6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

Update 8/14/19: The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday approved Dattner Architects' plan to construct a 14-story building behind the Empire State Dairy. According to Brownstoner, the architects removed the cantilever element from the project's previous design and plan to preserve the chimney, instead of demolishing it. The new tower will replace two existing, but not landmarked, buildings, and include over 330 affordable apartments. An affordable housing developer on Tuesday presented plans to the Landmarks Preservation Commission for a new building that would cantilever over the Empire State Dairy building in East New York. HP Brooklyn Dairy Housing Development Fund Company, part of the nonprofit Housing Partnership Development Corporation, wants to construct a 14-story tower on top of the early 20th-century factory, located at 2840 Atlantic Avenue. Landmarked in 2017, the factory is notable for its architectural style and decorative tile murals. Dattner Architects created the designs for the proposed complex shown in the new renderings. The new construction would be a major change for the property, which was purchased by the developer for $16.75 million last year.
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Coney Island’s Luna Park looks to the public to name new attractions

The new log flume ride. Photo Credit: NYCEDC

August 14, 2019

Coney Island’s Luna Park looks to the public to name new attractions

Luna Park, home of the Coney Island Cyclone and Steeplechase, will welcome three new attractions–a ropes course, a log flume ride and a roller coaster–next year. The iconic seaside amusement park has turned to the public to name the new additions, which are set to open in 2020, AM New York reports.
Taking names, this way

Events & Things To Do

114 mixed-income apartments up for grabs in Clinton Hill, from $896/month

Rendering of Athena North courtesy of Marvel Architects

August 14, 2019

114 mixed-income apartments up for grabs in Clinton Hill, from $896/month

A lottery opened this week for 114 mixed-income units at buildings that border the neighborhoods of Clinton Hill and Prospect Heights in Brooklyn. The newly constructed buildings are located at 909 Atlantic Avenue and 1043 Fulton Street, dubbed Athena South and Athena North, respectively. The affordable housing comes as part of the Hudson Companies' redevelopment of the Brooklyn Heights branch of the Brooklyn Public Library, which sits in the developer's new 38-story tower, One Clinton. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60, 80, and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, ranging from a $896/month studios to $2,952/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

This $1.25M modernist house in Ossining was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright’s firm

Photos by Pedro Sousa of Jump Visual, courtesy of Compass

August 14, 2019

This $1.25M modernist house in Ossining was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright’s firm

It's pretty easy to guess that this mid-century modern-style home in Ossining, N.Y. was inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright. But the lakeside home at 17 Twin Ridges Road has a connection to the famed architect that goes beyond homage: It was designed by Wright's firm, Taliesin Associated Architects, based on the blueprints of Life Magazine’s 1997 American Dream Home.
House tour, this way

Distinctive Homes

August 14, 2019

A first look at Walker House, Newark’s historic Bell Telephone Building conversion

The first images of the finished Walker House in Downtown Newark have been released, giving us a peek inside the restored Art Deco masterpiece at 540 Broad Street. Designed by renowned architect Ralph Walker in 1929 as the corporate headquarters for the Bell Telephone Company and entered into the National Historic Register in 2005, the 21-story building has been redeveloped into a mixed-use building comprised of 264 apartments (a mix of market-rate and affordable units), amenities, offices, and retail space, including a brewery, a coffee shop, and Newark's first climbing wall.
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New Developments

New bill may bring hostels back to New York City

Image via CC.

August 13, 2019

New bill may bring hostels back to New York City

New York City could make hostels legal under a bill, set to be introduced this week in the City Council, that would permit the super-budget accommodations to operate again after a state law made them illegal, the Wall Street Journal reports. The bill would provide hostels with their own separate department and classification under city law. The city's hostels all but disappeared after a 2010 law covering multiple dwellings took aim at short-term rentals.
Will hostels thrive in the Airbnb era?

