Manhattan

A record-shattering listing just hit the market: twin adjacent townhomes in Harlem are seeking a whopping $27,000,000 for both properties. The homes are currently independent but could be combined into a rather impressive megamansion. The price is unparalleled in the area and five times the record selling price of a Harlem townhouse, which sold last February for $5.1 million. As Mansion Global reported, listing agent Siddiq Patterson of the Corcoran Group said he believed the price was justified by the property’s scale and storied past. "The bones and the history is something you just don’t get" with other homes in the area, he stated.
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Distinctive Homes

Via Wikimedia

January 10, 2019

$60M contract will finally bring East Side Access to Grand Central

By Andrew Berman of Village Preservation

It was announced today that a $60.2 million contract to build the project that will bring the Long Island Rail Road service to Grand Central Terminal was awarded to construction and development company Skanska. The award represents the final heavy civil contract in the MTA's largest largest capital project and one that marks the first expansion of the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) in over 100 years.
Find out more

Transit

Secrets of the St. Mark’s Historic District: From Peter Stuyvesant’s grave to the only real east-west street

The area in the 1840s, via Wiki Commons

January 10, 2019

Secrets of the St. Mark’s Historic District: From Peter Stuyvesant’s grave to the only real east-west street

One of New York City’s most charming and distinctive corners celebrates its 50th anniversary as a landmark district this coming week. The St. Mark’s Historic District, designated January 14, 1969, contains fewer than 40 buildings on parts of just three blocks. But this extraordinary East Village enclave contains several notable superlatives, including Manhattan’s oldest house still in use as a residence, New York’s oldest site of continuous religious worship, Manhattan’s only true east-west street, the remains of the last Dutch Governor of New Netherland, and the only “triangle” of houses attributed to celebrated 19th century architect James Renwick.
More secrets of the neighborhood

History

January 10, 2019

$18M West Village townhouse will be wearing white this season

By Annie Doge

Filled with 19th century grandeur, glorious details and a perfectly calibrated designer renovation, this Italianate brick townhouse at 292 West 4th Street may need some work–but only if you're a fan of bold color in your home decor. If you embrace the tranquility of white, the 10-room West Village home on a gorgeous tree-lined block of noted lush private gardens may be just what you're looking for. Built in 1860, the 20-foot-wide home asking $18 million has updated interiors by noted designer Piet Boon that complement scores of original details, starting with a stoop framed by a wrought iron railing and extending through floor-to-ceiling glass to elegant terrace gardens.
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Distinctive Homes

January 10, 2019

Book-filled East Village home hits the market for the first time in 36 years, asks $1.1M

By Annie Doge

On the market for the first time in 36 years, this three-bedroom co-op at 53 Saint Marks Place just hit the market for $1,100,000. Located in the heart of the East Village, the spacious 1,250-square-foot unit boasts plenty of tasteful improvements and comes with lots of storage solutions for book lovers and their collection.
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Distinctive Homes

January 9, 2019

$2M Greenwich Village co-op is a life-sized dollhouse

By Dana Schulz

From the pale pink and seafoam green walls to the lacy fabrics to the flowery decor, this lovely Greenwich Village co-op looks like a life-sized dollhouse. And if you're looking to play house, the one-and-a-half bedroom at 64 West 11th Street has just hit the market for $1,995,000. Even if you take out the current furniture and accessories, historic details such as original moldings, transoms, shutters, wide-cut wood floors, and glass-paned doors will ensure this apartment retains its vintage charm.
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Distinctive Homes

January 9, 2019

This dreamy 1880 Victorian bed and breakfast in Harlem could be yours for just under $4M

Entering the 1880 townhouse at 210 West 122nd Street in Harlem is like stepping back in time. The six-bedroom property—now on the market for $3,750,00—is currently a bed and breakfast where guests from all over the world enjoy the grandeur of this authentic Victorian home filled with original details: mahogany millwork, stained glass transoms, inlaid floors, and seven fireplaces. The old world charm is balanced by luxurious 21st-century amenities including a recently updated kitchen and waterfall jacuzzis. Prospective buyers will be able to continue operating the bed and breakfast or simply enjoy this architectural gem for themselves.
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Via Creative Commons

January 9, 2019

The Chrysler Building is for sale

New York City's iconic Chrysler Building is on the market. The owners of the 1930 Art Deco landmark, Tishman Speyer Properties and the Abu Dhabi Investment Council, have hired real estate firm CBRE Group to sell the property, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. The Abu Dhabi government purchased its majority stake in the Chrysler for $800 million in 2008, but real estate experts told the WSJ it would be difficult to recover.
Details here

Real Estate Trends

Hudson Yards arts center The Shed sets an opening date and reveals additions to inaugural lineup

Photo: Brett Beyer

January 9, 2019

Hudson Yards arts center The Shed sets an opening date and reveals additions to inaugural lineup

The Shed, New York City’s first arts center dedicated to presenting new performing arts, visual arts, and popular culture works, has set an opening date of April 5, 2019, the organization's Artistic Director and CEO Alex Poots announced today. The city's newest arts center on Manhattan’s west side has also announced four additional opening season commissions and the honorary naming of its building and two major spaces in recognition of visionary supporters of the project in addition to information about operating hours and tickets.
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Events & Things To Do

