6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

Citi Bike has revealed details for the much-anticipated rollout of the popular bike share program with plans to double its reach with docks in the Bronx and more of Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. But according to maps and information released in a Tuesday morning meeting obtained by Streetsblog, large swaths of the city won't see the blue bikes for four more years. As the NY Post reported, some see the Citi Bike rollout as heavily weighted toward more affluent NYC districts, which prompted a letter from several New York City Council members to the NYC Department of Transportation asking for assurance that expansion plans include low-income neighborhoods.
Where will the next blue bikes be?

Transit

My 600sqft: How interior designer Habiba Koroma keeps her grown-up Harlem home kid-friendly

Our series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all five boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to interior decorator Habiba Koroma’s apartment in Central Harlem. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

July 16, 2019

My 600sqft: How interior designer Habiba Koroma keeps her grown-up Harlem home kid-friendly

Habiba Koroma always had an eye for design, but she never imagined her passion could be pursued professionally. It was not until her mother became ill that she gained the courage to follow her decorating dreams. But it wasn’t simple. After leaving her job at a nonprofit, Habiba went on many informational interviews, held an internship at a residential firm, and received her degree from the Parsons School of Design. Now as an interior design consultant for Restoration Hardware, Habiba has been able to surround herself with the latest trends, all while learning about materials and getting inspiration for her own place. Both Habiba's skill set and enthusiasm for design are on display in her Central Harlem apartment, which has been featured on Apartment Therapy and wallpaper company Spoonflower. Not only has she expertly mixed colors and patterns, but she's also created a special--and kid-friendly--space for her three-year-old son Miles. Habiba transformed an IKEA bunk bed into a fun hideout for Miles, filled with books, toys, and a whiteboard. There's even a colorful ball pit on the top bunk. Ahead, meet Habiba, tour her apartment, and learn how she keeps things Miles-friendly without ever sacrificing style.
Meet Habiba and tour her pad

Try out townhouse living with this $8.5K/month Clinton Hill home, complete with a huge backyard

Listing images by Amanda James, DDReps; courtesy of Compass

July 16, 2019

Try out townhouse living with this $8.5K/month Clinton Hill home, complete with a huge backyard

Since it last sold in 2016 for $2.35 million, the five-bedroom, three-bathroom townhouse at 12a Monroe Street (located right on the Clinton Hill, Bed-Stuy border) has undergone some key layout changes to maximize the home’s narrow 14-foot width and make it feel as spacious as possible. Now on the rental market seeking $8,500 a month, the 2,568 square-foot home boasts eight marble mantels, pocket shutters, wide plank floors, a gorgeous center staircase, and an expansive 52-foot backyard.
Take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

Con Ed warns of potential blackouts from impending NYC heat wave

Governor Cuomo announces power has been fully restored following the widespread power outage in Midtown Manhattan. Photo: Gov. Andrew Cuomo/Flickr

July 16, 2019

Con Ed warns of potential blackouts from impending NYC heat wave

The most recent intel on Saturday's power outage that left the country's densest urban area dark from 72nd Street south to 30th Street is that a burning 13,000-volt cable at a substation near West 65th Street was the culprit, according to the New York Times. Consolidated Edison said Monday that the burning cable shut down the flow of electricity to more than 72,000 Midtown Manhattan customers. And while the blackout wasn't a direct result of an overtaxed grid, the New York Post reports, Con Ed warned Monday that mind-melting temperatures in the 90s expected this weekend–Saturday's 97 degrees will feel like 106–could lead to service outages.
What havoc will the heat wreak

City Living

As plans for 5 WTC push forward, long-time FiDi residents seek more involvement in the process

Image via Flickr

July 15, 2019

As plans for 5 WTC push forward, long-time FiDi residents seek more involvement in the process

Last month, Gov. Andrew Cuomo put out a request for proposals for 5 World Trade Center, the last remaining site at World Trade Center’s southern end and the former home of a Deutsche Bank Building that was severely damaged during the September 11 attacks. The RFP seeks commercial or mixed-use proposals for a roughly 900-foot-tall building, that may include a residential component. As the process continues to unfold—and rapidly, with a site tour for interested developers scheduled on July 22—local residents worry that their voices are being left out, as Daily News reported.
More details

Blackstone halts improvement work on Stuy Town apartments following rent law changes

Via StuyTown Property Services

July 15, 2019

Blackstone halts improvement work on Stuy Town apartments following rent law changes

