610 West 46th Street (Photo credit: Google) A hardware magnate who is also an owner of the strip club Scores New York claims in a new lawsuit that commercial lender Deutsche Bank unfairly reneged on making a $17 million loan on several of his local commercial properties. Robert Gans, owner of Metropolitan Lumber & Hardware as well as Scores New York and Penthouse Executive Club, alleges in the lawsuit filed yesterday that the German-based lender — one of the most active commercial loan sources for Manhattan properties — declined to make the loan because Gans also owns the strip clubs. The loans were planned for his lumber properties in Manhattan and Queens, not on his adult-related ventures. Gans claims that Deutsche Bank…
What you’ll get across NYC for $1.25 million
On the market for a new home, and have $1.25 million to spend? We’ve combed the listings for homes currently on the market across the city, whether you’re looking for a luxe condo in the heart of downtown or something farther away but more spacious (you can even get your own pool if you head out to Staten). When you’re ready to make a move, take a look at BrickUnderground’s How to Buy Guide. And if NYC is new to you, check out our crash course on how to find an apartment for everything you need to know.
For buyers of brand new condos, 16 crucial questions
A sleek new condo building certainly has its draws, from sensible layouts to virgin appliances, pristine lobbies and fast, reliable elevators. Of course, those perks don’t come cheap: In fact, new development condos sold for $2 million more than existing apartments in the second quarter of this year, according to appraisal firm Miller Samuel. Not only will you pay a premium to buy new, you’ll also take a risk on the unknown and untested, especially if you commit well before your place gets built. To boost your chance of getting what you pay for–and head off any nasty surprises–read on for the 16 essential questions to ask while shopping for a
How I tricked out my humdrum closet
During the months-long renovation of our bedroom, we made do sleeping in our little office and living out of dressers and rolling racks parked in our living room. Now that we’ve finished the reno and moved into the bedroom, we have a new problem: a closet that won’t hold clothes for the both of us.
A request for a service animal in a pet-free building: 3 steps to take
Even if your building bans pets, you may have to bend the rules for an apartment dweller with a mental or physical disability, from cancer to blindness to anxiety. Federal, state and city laws require that building owners and landlords accommodate tenants who need service animals, even for emotional support.
An Airbnb guest becomes a squatter, what you learn living alone, and more
Every Airbnb host’s worst nightmare has materialized: the guest who refuses to leave (Business Insider) You can learn a lot of things from living solo (The Billfold) What can you do in a kitchen reno when you’ve got just $2,000 to spend? (Apartment Therapy) If you move somewhere near a biking or walking path, you really will get more exercise (StreetsBlog) Score some cheap nautical gear for decorating down in Red Hook (DNAinfo) In case you were on the fence, probably best not to move into the McKibbin Lofts (Gothamist)
Low-Fee Rental Roundup: Williamsburg, Koreatown, Roosevelt Island, and more, from $1,595 to $5,750 a month
Looking to say goodbye to your current landlord and the expensive gauntlet of pricey broker’s fees? Check out the listings at Naked Apartments to see a variety of no-fee and low-fee apartments with broker’s fees that top out at 9 percent (versus the typical 12 to 15 percent). We’ve rounded up current options in all five boroughs and in a variety of price ranges, and you can also search Naked Apartments by “no-fee” or “low-fee” to see more. If you land on a place you like, Naked Apartments will make sure an agent’s there to greet you whenever you want to see it with its Showings on Demand feature.
Rental-friendly DIY fixes for 3 common lighting problems
At some point or another, we’ve all lived in a rental with a lighting scheme that makes us feel like we’re either at the DMV or a haunted house. Mercifully, there are still plenty of options for those of us with security deposits to keep intact, and as we’ve said before, a lighting upgrade is one of the quickest, easiest decorating fixes you can make. Apartment Therapy has also rounded up some of the best (and most achievable) lighting DIYs from around the web to spruce up all manner
Is temporary wallpaper truly temporary? Yes (so far)!
Here’s the promise of temporary wallpaper: you buy it for less than traditional wall coverings, remove it from its backing like a sticker, affix it to your wall and, presto, your walls are enlivened, easy. And when it’s time to move, all you have to do is peel it off the wall. No muss, no fuss, no landlord’s permission necessary.
My daughter’s starting grad school this fall. How early can I rent an apartment for her?
We often receive emails from readers asking for help in navigating their own real estate crises. In Realty Bites, we try to get them answers. The Problem: A reader recently wrote in hoping to rent an apartment for her daughter, who’s moving here in a month and a half to study music. “My daughter will be a grad student at Juilliard in the fall, and she will be away all summer. Is it possible for me to come to New York, work with…
Calling Columbia students: A Hamilton Heights four-bedroom with roommate-friendly flourishes
Roommate living conjures images of messy kitchens and cramped bedrooms—but it doesn’t have to be that way. Take, for example, this four-bedroom in Hamilton Heights listed for $4,500 a month.