Lin-Manuel Miranda and NYC team up to save Theater District’s 100-year-old Drama Book Shop

Via Google Street View

January 8, 2019

Lin-Manuel Miranda and NYC team up to save Theater District’s 100-year-old Drama Book Shop

One of New York City's go-to spots for thespians and Broadway lovers will remain open after all, the New York Times reported Tuesday. Lin-Manuel Miranda and three "Hamilton" associates, along with the city, have purchased the Drama Book Shop, saving it from impending closure. The independent bookseller announced in October it would have to close its doors due to rising rents in the Times Square neighborhood. But with investment from Miranda and his team, and the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME), the Drama Book Shop will reopen this fall at a new location within the theater district.
More here

Uncategorized

Billionaire financier and art collector lists massive Central Park West penthouse for $5.25M

Via Google Street View

January 8, 2019

Billionaire financier and art collector lists massive Central Park West penthouse for $5.25M

Editor's note: At the request of Sotheby's International Realty, listing photos that appeared in an earlier version of this post have been removed. Just steps from Central Park on the Upper West Side, this two-bedroom co-op at 23 West 73rd Street is located in the Park Royal, a pre-war, red-brick building that has been called “one of the most attractive sidestreet apartment houses” in the coveted neighborhood. On the market for $5,250,000, the penthouse unit is owned by financier Donald Marron, who is also one of the most recognized private art collectors in America and previously served as President of the Museum of Modern Art’s Board of Trustees.
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Distinctive Homes

On this day in 1790, George Washington gave the first State of the Union in NYC

Photo of Federal Hall and the George Washington statue, via John Schiller/Flickr cc

January 8, 2019

On this day in 1790, George Washington gave the first State of the Union in NYC

By Lucie Levine

Right now, Federal Hall at Wall and Broad Streets is closed due to the Government Shutdown. But long before the current crisis, Federal Hall was the site of several Federal firsts. New York was the nation’s first capital, a distinction the city held until 1790, and the original Federal Hall, at the site of today’s monument, was the first Capital Building. Federal Hall hosted the first Congress, Supreme Court, and Executive Branch Offices. The building witnessed the drafting of the Bill of Rights and the passage of the Northwest Ordinance. George Washington took his Oath of Office from the balcony of Federal Hall on April 30, 1789, and on January 8, 1790, he delivered the nation’s very first State of the Union Address from the building’s Senate Chamber.
What were the hot-button issues of 1790?

History

January 7, 2019

Find out the history of every building in the East Village with GVSHP’s new research tool

The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation has released a new way to find out about the East Village, one of New York City's most interesting and historically layered neighborhoods. East Village Building Blocks is an online tool you can use to find out the history of each one of the neighborhood's 2,200 buildings.
Check it out

History

Is SoHY the next hot neighborhood? New ‘South of Hudson Yards’ condo thinks so

Image courtesy of New Development Group.

January 7, 2019

Is SoHY the next hot neighborhood? New ‘South of Hudson Yards’ condo thinks so

Our first reaction at reading New Development Group’s (Ryant Serhant and team) introduction of the newly-minted SoHY condo at 550 West 29th Street as “Manhattan’s newest neighborhood and building" was to think the Nest Seekers-agent-to-the-stars must be SoHY if he thinks anyone will fall for another silly neighborhood acronym (Hello, NoLo!). But in this case, the multi-hyphenate wunderkind might actually be on to something. When you think about it, SoHY–for South of Hudson Yards–is definitely better than: "um, you know that area all the way over by 11th Avenue where all those new buildings are...that aren’t Hudson Yards ones..."
More SoHY jinks, this way

January 7, 2019

East Village rowhouse once home to Andy Warhol and Paul Morrissey lists for $5M

By Annie Doge

In the late 1960s, this East Village house at 321 East 6th Street was owned by none other than Andy Warhol, during which time his close friend, film director Paul Morrissey, lived at the address, too. Today, the Anglo-Italianate brick townhouse has been chopped up into five units, but it retains many original details from even before Warhol's time, including two wood-burning fireplaces, crown moldings, 13-foot ceilings, and parquet and hardwood floors. It's just been listed for $4,950,000 with the option to convert the home into a grand single-family residence.
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FREE RENT: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

Images (L to R): 525 West 52nd Street, The Essex, 505 Union Avenue and 19 Dutch Street

January 5, 2019

FREE RENT: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

By Ondel Hylton

Images (L to R): 525 West 52nd Street, The Essex, 505 Union Avenue and 19 Dutch Street The Essex: Rent at the tallest building in Essex Crossing with 2 months free [LINK] Hunters Landing: New Long Island City rentals with 3 months free [LINK] 525 West 52nd Street: Luxury Hells Kitchen rental has amenities for […]

