6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

With the opening of five lush waterfront acres of park at Pier 3 on Tuesday, Brooklyn Bridge Park is now 90 percent complete. Designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, it's the final pier to be converted into parkland and features two lawns surrounded by shrubs and trees, which will offer both shade and protection from gusts of wind. "Brooklyn Bridge Park is a gem that gleams brighter with each exciting acre it adds, building on our borough’s commitment to offer high-quality open space that brings people together from all walks of life," Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams said.
Plan your visit

Architecture And Design

INTERVIEW: Meet Mary French, the woman archiving New York City’s 140 cemeteries

Photos courtesy of Mary French

July 11, 2018

INTERVIEW: Meet Mary French, the woman archiving New York City’s 140 cemeteries

By Emily Nonko

In a city as tight as New York, it's no surprise we've long struggled to figure out what to do with our dead, from acres-wide cemeteries to those wedged into forgotten slivers of city blocks. The city now boasts 140 cemetery sites, and Mary French has visited them all. Mary is the author of the New York City Cemetery Project, a chronicler of "the graveyards of this great city." Though cemeteries may come with dark connotations, Mary sees them as prime opportunities to understand the history of New York. As she explains on her website, "For those with a passion for culture and history and a curiosity about the unknown, cemeteries are tantalizing spots that provide a wellspring of information about individual lives, communities, religions, and historic events." On NYC Cemetery Project you can read the histories of existing and long-gone cemeteries and the interesting New Yorkers living six feet under, alongside a trove of historic photos and maps. It's a labor of love (and intense research) for Mary, who has a background in anthropology and library science. With 6sqft, Mary explains what first attracted her to the cemeteries of New York and what it's like delving into their past. She also explains why she thinks many might be lost to the pressures of development in New York.
Read the interview

Live one block from the G train in Bed-Stuy for just $1,074/month

Photo via Julien Magne/Flickr

July 11, 2018

Live one block from the G train in Bed-Stuy for just $1,074/month

With the impending L train shutdown, the G train is looking better and better, and here's a chance to live less than a block from the Myrtle-Willoughby Avenues stop. The affordable housing lottery is for seven $1,074//month one-bedrooms, open to New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income, at 901 Myrtle Avenue, a new 30-unit rental building.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

July 11, 2018

Construction begins on Extell’s 69-story tower, set to be tallest on the Upper West Side

Rendering via Snohetta / Binyan Studios; construction photo via CityRealty With the neighboring Jewish Guild for the Blind officially demolished, construction has now begun on Extell Development's skyscraper at 50 West 66th Street. Designed by Snøhetta, the mixed-use skyscraper is set to rise 775 feet, making it the tallest building on the Upper West Side. The 69-story tower will feature a facade of excavations, that are meant to evoke the "chiseled stone of Manhattan's geologic legacy," according to the architects. As CityRealty reported, the new tower will sit next to some of the borough's most illustrious buildings, including 15 Central Park West and The Century.
Find out more

New Developments

July 11, 2018

An on-trend renovation and high-floor light elevate this $550K East Village walk-up

Apartments on some of Alphabet City's most charming streets, such as this $549,000 fifth-floor co-op at 323 East 8th Street, have the good fortune of being steps from some of Manhattan's loveliest public gardens and Tompkins Square Park as well as great bars, cafes and restaurants in every direction. Those charms often offset the sacrifices of tiny, un-renovated properties–or, on the other end of the spectrum, overpriced sleek–often also tiny–new construction. This cute co-op may be a hike up the stairs, but a stunning and stylish renovation and top-notch fixtures and finishes make it more home than crash pad.
More exposed brick, this way

Distinctive Homes

LPC sends Morris Adjmi’s proposal for East Village gas explosion site back to the drawing board

Rendering by Morris Adjmi Architects

July 10, 2018

LPC sends Morris Adjmi’s proposal for East Village gas explosion site back to the drawing board

Almost three years after an explosion caused by an illegal tap into a gas main at the corner of Second Avenue and East Seventh Street destroyed three buildings at 119-123 Second Avenue and killed two people, new renderings have been revealed of Morris Adjmi Architects' proposed seven-story, 21-unit condo that would replace the circa-1886 tenements that once stood there. As it's within the East Village/Lower East Side Historic District, it needs approval from the Landmarks Preservation Commission. After reviewing the plans this afternoon and deciding that the proposal is "close, but not quite there," they've sent Adjmi and Yaniv Shaky Cohen’s Nexus Building Development Group back to the drawing board over concerns regarding the windows, storefront, and coloring. Neighbors and those affected by the tragedy are also calling for a commemorative plaque to be incorporated into the design.
Find out more

