6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

It's houses like this renovated two-family brick townhouse at 213 29th Street in lovely Greenwood, Brooklyn, that make us stop and think about the current real estate market. The home is asking $2.5 million. Sure, it's a 2,379-square-foot townhouse–bigger than most apartments. And there are four bedrooms if you count the rental unit, though most of them are pretty small–and there's that rental income, of course. But though Greenwood is a solid choice for townhouse living, a 17-foot-wide, three-story house is a tough sell in any neighborhood–and a two-and-a-half million dollar property is a tough sell in this one. Also: The house has no cellar (less storage and other downsides). But it's awfully cute. And the crazy thing about home buyers is that it only takes one.
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Distinctive Homes

May 9, 2017

New renderings of Hudson Yards’ retail and restaurant spaces

By Dana Schulz

Yesterday, it was announced that celebrity chef José Andrés, credited with bringing the small-plate concept to the U.S., will be opening a massive Spanish food hall at Hudson Yards, closing a deal for the 35,000-square-foot space at 10 Hudson Yards that Shake Shack guru Danny Meyer had previously been in talks for. On the heels of the news, developers Related Companies and Oxford Properties Group released new renderings of the retail and restaurant spaces coming to the mega-development (h/t Curbed), most of which will be located in the "Shops and Restaurants at Hudson Yards," a seven-story building that will hold the majority of the 25 restaurants and anchor tenant Neiman Marcus.
More renderings and details ahead

May 9, 2017

Resolution: 4 Architecture designed this ‘white, bright, light, and tight’ duplex for a young family

This 3,000-square-foot, four-bedroom duplex loft was totally transformed by Resolution: 4 Architecture, who sums up their Manhattan project as "white, bright, light, and tight." To house a young family of four, the firm renovated the upper level into a communal space, lined with hidden storage and centered by a sculptural spiral staircase that leads to the bedrooms below. The striking, modern interiors may not necessarily look family friendly, but the firm says "the home was designed with family, play, and the production of art in mind."
Take a look at the stunning space

Did you know the idea for G.I. Joe was created in Brooklyn?

Photo via Wikipedia

May 9, 2017

Did you know the idea for G.I. Joe was created in Brooklyn?

Did you know G.I. Joe, considered the world’s first action figure, was first conceptualized in Brooklyn? The famous toy was invented by NYC native Stanley Weston, who passed away this month at 84 years old. Weston, born in Brooklyn in 1933, sold his idea for a military-themed toy to Hasbro for $100,000 when he was just 30 years old. Hasbro later turned it into a $100 million success, with more generations of the dolls, comic books, a television series and movies following it.
Find out more

History

New research shows that people are choosing Citi Bikes over the bus

Photo via Peter Burka on Flickr

May 9, 2017

New research shows that people are choosing Citi Bikes over the bus

A new before-and-after study shows that in New York City thousands of potential bus rides are likely happening by bike instead, reports CityLab. Recent research published in a new journal article on bike sharing stations along city bus routes, by Kayleigh Campbell and Candace Brakewood, an assistant professor of civil engineering at the City College of New York, revealed that for every thousand Citi Bike docks situated along Brooklyn and Manhattan bus routes, bus trips dropped by 2.42 percent. The study includes trips made between May 2012 and July 2014 and controls for a wide variety of factors in order to show the impact of bike sharing on bus ridership.
Find out more

May 9, 2017

Freestanding home in Fiske Terrace Historic District asks $1.6M

This charming property comes from the Fiske Terrace-Midwood Park Historic District, where historic, freestanding homes are the norm. Fiske Terrace is an enclave of Flatbush, a Brooklyn neighborhood located just east of Ditmas Park. (Ditmas is also known for its freestanding beauties.) Here at 819 East 19th Street, which is now on the market for $1.595 million, there are historic details throughout formal living and dining rooms, as well as an enclosed porch, backyard, private driveway and garage.
Take a peek inside

Distinctive Homes

May 9, 2017

Apply for a middle-income apartment in East Harlem’s amenity-rich Tapestry building, from $1,927/month

