Dreaming of barbecues, cabanas and spectacular city views?  We are too.  Summer is just around the corner and Manhattan is buzzing with excitement.  Today’s New York Post profiles the hottest new outdoor spaces, including an exclusive look at 93 Worth’s beautiful roof deck and penthouse terrace! Be sure to check out the full outdoor kitchen, pergola and outdoor fireplace in the rendering above.

In spring 2012, I received a call from an international buyer interested in acquiring an entire building in prime Manhattan. The customer had a budget of $25M and was ready to buy sight unseen as he was unable to come to New York for some time, so he really needed an agent to help guide him. He also made it clear that he wanted a great deal and was intent on negotiating.

I shared with him a number of properties that met his criteria, but he quickly found that it was challenging to get what he wanted between price, building size, or the desired neighborhood. Similarly to what most NYC buyers experience in the search process, he realized that he was going to have to compromise.

In an attempt to think “outside the box,” I decided to look in emerging areas and found him a great deal uptown in East Harlem, an area that he had never considered before. This particular site would allow him to build a new building from the ground up, and the price was so attractive that it made economic sense for him. But my customer ruled it out immediately, saying that the price was too much to pay for the area.

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

‘Historic’ Doesn’t Rule Out ‘New’
The New York Times
The launch of sales at 241 Fifth is highlighted in this New York Times feature.  The 20-story tower, located in the Madison Square North neighborhood, is set to accommodate 46 units upon completion, ranging from 1-bedroom to 3-bedroom apartments.  Doron Zwickel provides additional insight about the project in this article as well.

Helping Agents Pursue Dreams
Herald Sun
Shaun Osher is featured in this Australian publication, discussing the importance of real estate agents understanding the needs of their clients. Shaun will be one of the keynote speakers at this year’s Australian Real Estate Conference, providing insight about personal branding techniques for highly-successful agents.

Living Large
CBS2
Michael Graves’ listing at 7 Bond Street is featured in the CBS2 segment of “Living Large” with Emily Smith. Affectionately named “Double-O Seven Bond Street,” this exquisite NoHo penthouse strikes the perfect balance of turn-of-the-century charm and modern sophistication.

CORE is delighted to confirm that sales have officially launched at 241 Fifth!  The New York Times got an exclusive look at the project and spoke with the project’s Director of Sales, Doron Zwickel.

Boasting 46 condominium units conveniently situated between 27th and 28th streets, 241 Fifth also carries the unique distinction of being the only ground-up construction residential project in the trendy neighborhood of NoMad.  Designed by Eran Chen of ODA-Architecture, these homes offer an inspired blend of sophisticated and contemporary style right in the heart of the Manhattan.

Residents will enjoy views overlooking the historic Flatiron District and Madison Square Park.  Thoroughly modern interior design elements will include stained white oak flooring and white-finished fixtures from the Zuchetti-Kos Faraway Collection.  Residences also feature oversize windows, kitchens with a suite of Miele appliances, bathrooms with a deep-soaking tub, glass-enclosed shower and solid teak wall detailing.

The building’s amenities package features 24/7 concierge, a rooftop terrace, a fitness center equipped with state-of-the-art cardio and weightlifting equipment, a Zen tranquility room for yoga, Pilates or meditation, a residence lounge and private wellness treatment room, which offers a serene space for massage or beauty treatments.

An exclusive landmark address with unparalleled detail, 241 Fifth promises to be the most desirable residential destination in NoMad.  We’ll have more news soon, including details on the 241 Fifth launch party!

Last Wednesday, New York City’s Central Park Conservancy hosted “Central to Spring”,  a kickoff event to welcome the new season at the Park. Residential buildings surrounding the Park, including One Museum Mile, hosted residents and guests for cocktails and hors d’oeuvre as a way to support the Central Park Conservancy and celebrate spring in one of the world’s greatest parks. In addition to the gatherings within each building, guests were invited to watch a fireworks display that took place within Central Park.

Guests at One Museum Mile mingled on the building’s expansive rooftop before heading down to see two units of the 18th floor that housed live music in one room, and a preview screening of the building’s appearance on Selling New York in the other. One Museum Mile’s sales team members, Tom Postilio, Natalie Rakowski, Parul Brahmbhatt, and John Harrison were all present to toast to the season and join in the celebration. Click the break for a look inside the event. (more…)

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

Art of the Deal:  Condo Sales Pitches Include Pricey Paintings and Massive Murals
New York Post
One Museum Mile is one of several New York City residential properties featuring exquisite artwork to attract potential buyers.

