6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

Pixel architects, Oliver Thomas and Keyan Rahimzadeh, designed “pixel façade,” a flexible biophilic façade system for the next generation of offices, acknowledging millennials strong desire to be happy in a conducive, natural workplace. Inspired by a Metals in Construction competition challenge, the duo designed a hypothetical building in Williamsburg with a strong connection to nature to house tech startups. Thomas told designboom: “the idea was to propose conceptual but realistic ideas for built products for the future.”
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10 things you didn’t know were made in Brooklyn

Photos © James and Karla Murray

April 5, 2018

10 things you didn’t know were made in Brooklyn

By James and Karla Murray

The new exhibition at the Brooklyn Historical Society, "The Business of Brooklyn," celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and tells the fascinating story of the borough’s 100 years of business, detailing its industrial past, large companies, as well as its preponderance of mom-and-pop shops. It also showcases many objects and artifacts, which have their origins in Brooklyn, demonstrating the significant “role that Brooklyn has played in American consumer culture.” The exhibition is on view at the Brooklyn Historical Society’s landmark building in Brooklyn Heights located at 128 Pierrepont Street until Winter 2019. From those iconic yellow pencils to Brillo pads to Cracker Jack, you may be surprised to see what has been made in Brooklyn.
The history of 10 famous products made in Brooklyn

History

Adrian Grenier put a $10,000 toilet in his mom’s Clinton Hill townhouse renovation

Adrian Grenier image via Wikimedia Commons

April 5, 2018

Adrian Grenier put a $10,000 toilet in his mom’s Clinton Hill townhouse renovation

By Annie Doge

In 2015, 6sqft reported that "Entourage" star, filmmaker and local green renovator had just purchased an impressive five story home in the heart of the Clinton Hill historic district. Nosy neighbors and friendly observers have noted steady progress in the massive renovation effort that has followed at 112 Gates Avenue. Now the New York Post tells us that the home, which the actor adorably bought for his Brown Harris Stevens broker mom, will not only retain its Landmarks-mandated charm but will be positively flush with modern conveniences–starting with $10,200 Toto Neorest 750H high tech toilets courtesy of a sponsorship by the Japanese manufacturer.
'before' photos a-head

Celebrities

April 5, 2018

Leather floors and a catwalk are just the beginning at this $7M Tribeca loft

The listing for this sprawling and spectacular loft at 44 Laight Street in Tribeca is loaded with hyperbole, but in this case we can pretty much see why. We're not sure if it's a "mysterious nexus of art, history, whimsy and amazing craftsmanship where to think of living there was to reduce the miraculous to the mundane," but as far as loft condos go, it's a pretty fly pad. Starting with a private entrance and private indoor parking space, the three bedrooms and remarkable living spaces in this landmarked Grabler Building home are definitely worth a look.
Prepare to be amazed

Distinctive Homes

Apply for 35 middle-income units near Pratt Institute in Clinton Hill, from $2,030/month

Rendering via Aufgang Architects

April 5, 2018

Apply for 35 middle-income units near Pratt Institute in Clinton Hill, from $2,030/month

A newly constructed Clinton Hill building is now accepting applications for 35 middle-income units. Located at 325 Lafayette Avenue, the building sits around the corner from the Pratt Institute, Classon Playground and a plethora of restaurants and bars. The eight-story rental, designed by Aufgang Architects, features a brick facade with metal panels. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for units ranging from a $2,030/month studio to a $2,581/month two-bedroom.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Starbucks targets low- and middle-income communities, starting with new Bed Stuy location

Photo of the new Bed-Stuy location, courtesy of Starbucks

April 5, 2018

Starbucks targets low- and middle-income communities, starting with new Bed Stuy location

Starbucks has been all over the map, not only geographically but symbolically. Reactions to a new Starbucks often range from being a welcome addition by caffeine-deprived people to being the face of a large corporation that is a lightning rod for gentrification, threatening mom and pop shops. With 14,163 Starbucks in the US, what street corner doesn’t have a Starbucks? Well, the Bedford-Stuyvesant community didn’t, until now. A Starbucks just took over the location of shuttered local department store, Fat Albert. Is this another example of the big, faceless corporation blazing its way into a community that doesn’t want it?
Get more info here

