January 19, 2018

A magical private patio is tacked onto this $599K co-op in Lenox Hill

Summer feels far away... but this apartment's lovely patio will at least bring back memories of New York's warmer months. The very private, enclosed outdoor space is a part of this one-bedroom at the Lenox Hill cooperative 150 East 61st Street. After selling in 2010 for $400,000 it's back on the market asking $599,000. The ground-floor abode boasts some unique design quirks like colorful wallpaper and decor, but a new buyer will have an opportunity to make the interior--as well as that awesome patio--their own.
Head inside
January 19, 2018

Here is what might temporarily close in New York City if the government shuts down

If you're an out-of-towner planning a classic, tourist-attraction-filled trip to New York City soon, you may want to rethink your visit. The U.S. government might be headed toward a shutdown, with its funding set to expire by midnight Friday. Although it's not totally clear yet what will be affected in NYC, the last government shutdown in 2013, which lasted 16 days, temporarily closed national parks and a few federally-funded museums citywide. While there's a chance the national parks and museums might choose to stay open, ahead find which ones might be affected in the event of a government shutdown.
More this way
January 19, 2018

The Urban Lens: The quest to document every diner in NYC

6sqft’s series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment, Riley Arthur documents NYC's vanishing diners. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. "There's no comparison to a New York diner experience," says photographer Riley Arthur, which is what led her to start documenting all of the establishments throughout the five boroughs. Though she recently moved from Astoria to Florida, over the past two-and-a-half years she's photographed roughly 215 diners ("I've lost count," she says), usually hitting 10-12 a day and ordering a matzo ball soup at each! Since she began, at least a dozen diners have closed, usually due to rising rents, but Riley still has about 60 left to photograph. She shares her journey on the popular Instagram account Diners of NYC, where you'll see everything from the faux-stone and shiny metal facades to the greasy bacon and eggs to the massive plastic menus to the neon signs and leather banquettes. Riley shared a set of her snapshots with 6sqft and filled us in on her process and favorite spots.
See Riley's photos here
January 19, 2018

When it comes to attracting new residents, NYC wins big, but it’s complicated

A new data analysis effort from the Washington Post titled "The top 10 places people are moving, and how their choices differ by race" offers some interesting insights into where people are ending up when they come from...elsewhere. Though it's not the article's intent, the first thing we notice is that New York City is number one in attracting sheer masses, huddled and otherwise. And the biggest comparable block of hopeful humanity is coming "from abroad." The attraction factor gets more complex, though, when we adjust for size, looking at the percentage of the overall population the newcomers comprise. In that case, metro areas like Colorado Springs and San Jose move to the top. And what about race? Even more complicated.
Read on
January 19, 2018

Under proposed congestion plan, driving a car into Manhattan will cost $11.52

Drivers entering the busiest areas of Manhattan might soon be required to pay $11.52 per trip under a congestion pricing plan expected to be released by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday.  According to the New York Times, the proposal comes from an advisory panel "Fix NYC," a group assembled by the governor to explore ways to reduce congestion and also fund the city's strapped-for-cash transit system. Under the proposal, trucks would pay $25.34 and taxis would see a surcharge of $2 to $5 per ride if entering the "pricing zone," which would run south of 60th Street. Cuomo first introduced the idea of a congestion pricing plan to fund the MTA's transit repairs in August, after declaring the subway in a state of emergency earlier that summer.
Find out more
January 19, 2018

Pantone creator’s $39.5M Park Avenue pad may not be colorful, but it’s as classic as they come

This 17-room co-op in the Rosario Candela-designed 778 Park Avenue is the kind of apartment you don't see every day. The co-op's owner is equally unique: Pantone creator Lawrence Herbert is asking $39.5 million for the six-bedroom spread occupying the entire 11th floor, with interiors by designer Peter Marino (h/t Curbed).
Explore this grand example of Park Avenue living
January 18, 2018

