Architecture And Design

Last July, Rebuild by Design, a collaborative organization formed to address the affects of climate change, released an RFP for a stewardship partner for the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project (ESCR), a reconstruction of the 64-acre, 1.5-mile East River Park. The project, a flood protection system conceived in the wake of Hurricane Sandy and budgeted at $760 million, was the first of three phases in a series of self-sufficient flood zones stretching from West 57th to East 42nd Streets. In October, the Mayor's Office announced an updated $1.45 billion design that would begin in spring of 2020. 70 percent of the original design was updated, ostensibly to allow flood protection to be in place a year earlier, by summer 2023. But, as the New York Times reports, the new plan, which basically calls for burying the park beneath 8-10 feet of landfill and starting over–has left community groups who participated in the original plan feeling like they've been hung out to dry.
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January 22, 2019

Legendary designer Halston’s former UES house and famed party spot is off the market after four years

After being on the market for four years, the iconic Halston House at 101 East 63rd Street finally sold to an anonymous buyer for an undisclosed amount last week. The modernist property, one of only three residences in Manhattan designed by famed architect and former Yale School of Architecture dean Paul Rudolph, is best known as the home of designer Halston in the 1970s where he hosted lavish parties attended by the likes of Andy Warhol, Liza Minnelli, Truman Capote, and Jacqueline Onassis. It first hit the market in 2015 for $40 million when it was rumored that art dealer Jeffrey Deitch was interested in making a deal. One year later, the listing received a significant price chop to $28 million. According to a press release, the buyer was taken with the home's rich cultural history and is an admirer of Rudolph's architecture.
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January 18, 2019

After more than two years, Hudson Heights’ cliffside ‘Pumpkin House’ sells for $2M

Back in 2016, 6sqft reported that the iconic “Pumpkin House,” a 1920s townhouse cantilevered from a cliff in Hudson Heights, had hit the market for the first time since 2011 for $5.25 million. Still without a buyer the following summer, the 17-foot-wide, six-bedroom brick home at 16 Chittenden Avenue received a price chop to $4.25 million. The unusual home—standing 250 feet above the Henry Hudson Parkway—finally found its new owner this Thursday, when it sold for a deeply discounted $2 million, as reported by the New York Post.
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LPC approves sky bridge between landmarked Williamsburg church and new residential tower

Via Syndicate Architecture and Li/Saltzman Architects for LPC

January 17, 2019

LPC approves sky bridge between landmarked Williamsburg church and new residential tower

The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday approved a plan to build a sky bridge between a historic 19th-century church in Williamsburg and a neighboring residential tower. The new mixed-use building is currently under construction at 304 Rodney Street, next to the landmarked St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church. As Brownstoner reported, commissioners expressed concern over the financial feasibility of the project and whether proceeds from the sale of the church's air rights would be enough to cover the substantial work planned.
More here

Cuomo pledges $23M for Hudson River Park project in State of the State speech

Rendering by Pier55 Inc/Heatherwick Studio

January 17, 2019

Cuomo pledges $23M for Hudson River Park project in State of the State speech

Gov. Andrew Cuomo's State of the State speech Tuesday included a $23 million pledge to go toward the completion of Hudson River Park. That nearly-hidden line item in the state budget represents the governor's mediation efforts in a billionaire-vs.-billionaire feud involving Barry Diller's 2.7-acre park at Pier 55 on the water near West 14th street (often referred to as Diller Park), Crains reports.
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Architecture And Design

173-unit project planned for the Greenpoint waterfront moves forward

Previous rendering by Young Kim for Atlantis Arts Studio/ Quadrum Global

January 15, 2019

173-unit project planned for the Greenpoint waterfront moves forward

New permits were filed this month for a 14-story development on the Greenpoint waterfront, a residential project 6sqft first reported on over two years ago. According to the documents filed with the city's Department of Buildings, 173 units are planned for the Brooklyn development at 53 Huron Street, which faces the East River and stretches a block to West Street (h/t YIMBY).
Details here

January 14, 2019

Get a closer look at Snøhetta’s new designs for Phillip Johnson’s 550 Madison Avenue

In December, 6sqft reported that architecture firm Snøhetta had unveiled a preservationist-friendly revision to a controversial design for an updated AT&T building at 550 Madison Avenue. Now you can get a look at the full details of the Certificate of Appropriateness proposal that will be presented to the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) tomorrow. The latest design is one of several revisions, each followed by controversy over being seen by preservationists as diverting too much from the building’s original design by Philip Johnson and John Burgee. In addition to comparisons to the original, new designs must consider the subsequent revamp that made it the Sony building in 1994, which replaced the building’s open Madison Avenue arcade with “Sony Experience” storefronts and covered a rear public arcade with a glass roof.
Compare the new with the old

Photos by Max Touhey

January 11, 2019

Go inside Bjarke Ingels’ vibrant new U.S. headquarters in Dumbo

Bjarke Ingels Group has certainly lived up to its moniker BIG, with studios in New York, Copenhagen, and London, 17 partners, more than 500 employees, and roughly 50 projects currently in development. To keep up with this astonishing growth, the 14-year-old firm recently moved its U.S. headquarters to a vibrant new space in Dumbo's 45 Main Street. The 50,000-square-foot office fits 250+ employees and boasts cool features like Brooklyn Bridge views, a private outdoor terrace, chromatized steel doors, and tons of furniture and lighting by Danish brand and BIG collaborator KiBiSi.
Take the tour!

