6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

What better way is there to show how easily your senses can be tricked than a funhouse? That’s the thinking behind Our Senses: An Immersive Experience, a massive new exhibit that’s more like a trip to a carnival at the American Museum of Natural History. Spanning 11 rooms themed to your senses — there are many […]

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De Blasio’s affordable housing ‘road map’ includes tiny homes and micro-units

Image: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office

November 15, 2017

De Blasio’s affordable housing ‘road map’ includes tiny homes and micro-units

Calling it "Housing New York 2.0," Mayor Bill de Blasio has just released a new road map to his goal of building and preserving 300,000 affordable New York City homes–100,000 more than his previous pledge. The plan accelerates and expands the production of new housing, fights tenant displacement, creates more housing for seniors and working families and provides new home ownership tools. Among the more technologically advanced strategies outlined are plans to use innovative smaller homes on vacant lots that are too small for traditional housing and the expansion of modular buildings and micro-units.
Mitchell-Lama, vacant lots, modular building and micro-units, this way

15 apartments up for grabs near the Williamsburg waterfront, from $867/month

Rendering of 94 North 3rd Street courtesy of Hudson Companies Inc.

November 15, 2017

15 apartments up for grabs near the Williamsburg waterfront, from $867/month

Applications are now being accepted for 15 newly constructed, affordable apartments in a mixed-use development in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn. With 75 total units and more than 15,000 square feet of ground-floor retail, the building at 94 North 3rd Street sits just a few blocks from the waterfront and bustling Metropolitan Avenue. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for studios for $867 per month, one-bedrooms for $931 per month and two-bedrooms listed for $1123 monthly.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

New affordable Bronx development will feature a rooftop aquaponics greenhouse

Rendering of the Bedford Green House courtesy of Edelman Sultan Knox Wood/Architects LLP and Hollister Construction Services

November 15, 2017

New affordable Bronx development will feature a rooftop aquaponics greenhouse

The construction of a 13-story supportive housing development in the Bedford Park neighborhood of the Bronx will begin Thursday when federal, state and city officials join nonprofit Project Renewal in a groundbreaking ceremony at the site. Located at 2880 Jerome Avenue, the Bedford Green House will feature 118 units of affordable housing for families, seniors, and singles. To connect its residents to nature, the building will be covered in carbon sequestering plants and have an operational rooftop greenhouse where residents will be able to raise fresh fish and produce, partake in healthy cooking demos, and enjoy a community playground.
More this way

November 15, 2017

Historic UES mansion with Michael Jackson and ‘Gossip Girl’ ties asks $39M

By Dana Schulz

The celebrity connections at 4 East 74th Street date all the way back to its construction in 1898 when architect Alexander Welch was commissioned to design the Beaux-Arts townhouse. Welch served as the consulting architect on the restorations of Alexander Hamilton's Harlem home Hamilton Grange and George Washington's headquarters in White Plains. The Upper East Side home was bought by Francis Lynde Stetson and his wife. Corporate attorney Stetson was at one time the law partner of Grover Cleveland. According to Curbed, who first spotted the listing, in more recent years, the 16-room mansion has counted among its residents artist Marc Chagall and Michael Jackson, who rented it in the 90s. The house also stood in as the exterior of Nate Archibald’s residence in "Gossip Girl." It's now owned by billionaire Moroccan-born American hedge fund manager and Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry, who's just listed it for $39 million.
Take a tour

Luxury condos may be off the table at Crown Heights armory after City Council hearing

Rendering of the Bedford Courts development planned for the Bedford-Union Armory; image: BFC Partners/Bedford Courts

November 15, 2017

Luxury condos may be off the table at Crown Heights armory after City Council hearing

Amid growing opposition, the proposed Crown Heights Bedford-Union Armory redevelopment project began its evaluation by the City Council at a hearing Tuesday on land use applications filed by the Economic Development Corporation (EDC), amNewYork reports. The massive armory, once housing for the National Guard, became city property in 2013. The EDC plans to sell the property to developer BFC Partners for the creation of 56 condos, of which 20 percent would be income restricted. The remaining market rate condos would help pay for the rest of the project, which would be leased by BFC Partners and would include 330 rentals (165 affordable), office space and a recreation center. Critics say the city is setting a dangerous precedent by leasing public land for private use, especially when market-rate condos are included. The de Blasio administration has championed the recreation center and housing, but the plan has has come under fire by neighborhood advocacy groups and has had an uphill battle in achieving the City Council approval it needs.
Find out more

