6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

Here’s everything you need to know about getting around this weekend and over the Christmas holiday, whether you’re staying in or traveling outside NYC. The good news is that the MTA is suspending bridge and tunnel maintenance for the holiday, the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North are providing extra service, off-peak fares apply, and there’s a free bus to La Guardia. Read on for some of the bad news.
Know before you go

NYC added 20+ miles of protected bike lanes this year; Guggenheim nominated as World Heritage Site

Bike lanes via Flickr cc (L); Guggenheim via Wiki Commons (R)

December 20, 2018

NYC added 20+ miles of protected bike lanes this year; Guggenheim nominated as World Heritage Site

By 6sqft

The city added more than 20 miles of protected bike lanes in 2018, bringing the total to 1,217 miles. [NYC Mayor’s Office] Eight Frank Lloyd Wright buildings, including the Guggenheim, have been nominated to be World Heritage Sites. [Curbed] Get a tour of Amy Sedaris’ quirky, theatrical Greenwich Village apartment. [The Cut] Ever hear of […]

Uncategorized

December 20, 2018

Elegant Greenwich Village rental with a secret terrace asks $8,950/month

Nearly four years ago, 6sqft featured this enchanting parlor-floor rental at 34 West 9th Street. At the time, it was asking $9,850/month, but with a new batch of picture-perfect views, the price has dropped slightly to $8,950/month. The floor-through unit is located in a traditional townhouse and retains gorgeous historic details such as fluted pilasters with Corinthian capitals, dentil moldings, intricate ceiling medallions, and two decorative hand-carved marble fireplaces. But best of all, this little slice of elegance comes with a private terrace overlooking the building's garden below.
Get a look around

Distinctive Homes

Governor Cuomo takes his second tour of the Gateway Tunnel

Via Flickr

December 20, 2018

Governor Cuomo takes his second tour of the Gateway Tunnel

Last night, Governor Cuomo toured the Gateway Tunnel to survey its levels of corrosion and damage beneath the Hudson River. He was joined by the same experts from Cornell University's College of Engineering and Columbia University's Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science who toured the Canarsie Tunnel last week with the Governor. The purpose of the tour was to provide insight into rehabilitating the Canarsie Tunnel ahead of the L train shutdown. However, the tour may definitely have done double duty as a push to the Trump administration, reiterating the importance of this critical project which won’t be able to go forward without federal support.
Find out more

Grand Central train shed repairs could mean a mess for Midtown streets

Photo via Wiki Commons

December 20, 2018

Grand Central train shed repairs could mean a mess for Midtown streets

The MTA recently purchased Grand Central Terminal for $35 million, a deal which gave the agency more control over development projects happening at the landmark. And in one of their first orders of business, it looks like they're mulling a massive undertaking to replace the train shed roof, according to Crain's sources. The shed is a two-level-deep underground space comprised of tracks, bridges, and viaducts used to stage and store Metro-North cars. It runs north of the terminal to East 57th Street and takes up an area larger than 20 football fields. Not only would the project cost hundreds of millions of dollars and take 20 years to complete, but Crain's notes that it would likely result in many Midtown streets being ripped up.
READ MORE

Transit

December 20, 2018

‘Solar-carving’ facade is complete at Jeanne Gang’s High Line tower

Jeanne Gang's 12-story office building on the High Line has earned itself the nickname Solar Carve tower for its gem-like glass facade that was "sculpted by the angles of the sun" in order to eliminate shadows. And now, eight months after topping out, the building's signature glass curtain wall is complete, just in time to welcome tenants early this spring. In a press release announcing the milestone, Developers Aurora Capital Associates and William Gottlieb Real Estate said they believe the project, located at 40 Tenth Avenue between 13th and 14th Streets, will be "the office crown jewel of the Meatpacking District."
See more photos of the completed product

