Manhattan

A smaller version of New York City's Hippo Ballerina sculpture debuted this week in Turtle Bay. Created by Danish artist Bjørn Okholm Skaarup, Hippo Ballerina is a 15-foot-tall sculpture that has been seen over the years in front of Grand Central Terminal, the Flatiron Building, and Lincoln Center. The new mini sculpture, along with Hippo Ballerina, pirouette and Rhino Harlequin, pirouette, can now be found in front of the skyscraper at 885 Second Avenue in Midtown through March 2024.
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Events & Things To Do

Vornado pauses plan to redevelop area around Penn Station

Rendering courtesy of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office

February 16, 2023

Vornado pauses plan to redevelop area around Penn Station

The plan to redevelop the area around Penn Station with several new skyscrapers is officially on hold. During a conference call this week, Steven Roth, the chief executive officer at Vornado Realty Trust, the developer behind the project, said new construction is "almost impossible" because of current market conditions, as Crain's first reported.
Details here

Policy

New website explores the forgotten NYC neighborhood of San Juan Hill

San Juan Hill neighborhood, 1939.Lee Sievan (1907-1990). Museum of the City of New York. 92.70.1. Gift and © Howard Sieven, Executor of the Estate of Lee Sievan

February 15, 2023

New website explores the forgotten NYC neighborhood of San Juan Hill

Once home to New York City's largest Black population, Manhattan's San Juan Hill neighborhood no longer exists. The diverse working-class neighborhood was razed during the 1950s to make way for the Lincoln Center campus. This week the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts unveiled a new digital resource dedicated to San Juan Hill as a way to explore the history of the neighborhood and ensure that its legacy, and the people who lived there, are remembered. The "Legacies of San Juan Hill" website includes essays, historic images, articles, maps, and other archival content.
Learn more here

History

Take a tour of a duplex penthouse at Jean Nouvel’s tower above MoMA

Image courtesy of Evan Joseph

February 15, 2023

Take a tour of a duplex penthouse at Jean Nouvel’s tower above MoMA

New images of a fully-furnished penthouse atop Pritzker-Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel's tower 53 West 53 were released this week, showing off the one-of-a-kind duplex apartment's soaring ceiling heights, expansive living spaces, and breathtaking views of Central Park and the city skyline. The four-bedroom, three-and-a-half bathroom penthouse was designed by Fox-Nahem Associates in collaboration with Elle Decor and spans nearly 8,000 square feet across the 76th and 77th floors of the Midtown Manhattan skyscraper. Although this penthouse is not currently on the market, the identical unit above it, Penthouse 78, is available for $64,730,000.
Take a look around

$2.15M Greenwich Village ‘junior four’ has an enclosed terrace for year-round sunshine

Photos courtesy of Jeff Nolan for The Corcoran Group

February 15, 2023

$2.15M Greenwich Village ‘junior four’ has an enclosed terrace for year-round sunshine

A renovated co-op along an iconic stretch of Fifth Avenue in Greenwich Village is available for $2,150,000. Located on the eighth floor of the co-op The Brevoort, this "junior four," a one-bedroom with an alcove area that can be converted into a second bedroom or other space, features a flexible floor plan, Washington Square Park views, and a cozy, sun-drenched enclosed terrace.
See inside

Distinctive Homes

Renovated pedestrian and bike path opens on north side of George Washington Bridge

All photos courtesy of PANYNJ

February 14, 2023

Renovated pedestrian and bike path opens on north side of George Washington Bridge

The pedestrian and bike path on the north side of the George Washington Bridge opened on Tuesday following a renovation and accessibility upgrades. The project, led by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, included widening approach paths, bigger entry plazas, and removing stairs that prevented access to cyclists and users with mobility challenges. The upgraded north walk also features two new viewing platforms, one on the New York side and one on the New Jersey side.
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Transit

February 14, 2023

Only known surviving ‘colored’ school in Manhattan may become a New York City landmark

The only known surviving school building that exclusively served African Americans in Manhattan may soon become a New York City landmark. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to calendar the former Colored School No. 4 in Chelsea, a public school open to only Black students and staff from 1860 to 1894. Located at 128 West 17th Street, the nearly 175-year-old building is associated with a number of significant figures from the Civil War through the Post-Reconstruction era.
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Policy

