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The New York Knicks are hosting a free watch party for game six of their first-round NBA playoff series. Fans can venture to Madison Square Garden on Thursday night to watch the game on giant screens outside the world’s most famous arena starting at 5:30 p.m. The team heads into tonight’s game against the Atlanta Hawks up 3-2 in the best-of-seven series.

Free and open to the public, the watch party will be held at Plaza 33 on 33rd Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues. The main entrance will be closest to Seventh Avenue near the Penn Station entrance.

A second viewing area will also be set up closer to Eighth Avenue, allowing additional fans to gather and watch on another screen. Fans can begin entering the space 90 minutes before tip-off.

Attendees can expect giveaways, a live DJ, appearances by Knicks alumni, and more.

No pre-registration is required. Fans may bring small bags and pack food or drinks, except alcoholic beverages. Attendees are encouraged to bring a blanket, as folding chairs are not permitted, and oversized bags are also prohibited.

For those who cannot make it to the watch party, the Knicks are also taking over bars across all five boroughs during playoff games, where fans can watch the game at full volume alongside other supporters. A list of participating locations can be found here.

For previous playoff games this round, the team has hosted parties inside Madison Square Garden and Central Park.

Plaza 33 is a pedestrian plaza in the heart of the Penn District that opened in 2024. Designed by MNLA, the space provides a public space with trees, seating, and lighting right next to Penn Station. The outdoor plaza offers free events, music, and workshops throughout the year and is surrounded by several new restaurants and retail stores, as 6sqft previously reported.

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The annual Macy’s Flower Show opened last week in Herald Square, transforming the famed department store’s flagship with lush floral art that celebrates America’s gardens. In its 51st year, the event features regional botanicals and large-scale displays designed to highlight the country’s diverse floral landscapes. Running through May 10, this year’s show also includes a partnership with Valentino Beauty, which is presenting an exhibit that transports guests to a reimagined Roman palazzo, complete with immersive fragrance experiences, stunning floral arrangements, and other striking design elements.

For more than five decades, the show has given visitors a chance to see thousands of vibrant flowers bloom together across the store’s iconic window displays, balconies, and main floor.

The show debuted in California in 1946 to promote fragrances in the cosmetics department before moving to Herald Square in 1975, where it quickly became an annual tradition, as 6sqft previously reported.

This year’s theme, “Homegrown,” celebrates America through flowers, fiber, and “timeless handicrafts,” coinciding with the nation’s 250th anniversary. The display features towering planters, stained-glass garden panels, and yarn-wrapped trees designed to reflect the country’s story through craftsmanship, artistry, and multisensory experiences.

Valentino Beauty, this year’s partner, will take over the flagship’s mezzanine with an immersive fragrance installation. Inspired by the brand’s Born in Roma collection, the experience recreates a palazzo centered on chromatic storytelling, where a “floral voyage” unfolds across multiple spaces tied to each scent and color profile.

Each room features curated design details, ranging from “velvet-draped” interiors to garden-inspired environments, creating a blend of nature and scent. Guests will be able to engage with the installation, which includes photo opportunities and other interactive elements.

“Valentino Beauty is thrilled to be partnering with Macy’s for their 2026 Flower Show, a true creative statement from a quintessential retailer,” Claudia Marcocci, global brand president of Valentino Beauty, said.

“Flowers bring beauty to this world, and we embrace this beauty with the contrasting story of Born In Roma: some delicate, some vibrant, some classic, and some modern.”

After the immersive journey, visitors are welcomed into a retail and gifting space designed by artist TABOO!, featuring vibrant, all-over artwork that captures expressions of love.

In celebration of Mother’s Day, the Herald Square store is hosting a series of customer events throughout the show, including storewide beauty and spring fashion activations, live styling demonstrations, beauty master classes, gifts with purchase, and more.

The celebrations continue nationwide on May 9 with “Celebrations Sunday,” when Macy’s will host in-store events across eight locations featuring brunch-themed styling, fragrance consultations, monogramming and engraving, hands-on activities, and brand-led experiences.

Visitors can also shop a limited-edition assortment of Flower Show merchandise, including apparel, tote bags, key chains, magnets, watercolor sets, Frango chocolates, and an exclusive Apotheke candle.

Select prix-fixe Mother’s Day brunch offerings will also be available at Stella 34 at Macy’s Herald Square.

The show has been brought to life in partnership with landscape design studio ManscapersNY, with fresh flowers provided by The Bouqs Co. Additional partners include LEGO Blooms & Beyond, EFFY Fine Jewelry, and Sunglass Hut.

“This year’s ‘Homegrown’ theme celebrates our country’s floral landscapes through an immersive journey across America brought to life with craftsmanship, artistry and multisensory experiences,” Sharon Otterman, chief marketing officer at Macy’s, said.

“From our iconic Herald Square beauty floor in partnership with Valentino Beauty to a new pop‑up at Macy’s State Street, we’re creating moments of surprise and delight that only Macy’s can deliver,” she added.

Last year’s celebration marked the 50th edition of the Macy’s Flower Show. In honor of its semicentennial, the show was extended to three weeks of programming. It featured a partnership with YSL Beauty, which created an immersive experience encouraging guests to embrace freedom and celebrate the transformative power of nature.

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• Macy’s Flower Show turns 50 with surrealist gardens and thousands of blooms in Herald Square
• Macy’s to close 5 NYC locations, including Downtown Brooklyn flagship
• Macy’s annual Flower Show brings sights and scents of spring to Herald Square

The post Macy’s Flower Show returns to Herald Square celebrating America’s gardens first appeared on 6sqft.

At the secluded shoreline of Morris Cove, “East of Eden,” the Sag Harbor Village home at 10 Bluff Point Lane, is a perfect lazy summer retreat, complete with a private dock and bulkheaded frontage. Asking $7,150,000, the property is next door to the former estate of writer John Steinbeck and actress Elaine Steinbeck, defining the waterfront enclave’s laid-back creative cachet.

The property is anchored by an original 1930s cottage. The home has been redesigned for summers to come by architect James Merrell according to the owners’ creative vision, with custom redwood clapboard siding, topped by a copper roof.

Hidden from sight past historic wooden gates and down a quiet lane, the house is surrounded by mature trees and landscaped gardens. Added conveniences include three-car parking and EV charging for modern living, seamlessly integrated with its historic timelessness.

Within, details like aged Indonesian teak flooring, walls, and ceilings, and cedar-clad beams extend the indoor-outdoor experience. Every room delivers magical water and garden vistas.

Living and dining spaces are served by a bright and capable kitchen with water views. Two guest quarters make room for friends and family.

The primary suite hovers above the water for a front-row seat at sunset. The adjacent bath has radiant heat flooring and plenty of light.

At the lowest level is a waterfront guest room/lounge. Beyond is a flexible entertaining space clad in teakwood, perfect for a home office and gym. This unique bonus space is enhanced by a cedar-lined closet, a full bath, and a wine cellar. From here, step out onto a stone-clad patio.

On the grounds, a heated gunite plunge pool and a Balinese pavilion offer more summer respite. A private dock accommodating vessels up to 28 feet awaits both enjoyment and escape.

[Listing details: 10 Bluff Point Lane by Jack Pearson and Denise Wilder of Compass]

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The proposed redesign of Park Avenue could bring back lush green spaces to the iconic corridor’s medians. The city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) unveiled two potential plans to overhaul an 11-block stretch from East 46th to East 57th Streets, both of which would widen the medians and remove one traffic lane in each direction to create pedestrian space. Renderings released on Wednesday show expanded sidewalks, additional trees, benches, and bike lanes in one of the proposals. To gain feedback from New Yorkers, DOT released an online survey seeking public feedback for both design concepts.

The city is gathering comments from the public on the two design concepts and potential elements, like plantings, seating, and pedestrian and bicycling spaces. You can find the survey here.

“With this new redesign, we are putting the ‘Park’ back into Park Avenue and upgrading Midtown Manhattan by providing residents and visitors alike with more usable public space,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.

“Our city’s public spaces must better serve the public, and my administration has made this a priority through bold infrastructure investments and street redesigns,” he added. “Working together with our partners across the City and State, we will ensure that NYC’s streets are the envy of the world.”

This iconic portion of Park Avenue sits above the Grand Central Terminal train shed, which is currently undergoing a major capital rehabilitation led by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) Metro-North Railroad and requires the removal of the existing medians.

While the medians are already heavily planted, they are narrow and offer limited space for people to linger. Many may also be surprised that the redesign is not entirely new, but instead would return the avenue to an earlier configuration that featured more pedestrian space and less room for vehicles. In fact, the original park along the median gave the avenue its name, according to the New York Times.

The proposed redesigns were shaped by community engagement, including public surveys, stakeholder interviews, workshops, and meetings with community boards and local organizations. Throughout the process, participants expressed support for expanded public space, improved accessibility, and a more pedestrian-centric streetscape.

Park Avenue’s redesign effort began in 2018 with a competition sponsored by the Fisher Brothers to reimagine the corridor’s medians. Participants submitted ideas ranging from an aquarium to a High Line-style walkway. The winner, “Park Park,” envisioned a series of raised platforms designed to host concerts, art galleries, a restaurant, and more, as 6sqft previously reported.

In January 2022, City Council Member Keith Powers announced new plans to revitalize Park Avenue’s medians. The initiative aimed to gradually transform the avenue’s malls into “new, world-class, active open space” over a 20-year period as Metro-North continues work on the train shed.

In August 2024, DOT released a request for proposals (RFP) seeking designs to transform the traffic medians on Park Avenue between East 46th and East 57th Streets with more green space and pedestrian-friendly areas.

Last June, the DOT selected landscape architecture firm Starr Whitehouse to lead the project.

Additionally, the agency will host public events over the coming weeks to gather feedback. The first meeting was held on April 29, and the next meeting will be on May 2 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at St. Bartholomew’s Church.

The DOT will also hold a virtual meeting with Manhattan Community Board 6 on May 4 at 7 p.m., followed by another session on May 28, with additional details to be announced.

The project is part of a broader effort to expand public space in Midtown, launched under former Mayor Eric Adams’ administration. Another major initiative underway is a plan to revamp Fifth Avenue from Bryant Park to Central Park.

Poised to be the first major alteration to the famed retail corridor in its 200-year history, city officials have described the vision for the boulevard as a grand shopping street similar to the Champs-Élysées in Paris and Ginza in Tokyo, as 6sqft previously reported.

RELATED:

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New York City’s first full casino has arrived. After many years and a competition for downstate gaming licenses, Resorts World New York City opened in Queens on Tuesday as the first casino in the five boroughs to offer live table games. Located next to the Aqueduct Racetrack in Jamaica, the existing gambling facility, which opened in 2011, has expanded into a full-scale casino, transforming its third floor with more than 240 table games and thousands of slot machines, with more to come later this year. The casino also led a hiring and training effort that created 1,250 new jobs, including 950 table-game dealers, ahead of its launch following final testing by the New York State Gaming Commission.

“Once the Gaming Commission’s final testing is complete, live table games will be open and operating right here in Queens for the first time in the history of NYC. We are ready to welcome New Yorkers to this exciting new experience,” Robert DeSalvio, president of Genting Americas East, which operates Resorts World, said.

“Resorts World now employs over 2,200 team members and have already doubled our workforce and expect thousands more as the integrated resort is developed over the next three years,” he added.

The workforce is also supported by Resorts World’s Introduction to Gaming workforce development program, which began in 2022 and has helped train more than 350 local residents in gaming operations. In addition, the casino’s World Dealer School has trained and hired more than 400 local residents, with another 500 graduates expected by May.

As 6sqft previously reported, the $5 billion expansion plan for Resorts World called for 6,000 slot machines, 800 gaming tables, a new hotel with 2,000 hotel rooms, 7,000 parking spaces, and 12 acres of new public green space.

The 5.6 million-square-foot proposal also included a 7,000-seat concert venue and an “innovation campus” featuring a sports academy for high school athletes led by Queens native and former professional basketball player and broadcaster Kenny “The Jet” Smith.

Beyond the casino site, Resorts World has also proposed a $2 billion community benefits package, including a commitment to build up to 50,000 units of workforce housing across the city, as well as a $100 million infrastructure improvement package.

The launch of live gaming at the casino is expected to generate hundreds of millions of dollars for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority through its $500 million license fee, as well as additional tax revenue. Additional funds will also be directed to the state’s public education system, to which Resorts World has already contributed $5 billion since launching in 2011.

Tuesday’s grand opening was attended by a mix of elected officials, as well as hip-hop artist Nas, who has publicly backed the project.

Resorts World NYC was one of three downstate casino proposals awarded a license in December, following a lengthy and contentious approval process that saw several high-profile bids from some of the city’s most influential developers rise and fall.

The other winning bids include New York Mets owner Steve Cohen’s Metropolitan Park proposal, the largest of the three projects, and Bally’s Bronx Casino at the former Trump-owned Ferry Point Park in Throggs Neck. That project advanced after surviving a City Council vote last July that initially rejected a key rezoning needed for approval.

Other rejected or abandoned casino proposals included the Bjarke Ingels’ Freedom Plaza near the U.N., “The Avenir” across from the Javits Center, a proposal in Coney Island called “The Coney,” and MGM Empire City in Yonkers.

While Resorts World was an existing facility, both Metropolitan Park and Bally’s Bronx are entirely new projects that will require construction from the ground up. Both casinos are expected to open in 2030.

All winning projects will be held accountable for commitments made during the application process through oversight by a third-party monitor.

“I have stood with Resorts World through every step of this process because I believed in the vision and I believed in their promise to Queens, given their 15-year record of delivering,” Sen. Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., chairman of the State Senate Committee on Racing, Gaming and Wagering, said.

“Today, that promise is fulfilled. The jobs are here, the investment is here, and the positive impact on our community starts with the first hand dealt and the first roll of dice.”

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As G train riders may face the third straight summer of service disruptions, Brooklyn officials on Tuesday called on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to limit future shutdowns to overnight hours. The agency last week shared plans with local lawmakers to shut down G train service for 10 weekends and overnight on more than two dozen weekdays. Commuters have endured repeated service disruptions in recent years as work to modernize the line’s antiquated signaling system continues to be delayed. Council Member Lincoln Restler and Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso rallied with local businesses in Greenpoint on Tuesday to demand that the MTA find a better plan.

Only served by the G train, Greenpoint and its small businesses are the most affected by any service disruptions.

“I do not accept another summer of shutdowns for G train riders. Enough is enough,” Reynoso said.

“From the World Cup to Pride, this is going to be an extremely busy June for NYC. This should be a boon for the local economy, but that’s impossible if North Brooklyn and Greenpoint are cut off from the rest of the city.”

The plan includes closing service north of the Bedford-Nostrand station on three weekends in June, two in August, one in September, and three in December.

The $624 million modernization effort is replacing the line’s 1930s-era signal system with communications-based train control (CBTC) technology, which the MTA says will improve speeds by allowing trains to run closer together. The project requires 24/7 service outages to install the new system.

During the outages, the MTA also carries out upgrades to the line, including repairs and deep cleaning at G train stations, as well as the installation of 5G cellular service in underground sections of the line, as 6sqft previously reported.

Service was first suspended in 2024 for six weeks, forcing riders to rely on free shuttle buses making stops at G stations. The outages have a particularly significant impact on Greenpoint residents, as the G train is the only subway line serving the neighborhood.

Last year, the MTA again scheduled summer disruptions on the line, including shutdowns between Court Square and Bedford-Nostrand Avenues on select weeknights and weekends. According to Assembly Member Emily Gallagher, the MTA said the 2025 shutdown would be the last.

“These shutdowns impact social connections, weekend work shifts, and our wallets. They punish people for choosing to live in Greenpoint,” Gallagher said in a post on X.

“We were told that last year’s shutdowns would be the end. They made this schedule without communication, much less collaborative planning.”

An MTA representative told the New York Post that the disruptions are not confirmed and remain subject to change, and advised New Yorkers to monitor the agency’s website for updates.

While Greenpoint residents may look forward to the promised service improvements, they will have to wait longer than anticipated after the project’s initial 2027 completion date was pushed back.

In July, the MTA announced that work is scheduled for completion north of Hoyt-Schermerhorn by the end of 2027 and between Hoyt-Schermerhorn and Church Avenue by 2028, but the upgraded system will not be activated until 2029 due to delays in installing 5G radio technology in subway cars, which is required for CBTC to function across both trains and tracks.

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The first images have been revealed for a new 18-story luxury condo taking shape on a tree-lined block in Murray Hill. Developed by the Continuum Company and Aksoy Holding and designed by INC Architecture & Design, The Morgan at 38 East 35th Street will include contemporary residences ranging from studios to three-bedrooms, along with select duplexes and penthouses. The developer has also launched a teaser website for the building along with the newly released renderings.

Located on a quiet stretch of East 35th Street between Park and Madison, The Morgan offers 137 residences, with private outdoor space for select units. Every home is designed to maximize light, proportion, and flow, with large windows, ceiling heights of over 13 feet in some homes, and a curated material palette that includes white oak flooring, custom cabinetry, and fully integrated appliances.

The units are complemented by an amenity suite designed by Paul Duesing Partners that spans a full floor and extends into a private landscaped courtyard.

Conceived as a private members’ club, the space includes a fitness center, yoga studio, spa with a sauna and steam room, co-working rooms, as well as social spaces such as a private dining room, residents’ lounge, and “The Conservatory,” an event space with courtyard access. Other offerings include a 24-hour attended lobby, concierge, and on-site management.

“The Morgan is designed for living your best New York life, centrally located so you can get to Uptown or Soho in less than 15 minutes, with easy access to cultural destinations and the city’s best restaurants,” Ian Bruce Eichner, chairman and CEO of Continuum, said.

“Then, you can escape and come home to your private boutique building with a club-like experience.”

The building’s central location places residents near Nomad, Bryant Park, Grand Central Terminal, and Madison Square Park, offering easy access to world-class public spaces, dining, retail, and public transportation. Its namesake, the Morgan Library and Museum, is just one block north.

The building rises at the former site of a few historically significant structures, including the Metropolitan Synagogue and the Community Church of New York, one of the city’s oldest congregations dating to 1825, according to CityRealty.

Redevelopment of the property has been proposed for decades, including a failed plan by the church to construct a 70-story tower on the site. Preservationists successfully opposed the proposal, leading to a downzoning of the block.

In 2022, the congregation voted to sell the church and four adjacent brownstones to the Continuum Company for nearly $66 million. The state attorney general approved the sale of the nonprofit property to a for-profit developer that same year, and the deal closed in 2024.

Corcoran New Development’s Noble Black and Nick Riback are representing the building.

“The Morgan presents a rare opportunity to live between Park and Madison Avenues on a quiet, tree-lined street–an increasingly unique offering in Midtown Manhattan,” Jodie Stasse, executive vice president of Corcoran New Development, said.

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A 27-foot-tall recreation of a Buddha statue destroyed by the Taliban 25 years ago now towers over 10th Avenue from the High Line. The High Line installed Tuan Andrew Nguyen’s “The Light That Shines Through the Universe” last week above the intersection of 10th Avenue and 30th Street as part of its Plinth program. Carved in Vietnam, the sandstone sculpture recreates one of the Bamiyan Buddha statues destroyed in Afghanistan in 2001 and serves as a monument to cultural loss and resilience. The commission, which replaces the popular giant pigeon sculpture “Dinosaur,” will be on view for 18 months.

“This sculpture is a towering, 27-foot call to remembrance, asserting that our collective memory and our shared humanity remain the most enduring antidote against those who seek to break and scatter the human spirit,” Alan van Capelle, executive director of Friends of the High Line, said.

“What happened to the Buddhas of Bamiyan is not unique and is particularly resonant for many people across this country today who face a real fear of erasure and cultural persecution. A work of this magnitude requires a platform of equal magnitude, and I hope its debut on the Plinth offers people a powerful place to connect and find strength in this moment.”

The installation references the Bamiyan Buddhas, two colossal 6th-century statues once located in central Afghanistan. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, all that remains are two empty cutouts in the mountain where the statues once stood.

Before their destruction, the statues held significance for a range of cultures and religions. They reflected centuries of cultural exchange along the Silk Road, as the Bamiyan Valley served as a key crossroads at the intersection of trade routes linking China, India, and Persia.

The sculpture’s title references the affectionate nickname local communities gave the larger statue, “Salsal,” which translates as “the light that shines through the universe.” Nguyen’s commission is not an exact replica of Salsal but an “echo,” intended to evoke the memory of the lost cultural relics.

In his work, Nguyen reimagines the Buddha’s hands, which were lost to centuries of damage long before the statues were fully destroyed. Cast from melted-down brass artillery shells and arranged in ritual gestures symbolizing “fearlessness” and “compassion,” the hands serve as symbols of healing and empathy.

Appearing prosthetic-like, they also evoke limb loss and ongoing humanitarian crises in war-torn regions. A visible gap between the hands and the body is intended to suggest that while some damage is irreparable, there remains hope for healing the land, spirit, and people affected by devastation.

Through the use of melted-down artillery shells, Nguyen, who lives in Vietnam, also examines the legacy of the Vietnam War and the continued violence and trauma that affect local communities today. Considered by many to be the largest aerial bombardment in history, the war left the country littered with unexploded bombs, shells, and grenades that failed to detonate.

Nguyen’s work explores themes of loss and transformation, repurposing symbols of violence by melting them down and reshaping them into expressions of healing, resilience, and hope.

Alongside the sculpture’s unveiling, the High Line will host a free monthly lecture and guided meditation series at the Plinth. Taking place from May through October and presented in partnership with the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, the series will include lessons on Buddhist mudras, lectures on healing through ritual, the history of Buddhism along the Silk Road, and more.

High Line Plinth is located at the Spur, a dedicated area for rotating contemporary art commissions. Opened in June 2019, the Spur is the final part of the original elevated rail to be converted into public space. It runs east along West 30th Street and ends above 10th Avenue, as 6sqft previously reported.

Nguyen’s work marks the fifth Plinth commission. The previous commission was a giant pigeon sculpture by Iván Argote. The 16-foot-tall hyper-realistic sculpture aimed to challenge the typical power dynamic between humans and birds by elevating the pigeon above car-filled streets and High Line visitors.

Other past installations include Simone Leigh’s “Brick House” in 2019, Sam Durant’s “Untitled (drone)” in 2021, and Pamela Rosenkranz’s “Old Tree” in 2023.

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• Dinosaur has landed: Meet the giant pigeon sculpture sitting on the High Line
• A colossal pigeon will soon perch above the High Line
• The High Line celebrates 15 years as a public park

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The palatial duplex at 15 Central Park West that once belonged to Sting is once again for sale. Spanning 5,417 square feet, the trophy home in the Robert A.M. Stern-designed “limestone Jesus” has dizzying park views in addition to its celebrity history. As 6sqft previously reported, the rocker bought the mansion-sized condo in 2008 for $27 million and sold it for a tidy profit in 2017 for $50 million. Nearly a decade later, the penthouse is asking $45 million.

Sting and his wife, Trudie Styler, hired Lee Mindel to design the interiors. While the couple found a buyer for the home in 2017, no one actually ever moved in, according to the New York Post. The next owner will still find Sting’s “personal custom touches,” according to the paper, like the round glass fireplace in the great room.

“No one has lived there since Sting,” Douglas Elliman broker Michael Lorber, who has the listing, told the Post.

With 44 feet of Central Park frontage via oversized windows, it’s easy to see past the tranquil beige interiors. A 500-square-foot terrace extends the home’s made-for-entertaining capabilities.

The lower floor is anchored by a curving stair. A large, open living room opens onto the terrace through tall French doors. A modern two-sided fireplace divides the space into separate zones. A crimson powder room adds a splash of rock ‘ n ‘ roll energy.

As the more intimate half of the living space, a library has built-in shelving. A sleek, capable kitchen gets a second staircase for speedy access to the rooms upstairs.

On the second floor, the primary suite puts those Central Park views front and center. For convenience, there are two dressing rooms and two luxurious bathrooms, one with a private sauna.

There are two more bedrooms with en-suite baths on this floor. A large room with a bath could be a fourth bedroom or home office, served by the aforementioned second staircase. The home’s top floor can be accessed via elevator for maximum accessibility and privacy.

15 Central Park West offers residents a suite of amenities befitting its reputation. Top-tier perks include a landscaped motor court, on-site parking, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a skylit lap pool, spa facilities, a screening room, private dining and catering services, wine storage, a library, a business center, and more

[Listing details: 15 Central Park West 16/17B at CityRealty]

[At Douglas Elliman by Michael Lorber and Alexander Boriskin]

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The post Sting’s former Central Park West pad is back on the market for $45M first appeared on 6sqft.

The celebrated chefs behind some of New York City’s most acclaimed restaurants are opening a new spot in one of the city’s most iconic buildings. James Beard Award-winning duo Rita Sodi and Jody Williams will open a location of their Bar Pisellino at the base of the landmarked Flatiron Building, which is currently being converted from offices into condominiums. The new restaurant marks the first restaurant outside of the West Village for Sodi and Williams, who are behind beloved downtown restaurants Via Carota, I Sodi, Buvette, and The Commerce Inn.

Bar Pisellino, which opened on Grove Street and Seventh Avenue in 2019, is an all-day Italian cafe offering espresso, cocktails, and light bites.

Taking up the base of the Flatiron Building, the new outpost will have a “larger, more high-profile setting,” according to a spokesperson for the building. The restaurant, featuring “soaring ceilings and restored architectural arches,” will offer outdoor seating and direct access from Fifth Avenue and Broadway.

Bar Pisellino Flatiron is expected to open in 2027, with construction beginning this summer.

“The Flatiron Building’s legacy is such an iconic part of New York, and we are thrilled to be part of it,” Sodi and Williams said in a statement. “We cannot wait to bring that spirit to Bar Pisellino.”

In another impressive move, further uptown, the chefs were selected by the Metropolitan Museum of Art to reimagine its restaurant program. The museum announced last fall that Sodi and Williams will boost existing offerings and develop new dining concepts, starting in 2027 at the Met’s Fifth Avenue location and later, at the Trie Cafe at the Met Cloisters.

While it will be the first time the Flatiron Building will have apartments, the Beaux-Arts building did have a restaurant when it opened in 1902. The Flat Iron Restaurant and Cafe occupied the basement of the building, with reportedly enough space to serve 1,500 guests.

On the early 1900s menu? Oysters, clams, soups, and roasts. Later on, the restaurant/jazz club Taverne Louis opened, introducing ragtime to New Yorkers.

The Brodsky Organization and the Sorgente Group, with SLCE Architects, are leading the conversion of the former office building into 37 condominiums. More than 10 units have entered contract over the last year, including a sprawling five-bedroom apartment listed for $58.5 million.

AD100 designer William Sofield’s Studio Sofield is designing all residences, as well as the amenity spaces. And for the first time, the Flatiron Building will be illuminated at night when it reopens with a new LED lighting scheme from L’Observatoire International.

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This corner townhouse at 2102 Albemarle Terrace is a rare example of preserved historic character, set among Brooklyn’s most celebrated collection of 20th-century Colonial Revival architecture. Behind its architecturally significant facade, contemporary design and convenience make this Flatbush home as move-in ready as it is notable. Asking $2,999,999, the property offers another rare luxury: a driveway and a private garage.

As the largest home within the tree-lined Albemarle-Kenmore Terraces Historic District, the 3,300-square-foot townhouse has five bedrooms on three floors as well as two full baths and two half-baths. Major systems have been brought into the 21st century, including new electrical, plumbing, and roofing.

Within, you’ll find well-preserved original millwork and moldings, restored casement windows, and a mix of new and original hardwood floors. Arranged around a grand center hall, the parlor floor is anchored by a formal living room with herringbone flooring and a fireplace.

A formal dining room features built-in shelving. The dining room is served by a thoroughly modern kitchen. This floor also offers a powder room and access to the back yard for easy outdoor dining and entertaining.

On the second floor are two large bedrooms and a full bath. A third bedroom is smaller, but blessed with an attached, sun-filled “sleeping porch” space.

The home’s skylit top floor is occupied by a singularly luxurious primary suite. The main bedroom offers a dressing room, full bath, and another chamber perfect for use as a nursery or home office. A washer and dryer on this floor adds more convenience.

At the lowest level, a finished basement offers a large, open bonus space with a wet bar. Also down here are a second laundry room, a half bath, and storage.

This historic corner home is just a few blocks from Prospect Park. The Church Avenue subway station, with the B and Q trains, is a block away.

[Listing details: 2102 Albemarle Terrace by Louis Belisario and Joe Cruz of Revived Residential]

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Instead of paying sky-high ticket prices and $150 NJ Transit train fares, New York soccer fans can attend free World Cup watch parties hosted in every borough. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul, along with the NYNJ 2026 World Cup Host Committee, on Monday announced five official fan experiences to be held throughout the six-week tournament. “If you can’t get to the World Cup, the World Cup is coming to you,” Hochul said.

The events will be free to attend, but online registration is expected to be required. Some events last a few days, while others take place for several weeks.

The official FIFA fan events will take place at the following locations:

• Queens: USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (June 11-June 27)
• Manhattan: Rockefeller Center (July 6- July 19)
• The Bronx: Bronx Terminal Market (June 13-June 14)
• Brooklyn: Brooklyn Bridge Park (June 13-July 19)
• Staten Island: Staten Island University Hospital Community Park (June 29-July 2)

Last fall, Rockefeller Center announced, in partnership with Telemundo, a two-week fan village as Manhattan’s flagship fan experience. As part of the event, the iconic ice rink will transform into a soccer pitch and the Channel Gardens will become a “living tribute to the eight nations that have lifted the FIFA World Cup trophy and the legends who defined those historic moments,” according to a press release.

“When I think back on my first World Cup, some of my most meaningful memories weren’t in the stadium, they were in the fan zones, surrounded by thousands of people brought together by a pure love of the game,” Mamdani said in a statement.

“That’s what we’re building here: a World Cup that belongs to New Yorkers. By bringing these free fan events to every borough, we’re making sure everyone can be part of that joy.”

Other live viewing events outside of the city will take place at the Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, Stony Brook University on Long Island, and Kensico Dam Plaza in Westchester. Canalside in Buffalo will also be home to three community parties to watch the U.S. Men’s National Team on June 12, June 19, and June 25.

Officials expect more than 1.2 million visitors to travel to the region for the World Cup, which will be the largest edition of the tournament ever, featuring 104 matches across 16 cities in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Some elected city officials and local neighborhood groups have expressed concern about a lack of coordination over public programming for both the World Cup and celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary on July 4. As 6sqft noted last week, an emergency order issued by the Parks Department and approved by the mayor gives the agency the ability to deny permits for new, large-scale events like concerts and festivals from June 11 to July 19. According to the New York Times, returning events would not be impacted.

On Monday, Mamdani said more fan events and pop-ups will be announced in the coming weeks, including a partnership with the Department of Transportation’s Open Streets program.

The City Council last week introduced a package of legislation to support local businesses during the tournament, including bills that would create a “cultural passport” to encourage visitors to check out local places and institutions across the city and another to launch a guide to festivals, parties, and cultural corridors tied to the participating teams.

Other bills call for an expansion of public restrooms with high foot traffic and the co-naming of several thoroughfares and public places, including “Thierry Henry Way” next to Rockefeller Center, and “Pelé Way” in Queens.

There will be eight matches played at MetLife, starting with the June 13 matchup of Brazil vs. Morocco and ending with the World Cup Final on July 19.

RELATED:

• NYC Council wants a ‘cultural passport,’ more public bathrooms, and Pelé Way for World Cup
• NJ Transit tickets to World Cup matches at MetLife will cost $150

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New Yorkers know space is always at a premium in small kitchens. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to miss out on the stylish and functional items that make cooking easier. From kitchen appliances and tools to storage and organization, these are 21 items that can help you save space in a small kitchen.

All of these products have been hand-selected by Team 6sqft. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these affiliate links. All prices reflect those at the time of publishing.

