Rent Tyra Banks’s Massive Battery Park City Apartment for $50,000/Month
March 18, 2015

Rent Tyra Banks’s Massive Battery Park City Apartment for $50,000/Month

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The listing doesn't specify if you'll have to walk the runway or strike a pose to be considered for the role of "America's Next Top Tenant," but if having Tyra Banks as your landlord sounds appealing, and if you have $50,000 a month to spare, be sure to check out the supermodel's Battery Park City pad, which just hit the rental market, according to the Daily News. The 7,000-square-foot Riverhouse condo was originally four separate units on the 22nd and 23rd floors, which Banks bought in 2009 for $10.3 million. In 2011, she angered neighbors with the "ear-rattling drilling" and paint fumes from the renovation, which lasted nine months longer than the expected completion date. Hopefully the new renter will be more in line with the low-key, eco lifestyle of the residence, which is known as the greenest residential building on the East Coast.
Find out more here
This $1.55M Former Ballroom Is Right out of Cinderella’s Dreams
March 18, 2015

This $1.55M Former Ballroom Is Right out of Cinderella’s Dreams

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Trust us. Nothing’s turning back into a pumpkin at midnight here. This two-bedroom loft-style apartment at the Broadmoor used to be an extravagant 1920s ballroom, and it still has a number of the original details. The $1.55 million pad features 14-foot ceilings, original arched windows, original moldings and beams. And probably best of all, it has tons of light streaming in from 11 windows and three exposures.
More pics inside
Orlando Bloom Sells Tribeca Loft in Less Than One Month
March 18, 2015

Orlando Bloom Sells Tribeca Loft in Less Than One Month

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We speculated last month that Orlando Bloom's decision to list his Tribeca loft for $5.5 million, just five months after purchasing it for $4.88 million, might have had something to do with celebrity neighbor Taylor Swift, and it looks like that's the general consensus. The Daily News reports that the actor has sold his three-bedroom apartment at the Sugarloaf Warehouse building less than 30 days after it hit the market. Apparently, Swift and her A-list pals have turned the building into a paparazzi frenzy, which might have proved too much for the more low-key Bloom.
Take a look around the former Bloom abode
Interview: McSorley’s Historian Bill Wander Fills Us In on the Secrets of NYC’s Oldest Bar
March 17, 2015

Interview: McSorley’s Historian Bill Wander Fills Us In on the Secrets of NYC’s Oldest Bar

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Undoubtedly, there are hundreds of New Yorkers and out-of-towners planning to stop by McSorley's Old Ale House today for a St. Patrick's Day round of beers. But beyond the brews and bros, there's a deep history rooted in this East Village institution, and we've found the man who knows it all. The official historian of McSorley's, Bill Wander can give you the full timeline that dates McSorley's to 1854, making it the oldest bar in the city. He can also fill you in on all the tchotchkes adorning the walls of this Irish tavern, none of which have been removed since 1910. But more important than the textbook facts related to McSorley's, Bill has an undeniable passion for this watering hole, for both its important cultural history and the unique social atmosphere that keeps the bar a neighborhood mainstay after all these years. We recently chatted with Bill to find out some of the lesser-known details about McSorley's and what the title of "official historian" entails.
Read our full interview with Bill Wander here
Slab of Plexiglass Dislodges at One57 and Falls on Two Cars Below

Image © Wade Zimmerman courtesy of Agence Christian de Portzamparc (ACDP)

March 17, 2015

Slab of Plexiglass Dislodges at One57 and Falls on Two Cars Below

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Watch where you walk when treading near supertall towers. The WSJ reports that a stop work order has been issued at One57 after a kitchen table-sized piece of Plexiglass fell from the 22nd floor of the tower on Sunday, smashing into two parked cars down below. Thankfully no one was injured in the incident, but the accident is just one in a slew of construction mishaps that have plagued the building. In late February, glass from the tower landed on a neighboring building’s terrace, and last May, a windowpane fell from the 22nd floor, hitting a truck below. The building was also creating precarious conditions back in 2012 during Super Storm Sandy, when all of New York City looked on in horror as the support cable of an 80-ton crane at the top of the building broke, causing it dangle above their heads.
Is one57 cursed? Find out more here
25 Epic Buildings That Were Never Constructed
March 17, 2015

