Architecture And Design

In February, the futuristic Pier 55 floating park planned for the Meatpacking District moved forward with a lease deal between the Hudson River Park Trust and a nonprofit group controlled by Barry Diller, the billionaire media mogul who pledged $130 million back in November to fund the $151.8 million park. Diller is allocating the funds through the Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation (his wife is fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg), but under the agreement he can pull his support if he feels renovations at neighboring piers aren't up to par. And according to DNAinfo, the city's backup plan in this event is quite underwhelming, completely scratching the floating island and creating a $30 million park similar to others along Hudson River Park.
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Architecture And Design

April 20, 2015

190 Bowery’s New Tenant Plans to Keep Iconic Graffiti on the Facade

Those who have been mourning the loss of 190 Bowery to the clutches of the rich can breathe a slight sigh of relief. Just a month after having some of its graffiti removed, the WSJ reports that the former Germania Bank—and former home of photographer Jay Maisel—has just inked its first lease. The tenant, "a company made up of agencies representing creative professionals in the industry of luxury and fashion image-making" has signed on for nearly 30,000 square feet and says that it will maintain all of the building's historic touches, from "its marble wash basins to the graffiti covering the lower part of the facade."
Find out more

Architecture And Design

April 19, 2015

Brooklyn Designer Katy Skelton Crafts Storage-Friendly and Stylish Furniture for City Dwellers

By Patty Lee

It's a dilemma that almost everyone has faced — where do we find a media console that's storage-friendly, but isn't a complete eyesore? Enter Brooklyn-based designer Katy Skelton, whose Desi cabinet brings us the best of both worlds. Made from solid walnut, the beautiful console features two drawers and two cabinets, each with removable shelves that owners can move and adjust according to their needs. Doors are equipped with soft-close hardware and cabinets boasts cord management cutouts to help organize all the different video and stereo systems.
See more of Skelton's timeless designs here

April 17, 2015

Long Island City’s Hot New Park-Front Project Liv@ Murray Park North Set to Begin Sales

While Manhattan buyers typically pay a great premium for a park-front address, a single subway stop away in Long Island City, a new condominium aptly named Liv@ Murray Park North will begin sales with homes starting around $400,000. Developed by George Xu and Century Development Group, the six-story, 39-unit building will house a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments designed by Queens' own Raymond Chan Architects. Liv@ Murray Park North is located at 11-35 45th Avenue along the northern frontage of the 2.5 acre Murray Park/Murray Playground. Similar in size to downtown's Gramercy Park, the community jewel is LIC's largest green space not situated along the East River. The park is also across from the neighborhood's sole historic district and is positioned centrally between the area's two booming high-rise nodes–the master-planned Hunter's Point waterfront community and the Court Square-Queens Plaza business district.
More on the project ahead

April 16, 2015

The Sutton, Toll Brothers’ ‘Modern Vintage’ Condo, Tops Out and Gets Motley Skin

Toll Brothers' latest condo development The Sutton has reached its 30-story apex and is currently applying a variety of skins to its frame that its designers hope will capture a "modern vintage" aesthetic. Situated at the boundary of Midtown East's Turtle Bay and Sutton Place neighborhoods at 959 First Avenue, the 90-unit tower (down from 114-units) will hold one- to four-bedroom residences priced from $1 million to more than $6 million, and provide the typical array of amenities and interiors that reflect the surrounding area's classic New York vibe.
Find out more about the project

April 15, 2015

The City Breaks Ground on New York’s 630-Foot Ferris Wheel Tomorrow!