Tours of NYC’s old City Hall subway station return this spring

Photos © James and Karla Murray

February 14, 2023

Tours of NYC’s old City Hall subway station return this spring

After a three-year pandemic hiatus, in-person tours of New York City's abandoned City Hall subway station are returning this spring. The station, which is where the first ever subway ride departed in 1904, has been decommissioned since the 1940s. The New York Transit Museum has exclusive access to the station and offers 90-minute tours that explore its ornate vaulted Guastavino tiled ceilings, chandeliers, and skylights. Tickets will go on sale this March and are only available to members of the museum.
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A planted glass atrium leads to huge private roof deck at this $6.25M Tribeca penthouse

All photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

February 14, 2023

A planted glass atrium leads to huge private roof deck at this $6.25M Tribeca penthouse

Not only is the private roof deck of this New York City penthouse spectacular, but the trip up to it is too. Found atop the boutique condominium at 12 Warren Street in Tribeca, the apartment features a glass atrium full of plants with a staircase that leads to the rooftop, which also wows with roughly 1,425 square feet and open exposures. Listed for $6,250,000, the full-floor penthouse has two bedrooms, stunning city views, and a modern style in every room.
See inside

Distinctive Homes

New luxury rental on the Lower East Side launches lottery for 95 mixed-income units, from $710/month

Rendering courtesy of Dattner Architects

February 13, 2023

New luxury rental on the Lower East Side launches lottery for 95 mixed-income units, from $710/month

Applications are now being accepted for 95 mixed-income units at a new development on the Lower East Side. Located at 55 Suffolk Street, The Suffolk rises 30 stories, contains 378 total residences, and boasts amenities like a rooftop pool, outdoor terrace, and fitness club. New Yorkers earning 40, 50, and 100 percent of the area median income can apply for the available apartments, priced between $710/month for studios and $2,810/month for three-bedrooms.
Do you qualify?

Affordable Housing

Photo credit: Evan Joseph

February 8, 2023

This $7M Sutton Place co-op honors the pre-war building’s Rosario Candela design

The 1928 co-op at 447 East 57th Street in quietly elegant Sutton Place is about as classic pre-war Manhattan as it gets. The 15-story building, designed by notable architect Rosario Candela, contains only 23 apartments, and this available sprawling four-bedroom co-op occupies the entire top floor. Asking $6,950,000, the nine-room residence is currently home to architect Stephen Corelli, who redesigned the space with an eye to Candela's legacy, while installing 21st-century amenities and timeless style.
Tour this Sutton Place home

Distinctive Homes

February 7, 2023

Proposed 13-story Soho building designed by Morris Adjmi is first to need LPC approval after rezoning

A New York City developer on Monday unveiled plans for the first development in Soho under new zoning rules approved by the city in 2021. United American Land (UAL) announced a proposal for a 13-story mixed-use building with 100 units of housing at 277 Canal Street, a landmarked three-story building on the corner of Broadway. The Landmarks Preservation Commission is expected to begin its review process of the project this summer, as Commercial Observer first reported.
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Lower East Side icon Economy Candy is opening new store in Chelsea Market

Photo of Economy Candy on Rivington Street by Cory Doctorow on Flickr

February 6, 2023

Lower East Side icon Economy Candy is opening new store in Chelsea Market

New York City's oldest retail candy shop is expanding for the first time in its over 85-year history. Economy Candy, which has been satisfying sweet tooths on the Lower East Side since 1937, will open a new location in Chelsea Market this week. Called "A Taste of Economy Candy," the store is a mini version of the original sweet shop, offering a selection of vintage treats and classic candies on rotation every month.
Sweet deets here

