6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

For more than 30 years, the Art Deco-style Airlines Terminal Building served millions of travelers as a spot where flight tickets servicing New York could be purchased and where passengers could board shuttle buses to take them to the various airports. The building, located on the southwest corner of Park Avenue and 42nd Street, sat on the former site of the Hotel Belmont, which was built in 1906 and later demolished in 1930. Construction of the Airlines Terminal began in 1939 to create the chic, futuristic design, which included a steel frame and a crown flanked by two eagles.
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History

June 23, 2017

$1.5M UES co-op features 13-foot ceilings and floor-to-ceiling shelving

This south-facing apartment comes from the prewar cooperative known as Morgan Studios, at 170 East 78th Street on the Upper East Side. A thoughtful renovation didn't take anything away from the prewar charm---the living room still looks stunning with 13-foot ceilings and large casement windows, alongside a wood-burning fireplace with a custom mantle. A ladder helps access the floor-to-ceiling shelving, and a staircase leads to the upper-level bedroom and kitchen. This was just listed under $1.5 million, after last selling in 2009 for $1.35 million.
Take the grand tour

Distinctive Homes

American Medical Association issues health warning over LED streetlights

Image via Pixbay

June 23, 2017

American Medical Association issues health warning over LED streetlights

In May 2015, New York City’s Department of Transportation began an initiative to replace roughly 250,000 old streetlights with new LED fixtures in all five boroughs. The city chose to switch over to energy-efficient lights to save money and time; the lights last 15 years and require less maintenance. Following hundreds of complaints from residents about the harshness of the lights, the city had to then replace these new lights with dimmer bulbs. Now, the American Medical Association (AMA) warns of the potential harmful human health and environmental effects of LED lights, including damage to one's eyesight and disruption in sleep patterns. As CNN reports, the AMA has released guidelines for communities to follow when choosing LED streetlights.
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Policy

June 23, 2017

PHOTOS: First steel column installed at 1401-foot One Vanderbilt, NYC’s second-tallest skyscraper

With the installation of its first steel column, One Vanderbilt, soon to be New York City’s second-tallest skyscraper, officially began vertical construction on Friday. Banker Steel Company provided the 26,000 tons of domestically milled and fabricated structural steel for development, which included the first 20-ton column installed. According to the team, the construction of One Vanderbilt is three weeks ahead of schedule. SL Green Realty and AECOM Tishman say the supertall skyscraper will add to the modernization of East Midtown’s business district, as the office building will boast column-free floors, floor-to-ceiling windows, and 360-degree views.
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June 23, 2017

The Urban Lens: Artist and food writer John Donohue is drawing every restaurant in NYC

Former New Yorker editor, artist, and food writer John Donohue is on a mission not to eat at every restaurant in New York City, but to draw them. He describes his project, Every Restaurant in New York as "an ongoing visual compendium of the city’s eateries," and as "intentionally hyperbolic." He's figured out that by spending 20 minutes on each illustration, it's mathematically possible to visit all 24,000 restaurants in the city in under a year. To date, he's drawn nearly 200 restaurants, has an exhibit up of his drawings in Park Slope, and is selling prints of the restaurants (a portion of the proceeds from which he'll donate to hunger-relief organizations). Ahead, John shares a collection of his drawings, from classic New York restaurants like Katz's and the Grand Central Oyster Bar to new spots like Shake Shack and Carbone, and tells us how he got started on the project, about his process, and why he thinks drawing is good for the mind.
See John's drawings ahead

June 23, 2017

$3,500/month West Village rental is flexible, functional, and fun

This parlor floor co-op at 135 Perry Street in the West Village is more than meets the eye: Listed as a one-bedroom for $3,500 a month, it’s configured as a studio–and according to the listing, it was once a two-bedroom. So whatever you imagine for the space, it could be a reality. Of course, you’ll have to get permission from the owner as it’s currently being offered as a rental. And we’re guessing the co-op board will need to be involved. If you leave it the way you found it, you'll still have a stylish if somewhat linear home in a neighborhood everyone's fighting over.
Have a loook

Distinctive Homes

June 22, 2017

Topher Grace’s West Village pied-à-terre hits the market for $4.25M

Actor Topher Grace of “That ’70s Show” fame bought this full-floor loft at 59 Bank Street for $2.2 million in 2006, but ever since 2011 he's been renting it out, first for $14,000 a month and several years later for $16,000. After unloading his Los Angels home for $1.7 million in the summer of 2015 and marrying actress Ashley Hinshaw in May 2016, Grace is finally ready to unload the West Village condo, as LL NYC tells us that it's hit the market for $4.25 million.
Check it out

