Search Results for: Bushwick

April 13, 2016

AC/DC Bassist Cliff Williams’ Former West Village Condo Is Back on the Market for $3M

This two-bedroom condominium in a chic and adorably urban corner of the West Village at 63 Downing Street looks a lot like an apartment a model or actress buys after she gets her first big gig (though in that context the ask is pretty steep; what kind of world is it when starter model apartments are selling for $3M?). She'll move in with a boyfriend soon thereafter, and rent the pad out for a few years. Then if she's done well, she'll make celebrity real estate headlines when she sells it and buys a big loft in Williamsburg or Bushwick. There are a lot of models and actresses out there, so this sunny downtown pad with almost as much outdoor space as indoor should be snapped up in no time. Apparently, it's the kind of apartment that elder statesman rockers with plenty of cash buy, too, because AC⚡️DC bassist Cliff Williams owned this unit with his wife Georganne for nine years before selling it in 2013 for $2.3 million—well over the $1.89M ask (the couple have a daughter who's a model and actress, so it all fits somehow). Williams made a killing selling his Fort Myers, Florida mansion for $7 million about a year ago, so there's something to be said for his real estate karma.
Take a look at these summer-ready terraces
April 12, 2016

Miko Mercer Is Building a 160-Square-Foot Tiny House in Crown Heights

Brooklyn resident Miko Mercer, 30, joined the Tiny House Movement, and she's done more than just take a passing interest. The New York Times recently visited Ms. Mercer and the 160-square-foot DIY dwelling she's constructing, not on a homesteader's plot, but inside a big Crown Heights warehouse. Mercer, who runs the skin care division at popular beauty subscription service Birchbox and draws a six-figure income, still found that, as a single person, she couldn't afford to buy a home in a city where the average price of an apartment is $1.7 million. She ordered a trailer bed, leased the warehouse space and got to work, designing the house herself using a 3-D modeling application called Sketchup, meticulously managing the budget using a spreadsheet. She puts the estimated cost of her tiny house at about $30,000.
Find out what's in the plans for this tiny home
April 12, 2016

Vinyl, Kale or Condos: It’s Your Move in the ‘Settlers of Brooklyn’ Board Game

In the Settlers of Brooklyn (pronounced inexplicably in the lost tongue of the High Middle Ages), an "award-winning game of entitlement, self-discovery and brunch," there are five resources available: coffee, vinyl, bicycles, skinny jeans, and kale. All of which sound like reasonably life-enhancing additions, but when combined with a tableful of flannel-wearing gits, such as those portrayed in the video below, set on engineering the perfect endless brunch, the whole picture begins to grate like the line outside Egg on a Sunday morning. So the best thing to do may be just to roll with it, which is the idea behind this quick video sendup from snarkmeisters Above Average.
Watch the full video here
April 7, 2016

Open Now! Shop and Nosh Your Way Through NYC’s Best Flea and Food Markets

With outdoor weather finally here (more or less) the city's flea and food markets roll out the red carpet and the irresistible goodies, and it's pretty likely there's one happening near you. From the unstoppable fashion-and-foodie mecca Brooklyn Flea (now in its ninth season), to a night market in Queens and a neighborhood favorite in Park Slope to antiquing standbys in Chelsea and Hell's Kitchen and the humble (but fun) stoop sale on your block, the goods may be odd, but they're out there. Check out the list below for some of the city's top food and flea picks. Just don't blame us for the tchotchke overload–or the calories.
Find a market this weekend
April 2, 2016

March’s 10 Most-Read Stories and This Week’s Features

March’s 10 Most-Read Stories Skyscraper Proposal Digs Out Central Park and Surrounds It With 1,000-Foot Glass Structure Apply for One of Stuyvesant Town’s Affordable Apartments, Starting at $1,200/Month Katie Couric Buys $12M Upper East Side Condo Apply for 83 Affordable Apartments in Astoria, Starting at $895/Month Queens’ New Skyline: A Rundown of the 30 Developments […]

April 1, 2016

Slopebottom and Wegmansville Are Brooklyn’s New ‘Hoods; Free ‘Hamilton’ Show in the Park

With the busy spring real estate season upon us, brokers have coined five new Brooklyn neighborhoods — GarGo Triangle, Greenwood Village, Slopebottom, Wegmansville, and Bushwick Heights. [Brownstoner] Catch a free performance of “Hamilton” in Prospect Park this summer! [Brokelyn] Now, in real news, Central Park’s lawns and fields are set to open this weekend. [West Side Rag] […]

March 29, 2016

Three People Share What It’s Like to Live in Common’s Co-Living Concept in Brooklyn

