6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

It's been almost a year since 6sqft first heard inklings that One Vanderbilt--the city's second tallest tower--would offer a sky-high observation deck, and now that developer SL Green has secured $1.5 billion in construction financing and broken ground on the 1,401-foot supertall, they'e confirmed that the tower will, in fact, have an sky deck. Bloomberg reports that the viewing platform will be located at the 1,020-foot mark, which will make it the third-highest indoor-outdoor observatory in the city after the forthcoming 1,100-foot deck at 30 Hudson Yards and the Empire State Building's at 1,050 feet (One World Observatory is at 1,250 feet, but it's not outdoors).
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December 5, 2016

There’s an ‘exotic’ Christmas tree selling for $1,000 in the Village

$1,000, as the Post notes, could pay for more than 600 meals for the homeless at the Bowery Mission, or 25 holiday gifts for in-need New Yorkers through the Winter Wishes program. It could also get you an "exotic" white fir Christmas tree off the street in Greenwich Village. Sixteen-year tree saleswoman Heather Neville, who runs a stand at Seventh Avenue and 11th Street, is charging $77 per foot for a 13-foot tree, which equals $750. Add to that a $200 stand, $25 delivery and setup fee, and $20 for the three men doing the job, and you've got yourself a four-figure Christmas tree.
If you think this is bad, just wait

Events & Things To Do

December 5, 2016

As Red Hook’s Norman Foster office complex plans move forward, local residents want more input

In October 6sqft reported that work on Thor Equities' 7.7-acre waterfront office and retail complex, architect Norman Foster‘s first Brooklyn commission, had begun. A recent meeting between the developers' representatives and community members to discuss plans for the 818,000-square-foot two-building project on the former site of Red Hook’s Revere Sugar Refinery–known as Red Hoek Point–revealed concerns that the Red Hook community is being excluded from development plans.
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December 5, 2016

Airbnb settles with NYC over $7,500 fines, how other cities are cracking down

After settling with New York state two weeks ago, Airbnb has now also dropped its case against the city, reports the Times. The company filed the lawsuits after Governor Cuomo passed a bill in October that would impose fines of up to $7,500 for illegal short-term rental listings--those rented out for fewer than 30 days without the lease holder present--on the site. The company agreed to settle on the grounds that the city only hold hosts responsible for the fines, not Airbnb. And they're facing similar situations in cities like Berlin, Amsterdam, and London, who will likely look to the New York case as they move forward with their own regulations.
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Policy

A guide to tipping building staff during the holidays

Doorman at the Sherry-Netherland Hotel. Image Steven Pisano/flickr

December 5, 2016

A guide to tipping building staff during the holidays

By Cait Etherington

Every December, building staff across the city leave seasonal cards under residents’ doors. If you’re new to life in a full-service building, don’t be fooled—this card is not simply a chance for staff to extend holiday cheer to you and your family. These cards, which usually arrive in the first week of December and list […]

December 5, 2016

West Chelsea mansion reboot with gym, pool, elevator, theatre and wine room ready for its $36.8M close-up

Back in September 6sqft brought you news of the “unbridled luxury” in the works for a townhouse at 357 West 17th Street that designer Karim Rashid sold to Wonder Works Construction Corp., developer of Williamsburg‘s pricey Oosten condominium complex, for $9.35 million in 2014. Rashid had lived in–and occasionally rented out–a candy-colored, neon-furnished loft in the building. Wonder Works subsequently hired Architect Andres Escobar to transform the 25-foot-wide building into an 11,000-square-foot modern single-family mansion with five bedrooms, 11 baths, a private internal garage, a 400 bottle glass-enclosed wine room, a fully-stocked gym and spa with a pool, a screening room, decks, terraces and patios with city views. Though the renderings looked sufficiently swank, the finished home, now on the market for $38.6 million, more than delivers on the promise of luxe. From the smallest details (Swarovski crystal drawer pulls, faux croc finishes on kitchen cabinets, marble everything and a bathroom faucet that's suspended from the ceiling) to the previously-mentioned lifestyle transformers, no expense was spared in the creation of this contemporary urban manse.
Lots more shiny things and marble, this way

