Midtown

Midtown's 100-year-old Drama Book Shop has a new home and an opening date after being revived by Lin-Manuel Miranda and three “Hamilton” collaborators, the New York Times reports. Earlier this year, the garment district mainstay was forced to close due to rising rents. With investment help from the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment, Miranda's team bought the store from owner Rozanne Seelen and packed up the storefront at 250 West 40th Street, where it had been located since 2001. Since then, they've found a new location just one block south at 266 West 39th Street, which is expected to open in March.
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Penthouse inside 111 West 57th Street’s landmarked Steinway Building hits the market for $21M

Renderings by Hayes Davidson and images by Peter Murdock; courtesy of Douglas Elliman

November 8, 2019

Penthouse inside 111 West 57th Street’s landmarked Steinway Building hits the market for $21M

Once home to the Steinway & Sons piano company, the landmarked building at 111 West 57th Street was acquired by developers JDS Development, Property Markets Group, and Spruce Capital Partners in 2013 for $217.5 million and has since become incorporated into SHoP Architects’ super-slender supertall tower rising next to it. Originally built in 1925, the Beaux-Arts building will house the lobby for the luxury tower and a small number of apartments, including this 5,200+ square-foot duplex penthouse that just listed for $21 million.
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This holiday season, you can book a toy-filled FAO Schwarz hotel suite for $3,000/night

Photo courtesy of Conrad New York Midtown

November 6, 2019

This holiday season, you can book a toy-filled FAO Schwarz hotel suite for $3,000/night

A new hotel in Midtown is offering the ultimate New York City holiday experience. Conrad New York Midtown has partnered with iconic toy store FAO Schwarz to bring a 1,800-square-foot one-bedroom suite full of toys, including 10-foot stuffed animals, train sets, and of course, the famous dance-on piano. The playful stay does not come cheap; the holiday suite package starts at $3,000 per night.
How to book

Events & Things To Do

Sales still in a slump at post-2016 Trump Tower

Photo by Krystal T via Flickr

November 4, 2019

Sales still in a slump at post-2016 Trump Tower

Living under the shadow of having President Trump as an occasional neighbor–and as a sign on the front of your building–doesn't do much for condo property values in midtown Manhattan, if commercial leasing and residential sales at Trump Tower are any indication. CityRealty reports that vacancies persist in the commercial podium of 721 Fifth Avenue, and residential condo sales in the mixed-use tower have yet to recover from recent stagnation: Almost one half of the units up for sale have cut their initial asking prices, and all but two of the 11 condos whose sales closed this year have sold at an often-considerable–more than 10 percent–discount.
More on the Trump slump

Real Estate Trends

All photos by Floto + Warner

November 1, 2019

Check out the cocktail bar at Nordstrom’s new Billionaires’ Row flagship

After much anticipation, Nordstrom opened its new NYC flagship last week. Located inside Billionaires' Row supertall Central Park Tower (the current world's tallest residential building), the seven-story department store offers such perks as stroller cleaning and shoe repairs and stocks "more than 10,000 handbags, 100,000 pairs of shoes, and 6,000 pairs of jeans," according to amNY. And in addition to all this retail excess, the store also has seven food and beverage options, including Broadway Bar, a cocktails and small plates restaurant on the third and fourth floors. Designed by Rafael de Cárdenas / Architecture at Large, Broadway Bar uses muted hues and subtly curved geometry to create a calm escape within the store. Ahead, get a better look at the space.
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De Blasio resists plan to pedestrianize Rockefeller Center during upcoming holiday season

Photo by Shinya Suzuki / Flickr

November 1, 2019

De Blasio resists plan to pedestrianize Rockefeller Center during upcoming holiday season

For years, residents and community leaders have called on the city to add pedestrian space near Rockefeller Center to make conditions safer for the hundreds of thousands of people who visit the area during the holiday season to see the tree and store windows. This week, the Department of Transportation privately issued a pilot plan to address the major crowds by increasing pedestrian space on Fifth Avenue between East 48th and East 51st Streets. But Mayor Bill de Blasio quashed the plan before it was officially released, claiming "it was not signed off on by City Hall."
Details here

