Architecture And Design

On Long Island, a striking stone and glass home by modernist architect Norman Jaffe asks $3.6M

Listing photos courtesy of The Corcoran Group

February 3, 2021

On Long Island, a striking stone and glass home by modernist architect Norman Jaffe asks $3.6M

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Norman Jaffe opened his first architecture practice in Bridgehampton in 1973, soon becoming famous for the many contempory residences he designed in the Hamptons. Throughout his 35-year career, he designed more than 600 projects, many of them notable for their sculptural forms, early inclusion of passive solar design, and glass and wood construction. This home in Old Westbury, which he designed early on in 1977, checks all three of those boxes, and is currently on the market for $3,595,000. It sits on more than two acres, with several decks and patios and a salt water pool, and is nearly 7,000 square feet with six bedrooms, a home movie theater, and even a spa.
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Long-plagued Midtown office tower will be reborn as 660 Fifth Avenue: See new looks

All renderings credit Brookfield Properties

February 3, 2021

Long-plagued Midtown office tower will be reborn as 660 Fifth Avenue: See new looks

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The office tower formerly known as 666 Fifth Avenue has shed both its superstitious address and its controversial connection to the Kushners. Brookfield Asset Management bought the 99-year ground lease for the 41-story Midtown office building between 52nd and 53rd Streets in 2018 from Kushner Cos., announcing the following year a $400 million overhaul designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates. Brookfield has now released new renderings of the 660 Fifth Avenue project, which will have a new glass facade and floor-to-ceiling windows, a new lobby and retail spaces, and new outdoor terraces when it's completed in 2022.
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Bjarke Ingels’ 66-story Spiral tower tops out at Hudson Yards

The Spiral as of October 2020, © CityRealty

January 28, 2021

Bjarke Ingels’ 66-story Spiral tower tops out at Hudson Yards

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Bjarke Ingels' new office tower with twisting terraces officially topped out at Hudson Yards this week. Aptly named The Spiral, the 66-story skyscraper reached its 1,031-foot pinnacle, developer Tishman Speyer announced on Tuesday. Upon its completion in 2022, the tower at 66 Hudson Boulevard will stretch a full block between West 34th and 35th Streets and contain 2.8 million square feet of office space and ground-floor retail.
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Historic cast-iron building in Soho once owned by William Waldorf Astor asks $17M

 All photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

January 27, 2021

Historic cast-iron building in Soho once owned by William Waldorf Astor asks $17M

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A 19th-century custom-designed Soho building once owned by William Waldorf Astor is on the market for $17 million. Located at 435 Broome Street, the Victorian Gothic building was built in 1873 by famed architect William Appleton Potter and features five tall loft stories framed by exterior cast-iron colonnettes and capitals. As the listing describes, the property, located between Broadway and Crosby Street, is the "perfect multi-functioning property for retail, office, or residential mixed-use."
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See the shiny, amorphous tower imagined for Lower Manhattan

All renderings by Hayri Atak Architectural Design

January 26, 2021

See the shiny, amorphous tower imagined for Lower Manhattan

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Turkish firm Hayri Atak Architectural Design has proposed something extremely unique for the downtown skyline. Called the Sarcostyle Tower, the shining structure is a large rectangle with sinuous, carved-out sides. Conceptually placed amidst the historic landmarks and mid-century office towers of lower Manhattan, the 689-foot building was inspired by human anatomy and cells. An actual sarcostyle is a muscle fiber, so it makes sense that the firm decided upon this name for theior biologically inspired project.
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Preservationists, pols fight to save Washington Heights home with Underground Railroad ties

The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Photography Collection, The New York Public Library. (1937). Riverside Drive, no. 857, at 159th Street, Manhattan, courtesy of the New York Public Library.

