Manhattan

Astor Place Hairstylists to close next month after 75 years

Mayor Bill de Blasio celebrated the Phase 2 reopening with a visit to Astor Place Hairstylists on June 23, 2020. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

October 26, 2020

Astor Place Hairstylists to close next month after 75 years

By Devin Gannon

Another New York City institution will close its doors this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Astor Place Hairstylists in the East Village, which opened in the 1940s and is known for its affordable prices, multilingual stylists, and celebrity clientele, will shutter at the end of November, as the New York Post reported. Hair salons and barbershops were allowed to open in June as part of the city's second phase of reopening, but a lack of business, and no additional federal funding, has forced the iconic barbershop to close.
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City Living

Tiny West Village studio is big on Victorian style for $525K

Photo credit: Eitan Gamliely

October 26, 2020

Tiny West Village studio is big on Victorian style for $525K

By Dana Schulz

This West Village studio may be petite, but it's got loads of Victorian-style charm and optimized storage space to make up for its small footprint. Asking $525,000, the co-op at 77 Perry Street has exposed brick walls, original tin ceilings, and floor-to-ceiling cherry wood built-ins that ensure every modern convenience is met.
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Distinctive Homes

Photo by Brianne Sperber on Wikimedia

October 23, 2020

NYC’s iconic Strand Bookstore says it’s struggling to survive because of COVID-19

By Devin Gannon

One of New York City's largest and most beloved independent bookstores is asking for help. Citing a decline in foot traffic, a lack of tourists, and zero in-store events because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Strand Bookstore's revenue has dropped nearly 70 percent compared to last year, owner Nancy Bass Wyden said on Friday. According to Bass Wyden, the business, one of the last bookstores of Union Square's former "Book Row," is not currently sustainable.
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City Living

Riverside Park opens new section with playgrounds, volleyball, lawns, and more

Photo courtesy of the Riverside Park Conservancy

October 23, 2020

Riverside Park opens new section with playgrounds, volleyball, lawns, and more

By Dana Schulz

Yesterday, the fifth phase of Riverside Park South opened to the public. The 4.6-acre area stretches from West 65th to 68th Streets and includes new paths, stairs, and plazas; a playground and swings; lawns; sand volleyball courts; and a dog run. As West Side Rag tells us, the $21.1 million project--which was completed with federal, state, and private funds--was originally planned to open in 2018.
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Architecture And Design

$16M Chelsea penthouse has 3 outdoor spaces with incredible Hudson Yards views

Photos by Evan Joseph

October 23, 2020

$16M Chelsea penthouse has 3 outdoor spaces with incredible Hudson Yards views

By Dana Schulz

The Emerson is the latest boutique condo in Chelsea to abut the High Line. Located at 500 West 25th Street, the 10-story building has just eight full-floor units, including the duplex penthouse, which has just hit the market for $16 million. The incredible four-bedroom home has 5,100 square feet of interior space along with nearly 2,600 square feet of outdoor space spread over two terraces and a roof deck with views of the High Line, Hudson River, Empire State Building, and Hudson Yards.
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Distinctive Homes

$1.4B South Street Seaport proposal includes two mixed-use towers with affordable units

All renderings courtesy of The Howard Hughes Corporation/SOM

October 22, 2020

$1.4B South Street Seaport proposal includes two mixed-use towers with affordable units

By Devin Gannon

The Howard Hughes Corporation on Thursday unveiled its latest effort to redevelop the South Street Seaport neighborhood. The $1.4 billion proposal includes the construction of two 470-foot towers which would contain rentals, condos, and office space on a parking lot at 250 Water Street. Initial plans from the developer called for a single tower that would rise nearly 1,000 feet, but local residents and Community Board 1 opposed it. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the two towers would include 360 units, with at least 100 apartments set aside for families earning 40 percent of the area median income. It would be the first affordable housing built in the community under the city's Mandatory Inclusionary Housing program.
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Photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

October 22, 2020

Midtown condo of the late ‘Odd Couple’ actress Carole Shelley lists for $1.35M

By Dana Schulz

Tony Award-winning actress Carole Shelley, who is best known for her roles as Gwendolyn Pigeon in The Odd Couple and Madame Morrible in the original Broadway cast of Wicked, passed away in 2018 at the age of 79, leaving behind her NYC pied-à-terre at 340 West 57th Street. The Midtown West condo is located in the elegant, pre-war Parc Vendome, which is just a few blocks from Central Park South. The spacious one-bedroom home is listed for $1,350,000.
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October 22, 2020

