6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

New York City real estate made a major comeback to close out 2021, experts say. According to a new report from Compass, condo and co-op sales volume hit $7 billion in the last quarter of the year, the highest of any fourth quarter on record. More than 3,400 apartments were sold in this quarter, between October 1 and December 31, up 79 percent from the previous year and the highest total in a Q4 since 2013. After Covid crippled much of the market in 2020, 2021 saw an impressive turnaround in Manhattan, particularly with the sales of luxury properties, new development condos, and townhouses.
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See NYC’s sweeping master plan that promises climate resilience for Lower Manhattan

Image credit: NYCEDC

January 4, 2022

See NYC’s sweeping master plan that promises climate resilience for Lower Manhattan

New York City has taken an important step toward protecting one of the country’s largest central business districts from the costly and destructive effects of climate change. The city's Economic Development Corporation and the Mayor's Office of Climate Resiliency recently released the Financial District and Seaport Climate Resilience Master Plan. At a projected cost of up to $7 billion, this environmental blueprint for the Lower Manhattan shoreline imagines a resilient waterfront that can withstand severe storms and rising sea levels.
Find out more about the plan

NYC unveils plan for 100% affordable homeownership development in Bed-Stuy

Rendering courtesy of Leong Leong

January 4, 2022

NYC unveils plan for 100% affordable homeownership development in Bed-Stuy

The city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development last week announced their plan for the construction of a 100 percent affordable homeownership development in Bed-Stuy as part of the Bedford-Stuyvesant Housing Plan. HPD, along with Almat Urban and the Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, will work to develop the Norma, an 11-story mixed-use development that will bring 44 homeownership opportunities to first-time home buyers. Located on Fulton Street and Howard Avenue, The Norma will offer a mix of condo-style units ranging from one to three bedrooms designated for those with low to moderate household incomes.
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This $4.5M penthouse has the breathtaking bridge and Manhattan skyline views you only get in Dumbo

Photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

January 4, 2022

This $4.5M penthouse has the breathtaking bridge and Manhattan skyline views you only get in Dumbo

Asking $4,500,000, this penthouse loft condo sits atop the Sweeney Building at 30 Main Street in Dumbo. The 1,887 square-foot loft has three bedrooms and 18 windows for taking in panoramic, unobstructed views of the East River, bridges, and city skylines. But the most coveted perk may be the huge private terrace where said views can be enjoyed outdoors.
Wait til you see the roof deck

Brooklyn Heights co-op with charming bay window and original stained glass asks $825K

Photo credit: Shannon Dupre with DDreps

January 3, 2022

Brooklyn Heights co-op with charming bay window and original stained glass asks $825K

This available, cozy Brooklyn Heights one-bedroom radiates pre-war charm, while also boasting modern interiors. Located at 149 Willow Street on a tree-lined block, the co-op features a renovated kitchen and spacious layout. A major highlight of the apartment is the living room's lovely bay window that overlooks treetops and features original stained glass at the top. It's currently on the market for $825,000.
See inside

Distinctive Homes

Hochul announces Covid ‘surge plan 2.0’ as New York sees record number of daily cases

Photo of Gov. Kathy Hochul announcing the Winter Surge Plan 2.0 by Don Pollard/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

January 3, 2022

Hochul announces Covid ‘surge plan 2.0’ as New York sees record number of daily cases

On Friday, the state of New York recorded over 85,000 new cases of the coronavirus, the highest daily total since the start of the pandemic. Nearly 50,000 of those cases were reported in New York City alone. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced over the holiday weekend a "winter surge plan 2.0," an attempt to strengthen the state's fight against Covid with more testing, additional testing sites, and an increase in access to vaccines.
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Policy

Lottery opens at Williamsburg’s 45-story rental One South First, from $1,550/month

Image courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

January 3, 2022

Lottery opens at Williamsburg’s 45-story rental One South First, from $1,550/month

A housing lottery opened this week for 89 middle-income apartments in Williamsburg's tallest building, One South First. Developed by Two Trees Management and designed by COOKFOX Architects, One South First is a 45-story mixed-use building developed on the former Domino Sugar Factory site. New Yorkers earning 80, 125, and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, which range from $1,550/month studios to $3,169/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Walk-in Covid testing now available at 7 subway stations across NYC

Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

January 3, 2022

Walk-in Covid testing now available at 7 subway stations across NYC

Pop-up coronavirus testing sites are now open at seven subway stations across New York City. After opening two walk-in PCR testing sites at Grand Central and Times Square stations last week, Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority opened additional sites at five subway stations, including Penn Station, Broadway Junction in Brooklyn, East 180th Street in the Bronx, and Roosevelt Avenue and Jamaica-179th Street in Queens. The state is currently experiencing a record surge in new Covid cases, which officials are attributing to the highly contagious Omicron variant.
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Policy

Distinctive Homes

For $1.45M, this barrel-fronted Bay Ridge home offers three floors for living and lots of outdoor space

This $839K co-op in an Upper West Side mansion has a presidential connection

$7.2M penthouse is most expensive sponsor sale in Williamsburg

A grown-up townhouse with a Bushwick address–and a koi pond–asks $2M

Bob Dylan's former Turtle Bay home asks $7.25M

Behold the breathtaking views from this $18M home on the Montauk coastline

For $25M, a Flatiron penthouse in a golden cupola, with Manhattan at your feet

A Victoria's Secret model's angelic East Village flat with a solarium and terrace asks $2.9M

Paul Newman's Fifth Avenue co-op is on the market for $10M

This $3.15M co-op embodies East Village cool, all grown up

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The 2007 Times Square Ball during construction. Image courtesy of Focus Lighting.

December 30, 2021

How the Times Square Ball is made

By Dana Schulz

When midnight hits this New Year's Eve, the Times Square Ball will dazzle people just the same from five feet away or on their television. Making this magic happen is no easy feat, though. To learn a bit more about how the nearly 12,000-pound ball was created, we chatted with principal designer Christine Hope of Focus Lighting, the architectural lighting design firm that conceptualized the current ball more than 10 years ago. From engineering a new system to make all 2,688 Waterford Crystal triangles sparkle to dreaming up the magical light show that plays leading up to the ball drop, Focus Lighting shares the inside scoop on this world-famous tradition.
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NYC Ferry continues expansion with new Bronx stop in Throgs Neck

NYC Ferry launched service in Throgs Neck in the Bronx with the opening of a new landing at Ferry Point Park. Tuesday, December 28, 2021. Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

December 29, 2021

NYC Ferry continues expansion with new Bronx stop in Throgs Neck

Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday cut the ribbon on a new ferry landing in the Bronx. Located at Ferry Point Park in Throgs Neck, the new landing extends NYC Ferry's Soundview route, which stops on the Upper East Side, Midtown, and the Financial District. With the addition of this new stop, the Soundview route begins at Ferry Point Park, continuing onto stops in Soundview, East 90th Street, 34th Street, Stuyvesant Cove, and Wall Street/Pier 11. The entire route takes a total of 60 minutes.
Details here

Lottery opens for 324 units at world’s largest affordable Passive House, from $388/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

December 29, 2021

Lottery opens for 324 units at world’s largest affordable Passive House, from $388/month

A housing lottery opened this week for more than 300 apartments at the world's largest fully affordable Passive House. Sendero Verde is a mixed-use project currently under construction in East Harlem that includes affordable housing, community space, retail, outdoor gardens, and a school. As part of phase one, the 100 percent affordable building designed by Handel Architects is now accepting applications for 324 mixed-income units. New Yorkers earning 30, 40, 50, 60, 80, and 110 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, which range from $388/month studios to $2,524/month three bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

NYC schools will reopen in January with increased Covid testing

Image courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

December 28, 2021

NYC schools will reopen in January with increased Covid testing

Despite a surge in new coronavirus cases, New York City officials said classrooms will reopen after winter break and stay open. Mayor Bill de Blasio and Mayor-elect Eric Adams announced on Tuesday public schools will reopen as scheduled on January 3 with new health and safety measures in place, moving away from the remote learning model which many schools across the country have shifted to due to the recent surge in cases. Put together by the de Blasio administration and incoming Adams administration, the “Stay Safe and Stay Open" plan utilizes a massive increase in testing that will allow classrooms to stay open even if students test positive.
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Policy

NYC to invest $75M towards completion of long-awaited Bushwick Inlet Park

Image courtesy of Photographer/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