What if your home was more than just a place to live? What if it took care of the tedious parts of everyday life (like cleaning, paying utility bills, and shopping for the basics) and there were always a bunch of interesting and like-minded people hanging out in your living room? Brad Hargreaves, CEO of Common, has structured his co-living housing company to be just that. While we've reported on Common before (as well as WeWork's similar new shared housing setup in FiDi), today we're going behind the scenes at Common's first outpost located in Crown Heights. We asked three residents why they chose to live at Common, if this catered style of co-living beats the standard New York roommate setup, and, of course, what we all really want to know—with 10 different personalities under one roof, just how "Real World" do things get?
Meet residents Jason, Kamilah and Adam here
March 26, 2016

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks From the 6sqft Staff

Skyscraper Proposal Digs Out Central Park and Surrounds It With 1,000-Foot Glass Structure How Horse Poop Inspired the New York City Stoop Apply for 83 Affordable Apartments in Astoria, Starting at $895/Month Yankee Legend Lou Gehrig’s New Rochelle Family Home Is for Sale for Just $300K Curvaceous ‘Morph Tower’ Begins Its Rise at 15 Hudson […]

March 24, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week – 3/24-3/30

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers! Kick your week off by fighting human trafficking at The Jane, or at a Q&A with an artist who was once convicted of murder. Abby Hertz brings another immersive art experience to the House of YES, and performance art-partiers CHERYL celebrate pastels at Secret Project Robot. Victoria Manganiello shares her woven works for one night only, as do Toronto short film makers with Mono No Aware. Have your voice heard at the Art in Bushwick town meeting, and help the Lower East Side Girls Club at a fabulous fete hosted by Deborah Harry of Blondie.
more on all the best events this way
March 11, 2016

Spotlight: The Word on Whiskey From Kings County Distillery’s Colin Spoelman

Colin Spoelman moved to New York for post-grad job opportunities, but it was his home state of Kentucky that ended up giving him direction. On trips back home, he developed a deep appreciation for moonshine and distilling, and now his interest has gone from hobby to profession. Six years ago, Colin combined his Kentucky roots, his life in Brooklyn, and his love of distilling whiskey through Kings County Distillery, where he is one of the founders (along with David Haskell) and the head distiller. Founded in 2010, Kings County Distillery is making a name for itself with the whiskey and bourbon it distills at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, making it New York City's oldest operating whiskey distillery, the first since prohibition. The company started with eight five-gallon stills, and were at the time the smallest commercial distillery in America. But they now have a 250-gallon and a 180-gallon still and are beginning to distribute out west and internationally. With St. Patrick's Day coming up and lots of whiskey drinking to be had, 6sqft spoke with Colin to find out what's distilling in Brooklyn and why it makes perfect sense to make whiskey in this borough.
The full interview, this way
March 7, 2016

For $1.7M, This ‘Flexible’ West Village Loft Will Have You Climbing the Walls

Lofts being what they are, multi-level sleeping arrangements are often part of their appeal. We've seen every kind of "mezzanine" situation, but this lovely West Village condo at 130 Barrow Street seems a bit too polished to get the kind of pass one would allow a barely-heated Bushwick loft. The listing calls this 933-square-foot apartment flexible, and that's a fair adjective, as the space can be used as-is (it was configured to make use of double-height ceilings to create a massive walk-in closet) or re-done in any number of ways–with or without the "infinity-edge" sleeping platform.
Explore the apartment
February 26, 2016

Spotlight: François Vaxelaire Blasts Tunes from a Shipping Container in a Williamsburg Parking Lot

An independent online radio featuring live DJ sets, located in a shipping container on an empty piece of land on the Williamsburg/Greenpoint border -- if your inclination is to roll your eyes at just how Brooklyn this is, you might want to reconsider. The Lot Radio was founded by 34-year-old Brussels native François Vaxelaire, who has been living in the neighborhood for the past three years. After passing by the vacant triangle day after day, and growing more and more infatuated with its strange beauty, he decided it would be the perfect home for an online radio similar to those in Europe. And after getting through the city's red tape, Lot Radio is officially up and running, save for its adjacent coffee shop and outdoor seating area that are both awaiting permits from the Department of Health. What's most interesting about Vaxelaire is that he is committed to steering clear of the Brooklyn cliches. His goal is to grow an internationally focused, New York-based radio, but in terms of the physical location, he wants local residents exiting the nearby church to feel just as welcome hanging out as would an experimental music aficionado. 6sqft recently visited him at the shipping container to learn more about this very unique idea.
The full story from François
February 25, 2016