Uncategorized

New food hall at Hudson River Park’s Pier 57 announces full vendor lineup

Image courtesy of S9 Architecture

February 3, 2023

New food hall at Hudson River Park’s Pier 57 announces full vendor lineup

Market 57, New York City's newest food hall, is set to open this spring at Pier 57 at 15th Street in Hudson River Park. Curated by the culinary nonprofit organization James Beard Foundation (JBF) in cooperation with developer Jamestown, the new waterfront dining destination announced its full vendor list this week. With support from Google, the new food hall hopes to be an incubator for emerging culinary and entrepreneurial talent that has traditionally been underrepresented in the culinary industry, with a focus on women- and BIPOC-owned dining destinations.
See who's serving at Pier 57

Food & Dining

For $5.7M, this renovated Soho loft has the layout and luxurious finishes of a townhouse

Photo credit: Evan Joseph for The Corcoran Group

February 3, 2023

For $5.7M, this renovated Soho loft has the layout and luxurious finishes of a townhouse

This magnificently renovated Soho co-op at 14 Wooster Street has the bones–and the beams–of the downtown neighborhood's old-school loft spaces, with wide-plank oak floors and 40 feet of windows overlooking the cobblestones of Wooster Street. Though the sprawling 3,800-square-foot space spans the building's entire second floor, it offers the privacy and convenient configuration of a Village townhouse. The $5,700,000 co-op has been designed with a sophisticated mix of lacquered wood-paneled walls, marble and plaster details, and 21st-century conveniences.
Take the townhouse-in-a-loft tour

Distinctive Homes

Heart-shaped hedges blossom with real roses as part of Valentine’s Day installation in Times Square

Photo by Jonathan Hokklo

February 2, 2023

Heart-shaped hedges blossom with real roses as part of Valentine’s Day installation in Times Square

Love is in bloom in Times Square this February. As part of its 15th annual Love & Design competition, Times Square Arts on Wednesday unveiled a new public art installation on Duffy Square that invites visitors to get lost in love. This year's winner, Almost Studio, created an interactive configuration of four artificial hedge rows that form a maze-like structure with heart-shaped interiors. Called Love’s h|Edge, the sculpture features illuminated benches and trellises, the latter of which will be filled with fresh roses by passersby.
Take a look

Events & Things To Do

Manhattan borough president sees the city’s vacancies as opportunities for creating new housing

Image courtesy of mari small on Unsplash

February 2, 2023

Manhattan borough president sees the city’s vacancies as opportunities for creating new housing

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine released a report this week outlining 171 locations in the borough he believes can be turned into more than 73,000 new homes. The report, titled "Housing Manhattanites," seeks to address Manhattan's housing shortage and answer a critical question: "Where in our borough can we build the housing that Manhattanites so desperately need?" Of these housing opportunities, Levine explained to the New York Times: "Some of it is hiding in plain sight. There has been a Post Office that has been closed. There’s an abandoned bus depot that is not being used. There’s manufacturing space which is empty. There are buildings that landlords surrendered to the city for back taxes decades ago."
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Lottery opens for 144 mixed-income units at new Chelsea rental with lots of green space, from $1,329/month

Rendering courtesy of the

February 2, 2023

Lottery opens for 144 mixed-income units at new Chelsea rental with lots of green space, from $1,329/month

NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development Applications are now being accepted for 144 mixed-income apartments at the currently-under-construction development known as Ruby at 241 West 28th Street in Chelsea. Upon completion later this year, the 25-story mixed-use building will have 480 rental apartments, 8,500 square feet of ground-floor retail, landscaped gardens, and an impressive menu of amenities including rooftop pools, terraces, and lounges. The affordable units are available to New Yorkers earning between 70 and 130 percent of the area median income, or between $48,138 for a single person and $130,046 for a five-person household. Apartments range from $1,329/month for studios to $3,793 for two bedrooms.
Find out if you're eligible

Affordable Housing

February 1, 2023

Anish Kapoor’s bean sculpture is finally complete in Tribeca

New York City finally got its bean. About five years and several delays later, Anish Kapoor's mirrored sculpture was unveiled to the public this week, seemingly propping up Tribeca's "Jenga Building" at 56 Leonard Street. As first reported by Tribeca Citizen, and confirmed by 6sqft, the longstanding barriers and scaffolding have been removed, with the monumental permanent public artwork taking its rightful place on the corner of Church and Leonard Streets.
See the sculpture

