Spanning from the north side of West 70th Street to the south side of West 79th Street, the West End Collegiate-Historic District is known for its breathtaking architecture dating back to the 19th century. This area offers a close-knit community at the forefront of art and culture, where business owners know their patrons and where real estate brokers live where they sell. 

A rich architectural history 

In the mid-1880s, real estate developers and property owners employed prominent NYC architects to design buildings, particularly single-family row houses and townhouses. By the 1890s, apartment living in NYC became more popular, leading to the development of “French flats” that contained multiple units in one building and often had an elevator. The addition of the subway to the Upper West Side in 1904 popularized the area and led to schools, churches, clubs, and larger residential buildings with as many as 20 stories being built. 

Many of the buildings in this area today are historic buildings that have been converted into condominiums or apartments and renovated. However, new rental laws in 2019 made it nearly impossible to convert historic buildings, so the market for older, renovated houses is now more competitive. 

Old-world charm with modern convenience

Recently this neighborhood has grown in popularity over the past few years as New York has experienced a “tech boom.” While it may be expected that these workers would live downtown in trendy neighborhoods such as the East Village, TriBeCa, or Chelsea, many of them are seeking the confluence of quiet and convenience that is offered in the West End Collegiate-Historic District. 

Louise Phillips Forbes, leader of sales at 393 West End Avenue and longtime Upper West Side resident, shared that the neighborhood has such an allure because it offers “intimacy and [a] quiet neighborhood with access to the pulse of the city.” There is quick and easy access to the 1, 2, and 3 trains, giving residents quick commutes to their office jobs, while still offering reprieve from the noisy midtown area. In fact, many tech buyers flock to residences such as 393 West End Avenue (from 2021-2022, 22 of the condo’s sales went to tech buyers), where they can enjoy modern conveniences and amenities in the luxury and beauty of a restored pre-war building. 

A lively neighborhood

According to Forbes, “there is an intimacy and friendliness that you don’t always experience” in New York City in the West End Collegiate-Historic District. Within this neighborhood, many neighbors and residents know each other, and shop and restaurant owners remember patrons who visit frequently.  

Though the West End Collegiate-Historic District is quiet and laid-back, residents enjoy the many local restaurants and proximity to parks and recreational spaces such as Central Park or the nearby Hudson River Greenway, which offers paths for cyclists, skateboarders, and runners, as well as basketball and tennis courts, baseball diamonds, and dog runs. For artistically minded folks, there is just a short walk to Lincoln Center, the Natural History Museum, the American Folk Art Museum, and the many architectural additions. 

While NYC is packed with restaurants, the areas near the West End Collegiate-Historic district are quickly growing to become a food capital of the city, with streets like Amsterdam Avenue becoming a new “restaurant row.” The development of the neighborhood can be seen in the example of Salumeria Rosi, an Italian restaurant and salumi shop owned by Andrea Loscalzo. Andrea has a background in the tech world but left the industry to pursue the restaurant industry. Andrea also opened The Wallace Lounge, a swanky spot for small bites in the Wallace Hotel. While some tech workers move to the neighborhood to enjoy the quiet atmosphere and rich community, some fall in love with other pursuits and settle down for a lifetime in this unique neighborhood. 

When thinking of the West End Collegiate-Historic Districts allure, Louise brought up the iconic Levain Bakery. Louise knows the founders of the bakery and reminisced on their meeting, saying, “I met them when they were making homemade bread when they stumbled upon the quarter-pound chocolate chip cookie.” At restaurants around the neighborhood, Louise says that the restaurant owners and staff “know your name.” New York City can turn into a land of overpopulated anonymity, with solitude being found in crowds of strangers, but in the West End Collegiate-Historic District, there is a community of individuals that know each other intimately and grow together through years spent in New York City. This community and intimacy found in the neighborhood is what continues to draw new residents to the area and keep long-term residents happy. 

Notable Architectural Marvels in the West End Collegiate-Historic District

393 West End Ave

While there are many converted pre-war buildings in the neighborhood, one of the last converted residences is 393 West End Ave due to the rental restriction laws.

A 96-year-old building originally built by architects Goldner & Goldner, 393 West End Ave has been renovated with what Forbes calls a “respect for history” by award-winning CetraRuddy Architecture. The historic exterior is echoed through the interior despite having modern updates and matches the Upper West Side’s acclaimed rowhouses and apartment buildings.

There are antique bronze doors with distinctive lion medallions, lantern ironwork, and plaster tassels and a scalloped cornice referencing the great opera houses of the era. 

The Apthorp

This historic condominium building was designed by architects Clinton & Russell for William Astor and was constructed in 1908. Known for its Italian Renaissance Revival Architecture, it occupies an entire block, with wrought-iron gates marking the entrance to the property. With limestone sculptures and an impeccable interior courtyard, this impressive building has been home to notable figures such as Cindy Lauper, Robert De Niro, and Al Pacino. 

Three Riverside Drive

Once the residence of William Guggenheim, this iconic building was constructed in 1895 and is a must-visit for any architectural tour of the area, C.P.H. Gilbert designed the 37-foot wide, ornate limestone mansion.

The Willard 

The Willard at 252 West 76th Street is a pre-war building that is popular amongst many new residents of the area due to its many amenities, such as a fitness center, a playroom for children, a bike room, storage, and an elevator.

This building combines convenience and beauty, reflecting the duality of the surrounding neighborhood. 

Alfie Arms

This sprawling building is an “elegant brick, limestone and terra-cotta co-op built in the Neo-Classical style by Sugarman, Hess & Berger in 1923.” This restored co-op building attracts young buyers from the tech world and growing families, offering a mix of uptown luxury with contemporary updates such as stainless steel appliances, wine refrigerators, and in-unit laundry. 

The West End Collegiate-Historic District may be tucked away in NYC, but should not be underestimated. It has a way of making the big city feel like a small town. 

The post West End Collegiate-Historic District Neighborhood Guide: The Architectural and Artistic Neighborhood appeared first on CitySignal.

The pre-war multi-family townhouse located at 313 East 6th Street has been listed for the first time since the 1970s. While all New York buildings have their stories to tell, this one has seen more than most. Home to multiple famous artists and a documentary director, 313 East 6th Street has survived both raging fire and FBI surveillance units. It now awaits its next chapter and next owners. 

East Village Greek Revival Mansions

Originally constructed in 1853, later renovations reformatted the single-family home into three apartments. In 1902 the residence was officially relabeled a multi-unit dwelling.

The entryway features an original double-wide formal entrance and brownstone stoop. The house contains traditional Greek Revival elements with complimentary Italianate details, similar to other houses on that street. Brick interior walls, tall windows, and original staircases add authentic charm.

A large 30-foot backyard offers a green respite for sun and lounging while high ceilings deliver both northern and southern light to the bedrooms. The home has 6 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms with a total square footage of 5,480 square feet

313 East 6th Street is currently vacant and gutted. The building will require a top-to-bottom build-out. Future owners will have the rare opportunity to design and build the home, or apartments, of their dreams. This and other row houses on 6th Street received landmark status in 2012 when added to the East Village/Lower East Side Historic District. 

A 1948 Certificate of Occupancy states a “social club” was once located in the basement. Most recently, the bottom floor was kept as an art studio. A fire in 2022 partially damaged the upper quarters, but ensuing repairs verify the home is structurally safe and sound. Aside from architectural charm, the building was home to many famous voices of New York City’s past.

Mark Rothko’s Painting Stint in the 1930s

The late abstract artist Mark Rothko (born Markus Rothkowitz) and his first wife, Edith Sachar, occupied an apartment here in the late 1930s. During those years, Rothko was a part-time teacher at the Center Academy of the Brooklyn Jewish Center. He taught children from 1929 to 1952. Edith and he lived in many parts of the East Village until his wife’s pressure for him to become famous eventually drove them to separate.

A well-known painting of his titled “Thru the Window” was painted in this apartment. Both the artist’s signature and building address are written on the back of the painting.  

Rothko was propelled to fame in the 1940s and cemented himself as both an abstract painter and surrealist. Rothko was contemporaries with other famed artists such as Max Weber, Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, and Franz Kline. Famous for monolithic works of color study, a Rothko original titled “No. 6 (Violet, Green and Red)” sold at Christie’s for $186 million in 2014, the 5th most expensive painting sale in history.

Abstract Expressionist Alfred Leslie at 313 East 6th

Painter and filmmaker Alfred Leslie, of the Bronx, also had a stint at 313 East 6th Street. As second artist in residence, Leslie utilized the garden level for his Manhattan studio.