As 6sqft reported last month, the state recently passed legislation containing landmark changes to rent regulations that were set to expire, significantly strengthening New York’s rent laws and tenant protections. Private-equity giant Blackstone Group, who purchased the massive 11,000+ unit Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village apartment complex for $5.5 billion in 2015, is among landlords who say the new rent regs will keep them from making important property upgrades, Crain's reports. Blackstone says it is pausing apartment renovations and other planned work at Stuy Town and Peter Cooper Village as a result of rule changes which dramatically limit the allowable rent increases landlords can charge as a result of renovations and repairs.
Find out more

Affordable Housing

JetBlue’s ‘Soar with Reading’ initiative brings free book vending machines for kids across NYC

The founder of #1000BlackGirlBooks 14-year-old Marley Dias (pictured above), has partnered with the initiative as an ambassador; photo courtesy of JetBlue

July 15, 2019

JetBlue’s ‘Soar with Reading’ initiative brings free book vending machines for kids across NYC

After runs in cities like Detroit, San Francisco, Oakland, and Washington D.C., JetBlue’s free book vending machine program "Soar with Reading" is coming to New York City. The literacy initiative aims to create more access to age-appropriate books in underserved communities. JetBlue will install six vending machines—one in each borough and two in Queens—and will restock and rotate new titles every two weeks, with options available in both English and Spanish.
More details

City Living

City presents new design for its East Side Coastal Resiliency Project following community feedback

Preliminary design for Corlears Hook Bridge Landing

July 15, 2019

City presents new design for its East Side Coastal Resiliency Project following community feedback

The city unveiled last week an updated design for its plan to protect an area stretching from the Lower East Side to East 25th Street from flooding. The Department of Design and Construction (DDC) presented on Thursday its preliminary design for the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project (ESCR) to Community Board 3, as Curbed NY reported. In response to concerns from residents about the closure of East River Park during the construction period, the city's updated design incorporates community suggestions, including a new amphitheater and an outdoor fitness area.
See the plan

Distinctive Homes

Keke Palmer lists her Williamsburg penthouse for $3M

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

This $3.3M Village co-op will brighten even the darkest winter days

This $6M Arts & Crafts estate is like having your own private summer camp in the Hamptons

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

For $3M, this two-family Crown Heights townhouse fills every available inch of space with great style

For $17M, this eco-friendly Brooklyn Heights Passive House went from beige to bold

For $2.7M, this Crown Heights townhouse is a brilliant bohemian paradise designed for living

This $8.75M Village townhouse is a downtown dream home with an elevator, three terraces, and a rooftop office suite

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

VIEW ALL

New consulting firm report suggests the MTA cut costs by merging 40 groups into six departments

Image via Flickr.

July 15, 2019

New consulting firm report suggests the MTA cut costs by merging 40 groups into six departments

AlixPartners, a Manhattan-based consulting firm hired by the MTA this year has released a report with recommendations for ways the organization can save money, AM New York reports. Suggestions include a reorganization plan that would see the MTA, including the Long Island Rail Road, consolidating back-office operations and merging more than 40 groups into six departments. The firm was paid $3.75 million to come up with two reports; additional suggestions for the first reorganization in 50 years include the hiring of new high-level positions to oversee changes, and updating union contracts to attract top talent.
Also: new hires and no more cheating on overtime

For $6K/month, a trendy loft studio with a piano in Williamsburg’s popular Mill Building

Listing images courtesy of Compass

July 15, 2019

For $6K/month, a trendy loft studio with a piano in Williamsburg’s popular Mill Building

A loft in Williamsburg’s popular Mill Building at 85 North 3rd Street—just a few blocks from the waterfront—is now available to rent for $6,000 a month. The trendy abode has all the details loft lovers look for: soaring 15-foot ceilings, exposed brick, wood columns and beams, and large windows. The open layout is currently set up as a studio, but with over 1,000 square feet there's plenty of space to play around with. The apartment can come fully furnished or vacant—the only permanent fixture is the Yamaha upright piano next to the kitchen, making this pad extra sweet for musicians.
Look inside

Distinctive Homes

$3M East Hampton retreat mixes Hollywood glam with contemporary geometry

Photo credit: Rise Media, courtesy of The Corcoran Group.

