Search Results for: brooklyn history

March 2, 2016

The Urban Lens: Documenting New York City’s Vanishing Privilege Signs

6sqft's new series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In the first installment, award-winning authors and photographers James and Karla Murray brought us 15 years of images documenting the changing storefronts of Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village. Now they share more amazing images, this time of privilege signs, an industry term for the promotional signs installed by large corporations on storefronts. Are you a photographer who'd like to see your work featured on 6sqft? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. Privilege Signs are an industry term for the promotional signs installed by large corporations such as Coca-Cola and the Optimo Cigar Company. They were popular in the 1930s through 1960s and received their name because store owners were given the "privilege" of completing the signs with their own copy. Large companies benefited from the signs because they were an easy way of weaving a marketing campaign right into a building’s façade. The signs were not only given free to store owners, but they also brought people into the store with instant brand recognition. Today, they read retro and antique, standing out as a testament to a business' ability to endure even in the face of the monumental challenges in a city known for its rapid pace of change. When compiling our books on disappearing storefronts, we were immediately drawn to facades that still had these type of signs, so we've rounded up some of our favorites ahead.
See all the photos ahead

March 2, 2016

How to Make Shake Shack Burgers at Home; Clean Derrières Aren’t Just for the Rich

By Dana Schulz

Martin’s potato rolls, ground sirloin, pimento peppers — these are just a few of the ingredients you’ll need to make your own ShackBurger. [Brokelyn] The World Chess Championship is returning to NYC. [NYT] Bidets are the new must-have bathroom accessory, and they start as low as $57. [DNAinfo] A $1,600 DIY kit will recycle the water […]

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March 1, 2016

INTERVIEW: The Museum of Food and Drink’s Peter Kim Talks Food and Preservation

By Dana Schulz

This past October, the Museum of Food and Drink opened its first brick-and-mortar space in Williamsburg. Known as the MOFAD Lab, it's a design studio where the team is currently creating and displaying their exhibition ideas, as well as surprising a city who may have likened a food museum to merely big-name chefs and of-the-moment trends like rainbow bagels. Take for example their first exhibit "Flavor: Making It and Faking It," an in-depth and multi-sensory exploration of the $25 billion flavor simulation industry. Two more refreshingly unexpected facts are the background of executive director Peter Kim (he previously worked in public health, hunger policy, and law, to name a few fields) and the museum's first home at the Neighborhood Preservation Center (NPC), an office space and resource center for those working to improve and protect neighborhoods. If you're wondering what preservation and a food and drink museum have to do with each other, 6sqft recently attended an NPC event at MOFAD Lab to find out. After chatting with Peter and NPC's executive director Felicia Mayro, we quickly realized that the two fields have a lot more in common than you might think. Keep reading for our interview ahead, and if you want to visit MOFAD LAB, enter our latest giveaway. Peter is giving a lucky 6sqft reader and a guest free admission to the museum (enter here).
The full interview, right this way

February 23, 2016

A New Look for the Museum of Sex; The Curious Reason Barber Shops Don’t Take Credit Cards

By Dana Schulz

Ever wonder why barber shops don’t take credit cards? Here’s your answer. [Atlas Obscura] The state is conducting a study to understand where and how noise affects New York City residents. [DNAinfo] Mapping just how bar-saturated the Lower East Side is. [Bowery Boogie] The luxurious wedding and remarkable home of great Brooklyn architect Montrose Morris. [Brownstoner] […]

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February 20, 2016

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

By Ondel Hylton

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

Skyline Wars: What’s Rising in Hudson Yards, the Nation’s Largest Construction Site