New ‘Virtual Village’ platform offers 36 free history tours of Union Square South

By Dana Schulz

Non-profit Village Preservation has launched a new online platform called Virtual Village, which is part of their larger efforts seeking landmarks protections for the "South of Union Square" area, where Greenwich Village meets the East Village. The interactive online tool offers 36 free, guided walking tours of the neighborhood, ranging from architectural topics like the Cast Iron Tour to cultural topics like the German History Tour to social topics like the Women's History and LGBTQ Tours.
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History

Susan Sarandon sells her Chelsea duplex for $7.9M asking price

Photos: Eitan Gamliely for Sotheby’s International Realty

October 21, 2020

Susan Sarandon sells her Chelsea duplex for $7.9M asking price

By Dana Schulz

Just three months after listing her massive Chelsea duplex for $7.9 million, Academy Award-winning actress Susan Sarandon has sold her long-time home for its full asking price. Located at 147 West 15th Street, the 6,000-square-foot co-op is spread over two floors and has six bedrooms, four exposures including views of the World Trade Center and Empire State Building, and an outdoor terrace and balcony. Over the summer, Queens-native Sarandon told the Wall Street Journal that she isn't leaving the city just downsizing to a smaller apartment in the area. "I’ve always been a New Yorker and I’ll continue to be a New Yorker," she said.
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New Target stores in Columbus Circle and Hell’s Kitchen are now open

New Target store at 1863 Broadway on the UWS. Photo credit: AP Images for Target.

October 21, 2020

New Target stores in Columbus Circle and Hell’s Kitchen are now open

By Dana Schulz

After construction and COVID-related delays, Target has officially opened three new small-format stores on the Upper West Side, Hell's Kitchen, and Staten Island. The store at 61st and Broadway at Columbus Circle was first announced two years ago and was planned to open in 2019. Likewise, the store on 10th Avenue and 45th Street was first announced four years ago and was also planned to open in 2019. The store in the North Shore section of Staten Island is only delayed by six months.
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City Living

Lovely Tribeca loft of the late Toni Morrison lists for $4.75M

Listing images courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

October 20, 2020

Lovely Tribeca loft of the late Toni Morrison lists for $4.75M

By Dana Schulz

The estate of the late Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison has just listed the novelist's former home. The Tribeca loft at 66 Leonard Street is asking $4,750,000. Morrison bought the three-bedroom condo for $3,800,000 in 2014, before passing away last year. Unsurprisingly, the home has lots of built-in shelves, filled with books, moments, and art.
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Dyckman Farmhouse Museum opens new art exhibit exploring untold history of NYC’s Black communities

Photo Credit: Dyckman Farmhouse Museum Alliance

October 19, 2020

Dyckman Farmhouse Museum opens new art exhibit exploring untold history of NYC’s Black communities

By Devin Gannon

The last remaining farmhouse in Manhattan will explore a new side of its over 200-year history with an art exhibit. Inwood's landmarked Dyckman Farmhouse Museum on Tuesday will open the exhibition Unspoken Voices: Honoring the Legacy of Black America, which will highlight the history of the enslaved and free Black residents that lived and worked at the farm. Unspoken Voices, which coincides with the museum's reopening, includes work by five local artists who hope to bring these previously untold stories to light.
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Events & Things To Do

Ice skating rink and holiday market to open at Bryant Park’s Winter Village this month

Photo by Colin Miller

October 19, 2020

Ice skating rink and holiday market to open at Bryant Park’s Winter Village this month

By Devin Gannon

When the ice skating rink and holiday market opens at Bryant Park this month, things will look a little different than usual because of the coronavirus pandemic. This year, the Bank of America Winter Village will require face coverings, reservations for the rink, and will debut a new layout of shops for optimal distancing. Now in its 19th year, the winter village will open on October 30 and run through March 7, 2021.
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Events & Things To Do

