Architecture And Design

NYC to resume work on over 100 delayed parks projects this spring

All images courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

March 14, 2022

NYC to resume work on over 100 delayed parks projects this spring

Mayor Eric Adams on Sunday announced over 100 park projects halted due to the pandemic will resume work this spring. The city has invested $417 million in NYC Parks to break ground on the 104 projects, which is a 142 percent increase in new park projects compared to 2021. According to a press release, more than 86 percent of the new projects implement sustainable features like LED lighting, rain gardens, new trees, stormwater capture systems, and the use of recycled materials. Roughly 62 percent of these new projects are being installed in neighborhoods classified as underserved and are expected to be completed by the summer of 2023.
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A guide to the Gilded Age mansions of 5th Avenue’s millionaire row

The Cornelius Vanderbilt II Mansion on 57th Street and 5th Avenue, now demolished. Photo via A.D. White Architectural Photographs, Cornell University Library.

March 10, 2022

A guide to the Gilded Age mansions of 5th Avenue’s millionaire row

By Michelle Young

New York City's Fifth Avenue has always been pretty special, although you'd probably never guess that it began with a rather ordinary and functional name: Middle Road. Like the 1811 Commissioner's Plan for Manhattan, which laid out the city's future expansion in a rational manner, Middle Road was part of an earlier real estate plan by the City Council. As its name suggests, Middle Road was situated in the middle of a large land parcel that was sold by the council in 1785 to raise municipal funds for the newly established nation. Initially, it was the only road to provide access to this yet-undeveloped portion of Manhattan, but two additional roads were built later (eventually becoming Park Avenue and Sixth Avenue). The steady northwards march of upscale residences, and the retail to match, has its origins where Fifth Avenue literally begins: in the mansions on Washington Square Park. Madison Square was next, but it would take a combination of real-estate clairvoyance and social standing to firmly establish Fifth Avenue as the center of society.
More on how the gilded mansions of 5th Avenue came to be

Looking East; Rendering: DBOX

March 9, 2022

See the new $550M home for the New York Philharmonic, set to open in October

By Devin Gannon

Nearly two decades after the project was first proposed, the New York Philharmonic's new state-of-the-art concert hall will open this October, two years ahead of schedule, officials announced Wednesday. The revamped David Geffen Hall aims to create a more intimate space, "a living room for New York City," as a press release describes, by moving the audience closer to the stage and improving sightlines. Plus, the project fixes the hall's poor acoustics and reduces the total number of seats by about 500. In addition to announcing the $550 million project was finishing on time, officials also released new renderings of the theater and public space.
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Architecture And Design

Jen Ray, Jason Forrest, “Find the Secret Data Message, NY Alive.” Photo credit: Data X Design.

March 7, 2022

Open Data Week highlights NYC’s Open Data Portal with art, design, squirrels and more

By Michelle Cohen

New York City loves an opportunity to show off its smarts and find innovative ways technology, art and daily life are intertwined. Data Through Design (DxD), an exhibition happening from March 5 - 13 throughout the five boroughs, is a perfect example. DxD is a central component of the broader NYC Open Data Week, which in turn highlights the city's Open Data Portal and the many things that can be done with access to data. Design and art events offer visitors a chance to interact with the city through life-sized art pieces. Even the city's bushy-tailed rodents get involved in the fun.
Art, design, rats and squirrels, this way

Brooklinen’s new towel collection brings NYC icons to the beach

Photo courtesy of Brooklinen

March 3, 2022

Brooklinen’s new towel collection brings NYC icons to the beach

By Michelle Cohen

Though it might not be quite time to hit the beach, we're counting the days. Luxury bed linen disruptor Brooklinen has offered us a ray of sunshine in the form of a new collaboration with a nod to everyone's favorite New York City icons. Inspired by their Brooklyn roots, the company is collaborating with six New York City artists on a collection of limited-edition, summer-themed beach towel prints. The first three in the series, available starting March 3, include NYC Summer, High Tide, and Island Life. The first of these is indeed a snapshot of summer in the city.
Pigeons, pizza, pretzels

$17.8M Brooklyn Heights waterfront townhouse has an elevator, garage, and loads of original details

Photo credit: Andrew Kiracofe for Sotheby’s International Realty

March 3, 2022

$17.8M Brooklyn Heights waterfront townhouse has an elevator, garage, and loads of original details

