Location: 143 Reade Street
Neighborhood:  TriBeCa
Floors: 18
Units: 38
Year Built: Pre-war 1929
Converted: 2008
Floor Plans: 2 to 3 Bedrooms/Penthouse
Size: 1,500 to 3,000 square feet
Prices: $2,895M to $5M
Developer: Bill Brodsky and Elliott Ingerman
Architect: BKSK Architects (exterior) -
Roman & Williams (interior) 
Sales and Marketing: Corcoran
Marketing Tel: 212.732-4000
Website Url:  www.artisanlofts.com

Many developers are transforming former industrial towers in Manhattan into spacious living quarters —The Artisan Lofts is one of them.  Because of the enormous size of the building, The Artisan Lofts are able to offer residents a plethora of rich amenities and features.  For instance, both the lobby and art gallery will have a rotating exhibition of artists from around the globe.  Residents can enjoy and unwind on the landscaped Artisan Roof Garden with panoramic views of Tribeca.  This family friendly residency will house a Children’s Imagination Center designed by the Church Street School for Music and Art.  Included is a theater stage and play areas for children. 

Each unit has walnut flooring and the bathrooms in Ann Sacks hand-glazed porcelain tile. The ceilings will be 11-12 feet high. The living areas have 8-foot windows with spectacular views of lower Manhattan, the Empire State building, historic buildings of Tribeca and the Hudson River. The hand-made kitchen is comprised of solid walnut butcher block and granite trivets accentuated with walnut and black–power backsplashes. The renowned design team, Roman & Williams and BKSK Architects did not miss a single detail when designing this building.

Amenities: The Skylit Wellness Center offers modern cardio machines, bodybuilding equipment and free weights.  Residents get plenty of natural light from the 50-foot skylight as they exercise and utilize the massage and yoga rooms.  The building has a full-time concierge, resident manager and a 24-hour doorman.

Other Features and Amenities:  Elevator(s), classic loft-style cement columns and a select few units have outdoor space.

Location: Tribeca has been coined the ”Mecca” for furniture and design in the Northeast. Sculptural fashions from designers such as Issey Miyake are within walking distance.  The area has many critically acclaimed culinary options such as Nobu and Chanterelle and Blaue Gans and Turks and Frogs.  In addition, Tribeca has plenty of greenery, theaters, galleries, cafes, shops and excellent schools.

What are New Yorkers saying about this condo? According to sources, the economy may affect the investment value of similar projects like this one throughout NYC. 

So far, higher priced residences have been flexible.  After taking this into consideration, we have rated this project at an 8.5 on a scale of 1-10.

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Location: 305 East 85th street         
Neighborhood: Upper East Side, Manhattan
Floors: 20
Units: 63
Floor Plans: 2-4 Bedrooms; Penthouse
Size: 1,237 to 3,000 square feet
Prices: $2.5 to $3.2 million
Developer: Ascend Group LLC
Architect: HM White Site Architects
Year Planned: 2009
Sales and Marketing: Prudential Douglas Elliman Development Marketing Group
Marketing Tel:  212.988.8511
Website Url:  www.georgicalife.com

The Georgica project is growing rapidly, so far, the stunning glass tower has 17 stories. This modern Manhattan family-friendly condo is strategically placed between First and Second Avenue.  The building is close to excellent schools, liberal shopping and dining facilities and just a stroll away from Central Park and Carl Schurz Park.  The Georgica received its name from prestigious Georgica Pond in East Hampton Village.  The tower’s glass exterior that’s currently being placed will provide an ample supply of natural bright lighting.

Once the project is complete, many residences will have private terraces and the master bedrooms will have floor-to-ceiling windows.  The spacious living and dining room will have stunning views overlooking the East River …perfect for entertaining guests.  The walls will be eggshell toned and the floors finished in white oak herringbone.  One great added feature —a select few residences are planned to come equipped with limestone fireplaces.

In the bedroom: The two bedroom units will have oversized master bedrooms with a dressing room or a split bedroom.  The square footage will range between 1,250 - 1,900 sq. ft.

The three bedrooms will encompass great foyers and masters suite with sitting areas with tons of walk-in closet space.  A few units will have an option for a library or additional family room.  Space wise? You’re looking at around 1,700 to 2,350 ft.

The four bedroom will have similar features but with a split floor plan that will have a long hallway leading to three bedrooms with a smaller foyer going into a living area.  Another appealing feature is the fourth bedroom off the kitchen; this can be transformed into another living area.  Each floor will only house 2-4 units to ensure privacy.  The larger four bedroom units will be located on the higher floors and will only contain two units on each floor.

