De Blasio says outdoor dining will return to NYC next summer

Outdoor dining on West 71st Street between Central Park West and Columbus. Photo by 6sqft.

August 3, 2020

De Blasio says outdoor dining will return to NYC next summer

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In a press conference this morning, Mayor de Blasio announced that the city's popular Open Restaurants program will return on June 1, 2021, if not earlier in the spring. He recently expanded this year's outdoor dining program through October 31 after it was found to be successful and safe and after the state indefinitely postponed indoor dining in New York City. De Blasio said that an estimated 80,000 jobs from more than 9,000 participating businesses have been saved since the program launched on June 22 when the city entered phase two of reopening.
More details ahead
See the 193 new Rockefeller Center flags designed by the public

Courtesy of Tishman Speyer

August 3, 2020

See the 193 new Rockefeller Center flags designed by the public

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The iconic flags that surround the Rink at Rockefeller Center got a makeover over the weekend. Public art initiative "The Flag Project" opened on Saturday with 193 new flags designed by the public, as well as a number of well-known artists and designers. Led by Tishman Speyer, the installation aims to celebrate New York City as the city continues its fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
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NYC’s latest set of outdoor dining open streets includes 13 blocks on the Upper West Side

Open streets outdoor dining along West 47th Street, photo by CityRealty

August 3, 2020

NYC’s latest set of outdoor dining open streets includes 13 blocks on the Upper West Side

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Open streets outdoor dining along West 47th Street, photo by CityRealty On Friday, Mayor de Blasio announced that an additional 15 locations would be closing to traffic and opening their streets for outdoor dining through a combination of the city's Open Streets and Open Restaurants programs. This brings the total to 62 participating streets. Some of the latest include 13 blocks along Amsterdam Avenue on the Upper West Side, another stretch in Chinatown, Koreatown, a few in Noho/Soho, and five blocks along Vanderbilt Avenue in Prospect Heights. Since restaurants were first able to open for outdoor dining when phase two began on June 22, more than 9,500 have signed on to participate.
The full list of open streets
Outdoor dining comes to two NYC food halls

The Market Line Patio; Credit: Greater Studio

August 3, 2020

Outdoor dining comes to two NYC food halls

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With nearly 10,000 New York City restaurants open for outdoor dining, now even food halls are getting in on the Open Restaurants program. The Market Line at Essex Crossing on Friday opened a spacious outdoor patio and a menu made up of a mix of vendors from the Lower East Side food hall. And Time Out Market will reopen its fifth-floor rooftop and seating along the waterfront in Dumbo this week.
Find out more
Queens County Farm Museum reopens this weekend with first-ever site-specific art installation

Photo credit: Aaron Asis

July 31, 2020

Queens County Farm Museum reopens this weekend with first-ever site-specific art installation

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The Queens County Farm Museum is set to reopen its 47 acres to the public on Sunday after temporarily closing in March because of the coronavirus pandemic. Along with the reopening, Queens Farm will also unveil its first-ever site-specific art installation: Cover Crop by the artist Aaron Asis. The half-acre artwork includes a "planted composition" with crisscrossing paths, letting visitors discover the farm's cover crops, including sweet peas, buckwheat, and rye.
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Lottery opens for 45 affordable units at supportive rental near Crotona Park, from $748/month

Photo via Wikimedia

July 31, 2020

Lottery opens for 45 affordable units at supportive rental near Crotona Park, from $748/month

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Applications are now being accepted for 45 affordable apartments at a new supportive residential building in the Claremont Village section of the South Bronx. Located at 3500 Park Avenue a half-mile from Crotona Park, the seven-story development sets aside some studios for homeless veterans with disabilities, chronically homeless adults with mental illness, and homeless seniors with disabilities. The remaining apartments, now available through the housing lottery, are designated for low-income seniors and families that earn 50 and 60 percent of the area median income.
Find out if you qualify
For $5.25M, you can own a modernist ‘House at Sagaponac’ in the Hamptons
July 31, 2020

