You Can Now Pay to ‘Park’ Your Pup - New York Post

Eric Abis pictured with his pouch "Bernie" outside Fort Greene General Store at 218 Dekalb avenue using a "Dog Parker." Photo: Paul Martinka A Brooklyn woman is launching a pay-by-the-minute network of sidewalk dog kennels that allow owners to safely park their pooches while running errands. The kennels are locked by radio signals, monitored by Web cams and temperature controlled. ADVERTISING Chelsea Brownridge said she got the idea for the “dog parker” containers after she had to leave her pup, Winston, at home while she took a long summer walk to Prospect Park because the trip included a stop for breakfast with friends. Photo: Paul Martinka Photo: Paul Martinka Dog Parker outside Fort Greene General StorePhoto: Paul Martinka “I ran into this problem dozens of times,” said the 31-year-old former nonprofit worker, who doesn’t feel safe tying Winston up outdoors. “It was a bummer because it was a nice day and he wasn’t going to be able to go outside.” Two models are being tested on Dekalb Avenue in Fort Greene as part a private pilot program. They’ll be joined by eight more come mid-December, with a total of 100 available in the late spring. At that point, the kennel network will be run through an app that charges members 20 cents per minute or $12 for an hour. Membership is $25 per year, and users will be able to call dibs on a kennel 15 minutes ahead of time. Currently, locks are used to secure the white doghouses to a storefront. In the future, they will be bolted to the ground. The two Dekalb Avenue prototypes are already drawing interest. “You get a range of responses, from, ‘Wow, great,’ to, ‘Seriously?’ to, ‘Do they have one for kids?’ ” said Keith Goldberg, 50, who owns Baguetteaboutit, a coffee shop and bakery where one is parked. “We’ve had a couple of people use it in the past couple of weeks . . . I’m just happy to have another service I can offer my customers.” Brownridge said she has been working with City Hall’s new animal advocate to get proper permissions, but most stores own the three to five feet of sidewalk in front of their shops, so it’s largely their cooperation that she needs. The second prototype is outside Adrianna Spence’s Fort Greene General Store several blocks away. “Some businesses can’t allow you to bring in dogs, and some dogs you can’t really bring into stores,” said Spence, a dog owner. “So if it’s cold out or you have a dog that might get stolen, this is a better option than just tying them up outside.” Source: You can now pay to ‘park’ your pup | New York Post

Robert A.M. Stern To Design 'Opulent' Sony Building Condos - Curbed NY

The long-awaited conversion of Philip Johnson's Sony Building at 550 Madison Avenue is finally making some progress. The project—called, somewhat blandly, 550 Madison—launched a teaser site last night, which has few details beyond some architectural information and the team behind it (which includes Chetrit Group, which bought the building for $1.1 billion in 2013), but we've got the scoop on plans for the iconic Midtown building—which includes an assist from Robert A.M. Stern. As previously reported, the conversion of Johnson's building will include pricey condos—but the current plan differs from what we previously knew about the building. Instead of 96 units, the residential portion of the building will have 113 condos designed by none other than Robert A.M. Stern Architects. They'll occupy floors 21 through 43 of the building. (A spokesperson has yet to confirm if the pricing and floorplans that were previously revealed for the building are still accurate, but we'll update with that info when we can.) There will also be a hotel portion, which will be operated by Oetker Collection, the hospitality group responsible for Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in France; the "New York masterpiece" (that's the tagline for the hotel, not the official name) will be a 170-key hotel will have 60 fancy suites, along with predictably over-the-top amenities like a 25-meter pool, a spa, and an upscale restaurant. Those amenities will also be available to the ultra-wealthy residents of the building's condos. And finally, there will be luxury retail on the ground floor. So there you have it: Midtown is getting another pricey hotel-condo hybrid, in the vein of buildings like One57 (which has a Park Hyatt hotel on its lower floors). Though construction has yet to begin on 550 Madison, it's expected to open in early 2018. Source: Robert A.M. Stern To Design 'Opulent' Sony Building Condos - Coming Attractions - Curbed NY

Behold, the Interiors of Extell's 80-Story Lower East Side Condo - Curbed NY

Extell's Lower East Side tower dubbed One Manhattan Square, now on the rise alongside the base of the Manhattan Bridge, hasn't made many friends in the neighborhood. Maybe that's why the developer chose to launch sales of the $1-$3 million condos abroad before availing them to the states. Whatever the case may be, The Low Down got its hands on some of the overseas marketing materials which now bring a first, very comprehensive look inside the 850-foot building. In addition to first renderings of the 80-story tower's apartments, which will be designed by Meyer Davis, the materials also show off the building's surrounding gardens and the remainder of its 100,000 square feet of amenities, which are as over-the-top as they promised to be.

The master bathrooms will be finished in ocean blue travertine stone slab and mosaic tiles.

Buyers will be able to choose between two finish packages designed by Meyer Davis. The "dark" choice, pictured here, includes custom stained oak, Caesarstone countertops, Mountain White Striato stone bartop, and five-inch wide dark stained oak flooring.

The "light" package, pictured here, includes custom-painted oak cabinetry, Caesarstone countertops, a polished statuary stone bar top, and five-inch wide light stained oak flooring.

Landscape architecture firm West 8 designed an outdoor space that includes gardens, a treehouse, fire pits, and courtyards.

The building will also have an outdoor kitchen and dining areas for grilling and entertaining.

A very idyllic look at the building's fire pits.

Per the development's promotional pamphlet, "The gardens at One Manhattan Square incorporate influences from around the world and offer peaceful enclaves for closeness and serenity."

An overhead look at the building's landscaped outdoor space.

An entrance on Cherry Street will lead the building's private motor court.

The building will have a 24-hour doorman and concierge.

A view of the lobby.

The "culinary lounge" will have a demonstration kitchen.

Of course One Manhattan Square has a fully-stocked cellar bar designed by Meyer Davis Studio Inc.

A 70-seat movie and performance theater will be rentable for private events, performances, and viewings.

The building's amenities are "designed for the whole day and the whole family," the pamphlet reads. So of course there will be pool.