See inside SHoP’s slender supertall at 111 West 57th Street

The living room of the 43rd-floor unit; Photo by Peter Murdock

October 29, 2019

See inside SHoP’s slender supertall at 111 West 57th Street

The skinny skyscraper perfectly positioned over Central Park has officially topped out at 1,428 feet, becoming the world's second tallest residential building. Designed by SHoP Architects, 111 West 57th Street's super-slender frame allows each of the 46 full-floor and duplex condos to feel like a penthouse. In addition to the Billionaires' Row tower reaching its pinnacle height at 91 stories, new images released Tuesday provide a first look inside the residences, with 360-degree views of Manhattan and bold interiors conceived by Studio Sofield.
See inside the supertall

New Developments

Image: Business Wire

October 28, 2019

Yayoi Kusama’s ‘Love Flies Up to the Sky’ balloon to join Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Work by Yayoi Kusama, the celebrated contemporary artist who gave us those famous polka-dot pumpkins and insanely popular Infinity Rooms, will be brightening the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The Japanese artist's creation, “Love Flies Up to the Sky,” will be part of the parade's Blue Sky Gallery, a series of balloons that reflect art from the world's best-known contemporary artists.
Inflatable art, this way

Events & Things To Do

All renderings courtesy of Gensler

October 22, 2019

New lobby renderings revealed for Phillip Johnson’s 550 Madison Avenue

It's been two years since developers unveiled their plans for a $300 million renovation of 550 Madison Avenue, helmed by architecture firm Snøhetta. Built in 1984 to the designs of Philip Johnson and John Burgee, the 647-foot building was the world’s first postmodern skyscraper. After several revisions, the renovation plans were approved by the LPC in February, and now, developer the Olayan Group has revealed the first renderings of the lobby. Most notably, the interior designs respect the 110-foot arched entryway and vaulted ceilings and add a window overlooking the proposed new public garden in the rear arcade.
More details ahead

Architecture And Design

Midtown’s Paris Theatre will temporarily reopen for a Netflix screening

Photo by Ajay Suresh on Flickr

October 21, 2019

Midtown’s Paris Theatre will temporarily reopen for a Netflix screening

In August, Midtown's 71-year-old Paris Theatre closed its doors when its lease with developer Sheldon Solow ended. The 581-seat theater was NYC's last single-screen movie house and was known for showing indie and foreign, especially French, films. But the iconic establishment on 58th Street will open its doors once more next month; Deadline reports that Netflix has worked out a deal with Solow to screen its upcoming movie "Marriage Story" in the Paris when it premiers on November 6th.
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City Living

Nordstrom’s 7-level flagship opens at Central Park Tower next week

Rendering courtesy of Nordstrom

October 18, 2019

Nordstrom’s 7-level flagship opens at Central Park Tower next week

Nordstrom's massive flagship store officially opens to the public next week, seven years after the company first announced its move to New York City. The department store sits in the base of the Central Park Tower, currently the tallest residential building in the world, and takes up seven floors. And while the tower no longer shares the company's name, the sheer size of the flagship, along with its unique glass facade, will still make the store stand out. To celebrate the store's opening on Oct. 24 at West 57th and Broadway, there will be grand opening festivities taking place with lots of free samples, complimentary food, and live entertainment.
Details here

New Developments

Brookfield unveils $400M redevelopment of 666 Fifth Avenue

Left: Photo by David Shankbone on Wikimedia; Right: Rendering by Hayes Davidson for Brookfield Properties

October 17, 2019

Brookfield unveils $400M redevelopment of 666 Fifth Avenue

Hoping to start a new chapter for the problem-plagued tower, Brookfield Asset Management has unveiled its plan to overhaul 666 Fifth Avenue. The 41-story Midtown office building will undergo a $400 million overhaul designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, including a new glass exterior, floor-to-ceiling windows, revamped rooftop spaces, and updated mechanical systems, as the Wall Street Journal first reported. And separating itself further from its past, the building's address will now be 660 Fifth Avenue.
New details this way

Architecture And Design

PHOTOS: See the views from the Empire State Building’s new 102nd-floor observatory