August 13, 2019

Test your NYC neighborhood knowledge at Historic Districts Council’s free trivia night

By 6sqft

Think you know New York City neighborhoods inside and out? Prove it this month at a trivia night about preservation and NYC history hosted by the Historic Districts Council. The free event takes place on Wednesday, August 21 at 6 p.m. and invites preservation buffs to enjoy a night of educational fun. Plus there will be prizes!
All the details

Photo credit: Michael Weinstein courtesy of Compass.

August 13, 2019

Walk outside to your private garden from all sides of this $1.85M Cobble Hill duplex

This 2,000-square-foot condominium at 42 Tiffany Place in Cobble Hill, asking $1.85 million, is surrounded by over 1,000 square feet of private outdoor space. Windows and glass doors all around open onto multiple decks and gardens for indoor/outdoor living on the main level. On the lower level–where the bedrooms are–lots of windows keep things bright. An extra perk: There is a shuttle to take residents to the Borough Hall subway station, included in the common charges.
Tour the duplex

Distinctive Homes

Distinctive Homes

New year, new $10M Greenwich Village loft

$1.4M Fort Greene co-op has a sprawling solarium, a charming parlor and just a hint of loft

This $3.15M co-op embodies East Village cool, all grown up

For $995K, this two-bedroom Park Slope condo is a breath of fresh air

Bob Dylan's former Turtle Bay home asks $7.25M

This colorful $575K co-op is New York City chic in the heart of Bay Ridge

$4M gets you the whole renovated Boerum Hill townhouse package, with a bi-level backyard

This $3.75M Lefferts Manor townhouse has well-preserved historic details and every modern luxury

A grown-up townhouse with a Bushwick address–and a koi pond–asks $2M

For $3.3M, this historic Brooklyn Heights home comes with condo convenience

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August 13, 2019

Where I Work: Shelly Fireman’s Redeye Grill has been serving the Carnegie Hall crowd for 25 years

By Dana Schulz

When Sheldon “Shelly” Fireman opened Redeye Grill across from Carnegie Hall 25 years ago, the term "restauranteur" didn't exist. But by that point, he'd already gained local celebrity status for Greenwich Village's all-night Hip Bagel and had the foresight to open Cafe Fiorello near recently completed Lincoln Center. Today, Shelly is the CEO of Fireman Hospitality Group, which operates six restaurants in NYC as well as two on the Potomac River in Maryland. And though he can most definitely be called a restauranteur now, Shelly stands out amongst the myriad food influencers in the city. Though his establishments exude an old-school New York charm and certain nostalgia, he has found the formula to withstand the test of time. After a 2018 kitchen fire, the iconic Redeye Grill reopened in July. We recently sat down to lunch with Shelly to hear more about his story and take a tour of this classic Midtown restaurant.
Have a look around and meet Shelly

Image via Wiki Commons

August 13, 2019

Birdbath in Soho’s iconic green Vesuvio Bakery has closed

City Bakery announced Friday that Birdbath bakery in the Vesuvio storefront at 160 Prince Street has closed for good, Gothamist reports. City Bakery founder Maury Rubin moved into the familiar green storefront in 2009 after the death of Anthony Dapolito, whose family created Vesuvio in 1920. Now, neighbors are wondering if new owners will alter the familiar face of the iconic Soho landmark.
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City Living

Exclusive supper club for the ultra-wealthy will open at 35 Hudson Yards this fall

Photo by Timothy Schenck for Related-Oxford

August 13, 2019

Exclusive supper club for the ultra-wealthy will open at 35 Hudson Yards this fall

One of the city's most elite supper clubs is set to open this October at 35 Hudson Yards—and early reports say it's so exclusive that even residents of the luxury building (where apartments start at $5.1 million) won't be able to afford a membership. “It’s not for residents,” a source familiar with the project told the New York Post. “It’s for the developer’s super-rich buddies and CEO friends.” Details about the luxe club, which will be called WS New York, are being kept on the down-low but its website boasts "unparalleled access to the finest wine and spirits, world-class dining, and one-of-a-kind cultural events" offering guests an "insider perspective on rarified worlds."
More info