June 22, 2017

Own America’s oldest surviving log cabin for $2.9 million

By Diane Pham

History buffs and old house lovers will not want to miss this opportunity to gawk inside what is the country's oldest log cabin, a quaint oak construction currently seeking an incredible $2.9M. Known as the C.A. Nothnagle Log Home, the structure was built around 1639 by Finnish immigrants and is located just two hours outside of NYC in the town of Gibbstown, NJ. Although modest by today's standards, measuring 16 by 22 feet and boasting just a single room, the cabin's current owners say it's actually quite palatial considering cabins back then clocked in at only 12 by 12 feet on average. Now, is it worth the price tag?
see more inside

Distinctive Homes

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

$7.2M penthouse is most expensive sponsor sale in Williamsburg

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

This $3.3M Village co-op will brighten even the darkest winter days

Bill Murray's former Snedens Landing home asks $3.7M

Andy Warhol's 1960s Upper East Side home is for rent asking $22K a month

6sqft’s top ‘distinctive homes’ of 2024

See inside $19.5M Dumbo penthouse, Brooklyn's most expensive condo for sale

For $25M, a Flatiron penthouse in a golden cupola, with Manhattan at your feet

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

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June 22, 2017

Full-floor Chelsea co-op combines elegant history, modern luxury–and a private balcony

This two-bedroom co-op occupies a full floor in West Chelsea's Fitzroy Townhouses at 440 West 23rd Street, a grand row of converted 19th century Italianate homes–once owned by Clement Clark Moore–in the neighborhood's historic district. A loft-like open layout frames a balance of 21st century comfort and historic details like high ceilings, hardwood floors and a natural stone mantel above one of the apartment's of two fireplaces. A south-facing private terrace adds the luxury of outdoor space to this urban refuge.
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Uncategorized

Rent Guidelines Board expected to vote in favor of rent increases

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

June 22, 2017

Rent Guidelines Board expected to vote in favor of rent increases

Photo via Wikimedia Commons Following two years of rent freezes, the city’s Rent Guidelines Board will take a final vote on Tuesday to determine whether or not rents will be increased by at least one percent. Earlier this year in April, the board voted to increase rents by one to three percent for one-year leases and four percent for two-year leases in a preliminary vote. According to the Wall Street Journal, the board released a study that showed landlord costs rose in the past year, a shift that landlords say warrants an increase in rents on new leases that take effect on or after Oct. 1.
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Photo of Rikers Island courtesy of Wikimedia

June 22, 2017

De Blasio releases city’s plan to close Rikers, claims it ‘will not be easy’

In April, Mayor de Blasio announced his support of closing the jail complex on Rikers Island after protests and calls from activists and public officials. In a proposal released Thursday, the mayor says closing Rikers will take at least ten years and will require a big decline in the number of inmates there, a drop in crime rates and significant funding. As the New York Times reported, according to the city’s 51-page report, in order to close Rikers within a decade, the population at the complex needs to drop to 5,000. Currently, the daily population is about 9,400, much lower than the average of 20,000 inmates the prison held during the 1990s.
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Policy

June 22, 2017

Sheryl Crow sells her incredible Noho loft for $2.72M

Singer Sheryl Crow has sold her Noho nest at 46 Great Jones Street. The second floor loft just sold to J.P. Morgan managing director Fadi Hanna for $2.72 million according to city records (h/t New York Post).
Take a look

June 22, 2017

Rich wood and brick decorate this renovated East Village rental, for $13,995/month

This East Village rental, at the Pear Tree Place condo at 203 East 13th Street, is rich in prewar material. The 11-and-a-half-foot ceilings are lined with wood beams, the walls are covered with exposed brick and the floor with a maple wood. The three-bedroom pad, on the rental market for $13,995/month, also comes with some perks: a planted terrace off the kitchen, an audio/visual system with two drop-down movie screens, and heated floors in the bathrooms.
Now go see it

