Manhattan

A longtime Italian pastry shop is celebrating its 125th anniversary this month and celebrating in the best way possible: free cannolis. Family-owned and operated since 1894, Veniero's has grown from a small immigrant-owned candy shop in the East Village to a New York City institution, selling more than 150 desserts today. On Monday, Sept. 23, the bakery will offer free mini cannolis (while supplies last), live music, and a discount of 18.94 percent on all orders, according to Time Out.
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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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Partial stop work order issued for 200 Amsterdam after wet concrete hits playground

Rendering of 200 Amsterdam courtesy of Binyan Studios

September 20, 2019

Partial stop work order issued for 200 Amsterdam after wet concrete hits playground

Update 9/20/19: NYC Parks reopened P.S. 199's playground on Friday after determining the area was no longer at risk. SJP Properties, the developer of 200 Amsterdam Avenue, said in a statement: "We are pleased that the school park has been reopened following review by the school and Parks Department, which deemed the area safe." Wet concrete fell 55 stories from an under-construction Upper West Side tower on Wednesday, hitting a school playground below. The Department of Buildings issued the condo project at 200 Amsterdam Avenue a partial stop work order to prevent work above 40 stories on that side. A parent told West Side Rag that his son and his friends were hit by the falling concrete while playing at P.S. 199's playground during recess, but no injuries have been officially reported to the DOB.
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New Developments

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

A man wearing a fez selling drinks in Little Syria in the early 1900s (Bain News Service, 1916), via Wiki Commons/Library of Congress

September 19, 2019

GIVEAWAY: Win a pair of tickets to MAS’ walking tour of the lost ‘Lower West Side’

By 6sqft

The Lower West Side is not a common neighborhood name used, mainly because much of what made this enclave notable has since been forgotten. As 6sqft previously explained, "encompassing the area west of Broadway from Liberty Street to Battery Place, it was originally home to Irish and German immigrants, followed by Little Syria, the nation’s first and largest Arabic settlement, from roughly the 1880s to 1940s." The neighborhood all but disappeared during the construction of the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel and World Trade Center, but several vestiges and stories remain, which will be explored in a walking tour on October 6th with historian Joe Svehlak for the Municipal Art Society.
Enter to win a pair of tickets!

Events & Things To Do

Rendering of the larger, 30-story tower by Dattner Architects

September 19, 2019

Designs revealed for major mixed-use project on Lower East Side synagogue site

In 2017, the Lower East Side's abandoned 1850 Beth Hamedrash Hagadol synagogue, which once housed the city's oldest Jewish Orthodox congregation, was severely damaged in a fire. The following year, the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) and developer Gotham Organization began floating plans for a two-towered, mixed-use development on the site, and they've now announced that the project is entering the city's uniform land use review procedure (ULURP). The plan includes a new headquarters for the CPC, retail space, and 488 new rental units, 208 of which will be permanently affordable with 115 set aside for affordable senior housing. Dattner Architects will also incorporate the remains of the former synagogue into a new meeting space and cultural heritage center for the congregation.
All the details this way

The city wants to put a self-filtering floating swimming pool on the East River

Rendering by Family New York, Courtesy of Friends of +POOL

September 19, 2019

The city wants to put a self-filtering floating swimming pool on the East River

Swimming in the East River may once again become a reality. The city's Economic Development Corporation is seeking ideas for a floating pool that would filter the water of the East River to allow for safe swimming, according to a request for expressions of interest (RFEI) released Wednesday. A similar idea was first announced in 2010 by the nonprofit +POOL, which has been working with the city for years, as THE CITY first reported. The pool would likely be built between the north side of Brooklyn Bridge and the south side of Pier 35 on the Lower East Side, according to the request.
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Architecture And Design

Photography by Tim Waltman for CORE; staging by ASH NYC

September 19, 2019

Just listed for $4.7M, Kanye West’s former Soho home wears ego-soothing neutral hues

This sleek and civilized condo at 25 West Houston Street was the long-time Soho residence of musician and fashion powerhouse Kanye West and his wife, Kim Kardashian. Designed by Italian minimalist architect and designer Claudio Silvestrin, the home is a study in tobacco and beige, guaranteed not to upstage the personality of its owners. And like its (former) owners, it has been showcased in the pages of Vogue and Elle Décor. The 2,427-square-foot Soho one-bedroom (easily convertible to two) just hit the market for $4.7 million.
Soft lighting, ample closets, this way