This Cobble Hill Garden Apartment Comes Smelling of Freshly-Baked Cookies

The listing for this two-bedroom-plus-office co-op at 275 Degraw Street suggests the garden apartment will "satisfy even the most discerning 'must have' list," and it certainly does seem to be that kind of place. Located on a charming Cobble Hill block in a 1900s brick row house, this spacious, renovated and well-appointed home ticks a lot of boxes for its $1.075 million ask: Two good-sized bedrooms and a bonus room, renovated kitchen, private back yard, central air-conditioning, washer/dryer, low monthlies. But how many New Yorkers can brag that they come home daily to the scent of freshly-baked cookies?
Take a tour and find out what smells so good
February 25, 2016

City Planning Commission Approves Controversial East New York Rezoning Plan in 12-1 Vote

The New York City Planning Commission voted 12-1 in approval of Mayor de Blasio's controversial rezoning plan for East New York, Gothamist reports. It's the first of 15 low-income neighborhoods scheduled for rezoning as part of the Mayor's affordable housing plan, which promises to create or preserve 200,000 units of affordable housing. The City Council is scheduled to vote on the rezoning this spring. As part of what is known as Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH), rezoning plans for East New York's Cypress Hills neighborhood and adjacent Ocean Hill in Bed-Stuy would have 7,000 new apartments built by 2030, 3,447 of which will be designated affordable, in addition to one million square feet of commercial space. Of those affordable units, 80 percent would be reserved for families (defined as a household of three, with any number of earners) making no more than 60 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI), or $46,000; 27 percent would go to families making 40 percent of the AMI or $31,000.
Find out more
February 20, 2016

Williamsburg’s William Vale Hotel Launches Website, New Renderings & Video

Williamsburg likely has the highest concentration of awful new buildings in the city. The neighborhood has lots of things going for it, but architecture has not been one of them. However, just north of Kiss + Cathcart's noteworthy Bushwick Inlet Park is a cluster of development that finally flaunts the design creativity for which the borough has become renowned. Centered around the Walentas' Wythe Hotel, four exciting new hotels and office buildings are in the works. Tallest of them all, and farthest along, is the 21-story, 250-foot William Vale Hotel between North 12th and North 13th Streets. The striking pile of structural acrobatics topped off last fall and recently launched their website with a handful of new renderings.
More info and all the renderings
February 19, 2016

Dream Subway Map Includes a 10th Avenue Subway and a PATH to Staten Island

For most New Yorkers, subway dreams are simple things like trains arriving on time and getting a seat, but cartographer Andrew Lynch has big visions for what could become of NYC's transit system (h/t Gothamist). In his most recent iteration of the Future NYC Subway map, he "sought to plan out a system expansion which would be as cost effective as possible by addressing current service bottlenecks, train car issues, current ridership and population growth." This includes: a PATH train to Staten Island: a K line to connect the Brighton Beach Line (B/Q) to the Crosstown (G) at Bedford-Nostrand Avenues; a 10th Avenue L train extension; a majorly enhanced Second Avenue subway; and a Bushwick-Queens line.
The details on all these ideas
February 16, 2016

$775K Ridgewood Duplex Is an Urban Loft on the Brooklyn-Queens Border

Those who stake their claim beyond the fringes of New York City's upscale or trendy enclaves aren’t looking for the same things their more mainstream counterparts are. Every neighborhood can’t be the West Village–or even the Brooklyn version of it. Looking for lower prices and cheaper rent calls to the adventurous–Andy Warhol and his crew carved out their Factory scene in Midtown, for example. Similarly, in the ‘90s, a flock of young space-seekers moved into former industrial spaces in Bushwick. Ridgewood was a bit further on the L and so its notable population of new residents came a little later, but they brought the same spirit. Even for the early Bushwick crowd, Ridgewood, the quintessential border town, is different, with its mix of streetscapes from historic row houses (Ridgewood has one of the largest federal historic districts in the nation) to industrial blocks much like the one on which you’ll find this one-bedroom condominium at 852 Cypress Avenue on the Ridgewood-Bushwick border.
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February 15, 2016

A New York Minute With the Lower East Side History Project’s Eric Ferrara

Eric Ferrara is one of those people who just screams New York, and it makes sense considering he's a fourth-generation city dweller. He was born on 71st Street in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn and is now a professional history author, educator, movie and television consultant and personality, and founder of the award-winning non-profit Lower East Side History Project. Among the books he's authored are the Manhattan Mafia Guide, Lower East Side Oral Histories, and The Bowery: A History of Grit, Graft and Grandeur. In addition to being ridiculously knowledgable about the city, Eric has that classic New York sense of humor, so we couldn't wait to hear about some of his most memorable moments, his favorite spots, and his general thoughts on life in New York.
Eric's NY Minute this way
February 14, 2016