December 4, 2016

Harmonize with nature in this $488K mid-century modern home in the Ramapo foothills

If you've got Eichler dreams and Fallingwater fantasies, but don't live in state that's abundant with mid-century modern architectural gems, it helps to be on the lookout for homes like this one. The Rockland County house on over an acre of woods in Wesley Hills, NY, now on the market for $488,000, was built in 1965 by Versland Rhodes, a popular builder of contemporary upstate homes of the day. The four-bedroom home is beautifully preserved, with details like a sunken living room, cherry wood cabinetry and hardwood and stone floors joining conveniences like central A/C. Like many modern homes, every effort was made to minimalize the border between inside and outdoors, so you get to enjoy a wraparound deck, tons of windows and scenic views.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

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

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

Andy Cohen lists West Village duplex for $14M

The corner terrace at this $4.4M Stella Tower condo puts the city skyline at your feet

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

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

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

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

For $8.5M, this Gramercy townhouse is a slender slice of reclaimed history

For $5.1M, this pretty Gramercy condo comes with a key to the private park

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December 2, 2016

Colin Kaepernick scores $3.2 million pad in Tribeca’s luxury One York

By Annie Doge

Mansion Global reports that San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who made national headlines and became a campaign topic when he chose not to stand during the National Anthem, dropped $3.21 million on a luxury condo at One York in Tribeca. The 29-year-old NFL player recently listed his San Jose mansion for $2.895 million, igniting rumors that he'll leave the team after this season. The sale in New York may add further fuel to the fire, but it actually closed in July through a family trust, prior to his August sit-ins.
See the apartment here

December 2, 2016

Jemima Kirke’s dad, ‘Bad Company’ Drummer Simon Kirke, buys $1.3M Gramercy co-op

By Annie Doge

English drummer Simon Kirke, of Free and Bad Company and father to "Girls" actress Jemima Kirke, sold his Hamptons beach cottage for almost $1.4 million over the summer, and it looks like he's used those earnings to buy a Manhattan home. Though he allegedly toured a $1.7 million spread at the famed Dakota in August, the Observer reports that Kirke spent of $1.3 million on a corner co-op at 201 East 17th Street in Gramercy.
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December 2, 2016

Smoking ban placed on New York and U.S. public housing

Smoking anywhere inside New York City Housing Authority buildings, and in public housing across the country, will be illegal at some point during the next 18 months. The new rule, designed to to minimize health and fire risks, will impact 400,000 NYCHA residents, according to the advocacy group NYC Smoke-Free. Smoking causes 100,000 fires across […]

Policy

December 2, 2016

Officials launch petition to have federal government pay for Trump Tower security, not New Yorkers

By Diane Pham

City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and Council Member Dan Garodnick won't have New York City shafted with the bill for “White House North.” The pair have launched a petition demanding that the federal government pony up whatever cash is needed to keep Trump Tower secure during the president-elect's term of office. As 6sqft previously reported, Trump hopes to spend weekends and even some weeknights at the Midtown tower over the next four years, particularly as wife Melania will stay put until son Barron finishes school—and more simply because Trump likes waking up in his own bed. It has been estimated that turning Trump Tower into a 24/7 armed fortress will cost New York City taxpayers $1 million a day, and the total bill over the president-elect's four-year term could swell beyond $1 billion.
more details here