Appliances, cookware, bakeware

You can flip this toaster oven up and away when not in use, and it only takes up half the space in this position. The toaster oven has eight functions: air fry, roast, broil, bake, pizza, toast, bagel, and dehydrate. The appliance uses 75 percent less fat compared to traditional frying.
Nina Air Fryer Toaster Oven Combo, 8-in-1, $250/Sale $150 at Amazon

You may have thought you’d never have enough room to grill in your kitchen. But this innovative and compact model lets you grill indoors without any smoke. The griddler has reversible plates, so it can be used as a half grill, half griddler, full grill, full griddler, contact grill, and a panini press. The grease-reducing plates mean there’s very little smoke ( and no smoke at lower temperatures). The temperature range is 175 degrees Fahrenheit to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, and there are pre-programmed settings for beef, fish, pork, and poultry.
Cuisinart Griddler with Smoke-Less Mode, $170/Sale $150 at Amazon

Slow cookers tend to be bulky, but this one has a slim, space-saving design. However, the 6-quart capacity makes plenty of food. There are presets for meat/stew, chili/beans, soup/broth, and poultry, as well as high, medium, low, and keep warm modes. The inner pot is made of ceramic, making it easy to sear and braise food. And unlike many slow cookers, the tempered glass lid lets you view the contents. Color choices include Atlantic blue, cabernet red, dusty moss, and more.
Thyme & Table 6-Qt Programmable Slow Cooker, $80 at Walmart

With this compact espresso maker that’s only 5 inches wide, you can enjoy delicious espresso drinks with sacrificing valuable countertop space. Features include a pressure gauge, removable tank, oversized cup warmer, and removable drip tray. There’s also a stainless-steel tamper and a dosing ring, pressure gauge, 20-bar Italian pump, and professional steam milk frother. The easy-to-use controls include only four buttons: one/off, 1 cup, 2 cup, and steam. Color choices are silver, black, and rose gold.
Maestri House Semi-Automatic Espresso Maker, $140/Sale $132

Make latte art-level microfoam for your latte and espresso drinks without a steam wand – and you can also use it for matcha, collagen powder, jams, and more. This slim, handheld device has a speed dial for precise texture control and turns milk to velvety foam in less than a minute. It has a USB-C rechargeable battery and can be stored on the compact stand. Color choices are black, space gray, Christmas green, dusty rose, metallic blue, and more.
Maestri House LunaFro Max Handheld Electric Foam Maker, $35 at Amazon

Loose baking pans and sheets can take up a lot of space. However, this 11-piece bakeware set includes two storage organizations to keep everything neat and organized without taking up much space. The set includes a muffin pan, loaf pan, square pan, two circle pans, rectangle pan, medium baking sheet, large baking sheet, and cooling rack. The nonstick bakeware is made of ceramic and is free from toxic materials. It’s oven-safe to 550 degrees, and provides even heat distribution. Color choices are cream, black, gray, sage, marigold, navy, slate, and perracotta.
Caraway Nonstick Ceramic Bakeware Set, $445 at Amazon

This 6-quart air fryer has a generous interior, but the circular design is space-saving. It has a 1800-watt heating system and high-heat air circulation. It can reach temperatures of up to 450 degrees, and the streamlined silhouette includes a viewing window. The 10 cooking functions are air fry, bake, roast, reheat, and dehydrate, and there are presets for meat, fish, poultry, fries, and veggies. Some of the many color choices include slate grey, Atlantic blue, sand white, faded rose, and dusty moss.
Thyme & Table 6-quart Air Fryer, $89 at Walmart

If you like choices when brewing coffee, this space-saving single-serve coffee maker can be used with K-Cup pods, but it is also compatible with ground coffee when you don’t want to use pods. The coffee maker can make classic, rich, specialty, and iced coffee. It has a 56-ounce removable water tank and can also brew several sizes, from 6 to 24 ounces. Also, the foldaway milk frother lets you make lattes, cappuccinos, macchiatos, and more.
Ninja Pods & Grounds Specialty Single-Serve Coffee Maker, $130/Sale $100 at Amazon

If you’re pressed for space, and it may be difficult to reach a wall plug, this compact espresso machine is cordless and can heat 7 to 8 cups of espresso before it needs to be charged again. And although it’s compact, the 20-bar pressure pump extracts oils and aromas from the coffee and produces a generous crema layer. The espresso machine (which also includes a tamper kit) can heat cold water to 198 degrees Fahrenheit in 3 minutes. You can use it at home with the stand, but when on the go, you can just pour the coffee directly into your coffee cup or mug. Connecting to the app lets you adjust the water temperature, pressure, and pre-infusion time.
IKAPE KAPO K2 Pro Portable Espresso Maker, $219/Sale $197 at Amazon

Organization

If you don’t have room to dry your dishes on the countertop, this dish drying rack has extendable arms and goes over the sink. You have the option to extend the handles to hang it over the sink when the dishes are wet, and then retract the handles to store everything on one side of the sink when the dishes are dry. The container has areas for dishes, bowls, cups, and cutlery. It is waterproof and rustproof, and the handles include non-slip silicone. Accent color choices are silver, red, black, gold, and white.
JASIWAY Dish Drying Rack in Sink, $34/Sale $26 at Amazon

If you have a small kitchen but more space in the dining room or living area, consider this sideboard buffet cabinet, which has 2 shelves on each side, providing plenty of space for storing plate sets, cookware, and more. There’s also room on top for plants, lamps, photographs, and more. If you’re really pressed for space, you can put your TV on top of the sideboard.
CHITA 70” Sideboard Buffet Cabinet, $600/Sale $520 at Amazon

If you have just one drawer to donate to silverware, make it count with this compact utensil organizer. The drawer has five angled compartments and can hold up to 24 pieces of cutlery.
Joseph Joseph DrawerStore Compact Utensil Organizer for Kitchen Drawer, $14/Sale $10 at Amazon

This clear spice rack is made of durable acrylic and designed not to rust, stain, warp, brown, or turn yellow. The 4-tier set (which consists of eight pieces) is expandable from 13” to 25.” It can hold up to 56 4-ounce spice jars.
MIUKAA Clear Acrylic Spice Drawer Organizer, $33/Sale $25 at Amazon

This food storage container set is stackable in two ways: the containers can be stacked on top of each other, and when not in use, the bowls (and lids) nest neatly to save even more space. The borosilicate glass containers are BPA-free, oven and freezer-safe, and dishwasher safe. The containers are leak-proof and airtight. The lids also have a built-in steam valve for splatter-proof heating in the microwave. Color choices are white stone and desert sage.
Bentgo Signature 18-Piece Leak-Proof Glass Food Storage Container Set, $80 at Amazon

This steel wire organizer has five adjustable shelves, making it versatile enough to be used to hold appliances, bowls of fruit, paper towels, and pantry supplies. The durable wire organizer has a weight capacity of 1,750 pounds.
Amazon Basics 5-Shelf Adjustable Heavy Steel Wire Storage Shelves, $52 at Amazon

Other essentials

This stylish trash can is slim, so it can fit into narrow spaces. The stainless steel 13-gallon trash can has an inner bucket that is easy to remove. The stainless-steel trash can is fingerprint-resistant and has a sturdy step-on pedal, making it hands-free to operate. The soft-close lid is quiet, and the back handle makes it easy to transport the trash can. Color choices are silver, black, sandy beige, and white.
SONGMICS 13-Gallon Slim Trash Can, $90 at Amazon

Whether serving food in the kitchen or another room, this three-tier stackable serving stand holds up to 4 pounds per tier and has an anti-wobble design. Each of the three tiers has a stainless-steel food-safe platter (and divots to make it easy to remove the platters). The tiers can swivel 360 degrees, and the vertical design saves space. When not in use, the serving stand collapses to just 3 inches in height for compact storage.
3-Tier Stackable Serving Stand, $74 at Totem

Clean and wipe at the same time with this slim paper towel holder with a spray pump inside. The paper towel holder has a balanced tension arm with just the right amount of resistance to let you tear off the desired number of paper towels. At the center of the paper towel holder is the paper towel pump, which you can pull up by the finger hook. The 6-ounce pump reservoir can provide 175 pumps before the reservoir needs to be refilled.
Simplehuman Standing Paper Towel Holder with Spray Pump, $70/Sale $65 at Amazon

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The New York City Council is advancing reforms that could unlock up to 35,000 new homes on small and oddly-shaped lots across the five boroughs. During an American Institute of Architects (AIA) luncheon on Friday, Council Speaker Julie Menin proposed changes to the city’s construction codes that would allow for new housing on roughly 3,000 tiny, underutilized lots without requiring lengthy zoning approvals. Menin also announced the creation of a new panel, the Council Advisory Group on Housing Affordability, to help guide the Council’s policies addressing the city’s housing crisis.

“Across the five boroughs, there are thousands of small, underutilized lots that have the potential to deliver tens of thousands of new homes, but outdated rules and unnecessary red tape are standing in the way,” Menin said.

“That’s why we’re taking a proactive approach by convening a first-of-its-kind Advisory Group on Housing Affordability and advancing smart, targeted reforms to our Construction Codes,” she added. “At a moment when vacancy is at historic lows and rents are at record highs, we have an obligation to act boldly and deliver real results for New Yorkers.”

According to the Council, about 2,850 small lots across the five boroughs are vacant or underbuilt. Under the proposed reforms, these sites could be developed as-of-right with housing in buildings up to eight stories, which are generally cheaper to build and tend to rent or sell at lower prices than taller buildings.

While the city’s construction codes are intended to ensure building safety, Menin said some regulations and red tape unnecessarily hinder housing development.

The proposed reforms would maintain safety on small lots while allowing new, “appropriately-sized” housing in buildings 15 to 27 feet wide.

Officials say developing these sites would create jobs and generate tax revenue, while converting often-abandoned, trash-filled lots into accessible housing for New Yorkers.

The plan comes as the city faces a continued housing shortage, with a 1.4 percent vacancy rate, the lowest in more than five decades. Additionally, median Manhattan rent is about $5,000 per month as of March, while active listings have declined for 19 consecutive months.

Menin added that the new advisory group, made up of subject matter experts, advocates, organized labor, and community organizations, will guide the reforms.

The group will be co-chaired by Gary LaBarbera, president of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York; Barika Williams, executive director of the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development; and James Simmons III, CEO and founder of Asland Capital Partners.

“By taking a hard look at outdated rules and unlocking the potential of small lots across the five boroughs, we have a historic opportunity to create tens of thousands of new homes while putting thousands of New Yorkers to work in good-paying, union jobs,” LaBarbera said.

“As co-chair of this Advisory Group, I’m proud to partner with Speaker Menin, industry experts, and community stakeholders to make sure these reforms are smart, safe, and deliver for working people. Expanding housing supply and strengthening our workforce go hand in hand, and this initiative is a meaningful step forward on both fronts.”

This is not the first time the city has looked to small lots as a source of new housing. In 2019, the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development launched “Big Ideas for Small Lots NYC,” a design competition that solicited proposals for housing on 23 unusually small or narrow lots across the city.

While the city selected five finalists out of more than 400 proposals submitted, no designs were ultimately utilized by developers.

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Work finally began this week on long-delayed dedicated bus lanes along a congested stretch of Madison Avenue. On Friday, the city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn announced that work has started on extending double bus lanes along the avenue from 23rd to 42nd Streets, a project aimed at improving commutes for about 92,000 daily riders who often deal with bus speeds as low as 4.5 miles per hour. The agency expects the project to be finished over the next several weeks.

Madison Avenue currently has two bus lanes, two travel lanes, and one parking lane from 60th Street to 42nd Street, serving 34 local and express bus routes. According to DOT data, buses along the corridor are frequently slowed by traffic below 42nd Street. Despite this, 55 percent of people are riding buses along the stretch, even though there is no dedicated lane for them.

To address the issue, the DOT proposed in 2025 extending the double bus lane design down to 23rd Street, with plans to complete the project last year. However, the project was indefinitely stalled under former Mayor Eric Adams’ administration after the city “missed the last painting season,” Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson told Gothamist in January.

DOT data shows that double bus lanes can significantly increase bus speeds. On nearby Fifth Avenue, the introduction of double lanes boosted local bus speeds by six to 12 percent and express bus speeds by 11 to 20 percent, as 6sqft previously reported.

Upon taking office in January, Mayor Zohran Mamdani directed the DOT to move forward with the long-delayed project. The move marks another transportation initiative stalled or killed under the Adams administration, which Mamdani has sought to revive early in his term.

That month, Mamdani also announced the city would restore the original “road-diet” plan for Greenpoint’s dangerous McGuinness Boulevard, which had been scaled back amid allegations that a neighborhood film production company bribed a senior administration official.

He has also revived the bike lane redesign for Astoria’s 31st Street, which was partially built under Adams but later ordered removed by a judge after the project was found to have failed to follow proper procedures.

“For too long, New Yorkers have been forced to watch critical infrastructure projects be slowed, scaled back, or scrapped altogether by an administration that lacked urgency. That ends now,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.

“By moving forward with work on Madison, we are choosing a city that works for the many, not the few. Faster, more reliable buses mean thousands of working people get where they need to go on time. And by shortening commutes, we’re returning invaluable time to New Yorkers. That’s what a functional transit system should deliver for every New Yorker,” he added.

In addition to revisiting previously stalled projects, the Mamdani administration has advanced several other transportation initiatives since January. On Wednesday, the mayor announced that the DOT will begin installing center-running bus lanes along Brooklyn’s Linden Boulevard between Fountain Avenue and Conduit Avenue in East New York.

A similar project is also underway on Brooklyn’s Flatbush Avenue, which is receiving dedicated center lanes from Livingston Street to Grand Army Plaza. The redesign includes dedicated boarding areas with covered seating, shorter crossing distances, and 29,000 square feet of new pedestrian space along the corridor.

Last May, the DOT also unveiled plans for a dedicated lane on 34th Street between Third and Ninth Avenues for buses, trucks, and emergency vehicles, a project expected to improve speeds by up to 15 percent for more than two dozen bus routes that serve the corridor. The plan was halted in October after the Trump administration threatened to withhold funding for other projects due to the lack of coordination between city and state officials and the federal government, as 6sqft reported

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Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Friday announced the creation of the city’s first-ever Office of Deed Theft Prevention to crack down on scammers who take ownership of homes through fraud and deception. The new office comes just days after Council Member Chi Ossé was arrested after defending a Bed-Stuy homeowner facing eviction from a brownstone she has called home for six decades.

Deed theft is when someone steals a house, usually by falsifying paperwork, forging signatures, or tricking owners into signing over deeds. Scammers, who target seniors, immigrants, and people of color, will then evict the homeowner and sell the property at a profit.

According to New York Attorney General Letitia James, complaints about deed theft have increased by 240 percent from 2023 to 2025, with the highest concentration in Central Brooklyn and Southeast Queens. Last year, there were 517 complaints registered, compared to 149 complaints in 2023.

Between 2013 and 2023, the New York City Sheriff’s Office reported at least 3,500 deed theft complaints.

In 2023, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation making it easier for the attorney general and local district attorneys to investigate and litigate deed theft. The legislation, co-authored by James and sponsored by State Senator Zellnor Myrie and Assembly Member Landon C. Dais, established deed theft as a crime.

The city’s new Office of Deed Theft Prevention aims to complement the statewide laws by expanding enforcement, flagging suspicious property filings, conducting public education and outreach, and improving data-sharing across city agencies.

“The theft of a home is the theft of a family’s future,” Mamdani said. “Deed theft preys on the New Yorkers who can least afford it. Today, we are bringing the full force of City government to bear to stop it – to protect homeowners, defend generational wealth and make clear that this City will not tolerate the exploitation of our communities.”

The new office will be part of the Department of Finance and work with the Sheriff’s Office, the Commission on Human Rights, the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, among others.

Mamdani appointed Peter White, an attorney with Access Justice Brooklyn who has worked to protect homeowners from foreclosure and deed theft, to lead the new office.

“I am deeply humbled to join the Mamdani administration as the Director of the Mayor’s Office of Deed Theft Prevention,” White said. “I have worked to protect New York City homeowners throughout my career, and will carry that passion into my new role serving New Yorkers.”

On Wednesday, Ossé and three others were arrested after gathering in support of Carmella Charrington, who is facing eviction from her Bed-Stuy home. As the New York Times reported, law enforcement officers arrived at the home on Jefferson Avenue to execute a judge’s eviction order, but protesters blocked them from entering the building. Charrington was jailed at Rikers last week on civil contempt charges related to the dispute over the home’s ownership, according to the Times.

Attorney General James said her office reviewed the case and said it was not deed theft, but a property dispute involving a conservator representing her father, who received approval to sell the property to an LLC. The LLC moved to evict Charrington, who says it was a fake sale, beginning in 2024.

“I showed up because I could not, in good faith, allow the displacement of a Black family in my district,” Ossé said in a video posted on social media following his release.

The council member said Charrington’s legal measures had not been exhausted and that she “deserved due process.”

“Sometimes the perpetrators use illegal methods. Sometimes, their methods are technically legal. In all cases, the practice is cruel and wrong, and everything that is legal isn’t right or just,” he added.

Ossé has also urged Hochul to halt evictions from properties subject to deed theft complaints or during legal disputes.

Mamdani said the new deed theft prevention office would have a budget of $500,000 in the current fiscal year and $1 million for the next. He promised to create the new office as part of his platform while running for mayor last year, but had originally called for $10 million in funding.

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Smorgasburg’s 16th season may be its biggest yet. The long-running open-air market, which originated in Williamsburg, announced it is expanding to Central Park next month. Starting May 14, over 25 vendors will set up at the Columbus Circle entrance of the park. The new Smorgasburg location comes as the company prepares to open a new 32,000-square-foot Pan-American restaurant on Governors Island.

The Central Park market will take place every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday starting May 14. Running from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., the market will offer food and beverages from more than 25 vendors.

Smorgasburg returned for the season to Marsha P. Johnson State Park in Williamsburg and Prospect Park’s Breeze Hill earlier this month. This year’s roster includes 52 returning favorites and 22 new vendors, many representing brands founded by immigrants or offering multigenerational family recipes, as 6sqft previously reported.

New vendors include 82 Bowl, a Korean BBQ concept, Ambo, offering Indian comfort food, and Chenzi, which sells Fuzhounese street food.

Every week through October, the Williamsburg location is open on Saturdays and Prospect Park on Sundays. Smorgasburg also operates a market at the World Trade Center on Thursdays and Fridays.

The Governors Island restaurant, Six Coasts, will offer food and drink inspired by the “six coastal identities across the Americas,” from Nova Scotia to Baja to Bahia and the Caribbean. The menu will include seasonal seafood and tropical cocktails, with a 100-seat outdoor bar on the waterfront. The restaurant is expected to open in May.

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This $4.95 million, three-bedroom condo at 160 Central Park South was the one-time home of rock icon David Bowie and model Iman, and views of the park and Manhattan from its windows are just as iconic. Built in 1929, the Essex House is the rare Art Deco residence that offers condominium convenience and privacy suitable for 21st-century rock royalty.

Bowie and Iman lived at the home from 1992 to 2002 before moving to Soho. As 6sqft previously reported, the home hit the market in 2017 for $6.95 million, with the musician’s Yamaha piano included in the deal.

Starting with an elegant foyer, the home’s layout balances space for entertaining and private living. At almost 2,000 square feet, the move-in-ready condo makes a perfect pied-à-terre or primary home, with plenty of options to reconfigure to your needs.

A 40-foot-long great room is served by a modern kitchen. It’s hard not to get distracted by the breathtaking views from every room.

Adjacent to the great room, a luxurious bedroom suite has the same views. Behind-the-scenes upgrades are framed by classic prewar details.

Opposite this wing, a quiet living space offers two south-facing bedrooms and two baths. There’s plenty of closet space and a washer and dryer for added convenience.

In true rock star style, the prestigious full-service condominium offers owners the rare perk of access to hotel amenities, including 24-hour room service and restaurant dining, housekeeping concierge service, a business center, and a spa, in addition to a state-of-the-art fitness center and valet parking. The Essex House permits short- and long-term rentals and pieds-a-terre.

[Listing details: 160 Central Park South #915 by Christina Soares Hungria Paschoal of Sotheby’s International Realty-East Side Manhattan Brokerage]

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Ahead of the United States’ 250th anniversary this summer, the Brooklyn Public Library released this week a list of 250 notable books on American history. “250 for 250” features titles published between 1776 and 2025 and reflects a wide range of perspectives on American history and storytelling, beginning with Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense.” More than 600 books were considered by a committee of nearly two dozen librarians.

“These are the books that we believe have influenced this country and contributed to where we are today,” Jess Harwick, the librarian who coordinated the selection committee, said.

“As librarians, we know that it’s not just about the books themselves, but rather what they represent—a wide variety of American perspectives and voices sharing the stories of our streets, neighborhoods, and nation as a whole.”

Additionally, a small group of notable Americans was asked to select a book from the list and write a short essay on its significance to them and the nation.

Participants include Ethan Hawke, who reflected on “The Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton; Constance Wu, who wrote about “Gilead” by Marilynne Robinson; Julian Shapiro-Barnum, who discussed “American Born Chinese”; Ilana Glazer, who wrote about “The 1619 Project” by Nikole Hannah-Jones; and Britt Lower, who reflected on “Just Kids” by Patti Smith, among others.

In a statement, Linda E. Johnson, president and CEO of BPL, said the list highlights the “full range” of the “human experience.”

“Books remain one of our most powerful tools for defending democracy. They help us understand ourselves, each other, and the world around us,” Johnson said. “Together, the books on this list tell a story of our nation, our commitment to the ideals of freedom and justice for all, and that ongoing search for common ground.”

“As we continue to pursue a perfect union, this extraordinary list considers the full range of the American—and human—experience,” she added.

The list adds renewed excitement to Independence Day in NYC, which already has a full slate of events planned for the nation’s semi-quincentennial. From July 3 to July 8, “Sail4th 250” will bring six days of festivities across the five boroughs, including the arrival of the largest fleet of tall ships ever to sail into New York Harbor.

In addition, the New York Public Library will display its rare copy of the Declaration of Independence from July 1 to July 3, one of the few surviving “fair copies” handwritten by Thomas Jefferson. The document will be shown as part of the library’s exhibition “Revolution: 1776 and Beyond,” which will explore New York’s role in the American Revolution and its influence on global revolutions.

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• Largest fleet of tall ships to sail into NYC next summer to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary
• NYPL to display rare Declaration of Independence draft for America’s 250th anniversary

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A new traveling pop-up exhibition from the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) will recreate New York City’s natural landscape as it appeared 400 years ago. Running Saturday, April 25 through November 15, “Before New York” will be on display in every borough, featuring digital renderings, large-scale photographs, and soundscapes that reconstruct the city’s landscape as it existed before Henry Hudson arrived in 1609, with experiences tailored to each borough. The exhibition will open at the garden’s Ross Gallery, with additional pop-up locations and programming expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

“Before New York” will feature panoramic images rendered using scientific data, depicting landmark features, plants, and landscapes as they appeared 400 years ago, before colonization, when the region was home to the Indigenous Lenape people. These images will be presented alongside current photos, offering context into how drastically nature has changed.

Data-driven soundscapes, including reconstructed bird calls, will evoke the region’s prehistoric geography and natural environment as it existed before the modern street grid. The exhibition will also examine how neighborhoods developed in relation to the landscape and natural features, alongside ongoing efforts to create a more sustainable urban environment.

The exhibition is based on research by NYC ecologist Dr. Eric W. Sanderson, vice president of urban conservation at the NYBG’s Center for Conservation and Restoration Ecology.

“I am immensely excited to bring ‘Before New York’ to NYC. The natural history of our own backyard has so much to teach us, in the face of grave threats to our Earth and biodiversity and the opportunities we all have to make a difference,” Sanderson said.

“It is my hope that this exhibition will bring to life the people, plants, animals, and landscape who have shaped our city’s past, present, and future—and inspire everyone who sees it to champion the conservation of nature into the future.”

Sanderson, as detailed in his book “Mannahatta: A Natural History of New York City,” describes 17th-century Manhattan as having biodiversity per acre that rivaled modern national parks like Yellowstone and Yosemite. The landscape that became New York City, called “Welikia,” meaning “my good home” in the Munsee-Lenape language, was home to thousands of species and the Indigenous Lenape people for 8,000 to 10,000 years before Hudson arrived.

Sanderon’s The Welikia Project, an online resource maintained by the Urban Conservation team at NYBG, illustrates block-by-block ecosystems and geologic foundations of the land prior to colonization, pairing current landmarks with a rendering of what the site looked like 400 years ago. The project extended ecology studies from Manhattan to all five boroughs.

Sanderson will lead the opening lecture for “Before New York” on April 28 at 11 a.m. in Ross Hall. He will discuss how he and his colleagues spent 25 years reconstructing the Bronx’s features, plant life, and landscape as it existed four centuries ago.

Admission is free with garden grounds access. Register here.

The Urban Conservation team will also host special events at pop-up locations across the city, tailored to each borough. Programming will include a public lecture by Sanderson on the borough’s historical ecology, a guided neighborhood walking tour focused on restoration, and an arts program interpreting each borough’s ecological history and restoration efforts through creative practice.

“Before New York” is also informed by Sanderson’s 2009 book “Mannahatta: A Natural History of New York” and his forthcoming atlas and gazetteer, “Before New York: The Natural Geography of the City,” which is slated for release on November 3.

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• Mapping Manahatta: 10 Lenape sites in New York City
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• Explore Manhattan When It Was Just Forests and Creeks With the 1609 Welikia Map

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A state judge has paused Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s plan to relocate a men’s homeless intake shelter from the shuttered Bellevue facility in Kips Bay to the East Village after residents filed a lawsuit. Judge Sabrina Kraus issued the order on Wednesday, blocking the city from opening the intake center at 8 East Third Street on May 1 as originally planned and setting a May 7 court date for the administration and plaintiffs. Last month, Mamdani announced plans to close the Bellevue shelter, citing decades of neglect and deteriorating conditions, and to relocate its roughly 250 residents to existing shelters in the East Village.

Once the city’s largest men’s homeless shelter, the Bellevue facility on East 30th Street in Kips Bay served as an entry point for single men and adult families seeking emergency shelter in the city. The building, converted from Bellevue Hospital’s psychiatric ward in 1984, can house up to 850 people.

The 1931 structure has long been plagued by fire safety violations, building code issues, and incidents of violence, with portions of the facility cordoned off due to maintenance issues, according to The City.

Efforts to shutter the site date back years. In 2008, former Mayor Michael Bloomberg sought to close the site, and the city’s Economic Development Corporation later proposed converting it into a luxury hotel and conference center, though those plans were eventually abandoned.

At the time, critics opposed relocating the shelter’s intake services to a site in Crown Heights, arguing that most street-homeless individuals live in Manhattan and would be less likely to travel to Brooklyn to seek services, as 6sqft previously reported.

With the shelter now empty, city officials this week gave Gothamist a look inside the dilapidated 9-story structure. The auditorium sits abandoned, with pigeons nesting in the windows, while exposed wiring, pipes, and large portions of the ceiling are missing from the ceiling of the former solarium.

Joseph Piwowarski, associate commissioner of the city’s Department of Design and Construction, told Gothamist that the building’s steam and plumbing systems are well beyond their lifespan and frequently leak. He added that, given the facility’s age, lead and asbestos are likely present throughout the facility.

A spokeswoman for City Hall told the New York Times that conditions at the shelter had been “unacceptable” for years.

“The decision to vacate was necessary for safety, and based on clear expert guidance,” she told the Times. “Now, we have an urgent obligation to act. Transferring shelter intake to 8 East Third Street is critical to ensuring that every New Yorker in need has access to safe, dignified shelter without delay.”

The city has already relocated residents to two shelters in Brooklyn and had planned to move intake services to two existing men’s shelters in the East Village on May 1.

A lawsuit filed Monday by Village Organization for the Integrity of Community Engagement, the group of residents seeking to block that plan, argues the administration has rushed the process without proper review or adequate public notice. The suit also raises concerns about whether the facilities would comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

“This is an important start, and we appreciate the judge’s fast action on this crucially important matter,” Trisha Goff, a member of the group and a longtime neighborhood resident, said. “But it is only the beginning. There’s much more work to be done. Now there’s time for due process, to listen to the community, and to find a far better solution to this challenging problem.”

City officials note that both East Village sites have long operated as shelters and substance use treatment programs, run by the nonprofit group Project Renewal. The intake center would include 117 short-term beds for men, who typically stay less than 24 hours.

“Leaving people in a space that is falling apart is a failure of our responsibility to care for our fellow New Yorkers. The decision to vacate was necessary for safety, and based on clear expert guidance,” Sneha Choudhary, a City Hall spokesperson, told Gothamist. “We look forward to addressing the immediate need to relocate shelter intake with the court.”

While the judge’s order halts the relocation of intake services, construction at the site can continue. The next hearing is scheduled for May 7.

The Legal Aid Society and the Coalition for the Homeless issued a joint statement after the court’s ruling, criticizing residents’ opposition as “NIMBYism” while also raising concerns about the site’s accessibility.

“The site at 8 East Third Street has long served as a shelter and previously functioned as a men’s intake center, making its current use consistent with its history. Opposition from some neighbors lacks a good-faith basis and appears to be little more than NIMBYism, given both that history and the urgent need for a functioning, legally compliant shelter intake facility,” the groups said.

They added that they have “serious concerns” about the building’s accessibility and the city’s ability to comply with the Butler settlement, the Americans With Disabilities Act, and other disability protections, particularly given the accelerated timeline.

“The city has committed to making the site fully accessible, and we are actively negotiating the specific steps it will take to operate as an intake facility and to ensure the site is accessible to all single men seeking shelter,” the statement said.

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• NYC opens 50 single-room shelter units for homeless New Yorkers amid historic cold stretch

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In Hamilton Heights, a co-op building opened a lottery this week for affordable apartments available for purchase. On the corner of West 142nd Street and Riverside Drive, the pre-war building was acquired by the city in 2003 and sold to a nonprofit group to rehabilitate and turn it into affordable housing as part of the city’s currently-paused Third Party Transfer (TPT) program. Earlier this month, a lottery opened for 24 units at 644 Riverside Drive, priced from $100,794 for a one-bedroom to $156,331 for a five-bedroom.

The Park Towers HDFC apartments available for purchase have been fully upgraded, with new stainless steel appliances and hardwood floors. The upper floors boast great views of the Hudson River and the George Washington Bridge.

New Yorkers must earn 120 percent of the area median income to be considered eligible, which ranges from $70,462 annually for a single-person household to $303,360 for an 11-person household. Buyers must be first-time homeowners, have at least 10 percent for a down payment, and plan to live at the residence full-time.

There are nine one-bedrooms, nine two-bedrooms, two three-bedrooms, three four-bedrooms, and one five-bedroom unit available through the lottery. Amenities include a shared laundry room and an elevator.

Maintenance fees range from $1,209/month for one-bedrooms to $2,102/month for five-bedrooms.

Established in 1996, the TPT program allows the city’s Department of Finance and Department of Housing Preservation and Development to foreclose on financially and physically distressed rentals and transfer them to a third party to rehabilitate and turn them into cooperatives, if the tenants are interested.

A partnership between the nonprofit Urban Homesteading Assistance Board and Settlement Housing Fund, dubbed SHUHAB, took over 644 Riverside Drive and its sister property at 640 Riverside Drive in 2005. Tenants of the run-down buildings agreed to be part of the program with the promise that they could purchase their apartments for $2,500. Renovations on No. 644 began in 2006, but took more than eight years to complete, as DNAinfo reported at the time.

As of October 2024, No. 640 has not been converted to a tenant-owned co-op as promised two decades ago because of construction delays, according to the Columbia Spectator.

The city paused TPT in 2019 after complaints that the program disproportionately seized debt-ridden properties owned by Black and Brown homeowners and landlords. Council Member Pierina Sanchez introduced legislation this year to reform the program to expand the definition of distressed properties and add protections for smaller landlords who have been disproportionately targeted in the past.