Uncategorized

April 5, 2018

Renderings revealed for Annabelle Selldorf’s $160M Frick Collection expansion

By Hannah Frishberg

The Frick Collection has unveiled its $160 million Selldorf Architects-designed upgrade and expansion, which will open up the private living quarters of Henry Clay Frick's original 1914 home to the public for the first time. As the New York Times explained, the renderings illustrate a plan to expand the existing building's second level, add two set-back stories above the music room, and an addition behind the library that will match its seven-story height. These will house a 220-seat underground auditorium, an education center with classrooms, in addition to a renovated lobby and larger museum shop.
More details and renderings ahead

Future of de Blasio’s $2.5B BQX streetcar at risk

Photo courtesy of Friends of the BQX

April 4, 2018

Future of de Blasio’s $2.5B BQX streetcar at risk

With the unveiling of its inaugural prototype last fall, things were looking up for the Brooklyn Queens Connector (BQX) streetcar, a proposed light-rail trolley that would run 16-miles along the East River between the two boroughs. The Friends of the BQX even held an event to show off the ultra-sleek, 46-foot long prototype car. However, studies into the project's construction feasibility, as well as its ability to pay for itself, are still underway, according to the Daily News. At an event at NYU, Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen said the administration is still determining the project's ability to be self-funding.
More this way

Distinctive Homes

Milk Bar founder Christina Tosi lists Chelsea condo for $5.9M

An artist's Upper East Side condo is a palace-sized riot of joyful color for $8.75M

For $3.25M, this compact Boerum Hill townhouse goes beyond the condo alternative with three levels and a yard

Watch the seasons of Central Park change from this $3.4M top-floor Upper West Side co-op

This $25M Greenwich Village townhouse has been an artist's refuge for well over a century

$2.35M Gramercy co-op wraps classic pre-war style with vintage opulence–plus a key to the park

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

For $700K, this parkside Brooklyn co-op adds dramatic design details to classic pre-war bones

This $3.75M Lefferts Manor townhouse has well-preserved historic details and every modern luxury

For $20.5M, West Village townhouse meets suburban mansion behind a historic facade

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April 4, 2018

15-room Ditmas Park Victorian with a sun porch and Jardin à la Française asks $3M

By Hannah Frishberg

This stunning home has everything you could possibly want from a Ditmas Park Victorian: sprawling, standalone, and full of original details such asparquet floors, stained glass, French doors, built-ins, a sun porch, and even a Jardin à la Française out back. Located within the neighborhood's eight-block historic district, 485 East 17th Street is asking $2.995 million for its three stories of well-maintained space.
See the whole place

Distinctive Homes

$165M sale of South Bronx waterfront site is the borough’s priciest development deal ever

An original rendering of 2401 Third Avenue via Hill West Architects

April 4, 2018

$165M sale of South Bronx waterfront site is the borough’s priciest development deal ever

Somerset Partners and Chetrit Group have sold their massive South Bronx waterfront site to Brookfield Properties for $165 million, the priciest transaction for a development in the Bronx on record. As the New York Post reported, the project includes two sites on either side of the Third Avenue Bridge. At 2401 Third Avenue, original plans called for a 25-story standalone tower and a 25-story and 16-story building rising from an eight-story base. Developers also planned to bring three 24-story buildings and a 22-story building on top of a six - and seven-story base at the second site at 101 Lincoln Avenue.
Find out more

April 4, 2018

Take a tour of artist Cj Hendry’s ‘MONOCHROME’ rooms in a Brooklyn warehouse

Australian-born, New York-based hyperrealist artist Cj Hendry--whose past work, which is often sold out through Instagram and has been quite dominated by blacks, whites and grays--created an amazing color exploration in a 22,000-square-foot Brooklyn warehouse. In each of the seven single-colored rooms, the self-described “fashion fangirl” Hendry’s MONOCHROME exhibit creates a color sensory experience centered around her new images of crumpled Pantone swatches. Everything from the walls to floors to clothes hanging to plants are the same color. It looks as if she was inspired by the 2018 Pantone color of the year, ultraviolet, for the bathroom. The rooms are built with lego-like Everblocks, creating somewhat prison-like walls in the most colorful jail ever.
Take a tour

