Stay cool on the go with Zero Breeze, the first smart, portable air conditioner
August 30, 2016

Stay cool on the go with Zero Breeze, the first smart, portable air conditioner

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If recent sweltering temperatures have you reconsidering your outdoor plans for Labor Day, you may want to check out this new product before resigning yourself to a holiday weekend indoors. Zero Breeze is the first portable air conditioner that will not only keep you cool indoors and out, but also includes a blue tooth speaker, night light and charging station for your devices.
Get the scoop on the product
Vintage 1901 film captures the infamous 23 Skidoo of the Flatiron
August 30, 2016

Vintage 1901 film captures the infamous 23 Skidoo of the Flatiron

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The Flatiron building is best known for its angular form and its striking architectural details. But back in the early 1900s it gained notoriety for something far less virtuous: the 23 skidoo. Because the Flatiron building sits at the intersection of 5th Avenue and Broadway, which together form a sharp angle, winds will often collect to create currents strong enough to lift a woman's skirt. While by today’s standards bare legs and ankles aren't worth taking note of, back then this sight was a real treat for the fellas. As such, hordes of men would flock to 23rd Street in hopes catching one of the many old-timey wardrobe malfunctions that occurred throughout the day. In fact, according to Andrew S. Dolkart, professor of Historic Preservation at the Columbia's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, the number of men who gathered would sometimes become so disruptive that police would have to shoo them away!
watch the full 23 skidoo here
See how Keith Rubenstein’s trio of South Bronx towers will transform the ‘Piano District’ skyline
August 30, 2016

See how Keith Rubenstein’s trio of South Bronx towers will transform the ‘Piano District’ skyline

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Controversial South Bronx Developer Keith Rubenstein of Somerset Partners, along with the Chetrit Group, received approvals earlier this summer for a two-site, six-tower, mixed-use master plan on the Mott Haven banks of the Harlem River. This is the same project that Rubenstein touted as part of his campaign to rebrand the southern portion of the borough as the "Piano District," a marketing ploy that nodded to the piano manufacturers that dotted the area 100 years ago, but that featured a misguided party with burning trash cans and a bullet-ridden car, referencing the horrible "Bronx is burning" days of the 1970s. Contention aside, the development is moving ahead, and CityRealty.com has a 360-degree look at how the first site's three towers (two at 20 stories and one at 25) will transform the South Bronx skyline. These buildings at 2401 Third Avenue will rise just to the northwest of the Third Avenue Bridge, the former site of an 1880s iron works building that will soon boast $3,500/month apartments.
More details ahead
10 easy ways to give your rental kitchen a makeover

6sqft’s 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 got tips on how to give your rental kitchen an inexpensive makeover.

August 30, 2016

10 easy ways to give your rental kitchen a makeover

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For renters, the kitchen is often the least attractive area of their home. And this is especially true in NYC where landlords often turn to the cheapest finishes, built-ins and fixtures they can find in order to save a few dollars. But even if your apartment ultimately won't be your forever home, there's no reason suffer through an interior design nightmare. Ahead 6sqft highlights 10 easy and affordable ways to transform a ugly rental kitchen into a chic space—all without putting your deposit at risk.
Our 10 tips here
Is Downtown Brooklyn’s rental boom about to turn into a glut?

Google Earth rendering of the new residential buildings going up in Downtown Brooklyn, via CityRealty.com

August 30, 2016

Is Downtown Brooklyn’s rental boom about to turn into a glut?

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This time last year, 6sqft shared a report from CityRealty.com that detailed how Northern Brooklyn would be getting a staggering 22,000 new apartments over the next four years, with the majority, 29 percent or roughly 6,500 apartments, headed for Downtown Brooklyn. The trend has kept up, as the Times reports today that this number of units is concentrated among "19 residential towers either under construction or recently completed along the 10-block section of Flatbush stretching from Barclays Center north to Myrtle Avenue." Another 1,000 units are coming to four buildings on Myrtle Avenue, and all of these are overwhelmingly rentals. In fact, 20 percent of the entire city's rentals that will become available this year and next are in the neighborhood. But many believe this rental boom is fast approaching a glut that will cause prices to soften in a saturated market.
Find out more
Apply for 116 brand new apartments at an amenity-loaded UWS tower, units from $833
August 30, 2016

