Architecture And Design

In 2013, the New York Times described the William Lescaze townhouse at 32 East 74th Street—one of the first modernist residences built in NYC—as being “just at the edge of passing from worn to shabby, waiting for a new owner to bring it back to flawlessness.” After years of being on and off the market, a new owner came into the picture in 2015, when he bought the property for $14.5 million and transformed it into a three-unit investment property. Lescaze designed the house for Raymond C. and Mildred Kramer in 1934, one year after completing a modernist home for himself at 211 East 48th Street. Both feature his characteristic use of white stucco and glass bricks. The landmarked exteriors have remained intact, but as 6sqft previously noted, the interiors have long shed any trace of Lescaze’s interior design. The transformed property was most recently on the market in 2017 with a $20 million ask and is now back for a slightly reduced $19.5 million.
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Brookfield unveils $400M redevelopment of 666 Fifth Avenue

Left: Photo by David Shankbone on Wikimedia; Right: Rendering by Hayes Davidson for Brookfield Properties

October 17, 2019

Brookfield unveils $400M redevelopment of 666 Fifth Avenue

Hoping to start a new chapter for the problem-plagued tower, Brookfield Asset Management has unveiled its plan to overhaul 666 Fifth Avenue. The 41-story Midtown office building will undergo a $400 million overhaul designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, including a new glass exterior, floor-to-ceiling windows, revamped rooftop spaces, and updated mechanical systems, as the Wall Street Journal first reported. And separating itself further from its past, the building's address will now be 660 Fifth Avenue.
New details this way

Architecture And Design

Second round of Transit Tech Lab accelerator launches with emphasis on accessibility

Photo by Shinya Suzuki on Flickr cc

October 16, 2019

Second round of Transit Tech Lab accelerator launches with emphasis on accessibility

The MTA and the Partnership for New York City have announced the second round of the Transit Tech Lab accelerator program that launched earlier this year. The inaugural run selected six finalists to participate in an eight-week program dedicated to developing innovative, private sector solutions for the challenges facing our subway, bus, and rail services. Of those six, four companies have already started piloting their products with the MTA. The new round of submissions is specifically seeking entrepreneurs with products that improve accessibility (a major component of the MTA’s recently unveiled capital plan), enhance traffic coordination, or create new sources of revenue. Submissions are open through November 30.
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The Arches of Harlem aims to turn the Riverside Drive Viaduct into a public light-art installation

Renderings by Focus Lighting

October 15, 2019

The Arches of Harlem aims to turn the Riverside Drive Viaduct into a public light-art installation

Harlem-based architectural lighting firm Focus Lighting has worked on some pretty impressive projects here in NYC, from the Times Square ball to the Waldorf Astoria. But they're also getting involved in their local community, thinking about how they can transform the Riverside Drive Viaduct--a 50-foot-tall elevated steel roadway that runs from 125th to 135th Streets. As the firm notes, during the day, the structure's grand arches serve as a picturesque background to the neighborhood and the Hudson River, but at night, they "go completely unlit and unutilized." Their proposal, called The Arches of Harlem, seeks to incorporate a new programmable lighting composition every three months, each one "inspired by select works of historic artists and emerging local talent."
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See inside MoMA’s $450M revamped, expanded campus

53rd Street Elevation; Photo by Brett Beyer, courtesy of Diller Scofidio + Renfro

October 14, 2019

See inside MoMA’s $450M revamped, expanded campus

Following the completion of a $450 million renovation project, the Museum of Modern Art is set to reopen next week on October 21. In addition to expanding gallery space by nearly 50,000 square feet, the project reorganized the layout of exhibits, which now will be displayed chronologically instead of by discipline. Designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro in collaboration with Gensler, the new museum expanded west into the former site of the American Folk Art Museum and within the base of Jean Nouvel's new residential tower, 53W53.
See inside

WeWork’s private NYC elementary school, WeGrow, will close after current school year

Photo by Laurian Ghinitoiu courtesy of WeWork

October 14, 2019

WeWork’s private NYC elementary school, WeGrow, will close after current school year