25 Epic Buildings That Were Never Constructed

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While we all love to ogle the latest and greatest rendering reveals, it's a shame how quickly we forget about the incredible architecture that could have risen once their plans get scrapped. To give a small consolation to the architects who spent countless hours and sleepless nights scribbling skyscrapers with the hope of transforming the built landscape, Rubberbond has created a nifty infographic showing 25 ambitious projects that today, for better or worse, only live on in drawings. From a pyramid-shaped mausoleum in London designed to hold five million corpses to a Sagrada Familia-like hotel Gaudí fashioned for NYC to a giant Bucky dome that could have covered Manhattan, have a look at all the lost designs ahead and then weigh in—was it a good idea these were dumped or would they have been great architectural additions?
See the whole thing here
Bookniture Is a Moleskine That Turns into a Handy Pop-Up Stool
March 17, 2015

Bookniture Is a Moleskine That Turns into a Handy Pop-Up Stool

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After the terrible snowstorms and generally freezing weather we went through this winter, it goes without saying that spring can't come soon enough. And one of the best ways to enjoy warmer times is to be out in the park, hanging with friends, having an alfresco picnic, or catching up on some work. For these outdoor occasions, Hong Kong-based designer Mike Mak created Bookniture, a light and stylish Moleskine-like stool/table that combines books and furniture in one pop-up design that you can bring on the go.
Learn more about this book-furniture piece
Peter Brant Files Work Permits for Converted Con Ed Station; Mad Men Sculpture Coming to Midtown
March 17, 2015

Peter Brant Files Work Permits for Converted Con Ed Station; Mad Men Sculpture Coming to Midtown

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In addition to transforming his East Village home and former Con Ed substation into a gallery and art study center, Peter Brant plans to restore the building’s façade and add a roof terrace, among other alterations. [EV Grieve] The city’s “Taxi Kingpin” can’t pay his bills thanks to Uber. [NYP] A permanent “Mad Men” sculpture is being […]

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Supermodel Freja Beha Erichsen Snags a Stunning $3M Carroll Gardens Townhouse
March 17, 2015

Supermodel Freja Beha Erichsen Snags a Stunning $3M Carroll Gardens Townhouse

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Supermodel and one-time Karl Lagerfield muse Freja Beha Erichsen has just scooped up a gorgeous Carroll Gardens townhouse for $3 million, according to city records. The edgy model's purchase comes as a bit of a surprise—as we would have guessed her to be more of a Williamsburg loft buyer than one looking in crunchy Carroll Gardens—but with one look at the gorgeous brick home, it's easy to see what pulled the Danish beauty in.
have a look inside
Will the Luck of the Irish Help This $18M, 17-Room UES Maisonette Finally Find a Buyer?
March 17, 2015

Will the Luck of the Irish Help This $18M, 17-Room UES Maisonette Finally Find a Buyer?

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From four leaf clovers to corned beef and cabbage, today’s the day to celebrate all things Irish, and with a bit of luck maybe the seventeen rooms of this grand residence located at 120 East End Avenue at the corner of 85th Street in Yorkville will finally find a buyer. Initially listed in 2012, this magnificent six-bedroom, sun-flooded, full-service cooperative offers an elegant, sophisticated living experience rarely available in Manhattan.
More photos of this exquisite home
March 16, 2015

Looking Back at the Gansevoort Pumping Station, the Building the New Whitney Museum Replaced