December 28, 2021

NYC to invest $75M towards completion of long-awaited Bushwick Inlet Park

After 16 years, the 27-acre waterfront park planned for North Brooklyn has taken a major step towards completion. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Monday that the city has allocated $75 million of its budget for the construction of the final piece of Bushwick Inlet Park. The funding will be for work on the next phases of the park, which begins with the demolition of the CitiStorage warehouse that sits on a parcel of land the city purchased in 2017 but has yet to rebuild.
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Photos courtesy of Warburg Realty

December 28, 2021

A terrace and high-floor views make this $4.6M pre-war classic six the perfect Park Avenue pad

Asking $4,575,000, this two-bedroom co-op at 1095 Park Avenue is the epitome of a classic Upper East Side co-op with six rooms, pre-war details, and lots of living space. Not every "sky-townhouse" has a terrace, but this one does.
Take the grand tour

Distinctive Homes

164 affordable units available at the Peninsula complex in the South Bronx, from $396/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

December 27, 2021

164 affordable units available at the Peninsula complex in the South Bronx, from $396/month

A housing lottery opened this week for more than 160 affordable apartments at a new development in the South Bronx. Developed by Gilbane Development Company, Hudson Companies, and the Mutual Housing Association of New York, Peninsula 1B is a mixed-use building that is part of a project to replace the notorious former Spofford Juvenile Detention Center in Hunts Point. New Yorkers earning 30, 40, 50, 60, and 80 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments which range from $396/month studios to $2,131/month three-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

Announcing 6sqft’s 2021 Building of the Year!

Photo credits, clockwise: Colin Miller, Related Companies, Colin Miller, Related Companies

December 27, 2021

Announcing 6sqft’s 2021 Building of the Year!

By 6sqft

The votes are in. The 2021 Building of the Year title belongs to Lantern House, the pair of bubbled towers on the High Line. The Chelsea condo project edged out the competition with 618 votes, or 23.9 percent of the 2,587 votes cast. Developed by Related and designed by Heatherwick Studio with SLCE Architects, Lantern House contains a mix of 181 one- to four-bedroom units split between the two towers, one which rises 10 stories and the other, 22 stories. This year's contest was a photo finish, with The Brooklyn Tower in a close second place with 615 votes, or 23.8 percent of the total votes.
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New Developments

New Year’s Eve ball drop in Times Square to be scaled back because of Covid

After announcing last month that this year's Times Square New Year's Eve celebration will return to maximum capacity, Mayor Bill de Blasio broke the news on Thursday that the celebration will be scaled back to protect attendees from the Omicron variant. Usually hosting 58,000 guests, the celebratory event will be reduced to 15,000 attendees and include additional safety measures like the use of masks. Those planning on taking part in the celebration must provide full proof of vaccination with photo identification.
See more here

Events & Things To Do

For $1.8M, a charming Clinton Hill duplex with a two-level backyard and a downstairs rec room

Photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

December 27, 2021

For $1.8M, a charming Clinton Hill duplex with a two-level backyard and a downstairs rec room

Asking $1,825,000, this airy duplex garden condo at 260 Greene Avenue in Clinton Hill has two official bedrooms and two and a half baths. A sunny backyard spans both levels, serving as an outdoor extension of a lower-level rec room. Known as Copper House, the new-construction condominium residence was completed in 2014.
Tour the duplex

$3M waterfront home on Long Island offers East End living with a Nantucket vibe

Photo credit: Image Habitat for The Corcoran Group

December 23, 2021

$3M waterfront home on Long Island offers East End living with a Nantucket vibe

This unique home at 127 Senix Avenue in Center Moriches offers south-of-the-highway waterfront living without the Hamptons crowds. The property, asking $2,990,000, sits on Moriches Bay, anchored by a classic circa 1890 Nantucket-style home. In addition to renovated interiors, a quaint guest house, a boathouse, and an in-ground pool, verdant grounds make this a dream vacation residence.
Tour the waterfront compound

Distinctive Homes

Everything you need to host a NYE party in your NYC apartment

Photo by cottonbro on pexels

December 23, 2021

Everything you need to host a NYE party in your NYC apartment

By Lizzy Briskin

Ring in 2022 on a festive note with these tips and easy buys to make your apartment (no matter how small) party-ready. Whether you’re eager to leave 2021 behind or you’re looking forward to a night spent reminiscing on the highs of the past year, your New Year's Eve party should feel decadent, festive, and sophisticated. If you’re planning a party for a small New York City space, good news: we have the best tips, tricks, and products that will ensure you and your guests have a night to remember.
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On the Upper West Side, an Emery Roth-designed co-op overlooking Central Park asks $7.4M