Applications are currently being accepted for middle-income units at the Tapestry in East Harlem. Located at 245 East 124th Street, the 12-story, 185-unit rental building sits near the base of the Triborough Bridge. It was built in 2010 to the designs of Pei Cobb Freed & Partners and MHG Architects and features amenities like a concierge, garage, spacious green roofs and landscaped terraces, bike storage, fitness center, and a media and entertainment lounge. The middle-income homes available range from $1,927/month studios to $2,611/month two-bedrooms set aside for New Yorkers making between $67,406-$158,500 annually.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Distinctive Homes

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

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

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

This $7.75M West Village home updates 1828 Federal style with a perfect country kitchen

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

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

Bethenny Frankel lists her Bridgehampton property for $6M

For $1.5M, get (way) off the grid in Gilded Age style on your own private island in Alexandria Bay

This $5.6M Tribeca condo in a former spice-grinding factory brings warmth to loft proportions

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

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May 9, 2017

First look at the amazing amenities at Waterline Square

As 6sqft previously reported, a trio of glassy residential towers known as Waterline Square is rising on a five-acre waterfront site between West 59th and 61st Streets. Aside from the megaproject's size, its roster of starchitects–Richard Meier and Partners, Rafael Viñoly Architects, and Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates–has been most impressive. But now a head-spinning host of perks joins the wow-factor, as Curbed reports that the Rockwell Group has revealed renderings of a three-story amenity space to be dubbed The Waterline Club, divided among all three buildings. Among the offerings are a three-lane pool; 4,600-square-foot kids' playroom; gardening, art, and music studios; and indoor tennis court, basketball court, soccer field, and skate park.
Moreamazing amenities this way

May 9, 2017

You can rent this magical Clinton Hill townhouse with a renovation from loft heaven for a celestial $16K a month

There's no question about it, this Clinton Hill townhouse at 121 Saint James Place is a standout. The historic brownstone, offered for rent at $16,000, recently emerged from a complete renovation by Murdock Solon Architects, underscored by "an artist’s eye and architect’s mind" that incorporates industrial and rustic chic, open and casual loft style and the tall ceilings and endless rooms of a four-story 3,000 square-foot townhouse. Extra-magical additions include 22.5 feet high ceilings, double-height industrial framed windows and reclaimed wood throughout. The home offers four bedrooms, a home office, and a 1,500 square-foot landscaped backyard (which may or may not "make you feel you are in Narnia"). In addition to the stunning triplex, a one-bedroom garden apartment is included, great for guests.
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May 8, 2017

Desai Chia Architecture combined a traditional Hamptons cottage with a bold modern addition

By Rebecca Paul

Located in the quaint hamlet of South Hampton, Water Mill is home to some truly beautiful modern architecture thanks to its picturesque ocean backdrop and preserved greenery. And this 4,600-square-foot house from Desai Chia Architecture is no exception. In 2015, the home underwent a full renovation, and the current structure is an expansion of a traditional shingled cottage upgraded with a modern addition.
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Architecture And Design

May 8, 2017

Raad Studio gut renovated this sleek Tribeca condo, now asking $3.7M

Raad Studio left its touch on this two-bedroom Tribeca condo, from the 1920s building 39 White Street. A gut renovation from the New York design firm, which has stunning projects all over the city and is behind the Lowline proposal, left this lofty apartment with both custom design elements and 19th-century details intact. From a 300-bottle wine rack to a customized floor-to-ceiling door to the master suite, this $3.7 million apartment is worth gawking over.
So take the interior tour

Distinctive Homes

May 8, 2017

Jon Stewart’s former Tribeca penthouse hits the market for $20M

Located in the heart of Tribeca, a stylish duplex at 161 Hudson Street is for sale at an asking price of $20 million. The spacious five-bedroom penthouse was formerly owned by comedian Jon Stewart, who sold the home in 2014 for $17.5 million, as LLNYC learned. The home boasts 6,280 square feet, which includes a large living room, media room, library and access to a rooftop that has incredible views of Downtown Manhattan.
See the beautiful home

