6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

The new owners of the massive East Village residential complex now known as StuyTown plan to spend over $10 million to install 10,000 solar panels on 56 buildings in the complex, the Wall Street Journal reports. Blackstone Group and Canadian investment firm Ivanhoé Cambridge bought the storied complex for $5.3 billion in October 2015. As 6sqft previously reported, the solar investment is part of an effort by Blackstone, one of the world's largest private equity firms, to generate energy cost savings in its global commercial real estate portfolio. The panels will provide enough power for about 1,000 apartments each year–about nine percent of the units in the 80-acre complex–which Blackstone says will triple Manhattan's solar power generating capacity and make it the largest private multifamily solar installation in the U.S.
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MTA will give workers iPhones to brief riders about subway delays

E-train at the World Trade Center station, via Wikimedia

November 8, 2017

MTA will give workers iPhones to brief riders about subway delays

In a pilot program aimed at improving communication with commuters, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority will give some of its workers iPhone 6s devices. The MTA will distribute about 230 phones to platform workers and train operators by the end of the week, as the Daily News learned. Text messages from the rail control center will be sent to the workers, detailing the cause and severity of delays. Workers will then pass on the information to riders, which will include available alternative routes.
More this way

Transit

November 8, 2017

Cozy Chelsea co-op has all-season appeal for $1.2M

This charm-filled two-bedroom co-op at 333 West 22nd Street has the good fortune of being located on one of Chelsea's most picturesque historic townhouse blocks. Inside the apartment, recently listed for $1.195 million, you'll find just as much charm in the form of a wood-burning fireplace, exposed brick walls and a renovated bath, plus plenty of closet space. In case you're not convinced: In the den/second bedroom is a glass door that leads to a tranquil and gorgeous planted garden, perfect for restful pondering or outdoor dining.
Have a look around

Distinctive Homes

MAP: Where to find free rent and concessions across NYC

Photo © Daxiao Productions – Fotolio

November 7, 2017

MAP: Where to find free rent and concessions across NYC

Complimentary Netflix, reduced security deposits, amenity memberships, and best of all, free rent–there’s no shortage of concessions in the NYC rental market, but with landlords offering twice the amount of deals as last year, it’s hard to pinpoint where the best bargains are. Which is why CityRealty has put together a city-wide interactive map of leasing […]

Real Estate Trends

November 7, 2017

BFDO Architects renovated this Fort Greene brownstone to house a close-knit family

BFDO Architects is no stranger to the innovative Brooklyn townhouse renovation. The firm brought their magic to this landmarked Fort Greene brownstone, purchased by a Hong Kong-based businessman who wanted a home that he, his wife and three adult children could comfortably stay in during his extended visits. BFDO modernized the interior, added new staircases, and utilized every inch of the house to personalize it for each member of the family.
So go check out the work

Lottery opens for 180 affordable units near the Bronx Zoo, from $396/month

The Bronx Zoo, courtesy of Julienne Schaer on NYC &C Company

November 7, 2017

Lottery opens for 180 affordable units near the Bronx Zoo, from $396/month

Applications are currently being accepted for 180 newly constructed, affordable units in the West Farms neighborhood of the Bronx. The building at 1939 West Farms Road and 1926 Longfellow Avenue features an on-site super, security cameras, outdoor recreation space and on-site laundry. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 30, 40, 50, 60 and 120 percent of the area median income can apply for units ranging from a $396 per month one-bedroom to a $1,898 per month three-bedroom.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

November 7, 2017

INTERVIEW: Architect Morris Adjmi talks standing out while fitting in and organizing art exhibits

By Michelle Sinclair Colman

In architect Morris Adjmi’s new book, "A Grid and a Conversation," he describes his ongoing conversation between context and design. On any project, Adjmi balances three factors: standing out while fitting in, respecting history while not being frozen in time, and creating “ambient” architecture while gaining popularity. 6sqft sat down with Adjmi to find out more about his work philosophy, art exhibits, love of Shaker design, and awesome opening night parties with custom-made drinks.
Hear from Morris Adjmi himself

November 7, 2017

The short life of NYC’s women-only subway cars

In dealing with the examples of ill-behaved humanity that still plague the city's subway today, the powers that be in 1909 thought they were doing the ladies a favor when they suggested the addition of women-only subway cars, according to Ephemeral New York. Called "suffragette" cars (though women didn't win the right to vote in New York until 1917) they were introduced on trains of the Hudson Tubes running from Manhattan to Hoboken (today's PATH line). In trial runs, the last car in each train was reserved for women. Officials of the five-year-old IRT line began considering the idea–thought to be a success in its earliest trials–for the New York City subway.
Find out more

