Architecture And Design

Not only does the American Museum of Natural History's new center make the museum's founding dream of building one continuous campus across four city blocks a reality, but it also brings a new architectural gem to New York City. Designed by Jeanne Gang's Studio Gang, the Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation is a dramatic, curving structure, inspired by caves and canyons formed by natural forces. The museum released new photos and provided a media tour of the Gilder Center this week, highlighting its progress on the Upper West Side ahead of the official opening in February.
Take the tour

Finalist proposals unveiled for new climate change center on Governors Island

Conceptual rendering of Proposal #1. Credit: Trust for Governors Island

October 27, 2022

Finalist proposals unveiled for new climate change center on Governors Island

Mayor Eric Adams and the Trust for Governors Island on Wednesday unveiled the three finalists for the city's global competition to design a state-of-the-art research institution on Governors Island dedicated to climate solutions. The so-called Center for Climate Solutions will create 7,000 permanent jobs, approximately $1 billion in economic impact, and develop innovative ways for New York City and the rest of the world to address the climate crisis, according to the city. The winning design team will be announced next year.
Details here

10 years after Superstorm Sandy: rebuilding, redesigning and rethinking New York City

Photo credit: Chris Ford via Flickr

October 27, 2022

10 years after Superstorm Sandy: rebuilding, redesigning and rethinking New York City

A decade ago, an Atlantic hurricane-turned-superstorm named Sandy caught ready-for-anything New York City completely off guard as it raged up the East Coast from the Caribbean to Canada. On October 29, 2012, the city was blindsided by an unanticipated storm surge that flooded streets and subway tunnels and cut power. It took some areas weeks to get the lights back on and, in the best of cases, open for business, and years to rebuild (an effort which is still ongoing). It goes without saying that the city would like this disaster to be the first and last of its kind, but predictions of future environmental impacts are front-page news daily. To that end, experts and innovators in architecture and engineering, government organizations, regulators, and planners have dedicated their efforts–and billions of dollars–to protect the city in a post-Sandy world. But what has really been accomplished–and is the city safer?
Storm clouds, silver linings, but few solutions

See NYC architects compete in annual pumpkin carving contest Pumpkitecture

Image courtesy of Sam Lahoz

October 27, 2022

See NYC architects compete in annual pumpkin carving contest Pumpkitecture

The annual competition that pits New York City-based architectural firms against each other to carve the best pumpkin is returning on Friday, just in time for Halloween. Known as Pumpkitecture, the event will give onlookers the opportunity to see architects hone their skills in real-time and compete for the big prize, the Pritzkerpumpkin. Pumpkitecture will take place at the Center for Architecture at 536 LaGuardia Place in Greenwich Village on October 28 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Get ready to go gourd to gourd

Furniture resale marketplace AptDeco launches national shipping

Photo courtesy of AptDeco

October 21, 2022

Furniture resale marketplace AptDeco launches national shipping

Fans of furniture thrifting and eco-friendly home decor got some welcome news this week. AptDeco, the used furniture online marketplace, has launched national shipping, expanding from its current service zone of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Philadelphia, Delaware, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Now anyone in the continental United States looking to sell or buy furniture online can sign up on AptDeco.
Get the details

$50M restoration of Jacob Riis Art Deco bathhouse adds restaurants, pool, and hotel rooms

All photos courtesy of Sylvester Zawadzki

October 21, 2022

$50M restoration of Jacob Riis Art Deco bathhouse adds restaurants, pool, and hotel rooms

The 90-year-old Art Deco bathhouse at Jacob Riis Park will be restored to its former glory as a beachfront hub under a $50 million rehabilitation project unveiled Thursday. CBSK Developers and the architect firm Beyer Blinder Belle will transform the iconic, but underutilized, 1932 building into a multi-purpose public space with restaurants, a bar, a pool, event spaces, and a 28-room boutique hotel.
See more here