New Development
Brokers Weekly
Last week, new development project 93 Worth reached a rate of over 70% sold and in contract units, signaling the growth and demand of new development inventory in the Tribeca area.  ”We are seeing an influx of interested buyers who currently live in Tribeca and are looking to buy new inventory,” said Shaun Osher.  ”Buyers are drawn to the building’s exceptional restoration and its prime location where a tremendous amount of residential and commercial growth has occurred.”

23 New Developments Hitting the Market This Spring
Curbed
In a Curbed property round-up of New York City new developments, 241 Fifth was featured.  One of several buildings under construction in the Flatiron area, the transformation of 241 Fifth was recently documented in this time-lapsed video.

Last July, New York City’s Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, announced his adAPT NYC contest for proposals on the development and design of micro-dwellings based on the idea of accommodating the housing needs of the City’s growing population. Shortly after, CORE’s CEO, Shaun Osher, was interviewed by CNN on the contest and overall concept of micro-apartments in Manhattan.

Since then, 33 development teams submitted renderings, floor plans, and other visuals in the hopes of winning the first NYC contest focused on facing the challenges of space and a growing population within an urban setting. In early 2013, Bloomberg announced the winning group from the adAPT NYC contest which includes Monadnock Development, Actors Fund Housing Development Corporation and nARCHITECTS. The winning team’s design will be constructed on a city-owned site at 335 East 27th Street and will consist of compact residences ranging from 250-375-square feet.

Although this project hasn’t even broken ground yet, the response generated from the contest by developers, architects, real estate professionals and the general public has proved Mayor Bloomberg’s housing goal to be valid and in many ways necessary. Yesterday, the New York Observer reported that the Department of Housing Preservation and Development is hoping to have another request for proposal (RFP) out on another 2-3 micro-unit developments throughout the City this year. We can’t wait to see what the next round of proposals for micro-apartments will look like, and we’re excited about this small new development trend within one of the world’s greatest cities.

Five years ago, I told a reporter from The New York Times that Manhattan was essentially becoming one luxury neighborhood and we would start to see properties in “newer” residential areas meet the market in more established areas. With all of the residential development over the past ten years, this is now a reality, and, to the surprise of a few people, last month showed that the average price of a home was more expensive downtown than it was uptown.

Above: The Atalanta Building (one of the first TriBeCa conversions) was originally a refrigeration building with no windows.

Having sold downtown for almost 2 decades, I’ve pioneered sales and marketing in a number of these newer downtown areas. And it’s because of the pioneering developers that these neighborhoods have evolved into some of the most desirable residential neighborhoods in the City. Some of the more notable pioneers should be recognized for their vision, and for blazing a trail that benefited the adopters.

What these “downtown” developers created was a product to satisfy the demand of their generation of buyers. Conversions in loft buildings with great volumes of space that the uptown buildings couldn’t satisfy.  Homes that had the amenities, services, and finishes that uptown buyers expected, but in architecturally different and historically significant buildings. New residential neighborhoods like West Chelsea, SoHo, TriBeCa, and the Bowery have now become expensive zip codes and  it’s no surprise that we are currently selling a new development in Chelsea at higher prices than almost every new development in Manhattan.

-Shaun Osher is the CEO and Founder of CORE.

One Museum Mile made New York City real estate history yesterday with the news that one of its residences sold for the highest price per square foot in the neighborhood of Upper Carnegie Hill. At $3.6 million – a price which broke over $2,000 per square foot – residence 11B features a wrap-around terrace with sweeping views of Central Park. Outlets including Curbed, The Real Deal, and Buzz Buzz Home featured this neighborhood record and referenced One Museum Mile’s recent sales milestone of over 50% sold and in contract.

Downtown Nudges Out Uptown as Priciest Destination for Luxury Buyers

The Real Deal

For the first time in a decade, the asking prices for luxury Downtown apartments have outpaced those in Midtown and Uptown. Walker Tower is highlighted as one of Chelsea’s most desirable developments.

Wallabout Refloats Next to the Navy Yard

The Wall Street Journal

The Wallabout neighborhood in Brooklyn is featured in last week’s Wall Street Journal. Doug Bowen gives insight into the revival of this area, spurred by bolstered activity in the nearby Navy yard, thriving businesses, and the development of a new mixed-use complex.

Go for Brooke

New York Post

Sofia Vergara visited Jeff Smith’s 301 East 52^nd Street penthouse listing.