Soho

As one of New York City's finest all-around independent bookstores, McNally Jackson booksellers on Prince Street is a literary standby for the latest bestsellers as well as thought-provoking political non-fiction, art books, cards, magazines, readings and more. Though the shop occupies a spot on one of the city's most highly-trafficked "High Streets," it has endured for 15 years, long enough to be taken for granted. But that would, of course, be a mistake in the city's current environment of empty storefronts in high rent neighborhoods because only Amazon can afford the rent. And right about the time Amazon has opened a storefront in Soho, the beloved bookseller is moving out after the rent was raised to $850,000--a 136% increase. Fear not, the owner is opening again in a new location, but unlike other, less gutsy mom-and-pop proprietors, she has no fear of being very vocal about the issue, Fox5 NY reports.
Find out more

October 4, 2018

Sleep right under the tin ceilings at this $3.9M Soho co-op with a lofted bonus room

A three-bedroom loft located in the heart of the Soho Cast Iron Historic District at 454 Broome Street has hit the market for $3.85 million. The sunlit corner space offers both southern and eastern exposures through its 13 oversized windows. In addition to 14-foot tin ceilings and built-in shelving (check out that library ladder!), the apartment has a cozy second-level loft, which is accessed by a spiral steel staircase inspired by the neighborhood's industrial history.
have a look around

Distinctive Homes

Amazon opens brick-and-mortar store in Soho with only top-rated products

Photo by Jordan Stead for Amazon

September 27, 2018

Amazon opens brick-and-mortar store in Soho with only top-rated products

Amazon on Thursday opened a physical store in Soho, stocked only with items rated 4 stars and above by online customers. The new concept, called Amazon 4-star, is located at 72 Spring Street, between Crosby and Lafayette Streets. By using customer ratings and reviews from their website, the store's products will feature customer review cards with quotes from actual reviews.
More here

Uncategorized

August 21, 2018

For $2.5M, a West Soho condo with a peaceful garden sanctuary

With a private garden oasis accessed through floor-to-ceiling glass doors, this ground-floor apartment in West Soho offers a stunning indoor-outdoor balance. Asking $2.5 million, the two-bedroom home located at 22 Renwick Street, a full-service condo boutique building, has plenty of space to entertain. The listing describes the home as "country living in the city," and with its 15-foot tall river birch trees and beautiful flowers, it's not hard to see why.
See the enviable green space

Distinctive Homes

August 15, 2018

George and Amal Clooney’s supposed illegal Soho rental hits the market for $16M

In April, sources said that George and Amal Clooney were renting a duplex apartment at 116 Sullivan Street. They also said that the owner of the 19th-century Soho townhouse, Richard Fertig, converted this apartment into an "illegal hotel" for "transient use." Likely in light of the city's new Airbnb law that requires the company to disclose the names and addresses of hosts, Fertig has listed the entire six-story home for $16 million.
Get a look inside

Mike Myers sells second Soho penthouse after three years

Photo of Mike Myers via Wikimedia

August 9, 2018

Mike Myers sells second Soho penthouse after three years

Finally! Back in 2007, Mike Myers bought two units in Soho's 72 Mercer Street--a sixth/seventh-floor duplex penthouse for $8 million and a fifth-floor two-bedroom for $3.4 million. The idea was likely to combine them, but he never made the jump, instead deciding to list them in 2015, first individually and then for a combined total of $21.5 million. In April, he finally unloaded the penthouse for the reduced price of $13.2 million, and now the Post reports that the smaller unit has also gone into contract. Though the final sale price isn't yet available, it was last listed for $4 million.
READ MORE

IKEA’s 2019 catalog comes to life at this free pop-up event in Soho

“Haven in the city”

