See Pics of the New Flood-Proof, Prefab Beach Buildings NYC Plans to Roll Out This Summer

See Pics of the New Flood-Proof, Prefab Beach Buildings NYC Plans to Roll Out This Summer

When Hurricane Sandy wiped out the lifeguard stations and public bathrooms on many of New York City’s beaches, the city found itself in a bind. How could it rebuild these necessary facilities in time for the summer of 2013? To answer that question, officials

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New Study Shows Link Between Obesity and NYC Nabes That Drink More Soda

New Study Shows Link Between Obesity and NYC Nabes That Drink More Soda

Adding some clout to NYC’s highly controversial soda ban, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, along with Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Linda I. Gibbs and Health Commissioner Thomas A. Farley, released new data showing the correlation between sugary drink

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PHOTOS: Couple Moves into Stacked Shipping Container Home in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

PHOTOS: Couple Moves into Stacked Shipping Container Home in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

"People in the neighborhood call it Casa Blanca," says contractor David Boyle of his four-level white house in Williamsburg, but there's something else besides the color of the home that makes it stand out from the others on the block. A labor of love between Boyle and his wife, architect and NYIT professor Michele Bertomen, the residence is made up of six shipping containers stacked atop one another, and is the first and only legal residence of its kind in Brooklyn. Bertomen and Boyle understand that the home may be unconventional, but for them, it's the perfect example of the American dream (not to mention a way they could afford a 1,600 sq. ft. property in the middle of NYC's priciest locales). We recently had a chance to visit this very special home on Keap St., and snapped photos of everything from the two amazing rooftop decks to the clever repurposed furniture to the house's furry mascot, Zero. Click through our gallery to take your own tour through this inspirational abode.

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See the Second Episode of StreetEasy’s New York City Brownstone Renovation Video Series

See the Second Episode of StreetEasy’s New York City Brownstone Renovation Video Series

In the second episode of StreetEasy’s NYC brownstone renovation video series, Demo to Decor, local architect and historic NYC townhouse expert Brendan Coburn walks us through the renovation of a Park Slope brownstone and highlights several recent developments

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NYC Announces Winners of Design Challenge to Reinvent Payphones for the Future

NYC Announces Winners of Design Challenge to Reinvent Payphones for the Future

New York City’s public pay telephones (yes, they do still exist) are finally getting a serious upgrade thanks to the winners of the Reinvent Payphones Design Challenge, which were announced yesterday. The contest drew engagement from over 125 urban designers, planners, technologists and policy experts who submitted prototypes to imagine the future of the city’s 11,000 payphones. Last night, at social product development company Quirky, the eleven semi-finalists presented their prototype ideas before a panel of judges and the top six submissions were awarded and evaluated against these criteria: connectivity, creativity, visual design, functionality, and community impact. Click through our gallery to see all of the winners!

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Domino Sugar Refinery to Be Transformed into Affordable Housing Complex by SHoP Architects

Domino Sugar Refinery to Be Transformed into Affordable Housing Complex by SHoP Architects

DUMBO’s Two Trees Management Company has a new vision for the iconic Domino Sugar Refinery on Williamsburg’s waterfront. The company bought the property in 2012 with plans to renovate, but has just released an alternative plan designed by SHoP Architects that

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Brooklyn Couple Moves into Stacked Shipping Container Home in Williamsburg

Brooklyn Couple Moves into Stacked Shipping Container Home in Williamsburg

Over the last ten years, rising property values in Williamsburg, Brooklyn have made home ownership difficult or impossible for many. But one couple, David Boyle and wife Michele Bertomen, decided to get around the high pricetags in the area by turning to

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Grant Davis Thompson Creates a Backyard Cedar “Playhouse” in Clinton Hill

Grant Davis Thompson Creates a Backyard Cedar “Playhouse” in Clinton Hill

Space -- particularly outdoor space -- comes at a premium in New York City, and those who are lucky enough to have a backyard tend to take full advantage. Such is the case with this outdoor playhouse retreat, which was recently designed by Grant Davis Thompson for a private residence in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn. The owner was looking to build a structure that would evoke "a small cabin in the woods" in his urban yard. To achieve that goal, GDT constructed a low-impact structure made from cedar and reclaimed materials that provides a space for both children and adults to play.

