6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

New housing will be allowed in parts of Midtown Manhattan for the first time in decades under a plan announced by Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday. The mayor wants to update zoning rules to allow for the construction of new apartments in a 42-block area stretching from 23rd Street to 40th Street and from Fifth Avenue to Eighth Avenue, which is currently designated for manufacturing use. The start of the rezoning effort joins another proposal from the Adams administration to facilitate and expedite office-to-housing conversions across every borough, as the city continues to face a housing shortage.
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This $2.4M Manhattan Valley condo overlooks Morningside Park from a 1,000-square-foot terrace

Photo credit: Brown Harris Stevens

August 17, 2023

This $2.4M Manhattan Valley condo overlooks Morningside Park from a 1,000-square-foot terrace

Tucked between Central Park and Morningside Park, the Manhattan Valley neighborhood on Manhattan's Upper West Side is convenient to everything great about New York City, yet surrounded by green space. Asking $2,399,000, this two-bedroom condo at 352 Cathedral Parkway offers the best of city living while taking advantage of its parkside location. The star feature of this spacious, modern apartment: A 1,051-square-foot private terrace with unobstructed park views.
park views and outdoor living, this way

Distinctive Homes

Live above Inwood’s new public library, from $397/month

Rendering of The Eliza courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

August 17, 2023

Live above Inwood’s new public library, from $397/month

Attention New York bookworms: Here's a chance to live above a brand-new city library. A housing lottery opened this week for 138 affordable apartments at The Eliza, a 14-story rental in Inwood. Located at 4790 Broadway, the development includes deeply affordable apartments and a two-level New York Public Library branch at its base. New Yorkers earning 30, 40, 50, and 60 percent of the area median income, or between $16,183 for a single person annually and $105,060 for a household of seven, can apply for the apartments, which range from $397/month studios to $1,841/month three bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

Plan to bring Van Cortlandt Park’s Tibbetts Brook above ground moves forward

Renderings courtesy of the NYC Department of Environmental Protection

August 17, 2023

Plan to bring Van Cortlandt Park’s Tibbetts Brook above ground moves forward

A plan to unearth parts of a body of water in the Bronx that has been covered for more than a century is moving forward. The New York City Public Design Commission on Monday unanimously approved the preliminary design plan for the Tibbetts Brook Daylight and Greenway Project in Van Cortlandt Park, a project that will help remove the brook's clean water from the sewer system and ultimately reduce flooding and sewage overflow into the Harlem River. The $133 million project could face delays due to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which owns the land that is part of the construction project, according to the City.
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Avoid rodent run-ins–or rat out your landlord–with NYC’s newest interactive rat map

Map courtesy of New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

August 16, 2023

Avoid rodent run-ins–or rat out your landlord–with NYC’s newest interactive rat map

The mayor's notorious war on rats is heating up. Along with the recent appointment of Kathleen Corradi as the city's $155K/year rat czar, New Yorkers have some new tools in our digital rat-fighting arsenal in the form of an updated interactive map and a revamped rat information portal. Adding firepower to the battle are a handful of super-military-sounding RMZs (Rat Mitigation Zones), complete with training academies to help neighborhood combatants put up their best fight. And Harlem recently hosted an Anti-Rat Day of Action.
New rat map, this way

Policy

Two Bronx parks with fascinating NYC history may become landmarks

Joseph Rodman Drake Park and Enslaved African Burial Ground. Photo courtesy of the Landmarks Preservation Commission

August 16, 2023

Two Bronx parks with fascinating NYC history may become landmarks

The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to calendar two Bronx parks with unique New York City history for possible landmark status. The Joseph Rodman Drake Park and Enslaved African Burial Ground is a colonial-era burial ground that includes the long-forgotten site of a cemetery for enslaved people. The Old Croton Aqueduct Walk is a popular walking path on top of the famous aqueduct that brought the city its first direct source of water in 1842.
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Policy