MTA sued over L train shutdown plan to transform 14th Street into an all-bus corridor

Photo via Dan Phiffer’s Flickr

April 4, 2018

MTA sued over L train shutdown plan to transform 14th Street into an all-bus corridor

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority released late last year its mitigation plan for the 15-month shutdown of the L train, set to begin in April of next year, calling for an all-bus, no-car corridor on 14th Street between Third and Ninth Avenues. The city says the MTA will have to run 70 buses every hour across the Williamsburg Bridge in order to accommodate the projected 84,000 daily bus riders. According to the New York Times, this would make 14th Street the busiest bus route in the country. In response, a coalition of Lower Manhattan neighborhood groups on Tuesday filed a federal lawsuit against the MTA and the city's Department of Transportation in attempt to stop repairs of the L train, claiming the agencies failed to conduct an environmental review before releasing its plan.
More here

Sting is reportedly renting at Zaha Hadid’s High Line-hugging condo

Photo © Hufton+Crow; Sting photo via Wiki Commons

April 4, 2018

Sting is reportedly renting at Zaha Hadid’s High Line-hugging condo

By Annie Doge

Just six months after selling his huge Central Park West penthouse for $50 million, Sting has reportedly moved on to an equally swanky residence. According to Page Six, he and wife Trudie Styler are "renting a large terraced apartment on a high floor" in Zaha Hadid's recently-completed, curvy, High Line-hugging condo at 520 West 28th Street in Chelsea. Though his former home was in a classic Robert A.M. Stern-designed building (he must really have a thing for starchitects), it was decked out in an uber-contemporary style, so it makes sense that he'd want to move over to one of the city's most futuristic buildings.
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April 4, 2018

David Adjaye’s first New York skyscraper begins its 800-foot rise in the Financial District

Four months after revealing renderings for his first NYC skyscraper, esteemed British architect David Adjaye is finally seeing the project get off the ground. CityRealty reports that construction at 130 William Street has reached street level, with a red kangaroo crane in the ready to begin its nearly 800-foot-tall rise. The Ghana-born architect, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II and named one of TIME’s 2017 most influential people, has said the condo tower was inspired by the historic masonry architecture of the Financial District.
Find out more ahead

April 4, 2018

ODA’s proposed Chinatown ‘Dragon Gate’ pavilion interweaves tradition and modernity

By Andrew Berman of Village Preservation

As many other New York City ethnic neighborhoods have diminished or disappeared over the years, Chinatown continues to grow and prosper. Roughly bound by borders at Hester and Worth Streets to the north and south, and Essex and Broadway to the east and west, Chinatown is home to largest ethnic Chinese population outside of Asia. With this in mind, architecture firm ODA New York, known for prioritizing people over architecture, has proposed a unique and beautiful new gateway to the neighborhood at the Canal Street Triangle. ODA’s typical designs can be a bit boxy, constructed with heavier materials, but there is always a lightness to them, whether through the infusion of glass, archways, or greenery. Combining new technology with traditional Chinese symbolism, “Dragon Gate” will delicately weave the duality of Chinatown’s old and new into a strong structure, both in symbolism and material.
More renderings and details ahead

How New Yorker Howard Bennet fought to make Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday a national holiday

Martin Luther King Jr. at the 1963 Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C. via Wiki Commons

April 4, 2018

How New Yorker Howard Bennet fought to make Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday a national holiday

Fifty years ago, on April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. was shot as he stood on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. This ended the life of one of the 20th century’s most revered and influential figures. It also began a 15-year campaign to make Dr. King’s birthday a national holiday — the first-ever honoring an African American. That successful quest began with and was spearheaded by a native son of Greenwich Village, Howard Bennett. Bennett was one of the last residents of a Greenwich Village community known as “Little Africa,” a predominantly African-American section of the neighborhood which was, for much of New York’s history through the 19th century, the largest and most important African-American community in the city. That neighborhood centered around present-day Minetta, Thompson, Cornelia, and Gay Streets.
Learn more here

History

What would congestion pricing mean for NYC real estate?

Photo via joiseyshowaa/Flickr

April 3, 2018

What would congestion pricing mean for NYC real estate?