And bowling.

The children's playroom is somehow the least flashy of the building's amenities.

The building will have a multi-level gym that will include a cardio room (pictured), golf simulator, swimming pools, and squash courts.

Not to mention a basketball court.

The multi-level gym will also have a relaxation area.

Here's a look at how apartments on some of the building's lower floors will break down.

A full look at the pamphlet via The Low Down, this way.

Source: Behold, the Interiors of Extell's 80-Story Lower East Side Condo - Rendering Reveals - Curbed NY

NYC Tiny Apartments Are HERE! - Curbed NY

Floor plans for the city's first micro-unit development, Carmel Place have been unveiled, Buzz Buzz Home reports, along with a series of new images of the interiors of the micro dwellings.

The floor plans of eight units have been listed so far and range in price from$2,650 per month for a 265 square foot studio to $3,150 per month for a 355 square foot studio. Residents will start moving in as early as February 2016.

The development features a total of 55 apartments. Almost 40 percent of those are affordable. Eight apartments have been set aside for veterans. The project, located at 335 East 27th Street is being developed by Monadnock Developmentand has been designed by nArchitects. The building also comes equipped with a ton of cushy services.

Source: See the Tiny Floorplans For Carmel Place's Micro-Units - Microdwellings - Curbed NY

Most Expensive Condo Buildings In NYC - Curbed NY

New York’s most expensive new condominium buildings get plenty of attention, but it’s nonetheless easy to forget just how expensive they, as a group, are (at least in the eyes of their developers). Just 12 buildings are projected to sell out for a total of $20 billion dollars, 44 percent of the total projected sellout of all 200 condo projects currently being built in Manhattan, according to a chart produced by CityRealty. (The analysis included planned and completed new condos where less than 50 percent of the units have closed, which is why One57 didn’t make the cut.) The heaviest hitters are also among the most famous: CIM Group and Macklowe Properties’ 432 Park Avenue, which projects a total sellout of $3.1 billion; Vornado Realty Trust’s 220 Central Park South, with a total projected sellout of $3 billion; and Hines’ 53 West 53rd Street, the MoMA Expansion Tower, with a total projected sellout of $2.2 billion. Though, buildings often fall short of the projected total sellout. It’s a good thing developers think they’ll hit such high revenues, because their costs are reportedly sky high as well. Earlier this month, The Real Deal reported that Vornado was spending $5,000 per foot to build the Robert A.M. Stern-designed 220 CPS. [CityRealty] – Ariel Stulberg Source: Most Expensive Condo Building NYC | Condo Development NYC

The d'Orsay Will Bring 21 Luxury Condos To West 14th Street - Curbed NY

Developer Adellco has finally revealed its plans for the West 14th Street site it purchased for $27.65 million in April 2014. It should come as no surprise that the site between Seventh and Eighth avenues will give rise to condos, but what is surprising is that the developer has tapped notable French architect and interior designer Jacques Garcia, whose work includes the Nomad Hotel and the Decorative Arts Galleries at The Louvre, to design the building's interiors. The project will be Garcia's first multifamily residential building in the city. Goldstein Hill & West is designing the 11-story building, which will go by the name The d'Orsay. The d'Orsay will have 21 one- to four-bedroom residences starting from $1.675 million, as per the building's newly-launched teaser site. Building amenities will include a drawing room, gym, spa with a plunge pool, rooftop garden, full-time concierge, as well as bicycle storage and private storage rooms available for purchase. Although only one official render for the project is out there to-date (↑), a fencepost rendering of the building surfaced in September. It hints that some of the building's condos will also come with private outdoor space. Sales will launch in January 2016 with Mary Ellen Cashman of Stribling Marketing Associates. Closings are anticipated at the end of 2016. Construction at the site is ongoing. Source: The d'Orsay Will Bring 21 Luxury Condos To West 14th Street - Development Watch - Curbed NY

St. John's Terminal Redevelopment Gets First Renderings - Curbed NY

The redevelopment of the St. John's Terminal site could bring over 1,500residential units, many of them affordable, to the West Village, and the first images of what that project could look like are finally out, The Villager reports. Local residents aren't too thrilled about the proposed development, which entails razing the existing 1 million-square-foot St. John's Terminal building and erecting a 1.7 million-square-foot multi-building project, despite the benefits the developers say it would offer the community. For the time being, the plan is conceptual; it still needs to pass through a uniform land use review procedure (ULURP) before getting the go-ahead.

In a community meeting held this month, project architect COOKFOX presented designs for the Atlas Capital Group- and Westbrook Partners-developed project. The development's highlights include 500 units of affordable housing, of which 175 units are just for seniors. A little number crunching turns back that, at that rate, one-third of the projects apartments will be affordable, which is well above what's par for the course.

Here's how the plan breaks down: The tallest residential building proposed for the site, at 430 feet tall, will be fully market rate and sit at the northern end of the development. The 175-unit senior housing building will also be in this area, as will 40,000 square feet of retail—the developers suggest bringing in a Trader Joe's. There's also an additional 105,000 square feet of basement space for a big box-type store, as per the developer's suggestions. The middle section of development will include a smaller residential building with almost equal market rate and affordable apartments spread throughout, and a small garden adjacent to this building would connect it to the another fully market-rate residential building. The southern portion of the development will hold a set of mews and a350-room hotel.

The plan also includes publicly accessible park space. When St. John's Terminal was still in use, platforms connected it to the elevated railway track that now makes up the High Line. Under COOKFOX's plan, those platforms will be converted into mini elevated park space, much like the High Line.

If the plan moves forward, the developers will pay $100 million to the city to purchase Pier 40's air rights for the redevelopment of the terminal. In turn, those funds can be pumped back into the crumbling pier, which is in urgent need of repair.

Neighborhood residents are so up-in-arms because they believe the development does not address the burden it will add to the limited amount ofschools in the area, the fact that they need more medical facilities, and how the flood protection mechanism for this development might endanger the homes of other residents in the area.

"The tallest building in this plan is equal to the Trump Soho," Andrew Berman, the director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, told The Villager. "The overall project is equal to six Trump Sohos."

