Real Estate Trends

It's New York. We live in close proximity and have all had those annoying neighbors — the man that moves his furniture around in the middle of the night, the college students that blast electronic music, and the couple with the dog that never stops howling. It's not every day, though, that you get neighbors operating a full-on filming studio out of their home, but that's exactly what Chelsea residents accused interior designer Betsy Morgan and her husband Jonathan Cary of, according to the New York Post. It was reported that Morgan was illegally advertising her $6 million West 21st Street townhouse on numerous websites for film locations and photography shoots at the rate of $850 per day, the ruckus from which did not make neighbors happy. The couple is now making headlines again by purchasing the city's largest available simplex at 84 Mercer Street. The $4.5 million, 9,000-square-foot loft is definitely camera worthy with its original wooden beams and columns, huge open layout, and remarkable potential for displaying art, but let's hope Ms. Morgan will not be bringing any outside cameras into her new pad.
More about the artsy past owners and the gorgeous digs this way

June 4, 2014

Annie Liebovitz Purchases Central Park Pad Next Door to Robert De Niro

Robert De Niro just got a new neighbor, and it’s esteemed photographer Annie Liebovitz. Liebovitz nabbed the Brentmore co-op for $11.25 million, a bit lower than the $14.5 million asking price from a year and a half ago. However, the celebrity photographer will be gaining more than an A-list neighbor. After a long day of work she’ll have a gorgeous 3BR/3.5 bath duplex to return to. The apartment has its own appreciation for the picturesque, with large windows framing Central Park and delivering front row views to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Take a glimpse inside the photographer's new home here

June 3, 2014

The Results Are In: Rebuild By Design Announces Winning Proposals for Post-Sandy Flood Protection

Over a year after Hurricane Sandy tore through the metro New York area, destroying lives and homes, some areas are still in the process of rebuilding. In an effort to ensure New York City is never caught off guard from a natural disaster like we were in the fall of 2012, the Department of Housing and Urban Development launched Rebuild By Design, a contest to develop ways to rebuild the city’s most vulnerable areas in such a way that they’ll be better prepared for nature’s unpredictability. 140 proposals were submitted over a year ago, coming from 15 different countries. Last June, 10 finalists were chosen to refine their plans, developing protective strategies for all of the vulnerable areas that were struck, and will likely be struck again. After nearly a year, the Department of Housing and Development has just announced six winners that will receive a piece of the federal government's $4 billion disaster-recovery fund.
Take a look at the winning designs here

June 3, 2014

SNL Darling Kristen Wiig Sells Soho Loft for $2.675 Million

Former SNL star Kristen Wiig has just sold her Soho Loft for $2.675 million. 476 Broadway Apt. 10-M sits on the 10th floor of a pre-war building in the coveted Soho/Nolita area. Resting a good 4 or 5 floors above its surrounding buildings, this apartment gets tons of light, and its large windows provide unobstructed city views, including One World Trade Center and City Hall. The kitchen features top of the line appliances with a Sub-Zero refrigerator and a Waterstone Filtration System.
Take a glimpse inside the comedienne's former home here

June 3, 2014

Perfectly Picturesque Tribeca Penthouse is Off the Market

Finding your perfect apartment is much like selecting a significant other--it needs to be comforting, make you feel happy and safe, jive with your lifestyle, and, most importantly, be so attractive you can't keep your hands off it. We'd bet that the new owners of the penthouse at 47 Murray Street are currently in the honeymoon phase with their new digs. They snatched up the 3BR/3BA home for $4.76 million through a listing with Douglas Elliman, and what they received is a 2,825-square-foot duplex loft with two terraces, 13-foot ceilings, 9.5-foot windows, modern finishes, and plenty of wall space for an art display.
The love story continues here

June 2, 2014

Massive Soho Loft With Wraparound Terrace Sells for $14.5 Million

When you look at these New York buildings, it’s hard to imagine there’s space for a 7,000-square-foot loft inside. Well, the former home of Justin and Nicole Ehrlich is one of those spaces. 20 Greene Street #6A is definitely deserving of an Academy award with its dramatic tall ceilings and oversized windows. And it just sold to the tune of $14.5 million. This Soho loft, listed by Douglas Elliman, doesn’t do anything halfway. Its giant living room is large enough to be its own apartment, for starters.
Take a closer look at this glamorous loft here