Celebrities

December 2, 2016

Controversial Lower East Side site getting two more 700+ foot towers

L to R: One Manhattan Square, 247 Cherry Street, 260 South Street, and 271-283 South Street. The image above, created by CityRealty, depicts the possible massing of the new towers; No official design has been released When L+M Partners and CIM Group announced plans last May for two 50-story towers at 260 South Street, their project joined a growing list of controversial towers sprouting up along the Two Bridges waterfront, including Extell's 823-foot condo One Manhattan Square, JDS and SHoP Architects' possible 1,000+ foot rental at 247 Cherry Street, and Starret Group's shorter rental at 275 South Street. Now, in what's becoming a trend for the Lower East Side-meets-Chinatown 'hood, L+M and CIM have revealed plans for their project that actually show increased heights of 69 and 62 stories, or 798 and 728 feet. As first reported by The Lo-Down, the developers plan to include up to 1,350 apartments, 338 of which will be reserved as affordable, senior housing, ground-floor retail, landscaped outdoor spaces by Mathews Nielsen, and an upgraded flood-protection system.
Renderings and more details ahead

Uncategorized

December 2, 2016

Watch a live feed of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree; new Union Square Cafe opens next week

Need a dose of holiday spirit throughout the day? Watch this live feed of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. [NBC] Danny Meyer’s new Union Square Cafe will open next week. Here’s a look inside. [Eater] President-elect Donald Trump says he’ll invest $550 billion in new infrastructure projects. These six maps show the current scope of the […]

Uncategorized

December 2, 2016

Richard Meier’s first NYC skyscraper starts its climb above street level in Turtle Bay

Richard Meier's 685 First Avenue--the starchitect's largest and tallest building in the city to date--has begun its above-ground ascent, reports CityRealty. The 42-story, 460-foot-tall slab tower is located along the East River at 40th Street, just south of the United Nations, and has gained attention for its dark glass facade, a noticeable shift from Meier's signature beige aesthetic. Its 408 rentals and 148 condominiums are expected to be completed by early 2019, and now that construction is "craned and above street level," the project is well on its way.
More this way

December 2, 2016

State seeks proposals for massive development above South Bronx rail yard tracks

As the city's land costs rise, interest has been focused on the South Bronx, including the potential for a huge waterfront development above the MTA's Concourse Yards, as 6sqft previously reported. Now, Crains reports that Empire State Development (ESD) has invited developers to present offers for leasing or purchasing a 13-acre South Bronx rail yard along the Harlem River just north of the Willis Avenue Bridge and decking it over to build a residential or mixed-use project.
Find out more

Real Estate Trends

How 100 years of zoning has shaped New York City

By Cait Etherington

In October, city officials unveiled plans to rezone a large swath of East Harlem. The major thrust of the rezoning initiative is to bring more high-rise buildings to a corridor running several blocks along Park, Second, and Third avenues. By building up, city officials hope the neighborhood will increase its housing stock, including its affordable […]

December 2, 2016

The Urban Lens: Inside the Christmas wonderland that is Rolf’s German Restaurant

By James and Karla Murray

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, award-winning photographers James and Karla Murray return with a look inside Rolf's German Restaurant, known for its over-the-top Christmas decorations. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. Beginning the last week of September, a six-man team starts the process of adorning Rolf's German Restaurant with 15,000 Christmas ornaments, 10,000 lights, and thousands of icicles. By the first of November, the process of turning this historic Murray Hill restaurant into a holiday wonderland is complete, attracting both locals and tourists who are eager to see the one-of-a-kind display of Victorian-style decorations. We recently paid a visit to Rolf's, capturing everything from dolls found in New England antique shops to 19th century German ball ornaments worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. And we've shared an interview with owner Bob Maisano where he talks about the building's past life as a speakeasy during Prohibition, German history in NYC, and what makes Rolf's a unique holiday destination.
All the photos and the interview with Bob

December 2, 2016

Rent an eclectic, fully furnished East Village loft overlooking Tompkins Square for $6,500/month

This floor-through apartment at 307 East 10th Street in the East Village is a convenient and chic option for someone on the hunt for a short-term rental. Asking $6,500 a month, it's a furnished space with lots of drool-worthy furniture and a good location right across from Tompkins Square Park. It'll be available from January 15th through April 15th, with the option to extend if a renter happens to fall in love.
Take a look

