Who says Stuyvesant Town hasn't changed? Of course, the Stuy Town Lux Living blog is already all over this.
· Peter Cooper & Stuyvesant Town Hamptons Shuttle [Urban Sherpa]
· Curbed Inside: Stuy Town Goes Modern (No, Really!) [Curbed]
· Curbed Inside: Peter Cooper Village's Modern Makeover [Curbed]
Earlier, we took a tour of the two new model units in Stuyvesant Town, the so-called "Modern" style of renovation developed over the course of a year by designers at Cetra/Ruddy for new market-rate rentals in the megacomplex that will be priced slightly higher than "Classics." Cetra/Ruddy also outfitted a 2BR model unit in Stuy Town's brother to the north, Peter Cooper Village, where apartments are bigger and rents currently start at $3,275 for 1BRs, and $4,450 for 2BRs (there are also flatscreen monitors in the lobbies, but Stuy Town buildings will be getting those soon). Factor in an additional 5%-6% in monthly rent for a Modern unit at Peter Cooper Village, and yeah, these get expensive. We decided to break out the PCV model into a separate gallery because it's pretty different than Stuy Town's housing stock. For example, the bedroom above. That's a king size bed in there, and there's still room for a sitting area, additional furniture and the shame you're harboring because your rent-stabilized neighbors are probably paying 1/10th of what you are. But they won't be getting the custom sconces! Have a looksie.
· Peter Cooper Village [petercoopernyc.com]
· Curbed Inside: Stuy Town Goes Modern (No, Really!) [Curbed]
Curbed Inside visits the interior of a structure with an eye towards revealing the design and architecture. Got a place for us to check out? Drop a line.
Change is not looked at very fondly at Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village, the largely rent-stabilized megacomplex on the East Side between 14th and 23rd Streets. New owner Tishman Speyer, which bought the 110 buildings for $5 billion in 2006, knows this all too well. Start landscaping, and parody blogs get launched. Tweak the pet policy, and the oldtimers get downright ornery. But Tishman's goal is to make money off this thing, so the company has not been afraid to do what it takes. Since taking over the property, 3,800 market-rate rental apartments have been renovated in an effort to draw in young professionals who can afford the $2,750/month and up rents. But it hasn't worked, at least not to the extent Tishman would like, so they headed back to the drawing board.
And thus, the Top Secret project began. >>A disgruntled Stuyvesant Town resident has started a dripping-with-sarcasm parody blog called Stuyvesant Town's Lux Living that, and we're as surprised as you, is actually pretty funny. No quality of life issue is left unskewered, from the landscaping, to the new flatscreen monitors in the lobbies of Peter Cooper Village buildings, to the surrounding retail options. We assume the Tishman Speyer assassin is already en route. [Stuyvesant Town's Lux Living]
1) The co-owner of Williamsburg hotspots Union Pool and Hotel Delmano pays $3,000 per month for his rental in Bushwick. What the hell kind of place charges that much in Bushwick? Oh, just a castle thingy with "OFFICE" inscribed on the front that has a cobblestone pathway that leads to a stable in the back. Yeah, it's pretty awesome. [The Hunt/Joyce Cohen]
2) After some initial sales troubles, the Stanhope Residences 995 Fifth Avenue has sold 24 of its initial 26 co-ops, and all nine maids' rooms. Which means they sold three more in the last couple of months. The latest buyer is Daphne Guiness, beer heir and "haute-couture socialite." The $47.7 million full-floor penthouse is still on the market, if any Coors family members want to step up to the plate. [Big Deal/Josh Barbanel]
3) A basement storage room in the Dakota on the Upper West Side recently went up for sale, and eight residents bid on the space, including Yoko Ono. The winning bidder was John M. Angelo, a hedge fund manager and board member of Sotheby's, who paid $801,000 for the storage space, perhaps the most expensive sale of its kind in Manhattan history. Yes, a glorified locker sold for more than the average one-bedroom apartment. What slowdown? [Big Deal/Josh Barbanel]
$100M name tag, Stuy Town greening, more. >>
In a move that we can only imagine will set the Stuy Town/PCV tenants' message board aflame, landlord Tishman Speyer has installed flatscreen monitors in the lobbies of Peter Cooper Village apartment buildings. The monitors display upcoming events (art show!), breaking news, sports scores, weather reports, and the rising pulse rates of rent-stabilized tenants. [ANIMAL]
"This is an abuse of the very nature of the landmarking status and if it gets anywhere (i dont think it will), it will discredit and real efforts to landmark unique and extra ordinary pieces of NYC history will be muddled by efforts such as this. Why not landmark the East NY projects too b/c that was to be bought out and rent increased? Such a shame that people would even think of trying to abuse the landmarking system." [Here Comes Trouble: Stuy Town Residents Want Landmarking]
In what is just the latest twist in the recent bizarre history of Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village, a group of tenants are mounting a campaign to win the 110-building complex landmark status. And that campaign is kicking off with a square dance. If the movement gains momentum, this could be a classic showdown. Sure, Stuy Town is an important historical artifact of Manhattan's once-existent middle class, but think about the ulterior motives at play here. Rent-stabilized tenants are living in fear (if the forums are any indication) of what changes new landlord Tishman Speyer will impose next, and a landmarking could protect the grounds and buildings and prevent, for example, a luxury all-glass condo building plopped down on the Stuyvesant Oval. On the other hand, Tishman Speyer would probably just blow the whole place up on the eve of the designation if the winds were blowing in that direction. So grab your partner, swing her 'round, and get this craziness off the ground!