The final Vendy Awards are coming to Governors Island this Saturday

Via Flickr

September 18, 2019

The final Vendy Awards are coming to Governors Island this Saturday

This weekend is your last chance to enjoy New York City's famous annual street food showdown. The competition between New York City's finest street vendors, known as the Vendy Awards, is ending on Saturday, Sept. 21 after 15 years. The last event ever will be held on Governors Island, providing one last chance to enjoy one of the city's most anticipated food events. Organized by the Street Vendor Project at the Urban Justice Center, the contest began with only four vendors in 2005. It has since expanded to feature vendors from across the city, serving nearly two thousand food-loving attendees annually and providing a career boost for vendors. The highlight of the event will be the 15 nominees who will compete for the top award, the Vendy Cup.
Check out the finalists, this way

$8M Village townhouse has an underground tunnel that connects to its carriage house

Listing images by Kenneth Chen at Evan Joseph photography, courtesy of Compass

September 18, 2019

$8M Village townhouse has an underground tunnel that connects to its carriage house

For those who are up for a significant project, this unique Greenwich Village property has a lot of potential and some unusual features, starting with its configuration. The 1830 townhouse at 10 Bedford Street—now on the market for just shy of $8 million—sits on a 101-foot deep lot along with a separate carriage house that can be accessed via a tunnel or an elevated walkway in the garden. For the right buyer, this unusual setup could be a big enough draw by itself, despite the renovation work required inside.
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Distinctive Homes

September 18, 2019

REVEALED: $150M renovation of Central Park North includes new pool, skating rink, and more

The north end of Central Park around the Harlem Meer is one of its most beautiful vistas, but because of the large, obtrusive Lasker Rink and Pool, it is currently disconnected from the North Woods below it, as well as the rest of the park. To better connect the area, the Central Park Conservancy and the City of New York today revealed a $150 million project to build a new pool and rink that will bring year-round recreation, as well as integrate into the surrounding landscape and restore lost pedestrian connections.
See all the renderings and plans

Review of mechanical space use continues at Extell’s Upper West Side tower

Rendering of 50 West 66th Street courtesy of Binyan Studios/Snøhetta

September 18, 2019

Review of mechanical space use continues at Extell’s Upper West Side tower

Extell's Snøhetta-designed Upper West Side tower at 50 West 66th Street has cleared one set of legal challenges but the building's contested use of mechanical spaces remains an issue. As Crain’s reported on Tuesday, the city’s Board of Standards and Appeals voted down challenges to the building’s split zoning lots—upholding the Department of Buildings permits for the project—but voted to further scrutinize the tower’s use of mechanical floor spaces by initiating a review of whether Extell is “appropriately occupying” those spaces.
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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

Take a food tour of Little Italy’s Feast of San Gennaro

By James and Karla Murray

Food, faith, family, and more food. The Feast of San Gennaro is in full swing, bringing the best of Italian cuisine and culture to a few blocks of Little Italy for 11 straight days. In its 93rd year, the Feast has evolved from its early 20th-century roots, as has the former immigrant enclave. Despite these changes, the Feast of San Gennaro remains one of the largest and most popular street fairs in New York City, as well as a way to preserve Italian American culture. Ahead, photographers and New Yorkers James and Karla Murray take us on a whirlwind food tour of the Feast of San Gennaro, from powdered sugar zeppoles and fried Oreos to Italian sausage and calzones.
Dig in

Events & Things To Do

One Vanderbilt tops out at 1,401 feet, becomes tallest office building in Midtown

Photo of One Vanderbilt © 6sqft

September 17, 2019

One Vanderbilt tops out at 1,401 feet, becomes tallest office building in Midtown

The Grand Central Terminal-adjacent supertall One Vanderbilt officially topped out this week, reaching its full 1,401-foot height. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox, the tower is now Midtown's tallest office building and the fourth-tallest skyscraper in New York City. One Vanderbilt, developed by SL Green, measures 1.7 million square feet and boasts a unique terra cotta facade as well as the fourth-highest observation deck in the city.
Another supertall makes its mark

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

Central Park Tower in early Sept., Photo © 6sqft

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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Gorgeously grand 11-room residence at the Dakota asks $11M

Listing images courtesy of Douglas Elliman

September 17, 2019

Gorgeously grand 11-room residence at the Dakota asks $11M

A new listing has just come on the market at NYC’s iconic Central Park West cooperative The Dakota, and it’s just as grand as you’d expect. The 11-room residence—now on the market for $11 million—sprawls out across 4,500 square-feet and features 12-foot ceilings, restored original details, and some contemporary flourishes by designer Peter Marino, including ash black wood floors and handpainted walls.
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Distinctive Homes

September 16, 2019

This cozy, quirky $425K Upper East Side studio has an astroturf-clad dream of a backyard

This Yorkville studio at 340 East 83rd Street may not be spacious inside, but the private backyard paradise just outside of the living room window is a study in hidden charm in the city. Asking $425,000, the cozy co-op spans 400 square feet of quiet, back-of-the-building efficiency.
More of that fabulous patio, this way