Events & Things To Do

In New York, Biden touts $300M investment for Hudson River rail project

President Biden hosted a press conference in NYC to discuss the Hudson River Tunnel Project on 1/31/23; Photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

February 1, 2023

In New York, Biden touts $300M investment for Hudson River rail project

President Joe Biden made an appearance at Hudson Yards on Tuesday to announce a $292 million investment for a project that would fix a century-old rail tunnel and build a new one under the river between New York and New Jersey. The $16 billion Hudson River tunnel project is just one part of the broader $30 billion Gateway Project, which includes new bridges and the expansion of Penn Station. The funding announced by Biden will go toward a $649 million project that extends the concrete casing for the tunnels between Penn Station and the Hudson River before any work on the tunnels can actually begin.
Get the details

Latest casino proposed for NYC includes a giant Ferris wheel near the U.N.

Rendering of Freedom Plaza. Credit: Soloviev Group.

February 1, 2023

Latest casino proposed for NYC includes a giant Ferris wheel near the U.N.

As the competition for three New York City casino licenses heats up, the latest contender, Soloviev Group, announced this week a partnership with Mohegan in a plan that would include a partially subterranean casino anchoring a Midtown entertainment district near the United Nations headquarters. In addition to the casino, the mixed-use development known as Freedom Plaza would include a hotel, two residential towers, green space, a performance venue, a giant Ferris wheel, and–because nothing says "democracy" like a casino and a Ferris wheel–a museum dedicated to democracy.
Find out more

City Living

NYC unveils first restored national medallions along Manhattan’s Avenue of the Americas

Photos courtesy of the NYC Department of Transportation

January 31, 2023

NYC unveils first restored national medallions along Manhattan’s Avenue of the Americas

The city's Department of Transportation this week unveiled the first restored medallions installed along the Avenue of the Americas on lampposts from 42nd Street to 59th Street. The medallions, which were first displayed in 1959, depict the emblems of each nation and territory in the Western Hemisphere. After years of neglect, the medallions had fallen into disrepair, leaving just 18 of the original 300 medallions remaining. Last fall, DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced plans to create new medallions. On Monday, the city installed the first nine of 45 new medallions, representing the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, Argentina, St. Lucia, and Uruguay.
See more here

City Living

January 31, 2023

Savannah Guthrie is selling her full-floor Tribeca loft for $7.1M

"Today" co-host Savannah Guthrie and her husband, communications pro Michael Feldman, have put their turn-key Tribeca loft on the market for $7,100,000. The full-floor four-bedroom received a modern renovation by AD100 architects Ike Kligerman Barkley and AD100 interior designer Monique Gibson. After calling the apartment home for over five years, the couple has decided to sell because they have a "vision and dream of living in a townhouse," Guthrie told the Wall Street Journal, which first reported the listing.
Get a better look

NYPL acquires archive of Joan Didion’s papers including personal photos, letters, and more

Joan Didion, undated.

January 27, 2023

NYPL acquires archive of Joan Didion’s papers including personal photos, letters, and more

The New York Public Library (NYPL) has acquired an extensive collection of papers and personal items belonging to writer Joan Didion and her husband, writer John Gregory Dunne. The archive of writings, correspondence, photographs, and ephemera provides a rich portrait of the celebrated couples' life and work.
Find out more about the collection

History

New 34th Street station entrance features mosaic depicting clock from old Penn Station

Image courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

January 27, 2023

New 34th Street station entrance features mosaic depicting clock from old Penn Station

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Thursday unveiled new accessibility improvements at Penn Station. In addition to four newly modernized elevators, the new, fully accessible entrance at 7th Avenue and 33rd Street features artwork by Diana Al-Hadid. Measuring nearly 15 feet tall, the glass mosaic, called The Time Telling, was inspired by a photograph of the clock that hung at the entrance of the old Penn Station.
Learn more here

Plan to resurrect NYC’s iconic Brooklyn Banks skate park moves forward

The Brooklyn Banks in 2009. Photo credit: Rasmus Zwickson via Flickr

January 27, 2023

Plan to resurrect NYC’s iconic Brooklyn Banks skate park moves forward