Manhattan

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine released a report this week outlining 171 locations in the borough he believes can be turned into more than 73,000 new homes. The report, titled "Housing Manhattanites," seeks to address Manhattan's housing shortage and answer a critical question: "Where in our borough can we build the housing that Manhattanites so desperately need?" Of these housing opportunities, Levine explained to the New York Times: "Some of it is hiding in plain sight. There has been a Post Office that has been closed. There’s an abandoned bus depot that is not being used. There’s manufacturing space which is empty. There are buildings that landlords surrendered to the city for back taxes decades ago."
Find out more

Lottery opens for 144 mixed-income units at new Chelsea rental with lots of green space, from $1,329/month

Rendering courtesy of the

February 2, 2023

Lottery opens for 144 mixed-income units at new Chelsea rental with lots of green space, from $1,329/month

NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development Applications are now being accepted for 144 mixed-income apartments at the currently-under-construction development known as Ruby at 241 West 28th Street in Chelsea. Upon completion later this year, the 25-story mixed-use building will have 480 rental apartments, 8,500 square feet of ground-floor retail, landscaped gardens, and an impressive menu of amenities including rooftop pools, terraces, and lounges. The affordable units are available to New Yorkers earning between 70 and 130 percent of the area median income, or between $48,138 for a single person and $130,046 for a five-person household. Apartments range from $1,329/month for studios to $3,793 for two bedrooms.
Find out if you're eligible

Affordable Housing

February 1, 2023

Anish Kapoor’s bean sculpture is finally complete in Tribeca

New York City finally got its bean. About five years and several delays later, Anish Kapoor's mirrored sculpture was unveiled to the public this week, seemingly propping up Tribeca's "Jenga Building" at 56 Leonard Street. As first reported by Tribeca Citizen, and confirmed by 6sqft, the longstanding barriers and scaffolding have been removed, with the monumental permanent public artwork taking its rightful place on the corner of Church and Leonard Streets.
See the sculpture

Events & Things To Do

In New York, Biden touts $300M investment for Hudson River rail project

President Biden hosted a press conference in NYC to discuss the Hudson River Tunnel Project on 1/31/23; Photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

February 1, 2023

In New York, Biden touts $300M investment for Hudson River rail project

President Joe Biden made an appearance at Hudson Yards on Tuesday to announce a $292 million investment for a project that would fix a century-old rail tunnel and build a new one under the river between New York and New Jersey. The $16 billion Hudson River tunnel project is just one part of the broader $30 billion Gateway Project, which includes new bridges and the expansion of Penn Station. The funding announced by Biden will go toward a $649 million project that extends the concrete casing for the tunnels between Penn Station and the Hudson River before any work on the tunnels can actually begin.
Get the details

Latest casino proposed for NYC includes a giant Ferris wheel near the U.N.

Rendering of Freedom Plaza. Credit: Soloviev Group.

February 1, 2023

Latest casino proposed for NYC includes a giant Ferris wheel near the U.N.

As the competition for three New York City casino licenses heats up, the latest contender, Soloviev Group, announced this week a partnership with Mohegan in a plan that would include a partially subterranean casino anchoring a Midtown entertainment district near the United Nations headquarters. In addition to the casino, the mixed-use development known as Freedom Plaza would include a hotel, two residential towers, green space, a performance venue, a giant Ferris wheel, and–because nothing says "democracy" like a casino and a Ferris wheel–a museum dedicated to democracy.
Find out more

City Living

NYC unveils first restored national medallions along Manhattan’s Avenue of the Americas

Photos courtesy of the NYC Department of Transportation

January 31, 2023

NYC unveils first restored national medallions along Manhattan’s Avenue of the Americas

The city's Department of Transportation this week unveiled the first restored medallions installed along the Avenue of the Americas on lampposts from 42nd Street to 59th Street. The medallions, which were first displayed in 1959, depict the emblems of each nation and territory in the Western Hemisphere. After years of neglect, the medallions had fallen into disrepair, leaving just 18 of the original 300 medallions remaining. Last fall, DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced plans to create new medallions. On Monday, the city installed the first nine of 45 new medallions, representing the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, Argentina, St. Lucia, and Uruguay.
See more here

