May 1, 2018

The city wants you to bike to work to celebrate National Bike Month

May is National Bike Month and Transportation Alternatives (TransAlt) is hosting its Bike Commuter Challenge. TransAlt and the city are challenging New Yorkers to swap their normal commuting routine and cycle to work. With Citi Bikes on almost every block, over 250 miles of new bicycle lanes, and the hellacious winter behind us, there is no excuse not to “man up.” Especially since, according to NYC DOT, more than 800,000 New Yorkers ride a bike regularly, which is 140,000 more than rode five years ago and means that NYC commuters already bike to work more than any other U.S. city.
There's more bike-related fun to be had in May
May 1, 2018

Agencies announce May town hall meetings to discuss impending L train shutdown

If you've got some choice words to say about the impending L train shutdown, you'll soon get a chance to make them public. The MTA and the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) have announced two town hall meetings that will be held this month to discuss the Canarsie Tunnel Reconstruction project–aka the L train shutdown–with members of the community who will be affected by the April 2019 service interruption that will knock the line out of commission for 15 months. The meetings, which will be held in Manhattan and Brooklyn, are the latest in a series of public meetings and workshops intended to quell public trepidation about the impending shutdown.
When, where, what to expect
May 1, 2018

Lottery launches for 250+ mixed-income apartments in East Tremont, from $822/month

Rendering via Mastermind Development The Tremont Renaissance housing complex this week launched a lottery for 255 apartments, part of Mayor Bill de Blasio's affordable housing plan aimed at bringing more mixed-income units to New York City. Located in the East Tremont neighborhood of the Bronx, the development at 4215 Park Avenue rises 12 stories and features roughly 40,000 square feet of commercial space on the ground level. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60, 100 and 120 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments ranging from $822/month studios to $1,965 three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
April 30, 2018

See exclusive construction photos of NYC’s highest outdoor observation deck at 30 Hudson Yards

After commencing construction on and releasing two dizzying renderings of the super-high observation deck at 30 Hudson Yards, developers Related Companies and Oxford Properties Group have now shared with 6sqft these vertigo-inducing construction photos of the 1,100-foot-tall deck. In addition to its sheer height, the deck, which will be the tallest outdoor observation deck in NYC and the fifth tallest in the world, will extend 65 feet away from the building with a window on the floor so thrill seekers can peer down.
See all the photos
April 30, 2018

Apply for 100+ affordable apartments at this flashy new tower near Grand Central, from $613/month

Reduced rent AND the opportunity to walk to work? That's the dream scenario up for grabs for Midtown East workers at Handel Architects' 222 East 44th Street, where a mixed-use affordable housing lottery for 109 units just came online. The handsome, 42-story torqued glass tower sits between Second and Third Avenues, fronting both 43rd and 44th Streets, meaning it's just a hop, skip, and jump away from Grand Central, the Chrysler Building, and the UN. The apartments are available to those earning 40, 60, and 130 percent of the area median income and range from $613/month studios to $2,733/month two-bedrooms. The lucky residents will also be treated to a bevy of amenities.
Find out if you qualify
April 30, 2018

Historic photos take you back to the 1939 New York World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows

On April 30, 1939, the New York World's Fair opened in Flushing Meadows Park in Queens. The fair, which spread across 1,200 acres, commemorated the 150th anniversary of George Washington's inauguration in Lower Manhattan, and had a central theme of "Building the World of Tomorrow." Construction of the fair began in 1936, which involved turning the Corona city dump and tidal swamp into the fairgrounds. After the land was cleared, hundreds of architects, designers, engineers and construction workers came together to transform the dump into the site for the World's Fair. The "Trylon", a 700-foot obelisk, and the "Perisphere," a 200-foot globe, stood in the center of the fairgrounds, soon becoming permanent symbols of the Fair. Many American corporations, including the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, the Borden Company and General Motors, participated, as a way to introduce fairgoers to new products. With close to 60 nations and 33 U.S. states participating, and its own subway line, the 1939 World's Fair remains one of the largest, and most iconic, international fairs in history. Ahead, check out some of the photos of the historic World's Fair, found in the New York Public Library's extensive collection.
Go back in time
April 30, 2018