By Carter B. Horsley

Carter Uncut brings New York City’s breaking development news under the critical eye of resident architecture critic Carter B. Horsley. This week Carter brings us the third installment of “Skyline Wars,” a series that examines the explosive and unprecedented supertall phenomenon that is transforming the city’s silhouette. In this post Carter zooms in on Hudson Yards. The Hudson Yards neighborhood in Far Midtown West is one of the country’s most active construction areas. Construction cranes dot its emerging skyline and dozens more are promised now with the district's improved connection to the rest of the city. Last fall, the 7-line subway station at Eleventh Avenue and 34th Street opened with one-stop access to Times Square. The newly-minted station features a lengthy diagonal escalator bringing commuters to the front-door of the huge mixed-use project being created over the rail yards west of Tenth Avenue between 30th and 33rd streets. Originally, a second station was contemplated on 41st Street and Tenth Avenue but transit officials claimed it could not afford the $500 million expenditure, despite the enormous amount of new residential construction occurring along the far West 42nd Street corridor. Nevertheless, the finished Hudson Yards station deposits straphangers into a new diagonal boulevard and park between 10th and 11th Avenues that will ultimately stretch from the Related Companies / Oxford Property Group's Hudson Yards master plan northward to 42nd Street.
read more from carter here

February 18, 2016

MAPS: Where to Find the Best Studio Rental Bargains Right Now

By Ondel Hylton

Last week we took a look at the lowest priced studio condominiums in Manhattan and northern Brooklyn. Now, here's a glance at the lowest priced rental studio units currently on the market. More than 60 percent of city-dwellers are renters—that's more than double the national average. And with the rental vacancy rate hovering around three percent, it's no surprise NYC is among the most expensive places to rent in the country. The most affordable neighborhood in Manhattan or northern Brooklyn to find a studio rental apartment is Bedford-Stuyvesant, where the median rent is $1,422 per month. Bed-Stuy is then closely followed by Crown Heights and Harlem, with median rents of $1,550 per month. The most expensive neighborhoods to rent in are NoLiTa ($3,848), the Lower East Side ($3,489), and TriBeCa ($3,465). Below you'll find a list of ten of the best individual studio deals on the market right now, and a map showing the studios priced farthest below their neighborhood medians. But move fast because these deals tend to disappear very quickly!
See it all here

Distinctive Homes

February 18, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week – 2/18-2/24

By Lori Zimmer

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's less-frigid temperatures mean a great opportunity to head to Doris C. Freedman Plaza at the bottom of Central Park to experience the Public Art Fund's latest installation before it closes next week. Across the park, the final performance of the New York City Ballet's collaboration with artist Marcel Dzama is guaranteed not to disappoint (those costumes!). Ground Floor Gallery in Brooklyn is opening a group show inspired by the rare stone lapis, and Charlie Chaplin lights up the theater at the Rubin Museum. Semi-autobiographical film "Candy Apple" will accompany a chance to chat with director Dean Dempsey, and iconic art critic Hal Foster speaks at the Pratt Institue. Finally, as the ultimate example of the Williamsburg rent hike, seminal Williamsburg gallery PIEROGI opens its doors in... Manhattan.
All the best events to check out here

Events & Things To Do

February 17, 2016

INTERVIEW: Micro-Housing Architect Michael Chen Shares His Thoughts on the Tiny Trend

By Dana Schulz

It's hard to flip through the home and garden television channels these days without seeing a program about tiny homes. But the trend has been gaining momentum for years, long before it made its way onto our TV screens. One of the creative forces behind this revolution is Michael Chen, firm principal of Michael K. Chen Architecture. With design offices in New York and San Francisco and 14 years of experience, Michael is considered a pioneer of innovative micro-housing. Not only does he share his "love of tinkering, of drawing, of discourse, and of making" with his clients, but he teaches at Pratt Institute School of Architecture in Brooklyn. Having recently finished the 5:1 Apartment–a compact, 390-square-foot space that fits all the functional and spatial elements for living, working, sleeping, dressing, entertaining, cooking, dining, and bathing–MKCA is taking the design world by storm with their thoughtful approach and clever product design. 6sqft decided to pick Michael's brain on just how he packs so much into such small footprints, where he thinks the micro-housing movement is headed, and the secrets behind some of his most spectacular spaces.
The interview, this way

February 4, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week – 2/4-2/10

By Lori Zimmer

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers! Get your rest, because there's a full week of art activities awaiting. First, hop over to the High Line to experience the new LED kinetic sculpture, then experience a giant cat judging you (as it should be) every night in Times Square for #MidnightMoment. Artist and lab anatomy instructor Frank Porcu shares his unique vision at the Lodge, and Jong Oh talks minimalism at Marc Straus–and then serves Korean food! Curator Jessica Holborn explores the healing power of the embrace, and Annika Connor talks about her new book and tips for artists navigating the rough and tough art world. Wait in line for standby tickets to see Grace Jones' 1982 "A One Man Show" at the Kitchen, then cozy up at the adorable Roger Smith Hotel for their winter art opening.
All the best events to check out here

