INTERVIEW: David Maundrell Gives Us the Scoop on aptsandlofts.com’s Beautifully Renovated Cobble Hill Office

INTERVIEW: David Maundrell Gives Us the Scoop on aptsandlofts.com’s Beautifully Renovated Cobble Hill Office

Most people know aptsandlofts.com as a go-to resource when searching for prime New York City real estate, so it makes sense that its digs are just as impressive as the ones it offers up to clients. The Brooklyn-based company recently opened up its second street-level office at 236 Court St. in Cobble Hill, and the beautifully renovated 2,000 sq. ft. space retains much of the character of its former life as a grocery store while showcasing the work of local brands and contractors. We recently got a chance to pick the brain of aptandlofts.com founder (and born-and-raised Brooklynite) David Maundrell about his elegant new storefront, the demand for green homes in New York City and the Brooklyn Brownstone boom. Read on for his thoughts and to see photos of the space's double-height, brick-walled interior.
 

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All the Buildings in New York is a Delightful Collection of Drawings Illustrating NY Architecture

All the Buildings in New York is a Delightful Collection of Drawings Illustrating NY Architecture

When Australian illustrator James Gulliver Hancock first moved to New York, he decided the best way to get acclimated was to sketch out the iconic architecture that he saw all around him. His intricate drawings and watercolor paintings gave him a chance to stop and smell the brownstone amidst the hustle and bustle of his new city. Now Hancock has shared his delightful architectural sketches in a new book called “All the Buildings in New York,” which aims to make the big city more relatable, one architectural gem at a time.
 

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This Charming West Village Townhouse Boasts a Backyard Treehouse Above Its Garden

This Charming West Village Townhouse Boasts a Backyard Treehouse Above Its Garden

New York apartments come with all kinds of amenities, but it's not every day that you see one with its own treehouse! Nestled in the city's West Village, this lovely townhouse recently became available on the market and offers the perfect melding of city living with an escape to nature right in the back yard. Buyers attracted to the charm of this local jewel should expect to pay a pretty penny for a home with a bit of green real estate attached. The listing price for this treasure we discovered via Curbed NY is a whopping $5,995,000, but click through the gallery to take your own (free) tour.
 

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Mayor Bloomberg Announces Kingsbridge Armory to Be Transformed into World’s Largest Indoor Ice Facility

Mayor Bloomberg Announces Kingsbridge Armory to Be Transformed into World’s Largest Indoor Ice Facility

This morning, Mayor Bloomberg announced plans to transform the Bronx’s Kingsbridge Armory into the world’s largest indoor ice facility. The design calls for the historic landmark, which has been vacant since 1996, to be redeveloped into the Kingsbridge National

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PHOTOS: Spiraling SeaGlass Carousel Will Let You Ride Giant Glass Fishes in Battery Park

PHOTOS: Spiraling SeaGlass Carousel Will Let You Ride Giant Glass Fishes in Battery Park

Visitors to Battery Park will soon be able to enjoy a swirling, aquatic-themed carousel in addition to the stellar views of the Statue of Liberty. Called SeaGlass, the oceanic attraction was designed by WXY Architecture for The Battery Conservancy, and promises to be an experience of movement, light and sound. Inhabitat was on the scene last week as workers placed the last panel on SeaGlass's roof, and while the sea creatures themselves aren't yet in place, you can flip through our gallery to get a closer look at this enchanting upcoming structure.
 

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NY <3 Boston: Illuminated Messages of Support for Boston Victims Light Up Brooklyn Academy of Music

NY <3 Boston: Illuminated Messages of Support for Boston Victims Light Up Brooklyn Academy of Music

As the entire world mourns the victims of the Boston Marathon explosions that claimed the lives of three people and injured hundreds, one Brooklyn neighborhood decided to shine a little light in the midst of the darkness. This week, the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Peter Jay Sharp building was transformed into a canvas of positive messages showing New York's support for Boston. Illuminating light art projected onto the building displayed a streaming loop of quotes from “Darkness Cannot Drive Out Darkness, Only Light Can Do That” to the simple but powerful "NY <3 B".
 

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2 Gold Will Be the First Manhattan Building to Install a 13-ft Airtight Flood Gate

2 Gold Will Be the First Manhattan Building to Install a 13-ft Airtight Flood Gate

One NYC apartment that was hit hard by the waters that flooded the Financial District during Hurricane Sandy is taking matters into its own hands by investing in a giant, airtight floodgate. 2 Gold will be the first Manhattan rental complex to build a

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The High Line Hotel Will Breathe New Life into a Beautiful Chelsea Landmark

The High Line Hotel Will Breathe New Life into a Beautiful Chelsea Landmark

Chelsea’s beautiful red brick General Theological Seminary will soon be given a new life as The High Line Hotel. Slated to open in May, the Tenth Avenue side of the late 19th century complex will be transformed into a luxury hotel that faces the famous elevated park of the same name. The sixty room hotel will also offer guests proximity to the Chelsea Arts District, as well as a private, tranquil garden.
 

