Brooklyn

Michelle Williams lists her gorgeous ivy-covered Boerum Hill townhouse for $7.5 million. See exclusive photos from the opening of the High Line’s third phase, as well as some beautiful snaps by photographer Iwan Baan. City Kids: Why parents pick city living over the suburbs. The Columbia Street Waterfront District, a quirky, 22-block enclave wedged between Red Hook […]

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September 26, 2014

Michelle Williams Lists Her Boerum Hill Townhouse for $7.5 Million

Michelle Williams’s gorgeous ivy-covered Boerum Hill townhouse just hit the market. And it comes with a three-car garage. The listing calls it “the one and only,” and for someone looking for a huge single-family home in this coveted South Brooklyn neighborhood, it just might be–assuming they can cover the steep asking price. First, the size factor: The corner townhouse is 22 feet wide, offering four stories, four and a half baths, at least six bedrooms, 12-foot-ceilings and a three-car garage that currently includes a rec room.
Find out what else makes this home so exceptional

September 26, 2014

New Exterior Rendering Released for 60 Water Street Rental Project in DUMBO

Two Trees Management Company has revealed an additional, close-up exterior rendering and a teaser website for their new rental development 60 Water Street in DUMBO, which is nearing completion. Designed by LEESER Architecture and Ismael Leyva Architects, the building will begin leasing in the coming weeks, though pricing and interior images have not yet been released. The façade stands out in the former-industrial neighborhood thanks to glass curtain walls with angled windows.
Get a closer look at the glass pattern and entrance

Image © Javier Ignacio Acuña Ditzel

September 25, 2014

Coney Island Design: “Defending the Honor of American Pop Culture”

By Jason Carpenter

Coney Island is an entertainment destination in New York, with its beach and amusement park rides, but it is also a city center for weirdo culture and kitsch. The neighborhood's aesthetic has developed into something like an early 20th century carnival surrounded by '60s and '70s storefronts which may or may not be conscious of their dated designs. So the question is, how do you design a new building in a neighborhood which is so identified with an attractively shabby, authentically dated look? Buildings like the Coney Island Museum face that difficulty with each passing year.
See the retro Americana design of Coney Island here

Architecture And Design

September 24, 2014

Our Top 10 Event Picks for Archtober 2014

By Jason Carpenter

New York City's architecture and design month is almost here. "Archtober" is 31 days of architecture and design events, including talks, tours, receptions, and festivals. There are dozens of events for you to check out, but we've hand-picked ten that will give you a well-rounded and memorable Archtober.
Find out here what events to check out

September 23, 2014

City Kids: Why Parents Pick City Living Over the Suburbs

The 'American Dream' may have dominated the last few decades, causing a mass exodus to the suburbs, but today's families are reversing the trend and turning their attention back to the city. The reasons are many: An appreciation for cultural offerings, the camaraderie and creative cross-pollination of networks of colleagues, friends and family, the convenience of being able to walk or bike to school, work or child care without a long commute—just to name a few. New York City has always been a haven for the forward-thinking, albeit a challenging one. And its newly-”discovered” outer boroughs as well as an unprecedentedly low crime rate have made the city a prime choice for family living. But what is it about those city kids—the ones with parents who planned from the start to raise their kids in a non-stop urban environment? We interrupted the busy schedules of five families currently raising school-age (or soon-to-be) children in New York City's many diverse and multifaceted neighborhoods to get some insight about why they wouldn’t have it any other way.
Hear what five parents of city kids have to say

September 23, 2014

Prominent Architecture Couple Buys Pretty-in-Pink Victorian in Ditmas Park

We have a feeling well-known architects David H. Sherman, of Abelow Sherman Architects, and his wife Benita Welch, a Principal at Gerner Kronick + Valcarcel Architects, will give the interior of their new home a fresh coat of paint before settling in...that is, unless they like the current bubble-gum-pink color scheme. It makes perfect sense that the couple picked up this Victorian house in Ditmas Park for themselves and their two children, as Benita specializes in restoring historic homes, and David is known for his expertise working with NYC townhouses. According to city records filed today, they purchased 28 Waldorf Court for $1.41 million. Located just off Rugby Road (often considered the heart of Victorian Flatbush) on a highly desirable cul-de-sac, the five-bedroom home has been in the same family for 30 years.
Tour the home before it gets what's sure to be a beautiful makeover

September 23, 2014

Artists Who Converted Ink & Brush Factory into Their Own Masterpiece List it for $4.4M

By their very nature artists are visionaries blessed with an innate ability to create something out of nothing. Time and time again some of New York City’s most industrialized areas have seen rebirth as residential enclaves courtesy of these imaginative souls. Examples of such artist-led gentrification abound - think SoHo, Chelsea, and Williamsburg, to name a few. So it should come as no surprise that it was two artists who came to the rescue of this former ink and brush factory located at 459 Carroll Street in Carroll Gardens and gave it new life as a practical-yet-cutting-edge home. Stripped to its core in 2006, the four-story manufacturing building built in 1888 was completely renovated into two distinct condominium residences, one of which is now on the market for $4.4 million.
From manufacturing-to-masterpiece right this way