By Michelle Cohen

If you crave a historic brownstone with original architectural details, this 5,050-square-foot, four-story home at 77 Columbia Heights will certainly get your attention. Immaculately restored interior architecture frames a Brooklyn Heights corner townhouse with East River and Manhattan views from almost every room. In addition to state-of-the-art modern updates (including an elevator), the 25-foot-wide townhouse, asking $17,777,000, comes with a two-car garage, a wine cellar and gym, and a landscaped roof deck with a custom outdoor kitchen.
Historic townhouse details galore, this way

Everything is for sale, including the $6.5M apartment, at this Upper West Side interior design exhibition

Dining table in rosewood with red under-painted inset glass top designed by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1948, $125,000.00; “First Chairs” in rosewood and cane seat designed by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1942, $80,000.00 for set of eight; “Vine” illuminated sculpture with hand-blown round soda glass globes and fifteen sockets designed and made by Jeff Zimmerman, USA, 2018, $125,000.00; Photo courtesy of frenchCALIFORNIA

February 24, 2022

Everything is for sale, including the $6.5M apartment, at this Upper West Side interior design exhibition

By Michelle Cohen

The Belnord at 225 West 86th Street is getting plenty of attention recently. The Upper West Side condo building stars as the fictional Arconia in Hulu’s "Only Murders in the Building" series. Now, a three-bedroom unit, on the market since October for $6,475,000, is having a turn in the spotlight as an international interior design showcase. The Belnord Project presents the home's interiors and art in a shoppable exhibition curated by frenchCALIFORNIA in partnership with Evan Snyderman of modern and contemporary design gallery R & Company.
Check out the design collaboration, room by room

NYC begins effort to ‘harden’ 20 miles of protected bike lanes

Image courtesy of NYC DOT on Flickr

February 22, 2022

NYC begins effort to ‘harden’ 20 miles of protected bike lanes

By Aaron Ginsburg

The New York City Department of Transportation is implementing new strategies to keep cyclists safe while navigating the hectic city streets. Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez on Friday announced the start of a new project that will fortify half of all delineator-protected bike lanes in NYC, which better protects cyclists and keeps lanes clear of vehicles. Originally set to be completed within the first 100 days of Rodriguez's term, as Streetsblog reported, the city now aims to harden 20 of the city's 40 miles of delineator-protected bike lines by the end of 2023.
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See inside the swanky 37th-floor amenity space at Nomad’s Rose Hill tower

All images courtesy of Evan Joseph, unless otherwise noted

February 17, 2022

See inside the swanky 37th-floor amenity space at Nomad’s Rose Hill tower

By Aaron Ginsburg

A brand new amenity space offering residents breathtaking views of New York City and a host of luxurious conveniences has been unveiled at the Rockefeller Group's first-ever residential tower. "Top of the Hill" is on the 37th floor of Rose Hill, a new 45-story Art Deco-style tower in Nomad. Boasting 360-degree city views, the high-floor amenity space also includes a library curated by The Strand, a private dining room, and two covered outdoor lounges.
Take a look

NYC borough presidents call on Adams to plant one million new trees by 2030

Photo of Riverside Park by Momos on Wikimedia

February 14, 2022

NYC borough presidents call on Adams to plant one million new trees by 2030

By Aaron Ginsburg

All five of New York City's borough presidents are calling on Mayor Eric Adams to improve the city's green spaces by planting one million new trees by 2030. During a joint press conference on Monday, Borough Presidents Mark Levine, Antonio Reynoso, Vanessa Gibson, Donovan Richards, and Vito Fossella introduced the "Million More Trees" initiative, a program first started by former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and completed by Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2015. Also included as part of the initiative is the goal of increasing the city's tree canopy to 30 percent by 2035.
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Futuristic movie studio designed by Bjarke Ingels moves forward in Astoria

By Devin Gannon

Construction of a massive $600 million movie studio in Queens backed by actor Robert De Niro can officially begin after the city granted the project a building permit earlier this month. Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), Wildflower Studios will measure roughly 775,000 square feet on a five-acre lot in Astoria, next to the Steinway Pianos manufacturing warehouse. The seven-story building is considered to be the world's first "vertical commercial film, television, and film studio," according to the architects.
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NYC’s first skate park in a residential development is open at Waterline Square