July 31, 2018

IKEA’s 2019 catalog comes to life at this free pop-up event in Soho

To mark 75 years of sleek, affordable design, IKEA is hosting a free pop-up event for just five days in Soho. Starting on Wednesday, design nerds and interior newbies alike will enjoy walking through different homes and get inspired by the various products and furniture, many which can be found in the company's 2019 catalog (officially released on Tuesday). Dubbed the IKEA Inspiration Experience, the event, located at 477 Broadway, runs between August 1 and August 5.
Get the details

Small living advocate Graham Hill lists his 350-square-foot Soho micro apartment for $750K

Photo by Christopher Testani for LifeEdited

July 30, 2018

Small living advocate Graham Hill lists his 350-square-foot Soho micro apartment for $750K

When eco-conscious architect and entrepreneur Graham Hill listed his famously tiny 420-square-foot apartment in Soho, we thought a unit couldn't get any smaller. But Hill has done it again, listing another micro apartment at 150 Sullivan Street for $750,000. The itty-bitty digs, dubbed LifeEdited 2, measures just 350 square feet but manages to seat 10 for dinner, host two guests and have space for a home office.
Tour the tiny space

Distinctive Homes

July 27, 2018

$2M Soho co-op packs three bedrooms and a terrace into a stylish full-floor home

This full-floor, three-bedroom apartment at 118 Sullivan Street is on a classic stretch of Soho that combines commercial and nondescript with expensive and charming in a way few downtown Manhattan neighborhoods do. The co-op itself, asking $2 million, conveys the same un-fancy classic chic, with spacious rooms, three bedrooms, and an elegant patio.
Step in, stay awhile

Distinctive Homes

July 13, 2018

Rotating panels at Storefront for Art and Architecture converted into shelves for books ‘yet to be written’

Photo by Naho Kubota The iconic rotating facade panels at the Storefront for Art and Architecture have been reconstructed as mostly-empty bookshelves in an installation currently on view at the Soho gallery. Abruzzo Bodziak Architects (ABA) designed the sidewalk-encroaching shelves for the exhibition, dubbed Architecture Books-Yet to Be Written. As its name suggests, the installation "seeks to celebrate and evaluate both existing and the missing volumes of a history still in the writing." ABA's design will be on display until August 25 as part of the New York Architecture Book Fair, an initiative introduced by the gallery.
Learn more

June 28, 2018

Aspiring real estate developer Kanye West takes a loss on Noho condo sale

For those who were skeptical about Kanye West's recently announced foray into real estate ("I’m going to be one of the biggest real estate developers of all time. Like what Howard Hughes was to aircrafts and what Henry Ford was to cars," he humbly said.) here's proof that Yeezy might want to stick to rapping and Kardashian kuddling. TMZ reports that Kanye has just sold his Soho condo at 25 West Houston Street for $3 million, even less than the $3.14 million he paid for it.
READ MORE

June 26, 2018

$12M Soho loft was inspired by an opulent Parisian hotel and an art gallery past

This three-bedroom loft at 69 Wooster Street is the kind you don't often see in today's world of sleek designer spaces. Until 2014, it was the longtime home and personal gallery of prominent art collectors Eileen and Michael Cohen, who had lived there since Soho was, well, Soho. The current owner is a fashion designer who just finished a multi-year renovation adding a layer of one-of-a-kind opulence to an already dramatic space. The home, now on the market for $12 million, has been featured in Architectural Digest and other design publications, and we can see why, with everything from tin ceilings and exposed brick to gold-clad columns, dripping crystal chandeliers, a mirrored wall, and plenty of leather accents.
Don't miss the gold bathtub

June 4, 2018

For under $1M, this Soho co-op has a dreamy urban terrace

By Dana Schulz

The railroad layout may not seem ideal at first, but this one-bedroom Soho co-op more than makes up for it with two bathrooms and a dreamy outdoor terrace. Asking $945,000, the apartment at 57 Thompson Street lends itself to a shabby chic aesthetic, with whitewashed brick walls, cozy angled rooms, and large windows perfect for window boxes and hanging plants.
The inside is just as charming