July 12, 2019

$3M East Hampton retreat mixes Hollywood glam with contemporary geometry

The Hamptons are known for being a showplace of eye-catching architectural styles from cute cottages to sprawling stone mansions and contemporary creations. This sleek retreat at 5 Discovery Lane in the Settlers Landing section of East Hampton, asking $2.890 million, is definitely the latter. Its glam-packed modern angles conceal a wealth of breezy living spaces and cool comforts like a heated pool and several gas fireplaces.
Get all the angles

Distinctive Homes

Lottery opens for a handful of middle-income units in East Williamsburg, from $1,689/month

Rendering courtesy of Reside New York

July 12, 2019

Lottery opens for a handful of middle-income units in East Williamsburg, from $1,689/month

If you don't mind waiting out the L train "slowdown," this opportunity might be for you. The lottery is now open for eight newly constructed, middle-income units at 150 Meserole Street in Williamsburg, just two blocks from the Montrose Avenue station. The apartments in the brand-new building are available to households earning 130 percent of the area median income and range from $1,689/month for a studio to $2,189/month for two-bedrooms.
More details

Affordable Housing

All photos courtesy of the Garment District Alliance

July 12, 2019

An urban garden will grow on a Garment District block this summer

By Nicole Mondrus

One of the city’s busiest neighborhoods is getting a little slice of peace. The Garment District Alliance and the city's Department of Transportation unveiled a new street art installation Wednesday afternoon. The nearly 180-foot painting by artist Carla Torres, "Nymph Pond," takes up the stretch of Broadway between 37th and 38th Streets. The best part? The block with the mural is being temporarily set aside as an “urban garden” until the end of the summer.
See it here

Boerum Hill residents sue to undo 80 Flatbush rezoning as tower plans advance

Rendering via Alloy Development and Luxigon.

July 12, 2019

Boerum Hill residents sue to undo 80 Flatbush rezoning as tower plans advance

Nearly a year after the New York City Council voted to approve 80 Flatbush, a five-building mixed-use development in Downtown Brooklyn, a group of Boerum Hill residents has mounted a court battle to halt the rise of tall buildings on the site and roll back the rezoning that allows them. As the Brooklyn Eagle reports, the 400 & 500 State Street Block Association, comprised mainly of residents who live in the neighborhood's sprinkling of low-rise brownstones, have filed a lawsuit seeking the annulment of the 2018 zoning changes that gave the green light to an 840-foot skyscraper, a 510-foot tower, 670 market-rate apartments and 200 affordable units, two public schools and office and retail space on the property, which is bounded by State Street, Third Avenue, Schermerhorn Street and Flatbush Avenue.
More details, this way

Real Estate Trends

$18M Beaux-Arts mansion is an Upper West Side architectural icon with Dakota views

Photo credit: Yale Wagner for Sotheby’s International Realty.

July 12, 2019

$18M Beaux-Arts mansion is an Upper West Side architectural icon with Dakota views

On the market for the first time in over 60 years, asking $17.995 million, this 20-foot-wide Beaux-Arts mansion stands among the most desirable blocks of the Upper West Side. Designed by the architectural firm Welch, Smith and Provot–the firm also designed the Duke-Semans Mansion on Fifth Avenue later owned by Carlos Slim–the six-story, 9,575-square-foot home at 5 West 73rd Street is one of the neighborhood's most architecturally significant houses; among its most compelling features are iconic views of another Upper West Side classic, the Dakota.
Take the grand tour of this grand home

July 12, 2019

‘Real Housewives’ star Ramona Singer sells longtime Upper East Side home for $4M

By Andrew Berman of Village Preservation

Real Housewives of New York City star Ramona Singer has officially parted ways with her beloved Upper East Side apartment of 20 years. The empty-nester decided to list the four-bedroom Yorkville abode last year and downsize to a smaller space now that her 24-year-old daughter, Avery Singer, is no longer living at home. She initially listed the unit for $4.995 million and, as The Real Deal reports, just closed for a little over $4 million. Singer has already found a new home about 20 blocks south, where she’s been settling in with her old furniture. “It’s good when you move that you have your same furniture, ’cause it makes you feel familiar and not so strange,” she recently told Bravo.
READ MORE

Before the duel: Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton’s NYC haunts

An illustration of the duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, via Wiki Commons

July 11, 2019

Before the duel: Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton’s NYC haunts