Photo credit: Jonathan Robles

February 1, 2022

NYC’s first skate park in a residential development is open at Waterline Square

By Michelle Cohen

Remember when having a group of teenagers with skateboards hang out at your building was considered a bad thing? Times have changed, skateboarding is an Olympic sport, and Waterline Square's skate park, complete with a custom mural by a local artist, is open. Located in the Upper West Side condo and rental complex's 100,000-square-foot amenity center, the Waterline Club, the skate park offers a half-pipe and mini ramp, plus hang-out space with seating. The new amenity is the first of its kind in a New York City residential development.
More photos, this way

Architecture And Design

NYC-area transit agencies seek ways to restore ridership post-Covid

Image courtesy of Patrick Cashin / MTA New York City Transit

February 1, 2022

NYC-area transit agencies seek ways to restore ridership post-Covid

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City-area transit agencies are looking for ways to restore public transit ridership to the levels they were before the pandemic. The MTA, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, NJ Transit, the city's Department of Transportation, and the Partnership for NYC announced on Monday the fourth round of the Transit Tech Lab, a program that aims to find solutions to problems facing the city's public transportation system. The agencies put forth two challenges; the first is a solution to help the public transit system recover from Covid-19 and restore its ridership to pre-pandemic levels. The second is a sustainability challenge, looking for innovations that will better prepare the transit system against extreme weather conditions while leaving less of a carbon footprint.
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Landmarks approves design for $77M renovation of Delacorte Theater in Central Park

Rendering courtesy of Ennead Architects.

January 26, 2022

Landmarks approves design for $77M renovation of Delacorte Theater in Central Park

By Michelle Cohen

The city's Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday approved plans for the revitalization of Central Park's Delacorte Theater, the city's first major post-pandemic outdoor theater investment. The new design's main goals are to improve accessibility for people with disabilities, protect the building from the ravages of a changing climate, and improve efficiency and comfort.
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Architecture And Design

$100M restoration of Midtown’s iconic Lever House skyscraper has begun

Rendering of the updated Lever House. Image credit: Brookfield Properties

January 25, 2022

$100M restoration of Midtown’s iconic Lever House skyscraper has begun

By Michelle Cohen

Park Avenue's iconic Lever House tower is being redeveloped under the architectural guidance of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the building's original architects, according to an announcement by the building's owners, WatermanClark and Brookfield Properties. The Midtown architectural landmark was completed in 1952 as soap company Lever Brothers' U.S. headquarters. SOM will be helming the restoration seven decades after they first designed the building at 390 Park Avenue.
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Architecture And Design

Photo by midweekpost via Wikimedia commons.

January 19, 2022

New plans announced for Park Avenue traffic median redesign

By Michelle Cohen

New York City Council Member Keith Powers announced this week the next steps in a plan to bring new life to Midtown's Park Avenue traffic medians. The newly-revealed plan will transform the avenue's current malls into "new, world-class, active open space," according to a press release. A landscape architect will be hired by the Department of Transportation to create a master plan according to a request for proposal, to be issued in the spring.
New life for Midtown streets, this way

Architecture And Design

January 13, 2022

12 design-forward lounge chairs to update your reading nook

By Michelle Cohen

There has never been a better time to design a corner of your home that's dedicated to the pursuit of cozy. Whether it's a reading nook, a scrolling snug, or a daydreaming den, this chill zone should provide a break from the home office, the home gym, and whatever part of your home is Grand Central Station. That doesn't mean it can't be as easy on the eyes as it is on your mood. Below you'll find a selection of chic and cozy lounge chairs to elevate your off-duty oasis (and if you really still want a BarcaLounger, you'll find one here).
Cool and cozy lounge chairs, this way

Historic Palace Theater begins 30-foot rise over Times Square for $2.5B TSX Broadway hotel

Image courtesy of TSX Broadway

January 12, 2022

Historic Palace Theater begins 30-foot rise over Times Square for $2.5B TSX Broadway hotel

By Michelle Cohen

One of the most city's most iconic Broadway theaters, the Palace Theater, began its rise last week to a spot 30 feet over Times Square. The 105-year-old theater is being lifted three stories as part of a $2.5 billion mixed-use development project, TSX Broadway, set to rise at 1568 Broadway. It will take six to eight weeks for the theater to achieve its final height of 30 feet.
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Architecture And Design

