A sampling of last week’s press coverage of CORE and CORE properties.

“Buyers in a hurry to buy at One Murray”
Real Estate Weekly
CORE’s new Long Island City condo development, One Murray Park (right), is off to a quick start, with 40% of the building’s 45 units already in contract. “Price ranges are like 2006, 2007 levels,” says CORE’s Doron Zwickel, who is marketing the building. “Some prices are even higher.”

“Living small in New York City”
CNN
Watch Shaun Osher comment on Mayor Bloomberg’s plan to build 300-square-foot “micro-apartments” in Manhattan on CNN, and read Osher’s additional thoughts on the topic in his CORE Blog post last week. CORE’s Jarrod Guy Randolph also commented on the Bloomberg plan in the New York Daily News.

“Love letters”
New York Post
A feature story on surging prices and interest in the Alphabet City portion of the East Village includes some analysis of the neighborhood’s real estate market by Elizabeth Kee. “Never in our wildest dreams did we ever imagine [prices would be this high], but it’s a simple supply and demand curve,” says Kee.

“Water views” in New York City real estate don’t necessarily need to signify a pair of rivers. Check out the view from the One Museum Mile rooftop of Central Park’s Harlem Meer, the man-made lake (”Meer” is Dutch for “lake”) designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. Last night One Museum Mile hosted members of the press for a “Discover Our Neighborhood” panel discussion, followed by a reception at star chef Marcus Samuelsson’s Red Rooster restaurant. Of course, some attendees took some time to admire the views, like New York Daily News real estate reporter Gina Pace, who tweeted the above photo (along with some others). For more tweets and photos, check out the One Museum Mile Twitter page.

This week, Mayor Bloomberg initiated a competition for developers to design a rental building filled with efficient studio “micro-apartments” no bigger than 300 square feet each. The current zoning precludes anyone from doing this, so it would be a change to the law — and even though it’s illegal, everyone knows that there are people who live in the confines of space smaller than this. How many people are there in this city who share an apartment of 600 square feet with 2 roommates?

I love the Mayor’s idea, as you may tell from my enthusiastic response on CNN, seen above. New York is a city filled with single professionals who are being priced out of the housing market. Even the surrounding boroughs are expensive, and I think that this initiative will keep some of these people here where they belong. Hopefully this will be the start of something new, and why stop at rentals? I look forward to the day when developers can build “for-sale” housing in the city of this size. This will make the entry level into home ownership easier to those who cannot afford $600,000 for a starter studio, not to mention encouraging smart design and creative architecture.

Shaun Osher is the founder and CEO of CORE.

In addition to the daily updates found on the CORE Blog, there are other great ways to keep in touch with all things CORE. What can we say? We’re a social (media) bunch. You can follow us on Twitter at @CORE_RealEstate for links, real-time reports (like from “Selling New York” tapings, for example) and agent re-tweets. You can also “like” us on Facebook for more exclusive photos and content. And last but not least, you can find and follow us on the social bookmarking site Pinterest right here, or just click on the Pinterest button below:

Our foray into Midtown yesterday got us thinking more about the neighborhood and its conveniences — like being walking distance from Central Park, the Theater District and the city’s best shopping, as well as the quick access to nearly every other desirable neighborhood in Manhattan. With that in mind, let’s highlight some of our other favorite listings in the area.

Where: 1600 Broadway, 17-D
Size: 1 Bedroom, 1 Bathroom
Asking: $985,000
Listed by: Emily Beare and Elizabeth Beare

Imagine the buzz and excitement of Times Square being right at your doorstep. Rising 17 stories above the din of Crossroads of the World, this one-bedroom oasis with floor-to-ceiling windows and a private balcony is perfect for those who want to be immersed in the sights and sounds of New York City. Best of all, the full-service building sports a number of luxury amenities, like a lounge/bar area, landscaped outdoor space, state-of-the-art gym and putting green. Just remember, live here and you’re going to be getting a lot of phone calls from friends and family around New Year’s Eve time.

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Where: 153 East 57th Street, 19EF
Size: 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Asking: $1,495,000
Listed by: Doron Zwickel

We’ve fallen for the contemporary renovation of this pied-a-terre-friendly Midtown co-op apartment, which features clean and sleek lines throughout. And the bones are good as well, with big windows letting in lots of light, and views in all four directions. One of Manhattan’s most well-known stretches, 57th Street puts you a short walk from Central Park and the desired retail of Fifth Avenue and the Plaza District. Already that’s a lot of pluses, but we’ve saved the best for last: The 500-square-foot private terrace that’s bigger than many New York City apartments. Have a peek below.

