All articles by Devin Gannon

Subway delays could cost the city’s economy up to $389M annually

Image © 6sqft

October 2, 2017

Subway delays could cost the city’s economy up to $389M annually

New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer released an analysis on Sunday that found the economic cost of subway delays could range from $170 million per year to $389 million in lost wages and productivity for businesses. The comptroller’s office used data from the MTA that looks at train schedules, passenger volumes and wait assessments by each subway line (h/t NY Times). Stringer’s analysis listed five subway lines that cause the biggest economic losses: 5, 7, A, F, and 4 trains. During a news conference Sunday, Stinger said, "The summer of hell is turning into the fall of frustration for subway commuters."
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City will pay 12 months of rent for homeless families if they move out of NYC

Photo via Wikimedia

September 29, 2017

City will pay 12 months of rent for homeless families if they move out of NYC

By Devin Gannon

Over the past few years, homelessness in New York City has hit its highest levels since the Great Depression. According to the Coalition for the Homeless, over 60,500 homeless people slept in one of the city’s shelters in July. To reduce these numbers, Mayor de Blasio’s administration introduced a program this week that pays 12 months of rent upfront for homeless families who find an apartment outside of NYC, as WNYC reported.
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Every borough but Staten Island is underserved by city’s affordable housing plan, study says

Photo via Wikimedia

September 29, 2017

Every borough but Staten Island is underserved by city’s affordable housing plan, study says

By Devin Gannon

While in July Mayor Bill de Blasio touted his Housing New York initiative for creating the most affordable housing units since 1989, housing advocates are questioning how many of these units actually match the need of the most rent-burdened New Yorkers. According to a new analysis by the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development (ANHD), city residents with the lowest income continue to be the most under-served by the affordable units created and/or preserved under de Blasio’s plan in every borough except Staten Island. New infographics from ANHD break down the share of each borough’s rent burdened population at each income level in comparison to the percentage of units created by de Blasio’s plan that serves them.
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New details about JFK’s TWA Hotel revealed, on track to open in 18 months

Rendering of TWA Hotel via MCR

September 29, 2017

New details about JFK’s TWA Hotel revealed, on track to open in 18 months

By Devin Gannon

MCR Development officially launched the mid-century modern TWA Lounge on the 86th floor of One World Trade Center on Thursday and provided a deeper look into plans to convert Eero Saarinen’s historic TWA flight center at JFK Airport into a hotel, event space, and dining destination (there will even be a bar in a vintage aircraft parked outside). As part of a public-private partnership between MCR and the Port Authority, the project will rehabilitate the landmarked Queens flight center by restoring the majority of its 1960s Jet Age features and adding a crescent-shaped hotel with 505 rooms flanking the original building on each side. According to MCR's CEO Tyler Morse, construction of the hotel is on schedule; it will go vertical on Monday, top out in December, and have its curtainwall applied by January. If everything remains on schedule, the project is expected to open in 18 months.
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HFZ Capital Group taps Bjarke Ingels to design 33-floor office tower in NoMad

Photo of Bjarke Ingels via Wikimedia

September 29, 2017

HFZ Capital Group taps Bjarke Ingels to design 33-floor office tower in NoMad

By Devin Gannon

Adding to the sudden skyscraper boom in NoMad, HFZ Capital Group is moving forward with plans for a project at 3 West 29th Street. HFZ’s original idea for the redevelopment of the site, which once held the now-demolished 1898 Bancroft Building, included iconic architect Moshe Safdie designing a 64-floor, 830-foot tall condo. However, instead, a pre-filed building application from earlier this month calls for a 33-foot office tower designed by Bjarke Ingels of BIG Architects, as CityRealty learned.
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First renderings of Essex Crossing’s phase two reveal new buildings and huge public park

Rendering of Essex Crossing’s second phase, courtesy of Moso Studio via Curbed NY

September 28, 2017

First renderings of Essex Crossing’s phase two reveal new buildings and huge public park

By Devin Gannon

Construction continues to progress at Essex Crossing, the roughly 1.9 million-square-foot mixed-use development planned to stretch several blocks on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. The site, also known as the Seward Park Urban Renewal Area, sat abandoned since 1967 until the city sold the nine sites to developers in 2013. While construction of the first phase of the massive project, which includes sites one, two, five and six, is underway, Curbed has acquired renderings for the development’s second phase, sites three and four. The third and fourth sites will be designed by CetraRuddy and Handel Architects, respectively, and feature residential, retail, office and outdoor space.
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Architecture And Design