Distinctive Homes

Downtown’s historic glass sidewalks will be saved after Landmarks reverses rule changes

Vault lights in Soho, via WooJin Chung for 6sqft

June 1, 2018

Downtown’s historic glass sidewalks will be saved after Landmarks reverses rule changes

By Dana Schulz

"Viva Vault Lights!" wrote the Historic Districts Council in response to the Landmarks Preservation Commission's decision to backpedal on its rules amendments, which called for "more oversight by LPC staff but less time for public review" in proposals for alterations to historic buildings. HDC's celebratory sentiment is in response to one of the now-moot stipulations that Soho and Tribeca's vault lights--historic, industrial-era sidewalks made from small circular glass bulbs--could be removed by building owners and replaced with modern sidewalks.
Find out about all the other victories

May 31, 2018

202-year-old Soho rowhouse lists for just under $8M

By Michelle Sinclair Colman

Here's a chance to own one of the oldest homes in Manhattan, and likely the oldest home in the neighborhood, for $7.75 million (h/t Curbed). The Federal-style rowhouse at 57 Sullivan Street was built in 1816 and throughout its 200+ year-history it's served as a microcosm for the diversity of the neighborhood, first owned by a local mason, then by both Irish and Italian immigrants, and most recently by a couple who fought the property's inevitable landmarking in 2016.
Check it out

Kirsten Dunst finally unloads her stylish Soho penthouse for $4.4M

Photo of Kirsten Dunst via Wikimedia

May 22, 2018

Kirsten Dunst finally unloads her stylish Soho penthouse for $4.4M

After nearly four years on the market, Kirsten Dunst has finally sold her industrial-meets-rustic penthouse at 533 Canal Street (aka 477 Washington Street) in Soho. The actress first bought the two-bedroom apartment in 2007 for $3.09 million, claiming she needed a break from the L.A. lifestyle. Following a gut renovation that added lots of vintage charm, she put the loft on the rental market for $12,500 a month in late 2014 and later listed it for $5 million last February. Now, as the Observer reported, Dunst has sold her apartment for $4.43 million, a slight discount from the asking price of $4.5 million.
See the whole place

April 27, 2018

$40.5M penthouse at Renzo Piano’s 565 Broome has a 20-foot-long rooftop pool

Big numbers are the order of the day at the palatial penthouse atop Pritzker Prize-winning Renzo Piano Building Workshop’s first residential building in New York City, 565 Broome Soho. On the market now for $40.5 million, the newly-minted four-bedroom duplex spans 6,655 square feet with a 2,500 square-foot roof terrace. The four-bedroom condo above one of two 30-story glass towers has the kind of jaw-dropping 360-degree views you'd expect. Less expected is the fact that you can experience them from a private heated outdoor rooftop pool.
Take the grand tour

In partnership with Spotify, MTA releases limited number of David Bowie MetroCards

Via Spotify

April 18, 2018

In partnership with Spotify, MTA releases limited number of David Bowie MetroCards

Starting Wednesday, about 250,000 lucky commuters will be able to fly away with "Tickets to Mars," a keepsake MetroCard released by Spotify as part of its David Bowie subway takeover. The limited-edition cards feature five iconic images of the music legend from the new exhibit honoring Bowie's life at the Brooklyn Museum. The MTA stocked booths and vending machines only at Broadway-Lafayette and Bleecker Street with the special cards, and they will be randomly dispersed. Additionally, Spotify is giving New Yorkers an immersive, underground subway experience with lots of wall-sized Bowie-inspired art and special codes to listen to Bowie through the streaming service.
Get the details

Transit

Despite a 30 percent drop in sales prices, Tribeca remains NYC’s most expensive neighborhood

Photo via CityRealty

April 16, 2018

Despite a 30 percent drop in sales prices, Tribeca remains NYC’s most expensive neighborhood