If the proposed development does not pass the ULURP process, the developers may move ahead with an as-of-right development, which wouldn't allow for the residential buildings the developer is looking to add.

At the community meeting, the developers assured that this will be the first of several discussions with the community in terms of designs and proposals before the project moves forward.

Source: St. John's Terminal Redevelopment Gets First Renderings - Hudson River Park Watch - Curbed NY

Mapping All 1.1 Billion NYC Taxi Trips Since 2009 - 6sqft

Mapping All 1.1 Billion NYC Taxi Trips Since 2009

POSTED ON THU, NOVEMBER 19, 2015BY DANA SCHULZIN CITYLIVING, MAPS, TRANSPORTATION

That’s 183,333,333 trips a year; 15,277,777 a month; and roughly 510,000 a day. And it likely took software developer Todd W. Schneider a long time to put all of that data into this stunning map of taxi pickups and drop offs over the past six years. Green boro taxis are represented in their signature color and traditional yellow cabs in white, with brighter areas representing more taxi activity. As Gothamist first noted, “Yellow cab pickups are concentrated south of Central Park in Manhattan, while drop offs spread north and east into Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx; drop off and pickup activity snakes like a glowworm from Manhattan to the airports: along the Van Wyck Expressway to JFK, and by 278 and 495 to La Guardia.”

Using the TLC’s public data, Schneider also created charts and maps that show taxi travel compared with uber rides; weekend destinations of bridge-and-tunnelers; a late-night taxi index; how weather affects taxi trips; weekday drop-offs at Goldman Sachs and Citigroup; airport traffic; cash versus credit card payments; and the dramatic increase in North Williamsburg taxi activity.

Above is a GIF showing the transformation of North Williamsburg taxi activity from 2011 (when the green cabs were introduced) to 2014, the area with the largest increase in taxi pickups. 72 percent of these pickups occurred late night, and we can see some of the specific spots where this is most prevalent, such as the Wythe Hotel, Output nightclub, and Verboten nightclub.

It’s also interesting to look at where those from neighboring locales go on the weekend. Though the first map above shows taxi pickups originating at Penn Station, most passengers are not going very far, ending up in the Meatpacking District, Chelsea, and Midtown. Not surprisingly, Murray Hill is the number one drop off spot, often known as the heart of the bridge and tunnel crowd.

“We’ve already covered the hipsters of Williamsburg and the B&Ts of Murray Hill, why not see what the taxi data can tell us about investment bankers, yet another of New York’s distinctive subcultures?” asks Schneider. As his graphs show, Goldman Sachs employees’ average drop off time is 7:59 a.m.; Citigroup is 7:51 a.m. Those taking taxis to these offices mostly get picked up in the West Village, Chelsea/Flatiron/Union Square, and Soho/Tribeca (in that order).

“I’m certainly not the first person to use the public taxi data to make maps, but I hadn’t previously seen a map that includes the entire dataset of pickups and drop offs since 2009 for both yellow and green taxis,” says Todd W. Schneider. To see the rest of his maps and charts, visit the project page HERE >>

[Via Gothamist]

Source: Mapping All 1.1 Billion NYC Taxi Trips Since 2009 | 6sqft

New Glassy Skyscraper in Midtown East Will Look Like It’s Being Pulled Apart - TheRealDeal

A new Midtown East tower will look like it’s being pulled apart: The floors will be vertically separated and supported by smooth, white beams, like ligaments stretching between the floors. Or, like chewing gum suspended between the sidewalk and a shoe.

The latest renderings of 303 East 44th Street show a slender glass tower whose floors are separated by 16-foot gaps and supported by elegantly sculpted concrete beams. The effect is that the building looks like it is being slowly stretched, as if the floors were glued together or stuck together with gum, said the building’s architect, Eran Chen, founder of ODA New York. Recognizing this might not be the most flattering comparison, Chen said the beams are sculptures that capture movement and express the tower’s identity as a residential building.

“It really expresses this dramatic act of separating what we used to see as a monolithic tower into a series of smaller pieces,” said Chen. “We’re used to seeing New York City towers as monolithic, huge testaments of corporate power. The minute it becomes residential, it doesn’t have the same scale and it shouldn’t express the same thing.”

Rendering of 303 East 44th Street

The gaps between the floors create private outdoor gardens for 11 units, starting on the 23rd floor of the 41-floor building. Earlier renderings of the project didn’t include the beams, since the floors were supported by the building’s core, achieving a series of “floating gardens.” Such a structure proved too expensive, Chen said, so the beams were added to instead create “sculptured gardens.” The beams also serve to protect the gardens against wind. Five of the gardens are each split by two units, each apartment featuring 1,000 square feet of space, according to Juan Urrutia, a spokesperson at ODA. The penthouse has access to the sixth garden, which has 2,000 square feet of space.

It’s a design that falls in line with many of ODA’s buildings, which often feature a sort of purposeful dissection: Geometric voids carved into the structures to create personal — often outdoor — spaces. The component is clearly seen in a number of ODA’s resi designs — including 100 Norfolk Street, 15 Renwick Street, 275 Fourth Avenue and 510 Driggs Avenue — where outdoor terraces spring from the building’s chiseled negative space. Even the architecture firm’s website plays with this theme: Its loading cursor moves like a self-aware Tetris piece.

The concept at 303 East 44th is among a number of unconventional projects sprouting in Midtown East. SHoP’s “dancing towers” at 626 First Avenue, developed by JDS Development, consist of two bent buildings with copper facades that are connected by a skybridge. SL Green’s One Vanderbilt, designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox’s, will be the first building in the neighborhood to surpass the Chrysler Building’s height. Famously, the design of Macklowe Properties’ and CIM Group’s 432 Park Avenue was inspired by a trash basket.

Benjamin Stavrach, director of leasing and property management at Triangle Assets, the building’s developer, said construction will likely begin in either April or May. Triangle bought the site in 2008 for $10.1 million.