MTA to introduce ‘customer service ambassadors’ to help riders navigate the subway

MTA customer service ambassadors, photo courtesy of MTA New York City Transit / Marc A. Hermann

November 15, 2017

MTA to introduce ‘customer service ambassadors’ to help riders navigate the subway

The first phase of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s plan to modernize the subway focuses on improving communication between workers and riders. Last week, the MTA announced it would distribute about 230 iPhones to platform workers and train operators to pass along helpful information to straphangers about train problems and also provide alternative routes. Now, according to amNY, customer service ambassadors will roam subway stations to offer assistance, instead of staying in the booth. Over the next several weeks, ambassadors will be selected, trained and then placed at busy stations, especially those with a lot of tourists like Grand Central Terminal and Times Square.
Find out more

Transit

November 15, 2017

$3M Fort Greene townhouse may need some TLC but lovely bones and a heavenly garden remain

Located on a gorgeous block steps from Fort Greene Park, this compact townhouse at 232 Carlton Avenue, asking $3 million, could use some updating. The listing says, "Bring your architect and/or designer," but there's a lot to love about this home even in its present imperfect state. Currently configured as a two-family dwelling with an owner’s triplex and a one-bedroom duplex rental, the layout may look a little complicated but there's plenty of potential here, including a gracious deck and classic leafy Brooklyn backyard.
Take a closer look

Distinctive Homes

Distinctive Homes

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

$7.2M penthouse is most expensive sponsor sale in Williamsburg

6sqft’s top ‘distinctive homes’ of 2024

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

This $3.15M co-op embodies East Village cool, all grown up

Bob Dylan's former Turtle Bay home asks $7.25M

For $5.8M, this Fifth Avenue co-op has 'Mad Men'-era vibes and Central Park views

For $3M, this two-family Crown Heights townhouse fills every available inch of space with great style

This $8.75M Village townhouse is a downtown dream home with an elevator, three terraces, and a rooftop office suite

This $6M Arts & Crafts estate is like having your own private summer camp in the Hamptons

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LPC approves Roman Abramovich’s revised Upper East Side mega-mansion proposal

Image: Landmarks Preservation Commission

November 14, 2017

LPC approves Roman Abramovich’s revised Upper East Side mega-mansion proposal

Shortly after Roman Abramovich added a fourth Upper East Side townhouse to his now-$96-million assemblage on East 75th Street, the Russian billionaire's three-house, 18,000-square-foot mega-mansion plans changed ever so slightly, with renovation efforts to be concentrated on numbers 9, 11 and 13, leaving number 15 out of the running for the mega-combo. As 6sqft previously reported, the steel magnate and owner of the Chelsea Football Club has been working with architect Steven Wang with big-name firm Herzog & de Meuron as a design consultant. The first proposal for the project, “an 18,255-square-foot mansion with a six-foot front yard, 30-foot backyard, and pool in the cellar" was rejected by the Landmarks Preservation Commission and the DOB in April 2016, but a revised plan was approved two months later. Tweaked again to include the new property, the revised plan has been officially approved on Tuesday by the Landmarks Preservation Commission.
Find out more

Anable Basin proposal envisions a massive mixed-use district along the Long Island City waterfront

Rendering courtesy of WXY architecture + urban design

November 14, 2017

Anable Basin proposal envisions a massive mixed-use district along the Long Island City waterfront

The plastics company, Plaxall, announced on Tuesday a massive rezoning proposal to allow for a mixed-use district in Anable Basin, the area surrounding a 149-year-old inlet located in Long Island City. Since founding the company more than 70 years ago, the Plaxall family has purchased and rehabilitated properties in the neighborhood and currently manages over one million square feet of space. Achieved through rezoning, the proposal calls for 335,000 square feet for industrial uses, 4,955 housing units with 25 percent of them affordable, a 700+ seat public school and a new, elevated promenade. If the rezoning is approved, construction is anticipated to begin in 2020 with a completion date in 2034, but no official timeline has been set.
Find out more

Looking back at 50 years of public art in NYC

Ugo Rondinone, Human Nature, Rockefeller Center, 2013. Presented by Nespresso, Organized by Tishman Speyer and Public Art Fund. Photograph by James Ewing. Courtesy Public Art Fund, NY