For $5.25M, you can own a modernist ‘House at Sagaponac’ in the Hamptons

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Designed by Calvin Tsao and Zack McKown of renowned contemporary firm Tsao & McKown Architects, this residence is one of the original Houses at Sagaponac, a modernist development conceived in the early 2000s by developer Harry "Coco" Brown and architect Richard Meier. The original plan was for 32 homes to be built by different prominent architects, but after Brown's death and the recession, only eight were completed, making them even more special. This five-bedroom home utilizes moveable glass walls and oversized windows to take in views of the surrounding greenery and incredible 60-foot pool and sun deck.
The full tour ahead
For $3M, this Williamsburg townhouse was designed as an airy artist’s home

Photo credit: DDReps

July 31, 2020

For $3M, this Williamsburg townhouse was designed as an airy artist’s home

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At first look, you might assume that this townhouse at 580 Driggs Avenue in North Williamsburg is new construction, but it was actually built in 1899 and completely gut renovated inside and out in 2019. The "custom artist's home," as the listing calls it, was designed as "an airy open layout and plenty of room to spread out, work from home, or relax on the roof deck or in the garden." Listed for $2,950,000, it's just over 2,300 square feet and has four bedrooms.
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Powerful photos show the COVID-19 crisis through the eyes of New Yorkers

Photograph by Ximena Exhague, @ximena_exhague

July 30, 2020

Powerful photos show the COVID-19 crisis through the eyes of New Yorkers

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The Museum of the City of New York will reopen on Saturday with a stunning new outdoor installation. The first phase of the museum's New York Responds project includes a photo exhibit depicting life in New York City in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests that kicked off in May and continue today. On view starting August 1, the powerful photographs have been installed at the Upper East Side museum's terrace and balustrade.
See it here

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‘No end in sight’: How NYC is dealing with the growing hunger crisis

City Harvest driver Ramon Vargas, July 17, 2020, in New York. Photo by Jason DeCrow for City Harvest

July 30, 2020

‘No end in sight’: How NYC is dealing with the growing hunger crisis

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While the spread of the coronavirus in New York is waning, another crisis shows no signs of slowing. The number of people experiencing food insecurity in New York City continues to grow, with a projected increase of 38 percent this year compared to 2018. In response, nonprofits like City Harvest, the city's largest food rescue organization, have tremendously scaled up their operations to meet demand. The group has rescued more than 42 million pounds of food since March, a 92 percent increase from the same period last year.
Learn more
Second Empire brownstone in Fort Greene has been beautifully restored for $4M

Photo credit: Gamut Photos

July 30, 2020

Second Empire brownstone in Fort Greene has been beautifully restored for $4M

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There's something very romantic about this brownstone at 374 Vanderbilt Avenue in Fort Greene. The interiors have been beautifully preserved and the home modernized, but not so much so that it's lost its old-world charm. The five-bedroom Second Empire townhouse was built in 1899 and is part of the Fort Greene Historic District. It's asking $3,995,000, and has a studio apartment in the basement level for added income.
See the whole place
MTA installs free mask dispensers inside buses

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

July 30, 2020

MTA installs free mask dispensers inside buses

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In a continued effort to COVID-proof public transportation, the MTA has installed mask dispensers at the entrance to city buses. The pilot program is now on 100 buses in the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island, and it will expand to 400 buses in all five boroughs by next month. The free surgical mask dispensers--each of which holds 50 masks and will be refilled daily--are mounted at the front door of express buses and at the front and rear doors of SBS and local buses. Masks are required to ride any bus or subway.
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Chinatown’s historic Mott Street is transformed into an outdoor dining oasis

All photos courtesy of Emily Andrews for Rockwell Group

July 30, 2020

Chinatown’s historic Mott Street is transformed into an outdoor dining oasis

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Chinatown's Mott Street got a colorful upgrade on Wednesday with a block-long outdoor installation designed by architect David Rockwell. His firm, Rockwell Group, launched DineOut NYC earlier this summer to help New York City restaurants safely open outside by providing design templates for creative ways to use sidewalk and street space. Mott Street, now closed to cars between Mosco and Worth Streets, serves as the program's first community-wide dining area, with multiple restaurants on the strip using the facilities.
More here
$3.25M waterfront loft in Brooklyn Heights has view of the Brooklyn Bridge and Statue of Liberty

Photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

July 30, 2020

$3.25M waterfront loft in Brooklyn Heights has view of the Brooklyn Bridge and Statue of Liberty

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Through oversized north- and west-facing windows at this Brooklyn Heights loft, you're staring directly at the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, East River, and even the Statue of Liberty in the distance. Located at 8 Old Fulton Street, the two-bedroom co-op is asking $3,250,000 and was renovated by the well-known architects at Studio DB.
Have a look
This map explores NYC’s 19,000 acres of natural park land
July 29, 2020

This map explores NYC’s 19,000 acres of natural park land

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Contradictory to its "concrete jungle" nickname, New York City is home to over 19,000 acres of natural areas, consisting of forest, salt marsh, freshwater wetland, and streams. A new map from the Natural Areas Conservancy (NAC) highlights the location, size, and condition of natural resources throughout the five boroughs, while comparing the percentage of green space among neighborhoods, parks, and City Council districts. When the coronavirus pandemic hit the city, New Yorkers explored more wild parts of city parks as a way to get fresh air and maintain a safe distance from others. But according to the Conservancy, the increase in visitors is putting additional strain on park management, at a time when budgets across the country are being slashed because of COVID-19.
More here
Long Island mansion with an indoor pool and movie theater sells for record-setting $9.2M

Listing photos courtesy of Compass

July 29, 2020

Long Island mansion with an indoor pool and movie theater sells for record-setting $9.2M

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This over-the-top Mediterranean-style mansion on Long Island just sold for $9,225,000, making it the most expensive home sold this year in Nassau County, as well as the most expensive home sold in Sands Points since 2016 and the fourth-highest sale in the North Shore over the last five years. Sales records aside, the home's opulence speaks for itself. At a whopping 20,000 square feet, the waterfront estate has an indoor pool, movie theater (complete with a ticket booth and stage curtains!), a personal arcade (with skee ball and pinball machines), and tons of marble.
Take the full tour
235 chances to live in a luxury waterfront rental in Greenpoint, from $2,370/month

Courtesy of QuallsBenson

July 29, 2020

235 chances to live in a luxury waterfront rental in Greenpoint, from $2,370/month

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Two newly-constructed waterfront towers in Greenpoint are now accepting applications for rent-stabilized "affordable" apartments. A lottery is set to launch for 235 middle-income apartments at One Blue Slip and Two Blue Slip, a pair of luxury towers designed by Handel Architects that are part of Greenpoint Landing, a master plan developing 22 acres of the Brooklyn neighborhood. Households with combined annual incomes of between $81,258 and $183,300 can apply for the available units, including $2,370/month studios, $2,542/month one-bedrooms, $3,063/month two-bedrooms, and $3,530/month three-bedrooms. Qualified New Yorkers can submit one application for each building.
Find out if you qualify
Upper West Side and Murray Hill saw the biggest price drops during the COVID crisis

Photo by ajay_suresh via Flickr cc

July 29, 2020

Upper West Side and Murray Hill saw the biggest price drops during the COVID crisis

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Anyone who follows the NYC real estate market knows that there are deals to be had right now. But WHERE exactly can you get the most bang for your buck? CityRealty compared sale listings in January to those last week and found that the overall listing price among Manhattan condo, co-op, condop, and townhouse listings has fallen an average of 11 percent to $2,175,000 in the past seven months. And when it comes to specific neighborhoods, Lincoln Center, the Upper West Side neighborhood mainly centered around the 60s, saw prices fall the most at 32 percent. Murray Hill was next at 26 percent, followed by Beekman/Sutton Place at 22 percent.
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A zen garden with a sunken hot tub awaits at this $2.5M Greenwich Village co-op

All photos by Evan Joseph

July 29, 2020

A zen garden with a sunken hot tub awaits at this $2.5M Greenwich Village co-op

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This Greenwich Village co-op at 2 East 12th Street is the perfect year-round oasis. For those cold winter months, the interiors are super cozy, with two working fireplaces. But in the summer, the backyard is a true retreat. It's two levels, along with a side patio and, most notably, a sunken Japanese-style cedar hot tub. You'll also find a large Ipe wood deck with a built-in banquette, plenty of planters, and a cedar potting shed for all those gardening needs.
You've got to see this place
Karlie Kloss sells her West Village home for $2.4M

Staged interiors by Christopher Henry Designs. Photo credit: Donna Dotan courtesy of Compass.