4 NYC seafood spots that will make you feel like you’re on vacation

Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Crab

August 16, 2023

4 NYC seafood spots that will make you feel like you’re on vacation

By Lidia Ryan

Nothing says summer in the Northeast like sitting by the water with fresh seafood and a cold drink. Lobster rolls, oysters, and steamers on the coast probably conjure up images of weekends in the Hamptons, Cape Cod, or Maine, but there are some hidden gems right here in New York City that will make you feel like you’re on a summer getaway — and you don’t even have to battle that weekend traffic. Here are four spots to check out while summer is still in full swing.
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This $31M Upper East Side mansion with long and layered history is now four beautiful apartments

Photos courtesy of Francisco Rosario/DDreps for The Corcoran Group

August 16, 2023

This $31M Upper East Side mansion with long and layered history is now four beautiful apartments

This beautifully renovated limestone townhouse in Manhattan's Carnegie Hill, adjacent to Central Park and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, was built in the 1890s as part of a row of four mansions for members of New York City's wealthiest families. The home at 9 East 82nd Street, now asking $31 million, was first owned by stockbroker J. Prentice Kellogg. The home's facade, built in the Neoclassical style, features a raised portico entrance and a secondary service entrance. A fifth floor was added to the 25-foot-wide townhouse in 1920. The property's current configuration as four turn-key luxury rental apartments is the result of a 2021 stem-to-stern renovation and restoration effort.
One mansion, four apartments, this way

Distinctive Homes

Distinctive Homes

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

$2.35M Gramercy co-op wraps classic pre-war style with vintage opulence–plus a key to the park

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

This $3.6M Spuyten Duyvil home is a tranquil refuge indoors and out, within New York City limits

SHOP THE LISTING: Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy's $9.75M West Village townhouse is an all-season urban refuge

Minetta Lane townhouse with an 83-foot rock climbing wall asks $20M

An artist's Upper East Side condo is a palace-sized riot of joyful color for $8.75M

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

An art historian's Village loft with pieces by Ai Weiwei and more asks $4.2M

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

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East Harlem tower opens lottery for 40 mixed-income apartments, from $763/month

Renderings courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

August 15, 2023

East Harlem tower opens lottery for 40 mixed-income apartments, from $763/month

Applications are now being accepted for 40 mixed-income units at a new residential development in East Harlem. Located at 88 East 127th Street, the 19-story building is conveniently located near several public transit options, the 16-acre Marcus Garvey Park, and lots of restaurants and shopping. New Yorkers earning 40 and 130 percent of the area median income, or between $29,109 for a single person annually and $198,250 for a household of five, can apply for the apartments, priced from $763/month studios to $3,773/month two-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

Newly-minted Bed-Stuy townhouse is filled with sunlight and fresh design for $3M

All photos courtesy of Interiors by Kat for The Corcoran Group

August 15, 2023

Newly-minted Bed-Stuy townhouse is filled with sunlight and fresh design for $3M

For all the ways townhouse living is near perfection in the city, modern homes with new interiors and tons of light can be a refreshing refuge. This four-story townhouse at 151 Monroe Street in Brooklyn's brownstone-filled Bed-Stuy neighborhood gives you both: The two-family home, asking $2,995,000, has four stories of living space, six bedrooms, and plenty of outdoor space. It's also a showcase of contemporary design and comfort, with sun-filled open rooms, colorful details, carefully-selected materials, and top-quality craftsmanship on every level.
see inside

Distinctive Homes

569-unit rental planned next to Brooklyn Botanic Garden in Crown Heights

Rendering via JLL

August 15, 2023

569-unit rental planned next to Brooklyn Botanic Garden in Crown Heights

Plans for a 17-story mixed-use project with 569 rentals in Crown Heights are moving ahead. Carmel Partners acquired $233 million in construction financing for the development of the new building at 54 Crown Street, which sits just one block east of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Work has already begun on the complex, which will include both commercial and community space as well as parking for 170 vehicles.
See it here

