Architecture And Design

All-electric 30-story tower with 324 apartments and academic space breaks ground in Downtown Brooklyn

Rendering courtesy of RXR

November 2, 2023

All-electric 30-story tower with 324 apartments and academic space breaks ground in Downtown Brooklyn

By Aaron Ginsburg

Construction has begun on an all-electric residential building in Downtown Brooklyn that includes 324 apartments and academic space for Long Island University. RXR on Monday broke ground on the 30-story tower at 89 Dekalb Avenue, which is set to be one of the developer's most sustainable projects as the building is fully electric, features a smart glass facade system, and has electric vehicle charging stations.
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6-acre light installation at proposed Midtown East casino site to open in December

All renderings courtesy of the Soloviev Foundation

November 2, 2023

6-acre light installation at proposed Midtown East casino site to open in December

By Aaron Ginsburg

A sprawling light installation coming to the site of a proposed casino in Midtown East is opening next month. Designed by Bruce Munro, Field of Light at Freedom Plaza includes 17,000 low-light, fiber-optic stemmed spheres that change hues and create a dreamlike landscape across six acres near the United Nations headquarters. Free tickets are now available to book to visit the installation, which officially debuts December 15. The display is financed by the Soloviev Group, which owns the vacant land and is looking to build a mixed-use development called Freedom Plaza, anchored by a casino.
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Village home and studio of Roy Lichtenstein opens after renovation, honored with historic plaque

Photo courtesy of Village Preservation on Flickr

October 27, 2023

Village home and studio of Roy Lichtenstein opens after renovation, honored with historic plaque

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Whitney Museum of American Art and Village Preservation on Thursday unveiled a historic plaque at the Greenwich Village home and studio of the renowned artist Roy Lichtenstein. Lichtenstein lived and worked at the 11,000-square-foot building at 741-745 Washington Street from 1988 until his passing in 1997. The building, constructed in 1912 as a metalworking shop, has officially reopened after receiving a full renovation by Los Angeles-based architects Johnston Marklee. The building now serves as the first permanent home for the museum's Independent Study Program (ISP), which supports future artists and scholars.
learn more about the famed studio

Prospect Park reopens Fallkill Waterfall trail after nearly 30 years

All photos courtesy of Caroline Ourso

October 26, 2023

Prospect Park reopens Fallkill Waterfall trail after nearly 30 years

By Aaron Ginsburg

New Yorkers can now access a waterfall in Prospect Park without having to hop a fence for the first time in decades. The Prospect Park Alliance on Thursday opened Fallkill Trail, a new woodland pathway leading to the scenic Fallkill Waterfall that has been behind fencing since 1995. The new trail was created by staff and volunteers from Prospect Park Alliance who worked to remove invasive plants, plant native species, haul logs, grade paths, and form the trail.
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Bjarke Ingels’ terrace-wrapped office tower The Spiral opens in Hudson Yards

Photos courtesy of Laurian Ghinitoiu for BIG unless otherwise noted

October 25, 2023

Bjarke Ingels’ terrace-wrapped office tower The Spiral opens in Hudson Yards

By Devin Gannon

It's BIG's biggest yet. Bjarke Ingels Group on Tuesday announced the completion of The Spiral, a 66-story office tower in Hudson Yards. The skyscraper at 66 Hudson Boulevard measures 2.8 million square feet and rises just over 1,031 feet tall, making it the architecture firm's first completed supertall. In addition to its soaring height, The Spiral stands out for its series of cascading terraces that wrap around the building, "like a 1,000-foot-tall vine at the scale of the city's skyline," as the architect described.
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RXR opens 27-story South Bronx rental with 200 apartments

All renderings courtesy of RXR unless noted otherwise

October 24, 2023

RXR opens 27-story South Bronx rental with 200 apartments

By Aaron Ginsburg

Another residential development has opened in Mott Haven. RXR last week opened Maven, a new 27-story rental tower located on the South Bronx waterfront. Located at 2413 Third Avenue, the 145,643-square-foot building is the developer's first project in the Bronx. Designed by CetraRuddy, the tower contains a total of 200 rental units, 60 of which are affordable for middle-income households.
read more about maven