November 14, 2017

Looking back at 50 years of public art in NYC

The first pieces of public art began came along in 1967, at a time when the city — as many other cities at the time — was struggling with crime and budget deficits. “Mayor John Lindsay was keen on the idea of supporting the arts, supporting creative programming as a way of maintaining New York’s […]

Uncategorized

Dannon Yogurt’s fruity history in the Bronx

Photo courtesy of Dannon

November 14, 2017

Dannon Yogurt’s fruity history in the Bronx

The Bronx is home to your favorite European-sounding ice cream brand--and it's also the place where a European yogurt was outfitted for American tastes. Back in 1919, in Barcelona, Spain, Isaac Carasso started making yogurt after learning about scientific advances fermenting milk at the Pasteur Institute in Paris. He founded the "Danone" yogurt company--named after his young son Daniel--and invented yogurt's first industrial manufacturing process. Isaac's son, Daniel, eventually brought the business to France, but then moved to New York in the midst of World War Two. In 1942, Daniel Carasso changed the name Danone to Dannon to make the brand sound more American. It was the first American yogurt company located in the Bronx at a time when few Americans knew what yogurt was. The rest, as they say, is history, with hand-delivered yogurt making its way around the city, and the American taste preferences leading the company to invent fruit-based flavors you still see today.
Keep reading for Dannon's NYC history

History

Amid decline in ridership, MTA boosts service on six train lines

The 7-train will be getting the biggest boost in service this spring, photo via Wikimedia

November 14, 2017

Amid decline in ridership, MTA boosts service on six train lines

In an attempt to increase subway ridership, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority next spring will add trains to six lines: the 2, 3, 7, N, W, and Q trains. The boost in service comes after data released by the MTA revealed that riders are opting for alternative transportation, like Uber, Lyft or Citibike, instead of dealing with the often delayed and disrupted subways and buses. According to amNY, the additional trains, which will cost the MTA $5 million annually, will run on nights and weekends, times when the authority believes demand is not being effectively met.
Find out more

New development sales in Manhattan expected to hit $12B by 2020

New development visualized through 2020, via CityRealty

November 14, 2017

New development sales in Manhattan expected to hit $12B by 2020

By Dana Schulz

According to CityRealty's 2017 Manhattan New Development Report, things are really going to heat up over the next few years. While new development sales dropped to $8.3 billion in 2017 from $9.4 billion in 2016 (attributed to a softening in the luxury market), there are a number of new big-time buildings that will commence closings and have the potential to drive total sales up to a whopping $11.9 billion by 2020. One key player is Extell Development’s One Manhattan Square on the Lower East Side. With 815 apartments, it will be the largest condo by unit count ever constructed in the city. And up on Billionaires' Row, Extell's Central Park Tower will have the city's biggest sell-out ever at $4 billion, while Vornado's 220 Central Park South is looking to set the record for highest price per square foot ever in NYC.
READ MORE

Real Estate Trends

November 14, 2017

Cracking open the stories of NYC’s most historic bars

With rising rents and ever-changing commercial drags, New Yorkers can take comfort that the city still holds classic bar haunts, some of which have been serving booze for over 100 years. Some watering holes, like the Financial District's Fraunces Tavern, played a crucial role in major historic events. Others, like Midtown's 21 Club and the West Village's White Horse Tavern, hosted the most notable New Yorkers of the time. These institutions all survived Prohibition--managing to serve alcohol in both unique and secretive ways--and figured out ways to serve a diverse, ever-changing clientele of New Yorkers up to this day. 6sqft rounded up the seven most impressive bars when it comes to New York City history--and they've got the legends, stories, and ghosts to prove it. From longshoreman bars to underground speakeasies to Upper East Side institutions, these are the watering holes that have truly withstood New York's test of time.
This way for the roundup

Second phase of Penn Station track work will not bring a winter of hell

Amtrak workers setting concrete on track 10 at Penn Station this summer, image via Amtrak

November 14, 2017

Second phase of Penn Station track work will not bring a winter of hell

Amtrak announced on Monday its plan for the second phase of track renewal projects for Penn Station, set to begin this winter. Between January 5 and May 28 of next year, there will be continuous single-track closures, affecting Amtrak and commuter train operation at the Midtown transit hub. While similar to the infrastructure repairs that took place for eight weeks this past June, dubbed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo as the “summer of hell,” the impact will be less severe for commuters and most of the work will take place on the weekends.
More here