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As we all await the opening of the new building of the Whitney Museum for American Art in May, it might be interesting to see what's underneath it—or was. There's an old saying, "To create, you must first destroy," and so long as it doesn't specify how much of one and how good the other, the statement generally slips by without challenge. So it was with the Whitney's new site along the High Line in the Meatpacking District. There wasn't a lot that needed to be destroyed. There was, however, this little building, the Gansevoort Pumping Station, a small, classically inspired edifice with arches separated by pilasters. It was designed by Michael and Mitchell Bernstein, brothers who were widely known for turn of the twentieth-century tenements. Designed in 1906 and completed in 1908, it was built as a pumphouse for high-pressure fire service by the City of New York and later served as one of the area's quintessential meat markets.
Read the entire history of the site here
$7.25M East Village Building Boasts Rustic Charm (and 12 Income-Producing Apartments)
March 16, 2015

$7.25M East Village Building Boasts Rustic Charm (and 12 Income-Producing Apartments)

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While it’s true this six-story building located at 276 East 10th Street in the heart of the East Village is an incredible investment opportunity, we think the prospect of actually living here offers a different kind of reward. So, we’ll let the accountants and business gurus of the world calculate the financial upside of the rental income derived from the twelve apartments within, and the expansion potential the additional FAR of 2,306 square feet affords—we’re far more interested in the property’s absolutely gorgeous rustic charm that makes it feel worlds away from the city that never sleeps.
More photos this way
New Maps Show How Much You Need to Work in Order to Own a Home in NYC and Other Major Metros

Image via CityLab

March 16, 2015

New Maps Show How Much You Need to Work in Order to Own a Home in NYC and Other Major Metros

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Have you been thinking about buying a home in NYC? Well if you're single, get ready for a life of mortgage-gouging hardship. A new study conducted by the Martin Prosperity Institute takes a look at how much Americans spend on housing, where in the United States we're spending the most, and how many years we'll need to put in if we want to own a home in a big city.
maps and results here
‘No-Shadow’ Skyscraper Could Solve the Problem of Towers Blocking the Sun
March 16, 2015

‘No-Shadow’ Skyscraper Could Solve the Problem of Towers Blocking the Sun

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It's been one of the biggest criticisms of all of New York's new supertall towers–their shadow-casting, sun-blocking tendencies and the fact that there's nothing in place to regulate this. But a new skyscraper proposed for London may solve this urban dilemma. Architects at the London-based firm NBBJ digitally designed a pair of towers that are precisely aligned with curved and angled facades that act like mirrors to reflect down toward the street. According to the National Post, "In theory, one of the towers would reflect sunlight into the shadow of its sister tower, reducing the area of shade caused by the project as a whole."
More details ahead
Railfan Atlas Maps Train Porn Photos from All Over the World
March 16, 2015

Railfan Atlas Maps Train Porn Photos from All Over the World

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Though many of us would rather not look at another train once we get done with our daily commutes, others of us revel in the images of railfandom, a subculture of train enthusiasts. One self-professed rail geek, Nick Benson, even went so far as to create the Railfan Atlas, a worldwide collection of Flickr train photos. The images are geotagged, and there's a heat map that shows the hottest spots for train porn.
Click here to see the most popular spots in NYC for railfandom
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Love Hulten’s Senescent Desk Comes with an Enchanting Self-Sufficient Garden Built In
March 16, 2015

Love Hulten’s Senescent Desk Comes with an Enchanting Self-Sufficient Garden Built In

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If you feel you're spending too much time at your desk and too little time in nature, here's a way to bring a piece of the outside world in. Called the Senescent Desk, this whimsical work by Love Hulten comes with a self-sufficient gardening system that allows you to interact with a chunk of nature right at your desk—without all the work usually required when tending to plants.
Learn more about this desk with a garden
Robert Durst Arrested for Murder; Try the Mayor de Blasio Lateness Excuse Generator
March 16, 2015

Robert Durst Arrested for Murder; Try the Mayor de Blasio Lateness Excuse Generator

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Go inside the studios of five Brooklyn artists. [BK Mag] On the final episode last night of “The Jinx,” HBO’s Robert Durst crime documentary, the real estate scion implicated himself in the murders of three people and was arrested Saturday in New Orleans. [Forbes] Space-saving takeaways from a 48-square-foot kitchen. [Curbed] Are you chronically late? Try the Mayor […]

5,484 Affordable Housing Units Could Be Lost if 421-a Abatement Isn’t Renewed, Says New Report