New Developments

NYC pushing for bigger, wider electric cargo bikes

Image courtesy of the NYC Department of Transportation on Flickr

August 14, 2023

NYC pushing for bigger, wider electric cargo bikes

New York City is looking to permit bigger electric cargo bikes to deliver more goods more sustainably. The city's Department of Transportation on Monday announced a proposed rule allowing the use of pedal-assist bikes that are up to 48 inches wide with four wheels, compared to the currently permitted 36-inch-wide bikes with three wheels. The extra width and wheel would make the bikes easier to use, reducing the number of delivery trucks on city streets and cutting vehicle emissions and traffic. The announcement kicks off the 30-day public comment period, with a public hearing scheduled for next month.
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Chandeliers made of repurposed plastic bottles hang above Park Avenue

All photos courtesy of Zach Pontz

August 14, 2023

Chandeliers made of repurposed plastic bottles hang above Park Avenue

A new installation along Park Avenue transforms trash into environmentally-mindful works of art. Artist Willie Cole designed four large-scale chandeliers made of 9,000 recycled plastic water bottles that can now be seen on the medians at 69th and 70th Streets. Titled "3000 Buddha Chandelier," "Liberty Lantern," "Soul Catcher," and "Dirt Devil," the sculptures aim to address the need for clean drinking water while recognizing the environmental damage caused by plastic bottles.
Details here

Events & Things To Do

$65M UES mansion is a showcase of Gilded Age history, updated for a new era of grand-scale living

Photo credit: Yoo Jean Han for Sotheby’s International Realty

August 14, 2023

$65M UES mansion is a showcase of Gilded Age history, updated for a new era of grand-scale living

On a Central Park-adjacent block near Fifth Avenue on the Upper East Side, the 35-foot wide limestone mansion at 4 East 79th Street is a historic testament to Manhattan's Gilded Age; asking $65,000,000, it's among a handful of the most expensive townhouses to ever be listed in New York City. The six-story home with over 15,000 square feet of interior space offers an opportunity for living and entertaining befitting a new era of opulence, including two elevators, a professional-grade catering kitchen, a security office, a wine cellar and reception room, a grand center stair hall, and a top-floor skylit gym.
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Distinctive Homes

MTA to boost subway service on 1 and 6 trains

Photo via WikiCommons

August 11, 2023

MTA to boost subway service on 1 and 6 trains

The 1 and 6 lines on the New York City subway system will start running faster this weekend. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Wednesday announced that starting on Saturday, August 12, the 1 and 6 subway lines will start running every six minutes instead of every eight minutes during weekend service. The service enhancement was made possible by $35 million in funding designated for the MTA in the Fiscal Year 2024 State Budget.
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Transit

Here’s everything you need to know about NYC’s Dominican Day Parade

Dominican Day Parade 2019. Photo courtesy of S Pakhrin on Flickr

August 11, 2023

Here’s everything you need to know about NYC’s Dominican Day Parade

The 41st annual Dominican Day Parade returns to Midtown this Sunday, August 13. The parade brings together New York City’s Dominican community, the largest in the country, to celebrate their heritage with live music, parade floats, vibrant costumes, traditional dance, food, and more. First held in 1982, the parade started as a small celebration in Washington Heights. Hosted on the second Sunday in August, the parade commemorates the start of the Dominican Republic's fight for independence from Spain in 1863. The theme for this year’s event is “Our History, Our People,” and for the first time in the parade’s history, the procession will be headed by Luis Abinader, President of the Dominican Republic, who will serve as Grand Marshal.
MORE HERE

Events & Things To Do

See breathtaking photos of humpback whales in front of the NYC skyline

Photo © Sarah Trabue, WCS Ocean Giants/Activities conducted pursuant to NMFS ESA/MMP Permit No. 27507

August 11, 2023

See breathtaking photos of humpback whales in front of the NYC skyline

With the waters around New York City both cleaner and warmer in recent years, whale and dolphin spottings are becoming more common. The Wildlife Conservation Society this week released photos showing humpback whales just a few miles off New York City’s coasts. The images were taken on Wednesday, August 2 on a clear day roughly five miles from Coney Island’s New York Aquarium with the Manhattan skyline visible in the background.
see them here