November 14, 2017

Park Slope duplex is a perfect townhouse tryout at $4,800/month

In the heart of lovely, leafy north Park Slope, a block from Prospect Park and surrounded by some of Brooklyn's priciest historic architecture, this 1,500-square-foot duplex condominium at 502 1st Street is available for rent, asking $4,800 a month. If you're looking for a townhouse tryout–without all the stress that comes with purchasing an actual townhouse–the two-floor, three-bedroom space is big enough for the whole family. They'll fit right in here–and two private outdoor spaces provide a closer-to-home alternative to the park.
Have a closer look

MAP: Where to find all 300 works in Ai Weiwei’s ‘Good Fences Make Good Neighbors’ exhibition

Ai Weiwei's New York City art installation, "Good Fences Make Good Neighbors," is expansive: it features ten large fence-themed structures, more than 90 smaller installations and 200 banners found in all five boroughs. While the multi-site, multi-media exhibition might seem like a lot to explore, the Public Art Fund, which commissioned the project, has made enjoying Weiwei's sprawling exhibition easy. The fund has created an interactive map that displays all 300 of the famed artist-activist's artworks currently found at public spaces, transit sites, lampposts and monuments all over the city, as well as additional information for each.
Explore the map

Events & Things To Do

Everything you need to know about the 2017 Rockefeller Center tree lighting

Photo via Michael Vadon/Flickr

November 13, 2017

Everything you need to know about the 2017 Rockefeller Center tree lighting

You might still have a bowl of leftover Halloween candy stashed in a cabinet. You probably don’t have a final guest list for Thanksgiving dinner. But winter is coming, sweet summer children, and with it comes Christmas in the city. Aside from Santa rounding up the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, the Rockefeller Christmas Tree lighting […]

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November 13, 2017

$6,000/month Greenpoint rental boasts a drool-worthy deck that’s outfitted for winter

Every winter, New Yorkers mourn the outdoor space they can't enjoy due to cold weather. This Greenpoint apartment has solved that problem, by installing a fire pit within a charming private patio. This jealousy-inducing outdoor space is tacked onto a two-bedroom duplex unit from 114 India Street, a condo built in 2008. It's being offered as a short-term rental--completely furnished, with utilities and weekly housekeeping included--for $6,000 a month.
Now see the interior

Distinctive Homes

Brooklyn Queens Connector unveils first streetcar prototype

Photo courtesy of Friends of the BQX

November 13, 2017

Brooklyn Queens Connector unveils first streetcar prototype

A group of public officials and advocates joined the Friends of the Brooklyn Queens Connector (BQX) today to unveil the inaugural prototype of the streetcar proposed to run between Astoria and Sunset Park. First backed by Mayor Bill de Blasio in February 2016, the BQX project, expected to cost $2.5 billion, would connect Brooklyn and Queens along the East River. Despite significant setbacks, including a bleak assessment about the finances and logistics of the project from Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen in April, BQX supporters are urging the de Blasio administration to make the project a priority during his second term.
See the streetcar

Where to volunteer in NYC: Food banks, shelters, soup kitchens, and more

Image by acfb.org

November 13, 2017

Where to volunteer in NYC: Food banks, shelters, soup kitchens, and more

By Rebecca Paul

The holiday season is the time of year when seeing friends and family is hard to avoid. We also find ourselves with more vacation days during these winter months. However, even though these two holiday realities suggest cheer and relaxation, they don't always mean we're taking the necessary time to slow down and appreciate what really matters. Instead of just eating and drinking your way through the next weeks, why not harness the holiday spirit and take a pause to help your fellow New Yorkers in need? There are hundreds of opportunities to volunteer from now through the New Year, and the list we've compiled below is a good place to start.
6sqft's list this way

MTA’s new cardless fare system could benefit low-income New Yorkers

Image via WNYC

November 13, 2017

MTA’s new cardless fare system could benefit low-income New Yorkers

Not only would the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s new electronic fare payment system make commuting more efficient, it might also save money for low-income straphangers. According to amNY, advocates and experts say the new “contactless” technology could make the system more equitable through a policy called fare capping: riders pay per ride until the daily or weekly capping rates are reached, with every ride being free after that.
Find out how it works

November 13, 2017

For $2.3M, an Amzi Hill-designed Bed-stuy townhouse with historic details and an artist’s legacy

