‘Peeling’ away the history of NYC’s banana docks

“Banana Docks, New York” c. 1906. Via The Library of Congress

June 24, 2019

‘Peeling’ away the history of NYC’s banana docks

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If you’ve ever grabbed a bushel of bananas at your corner bodega, then you’ve nabbed a few of the 20 million bananas distributed around NYC every week. Today, our bananas dock at small piers in Red Hook, or, more often, make the journey by truck from Delaware. But, from the late 19th century until well into the 20th, New York was a major banana port, and banana boats hauled their cargo to the city’s bustling Banana Docks on the piers at Old Slip. Surveying that cargo in August 1897, The New York Times wrote that the banana trade thrived in New York year-round, but the bulk of bananas hit the five boroughs between March and September. “They are brought to New York in steamers, carrying from 15,000 to 20,000 bunches…There is quite a fleet of small steamers engaged almost exclusively in the banana trade, and during the busy season many more steamers of greater size are employed.”
Peel away at this story!
Charming studio on a tree-lined block in Cobble Hill seeks $395K

Listing images by Allyson Lubow

June 21, 2019

Charming studio on a tree-lined block in Cobble Hill seeks $395K

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The sweet details at this classic Cobble Hill studio will distract you from the caveats of small-space living, including a charming fireplace framed by exposed brick to anchor the living space. And if that doesn’t get you, the centrally located address at 177 Amity Street certainly earns this petite, 350- square-foot pad it’s $395,000 asking price.
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Inside the Elizabeth Collective, Elizabeth Taylor’s former Midtown mansion turned arts collective
June 21, 2019

Inside the Elizabeth Collective, Elizabeth Taylor’s former Midtown mansion turned arts collective

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When you think of the heart of Midtown, the first thing that comes to mind is probably not a turn-of-the-century mansion dripping with historic details. But nestled amongst the office buildings on West 56th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues is just that. Designed by architects Warren & Wetmore of Grand Central fame, 10 West 56th Street has gone through several incarnations over its lifetime, from private residence (including the one-time home of Elizabeth Taylor!) to high-end retail space. Its most recent transformation was helmed by Roxana Q. Girand, founder of real estate development firm Sebastian Capital. Wanting to merge her expertise and passion in commercial space, art, and beauty, she opened the Elizabeth Collective this past fall as part art pop-up event space, part permanent studio workspaces. 6sqft recently visited Roxana at the Collective to get a behind-the-scenes look at the incredible French Renaissance Revival building, see how she's given the space a new life, and learn more about what's to come.
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19 iconic NYC sites will light up rainbow in honor of WorldPride

Photo of Madison Square Garden via NYC and Company

June 21, 2019

19 iconic NYC sites will light up rainbow in honor of WorldPride

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This month, 19 buildings throughout the five boroughs will be lighting up rainbow in honor of WorldPride and the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. The city-wide display is part of NYC and Company's Project Rainbow, a marketing initiative led by the city's official tourism organization. Among the sites listed are the Empire State Building, Madison Square Garden, and the World Trade Center.
Find out where to be on the lookout for Pride-themed lights...
Port Authority reveals $1B plan to make PATH trains less crowded, more efficient

Image via Flickr

June 21, 2019

Port Authority reveals $1B plan to make PATH trains less crowded, more efficient

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With daily ridership on the PATH train hitting record highs, the Port Authority has announced a new plan to ease the crowds and provide improved service. Over the next three years, the PATH will get a new signal system, 72 new rail cars, and increase capacity by up to 40 percent on its Newark-World Trade Center Route—that means room for about 18,000 extra riders during rush hour—by running longer, nine-car trains. “We want this plan to be game-changing,” said Executive Director Rick Cotton.
All the details
Live in an affordable Bronx building with a rooftop garden and greenhouse, from $883/month

Rendering of the Bedford Green House courtesy of Edelman Sultan Knox Wood/Architects LLP and Hollister Construction Services

June 21, 2019

Live in an affordable Bronx building with a rooftop garden and greenhouse, from $883/month