Décor Aid’s founder shares his 2018 design predictions; This year’s best food hall bites

Sean Juneja, co-founder of interior design firm Décor Aid, talks about his inspirations and predictions for 2018. [CityRealty] The East Harlem statue of unethical gynecologist Marion Sims will be moved from public Central Park to private Green-Wood Cemetery. [Brooklyn Paper] Check out the five finalists selected for the 2018 City of Dream Pavilion on Governors Island. […]

January 18, 2018

New York City’s first crosstown bike lanes proposed for Midtown

Crosstown protected bike lanes may finally come to Manhattan's Midtown neighborhood, the first of its kind in New York City. The city's Department of Transportation presented on Wednesday a series of proposals to create bike lanes that stretch from the East River to the Hudson River, traveling east to west instead of north to south. The first two protected lanes are proposed to run east on 26th Street and west on 29th Street, where an existing lane will be replaced. Officials are also looking to add a lane moving west on 55th Street and east on 52nd Street. DOT's move to add more protected bike lanes in Midtown comes after the city experienced an increase in the number of cyclist deaths in 2017, despite it being the safest year on record for traffic fatalities.
Find out more
January 18, 2018

Lottery launches for 80 $675/month studios at COOKFOX’s huge Bronx development

It's been almost a year since the first lottery launched at Webster Avenue, COOKFOX's two-building affordable and supportive housing complex in the Tremont neighborhood of the Bronx. Four months after the lottery went live for the 227 units at Park House, nonprofit developer Breaking Ground reported that they'd received a staggering 55,163 applications. Now, they'll need to get ready for another influx; as of today, the lottery is live for the second building, Webster Residence. Here, single New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income, or between $25,000 and $40,000 annually, can apply for 80 $675/month energy efficient studios.
Find out more
January 18, 2018

From house of worship to NYU dorm: The story of the East Village’s ‘ghost church’

The disembodied church steeple sitting in front of a 26-story NYU dorm on East 12th Street between 3rd and 4th Avenues makes for one of the more head-scratching sights in New York. This jarring juxtaposition results from a confluence of powerful New York forces, including religion, immigration, real estate, and the expanding appetite of one large institution, New York University, and the shrinking resources of another, the United States Postal Service.
The whole story right here
January 18, 2018

New York City, Newark officially contenders for Amazon’s HQ2

Amazon announced on Thursday it narrowed its list of potential cities for its second headquarters to 20, with New York City and Newark as candidates. The tech giant said it received 238 proposals, evaluating each based on the criteria outlined in their RFP and then selecting cities to move on to the next phase. The 20 chosen cities will now work with Amazon to provide any additional information needed, with the company expected to make a decision in 2018 about where its HQ2 will land.
Find out more
January 18, 2018

Chris Rock’s cool Clinton Hill carriage house sells for $3.35M

Back in May 6sqft noted that Chris Rock had just listed his tricked-out Clinton Hill carriage house for $3.85 million. The comedian bought the historic property at 239 Waverly Avenue in 1994 for just $370,000. The 1901 home was also listed for rent in 2013 with an ask as high as $15,000/month at one point. Records now show that the renovated residence with room for two or three bedrooms, a 23-foot-wide master suite with skylights, and the elusive urban perk of being above a private two-car garage sold in September for $3.35 million. That's well below the ask, but still a tidy profit for Rock, who was recently spotted, according to the New York Post, checking out a posh penthouse and a townhouse at the Element condo tower at 555 West 59th Street.
Find out more, take a tour
January 18, 2018

City to open homeless shelter adjacent to One57 on Billionaires’ Row

Mayor Bill de Blasio plans to open a new homeless shelter for 150 single adult men on Manhattan's Billionaires' Row, part of the city's initiative to open 90 new shelters over the next five years. According to the New York Post, a former hotel at 158 West 58th Street, the Park Savoy, will be converted into the shelter and open in March. The Central Park South building sits behind One57, a supertall known for the city's most expensive residential sale ever: a penthouse that sold for $100 million in 2015.
More this way
January 18, 2018