All photos: Compass/ Michael J. Franco

December 22, 2021

On the Upper West Side, an Emery Roth-designed co-op overlooking Central Park asks $7.4M

A pre-war Upper West Side co-op designed by an influential architect with views of Central Park? It doesn't get much more classic New York City living than that. A stunning eight-room duplex at 15 West 81st Street is now on the market for $7,350,000. Stretching across floors 12 and 13, the spacious apartment not only benefits from a prime address, but also pre-war features, like herringbone floors, original banister, and moldings.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

‘2022’ numerals arrive in Times Square after cross-country trip

Image courtesy of Times Square Alliance

December 22, 2021

‘2022’ numerals arrive in Times Square after cross-country trip

The New Year has arrived in New York. The iconic seven-foot-tall numerals that sit beneath the New Year's Eve crystal ball arrived in Times Square on Monday. The numbers are available for viewing at Times Square Plaza between 46th and 47th Street until noon on December 23 until they take their place on top of One Times Square.
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Events & Things To Do

Apply for 59 middle-income apartments in South Williamsburg, from $1,382/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

December 22, 2021

Apply for 59 middle-income apartments in South Williamsburg, from $1,382/month

A housing lottery opened this week for 59 luxury apartments at a new development situated near the border of South Williamsburg and Bed-Stuy in Brooklyn. Developed by Riverside Developers, the eight-floor residential building, dubbed the Rose Castle Project, is located at 33 Little Nassau Street, between Kent and Franklin Avenues. New Yorkers earning 70, 90, and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, which range from $1,382/month one-bedrooms to $2,520/month two-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

10 ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve 2021 in NYC without the Times Square crowds

Photo by Edoardo Tommasini from Pexels

December 22, 2021

10 ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve 2021 in NYC without the Times Square crowds

New Yorkers are emerging and socializing, but we're still being cautious. That means you might not feel like mixing and mingling with a massive crowd of revelers from all over the planet. If you’d rather enjoy a more subtle celebration, check out the events we've listed below. Note that while the parties and performances were still on the calendar at publication, some venues are canceling more populous events in the name of extra caution, so double check before heading out. For all events, you can be sure mask and vaccine-proof protocols will be in place, so plan accordingly.
2022, this way

Events & Things To Do

Former Fort Greene home of Notorious B.I.G. sells for $2M

All photos courtesy of Compass

December 21, 2021

Former Fort Greene home of Notorious B.I.G. sells for $2M

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

After just over three months on the market, the Fort Greene home that once belonged to the late rapper Notorious B.I.G. sold last week for $2,000,000, as the New York Post first reported. Located at 159 Carlton Avenue, the two-bedroom duplex sits within a former stable building and underwent a major renovation by the current owner, a well-known costume designer. The home, which is where Biggie lived when he released his iconic 1994 album "Ready to Die," was listed for $1,700,000 in September.
Get the details

THE 6SQFT SHOP

The best websites for buying and selling used furniture in NYC

The 6 best furniture rental companies in NYC

8 best places in NYC to thrift for home goods

Everything you need to know about using a guarantor in NYC

15 quintessential NYC gifts for the New Yorker in your life

New York City's best holiday markets of 2023

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

10 best plants for apartment dwellers

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

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NYC is offering $100 to New Yorkers who receive Covid booster by end of year

Image courtesy of Don Pollard/Office of former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo

December 21, 2021

NYC is offering $100 to New Yorkers who receive Covid booster by end of year

To combat the rapid upsurge of Covid cases in New York City due to the Omicron variant, the city is offering New Yorkers an incentive to get their booster shot. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Tuesday city-run vaccination sites, as well as city-partnered SOMOS clinics, will be giving $100 to every New Yorker getting their booster starting today through December 31.
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Policy

These are the library books New Yorkers checked out the most in 2021

Images courtesy of NYPL

December 21, 2021

These are the library books New Yorkers checked out the most in 2021

In another year dominated by the coronavirus pandemic, New Yorkers looked to the public library system for solace. New York City’s public libraries on Tuesday released their annual list of the most checked-out books of 2021. At the New York Public Library, which includes branches in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island, the most borrowed book for the second year in a row was Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half. In Brooklyn, Bennett’s novel also took the top spot. In Queens, the most borrowed book was The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah.
Full list ahead