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“Green” Dry Cleaners May Signify Neighborhood Gentrification in NYC but Buyer Beware

“Green” Dry Cleaners May Signify Neighborhood Gentrification in NYC but Buyer Beware

A natural dry cleaner in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

If you’ve noticed “natural”, “green” or “organic” dry cleaners popping up in your neighborhood, it may be a sign that the area is moving up in the world. But while they may be good for property values, not all of these businesses live up to the eco-friendliness they advertise. Many of these green cleaners are simply regular dry cleaners that noticed the demand for greener products and services and retooled their operations in a way that is not entirely up to snuff with the sustainability customers are looking for.

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Brooklyn Botanic Garden Building Ivy-Clad Treehouse Using Trees Felled by Hurricane Sandy

Brooklyn Botanic Garden Building Ivy-Clad Treehouse Using Trees Felled by Hurricane Sandy

Most of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s historic oak trees survived Hurricane Sandy last year, but a few were not so lucky. Ten of the fifty foot specimens are being chopped due to damage from the storm, but they will be given new life as a treehouse! Designed

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Bold Cobble Hill Townhouse Renovation Stars Giant Living Wall of Plants

Bold Cobble Hill Townhouse Renovation Stars Giant Living Wall of Plants

The townhouse at 305 Degraw Street in Brooklyn’s Cobble Hill neighborhood isn’t your average New York rental. At a whopping $25,000 per month, the property - which offers four bedrooms, three full and two half baths - was gut renovated and finished with a giant living wall of plants. Click through the gallery to see all that this delightful home has to offer.

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Mayor Bloomberg Announces First NYCxDESIGN Event to Showcase Designs from the 5 Boroughs

Mayor Bloomberg Announces First NYCxDESIGN Event to Showcase Designs from the 5 Boroughs

Mark your calendars, design fans! In keeping with its other efforts to promote local goods and services, New York City recently announced the first ever “NYCxDESIGN” (NYC by Design) city-wide event to showcase design from all around the five boroughs.

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Get Your Free Tree at the New York Restoration Project’s Upcoming Tree Giveaways

Get Your Free Tree at the New York Restoration Project’s Upcoming Tree Giveaways

Beginning on March 9th, the New York Restoration Project – a nonprofit organization founded by actress and environmentalist Bette Midler – will kick off their annual spring tree giveaways. Thanks to a sponsorship by Toyota, 4,500 trees will be free for the

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Miniature Pop-Up Libraries Appear Around Hurricane Sandy-Hit Neighborhoods

Miniature Pop-Up Libraries Appear Around Hurricane Sandy-Hit Neighborhoods

Urban Librarians Unite has been coming to the rescue of book-loving residents in many of NYC’s Hurricane Sandy-hit neighborhoods. The literary Samaritans have begun installing miniature libraries outside of flooded New York Public Library branches, making

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StreetEasy’s Video Series Follows the Dog-Friendly Renovation of a New York City Brownstone

StreetEasy’s Video Series Follows the Dog-Friendly Renovation of a New York City Brownstone

Transforming historic brownstones into modern homes has always been a fascinating process for us, so we were really excited to learn about local real estate website StreetEasy.com’s new Demo to Decor video series. The short films follow the gut renovation

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Brooklyn’s El Jardin del Pueblo Transforms an Empty Lot into an Urban Farm

Brooklyn’s El Jardin del Pueblo Transforms an Empty Lot into an Urban Farm

Residents in East New York, Brooklyn have a new place to shop for their eggs without having to step foot inside of a grocery store or bodega. Instead, members of the recently unveiled El Jardin del Pueblo – a community garden project spearheaded by GrowNYC

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6 Things to Know About Winter Storm Nemo in NYC

6 Things to Know About Winter Storm Nemo in NYC

By now, it's no big secret that a storm's a-brewin' (especially since it's actually snowing in NYC right now). While the city says that it's prepared for the inclement weather and things don't look too bad at the moment, it's always safer to be ready for the worst. Read on for 6 important things to know about our first big snow storm of 2013; you might even want to send this article to your boss since we recommend leaving work early or telecommuting from home (wink, wink).