Distinctive Homes

December 2, 2016

Live along Clinton Hill’s bustling Myrtle Avenue for $735/month, lottery open for 29 units

The stretch of Myrtle Avenue in Clinton Hill between Hall Street and Classon Avenue, just across from Pratt Institute, is bustling with construction activity. As CityRealty recently reported, three mixed-used projects are in development along the street-- condo 525 Myrtle Avenue, the recently opened rental 490 Myrtle Avenue, and the soon-to-open rental 531 Myrtle Avenue--and between these projects will be a pedestrian plaza with streetscape improvements, seating areas, and trees. The latest to join the list is 504 Myrtle Avenue, a 143-unit rental with ground-floor retail that's rising on the former Pratt Station Post Office. Twenty-nine of its units are now available through the city's affordable housing lottery, and they include 10 $735/month studios, 12 $741/month one-bedrooms, and seven $888/month two-bedrooms reserved for individuals earning no more than 60 percent of the area media income.
More on the lottery

Affordable Housing

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week- 12/1-12/7

Image © Luigi Rocca/Arnott Gallery

December 2, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week- 12/1-12/7

By Lori Zimmer

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers! If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to compose a Wikipedia entry, do it in style this week at the Guggenheim’s #guggathon while helping beef up the entries on Chinese artists. If you’re feeling down on the current state of affairs, indulge in Luigi Rocca’s hyperrealistic acrylic paintings that honor the honest beauty of roadside Americana, or check out the fresh works from the artists in residence at the New York Studio Residency Program. Celebrate the beauty of the beard (yes, seriously) at Atlantic Gallery, and take a look at wearable art at Tee Time by Choice Royce. If lectures are your thing, head to the historic Loews Theater for a day of TEDx Jersey City, or pop over to the Mid-Manhattan Library for an artist talk with Paul Sunday. Finally, experience the media mogul Kippy Winston, in his talk-show style lecture that looks at current issues through an artistic lens.
More on all the best events this way

Events & Things To Do

December 1, 2016

On World AIDS Day, NYC AIDS Memorial is dedicated in Greenwich Village

When the AIDS epidemic struck in the 1980s, New York City was the first place in the country to report a case, and in the years following, the area around Greenwich Village had more cases and deaths than anywhere in the city. The now-shuttered St. Vincent's Hospital at 11th Street and Seventh Avenue South became known as the "ground zero" of the epidemic; it was the nation's second institution to treat HIV, and its staff of Catholic nuns refused to turn away any patient. To commemorate this effort and honor those who were lost, the city has today, on World AIDS Day, dedicated the new $6 million NYC AIDS Memorial, located in St. Vincent's Triangle, across from the old hospital site (h/t Curbed). Designed by architecture firm Studio a + i, the 18-foot geometric steel canopy hovers above granite pavers by visual artist Jenny Holzer that feature selections from Walt Whitman’s "Song of Myself."
See images of the new memorial and today's dedication

December 1, 2016

$2.5M for a Central Park duplex with its own romantic terrace

This duplex from the 444 Central Park West co-op, in the Upper West Side, has a lot going for it. Its upper-floor location—and three exposures to the east, west and north—affords views over Central Park, St. John the Divine Cathedral and upper Manhattan. It is also decked out with unique details like wood paneling from an 1800s English church, crown moldings and a marble fireplace. The asking price comes in at $2.5 million.
Take the grand tour