September 27, 2017

No one wants to rent Ivanka Trump’s Park Avenue apartment

By Devin Gannon

After months of being on the market, the Manhattan pad of President Donald Trump’s daughter and advisor Ivanka Trump just won’t rent, despite three substantial price chops. The first daughter first purchased the two-bedroom, two bathroom condo at 502 Park Avenue in 2004 for $1.5 million. Upon her father’s election, Ivanka listed the apartment at Trump Park Avenue in November for $15,000 per month. In February, the price dropped to $13,000 per month. On Tuesday, the asking price was $10,450 per month, a 30 percent price cut since the presidential election, according to Bloomberg.
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City approves the Upper West Side’s tallest building, a 668-foot tower in Lincoln Square

Rendering of 200 Amsterdam Avenue via SJP Properties

September 27, 2017

City approves the Upper West Side’s tallest building, a 668-foot tower in Lincoln Square

By Devin Gannon

The Department of Buildings gave developers on Tuesday the go-ahead to construct a 668-foot residential tower on the Upper West Side. In a partnership between SJP Properties and Mitsui Fudosan America, the project at 200 Amsterdam Avenue will be the neighborhood's tallest tower, surpassing the current title-holder, Trump International, by more than 80 feet. As Crain's reported, construction was stalled after opponents argued the project did not follow required open space regulations and the buildings department shut down the site in July until the issue was resolved.
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New Developments

On the Lower East Side in the 19th century, a kooky cat lady took in more than 50 feline friends

Image courtesy of New York by Gaslight via Ephemeral New York

September 26, 2017

On the Lower East Side in the 19th century, a kooky cat lady took in more than 50 feline friends

By Devin Gannon

Before cat sanctuaries existed in New York City, one woman, in particular, may have been responsible for saving many kittens from the harshness of 19th-century city life. In the 1870s, a woman named Rosalie Goodman lived in a run-down home on Division Street on the Lower East Side. While she rented out most of the home’s bedrooms to tenants, she left two rooms for her family and her roughly 50 cats (h/t Ephemeral New York). In an article from 1878, the New York Tribune wrote, “Lying in the closets, on the tables, and under the stove, were cats of all descriptions. Some had broken limbs or missing eyes, the result probably of prowling around at night.”
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History

Kushner Companies revive plans for problem-plagued towers at One Journal Square

Old rendering of One Journal Square via KABR Group

September 26, 2017

Kushner Companies revive plans for problem-plagued towers at One Journal Square

By Devin Gannon

The contentious residential and office tower planned for One Journal Square in Jersey City is getting a second life today when Kushner Companies and KABR Group present revised plans for the project to the city’s Planning Board. Earlier this year, according to NJ.com, the developers failed to get a package of city subsidies, a major investor and future tenant left the deal and a state tax break never came. The updated plan seeking approval includes two 849 foot tall, 56-story towers with 1,512 residential units plus retail and office space. Older plans called for a 56- and 79-story tower with a total of 1,725 units.
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Real Estate Trends

New renderings of Lower Manhattan’s second tallest tower reveal golden Art Deco design

By Devin Gannon

The Financial District’s second supertall located just one block south of the New York Stock Exchange is getting ready for construction. The tower, found at 45 Broad Street, will reach 1,115 feet, feature 66 floors and include about 200 condominiums. As CityRealty discovered, new on-site renderings show a slender structure with an Art Deco style and pointed Gothic architecture. Designed by CetraRuddy, the tower will be the second tallest tower in Downtown Manhattan after 1 WTC, and the architecture firm's tallest tower yet.
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Architecture And Design

POP-UP concept is a floating parking garage with moving water reservoir and green space

Rendering of the facility during different weather, via THIRD NATURE

September 25, 2017

POP-UP concept is a floating parking garage with moving water reservoir and green space

By Devin Gannon

Due to a combination of population growth, car dependency and climate change, coastal cities across the country face growing issues with flooding, parking and lack of green space. As a solution, Danish architecture firm THIRD NATURE designed a 3-in-1 facility that stacks a water reservoir, parking facility, and urban space on top of each other (h/t ArchDaily). The project, called POP-UP, combines a large water reservoir with a parking garage that can move up and down as the reservoir fills and empties with water. Embracing the Archimedes principle of flotation, POP-UP works like a “piece of cork in a glass of water,” allowing the parking structure to correspond to the weight of the displaced water.
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Photo courtesy of Roman Kruglov on Flickr