As construction begins, cost of Bjarke Ingels’ South Bronx police station jumps to $68M

Image via BIG

July 10, 2018

As construction begins, cost of Bjarke Ingels’ South Bronx police station jumps to $68M

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Tuesday that construction has officially begun on the new police station coming to the 40th Precinct in the South Bronx. The Bjarke Ingels-designed station house, located in Melrose at East 149th Street and St. Anne's Avenue, will boast the first community event space ever to be at an NYPD facility. When Ingels was selected as the architect in 2013 (the project's second firm chosen after the first contract expired), the estimated cost was $57.7 million with a 2020 deadline. After the construction period was extended from two to three years, the cost of the total project jumped to $68 million and the station will now open in the spring of 2021. "This new precinct will strengthen the bond between community and police, which will ultimately help make the South Bronx and our City safer," de Blasio said in a press release.
More here

July 10, 2018

$14M townhouse in exclusive Upper East Side historic district looks like a European villa

This lavish townhouse could easily pass for a Parisian or Italian home, but it's, in fact, hiding behind a traditional brownstone facade on the Upper East Side. Located at 234 East 61st Street, the four-story residence is part of the ultra-exclusive Treadwell Farm Historic District, which encompasses only two blocks. Though it was built along with its neighbors in 1873, the house underwent a unique interior renovation in 1910 that added its 21-foot vaulted ceilings and rear, arched addition that opens to the magical south-facing garden. Other stylistically unique architectural elements that have made their way in include the wrought iron railings, ornately carved marble fireplace, and etched glass windows. After last selling in 2006 for $7.9 million, it's now asking $13.9 million.
You don't want to miss this one

Distinctive Homes

$1.95M Turtle Bay co-op feels like a modern cabin in the middle of Manhattan

For $549K, get cozy in an 1860s Catskills farmhouse with barns, sun porches, and a dreamy country kitchen

A three-story penthouse atop an Emery Roth-designed Upper West Side co-op asks $6M

Elevate your workout in the rooftop gym above this $9.5M Upper East Side mansion

Behind a stately Village brownstone facade, a massive six-story mansion asks $35M

Amy Schumer lists Brooklyn Heights townhouse for $14M

$4.9M brick townhouse offers rustic charm and outdoor space in the heart of Greenpoint

For $1.8M, a designer's Boerum Hill condo is a tranquil refuge with style and substance

This $5.5M Queen Anne townhouse in Park Slope finds room for modern life in historic geometry

Restored mid-century modern home in Newburgh designed by Philip Johnson asks $2.9M

VIEW ALL

Four chances to live off the J train in Bushwick, from $947/month

Photo via CityRealty

July 10, 2018

Four chances to live off the J train in Bushwick, from $947/month

Bushwick may not be the affordable, artsy neighborhood it once was, but a new affordable housing lottery will give four lucky New Yorkers a chance to regain some of that long-lost Brooklyn cheap factor. At 894 Bushwick Avenue, just three blocks from the J train at Kosciuszko Street, two $947/month one-bedrooms and two $1,072/month two-bedrooms are available to households earning 60 percent of the area median income.
See if you make the cut

Affordable Housing

My 600sqft: Inside the Upper East Side studio of two doodles and their social media savvy ‘momager’

6sqft’s series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to social media expert and doodle mom Paige Chernick’s studio on the Upper East Side. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

July 10, 2018

My 600sqft: Inside the Upper East Side studio of two doodles and their social media savvy ‘momager’

Paige Chernick’s Upper East Side apartment is immaculate, with everything in its place, no clutter in sight and not even one strand of dog hair. Besides the poufy poodles greeting you at the door, there are no immediate signs that dogs really live here. And then, upon closer examination, you’ll see the basket of plush dog toys in the corner, the framed photos of sister doodles Charlie and Sawyer wearing bathrobes in a tub and the spacious closet reserved just for their stuff. While you may not be familiar with Paige, who is a Long Island native and social media manager, you probably know her dogs. On a joint Instagram account (@puppynamedcharlie), rescue doodles Charlie and Sawyer have amassed over 90,000 fans from around the world, all who follow the adorable duo’s adventures across New York City and beyond. Self-described dog ‘momager,’ Paige has turned this hobby into a legitimate side-hustle. Paige and her pups recently gave 6sqft a tour of her spacious studio, which she describes as "metallic, minimalist and modern."
Meet Paige and her duo of doodles

