6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

A community board on Tuesday approved a plan to build a new protected bike lane along Central Park West, about one year after a cyclist was killed by a truck there. As West Side Rag reported, Manhattan's Community Board 7 voted in favor of the city's plan, which consists of a northbound protected lane from 59th to 110th Street. Ahead of the bike lane's construction, 400 parking spaces will be eliminated on Central Park West.
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Policy

Patriotic composer John Philip Sousa’s former Long Island mansion seeks a reduced $9M

Listing images courtesy of Douglas Elliman

July 3, 2019

Patriotic composer John Philip Sousa’s former Long Island mansion seeks a reduced $9M

Overlooking Manhasset Bay in Sands Point, Long Island the six-bedroom mansion at 12 Hicks Lane—otherwise known as Wild Bank—was home to “American March King” John Philip Sousa in the latter part of his life, from 1915 to 1932. By then, he had already written his most beloved marches, including Stars and Stripes Forever (the national march of the United States) and Semper Fidelis (the march of the United States Marine Corps). Like many of New York City’s elite at the time, he found an idyllic retreat on Long Island’s North Shore and lived in the home until his death at 77. The sprawling property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966 but remained a private residence. On the market for exactly one year, the 2.6-acre estate has received several price chops before settling on its current asking price of $8.995 million.
The full tour, right this way

Distinctive Homes

$20M first phase of Brooklyn’s new 407-acre Shirley Chisholm State Park opens

Photo by Mike Groll/Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo via Flickr.

July 3, 2019

$20M first phase of Brooklyn’s new 407-acre Shirley Chisholm State Park opens

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced on Tuesday the opening of the first phase of New York's newest park–and the largest state park in New York City. Brooklyn's 407-acre Shirley Chisholm State Park on Jamaica Bay offers hiking, biking, fishing and picnicking under the watch of a colorful mural honoring Chisholm by Brooklyn muralist Danielle Mastrion. Under a second $20 million phase currently being designed and expected to be completed in 2021, the park will include a grand entrance on Fountain Avenue, lawn patios, a patio overlooking Hendrix Creek and pop-up environmental education facilities. A native of the borough, Chisholm, a former representative of the 12th Congressional district in New York for seven terms, was the first African American woman elected to Congress in 1968; she ran for President in 1972 as the first African American woman to do so.
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Remarkably intact Renaissance Revival mansion on Riverside Drive seeks $8M

Listing images by Mike Tauber courtesy of Stribling at Compass

July 2, 2019

Remarkably intact Renaissance Revival mansion on Riverside Drive seeks $8M

Also known as the Carroll Mansion, this five-story, nine-bedroom limestone townhouse at 86 Riverside Drive just listed with a price to match it’s potential: $8 million. The nearly 8,500-square-foot Elizabethan Renaissance Revival home was built in 1898 by Clarence True, one of the most celebrated architects of the Upper West Side at the turn-of-the-century. Flooded in light from northern and western exposures, the gorgeous property has most of the original architectural details intact, though needing a little attention.
The full tour, right this way

After a four-year renovation project, N train service in Brooklyn is fully restored

Photo via Wiki Commons

July 2, 2019

After a four-year renovation project, N train service in Brooklyn is fully restored

By Dana Schulz

The average New Yorker's biggest MTA gripe is delays at their station, but imagine having no station at all for two years? That's what residents in the Bensonhurst area of Brooklyn have endured. Beginning in July 2017, seven Coney Island-bound N train stations, starting at Fort Hamilton Parkway in Borough Park and stretching to 86th Street in Gravesend, were closed as part of the Sea Beach Line restoration project. After a sixth-month delay, the final phase is now complete, with four stations in Bensonhurst finally reopening, reports The City.
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Transit

Two new gardens in Queens will provide a space for immigrant communities to grow

Image of the New Roots Community Farm in the Bronx by Kathleen McTigue, courtesy of International Rescue Committee (IRC)

July 2, 2019

Two new gardens in Queens will provide a space for immigrant communities to grow

Building on the success of the New Roots Community Farm in the Bronx, two additional New Roots Gardens are currently underway in Queens, the Sunnyside Post reports. The gardens are being planted on both sides of 69th Street near Woodside Avenue and will include vegetable beds, flowers, a greenhouse, and seating areas. As part of a Department of Transportation initiative with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and NYC Parks GreenThumb, the gardens aim to create a community space for immigrants and refugees, as well as access to fresh and affordable produce.
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Uncategorized

