All articles by Diane Pham

Diane is the founder and Editorial Director of 6sqft. After graduating from the University of Southern California with a B.S. in Real Estate Finance & Development and a minor in Architecture, she enjoyed stints at SCI-Arc, the A+D Museum Los Angeles, Perkins Eastman Architects and Resolution 4: Architecture. She also previously served as Senior Editor of Inhabitat.com and spent several years as an analyst at CB Richard Ellis Investments in Milan, Italy.

No Need to Read, Now You Can Watch ‘The New Yorker’ Magazine on Amazon

January 28, 2015

No Need to Read, Now You Can Watch ‘The New Yorker’ Magazine on Amazon

As much as we love The New Yorker, we have to admit it's often difficult to find time every week to read the magazine from front to back. But enter Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney and producer Dave Snyder, ready to save us from our literary guilt. Now you can watch every issue of the magazine comfortably from your screen. Amazon has just launched The New Yorker Presents, a brand new docu-series that compacts the experience of reading the weekly mag into an easily digestible half-hour.
Find out more here

City Living

Bunny Mellon’s Mansion Sells for $37M; East New York Focuses on Affordable Development to Stop Gentrification

January 28, 2015

Bunny Mellon’s Mansion Sells for $37M; East New York Focuses on Affordable Development to Stop Gentrification

Netscape co-founder James Clark has scooped up Bunny Mellon’s incredible Upper East Side mansion for $37 million. [TRD] As a way to “cushion against gentrification” in East New York, the city is vying to reserve the area for up to 7,000 affordable housing units. [DNA Info] Trump Soho may turn its condo component into hotel […]

Real Estate Trends

Photographer Jaka Vinsek Captures the Desolate Streets of New York During Last Night’s Blizzard

January 27, 2015

Photographer Jaka Vinsek Captures the Desolate Streets of New York During Last Night’s Blizzard

While the rest of us were bundled up indoors last night in anticipation of Snor'easter Juno, Brooklyn photographer Jaka Vinsek set out on a journey to capture New York's streets covered in snow. "I started at 10pm and got home at 7am," he says. "I walked on foot around nine miles." With transit shuttered at 7pm Monday, and a city-wide ban on vehicles (except emergency) beginning at 11pm, what Vinsek captures on camera is a desolate but eerily beautiful city. His photos feature unlikely scenes, including a completely empty Grand Central, as well as some wonderful moments of lone souls roaming amidst the city's dedicated workers pounding the pavement. Vinsek's photos show another, more peaceful side to our city that we often forget exists.
See more of the photos here

Events & Things To Do

‘Rent Is Too Damn High’ Patriot Receives Eviction Notice; Live in an Incredible Brooklyn Church Conversion

January 27, 2015

‘Rent Is Too Damn High’ Patriot Receives Eviction Notice; Live in an Incredible Brooklyn Church Conversion

Jimmy Mcmillan, a.k.a. founder of the ‘Rent Is Too Damn High’ movement, receives an eviction notice. [NYDN] Leasing starts tomorrow at the incredible Cartlon Mews church conversion development. [Brownstoner] The HPD is selling a coveted piece of land in Fort Greene near BAM to Jonathan Rose Companies for $1. In return the company must build a […]

Real Estate Trends

Billionaire’s DIY Mansion Likely to Hit a Roadblock with the LPC; Summing Up the ‘Save the View’ Debate

January 26, 2015

Billionaire’s DIY Mansion Likely to Hit a Roadblock with the LPC; Summing Up the ‘Save the View’ Debate

Billionaire Roman Abramovich will likely butt heads with the Landmarks Preservation Commission over the creation of his makeshift mansion. [Observer] All the layers of the ‘Save the View’ controversy happening by the Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn Heights. [Curbed] More than 32 contracts for homes priced at $4 million or more were signed last week. [TRD] City Tower, […]

Real Estate Trends

Tribeca Townhouse with Wild and Fiery Facade by System Architects Will Soon Come to Life

January 26, 2015

Tribeca Townhouse with Wild and Fiery Facade by System Architects Will Soon Come to Life

This isn't the sort of design we'd expect to see in Tribeca, but lo and behold, this bold statement by architect Jeremy Edmiston is about to become a reality along its brick and mortar block. The Tribeca Citizen reports that the single-family residence located at 187 Franklin Street is moving forward with construction on the kooky design which was first proposed in 2010. The project will see the building's facade removed and replaced with an undulating red facade complemented by silvery, net-like balconies.
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Architecture And Design