December 20, 2018

$8,000/month Nolita loft blends old-warm charm with downtown decor

For $8,000 a month, this loft-like Nolita two-bedroom offers a chic and sunny ambiance with glazed brick tiled floors, exposed wooden beams and brick walls in every room, and eclectic decor that is definitely the definition of downtown cool. With a roomy living area, large master bedroom, two full bathrooms, and all the amenities you want, this unit at 262 Mott Street is a dream.
Look around

Distinctive Homes

10 ideas for an adventurous NYC New Year’s Eve, regrets optional

Image courtesy of MetropolisNYE

December 20, 2018

10 ideas for an adventurous NYC New Year’s Eve, regrets optional

New Year's Eve is one of those holidays where expectations outweigh the realities–freezing weather, scarce transportation, raucous crowds and the prospect of corralling all of your friends in one place to avoid ringing in the new year while packed into a stalled subway car. If you've a shred of sense, you're not headed for Times Square, but the city does its best to offer up options that are suitably festive and possibly even a whole lot of fun. See the list below for some ways to avoid dropping the ball on this year's NYE plans.
2019, this way

Events & Things To Do

Distinctive Homes

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

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

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

6sqft’s top ‘distinctive homes’ of 2024

For $25M, a Flatiron penthouse in a golden cupola, with Manhattan at your feet

For $6.9M, this Scarsdale mansion is a true 21st-century estate

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

Behold the breathtaking views from this $18M home on the Montauk coastline

$7.2M penthouse is most expensive sponsor sale in Williamsburg

New year, new $10M Greenwich Village loft

VIEW ALL

December 19, 2018

New renderings of Norman Foster’s Red Hook office complex reveal green roofs and courtyard

Construction on Norman Foster’s Red Hoek Point, a 7.7-acre commercial campus at the former Revere Sugar Factory, started in October and this week new renderings of the future office complex were released, as CityRealty first reported. Developed by Thor Equities and designed by Foster + Partners with SCAPE Landscape Architecture, the complex will be composed of two five-story buildings that will hold a combined 795,000 square feet of office space on three levels and 23,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space on the ground level. The new views provide the first look at the nearly four acres of green roof space, including walking and jogging paths and landscaping to mitigate stormwater runoff.
Find out more

Celebrate the winter solstice in NYC with one of these musical parades

Via Flickr

December 19, 2018

Celebrate the winter solstice in NYC with one of these musical parades

On December 21st, the longest night of the year, neighborhoods throughout New York City will be transformed by the festivities of Make Music Winter, a series of free participatory parades focused on music and representing a range of cultures and traditions. With more than 18 separate events taking place throughout the boroughs, there will be something for music lovers of all stripes this Friday.
Follow the music

Events & Things To Do

December 19, 2018

$395K Tudor City co-op is a man cave in waiting

Woodstock Tower at 320 East 42nd Street is one of the most charming of Tudor City's collection of elegant co-op buildings, and in keeping with the complex's pre-war charm is this studio asking less than $400,000. Like so many of the itty-bitty units in Tudor City, this 240-square-foot makes the most of its footprint with a Murphy bed and built-in storage, and in this case, a very refined and handsome design that would make this the perfect man cave.
Find out more about the place

Distinctive Homes

Apply for 14 middle-income apartments on the Williamsburg-Bushwick border, from $2,081/month

Photo via Flickr cc

December 19, 2018

Apply for 14 middle-income apartments on the Williamsburg-Bushwick border, from $2,081/month

With the L train shutdown looming, some of the best rental finds are those in parts of Williamsburg that have easy access to another train. Like this new 45-unit building at 46 Cook Street that's just two blocks from the M and J trains at Flushing Avenue but still a quick walk to cool 'spots like Roberta's, Sweet Science, and the Well. Even better, 14 middle-income units at the new, 12-story rental just came online through the city's affordable housing lottery. Available to New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income, they range from $2,081/month one-bedrooms to $2,888/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

What are the chances of a White Christmas in NYC this year?

