life," said Thomas DeRosa of co-developer Welltower Inc., clearly referring to nearby Park Avenue dwellers.
Find out more here
June 6, 2016

To Increase Affordable Housing, De Blasio Pushes Bill to Lift Development Caps

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In a continued quest to push ahead with his goal of adding/preserving 200,000 units of affordable housing over the next decade, Mayor de Blasio is backing a bill that will end state-imposed FAR (floor-area-ratio) caps to promote the construction of affordable housing. By lifting the size limits for residential buildings, and thereby increasing the number of units, neighborhoods currently affected by the cap, such as the Financial District, Midtown, and Hudson Yards, "could see both market-rate and affordable-housing stock soar," reports the Post. However, opponents of the bill feel that there's an underlying motive, catering to developers who have recently been called out for making hefty contributions to de Blasio.
READ MORE
Condo/Cultural Building Designed by the Late Zaha Hadid Will Rise in West Chelsea
June 6, 2016

Condo/Cultural Building Designed by the Late Zaha Hadid Will Rise in West Chelsea

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When the architecture community learned of the passing of Zaha Hadid in late March, it came as a bit of consolation that her first and only building in New York, 520 West 28th Street, had already begun to take shape along the High Line, ensuring that her legacy would last in our skyline. In much welcome news, 6sqft learns today that yet another design of hers will rise just three blocks away in Chelsea. A press release from The Moinian Group reveals that more than a year ago they worked with Hadid and her team to explore possibilities for 220 Eleventh Avenue, one of her final creations. The developer announced that the new building will be "a collection of signature loft-like condominium residences, a collection of penthouses and a cultural institution to establish itself as the hub of the world renowned art district that is West Chelsea."
More details this way
Apply Now For 63 Affordable Units Next to Woodlawn Cemetery, Starting at $865/Month
June 6, 2016

Apply Now For 63 Affordable Units Next to Woodlawn Cemetery, Starting at $865/Month

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If the thought of residing next to the interred doesn't bother you, here's a chance to live just steps away from one of the city's most beautiful and historic cemeteries. A housing lottery has opened today for 63 brand-new units at Webster Commons, a large affordable development along Webster Avenue in the Bronx, just next to Woodlawn Cemetery and not far from the New York Botanical Garden and Fordham. The apartments, which are reserved for those earning 60 percent of the AMI, include $865/month studios, $929/month one-bedrooms, and $1,121/month two-bedrooms.
More on the project
Explore Over 10,000 Acres of NYC Parkland With This Interactive Map
June 6, 2016

Explore Over 10,000 Acres of NYC Parkland With This Interactive Map

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Did you know that New York City has more ecological diversity than Yellowstone National Park? Take Central Park, for example, which is home to "more than 30 species of warbler, vireo, sparrow, thrush, and other songbirds" alone. Or Pelham Bay Park's eight species of owls. Then there's the 12 species of ferns at Queens' Cunningham Park. These tidbits come from a new interactive map by the Natural Areas Conservancy (h/t Untapped), who studied over 10,000 acres in 51 parklands across all five boroughs (an additional 10,800 acres are managed by the state and federal government and weren't included in the project). The organization created the map as a way to encourage people to explore the city's natural areas by showing them what they'll find -- "the types of plant and animal species, including those that are rare or threatened – and what activities are most commonly found."
Learn more
Weekly Highlights: Top Picks From the 6sqft Staff
June 4, 2016

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks From the 6sqft Staff

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Lottery Opens for 36 Middle-Income Apartments Across Harlem, Starting at $1,156/Month Bruce Springsteen’s Former NJ Farmhouse and Rehearsal Space Asks $3.2M Norman Foster’s First Brooklyn Project Revealed, A 7.7-Acre Red Hook Office Development The NYC Subway Accounts for 100-Percent of the Nation’s Transit Growth, Says New Study Spend July in Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s Decked-Out Former […]

Live Off Columbus Circle for $1,146/Month, Lottery Launching for 17 Affordable Units
June 3, 2016

Live Off Columbus Circle for $1,146/Month, Lottery Launching for 17 Affordable Units

By
Two years ago, work began on a seven-story, 17-unit building at 424 West 55th Street, on the fringes of Hell's Kitchen and just south of Columbus Circle. The red brick structure known as West of Ninth was designed by Aufgang Architects and replaced a white brick church with a 3,000-square-foot theater that Arker Companies purchased in 2012 for $8.16 million. Initial reports thought the development would be only partly affordable, but a new posting on the city's affordable housing list shows that all 17 of the units will be reserved for low- to middle-income tenants. The apartments will range from $1,146/month studios to $1,709/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
City Council Will Vote on Controversial Changes to the Landmarks Law
June 3, 2016