Famous for macro-sized portraiture and an extensive series of watercolors, Leslie documented his road trips through original artworks.  Through his many iterations as an artist, Leslie was also a filmmaker; combining cartoons, home movies and old feature films. The 1959 film Pull My Daisy was directed by Alfred Leslie and narrated by Jack Kerouac. Other film collaborations included poet Frank O’Hara. He later got into sculptures made of found and everyday objects.

In the 1960s Leslie segued from abstract expressionism to realistic figurative pieces. Losing much of his work in a fire, Leslie later gained fame for his large-scale charcoal drawings. Alfred Leslie passed away from COVID-19 in 2023.

Documentary Maker’s Home

The last shift in ownership came in the 1970s when 313 East 6th Street was purchased by director Emile de Antonio and his wife. Still under ownership of the Antonio family, it was a surprise to some when this property was listed on the market.

Emile de Antonio, like Rothko and Leslie, also led a prolific creative and political career in New York City. Directing and producing documentary films on social, political and counterculture events, de Antonio has been called “the most important political filmmaker in the United States during the Cold War.” 

Amongst famous works including Painters Painting, released in 1972, de Antonio was in charge of distribution for Pull My Daisy, the film directed by Alfred Leslie. His film In the Year of the Pig was Oscar nominated in 1969. De Antonio is known to critique American culture and politics with an emphasis on political dissension. Because of this de Antonio was under constant surveillance by the FBI under J. Edgar Hoover. A 10,000 page dossier compiled regarding De Antonio became subject of his autobiographical film, Mr. Hoover and I.

Then and Now

Of course, times have changed. Located smack in the middle of Ukrainian Village, 313 East 6th Street is now in a bustling part of East Village, close to Whole Foods and Tompkins Square Park. Still, how many who wander by know Rothko used to look out those windows?

The post Rothko’s Historical Former East Village Apartment For Sale appeared first on CitySignal.

What Is A 15-minute City?

What makes a city liveable? For many, it comes down to choice. We want to be surrounded by options without having to stray too far to reach any of them. Making choices accessible is the goal, but getting there is harder than just building a new megastore.

Developed in 2010, the 15-minute city has urban planners rethinking their technique. The basic premise is that all amenities should lie within a 15-minute walk or transit ride from home. This decentralized urban planning model ensures each local neighborhood meets the basic social functions for residents to live and thrive. 

This has yet to be tried in the Big Apple, but that’s about to change. Recently approved plans show New York City will begin constructing its own version in 2023. This has created a small stir amongst conspiracy theorists. 

The concept was first developed by Parisian urbanist and scientist Carlos Moreno. The premise is simple: everyday destinations should be close to home and easy to get to. By developing neighborhoods with schools, stores, and offices only a short walk, bike, or bus ride away, communities and individuals can experience a higher quality of life while saving time usually spent commuting to dedicate to what they actually want to be doing.

15-Minute Cities Around The World

Influenced by European cities like Paris, this method of city planning maximizes convenience and quality of life while minimizing pollution and traffic. The model echoes back to a hundred years ago when cities were established and expanded around a central area containing all needed amenities. In today’s version, we have the added advantage of being digitally connected. 

“A 15-minute city neighborhood offers convenience and quality of life, but not isolation,” describes the C40 website, “Physical and digital connectivity must be at the heart of any 15-minute city strategy, prioritizing equitable access to social and economic opportunities.”

Existing examples include Portland’s Complete Neighborhoods, Melbourne’s 20 Minute Neighborhoods, Bogota’s Barrios Vitales, and, of course, Paris’s original 15-Minute City. 

Some cities are going large in their transition. Portland specifically has committed to refashioning its land use so that 80% of residents will live in complete neighborhoods by 2035. As of now, less than half of Portlanders are in a complete neighborhood.

Calling Paris a 15-minute city feels tongue in cheek to some; Paris has always had greater accessibility to amenities than most cities. Many consider Paris a “5-minute city” with daily conveniences less than a five-minute walk for the average Parisian. One survey tallied 1,180 bakeries and 516 butcher shops within the 40 square miles of Paris’s 20 neighborhoods.  

Transitioning toward complete neighborhoods takes a lot of planning on behalf of local and government officials. While the idea was slow to take hold in 2010, the 2020 pandemic provided a major driving force for cities to take action. 

COVID-19 Impact on 15-Minute Cities

During the rise of Covid-19, an organization of globally networked mayors, called C40, united in action against climate change. This group of city leaders established the Global Mayors COVID-19 Recovery Task Force. Active participants of C40 include nearly 100 major cities: Madrid, Amsterdam, Berlin, Austin, Houston, New Orleans, Seattle, Los Angeles, and many others around the globe.

Amongst the actions these mayors committed to taking: Supporting essential workers, creating green jobs, providing fundamental public services, building with nature, and evolving to create 15-minute cities. 

“[We] committed to providing the swiftest and strongest possible rebound for their citizens and reaffirmed commitment to the principles of the Global Green New Deal,” says the C40 project website, “to protect our environment, strengthen economies and build a more equitable future – [we] reached out to other cities, youth, unions, business, and civil society to join in this effort.”

By reimagining streets and public spaces to best benefit local people of all abilities, backgrounds, and ages, the city offers itself in a more equitable and inclusive manner. Communities thrive when pedestrians “live locally” and are able to spend more time on foot, bike, or transit. 

15-minute Cities Reduction of Environmental Impact

Upsides to the 15-minute city were initially environmental. Reclaiming and reformatting space is a means to decrease car use, reducing carbon emissions. A decrease in traffic and car dependency equates to more free time for residents. Access to walking routes, parks and other outdoor conveniences mobilizes people to spend more time outdoors, boosting both physical and mental health.

“It puts people and the environment at the centre of urban planning,” said The Conversation, “Key elements are: the proximity of necessities; local participation and decision-making; community solidarity and connection; and green and sustainable urban living.”

A manifesto published in 2020 from Barcelona, backed by 300 architects and 160 academics, iterated four key elements to city organization: reorganization of mobility, renaturalization of the city, de-growth, and de-commodification of housing. So how would this translate in the hustle and bustle of New York City? 

Innovation QNS, NYC’s 15-Minute City

In 2022 the NYC Council approved a 15-minute city masterplan for the Queens’ Astoria neighborhood. The plan, called Innovation QNS, was brought forth by ODA Architecture and includes a number of major perks.

Built between 35th and 36th Avenues, the neighborhood will repurpose large surface parking lots, vacant spaces, and underutilized industrial and commercial buildings to shape an area that meets residents’ needs in a more concrete way.

“Innovation QNS will expand the adjacent Kaufman Arts District and build on Astoria’s rich cultural fabric including its existing cultural assets,” details the ODA Urban Plan website.

The 5-block plan will include over 2,800 units of mixed-income housing, of which 700 are permanently coded for affordable housing. Beyond that, 200,000 square feet will be dedicated to neighborhood retail and 250,000 square feet dedicated to creative industry and small business. Two acres have been set aside for intentional open space, community health and wellness facilities, arts and culture hubs, not to mention a multiplex cinema and grocery store.

Despite difficult negotiations, the project was finally approved in late 2022, with construction slated to begin in 2025. The $2 billion dollar development nearly came to a halt as the opposition called for even more affordable housing to be woven into the plan. Developers and housing officials finally agreed to double the affordable units to 45% of the project, equating to 1,400 units.

“This is exactly the kind of historic work we must do to tackle the housing shortage at the root of our affordable housing crisis,” said Democratic Mayor Eric Adams about regarding the negotiations.

Pressure continues to mount as officials fail to meet an urgently growing housing shortage crisis. Council members advocating on behalf of affordable housing were relieved the project has expanded to include more units.

“From Day 1, I have stood with my community in demanding deeper affordability from this development,” said Ms. Won of the Council’s progressive caucus, “There [were] more parking spots being offered than affordable units.”

 Supported by Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, council members continue to pressure developers to meet the needs of local communities first and foremost. 

But while the common thread of 15-minute cities carry the sentiment of community-first principles, that hasn’t stopped conspiracy theorists from demonizing the concept, creating major backlash. 

Conspiracy Theories of 15-Minute Cities

Starting in 2023, Mr. Moreno’s 15-minute city began to attract the wrong kind of attention. QAnon conspiracy theorists and climate change deniers quickly labeled 15-minute cities as “Prison camps” and “Climate change lockdowns,” stoking fears that proximity was a form of entrapment. 