In the kitchen: Calacata gold marble on the counters tops—appliances by Miele and Marvel wine coolers.  The chic herringbone floors connect the kitchen and family room.

Master bath & second bath interior: The master bath will have glass mosaic walls, a Verde Antiqua marble vanity and heated flooring.  The fixtures include Waterworks, Kohler and Toto. The second bathroom walls and floors are done in Zebrano Essenza Bianco stone.  And Bianco Dolomiti marble flooring in the shower.

Amenities:   A full service building with a 24hr doorman, 24hr concierge, elevators, extensive fitness center, fully landscaped roof deck, a refrigerated package room, adult lounge, children’s playroom and playground (enclosed with extra-high glass windscreen for supervision and maximum security).

Pets: Allowed

City Attractions: This area is saturated with plenty of retail outlets, cafes and restaurants. The building is close to notable retail stores such as Barnes & Nobel, Circuit City and Best Buy.

Subway & Bus Info: The closest transportation is located at two avenues from the Nos. 4, 5 and 6 trains and close to bus lines (M101, M15 and M86). Taxi cabs are also available.

We give The Georgica an over all two-thumbs-up. The condo is in a great location plus it has excellent amenities, features and as far as pricing - this is a great buy.

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Location: 555 W. 59th St.          
Size: 186 units
Floors: 35
Floor Plans: 1, 2, 3 bedrooms,
Townhomes, Penthouse
Prices: $792,000 - $5 million
Developer(s): Brack Capital Real Estate,
Coalco International, Continental Ventures Realty
and S&H Equities.
Architect: SLCE Architects
Sales and Marketing: Corcoran Group Marketing
Marketing Tel: (212) 977-5900
Website Url: www.elementcondominium.com

The Element, which lies west of Columbus Circle, is situated in Lincoln Square - just north of Times Square. This energetic, vivacious part of Manhattan is known for its legendary entertainment amenities and cultural institutions.

Recently, the Manhattan Movement & Arts Center opened its doors in the new condominium. The arts center consists over 17,000 sq. ft. space on the first and second floors. Additionally, the arts center also houses the new home of the Manhattan Youth Ballet, formerly known as the Studio Maestro.

Residents of this spectacular 35-story condo enjoy amenities to almost-no-end. Amenities include yoga and fitness studios, swimming pools, squash and basketball courts and even a wine valet service. Fitness, martial arts and dance classes are offered as well. Avid theater goers don’t have to go far - as a matter of fact - they don’t even have to leave the building. Residents can sit back, relax and enjoy their favorite films in the building’s 200-seat theater

If you crave the outdoors (365 days per year) you’ll enjoy what is referred to as a “natural experience”. Natural it is, the palatial 12,000 sq. ft. landscaped outdoor space is astounding.

If you are a fitness fanatic and you ‘must’ leave the building for a work out, the closest gyms are the Equinox in Columbus Circle, New York Sports Club on 61st and 9th and Crunch on 64th and West End Avenue. To add a pinch flavor to your daily workout routine, you also have the West Side Highway’s 6 mile-long bike and jogging path that’s literally a stones throw away …And don’t forget Central Park.

Other Amenities: Entertain guest and business associates in the building’s resident lounge. You can’t beat this - the lounge has high-definition flat screen TV’s with surround sound and integrated computer wireless capabilities.

Parents can take an extended breather and unwind in the fitness and well-being spa that features a Scandinavian-style sauna with massage and treatment room. Meanwhile, the children can remain occupied in the outdoor children’s playground. The building also has an indoor children’s playroom that has FAO Schwartz toys and games.

Elevator: Yes
Gym: Yes
Pool: Yes
Laundry: Yes
Doorman: Yes
Concierge: Yes
Playroom: Yes

Interiors: Every unit has 9′6″ ceilings with elegant white oak flooring. The kitchens have top-of-the-line installations, Bosch and Sub Zero, just to name a couple. 1-bedroom condo’s have pass-through kitchens. 1-bedroom bathrooms have shower-tub combinations - the floors have a palette of natural stone colors. 2-bedroom master bathrooms have separate shower stalls and twin sinks. Every unit comes equipped with washer/dryers.

City Attractions: The Time Warner Center, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and a host of restaurants, cafes, boutiques and retailers, health care facilities and educational institutions and much more.

Subway & Bus Info: The closest transportation is located at Columbus Circle and 57th street cross-town bus. Subways include A, C, B, D, and 1 trains. On-site parking is available.

