Architecture And Design

December 22, 2016

Live in one of Manhattan’s rare rooftop cabins for $4,200 a month

Here's another tiny, pricey top-floor studio calling itself a "penthouse" in a buzzy downtown Manhattan neighborhood. Except this particular diminutive dwelling really is one-(or maybe two- or three-) of-a-kind in the city: It’s a rooftop cabin. Curbed calls it "NYC's most unusual rental." Every so often we get a chance to marvel at these quirky homesteads perched atop otherwise ordinary apartment buildings, and we don’t know whether we’d be thrilled to bits every morning to wake up in a country cabin on a city rooftop, or if we’d be totally over it. Let’s go with thrilled to bits–and take a closer look at this unusual aerie at 15 West 28th Street, asking $4,200 in monthly rent.
It's a cabin on the roof. How cool is that?

December 19, 2016

The problem with privately owned public spaces (‘POPS’) and how we can improve them

By Michelle Sinclair Colman

The Atlantic and the New York Times recently exposed the privately owned public spaces (known as “POPS”) in the Trump Tower as being far from “public.” As both journalists demonstrated, most of the Trump Tower public spaces were either cordoned off or non-existent, most notably, the case of the missing bench. A long bench was […]

December 16, 2016

Olin reveals renderings for $30M activity-filled eco-park on Tribeca’s Pier 26

By Dana Schulz

It was announced just over a year ago that starchitect Rafael Viñoly would donate his services to the Hudson River Park Trust to design an estuarium, a science education and research center, at the base of Tribeca's Pier 26. Now, Tribeca Citizen has brought us the first set of conceptual renderings of the $30 million Pier, which don't include Viñoly's building (other than as a placeholder), but show how landscape architects OLIN will transform the 800-foot pier between North Moore and Hubert Streets into a ecological park, complete with huge lounge net areas, sports fields, expansive lawns, a river esplanade, sandy dunes, wetlands to attract birds and wildlife, and elevated tree-lined pathways that are "inspired by being in the woods," according to DNAinfo.
See all the renderings

Architecture And Design

December 16, 2016

JFK’s TWA Hotel breaks ground, gets new renderings

By Dana Schulz

The shovels were out at JFK's TWA Flight Terminal yesterday, as MCR Development and JetBlue broke ground on their project to turn Eero Saarinen‘s mid-century modern masterpiece into the high-end, 505-room TWA Hotel. According to a press release, Governor Cuomo attended the festivities, noting that the conversion "will preserve this iconic landmark while cementing JFK’s status as a crown jewel of aviation." The news also came with two renderings that show the two, six-story, crescent shaped hotel buildings that will rise on either side of the existing structure.
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December 15, 2016

Dry your plates between the buildings of Midtown with this skyline dish rack

By Dana Schulz

For many New Yorkers, the after-dinner ritual of loading up the dishwasher is pure fantasy. But while we're stuck scrubbing away in our under-sized sinks, this fun dish rack from the Whitney museum's gift shop is a nice reminder as to why we make the compromises we do. The flexible 3D model of Midtown Manhattan comes from Italian designer Luca Nichetto, who was inspired by the scene in the 2010 movie "Inception" where NYC folds into itself "like rubber."
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December 14, 2016

Turn anything into a table or shelf in minutes using Be-elastic’s SNAP

By Rebecca Paul

NYC apartments often have irregular layouts and odd corners, and finding pre-made furniture that will fit nicely can often be a lofty task. As such, the founders of Be-elastic have designed an innovative furniture solution called SNAP to solve this problem. The SNAP assembly system is comprised of a simple snapping mechanism that allows users to design and assemble tables, stools, or shelving using whatever material they can find. The team has already experimented with a variety of items, creating tables from dart boards, vintage doors, and even bicycle wheels. But you can use your own design savvy to decide the color and number of legs your item requires.
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New renderings from Albo Liberis offer up two visions for Brooklyn’s next skyscraping office tower

Rendering of 625 Fulton Street; image: Albo Liberis /Genesis Studios

December 14, 2016

New renderings from Albo Liberis offer up two visions for Brooklyn’s next skyscraping office tower