Food & Dining

August 12, 2019

Lego celebrates the 25th anniversary of ‘Friends’ with Central Perk set

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the sitcom Friends, Lego next month will release a new collectible set featuring one of the show's most important characters: the Central Perk cafe. Available starting September 1, the set includes the cafe's iconic seating, including the orange couch, armchair, and two chairs. You can recreate the show's classic moments with seven new Lego mini-figures of Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Monica, Joey, Phoebe, and Gunther.
All the details this way

Apple and the New Museum launch free augmented reality art walks in Central Park

John Giorno’s “Now at the Dawn of My Life”; all images courtesy of Apple and New Museum

August 12, 2019

Apple and the New Museum launch free augmented reality art walks in Central Park

Ready to experience a new dimension of Central Park? Apple has partnered with the New Museum to launch free, guided walks of the Park highlighting a series of site-specific, augmented reality artworks. Artists Nick Cave, Nathalie Djurberg, Hans Berg, Cao Fei, John Giorno, Carsten Höller and Pipilotti Rist—most of whom are working in AR for the first time—were tapped to transform the park into a virtual, interactive gallery of sorts, as part of the experiential project called Apple [AR]T Walk, which kicks off from the Apple Store on Fifth Avenue.
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Central Park’s first statue of real women redesigned to include Sojourner Truth

The original design. Photo by Tia Richards for 6sqft

August 12, 2019

Central Park’s first statue of real women redesigned to include Sojourner Truth

Last year's unveiling of designs for the first statue in Central Park's 165-year history that depicts real historic women–a sculpture of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony–was met with mixed reviews: Why didn't the statue, set to be dedicated in August of 2020, marking the 100th anniversary of nationwide women's suffrage, include any of the many African-American women who aided in the cause? Today it was announced that a redesigned statue honoring pioneering women’s rights advocates will include Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Sojourner Truth, an escaped slave and abolitionist who joined the fight for women's rights.
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Thousands of Lower Manhattan tenants may be owed six years’ worth of back rent

Via Flickr

August 12, 2019

Thousands of Lower Manhattan tenants may be owed six years’ worth of back rent

In June, the state's Court of Appeals found that apartments at two Lower Manhattan buildings had been unlawfully deregulated by landlords who had collected millions of dollars in benefits under a 1995 tax program. Now, as The City reports, thousands of former or current tenants in the area may be owed up to six years in back rent from landlords who received the tax breaks for years.
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Keith Haring’s iconic ‘Crack is Wack’ mural in East Harlem is getting restored

Image via Flickr

August 12, 2019

Keith Haring’s iconic ‘Crack is Wack’ mural in East Harlem is getting restored

It's been 33 years since Keith Haring painted his "Crack is Wack" mural on a handball court near the Harlem River Drive in East Harlem, and now the iconic work is getting a much-needed restoration, as amNY reported. Inspired by his studio assistant Benny—who was struggling with addiction but later recovered—Haring painted the 16-foot by 26-foot mural on June 27, 1986, at the height of the crack cocaine epidemic and intended the piece to function as a warning to young users. Celebrated as one of Haring's most important works, the mural has been shielded by protective coverings in recent years during reconstruction work on the Harlem River Drive.
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Iconic New York Public Library lions to get a laser cleaning as part of conservation effort

Photo credit: Jonathan Blanc / NYPL.

August 12, 2019

Iconic New York Public Library lions to get a laser cleaning as part of conservation effort

The iconic lions standing guard outside the The New York Public Library’s 42nd Street location are getting some much-needed grooming this fall. The majestic pair–named Patience and Fortitude–have been in place since 1911 as international symbols for access to knowledge and information. As part of a conservation effort that happens every 7 to 10 years, the stone sentries will receive repairs to cracks and chips and laser cleanings.
A bit of history, this way

City Living

New study finds reasons for storefront vacancy are as varied as NYC neighborhoods themselves

Amid discussions of gentrification and astronomical rents, it's impossible not to notice the alarming appearance of vacant storefronts in what seems like every neighborhood in New York City. A new report from the Department of City Planning (DCP) has attempted to get a closer look at the data behind this phenomenon to get a better understanding of how the city's retail and storefront uses may be changing. The report, titled "Assessing Storefront Vacancy in NYC," looks at 24 neighborhoods as case studies. The very detailed study found that, overall, storefront vacancy may not be a one-answer citywide problem. Vacancies were found to be concentrated in certain neighborhoods, and the reasons appear to be as many and varied as the neighborhoods themselves.
More fascinating findings, this way