City backs away from Yankee Stadium parkland promise in favor of residential high rise

Photo via Wikipedia

May 8, 2017

City backs away from Yankee Stadium parkland promise in favor of residential high rise

The city’s Economic Development Corp. has announced its support for plans to build up to 1,045 units of market-rate and affordable housing and commercial space on a vacant four-acre stretch of East 149th Street in The Bronx, the New York Post reports. The city had promised a decade ago to replace the more than 25 acres of parkland that was lost when the new Yankee Stadium was greenlighted in 2005; the vacant space was to be the last leg of the Mill Pond Park, off the Harlem River. Geoffrey Croft of NYC Park Advocates, a watchdog group, said the "sleazy switcheroo" “screams of Brooklyn Bridge Park all over again," referring to promised waterfront parkland that that became high-rise housing instead.
Find out what's up

May 8, 2017

Where to buy affordable art in Brooklyn

By Lori Zimmer

Our ongoing series Apartment Living 101 is aimed at helping New Yorkers navigate the challenges of creating a happy home in the big city. This week, Art Nerd New York founder Lori Zimmer shares her top spots for scoring affordable art in Brooklyn. Brooklyn has become the place to be for creatives, especially as artists have migrated from Soho and the East Village to Williamsburg, Bushwick, and beyond. Now, blue-chip galleries are sprouting up Brooklyn locations, art fairs have Brooklyn outposts, and artists studios are thriving in neighborhoods all over the borough. Despite the rise of Brooklyn arts (and rents), there are still places to procure affordable art, all while supporting the artists struggling to survive in a very competitive market.
our list here

New food hall may arrive at an empty railway station in the South Bronx

Conceptual rendering courtesy of Raft Architects

May 8, 2017

New food hall may arrive at an empty railway station in the South Bronx

While many residential and commercial projects are underway in the South Bronx, the neighborhood continues to lack diverse food choices for its residents. Hoping to bring more variety to the Hunts Point community, Majora Carter--a revitalization adviser and developer who's also behind the nearby transformation of the former Spofford Juvenile Detention Center into a $300 million mixed-use affordable housing complex--is partnering with Slayton Ventures to create a hip new dining spot in an empty railway station. As reported by the Wall Street Journal, the $2 million project will restore the former Amtrak-owned building, which was designed by Cass Gilbert, beginning this summer and is expected to be completed in the fall.
Find out more

New Developments

May 8, 2017

$2.75M Park Slope townhouse has a sky-lit glass extension and a wealth of options

Behind the classic red brick facade of this 1910-era townhouse at 79 Saint Marks Place at the enviable crossroads between Park Slope and Boerum Hill, modern and industrial styles meet the home's original townhouse charm in features like a dramatic glass-and steel-extension that opens to a landscaped patio. Currently configured with three apartments, the 3,000-square-foot home could easily be combined into one single-family house with room for everyone–or one or both of the well-renovated apartments could be used to generate a sizable rental income while retaining one or both of the lower floors.
Take the tour, consider the possibilities

Distinctive Homes

Parlor floor of an 1800s Park Slope brownstone is now a $1.5M two-bedroom co-op

There's nothing lovelier than the parlor floor of a brownstone, and this one at the historic 201 Saint Johns Place townhouse in Park Slope, is up for sale asking $1.5 million. The floor was converted into a two-bedroom co-op with some outdoor space, but it's still dripping with details like the wood-burning fireplace mantle, original doors, moldings, ceiling medallions, window shutters, archway details and hardwood floors. It's a long list of historical goodies, and they've all been well preserved within this four-unit cooperative townhouse, in which shareholders are expected to participate in taking care of the building.
Now it's time to take a look

