All articles by Devin Gannon

Woodlawn Cemetery; Photo courtesy of Julia Xiao

October 11, 2022

Open House New York returns this month with free tours of 270+ places in NYC

The annual Open House New York Weekend returns for its 20th year this month and for the first time, the festival will be totally free to attend. OHNY takes place from October 21 through October 23 and offers an up-close look at more than 270 buildings, projects, and other spaces across New York City typically off-limits to the public. Even better, the festival has done away with its $5 reservation fee at places with restricted capacity and has introduced a new lottery system for ticketed locations that will replace its old first-come, first-serve model.
See the lineup

Apply for 37 mixed-income apartments at a new Williamsburg rental, from $1,576/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

October 10, 2022

Apply for 37 mixed-income apartments at a new Williamsburg rental, from $1,576/month

By Devin Gannon

On the site of a former bank and large parking lot, a new 123-unit rental is rising in Williamsburg. Located at 416 Metropolitan Avenue, the eight-story building opened an affordable housing lottery this week for 37 mixed-income apartments. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 80 and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, ranging from $1,576/month for studios to $3,733/month for two-bedroom units.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

NYC’s famous skinny house in Greenwich Village last listed for $4.2M enters contract

Listing photos by Rich Caplan

October 10, 2022

NYC’s famous skinny house in Greenwich Village last listed for $4.2M enters contract

By Devin Gannon

One of New York City's skinniest homes entered contract this week. At just nine-and-a-half feet wide, the townhouse at 75 1/2 Bedford Street in Greenwich Village is famous not only for its super slender frame but for its one-time resident, the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Edna St. Vincent Millay. The home, known as the Millay House, hit the market in August 2021 for $4,990,000 but got a price cut this summer to $4,199,000.
More here

Architecture And Design

Sutton Place maisonette is an art collector’s dream for $2.7M

Photo credit: Real Estate Production Network for Sotheby’s International Realty

October 10, 2022

Sutton Place maisonette is an art collector’s dream for $2.7M

By Devin Gannon

Full of antiques and paintings, this Manhattan pre-war co-op looks more like a fine art museum than a New York City apartment. Found in the enclave of Sutton Place at 419 East 57th Street, the lively maisonette duplex has two bedrooms, a 24-foot-long great room, and an expansive dining room, with handpainted trompe-l’oeil details throughout the home. Asking $2,695,000, the ground-floor apartment has its own street-level entrance.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

A Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Hudson Valley home 30 minutes from Manhattan asks $1.5M

Photos courtesy of Ellis Sotheby’s International Realty

October 7, 2022

A Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Hudson Valley home 30 minutes from Manhattan asks $1.5M

By Devin Gannon

A well-preserved mid-century prefab home in New York designed by prolific architect Frank Lloyd Wright hit the market this week. Surrounded by woods in the Hudson Valley hamlet of Blauvelt, the "Socrates Zaferiou House" was designed by Wright in a variation of his trademark Usonian style. Asking $1,525,000, the single-family home features a flat roof, L-shaped open floor plan, asymmetrical forms, and large windows to bring the outside in.
More this way

New York Mets take over the NYC subway for playoff run

All photos courtesy of New York Mets

October 6, 2022

New York Mets take over the NYC subway for playoff run

By Devin Gannon

To pump up New Yorkers ahead of the New York Mets' first playoff run in six years, the baseball team is taking over the subway system with a new ad campaign. The baseball team's iconic blue and orange colors and images of current and former players will be seen across the 7 train, the Times Square-Grand Central shuttle, and in the subway stations at Hudson Yards and Grand Central starting this week.
More here

For $3.3M, a Fire Island compound with modernist main home and 1960s beach cottage

All photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

October 5, 2022

For $3.3M, a Fire Island compound with modernist main home and 1960s beach cottage

By Devin Gannon

In the rugged Fire Island Pines, a mid-century modern home designed by a famed architect is for sale. Asking $2,350,000, the four-bedroom residence was built in 1964 by Horace Gifford, who developed dozens of cedar-and-glass beach homes now synonymous with the area, and underwent a major renovation in 2010. An opportunity to build the ultimate retreat, the property's separate, charming beach cottage is also for sale, listed at $975,000.
Tour both homes

