Nothing conveys the promise of a New Year like a heavenly sunset. Here in New York City we are blessed to have our sunsets reflected 1,000 times over in our glass-covered skyscrapers. Today’s photo was taken by David Beare on the rooftop of a building on Canal Street overlooking the garden at Soho Mews.

Now that summer’s peak is in the rear-view, it’s time to start thinking about spending more time indoors. Just because the temperature dips doesn’t mean that your entertaining has to as well. Fall brings the crowds indoors, to kitchen, dining and living room spaces. With that in mind, we thought we’d take a look at some of our favorite apartments on the market with flowing spaces to make entertaining a breeze.

Where: 210 Lafayette Street, #5
Size: 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Asking: $2,700,000
Listed by: David Beare

With its open spaces and fabulous proportions, a boutique SoHo loft is a natural fit for entertaining in the home, and this one — located inside the 51 Crosby Street portion of the beautiful 210 Lafayette development — was conceived by the master of entertaining, famed hotelier Andre Balazs. The apartment has direct elevator access that opens right in the kitchen, dining and living areas, and for anyone seeking a respite from the crowd, the bedrooms are tucked away in the other wing.

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Where: 210 Lafayette Street, 5
Size: 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Asking: $2,700,000
Listed by: David Beare

It’s a real estate catch-22 that frustrates buyers looking in historic neighborhoods like SoHo: They want the traditional look and style of the area’s classic buildings, but also the modern amenities, conveniences and technology of brand-new construction. This is the rare home that blends both. Within the beautiful One Kenmare Square condominium on Lafayette Street — developed by hotelier Andre Balazs — is 51 Crosby Street, a boutique loft building facing SoHo’s best street. The apartment sports the high ceilings, oversized windows, hardwood floors and direct elevator access of a traditional loft, while also enjoying an immaculate new kitchen, a wood-burning fireplace, in-wall speakers, and the luxurious services (including a health club) of One Kenmare Square. It’s the perfect balance of old and new.

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Located on the border of two of downtown’s best neighborhoods, SoHo and TriBeCa, and within strolling distance to the Hudson River, Renwick Street is an anomaly: An under-developed and practically unknown block surrounded by some of the most expensive and in-demand real estate in New York City. Some big plans for 15 Renwick Street dissolved when the economy soured, but now that the high-end market is soaring again in Manhattan, a comeback is in the cards. The Real Deal reports today that New York-based residential real estate firm Izaki Group Investments has taken control of the development site, and has tapped CORE to head sales and marketing at the property. (The two are already working together on the condo conversion of TriBeCa’s 93 Worth Street.)

A boutique condominium development will break ground this fall, and CORE CEO Shaun Osher added, “We are very excited to be working on another project with IGI on one of the last remaining undeveloped lots in this exciting neighborhood.” We’ll have more details on 15 Renwick Street in the months ahead.

There’s nothing like a multi-level apartment to make you feel like you’ve escaped the tight confines of the city. Owners love being able to split up common areas and bedrooms, or just the ability to create a large master suite with total privacy. Here are our favorite duplexes (and one that’s larger) on the market right now.

Where: 211 East 51st Street, PHB
Size: 3 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms
Asking: $5,750,000
Listed by: Tom Postilio

This Midtown East penthouse has a lot going for it besides its central location and vast interior space. Both levels are surrounded by over 1,600 square feet of private terrace space, nearly wrapping around both levels. The inside is in mint condition, and we love the generous proportions of all the rooms. And, of course, you can’t forget the ceiling height, which make the spaces apper even more grand than.

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It’s a New Yorker’s dream: a living space big enough to invite friends and family over without worrying about everyone stepping on each other’s toes. Sometimes even luxury homes don’t come equipped with grand entertaining spaces, but the three that follow on this list don’t have that problem. For all you aspiring hosts out there, here are our favorite party-ready pads.

Where: 72 Reade Street, 4 FLR
Size: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms
Asking: $5,750,000
Listed by: Michael Graves

A big and bright floor-through loft in TriBeCa is perfection when it comes to entertaining. The contiguous dining, living, and family room space creates a massive area for all the action, with a large L-shaped terrace at the end to handle the overflow. (And, come summer, everyone will be knocking down your door.) The open chef’s kitchen and high ceilings are a loft-lover’s delight.

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When location and quality come together, it’s a beautiful marriage. Call them trophy homes, perfect properties, or Manhattan’s most wanted. Just don’t call them in a month, because they probably won’t be around that long. Here are three listings on the market that are bound to make fans, fast.

Where: 422 East 72nd Street, 28/29C
Size: 4 bedrooms/3 bathrooms
Asking: $4,250,000
Listed by: Alison Abovsky and Kirk Rundhaug

The Upper East Side has a reputation as a family-friendly neighborhood, and this gorgeous duplex in a full-service condominium building has the perfect layout for a large brood. Add the turnkey condition, with a recently completed design and renovation by a renowned architect, and the appeal is easy to understand. Air and light make good Manhattan homes great, and this 2,900-square-foot space is filled with sunlight and boasts two balconies to take in excellent city views.

