Architecture And Design

Ten decommissioned tanks located along the Williamsburg waterfront will get demolished by the city this week, quashing plans from organizers to transform the silos into public space. Over the last four years, a team of designers and park advocates, led by Karen Zabarsky and Stacey Anderson, has pushed for adaptive reuse of the vacant 50-foot tanks into possible performance space, greenhouses, and art galleries. But without enough support from public officials, the team's project, The Tanks at Bushwick Inlet Park, now comes to an end as the city begins razing the oil tanks.
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Architecture And Design

Did you know the country’s only floating pool is in the Bronx?

Photo by Danny Avila for NYC Parks

August 2, 2019

Did you know the country’s only floating pool is in the Bronx?

By Nicole Mondrus

Although it's technically safe, you may not want to swim in the East River. Swimming on the East River, however, is an entirely different story. The Floating Pool Lady is not just a pool. It’s a floating pool located in a retrofitted barge that’s currently docked in Barretto Point Park in the Hunts Point neighborhood of the Bronx. Best of all, it's the only floating pool in the country.
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Architecture And Design

Steven Holl’s geometrically fabulous Catskills ‘Y House’ asks $1.6M

Image credit: Alon Koppel for Sotheby’s International Realty.

July 31, 2019

Steven Holl’s geometrically fabulous Catskills ‘Y House’ asks $1.6M

Designed by renowned architect Steven Holl, this modern retreat in Middleburgh, NY says yes from the minute you see it. Holl's bright sunset red "Y House," perched atop a hill in the Catskills, extends two arms ending in balconies, ready to embrace daily sunlight throughout the three-bedroom residence. One of Holl's most accomplished works, the house is an organic presence on a 33-acre site blessed with gorgeous views, a pond and a boat house. Asking $1.6 million, the property is less than three hours from NYC.
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Photo credit: Evan Joseph for Empire State Realty Trust.

July 29, 2019

Empire State Building unveils second floor immersive observatory experience

The Empire State Building unveiled today the second phase of a freshly reimagined $165 million Observatory Experience. The new second-floor gallery treats visitors to a series of nine individual exhibits, taking them on a digitally enhanced, experiential journey from the building’s construction to its current iconic cultural status. The 10,000-square-foot gallery's redesign was led by experience designer Thinc along with team members IDEO, Squint Opera, Beneville Studios, Diversified, Intersection, Kubik Maltbie, Otis Elevator Company and Tenguerian Model.
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Modernist must-see: Tour the Upper East Side’s Paul Rudolph-designed Modulightor Building

Photo © Joe Polowczuk (L) and © Annie Schlechter (R), Archives of the Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation

July 29, 2019

Modernist must-see: Tour the Upper East Side’s Paul Rudolph-designed Modulightor Building

A must-see for modern design fans: The four-story Modulightor Building at 246 East 58th Street was designed by Paul Rudolph from 1989-1994 as a residential and commercial structure to house the lighting company by the same name which he founded with Ernst Wagner. The Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation hosts monthly First Friday open house tours at the Rudolph-designed duplex apartment on floors three and four–NYC’s only Rudolph-designed residence regularly open to the public. Explore the space, furnished with unique furniture designed by Rudolph and items from his personal collections, on Friday, August 2 from 6-9 P.M.
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Ahead of city demo plans, petition launches to save Williamsburg’s Bayside Oil Depot

Photo by James and Karla Murray exclusively for 6sqft.

July 29, 2019

Ahead of city demo plans, petition launches to save Williamsburg’s Bayside Oil Depot

For the past four years, a team of designers and environmentalists led by co-founders Karen Zabarsky and Stacey Anderson has been rallying to save a series of ten 50-foot, decommissioned silos on the Williamsburg waterfront and transform them into a unique, 21st-century park. The project, known as THE TANKS at Bushwick Inlet Park, would be a small part of the larger 28-acre park planned for the waterfront, an area known for it’s “toxin-soaked soil,” as described in a recent New York Magazine article. Zabarsky and Anderson believe in adaptive reuse over demolition, so as the city’s bulldozers draw near, The Tanks team has started a petition on Change.org to save these pieces of Brooklyn’s industrial history.
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Architecture And Design

Soho House’s Dumbo location has a new retro rooftop lounge and taco stand

Photo credit: Nico Schinco courtesy of Soho House Dumbo House.