City Living

East Village duplex with a dreamy garden and balcony asks $3.5M

All photos by Rise Media

December 21, 2021

East Village duplex with a dreamy garden and balcony asks $3.5M

For many homebuyers in New York City, outdoor space is a must-have amenity. While most will settle for any slice of green space or sliver of a balcony, this available East Village duplex offers both. The two-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath condo at 62 East 1st Street offers a dreamy 1,000-square-foot backyard garden and patio, with a spacious balcony above it. The home is now on the market for $3,488,000.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

Ride NYC’s oldest operating subway cars one last time before the MTA retires them

Photo of an R32 subway car by Mtattrain on Wikimedia

December 20, 2021

Ride NYC’s oldest operating subway cars one last time before the MTA retires them

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is set to retire the R-32, one of the oldest operating subway cars in the world, in early 2022. The R-32 has carried New Yorkers to their destinations for 58 years but has fallen out of use due to the modernization of the subway system. To honor their incredible legacy, an R-32 train will run on each consecutive Sunday in December before being officially retired in early January.
See more here

All renderings: James Corner Field Operations and BIG- Bjarke Ingels Group

December 20, 2021

Plan for Bjarke Ingels-designed high-rises and public beach in Williamsburg is approved

Two massive high-rise towers with over 1,000 apartments and a resilient waterfront public park are officially coming to Williamsburg. The New York City Council last week voted to approve River Ring, a development planned for River Street between North 1st and North 3rd Streets on the Brooklyn waterfront. Developed by Two Trees Management, the project includes two mixed-use buildings designed by Bjarke Ingels Group that will hold 1,050 units of housing, with 263 of them priced below market rate, as well as a new YMCA and public park. Construction is expected to begin in 2024.
Get the details

New $18.3M sustainable playground opens at the Battery

Image courtesy of Diane Bondareff/AP Images for The Battery Conservancy

December 20, 2021

New $18.3M sustainable playground opens at the Battery

One of New York City's largest sustainable parks officially opened last week. Following a 25-year initiative, the Battery Conservancy on Thursday opened the Battery Playscape, a 1.5-acre playground that triples the size of the former park and aims to reinforce sustainable practices in its users through its eco-friendly design and features.
Details here

Lottery opens for nearly 700 mixed-income units at huge Far Rockaway complex, from $388/month

All renderings courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

December 20, 2021

Lottery opens for nearly 700 mixed-income units at huge Far Rockaway complex, from $388/month

A housing lottery opened this week for 692 affordable apartments at a brand new development in Far Rockaway, Queens. Developed by Phipps Houses, the Rockaway Village Apartments consist of three buildings within a massive complex, which is currently under construction on site of a former abandoned shopping center. New Yorkers earning 30, 40, 50, 60, 80, and 100 percent of the area median income can apply for the lottery units, which range from $388/month studios to $1,885/month three-bedrooms.
Details here

Affordable Housing

Prospect Park’s Vale to undergo $40M restoration

Rendering of the Sensory Garden and Rustic Arbor. Image courtesy of Prospect Park Alliance

December 17, 2021

Prospect Park’s Vale to undergo $40M restoration

On Thursday, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the allocation of $40 million to restore Prospect Park’s Vale. This funding is the largest in the history of Prospect Park Alliance, the non-profit organization that manages the park. The Vale, also known as the “Vale of Cashmere,” is a 26-acre portion of the park's northeast corner known for its breathtaking foliage.
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Architecture And Design

NYC’s first net-zero community moves forward in Far Rockaway

Image courtesy of Local Office Landscape/Bernheimer Architecture

December 17, 2021

NYC’s first net-zero community moves forward in Far Rockaway

After more than 40 years of planning, the construction of New York City's first net-zero community is moving forward. L+M Development Partners, the Bluestone Organization, and Triangle Equities have agreed on $30.3 million in financing, signaling the beginning of phase one of Arverne East, a sustainability-focused, mixed-use development project in Far Rockaway. The project will bring 1,650 new units of housing, with 80 percent of them affordable, to a 116-acre oceanfront site that has been vacant for more than four decades.
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As Covid cases surge, NYC to give out a million masks and 500K free at-home tests

Photo by Billie Grace Ward on Flickr

December 17, 2021

As Covid cases surge, NYC to give out a million masks and 500K free at-home tests