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A Bronx affordable housing development with lots of green perks launched a lottery this week for 46 units. Dubbed the Bedford Green House, the 13-story building at 2865 Creston Avenue offers its residents unique amenities that center around healing through nature, a concept called biophilic design. Bedford Green House, located within the Bedford Park neighborhood, will have a rooftop aquaponics greenhouse where residents will be able to raise fish, grow fresh produce, and participate in healthy cooking demos. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, ranging from $883/month studios to a $1,148/month two-bedrooms.
Do you qualify?
Remarkable Williamsburg shipping container townhouse is for sale asking $5.5M
June 21, 2019

Remarkable Williamsburg shipping container townhouse is for sale asking $5.5M

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Two years ago 6sqft reported on the rise of a singular single-family residence on a Williamsburg corner lot; the amazing townhouse was built from 21 steel shipping containers, tamed and transformed into a sleek and surprisingly livable home by the architecture and design firm LOT-EK for the Brooklyn couple behind neighborhood barbecue favorite Fette Sau. If you've always wanted to live in the 25-by-100-foot, 5,000-square-foot home at 2 Monitor Street, now's your chance; the house just hit the market for $5.5 million.
Tour this industry-inspired wonder
Celebrate the official start of summer at the Coney Island Mermaid Parade this weekend

Image via Flickr

June 21, 2019

Celebrate the official start of summer at the Coney Island Mermaid Parade this weekend

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The 37th annual Mermaid Parade kicks off in Coney Island this Saturday, signaling the official start of the summer season. Celebrated as the largest "art parade" in the country, the festive lineup features marching bands, drill teams, floats, antique cars and some 1,500 participants dressed in handmade costumes of mermaids, sea creatures, and mythical figures. This year, Coney Island natives Arlo Guthrie & Nora Guthrie—who both grew up on Mermaid Avenue—will lead the way as Queen Mermaid and King Neptune. Per tradition, they'll be wheeled through in an antique wicker Boardwalk Rolling Chair dating back to 1923.
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Distinctive Homes

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The world’s largest street art exhibition arrives in Williamsburg

Photos by Nicole Mondrus for 6sqft

June 20, 2019

The world’s largest street art exhibition arrives in Williamsburg

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From June 21 to sometime in August, LA’s premier street art and graffiti exhibit will call Brooklyn home. “BEYOND THE STREETS” is a multimedia art exhibition that takes up two floors of 25 Kent Avenue in Williamsburg and is the biggest showcase of street art to date. With art by the likes of Fab 5 Freddy, The Beastie Boys, and the late Keith Haring, the exhibition celebrates the history of graffiti and street art and also examines public art as a means of protest and self-expression.
Find out more
Asking $16M, this charming Chelsea carriage house has two terraces, a garden, and a private garage

Photos by Travis Mark for Sotheby’s International Realty

June 20, 2019

Asking $16M, this charming Chelsea carriage house has two terraces, a garden, and a private garage

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Photos by Travis Mark for Sotheby’s International Realty Carriage houses are often unique to begin with, possessed of private garages in former carriage quarters. This gem at 313 West 20th Street in Chelsea has all of the carriage house perks (including the garage and tons of curb appeal), but at 25 feet wide, with a "secret" garden, two terraces, and a separate top-floor two-bedroom apartment, no living space is sacrificed. Asking $15.8 million, this turn-of-the-20th-century home has four stories, historic details, and every modern comfort including new double-pane windows and central air.
Carriage house tour, this way
Art Deco-inspired food hall opening in Midtown will offer Filipino fare, Hawaiian bites, and more

Rendering © DBOX, Inc.