July 2, 2019

Storied Westchester Skinny House seeks a buyer with a big heart and $275K

It's easy to see that the little red house at 175 Grand Street in Mamaroneck, NY, is no ordinary home just by looking: At a mere 10 feet wide, the Skinny House stands out for its size alone. As 6sqft previously reported, this unique dwelling, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has quite a tale to tell. The little house on a 12.5-foot lot was built in 1932 by Nathan T. Seely, one of New York’s first African American builders. Its story is one of ingenuity and skill, and it provided for its creator during hard times. In need of a new chapter and some real TLC, the house is on the market–for only the second time since its construction–for $275,000.
Get the skinny on this diminutive dwelling

Your guide to getting around NYC on the Fourth of July

Image via Flickr

July 2, 2019

Your guide to getting around NYC on the Fourth of July

If you're one of the estimated three million people who will be watching the Macy's Fourth of July fireworks spectacular, you'll need to factor in how MTA's service changes and planned traffic interruptions might affect your plans. Once you've picked a viewing spot, check out our comprehensive guide to getting around town (or out of town, if you prefer) below.
Know before you go

Distinctive Homes

See inside $19.5M Dumbo penthouse, Brooklyn's most expensive condo for sale

For $2.5M, this laid-back Ditmas Park home is historic, lovely and livable

Color, texture, and pre-war details define this decorator's dream of a $4.85M Village co-op

New year, new $10M Greenwich Village loft

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

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

$4.5M Central Park West duplex in Hotel des Artistes gets color just right

6sqft’s top ‘distinctive homes’ of 2024

A Victoria's Secret model's angelic East Village flat with a solarium and terrace asks $2.9M

$7.2M penthouse is most expensive sponsor sale in Williamsburg

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440-square-foot Bushwick studio is sleek and sunny for $345K

Listing images by Travis Mark, courtesy of the Corcoran Group

July 1, 2019

440-square-foot Bushwick studio is sleek and sunny for $345K

Condo interiors are often less than inspiring—but a modern canvas that you can easily customize for your lifestyle is nothing to scoff at. This 441-square-foot studio in north Bushwick has all the bones you would look for: sunny southeastern exposures and hardwood floors, alongside efficient upgrades like central heating/cooling, your very own washer and dryer, and a topnotch security system. Located at 307 Cooper Street in a 2016 development nicknamed 18th Ward, the apartment is seeking a cool $345,000.
Take a peek inside

Distinctive Homes

Berlin is imposing a five-year rent freeze—Could it work in New York City?

Photo via Pixabay

July 1, 2019

Berlin is imposing a five-year rent freeze—Could it work in New York City?

By Cait Etherington

In June, New York State rolled out a slate of proposals to protect renters. Among other changes, the new legislation closes several loopholes that have permitted owners to legally spike rents following renovations—a tactic that has been successfully used to deregulate more than 150,000 units over the past two decades. In essence, under the new legislation, owners will no longer be able to deregulate rent-regulated apartments at all. While the new legislation is certainly good news for many renters, for the tens of thousands of New Yorkers who now already live in unregulated apartments, the current legislation doesn’t fix their current woes. But could a five-year rent freeze help? It may sound impossible, but this is precisely what Berlin—once an oasis of inexpensive rents—has just approved as a way to put the brakes on rising rental prices.
Could this work in NYC?

Real Estate Trends

Governor Cuomo wants to test self-driving subways in NYC

Image via Flickr

July 1, 2019

Governor Cuomo wants to test self-driving subways in NYC

During a three-day trip to Jerusalem last week, Governor Andrew Cuomo toured the offices of Mobileye–a supplier of autonomous driving software—with the possibility of applying those same technologies to the MTA. "We have seen tremendous growth in software development for navigational systems to make automobiles safer and more reliable, and if this software works well on the road then we owe it to commuters to test its application for train and rail," Cuomo said in a statement.
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Corey Johnson announces $19 million in new LGBT support programs, nearly doubling funding

Speaker Corey Johnson and the New York City Council March in the 2019 Pride Parade. Photo by John McCarten via Flickr, courtesy of New York City Council.