Congestion pricing is dead in the water again. But New York City’s traffic and subway problems continue to get worse while the population and Cuomo and De Blasio’s battles continue to grow. Something has to give. With that in mind, the question remains, if congestion pricing ever happens, what is the relationship between congestion pricing […]

A ‘small format’ Target will open on the Upper East Side next year

Retail giant Target announced on Tuesday that it will bring three new Target stores to New York City, further expanding its footprint in the Big Apple. The new stores, planned for the Upper East Side, Astoria and Staten Island, will be "small format," tailored to the needs of shoppers in urban areas (h/t NBC). In a statement, Mark Schindele, a senior vice president of Target's properties, said: "All three of these new stores will offer the best of Target in that borough, yet curate the assortment to meet the needs and preferences of the nearby community."
More details here

New Developments

April 3, 2018

15 art museums outside NYC worth the trip

New York City is filled with amazing art so why go any further? Because there are some spectacular museums with extraordinary collections set in nearby locales that demand attention. Art can be appreciated for the work itself but taken within its context and history, it can be so much more. 6sqft found a variety of incredibly interesting art destinations in the tri-state area that are worth a trip. Perhaps when planning your next staycation or day-trip, choose one of these museums to set your itinerary.
Check out our list of the top 15

Events & Things To Do

April 3, 2018

La Central, 992-unit affordable Bronx development, ramps up construction

As 6sqft previously reported, after getting the green light for La Central, a new development that would bring nearly 1,000 units of affordable housing to the site of the Bronx Zoo-bordering Lambert Houses, construction on phase 1 of the project is well underway. Welcome2TheBronx reports that a 160-unit building D at Bergen Avenue and 152nd Street, a supportive housing building for formerly homeless individuals, is almost topped out and is scheduled to be finished by the summer of 2019. Two more buildings in the 992 unit, 1.1-million-square-foot Hudson Companies, Inc, development have broken ground.
Find out more

Bjarke Ingels’ Nomad office tower reveals itself and nearly doubles in height

Rendering via BIG Architects

April 3, 2018

Bjarke Ingels’ Nomad office tower reveals itself and nearly doubles in height

Despite switching architects from Moshe Safdie to Bjarke Ingels of BIG Architects in September, HFZ Capital Group is still on track with its office tower planned for 3 West 29th Street. New renderings obtained by YIMBY reveal a much taller building than filed in September, which called for 33 or 34 stories. The designs are showing a roughly 60-story tower, officially dubbed "29th and 5th," planned for the Nomad neighborhood, with a footprint of potentially 600,000 square feet.
Take a look

Cuomo declares state of emergency for NYCHA, creates independent monitor to oversee authority

Photo of Queensbridge Houses via Wikimedia

April 3, 2018

Cuomo declares state of emergency for NYCHA, creates independent monitor to oversee authority

Citing hazardous conditions like lead paint and mold, Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday declared a state of emergency for the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA). He also ordered an independent monitor be appointed within 60 days to expedite repairs and upgrades. An investigation by the state's Health Department revealed this week that in the last month alone, at least one severe condition that poses a health risk has been found inside 83 percent of 255 apartments checked, including peeling paint, mold, evidence of rodent and insect infestation and missing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. The monitor will also oversee how NYCHA spends the $250 million the state allocated in its budget signed this weekend, according to the New York Times.
Find out more

April 3, 2018

This stunning $22M Hotel des Artistes triplex has a 44-foot living room, 2 offices and a greenhouse bath

As with most of the homes in the unique–even for New York City–Hotel des Artistes building at 1 West 67th Street, this amazing Central Park West triplex must be seen to be believed. The sprawling 5,500 square-foot co-op has room after room of remarkable features–greenhouse bathroom, anyone?–and every inch of the home’s gorgeous interiors reflects a brilliant eye for style. Just a few more amazing spaces include a 44-foot-long living room, a sprawling terrace with a fire pit, two offices and several balconies.
Take the envy-inducing tour

Distinctive Homes

Hear MLK’s final speech replayed under the Washington Square arch tonight

Photo from an event test run last night, courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photo Office