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Lofts are perhaps the most New York way of living. Airy and spacious, they are the romantic manifestation of the city’s transformation from industrial grit into a chic urban utopia. High ceilings, wide open spaces and cast-iron never go out of style, and here are three of our favorites.

Where: 200 Mercer Street, 2-A
Size: 4 bedrooms/4 bathrooms
Asking: $4,500,000
Listed by: Patrick Mills and Evan Greenberg

This SoHo triplex makes the best use of combining the loft style with a more traditional, townhouse-like layout, creating a common area that is expansive and open but still allows the privacy of a separate floor for bedrooms and an informal media room. What really makes the place special, however, is the third level which simply consists of a large bedroom or office and a huge private outdoor terrace.

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The Columbus Circle Holiday Market

Is it too late to find a fantastic holiday gift for someone special? Or two? Or ten? Not in New York City, of course. We asked some of our top CORE agents to share their last-minute picks for great holiday shopping. Procrastinators can thank us, well, later.

Columbus Circle Holiday Market [link]
Neighborhood: Columbus Circle/Central Park South
Tips: This is my favorite market for holiday gift shopping since you will find a wide range of unique goods such as handmade clothing, jewelry, toys, ornaments, artwork and gourmet foods from boutique vendors and craft purveyors. You’ll be sure to find something for everyone on your list! It’s only open until Christmas Eve.–Lisa Graham

C. Wonder [link]
Neighborhood: SoHo
Tips: Co-founder of Tory Burch mixes with Chanel and Goyard. It’s a fun, chic store that’s super affordable…there’s something for everyone, including guy stuff. I purchased a tote bag that offers a monogram, palm tree cocktail plates for a Yankee swap party with a “beach style” theme, nylon attaché cases, and monogram wine corks and cheese boards.–Lawrence Treglia

Tiffany & Co. [link]
Neighborhood: Midtown
Tips: When racking one’s brain for the perfect gift, last minute or otherwise, Tiffany always shines. Even at its busiest, it radiates a calming energy. Their personal shoppers take the drag out of holiday shopping, as there are no lines or bargain hunters to contend with. And let’s face it, even the most jaded New Yorker must admit that the timeless mystique of Tiffany’s legendary blue box is intoxicating. (Holly Golightly knew this.)–Tom Postilio and Mickey Conlon

Lord and Taylor [link]
Neighborhood: Murray Hill
Tips: They have everything in every price range for women, men, and kids. It’s one-stop shopping, and there are no crowds!–Susan Rubell

The Shops at Columbus Circle [link]
Neighborhood: Columbus Circle/Central Park South
Tips: Particularly Sephora, Whole Foods, Williams-Sonoma and Godiva. I love the convenience of having a variety of options all in one place in my neighborhood. For example, I can run down to Whole Foods and have a basket of cheeses made with delicious meats and pick up a gorgeous bouquet of flowers. Then I can easily run up to Williams-Sonoma and Godiva to help complete the gift baskets. And in the midst of shopping madness you can take in a coffee and a pastry at Bouchon.–Adrian Noriega

Chelsea Market [link]
Neighborhood: Chelsea
Tips: There are vintage vendors in a pop-up space. In addition, there are additional pop-up stores at 19th street and 10th avenue and 15th street and 10th avenue offering various items. I bought cool vintage belt buckles, a knife set and a vintage mink wrap.–Lawrence Treglia

The Upper Breast Side, Bank Street Bookstore, J. Crew, American Apparel and Paul Smith
Neighborhood: Upper West Side
Tips: The Upper Breast Side for cute baby gifts like swaddle blankets, socks that look like Converse sneakers, ballet slippers and awesome headbands. The Bank Street Bookstore for the best kids’ and teen books and the most knowledgeable sales people. J. Crew and American Apparel for scarves, gloves, and hats. And Paul Smith has the best stocking-stuffers and men’s gifts.–Natalie Rakowski

West Elm [link]
Neighborhood: Chelsea
Tips: There is something for everyone’s home here. I often walk through the block-long store, entering on West 17th Street and exiting on West 18th Street (even after the gift-giving season, just to warm up).–Stuart Sussman

Best Place of the Week: 220 Riverside Boulevard
New York Daily News (12/16)
The Daily News named this 3,000-square-foot condo (right) in the Upper West Side’s Trump Place its “Best Place of the Week,” and it’s not hard to see why. CORE’s Emily Beare told the paper, “You see the George Washington Bridge to the right, and you can see through the kitchen and see a beautiful view to the left. Wherever you are in the apartment, you see amazing views.”

House of the Day: Chelsea, Storage, Space
Wall Street Journal (12/15)
A cool apartment in Chelsea with high ceilings, private outdoor space, all sorts of added storage and a “hiding space” behind the kitchen was the subject of a great Wall Street Journal “House of the Day” slideshow. CORE’s Stuart Sussman and Tom Postilio have the listing at 246 West 17th Street.

Just Sold!
New York Post (12/14)
The $1.6 million sale of a 2-bed/2.5-bath condo in SoHo’s Urban Glass House at 330 Spring Street made the Post’s weekly roundup of big sales around New York City. CORE’s Adrian Noriega had the deal.

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