Misinterpretations of the concept ran rampant, and conservatives vilified the idea as a government takeover, accusing supporters of advocating repression and government surveillance. The oppositional narrative is dystopic at best. Opponents paint pictures of a fictional future where gated communities keep residents locked in, and limited access to vehicles prohibits people from moving freely. 

Mr. Moreno was attacked both digitally and physically. Harassment and threats through email and online forums mounted, with some calling Moreno a criminal and a dictator. Soon the death threats began to pour in, terrifying both him and his family. 

“I wasn’t a researcher anymore, I was Pol Pot, Stalin, Hitler,” Mr. Moreno told the New York Times, “I am not a politician, I am not a candidate for anything — as a researcher, my duty is to explore and deepen my ideas with scientific methodology. It is totally unbelievable that we could receive a death threat just for working as scientists.”

So far, none of this doomsday foreshadowing has proven true. In fact, local communities have flourished under newly completed neighborhoods, with small businesses gaining more traction than before. Advocates of 15-minute cities are quick to dismiss any rumors, ensuring the concept is not driven by any sort of restrictive mobility or monitoring.  

As New York constructs its own version of a complete neighborhood, we will soon experience firsthand what the model has to offer. Coming from the midst of both an economic and housing crisis, this movement toward the 15-minute city may help New York emerge from the pandemic even stronger than before.

The post What Is A 15-Minute City and How It’s Coming to NYC appeared first on CitySignal.

This is the story of Margot Gayle.

Who Was Margot Gayle

Born in 1908 in Kansas City, MO, Margot spent much of her childhood moving around due to her father’s job as an executive in the auto industry. Gayle didn’t grow up wanting to be a historical preservationist; she actually received a Masters in bacteriology from Emory University, but the Great Depression made it difficult to find a job. So she turned to politics and became an activist through her work. One of her early accomplishments was fighting to get the Georgia poll tax repealed. She was so passionate about the cause that many dubbed her “Poll Tax Margot.” 

Gayle moved to New York with her husband (divorced in 1957) and two daughters, where they lived in Greenwich Village. In New York, she continued to be involved in political activism, even running for City Council in 1957. It was through her work in politics, however, that she found her true calling: historical preservation. 

Jefferson Market Courthouse  

Located at 425 Avenue of the Americas, the Jefferson Market Courthouse – an iconic Victorian Gothic structure built in the late 1800s – was around the corner from Margot Gayle’s Greenwich Village apartment and from the notorious New York Women’s House of Detention. One of the most defining characteristics of the red brick structure was its spire-like clock tower. It was used as a courthouse until 1945, after which it sat vacant, the future of the historic building uncertain. In the late 1950s, rumors that the courthouse was for sale and in danger of being torn down prompted Margot Gayle to take action. 

With the help of friends and colleagues, Gayle formed the Village Neighborhood Committee. One of the organization’s first orders of business was to get the long-frozen clock ticking again, with the hope that it would raise awareness. It did just that. Next, the committee set out to ensure that the building itself could be preseved. A successful campaign to have the former courthouse converted into a public library sealed the deal. In 1961, the New York Public Library agreed to take over the structure, and in 1977 it was declared a National Historic Landmark. 

Reflecting on her work saving the Jefferson Market Courthouse, Gayle said in an interview with the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, “It was ‘act soon or lose it.’ There was no precedent for what we were doing, and there was very little community feeling about saving old buildings, so we couldn’t really use that. We just used every tool at hand and worked fast to keep the building from being auctioned off, really. I really am amazed to think how close that building came to being gone.”

The Jefferson Market Library is in full operation today. 

Formation of the Victorian Society 

The Jefferson Market Courthouse may have been Margot Gayle’s first big win, but it was hardly her last. In the 1950s and 60s in New York, the demolition of historic masterpieces to make way for modernization was plaguing the city. It was activists who saved some of NYC’s most iconic NYC fixtures – notably, Jane Jacobs’ successful 1958 battle to stop Robert Moses from building a highway through Washington Square Park. 

Unfortunately, not all could be saved. In 1963, the original Pennsylvania Station was demolished to make way for Madison Square Garden. Renowned for its beauty, the original structure was considered “the architectural embodiment of New York’s vaulted ambition and open arms.” Its demolition was devastating to residents.

Determined to ensure other historic cast-iron structures would not meet the same fate as Penn Station, in 1966, Gayle, in conjunction with historic preservationists Brendan Gill and Henry-Russell Hitchcock, founded the Victorian Society in America. Still in existence today, the Victorian Society is committed to “historic preservation, protection, understanding, education, and enjoyment of our nineteenth-century heritage.” The organization fulfills its promise through architectural tours, publications, and summer schools dedicated to educating interested parties on architecture, art, and preservation.   

Friends of Cast Iron Architecture 

The Victorian Society was not the only preservation organization that Margot Gayle helped create. In 1968, she attended a Victorian Society symposium during which she learned about the significance of cast iron buildings in New York and that they were largely unprotected. Inspired and enraged, Gayle made it her mission to fight for their survival. 

On March 18th, 1970, Gayle formed the Friends of Cast-Iron Architecture. The group’s goal was to “preserve structures such as cast-iron buildings, cemetery ironwork, and iron fountains – both nationally and internationally.” By raising awareness about the significance of cast-iron architecture in America, the organization has successfully prevented the majority of cast-iron structures from being demolished. It was through the Friends of Cast-Iron Architecture that Gayle was able to fight out one of her most consequential and important preservation battles.  

SoHo Cast-Iron District 

In the late 60s and early 70s, urban renewal in New York was the name of the game, and SoHo was under imminent threat. In 1969, the area faced the danger of demolition to make way for the LOMEX – Lower Manhattan Expressway – an elevated highway that would connect the Hudson to the East River. Thanks to outcry from residents, artists, and activists like Gayle, the project was halted permanently in 1969.  

Though the area was safe from an expressway, preservationists craved security to ensure the neighborhood would also be spared from modernization. Over the next few years, Gayle and the Friends of Cast-Iron Architecture worked tirelessly to get the area designated as the SoHo Cast-Iron District. Her partners in crime were the artists who called the area both home and work (the “SoHo model” has gone on to serve as an example for mixed-use artist spaces). Their joint efforts paid off in 1973, when SoHo received a Cast-Iron District designation from the Landmarks Preservation Commission, thereby protecting the historic architecture from demolition. 

Today, with rents higher than the buildings themselves (average rent for a one-bedroom is 4,650 according to RentHop), SoHo is hardly a haven for artists looking for a studio to work and live in. It has transformed into a glamorous shopping, eating, and working destination – likely in part, due to the district’s unique architecture. Much like the Jefferson Market Courthouse, by preserving the bones of the buildings, SoHo had the chance to change with the times while holding onto its history. And that is thanks to Margot Gayle.  

Ms. Gayle died in 2008, but her work will be remembered forever. On her passion for preservation, she once said: “If one person really puts his mind to something and can inspire a whole group around him, it’s amazing in this complicated world what can be achieved. How do you like that?” 

We like it very much, Margot. 

The post Margot Gayle, Savior of SoHo appeared first on CitySignal.

The Sale of the Flatiron Building

Placed for public auction on March 22nd, 2023, the lead-up to the sale of the Flatiron Building was filled with drama and continues to cause controversy. Initially, the sale was pitched as a semi-forced business move by multiple stakeholders of the building.

GFP Real Estate, Newmark, ABS Real Estate Partners, and Sorgente Group, four renowned real estate groups, owned a 75% stake in the business, while a fifth solo partner, Nathan Silverstein, owned 25%. The two parties, as in the collective real estate companies and Silverstein, sued and countersued one another back in 2021 over disagreements over the building.

The real estate groups argued that Silverstein’s actions were keeping the building empty following MacMillian Publishers’ departure in 2019. On the other hand, Silverstein argued that the other party was allegedly attempting to lease out the building’s space for less than the market price.

Silverstein’s ideal solution was to split up the building and rent on a floor-by-floor basis to which the remaining stakeholders were against, favoring renting the entire building to one tenant. While the four real estate stakeholders expressed interest in potentially winning the bid and continuing to own the Flatiron Building, there was a twist of events.

How the Flatiron Sale Fell Apart

In the end, Jacob Garlick would place the winning bid for the building at $190 million. However, Garlick failed to submit the necessary deposit for the space – $19 million. This failure to pay comes after an already granted extension.

With nonexplanation on why Garlick could not make payment, it is reported that Jeff Gural, the owner of Newmark (one of the current owners), is expected to be offered purchasing rights at a slightly discounted rate – $189.5 million. Newsweek, among other sources, assumes that Gural is likely to decline any offer of the purchase at this time, ultimately waiting until the property goes up for auction once more to make a more tame bid.