April 3, 2018

Hear MLK’s final speech replayed under the Washington Square arch tonight

Today, April 3rd, marks the 50th anniversary of when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his final speech, "I've Been to the Mountaintop," in Memphis, Tennessee. In response to the Memphis Sanitation Strike, he called for unity, economic action, and nonviolent protests. He also, eerily, alluded to an untimely death. The following day, April 4, 1968, he was assassinated. To commemorate this final speech, the city will tonight replay it in its entirety throughout Washington Square Park while Mayor de Blasio and First Lady McCray light the arch in MLK's honor.
Event details ahead

Events & Things To Do

April 3, 2018

Matt Lauer attempts to shed Upper East Side co-op for $7M

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

After all, there's no need to worry about having a place near work. In addition to the disgraced anchorman's Sag Harbor home (one of his three Hamptons properties) Lauer's Upper East Side co-op at 133 East 64th Street is now for sale, asking $7.35 million. The four-bedroom, 11-room pad is also, as the Post points out, where the former "Today" anchor was holed up last November when he was informed of his dismissal by NBC News head Andy Lack.
Have a look

Taxis and Ubers will pay a surcharge below 96th Street; HUD restricts NYCHA funds

Photo via joiseyshowaa on Flickr (L); NYCHA’s Drew Hamilton Houses via Wiki Commons (R)

April 2, 2018

Taxis and Ubers will pay a surcharge below 96th Street; HUD restricts NYCHA funds

By 6sqft

The New York state budget left out congestion pricing in NYC in favor of a surcharge on for-hire vehicles south of 96th Street. [NYT] A 21-year-old entrepreneur opened a vegan restaurant in Bushwick where diners can pay what they wish. [NY City Lens] 16 art installations and exhibits not to miss in NYC in April […]

Uncategorized

THE 6SQFT SHOP

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

10 Ways to Decorate an Exposed Brick Wall Without Drilling

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

VIEW ALL

April 2, 2018

Live in a loft above the Red Hook Fairway for $7K/month

It boasts spectacular views of the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan skyline. It features original Civil War-era wood beams and natural oak flooring. But the best attribute of the two-and-a-half bedroom apartment available to rent at 275 Conover Street might very well be the Fairway Market located on the ground floor of the building. Found in the historic Red Hook Stores building, a 1860s-era warehouse with renovated loft apartments, the pad is asking $7,000 per month (grocery bill not included). As Brick Underground learned, that's roughly two and a half times the median rent for a two-bedroom in the Brooklyn neighborhood.
Get the details

Distinctive Homes

April 2, 2018

Owners of Donald Trump’s former Connecticut mansion try to unload it again for $45M

It looks like it's not just owners within Trump-branded condo buildings who are struggling to sell their homes, but the owners of individual homes with connections to the President, too. In 1998, financier Robert Steinberg and his wife Suzanne paid $15 million for this 5.8-acre Greenwich, Connecticut estate on its own peninsula. It was previously owned by a then-Democratic Donald Trump and his wife Ivana, but when they divorced in 1991, she kept the mansion. Likely not realizing what was yet to come, the Steinbergs first listed the home in early January 2016 for $54 million, dropping the price to $45 million in May. But according to the Wall Street Journal, when Trump's campaign "started heating up," they took the listing down. Although the fire has only grown, they've now decided to try again.
Get a look around

Everything you need to know about cryptocurrency and real estate

NYC skyline via Pexels; Bitcoin via Pexels

April 2, 2018

Everything you need to know about cryptocurrency and real estate

NYC skyline via Pexels; Bitcoin via Pexels Just when you think you understand the world of cryptos, all you understand is how little you know. And when you do actually master a topic, it will change. Which is why to get you started, we've put together a 101 guide to cryptocurrencies and real estate transactions. From the technology behind digital currencies such as Bitcoin to their risks, the real estate market is ripe for potential when it comes to this burgeoning market.
Get your primer ahead

De Blasio agrees to fund half of the MTA’s $836M emergency subway rescue plan

Image © 6sqft

April 2, 2018

De Blasio agrees to fund half of the MTA’s $836M emergency subway rescue plan

After months of refusal, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Saturday the city will pay for half of the emergency rescue plan for the subway, which was announced by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in July. The mayor's decision to fork over $418 million for subway repairs came after the state lawmakers passed on Friday Gov. Andrew Cuomo's $168.3 billion budget. The approved budget includes giving the state power to take funding from the city if it did not pay for its share, as the Daily News reported. The state has already paid its half of the $836 emergency plan, aimed at repairing, upgrading and stabilizing the beleaguered transit system.
More details here