Events & Things To Do

6sqft unveils revamped website and logo

By 6sqft

6sqft turns 10 next year and we are kicking off the celebration early by debuting a new look. Since 2014, we have been a go-to source for both New Yorkers and newbies navigating the five boroughs and beyond. With our coverage of real estate and housing news, design trends, neighborhood happenings, and distinctive New York City homes, 6sqft provides an up-close look at the people, places, and ideas shaping this amazing city.
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NYC Guides

$2.25M Hudson Valley home with pool and guest house is a mid-century icon

All photos courtesy of Gabriel Zimmer Studio for Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Realty

August 10, 2023

$2.25M Hudson Valley home with pool and guest house is a mid-century icon

If you dream of a mid-century modern house surrounded by forest, you’ll want to take a look at this perfect specimen of a home, surrounded by 11 acres of meadow, wildflower fields, trails, and forest in Millbrook, New York. As one of a handful of Deck House homes in the area, this iconic Hudson Valley property, asking $2,250,000, includes a gunite pool, a two-bedroom vintage-inspired guest house, and an organic garden.
Modern dream house, this way

Affordable senior housing to replace Prospect Heights parking lot

Rendering of the proposed plans for 542 Dean Street shows the new entrance to the park and public space created as part of the design for the affordable senior housing project. Courtesy of GRAPH.

August 10, 2023

Affordable senior housing to replace Prospect Heights parking lot

A plan to replace a Prospect Heights parking lot with affordable housing for low-income and homeless seniors is moving forward. The city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) on Tuesday announced its selection of Jobe Development, Corp., Mega Group Development, and the Institute of Community Living Room to convert a city-owned parking lot at 542 Dean Street into the residential development "Park Edge." The redevelopment is part of the Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan (AAMUP), which found a community desire for new affordable housing projects on city-owned properties.
DetaILS HERE

Affordable Housing

NYC opening 2,000-bed migrant shelter on Randall’s Island

Photo by Tdorante10 on Wikimedia

August 10, 2023

NYC opening 2,000-bed migrant shelter on Randall’s Island

It's round two for a shelter on Randall's Island. Mayor Eric Adams this week announced plans to construct a new humanitarian relief center for 2,000 single adult men seeking asylum. The city opened a shelter for migrants on Randall's Island in November but shut it down a month later after it sat mostly empty. As the crisis continues for the city, which has received nearly 100,000 people since last spring, Adams said a shelter of this scale is necessary.
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Policy

Open-air night market returns to Chinatown with 30+ vendors

Photo credit: Adrian Childress

August 9, 2023

Open-air night market returns to Chinatown with 30+ vendors

The Chinatown Night Market is returning this week with its largest outing yet. Taking place on Friday, August 11 in Forsyth Plaza, the Chinatown Night Market is a free monthly summer series hosted by Think!Chinatown. This month's event, which will run from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., includes more than 30 vendors offering delicious food, breathtaking live performances, and folk art.
MORE THIS WAY

Redevelopment of historic armory in the Bronx moves forward

Photo courtesy of Darren McGee/ Office of Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

August 8, 2023

Redevelopment of historic armory in the Bronx moves forward

Plans to redevelop the historic Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx have been revived after nearly three decades of discarded plans. Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday said a request for proposals will be issued next month to develop the landmark, which was built for military use in 1917 and has been largely vacant since the 1990s. In addition to a combined $200 million investment from the city and state, Adams and Hochul unveiled the "Together for Kingsbridge Vision Plan," which includes the goals of the project as envisioned by the community and local stakeholders. With proposals due by the end of the year, construction could begin in 2027.
Details here