On one of the prettiest blocks in the landmarked Stuyvesant Heights section of Bed-Stuy, this 3,240-square-foot 1890s brownstone is brimming with historic architectural details. Designed by prolific Brooklyn architect Amzi Hill, 740 Macon Street has been lovingly restored by the home's longtime owners, one of whom happens to be a celebrated local artist whose sense of history and beauty is reflected at every turn. Highlights include arched windows, six tiled fireplaces, parquet floors, wooden shutters, pressed tin ceilings, pocket doors, a pier mirror, egg-and-dart molding and intricate fretwork, plus a landscaped garden and terrace. The two-family townhouse–there's a one-bedroom garden unit for rental income–is asking $2.3 million.
Tour this beautiful four-story house

Distinctive Homes

Waldorf Astoria will lose 1,000 hotel rooms in renovation

Photo via Wiki Commons

November 13, 2017

Waldorf Astoria will lose 1,000 hotel rooms in renovation

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

In the coming weeks, the renovation of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel will finally begin--a three-year process to convert much of the building to luxury condos. Hilton Worldwide Holdings, who had owned the landmark since 1972, agreed in 2014 to sell the 1,413-room hotel to Beijing-based financial and insurance company Anbang Insurance Group for $1.95 billion. Since then, the interior was landmarked, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill was tapped to design the project, and the building closed to begin work. Now the New York Post reports that post reno, the Waldorf will only hold 350 hotel rooms--a number that's "at the low end of recent estimates and much smaller than the number former Waldorf owner Hilton had expected," according to the paper.
It's caused some tension

November 12, 2017

Courtney Love’s one-time West Village townhouse rental lists for $11.25M after a stylish makeover

By Annie Doge

After struggling on and off the market for six years, the historic Greenwich Village townhouse made infamous when Courtney Love rented it for $27,000/month is trying again after a super-stylish makeover. Back in 2011, the owner of 250 West 10th Street, Donna Lyon, took Love to court on the grounds that she had done more than $100,000 worth of interior damages, including decorating it in a style not to the owner's liking and setting a minor fire, as well as owed $54,000 in back rent. Love ended up winning the eviction battle, but soon thereafter moved out, from which time the place has been trying to find a buyer, first listing for $8.4 million, then jumping up to $11.5 and back down to $9. But it's now received a super-stylish makeover more akin to its pre-Love look, which he been done by previous owner and architect/designer Steven Gambrel. With lacquered walls, six original marble fireplaces, and a newly renovated French-bistro outdoor patio, the home is now asking $11.25 million.
Get a look around

THE 6SQFT SHOP

The best websites for buying and selling used furniture in NYC

The 6 best furniture rental companies in NYC

8 best places in NYC to thrift for home goods

Everything you need to know about using a guarantor in NYC

15 quintessential NYC gifts for the New Yorker in your life

New York City's best holiday markets of 2023

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

10 best plants for apartment dwellers

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

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November 12, 2017

A top-floor apartment at Trump International, awash in marble, has been price chopped down to $27.5M

Extravagant is the word to describe this 47th-floor apartment at Trump International, the 52-floor hotel/condo hybrid on the corner of Central Park West. The owner snatched up the 6,360-square-foot home in 2008 and has been recently delivering a number of price cuts to unload it. In 2016, the pad was asking $40 million. That number went down to $34.5 million this April, and now it's finally landed at $27.5 million--a 31.5 percent markdown from its original ask. For all that money, however, you're getting Central Park views, four distinct types of marble flooring, and a master bathroom decked out in Lapis Lazuli stone hand-picked by European craftsman.
See all the lavish details

Distinctive Homes

One month free at SHoP’s American Copper Buildings and more rental offers

Photos via JDS Development/SHoP Architects

November 11, 2017

One month free at SHoP’s American Copper Buildings and more rental offers

By Ondel Hylton

The American Copper Buildings, famous for their slanted silhouettes and already-iconic skybridge, commenced leasing in early 2017, but they're now offering one month free on a 13-month lease and one month broker OP, according to the building's website. Each of the two buildings has more than 300 unique layouts; current availabilities include studios from $2,975/month, one-bedrooms from $5,00/month, and two-bedrooms from $6,530/month.
More offers ahead

Real Estate Trends

Join NYC’s community solar farm even if you can’t install your own panels

Image via 350.org flickr

November 10, 2017

Join NYC’s community solar farm even if you can’t install your own panels

We’ve all heard how solar panels on your roof can help lower your electricity bills — and help the environment — but how can you get in on that if you rent an apartment or live somewhere that’s often in the shade? There is a solution: community solar farms. Environmental nonprofit Earth Day Initiative is bringing the first such […]