June 20, 2019

Art Deco-inspired food hall opening in Midtown will offer Filipino fare, Hawaiian bites, and more

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Manhattan's Garment District is getting a new food and beverage concept in early September. Located at 231 West 39th Street, The Deco Food + Drink will include a food hall, cocktail bar, and event space aimed at appealing to both office workers in Midtown and tourists known to flock to the neighborhood. On Wednesday, the food hall released its list of vendors and the line-up promises to offer a variety of cuisines, from French baked goods to traditional Filipino fare.
Get the details
Notorious B.I.G.’s childhood home in Clinton Hill is renting for $4K a month
June 20, 2019

Notorious B.I.G.’s childhood home in Clinton Hill is renting for $4K a month

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Late rapper Notorious B.I.G.'s former home in Clinton Hill hit the market this week as a $4,000 per month rental, the New York Post reported. In the song "Juicy," the artist, whose real name is Christopher Wallace, refers to the apartment at 226 St. James Place as a "one-room shack." The listing describes the renovated unit as a three-bedroom home with additional office space in "the desired neighborhood of the Clinton Hill historic district."
See it here
Low-income senior housing lottery opens for 83 units at Perkins Eastman-designed building in Mott Haven

Rendering of Mill Brook Terrace courtesy of NYCHA

June 20, 2019

Low-income senior housing lottery opens for 83 units at Perkins Eastman-designed building in Mott Haven

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As 6sqft recently reported, "More than 17 percent of New Yorkers are over the age of 60." Recognizing the need to provide adequate affordable housing for this population, last year, the city committed $500 million to build 1,000 new apartments for low-income seniors. Though the plan has moved slower than hoped, there are new opportunities taking shape, such as this lottery for 83 low-income apartments in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx. The one-bedroom units are available to one- or two-person households in which at least one member is 62 years of age or older, who qualify for NYCHA's Section 8 program, and who earn between $0 and $42,700 annually. Those who are eligible will pay 30 percent of their income to live in the building at 570 East 137th Street, a new project from Perkins Eastman.
Learn more here
Midtown’s 71-year-old Paris Theatre may be closing before the end of the summer

Image via Flickr

June 20, 2019

Midtown’s 71-year-old Paris Theatre may be closing before the end of the summer

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The last standing single-screen movie theatre in the city, Midtown’s Paris Theatre, may be shuttering as early as July or August, Deadline reports. According to “buzz on the Gotham arthouse theater circuit,” the last screening of Ron Howard’s Pavarotti on June 27 could be the last at the arthouse theatre on 58th Street, unless “something drastic happens.” The 586-seat theatre opened across the street from the Plaza Hotel in 1948, with a ribbon-cutting by actress Marlene Dietrich. Its since been a go-to spot for indie and foreign films, with a predilection, as its name implies, for French titles.
Get the scoop
New data from Comptroller Scott Stringer shows that affordability is still declining in New York

Image via Flickr cc

June 20, 2019

New data from Comptroller Scott Stringer shows that affordability is still declining in New York

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City Comptroller Scott Stringer has released an updated Affordability Index, an annual look at how the rising costs of basic necessities like housing, transportation, healthcare, and childcare, are squeezing the budgets of New York City households and leaving them with fewer savings. Like last year, the data is far from reassuring, demonstrating that expense costs are rising far more rapidly than incomes. In 2005, the average middle-income single adult had 24 percent of their income left over after expenses. In 2017, that dropped to only 15 percent.
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Waitlist opens for ‘affordable’ units at Pacific Park’s modular tower, from $2,025/month

Via Flickr

June 20, 2019

Waitlist opens for ‘affordable’ units at Pacific Park’s modular tower, from $2,025/month

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A rental tower in Brooklyn's long-plagued Pacific Park development is currently accepting applications for its affordable housing waitlist. The 363-unit building at 461 Dean Street opened in 2016, with its affordable housing lottery launching that same year. Three years later, the building's lottery waitlist has opened, inviting New Yorkers earning 160 percent of the area median income to apply for the not-so-affordable $2,025/month studios and $2,541/month one-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
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Welcome the summer solstice with 1,000+ free events during Make Music Day

Image of Mozart’s Requiem being played at the National September 11 Memorial during Make Music Day 2018

June 19, 2019

Welcome the summer solstice with 1,000+ free events during Make Music Day

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During the summer solstice this Friday, New Yorkers will enjoy 15 hours, 5 minutes and 38 seconds of daylight. While there are many ways of celebrating the year’s longest day, you can’t go wrong by filling it with music. This year, Make Music Day returns to the city on June 21, featuring over 1,000 free outdoor concerts, music lessons, and jam sessions in public spaces across the five boroughs.
Get all the details
Celebrate pride after hours at the library for talks, a literary drag show, cocktails and more

The Library After Hours. Image courtesy of NYPL.