Photo via Marianne O’Leary on Flickr

December 19, 2018

What are the chances of a White Christmas in NYC this year?

The chance of getting a White Christmas in New York City this year is sadly unlikely, but not impossible. The team behind the Omni Calculator Project created an online tool that provides the probability of snowfall in major cities across the United States as well as the closest White Christmas--meaning at least one inch of snowfall on Dec. 25--near that city. While the White Christmas Calculator says NYC has a roughly 12 percent chance of seeing snow next Tuesday, there are four nearby cities with a nearly 50 percent chance of enjoying some flurries.
Dreaming of a White Christmas?

Events & Things To Do

December 19, 2018

This subway-style map plots NYC parks

Need a gift for the New Yorker who has it all? How about this fun map from the Parks Department that plots NYC parks in the style of a traditional subway map? Not only can you peruse the map online, but just for the holiday season, limited-edition, full-size posters of "Next Stop: NYC Parks" are available for purchase.
READ MORE

City Living

Washington Heights’ first food hall announces spring opening and vendors

An early rendering of North End Food Hall, via NADA

December 18, 2018

Washington Heights’ first food hall announces spring opening and vendors

Earlier this year, the Post called Washington Heights “the new Williamsburg,” after census data revealed that the upper-Manhattan neighborhood has more millennials than any other area in the entire city. After being priced out of areas like Bushwick, the Heights is a cheaper but equally convenient place to settle down. And like any good up-and-coming NYC spot, Washington Heights will soon be getting its very own food hall. Eater reports that North End Food Hall will open this spring at 4300 Broadway, at 183rd Street, with local favorites like Dashi Ramen (from the team behind Jin Ramen), Harlem Public, and Salt and Bone Smokehouse.
Find out more

Food & Dining

MTA to close two Washington Heights subway stations for one year

Via Wikipedia

December 18, 2018

MTA to close two Washington Heights subway stations for one year

Two subway stations in Manhattan will close for one year each starting next month, although not at the same time, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced on Tuesday. The long-term closures are the result of major elevator replacement projects planned for five stations, including 168th, both 181st, 191st, and 190th Street 1/A stations in Washington Heights. According to the MTA, three of the stations are more than a century old, with most of the elevator components close to 100 years old.
Details here

Transit

Ride back in time on vintage NYC trains and buses this holiday season

Feeling whimsical? Holiday Nostalgia rides are back this season, with vintage train cars and buses replacing regular service through New Year's. The New York Transit Museum invites New Yorkers and visitors alike to celebrate the magic of the city during the holidays with train rides that run along the F line from 6th Avenue to 47th-50th-Rockefeller Center, with stops at stations like Columbus Circle and 125th Street, all spots known for being major holiday shopping centers.
Roll this way

Events & Things To Do

Photos courtesy of Roey Yohai Studio

December 18, 2018

A behind-the-scenes look at Gracie Mansion’s colorfully festive holiday decorations

By Emily Nonko

Gracie Mansion, the residence of Mayor Bill de Blasio, is officially in full holiday spirit. The historic home, which dates back to 1799, is showing off decorations that promote some of the mayor's top initiatives, plus the overall theme of togetherness. It's all the work of New York City's First Lady Chirlane McCray and renowned event planner Bryan Rafanelli, who have been refining the vision since this summer. This is Rafanelli's second year working with McCray to decorate the people's home of New York. For 2018, they selected jewel-toned colors, lots of ribbon, and even worked in some participation from New Yorkers. Keep reading to figure out how the pair made it happen, an effort that includes bringing a 17-foot-tall tree through a narrow French door into the mansion's ballroom. The images are sure to put you in a New York holiday spirit.
Read more

December 18, 2018

Historic Clinton Hill carriage house with 4,500-square-foot garden asks 3.4M

On a historic block in Clinton Hill, this three-level carriage house at 361 Waverly Avenue is a dream for those seeking country living vibes without leaving the city. As Curbed reported, the interior could use a modern refresh (or at least some curtains that don't match the wallpaper), but the $3,400,000 property is truly original and offers a ton of charming architectural details, a garage for worry-free parking, and a massive garden that could probably host a small wedding.
Take the tour