This is due in large part to the need for improvements inside and out. While the building has undergone numerous rounds of renovation, the building is still said to need additional work totaling over $100 million. That makes any purchaser’s decision an investment in the end. It’s also why Gural was surprised with Garlick’s initial high bid.

Inside the Flatiron Building 

Flatiron Building Construction

Before there was the Flatiron Building, there was just a piece of land located in the heart of NYC – a triangle piece of land, to be specific. When the Fuller Company was looking for a place to call home in New York, they decided to commission a new building, the Fuller Building.

The Fuller company would hire Chicago architect Daniel Burnham to design the building. Maximizing on the triangle-shaped land parcel between 5th Ave, Broadway, 22nd, and 23rd Street, he conceptualized the triangle-shaped building.

The city was hesitant to approve building schematics as initial plans failed to include basic safety measures like fire escapes and metal framed windows. There were also concerns over the building’s ability to face high winds, given its height and shape. 

The Board of Building Commissioners would eventually dismiss some requirements allowing construction to continue, and prompting complaints of favoritism. Construction was completed at an exceptional pace in 1902, averaging a floor a week, adding to concern over safety. 

Flatiron Building Architecture & Design Features

The Flatiron building has faced more than its fair amount of criticism over the years. And while it may be viewed as just quirky nowadays, the building, in all its glory, was once labeled a monstrosity upon completion.

At 22 stories, many feared the structural integrity of the building and argued it would blow down once the wind was strong enough. Some also dubbed what was assumed to be an eventual failure known as Burnham’s Folly.

Beyond the shape of the 285-foot building, there is plenty to admire here. Complete in 1902, the Flatiron building dared to utilize a steel skeleton rather than the New York City norm of masonry up until then.

At its narrowest point, the building is just 6.5 feet wide. Initial construction was done in three horizontal sections that resembled the processes of Greek columns. The base of the building incorporates building materials like limestone, while the upper levels feature glazed terracotta.

The triangle shape of the building affected more than just the visual. It would also bring a unique experience to the city, including an introduction to the 23 skidoo.

The quirky term was coined when it was discovered that the building caused wind patterns that could result in the wind ruffling a girl’s skirt who might be obliviously walking down the street. Because of this, police would shoo away people who lined the streets in anticipation of using the term 23 skidoo in the process.

Flatiron Building Interior

Inside, you’ll also find echoes of the time when the building was crafted, most notably in the bathroom situation. Because the building was originally crafted for a construction company in a time when women were not anticipated to be in the building, there were no women’s bathrooms.

Instead, every bathroom on every floor was reserved for men. Since then, some bathrooms have been converted so that the options alternate from floor to floor. Men can use the restrooms on the odd floors, while women can use even-floor bathrooms. 

History of Tenants of the Flatiron Building

The Fuller Company, a Chicago-based contracting business, initially occupied the 19th story of the building and invited surrounding businesses to help fill out the remaining floors. Some early tenants included the Equitable Life Assurance Society, which occupied the third floor, the Imperial Russian Consulate, which occupied three floors, and the New York State Athletic Commission.

Once the Fuller Company decided to open up other floors of the building to additional tenants, the Flatiron Building’s history grew a little murkier. Sure, there were relatively wholesome tenants with complex ties to NYC history, like the French Restaurant, Taverne Louis, and Macmillan Publishing, but other tenants were questionable, including Murder, Inc, an organized crime collection part of the larger National Crime Syndicate, most notably including a number of mobs in New York.

The Naming of the Flatiron Building

The Flatiron building’s name is said to come from the shape resembling the common household appliance, but it wasn’t always intended to be coined that. The building was originally set to be named after the commissioner – George A. Fuller, and the Chicago-based contracting firm he’d created. Before construction was complete, George A. Fuller would ultimately pass away. While Fuller Company officials were still committed to naming the building after the last name and business moniker, but would not ultimately happen.

Locals and those working on the building had already labeled the building as the Flatiron for a number of reasons, including appearance. After years of trying to establish Fuller as the name of the building, Flatiron Building would win, and the Fuller name would be transferred up to a skyscraper on Madison. 

Flatiron Building Legacy

There are a number of attributes the Flatiron building gets to claim: the strangest building shape, one of New York’s first skyscrapers, the first skyscraper above 14th Street, the first to use steel skeletons – just to name a few. Because of these unique attributes, New York eventually deemed the Flatiron building a protected New York landmark.

Influential in New York’s history, the surrounding area also became known as the Flatiron District, or simply Flatiron. From origins as a ferociously outcast building among New York City’s ever-growing landscape, the Flatiron Building is a New York City jewel. While the sale has grown into something more complicated, many are hoping for a swift conclusion that allows for this building to continue shining.  

The post The Flatiron Building For Sale and the Legacy of a Notable Building appeared first on CitySignal.

For over 100 years, the home was owned by members of the Duke family – yes, that is Duke of Duke University. In their heyday (the late 1800s and early-mid 1900s) the Dukes were prominent members of society and prolific business magnates. North Carolina born and raised, brothers Benjamin N. Duke and James Buchanan (J.B.) Duke made names for themselves as the respective founders of Duke Energy and American Tobacco Company. The fortunes amassed from those two companies afforded the men – and their children, and their children’s children – lavish and outlandish lives. 

Despite Southern roots, the Duke family had a significant impact on New York, and their palatial city abodes have withstood the test of time. Some homes remain residential, like the $80 million Benjamin N. Duke listing, while others have become museums, such as the former residence of James Buchanan Duke – now the NYU Institute of Fine Arts. 

Early Days in NYC

The sons of tobacco manufacturer Washington Duke, James and Benjamin got their start at the family business in Durham, North Carolina. It quickly became successful and in 1884, James Buchanan Duke moved to New York to open the new offices of Duke and Sons and help expand operations. And expand they did: in 1890, James created the country’s largest tobacco manufacturing firm in American Tobacco Company. By consolidating four manufacturers into one corporation, American Tobacco Company had a monopoly on the industry. This would be addressed later via the Sherman Antitrust Act, but in the corporation’s early days, the monopoly led to unchecked growth and money-making. 

The creation of the American Tobacco Company cemented the Dukes’ place in the New York business scene. In 1893, James B. Duke began another significant legacy-building endeavor, however this one was a bit outside of the city, and involved lots and lots of land.   

Duke Farms

The first major Duke land acquisition in the New York area was James’s 1893 purchase of a farm in Somerville, New Jersey. Inspired by the North Carolina farms he grew up on, by the time of his death in 1925 the 2,000-acre property boasted “45 buildings, 9 lakes, 18 miles of roads, 810 acres of woodlands, 464 acres of grassland bird habitat and 1.5 miles of stone walls.” 

The property also served as the primary residence of J.B. Duke, his wife Nanaline, and their daughter Doris (she would later inherit the estate at age 12 after her father’s passing). What started as a simple farmhouse eventually grew into a 67,000 square feet mansion through expansions by both James and Doris. The home boasted a “swimming pool, shooting gallery, theater, casino, and bowling alley,” and even featured a “gigantic, ornate glass conservatory” which reflected the horticultural interests of Doris and of her father.

Unfortunately, the mansion fell into disrepair after Doris Duke’s death in 1993, and in 2015, the Duke Farms Foundation made the controversial decision to demolish the mansion in order to open up the land to the public. 

“An environmentalist long before it was fashionable,” Doris Duke spent much time building upon her father’s work and transformed the estate’s impressive acreage into an innovative ecological residence. One of her most significant contributions was the building of Duke Gardens, a botanic display in a glass conservatory designed by notable Gilded Age architects Horace Trumbauer and Julian Abele. The Duke Gardens were opened to the public in 1960, and then closed in 2008, after which the display was dismantled to make way for a “new vision.” 

Today, Duke Farms is managed by the Doris Duke Foundation. Opened to the public in 2012, the farm operates “with a mission to be a leader in environmental stewardship and to inspire visitors to become informed stewards of the land.” 

Benjamin N. Duke House

In 1901, Benjamin N. Duke joined his brother in New York, and in the real estate game through the purchase of his mansion at 1009 Fifth Avenue – the very townhouse which fetched an $80 million price tag in early 2023. Benjamin Duke lived at the residence until 1907, when it was purchased by J.B. Duke, who needed a place to live until his Manhattan home was completed in 1912. Ownership then passed to Benjamin’s son Angier Buchanan Duke, then Benjamin’s daughter Mary Lillian Duke and her husband, A.J. Drexel Biddle Jr., and finally landed in the hands of his granddaughter: Mary Duke Biddle Trent Semans. 