Uncategorized

Live in a Dattner Architects-designed affordable rental in the South Bronx, from $864/month

Rendering of East 162nd Street Court via L&M Development

November 10, 2017

Live in a Dattner Architects-designed affordable rental in the South Bronx, from $864/month

In a partnership between L&M Development and B&S Supportive Services for the Underserved, a new 12-story affordable housing project is now accepting applications for 88 units at 294 East 162nd Street. Designed by Dattner Architects, the South Bronx building, called East 162nd Street Court, offers 126 mixed-income rental apartments, with 37 reserved for formerly homeless families. The remaining units available will be set aside for New Yorkers earning 60 and 80 percent of the area median income for units ranging from an $864 per month studio to a $1,829 three-bedroom.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Frank Lloyd Wright had a plan to build a ‘city of the future’ on Ellis Island

Frank Lloyd Wright/TAA drawing of Key Project for Ellis Island. Credit: The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Archives (The Museum of Modern Art | Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library, Columbia University, New York)

November 10, 2017

Frank Lloyd Wright had a plan to build a ‘city of the future’ on Ellis Island

Ellis Island, well known as the processing center for millions of American immigrants until 1954, has figured heavily in the nation's history; once the center was closed and neither of its current owners, the states of New York and New Jersey, knew of an alternative for its re-use, the island was offered for sale. Among the bidders for the 27-acre site were a pair of young NBC executives whose idea included breathtaking plans conceived by none other than Frank Lloyd Wright. According to Metropolis, Wright's idea supported the media execs' vision for “an entirely new, complete, and independent prototype city of the future."
So what happened?

Photo of Trump Tower via Krystal T’s Flickr

November 10, 2017

Trump Tower prices slide since 2015 presidential campaign

Sales prices at the tony Midtown condo building at 721 Fifth Avenue have dropped sharply since Donald Trump began his presidential campaign, according to the Wall Street Journal. The median sale price and average price per square foot are down since 2015 and are now reaching the lows experienced during the last financial crisis. Brokers aren't exactly sure whether the "Trump effect" has caused the slump–including issues specific to the tower such as heightened security, protests, and a general antipathy toward all things Trump–or it's part of an overall softening of the luxury condo market.
Is it the Curse of Trump?

Real Estate Trends

Demolition papers filed for Lower East Side’s Landmark Sunshine Cinema

Photo of the Landmark Sunshine Cinema, courtesy of Wikimedia

November 10, 2017

Demolition papers filed for Lower East Side’s Landmark Sunshine Cinema

Plans to demolish the Landmark Sunshine Cinema, a staple of the Lower East Side since 1909, were filed with the city Wednesday. Although the new owners of the historic theater, East End Capital and K Property Group, planned in May to redevelop the space as a mixed-use building with retail and office space, the developers, who paid about $35 million for the site, have changed their mind, the Lo-Down reports. The demolition application calls for a “full demolition of a 3-story commercial building.” The iconic cinema’s doors will close for good in January 2018, when its lease expires.
Find out more

New Developments

Heating 101: How to keep your apartment warm during NYC’s coldest months

Image via Pexels

November 10, 2017

Heating 101: How to keep your apartment warm during NYC’s coldest months

With the sun setting earlier each night and the temperature quickly dropping, it’s time to make the seasonal swap from sandals to boots and from air conditioning to heating. To prepare for the city’s coldest months, New York City renters should know the basic laws of heating an apartment, as well as the best products and decor to supplement a less-than-adequate system. Ahead, follow 6sqft’s heating guide to keeping things toasty all winter long.
More this way

Photo via Public Domain

November 10, 2017

Sign up to testify at city hearings about controversial monuments

The commission created by Mayor Bill de Blasio to review possible "symbols of hate" on city property will hold a series of public hearings this month to get feedback from New Yorkers about controversial monuments. In August, the mayor created the Mayoral Advisory Commission on City Art, Monuments and Markers, a group tasked with a 90-day review of all potentially offensive symbols, following the white supremacist-led violence in Charlottesville, V.A. Two months later, the city launched an online survey as a way for the public to weigh in on the issue. To get further input on this controversial issue, the commission will hold public hearings in every borough throughout this month, allowing residents to testify at them (h/t NY Daily News).
More this way