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A sampling of last week’s press coverage of CORE and CORE properties.

“Manhattan’s top 75 listing agents”
The Real Deal
The Real Deal’s new list of Manhattan’s top real estate brokers ranked by property listing value includes CORE’s Tom Postilio and Vickey Barron, pictured at right.

“NYC’s new condo wave”
The Real Deal
A look at the new development pipeline in Manhattan includes a piece on Walker Tower, CORE’s new 50-unit luxury residential building in Chelsea.

“Selling New York S5E13: The Art of Persuasion”
Curbed
A witty recap of last week’s episode of “Selling New York,” which featured CORE CEO Shaun Osher educating a developer on the TriBeCa real estate market and winning the sales and marketing contract for 93 Worth Street.

“The rise of the $20 million-plus listing”
The Real Deal
CORE’s Mickey Conlon comments on the trend of sellers putting their apartments on the market with hefty price tags above $20 million. Says Conlon, “It appears as if many owners who don’t necessarily need to sell are recklessly trying their luck at unrealistic prices. Would it be unfair to call it Russian roulette?”

HGTV’s “Selling New York” follows CORE agents as they navigate the country’s most competitive—and compelling—real estate market. Here’s our behind-the-scenes look at Episode #513, which first aired on July 3, 2012. For more SNY recaps, click here.

CORE CEO Shaun Osher has the difficult task of convincing a developer to ditch his current plans for a new condominium in order to achieve the highest possible sales prices. Although he is an expert when it comes to new construction and converting buildings to luxury residences, Shaun has to go the extra mile to show developer, Eldad Blaustein, what buyers look for in condos in TriBeCa.

After touring Eldad’s soon-to-be converted building at 93 Worth Street, Shaun decides to take him on a tour to explain his ideas for the building. Shaun shows Eldad some typical TriBeCa lofts and also takes him on a walking tour of the surrounding neighborhood to get a better idea of what buyers appreciate and look for when purchasing in the area.

In the end, Shaun’s hard work pays off and Eldad agrees to change his planned layouts to mirror Shaun’s suggestions. Also, Eldad awards Shaun with a deal to market and sell the condos at 93 Worth Street once they’re completed. Keep on reading for some exclusive behind-the-scenes information on what didn’t make it into last night’s episode of Selling New York and what happened after the cameras stopped rolling!

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Can’t make it out of the city this summer? No need to fret, there are plenty of properties out there that have some of the best outdoor spaces and greenery around, perfect for a sunny stroll, a picnic or a simple escape from the urban din. Before we sign off for the Fourth of July holiday, here are our three favorite staycation properties currently on the market. Don’t forget the sunscreen.

Where: 160 Central Park South, 1015-1018
Size: 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Asking: $3,995,000
Listed by: Tom Postilio and Mickey Conlon

Central Park is New York City’s outdoor oasis, and this Central Park South unit is on its doorstep. Even a glance out the window will make you feel like you’ve escaped, but there’s nothing like taking some time out and roaming the 843 acres of lush greenery and walkways. Adding a resort-like feel, this unit is in the landmark Jumeirah Essex House, and residents enjoy hotel amenities such as concierge service, room service, valet parking, maid service, health club and more.

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A sampling of last week’s press coverage of CORE and CORE properties.

Walker Tower photos by David Dunlap for the New York Times

“Downtown Prices Are Set to Get Lift”
Wall Street Journal
Last week’s launch of sales at CORE’s Walker Tower development in Chelsea may prove that “ultrawealthy New Yorkers will pay some of the highest prices in the city for a spot in the funky neighborhood,” the Wall Street Journal reports. With 25% of Walker Tower’s 50 ultra-luxury condominiums already in contract, that certainly looks true. Read on for more about the project, including analysis from CORE CEO Shaun Osher.

“Developer in Chelsea Honors a Great Architect While Redesigning His Work”
New York Times
Veteran journalist and architecture historian David Dunlap explores a different path regarding Walker Tower’s launch, focusing on the complexities of the $200 million restoration and renovation of the pre-war Art Deco building, and explaining how new elements “were based on existing decorative motifs found in the building entrance and lobby or on archival drawings showing how Walker’s design evolved.” Also check out Dunlap’s great photos of some of Walker Tower’s original design flourishes.

“Walker Tower, 25 percent sold, gets a warm welcome from residential brokers”
The Real Deal

“Walker Tower: Historic Icon + Modern Luxury Will Cost You”
New York Observer

“See The Views From Walker Tower’s Opening Party”
Curbed
Completing a week of Walker Tower media mania, the building’s launch party and early sales success are covered online by The Real Deal, the Observer and Curbed, including some excellent photo galleries.

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