By Michelle Cohen

As the future Brooklyn skyline takes shape, one of the borough's largest office towers-to-be, a 36-story commercial skyscraper, is slated to rise at 625 Fulton Street in Downtown Brooklyn. Brooklyn-based Rabsky Group purchased the lot for $158 million and, as The Real Deal reports, plans are in the works to create 700,000 square feet of leasable space, for which the developer is in talks with City Planning to take advantage of a plaza bonus. Albo Liberis (see Williamsburg's William Vale Hotel) has been commissioned as the architect, and while no design has been officially revealed or finalized by Rabsky, the firm's site does offer up some insight into what is being considered for the game-changing tower.
Check out the renderings

December 13, 2016

Rare modernist pieces by Prouvé, Le Corbusier, Gaudí and more up for auction today

By Michelle Cohen

If your idea of a perfect stocking stuffer is a classic Serge Mouille three-armed ceiling light, the auction of items from the private collection of architect Lee Mindel, which begins today, is just what your gift list ordered. "Light & Aerie: The Collection of Lee F. Mindel, FAIA" includes dozens of rare modernist pieces from the architect's personal collection. Mindel is moving from his Chelsea loft in a former hat factory to a new aerie in Tribeca's rare and collectible Herzog & de Meuron-designed "Jenga tower" at 56 Leonard Street; Mindel's loft is available, too, if you've got a really big stocking to fill. Auction house Phillips is handling the sale, which includes stunning pieces ranging from art to furniture, lighting and decorative items by the likes of Jean Prouvé, Antoni Gaudí, Georges Braque, Hans J. Wegner, Ettore Sottsass, Jr. and many, many more.
Check out some of the iconic pieces headed for auction

December 13, 2016

Historic districts and landmarking: What they mean and how they could affect you

By Michelle Cohen

In New York City, where buying and selling real estate is a high-stakes endeavor, the topic of historic and landmark designation is frequently raised. There are heated discussions on the subject of listing neighborhoods or buildings on the State and National Register of Historic Places or having them designated by the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission. It's important to know what those organizations do and the distinctions between them. You could even be eligible for significant financial aid for your renovations if you own property in an historic district.
Find out what these designations mean, how you could benefit from them and why they're sometimes controversial.

Renderings revealed for 724-foot Lower East Side tower, final piece of controversial site

By Dana Schulz

The historically low-income, low-slung neighborhood of Two Bridges--the area along the East River, near the footings of the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges where the Lower East Side meets Chinatown--has become a high-rise hotbed over the past year. Despite the controversy that the four planned projects, all upwards of 700 feet, have caused, they're moving along fairly swiftly, and The Lo-Down now has the big reveal for the final site--Starrett Group's 259 Clinton Street. Perkins Eastman Architects have designed the 724-foot, 62-story glass tower, which will have ground-floor retail and 732 apartments, 25 percent of which will be permanently affordable with a good chunk being set aside for low-income seniors.
More details and renderings ahead

December 13, 2016

Own the incredible Arts and Crafts home where Milton Glaser designed the ‘I ♥ NY’ logo

By Dana Schulz

Graphic design legend Milton Glaser's most famous works are arguably the I ♥ NY logo and the psychedelic Bob Dylan poster, both of which were created at his upstate home in Woodstock. He and wife Shirley have owned this incredible, early 20th century stone-and-glass home for more than 50 years, adding a contemporary aesthetic to its historic Arts and Crafts style and maintaining the 76+ acres of gardens and forest. It's now hit the market for $1.8 million since, according to Gothamist, the couple has reached a point "where downsizing has become the obvious choice."
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December 12, 2016

SOM’s Kenneth Lewis on redefining the city with One WTC, Time Warner Center, and sustainability

By Jillian Blume

In 1986, Kenneth Lewis began his career architecture firm SOM as a mere junior designer. Now fast forward to present day and Lewis can be found at the front-lines of the globally recognized company serving as a partner. Over his 30-year tenure with SOM, Lewis has been in involved in the realization of game-changing developments like the Time […]

December 12, 2016

Historic 1865 Chelsea firehouse was Andy Warhol’s 1949 refuge, now renting for $33K

By Michelle Cohen

The Chelsea Firehouse at 323 West 21st Street would be an historic icon based on its origins alone, beginning in the late 19th century as an actual firehouse, built to accommodate a shiny new horse-drawn steam pumper engine (h/t Daytonian in Manhattan). The mid-Victorian era structure not only survived the ensuing decades, but in 1999, Architectural Digest featured the duplex shown here, by then one of three luxury apartments, calling it "indisputably one of a kind." In the years between, the building was home to free-spirited performers and artists, including Andy Warhol and Philip Pearlstein who sought refuge here from seedy lodgings in the East Village. The designer-renovated, uniquely-configured 4,000 square-foot duplex in this storied building is now on the rental market for $33,000.
Find out more about this iconic home