July 28, 2020

Karlie Kloss sells her West Village home for $2.4M

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After listing her townhouse co-op in the West Village for $2.75 million last September, supermodel and philanthropist Karlie Kloss has found a buyer at the slightly reduced price of $2,382,609, reported CityRealty. The three-bedroom triplex at 151 Charles Street is chic and contemporary and has both a front garden and a second-floor terrace. Kloss bought it in 2012 for $1,975,000. She and husband Josh Kushner sold their Nolita apartment for $6.6 million last August.
Take a tour
These are the 10 library books New Yorkers checked out most during the shutdown

Photo credit: Jonathan Blanc / NYPL

July 28, 2020

These are the 10 library books New Yorkers checked out most during the shutdown

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New York Public Library patrons kept busy during the citywide shutdown by reading lots of books. According to the library, since the temporary closure of all of its branches in Manhattan, the Bronx, and on Staten Island on March 16, there were over two million checkouts of e-books. Plus, 65,000 new users signed up for the SimplyE, the library's free e-reader app. Now with some of the city's public libraries reopened, the NYPL released on Monday a list of the most checked out e-books during the lockdown, with Robin DiAngelo's White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism taking the top spot.
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Electric moped service Revel shuts down in NYC after two deaths

Photo courtesy of Revel

July 28, 2020

Electric moped service Revel shuts down in NYC after two deaths

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Electric moped company Revel is suspending service in New York City after two riders died within two weeks, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Tuesday. A 32-year-old man was killed in Queens early Tuesday morning after crashing the scooter into a light pole. CBS New York reporter Nina Kapur died earlier this month after being thrown off the Revel moped onto the street in Greenpoint. "Revel has made the decision to shut down their service for the time being and that is the right thing to do," the mayor said during a press briefing. "No one should be running a business that is not safe. Unfortunately, this has been proven to be not safe."
More here
Brooklyn’s tallest tower commences closings and move-ins

All renderings by Williams New York

July 28, 2020

Brooklyn’s tallest tower commences closings and move-ins

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Not only is Brooklyn Point the tallest building in the borough, but it has the highest infinity pool in the western hemisphere. Superlatives aside, the 720-foot condo tower has also proved popular for its location across from Willoughby Square Park and its inclusion in the larger City Point development in Downtown Brooklyn. And in true Extell Development fashion, the amenity package is stacked, including a huge landscaped terrace complete with BBQs and a putting green, a triple-height lounge, and another indoor pool. Just in time for residents to enjoy all these perks, Brooklyn Point has announced that it's commenced closings and begun the first move-ins.
See the whole building
NYC might get a COVID-19 memorial on Hart Island

Photo by David Trawin on Flickr

July 28, 2020

NYC might get a COVID-19 memorial on Hart Island

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A New York City elected official wants to create a memorial on Hart Island dedicated to those who died from the coronavirus. City Council Member Mark Levine is set to introduce on a bill on Tuesday that would create a task force to develop a way to honor the hundreds of COVID-19 victims buried on the Island, which has served as the final resting place for poor and unclaimed New Yorkers since the Civil War.
More here
$100M penthouse closes at 220 Central Park South, third-most-expensive NYC sale ever

Photo of 220 Central Park South in front of 111 West 57th Street (cropped) by Jim Henderson via Wikimedia Commons

July 28, 2020

$100M penthouse closes at 220 Central Park South, third-most-expensive NYC sale ever

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Photo of 220 Central Park South in front of 111 West 57th Street (cropped) by Jim Henderson via Wikimedia Commons As of July 1, 2020, the average price per square foot for a New York City condo came in at $1,110, according to CityRealty. But this duplex penthouse at 220 Central Park South sold for a whopping $12,164 per square foot. First spotted by The Real Deal and confirmed in city property records, PH 76 at the Billionaires' Row tower just closed for $99,903,375, making it the third-most-expensive sale ever, behind billionaire Ken Griffith’s $238 million purchase also at 220 CPS in early 2019 and Michael Dell’s $100 million buy at One57 in 2015. The sale takes the number-three spot from a $92.7 million sale at 220 CPS, which sold in late 2019 to billionaire hedge-funder Daniel Och.
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New looks and name for Islanders’ home venue, UBS Arena at Belmont Park