The new Hell’s Kitchen is sizzling with hot restaurants and fresh residential buildings

Hell’s Kitchen used to be a no-go zone. It was a gritty section of New York City with dangerous gang warfare and violent streets. Although West Side Story does not have any specific references (aside from its title), the plot, which was based on fractured race relations, was the story of Hell’s Kitchen pre-1990s--minus all the singing and dancing. But Tyler Whitman, a Triplemint broker and a proud Hell’s Kitchen resident, says there is actually quite a bit of singing that still goes on today. The 'hood retains some grit, in a charming New York way, but it is a genuine residential neighborhood in the midst of big changes, as new buildings and businesses spring up every day. But unlike a lot of other up-and-coming neighborhoods, Hell's Kitchen has flown rather under the radar, with many New Yorkers still believing it's an extension of Midtown or a stopover spot for dinner. Ahead, we break down why those in the know are moving to Hell's Kitchen and all the amenities it has to offer for people to stay awhile.
To hell and back!
April 30, 2018

Lottery opens for 15 affordable apartments in Riverdale, just across from Van Cortlandt Park

If you're looking for a bit of the suburban lifestyle without leaving the boroughs, this affordable housing lottery in the Bronx may be for you. Fifteen apartments at Stagg Group’s Riverdale project The Station (so named for being adjacent to the 1 train station) at 5959 Broadway are up for grabs for New Yorkers earning 80 percent of the area median income. These include 12 $1,292/month one-bedrooms and three $1,458/month two-bedrooms. Just as good as the price is the location; the mixed-use building is directly across from the southeast entrance to Van Cortlandt Park, right near the swimming pool and Van Cortlandt House Museum. And for families, it's also just a couple blocks from the prestigious Horace Mann School and Manhattan College.
Find out if you qualify
April 30, 2018

For $11.5M, this meticulously renovated historic West Village townhouse has the perfect yard for a picnic

This 1836 Greek Revival townhouse at 150 West 11th Street in the West Village received an extensive renovation that updated the home for modern living but considered every historic detail, using traditional methods and quality materials to the sum of an $11.5 million asking price. In addition to these picture-perfect interiors, the three-bedroom home boasts a yard that incorporates the neighborhood's historic charm.
Explore this historically correct home
April 30, 2018

Construction is underway at the World Trade Center performing arts center

Construction of the Ronald O. Perelman Performing Arts Center is officially moving forward, with the first pieces of the center's structural steel now visible above street level, according to CityRealty. The idea for an arts center at the World Trade Center was included in the original vision for rebuilding the area after Sept. 11, a plan proposed nearly 15 years ago. Designed by REX, the flexible "Mystery Box" will be wrapped in translucent marble, the same material used on the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, and laminated with insulated glass. Named for Ronald O. Perelman who gifted $75 million to the project, the center will include 200,000 square feet of space, three halls and a rehearsal space, a restaurant and a gift shop.
More details here
April 30, 2018

See new renderings of ‘Ocean Dreams,’ Coney Island’s wavy Surf Avenue rental towers

New renderings have been revealed showing real estate mogul John Catsimatidis' Coney Island rental project at 3514 Surf Avenue known as Ocean Dreams, shown here courtesy of CityRealty. The American Institute of Architecture (AIA), which is currently taking votes for their People's Choice award in Brooklyn, has included the 425-unit rental complex among the contenders. The building is being developed by Catsimatidis' Red Apple Group. Catsimatidis, who has big dreams indeed for the development, proposed a trolley-like streetcar service to access the Stillwell Avenue subway station, and once said he wanted to make the development look like Miami Beach.
More renderings this way
April 30, 2018

Two weeks of free art and music kick off in Hudson Yards, giving a first taste of The Shed

Starting Tuesday, there will be two free weeks of art and music, as a teaser for the much-anticipated cultural center coming next year to Hudson Yards, The Shed. The festival, "A Prelude to The Shed," will take place on a lot at 10th Avenue and 30th Street, one block from the arts center's future home. Performed on a pavilion outside, the events will feature dancers, musicians and a variety of visual art. Measuring 200,000 square feet, the Shed will open to the public next spring and contain two floors of column-free galleries and an intimate theater.
Find out more
April 30, 2018

