6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

On the top floor of a classic walk-up co-op building in the Chelsea Historic District, which happens to possess one of the loveliest roof decks in the neighborhood, this compact studio apartment at 333 West 21st Street offers old-world charm and some smart ways to make the small space work. For the first, high beamed ceilings, a wall of exposed brick, a decorative fireplace and large windows work their magic. For the second, a sleeping loft adds to the floor space. At $492,000 it's less than you'd expect to pay for any size Chelsea apartment that's well-appointed and ideally located.
Explore this small but smart apartment

Distinctive Homes

April 7, 2017

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

By Ondel Hylton

Live in a Former Tootsie Roll Factory with 1 Month of Free Rent [link] Grand Opening of Related Companies’ New Hudson Square Rental at 261 Hudson Street [link] American Copper Buildings Begin to Welcome First Residents [link] Two Months of Free Rent at Park West Village, Only One Block from Central Park [link] Upper West […]

Real Estate Trends

April 7, 2017

Wouter Scheublin’s spider-inspired table will walk right into your home

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

When describing furniture as nomadic, it usually denotes lightweight, modular pieces that can easily be taken apart to move with you. But Dutch designer Wouter Scheublin created a table that needs no dismantling, as it can quite literally walk to your next home. Inspired by eight-legged creatures, the Walking Table is still graceful enough not to leave scuffing marks on your floor.
Learn more about this crawling table

April 7, 2017

Why you shouldn’t walk on escalators; Manhattan’s most expensive townhouse will become offices

Slow turn boxes, aka curb extensions, are part of a new pilot program at intersections where turning drivers are known to injure pedestrians. [Planetizen] Research finds that it’s more efficient if everyone stands on an escalator instead of some people walking on it. [NYT] Postal workers in Brooklyn and Flushing, Queens are among the most attacked […]

Uncategorized

April 7, 2017

Gorgeous $25M Village townhouse owned by Roy Lichtenstein’s son for sale for the first time in 170 years

In the heart of the beautiful Greenwich Village Historic District, this 24-foot-wide 1847 Greek Revival townhouse at 118 West 12th Street is on the public market for the first time in 170 years, asking $25 million. In addition to rare and perfectly restored historic details, the home has been renovated with a collector's eye for the eclectic and unique, incorporating the best in contemporary comforts, adding even more character to its already magical rooms. While we wish we could say the dizzying collection of Roy Lichtenstein works and other art that adorns the walls of this amazing home were part of the deal, we'd imagine the current owner, filmmaker Mitchell Lichtenstein–the Pop artist's son–and his husband Vincent Sanchez, will be holding on to those treasures.
View the rooms and collections of this remarkable home

April 7, 2017

Donald Trump Jr. said to be considering gubernatorial run in New York

Hitting the campaign trail with his dad might have Donald Trump Jr. eyeing the New York governor’s office. On Tuesday, Trump told members of the F6 Labs gun club in Hicksville, New York, that he “is interested in running for office, such as governor of New York,” an anonymous guest told Page Six. In July, Trump expressed […]

Uncategorized

April 7, 2017

How much do amenities impact rent prices in NYC?

When looking for that perfect city abode, apartment hunters often create a list of must-have amenities that also fit within a budget. Now, thanks to Priceonomics and Renthop, you can determine which apartment features have the greatest impact on the overall rent. While the number of bedrooms and bathrooms drive up rent prices the most, the research found that having a doorman, an elevator, available parking and/or laundry-in-building most likely would increase the total rent. In a closer look at NYC, the data shows having a doorman creates the biggest increase of rent in the city, adding about $260 each month.
Find out more

April 7, 2017

The Urban Lens: Sid Kaplan shares historic photos of the Third Avenue El coming down

