August 16, 2016

3D-Printed Replica of Syria’s Lost Palmyra Arch Arrives Next Month; NYC’s Most Beautiful Streets

The most beautiful streets in the city. [Thrillist] A 12-ton, 3D-printed replica of Syria’s Arch of Palmyra (destroyed last fall) is coming from London to Manhattan on September 19th. The location has yet to be determined. [Untapped] The World Trade Center Mall opens today! [NYP] The city’s Economic Development Corporation set aside $10 million for “emerging” real estate […]

August 16, 2016

Where I Work: Tour Brooklyn wallpaper company Flavor Paper’s fun and futuristic ‘lair’

6sqft’s series “Where I Work” takes us into the studios, offices, and off-beat workspaces of New Yorkers across the city. In this installment, we take a tour of the Cobble Hill studio of colorful wallpaper company Flavor Paper. Want to see your business featured here? Get in touch! Nestled among the charming streets and quaint rowhouses of Cobble Hill is the headquarters of a wallpaper company that's taken the art to a completely new level. Flavor Paper was founded in 2003 in New Orleans before moving to Brooklyn nine years ago. What started out as an attempt to salvage old equipment from a hand-screened wallpaper company on the Oregon coast has morphed into an internationally recognized brand--known for its bright colors, bold patterns, and plain-old fun aesthetic--with over 156 designs and collaborations with the likes of Lenny Kravitz and the Andy Warhol Foundation. 6sqft recently toured what the company calls their "Flavor Lair" (it houses their production facilities, offices and showroom) and chatted with founder Jon Sherman about what sets Flavor Paper apart from other wallpaper manufacturers, why he calls Brooklyn home, and the backstory on some of the most popular designs. We also got a sneak peak into Jon's personal home, a sexy abode located above the Skylab Architecture-designed Lair.
Take the tour this way
August 16, 2016

City Says Yes to Bronx Complex, No to Flatiron Site for Affordable Housing Plan

The New York City Planning Commission has voted to approve a boutique condominium project on Manhattan's west side without the mayor's new Mandatory Inclusionary Housing plan in place, the New York Times reports; a much larger development in the Bronx also got the green light, and will be among the first to be included in the new affordable housing program. 6sqft reported previously on the controversy over whether a 17-story condominium slated to replace a parking lot and two low rise buildings at 6th Avenue at West 18th should be among the first recipients of the mayor’s new mandatory inclusionary housing (M.I.H.) program. Both the city and the project's developers, Acuity Capital Partners, made the argument that the proposed project is “more of a rejiggering of the zoning than an enlargement,” and therefore does not fall under the M.I.H. rules.
Find out more
August 16, 2016

Harriet the Spy’s $5M Upper East Side Townhouse Finds a Buyer

In May, the Queen Anne-style townhouse said to have inspired the fictional Upper East Side home of "Harriet the Spy" hit the market for the first time in 70 years, asking $4.95 million. And in less than three months it's already entered entered contract, reports Curbed. Author Louise Fitzhugh lived on 85th Street, so it's no surprise that this gorgeous 1880s property at 558 East 87th Street sparked her creative juices. Located on the corner of a quiet and leafy Yorkville block in the Henderson Place Historic District, the 3,000-square-foot stunner overlooks Gracie Mansion, Carl Schurz Park, and the East River, "the perfect setting to get into covert shenanigans, à la Harriet," as 6sqft previously quipped.
See the whole place
August 16, 2016

Flexible West Village Co-op Has Lots of Outdoor Space and a Bit of Mid-Century Charm

This furnished co-op at 256 West 10th Street offers flexible lease terms, but the attractive, understated West Village apartment is flexible in other ways–and even manages to throw a few curves. On the rental market for $12,500 a month, the unusual home's three bedrooms–one in an enclosed loft–are joined by a small office/study, and adventurous architectural details add more space for living between rooms. The 1,600-square-foot Hudson Mews apartment's steep rent is undoubtedly based on its location behind a gated courtyard on a block where the streets toss off their rigid grid and boast some of the city's finest restaurants, shops and historic buildings. The enviable landscaped private courtyard and lushly planted roof deck won't send anyone running, either.
See more of this off-the-grid co-op
August 15, 2016