City Council Will Vote on Controversial Changes to the Landmarks Law

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Over the past couple years, preservationists have waged two big battles pertaining to the 51-year-old landmarks law. First, there was Landmarks Preservation Commission's decision to de-calendar 95 historic sites--in other words, remove them from the "waiting list" to be considered for landmarking, leaving them in jeopardy. The LPC eventually withdrew this plan after massive public outcry, but then proposed a bill, Intro. 775, to implement timelines for reviewing possible landmarks, which was met with criticism again for a perceived catering to developers who want to demolish or alter a property. The proposal stalled, but the Council is back at it, now "proposing a half-dozen recommendations to simultaneously streamline and expand the landmarks process" that they will vote on this month, reports the Times.
Learn about all the points
Red Hook-Governors Island Pedestrian Bridge Gets Funded; Climb 1 WTC’s Spire in This Video
June 3, 2016

Red Hook-Governors Island Pedestrian Bridge Gets Funded; Climb 1 WTC’s Spire in This Video

By

The tragic fire at Flatiron’s historic Serbian Orthodox Cathedral was caused by Easter candles. [NYP] Citizen Bridge, a proposed pop-up pedestrian bridge connecting Red Hook to Governor’s Island, will likely take shape thanks to a successful crowdfunding campaign. [Pop Up City] The Citicorp Center may become the youngest landmark in the city. [WSJ] A new exhibit at the Met will […]

$4B Overhaul of LaGuardia Airport to Begin This Summer, New Renderings
June 2, 2016

$4B Overhaul of LaGuardia Airport to Begin This Summer, New Renderings

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When Governor Cuomo revealed details and flashy renderings for his planned $4 billion overhaul of LaGuardia Airport, he assured New Yorkers "It’s not a plan; it’s not a sketch; it’s not a dream; it’s not a vision—it’s actually happening." And he wasn't kidding; LaGuardia Gateway Partners, a public-private partnership formed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, announced yesterday that they closed on the deal to develop a "replacement to the maligned LaGuardia Airport's Central Terminal Building and operate the new facility through 2050," according to Crain's. With work expected to kick off this summer, Curbed has also uncovered a few new renderings of the plan.
More details ahead
Bruce Springsteen’s Former NJ Farmhouse and Rehearsal Space Asks $3.2M
June 2, 2016

Bruce Springsteen’s Former NJ Farmhouse and Rehearsal Space Asks $3.2M

By
As any good New Jerseyan knows, The Boss loves living low-key at the Shore. From his days rocking the Stone Pony (where he'll still make the occasional surprise appearance) to his time living in this little beach bungalow, Bruce Springsteen has never been one to adopt a high-profile lifestyle. This is further evidenced by the suburban house in which he lived during the 1970s and '80s. Yes, it's a bit of a mansion, but it's located in the unassuming community of Holmdel, and when he took up residency there in 1976, he was only paying $700 a month. It was here that he wrote and rehearsed with the E Street Band much of the "Darkness on the Edge of Town" and "The River." After listing previously as a $5,000/month rental, the farmhouse at 7 The Summit is now asking $3.2 million, according to the Asbury Park Press.
Get to know more about Bruce's former residence
Norman Foster’s First Brooklyn Project Revealed, A 7.7-Acre Red Hook Office Development
June 1, 2016

Norman Foster’s First Brooklyn Project Revealed, A 7.7-Acre Red Hook Office Development

By
Back in 2005, the Joesph Sitt-led Thor Equities spent $40 million on a vacant, 7.7-acre parcel of land in Red Hook that juts 700 feet into the Erie Basin, between the Ikea parking lot and the Fairway. Preliminary visions for the former Revere Sugar Factory site included retail, office space, and residential buildings, but according to a press release sent out today by Thor, there will be no housing. Today's major announcement, however, is the architect selection: Norman Foster will helm the design of the new waterfront office complex, which will "include two heavy timber frame buildings totaling more than 600,000 square feet of creative office space, and 23,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space." Foster is a surprising choice for the project, as his commissions are typically flashy and in high-profile areas like Midtown or the Financial District. In fact, this will be his first building in Brooklyn. But the sole rendering shows his signature mix of contemporary panache (glassy construction with a cantilevering portion) and contextual thoughtfulness (low-scale, boxy structures in keeping with the industrial area).
More details ahead
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