July 1, 2019

Corey Johnson announces $19 million in new LGBT support programs, nearly doubling funding

In honor of a World Pride weekend that commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Inn uprising, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson has announced $19 million in funding for LGBT support programs, which nearly doubles the funding in support of the city's gay community, the Daily News reports. The budget includes $2.3 million for Trans Equity Programs, $3.7 million for LGBT community services and $800,000 for LGBT inclusive curriculum in public schools. Johnson said, “Acceptance is not enough. Our local government must fund programs that support the LBGTQ community, particularly transgender people.”
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Listing photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

July 1, 2019

Brooklyn Heights’ third-oldest house, with a gut renovation, is asking $10M

This wood frame house at 59 Middagh Street, which, according to the current listing, is considered third oldest home in Brooklyn Heights, was built in 1832 for a New York University professor. The 6,300-square-foot home certainly appears quaint–if unremarkable–on the outside. And while it's a spacious 28 feet wide, the home's interiors have been completely reconstructed with a high-end builder-grade renovation, giving it every contemporary luxury–including an elevator, a wet bar, a sauna and a gym–and all of the historic charm of a suburban McMansion. The six-bedroom, single-family home's last recorded sale was for $3 million in 2014. It's been on the market for nearly a year, first asking $11.5 million. After a broker switch and a price chop, the house is asking a still-ambitious $10 million.
Have a look inside

Distinctive Homes

Jersey City will celebrate July 4th with NJ’s largest fireworks display and a concert headlined by Pitbull

Photo via Flickr cc

July 1, 2019

Jersey City will celebrate July 4th with NJ’s largest fireworks display and a concert headlined by Pitbull

Jersey City is getting ready to celebrate its sixth annual Fourth of July Festival, an epic full day celebration from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Exchange Place Plaza. The free event, called 50STAR FIRESHOW, will feature a carnival, beer festival, and a concert headlined by Jersey City’s own Akon and rapper Pitbull, before culminating with the largest fireworks display in the state.
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Events & Things To Do

Photo by Nicole Mondrus for 6sqft

June 28, 2019

NYPL will display a rare copy of the Declaration of Independence

By Nicole Mondrus

While hotels and parks around the city are getting ready for the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Show, the New York Public Library is going the historical route with their celebrations--by putting a rare copy of the Declaration of Independence on display. This copy, written in Thomas Jefferson’s handwriting, will be available to view for a limited time next Monday and Tuesday at their iconic Bryant Park location.
Find out when you can take a look...

Book-filled Chelsea loft with a private roof terrace seeks $1.25M

Listing images by Tim Waltman

June 28, 2019

Book-filled Chelsea loft with a private roof terrace seeks $1.25M

This “character-rich,” loft penthouse at 244 West 23rd Street offers stylish downtown living with a great Chelsea address that puts you right next to the Highline, art galleries, and everything else the vibrant neighborhood has to offer. But if you don't feel like venturing out, there's a huge library to keep you occupied. The one bedroom co-op filled with prewar details was recently renovated and just hit the market for $1.25 million.
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Distinctive Homes

First-ever squirrel census finds 2,300+ squirrels call Central Park home

A Central Park squirrel, via Wiki Commons

June 28, 2019

First-ever squirrel census finds 2,300+ squirrels call Central Park home

Last October, as 6sqft reported, an organization called Squirrel Census, headed by Jamie Allen, began the multimedia, science, design, and storytelling endeavor of figuring out how many squirrels–specifically eastern gray squirrels–call the 843 acres of Central Park home, and put out a call for critter-counting volunteers. Though attempting to fathom the magnitude of the park's squirrelscape began with some curiosity and a bit of tongue in cheek, according to Citylab, the methods used to tally the cheeky rodents–and the resulting findings–are as fun as they are fascinating.
More than just a head count