On Christmas Eve, the public can go inside Gramercy Park for one hour

Photo via Flickr cc

December 18, 2018

On Christmas Eve, the public can go inside Gramercy Park for one hour

Photo via Flickr cc From 6-7pm this Christmas Eve, the Gramercy Park Block Association will open the park's iron gates to the public for its annual holiday caroling hour with the local Parish of Calvary-St. George's. And though this may not seem like much time, it's probably the only chance New Yorkers will get; all other times, Gramercy Park is only accessible to those who live in the 39 building surrounding the square and are lucky enough to have one of the 400 keys.
READ MORE

Events & Things To Do

December 17, 2018

Nitehawk Cinema will open in Park Slope this week with 7 theaters and bar with Prospect Park views

The Nitehawk Cinema will open a second location of its popular theater in Brooklyn this week after two years of renovation work. The theater will open on Wednesday in Park Slope at a refurbished Pavilion Theater, an iconic cinema that was built in 1928 and shuttered in 2016. Dubbed Nitehawk Prospect Park, the 34,000-square-foot facility includes seven theaters and a second-floor cocktail bar that overlooks Prospect Park.
More this way

New Developments

December 17, 2018

$2,500/month studio may be small, but it’s in the heart of the Upper West Side

The age-old question for apartment-hunting New Yorkers is space or location? And if you fall into the latter camp, this bright and cozy studio on the Upper West Side at 140 West 69th Street may be for you. It's itty bitty, but there's still a functional kitchen, clever storage built-ins, a roomy living area, and a lofted bed to open things up. And best of all, it's located at the corner of 69th and Broadway, right near Lincoln Center, the 1/2/3 trains, Trader Joes, and Central Park and a quick walk to Columbus Circle and Riverside Park. Does all that warrant the small space's $2,500/month ask?
Decide for yourself

Distinctive Homes

December 17, 2018

This map will help you navigate the system when the L train shuts down

As the dreaded L train shutdown of April 2019 looms ever nearer, the fine folks at Citymapper have created an addition to their interactive mapping app to show you what your commute will look like when the L is not an option. Use the SuperRouter to plan a trip between Brooklyn and Manhattan and see which of your alternative routes works best.
More detai s, this way

My 280sqft: How a wellness expert used plants and DIY to open up her tiny West Village studio

Our ongoing series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to wellness entrepreneur and innovation consultant Ilse Paanakker’s West Village studio. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

December 17, 2018

My 280sqft: How a wellness expert used plants and DIY to open up her tiny West Village studio

"Wellness" is definitely a buzzword these days, but Ilse Paanakker, a self-described "habit-based wellness guru" is definitely not just talk. By day, Ilse works as an innovation consultant, but she's also the founder of Habit House, a wellness technology that helps women build healthy lifestyles one habit at a time. And it when it came to her 280-square-foot West Village studio, Ilse was sure to use her expertise to create a home that not only feels much larger than its tiny footprint but empowers her to maintain her personal healthy habits. From her beautifully curated collection of plants (it's "meditative to take care of them," she says) and DIY projects to her accountability board and streamlined kitchen that's perfect for meal-prep, Ilse's home is the true definition of a wellness lifestyle.
Take the tour!