Hold on to your hats, folks! After countless delays, the New York Wheel is finally back on track. Architizer reports that workers are gearing up to break ground tomorrow, April 16th, on what is slated to become the world's tallest observation wheel. Providing panoramic views of New York Harbor and the cityscape beyond, the 630-foot wheel located at the tip of St. George on northern Staten Island is primed to become one of the most epic ways to experience New York City.
FInd out more on the cost and admission here

Architecture And Design

April 14, 2015

This Schematic of NYC Structures Shows the City’s Icons in Blueprint Style

Want to bring a little bit of the city into your home, but tired of the standard black-and-white photos of landmarks or graphic maps that can be found at every craft fair these days? Why not frame this lovely print called Splendid Structures of New York City? Based on Brooklyn-based Pop Chart Lab's popular print The Schematic of Structures, this new design takes iconic NYC structures like the Statue of Liberty and One World Trade Center, along with local landmarks such as the Unisphere and Wyckoff House, and presents them in a hand-illustrated, blueprint-like style.
See the full print here

April 14, 2015

This Map Lets You Explore NYC’s 592,130 Street Trees by Species and Trunk Thickness

If you feel like your allergies go into overdrive when you're in the city, don’t be so quick to blame it on all the dust and must being kicked up by passing cars. As it turns out, New York’s flora is far more diverse and abundant than you’d suspect. Jill Hubley, a Brooklyn web developer, took data from the 2005-2006 Street Tree Census and found that there are about 592,130 trees on public streets alone. But beyond pinpointing where each street tree sits, Hubley's map also identifies a tree's species and trunk thickness. What emerges from her study is a kaleidoscope of colors and a fascinating look at the city's biodiversity.
Find out more here

April 13, 2015

$1,795 LES Rental Proudly Features a Shower in the Kitchen

If you're going to be that landlord who puts a shower in the kitchen, there's really no point in being subtle. This Lower East Side apartment located at 27 Orchard Street at Delancey has nothing to hide, prominently displaying its shower stall in all its glory front and center. While this type of living situation typically screams studio apartment, the "old world style" pad is actually a one-bedroom that's "better than your average studio!"
More on this apartment here

The Compact Gali Kitchen Is Perfect for Always-on-the-Move New Yorkers

Wouldn't it have been nice to have your own kitchen when you lived in that cramped apartment you shared with six people? Or to actually have a kitchen at all when you lived in that shoebox studio? For constantly on-the-move New Yorkers who like to cook (or maybe just wash a dish here and there), these are common conundrums. But a new compact system called the Gali Kitchen can easily solve these problems. The creation of recent design school grad Ana Arana, Gali is considered a revision of the kitchen, "letting each individual distribute their space as wanted, having everything necessary to cook when needed but allowing the living space to embrace new possibilities." Remarkably, the adaptable, compact module includes everything one needs -- a sink, fridge, induction cooktop, storage, and prep/dining table.
See more ahead

April 12, 2015

Construction Update: SOM’s 252 East 57th Street Getting Its Glass Skin

With foundation work complete, the World Wide Group / Rose Associates' tower at 252 East 57th Street is rapidly making its climb into the Midtown East skyline. The 57-story development composed of 93 condos and 173 rentals is designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM), with SLCE serving as the architects of record. Despite the tower's location along the eastern fringe of cloud-busting billionaire's row, the 715-foot building won't be competing for any height records–for instance, 111 West 57th Street is double its height at 1,428 feet. Instead, the tower is shaping up to be more of a typical Midtown East affair, falling in line with its Second Avenue context by providing a broad 80-foot-high base along the avenue and a sheer 50-story rectangular slab rising above. Recent residential towers along Second Avenue such as The Milan, The Veneto, and The Three Ten share 252's massing, which planners prescribed to conform new skyscrapers to the rows of existing walk-up buildings.
More details on the project here

REVEALED: SL Green to Build Another Times Square Spectacular at 719 Seventh Avenue

Image courtesy of Akueous Design

April 10, 2015

REVEALED: SL Green to Build Another Times Square Spectacular at 719 Seventh Avenue

Here's our first look at what commercial heavyweights SL Green have in mind for a small Times Square corner at 719 Seventh Avenue and West 48th Street. Building permits filed earlier this month call for a four-story, 9,000 square-foot retail building designed by TPG Architecture. Demolition permits were filed back in December and the doomed three-story structure is already shrouded in construction netting and scaffolding. The site also shares its Seventh Avenue block-front with Witkoff's upcoming 40-story Marriott Edition Hotel that will flash one of the largest LED displays in the city.
Find out more on the project here