On July 11, 1804, Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton crossed paths for the last time. That was the date of their infamous duel on the cliffs of Weehawken, New Jersey when Burr exacted his long-desired revenge upon Hamilton with a gunshot to the abdomen. But this was not the first time the two men’s lives and careers came in contact. One such place of frequent intersection for the bitter rivals was Greenwich Village – where Burr lived and Hamilton ultimately died. And it’s in Greenwich Village, and the nearby East Village and Soho, where many reminders of these two titanic figures of early American politics can still be found today. Ahead, learn about five sites where Burr and Hamilton made history.
Get all the history

History

Lottery opens for 93 affordable units at Bedford Arms complex in Crown Heights, from $590/month

Applications are now being accepted in the lottery for 93 newly-constructed rental apartments at Bedford Arms at 1336 Bedford Avenue, Crown Heights, Brooklyn. The new building's 93 units are available to households earning between 40 percent and 165 percent of the area median income, ranging from $590/month one-bedrooms to $3,060/month three-bedrooms.
All the details, this way

Affordable Housing

Hundreds of bone fragments to be reburied under Washington Square Park

Via Wikimedia

July 11, 2019

Hundreds of bone fragments to be reburied under Washington Square Park

While upgrading water mains under Washington Square Park in 2015, city workers unearthed two 19th-century burial vaults containing the skeletal remains of at least a dozen people. As part of Landmarks Preservation Commission protocol, intact burials were left untouched, but the city had removed several hundred bone fragments. Four years later, plans to rebury the remains under the park are moving forward as the Parks and Recreation Department presents its idea to place the fragments in a "coffin-sized" box, according to the Villager.
More this way

History

Image via Google Maps

July 11, 2019

Historic Downtown Brooklyn townhouse with strong abolitionist ties in danger of demolition

Just across the street from Willoughby Park, where the city is planning a memorial to commemorate the abolitionist history of Downtown Brooklyn, the townhouse at 227 Duffield Place—once the home of prominent abolitionists Thomas and Harriet Truesdell and believed to be a stop on the Underground Railroad—is facing an uncertain future. As Brownstoner reported, demolition plans were filed with the city’s Department of Buildings on June 5 and an eviction notice has been posted at the site.
More details

History

328 new affordable apartments available at Compass III residences in the Bronx from $331/month

The larger Compass Residences via Dattner Architects

July 11, 2019

328 new affordable apartments available at Compass III residences in the Bronx from $331/month

The lottery has just launched for 328 newly-constructed Compass III residences at 1560 Boone Avenue, Crotona Park East and 101 East 173rd Street in Mount Hope, Bronx. In 2011 the West Farms Redevelopment Plan for the 17-acre, 11-block former industrial area in Crotona Park East by Dattner Architects became the largest Bronx rezoning ever passed. When complete, the complex will offer 1,325 units of affordable housing along with retail and community facilities. The new building's 328 units are available to households earning between 30 percent and 100 percent of the area median income, ranging from $331/month studios to $1,921/month three-bedrooms.
All the details

Affordable Housing

Final Manhattanhenge of the year returns tonight

Via Flickr

July 11, 2019

Final Manhattanhenge of the year returns tonight

An event that makes even locals stop and stare returns to New York City tomorrow night. Manhattanhenge, when the sunset aligns with the east-west streets of the borough's grid, happened on May 29th and 30th, and the final two days of the phenomenon returns for the last time this year tonight and tomorrow at 8:20 p.m. and 8:21 p.m., respectively. Not only does the setting sun sit perfectly between Manhattan's many skyscrapers during this biannual event, but an orange-yellow glow hits north and south side streets, creating a picture-perfect moment.
More here

July 10, 2019

Two rooms of this $1.2M Murray Hill maisonette open onto a private patio garden

This sunny co-op at 142 East 37th Street in Murray Hill has the bragging rights to being a Manhattan brownstone maisonette. In addition to its separate entrance, this two-bedroom flat tucked in at the garden level of a 19th-century townhouse, asking $1.195 million, has a private patio accessible from both the kitchen and one of the bedrooms.
Step out into the garden

Distinctive Homes

Temporary “pop-up park” opens at future site of Willoughby Square Park

Images courtesy of EDC

July 10, 2019

Temporary “pop-up park” opens at future site of Willoughby Square Park

As plans for a permanent park at Willoughby Square go forward, a temporary green space at the same site has opened to the public. The 15,000-square-foot "pop-up park" will provide a green escape for the local community until the end of the summer in 2020, at which point construction will commence on the permanent, 1.15-acre park scheduled for completion by 2022.
More views and details

Architecture And Design

Images courtesy of Flickr, Wikimedia Commons, and Pexels

July 10, 2019

15 ways to celebrate Bastille Day in NYC

By Nicole Mondrus

Independence Day may have been last week, but if you haven’t had your fill of red, white, and blue festivities, Bastille Day is this Sunday. Whether you’re a history aficionado or just appreciate French culture and cuisine, there is plenty to do this weekend to celebrate the 230th storming of the Bastille.
Find out more...