September 25, 2017

MTA to provide more honest stats about subway service with new digital dashboard

By Devin Gannon

While your train will probably still be delayed and overcrowded, the reasons behind your slow commute may soon become clearer. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority managers will present statistics to the agency's board on Monday that reflect the rider’s experience, rather than MTA staff. As the Daily News reported, the MTA will unveil a digital dashboard that informs strap-hangers how much longer than usual they will wait for a train and how many minutes are spent on delayed trains. Plus, the new service will provide a tally of major incidents.
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Ai Weiwei exhibit will displace Washington Square Christmas tree this holiday

Ai Weiwei’s installation will be underneath the Washington Square Arch beginning this October, rendering via Ai Weiwei and Public Art Fund

September 22, 2017

Ai Weiwei exhibit will displace Washington Square Christmas tree this holiday

By Devin Gannon

An art installation from internationally acclaimed artist-activist, Ai Weiwei, will be displayed at the same time as the Christmas tree underneath the Washington Square Arch this year, displacing the tree, which has been a holiday tradition since 1924. The exhibit serves as one part of the famed Chinese artist’s larger project, “Good Fences Make Good Neighbors,” which will feature ten large fence-themed works and more than 90 smaller installations across the five boroughs. As Bedford + Bowery learned, the plan is moving forward, despite objections from the Washington Square Association, who sought an appeal to have the project withdrawn because it will disrupt the usual holiday celebration, the second oldest tree lighting ceremony in New York City.
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September 21, 2017

15 best spots to celebrate Oktoberfest in and around New York City

By Devin Gannon

As the weather cools and the fall foliage blooms, there is no better way to welcome autumn than listening to live music, drinking authentic German beer, and eating bratwurst and giant pretzels. Munich comes to New York City with tons of Oktoberfest events starting this month throughout the five boroughs, including some just a little further out of town. Celebrate Bavarian culture this year with events like traditional pig roasts, ceremonial keg tappings, "oompah" bands, stein-holding competitions and much more. Ahead, revel in the tradition of Oktoberfest and find the 15 best spots to grab authentic brews and brats this season with 6sqft's guide.
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Events & Things To Do

Live in Long Island City’s luxurious rental tower, the Hayden, from $947/month

Rendering of the Hayden, courtesy of Rockrose Development

September 21, 2017

Live in Long Island City’s luxurious rental tower, the Hayden, from $947/month

By Devin Gannon

The second batch of affordable apartments is now available at the Hayden, a 50-story, 924-unit highrise in the blossoming neighborhood of Long Island City in Queens. Designed by SCLE Architects, the building at 43-25 Hunter Street features amenities like a fitness center, yoga room, basketball court, rooftop solarium, screening room, library and more. Qualifying New Yorkers earning between $34,355 and $57,240 can apply for $947 per month studios, $1,017 per month one-bedrooms and the $1,230 per month two-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

The most rainfall ever recorded in NYC fell on September 23, 1882

A rainy NYC day, photo courtesy of dalioPhoto on Flickr

September 20, 2017

The most rainfall ever recorded in NYC fell on September 23, 1882

By Devin Gannon

While it appears New York City avoided much of Hurricane Jose’s wrath this week, experiencing only slight showers and mild winds, New Yorkers weren't as lucky on an autumn day in 1882. According to the National Weather Service, Sept. 23, 1882 is considered the rainiest day in New York City's history, with 8.28 inches of rainfall recorded (h/t NY Times). As a Times article reported from the record-setting wet event: “Umbrellas were useless, and most of the thin rubber over-garments proved of little service in excluding the drenching, penetrating streams which hit the wayfarer from above and below, and, for that matter, in front and behind as well."
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First look at Halletts Point’s phase two reveals pair of blocky, glass towers

Rendering of Halletts Point’s second set of buildings pulled from construction site, courtesy of The Durst Organization

September 20, 2017

First look at Halletts Point’s phase two reveals pair of blocky, glass towers

By Devin Gannon

Construction of the Durst Organization’s first development outside of Manhattan, Halletts Point, a $1.5 billion waterfront development in Astoria, is moving full speed ahead. As CityRealty learned, new renderings hanging outside of the construction site reveal two blocky towers covered in glass, with rows of balconies at their corners. Earlier this month, construction topped out on the project’s first two towers at 26-01 1st Street, designed by Dattner Architects. Now, work has officially begun on the second pair of buildings at 26-02 1st Street and 26-40 1st Street.
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Over 1,000 museums nationwide will offer free admission this Saturday

The Bartlow-Pell Mansion Museum in the Bronx, photo courtesy of Richard Warren via NYC & Company

September 19, 2017

Over 1,000 museums nationwide will offer free admission this Saturday

By Devin Gannon

It’s that time of the year again! Smithsonian Magazine is hosting its annual “Museum Day Live!” event which provides free admission to over one thousand museums, art galleries and historic homes across the country on one day only: Saturday, Sept. 23. In New York City alone, 25 institutions and educational spaces are open to the public at no charge.
More details here