City Living

Google Maps can predict how crowded your subway or bus will be

Google Maps has just released a couple of upgrades that should make New Yorkers' commutes a little bit easier, or at least, slightly more predictable. From now on, the app will be able to tell you how crowded your subway, bus, or train might be, so you can decide if you prefer to squeeze in or wait for a vehicle where you're more likely to snag a seat. The upgrades also expand the app's live traffic delays for buses (which began rolling out in December 2017) to cities that didn't already provide those updates.
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The restored Belvedere at night, courtesy of the Central Park Conservancy

June 28, 2019

New lighting adds after-dark glamour to Central Park’s restored Belvedere Castle

By Andrew Berman of Village Preservation

As 6sqft reported, Central Park's Belvedere Castle is open to the public today after a comprehensive $12 million restoration effort. In addition to a restored facade, new clear-pane-glass windows, new mechanical and utility systems and a the re-creation of the wooden tower that was part of Olmsted and Vaux’s original design, the Central Park Conservancy has introduced nighttime lighting. As night falls, the Belvedere will be illuminated and visible from various locations in the park–most strikingly from across Turtle Pond.
Tips for visiting, this way

The long road to landmark: How NYC’s Stonewall Inn became a symbol of civil rights

Via NPCA on Flickr

June 28, 2019

The long road to landmark: How NYC’s Stonewall Inn became a symbol of civil rights

Millions will converge in New York City this weekend to celebrate events which took place in and outside of a Greenwich Village bar 50 years ago. The Stonewall Riots will not only be memorialized here in New York City, but those events have come to take on international significance. There are celebrations and marches in countries across the globe, with the name 'Stonewall' also used by countless organizations and entities around the world to signify the quest for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equality. But 50 years ago those three nights of protests were barely noticed beyond the boundaries of the local neighborhood and a small but energized group of activists and rabble-rousers. They garnered little media attention, and most of the attention received was pretty negative – including from the gay community. So how did the events at the Stonewall 50 years ago go from an obscure set of disturbances at the tail end of the decade marked by strife and disorder, to an internationally-recognized symbol of a civil rights movement? Ahead, learn about Stonewall's long road to becoming a civil rights landmark.
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History

Need to get around NYC during WorldPride weekend? The subways want to help

Image: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit

June 28, 2019

Need to get around NYC during WorldPride weekend? The subways want to help

The crowds at this weekend's WorldPride events are expected to break records, with an estimated 4.5 million people attending Sunday's Pride March, including 115,000 marchers. The MTA is showing its Pride this weekend by making it easier for you to join the festivities. We can finally share some good weekend service news: the authority is suspending all L train tunnel rehabilitation work this weekend and will increase service on other lines to accommodate all revelers. If you want to secure a spot on the Parade route, make sure you get there early as they're sure to fill up fast.
Here's what you need to know

$1.3M Cobble Hill condo adds contemporary details to traditional loft bones

Listing images by Matt Vacca, courtesy of Compass

June 27, 2019

$1.3M Cobble Hill condo adds contemporary details to traditional loft bones

Located in a former warehouse at 29 Tiffany Place that was converted to condos in 1999, this loft-like Cobble Hill pad underwent a recent renovation which, among other upgrades, transformed it from a three bedroom to a two bedroom with a bigger living room. The unit last sold in 2015 for $1.155 million, and has just hit the market asking $1.295 million.
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June 27, 2019

Cuomo unveils new looks for next phase of $8B LaGuardia Airport overhaul

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced today that the first of four concourses at LaGuardia Airport's new state-of-the-art Delta terminal is on track to open this fall. The concourse is a major milestone in the $8 billion plan to construct an entirely new LaGuardia Airport. The new 105,000-square-foot concourse will feature views of Citi Field and Flushing Bay through floor-to-ceiling windows, gates that can accommodate a wide range of aircraft and dining options from the city's top eateries. New renderings released with the announcement show the concourse and the arrivals/departures facility scheduled to open in 2021.
See more of the new Laguardia

City Council approves Staten Island’s Bay Street Corridor rezoning with 1,800 new residential units

Rendering via Department of City Planning

June 27, 2019

City Council approves Staten Island’s Bay Street Corridor rezoning with 1,800 new residential units