Events & Things To Do

Robert De Niro wants to build a $400M film studio in Astoria

The Wildflower Studios is part of a large swath of properties owned by piano manufacturer Steinway & Sons; via Google Streetview

July 10, 2019

Robert De Niro wants to build a $400M film studio in Astoria

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

As the number of movies and television shows filmed in New York City continues to grow, Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro wants in on the action. De Niro and his son, Douglas Elliman broker Raphael De Niro, along with development firm Wildflower and producer Jane Rosenthal, have entered a contract for five acres in Astoria with plans to build a production studio, as Commercial Observer first reported. The planned facility, which will be called Wildflower Studios, will cost about $400 million to build.
More here

New Developments

THE 6SQFT SHOP

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10 best plants for apartment dwellers

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

VIEW ALL

Photo: © Rafael Gamo courtesy of MoMA PS1.

July 10, 2019

Immersive installation with hammocks and a waterfall has arrived at MoMA PS1

Back in March, as 6sqft reported, MoMA PS1 revealed the winning design in the museum's 20th annual Young Architects Program. This year’s winning architectural installation, “Hórama Rama” by Pedro & Juana, a Mexico City-based studio founded by Ana Paula Ruiz Galindo and Mecky Reuss, is an immersive “junglescape” with a cyclorama perched atop the museum courtyard's concrete walls. The 40-foot-tall, 90-foot-wide structure now floats over this year's Warm Up outdoor dance music series which kicked off on July 6.
See more pictures of the 40-foot

Events & Things To Do

Operators of Coney Island’s Luna Park will lead retail transformation of the Stillwell Avenue Terminal Complex

Image via Wiki Commons

July 10, 2019

Operators of Coney Island’s Luna Park will lead retail transformation of the Stillwell Avenue Terminal Complex

Since taking over operations of Luna Park in 2010, Central Amuseument International (CAI) has had a big hand in the transformation of the neighborhood, and that will continue to increase. Following a Request for Proposals (RFP) last June, the MTA has just announced that CAI Foods—a subsidiary of CAI—will lead a retail conversion of Coney Island’s iconic Stillwell Avenue Terminal Complex. CAI will take over nine of the 11 retail units in the Complex, turning the largest into “Rcade,” an arcade with a restaurant, bar, and coffee shop that will be open year-round. The remaining units will be subleased on a seasonal basis.
More details

Transit

“Gertrude Ederle Parade,” 1926, via Wikimedia Commons

July 10, 2019

From the Statue of Liberty to the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team: A history of NYC’s ticker-tape parades

By Lucie Levine

When the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team walks along the Canyon of Heroes from Broadway up to City Hall today in the city’s 207th official Ticker-Tape Parade, they will be in good company. For more than 120 years, politicians, aviators, adventurers, generals, and sports teams have been showered with felicitations and falling office paper. But this beloved tradition actually originated spontaneously on October 28, 1886, when Wall Streeters began throwing ticker-tape out their office windows as an enraptured public marched down Broadway to the Battery to celebrate the dedication of “Liberty Enlightening the World,” or the Statue of Liberty as we know her. Ahead, learn the entire history of Ticker-Tape Parades in NYC, from George Washington and Teddy Roosevelt to Jesse Owens and Joe DiMaggio.
Learn More

History

Jersey Shore’s first five-star hotel opens in Asbury Park, with room rates up to $1,050/night

Photo by Nikolas Koenig

July 9, 2019

Jersey Shore’s first five-star hotel opens in Asbury Park, with room rates up to $1,050/night

A slice of New York City luxury moved to the Jersey Shore last week. The Asbury Ocean Club, a 17-story hotel-condo, officially opened its doors on the boardwalk of Asbury Park, an evolving seaside community in Monmouth County. The 54-room hotel occupies the building's fourth floor, overlooking both the ocean and pool deck. Marketed as just a 70 minute-drive from NYC, the Asbury Ocean Club hopes to attract New Yorkers with its proximity and its prices. During peak season, rooms start at an introductory rate of $425 per night and go up to more than $1,050 per night for a penthouse suite. In the winter, rooms are offered as low as $195 per night, according to the hotel's website.
See inside