Council member wants free subway and bus rides for New Yorkers on major holidays

Via Flickr

August 9, 2019

Council member wants free subway and bus rides for New Yorkers on major holidays

A Brooklyn council member wants straphangers to ride the city's transit system for free on a handful of major holidays. Council Member Justin Brannan, who represents the 43rd District, will introduce next week a non-binding resolution that requests the Metropolitan Transportation Authority offer free subway and bus rides during six holidays, as the New York Post first reported.
Get the details

Interactive ‘Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ arrives at the Paley Center

Photo via Marion Curtis/Starpix for the Paley Center for Media

August 9, 2019

Interactive ‘Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ arrives at the Paley Center

By Nicole Mondrus

This Saturday, step back in time to 1950s New York City. The Emmy Award-winning comedy "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" is coming to life at the Paley Center for Media’s newest exhibit, "Making Mrs. Maisel." From August 10th to September 6th, visitors can see the iconic costumes featured on the show, watch episodes from season two on the big screen, and even try their hand at stand-up comedy.
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Events & Things To Do

City seeks proposals to develop two East Harlem sites with 350 affordable units and community space

Park Avenue between East 118th and East 119th Streets (top); image via East Harlem Neighborhood Plan.

August 9, 2019

City seeks proposals to develop two East Harlem sites with 350 affordable units and community space

The city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) on Thursday issued a request for proposals to develop two city-owned East Harlem sites. The new developments are to include 350 units of affordable housing as well as retail and cultural and community space. The RFPs are part of the East Harlem Housing Plan, which was created with community input received through the East Harlem Neighborhood Planning Process.
Find out more

August 9, 2019

Live on top of the American Copper Buildings’ eye-catching sky bridge for $12K/month

One of the city’s most architecturally significant projects to rise in recent years are the two copper-clad towers at 626 First Avenue in Murray Hill known as the American Copper Buildings. Designed by SHoP Architects and developed by JDS, the twisted towers boast a rare and distinctive feature: an amenity-filled sky bridge linking the two buildings more than 300 feet in the air. According to JDS, the three-story steel truss structure is Manhattan’s first new sky bridge in 80 years. There are only a handful of residences that boast private outdoor space right on the eye-catching sky bridge—and one of them is now on the rental market seeking $12,000 per month.
Take the full tour

Everything you need to know about Sunday’s Dominican Day Parade

Image via Flickr

August 9, 2019

Everything you need to know about Sunday’s Dominican Day Parade

The 37th annual Dominican Day Parade is set to hit Midtown this Sunday, August 11. Described as a "joyful celebration of all things Dominican" on the event website, the tradition started in 1982 as a small event series in Washington Heights but has since become a full-fledged citywide affair, with turnout reaching as high as half of a million people. The event takes place on the second Sunday of August every year, to commemorate the start of the Dominican Restoration War, or La Guerra de la Restauración, which began in 1863 and ended in 1865 with their victory over Spain.
Street closures, transportation options, and more details

Jeanne Gang completes ‘solar-carving’ tower on the High Line, her firm’s first NYC building

Photo © Timothy Schenck

August 8, 2019

Jeanne Gang completes ‘solar-carving’ tower on the High Line, her firm’s first NYC building

By Andrew Berman of Village Preservation

The Meatpacking District gained a new architectural landmark this week. Construction of Studio Gang's 40 Tenth Avenue is officially complete, making it Jeanne Gang and her firm's first New York City building. Nicknamed the Solar Carve Tower because the way its facade seems to have been "sculpted by the angles of the sun," the 10-story, High Line-facing office tower is designed to allow for lots of sunlight without casting shadows on the neighboring green space.
Details this way