Events & Things To Do

February 2, 2016

The Urban Lens: Documenting Gentrification’s Toll on the Mom-and-Pops of Greenwich Village

By James and Karla Murray

6sqft's new series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. To kick things off, award-winning authors and photographers James and Karla Murray bring us 15 years of images documenting the changing storefronts of Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village. Are you a photographer who'd like to see your work featured on 6sqft? Get in touch with us at [email protected] Bleecker Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenue South was once a huge Italian enclave with many traditional "mom and pop" stores catering to the large Italian families who resided in the neighborhood. By the late 1930s, it also had a significant bohemian population with many artists, writers, poets and musicians living in the area who set up galleries, coffee houses and music shops. Due to widespread gentrification and escalating real-estate values, the neighborhood has changed drastically and its unique appearance and character is suffering. We are here to take you on visual tour to experience how many of the truly authentic shops remain on this venerable Greenwich Village street, and to show you what has replaced the ones that have vanished. Many of the shops you'll encounter ahead have been featured with full-color photographs and insightful interviews with the store owners in three of our widely acclaimed books on the subject, but we've also rounded up several more ahead.
Walk the Greenwich Village of yesteryear and present

February 2, 2016

S.S. United States Likely Coming to Manhattan, Where Will It Dock?

By Ondel Hylton

The S.S. United States, a rusting symbol of the country's maritime might, has evaded the scrapyard and is likely coming to a Manhattan location. The S.S. United States Conservancy will hold a press event on Thursday at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, revealing the 63-year-old ocean liner's future home. The conservancy sent out an S.O.S. to New Yorkers interested in rescuing the vessel and revamping its 600,000 square feet of space into a self-sustaining business. Prior visions have ranged from tech offices, hotel rooms, housing, entertainment spaces, museums, and a maritime school. The location of the press event, near the United States Lines’ former terminal at Pier 86, is a clear give-away that the ship will be relocated to the city. Previously the developers of the SuperPier project had expressed interest in docking the ship alongside Pier 57, and several years back an idea was floated to dock the ship further south alongside Pier 40. More recently, rumors have honed in on three locations: a Brooklyn pier within the Gowanus Bay Terminal in Red Hook; Pier 36 just north of the Manhattan Bridge; and an undisclosed Manhattan location that is likely on the west side.
The full story ahead

January 28, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week – 1/28-2/3

By Lori Zimmer

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! Last week's blizzard Jonas may have made a fun day for jumping in snow piles, but it put a total damper on a bevy of artists waiting to present themselves to the hungry art world. This week, make up for lost time at Last Rites' rescheduled Allison Sommers opening or the most popular winter pool party at the Grace Hotel, hosted by artist Annika Connor. Two LA artists with opposing views come together at Joseph Gross Gallery, while Katya Grokhovsky invites visitors to put their hands all over her exhibition. Peter Caine brings a pooping robotic Ronald Reagan to a gallery on the Lower East Side (enough said). Times Square Arts invites guests to meet their first artists in residence, and the Schomberg Center invites Basquiat fans to a talk relating his work to its effects on African Diasporic communities.
All the best events to check out here

Events & Things To Do

January 28, 2016

A Former Engraver’s Studio in Sniffen Court, Now a Townhouse, Asks $6.45 Million

By Emily Nonko

Who wouldn't want to live in a townhouse with lots of interesting history, located in one of just a few private mews in New York City? Enter this listing at 156 East 36th Street, a Murray Hill townhouse that originally served as stables during the Civil War era, then was converted to an engraver's studio in 1915. The Romanesque building is also a part of the Sniffen Court Mews, which is blocked from the public by a private gate off East 36th Street. Sniffen Court was constructed between 1863 and 1864 as a collection of carriage houses–the off-street placement helped solve noise and odor issues related to the horses. The stables were in use until the early 1920s, when automobiles replaced horses, and eventually they were converted to residential.
Read more about this house