All renderings courtesy of UBS

July 28, 2020

New looks and name for Islanders’ home venue, UBS Arena at Belmont Park

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The future home for the New York Islanders hockey team has a name. Wealth management service UBS last week secured a 20-year naming rights agreement for the new sports and entertainment venue in Nassau County. The UBS Arena at Belmont Park is expected to open for the Islanders' 2021-2022 season, with the team returning to Long Island after playing home games at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn since 2015.
See it here
$17.5M Tribeca penthouse has a 1,000-bottle wine room and a terrace bigger than most apartments

Photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

July 28, 2020

$17.5M Tribeca penthouse has a 1,000-bottle wine room and a terrace bigger than most apartments

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For someone who loves to entertain, this Tribeca penthouse 166 Duane Street can't be beaten. First off, it's huge--6,200 square feet inside and 1,200 square feet outside (larger than most NYC apartments!). This roof deck has several seating areas and an outdoor kitchen, and it's adjacent to a sunroom that has a wet bar. There's another wet bar in the media room, and when the bar runs dry, just head to the 1,000-bottle wine room.
See the whole place

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NYC pol calls for rent relief, permanent outdoor dining, and other small business-saving measures

Gem Spa in the East Village permanently closed in May; Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

July 27, 2020

NYC pol calls for rent relief, permanent outdoor dining, and other small business-saving measures

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Small businesses in New York City are struggling to stay afloat, especially those still unable to reopen because of the coronavirus pandemic. A survey from the Hospitality Alliance found that only 19 percent of city businesses paid June rent and only 26 percent of landlords waived rent. Council Member Keith Powers on Monday released a report detailing ways to save small businesses and prepare for a post-COVID-19 world by providing emergency rent relief using federal funds, waiving the commercial rent tax, making outdoor dining permanent, and other measures.
More here
Iconic West Village speakeasy Chumley’s is closing and auctioning off its memorabilia

Photo courtesy of A.J. Willner Auctions

July 27, 2020

Iconic West Village speakeasy Chumley’s is closing and auctioning off its memorabilia

By
Update: A representative from A.J. Willner tells 6sqft that the auction has been cancelled due to the landlord objecting to the restaurant's right to sell the equipment. The lastest iconic eatery to shutter in the wake of the COVID pandemic is Chumley's. Opened in 1922, the West Village bar and restaurant was a speakeasy during Prohibition, becoming famous as a literary haunt for the likes of Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, John Steinbeck, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and J.D. Salinger. It faced an uncertain future in 2007 when a collapsed wall forced it to close; 10 years of red tape followed, but Chumley's reopened in 2016, albeit with a new owner and fancier menu. However, Untapped New York first heard the news that Chumley's will not reopen following the city's shutdown orders, and they are auctioning off everything from their restaurant equipment to the tufted leather banquettes to the iconic literary memorabilia.
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Famous ‘haunted house’ in Clinton Hill reduces its price to $3.4M

Photos courtesy of Compass

July 27, 2020

Famous ‘haunted house’ in Clinton Hill reduces its price to $3.4M

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This Greek Revival home looks like something one might find in New Orleans or Savannah, but it's actually right in Clinton Hill. Its southern charm, however, has not seemed to help the home at 136 Clinton Avenue find a buyer; it's been on and off the market for four years, originally asking $4.8 million. One year ago, the price dropped to $3.6 million, and it's just been lowered again to $3,420,000. Perhaps its "haunted" past is scaring off potential buyers. The historic home is known to be one of the most haunted in Brooklyn.
Lots more ahead
New York suspends liquor licenses of six NYC bars in violation of COVID-19 regulations

Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

July 27, 2020

New York suspends liquor licenses of six NYC bars in violation of COVID-19 regulations