Rendering of terrace up close (inset: Eran Chen)

Though the ODA’s design will turns heads, Chen doesn’t think it will be out of sync with its neighbors, which include the United Nations and the Chrysler Building. He said the building’s design is “contextual,” in that it embodies its purpose as a residential building. The gaps not only provide outdoor space, but they also lessen the wind load impacting the building, something that other skinny skyscrapers accomplish with unused gaps throughout. Chen also said that private gardens will soon be an expected amenity.

“There’s going to be a time in New York City where living without a substantial outdoor space is just going to be unacceptable. It’s going to be like living in the suburbs without a backyard,” Chen said. “All these towers that don’t have them are going to lose their value.”

Unlike some other high-end buildings, there’s a certain honesty innate in 303 East’s segmented design, Chen said.

“You always look at this kind of tower and think they’re occupied by really rich people, and you say to yourself ‘How many people actually live here?’ There’s no way to know, but here you can really count them,” he joked. “Don’t you think it’s great? Literally you can sit down and say, there’s [11] bastards that actually have the gardens that I don’t have.”

- See more at: http://therealdeal.com/blog/2015/11/11/a-new-glassy-skyscraper-in-midtown-east-will-look-like-its-being-pulled-apart/#sthash.mJI6bqs5.dpuf

Renderings of 303 East 44th Street show a slender glass tower whose floors are separated by 16-foot gaps and supported by elegantly sculpted concrete beams.

Source: 303 East 44th Street | Eran Chen | Architecture Design NYC

As Desire for Pricey Apartments Wane, Developers Split Full-Floor Condos at 432 Park Ave. Into Two - Crain's

The developers of 432 Park Ave. have split full-floor apartments at the 1,396-foot tall tower in half in a move that may signal a slowdown in sales for $50 million-plus apartments. With several other high-profile condo projects underway, sales at 432 Park Ave. have been closely watched as a bellwether for the super high-end segment of the city’s residential real estate market. There is some concern that there aren't enough buyers who can afford apartments priced in the tens of millions of dollars—an increasingly common figure for the latest crop of ultra-luxury condos.

In what could be a concerning sign for upcoming projects, 432 Park Ave.'s developers, CIM and Harry Macklowe, have cut five full-floor apartments on floors 91-95 of the tower into two: sized 4,400 square feet and 3,600 square feet. The smaller units have asking prices of $40.25 million and $39.75 million, respectively. The move comes as the sale of the palatial pads have slowed.

That's far bit less than the asking price for full-floor units. One full-floor apartment remains available at the property—an 8,000 square-foot unit on the 88th floor. The developers are asking $76.5 million for that apartment.

Richard Wallgren, an executive vice president at Macklowe Properties who is leading sales and marketing at 432 Park Ave., said the decision was made on a bet there will be more buyers willing to bite at that price point.

So far, more than 70% of 432 Park’s 106 units are in contract to be sold, with prices ranging from $7 million for a handful of one-bedrooms all the way up to $95 million for the spire’s 8,000-square-foot penthouse, which sits on the 96th floor. Closings for the apartments will begin either by the end of the month or in December depending on when the developers receive a temporary certificate of occupancy from the city.

Both the penthouse and the building’s one-bedrooms are among the collection of apartments of varying sizes in the tower that are in contract and scheduled to begin closing. The closings for the existing units in contract will likely run though the end of January. The building, which has been under construction since 2011, is set to be completed in mid-2016. The sales figures have made the $1 billion project a success, Wallgren said.

In a recent interview on the tower’s 38th floor, in an unsold 4,000-square-foot model apartment built to showcase the finishes that buyers can opt to request  the developers install, Wallgren shared with Crain's more information on the type of buyers the project has attracted. Wallgren estimated the average age of buyers to be about 55 and said several will use their apartment as their primary address and will even raise families there.

About 65% are American and within that group about half are New Yorkers, he said. The other half are from California and there is one buyer from Chicago. The remaining 35% of buyers are foreigners from a host of countries, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia, China, Russia, Greece and Brazil.

“We have local New Yorkers that will raise toddlers here and young children who go to private schools on the Upper East Side,” Wallgren said.

Even though a completed apartment sale will trigger deed filings cataloged by the city, it will still be difficult for the general public to determine the actual identity of buyers because most tend to purchase their units using limited liability companies.

“Because our prices start at $17 million, nearly everyone is well known,” Wallgren said, referencing the cheapest still-available unit at 432 Park. “They own banks and telephone companies and conglomerates that control trillions of dollars of assets.”

Several of the buyers are also purchasing units for their hired help. In fact, staff suites at 432 Park Ave. have sold so briskly that CIM and Macklowe converted an additional floor, the 34th, into  studio-sized apartments. That floor will join 28 and 29, which have already been reserved for the suites.

“We have had people buy multiple staff suites because they travel with a cook, or a driver, or an assistant,” Wallgren said.

There Are More Exclusive Rentals Over $15K Than Under $2K - The Real Deal

From the November issue: When headlines center on chateaus-in- the-sky luxury real estate, the lower-end rental market often falls out of focus. The Real Deal analyzed On-Line Residential exclusive listings data as of Oct. 8 and found that there were fewer rental listings priced under $2,000 in Manhattan than there were in the extra-expensive $15,000-a-month-and-up bracket. But that lower bracket isn’t completely endangered, said Keller Williams NYC salesperson David Berman. “I think you’re always going to see some of that kind of stock available,” said Berman, citing rent stabilization as a key factor in that sector keeping its piece of the pie. Furthermore, an analysis of Street Easy data revealed that the Upper East Side had the highest inventory of rental apartments of any type for $2,000 a month or under. “The Upper East Side offers more value because it has more turnover,” said Kevin Daly, an agent at Prince Real Estate. The neighborhood best known as the fortress of the wealthy also holds a relatively large number of comparatively affordable apartments, usually occupied by young people who stay fewer than three years, Daly said. You’ll still have to hunt for these units: An MNS report found that studios there had an average rent of $2,748 in buildings with doormen and $2,150 in buildings without. - See more at: http://therealdeal.com/blog/2015/11/05/scorecard-there-are-more-rentals-over-15000-than-under-2000/#sthash.UD4hhDEt.dpuf