Policy

The Four Seasons in Midtown set to reopen next fall

Photo by Acediscovery on Wikimedia

August 8, 2023

The Four Seasons in Midtown set to reopen next fall

The Four Seasons hotel in Midtown will reopen next year after being closed since 2020. Following a dispute, hotel owner Ty Warner and Four Seasons management on Thursday announced an agreement was reached to reopen the hotel in the fall of 2024. Located at 57 East 57th Street, the 52-story building designed by I.M. Pei closed in March 2020 during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and is one of the last high-end hotels to reopen. Early on during the pandemic, the hotel was used as an emergency location for doctors caring for Covid-19 patients coming from the Upper East Side.
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$28M Midtown duplex has epic private terrace and 5-star hotel perks

All photos courtesy of DDreps

August 8, 2023

$28M Midtown duplex has epic private terrace and 5-star hotel perks

This duplex apartment offers the seemingly impossible: more than 3,000 square feet of private outdoor space in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. Located on the 18th and 19th floors of the elegant Baccarat Hotel & Residences on West 53rd Street, this mansion-in-the-sky, asking $27,950,000, has been gut renovated with top-of-the-line everything and is wrapped by a marble-capped terrace that is surrounded by iconic cityscape. Residents have access to the five-star hotel's amenities, including 24-hour room service, a heated pool, a fitness center, and the notable La Mer spa.
take the tour

Distinctive Homes

Photo credit: Chris Coe, Optimist Consulting

August 7, 2023

Once listed for $110M, Woolworth Building penthouse sells for $30M

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

Six years and an $80 million price cut later, one of New York City's most iconic penthouse properties has found a buyer. The Woolworth Building's seven-story penthouse has sold for $30 million, not even a third of the original $110 million asking price. According to the Wall Street Journal, Scott Lynn, chief executive of Masterworks, an online art-investment service, is the buyer. After hitting the market for the jaw-dropping price in 2017, the penthouse, known as the Pinnacle, saw several price chops in recent years and was last publicly listed for $59 million, according to CityRealty.
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Real Estate Trends

THE 6SQFT SHOP

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

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New York hip-hop legends featured on limited-edition MetroCards

Photo courtesy of the MTA on Flickr.

August 7, 2023

New York hip-hop legends featured on limited-edition MetroCards

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has released special-edition MetroCards in celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, the music genre born in the Bronx in 1973. The agency on Saturday said 40,000 MetroCards featuring rappers LL Cool J and Pop Smoke are available at subway station vending machines in Queens and Brooklyn, with additional cards featuring local legends Rakim and Cam'ron available later this month.
Find out more

Transit

Rec center in McCarren Park to house asylum seekers

Photo © 6sqft

August 4, 2023

Rec center in McCarren Park to house asylum seekers

New York City is preparing to house asylum seekers in a recreation center in Brooklyn's McCarren Park starting this weekend, Politico reports. Roughly 80 to 100 people will be housed within one wing of the Williamsburg rec center. Officials say public access to the pool and fitness center will not be impacted by the new shelter.
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Policy

NYC outdoor dining made permanent with new regulations

Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

August 4, 2023

NYC outdoor dining made permanent with new regulations

The New York City Council on Thursday voted to establish a permanent outdoor dining program that aims to better regulate the popular pandemic-era initiative. Under the approved legislation, restaurants can operate outdoor dining sheds known as "streeteries" for eight months of the year but must remove the structures during the winter. Sidewalk dining will be allowed year-round. According to city officials, the new program makes it easier for businesses to apply and will open the program up to more restaurants.
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NYC’s latest pickleball club coming to Downtown Brooklyn’s City Point

Renderings courtesy of Court 16.