January 21, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week – 1/21-1/27

By Lori Zimmer

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! It may not be Armory week, but you can still get your art fair fill at the sixth annual Outsider Art Fair, which showcases non-traditional and untrained artists (think Henry Darger and modern counterparts). Taxidermy artist Joseph Grazi invites you to hear his musical side, and Mickalene Thomas shares her photographer inspirations at Aperture. Adrian Villar Rojas talks about his otherworldly sculptures with the Public Art Fund, and stencil legend Nick Walker takes up residence at the Quin. You can push your art experience to learn more about love with Lainie Love Dalby, or experience the aesthetics of Jessica Calderwood. Finish up the week with the Victorian sensibilities of Allison Sommers at Last Rites.
All the best events to check out here

Events & Things To Do

Staten Island’s Abandoned Farm Colony to Undergo $91M Development for Senior Housing

Rendering via Nancy Owens Studio

January 20, 2016

Staten Island’s Abandoned Farm Colony to Undergo $91M Development for Senior Housing

By Dana Schulz

Over a year ago, 6sqft shared the news that Staten Island's abandoned farm colony was set to undergo a massive rehabilitation that included a large senior housing building and a massive public park. And just yesterday, the City Council approved the New York City Economic Development Corporation's plan to sell 45 of the site's 96 acres to Staten Island developer Raymond Masucci for $1, according to the Times. Mr. Masucci will pour $91 million into the project, dubbed Landmark Colony, rehabilitating five crumbling Dutch Revival-style structures, tearing down five more but saving their stones for reuse, preserving a 112-year-old dormitory "as a stabilized ruin," constructing 344 condominiums for the 55 and older crowd, and designing 17 acres of public outdoor space.
More on the project and the history of the site

January 15, 2016

Why Does This East Village Building Have a Statue of Vladimir Lenin on Top?

By Dana Schulz

In 1989, the same year as the fall of the Soviet Union, Red Square was erected as one of the first large-scale private developments in the East Village. Today, it blends in with the other big-box apartment buildings that dot this stretch of Houston Street. That is, until you look up and see the statue of Russian dictator Vladimir Lenin. The 18-foot bronze statue by Yuri Gerasimov was actually commissioned by the Soviet Union in the early '80s as a tribute to their leader's supposed commitment to the working class. When the USSR fell, however, it was never unveiled. But in 1994, when Red Square developers Michael Rosen (a former NYU professor of radical sociology) and Michael Shaoul came across the Lenin statue in a Moscow backyard, it made its way up to the top of their building.
The full history and the story behind that clock

History

January 14, 2016

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

By Lori Zimmer

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

Events & Things To Do

January 12, 2016

Massive Williamsburg Studio, Asking $3,750 a Month, Is Called a ‘Loft Lover’s Dream’

By Emily Nonko

Are you the type of New Yorker who dreams of great apartments after you've gone to bed? Maybe you've dreamt up a loft that looks like this, with wide open space, strikingly high ceilings, a private terrace and roof deck with views of the Williamsburg Bridge (Every NYC apartment worth dreaming about has outdoor space!). The listing, anyway, claims this Williamsburg studio at 138 Broadway is the stuff of dreams, and we have to say that it does look dreamy in the photos -- especially the 20-by-22-foot main space that's being used as the living and bedroom. The apartment comes from a well-known Williamsburg building, the Smith Gray, a cast-iron design built in 1882 for the Smith and Gray Department Store Building. It was converted to condos in 2002.
Check out the apartment

Distinctive Homes

January 6, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week – 1/7-1/13

By Lori Zimmer

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! The now-appropriate temperatures don't mean you have to hunker down inside to kick off 2016. Each night this month, check out iconic artist Laurie Anderson's tribute to dogs in Times Square. Whitehot Magazine's Noah Becker turns on his curatorial eye for a group show at Berry Campbell, and famed photographer Ricky Powell partners with some nouveau street artists for an exhibition of collaboration. Experience the ghosts of Christmas trees past at Michael Neff's Suspended Forest exhibition in Queens, or explore the ideology behind pleasure with Katya Grokhovsky. Learn something new with Dr. Vanessa Sinclair at the Morbid Anatomy museum, or with the work of the late Charles Bukowski at Cornelia Street Cafe. Finish the weekend off by challenging yourself to be your most daring during the 15th Annual No Pants Subway Ride.
All the best events to check out here