Restoration of Richard Haas’ trompe-l’oeil mural in Soho begins

112 Prince Street mural in 1974 (left) and during the current restoration project (right). Photos: CITYarts

October 19, 2023

Restoration of Richard Haas’ trompe-l’oeil mural in Soho begins

By Devin Gannon

After years of deterioration, Richard Haas' iconic mural on the outside of a building in Soho will be restored. Painted in 1975, the five-story-high mural depicts a faux cast-iron facade painted to look like a continuation of the late 19th-century building at 112 Prince Street. Natural elements, time, and graffiti have made the mural unrecognizable, with the artwork almost completely faded. Work to bring the mural back to life began this week, with the project expected to be completed in November.
details here

City considers landmark status for NYPL branch in the Bronx

Photo courtesy of the Landmarks Preservation Commission

October 18, 2023

City considers landmark status for NYPL branch in the Bronx

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Landmarks Preservation Commission is considering designating a Bronx public library as a New York City landmark. The commission on Tuesday voted to calendar the New York Public Library's Tremont Branch at 1866 Washington Avenue. Constructed in 1905, the library was funded by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and designed by the renowned firm Carrère and Hastings, the architects behind the library's iconic main branch at 42nd Street and 5th Avenue. Made of red brick and limestone, the library is highly regarded for its historical significance as a critical community space over the last 100+ years, in addition to its architectural importance, according to the LPC.
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Architecture And Design

Work begins on Studio Gang-designed Shirley Chisholm Rec Center in Brooklyn

Rendering of the Shirley Chisholm Recreational Center in East Flatbush. Credit: New York City Department of Design and Construction

October 17, 2023

Work begins on Studio Gang-designed Shirley Chisholm Rec Center in Brooklyn

By Aaron Ginsburg

A new recreation center that will serve as a hub for learning, fitness, and recreation is coming to East Flatbush. City officials on Monday broke ground on the $141 million Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center, a new facility named after the late congresswoman and Brooklyn native who was the first Black woman ever elected to Congress. Located in Nostrand Playground, the roughly 62,000-square-foot center will feature a public plaza, indoor swimming pool, gymnasium, walking track, commercial teaching kitchen, and a media lab.
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Architecture And Design

First section of landfill-turned-park project opens at Staten Island’s Freshkills Park

Photo Credit: Benny Polatseck | Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

October 16, 2023

First section of landfill-turned-park project opens at Staten Island’s Freshkills Park

By Aaron Ginsburg

On the site of what once was the world's biggest landfill, New York City's second-largest park is growing. On Sunday, Mayor Eric Adams announced the opening of the first public section of the new Freshkills Park on Staten Island. The 21-acre North Park area features new walking and cycling paths, an overlook deck, a bird-viewing tower, and connections to the William T. Davis Wildlife Refuge.
learn more about freshkills park

Popular Articles

Paul Rudolph’s modernist Modulightor Building may become NYC landmark

Photo © Joe Polowczuk, Archives of the Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation

October 3, 2023

Paul Rudolph’s modernist Modulightor Building may become NYC landmark

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to calendar an iconic building in Midtown East designed by renowned modernist architect Paul Rudolph. Located at 246 East 58th Street, the Modulightor Building was built between 1989 and 1993 to house the lighting company of the same name Rudolph founded with German physicist Ernst Wagner. Rudolph designed the duplex apartment on floors three and four, which is the only Rudolph-designed space regularly open to the public.
read more about the modulightor building

Architecture And Design

Work begins on 188-unit, mixed-income Chelsea building designed by COOKFOX

Rendering courtesy of MAG Partners

October 3, 2023

Work begins on 188-unit, mixed-income Chelsea building designed by COOKFOX

By Aaron Ginsburg

Work has begun on a 188-unit residential project in Chelsea. MAG Partners and affordable housing cooperative Penn South on Tuesday broke ground on a seven-story residential building at 335 Eighth Avenue. Developed under the Affordable NY Program, the building will set aside 30 percent of units for low- and middle-income New Yorkers. The development, situated on the corner of West 26th Street and 8th Avenue, will contain ground-floor commercial space, including a 23,000-square-foot Lidl grocery store.
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Manhattan’s first public ‘beach’ opens at Hudson River Park

Gansevoort Peninsula at the southern edge with upland sandy bluff and “Day’s End.” Photo credit: Barrett Doherty

October 2, 2023

Manhattan’s first public ‘beach’ opens at Hudson River Park

By Devin Gannon

Every borough in New York City now has a beach. Sort of. On Monday, the Gansevoort Peninsula officially opened at Little West 12th Street and 13th Avenue at Hudson River Park. The new 5.5-acre waterfront public park in the Meatpacking District includes a sandy beach with umbrellas, chairs, misting features, places to picnic, kayak access, and a rocky seating edge. But, unlike at other city beaches, swimming will not be allowed at Gansevoort Peninsula due to the Hudson River's polluted water. The green space is the largest standalone recreational space within the four-mile Hudson River Park.
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Architecture And Design