Ruggie: An Alarm Clock-Rug That Only Stops Buzzing if You Step on It

Tired of sleeping through the snooze every morning, hitting the button over and over again to only wake up sleepier? Then you might want to consider Ruggie, an efficient alarm clock-rug by Winson Tam that will only stop buzzing if you actually get out of bed and step firmly on it. And to help ease the pain of leaving the warmth of the covers, it will then play daily motivational quotes, setting a positive mood for the day.
Learn more about this clever alarm
August 15, 2016

Hudson Heights’ Famed Cliffside ‘Pumpkin House’ Returns for $5.3M

So titled for its window pattern that resembles a jack-o'-lantern (especially when lit up at night), this funky home in Hudson Heights has long been a hot topic in the real estate scene thanks to its unusual location extending over a cliff near the highest point in Manhattan, just north of the George Washington Bridge. Built around 1925, the 17-foot-wide brick house was purchased in 2000 for $1.1 million by interior decorator William Spink. After doing a good deal of structural renovation, he listed it for $3.45 million in 2005, but after failing to sell, tried again in 2010 for $3.9 million. It sold the following year and is now back on the market asking $5.25 million.
Take a look around and learn more about the Pumpkin House's history
August 15, 2016

$700K Greenwich Village Studio Fits Maximum Storage Into 500 Square Feet

This studio loft at 23 Waverly Place in Greenwich Village may only be 500 square feet, but it's been designed for maximum storage potential. (This may be one of the few studios out there that boasts both a spacious kitchen and walk-in closet.) An architect has also modernized the prewar apartment, transforming it into a more modern and sleek space. Post renovation, it's now on the market for $699,000.
Take a look
August 15, 2016

The Evolution of Greenpoint: From Oil and Sewage to Gentrification

Since Greenpoint started to attract displaced Manhattanites in the early 1990s, the cost of renting in the neighborhood and nearby Williamsburg has shot up a staggering 78.7 percent. According to a 2015 study published by NYU’s Furman Center, Greenpoint/Williamsburg is the most rapidly gentrifying neighborhood in New York City. What many newcomers don’t realize is that […]

August 15, 2016

Live on the High Line for $596/Month, Lottery Launching for 75 Units at New West Chelsea Tower

As 6sqft reported last summer, "To provide a gradual transition from mid-rise West Chelsea to the enormous skyscrapers planned for the Far West Side, the Bloomberg administration in 2005 allowed more generous zoning between West 28th and 30th Streets along Tenth and Eleventh avenues." One of the projects that took advantage of this upzoning was what's now being called Maestro West Chelsea, a 35-story, 220-unit, mixed-use tower at 323 Tenth Avenue (the tallest in the neighborhood) and its two adjoining 13-story buildings at 507 West 28th Street, which are providing an additional 155 units. The two portions are on either ends of the High Line and were designed by Avinash K. Malhotra Architects. Starting tomorrow, qualifying New Yorkers earning 40 or 50 percent of the area media income have the chance to apply for 75 affordable units in the buildings. They range from $596/month studios to $979/month two-bedrooms, and amenities include an attended lobby, recreation room, roof deck, fitness center, and parking (not to mention a much-sought-after location on one of the city's biggest outdoor attractions).
Find out if you qualify here
August 15, 2016

Food Network’s Ina Garten Buys Former House & Garden Editor’s Park Avenue Pad for $4.65M

In November 6sqft featured the Upper East Side co-op at 563 Park Avenue listed by Nancy Novogrod, former editor-in-chief of Travel + Leisure magazine and Condé Nast’s House & Garden, and her husband, John, noting the just-right decor and roll-up-your-sleeves renovated kitchen. The Observer reports that sleeves will indeed be rolled up in the marble-topped chef's paradise, as Food Network's Barefoot Contessa Ina Garten and her husband, Yale University dean emeritus, Jeffrey, have purchased the two-bedroom home for $4.65 million.
Take another look at the couple's new Park Avenue pied a terre
August 14, 2016

Design Firm Décor Aid Helps a Soho Couple Turn an Outdated Duplex Into a Modern Multitasking Home