Apply for 116 brand new apartments at an amenity-loaded UWS tower, units from $833

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Starting tomorrow, qualifying New York residents can apply for 116 sparkling new apartments at 10 Freedom Place South in Christian de Portzamparc’s masterfully planned Riverside Center on the Upper West Side. The affordable offer is part of Silverstein Properties and the Elad Group's luxurious new Pelli Pelli Clarke-designed 1 West End Avenue project, built through the city's 421-a Inclusionary Housing Program. As such, the development's 365 units have been divided into two sections served by two separate entrances—116 affordable apartments located in the lower eight floors marked by stone, and 249 lavish market-rate units topping them off in the glass tower.
Pricing and income requirements this way
Cozy Park Slope duplex comes with a sunny garden and wood-burning fireplace, all for $780K
August 30, 2016

Cozy Park Slope duplex comes with a sunny garden and wood-burning fireplace, all for $780K

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While this one-bedroom Park Slope co-op at 443 Seventh Avenue might not exactly be sprawling at 700 square feet, for $780,000 the diminutive garden duplex packs a lot of living space into its two-and-a-half levels. The large and sunny patio garden is the obvious draw for summer parties and spring planting. A wood-burning fireplace ups the cozy factor in cooler months. And a loft level sandwiched between upstairs and down might be just the place to store your seasonal gear off-season. Two blocks away, Prospect Park is another warm-weather plus, and living steps from welcoming spots like Talde and Cafe Grumpy makes it easy to stay warm in winter.
Pick your sandwich, this way

Distinctive Homes

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QUIZ: What NYC suburb should you move to?
August 29, 2016

QUIZ: What NYC suburb should you move to?

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When 6sqft recently looked at a study pertaining to why millennials are leaving cities, we learned that to this generation, factors such as safety, education and health are more important than fashion, food and nightlife. Though it may sound surprising, it points to a shift in urbanites deciding to relocate to the surrounding areas in search of this quality of life. For members of this generation, or anyone else hoping to jump on the suburbanization train, a new site called PicketFencer asks a series of simple questions to determine which of 600 suburbs within commuting distance to NYC will be best suited.
Learn more about how it works
Bono: A stylish aluminum composter perfectly sized for your countertop
August 29, 2016

Bono: A stylish aluminum composter perfectly sized for your countertop

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Composting in New York City can be challenging to say the least. Not only are you dealing with the constant changing of the seasons, but space in this densely packed town is also sparse. However, with every challenge is also an opportunity, and much like many of the other problems associated with these limitations we look to design to keep us moving in the right direction. On the composting front Polish designer Ala Sieradzka's as made for us Bono, a compact countertop composter spun from powder-coated aluminum that comes with an equally stylish cork lid and base.
learn more here
$2.3M Financial District pad has been completely remodeled into an open-concept loft
August 29, 2016

$2.3M Financial District pad has been completely remodeled into an open-concept loft

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This three-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment at the Financial District condo 54 Pine Street has been totally remodeled into an open-concept loft. The owners moved the kitchen (and then outfitted it with new appliances) to create the third bedroom/office space. The open kitchen now looks out onto a long, open living and dining room that's anchored by exposed brick and arched ceilings. The entire apartment, in fact, boasts lots of lofty details, and it's now on the market for $2.285 million.
Take a look around
Like father like son: The Trump legacy of housing discrimination
August 29, 2016

Like father like son: The Trump legacy of housing discrimination

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Black potential tenants who just wanted a decent place to live were routinely turned away at the Trump family’s Queens housing complexes and others. Housing activists and equal housing organizations took note, and in 1973 Trump Management was sued by the Justice Department for discrimination. Some of those tenants who stood firm remember the indignities all too well. The New York Times took a look at the early days of the Trump empire, when Donald's father, Fred C. Trump, built and managed middle-income residential complexes like the Wilshire Apartments in Jamaica Estates, Queens. A former employee of the elder Trump tells the Times that when receiving applications from potential tenants who happened to be black he was told, "Take the application and put it in a drawer and leave it there."
Get a closer look at the Trump legacy
Subway Reads offers free e-books based on the length of your commute
August 29, 2016