Richard Meier’s first NYC skyscraper tops out, clad in black glass

Rendering courtesy of Richard Meier & Partners / Solow / BloomImages

September 19, 2017

Richard Meier’s first NYC skyscraper tops out, clad in black glass

By Devin Gannon

Along the East River just south of the United Nations, Pritzker Prize-winner Richard Meier’s 42-story, 460-foot-tall tower has officially topped out, CityRealty learned. Developed by Sheldon Solow’s East River Realty Development, the skyscraper at 685 First Avenue has an all-black, glassy facade to offer residents privacy and create a uniform appearance on the outside. Upon completion in 2018, the Turtle Bay residential tower will feature 556 rental and condominium apartments, with incredible panoramic waterfront views.
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Study says Mayor de Blasio’s affordable housing plan ignores low-income New Yorkers

Photo via Wiki Commons

September 19, 2017

Study says Mayor de Blasio’s affordable housing plan ignores low-income New Yorkers

By Devin Gannon

Despite making affordable housing a policy priority, Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan falls short for the poorest New Yorkers, a new study says. The report, released by the Real Affordability for All (RAFA) coalition last week, says low- and moderate-income households across the city face a worsening affordability crisis (h/t DNAinfo). Although the city’s lowest earners experience the largest gap between incomes and housing costs, de Blasio’s affordable housing plan, which aims to develop or preserve 200,000 affordable units over 10 years, sets aside more units for middle-income households than low-income ones.
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Apply for five affordable apartments in East Harlem, from $867/month

The East Harlem neighborhood, via Wikipedia

September 18, 2017

Apply for five affordable apartments in East Harlem, from $867/month

By Devin Gannon

Applications are now being accepted for five newly constructed, affordable units at 230 East 124th Street in the Manhattan neighborhood of East Harlem. Located between Third and Second Avenues, the six-floor building features 20 apartments. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for the units that range from a $867 per month studio to a $1,123 per month two-bedroom.
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Affordable Housing

Trump is claiming a $45K tax break by calling Trump Tower his primary residence

Photo of Trump Tower courtesy of Krystal T’s Flickr

September 18, 2017

Trump is claiming a $45K tax break by calling Trump Tower his primary residence

By Devin Gannon

While this week marks just the third time President Donald Trump has visited New York City since his January inauguration, property taxes he filed after the election designate Trump Tower as his primary residence. As the Real Deal reported, Trump will save $45,000 by calling his penthouse his main home, utilizing a tax credit known as the “coop condo abatement.” The credit can be used by owner-occupied co-ops and condos and takes off 28.1 percent of property taxes for the unit. Because of the tax abatement, the president has saved a little under $200,000 on his taxes over the last five years.
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Refugees are renting out Trump’s childhood home during this week’s UN General Assembly

Photo courtesy of Laffey Fine Homes from a previous listing

September 18, 2017

Refugees are renting out Trump’s childhood home during this week’s UN General Assembly

By Devin Gannon

With President Donald Trump back in New York City for the United Nations General Assembly this week, a group of refugees is staying at the president’s childhood home, renting the Queens property through Airbnb. The Jamacia Estates home at 85-15 Wareham Place is being rented by Oxfam, an anti-poverty organization, to bring attention to the refugee crisis (h/t NY Post). The group invited four refugees to talk with journalists at the rental, highlighting their concern with Trump’s travel ban on people from six Muslim-majority countries and all refugees that was introduced in January. After facing multiple legal challenges, the Supreme Court allowed the refugee policy to remain temporarily, but justices will hear arguments about the travel ban on Oct. 10.
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OTD in 1954, Marilyn Monroe’s dress famously flew up above a random NYC subway grate

The iconic shot of Marilyn Monroe via Wikimedia; subway via Steven Pisano/flickr cc

September 15, 2017

OTD in 1954, Marilyn Monroe’s dress famously flew up above a random NYC subway grate

By Devin Gannon

Sixty-three years ago today, one of the most iconic moments in cinematic history happened on the corner of Lexington Avenue and 52nd Street, above a gritty subway grate. On September 15, 1954, Marilyn Monroe’s white halter dress blew up over her hips while filming "The Seven Year Itch." The shot was taken after midnight, with thousands of fans looking at the Hollywood starlet standing on the grate, with the uptown 6 train running underneath. While the scene appears effortless, it took roughly three hours to film and 14 takes to get it just right. Despite the multiple takes, the scene was later re-shot in California, with the original shots used just for ads.
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