August 8, 2019

Uncovering the stories behind downtown’s overlooked synagogues

On August 8, 2008, Village Preservation and the East Village Community Coalition (EVCC) submitted a request to the LPC to landmark a little-known but remarkable survivor– Congregation Mezritch Synagogue at 515 East 6th Street between 1st Avenue and Avenue A. The building was the last operating “tenement synagogue” in the East Village. A young, little-known developer named Jared Kushner was planning to tear it down and replace it with condos and a new space for the tiny congregation, which had operated out of the building since 1910. The story has a (relatively) happy ending – the synagogue and much of its surroundings were landmarked in 2012, and the demolition plan was dropped. But unlike the deservedly beloved and celebrated Eldridge Street Synagogue, now a National Historic Landmark, Mezritch is one of several unique but in many cases overlooked historic synagogues still standing in and around Greenwich Village, the East Village, and the Lower East Side, which in the early 20th century contained what was by many accounts the largest Jewish community in the world. Ahead, we take a look at the history of seven of them and what makes them so unique.
Learn about the history

History

THE 6SQFT SHOP

The best websites for buying and selling used furniture in NYC

The 6 best furniture rental companies in NYC

8 best places in NYC to thrift for home goods

Everything you need to know about using a guarantor in NYC

15 quintessential NYC gifts for the New Yorker in your life

New York City's best holiday markets of 2023

Everything you need to know about affordable housing: applying, getting in, and staying put

Raising chickens in NYC: Laws, tips, and everything else you need to know

10 best plants for apartment dwellers

Snag the Greenest Seat in Town: Gufram's 1972 Pratone Chair is Shaped Like a Patch of Grass

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August 8, 2019

Karlie Kloss and Josh Kushner’s Nolita pad sells for $6.6M

Supermodel Karlie Kloss and hubby Josh Kushner, investor and brother to Trump advisor/son-in-law Jared Kushner, have sold their downtown Manhattan newlywed nest at 211 Elizabeth Street for $6.6 million, the New York Post reports. The pair, who tied the knot last year, listed the 2,000-square-foot home with interiors by Roman and Williams and a 1,120-square-foot landscaped terrace, last February for $6.9 million.
Take the tour

NYC extends cap on Uber, Lyft for another year

Via Flickr

August 8, 2019

NYC extends cap on Uber, Lyft for another year

The city's Taxi and Limousine Commission voted on Wednesday to extend the cap on for-hire vehicle licenses for one year and reduce the time drivers can travel without passengers, the Wall Street Journal reported. The cap on licenses, the first of its kind in the country, was first introduced last year as part of a pilot program aimed at regulating the growing for-hire vehicle industry as well as reducing traffic and pollution.
Find out more

August 8, 2019

This freshly-renovated $50M Upper East Side townhouse was Gloria Vanderbilt’s childhood home

By Annie Doge

The 27-foot-wide, seven-story townhouse at 39 East 72nd Street is iconic even without the celebrity claim; a sandstone-clad facade and copper cornice cast an ethereal glow, yet blend with the stately homes on the Upper East Side block. Mansion Global reports that also-iconic socialite and businesswoman Gloria Vanderbilt lived in the home in her "Poor Little Rich Girl" childhood. The options for this pristine property are many. It's currently set up as three separate condos, but a combo would make a Vanderbilt-worthy manse.
Take a look inside

BAM commissions a series of public artworks for its Fort Greene campus

Rendering of Teresita Fernández’s Paradise Parados courtesy of Brooklyn Academy of Music

August 8, 2019

BAM commissions a series of public artworks for its Fort Greene campus

BAM will soon be adding a series of site-specific public artworks to its Fort Greene campus. Brooklyn-based artists Teresita Fernández and Hank Willis Thomas have been commissioned to create new works for BAM, and Leo Villareal—whose LED light installation “Stars” can already be seen illuminating the arched façade windows of BAM’s Peter Jay Sharp Building—will create two new works. One additional artist will be commissioned in the near future.
More details

Events & Things To Do

Astoria food hall opening this fall promises to showcase the diverse cuisines of Queens

Rendering courtesy of EJ Stevens Group

August 7, 2019

Astoria food hall opening this fall promises to showcase the diverse cuisines of Queens