June 2, 2014

Set Designer for Saturday Night Live Buys Artsy SoHo Loft

Leo Yoshimura, a set designer and art director for late night television shows like Saturday Night Live and the Late Show with Conan O'Brien, has purchased unit 5W at SoHo's 565 Broadway for $4.2 million through a listing held by Keller Williams. This is a D2 class/artist in residence building, meaning it's a former industrial site that was converted to residential and now its apartments must be inhabited by a certified artist. The artistically designed loft seamlessly blends historic character with sleek modernism. Original columns punctuate the 2,740-square-foot 3BR/3BA space, which retains its large windows and high ceilings. The interior window cutouts let natural light traverse the entire unit, as does the contemporary frosted glass divider that leads into the boldly painted red den.
More details this way

May 30, 2014

One Vanderbilt: New 65-Story Tower Near Grand Central to Stand Taller Than the Chrysler Building

It looks like the Chrysler Building is about to get a new neighbor. According to the New York Times, SL Green has reportedly proposed the development of a 1,200-foot, 65-story tower that would occupy the block between 42nd and 43rd Streets, and Vanderbilt and Madison Avenues. This proposal will have to undergo a review process as part of a new de Blasio administration plan to rezone an area of Vanderbilt Avenue for larger buildings. De Blasio’s proposal is a 2.0 version of a failed bid by Michael Bloomberg that would rezone an area around Grand Central Terminal. Bloomberg’s proposal – which would affect a 73-block area around the terminal - concerned officials and preservationists, who were concerned that the plan would add to the congestion in the area. Fulfilling one of his campaign promises, de Blasio has devised a plan to mitigate those issues as well as keep the city competitive for decades to come, by creating more office space in the prime business location.
Learn more about the iconic tower's new neighbor

Real Estate Trends

May 29, 2014

Market Snapshot: The Week of May 29, 2014

An anonymous buyer snagged an 18th - and 19th-floor apartment at 15 Central Park West for $48 million. This purchase is the second most expensive sale in the building, falling "just" $40 million short of former Citigroup CEO Sany Weil's penthouse buy. Most Manhattan apartments don't come with an inch of green space, but the six listings highlighted in our report sure do! Guess which addresses have green escapes hidden from prying eyes... 116 condos sold for an average of $2.4 million; and 137 co-ops sold for an average of $1.2 million during the week of April 28th-May 4th. With summer just around the corner, it looks like buyers are clamoring to close. For market trends, the latest real estate listings, and an inside scoop on the city's coolest buildings, we turn to CityRealty‘s Weekly Market Snapshot for the scoop.
Get the report here

Real Estate Trends

Green City: Eight of the Biggest Eco-Friendly Developments Happening Right Now in NYC

By Jason Carpenter

While going green has more or less become the norm in most modern day construction in New York, some projects have really outdone themselves from the ingenuity of design to the sheer scale of size. This is a city where the new police academy will harness the power of re-usable rainwater, and where the Barclays Center's arena roof is being covered with 130,000 square feet of new garden space. New York is placing itself at the forefront of green design and green construction, and here are just eight of the biggest green projects happening right now.
The top green developments in the city this way

May 29, 2014

Billionaire Pier Luigi Loro Piana Buys a Glamourous Carnegie Hill Apartment for $11.3 Million

When you've got billions what's $11.3 million spent on some prime NYC real estate? According to city records filed this morning, Italian billionaire (the 1,067th in the world, and the 22nd in Italy) Pier Luigi Loro Piana just purchased a stunning Carnegie Hill co-op at 980 Fifth Avenue through a listing held by Sotheby's. The Italian fashion magnate crossed the billionaire's mark just last July when he and his brother sold an 80% stake in the Loro Piana fashion line to French billionaire Bernard Arnault's LVMH for $2.6 billion. With plenty of closets in this 3BR/3.5BA, including a 100-square-foot dressing room, the Pianas will have lots of room to store some of the luxurious cashmere and wool suits and sweaters that brought their family such great wealth today. The beautiful home also boasts stunning views of Central Park, and the building itself sparked quite a bit of controversy back in 1966 when it was constructed.
More details this way

May 29, 2014

Fifth Avenue Apartment with Views of the Met Changes Hands from One Financial Pro to Another