Distinctive Homes

May 6, 2017

For just $450K, a charming Connecticut cottage with a unique musical history

This Connecticut home, which is beyond quaint and has been dubbed the "Sunset cottage," comes with a musical backstory dating from more than a century ago (h/t CIRCA). In 1900, the former farmhouse served as a summer dormitory and reading room for students at the Greene School of Music. Sixty years after the school shuttered in 1924--and after a full renovation into a home--musician Paul Fenick snatched it up. He often used the space to perform with his bluegrass band, The Still River Ramblers. The school's library was converted to a practice space, and framed album covers, concert posters, and artist photographs were hung on the walls. Now the cozy house, located in the heart of Brookfield’s Historic District, is up for sale asking $449,900.
Tour the house right this way

May 5, 2017

This interactive map lets you find out your neighbors’ finances

Designed for the busybody in all of us, a new interactive map provides information about our neighbors' finances. Designed by student loan marketplace LendEDU, it shows the average income level, credit card and student loan debt, mortgage debt, and auto loan balances in every NYC neighborhood (h/t Brick Underground). While the Upper West Side, Tribeca, Battery Park and Lenox Hill all made the list for highest-earning areas, the highest credit ratings were all in Queens; Breezy Point, Douglaston and Clearview all had some of the best credit scores.
The 'hoods with the highest student loan debt may surprise you

City Living

May 5, 2017

Flavor Paper and UM Project’s ‘Conduct’ wallpaper doubles as a power source

Design, art, and technology are intertwined in this new product co-developed by wallcovering company Flavor Paper and design firm UM Project. Conduct, an interactive installation at Collective Design, which is part of New York’s design festival NYCXDesign, is a wallpaper that doubles as a power source. As Fast Co.Design reported, the installation is composed of five motorized or electrical objects. If a person touches one of the copper dots on the wall, which is covered with paper that’s printed with conductive ink, they complete an electrical circuit and turn on the object.
Find out more

May 5, 2017

$2.25M Windsor Terrace townhouse with front porch and landscaped backyard looks perfect for summer

This Brooklyn townhouse is unique in that it comes with a south-facing front porch. It's large enough to place some chairs and a small table and looks down over the front garden. And out back, there's a charming backyard with custom wood fencing and lighting, specially designed by a landscape architect to bloom flowers from spring into fall. All this excellent outdoor space--just as the weather starts to heat up--comes from the Windsor Terrace home at 225 Windsor Place. The interior isn't bad either, as it boasts a modern, renovated kitchen alongside some restored historic details. After last selling in 2008 for $1.497 million, the home is now asking $2.25 million.
Check it all out

Distinctive Homes

May 5, 2017

Interview: Developer Ben Shaoul on 196 Orchard Street, his Lower East Side condo rising next to Katz’s

By 6sqft

Ben Shaoul founded Magnum Real Estate Group in 1999, focused on renovating small, rundown rental apartments. After growing its portfolio extensively over the past five years to includeretail properties, condos, and even a dormitory, the firm is now one of the city’s leading ground-up development companies. Their impressive portfolio includes 389 East 89th Street on the Upper […]

1932 map illustrates a vibrant nightlife during the Harlem Renaissance

Map courtesy of Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library

May 5, 2017

1932 map illustrates a vibrant nightlife during the Harlem Renaissance

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

During the Harlem Renaissance, some of the greatest black jazz musicians, poets, artists and writers of all time emerged in New York City between the 1920s and 30s. Thanks to an animated map acquired by Yale's Rare Book and Manuscript Library, we can get a sense of the vibrant nightlife of Harlem during this time in history (h/t Slate). This original pen-and-brush map was drawn by Elmer Simms Campbell, one of the first commercially successful, and syndicated, African-American cartoonists in the country. The map faces southwest, bound by 110th Street, and highlights the main attractions on Lenox and Seventh Avenues.
Find out more

History

May 5, 2017

The Urban Lens: ‘Zombie City’ exposes distracted New Yorkers in a gentrifying city