Subway Reads offers free e-books based on the length of your commute

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It can be a bit frustrating to start getting into a book on your commute when you just as soon have to put it down, which is part of the idea behind a new initiative called Subway Reads, a web platform that offers free e-books to subway riders that can be timed to their commute. The program is a collaboration among the MTA, Transit Wireless (the company behind the $250 million+ project to put Wi-Fi in 278 underground stations), and Penguin Random House. According to the Times, the platform was launched as a way to promote the fact that connectivity has already reached 175 stations, but it will only last eight weeks. During that time, users can download novellas, short stories or parts of complete books to their cellphones or tablets, and they can make their selections based on how long they expect to be on the train (the formula accounts for about a page a minute).
Find out how it works
Facebook co-founder Sean Parker buys three Greenwich Village townhouses to create mega-mansion
August 29, 2016

Facebook co-founder Sean Parker buys three Greenwich Village townhouses to create mega-mansion

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There must be something about the Village and Facebook that go together. Back in January, the social media company's co-founder Chris Hughes sold his Soho loft for $8.5 million and relocated to a $23.5 million West Village townhouse. And now the Post reports that the other founding partner, Sean Parker, who also created Napster, has acquired three homes along West 10th Street, where he plans to create one big mega-mansion.
READ MORE
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$1.4M Chelsea duplex has lots of charm and a magical garden, but a few flaws
August 29, 2016

$1.4M Chelsea duplex has lots of charm and a magical garden, but a few flaws

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If you're looking for an apartment that's, as the saying goes, "perfect for one person or a couple," this charming Chelsea co-op at 335 West 21st Street looks to be every bit the "jewel box oasis" the listing claims. On a prime and pretty block near the High Line, asking $1.395 million, this one-bedroom-plus-den duplex has been optimized for livability–if you can live with a few flaws.
Take a look around
Fashion Stylist Scott Newkirk Goes Unplugged in His 14×14 Rough-Hewn Cabin
August 28, 2016

Fashion Stylist Scott Newkirk Goes Unplugged in His 14×14 Rough-Hewn Cabin

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For many city dwellers bogged down by the hustle and bustle of everyday life, vacations are spent offline in far-away places, disconnected from technology and reconnected to nature. But fashion and interior stylist Scott Newkirk proves you don't have to go that far to have your own unplugged woodland dream. Located in Yulan, New York, just 90 miles northwest of NYC, Newkirk's charming wooden cabin is a mere 14x14 feet and is made entirely from salvaged and reclaimed pieces of wood.
Learn more about this rough and ready cabin
Weekly highlights: Top picks from the 6sqft staff
August 27, 2016

Weekly highlights: Top picks from the 6sqft staff

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‘Game of Thrones’ star Michiel Huisman conquers $2.2M Flatiron loft 163 years ago, an upstate chef accidentally invented potato chips Scarlett Johansson looks to the Cielo for an Upper East Side rental City releases Midtown East Rezoning plan; could add 16 new towers Here’s your chance to own off Central Park West for just $425K […]

Where I Work: Inside Thompson Square Studios, Soho’s members-only co-working space
August 26, 2016

Where I Work: Inside Thompson Square Studios, Soho’s members-only co-working space