Last April, the city seized its first building from a negligent landlord in seven years. As 6sqft reported, the 49-unit building at 2201-2205 Davidson Avenue in the Bronx was foreclosed on after a decade of tenant organizing. The landlord, David Kornitzer, owed $28 million in back taxes, emergency repairs, and other fees.

Nonprofit developer Neighborhood Restore and private manager Lemle and Wolff are renovating the building and helping current tenants transition to homeownership through permanently affordable co-ops.

An informational webinar on the co-op and application process for 644 Riverside will be held on Wednesday, May 6, at 6:30 p.m. Register here. Seminar attendance is not mandatory to purchase.

Qualifying New Yorkers can apply for the co-ops until May 26, 2026. Find more details on how to apply here. A 20 percent preference is given to applicants who live in Manhattan Community District 9, and 10 percent for city employees or military veterans.

Questions regarding this offer must be referred to NYC’s Housing Connect department by dialing 311.

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As New York City deals with rising sea levels, heavier rainfall, and aging infrastructure, officials are increasingly confronting a future that will be wetter and more climate-vulnerable. Efforts are underway to improve the resilience of the city against extreme weather driven by climate change while expanding greener and more accessible public spaces. These efforts come as President Donald Trump’s administration continues to cancel or freeze funding for programs that address climate change, including $325 million in disaster prevention funds for New York. In honor of Earth Day, we’ve put together a list of seven major green infrastructure projects that are working toward a safe and sustainable future for New Yorkers.

Vital Parks for All

Public green spaces have long been an important resource for New Yorkers, providing areas for recreation and respite. However, with many park facilities now past their intended lifespan and demand for park space increasing, the city’s Parks Department (NYC Parks) has undertaken major upgrades to ensure parks can accommodate current and future generations.

Vital Parks for All is the department’s $3.2 billion commitment to ensuring public spaces across the five boroughs remain the critical infrastructure that they are. Launched in June 2024, the plan seeks to preserve existing park facilities, equitably deliver new park resources to underserved communities, and educate New Yorkers on how they can celebrate and support their parks.

“Our parks and green spaces are critical public resources to providing a livable and equitable city, and our parks system is strongest when it is green, resilient, and supported by a community of engaged and empowered New Yorkers,” a spokesperson for NYC Parks told 6sqft.

“The Vital Parks initiative provides a framework for thinking about and driving change in our public green spaces, ensuring that we’re able to revitalize aging park facilities, deliver new resources where they’re needed most, and empower New Yorkers with the data they need to advocate for their parks.”

NYC Parks has made a $136 million investment to plant more street trees in the city’s most vulnerable communities, $80 million to acquire properties in underserved areas to improve livability and ecological resilience, and $100 million to advance 19 wetland restoration projects in at-risk neighborhoods.

Last month, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that 10 NYC parks in underserved neighborhoods will receive $50 million in new investments, continuing city efforts to expand access to green space. The improvements are expected to benefit more than 116,500 New Yorkers.

Alongside the plan, the agency also released an interactive map, the Vital Park Explorer. Through the tool, New Yorkers can explore city data to see their community board’s access to more than 20 park services, ranging from greenways and volunteer groups to dog runs and hiking trails.

Users can also view a Park Condition Score for each site, a composite measure that reflects factors such as cleanliness, safety, and amenities, including playground equipment, landscaping, and restroom facilities.

Prospect Park Bluebelt

Brooklyn is set to receive its first-ever Bluebelt, a nature-based flood prevention system that uses natural landscape features, such as streams, ponds, and wetlands, to better manage extreme rainfall fueled by climate change. In December, the city announced it would invest $68 million in the new infrastructure, which will help protect Prospect Park, nearby neighborhoods, and the Prospect Park Zoo, which closed for eight months in 2023 due to flood damage.

The project was shaped by a year-long study by the DEP into flooding in surrounding Brooklyn neighborhoods and stormwater flow through Prospect Park. Working with NYC Parks and the Prospect Park Alliance, the agencies analyzed the park’s landscape and water systems to identify ways to improve drainage, as 6sqft previously reported.

Bluebelts are an emerging stormwater infrastructure system in the five boroughs. The first was launched on Staten Island, where it spans much of the island’s southern half. As explained by NYC H2O, bluebelts often blend into surrounding parkland and can be mistaken for ordinary green space, rather than the sustainable infrastructure systems they are.

The systems have a wide range of landscape design measures and engineered features. Meandering streams slow the water naturally, allowing sediment that would otherwise be carried downstream to settle before reaching larger bodies of water.

Forebays are specially constructed, rock-lined basins where water is further slowed and sediment is captured. Waterfall-like features, such as step-pool systems, function in a similar way by reducing water velocity as it moves through a series of drops and pools.

DEP is expanding the Bluebelt system wherever feasible across all five boroughs. The agency currently manages 545 acres of bluebelts and natural areas in the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. Construction on the Prospect Park project is scheduled to start in 2029 and finish in 2032.

Rain Gardens

Many New Yorkers may walk past these inconspicuous, fenced dirt patches along city streets without taking a moment to notice them, unaware that they are a critical tool in protecting neighborhoods from flooding.

Built by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), there are more than 11,000 rain gardens across the five boroughs. These small curbside installations are a cost-effective and resilient way to manage stormwater during extreme weather events.

Typically located next to stormwater catch basins, rain gardens contain highly porous engineered soil and a variety of plants selected for their ability to absorb water and thrive in urban conditions.

Together, these systems help capture and filter thousands of gallons of stormwater before it enters the sewer system, reducing the risk of combined sewer overflows into local waterways during storms. Rain gardens are estimated to collect roughly 8 million gallons of water per year, according to the DEP.

Beyond reducing stormwater overflow, rain gardens also help filter pollutants and improve water quality while adding greenery to city streets, particularly in low-lying, flood-prone areas.

“The DEP continues to expand nature‑based stormwater solutions across NYC. Green infrastructure, like planted curbside rain gardens and Bluebelts, helps drain rainwater off the streets to reduce neighborhood flooding and protect local waterways,” a DEP spokesperson told 6sqft.

South Brooklyn Marine Terminal + Empire Wind

An expansive, 122-acre swathe of Brooklyn’s historic industrial waterfront is poised to become one of the nation’s largest offshore wind ports, with the potential to remove more than 34 million tons of CO2 from the environment. Led by the city’s Economic Development Corporation, the $3.5 billion redevelopment project is transforming the dilapidated marine terminal into thousands of apartments and a 60-acre, all-electric port, as well as an interconnection site for Equinor’s Empire Wind 1 project.

Located roughly 30 miles southeast of Long Island, Empire Wind spans 80,000 acres and is being developed in two phases. Empire Wind 1 will deliver 810 megawatts of renewable energy to Brooklyn, powering about 500,000 NYC homes, and is expected to play a key role in the city’s goal of reaching 9 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2035 and 100 percent clean electricity by 2040.

Empire Wind will be the first offshore wind project to deliver power directly to the five boroughs, bringing it onshore at the Sunset Park Onshore Substation, next to the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal. Fifty-four turbines will be built as part of Phase 1, each with a 15-megawatt capacity, and each turbine rotation will generate enough energy to power a NY home for about 1.5 days.

As part of its agreement with the city, Equinor has agreed to contribute $5 million to an ecosystem fund that will help New Yorkers enter the offshore wind industry and accelerate wind innovation. The company will also open an offshore wind learning center at its Brooklyn office that will be open to the public, as 6sqft previously reported.

The project came under scrutiny from the Trump administration in December, when it froze five major offshore wind projects on the East Coast, citing “national security concerns.” Trump has also referred to offshore wind projects as “losers,” arguing they lose money, damage landscapes, and kill birds, according to the Associated Press.

In response, Equinor sued the federal government to resume construction. In January, District Judge Carl J. Nichols ruled that work on the project could continue while he considers the “merits” of the government’s order to suspend it, saying the government had not adequately addressed key arguments in the developer’s filings.

Lower Manhattan Coastal Resiliency Project

New York City’s coastal location has played a vital role in its development as a global city, with millions arriving in the five boroughs by ship through its harbor, passing landmarks like the Statue of Liberty with the skyline rising behind it. However, in the face of extreme weather events, flooding, and sea level rise driven by climate change, parts of the city will need to adapt to stay afloat.

To confront these risks, the city released the Lower Manhattan Climate Resilience Study in 2019, which examined current and future climate threats across the area. It found that by the 2050s, 37 percent of Lower Manhattan buildings would be at risk of storm surge, rising to nearly 50 percent by 2100. By that time, 20 percent of streets could also face daily flooding due to a projected sea level rise of more than six feet.

Since then, the city has launched the Lower Manhattan Coastal Resiliency (LMCR) project, a wide-ranging initiative aimed at reducing flood risk from coastal storms and sea level rise across Lower Manhattan.

With a projected cost of up to $7 billion, the LMCR includes five key components: Brooklyn Bridge–Montgomery Coastal Resilience, Seaport Coastal Resilience, Battery Park Coastal Resilience, East Side Coastal Resilience, and the North, South, and West Battery Park City Resilience projects.

As part of the Battery Park City project, workers are creating an integrated coastal flood risk management system along the northern border of Battery Park, across Pier A Plaza, through Wagner Park, and to the Museum of Jewish Heritage.

In July, Wagner Park reopened after a two-year overhaul that elevated it 10 feet to conceal a buried floodwall beneath the central lawn, protecting it from storm surge. It also features a 63,000-gallon underground cistern for rainwater reuse and gardens planted with native, salt-resistant species. The park is now designed to withstand a 100-year storm and is expected to offer protection against severe storms through the 2050s based on projected sea level rise.

“The Battery Park City Resiliency Projects are a critical part of the city’s broader initiative to protect Lower Manhattan residents, property and infrastructure against the rising threats of climate change,” a Battery Park City Authority spokesperson told 6sqft.

“With Wagner Park now reopened and construction advancing in North/West Battery Park City, we are proud to deliver a world-class integrated coastal flood protection system that sets a new standard for resilient waterfront design.”

Construction on the Brooklyn Bridge–Montgomery Coastal Resilience Project began in the fall of 2022, while the $1.45 billion East Side Coastal Resilience project opened its first two public areas in 2022 and 2023.

In May, two additional public spaces opened at East River Park, which is being elevated 8 to 10 feet to accommodate a floodwall beneath it. The previous summer, the city reopened Ballfields 1 and 2 with an upgraded drainage system and other improvements designed to withstand climate impacts.

Tibbetts Brook Daylighting

A stream in the Bronx’s Van Cortlandt Park, buried for more than a century, is being restored as part of an effort to improve water flow and reduce flooding and sewage overflow into the Harlem River. The process, known as “daylighting,” removes concrete and other coverings above waterways in an effort to restore natural flow and surrounding ecosystems, according to Smithsonian Magazine.

Daylighting has grown in popularity as cities across the United States face increased flooding from more frequent and intense rainstorms. The process also brings additional benefits, allowing cities to introduce new plantings and create new green spaces. Environmentalists have advocated for the daylighting of Tibbetts Brook for decades.

Starting in Yonkers and running through Kingsbridge before reaching Spuyten Duyvil Creek, Tibbetts Brook once flowed entirely above ground before it was buried in 1912 to make space for development, according to Starr Whitehouse.

Since then, clean water from the buried stream has entered the Harlem River, adding about 2.2 billion gallons of freshwater to antiquated pipes that carry combined sewage and stormwater to treatment plants. In 2021, rainfall from Hurricane Ida overwhelmed the system, sending floodwaters up to six feet deep in Van Cortlandt Park and turning parts of the nearby Major Deegan Expressway into a river.

As part of the $133 million plan, roughly 1.8 miles of the stream will be brought back above ground from Hester and Piero’s Mill Pond to the river. The project is expected to prevent the brook’s clean water from entering the sewer system and reduce sewage overflow into the Harlem River by roughly 220 million gallons per year. It is also expected to be one of the city’s most cost-effective green infrastructure investments, leveraging natural systems to create a “greener, more connected public realm.”

Led by Starr Whitehouse in collaboration with Hazen and Sawyer, the project also includes ecological upgrades along the daylighted brook and extends the Putnam Greenway by 1.2 miles from Van Cortlandt Park to West 230th Street, complementing the ongoing expansion of the Harlem River Greenway. The improvements are expected to enhance park access and help reduce flooding by expanding green space.

While construction to daylight the brook was initially set to begin in 2025, the start was delayed as the city worked to complete key land deals and easements. In the meantime, the city has been removing invasive species from the area since August 2024, according to Secret NYC. The initiative is now expected to break ground this year, with the fully daylighted stream slated to open around 2030.

Arverne East

Currently taking shape on a formerly vacant 116-acre oceanfront site in the Arverne and Edgemere neighborhoods of Far Rockaway, Queens, Arverne East is slated to become NYC’s first net-zero community. With a price tag of nearly $1 billion, the project is expected to generate more energy than it consumes through passive house construction and an innovative geothermal system, making it a model for sustainable development across the five boroughs.

Spanning from Beach 32nd Street to Beach 56th Place, the site was acquired by the city and cleared for development in the 1970s, but remained largely untouched for about 50 years. The project will ultimately include 1,650 housing units, with a mix of affordable, market-rate, and homeownership opportunities.

It also includes a 35-acre nature preserve, designed by Starr Whitehouse, which opened to the public in April 2024 as part of the project’s first phase. Stretching between Beach 44th Street and Beach 56th Place, the preserve features a winding pathway that guides visitors through five distinct ecologies: maritime forest, shrubland, grassland, swale, and dunes.

The preserve also includes a 6,000-square-foot welcome center designed by WXY, which incorporates the same sustainability measures as the broader development and is fully fossil fuel-free, with a closed-loop geothermal system for heating and cooling and a rooftop solar array to power the building

Beyond the center, Arverne East will feature a range of resilient design elements to protect against flooding, which has historically impacted the Rockaways during extreme weather events. The development includes permeable surfaces, planted areas, and bioswales to manage stormwater, while buildings are elevated three to eight feet above existing grade, exceeding the city’s flood elevation standard by up to four feet.

Arverne East is being developed by L+M Development Partners, the Bluestone Organization, and Triangle Equities, in partnership with the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development, NYC Parks, and the Department of Transportation.

Arverne East Building D, the first residential phase of the project, is slated to break ground at the end of April. The phase will deliver 320 homes, including 220 affordable rentals and 90 affordable homeownership units.

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• NYC announces $50M to rebuild 10 parks in underserved neighborhoods
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Parts of Brooklyn’s Linden Boulevard, one of the borough’s most dangerous corridors, will be redesigned with center-running bus lanes and other safety upgrades by 2027. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday announced that the city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) will begin installing the lanes later this year along the stretch between Fountain and Conduit Avenues in East New York. The changes aim to improve safety along the corridor, which saw more than 440 traffic-related injuries and one death between 2021 and 2025. Those crashes have been linked to the road’s current design, which encourages speeding, forces pedestrians to cross multiple lanes of traffic, and leaves buses stuck behind double-parked cars, according to amNY.

“This project will deliver faster, more reliable buses for the 60,000 New Yorkers who rely on them every day — parents getting their kids to school, workers trying to clock in on time, families picking up groceries on the way home,” Mamdani said.

“And redesigning this historically dangerous corridor will make it safer for everyone who has to cross it. When we make our buses faster and our streets safer, we’re making a clear choice about the kind of city we want to be: one that puts people first,” he added.

Linden Boulevard is designated as a Vision Zero Priority Corridor and ranks among Brooklyn’s most dangerous streets for traffic deaths and injuries. Along this stretch, one person is injured in a traffic crash every four days, on average. Some lawmakers have begun referring to it as the “boulevard of death,” as reported by Gothamist.

A four-year-old was struck and killed by an SUV on Linden Boulevard and Rockaway Parkway last month. Two days later, a man standing on Linden was hit by a driver and killed, according to Gothamist.

Additionally, 54 percent of residents along the corridor commute by public transportation, and 57 percent of households do not have access to a private vehicle. With the nearest subway station more than half a mile away, many residents rely on buses serving the corridor, including the B13, B14, B15, B20, BM5, and Q8, which can move as slowly as 4 miles per hour.

To address these long-standing traffic conditions, the city will install eight new bus boarding islands, which will also serve as pedestrian refuge islands and shorten crossing distances. The DOT will also add two new signalized intersections at Pine and Emerald Streets to reduce gaps between crosswalks and better connect the East New York and Jewel Streets areas. In addition, five slip lanes will be closed or redesigned to improve safety and support bus operations.

According to the agency, the changes will make the boulevard safer for pedestrians and speed up bus service, better connecting riders to six nearby subway lines, including the A, C, J, Z, L, and 3 trains.

The redesign advances a community vision outlined in the city’s Jewel Streets Neighborhood Plan, led by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development. In addition to traffic safety upgrades, the plan calls for roughly 5,000 new homes, including 1,400 homes on a 17-acre city-owned site, a new sewage system for the neighborhood, which regularly floods.

DOT is currently reimagining the Conduit corridor, with the agency hosting a second round of public workshops starting this week.

The Linden Boulevard redesign should be completed by 2027, according to the city.

“Dedicated bus lanes keep buses moving and projects like the proposed redesign of Linden Boulevard are gamechangers to improve safety and bus service for riders,” MTA NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow said.

“It’s a win for everyone using the roads — safer for pedestrians, bus operators, bus riders and motorists, and with connections to six bus routes and six subway lines, it strengthens the transit network overall.”

Linden Boulevard joins a growing list of major NYC corridors receiving traffic safety and bus speed upgrades. This month, work resumes on the redesign of Flatbush Avenue, which will also receive center-running bus lanes. The project is expected to speed up commutes for 132,000 daily bus riders, who currently travel at average speeds of under 4 miles per hour.

Last month, ground broke on a project to improve crosstown Bronx bus service and enhance street safety near Yankee Stadium. The project will add westbound bus-only lanes, including converting the 161st Street underpass for bus-only use. It will also include pedestrian safety upgrades, along with rider amenities such as shelters, benches, and leaning bars, as well as infrastructure to make bus boarding safer and more accessible.

Last May, DOT unveiled plans for a dedicated busway on 34th Street between Third and Ninth Avenues in Manhattan. Modeled after the successful 14th Street busway, the redesign could increase speeds by up to 15 percent for the more than two dozen bus routes that serve the corridor, as 6sqft previously reported.

The plan was halted in October after the Trump administration threatened to withhold funding for other projects due to the lack of coordination between city and state officials and the federal government, as 6sqft reported. Federal Highway Administration Administrator Sean McMaster said the agency had several concerns with the busway, including the absence of a plan “to accommodate truckers” and “maintain access for emergency vehicles.” Because the street is connected to the National Highway System (NHS), the project falls within the purview of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

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The post Brooklyn’s dangerous Linden Boulevard to get center-running bus lanes, pedestrian islands first appeared on 6sqft.

The New York City penthouse that acted as the fictional home of financial fraudster Jordan Belfort in the 2013 film “The Wolf of Wall Street” is back on the market. Located on the 32nd floor of the Midtown East condo building Milan at 300 East 55th Street, the luxurious, 2,700-square-foot penthouse serves as the setting of a pivotal scene where an associate of Belfort, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, dangles a butler over the balcony. The scene shows off the very real sweeping city views, especially of the Chrysler Building, from the three-bedroom home, which just hit the market for $4,950,000.

As reported by Mansion Global, the real-life owner is Bert E. Brodsky, who leads the real estate development and investment firm BEB Capital. Brodsky paid $4.5 million for the apartment in 2005. He doesn’t live there full-time, telling Mansion Global: “I don’t use it as a residence,” Brodsky said. “I use it more for showering and meeting people.”

The home, which has been used as a filming location for “Gossip Girl,” “The Good Wife,” and “Blue Bloods,” was first listed for $6.25 million in 2024 and then taken on and off the market a few times before listing for $4.95 million this week.

A large entry foyer leads to an expansive great room, measuring over 36 feet long and wrapped in floor-to-ceiling windows. Two terraces sit on either side of the living and dining area; there’s also a tucked-away wet bar for easy entertaining.

The open chef’s kitchen features custom European cabinetry and Viking appliances.

On the other end of the apartment, the massive primary suite features a corner fireplace, two walk-in closets, and a spa-like bath. The two additional bedrooms also have their own en-suite baths and extra closet space.

The glass-clad tower was built in 2004. Amenities at the building include a 24-hour doorman and concierge, a landscaped garden, a fitness center, an on-site garage, a residents’ lounge, and a two-story lobby with a zen garden designed by Ken Smith.

[Listing details: Milan, 300 East 55th Street, #PHC at CityRealty]

[At Compass by Boris Fabrikant and Collin Bond of The Fabrikant Bond Team]

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The post Midtown East penthouse seen in ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ lists for $4.95M first appeared on 6sqft.

Among the oldest surviving wooden homes in Brooklyn Heights, this Federal-style home at 25 Cranberry Street was built around 1790 as a farmhouse. Beginning in 1995, preservation-minded residents carefully stripped away the layers to reveal many of the home’s original details that lay hidden for generations, from painted plaster to wood-plank flooring. Now asking $4.9 million, the four-story, 3,200-square-foot home is ready for 21st-century owners to appreciate the history behind its walls.

As Brownstoner reported, the street names and numbers of Brooklyn have changed over the years. The home at 25 Cranberry Street actually was 45 Cranberry Street until it was renumbered in the 1870s.

The townhouse offers four floors of living space containing 10 rooms, including four bedrooms. Details like wood-burning fireplaces provide the same warmth and beauty as they did centuries ago, though multi-zone recirculating hot water heat assures modern comfort.

The original layout has been retained; the home’s lower floors include a library and kitchen on the garden level. On the parlor floor are a more formal dining room and parlor.

Bedrooms occupy the top two floors. The primary chamber is on the second floor, along with a full bath. Every corner of the home gets sunlight from northern and southern exposures. There also is the option of raising the rear roof on the top floor for a unique sky view.

A quaint covered porch offers shelter and a view of the garden, where boundary stones remain from the original farmhouse. The coveted “fruit street” location has some of the city’s most breathtaking sunset views of the Manhattan skyline.

[Listing details: 25 Cranberry Street by Joan Goldberg of Brown Harris Stevens]

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The post One of the oldest wood-frame houses in Brooklyn Heights asks $4.9M first appeared on 6sqft.

Tranquility and light are the main elements you’ll notice in this pretty co-op at 1110 Caton Avenue. The pre-war apartment has the generously-sized rooms of its era, with the timeless design update of a recent renovation. Asking $675,000, it’s currently configured as a one-bedroom home, but can easily become a two-bedroom with a dedicated home office. Prospect Park and the Parade Grounds are just steps away, providing a 585-acre front yard.

The apartment overlooks a verdant courtyard and gets lots of sunlight in its large, open rooms. while five closets provide clutter control. Joining considered details like custom radiator covers, high-tech upgrades include smart lighting throughout, and a keyless entry system.

The living room, dining room, and adjacent spaces flow together for effortless entertaining. A second bedroom will fit in easily here (it’s a legal two-bedroom) while still leaving plenty of room for dining and dancing.

A design-forward kitchen features a farmhouse sink and a suite of capable Bosch appliances. Penny tile flooring adds a vintage feel to clean, simple custom cabinetry. An LG washer and dryer are integrated here for maximum convenience.

A corner bedroom gets a large closet. Adjacent to the bedroom, a vintage-inspired bath combines octagon tile, subway tile, and a classic Kohler pedestal sink.

The pet-friendly building is part of a cooperative community that includes 5 Stratford Road for a total of 32 apartments. Perks for residents include two landscaped outdoor spaces, additional storage, and bike storage.

[Listing details: 1110 Caton Avenue, #11C at CityRealty]

[At The Corcoran Group by Steven Segretta]

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The post This $675K Flatbush co-op has a clean Scandinavian vibe and a flexible layout first appeared on 6sqft.

With the 2026 World Cup less than two months away, the New York City Council introduced a package of legislation last week to support local businesses during the nearly six-week tournament, which includes eight games at nearby MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. One of the proposed bills would create a “cultural passport program” to encourage those traveling to New York for the soccer matches to explore local businesses and institutions across the five boroughs; another would make a calendar of events to help visitors find festivals, parties, and cultural corridors tied to the participating teams. The new legislation comes as City Hall has restricted approving permits for large public events during the World Cup, as well as the 250th Anniversary of America on July 4.

Introduced by Council Deputy Speaker Nantasha Williams, the legislation directs the city’s Economic Development Corporation to “develop and implement” a cultural passport program in consultation with the Department of Small Business Services, the Department of Cultural Affairs, and New York City Tourism + Conventions.

Williams said the program would help New York business owners and residents benefit from the eight World Cup matches held at MetLife from June 13 to July 19, which is estimated to generate $3.3 billion in total economic impact, according to the New York/New Jersey Host Committee.

“A cultural passport program creates a clear pathway to connect residents and visitors to institutions, small businesses, and community spaces across all five boroughs so the benefits of this moment are felt more equitably across the city,” Williams said in a statement.

“If we are moving forward with something of this magnitude, then it has to be done with a clear focus on who benefits and how. That means expanding opportunity, supporting local economies, and ensuring communities see a real return from an event happening in their own city.”

Another bill, introduced by Majority Leader Shaun Abreu, requires the city to publish a calendar of activities related to the World Cup, including “viewing parties, recreational events, performances, street festivals, and other cultural programming.” The bill calls for the city to create a map of neighborhoods with a significant concentration of residents or businesses that share connections to a participating nation in the tournament.

Officials expect more than 1.2 million visitors to travel to the region for the World Cup, which will be the largest edition of the tournament ever, expanding from 32 to 48 national teams and featuring 104 matches across 16 cities in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

The city has allocated $90 million for World Cup preparations, but specifics surrounding neighborhood events remain uncertain. In an op-ed published by Crain’s earlier this month, Council Member Virginia Maloney, chair of the council’s Economic Development Committee, said there’s a “lack of coordination” surrounding proposed public programming.

The city’s Economic Development Corporation received $15 million for public events, but little information has been made available to local stakeholders regarding the programming.

“Cultural institutions reported being left out of the process entirely until the last minute,” Maloney wrote. “Business Improvement Districts reported that a moratorium on public plaza permits, put in place to maximize FIFA site selection, left them unable to plan any programming in June and July, disrupting local events such as concerts and classes. BIDs are still waiting for approvals with 66 days to go.”

Maloney also noted that Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who appointed a World Cup Czar in January, has not yet appointed a president of the EDC.

The city has denied permits for new large events in NYC parks and other major gathering spaces for six weeks during the World Cup, as well as the Fourth of July, due to security concerns. According to the Daily News, the city has placed a moratorium on permitted events from May 24 through July 25, creating a problem for the city’s many business improvement districts (BIDs), which were hoping to capitalize on the major events.

The New York Times reported last week that there are applications for 25 new major events in NYC parks that could be denied by the city to conserve city resources. An emergency order issued by Parks and approved by the mayor last month, gives the department “broad latitude to deny applications for new, large-scale events like concerts and festivals from June 11 to July 19,” according to the Times, but returning events would not be impacted.

Jeffrey LeFrancois, the executive director of the Meatpacking District Management Association, told the Daily News he knows of six events that moved to other large cities because of delays from City Hall regarding permits.

“Depending on the size and scale, a lot of these events don’t even need city resources,” LeFrancois told the newspaper. “And a blanket ‘Wait and see’ from the city isn’t helping anybody. We need to be able to make decisions. There are brands that have money to spend on permits for events and want to leverage the World Cup, but they’re not getting approved here, so that money ends up going elsewhere.”

According to the Times, the city says most events, including birthday parties, picnics, weddings, and others, will not be affected. The newspaper reports Parks officials have approved over 1,340 event permits for this June and July.

Other bills included as part of the legislation package introduced in the Council last week include expanding access to public bathrooms in NYC, as well as promoting a list of locations of public facilities. The plan, as reported by Gothamist, would include installing temporary restrooms in areas of high foot traffic by June 1.

And Council Member Maloney wants to co-name several thoroughfares and public places, including “Thierry Henry Way” in Manhattan, next to the World Cup Fan Village opening at Rockefeller Center, and “Pelé Way” in Queens.

“I’m excited to introduce legislation naming Thierry Henry Way in Manhattan and Pelé Way in Queens, honoring two global soccer icons who helped shape the modern game,” Maloney said.

“Thierry Henry Way will be in the district I’m proud to represent, running alongside Rockefeller Center, where hundreds of thousands of fans will gather for free viewing parties. It’s fitting that we’re connecting this global moment to our local communities and businesses, ensuring that New Yorkers are a part of this once-in-a-lifetime experience, whether in our stadiums or on our streets.”

The following World Cup matches will be held at MetLife:

• June 13: Brazil vs. Morocco
• June 16: France vs. Senegal
• June 22: Norway vs. Senegal
• June 25: Ecuador vs. Germany
• June 27: Panama vs. England
• June 30: Round of 32
• July 5: Round of 16
• July 19: FIFA World Cup Final

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• NJ Transit tickets to World Cup matches at MetLife will cost $150
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The post NYC Council wants a ‘cultural passport,’ more public bathrooms, and Pelé Way for World Cup first appeared on 6sqft.

This meticulously renovated three-bedroom, three-bath home at 257 West 86th Street was the live/work studio of renowned dance teacher Raoul Gelabert. The subsequent architect/owners completely transformed the 2,800-square-foot co-op space into a three-bedroom duplex home that combines sophisticated design with meticulous craftsmanship. Asking $5.65 million, the loft-like residence retains its pre-war elegance, elevated by dramatic interiors and modern finishes.

Architect Morgan Rolontz and his wife Randie paid roughly $1.7 million for the property in 2021, according to city records. The duo went on to complete a total renovation of the home, taking it “down to its shell,” redesigning the layout, and adding modern amenities, storage, and bold colors throughout. See the before and after pictures of the project here.

Behind its standout interior style, the home offers every modern comfort and convenience, including an in-unit washer/dryer, custom closets, and built-in storage. All-new windows and zoned central A/C mean energy efficiency.

The entry foyer is an architectural showcase done in natural oak. Custom cabinetry and integrated artwork frame an upholstered bench; a glass rail borders an oak stairway. Two hidden storage closets slide conveniently under the stairs.

A double-height great room opens beneath a 20-foot ceiling. Bordering this dramatic space is an office gallery. A media room/den has a built-in Murphy bed, allowing it to double as a guest room or fourth bedroom.

The eat-in kitchen is as much a design showcase as a capable culinary lab. Anchored by a peninsula table, deep blue high-gloss lacquer cabinetry frames high-end appliances. Also on the first floor are three closets and a full bath.

Upstairs are three bedrooms and two full baths. Every inch of the space makes use of architectural innovation to make everyday living easy on the eyes.

The pet-friendly building is in a coveted Upper West Side spot between Riverside and Central Parks. The full-service cooperative offers a 24-hour doorman, a fitness center, and a landscaped roof deck.

[Listing details: 257 West 86th Street, #1/2A at CityRealty]

[At Sotheby’s International Realty by Epo I Manning and Florence Danforth-Meyer]

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The post For $5.65M, a ballet legend’s former UWS studio is now a three-bedroom home first appeared on 6sqft.

New York City Comptroller Mark Levine plans to invest $4 billion from the city’s public pension funds for affordable housing development. Levine on Thursday unveiled the “NYC Housing Investment Initiative,” which will more than double the funds’ current real estate portfolio and help finance thousands of new homes through mixed-income projects, office-to-residential conversions, and renovations, as first reported by the New York Times. The plan calls for roughly $1 billion in annual pension investments over the next four years.

The initiative seeks to address NYC’s current housing crisis. As of February 2024, the rental vacancy rate had fallen to 1.4 percent, the lowest level in more than 50 years. Data from Pew also shows that the city’s housing stock grew by only 4 percent between 2010 and 2018.