$329K Tudor City studio packs a punch with charming prewar details

Tudor City, the Turtle Bay apartment complex built in the 1920s, is known for its tiny, affordably priced apartments. This one comes from 45 Tudor City Place, which holds a whopping 403 units over 25 stories. Despite the small space, there are charming interior details, like dark hardwood flooring and beamed ceilings, and the owner has added some extra touches to maximize space. It's now on the market asking $329,000 after selling in 2006 for $280,000.
Head inside
January 18, 2018

Hamptons mansion from Seinfeld’s ‘shrinkage’ episode sells for $5.7M

6sqft reported last year that the Amagansett home at 45 Whalers Lane, featured in Seinfeld's unforgettable "ugly baby" episode—also known as "The Hamptons!"—was for sale, asking $8.75 million. Now, according to Curbed, the 4,000- square-foot Hamptons estate with sweeping oceanfront views that helped introduce the term "shrinkage" into modern day vernacular has just sold for a somehow-appropriate $5.725 million–about $3 million less than its original ask.
more views this way
January 17, 2018

Lottery opens for 140 affordable units at Greenpoint’s tallest tower, from $613/month

Applications are now being accepted for 140 affordable units at The Greenpoint, the neighborhood's first skyscraper and current tallest building. The 40-story residential building, located on the Brooklyn waterfront at 23 India Street, boasts amenities like a bike room, sports court, children's playroom, outdoor entertainment space, fitness center, a public promenade and more. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 40 and 60 percent of the area median income can apply for affordable apartments ranging from a $613/month studio to a $1,230/month two-bedroom.
Find out if you qualify here
January 17, 2018

‘Parisian style’ short-term rental in Greenwich Village asks $5,000/month

For a short-term rental option, this one-bedroom apartment with some Parisian style in Greenwich Village is up for rent. What's so French-feeling about the space? 12-foot ceilings, beautiful crown moldings, large arched framed windows and some classy decor and art. The $5,000/month pad is available for between one and six months, according to the listing. It's on the second floor of the walk-up building at 2 East 12th Street, just east of Fifth Avenue.
Check it out inside
January 17, 2018

South Bronx complex with 1,045 housing units and nation’s first Hip-Hop museum gets new rendering

A new rendering of Bronx Point, a mixed-use development planned for the South Bronx waterfront, has been unveiled, providing a closer look at L+M Development Partner and Type A Projects' plan to bring over 1,000 units of housing, a food hall and the country's first brick-and-mortar museum designated to Hip-Hop to the neighborhood. As YIMBY reported, the housing will be delivered in two phases, with the first bringing 600 units of permanent affordable public housing by 2022. The second phase is expected to wrap up about three years after the first. Designed by S9 Architecture, the complex will include a new waterfront esplanade, state-of-the-art multiplex theater, flashy outdoor performance area and educational spaces.
More this way
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January 17, 2018

Rental fraud 101: How to keep yourself and your money safe

January is a busy month for renters across the U.S., described by one broker as the "oasis month" in an otherwise dead stretch between October and the spring. People make big life-changing decisions at the New Year, which often means moving – plus there’s the backlog of renters who put off sorting their living situation over the holiday season who are all entering the market at once in the first week of January. New York’s rental market is estimated to be worth over $700 million in rent and over $44 million in deposits in January alone. With so much money changing hands, it means renters are an attractive target for scammers and fraudsters. Thankfully, rental fraud is rare, but a little knowledge goes a long way. So if you’re entering the rental market after the holidays, here are three things you can do to keep yourself (and your money) safe.
READ MORE
January 17, 2018

Bruce Willis lists striking six-bedroom Central Park West home for $18M

Actor Bruce Willis and his wife Emma have listed their six-bedroom apartment at 271 Central Park West for $17.75 million. The spacious, 6,000-square-foot apartment boasts 4.5 bathrooms, a library and 150 feet of Central Park footage. According to Mansion Global, the couple decided to sell their apartment, which they first purchased for nearly $17 million in 2015, because they need to spend more time together. Although the duo is leaving Manhattan to possibly relax at their home in Bedford Hills, Willis said he'll keep loving the Uptown neighborhood. "I’ll always be an Upper West Side guy. I’ve been living up here on and off since the ‘70s," he said in a statement.
See the sprawling Central Park space
January 17, 2018

Red Hook’s revitalization: Will transit and development proposals change the small community?