6sqft’s ongoing series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. This week’s installment comes courtesy of a new exhibit at the Transit Museum, "Deconstruction of the Third Avenue El: Photographs by Sid Kaplan." Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. After the city consolidated its underground subway lines in 1942 (they were previously owned by private companies), fewer New Yorkers were riding the elevated lines. This decreased ridership, along with the fact that the Els ate up valuable street-level real estate and created dangerous dark spaces, led to the city taking down the Second Avenue Elevated line in 1942. In 1955, the Third Avenue Elevated came down as well, catching the eye of a then 17-year-old Sid Kaplan, whose photos of the dismantling are currently on display at the Transit Museum’s Grand Central Gallery Annex. The museum tells us, "From his perch on the roof of an apartment building, or leaning out the window of an office, his images capture a unique perspective of the removal of a hulking steel structure, the hard-working people who dismantled it, and the ever-changing landscape of New York City."
More on the El history, Sid's work, and all the amazing photos

Distinctive Homes

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

This $1.5M Ansonia Court co-op is an old-school classic loft in prime Park Slope

For $3.25M, this compact Boerum Hill townhouse goes beyond the condo alternative with three levels and a yard

For $6.5M, this Sutton Place townhouse can be three apartments, one modernist mansion, or anything in between

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

Watch the seasons of Central Park change from this $3.4M top-floor Upper West Side co-op

From rental income to solar panels, this $3.5M Bed-Stuy brownstone checks all the boxes

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

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

$11M historic West Village home offers the privacy, parking, and outdoor space you'd find in a suburban subdivision

VIEW ALL

April 7, 2017

50 percent fewer homeless families being admitted to shelters after new requirements

In February Mayor de Blasio announced that he plans to open 90 new homeless shelters, but during this same month, only 38 percent of families seeking shelter through the Department of Homeless Services were approved, reports the Daily News. This is a 50 percent drop from the same time last year, which comes after the agency's Commissioner, Steven Banks, received approval from the state in November to require families seeking shelter to present "clear, convincing and credible evidence" that they absolutely have nowhere else to go.
Find out more

Policy

April 7, 2017

Ari Onassis’ former Sutton Place townhouse hits the market for $30M

The exclusive neighborhood of Sutton Place has been described as a "riverside enclave for the well-to-do," and Sutton Square, which sits at the end of 58th Street and offers its residents an expansive shared garden perhaps best embodies this exclusivity. It makes sense then that Aristotle Onassis and his first wife Tina once lived in this magnificent townhouse at 16 Sutton Square; John Whitehead later lived in the same home for the last 26 years of his life. The 12-room house, now on the market for $29,950,000, also has a private backyard, as well as a terrace perfect for boat watching and a spectacular glass, circular staircase that "virtually cantilevers over the river."
See the exclusive townhouse here

Distinctive Homes

April 7, 2017

Townhouse once owned by President Martin Van Buren hits the market for the first time in 53 years

You could now own a piece of New York presidential history for $4.9 million. The Federalist-style townhouse at 150 East 38th Street, in Murray Hill, was once called home by President Martin Van Buren. This is, without a doubt, one of the most unique properties in New York--besides the presidential ownership, ironwork frames the entryway, a squat structure connected to the four-story townhouse. It was built in 1857, altered in 1935, and then restored in the early 2000s. The interior will bring you back in time, with fireplaces, wood paneling and coffered ceilings.
Don't miss the interior tour

April 7, 2017

Kwong Von Glinow’s new prototype for affordable housing can be stacked to fit any lot size

The first place winners of the New York Affordable Housing Challenge, an architectural competition run by Bee Breeders, have been announced. Kwong Von Glinow Design Office received first prize for their entry “The Table Top,” a modular system that aggregates and stacks to provide density and diversity in a city as varied as New York. Designed as a prototype for affordable housing in New York City, the flexible system could accommodate the city's wide range of lot sizes and is adaptable to a variety of unit combinations for diverse types of residents. With an affordable housing crisis abetting an increasingly socially divided city with the majority of its residents spending over half of their annual income on rent, the project speaks to Mayor de Blasio’s emphasis on the dire need to create more affordable housing at both new and redeveloped existing sites.
Find out more about this flexible, scalable design for living