January 25, 2021

Preservationists, pols fight to save Washington Heights home with Underground Railroad ties

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Preservationists and local politicians are pushing the city to reverse their decision to not landmark a historic home with abolitionist history in Washington Heights. The two-story wood-frame home at 857 Riverside Drive in Upper Manhattan was owned by anti-slavery activist Dennis Harris who may have also been an Underground Railroad conductor. Despite a demolition permit filed by the current owner, the Landmarks Preservation Commission last November still rejected landmark status for the home because of the architectural alterations made to the original structure.
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Norman Foster’s splashy new office tower at 425 Park Avenue nears completion

Trading floor rendering courtesy of L&L Holding

January 20, 2021

Norman Foster’s splashy new office tower at 425 Park Avenue nears completion

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It's been more than five years since L&L Holding Company broke ground on the 47-story Norman Foster-designed office tower at 425 Park Avenue, but it's finally nearing the finish line. The 897-foot building is notable for its triple-height diagrid floors and the set of three ornamental fins at the crown that will be illuminated at night. It will be the first full-block tower along this stretch of Park Avenue in half a century, joining the likes of the Seagram Building and Lever House.
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See inside the new light-filled Moynihan Train Hall

Photo © Max Touhey

December 30, 2020

See inside the new light-filled Moynihan Train Hall

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As one of the few bright spots during a very dark time in New York, the new Moynihan Train Hall opens to the public on Friday. The new transit hub expands Penn Station into the landmarked James A. Farley Post Office Building on Eighth Avenue, increasing capacity at the busiest railroad station in the country by 50 percent. On Wednesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo celebrated the opening of Moynihan Train Hall, which was inspired by the design of the original Penn Station that was demolished in the 1960s. Ahead, get a look inside the new train hall, including the 92-foot-high massive skylights that total one acre and the new waiting areas for the Long Island Rail Road and Amtrak.
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For $1.2M, a 19th-century Hudson Valley castle with Tiffany fixtures and river views

All photos courtesy of RMC Real Estate Photography for Ellis Sotheby’s International Realty

December 18, 2020

For $1.2M, a 19th-century Hudson Valley castle with Tiffany fixtures and river views

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In New Windsor, a 19th-century stone castle is on the market for $1.225 million. Located on two acres of land overlooking the Hudson River, the Roe Brewster Castle at 11 Oak Ridge Drive was constructed in 1870 and features fixtures designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany. The 8,400-square-foot estate has six bedrooms and seven baths but has operated as a multi-family rental property.
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Mixed-use proposal for Long Island City would have a residential village, a waterfront pool, and oyster beds

All renderings by CAZA

December 18, 2020

Mixed-use proposal for Long Island City would have a residential village, a waterfront pool, and oyster beds

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First spotted by CityRealty, this mixed-use proposal for the Long Island City waterfront is part futuristic, part industrial, and part sustainable. The architects at Brooklyn-based studio CAZA conceptualized a plan for a swath of land just north of the site that was almost home to Amazon. Called Long Island City Oyster, their development would include an office tower, residential tower, and low-scale residential village. More distinctly, it would also include year-round indoor and amenities such as a waterfront ice skating rink that converts into a pool, a restored oyster-bed wetland, a sandy beach, and a ferry landing.
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340-year-old East Hampton home reimagined with a modernist design asks $4.5M

All photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

December 15, 2020

340-year-old East Hampton home reimagined with a modernist design asks $4.5M

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An East Hampton Village home with roots dating back to the 17th-century is on the market for $4.495 million. The property at 177 Main Street was originally a Colonial saltbox built in 1680 and owned by John Mulford, one of the founders of the village. The home was named Congress Hall in the mid-19th-century as then-owner David Mulford used the space for local men to gather and talk about politics. After the site sold in 2012, owners transformed the property into a 5,500-square-foot compound with five bedrooms and five-and-a-half baths.
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Frederick Law Olmsted’s farmhouse on Staten Island recognized as national landmark

Photos courtesy of New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation

December 8, 2020

Frederick Law Olmsted’s farmhouse on Staten Island recognized as national landmark

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The National Park Service this month placed a Staten Island farmhouse once owned by Frederick Law Olmsted on the National Register of Historic Places. Formerly part of a 130-acre farm, the property, known as the Olmsted-Beil House, is significant for the role it played in Olmsted's discovery of landscape design and parks as a public good, which later influenced his ideas for Central Park and Prospect Park. Despite its designation as a city landmark in 1967, the house, while intact, has deteriorated over the years and requires significant restoration work.
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For $3M, live in the original bell tower of this historic Hoboken church

All photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

November 25, 2020

For $3M, live in the original bell tower of this historic Hoboken church

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All photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens An apartment inside a historic church building in Hoboken is now asking $3.05 million. Constructed in 1890, the Romanesque Revival First Baptist Church at 901 Bloomfield Street was converted into a luxury condominium, known as The Raphael, in 2017 with just six residences. The available unit contains three bedrooms, three and a half baths, and a studio loft in the building's original bell tower. While the conversion led to sleek modern interiors, stunning unique details, including the double-height ceilings and arched windows, were preserved.
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NYC unveils $9M plan to restore Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn

Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Arch lighting design test in 2019; Photo courtesy of Jordan Rathkopf/ Prospect Park Alliance

November 23, 2020

NYC unveils $9M plan to restore Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn

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Plans to renovate Brooklyn's Grand Army Plaza were unveiled this week, the first major restoration of Prospect Park's historic entrance in decades. The $8.9 million revamp focuses on the Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Arch, including replacing the arch's roof, cleaning and restoring the brick and stone structure, repairing the interior staircases, and adding modern lighting to the exterior. Surrounding plaza and landscape berms that frame the plaza will also be restored and new native trees and shrubs will be planted.
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For $11.5M, own Amagansett’s legendary Windmill house that Marilyn Monroe once rented

Listing photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

November 18, 2020

For $11.5M, own Amagansett’s legendary Windmill house that Marilyn Monroe once rented

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Living in a windmill is unique on its own, but living in the same windmill that Marilyn Monroe once rented is really something else. Built in 1830, the Amagansett windmill was converted to a residence in the 1950s by Samuel Rubin, creator of the Faberge perfume company. Over the years, it was rented by many famous names, including Kurt Vonnegut, Terrance Stamp, and, in 1957, Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller, who were looking to get away from the press in the city. The two-bedroom home sits on nearly five-and-a-half acres and is for sale asking $11,500,000.
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Prospect Park’s 150-year-old Endale Arch returns with stunning original details after restoration

Photos by Paul Martinka

November 16, 2020

Prospect Park’s 150-year-old Endale Arch returns with stunning original details after restoration

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An original architectural element of Prospect Park that dates back to the 1860s has returned to Brooklyn's backyard. Following a five-year restoration, the Endale Arch reopened to the public last week, with parts of its stunning design envisioned by park creators Frederick Olmsted and Calvert Vaux on display for the first time this century.
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Go inside the new glass dome atop Union Square’s Tammany Hall

Photo by Christopher Payne | ESTO

November 16, 2020

Go inside the new glass dome atop Union Square’s Tammany Hall

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If you've walked by Union Square over the past year, you might have spotted something different. Rising atop  Reading International's landmarked Tammany Hall is a modern glass-and-steel dome. BKSK Architects designed the addition, which can house a variety of commercial uses, with the building's history in mind. Though many associate Tammany Hall's history with political corruption, BKSK wanted people to understand that its namesake is actually Lenape Chief Tammanend, who worked towards a peaceful relationship with 17th-century European settlers. Ahead, see amazing photos of the dome's exterior and interior and hear from BKSK partner Todd Poisson about its construction and how it was conceived to resemble a turtle breaking out of water.
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David Adjaye and Aston Martin collaborate on residences and luxury car at 130 William in FiDi

All residence images courtesy of Aston Martin

November 12, 2020

David Adjaye and Aston Martin collaborate on residences and luxury car at 130 William in FiDi

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Five apartments for sale at Sir David Adjaye's first New York City tower have been custom-designed by luxury carmaker Aston Martin. Located on the 59th and 60th floors of 130 William, a 66-story condo in the Financial District, the exclusive units come with a special edition Aston Martin DBX, an SUV designed in collaboration with Adjaye. The five condos include two penthouses, one priced at $11.5 million and the second at $10.5 million, and three loggia residences, priced at $3.985 million, $5.985 million, and $10 million.
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See New York City’s newest public park at the Upper West Side’s Waterline Square

All photos courtesy of Elizabeth Felicella

November 12, 2020

See New York City’s newest public park at the Upper West Side’s Waterline Square

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New photos of the public park at the Waterline Square development were released this week, showing off the nearly three acres of green space designed by MNLA. Positioned in the middle of the three glassy Upper West Side towers, Waterline Square Park offers a tucked-away oasis for the community, along with a huge playground and unique water features. When it officially opened this summer, the park hosted a number of socially-distanced events including live music performances and yoga classes.
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In Rockland County, this $1.3M Colonial home was designed by Stanford White