The story of Red Hook is ripe for a movie-rights bidding war. In the past, there were mobsters and maritime ports, hurricanes and housing developments. Now there are politicians and developers fighting to rebuild and locals fighting back. In the end, what will happen to Red Hook is unknown but none of the massive proposals will happen in the near future. It is a small community in a big city that is tackling the issue many neighborhoods have dealt with in the past - how to grow. After the massive Hurricane Sandy rebuilding effort, there is a very solid and passionate local population and a growing cluster of cool restaurants, retailers, and artists attracted to the area. That coupled with the recent political attention by Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio and the developers drooling over the possibilities of the 130 acres of land ripe for redevelopment (that’s six times the size of the $25 billion Hudson Yards development) make Red Hook very newsworthy.
Transportation, development, and more
January 17, 2018

Cuomo’s proposed MTA budget requires more funding from New York City

Gov. Andrew Cuomo unveiled on Tuesday his proposed $168 billion FY 2019 executive budget, aimed mostly at raising revenue and protecting New York taxpayers from future federal cuts with a possible restructuring of the state's tax code. “Washington hit a button and launched an economic missile and it says ‘New York’ on it, and it’s headed our way,” Cuomo said. “You know what my recommendation is? Get out of the way.” While the governor's budget clearly targets President Trump and his administration, it appears to impose more financial responsibility on Mayor Bill de Blasio as well, according to Politico New York. The budget includes three provisions that require the city to increase their funding of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, including making City Hall pay half of the authority's $836 million emergency action plan. So far, de Blasio has refused to provide any additional funds to the MTA.
Find out more
January 17, 2018

For $1.3M, this South Slope duplex has lots of options and a private patio

Just a block from Prospect Park in laid-back south Park Slope, this cozy two-bedroom (officially) at 497 12th Street gives you two distinct living areas, several bedroom options, and a sweet private garden. The parlor-and-ground-level duplex is a condominium, which allows for even more options in a high-rent neighborhood. Asking $1.299 million, the apartment has been renovated, but it retains plenty of warmth and pre-war detail including tin ceilings, exposed brick, decorative moldings and original pine floors.
Take a look
January 17, 2018

New middle-income lottery launches at Stuyvesant Town with apartments from $2,889 a month

A new housing lottery has just been launched at Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village. Households earning $86,670-$170,115/year are eligible to apply for one-bedrooms for $2,889/month and two-bedrooms for $3,543/month. Those who applied last year don't need to apply again; their names are already on a waiting list–though it's likely a long one; 6sqft previously noted that a 2016 waitlist for the downtown apartment complex stretched to 15,000 people. The deadline to apply for the new lottery is February 21, 2018.
Find out more
January 16, 2018

Could legalizing marijuana be the state’s solution to fixing the NYC subway?

Gov. Andrew Cuomo plans to present the state legislature this week with ways to fund the financially troubled Metropolitan Transportation Authority. On Tuesday, he released his $168 billion budget proposal for the fiscal year 2019, which includes a proposal for charging vehicles for driving in the busiest areas of Manhattan during peak hours, with the money raised going to mass transit. According to the Daily News, a Republican gubernatorial candidate has a different idea. Joel Giambra, a former Erie County executive who announced his bid for governor last week, said he wants to legalize marijuana to fund the city's desperately-needed transit repairs.
Find out more
January 16, 2018