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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 Thompson Square Studios, a private members club-style co-working space in Soho. Want to see your business featured here? Get in touch! After starting his career as an architect in London, Robert Herrick went on to found Visualhouse, a "creative ideas" agency focusing on the architecture and design fields, in 2006. With offices now in London, New York, Los Angeles, Miami and Hong Kong, Visualhouse has produced work from branding campaigns to digital renderings for the likes of Zaha Hadid, Norman Foster, and Rafael Vinoly. In 2013, Robert took his expertise and created the Thompson House Group with the goal of delivering private member experiences in workspaces, hotels, and restaurants. The Group's first project was Thompson Square Studios, a "private member club for work and play." Unlike traditional co-working spaces, the Studio has a membership board that selects tenants from the creative industries based on what they can bring to the collective whole. 6sqft recently caught up with CEO and founder Robert, who took us on a tour of the impeccably designed space filled with copper accents, industrial decor, and sleek yet moody furniture. We also got a look at how Visualhouse operates within the club.
Tour the space and hear from Robert
A charming former schoolhouse asks just $310K in Upstate New York
August 26, 2016

A charming former schoolhouse asks just $310K in Upstate New York

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This brick schoolhouse—located at 2 Moffat Road, in the upstate town of Blooming Grove—served students all the way from 1870 to the 1960s. Then, it was converted into a residence before getting a second makeover in the 1990s. The two-bedroom, two-bathroom home, which sits on nearly an acre of land, is true country living, with an interior decorated with exposed, reclaimed wood beams, a cathedral ceiling, wide plank wood floors and a wood burning fireplace. $310,000 won't get you much more than a studio in New York City, but it'll buy you this old school located just 70 minutes outside Manhattan.
Take a tour
‘Laundry-free linens’ perfect for super lazy college kids; Red Hook IKEA should adopt China’s naptime
August 26, 2016

‘Laundry-free linens’ perfect for super lazy college kids; Red Hook IKEA should adopt China’s naptime

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Heading back to college and hate laundry day? Get your hands on these biodegradable linens that are meant to be thrown away after just a few weeks. [Business Insider] Here’s an idea for Red Hook’s IKEA: In China, IKEA shoppers are allowed to curl up on the furniture for a quick nap. [NYTimes] Hear Majora Carter talk about the […]

Friday 5: Waterfront living for less in Long Island City

Every Friday 6sqft rounds up five of the best rental deals showcased on CityRealty.com’s no-fee rentals page, a space where house hunters can find the best concessions being offered by landlords across the city.

August 26, 2016

Friday 5: Waterfront living for less in Long Island City

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With its location just a hop, skip and jump away from Midtown Manhattan, and the trendiest parts of Brooklyn, Long Island City (LIC) is increasingly becoming a magnet for real estate developers, businesses and new residents banking on the area's growth. But beyond the convenience offered by its prime waterfront location—and, of course, its comparatively affordable prices—LIC also boasts buildings with unbeatable amenities and stunning skyline and river views. Ahead are five brand new LIC buildings currently offering free rent and other concessions.
see the best deals this week here
With $2.5 billion in Brooklyn real estate, Hasidic investors are a formidable gentrification driver
August 26, 2016

With $2.5 billion in Brooklyn real estate, Hasidic investors are a formidable gentrification driver

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We hear so frequently about the players behind Manhattan’s billion-dollar real estate projects and how foreign investors are pouring a global vault's worth of currency into New York City property, often shielded by LLCs. It's illuminating to get a closer look at the city’s larger real estate landscape–one that has changed so much in recent decades–and learn who's behind the soaring property values, skyrocketing rents, frenzied flipping and veritable horse-trading that has driven the unprecedented and transformative gentrification beyond Manhattan’s rarified development scene. A recent story by The Real Deal titled “Learning and earning: Hasidic Brooklyn’s real estate machers” reveals that a huge slice of the borough’s real estate pie is owned by the Hasidic community. The ultra-orthodox sect reportedly includes some of Brooklyn’s wealthiest property owners, to the tune of $2.5 billion.
Find out more
Vacant New York: Mapping all of Manhattan’s empty storefronts
August 26, 2016

Vacant New York: Mapping all of Manhattan’s empty storefronts

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There's definitely no shortage of Duane Reades, Starbucks, and banks lining Manhattan's streets, but other than these national chains, it's hard for small business owners to afford the city's soaring commercial rents, and these mom-and-pops are currently lacking any protections from landlords. In some areas, this has created a chain store monopoly, while in others it's left stretches of otherwise popular streets with large numbers of vacant storefronts. Programmer Justin Levinson is exploring the latter through a new map called Vacant New York, which provides a startling picture of Manhattan's shuttered storefronts and its high-rent blight.
See what the map reveals