As part of the initiative’s first round of investments, Levine has directed the Bureau of Asset Management to bring $750 million in investments to the boards for approval to create new mixed-income affordable housing, preserve existing affordable homes, and support office-to-residential conversions.

He has called for a $500 million expansion of the Public Private Apartment Rehabilitation (PPAR) program to support the construction, preservation, and rehabilitation of housing across NYC and surrounding counties. Levine also announced a new 36-month rate lock and 40-year amortization schedule for both preservation and new construction.

Additionally, Levine recommended further investment for approval in the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust to finance large-scale multifamily and affordable housing projects in NYC using union labor. The AFL-CIO trust specifically finances middle-income housing built and operated by union workers, according to the Times.

Investments will require approval from each pension fund’s board of trustees.

“Too many New Yorkers are struggling just to keep a roof over their heads. Solving this crisis takes action on all fronts. We’ve advanced critical zoning changes, but without financing, housing doesn’t get built,” Levine said.

“The NYC Housing Investment Initiative is about closing that gap, delivering the homes New Yorkers need, and making sound investments for the NYC retirement systems,” he added.

NYC currently has five pension funds, which provide retirement benefits to police officers, teachers, firefighters, and other city workers. Totaling roughly $320 billion in assets, the funds invest in real estate across the city and around the world, as well as in stocks, bonds, and private equity.

Since the early 1990s, these investments have helped create or preserve 199,000 housing units, according to a press release. The new capital infusion is expected to support the creation or rehabilitation of thousands more units.

Previous projects funded through the program include Lily House, a Bronx building for domestic violence survivors, and The Rise, a Brooklyn building that houses formerly incarcerated women, according to the Times.

Pension funds are required to make investments that maximize returns, which has historically made affordable housing a less attractive option. Investors have often favored market-rate projects, where higher rents typically generate stronger returns.

However, a 2024 survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that pension funds have increased their investments in affordable housing in recent years, viewing it as more stable long-term than market-rate housing, according to the Times.

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The post NYC plans to invest $4B from pension funds for affordable housing first appeared on 6sqft.

With FIFA World Cup ticket prices already high, fans attending matches at MetLife Stadium this summer will face additional costs, as NJ Transit confirms round-trip rail tickets will cost $150. On Friday, the agency released its final transportation plan for the tournament, confirming earlier reports that rail tickets for the 18-mile trip to and from MetLife would cost more than $100. The tickets will go on sale May 13, with only 40,000 available for each match day and no additional tickets to be sold once the initial batch is gone.

Fans will need to purchase tickets in advance for specific boarding periods on NJ Transit’s mobile app, and tickets will be checked prior to boarding.

An official shuttle service will also be available, offering soccer fans a one-seat bus ride from the Port Authority Bus Terminal or the Midtown East Shuttle directly to the stadium. In NJ, a park-and-ride shuttle will operate from the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, allowing fans to travel directly to the stadium. Bus tickets cost $80 and are available for purchase here.

MetLife Stadium is hosting eight World Cup matches this summer, including five group-stage games on June 13, 16, 22, 26, and 27, a round of 32 match on June 30, a round of 16 match on July 5, and the final on July 19, as 6sqft previously reported.

The tri-state area is expected to see an influx of visitors as soccer fans from around the world converge for the tournament. NJ Transit has been preparing for the event, including plans to restrict access to parts of New York’s Penn Station to ticket holders for several hours before matches, then shuttle attendees to Secaucus Junction, where they will transfer to trains bound for the stadium.

An anonymous NJ Transit source told The Athletic that providing rail service for the eight matches, including accounting for disruptions, could cost the agency up to $48 million. The source also said FIFA’s security requirements are so strict that the matches will require the highest level security perimeter of any event hosted in New Jersey.

As a result, the agency says it may have to pass those costs on to either taxpayers or event attendees. Officials say the pricing structure is not intended for profit but to avoid losses or additional burden on local taxpayers.

The NY/NJ Host Committee and NJ Transit did not respond to requests for comment from The Athletic on whether discounted fares will be offered for children, seniors, or riders with disabilities, which are typically available on NJ Transit trips from Penn Station to MetLife Stadium.

Rail service will be critical to attendees, as extremely limited public parking will be available in the lots surrounding the venue. Instead, most of the lots will be used for “fan engagement” and “enhanced security,” significantly limiting parking capacity, according to NJ.com. Premium parking at American Dream will be available on match days by advance purchase only.

The higher rates mark another hefty price tag added to World Cup attendees’ expenses. According to NPR, the most expensive “Category 1” ticket to the final now costs $10,990, significantly higher than the $6,730 price when sales first launched last year.

In a post on X, Chuck Schumer called on FIFA to cover transportation costs for host cities, saying fans should not be “gouged” on travel.

“FIFA is set to reap nearly $11 billion from this summer’s World Cup, yet New York area commuters and residents are being handed the bill,” Schumer said. “The least FIFA can do is ensure New York residents can go to the stadium without being gouged at the turnstile.”

“I am demanding FIFA step up and cover transportation costs for host cities and states. New York commuters and residents should not subsidize an $11 billion windfall,” he added.

NJ joins several other U.S. states and cities in increasing transportation costs for World Cup ticket holders this summer. Last month, the Massachusetts MBTA said it planned to raise fares for travel from Boston to Foxborough’s Gillette Stadium from the usual $20 to more than $75.

That pricing was confirmed last week, when the MBTA announced return trips would cost $80. Separately, the agency also indicated that its alternative bus service to the stadium would cost $95 per seat, according to The Athletic.

In a Wednesday post on X, NJ Gov. Mikie Sherrill called on FIFA to help fund World Cup transportation, noting that while the organization is expected to generate $11 billion from the tournament, the Garden State is facing a $48 million transit bill.

“FIFA is making $11 billion off this World Cup and charging fans up to $10,000 for a single ticket for the final,” Sherrill said. “I won’t stick New Jersey’s commuters with that tab for years to come, that’s not fair. Here’s the bottom line: FIFA should pay for the rides, but if they don’t, I’m not going to let New Jersey commuters get taken for one.”

However, according to Gothamist, Sherrill said she would be prepared to approve the controversial NJ Transit fare hikes “if that’s what it takes,” in order to avoid placing the financial burden “on the backs of New Jerseyans.”

Editor’s Note 4/17/26: This article has been updated with final pricing information following NJ Transit’s announcement on Friday.

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The post NJ Transit tickets to World Cup matches at MetLife will cost $150 first appeared on 6sqft.

New York City is expanding its trash containerization program, selecting additional districts in all five boroughs to fully adopt containerized trash collection by the end of next year. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Friday announced that the city’s Department of Sanitation (DSNY) will deliver at least one fully containerized community district in every borough by the end of 2027, with a target of citywide containerization by 2031. The districts will receive the city’s new Empire Bins, which will be collected by automated side-loading garbage trucks.

Community districts slated for full containerization by the end of 2027 include Brooklyn District 8 (Crown Heights, Prospect Heights, and Weeksville); Bronx Districts 2 and 5 (Hunts Point, Longwood, University Heights, Mount Hope, Morris Heights, and Fordham Heights); and Queens District 2 (Sunnyside, Hunters Point, and Woodside).

In Staten Island, District 1 (Stapleton, Randall Manor, Westerleigh, West Brighton, Clifton, and Shore Acres) will also see full containerization, as will Manhattan District 2 (West Village, Soho, Little Italy, Greenwich Village, and Nolita).

These districts will join West Harlem, which last June became the first neighborhood in North America to fully containerize its trash. The DSNY rolled out roughly 1,100 Empire Bins, each holding about 794 gallons of waste, or about 25 32-gallon trash bags.

West Harlem was part of a pilot program, which, though it performed well over the past 10 months, the Mamdani administration says former Mayor Eric Adams refused to fund or plan for expansion.

Those bins are emptied by automated side-loading trucks developed in collaboration with designers in Italy, Hicksville, and Brooklyn. First introduced in DSNY’s “Future of Trash” report, the trucks use side-loading technology specifically designed to service the on-street bins.

Current city policy requires businesses and low-density residential buildings with nine or fewer units to place trash in smaller wheelie bins. Friday’s announcement expands the program to higher-density buildings with 10 or more units, where building managers will use Empire Bins. The bins are assigned to individual buildings and accessible via keycard, and eventually through a mobile app.

The DSNY expects the expansion to use more than 6,500 Empire Bins across more than 3,500 medium- and high-density buildings.

“Neighborhood by neighborhood, we are ending the decades-long era of trash bags on the streets of New York City,” DSNY Commissioner Gregory Anderson said. “Others have talked a lot about containerizing the city’s trash, but we are actually getting it done, delivering cleaner streets and sidewalks, and fewer rats, to every corner of the city.”

During Friday’s press conference, Mamdani said that city agencies have already containerized 70 percent of trash in NYC. The program’s expansion aims to cover the remaining 30 percent, moving the city closer to eliminating trash bags from sidewalks.

“Once full city-wide containerization is achieved, sidewalks across our cities will be clean. Flowers will bloom,” Mamdani said. “But one thing will never change, which is that as New Yorkers, we will continue to talk trash, we just won’t see that much of it.”

The program’s expansion will add roughly $15 million to the city’s expense budget next year and $35.5 million in capital funding over this fiscal year and the next, Mamdani said.

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The post NYC announces 6 more districts to fully containerize trash by end of 2027 first appeared on 6sqft.

Though some 583,000 people are buried there, the 478-acre Green-Wood Cemetery has always been more than a burial ground. The Brooklyn cemetery served as a verdant 19th-century escape, and it has since been a unique destination for events, nature study, and more. This weekend, the cemetery will officially open the Green-House at Green-Wood, a new $43 million welcome center that wraps around the renovated 1895 Victorian greenhouse. Designed by Architecture Research Office (ARO), the new L-shaped building, clad in glazed terra cotta and topped by a green roof, will help visitors navigate the cemetery’s sprawling grounds. The new center will also serve as a venue for events, starting with a free grand opening weekend program and a MoonFest celebration in May.

Located just across from the main entrance at 25th Street and Fifth Avenue in Brooklyn, the center will be free to enter and open all year.

“The Green-House opens the door to Green-Wood for a new generation of visitors while giving longtime fans, families, and neighbors a welcoming place to begin their visit,” Meera Joshi, president of The Green-Wood Cemetery, said.

“Just outside the front gates, the Green-House will offer visitors a deeper understanding of Green-Wood’s role as a place of remembrance, a historic landmark, and a green space that brings communities together, all before they step inside to experience it firsthand.”

Green-Wood purchased the crumbling, landmarked greenhouse, one of the only surviving Victorian greenhouses in New York City, in 2012 for $1.6 million. The architecture firm of Architecture Research Office was tasked with adding a modern terra-cotta-clad L-shaped building to the existing structure. Construction began in 2023, as 6sqft previously reported.

The new center was designed to further the cemetery’s founding mission of providing a public resource to the city’s residents. In an interview with the New York Times, Joshi said, “It was a place both for people who lost their loved ones as well as for the general public to have some green space and some peace. Now, it’s kind of come full circle.”

The new building measures 17,000 square feet and wraps around the historic greenhouse. As the architects describe, a one-story volume abuts one edge of the greenhouse, and a new entry courtyard separates the 19th-century structure from the two-story volume along the west end of the site.

The second floor overlooks the Civil War-era main entrance arch designed by Richard Upjohn and a landscaped green roof designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates.

The facade features a custom glazed burgundy terra cotta, a reference to the brownstone of Upjohn’s arches. The building is certified LEED Gold and is all-electric.

“Our goal was to create a new front door to Green-Wood—one that orients visitors and prepares them for the remarkable experience across the street,” Kim Yao and Stephen Cassell, principals of ARO said.

“The new building frames the historic greenhouse and the views toward the Cemetery, with a sculpted green roof and glazed terra cotta facade that echo the character of its landscape and Gothic entrance.”

The new visitor center will offer free maps and guidance to the cemetery’s most scenic vistas and notable monuments, a new exhibition gallery featuring artifacts from Green-Wood’s history, and a modern classroom for both children and adult programs. There will also be a Center for Research offering access to rarely seen archival material and digital stations to help guests find any grave at Green-Wood.

The $43 million project was funded by city, state, and federal funds as well as private donations, with additional funding provided by Green-Wood, according to the Times. The cemetery is free to enter, but fees for gravesites and services (graves start at $21,000; mausoleums start at $50,000) are used for upkeep and maintenance.

The exhibition hall will feature items from Green-Wood’s history, including handwritten records that date back to its founding in 1838 as one of America’s first rural cemeteries. One wall will be dedicated to the lives of 46 notable Green-Wood residents, with the exact locations of their graves displayed on digital screens.

The Center for Research will offer “An Inside Look,” a collection of stories preserved in Green-Wood’s climate-controlled Archives and Collections.

The Green-House at Green-Wood is free to visit and will be open from Thursdays to Mondays, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., starting Saturday, April 18. Opening weekend festivities will include workshops, explorations, and more.

Highlights include:

“Tokens of Remembrance” is a card-making workshop that offers a chance for visitors of all ages to create a handmade card for someone special.

“Celadon Landscape” by Jean Shin centers around two large vessels, formed from thousands of discarded celadon shards; visitors are invited to write the names of loved ones on paper “shards,” contributing to the artwork.

Another notable event on the horizon at Green-Wood is MoonFest, the newest addition to the cemetery’s after-hours programming. Created to celebrate our collective fascination with the moon, MoonFest will harness the inventive spirit of scientists, historians, artists, and stargazers for one night only, to focus on the moon’s influence on all of us.

Topics will include the pull of time and tide, moon mythology and the future of humans in space, addressed through guided moonlight tours, expert lectures, stargazing, and immersive art. The free event happens on May 1st from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Check the event page for more details.

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The Trump administration on Thursday agreed to release nearly $60 million in federal funding for the Second Avenue Subway extension, ending a monthslong dispute that began during October’s government shutdown. According to the New York Times, in a letter filed in Federal Claims Court, a lawyer for the government said the administration would resume payments to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority after the agency sued in March over the withheld funding. The funds were initially held while the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) reviewed the MTA’s race- and sex-based contracting requirements, which the agency now says have been satisfied.

“We took the Trump Administration to court after they illegally froze funding for the Second Avenue Subway,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement on X.

“Today, they backed down. The freeze is over. For East Harlem and every New Yorker who relies on our subways, release our money immediately.”

The federal government owes more than $58 million for the project, as work on the $7.7 billion second phase has only recently begun. Slated for completion in 2032, the project will extend the Q train from 96th Street to 125th Street in East Harlem, delivering long-awaited subway service to a historically transit-deprived area, as 6sqft previously reported.

The project, which received a $2 billion tunnel-boring contract in August, the largest in MTA history, will create three fully accessible Q train stations at 106th Street, 116th Street, and 125th Street, with tunneling expected to begin in 2027. In 2023, the U.S. DOT approved a $3.4 million grant for the extension, covering about half of its estimated $7.7 billion cost, as 6sqft reported at the time.

New York state agencies such as the MTA are required to award a portion of construction contracts to minority- and women-owned businesses. In October, the federal government issued an interim rule challenging those requirements as part of a broader attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.

The MTA has said it has complied with the updated federal requirements since their implementation. After warning the administration in late February that it would sue if funding was not released within a week, the agency filed a lawsuit in early March for breach of contract over delayed reimbursements, arguing that further delays could stall the long-planned expansion.

Danna Almeida, a U.S. DOT spokesperson, said the government was satisfied with its review but declined to comment on the MTA’s claim that it had already been in compliance, according to the Times.

The funding was released moments before a federal judge was scheduled to hear oral arguments in the MTA’s lawsuit. While the U.S. DOT said it had found “troubling” information regarding the MTA’s DEI contracting policies, it said it had reached a deal to release the funds.

In a statement, MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber celebrated the Trump administration’s reversal, saying “transit justice” is on the way for East Harlem residents.

“It shouldn’t have taken seven months and a lawsuit to get here, but with the federal government’s concession today on the courthouse steps, the MTA can now confidently forge ahead with Second Avenue Subway Phase 2. The billion-dollar contract approved at our March Board meeting is being awarded and contractors are mobilizing right away,” he said.

“Today’s MTA is determined to expand our network and give riders more and better service. Long-awaited transit justice for East Harlem is just the beginning.”

The Gateway Project, another major transit project connecting New York and New Jersey, also faced a similar dispute. Funding was halted in October, prompting the two states to sue the federal government in February to recover the money.

Following an appeal by the administration, a judge allowed the funding freeze to continue temporarily until February 12. Work resumed later that month.

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• MTA threatens to sue Trump over stalled Second Avenue Subway funds

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The city will install a crosstown protected bike route that runs the entire length of 72nd Street in Manhattan. The Department of Transportation (DOT) this week unveiled plans for a two-way protected bike lane from Riverside Drive to York Avenue, connecting the Upper West Side and Upper East Side through Central Park. The transportation committee of Manhattan Community Board 7 on Tuesday passed a resolution in support of the West 72nd Street redesign, which could begin later this spring. DOT will present plans for the east side of the street to Community Board 8 this fall.

Existing protected bike lanes on the Upper West Side run north and south on multiple avenues, but do not currently connect the neighborhood to Riverside Park or Central Park. Improving the “crosstown cycling connection” to Central Park was identified as part of a 2024 study of the park’s drives and circulation.

According to the city, the West 72nd Street protected bike lane would create a dedicated space for cyclists traveling east and west and “improve overall traffic safety without causing significant spillover traffic to neighboring streets.”

“Creating a protected, two-way bike lane on 72nd Street will finally deliver a safe, seamless crosstown connection between the Hudson River Greenway, Central Park, and the East Side Greenway—filling a major gap in Manhattan’s cycling network,” NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn said.

“Designs like this make our streets safer for everyone, whether you’re biking, walking, or driving. This proposal reflects our commitment to safer streets and meets the growing demand for cycling, making it easier for New Yorkers of all ages and abilities to get across Manhattan safely.”

Currently, West 72nd Street has four lanes of traffic and two lanes of parking. The project redesigns the street to allow for a nine-foot, two-way bike lane on the north side of the curb from Riverside Boulevard to Central Park West. This would require the repurposing of 27 parking spaces on the east side of Riverside Boulevard between 68th Street and 71st Street and the removal of 10 parking spots on West 72nd Street.

The project would also include painted curb extensions and improved visibility at intersections and add a new bus boarding island for the M72 to West 72nd Street and Central Park West.

During Tuesday’s meeting, DOT urban planner Patrick Kennedy said double parking is a big issue on this corridor, creating dangerous conditions for cyclists. If the travel lane is reduced to just one in each direction, the city believes this will prevent double parking.

The meeting drew a big crowd, with over 150 people signed up to testify. Several business owners expressed concern about the project’s effect on curb access for daily deliveries, and other residents said they did not feel adequately informed of the redesign.

Council Member Gale Brewer told Gothamist she received complaints from local businesses about the plan and is worried about people who need to access the Islamic Cultural Center at 72nd Street.

“There’s double parking, triple parking sometimes. I’ve personally spent hours trying to get the triple parking to go away,” Brewer told Gothamist. “I don’t know if you’ve ever been around a mosque, but there are people who come in to pray five times a day.”

DOT’s plan would require deliveries at designated loading zones, located in the parking lane. The city said it would also update curb regulations to encourage “turnover of parking spaces in high-demand areas.”

The community board had previously supported the two-way protected bike lane and passed a resolution in favor of the redesign in 2020.

The city could begin installation of the bike lane on the west side of 72nd Street in late spring or early summer of this year. DOT will present a similar plan to Community Board 8 in the fall of 2026.

RELATED:

• Protected bike lane coming to Central Park West after community board approval
• NYC to connect Grand Army Plaza and Prospect Park with car-free pedestrian space
• City to restart Flatbush Avenue redesign this month
• Brooklyn Bridge to get separate bike and pedestrian entrances in Manhattan

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Inside, this two-floor apartment in the Standish at 171 Columbia Heights looks for all the world like the gracious pre-war co-ops and townhouses that surround it in historic Brooklyn Heights. But this 1,786-square-foot home has the convenience of full-service condo living in a converted Beaux-Arts hotel. Asking $3,995,000, the duplex has enough space to add a third bedroom to its already generous two-bedroom layout.

With interiors done by Patrick Mele, the home is move-in-ready (provided you’re partial to lush materials and classically elegant decor). Framed by high, coffered ceilings, herringbone floors, crown moldings, and oversized arched windows, built-ins and custom details add 21st-century livability.

The main floor is anchored by a 30-foot-long great room with 12-foot ceilings and arched windows that frame the streetscape below. There’s enough space to add a third bedroom, made even easier by a full bath already in place.

A well-outfitted galley kitchen offers premium appliances framed by contemporary white cabinetry and Carrara marble worktops. A large pantry serves this capable space. There’s plenty of room for a formal dining area adjacent to the kitchen.

Up a dramatic stair, sleeping quarters begin with an impressive primary suite. Bay windows overlook the neighborhood, and four custom closets keep clutter behind closed doors. A suitably classic ensuite bath has a glass-enclosed shower and a freestanding soaking tub. The large second bedroom has its own full bath.

The Standish offers an elevator, a 24-hour doorman, concierge services, a fitness studio, a playroom, and a landscaped rooftop terrace with harbor views. As an added bonus, the duplex includes a private storage cage.

[Listing details: The Standish, 171 Columbia Heights, #1A at CityRealty]

[At The Corcoran Group by Deborah L Riders, Sarah Shuken, Albi Zhubi, Dario Nolfi, and Angelina Martinez]

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The post This $4M Brooklyn Heights duplex adds condo convenience to old-world elegance first appeared on 6sqft.

Lincoln Center on Thursday revealed the lineup for its fifth annual Summer for the City festival, which brings hundreds of free events and performances to the iconic arts campus. Running from June 10 through August 8, the festival transforms the 16-acre campus into a vibrant cultural hub, activating both indoor and outdoor spaces with dance, music, and multidisciplinary performances. This year’s edition places a particular emphasis on dance, including the debut of the first Lincoln Center Contemporary Dance Festival.

“Summer for the City carries forward Lincoln Center’s founding promise to enliven New York with arts for all—inviting everyone to experience the fullest expression of art and community,” Shanta Thake, Ehrenkranz chief artistic officer of LCPA, said.

“This year, that energy feels more alive than ever, with dance at the center, artists from around the world, and moments of connection unfolding across our campus. We look forward to welcoming New Yorkers and visitors alike to discover something new and experience the joy, creativity, and community that make this global city extraordinary.”

As part of the launch of the Pasculano Collaborative for Contemporary Dance, the inaugural dance festival will take place in Alice Tully Hall, showcasing five international companies, with two making their United States debut and two making their New York debuts.

Dance Encounters, a new outdoor contemporary dance series, will debut at Hearst Plaza, featuring choreographic works that respond to the campus’s signature Modernist architecture. The series will present several free performances each week for eight consecutive weeks.

To underscore this year’s focus on dance, opening night on June 10 will feature a triple-header of dance events, including KEIGWIN + COMPANY’s “Rhapsody,” a community dance work featuring 30 New Yorkers; “Inayat: A Duet for Four,” which blends two ancient North Indian performance traditions; and a swing dance party with Caleb Teicher & Company and the Eyal Vilner Big Band.

Josie Robertson Plaza’s vibrant dance floor, featuring its 10-foot disco ball, will also return, transforming the space into a colorful open-air disco. The plaza will once again host the BAAND Together Dance Festival, a popular social dance series spanning swing, hip-hop, salsa, and ballroom, as well as silent discos beneath the night sky.

International artists are also a key feature of this year’s festival, with New Yorkers invited to experience a series of events celebrating artists and cultures from around the world. This includes K-Pop Dance Night on July 1, Brazil Day on July 9, Ruidosa Fest on July 12, Chinese Arts Week from July 22–29, globalFEST on August 1, and Jamaica Day on August 8.

The World at Play will celebrate the global spirit of soccer and the intersection of arts and sports as the FIFA 2026 World Cup arrives at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The series will feature live concerts and dance parties honoring soccer culture, while freestyle soccer performers showcase their skills and lead family-friendly workshops.

The Festival Orchestra of Lincoln Center will return for its third year under Renée and Robert Belfer Music and Artistic Director Jonathon Heyward, featuring three commissions, including a world premiere, alongside traditional classics.

“This summer’s focus on international artistry reflects our global city, as well as our commitment to collaboration and artistic exchange,” Mariko Silver, president and CEO of LCPA, said.

“Lincoln Center is a place for community, for belonging, for experiences that help us feel vividly connected to each other and to something larger than ourselves—a reminder of how truly joyful it is to be together,” she added.

Clint Ramos, artist-in-residence and visual director of Summer for the City, will debut an entirely new design for this year’s festival. Inspired by the season’s focus on dance, the design will feature a newly commissioned fountain show with the dance floor as its centerpiece, under lighting design by David Weiner.

Most events are free on a first-come, first-served basis, with select performances available at choose-what-you-pay pricing starting at $5.

Summer for the City debuted in 2022, bringing together more than 1,000 artists across 10 outdoor stages for 300 unique events. It has since established itself as a popular summer destination, welcoming more than 1.6 million visitors since its launch.

This year’s festival comes as Lincoln Center continues a major renovation of its western edge aimed at removing longstanding barriers between its campus and Amsterdam Avenue and improving access to surrounding neighborhoods. A colorful mural was unveiled this week on the construction fencing surrounding Damrosch Park.

RELATED:

• Lincoln Center unveils new mural honoring San Juan Hill ahead of major renovation
• Lincoln Center unveils design for revamped Amsterdam Avenue side of campus
• Lincoln Center announces hundreds of free events as part of ‘Summer for the City’ festival

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The Landmarks Preservation Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the demolition of two mid-20th-century commercial buildings in Tribeca’s historic district to make way for a luxury residential development. Proposed by SilverLining Development, the 8-story project at 31–35 Lispenard Street in the Tribeca East Historic District will feature 19 apartments, likely rentals, as Tribeca Citizen first reported, with a facade inspired by the cast-iron buildings in neighboring Soho. Aden Wiener, founder of SilverLining, said the development will introduce a “new concept of living” to the area, with ground-floor retail and a boutique collection of “highly amenitized” loft residences.

SilverLining purchased the two-lot parcel for $7.5 million in an off-market transaction. The deal also included the purchase of air rights from an adjacent property at 325 Church Street. The seller was real estate investment firm Urban Standard Capital, which had planned a seven-story residential building with ground-floor retail at the site. LPC approved that plan in 2019, but it was never built.

Both corner businesses, the Dominican diner Westside Coffeeshop and a barber shop at the site, closed in fall 2024, according to Tribeca Citizen.

The previous proposal featured a limestone facade with horizontal reveals carved into the building, a penthouse floor and bulkhead designed to match the overall color of the building, and a rear brick facade.

Marin Architecture has been tapped to design the project in collaboration with Charlap Hyman & Herrero. Marin designed 685 Fifth Avenue, the former Gucci headquarters, which it later transformed in 2024 into the 29-story Mandarin Oriental Residences. The firm also designed Brooklyn’s first Apple store at 247 Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg.

The residential building will feature four units on the second and third floors: two studios, a one-bedroom, and a two-bedroom. The fourth through sixth floors will contain two one-bedroom units and one two-bedroom unit per floor, while the seventh and eighth floors will house two duplex units.

The facade will feature metal cladding, a material that has drawn concern from local advocacy groups. In Tuesday’s presentation, Christina Conroy of the Victorian Society New York said the group supports many aspects of the proposal but questioned the use of metal cladding in a district where masonry is the dominant historic facade material.

“A new building in any historic district should be considered not just on its own merits, but for the way it relates to the streetscape,” Conroy said. “This proposal seems to have strayed into the neighborhood from the SoHo Cast Iron Historic District, so we urge the applicant and the commission to rethink this aspect of the design.”

The applicant’s spokesperson said they understood concerns about the metal palette and assured those worried about the design that the team plans to use high-quality materials and is in discussions with manufacturers to determine the ideal thickness of the aluminum panels.

While the two lots, measuring roughly 3,120 square feet, reside within the historic district, the buildings were never a contributor to the historic character of the area.

The district’s 1992 designation report lists 35 Lispenard’s original architect as Mac L. Reiser, who designed it between 1954 and 1956. An alteration during that period demolished two upper stories of a brick building previously occupied by merchants of cloaks and suits. It was later converted into a boarding house, and subsequently into a ground-floor saloon with storage and factory space above.

The building’s current marble facade is the result of an alteration application filed in 1969, though the work was not completed until 1991. During the 1960s, the space operated as a retail store and was later replaced by a restaurant.

Construction is expected to begin this summer, although no building permits have been filed yet. The building is as-of-right and does not require additional approvals or zoning changes.

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Governor Kathy Hochul on Wednesday proposed a yearly tax on non-primary residences in New York City. After resisting calls to tax high-income earners led by progressive leaders like Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the governor is now embracing a surcharge on secondary homes in the five boroughs valued at $5 million and above. Known as pieds-à-terre, these properties are occupied by part-time residents who usually stay there while working or visiting the city. While it’s not the first time such a tax has been proposed in recent years, the new push for the surcharge comes as the city deals with a multibillion-dollar budget gap.

Homeowners who do not live or work full-time in New York City do not pay income taxes, limiting their contributions to public services, including fire and police departments, sanitation, parks, and transit systems. According to Hochul, the new pied-à-terre tax could generate at least $500 million annually in revenue for the city, which is currently facing a $5.4 billion budget gap.

“New York City is the greatest city in the world, and the people who call it home should not be left carrying the burden alone,” Hochul said.

“As Governor, I understand the importance of stabilizing the city’s finances without compromising on essential services New Yorkers count on. If you can afford a $5 million second home that sits empty most of the year, you can afford to contribute like every other New Yorker.”

As reported by the New York Times, Hochul plans to include the tax in the state’s budget, which was due April 1 and is still being negotiated. Details on the new surcharge were not released as of Wednesday, but previous proposals included a sliding scale model, with a higher tax on the most expensive properties.

Officials have called for a tax on luxury secondary homes since 2014, when Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal, then a state senator, drafted legislation. The bill failed to move forward, but the effort was renewed in 2019 after Ken Griffin bought a $238 million apartment at 220 Central Park South as a “place to stay when he’s in town,” reviving interest in the tax.

Another part of a complicated tax system, city co-ops and condos are not taxed at market value, but instead are assessed by looking at comparable rental buildings. As 6sqft previously reported, that means Griffin’s apartment was assessed at $9.4 million, only 3.9 percent of the purchase price.

In 2017, there were 75,000 pieds-à-terre, according to the New York City Housing and Vacancy. The most recent survey by the group, with findings from 2023, found a significant drop off, with 59,000 units.

Several cities have implemented a tax on second homes, including Paris, Singapore, and Vancouver, not only to raise funds but also to return “empty or under-used properties to more active use as long-term rental homes,” according to a 2019 report from the Fiscal Policy Institute.

Hochul on Wednesday said it’s a matter of fairness to the residents who actually live in New York City.

“Those who benefit from the city without living in a full-time capacity should contribute to the costs that it takes to run the city: public safety, world-class parks, amenities, the roads, the subway system,” the governor said.

“This proposal simply ensures that they’re contributing in a meaningful way to keeping New York City the greatest city in the world.”

During his campaign, the mayor said he would call for taxes to be raised on the wealthiest New Yorkers to pay for his agenda of free buses and childcare. Earlier this year, Mamdani released his first preliminary budget, which included a $5.4 bullion budget gap.

He said if Albany does not raise taxes, the city would raise property taxes by 9.5 percent and tap into the city’s reserves to close the budget gap. Both ideas received criticism, and Mamdani backed away from the tax hike.

In February, Hochul announced an additional $1.5 billion over two years to help New York City’s fiscal crisis. In March, Mamdani announced that city agencies identified $1.7 billion more in savings.

“Thanks to the support of Governor Hochul, we are one step closer to balancing our budget by taxing the ultra-wealthy and global elites with a pied-à-terre tax — the first of its kind in our state,” Mamdani said.