Crunching numbers all day as one of the leading financial advisors at USB can't be an easy task, so it makes perfect sense why Louise F. Gunderson chose to make this tranquil, inviting apartment her new home. The crystal-clear views of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Central Park Reservoir probably don't hurt either. Ms. Gunderson purchased a unit at 1035 Fifth Avenue for $4.75 million through a listing held by Lisa K. Lippman and Scott Moore at Brown Harris Stevens. The seller, Sylvan Schefler, head of the Investment Banking Department at Drexel Burnham Lambert Inc., likely had the same idea when he acquired the co-op in 1999. The large single-pane tilt and turn windows of this 2BR/3BA home let in tons of natural light and perfectly frame the uniquely Upper East Side views. High ceilings and hardwood flooring throughout are two of the lovely prewar details, while updated touches like custom built-in shelving and charming window seats create a modern, urban feel.
More on the apartment right this way

May 28, 2014

Wall Street Banker Buys Premier Park Avenue Duplex for $8.495 Million

Wall Street banker Brian Kelly and his wife Robin Foley have just purchased a gorgeous Upper East Side duplex at 830 Park Avenue for $8.495 million. Apartment 9/10B is reminiscent of a home in an Edith Wharton novel, which is appropriate because it’s managed to maintain much of its early 20th century charm even as it boasts some of the most modern finishes.
Check out this beautiful duplex here

May 28, 2014

Loft in Former Celeb Haven at 30 Crosby Street Finds a Buyer for $7.8 Million

Alicia Keys hired a crane when she moved out; Lenny Kravitz reportedly liked to show off his abs to his neighbors; Courtney Love allegedly had a little too much fun in the lobby — this is just some of the gossip from the former rich-and-famous tenants of 30 Crosby Street. In recent years, though, the residents have shifted from A-list celebrities to "everyday millionaires", and instead of Grammy-winning singers and hard-partying actresses, the Nolita building is now home to rich guys like the recent buyer of unit 3B, Justin Leverenz, Director of Emerging Market Equities at Oppenheimer, who purchased the apartment for $7.8 million, according to city records filed yesterday afternoon. The seller was music industry executive Daniel Pelson who paid $2.55 million for the home in 2001. Mr. Pelson listed the property through Town Residential’s Tinnie Sassano. What Mr. Leverenz acquired is a 4,164-square-foot, 3BR/3BA loft full of original historic details, including 19th century rough-hewn wooden columns, pinewood flooring, and exposed brick walls, mixed with contemporary additions like an Italian limestone wood-burning fireplace and a sleek, retro kitchen complete with stainless steel appliances and slab marble countertops.
Check out the rest of the digs this way

May 27, 2014

See New Renderings of Fortis’s Waterfront Residential and Hotel Development at 151 Maiden Lane

New renderings of Fortis Property Group’s mixed-use development at 151 Maiden Lane have been revealed! As reported by New York YIMBY, permits were filed last week for the new tower which will sit upon a 281,000-square-foot waterfront development site that the company purchased back in August of last year. Fortis’s new residential project will boast a 161,000-square-foot, 52-story luxury condominium with […]

May 23, 2014

Penthouse Loft at 185 Plymouth Street in DUMBO Sells for $3 Million

Just in time for Alloy's penned Spring 2014 move-in date, the north penthouse (#PHN) at 185 Plymouth Street closed yesterday afternoon for $3.08 million, according to city records. All units in the former Brillo factory are officially now sold out. Units in the coveted DUMBO property hit the market March of last year, and after managing to sell eight units in less than a week without even listing the property, Alloy decided to raise the prices of the two remaining units, #PHN and #PHS, to $3.4 million and $3.95 million respectively. But that clearly didn’t slow buyers down from wanting to lay claim to some of DUMBO’s hottest new property.
Take a closer look at these lofts that are all the rage in Dumbo

Real Estate Trends

May 23, 2014

Two Penthouses in Chelsea’s Walker Tower Sell for “Just” $30.75M

One lucky (European) buyer scooped up not one but two penthouses in Chelsea’s Walker Tower yesterday for $30.75 million, in what could easily be considered the real estate steal of the year. Toni Haber of Douglas Elliman, who represented the buyer, told the Wall Street Journal that her client “got a really good deal”, as the two units […]

Real Estate Trends

May 22, 2014

The Heights: One of Brooklyn’s Most Talked About Condominiums is Sold Out

The Heights is sold out! According to city records, the penthouse, and last available unit of the Brooklyn Heights condominium, has officially sold for $4.95 million. This extraordinary apartment at 30 Henry Street, listed by Corcoran Group's Deborah Rieders, touts one of the most expensive prices in Brooklyn, at approximately $1,730 per square foot. Getting a glimpse into this apartment is like trying to spot a rare bird, but from what we’ve gleaned, it’s pretty splendid. The luxury building replaced the home of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, and has been the subject of a lot of speculation from the day the filings were discovered. At one point it was rumored that BKSK Architects was planning for the building to have a waterfall! From what we can see, it appears the waterfall ultimately became a fountain in the courtyard but hey, what’s a legend if not the subject of grandeur?
Take a peek inside this elusive penthouse here

