Midtown

July 9, 2014

Parkview Developers Ian Reisner and Mati Weiderpass Sell Southmoor House Penthouse for $11.9 Million

It appears that Ian Reisner and Mati Weiderpass of Parkview Developers have sold one of their Southmoor House penthouses. The 17-floor building serves as more than just home to the Out Hotel developers. It’s also headquarters for their company. And like true developers, they own a big chunk of the building, making them one of the co-op’s biggest shareholders. While the newly troubled pair seems quite committed to their own symmetrical pad—turning down a $15.5 million cash offer a few years back without batting an eyelash—that doesn’t stop them from making serious bank on some other units. And you won't hear us complaining, because that means we get to check out this 3BR/3BA penthouse.
Take a look inside this premier pad here

June 30, 2014

New York Public Library Will Go High Tech with Its $300 Million Renovation

By Diane Pham

Norman Foster's design for the New York Public Library (NYPL) may have been scrapped, but the library isn't giving up on the opportunity to turn its space into an innovative learning hub. As the NYPL gears up for a new $300 million renovation plan, they're turning to a very unlikely locale for their inspiration: The South. The NYPL is using two high-tech libraries in Tennessee and North Carolina as models for their new spaces at the Schwarzman building and the highly trafficked Mid-Manhattan branch across the street. The renovation will be geared towards the needs of teachers, students and entrepreneurs, and will be designed to support collaborative pursuits within the library walls.
More on the NYPL's new plans here

Architecture And Design

June 27, 2014

NYC Events 6/30: Jeff Koons at Rockefeller and the Whitney; Say ‘Oui’ with Air France This Weekend

By Lori Zimmer

We welcome this second week of summer with open arms as the warm weather we've been oh so patiently waiting for brings with it plenty of amazing art and design events happening outdoors (and in). This week, Jeff Koons descends upon New York, first hitting up Rockefeller Center with his giant living floral sculpture, Split Rocker, then rounding out this verdant new work with a full on retrospective at the Whitney's Upper East Side Breuer Building. But if you just want to relax and recline (literally), Air France will be kicking off the weekend by bringing a little bit of Paris to New York. Three days of French flavor are planned for anyone who wants to partake, and guests will get to indulge in delicious food and drink and even take French lessons while lounging in one of Air France's first class chairs. C'est bon!
All the best events here

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

Giant Rocking Horse Head Sculpture by Jeff Koons Going Up at Rockefeller Center

Photo © Jeff Koons. Courtesy Gagosian Gallery. Photography by Tom Powel Imaging.

June 21, 2014

Giant Rocking Horse Head Sculpture by Jeff Koons Going Up at Rockefeller Center

By Annie Doge

Is it a giant rat? A horse? A dinosaur? Those passing by 30 Rock over the past week and a half have probably been wondering what's going up in the famed plaza (at least we have). Word has it that Jeff Koons is back in the 'hood, this time with a massive sculpture of a pony, or "Split-Rocker", grafted in living flowers and complete with an internal irrigation system. Editor's note 8/27: This article has been updated to show the completed work, seen above.
Find out more about the work here

June 18, 2014

Caveat to DeBlasio’s Grand Central Terminal Area Rezoning Would Require Special Permit for New Hotels

By Stephanie Hoina

The impetus behind the rezoning plan allowing taller towers in the blocks surrounding Grand Central Terminal - specifically the five blocks of Vanderbilt Avenue from East 42nd Street to East 47th Street - is to keep New York competitive with office development in other major cities like London and Shanghai. However, according to the Wall Street Journal, the hotel-workers union, which had a key role in the demise of a similar proposal under former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, has flexed its muscles once again, seeking a concession that would require any new hotels to receive a special permit from the City Planning Commission and the City Council.
More details on the rezoning here

Real Estate Trends

June 13, 2014

GLUCK+’s Showstopping Facade on This Midtown Townhouse Hides a Space-Efficient Home

By Patty Lee

There's no doubt that the aluminium facade of this Midtown townhouse is a showstopper. Set between two traditional red brick homes on East 51st Street, the building's shiny, punctuated front is sure to get every passersby's attention. But it wasn't designed just to become talk of the town — it's also meant to give the owners some much-needed privacy.
The interiors are just as unique

June 2, 2014

Penthouse Loft at Piano Factory Goes on the Market for $3.995 Million

By Aisha Carter

Imagine sitting in this living room. This would be only one of the perks of living at 454 West 46th Street #PH-6BS. The stunning penthouse rests at the top of the Piano Factory, and it’s currently on the market for $3.995 million with Town Residential’s Glenn Connolly. If this penthouse is the crowning jewel of the historic loft conversion complex, then that living room is the crowning jewel of the penthouse. No, you’re not going blind. The living room is really that light-flooded, thanks to a vaulted glass ceiling above. And it doesn’t stop there. The radiant room leads to a gorgeous terrace – just one of the unit’s two, to be exact. The other one is off of the spacious, eat-in chef’s kitchen, which rests in a corner of the apartment, offering top-of-the-line appliances and exposures from windows on two walls. But if the stunning southern views from the kitchen’s terrace, or the main terrace’s skyline views that stretch from Hell’s Kitchen to the edge of Central Park aren’t enough, you can always build another deck on the roof with board approval because you have roof rights. Is there anything these people haven’t thought of?
Take a look inside here

Distinctive Homes

May 19, 2014

Your Daily Link Fix: Samsung to Increase Phone Security; 16 Women to Watch in NY Tech