“Alongside the governor, our administration is fighting every day to make sure we address this fiscal deficit fairly, where the wealthy contribute what they owe and our budget reflects our commitment to the working New Yorkers being priced out of our city.”

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Bronx residents will have easier access to the New York Botanical Garden thanks to a new pedestrian access ramp that opened Monday. The $4 million project transformed the pedestrian overpass over the Bronx River Parkway, long plagued by safety and accessibility issues, into a fully ADA-compliant ramp with handrails, landings, and stairs. The new walkway ensures visitors of all ages and abilities can safely access the garden.

“Every New Yorker deserves equal access to the incredible green spaces our city has to offer, and this project delivers exactly that,” NYC Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura said.

“The new ADA-compliant ramp at Bronx Park East removes a long-standing barrier between local residents and one of the world’s great botanical gardens, making travel safer and more welcoming for seniors, families with young children, and people of all abilities.”

Backed by $4 million in City Council funding, design work on the project began in June 2022. Procurement started in July 2023, with an initial estimated completion date of July 2024, though the phase was not completed until February 2025. Construction began last March.

The finished project was designed to weave around the area’s existing trees, featuring an accessible ramp system with ADA-compliant grading, handrails on both sides, and intermittent landings that allow visitors to rest and safely traverse the overpass in all weather conditions and regardless of physical ability.

“This investment is about making sure every Bronx resident can fully experience the spaces that make our borough special. The new ADA-accessible ramp at Bronx Park East removes long-standing barriers and creates a safer, more welcoming connection to New York Botanical Garden for seniors, families, and individuals with disabilities alike,” Council Member Kevin C. Riley said. 

“By prioritizing accessibility and thoughtful design, we are expanding opportunity and ensuring our public spaces reflect the needs of the entire community.”

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On a leafy Greenpoint block, the pretty brick townhouse at 143 Milton Street fits right in with its historic neighbors. Inside, the completely renovated three-bedroom home, asking $4,195,00, offers four levels of comfortable living from day one, with an elevator providing easy access to all floors. Classic contemporary design won’t go out of style, and plenty of private outdoor space takes advantage of the neighborhood’s greenery.

The garden level holds a private entertaining space with a large rec room/bar and a full bath. At the back, step out onto a private landscaped garden for outdoor gatherings.

The parlor floor is, in keeping with townhouse tradition, the home’s formal living and entertaining space. An elegant south-facing living room, framed by deep decorative molding and pale wood floors, opens onto another private garden. A sleek, well-appointed kitchen fills a rear extension.

The primary suite is on the second floor, enhanced by custom closets and an elegant, renovated bath. A smaller bedroom on this floor makes a perfect nursery or extra-large dressing room.

On the home’s highest level, you’ll find a skylit bedroom with access to a private balcony. There is a full bath on this floor as well.

Elegant finishes, outdoor space, and elevator access are complemented by central A/C and a washer/dryer. In its newest incarnation, the 1899 townhouse represents the timelessness of the city’s beautifully preserved historic architecture.

[Listing details: 143 Milton Street by Nicholas Maclean Lounsbury, Justin Hopwood, Adrian Radomski, and Julio Izquierdo of Compass]

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The post An elevator makes this $4.2M Greenpoint townhouse a timeless forever home first appeared on 6sqft.

A colorful mural opened at Lincoln Center on Monday, part of an ongoing effort to transform its western edge into a more welcoming public space. Designed by artist Vanesa Álvarez and assistant artist Derval Fairweather in collaboration with ArtBridge, “The Future We Create” draws on themes and imagery shaped by community input. The mural is installed on construction fencing along the perimeter of Damrosch Park, where Lincoln Center plans to remove longstanding barriers separating its campus from Amsterdam Avenue and improve access to surrounding neighborhoods.

According to W42ST, the 4,000-square-foot mural translates drawings, memories, and ideas gathered from locals through community workshops into vibrant graphic figures. The artwork features present-day residents alongside references to San Juan Hill, the predominantly Black and Latino neighborhood razed in the 1950s to make way for Lincoln Center.

It replaces a stretch of fencing that once displayed the Ex Vandals’ San Juan Hill mural, which will be converted into a digital format and displayed inside David Geffen Hall.

“I’m so thrilled to unveil ‘The Future We Create,’” Álvarez said.

“This is more than a piece of art—it’s a story. Behind this mural is a history of community: of joy, of color, of people spending time together, creating together, believing in the arts, and being part of making it.”

The mural’s unveiling marks an important step in the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Lincoln Center West Initiative, first announced in 2023. Led by Hood Design Studio, Weiss/Manfredi, and Moody Nolan, the project focuses on the campus’s Amsterdam Avenue-facing side, where a five-foot wall at 62nd Street rises to 20 feet at 65th Street, acting as a barrier between the campus and neighborhoods to the west.

For decades, residents of NYCHA’s Amsterdam Houses and Addition, along with students at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts and the five schools within the Martin Luther King Jr. Educational Complex, have been physically separated from the Lincoln Center campus, lacking the same access found on the east side.

The project also includes changes to Damrosch Park, which is city-owned and operated by Lincoln Center. After a participatory planning process that included feedback from more than 3,400 New Yorkers, the design team was selected to transform the space into a public park with a modern performance venue, as 6sqft previously reported.

New gardens at the park’s entrance will provide public seating, while new art and light installations will enhance the concourse connecting Amsterdam Avenue to the 1 train entrance on Broadway. Much of the park’s new geometry echoes the historic forms of Lincoln Center’s iconic modernist design.

Anchoring the new park will be a performance venue featuring a permanent theater and an open plaza with seating for about 2,000 guests, designed for both artistic and community use.

“The new design for Damrosch Park will repair what for so long has been one of the great failures of Lincoln Center, the cold shoulder it turns toward its neighbors to the west, replacing an uninviting open space with a vibrant new park gracefully connected to its surroundings,” Paul Goldberger, architectural scholar and historian, said, according to Lincoln Center.

The project is supported by a $335 million capital campaign, with 65 percent of the funds raised as of last May. Support has come from the LCPA Board of Directors, who championed the project from the start, as well as a $10 million commitment from the State of New York.

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation is a founding partner in the project, awarding a $75 million grant. The gift includes early support when the initiative first launched and builds on the foundation’s backing of Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City free programming.

The mural will remain in place for about two years while construction on the project continues, which is slated for completion in 2028.

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Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday announced plans to build a city-owned grocery store in East Harlem, advancing one of his core campaign promises. Located under the Park Avenue Viaduct between 111th and 116th Streets, La Marqueta was opened by Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia in 1936 as one of the city’s original public markets. Over the years, the marketplace has struggled and has shrunk its footprint and its number of vendors. As the New York Times first reported, the city plans to spend $30 million to build the store at the site of La Marqueta, which is expected to open by 2029.

LaGuardia opened the Park Avenue Retail Market in 1936 to bring hundreds of the neighborhood’s pushcart vendors under one roof, allowing food to remain affordable and conditions to be more sanitary. According to the city, as the neighborhood “transformed from Italian Harlem to Spanish Harlem,” the market became known as La Marqueta. In addition to selling Latin American and Caribbean goods, the market has served as a retail and cultural anchor in East Harlem.

According to Mamdani, grocery prices increased in New York City by nearly 66 percent between 2013 and 2023. The city-supported store, to be run by a private operator that “answers to standards” set by the city, according to the mayor, will require that basic staple groceries like eggs and bread be discounted. The city will waive rent and real estate taxes. The private operator will be selected through a request for proposals.

“Just as LaGuardia used government to respond to the challenges of the Great Depression, we will use government to respond to rising prices and unaffordable groceries,” Mandani said during a press conference on Tuesday.

The mayor said 65,000 New Yorkers live within a 10-minute walk of La Marqueta, including 5,000 NYCHA residents on either side of Park Avenue. About 40 percent of East Harlem residents received public assistance or SNAP benefits in the last year.

“At its peak, La Marqueta served 25,000 customers per day,” Mamdani said. “We hope to make a similar impact in this very neighborhood, continuing LaGuardia’s legacy.”

The East Harlem grocery store will be built on a vacant, city-owned lot and will not displace any existing vendors, according to the Times. Mamdani proposed $70 million in capital funds to open five grocery stores, one in every borough, by the end of 2029. The plan requires approval by the City Council.

The first city-owned store will open within an existing building in a different borough by the end of 2027. It’s unclear, as of now, where this store will be located.

Overseen by the city’s Economic Development Corporation (EDC), the city’s network of public markets includes Essex Market, Moore Street Market, Arthur Avenue Market, Gourmet Glatt, and Jamaica Farmers Market.

The EDC will oversee the construction of the new La Marqueta store.

“Today, we take the first major step in delivering New York City’s first public grocery stores and NYCEDC is proud to work with Mayor Mamdani and his administration in delivering these public stores that will help address food insecurity and affordability while ensuring good paying, quality jobs and a dignified, enjoyable shopping experience for New Yorkers,” NYCEDC Interim President & CEO Jeanny Pak said.

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The Pride flag will be displayed permanently at Stonewall National Monument in Greenwich Village after the Trump administration agreed to reverse its decision to remove it. As part of a court settlement reached on Monday, the federal government agreed to reinstall three flags on the monument’s flagpole within a week, according to the Associated Press. Filed by a group of nonprofits after the flag’s removal on February 9, the lawsuit argued that the administration illegally targeted LGBTQIA+ people and violated a policy allowing the National Park Service (NPS) to display “non-agency” flags at federal sites when they provide historical context.

“This is a victory for the LGBTQ+ community and for our entire city. It’s a reminder that New Yorkers won’t let our history be rewritten,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a post on X. “Our administration will keep working to ensure LGBTQ+ New Yorkers can live safely and with dignity in our city.”

The flag was removed in February due to a January 21 guidance issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior, which stated the NPS may fly “only the US Flag, flags of the DOI, and the POW/MIA flag.” This includes limited exceptions for flags “provide historical context, such as earlier versions of the U.S. flag at a historic fort, or are part of historic reenactments or living history programs.”

On February 17, a coalition of nonprofits led by a foundation honoring Gilbert Baker, the artist who created the Pride flag in 1978, filed a federal lawsuit against the administration in an effort to restore the symbol. The suit argued that the Pride flag falls under those limited exceptions allowing “historical context” at federal sites, as reported by the New York Times.

The coalition, which also includes Village Preservation and Equality New York, argued that the decision to remove the flag was not about adhering to the guidance but instead another attack on the LGBTQIA+ community by the Trump administration.

Days after it was removed, NYC officials and hundreds of New Yorkers re-raised the flag at the site, where it has since flown in an unofficial capacity, though it could have been removed at any time. Weeks later, Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Dan Goldman introduced legislation to make the Pride flag congressionally authorized, seeking to amend the guidance.

Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal, who helped organize February’s flag re-raising, celebrated the settlement.

“We fought the Trump administration—and we won. I’m thrilled that after we rallied and re raised the Pride flag with elected officials and advocates on February 13, the Trump administration has blinked and backed down from its contemptuous attempt to erase American history,” he said.

Located next to the historic Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street, the monument commemorates the June 28, 1969, police raid that sparked three days of protests and ignited the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, as 6sqft previously reported.

In 2016, former President Barack Obama designated the site, including the bar, Christopher Park, and surrounding streets, as a national monument. During the Biden administration, advocates successfully pushed the federal government to allow a Pride flag to fly on federal land within the park, according to Gay City News.

The flag’s removal in February marked a continued assault on the LGBTQIA+ community by the Trump administration.

Last year, the NPS also removed transgender references from its Stonewall National Monument webpage. The agency deleted the words “transgender” and “queer” from the LGBTQ+ acronym on the site, following a series of executive actions by Trump that rolled back transgender rights, including banning trans people from women’s sports, the military, and minors from receiving gender-affirming care, as 6sqft previously reported.

Months later, the NPS removed several references to the word “bisexual” from the site. In 2025, the administration also discontinued the existing Pride flag design, which displayed black and brown stripes and Trans flag colors, and permitted only the standard Pride flag to fly on the flagpole.

RELATED:

• New York officials introduce bill to protect Pride flag
• NYC officials re-raise Pride flag at Stonewall
• National Park Service removes transgender references from Stonewall website

The post Trump administration agrees to display Pride flag at Stonewall after lawsuit first appeared on 6sqft.

The World Series of New York City trivia returns to the Queens Museum for its 15th anniversary this Friday. Hosted by the City Reliquary, the Panorama Challenge uses the museum’s iconic Panorama of the City of New York, a huge scale model of the five boroughs created for the 1964-65 World’s Fair, to test participants’ knowledge of places and events tied to neighborhoods across the city. Taking place on April 17, this year’s competition will feature a new set of NYC-themed questions, including viral moments, Broadway, and other facets of the city’s cultural history and lore.

Teams of returning pros and new challengers will work to answer the questions, reinforcing the City Reliquary’s mission to highlight how every city block is rich with stories and meaning. The City Reliquary hosted the first Panorama Challenge in 2007 to engage the public in that mission, turning knowledge of the city into a participatory cultural experience.

The winning team will have its name etched onto the Panorama Challenge trophy alongside previous victors, becoming a part of the event’s history.

This year’s panel of judges includes Kevin Walsh of Forgotten New York, former Manhattan Borough Historian and sewer alligator expert Michael Miscione, tattoo artist and Daredevil Tattoo owner Michelle Myers, and other local figures. Quizmaster Jonathan Turer and emcee Gary Dennis return to run the game and have devised a set of challenging questions.

“Reaching the 15th installment of the City Reliquary’s Panorama Challenge feels really special to me,” Turer said. “Every year I look forward to crafting the questions. I love digging into the strange, wonderful details of New York history and turning them into puzzles that make people look a little closer at the city around them.”

“Seeing players connect the dots, argue over clues, and get excited when something clicks is incredibly rewarding. After all these years, it still feels like a celebration of curiosity, community, and the endless stories hidden throughout the five boroughs.”

The trivia utilizes the famed Panorama of NYC, currently on long-term view at the museum. Conceived by urban planner Robert Moses and created for the 1964–65 World’s Fair, the model was built by a team of more than 100 people at the acclaimed architectural model-making firm Raymond Lester & Associates over the course of three years.

Ticketing and team registration are still open. Admission is $25 in advance, $30 at the door, and $20 for City Reliquary members.

A free shuttle will run between the 111th Street 7 train station and the Queens Museum.

“The Panorama Challenge really captures what the City Reliquary is all about,” Dave Herman, founder of the City Reliquary, said. “It invites people to look more closely at the city around them. It turns curiosity into a game and brings together people who love the strange, overlooked, and fascinating details of New York life.”

He added, “Reaching the 15th edition of the Panorama Challenge is a huge milestone, and it’s exciting to see how much enthusiasm the community still brings to it every year. It’s a perfect example of how a small, quirky idea can grow into a beloved tradition.”

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The post NYC trivia returns to Queens Museum for 15th ‘Panorama’ Challenge first appeared on 6sqft.

High on a Columbia County hilltop overlooking the Taconic and Helderberg mountain ranges, this secluded 40-acre property at 411 Texas Hill Road is a modernist’s dream. The seller, Mark McDonald, known as “Mr. Modernism,” has been instrumental in creating a market for 20th-century modern design in America for over four decades. Asking $3,350,000, the estate features a 1966 mid-century main house designed by architect George Post.

At the end of a long driveway, the three-bedroom main house is served by a guest suite, an artist’s studio with a sauna, and a bespoke barn. Surrounding 4,000 square feet of total living space are gardens, walking trails, and spring-fed ponds.

The main house offers three bedrooms, a guest suite, and a two-car garage. The spaces are connected by covered walkways. The home has been updated for the 21st century with central air and radiant heated floors throughout.

The main living room, dining room, and kitchen form a large great room anchored by a central stone fireplace. Sliding glass doors that wrap the room offer views of the surrounding landscape. A vaulted wood ceiling, walnut hardwood floors, and custom built-ins add architectural integrity and warmth, highlighted by iconic designer lighting throughout.

The kitchen maintains its mid-century feel with minimalist cabinetry and stainless steel countertops. The kitchen is served by a mudroom and laundry room.

Down the home’s central hallway is a primary bedroom with an ensuite bath. Glass doors slide open onto a private patio. There are two more bedrooms, each with a bath.

From the main house, a covered walkway leads to the one-bedroom guest suite with its own living room, kitchen, and full bath. In a separate building, an artist’s studio offers a private sauna. A craftsman-style barn offers even more possibilities for living space or storage.

The lovingly landscaped grounds feature stone patios, fire pits, native and exotic trees and shrubs, rock outcroppings, a swimming pond, and wooded walking trails.

Providing a special modernist touch is a front gate designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The private Hudson Valley estate is just 20 minutes from the town of Hudson.

[Listing details: 411 Texas Hill Road by Marina Schindler and Stephen Kingsley of Compass]

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The post For $3.35M, this 40-acre upstate retreat embodies the spirit of modernist architecture first appeared on 6sqft.

Pink bought a yellow Greenwich Village townhouse. The pop star paid $21.5 million for the historic six-story home at 125 West 11th Street, as the Wall Street Journal first reported. Built in 1849, the cheerfully painted Greek Revival mansion has served as a haven for artists for over a century, most recently the same family for 70 years. Following a three-year renovation, the roughly 7,900-square-foot home first hit the market for $25 million in 2024 before being reduced by $3.5 million last fall.

According to the WSJ, Pink, aka Alecia Beth Moore, relocated to New York so her teenage daughter could study theater and experience Broadway. The musician and her family continue the trend of artists living in the Greenwich Village home.

As 6sqft previously reported, Daniel Chester French, the sculptor who created the Abraham Lincoln statue at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., lived there in the late 1880s. French designed and built the home’s paneled studio, which measures 54 feet deep with soaring ceilings and three huge skylights. In this studio, decades later, dancer Valerie Bettis created choreographic routines for Hollywood stars like Rita Hayworth.

The Fonseca family has owned the home for the last 70 years, starting with Uruguayan sculptor Gonzalo Fonseca and painter Elizabeth Kaplan Fonseca and their children, one of whom is author Isabel Fonseca, as the New York Times reported.

The 22-foot-wide single-family home has an elevator that connects all six floors, including the rooftop terrace with sweeping city views.

The garden level’s stunning artist studio steals the show, accessible via exterior wrought-iron doors. The sprawling space features two 30-foot peaks with three colossal skylights. A lofted area is reached by a spiral staircase.

On this floor, there are two wood-burning fireplaces, a kitchenette, a full bath, a washer and dryer, and access to the cellar. French doors lead to a back patio.

Up the classic stoop, the parlor level features a spacious living room with 10-foot ceilings and one of the three wood-burning fireplaces. This level also includes a well-equipped kitchen, a dining area, and a powder room.

With lots of space to work with, the home could easily deliver seven bedrooms. Currently, the third floor is configured as two bedrooms with a shared bathroom, but could become the primary suite or home office.

Facing the tree-lined street, the primary bedroom takes up the fourth floor and includes a large dressing room and an en-suite bath with a double marble vanity, soaking tub, and separate shower. The fifth floor features two more bedrooms, one of which has access to a private south-facing terrace.

The top floor offers beamed ceilings reaching over 13 feet high and casement windows. There’s a wet bar with a wine fridge, a full bath, and a rooftop terrace offering views across lower Manhattan.

[Listing details: 125 West 11th Street at CityRealty]

[At Compass by Nick Gavin and Mary Ellen Cashman]

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• This $25M Greenwich Village townhouse has been an artist’s refuge for well over a century

The post Pink buys historic yellow Greenwich Village townhouse for $21.5M first appeared on 6sqft.

New York City wants to close a chaotic street between Grand Army Plaza and Prospect Park, connecting the plaza to the 585-acre green space with a new car-free pedestrian space. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Monday announced a proposal to remove the four-way crossing next to the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Memorial Arch and ban cars from Union Street to Eastern Parkway along the plaza’s southern edge. The redesign also includes new bike lanes and bus priority upgrades aimed at improving service on the B41 and B6, two of Brooklyn’s busiest routes.

Grand Army Plaza was designed in 1867 by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux as the formal entrance to Prospect Park.

Those who visit the plaza’s iconic arch and Prospect Park are familiar with the hectic experience of crossing the wide avenue between the landmark and the green space, where Park Slope and Prospect Heights converge, and the main entrance to the park.

Residents and advocacy groups have complained about traffic in the area for decades. In 1955, one publication described the traffic circle as “the only concrete asphalt and roulette wheel in the world,” according to the New York Times. Between 2021 and 2025, there were 219 traffic injuries along the plaza’s roadways and outer ring.

The proposal seeks to address these long-standing concerns by making the experience of visiting the arch and park less stressful. The redesign would add roughly three-quarters of an acre to the 14-acre plaza, a 42 percent expansion, and reduce the number of pedestrian crossings from 39 to 24.

Redesigning the roadway would also improve bus speeds, the Department of Transportation (DOT) told the Times, as the project would ease congestion in and around the circular roadway. The effort would be complemented by the ongoing redesign of Flatbush Avenue, which connects to Grand Army Plaza and includes center-running bus lanes.

“Grand Army Plaza is the gateway to Brooklyn’s backyard, Prospect Park—and it should welcome New Yorkers with street design that puts safety first,” Mamdani said.

“Anyone who’s tried to cross here knows how dangerous and chaotic the streets can be. This redesign is long overdue and will provide a sense of ease and enjoyment to one of Brooklyn’s most important public spaces.”

Plans to redesign the plaza began circulating in 2022 under former Mayor Eric Adams, but have since stalled. The project has now been revived under the Mamdani administration. The selected plan would remove cars from the plaza’s southern edge and divert traffic to adjacent streets.

In 2024, workshops showed substantial community support for the project, with over 85 percent of the 3,600 survey respondents supporting a plan that would better connect the park and plaza to the arch.

“We’re ecstatic that NYC will be connecting Grand Army Plaza’s arch to the rest of Prospect Park,” Ben Furnas, executive director of Transportation Alternatives, said. “This is a major step forward for everyone who visits Brooklyn’s backyard, and a restoration of Olmsted’s original vision for his favorite park.

Furnas added: “With this proposal, one of Brooklyn’s most confusing and harrowing intersections will transform into a new marquee public space for all to enjoy—on foot, on a bike or on the bus.”

The DOT will finalize the project’s design through a series of public workshops beginning April 23. More information and a public survey will be posted online on the day of the workshops and will be available online through May 31.

Once capital project scope development concludes this year, the DOT will explore ways to reconstruct the roadway to include new pedestrian and cyclist amenities.

The April 23 workshop will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. at the DOT tent south of the archway in Grand Army Plaza. In case of rain, the event will move to the Grand Lobby of the Brooklyn Public Library. On April 25, another workshop will take place at the same location from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

On April 29 from 6 to 7:30 p.m., the DOT will host a virtual workshop on Zoom. You can register here.

Last summer, the city and the Prospect Park Alliance announced the completion of a $8.9 milion renovation of the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Memorial Arch. As 6sqft reported, the project replaced the arch’s roof, cleaned the brick and stone structure, repaired interiors, like the cast-iron spiral staircase, and added new lighting. The landscape surrounding the arch was also revitalized with new plants, trees, paving, and an accessible curb cut.

RELATED:

• NYC is considering making Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza car-free
• Prospect Park’s east side is getting a protected bike lane, pedestrian plaza
• $37.5M restoration of Prospect Park’s Vale begins
• $8.9M restoration of Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza Arch is complete

The post NYC to connect Grand Army Plaza and Prospect Park with car-free pedestrian space first appeared on 6sqft.

An affordable housing lottery launched this week for 75 mixed-income apartments at a 38-story residential tower in the Financial District. Developed by the Moinian Group, Aria 7 Platt at 7 Platt Street offers light-filled luxury residences and a range of indoor and outdoor amenities. New Yorkers earning 70 and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $1,819/month studios to $4,484/month two-bedrooms.

Constructed by AECOM Tishman, the 250-unit tower is one of the last projects completed under the now-expired 421-a tax abatement program, which incentivized developers to include affordable housing in exchange for property tax exemptions.

Hill West is serving as the project architect and Rockwell Group as project designer for the 250,000-square-foot tower. Residences offer a fine blend of modern comfort and elevated design.

Indoor amenities include a penthouse lounge, fitness center, library, work pods, resident lounges, private dining spaces with terrace access, a gaming and virtual reality room, a communal kitchen, and laundry facilities.

Outdoor amenities include a rooftop sundeck with chaise lounges, a landscaped garden lounge, an outdoor movie screening area, dining spaces, and a co-working area.

ARIA 7 Platt is located near a range of public transit options, including the 1, 2, 3, R, W, J, and Z subway lines, multiple bus routes, and the NYC Ferry.

Leasing for market-rate units at the building launched in January. Current availability for these apartments starts at $4,491/month for a studio.

Qualifying New Yorkers can apply for the apartments until June 8, 2026. Complete details on how to apply are available here.

Questions regarding this offer must be referred to NYC’s Housing Connect department by dialing 311.

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The post Lottery opens for 75 apartments at 38-story FiDi tower, from $1,819/month first appeared on 6sqft.

A Jersey City icon will reopen its doors this year. Loew’s Jersey Theatre announced this week that the historic venue will return this fall, following a $130 million restoration. New renderings provide an updated look at the 1929 theater’s transformation into a year-round entertainment destination in Journal Square, more than 40 years after preservation efforts began. Led by OTJ Architects, the project rehabilitates and modernizes the space while retaining its ornate historical details, with upgrades that include new sound and lighting systems and flexible seating for between 2,600 and 4,000 guests.

Built by architect George Rapp in a gilded Baroque-Rococo style, the theater is one of five Loew’s Wonder Theatres constructed between 1929-30 across the tri-state area, along with the Loew’s Paradise in the Bronx, the Loew’s Kings in Brooklyn, the Loew’s Valencia in Queens, and the Loew’s 175th Street, now known as the United Palace Theatre, as 6sqft previously reported.

The series of grand movie palaces was built to establish Loews Corporation’s stature in the film industry, but also as an escape for people from all walks of life, especially during the Great Depression and World War II.

Jersey City’s theater served as an entertainment hub for decades before being converted into a triplex movie theater in the 1970s and nearly facing demolition in the 1980s. Pressure from grassroots preservation efforts ultimately led the city to buy the theater in 1987, allowing the nonprofit Friends of the Loew’s to begin the restoration and operate it as a nonprofit arts center.

However, the project has been hampered by delays for decades. In a 2018 interview, Friends of the Loew’s executive director Colin Egan said that while the city matched a $1 million state grant awarded at the start of the project, the combined $2 million was not even enough to cover basic costs such as restoring heat or making the bathrooms operational.

To compensate for the lack of funding, volunteers worked on the theater every weekend until 1996, tackling projects ranging from mechanical and lighting systems to mapping every seat and scraping, priming, and repainting them.

By 2001, enough work had been completed to allow the theater to partially reopen for the first time in 15 years. Until its closure for restoration, it hosted live performances, events, and film screenings, according to the Jersey City Office of Cultural Affairs.

“These renderings offer a glimpse into the quality of the restoration and an insight into what our patrons, promoters, partners, performers, and neighbors will see when they first step into this very special venue,” Bruce Wheeler, general manager of Loew’s Jersey Theatre, said.

The restoration project is a collaboration between the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency, the State of New Jersey, and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE), with which the city entered into a lease agreement in 2021 to renovate, manage, and operate the theater. In 2022, the theater was officially designated a National Historic Landmark. Interior and exterior restoration work has been ongoing.

In 2020, former Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop estimated the project at $40 million. The following year, the city said it had reached a $72 million agreement for the renovation. Last May, it was announced that due to multiple stops and starts and rising material costs, the price tag had nearly doubled to $130 million, according to NJ.com.

When it reopens, the venue is expected to host roughly 150 events annually, including live music, comedy, touring performances, sporting events, and community and educational programming.

“The Loew’s Jersey Theatre is a symbol of Jersey City’s past and future. For decades, Journal Square has been the heart of our city, home to working families, immigrants, and dreamers, and this restoration is a testament to their resilience and to the neighborhood they never gave up on,” Mayor James Solomon said. 

“The Friends of Loews fought to bring this iconic Wonder Theatre back to life—proving that communities thrive when properly invested in.”

OTJ Architects is restoring both the exterior and interior while modernizing the stage, backstage, and public areas. The orchestra level floor is being reconfigured with flexible tiers that can be arranged for seated shows or cleared for general admission. Off the Record Collective is handling the interiors for the artist and backstage spaces.

Additionally, the rear of the theater will feature an upgraded loading dock and expanded back-of-house support spaces, along with enhancements to front-of-house areas.

Restoration work is being reviewed by the Jersey City Historic Preservation Commission, the NJ Historic Preservation Office, and the National Park Service, and will meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Rehabilitation of Historic Structures. Construction is overseen by Phelps Construction Group.

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• Behind the scenes at the Loew’s Jersey City: How a 1929 Wonder Theatre was brought back to life
• Jersey City announces $72M restoration of historic Loew’s Theatre
• Jersey City moves forward with $40M renovation of historic Loew’s Theatre
• Tours of Brooklyn’s historic Kings Theatre are back

The post Jersey City’s historic Loew’s Theatre to reopen this fall after $130M restoration first appeared on 6sqft.

A report released Thursday is calling for reforms to New York City’s leasing process, finding that some affordable housing buildings can take up to 14 months to reach full occupancy due to delays. Published by Enterprise, the report highlights how even amid the city’s housing crisis, newly built affordable units can sit vacant for months as tenants and owners navigate the “lease-up process,” the period between when a building is ready for move-ins and when it reaches capacity. As first reported by The City, the report outlines a series of recommendations, including reforms to CityFHEPS, the city’s Housing Connect lottery system, and streamlining of the homeless placement process.

Enterprise, a national nonprofit focused on increasing affordable housing supply and advancing racial equity, found that 100 percent of the affordable housing developments it financed in NYC between 2021 and 2024 experienced delays, with an average lease-up time of more than 14 months.

Last year, the organization convened a group of marketing agents, affordable housing owners, policy experts, housing navigators, New Yorkers, and nonprofit organizations who have experienced these issues as applicants. The report documents their findings and policy recommendations aimed at connecting tenants to homes faster.

More than 800 affordable housing projects nationwide were analyzed, including 50 in the five boroughs, revealing a median of 439 days between apartment completion and tenant move-in. Lease-up periods ranged from roughly 8.5 months to more than two years.

According to the report, the city has more severe lease-up delays than any other community where Enterprise operates. The nonprofit found that it takes three times longer to lease up an affordable housing building in NYC than the national median of 156 days. The average lease-up delay in the city is 285 days, compared with a national median of 110 days.

These long lease-up times leave New Yorkers in shelters or other unstable housing situations for longer periods and increase costs for landlords, with delayed projects costing owners an average of $500,000 in lost tax credit equity. These costs are further compounded by additional expenses, including extended construction loan interest and payments.

The report’s first recommendation aims to reduce bureaucracy surrounding Housing Connect, the city’s housing lottery system. In 2024, six million New Yorkers applied for 10,000 affordable units through the lottery.

The Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and the Housing Development Corporation (HDC), the agencies that set marketing and lottery rules, have recently made changes to reduce documentation requirements, back-end audits, and income verification in an effort to streamline the process.

Before a lottery launches, the marketing plan for a development must be approved. This process typically begins when a project is about 70 percent complete, with the goal of aligning the lottery with building completion. However, the report finds this timeline to be unrealistic, citing too many steps and excessive administrative burden.

Enterprise recommends that the city streamline approvals by adopting a universal marketing plan template that can be completed within the Housing Connect system and finalized with city agencies at closing. It also recommends involving HPD marketing staff earlier in the process, rather than during construction.

Next, the report outlines reforms to the referral process for set-aside units for homeless placements. In 2020, the city began requiring city-financed affordable housing developments to set aside at least 15 percent of units for individuals experiencing homelessness.