Win a pair of tickets to the 92Y’s starchitect-studded ‘City of Tomorrow’ Summit

After a highly successful inaugural year, the 92nd Y and Hundred Stories PR has announced the return of "City of Tomorrow: Real Estate, Architecture & Design Summit." The two-day conference brings together today's foremost architects, real estate developers, and design innovators to "explore new departures, trends, and initiatives for the NYC landscape." This year's 50+ speaker lineup includes architects such as Robert A.M. Stern, Daniel Libeskind, and Billie Tsien, interior designers Anthony Baratta, Ken Fulk, and Ghislaine Viñas, and developers Ziel Feldman of HFZ Capital Group and Ken Horn of Alchemy Properties. The group will discuss everything from adaptive reuse to the future of Penn Station and will provide a first-hand account of some of NYC's most anticipated projects, including Hudson Yards' sculpture The Vessel, the Lowline, and Pier 17. 6sqft has teamed up with the 92nd Y and Hundred Stories to offer one lucky reader a pair of tickets to the conference--worth $200!
Find out how to enter
January 16, 2018

Travel along the historic trails of Lower Manhattan with this interactive map

The Skyscraper Museum has released a new interactive web project and digital archive called Heritage Trails New York, which revives a landmark history project from 1997. Heritage Trails focuses on the historic blocks of Lower Manhattan, from the Battery to the African Burial Ground and Foley Square, stretching from the Hudson River to the South Street Seaport. The updated map expands on the original, which was designed by architect Richard D. Kaplan, by letting users more easily follow along with the dotted path via smartphone or computer.
Explore the map here
January 16, 2018

Colorful Gramercy loft with 17 windows and a private elevator entry asks $5.5M

The interior of this full-floor Gramercy loft is popping with color, made all the more brilliant by the light streaming through the apartment's 17 windows. It takes up an entire floor of the cooperative at 105 East 16th Street, spanning 4,100 square feet. The private elevator entrance opens up to an expansive living and dining area, while the flexible floor plan holds three bedrooms but could accomidate four.
Take a look
January 16, 2018

New York City secured 24,500 affordable housing units last year, setting new record

Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday announced another record-breaking affordable housing milestone: the city financed more than 24,500 affordable homes in 2017, the highest number in nearly three decades. Over the past four years, the de Blasio administration has created or preserved more than 87,500 affordable housing units, on pace to meet the city's goal of 300,000 units by 2026. Under "Housing New York 2.0," which the mayor unveiled in October, 25,000 affordable apartments will be secured each year until 2021. About half of the homes are set aside for individuals making $33,400 annually or $43,000 annually for a family of three.
More this way
January 16, 2018

Arts and Crafts meets Japanese style at this $3.1M Gramercy co-op

For a modern apartment with plenty of customized elements, look no further than this cooperative at 112 East 19th Street in Gramercy. The interior is the incredible handiwork of an Emmy Award-winning set designer, who also happens to be one of the building's original co-op shareholders. As the listing says, "this sprawling and serene space has been planned, built and maintained with a meticulous eye for detail and utter devotion to aesthetics." The owner was influenced by the Arts and Crafts aesthetic, alongside traditional Japanese interior design. The apartment, lined with 12 extra-tall windows, achieves an indoor-outdoor vibe reminiscent of a Pacific getaway. It has been on and off the market since 2016, asking a high of $3.2 million. Now the ask is down to $3.1 million.
There's custom panels, screens and lighting
January 16, 2018

New rendering shows how Pacific Park is changing Brooklyn’s skyline; tallest tower on the way

Though Brooklyn's Pacific Park mega-development hasn't been in the news much lately, the site of headline-stealing Barclays Center and the world's tallest modular tower hasn't slowed its advancing impact on the borough's skyline. A new rendering courtesy of New York Yimby shows the full build-out of the project, including the addition of what could be one of Brooklyn's tallest towers. According to the rendering, the site's crowning skyscraper would be borough's tallest tower–if only on paper, and temporarily.
Find out more
January 16, 2018