The New York City Council voted 44-2 to approve Staten Island's Bay Street Corridor Rezoning plan Wednesday, SILive reports. As 6sqft previously reported, the city proposed to convert the area between Tompkinsville Park and Tappan Park from manufacturing to residential while constructing 1,800 new units that would house 6,500 residents in the area. About a quarter of the new residences would be income-restricted affordable housing through the city’s Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) program. The rezoning plan has drawn opposition from some community groups and Borough President Jimmy Oddo on the grounds that it would add to the area's traffic and transportation woes.
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Affordable Housing

Rendering courtesy of Equinox

June 27, 2019

Equinox opens its largest new fitness club at Hudson Yards

Equinox has officially opened the doors to its 100th fitness club at 35 Hudson Yards, just ahead of the very first Equinox Hotel opening next month. The 60,000-square-foot location— Equinox’s largest new built yet—stretches over two floors and includes a 15,000-square-foot pool and sundeck set against the backdrop of Hudson Yards’ signature landmark, the Vessel.
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Plan approved to replace Elizabeth Street Garden with affordable senior housing development

Rendering courtesy of Curtis + Ginsberg Architects

June 27, 2019

Plan approved to replace Elizabeth Street Garden with affordable senior housing development

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

The New York City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved a plan to replace a community garden in Little Italy with an affordable housing complex for seniors. The project, first introduced by Council Member Margaret Chin in 2012, will rise on the site of Elizabeth Street Garden, a quirky green space created in 1991 by Allan Reiver, who owns the gallery next to the garden. The complex, dubbed Haven Green, will include 123 affordable apartments and ground-floor retail. Originally, developers agreed to keep 8,000 square feet of public space at the site, but on Wednesday Chin said she reached an agreement to incorporate more open space at Haven Green through a courtyard next door.
Details here

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

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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City overhauls Mitchell-Lama middle income housing program with increased oversight

Photo via Flickr cc

June 27, 2019

City overhauls Mitchell-Lama middle income housing program with increased oversight

Citing bribery, fraud and other abuses and years-long waiting lists, New York City’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development has restructured the Mitchell-Lama program, one of the New York City's oldest middle-income housing initiatives, the Wall Street Journal reports. Included in the restructuring effort will be the integration of the program's application process into Housing Connect, the city's existing affordable housing lottery, within the next year.
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Rem Koolhaas’ OMA reveals New Museum expansion on the Bowery

Renderings via OMA/Bloomimages.de

June 27, 2019

Rem Koolhaas’ OMA reveals New Museum expansion on the Bowery

Renderings via OMA/Bloomimages.de The New Museum has revealed the first look at plans for its second building, designed by OMA’s Shohei Shigematsu and Rem Koolhaas in collaboration with Cooper Robertson. The design replaces an existing property at 231 Bowery that the museum acquired in 2008 with a seven-story, 60,000 square-foot building that will double the museum’s exhibition space, provide a permanent home for its cultural incubator NEW INC, as well as increased public amenities and improved circulation. As 6sqft reported when the project was first announced in 2017, this will be OMA’s first public building in New York City.
All the details

Rendering of 200 Amsterdam Avenue via SJP Properties/ Elkus Manfredi

June 26, 2019

Nearing pinnacle, disputed 668-foot Upper West Side tower gets city board approval

In a race to the top of sorts, developers of the 668-foot residential tower rising at 200 Amsterdam Avenue got the green light to keep climbing, Curbed reports. On Tuesday the city's Board of Standards and Appeals upheld its initial approval for the tower, which has been embroiled in a heated zoning lot dispute. The board approved the project last year, but in March the state Supreme Court overruled the city’s decision, ordering the board to re-evaluate the permit for the project led by developers SJP Properties and Mitsui Fudosan, who have already proceeded with construction at the 69th Street site. The tower is expected to top out this summer.
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Owner of Book Culture says stores are in danger of closing, urges the city for assistance

Photos courtesy of Book Culture

June 26, 2019

Owner of Book Culture says stores are in danger of closing, urges the city for assistance

Photos courtesy of Book Culture The latest independent bookstore in danger of closing is the Upper West Side's beloved Book Culture. Owner Chris Doeblin issued an open letter earlier this week in which he urges the city to provide assistance in the form of an immediate loan. Despite good business—they've been able to expand to three storefronts uptown and one in Long Island City—Doeblin has stated that he would need a minimum of $500,000 to keep things afloat and fend off the "awful spiral" of unpaid vendor debts and loans.
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City Living