Following a failed IPO and an impending takeover by Japanese parent company SoftBank amid an exodus of investors, office space sublease and coworking brand leader WeWork informed parents that the 2019-2020 school year would be the last for the newly-launched Manhattan elementary school, HuffPost reports. Rebekah Neumann, the co-founder of the company and wife of its recently-ousted CEO, Adam Neumann (and first cousin of Gwyneth Paltrow), had helmed the educational program for children ages three to nine, titled WeGrow, with a focus on education through play and interaction. The small New York City private school opened in 2018 with a tuition bill of between $22,000 and $42,000 a year. On the curriculum were yoga, dance and martial arts and weekly trips to an upstate farm to learn how to plant and harvest crops–in addition to fundamental courses, all with a heavy emphasis on creative expression and immersion in nature.
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PHOTOS: See the views from the Empire State Building’s new 102nd-floor observatory

View looking north, with Central Park and the towers that dot Billionaires’ Row clearly visible; Photo courtesy of Empire State Realty Trust

October 11, 2019

PHOTOS: See the views from the Empire State Building’s new 102nd-floor observatory

After four years and $165 million, the revamp of New York City's first supertall is nearly complete, bringing a more contemporary and visitor-friendly experience to one of the world's most historic buildings. The Empire State Building's 102nd-floor observatory, which boasts 360-degree panoramic views at 1,250 feet above street level, officially opens to the public on Saturday, Oct. 12. Building owner Empire State Realty Trust redesigned the observatory to be less obstructive for guests, allowing more picture-perfect views and less time waiting.
All the way up

Completed report announced following East Side Coastal Resiliency Project consultant review

Preliminary design of Corlears shared use path; via DDC.

October 11, 2019

Completed report announced following East Side Coastal Resiliency Project consultant review

Borough President Gale A. Brewer and Council Member Carlina Rivera announced Thursday the completed report by independent consulting firm Deltares on the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project (ESCR). As 6sqft previously reported, the project was first developed in the wake of Hurricane Sandy and is intended to protect 2.2 miles of Manhattan’s East Side, between East 25th Street and Montgomery Street, from flooding and improve access to waterfront space. According to the city, the ESCR project would protect over 110,000 New Yorkers in the area.
Find out more and read the report

October 8, 2019

Thomas Heatherwick’s pair of bubbled condos on the High Line gets rebranded as ‘Lantern House’

The pair of unique condo buildings with a bubbled facade rising on the High Line will officially be called Lantern House. Located at 515 West 18th Street, the two condo towers were designed by Thomas Heatherwick's Heatherwick Studio, the firm behind the climbable "Vessel" at Hudson Yards and the under-construction floating park at Pier 55. Along with the rebranding, Related Companies announced on Tuesday that sales for the development's 181 residences will launch next year, starting at $1.7 million for one-bedroom units.
Details here

Brooklyn’s tallest office tower tops out; see new interior renderings

Brooklyn just keeps getting bigger. In April, the borough's tallest tower, the condo tower Brooklyn Point, topped out at 720 feet. Now, Brooklyn's tallest office tower has also reached its full 495-foot height. One Willoughby Square (or 1WSQ as it's now being called) is expected to open at the end of 2020, at which time its architect, FXCollaborative, will also become the anchor tenant. The 34-story building will contain 500,000 square feet of office space; all of the floor plans are column-free and many floors have private outdoor terraces.
More looks and details

Hunters Point Library will move fiction shelves in response to accessibility criticism

Photo © Steven Holl Architects

October 7, 2019

Hunters Point Library will move fiction shelves in response to accessibility criticism

Steven Holl's Hunters Point Library has garnered glowing architectural reviews since it's opening last month, but visitors quickly pointed out a critical issue with accessibility in the $41 million building. Although the library has an elevator, it doesn't stop at the fiction section which is tiered on three levels above the lobby and accessible only via stairs. In light of the criticism, a Queens Public Library official has announced that books in that section will be relocated to an accessible area of the library, as Gothamist reported.
More details

Architecture And Design

Photo credit: Ty Cole

October 3, 2019

Behold photos of Williamsburg’s new commercial office development 25 Kent, now complete

25 Kent Avenue, Williamsburg's first ground-up commercial office development in over 50 years, is now complete. The building spans a full city block and was designed by architects Hollwich Kushner (HWKN) and Gensler and to provide "a social campus for innovators, startup founders, and tech leaders." As 6sqft previously reported, the eight-story building holds 500,000 square feet of office space along the Williamsburg waterfront as well as retail at ground level and underground parking, with millennial-friendly rooftops and terraces and floor-to-ceiling windows.
Many more photos of 25 Kent, this way