A historic Second Empire-style mansion on Long Island asks $2.8M

Photos courtesy of Dynamic Media Solutions

October 18, 2022

A historic Second Empire-style mansion on Long Island asks $2.8M

A historic 160-year-old home in a woodsy, waterfront Long Island village is for sale. Located at 381 West Neck Road in Lloyd Harbor, the Charles Homer Davis House, named after the New York City businessman who built it, was constructed in the 1860s in the Second Empire architectural style. Now asking $2,795,000, the remarkably intact clapboard-clad home rises two and a half stories and features a truncated tower, wrap-around porch, and mansard roof.
Get a closer look

Open House New York returns this month with free tours of 270+ places in NYC

Woodlawn Cemetery; Photo courtesy of Julia Xiao

October 11, 2022

Open House New York returns this month with free tours of 270+ places in NYC

The annual Open House New York Weekend returns for its 20th year this month and for the first time, the festival will be totally free to attend. OHNY takes place from October 21 through October 23 and offers an up-close look at more than 270 buildings, projects, and other spaces across New York City typically off-limits to the public. Even better, the festival has done away with its $5 reservation fee at places with restricted capacity and has introduced a new lottery system for ticketed locations that will replace its old first-come, first-serve model.
See the lineup

NYC’s famous skinny house in Greenwich Village last listed for $4.2M enters contract

Listing photos by Rich Caplan

October 10, 2022

NYC’s famous skinny house in Greenwich Village last listed for $4.2M enters contract

One of New York City's skinniest homes entered contract this week. At just nine-and-a-half feet wide, the townhouse at 75 1/2 Bedford Street in Greenwich Village is famous not only for its super slender frame but for its one-time resident, the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Edna St. Vincent Millay. The home, known as the Millay House, hit the market in August 2021 for $4,990,000 but got a price cut this summer to $4,199,000.
More here

Architecture And Design

A Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Hudson Valley home 30 minutes from Manhattan asks $1.5M

A well-preserved mid-century prefab home in New York designed by prolific architect Frank Lloyd Wright hit the market this week. Surrounded by woods in the Hudson Valley hamlet of Blauvelt, the "Socrates Zaferiou House" was designed by Wright in a variation of his trademark Usonian style. Asking $1,525,000, the single-family home features a flat roof, L-shaped open floor plan, asymmetrical forms, and large windows to bring the outside in.
More this way

Lego-like Radio Hotel and Tower opens in Washington Heights

All photos courtesy of Ossip van Duivenbode

September 30, 2022

Lego-like Radio Hotel and Tower opens in Washington Heights

Washington Heights' first-ever full-service boutique hotel is now open. Located at 2420 Amsterdam Avenue at the foot of the Washington Bridge, the colorful Radio Hotel and Tower was designed by Dutch firm MVRDV, with Stonehill Taylor as the architect of record, to "stand out at the entrance of Manhattan." The 23-story mixed-use building contains a 221-room hotel, ground-floor retail, office space, a Santo Domingo-inspired restaurant, and a rooftop lounge with 360-degree views.
Take a look

Take a virtual tour of Bed-Stuy’s turn-of-the-century brownstones

Photo courtesy of The Brownstoners of Bedford-Stuyvesant

September 29, 2022

Take a virtual tour of Bed-Stuy’s turn-of-the-century brownstones

The Brownstoners of Bedford-Stuyvesant is once again inviting architecture lovers and design buffs on a virtual tour of the neighborhood's most remarkable brownstones. Returning for its 44th year with the theme "Preserving Our Legacy, While Embracing Our Future," the house tour will be available starting on October 15, with ticket holders able to view the video until November 27. While it once was an in-person experience, the event has been held virtually since 2020 because of the pandemic.
See more here

Take a tour of the tallest penthouse on the Upper East Side, asking $33M

All photos courtesy of Sean Hemmerle

September 28, 2022

Take a tour of the tallest penthouse on the Upper East Side, asking $33M

Earlier this year, the highest residence in the tallest tower on the Upper East Side hit the market. This week, new photos of the penthouse at 180 East 88th Street were released, showing off the impressive architecture of the five-bedroom home, which was listed for $33,000,000 in March. On full display are the apartment's stunning sculptural staircase, dramatic archways, brass-framed windows, and private outdoor space with panoramic views.
Take a peak