Distinctive Homes

This colorful $575K co-op is New York City chic in the heart of Bay Ridge

This $4.8M townhouse adds modern architecture to a historic Manhattan Valley block

Keke Palmer lists her Williamsburg penthouse for $3M

For $2.5M, this laid-back Ditmas Park home is historic, lovely and livable

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

For $995K, this two-bedroom Park Slope condo is a breath of fresh air

Upper East Side penthouse owned by Joan Rivers back on market after $10M price cut

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

6sqft’s top ‘distinctive homes’ of 2024

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

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Rockefeller Plaza to get open, circular cutout in proposed makeover

Rendering of plaza outside 1221 Sixth Avenue, via Rockefeller Group/Citterio-Viel & Partners

November 7, 2017

Rockefeller Plaza to get open, circular cutout in proposed makeover

The Rockefeller Group will transform the indoor-outdoor plaza of 1221 Sixth Avenue, formerly the site of the McGraw-Hill tower, its biggest makeover since 1969. As the New York Post reported, the redesign calls for the current sunken plaza to be replaced with a sidewalk-level space. Designed by Italian architects Citterio-Viel & Partners, the plaza will also feature a large, circle-shaped cutout in its center, adding 35,000 square feet of retail space below-grade level.
Find out more

Architecture And Design

November 7, 2017

$17M Dutchess County ‘castle’ once belonged to Andrew Carnegie

Built in 1927 for Andrew Carnegie's daughter, the 34,000-square-foot estate in Millbrook, NY known as Migdale Castle was modeled after Carnegie's Skibo Castle in Scotland. Beginning in 2002, the home's current owners spent four years renovating its four floors, the 100 acres it occupies, and another 100-acre adjacent plot, giving new life to one of Dutchess County's most distinguished estates. Migdale first hit the market for $25 million, making it the county's most expensive listing, but a recent $8.1 million price chop resulted in the current $16.9 million ask.
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November 6, 2017

A prewar studio located on the “fruit streets” of Brooklyn Heights asks just $469K

There are many things to love about Brooklyn Heights, one of those being the neighborhood's "fruit streets." Pineapple, Cranberry and Orange streets are all known in the area not just for the whimsical names, but for their historic architecture and prime location near the waterfront promenade. The cooperative at 55 Pineapple Street, also known as the Hamilton House, is one of those stately historic buildings that make the fruit streets so unique. This studio, now on the market for $469,000, retains the building's prewar charm while also boasting some upgrades to maximize the space.
Tour the cozy pad

Distinctive Homes

FIT launches affordable co-working space for up-and-coming designers

Photo courtey of Design Entrepreneurs Collaborative

November 6, 2017

FIT launches affordable co-working space for up-and-coming designers

For the past five years, the Fashion Institute of Technology’s Design Entrepreneurs has been helping up-and-coming fashion designers create the businesses of their dreams, from teaching them strategy, branding and financials and setting them up with industry mentors to giving them the chance to win $50,000 to $100,000 for their young companies. Now, FIT’s “mini MBA” program […]

Uncategorized

Robert A.M. Stern joins fight against Snøhetta’s plan to renovate Philip Johnson’s AT&T Building

Photo of the protest courtesy of Nathan Eddy

November 6, 2017

Robert A.M. Stern joins fight against Snøhetta’s plan to renovate Philip Johnson’s AT&T Building

After Olayan America and Chelsfield revealed plans last week for a $300 million renovation of the building at 550 Madison Avenue, known as the AT&T Building, criticism quickly followed. Members of the architecture community, including New York architect Robert A.M. Stern, rallied together last Friday at the base of the Philip Johnson-designed skyscraper, to protest Snøhetta's proposal to replace the building's base with a scalloped glass front (h/t Dezeen). Protestors held signs that read "Hands off my Johnson," "Save the Stone," and "Save AT&T." Plus, a petition is currently being circulated on Change.org in an attempt to preserve Johnson's iconic AT&T Building by having the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission officially designate it as a city landmark.
Find out more

November 6, 2017

Parks Department approves Central Park’s first monument to historic females

On the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote in New York state, the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation will make an announcement today that it's moving ahead with a proposal to erect a monument to Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony in Central Park. First reported by West Side Rag, the statue of the two suffragists will be Central Park's first monument to historic women and only the sixth in the entire city. It will be placed on the mall, which runs from 66th to 72nd Streets in the middle of the park, and will be unveiled on another important date--the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote nationally on August 26, 2020.
Get the full story