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Six more bars and restaurants in New York City temporarily lost their liquor license last week for violating social distancing regulations. Following a statewide compliance check between July 21 and July 23, the State Liquor Authority found violations at 84 establishments and suspended the liquor licenses of 10 bars, of which six were in the five boroughs, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday. Over the weekend, an additional 105 violations were issued to bars and restaurants, the governor said on Sunday.
Find out more
52-year-old Chinese-Cuban restaurant La Caridad closes on the Upper West Side

Photo taken by 6sqft on July 24, 2020

July 27, 2020

52-year-old Chinese-Cuban restaurant La Caridad closes on the Upper West Side

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Last week, West Side Rag noticed a "for lease" sign on the window of La Caridad 78, a beloved Chinese-Cuban restaurant that has been on the corner of Broadway and 78th Street for 52 years. Neighbors had speculated about its closing in the days prior after seeing the restaurant's furniture and other interior items taken out. As Florence Fabricant wrote in the Times, "It was one of the city’s best-known purveyors of Chino Latino food," serving up dishes like "fried rice with plantains or Chinese pepper steak with Cuban black beans."
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Dramatic Upper East Side townhouse has private parking and a posh backyard for $9.9M

Photo credit: Warburg Realty/Jason Haber 

July 27, 2020

Dramatic Upper East Side townhouse has private parking and a posh backyard for $9.9M

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It's almost unbelievable that all this space is within a Manhattan home, but this townhouse at 236 East 72nd Street on the Upper East Side is as real as they come. Listed for $9,880,000, the 5,000-square-foot house is anchored by a dramatic, double-height living room with ceilings almost 21 feet high and massive, cathedral-like windows. Outside, the 40-foot-long garden is surrounded by planters and beautiful landscaping and boasts a fountain and two seating areas. But perhaps the most enviable feature is the private parking garage.
See it all
Tastes of Brooklyn food festival will return on August 1 with 25 restaurants and bars

Photo of Jolie Bistro in Gowanus by CityRealty

July 24, 2020

Tastes of Brooklyn food festival will return on August 1 with 25 restaurants and bars

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Now more than ever it's important to support our local restaurants, bars, and bakeries and a fun event happening on Saturday, August 1 makes it super easy to do just that. Tastes of Brooklyn returns for its annual food festival with 25 participating establishments in Gowanus, Park Slope, Carroll Gardens, and Cobble Hill. Tickets get you a select number of small dishes at drinks at your choice of restaurants, and proceeds will benefit Seeds in the Middle, a nonprofit creating sustainable farm stands and school-run healthy programs in Brooklyn's food deserts.
See who's participating
De Blasio adds ‘play streets’ to some car-free blocks, but cuts nearly 3 miles from the program

Photo courtesy of city’s Department of Transportation on Flickr

July 24, 2020

De Blasio adds ‘play streets’ to some car-free blocks, but cuts nearly 3 miles from the program

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While the city is adding just under two miles of open streets to its roster of car-free blocks, nearly three miles will be removed from the program. Mayor Bill de Blasio on Friday announced 1.72 miles of open streets across the five boroughs, as well as a new initiative called "Play Streets," which will offer families a number of contactless activities, sports, and arts and crafts on 12 streets currently closed to cars. However, the mayor failed to mention during the press briefing that 2.77 miles will be cut from the program and returned to normal vehicle traffic at "underused locations."
Find out more
Neiman Marcus is closing its flagship at Hudson Yards

Photo courtesy of Francis Dzikowski for Related-Oxford

July 24, 2020

Neiman Marcus is closing its flagship at Hudson Yards

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Neiman Marcus is closing its massive flagship store at Hudson Yards just weeks after filing for bankruptcy in May and a little over a year after first opening at the development. The retailer will also permanently close three other locations, two stores in Florida and one in Washington, according to the Dallas Morning News. Hudson Yards developers Related Companies and Oxford Properties have already started marketing the 190,000-square-foot space as office space.
Details here
Inwood rezoning plan can move forward, appeals court rules

Photo of Inwood Hill Park by Dana on Flickr

July 24, 2020

Inwood rezoning plan can move forward, appeals court rules

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The plan to rezone Inwood can move forward, a state appeals court ruled on Thursday. The decision comes after a judge in December overturned the land-use changes approved by the City Council in 2018 to rezone 59 blocks of the northern Manhattan neighborhood. But in their decision, the appellate court said the City Council "acted properly and consistently" with review procedures.
Find out more
See inside an apartment at the world’s tallest residential building