Growing up across from the Metropolitan Museum of Art exposed Semans to culture at an early age, and her appreciation for art would ultimately lead to several significant contributions in the American cultural landscape. It was Semans’ mother who started the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation in 1956; Mary took it over after her mother’s death in 1960. Still in operation today, the foundation “provides support for private higher and secondary education, specified churches, cultural programs (particularly in music, dance, and theater), projects in the arts, and aid to the community and the handicapped. Giving is limited to North Carolina and New York City.” 

Despite roots in New York City, much of Semans’ energy was focused on bringing art and new opportunities to Durham. Semans and her husband, James, helped to start the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and created several foundations through The Duke Endowment intended to support underserved artists and their work. 

While not all of her contributions directly affect New York City, the support for creatives likely inspired and fostered careers of artists making cultural contributions worldwide. 

Sale of the Benjamin N. Duke House

Mary Semans was the last Duke to lay claim to her grandfather’s mansion. It is currently owned by business magnate Carlos Slim, who previously listed the home in 2015 for $44 million. Constructed in the Beaux-Arts style, the massive townhouse includes “eight bedrooms and 10 bathrooms across seven stories, one grand staircase connecting each story, towering ceilings, a private roof deck, and sweeping views of Central Park and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.” It was designated a New York City landmark in 1974 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. 

As far as the future of the Benjamin N. Duke house goes, if it sells, it may not be for residential purposes. According to the Compass listing, “The building can be reimagined as a private residence or converted into a gallery, store, museum, or foundation.”

If the home is converted into a museum, it will be joining the ranks of several other Duke estates that now function as such – one of which is only a few blocks down Fifth Avenue. 

James Buchanan Duke House

In 1909, eager to participate in the New York social scene, James B. Duke purchased the Henry H. Cook mansion located at 1 East 78th Street. Built-in 1878, the original opulent and exquisite mansion was demolished by Duke, who initially intended to remodel the building but then decided to rebuild from the ground up. Architectural historian John Tauranac called the Henry H. Cook Mansion, “the best-built house ever torn down in New York City.”

Architect Harry Trumbauer designed the 40,000-square-foot limestone mansion and more notably, is one of the early works of Julian Abele, a prolific architect, and Trumbauer’s chief designer. Trumbauer and Abele built the home in French Classical style and modeled it after the Hotel Labottiere in Bordeaux, France. It was a museum-worthy building, inside and out. 

J.B., his wife Nanaline, and daughter Doris moved into the home in 1912. After J.B. Duke’s death in 1925, ownership was passed to Doris. Upon inheriting the bulk of her father’s estate – Duke Farms, the NYC mansion, Rough Point in Newport – Doris Duke was dubbed “the richest girl in the world.” 

Doris Duke Real Estate Portfolio

It would be impossible to sum up the life of heiress, socialite, and philanthropist Doris Duke in one short paragraph. After inheriting her fortune, Doris attempted (with little success) to stay out of the spotlight. By the time she was 30, she had homes in Hawaii (the infamous Shangri La), Newport (Rough Point), New York City (James B. Duke House), Beverly Hills (Falcon Lair), and New Jersey (Duke Farms). A voracious art collector, she even purchased a personal Boeing 737 to take on trips when collecting art and plants from around the world. Her friends ranged from Jackie Kennedy to Andy Warhol. She was a competitive surfer, a writer for Harper’s Bazaar, and briefly an international reporter for the International News Service. Most notably, however, she was a philanthropist and a supporter of the arts.  

Doris Duke founded Independent Aid, Inc. at age 21 in order to field the charity requests she received due to her massive fortune. After her death in 1993, Independent Aid, Inc. became the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. Most of her fortune was left to the DDCF, which serves to provide funding to four core areas: the performing arts, medical research, the environment, and child well-being. In addition, the foundation controls her various estates, including Shangri-La (now a museum), Rough Point (also a museum), and Duke Farms. 

As far as the Henry H. Cook Mansion (1 East 78th Street) goes, in 1958, Duke donated it to NYU, where it was renamed The James B. Duke House to honor her late father. Since 1959, it has been the home of the school’s Institute of Fine Arts, a fitting end for the home of a queen of culture like Doris Duke. 

Duke Fortune Today

As Doris Duke was the only child of J.B. Duke and she had none of her own, the Duke lineage has faded. The only remaining heirs to the Duke fortune are Georgia and Walker Patterson Inman, who were expected to inherit nearly $1 billion after the untimely death of their father, Walker Inman (the nephew of Doris Duke) in 2015. 

As far as Doris Duke’s estate goes, she shocked everyone when the bulk of her estate was left to Bernard Lafferty… her butler of six years. Lafferty, named executor of the estate, received a hefty paycheck and was put in charge of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, which received the majority of Doris Duke’s fortune. Bernard Lafferty’s unexpected inheritance was the source of speculation, accusations, and questioning until his death in 1996. 

The Dukes who lived large and lavishly may be gone, but echoes of their impact live on. And to think, it all started from some cigarettes. 

The post The Duke Legacy in New York City  appeared first on CitySignal.

Take a wander down Emerald Street or any of the other gems in the area –Ruby, Amber, or Sapphire Street – and eventually, you’ll encounter it. Deep and wide, the waters are not clean. Some keep kayaks or rafts parked nearby to help cross if needed, while others just avoid it entirely. It’s called The Hole.

The Hole: Located Between Brooklyn and Queens

 A strange fate sits at the end of the sparkly titled Jewel Streets, where normal pavement breaks down toward a deep, dark anomaly. The Hole is an enormous sinkhole that has come to dominate and shape the culture and livelihood of the small five-block neighborhood sitting on the Brooklyn Queens crossover. Aptly called “the closest thing New York has to a border town,” few willingly move to this area, and most who live there cannot afford to move out.  

Don’t Forget Your Kayak

Residents have learned to adopt a lifestyle most never dream of. Frequent flooding of the area keeps the ambiance murky and mucky. The five-block radius of The Hole sits 30 feet below average land grade, and without any drainage system to run into, rainfall and other groundwater trickle and collect into the streets of The Hole, filling a pit with no drainage point. Bad rains can cause septic tanks in the area to join the overflow, creating a toxic and putrid waste zone.

Residents have used kayaks and rafts to navigate the expansive pools taking up their neighborhood blocks. Constantly flooded and increasingly run-down from lack of access, this Wild West scenario has been called a “lost” neighborhood. But was it always that way?

Spring Creek Pond to Sinkhole

The area forming The Hole was first officially owned by Jonathan Forbell and the Krats family, when a small pond occupied the northern part of the property connecting through stream Spring Creek of the south. The water in the pools comes from a mixture of rain and groundwater. The water table is situated so close to the surface that water is unable to drain, causing streets to remain flooded. While flooding was historically always an issue for this area, it became significantly worse once the city paved all the streets, restricting water drainage even further. 

The homes of this neighborhood are not connected to New York City’s sewage system, mainly because the water table is too close to the ground level for gravity to allow the pipes to work properly. Residents living around The Hole use septic tanks and cesspools for their waste management, often to bad ends. This low-income neighborhood has little city support and many tanks have ruptured or leaked over the years, seeping into the ground below.  

For decades there has been talk of change. Proposals for sewer systems and lifting streets have been addressed various times over the years, with no success. Eventually, the neighborhood fell further into disrepair than few could fathom.

The Federation of Black Cowboys 

As if this Wild West tale isn’t wild enough, The Hole is also stomping grounds for both cowboys and horses. The Federation of Black Cowboys was formed in 1994 to “create greater understanding of African American culture and heritage” and does so through teaching and advocacy centered on Black involvement in American horse riding and ranching. The group formerly held residence in The Hole, where their horses were stabled in the area. Black Cowboys of New York City had a heyday in the 1980s, back when New York was home to the Black World Championship Rodeo, where cowboys gather to buck horses and catch steers. 

“We still exist, we still go to schools and educate the youth on the legacy,” said Kesha Morse, the federation president, who added that the organization still keeps four horses stabled privately in Queens. “The mission was not to just have horses and ride horses; it was to educate.”

The group received scrutiny around 2013 when several horses died at a stable managed by the organization. The Federation had been in charge of and kept horses at Cedar Lane Stables in Howard Beach since 1998 but nearly lost access after 5 horses died in a relatively short period of time. It was later determined many of the deaths were caused by private owner negligence and were not to the fault of the federation. They have since gone back to normal operations. From sinkhole to mob graveyard to horses, what doesn’t exist here?