Last summer, a developer announced plans to convert a restaurant supply store and warehouse in Astoria into a food hall. Now, after some construction delays, the World Artisan Market is officially moving forward, as Eater NY first reported on Wednesday, with an expected opening date in the late fall. Developed by the EJ Stevens Group, the former warehouse at 34-39 31st Street will be converted into a retail space with 18,000-square-feet of storefronts which will offer a diverse mix of vendors, from Korean barbecue to a French-Scandinavian bakery.
Find out more

Food & Dining

City Winery opens outdoor garden pop-up at Rockefeller Center ahead of move

Photo via City Winery

August 7, 2019

City Winery opens outdoor garden pop-up at Rockefeller Center ahead of move

By Nicole Mondrus

City Winery’s SoHo location may officially be closed, but that doesn’t mean saying goodbye to the food and wine for which it's known. The restaurant and music venue has opened an outdoor garden pop-up at Rockefeller Center, serving up Mediterranean bites and locally-made wine on tap. As 6sqft previously reported, the restaurant and music venue will soon move from its long-time home on Varick Street to a new spot at Pier 57, after the Walt Disney Corporation purchased the property last year. The new Hudson River Park location isn’t expected to open until 2020. In the meantime, the seasonal pop-up in Midtown will meet your wine needs through the fall.
Find out more

Food & Dining

Search begins for artist to design Hurricane Maria memorial in Battery Park City

Image via Wiki Commons

August 7, 2019

Search begins for artist to design Hurricane Maria memorial in Battery Park City

The search is on for the architect or artist who will design the Hurricane Maria Memorial in Battery Park City. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced plans for the project last September, on the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Maria’s landfall. The tragic event claimed more than 3,000 lives and brought more than 11,000 displaced victims to New York. The memorial will be a way for the city to honor the victims and survivors, as well as the city’s strong connection to Puerto Rico.
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Uncategorized

‘Waterfront Planning Camp’ invites New Yorkers to help the city improve 520 miles of NYC waterfront

Image courtesy of the Department of City Planning.

August 7, 2019

‘Waterfront Planning Camp’ invites New Yorkers to help the city improve 520 miles of NYC waterfront

The Department of City Planning (DCP) on Wednesday invited New Yorkers of all ages to help shape the city's next Comprehensive Waterfront Plan, starting with a “Waterfront Planning Camp” event on Governors Island. In an effort to get community input and feedback on how to make the city's 520 miles of waterfront better, the DCP is hosting a free Waterfront Planning Camp on Governors Island at Nolan Park, Saturday, August 17th from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Find out more

August 7, 2019

Asking $1M, this sweet Connecticut ‘Mouse House’ cottage is just a whisker from the beach

This adorable cottage, dubbed “The Mouse House” with a plaque on the front gate, is steps from coveted Campo Beach in Westport, Connecticut. Asking $999,000, the 1,229 square-foot four-bedroom home has been a popular Airbnb listing. It has literary cred as well: The current owner is a bestselling novelist.
Beach house tour, this way

Distinctive Homes

14th Street busway pilot program will begin next week after judge gives project green light

Image via Flickr

August 7, 2019

14th Street busway pilot program will begin next week after judge gives project green light

The city is set to begin a 14th Street busway pilot on August 12 after a judge lifted a temporary injunction on the project, Streetsblog reported. The busway had most recently been delayed after several block associations along the street filed a lawsuit against the project, claiming that the city failed to conduct an environmental review for the work. State Supreme Court Judge Eileen Rakower reviewed a traffic analysis submitted by Deputy Commissioner for Traffic Eric Beaton and found that the traffic, health, and safety impacts of the project fall within the city’s routine traffic management work, thereby allowing the project to move forward.
More details

August 7, 2019

Our 700sqft: See how two musicians (and their instruments) make it work in Greenpoint