$3.5M three-bedroom loft sits in one of Tribeca’s finest landmarks

All photos © Travis Mark

October 3, 2022

$3.5M three-bedroom loft sits in one of Tribeca’s finest landmarks

By Devin Gannon

Designed by prominent New York City architect Stephen Decatur Hatch, the six-story building at 451 Washington Street was constructed as a warehouse in 1891 and converted to co-ops in the 1970s. Citing its striking combination of neo-Flemish and Romanesque Revival architectural styles, the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the Fleming Smith Warehouse as a landmark in 1978. One of the 19th-century building's six co-op apartments hit the market recently, asking $3,495,000 for a three-bedroom corner loft.
See it here

Distinctive Homes

$40M brick-and-limestone townhouse in Tribeca has six floors topped by a rooftop pool

All photos courtesy of Evan Joseph Photography

September 29, 2022

$40M brick-and-limestone townhouse in Tribeca has six floors topped by a rooftop pool

By Devin Gannon

A 23.5-foot wide townhouse in Tribeca that underwent a top-to-bottom luxury renovation hit the market on Thursday for $39,995,000. The brick-and-limestone home at 145 Reade Street offers more than 10,600 square feet across six floors, along with multiple outdoor spaces, including a rooftop terrace with a swimming pool.
Take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

Take a tour of the tallest penthouse on the Upper East Side, asking $33M

All photos courtesy of Sean Hemmerle

September 28, 2022

Take a tour of the tallest penthouse on the Upper East Side, asking $33M

By Devin Gannon

Earlier this year, the highest residence in the tallest tower on the Upper East Side hit the market. This week, new photos of the penthouse at 180 East 88th Street were released, showing off the impressive architecture of the five-bedroom home, which was listed for $33,000,000 in March. On full display are the apartment's stunning sculptural staircase, dramatic archways, brass-framed windows, and private outdoor space with panoramic views.
Take a peak

Mindy Kaling is selling her Soho condo for $2.75M

By Devin Gannon

Mindy Kaling is selling her stylish Soho pied à terre for $2,750,000. "The Office" actress paid $3,100,000 in 2017 for the apartment, which is located on the sixth floor of 210 Lafayette Street. The renovated home measures nearly 1,200 square feet and has two bedrooms, two baths, and unobstructed city views.
See inside

Brooklyn Nets’ Ben Simmons in contract for $13M pad at Olympia Dumbo

All renderings courtesy of Marchmade

September 26, 2022

Brooklyn Nets’ Ben Simmons in contract for $13M pad at Olympia Dumbo

By Devin Gannon

Brooklyn Nets point guard Ben Simmons is moving closer to the Barclays Center. The basketball star has entered contract for a combined two-unit apartment at Olympia Dumbo, a new 33-story residential development next to the Brooklyn Bridge. The apartment was listed for $13 million, as the New York Post reported, but the purchase price won't be known until Simmons closes. While the Australian-born NBA star did not play in a single Nets game last season due to an injury, his new home in Dumbo is less than 15 minutes away from the team's home court.
Learn more here

José Andrés opens romantic rooftop bar at the Ritz-Carlton in Nomad

Photo courtesy of Björn Wallander

September 23, 2022

José Andrés opens romantic rooftop bar at the Ritz-Carlton in Nomad

By Devin Gannon

José Andrés opened a new cocktail bar on the rooftop of The Ritz-Carlton New York, Nomad last week. Described as a "glittering jewel box," Nubeluz, (the name is a mash-up of the Spanish words "nube" for cloud and "luz" for light), sits 500 feet above Nomad, becoming a part of the skyline while also boasting 270-degree views of it.
See it here

Proposed $2B mixed-use district with 2,800 new apartments in Astoria moves forward

Renderings by VERO Digital

September 22, 2022

Proposed $2B mixed-use district with 2,800 new apartments in Astoria moves forward