According to the 2025 Mayor’s Management Report, a record 3,743 homeless households were placed into newly constructed affordable housing last year. However, those moves took an average of 235 days to complete.

Enterprise says the process requires too much interagency involvement, leading to vacant units and delayed move-ins. These delays leave homeless households waiting longer for stable housing and can also create financial consequences for tax credit properties that fail to meet lease-up deadlines.

The report recommends that, instead of being directly involved in the placement process, city agencies outsource coordination to third-party housing navigation organizations. These groups would liaise between shelters and housing opportunities, taking on responsibilities currently handled by HPD’s Homeless Services Unit and Department of Homeless Services staff, in order to improve efficiency.

Third-party navigators would focus on working with shelter residents and staff to ensure appropriate housing matches, which the report says would lead to higher rates of successful placements.

Additionally, direct referrals from shelters into affordable housing should be allowed when the shelter and housing operators are the same organization, when the shelter is co-located with an affordable housing site, or when a housing provider has a relationship with a local shelter. It also urges housing owners to accept referrals beyond these direct sources.

Finally, the report calls for a series of reforms to the CityFHEPS program, which allows low-income New Yorkers to pay 30 percent of their income toward rent, with the city covering the remainder. The program is a lifeline for the roughly 65,000 households, or about 140,000 people, who currently use the vouchers, as 6sqft previously reported.

First, Enterprise says the income verification process must be streamlined. Currently, income verification and rebudgeting are triggered when a household’s income changes by more than $100 between initial voucher approval and lease-up, creating delays that can result in lost units or apartments sitting vacant for months.

The process is burdensome for all parties involved, requiring tenants to gather and submit documentation, service providers to review and process paperwork, and city staff to approve rebudgeting and final package submissions.

To reduce this burden, the city could increase the rebudgeting threshold, allow community partners to handle rebudgeting, or permit the income determined at the initial eligibility stage to carry through until package submission or even after move-in, particularly in cases where approval has been delayed for more than a month.

In addition, the report outlines a series of inspection reforms for CityFHEPS. After hearing about inconsistent understanding of the G704 waiver for new construction units, which allows for inspection waivers and virtual inspections, Enterprise says the city should clarify and better publicize these waivers.

The city could also implement an apartment review checklist (ARC) and inspection hierarchy that would allow move-ins with non-hazardous “fails” and provide clearer guidance to inspectors on which issues require immediate resolution versus those that should not delay a tenant’s move-in.

Certain types of issues could still require an inspection after move-in to confirm resolution. In these cases, move-in would proceed at the tenant’s discretion, with appropriate sign-off.

Most units require an ARC inspection completed by a contracted provider, but certain units, such as ground-floor residences, must be inspected by the Department of Social Services’ CAR unit, adding a substantial amount of time to the approval process.

Eliminating this requirement for new construction or renovations that go through a new Department of Buildings (DOB) inspection and adding ARC-specific items to the DOB checklist would streamline the process. ARC inspections could also stand for six months to prevent the need for re-inspections after a tenant declines an apartment or a lease-up falls through.

Subsidized affordable housing properties with regulatory agreements could shift from unit-by-unit submissions to a building-wide registration process, significantly streamlining landlord package submissions. Improved coordination between HPD, HDC, and HSS would allow for seamless registration and eliminate the need for separate submissions for each unit.

With these reforms, Enterprise estimates that median lease-up time would be cut from 14 to six months, average homeless placement timelines from more than seven months to two months, and CityFHEPS approval and move-in times from more than nine months to one month.

City Hall has been exploring ways to improve the lease-up process. On his first day in office, Mayor Zohran Mamdani created the Streamlining Procedures to Expedite Equitable Development Task Force to identify ways to accelerate housing development and leasing. The task force is expected to release its findings on Saturday, but City Hall has since said the report will instead be published in a few weeks.

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The post Even amid NYC’s housing crisis, new affordable units sit vacant for over 14 months first appeared on 6sqft.

Mariah Carey is selling her triplex atop 90 Franklin Street, which was featured in Architectural Digest and “MTV Cribs” and exemplifies the rarified experience of penthouse living. Asking $27 million, the three-floor, 12,700-square-foot home has 1,100 square feet of outdoor space, wrapped by dazzling Hudson River and Manhattan skyline views in every direction. With interiors designed by Mario Buatta, the Art Deco residence is no less opulent today.

In 1999, the “Queen of Christmas” paid $9 million for two top-floor units, the penthouse and a full-floor unit below, at the 100-year-old bank building Franklin Tower, which was converted from offices to apartments. The listing marks the first time the home will be available since Carey lived there.

The world first got a look at her glamorous penthouse in an iconic episode of “MTV Cribs” in 2002, where the singer famously exercised in stilettos and took a bath. In the episode, Carey also mentioned, but did not reveal, Marilyn Monroe’s white baby grand piano, which she paid over $660,000 for in 1999.

In 2022, as 6sqft reported, Carey hosted “Mariah’s Ultimate Holiday Experience,” a Booking.com partnership that included a Christmas-themed photoshoot in the penthouse.

For space alone, the possibilities are about as endless as you’d imagine in a home this size. The 16th floor is a downtown paradise on its own. The two floors above add up to a sky mansion topped by an endless private terrace. Combined, it’s an estate of epic proportions.

The listing description says the next owner can “enjoy it as one expansive private home or reimagine it as an exceptional blank canvas for a developer or design-minded buyer.”

Surrounding a stunning glass-wrapped rotunda, the jewel atop this trophy-level downtown crown is a vast roof terrace. The airstrip-sized patio features an indoor/outdoor room with a fireplace for multi-season use.

The condominium tops a 17-story Art Deco brick tower built as a bank in 1915. Historic details like high, beamed ceilings and exposed brick give the space a graceful pre-war elegance.

Amenities include a doorman, a concierge, and a gym.

[Listing details: 90 Franklin Street, PH, at CityRealty]

[At Core by Emily Beare and Lexi Alper]

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• Musicians of Tribeca: The City’s Hottest ‘Hood for Pop Stars

The post Mariah Carey lists Tribeca penthouse for $27M first appeared on 6sqft.

Two of celebrated street artist Keith Haring’s iconic art cars will be rolling into New York City for the first time. Opening on Friday, the exhibition “Keith Haring: In the Street” will display the artist’s 1963 Buick Special and a Land Rover Series III from the 1983 Montreux Jazz Festival, for 10 days only. On view from April 10 to 19 at the CART Department gallery, Free Parking, the exhibit celebrates the new book, “Keith Haring in 3D” from Larry Warsh and Glenn Adamson. The exhibition also marks the first show for Free Parking, a 3,000-square-foot gallery inside a West Village carriage house.

This rare view of Haring’s three-dimensional work will include original works and photographs, accompanied by events and appearances by artists, writers, and others in Haring’s orbit.

On April 11, “Stories from the Street” offers a conversation between choreographer Muna Tseng and culture critic Carlo McCormick about 1980s downtown New York City. A kick-off party for the event, featuring G-Bo The Pro, will begin at 2 p.m.

On April 18, Brad Gooch, author of “Raidant: The Life and Line of Keith Haring,” will be in conversation with Larry Warsh on his new book.

The exhibition also celebrates the upcoming “Keith Haring Exhibition in 3D,” which will open in June at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas.

“Keith Haring: In the Street” will be at Free Parking at 16 Morton Street from April 10-19. Gallery hours are 12-6 p.m.; panels require an RSVP.

To go even deeper, check out a major exhibition of Haring’s work at the Brant Foundation‘s East Village space through May 31. The exhibition, which features pieces that predated the artist’s rise to fame, brings the work back to a neighborhood that inspired Haring’s artistic upbringing.

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The post Keith Haring’s iconic art cars headed to NYC gallery first appeared on 6sqft.

Work to redesign Brooklyn’s Flatbush Avenue will resume this month, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) announced Thursday. The project will create dedicated center lanes along the notoriously congested and dangerous corridor from Livingston Street to Grand Army Plaza, and is expected to speed up commutes for 132,000 daily bus riders, who currently travel at average speeds of under 4 miles per hour. Initial work on the four-phase project began last fall, but DOT suspended construction because of winter weather. Construction will restart at the end of April and continue into the fall of 2026, weather permitting.

Designated a Vision Zero Priority Corridor and considered one of the borough’s most dangerous streets, Flatbush Avenue has seen 55 people killed or seriously injured since 2019. The stretch between Livingston Street and Grand Army Plaza is also plagued by some of the slowest bus speeds in the city, as 6sqft previously reported.

Additionally, nearly 60 percent of households along Flatbush Avenue lack access to a personal vehicle, making reliable bus service critical. Buses along the corridor primarily serve Black, female, and low-income riders. Most live in surrounding zip codes and have household incomes below $80,000, according to a Pratt Center study.

Many riders have described long wait times for the bus in extreme weather, and one in three say slow service has led to them being reprimanded at work, losing pay, or even being fired.

Bus routes set to benefit include the B41, B67, B69, B63, B45, and B103. Citywide, the DOT has seen similar projects produce strong results. On 161st Street in the Bronx, bus speeds increased by up to 43 percent, while on Edward L. Grant Highway, pedestrian and cycling injuries fell by 29 percent, with total injuries down 17 percent.

The project will also add dedicated loading zones with covered public seating, shorten crossing times, update curb regulations to support local businesses, and create 29,000 square feet of new pedestrian space along the avenue.

Phase one includes the removal of two concrete islands at Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues. Phase two involves reconstructing one side of the corridor, including removing existing roadway markings, installing concrete elements, and adding temporary markings, bus stops, and reroutes.

Phase three will reconstruct the opposite side of the avenue, while phase four will install final roadway markings, signage, signals, and street elements such as bike corrals and flexible posts.

“Time is money, and too often, our city has taken both from working people who rely on our buses,” Mamdani said. “These center-running bus lanes will give New Yorkers back something precious: time with their families, time at work, time in their communities.”

“Long waits and unreliable service are not inevitable — they are the result of political choices. Today, we are choosing a system that puts bus riders first and builds safer streets for everyone,” he added.

The DOT will maintain clear signage and protections throughout construction to ensure safe conditions for drivers and workers. During construction, drivers are encouraged to take alternative routes, use public transit, or allow for additional travel time.

“For the more than 130,000 people who rely on Flatbush Avenue every day, this project puts bus riders first with faster, more reliable service and safer streets,” Council Member Shahana Hanif said.

“This is what prioritizing everyday New Yorkers who depend on buses looks like. Center-running bus lanes will speed up commutes, improve reliability and make our streets safer.”

Flatbush Avenue joins a growing number of major NYC corridors receiving or slated for bus improvements. In May, DOT unveiled plans for a dedicated busway on 34th Street between Third and Ninth Avenues in Manhattan. Modeled after the successful 14th Street busway, the redesign could increase speeds by up to 15 percent for the more than two dozen bus routes that serve the corridor.

The DOT also announced in January that it would complete the long-delayed redesign of Madison Avenue, extending double bus lanes from 23rd to 42nd Streets. The upgrades are expected to improve commutes for the avenue’s 92,000 daily riders along a stretch where buses crawl at speeds as low as 4.5 miles per hour.

RELATED:

• Flatbush Avenue redesign to begin this fall
• Flatbush Avenue overhaul includes center-running bus lanes and pedestrian islands
• New protected two-way bike lane will connect the Brooklyn Bridge and Union Square

The post City to restart Flatbush Avenue redesign this month first appeared on 6sqft.

A former newsstand in City Hall Park is now a rest stop for New York City delivery workers. The city’s first “deliverista hub” was unveiled at 249 Broadway on Tuesday, offering some of the city’s 80,000 delivery workers a place to rest inside, safely charge e-bike batteries, and access other resources (except, notably, a bathroom). The $1 million worker-designed hub, the first in the country, will be staffed by the Worker’s Justice Project five days a week.

“Delivery workers keep this city running — through the cold, the rain, and every storm that comes our way,” Mamdani said. “They make it possible for families across all five boroughs to sit down to a warm meal or get the groceries they need right on time.”

“After long hours on the street, workers deserve a place to rest, access resources, charge their e-bike batteries safely and be in community. This space provides all that and more. In opening this hub, we’re building a dedicated place for the city to take care of its own.”

Designed by FANTÁSTICA and built by Boyce Technologies, the hub features a cabinet capable of charging 48 e-bike batteries, as well as an interior space roughly the size of two large bus shelters where workers can rest, receive free bike tune-ups, and access legal advice on issues such as wage theft and what to do after traffic accidents, according to Gothamist.

The kiosk at City Hall is not open yet since there isn’t power yet, but organizers told Gothamist they hope to “resolve the issue in the next two weeks.”

The hub is part of an October 2022 pilot program announced by former Mayor Eric Adams and Sen. Chuck Schumer to transform underused structures across the city, such as vacant newsstands, into “Street Deliverista Hubs.” The program is intended to serve the city’s roughly 80,000 app-based delivery workers, though its rollout has been slow.

The City Hall facility was constructed despite opposition from the local Community Board, which raised concerns that it did not fit in with the surrounding landmarked buildings.

The facility addresses a long-standing safety issue affecting delivery workers and e-bikes: lithium-ion battery fires. Faulty batteries have been responsible for hundreds of fast-moving fires, with the FDNY reporting 296 such fires in 2025, the highest number caused by lithium-ion batteries in the past four years, according to Gothamist.

The space also aims to improve delivery worker safety. According to a press release, one in five delivery workers is injured on the job, and the fatality rate is five times higher than that of construction workers.

Funding for the hub was provided through Sen. Schumer’s office via a $1 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The site is intended to serve as a model for future infrastructure supporting the city’s growing delivery workforce.

“For years, I’ve worked to bring critical infrastructure to the tens of thousands of app-based delivery workers who serve our city day and night,” Schumer said. “I’m proud to have secured $1 million in federal funding for this first-of-its-kind deliverista hub, which will improve access to e-bike charging, shelter, bike repair and much more.”

LPC approved the hub, located within the African Burial Grounds and the Commons Historical District, in April 2024. The city’s Parks Department provided the site location, while the Department of Transportation added bike parking and a street access zone on Broadway near City Hall.

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The post Rest hub for NYC delivery workers unveiled in City Hall Park first appeared on 6sqft.

Here’s a first look at the new condo rising on one of the largest last undeveloped waterfront sites in West Chelsea. Developer Legion Investment Group last week announced Thomas Juul-Hansen as the architect of 550 West 21st Street, a 22-story, limestone-clad tower situated between Hudson River Park and the High Line. The development includes 83 residences, starting at $2.5 million. Sales will launch this year, and construction is expected to wrap up late 2027.

Legion paid $87.4 million for the 200,000-square-foot site in 2024 and later filed plans for a residential tower, as Crain’s reported. The developer reportedly added another 11,000 square feet in exchange for a donation to the West Chelsea Affordable Housing Fund.

Designed by Juul-Hansen, the Copenhagen-born architect who has designed many residential buildings in New York, including the 62-story Sutton Tower and the interiors of the supertall One57, 550 West 21st Street will feature a hand-laid Italian brick and limestone base that runs the full length of the ground floor. The project will offer unobstructed Hudson River views and direct access to Hudson River Park.

“Our goal was to create a building defined by integrity—where the highest quality materials and construction meet a deeply considered functionality, resulting in a timeless presence in West Chelsea,” Juul-Hansen said.

A trellis along the sidewalk adjacent to the motor court gate is visible from both the street and inside as residents pass through on the eastern side. At the western edge, a pedestrian entrance features an alabaster awning, while cerused stone art panels add a subtle layer of craftsmanship that runs the full length of the base, as a press release describes.

Inside, the motor court opens onto a landscaped courtyard anchored by a central grove of birch trees and tiered planting beds that rise along the perimeter.

As it rises, the building features a series of setbacks that carve out private loggias and terraces for a majority of residences. The facade steps back with each level, softening the building’s profile and framing views in three directions. The brick and limestone exterior continues up to the crown.

From the upper floors, residents can take in sweeping, uninterrupted views of the Hudson River stretching south to New York Harbor, as well as Little Island, Hudson River Park below, and the New Jersey Palisades. Glass railings on the private outdoor spaces preserve the views.

Legion’s portfolio includes several ground-up condo developments, including 1122 Madison Avenue on the Upper East Side and 38 Gramercy Park East in Gramercy Park. The developer is also behind the tallest building in Greenwich Village, a 30-story condo at 11 West 13th Street that recently secured construction financing.

“At 550 West 21st Street, we set out to create a building aligned with the creative spirit of West Chelsea while designing for the level of livability and precision that today’s most discerning buyers expect,” Victor Sigoura, founder and CEO of Legion Investment Group, said.

“More than 75 percent of residences will have private outdoor space and two thirds of the homes feature views of the Hudson River. The remaining residences will enjoy equally compelling views to the northeast over the historic district and the Midtown skyline, and to the southwest down the length of the river.”

Sales are expected to launch this year and will be exclusively managed by Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group. Residences will start at $2.5 million, with completion slated for late 2027.

The building joins several other architecturally notable buildings to pop up in West Chelsea in recent years, like One High Line, Lantern House, 520 West 28th Street, and The Cortland.

As 6sqft reported in February, Toll Brothers picked up a vacant lot at 118 10th Avenue with plans to build an 85,000-square-foot condo building.

RELATED:

• New condo planned for vacant Chelsea lot next to the High Line
• 30-story condo will be the tallest building in Greenwich Village

The post Thomas Juul-Hansen to design 22-story condo in West Chelsea first appeared on 6sqft.

Three buildings in New York City with long histories of serving immigrant communities have been designated as individual landmarks. On Tuesday, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) voted to designate Public School 15 Annex in Downtown Brooklyn, the Church of Saint Mary on the Lower East Side, and the Lithuanian Alliance Building in Midtown as landmarks, citing their “value as part of the development, heritage, and cultural characteristics” of the city. The designations come amid a heightened crackdown on immigration under the Trump administration.

“Immigrants built New York City. Their stories live in every block, every neighborhood, every corner of the five boroughs,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a statement.

“Today, I’m proud to recognize three more sites that carry that legacy forward—places that, for generations, have opened their doors to newcomers and helped define what it means to belong in the greatest city in the world.”

P.S. 15 Annex at 372 Schermerhorn Street was built in 1889 and designed by Irish-born architect James W. Naughton in the Romanesque Revival style with Queen Anne features. Naughton immigrated to the country as a child and later became superintendent of the Brooklyn Board of Education, during which he led the construction of more than 100 schools.

The original school building on the site was constructed in 1859 on what was previously farmland. It served as a local school until the 1880s, when overcrowding required an expansion. The annex was built in 1889, which, according to the LPC, made the school “one of the handsomest in the city.”

In the mid-1920s, the surrounding Downtown Brooklyn neighborhood was home to a largely immigrant population from Europe, including communities from Lithuania, Italy, Poland, Ireland, and the Netherlands. The school’s students reflected that diversity, as did its teaching staff, which was composed largely of immigrants or the children of immigrants.

The Girls’ Continuation School provided continuing education for children under the age of 18, who, until 1919, often had no legal right to schooling and instead entered the workforce in dangerous, low-paying jobs. Continuation schools are regarded historically as the “forefront of democracy,” expanding access to education as a right for all children.

The school also addressed the specific challenges faced by girls, including expectations to care for their families and manage households. Students learned home remedies, dressmaking, and household budgeting, while also studying bookkeeping, stenography, nursing, and other subjects requiring technical training.

Notably, the school was so successful that it opened a women’s summer school that attracted students of all ages who needed an income during the Great Depression. In the 1930s, the school also became an evening vocational school for both men and women, teaching English and vocational skills to immigrant students.

In the late 1930s, as child labor laws tightened and the Depression ended, schooling became the primary occupation for most children. As a result, enrollment at the continuation school declined, and the institution eventually closed in 1942.

The building later became a Department of Education outpatient clinic for child psychology, reflecting early efforts to incorporate mental health services into schools. In the 1990s, it housed a specialized business high school, and in 2007 it became home to the Khalil Gibran International Academy, the first English-Arabic public school in the country focused on Arabic language and culture.

The school is part of the broader Alloy Block development, a sprawling mixed-use project of five old and new buildings that will bring 900 apartments, office space, retail, and two schools to the neighborhood, as 6sqft previously reported.

“For more than a century, the P.S. 15 Annex has stood in the heart of Downtown Brooklyn as a community anchor, making it well deserving of landmark designation,” Jared Della Valle, CEO of Alloy, said.

“When we first started working on this site 10 years ago, we committed to preserving the P.S. 15 Annex and over time, our connection to this historic building has only strengthened. From its wealth of original details to its ornate architecture, the P.S. 15 Annex is an important symbol of public education in NYC and deserves to be protected for generations to come,” he added.

Located at 440 Grand Street, the Church of Saint Mary is Manhattan’s third-oldest Catholic parish, founded in 1826 to serve the city’s rapidly growing Irish population on the Lower East Side.

After a wave of anti-Catholic and anti-Irish sentiment led to the destruction of the parish’s first home in a former Presbyterian church, the current building, completed in 1933, became the Lower East Side’s first Roman Catholic church building and is the second-oldest existing Catholic church building in the borough.

In 1864, as the parish continued to grow, it commissioned renowned cathedral architect Patrick Charles Keely, an Irish immigrant, to expand the church and redesign its facade. Though he lacked formal architectural training, Keely went on to design more than 600 churches across the northeastern United States over the course of his career.

Less than a decade later, in 1871, further growth prompted another expansion, this time designed by architect Lawrence J. O’Connor.

The church’s brick facade, original fieldstone side walls, dual bell towers, and late 19th-century stained glass make it a striking example of Romanesque Revival architecture and a lasting reminder of NYC’s early Catholic history and the neighborhood’s immigrant heritage.

Today, it continues to serve as an active community institution for newer generations of Catholic immigrants, including many from Spanish-speaking countries.

“St. Mary’s Church tells the story of Lower Manhattan. It is one of NYC’s earliest Catholic parishes, built by and for immigrants, and it has remained a vital institution on the Lower East Side for nearly two centuries,” Council Member Christopher Marte said.

“St. Mary’s reflects the history, resilience, and diversity of our neighborhood. This designation is a recognition that this history matters and must be preserved.”

Located at 307 West 30th Street, the Lithuanian Alliance Building was constructed in 1876–77 in the Neo-Grec style by James C. Springstead. The Lithuanian Alliance has occupied the building for more than a century, supporting the area’s historic Lithuanian community through services including insurance programs, health benefits, and loans.

Like many fraternal organizations of the era, the Alliance was founded to help fellow immigrants navigate the challenges of life in the United States. In 1910, the group purchased the West 30th Street property, citing its proximity to Ellis Island. From 1910 to 1971, the building housed the printing operations of Tėvynė, the Alliance’s weekly newspaper covering Lithuanian news for immigrants.

The building was altered in 1976 as part of a modernization plan that painted the facade white and added metal panels at the ground level. In 2018, those panels were removed under the guidance of preservation architect Dean Koga, restoring the building’s original features. In 2022, the property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

“Lithuanian Americans in New York love and cherish their only Lithuanian-owned building in the greater NYC area. Being recognized by the LPC is a great honor and one that recognizes our efforts to preserve the building as it was when we acquired it in 1910,” Danius Glinskis, a Lithuanian Alliance of America board member, said.

“Landmark status will strengthen our efforts to continue to preserve our building for the Lithuanian community far into the future.”

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The post Three buildings linked to New York City’s immigrant history designated as landmarks first appeared on 6sqft.

You’ve probably never seen Times Square like this before. One Times Square, home of the New Year’s Eve Ball, opened a new observation deck this week that puts visitors 19 floors above Broadway, at the center of one of the world’s most iconic destinations. Dubbed the Times Square Skywalk, the new experience provides a unique perspective of the city from a 360-degree wraparound viewing deck, offering peeks of both rivers, Central Park, and the crowds below. The skywalk is part of a broader $500 million redevelopment of One Times Square, which opens up most of the building to the public for the first time in 50 years.

Upon arriving at One Times Square on Broadway and 42nd Street, visitors will ascend to the 19th floor on a glass-enclosed elevator. On this level, guests can get an up-close look at elements of the New Year’s Eve ball drop, including the Centennial Ball, which rang in the 100th anniversary of the Times Square Ball drop tradition in 2007, and the seven-foot-tall New Year’s Eve Numerals.

Visitors can also write their wishes on a piece of confetti that will be dropped during the next ball drop.

Outside, the viewing deck offers 360-degree views of Manhattan and beyond. A glass-floored walkway provides a birds-eye view of Times Square below.

“The Times Square Skywalk allows visitors to experience the magic and excitement of Times Square from a new vantage point,” Delfin Ortiz, general manager of One Times Square, said.

“We’re thrilled to share this elevated perspective of the Crossroads of the World and give visitors the chance to connect with the history, joy, and wonder of the New Year’s Eve celebration year-round.”

Tickets to the Times Square Skywalk Experience start at $30. A discounted ticket offer will be available to New York City residents.

One Times Square first debuted the skywalk last December as part of a limited preview. In February, the building opened iCandy NYC, a Big Apple-themed candy installation.

Other experiences will open in the coming months, including a multi-floor interactive museum exploring the history of One Times Square, the neighborhood, and the storied New Year’s Eve celebration. As 6sqft previously reported, the NYE ball that was retired last year will be on display with its predecessors as part of the new experience. One Times Square will also be home to EVER, a venue that will host weddings, vow renewals, proposals, and “all kinds of celebrations of love.”

Built in 1904 as the headquarters for the New York Times, the 26-story One Times Square was one of the tallest towers in the city when it opened. The building, which has served as the centerpiece of the New Year’s Eve Ball Drop since 1907, has been vacant for years, with only billboards covering its exterior.

Jamestown, which has owned the property since 1997, kicked off a $500 million redevelopment of the building in 2022 to turn it into a year-round tourism destination and visitor hub.

RELATED:

• $500M One Times Square revamp includes outdoor viewing deck, museum, and even more ads
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The post New Times Square observation deck offers unique NYC views, 19 floors above Broadway first appeared on 6sqft.

This duplex condo atop Pickwick House at 35 Bethune Street may be in the heart of downtown Manhattan’s coveted West Village, but details like exposed brick and hefty beams give it the feeling of a home in the high desert. Private terraces surrounded by tall grass magnify the desert paradise effect even more. Asking $5.2 million, it’s a rare oasis in the city.

On the main level of the duplex, 13-foot wood-beamed ceilings and oversized windows frame a large living space. A wood-burning fire place adds warmth and anchors the room. Custom glass-and-steel doors open onto one of the home’s two terraces.

There’s plenty of room for both formal and casual dining. The open main space includes a large modern kitchen with open shelving and stone worktops.

Upstairs, a luxurious primary suite features downtown skyline views via a wall of windows; electric shades wrap the room in privacy at the touch of a button. This bedroom is served by custom closet-lined dressing room and a renovated bathroom with a Speakman dual shower system.

The best thing about this Village retreat may be the landscaped terrace with an integrated irrigation system. Step out and settle in for sunrises and sunsets over the city and views on three sides.

There is also a second bedroom with its own renovated bath. An extra space is carved out on the home’s mezzanine level for use as a home office, den or spare bedroom.

Built in 1880, the quintessential loft building–now a 21-unit condominium–is part of the historic neighborhood, surrounded by parks, restaurants and a vibrant street scene. Amenities include a key-locked elevator, a video intercom system, a washer/dryer on each floor, and a superintendent on-site during the week.

[Listing details: 35 Bethune Street, PHB at CityRealty]

[At The Corcoran Group by Alexandra Rhodie]

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The post This $5.2M penthouse brings a western vibe to the West Village first appeared on 6sqft.

New York City baseball fans will find plenty of new food options this season, as both the Yankees and Mets have rolled out updated menus at their stadiums. At Yankee Stadium, offerings include longtime favorites like celebrity chef Bobby Flay’s “Bobby’s Burgers” and Christian Petroni’s “Parm to Table,” along with local newcomers such as Magnolia Bakery. At Citi Field, which has been nominated for best ballpark food by USA Today for the fourth consecutive year, fans can try 37 new dishes, including concepts from chef Kwame Onwuachi, who is introducing a chopped cheese patty served on coco bread.

New food offerings at Yankee Stadium:

Magnolia Bakery
Known far and wide for its signature banana pudding, NYC’s own Magnolia Bakery is making its Yankee Stadium debut this season. While it’s not offering the pudding at the stadium, it will be offering its beloved brownies and blondies, offering a sweet treat for baseball lovers.

Treat House
Another new addition to the stadium’s lineup, Treat House will serve creative takes on the classic rice crispy treat. The vendor will offer a range of gourmet flavors for fans seeking a sweeter alternative to traditional ballpark fare like hot dogs and pretzels.

Brooklyn Dumpling Shop
A returning favorite, Brooklyn Dumpling Shop is introducing two new menu items this season: an apple pie dumpling filled with apple pie and topped with caramel, cinnamon, and powdered sugar, and a mac and cheese dumpling made with ditalini pasta and a three-cheese blend.

King’s Hawaiian’s
For the 2026 season, King’s Hawaiian’s will offer an “Angry Lobster Roll” and a chicken parm sandwich made with flash-fried chicken, basil marinara, and mozzarella on a soft pretzel bun. The “It’s 99 Burger” will also return, featuring two four-ounce American Wagyu beef patties, American cheese, caramelized onions, dill pickles, and secret sauce on a pretzel bun.

Christian Petroni’s “Parm to Table”
Bronx native Christian Petroni’s “Parm to Table” concept brings his Italian-inspired dishes to Yankee Stadium. New this year is an antipasto salad featuring artisanal cured meats and cheeses, flash-fried house mozzarella with eight-hour marinara sauce, a selection of pasta dishes, and the “Petroni Affogato,” made with Mister Softee vanilla panna, Nutella, and espresso. The “Petroni Tiramisu,” served in a souvenir helmet cup, will also return this season.

Legends Global
Legends Global, Yankee Stadium’s official food, beverage, merchandise, and operations partner, will introduce a range of new dishes and drinks across the venue. Led by executive chef Robert Flowers, new offerings include an “MVP Burger,” a new take on the 99 Burger; apple pie nachos; a “Diamond Deal” featuring 12 chicken tenders, fries, and four Pepsi drinks served on a souvenir tray; and a mini dessert “chicken” bucket with drumstick-shaped ice cream.

Lobel’s
Upper East Side butcher institution Lobel’s is bringing its menu of signature offerings back to the Bronx this season, along with new pastrami fries available exclusively in section 132. Returning items include BBQ filet tip loaded tater tots, a prime pastrami sandwich, steak-topped fries, a USDA Prime burger, and a prime steak sandwich.

Skimmers
Skimmer’s will bring its signature vodka iced tea to Yankee Stadium, made with real tea and Cutwater vodka. Options will include a standard vodka iced tea or a half-and-half version mixed with lemonade.

A full list of Yankee Stadium’s culinary offerings this season can be found here.

New food offerings at Citi Field:

“Legacy Catering” by Mookie Wilson
Legendary Mets player Mookie Wilson, who hit the ground ball that famously went through Bill Buckner’s legs in the 1986 World Series, allowing the Mets to tie the series and force a seventh game they ultimately won, is bringing a selection of new culinary offerings to the ballpark this season. Items include smoked pulled chicken sliders, bread & butter pickles, Martin’s slider bun, and classic golden BBQ sauce.

Pat LaFrieda’s Chop House
One of the nation’s most renowned meat purveyors is turning Citi Field into a steakhouse this season, serving customized tomahawk steaks for baseball fans. The vendor will also offer apple pie cheesecake, delivering a classic NY steakhouse experience inside the ballpark.

Pigs Beach BBQ
The NYC barbecue institution is venturing north this season, serving its smoky meats for Mets fans. The purveyor is offering loaded cornbread, featuring warm cornbread topped with cheddar cheese sauce, barbecue sauce, and pulled pork.

Shake Shack
The burger chain is serving its signature veggie burger at Citi Field this season, expanding the stadium’s vegetarian offerings. It will also offer a “Home Run Apple Pie Shake,” made with vanilla frozen custard and apple pie filling and topped with sprinkles.