City Living

Savannah Guthrie is selling her full-floor Tribeca loft for $7.1M

Photos © Travis Mark for Sotheby’s International Realty

January 31, 2023

Savannah Guthrie is selling her full-floor Tribeca loft for $7.1M

"Today" co-host Savannah Guthrie and her husband, communications pro Michael Feldman, have put their turn-key Tribeca loft on the market for $7,100,000. The full-floor four-bedroom received a modern renovation by AD100 architects Ike Kligerman Barkley and AD100 interior designer Monique Gibson. After calling the apartment home for over five years, the couple has decided to sell because they have a "vision and dream of living in a townhouse," Guthrie told the Wall Street Journal, which first reported the listing.
Get a better look

NYPL acquires archive of Joan Didion’s papers including personal photos, letters, and more

Joan Didion, undated.

January 27, 2023

NYPL acquires archive of Joan Didion’s papers including personal photos, letters, and more

The New York Public Library (NYPL) has acquired an extensive collection of papers and personal items belonging to writer Joan Didion and her husband, writer John Gregory Dunne. The archive of writings, correspondence, photographs, and ephemera provides a rich portrait of the celebrated couples' life and work.
Find out more about the collection

History

New 34th Street station entrance features mosaic depicting clock from old Penn Station

Image courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

January 27, 2023

New 34th Street station entrance features mosaic depicting clock from old Penn Station

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Thursday unveiled new accessibility improvements at Penn Station. In addition to four newly modernized elevators, the new, fully accessible entrance at 7th Avenue and 33rd Street features artwork by Diana Al-Hadid. Measuring nearly 15 feet tall, the glass mosaic, called The Time Telling, was inspired by a photograph of the clock that hung at the entrance of the old Penn Station.
Learn more here

Plan to resurrect NYC’s iconic Brooklyn Banks skate park moves forward

The Brooklyn Banks in 2009. Photo credit: Rasmus Zwickson via Flickr

January 27, 2023

Plan to resurrect NYC’s iconic Brooklyn Banks skate park moves forward

Tony Hawk’s The Skatepark Project announced plans Thursday to bring the much-loved Brooklyn Banks skate park back to life in a partnership with the nonprofit Brooklyn Bridge Manhattan/Create Gotham Park project. The organizations have joined an ongoing initiative to develop Gotham Park and return the iconic skateboarding mecca to the community by creating a new public park under the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge. During his State of the City speech on Thursday, Mayor Eric Adams voiced his support for the new public space.
Find out more about bringing back the Banks

Pool sharks and party people: Don’t sleep on this $8M Soho pad

Photo credit: Eytan Stern Weber at Evan Joseph Images

January 26, 2023

Pool sharks and party people: Don’t sleep on this $8M Soho pad

Bachelor/ettes with a taste for a certain kind of downtown Manhattan living will be lining up for this classic loft co-op at 515 Broadway (also known as 84 Mercer Street): $8,000,000 snags a 6,100-square-foot party-ready spot in the heart of Soho, complete with Corinthian columns and soaring ceilings, a ballroom-sized living room, a music studio, home gym and billiards room, a burled walnut wet bar and a giant walk-in dressing room for your sneaker collection.
Classic Soho loft living, this way

Distinctive Homes

Photo credit clockwise: Jessica Minghi/Borough Chocolates, Jacques Torres Chocolates, Jessica Minghi/Borough Chocolates, Chocolate Noise.

January 25, 2023

The best local chocolate shops in NYC

It doesn't have to be Valentine's Day to crave chocolate. But the sugar-coated holiday certainly provides a good excuse to indulge. Far beyond the red-wrapped drugstore box, creating the sweet (or bitter) treat is now recognized as a craft all its own. Chocolate purveyors range from the old-fashioned to the eco-conscious to makers who hand-mix exotic ingredients and flavors. If you're really hooked, you can make an event of it at a chocolate-themed restaurant, factory tour, or private tasting. Whether you're looking for a last-minute gift for someone special or just a sweet snack, the New York City establishments listed here have something for every chocolate lover–and you can order online or visit the source right in your borough.
Find the chocolate of your dreams, this way

Live in Zaha Hadid’s Chelsea masterpiece with four bedrooms and a curvy balcony for $10.5M

Photo credit: Fortem Media for The Corcoran Group

January 25, 2023

Live in Zaha Hadid’s Chelsea masterpiece with four bedrooms and a curvy balcony for $10.5M