VIDEO: Visit the Wonderfully Weird Lower East Side of 1995

January 23, 2015

VIDEO: Visit the Wonderfully Weird Lower East Side of 1995

It's hard to imagine the Lower East Side without all of its barflies and bros, but get ready for a blast from the past. Bowery Boogie has found an amazing video that gives us a glimpse into the neighborhood's quirky past—well before it became a nightlife mecca for New York's downtown set. The four-minute film, aptly titled "Planet Ludlow," takes us through the block via Ludlow Street circa 1995.
Watch the video here

History

Bed-Stuy Locals Talk About Their Nabe with the ‘Times;’ Historic Park Slope Building Gets a New Lease on Life as Condos

January 23, 2015

Bed-Stuy Locals Talk About Their Nabe with the ‘Times;’ Historic Park Slope Building Gets a New Lease on Life as Condos

The New York Times visits Bed-Stuy, the first neighborhood featured in their new “Block by Block” series. [NYT] An historic building at 187 Seventh Avenue in Park Slope will be turned into condos. [NYT] A “Joie de Vivre” hotel is on the rise at 50 Bowery. [Bowery Boogie] A landmarked Brooklyn bathhouse, the Brooklyn Lyceum, will […]

Real Estate Trends

Billionaire Roman Abramovich’s DIY Mansion Getting Bigger; A Gramercy Park Building Wants $200M

January 22, 2015

Billionaire Roman Abramovich’s DIY Mansion Getting Bigger; A Gramercy Park Building Wants $200M

After holding a 199-unit apartment building in Gramercy Park for nearly 70 years, the owner has put it on the market for $200 million. [Crain’s] Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich’s makeshift mansion could be even bigger than initially reported. Word is he’s purchased yet another building on East 75th Street. [NYP] Designer Michael Kors is purchasing a posh penthouse at […]

Real Estate Trends

Most Millennials Would Rather Live in the Suburbs Than in a City Condo

January 22, 2015

Most Millennials Would Rather Live in the Suburbs Than in a City Condo

Has the pendulum swung back to favoring life in the 'burbs? A new poll conducted by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reveals that millennials would rather buy a home in the suburbs than squeeze into a cramped condo in the city. The survey showed that 66 percent would prefer to live in the suburbs, 24 percent want to live in rural areas, and just 10 percent want to live in a city center. The NAHB used a sample of 1,506 people born since 1977 to come to their conclusions.
More from the study here

Popular Articles

New LaGuardia AirTrain Will Actually Increase Travel Times, Anthony Weiner Weighs In

January 22, 2015

New LaGuardia AirTrain Will Actually Increase Travel Times, Anthony Weiner Weighs In

Get ready to have your bubble burst. As it turns out, Governor Andrew Cuomo's proposed AirTrain to LaGuardia would actually increase the time it takes to get to the airport, and for some areas, almost double travel time. The Transport Politic enlightened (and dispirited) hopefuls yesterday in an analysis that highlighted the fact that the new train would would deliver commuters to the 7 subway station at Willets Point, which is further away from Manhattan than the airport. In light of the findings, Anthony Weiner threw in his two cents this morning, penning an op-ed in the Daily News, saying "if we are going to solve this problem, we should do it right." The former congressman also threw a proposal of his own into the ring.
More on what Weiner had to say

Transit

One57 Records Another Blockbuster Sale, 85th-Floor Pad Sells for $55.6 Million

January 21, 2015

One57 Records Another Blockbuster Sale, 85th-Floor Pad Sells for $55.6 Million

There’s no slowing One57. Yet another blockbuster sale hit city records this morning, bringing the brash blue supertall its third most expensive sale to date—and the city its ninth most expensive condo sale in history. The ultra-luxe pad is the 6,240-square-foot 85th-floor unit, which boasts four bedrooms, four baths, and the lofty, breathtaking views that have have made One57 one […]

Live in a Regal Apartment with Jackie O Cachet; Architect Helmut Jahn Chats About 50 West

January 21, 2015

Live in a Regal Apartment with Jackie O Cachet; Architect Helmut Jahn Chats About 50 West

Live in the luxurious co-op carved from Jackie O’s father’s home at 115 East 36th Street. [Curbed] Architect Helmut Jahn talks about his design of 50 West. [NYT] Permit applications filed with the Department of Buildings doubled in 2014. [TRD] The Bronx Post Office moves closer to its rebirth as a shopping and dining mecca. […]