· Let's Landmark Stuyvesant Town [stpcvta.org]
· Stuy Town Follies: Here Comes the Cavalry [Curbed]
· Stuy Towners Debate What's Ruining Their Lives More [Curbed]
If you thought dogs were going to be the biggest controversy at Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village this year, think again! You see, Councilman Daniel Garodnick—a PCV resident—has a little beef with new landlord Tishman Speyer: they just won't stop harassing rent-stabilized tenants! Garodnick told the Observer this week that in Tishman's crackdown on illegal sublets, they're going after a lot of people who have done absolutely nothing wrong. Garodnick claims non-renewal notices have gone out to many innocent Stuy Town/PCV oldtimers, many of whom may have cleared out because they didn't know better (or because they were terrified). He's calling for a moratium on these non-renewal notices until this all gets sorted out, and now some high-profile friends are joining him.
Oh, it's on! >>"What no stroller policy yet? If I am gonna pay 3k for an average apt. made for working class folk. I want Shiatsu services and a Fitness center. I think Speyer himself got a fire hydrant in front of his home to have personal "Loading Zone" his building. Now that is using a system to your advantage." [Stuy Town Owners Debate What's Ruining Their Lives More]
Earlier this month, newish Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village owner Tishman Speyer changed the massive 110-building complex's long-standing pet policy, which was, basically, no pets allowed. Cats had always been secretly tolerated, but dogs have been a no-no. Now, for a one-time $250 fee, residents can own a pet but must adhere to a very strict policy (i.e., no animals on the grass, in the play areas, off the paths, etc.). Needless to say, longtime residents (Stuy Town is still about 60% rent-stabilized) were not pleased about the change. But less than one month into the new pet policy, how is it going? NOT WELL!
On the Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village Tenants Association message board, a note was posted to try and rally support amongst the anti-dog faithful. An excerpt: "We will now have sidewalks like the rest of the city with puddles of urine and smears of dog poop." This has led to an epic message board thread in which residents debate what facet of the new-look ST/PCV is plaguing them most: dogs, "MRs" (market-rate renters) or the 250 graduate students that NYU houses in Stuy Town. It's quite the read!
Some of our favorite quotes, after the jump. >>
[photos courtesy Marianne O'Leary/Curbed Photo Pool]
If we've ever said—or even thought—anything negative about Stuy Town, we hereby take it all back.
· Stuyvesant Town Easter Topiary [Marianne O'Leary/Curbed Photo Pool]
Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village, friends, is more than just a grim backdrop to your brand new rooftop pool. There's been a lot of change at ol' Stuy Town since Tishman Speyer purchased the mostly rent-stabilized 110-building complex for over $5 billion in 2006, and those changes keep on coming. In yesterday's CurbedWire, a Stuy Town resident pointed out the sudden change in the pet policy, where a one-time $250 fee can now net you the loyalty and companionship of a dog. Said our tipster: "Is this yet another move by Tishman to generate revenue and fill empty spaces? Recent City Council newsletter read that as many as 5 buildings worth of homes are currently vacant." Perhaps, because the Post reports today that Tishman Speyer is now offering one free month of rent to entice new market-rate tenants to jump into grassy green living. According to "insiders," the vacancy rate is hovering between 5 and 10 percent, whereas Manhattan's overall vacancy rate is less than 2 percent. Maybe the Happy Holidays, You're So Fucked memo didn't go over as well as planned?