July 26, 2019

Soho House’s Dumbo location has a new retro rooftop lounge and taco stand

The ever-expanding Soho House brand added a Dumbo, Brooklyn "house" to its collection of exclusive, design-savvy members' club locations in 2018. As Dezeen reports, this summer the hospitality hotspot heats up even more with a new rooftop lounge that features a pop-up taco eatery, Siete. A laid-back retro feel to the decor complements the location's jaw-dropping river and bridge views with bright tropical hues like those used by celebrated Mexican architect Luis Barragán.
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Asbury Park’s second act: How developer iStar is transforming this Jersey Shore town

Photo of Asbury Park’s Convention Hall by Acroterion / Wikimedia Commons

July 26, 2019

Asbury Park’s second act: How developer iStar is transforming this Jersey Shore town

By Dana Schulz

If you lived along the Jersey Shore in the '80s and '90s, Asbury Park was not a place you went. After getting its start in the late 1800s as a summer escape for wealthy residents of NYC and Philly, the 1.6-square-mile town boomed again in the '50s and '60s as a grungey, artsy hangout. But after the race riots in the 1970s, the town fell into disrepair and was forgotten by local stakeholders. Fast forward to today, and Asbury is booming--we once aptly described it as "Williamsburg meets Bruce Springsteen-land meets Venice Beach." Like many gentrifying/revitalized areas, the change can be attributed to a developer with foresight. In this case, the team at iStar realized the opportunity nine years ago. They now own 35 acres of land in Asbury, including 70 percent of the waterfront, and are investing more than $1 billion in the town. Their projects include the luxury condo Monroe, the renovated Asbury Lanes bowling alley/performance venue, The Asbury Hotel, and, most recently, the Asbury Ocean Club, a hotel-condo hybrid that made headlines for its $1,050/night suite. Unsurprisingly, iStar has received its share of criticism, but that hasn't stopped New Yorkers from flooding the seaside city in the summertime. Ahead, we delve into the social and cultural landscape of Asbury and talk with iStar's Brian Cheripka about the lesser-known politics behind their plans, why they decided to invest in Asbury Park, and what we can expect to see in the future.
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July 25, 2019

IKEA’s new Sonos collab includes wifi speakers disguised as lamps and shelves

Always on the cutting edge–as with this genius furniture for small spaces–IKEA is introducing SYMFONISK, a collaboration with Sonos that mixes great design with wifi-enabled sound. The all-new sound collection includes a luminous table lamp and a slender, minimalist bookshelf speaker; both are wifi speakers. Even better: The speakers can be used with the Sonos system and controlled through the company's app.
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Renderings revealed for Manhattan’s first public ‘beach’

The Hudson River Park Trust unveiled on Wednesday a preliminary concept for its plan to bring a public beach to Manhattan. The Meatpacking District site, known as the Gansevoort Peninsula, measures about 5.5 acres on the waterfront and formerly served as a parking lot for the city's sanitation department. The new park will feature a beach area with kayak access, a sports field, a salt marsh, and areas to picnic and lounge.
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Architecture And Design

Stuyvesant Heights Historic District’s oldest home asks $1.6M after modern renovation

Listing images by Anton Brookes, H5 Photography; courtesy of The Corcoran Group

July 25, 2019

Stuyvesant Heights Historic District’s oldest home asks $1.6M after modern renovation

This charming 20-foot wide Victorian home at 47 Chauncey Street in Bed-Stuy is not only part of the Stuyvesant Heights Historic District—it’s one of the four oldest remaining rowhouses in the district, dating back to circa 1870. Last year, the two-bedroom home was sold in a pretty run-down state and has since undergone a gut renovation that brought modern finishes and conveniences to the historic property. It's now on the market for $1.599 million.
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A new seven-acre park will open under the Kosciuszko Bridge in Greenpoint