December 9, 2016

KBA Architects reveal ziggurat-like tower for Kellogg’s Diner-adjacent site in Williamsburg

By Dana Schulz

Back in March, 6sqft reported that a new hotel/rental tower at 500 Metropolitan Avenue had risen above ground, but there was still a bit ambiguity surroundings its final design. Now, just as the Williamsburg building has topped out, CityRealty uncovered the final renderings from KBA Architects. The firm created a 14-story, ziggurat-like structure that will slope down from the adjacent site of longtime local haunt Kellogg's Diner and offer a slew of trendy amenities.
More views and details

December 9, 2016

New York City awarded $80.2 million in state funding competitions for 121 projects

By Diane Pham

NYC will get a big boost thanks to Governor Cuomo's Regional Economic Development Council competitions, a six-year-old initiative that provides "ground-up" funding driven by a community's success in improving quality of life and growing the local economy. New York City was named a "top performer" by the administration and awarded $80.2 million. The hefty sum will be allocated towards 121 projects across all five boroughs, including $1 million to build a tech incubator facility in Brooklyn, $1 million for a shuttle-bus service for the Brooklyn Navy Yard, $2.1 million to support the Green Point Manufacturing and Design Center, and $1.24 million to complete the final section of the Brooklyn Bridge Park beneath the bridge. Money will also go towards brownfield clean-up, supporting workforce expansion in local organizations, job training, and improving parks in low-income neighborhoods.
find out more

December 8, 2016

NYU reveals design for $1B 23-story building at controversial Greenwich Village site

By Dana Schulz

NYU's controversial plan to replace their Coles Sports Center site at the corner of Mercer and Houston Streets received approvals way back in 2012, but due to community opposition and lawsuits, they only filed plans and began demolition this October. The Wall Street Journal now shares the first renderings of the hulking, 23-story, 735,000-square-foot building at 181 Mercer Street designed by Davis Brody Bond (who's also responsible for the 9/11 Museum) and KieranTimberlake. It will cost a whopping $1 billion and host a bevy of uses, including 60 classrooms, common spaces, two cafes, practice/instruction rooms for the arts, three theaters, a giant athletic facility that'll have four basketball courts and a six-lane lap pool, 30 to 60 faculty apartments, and a 420-bed freshman dorm.
Lots more renderings and details

December 8, 2016

Minimalist guest house by Studio Padron keeps upstate New York enlightened in style

By Tracy A. Marciano

Black has always been in style for New Yorkers, and our penchant for the commanding hue continues with this discreet, minimalist cabin in the woods by Studio Padron and design think tank SMITH. Built entirely from mature red oak trees that were removed during construction of the property's main house, the tiny abode uses materials that would have otherwise been discarded. Duality is also a strong design principle of the project and it creates a refined balance in the one-room library and guest house.
Check out the stunning photos

December 8, 2016

Norman Foster will design 985-foot tower at 50 Hudson Yards

By Dana Schulz

It's been 14 months since developer Related Companies bought the site of a former McDonald's at 34th Street and 10th Avenue, the final parcel needed to complete Hudson Yards. Initial reports said the site of 50 Hudson Yards would hold a 62-story, 1,000+ foot commercial tower, but Related and Oxford Properties Group have now revealed that the structure will rise 58 stories and 985 feet and be designed by starchitect Norman Foster. As first reported by Curbed, the news comes on the heels of BlackRock's decision to sign a 20-year lease for 15 floors, or 850,000 square feet, in the building, leaving their long-time Park Avenue home in a show of confidence in the mega-complex.
Get more details ahead

December 8, 2016

ParkServe will share park data from 13,931 cities to help planners improve recreation space locally

By Diane Pham

Next year, urban planners across the country will have a handy new tool at their disposal to help better inform them on the placement of parks and other recreation in their respective cities. Together with ESRI, the Trust for Public Land (TPL) have been developing a new website called ParkServe that has culled park data from nearly 14,000 parks across the country. As Statescoop shares, in addition assisting in park planning through open-space advocacy and research, the new site will help citizens take advantage of, and have a say in the development of, local parks.
more on the new site