With a sudden surge of coronavirus cases in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio on Thursday announced several new measures to curb the spread of the virus. The city will distribute one million free KN95 face masks and 500,000 rapid antigen self-testing kits, open new testing sites, and expand hours at existing sites. City officials say the new highly-contagious variant is to blame for the rising number of cases; the seven-day average for new cases has tripled in the last month. "It is clear the Omicron variant is here in New York City in full force," de Blasio said on Thursday.
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Policy

NYC Council approves plan to rezone Soho and Noho, which will add 900 affordable units

A rendering of West Broadway in Soho, looking downtown; courtesy of City Planning Commission

December 16, 2021

NYC Council approves plan to rezone Soho and Noho, which will add 900 affordable units

The New York City Council on Wednesday voted to approve the plan to rezone Soho and Noho, a major policy win for Mayor Bill de Blasio in his final days in office. The rezoning aims to bring about 3,000 new homes, with roughly 900 of them permanently affordable, to the Lower Manhattan neighborhoods, which are two of the wealthiest in the city.
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Photo credit: Brown Harris Stevens

December 16, 2021

This $2.6M classic Soho loft is a collector’s dream

This loft co-op at 421 West Broadway has the covetable loft bones that exemplify the Soho neighborhood: 11-foot-high wood-beamed ceilings, tall windows, big, open rooms, and wood floors. Anyone with a serious collection should take note: This particular loft, asking $2,600,000, belongs to an artist and collector, and while the space is the perfect home for loft lovers, it doubles as a fascinating gallery.
Step into the collectors' loft

Distinctive Homes

City Council approves massive Grand Hyatt redevelopment project at 175 Park Avenue

Rendering by Ekoomedia, Inc. / Courtesy of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

December 16, 2021

City Council approves massive Grand Hyatt redevelopment project at 175 Park Avenue

The New York City Council voted on Wednesday to allow the proposed development at the site currently occupied by the Grand Hyatt Hotel at 175 Park Avenue. New Greater East Midtown zoning rules permit developers to construct supersized towers if they are accompanied by hefty contributions to transit and public amenities. In addition to the construction of a 2.1-million-square-foot, 1,575-foot-high building with retail and office space, a new 500-room hotel, a sky lobby, a lounge, and a restaurant, the site will include 25,000 square feet of elevated, publicly accessible terraces that will host cultural and arts events. The project also promises to bring hundreds of millions of dollars in transit improvements.
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Ring in the New Year hanging 1,271 feet above NYC

Image courtesy of Edge

December 16, 2021

Ring in the New Year hanging 1,271 feet above NYC

Thrill-seekers will have the opportunity to ring in the New Year while hanging over the edge of the highest open-air building climb in the world. On Tuesday, City Climb introduced the exclusive event with spots open for eight people. City Climb, located on top of 30 Hudson Yards, offers participants breathtaking views of New York City as they scale a set of open-edged stairways and platforms on the outside of the building. Those who are daring enough and want to welcome the new year on a ‘high’ note can join the digital queue here, which begins at noon on December 22.
More here

City Living

New York City bans natural gas in new buildings

“Ally Block” will include the city’s first all-electric skyscraper; Rendering: Alloy Development

December 16, 2021

New York City bans natural gas in new buildings

New York City is now the largest city in the United States to phase fossil fuels out of new construction. The City Council on Wednesday approved legislation banning the use of natural gas in new buildings under seven stories tall starting in 2023 and in structures over seven stories in the middle of 2027. The legislation means new buildings in the city, with very few exceptions, will be all-electric.
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Landmarks votes to keep ‘Fearless Girl’ statue across from the Stock Exchange for three more years

Photo by Ahmer Kalam on Unsplash

December 15, 2021

Landmarks votes to keep ‘Fearless Girl’ statue across from the Stock Exchange for three more years

New York City's Landmarks Preservation Commission agreed in a unanimous vote on Tuesday to keep the popular "Fearless Girl" statue in its home on Broad Street across from the New York Stock Exchange for three more years. As 6sqft previously reported, the statue’s permit with the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) expired on November 29. State Street Global Advisors, the statue’s owners, submitted a request for a ten-year permit last year, which will ultimately be addressed at a hearing before the Public Design Commission, which oversees the city’s art collection. The LPC vote was based solely on the statue's placement in a historically significant location.
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Events & Things To Do

December 15, 2021

Vote for 6sqft’s 2021 Building of the Year!