Napoli’s Pizza Co.
Napoli’s is bringing its slices to Queens this season with a Philadelphia twist, offering its signature Squares Chiddy’s Cheesesteak. The pizza features steak from the Long Island-based, Philly-inspired cheesesteak brand Chiddy’s, topped with sautéed onions, Cheez Whiz, and a mozzarella-provolone blend. Those who’d rather keep their taste buds in the five boroughs can opt for a classic cheese slice.

Citi Field Sweets
Mets fans with a sweet tooth will have plenty of options to choose from this season. The dessert vendor will offer a “Home Run Candy Apple,” an homage to the Citi Field fixture, along with a “Mr. Met Chocolate Whoopie Pie,” Hildenbrandt Ice Cream (including a stadium-exclusive flavor), and New York cheesecake on a stick dipped in either strawberry chocolate with strawberry shortcake crunch or chocolate with Oreo crunch.

Chef Kwame’s Patty Palace
James Beard Award-winning chef and Top Chef alum Kwame Onwuachi is putting a creative spin on a NYC staple: the chopped cheese. The dish features a chopped cheese patty topped with shredded romaine lettuce, tomato, and house sauce.

Eat in the cave
Another addition to Citi Field’s vegetarian offerings, the savory “Veggie Nada” is a creative twist on the classic snack, stuffed with a blend of rice, cilantro, sweet pumpkin, chickpeas, and potato.

The 9-9-9 Challenge
This year, the Mets are introducing their own take on the viral “9-9-9 challenge,” which requires fans to consume nine hot dogs and nine beers in nine innings. The Mets’ challenge includes nine mini Nathan’s hot dogs and nine 4-ounce beers.

A full list of Citi Field’s culinary offerings this season can be found here.

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The post See the new food and drink options at Yankee Stadium and Citi Field this season first appeared on 6sqft.

According to Pew Research Center data, 79 percent of people make New Year’s resolutions that focus on health, exercise, or diet. At-home fitness equipment and tech can help achieve some of your health, exercise, and fitness goals. The convenience of working out at home eliminates the need to make it to the gym before it closes, and you never have to wait for someone else to get off of your preferred equipment. Plus, weather, traffic, and public transit delays are no longer valid excuses. Thinking of setting up a home gym? Certified personal trainer and BowFlex fitness advisor Amy Kiser Schemper tells us it really only takes a few items.

“Most of us don’t need multiple pieces of equipment or fancy, novel exercise machines; we need equipment that creates consistency, confidence, and adaptability,” Schemper says.

Schemper recommends focusing on equipment that lets you get set up easily, work out without a lot of switching or adjusting, and make the most of the time you have available.

“First, define your fitness goals: are you hoping to get stronger through resistance training? Improve cardiovascular endurance? Increase mobility and flexibility? General health and fitness, and consistency of moving your body?”

After defining your goals and the types of workouts you hope to do, she says this will help you decide which equipment would be best for you.

Next, Schemper recommends examining your space. “If you’ll be working out in a garage or basement with a cement floor, rubber mats or flooring might be helpful.”

If you’ll be exercising in your living room or bedroom, where space is limited, Schemper advises focusing on smaller pieces of equipment that store easily in a closet or corner. “When it comes to home workouts, having enough space to move effectively is more important than fancy equipment,” she explains.

As a trainer, Schemper recommends starting simple and adding more items later if you desire. “A set of dumbbells, a mat, and some resistance bands are a great starting point,” she says. “Resistance bands are versatile and inexpensive, and don’t take up much space.”

Schemper says one of the most effective training tools for beginners is a set of dumbbells – especially adjustable dumbbells. “With dumbbells, there’s no machine adjustment or adding weights to a bar, and you can easily work all your major movement patterns.”

In addition, adjustable dumbbells allow you to start slow and low, then progress incrementally as you get stronger. “Adjustable dumbbells grow with you, and are perfect for the at-home exerciser,” she notes.

Additional workout tips from Schemper:

• If you are starting a home fitness routine, focus on starting slow with shorter workouts to build consistency. Even just ten minutes a day can build healthy habits. Going too hard, too fast, can lead to burnout.
• With strength training, focus on functional movement patterns such as squats, hinges, lunges, upper-body push and pull, and rotation. Aim for 1-2 sets of 8-12 reps as you gain strength and range of motion.
• Keep your workout equipment visible and accessible, so fitness is top of mind, and getting set up doesn’t feel overwhelming.
• Use “habit stacking” by pairing your workout with something you really enjoy, like listening to a podcast or watching a favorite TV show.

These are some of the best home gym items to help reach your exercise and fitness goals:

All of these products have been hand-selected by Team 6sqft. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these affiliate links. All prices reflect those at the time of publishing.

Equipment

Many treadmills are big, bulky, and take up too much space – especially in the average New York apartment, where every square foot holds importance. However, this compact, low-profile treadmill folds out of the way when not in use, so you can slide it under your bed or sofa. You can walk or run on the treadmill, and if you have an adjustable standing desk, you can even use the treadmill as a walking pad while working. The LED display lets you monitor calories burned, steps taken, speed, and distance.
UREVO Strol 2E Smart 2-in-1 Folding Treadmill, $221/ Sale $200 at Amazon

Each of these two dumbbells is actually the equivalent of five dumbbells. It’s easy to adjust each dumbbell by 5 pounds, up to 25 pounds. However, the compact design is a convenient and stable rack.
PowerUp Plus Dumbbells (5-25 lb Adjustable), $290/Sale $164 at Lifepro

For weights that adjust from 5 pounds to 52.5 pounds, each of these two dumbbells is the equivalent of 15 dumbbells. By adjusting the dials, you can switch between the various weight increments per dumbbell. The dumbbells are made of premium metal components and have a secure locking mechanism, as well as an ergonomic non-slip handle.
BowFlex Results Series 522 SelectTech Dumbbells, $430/Sale $400 at Amazon

You can ride a stationary bike any time of the day. And since this one has a low noise level, you don’t have to worry about disturbing others in your home. The bike is recommended for those 4’8” to 6’2” in height, and the inseam height is adjustable from 28” to 38.” Other features include dual water bottle holders, transport wheels, a dumbbell rack, and an iPad holder.
MERACH Exercise Bike, $300/Sale $240 at Amazon

You can use this exercise ball for core and balance training, basic ball workout routines, yoga, and also sit on it while working, gaming, and more. Since the ball is made of PVC with closed-cell foaming, it gradually releases air to deflate slowly. The ball comes in 5 sizes (S to XXL) to accommodate various heights.
Trideer Exercise Ball, $19 to $29 depending on color, at Amazon

Jumping rope can burn 1,000 calories in an hour, making it one of the most effective aerobic exercises. This jump rope is made of PVC steel wire that resists tangling and has foam handles. You can customize the rope length. And since it’s a smart jump rope, the LCD screen on the handle (which also has HD night vision), displays data from one of three jump modes: free jump, time countdown, and numbers countdown. Connecting with the app allows you to analyze and track periodic workout data.
RENPHO Smart Jump Rope, $23/Sale $18 at Amazon

At first glance, it’s hard to believe that this 36.2” by 17.2” board can take the place of a home gym. However, it consists of the training base (push-up board), two push-up handles, four resistance bands, a collapsible barbell, a non-slip wheel, a door anchor, two padded Velcro ankle straps, and 12 rubber feet (all of these items integrate with the training base). Also included: an exercise mat and a carry bag. The training base has a 265-pound weight limit.
Lifepro Portable Home Gym with Push Up Training Board, $137 at Amazon

Tech

This military-quality smartwatch has 150 sports modes, so it can track you running, cycling, rope skipping, and more. The watch has a Corning Gorilla Glass screen and amoled display. It’s also dust and shock-resistant, and waterproof up to 10ATM, so there’s no need to worry about accidentally knocking over your water bottle. The watch can monitor your heart rate, blood oxygen, and help with breath training. It can also track your sleep habits. When outside, you can use the GPS satellite and the altitude barometer. The battery lasts for 60 days in standby mode and 20 days in daily mode.
Mibro GS Explorer 5 Military Smartwatch with Titanium, $300 at Amazon

Another option is this smartwatch, which also provides 24/7 health monitoring, including heart rate and blood oxygen monitoring, along with sleep tracking, and has a one-tap health check feature. The watch has 160 freestyle training modes, and you can also make and take calls, and receive notifications. Battery life is up to 14-15 days with regular use. The watch has a multifunction dial, three-icon theme options, and customizable shortcut cards. The military-grade watch has a stainless-steel body and Corning Gorilla 9H double-layer glass. It’s designed to withstand water (10ATM), and extreme heat and cold. There’s also another model – the Kospet Magic R10, which is 5ATM waterproof, has a 12-day typical battery life, and also tracks menstrual cycles.
Kospet Tank T4 Smart Watch, $210 at Amazon

Earbuds can help you focus, and also allow others in your home to opt out of your music choices. These earbuds have dual drivers and hi-res audio, and the hybrid active noise cancellation feature lets you drown out external sounds – or let them in. The earbuds are rated to endure sweat and dirt, and have an earhook, so you don’t have to worry about them falling out when you’re working out. Connecting to the app lets you customize settings.
JLab Epic Air Sport ANC 3 Wireless Earbuds, $100/ Sale $65 at Amazon

Unlike earbuds (which go in your ears), bone conduction headphones (also known as open ear headphones, or earphones) sit on the outside of your ears, and transmit sound using vibrations from your temporal bones to your inner ears. This allows you to hear what’s going on around you. The waterproof bone conduction headphones are made of a lightweight silicone and titanium memory alloy, so they’re lightweight and have a 10-hour battery life. There’s a built-in microphone so you can take phone calls.
Creative Outlier Free Pro+ Wireless Bone Conduction Headphones, $90 at Amazon

These sweat-resistant, open-ear earbuds have thin nickel-titanium memory wire ear hooks, so you don’t have to worry about dropping them. The open-ear earbuds are sweat-resistant and coated with a skin-friendly, ultra-soft supramolecular liquid silicone. The active noise cancellation feature blocks out exterior noise, and the battery lasts for 30 hours. The earbuds also glow, making them a good choice if you’re exercising outdoors at night. Connecting to the app lets you view battery life, choose sound modes, and more. Color choices are purple, green, and grey.
ACEFAST Acefit Pro Open-Ear Headphones, $80/ $50 at Amazon

Workout and recovery

You can be comfortable working out – and look good when you leave the house with these high-top sneakers. They have a magic rigid wedge: the footbed provides support and stability while reducing foot fatigue, and also provides cushioning for comfort. The mesh top cover of the rigid wedge provides breathability and moisture management. The breathable canvas is lightweight, breathable, and durable.
P.F. Flyers All-American Retro Black High Top Sneakers, $90 at Amazon

It’s important to stay hydrated when you’re working out at home. This 35-ounce water bottle has a 100% leakproof lid, a stainless-steel straw (to reduce bacteria), and a soft-sip straw that’s gentle on your lips and teeth. The water bottle can keep your beverage cold for over 24 hours. The comfort-grip handle makes the bottle easy to carry, and the swappable silicone sleeve prevents dings and dents to the water bottle. There are over a dozen color choices, including nightfall blue, lilac dust, mocha, onyx leopard, and pineapple.
BrüMate Rise 25oz Water Bottle, $38 at Amazon

If there are pollutants in your drinking water, this BPA-free 22-oz water bottle has a dual filtration system. It has a membrane microfilter (which lasts 1,000 gallons) that protects against Cryptosporidium, pesticides, microplastics, dirt, and more. The carbon filter (which lasts up to 26 gallons) reduces chlorine, odors, and organic chemical matter. Color choices include Icelandic blue, Laguna teal, Kyoto orange, Oxford ivy, and several more options.
Lifestraw Go Series 22 oz Water Bottle, $45/Sale $36 at Amazon

When sweating, you lose more than water. These powdered packets contain magnesium, calcium, potassium, chloride, phosphorus, and sodium, plus vitamin C and zinc. The sugar-free packets are sweetened with stevia leaf extract and infused with real fruit flavors. The ultimate variety pack, which contains 36 packets, lets you try the watermelon, blue raspberry, pink lemonade, passionfruit, orange, lemonade, grape, and cherry pomegranate flavors.
Ultima Ultimate Variety Pack Daily Electrolyte Powder Hydration 36- Packets, $36/ Sale $29 at Amazon

After exercising, you may have some temporary aches and pains. This heating pad relieves sore legs, back pain, shoulder aches, and abdominal cramps. It warms up to 140 degrees F in just seconds. There’s also an option to dampen the heating pad for deeper muscle relief.
Pure Enrichment PureRelief Ultra-Wide Microplush Heating Pad, $50 at Amazon

The post 24 fitness essentials for better at-home workouts first appeared on 6sqft.

Gary Ross, director of Hollywood hits like “The Hunger Games” and “Big,” and his wife, designer Claudia Solti, have just put their Brooklyn townhouse at 197 Clinton Street on the market. Asking $10,600,000, the stately brick home offers 6,474 square feet of living space on six floors, from the private screening room to a top-floor “penthouse” with a patio. Behind its 1850s facade, the home has all the architecture and design features buyers look for in modern townhouse living, without having to change a thing.

Rooms are framed by 12-foot ceilings enhanced by subtle recessed lighting. Refined details like herringbone floors, working fireplaces, and custom storage (there’s even a working dumbwaiter) complement a gracious, light-filled layout.

Up a classic stoop, the parlor floor begins with a classic brownstone living room. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the street below. At the rear, walls of glass frame a formal dining room overlooking the private patio beyond.

On the garden floor, a sleek, European-style kitchen is a natural gathering zone, framed by custom cabinetry and served by a dining island, integrated appliances, and a walk-in pantry. Full-wall glazing leads to a professionally-landscaped outdoor oasis. There is also a guest bedroom on this level.

On the home’s third floor are two bedrooms with en-suite baths. For added convenience, there’s a home office and a laundry room as well.

The fourth floor is home to a luxurious primary suite with a large, lovely bath, a dressing room, and a separate closet. High ceilings, recessed lighting, and designer fixtures enhance even the intimate sleeping spaces.

On the highest floor is a private “penthouse.” This townhouse-topping aerie offers a convenient auxiliary kitchen and a private patio in addition to flexible rooms for living.

On the home’s lowest floor, a “wellness retreat” offers a gym and home theater, served by a spa bathroom with a sauna. This floor also accesses the back patio for outdoor yoga or a post-sauna sunbath.

Located at the border of Brooklyn Heights and Cobble Hill, this turnkey home represents modern townhouse living with all the trimmings. Rare perks like a finished lower level and a top-floor suite (not to mention Hollywood cachet) make this a listing that’s sure to get plenty of attention.

[Listing: 197 Clinton Street at CityRealty]

[At Compass by Marta Maletz and Carl Gambino]

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The post ‘Hunger Games’ director Gary Ross lists his Cobble Hill townhouse for $10.6M first appeared on 6sqft.

New renderings of Fifth Avenue’s tallest residential building were released this week as sales kick off at the condominium. Developed by Five Points Development and designed by Meganom, 262 Fifth Avenue is a 52-story tower in Nomad with only 26 full-floor and duplex residences. In addition to new images, the developer launched a teaser website for the building and announced a new sales team from Sotheby’s International Realty.

About a decade in the works, the super-skinny structure, with a footprint of just 5,000 square feet, will have an incredible observation deck-like rooftop with an infinity pool and exceptional views of Manhattan to the north and south.

Five Points has tapped Nikki Field and Ben Pofcher of the Field Team at Sotheby’s International Realty to lead sales, working in collaboration with Sotheby’s International Realty Development Advisors.

Field and Pofcher previously led sales at 111 West 57th Street, also a skinny skyscraper where 21 residences sold within 18 months after they joined the team in July 2024.

“Positioned on one of the world’s most iconic avenues, this project carries a level of prestige that deeply resonates with today’s selective buyers. What distinguishes this residence is not only its revolutionary architecture and engineering, but its intentional focus on wellness and longevity,” Field said.

Featuring interior design by Norm Architects, the firm’s first New York project, condos at 262 Fifth Avenue are designed to maximize space, light, and privacy. Each home offers column-free interiors with sweeping, uninterrupted views of the Manhattan skyline.

Plans for the supertall were first filed in September 2016 by Israeli-Russian billionaire Boris Kuzinez, who is known for transforming Moscow’s Ostozhenka Street into a “Russian Billionaires’ Row.” Initial plans called for a 54-story, 928-foot mixed-use tower, but the design changed a few times, with the height increasing to over 1,000 feet before being reduced to its current 860 feet.

Two vacant prewar buildings at 262 and 264 Fifth Avenue were demolished to make way for the project, while a historic 12-story structure is being incorporated into the new building’s base.

Amenities include a fitness center, a common terrace, an arched rooftop terrace offering views similar to those enjoyed from the Empire State Building’s Observation Deck, and an infinity pool.

Private showings are set to begin next month. Pricing will start at $7.5 million for full-floor units, $8.75 million for mezzanine residences, and $18 million for duplex residences.

“Realized by a highly integrated team across architecture, design and engineering, the building reflects both design brilliance and a forward-thinking approach to sustainable, responsible living,” Kuzinez said in a statement.

“As we near completion, we will begin engaging a select group of buyers, presenting a limited and highly considered residential offering.”

When the building topped out in 2024, some New Yorkers criticized the tower for blocking long-cherished views. According to the New York Times, 262 Fifth Avenue obstructs views of the Empire State Building from the pedestrian plaza just south of Madison Square Park.

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• 262 Fifth Avenue, the tallest tower between Empire State Building and One WTC, gets new details
• Moscow-based Meganom reveals designs for 1,001-foot skinny supertall in Nomad
• Skyline-altering tower to rise 928 feet along Fifth Avenue in Nomad

The post New look at Fifth Avenue’s tallest residential tower, 262 Fifth Ave first appeared on 6sqft.

In celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month, Village Preservation has launched an interactive map charting a century of jazz history across Greenwich Village, the East Village, and Noho. Released on Wednesday, the map allows users to explore more than 100 sites, including music venues, recording studios, and artists’ residences across the three neighborhoods, along with historical context for each location.

“We’re thrilled to provide this never-before-available resource that commemorates the century-long history of jazz in our neighborhoods and connects the public to the key role our neighborhoods played in popularizing and shaping this music,” Andrew Berman, executive director of Village Preservation, said.

“As we celebrate jazz in April and 250 years of American achievements in 2026, this map shows the remarkable impact that musicians, recording studios, and performance venues located in these neighborhoods had in transforming and propelling forward this quintessentially American art form.”

The history of the three Lower Manhattan neighborhoods is closely intertwined with the development of jazz, as nightclubs across the area introduced the music to new audiences and served as key spaces for the genre’s evolution.

Many legendary jazz musicians made these neighborhoods their home and, thanks to their proximity and abundance of venues, collaborated on projects that helped shape jazz history.

The map builds on this legacy by highlighting local venues, recording studios, archives, and musicians who lived in the area. Each entry includes images, audio samples, and descriptions of the role these places and individuals played in the development of jazz.

Users can search entries by musician, venue, style, or decade to focus on specific eras, or build customized tours based on their interests. These tools allow users to explore how the jazz movement unfolded across the neighborhoods and how the music evolved from the 1920s through the 1980s.

While the three neighborhoods have changed significantly over time, many venues remain in operation. The map includes a filter highlighting current sites, underscoring jazz’s continued presence in the Village.

Some of the highlighted entries include Charlie Parker’s townhouse at 151 Avenue B; Café Society at 2 Sheridan Square, considered the first integrated club in the country and the venue where Billie Holiday debuted her signature song “Strange Fruit”; and the home of George Gershwin at 91 Second Avenue, where he wrote dozens of jazz standards.

Also included on the map is the Columbia Phonograph Company at 55 Fifth Avenue, where producer John Hammond oversaw Billie Holiday’s first recording session, early hits by Benny Goodman, and one of the first integrated recording sessions in history.

While Lower Manhattan was home to many influential jazz figures, the genre’s pioneers also had a strong presence in Queens. In September 2024, Flushing Town Hall released the Digital Queens Jazz Trail Map, highlighting 125 jazz legends who once called the borough home. The map also features key sites such as the Louis Armstrong House Museum and the Black American Heritage Foundation’s Music History Archive.

The map also joins dozens of other interactive maps created by Village Preservation, which shed light on the history of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo. Other projects document important sites connected to hip-hop, women’s suffrage, and civil rights and social justice movements.

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The post Explore 100 years of jazz history in the Village with this new interactive map first appeared on 6sqft.

Diesel-powered refrigeration units that have long emitted air pollution in the Bronx will be replaced by cleaner models, funded by revenue from New York City’s congestion pricing program. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday announced 20 diesel-powered transport refrigeration units (TRUs) at the Hunts Point Produce Market will be replaced with cleaner diesel and hybrid units, which are projected to cut annual particulate matter emissions by 99.7 percent and nitrogen oxide by 66 percent. Replacing just one diesel-powered TRU with a newer model eliminates the equivalent particulate matter emissions of 330 truck trips per day on the Cross Bronx Expressway.

“Congestion pricing has been a once-in-a-lifetime success story, leading to cleaner air, better transit, and faster and safer traffic throughout the city,” Hochul said. “We knew that to do this right, we had to bring real air quality improvements directly to parts of NYC that have been neglected for far too long.”

“These new refrigeration units will be a game changer for Hunts Point market, with air quality improvements equivalent to removing thousands of truck trips on our roads every day, making the Bronx’s air cleaner and improving quality of life.”

The TRU replacements are part of the mitigation package included in the environmental assessment for congestion pricing. Under the program, drivers entering Manhattan below 60th Street pay a base toll of $9, a fee designed to discourage vehicle travel through the borough’s central business district and reduce traffic, as 6sqft previously reported.

The city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) has been accepting new units on a rolling basis since December, when the first was delivered. An additional 75 units are slated for replacement this year, with $15 million allocated for the air quality initiative.

Marking the first major mitigation investment funded by congestion pricing, the effort builds on environmental gains linked to the toll system. In 2025, more than 27 million fewer vehicles entered Manhattan’s congestion relief zone, contributing to improved air quality, reduced noise, and fewer pedestrian accidents.

On any given day, about 73,000 fewer vehicles are entering the zone, an average decline of 11 percent. Officials also said concerns about increased traffic in the Bronx have not materialized.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority and project sponsors are in the last stages of developing the final mitigation plan required under the program’s environmental review process. The plan will outline specific locations for each mitigation measure, as well as the allocation of funds. It is slated for release this spring.

Roughly 70 percent of funds set aside for mitigation measures under “place-based mitigation” will be invested in the Bronx.

In addition to the TRUs, other initiatives include a $20 million Bronx Asthma Initiative, a $20 million effort to expand electric truck charging infrastructure, $20 million for the NYC Clean Trucks Program, $10 million for roadside vegetation, $10 million for installing air filtration units in NYC and Newark schools near highways, and $5 million to expand the DOT’s Off-Hours Delivery Program.

Congestion pricing recently secured a legal victory over the federal government after the Trump administration sought to end the toll system. In March, a judge ruled that U.S. Transportation (U.S. DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy’s move to terminate the program was “arbitrary and capricious.” The MTA filed suit against the U.S. DOT in February 2025 to block the effort, allowing the program to continue operating indefinitely

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The post Congestion pricing funds major air quality upgrades at Bronx’s Hunts Point Market first appeared on 6sqft.

On one of the neighborhood’s coveted 131-foot-deep lots, what was once a 19th-century carriage house and stable at 497 Saint Johns Place has been re-created by its architect owners as a modern sanctuary. Asking $5,895,000, the Crown Heights property hosts 4,000 square feet of live/work space that includes a separate guest house and spa and a two-car garage with a lift, all just minutes from Prospect Park.

All living spaces have been designed for 21st-century living, with a level of warmth and sustainability rarely seen in renovated city townhouses. Rooms are framed by radiant-heated, wide-plank walnut floors, yellow leaf heart pine beams, reclaimed sequoia, exposed brick, hot-rolled steel, and Venetian plaster.

The 25-foot-wide, 50-foot-deep main residence begins on the ground floor, anchored by a sculptural floating wooden staircase. A rear den gets plenty of light from tall Loewen windows and added warmth from a cast-iron wood-burning stove. Wood-framed glass doors open onto the home’s private back garden.

On the second floor, a bespoke kitchen features walnut cabinetry and a ceiling of pressed tin. At its heart is a wood-fired pizza oven.

On the top floor are three bedrooms and two baths. Bathrooms feature architects’ additions like hidden slot drains and a vintage copper tub.

At the back of the extra-long yard is the surprise of a 25-foot-wide custom-built guesthouse. This unusual space consists of two wings. On one side is a garden-facing studio; on the other is a Japanese-inspired spa with a steam room, open shower, and radiant-heated floor.

Behind the scenes, the future-ready home has been outfitted with zoned HVAC, on-demand hot water, a new insulated roof, underground utilities, and a climate-controlled wine cellar. A two-car garage makes use of a lift. There is also substantial unused FAR for the home’s next owners to expand the property.

[Listing details: 497 Saint John’s Place at CityRealty]

[At The Corcoran Group by Linda Peng and Dwayne Powell]

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The post For $5.9M, this architect-designed former Crown Heights carriage house has a guest studio and garage first appeared on 6sqft.

An Upper East Side townhouse tied to late fashion designer Oleg Cassini has sold for $34.5 million, bringing a years-long legal and bankruptcy battle to a close. The five-story home at 15 East 63rd Street was at the center of a high-profile dispute involving Cassini’s widow, Marianne Nestor, and her sister, Peggy Nestor, who filed for bankruptcy in 2023 after creditors moved to foreclose on the Beaux Arts limestone townhouse. The pair had filed, and lost, nearly 20 court appeals to delay the case and keep the residence, according to Crain’s.

The contentious legal battle stems from the 1984 purchase of the townhouse, which came 12 years after Marianne’s secret marriage to Cassini. Cassini is best known for designing Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’ signature “pillbox-topped” look while she was first lady. He had a studio in the townhouse until his death in 2006 at age 92, according to Business Insider.

When Cassini died, a lengthy legal battle over his estate began and continues today. In 2016, a surrogate Long Island judge removed Marianne as executor, citing mismanagement, which she denied. Cassini’s clothing and perfume lines were also ordered into receivership.

According to a 2024 court filing, Marianne owes more than $133 million in civil judgments. The widow was also imprisoned for refusing to comply with court orders. As the litigation continued, additional debts accumulated against the townhouse.

In 2023, one day before a state judge scheduled the property for sale to cover $17 million in mortgage arrears, Peggy filed for bankruptcy, delaying the process. Though they initially agreed to sell the home, the sisters later sued their attorney, arguing they were too old to be evicted and that they were protected under New York rent-stabilization laws. The argument was rejected multiple times in federal bankruptcy court and by appellate judges.

Marianne sought to create a “litigation cloud,” Albert Togut, a lawyer who served as trustee for the estate, told Crain’s. This was intended to dissuade prospective buyers from moving forward with the sale and keep the home for themselves. The widow filed and lost nearly 20 appeals over the course of the foreclosure case. At one point, the sisters’ attorney withdrew from the case, and they proceeded without representation.

The sisters were evicted from the home two years ago by U.S. Marshals, who also changed the locks to prevent their reentry.

Last month, bankruptcy Judge Michael Wiles approved the final liquidation plan for the home, rejecting a request by the sisters to match the buyer’s $34.5 million cash offer after they failed to demonstrate they had the funds.

The home first hit the market in 2024 for $65 million, represented by Sotheby’s. Togut later hired Brown Harris Stevens to relist the property, which went on the market for $39.5 million last January. The buyer acquired the property through the entity 63rd St Townhouse LLC and plans to live in the home, Crain’s reported.

Judge Wiles approved the bankruptcy sale on March 13. The case was closed on March 26 by Judge Jesse Furman of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, who oversaw the proceedings.

Constructed in 1901 for financier and philanthropist Elias Asiel, the more than 11,000-square-foot home was designed by prominent architect John H. Duncan, who also designed Grant’s Tomb in Morningside Heights, as 6sqft previously reported.

The building’s limestone facade features floral garlands, arched windows, and three terraces beneath a copper mansard roof, including two rooftop terraces with stunning city views.

On the first floor, an entrance gallery with gleaming white marble floors is framed by 12-foot ceilings. At its center, a curved marble staircase leads to glass-paneled doors opening into a circular dining room with herringbone floors and a fireplace.

The second floor is anchored by a gallery with 17-foot ceilings and decorative moldings and cartouches. This level also includes a terrace, a conservatory, and a wood-paneled library with ornate detailing.

The third floor contains a sitting room and the primary bedroom, which features a fireplace and an en-suite bathroom beneath 12-foot ceilings. The fourth floor offers additional bedrooms and a sitting room, all with fireplaces. The fifth floor features a double-height sitting room that opens to the level above and is lit by two arched windows. Two bedrooms share an adjacent kitchenette.

On the top level is another bedroom with an en-suite bath. Double doors open onto a large terrace with panoramic Manhattan views.

[Listing details: 15 East 63rd Street at CityRealty]

[At Brown Harris Stevens by Sami Hassoumi]

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The post Oleg Cassini’s former UES mansion sells for $34.5M after lengthy bankruptcy battle first appeared on 6sqft.

MoMA PS1 is hosting a free block party next month to celebrate its 50th anniversary, bringing live music, food, and special programming to its longtime home in Long Island City. The event will take place across the museum’s plaza, courtyard, and galleries on Saturday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and include curator-led talks, artist activations, performances, and offerings from local food vendors. The celebration coincides with the opening weekend of “Greater New York,” the museum’s signature survey of working NYC artists, which highlights more than 50 multidisciplinary creatives in the early stages of their careers.

Graffiti artist and painter Lady Pink, the Ecuadorian-born, Astoria-raised creative whose work has transformed subway cars, city walls, and galleries, will lead three mural workshops at 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. The 10:30 a.m. session is recommended for families with children ages 10 and older, the 12:30 p.m. session is open to all ages, and the 2:30 p.m. session is geared toward teens.

At 4 p.m., Red Canary Song, a grassroots collective of migrant massage workers, sex workers, and Asian diaspora allies, will present a screening of “Fly in Power,” a film that follows members of the community and highlights their work around care, survival, and organizing in response to incarceration and anti-trafficking systems.

A panel discussion with organizers from Red Canary Song and Centro Corona will follow the screening.

Other participating organizations include Discolocas NYC Fiesta Club, FAD Market, the Lower Eastside Girls Club, Make the Road, Malikah, Nuevayorkinos, Queens Night Market, Queensboro Dance Festival, Queensbridge Photo Collective, and St. James Joy.

During the block party, visitors can also experience the opening weekend of the museum’s “Greater New York” exhibition. Organized for the first time by MoMA PS1’s full curatorial team, the survey of NYC artists features site-specific commissions, new works, performances, and recent pieces addressing contemporary cultural issues.

This year’s exhibition focuses on the forces shaping daily life in NYC, as well as strategies of resistance and adaptation in response to heightened surveillance, economic uncertainty, and evolving technology.

MoMA PS1 is also hosting a range of special programs and celebrations for its 50th anniversary. This year, the museum launched free admission for all visitors for three years, made possible by a $900,000 gift from art collector Sonya Yu. Admission has been free for New Yorkers since 2015 and suggested for all other visitors.

In addition to “Greater New York,” programming includes a major outdoor commission by Precious Okoyomon in the courtyard, a historic survey of Black artists working in abstraction, an archival exhibition examining the history of fashion at PS1, a publication tied to the museum’s Homeroom program, and the first U.S. survey of Teresa Margolles, organized in collaboration with the Museum of Modern Art.

Their anniversary year also includes a special season of Warm Up, the museum’s signature summer music series, as well as the 50th Anniversary Gala honoring founder Alanna Heiss and former MoMA director Glenn Lowry.

Admission to the block party is free. Reserve a spot here.