By Aisha Carter

The Grace Building Refinanced: Bryant Park’s neighbor has just been evaluated for nearly 3x its previous appraisal, leaving its owners with some fat pockets. NASDAQ has the details on this incredible refinancing. Manhattan Leases More Gym Space: New York City’s gotta keep it tight and right. The Real Deal has the real… deal on the […]

Uncategorized

May 13, 2014

Observations: Changes at the Center of the City (And World)

By Carter B. Horsley

The city’s most famous plazas straddle Fifth Avenue at 59th Street, and there’s a lot going on. One of the city’s great entrances is the large marquee facing Fifth Avenue at the Plaza Hotel between 58th Street and Central Park South surmounted by five large ”outrigger” flags, at least one of which is the American flag. This past Sunday, there were two American flags, one Canadian flag, the Fairmount Hotels & Resorts flag, and the Plaza Hotel flag. The two American flags, however, were not standard and the “canton” of white stars against a blue background. These had too much blue background at the edge. While pointing this out to the two doorman, Jarret Lazar, the manager of bell services, wandered by and expressed surprise at my observation. He said that the flags need to be changed every two or three weeks because they get ripped apart.
Taking in the changes of our great city

May 12, 2014

Your Daily Link Fix: Scarface Home on the Market for $35 Million; Williamsburg Edges Out Dumbo as Brooklyn’s Most Expensive

By Aisha Carter

Art Project Uses Graffiti to Spruce up Bronx neighborhood: The New York Daily news talks about how the Bronx Park East Community Association partnered with local artists to trade unsightly tagging for beautiful murals. Food Trucks Stuck in Park: Crain’s New York discusses how some of these New York staples are turning to brick and […]

Uncategorized

May 8, 2014

Why Was Norman Foster’s Design for the New York Public Library’s Flagship Building Dropped?

By Stephanie Hoina

Though the famous marble lions that stand guard over the iconic Beaux-Arts building at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street aren’t talking, the patience and fortitude of scholars and professors all over the tri-state area may have played some role in the shelving of a $300 million renovation plan for the New York Public Library’s flagship location. In the midst of three lawsuits and regular protests on the library steps, the library reversed course on revamping the midtown Manhattan building (which celebrated its 100 year anniversary in 2011) and moving 1.5 million books to New Jersey, a move that brought a sigh of relief to researchers worried about delays in gaining access to essential publications.
What shelved this $300 million renovation?

Architecture And Design

May 5, 2014

This Gorgeous Apartment at the Mandarin Oriental Gives New Meaning to “Movin’ On Up”

By Aisha Carter

Wouldn't it be nice to live on top of the world? Well, somebody is in luck because a spacious 3BR/3BA apartment just opened up at the Residences at Mandarin Oriental. This luxurious Columbus Circle pad rests on the 71st floor, with gigantic windows that overlook Central Park, as well as both the East River and the Hudson. The 3,168-square-foot apartment has ebonized oak floors and black granite accents. It also features a large eat-in kitchen with stainless steel appliances, a sub-zero refrigerator, and a wine cave. Whoever purchases this impressive, recently renovated home will not only have bragging rights, but access to all of the amenities of the Mandarin Hotel. So yeah, this person will basically be living in a hotel. Jealous yet?
See photos of the lavish pad here

Distinctive Homes

April 25, 2014

Eyeing the Drake: The Macklowe Construction Brings a “Patriotic” Burst of Color to Park Ave

By Carter B. Horsley

One of the city’s noblest professions is “sidewalk superintendent.” These intrepid pedestrians love to peer through holes in the wall to watch large equipment playing the construction game. The more sophisticated of these curiosity-seekers also look for holes in the city’s facades to glimpse the progress of larger-than-normal, future skyline stars. You can imagine the astonishment, therefore, when I noticed, a couple of days ago, that 432 Park Avenue had adopted a “patriotic” stance, and that its fenestration grid now is highlighted, from top down, in red, blue and white, the colors of the American flag, and also the French flag — a stark divergence from the pristine, streamlined design set out by the building's architect, Rafael Vinoly.
For sidewalk superintendents, the former Drake is startlingly colorful

April 23, 2014

Get Cozy With These Compact Luxury NYC Hotel Rooms

By Jason Carpenter

In New York, time is money, and so is square footage. As a result, hotel rooms are some of the most expensive in the country, out of the reach of many. But a number of NYC hotels have begun to pack luxury design into tiny quarters, lowering the cost and making for some beautiful rooms. At the forefront of this small space sensation? The YOTEL, located right in the heart of NYC, and hip kids' haven, The Jane.
See more interior photos here

April 18, 2014

Construction Begins on Manhattan’s Tallest Condominium Tower

By Diane Pham

Construction on the SHoP Architects-designed tower at 111 West 57th Street has finally begun! Yesterday evening, one of 6sqft's reporters walked past the site and took a quick snap of the newly arrived construction vehicles and equipment. The Manhattan giant, which will also be the world's slenderest tower, will rise 1,300-feet high, above a floor plate of around 60-feet wide. The building will host three elevators and each floor will be its own 5,000-square-foot apartment with 15-foot ceilings. And for those worried how wind load will affect the 76-story structure, a huge steel weight will be suspended within the top of the building to keep it from swaying (yikes).
More on the tower

April 5, 2014

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

By Diane Pham

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

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2 beds starting at $3,435,000
3 beds starting at $6,775,000

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