Source: Residential Market Reports | Upper East Side | Lowest Rent

First Look at Downtown Brooklyn's 1,000-Foot Supertall Tower - Curbed NY

The rising Brooklyn skyline is about to get one edifice that leaves the rest in its shadow, at least figuratively. JDS Development Group's planned 1,000-foot mixed-use tower at 340 Flatbush Avenue Extension in Downtown Brooklyn finally has a first rendering courtesy of New York YIMBY that shows off a shiny and slender supertall. The rendering should be taken with a grain of salt, though—it isn't often, if ever, that the first look at a skyline-changing tower represents what will actually rise. In any case, YIMBY reports that the SHoP-designed tower will stand 90 stories and be composed of 550 residential units and 140,000 square feet of commercial space. The tower will include the integration of the landmarked Dime Savings Bank, but just how that will work out has yet to be seen. YIMBY also reports that Junior's Most Fabulous Cheesecake and Desserts, which shares a block with the development site, will also be razed in the process. This seems unlikely, though, given the restaurant's full-blown rejection of a $45 million cash offer late last year for the site. No demolition permits are on file with the city for the beloved cheesecake destination. [UPDATE: A rep for the project has confirmed that JDS doesn't own the property Junior's sits on. The restaurant will continue on its merry way dishing up cheesecake.] Curbed has reached out for a comment from JDS. Stay tuned. [UPDATE: JDS has declined to comment.] —With writing from Evan Bindelglass.

Source: First Look at Downtown Brooklyn's 1,000-Foot Supertall Tower - Development Watch - Curbed NY

Condo Takes Shape On Central Park's Last Undeveloped Corner - Curbed NY

[All photos via 6sqft]

Circa Central Park is quickly taking shape at the corner of Central Park West and 110th Street, where Harlem meets the Upper West Side. Images taken by6sqft reveal that almost half the 11-story, 51-condo building now stands at the site. The forthcoming semi-circular glass structure, which sits on the northwest corner of Central Park, is designed by FXFOWLE. Developer Artimus Construction have remained pretty mum on the project, even as it nears its sales launch and passes milestones like the unveiling of its teaser site. When complete, the building will have one-to five-bedroom apartments which will start at just under $1 million.

Construction work at the site was delayed by a long remediation process owing to the site's former life as a gas station, according to 6sqft. Artimus purchased the property in 2013 for $25 million after going through a selection process for a designer with the state's Economic Development Corporation . The developers will create space for local dance group Millenium Dance Company on the ground floor; 20 percent of the building's 51 apartments are earmarked as affordable. · Construction Update: FXFowle's Circle-Hugging Harlem Condominium Rises Over Central Park [6sqft]

Source: Condo Takes Shape On Central Park's Last Undeveloped Corner - Construction Watch - Curbed NY

Is the S&P 500 a Better Investment Than Manhattan Condos? - The Real Deal

While Manhattan luxury condos have gained a reputation as a preferred store of wealth for super-rich investors the world over, those well-off Russian oligarchs and Chinese industrialists may have been better off investing in a boring old index fund instead. Real estate analysts at CityRealty, curious how the top end of the city’s condo market fared against less glamorous investments, recently compiled the average price per square foot across a collection of 100 prominent Manhattan condo buildings. They found that the value of those condos rose 55 percent in the past decade, from an average of $1,530 per square foot in 2005 to $2,371 per square foot this year. While that was good for a compound annual growth rate of 4.5 percent, it was no match for the S&P 500 – which had a 5.4 percent annual growth rate over the same period, according to Bloomberg. Still, that doesn’t mean the likes of Bill Ackman and Ken Griffin should have bought index funds instead; as Bloomberg notes, the analysis makes for an interesting but imperfect comparison. There’s no simple way, for example, to by and sell shares in the collection of 100 buildings analyzed by CityRealty, and the condo data is based on a limited number of transactions that have skewed higher thanks to the trend toward increasingly expensive apartments. And then there’s the fact that, if you buy a $100 million apartment as an investment, you’re also able to live in it. That helps. Meanwhile, none other than Donald Trump recently fell victim to a similar analysis by the Washington Post. [Bloomberg] – Rey Mashayekhi Source: NYC Luxury Condos | S&P 500 | CityRealty

220 Central Park South Costing $5,000/SqFt to Build - Curbed NY

Vornado Realty Trust is spending an extraordinary $5,000 per square foot to develop 220 Central Park South, the real estate investment trust disclosed Tuesday. That price tag includes $1,500 per foot for the land and $3,500 per foot in hard, soft and financial costs, according to Vornado CEO Steven Roth. “The building has the largest loss factor of any building of its type intentionally, so the amenity packages” – including multiple lobbies, a motor court, garage and swimming pools “are extraordinary and are catering to this marketplace,” he said. Roth also revealed that more than half of the building’s 118 units are in contract. Fourteen of the units went for north of $50 million, some with record-breaking price points, Roth added during the company’s third-quarter earnings call.  “Our margins are superb and are holding with each sale,” he said. The total sellout for the luxury condominium project is nearly $3 billion, according to the Attorney General’s office. The Robert A.M. Stern-designed building has seven penthouses, including five units with price tags north of $50 million. Penthouse 73, a 9,500-square-foot condo asking $100 million, is reportedly in contract for more than $10,500 per foot. Two other penthouses, Penthouses 75 and 76, don’t have price tags, fueling speculation that they could be combined into a single, 14,000-square-foot mega-unit. Although buyers haven’t been disclosed, hedge funder Ken Griffin, founder and CEO of Citadel, is reportedly looking to combine multiple penthouses into a $200 million-plus pad. Previously, The Real Deal reported that a Qatari buyer was eyeing a $250 million spread. During the earnings call, Roth said domestic buyers comprise the majority of those scooping up units at 220 CPS. He said 45 percent of buyers are New Yorkers purchasing a primary residence and 30 percent are Americans living in other cities. In the third quarter, Vornado increased its construction budget at 220 CPS by $300 million to a total of $1.3 billion. “A lot of it is catching up the budget, which we should have done three months ago,” said Roth. “A lot of it is expansion of the program, adding cost, delivering more product, better finishes.” But Roth also said construction costs in New York are inflated because of the “enormous number of cranes” in the sky. “There are a handful of contractors who are experts in each trade [and] those guys are running out of capacity,” he said. “There is a bidding premium to get timely delivery of products and services.” Construction at 220 CPS is currently at the ninth floor and is expected to be completed in 2018. Earlier this week, Vornado secured a $750 million term loan for its luxury condo development. That financing came just two months after the REIT upsized its loan from Bank of China, receiving an additional $350 million for a total of $950 million. Tags: 220 central park south, Billionaires Row, luxury condos, Steven Roth, vornado realty trust Source: 220 Central Park South Sales | Vornado Realty Trust