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New York City's best holiday markets of 2023 New York City's best holiday markets of 2023
Everything you need to know about affordable housing: applying, getting in, and staying put Everything you need to know about affordable housing: applying, getting in, and staying put
Raising chickens in NYC: Laws, tips, and everything else you need to know Raising chickens in NYC: Laws, tips, and everything else you need to know
10 Ways to Decorate an Exposed Brick Wall Without Drilling 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 Snag the Greenest Seat in Town: Gufram's 1972 Pratone Chair is Shaped Like a Patch of Grass
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Help New Yorkers in Need When Dining Out This September
August 26, 2016

Help New Yorkers in Need When Dining Out This September

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By going out to eat this September, you’ll be helping feed New Yorkers in need of a hot meal. Each year, Dine Out for No Kid Hungry enlists restaurants to help feed underprivileged children—and there are many of them, with more than 20 percent living in food-insecure homes nationwide. Each of the nearly 100 participating restaurants […]

See the Manhattan, Brooklyn and Jersey Skylines of 2020

Rendering by Thomas Koloski via NY Yimby

August 26, 2016

See the Manhattan, Brooklyn and Jersey Skylines of 2020

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As the incredible animation above shows, the tall tower building boom isn't just restricted to Manhattan. First spotted by NY Yimby, this future projection created by Thomas Koloski reveals a very different silhouette than the one we know today—and arguably a far more striking and attractive one at that. But what might be the most surprising thing about this rendering is that it's not too far off from becoming a reality. Indeed, what you're looking at is expected to materialize over just the next four years.
more here
$3.5M Boerum Hill carriage house comes with a three-family townhouse in the front for rental income
August 26, 2016

$3.5M Boerum Hill carriage house comes with a three-family townhouse in the front for rental income

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And that's only one of the many possibilities for this unusual Brooklyn property. On a quaint and classic Brooklyn block in Boerum Hill, this three-family row house at 104 Butler Street is currently being used as a source of income from three separate apartments. Through the picturesque garden at the back, a three-story, four-bedroom carriage house is occupied by the home's current owners. A new owner could leave the setup as-is, use both of these 19th-century houses as a multi-generational home for family, or create condos in the front, with many more options imaginable. The ask is $3.45 million.
See some of the interiors and get ideas
Art Nerd New York’s top event picks for the week- 8/25-8/31
August 26, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s top event picks for the week- 8/25-8/31

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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! Summer is winding down, but we're not ready to move back indoors. Jump a ferry and celebrate the season's end on Governors Island with an old fashioned oyster shuck. Get down (silently) outside at the Coney Island Art walls at the Quiet Clubbing Festival, or join artist Santhori in making a giant mural at the park on East 1st Street. Stretch out and appreciate Times Square on Jurgen Mayer H's XXX easy chairs, then head to the Bowery Wall to find your friends in Logan Hicks' giant new mural. Finally, the gallery prince of darkness JJ Brine is bringing his Vector Gallery back to New York, and two artists are turning Brooklyn's Ground Floor Gallery into a giant loom installation.
More on all the best events this way
Here’s your chance to own off Central Park West for just $425K
August 25, 2016

Here’s your chance to own off Central Park West for just $425K

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Location is the draw when it comes to this studio apartment at the Franconia co-op, located right off Central Park West at 20 West 72nd Street. It's a very cozy space that will require a Murphy bed setup. As for a dining table...forget it. But who needs a big apartment when you've got Central Park and the Upper West Side right outside your door? The current apartment owner looks to be Johanna Rosaly, a Puerto Rican actress, singer, and television host. She bought it in 2011 for $270,000 and has listed it at a significant bump, for $425,000.
See more of the studio
Bushwick map lets locals track gentrification; the Jersey Shore’s midcentury resort architecture
August 25, 2016

Bushwick map lets locals track gentrification; the Jersey Shore’s midcentury resort architecture