April 6, 2017

Funky, renovated West Harlem townhouse has hit the market for $4.5 million

This Harlem townhouse is one of a kind, thanks to a recent renovation. Located at 363 West 120th Street--just a half block from Morningside Park--the historic property was configured into an owner's triplex with a rental duplex below. While some interior details like the original tile and woodwork were integrated with the design, the overall aesthetic feels more modern, with bold additions like steel doors, recessed lighting and a super sleek kitchen. The unique finished product is now on the market asking $4.5 million.
Time to take a look

Distinctive Homes

April 6, 2017

Clever and compact Kammerspiel provides an all-inclusive living unit for studio apartments

By Rebecca Paul

For many city-dwellers, living spaces often comes limited, so much so that it's not uncommon for homes to be referred to as "micro-apartments." German designer Nils Holger Moormann has created Kammerspiel for these tiny abodes, a sleek, all-in-one unit for sleeping, eating, working and storage. This is the largest piece of furniture he's ever engineered, and the purpose of the multi-functional structure is to provide a space-saving solution for people with limited square footage.
see more here

April 6, 2017

30 blocks of Broadway will go car-free on Earth Day; 24 hours of bus and taxi trips

On Saturday, April 22, the city will open up the 30 blocks of Broadway from Union Square to Times Square. [Streetsblog] The world’s most valuable coin, worth over $10 million, is held at the New-York Historical Society. [Untapped] How the poppy came to symbolize WWI. [Smithsonian Mag] Following up on his hypnotizing map of a day’s […]

Uncategorized

April 6, 2017

Rockaway Ferry to take off in May, one month ahead of schedule

Mayor de Blasio announced today that the Citywide Ferry Service, now officially named “NYC Ferry,” will be launching two routes on the first day of May: the new Rockaway Route and the existing East River Route. As DNA Info learned, the Rockaway route takes passengers from the new dock on Beach 108th Street to the Brooklyn Terminal, and then Wall Street’s Pier 11. Expect service on the South Brooklyn Route with stops in Bay Ridge, Sunset Park, Red Hook and Brooklyn Bridge Park to begin on June 1. The Astoria Route will be launched sometime in August and the Lower East Side and Soundview Routes have a launch date set in 2018.
Find out more here

April 6, 2017

Outrageous Bronx mansion built for Jesus’ second coming finally sells

Atop the city's second-highest peak, in Riverdale, the Bronx, this opulent mansion has been beckoning the heavens–and seeking a buyer–since 2009 when it hit the market with an ask of $14 million; As 6sqft previously reported, the 17-room 1home was built in 1928 for an eccentric owner who never actually lived there herself, but rather constructed it for Jesus’ second coming. The house was asking $11 million in 2013 and re-listed with a $10 million price tag in 2015. Welcome2TheBronx reports that the home finally sold for $6,250,000 on January 9th of this year.
Tour this unusual home

Fate of Gateway Project and Second Avenue Subway unknown under Trump’s infrastructure plan

Earlier this year, President Trump, a lifelong New Yorker, hired two NY-based developers to head an infrastructure commission, which oversees spending on his proposed $1 trillion plan to improve the country’s bridges and roads. Despite this clear connection to the Big Apple, the president refuses to say whether he will include two major transportation projects for the city, both of which his proposed budget defunds, as the New York Times reported. As of now, Trump has proposed eliminating a program that would build a new train tunnel under the Hudson River and a program which extends the Second Avenue subway in Manhattan to East Harlem.
Find out more

April 6, 2017

Supermodel and philanthropist Petra Němcová sells $3M Tribeca condo with huge terrace

