Gramercy

August 22, 2014

Stuyvesant Square: Not Gramercy Park Nor Stuyvesant Town

That's right--Stuyvesant Square is its own neighborhood. Haven't heard of it? That may be because you've been confusing it with neighboring Gramercy Park or Stuyvesant Town. But in fact, this charming little neighborhood is a highly desirable enclave in its own right. Situated around Stuyvesant Square Park, the area is bound roughly by 14th and 18th Streets and First and Third Avenues. It could be considered the southeastern corner of Gramercy Park or an extension of planned development Stuyvesant Town, but some real estate professionals like the exclusivity that the lesser-known moniker offers. Others have come up with creative alternatives like "Gramercy Park on Stuyvesant Square." But regardless of what you call it, Stuyvesant Square has a unique blend of limited space, historic landmarks, and mixed uses that makes for a bustling New York City neighborhood.
More on Stuyvesant Square here
August 22, 2014

Gramercy Duplex by Slade Architecture is a Healthy and Eco-Friendly Home

Oftentimes when environmentally friendly homes are designed the client wants to keep a low carbon footprint or be sensitive to the surrounding landscape. But there's another very important reason to go green in residential design, which is personal health. And that's exactly why Slade Architecture was asked to take an eco-friendly approach when creating this contemporary Gramercy Duplex. The renovation combined two existing one-bedroom duplex units into a single two-bedroom duplex. All materials were specified as low VOC, including recycled denim insulation, recycled paper countertops, Low-e windows, and Eco Spec paint.
Take a look at how Slade created a functional space with a green mentality
August 19, 2014

From Swamps to Swank: A Brief History of Gramercy Park Hotel and the Garden’s Highly Coveted Keys

With a prime location overlooking Gramercy Park, accessible solely to those with keys, the 183-year-old Renaissance revival Gramercy Park Hotel was built on the site of infamous architect Stanford White’s home (which had replaced the house where novelist Edith Wharton was born) nearly 90 years ago. The neighborhood, the park, and the hotel date as far back as the 1830s, when more than 60 swampy lots were allocated to developers looking to lure downtown city folks to a new “uptown” community. In time, those lots were transformed into what is now 39 dwellings surrounding a leafy park reserved for a select few lucky enough to live in luxurious homes framing the two-acre park between 20th and 21st Streets at Irving Place. But it wasn't until 1925 that the stately hotel opened its doors at 2 Lexington Avenue. By 1930, it was extended westward along the park frontage on 21st street, and today it is one of the city's most coveted quarters.
More on the history of Gramercy Park Hotel here
June 17, 2014

A Garden So Private No One Has The Key? Now We’ve Heard It All

Forget the legendary and uber-privileged access to the oasis known as Gramercy Park. The newest wave of private gardens are apparently so exclusive even residents can’t enjoy a stroll through the lush greenery. Take the 2,400-square-foot courtyard currently being designed at The Sterling Mason, a new Tribeca loft building where an apartment can set you back up to $24 million. In a city where even the tiniest bit of green space is viewed as the ultimate amenity, turning what would have been a barren airshaft into a verdant outdoor sanctuary seems like a terrific idea. Tapping Deborah Nevins, one of the world’s most sought-after landscape designers to do it, an even better one. Keeping residents from enjoying more than a visual inspection of the rich white blossoms, lush green leaves, ivy walls and sculptural stream? Eh, we’re not so sure about that.
What's up with this off limits trend?
June 12, 2014

The Beautiful Condos at Naftali Group’s Brand-New Gramercy Tower Have Hit the Market

Do you think too many of the new buildings coming up nowadays look like glassy, reflective eyesores? Then you'll be happy to set your eyes on this brand-new tower located at 234 East 23rd Street developed by the Naftali Group. With floor-to-ceiling casement windows, the facade is plenty modern, but the building is most striking because of its red brick nod to the Gramercy neighborhood it calls home. The units in the building just were just listed today, and you can get your first peek of the interiors right here.
Your first look inside the new building right this way
June 10, 2014

NYC’s Oldest Buildings: What Are They and Where Are They? Test Your Knowledge

New York has a lot of old buildings. Perhaps surprisingly, many of those buildings are actually houses (yes, like real houses). These remnants of the early Dutch farming days can be spotted throughout the five boroughs, as can churches, apartments and "skyscrapers" from earlier times. We've rounded up some of the city’s oldest structures. Test your knowledge and see how many you're familiar with ahead. And while you're at it, make plans to visit one of these historic landmarks the next time you're out and about.
Your blast from the past this way
June 5, 2014

Gorgeous Gramercy Park Townhouse Fuses History with Modern Design

Turning a grand three-loft townhouse into a functional two-family home was no easy task for the architects at Fractal Construction. Built in 1848 and owned by the Isaly family, the Gramercy building was steeped in history and the many problems that come with old age. Not only did Fractal's Ulises Liceaga have to re-design the former triplex into two dwellings, he also had to replace the basics, like the electrical and plumbing systems. Liceaga added an entire new floor to make sure each family had enough space and gave each apartment open floor plans that connected the living room, kitchen and dining room.
Check out more photos of the transformation here
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
April 5, 2014

Sky High Living: Inside the Penthouses of 10 of Manhattan’s Supertalls

Manhattan is known for hosting more than a handful of the world's most luxurious homes — many of which are perched hundreds if not thousands of feet above ground. Though few folks will ever get to see the interior of anything higher than their 5-story walk-up, we're offering up a look into how New York's loftiest live. From the "smallest" to the tallest, take a peek into the penthouses of 10 of Manhattan's supertall condos ahead. And just to give you a little more context, the Empire State Building soars 1,250 feet high.
It's a tall, tall world