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MoMA to Demolish $32 Million American Folk Art Museum Building After 12 Short Years

MoMA to Demolish $32 Million American Folk Art Museum Building After 12 Short Years

When the American Folk Art Museum designed by Tod Williams and Billie Tsien first made its shimmering debut on West 53rd Street, it was heralded as a solid piece of architecture that lifted the post-911 sadness that befell New York City. Clad in panels of

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PHOTOS: Bouncy, Zig-Zagging Squibb Park Bridge is NYC’s Funnest Pedestrian Bridge

PHOTOS: Bouncy, Zig-Zagging Squibb Park Bridge is NYC’s Funnest Pedestrian Bridge

Whether or not you agree that funnest is actually a word, you have to admit that this new bouncy, zig-zagging pedestrian bridge in Brooklyn is pretty darn cool. Designed by Ted Zoli and constructed by HNTB, Squibb Park Bridge provides a much-needed link over the BQE to connect Brooklyn Heights to Brooklyn Bridge Park. Reactions to the slightly unstable sensation felt when crossing the bridge seem to be mixed, but locals are certainly appreciating the newfound ease with which they can get to the waterfront. For a closer look at the bridge's unique design, click through our full photo gallery.
 

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New Video Shows One World Trade Center Observation Deck’s Skypod Elevators and LED Video Screens

New Video Shows One World Trade Center Observation Deck’s Skypod Elevators and LED Video Screens

The Port Authority Board of Commissioners recently approved Legends Hospitality, LLC as the developer of the new One World Trade Center observation deck, and released a new video showing some of the space's exciting features. The developers are calling the facility One World Observation, and it will be located at the top of the new One World Trade Center, which is projected to be complete next year. When finished, the new attraction will occupy floors 100-102 of the building and is expected to draw an estimated 3.8 million visitors annually.
 

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Pier 57 “Incubox” Shipping Container Mall Approved by City Council

Pier 57 “Incubox” Shipping Container Mall Approved by City Council

We've been following the progress of this massive shipping container mall proposed for Pier 57 for quite some time now, and this week, the project came one step closer to fruition with the approval of the City Council. Developed by Youngwoo & Associates and designed by LOT-EK, the mall is part of a larger renovation and redevelopment project that seeks to re-enliven the area around the waterfront as a retail and tourist destination.
 

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Greenpoint’s Keramos Hall Restored to Its 19th Century Splendor by Kamen Tall Architects

Greenpoint’s Keramos Hall Restored to Its 19th Century Splendor by Kamen Tall Architects

For the past decade or so, most Greenpoint locals regarded Keramos Hall as just another dingy corner building. Now, thanks to Kamen Tall Architects P.C., the historic building’s façade has been restored to its original splendor, nabbing it a Lucy G.

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Orient House IV: 1970s House on Long Island Transformed Into An Energy-Efficient Modern Home

Orient House IV: 1970s House on Long Island Transformed Into An Energy-Efficient Modern Home

Manhattan-based Ryall Porter Sheridan Architects recently renovated an existing 1970s house on Long Island into this beautiful timber-clad contemporary home. Called the Orient House IV, the modern residence is the latest in a series of weekend and summer houses designed by the architects that combine environmentally friendly strategies with the traditional timber architecture of the area.
 

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Columbia University Now Boasts 18,180 Square Feet of On-Campus Green Roofs

Columbia University Now Boasts 18,180 Square Feet of On-Campus Green Roofs

Green roofs are becoming a growing staple in New York City architecture. These green spaces help to reduce the “urban island heat effect” by covering buildings in grass and plants that will take in carbon dioxide, convert it into oxygen and help to cool

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NYC Getting More Micro-Units, Sends Out Another Request for Proposals for Tiny Apartments

NYC Getting More Micro-Units, Sends Out Another Request for Proposals for Tiny Apartments

It seems that NYC’s new micro-apartment trend has already taken off before the first unit has even been built. The Department of Housing Preservation, the Citizens Housing Planning Council and NYC Development Commissioner Matthew Wambua just announced a new

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Toshihiro Oki Architects Win Folly Garden Competition with Fanciful Design for Socrates Sculpture Park

Toshihiro Oki Architects Win Folly Garden Competition with Fanciful Design for Socrates Sculpture Park

Now in its second year, the Folly Competition – a two-month residency project sponsored by the Architectural League of New York and Socrates Sculpture Park that explores the tradition of 18th and 19th century folly gardens – has announced a winner. Toshihiro

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Prefabricated Broadway Stack Apartments Break Ground in Manhattan