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The post MoMA PS1 to host free block party for 50th anniversary first appeared on 6sqft.

A vacant two-story Midtown South commercial building will become a 32-story residential tower, marking the first permits filed in New York City for a high-density development under new zoning laws. On Monday, Sioni Group filed plans to construct a 95-unit apartment building at 28 West 37th Street, the commercial building the group applied to demolish in February, according to Crain’s. The project is the first to take advantage of the R-12 high-density zoning, introduced after the state lifted the floor area ratio (FAR) cap to allow greater residential density.

According to the city’s Department of City Planning, the permits filed by Sioni Group mark the first for a high-density R12 apartment building.

“For decades, the FAR cap limited the size of new buildings. Now, with the cap repealed & Midtown South Plan in place, two stories on 37th St will become 32 — with permanently affordable housing,” the agency wrote in a post on X.

Sioni Group plans to build an approximately 86,000-square-foot mixed-use building at the site, which would include 95 apartments, about 450 square feet of commercial space, and a 20-foot rear yard. C3D Architecture’s Damir Sehic is listed as the architect of record.

The new R-12 districts were created under former Mayor Eric Adams’ “City of Yes” housing plan, passed by the City Council in December 2024. After the state lifted the 12 FAR cap for residential buildings, the landmark zoning overhaul introduced citywide reforms aimed at boosting housing production, including the creation of the R-11 and R-12 districts, which allow for high-density development with floor area ratio (FAR) caps of 15 and 18, respectively.

The project also falls within the broader Midtown South Mixed-Use (MSMX) plan, which rezones 42 blocks, allowing for approximately 9,500 new homes. The rezoning spans four quadrants of Midtown between 23rd and 40th Streets and 5th and 8th Avenues, an area home to more than 7,000 businesses and 135,000 jobs.

Office-to-residential conversions, another key tool in the MSMX plan, are expected to add roughly 781 homes, according to The Real Deal.

As 6sqft previously reported, the first residential project coming to Midtown South following the rezoning is an office-to-residential conversion at 29 West 35th Street. Developers will turn the century-old building into 107 studio apartments, with 27 designated affordable via the 467-m tax abatement program.

RELATED:

• Midtown office tower to become 107 studio apartments, first major conversion under rezoning
• City Council approves Midtown South rezoning, unlocking 9,500 new homes

The post Two-story Midtown South building to become 32-story tower with 95 apartments first appeared on 6sqft.

After a seven-year sober spell, Staten Island Ferry riders can once again booze on board. Last week, the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced that beer, hard seltzers, and canned cocktails will be sold on the ferry for the first time since 2019, alongside expanded snack options like pretzels and popcorn. The offerings debuted on the MV SSG Michael H. Ollis and are slated to roll out to the Sandy Ground and Dorothy Day ferries in the coming weeks.

Alcohol sales were halted in 2019 after a vendor contract lapsed and were further delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic, which many feared would end the tradition for good, as reported by the New York Times.

In December 2024, DOT resumed onboard food service with coffee and snacks. The expanded menu is intended to further enhance the passenger experience, giving riders a way to unwind during their trip.

“Whether you’re a Staten Islander commuting home after a long work day or a visitor taking in the harbor views, the Staten Island Ferry is not just a critical piece of city infrastructure, it is an experience,” Jeanny Pak, interim president of the city’s Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), said.

The Staten Island Ferry is the largest municipal ferry service in the United States, carrying more than 16 million riders annually and roughly 45,000 on an average weekday. The city’s NYC Ferry already serves alcohol on board.

Unlike most transit options, the Staten Island Ferry remains one of the few in New York without an admission fee, offering free rides to all passengers. Heavily subsidized by the city, the ferry is not designed to generate revenue.

The city signed a 10-year lease agreement with the ferry’s new vendor, a Dunkin’ franchise, which is paying the city $27,000 per month to operate the concessions, according to the Times.

In a statement, Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton said the return of alcohol sales will help increase ridership and energize the service.

“Countless Staten Island residents and visitors utilize the ferry daily, and the return of on-board alcoholic beverage sales is a great initiative to get riders excited about utilizing this transportation service, helping increase ridership and generating revenue for a Staten Island staple,” said Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton.

“Thank you to all who played a role in the return of this long-awaited service. I’m looking forward to enjoying a cold beer to partake in a time-honored tradition.”

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• NYC breaks ground on Bronx crosstown bus service upgrades around Yankee Stadium

The post Booze is back on board the Staten Island Ferry first appeared on 6sqft.

Work has begun on the second phase of a long-awaited Upper West Side development offering affordable homes for low-income and formerly homeless seniors. On Friday, the West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing (WSFSSH) announced the start of the second phase of its West 108 development, an 84-unit permanently supportive housing project at 105 West 108th Street. The 22 studios and 61 one-bedrooms will be set aside for seniors ages 62 and older earning at or below 50 percent of the area median income, as well as adults ages 55 and older who have experienced homelessness and are living with serious mental health or substance use disorders.

First announced in 2016, the development replaces a city-owned, long-vacant parking garage. Some residents contested the project for removing affordable parking from the neighborhood, but the building received approvals in 2018.

The project’s first phase, the Valley Lodge, opened in October 2022. The 193,000-square-foot complex at 145 West 108th Street includes on-site supportive services, a range of amenities, and 199 homes for low-income families and formerly homeless seniors.

Designed by Dattner Architects to meet Passive House energy standards, the new building will achieve a 30 percent reduction in energy use compared to a typical NYC residential building.

Residents will benefit from on-site social services, property management, a 24/7 staffed front desk, a community room, a landscaped rear yard, and communal laundry facilities. The building is also located near public transit, NYC older adult centers, and the adjacent Aníbal Avilés Park.

Tenants will pay no more than 30 percent of their income in rent through project-based Section 8 vouchers. Of the 83 units, 40 are set aside for formerly unhoused individuals through the city’s Department of Homeless Services and the Human Resources Administration.

The remaining 43 units will be available through NYC Housing Connect, the city’s affordable housing lottery system. The project’s first phase launched a lottery for 79 affordable apartments, which received more than 60,000 applications.

WSFSSH at West 108 addresses the city’s ongoing shortage of affordable senior housing. More than 520,000 applications are currently on file citywide, including about 300,000 people on waitlists for subsidized apartments, according to a 2024 report by LiveOn NY. 

“With the average rents in Manhattan hitting $5,000 for the first time, it has never been so important to create deeply affordable, supportive housing for older New Yorkers,” NYC Comptroller Mark Levine said.

“I have long supported this project, because WSFSSH at West 108 will help ensure that seniors—including those who have experienced homelessness—can age with dignity, stability, and access to the care they deserve. WSFSSH continues to lead the way in showing how thoughtful investment can strengthen communities and change lives.”

The project is financed through a subsidy from the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development under the Senior Affordable Rental Apartments program, and a discretionary capital award from Levine and Council Member Shaun Abreu.

Additional funding sources include a construction loan from JPMorgan Chase, a Freddie Mac forward commitment from Bellwether Enterprise, and equity from Enterprise Community Partners and the HPD-NYSERDA Future Housing Initiative.

The project will also receive 9 percent federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and 83 Section 8 project-based vouchers covering all rental units, along with funding from the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Homeless Housing Assistance Program.

RELATED:

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The post Upper West Side affordable senior housing project breaks ground first appeared on 6sqft.

Rolex on Monday announced its new 30-story flagship at 665 Fifth Avenue will open this fall. Inspired by the watch brand’s signature fluted bezel, the building, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Sir David Chipperfield, will feature a stacked facade with four terraces at each step-back. The 165,000-square-foot building will include a multi-level Rolex retail space, topped by office floors and additional retail tenants, along with amenities such as a restaurant and event space.

Chipperfield, who designed the condominium The Bryant in 2017, won a competition to rebuild the U.S. Rolex headquarters in 2019. The new tower replaces the 12-story building occupied by the company since the 1970s.

Situated on the southeast corner of Fifth Avenue and East 53rd Street, the Rolex Building features a stacked design composed of five volumes and four terraces at each setback. The New York Post first reported the building’s fall opening.

“In a city of towers, we have enjoyed the challenge of designing the new Rolex tower. With this project we hope to make our own contribution embodying Rolex’s values of precision, quality, and innovation as fundamental principles integrated into every aspect of the building—from its form and silhouette to its structure, materials, and the way it is built,” Chipperfield said.

Targeting LEED and WELL Platinum certifications, the project will feature all-electric operations along with on-site rainwater and greywater recycling systems. A double-skin facade improves thermal performance, and an advanced heating and cooling system circulates temperature-controlled water through ceiling pipes.

Rolex will share the office floors with Angeles Wealth Management, which will establish its first New York office in the tower.

In a statement, Luca Bernasconi, CEO of Rolex Watch U.S.A., Inc., said the tower reflects Rolex’s “clear commitment” to the city.

“New York City and Fifth Avenue, in particular, have long been crucial to Rolex in the US. The Rolex Building at 665 Fifth Avenue is a clear expres­sion of our enduring commitment to this city: a beautiful example of modern architecture that will serve our team and tenants, as well as welcome clients for decades to come.”

Bernasconi added: “Sir David Chipperfield’s design captures the excellence, precision, and longev­ity that define Rolex, while setting a new standard for an exceptional workplace experience in the heart of Midtown.”

The Rolex Building is one of several luxury fashion brands developing new flagships on Fifth Avenue. As 6sqft previously reported, Prada plans to build a mixed-use tower at 724 Fifth Avenue, with a store at its base, with company offices and condominiums above.

Last fall, Louis Vuitton filed plans for a 25-story tower at 1 East 57th Street, replacing its existing 20-story building. In 2024, as Curbed reported, the Kering Group, which owns Gucci, Balenciaga, and Alexander McQueen, signed a deal to buy the retail portion at 715-717 Fifth Avenue for $963 million.

“It’s become an arms race. It’s not good enough to have a Champs-Élysées or Fifth Avenue address; it has to be a flagship with suitable prominence to stand for the brand,” Mark A. Cohen, the director of retail studies at Columbia Business School, told Curbed in 2024.

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Etihad Park, New York City’s first-ever professional soccer stadium in Queens, topped out this week. The NYC Football Club (NYCFC) laid the final steel beam on Wednesday, completing the 25,000-seat stadium’s frame on schedule after construction began in December 2024. Developed by NYCFC, Related Companies, and Sterling Equities and designed by HOK, the seven-story, fully electric stadium is expected to open for the 2027–28 Major League Soccer season as NYCFC’s official home in the five boroughs.

“Etihad Park represents everything we envisioned for soccer in the largest market in the country—a world-class, fan-first stadium that will elevate NYCFC and Major League Soccer,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said.

“This is a transformational project that will be a cathedral for the sport, an anchor in the city’s sports landscape, and an inspiration for the next generation of players and fans across New York. The impact of this stadium will be felt for decades to come.”

Located across from Citi Field, the stadium will feature a striking, “activated cube” entranceway, which will be illuminated on match days with vibrant colors and imagery to provide a dynamic experience for visitors. S9 Architecture and Turner Construction Company are design and construction partners on the project, as 6sqft previously reported.

Etihad Park will be the first fully electric stadium in Major League Soccer and the first fully electric professional sports venue in NYC. Its $780 million construction is fully financed by NYCFC and built entirely with union labor. The city will lease the land to the soccer club and its development partners for 49 years, with an option to extend the lease by an additional 25 years.

When it opens, it will be operated by unions 32BJ and UNITE HERE Local 100. Since breaking ground in 2024, the project has employed more than 300 Queens residents.

Wednesday’s topping-out ceremony included a tree placed atop the final beam, following a centuries-old tradition symbolizing growth, resilience, and good fortune for the building and its visitors.

“Today marks an important milestone towards finally giving New York soccer fans our own stadium,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.

“I want to thank all of the workers who have gotten us to this point, including the more than 300 hard-working men and women from Queens who have been hired on this project. Etihad Park represents more than just a soccer stadium—it’s the type of project we want to see: fully electric and union-made by and for New Yorkers.”

Etihad Park is a central piece of the broader Willets Point redevelopment, which is transforming a neighborhood long known for junkyards and decades of disinvestment into a sprawling mixed-use community.

The project will include 2,500 housing units across multiple buildings, 1,400 of which will be subsidized or below-market rate, making it the largest affordable housing development in NYC in four decades.

The second phase of the redevelopment will add a 650-seat public school, 40,000 square feet of public open space, retail space, and a 250-key hotel, as 6sqft previously reported.

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The Rent Guidelines Board (RGB), the nine-member group that decides annual rent adjustments for New York City’s one million stabilized apartments, kicked off its annual review of economic conditions for both landlords and tenants this week. During the first of many sessions before a final vote on rent changes this summer, the board on Thursday released a report detailing the 2024 incomes and expenses of the city’s rent-stabilized housing stock. According to the data, the net operating income (NOI), or the amount of revenue landlords received after operating costs, rose 6.2 percent between 2023 and 2024 citywide, the third year in a row that NOI increased.

According to the report, NOI increased at different rates across the boroughs. On Staten Island, landlords of rent-stabilized units saw incomes increase by 15.1 percent, in the “core” of Manhattan, west of 110th Street and south of East 96th Street, by 10 percent, and in Upper Manhattan, by 9.1 percent.

Landlords in Brooklyn and Queens saw increases of 4.4 percent and 6.8 percent, respectively. In the Bronx, NOI fell by 0.1 percent.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani made freezing the rent a central pledge of his campaign last year, and in February, he appointed six members to the RGB, a step toward making his promise a reality. The board consists of two members to represent tenant interests, two to represent owner interests, and five members to represent the general public.

As mayor, Mamdani has refrained from explicitly saying the board should freeze the rent, since the members operate independently. But in a video posted on social media on Thursday following the board’s first meeting, the mayor encouraged tenants to testify at public meetings.

“You probably know how I feel about what should happen to the rent, but this is the chance to have your voices heard by the people who make the final decision,” Mamdani said.

Sumathy Kumar, the director of NYS Tenant Bloc, which formed last year to organize on behalf of tenants across the state, said the new data shows the need for a rent freeze.

“A rent freeze is the common sense first step to making sure that the New Yorkers who keep this city running aren’t priced out of our homes,” Kumar said. “Tenants are the majority of New York City and we are ready to win the rent freeze we deserve.”

But property owners said that NOI is a “flawed metric” for small rent-stabilized buildings as it does not factor in mortgage debt and major capital expenses. Plus, profits are lower for older buildings with a majority of stabilized apartments, in contrast to those with a mix of stabilized and market-rate rentals.

According to the report, income increased 4 percent in buildings with 50 percent stabilized apartments, 3.5 percent in buildings with 80 percent stabilized, and 2.4 percent in buildings with 100 percent stabilized units.

The study found 9 percent of buildings to be distressed, meaning the owner is losing income, slightly down from the year prior, with a vast majority of distressed properties built prior to 1974.

“This data is an average, so just imagine the thousands of small properties that are operating in the red,” Ann Korchak, board president of Small Property Owners of New York (SPONY), said in a statement.

“We need a more accurate and transparent analysis that uses more timely information and reflects the economic distress of small property owners.”

Last year, the board voted to raise rents by 3 percent for one-year leases and 4.5 percent for two-year leases, the fourth consecutive year of rent increases.

The board will release more reports and hold more public hearings in the coming weeks ahead of a preliminary vote on rent adjustments in May. See the schedule of meetings here.

RELATED:

• NYC rent freeze likely: Mamdani announces six appointees to Rent Guidelines Board
• Rent Guidelines Board approves increase up to 4.5 percent for stabilized apartments

The post Landlord income up 6 percent as board considers rent adjustments for NYC’s stabilized apartments first appeared on 6sqft.

New York City this week launched another new street safety project ahead of the FIFA World Cup this summer. Starting in April, the city will fully separate the cyclist and pedestrian entrances to the Brooklyn Bridge in Manhattan for the first time, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Friday. Dedicated cyclist and pedestrian entrances from Centre Street and Park Row will allow bike riders to access the bridge without cutting through crowds. Slated for completion in June, the redesign will also convert a left-turn bay on Centre Street between Chambers Street and the bridge entrance into a two-way protected bike lane.

The DOT first proposed the plan in September 2024 under former Mayor Eric Adams, but it was never implemented, according to Streetsblog.

A protected bike lane installed in 2021 at the bridge’s approach has become a popular route, nearly doubling daily rides from 2,652 in 2021 to 5,625 in 2025. The new plan aims to fix a key oversight: cyclists currently must make a tight turn into pedestrian traffic as they exit the lane from the bridge.

At Friday’s press conference announcing the project, Mamdani emphasized both the safety benefits and enhancements to the iconic bridge.

“This is an experience that too many New Yorkers have had when they’re looking to take the healthiest way to cross this bridge—one that comes at the expense of their peace of mind, sanity, and sometimes their safety,” Mamdani said.

“Today, we are meeting that challenge and delivering for New Yorkers to ensure that this continues to be a bridge that we can not only take in as a stunning view, but also one that we can easily and seamlessly cross,” he added.

The project is expected to be completed before the July tournament, joining a series of similar street safety improvements that the city has undertaken to better accommodate the projected surge of visitors this summer.

On Thursday, DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn announced work in Noho, the East Village, and Union Square to create a continuous north-south bike connection from the Brooklyn Bridge to Astor Place and Union Square, with the most significant upgrades set to be finished before the tournament.

Last week, the DOT announced a redesign of West 34th to West 50th Streets along Ninth Avenue in Hell’s Kitchen, a notoriously congested stretch expected to see even more sidewalk overcrowding in July. The project will expand pedestrian space, widen the protected bike lane, and extend and repaint the bus lane to 50th Street.

“As we prepare for millions of visitors this summer for the World Cup, New Yorkers can expect a number of permanent improvements to our streetscapes that will make our streets safer and more accessible long after the tournament ends,” Maya Handa, the city’s World Cup Czar, said in a press release.

“Our goal is to ensure that whether it’s through improved streets or neighborhood activations throughout the summer, all New Yorkers benefit from the World Cup.”

The initiative is also part of a broader push by Mamdani to revive street safety projects delayed or shelved under Adams. In January, Mamdani announced the DOT would move forward with its original plan to install protected bike lanes along Greenpoint’s McGuinness Boulevard, a proposal previously scaled back amid allegations of bribery.

He has also restarted the redesign of Astoria’s 31st Street to add a partially protected bike lane and will move ahead with a long-delayed plan to give buses a dedicated lane along Madison Avenue from 23rd to 42nd Streets.

RELATED:

• New protected two-way bike lane will connect the Brooklyn Bridge and Union Square
• NYC breaks ground on Bronx crosstown bus service upgrades around Yankee Stadium
• NYC begins redesign of Ninth Avenue in Hell’s Kitchen

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A longtime advocate for New York City’s street vendors will now represent the small businesses at City Hall. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Monday officially launched the Office of Street Vendor Services and appointed Carina Kaufman-Gutierrez, co-director of the Street Vendor Project at the Urban Justice Center, as its first executive director. As part of the Department of Small Business Services, the new office will conduct outreach to the city’s roughly 23,000 street vendors and educate them on local laws and the permitting process. Legislation reforming street vending that passed the City Council last year mandated the creation of the new office.

Kaufman-Gutierrez has spent seven years advocating on behalf of street vendors, conducting outreach to understand their concerns with the city’s policies while keeping them informed about an often complex network of local vending laws, according to Gothamist.

Most recently, she served as co-director of the Street Vendor Project at the Urban Justice Center, an advocacy group. She frequently visited vending hot spots, handing out fliers and using tools like measuring tapes to ensure vendors’ stands met size requirements and were positioned at the required distance from driveways and crosswalks to avoid fines and tickets.

“Street vendors have long fought for both recognition and support from city government, and I’m honored to join SBS and the Administration in centering the needs of our city’s smallest businesses at Office of Street Vendor Services,” Kaufman-Gutierrez said.

“Together with street vendors, interagency partners, community-based organizations, and local stakeholders at the table, we can build a more vibrant, and equitable street vending ecosystem across the five boroughs.”

Kaufman-Gutierrez’s new role comes at a time when the city’s street vending system is undergoing significant change. According to the New York Times, while the city has more than 20,000 vendors, there are only 6,880 permits and 853 general vendor licenses, figures that have barely changed since 1979.

Last December, the Council passed a legislative package aimed at cutting through the red tape and bureaucracy that have long hampered the permitting process, measures Kaufman-Gutierrez advocated for during her time at the Street Vendor Project.

One of the bills makes an additional 22,000 supervisory licenses available annually from 2026 through 2031 and creates 10,500 new general vending licenses in 2027.

The Council overrode Adams’ veto of the legislation in January, which he issued on his last day in office.

The legislation also builds on a similar policy passed in July that decriminalized most street vending violations in NYC, removing misdemeanor penalties for general and food vendors and reducing them to civil offenses. Under Adams, officers issued more than 9,300 tickets to vendors in 2024, more than double the total in 2023, as 6sqft previously reported.

Despite the law, The City reported that some street vendors are still receiving criminal summonses for violations, suggesting the NYPD has not fully trained officers on the new policy.

According to the Street Vendor Project, seven summonses were issued to five vendors in Manhattan and Brooklyn for violations including failing to display a license or food prices and operating too close to a bus stop, curb, or hydrant—all of which should be treated as civil offenses under the new law.

In a statement to The City, an NYPD spokesperson said the department is “continuing to train officers on the change in the law,” but noted that the new policy “does not entirely prohibit the issuance of criminal court summonses for unlicensed general vending,” adding that repeat offenders could still face criminal charges.

With Kaufman-Gutierrez’s appointment, Mamdani said he hopes to “fundamentally transform” the relationship between street vendors and the city, helping their work “thrive” instead of making it harder.

“Our street vendors are not a problem to solve—they are a community to support. They feed us, employ us, and give our streets life at every hour,” Mamdani said. “Many New Yorkers’ fondest memories are of grabbing late-night food at their local taco truck or halal cart. But City Hall has too often made their work harder instead of helping it thrive. That changes now.”

“With this office and with Carina’s leadership, we will fundamentally transform the relationship that street vendors have with the city,” he added. “By streamlining bureaucracy and working closely with street vendors themselves, we can lower costs for vendors and their customers alike.”

RELATED:

• NYC passes landmark street vendor reform, including expanding permit cap
• NYC street vendor advocates push to lift cap on licenses after Adams veto
• New legislation ends criminal penalties for NYC street vendors

The post Mamdani launches new office to support NYC street vendors first appeared on 6sqft.

This 12-acre estate at 19 Winfield Avenue in Harrison is currently owned by Drew Barrymore, but her influence goes beyond just celebrity cachet. The actress, producer, director, and talk show host curated every detail of the three homes on the property as part of her Beautiful by Drew design brand. Asking $4,995,000, the estate’s living spaces have an unusual level of considered charm. The property contains five lots, any of which can be sold off for additional income. In addition to the historic main house, the estate includes a guest house and a pool house, surrounded by a combination of wooded land, lawns, and landscaped gardens.

Barrymore wanted both a more convenient home base for commuting to Manhattan for her talk show and more time with nature.

“I had desperately wanted a place outside the city because I had been working for years at this point inside of a studio with no windows,” she told Rue in an interview published earlier this month. “I’m from California, and I just had this urge to find nature.”

She paid $4.4 million for the property in 2024 and spent two years completing a renovation, which turned out to be a much bigger project than anticipated. By the time the renovation wrapped up, the actress realized her family’s needs had changed, and she decided to sell, as The Wall Street Journal first reported.

Behind a private gate, one of southern Westchester’s largest property collections radiates charm. The main house, built in 1747, has maintained its sense of history while being transformed into a showcase of modern design and comfort.

With an infinitely flexible floor plan, open spaces flow together and access the outdoors. A cozy foyer anchored by a limestone fireplace opens into the high drama of a great room with 30-foot ceilings, walls of windows, and floor-to-ceiling glass doors.

A warm, rustic kitchen moves effortlessly into a sun-filled dining room. For even more of an indoor/outdoor effect, a glass-wrapped conservatory allows you to gaze at the sky through a glass-domed ceiling. Additional entertaining spaces include a casual family room and an expansive living room, all blessed with fireplaces, skylights, and views of the surrounding greenery.

A dream of a primary suite gets a sitting room, a walk-in closet, two bathrooms and a Juliet balcony. A massive picture window frames the rolling lawn beyond. There are three more bedrooms–each with its own design theme–two baths, and a finished attic.

A compact guest cottage has a lofted space, a living room, a kitchen, and a full bath. As with the main house, windows and glass doors provide sunlight and outdoor vistas from every angle.

The pool house is sunny inside and out, with a clean, sophisticated design theme. This petite retreat contains a chic Parisian-style kitchen, a living room, a bedroom, a full bath, and laundry facilities.

The pool house opens onto a heated freeform gunite pool surrounded by wildflower gardens. The surrounding acreage is a mix of level lawns and wooded areas, all just 35 minutes from New York City.

[Listing details: 19 Winfield Avenue by Kori Sassower and Brian K. Lewis of Compass]

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The post Drew Barrymore’s amazing 12-acre Westchester estate asks $5M first appeared on 6sqft.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has revamped its mobile app to provide more accurate, real-time information for subway and bus riders. The update, rolled out on Wednesday, allows riders to track trains and buses, receive service alerts, and connect with customer support agents available 24/7. It also introduces new features such as station wayfinding, transfer information, and the ability to save favorite subway lines and bus routes.

Replacing the 2024 version built by an outside contractor, the new app was developed in-house by MTA staff at minimal cost, enabling the agency to make regular updates without relying on third parties. The revamp, designed specifically for subway and bus users, is part of a broader effort to improve the transit experience for New Yorkers.

The app’s developers reportedly ride the transit system themselves, bringing an authentic New York commuter perspective to its design, according to Curbed. The agency also tested the app extensively with outside participants to ensure it accommodates the city’s diverse commuting patterns.

While it presents a new, streamlined appearance, the app retains some of its predecessors’ popular features, including favorited lines, routes, and stops, per-station arrival times for specific trains and buses, improved user location accuracy, and an in-app trip planner.

The app does not store any user data, including location. While it is tailored for subway and bus riders, railroad customers can continue to use the TrainTime App, which allows them to buy and use Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North tickets, plan trips, and track trains.

Access to key information, such as real-time subway arrivals, station wayfinding, and transfer details, has been enhanced to make navigating the subway system faster and easier.

The app also provides more accurate, higher-frequency updates on subway arrival times and locations. It also offers a clearer view of stations with multiple levels and lines, highlights service changes affecting specific lines at individual stations, and shows riders where to stand on platforms for boarding and exiting.

Commuters with disabilities will also benefit from a new accessibility mode. By tapping the wheelchair icon, users can highlight accessible stations, monitor elevator and escalator status, and take advantage of screen reader and font-scaling features. The app also continues to allow users to book and manage Access-A-Ride trips.

Additional improvements include clearer subway direction labels, upgraded service alert icons, and live arrival times for subway-to-subway and subway-to-bus transfers. The app also provides a direct link to the MTA’s official lost-and-found page, making it easier for riders to file claims for lost property.

The new app does not yet allow users to refill OMNY cards or accounts or check their balances, though the MTA told Curbed that this feature is likely to be added within the year.

“The new MTA App is all about giving subway and bus customers the smoothest ride possible. Having quick access to real-time arrivals, clearer station layouts, and better transfer information makes it easier to move through the system with confidence. Rider experience is at the heart of everything we do, and the new MTA App reflects that commitment,” Shanifah Rieara, MTA Chief Customer Officer, said.

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The post MTA launches new app with real-time subway and bus tracking first appeared on 6sqft.

After failing to reach a deal with housing advocates, Mayor Zohran Mamdani has appealed a court ruling that ordered New York City to expand its housing voucher program, a move that departs from one of his key campaign pledges. Filed on Tuesday, the appeal puts Mamdani in the position once held by former Mayor Eric Adams, whose initial opposition sparked a legal battle that has stretched for nearly three years. In February, Mamdani indicated he no longer intended to support the program’s expansion due to the city’s projected $7 billion budget deficit, and after negotiations failed, his appeal now extends the legal battle indefinitely.

The program, known as CityFHEPS, is one of the largest rental assistance programs in the nation. It allows low-income New Yorkers to pay 30 percent of their income toward rent, with the city covering the remainder. The program is a lifeline for the roughly 65,000 households, or about 140,000 people, who currently use the vouchers, as 6sqft previously reported.

In May 2023, the City Council passed legislation expanding eligibility for the vouchers. Adams vetoed the package, but the Council overrode his veto. The administration then filed a lawsuit citing policy concerns and the program’s estimated $17 billion cost.

The expansion would make an additional 47,000 households eligible. It also removes the requirement that unhoused individuals spend at least 90 days in a shelter before qualifying, allows applicants to demonstrate eviction risk with a rent demand letter, and raises income eligibility from 200 percent of the federal poverty level to 50 percent of the area median income.

The program is projected to add $17 billion in expenses over the next five years, according to a January 2024 estimate from the city’s Independent Budget Office. Even before the City Council passed the 2023 expansion legislation, the program’s cost had already surged, from about $25 million in 2019 to more than $1.2 billion in 2025, as reported by the New York Times.

In February, while announcing a projected $7 billion budget deficit, down from the $12.6 billion gap Mamdani had cited two weeks earlier, which he attributed to Adams and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the mayor reversed a previous campaign promise.

Last July, after securing the Democratic nomination, Mamdani called Adams’ pushback on CityFHEPS a “ridiculous waste of time during a housing crisis” in a post on X. His campaign website also pledged: “Zohran will drop lawsuits against CityFHEPS and ensure expansion proceeds as scheduled and per city law,” as 6sqft previously reported.

Housing advocates argue that expanding the program is essential to addressing the city’s affordability crisis, which has been worsened by recent cuts to federal rental assistance under the Trump administration.

Win, the city’s largest provider of shelter and supportive housing for homeless families, released a report last month warning that housing people in shelters costs the city far more than investing in CityFHEPS vouchers, since families without permanent housing often cycle back into shelters.

In a statement, Christine Quinn, president and CEO of Win, criticized the mayor for what she called a “blunt reversal” of his previous commitments to CityFHEPS.

“The city’s failure to settle its challenge to codified CityFHEPS expansions is nothing short of a betrayal. Mamdani promised time and time again to drop this suit,” Quinn said. “This blunt reversal of that commitment is an abject failure when it comes to meeting the most basic needs of homeless families—the very population these vouchers are meant to serve.”

“This lack of leadership means more families stuck in shelter, more trauma, and skyrocketing shelter costs for the city. Let it be understood under no uncertain terms: we will not back down until the city has reversed course, dropped the suit, and pledged money to the CityFHEPS voucher program,” she added.

According to City Limits, while Mamdani has filed the appeal, negotiations are expected to continue through the state and city budget sessions, which end in April and June, respectively. During talks, the administration reportedly proposed keeping income eligibility the same, maintaining work requirements, and expanding vouchers to residents of rent-stabilized apartments.

The City Council and legal aid groups rejected that offer, leaving the administration looking for more time. Potential compromises could include limiting the number of vouchers or “phasing in” the expansion to gradually cover a larger pool of eligible New Yorkers.

In its appeal, the city’s Law Department criticized former Mayor Adams while reiterating arguments from his administration, which maintained that the City Council lacks authority to legislate on CityFHEPS.

“When the mayoralty changed hands in January, there was no plan to fully fund CityFHEPS in its current form, let alone in an expanded form. This case is not about the policy merits of expanding CityFHEPS. It instead concerns who holds authority to determine whether and how to do so,” the city’s lawyers wrote in their brief, as reported by City Limits.

However, Joe Calvello, the mayor’s press secretary, told Gothamist that the administration is still seeking a resolution.

“This is not the end of negotiations,” he said. “As the budget process advances, we will continue working toward a resolution while advancing a comprehensive, whole-of-government response to the city’s housing and homelessness crisis.”

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The post Mamdani appeals housing voucher expansion, breaking campaign pledge first appeared on 6sqft.