Yayoi Kusama’s polka-dot pumpkins are coming to the New York Botanical Garden

Kusama with Pumpkin, 2010 ©YAYOI KUSAMA. Courtesy of Ota Fine Arts, Tokyo / Singapore / Shanghai; Victoria Miro, London; David Zwirner, New York

July 9, 2019

Yayoi Kusama’s polka-dot pumpkins are coming to the New York Botanical Garden

Over the next year, celebrated Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama will have a big moment in New York City. In addition to the forthcoming exhibition at David Zwirner Gallery this fall—which will include some of the artist’s insanely popular Infinity Rooms—the New York Botanical Garden has just revealed that its blockbuster 2020 exhibition will be dedicated to Kusama. The exclusive show will include a range of works, old and new, that shed light on the artist’s lifelong engagement with nature, including everything from her famous polka-dot pumpkins to her signature Infinity Rooms.
More information

Events & Things To Do

July 9, 2019

Where I Work: Harlem’s Focus Lighting illuminates the field of architectural lighting design

By Dana Schulz

6sqft’s series “Where I Work” takes us into the studios, offices, and off-beat workspaces of New Yorkers across the city. In this installment, we’re touring the Harlem office of architectural lighting design firm Focus Lighting. Want to see your business featured here? Get in touch! After spending many years designing theatrical lighting, Paul Gregory decided to transition into the world of architectural lighting. He started his career working on nightclubs and in 1987, founded his own firm in his neighborhood of Harlem. Eight years later, Paul and his team at Focus Lighting garnered international recognization for their work on the Entel Tower in Santiago Chile, the world's first automated color-changing building. Since then, the firm has grown to have 35 employees and nabs commissions such as the Times Square ball, Tavern on the Green, and the Waldorf Astoria (and that's just here in NYC). But through all their success, Focus has kept their offices in Harlem, now at 116th Street and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard, where their close-knit employees work collaboratively. The converted loft space has a unique light lab, similar to a black box theater, as well as a gallery space where the team can test out new means of digital architecture and video projects. 6sqft recently visited Focus Lighting to learn more about their fascinating work, tour the space, and chat with Focus partner and principal designer Brett Andersen and principal designer Christine Hope.
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Cuomo announces new LIRR station as part of Belmont Park redevelopment project

Rendering courtesy of Governor Cuomo’s office

July 9, 2019

Cuomo announces new LIRR station as part of Belmont Park redevelopment project

Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced plans for a new Long Island Rail Road station to be built as part of the Belmont Park Redevelopment Project, which will provide a home base for the National Hockey League’s New York Islanders. The station will serve the proposed 19,000-seat arena, a 250-room hotel, and a 435,000-square-foot retail complex at the state-owned horseracing venue, as well as local commuters who have long needed more transportation options. Located between the Queens Village and Bellerose stations on the LIRR's Main Line, the station will be the first full-time LIRR station built in 50 years. It's expected to be partially open by 2021—as the Islanders arena opens to the public—and fully operational by 2023.
More details

Transit

Waitlist opens for middle-income units steps from Hudson Yards, from $1,405/month

Hudson Crossing; via Equity Residential

July 9, 2019

Waitlist opens for middle-income units steps from Hudson Yards, from $1,405/month

A waitlist has opened for middle-income apartments at a building on Manhattan's west side. Located at 400 West 37th Street, Hudson Crossing sits between 9th and 10th Avenues, just two blocks from the site of Hudson Yards. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 80 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments which range from a $1,405/month studio to a $2,174/month two-bedroom apartment. According to CityRealty, available market-rate studio and two-bedroom apartments at the building are currently listed for $2,936/month and $5,215/month, respectively.
Do you qualify?

Affordable Housing

The Wing will open new locations in Bryant Park and Williamsburg this year

Rendering of the new Bryant Park location courtesy of The Wing.