While the company's name might sound like a designers' fund-raising rock concert, the method offered by design firm Décor Aid simplifies renovation and redecorating for clients like the Soho resident who needed to hit refresh on the downtown Manhattan apartment that serves so many functions for himself and his girlfriend–and their four-legged companion. The stale duplex emerged as a stylish and user-friendly home base, office and entertaining space with the help of these savvy and straight-shooting design pros.
See more of the striking results
August 13, 2016

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks From the 6sqft Staff

79 Affordable Units Up For Grabs in New Luxury Hell’s Kitchen Project, Starting at $913/Month Architecture Workshop’s 400-Square-Foot Studio Has a Secret Bedroom and Sleeps Six Live in SHoP’s American Copper Buildings for $833/Month, Lottery Launching for 160 Affordable Units New Renderings of Bjarke Ingels’ High Line Towers Show Crowns and Amenity Bridges Revealed: Kenneth […]

August 12, 2016

Friday 5: Beat the Heat at These Poolside Aeries Offering Free Rent

As we sizzle in this uncomfortable pocket of August air, many of us yearn for a picturesque beach or pool-side locale to cool off, but when a swim in the East River starts to look inviting, you know things are dire. Not to worry; for those looking to stay close to home, these premier rental buildings are outfitted with resident-only swimming pools accompanied by sun decks, resort-style amenities, and killer views. And with months of free rent embedded into leases, and thousands of newly available apartments on the market, this season could be your best chance to snag a home in one of these coveted buildings.
See all the deal this way
August 12, 2016

POLL: Will Amenity-Filled Skybridges Become a New Architectural Trend?

When the SHoP Architects-designed American Copper Buildings were first revealed, it wasn't as much their twisting silhouettes that made headlines as it was their diagonal, amenity-filled skybridge. The three-story bridge, boasting a lap pool and lounge and topped with private terraces, is located 300 feet above the street, the highest such structure in the city and a new concept in enticing residents to the luxury market. And just this week, Bjarke Ingels unveiled new views of his High Line towers, which will feature two skybridges. Though they're much closer to the ground, they're also planned as amenity spaces, which makes us wonder--is this architectural feature set to become a new trend in NYC?
Share your opinion here
August 12, 2016

Triarch Uses Lipstick Hues and Gallery Walls to Meld Two Downtown Apartments

At this Beekman Street residence, two small apartments had been combined into one large one by a previous owner. Architecture and design firm Triarch reworked the floor plan to better connect the apartment's series of separate rooms. The end result combines candy-coated pops of pink, red and purple, eye-popping art and contemporary finishes to make the home feel playful and creative, as well as livable.
See more of the interiors this way
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August 12, 2016

Spotlight: Douglas Quint on How Big Gay Ice Cream Became a New York Foodie Phenomenon

If you're walking on East 7th Street between 1st Avenue and Avenue A or in the West Village on 7th Avenue near Christopher Street and see a long line on the sidewalk coupled with smiling faces walking by with ice cream cones, you've found Big Gay Ice Cream. The two shops are places where ice cream is not scooped, but swirled, in offerings that have become famous not only for their imaginative ingredients, but their fabulous names. There's the Bea Arthur, named after the "Golden Girls" actress and activist, comprised of vanilla ice cream, dulce de leche and crushed 'nilla wafter; the Cococone with chocolate ice cream and toasted curry coconut; and perhaps their most well-known, the Salty Pimp, made up of vanilla ice cream, dulce de leche, sea salt, and a chocolate dip. One of the visionaries behind Big Gay is Douglas Quint, who, along with Bryan Petroff, founded the business in 2009. While it started out as a summer experiment when the two opened an ice cream truck, it quickly developed into something much bigger (a third location recently opened in Philadelphia and the duo published a cookbook last year). 6sqft recently spoke with Douglas to discuss all the magic that takes place at Big Gay, including how the flavors come to be, their three locations, and the best time to stop by for a cone.
The full interview ahead
August 12, 2016