View looking north, with Central Park and the towers that dot Billionaires’ Row clearly visible; Photo courtesy of Empire State Realty Trust

October 11, 2019

PHOTOS: See the views from the Empire State Building’s new 102nd-floor observatory

After four years and $165 million, the revamp of New York City's first supertall is nearly complete, bringing a more contemporary and visitor-friendly experience to one of the world's most historic buildings. The Empire State Building's 102nd-floor observatory, which boasts 360-degree panoramic views at 1,250 feet above street level, officially opens to the public on Saturday, Oct. 12. Building owner Empire State Realty Trust redesigned the observatory to be less obstructive for guests, allowing more picture-perfect views and less time waiting.
All the way up

Ken Griffin drops another $4M on Central Park South condos after record $240M penthouse purchase

Via Vornado Realty Trust and Robert A.M. Stern Architects

October 10, 2019

Ken Griffin drops another $4M on Central Park South condos after record $240M penthouse purchase

Billionaire Ken Griffin really likes 220 Central Park South. The hedge fund mogul picked up two more apartments at the Robert A.M. Stern-designed skyscraper last month, less than a year after he bought a record-breaking $240 million penthouse there. The New York Post first spotted the sales, which includes apartments 20H for $1.89 million and 20J for $2.06 million, bringing his total investments at the property to roughly $244 million.
And another one

Real Estate Trends

October 10, 2019

Jenny Holzer explores gun violence in a new public artwork at Rockefeller Center

Artist Jenny Holzer—known for her practice of displaying text in the public sphere—is partnering with Creative Time for the third time on a new public art project at Rockefeller Center. VIGIL is a series of light projections addressing gun violence in America through first-hand accounts, poems, and responses by Americans who have had to reckon with the everyday reality of gun violence. The words will be beamed across the iconic Midtown destination each night from October 10 to 12 beginning at 8 p.m.
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Events & Things To Do

26-story boutique office building planned on top of Calvary Baptist Church on Billionaires’ Row

Photo via Wikimedia

October 7, 2019

26-story boutique office building planned on top of Calvary Baptist Church on Billionaires’ Row

Developers are planning to build a massive office project on top of a Billionaires' Row church. The Real Deal reported on Monday that Alchemy and ABR Investment Partners have partnered to buy properties owned by Calvary Baptist Church at 123-141 West 57th Street. The proposed boutique office building would rise 26 stories atop church space and sit next to Extell Development's supertall, One57.
More here

New Developments

Winter festivities come early to NYC, with ice rinks and holiday markets opening this month

Photo by Shinya Suzuki on Flickr

October 4, 2019

Winter festivities come early to NYC, with ice rinks and holiday markets opening this month

Before it's even truly felt like fall, winter is coming to New York City. Ice skating rinks and holiday markets will open this month, giving an early taste of cold-weather activities. The Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park, which includes holiday vendors and 17,000-square-foot ice rink, officially opens on Oct. 31, letting you trade trick-or-treating for shopping and skating. The iconic skating rink at Rockefeller Center will open on Oct. 12 for the fall and winter season and Lasker Rink in Central Park will open sometime later this month.
Who's ready?

Events & Things To Do

How to get around NYC during this year’s United Nations General Assembly

Image via Flickr

September 20, 2019

How to get around NYC during this year’s United Nations General Assembly

The United Nations General Assembly already began on Sept. 17 but Midtown has yet to experience the traffic nightmare that will hit the neighborhood next week. With meetings taking place through Sept. 30, the city has designated weekdays between Sept. 23 and Sept. 30 as gridlock alert days. On top of UNGA, Climate Week events will add to the congestion. “Drivers should leave their cars at home next week if they can—and try walking, taking mass transit, or getting on a bicycle," Polly Trottenberg, commissioner of the Department of Transportation, said in a statement. Here's a handy guide to getting around the city during the busy week ahead, including street closures and traffic updates for those of you with nerves of steel.
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Apple’s Fifth Avenue flagship reopens with famed glass cube and new public plaza