Distinctive Homes

Fall art roundup: Highlights of the season’s new crop of exhibitions, openings and events

Image courtesy of Harold Navarro via Flickr

September 16, 2019

Fall art roundup: Highlights of the season’s new crop of exhibitions, openings and events

When autumn rolls into New York City, the fall arts season heats up with museum exhibits, gallery openings, art fairs and more to keep us culturally fulfilled through shorter days and colder nights. Below are our top picks and suggestions for the season’s art whirl, from an all new MoMA to open studios in Bushwick.
Inspirational art, this way

Events & Things To Do

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

By Andrew Berman of Village Preservation

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

Uncategorized

September 12, 2019

‘Friends’ in NYC: How plausible were the Greenwich Village apartments depicted in the hit ’90s series?

On September 22, 1994, the TV show Friends premiered on NBC. Airing 10 seasons, it was consistently one of the most popular shows on television, and after decades of syndication, one of the most popular in history. And for a generation of young 20-somethings, it shaped their views of, and in many ways reflected their experience of, what their lives were supposed to be like. While the show was shot in Burbank, California, almost all it was supposed to take place in Greenwich Village, where the apartments of all of its main characters were located. Thus it also shaped a generation’s views of what living in Greenwich Village, even if your job was a joke and you were broke, was like. In honor of the show's 25th anniversary, we take a look at the places where Ross, Rachel, Phoebe, Joey, Monica, and Chandler were supposed to have lived, and how the TV world Friends created lined up (or didn't) with reality.
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Uncategorized

Photo credit: MW Studio / Udom Surangsophon courtesy of Compass.

September 12, 2019

Rent this Novogratz-designed Little Italy townhouse for $40K/month

Millionaire private investor and man-about-town Bradley Zipper purchased this Little Italy townhouse in 2004 to use as a massive bachelor pad where he could host celebrity soirees and lavish business events for up to 400 guests. After dropping $3.385 million on the property, he hired Cortney and Robert Novogratz, the famous husband-and-wife design team, to deck it out. The result definitely fit the bill, rocking a 900-bottle wine cellar that’s a replica of one in a Meatpacking District club, a 14-foot mahogany and pewter bar imported from Paris, and a vintage 1940s pool table surrounded by graphite walls. Zipper started trying to unload the house in 2013, first for $15 million, then $13 million, next as a $35,000/month rental, and again in 2015 for $15.5 million. Now the six-story 5,000-square-foot townhouse with six outdoor spaces is for rent once again asking an adjusted-for-inflation $40,000/month.
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Distinctive Homes

James Baldwin’s former Upper West Side home receives national landmark status

Photos: (l) Tax photo of 137 West 71st Street, 1964 (a year before James Baldwin bought the building). Courtesy of the NYC Municipal Archives; (r) 137 West 71st Street, on the Upper West Side, 2016. Credit: Christopher D. Brazee/NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project

September 12, 2019

James Baldwin’s former Upper West Side home receives national landmark status

In June, the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission designated six sites significant to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, including the former home of James Baldwin on the Upper West Side. Now, the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project tells us that the Baldwin residence at 137 West 71st Street has been added to the National Register of Historic Places, which recognizes his role nationally as relates to LGBT and civil rights history.
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Architecture And Design

A classic Soho loft with an industrial-chic renovation and expansive rooftop terrace asks $4M

Listing images courtesy of Douglas Elliman

September 11, 2019

A classic Soho loft with an industrial-chic renovation and expansive rooftop terrace asks $4M

This 1,800 square-foot loft at 55 Prince Street has all the elements of a classic Soho loft with the benefits of a fresh, gut renovation. All the original details—wood beams and columns, exposed brick walls, oak floors, and arched windows—were restored while industrial-chic elements were added, including a floating staircase and steel doors. A rooftop terrace adds 1,800 square feet of private outdoor space and the unit also comes with air rights to build up an additional 2,000 square feet. The modern pad is now listed at $4 million.
Take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

September 11, 2019

COLORS restaurant, founded by 9/11 survivors, to reopen on the Lower East Side

COLORS restaurant in downtown Manhattan was originally founded by employees of the Windows on the World restaurant on the 107th floor of the World Trade Center, and employed many restaurant workers who lost their jobs on the day of the terrorist attacks. COLORS closed in 2017, closing the door on an establishment that had helped survivors to thrive. Now, am New York reports, on the 18th anniversary of the attacks, that the restaurant is re-opening in October.
More good news, this way

Food & Dining

Sales launch at disputed 200 Amsterdam Avenue, with one-bedrooms starting at $2.625M

Renderings courtesy of Binyan Studios

September 11, 2019

Sales launch at disputed 200 Amsterdam Avenue, with one-bedrooms starting at $2.625M