For $15M, this three-story UES penthouse is topped with a glass solarium

Listing photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

October 19, 2020

For $15M, this three-story UES penthouse is topped with a glass solarium

By Dana Schulz

How's this for a work-from-home setup? The top floor of this triplex penthouse at 1158 Fifth Avenue is a "jewel box" solarium with a glass-enclosed arched atrium and five picture windows overlooking Central Park. Listed for $15 million, the four-bedroom home is classic Upper East Side with oversized living spaces, two landscaped terraces, and even a separate one-bedroom guest residence within the building.
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Distinctive Homes

October 16, 2020

After 50 years, Dangerfield’s comedy club closes from COVID burdens

By Dana Schulz

"I don't get no respect," goes the famous line by Rodney Dangerfield that would often echo through the Upper East Side comedy club in his namesake. And after the larger NYC comedy world has claimed that the state is showing them no respect in the wake of the pandemic, Dangerfield's will be closing after a 50-year run. First reported by Vulture, the club announced this week that the coronavirus "placed a severe financial burden" on them, "making operations in New York City untenable."
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City Living

Classic Beaux-Arts details abound at this $3.2M Upper West Side three-bedroom

Photo Credit: Empire Optix for Sotheby’s International Realty

October 16, 2020

Classic Beaux-Arts details abound at this $3.2M Upper West Side three-bedroom

By Dana Schulz

This three-bedroom co-op is located in a row of combined 1899 Beaux-Arts townhouses at 329 West 108th Street, just off Riverside Drive. The $3,200,000 million home is about as grand and classic Upper West Side as they come. From the bay windows and stained glass to the elaborate moldings, coffered ceilings, and ornate mantles, there are gorgeously preserved architectural details in every room.
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Distinctive Homes

Lower East Side’s glassy new condo 150 Rivington has a rooftop with a fireplace and city views

Photo by Gluck+

October 15, 2020

Lower East Side’s glassy new condo 150 Rivington has a rooftop with a fireplace and city views

By Devin Gannon

Once an enclave for immigrants and the working class, and later a haven for artists, the Lower East Side's evolution continues into the 21st century as a destination for luxury developments. While major projects like the Essex Crossing mega-development and One Manhattan Square have hogged the spotlight, more modest new buildings are also making their mark on the neighborhood, including 150 Rivington. The approachable seven-story apartment building boasts a modern glassy facade, contains 45 condo units, and a cozy landscaped rooftop with an outdoor kitchen, fireplace, and endless city views.
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Photo Credit: Warburg Realty

October 15, 2020

$11.5M Greek Revival townhouse overlooks the best of the West Village

By Dana Schulz

This townhouse at 42 Jane Street is the best of both West Village worlds. From the street, it's classic Greek Revival (it was built in 1846), but inside it's been transformed into a contemporary oasis, with amenities such as a roof terrace with an outdoor fireplace, a basement-level media room, and a luxurious full-floor master suite. Plus, it's directly adjacent to the lovely Jane Street Garden, of which it has perfect views.
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Distinctive Homes

Adorable studio on the Upper West Side’s hidden Pomander Walk asks $395K

Photo credit: Hayley Ellen Day

October 14, 2020

Adorable studio on the Upper West Side’s hidden Pomander Walk asks $395K

By Dana Schulz

You might be surprised to learn that there's a hidden "English village" tucked away on the Upper West Side, and you may be even more shocked that you can live there for under $400,000. Built in 1921, Pomander Walk is a collection of quaint Tudor-style homes tucked behind a private cast-iron gate off West 94th and 95th Streets. This 326-square-foot alcove studio at the address 266 West 95th Street retains lots of the home's historic charm but has gotten a stylish, contemporary makeover.
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Distinctive Homes

Rachel Maddow lists her West Village apartment for $2.4M

Listing photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

October 13, 2020

Rachel Maddow lists her West Village apartment for $2.4M

By Dana Schulz

As the Post first reported, Rachel Maddow has put her West Village apartment on the market for $2,349,000. The MSNBC political commentator and her partner Susan Mikula bought the two-bedroom co-op for $1,250,000 in 2010 from REM frontman Michael Stipe. The home is located on a cobblestone street at 130 Jane Street, a former paper warehouse that still retains its original wooden beams.
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City Winery to open flagship venue at Pier 57 this week