After funding lawsuit against Pier55 offshore park, Durst joins board of Hudson River Park Trust

Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer appointed Douglas Durst on Friday to the board of the Hudson River Park Trust, a group he has frequently criticized over their proposed Pier55 project. Durst admitted last year to funding a lawsuit to stop the trust's plan for an off-shore park on the Hudson River. While billionaire businessman Barry Diller, who is funding the $250 million project, halted construction in September, the plan was restored a month later, with pressure and financial help from Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Brewer told Crain's that Durst didn't volunteer, she asked him to join the board. "I think he loves the park," she said.
Find out more
January 16, 2018

My 700sqft: News anchors Jamie and Brian Stelter open up their ‘sunny’ Lincoln Square home

If these two friendly faces look familiar it's because they grace your television screen daily. Jamie Stelter has been NY1's traffic reporter for the past eight years, gaining fame not only for her onscreen rapport with Pat Kiernan but for her naturally bubbly personality (especially important when you go on air at 5am!), and Brian Stelter is a former media reporter for the New York Times and the current senior media correspondent and host of "Reliable Sources" for CNN. And while this might sound like a recipe for one intimidating couple, the Stelters are about as down-to-earth and warm as they come. 6sqft recently visited the couple at their Lincoln Square apartment and saw what a typical afternoon looks like, from putting their adorable eight-month-old daughter Sunny down for a nap to Brian dashing out the door to CNN's nearby offices (and Jamie and Sunny watching him on tv just a few moments later!). We were also treated to a tour of their boho-meets-family-friendly home, which is filled with DIY projects, adorable personal mementos, and a long list of Jamie's stylish finds from her favorite Instagram feeds.
Hang out with Jamie and Brian
January 13, 2018

NYC RENTALS: This week’s roundup of rental news & offers

Images (L to R): Avalon Brooklyn Bay, SKY, Ellipse and Henry Hall Greystar Unveils New Amenities and Renovated Apartments at The Chelsea Jersey City Waterfront Rental ‘Ellipse’ Unveils New Amenities, Pool Coming This Summer Brooklyn Heights Rental Tower Leasing One and Two-Bed Units with Discounted Deposits Newly Listed One-Beds at 1209 Dekalb from $2,150/Month Eastchester […]

January 12, 2018

Service changes galore this weekend, but MLK Day will run on a weekday schedule

Happy long weekend! The MTA has a host of service changes in store for Saturday and Sunday, but come Monday the subway will be mercifully operating on a weekday schedule with only "minor timing changes." Still, though, the MTA advises customers to allow additional travel time, meaning service will predictably not be too stellar.
Service changes this way
January 12, 2018

Grand Upper East Side co-op below Bette Midler’s penthouse asks $20M

A rarely-available Fifth Avenue co-op with 50 feet of Central Park frontage–and Bette Midler for an upstairs neighbor–has hit the market for $20 million, according to Curbed. This classic 11-room, five-bedroom Upper East Side home at 1125 Fifth Avenue gets those cinematic park and skyline views; the Divine Miss M has the penthouse–featured in Architectural Digest in 2014–upstairs.
Take the grand tour
January 12, 2018

Historic photos document Martin Luther King Jr.’s connection to NYC

The Museum of the City of New York on Saturday will launch King in New York, a photo exhibition that explores the relationship between Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and New York City. The collection, which commemorates the 50th anniversary of King's death, provides a look into the iconic civil rights leader's time spent in the city, starting in the 1950s and continuing through the aftermath of his assassination in 1986. New York, as the country's media capital, allowed MLK to broadcast his words and messages to both local and global audiences, hold national press conferences and speak to influential advocacy and political groups. He gave sermons at the Riverside Church in Morningside Heights and marched to the United Nations in protest against the Vietnam war. Following his death, thousands of New Yorkers marched in Harlem and Midtown to a Central Park concert to mourn together and the city named parks, playgrounds and streets in his honor. King in New York will be on view from Saturday, Jan. 13 to June 1, 2018.
Explore MLK's New York City connection
January 12, 2018