Nearly 100 middle-income units sit vacant at Brooklyn’s Pacific Park development

Photo of 535 Carlton Avenue, courtesy of Max Touhey for Greenland Forest City Partners

November 6, 2017

Nearly 100 middle-income units sit vacant at Brooklyn’s Pacific Park development

In July 2016, the lottery opened for 298 mixed-income rentals at 535 Carlton Avenue, part of the sprawling Pacific Park complex, in Brooklyn. But now, more than a year later, about 95 units remain vacant at the Prospect Heights site, as City Limits reported. Despite over 93,000 New Yorkers applying for the nearly 300 units within just eight weeks, the applicants were rejected because they did not make enough money to qualify for those specific units. The 95 vacancies, the most expensive apartments at Pacific Park, are reserved for households that earn between 135 and 165 percent of the area median income, which translates to $74,606 and $173,415 annually. Unable to secure tenants for this income bracket, developer Greenland Forest City Partners (GFCP) placed advertisements for the units on market-rate real estate websites.
Find out more

Affordable Housing

Bjarke Ingels to design WeWork’s new ‘capitalist kibbutz’ entrepreneurial elementary school

Rendering of the planned school by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG). Source: WeWork via Bloomberg.

November 6, 2017

Bjarke Ingels to design WeWork’s new ‘capitalist kibbutz’ entrepreneurial elementary school

Fast-growing coworking brand WeWork has been in the news recently for the company's rapid expansion into everything from "co-living" to wellness, including a planned move into the former Lord & Taylor department store Fifth avenue flagship building, which will become the company's new HQ. Now, Bloomberg reports that the $20 billon startup, which boasts offices in 57 international cities, has plans to launch a private elementary school for “conscious entrepreneurship”called WeGrow in a New York City WeWork location next year. The company has even tapped Danish architect du jour Bjarke Ingels' firm BIG to design the first WeWork school, which will likely be within the aforementioned new Fifth Avenue headquarters.
More about WeGrow

Architecture And Design

My 824sqft: Extell Development’s VP of Architecture moves into Hudson Square’s 70 Charlton

6sqft’s series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to the Hudson Square apartment of architect Brooks McDaniel. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

November 6, 2017

My 824sqft: Extell Development’s VP of Architecture moves into Hudson Square’s 70 Charlton

In 2013, the Hudson Square area was rezoned to allow residential development for the first time, and the first building to welcome tenants into the neighborhood was Extell Development's 70 Charlton Street. Though Beyer Blinder Belle are responsible for the industrial-style facade, it's actually Extell's team of in-house architects who got the ball rolling, as they do with all projects, from Billionaires' Row blockbusters like One57 and the Central Park Tower to downtown game changers like 555Ten and One Manhattan Square. For the past three years, Brooks McDaniel has worked as Extell's Vice President of Architecture. After experiencing first-hand their "level of design, quality of construction, and attention to detail," he decided to live in an Extell building. Wanting to move back to Manhattan from Brooklyn, he chose 70 Charlton for its clean, modern aesthetic and easy access to so many great areas. He recently gave us a tour of his custom-designed pad and filled us in on what it's like working for one of NYC's biggest developers.
Take the tour

More affordable senior housing units planned for Essex Crossing development

Thanks to a $34 million loan from Wells Fargo, Delancey Street Associates closed last week on financing the construction of a 100 percent affordable senior building at 140 Essex Street, site 8 of the 1.9 million-square-foot Essex Crossing development. Originally, the project called for an 80/20 condo building, but developers decided to add 61 more affordable units to the building, bringing the number of affordable rentals at the Lower East Side complex to 561 out of 1,078 total units. Designed by Beyer Blinder Belle, the building at 140 Essex will rise 8 stories and include 92 affordable homes for seniors earning between 0 and 60 percent of the area median income, as well as 9,600 square feet of retail on the ground floor. Construction will begin soon, with an expected opening date sometime in 2019.
More this way