June 19, 2019

Celebrate pride after hours at the library for talks, a literary drag show, cocktails and more

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Celebrate Pride Month at the library! As part of the New York Public Library's "Love & Resistance: Stonewall 50" exhibition, the doors at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building are staying open on Friday, June 21 for the "city's most cerebral happy hour." The after-hours event offers access to the Rose Main Reading Room and other gorgeous library spaces, artist and curator talks, readings from the archives by special guests, a literary drag show with Drag Queen Story Hour, music, food, drinks and more.
All the info, this way
Brooklyn Children’s Museum installs a rooftop playscape made from reclaimed water tower wood

Images courtesy of Tri-Lox

June 19, 2019

Brooklyn Children’s Museum installs a rooftop playscape made from reclaimed water tower wood

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Images courtesy of Tri-Lox A new interactive playscape created by design and fabrication practice Tri-Lox brings creative play to the rooftop terrace at Brooklyn Children’s Museum in Crown Heights. Inspired by the unique nests made by the baya weaver bird, Nest is made from reclaimed NYC water tower wood fashioned into an organic form; the woven landscape has a climbable exterior, circular hammock area and permeable interior space, all designed to foster free play and discovery.
Find out what makes this playscape so special
New NYCHA head Gregory Russ will be the city’s highest paid official

Image via Wiki Commons

June 19, 2019

New NYCHA head Gregory Russ will be the city’s highest paid official

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After missing two deadlines to fill the position, Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday announced that Gregory Russ will be taking over as Chair of NYCHA. Russ, who is currently the head of Minneapolis’ public housing authority and previously led the Cambridge Housing Authority in Massachusetts, will receive an unprecedented salary of $402,628—more than even President Donald Trump makes. That figure comes out to roughly $1 a year for every NYCHA tenant he will represent, as THE CITY reports.
More info
Asking $7M, this sprawling West Village condo has a two-level, three-season sky garden
June 19, 2019

Asking $7M, this sprawling West Village condo has a two-level, three-season sky garden

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Located in one of the city's most coveted locations in the quiet western reaches of the West Village, this 2,000-square-foot, three-bedroom condominium at 99 Jane Street, asking $6.995 million, is as classic a Manhattan home as they come. If size and location weren't enough to inspire envy, a 1,000-square-foot terrace with spectacular views from two levels is a garden lover's dream.
More magical sky garden, this way
84 studios for low-income seniors up for grabs at new Essex Crossing building, from $331/month

Rendering courtesy of Beyer Blinder Belle

June 19, 2019

84 studios for low-income seniors up for grabs at new Essex Crossing building, from $331/month

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The city launched on Wednesday an affordable housing lottery for 84 affordable studios on the Lower East Side exclusively for low-income seniors. The building at 140 Essex Street sits as part of the nine-site Essex Crossing development and contains 92 units total. Qualifying senior households earning between zero and 60 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, which range from $331/month to $761/month.
Find out if you qualify
Jennifer Lopez and A-Rod find a buyer for their short-lived 432 Park pad

432 via DBOX; Alex Rodriguez via Wiki Commons; Jennifer Lopez via Wiki Commons

June 19, 2019

Jennifer Lopez and A-Rod find a buyer for their short-lived 432 Park pad

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Newly engaged couple Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez have found a buyer for their sky-high Midtown apartment, the New York Post reported Tuesday. The duo listed their pad at 432 Park Avenue--the tallest residential building in the Western Hemisphere--for $17.5 million in January, less than a year after they bought the three-bedroom apartment. It remains unclear who the buyer is and how much they ultimately paid.
Details here
Frank Lloyd Wright’s unique hexagonal house in Glen Ridge, NJ is back on the market for $1.2M
June 19, 2019

