Chelsea

There’s something about the grotto-esque garden duplex at 121 West 15th Street that makes us feel like we just stepped into a Disney movie. Perhaps it’s the soft edges and delightfully crooked banisters, or the whimsical fireman’s pole—yes, there’s a fireman’s pole. Whatever the case, this magical apartment may not be “the happiest place on earth,” but it will undoubtedly put a smile on your face.
Take a look inside here

Coffee Culture: Are Neighborhood Cafes the First Sign of Gentrification?

Photo: Cafe Grumpy in Greenpoint by Premshree Pillai cc

September 3, 2014

Coffee Culture: Are Neighborhood Cafes the First Sign of Gentrification?

By Michelle Cohen

From “coffices” to lab-like minimalist gourmet coffee meccas to cozy neighborhood hangouts, neighborhood cafes are a fine example of the essential “third place” mentioned in discussions of community dynamics: that place, neither work nor home, where regulars gather and everyone’s welcome. Along with yoga studios, art galleries, community gardens, vintage clothing shops, restaurants with pedigreed owners and adventurous menus and, some say, a change in the offerings on local grocery shelves, cafes are often the earliest sign of neighborhood change. The neighborhood cafe serves as a testing ground for community cohesiveness while adventurous entrepreneurs test the still-unfamiliar waters around them. Beyond the literal gesture of offering sustenance, cafes provide a place where you can actually see who your neighbors are and appreciate the fact that at least some of them are willing to make an investment locally.
Get a fleeting glimpse of old New York City cafe culture in the West Village, meet the future of coffee distribution in Red Hook.

September 3, 2014

Fashion Wunderkind Kira Plastinina Buys $2.5 Million Chelsea Apartment

You may remember Kira Plastinina making headlines back in 2008, when she, all at the age of 16, launched her namesake fashion line, opened a dozen US stores, and later that same year closed them all and filed for bankruptcy. Originally from Moscow, Kira has now launched a new high-end fashion line called Lublu in Dallas, Texas, but it looks like she might also be planning to make some moves in the Big Apple. According to city records, she purchased apartment 3A at the Slate Condominium at 163 West 18th Street for $2.45 million.
Take a look inside here

August 26, 2014

$4 Million Unit in the Neil Denari-Designed HL23 Shines with Unbelievable Windows

Kanye West is in luck. As of just a few days ago, a new unit popped up in the iconic Neil Denari-designed HL23 condominium he once so desperately coveted; asking $3.95 million. It’s no wonder the starchitect’s first free-standing building is such a draw. Not only did the futuristic design inspire former New York Times architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff to write car metaphors, but it's also sustainably built. Making the city a better place and looking good while doing it? What’s not to love?
Take a look inside, here

August 24, 2014

Neon, Metal, and Patty Melts: A Look at Classic New York City Diner Design

By Jason Carpenter

American diners are neon-lit time capsules of architecture and design. They are the '57 Ford Thunderbird of restaurants, shaping post-war optimism and far too much metal into something beautiful and quintessentially American. Best of all, you can still find plenty of little diners doing what they have always done, among the rising skylines and property values of New York City.
See our diner photos here

August 13, 2014

Curb Appeal: The Psychology of Moving Buyers from Cab to Curb to Contract

By Lauren Price

Great neighborhood? Check. Great apartment? Check. Curb appeal? Killer first impressions can be long lasting — and whether it’s a newly advertised flavor of Ben & Jerry’s, an ad for Tory Burch’s latest shoe collection —or finding new digs, “love at first sight” spot-on marketing moments play a sizeable role in how we make our decisions. Industry experts note that a large percentage of a house hunter's decision to explore a property further than the curb is based the project’s “wow” factor. Truth is, it sets the “perception” stage of what’s to come beyond a grand entrance or swanky lobby that was designed to provide a sense of arrival and belonging. Obviously, at the end of the day, a building’s outside will only persuade potential buyers to see more, and first impressions can vary from one individual to the next, but the “I was meant to live here” moment is fairly universal.
How a building's design tugs at your desire to 'be someone'

August 12, 2014

Live in the Penthouse of Starchitect Jean Nouvel’s 100 Eleventh Avenue for $45K/Month