August 4, 2023

NYC’s latest pickleball club coming to Downtown Brooklyn’s City Point

Downtown Brooklyn will be home to New York City's newest pickleball club. Located on the fourth floor of the mixed-use complex City Point, the 26,000-square-foot Court 16 will offer seven tennis and pickleball courts for kids and adults, with each court ranging in size from 36 feet for young players to full-sized courts for experienced players. The club’s August 28 grand opening coincides with the start of the 2023 U.S. Open Tennis Tournament finals.
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Events & Things To Do

Dumbo’s most photographed block gets ‘BIG’ upgrade

Photos courtesy of Hassan Mokaddam

August 3, 2023

Dumbo’s most photographed block gets ‘BIG’ upgrade

One of New York City's most photographed blocks got a makeover this week. The Dumbo Improvement District on Thursday unveiled new streetscape furnishings for Washington Street, the iconic stretch of street that perfectly frames the Manhattan Bridge and is a popular spot among tourists. Bjarke Ingels Group designed new modular benches for the street, which is closed to cars during certain hours as part of the city's Open Street program.
See it here

Adams touts affordable housing production as city runs out of room for migrants

Photo Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

August 3, 2023

Adams touts affordable housing production as city runs out of room for migrants

New York City created more supportive housing and homes for formerly homeless New Yorkers during fiscal year 2023 than any year on record, Mayor Eric Adams announced Thursday. Between June 2022 and June 2023, the mayor said the city produced 27,000 affordable homes, including new construction and preservation of existing homes, and connected the largest number of people to permanent housing using the CityFHEPS vouchers in the program's history. The announcement comes just days after Adams announced the city had run out of space to house the thousands of asylum seekers arriving weekly, leading to many migrants sleeping outside of the Roosevelt Hotel in Midtown this week.
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$899K eco-friendly East Village co-op has a 400-plant green wall

All photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

August 3, 2023

$899K eco-friendly East Village co-op has a 400-plant green wall

Living more sustainably can start at home, as seen in this East Village apartment. The eco-conscious two-bedroom co-op at 315 East 12th Street features formaldehyde-free cabinets, doors made of recycled plastics, and at the center, a living wall with 400 plants, which purify the air and create a sense of well-being. Asking $899,000, the apartment is efficient, with hidden closets, sliding doors, a Murphy bed, and a dining area with a table that pops up from the floor.
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Distinctive Homes

Photo credit: Russ Ross Photography for The Corcoran Group

August 2, 2023

This $1.2M Clinton Hill prewar triplex condo unfolds beneath the arches of a former seminary

This one-bedroom home at the rarely-available Cathedral Condominiums at 555 Washington Avenue on the border between Clinton Hill and Prospect Heights has a unique history to go with its dramatic architecture. Built in 1914, the striking building was first home to Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception. Converted to a 53-unit condominium in 1988, the building is a neighborhood landmark, noted for its Gothic design. In addition to access to the building's lushly landscaped common courtyard, the unit, asking $1,195,000, has a private, fenced-in brick patio for entertaining or growing one's own tranquil seminary garden.
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Distinctive Homes

Trevor Noah finds buyer for Hell’s Kitchen penthouse with plunge pool, last asking $11M

Photos courtesy of Shannon Dupre’

August 1, 2023

Trevor Noah finds buyer for Hell’s Kitchen penthouse with plunge pool, last asking $11M

Trevor Noah's penthouse in Hell's Kitchen entered contract this week for $10,995,000, after hitting the market last fall, CityRealty reports. The comedian and former host of "The Daily Show" first listed the sprawling duplex at the Art Deco Stella Tower at 425 West 50th Street last October for $12,950,000, soon after announcing his departure from the Comedy Central show. The three-bedroom duplex condo, which Noah bought for $10 million in 2017, offers expansive views of Manhattan and a 1,000-square-foot landscaped terrace with a heated plunge pool with built-in speakers and a wet bar.
Take a look

See plan to convert FiDi office tower 55 Broad into 571 market-rate apartments

Image courtesy of Joe Woolhead

August 1, 2023

See plan to convert FiDi office tower 55 Broad into 571 market-rate apartments

The plan to convert the Financial District office tower at 55 Broad Street into apartments is finally moving forward, with a closed deal and the release of new renderings this week. Silverstein Properties and Metro Loft Management on Monday announced they bought the tower for $172.5 million with plans to turn the 30-story office tower into a residential building with 571 market-rate apartments; upon completion, it will be one of New York City's largest office-to-residential conversions ever. Construction is expected to start in August and take roughly two years.
See more here