Brooklyn’s Pacific Park development, one of the pipeline projects examined in the report for it’s affordable housing offer. Rendering by COOKFOX

March 16, 2015

5,484 Affordable Housing Units Could Be Lost if 421-a Abatement Isn’t Renewed, Says New Report

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This morning the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) released a report today saying if the city fails to renew the existing 421-a partial tax exemption program, we could stand to lose thousands of affordable units. REBNY took a look at a sample of projects in the pipeline—including Essex Crossing, 5Pointz, Domino and Pacific Park, amongst others—and found that 421-a is responsible for 5,484 affordable apartments and 13,801 market-rate units in these developments. They argue that without the abatement the theses units would be in jeopardy and be "immediately be sent back to the drawing board." They add that some of the units could even end up as high-end luxury condominiums and some of the middle- and low-income housing now in the works would be lost forever.
Find out more
Sales Launch at the Long-Awaited 52 Lispenard Street in Tribeca
March 16, 2015

Sales Launch at the Long-Awaited 52 Lispenard Street in Tribeca

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Sales have finally launched at the much-anticipated 52 Lispenard Street, after we’ve spent more than a year drooling over its teaser site. The seven-story structure is a combination of two landmarked 19th century buildings on a short Tribeca street. So far, two of the building’s floor-through apartments—units 2 and 4—are available, asking $6.65 million and $7.5 million. The remaining four apartments include two more full-floor apartments with three to five bedrooms, one triplex townhouse, and one triplex penthouse, with prices ranging up to $11 million.
More pics inside
Weekly Highlights: Top Picks from the 6sqft Staff
March 14, 2015

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks from the 6sqft Staff

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Here’s a Map of Where the World’s Insanely Rich Live ‘Taxi’ Star Judd Hirsch Buys $400K Greenwich Village Studio from His Former Assistant Pikettyscrapers: What You Call Those Expensive Supertall Buildings Nobody Lives In Tiny 500-Square-Foot Apartment Is as Fashionable as Its Chelsea Address Jessica Chastain Snags a Gorgeous Osborne Co-op Once Owned by Leonard […]

New Renderings for 212 Fifth Avenue Show a Whimsical Top-Floor Restaurant and Enormous Clock
March 13, 2015

New Renderings for 212 Fifth Avenue Show a Whimsical Top-Floor Restaurant and Enormous Clock

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With the debut of their newly-sharpened website, the visual-realization whizzes at AJSNY are seeking to steal some Apple Watch buzz with this stunningly whimsical rooftop addition atop the now-under-conversion 212 Fifth Avenue in Nomad. The conceptual vision, designed by the rendering team themselves, shows a bronze-clad, multi-story addition wrapped with sinuous ribbons framing an enormous south-facing clock. Below the steampunk-esque penthouse, AJSNY depicts a standard condo-conversion affair of open layouts and double-height spaces for the 1913 neo-medieval tower. The team's images also give us an idea of what the official owners–Madison Equities, Thor Equities, and Building and Land Technology–have in mind for this quintessential Manhattan address. The scheme is not official or approved, but it certainly is creative.
More details on the proposed design ahead
Colorful $2M Loft on the Edge of Little Italy Is Anything but Little
March 13, 2015

Colorful $2M Loft on the Edge of Little Italy Is Anything but Little

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There’s a spacious $2 million loft available at 118 Forsyth Street, right on the cusp of the Lower East Side and Little Italy. This home was purchased for $1.21 million in 2009, and while it currently has an open layout, there’s definitely plenty of room to add multiple rooms and additional bathrooms. So basically, this place is a turnkey build-your-dream-home. Winning!
More pics inside
New Map Reveals Which Luxury Skyscrapers Are Siphoning Your Tax Dollars
March 13, 2015