Distinctive Homes

June 21, 2017

Haunted Gothic mansion is a $2M fixer-upper in Westchester County

Just an hour north of Manhattan along the Hudson River in Irvington, New York sits Strawberry Hill Manor. The Gothic Revival mansion was built in 1850, and if its brooding gables and turrets and crumbling interiors weren't spooky enough, there's the fact that the original owner, John Thomas, was standing and admiring his new home when the pitchfork he was holding was struck by lightning, killing him. But if this haunted tale and the fact that the 13,000-square-foot residence is quite the fixer-upper don't deter you, Curbed tells us that the Manor is for sale for $1,995,000.
Get a look around

June 21, 2017

$1.3M Arbor Close Tudor is a reminder of the 1920s ‘garden city’ movement

Just adjacent to the historic "secret" enclave of Forest Hills Gardens, Queens–a rare planned community founded in 1909–is the even more well-kept secret of Arbor Close. These garden-filled idylls share the same covenant to maintain their early 20th century "garden city" charm. Like its neighbor, Arbor Close consists of 1927-era Tudor rowhouses and apartment buildings with central gardens. Though it doesn't happen too often, one of those rare homes, an elegant, unassuming Tudor at 111-27 75th Road, is for sale, asking $1.275 million.
See more of this charming townhouse

June 21, 2017

Modern Catskills treehouse uses angular geometry to connect with nature

It might seem contradictory that hard, angular lines and pronounced geometry could enhance the organic nature of this forested Woodstock, NY location, but UK-based designer Antony Gibbons managed to pull the juxtaposition off seamlessly with his Inhabit Treehouse. Gibbons told Inhabitat that the small family home "still blends into the surroundings with its timber materials,” which includes cedar from the surrounding Catskills Valley for the facade and a reclaimed pine interior, where he used the sharp angles to frame out views of the nearby mountains and lake.
See it all right here

Top architects and engineers present solutions for NYC’s soon-to-explode population

June 21, 2017

Art Nerd NY’s top art, architecture, and design event picks – 6/22/-6/28

By Lori Zimmer

Art Nerd New York founder Lori Zimmer shares her top art, design and architecture event picks for 6sqft readers! Tomorrow, experience a slice of New York life in 1850 at the Merchant’s House Museum or check out a modern street photographer at The Quin. Head up to the Bronx to check out two artists who have evolved from the subway art scene, then check out Astoria’s art offerings beyond the Museum of the Moving Image. Of course, there’s the biggest party of all this weekend- PRIDEFest, so put your dancing or marching shoes on. The female gaze is debunked at a beautiful show at The Untitled Space, the romance novel cover is examined and art critic Roberta Smith speaks to SVA for a free lunchtime talk.
Details on these events and more this way

June 21, 2017

LIRR will offer discounted fares for riders using Atlantic Terminal and Hunters Point Avenue

This week, Governor Cuomo called on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to provide Long Island Rail Road riders a discounted fare for “enduring the inconvenience of a disrupted commute.” In response, the MTA said on Tuesday that the LIRR will offer fare discounts to commuters during Penn Station’s major repairs set to begin this July. The discount will average roughly 25 percent for those traveling to Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn and Hunters Point Avenue in Queens. Plus, according to Crain’s, commuters will receive free morning rush hour subway transfers from those two stations. Starting this week, discounted monthly tickets can be purchased at station vending machines.
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June 21, 2017

Brooklyn casual gets colorful in this $2.8M Carroll Gardens townhouse

Starting with a planted front garden of the sort that earned the classic Brooklyn neighborhood of Carroll Gardens its name, this four-bedroom row house at 439 Sackett Street has historic Brooklyn-casual nailed, with charm and warmth throughout–and a bright dose of country caravan whimsy in the kitchen. Built in 1880, this 20-foot-wide home, asking $2.795 million, boasts wide-plank knotty pine floors along with original details like dramatic archways, ceiling medallions, crown molding and ornate stone fireplace surrounds.
Backyard fun, this way

Distinctive Homes

June 20, 2017

After 20 years, Harry Connick Jr. lists rustic Connecticut estate for $7.5M

By Annie Doge

Singer and actor Harry Connick Jr. and his wife, former Victoria's Secret model Jill Goodacre, bought this 4.6-acre Connecticut estate, a former dairy farm, in 1998 for $1.54 million. After a two-year renovation and nearly 20 years raising their three daughters here, the couple has decided to part ways with the rustic New Canaan home, listing it for $7.5 million, according to the Wall Street Journal. The seven-bedroom main house, once a barn built in the 1890s, is joined by a heating pool and pool house, another former barn that serves as a gym and storage, and a third smaller barn where Connick writes music.
Take a tour