April 2, 2018

Heidi Klum buys a raw Soho penthouse loft in need of a complete reno for $5M

Though Heidi Klum has spent summers renting a New York City pad and even checked out Bon Jovi's pricey penthouse, the supermodel and TV personality was LA-based until recently. The Post reports that Klum just closed on a 4,772-square-foot Soho penthouse loft at 515 Broadway for $5.1 million. Purchased under the name “HK East Coast LLC,” the loft, in a 19th century Queen Anne-style building also known as 84 Mercer Street, is a former artist's studio, though it's exempt from Artist Certification requirements. The totally raw space is in need of just about everything.
Take a look

City studying gondolas for Governor’s Island transit option ahead of planned new development

Image courtesy of The Trust for Governor’s Island.

April 2, 2018

City studying gondolas for Governor’s Island transit option ahead of planned new development

Among a growing chorus of futuristic transportation suggestions meant to meet the city's exploding need to get from point A to point B, Crain's reports that the city's Economic Development Corp. is studying a gondola that would operate from lower Manhattan to Governors Island. Though the idea has been proposed before, anticipation of a planned redevelopment project on the 172-acre island has fostered a new urgency.
Find out more

Transit

De Blasio is considering a vacancy tax for landlords who leave their storefronts empty

Photo via Dan Nguyen/Flickr

April 2, 2018

De Blasio is considering a vacancy tax for landlords who leave their storefronts empty

In the "it's about time" department, the New York Post reports that Mayor Bill de Blasio is considering a tax that would discourage retail landlords from letting their properties sit vacant, depriving potential local businesses of opportunity while giving the middle finger to neighborhood morale. Addressing the rising number of vacant storefronts in just about every neighborhood in the city, the mayor said Friday on WNYC that he would like to see a penalty in place for landlords who leave storefronts sitting unoccupied, presumably waiting for big-ticket tenants who have yet to materialize.
Find out more

March 30, 2018

Celebrate Prospect Park’s opening weekend with an 1860s-style ballgame, a scavenger hunt and more

Image by Elizabeth Keegin Colley for the Prospect Park Alliance Spring has officially sprung. And what better way to welcome the season than celebrating with a weekend full of activities at Prospect Park? To kick off the park's opening weekend on April 7th and 8th, the Prospect Park Alliance will bring events like free yoga, a baseball parade and 1860s exhibition baseball game, a fair, history tour and much more. Although most events are free, a few require advance reservation and some cost a couple of bucks. Ahead, check out the full schedule of events.
More details here

Events & Things To Do

Brooklyn Army Terminal getting a solar panel pilot program; Largest Chick-fil-A ever opens in FiDi

Rendering of solar equipment on the roof of the Brooklyn Army Terminal via NYC EDC (L); Chick-fil-A at 144 Fulton Street via Chick-fil-A(R)

March 30, 2018

Brooklyn Army Terminal getting a solar panel pilot program; Largest Chick-fil-A ever opens in FiDi

By 6sqft

An outdoor sculpture garden made of trash is coming to the City Reliquary. [Untapped Cities] The city is looking to cover a 100,000-square-foot rooftop at the Brooklyn Army Terminal with solar panels. Residents and business owners would pay for the solar power through a monthly membership fee. [amNY] A five-story + rooftop terrace Chik-fil-A–the largest […]

Uncategorized

March 30, 2018

Live in a classic mid-century modern home on three acres of land in New Canaan for $1.5M

Connecticut's picturesque New Canaan boasts glorious architectural juxtapositions of old and new, with super traditional center hall colonials alongside classic mid-century modern homes, all in a super posh, perfectly manicured, “country” setting. Located at 126 Chichester Road, this five-bedroom, 3,000-square-foot home asking $1,549,000 falls into the latter group. It was built by James Evans, a student of Louis Kahn’s when Kahn was president of Yale University's architecture department.
Take a tour

Distinctive Homes

Underground moving sidewalks were NYC’s transit plan of the future at the turn of the 20th century