By Devin Gannon

A plan to build a large-scale development with 2,800 apartments in Astoria is moving forward. The City Planning Commission on Wednesday voted in favor of Innovation QNS, a $2 billion mixed-use district proposed for five blocks in the Queens neighborhood, spanning 37th Street to Northern Boulevard, between 35th and 36th Avenues. The project will then head to the City Council for a final vote where it may face resistance from the local representative, Council Member Julie Won, who said she wants at least 50 percent of the apartments to be affordable.
Details here

Lawsuit seeks to bar Donald Trump from acquiring any New York real estate for five years

Photo by Krystal T via Flickr

September 21, 2022

Lawsuit seeks to bar Donald Trump from acquiring any New York real estate for five years

By Devin Gannon

New York Attorney General Letitia James is looking to bar former President Donald Trump and his three adult children from acquiring real estate in New York for five years, a move that could deal a major blow to the family's business empire. In a civil lawsuit filed on Wednesday, James accused Trump and his business of engaging in years of deliberate financial fraud "to obtain a host of economic benefits." According to the Office of the Attorney General, Trump and the Trump Organization intentionally created more than 200 false and misleading valuations of assets in annual statements to defraud financial institutions from 2011 to 2021. The 214-page complaint comes after a three-year investigation into fraud across nearly two dozen Trump properties and assets.
More here

Policy

Plan to convert abandoned railroad tracks in Queens into High Line-style park moves forward

All renderings courtesy of the Trust for Public Land and Friends of the QueensWay

September 19, 2022

Plan to convert abandoned railroad tracks in Queens into High Line-style park moves forward

By Devin Gannon

A proposal to convert an abanonded railway in Queens into a public park is moving forward. Mayor Eric Adams on Friday announced a $35 million investment for the first phase of the QueensWay, a High Line-like linear park built on the long-defunct Rockaway Beach Branch Line that will serve the neighborhoods of Rego Park, Forest Hills, Glendale, Forest Park, Woodhaven, and Ozone Park. The city's investment covers an environmental review and construction of the first phase of the park.
Get the details

Architecture And Design

Triplex penthouse at Central Park Tower asks record $250M

Photo: Cody Boone for SERHANT.

September 16, 2022

Triplex penthouse at Central Park Tower asks record $250M

By Devin Gannon

Living atop the world's tallest residential tower won't come cheap. The triplex penthouse at Central Park Tower hit the market on Monday for an astonishing $250 million, set to become the country's most expensive sale ever if the home fetches the asking price. The highest residence in the world sits 1,416 feet above New York City on Billionaires' Row and takes up the building's 129th, 130th, and 131st floors.
More here

Distinctive Homes

Archtober 2022: This year’s top architecture and design events

Photo of Waterline Square Park by Elizabeth Felicella, Photo of Chinatown by Mobilus In Mobili on Flickr, Photo of Museum at Eldridge Street © James and Karla Murray, Photo of Bryant Park by Jean-Christophe Benoist on Wikimedia

September 14, 2022

Archtober 2022: This year’s top architecture and design events

By Devin Gannon

The festival that provides a behind-the-scenes look at some of New York City's most iconic buildings, public spaces, and cultural institutions returns for its 12th year next month. Held from October 1 through October 31, the Center for Architecture's Archtober is a celebration of architecture and design, with tours, talks, and events led by experts. While most of the events offered will be in-person, some will still be virtual or hybrid, which proved successful during the pandemic. Ahead, find just some of our favorite Archtober events happening this year, from exploring Art Deco gems of the Upper West Side to taking a tour of Brooklyn's tallest tower.
See our picks here

Designer loft in Nomad once owned by famous Met Opera singer asks $3.4M

All photos courtesy of Compass

September 13, 2022

Designer loft in Nomad once owned by famous Met Opera singer asks $3.4M

By Devin Gannon

The full-floor Nomad home that once belonged to famed operatic soprano Hildegard Behrens hit the market this week. Taking up the entire 13th floor of 11 West 30th Street, the classic Manhattan loft boasts 11-foot ceilings, an open layout, and industrial charm. Behrens, who was a star Wagner singer at the Metropolitan Opera in the 1980s and 90s, bought the apartment in 1987 and lived there until 1999. It's now available for $3,350,000.
See inside

