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Pamela Engel

By Pamela Engel 8/17/11 6:13pm

Elsewhere

The Closing: Big Queens Deal; REBNY Sour on Union Deal; London’s Fashion Cents

Pension funds are shying away from trophy property buys out of fear a new bubble is forming.Salt truck crashes through Queens repair shop wall, dangles three stories in the air. [NY Post]

A 37th Street parking lot in the Garment District could become a hotel. [DNAinfo]

Elizabeth Arden’s Red Door Spa is moving a couple of blocks down Fifth Avenue after spending 81 years in the same spot. [The Real Deal]

Apartment hunters have a couple of new tools to add to their arsenal: new websites are launching. [Crain's]

City Council is helping finance a new energy-positive building in Kips Bay. [DNAinfo]

By Pamela Engel 8/17/11 3:22pm

House Porn Hamptons

6 Photos

The exterior, with two charming porches.

The $2.9 M. Cabin in Quogue

This Quogue property looks like a $2.9 million cabin. If you want a rustic escape from all the shiny steel and glass of the city, this place might be perfect for you. It has wood walls, ceilings and floors, a stone fireplace and a stone floor in the kitchen. There’s no need to go trudging through upstate New York on a camping trip when you can find such country charm in the Hamptons!

The bayfront house has four bedrooms and is 5,800 square feet. It sits on 1.3 acres of land (plenty of room for the kids to run around!) and has a pool. Read More

By Pamela Engel 8/17/11 12:24pm

House Porn

5 Photos

A bit gothic with the dark walls and glowing red chandelier.

This Tribeca Loft—If You’re Into a Gothic Vibe

Industrial-style spaces aren’t usually described as “warm and cozy,” but this Tribeca apartment might accomplish it. The loft has brick arches, wood beams and overhead piping that are reminiscent of its factory days, but the decor of the place makes it seem a little more homey (as long as you’re into a bit of a gothic vibe). And the layout isn’t wide open as some other lofts, with few rooms and expansive spaces that make you feel like you’re living in what’s still a warehouse.

The “seductive” space is configured to be used for both living and working, with one master bedroom suite and four offices. The apartment is 2,300 square feet, has central air and a keyed elevator. It’s asking $3 million. Read More

By Pamela Engel 8/17/11 8:53am

Elsewhere

On the Market: Goldman Slammed; Manhattan in Morristown?; Apple Inks Office Deal

A last-minute (tentative) deal prevents concrete-workers strike. [Crain's]

Apple inks a deal to lease office space in the Flatiron district. [NY Post]

Yum!This is what the latest Karl Fischer-designed building looks like. [Brownstoner]

“Urban style of living” comparable to Manhattan in Morristown, N.J.? [NY Times]

Lower East Side residents want to save nursing home. [Journal]

Bank of America might sell $1 billion worth of its real estate assets. [The Real Deal]

AllState sues Goldman over sub-prime mortgages [Crain's]

By Pamela Engel 8/16/11 6:19pm

Elsewhere

The Closing: Pricey Dumbo; Queens HQ Sale; Another Concrete Strike at W.T.C.?

Dumbo ranked as one of the most expensive N.Y.C. neighborhoods in the second quarter of this year. [The Real Deal]

Potbelly sandwich shop is expanding in the city, plans to open a location in Union Square. [DNAinfo]

Developers are willing to risk another concrete workers strike. [Crain's]

Weekend rain floods Castle Hill Houses in the Bronx. [NY Daily News]

A Sag Harbor supermarket might close over a family rent dispute. [Sag Harbor Express via The Real Deal]

Peninsula Hospital Center might file for bankruptcy to prevent the hospital from closing. [Crain's]

Rabbi is accused of exploiting his father-in-law to launder money so he can buy an apartment. [Haaretz via The Real Deal]

Former Kips Bay resident who is trying to return to a family-owned co-op sues because him and his family were not permitted to move into the building. [DNAinfo]

Construction company sells Queens headquarters for $12.5 million. [Crain's]

Residential brokerage Elika Associates decides to try its hand at brokering in the commercial market. [The Real Deal]

By Pamela Engel 8/16/11 3:57pm

House Porn Hamptons

9 Photos

The exterior.