By Annie Doge

Supermodel Petra Němcová first hit it big in 2003 when she appeared on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, but the very next year she made headlines for a very different reason when she survived the Indian Ocean tsunami after holding onto a palm tree branch for eight hours. This inspired her to found the Happy Hearts Fund, which rebuilds schools in areas hit by natural disaster. The nonprofit is headquartered in Hudson Square, so it makes sense that Němcová has been living nearby at 200 Chambers Street in Tribeca. She listed the striking corner unit, which has one of the building's largest private terraces, for $3.5 million in 2016, but the Post now tells us that after a recent price chop to $2,995,000 it's found a buyer.
Check it out

April 6, 2017

Artist Jamila Hooker’s ‘Foreign Postcards’ project divorces Arabic from fear

On any given Sunday, Jamila Hooker will be in her Harlem apartment with a magic marker in hand, making black swooping marks on postcards that she will mail to dozens, hundreds, thousands of people across the globe. All she wants in return is a photo of the recipient holding the postcard on which she scribed […]

Uncategorized

April 6, 2017

Art Nerd New York’s top event picks for the week – 4/6-4/12

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! This week, designer agnes b. teams up with Craig Costello of Krink for a photo show and clothing collaboration, while Ilegal Mezcal presents a new music series to benefit Planned Parenthood. Street artist Swoon presents a series of prints curated by Brooklyn Street Art to benefit her Heliotrope Foundation, and the Cooper-Hewitt Museum opens a show dedicated to the glitzy aesthetics of the Jazz Age. Flemish artist Peter Depelchin makes his American debut in Brooklyn, and Spoke Art opens a massive group show dedicated to David Lynch. Finally, curator Akeem Duncan ponders the concept of "forever," and the Rubin Museum asks visitors to slow down for Slow Art Day.
More on all the best events this way

Events & Things To Do

April 6, 2017

NYC and Mexico City join forces to boost tourism

The uncertain political climate and anti-immigrant rhetoric following Donald Trump’s election caused a drop in tourism to New York from many countries, and notably, from Mexico. In an effort to repair its relationship, New York City and Mexico City renewed a city-to-city partnership this week to foster tourism between the two places. As Crain’s learned, NYC & Company, the city’s official tourism agency, collaborated with Mexico City’s Ministry of Tourism, to share best practices in tourism marketing and provide reciprocal promotional support. In Mexico City, billboards and bus shelters will declare “New York City- Le da la bienvenida al mundo,” which means “welcoming the world.”
Find out more

Policy

April 6, 2017

Rosie O’Donnell checks out $5.75M mod co-op on the Upper West Side

By Annie Doge

It's been two-and-a-half years since Rosie O'Donnell sold her chic Greenwich Village penthouse for $9 million, presumably spending more time at her other home in Nyack. But it looks like she's ready to move back to NYC, as the Post says that she's been house hunting on the Upper West Side. O'Donnell reportedly checked out a $5.75 million spread at the historic artist co-op 27 West 67th Street--part of the West 67th Street Artists’ Colony History District. The ultra-mod duplex is currently owned by internationally famed artist Abby Leigh, whose late husband was Tony-winning “Man of La Mancha” composer Mitch Leigh.
Take a look around

Sale of $79.5M Upper East Side mansion sets new record for Manhattan’s most expensive townhouse

Image via Google Street View

April 6, 2017

Sale of $79.5M Upper East Side mansion sets new record for Manhattan’s most expensive townhouse

Image via Google Street View 6sqft reported in November that the 25,000-square-foot, 41-foot-wide townhouse at 19 East 64th Street belonging to art heir David Wildenstein had gone into contract for $81 million. The sale has closed for $79.5 million–$3,180 a foot–according to public records, setting a new record for Manhattan's priciest townhouse sale; the previous record was held by the Harkness mansion at 4 East 75th Street, which sold for $53 million in 2006. According to The Real Deal, the buyer, listed as 19-21 East 64th Holding LLC, is affiliated with HNA Holdings Group CEO Roy Liao. HNA Holdings Group is also behind the $2.2 billion deal to purchase 245 Park Avenue. The 1930s townhouse is the former home of the Wildenstein gallery.
Find out more