November 6, 2017

Frank Lloyd Wright’s mushroom-shaped house in Westchester asks $1.5M

All around the Sol Friedman House at 11 Orchard Brook Drive in Pleasantville, New York, country roads wind through forests and meadows and the homes–three designed by Frank Lloyd Wright himself, the rest approved by Wright and built by noted architects of his choosing–that make up Westchester's 1947 Usonian community of 50 houses blend perfectly into the landscape. None can be seen from the nearby highway that makes the Usonia Historic District a mere 50 minute commute to Manhattan. Documented by architectural photographers and featured in numerous publications, the Friedman house is indeed an extraordinary masterpiece, one of the three designed by the master architect–and it can now be yours for $1.5 million (h/t Curbed). The home's overlapping circular masonry design brings structure and nature together in one of Wright's celebrated signature styles–one which would be seen before long in the design of Manhattan's Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.
More great photos, this way

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

Images (L to R): HOUSE39, THE CRESCENDO, THE LANE and 180 WATER STREET

November 4, 2017

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

By Ondel Hylton

Images (L to R): HOUSE39, THE CRESCENDO, THE LANE and 180 WATER STREET Live & Play at THE CRESCENDO: Unprecedented Rental in South Bronx Leasing from $2,100/Month [link] One-of-a-Kind Rentals Debut on West Houston Street in Storied Greenwich Village Building [link] Live at The Monterey: Leasing Special at Upper East Side Rental with Health Club […]

Real Estate Trends

Study shows huge disparity in U.S. urban land value, with NYC making up 10%

Photo via Public Domain Pictures

November 3, 2017

Study shows huge disparity in U.S. urban land value, with NYC making up 10%

A recently-published study by economists at the University of Illinois and the University of Michigan shows that 48 percent–almost half–of the total value of America’s urban land can be found within the borders of five of what Citylab's Richard Florida calls "superstar metro areas:" New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Chicago. According to the study, the value of America's urban land is a total of $25 trillion as of 2010—more than double the nation’s 2006 GDP. That's an average of $511,000 per acre or $100,000 for the typical residential lot of a fifth of an acre. But in NYC, which makes up a whopping 10 percent of this total, an acre of land is worth more than $5 million.
The gap widens

Real Estate Trends

DOT adding concrete barriers at 57 intersections along west side bike path

Photo via NYC DOT/Flickr

November 3, 2017

DOT adding concrete barriers at 57 intersections along west side bike path

Photo via NYC DOT/Flickr Two days after Sayfullo Saipov drove a rented truck down the Hudson River Park Bikeway and killed eight people and wounded 12 others, the state and local Departments of Transportation began installing hundreds of concrete barriers along the bike path. The barriers will be placed at 57 pedestrian and vehicle intersections […]

Uncategorized

November 3, 2017

Rent a renovated Bed-Stuy triplex with a deck, yard and nanny suite for $6K/month

On one of the neighborhood's most beautiful historic brownstone streets where Clinton Hill and Bed-Stuy meet, the upper triplex of a turn-key renovated townhouse at 22 Brevoort Place is for rent for $6,000 a month, complete with nanny suite/kitchenette, roof access, and a sweet Brooklyn backyard.
Take the three-floor tour

Distinctive Homes

Fully skinned, TF Cornerstone’s mammoth Midtown tower on West 57th tops out

Construction progress as of mid-October, via CityRealty

November 3, 2017

Fully skinned, TF Cornerstone’s mammoth Midtown tower on West 57th tops out

In May 2012, TF Cornerstone (TFC) entered a 99-year ground lease for the building's site that spans nearly a full city block and measures 63,000 square feet. Now topped out and fully skinned, the massive rental at 606 West 57th Street has a less flashy appearance than renderings previously hinted, but still features an impressively imposing, boxy design, as CityRealty reported. Designed by Arquitectonica, the 42-story, 1.2 million-square-foot building will contain a whopping 1,028 apartments. It joins other West Side gems like the Helena and the pyramid-shaped, Bjarke Ingels-designed Via57 West.
See it here

The Urban Lens: ‘All the Queens Houses’ tells the story of NYC’s most diverse borough

Eclectic Row. Briarwood, NY. 2017. © Rafael Herrin-Ferri

November 3, 2017

The Urban Lens: ‘All the Queens Houses’ tells the story of NYC’s most diverse borough

6sqft’s series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment, Rafael Herrin-Ferri shares a portion of his photographic survey “All the Queens Houses.” Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. Spanish-born architect, artist, and Sunnyside resident Rafael Herrin-Ferri began photographing Queens' low-rise housing stock back in 2012 after being struck by the borough's unique combination of attached and detached houses and small apartment buildings. Inspired by the fact that Queens is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse places in the world, Herrin-Ferri wanted to capture the "layers of culture and the blending of neighborhoods" through these eclectic houses. Fast forward five years and 5,000 photographs and his work is now the focus of an Architectural League of New York exhibit "All the Queens Houses," which features 273 snapshots of individual houses in as many as 34 neighborhoods. Ahead, see Rafael Herrin-Ferri's favorite of the bunch and hear from him on how he got into the project and why he loves Queens.
All that ahead