June 20, 2017

Hunt Architecture’s garden studio offers a tiny backyard retreat in Boerum Hill

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

Sometimes you don't need to go far to escape the frenzy of the city. Forget about charming mountain retreats or luxury seaside homes, this humble beauty provides the perfect place to escape it all right in a Boerum Hill, Brooklyn backyard. Crafted by local studio Hunt Architecture using salvaged cedar and fence pickets, the Brooklyn Garden Studio is a grown-up version of the classic treehouse.
Learn more about this small wooden shed

Architecture And Design

June 20, 2017

+POOL team is evaluating 11 different locations for its floating pool concept

A floating pool with its own river-cleaning filtration system is coming to New York City, but it has yet to find a home. The $20 million +POOL project was first announced in 2010 and originally was meant to open by this summer. However, as DNAInfo reported, the team is still working with the city to find a site for its plus-shaped swimming pool that will include four pools in one; a kiddie pool, sports pool, lap pool and a lounge pool. The pool is designed to filter the river that it floats in through the walls of the pool, allowing New Yorkers to take a dip in river water.
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Politicians push for Brooklyn’s General Lee Avenue to be renamed

General Lee Avenue and Robert E. Lee’s former home on Fort Hamilton, via Jeremy Bender/Business Insider

June 20, 2017

Politicians push for Brooklyn’s General Lee Avenue to be renamed

When four Confederate statues were removed in New Orleans last month, many sided with Mayor Mitch Landrieu's plan, but others felt it was an attempt to erase history. Nevertheless, the monuments all came down, prompting national elected officials to take notice--even here in NYC. As 6sqft previously explained, there exists a General Lee Avenue and a Stonewall Jackson Drive in Brooklyn's Fort Hamilton, the city's last remaining active-duty military base, and a group of local politicians has sent a letter to Army Secretary Robert Speer asking that they both be renamed, with Colin Powell and Harriet Tubman suggested as possible replacements (h/t Gothamist).
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June 20, 2017

New study says Mexico City is less affordable for renters than Manhattan

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

Out of all of the world’s cities, New York City surprisingly does not have the most unaffordable rental market. In a report released by RENTCafe, Mexico City beats Manhattan as the worst urban area for renters, with 60 percent of their income being spent on housing. However, Manhattan continues to be extremely unaffordable, with residents putting 59 percent of their income toward rent. Affordability levels are not much better in the three other U.S. cities that made the list; Chicago, San Francisco and L.A. have rent-to-income ratios of 38, 41, and 47 percent respectively.
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Real Estate Trends

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10 things you never knew about Prospect Park

Image by Elizabeth Jeegin Colley for the Prospect Park Alliance

June 20, 2017

10 things you never knew about Prospect Park

Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux debuted Prospect Park to the Brooklyn masses in 1867. Though Olmsted and Vaux had already designed Central Park, they considered this their masterpiece, and much of the pair's innovative landscape design is still on display across all 585 acres. But it was the result of a lengthy, complicated construction process (Olmsted and Vaux weren't even the original designers!) as well as investment and dedication from the city and local preservationists throughout the years. After challenges like demolition, neglect, and crime, the Parks Department has spent the past few decades not only maintaining the park but restoring as much of Olmsted and Vaux's vision as possible. It's safe to say that these days, Prospect Park is just as impressive as when it first opened to the public. And of course, throughout its history the park has had no shortage of stories, secrets and little-known facts. 6sqft divulges the 10 things you might not have known.
All the juicy secrets ahead

June 20, 2017

MTA dismisses idea to extend G train into Manhattan during L train shutdown

Republican mayoral candidate, Paul Massey, unveiled a transit infrastructure plan Monday, that included an idea to create a G train loop that would travel to Manhattan to help commuters during the 15 month-L train shutdown next year. Although little details have been revealed, his plan would presumably travel through Midtown on the F train route, loop back into Queens on routes used by the M and R train and then reconnect with the G at the Court Square stop in Long Island City. While a notable idea, according to Crain’s the MTA looked over Massey’s plan and said its implementation would be impossible.
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June 20, 2017

Clinton Hill’s latest rental offers 10 affordable units, from $780/month

Less than two weeks ago, Clinton Hill's new mixed-use building at 1007 Atlantic Avenue launched leasing for its 40 market-rate rentals, offering one month of free rent on 13-month leases for units ranging from $2,169/month studios to $3,462/month two-bedrooms. But the remaining 10 units are an even sweeter deal, coming in at just $780 for studios and $973 for two-bedrooms and still getting access to the package room, bike storage, and landscaped roof deck with areas for lounging and grilling. These latter apartments are available as of tomorrow through the city's affordable housing lottery to those earning 60 percent of the area median income.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