Real Estate Trends

April 5, 2017

Plans revealed for new creative office hub above revamped Downtown Brooklyn Macy’s

Tishman Speyer has released plans for the 422 Fulton Street Macy's renovation that will turn a new 10-story space above the department store into a 620,000 square foot creative office hub called The Wheeler. Reflecting a recent trend in snazzy work spaces that attract TAMI (technology, advertising, media and information) clients, the space will comprise "620,000 square feet of opportunity in the center of downtown Brooklyn," according to the developer. On offer will be the largest floor plates in Brooklyn with 15+ foot ceilings that "leave plenty of room for huge ideas," and a sprawling rooftop terrace, part of an acre of outdoor space that "provides fresh air for fresher thinking." There will also be 130 subterranean bike stations with lockers and showers for workers who bike to work.
Find out more

April 5, 2017

REVEALED: Inside the model residences of Zaha Hadid’s 520 West 28th Street

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

Just a few days after the first anniversary of Zaha Hadid's death, developer Related Companies has revealed the first look inside the apartments at 520 West 28th Street--the Pritzker Prize-winning architect's first (and possibly only) NYC project. The first is a 4,500-square-foot, $15 million four-bedroom designed by Jennifer Post, combining her signature elegant, minimal aesthetic with Hadid's futuristic, architectural vision. The other is a 1,700-square-foot, $4.9 million unit from West Chin who employs his signature modern style in a way that complements the building's signature curves and organic indoor and outdoor architecture. Both spaces will serve as the building's sales gallery before the anticipated June 2017 move-in.
See all the renderings here

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

VIEW ALL

April 5, 2017

Habitat for Humanity will build 48 affordable homes for New Yorkers

In New York City, and the rest of the country, it's becoming increasingly difficult to find affordable housing. To combat this, the Habitat for Humanity NYC announced a plan to build affordable houses for buyers in Brooklyn and Queens. The organization, aimed at constructing quality housing for families in need, will bring 48 units of affordable homes to these boroughs by redeveloping abandoned or foreclosed properties. Since most of these homes have been left vacant for decades, many are run-down and have negatively impacted the surrounding neighborhoods. As Brick Underground learned, the city’s Housing Authority first acquired these properties and then sold them to Habitat for Humanity at $1 each.
Find out more

April 5, 2017

Taxi medallions reach lowest value of the century; Tupac-inspired restaurant popping up this weekend

The American Copper Buildings welcome their first residents. [CityRealty] A taxi medallion sold for $241,000 last week, less than one-fifth of what the tags were going for just four years ago. [NYP] Powamekka Cafe is popping up on the LES this weekend. It’ll be inspired by Tupac Shakur’s own restaurant vision, offer his favorite foods, and […]

Uncategorized

April 5, 2017

Tom Brady and Gisele looking to upgrade apartments at 70 Vestry Street

By Annie Doge

With deflatgate behind him and another Super Bowl win under his belt, Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady is looking to upgrade apartments. The Post reports that he and supermodel wife Gisele Bündchen may be trading up from the 11th floor spread at Tribeca's 70 Vestry Street they bought for $20 million in August to a $35 million unit on the floor above. Why? The speculation is that Brady wants to be on floor 12, the same number as his jersey. Perhaps it's pure ego or superstition since his jersey was recently stolen after the big game. Either way, the Robert A.M. Stern-designed building won't be complete until next year, so the power couple has some time to make a final Hail Mary.
READ MORE

April 5, 2017

Ralph Lauren closing flagship store amid Fifth Avenue slowdown

Ralph Lauren announced Tuesday that it will close its flagship store on Fifth Avenue and 55th Street, citing falling revenue and rising rents. As reported by the New York Times, the company, which opened this location in 2014, plans to reorganize by investing more in their online stores. Keeping afloat a business on New York City’s most expensive shopping strip is not a problem unique to Ralph Lauren; Kenneth Cole, Juicy Couture, and H&M have also recently closed their doors. Soaring rents, plus a drop in tourism, has lead to an increase in vacant space along Fifth Avenue.
Find out more