Places

Jane Jacobs-developed West Village Houses may be replaced by luxury complex to preserve affordability

West Village Houses. Courtesy New York City Municipal Archives

November 3, 2017

Jane Jacobs-developed West Village Houses may be replaced by luxury complex to preserve affordability

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

As the clock ticks down on a significant and decades-old property tax break for residents of the 420-unit West Village Houses, developer Madison Equities has proposed a possible solution–with a price, Crain's reports. The unassuming affordable West Village cooperative located between West Street and Washington Street was developed in the 1970s by Jane Jacobs. The tax break expires in March, and residents are scrambling to find a solution to offset the impending increase in monthly fees. The development firm has attempted to entice shareholders with another option: an offer to purchase the buildings, demolish them, and allow current residents to snag affordable apartments in a new 42-building development that would span seven sites bounded by Washington, Morton, West and Bank streets. The new development, which would add yet another massive apartment complex to the low-rise neighborhood would also include luxury units.
What are the options?

Affordable Housing

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Live across from Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island City for $867/month

Rendering of Vernon Tower, via PACS Architecture and Excel Development

November 3, 2017

Live across from Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island City for $867/month

On Monday, the lottery opens for 21 affordable units in a new luxury residential building located on the border of the trendy Queens neighborhoods of Astoria and Long Island City. The mixed-use rental at 11-06 31st Drive, called the Vernon Tower despite being just eight-stories, sits directly across from Socrates Sculpture Park and just a few blocks from the Noguchi Museum and waterfront promenade. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for the units ranging from $867/month studios to $1,123/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

November 2, 2017

Rent Jon Hamm’s Upper West Side penthouse for $15,000/month

Sadly, it doesn't sport the mid-century vibes of "Mad Men," but Jon Hamm's Lincoln Square penthouse is still pretty incredible. The Don Draper portrayer and then-girlfriend Jennifer Westfeldt bought the two-bedroom penthouse at 40 West 67th Street in 2013 for $2.5 million and then undertook a renovation. The longtime pair split in 2015, which could be why they've now decided to put the place up for rent for $14,995 a month. It's not huge, at 1,000 square feet, but it does boast two terraces, a huge dining room with two skylights, and plenty of pre-war details original to the Rosario Candela-designed building. Plus, it's located on one of the city's most coveted blocks.
Take a tour

Flatiron plaza’s winning holiday art installation is a cluster of reflective tubes

Images courtesy of Future Expansion

November 2, 2017

Flatiron plaza’s winning holiday art installation is a cluster of reflective tubes

Imagine finding a spot where the noise of the city is isolated to reveal an eagle-eyed view of some of New York City’s most iconic landmarks. Enter “Flatiron Reflection,” the winning installation of the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership Business Improvement District and Van Alen Institute’s fourth annual holiday design competition. Designed by Future Expansion, “Flatiron Reflection” consists […]

Uncategorized

November 2, 2017

Chef-owned Chelsea loft boasts a serious kitchen for $2.3M

This Chelsea loft belongs to a chef, food stylist and cookbook author--so you better believe the kitchen is going to impress. The 1,600-square-foot apartment, once a gritty live/work loft at 236 West 26th Street, has been renovated with chef-friendly details over the years. According to the listing, "The loft had been a cooking school in one of its reincarnations and looks like it." The 22-foot-long kitchen is decked out with industrial cabinetry, stainless steel appliances and tons of counter space, which is lined in Carrara marble. After previously hitting the market in 2006 for $1.698 million--it looks like it never sold--it's back up for grabs at $2.249 million.
Get a look

Distinctive Homes

MAP: The best loops and trails for running in Central Park

Joggers in Central Park, via Wikimedia

November 2, 2017

MAP: The best loops and trails for running in Central Park

If you're suddenly feeling inspired to start running with all the talk of the New York City Marathon, a map created by the Central Park Conservancy will help you get moving. While Central Park no longer serves as the only spot marathon contestants race through as it did during the city’s first marathon in 1970, it remains an oasis for runners of all experience levels. The conservancy's guide maps out the many loops and trails of the park to help you hit the ground running in preparation for next year's marathon, or even just starting a new hobby.
Find out more

City Living

‘Good Wife’ star Josh Charles buys Devonshire House pad in the Village for $6.3M

Image courtesy of the Stein Team of Sotheby’s Downtown. Credit: Scott Wintrow/Gamut Photos.
Josh Charles image: Wikipedia.