Frank Lloyd Wright’s unique hexagonal house in Glen Ridge, NJ is back on the market for $1.2M

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Just 35 minutes from Manhattan, one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s three remaining New Jersey homes just hit the market for $1.2 million. The three-bedroom, two-bathroom property in charming Glen Ridge is a stunning example of the architect’s midcentury Usonian style of flat-roofed, streamlined homes made of natural materials and incorporating many connections to the outside. Built out of cypress wood, brick, and glass, the home is notable for its hexagonal floor plan formed entirely by 60 or 120-degree angles with not a single right angle.
Take a look inside
This $19M Southampton mansion has a massive indoor pool and basketball court

Listing images by Lena Yaremenko

June 18, 2019

This $19M Southampton mansion has a massive indoor pool and basketball court

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Ready for a summer getaway? It doesn’t get much better than this luxurious 11,000 square-foot Southampton home, complete with a two-lap pool, steam room, jacuzzi, and indoor basketball court. Sited on a lush two-acre property about a mile from the ocean at Halsey Neck Beach, the shingle-clad mansion boasts seven bedrooms and ten full bathrooms. Built in 2018, the property was first listed last summer for $24.9 million and is now seeking a reduced $18.995 million.
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Sunset Park gains four historic districts

535 to 545 48th Street via LPC

June 18, 2019

Sunset Park gains four historic districts

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The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to designate four historic districts in Sunset Park, protecting the Brooklyn neighborhood from potential out-of-scale alterations and development. The noncontiguous areas include Sunset Park North, Central Sunset Park, Sunset Park 50th Street, and Sunset Park South, all standing out for their cohesive and intact architecture, according to the commission.
More here
Central Park’s Belvedere Castle reveals $12M restoration

The restored Belvedere, courtesy of the Central Park Conservancy

June 18, 2019

Central Park’s Belvedere Castle reveals $12M restoration

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After a 15-month, $12 million restoration and repair project, the Belvedere will reopen to the public on Friday, June 28th. In anticipation, the Central Park Conservancy today opened the historic structure to press, revealing its restored facade, expansive views through new clear-pane-glass windows, new mechanical and utility systems, and a recreation of a wooden tower that was part of Olmsted and Vaux's original plan 150 years ago. Though many New Yorkers refer to the site as Belvedere Castle, "Belvedere" actually means “beautiful view” in Italian and refers to the vistas from the second-highest point in Central Park. Belvedere receives approximately one million visitors each year, and starting this month, they will also be able to see the Castle illuminated at night, as the landmark will be lit for the first time ever.
See more right here
$23M renovated Greenwich Village townhouse comes with a glass-walled lap pool

Listing photos courtesy of Prime Manhattan Residential

June 18, 2019

$23M renovated Greenwich Village townhouse comes with a glass-walled lap pool

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The six-level, eight-bedroom townhouse at 109 Waverly Place, asking $23.5 million, already occupies the ultra-luxury zone with its 25-foot width, high-speed elevator and architect-led modern renovation. But an indoor lap pool and a rooftop Jacuzzi put the single family home spanning more than 8,300 square feet in a class by itself. Add to that exclusive combination 1,500 square feet of outdoor space and a cover spot on Interior Design magazine, and you might wonder why the historic Village address has been on the market since 2017, when it was listed for $28 million.
Take the tour
Six significant LGBTQ sites in New York City are landmarked

Top, left to right: GAA Firehouse, James Baldwin Residence, LGBT Community Center; Bottom, left to right: Audre Lorde Residence, Women’s Liberation Center, Caffe Cino; Photos courtesy of NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project

June 18, 2019

Six significant LGBTQ sites in New York City are landmarked

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Six sites significant to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community of New York City officially became city landmarks on Tuesday. The city's Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to designate the Gay Activists Alliance Firehouse, the Women's Liberation Center, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, Caffe Cino, James Baldwin's Upper West Side home, and the Staten Island home of Audre Lorde. The designations coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, as well as the city's first time hosting WorldPride.
Find out more
NYPL officially rolls out new bookmobile in time for summer

Photo credit: Jonathan Blanc / NYPL.