Home Tours

July 10, 2018

Live across from Lincoln Terrace Park in Crown Heights for $822/month

Right across the street from Crown Heights' Lincoln Terrace/Arthur S. Somers Park, a new affordable housing opportunity has come online. Ten units at the newly built rental 12 Ford Street are available to New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income, ranging from $822/month studios to $1,070/month two-bedrooms. In addition to building amenities including a bike room, laundry, on-site parking, roof terrace, and fitness center, the park offers baseball and football fields, handball, basketball, and tennis courts, playgrounds, water features, dog runs, and outdoor exercise equipment. Plus, the park is in the midst of a $4 million renovation which will only enhance this value.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

July 10, 2018

Disney will move from the UWS to Hudson Square in $650M deal with Trinity Church

Photo via Wikimedia The Walt Disney Company announced Monday it will move its operations from the Upper West Side to Lower Manhattan, where the media giant is planning to build modern production space and offices. Disney purchased the rights to develop Trinity Church's property at 4 Hudson Square for $650 million under a 99-year agreement. The site covers a full city block, bordered by Hudson, Varick, Van Dam and Spring Streets. "This move represents an historic step forward toward our long-term vision for our New York operations," Robert Iger, CEO of Disney, said in a statement. "The Hudson Square district is rapidly becoming a dynamic, innovative hub for media, technology and other creative businesses."
Get the details of the Disney deal

Real Estate Trends

MAP: See city owners vs. renters, block by block

Renters and owners in Manhattan. Map by Ryan McCullough

July 10, 2018

MAP: See city owners vs. renters, block by block

New York has been called a city of renters and with good reason. The real estate rent vs. own breakdown here is far different than that of other parts of the country, for a multitude of complex reasons. But it's also interesting to take a look at neighborhoods within the city. Ryan McCullough of Mapbox and Tippecanoe, the map geeks responsible for whizzing up this view of the U.S.A., was motivated to dig deeply into this particular data. The result was Owners vs. Renters, an interactive dot map showing every single homeowner and renter in the United States. You can zoom in on a major city hub and to see where more residents tend to be homeowners and where more people rent.
Find out more

July 10, 2018

$475K Yorkville co-op may be small, but it has a dreamy back garden

This pre-war one-bedroom co-op at 330 East 90th Street in the Upper East Side is laid out railroad-style and somewhat lacking in excess square footage. But the $475,000 ground-floor space has the rare city bonus of a private planted garden and deck with room for furniture and a grill. And besides being just a few blocks from the Q train, the apartment's interiors are as charming as they are cleverly functional.
Have a look

Distinctive Homes

Despite 200-foot height cut, 67-story tower in Long Island City will still be Queens’ tallest

Via Hill West Architects

July 9, 2018

Despite 200-foot height cut, 67-story tower in Long Island City will still be Queens’ tallest

The soaring condo tower planned for Long Island City's Court Square shrunk in height this week, dropping from a proposed 984-foot tower to 778 feet, Curbed NY reported. This isn't the first height fluctuation for the building, dubbed the Court Square City View. Developer Chris Xu proposed a 964-foot tower in 2016, bumped it to supertall status at 984 feet in 2017 and now, according to the WSJ, the tower will rise just under 780 feet. Despite reducing in height by more than 200 feet, the tower will still be the tallest building in Queens upon completion.
Find out more

July 9, 2018

Army Corps proposes constructing hurricane barriers across the NY Harbor to stop flooding

Via US Army Corps In response to intensifying hurricanes that have hit the New York and New Jersey coastal region in recent years, the U.S. Army Corps is proposing a handful of measures to reduce the risk of storm damage. The proposals include constructing barriers, either in-water or land-based, and floodwalls that would stretch over 2,000 square miles across New York Habor to protect the area's waterfront neighborhoods. The barriers, already being used in cities like Stamford, Conn. and London, would have gates that remain open to let ships pass, but close when a hurricane is advancing (h/t WNYC). After completing a study that looked at nine high-risk areas, including 25 counties in NY and NJ, on the Atlantic Coast, the Corps this month will present the proposals at public information sessions across the two states.
More here

SHoP Architects reveal ‘vertical tech campus’ at 335 Madison

A new bar/terrace at 335 Madison overlooking Grand Central, © SHoP Architects

July 9, 2018

SHoP Architects reveal ‘vertical tech campus’ at 335 Madison

Since the announcement of One Vanderbilt more than four years ago, much attention has been paid to the controversial Midtown East Rezoning, which was approved last summer. Howard Milstein was one of many developers looking to take advantage of the rezoning, proposing a plan to raze the Grand Central-adjacent office tower 335 Madison and replace it with a modern structure that would expand the building's tech incubator. But he ultimately decided to forego the demo and undertake a $150 million renovation by SHoP Architects that more than doubles the square footage of Grand Central Tech and creates a new lobby and retail/amenity spaces for tenants. Renderings for the new "vertical tech campus" known as Company have now been revealed by Arch Daily.
More details and all the renderings