Distinctive Homes

September 22, 2014

Oscar-Winning Director Errol Morris Buys a Poetic Brooklyn Heights Home for $1.9M

By Diane Pham

Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Errol Morris, and his poet wife Julia Sheehan have just closed on a charming three-bedroom at 22 Pierrepont Street in Brooklyn Heights for $1.9 million. According to city records, the couple will be following in the footsteps of another celebrated creative, having purchased the home from the estate of late Russian poet, 1987 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate Joseph Brodsky.
Inside the book-filled home here

September 22, 2014

Bright and Sunny Carroll Gardens Townhouse Sells for $2M

By Annie Doge

Bright, beautiful, and boasting plenty of space, one lucky buyer just scooped up this stunning townhouse at 297 Hoyt Street in Carroll Gardens for $2,175,500, according to city records released today. The brownstone home is currently configured in a two-family setup, but can easily be converted to one, adding an additional 1,300 square feet to the already spacious footprint. And with a private garden, full basement, and lots of original details, it will likely be hard for this home's new owner not to keep the entire townhouse to themselves.
Take a look inside

September 20, 2014

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks from the 6sqft Staff

The East River Skyway is revealed, and it could bring commuters from Brooklyn to Manhattan in under four minutes. Could it be the solution for increasing public transportation congestion? We talk to architect Adam Kushner about building the world’s first 3D-printed estate. See how a former Tribeca automotive garage was transformed into a space for living, art, and commerce. Sunset […]

Uncategorized

September 19, 2014

Brooklyn Loft in a Former Die Casting Factory Gets an Eye-Popping Upgrade by SABO Project

By Diane Pham

We've looked at a number of industrial renovations in the past, but this gut renovation recently completed by SABO Project definitely tops our list as one of the most inventive. The 'Doehler' loft is located within a 1913 building and was first renovated during the 80s. At the time, industrial chic wasn't quite as admired as it is today, and the developer opted to hide all of the structure's original details, encasing the columns and ceilings in lackluster drywall. When SABO took on the project last year, they knew that the home's historic roots as a former die casting factory was the magic of the space, and with that, they stripped the entire loft and constructed modern features that could complement the old.
Explore the incredible home here

September 18, 2014

From Four-Family to One: MAS Architectures’ Unique Carlton Avenue Conversion in Fort Greene

When tasked with converting this historic brownstone on Carlton Avenue in Fort Greene from an existing four-family residence to a single home for a growing brood, MANIFOLD Architecture Studio (MAS) appears to have focused on the one item that unified the building from the start – the stairway.
See more of MAS' Carlton Street conversion

September 17, 2014

Sunset Park: How Creativity and Commerce are Transforming This Waterfront Neighborhood

With plans in place that call for a public waterfront bustling with creative industry and commerce rather than luxury residential developments, Sunset Park is not on its way to becoming the next hip NYC residential neighborhood–and that’s a good thing. Located on Brooklyn's western waterfront flank, there are really two sides to Sunset Park. The neighborhood, generally defined as the area between 65th Street, the Prospect Expressway, Eighth Avenue and the East River, has long been a thriving residential community. Sunset Park is also home to about 15 million square feet of warehouse and light industrial space. The key to the neighborhood’s future may be the point at which the two meet.
Find Out How Fashion May Give Sunset Park a Chance to Shine As the New Garment District

City Living

September 17, 2014

Beautiful Brownstone Mansion on Prospect Park Asks $7 Million

By Aisha Carter

What if you had the opportunity to live in a 7,000-square-foot brownstone mansion on a picturesque block just a stone’s throw away from Prospect Park? That’s just a taste of what 312 Garfield Place has to offer, for $6.995 million. It is believed that the brilliant home was built by developer William Flannigan for New York businessman J. J Galligan sometime during the turn of the 20th century. The resulting five-story building has a distinct Victorian charm with a light Renaissance touch.
Take a look inside, here

September 17, 2014

POLL: Is the East River Skyway the future of NYC transportation?

Yesterday, Dan Levy, the president and CEO of CityRealty, presented his proposal for the ‘East River Skyway,’ an aerial gondola system that would run along the Brooklyn waterfront and into Manhattan, bringing commuters over the river in just 3.5 minutes. Now, we want to know what you think about the idea. Images: East River Skyway, courtesy of CityRealty […]

September 17, 2014

ANNOUNCED: Hudson Companies Will Buy Brooklyn Heights Library for $52M, Add Luxury Rental Complex

Just yesterday, the Brooklyn Heights branch of the Brooklyn Public Library announced that they will sell their building to the Hudson Companies for $52 million, along with the promise of 114 affordable housing units to be built at a different location in the neighborhood. The developer, who won the bid over 14 others, will convert the city-owned building at 280 Cadman Plaza West into a 20-story luxury rental complex with a new 21,000-square-foot library on the ground floor.
More details here

September 16, 2014

REVEALED: East River Skyway Will Bring Brooklyn Commuters to Manhattan in Under Four Minutes