By Dana Schulz

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, fine art and portrait photographer James Maher exposes the changing face of NYC post 9/11. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. It all started at the University of Madison in Wisconsin with a surprisingly successful fake ID "business," which was James Maher's first introduction to portraiture and Photoshop. After moving back to his hometown of New York post-graduation, Maher studied at the International Center for Photography, assisted commercial photographers, and became a certified tour guide, exploring the architecture and streetscapes of the city. In 2006, he opened his own photography business, combining his varied interests, which also come through in his black-and-white series "Luxury for Lease," where New Yorkers are captured candidly against the background of New York. In it, Maher exposes how quickly things changed in the years after 9/11; instead of coming for "acceptance and freedom" and "a culture of creativity," wealthy persons from the suburbs and elsewhere began to move back "with an insatiable appetite." By snapping photos of distracted New Yorkers, many of whom are zombie-fied staring at their phones, Maher examines the "disconnection, hyper-gentrification, conformity, and consumerism" that's infiltrated our streets.
See the series here

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

Images (L to R): Sky, 605 West 42nd Street, Harlem 125, 69 East 125th Street, The Parkline, 626 Flatbush Avenue and 4540 Center Boulevard

May 5, 2017

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

By Ondel Hylton

Get Ready for Summer: Hells Kitchen High-Rise with Two Outdoor Pools Leasing with 1 Month Free [link] A Discussion with Winston Fisher on HOUSE39; Midtown’s “Best in Class” Tower Now Offering Two Mos. Free Rent [link] New Harlem Rentals Debut on 125th Street; Apartments from $1,994/Month [link] Live Near Prospect Park at The Parkline with […]

Real Estate Trends

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May 5, 2017

Score a middle-income apartment in Harlem, from $1,900/month

Applications are now being accepted for middle-income units at Beacon Mews, an affordable housing building located in Harlem, just a block away from the Harlem River and the Madison Avenue Bridge into the Bronx. Amenities at 34 West 139th Street include a doorman, fitness center and spacious community courtyard, and the building is currently offering $1,900/month one-bedrooms, $2,350/month two-bedroom, and $2,600/month two-bedrooms with a terrace. These units, however, are reserved for households earning between $67,098 to $238,500 annually.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

May 5, 2017

Fabulously flexible East Village duplex can be whatever you want it to be for $3M

This unique and dramatic two-bedrooom East Village duplex at 125 East 12th Street might not be quite as awe-inspiring as this East Village pad that has a retractable facade, but with its 16-foot ceilings, massive wall of windows and flexible spaces in every direction it reminds us a little of why these customized lofts are so cool. That other super-tall air-loft sold for $2.4 million three years ago; this one's asking $2.995 million right now. The latter has a lot more space, central air, a roof deck, an elevator and a doorman–and it's in a very cool-looking 1900-era loft building called The Zachary, which is pretty impressive all on its own.
Have a look

Distinctive Homes

May 4, 2017

Live in Parker Posey’s former East Village co-op for $2M

Before moving to a very classic Greenwich Village co-op (which she sold last summer for $1.45 million), actress Parker Posey lived in a much more trendy space in the East Village. In fact, she lived in the same building, 119 East 10th Street, as fellow indie darling Chloe Sevigny who sold her pad in 2013. Posey made the move much earlier, in 2008, when she offloaded the loft-like apartment for $1.3 million. It's now back on the market for $2 million, sporting a loft-like vibe (open layout, exposed brick and ceilings beams) and an eclectic collection of hip furniture and art.
Get a look around

May 4, 2017

Terra cotta figures that adorned building demolished for One Vanderbilt construction seek a new home

A rescued collection of terra cotta building facade figures–including naked cherubs, smiling porpoises and the head of Neptune–that once adorned an 18-story office building next to Grand Central Station are in need of a new home. The building was demolished to make way for the under-construction One Vanderbilt skyscraper; at the urging of New York Landmarks Conservancy Chair Lloyd Zuckerberg, the new building's developer, SL Green Realty Corp., saved the three terra cotta panels from the facade of 51 East 42nd Street. Warren and Wetmore, the building's architects, also designed the station.
Find out more