CetraRuddy’s new tower will bring affordable rentals to Downtown Brooklyn

Rendering of 22 Chapel Street courtesy of CetraRuddy

October 3, 2019

CetraRuddy’s new tower will bring affordable rentals to Downtown Brooklyn

After breaking ground last month, the mixed-use development at 22 Chapel Street near the Manhattan Bridge now has more details to share. Designed by CetraRuddy, the 20-story tower will bring 180 rental units to Downtown Brooklyn, 45 of which will be affordable. Among other amenities, it will have a rooftop pool and terrace, along with ground-floor retail space and a new headquarters for the START organization. Completion is expected in 2021.
More details

Listing photos courtesy of Halstead Real Estate

October 1, 2019

Old-world Victorian decor fills every inch of this $325K Bronx co-op

Located in the University Heights section of the Bronx, this co-op could easily pass for a Victorian period museum. From House of Hackney wallpaper to reclaimed 19th-century doors to a painting that is Louvre-approved (literally!), nearly every inch of the 1,250-square-foot home is filled with old-world furniture and decor. And even if this isn't quite your style, the two-bedroom, two-bathroom layout and $325,000 price tag will surely grab your attention.
Even the bathrooms are worth checking out

Upper West Side group wants a stretch of Broadway to go car-free

Photo by 6sqft

September 30, 2019

Upper West Side group wants a stretch of Broadway to go car-free

It's been 10 years since Times Square went car-free along Broadway, with pedestrian plazas at Herald Square, Madison Square, Union Square North, Grand Army Plaza, and many more soon following. And now, a local Upper West Side group hopes the city will agree to do the same for the northbound stretch of Broadway from 73rd to 79th streets. As Streetsblog reported, last weekend, Streetopia Upper West Side hosted an event, “Celebrate Broadway,” where they closed this portion of the road and filled it with tables and hosted performances in hopes that the enthusiasm will lead to a permanent closure of traffic.
More details

September 27, 2019

Archtober 2019: Top 10 events and program highlights

Archtober is an annual architecture and design festival consisting of tours, events, films, lectures and exhibitions celebrating New York City's love affair with the built environment. During the month of October, a full calendar of events puts a focus on the importance–and the future–of architecture and design. Organized by the Center for Architecture, over 80 partner and sponsor organizations across the city add their voices to the festival. Now in its ninth year, Archtober offers something for everyone—from the arch-intellectual with a love for concept to the armchair designer with a thing for waterways, parks or sustainable design—in the 100+ event roster. Below, we pick 10 intriguing highlights from this year’s offerings.
Celebrate architecture and NYC at these cool events

Sou Fujimoto will design co-living complex at former Slave Theater site, his first New York project

Renderings courtesy of The Collective and Artefactorylab

September 25, 2019

Sou Fujimoto will design co-living complex at former Slave Theater site, his first New York project

Days after filing building permits for 1215 Fulton Street in Bed-Stuy—the site of the former Slave Theatre—London-based co-living startup The Collective has announced it will be partnering with renowned Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto on the design, his first in New York. The 10-story structure will span over 240,000 square feet and be comprised of three buildings connected by an expansive “ground-floor hub” designed to feel like “an extension of the street.” The project aims to create “a new idea of how a community can come together in a building,” as the architects explained in a design statement.
Take a first look at the renderings

Famed Clinton Hill Pfizer Mansion with a rock-n-roll past and a $5M renovation lowers ask to $10M

Photo credit: Rayon Richards and Connie Zhou, courtesy The Corcoran Group

September 25, 2019

Famed Clinton Hill Pfizer Mansion with a rock-n-roll past and a $5M renovation lowers ask to $10M