June 18, 2019

NYPL officially rolls out new bookmobile in time for summer

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Update 6/18/19: The New York Public Library officially launched on Tuesday its first new bookmobile in decades. The first moving library--NYPL plans to launch two more this year-- will park at PS 11 in the High Bridge section of the Bronx, letting students browse and borrow immediately. It's National Library Week, and the New York Public Library has taken the opportunity to announce that it will be expanding its presence in New York City's neighborhoods this summer in the form of three new bookmobiles. The mobile libraries are headed to communities in the Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island.
A long-rolling tradition
New York set to legalize e-scooters and e-bikes

Image via Flickr cc

June 18, 2019

New York set to legalize e-scooters and e-bikes

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New York lawmakers reached an agreement on a bill to legalize e-scooters and e-bikes across the state and are expected to vote on the matter this Wednesday, the New York Post reports. The bill would legalize e-bikes and scooters but each city will ultimately be able to decide how to regulate the vehicles. Local governments will also have the power to decide whether to launch shared networks of e-bikes and e-scooters and have complete control over their operations. However, the language in the bill specifically bars New York City from launching an e-scooter sharing system in Manhattan.
More this way
Dumbo celebration marks the 10th anniversary of the iconic Archway’s public life

The Brooklyn Flea under the Archway. Photo: Noemie Trusty, courtesy of Dumbo Improvement District.

June 18, 2019

Dumbo celebration marks the 10th anniversary of the iconic Archway’s public life

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On Friday, June 21, Brooklyn's Dumbo neighborhood will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Archway under the Manhattan Bridge–the "UMBO" of Dumbo (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass), so to speak. The Archway–one of the only covered outdoor spaces in New York City—has for the past decade served as the neighborhood's town square, giving hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors a prime public place for large-scale events, community gatherings, film shoots, art exhibitions and local start-up events. In celebration, expect food, music and visual arts exhibitions befitting a neighborhood with Dumbo's unique creative history.
Ahead, a transformation
23 LGBT landmarks of the East Village and Noho
June 17, 2019

23 LGBT landmarks of the East Village and Noho

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Their neighbor to the west Greenwich Village may be more well known as a nexus for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender history, but the East Village and Noho are chock full of LGBT culture as well, from the site of one the very first LGBT demonstrations to the homes of some of the greatest openly-LGBT artists and writers of the 20th century to the birthplace of New York’s largest drag festival. Ahead, we round up 23 examples, from Walt Whitman's favorite watering hole to Allen Ginsberg's many local residences to Keith Haring's studio.
Learn the history of all the spots
MTA will bring food and retail options to three of the city’s most trafficked subway hubs

Image via Flickr cc

June 17, 2019

MTA will bring food and retail options to three of the city’s most trafficked subway hubs

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As subway newsstands continue to decline, the MTA is reconsidering its retail strategy at three of the cities busiest stations, the Wall Street Journal reports. Riders will soon have more underground dining and shopping options, as the agency seeks to replicate the success of Grand Central Terminal—which teems with a wide range of bars, restaurants, and shops—and the Turnstyle Underground Market leading to Manhattan's 59th St-Columbus Circle Station. The three stations set for a revamp are 42nd Street-Port Authority, 42nd Street-Times Square, and 47th-50th Streets-Rockefeller Center.
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Historic places in the UWS, Harlem and Sunset Park are recommended for state and national designation

Dorrance Brooks Square Historic District, St. Marks United Methodist Church. Image courtesy of NY State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

June 17, 2019

Historic places in the UWS, Harlem and Sunset Park are recommended for state and national designation

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Gov. Andrew  Cuomo announced on Friday that the New York State Board for Historic Preservation has recommended adding 18 properties, resources, and districts to the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The new nominations include the Upper West Side home of author and civil rights activist James Baldwin, the Dorrance Brooks Square Historic District and the former 32nd Precinct Station House complex in Harlem, and the Fourth Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church in Sunset Park, Brooklyn in addition to 14 other nominated places throughout the state.
Find out how New York continues to recognize varied historic places
City designation saves Brooklyn’s Weeksville Heritage Center from uncertain financial future