This four-bedroom condo in The Residences by Zaha Hadid at 520 West 28th Street is a rare opportunity to live in the late starchitect's residential masterpiece. The unique loft-like 3,840-square-foot residence, asking $10,495,000, features Hadid's signature curves, curated amenities, and a balcony with views of the architecturally significant Chelsea skyline. Details include 10-foot-wide motorized windows with distinctive curved detailing, high ceilings, and generous proportions.
Tour this curvy, curated Chelsea home

New uniforms for Empire State Building workers take cue from the skyscraper’s Art Deco flair

All photos courtesy of the Empire State Building

January 25, 2023

New uniforms for Empire State Building workers take cue from the skyscraper’s Art Deco flair

Employees of the Empire State Building's 86th-floor Observatory will look a little different the next time you see them. The uniforms of Observatory hosts and gift shop attendants have been given a modern makeover, courtesy of fashion designer Peyman Umay, who for the last two years worked to create a look that would complement the style of the iconic Art Deco building and the observatory's exhibit galleries. Replacing the previous burgundy and black attire, the new uniforms are light gray with blue trimming on the lapels, collars, and pocket flaps.
See more here

Uncategorized

See what a casino atop Saks Fifth Avenue could look like

Renderings courtesy of Hudson’s Bay Company

January 25, 2023

See what a casino atop Saks Fifth Avenue could look like

Last week, plans to build a casino atop Saks Fifth Avenue in Midtown were released. Hudson's Bay Company announced it would pursue a gaming license in order to convert the upper floors of the flagship store at 611 Fifth Avenue into a casino. New conceptual renderings of the casino, first spotted by the New York Post, reveal a red carpet-lined entrance, lavish interiors, and a rooftop space that overlooks Rockefeller Center.
See the renderings

City Living

$27.5M palatial penthouse has a front-row view of Central Park and beyond

All photos courtesy of Stefano Ukmar

January 24, 2023

$27.5M palatial penthouse has a front-row view of Central Park and beyond

You can wake up to picture-perfect New York City views every day at this regal penthouse on the Upper West Side. Not only does the apartment at 115 Central Park West offer sweeping park and city vistas from nearly every room, but the home also boasts a whopping 900 square feet of outdoor space, including a 100-foot-long terrace that appears to hover over the world's most famous green space. Asking $27,500,000, the corner penthouse measures 6,000 square feet inside and has five bedrooms and five and a half baths.
Take a look around

Distinctive Homes

LIRR service to Grand Central Madison starts this week

Photo of Grand Central Madison in December 2022; Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

January 24, 2023

LIRR service to Grand Central Madison starts this week

After a month-long delay due to vent exhaust problems, Grand Central Madison will officially open this week, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced Tuesday. The first Long Island Rail Road train with service to Manhattan's east side is scheduled to leave Jamaica at 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday and arrive at the new terminal at 11:07 a.m. As part of the initial roll-out, there will be limited shuttle service between the two stations to help commuters get familiar with the new terminal, which cost roughly $12 billion, according to the transit agency.
Find out more

This $950K Midtown co-op has the colorful, creative look of a classic Manhattan loft

Photo credit: Kellen Houde for Sotheby’s International Realty

January 24, 2023

This $950K Midtown co-op has the colorful, creative look of a classic Manhattan loft

If this colorful studio at 529 West 42nd Street embodies the creative-industrial vibe of a classic New York City loft, it might be because the home's current owner, Lisa Menichino, is a downtown nightlife denizen; Menichino runs Cubbyhole in the West Village, the city's best-known lesbian bar. Located in The Armory, a true live/work building, the $950,000 co-op has pre-war charm and a clean, modern interior.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

Michelin-starred restaurateur to open new dining concept at 550 Madison Avenue

Image courtesy of Alex Fradkin

January 23, 2023

Michelin-starred restaurateur to open new dining concept at 550 Madison Avenue

Simon Kim, the restaurateur who founded the Michelin-starred COTE Korean Steakhouse, will be opening a new dining concept inside the landmark 550 Madison Avenue. The new "multi-faceted" concept will span 15,000 square feet across three floors at the tower's base, boast soaring 60-foot ceilings, and provide direct access to the building's new landscaped, half-acre public garden. Olayan Group is currently leading a renovation of 550 Madison Avenue, which was designed by Philip Johnson and John Burgee in the 1980s as the world's first postmodern skyscraper.
See more here