Photo credit: Rayon Richards and Connie Zhou, courtesy The Corcoran Group In brownstone Brooklyn, there are dozens of grand homes that have historic significance and even more that are dazzling showcases of considered design. The unique 10,000-square-foot double mansion at 280 Washington Avenue in Clinton Hill happens to be one of Brooklyn's finest examples of both. Known as the Pfizer Mansion–it was built in 1887 by Charles Erhart, co-founder of the Pfizer pharmaceutical company and brother-in-law to Charles Pfizer–the block-through property had a full slate of interesting inhabitants, from a library to industrial band rockers, before receiving an epic renovation from its current owner. That same owner, designer Jessica Warren, who purchased the property in 2007 for $3.2 million, spent many years and many millions restoring the house to a stunning degree that surpassed even its former glory. The home, which has been featured in numerous design publications, has most recently been a beloved B & B known as The Notorious B.N.B. The current owners put the house on the market in 2018 for $13.5 million. After a year and a broker switch, it's now asking $9.995 million–and it's worth every penny, from its graceful, curving windows to a working Otis elevator and private parking space.
Tour this colorful and beautiful Brooklyn home

September 25, 2019

See inside Long Island City’s new public library designed by Steven Holl Architects

Despite standing just 82 feet tall, the new Hunters Point Library manages to stand out among its skyscraper neighbors on the Long Island City waterfront. The concrete structure, designed by Steven Holl Architects, officially opened to the public Tuesday, about two decades after officials proposed building a new Queens Public Library branch. The delays, and the whopping $40 million price tag, appear to have been worth it, as the building, with its carved windows and incredible skyline views, continues to garner approval from top architecture critics.
Take the tour

Architecture And Design

Landmarked ‘castle’ in NJ relists for $39M

Photo courtesy of Christie’s International Real Estate

September 24, 2019

Landmarked ‘castle’ in NJ relists for $39M

An English-style castle in New Jersey has returned to the market, offering potential buyers the chance to feel like royalty near the Ramapo Mountains. Asking $39 million, the three-story Darlington Mansion sits on over 12 acres in Mahwah and contains 58 rooms. Constructed in 1907 by George Crocker, the son of railroad baron Charles Crocker, the estate has been modernly restored over the last decade, all while retaining original materials and architectural elements. The mansion, also known as the Crocker Mansion, last listed in 2017 for $48 million.
See inside

Governors Island gains its first year-round home for the arts

Photo by Zachary Tyler Newton for LMCC

September 23, 2019

Governors Island gains its first year-round home for the arts

A permanent arts center opened on Governors Island last week, becoming the 172-acre site's first year-round tenant dedicated to arts and culture. The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC) has transformed a 19th-century warehouse into a 40,000-square-foot space for arts and educational programming. LMCC partnered with the Trust for Governors Island on the $12 million renovation, with designs from PEI Cobb Freed & Partners and Adamson Associates Architects. Historic details of the building were retained while enabling space for galleries, studios, rehearsal space, and an indoor cafe.
See the space

Robert de Niro-funded studio taps Bjarke Ingels to design $400M ‘vertical village for film’ in Astoria

Renderings courtesy of Bjarke Ingels Group and Wildflower Ltd.

September 20, 2019

Robert de Niro-funded studio taps Bjarke Ingels to design $400M ‘vertical village for film’ in Astoria

The star power involved with Robert de Niro’s planned production studio in Astoria continues to grow. The development group—which includes developer Wildflower Ltd, Raphael De Niro, and Jane Rosenthal—has just revealed a first look at the 650,000-square-foot facility designed by Bjarke Ingels Group. The $400 million project, called Wildflower Studios, will establish a hub for the creation of film, television, and other forms of entertainment, including augmented reality and virtual reality. The facility is expected to create more than 1,000 daily union jobs.
Get a first look at the renderings

The city wants to put a self-filtering floating swimming pool on the East River

Rendering by Family New York, Courtesy of Friends of +POOL

September 19, 2019

The city wants to put a self-filtering floating swimming pool on the East River

Swimming in the East River may once again become a reality. The city's Economic Development Corporation is seeking ideas for a floating pool that would filter the water of the East River to allow for safe swimming, according to a request for expressions of interest (RFEI) released Wednesday. A similar idea was first announced in 2010 by the nonprofit +POOL, which has been working with the city for years, as THE CITY first reported. The pool would likely be built between the north side of Brooklyn Bridge and the south side of Pier 35 on the Lower East Side, according to the request.
Get the details

Architecture And Design

September 18, 2019

REVEALED: $150M renovation of Central Park North includes new pool, skating rink, and more