Chronicles of the Lost Neighborhood

There is no doubt just as much lore as there is reality. The isolation of The Hole gives good cover for those wanting to perform illegal activities or evade the law.

“There was a lot of wars down here. There a lot of places to hide. People did what they wanted to do,” said local Mr. Earle during an interview with the New York Times.

By sitting in between two police jurisdictions- the 106th Precinct in Queens and the 75th Precinct in Brooklyn- but with no passable through streets, the area is complicated for law enforcement to patrol or protect, and much goes unnoticed.

“Most people are here because they were born here or they can’t afford to live anywhere else,” said Ms. Watt, president of Jewel Streets Civic Association said. “I’d love to move, but I can’t afford to, so for now, I’m stuck in The Hole.”

The Bodies Began to Appear

Eventually, the pool started to shed its own secrets. Starting in the early 1980s, bodies began to emerge. Some were found by playing children, others by their scent, victims of mob crimes were slowly uncovered through The Hole.

A number of victims related to the crimes of mob boss John Gotti were discovered in the area. In 1981 children discovered a severed hand, eventually linked to the Bonnano crime family and Alphonse “Sonny Red” Indeilicato. Another two bodies were later found through an anonymous tipoff- this time belonging to Philip “Philly Lucky” Giaccone and Dominick “Big Trin” Trinchera.

One reason The Hole remains a high crime point is due to its jurisdiction and lack of access. Waterlogged roadways give no real pass-through for residents or police, making the area difficult to patrol and easy to hide in. These are not the only bodies to have been found, leaving many residents to feel their neighborhood is not safe. Luckily, nowadays, there are cowboys nearby to call upon.

Back in 2011, The Hole reached silver screen fame through two local filmmakers, Courtney Fathom Sell and Billy Feldman, who created a short 9-minute documentary called The Hole. Winning best documentary at the Red Hook International Film Festival, the video can be streamed online and gives voice to this strange and mythical land.

THE HOLE from Billy Feldman on Vimeo.

The Jewel Street Project

Yet with all the strife here, there are people who believe good can come of The Hole. A proposed 2024 building project estimated at around $37 million would raise the neighborhood grade, repave a number of roads and install a new storm drainage system that would reconnect the neighborhood to the city’s main sewer network.

“We’re all trying to work together to come up with a master plan for this whole neighborhood, and that’s been very complicated and very expensive,” Vincent Sapienza, the chief operations officer at the Department of Environmental Protection, told the Gothamist, “Maybe if we can try to peel off a block here and a block there and get those solved in a shorter period of time, that’s the path forward.” 

The plan would include not only the flooded area but also just south, where drainage remains a major issue. 

“Engineers are currently advancing other long-term solutions – exploring both grey and green infrastructure options – which would be less costly and disruptive to the community,” said Edward Timbers, spokesperson for DEP, “We hope to have more information to share with the community in the coming months.” 

Contaminated soil has remained an issue and previously led to blocks against real estate and land development in the area. “Cobblestone Estates,” a major project that would have been promising for the area, was interrupted mid-development when property developers failed to secure proper permitting for handling contaminated soil.

Residents Call For Help

Many hope The Hole is facing a brighter future, but most remain skeptical. After years of water pumps, moats, and standstill wastewater, the humidity and air quality remain a constant health issue. 

While the surfacing of bodies is now a thing of the past, The Hole continues to be a dumping ground for other unwanted objects; residents often find dumped cars, trucks, and garbage.

Groups of residents have organized in protest, one offshoot sends letters to city agencies calling for attention to neighborhood issues, including heightened enforcement of illegal dumping. Other residents hope the vacant land nearby will be turned into a swamp or pond to trap stormwater, helping to offset the voracious flooding. And a few in a nearby neighborhood of Queens have dreams that the city will buy them out of their homes, freeing them from a flooded prison.

“I’m fed up,” said a resident named Rodriguez, “So why not buy me out? I’ll leave.”

The post The Hole, NYC: New York’s Soggiest Neighborhood? appeared first on CitySignal.

When was the first elevator built in New York City?

As of 2015, there were approximately 76,000 elevators in operation in New York City. The first commercial passenger elevator in New York, though, could be found in the Haughwout Building, a department store in SoHo. The New York Times hailed the 1857 arrival of the United Technologies/Otis Elevator device as “the beginning of the tall-building revolution.” This original elevator’s appearance and position have never been established. However, it was later replaced in 1892 with another elevator, installed by Alonzo B. See and designed by Freeman and William Bloodgood. The original Otis elevator no longer resides at the Haughwout building, although it does feature one of the oldest operating elevators in the city. Elisha Otis remains a big name in elevators and escalators, having invented the elevator safety brake, which helped standardize elevators by making them practical and safe. 

But when it comes to the electric elevator, another name jumps to the forefront of the tall-building revolution, that of Frank Sprague, an inventor with a little-known name but in reality contributed massively to the advancement of infrastructure in America. The 1880s saw the beginning of the Electric Age when Thomas Edison’s central power station opened on Pearl Street in Manhattan in 1882. At the time, the Brooklyn Bridge towered over every other building, the tallest structure for miles. Sprague, who once worked for Edison, opened his own company designing and manufacturing electric motors (now Sprague Devices). This was a massively successful undertaking, and Sprague Motors were commonplace everywhere from textile production to railways such as the Richmond Union Passenger Railway. With his success there, Sprague took his success to Boston and then the rest of the United States, with over 20,000 miles of streetcar tracks crisscrossing cities by 1905.

Were all elevators electric? 

At the time, no.

In 1892, Sprague branched out into civilian transportation and formed the Sprague Electric Elevator Company, taking a contract to install his electric elevators in the Postal Telegraph Cable Company building. The terms were strict; Sprague had to install his electric elevators and prove they were more efficient than the hydraulic elevators that were common at the time, such as those provided by industry-dominating Otis Elevators. If he was unsuccessful, the contract dictated the elevators be removed by Sprague at no extra cost. With the stakes so high, Sprague and his contractors waited with bated breath as the Telegraph building finished construction and finally opened. 

The elevators were a massive success, and Sprague’s elevators not only functioned efficiently, but they also operated at speeds that ensured you’d be traveling “just as fast” as you would on foot at ground level. In cities like New York, speed is the name of the game; studies show that the length of time spent traveling is more important than the distance traveled when it comes to commuters. This principle applies to vertical travel as much as horizontal, making Sprague’s fast elevators the clear choice over the slower and less cost-efficient hydraulic counterparts. These high-speed electric elevators were exactly what New York City needed to build taller, and a growth spurt followed soon after. Sprague was uninterested, however, in continuing in the elevator business, and after securing several more prestigious contracts, he sold his company to Elisha Otis in 1895, effectively giving the Otis Elevator Company a monopoly on the technology for decades to come.

What was the first skyscraper in New York City?

1913 saw the completion of the Woolworth Building, which at 792 feet tall, was the tallest building in the world until 1930. Its height of sixty stories could be attributed to the high-speed electric elevators that climbed along its spine, eliminating the long waits of older models and the daunting stair-climbing of elevatorless buildings. Elevators created new jobs and industries, creating space for larger factories, taller office buildings, and affordable housing. In addition, the widespread adoption of elevators created an entirely new (if now largely defunct) profession of the elevator operator. 

At one point in America, there were tens of thousands of operators, the majority of whom were Black or from other historically marginalized groups. 1917 saw the first elevator operator’s union, offering protections and perks for these highly-skilled workers who oversaw the operation and maintenance of these complex machines. Modern advancements have made elevators easier to use, thus eliminating these positions. However, elevator operation helped lift thousands of workers from poverty and was a very proud profession.

The majority of elevators operating today in New York City top out at the sixth floor, though this may have more to do with water pressure and city fire codes than anything else. New York sits at a relatively low elevation at just 33 feet above sea level and the city’s water is sourced upstate in the Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains. Gravity works as a natural pump and provides enough pressure to allow the water to be funneled into buildings lower than six stories: above that height, buildings typically require a supplemental water tower or other expensive pump systems. Additionally, newly constructed buildings in the city are required by state law to include an elevator, which means higher prices for potential developers.

Are Elevators Dangerous?