Architecture And Design

After years of complaints, MTA removes NYC’s hottest subway car from the 1 line

Photo via Wikimedia Following years of commuter complaints, a subway car without functioning air conditioning on the 1 line is being taken out of service, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said on Friday. Car #1872 has repeatedly been a source of sweaty problems for straphangers, as well as the subject of many angry tweets sent to the MTA. As the New York Post reported, the authority will remove the car and overhaul its systems, including fixing its air conditioner. Heat-related complaints made via social media have increased, with 714 made between April and June, compared to 380 during the same period last year.
Find out more

Transit

How the city’s new credit history guidelines affect affordable housing applicants

Image via Flickr CC

July 9, 2018

How the city’s new credit history guidelines affect affordable housing applicants

By Cait Etherington

If you’ve ever applied for affordable housing in New York City, you already know that the process can feel more like an IRS audit than a typical housing application. While owners and management companies are empowered to ask for a lot of paperwork, to qualify for an affordable housing unit, you’ll need to do more than provide recent pay stubs, tax returns, and bank statements. You'll need to share several years of financial, housing, and employment information, and if the developer doesn’t think you’ve provided enough evidence to quality, they can always ask for more evidence as the selection process unfolds. Fortunately, as of July 1st, the process of applying for affordable housing and the baseline credit criteria needed to qualify just got a bit easier for applicants.
Everything you need to know

July 9, 2018

Architectural history meets West Village charm in this $950K duplex co-op

On its own, the fact that the landmarked five-story tenement building at 244 West 4th Street was designed in 1884 by John B. Snook, the architect responsible for the original Grand Central Station, wouldn't likely be enough to entice a buyer. Fortunately, the covetable West Village neighborhood and the thoroughly livable two-floor, one-bedroom layout of this pretty co-op asking $948,000 would be sufficiently convincing even without its historic bragging rights.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

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

Images (L to R): The Mason, The Amberly, Tower 28 and 181 Front Street

July 7, 2018

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

By Ondel Hylton

Images (L to R): The Mason, The Amberly, Tower 28 and 181 Front Street Live in NoMad at The Mason, Boutique Madison Ave Rental Residences with 2 Months Free [link] The Amberly Gets Ready to Launch in Downtown Brooklyn; See New Images of 33-Story Rental Tower [link] Elevated Living at its Finest: Tour the Views […]

Real Estate Trends

Nathan’s may start weighing hot dogs in its eating contest; 1 in 8 new apartments are in flood zones

Nathan’s hot dog eating contest via Michael Tapp/Flickr (L); NYC flood zone map (R)

July 6, 2018

Nathan’s may start weighing hot dogs in its eating contest; 1 in 8 new apartments are in flood zones

By 6sqft

This Sunday, go on a free tour of the Little Red Light House in Washington Heights, Manhattan’s only remaining lighthouse. [NYC Parks] After a counting error with Joey Chestnut this year, the Nathan’s hot dog eating contest is considering using technology to monitor plate weights. [ESPN] After a July 1st fire, FiDi’s Dead Rabbit, voted the […]

Uncategorized

Governors Island is now open late all weekend

Island Oyster, via Trust for Governors Island

July 6, 2018

Governors Island is now open late all weekend

In April, the Trust for Governors Island announced extended Friday hours for the 2018 season, allowing visitors to explore the island until 10pm. And now, thanks to a sponsorship from Grey Goose, they'll also remain open late on Saturdays, all the way to 11pm. "Late Saturdays" begin tomorrow and run through September 1st, with all ferries free after 6pm. As Governors Island says, "Visitors can now enjoy stunning sunsets overlooking New York Harbor, take leisurely bike rides around the Hills and visit Island Oyster for a Grey Goose Fair Winds Fizz specialty cocktail."
All the details

ODA reveals playful facade, outdoor space for former Jehovah’s Witnesses’ site in Dumbo

Rendering of 80 Adams Street courtesy of BH3 Partners

July 6, 2018

ODA reveals playful facade, outdoor space for former Jehovah’s Witnesses’ site in Dumbo

In the latest news from CityRealty, a new rendering of the exciting design for a 10-story, 165-unit building that will rise at the former Jehovah's Witnesses-owned property at 80 Adams Street has been revealed. Buyer Jeffrey Gershon of Hope Street Capital closed on the $60 million purchase of what was a single-story garage in November. ODA New York was listed on the permits, which meant we were likely to see an innovative design; now that design is here in rendering form.
More details this way