The Real Estate Loopholes That Let Donald Trump Look Penniless on Paper

As chatter surrounding Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's refusal to make his tax returns public grows louder, the New York Times explains what all the fuss is about, pointing out that while he's under no legal obligation to open up the books to public scrutiny, every presidential candidate has chosen to do so since Richard Nixon. Despite the hundreds of millions in gross revenue from his vast real estate holdings, there's a good chance that Trump has paid little–perhaps even zero–federal income tax in past years. The interesting point is that technically the candidate hasn't done anything "wrong," but rather is in the business of doing business, and that business is real estate. The opportunities that real estate can provide for the wealthy to legally avoid forking over the taxes that their incomes would otherwise dictate they pay are numerous, from hiding behind LLCs to swapping real estate purchases to avoid paying taxes.
Get the full scoop
August 12, 2016

Live in Riverdale’s Historic Fieldston Neighborhood For Just $1,230 a Month

While the Bronx has been busting at the seams with affordable housing lotteries, most of them have been clustered in the southern areas of the borough. The latest, however, takes us up to the historic Fieldston neighborhood of Riverdale, considered one of the city’s best preserved early 20th century suburbs. These nine available units, $1,230/month one-bedrooms and $1,403/month two-bedrooms, may not be located in one of the area's signature revival style homes, but they are in a brand new building at 6155 Broadway, right on Van Cortlandt Park and steps away from the prestigious Horace Mann school.
See more interiors and find out if you qualify
August 11, 2016

Renderings Revealed for SHoP-Designed Interiors at the American Copper Buildings

Today is the day for big reveals at the American Copper Buildings. Earlier, 6sqft broke the news that the affordable housing lottery for the project's low-income units will begin Monday (with homes ranging from $833/month studios to $1,247/month three-bedrooms), and now Curbed has shared the first interior renderings of the 761 apartments, as well as some additional amenity details. SHoP Architects, who designed the pair of dancing towers for JDS Development, are also responsible for the interiors, an unusual occurrence for the firm. They've outfitted the residences with 10-foot ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows, and custom-designed oak floors, kitchens, lighting, and shades.
Check out all the renderings
August 11, 2016

$4.4M ‘Eco-Luxurious’ Beach House in Amagansett Sits Next to a 216-Acre Nature Reserve

The Hamptons is known for its incredible mansions, but this unique beach house was actually inspired by a simple barn. The architects, Studio Zung, reinterpreted the traditional wooden barns of the area to create this modern and luxurious property, which sits between the Atlantic Ocean and a sprawling nature reserve. One of the biggest design considerations was making the home eco-friendly, so it's outfitted with everything from salvaged pine beams to an eco-smart saline swimming pool. Dubbed Atelier 216, this drool-worthy property could be yours for $4.425 million.
Take a look around
August 11, 2016

The Success Story of Industry City as Told by Its Innovative Manufacturing Tenants

Industry City is a six million-square-foot, 30-acre industrial complex on the Sunset Park waterfront. Its 16 buildings made up the former Bush Terminal, a manufacturing, warehousing and distribution center that opened in 1895. After falling into disrepair over the past few decades, in 2013, a new ownership team led by Belvedere Capital and Jamestown began their $1 billion undertaking to update the complex while cultivating a diverse tenant mix that fuses today’s burgeoning innovation economy with traditional manufacturing and artisanal craft. Today, there are more than 4,500 people and 400 companies working in Industry City, and 6sqft recently paid a visit to four of them (a handbag designer, lighting designer, candle company, and chocolatier) to learn why the complex makes sense for their business and what unique opportunities it's afforded them. We also spoke with Industry City CEO Andrew Kimball about the unprecedented success of the complex and his visions for the future, as well as took a tour of the buildings and their wildly popular public amenity spaces such as the food hall, outdoor courtyards, and tenant lounge.
All this and more ahead
August 11, 2016

Live in SHoP’s American Copper Buildings for $833/Month, Lottery Launching for 160 Affordable Units

One of the flashiest new residential projects on the horizon is the American Copper Buildings, the SHoP Architects-designed dancing towers along the East River that have become best known for their three-story, amenity-filled skybridge, the highest such structure in the city at 300 feet above street level. As 6sqft previously reported, when completed early next year, the shimmering buildings will offer 761 rental units, 20 percent of which will be earmarked for low-income households. This latter group of 160 apartments has now officially come online through the city's affordable housing lottery, ranging from $833/month studios to $1,247/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify here
August 11, 2016