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Today is the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service; to mark the occasion Google has created five interactive tours. [Curbed] Bushwick residents designed a digital map to help residents stay abreast of changes to the neighborhood’s housing landscape (aka gentrification). [Bushwick Daily] The U.S. cities with the most Olympic medals. [CityLab] This photo series captures the nearly 150 […]

Six months after $6M buy, supermodel Irina Shayk lists 150 Charles condo as a $20,000 rental
August 25, 2016

Six months after $6M buy, supermodel Irina Shayk lists 150 Charles condo as a $20,000 rental

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When Sports Illustrated supermodel Irina Shayk bought a $6 million condo at celebrity favorite 150 Charles Street back in February, it was rumored that she'd be shacking up there with boyfriend Bradley Cooper. But it looks like she was getting in on the investment game; only six months later she's put the two-bedroom spread on the rental market for $20,000 a month. The Observer reports that Shayk never even moved in to the West Village building, where Ben Stiller, Jon Bon Jovi, and fashion photographer Steven Klein have also purchased units. This could be because she's still living at her other West Village condo at 166 Perry Street, which she listed last December for $4 million. Regardless, the new tenant of this sleek abode will be in good company.
See more of the apartment
Bad tech: Landlords use stalker-like surveillance to weed out ‘risky’ tenants
August 25, 2016

Bad tech: Landlords use stalker-like surveillance to weed out ‘risky’ tenants

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6sqft recently covered the practice of offering landlords “blacklists” of tenants who may have withheld rent or taken action against previous landlords. Now Quartz reports on the growing use of screening software services and surveillance technology that lets landlords know if prospective tenants have recently arrived from another country, what their social media profiles say about them and even how often they’ve been hitting the bars. Could high-tech data collection and surveillance tools become as dangerous to the diversity of communities as redlining was decades ago?
Is this as scary as it sounds?
Owner of Red Hook waterfront terminal asks city to consider his site for Brooklyn-Queens Streetcar railyard
August 25, 2016

Owner of Red Hook waterfront terminal asks city to consider his site for Brooklyn-Queens Streetcar railyard

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Just yesterday, 6sqft took a look at reports that the Brooklyn-Queens streetcar will require a train yard/maintenance facility that will likely take up an entire city block and cost around $100 million (which is included in the $2.5 billion overall cost). Finding such a large swath of available real estate would be challenging, but a local industrialist wants to ease the burden by offering up his own property. Crain's tells us that John Quadrozzi Jr., owner of the GBX Gowanus Bay Terminal on the Red Hook waterfront, wants the city to consider his site to host the train yard. The Terminal, which was originally constructed in 1922 as the New York Port Authority Grain Terminal, is a 13-acre shipping depot with an additional 33 acres of underwater property that's used for concerts, film shoots, and commercial offices, and it's expected to be very close to the streetcar's route.
Find out more
City releases Midtown East Rezoning plan; could add 16 new towers

Conceptual image depicting all the proposed sites of the East Midtown rezoning fully built out. Courtesy CityRealty

August 25, 2016

City releases Midtown East Rezoning plan; could add 16 new towers

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After Mayor Bloomberg's failed 2013 attempt, the city has released its long-awaited Midtown East Rezoning plan, a controversial upzoning of the area bound by Madison and Third Avenues and 39th and 50th Streets, which would encourage taller, more modern office towers in an area that many feel is no longer attracting commercial tenants. According to Crain's, their proposal, the first step in the formal rezoning process, would allow the tallest buildings around Grand Central, increasing the maximum density by 30 percent. Along Park Avenue and near subway stations north of the Terminal, density would be increased, too. The proposal also will permit owners of landmarked buildings to sell their air rights across the district, rather than just to adjacent properties like the current law dictates.
More details ahead
Will a (rent stabilized) Williamsburg address make a shower in the kitchen hip?
August 25, 2016

Will a (rent stabilized) Williamsburg address make a shower in the kitchen hip?