July 6, 2018

City says Trump can’t claim $48K tax break on his NYC apartment

New York City has said no to a $48,000 break President Trump has been receiving on the annual tax bill for his Trump Tower condo after inquiries by the Daily News into his eligibility. The News reports that the city says the president was set to get $48,834.62 knocked off his condo taxes for the tax year beginning July 1 via the city's condominium abatement, which is available for condo and co-op owners on their primary residence. Tax rules state that only “the dwelling unit in which the owner of the dwelling unit actually resides and maintains a permanent and continuous physical presence” is eligible for the savings, and Trump hasn't kept a “permanent and continuous physical presence” in the Midtown pad since he moved to the White House in January of 2017.
Find out more

Policy

July 6, 2018

Lottery opens for 30 middle-income units at Bushwick’s Gothic church conversion

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

A little over a year ago, an affordable housing lottery opened for 20 low-income units at The Saint Marks, a Bushwick church-to-rental conversion at 618 Bushwick Avenue. And now, 30 more below-market-rate residences are up for grabs, this time for middle-income New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income. They range from $2,013/month studios to $2,564/month two-bedrooms. The former St. Mark’s Lutheran School and Evangelical Church retains its 1890 Victorian Gothic church and four-story former school building but has a seven-story addition from developer Cayuga Capital at the corner.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

THE 6SQFT SHOP

The 6 best furniture rental companies in NYC

The best websites for buying and selling used furniture 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

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

New York City's best holiday markets of 2023

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

10 best plants for apartment dwellers

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July 6, 2018

Jesse Tyler Ferguson trades up to a $3M Chelsea pad

6sqft recently noted “Modern Family” star Jesse Tyler Ferguson and husband Justin Mikita's listing of their 900-square-foot one-bedroom Gramercy Park co-op for $1.5 million. Three months on, the New York Post reports that the pair have advanced to a bigger, blingier home in the new D'Orsay condominium at 211 West 14th Street. All signs point to that unit being a 1,402-square-foot two-bedroom pad that was listed at $2.995 million and sold for $3.05 million according to city records. The boutique Chelsea condo building boasts interiors by internationally acclaimed designer Jacques Garcia, known for the decor at Hotel Costes in Paris and NYC's NoMad Hotel.
Have a look

57th Street F station to close through December and other weekend subway changes

Photo by Marko Kudjersk via Wikipedia

July 6, 2018

57th Street F station to close through December and other weekend subway changes

By Hannah Frishberg

Beachgoers, beware: there aren't any A trains running to Far Rockaway-Mott Av, nor Rockaway Park Shuttle service at Broad Channel, through the end of the summer. Some seriously poor timing on the MTA's part, but the agency has never been known for greatness or awareness. As well, a slew of stations remain closed in Manhattan on the A, C and B lines and new this weekend, an elevator is being installed at the 62nd Street/New Utrecht Av D, N station, causing the closure of its transfer passageway through August. Beginning 5am Monday, the 57th Street F station will also close, through December.
There are of course plenty of temporary service changes as well

Transit

July 6, 2018

Bob Weinstein takes another loss on $20.5M sale of Central Park West apartment

By Annie Doge

Producer Robert "Bob" Weinstein continues to unload his real estate portfolio amid business parter and brother Harvey's sexual abuse allegations. In December, he sold his Upper West Side townhouse for $15 million, the same exact price he paid for it in 2009 with ex-wife Annie Clayton. Just last month, he unloaded his Greenwich, Connecticut mansion for $17 million after three years on the market and a 15 percent price chop. And according to city records released yesterday, his massive Central Park West duplex at the Beresford has now closed for $20.5 million, just a hair above the $20 million he bought it for in 2004 and much less than the $29.5 million it listed for nearly a year ago. The buyer is listed as Pamela Schein Murphy, wife of restauranteur Marc Murphy. Not only does the 14-room spread encompass 7,000 square feet, but it boasts two large terraces overlooking the park.
See the whole place

Live in new ‘hipster haven’ Washington Heights for $1,705/month

Coogan’s Restaurant in Washington Heights, via CityRealty

July 5, 2018

Live in new ‘hipster haven’ Washington Heights for $1,705/month

A recent Post article dubbed Washington Heights "the new Williamsburg," referencing census data that shows the upper-Manhattan 'hood has more millennials than any other area in the entire city. Noting that New Yorkers age 20 to 34 have been priced out of places like Bushwick, NYU adjunct professor of urban planning Michael Keane said, "they’re thinking, ‘Hey, Washington Heights is in Manhattan, it’s easy to get to Midtown, crime is down and the rent is several hundred dollars less.’" And this new middle-income housing opportunity at 516 West 162nd Street, is even less, with five one-bedrooms up for grabs for $1,705 a month and one two-bedroom for $2,055. By comparison, market-rate one-beds in the building go for $2,300 and two-beds for $3,050.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Three Harlem and Bronx subway stations to get upgrades for the first time in 114 years