December 17, 2018

Google to invest $1B in Hudson Square campus, doubling its workforce

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

Google will invest $1 billion to open 1.7 million square feet of office space in Hudson Square, the company announced on Monday. The new campus includes property at 315 and 345 Hudson Street and will also be centered around 550 Washington Street, the former freight terminal, St. John's Terminal. With this expansion from its Chelsea offices at 111 Eighth Avenue, Google said its workforce will double over the next 10 years, adding another 7,000 New York-based staff members.
Find out more

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

VIEW ALL

The New York Public Library reveals list of the most-checked-out books of 2018

Image via publicdomainpictures.net

December 17, 2018

The New York Public Library reveals list of the most-checked-out books of 2018

The New York Public Library has announced its annual top checkouts list for the year; The most sought-after title in the three public library systems–including books and e-books from the New York Public Library (covering the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island), Brooklyn Public Library, and Queens Library–was Jennifer Egan's "Manhattan Beach." Egan won a Pulitzer Prize for "A Visit From the Goon Squad" in 2011; her newest novel is, as the New York Times puts it in a review, "principally a novel of New York" that "pays tribute to the city’s iconography."
More of the top checkouts, this way

City Living

December 17, 2018

This charming upstate barn has enough warmth for a winter weekend at $255 a night

Tons of artfully created details, a wood-burning stove and modern comforts–from rain shower head to reading nooks–add up to a warm welcome at this upstate barn listed on Airbnb for $255 a night. It looks like a perfect escape from city life without having to rough it–and barns are cooler than cabins anyway. The hosts have been at this for a while, so they've got all the details covered, including wifi and a programmable smart TV so you don’t have to miss your shows. Set on four-and-a-half acres in the quaint-but-cool town of Tivoli, NY, about 100 miles from New York City in the Hudson River Valley near Bard College, the barn offers five beds on three levels, for up to six guests.
Have a look around

FREE RENT: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

Images (L to R): ARO, Bridgeline, Paris New York, Paramount Tower and in center, Denizen Bushwick

December 15, 2018

FREE RENT: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

By Annie Doge

Images (L to R): ARO, Bridgeline, Paris New York, Paramount Tower and in center, Denizen Bushwick Denizen Bushwick: The Best Rental of 2018 [LINK] The Paris New York: Upper West Side Rentals Offer 2 Months Free on 18-Month Lease [LINK] Paramount Tower: Murray Hill’s 51-Story Tower Leasing 1 to 3 Bedroom Layouts from $3,995/Month [LINK] […]

Real Estate Trends

This New Yorker wants you to take advantage of your ‘right’ to free admission at NYC museums

Via Wikimedia

December 14, 2018

This New Yorker wants you to take advantage of your ‘right’ to free admission at NYC museums

The Metropolitan Museum of Art and 12 other New York City institutions should be free of charge for New York residents, claims one local resident. New Yorker Pat Nicholson this week launched a website aimed at educating the city about the "right" to free admission to museums like the Met and others, as Metro reported. According to Nicholson, a 19th-century law states the Met should offer free admission five days a week in exchange for a rent-free lease on city property.
Find out more

Events & Things To Do

6sqft’s series “Where I Work” takes us into the studios, offices, and businesses of New Yorkers. Want to see your business featured here? Get in touch!

December 14, 2018

Where I Work: Ample Hills opens NYC’s largest ice cream factory in Red Hook

This summer, Brooklyn ice cream phenomenon Ample Hills opened NYC's largest ice cream factory in Red Hook. Founders Jackie Cuscuna and Brian Smith wanted "to create a place where people from all over the world could come together, share a scoop and learn the magic behind making ice cream." From a single cart in Prospect Park eight years ago to the new 15,000-square-foot factory, museum, and shop that can produce 500,000 gallons of ice cream a day, Ample Hills certainly has delivered on this goal. 6sqft recently visited the factory and, of course, had a sampling of all the whimsical flavors (including the factory's signature flavor that is an homage to the Dutch settlers of Red Hook). We also took a tour of the space with Ample Hills' creative director Lauren Kaelin, who designed the space's interactive 22-foot-wide map of Brooklyn and educational exhibits. She took us behind-the-scenes in both the ice cream production side and the bakery (Ample Hills makes all its mix-ins by hand) and filled us in on some secrets of the sweet company.
Take the sweet tour