Starchitect Jean Nouvel’s 100 Eleventh Avenue may have received mixed reviews—which is made even more evident when you look at its rocky listing history—but that doesn’t change the fact that this pad is a clear showstopper. Not only does the stunning full-floor penthouse offer 360 degrees of stellar views through 150 linear feet of floor-to-ceiling windows; have a sprawling layout and two terraces; and reside on one of New York’s most recognizable blocks, surrounded by buildings designed by Pritzker Prize winners like Frank Gehry and Shigeru Ban; but this unit also has recently renovated interiors courtesy of Jennifer Post, one of Architectural Digest’s top 100 designers. Bottom line, if you’re a big name-dropper, this $45,000/month rental has your name written all over it.
Check out the views from this incredible home here

August 11, 2014

Retractable Garage-Style Door Transforms This Chelsea Apartment in an Innovative Way

Some might argue that the best kind of apartment is one that provides a great balance between living and entertaining. And we all want a nice large space to accommodate guests; one complete with an open layout and natural light, no less. Well, this particular Chelsea apartment renovated by set design Philip Messina takes it to the next level. If a large gathering of admiring guests becomes too congested, creating a need for more space, this loft has a pretty interesting way to add some square footage to the already sizable entertaining space.
Find out more here

Distinctive Homes

August 5, 2014

CB4 Housing Plan Calls for 11,000 Units of Affordable Housing

Mayor de Blasio called for all 59 New York City community boards to propose ways to increase the number of affordable housing units within their district, and CB4, which covers Chelsea, Clinton, and Hell's Kitchen, is the first to respond. The Manhattan District Board 4 Affordable Housing Plan was voted on internally by the board on July 23, but is expected to be officially presented to the city on August 8th. The 81-page plan, which could influence affordable housing policy throughout the city, focuses on six major themes that will outline how the west side neighborhoods tackle the addition of 11,000 units of affordable housing.
We break down the themes

August 4, 2014

$20 Million Chelsea Penthouse Has Its Own Garage… in the Sky

Living in a pedestrian town has its perks. Everything is at your feet, and you don’t have to deal with grueling traffic if you don’t want to. But what about those days when you’re out in the elements and the weather is bad? Don’t you just wish you could hop in your car and go about your day? But then there’s parking… Oh wait, that’s not an issue for us because we’re living in the Selldorf Architects-designed Chelsea tower at 200 Eleventh Avenue, which means we have our own en suite sky garage. That’s right. You’re about to take a look inside the impressive 3,598-square-foot penthouse of this unprecedented building. You’re welcome.
You won't believe your eyes when you click here

Distinctive Homes

August 1, 2014

Soo Chan’s Soori High Line Will Offer 16 Private, Heated Swimming Pools

Forget public pools and health clubs, the Soori High Line will offer private, heated swimming pools in 16 of its ultra-posh residences. Soo Chan, principal of Singapore-based SCDA Architects, has already made a name for himself in Asia as the pool master, designing towers with up to 120 private swimming holes. Now Chan's water-inspired interiors have also come to the surface in New York. The 11-story, 27-unit building at 522 West 19th Street will feature 16 pools ranging in size from 23 to 26 feet long, 7 to 9 feet wide, and 4 feet deep.
More about the Soori's pools this way

July 29, 2014

First Look Inside Zaha Hadid’s Futuristic Condos Planned for the High Line

By Diane Pham

Whether or not you're a fan of Zaha Hadid, or Neo-Futurism for that matter, if you're believer that a building's interior should be a seamless extension of its exterior (read: not New York by Gehry), you'll appreciate Zaha's efforts to turn her High Line project into a work worthy of architecture history books. One of the most (if not the most) talked about starchitect projects planned for the elevated park, plenty of full view renderings have surfaced since it was announced just over a year ago. But it looks like we're finally getting a taste of what the inside could look like, courtesy of Curbed. Like its ultra-futuristic exteriors, Zaha's luxurious condos will be just as sleek and spaceship-like as the outside, with undulating surfaces all throughout, and featuring many of the mind-boggling forms we've come to appreciate Ms. Hadid for.
More views inside