April 10, 2015

This Architectural Coloring Book Is Made for Adults

Instead of mindlessly scrolling through Instagram after a long day at the office, why not unwind by doing a little coloring? Yes, that's right, every child's favorite pastime is now being marketed to adults. As Business Insider reported earlier this week, the two best-selling books on Amazon right now are adult coloring books–"Secret Garden" and "Enchanted Forest" by Scottish illustrator Johanna Basford. The books feature nature scenes and geometric patterns of flowers, trees, and woodland creatures. But for those of us who prefer analyzing floor plans to arranging flowers, there's another adult coloring book called "Fantastic Cities." Created by artist Steve McDonald, it "features immersive aerial views of real cities from around the world alongside gorgeously illustrated, Inception-like architectural mandalas."
More here

April 9, 2015

Live in One of the First Buildings Constructed in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens’ Historic District

By Aisha Carter

How would you like to brag to your friends that you live in one of the first buildings ever in what is now the Prospect-Lefferts Gardens Historic District? This four-story townhouse at 51 Midwood Street was built in 1898 by William A.A. Brown and designed by William M. Miller. Among its offerings are striking tiger oak millwork, a grand center stair and coffered ceilings, with some head-turning renovations, all for $2.325 million.
More pics inside

April 9, 2015

At Brooklyn’s Gateway, Woods Bagot Kicks Off Construction of the Jay Street Residences

AmTrust Realty has recently kicked off construction on a 250,000-square-foot, mixed-use project near Brooklyn's Manhattan Bridge approach. The development will be a step towards reconnecting Downtown Brooklyn to its waterfront, and, along with several other proposals, helps remedy a maelstrom of mid-century planning disasters between the two areas. Known as the Jay Street Residences by its designers Woods Bagot Architects, the project has previously gone by the addresses 120 Nassau, 199 Jay, 203 Jay, and 213 Jay Street. Its 38,000-square-foot lot, now under excavation, will give rise to an L-shaped complex composed of a 33-story tower anchoring Concord and Jay Streets, as well as an eight-story hotel and amenity wing along its western Jay Street frontage.
More details on the project here

REVEALED: 900-Foot Norman Foster-Designed Condo Tower Coming to Sutton Place

Rendering of the new tower (L); The four-building assemblage at 426-432 East 58th Street (R)

April 7, 2015

REVEALED: 900-Foot Norman Foster-Designed Condo Tower Coming to Sutton Place

First spotted by the eagle-eyes at SkyscraperPage, a New York Press article has given us our first look at a potential 900-foot skyscraper reportedly designed by Foster + Partners and developed by the Bauhouse Group. The New York City-based real estate development and investment firm had recently closed on the three-building $32 million rental portfolio in tony Sutton Place at 428-432 East 58th Street. In March, the firm acquired a fourth property at 426 East 58th Street. According to the New York Press story, "A sales brochure put together by Cushman and Wakefield dubs the project as the 'Sutton Place Development'... there are indications that Bauhouse is looking to offload the site to another developer, and that whoever winds up buying the lot could build even higher than 900 feet." Bauhouse is expected to release further details and renderings to the community this spring.
More details ahead

Los Angeles Has Designed the Perfect Parking Sign–Can NYC Take Note?

Images courtesy of Parkwhiz (L) and LA Mayor’s Office (R)

April 7, 2015

Los Angeles Has Designed the Perfect Parking Sign–Can NYC Take Note?

If you own a car in New York, you know that parking can be a downright nightmare. Finding a spot is like hunting for a needle in a haystack, and when you do find one, it's hard not to approach it with trepidation: Why is this spot empty? New York City parking signs typically run the gamut of perplexing to misleading at best, requiring a Rosetta Stone and a prayer to keep a parking ticket from happening. But there's a beacon of hope shooting through all of that confusion in the form of well-designed signage.
MOre on the new signs here

EVENT: Here’s Your Chance to Get Inside 432 Park Avenue

Image © dbox

April 6, 2015

EVENT: Here’s Your Chance to Get Inside 432 Park Avenue

We've all seen more than our fair share of 432 Park Avenue's facade around town, but finally here comes an opportunity to get inside the building. The Storefront for Art and Architecture has just announced that the Viñoly supertall will be the site of their 2015 spring benefit, TRANS. The gala, being held Tuesday, April 21st, 2015, will be the first public event hosted at the unopened building, and by the looks of the program, it also promises to be as starchitect-studded and "transcendent" as these things get.
Find out how to attend here