Photo of dining room by Adam Pass

October 13, 2020

City Winery to open flagship venue at Pier 57 this week

By Devin Gannon

The massive new flagship of entertainment venue and restaurant City Winery will open this week at Hudson River Park's Pier 57. Starting October 15, the restaurant will accept reservations for limited capacity indoor and outdoor dining, with 200 seats available inside and 70 seats outside. City Winery was forced to move from its longtime Varick Street location last year after the Walt Disney Company purchased the property with plans to open new production space and offices there.
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Food & Dining

NYC’s landmarked Roosevelt Hotel will close after 96 years due to pandemic

Photo by Billy Hathorn via Wikimedia Commons

October 13, 2020

NYC’s landmarked Roosevelt Hotel will close after 96 years due to pandemic

By Dana Schulz

When the Roosevelt Hotel opened on East 45th Street in 1924, it was connected to Grand Central via an underground tunnel, signaling its prominence among New York's Jazz Age society. But nearly 100 years later, the Midtown hotel will shut it doors for good on October 31. As CNN first reported, owner Pakistan International Airlines said in a statement that the decision stems from "the current, unprecedented environment and the continued uncertain impact from COVID-19."
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Mother Cabrini statue unveiled in Battery Park City

Photo credit: Kevin P. Coughlin / Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on Flickr

October 13, 2020

Mother Cabrini statue unveiled in Battery Park City

By Devin Gannon

Gov. Andrew Cuomo unveiled a statue honoring Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini, the first U.S. citizen to be canonized by the Catholic Church and patron saint of immigrants, in Battery Park City on Monday. Created by Jill and Giancarlo Biagi, the bronze memorial depicts Mother Cabrini on a boat with two children and faces Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, a symbol of hope for immigrants coming to New York. The governor formed a state commission last year to lead the creation of the memorial after the city's She Built NYC program passed over Mother Cabrini as their next monument, even though she received the most nominations in a public poll.
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Events & Things To Do

Grand Central’s historic Oyster Bar closes again

Photo by Jazz Guy on Flickr

October 12, 2020

Grand Central’s historic Oyster Bar closes again

By Devin Gannon

Less than two weeks after reopening for the first time in over six months, Grand Central Oyster Bar has temporarily closed again. The Midtown East restaurant resumed indoor service at its iconic dining room on September 30, the day indoor dining was permitted again in New York City. But with indoor dining capped at 25 percent capacity in the city, the Oyster Bar, which normally relies on commuters and tourists, could not do enough business to stay open.
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Food & Dining

First look at New York City’s largest private outdoor garden at One Manhattan Square

All photos courtesy of Evan Joseph

October 9, 2020

First look at New York City’s largest private outdoor garden at One Manhattan Square

By Devin Gannon

New photos of the sprawling outdoor space at condo tower One Manhattan Square were released this week, providing a first peek at what developers say is the largest private garden in New York City. Designed by landscape architecture firm West 8, the green space measures 45,000 square feet, sits on an incline, and boasts unique features like a furnished adult treehouse and a Japanese-inspired tea pavilion.
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Forest Whitaker buys Upper East Side apartment with Greek-inspired garden for $1.6M

Listing images by Alan Barry; courtesy of Compass

October 8, 2020

Forest Whitaker buys Upper East Side apartment with Greek-inspired garden for $1.6M

By Devin Gannon

Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker has purchased a duplex apartment on the Upper East Side for $1.595 million, according to city property records. Located at 42 East 73rd Street, the three-bed, three-bath home boasts a Greek-inspired garden, with stately columns, a brick patio, and mature plantings. Whitaker, who is also a Sustainable Development Goals Advocate for the United Nations, snagged the property for about 8 percent less than the last listed asking price of $1.74 million. It was first listed last October for $1.895 million.
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October 8, 2020

6 NYC apartments with outdoor space you can rent for less than $5,000/month

By Devin Gannon

With the impending cool weather likely to limit the hours spent at city parks (which proved to be so necessary this summer) and the current health crisis still raging, New Yorkers will have to find creative ways to get some fresh air safely this fall and winter. For those looking for some outdoor space without having to leave home, we're rounding up the best New York City apartments with outside amenities currently available to rent for $5,000/month and under, whether it's in the form of a private garden, balconies, or a shared roof deck.
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