Real Estate Trends

April 5, 2017

Robert A.M. Stern will lead the transformation of the historic Belnord into condos

By Diane Pham

The conversion of the historic Belnord into luxury condominiums is moving forward, with the property expected to be brought to market as early as the third quarter of the year. This morning, HFZ Capital announced they have tapped starchitect Robert A.M. Stern to helm the transformation, which would turn approximately 95 rental apartments in the full-block, 1908 building at 225 West 86th Street into fully converted and reimagined apartments. In all, the limestone-and-brick structure currently maintains 213 rental units.
more details here

April 5, 2017

Soho ‘gallery’ showcases cats and dogs up for adoption

“Admit it you want to pet me” reads a sign hanging above a rather luxurious-looking cat-lounge. “I leap tall buildings in a single bound,” adorns a topmost cubby, garnished with a black and white cat. If you want to kick it with some Instagram-worthy cuties this weekend, go no further than Manhattan’s new Pet Adoption […]

Uncategorized

April 5, 2017

Where I Work: Go inside Square Roots’ futuristic shipping container farm in Bed-Stuy

6sqft’s series “Where I Work” takes us into the studios, offices, and off-beat workspaces of New Yorkers across the city. In this installment, we take a tour of the Bed-Stuy urban farm Square Roots. Want to see your business featured here? Get in touch! In a Bed-Stuy parking lot, across from the Marcy Houses (you'll know this as Jay-Z's childhood home) and behind the hulking Pfizer Building, is an urban farming accelerator that's collectively producing the equivalent of a 20-acre farm. An assuming eye may see merely a collection of 10 shipping containers, but inside each of these is a hydroponic, climate-controlled farm growing GMO-free, spray-free, greens--"real food," as Square Roots calls it. The incubator opened just this past November, a response by co-founders Kimbal Musk (Yes, Elon's brother) and Tobias Peggs against the industrial food system as a way to bring local food to urban settings. Each vertical farm is run by its own entrepreneur who runs his or her own sustainable business, selling directly to consumers. 6sqft recently visited Square Roots, went inside entrepreneur Paul Philpott's farm, and chatted with Tobias about the evolution of the company, its larger goals, and how food culture is changing.
Take a tour of Square Roots and get the full story from Tobias

April 5, 2017

City Council proposes half-priced MetroCards for low-income New Yorkers

Although the recent subway and bus fare hike affects all New Yorkers, low-income residents are being especially hard hit by the jump in cost. As a way to ease this financial burden, the City Council has proposed a $50 million pilot program as part of the “Fair Fares” initiative which will provide half-fare MetroCards to New Yorkers living at or below the federal poverty line. As the Daily News learned, transit advocates say nearly 800,000 residents would be eligible for the discount under the full plan.
Find out more here

April 5, 2017

Laguardia Airport expansion could replace jail at Rikers Island, report suggests

On Friday 6sqft reported Mayor Bill De Blasio's announcement that the Rikers Island jail complex will be closed, following a report by the Independent Commission on New York City Criminal Justice and Incarceration Reform. “New York City has always been better than Rikers Island,” said the mayor when he announced the decision. The report also included ideas for the future of a post-jail Rikers. One such idea suggests that the island be used for the expansion of nearby LaGuardia Airport, raising the possibility of a new runway and additional terminal space, according to USA Today. “The Island is uniquely positioned to accommodate an expanded LaGuardia Airport that would reduce delays and could serve as many as 12 million more passengers annually,” the report states.
Find out more

April 5, 2017

City spends nearly $7M a year on 15,000 rarely-used alarm boxes

To date, close to 700 LinkNYC Wifi kiosks have been installed throughout the five boroughs. Among their features are an app that lets users make free calls anywhere in the U.S., as well as a dedicated red 911 button for emergencies. Coupled with the fact that most New Yorkers have cell phones on them, it seems that the city's 14,813 red alarm boxes serve basically no purpose anymore. In fact, as Crain's tells us, last year, the boxes were used only 11,440 times to call the FDNY, which is an average of less than once per box. And, of these calls, only 13 percent were for actual emergencies and just 1.5 percent for fires. But yet, the city spends a whopping $6.8 million annually paying electricians to repair the call boxes and others to paint over graffiti.
What's the deal?