Distinctive Homes

NYC’s first ever piece of sidewalk art appeared in December 1969

Image Archives of the Century

December 1, 2016

NYC’s first ever piece of sidewalk art appeared in December 1969

By Rebecca Paul

Sidewalks and street art are pretty much synonymous in modern day New York City, but have you ever stopped to question when it all started? In the winter of 1969, New York City saw the birth of the sidewalk sculpture. While public art in an outdoor setting was not necessarily a new concept, this was the very first time it was situated immediately on the sidewalk. The work was a marble sculpture made by artist Gonzalo Fonseca, commissioned by the Twentieth Century Fund. Upon completion, it stood six feet outside of the organization's headquarters and weighed a whopping two tons.
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December 1, 2016

The Architecture of McDonald’s; New service gives you a preview of your snail mail

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

How do you sell a nondescript Midtown East apartment? Write a poem about it. [CityRealty] The planned 950-foot Sutton Place tower with a Norman Foster design will proceed to a foreclosure auction on December 13th. [TRD] McDonald’s golden arches influenced not only how the world sees America, but post-modern architecture. [Architizer] USPS is testing out […]

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THE 6SQFT SHOP

The best websites for buying and selling used furniture in NYC

The 6 best furniture rental companies in NYC

8 best places in NYC to thrift for home goods

Everything you need to know about using a guarantor in NYC

15 quintessential NYC gifts for the New Yorker in your life

New York City's best holiday markets of 2023

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

10 Ways to Decorate an Exposed Brick Wall Without Drilling

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

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My 2,200sqft: Rug designer Amy Helfand shows us around her organic live/work home in Red Hook

Our ongoing series “My sqft” checks out the homes of 6sqft’s friends and fellow New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to the Red Hook rowhouse where rug designer Amy Helfand both works and lives with her family. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

December 1, 2016

My 2,200sqft: Rug designer Amy Helfand shows us around her organic live/work home in Red Hook

Artist Amy Helfand has been creating her own line of rugs for over a decade. The gorgeous pieces are hand-woven in Nepal as part of the GoodWeave program, but the design process takes place in Amy's charming Red Hook rowhouse, where she and her family also reside. As she explains, "At heart, I remain a collector: of images, forms and colors, as well as rocks, sticks, and other ephemera from the natural world," and it's this combination of geometry and organic inspiration that's seen throughout her home and studio. From a dining table centerpiece made of rocks to the chicken coop in the backyard, everything reflects Amy's unique vision. 6sqft recently toured the home and found out about Amy's favorite decor, artistic process, thoughts on the neighborhood, and how they rebuilt after Hurricane Sandy.
Take the tour this way

December 1, 2016

Brooklyn Public Library receives $3M grant for tech gadgets for free public use

Visitors to the Brooklyn Public Library system’s 60 branches can now get more than just books thanks to a $3 million grant secured by local politicians. The BPL and members of the Brooklyn Delegation of the New York State Assembly, including Chairman Joe Lentol, on Tuesday unveiled new tech gadgets that will be available for […]

Uncategorized

December 1, 2016

Michael Bloomberg’s daughter looking to sell Tribeca loft for $3.5 million

Though Emma Bloomberg–daughter of former mayor Mike Bloomberg–may be trying to patch up her relationship with Donald Trump, she's looking to part ways with the sprawling loft at 62 Beach Street that she and husband Christopher Frissora bought for $2.45 million in 2007. And though it's certainly no little pink house, John Cougar Mellencamp was among the interested parties eyeing the two-bedroom 1,528 square-foot home, currently on the market for $3.5 million, according to the New York Post. The rocker recently split from Christie Brinkley after a year of dating, and we can't think of a better post-breakup man-cave.
Another day, another Tribeca loft fit for a celebrity

Celebrities

December 1, 2016

Victoria’s Secret model Candice Swanepoel lists East Village penthouse for $6,200/month

By Annie Doge

Victoria’s Secret beauty Candice Swanepoel may be this year's eighth highest paid model, but her East Village apartment doesn't scream dollar signs. The rather standard, modern condo at 311 East 11th Street has two bedrooms, a balcony, and a corner penthouse location, and it's available for rent for $6,200 a month, reports the Post. The South African supermodel and her boyfriend, Brazilian model Hermann Nicoli, welcomed their son in October, so perhaps they're looking for some extra room.
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December 1, 2016