June 20, 2017

For $2.4M, this sun-filled brick Greenpoint townhouse wraps modern comfort in historic charm

Greenpoint has quietly over the past decade become one of Brooklyn's most livable and lovable neighborhoods; its waterfront location, a diverse family-friendly vibe, proximity to McCarren Park and Williamsburg, and exciting new developments on the way are just a few of the reasons why. Townhouses here are rarer than lofts and condos, but they do pop up for lucky buyers, and this three-story home at 184 Calyer Street, asking $2.395 million, is a move-in ready example. The fully-renovated two-family house with a private garden is comprised of a spacious owners' duplex and a good-sized one-bedroom apartment with its own outdoor space.
Give the G line a try

Distinctive Homes

June 19, 2017

Magical gardens surround this $775K Alphabet City aerie

The gardens are open to the public but the views are all yours from this well-configured studio at 257 East 7th Street in the easternmost reaches of the East Village. The block is, as the listing suggests, one of the neighborhood's most picturesque, with a history of community pride by longtime homeowners and a rare eclectic collection of historic townhouses. The verdant Flowerbox building, one of the neighborhood's first and most beautifully-designed luxury developments, is next door, and the East River Park foot and bike path is steps away. This charming studio is asking $775,000.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

June 19, 2017

124 chances to live in the burgeoning South Bronx, from $822/month

The South Bronx is arguably the city's largest hotbed of new affordable housing development, and the latest chance to live in the up-and-coming 'hood for less than market rate starts today for 124 units at 530 Exterior Street in Mott Haven. Here, New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for apartments ranging from $822/month studios to $1,224/month three-bedrooms. The 13-story building is part of a larger, mixed-use project, right near Mill Pond Park on the Harlem River and the 145th Street Bridge to Harlem. The other two components are a similarly low- and moderate-income housing building at 491 Gerard Avenue and a 152-room Hampton Inn hotel with commercial space and ground-floor retail.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

June 19, 2017

Stonewall Inn gets $1M grant from Google to preserve stories of the gay rights movement

Last June, President Obama formally recognized Greenwich Village’s Stonewall Inn and its surrounding area as a national historic monument, creating the first National Park Service unit dedicated to the gay rights movement. To expand the reach of this monument, Senator Chuck Schumer announced on Sunday a $1 million grant from Google to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center to begin a project preserving the oral histories and human experiences from early LGBTQ leaders present during the Stonewall Inn riots. According to the New York Times, the initiative will create an educational curriculum for students and a digital platform that's expected to launch by the 50th anniversary of the protests in 2019.
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History

Rendering courtesy of SCAPE Landscape Architecture

June 19, 2017

Gowanus Canal Conservancy unveils renderings for SCAPE-designed Gowanus Lowlands

The Gowanus Canal Conservancy (GCC) has announced the launch of Gowanus Lowlands, a new comprehensive vision for the transformation of Brooklyn’s Gowanus neighborhood and a 'blueprint for NYC’s next great park.' As 6sqft has previously reported, between developers eyeing the pricey parcel of southwest Brooklyn land as Paris on the Gowanus and the city's ambitions to transform the long-embattled area into "Little Venice," all eyes have been on the neighborhood and the once-toxic, steadily improving Superfund canal that anchors it. With an important rezoning on the horizon–the process kicked off last October with meetings to gauge community opinion–passions are running high. The conservancy has identified SCAPE landscape architecture studio to guide the Lowlands vision toward reality.
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My 408sqft: A Tudor City historian lives maximally in a micro-studio using furniture on wheels

6sqft’s ongoing series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to the Tudor City studio of Brian Thompson. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

June 19, 2017

My 408sqft: A Tudor City historian lives maximally in a micro-studio using furniture on wheels

By Diane Pham

We've seen many solutions for tiny living employed here at 6sqft, from transforming furniture to elaborate built-ins to adding color and patterns to trick the eye, but as far as living minimally has gone, we're not sure if we've seen a home opt for such a straightforward—but artful—setup. Located in the quaint and picturesque neighborhood of Tudor City is the 408-square-foot apartment of historian, activist, and real estate broker Brian Thompson. Rather than outfitting his apartment with built-in seating or complex hidden furniture (though he does have a Murphy bed), Brian has opted for an ultra-minimal setup that includes just three pieces of furniture: a couch, a bookshelf, and a desk—all of which can be arranged into an infinite number of livable layouts with just a simple push or a pull.
See more inside Brian's incredible tiny home