Futuristic trio of townhouses in Williamsburg hits the market for $6M each

All photos courtesy of Shannon Dupre of DDReps

September 28, 2022

Futuristic trio of townhouses in Williamsburg hits the market for $6M each

Three curvy townhouse-style condos in Williamsburg hit the market this week. Designed by Murat Mutlu, the principal of the International Office of Architects (INOA) and former protégé of the late, legendary architect Zaha Hadid, 74-76 South Second Street is a trio of architecturally unique four-bedroom homes, measuring 3,800 square feet and situated behind a modern facade of concrete and steel. The unique homes, listed for $5,995,000 each, are topped with an entertaining-ready roof deck and an outdoor kitchen.
See inside

Lincoln Center announces October 8 opening for David Geffen Hall

Photo courtesy of Chris Lee

September 27, 2022

Lincoln Center announces October 8 opening for David Geffen Hall

David Geffen Hall, the new home of the New York Philharmonic, is set to open to the public on October 8. To celebrate the opening, the hall is hosting a series of events throughout October, beginning with the world premiere of San Juan Hill: A New York Story by composer Etienne Charles. After two celebratory galas, an open house weekend will take place on October 29 and 30, featuring hundreds of artists who will be "animating the hall with performances, participatory activities, and family events," according to a press release.
Details this way

Architecture And Design

José Andrés opens romantic rooftop bar at the Ritz-Carlton in Nomad

Photo courtesy of Björn Wallander

September 23, 2022

José Andrés opens romantic rooftop bar at the Ritz-Carlton in Nomad

José Andrés opened a new cocktail bar on the rooftop of The Ritz-Carlton New York, Nomad last week. Described as a "glittering jewel box," Nubeluz, (the name is a mash-up of the Spanish words "nube" for cloud and "luz" for light), sits 500 feet above Nomad, becoming a part of the skyline while also boasting 270-degree views of it.
See it here

MTA selects design team for Penn Station renovation

Photo by Danazar on Wikimedia

September 22, 2022

MTA selects design team for Penn Station renovation

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has selected a group of architects and engineers for the $7 billion redesign of Penn Station, with the agency's board voting to approve the contract on Wednesday. The agency tapped FXCollaborative Architects and WSP USA to bring their Penn Station Master Plan to life, with further assistance from London-based John McAslan + Partners as collaborative architects. According to Gov. Kathy Hochul, work will begin "in the coming months."
See more here

Plan to convert abandoned railroad tracks in Queens into High Line-style park moves forward

All renderings courtesy of the Trust for Public Land and Friends of the QueensWay

September 19, 2022

Plan to convert abandoned railroad tracks in Queens into High Line-style park moves forward

A proposal to convert an abanonded railway in Queens into a public park is moving forward. Mayor Eric Adams on Friday announced a $35 million investment for the first phase of the QueensWay, a High Line-like linear park built on the long-defunct Rockaway Beach Branch Line that will serve the neighborhoods of Rego Park, Forest Hills, Glendale, Forest Park, Woodhaven, and Ozone Park. The city's investment covers an environmental review and construction of the first phase of the park.
Get the details

Architecture And Design

Archtober 2022: This year’s top architecture and design events

Photo of Waterline Square Park by Elizabeth Felicella, Photo of Chinatown by Mobilus In Mobili on Flickr, Photo of Museum at Eldridge Street © James and Karla Murray, Photo of Bryant Park by Jean-Christophe Benoist on Wikimedia