The Element is a great investment. No wonder it has been coined the epitome of luxurious living and a family-oriented condominium located in the heart of a thriving community.

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Actually, “drags the industry kicking and screaming” might be more accurate. Nearly three years after filing an antitrust lawsuit against the National Association of Realtors, and only weeks before the trial date, the Justice Department announced a settlement with the NAR that ends some of that organization’s restrictive practices.

Even though the NAR gets away without paying any fines or damages, the settlement is a big victory for consumers – NAR-affiliated multiple listing services can no longer allow members to withhold listings from “virtual office websites,” or VOWs – brokerages that use Internet technology to deliver real estate services at a discount. Traditional brokerages didn’t like competition from these upstarts, so instead of becoming more efficient themselves, they tried to keep the online brokerages from getting any information. In one egregious case, all of the brokers in a market withheld their listings from the single VOW in the community, which then had to shut down.

This settlement also vindicates our approach to real estate services at MLX.com. It doesn’t affect us directly – the dominant trade association here is the Real Estate Board of New York, which doesn’t belong to the NAR – but as an “upstart” brokerage that tried to use the Internet to create efficiencies, and pass those efficiencies on to the consumer, we’ve had our own run-ins with the traditional brokerages and their captive organizations and regulators. (See the previous item for news of our antitrust settlement with REBNY.)

Amazingly, the NAR still doesn’t get it. In a New York Times article, an NAR spokesperson calls the case “a five-year education of the Department of Justice” – as if they had begged to be allowed to give up their restrictive practices. Well, whoever educated the folks at Justice, we’re glad they saw the light.

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BrokersNYC, the service that we operate for independent real estate brokers in New York, won a major victory recently. We settled a long-running lawsuit against the Real Estate Board of New York and some of the biggest brokerage firms in New York.

A little history: The Real Estate Board (aka REBNY), a trade association that is controlled by the big brokerage firms, started a residential listing service a few years ago. These exclusive listings come from REBNY members, and their distribution is tightly controlled. The independent brokers who subscribe to our BrokersNYC service would have to pay through the nose to access them in any readily usable form. When we asked REBNY if we could disseminate the listings to our members through the BrokersNYC website, REBNY refused.

We filed an antitrust suit in 2004, saying it was anticompetitive to prevent services like BrokersNYC from distributing these listings to independent brokers at an affordable price. (And of course, the lack of competition doesn’t just hurt BrokersNYC and the independent brokers; it hurts consumers, too.)

Our lawsuit asked that REBNY be required to deal with any listings information service that, like BrokersNYC, operates on behalf of REBNY members, and to integrate directly with our software so that independent brokers could get a product equivalent to what the majors were getting. We also asked for at least $78 million in damages.

Last August, a judge threw out REBNY’s motion to dismiss the case. In January, we met with Magistrate Judge Dollinger and agreed to settle, and the settlement went into effect recently. While we didn’t get everything we asked for (that’s the point of a settlement), BrokersNYC is now free to compete on an equal footing with its competitors that service the brokerage community – and our clients, and ultimately the consumers, will get a better deal. We’re looking forward to rolling out new features for BrokersNYC very soon.

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Location: 80 Metropolitan (Kent Avenue and Wythe Avenue)
Size: 123 units
Prices: $425K to $1.6M
Expected Occupancy: immediate
Developer: Steiner New York
Architect: GreenbergFarrow
Sales and Marketing: Halstead Property

Overview: Williamsburg Grows Up

For years, the joke has been that the best thing about Williamsburg is that it’s the East Village, while the worst thing about it is… that it’s the new East Village. 10 years ago, this meant that Williamsburg was filled with hipsters flocking to art openings, loft parties, or shows at dive bars. While this facet of Williamsburg life is still there (and there to stay), Williamsburg has come to resemble the East Village in other aspects well. These include the presences of sushi restaurants, upscale lounges, designer furniture stores and, now, luxury condominiums.