Here's Why Buying in Manhattan Won't Get Easier Anytime Soon - Curbed NY

Despite the proliferation of new buildings and luxury condos throughout Manhattan, a new report by Crain's reveals that the number of rental units on the island is astronomically higher than the number of units for sale. That's not hyperbole: According to Crain's, in Q1 of 2015, there were 850,000 apartments in Manhattan, but only 5,200—or 0.6 percent—were for sale; plus, 75 percent of the borough's apartments are rental units. The piece breaks down why this is happening, and—spoiler!—the plethora of ultra-pricey apartments is playing a part in why inventory is so low, and prices are so high. Because so few apartments are for sale at any given time, developers and landlords can charge a pretty penny for them—it's that old rule of demand outpacing supply. The median sale price for a Manhattan apartment is close to topping $1 million, and it's unlikely that it'll go down anytime soon. But part of the problem is that it's so expensive to build in Manhattan—from securing air rights to getting the materials to hiring construction crews—that it's become difficult for developers to turn a profit. ("In 2014, the average cost of building an apartment was $585,370, three times what it was just seven years prior," according to Crain's.) That's how the firms behind buildings like One57, 432 Park Avenue, or Central Park Tower are able to command such high prices—and they have the ultra-rich buyers who will shell out up to $100 million for an apartment. But where does that leave those New Yorkers whose budgets are more modest? Sadly, they're pretty much screwed: Even with Mayor de Blasio's affordable housing push—which includes both sale and rental units—the number of cheaper apartments on the market isn't likely to change anytime soon. And "the days of landlords converting waves of rental units into co-ops or condos have long passed," according to Crain's. Better start looking in the outer boroughs if you hope to buy in the city anytime soon—or stick with renting. (Not that it's so simple to do that, especially when rental prices in Manhattan are rising faster than ever before.) Source: Here's Why Buying in Manhattan Won't Get Easier Anytime Soon - That's Rather Depressing - Curbed NY

NYC Marathon Street Closures Happening This Sunday - Curbed NY

This weekend, thousands of New Yorkers will take to the streets in ridiculous outfits for one of the city's biggest events—and no, we're not talking about theVillage Halloween Parade. The TCS New York City Marathon happens this Sunday, and with it comes a bevy of street closures that can make commuting more of a nightmare than normal. If you want to know which streets to avoid this weekend, read on—the full list of closures, per the DOT, is below. They'll be closed from 8am to 4pm, but keep in mind that during peak times, there are going to be more runners chugging along, and it may be all but impossible to get around. Don't say we didn't warn you.

Staten Island

· Bay Street between Richmond Terrace and School Road · School Road between Bay Street and Staten Island Expressway

Brooklyn

· Dahlgren Place between Verrazano Bridge and 92nd Street (North Bound) · 92nd Street between Dahlgren Place and 4th Avenue · 4th Avenue between 92nd Street and Flatbush Avenue · Flatbush Avenue between 4th Avenue and Lafayette Avenue · Lafayette Avenue between Flatbush Avenue and Bedford Avenue · Brooklyn Queens Expressway (South-bound) between Verrazano Bridge and 79th Street · 7th Avenue between 79th Street and 75th Street/Bay Ridge Parkway · 7th Avenue between 74th and 75th Street/Bay Ridge Parkway · 74th Street between 6th Avenue and 7th Avenue · 6th Avenue between 74th and 75th Street/Bay Ridge Parkway · Bay Ridge Parkway between 7th Avenue and 4th Avenue · 92nd Street between Gatling Place and Fort Hamilton Parkway · Fort Hamilton Parkway between 92nd Street and 94th Street · 94th Street between Fort Hamilton Parkway and 4th Avenue (North-bound) · 4th Avenue between 94th Street and Flatbush Avenue (South-bound) · Bedford Avenue between Lafayette Avenue and Nassau Avenue · Nassau Avenue between Bedford Avenue/Lorimer Street and Manhattan Avenue · Manhattan Avenue between Nassau Avenue and Greenpoint Avenue · Greenpoint Avenue between Manhattan Avenue and McGuiness Boulevard · McGuiness Boulevard between Greenpoint Avenue and 48th Avenue · Pulaski Bridge (South-bound)

Queens

· Pulaski Bridge (South-bound) · 48th Avenue between 11th Street and Vernon Boulevard · Vernon Boulevard between 48th Avenue and 10th Street · 10th Street between Vernon Boulevard and 44th Drive · 44th Drive between 10th Street and Hunter Street · Hunter Street between 44th Drive and Crescent Street · Crescent Street between Hunter Street and Queens Plaza South · Queens Plaza South between Crescent Street and 23rd Street · 23rd Street between Queens Plaza South and Queens Plaza North · Queensboro Bridge (East-bound)

Manhattan

· Queensboro Bridge (Vehicle Entrance Ramp East-bound) · East 59th Street between 59th Street Bridge and 1st Avenue · 1st Avenue between East 59th Street and Willis Avenue Bridge · Madison Avenue Bridge · 5th Avenue between 138th Street and 124th Street · 124th Street between Madison Avenue and Mount Morris Park West · Mount Morris Park West between 124th Street between 120th Street · 120th Street between Mount Morris Park West and 5th Avenue · 5th Avenue between 120th Street and 90th Street · 90th Street between 5th Avenue and East Drive (Central Park South-bound) · East Drive between 90th Street and Grand Army Plaza · Grand Army Plaza between East Drive and Central Park South · Central Park South btw 5th Avenue and Columbus Circle/8th Avenue/Central Park West · Central Park Driveway/8th Avenue Approach to West Drive · West Drive between 8th Avenue Approach and 96th Street Approach to West Drive · 96th Street Approach to West Drive · 67th Street Approach to West Drive