Despite suffering from a 30 percent drop year-over-year in median sale prices, Tribeca still managed to rank first as New York City's most expensive neighborhood, followed closely by Soho. Property Shark released this week its list of the 50 priciest areas in the city in Q1 2018 and unsurprisingly, nine out of the top ten are located in Manhattan. Notably, the West Village witnessed an 88 percent year-over-year increase with a median sale price hovering $2.1 million. And the Flatiron District, which ranked as the most expensive neighborhood in the third quarter of 2017, fell to sixth place, with a median sale price of $1.85 million.
See the list

Real Estate Trends

George and Amal Clooney’s Soho rental is operating as an illegal transient hotel

Photo of George Clooney via Wikimedia

April 16, 2018

George and Amal Clooney’s Soho rental is operating as an illegal transient hotel

George and Amal Clooney's rental at 116 Sullivan Street has been operating as an illegal transient hotel, according to Page Six. Richard Fertig, the owner of the 19th-century, red brick building in Soho was hit last month by the city with four violations for illegally converting the basement apartment to "transient use." Authorities say the apartment does not have mandatory fire alarms, exits or a certificate of occupancy.
More details here

April 2, 2018

Heidi Klum buys a raw Soho penthouse loft in need of a complete reno for $5M

Though Heidi Klum has spent summers renting a New York City pad and even checked out Bon Jovi's pricey penthouse, the supermodel and TV personality was LA-based until recently. The Post reports that Klum just closed on a 4,772-square-foot Soho penthouse loft at 515 Broadway for $5.1 million. Purchased under the name “HK East Coast LLC,” the loft, in a 19th century Queen Anne-style building also known as 84 Mercer Street, is a former artist's studio, though it's exempt from Artist Certification requirements. The totally raw space is in need of just about everything.
Take a look

Mike Myers finally unloads $14M Soho penthouse

Photo of Mike Myers via Wikimedia

March 27, 2018

Mike Myers finally unloads $14M Soho penthouse

After three years on the market, Mike Myers' Soho penthouse has gone into contract. The actor bought the duplex at 72 Mercer Street back in 2007 for just under $8 million and renovated to its current contemporary state. He first listed in 2015 for $17 million, shortly after adding another unit in the building to the sale, upping the combo price to $21.5 million. This past November, Myers tried yet again, relisting the original penthouse unit for the reduced price of $14 million, and it looks like that did the trick as it's now in contract.
Get a look inside

Downtown’s historic glass sidewalks may become a lost relic

Vault lights in Soho, via WooJin Chung for 6sqft

March 27, 2018

Downtown’s historic glass sidewalks may become a lost relic

By Dana Schulz

Last week, 6sqft outlined the Landmarks Preservation Commission's series of new proposed rules, which "calls for more oversight by LPC staff but less time for public review" in proposals for alterations to historic buildings. But these rule changes extend further than buildings--right down to the sidewalks. As Treehugger first pointed out, one of the LPC's new rules pertains to the removal of vault lights--historic sidewalks made from small circular glass bulbs that are seen throughout Soho and Tribeca. As 6sqft previously explained, "the unique street coverings are remnants from the neighborhood's industrial past when they provided light to the basement factories below before electricity was introduced."
READ MORE

March 19, 2018

Authentic Soho artist loft owned by fashion photographer Greg Kadel asks $4M

By Emily Nonko

Behold, 2,700 glorious square feet of authentic artist loft, located in the middle of Soho on the corner of Crosby and Grand Streets. The open interior is decked out with soaring 14-foot ceilings, cast iron columns, exposed brick and six massive side-by-side wood framed factory windows. The fashion photographer and filmmaker Greg Kadel purchased the home in 2005 for $1.73 million, according to public records. And now the co-op has been listed for $3.895 million.
Explore inside

Distinctive Homes

March 19, 2018

Zayn Malik drops $10M on Soho penthouse after Gigi Hadid breakup