Sting and Trudie Styler Buying 220 Central Park South Triplex

The NY Post reports that Sting and Trudie Styler are in negotiations to purchase a condo in the Robert A.M. Stern-designed 220 Central Park South. The tantric twosome aren't new to the parkside circuit; they're currently among the significant celebrity contingent at the also-Stern-designed 15 Central Park West, where the pop star purchased a 5,413- square-foot penthouse for $26.5 million in 2008.
Find out more
August 11, 2016

As Rental Inventory Increases, Landlords Are Offering Up More Concessions

According to Douglas Elliman's latest market report, landlord concessions (covering broker's fees, offering free months' rent, doling out $1,000+ giftcards) have doubled over the past year for Manhattan and Brooklyn rentals, coinciding with a roughly 30 percent increase in inventory in both of the boroughs. Jonathan miller, author of the report, told DNAinfo, "There’s just been more product brought into the market through more development. More inventory has brought more concessions, more modest price growth and kept vacancy rates elevated. This has been a five-year development boom. It’s already having an impact."
What's going on?
August 11, 2016

135 Units of Affordable Housing Planned for the Coney Island Boardwalk

In 2009, former Mayor Bloomberg rezoned the Coney Island waterfront to accommodate new residential and commercial development. While the city has moved ahead to build more amusement park rides at this popular summer destination, there hasn't been an explosion of new residential development since the rezoning. But plans are moving ahead for a nine-story building designed to hold 135 affordable and supportive housing apartments right along the boardwalk. In April, developers Georgica Green Ventures and Concern for Independent Living filed plans for the new building at 2002 Surf Avenue, reports CityRealty.com. Called Surf Vets Plaza, the building will totally transform the corner of West 21st Street and Surf Avenue, which is now a 170,000-square-foot vacant lot.
Read more about the development plans
August 11, 2016

$2.8M Tribeca Pad Will Remind You Why You Love Lofts

The big open rooms, tall ceilings, warm exposed brick and ductwork, private elevator entry and solid-walled prewar construction in this two-bedroom, 1,800-square-foot Tribeca co-op at 36 North Moore Street provide a refresher course in loft love. And while the loft details are hard to miss, the apartment, listed at $2.8 million, has been renovated for comfort and luxury with new fixtures, central A/C and new walnut floors.
Take the tour
August 10, 2016

New Renderings of Bjarke Ingels’ High Line Towers Show Crowns and Amenity Bridges

It was all the way back in November 2015 that 6sqft got a first look at Bjarke Ingels' pair of asymmetric, twisting towers along the High Line at 76 Eleventh Avenue. At the beginning of this year, the design changed to a simpler silhouette with more space in between the 28- and 38-story buildings, and now NY Yimby has revealed yet another group of renderings that reveal even more revisions. The fresh images reveal the glass crowns at the 300- and 400-foot tops, the retail podium and plaza fronting the High Line, and two amenity-filled podium bridges that will connect the towers (an idea perhaps borrowed from SHoP's American Cooper Buildings).
See all the renderings here
August 10, 2016

Mapping Subways, Buses, and Free Transfers in One Place

One MetroCard. One map. Done.This new set of maps from map obsessive Anthony Denaro shows all the ways we can use the New York City transit system's unlimited MetroCard and transfers in one convenient, color-coded place. This includes both subways and buses, and important junctions where you can transfer within and between them. Included are all NYC transit services that can be accessed with an unlimited MetroCard. As the map's creator puts it, "Millions of NYC residents live beyond a 15-minute walk to a subway station. Hundreds of thousands of people start their commute by boarding a bus and then transferring to the subway. This is a map for us. One complex transit map, for one complex transit-reliant city."
The map, and the idea behind it
August 10, 2016

Six Affordable Units Up For Grabs Near the Bronx Zoo, Starting at $956/Month

The Bronx is booming when it comes to affordable housing. In fact, as 6sqft recently reported, more than 43 percent of the units under Mayor de Blasio's affordable housing plan that began construction this year were in the borough. The latest is located at 12907 Southern Boulevard in the East Tremont neighborhood, just a short walk to the Bronx Zoo. Starting tomorrow, qualified New Yorkers can apply for three $956/month one-bedrooms and three $1,080 two-bedrooms. Developed through the city's 421-a program, the eight-story building has an elevator, laundry room, and bicycle parking.
READ MORE
August 10, 2016