Bronx

· Willis Avenue Bridge/Willis Avenue · East 135th Street between Willis Avenue and Alexander Avenue · Alexander Avenue between East 135th Street and East 138th Street · East 138th Street between Alexander Avenue and Morris Avenue · Morris Avenue between East 138th Street and East 140th Street · East 140th Street between Morris Avenue and Rider Avenue · Rider Avenue between East 140th Street and East 138th Street · East 138th Street between Rider Avenue and Madison Avenue Bridge · Madison Avenue Bridge

· TCS NYC Marathon [Official]

Source: NYC Marathon Street Closures Happening This Sunday - Runner's Delight - Curbed NY

Hamptons Prices on the Rise as Sales Tumble - TheRealDeal

Even after a summer of sluggish sales, the Hamptons market is getting pricier.

Homes under $1 million in the tony beach community now account for just under 50 percent of the market, the lowest point in four years, according to the latest quarterly report from Douglas Elliman and appraisal firm Miller Samuel.

Homes over $5 million, meanwhile, now account for a larger piece of the pie at 44.4 percent, up nearly nine percent from last year.

But unlike last year’s frenzied summer sales season, buyers during this year’s third quarter didn’t rush to sign on the dotted line. Across the board, the number of sales during the third quarter plummeted 20 percent to just 507, according to the report, while inventory levels held steady compared to last year, with around 1,700 properties for sale.

Jonathan Miller, president of Miller Samuel and author of the report, said there were fewer sales because the market was returning to normal after the frenzy in 2013 and 2014, which reflected pent-up demand from the financial crisis. “In 2013 and 2014, we had record sales,” he said. “We’re coming down off that sugar high.”

Despite the slow pace of sales, the median sales price jumped 9.8 percent to $950,000, and the average sales price remained relatively unchanged at $1.7 million, according to the report.

Miller said the lower end of the market drove the overall price growth, said Miller. The median price for home sales under $1 million rose 10.2 percent to $567,000. By contrast, the median price for homes between $1 million and $5 million only increased 1.3 percent to $1.9 million. “

During the third quarter, there were just 31 sales of homes $5 million and up, the lowest number in two years.

The entry threshold for the luxury market also dropped nearly 4 percent to $3.7 million. And the median sales price in the luxury market – defined as the top 10 percent of sales – plummeted 18 percent to $5.3 million, while the average sales price dropped 15 percent to $7.1 million.

With prices softening, inventory also piled up. There were 292 homes for sale during the third quarter, a nearly 34 percent jump from last year.

- See more at: http://therealdeal.com/blog/2015/10/23/hamptons-prices-on-the-rise-as-sales-drop/#sthash.uctAotBf.dpuf

Source: Hamptons Real Estate | Luxury Real Estate

Looking For Something To Do This Weekend? 6 Pumpkin Patches Near NYC - Curbed NY

Tuesday, October 20, 2015, by Emily Nonko

There's something deeply satisfying about visiting a pumpkin patch come October, whatever your age. And just because you're without a car doesn't mean you can't plan this fall excursion. These are the six best pumpkin patches to visit throughout New York State—with a few right here in the city—that you can get to via public transportation.

[Queens County Farm Museum via Facebook]

↑ The easiest trip in search of pumpkins is the one to the Queens County Farm Museum, in Little Neck, Queens. This 47-acre farm—New York City's largest remaining tract of undisturbed farmland—is open weekends in October with a variety of fall activities. There is no admission fee to walk through the pumpkin patch (although the pumpkins will cost you), and you can also pick up Hudson Valley apples, fresh cider, and locally-made treats. Other autumnal activities include a three-acre corn maze, a haunted house, and a kiddie festival on Sunday, October 25.

How to get there: Take the E or F train to Kew Gardens/Union Turnpike Station, then transfer to Q46 Bus (running eastbound on Union Turnpike) to the Little Neck Parkway stop. Cross Union Turnpike and walk north on Little Neck Parkway three blocks to the museum entrance.

[Decker Farm via Historic Richmond Town]

↑ Decker Farm is another pumpkin-picking spot that's NYC-based, albeit on Staten Island at Historic Richmond Town. The 1810-era farm, which includes 11 structures on 11 acres of land, hosts pumpkin pickers every weekend through November 1. On top of the pumpkin patch, you can join a hayride, tour the farmhouse, or navigate a corn maze.

How to get there: From the Staten Island Ferry Terminal in St. George, take the S74 bus to Richmond Road and St. Patrick's Place.

[Harvest Moon Farm via Facebook]

If you'd rather go pumpkin picking upstate, there are plenty of options. Both Outhouse Orchards and Harvest Moon Farm and Orchard (↑) in North Salem are accessible from the MetroNorth. Despite its less-than-pleasant name, Outhouse is a scenic family-owned and operated apple orchard that hosts pumpkin picking in the fall. There's also a corn maze, hay ride, and a farmstand selling apples, produce from the farm, local honey, and maple syrup.

Right across the street from Outhouse is Harvest Moon Farm, which hosts a fall festival every weekend through October. For a $5 admission, there's a pumpkin patch, live music, a kid's bounce house, hay rides, pony rides, face painting, and BBQ. For the adults, a hard cider tasting room also opens up on weekends.

How to get there: Take the Metro North from Grand Central to the Croton Falls station. On weekends, cabs are usually waiting to take patrons three miles to either farm.

[Dee's Nursery via the website]

↑ From the Long Island Railroad, Dee's Nursery is the most accessible fall destination from any train stop. This family-owned nursery and garden center hosts a festival every weekend in October with a pumpkin patch, petting zoo, and kid's crafts. The only caveat: you won't get the farm backdrop.

How to get there: Take the Long Island Railroad toward Long Beach and exit at theEast Rockaway stop. From there, it's about a 15 minute walk east to the nursery.