July 9, 2019

The Wing will open new locations in Bryant Park and Williamsburg this year

The Wing women-centric community and work space has announced the forthcoming launch of two new NYC locations this year. Along with news of a Bryant Park space–their first in Midtown–come renderings that reveal more of the thoroughly modern and chic-yet-welcoming interiors that have become the brand's signature. More news: A Williamsburg, Brooklyn location is on the way.
Renderings of the new space this way

Architecture And Design

10 Brooklyn stations won’t have overnight L train service for nine weekends

Via Flickr

July 8, 2019

10 Brooklyn stations won’t have overnight L train service for nine weekends

A large part of the L line in Brooklyn will not be available during overnight hours for nine weekends, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced Saturday. Starting on July 16, there will be no L service from midnight to 5 a.m. between Broadway Junction and Lorimer Street spread out across nine different weekends until January. L train service has been reduced since April when the 15-month reconstruction and partial shutdown of the Canarsie Tunnel began.
Get the L train low-down

Transit

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Guggenheim becomes a UNESCO World Heritage site

Photo via Wiki Commons

July 8, 2019

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Guggenheim becomes a UNESCO World Heritage site

Eight buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright have been named UNESCO World Heritage sites, including New York City's iconic Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. The buildings were given heritage status by the organization's World Heritage Committee at a July 7 meeting (h/t Dezeen). Additional Wright creations named to the list are Fallingwater (Pennsylvania), Frederick C. Robie House (Illinois), Hollyhock House (California), the Herbert and Katherine Jacobs House (Wisconsin), Unity Temple (Illinois), and Wright's homes and studios at Taliesin, Wisconsin and Taliesin West, Arizona.
Find out more

Two Trees exploring a new Williamsburg waterfront park and development next to Domino Park

Image via Google Street View

July 8, 2019

Two Trees exploring a new Williamsburg waterfront park and development next to Domino Park

Developer Two Trees has begun convening meetings with Williamsburg residents in the early stages of planning a future waterfront park and development in the neighborhood. As Brownstoner reported, the site under consideration is comprised of three lots owned by Con Edison on River Street between Grand Street and North 3rd Street, right between Grand Ferry Park and Two Trees’ popular Domino Park. The new park would thus connect the existing parks “and take a giant step towards creating a contiguous waterfront park that extends from the Navy Yard to Newtown Creek,” Two Trees notes.
More details

Architecture And Design

July 8, 2019

The 10 best things to do on Governors Island

By Nicole Mondrus

Governors Island is one of New Yorkers' favorite places to visit come the warm weather. Less than a 15-minute ferry ride from downtown, the Island is both a national park and one of the few places in NYC where you won't find any cars, making it the perfect place to get away without really leaving. Pack your sunglasses and a picnic blanket, because we've rounded up the 10 best things to do on Governors Island, from kayaking and running a 10K to lounging in a hammock and taking yoga in a lavender field.
Find out more

Events & Things To Do

Apply for 60 affordable apartments in the heart of Harlem, from $562/month

Photo via Flickr cc

July 8, 2019

Apply for 60 affordable apartments in the heart of Harlem, from $562/month

By Dana Schulz

Just three blocks north of bustling 125th Street, a brand new all-affordable building known as the Frederick has just opened the lottery for 59 of its 75 units. Ranging from $562/month studios to $2,158/month three-bedrooms, the mixed-income apartments are available to households earning 40, 50, 60, and 110 percent of the area median income. In addition to being right near local landmarks such as the Apollo and the Red Rooster, the 15-story building at 2395 Frederick Douglass Boulevard is just a block away from St. Nicholas Park and a few blocks from the A, C, B, and D trains.
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Affordable Housing

Everything you need to know about NYC’s ticker-tape parade for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team

Via NYC DOT on Flickr

July 8, 2019

Everything you need to know about NYC’s ticker-tape parade for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team

New York City will celebrate the United States women's soccer team winning its fourth World Cup title with a ticker-tape parade on Wednesday, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced. The team defeated the Netherlands on Sunday 2-0. The parade, which starts at 9:30 a.m., will take place along the Canyon of Heroes in Lower Manhattan. A ceremony will take place after the parade and requires tickets. Find out how to get to the parade, learn which streets will be closed, and register for the celebration, ahead.
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Events & Things To Do

12K/month Lower East Side loft on the Bowery features a boat-like wooden ceiling

Listing images courtesy of Citi Habitats

July 8, 2019

12K/month Lower East Side loft on the Bowery features a boat-like wooden ceiling

This 2,250-square-foot loft is located at 259 Bowery, between East Houston and Stanton Streets in a 1910 building that was converted to five full-floor apartments in 2000. The Lower East Side pad stands out with a unique, wooden ceiling in the living room that looks like an inverted boat hull, luxurious finishings, hardwood floors, and 11.5-foot ceilings throughout. Renting at $12,000 a month, the unit can come unfurnished or with "most furnishing included," per the listing.
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Distinctive Homes