Real Estate Trends

January 4, 2019

$130M penthouse at 520 Park Avenue is now two separate units

By Dana Schulz

The quest to outdo One57's record-setting $100.5 million penthouse doesn't seem to be working. The two contenders, 220 Central Park South and 520 Park Avenue--both Robert A.M. Stern-designed buildings--announced their $250 and $130 million penthouses in 2016 and 2014 respectively, but there's been no movement since. The latter building seems to have taken the hint, though, as The Real Deal reports that the 12,398-square-foot triplex has been chopped up into two "smaller" units--a $40 million full-floor unit and an $80-$100 million duplex.
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January 4, 2019

Upper East Side Gilded Age mansion with Broadway cachet and a big money past tries again at $29.5M

Just over a year ago, The Real Deal reported that Tony Award-winning Broadway producers Janet and Howard Kagan (“Tuck Everlasting,” “Pippin”) had put the 25-foot-wide, 12,729-square-foot mansion at 11 East 82nd Street, purchased for $24.5 million in 2009, on the market, asking $44 million. The impressive Upper East Side limestone-and-brick townhouse was also known for having previously belonged to financier Ron Perelman. The 1895 building in all its six-story, elevator-enhanced, Gilded Age glory has just been relisted for $29.5 million, a hefty haircut from last year's ask.
Embark on the grand tour

Distinctive Homes

Rental tower at Essex Crossing’s new foodie mecca launches leasing from $3,750/month

Renderings by We Are Visuals/QuallsBenson via Delancey Street Association.

January 3, 2019

Rental tower at Essex Crossing’s new foodie mecca launches leasing from $3,750/month

Leasing has officially launched at The Essex at 125 Delancey Street, the newest rental residence at the Lower East Side's Essex Crossing. Delancey Street Associates (DSA), the project's developers, announced the official launch of the building's 98 units today along with new renderings of interiors and amenity spaces within the tallest tower at the nine-site development. The 26-story Essex, designed by Handel Architects, also launched its website, which shows even more detail on the available units, which range from studios to three-bedrooms, starting at $3,750.
See more, this way

January 3, 2019

For $1.6M, this Morningside Heights co-op is a fine example of a pre-war classic six

Located in the picturesque Upper West Side/Morningside Heights neighborhood it shares with Columbia University's campus, Amele Hall at 536 W 111th Street is a classic elevator co-op built in 1910 by architect partners Mulliken and Moeller. This classic six apartment, listed for $1.595 million, has been modernized but retains its turn-of-the-century charm.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

McNally Jackson bookstore staying put on Prince Street

Photo of McNally Jackson via Flickr

January 2, 2019

McNally Jackson bookstore staying put on Prince Street

Beloved independent bookstore McNally Jackson will not be closing its Soho location after all, the Bowery Boogie reported on Wednesday. The good news comes just a few months after the bookseller announced it would have to move out of the neighborhood, its home for the last 14 years, due to a 136 percent rent increase.
More here

Uncategorized

December 31, 2018

$12M East Village penthouse has three floors, a gym, and a roof terrace

East Village real estate dreams hardly ever come with as much square footage as this luxurious four-bedroom at 130 East 12th Street. For the current asking price of $12.5 million, you’ll get the building’s two-story penthouse plus a two-bedroom apartment on the floor below with its own private entrance. That totals up to a 6,414 square-foot, three-floor East Village palace for anyone with the right budget.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

2018 Manhattan condo sales show volume drop and price cooldown from last year’s soaring heights

Rendering of 200 East 59th Street via Studio amd for Macklowe Properties

December 31, 2018

2018 Manhattan condo sales show volume drop and price cooldown from last year’s soaring heights

Rendering of 200 East 59th Street via Studio amd for Macklowe Properties CityRealty's new 2018 year-end market report reveals trends in Manhattan real estate including a notable drop in transaction volume and a decline in condo sales prices after 2017's roaring gains. Co-ops showed marginal gains in 2018. The New York Times refers to the report and quotes Jonathan J. Miller of Manhattan's Miller Samuel appraisal firm: “Sales are not low–they are just not unusually high. It’s like we came off the autobahn: It feels very slow relative to the last three to four years, but historically it’s not.” See a few highlights from the report, below.
More from the report

Real Estate Trends

Thousands sign online petition to rename stretch of Fifth Ave in front of Trump Tower after Obama

Via Flickr

December 31, 2018

Thousands sign online petition to rename stretch of Fifth Ave in front of Trump Tower after Obama

Over 3,800 people have signed a petition to rename the block in front of Trump Tower after President Barack Obama. Without specifically mentioning the Midtown building developed by President Donald Trump, the MoveOn.org appeal requests the City Council and Mayor Bill de Blasio rename the part of Fifth Avenue between 56th and 57th Street "President Barack H. Obama Avenue."
Get the details

Uncategorized

December 28, 2018

Celebrate Kwanzaa in NYC with a live-drawing event, music and dancing, and an artisan market

The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) is hosting its annual Kwanzaa festival on Saturday, celebrating African-American heritage with programs that focus on community, culture, and creativity. Free with admission, the event takes place on Dec. 29 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the museum's Milstein Hall of Ocean Life.
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Events & Things To Do

Plan for homeless men’s shelter on Billionaires’ Row temporarily stopped

Via Wikimedia

December 28, 2018

Plan for homeless men’s shelter on Billionaires’ Row temporarily stopped