December 14, 2018

Moby sells midcentury Westchester gem for charity for $1.1M

Recording artist, real estate buff, animal rights activist and philanthropist Moby has sold his two-bedroom midcentury house in Westchester County for $1.1 million in a trade for which he has the best of intentions, according to Mansion Global. 6sqft reported in July that Moby, whose real name is Richard Melville Hall, was putting the 3,100-square-foot modern home in Pound Ridge on the market for $1.3 million just four months after buying it for $1.24M. At the time he explained the sale on Instagram by saying, "It’s one of the most beautiful houses I’ve seen, but to be honest, I’m rarely there. So I’m going to sell it and take the money to: support progressive political candidates, support my animal rights foundation, produce documentaries, and fund scholarships."
Get a last look

December 14, 2018

You can live on Billionaires’ Row for just $325K

It seems as if almost every day we hear of a new big-ticket sale on Manhattan's "Billionaire's Row," the glittering corridor just south of Central Park in Midtown. Eight-figure sales at a growing collection of supertalls like One57, 432 Park Avenue and 111 West 57th Street seem almost ordinary. But it's still possible to snag a home among the oligarchs and moguls: Two units on the market at the classic co-op building at 100 West 57th Street can be yours for $325K (for a studio) and $450K (for a spacious one-bedroom). If you're looking for more than a pied-a-terre, you could even combine both contiguous units and still come in under a mil.
Take a look at your options

Distinctive Homes

December 14, 2018

Cuomo tours damaged L train tunnel four months before shutdown

While the plan to shut down the L train for over a year to perform necessary repairs in the East River tunnel it runs through has been in the works for years, Gov. Andrew Cuomo decided this week to see the damage for himself, four months ahead of the looming closure. During a midnight tour of the Canarsie Tunnel on Friday, which connects Manhattan and Brooklyn, Cuomo said he saw "a very old tunnel that needed a lot of work," the New York Post reported. The governor toured the tunnel with two engineering experts from Cornell and Columbia Universities to get a first-hand look and determine whether a 15 month-shutdown is the best-case scenario for commuters.
Too little, too late?

Delays and station closures but no major outages on the subway this weekend

Via Flickr

December 14, 2018

Delays and station closures but no major outages on the subway this weekend

The bar is set pretty low for the MTA these days. Even with plenty of station closures, trains operating only every 10-12 minutes, and many trains rerouted via other lines, overall it seems like a decent weekend schedule with no major disruptions. Check out a detailed list of the planned service changes below.
Know before you go

Transit

Starbucks is opening a massive ‘immersive coffee experience’ with a cocktail bar in Chelsea

Photo by Matt Glac for Starbucks

December 13, 2018

Starbucks is opening a massive ‘immersive coffee experience’ with a cocktail bar in Chelsea

Starbucks is opening a new cafe in Chelsea on Friday, but it won't be anything like the stores that dot every block in Manhattan. Called the Starbucks Reserve Roastery, the store on 9th Avenue stretches across 23,00 square feet and three levels and promises to bring an "immersive coffee experience" for java lovers. In addition to having a working coffee roastery, the space features two coffee bars, cocktail bar, bakery, and a terrarium inspired by the Starbucks coffee farm in Costa Rica.
Take a look inside

Food & Dining

December 13, 2018

1820s New Paltz estate on 240 acres is a country living fantasy for $3M

If you've ever dreamed of getting out of the city (but not too, too far out), and nesting in a country estate amid rolling hills, White Duck Farm awaits. For $2.95 million, this 240-acre Ulster County estate is just a couple of hours from New York City in the Shawangunk Ridge-Mohonk Mountain Preserve, set back from the road and possessed of rolling pastures, woodlands, a pond, a pool, a party barn and a guest cottage–and a gorgeous, renovated brick Federal-style home (h/t CIRCA).
It's just as charming on the inside