Image via Wiki Commons

July 5, 2018

Three Harlem and Bronx subway stations to get upgrades for the first time in 114 years

The MTA Board has approved an $88 million contract to Citnalta/Forte with Urbahn/HAKS for work at three of the city's subway stations in Harlem and the Bronx after nearly a century of wear and tear. The 145 Street, 167 Street and 174-175 Street stations will be getting modernizing, structural and functional repairs beginning in July. MTA New York City Transit will be addressing needed upgrades for the nearly 20,000 subway customers on the Concourse B,D and Lenox 3 lines.
Find out when the stations will be closed for repairs

Transit

July 5, 2018

Uber is bringing dockless, electric bikes to the Bronx, Rockaways, and Staten Island

By Michelle Sinclair Colman

In May, 6sqft reported that outer-borough neighborhoods underserved by Citi Bike would get dockless bike-share programs this summer. On Tuesday, the city’s pilot officially kicked off in the Rockaways, the area around Fordham University in the Bronx, and the North Shore of Staten Island, and to make things more exciting, the city is also offering electric bikes (h/t NY Times). The Uber-owned Jump Bikes is providing dockless electric bikes that can reach speeds of up to 20 miles per hour with little user effort. The bikes will cost only a dollar or two and can be reserved and paid for in the Uber app.
All the details

Transit

July 5, 2018

Live in Al Pacino’s former Central Park South condo for $2.7M

By Annie Doge

Before the stretch became known as Billionaires' Row, Al Pacino called 301 West 57th Street home. The Oscar-winning actor, best known for his roles in "Scarface" and "The Godfather," lived in different units in the building between 1988, when the building was built, and 2013, including a 14-floor corner condo that just hit the market for $2.7 million, reports the Post.
Check it out

Cuomo announces $10M in infrastructure and arts upgrades for the South Bronx

Image via Wikimedia Commons.

July 5, 2018

Cuomo announces $10M in infrastructure and arts upgrades for the South Bronx

We've been keeping up with the booming development plans unfolding in the South Bronx, from a massive waterfront complex in the works to the city's first soccer stadium. Today Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced specific plans for a $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) award that underscores the momentum happening in what he called "the heart of the bustling Bronx." The strategic investments are part of the governor's ongoing efforts to revitalize the Bronx and create more opportunities in the Bronx Civic Center Downtown neighborhood. The funds will be used for 12 transformational projects in the South Bronx.
Find out more

Policy

Qatari fund closes on $600M Plaza Hotel buy

Photo via Wally Gobetz/Flickr

July 5, 2018

Qatari fund closes on $600M Plaza Hotel buy

In May, the minority owners of the iconic Plaza Hotel, Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation and Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, went into contract on the landmarked building, matching the $600 million offer made earlier in the month by a separate group of investors. However, reports out today tell us that the deal closed on Monday, with Katara Hospitality, a subsidiary of Qatar's sovereign wealth fund, buying the minority owners' 25 percent stake, along with Indian business group Sahara's 70 percent stake and hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal's five percent stake. Katara is the Qatar Investment Authority’s hotel division and this is their first foray into the NYC market. According to sources referenced by The Real Deal, the minority group decided to drop its bid because Katara offered greater “certainty” of closing.
The long road to selling the Plaza

Uncategorized

July 5, 2018

Russell Simmons tries to sell his $10M FiDi penthouse for the third time in 13 years

By Michelle Sinclair Colman

Will the third time be a charm for Def Jam's Russell Simmons and his FiDi penthouse? The Post reports that the music mogul is trying to sell his five-bedroom duplex at 114 Liberty Street after an unsuccessful listing in 2005 and another two-year listing in 2012 (both times asking $11 million). The sprawling pad--there's 7,175 square feet of interior space and 3,500 square feet of outdoor space split among three terraces--is now asking a bit less at $9,925,000.
Get a look around

Live in Williamsburg off the G, M, J trains for $2,250/month

Photo via Wiki Commons

July 3, 2018

Live in Williamsburg off the G, M, J trains for $2,250/month

Fear not the L train shutdown; this Williamsburg middle-income housing opportunity puts you just one block away from the G train at Broadway and the M and J trains at Lorimer. There are three $2,250/month one-bedroom units up for grabs at 37 Montrose Avenue for households earning 130 percent of the area median income, or between $77,143 and $122,070 annually. The five-story rental building, which was recently completed, has just 10 units and offers a laundry room and rooftop patio. The building website says it has "an industrial warehouse vibe with high-end finishes [and] original art throughout.
READ MORE