Photo by Aaron Hargreaves for Foster + Partners

September 20, 2019

Apple’s Fifth Avenue flagship reopens with famed glass cube and new public plaza

Apple's famous Fifth Avenue flagship reopens Friday after more than two years of renovations. The glass cube has returned as an entrance to the store, set above the newly updated and locust tree-lined public plaza. As 6sqft previously reported, it cost $2 million to remove the cube in 2017 during the Midtown Manhattan store's expansion.
Take a step inside

Uncategorized

Robert A. M. Stern’s 220 Central Park South passes $1B in sales

Via Vornado Realty Trust and Robert A.M. Stern Architects

September 18, 2019

Robert A. M. Stern’s 220 Central Park South passes $1B in sales

Since its first closing nearly a year ago, Robert A.M. Stern's 220 Central Park South has now surpassed the $1 billion mark in sales according to data compiled by CityRealty. The milestone is definitely not surprising considering this is the same building where Billionaire Ken Griffin bought the country's most expensive home ever sold for $239,958,219. And with an average sales price of $6,934 per square foot for its 39 total closings, 220 is also the city's most expensive condo building.
More info ahead

Real Estate Trends

September 17, 2019

The world’s tallest residential building, Central Park Tower, tops out at 1,550 feet

Central Park Tower officially topped out on Tuesday, breaking the record set by nearby 432 Park Avenue for the tallest residential building in the world. Reaching 1,550 feet high, the skyscraper at 217 West 57th Street would be the tallest building in New York City if not for the 400-foot spire of One World Trade, as New York Magazine reported. Developed by supertall-specialists Extell, Central Park Tower includes a seven-story Nordstrom flagship store and 179 luxury condos.
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Condo board at Trump’s Central Park West building votes to keep president’s name on signage

Photo by Loozrboy on Flickr

September 12, 2019

Condo board at Trump’s Central Park West building votes to keep president’s name on signage

The condo board of the glass tower at One Central Park West on Tuesday voted unanimously to retain the Trump name on the signage at the front of the building, the New York Post reports. However, the word “tower” will be removed from the marquee over the front entrance, to be replaced with the building's address. As 6sqft previously reported, as part of a larger renovation of the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Columbus Circle, the Trump Organization was reconsidering its heavily-branded signage, and some building owners say Trump’s polarizing presidency is depreciating the value of their investments.
A compromise of sorts

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Midtown’s iconic Paris Theatre has closed

Photo by Ajay Suresh on Flickr

August 29, 2019

Midtown’s iconic Paris Theatre has closed

New York City's last single-screen movie theater shuttered this week. The Paris Theatre, which has been located on 58th Street since 1948, has officially closed its doors, according to the blog Jeremiah's Vanishing New York. The 568-seat theatre showed indie and foreign flicks, particularly French films.
Find out more

City Living

10 bronze sculptures of powerful women are on view outside a Midtown office building

photos © 6sqft

August 28, 2019

10 bronze sculptures of powerful women are on view outside a Midtown office building

It's been nearly two years since artists Gillie and Marc first revealed their "Statues for Equality" project. Noting that less than three percent of all NYC statues are of women, the husband-and-wife public art specialists created a series of 10 bronze sculptures of inspirational women who were voted on by the public--Oprah Winfrey, P!nk, Nicole Kidman, Jane Goodall, Cate Blanchett, Tererai Trent, Janet Mock, Tracy Dyson, Cheryl Strayed, and Gabby Douglas. Monday, on Women's Equality Day, the statues were unveiled in front of RXR's Realty's 1285 Avenue of the Americas (h/t Untapped Cities).
Check out all the statues

Events & Things To Do

Trump Organization considers rebranding the Trump International Hotel and Tower

Image via Flickr

August 26, 2019

Trump Organization considers rebranding the Trump International Hotel and Tower

As part of a larger renovation of the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Columbus Circle, the Trump Organization is expected to reconsider its heavily-branded signage, the New York Times reports. The president's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., has proposed a compromise to appease building owners who say Trump's polarizing presidency is depreciating the value of their investments without losing the Trump branding entirely.
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This $745K co-op has historic vaulted ceilings and a present-day Billionaires’ Row location

Photo Credit: Zigna for Sotheby’s International Realty.

August 23, 2019

This $745K co-op has historic vaulted ceilings and a present-day Billionaires’ Row location