December 8, 2016

Colonial Bronxville mansion built by General George Custer’s widow hits the market for $5M

By Dana Schulz

After General George Custer perished in Little Big Horn in 1876 (Custer's Last Stand), his widow Elizabeth Bacon Custer moved to New York amid her quest to salvage her late husband's legacy through her three books, "Tenting on the Plains," "Boots and Saddles," and "Following the Guidon." In 1902, after attainting recognition and financial success through her writing, Elizabeth commissioned a massive Colonial-style home in Bronxville. Located in the high-end Lawrence Park neighborhood, the landmarked mansion boasts six period fireplaces, seven bedrooms, turreted rooms, "whimsical nooks and crannies," a large wine cellar, and landscaped gardens surrounding stone terraces and pathways.
Tour the historic home

Former Citicorp Center is the city’s newest landmarked building

Images: Lemessurier and 6sqft

December 7, 2016

Former Citicorp Center is the city’s newest landmarked building

By Michelle Cohen

The Midtown building formerly known as Citicorp Center has just been designated a city landmark. The building, now known simply as 601 Lexington Avenue, is one of 12 buildings in Midtown East to be given landmark status by the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission. This newest batch of landmarks brings the number of official historic buildings in the area to 50, Curbed reports. The 59-story office and retail tower, designed by Hugh A. Stubbins & Associates, was completed in 1978. It was considered quite innovative for its time, with distinctive features that included a 45-degree angular roof and a base of four stilt-like columns. The latter allowed it to cantilever over Saint Peter’s Church, also on the site. There is also a privately owned public space that connects the buildings to the Lexington Avenue-53rd Street subway station.
The distinctive tower will be dwarfed, but preserved

December 7, 2016

10 modern menorah designs for Hanukkah 2016

By Rebecca Paul

Our ongoing series Apartment Living 101 is aimed at helping New Yorkers navigate the challenges of creating a happy home in the big city. In anticipation of Hanukkah, we’ve rounded up ten modern menorahs for the design-minded. For thousands of years, people all over the globe have been celebrating Hanukkah (a.k.a. Festival of Lights), and this year's festivities are just around the corner. While the holiday invites participants to join in on a variety of joyful traditions like playing dreidel and eating potato pancakes, the eight-night event is centered around the lighting of the menorah. From emojis and dinosaurs, to elegant branches and minimal blocks, you can find a menorah in almost any style these days—so why not give the ancient nine-tiered a contemporary update? To help you find the right menorah design for your living space, we've rounded up ten of our favorite modern takes on the centerpiece.
have a look at all 10 here

December 6, 2016

Iconic JFK Terminal begins its life as the ‘TWA Hotel’ with new signage

By Dana Schulz

After sitting vacant at JFK Airport for 14 years as a vestige of jet-age architecture, Eero Saarinen's iconic 1962 TWA Flight Terminal received a new life in the summer of 2015 when it was announced that the neo-futurist structure would be reborn as a high-end hotel. MCR Development teamed up with JetBlue and the Port Authority to develop a "505-room LEED-certified hotel with restaurants, 40,000 square feet of meeting space and a 10,000-square-foot observation deck," as 6sqft previously described. Initial reports referred to the project as the "TWA Flight Center Hotel," but the Times now confirms that it'll simply be the "TWA Hotel." And with construction four months in, Curbed noticed that signage for the hotel has gone up, preserving the airline's logo and font.
See the sign ahead

December 6, 2016

Pretty Cobble Hill carriage house boasts history of circus zebras–and Norah Jones as neighbor

By Michelle Cohen

Though this 1830s livery stable on a picturesque Cobble Hill block offers seemingly endless charms on its own, the three-story, 4,300-square-foot home may have one of the more unique carriage house histories we've heard: It's believed that between 1915 and 1920 the stable was used to house zebras when what is now the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus was in town—the building next door was used to hold the elephants. If that's not enough distinction, the adorable carriage house belonging to singer Norah Jones—it also appeared in the Julia Roberts film "Eat, Pray, Love,"—sits directly across the street. But this particular carriage house, on the market for $5.6 million, is eclectic enough without past-life zebras or celebrity neighbors, from its expansive owners' duplex to its cozy upper floor apartment. Two decks overlooking a gorgeous rear garden and parking at the front have already won us over, and that's before we've even gone inside.
Explore this eclectic former stable

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