Distinctive Homes

September 13, 2022

Julius’, New York City’s oldest gay bar, is one step closer to becoming a city landmark

By Devin Gannon

New York City's oldest gay bar is on its way to becoming an individual landmark. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to calendar Julius' Bar, a Greenwich Village establishment known for its historic 1966 "Sip-In" when members of the Mattachine Society protested the state law that prohibited bars from serving "suspected gay men or lesbians." Considered one of the city's most significant sites related to LGBTQ+ history, Julius' Bar played an instrumental role in advancing the rights of gay New Yorkers.
Learn more

Former UWS home of jazz legend Billie Holiday asks $14M

All photos courtesy of Evan Joseph Photography

September 9, 2022

Former UWS home of jazz legend Billie Holiday asks $14M

By Devin Gannon

The Upper West Side townhouse where legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday lived until her untimely death in 1959 is for sale. Located a block from Central Park at 26 West 87th Street, the historic Renaissance Revival-style brownstone measures over 6,300 square feet and has seven bedrooms and a rear garden. The home, which sold for $9,475,000 in 2017, is now on the market for $13,995,000 following a renovation by architect Amie Sachs, previously of Annabelle Selldorf Architects.
More this way

All renderings courtesy of Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

September 8, 2022

Work begins on JFK Airport’s new $9.5B international terminal

By Devin Gannon

Construction officially kicked off on Thursday on John F. Kennedy International Airport's new 2.4 million-square-foot terminal, set to be the largest at the Queens airport. In December, Gov. Kathy Hochul first unveiled plans for the state-of-the-art Terminal One, which is estimated to cost $9.5 billion, up from the projected cost of $7.4 billion in 2019.
Get the details

Boutique Noho condo relaunches sales with stylish $8M duplex

All photos by Allyson Lubow for The Corcoran Group

September 7, 2022

Boutique Noho condo relaunches sales with stylish $8M duplex

By Devin Gannon

Six years and one unit sold later, boutique Noho condo 22 Bond Street relaunched sales last month, with a sleek three-bedroom duplex now on the market. Designed by BKSK Architects, the six-unit luxury building first launched sales in 2016 but residences, all of which are three-bedroom duplexes with private outdoor space, have struggled to sell. Asking $8,000,000, the available apartment measures over 2,900 square feet and has a balcony that overlooks the building's lush multi-level garden.
Take the tour

Prospect Park-facing co-op with pocket doors, built-ins, and bay windows lists for $1.95M

Photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

September 6, 2022

Prospect Park-facing co-op with pocket doors, built-ins, and bay windows lists for $1.95M

By Devin Gannon

A rare four-bedroom apartment along Brooklyn's "Gold Coast" in Park Slope is available for under $2,000,000. On the parlor level of a 1908-constructed Beaux Arts Style building at 86 Prospect Park West, the co-op has pre-war details to gush over, like its original parquet floor and moldings, bay windows, and abundance of built-ins. Plus, there's room to grow, with three bedrooms, a den, two baths, and a formal dining room.
See more here

Distinctive Homes

Free classes taught by immigrant professors and experts return to Prospect Park

Photo credit: Gregg Richards

September 2, 2022

Free classes taught by immigrant professors and experts return to Prospect Park

By Devin Gannon

A "pop-up university" offering free classes and workshops taught by immigrant professors and experts from around the world returns to Brooklyn this month. Organized by the Brooklyn Public Library and the Prospect Park Alliance, University Open Air provides immigrant teachers, professors, and academics who were trained outside of the country a chance to share their knowledge with the public during free courses held outdoors in Prospect Park. University Open Air takes place on the lawn outside of the Boathouse in Prospect Park on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from September 8 through September 18.
Learn more

All articles by Devin Gannon

Pitch a Story

Interested in seeing the property in person?

Interested in seeing the property in person?

Distinctive Post Form

Get in Touch

Send us a Tip

Interesting in learning more about purchasing a new home?

Thinking about selling your home?

Sell a Home (Footer)

Before You Move On from this Page.

Your Passport to NYC:Subscribe for Local Insights and Stories!

Before You Move On
from this Page.

Your Passport to NYC:
Subscribe for Local Insights and Stories!