10 New York Couples Offer Up Their Design Tips for Peaceful Cohabitation

Our ongoing series Apartment Living 101 is aimed at helping New Yorkers navigate the challenges of creating a happy home in the big city. In celebration of Valentine's Day, this week 6sqft asked 10 couples for tips on how to cohabit peacefully together. Living with anyone takes a lot of work—days are more often than not highlighted with squabbles over the toilet seat being left up than googly eyes over too many flowers and chocolates. Now throw in the fact that you're probably squeezing into a tiny studio or a one-bedroom (if you're lucky!), and one would think what you've really got is a one-way ticket to singledom. But creating a peaceful and stress-free home is possible by just implementing a few changes and making a few compromises. While love may be anything but one-size-fits-all, these 10 New York City couples are sharing their tips on how they created a balanced home full of joy.
All the best tips and 10 of NYC's cutest couples this way
January 29, 2016

Interactive Graph Compares L Train Commute Times and Rents With Other NYC Neighborhoods

We're hearing lots of anguish and anxiety over the possibility of an L subway shutdown for repairs for as long as a year or more, and we've taken a look at some possible solutions. Now, we've asked the real estate data geeks at NeighborhoodX to go a little deeper beneath the grumbling to find out just how much convenience can be had along that thin grey line, and how it stacks up against other neighborhoods in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. So which other neighborhoods offer commute times similar to the L train stops—and—just as important when choosing a neighborhood–how do their rents compare? And if you're living along the L, in light of the shutdown, what neighborhood alternatives do you have in the city that provide a similar commute?
Find out here
January 25, 2016

Maisonette Meets Loft in This Central Williamsburg Duplex Asking $5,500 a Month

This duplex apartment at the Sophia Lofts at 234 North Ninth Street, a former bakery converted to 11 loft residences in 2007, has a private entrance on Williamsburg's bustling crossroads of Roebling Street. You can come and go as you like from your own slice of prime 'burg, a 1,480 square-foot duplex that will put you right in the middle of where all the action is, for $5,500 a month. The interiors are loft all the way, though there are plenty of custom comforts and chic additions that give the classic converted space a distinct modern personality.
See what's inside
January 25, 2016

First Look at JDS Development’s Boutique Condos Coming to Williamsburg

Near the Williamsburg waterfront and steps away from Bushwick Inlet Park (home to the famed Smorgasburg), Largo Investments and minority partner JDS Development have hatched plans to build a boutique condominium building at 71-73 North 7th Street. The four-story, 15,000-square-foot development will expand upon the structural bones of an existing single-story building, ultimately creating four capacious apartments.
More details on the project
January 15, 2016

Get This Rusty ‘West Village’ Trashcan for a Mere $100 at Anthropologie

Want to bring a piece of NYC nostalgia into your home? Look no further than this "handmade" pre-rusted trashcan, available for the very reasonable price of $99.95 (down from $148!) at Anthropologie. Benjamin Miller, former planning policy director for the city sanitation department, told DNAinfo that the "West Village Corrugated Can" resembles the metal trash receptacles the entire city used (i.e. not just the West Village) up until 1969. They were called "ash cans," as they collected the wood and coal used to heat homes at the time, and were certainly not trendy or valuable.
Is it worth $100?
January 15, 2016

The Secret Community of NYC Republicans; Name a Roach After Your Ex for $10 at the Bronx Zoo

Visiting the underground community of NYC republicans. [NYT] This Valentine’s Day, the Bronx Zoo is selling naming rights to its cockroaches for just $10. [BK Mag] Restaurateurs in Williamsburg and Bushwick are already mobilizing against the possible three-year L train shutdown. [Eater] Trump may be ahead in the polls, but new research shows his campaign is […]

January 14, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week – 1/14-1/20

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers! This week, we've chosen a well-rounded experience that will get you out of the house and into varying genres within the art world. Start the weekend early by experiencing Julia Sinelnikova's hand-cut light sculptures, which can often be found at the Bushwick art raves you're too afraid to go to. Castor Gallery explores the diversity of contemporary artists working in the Middle East, and Fort Gansevoort brings its savory BBQ with a side of art, this time by Isabelle Fein. Celebrate the book release of "The Art of Ballpoint" while experiencing original works by artists featured in the book, or head to the Bronx to Wall Works Gallery, which specializes in new and old school graffiti. Bushwick's boutique hotel, BKLYN House, welcomes you to check out their 11 commissioned Brooklyn murals, and CHERYL begs you to get crazy with them at their all encompassing art dance party. And finally, hear some of the city's top starchitects discuss the ever-changing skyline.
All the best events to check out here