Affordable Housing

July 3, 2018

Jersey City takes back the Hudson with massive July 4th fireworks display and a Snoop Dogg concert

Photo by Jennifer Brown for Jersey City A bigger, louder and longer Fourth of July celebration is coming to Jersey City this year. Beginning at noon on Wednesday, a 10-hour free festival will hit the Hudson River waterfront, featuring several beer gardens, food trucks, a concert headlined by Snoop Dogg and the state's largest fireworks display. The all-day event, called 50STAR FIRESHOW, is estimated to welcome more than 200,000 people to Exchange Place. Jersey City brought back its own fireworks event in 2014 after NYC moved its display to the East River, and the size of celebration has grown each year. "I think the Jersey City side of Hudson River is going to be the place that people want to be for the 4th of July this year. Period. Between Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, Grucci, and Snoop, we are raising the bar," Mayor Steven Fulop said.
Get the details

Events & Things To Do

Jackie Gleason’s circular “mothership” mansion in Westchester is on the market for $12M

Jackie Gleason photo via Wikimedia Commons

July 3, 2018

Jackie Gleason’s circular “mothership” mansion in Westchester is on the market for $12M

"Honeymooners" star and comedy legend Jackie Gleason kept an architecturally remarkable round house in Westchester County, using it as an escape while filming the iconic sitcom; now it's for sale as part of an estate listed for $12 million, the New York Post reports. Gleason was a UFO lover who referred to the home, which is circular inside and out as "The Mothership."
Have a look a-round

July 3, 2018

Billionaires’ Row coalition sues NYC to keep homeless men out of their neighborhood

Image © 6sqft A group of New Yorkers who live near Billionaires' Row, an area with some of the most expensive residences in the world, filed a lawsuit on Monday to block a homeless shelter from opening in the Midtown West neighborhood. The West 58th Street Coalition sued New York City to stop the conversion of the old Park Savoy Hotel at 158 West 58th Street into a homeless shelter for men, a plan announced by Mayor Bill de Blasio in February. The coalition claims the shelter, which would house 140 single men, would have "an enormous impact on our densely populated, narrow, high-pedestrian-traffic street." While describing themselves as a group of "compassionate New Yorkers," the Change.org petition says instead of the city paying $50,000 per person to stay at the Park Savoy, "a homeless man could have his own apartment, living in the neighborhood where he came from." The new shelter sits behind One57, a known for the city’s most expensive residential sale ever: a penthouse that sold for $100 million in 2015.
More here

Policy

July 3, 2018

Stars and stripes highlight new-old-fashioned style in this $10.5M Brooklyn Heights brownstone

This palatial five-story, 19th-century brownstone at 13 Monroe Place in Brooklyn Heights is a study in meticulously preserved historic detail integrated into a crisp, livable setting of all-American decor. After an 18-month renovation, the nearly 6,000-square-foot Yankee Doodle Dandy of a home appeared in Swedish Elle Decor, Paris Vogue, and MilK Magazine. Asking $10.5 million, the legal two-family dwelling is currently being used as a single-family home, complete with deck, backyard, gym, media room, and six bedrooms.
Tour this traditional tour-de-force

Distinctive Homes

Get your NYC subways, buses and ferries sorted for the Fourth of July

Photo via Anthony Quintano/Flickr

July 3, 2018

Get your NYC subways, buses and ferries sorted for the Fourth of July

It happens on every holiday, but a midweek July 4th promises to add an extra layer of confusion to the tourists, crowds and screwy schedules that will inevitably hit the city's public transit system. We hope we can help you get your itinerary dialed in by giving you the low-down on changes to NYC subway, bus and ferry service on the 4th, so you can get to and from that optimal spot to watch the fireworks. The good news: The MTA will be offering extra rail service on Tuesday, July 3 and Wednesday, July 4. The possibly good/bad/mixed news: The MTA’s railroads, subways and buses will operate on weekend schedules...and then some.
More holiday transit schedules, decoded

MTA launches streamlined app that provides service updates in real time

Via MTA on Flickr

July 2, 2018

MTA launches streamlined app that provides service updates in real time

After a six-month development process, which included working with over 2,000 commuters, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority launched on Monday a smartphone app that offers real-time updates for the subway, buses and trains, as well as trip planning options and service updates. Because the app, called MyMTA, is a beta version, the MTA is asking for feedback from straphangers about the app's functions and what needs to be added or improved. The authority also gave their website a much-needed upgrade, with a more sleeker web interface.
Find out more

NYCHA repairs require $32B over five years; Is it legal to buy fireworks in NYC?

Via Wiki Commons (L); Via Pixabay (R)

July 2, 2018

NYCHA repairs require $32B over five years; Is it legal to buy fireworks in NYC?