Policy

November 10, 2017

Concrete jungle in West Soho hits market for $5.25M

If you're a fan of concrete as a rich interior material, this just-listed West Soho will definitely impress. The 4,000-square-foot duplex is decked out with concrete columns, floors, and ceilings. This industrial chic space also offers a flexible floor plan, with a 30-foot-wide and 68-foot-long great room that allows for a number of configurations. Currently, it's set up as a two-bedroom home with a studio art space and a casual media lounge. The creative, well-designed residence is located within the 18-unit condo at 481 Greenwich Street, and is now asking $5.25 million.
See more of that concrete

Distinctive Homes

November 9, 2017

‘This American Life’ host Ira Glass lists renovated Chelsea condo for $1.75M

By Annie Doge

A year after he and his wife Anaheed Alani were sued by their condo board for an alleged bedbug and rats infestation, “This American Life” host Ira Glass has put his Chelsea home on the market for $1.75 million. Perhaps the rodent drama got to be too much, as the listing states that the one-bedroom apartment at 159 West 24th Street is "newly gut renovated and unoccupied."
Take a tour

November 9, 2017

Preserved Dakota apartment hits the market for the first time in 50 years, asking $12.5M

By Andrew Berman of Village Preservation

For the first time in 50 years, an eight-room apartment in the Dakota, quite possibly the city’s most iconic apartment building, is for sale with an asking price of $12.5 million. Built in 1884, the fortress-looking building at 1 West 72nd Street on the Upper West Side has been home to many celebrities over the years, including Judy Garland, Roberta Flack, Yoko Ono, and many more A-listers. As Curbed learned, four of the rooms in the available unit directly face Central Park and boast wood-burning fireplaces and original mahogany pocket doors.
Take a look around

Artist aeries: Touring downtown’s ‘studio windows’

Artist’s studios on Bleecker Street, via GVSHP

November 9, 2017

Artist aeries: Touring downtown’s ‘studio windows’

With fall’s arrival and the turning back of the clocks, sunlight becomes an ever more precious commodity. Perhaps no New York living space is more centered around capturing and maximizing that prized amenity than the artist’s studio, with its large casement windows and tall ceilings. So with sunlight at a premium, let’s conduct a brief survey of some of the most iconic artist’s studio windows in the Village and East Village.
But first, a little history

Rafael Viñoly’s 88-story tower at 125 Greenwich Street gets new renderings

Rendering of 125 Greenwich Street, courtesy of March

November 9, 2017

Rafael Viñoly’s 88-story tower at 125 Greenwich Street gets new renderings

Shortly after the launch of condominium sales last month, new renderings of 125 Greenwich Street were released Thursday, revealing its imposing height over neighboring Financial District towers (h/t YIMBY). The proposed 912-foot tall luxury condo designed by Rafael Viñoly Architects, the firm behind staggering 432 Park Avenue, features 273 total units, including 190 studios and one-bedrooms. Upon its completion, 125 Greenwich will have the third-highest apartments in lower Manhattan, after the Four Seasons Private Residences at 30 Park Place and nearly complete 45 Broad Street.
Find out more

Architecture And Design

November 9, 2017

Costly MTA improvements may mean unplanned fare hikes

According to the annual financial outlook report by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, recent and much-needed improvements by the MTA may mean fare increases could come sooner than the ones that are already scheduled, Newsday reports. DiNapoli’s report pointed out that even if it gets the hoped-for additional government funding, recent improvement efforts that address subway performance could add up to $300 million annually, requiring an unscheduled fare and toll increase of about 4 percent. Currently, a 4 percent hike is planned for 2019, and another for 2021.
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Transit

Whitney Museum will host NYC’s first Andy Warhol retrospective in 30 years

Andy Warhol’s Campbells Soup cans at MoMA, via Brando/Flickr

November 9, 2017

Whitney Museum will host NYC’s first Andy Warhol retrospective in 30 years

Andy Warhol, one of New York's most iconic artists, is getting the spotlight at an upcoming retrospective in the Whitney Museum. The museum announced it's planning the city’s first comprehensive Warhol retrospective in nearly 30 years--and they hope, according to ArtNet, that it'll change your opinion of the most famed Pop artist in the world. Donna De Salvo, the curator organizing the exhibition, told ArtNet that "I’ve always felt there was so much attention given to the persona of Warhol that we had trouble looking at the work—and that’s what this exhibition does." This showcasing of his work is scheduled to happen in November of 2018.
Here's what we know so far