After New York City's construction and real estate industries ground to a halt last year because of the pandemic, 2021 saw a flurry of activity, thanks to the arrival of the coronavirus vaccine and federal funding for states and cities. This year, we saw positive signs that the road to recovery for New York real estate has started. More apartments sold in Manhattan in the third quarter of 2021 than at any point during the last 30 years. Brooklyn gained its first supertall. The priciest private development ever built in the Bronx opened. Records were broken, set, and broken again. As the city adapts to a new normal, so do residential projects. Amenities now focus on health and wellness, like stunning sky-high pools, curated fitness centers, and landscaped outdoor space. With work-from-home culture likely not going anywhere, developers offer designer-crafted co-working spaces, libraries, and lounges. Our picks are down to 16 of the most notable residential projects this year. Which do you think deserves 6sqft’s title of 2021 Building of the Year? Polls for our seventh annual competition will remain open through midnight on Sunday, December 26. A winner will be announced on Monday, December 27. Happy voting!
Vote here

New Developments

119 affordable apartments available in the South Bronx, from $362/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

December 15, 2021

119 affordable apartments available in the South Bronx, from $362/month

Applications are now being accepted for 119 newly constructed apartments in the South Bronx. Located at 980 Westchester Avenue in Foxhurst, the seven-story mixed-use building is being developed by Atlantic Building Ventures and designed by GF55 Partners. New Yorkers earning 40, 50, 60, and 70 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, which range from $362/month studios to $1,760/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

222 LES Tower + Lofts

222 East Broadway

Lower East Side

Art Deco romance meets 21st-century convenience

Studios starting at $799,000
1 bed starting at $1,100,000
2 beds starting at $1,955,000
3 beds starting at $2,875,000

Learn More

For $2.5M, this five-story Georgian townhouse on Strivers’ Row is a well-preserved Harlem gem

Images courtesy of Douglas Elliman

December 15, 2021

For $2.5M, this five-story Georgian townhouse on Strivers’ Row is a well-preserved Harlem gem

This five-story Georgian-style townhouse at 2362 Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard was built in 1896 and has only been home to two owners since that time. Its original owner was among the first African-American dentists living and practicing on Strivers' Row. The single-family townhouse may be only just over 15 feet wide, but a wealth of history and intact original details make it a gracious home. Asking $2,495,000, the 4,112 square-foot 14-room home contains seven bedrooms and nine fireplaces.
Tour the historic uptown townhouse

Monument honoring investigative journalist Nellie Bly opens on Roosevelt Island

Image credit: Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation

December 15, 2021

Monument honoring investigative journalist Nellie Bly opens on Roosevelt Island

A monument honoring trailblazing investigative journalist Nellie Bly opened to the public on Friday. The structure was designed by Amanda Matthews of Prometheus Art to bring attention to women who have overcome adversity. Located at the tip of Lighthouse Park on Roosevelt Island, the monument is named after Bly’s first published work, "The Girl Puzzle."
Find out more

Events & Things To Do

Asking $6M, Upper East Side pre-war co-op is the picture of Park Avenue living

Images courtesy of Warburg Realty.

December 14, 2021

Asking $6M, Upper East Side pre-war co-op is the picture of Park Avenue living

The spacious, elegant pre-war co-op at 625 Park Avenue embodies the classic ideal of Manhattan apartment living, starting with a private elevator landing. Asking $5,995,000, the two-bedroom home has spacious entertaining rooms and convenient staff spaces–which could easily be repurposed as bedrooms or office/studio space–rarely found in new construction apartments. Rooms have gracious proportions, subtle architectural details, wood-burning fireplaces, and plenty of Park Avenue frontage.
This way for more classic Park Avenue good looks

Distinctive Homes

Rendering by Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

December 14, 2021

Hochul announces plan for new $9.5B international terminal at JFK Airport

One of New York's busiest airports will be getting a new $9.5 billion terminal, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Monday. Led by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYJ), a planned 2.4 million-square-foot state-of-the-art terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport will become its largest international terminal. "The time to get large infrastructure projects done is now, and I'm committed to getting JFK's brand new Terminal One underway and completed as soon as possible," Hochul said.
Finally, the future of JFK, this way

Transit

One year after NYC’s first Covid vaccination, 90% of adults have received at least one dose

Photo Scott Heins/Office of former Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

December 14, 2021

One year after NYC’s first Covid vaccination, 90% of adults have received at least one dose