Photo by Evan Joseph

July 24, 2020

See inside an apartment at the world’s tallest residential building

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It's been nearly two years since sales launched at Extell's Central Park Tower and one year since the 1,500-foot condominium topped out along Central Park South, making it the tallest residential building on the globe. And now, we've got our first look inside one of the enviable apartments at this Billionaires' Row building. The model residence is a 3,401-square-foot, three-bedroom corner unit on the 43rd floor, priced at $17,500,000. Not surprisingly, the interiors are decked out to the nines, but, of course, it's the insane views we can't stop ogling.
Take the full tour
Return of 24/7 subway service in NYC would be required under new legislation

Photo: Patrick Cashin / MTA New York City Transit

July 23, 2020

Return of 24/7 subway service in NYC would be required under new legislation

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In May, for the first time in its history, the New York City subway system shut down overnight as part of a nightly disinfection plan to kill traces of the coronavirus on trains and buses. To ensure the subway resumes 24/7 service, seen as an integral part of the city that never sleeps' DNA, the State Senate on Thursday passed legislation that would require nonstop subway service when a state of emergency is not in effect.
Learn more
For under $1M, this West Village co-op is a stylish starter home with a rooftop oasis

Photos by Ryan Lahiff/Rise Media for The Corcoran Group

July 23, 2020

For under $1M, this West Village co-op is a stylish starter home with a rooftop oasis

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If you've always dreamed of living in the West Village, this junior one-bedroom at 92 Horatio Street might be the place to start. Not only is the location spot on, but the $950,000 co-op was gut-renovated four years ago, resulting in a super stylish and unique home. The icing on the cake, though, is the private rooftop oasis that has views of the Empire State Building and Hudson River.
Go up to the roof deck
Jeffrey Epstein’s Upper East Side mansion lists for $88M

Photo courtesy of Modlin Group

July 23, 2020

Jeffrey Epstein’s Upper East Side mansion lists for $88M

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The "cursed" Upper East Side mansion of late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has hit the market for $88 million. Located at 9 East 71st Street on one of the city's wealthiest blocks, the townhouse is considered the largest single-family home in New York City, rising seven stories and measuring more than 28,000 square feet. Epstein was charged federally last year for abusing dozens of underage girls and women at many of his properties, including his Manhattan mansion.
See inside
Serving chips is not enough to comply with New York’s new booze rules

Photo by Prayitno via Wikimedia Commons

July 23, 2020

Serving chips is not enough to comply with New York’s new booze rules

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Ever since Governor Cuomo announced last week that restaurants and bars across the state could only serve alcohol if customers were seated and ordering food, the question has been, what exactly constitutes "food?" According to the State Liquor Authority's updated COVID guidelines, "a bag of chips, bowl of nuts, or candy alone" are not enough; "food" is defined as that which is "similar in quality and substance to sandwiches and soups," including "salads, wings, or hotdogs." This basically makes it illegal for an establishment to serve a margarita if the customer only orders chips and salsa.
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NJ yoga, pilates, and martial arts studios can reopen for indoor classes

A yoga class at Pier A in Hoboken courtesy of the City of Hoboken

July 23, 2020

NJ yoga, pilates, and martial arts studios can reopen for indoor classes

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Some fitness studios in New Jersey can resume indoor classes at limited capacity, Gov. Phil Murphy announced on Wednesday. The governor clarified an executive order issued this week that allowed for outdoor control drills and practices to resume for "high-risk" organized sports, including football, cheerleading, wrestling, and others.
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12 tips for hiring movers and making sure things run smoothly

Image via Nick Sherman SHLEPPERS via photopin (license)

July 23, 2020

12 tips for hiring movers and making sure things run smoothly

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From big corporations to small family-run operations, movers in NYC run the gamut in terms of services, pricing, and proximity, but regardless of which route you take, there are several things to consider before deciding. Ahead, 6sqft has rounded up 12 tips for hiring movers, including performing background checks, making sure you've accurately counted your boxes (no one wants to be that person), and negotiating the estimate.
All the tips ahead
CNN president Jeff Zucker finds a buyer for his glitzy $17.5M Upper East Side home