November 2, 2017

‘Good Wife’ star Josh Charles buys Devonshire House pad in the Village for $6.3M

By Andrew Berman of Village Preservation

Alec Baldwin and Amanda Seyfried just got a new celebrity neighbor at the venerable Greenwich Village condo Devonshire House at 28 East 10th Street. According to the Post, "The Good Wife" star Josh Charles just purchased a three-bedroom home at the celebrity-loved building for $6.3 million. According to records, the actor recently sold a two-bedroom condo at 42 East 12th Street for $3.75 million.
Take a look

‘The Alamo’ turns 50: A history of the Astor Place cube

1980s photo of the Alamo surrounded by mural, vendors, & musicians. © Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation Image Archive.

November 2, 2017

‘The Alamo’ turns 50: A history of the Astor Place cube

On November 1, 1967, an enigmatic 20-foot-tall cube first appeared on a lonely traffic island where Astor Place and 8th Street meet. Though several months before the release of "2001: A Space Odyssey," the one-ton Cor-Ten steel sculpture shared many qualities with the sci-fi classic’s inscrutable "black monolith," at once both opaque and impenetrable and yet strangely compelling, drawing passersby to touch or interact with it to unlock its mysteries. Fifty years later, Tony Rosenthal’s "Alamo" sculpture remains a beloved fixture in downtown New York. Like 2001’s monolith, it has witnessed a great deal of change, and yet continues to draw together the myriad people and communities which intersect at this location.
Learn about the cube's entire 50-year legacy

Live in the heart of Downtown Jamaica from $707/month

Rendering of 147-36 94th Avenue courtesy of GF55 Partners

November 2, 2017

Live in the heart of Downtown Jamaica from $707/month

Applications are currently being accepted for 379 recently constructed, affordable units in a 26-story rental tower, called Alvista Towers, in Jamaica--a Queens neighborhood on the brink of transformation as new residential and commercial developments continue to take root. Amenities at this spacious housing complex located at 147-36 94th Avenue include on-site laundry, playroom, an outdoor courtyard, fitness center, yoga room and a rooftop terrace. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 50, 60, 120, 130 and 165 percent of the area median income can apply to units ranging from a $707 per month studio to a $2,611 per month two-bedroom.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

November 2, 2017

Fabled East Village triplex with retractable screen overlooking 14th Street asks $4.2M

Beginning in 2006, the conversion of a boarded-up brownstone at 224 East 14th street has been too fascinating to avoid headlines. The features that make the four-unit “Brownstone East Village” so noteworthy: on the second floor, a facade of honeycomb-patterned aluminum with a brownstone veneer can be automatically retracted to bare the home’s interiors to the bustling traffic of 14th Street just outside. At the rear, a glass- and steel-paneled garage door raises to open the kitchen onto the open air of an urban lawn. The project's architect, Bill Peterson, moved into the garden triplex with the retractable facade screen and garage doors; Philadelphia developer Alon Barzilay purchased the home from Peterson in 2014 for $2.355 million. Now, this traffic-stopping two-bedroom triplex is back on the market asking $4.2 million.
Check it out, this way

Distinctive Homes

Mike Myers drops price of groovy Soho penthouse to $14M

Photo of Mike Myers via Wikimedia

November 1, 2017

Mike Myers drops price of groovy Soho penthouse to $14M

Mike Myers' penthouse in Soho has hit the market again, but this time the pad at 72 Mercer Street is listed nearly $3 million cheaper. First listed for $16.95 million in 2015, the comedian then tried adding another unit for a combo price of $21.5 million a few months later, but no one took the bait (h/t Curbed NY). Now, the spacious duplex is currently asking $13.95 million. The 4,204-square-foot penthouse includes 3-4 bedrooms, a private roof deck, super high ceilings and massive skylights.
See inside

New initiative #ShopBleecker hopes to combat the historic street’s vacancy rates

Photo via Nick Sherman/Flickr

November 1, 2017

New initiative #ShopBleecker hopes to combat the historic street’s vacancy rates

Bleecker Street is one of New York City’s most historic and eclectic arteries. It housed clubs where Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix cut their teeth, inspired beatniks and, in the early 2000s, became what The New York Times called a “fashion theme park” as some of the industry’s heaviest hitters opened retail shops. Today, however, […]