Food & Dining

Latest luxury rental on the Lower East Side has three floors of ‘micro-units’

All renderings courtesy of Conway and Partners, unless otherwise noted

January 23, 2023

Latest luxury rental on the Lower East Side has three floors of ‘micro-units’

A big new residential development on the Lower East Side is going small. When it opens this spring, the 30-story 55 Suffolk Street will offer three floors of "micro-units," apartments that measure between 315 and 350 square feet and feature space-saving built-in furniture and storage. Developed by the Gotham Organization, the building, dubbed The Suffolk, includes 378 total residences, indoor and outdoor amenities, and a new home for the Chinese-American Planning Council. This week, the building released a teaser site and 6sqft got a first look at the unique new development.
More here

An iridescent sculpture seen at Burning Man is now on view at Brookfield Place

Pulse Portal at Brookfield Place New York. Artwork and photos by Davis McCarty

January 20, 2023

An iridescent sculpture seen at Burning Man is now on view at Brookfield Place

A new iridescent public art installation on the lower Manhattan waterfront shines with transforming colors and casts colored shadows that shift with the time of day. Created by world-renowned sculpture artist Davis McCarty, Pulse Portal is a 20-foot archway made of material that can change color depending on how the light hits it and the perspective of the viewer. Pulse Portal is on view at Brookfield Place's Waterfront Plaza through March 10.
See more here

Events & Things To Do

January 20, 2023

New York’s second legal weed dispensary is opening on Bleecker Street

New York's second legal recreational cannabis shop is set to open in Greenwich Village next week, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Thursday. Smacked LLC, located inside a nearly 200-year-old building at 144 Bleecker Street, will open its doors to the public on January 24 at 10 a.m. The store is the first in the state to be opened by an entrepreneur with a cannabis conviction, as part of a program to ensure equity in licensing. Owned and operated by Roland Conner, Smacked LLC will operate as a soft "popup" through February 20 and re-open as a long-term business at a later date.
Find out more

Policy

$10M penthouse at Robert A.M. Stern’s Claremont Hall sets sales record for Morningside Heights

Renderings courtesy of Binyan Studios

January 20, 2023

$10M penthouse at Robert A.M. Stern’s Claremont Hall sets sales record for Morningside Heights

A penthouse at a Robert A.M. Stern-designed tower in Morningside Heights is in contract for $10 million, marking a record for the Manhattan neighborhood. The full-floor residence sits atop Claremont Hall, a 41-story building located within the campus of Union Theological Seminary. Positioned at one of the highest points in the area, Penthouse 41 is a four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath home with stunning city, park, and river views.
Find out more

Real Estate Trends

Hell’s Kitchen church home to first Black Catholic parish in the north sells for $16M

Photo by James Russiello on WikiCommons

January 19, 2023

Hell’s Kitchen church home to first Black Catholic parish in the north sells for $16M

The first Black Catholic church to open above the Mason-Dixon line has been sold for $16 million, as first reported by Bisnow New York. Located at 342 West 53rd Street in Hell's Kitchen, the former St. Benedict the Moor church was constructed in 1869 as the only church for Black Roman Catholics. The property was sold by the Archdiocese of New York to developer Walter Wang's JMM Charitable Foundation, whose future plans for the site are unknown, according to W42ST.
Learn more here

In Harlem, controversial truck depot opens on site of failed housing project

Rendering courtesy of SHoP Architects

January 19, 2023

In Harlem, controversial truck depot opens on site of failed housing project

On the Harlem lot where a residential development with hundreds of housing units was once proposed, a truck depot opened this week. As Patch first reported, the first trucks drove on Wednesday to the stop on West 145th Street, the site of the One45 proposal. After the council member refused to support the new mixed-use development, citing gentrification and lack of affordable housing, the developer scrapped the plan in May and moved forward with one that did not require zoning changes. The depot can hold up to 200 vehicles.
Find out more

‘Living’ lantern installation offers a moment of zen in Midtown

Photos courtesy of Alexandre Ayer / @DiversityPics for the Garment District Alliance

January 19, 2023

‘Living’ lantern installation offers a moment of zen in Midtown