[Masker Orchards by tciriello via Flickr Creative Commons]

↑ Masker Orchards, located upstate in Warwick, has been home to apple orchards in the Hudson Valley for more than 100 years. It's open five days a week with a pick-your-own pumpkin patch, an Apple Maze, and a haunted house through Halloween. Other events, offered on weekends, include face painting, pony rides and live music. Be sure to stop by the county store to pick up apple butter, fresh jam, or honey before you leave.

How to get there: Take the New Jersey Transit bus #196 or #197 from Port Authority to the Willowbrook Station in Warwick. Masker Orchard is a half mile walk from the station.

Source: 6 Pumpkin Patches Near NYC You Can Reach By Public Transit - Get Outta Town - Curbed NY

3 Starter Apartments Priced Under $700k to See This Weekend - Midtown East - DNAinfo.com New York

By Emily Nonko | October 15, 2015 5:54pm

3 Starter Apartments Priced Under $700k to See This Weekend

MANHATTAN — On the lookout for a starter apartment in Manhattan? These three one-bedroom co-ops are all priced reasonably and have open houses this weekend.

320 East 42nd St., #2009, Midtown East One bedroom/One bath Approximately 650 square feet Co-op $645,000 Maintenance: $1,423 a month Open House: Sunday, Oct. 18, 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Lowdown: Although this apartment is legally a one bedroom, a renovation left it feeling more like a loft.

“The owner gut renovated the entire apartment,” said Douglas Elliman broker Dylan Hildreth-Hoffman. “It feels like a SoHo loft instead of a stuffy one bedroom.”

It is, admittedly, a “SoHo loft in small form,” said Hildreth-Hoffman. But without the bedroom wall, there is still a larger, more open living space in this apartment compared with other apartments in the building. The current owner built out a Murphy bed, which is separated from the living room by a curtain.

The renovation, which happened about six years ago, also included a new kitchen and bathroom.

The apartment is distinguished by its large lattice windows, which are part of the building's landmarked facade. The co-op plans to upgrade and soundproof the windows within the next 12 months, according to Hildreth-Hoffman.

Other perks include a walk-in closet and impressive views.

“You're on the 20th floor of the building, so you get a birds-eye view of 42nd Street,” said Hildreth-Hoffman. “It feels like the Chrysler Building is in your living room.”

Location: 320 East 42nd Street — also known as the Woodstock Tower — is the tallest building within the Tudor City complex. Located about a block from the East River, Tudor City is known for its co-op buildings with modest apartments at reasonable prices. Given that the complex is near the United Nations, Hildreth-Hoffman thought this may be the ideal apartment “for an oversees visitor.” The building allows residents to rent out their apartments if they're not staying full-time. For train access, it is about three long blocks from the Grand Central transportation hub.

Why put it on your open house calendar? “It's one-of-a-kind,” said Hildreth-Hoffman. “You've got light, the views, and an impeccable renovation.”

420 East 51st Street, #4H, Midtown East One bedroom/one bath Approximately 900 square feet Co-op $395,000 Maintenance: $2,646.88 a month Open House: Sunday, Oct. 18, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Lowdown: Although this apartment is located in a post-war co-op building, the seller renovated it and added some pre-war-inspired details.

The oak floors were stained and moldings were added, according to Halstead broker Eva Gellin. The kitchen and bathroom were gut renovated, with a new shower and marble details in the bathroom and new granite counters and cabinets in the kitchen.

“The kitchen is unique because it's wide, with two huge windows,” said Gellin. The windows look north, offering views of neighboring townhouses.

An L-shaped dining room is adjacent to the kitchen, and opens up into a living room space. From the living room, a small foyer leads to the bedroom.

“It's a very spacious bedroom, with views of the treetops outside,” said Gellin.

The apartment is located on the fourth floor of the 13-story building. Because it is a land lease building, in which shareholders pay rent for the land the building occupies, maintenance is high.

“The high maintenance can be difficult for young buyers,” Gellin said. “That's why the price is so low.”

Location: This co-op building is located on the very eastern edge of Midtown, between First Avenue and FDR Drive. Although the area is quiet, there are a number of bars and restaurants nearby along Second and Third avenues. The Lexington Avenue 6 train and the E and M trains at Lexington Avenue and 53rd Street are three long avenue blocks away.

Why put it on your open house calendar? “The space and the condition of the apartment,” said Gellin, who thought the size of the bedroom, living room and kitchen was “wonderful for a one bedroom."

179 East 79th Street, #2D, Upper East Side One bedroom/One bath Co-op Approximately 800 square feet $669,000 Maintenance: $1,763 a month Open House: Sunday, Oct. 18, 2:30 to 4:00 p.m.

Lowdown: Stribling broker Julie Perlin called this a “special starter apartment” due to its location in the Upper East Side.

“There are lots of bedrooms to buy under $700K east of Third Avenue,” she said. “But there are not many west of Third Avenue to Park, where this is located.”

179 East 79th St. is a pre-war co-op building with 16 stories and four apartments per floor. There's a full-time doorman, live-in super and private garden for residents. This unit is located on the second floor in the back of the building, “so it's quiet,” said Perlin.

It has “charming pre-war details,” she noted, including arched entryways and moldings. The living room is large enough for both a seating and dining area.

The seller, who is a long-term resident of the co-op, updated both the kitchen and the bathroom. The apartment has a galley kitchen and the seller had enough room to build out an office nook at the end of it, according to Perlin.

“It's a spacious kitchen,” she said. “There's also a window near the office nook to bring in light.”

Location: This building is located between Third Avenue to the east and Lexington Avenue to the west. It's only about three blocks away from Central Park and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. When it comes to transportation, you could take the 77th Street 6 train, two blocks away, or the 4 or 5 trains at 86th Street, six blocks away.

Why put it on your open house calendar? “It's the best value for a pre-war one bedroom in the neighborhood, west of Third Avenue,” said Perlin.

Source: 3 Starter Apartments Priced Under $700k to See This Weekend - Midtown East - DNAinfo.com New York