January 9, 2019

This dreamy 1880 Victorian bed and breakfast in Harlem could be yours for just under $4M

Entering the 1880 townhouse at 210 West 122nd Street in Harlem is like stepping back in time. The six-bedroom property—now on the market for $3,750,00—is currently a bed and breakfast where guests from all over the world enjoy the grandeur of this authentic Victorian home filled with original details: mahogany millwork, stained glass transoms, inlaid floors, and seven fireplaces. The old world charm is balanced by luxurious 21st-century amenities including a recently updated kitchen and waterfall jacuzzis. Prospective buyers will be able to continue operating the bed and breakfast or simply enjoy this architectural gem for themselves.
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It’s said this $1.85M Scarsdale Tudor was built by mobster Bugsy Siegel in 1920

On a tranquil cul-de-sac in Westchester County's Scarsdale, this pretty 1920s stone Tudor has a surprisingly notorious reputation: It was allegedly the home of infamous '20s gangster Ben "Bugsy" Siegel. It has, for a new century, been restored to its original glamour with the addition of a luxurious kitchen and modern conveniences.
See more of this historic home

January 4, 2019

Where I Work: Jun Aizaki’s architecture and design firm CRÈME gets creative in Williamsburg

Japan native Jun Aizaki started Brooklyn-based CRÈME / Jun Aizaki Architecture & Design 14 years ago when both the design and architecture firm's Williamsburg location and their portfolio were much different. Today, with more than 15 employees, CRÈME has become a leader in hip restaurant design (think Redfarm, L'Amico, and Mr. Purple), along with more innovative product design such as gourd cups and indigo-dyed furniture. The firm also has a pulse on urban planning projects, such as a proposal to build a timber bridge connecting Greenpoint and Long Island City, as well as a master plan of Denver’s Dairy Block. And it's this combination of cool-factor, outside-the-box thinking, and style that CRÈME embodies in their industrial Williamsburg office space. 6sqft recently visited the firm to take a look around and see their work, as well as to have a chat with Jun.
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New renderings released of Long Island City’s Skyline Tower, Queens’ soon-to-be-tallest

Rendering via Binyan Studios

January 2, 2019

New renderings released of Long Island City’s Skyline Tower, Queens’ soon-to-be-tallest

The Skyline Tower, a 67-story condo building under construction in Long Island City, ended the year on a very high note. In addition to being named 6sqft's 2018 Building of the Year, the Hill West Architects-designed, 778-foot-tall tower became the first in Queens to pass $1 billion in total sell out. Plus, the property, which developer United Construction & Development Group first filed plans for in 2016, sits across the street from One Court Square, where Amazon is leasing one million square feet of office space before the company moves to its new HQ2 complex along the waterfront. On Wednesday, new renderings of Skyline Tower were released, showing off the interiors, views, and new subway entrance at the future tallest tower in Queens.
See the renderings

December 20, 2018

‘Solar-carving’ facade is complete at Jeanne Gang’s High Line tower

Jeanne Gang's 12-story office building on the High Line has earned itself the nickname Solar Carve tower for its gem-like glass facade that was "sculpted by the angles of the sun" in order to eliminate shadows. And now, eight months after topping out, the building's signature glass curtain wall is complete, just in time to welcome tenants early this spring. In a press release announcing the milestone, Developers Aurora Capital Associates and William Gottlieb Real Estate said they believe the project, located at 40 Tenth Avenue between 13th and 14th Streets, will be "the office crown jewel of the Meatpacking District."
See more photos of the completed product

December 19, 2018

New renderings of Norman Foster’s Red Hook office complex reveal green roofs and courtyard

Construction on Norman Foster’s Red Hoek Point, a 7.7-acre commercial campus at the former Revere Sugar Factory, started in October and this week new renderings of the future office complex were released, as CityRealty first reported. Developed by Thor Equities and designed by Foster + Partners with SCAPE Landscape Architecture, the complex will be composed of two five-story buildings that will hold a combined 795,000 square feet of office space on three levels and 23,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space on the ground level. The new views provide the first look at the nearly four acres of green roof space, including walking and jogging paths and landscaping to mitigate stormwater runoff.
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Photos courtesy of Roey Yohai Studio

December 18, 2018

A behind-the-scenes look at Gracie Mansion’s colorfully festive holiday decorations