See the Meatpacking District’s new public plaza with street mural curated by the Whitney Museum

Photo: Meatpacking BID/ Cherry Orchard

September 28, 2023

See the Meatpacking District’s new public plaza with street mural curated by the Whitney Museum

By Aaron Ginsburg

City officials on Thursday celebrated the opening of a new public plaza and street mural in the Meatpacking District. Located on Tenth Avenue between Gansevoort and Horatio Streets, Gansevoort Landing serves as a connection between the Meatpacking District and the highly-anticipated Gansevoort Peninsula, a soon-to-open public park within Hudson River Park. Gansevoort Landing includes a wider pedestrian plaza and crosswalk to ensure quicker and safer access to the park, as well as a stunning street mural commissioned by the Whitney Museum.
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Architecture And Design

Archtober 2023: 10 best architecture tours to check out

Photo credit: OLIN/ Trevor Lee

September 22, 2023

Archtober 2023: 10 best architecture tours to check out

By Devin Gannon

Archtober, the annual festival dedicated to architecture and design in New York City, is just around the corner and it's time to start planning the events, exhibitions, and talks you want to attend. The very popular "Building of the Day" series is back with 31 architect-led behind-the-scenes tours of projects across the city every day in October. Ahead, find 10 public spaces, parks, and museums that made our must-see list for this year, from the eco-friendly pier at Hudson River Park to the newly opened Louis Armstrong Center in Corona, Queens. All of the tours on this list are free or cost $10 to attend and require advanced registration.
our picks here

High Line-style pedestrian bridge to link Newark Penn Station and Prudential Center

All renderings courtesy of Unboxed Visuals for Sage and Coombe Architects.

September 20, 2023

High Line-style pedestrian bridge to link Newark Penn Station and Prudential Center

By Aaron Ginsburg

Work began this week on a High Line-esque pedestrian bridge in Newark a decade in the making. Gov. Phil Murphy and Mayor J. Baraka on Tuesday broke ground on the Mulberry Commons Pedestrian Bridge, a walkable pathway above McCarter Highway that will link Newark Penn Station and the Prudential Center. The bridge is the second phase of the Mulberry Commons development, a 22-acre project aimed at revitalizing the area between downtown Newark and the Ironbound neighborhood, with Mulberry Commons Park at the center. Officials say the bridge will support economic growth, make Newark more walkable, and enhance the pedestrian experience in and around Newark Penn Station.
see it here

Archtober 2023: Your guide to this year’s architecture and design events

Pumpkitecture photo courtesy of Matthew Carasella Photography

September 15, 2023

Archtober 2023: Your guide to this year’s architecture and design events

By Michelle Cohen

New York City's annual Archtober festival returns October 1 through October 31 for its 13th year. The monthlong celebration of architecture and design unfolds thanks to the collaboration of over 100 partners and sponsors across the city. This year's festival offers events, exhibitions, talks, and neighborhood tours across the five boroughs to raise awareness of the importance of the city's infinite tableau of architecture and design. The 2023 theme, "Bridging Divides," serves to better organize select programming with shared goals and conceptual connections.
Archtober events, this way

Plan to revitalize Staten Island’s North Shore includes 2,400 homes and waterfront esplanade

Conceptual rendering of the future St. George Esplanade. Credit: FXCollaborative.

September 14, 2023

Plan to revitalize Staten Island’s North Shore includes 2,400 homes and waterfront esplanade

By Aaron Ginsburg

After several failed projects, Staten Island's North Shore could finally see a long-promised revitalization. Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday announced a $400 million investment and released a new roadmap to redevelop a stretch of the borough's waterfront with 20 acres of continuous open space, 2,400 units of housing, and new commercial space. Construction will resume this fall on a two-mile waterfront esplanade that will be "on par with Brooklyn Bridge Park and Hudson River Park," according to Adams.
More on the north shore plan, herE

Robert Indiana’s ‘LOVE’ sculpture installed at Rockefeller Center

Photo © 6sqft

September 13, 2023

Robert Indiana’s ‘LOVE’ sculpture installed at Rockefeller Center

By Aaron Ginsburg

Robert Indiana's iconic "Love" sculpture has returned to New York City with a fresh paint job. Starting Wednesday, the 12-foot-high sculpture with its distinct slanted "O" will sit at the head of the Channel Gardens at Rockefeller Center for six weeks. The sculpture is one part of a larger installation featuring Indiana's work now on view, including his "One Through Zero" sculpture series on Center Plaza and images from his Peace Painting series on the 193 flags surrounding the Rink. The works will be on display through October 23.
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The history of New York’s railroad apartment

Photo by Martina Maffini and Michael DePasquale exclusively for 6sqft.