Uncategorized

FXFOWLE reveals renderings of 40-story office tower at Jersey City’s Harborside boardwalk

Rendering of Harborside Tower, courtesy of Mack-Cali and SJP Properties

November 1, 2017

FXFOWLE reveals renderings of 40-story office tower at Jersey City’s Harborside boardwalk

In conjunction with a larger plan to transform Jersey City into a waterfront destination, real estate investors Mack-Cali and SJP Properties announced on Tuesday a proposal for a 40-story office building that will implement the latest in “intelligent building” technology. Located just seven minutes to Manhattan via the PATH, Harborside Tower, designed by FXFOWLE, will feature a sleek glass and steel facade, with 1.2 million square feet of space for businesses. In addition to the office space, the tower will feature two units of retail space, one at 12,000 square feet and the other at 25,000 square feet, found just off the lobby.
Renderings this way

November 1, 2017

Cute Williamsburg condo asks $775K after a clever renovation

This 624-square-foot, one-bedroom condo at 134 North 10th Street in Williamsburg offers the best of both worlds in a small amount of space. A recent reno restored details of the historic townhouse building, like six-inch-wide plank pine flooring, built-in closets, and decorative fireplaces. But the renovation also created an efficient, flexible layout with custom build outs that include shelving, desks, sliding doors, and lofts. After last selling in 2010 for $441,090, this blend of old-meets-new is on the market asking $775,000.
Take a look around

Distinctive Homes

Mayor de Blasio doubles planned senior housing to 30,000 affordable apartments

Photo via NYC.GOV

November 1, 2017

Mayor de Blasio doubles planned senior housing to 30,000 affordable apartments

Mayor de Blasio announced yesterday a new housing program, "Seniors First," that aims to double the city's commitment to senior housing over the mayor's extended 12-year Housing New York plan, with the goal of serving 30,000 senior households by 2026. This isn't the first time de Blasio has turned his focus to the affordable housing challenges for seniors; earlier this year he announced plans for two initiatives, including an Elder Rent Assistance program that would provide 25,000 seniors with monthly rental assistance of up to $1,300. And jumping on the bandwagon, too, are private developers. The Wall Street Journal reports that a Florida-based private-equity firm purchased a high-profile Brooklyn Heights apartment building--previously belonging to the Jehovah’s Witnesses--for about $200 million with plans to convert it into luxury senior housing.
Read more about the plans

Lottery opens for Extell’s Lower East Side affordable rental, from $947/month

Rendering of 229 Cherry Street, via Extell Development

November 1, 2017

Lottery opens for Extell’s Lower East Side affordable rental, from $947/month

The housing lottery for Extell Development's affordable housing building in the Lower East Side has officially launched. The 13-story development at 229 Cherry Street and sits right next to the group's amenity-filled, luxury condo, One Manhattan Square. Designed by Dattner Architects, residents at 229 Cherry Street will have access to a landscaped terrace, fitness center and a lounge. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for $947 per month studios, $1,017 per month one-bedrooms and $1,230 per month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

3 Hudson Boulevard loses 100+ feet in new renderings

A new rendering of 3 Hudson Boulevard, via FXFOWLE/Moinian Group

November 1, 2017

3 Hudson Boulevard loses 100+ feet in new renderings

A revised proposal for the Moinian Group’s Hudson Yards tower 3 Hudson Boulevard calls for a slight height chop, which will strip it of its supertall status. A redesign from FXFOWLE now brings the total square footage to 2 million square feet from a previous 1.8 million and lowers its height to 940 feet tall from 1,050 feet. Instead of 63 floors, the tower will rise 53 floors in this new design. To match standards for today’s modern office, the building will now feature larger floor plates, higher ceilings and a terrace on the eighth floor. As the New York Post reported, a groundbreaking ceremony will be held this Friday with elected officials, celebrating the reboot.
More this way

November 1, 2017

One Vanderbilt’s outdoor observation deck may tie for highest in NYC

Nearly a year ago, developer SL Green confirmed that their 1,401-foot supertall One Vanderbilt, set to be the city's second tallest building behind One World Trade Center, would boast a 1,020-foot observation deck, which would have made it the third-highest indoor-outdoor observatory in the city after the forthcoming 1,100-foot deck at 30 Hudson Yards and the 1,050-foot deck at the Empire State Building (One World Observatory is at 1,250 feet, but it’s not outdoors). However, new details and diagrams uncovered by NY Yimby show that it may actually stand at 1,100 feet, tying for the city's highest.
READ MORE