Coming Attractions: Adam America Building Condos with Day Care in Williamsburg
In a neat little encapsulation of the ways in which Williamsburg has changed over the past decade or so, a one-story brick structure (formerly the distribution center of the Porto Rico Importing Company) is being demolished to make way for a 13-story luxury condo tower with a day care taking up 8,500 square feet on the first and part of the second floor. Developer Adam America just released the first rendering of the building, being designed by architects ODA, on its website, which was then spotted by NY YIMBY. According to the description on the website, the “high-end condominium project will consist of 32 units ranging…
Top Dog: Washington Square Park Holds the Best Dog Run In NYC
As part of Outdoors Week 2014, Curbed searched for the best dog park in NYC. Six contenders made the cut, and today we announce the winner of the poll. The dog owners of New York City have spoken: Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village is home to the best dog park in the city. The park’s dog runs were completely overhauled as part of the park’s six-year-long makeover, and the new tree-lined runs—one for large dogs, one for small dogs—has plenty of …
Neighborhood Beefs: Prospect-Lefferts Gardens residents are calling…
Prospect-Lefferts Gardens residents are calling for more designated grilling stations on the east side of Prospect Park. The park has 14 designated grilling stations, 10 of which are on the far west side, bordering Park Slope. And — what do you know — last month, Park Slopers started a petition to ban grilling in the park, for some absurd reason. The solution is clear: all these people should just switch apartments. NYDN; previously
Construction Watch: DS+R’s Crazy Columbia Tower Taking Shape, Halfway Complete
All images via Field Condition. Construction of Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Gensler’s crazy, curvy tower that will soon be home to Columbia University Medical Center’s Medical and Graduate Education program has surpassed the halfway mark. The 14-story building’s focal point will be what Field Condition refers to as its “Study Cascade,” an open staircase that stretches the height of the building’s south facade. It’s meant to encourage collaboration across the multiple disciplines that will call the building home when complete in 2015. · CUMC Medical and Graduate Eduction Building Field Condition · Diller Scofidio and Renfro’s New Columbia Building, Unveiled! Curbed
Rent Wars: Kingsbridge Armory is poised to become…
Kingsbridge Armory is poised to become a $345 million ice complex, and one landlord in the area is already trying to cash in on the plan, even though construction is far from starting. Thirteen businesses across from the armory received letters on July 9 stating that their rents will skyrocket 75 to 100 percent. The Kingsbridge National Ice Center is not going to open until at least September 2018. NYDN; previously
Shameless Self-Promotion: Three Ways To Add More Curbed NY To Your Life
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Show Us Your Sales Office: 10 Sullivan Woos Potential Buyers with Simulated Views
The sales office for 10 Sullivan has two somewhat unique features. The first is the model living room, built in the curved shape that one of the apartments in the triangular tower would actually possess, slightly smaller overall but with the same ceiling height. The second, and more unique, is the interactive video display projected onto the model living room’s “windows,” showing visitors what the actual views would be like from one of the higher floors of the Cary Tamarkin-designed development. Watch the display for a few seconds, and a plane flies overhead. A few more seconds and sailboat cruises leisurely down up the Hudson River. Four different times of day and night are featured, all equally serene (you know how Lower Manhattan is). The…
On the Market: Designer UES Penthouse With Spectacular Terrace Wants $21M
The penthouse atop the Laurel on East 67th Street has hit the market for $21 million. The home was purchased by an anonymous LLC in 2011 for $11.2 million, and the owners hired architect Edward Siegel and interior designer Ernest de la Torre to completely remake the space. They also commissioned artist Richard Woods to deck out the foyer with a personalized mural, but sadly, it’s not shown in the listing photos. Inside, there are 12-foot ceilings, a media
Raise the Roof: A partially collapsed building in…
A partially collapsed building in Woodhaven, Queens has been saved by an agreement its owners made with the city whereby they have to fixed the caved-in roof by October 15. The roof collapsed last April and the building was slated for demolition, with neighbors calling it an eyesore, but a deal was reached at the eleventh hour. Courier
Rendering Reveals: New Renderings For 18 Condos Rising Alongside Green-Wood
A new condo building is coming to the western border of Green-Wood Cemetery along Fifth Avenue. The five story-building will have 18 condos spread over 15,021-square-feet. Brownstoner first spotted the building, whose amenities will include nine parking spots, nine bike-storage spots, and a common roof deck. The building is being developed by U.S. Development Group and designed by Building Consulting Engineering PLLC. Despite the innocuous firms, the building looks like it’ll be quite nice. No pricing has been unveiled yet for the building which will likely come to market soon, in line with its summer completion. · Interior Renderings Revealed for Nearly Finished Condos Next to Green-Wood ‘Stoner · All Green-Wood Cemetery coverage Curbed · Rendering Reveals archives Curbed
Construction Watch: Juul-Hansen Condos Rise on Either Side of The High Line
Construction is well underway at the Thomas Juul-Hansen-designed 505 West 19th Street, which is now hugging the High Line from either side in the warm embrace of its starchitecture. Although the two structures haven’t topped out yet, their current size makes it possible to get a good sense of what the finished condo development will look like in relation to the elevated park, especially when you put the current images next to the building’s renderings, as the PR team for the project has helpfully done. Sales for the building launched back in March, though listings for the crown jewels, the three penthouses, have yet to go live. &#
Blockbusters: The onetime manor of late businesswoman…
The onetime manor of late businesswoman Leona Helmsley just hit the market in Greenwich, Conn. The 40-acre property last sold in 2010 for $35M, which, at the time, was one of the most moneyed deals ever for Greenwich, despite being nowhere near the estate’s initial $125M ask (or, for that matter, the current record-holder, Copper Beech Farm, which sold for $120M). The new owners spent the last few years siphoning cash into a total renovation of the 1918 property
Cornerspotter: Hint: This Tower Was Named After a Prominent NY Figure
Welcome to Cornerspotter, Curbed’s game in which you try to identify the location and/or identity of a particular building or streetscape in a historic photograph. Impress us and your fellow Curbed readers with your uncanny insight into New York City and its past! Pictured here amidst its opening in 1929, this building was designed in the Italianate style in part by a Cooper Union graduate. The building was originally named after a prominent New York figure, although it goes by a new name these days. Where is this