Donald Trump’s niece Mary Trump buys $7M condo at 565 Broome in Soho

Photo by Adrian Gaut /Edge Reps

January 10, 2022

Donald Trump’s niece Mary Trump buys $7M condo at 565 Broome in Soho

By Michelle Cohen

Mary Trump, Donald Trump's niece and author of the memoir “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man,” recently bought a 2,250-square-foot three-bedroom unit at the Renzo Piano-designed condominium building at 565 Broome Street for $7 million, as the Wall Street Journal reports. The 2020 book, which delves into the Trump family's background, has sold more than a million copies.
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See NYC’s sweeping master plan that promises climate resilience for Lower Manhattan

Image credit: NYCEDC

January 4, 2022

See NYC’s sweeping master plan that promises climate resilience for Lower Manhattan

By Michelle Cohen

New York City has taken an important step toward protecting one of the country’s largest central business districts from the costly and destructive effects of climate change. The city's Economic Development Corporation and the Mayor's Office of Climate Resiliency recently released the Financial District and Seaport Climate Resilience Master Plan. At a projected cost of up to $7 billion, this environmental blueprint for the Lower Manhattan shoreline imagines a resilient waterfront that can withstand severe storms and rising sea levels.
Find out more about the plan

NYC to invest $75M towards completion of long-awaited Bushwick Inlet Park

Image courtesy of Photographer/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

December 28, 2021

NYC to invest $75M towards completion of long-awaited Bushwick Inlet Park

By Aaron Ginsburg

After 16 years, the 27-acre waterfront park planned for North Brooklyn has taken a major step towards completion. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Monday that the city has allocated $75 million of its budget for the construction of the final piece of Bushwick Inlet Park. The funding will be for work on the next phases of the park, which begins with the demolition of the CitiStorage warehouse that sits on a parcel of land the city purchased in 2017 but has yet to rebuild.
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All renderings: James Corner Field Operations and BIG- Bjarke Ingels Group

December 20, 2021

Plan for Bjarke Ingels-designed high-rises and public beach in Williamsburg is approved

By Devin Gannon

Two massive high-rise towers with over 1,000 apartments and a resilient waterfront public park are officially coming to Williamsburg. The New York City Council last week voted to approve River Ring, a development planned for River Street between North 1st and North 3rd Streets on the Brooklyn waterfront. Developed by Two Trees Management, the project includes two mixed-use buildings designed by Bjarke Ingels Group that will hold 1,050 units of housing, with 263 of them priced below market rate, as well as a new YMCA and public park. Construction is expected to begin in 2024.
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New $18.3M sustainable playground opens at the Battery

Image courtesy of Diane Bondareff/AP Images for The Battery Conservancy

December 20, 2021

New $18.3M sustainable playground opens at the Battery

By Aaron Ginsburg

One of New York City's largest sustainable parks officially opened last week. Following a 25-year initiative, the Battery Conservancy on Thursday opened the Battery Playscape, a 1.5-acre playground that triples the size of the former park and aims to reinforce sustainable practices in its users through its eco-friendly design and features.
Details here

Prospect Park’s Vale to undergo $40M restoration

Rendering of the Sensory Garden and Rustic Arbor. Image courtesy of Prospect Park Alliance

December 17, 2021

Prospect Park’s Vale to undergo $40M restoration

By Aaron Ginsburg

On Thursday, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the allocation of $40 million to restore Prospect Park’s Vale. This funding is the largest in the history of Prospect Park Alliance, the non-profit organization that manages the park. The Vale, also known as the “Vale of Cashmere,” is a 26-acre portion of the park's northeast corner known for its breathtaking foliage.
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Architecture And Design

City Council approves massive Grand Hyatt redevelopment project at 175 Park Avenue

Rendering by Ekoomedia, Inc. / Courtesy of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

December 16, 2021

City Council approves massive Grand Hyatt redevelopment project at 175 Park Avenue

By Michelle Cohen

The New York City Council voted on Wednesday to allow the proposed development at the site currently occupied by the Grand Hyatt Hotel at 175 Park Avenue. New Greater East Midtown zoning rules permit developers to construct supersized towers if they are accompanied by hefty contributions to transit and public amenities. In addition to the construction of a 2.1-million-square-foot, 1,575-foot-high building with retail and office space, a new 500-room hotel, a sky lobby, a lounge, and a restaurant, the site will include 25,000 square feet of elevated, publicly accessible terraces that will host cultural and arts events. The project also promises to bring hundreds of millions of dollars in transit improvements.
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Architecture And Design

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