Real Estate Trends

Airbnb in the Hot Seat Today; Lower East Side Ranks Low in Noise Complaints

January 20, 2015

Airbnb in the Hot Seat Today; Lower East Side Ranks Low in Noise Complaints

Airbnb was the subject of a City Council hearing today as supporters on both sides debated the company’s presence in the city. [Brooklyn Magazine] Here’s your head-scratcher for the day: The Lower East Side ranks only 37th when it comes to noise complaints. [The Lo-Down and I Quant NY] Only one unit remains at 150 East 72nd Street. […]

Real Estate Trends

Tour the Chefs Club Restaurant by ‘Food & Wine’ Magazine at the Landmark Puck Building

January 20, 2015

Tour the Chefs Club Restaurant by ‘Food & Wine’ Magazine at the Landmark Puck Building

There's been plenty of talk about the luxurious penthouses that top off the historic Puck Building. But just below these spectacular homes is an equally stunning space that's sure to take your breath away—or at least get your stomach rumbling. Archdaily brings us on a tour of the Chefs Club, a brand new dining experience dreamt up by the folks over at Food & Wine magazine. The sleek eatery opened just last fall to rave reviews, and it's no surprise; the Chefs Club by Food & Wine is exactly what you'd hope it is: the magazine's "Best New Chefs" and an international roster of rockstar cooks whipping up meals unlike any you've had before.
Take a tour of the spectacular interiors here

INTERVIEW: Architects Michael Loverich and Antonio Torres of Bittertang Farm on Their Wild and Colorful Designs

January 20, 2015

INTERVIEW: Architects Michael Loverich and Antonio Torres of Bittertang Farm on Their Wild and Colorful Designs

Mark our words: Bittertang Farm is a studio to keep your eye on in 2015. Led by Michael Loverich and Antonio Torres, Bittertang features two enterprising architects who are bringing us wild works that have more than once been described as "squishy," "vivid," "frozen," and "frothy." Definitely not your run-of-the-mill designers, Bittertang's work is all about using innovative materials—often filled with gases and liquids, or brimming with plant life—to create public spaces that get people thinking about daily life and living in a whole new way. The studio's whimsical works have won them everything from an exhibit at the Storefront for Art and Architecture to an "AIA New York New Practices Award" just last year, and Antonio himself was even honored as a TED Fellow in 2013. But if that isn't enough to convince you of their rising stars, the studio was also recently short-listed as a finalist in MoMA PS1's 2015 Young Architects Program, which, for those who don't know, has for the last decade seen its entrants grow into globally recognized names. Keep reading for our interview with the up-and-coming duo as they discuss their work, their mind-bending process, and a few of the projects they're most excited about.
Get a taste of Bittertang Farm here

VIDEO: SNL’s Hilarious Sketch Pokes Fun at Bushwick’s ‘Grit’

January 19, 2015

VIDEO: SNL’s Hilarious Sketch Pokes Fun at Bushwick’s ‘Grit’

If you tuned in to SNL this past Saturday, you probably saw this hilarious sketch featuring Kevin Hart, Kenan Thompson and Jay Pharoah spoofing life in hipster-laden Bushwick. The trio are huddled on a street corner talking about all the "crazy things" they've been doing over the last week. SNL uses the opportunity to poke fun at everything that's gone granola in the 'hood, from handmade dog sweaters to the $8 artisanal mayonnaises that now dominate the area's once crime-ridden streets. "That last party was off the chain, bro!" Pharoah says. "There was drinking wine. It was painting landscapes, barriers, fruit. You know what I'm saying?" Hart: "Did you have any cheeses tho?" "You acting like somebody put gluten in your muffin."
Watch the video here

City Living

Russian Billionaire Roman Abramovich Buys Up Three UES Townhouses to Build a Makeshift Mansion

January 19, 2015

Russian Billionaire Roman Abramovich Buys Up Three UES Townhouses to Build a Makeshift Mansion

While some billionaires are busy eyeing the glass penthouses of the city's up-and-coming and ultra-luxe towers, others are taking a more DIY approach to realizing their dream home. The latest to join the building-your-own-mansion trend is billionaire Roman Abramovich, who according to the NY Post has just "secretly" purchased a 9,495-square-foot townhouse at 11 East 75th Street for $29.7 million from developer Larry Gluck. The buy follows Abramovich's December purchase of another 7,286-square-foot townhouse two doors down for $18.3 million, and word on the street is that he's in contract for the townhouse wedged right in between.
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Construction Resumes at 432 Park; The Case Against Supertalls and Their Super-Long Shadows