September 14, 2022

Archtober 2022: This year’s top architecture and design events

The festival that provides a behind-the-scenes look at some of New York City's most iconic buildings, public spaces, and cultural institutions returns for its 12th year next month. Held from October 1 through October 31, the Center for Architecture's Archtober is a celebration of architecture and design, with tours, talks, and events led by experts. While most of the events offered will be in-person, some will still be virtual or hybrid, which proved successful during the pandemic. Ahead, find just some of our favorite Archtober events happening this year, from exploring Art Deco gems of the Upper West Side to taking a tour of Brooklyn's tallest tower.
See our picks here

This $6.5M pre-Revolutionary War Hudson Valley home is historic and turnkey, with a celebrity past

Photo credit: Andrea B. Swenson

September 7, 2022

This $6.5M pre-Revolutionary War Hudson Valley home is historic and turnkey, with a celebrity past

The Dutch farmhouse-style home at 35 Washington Spring Road in Snedens Landing–known as Ding Dong House because of a large bell that once adorned its rooftop–was built by John Sneden, whose family founded the ferry that serves the surrounding town of Palisades. Since then it has also been the residence of celebrities from Aaron Copland to Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke. Built in 1750 with an addition that dates from 1860, this historic home is a peerless part of the celebrity-approved Hudson Valley enclave's history and has been updated with 21st-century infrastructure. It's now on the market for $6,500,000.
Find out more about this iconic Hudson Valley home

Inside Peachy Keen, a ’70s-inspired Times Square restaurant with funky decor and comfort food

All photos courtesy of Alejandro Ramos

August 30, 2022

Inside Peachy Keen, a ’70s-inspired Times Square restaurant with funky decor and comfort food

An over-the-top dining experience bursting at the seams with color, patterns, and nostalgia opened in Times Square this summer. Peachy Keen is a sprawling restaurant with exaggerated 1970s-inspired interiors, decked out in a vibrant color scheme of coral, turquoise, orange, and pink with design elements like white ceramic tiles with pink grout and neon signs. The team behind the delightfully retro restaurant's design is Wid Chapman Architects, the hospitality experts who designed New York City hot spots like Dhamaka and the restaurant inside 70 Pine Street. Serving up inventive comfort food and funky cocktails, the all-day eatery is massive with a little over 140 seats, but pockets of tucked-away seating and banquettes provide space for private moments, too. Ahead, hear from architect Wid Chapman on how Peachy Keen's colorful menu inspired the restaurant's technicolor vibe, as well as the firm's design process and his favorite thing to order from the new restaurant.
A Times Square throwback

Tribeca’s historic skybridge building finally sells for $24M

All photos courtesy of Eitan Gamliely for Sotheby’s International Realty

August 29, 2022

Tribeca’s historic skybridge building finally sells for $24M

After nearly a decade on the market, a Tribeca home that has its own skybridge has sold for $24,000,000 in an off-market sale. The unusual listing included a townhouse at 9 Jay Street and a separate loft condo at 67 Hudson Street, connected by the famed footbridge suspended over Staple Street. The deal sets a new record for the highest per square foot sale for a townhouse in the neighborhood.
Find out more

Asking $3.2M, a rare pair of townhouses on Brooklyn’s quaint ‘secret’ block with tiny doors

Photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

August 26, 2022

Asking $3.2M, a rare pair of townhouses on Brooklyn’s quaint ‘secret’ block with tiny doors

New York City never runs out of surprises, and some of the best ones are hidden in plain sight. Dennett Place in Carroll Gardens is just such a hidden surprise. The fun-sized block near the Gowanus Canal is lined with equally diminutive townhouses, each with a miniature "hobbit door." Though the neighborhood has changed, the block still has the look of a quaint European alleyway and the charm of a tight-knit community–though no one seems to know what the half-pint doors are for. The homes here don't change hands often, but a pair of multi-family townhouses at 14 and 16 Dennett Place is on the market for the first time in 100 years, asking $3.2 million for both.
Six units, endless potential, this way

From neglected mud patch to outdoor oasis, a Brooklyn backyard gets a garden makeover

Photos © 6sqft

August 25, 2022

From neglected mud patch to outdoor oasis, a Brooklyn backyard gets a garden makeover