Brooklyn Will Be America’s Third-Largest City; World Chess Championship Coming to Seaport

The Census Bureau estimates that by 2020, Brooklyn’s population will exceed 2.75 million, taking the title of third-largest city in the U.S. from Chicago. [Gothamist] Take a tour of Tim Gunn’s Upper West Side apartment and terrace garden. [Traditional Home] An interview with Miranda Massie, who is trying to create the Climate Museum. [Huffington Post] For […]

August 10, 2016

Norman Foster’s First Brooklyn Project Dubbed Red Hoek Point, Gets New Rendering

In June, 6sqft revealed renderings of Norman Foster's first commission in Brooklyn, the waterfront complex from Thor Equities planned for the former Revere Sugar Factory site in Red Hook. The sole rendering showed "his signature mix of contemporary panache (glassy construction with a cantilevering portion) and contextual thoughtfulness (low-scale, boxy structures in keeping with the industrial area)." Now, a second rendering comes to us via Curbed, which shows off the structure's "undulating penthouses and combined 3.6 acres of green roof." They've also noted that the project has an official website, leasing is underway, and it's been dubbed Red Hoek Point, a play on the area's Dutch name Roode Hoek from the 1600s.
Find out more
August 10, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week- 8/11-8/17

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! Get outdoors this week: Stay late with a date peeping stars on the High Line; experience a car-free Manhattan during Citi Streets; go back in time at the Jazz Age Lawn Festival on Governors Island; or rent a free kayak and watch a movie from the water at Socrates Sculpture Park. If you need a break from all that sun, check out Ataraxia, an evening of multi sensory art, or head to Booth Gallery for a group show about shattering the Fourth Wall.
More on all the best events this way
August 10, 2016

Revealed: Kenneth Park Architects Reimagine Penn Plaza as a Vibrant Public Space

The past decade has seen an increasing effort to transform New York City's under-utilized–and sometimes dismal–public spaces into pedestrian plazas and other vibrant and attractive public oases. From Columbus Circle and Times Square to Downtown Brooklyn's Willoughby Street, new car-free spaces encourage passersby to linger and enjoy their surroundings. Vornado Realty Trust (VNO), one of the city's biggest landlords, has been working on a similar transformation of the urban sprawl that surrounds Penn Station and Madison Square Garden by implementing kiosks, seating and attractive architecture. Now, CityRealty.com has revealed new renderings from Kenneth Park Architects (KPA) showing their ideas and recommendations for repositioning retail space and optimizing pedestrian and vehicular circulation.
Take a look at the reimagined Penn Plaza
August 10, 2016

Ashton Kutcher Asks Governor Cuomo to Veto Airbnb Regulatory Law

In June, both houses of the NYC legislature passed a bill that would impose fines of up to $7,500 on advertisers of illegal short-term Airbnb rentals. Current state law dictates that an apartment can’t be rented out for less than 30 days if the lease holder isn’t present, and a recent report estimated that 56 percent of the site's 2015 listings fell into this category. Though the law has been this way since 2010, it has yet to be seriously enforced. But ahead of the Governor's January deadline to sign the bill into law, big names in the tech sector, including actor, venture capitalist, and Airbnb investor Ashton Kutcher, are asking Cuomo to veto the bill.
More details ahead
August 10, 2016

Infographic: How Long Would it Take Top Olympians to Scale NYC’s Supertalls?

Michael Phelps took his world record to 21 gold medals last night; Usain Bolt is poised to become the first athlete to win three golds at three Olympics; and Serena Williams (tied with sister Venus) has the most gold medals of any tennis player in the games. To have a little fun with these athletes' stats, CityRealty.com put together this infographic that shows how long it would take the Olympians to sprint, serve, and swim their way to the top of New York City's three tallest planned and built residential buildings -- the Central Park Tower, 111 West 57th Street, and 432 Park Avenue.
Check out the full-size infographic here
August 10, 2016