Matt Lauer’s no-longer-needed Upper East Side commuter pad sells for $7M

Just weeks after ex-"Today" anchor Matt Lauer’s Upper East Side co-op at 133 East 64th Street hit the market asking $7.35 million, the four-bedroom, 11-room apartment has sold for just upwards of $7 million, the New York Post reports. The disgraced newsman used the apartment as a city home during the week while working at NBC. Lauer’s Sag Harbor home (one of his three Hamptons properties) is also for sale.
Have a look
April 28, 2018

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

Images (L to R): THE LEWIS, THE EAGLE, 83 BUSHWICK PLACE and THE PIERREPONT Sleek, Stylish + Modern Rentals at The Lewis Leasing with 2 Months Free [link] The Eagle, Downtown Brooklyn’s 32-Story Rental Tower Offers 2 Months Free [link] East Williamsburg’s 83 Bushwick Place Leasing with 1 Month Free [link] Brooklyn Heights Luxury Rental […]

April 27, 2018

Artist Es Devlin unveils a trippy gallery show inspired by Bjarke Ingels’ twisting High Line towers

Es Devlin with Egg; photo by Nikolas Koenig In a remarkable collaboration, Danish architect Bjarke Ingels and artist Es Devlin unveiled on Tuesday a series of multi-sensory installations in response to The Eleventh, a pair of twisting towers rising on a full-block along the High Line. The three immersive encounters are featured at the XI Gallery, a 12,000-square-foot space in the Meatpacking District. Through the lens of Devlin, known for her work with Beyoncé,  Adele and Kanye West, the Eleventh, or XI, is seen on a projection-mapped sculpture, a 360-degree film strip and a rotating pair of sculptures. The gallery is the artist's first site-specific art installation in New York. Ziel Feldman, the chair of HFZ Capital, the group developing the project, called the Eleventh a defining moment and "a signature development for Manhattan and a triumph of design, living, culture, and wellness."
See the impressive installations
April 27, 2018

Prospect Park is getting two new entrances; de Blasio’s 2019 budget takes aim at Cuomo

The northeastern perimeter of Prospect Park, at Flatbush Avenue, is getting a $5.6M restoration that includes two new entrances–the first since 1940. [Untapped Cities] Mayor de Blasio revealed his proposed 2019 budget yesterday, and it has an entire category dedicated to “hits from Albany,” including $254 million to “address mismanagement of State-run subways.” [NYC Office of […]

April 27, 2018

$40.5M penthouse at Renzo Piano’s 565 Broome has a 20-foot-long rooftop pool

Big numbers are the order of the day at the palatial penthouse atop Pritzker Prize-winning Renzo Piano Building Workshop’s first residential building in New York City, 565 Broome Soho. On the market now for $40.5 million, the newly-minted four-bedroom duplex spans 6,655 square feet with a 2,500 square-foot roof terrace. The four-bedroom condo above one of two 30-story glass towers has the kind of jaw-dropping 360-degree views you'd expect. Less expected is the fact that you can experience them from a private heated outdoor rooftop pool.
Take the grand tour
April 27, 2018

The Urban Lens: How Stanley Kubrick’s early photography led to his iconic film career

6sqft’s series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. This week’s installment comes courtesy of a new exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York, “Through a Different Lens: Stanley Kubrick Photographs.” Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. Before he directed films like "A Clockwork Orange," "2001: A Space Odyssey," and "Dr. Strangelove" Stanley Kubrick worked as a staff photographer at LOOK magazine, where he developed a knack at storytelling through street photography. Kubrick "found inspiration in New York's characters and settings, sometimes glamorous, sometimes gritty," all of which is the subject of a new exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York. “Through a Different Lens: Stanley Kubrick Photographs,” tells the story of how a 17-year-old amateur photographer from the Bronx went on to become one of the most revered directors of the 20th century. The exhibit, on view from May 3rd through October, will display more than 120 photos taken between 1945 and 1950, during Kubrick's time at LOOK, and examine the connections between his photography and film work. Ahead, the exhibit curators share with 6sqft a sneak preview of the photographs and discuss their experience working on the show.
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April 27, 2018