Photos courtesy the New York Public Library’s Digital Gallery

March 30, 2018

Underground moving sidewalks were NYC’s transit plan of the future at the turn of the 20th century

By Emily Nonko

As the city currently tackles a plethora of issues with its public transit system, New Yorkers have been presented with no shortage of innovations to make commuting (hopefully) better. Take a look back at the turn of the 20th century, though, and the moving sidewalk was considered the future of urban transportation. According to Gizmodo, "The moving sidewalk represented a bold new vision for tomorrow... This idea of rolling pavement appealed to people in major cities who didn't yet see the rise of the automobile as inevitable and were looking for an affordable alternative to more elaborate infrastructure like subway trains." In 1903, an article in Harper's Weekly said that moving sidewalks were the perfect solution for the city to tackle congestion issues that would arise with new bridge connections bringing people from Brooklyn into New York City.
They would move at 9MPH

March 30, 2018

Our 1,400sqft: A vibrant couple in their 80s ditches the suburbs for the West 70s

Marv and Fran Lifson have been married for 32 years. After combining their families (she had five children, he four), and spending three decades in Westchester, this self-described "active, older couple" decided to sell their home and relocate not to Florida or the Carolinas, but the Upper West Side. Luckily for them, Fran's son David Katz has his own architecture firm and he stepped right in to help them with their search and, ultimately, renovation. After finding their dream home two years ago, a fixer-upper on 72nd Street and Central Park West, David combined a studio and one-bedroom into a spacious two-bedroom that's just as fresh and modern as its residents. 6sqft recently visited Fran and Marv to learn about why they'd grown tired of the suburbs, what they love about their new urban lifestyle, and how the renovation process went.
See the whole place and hear from Fran and Marv

March 30, 2018

$925K North Slope brownstone co-op comes with a fireplace, a loft, and a loggia

Looking at the 25-foot wide townhouse known as the Warwick at 8 8th Avenue in one of the prettiest spots in brownstone Brooklyn, it's easy to imagine that the apartment within would be a study in historic parlor-floor grandeur–and this well-maintained two-bedroom co-op doesn't disappoint. Steps from Grand Army Plaza and a few blocks from Prospect Park, this anything-but-boring home on the Park Slope/Prospect Heights border boasts a romantic wood-burning fireplace and historic details, plus quirky surprises like a loft and a loggia.
Take a tour

Distinctive Homes

3 service fully out, Rockaway without trains, and more weekend subway madness

Photo by Giuseppe Milo via Flickr

March 30, 2018

3 service fully out, Rockaway without trains, and more weekend subway madness

By Hannah Frishberg

Seasoned straphangers are certainly expectant of bad subway service news by this point, but that doesn't make this weekend's changeups any easier to navigate. The D and F are masquerading as each other across boroughs, 3 train riders are out of luck, and the Rockaways especially are hard hit by a lack of service on the only two lines which reach the area. On the bright side, free bus service to LaGuardia Airport on the LaGuardia Link Q70 has been reinstated through April 7. Also in the realm of good news, eight extra trains will run out of Penn Station on the Long Island Rail Road for Good Friday and the start of Passover today. See the MTA's press release for all of the additional afternoon departures. As well, MTA NYCTA President Andy Byford answered questions on Twitter yesterday and revealed his favorite Smiths song.
All the weekend service changes

Transit

Lottery launches for 124 middle-income units in East Harlem, from $822/month

Rendering via MAP Architects

March 29, 2018

Lottery launches for 124 middle-income units in East Harlem, from $822/month

A brand new East Harlem mixed-use development, known as Acacia Gardens, now has 124 middle- income apartments up for grabs. The 12-story brick building at 411 East 120th Street, the site of a former parking lot, includes over 180,000 square feet of residential space. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60 and 100 percent of the area median income can apply for units ranging from an $822/month studio to a $1,706/month three-bedroom.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

New renderings for Tishman Speyer’s 10-story office tower above Downtown Brooklyn Macy’s

Via Tishman Speyer/ The Wheeler building site

March 29, 2018

New renderings for Tishman Speyer’s 10-story office tower above Downtown Brooklyn Macy’s