A-Rod steps up his NYC real estate game with a new partnership to buy multiple apartment buildings

East Village photo via Flickr cc; A-Rod photo via Wiki Commons

June 26, 2019

A-Rod steps up his NYC real estate game with a new partnership to buy multiple apartment buildings

Just a few weeks ago, 6sqft reported that Yankee legend Alex Rodriguez had added his first New York City property to a growing real estate empire with the purchase of a 21-unit rental building in the East Village with fellow Shark Tank investor and real estate veteran Barabara Corcoran. The new partnership announced a plan to develop a portfolio of multifamily NYC buildings in undervalued neighborhoods. Now, the New York Post reports, the retired third baseman's A-Rod Corp. has teamed up with real estate investor Ofer Yardeni of Stonehenge NYC and seasoned broker Adam Modlin of the Modlin Group to buy multiple apartment buildings and bulk condo units throughout the city.
Find out more about A-Rod's new strategy

Celebrities

Behind the scenes at Little Italy’s Elizabeth Street Garden and Gallery

The gallery is housed in a 19th-century firehouse, and later bakery, on Elizabeth Street. It has its own door to the garden next door

June 26, 2019

Behind the scenes at Little Italy’s Elizabeth Street Garden and Gallery

Shortly upon arriving in New York in the 1990s, Allan Reiver traveled to Coney Island with one goal in mind: find a shooting gallery. Reiver, who has always had a knack for finding art out of other people’s junk, bought one that same day from an older man who told him it had been boarded up since the 1930s when it became illegal to shoot live ammunition. Nearly 30 years later, the 10-foot high boardwalk game, still operational, sits in the back of the Elizabeth Street Gallery in Little Italy, where Reiver has housed unique artifacts and fine objects for nearly a decade. Rare finds can also be found next to the gallery, scattered across a lush green space known as the Elizabeth Street Garden. Since 1991, Reiver has leased the land from the city, slowly transforming the lot with unique sculptures, columns, and benches, all plucked from estate sales. In 2012, the city revealed plans to replace the garden with a senior affordable housing complex, known as Haven Green, igniting a battle between garden advocates and affordable housing supporters. The City Council votes on the project Wednesday. Ahead of the decision, 6sqft toured Reiver’s gallery and the garden next door and spoke to him about building the green space and the plan to fight the Haven Green project in court.
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Where I Work

Rent Guidelines Board approves modest increases for rent-stabilized apartments

Image by Jorbasa Fotografie / Flickr

June 26, 2019

Rent Guidelines Board approves modest increases for rent-stabilized apartments

In front of a packed auditorium at Cooper Union’s Great Hall last night, the Rent Guidelines Board voted on rent hikes for the city’s one million rent-stabilized apartments, the New York Times reports. The board voted 5-4 and approved a 1.5% increase on one-year leases and 2.5% on two-year leases. The new rents will kick in on October 1.
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Cuomo releases RFP for 5 World Trade Center, may include 900-foot tower and affordable housing

Image via flickr cc

June 26, 2019

Cuomo releases RFP for 5 World Trade Center, may include 900-foot tower and affordable housing

Earlier this month, the Port Authority and the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation arrived at a deal to release a request for proposals for the development of 5 World Trade Center, Crain's reported. The two state agencies had been locked in negotiations over how to develop the last site, which lies at the World Trade Center's southernmost end, surrounded by Washington, Albany and Greenwich streets, for years; as a result, the site has remained in limbo. Today, Governor Cuomo officially released a Request for Proposals for the site, which allows for either commercial or mixed-use proposals for a roughly 900-foot-tall building. Any proposals putting forth a residential component must include "onsite affordable units that comply with New York City's Mandatory Inclusionary Housing program," according to a press release.
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June 26, 2019

$4M landmarked Upper East Side mansion has Beaux Arts style and Tiffany Glass accents