Rendering of ‘K-flex 2’ courtesy of Public Work

July 23, 2019

A new seven-acre park will open under the Kosciuszko Bridge in Greenpoint

Plans to build a new seven-acre public park under the Kosciuszko Bridge in Greenpoint are moving forward. Last month, the North Brooklyn Parks Alliance unveiled designs for "Under the K," a linear public space that will feature four distinct spaces and stretch to Newtown Creek. Designed by Toronto-based architecture firm Public Work, the new park will feature access to the waterfront, public art installations, performances, and areas for recreation on land currently vacant.
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Architecture And Design

LPC approves Bjarke Ingels’ plan for a rooftop addition at a Brooklyn Heights landmark

Rendering via LPC

July 18, 2019

LPC approves Bjarke Ingels’ plan for a rooftop addition at a Brooklyn Heights landmark

The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday approved plans from starchitect Bjarke Ingels to build a rooftop addition at a landmarked building in Brooklyn Heights. As part of a penthouse renovation of the 29th and 30th floors of the St. George Tower at 111 Hicks Street, Ingels would construct a fake water tower to hold a new elevator shaft, raise the roof deck, and add a pool. As first reported by Brownstoner, the Danish architect, whose firm is known for New York City projects like The Eleventh and the Spiral, presented his plan to the commission as a personal project. "I have a massive self-interest because I hope to make it my home," he said.
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July 17, 2019

This $2.2M Tudor home is part of the Upper West Side’s ‘hidden’ Pomander Walk

As one of New York City’s many hidden-in-plain-sight secret addresses, Pomander Walk is a gated 1920s community of Tudor-style mini-homes resembling an English village tucked away in the middle of Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Asking $2.175 million, the landmarked three-story Tudor-style co-op triplex behind a private gate at 263 West 94th Street, landscaped with hydrangeas and rose bushes and framed by window boxes and enchanting views is part of a unique village-in-the-city community.
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Port Authority seeks ideas for JFK Central mixed-use hub from top designers and developers

Illustrative rendering of the developed northwest corner of the site courtesy of PANYNJ.

July 17, 2019

Port Authority seeks ideas for JFK Central mixed-use hub from top designers and developers

As part of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's planned $13 billion transformation of JFK into a modern international airport, it was announced Tuesday that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is issuing a Request for Information for the design and development of JFK Central, a 14-acre mixed-use space at the airport's core at the Ground Transportation Center. The site offers designers and developers a blank canvas for creating a unique centrally located public space for travelers, employees and the community, offering commercial and recreational services.
Ideas and examples for the site, this way

City presents new design for its East Side Coastal Resiliency Project following community feedback

Preliminary design for Corlears Hook Bridge Landing

July 15, 2019

City presents new design for its East Side Coastal Resiliency Project following community feedback

The city unveiled last week an updated design for its plan to protect an area stretching from the Lower East Side to East 25th Street from flooding. The Department of Design and Construction (DDC) presented on Thursday its preliminary design for the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project (ESCR) to Community Board 3, as Curbed NY reported. In response to concerns from residents about the closure of East River Park during the construction period, the city's updated design incorporates community suggestions, including a new amphitheater and an outdoor fitness area.
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All photos courtesy of the Garment District Alliance

July 12, 2019

An urban garden will grow on a Garment District block this summer

By Nicole Mondrus

One of the city’s busiest neighborhoods is getting a little slice of peace. The Garment District Alliance and the city's Department of Transportation unveiled a new street art installation Wednesday afternoon. The nearly 180-foot painting by artist Carla Torres, "Nymph Pond," takes up the stretch of Broadway between 37th and 38th Streets. The best part? The block with the mural is being temporarily set aside as an “urban garden” until the end of the summer.
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$18M Beaux-Arts mansion is an Upper West Side architectural icon with Dakota views

Photo credit: Yale Wagner for Sotheby’s International Realty.