Prefabricated Broadway Stack Apartments Break Ground in Manhattan

The prefabricated revolution that has hit NYC is continuing with the current construction of Broadway Stack by GLUCK+ (formerly Peter Gluck & Partners). Brought to New York City by developers Jeffrey Brown and Kimberly Frank, the 38,000 square foot volume

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New Gowanus Whole Foods Will Have Rooftop Farm Operated by Gotham Greens

New Gowanus Whole Foods Will Have Rooftop Farm Operated by Gotham Greens

Whole Foods Market is taking the local food trend to a new level with plans for a 20,000 sq. ft. rooftop farm right atop their new Gowanus store. In a recently announced collaboration with Gotham Greens - a Greenpoint-based rooftop farm that only sells produce within 15 miles of its location - the two will operate the nation’s first commercial-scale greenhouse farm above the store, which is slated to open as early as late fall of 2013. When complete, the new farm will eliminate the need for high-emissions food transportation and reduce energy consumption to the few steps it takes workers to walk produce from upstairs to downstairs.
 

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NYC AIDS Memorial Loses Plants But Gains Community Support

NYC AIDS Memorial Loses Plants But Gains Community Support

Plans for the New York City AIDS memorial honoring the city’s 100,000+ men, women and children who have succumbed to the disease in the last thirty years have been reimagined with a more streamlined design. Brooklyn architecture studio a+i originally covered their design with English ivy, Virginia creeper and honeysuckle, but took the wishes of the community into account and put the kibosh on the greens. The new plant-less plan means that the memorial would be able to maintain a beautiful aesthetic all year-round.
 

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NYC’s High Line Park So Popular That Creators Plan a High-Speed Tram to Move Pedestrians

NYC’s High Line Park So Popular That Creators Plan a High-Speed Tram to Move Pedestrians

Jeff Koons may want to hang a train over the High Line, but the park’s creators, Friends of the High Line, have decided to put a train back on the High Line in order to keep up with the park’s extreme popularity. Because of the park’s growing crowds every

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NYC Approves Plan to Turn Gowanus Canal into Venice-Like Tourist Area

NYC Approves Plan to Turn Gowanus Canal into Venice-Like Tourist Area

Last week, many Gowanus residents were outraged to find out that the city has approved the first stage of a plan to turn the Gowanus Canal into a Venice-like tourist area. The hope is that the new mini neighborhood, dubbed “Little Gowanice”, will generate enough revenue to offset the millions needed to clean up the heavily-polluted superfund site. According to Chinese architecture firm Duplitect, Little Gowanice would feature a main canal (which would be a restored and renovated version of the current waterway) as well as several smaller offshoot canals leading right into the heart of the neighborhood. Tourist attractions would include gondola rides, Venice-themed eateries and a “Tunnel of Love” ride.


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Macro Sea to Transform Brooklyn Navy Yard into Hub For Sustainable Manufacturing Jobs

Macro Sea to Transform Brooklyn Navy Yard into Hub For Sustainable Manufacturing Jobs

New York firm Macro Sea has released a new design that would turn the Brooklyn Navy Yard into a state-of-the-art hub for technology, innovation, design and prototyping. Called New Lab, the 84,000-square-foot space is slated to be completed by 2014 with

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SNEAK PEEK: Nest-Shaped Treehouse Made of Hurricane Sandy-Fallen Trees Rises at Brooklyn Botanical Garden

SNEAK PEEK: Nest-Shaped Treehouse Made of Hurricane Sandy-Fallen Trees Rises at Brooklyn Botanical Garden

"Nature is the architect," Roderick Romero told us rather modestly when asked about his latest creation, a giant "nest" made from trees knocked down by Hurricane Sandy at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. While it's true that the public art piece, dubbed "Sandy Remix", was born from the aftermath of the superstorm, we think Romero should at least take a little credit. He and his crew have been working through frigid temps, snow and rain to perfect the one-of-a-kind treehouse before it opens to the public on April 6th. If you want to get a sneak peek of this magical structure before the official launch, click through our gallery to take a private tour.
 

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Heather Kocsis’ Intriguing 3-D Dioramas Let You Peer into Tiny Scenes of New York City

Heather Kocsis’ Intriguing 3-D Dioramas Let You Peer into Tiny Scenes of New York City

If the measure of a truly successful piece of art is its ability to draw the viewer in, Heather Kocsis' entrancing vignettes of New York City life certainly fit the bill. Handcrafted from reclaimed pieces of wood that have been broken down and painted to resemble miniature fire escapes, brick walls and windows, each diorama offers a new little world to be explored. We recently had the chance to snap some photos of these truly delightful 3-D assemblages - click through our gallery to take a tour of NYC as seen through Kocsis' eyes.
 

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