New Map Reveals Which Luxury Skyscrapers Are Siphoning Your Tax Dollars

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By now it's no secret that there's an unbalanced tax system in place for those living in the city's luxury towers, but exactly how much is being lost–and where–has for the most part been a mystery. To shed some light on just how much of our money goes into subsidizing the likes of One57 and its eye-poppingly expensive friends, the Municipal Arts Society (MAS) has created a map (h/t Gothamist) that shows not only how much tax each of the city's top buildings skip out on annually under the 421a tax abatement, but how long their exemption will last—which together can add up to staggering amounts for many. Last year alone, MAS found that we forfeited $1.1 billion in tax revenue and 60 percent of that went to building apartments in Manhattan targeted at the 1 percent.
Find out more here

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New Micro Apartment Communities Are Flexible but Not Cheap

Is this the dorm-itization of NYC? via 20071110_0213 via photopin (license)

March 13, 2015

New Micro Apartment Communities Are Flexible but Not Cheap

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With shared office spaces like WeWork taking the city by storm, it's no surprise that the residential real estate community is looking to get in on the commune-style action, especially considering the city's push for micro housing. The Daily News reports on "communal living hubs with micro-apartments for young professionals," calling it the "dorm-itization of New York City." Instead of traditional one-year leases, these new setups are offering month-to-month contracts where tenants came rent a room at the snap of a finger and move out just as easily. They can also freely apartment hop between buildings of the same owner. In theory, it sounds great for first-time New Yorkers, fresh-out-of-college twenty-somethings, and just about anyone with an uncertainly factor to their lives. But the News notes that a standard, five-bedroom micro apartment community has a lease of about $10,000/month, meaning that the modern nomads renting out rooms are still paying roughly $2,000/month, pretty steep for a single bedroom in a unit shared with a stranger.
Find out more about the new real estate trend
Infographic: The Tallest Buildings of the Last 5,000 Years Charted
March 13, 2015

Infographic: The Tallest Buildings of the Last 5,000 Years Charted

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From the pyramids of Teotihuacan to One World Trade, here are the tallest buildings of the last 5,000 years. Slovakian artist and designer Martin Vargic created six infographics that chart the history of buildings across Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, South America and Oceania. The infographics, which date buildings (and a few notable monuments) as far back as 2,650 B.C., give a pretty complete look, highlighting the construction's name, shape, height (which does account for a tower's spire), the year it was erected, and the years it was its continent's, if not the world's (denoted by a red shading), tallest building. The charts also give a good snapshot of the great skyscraper race that took hold in the early 20th century, as well as shifts in global money as seen in the emergence of Asian skyscrapers like Taipei 101 and the Burj Khalifa in the mid-2000s. You can get a closer look by expanding the image ahead.
This way for the complete picture
Did the Seagram Building Ruin Modern Office Towers?; Remembering Postmodernist Architect Michael Graves
March 13, 2015

Did the Seagram Building Ruin Modern Office Towers?; Remembering Postmodernist Architect Michael Graves

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Hate your soulless office tower? Maybe you should blame the Seagram Building. [Fast Co. Design] Attend a lecture tonight to learn about the history and renovation of High Bridge, the oldest standing bridge in NYC. [NYC H2O] Michael Graves, postmodernist architect who designed towers and teakettles, dies at 80. [NYT] There’s some passive aggressive blog feuding […]

Jendretzki-Designed Greenwich Village Rental Offers Spa-Like Sanctuary for $25K/Month
March 13, 2015

Jendretzki-Designed Greenwich Village Rental Offers Spa-Like Sanctuary for $25K/Month

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A few short years ago this charming home at 530 LaGuardia Place was the epitome of an old school artist’s loft and on the market for $2.7 million. The wide-open space with soaring ceilings and hardwood floors was punctuated by original columns, an abundance of natural light, and the requisite exposed brick. Scattered among the apartment’s classic details and integral to the home’s design theme were trappings of the prior inhabitants, two artists who had lived and worked in the home for 40 years. In-progress paintings, canvases, work tables, and paint supplies all contributed to the home’s bohemian aesthetic. Fast-forward to 2015. While the traditional loft architectural elements all remain, this three-bedroom 3,300-square-foot Greenwich Village loft is nearly unrecognizable from its more understated predecessor, the result of an impeccable redesign by Pablo Jendretzki.
Check out more of this spa-like home
New Yorker Spotlight: David Brooks, Illuminating the City One Bulb at a Time
March 13, 2015