September 12, 2023

The history of New York’s railroad apartment

By Cait Etherington

Apartments comprised of a series of directly connected rooms—without a hallway—are a common feature of the New York City housing market. Generally, this layout is described as a “railroad apartment.” With origins in the city's turn-of-the-century tenement lifestyle, the layout today comes with its share of pros and cons. At its best, this apartment layout offers considerably more space at a lower cost than a conventional layout and desirable pre-war details. At its worst, this layout offers nothing but a dark and dank space that can be especially awkward when shared by roommates rather than couples.
find out more here

You can buy the 2023 Real Simple designer showcase home in Brooklyn’s Quay Tower for $8M

Photo courtesy of Eytan Stern Weber via Evan Joseph Images

September 12, 2023

You can buy the 2023 Real Simple designer showcase home in Brooklyn’s Quay Tower for $8M

By Michelle Cohen

The Real Simple Home 2023 has officially been unveiled in Brooklyn. And it's available for purchase. Newly-minted Brooklyn Heights condo Quay Tower at 50 Bridge Park Drive has just listed a duplex penthouse asking $7,995,000. Crowned the magazine's sixth Real Simple Home, the 2,789-square-foot duplex has been transformed by top designers and influencers, who have put a one-of-a-kind, personalized touch on the sleek space–including Bobby Berk, host of Netflix's "Queer Eye," who designed the living room.
TOUR THE DESIGNER-ENHANCED PENTHOUSE

$92M condo at 432 Park enters contract, priciest deal of 2023 so far

Photo by Miikka A. on Unsplash

August 30, 2023

$92M condo at 432 Park enters contract, priciest deal of 2023 so far

By Aaron Ginsburg

A $92 million condo at 432 Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan has entered contract, the biggest deal of the year in New York City so far. The five-bedroom apartment on the skyscraper's 79th floor first hit the market in September 2021 for $135 million but underwent a significant price cut this spring, according to CityRealty.
DETAILS THIS WAY

Manhattan’s first-ever film and TV studio coming to Pier 94

Renderings courtesy of Sunset Studios

August 30, 2023

Manhattan’s first-ever film and TV studio coming to Pier 94

By Aaron Ginsburg

Vornado Realty Trust is joining forces with industry giants Blackstone and Hudson Pacific Properties to transform Manhattan's Pier 94 into the borough's first-ever major TV and film studio production complex. Work is expected to begin later this year on the 266,000-square-foot campus, known as Sunset Pier 94 Studios, which will include six soundstages, offices, a writers' room, and public amenities along Manhattan's West Side, according to the Wall Street Journal. The $350 million project could be completed by the end of 2025.
Learn more about Manhattan's first film studio

Architecture And Design

New Downtown Brooklyn condo tower 9 Chapel has terraces that act like front porches

Renderings courtesy of DARCSTUDIO

August 29, 2023

New Downtown Brooklyn condo tower 9 Chapel has terraces that act like front porches

By Aaron Ginsburg

New renderings were released this week of 9 Chapel Street, a unique luxury condo tower under construction in Downtown Brooklyn. Developed by design-driven firm Tankhouse and designed by SO-IL, the 14-story building makes outdoor space a central feature, with open-air terraces that act as front porches, a mix of covered and uncovered private outdoor space, and weather-protected loggias. The goal of the design is to create a feeling that is "more house than high rise," as a press release describes.
Take a look

NYC unveils ‘home for retired playground animals’ in Queens

All photos courtesy of NYC Parks

August 24, 2023

NYC unveils ‘home for retired playground animals’ in Queens

By Aaron Ginsburg

Six treasured playground animal sculptures have retired to Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens. Located next to the park's iconic Unisphere, the "Home for Retired Playground Animals," will now house the past-their-prime statues that have been enjoyed by kids in city parks for decades. Currently on display in the space are one aardvark, one camel, one frog, one elephant, and two dolphin sculptures.
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Architecture And Design

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