The 25-foot-wide carved limestone mansion at 35 East 68th Street on the Upper East Side is a standout even on a block lined with historic architecture. The 13,000-square-foot Beaux Arts mansion, known as the Dunham House, was built as a private residence for physician Dr. Edward Kellogg Dunham and grain fortune heiress Mary Dows by Carrere & Hastings, the architecture firm who designed the Frick Collection and the New York Public Library. 6sqft featured this historic home in 2016. The two-bedroom duplex co-op is back on the market for $4 million.
Take the grand tour

Image via Wiki Commons

June 26, 2019

Port Authority proposes extensive fare and toll hikes for bridges, tunnels, and AirTrains

The Port Authority is set to propose a series of comprehensive fare hikes across all its bridges, tunnels, and trains at a board meeting this Thursday, as amNY reported. A series of policy changes would be implemented along with the increases, including a new “ground transportation access fee” at major airports, a $4 charge for both pickups and drop-offs in ride-hail services, a $4 pickup fee for taxi trips, and an increase in AirTrain fares from $5 to $7.75. The additional revenue—about $235 million a year—would go toward the agency’s much-needed infrastructure improvements. The agency will also seek approval for a $4.8 billion increase in its 10-year spending plan, aimed toward upgrades at the area’s three major airports.
More info

Transit

Facebook is close to securing new office space at 50 Hudson Yards

Image courtesy of Related-Oxford

June 25, 2019

Facebook is close to securing new office space at 50 Hudson Yards

The technology sector at Hudson Yards may soon see a big boost. According to reports by Crain’s, Facebook is negotiating on a one million+ square foot space at 50 Hudson Yards, the 1,000-foot-tall office tower co-developed by Related and Oxford Properties Group that became the city’s most expensive office building at $4 billion. The arrival of Facebook would solidify the Midtown neighborhood as a major tech hub in the city. Amazon—who already occupies offices at 5 Manhattan West—is rumored to be looking at additional space in neighboring 2 Manhattan West.
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Uncategorized

Five properties in Gowanus may be landmarked ahead of proposed rezoning

Via LPC

June 25, 2019

Five properties in Gowanus may be landmarked ahead of proposed rezoning

Five properties in Gowanus may be landmarked as the Brooklyn neighborhood prepares to be rezoned. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to calendar eight buildings across five properties in the neighborhood, describing them as both architecturally significant, as well as closely associated with the history of the Gowanus Canal. The decision to calendar the sites comes after the city released in January its rezoning draft for Gowanus, which includes enabling more residential buildings and access to the waterfront.
More info here

Policy

June 25, 2019

Designed by Ai Weiwei, this $5.25M upstate retreat is perfect for art lovers

Described as “livable art” by listing agent Graham Klemm, the only private residence in the States designed by Chinese artist and political activist Ai Weiwei has just hit the market for $5.25 million. Located on a sprawling property about two hours away from New York City in bucolic Ancram, the home was built in 2006 as a weekend retreat for Christopher Tsai, one of the artist’s biggest collectors. Weiwei collaborated with Swiss-based HHF Architects on the streamlined residence, designed to highlight the art it would house as well as the surrounding landscape. The current owners—who are also art collectors—bought the property in 2013 for $4.25 million.
Get the full tour

Everything you need to know about this year’s NYC Pride March

Image via Flickr

June 25, 2019

Everything you need to know about this year’s NYC Pride March

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising and culminating the monthlong WorldPride festivities, this year’s NYC Pride March taking place on Sunday, June 30 is set to be the largest Pride parade since the tradition launched in 1970. Approximately two million people attend the event each year, making it the biggest Pride celebration in the world, and that number should easily be surpassed this year.
Routes, street closures, and more

Events & Things To Do

LPC designates Bay Ridge’s first historic district

Courtesy of Landmarks Preservation Commission

June 25, 2019

LPC designates Bay Ridge’s first historic district

Bay Ridge has gained its first historic district. The Landmarks Preservation Commission voted on Tuesday to landmark an area in the Brooklyn neighborhood along Bay Ridge Parkway between 4th and 5th Avenues. Dubbed Doctors' Row due to its historic and current demographics, the district consists of one block of 54 architecturally consistent row houses. LPC Chair Sarah Carroll said after surveying Bay Ridge, the commission found that this particular block "really does stand out in the neighborhood in terms of high-quality architecture and consistency."
A first for Bay Ridge