November 1, 2017

Charming duplex in an Upper East Side clapboard house asks $695K

If you have to have half of your apartment in a basement, English or otherwise, this one-bed-plus-bonus-room duplex at 229 East 81st Street is the one you want. The co-op known as Canterbury Mews occupies two buildings on a Yorkville block lined with gracious townhouses and well-tended brick. In front is an eight-unit 20th century apartment building and around the back is a 19th century white clapboard house. Between the two is a lovely landscaped patio, which is what you'll look out onto from this compact charmer asking $695,000.
Get a peek inside

Distinctive Homes

520 Fifth Avenue

Midtown West

Live at the center of NYC

1 beds starting at $2,445,000
2 beds starting at $3,435,000
3 beds starting at $6,775,000

Learn More

October 31, 2017

Vornado pitches new Moynihan Train Hall for Amazon’s second headquarters

Earlier this month, New York City officially pitched four neighborhoods to house Amazon’s HQ2: Long Island City, the Brooklyn Tech Triangle, Lower Manhattan and Midtown West. During its third-quarter earnings call Tuesday, Vornado Realty Trust said the Moynihan Train Hall remains at the forefront of the city’s Midtown West bid, citing the project’s proposed 730,000 square feet of office space and 120,000 square feet of retail as meeting the retailer's key requirements (h/t Commercial Observer). Vornado, along with Related Companies, Skanska USA, and architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, is converting the former James A. Farley Post Office into the Moynihan Train Hall, an effort led by Governor Andrew Cuomo to create a world-class transit center.
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Uncategorized

October 31, 2017

$10K/month townhouse triplex in Fort Greene mixes historic details with boho accents

This classic Fort Greene brownstone at 23 South Elliott Place holds an attractive triplex apartment inside. The rental, which covers the parlor floor, second floor and third floor (and includes access to the backyard), is on the market for a cool $10,000 a month. On display across every floor are those exquisite original brownstone details, while a renovation managed to open up the floorplan and bring more light inside.
There's also a hammock out back

Distinctive Homes

First 5Pointz-replacing tower tops out in Long Island City

Construction progress as of late-October, via CityRealty

October 31, 2017

First 5Pointz-replacing tower tops out in Long Island City

The first tower of the controversial rental complex in Long Island City, 5Pointz, has officially topped out, although not without some roadblocks. Once an art studio and exhibition space, known for its vibrant graffiti-covered warehouse, the complex was whitewashed of its iconic murals in 2013, making way for the new development. Now, four years and several lawsuits later, construction of the development at 22-44 Jackson Avenue continues to chug along, with its first and tallest tower topping out this week. As CityRealty discovered, David Wolkoff's 1.4 million-square-foot plan calls for a 47-story tower and a 41-story tower, with 1,115 apartments total.
Find out more

My 1,760sqft: Real estate mogul and jetsetter Emir Bahadir shows off his custom West Village loft

6sqft’s series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to the West Village apartment of real estate mogul, entrepreneur, and professional jetsetter Emir Bahadir. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

October 31, 2017

My 1,760sqft: Real estate mogul and jetsetter Emir Bahadir shows off his custom West Village loft

Growing up as an heir to a generations-old Turkish real estate empire, Emir Bahadir divided his time among London, Switzerland, Istanbul, and New York, and while being "exposed to all different types of fashion and arts from a very young age" got him hooked on design and art, it was the "energy" of NYC that ultimately got him. After moving here eight years ago to study at NYU, 25-year-old Emir has now founded his own brokerage and development firm, BHDR, and amassed an Instagram following of more than 600,000. Part of this media success stems from his personal brand Bahadiring, where he's able to "share his top-of-the-line lifestyle with the world... featuring everything from a clothing line to cosmetics." One representation of his luxurious taste is his West Village loft, which he describes as masculine, sleek, and bold. Emir embarked on a 14-month renovation with architect Mark Stumer after purchasing the home three years ago, and he's now opened the doors to give 6sqft a special look at his contemporary art collection, custom-made furniture including a library with leather shelves and drop-down movie theater, and family heirlooms.
Take the full tour

FDR’s beloved dog is said to haunt Grand Central Terminal’s secret train track

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial featuring Fala, via Wikimedia

October 31, 2017

FDR’s beloved dog is said to haunt Grand Central Terminal’s secret train track