By Emily Nonko

Gracie Mansion, the residence of Mayor Bill de Blasio, is officially in full holiday spirit. The historic home, which dates back to 1799, is showing off decorations that promote some of the mayor's top initiatives, plus the overall theme of togetherness. It's all the work of New York City's First Lady Chirlane McCray and renowned event planner Bryan Rafanelli, who have been refining the vision since this summer. This is Rafanelli's second year working with McCray to decorate the people's home of New York. For 2018, they selected jewel-toned colors, lots of ribbon, and even worked in some participation from New Yorkers. Keep reading to figure out how the pair made it happen, an effort that includes bringing a 17-foot-tall tree through a narrow French door into the mansion's ballroom. The images are sure to put you in a New York holiday spirit.
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December 18, 2018

Historic Clinton Hill carriage house with 4,500-square-foot garden asks 3.4M

On a historic block in Clinton Hill, this three-level carriage house at 361 Waverly Avenue is a dream for those seeking country living vibes without leaving the city. As Curbed reported, the interior could use a modern refresh (or at least some curtains that don't match the wallpaper), but the $3,400,000 property is truly original and offers a ton of charming architectural details, a garage for worry-free parking, and a massive garden that could probably host a small wedding.
Take the tour

December 13, 2018

1820s New Paltz estate on 240 acres is a country living fantasy for $3M

If you've ever dreamed of getting out of the city (but not too, too far out), and nesting in a country estate amid rolling hills, White Duck Farm awaits. For $2.95 million, this 240-acre Ulster County estate is just a couple of hours from New York City in the Shawangunk Ridge-Mohonk Mountain Preserve, set back from the road and possessed of rolling pastures, woodlands, a pond, a pool, a party barn and a guest cottage–and a gorgeous, renovated brick Federal-style home (h/t CIRCA).
It's just as charming on the inside

Via NYCEDC and Wiki Commons

December 13, 2018

‘I ♥ NY’ designer Milton Glaser not thrilled with Amazon rip-off

This week the city's Economic Development Corporation released documents of its detailed pitch to lure Amazon to move to the city, which included offering up prime real estate in four different New York City neighborhoods and nearly $3 billion in incentives. Another thing city and state officials pitched to the tech company, which chose Long Island City last month for its HQ2 complex, is the state's famous "I love NY" logo. In their pitch, city and state officials swapped the iconic logo's heart out for Amazon's arrow-smile, which assumingly reads "I Amazon NY."
Glaser's thoughts ahead

Announcing 6sqft’s 2018 Building of the Year!

Rendering via Hill West Architects; frame via Pixabay

December 13, 2018

Announcing 6sqft’s 2018 Building of the Year!

The votes have been tallied, and it's time to name the 2018 Building of the Year! The winning title belongs to none other than Long Island City's Skyline Tower. The 778-foot-tall tower beat out 11 other significant NYC buildings in a competitive two-week competition held by 6sqft. Out of nearly 3,000 votes cast, the Hill West-designed structure took first place with a whopping 1,021 votes or 35.5% of the total. Was it the fact that the Skyline Tower is on course to become the borough’s tallest building? Or that it has an estimated $1.088 billion sellout, the first in the borough to break the one billion mark? Or perhaps it's the LIC location, the forthcoming home to 25,000 Amazon employees?
More on this year's winner!

December 12, 2018

New Historic Districts Council website lists every landmark in NYC

Preservationists, advocates, history buffs and anyone interested in finding out about the history of New York City's neighborhoods and landmarks has an exciting new resource at their fingertips. The Historic Districts Council (HDC) has launched a new website that offers a complete list of every historic district, individual landmark, interior landmark and scenic landmark in New York City.
Get a closer look

Landmarks designates new Inwood historic district

Image courtesy of NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission via Flickr.

December 11, 2018

Landmarks designates new Inwood historic district

The city's Landmarks Preservation Commission voted today to designate the Park Terrace West-West 217th Street Historic District in the Inwood section of Manhattan. The historic district features an enclave of picturesque early 20th-century houses with landscaped topography that stand out among the neighborhood’s apartment buildings.
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December 11, 2018

For $43M, restore two Gilded Age Upper East Side co-ops to their historic grandeur

A three-bedroom co-op in the Rosario Candela-designed 720 Park Avenue, the epitome of 1920s Gilded Age grandeur, is on the market for $20 million. It was once part of an even grander duplex that belonged to onetime Macy's president and ambassador to France Jesse I. Straus. The lower unit is asking $23 million. The two owners are offering a $43M combo that could restore the home to its original impressive status with eight bedrooms and staff quarters that, according to the Wall Street Journal, include a flower room, a vegetable closet and a valet room where cuffs and collars were pressed.
See more of this impressive piece of old New York history

Rendering via Studio Gang

December 11, 2018

Judge rules in favor of Studio Gang’s Natural History Museum expansion plans despite lawsuit attempt