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It's always fun when yet another listing with a shower in the kitchen surfaces; 6sqft has covered versions of the quirky New York City phenomenon previously. The East Village and LES are the usual suspects, and this Bed-Stuy brownstone home makes the kitchen shower look positively chic. But once again, lovely, expensive Williamsburg draws the short straw. For a mere $1,574 a month ($1,604 for a two-year lease), you, too, can discover the joys of the shower beer. To be fair, the one-bedroom at 18 Skillman Avenue has some definite selling points. It's rent stabilized, for one, and the neighborhood is popular, convenient (except for that year without the L train) and fun.
The apartment's actually pretty cute
Tribeca duplex with two enclosed loggias asks $22,500/month
August 24, 2016

Tribeca duplex with two enclosed loggias asks $22,500/month

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This Tribeca rental, from the 12-unit condo D'Arte House, boasts nothing but space: two floors, 6,300 square feet, a giant master bedroom with tons of closet space, and two enclosed loggias. The loggias—located off the master and the upstairs bedrooms—are the most unique feature of the apartment, offering faux outdoor space you can use in whatever type of weather. The whole pad is available furnished to a renter for $22,500 a month.
Look around
This 1927 city subway map shows early transit plans
August 24, 2016

This 1927 city subway map shows early transit plans

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If you're navigating the NYC subway and wishing you could start from scratch, these map outlines from 1927 might prove interesting. Found by hyperreal cartography, the maps, from the state's Transit Commission Office of Chief Engineer, outline the "plan of existing and proposed rapid transit lines" for New York City. What's shown on the map appears to be the Independent Subway System; the ISS or IND, as it was known, was first constructed in 1932 as the Eight Avenue Line. As one of the three networks that was integrated into the modern New York City subway, the IND was meant to be fully owned and operated by the city government, as opposed to the privately-funded Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) and Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation (BMT) companies. The three lines merged in 1940.
Investigate the possibilities
How to fight back against office air conditioning; cab drivers no longer have to speak english
August 24, 2016

How to fight back against office air conditioning; cab drivers no longer have to speak english

By

Rent-burdened New Yorkers talk about how they cope. [NYT] Research shows that ice-cold offices actually decrease productivity. If your company won’t raise the AC, here are some tips. [Bloomberg] The “Fabio of horses” is coming to Central Park. [Metro] Norman Foster’s skinny Seagram-neighboring condo tower, 100 East 53rd Street, finishes its glimmery facade. [CityRealty.com] Recognizing that […]

LaGuardia Airport to get $5M in repairs prior to complete revamp
August 24, 2016

LaGuardia Airport to get $5M in repairs prior to complete revamp

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Though work on Governor Cuomo's LaGuardia Airport overhaul commenced in June, the first part of the project, the replacement of Terminal B (which will alone carry a $4 billion price tag) is expected to be completed in phases between 2018 and 2022. But travelers will now get some more immediate relief, as the Wall Street Journal reports that $5 million in improvements are coming to the terminal by the end of the year in order to keep it up and running until the new buildings opens its doors to passengers in 2020. This includes repairing the current leaky ceilings, adding well-lit signage, improving ventilation and air conditioning, putting new seating and tables into the two food courts, painting walls, sprucing up restrooms, and bettering the acoustics at security checkpoints.
More this way
Summer work on Barry Diller-funded futuristic offshore park complete
August 24, 2016

Summer work on Barry Diller-funded futuristic offshore park complete

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Work on the Barry Diller-funded Pier55 park is advancing nicely, even after being slapped with a lawsuit and a stop work order in June. As the Hudson River Park Trust (HRPT) and Pier55 Inc. announced this afternoon, the first nine piles propping up the 2.7-acre undulating park have been installed. Per the pair's press release, the milestone marks the completion of summer work and is part of the initial work of the first phase of construction.
more on the progress here
163 years ago, an upstate chef accidentally invented potato chips
August 24, 2016

163 years ago, an upstate chef accidentally invented potato chips

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It was July, 1853, and George Crum was working as a chef at Cary Moon's Lakehouse, an upscale restaurant in Saratoga Springs that catered to wealthy Manhattan families building summer escapes upstate. One of his customers sent back his French fries because they were thick and soggy (h/t NYT). After the man (who is rumored to have been Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, though this can't be confirmed) sent back a second batch of the fried potatoes, Crum decided to get even, a decision that would land him a place in culinary history.
Find out how the potato chip was invented
New Yorker Bill Nye on His Favorite National Park and Climate Change
August 24, 2016