July 29, 2014

The Views from This Pied-a-Terre Will Have You Humming with Approval

If you’re looking for a nice pied-a-terre in the heart of an eclectic neighborhood, you can stop your search right now… but of course, keep reading our articles. This $2.495 million 2BR/2BA loft sitting high up in the Capitol Building offers 1,800 square feet of interior space with an additional 200 square feet in the form of an amazing terrace, and two Juliet balconies. And with beautiful views of the city, including a the majestic Empire State Building, the only thing this loft is missing is Luciano Pavarotti singing “Nessun Dorma” in the background. So, hum along with us as we take a tour through this excellent estate.
But Want to see the view? Follow us here

Distinctive Homes

July 29, 2014

Beyonce Spotted Checking Out This $21.5 Million Chelsea Penthouse with Giant Apartment-Sized Closet

According to the New York Daily News, Beyonce was spotted apartment hunting this week, without hubby Jay Z, for what some are speculating could be her new bachelorette pad. The luxurious home that seems to have caught Bey's eye is this incredible 4,054-square-foot square penthouse located at 520 West 19th Street, which comes with not only a 20-foot dining room and libraries, but a stunning 642-square-foot private terrace that runs the full length of the apartment and looks out to a dazzling array of city sights—a birds-eye view of the Empire State Building among them.
Tour Beyonce's potential pad here

July 23, 2014

Shigeru Ban’s Metal Shutter Houses: A Humble Moniker for an Extraordinary Residence

Simplicity bordering on grandeur: that should be 2014 Pritzker Prize Laureate Shigeru Ban’s motto. Like his designs, the names of his residential projects are simple and clean, yet evoke a striking image before you ever lay eyes on the work. Curtain Wall House, Naked House, Cast Iron House, Furniture House, Crescent House, Picture Window House, Boomerang House - step inside any one of these exquisite residences and you might almost miss the complexity of Ban’s artistry; but make no mistake there is a quiet ingenuity to his vision. Metal Shutter Houses at 524 West 19th Street is no exception. Named for the motorized perforated shutters that cover the two major facades of the building and the retractable walls of glass, each apartment within it offers an almost seamless continuity between the interior and exterior space. Intrigued? So were we. Which is why we just had to take a peek inside this 2,700-square-foot duplex currently renting for $22,000 per month.
Right this way to be wowed by Shigeru Ban's genius

July 23, 2014

Design of SCDA Architects’ Arty New Building for the High Line Unveiled

Renderings for 515 High Line have been revealed, and it appears the Soo Chan-designed building will be quite the standout. The images, unearthed by NY YIMBY, reveal an 11-story structure with a few distinctive qualities to set it apart, even as the competition from surrounding developments, including Zaha Hadid’s West 28th street condo, grows steeper. The building has a simple base while the upper levels are defined by protruding slabs of glass that create a rippling effect. But the simple base, two sides of which will be facing the park, plans to be more than just a blank canvas. Taking the artistic nature of the High Line’s new buildings to the next step, 515 West 29th Street’s base will serve as an actual canvas, showcasing the work of up-and-coming artists.
Check out more renderings here

July 15, 2014

551W21: Norman Foster’s Champagne-Colored Tower Rising Along Manhattan’s New Gold Coast (New Photos)

By Ondel Hylton

Many architects like to recycle their plans, reusing signature design elements from project to project. However, British architect Lord Norman Foster, with his firm Foster+Partners, enjoys keeping it fresh with designs that are unmistakably modern, yet profoundly contextual to their location. The firm's latest New York development is a 44-unit residential tower named 551W21 that rises in the once industrial—now art-gallery—hub of West Chelsea. The 551W21 team over at Foster+Partners recently sent us some new photos of the building under construction, which has surpassed its 19th-floor mark and will be topped off at the end of this month. And if you're still not convinced that buyers are willing to pay a premium for starchitectured spaces, we're told that the building is already over 50% sold.
See more photos and views after the break

July 9, 2014

Steel City: Architecture in Formation Structurally Redresses a Chelsea Duplex Using Digital Fabrication

Words that come to mind when we think of steel are heavy, imposing, and grey. In this Chelsea duplex penthouse, however, the material is widely used, but the space feels light, airy, and crisp. The "structural redressing" of the 1,500-square-foot apartment was completed by Architecture in Formation with the goal of creating "a stunning, sexy, one-of-a-kind home; and consummately New York.” To design the space, the firm used off-site, state-of-the-art digital design and fabrication methods to create its three main components: the back-lit, CNC-cut Corian screen; an origami folded-plate steel and Corian staircase; and the bedroom mirror/TV/light-wall.
Get up close and personal with these three architectural marvels, as well as the rest of the stunning home

