Love Where You Live

The Best Thing to Happen to NYC Pizza in a Very Long TimePhoto by Adam Kuban of Slice

Life just got a little better for people living in Chelsea.

The man behind this magical new pizza is Jim Lahey. You may know him as the man responsible for the spirit lifting bread at the Sullivan Street bakery. His newest venture, Co. is a wonderful new addition to the landscape of the city.

Adam Kuban and Ed Levine from Slice have an in depth review of the entire operation. We could never do as good of a job as they did so we are not even going to try. I have my first taste today and it easily lived up to all of the hype. I suggest that you read the full story here and then head over to Co. as quickly as possible. It's worth the trip. (230 Ninth Ave at West 24th Street)

Brook Astor's Co-Op: Now Just $34 Million

Brooke Astor's co-op at 778 Park Avenue (at 73rd St). has been put back on the market after massive renovations and a $12 million price cut. The 14-room duplex has high ceilings, six terraces and five wood burning fireplaces. Originally listed in June for $46 million, the price has been slashed to $34 million. Sadly, I could not afford to live there if they gave it to me for free because the monthly maintenance fee are more than $17,000


The listing is being handled by Corcoran Super-Agent Leighton Candler.

A Runway on the Roof?

The NY Times has a great story today about an eccentric developer from the early 1900s. Edward W. Browning built a number of offices and apartment buildings in Manhattan starting in 1908. The crown jewel of his real estate empire was the 1913 World’s Tower Building at 110 West 40th Street, where he envisioned planes taking off and landing from the roof. Browning had taken care to protect the light on all sides of the building, Between Broadway and Sixth Ave, by controlling the flanking parcels.

In 1913, Real Estate Magazine reported that Browning’s idea for the project was “location plus light equals leases,” and that his control of adjacent properties gave it daylight all four sides. The windows were “set in golden frames,” apparently a light polished bronze.

When the war got going in Europe, he Browning wanted to help his fellow Americans prepared by stationing airplanes on the roof of The World’s Tower. Here is the first sign that he was a little crazy: He wanted these planes to drop “dummy bombs” over Midtown to demonstrate the threat of aerial bombardment.

He also wanted to commute to work by airplane from his rooftop apartment at 35 West 81st Street to the World’s Tower Building, yet another idea that did not come to fruition.

Browning may best be remembered for his fondness for young girls. He started adopting them while he was still married to his first wife. His 3rd adoption was of a girl claiming to be 16 but when he found out that she was really 21 the adoption was annulled. He finally settled down with his 2nd wife who was only 15 at the time of their marraige.


The World’s Tower Building was renovated last summer. Office space is currently available for $42 a foot in this historic building: Adams Real Estate

Catskill Home Prices Plunging

Here's what you can get for $279K

and it comes with 1.6 acres of land

Some sellers have had to reduce prices by a third or more which means that many house prices have dropped below $200,000. A Catskills real estate blog, blog.catskill4sale.com called the situation an “economic Armageddon.”

How bad is it? In November, Sullivan County’s largest brokerage, Yeager Realty, with 40 agents closed their offices, after a 24-year run because business is so bleak. The New York Times drills down and gives a better look at the current housing environment in the Catskills. NYT

This house is only $185K

5+ acres of land

Listings:
Top house: $279K in Woodstock / 4 bedrooms Westwood Realty
Bottom House: $185K in Barryville / 4 bedrooms David Knudsen

Super Model Gemma Ward in East Village

19 year old Gemma Ward

Letting people take your picture naked sure pays well these days. Super model Gemma Ward, who is Vogue magazine’s youngest-ever cover girl, paid $1,525,000 for a co-op unit at 232 East 6th Street over the summer. The three-bedroom, 1,600 sq. ft. co-op on is between Second and Third avenues and was originally three units. In the summer of 2005 an apartment two floors up sold for $290,000. If you go back a few more years it was one of those East Village tenement things…oh my how times change everything.

She was also seen dating Heath Ledger from time to time. Here are a few pictures from her new apartment.







And now that she lives in the EV. New York Magazine wanted to find out where she hangs out in the neighborhood.

NYM: What's the best meal you've eaten in New York?

Gemma: I have had my fair share of four-hour lunches at La Bottega at the Maritime Hotel, but it's a great hang and the margherita pizza is fantastic.

NYM: Where do you get your coffee?
Gemma: The Australian cafe Ruby's on Mott Street. You can't beat an Australian flat white.

NYM: What's hanging above your sofa?
Gemma: A collection of antique mirrors and pictures.

NYM: What do you hate most about living in New York?
Gemma: Sirens and rubbish trucks at five o'clock in the morning.

read the rest at NYM

Obama Loves People From Westchester

Geithner's house in Mamaroneck

Barack Obama seems to love Westchester. He has named Mamaroneck resident Timothy Geithner to be his treasury secretary. His chief of staff Rahm Emanuel attended Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville and one of Obama’s transition advisors Christopher Edley Jr. grew up in New Rochelle. Chappaqua resident Hillary Clinton is very likely to become Secretary of State and Bedford resident Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could possibly become Secretary of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Gordon Ramsey Jr.?

Gordon Ramsey seems right at home here in New York. First, he opened an awarding winning restaurant in midtown. Naturally he started looking for a place to live here in Gotham and he looked at a number of places in Chelsea.

Then things got interesting. News started pouring in that the bar at his midtown restaurant, The London, was a hot spot for hookers and Johns. That was followed up by a very public affair with his mistress.

In an attempt to divert attention from all of this bad press, we just found this video that suggests that his son is about to become the new celebrity chef in town. Move over dad...here comes junior.

Little Gordon - part 1