The Center’s historic Hunterfly Road Houses via Wiki Commons

June 17, 2019

City designation saves Brooklyn’s Weeksville Heritage Center from uncertain financial future

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The Weeksville Heritage Center has been added to a list of 33 Cultural Institutions Groups (CIG), guaranteeing the museum will have its basic operating costs covered, as Curbed first reported. After revealing its precarious financial position earlier this year, Weeksville launched a crowdfunding campaign in May to meet the Center’s short-term operating costs. The effort ended up bringing in over $266,000 from more than 4,100 donors around the world. The coveted CIG designation—the first new addition in more than 20 years and the first black cultural center in Brooklyn to make the list—means that Weeksville will be able to enjoy greater stability as it continues to share its vital mission with visitors and the community.
All the details
City withdraws plan for mixed-income tower proposed for Upper East Side playground

Previous rendering of the original project; Via NYCHA

June 17, 2019

City withdraws plan for mixed-income tower proposed for Upper East Side playground

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The New York City Housing Authority has ditched plans to build a private 47-story apartment building on top of a playground on the Upper East Side, agency officials said Friday. The original plan called for a 300-unit tower to replace the playground at the Holmes Tower public housing complex with half of the units affordable and the other half at market-rate, the latter meant to raise funds for repairs at the tower. The new plan for the site will increase the number of market-rate apartments in order to collect more money, NYCHA officials told THE CITY.
Get the details
This $13M private island just outside NYC is totally off the grid

Listing photos by Vizzi Media Solutions

June 17, 2019

This $13M private island just outside NYC is totally off the grid

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This unique home located in New Rochelle just outside New York City is not only situated on a pair of private islands with over five acres of land, but with a year's worth of fuel oil, the islands are completely self-sustaining for off-the-grid living right in Westchester County. An inspired renovation by the current owner means custom everything and integration with nature without sacrificing comfort. Asking $13 million, Columbia and Pea Islands–and a 5,625-square-foot home–are definitely not your ordinary property.
Take an island tour
De Blasio and Chuck Schumer call for increased helicopter regulations after last week’s crash

Image via Flickr cc

June 17, 2019

De Blasio and Chuck Schumer call for increased helicopter regulations after last week’s crash

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Following the deadly crash of a helicopter in midtown last Monday, lawmakers are calling for greater oversight on helicopters flying over the city, the New York Post reported. “I think we need a full ban on any helicopters going over Manhattan itself,” Mayor de Blasio said on WNYC’s The Brian Lehrer Show last Friday, noting that “exemptions should be made for emergency responders, first responders, uniform services,” and news cameras. On Sunday, Senator Chuck Schumer urged the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to include data recorders in all helicopters.
More info
New Schomburg Center exhibit explores 20th-century Black placemaking in Harlem

“Harlem Street Scene Showing Local Businesses,” 1939, Photographer: Sid Grossman, Street Scenes Collection, Photographs and Prints Division, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture courtesy of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture

June 14, 2019

New Schomburg Center exhibit explores 20th-century Black placemaking in Harlem

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"A Ballad for Harlem," the new exhibit now on view at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, explores the history of the neighborhood and celebrates Black placemaking in 20th and 21st century America. The exhibit uses photographs, manuscripts, objects, art and sculpture from the Schomburg's collection to revisit "Harlem’s places, people, and moments—both known and underrepresented—that capture the realities of community and hardship experienced by Black Americans." Ahead, hear from curator Novella Ford to learn more about the show.
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This $17.5M historic Tribeca townhouse has a jazz club in the basement
June 14, 2019

This $17.5M historic Tribeca townhouse has a jazz club in the basement

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The Bogardus Mansion at 75 Murray Street is an original cast iron treasure. Perfectly configured for conversion to a single family home, the 25-foot-wide Tribeca building, asking $17.5 million, is a true piece of New York City history, with original details and plenty of possibilities, from the noted 75 Club jazz venue in the building's basement to the owner's penthouse with a conservatory, roof deck and stunning lower Manhattan views.
Five floors, a penthouse and a unique speakeasy
From superheroes to speakeasies: 10 walking tours even New Yorkers will love
June 14, 2019