By Diane Pham

There's no stopping the Brooklyn development boom, but getting to and from the borough from Manhattan will increasingly become a nightmare with thousands of new residential units hitting the market in the coming years. If you've commuted from Brooklyn to Manhattan (and vice versa) you know that the subway system is already taxed. But as more and more homes are added throughout the borough, it's surprising that no plans have been made to alleviate the transportation stress that will soon come with it. Until now. Today, Dan Levy, the president and CEO of CityRealty*, will present his proposal for the 'East River Skyway', an aerial gondola system that would run along the Brooklyn waterfront and into Manhattan, bringing commuters over the river in just 3.5 minutes.
Find out more about the proposed project

September 16, 2014

A Brooklyn Heights Loft in an Old YMCA Building Makes Room for Books, Art and Entertaining

The owners of this Brooklyn Heights loft on the top two floors of a converted YMCA building wanted to remodel their space to accommodate both of their individual, extensive book and art collections; they also needed a home that would be great for dinner parties and entertaining. Rather than settling on boring built-ins, they turned to Ensemble Architecture to create a solution that would put their most treasured items on show.
Tour the renovated space here

September 16, 2014

$1.5M Brooklyn Heights Triplex in Landmarked Eagle Warehouse Gets a Modern Update

Carriage houses, stables, factories…in a city short on space you have to get creative when looking for residential development opportunities. And this former warehouse at 28 Old Fulton Street in Brooklyn Heights is a perfect example of how a little vision can go a long way. When Brooklyn architect Frank Freeman completed the Eagle Warehouse and Storage Company building in 1894 it served as a place to store furniture and silverware. However, at the time, even warehouses were designed with a simplicity steeped in grace and beauty, often lacking in their modern-day counterparts. One look at the main entrance’s bold Roman arch adorned with the company name in large bronze lettering and there is no mistaking the care Mr. Freeman took with his “warehouse project”.
Read on to see what the future held for this warehouse

Distinctive Homes

September 15, 2014

Daily Link Fix: Where The Best Food Trucks Are; IKEA Defies Gravity with a Climbable Apartment

By Alyssa Alimurung

NY Daily News announces the launch of the 7th annual Governors Island Art Fair where “100 artists fill 100 rooms in the island’s former military barracks with their paintings, video installations, sculptures and photography.” I Quant NYC maps out where you can find the 25 winning street vendors of the 10th annual Vendy Awards. Time to grub […]

Uncategorized

September 15, 2014

Penthouse Sales Launch at Brooklyn’s Tallest Skyscraper, 388 Bridge

By Annie Doge

Downtown Brooklyn's most talked about new development—and tallest tower—has just announced the launch of its 'Penthouse Collection'. Located at 388 Bridge, 40 penthouses ranging from 1,144 square feet to 2,371 square feet on floors 45 through 53, have been priced at $1.742 million and up. The units offer up 360-degree views looking out to Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, and several residences have been set up as duplexes with outdoor terraces.
Find out more here including pricing

September 12, 2014

Landmarked Fort Greene Stable Perfectly Suited for Two-Legged Residents with $1.2M to Spare

It’s hard to imagine a place as crowded and cosmopolitan as New York City once being filled with the clip-clop of equine hooves, but at the turn of the century it is estimated there were 130,000 horses working in Manhattan—more than 10 times the number of taxicabs on the streets here today! In most cases, the stables that housed our four-legged friends have long since been razed to make way for buildings more suitable to modern commercial enterprise or human occupancy. Fortunately, the Feuchtwanger Stable located at 159 Carlton Avenue in Fort Greene didn’t meet a similar fate. Nearly a century after its construction in 1888, this gorgeous Romanesque Revival building was designated by the National Register of Historic Places and subsequently underwent a stunning condo conversion now home to a lovely one-bedroom apartment.
Read on to see one stable that survived

Distinctive Homes

September 12, 2014

South Williamsburg’s New Cool: Everything Below Grand Catches Up with the North

By Lauren Price

There has always been a somewhat “invisible” line dividing ritzier North Williamsburg and the once-grittier-but-now-gentrifying South Williamsburg neighborhood—and that southern portion’s border is generally considered to be from Grand Street to Division Avenue between Union Avenue and the East River. And though this south side of the neighborhood continues to be populated by a diverse group of residents, new amenity-filled developments are quickly attracting a younger population and pushing prices to match those in the northern part of the nabe. Here, we take a look at some of the most notable developments and a few cool listings bridging the gap ahead.
Find out more here

Real Estate Trends

September 11, 2014

Converted Cobble Hill Firehouse Comes with a Magical Secret Garden

Even if this rustic carriage house at 172 Pacific Street in Cobble Hill hadn’t been featured in various films over the years (including Eat, Pray, Love), its star-quality is more than evident. Although currently configured as a two-unit home, its three loft-like levels can easily be converted into a spacious four-to-six bedroom residence with some very minor adjustments.
No fire pole but lots more to see here

Distinctive Homes

September 11, 2014

Sales at the Broken Angel Condo Conversion Will Launch Next Month