Nation’s largest offshore wind farm proposes Sunset Park factory

Move over Chicago, you’re no longer the only windy city - Brooklyn is about to get its own wind. Deepwater Wind, the nation’s leading wind-power developer, intends to build an assembly hub in Sunset Park to support the nation's future largest offshore wind farm 30 miles east of Montauk (h/t Brooklyn Daily Eagle). This project is part of Governor Cuomo’s ambitious “Clean Energy Standard,” which intends to generate 50 percent of the state's electricity supply from renewable sources by 2030. The Brooklyn factory is expected to generate $80 million in economic activity and create hundreds of jobs for the area.
READ MORE
April 27, 2018

Central Park Boathouse returns this week with a new look, a new menu and a $2.9M makeover

The Central Park Boathouse restaurant has been spruced up with $2.9 million in renovations and upgrades and is perfect-date-ready just in time for outdoor weather. The New York Post reports that the familiar structure near the park's Fifth Avenue entrance at East 72nd Street has gotten much needed capital improvements like more seats (185 instead of 160) a new flood-proof tile floor and insulated glass that keeps the lakefront chill out along with a contemporary new look, new colors and lighting and better sightlines of the Central Park West skyline and rowboats gliding by. Even better, there's more room for customers at the new ADA-compliant bar.
Find out more
April 27, 2018

58 affordable units up for grabs in historic Queens neighborhood of St. Albans, from $558/month

A lottery launched this week for 58 mixed-income apartments in a newly constructed building in St. Albans, a suburban enclave in western Queens. Located at 118-35 Boulevard, the development sits near the historic district of Addisleigh Park. Although it started as a white-only community, the neighborhood was home to many notable African Americans, including famous jazz musicians, from the 1930s and on. Artists like Count Basie, James Brown, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, and even baseball superstars like Babe Ruth and Jackie Robinson all have lived in this area. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 40, 50, 60 and 80 percent of the area median income can apply for units ranging from $558/month one-bedroom to a $1,511/month two-bedroom apartments.
Find out if you qualify
April 27, 2018

M train not running this weekend and other service changes

While the usual slew of service changes will be impacting straphangers this weekend, there are some silver linings. The D, F, N and R have abandoned their masquerade as one another and once again assumed their usual identities and track routes. Unfortunately, this weekend the M is totally offline, with free shuttle buses and the J train picking up some of the slack. Read on for the rest:
M train riders hopefully don't have any important plans
April 26, 2018

New renderings unveiled for Tribeca’s educational, eco-focused park at Pier 26

The Hudson River Park Trust and landscape architects OLIN have released a fresh set of renderings of the Pier 26 transformation, a project aimed at turning the Tribeca pier into an ecological park. As Curbed NY learned, a portion of the pier will have a wooden deck, with the western end rising up to 15 feet high in order to look at the wetlands. The pier's eastern side will include a large lawn and an indigenous tree-filled forest. The revamp of Pier 26, projected to cost over $30 million, is scheduled to wrap up in the fall of 2020.
Find out more and see all the renderings
April 26, 2018

Landmarked William Lescaze House, the first modern residence in NYC, asks $5M

New York City's first modern residence, designed by architect William Lescaze, has hit the market for $4.95 million. Swiss-born New Yorker, Lecaze is credited with pioneering the modernism movement in the United States, beginning with a townhome he designed for himself in 1934. Known as the William Lescaze House, the four-story home at 211 East 48th Street served as the architect's personal home and studio. The now-landmarked townhouse was totally restored by Sage Realty, who "painstakingly renovated" the street facade to match its original condition.
Take a tour
April 26, 2018