· Free Rent for Stuy Towners [NYP]
· CurbedWire: Baseball's Box, Stuy Town Goes to the Dogs [Curbed]
· CurbedWire: Elliman Party Crashing, Stuy Town Discount, Screwy Factory [Curbed]
EAST HARLEM—Just a bat toss away from Jared Kushner's crumbling building near Park Avenue and 124th Street, the MLB-housing Harlem Park is getting ready to rise. A tipster snapped the above picture and writes, "Just wanted to let you guys know that Harlem Park looks to be moving along closer to groundbreaking. There have been trucks in the space doing soil samples the last couple days." Play ball, or something. [CurbedWire Inbox]
STUYVESANT TOWN—A number of Stuy Town/Peter Cooper Village renters forwarded us the memo regarding a change in the massive complex's pet policy. One tipster wrote: "I thought I'd let you all know of the latest ST/PCV development. After a pay-membership gym, opening up 'Garage 1' as pay/public parking, they're now allowing pets! Read: Dogs. Cats occupy many, many apts as they were allowed 'under the radar' by previous management. According to the info, market-rate tenants must pay a $250 per pet fee at the time of pet registration. Is this yet another move by Tishman to generate revenue and fill empty spaces? Recent City Council newsletter read that as many as 5 buildings worth of homes are currently vacant. Regardless, a sad day for residents who appreciate the lack of dog activity in and around the complex." [CurbedWire Inbox]
1) Perhaps because the developer has to sell a bunch of units by June 1, current tenants at Manhattan House (right)—what could be the biggest condo conversion ever—have seen their insider discounts balloon up to 15% if they buy within 30 days. Prices were cut 6.6% over all. [Big Deal/Josh Barbanel]
2) Building on that death-of-the-starter-studio theme, the Times takes a look at the crazy price tags on 0BRs nowadays. A $2 million studio sold in the Plaza, and down in the Financial District, the average price-per-square-foot of studios is actually slightly more than one-bedrooms. Curse you, pied-a-terre shoppers! [Absence Makes the Buyer Fonder /Vivian S. Toy]
3) Who says new Stuy Town owner Tishman Speyer is ruling with an iron fist? They just let 720,000 new tenants move in and live rent-free. ['Harnessing the Benign Aggression of Ladybugs'/Andy Newman]
Laurel and 15 CPW: brothers in rock, Brooklyn's melting pot. >>
Avert your eyes from the above image for a second to feast on the news that Stuyvestant Town landlord Tishman Speyer is allegedly "building tax dossiers on tenants in a massive effort to drive out low-paying families and jack up rents," as the Post reports. Ah, the glory of resident paranoid; always a good time. Memo to Stuy Towners: if you've got another residence somewhere else in the country, quickly switch it to your great aunt's name. Yesterday.
Returning to the above image, feel free to join us in a round of WTF. It comes our way from a Curbed reader who emails, "Look what I randomly came across: conversion plan for Stuy Town with glass penthouses, sky garden and wind turbines!" The renderings are posted at a secret link on the website of überkool LES architecture firm Work, which probably means they were done for a showcase or random design study or something, but we'd rather embrace the darker greener vision: it's the future of Stuy Town, revealed! You'll take your hovering marshlands and like them, mmkay?
What to do when you're the new owners of a massive housing complex that already has some tenants up in arms about rent increases and rumors of full-scale demolition? Rebrand! Per a tipster embedded inside Stuyvesant Town comes the above, with this note: "Received a magnet in the mail from Tishman a couple days ago with a new logo saying they are about to launch a rebranding effort around this logo. This follows a letter from a couple weeks ago saying they had incorporated Stuyvesant Town as its own entity, separate from Peter Cooper."
Oh, those swooshes! A thin, yet dignified, sans serif font! Compared to the old logo, we'd have to give the edge to whatever design firm bilked Tishman out of six figures for this recycled bit of blandness. And yet, that's not even the best part. Continues our tipster, "Something else from Stuyvesant Town that might be necessitating the rent increase: what appears to be a putting green (as in golf) is being built in the oval next to the fountain, complete with sand traps, putting green-length grass and new terrain for added effect. Not sure who they expect to use this, but thought it was interesting."
The new putting green, in all its glory, ahead. >>
Back in November, when Tishman Speyer, the new owners of Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village, sent residents a chipper Happy Thanksgiving note, one Curbed commenter was heard to observe, "That letter is a clarion call that you're about to get fucked."
Comes today, to the Curbed inbox, a reader email that begins thusly: "Now that Tischman/Speyer own Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village, the rumors and horrors are beginning to circulate. First the horrors. Friends of mine who moved into a 1 bedroom non rent stabilized apartment last year for $2,200 just received their lease renewal."
You think you know where this is going. And you're so right. >>And now, the latest from Racked, covering shopping and retail from the sidewalks up...
Rackage from Michael Aram, a newcomer to the Chelsea home furnishings scene.
1) Gramercy/Long Island City: The Supermarket Chronicles wind ever on. In Stuy Town, resident ruminations on why the loss of Gristedes ("actually a terrible grocery store") would be devastating for the neighborhood. In Long Island City, residents of our beloved new development Arris Lofts might be getting—a Gristedes! Lesson, as always: it's always better in Long Island City.
2) West Village: The mystery as to what store will fill the vacant Constanca Basto store at Hudson and West 11th is solved: psychedelic handbags!
3) Lower East Side: Hipster sneaker boutique ALife is now offering—a priority card? "It's kinda like a regular gift card, except holders are guaranteed eligibility for 'select offerings.'" The mind boggles.
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