Artists’ storied 187-year-old West Village carriage house finally finds a buyer

A 187-year-old carriage house at 29 Downing Street on a quintessential West Village block has appeared in print for so many reasons it's hard to name them all–starting with the six-degrees-of-"Hamilton" fact that it was built in 1829 on land owned by third U.S. vice president Aaron Burr. 6sqft featured the historic home owned by artists John Bennett and Karen Lee Grant in early 2015 when it was listed for $13 million. The homeowners' vision reflected in this remarkable art studio, gallery and living space was featured in House Beautiful, Elle and two coffee table books; the Wall Street Journal called the 25-foot-wide home a "time capsule of development in the West Village." Not only is it one of the most photographed homes in the neighborhood, it's also among the oldest. Purchased by Bennett in 1977 for $155,000 with the help of a loan from the previous homeowners, the house recently sold for $6.8 million–about half the original ask–after two years on the market and several broker changes and price chops (h/t Curbed).
Get a peek inside this rare slice of Village life

Architecture And Design

November 30, 2016

Upper East Side townhouse in contract for $81M will be most expensive ever sold

When Carlos Slim, Mexican business magnate and former world’s richest person, listed his Upper East Side Beaux Arts mansion for $80 million in May 2015 he was looking to break the record for most expensive townhouse ever sold in NYC. An attempt was then made by this $84.5 million home on East 62nd Street, but now another neighborhood home is set to take the title. As the Post shares, 19 East 64th Street was listed for $100 million in August, and it's now in contract by a Chinese conglomerate for a reported $81 million. If it closes, the price will far surpass the current record, the $53 million sale of the Harkness Mansion at 4 East 75th Street in 2006.
But there's some drama behind the sale

Distinctive Homes

November 30, 2016

This Connecticut pyramid designed by mid-century architect John Black Lee asks just $750K

Just outside of New York City in New Canaan, Connecticut is the incredible home of the late John Black Lee, a renowned mid-century architect. He designed this glass and concrete pyramid for himself into the hill overlooking the Silvermine River in 1990, and lived there until his death this April. A striking open floorplan surrounded by the glassy pyramid walls embraces the surrounding wilderness; Lee had said that "this house is the only one in New Canaan that you enter through a skylight." It's now on the market for $750,000 after a recent price chop of $249,000.
Take a look inside

November 30, 2016

Tomorrow get free ‘Bakeout Noodles’, the Cronut creator’s latest invention

While the original dessert ramen looked like it came out of “My Little Pony,” Dominique Ansel has created the real deal. The Cronut creator’s newest collaboration finds him teaming up with Baileys Irish Cream again, this time to satisfy your late-night munchies with Baileys Bakeout Noodles. Made to look just like a bowl of ramen, […]

Uncategorized

November 30, 2016

Help the Washington Square Arch open to the public; Rent Deron Williams’ Tribeca Penthouse

Check out the Obamas’ final White House holiday decorations. [Curbed] Tomorrow you can testify at City Hall to have currently inaccessible parks–like North Brother Island, Hart Island, the New York State Pavilion, and the Washington Square Arch–opened to the public. [Untapped] After first listing his sprawling Tribeca penthouse for $33.5 million in July 2015, former Nets star […]

Uncategorized

November 30, 2016

10 eco-friendly Christmas tree alternatives for small spaces and apartments

By Diane Pham

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 we've rounded up some alternative holiday tree ideas for those living in tight spaces. While you could buy a Charlie Brown tree, or try ask to have a few feet knocked off that pine when you hit the register, if you're a small space dweller who wants a more eco-friendly holiday arbol this year, there are plenty of options for you beyond the classic artificial fir (which fyi is even more environmentally unsound than chopping down an evergreen thanks to the carcinogens produced during manufacturing and disposal). From edible trees to LED pines to DIY options that smell just as good as the real thing, 6sqft has searched high and low for 10 different types of sustainable Christmas tree alternatives to jazz your apartment up with this year—and years to come.
ten alternative ideas here