Real Estate Trends

$1.5M Upper West Side brownstone co-op has a cozy cottage vibe

Photo credit: Gabriel Sebastian/Five7 Media for The Corcoran Group

August 1, 2023

$1.5M Upper West Side brownstone co-op has a cozy cottage vibe

Located on a tree-lined Upper West Side street less than a block from Central Park, this eye-pleasing co-op at 71 West 83rd Street is one of those non-cookie-cutter Manhattan apartments everyone dreams of–but rarely finds. Asking $1,450,000, the two-bedroom home is blessed with rustic exposed brick walls, arched windows, and large, sunny rooms in a gracious floor plan. There's even a terrace for an outdoor version of the French country villa effect.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

Lower East Side corner named for Economy Candy founder

Photo courtesy of the New York City Council

July 31, 2023

Lower East Side corner named for Economy Candy founder

The corner of Rivington and Essex Streets on the Lower East Side has been co-named "Morris 'Moishe' Cohen Way" to honor the founder of New York City's oldest candy shop. After returning home from World War II, Cohen took over Economy Candy, which quickly became a neighborhood staple, serving candy, chocolate, nuts, and gift baskets. His family has pushed for the co-naming since Cohen's death at the age of 97 in 2015. After the City Council approved the naming earlier this year, the street corner was officially renamed on Saturday.
Details here

Policy

14 ways to celebrate hip-hop’s 50th anniversary in NYC

Photo of Big Pun mural in the Bronx by Nicholas Knight

July 31, 2023

14 ways to celebrate hip-hop’s 50th anniversary in NYC

On August 11, 1973, when DJing his sister's back-to-school party at an apartment building in the Bronx, DJ Kool Herc tried something new on the turntables, switching back and forth repeatedly between the same record. The pioneering technique, now known as the breakbeat, led to the creation of hip-hop. Now 50 years later, the genre has become a cultural phenomenon beyond music. As the birthplace of hip-hop, New York City has a ton in store for the genre's 50th anniversary, from massive concerts and block parties to immersive art and film screenings.
All the hip-hop happenings here

Events & Things To Do

For $11M, live in a Brooklyn Heights mansion with perfectly restored details and a literary past

All photos courtesy of SERHANT. Studios

July 31, 2023

For $11M, live in a Brooklyn Heights mansion with perfectly restored details and a literary past

From the wine cellar to the landscaped roof deck, this 19th-century Greek Revival mansion represents five stories of pristine restoration, with historic flourishes accenting modern style and ease of living. Asking $11,500,000, the 6,094-square-foot two-family townhouse at 20 Remsen Street in the Brooklyn Heights Historic District has some notable literary history: Norman Mailer had his writing studio here. The house was also, according to the listing, the inspiration for Mailer's 1951 novel "Barbary Shore."
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

The book giveaway from 2022. Photo courtesy of Jonathan Blanc / NYPL

July 28, 2023

NYC libraries to give out 15,000 free books this weekend

New York City public libraries are giving away 15,000 books to families this weekend. The New York Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library, and Queens Public Library are gifting the books as part of the annual summer reading and learning programs, which motivate kids and teens to maintain their reading and critical thinking skills while on summer break. The free books will be available on a first-come first-served basis at select library branches on Friday, July 28 and Saturday, July 29.
See more here

Events & Things To Do

NYC memorial honoring Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire victims to be unveiled this fall

Renderings courtesy of Uri Wegman and Richard Joon Yoo

July 28, 2023

NYC memorial honoring Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire victims to be unveiled this fall

A permanent memorial in Greenwich Village honoring the lives lost to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire will finally be built. Designed by artists Richard Joon Yoo and Uri Wegman and commissioned nearly a decade ago by the Remember the Triangle Fire Coalition, the tribute will feature the names of all 146 workers who died, cut into steel panels outside of 23-29 Washington Place, the building where the tragedy happened over 100 years ago. As first reported by the New York Times, a dedication ceremony for the new memorial is scheduled for October 11.
Details here