Lottery opens for 28 affordable apartments in Alphabet City, from $596/month

A 110-unit, mixed-use project in Alphabet City is nearing completion, and with that, has just launched its affordable housing lottery for 28 apartments. The mixed-income units are available to those earning 40, 60, and 130 percent of the area median income and range from $596/month studios to $2,519/month two-bedrooms. The 75/25 project at 79 Avenue D offers a terrace, landscaped roof deck, fitness center, lounge, bike room, and, of course, proximity to all the trendy spots in the East Village and Lower East Side.
Find out if you qualify
April 26, 2018

Nearly 900 Section 8 residents in NYC spend more than 80 percent of income on rent

Can anyone, at any income level, justify and sustain paying 80+ percent of their income on rent? Obviously not. According to the Housing and Urban Development website, “If a household pays more more than 30 percent of its gross income on rent and utilities it is considered rent-burdened." Despite HUD’s claim, amNY highlighted two NYC renters in Section 8 housing who spend over 80 percent of their income on rent. The housing policies peg their rent to their income. Robert Rodriguez, who has lived in his Upper West Side apartment for 41 years and filed a lawsuit last June against the city, now pays a whopping 86 percent of his income in rent. Adding to the problems, on Wednesday HUD Secretary Ben Carson proposed massive changes, which would triple rent for the poorest households and make it easier for housing authorities to impose work requirements.
Learn more here
April 26, 2018

Where I Work: Inside Stephen Powers’ colorful world of studio art and sign making in Boerum Hill

6sqft’s series “Where I Work” takes us into the studios, offices, and off-beat workspaces of New Yorkers across the city. In this installment, we’re touring artist Stephen Powers' Boerum Hill studio and sign shop. Want to see your business featured here? Get in touch! Walking along Fourth Avenue in Boerum Hill, the storefronts all look pretty similar--pizza shops, laundromats, cute cafes--until you come to the corner of Bergen Street and see the large, colorful collage of signs gracing the side of the little brick building. This is ESPO's Art World, artist Stephen Powers' sign shop. But as you can imagine, this space is much more than that. Powers, who painted graffiti under the name ESPO for much of the '80s and '90s in NYC and Philadelphia, also uses his shop as a retail store and informal gallery where passersby can walk in and peruse his graphic, pop-art-esque, text-heavy work. Stephen recently gave 6sqft a guided tour of his shop and chatted with us about his transition from graffiti to studio art, why he dislikes the term "street art," his love for Brooklyn, and where he sees the art scene heading.
Get a look around and hear from Stephen
April 26, 2018

Victoria’s Secret model Sara Sampaio scores a $3.5M pad in sexy new Steiner East Village condos

Victoria's Secret Angel and Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Sara Sampaio just bought a $3.51 million condo at 438 East 12th street in the recently-completed Steiner East Village development (h/t New York Post).  The 1,604 square-foot three-bedroom unit was last listed for $3.6 million. The neighborhood newcomer (the building, not the model) is known for its designer interiors and luxurious amenities like a teak-ribbed pool, 5,000 square-foot rooftop park and a parking garage.
Take a peek
April 26, 2018

Cost of East Side Access project jumps again, now over $11B

Workers at East Side Access project in 2016 via MTA's Flickr The Metropolitan Transportation Authority approved on Wednesday an amendment to its capital plan that allows for more than $400 million to be invested in the East Side Access, a project that began more than a decade ago. In addition to exceptional construction delays, the project's price tag has jumped dramatically, from early estimates of roughly $2.2 billion to now over $11 billion (h/t NY Times). As a way to reduce crowds at Penn Station, East Side Access will connect the Long Island Rail Road to Grand Central Terminal.
Find out more
April 26, 2018

Asking $1.4M, this renovated Castle Village co-op is a candy-colored uptown oasis

Tucked away in the prime line of the captivating Castle Village co-op at 260 Cabrini Boulevard in Hudson Heights, this two-bedroom home is blessed with high-bluff vistas and a riot of colorful interiors that qualifies it as, to quote the listing, a "residential work-of-art." Even without its definitely-non-beige decor, the light and views in every room make this unique home a one-of-a-kind oasis even in a city of millions,
Take a whirlwind tour
April 25, 2018

De Blasio pens letter to MTA seeking transparency in spending of $836M subway action plan