Lower East Side’s Landmark Sunshine Cinema closes next week; G train already suffering from L shutdown

Chelsea Piers is opening the borough’s largest fitness facility in Downtown Brooklyn. [NYT] Go into the crumbling, disaster-prone tunnels beneath Penn Station. [Bloomberg] The Lower East Side’s Landmark Sunshine Cinema will screen its final reel on Sunday, January 21st. [Deadline] The 20 best cheap things to do this weekend. [Brokelyn] Nearly three million people rode the NYC ferry […]

January 12, 2018

The South Bronx gets a new creative office hub at Union Crossing

We've been hearing so much about neighborhoods like Bushwick, Sunset Park, the Brooklyn Navy Yard and Long Island City ushering in a new era of creative industry. But the city’s next creative office hub is blossoming in the South Bronx neighborhoods of Mott Haven, Port Morris, and Hunts Point. CityRealty offers an update on newest addition to the area, to arrive by mid-2018: Union Crossing at 825 East 141st Street will bring more than 275,000 square feet of office and studio space with retail on the ground floor.
Find out more
January 12, 2018

The Urban Lens: See the last photographs of the abandoned Domino Sugar Factory

6sqft’s series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment, Paul Raphaelson takes us through the Domino Sugar Factory before its redevelopment got underway. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. The term "ruin porn" was born out of generations of street photographers venturing into neglected, decaying, and off-limits spaces, but today it's become more of a mainstream trend to fluff one's Instagram feed. So when Brooklyn-based artist Paul Raphaelson received the chance in 2013 to be the last photographer allowed into the then-abandoned Domino Sugar Factory, he knew he didn't want his project to simply "estheticize surfaces while ignoring the underlying history." His stunning photos of the 135-year-old structure still "capture the sublime sense of spectacle," but they also accompany archival maps, newspaper clippings, corporate documents, and even interviews with former Domino Sugar Factory employees, all of which come together in his new book "Brooklyn’s Sweet Ruin: Relics and Stories of the Domino Sugar Refinery." Raphaelson shared his stunning images with us and also shared his thoughts on "urban exploration," his process in compiling a comprehensive history of Domino, and his thoughts on the recently approved plans for the site.
See all Paul's photos
January 12, 2018

City decides to keep controversial statue of Christopher Columbus

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Thursday plans to keep the contentious Christopher Columbus memorial at Columbus Circle, following a 90-day review of the city's monuments and markets by a mayoral advisory commission. Although the statue will stay put at its Upper West Side location, the city plans to add new historical markers to explain the history of Columbus and also commission a new monument to honor Indigenous peoples. The statue of Theodore Roosevelt in front of the American Museum of Natural History and the plaque memorializing Henri Philippe Pétain in Lower Manhattan will also not be removed or relocated, but more information and context will be added to them.
More this way
January 12, 2018

For $1.15M, this little Upper West Side condo has a private rooftop that’s almost twice its size

If you're dreaming of the Upper West Side, and outdoor space is at the top of your list, you'll want to see this cozy walk-up condo at 105 West 77th Street. You might not even mind that it's only 454 square feet inside. Of course, 11-foot ceilings help, and amazing city views don't hurt either. You're right around the corner from the Museum of Natural History and Central Park, but the best addition by far is a 730-square-foot private roof deck just up a spiral staircase.
Get a closer look
January 11, 2018

Five chances to live near the New York Botanical Garden from $1,450/month

A Bronxdale building located near the Bronx Zoo and the New York Botanical Garden is now accepting applications for five middle-income apartments. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for $1,450/month one-bedrooms, as well as $1,800/month and $1,900/month two-bedrooms. Located near the 2 and 5 trains, the commute from the rental at 2547 Cruger Avenue to Midtown Manhattan is just under an hour.
Find out if you qualify
January 11, 2018