November 30, 2016

Renderings revealed for adaptive reuse Maker Park along the Williamsburg waterfront

Plans for Bushwick Inlet Park, a 28-acre open space along an unused industrial stretch of the Williamsburg waterfront, first came about in 2005, when the Bloomberg administration rezoned the area to allow for new residential development in exchange for the open space. Fast forward to last week, and the city finally acquired the last piece of land for the project, the controversial Citistorage site. Now that the park is on its way to becoming a reality, a trio of grassroots creatives hopes to bring their alternative vision for the former Bayside Oil Depot site to the forefront. Maker Park is the proposal to adaptively reuse this seven-acre parcel's architectural infrastructure--namely the ten 50-foot decommissioned fuel containers--and create a "park as creative as the neighborhood around it." The Architect's Newspaper recently revealed the first set of renderings, which showcase performance venues, art galleries, hanging gardens, reflecting pools, and an adventure playground.
More views and design details

November 30, 2016

For winterproof drinking, Nomad bar brings eight igloos to their rooftop

If you think you have to wait till the warmer months to enjoy skyline views from on high at any of the city’s many rooftop drinking establishments, think again. Popular Nomad boîte 230 Fifth returns this winter with a chill-out idea that keeps out the literal chill: The transparent rooftop igloo.
A new angle on rooftop cocktails

City Living

November 30, 2016

Jared Kushner will lend $1B to developers over the next five years

When Charles Kushner founded real estate development firm Kushner Companies in 1985, he may have had visions of his son Jared taking over the company (which he did in 2007), but he never could have predicted the role his kin would have in one of the country's most contentious presidential elections. Because of his political involvement, many have speculated what will come of the company, but Jared shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, the Post reports today that the firm plans to lend $1 billion over the next five years--or $200 million annually--to other developers' projects through Kushner Companies' new lending arm, Kushner Credit Opportunity Fund, which was launched earlier this year.
Find out more

New Developments

November 30, 2016

The 15 best NYC holiday markets and indie pop-up shops

December's first days bring a dazzling parade of holiday gift markets all vying for the opportunity to find new homes for a bounty of goodies and crafty gifts. We're all familiar with the big NYC markets at Bryant Park and Union Square, but some of the best finds—and the most fun—can be found at smaller, cooler pop-ups and neighborhood markets. Some are only around for a weekend, others for the whole month or longer. In addition to locally-made jewelry and crafts, vintage finds, artfully curated fashions, home items and other things we didn't know we needed, these hip retail outposts sparkle with drinks, food, workshops, tarot readings, nail art, music, and family fun to keep shoppers' spirits bright.
Find out where to get the goods

November 30, 2016

Designers at ArX Solutions offer their own take on a Waldorf Astoria interior renovation

The final checkout for hotel guests at the iconic Waldorf Astoria is March 1st, after which its new owner, Chinese insurer Anbang Insurance Group, will begin converting the 1,413 hotel rooms into 840 renovated hotel rooms and 321 luxury condos to the tune of $1 billion. Earlier this month, the developer filed these plans with the Department of Buildings, which also call for adding retail space, a restaurant, and a fitness center on the ground floors. They'll retain the historic ballrooms, exhibition space, dining rooms, and banquet rooms, but will still need approvals from the Landmarks Preservation Commission for any work on these public spaces; the building has long been an exterior landmark, but the LPC recently calendared a request to landmark the Art Deco interiors. Though no designs have been approved or confirmed, CityRealty dug up renderings from architectural visualization firm ArX Solutions that show their vision of space*.
More renderings and details

November 30, 2016

$16.8M Village townhouse has details, a celebrity history–and a secret artists’ cottage in back