Photo via Wikimedia Mayor Bill de Blasio agreed earlier this month to fund half of the MTA's $836 million emergency rescue plan for the subway, leading many to believe the feud between the mayor and Gov. Andrew Cuomo about the funding had simmered. But on Wednesday, de Blasio and City Council Speaker Corey Johnson penned a joint letter to MTA chair, Joe Lhota, laying out terms of the funding agreement, with plenty of subtle insults to the MTA included. While the city's commitment of $418 million came with a "lock box" arrangement, to ensure the money goes to repairs and nothing else, the mayor and speaker are calling on Lhota and the MTA for even further transparency, better measurements of progress and frequent briefings about the plan.
Find out more
April 25, 2018

Pizza ‘museum’ is the latest selfie funhouse; Should NYC residents get reserved parking spots?

The Museum of Pizza promo via Nameless Network (L); Via Jason Kuffer/Flickr (R) First the ice cream museum, now the egg museum, and come October, the Museum of Pizza. For $35, you’ll be able to tour “marvelously-’grammable” rooms like a cheese cave and a pizza beach. [Eater] Governor Cuomo and transit leaders say that ultra-wideband radio […]

April 25, 2018

Uncover secrets of the World’s Fair with free, monthly walking tours of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park

For two six-month seasons in 1964, the World's Fair came to Queens, with exhibits featured from over 80 nations spread across 646 acres. The fair came at a time of mid-20th-century innovation and culture, at the height of the Space Age. It served as a moment of peace before the start of the Vietnam War, with its motto "Peace Through Understanding." And while many New Yorkers attended the historic event, or have heard stories recounted by parents and grandparents, it's hard to imagine what it was truly like to experience. Making it easier to understand what the World's Fair was really like, the city's parks department is offering free, monthly tours of the park, allowing visitors to hear the stories behind the Unisphere, the New York State Pavilion and many more landmarks.
Details here
April 25, 2018

One-in-three adults are “doubled up”: Who’s rooming with who and why?

A new PEW Research Center study has found that one-in-three adults are now “doubled up.” Some of these shared households are traditional multigenerational households—for example, a married couple with children who have chosen to live in a home belonging to one of their parents. By definition, however, shared households also include any households with at least one “extra adult” who is not the household head, the spouse or unmarried partner of the head, or an 18- to 24-year-old student. As a result, among the one-and-three adults who are now doubled up are adults sharing households with other adults to whom they are not related, adults sharing with same-generation siblings, and most surprisingly, a growing cohort of elderly parents moving into their adult children’s homes.
What's the deal?
April 25, 2018

Perfectly patina-ed Chelsea artist’s loft asks $2.75M

Sometimes an "authentic artist's loft" is exactly that. That's the case with this fabulously patina-ed co-op at 139 West 17th Street in Chelsea, which is as much known for vanishing artists' lofts as it is for art galleries. The $2.75 million listing starts out, "Bring your architect..." The space has as much need for transformation as it has vintage charm. Its current owners, a creative couple with a passion for culture and design, have made it their own, and it could be the perfect canvas for the next owner to do the same. The artist-in-residence has lived here for 40 years–we're guessing it was converted to a co-op during that time, as this is the first time it has been on the market.
Check it out
April 25, 2018

Condé Nast will sublease nearly one-third of its One World Trade Center headquarters

It was recently revealed that One World Trade Center still has a 25 percent vacancy rate four years after opening its door, and that number is about to grow. The first tenant to move into the building in 2014, Condé Nast is now looking to sublease a third of its one-million-square-foot office space. As part of its consolidation plan, the media company on Monday said it's looking to sublease seven of the 23 floors it currently rents as a way to cut costs, according to the New York Post. It's estimated Condé Nast paid roughly $50 per square foot when it moved in nearly four years ago--space at One WTC is now worth $75 per square foot.
Find out more
April 25, 2018