Elevators, while safe, are still subject to many fears and phobias concerning their safety, with over 4% of the world’s population presenting acute anxiety concerning them. That being said, stairs, especially ones with unexpected treads, are actually far more dangerous. The odds of being killed by an elevator are about 1 and 10 million, causing approximately 27 deaths a year in the US. By comparison, falls down stairs account for over 1,600 deaths per year and injure over 1 Million Americans annually. 

Elevators also have multiple failsafes that have been added since Elisha Otis’ automatic safety brake. For instance, depending on the building code’s “factor of safety,” elevator ropes (really woven steel cables) must have duplicates and be able to hold 12 times the mass of a fully-loaded car. There are safety precautions called a “safety chain” that refers to a series of automatic checks modern elevators do to ensure safety each trip, ready to cut power to the motor should an issue occur. Issues can include power outages, which trigger one of several clamping-stopping mechanisms to prevent failure. Couple these with the original safety brakes that are still attached to the underside of the cars, and it’s easy to see how modern elevators are actually incredibly safe. 

With an approximate combined length of over 1500 miles, there are more miles of elevator shafts in New York City than there are miles of subway tracks (approx 840). Over 35 million trips are taken every day on elevators in the city, there’s no doubt that they are responsible for the shape of the skyline today, with over 260 skyscrapers reaching to the horizon, the most of any US city. At an average time of 118 seconds (nearly twice the average of other locations), elevator rides in New York City give you plenty of time to work on a pitch, prepare for the rest of your day, or maybe just stop and appreciate all of the history and innovation you’re riding in. 

The post How the Electric Elevator Defined New York’s Skyline appeared first on CitySignal.

The question immediately brings to mind images of dreamy houseboats set on the bays of coastal cities in the American south and west, or along European canals, perhaps in London or Amsterdam. Or, possibly, one might think of the anchorless sailor drifting across the sea, a la Sonny Crockett or Captain Nemo. It’s a romantic notion to live a life on the water. 

However, for “liveaboards” – people who make their primary residence a boat – the concept is less fantastical and more practical, especially in a financial sense. Residing on a boat is actually an incredibly inexpensive way to live (unless the boat in question is a million-dollar yacht). After the initial price of investment (the boat), a monthly cost of living would typically only include maintenance, power, and the slip–boat parking spot connected to a dock in a marina – rental fee. Unless it’s a coveted marina, slip rentals usually come in at an average price much lower than the average American rent. 

So in New York, where an average one-bedroom apartment costs $3,910 as of January 2023

… is boat life a viable alternative to rent? 

Living Aboard A Boat in NYC

The short answer is, unfortunately, mostly no. In the case of New York City, it’s not that the cost of docking is prohibitive, but rather the permission from a marina is technically prohibited. Most marinas do not allow anyone to live at their dock year–round as a “liveaboard.” According to sailmeom.com, “Many marinas accept stayaboards, but you need a separate permanent address (P.O. box is fine) for legal and tax purposes, and in emergency situations, another place to go. You don’t have the same rights as a renter in an apartment. Your slip doesn’t count as your home.” This makes sense, as marinas are not equipped – nor do they want to be held liable – for full-time residents.

There are, however, workarounds. Marinas that accept “frequent stayaboards” or “winter wet storage” will usually be more accepting of an unofficial full-time resident. 

Unsurprisingly, there are unique inconveniences that come with living on a boat. It may take longer for maintenance and facility fixes. As boats are not directly connected to water and sewage systems, filling up a water tank during the winter season can be difficult, although doable. Many marinas also do not offer “pumpout services” – pumps to clear the toilet tanks – during the off-season, which also poses challenges when it comes to sanitary concerns. It is illegal for boats to dump sewage, and Bettersailing.com notes that many of the New York marinas have “insufficient pump-out services for heads.” 

Life on the water is not a walk in the park – or rather, a swim in the ocean. For many, however, these inconveniences are still worth the price of living on a boat – which is way less than rent. 

Who Lives on a Boat in NYC?

One of the longest-known “liveaboard” residents in New York City was Ed Bacon, a charter yacht broker and captain who lived on his boat at the 79th Street Boat Basin for over 50 years. The 79th Street Boat Basin, opened under Robert Moses in 1938, has been a haven for eccentric liveaboards for decades. It once housed hundreds of full-time residents, offshore Upper West Siders ranging from artists to tradesmen, families to bachelors. Rent at the 79th Street Boat Basin was notably low, costing an estimated $10,000 a year to dock a 40-foot boat as of 2021. 

Unfortunately, all good things come to an end. A deteriorating dock caused the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation to launch an overhaul of the storied marina. The $90 million project, which began soon after its announcement in 2021, closed the marina so that it could be demolished, dredged, reconstructed, and expanded. Expected to reopen in 2025, the new marina promises more slips, a (controversial) dock house, storm protection, and updated ADA standards. 

Upon its announcement, the project received severe pushback. The new dock house – expected to be five times the size of the existing structure and expected to rise two stories above the Hudson – caused particular uproar among Upper West Siders. The Riverside Park Conservancy called the proposed design “boxy and dense,” and urged NYC Parks to consult the community before moving forward. Engineers on the project argued that the design is one of function: in an effort to build a climate-resilient, energy-efficient structure, aesthetics fell to the wayside. 

The dock house redesign wasn’t the only significant shake-up caused by the project: for the 60-some residents who still called the marina home as of 2021, the overhaul also meant vacating and relocating. Many hope to return in 2025 but are unsure if it’s realistic. And as far as other Manhattan marinas go, the pickings are slim and not nearly as cheap. 

Where to Live On A Boat In (or near) NYC

Is it cheaper to live on a boat than a house?

As such, the best options for living on a boat in NYC are… slightly out of New York City. Jersey City, City Island, Montauk, and Brooklyn all are home to marinas which may be more amenable to a year-round resident than somewhere like Chelsea Piers, which costs as much as $7,000 a month for a slip rental.  

Living on a boat is not as simple as searching for an apartment on RentHop, but the rare listing does exist for those who look hard enough. This since-expired rental in Sheepshead Bay boasts a 1 bed, 1 bath boat for $1,800 a month, way under the average NYC rental 1-bedroom price of $3,950.

For those eager to try out boat living but aren’t ready to sign a lease, buy the boat, or do the research, there are some listings available on Airbnb. A weekend on a houseboat in the Rockaways, Jamaica Bay, or even upstate on the Hudson are all possibilities for the wayward sailor. 

Party on the Bushwick Boat? 

 

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For some, liveaboard life is a wonderful way to make an alternative home. However, it’s not for everyone, and in New York, like most things, the dream is tough to make a reality.

One of the more fantastical and uniquely New York examples of a boat being more than a boat in New York City is The Schamonchi. Located at the end of Newton Creek in Bushwick, Brooklyn, the 144-foot historic ferry boat was best known as the location for the elaborate “Burning Man parties” that have since become the stuff of legends. The boat, which is slowly sinking, has gone silent; its disco lights have been off for several years now. However, it remains local lore. 

Ask the right person: “did you ever go to a party on the abandoned boat in Bushwick,” and their eyes may light up, as memories of shimmying on The Schamonchi come flooding in. 

The post How To Live on a Boat in NYC appeared first on CitySignal.

Last month, in celebration of the Citizens Chinatown Renewal Fund announcement the week prior, CitySignal went on a walking tour of Chinatown to see, firsthand, some of the businesses receiving money from the grant. It was a crisp winter morning, but the biting cold did not distract from the warm feeling that accompanied the event. Led by the engaging and energetic Anna Huang of the Mott Street Girls, the tour blended history and current events to shed light on Chinatown and its residents. 

The morning began on Doyers Street, where tour attendees, members of the press, and delegates from Citizens Bank and Renaissance Economic Development Corporation gathered for opening remarks. Sara Tang, Citizens Business Banking Relationship Manager, reiterated Citizens’ pledge to be part of the communities in which their banks operate. The goal of the walking tour was to “celebrate the small business owners,” all of whom require community support to not only keep growing, but also remain in operation. The pandemic hit neighborhoods such as Chinatown the hardest, and recovery is a slow but steady process. The best aid is awareness of and engagement with local businesses. 

Manhattan Chinatown, home to the highest concentration of Chinese people in the United States, is considered a cultural hub for the Chinese diaspora. It’s been a haven to immigrants since the 1800s, and is a place steeped in tradition and rich with stories. As such, it was only fitting that the tour began with a bit of history about one of the streets on which many of these businesses operate.