June 19, 2017

‘Apartment in the sky’ with lofts and skylights asks $625K in Hell’s Kitchen

Located on the top floor of the Hell's Kitchen co-op 857 Ninth Avenue and decked out with skylights (with their own retractable shades!), this $625,000 pad feels like it's perched up in the clouds. 11.5-foot ceilings and two lofts, above the bedroom and kitchen, don't hurt either. Nor do the Manhattan cityscape views from the Eastern facing windows. This home last sold for $549,000 in 2016. We're guessing it got some upgrades before it was listed again this year.
See the interior for yourself

Distinctive Homes

Two Waterline Square; Image: Noe & Associates with The Boundary

June 19, 2017

Waterline Square mega-development to get first Cipriani ‘experiential food market’

GID Development Group announced today that the Upper West Side's Waterline Square mega-development will be getting the first-ever experiential food market by the Cipriani family. Located within Two Waterline Square, the new Cipriani food hall will be designed by London-based interior designer Martin Brudnizki. Within the 28,000-square-foot space will be a large-format culinary experience with multiple food and beverage establishments including a market, restaurants, and casual outlets.
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June 18, 2017

East Village loft lined with shelving and storage space asks $4,600/month

Space and storage are what this East Village loft has to give. The unit is from 300 East 4th Street, a brick cooperative built in the 1940s. While you can pick up a unit here for $1.299 million, this one is actually up for rent at $4,600 a month. With over 850 square feet, there are two mezzanines to hold a bedroom and a flexible bonus space. Custom closets were added, and built-ins line the walls, offering storage galore. Best of all, this lofty space takes in tons of light from five large windows.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

Images (L to R): Harlem 125, 7 West 21st Street, Caesura and LEVEL

June 17, 2017

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

By Emrys Fitzgerald

Pricing Revealed for Paris Forino-Designed Williamsburg Rental [link] Fort Greene Rental Reveals New Renderings & Launches Affordable Housing Lottery [link] Leases at Morris Adjmi-Designed 7W21 Offer 2 Months of Free Rent [link] Summer Special in Sutton Place; Oriana Offers 14-Month Leases with 2 Months Free [link] New Bed-Stuy Rental Launches Leasing and Offers Modern Apartments […]

Real Estate Trends

June 16, 2017

Construction to finally begin on the new Penn Station – see new renderings!

Just a day after Penn Station‘s long-awaited West End Concourse revealed itself to the public, for the first time allowing Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road, and NJ Transit passengers to enter and board trains through the historic James A. Farley Post Office across 8th Avenue, Governor Cuomo has announced that Empire State Development signed the final financial agreement with Related Companies, Vornado Realty LP, and Skanska AB for the $1.6 billion Penn-Farley Complex. After decades of delays, construction will now begin to transform the historic post office into the Moynihan Train Hall, a new 255,000-square-foot train hall housing both Amtrak and LIRR ticketing and waiting areas, as well as 70,000 square feet of new commercial, retail, and dining space. But a development announcement from the Governor is never complete without a fresh set of renderings, and Cuomo did not disappoint this time.
All the renderings and details ahead

June 16, 2017

After less than a day on the market, Donald Trump’s childhood home finds a renter

Since initially hitting the market last summer, Donald Trump's childhood home in Jamaica Estates, Queens has seen quite the runaround. After a price chop from $1.65 to $1.2 million, the listing was pulled in November to head to the auction block, but shortly thereafter Manhattan real estate mogul Michael Davis bought the Tudor-style home sight-unseen for just under $1.4 million. He then flipped it for $2.14 million, nearly twice what he paid and double the neighborhood average. Mansion Global now has the scoop that the mystery buyer, whose identity was shielded behind the LLC “Trump Birth House,” will rent it out for between $3,500 and $4,000 a month, on par with similarly sized homes in the neighborhood. ***Update 7/16/2017: Just one day after it was announced that Donald Trump's childhood home would be placed on the rental market, DNA Info reports that the Queens property has already found a tenant. Real estate agent Jason Friedman of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage told the website that "a long-term lease, for at least a year" was signed "almost immediately" after the home was listed, although for how much is not clear. Friedman shared only that the rent was more than the $3,500 reported yesterday. No word yet on who has scooped up the property.
Get a look inside