Photo Credit: MW Studios

July 23, 2020

CNN president Jeff Zucker finds a buyer for his glitzy $17.5M Upper East Side home

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After purchasing his Upper East Side co-op for $12.3 million in 2007, CNN chief executive Jeff Zucker first put the five-bedroom apartment on the market in February for $17.5 million. Now, the Wall Street Journal reports that Zucker and his wife Caryn have found a buyer for the large, glitzy pad, though the buyer's identity and final sale price have not yet been made public. Located at The Verona at 32 East 64th Street, the home is full of elegant touches like Venetian plaster walls, three working fireplaces, and a private elevator landing.
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Susan Sarandon lists massive Chelsea duplex for $7.9M

Photos: Eitan Gamliely for Sotheby’s International Realty

July 22, 2020

Susan Sarandon lists massive Chelsea duplex for $7.9M

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The dramatic Chelsea duplex owned by actress Susan Sarandon for nearly 30 years has hit the market for $7.9 million. Located at 147 West 15th Street within the luxury co-op building La Fabrique, the massive 6,000-square-foot apartment boasts a flexible layout with six bedrooms, four exposures, and a gallery foyer on the eighth floor. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, the Academy Award winner, a native of Queens, said she plans to downsize to a smaller pad nearby and has no intention of leaving the city. "I’ve always been a New Yorker and I’ll continue to be a New Yorker," Sarandon said.
Take the tour
No reopening plans for NJ’s American Dream mall as tenants flee and owner skips mortgage payments

Rendering courtesy of Triple Five Group

July 22, 2020

No reopening plans for NJ’s American Dream mall as tenants flee and owner skips mortgage payments

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After nearly two decades of construction delays, New Jersey's mega-mall American Dream partially opened last October. Six months later, the three-million-square-foot venue was forced to close its doors because of the coronavirus pandemic. Now, even as the state continues its gradual reopening, there is still no reopening date for the $5 billion mall. As NJ.com reported, owner Triple Five Group has missed three consecutive mortgage payments and retail tenants are getting out of their leases at the space.
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15 public pools will start reopening in NYC

Photo of Astoria Pool by Global Jet via Flickr cc

July 22, 2020

15 public pools will start reopening in NYC

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Just in time for the end of the current heatwave, New York City will reopen 15 of its free, public swimming pools. Eight pools will open this Friday, July 24, and the rest will reopen on Saturday, August 1. The Parks Department says that all pool-goers must maintain social distance and wear face coverings at all times when not in the water.
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You can take a tour of the Gowanus Canal in a canoe

Photo courtesy of Gowanus Dredgers

July 22, 2020

You can take a tour of the Gowanus Canal in a canoe

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How's that for social distancing? Untapped New York has just announced the relaunch of its in-person tour series, and they've got some seriously cool new offerings, including a Victorian Flatbush walking tour and a tour of the Gowanus Canal that takes place via canoe. The team has implemented significant health and safety measures, from reduced capacity to a state-of-the-art radio system that allows for social distancing. In addition to these new tours, Untapped is bringing back many favorites, including "Hidden Gems of Governors Island," "Remnants of Dutch New Amsterdam," and "Public Art Tour of Lower Manhattan."
More info here
10 iconic streets and spots in NYC open for outdoor dining
July 22, 2020

10 iconic streets and spots in NYC open for outdoor dining

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Since Mayor Bill de Blasio rolled out the open restaurants program last month, allowing eateries to serve diners on sidewalks and in adjacent parking spots, over 9,000 eateries have reopened for outdoor dining. Offering another lifeline to the struggling industry, especially now that indoor dining has been postponed indefinitely, the city has also closed more than 40 blocks to traffic for its weekend-only open streets dining program, overseen by community organizations and neighborhood Business Improvement Districts. With so many al fresco dining options available, we're rounding up the most iconic New York City streets and establishments now open for outdoor dining, from the most photographed block in Brooklyn and New York's oldest bar in Queens to open-air plazas with views of city landmarks.
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