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Need Cheap Paint? Get Surplus Cans from the Brooklyn Bridge for a Few Bucks a Pop

Need Cheap Paint? Get Surplus Cans from the Brooklyn Bridge for a Few Bucks a Pop

NYC is giving those of us doing home improvements a reason to paint the town red (or brown or green) by offering up surplus colors from the Brooklyn Bridge and other projects for cheap. The NY Times’ Sam Roberts reports that New York’s Department of Citywide

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Sandy-Destroyed Persian Carpet Made of Real Sugar Gets Restored Thanks to Domino Sugar

Sandy-Destroyed Persian Carpet Made of Real Sugar Gets Restored Thanks to Domino Sugar

Considering that Hurricane Sandy ravaged entire neighborhoods, it’s no surprise that artist Aude Moreau’s giant carpet made of real sugar was washed away in the storm. But it looks like Brooklyn’s Smack Mellon Gallery, where the work was housed, will be

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New Video Showcases 3 Passive House Retro-Fits in Brooklyn

New Video Showcases 3 Passive House Retro-Fits in Brooklyn

Passive Houses are supertight, well-ventilated, heavily-insulated buildings that require up to 90% less energy for heating and cooling. The movement, which began in Germany over 20 years ago, is slowly spreading in the United States, and in Brooklyn in particular.

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Mosstika’s Moss Graffiti Fishes Swim the Streets of New York

Mosstika’s Moss Graffiti Fishes Swim the Streets of New York

We've been fans of Mosstika's delightful brand of moss graffiti for quite some time now, and were excited to see a few more tag-ups added to the collection. Instead of using spraypaint, the images are made of living greenery and add a splash of color and texture to some of New York City's less attractive streets. Click through our gallery to see some of Mosstika's newer creations for some green graffiti inspiration.

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Historic Buildings May See Adaptive Reuse as Brooklyn Public Library Considers Closing Some Branches

Historic Buildings May See Adaptive Reuse as Brooklyn Public Library Considers Closing Some Branches

Image ©fredcamino

Brooklynites value their books, but some branches of the Brooklyn Public Library just aren’t seeing any play. Aging, in disrepair and underused, these satellite libraries were built in the early 1900s before most neighborhoods developed

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City Proposes Pedestrian Plaza for South Williamsburg

City Proposes Pedestrian Plaza for South Williamsburg

As Williamsburg expands into the once strictly Hasidic south side, the city has reacted by planning a pedestrian plaza on the stretch of Broadway near the Williamsburg Bridge. Just east of Bedford Avenue, the plaza would create a triangular park with chairs,

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Souda’s Bubble Chandelier is Made of Plastic Bottles Collected by Homeless Individuals in NYC

Souda’s Bubble Chandelier is Made of Plastic Bottles Collected by Homeless Individuals in NYC

Souda's Bubble Chandeliers are delightful conversation starters, but there's a lot more to them than meets the eye. Each one is created from 60 post-consumer PET bottles collected by homeless individuals in NYC through a partnership with Brooklyn-based non-profit SURE WE CAN. A portion of the proceeds from each fixture sold is then donated right back to SURE WE CAN's homeless-friendly can redemption center, which is the only one of its kind in New York City.

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FEMA’s New Maps for NYC Add 35,000 Homes to Flood Zones

FEMA’s New Maps for NYC Add 35,000 Homes to Flood Zones

New York City flood maps released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Monday reveal that more areas further inland are expected to flood in the future. FEMA updated preliminary maps that reference areas that were hit hard during Hurricane Sandy

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