May 4, 2017

$1.25M loft-like apartment comes from a landmark townhouse on West End Avenue

This apartment boasts lofty vibes inside but comes from a historic landmarked townhouse of the Upper West Side. Located at 357 West End Avenue, a Lamb and Rich-designed corner property, this two-bedroom apartment sits on the top floor. Bad news: it looks like it's a walk-up. There's also good news, as the high ceilings make way for open loft space with a window and an operating skylight--the perfect bonus space for an office or library. After last selling in 2013 for $914,500, the apartment is now trying its hand asking $1.25 million.
More photos this way

Distinctive Homes

May 4, 2017

Connecticut Georgian estate where Harry Houdini hung out is up for auction for $4.75M

An incredible Georgian estate in Ridgefield, Connecticut is up for auction at an asking price of $4.75 million. The 10-bedroom mansion at 162 Old West Mountain Road, also known as Sunset Hall, was owned 100 years ago by Harry Houdini’s brother, Dr. Leopold Weiss, and it's said that the magician practiced his underwater escapes in the pool. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places and sits on nearly seven acres of land with sweeping views of the Long Island Sound and Catskill Mountains. As the New York Post learned, it also has quite the celebrity pedigree. It was originally built in 1912 for U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain James Stokes and was subsequently owned by the Brooklyn beer baron Samuel Rubel and famed actor Robert Vaughn; and after WWII, it was considered for an official site of the United Nations.
Find out more

May 4, 2017

Art Nerd New York’s top event picks for the week – 5/4-5/10

By Lori Zimmer

In a city where hundreds of interesting events occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Ahead Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer shares her top picks for 6sqft readers! Another art fair week is descending onto New York, bringing in collectors, artists, and galleries from every corner of the globe. This year’s Frieze week is a little more chill than last year’s—the fair itself has shortened by a day, and several of the satellite fairs have declined to make a reappearance. However, despite a scaled down event, there are plenty of additional options to fill your social calendar, including sister fairs CONTEXT and Art New York, and a show entirely made up of immersive installations curated by SPRING/BREAK in Brooklyn. For those who are more into design and architecture, the Collective Design Fair opens with the very best from the fusion of the art and design worlds, while Times Square gives us a glimpse into the terrifying vision that Robert Moses had for Lower Manhattan through a new animation.
More on all the best events this way

Events & Things To Do

Developer turns marketing new condos into a three-ring circus, complete with life-sized zoo animals

Photo: DBOX for Macklowe Properties

May 4, 2017

Developer turns marketing new condos into a three-ring circus, complete with life-sized zoo animals

Harry Macklowe, the P.T. Barnum of developers and never one to miss a chance to nibble the tallest branches, has found an 18-foot fiberglass giraffe (plus elephants and rhinos) to do just that. And not to be outdone by the live giraffe used in marketing a Rem Koolhaas (the P.T. Barnum of starchitects, if you will) building outside Paris (Or by Richard Pandiscio’s now-retired beaver) Macklowe has decided that an entire life-sized safari of zoo animals is just the thing to remind people that the vast terraces at his new glass-walled condo at 200 East 59th Street with a “Miami Beach look” are big enough to house an entire circus, the Wall Street Journal reports. Macklowe said the idea was born in a staff meeting where said terraces were touted, and that the critters were sourced in Southampton, NY.
Step right up for more

New Developments

May 4, 2017

After a bidding war, Diane Kruger unloads super-stylish East Village pad for $1.1M

Actress, model, and fashionista Diane Kruger sold her unsurprisingly stylish East Village pad for $1.1 million, higher than the $985,000 listing price. The Post tells us that a 12-offer bidding war ensued, likely due to the myriad of charming features--expansive exposed brick walls, a renovated modern kitchen, and lovely outdoor terrace--and the prime location at 315 East 12th Street, between booming 1st and 2nd Avenues.
Take a look around

May 4, 2017

Mark Ruffalo sells charming Carroll Gardens townhouse at a loss

Academy-award winner Mark Ruffalo sold his townhouse at 319 Sackett Street in Carroll Gardens for $3.125 million last month, according to LLNYC, which he bought in 2015 for a higher price of $3.5 million. The home offers four bedrooms, several fireplaces, and an expansive blue stone garden. Ruffalo recently checked out a $10 million Upper West Side brownstone that underwent a contemporary renovation.
See inside of the beautiful Brooklyn townhouse