New Yorker Spotlight: David Brooks, Illuminating the City One Bulb at a Time

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A block from Bloomingdales, on 60th right off of Third, is a store that every New Yorker should know about. The store sells 36,000 kinds of one thing, and its name gives it away: Just Bulbs. Just Bulbs has been taking care of New York’s light bulb needs in one variation or another since 1945. It's currently owned and run by David Brooks, who began working at the family business back in 1982. Since he hit the register at Just Bulbs over thirty years ago, he has learned as much about bulbs as people. And when it comes to people, they are often buying the wrong bulbs. Wanting an insider's look into the world of bulbs, I recently visited Just Bulbs to speak with David. In between questions, he was ringing up customers and answering questions over the phone. For David, today was just another day helping New York keep the lights on.
Read our interview with David here
World’s Skinniest Tower 111 West 57th Street Will Offer $100M Condos
March 13, 2015

World’s Skinniest Tower 111 West 57th Street Will Offer $100M Condos

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Poised to become the world's skinniest tower and one of the hemisphere's tallest, it's no wonder that 111 West 57th Street will ask around $100 million for its condos, not to be outdone by other nine-digit supertalls like 220 Central Park South's $175 million penthouse, the $150 million penthouse at the Sony Building, and One57′s record $100 million sale, which currently holds the title for the most expensive unit ever sold in the city. Curbed has uncovered filings with the Attorney General's office that show the preliminary price list for the SHoP-designed 1,421-foot tower, which is being developed by JDS Development Group and Property Markets Group. The records indicate that there will be condos in the landmarked Steinway Hall, as well in the tower addition. "The 'landmark units' will be smaller and cheaper, starting at $1 million for a studio, while the 'tower units' will start at $13 million for a three-bedroom."
More details and the price list ahead
Going Up: Uncovering the Art Deco Elevators of Landmarked Building Interiors

Chrysler Building elevators via Wally Gobetz on Flickr

March 12, 2015

Going Up: Uncovering the Art Deco Elevators of Landmarked Building Interiors

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Earlier this week, we visited the New York School of Interior Design's latest exhibit, Rescued, Restored, Reimagined: New York's Landmark Interiors, which, on the 50th anniversary of New York’s landmark legislation, features photography and information about more than 20 public spaces, known and little-known, that have been designated as interior landmarks. Looking through images of restored Broadway theaters, perfectly preserved coffered rotundas and period furniture, we couldn't help getting stuck on one often-overlooked element–the elevator. For most of us who live in a high rise or work in a typical office building, the elevator doors are just another blank wall that we stare at, only paying attention when they open and usher us in. But when the city's great Art Deco buildings were rising, the elevators were an extension of the lavish ornamentation and geometric details of the façade and interior lobby. We've rounded up some of our favorite Art Deco elevators in landmarked interiors, which means they're all publicly accessible so you can check them all out first hand.
Go up in style here
$3M Tribeca Loft Boasts Gorgeous Brick Arches
March 12, 2015

$3M Tribeca Loft Boasts Gorgeous Brick Arches

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There’s a new loft available at 35 Vestry Street that literally oozes New York character while having just the right amount of polish to still be a luxury pad. The full-floor loft is described as a “2.5-bedroom” because it has two bedrooms and a section that could serve as a nursery or an office, as well as a modern kitchen and a closet straight out of Carrie Bradshaw’s dreams. Now if only we can scrape up the $2.995 million for it and still make it to daily brunch with our girlfriends...
More pics inside
Pikettyscrapers: What You Call Those Expensive Supertall Buildings Nobody Lives In

Image: NYC’s 2018 future skyline via CityRealty

March 12, 2015

Pikettyscrapers: What You Call Those Expensive Supertall Buildings Nobody Lives In