By 6sqft

Twenty years ago, Grand Central underwent a massive restoration. See what it looked like before. [Untapped Cities] NYCHA needs $32B over the next five years to address unmet capital repairs, including mold and lead paint exposure, with $25B needed within one year. [Politico] Thinking of setting off some fireworks on Wednesday? Read this first. [Metro] Meet 26-year-old Haley Dragoo, […]

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Judge tells Madonna to stop “harassing” her Upper West Side co-op

1 West 64th Street via CityRealty (l); Madonna via Wikimedia Commons (r)

July 2, 2018

Judge tells Madonna to stop “harassing” her Upper West Side co-op

By Annie Doge

1 West 64th Street via CityRealty (l); Madonna via Wikimedia Commons (r) Back in September, a Manhattan judge threw out a lawsuit that Madonna had filed against her Upper West Side co-op after they enforced a rule that prohibited her family members or staff to live in the apartment at 1 West 64th Street without her being present. As 6sqft previously explained, "The judge dismissed the star’s suit because she filed two years after the co-op created the rule, in April of 2014, missing the deadline to proceed with legal action." But this didn't stop her; during the past 10 months, Madonna was "merely harassing" her neighbors, demanding access to board records, according to the Post.
Madonna gets reprimanded again

Celebrities

July 2, 2018

Where I Work: Go inside NYC’s first sake brewery at Brooklyn Kura

6sqft’s series “Where I Work” takes us into the studios, offices, and businesses of New Yorkers across the city. In this installment, we’re touring Industry City's Brooklyn Kura, New York's first sake brewery. Want to see your business featured here? Get in touch! "It was my first ‘oh, my God’ sake which was made in the U.S.A." said Japanese-born sake sommelier Chizuko Niikawa-Helton when he tasted the product of Brooklyn Kura, NYC's first sake brewery and one of only 15 in the nation. And this is exactly what co-founders Brian Polen and Brandon Doughan strive for. They're committed to respecting the thousands-year-old Japanese sake brewing traditions, but they also hope to inspire a new interest in this ancient beverage by using unique American ingredients and engaging New Yorkers in the process at their Sunset Park brewery and tap room. After meeting at a mutual friend's wedding in Japan and developing a passion for sake, Brian and Brandon teamed up and got to work on their 2,500-square-foot space in Industry City, which combines the functionality of traditional Japanese breweries with a contemporary Brooklyn design aesthetic. 6sqft recently paid them a visit and had a drink in the tap room (yes, we agree with Niikawa-Helton that the sakes are "so soft, so gentle"), got a look at the sake making process, and chatted with Brian and Brandon about their journey, life at Industry City, and how they're turning New Yorkers into sake lovers.
Read our interview with Brian and Brandon and see inside Brooklyn Kura

Before the Belt: Looking at Brooklyn’s lost bay in Gravesend

“The area seen in these views was later filled with sand from the Bay and the new circumferential highway.” 1930; via NYPL

July 2, 2018

Before the Belt: Looking at Brooklyn’s lost bay in Gravesend

By Hannah Frishberg

In the curve of Brooklyn between the Narrows and the borough's southwestern edge at Sea Gate, there is a lesser loved body of water called Gravesend Bay. The boundary of what was once Gravesend Town and is now simply Gravesend, among other nabes, was along a wetland of sandhill dunes before it became an oil-saturated trash marsh. Now, it's home to a relatively scenic portion of the Belt Parkway, where the Verrazano Bridge emerges from around the bend or Brooklyn's tip juts into your vision, depending on your direction. Dated photos from the New York Public Library reveal--as old New York photos tend to-- a Bay apart. In part it's likely because the smells and oil sheens of today's bay can't be experienced in these vintage pics. The unimpeded openness of the water, kept from humans only by what appears to be a single giant tube, however, clearly belongs to a Brooklyn long past.
See the Bay back in time

History

‘For Lady Liberty’ campaign launches to help fund the Statue of Liberty’s new museum

Rendering by FXCollaborative

July 2, 2018

‘For Lady Liberty’ campaign launches to help fund the Statue of Liberty’s new museum

The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation this week will launch a fundraising campaign to help finish construction on its new $70 million museum. The foundation's campaign, "For Lady Liberty," seeks to raise $10 million to "add the finishing touches" to the 26,000-square-foot museum on Liberty Island. When it opens in May 2019, the space, designed by FXCollaborative and ESI Design, will feature an immersive theater and gallery that showcases the statue's original torch and the Liberty Star Mural, a panoramic display with the names of donors.
More this way

July 2, 2018

The picnic-perfect terrace at this $10M Tribeca penthouse feels like a slice of Paris