Photo credit: Andrea B. Swenson for Ellis Sotheby’s International Realty

November 11, 2020

In Rockland County, this $1.3M Colonial home was designed by Stanford White

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As a partner in the Beaux-Arts architectural firm McKim, Mead & White, Stanford White designed the Washington Square Arch, the Villard Houses, and the Gould Library, among so many others. He also designed the most private residences of the three men, including this late-19th century, shingly Colonial in Rockland County. Located in the Hudson River-front town of Piermont, the four-bedroom home has a striking semi-circular window, tons of original paneled woodwork and doors, and four beautiful fireplaces. After remaining in the same family for four generations, it's now up for sale asking $1,275,000.
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Can Times Square ever be completely car-free?

Rendering courtesy of 3deluxe

November 10, 2020

Can Times Square ever be completely car-free?

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It's been over ten years since cars were first banned in some sections of Times Square. Is it time for additional street closures along bustling Broadway? In a new design study, the Germany-based architecture firm 3deluxe has reimagined Times Square to prioritize pedestrians and cyclists, trading vehicular traffic lanes for recreational activities, landscaped features, and public transportation. The concept comes as New York and other cities continue to reexamine the value of safe public space as the fight to control the coronavirus pandemic continues.
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Mist garden from 1964 World’s Fair restored at Flushing Meadows Corona Park

Photos by Daniel Avila/NYC Parks

November 2, 2020

Mist garden from 1964 World’s Fair restored at Flushing Meadows Corona Park

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When the World's Fair descended upon Flushing Meadows Corona Park in 1964-1965, one of the big attractions was the Unisphere. And leading up to this 140-foot-tall stainless steel globe was the Fountain of the Fairs, a large reflecting pool that acted as an interactive mist garden. Though they were renovated in 2000, the fountains were seriously damaged during Hurricane Sandy and stopped working. However, after a recent $6.8 million upgrade, they are back up and running.
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See inside the ‘bubble’ apartments at the High Line’s new Lantern House condo

All photos by Colin Miller unless otherwise noted

October 27, 2020

See inside the ‘bubble’ apartments at the High Line’s new Lantern House condo

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While we've been following the progression of Thomas Heatherwick's first residential project in the United States from its unique exterior, new photos are providing a first peek inside the bubbles. Located at 515 West 18th Street, Lantern House features two condo towers that straddle the High Line in Chelsea, one rising 10 stories and the other 22 stories, both with facades designed to resemble a lantern. Ahead, see the model home designed by staging experts ASH NYC, which was able to complement the building's unique architecture with a mix of bold, contemporary furniture and vintage details.
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Rare townhouse in the Manhattan Avenue Historic District comes to the market for $2.5M

Photo credit: Compass

October 27, 2020

Rare townhouse in the Manhattan Avenue Historic District comes to the market for $2.5M

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The Manhattan Avenue Historic District is a group of 40 buildings that encompasses barely two blocks in the Manhattan Valley section of the Upper West Side. Stretching from West 104th to 106th Streets, the majority of the district's structures are picturesque townhouses designed in the then-popular Queen Anne and Romanesque Revival styles and built between 1885 and 1890. One of these homes, at 127 Manhattan Avenue, has just come to the market for the first time in 50 years. The five-bedroom townhouse is asking $2,495,000.
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Live in your very own 19th-century castle above the Hudson River for $3.5M

Listing photos courtesy of Houlihan Lawrence

October 26, 2020

Live in your very own 19th-century castle above the Hudson River for $3.5M

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First spotted by Brownstoner, one of the most unique and recognizable properties in the Hudson Valley has come to the market. The gilded-age landmark known as Castle Rock was built in 1881 in Garrison, New York as a summer home for William H. Osborn, president of the Illinois Central Railroad. Sitting atop the hill of the same name, the stone castle is 620 feet above the Hudson River, with incredible panoramic views. The 10,500-square-foot home is now asking $3,450,000, for sale for the first time in 45 years.
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