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Supertall, pencil tower, megatall, superslim, skinnyscraper... As we struggle for new ways to describe all the glass and stone towers popping up in Manhattan, we've come to notice that not one person has come up with a way to describe all those skyscrapers being scooped up, floor by floor, by the superrich, never to be lived in. Now enter the Skyscraper Dictionary, a cheeky reference site (created because "The world needs one.") that's coined all the vocab you need to throw around next time you find yourself talking about NYC's skyscraper boom. So, what do you call those super-luxury towers that nobody lives in? How about pikettyscrapers.
Find out how the term was coined
Prospect Park West Townhouse May Be Brooklyn’s Most Expensive; Studio Rents Are Way Up
March 12, 2015

Prospect Park West Townhouse May Be Brooklyn’s Most Expensive; Studio Rents Are Way Up

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Prospect Park West townhouse once home to Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany could be Brooklyn’s most expensive sale. [Curbed] The landmarked One Chase Manhattan Plaza will get a newly renovated plaza and storefront. [WSJ] The NYC task force going up against Airbnb may be tripled in size. [NYP] Manhattan studio rents have jumped 10 percent year-over-year. [TRD] Images: 17 […]

65-Story Residential Tower with Sky-High Gardens Coming to 37th Street
March 12, 2015

65-Story Residential Tower with Sky-High Gardens Coming to 37th Street

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There's a new 65-story pencil-thin tower coming to 37th Street slated to rise 700 feet into the sky. Perkins+Will publicly announced the building in a press release today, which came alongside news they had won the MIPIM Architectural Review Future Projects Award for the unbuilt tower at the annual MIPIM real estate gathering in Cannes, France. The press release described the new skyscraper as a structure "emerging from its shimmering, angled curtain wall...organized with five clusters of shared amenity and park spaces for residents to enjoy, at specific intervals along the tower's rise."
find out more here
$2M Forest Hills Home Is So Exquisite We’d Be Happy Living in the Laundry Room
March 12, 2015

$2M Forest Hills Home Is So Exquisite We’d Be Happy Living in the Laundry Room

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We kid you not. Every inch of this impeccable $2M residence at 69-54 Groton Street in Forest Hills featuring magnificent new construction is absolutely stunning, including the laundry room which is considerably nicer than many of the studio apartments we’ve seen for rent in the city—and where we’d be more than happy to camp out for a few weeks….or a year.
More about this impeccable home
Kelly Ripa Revealed as Buyer of $27M UES Townhouse
March 12, 2015

Kelly Ripa Revealed as Buyer of $27M UES Townhouse

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When it made headlines that Kelly Ripa had sold her posh Soho penthouse at 76 Crosby Street for $20 million ($4.5 million under the asking price), most people assumed the fun-loving, down-to-earth talk show host would swap the apartment for another downtown home. But in a surprising twist of celebrity real estate, the Daily News revealed today that she and her […]

Nonprofits Urge the U.S. Treasury Department to Scrutinize Foreign Real Estate Buyers

The Time Warner Center, a hotbed of anonymous foreign investment

March 12, 2015

Nonprofits Urge the U.S. Treasury Department to Scrutinize Foreign Real Estate Buyers

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The media has been abuzz lately with talk of international mystery property buyers and the shell companies they use to hide their real names. Tired of the shady tactics, a group of 17 nonprofits is calling upon the U.S. Treasury Department to harder scrutinize foreign real estate buyers by verifying their actual identities and screening them for any risk of money laundering. The request came in the form of a letter sent to the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network on Tuesday that asks for a repeal of a 2002 exemption from the Patriot Act that was granted to the real estate industry. The Patriot Act was signed into law in 2001 following 9/11 to heighten security and allow for broader means of investigation. Under the act, real estate professionals would be required to "conduct due diligence checks on their customers," according to the Times. But after the industry lobbied against this, they were exempted from the regulations.
More details ahead
Jessica Chastain Snags a Gorgeous Osborne Co-op Once Owned by Leonard Bernstein
March 11, 2015