Our series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to the Greenpoint apartment of musician-couple Sara McDonald and Amit Peled. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch! Growing up in a military family that moved almost every year, Sara McDonald tried to feel settled in each new city by furnishing her room with framed photos and special pillows. “I would always spend a ton of time organizing and decorating my room even though I knew it wasn’t permanent,” she told us. “I just wanted to feel at home where we lived.” In her Greenpoint apartment she shares with boyfriend Amit Peled, Sara has been able to do just that, styling her place exactly how she wants with Craigslist finds and unique mementos from abroad. Both musicians (they met at the School of Jazz at The New School), Sara and Amit needed space for their many instruments. Thankfully, Sara, who composes and arranges music for her big band NYChillharmonic and plays the French horn, and Amit, a guitarist, and member of a hard-core Klezmer band, can use their apartment’s second bedroom as a music studio. Their apartment boasts a vintage vibe, credited mainly to Sara’s resilient effort to find pieces she wants online. Nearly everything in the couple’s home cost them less than $200, with even the mahogany spinet piano picked up for free. “I always know exactly what I want, almost to a fault,” she said. Ahead, meet Sara and Amit and learn how they made this funky Brooklyn apartment their own.
See inside

This $950K West Village brownstone co-op has patina, personality, and a wood-burning stove

Image credit: Rise Media for The Corcoran Group.

August 7, 2019

This $950K West Village brownstone co-op has patina, personality, and a wood-burning stove

This one-bedroom co-op at 78 Charles Street in the heart of the West Village is on the top floor of a classic brownstone. Asking $950,000, it gets plenty of light, so moody blue hues and dark wood paneling add up to tons of style and charm.
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Distinctive Homes

Williamsburg summer survival guide: Where to cool off, hang out, and enjoy an icy treat

Photo by Scott Beale

August 6, 2019

Williamsburg summer survival guide: Where to cool off, hang out, and enjoy an icy treat

Summer in the city can be a slog, but neighborhoods like Williamsburg turn the dog days into a wealth of seasonal perfection with peerless places, rare and unique tastes, and unbeatable views around every corner. From pools and parks and ice cream parlors for family fun to chic rooftop boîtes overlooking the Manhattan skyline, Brooklyn’s trendiest neighborhood offers endless urban opportunities to beat the heat. Below are just a few ways to keep cool and carry on.
The Williamsburg summer survival guide

Events & Things To Do

New York’s first fleet of self-driving cars launches at the Brooklyn Navy Yard

Photo courtesy of Optimus Ride

August 6, 2019

New York’s first fleet of self-driving cars launches at the Brooklyn Navy Yard

New York's first fleet of self-driving vehicles has officially landed in Brooklyn. Six autonomous vehicles will roll into the Brooklyn Navy Yard on Wednesday, shuttling passengers in a loop around the 300-acre industrial site for free. Optimus Ride, the Boston-based technology company behind the fleet, will run the autonomous shuttle between 7 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. on weekdays, between the NYC Ferry stop at Dock 72 and Cumberland Gate at Flushing Avenue.
Ride this way

$825K Turtle Bay pad has a floating staircase and glass-bottom sleeping loft

Photo credit: Eitan Gamliely for Sotheby’s International Realty.

August 6, 2019

$825K Turtle Bay pad has a floating staircase and glass-bottom sleeping loft

This one-bedroom home in Turtle Bay Towers at 310 East 46th Street, asking $825,000, plays with creative design and dramatic custom construction to give it the feel of an industrial loft. Steel and tempered glass surround a floating staircase, and grand dimensions and open spaces make this condop stand out from the average full-service midtown Manhattan pack.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

Parts of the old Kosciuszko Bridge and Staten Island Expressway become an artificial reef

Images via Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Flickr

August 6, 2019

Parts of the old Kosciuszko Bridge and Staten Island Expressway become an artificial reef

Pieces from the old Kosciuszko Bridge are now underwater off the coast of Fire Island, as part of New York State’s ongoing artificial reef expansion efforts. Governor Cuomo launched the second year of the largest artificial reef expansion in state history this past weekend. Recycled materials from the Staten Island Expressway, the Kew Gardens, and Kosciuszko bridges, as well as retired U.S. Army Corps of Engineers steel vessels, were cast into the water at Fire Island Reef, where they will create new marine habitats and boost Long Island's fishing and diving industries.
More information