Billy goats and beer: When Central Park held goat beauty pageants

Goat carriages in Central Park via Library of Congress

December 13, 2018

Billy goats and beer: When Central Park held goat beauty pageants

By Lucie Levine

1930s New York brought us many things: Superman, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, Joe DiMaggio, and, of course, goat beauty pageants in Central Park. Following the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, the Brewer’s Board of Trade was eager to revive the springtime tradition of Bock Beer festivals and put out an appeal for the most gorgeous goats in Gotham. The goats would go horn to horn in beauty pageants in Central Park to claim the title of “Mr. Manhattan,” and the right to return to the park for regional competitions to determine which beautiful Billy Goat would be “Mr. Bock Beer,” the brewer’s mascot, and the face of ubiquitous bock beer advertisements.
Get more Goats here!

History

Via NYCEDC and Wiki Commons

December 13, 2018

‘I ♥ NY’ designer Milton Glaser not thrilled with Amazon rip-off

This week the city's Economic Development Corporation released documents of its detailed pitch to lure Amazon to move to the city, which included offering up prime real estate in four different New York City neighborhoods and nearly $3 billion in incentives. Another thing city and state officials pitched to the tech company, which chose Long Island City last month for its HQ2 complex, is the state's famous "I love NY" logo. In their pitch, city and state officials swapped the iconic logo's heart out for Amazon's arrow-smile, which assumingly reads "I Amazon NY."
Glaser's thoughts ahead

Announcing 6sqft’s 2018 Building of the Year!

Rendering via Hill West Architects; frame via Pixabay

December 13, 2018

Announcing 6sqft’s 2018 Building of the Year!

The votes have been tallied, and it's time to name the 2018 Building of the Year! The winning title belongs to none other than Long Island City's Skyline Tower. The 778-foot-tall tower beat out 11 other significant NYC buildings in a competitive two-week competition held by 6sqft. Out of nearly 3,000 votes cast, the Hill West-designed structure took first place with a whopping 1,021 votes or 35.5% of the total. Was it the fact that the Skyline Tower is on course to become the borough’s tallest building? Or that it has an estimated $1.088 billion sellout, the first in the borough to break the one billion mark? Or perhaps it's the LIC location, the forthcoming home to 25,000 Amazon employees?
More on this year's winner!

December 13, 2018

This $5.2K/month furnished Stuyvesant Heights townhouse is a mix of sophistication and charm

Available from January through August of 2019 at $5,250 per month, this freshly-renovated brownstone triplex at 458 Hancock Street in Bed-Stuy's coveted Stuyvesant Heights historic district presents a great opportunity to get to know the city and the neighborhood. Interiors are bright and spacious, and you don't need to bring anything but your family or friends, and your toothbrush. The four-bedroom home with lots of space to spare plus a private deck and yard comes ready for living, complete with cool furniture and plants.
Take the townhouse tour

Port Authority launches public poll to decide fate of awkward Holland Tunnel holiday decorations

Photo via Flickr cc

December 13, 2018

Port Authority launches public poll to decide fate of awkward Holland Tunnel holiday decorations

Update 12/17/18: Following the public poll, the Port Authority says they will move the Christmas tree over the A and remove the wreath over the U in Tunnel. The Port Authority is asking commuters to weigh in on the great Holland Tunnel holiday decoration debacle that many are calling an "OCD nightmare." While the decorations have historically been placed to sit aligned symmetrically above the tunnel lanes, workers who were tasked with decking out the tolls created an eyesore by placing a triangular tree over the N in "Holland" and by putting a wreath over the U, turning the "Tunnel" into a "Tonnel." As the New York Post reported, Cory Windelspecht of Tribeca decided to start a Change.org petition to challenge the decor faux pas. “I look at it and it makes me itch. It gives me anxiety and anger," he fumed. "Why wouldn’t they just put [the tree] in front of the A?”
Find out more