‘Cash Cab’ game show set to film in Manhattan this summer

Via Flickr

July 5, 2019

‘Cash Cab’ game show set to film in Manhattan this summer

The game show that takes place in the back of a New York City taxi cab is back. Hosted by comedian Ben Bailey, "Cash Cab" is set to start filming its next season in Manhattan this summer, according to amNY. The game show, which rewards passengers with cash prizes for answering trivia questions correctly, originally aired between 2005 and 2012, when it was canceled. After a five year hiatus, the show returned in 2017.
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Events & Things To Do

Yearlong event series explores the future of New York City’s transportation infrastructure

Image via Flickr

July 5, 2019

Yearlong event series explores the future of New York City’s transportation infrastructure

Two years after Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency for New York's subway system, the future of transportation remains one of the city's most critical, ongoing conversations. It's also one of the more fraught topics, impacting more than 20 million residents on a daily basis. To deepen public understanding of the current state of things, as well as what the future might bring, Open House New York is launching a yearlong event series to both inform and "ignite the city's imagination." The Moving City will begin later this month and continue through next Spring, featuring a wide range of tours, presentations, and panel discussions that will bring much-needed context to this pressing issue.
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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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July 5, 2019

For $1.9M, this tranquil Tudor on the banks of the Hudson is surrounded by greenery and views

In a gorgeous wooded corner in the Bronx neighborhood of Spuyten Duyvil (just south of Riverdale on the banks of the Hudson River), this charming Tudor home at the aptly-named 3033 Scenic Place has breathtaking views from just about every corner. Asking $1.85 million, the four-bedroom home boasts the hand-crafted finishes often found in the area's classic Tudors including wood paneling and hand-hewn beams, while picture windows offer a front-row seat to the surrounding woodlands
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Distinctive Homes

Developer Silverstein Properties funds a new artist residency at 3 World Trade Center

Images courtesy of Silver Art Projects

July 5, 2019

Developer Silverstein Properties funds a new artist residency at 3 World Trade Center

As rents and costs of living continue to rise in the city, artists have an increasingly hard time finding affordable studio space—particularly in Manhattan. In an effort to help struggling artists, a new artist residency is launching at 3 World Trade Center this fall. Funded by developer Silverstein Properties, Silver Art Projects is a “corporate social responsibility initiative” that will host 30 artists every September for up to eight months, providing them with 44,000 square feet of free studio space on the 50th floor of the building.
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South Street Seaport’s Pier 17 offering limited public access to see July 4th fireworks

Image via Wiki Commons

July 3, 2019

South Street Seaport’s Pier 17 offering limited public access to see July 4th fireworks

By Dana Schulz

For the first time in five years, Macy's has moved its July 4th fireworks display to the Brooklyn Bridge, along with four barges that will launch pyrotechnics off the shore of the South Street Seaport's Pier 17. The Pier, recently redeveloped by the Howard Hughes Corporation and designed by SHoP Architects, consists of food and drink options, retail, and a rooftop entertainment complex, all of which is supposed to be publicly accessible during operating hours according to a deal with the city. However, as Gothamist first reported, the only ways to check out the fireworks from Piers 16 and 17 are to drop $500 on a ticket to a party at Jean Georges' restaurant The Fulton, be cool enough to land on the VIP list for a party atop Pier 17, or have scored one of just 300 community spots on the Seaport's Wavertree ship (registration closed today at noon).
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Events & Things To Do

Opening date for NJ’s delayed American Dream mega-mall set for October

Renderings courtesy of Triple Five/ American Dream

July 3, 2019

Opening date for NJ’s delayed American Dream mega-mall set for October

The mega-mall that has been in the works for over 16 years officially has an opening date, as NJ.com reported. On October 25, American Dream, the three-million-square-foot venue with an indoor water park, amusement rides, and ski slope, will finally open its doors, developer Triple Five announced Wednesday. New Jersey first signed a deal in 2003 with developers for the Met Life Stadium-adjacent site, but financial issues halted construction on and off for more than a decade.
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New Developments

Protected bike lane coming to Central Park West after community board approval

Via Public Domain

July 3, 2019

Protected bike lane coming to Central Park West after community board approval