Neighborhood Tours

Disney files plans for a 19-story headquarters in Hudson Square

304 Hudson Street via Google Street View

August 6, 2019

Disney files plans for a 19-story headquarters in Hudson Square

The Walt Disney Company has tapped Skidmore Owings & Merrill to design its new Hudson Square headquarters, according to a pre-filing application filed last week with the Department of Buildings. As first reported by the Real Deal, the building will rise 19 stories and include "East" and "West" towers. Last July, the media company purchased the rights to develop the property at 4 Hudson Square from Trinity Church, which owns a large percentage of buildings in the neighborhood, for $650 million under a 99-year agreement.
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Real Estate Trends

222 LES Tower + Lofts

222 East Broadway

Lower East Side

Art Deco romance meets 21st-century convenience

Studios starting at $799,000
1 bed starting at $1,100,000
2 beds starting at $1,955,000
3 beds starting at $2,875,000

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James Turrell installation reopens at MoMA PS1 after nearby construction impedes views

Image via Flickr cc

August 6, 2019

James Turrell installation reopens at MoMA PS1 after nearby construction impedes views

James Turrell's celebrated Skyspace installation at MoMA PS1 is open to the public again after views from a high-rise construction encroached on the piece and forced a temporary closure back in January. Meeting is a site-specific, permanent installation that was installed in the museum in the 1980s and offers a simple pleasure: gazing upwards toward an unobstructed view of the sky. The aperture is framed by LED lights that change over the course of the day, creating interesting optical effects between the color of the sky and that of the room.
More info

Events & Things To Do

Fabled 242-square-foot West Village ‘Wee Cottage’ is back on the market for $429K

Photos by Zio and Sons courtesy of Halstead

August 6, 2019

Fabled 242-square-foot West Village ‘Wee Cottage’ is back on the market for $429K

6sqft previously featured this unique West Village studio for its clever design in 2014, when its owners, Jourdan Lawlor and Tobin Ludwig, who bought the charming co-op for a mere $270,000, transformed the 242-square-foot pied-a-terre at 352 West 12th Street into a marvel of brilliant design and space-optimizing solutions. The pair dubbed it “The Wee Cottage” and invested in a renovation that became the stuff of micro-apartment legend (Refinery29 named it the Coolest Tiny Apartment in NYC, and it’s an Instagram favorite). After a spin as a rental, they put their mini-masterpiece on the market last year for $500,000. Now its price has gotten a wee bit smaller, currently asking $429,000 (h/t Curbed).
Take another peek

Distinctive Homes

Photo credit: Drew Dies and Katherine Pastrana courtesy of Compass.

August 5, 2019

This $2.3M Ditmas Park Victorian adds modern convenience to bygone-era charm

This seven-bedroom free-standing Ditmas Park townhouse at 777 Rugby Road, asking $2.275 million, has plenty of curb appeal, starting with a big, gracious front porch perfect for summer afternoons. On a leafy block lined with ornate Victorians, this home has been renovated to create plenty of space for modern living while keeping its bygone-era charm.
Step inside for a look

Distinctive Homes

August 5, 2019

‘Friends’ pop-up in Soho will let fans experience the iconic (if unrealistic) interiors of the hit series

It’s been 25 years since the world met Ross, Rachel, Joey, Monica, Chandler, and Phoebe in the hit 90s sitcom Friends. But it wasn’t just the characters who became iconic—the interiors portrayed throughout the show, Monica and Joey’s (completely unrealistic) apartments, and of course, Central Perk, became influential “characters” in their own right. To celebrate this year’s big anniversary, New Yorkers will have a chance to experience those interiors first-hand in a new, immersive pop-up featuring set recreations that will bring you right into the center of the Friends universe.
More details

Events & Things To Do

Queens locals say Billie Holiday monument should be in historic Addisleigh Park, not Kew Gardens

Photo via Wikimedia

August 5, 2019

Queens locals say Billie Holiday monument should be in historic Addisleigh Park, not Kew Gardens