July 12, 2019

$18M Beaux-Arts mansion is an Upper West Side architectural icon with Dakota views

On the market for the first time in over 60 years, asking $17.995 million, this 20-foot-wide Beaux-Arts mansion stands among the most desirable blocks of the Upper West Side. Designed by the architectural firm Welch, Smith and Provot–the firm also designed the Duke-Semans Mansion on Fifth Avenue later owned by Carlos Slim–the six-story, 9,575-square-foot home at 5 West 73rd Street is one of the neighborhood's most architecturally significant houses; among its most compelling features are iconic views of another Upper West Side classic, the Dakota.
Take the grand tour of this grand home

Temporary “pop-up park” opens at future site of Willoughby Square Park

Images courtesy of EDC

July 10, 2019

Temporary “pop-up park” opens at future site of Willoughby Square Park

As plans for a permanent park at Willoughby Square go forward, a temporary green space at the same site has opened to the public. The 15,000-square-foot "pop-up park" will provide a green escape for the local community until the end of the summer in 2020, at which point construction will commence on the permanent, 1.15-acre park scheduled for completion by 2022.
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Architecture And Design

July 9, 2019

Where I Work: Harlem’s Focus Lighting illuminates the field of architectural lighting design

By Dana Schulz

6sqft’s series “Where I Work” takes us into the studios, offices, and off-beat workspaces of New Yorkers across the city. In this installment, we’re touring the Harlem office of architectural lighting design firm Focus Lighting. Want to see your business featured here? Get in touch! After spending many years designing theatrical lighting, Paul Gregory decided to transition into the world of architectural lighting. He started his career working on nightclubs and in 1987, founded his own firm in his neighborhood of Harlem. Eight years later, Paul and his team at Focus Lighting garnered international recognization for their work on the Entel Tower in Santiago Chile, the world's first automated color-changing building. Since then, the firm has grown to have 35 employees and nabs commissions such as the Times Square ball, Tavern on the Green, and the Waldorf Astoria (and that's just here in NYC). But through all their success, Focus has kept their offices in Harlem, now at 116th Street and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard, where their close-knit employees work collaboratively. The converted loft space has a unique light lab, similar to a black box theater, as well as a gallery space where the team can test out new means of digital architecture and video projects. 6sqft recently visited Focus Lighting to learn more about their fascinating work, tour the space, and chat with Focus partner and principal designer Brett Andersen and principal designer Christine Hope.
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The Wing will open new locations in Bryant Park and Williamsburg this year

Rendering of the new Bryant Park location courtesy of The Wing.

July 9, 2019

The Wing will open new locations in Bryant Park and Williamsburg this year

The Wing women-centric community and work space has announced the forthcoming launch of two new NYC locations this year. Along with news of a Bryant Park space–their first in Midtown–come renderings that reveal more of the thoroughly modern and chic-yet-welcoming interiors that have become the brand's signature. More news: A Williamsburg, Brooklyn location is on the way.
Renderings of the new space this way

Architecture And Design

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Guggenheim becomes a UNESCO World Heritage site

Photo via Wiki Commons

July 8, 2019

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Guggenheim becomes a UNESCO World Heritage site

Eight buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright have been named UNESCO World Heritage sites, including New York City's iconic Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. The buildings were given heritage status by the organization's World Heritage Committee at a July 7 meeting (h/t Dezeen). Additional Wright creations named to the list are Fallingwater (Pennsylvania), Frederick C. Robie House (Illinois), Hollyhock House (California), the Herbert and Katherine Jacobs House (Wisconsin), Unity Temple (Illinois), and Wright's homes and studios at Taliesin, Wisconsin and Taliesin West, Arizona.
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Two Trees exploring a new Williamsburg waterfront park and development next to Domino Park

Image via Google Street View

July 8, 2019

Two Trees exploring a new Williamsburg waterfront park and development next to Domino Park

Developer Two Trees has begun convening meetings with Williamsburg residents in the early stages of planning a future waterfront park and development in the neighborhood. As Brownstoner reported, the site under consideration is comprised of three lots owned by Con Edison on River Street between Grand Street and North 3rd Street, right between Grand Ferry Park and Two Trees’ popular Domino Park. The new park would thus connect the existing parks “and take a giant step towards creating a contiguous waterfront park that extends from the Navy Yard to Newtown Creek,” Two Trees notes.
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Architecture And Design

$20M first phase of Brooklyn’s new 407-acre Shirley Chisholm State Park opens

Photo by Mike Groll/Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo via Flickr.

July 3, 2019

$20M first phase of Brooklyn’s new 407-acre Shirley Chisholm State Park opens