May 22, 2014

Light-Filled Lincoln Center Apartment Gets Lucky New Buyer

At 3 Lincoln Center (a.k.a. 160 West 66th Street), residents have the bragging rights of living in the only residential building in the Lincoln Center of the Performing Arts complex. And wouldn't you brag too if right outside your window was the Metropolitan Opera House and Juilliard? Apartment 46A is home to the most recent boaster. Sold for $3.9 million, the 1,562-square-foot unit has splendid north - and west - facing panoramic views that can be taken in through the huge, wraparound windows. The 9.5-foot ceilings add to the bright openness of this 2BD/2.5BA apartment.
Check out all the magnificent views and interiors this way

May 21, 2014

Derek Lam Scoops Up a Light-Filled Apartment in Gramercy Park North for $4.8 Million

Hot off the sale of their Soho loft, fashion designer Derek Lam and his partner Jan-Hendrik Schlottmann just closed on a $4.8 million 3BR/3.5BA pad at 50 Gramercy Park North, according to city records filed this afternoon. The home, which was listed by Kirk and Paige at Douglas Elliman, boasts a 40-foot expanse of floor-to-ceiling windows that give the home a decidedly modern California aesthetic that is very much in the vein of a Neutra icon. Though the current decor is quite subdued, if Lam's F/W'15 line is any indication of his preferred palette, we expect that this new space will be accented with plenty of rich blues, greens, and a bit of orange.
Have a look inside the stunning apartment

May 21, 2014

$13 Million Central Park West Pad Will Make Your Head Swim

Well, if you were getting your finances together to buy the $13 million apartment at 15 Central Park West, you can get off the phone with your accountant because it's sold. Unfortunately for you, Noel Berk of Mercedes/Berk has sold the Upper West Side stunner to someone else for $13.075 million. But that’s not going to stop us from writing about it, so sit back and take in the splendor that is the apartment you just barely missed out on. Unit 15K is an absolutely astounding 3BR/3.5BA beauty, with giant windows that bathe the entire apartment with light. Upon entry to this 2,500 square-foot haven, you’re greeted with a gorgeous foyer with Venetian plaster walls. This leads to a spacious living room with huge windows so as not to obstruct your view of the Lincoln Center. There’s a dining room situated right off the living room, a perfect place to seat your guests as they spend too much time oohing and ahhing over your apartment to remember to eat. And speaking of food, let’s take a trip into this kitchen.
You won't believe your eyes when you see the view from this gorgeous kitchen, here

May 21, 2014

Beautiful Eco-Friendly Loft on Watts Street Sells

It looks like Town Residential’s Danny Davis has done it again. He has made someone fall in love with another apartment, this time at 125 Watts Street. Unit #4 is the quintessential loft experience with high ceilings, white brick walls and tons of light. This historic, pre-war building is perfectly situated in Northwest Tribeca, right on the edge of Soho. This area has those desirable cobblestone streets, not to mention having plenty of dining and shopping to appeal to your chic side, while still being situated right near Hudson River Park and Pier 25 to appeal to your athletic side. You know what they call that? Nirvana.
See what Nirvana looks like here

May 20, 2014

Catsimatidis’s 30 Year Development Plan on Myrtle Avenue is Finally Underway

Patience is a virtue; one that billionaire tycoon and former mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis clearly has in droves. Cats demonstrated this when he had the foresight to purchase a block of land on Myrtle Avenue in Fort Greene, over 30 years ago, back when the street was appropriately nicknamed Murder Avenue. Not many people would have seen the value in property in an area where Cats jokes that he had to carry two guns “just in case one of the guns runs out of bullets”. However, Cats saw it as a worthy investment. And boy was he right. A few decades and a change of zoning laws have allowed Cats to turn this once terrifying spot into the building site of 4 residential skyscrapers with retail stores on the ground floor. Not a bad deal for a piece of property purchased for under a million dollars says the understatement of the century.
Learn more about Catsimatidis' development project here

May 20, 2014

The Historic Worth Building Gets a Few New Residents