January 19, 2015

Construction Resumes at 432 Park; The Case Against Supertalls and Their Super-Long Shadows

Work has resumed on 432 Park. This follows last week’s stop work order issued after an eight-foot pole fell from tower and crashed into the street below. [Dezeen] Critics of supertalls blast NYC’s “as of right” development policy and what little has been done to protect the urbanscape from the shadows cast by these massive buildings. [The Guardian] A window washer […]

Real Estate Trends

$100 Million Condo Sale at One57 is NYC’s Most Expensive Ever

January 16, 2015

$100 Million Condo Sale at One57 is NYC’s Most Expensive Ever

Expect another blockbuster year for the super-luxury tower that launched a slew of other wannabe developments across the city. A palatial unit occupying the 89th and 90th floor of One57 has just sold for a record-breaking $100,471,452.77—the most expensive condo purchase ever recorded Manhattan. The buyer of the massive 10,923-square-foot penthouse apartment remains a mystery—city records simply show an […]

Real Estate Trends

Patrick Stewart Wants a “Stroller Lane” in Park Slope; Harlem’s Renaissance Ballroom is Unsalvageable

January 16, 2015

Patrick Stewart Wants a “Stroller Lane” in Park Slope; Harlem’s Renaissance Ballroom is Unsalvageable

Patrick Stewart wants a “stroller lane” in Park Slope and is willing to back a bill to make it happen. [NYO] It’s curtains for Harlem’s renaissance ballroom. To many’s dismay, the building’s owners have deemed it “unsalvageable”. [NYDN] A massive 40-story mixed-use building is coming to Coney Island. [TRD] It might have great views from the […]

Real Estate Trends

Could These Portable Temporary Homes Help Solve NYC’s Affordable Housing Crisis?

January 16, 2015

Could These Portable Temporary Homes Help Solve NYC’s Affordable Housing Crisis?

As the De Blasio administration struggles to find ways to remedy the city's affordable housing crisis, here comes a solution from overseas that could help solve their woes while also putting the city's nearly 15,000 revitalization-ready vacant lots to use. Dubbed Heijmans ONE, these Dutch-made prefab homes are easily portable, easily deployable, and are designed specifically to provide cheap housing for those who need it.
More details on the beautiful design here

Last Low-Rise Buildings Along Delancey Street Will Likely Be Razed for Condos

January 16, 2015

Last Low-Rise Buildings Along Delancey Street Will Likely Be Razed for Condos

It looks like the home of Get Set, Happy Wok, Taj Gold, and Sneaktip will soon be no more. Bowery Boogie reports that Ashkenazy Investments, the owner of the commercial stretch, has just listed their site at 156-164 Delancey Street for $7.5 million. Ashkenazy purchased the property two years ago simply leasing the units out, but as one would expect, they've just been waiting for the right moment to make a flip. With this week's reveal of the SHoP/Handel Architects/Beyer Blinder Belle/Dattner Architects-designed mega-development Essex Crossing just across the street, the timing couldn't be better.
Find out more here

Take a Drone Tour of the Hearst Building with Starchitect Norman Foster

January 15, 2015

Take a Drone Tour of the Hearst Building with Starchitect Norman Foster

In 2006, the doors of the Hearst Tower were swung open for business. The design of starchitect Norman Foster, the building was one of the most cutting-edge of its time, lauded for its diagrid form, its green construction, and the then-radical approach of marrying the old with the new. Apart from becoming one of New York's most iconic structures, the building also holds a special cultural significance in city's history: It was the first skyscraper to break ground after September 11th. Now, a decade later, Foster has returned to the Hearst Tower to mark its anniversary and reflect on his creation.
Watch the film here

Architecture And Design

Real Estate Wire: 432 Park Slapped with a Stop Work Order; Inside Hillary Duff’s Brooklyn Home

January 15, 2015

Real Estate Wire: 432 Park Slapped with a Stop Work Order; Inside Hillary Duff’s Brooklyn Home

Construction on 432 Park Avenue has come to a halt after an eight-foot-long pipe fell from the 81st floor and crashed in the street down below. No injuries have been reported. [Curbed] Did you know Hillary Duff lives in Brooklyn? Take a peek inside her home, which looks like it might be in Park Slope. [Elle] Adrian Grenier was spotted […]

Real Estate Trends

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