NYC plans to sell $1B in NYCHA air rights to developers

Via Creative Commons

December 13, 2018

NYC plans to sell $1B in NYCHA air rights to developers

The New York City Housing Authority will sell its unused air rights to developers for the first time ever, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Wednesday. The authority said it will transfer a portion of its 80 million square feet of air rights to generate $1 billion in capital repairs for nearby developments. The air rights announcement is one part of a 10-year plan the mayor unveiled, called NYCHA 2.0, which aims to resolve $24 billion in necessary repairs at public housing. In total, the agency needs nearly $32 billion over five years for necessary repairs.
Get the details

MTA confirms that ‘disabled train’ announcement was really for a bathroom break

Photo via Flickr cc

December 12, 2018

MTA confirms that ‘disabled train’ announcement was really for a bathroom break

In the summer of 2017, the MTA implemented a new policy to get rid of stock recordings ("we are delayed because of train traffic ahead of us” or “we are being held momentarily by the train’s dispatcher") and "give more detailed announcements" when trains are delayed. And it looks like they have now taken their honesty campaign to Twitter, correcting a rider that his train was not delayed by another disabled train but rather because "one train crew member had to make an emergency pitstop to the restroom."
It happens to the best of us

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

Learn More

December 12, 2018

Is $1,850/month for this 272-square-foot Clinton Hill studio a deal for the location?

It's hard to find a decent studio these days for under $2,000 a month, let alone one with 12-foot ceilings, original exposed brick, and plenty of natural light. But this Clinton Hill cutie at 126 Willoughby Avenue is asking $1,850. It is, however, less than 300-square-feet. But what it lacks in space it makes up for in location; it's just six blocks from Fort Greene Park, three blocks from the G at Clinton-Washington, and in the heart of all the neighborhood hotspots along DeKalb and Myrtle Avenues.
Some different angles

Distinctive Homes

December 12, 2018

This tool maps thousands of plaques around the world, including hundreds near NYC

While most New Yorkers know the city has been full of historical events and figures since its founding, it's sometimes hard to remember where all these significant milestones took place. An interactive map called "Read the Plaque" features 17,000 plaques found across the world, with over 100 in New York City alone. As part of the radio project 99% Invisible, Read the Plaque imports plaques from around the world, with each featuring locations, descriptions, and pictures.
Explore NYC's plaques

History

December 12, 2018

Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 6 rental tower reveals new renderings ahead of 2019 leasing launch

The Landing at 15 Bridge Park Drive, the rental portion of the Pier 6 two-building development in Brooklyn Bridge Park, is preparing for a 2019 launch with a new website and new renderings of amenity spaces and exteriors, Curbed reports. 6sqft reported back in September that the lottery for 100 affordable housing units had officially opened. Rents for the tower's 40 market-rate units will start at $3,100 per month and range from studios to three-bedrooms.
See more of what's to come

My 1,600sqft: Adam Elzer shares what it’s like to live above his own East Village pizzeria

Our ongoing series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to restauranteur Adam Elzer’s East Village duplex. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

December 12, 2018

My 1,600sqft: Adam Elzer shares what it’s like to live above his own East Village pizzeria

Adam Elzer likes being close to his work. So close in fact, that the fourth-generation New Yorker recently moved above Sauce Pizzeria, his new pizza parlor in the East Village, after previously living above Sauce Restaurant, his eatery on the Lower East Side. As the co-founder and CEO of Everyday Hospitality, Elzer, in addition to the two Sauce restaurants, also oversees LES Pizza and Coco & Cru, an Australian-inspired cafe. When he's not running his restaurants, Adam enjoys going to flea markets and mills, finding unique items and pieces of wood, upcycling them, and creating something totally new. His creativity can be seen throughout his East Village apartment, from the walls and ceilings Adam painted himself to the handmade wooden pieces, like his kitchen countertop. Ahead, tour Adam's colorful duplex, decorated with what he describes as "bohemian and rustic" decor.
See Adam's abode

Home Tours

December 12, 2018

For just $429K, this cheerful Sunnyside co-op is the perfect family starter pad