July 9, 2014

Rubbermaid VP Snatches Up Patrick Naggar-Designed Chelsea Penthouse for $7 Million

We're guessing this penthouse loft at 138 West 17th Street is going to get very organized when new owner Mark Tarchetti, Chief Development Officer and Executive Vice President of Newell Rubbermaid Inc., moves in. He may not need to bring in too many plastic bins, though, as internationally acclaimed architect/designer Patrick Naggar executed a stunning combination of high function and low maintenance in this 3BR/3BA, 3,200-square-foot Chelsea apartment. Naggar incorporated exotic materials and top-notch artisanry to create a sleek, modern home that feels luxurious and comfortable. Natural light and 360-degree unobstructed views abound thanks to 20 huge windows and five skylights.
Think the penthouse was worth the $7 million price tag? Check out more details right this way

July 1, 2014

With a Shamir Shah Designed Interior, $5.25M West Chelsea Duplex Is a Work of Art

Smack dab in the middle of the West Chelsea Arts District sits this exquisitely appointed 3BR/3.5BA duplex at 456 West 19th Street. We couldn’t think of a more perfect location for this glorious work of art which showcases the wonderfully creative and tasteful touches of world-renowned interior designer Shamir Shah and offers huge canvases of wall space tailor-made for your own artistic influences.
Tour the home here

Distinctive Homes

June 27, 2014

INTERVIEW: Resolution: 4 Architecture’s Joseph Tanney Talks Prefab Homes and Designing NYC Apartments

By Patty Lee

Since it was founded in 1994, Resolution: 4 Architecture (RE4A) has been a game-changing force in the world of building and design. Founders Joseph Tanney and Robert Luntz were some of the first architects to embrace the idea of modular prefabricated homes, a concept that continues to grow in popularity for its cost0-efficiency, eco-friendly nature and versatility in design. The RE4A team has worked on numerous projects, ranging from envy-inducing vacation retreats to space-efficient lofts to the headquarters for Equinox gym. While they have helped design and build spaces across the nation, the firm calls New York City — specifically, Chelsea — home and plenty of Big Apple sensibilities show up in their work, which is bold, yet functional. We recently spoke with Tanney about RE4A's mission and upcoming work, plus his tips for creating a storage-friendly apartment.
Check out our full interview here

June 24, 2014

Multiple Walker Tower Owners Also Buying Units in Sister Property Stella Towers

Take two Art Deco commercial buildings designed by Robert Walker in the roaring twenties and mix in a little 21st century residential conversion magic by JDS Development Group, Property Markets Group, and Starwood Capital Group, and what do you get? Apparently two highly successful projects that now have even more in common - owners who have purchased units in both buildings.
Why did owners double up on their investments?

Uncategorized

June 23, 2014

Sitting Pretty: Beautiful and Unique Benches in New York City

By Jason Carpenter

On an average workday in New York, over 3.9 million people crowd onto the tiny island of Manhattan. That’s a lot of behinds needing a seat, and the city provides plenty of those in the form of benches. But not all benches are created equal. There are gems hidden in every borough – beautiful, funky, unique slabs for you to sit on this summer.
See more fantastic benches here

Architecture And Design

June 12, 2014

Chelsea Modern’s Angular Exterior Contrasts Fine Lines of $9.85M Penthouse

No two ways about it. The blue tinted exterior of the Chelsea Modern, sitting quite majestically at 447 West 18th Street, certainly gets your attention. All angles and edges, with windows that open outward parallel to the façade, it’s not quite like anything else in an area fast becoming known for its interesting and celebrated architecture. The same could be said for this ridiculously sumptuous penthouse duplex. The exterior of this home will grab your attention in a very different way – namely, three beautifully landscaped terraces seamlessly connecting you to sweeping river views to the south and breathtaking city views to the north. And with elegant touches such as a formal dining area, a luxurious daybed, intimate seating area and an outdoor kitchen, the terrace space is literally a home unto itself. But we think the interior of this spectacular residence has plenty to bring you inside every now and again (well, we know the New York winters will!).
See why this stunning penthouse will grab your attention

Distinctive Homes

June 11, 2014

Would You Cook Here? $1.65M Chelsea Loft’s Kitchen Is a Work of Art