Turn an easy-care houseplant into a dramatic climbing garden

6sqft’s series Toolbox Tutorials shares step-by-step guides for simple, affordable DIY projects. This week, plant experts teach us how to make an easy, indoor climbing garden. Have a project you’d like to share? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. Bold botanical wallpapers are all the rage. But with a little sunlight and some patience, apartment dwellers can create a graphic pattern that literally climbs the walls (or ceiling!). The humble pothos (Epipremnum aureum), a staple of office and mall decor thanks to its easy-care nature, is the ideal trailing specimen to train indoors. It grows quickly, it thrives in indirect light, and its heart-shaped leaves aren’t accompanied by clinging parts that could damage surfaces (and bite into your deposit refund). Read on for instructions on creating and maintaining your own climbing garden from some of Instagram's top plant lovers.
Get the DIY tutorial
April 25, 2018

Brooklyn Heights co-op in a former mansion offers ‘castle-like’ grandeur for $1M

In Brooklyn Heights, a uniquely laid out one-bedroom co-op in a former mansion at 10 Montague Terrace is seeking $1.15 million. The listing says it "has all the style and grandeur you might expect of a Robber Baron’s castle," and after getting a look at the wealth of period details--intricate woodwork and moldings, stained glass windows, highly detailed inlaid floors--we can't disagree. Throw in the prime Heights Promenade-facing location with views of the river and lower Manhattan, and that price tag seems like even more of a deal.
You don't want to miss this one
April 24, 2018

Trump Organization will fight ‘rogue individuals’ who want the president’s name shed from UWS condo

In February of 2017, residents of Trump Place at 200 Riverside Boulevard voted to remove "TRUMP" from the condo building's exterior. Neighboring buildings found at 140, 160, and 180 Riverside Boulevard had already successfully removed his name, following a petition with hundreds of signatures. However, the 48-story condo at Trump Place, located on the Upper West Side, has not moved forward with the removal of the president's name because the Trump Organization threatened to sue. In response to this threat, board members in January asked a judge to issue a declaratory judgment that the condo has the right to either keep or remove the letters without violating its licensing agreement. The president's son, Eric Trump, who serves as a trustee of the organization, promised on Monday to "fight vehemently against rogue individuals" who want to remove the name (h/t West Side Rag).
Find out more
April 24, 2018

Crown Heights middle-income housing lottery gets you near all the action

But it won't really save you enough to enjoy all this happening 'hood has to offer. The latest in a string of "affordable" middle-income lotteries, this offering for three $2,716/month two-bedroom units at 85 Rogers Avenue is reserved for households earning between $93,120 and $111,670 annually, or 130 percent of the area median income. For a single person earning the lower end of the range, this is more than a third of their yearly income before taxes. So hitting up nearby Barboncino for wood-fired pizza or Super Power for tiki cocktails, might not be the most economical idea.
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April 24, 2018

Governors Island will stay open late on Fridays this season

Get ready to party on Governors Island this summer. The Trust for Governors Island on Tuesday announced extended hours for the 2018 season from 6 pm to 10 pm, allowing visitors to explore the park, drink cocktails and enjoy beautiful sunsets every Friday beginning May 25. During "Late Friday" nights, guests will be able to traverse the entire Island, including the promenade and Nolan Park and Colonels Row homes in the park's historic district.
Get the scoop
April 24, 2018

My 720sqft: A food and wine specialist serves up her retro, girly Jersey City studio

When Moira Sedgwick opens the door, everything about her--her outfit, personality, smile--is just as bubbly and colorful as her apartment. The top floor of a brownstone in Jersey City's Paulus Hook neighborhood, the 720-square-foot alcove studio is a mix of retro and mid-century finds (think 1950s red leather dining chairs and a collection of vintage Pyrex and milk glass) and girly accents (pink curtains with pompoms, floral silk pillows). Though Moira is passionate about the culinary and wine worlds--she produces national Food & Wine events for No Kid Hungry, in addition to growing her personal culinary talent management business--her other great love is interior design, which is quite apparent after touring her home that she describes as "unique, funky, and uber comfortable." Ahead, get a closer look at Moira's apartment and hear what she has to say about making the move across the Hudson, outfitting a studio for a chef's lifestyle, and mixing girly and retro decor.
Take the tour
April 24, 2018