Jessica Chastain Snags a Gorgeous Osborne Co-op Once Owned by Leonard Bernstein

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Jessica Chastain, who has been on a house hunt for over a year, has finally found the home of her dreams. The Post reports that the Oscar-nominated actress will be joining the world's upper crust at the landmarked Osborne at 205 West 57th Street. Chastain is said to have paid $5.1M for the home which itself also boasts a legendary story, being once owned by famed composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein for more than a decade—a highlight that was apparently one of the biggest draws for the Juilliard-trained actress.
Take a peek inside
City Proposes New Zoning Plan to Increase Affordability, Current Height Limits to Be Lifted
March 11, 2015

City Proposes New Zoning Plan to Increase Affordability, Current Height Limits to Be Lifted

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On the surface it sounds like a great idea: Adjust zoning regulations to better accommodate the Mayor's goal of preserving and creating 200,000 units of affordable housing. But some are angered that the proposal would lift current zoning protections and height limits by as much as 20 to 30 percent. According to the Department of City Planning, the newly released plan, called Housing New York: Zoning for Quality and Affordability, addresses the city's outdated zoning regulations that don't reflect today's housing needs or construction practices. However, an email from the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation asserts: "The proposal would change the rules for ‘contextual’ zoning districts throughout the city–zoning districts which communities frequently fought hard to secure, to limit the height of new development and keep it in character with the surrounding neighborhood."
More information ahead
Tiny 500-Square-Foot Apartment Is as Fashionable as Its Chelsea Address
March 11, 2015

Tiny 500-Square-Foot Apartment Is as Fashionable as Its Chelsea Address

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Though we tend to focus on larger than life luxury apartments, we've certainly come to love the creative tenacity that comes with living small. Our latest gem comes from Foz Design, led by Fauzia Khanani, who worked to renovate this 500-square-foot pied-à-terre for a Dutch composer and Manhattanite journalist. Located in a pre-war, landmarked building in the heart of Chelsea, Foz managed to create a glamorous modern home with plenty of old world charm.
more interiors this way
70-Story Residential Tower Coming to Long Island City; Piero Lissoni Chosen to Design Interiors of 45 Park Place
March 11, 2015

70-Story Residential Tower Coming to Long Island City; Piero Lissoni Chosen to Design Interiors of 45 Park Place

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Long Island City’s skyline continues to take shape. A new 70-story tower is slated to bring hundreds of residential units to the area. [TRD] Italian architect Piero Lissoni will design the residences and amenities at stunner 45 Park Place, which is being designed by a team made up of SOMA and Jean Nouvel. [6sqft inbox] Billionaire David Bren […]

Artist Remko Heemskerk’s Graphic Urban Prints Are Inspired by His Personal Experiences in New York

East 10th Street, East Village © 2012 – 2015 Remko Heemskerk

March 11, 2015

Artist Remko Heemskerk’s Graphic Urban Prints Are Inspired by His Personal Experiences in New York

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It's pretty common to find photographs or paintings of iconic New York City landscapes and streetscapes, but there's usually not much of a reason behind the artist's choice other than that everyone knows these sites or they'll likely sell well. Netherlands-born artist Remko Heemskerk, however, created this print series from the inspiration of his personal experiences living in the city. Each site has a special meaning to him, whether it be the view from his apartment window or the spot where he and his wife kissed goodbye every morning. The visual element that sets Heemskerk's work apart is its bright, graphic composition. Rather than using realistic colors or traditional black-and-white, he chose a style that he feels reflects the vibrancy of New York City and its residents.
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Architect Marc Kushner Discusses How Social Media Will Dictate Future Architecture
March 11, 2015

Architect Marc Kushner Discusses How Social Media Will Dictate Future Architecture

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Marc Kushner's architectural star has been on the rise over the last few years thanks to his booming practice, HWKN (Hollwich Kushner), and his super popular web venture Architizer (maybe you've heard of it?). So it only makes sense that TED would invite Kushner to offer up his thoughts on the state of architecture today and what he sees in its future—which happens to involve more of your input than you'd ever guess. In what is a quite an enlightening and inspiring talk, Kushner takes us through the architectural styles of the last thirty years, and more interestingly, how social media is completely transforming the profession.
watch the video here

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