Tishman Speyer last April unveiled plans to revamp the Macy's building at 422 Fulton Street in Downtown Brooklyn by building a 10-story office tower on top of it. Now, new renderings have been released this week of the building, known as the Wheeler, highlighting the design's fusion of 19th century and Art Deco architecture. A 256-foot tall glassy addition to the historic department store will add over 840,000 square feet of commercial space, according to YIMBY.
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When the Bronx Bombers were the Highlanders: A brief history of the Yankees

The Highlanders play a game at Hilltop Park in 1912, photo via The Library of Congress

March 29, 2018

When the Bronx Bombers were the Highlanders: A brief history of the Yankees

Not unlike their current powerhouse lineup, the most dominant team in American sports got off to quite a rocky start. Not only did the New York Highlanders, now known as the Yankees, have a losing record for many years, but the team’s first home field was also a mess: it was located near a swamp, the outfield had no grass, and the ballpark sat mostly unfinished. In just six weeks, 500 men hastily built the stadium on Broadway and 168th Street in Washington Heights, known as Hilltop Park, in time for the Highlanders' first home game on April 30, 1903. Due to the unsavory, rock-filled conditions, the last big league game at Hilltop Park was played in October of 1912. Following its closure, the Highlanders changed their name to the Yankees in 1913, moved to the Bronx, and went on to become one of the most successful sports teams in the world.
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Governor Cuomo looking to give the state control of Penn Station area

Photo outside Penn Station via Maciek Lulko/Flickr

March 29, 2018

Governor Cuomo looking to give the state control of Penn Station area

Less than one week before the state's deadline to adopt its budget, Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed the “New York Pennsylvania Station Area Redevelopment Project,” a state-controlled development area around Penn Station. In the constant one-upmanship between Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio, this would give Cuomo control over one of Manhattan’s top name-brand landmarks, according to a draft proposal acquired by Politico.
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‘Atlantic Chestnut’ development will bring over 1,100 fully-affordable units to East New York

Rendering via Dattner Architects

March 29, 2018

‘Atlantic Chestnut’ development will bring over 1,100 fully-affordable units to East New York

A mixed-use development will bring 1,165 fully-affordable units to the Brooklyn neighborhood of East New York, an evolving community in need of new and preserved housing. Dattner Architects released this week new renderings of the development, dubbed Atlantic Chestnut after the two streets it will face (h/t CityRealty). The complex, which will include three 14-story buildings, sits on 4.5 acres and measures over a million square feet. The three buildings will be completed in successive phases, with the first scheduled to wrap up in 2020, the second in 2021 and the third in 2022.
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Daniel Libeskind’s first New York City building may be affordable senior housing in Bed-Stuy

Rendering of the Sumner Houses Senior Building, courtesy of the Architect, Studio Libeskind (via NYC Housing Authority)

March 29, 2018

Daniel Libeskind’s first New York City building may be affordable senior housing in Bed-Stuy

Though he has called New York home for decades, noted Polish-American architect Daniel Libeskind has yet to see a NYC building to completion. But it appears that may soon change, as CityRealty reports that his first ground-up building will be a 197-unit affordable housing project on Site 2 of the Sumner Houses in Bed-Stuy. A January press release announcing the selection of the project’s developers credits Studio Daniel Libeskind as the designer of the 10-story building-to-be, and a rendering shows an angular white-colored building done in the firm’s signature un-orthogonal style.
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March 29, 2018

San Remo co-op that was Diane Keaton’s first NYC apartment lists for $17.5M

By Annie Doge

In the late '70s, after hitting it big in Woody Allen's "Annie Hall," a 30-year-old Diane Keaton celebrated her Hollywood success by buying a full-floor apartment at the storied Upper West Side co-op the San Remo. Looking back in more recent years, she said "It was one of those remarkable apartments. There was a window on every side. Everything was wide open. That was the beginning of my true interest in architecture." And now a lucky buyer will have the chance to re-live that dream, as Keaton's former home--in one of the landmark's coveted towers--has just hit the market for $17.5 million, reports the Post.
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Essex Street Market announces more vendors for new Essex Crossing location

Rendering courtesy of SHoP Architects for Market Line

March 29, 2018

Essex Street Market announces more vendors for new Essex Crossing location