Policy

New renderings reveal amenities at Eliot Spitzer’s Williamsburg-waterfront development

Renderings courtesy of Citi Habitats New Developments

June 25, 2019

New renderings reveal amenities at Eliot Spitzer’s Williamsburg-waterfront development

New renderings of 420 Kent Avenue, the Williamsburg waterfront development located just south of the Williamsburg Bridge, offer a first peek at the building’s amenity package as the project enters its final phase of construction. Set to open for leasing in August, residents will have access to more than 25,000 square feet of indoor amenities, in addition to 80,000 square feet of outdoor space—including an outdoor pool and a 400-foot-long waterfront esplanade—and 20,000 square feet of retail space. The development’s public esplanade will link the entire Brooklyn waterfront and is set to officially open on July 4th—just in time to give Williamsburg residents a front-row seat to the Macy’s Fireworks Show on the East River.
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MAP: Where to watch the 2019 4th of July fireworks

All map images courtesy of Macy’s

June 25, 2019

MAP: Where to watch the 2019 4th of July fireworks

The talented folks behind the hotly anticipated Macy’s Fourth of July live fireworks spectacular happening next Thursday evening have provided a detailed guide to the prime Manhattan spots for watching the night sky light up. Read on to get the scoop on official viewing points–and some unofficial favorites–and use the interactive map to make sure you’re in the right place when the pyrotechnics start at the Brooklyn Bridge.
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Events & Things To Do

See inside the Wing’s new HQ in the East Village’s historic Stuyvesant Polyclinic building

Images by Tory Williams

June 24, 2019

See inside the Wing’s new HQ in the East Village’s historic Stuyvesant Polyclinic building

As co-working firm The Wing continues to grow, they’ve moved into a new home that takes the idea of a corporate headquarters to the next, uber-cozy level. The company has taken over all 22,000 square feet and four floors of the former Stuyvesant Polyclinic building at 137 Second Avenue with a sprawling office space that fits the brand’s design-forward signature: pastel colors, branded wallpaper, chic custom furniture and a host of features for women, including a lactation room.
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520 Fifth Avenue

Midtown West

Live at the center of NYC

1 beds starting at $2,445,000
2 beds starting at $3,435,000
3 beds starting at $6,775,000

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Yayoi Kusama’s insanely popular infinity rooms return to New York this fall

Image via Flickr

June 24, 2019

Yayoi Kusama’s insanely popular infinity rooms return to New York this fall

When Yayoi Kusama last took over David Zwirner Gallery with one of her Infinity Mirror Room installations in 2017, over 75,000 people flocked to experience the awe-inspiring (and very selfie-friendly) exhibition. At times during its 80-day run, the show was so popular that visits were limited to 60 seconds and wait times reached six hours. If you weren't one of the lucky ones then, you'll get another chance this fall when a new exhibition dedicated to the artist's work opens at David Zwirner on November 9, as Time Out reported.
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Events & Things To Do

June 24, 2019

Rent this unusual slice of Village penthouse living for $14.5K a month

This unique triplex penthouse at 1 7th Avenue South brings modern technology and designer finishes to a fabulous point at the nexus of Greenwich Village, SoHo and the West Village. Currently on the rental market for $14,500 per month, this Village home has a unique wedge shape for light and views on all sides, and wraparound terraces galore for indoor-outdoor living.
Take a triangular tour

Distinctive Homes

Waitlist opens for middle-income apartments at a Tribeca rental, from $2,832/month

Via Flickr

June 24, 2019

Waitlist opens for middle-income apartments at a Tribeca rental, from $2,832/month

Applications are currently being accepted to replenish the wait list for middle-income apartments at a Tribeca rental building. The 12-story tower at 89 Murray Street, dubbed Washington Mews, was constructed in 2007 and designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill's Mustafa Abadan. Qualifying New Yorkers must earn 175 percent of the area median income to apply for the $2,832/month two-bedrooms and $3,213/month three-bedrooms. While these prices rightfully seem steep, market rate two-bedrooms at the same building currently start at just under $6,000/month.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Williamsburg duplex filled with light, storage, and sweet details lists for only $895K

Listing images by Rise Media

June 24, 2019

Williamsburg duplex filled with light, storage, and sweet details lists for only $895K