This 185-year-old West Village townhouse at 121 Washington Place would enchant any lover of historic homes. Well-preserved details are everywhere, from a brick facade to a distinguished wood-paneled library and full-length arched drawing-room windows. Then there are the features that would thrill any homeowner; at 22 feet wide, the four-story house has an elevator and, best of all, the unexpected surprise of a pint-sized skylit English cottage/artists' studio with a full bath at the back of an idyllic walled garden. Even beyond its current charms, this home and its unique little studio have seen many a colorful, creative life and hosted artists, poets and other notables from Mark Twain to Hillary Clinton.
Read on to find out more

November 29, 2016

Own a glass-box Hamptons home designed by One World Trade Center’s structural engineer

Jeff Smilow is the Executive Vice President of buildings at WSP|Parsons Brinckerhoff, and perhaps his greatest accomplishment has been serving as the structural engineer for One World Trade Center. His streamlined, rhythmic approach is also seen at this contemporary glass and steel home in East Hampton, which he completed just this year. Now on the market for $5.5 million, the transparent residence best exemplifies Smilow's handiwork on its first floor, where the 5,000-square-foot open plan is surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows, completely unencumbered by columns.
Check it all out

November 29, 2016

Rafael Esquer uses 600 hand-drawn metallic icons to map Manhattan at night

Artist Rafael Esquer, founder of Soho’s Alfalfa Studio, previously created a wonderfully whimsical depiction of Manhattan named Iconic New York. Made up of more than 400 hand-drawn city icons, the map took him two-and-a-half year to complete. Forging ahead, Esquer has now released a new version of the map that features an additional 200 icons. Called Iconic New York Illuminated, its drawings are shimmering metallics that represent the lights, noise, and pulse of the island after dark.
More on the map

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November 29, 2016

New bill would require NYC hotels to check for bed bugs every 6 months

No matter how clean the apartment or how swanky the hotel, bed bugs don’t discriminate, and many New Yorkers know it’s just a matter of time before they’ll have to deal with an infestation. With hotel outbreaks rising more than 44 percent between 2014 and 2015, a new bill set to be introduced by the City […]

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November 29, 2016

Protest tonight outside Ivanka Trump’s Puck Building home; Via 57 gets a whimsical sculpture

A candlelight vigil is planned for tonight outside the Puck Building where Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner live. [Gothamist] Did you know there are seven streets on Staten Island named for the original seven Mercury astronauts? [Untapped] Actress Lake Bell reduces the price of her Clinton Hill townhouse by $450,000, after listing it for $3 million […]

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Do you hear what I hear? I think it’s Lightning Bolt…

November 29, 2016

Hipster nativity scene is hilarious, sacrilegious and can be yours for $129.99

Though the resurgence of beards and maxi-dresses makes the classic version look almost au courant, a company called Modern Nativity has created a tongue-in-cheek take on the iconic Christmas manger scene with an update for the smartphone set. The “hipster nativity" was born, like many a great idea, over happy hour beers between friends. Founder Casey Wright tells Mashable that after having an illustrator sketch it up, the idea looked too good to leave on the drawing board.
I played my Spotify mix for Him

November 29, 2016

After getting caught for scaling One WTC in 2014, noted daredevil climber is back at it

It was major news a couple years ago when then-16-year-old Justin Casquejo snuck past security at the not yet opened One World Trade Center and posted a picture of himself after climbing to the top of the tower. Though he got caught and convicted, Casquejo seems unphazed by these legal troubles. The Post uncovered dozens of photos and videos he posted recently to Instagram and YouTube that show him and his friends "dangling from Manhattan skyscrapers," including the Time Warner Center, 220 Central Park South (where another urban explorer recently made waves), and Coney Island's Parachute Jump.
What does the NYPD have to say?

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November 29, 2016

$9M for a live/work Soho loft designed by a world-renowned photographer