Amagansett Estate Promises Bush, ‘Biggest Backyard in All the Hamptons’

Looking for an escape from the city? Or a hideout perhaps? You can “wander for hours in total privacy amid the dunescape and bush” of this residence, which is set on hundreds of acres of “never-to-be-developed” land. Sounds too good to be true. Not only does this house have plenty of private land, it also has private beach access. It’s “the biggest backyard in all the Hamptons!”

The house has five bedrooms, is 6,000 square feet, and is set on a one-acre lot in Amagansett. It has a media room, a library, an office and “outdoor living space to die for.” The pool is set on a deck and has a hot tub adjacent to it. All of this can be yours for just $11.5 million. Read More

By Pamela Engel 8/16/11 11:51am

House Porn

7 Photos

The floorplan.

‘A Cooperative with CONDO Rules’ at 110 Central Park South

The best thing about living on Central Park South? Why, the view, of course. Looking out a window of this high-floor condop (a “cooperative with CONDO RULES,” according to the listing) might make you forget that you’re living in Manhattan, with its view all the way up Central Park.

The apartment has three bedrooms and is 2,391 square feet. And the building, 110 Central Park South, offers “every amenity imaginable,” including a party room, an outdoor terrace, a fitness center, a concierge and elevators with private electronic keys for residents. The apartment is listed for $7.5 million. Read More

By Pamela Engel 8/16/11 8:40am

Elsewhere

On the Market: Tony Home Builder; Chelsea Marketted; Sinking Sewers

Jamestown Properties now owns all of the Chelsea Market space. Who said anything about job loss? Some companies are expanding in Manhattan. [NY Post]

Former East Village club might not turn into a bakery after all. [DNAinfo]

Dumpster pools might have disappeared from summer street fests, but they’re now at a Long Island City former bank and parking lot. [NY Daily News]

Architect builds tiny model homes that turn into giant Hamptons houses. [The Real Deal]

Boutique investment firm tries persuading rent-stabilized tenants to leave Chinatown tenement to it can put rent back to market rates. [NY Times]

Ann Curry isn’t concerned yet about the homeless man squatting in her townhouse; she’s too busy in Africa. [NY Post]

City sewers overwhelmed by heavy rains. [Journal]

Judge refuses Bloomberg administration’s request to remove emergency call boxes. It would have saved $6.3 million a year, but it was seen as discriminating against the impaired. [NY Times]

By Pamela Engel 8/15/11 6:18pm

Elsewhere

The Closing: Gaga for Barneys; Second Avenue Subway Stops Rumbling; Elaine’s Makes History

This is one Christmas window display you won’t want to miss—Lady Gaga is taking over Barneys at Madison Avenue. [NY Post]

How Crown Heights has changed 20 years after the riots. [NY Daily News via Brownstoner]

The amount of distressed assets in Manhattan is finally shrinking. [Crain's]

Upper East Side residents might finally get some peace; no more late-night blasts from Second Avenue subway construction. [NY Times]

Work apparel manufacturer signs on for 5,300 square feet at a Garment Center building. [The Real Deal]

Bloomberg addresses flood damage and announces plans for commercial space in Brooklyn’s Municipal Building. [NY1]

State judge dismisses lawsuit against Upper West Side charter school. [NY Times]

Great-grandmother, a victim of a subprime mortgage scheme, refuses to leave her Bed-Stuy home. [NY Daily News]

Some Elaine’s memorabilia will go to the New York historical society. [NY Times]

By Pamela Engel 8/15/11 4:36pm

House Porn Hamptons

11 Photos

The exterior.

A Fake Bookshelf Makes This Hamptons Estate

The listing for this North Sea home says it has “every amenity,” but it doesn’t mention what we think is the most important (and impressive) one—it has what looks like a hidden door made out of a bookshelf. If you want to fulfill your Masterpiece Mystery fantasies, the room that lies beyond the disguised doorway would be the perfect place to store a collection of ill-gotten gold. So you can pay for your $4.3 million home, of course.

The house has seven bedrooms and is a whopping 8,300 square feet. It also has a pool, a tennis court and five fireplaces. Get familiar with the surrounding woods and they’ll provide the perfect place to evade capture by your rivals. Read More