April 6, 2015

Mercer Street Loft by DHD Interiors Brings a Bit of Whimsy to a Classic Soho Space

After looking at a few projects from the talent over at DHD Interiors, we're realizing that what draws us to the firm's work is their ability to infuse an unexpected sense of whimsy into otherwise classic spaces, and their Mercer Street Loft is no exception. From the curious wall mural to the fanciful oversized chair in the living room, this Soho space surprises you when you least expect it. DHD was commissioned by the client to create a home that "celebrates both classic, historical elements and modern twists." They were also asked to incorporate art and the client's "adventurous, eclectic tastes," while maintaining original features like the hardwood floors, stripped cast iron columns, and tin ceilings.
See the end result here

April 5, 2015

This Lofty East Village Penthouse by Manifold Architecture Studio Used to Be a Synagogue

By Patty Lee

New York City is teeming with breathtaking penthouses–from multi-floored apartments atop soaring skyscrapers to picturesque flats inside landmarked townhouses–but few have the spiritual history of this East Village abode: The 1,600-square-foot triplex was once a local house of worship. Originally built in 1908, the the Beth Hamedrash Hagadol Anshe Ungarn synagogue was converted into a five-apartment condo in the 1980s. By the time current owners Dominique Camacho and Gary Hirschkron bought the penthouse in 2007, its design was terribly outdated, so they enlisted the team at DUMBO's Manifold Architecture Studio (MAS) to help bring it into the 21st century.
Click to see the entire space

April 3, 2015

Mad for Modern: NYC Homes That Are Cooler Than Don Draper’s Park Avenue Pad

By Michelle Cohen

We admit it: We’re a bit obsessed with mid-20th century modern design–its architecturally and socially advanced concepts so often result in a perfect mix of aesthetic appeal and livability. Sometimes met with suspicion and derision in its earlier days, modernist architecture has endured the test of time and is having an enormous resurgence in popularity and appreciation. How else could you explain fans' obsession with the award-winning and pitch-perfect mid-mod sets on Matthew Weiner’s “Mad Men.” It’s often said that the best ideas in home design are the ones that make the home a great place to live; the origins of modernist design had that idea at their heart. We've rounded up a few of the city’s mid-century architectural treasures and a handful of homes that embody modernist style.
More on the 'Mad Men'sets and NYC's Mid-Century Modern gems this way

April 3, 2015

$2.5M Hamilton Heights Musée Maison Mixes Historic Charm with a Myriad of Curious Artwork

Portuguese-born architect/artist Luis Da Cruz bought the run-down brownstone at 532 West 148th Street in 2006 for $995,000. He then embarked on a complete renovation, turning the three-family home into his own personal playground. Cruz beautifully restored original features of the 1920 house like carved wood stairways and railings, gorgeous moldings, five fireplaces, beamed ceilings, and exposed brick walls. But on that historic canvas he overlaid his signature art pieces made with repurposed objects and decorated the space in an industrial/Victorian mash up. Luis also used the townhouse, dubbed Musée Maison (aptly, Museum House), as his studio and workshop and often hosted art shows there (including trapeze shows in which he participated) where all of the work was for sale. He's now put the 3,500-square-foot Hamilton Heights house on the market, asking $2.5 million.
See the rest of this one-of-a-kind home

April 2, 2015

Innocad’s Ultra-Modern Chelsea Penthouse Pays Homage to Marilyn Monroe

The super-modern, asymmetrical building at 459 West 18th Street undoubtedly makes a statement in the Chelsea streetscape, but all those angles present a very untraditional interior composition. So when designing the penthouse, the architects at Innocad made a conscious decision to embrace the building's angled individuality, mixing European design and New York lifestyle to create a fresh atmosphere. They also added a very unexpected and subtle art piece that pays homage to Marilyn Monroe (can you spot it?).
Take a look around

April 1, 2015

This Trailer Home in the Hamptons Wants $1.2 Million