Events & Things To Do

December 29, 2015

Outrageous Bronx Mansion Built for Jesus’ Second Coming Can Be Yours for $10M

By Dana Schulz

Up in Riverdale, atop the second-highest peak in the city, is an opulent mansion that beckons to the heavens–literally–that's about to hit the market for $10 million. The grand, 17-room home was built back in 1928 by its eccentric owner who never actually lived in the home herself, but rather constructed it for Jesus' second coming. Genevieve Ludlow Griscom was by then the widow of Clement Acton Griscom Jr., a prominent shipping executive. She was a member of a cult-like religious group called the Outer Court of the Order of the Living Christ, which was rooted in Episcopalian beliefs, but focused on "reincarnation and Christian mysticism," according to the Post. "The property was built as the group’s summer retreat and was surrounded by a high fence, leading neighbors to speculate that it was home to strange rituals," they added.
Get the rest of the strange history ahead

December 24, 2015

See How Much Central Park Has Changed Since the ’80s in These Before-and-After Photos

By Dana Schulz

In 1980, the Central Park Conservancy was formed as a nonprofit organization to manage the park under a contract with the City of New York and the Parks Department. As 6sqft noted in a previous interview with the Conservancy, they're made up of "gardeners, arborists, horticulturists, landscape architects, designers, tour guides, archeologists, a communications team, and even a historian," all of whom help to maintain the park as the gorgeous urban oasis we know and love today. But before this, the park faced countless political and economic stressors, and without a central body to oversee it, entered a state of disrepair and neglect. It culminated in the '80s (as the Conservancy worked on a plan for its rehabilitation) with barren patches of land, graffiti tags, and dead plants. Since it's hard to imagine Central Park in such a state, the Conservancy has provided these incredible before-and-after photos that show just how far the beloved space has come.
See all the photos here

History

December 21, 2015

The Food Hall Obsession Makes Its Way to Staten Island

By Dana Schulz

Following a slew of recent headlines–Anthony's Bourdain's food and retail market headed for the SuperPier, the mega-market coming to Essex Crossing that will be one of the largest in the world, and Jean-Georges Vongerichten's seafood-themed food hall planned for the South Street Seaport–6sqft recently posed the question: Is the city's food hall obsession about to burst? Though the votes were divided, the trend has shown no signs of slowing down, especially considering that it's now making its way over to the often-forgotten borough of Staten Island, with perhaps the most gimmicky name we've heard yet. Curbed reports that the team behind Gansevoort Market has partnered with Empire Outlets developers BFC Partners to open a locally curated food market by late 2017. Dubbed MRKTPL, the hall will span 15,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space that will "tie together the history of the New York Harbor with modern communal spaces to eat and gather," as per the press release.
More details this way

Uncategorized

December 18, 2015

Spotlight: A Cold Dip With the Coney Island Polar Bear Club’s Dennis Thomas

By Susan Cohen

The city may be having an unseasonably warm December, but it's fair to say most New Yorkers still find it a bit too chilly for the beach. Members of the famed Coney Island Polar Bear Club, on the other hand, relish the drop in temperature as they head out for an ocean swim. The Polar Bear Club is a New York institution dating back to 1903. While the organization is renowned for its annual New Year’s Day swim where New Yorkers gather to welcome the year with a chilly dip, it’s far from the only time the club embraces the cold water. In fact, they meet 12 times throughout the winter months and draw a sizable membership that's a mix of ages, backgrounds, and cultures from the metropolitan area and beyond. At the club's helm is president Dennis Thomas, who fell in love with Coney Island years ago and later discovered the serenity of swimming on brisk days. More than thirty years after he first became a member, Dennis spoke with 6sqft about the Polar Bear Club's history, what a typical swim is like, and what happens when hundreds of New Yorkers turn out for a New Year's Day swim that supports Camp Sunshine.
Read the interview here

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