You can board a pre-World War II vessel at the South Street Seaport

Photo courtesy of the United States Coast Guard Academy on Wikimedia

July 27, 2023

You can board a pre-World War II vessel at the South Street Seaport

New Yorkers are invited to board a pre-World War II United States Coast Guard ship as it docks at the South Street Seaport this weekend. Known as the Eagle, the vessel is America's largest tall ship and the only active square-rigger currently in the country's service. The Coast Guard is inviting New Yorkers to board the Eagle, which will be docked at the Heineken Riverdeck at Pier 17 from Saturday, July 29 through Monday, July 31.
See more here

Events & Things To Do

400 units of affordable housing approved for 5 World Trade Center

Renderings of 5 World Trade Center courtesy of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

July 27, 2023

400 units of affordable housing approved for 5 World Trade Center

The 900-foot-tall mixed-use skyscraper planned for 5 World Trade Center will include 400 units of affordable housing, a slight increase from the original proposal. After stalled negotiations, the Public Authorities Control Board on Thursday approved the mixed-use development at 130 Liberty Street, which calls for 1,200 new apartments, one-third of which will be permanently affordable to New Yorkers earning between 40 and 120 percent of the area median income. Plus, 20 percent of the affordable apartments will be offered to individuals who lived or worked in the neighborhood on September 11, including first responders and families of victims. Construction is scheduled to start next year, Gov. Kathy Hochul said.
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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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Wegmans announces October opening for first Manhattan store

All images courtesy of Wegmans

July 27, 2023

Wegmans announces October opening for first Manhattan store

Mark your calendars. Manhattan's first Wegmans grocery store will officially open on October 18, the company announced Thursday. The 87,500-square-foot store will open at 770 Broadway in the East Village, replacing the Kmart on Astor Place, which closed in 2021. Not only will the store offer the grocer's signature affordable prices and prepared food options, but Wegmans Astor Place will also have a 94-seat restaurant with a sushi bar and Champagne-oyster bar.
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Food & Dining

This $2M garden flat in Margaret Mead’s former home is the picture of cozy West Village charm

Photo credit: Compass

July 27, 2023

This $2M garden flat in Margaret Mead’s former home is the picture of cozy West Village charm

On a postcard-perfect West Village street among the neighborhood's historic brownstones, this garden co-op at 72 Perry Street is a rare chance to live a bohemian dream not often found in today's New York City. Asking $1,995,000, the two-bedroom home in a restored townhouse has a landscaped private back garden as the almost-too-good-to-be-true addition to the elegance of its interior living spaces. The boutique co-op building is known as Mead House in honor of one-time resident Margaret Mead. The famous anthropologist lived in the townhouse with her husband Gregory Bateson and other colleagues from 1941 to 1955.
West Village charm, this way

Distinctive Homes

8 ways to stay cool (and safe) during NYC’s heat wave

Photo by Barney Bishop on Flickr

July 26, 2023

8 ways to stay cool (and safe) during NYC’s heat wave

Another heat wave is here. The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory for New York City starting this week, with high heat and humidity leading to real-feel temperatures near or exceeding 100 degrees Monday through Wednesday. Staying cool on a hot day is no joke, as heat contributes to the deaths of roughly 350 New Yorkers each year. Ahead, find some ways to beat the heat, from swimming in one of the city's free outdoor pools to running through spray showers and sprinklers at your local park.
Beat the heat

All photos courtesy of Compass

July 26, 2023

WeWork founder Adam Neumann relists Gramercy penthouse for $32M

Adam Neumann has relisted his Gramercy Park penthouse for $32 million, $5.5 million cheaper than when it last hit the market in 2020. In 2017, the founder and former chief executive of WeWork and his wife Rebekah Paltrow Neumann paid $27.5 million for the duplex penthouse at 78 Irving Place and the unit below it; the couple also picked up two additional apartments on the ground floor for $7.2 million.
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July 26, 2023

6 injured after crane collapses in Hudson Yards