May 4, 2017

Williamsburg townhouse with a colorful Scandi-funk interior asks $3.75M

According to records, half of a certain early-aughts Danish dance-pop duo is selling this Scandi-funk-a-licious modern masterpiece of a 19th-century townhouse at 267 Berry Street, right in the middle of prime Williamsburg near the shores of the East River. The four-story, single-family brick townhouse spans 3,300 not-at-all-square feet and comes with some cool details like an open sunroom leading to a lovely roof deck, colorful minimalist kitchen, music room and media room, and master suite that spans an entire top floor. Even better, lots of original details have been preserved and invited to the party, which will set you back $3.75 million.
Move your feet this way for more

Distinctive Homes

May 3, 2017

Bowerbird architects create a custom nest in a Boerum Hill loft with details in steel and reclaimed wood

"Everything evolves," begins the mission statement by architecture and design firm Bowerbird, explaining how their namesake (the bowerbird) evolved to design and decorate its home with an eye for detail. The firm explores the idea that good design and creativity similarly "does not spring forth in a single moment of inspired genius;" they work to produce an uncommon solution for each undertaking. Evolved design is definitely in effect in this Boerum Hill loft, resulting in a home with a fresh look that leaves crowded, overdone design and cold, unfinished lofts in the dust. Rooms are polished, elegant and comfortable without being fussy. And natural and reclaimed details aren’t contrived, but rather fit in well with the former factory’s big-shouldered loft bones.
See more of this timeless loft design

May 3, 2017

EVENT: Two food-centric tours explore the history and culture of the East Village

By 6sqft

When we point the finger at gentrifying neighborhoods, the East Village often gets a lot of heat thanks to its quickly climbing rents, shift from a more diverse population (today, roughly 40 percent of the ‘hood is between the ages of 20 and 34), and loss of small businesses. And though this final fact is certainly true, especially as it pertains to eateries (just this past year we said goodbye to Angelica Kitchen, The Redhead, and Lanza's), the East Vill still has a wealth of independent restaurants that pay homage to its rich immigrant history as well as a crop of new establishments that are sensitive to the community and represent the new wave of foodie culture. This weekend, two events will explore the past and future of the East Village through its food establishments--a walking tour led by 6sqft's Senior Editor Dana Schulz for GVSHP will take you through the Italian, Ukrainian/Eastern European, and Indian history and A Taste of 7th Street will offer a self-guided chance to taste samplings from 10 local favorites.
more details here

May 3, 2017

Sting’s futuristic-meets-classic 15 Central Park West penthouse hits the market for $56M

British rocker Sting and his wife Trudie Styler have listed their chic duplex at the Robert A.M. Stern-designed 15 Central Park West for $56 million (h/t WSJ). The couple purchased the 16th- and 17th-floor penthouse for about $27 million in 2008, and then enlisted architecture and interior design firm SheltonMindel to combine the units and transform them into a "unique home" that includes two custom sculptural spiral staircases and a double-sided spiral gas fireplace that was inspired by the Fibonacci Spiral. Last summer, the couple was in negotiations to buy another Stern condo at 220 Central Park South, one of NYC's most expensive apartment buildings, and now that they "need more space to accommodate their growing family" the time may be ripe to do so.
See it all

May 3, 2017

$3M home in the urban suburb of Prospect Park South is a freestanding beauty

Want to live in a gorgeous suburban enclave that's attracted the likes of Michelle Williams? Then look no further than Prospect Park South, a neighborhood designed, as developer Dean Alford put it, to "illustrate how much natural beauty can be incorporated within the rectangular limits of the city." The landscaping and the homes have remained intact since this area was constructed more than 100 years ago, including this home built in 1907. Designed by the architect Arlington Isham, it's a Simplified Free Colonial style house with an enclosed porch and plenty of period details. For this escape into the finer pastures of Brooklyn, it will cost a cool $3 million.
This way for interior pictures