New Yorker Bill Nye on His Favorite National Park and Climate Change

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Bill Nye “The Science Guy” wants you to “Find Your Park.”  The engineer, television personality and New York resident is known for his outspoken views on climate change, space exploration and evolution, but the environmental champion is now turning his attention to our nation’s parks as a National Parks Service centennial ambassador. This past Monday, New Yorkers joined Nye […]

New York before the invention of air conditioning

Above: Children turn a Lower East Side excavation site into a pool using water from a fire hydrant. 1936. Image via Bowery Boys

August 24, 2016

New York before the invention of air conditioning

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Last week, temperatures in New York City peaked in the mid 90s but with the humidity index, afternoon to early evening temperatures felt more like 105 to 113 degrees. The combined temperature and humidity index prompted an “excessive heat warning” for the city and sent most residents indoors to take refuge in air conditioned homes and workplaces. For those less fortunate, the city opened designated cooling centers. Under such dire conditions, it’s natural to wonder, what was summer like before the invention of air conditioning?
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POLL: For $2.5 billion, is the Brooklyn-Queens Streetcar still a good idea?
August 24, 2016

POLL: For $2.5 billion, is the Brooklyn-Queens Streetcar still a good idea?

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When the Mayor officially endorsed the plan for a Brooklyn-Queens streetcar, the estimated cost to realize the project was pinned at $2.5 billion. Since then there have been plenty of purported roadblocks that some believe could balloon costs further, such as the claims that the 16-mile streetcar route would run entirely through flood zones and require two new bridges. But the latest comes via Crain's, who reports that the necessary train yard/maintenance facility for the cars may be the size of an entire city block and cost $100 million, which only adds to concerns that the Brooklyn Queens Connector (BQX) may become more of an economic burden than the city can take on. While that may or not be so, proponents maintain that the cars are absolutely necessary. Not only are a number of areas along the BQX's proposed routes underserved by existing transit, but with all of the new office and residential developments planned for Brooklyn's waterfront, the fact is, adding additional transit is a necessity, not an option.
More details on the train yard and share your opinion
Rent this fabulously curated Village loft with civilized co-op amenities for $4,000 a month
August 24, 2016

Rent this fabulously curated Village loft with civilized co-op amenities for $4,000 a month

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The look is architect's design meets artsy loft at this one-bedroom co-op in the International Tailoring Company Building at 111 Fourth Avenue in Greenwich Village. Modern finishes provide a backdrop for cool collections and funky details (like a baby blue retro Smeg refrigerator), while the overall result "exudes a refined aura of contemporary city living." The "duplex" has a classic loft setup, meaning it's comprised of a sleeping loft perched above the apartment's main space. Located at the crossroads of Greenwich Village, the East Village and Union Square, it's not a spot for peace and quiet, but it gets top marks for supreme convenience to just about everything downtown Manhattan has to offer, which might make the $4,000 rent worthwhile. And unlike some historic loft buildings, this particular co-op offers an elevator, a doorman, laundry on every floor, and two landscaped roof decks.
Get a closer look
The ‘Summer White House’ of the Hamptons could be yours for $14.2M
August 23, 2016

The ‘Summer White House’ of the Hamptons could be yours for $14.2M

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It's no easy feat to make it to the White House, but the Hampton's alternative is available to anybody willing to stomach the cost of renting or buying it. 20 Union Street, a three-story Victorian mansion built in 1796, was considered the "Summer White House" for President Chester A. Arthur (he also owned a townhouse in Murray Hill). Since the former president vacationed there, it has been throughly renovated into a modern, luxurious Hamptons pad. The six-bedroom, four-and-a-half bathroom home is up for both sale and rent, asking $14.2 million or $480,000 per year. (The price to rent between Memorial and Labor Day is $390,000.)
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