From superheroes to speakeasies: 10 walking tours even New Yorkers will love

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There’s no better way to enjoy the warm weather and see all New York has to offer than by taking a walking tour. Not just for tourists anymore, you can learn more about city history, find a new favorite spot to eat, and even discover some Instagram-worthy views. Ahead, we’ve rounded up 10 of the most fun and information tours in NYC, from superheroes and ghosts to swing dance and pork buns.
Find out more
10 businesses including Tracks Bar will be shuttered in $600M Penn Station revamp

Photo of Tracks Bar by 6sqft

June 14, 2019

10 businesses including Tracks Bar will be shuttered in $600M Penn Station revamp

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Recently-revealed renderings show the final design for the new main entrance to Penn Station. It's no surprise that, as the Wall Street Journal reports, the overhaul will mean the eviction of 10 businesses including popular commuter watering hole Tracks Bar. Real estate developer Vornado will be making the decision about which, if any, of the businesses–other than Tracks, mostly chain restaurants–can return when renovations are done.
Find out more
For under $700K, a colorful and cozy Greenpoint co-op close to McCarren Park

Listing images by Rise Media

June 14, 2019

For under $700K, a colorful and cozy Greenpoint co-op close to McCarren Park

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Just a few blocks away from both McCarren and McGorlick Parks, this ground-floor Greenpoint co-op at 100 Newel Street is a rare find for the asking price of $699,000. It's full of pre-war elements like original hardwood floors and wainscoting, mixed with modern pops of color and a freshly renovated kitchen and bathroom. While the railroad layout is less than ideal, charming details in every room—including two fireplaces—make it a cozy and intimate place to call home.
Take a look inside
VIDEO: See the city’s highest rooftop pool get lifted 680 feet atop supertall Brooklyn Point

Rendering courtesy of Williams New York/Extell

June 14, 2019

VIDEO: See the city’s highest rooftop pool get lifted 680 feet atop supertall Brooklyn Point

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The tallest residential building in Brooklyn was crowned this week with the highest infinity pool in the Western Hemisphere. A video released by Extell shows a 27-foot-long pool being hoisted 680 feet in the air, taking its place atop Brooklyn Point. The 68-story tower, designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox, topped out in April and sits as part of the Downtown Brooklyn development City Point.
See the video
How the MTA’s service changes will affect your Father’s Day weekend

Image via Flickr cc

June 14, 2019

How the MTA’s service changes will affect your Father’s Day weekend

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No matter how you're celebrating this Father's Day weekend, the MTA is probably the most likely candidate to throw a last-minute wrench in your plan to be punctual. The planned service changes are fairly merciful, but far from insignificant. Uptown 1, 4, and 6 trains are skipping a bunch of stops uptown, while the D and F take a break for stretches of Brooklyn.
Know before you go
In a converted Cobble Hill school, this $1.5M co-op has three floors and a private patio

Listing images by Stephano Okmar

June 13, 2019

In a converted Cobble Hill school, this $1.5M co-op has three floors and a private patio

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Located in the former St. Paul’s Parish School, a triplex layout and private patio entrance make this Cobble Hill co-op at 203 Warren Street feel like a townhouse, with the added benefit of double-height, lofty ceilings on the main floor. Currently listed for $1,495,000, the two-bedroom residence also has a flexible mezzanine that could easily be converted for any number of uses.
Get the full tour
MTA rolls out rainbow MetroCards and train decals for Pride month

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

June 13, 2019

MTA rolls out rainbow MetroCards and train decals for Pride month

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The Federal government may be banning Pride flags at U.S. embassies, but here in New York, our city agencies are prouder than ever to show off the rainbow. The latest initiative comes from the MTA, who has revealed a special set of Pride MetroCards, along with Pride-themed Transit merchandise and a new Pride logo on select subway cars. All of the festive additions mark not only World Pride being hosted in NYC this year but the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising.
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