April 5, 2017

Colorful studio right off Central Park West asks just $575K

Here's a chance to live right off Central Park West without spending a fortune. This fun, colorful studio has hit the market for $575,000 at The Park Royal, an Upper West Side co-op just a half block from the park. The building, of course, boasts a 24-hour concierge and doorman, and the studio isn't too shabby, either. A wide arched doorway provides separate living spaces and the kitchen was smartly packed away into an alcove. Some creative design allows for a little extra space to spread out, as well.
Peek inside

Distinctive Homes

April 4, 2017

This graphic color codes major transit lines in North America

Like New York, Boston's subway system is organized with a different color for each route. Unlike NYC, however, there's no corresponding numbers, so the lines along the T are actually referred to by their respective hues. Which is why Boston resident Ari Ofsevit, a transportation engineering and urban planning graduate student at MIT, found it odd that the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority didn't use the same colors on their Twitter alerts as were found on their maps and signs. As Next City reported, this inspired him to create a graphic comparing the various colors of 13 major transit lines across the U.S. and Canada.
Find out more

April 4, 2017

Noroof Architects’ Bed-Stuy porcHouse re-imagines the classic American front porch

By Rebecca Paul

"The great American front porch was just there, open and sociable, an unassigned part of the house that belonged to everyone and no one, a place for family and friends to pass the time," said architect Davida Rochlin in her essay "Home, Sweet Home." It was this idea that Brooklyn-based firm Noroof Architects kept in mind when redesigning this 1879 two-story, wood-frame home in Bed-Stuy. It was structurally sound and maintained original details like its covered porch with original cornice and trim, marble mantels, and carved stair balusters, but mechanically required a full gut renovation. To complete their "porcHouse" vision, Noroof added a two-story addition at the rear that they say "creates a kind of ‘interior portico.’"
See the whole place

Architecture And Design

April 4, 2017

Explore the homes of NYC’s notable writers with an audio-narrated tour

Some of the greatest literary giants of all time lived and wrote in New York City. In celebration of the 200th anniversary of HarperCollins, which was founded in NYC, the publishing company created an interactive walking tour map that narrates the history of each author as you walk (h/t DNAinfo). Just a few of the famed Big Apple authors include Harper Lee, Mark Twain, Zora Neale Hurston and Richard Wright.
Find out more

April 4, 2017

Map reveals most lead contaminated water fountains at NYC schools

Initial results from new testing for lead in New York City school water show potentially toxic contamination at dozens of schools. However, city officials insist that all unsafe water is taken off-line. As a response to the water crises in Flint, Michigan, and Newark, New Jersey, the city announced in December that it would test and continue […]

Uncategorized

April 4, 2017

‘World’s first’ avocado bar headed to Brooklyn; take a helicopter to house hunt in the Hamptons

It was inevitable–Industry City is getting an avocado bar that’ll serve toasts, salads, bowls and smoothies. [Gothamist] New Yorkers share their love of athleisure. [Business Insider] Meet the 21-year-old NYU student running for City Council. [NYP] Corcoran teamed up with helicopter company BLADE to fly prospective renters out to the Hamptons to look at properties. […]

Uncategorized

April 4, 2017

An upscale renovation transformed this $3.75M Williamsburg loft with a dramatic wall of glass