80 Metropolitan is a completely new condo development, built on the site of the Old Dutch Mustard Company building. GreenbergFarrow’s design is tastefully reminiscent of the site’s- and neighborhood’s- industrial character. This does not mean that life inside 80 Metropolitan in any way resembles life inside a warehouse loft. The units’ luxurious kitchens include Liebherr refrigerators, Miele ovens and cook tops, Bosch dishwashers, marble finishes, polished Caesarstone countertops, lacquer and glass cabinetry with Wenge details, and garbage disposals. Baths include glass showers with marble benches, double sinks, Grohe Rainwater Showerheads, and custom Wenge Vanities. In apartment washers and dryers ensure the best of both worlds: living in Williamsburg, but never having to schlep down to the twenty-four hour laundromat on Bedford and Metropolitan.
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Location: 2628 Broadway and 245 W. 99th Street (Broadway and W. 99th Street)
Size: 137 units total
Prices: $1.6 through $14.5 million
Expected Occupancy: immediate
Developer: Extell Development Company
Architect: Cetra/ Ruddy
Sales and Marketing: Corcoran group

Overview: Ariel East and West- Family Friendly Luxury, Rising Over The West Side

Ariel East and Ariel West- a pair of striking glass towers on W. 99th Street and Broadway, respectively- can be seen from both New Jersey and the East Side. The two towers are architecturally very different from each other, but they stand together high above their Upper West Side neighborhood.

While striking, The Ariel Condominiums are also surprisingly livable. This is especially true for families. The buildings offer lush parkland views, child friendly common areas such as playrooms and gardens, and are comprised solely of multiple bedroom units. They offer an ideal option for who want a nice place to raise their family, but still want to live give up luxury high-rise life.
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Location: 1200 Fifth Avenue (E. 101st and E. 102nd Streets)
Size: 59 units
Prices: $1.5 to $14.5 million
Expected Occupancy: 2008
Developer: Joseph Nakash, Joseph Chetrit, Lloyd Goldman and Mann Realty
Architect: Emery Roth
Sales and Marketing: Corcoran Sunshine

Overview: 1200 Fifth Avenue- Old World Charm and New World Luxury

Condo buyers are often forced to choose between the charm of a pre-war building and the luxury of a new development. The conversion of 1200 Fifth Avenue means that you can have both at the same time. Modern luxury amenities have been seamlessly worked into 1200 Fifth Avenue, without disturbing the elegance that has graced the building since it was first built in 1928. High-beamed ceilings co-exist with central air and tilt-and-turn picture windows; old world craftsmanship co-exists with electric fireplaces, state of the art kitchen appliances, and a fitness room.

1200 Fifth Avenue’s northerly location on E. 101st Street means that it is slightly removed from the competitiveness and bustle of Carnegie Hill (some might say mercifully so), without sacrificing any value. Furthermore, the fact that 1200 Fifth Avenue is a condo building means that you can buy Fifth Avenue real estate directly, without having to go through the involved condo board approval process.
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Location: 1 River Terrace (Murray and Vesey Streets)
Size: 264 units
Prices: $1.7 to $6.2 million
Expected Occupancy: Spring 2008
Developer: Site 16/17 Development LLC.
Architect: The Polshek Partnership/ Ismael Levya/ David Rockwell
Sales and Marketing: Corcoran Sunshine

Overview: Combining Luxury and Green Development

The Riverhouse is ahead of its time. In an age where many other buildings still ignore environmental sustainability altogether, The Riverhouse is an entirely green building. This means that priority is placed not only on quality, but on energy efficiency, occupant health, environmental health, and overall environmental friendliness as well. The Riverhouse achieves these goals through many innovations, such as using only non-pollutant materials and finishes, heating and cooling the building with a geothermal system, placing solar panels on the roof, filtering its own waste, re-filtering air, and employing an energy efficient triple pane window system. These efforts have earned The Riverhouse a Gold rating from Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), the national rating standard for green buildings.

No need to worry, though; this focus on eco-friendliness does not come at the expense of comfort. In addition to green technologies, The Riverhouse includes all the luxuries and amenities of contemporary New York City condo living, such as health club, valet parking and laundry. Eco-friendliness also does not mean skimping on technology either. Units come equipped with high speed internet, wall mounted TV’s, and a sound system with speakers in every room.
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Hardwood floors and big closets are great, but the difference between a good apartment and a not so good apartment often comes down to the quality of the landlord. In fact, the quality of your landlord can drastically effect your entire quality of life.

A good landlord means quick and attentive help with problems. A good landlord means a painless living situation. A good landlord means concern for tenant well being.

A bad landlord can mean living in a unclean or unsafe building. It can mean having your concerns ignored, getting ripped off, or even having your civil rights violated.

But frankly, we don’t need to tell you what makes a good or bad landlord, because you know from your own experience. As always, we’re interested to hear from Ask LaLa readers about their experiences. So tell us: Who are the best landlords in New York City? Who are the worst ones? We’d love to hear how different landlords youv’e come across- as either a tenant or as an apartment hunter- rate on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best), or any other comments you have about New York City landlords.

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