Cuomo’s new bill would ban plastic bags in New York by next year

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo introduced a bill on Monday to outlaw single-use plastic bags in the state of New York. The New York Times reports that Cuomo announced the three-page post-Earth-Day bill as part of the effort to fight the “blight of plastic bags" and their "devastating toll on our streets, our water and our natural resources.”
Find out more
April 24, 2018

After landmarking news, historic Carroll Gardens schoolhouse is back on the market for $5M

An unusual Carroll Gardens building, once the first freestanding kindergarten to be built in Brooklyn, is seeking a new owner, asking $4.95 million, now that it may not be headed for the wrecking ball. The Landmarks Preservation Commission calendared the building (along with the apartment building next door), now a unique single-family residence, at 236 President Street for landmark status consideration on Tuesday. Neighborhood residents and concerned citizens–including folk hero Joan Baez, whose grandfather once lived next door–have been rallying to stop the building's planned demolition as Brooklyn Paper reported last month.
Imagine the possibilities
April 24, 2018

Live right next to Prospect Park in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, from $1,807/month

Want Prospect Park as a backyard? Enter a lottery for 16 middle-income apartments at a brand new building in Brooklyn's Prospect-Lefferts Gardens that sits directly across from the 526-acre park. Located at 510 Flatbush Avenue (also 33 Lincoln Road), the Lincoln Road Apartments rise nine stories and contain 141 units. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for units ranging from $1,807/month studios to $2,733/month two-bedroom apartments.
Find out if you qualify
April 23, 2018

Double-decker buses are coming to NYC

They'll be blue instead of red, but just like London, NYC will soon have double-decker buses cruising down its streets. As part of New York City Transit head Andy Byford's larger bus-improvement plan, the MTA will start testing its first two-story bus on Staten Island today, and if all goes well, they'll roll out on express routes in Manhattan soon. And to go along with the new design is a mobile app that provides seat availability information on express buses.
Learn about the whole plan
April 23, 2018

A public floating food forest will come to the Brooklyn Army Terminal this summer

A 5,000-square-foot edible perennial garden will travel to the Brooklyn Army Terminal this summer, offering up New Yorkers the chance to harvest fruits and vegetables on top of a barge. The floating food forest, Swale, docked in Manhattan last year and featured an apple orchard surrounded by garden beds. This year, the 130x40 foot barge will set up along the Sunset Park waterfront between May 5 and July 1, and be free and open to the public on the weekends.
Details here
April 23, 2018

Cortlandt Street subway station, destroyed on 9/11, will reopen this fall

Also damaged in 9/11, the R-line at Cortlandt reopened in 2011; photo via Wikimedia Nearly 17 years after it was severely damaged in the terror attacks on September 11, 2001, and then temporarily shuttered, the Cortlandt Street station is set to open this October. Running on the 1-line, the new station, expected to serve thousands of workers and tourists visiting the site, will boast Ann Hamilton's artwork, featuring words from the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Declaration of Independence (h/t Daily News). Cortlandt Street station was meant to open in 2014, but funding disputes between the Port Authority and the MTA delayed its completion until this year.
More this way
April 23, 2018

NYC’s 10 best art exhibits and events this spring

The flowers are finally blooming, spring is in the air, and there are tons of awesome art exhibits popping up all over the city. Although we recently highlighted some amazing art day trips from New York City, there is always art at our doorstep that we should take advantage of, so we've rounded up 10 terrific exhibits and events that will not last long. So take an extra long lunch break or sneak out of work early to catch these temporary shows that are all worth a visit.
Check out the list
April 23, 2018

Contemporary artist buys ‘Aaron Burr House’ in the West Village for $4.8M

Back in 2016, a row house in the West Village that was once owned by third U.S. vice president and famous duel participant Aaron Burr arrived on the market for $5.75 million. The Federal-style brick home at 17 Commerce Street–a fittingly historic block consisting of land that Burr owned just north of his country estate during the turn of the 18th century–has finally sold, to American painter and printmaker Walton Ford, Mansion Global reports, for $4.8 million.
More history and a last look

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