$9,500/Month West Village Duplex Is a History Buff’s Dream

With its wide-plank wood floors, three fireplaces and stained glass skylight, this upper duplex in a 19th century brick townhouse on a gorgeous West Village street embodies the neighborhood's historic charm. The three-bedroom rental home at 180 Waverly Place, asking $9,500 a month, doesn't leave modern comfort behind; updates like zoned central A/C and a washer-dryer keep daily life charmed as well.
See more of this treetop treasure
August 9, 2016

This Pillow Tracks Your Sleeps, Streams Music, and Wakes You Up

If you're not into wearing a Fitbit, there's now another way to track your sleep, and it comes with some added bedtime perks that activity trackers don't offer. First introduced by Mashable, Zeeq is a smart pillow that tracks and optimizes sleep patterns, monitors snoring, wakes you up via alarm at the appropriate point in your REM cycle, and, perhaps most interestingly, streams music and sleep sounds from inside that are low enough for only you to hear.  
READ MORE
August 9, 2016

Apartment in Miles Davis’ Old Upper West Side Townhouse Sells for $500K

Just a couple months ago, an apartment in Miles Davis' old Upper West Side townhouse hit the market for $495,000, and the Post now reports that the charming one-bedroom has sold for $500,000 to "a woman who 'loves' the building’s jazz-music history." The jazz legend lived in the Renaissance Revival brownstone at 312 West 77th Street from roughly 1960 until he moved to LA in the mid '80s, often hanging out on the stoop with his neighbors and hosting other jazz greats like Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Dizzy Gillespie. And it was here that he wrote the music for his albums "Kind of Blue" and "Bitches Brew." After he headed west, the home was divided into six apartments.
See more of the apartment
August 9, 2016

Sixth Avenue Adorama Site May Be the First Battle Over Mayor’s New Housing Program

The New York Times reports on what is looking like the first of many fights involving the mayor’s new mandatory inclusionary housing (M.I.H.) program which went into effect earlier this year. While the project, a 17-story condominium slated to replace a Manhattan parking lot and two low-rise buildings–one of which houses the venerable Adorama camera store–may not be especially noteworthy, as one of the first developments that may use the new zoning/housing rules, the outcome has the potential to affect thousands of lower-income units in the future. So it's worth following the outcome, even though, as City Planning Commissioner Carl Weisbrod puts it, "like any legislative action, it will take time for every scenario to play out.”
What's the battle all about?
August 9, 2016

Two Chances to Live in a Bushwick Two-Bedroom For $1,030/Month

Bushwick may no longer be the affordable counterpart to Williamsburg, but here are two chances to nab a brand new two-bedroom apartment in the 'hood for just $1,030 a month. The latest offering through the city's housing lotteries, the units are located at 303 Stanhope Street, less than a block from the DeKalb Avenue L train station and, come the shutdown, just a seven-minute walk to the Knickerbocker Avenue M train station.
Find out if you qualify
August 9, 2016

Fire Island: Culture, Sand Dunes and Real Estate

For New Yorkers looking for a break from the city’s summer pollution and noise, Fire Island has much to offer. Accessible via the Long Island Railway and Fire Island Ferries, the narrow strip of land running along Long Island’s south shore is one of the region’s few vacation spots that city residents can reach without a […]

August 9, 2016

Live the Upper West Side Dream in a Brownstone Apartment off Central Park for $4,800/Month

This two-bedroom apartment for rent at 46 West 85th Street pretty much embodies the vision of a perfect Upper West Side life; $4,800 per month gets you a duplex with a big, furnished private patio in an old stone townhouse on a tree-lined street in coveted Central Park West, half a block from the park. There are extra goodies like exposed brick accents and a working fireplace in the living room, a modern renovated kitchen and a full bathroom on each level–there's even an elevator, rare for a townhouse.
Take a look around
August 8, 2016

Brooklyn Bridge May Get Expanded Promenade to Accommodate Growing Crowds

If you’ve ever had the experience of nearly being flattened by something on foot or wheels while walking or biking across the Brooklyn Bridge on a weekend afternoon, try to survive a little bit longer, help may be on the way. City transportation officials announced Monday that plans were in the works to alleviate the pedestrian and bike traffic that threatens to become “Times Square in the Sky.” The New York Times reports that among the possibilities for the aging bridge is a new path to help reduce some of the current congestion.
Find out more

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More than just current events, here you'll learn about the places, people, and ideas that are shaping your city.