Gritty artist loft this is not--a high-end renovation for this pad in the Mill Building, located at 85-101 North 3rd Street in Williamsburg, left it feeling more like a luxury condo. (The $3.75 million price tag, too, befits a luxury listing.) While the former warehouse's exposed wood ceiling beams remain, new additions include a fancy kitchen with marble finishes, custom push button light switches throughout, and a sleek, glass-walled office space.
Check it out

Distinctive Homes

April 4, 2017

Trump buildings rank as some of the biggest polluters in NYC

With a federal budget proposal that strips significant funding to the Environmental Protection Agency, it’s not so shocking that President Trump and his son-in-law and close adviser, Jared Kushner, both own buildings that rank as the least energy-efficient in New York City. The Daily News shared a new report from ALIGN, a coalition of labor and environmental activists, which found that Trump Tower uses more energy than 93 percent of the city’s large residential buildings. Worse, the Trump Organization's Mayfair condo uses more than 98 percent. The report also revealed that a Kushner Companies' 666 Fifth Avenue (controversial for even more reasons as of late) uses more energy than 85 percent of large office buildings.
See the report here

Policy

222 LES Tower + Lofts

222 East Broadway

Lower East Side

Art Deco romance meets 21st-century convenience

Studios starting at $799,000
1 bed starting at $1,100,000
2 beds starting at $1,955,000
3 beds starting at $2,875,000

Learn More

April 4, 2017

The 10 best neighborhoods for New York City artists

Like most things in New York, creative communities come and ago as new development and rising rents force artists to move on to the next best, or cheaper neighborhood. While 6sqft found 'hoods like the Upper East Side, Harlem and Long Island City to be the best places for artists a few years back, we've updated our top-10 list to reflect the changing times. Ahead you'll find some areas you may expect--Sunset Park and Bushwick, for example, along with more up-and-coming artsy enclaves like Newark, Washington Heights, and the South Bronx.
The full list right this way

Massive high-rise complex with 900 apartments, retail, offices and schools coming to Downtown Brooklyn

View south down Flatbush Avenue

April 4, 2017

Massive high-rise complex with 900 apartments, retail, offices and schools coming to Downtown Brooklyn

Alloy Development announced plans to build a pair of towers at 80 Flatbush Avenue, a 61,000-square-foot parcel of land between Flatbush Avenue, Schermerhorn Street, Third Avenue and State Street. The developer–who, with the Department of Education, owns the land–has been selected by the city’s Educational Construction Fund to build the mixed-use complex as part of the redevelopment of the Khalil Gibran International Academy, which will move into one of the two new school buildings that will be part of the project. The second of the two will be a 350-seat elementary school. The project will also offer 900 apartments (200 of which will be affordable), a 15,000-square-foot cultural facility, 200,000 square feet of office space and 40,000 square feet of retail space.
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April 4, 2017

MTA Board officially approves 15-month shutdown of L train

It’s official. The Metropolitan Transit Authority board voted to approve a 15-month shutdown of the L train on Monday, instead of the originally proposed 18 months. The Board also awarded a $477 million contract to Judlau Contracting and TC Electric, who will responsible for repairing the train’s Canarsie Tunnel, which suffered severe flooding damage after Hurricane Sandy (h/t WSJ). The planned shutdown is set to begin in April 2019 and cuts all L train service between Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg and Eighth Avenue in Manhattan.
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April 4, 2017

This $499K East Village co-op serves up modern rustic and cozy chic

Though it shares a neighborhood with celebrities and models, this charming East Village flat at 633 East 11th Street may not break the bank at $499,000. The sunny one-bedroom home boasts historic details like stained glass pocket doors, exposed brick, original moldings and high ceilings, with custom contemporary updates in the kitchen and bath. Its classic railroad layout—the bath is at one end of the apartment, behind the bedroom—is definitely best for one or a cozy couple.
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Distinctive Homes

April 3, 2017

Track the cherry blossoms at the New York and Brooklyn Botanical Gardens