Events & Things To Do

Rosie O’Donnell lists sprawling five-property Nyack estate for $11M

Photo of Rosie O’Donnell courtesy of David Shankbone on Wikimedia

November 9, 2017

Rosie O’Donnell lists sprawling five-property Nyack estate for $11M

By Annie Doge

After recently snagging an $8 million triplex penthouse in Midtown East this summer, Rosie O’Donnell is now selling her massive estate in South Nyack, New York for $10.79 million. The sprawling, gated 2.4-acre compound overlooks the Hudson River and includes five separate properties, which are also available for individual sale (h/t New York Post). The main residence for sale, Rosie’s primary home, is located at 1 Gesner Avenue, currently on the market separately for $5.3 million. Built in 1906, the seven-room Dutch Colonial features two master bedrooms, fireplaces and incredible river views.
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Flying Ubers coming in 2023 after NASA partnership

A recently-released rendering of what Uber’s flying taxi, to begin testing in 2020, might look like. (Credit: Uber Technologies via AM New York).

November 9, 2017

Flying Ubers coming in 2023 after NASA partnership

6sqft reported recently on testing of the CityAirbus self-piloted flying taxi by Airbus. There's already competition ahead, it seems: Uber reported Wednesday that the company is joining the U.S. National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) in the development of software for managing flying taxi routes–essentially "flying Ubers." In what represents the first formal services contract by NASA dealing with low-altitude airspace, Uber plans to begin testing proposed four-passenger, 200-miles-per-hour flying taxi services in Dallas/Fort Worth, with more testing planned for Los Angeles in 2020 in advance of the 2028 Olympics.
So when can I call one?

Spring + Thompson

83 Thompson Street

Soho

Loft-like residences in Soho designed by Selldorf Architects

2 beds starting at $4,975,000
4 beds starting at $14,850,000

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November 9, 2017

Run your own library from this $5M bookshelf-lined Central Park West loft

The Century condominium at 25 Central Park West lives up to its ambitious name; its Art Deco architecture is as distinctive as its prime Central Park location with views to match. This light-flooded corner penthouse has 360-degree park views, but even those may need to compete with the sheer amount of reading material on the bookshelves that line this $5 million loft. With impossibly high ceilings, exposed beams, multiple levels, and innovative modern finishes, the three-bedroom residence has the feel of a loft within the elegant context of a pre-war apartment building.
Library with better hours, rules and furniture this way

Distinctive Homes

City announces first-of-its-kind crowdfunding program for female entrepreneurs

Photo by Tirachard Kumtanom from Pexels

November 8, 2017

City announces first-of-its-kind crowdfunding program for female entrepreneurs

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Wednesday that the city has partnered with Kiva.org to launch “WE Fund: Crowd,” described as “a first-of-its-kind city-led crowdfunding program to help women entrepreneurs access affordable capital and start businesses in New York City.” Through Kiva, which is a not-for-profit crowdfunding platform, female entrepreneurs can apply for crowdfunded loans of up […]

Uncategorized

November 8, 2017

MAP: Explore the women’s suffrage movement through the lens of NYC landmarks

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote in New York State, the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission released an interactive story map that highlights places where suffragists lived and worked in New York City. The map, called NYC Landmarks and the Vote at 100, designates 43 sites associated with impactful activists, organizations, and institutions. Explore significant sites like the Cooper Union, the Panhellenic Tower, the New School for Social Research and much more, while learning about their role in the suffrage movement.
Explore the map here

November 8, 2017

DXA Studio proposes prismatic glass addition for Willem de Kooning’s former Union Square home

By Dana Schulz

Just a week after the pair of buildings at 827-831 Broadway was landmarked, not only for their cast-iron architecture but for their long cultural history that most notably includes serving as home to world-famous artist Willem de Kooning, the developer/owner has put forth a proposal for a four-story prismatic glass addition and landscaped roof terrace. Though the architects at DXA Studio say the modern topper's reflectivity is representative of two phases of de Kooning's work--his 1960s rural and pastoral landscapes as seen through the reflection of surrounding plantings and his late 1950s urban landscapes through the building reflections--local groups are not so convinced.
All the details ahead

The history of the New York City MetroCard

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

November 8, 2017

The history of the New York City MetroCard