May 3, 2017

City to develop 2,400 new affordable housing units in East Harlem

Mayor de Blasio and his administration have made progress in meeting their goal of building 200,000 affordable units over the span of a decade, as 21,963 new units were added in 2016, the most in 27 years. However, there continues to be a shortage in East Harlem. Out of the nearly 20,000 affordable units, the city brought to all five boroughs, just 249 units have been built in East Harlem, according to a new report by the Department of Housing and Preservation Development (HPD). To better accommodate these residents, the city plans on expediting the construction of 2,400 units of affordable housing over the next few years, as DNA Info reported.
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May 3, 2017

VIDEO: Robert Moses talks about roads, parks and city traffic in 1953

By Rebecca Paul

Robert Moses, the "master builder," was arguably the most influential individual in the development of New York City's politics and physical structure. He's widely known for his hand in creating New York State's massive parkway network (he built 13 expressways through NYC) and erecting large public housing complexes in low-scale neighborhoods (many of which were segregated), and has therefore been named as the source of many of the city's gentrification and urban decline issues still present today. Regardless of this criticism, his breath of knowledge and experience was unparalleled (we can also thank him for Lincoln Center, Jones Beach, and countless public swimming pools) and is the subject of this 15-minute television program called Longines Chronoscope that aired in 1953, at the height of his heyday.
Watch the video here

History

May 3, 2017

$825K Gramercy studio has 325 square feet of private outdoor space, great views included

If you're stuck on the idea of living in Manhattan, in a super-desirable neighborhood near just about everything great, but you're on a budget of under $1 million, you're probably checking out studios. And if you're good with studio living, this gorgeous little pre-war co-op at 1 Rutherford Place in Gramercy Park would be hard to turn down. Besides being in a lovely building and possessed of custom details like a wall of steel and glass, you get a private outdoor terrace that's almost as big as the apartment itself.
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Distinctive Homes

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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May 2, 2017

This quaint worker’s cottage could be your upstate retreat for just $165K

This humble cottage could be your upstate escape this summer for just $165,000. It's located in Kinderhook, a town known for its charming downtown and historic sites that include the Martin Van Buren National Historic Site. The home, a former cottage built for the town's cotton mill workers, is located at 4 Railroad Avenue--a short walk from Kinderhook's downtown. It's a modest abode with two bedrooms, one bathroom, and some lovely interior details.
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Distinctive Homes

May 2, 2017

Acclaimed novelist Jonathan Safran Foer lists lovely Boerum Hill townhouse for $10.4M

Award-winning novelist Jonathan Safran Foer, author of "Everything Is Illuminated" and "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close," has listed his brownstone at 374 Pacific Street in Boerum Hill for $10.4 million, according to Variety. When his first book in ten years, "Here I am," was published last year, the Times referred to it as "often brilliant, always original but sometimes problematic," and though we can't find anything at all problematic about this 1899 Greek Revival residence, the former two accolades certainly apply. It was brilliantly renovated to include a three-story atrium cut through its core and a full rear wall of kitchen windows that overlook the private garden, and it's full of original touches like a charming mix of mid-century-modern and rustic furniture and plenty of built-in bookshelves (of course). Perhaps all of this, plus the fact that there's a separate garden floor apartment, is why Foer thinks he can double his profits after paying $5.4 million for it just a few years ago.
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May 2, 2017

Apply for 50 affordable units in the Bronx’s Mt. Eden, from $558/month

Located in the Mount Eden neighborhood of the South Bronx, this affordable housing building at 1561 Walton Avenue sits just off the Grand Concourse and a block south of the Cross-Bronx Expressway. The 11-story residence contains 60 units total and includes an on-site manager, rear patio, laundry, and storage space for bikes, as well as on-site college application assistance and work-readiness training. Applications are currently being accepted for 50 of the units, ranging from $558/month one-bedrooms to $1,740/month three-bedrooms for those earning 40, 50, 60, or 80 percent of the area median income.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

May 2, 2017

Nearly 80 percent of subway escalators and elevators don’t receive necessary maintenance