Celebrities

June 16, 2017

This $7.5M modern abode in Park Slope was once a humble carriage house

From an 1890s carriage house to this stunning modern home, the Park Slope property at 77 Prospect Place has quite the story behind it. According to Brownstoner, this building, along with two others, was purchased by the Brooklyn Union Gas company for use in an alternative energy experiment. 77 Prospect served as the company's show house, and they installed experimental fuel cells on the roofs, the design of which was inspired by the Apollo spacecraft. More recently, in 2004, the building was completely renovated by the architect Philippe Baumann. He built out a chic, modern interior and added a second floor with a stunning open space that opens to an outdoor patio with a hot tub. Now it's up for grabs, asking $7.495 million.
Check out the home's most recent iteration

Distinctive Homes

June 16, 2017

City scales back storm-protection project in Red Hook

Flooding during Hurricane Sandy left many residents of Red Hook without basic services for weeks. While many had hoped the city’s $100 million initiative would help protect the Brooklyn waterfront neighborhood from a 100-year flood event, a new feasibility study shows the plan would actually only protect it from a 10-year flood event. As the Wall Street Journal reported, the city plans on scaling back the flood-protection system in Red Hook because of its high costs, and the study revealed a larger project could cost about $300 to $500 million more.
Find out more

Policy

The 74

201 East 74th Street

Lenox Hill

Gracious Upper East Side condos with Central Park and skyline views

2 beds starting at $3,380,000
3 beds starting at $4,850,000
5 beds starting at $11,950,000

Learn More

Mayor announces $1.35 billion plan to create 100,000 new jobs with a focus on the city’s middle class

Image via pexels

June 16, 2017

Mayor announces $1.35 billion plan to create 100,000 new jobs with a focus on the city’s middle class

Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced a plan to add 100,000 new jobs to the city's economy over the next 10 years, particularly positions that pay over $50,000 a year, with the intention of shoring up an increasingly hard-to-maintain middle class lifestyle, the Wall Street Journal reports. The city would contribute more than $1.35 billion toward job creation in already promising job sectors, what the mayor referred to as “good-paying jobs,” that pay or lead to being paid at least $50,000 a year. The mayor said at a news conference Thursday, “the job here is to lift the floor for everyone in this city, to make sure that a middle-class lifestyle really is available to everybody.”
Find out more

Policy

June 16, 2017

On this day in 1884, America’s first roller coaster opened at Coney Island

On June 16, 1884, the country’s first roller coaster opened at Coney Island, sparking Americans' obsession with amusement rides. Invented by LaMarcus Thompson, the ride, called the Switchback Railway, spanned 600 feet and traveled just six miles per hour. Unlike today’s coasters, the Switchback did not make a round trip loop, and passengers exited at the end of the track. The one-minute-long ride cost only five cents.
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History

June 16, 2017

The Urban Lens: ‘Indecent exposure’ at Rockaway Beach in the 1940s

6sqft’s ongoing series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment, we share a set of vintage photos documenting Rockaway Beach in the 1940s. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. These days, beachgoers give nary a thought when stripping down to their skimpy bikinis and short-shorts, but 70 years ago wearing much more modest swimsuits was enough to get you a ticket from the NYPD. Noted LIFE magazine photographer Sam Shere (who's best known for his iconic photo of the Hindenburg disaster) documented this "indecent exposure" phenomenon at Rockaway Beach in 1946. Starting with a sign that reads "wear robes to and from the beach," Shere's series shows women sunbathing in high-wasted two-pieces, men walking the boardwalk in just their shorts, and the way in which these beach bums seem unphased by the cops writing them summonses.
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June 16, 2017

Renderings revealed for Nomad’s previously stalled 756-foot tower

Last summer, the Department of Buildings halted progress on developers J.D. Carlisle and Fosun Group's planned condo tower at 15 East 30th Street over the fact that a planned second-floor outdoor space didn't meet minimum space requirements. Presumably having ironed that out, (though we're not sure the same can be said for the neighbors angry about losing their views) designers Handel Architects have released a slew of new renderings of the 756-foot-tall tower, which will have 180 units spread over 51 floors. Uncovered by Yimby, the views show a narrow, glassy structure with a jagged pinnacle and undulating base.
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June 16, 2017

Trump hires family party planner Lynne Patton to run NY housing programs