Rent ‘Real Housewives of NYC’ star Sonja Morgan’s notorious Lenox Hill townhouse for $32K/month

The Lenox Hill townhouse owned by Sonja Morgan has experienced about as many ups and downs on the market as the "Real Housewives of New York City" star herself. After years of trying to sell, Morgan is now renting her five-story, five-bedroom home at 162 East 63rd Street for $32,000/month. The hilarious hot-mess, who was formerly married to J.P. Morgan heir John Morgan and went bankrupt following their divorce, is currently being sued by her bankruptcy attorneys for not paying them a court-ordered fee of $350,000. Built in 1899, the Upper East Side townhouse features an elegant foyer, a spacious living room with a gas fireplace and a lush landscaped garden.
See inside
January 11, 2018

Golden Globe-winner Alexander Skarsgård checks out $5M Brooklyn Heights fixer-upper

6sqft reported back in August that actor Alexander Skarsgård of “Big Little Lies” and “True Blood” fame had scooped up It-girl Parker Posey's East Village aerie for $2.3 million. It looks like the top-floor townhouse co-op gave the recent Golden Globe Award-winner a taste for townhouse living: The Post reports that Skarsgård may have his eye on a $5 million brick rowhouse in Brooklyn Heights in need of some TLC but with plenty of potential.
Take a peek
January 11, 2018

The Greenwich Village church that threw a presidential election

The stately church building at 141-145 West 13th Street in the West Village is the picture of serene elegance. Built in 1846-47 in the Greek Revival style, the classical balance and symmetry of the façade mask a history full of controversy, including the birth of a notorious slur in American politics, which arguably changed the outcome of a pivotal presidential election.
Find out about the scandalous story
January 11, 2018

In heated legal battle, condo board says it has the right to remove Trump’s name

While never especially popular in his hometown, President Donald Trump's approval in New York City dropped even more so after his election. His unpopularity among New Yorkers has taken a toll on his real estate empire: both average sales price and the average price per square footage at the 11 Trump-branded condos fell below the average in this area for the first time ever. And some residents living in condos that bear the president's name have started petitions to remove Trump from the building's exterior. At one 48-story luxury building on the Upper West Side, residents are debating whether or not to remove his name. The condo board at 200 Riverside Boulevard, or "Trump Place," now potentially faces a lawsuit from DJT Holdings, a company owned by Trump, for seeking to remove the name, the New York Post reported.
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January 11, 2018

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ star Ellen Pompeo lists modern Hamptons farmhouse for $3.8M

Ellen Pompeo recently listed her impossibly verdant Sag Harbor home at 1645 Millstone Road for $3.79 million, the New York Post reports. The actress, who plays the leading role of Dr. Meredith Grey in “Grey’s Anatomy,” bought the property for $925,000 in 2011. Overlooking over eight acres of rolling farmland, the newly-renovated 2,400 square-foot farmhouse, built in 2103, splits the difference between modern convenience and simple charm. The property came with a cottage that Pompeo tore down to build the current home.
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January 10, 2018

Live in a one-bedroom off of East Harlem’s bustling 116th Street for $2,270/month

A brand new residential building at 245 East 115th Street in Manhattan's East Harlem neighborhood is currently accepting applications for four middle-income one-bedroom apartments. The eight-story building sits just one block from 116th Street, the business hub of Spanish Harlem that features lots of restaurants and shops. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the one-bedroom apartments for $2,270/month.
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January 10, 2018

MTA rolls out its all-electric bus pilot; Secretive buyers made up 70% of Trump’s 2017 real estate transactions

The MTA kicked off a three-year pilot of 10 all-electric buses in an attempt to reduce emissions. [amNY] Despite being considered for landmarking, demolition started on the AT&T Building lobby. [The Architect’s Newspaper] Last year, 70 percent of Trump condos were sold to hidden shell companies. [USA Today] Penn Station’s new West End Concourse is already […]

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