Doyers Street

With its brightly painted cobblestones, unique curvature, and pedestrian accessibility, Doyers Street is easily one of the most recognizable roads in Chinatown. It’s also one of the oldest, joined by Pell Street and Mott Street. According to Huang, the unique angle can be attributed to the age of the alley; built before 1811, Doyers was exempt from the implementation of the New York City grid system. Like much of the Lower East Side, Doyers Street is an anomaly from most of neat and narrow New York. 

In the early 1900s, Doyers Street earned a unique (and violent) moniker: the bloody angle. The intersection’s proximity to the infamous Five Points neighborhood, combined with excessive gang activity, made it a hot spot for less-than-pleasant meetups. Gangs nicknamed it “the bloody angle” as the curved street created blind spots and a prime opportunity to ambush an opponent.  

Today, however, Doyers is known more for its many businesses and beauty salons, and is occasionally called “barber shop alley.” It is a hotspot for restaurants and bars, home to Dim Sum parlor Nom Wah, speakeasy Apotheke, and Chinese Tuxedo, a two-story restaurant located in a former opera house. 

It’s also the location of one of the recipients of the Citizens Renewal Fund: the New China Beauty Salon. 

New China Beauty Salon

Opened in 2014 by Jiang Feng Ming, the New China Beauty Salon offers haircuts for men and women. It is a favorite for locals, who appreciate the salon’s prices, far lower than those of nearby SoHo. A haircut at New China Beauty Salon is between $10 and $12. The salon is open seven days a week, from 9:00am – 6:00 pm, with the exception of Saturday and Sunday, when it’s open until 6:30pm. 

To support the business – and to get an inexpensive but worthwhile haircut, head over to 15 Doyers Street. 

Pell Street 

Next up, the tour visited Pell Street – another one of Chinatown’s most historic lanes. Pell Street today — bustling lantern-lit hub for businesses and tourists — is unrecognizable from how it looked 100 years ago, when it boasted cobblestone streets and an above ground subway. 

There is one more significant difference from the old days of Pell Street: it used to be all men. 

In the late 1800s, Chinatown earned a reputation as a “bachelor society” due to a discriminatory law – the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, which curbed Chinese immigration and effectively banned most Chinese women and children from entering the United States. As a result, the patrons of Chinatown were almost exclusively male during the late 1800s and early 1900s. At one point, according to Huang, the ratio of men to women in Chinatown was 700 to 1. Many even lived in what were called ‘Bachelor’s Apartments.’

This unique set-up had two strangers sharing not only an apartment, but also a bed. Two separate sleeping shifts allowed the workers to save money on rent, which was beneficial as most of the men were sending money back home to their wives and children. 

In 1943, the act was repealed. Women and children populated Chinatown, and the Bachelor Society was no more. 

Pell Street today is notable for the instagrammable lanterns lighting up the street and its excellent restaurants, such as the Vegetarian Dim Sum House. 

Vegetarian Dim Sum House

Located at 24 Pell Street, the Vegetarian Dim Sum House is another recipient of the Citizens Chinatown Renewal Fund. Opened in 1986, the restaurant was the first vegetarian / vegan Dim Sum house to open in Chinatown. Especially for purposes of tourism, noted Huang, having a vegetarian option is huge, as it expands the options for non-meat-eating visitors. Vegetarian Dim Sum House is lauded for its turnip cake made of daikon radish, and its rice flour rolls made with deep fried dough in the middle. The restaurant closed for six months during the pandemic, but has since resumed operations, despite increased operating costs due to inflation. 

Vegetarian Dim Sum House is open seven days a week, from 10:30am – 9:00pm. 

As the tour made its way down Pell Street, Huang pointed out an interesting sight: a Pegasus decoration hanging amongst the lanterns. According to Huang, the Pegasus is composed of “dried egg noodles” and covered in polyurethane to withstand the cold temperatures. Though the impetus for the Pegasus on Pell is unclear, the tour did learn some context about the lanterns surrounding it. 

Light Up Chinatown 

Strung up on various streets throughout Chinatown, it’s hard to imagine a time when these beloved lanterns were not part of the neighborhood. Shockingly, however, that moment was not long ago. The lanterns landed in late December of 2020 as part of Light Up Chinatown, a grass-roots initiative devised during the dark days of the pandemic when the streets of Chinatown were empty and desolate. Created by local resident Patrick Mock, Light Up Chinatown is a volunteer, donation-based initiative that works to brighten up the neighborhood. 

With lanterns donated by longtime Chinese-American department store Pearl River Mart and hung by volunteers, the lanterns made Chinatown an “instagrammable spot” overnight, and have since cemented a lasting place in the community. The long-term goal of the initiative is to light every street in the neighborhood. A GoFundMe can be found here to make a donation; $50 purchases one individual lantern. 

After a moment taking in the magic, the tour made its way past the lantern-adorned Mott Street and soon reached its next stop. 

Audrey Bakery and Cafe

Opened in 2017, Audrey Bakery and Cafe, located at 12 Chatham Square, is another staple of Chinatown. The traditional Chinese bakery offers all kinds of decadent treats, ranging from buns to specialty sweets to savory snacks. For those looking to celebrate a special occasion, the cakes Audrey Bakery and Cafe might be especially enticing; beautifully decorated, artfully made, and delicious to the taste. 

A gift from Citizens allowed the tour group to take a pit stop and sample some of the desserts and hot drinks offered by Audrey Bakery and Cafe. It was a welcome respite from the cold, and an even better excuse to get to know, first-hand, one of the small business recipients of the Citizens Chinatown Renewal Fund. 

Lady Chow Kitchen

Next stop was Lady Chow Kitchen, located at 171 Hester Street. The restaurant offers contemporary Chinese dishes and authentic Cantonese food. According to their website, Lady Chow Kitchen is notable for its “Chen Cun Fen,” which consists of Chen Cun rice noodles measuring between 0.5 and 0.7 millimeters thick. Also known as Dan noodles, this variety was created in 1927 by Huang Dan, a local from Chen Cun town, an area located in Foshan’s Shunde district. Pliant and tender, the thin noodles soak up the juices of whatever they’re cooked in, making each bite a particularly savory one.

Lady Chow Kitchen is open seven days a week, from 8:30am – 9:00pm. 

After taking in the smells and sights of Lady Chow Kitchen, the tour headed past Canal Street, to the newer part of the neighborhood. The group walked through what is colloquially called the Mott Street fruit market – a combination of street and store vendors –  where local residents shopped for groceries and goods. Each marketplace offered a plethora of delectable options, ranging from durian fruit to fresh fish to specialized spices. 

Golden Steamer

Located amid the hubbub of the Mott Street market is Golden Steamer, a restaurant renowned by locals for its bao. Opened in 2009, the business sells buns that are good for any occasion: a seasonal pumpkin bao for snack, a salted egg yolk bun for breakfast, or a pork bao for lunch. Located at 143-A Mott Street, Golden Steamer is another proud recipient of the Citizens Chinatown Renewal Fund grant. 

Golden Steamer is open seven days a week, from 7:00am – 7:00pm. 

Double Crispy Bakery

Around the corner from Golden Steamer is another staple of the neighborhood: the Double Crispy Bakery, located at 230 Grand Street. Opened five years ago by husband and wife, the bakery offers some of the best tarts, treats, and tastes in town. They’re notable for Macau Egg Tarts, a Portuguese variety of egg tart that is renowned by locals and tourists alike. The tour stopped at the bakery, and many (writer included) sampled the tarts for themselves. Made of a puff pastry and with a caramelized top, the tarts are warm, sweet, fully, and well worth the hype. 

Double Crispy Bakery is open seven days a week, from 7:00am – 7:00pm. 

High Cut Beauty Salon

Last on the tour was the High Cut Beauty Salon, located at 83 Elizabeth Street. The salon, which has been in operation for over 15 years, offers premium haircuts for men and women at inexpensive prices. With massage chairs located in the back, patrons can get both a makeover and a massage in one visit! 

For small businesses to succeed, they need community and tourist support. In Chinatown, the sentiment is clear: local entrepreneurs are fighting to survive, and they can only do so with grants like the Citizens Chinatown Renewal Fund and through word-of-mouth – a method which relies on events such as the walking tour. 

Mott Street Girls, too, is a small business. Founded by Anna Huang and her business partner Chloe Chan, the organization offers in-depth history, food, and occasional ~special edition~ tours of Chinatown. Like the businesses they’re showcasing, the walking tours are personal, professional, and full of heart. 

To learn more about the Citizens Chinatown Renewal Fund and see the full list of the businesses awarded, visit this link. And to visit them in person, simply hop on a train, bike, bus, cab, or walk on over to Chinatown to support these wonderful businesses! 

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