Brick Underground

The Al Hirschfeld House at 122 East 95th St: Where a renowned caricaturist refined his celebrity portraits

Tom Miller — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 10:45:00 EDT

Have you ever passed by an interesting residential building in New York City and wanted to know more about its history? In this series, Brick Underground teams up with Tom Miller, creator of Daytonian in Manhattan, a blog about Manhattan buildings and other historic architecture. Each week, we run an excerpt from the Daytonian’s archives with a link to the full article.

On February 19th, 1887, the Real Estate Record & Builders' Guide reported that developers William J. and John P. Walsh and the architectural firm of C. Abbott French & Co. had teamed up again for a row of 12 "Queen Anne private residences" on East 95th Street between Park and Lexington avenues. Completed in 1888, each of the three-story residences would cost about $490,000 in 2026 money to erect.

Among the most eye-catching was 122 East 95th St., with a yellow brick facade contrasted by ruddy terra cotta. A dog-legged box stoop rose to the entrance. The upper sashes of the grouped parlor windows contained myriad small panes typical of the Queen Anne style.

Real estate operator Lewis Coon purchased 120 and 122 East 95th St., painted and wallpapered the interiors, and then put them back on the market in September 1889. Asking $20,000 each, Coon said buyers would find "no equal for the money on the island."

Lewis Coon sold 122 East 95th St. to Elias Einstein in July 1890. Born in 1830, Einstein was the head of a cloak manufacturing firm. He and his wife had two adult daughters, Ida and Hannah, both were married.

In 1893, Ida moved in along with her nine-year-old twins. Ida had married Jacob Rothschild in 1883—he worked in a large mercantile house but he "became dissipated" (the term most often referred to alcoholism) and lost his job and, finally, Ida went back to live with her father.

On the morning of May 19th, 1895, a servant heard a noise in the vestibule. He found Jacob Rothschild lying on the floor. The New York Herald said that Rothschild was "breathing laboriously and in his hand was a small bottle partly filled with some liquid." He mumbled, "You won't have any more trouble on my account. I have taken this poison, and I came here to die." He died shortly afterward.

Later, the house changed hands a couple times to owners who rented it out until December 1947 when it was sold to artist Albert Hirschfeld, who was The New York Times’ caricaturist. Dolly Hass Hirschfeld was his second wife and they had a daughter, Nina. Her name was always hidden in capital letters in her father's caricatures and finding them became a Sunday morning quest for Times readers.

Hirschfeld created a top-story studio and had the yellow brick and terra cotta painted a cheery pink, among other changes.

For decades Hirschfeld sat in theaters with his sketch pad, then returned to his studio to create his final images. Some of the artworks were recreated in the hand-painted fireplace tiles and wallpaper panels, including portraits of Charlie Chaplin, Frank Sinatra, and Marilyn Monroe among other stars.

Hirschfeld passed in 2003 at age 99 and in February 2011, the Wall Street Journal reported his townhouse sold for more than the $5.3 million asking price after a bidding war.

No. 122 East 95th St. still sports pink paint and continues to be a standout on C. Abbott French & Co.'s picturesque row.

For more on this property and its inhabitants, check out the full article.

Summer in the city: How to make NYC apartment living more bearable

Jennifer White Karp — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 12:30:00 EDT

Let’s say you’ve been out all day—or all night. Now you just want to come home and chill. But in the summertime, New York City apartment living is not always easy.

Maybe it’s because your place is too noisy, thanks to nearby outdoor dining or tenants hanging out on the stoop. Or your air conditioner is no match for 90 degree temperatures. Or your neighbors are barbecuing or smoking under your window and you can’t stand the smell.

There are some tricks you can try, for example, using fans and blackout curtains to make your AC more efficient and block out noise and smoke. Acoustic tiles and soft furnishings can also help absorb sound.

Read on for a compilation of Brick’s best summertime advice plus some of my tips I’ve gained living in NYC for over 25 years.

[Editor's note: A previous version of this article was published in July 2024. We are presenting it again in case you missed it.]

Boost your AC's power

Air conditioners feel necessary for NYC’s swampy summers but they also use refrigerants, potent greenhouse gasses that are bad for the environment. Plus small AC units may not be up to the task when temperatures approach triple digits.

One solution is to boost your AC’s cooling effects, which will also enable it to cycle on less frequently.

Here’s how to do it: Block the sunlight with dark shades or curtains—and keep them closed all day. Yes, your place will feel like a cave, but a cool cave is better than a hot cave. Blackout-quality curtains can also help insulate your place and keep the cool air in (and do the reverse in cold weather).

Circulation is your friend: Run a few fans to help move the AC-cooled air around. Aim one at the ceiling and keep another aimed directly at you when you're home.

Fun fact: It’s a very easy fix for an electrician or handyman to swap out an overhead lighting fixture for a combination ceiling fan-light fixture. Ask your landlord to make the switch; some are willing to do so because it’s an inexpensive way to add an amenity. (Tip: Look for low-profile fan lights that are more flush to the ceiling. The type that extend into the room on a stem tend to have an annoying wobble.)

Be prepared for more wildfire smoke

Summer brings the risk of wildfires in Canada, which can send smoke drifting into NYC. In past summers, NYC emergency room visits spiked for asthma-related conditions when wildfire smoke blanketed the sky.

There are a few steps you can take to protect the air quality in your apartment: Keep doors and windows closed and seal any gaps to the outside. It is safe to run your AC because air conditioners are designed to cool interior air, not draw air from the outside. Investing in an air filter will help keep the air clear, as well as remove allergens like pollen and dust.

You can use these tricks to keep out other types of smoke as well—for example from a barbecue, fire pit, cigarettes or pot. Legally speaking, fire pits are considered to be open fires, which are prohibited in the five boroughs. Barbecues must be 10 feet from the building and you can call 311 if someone is creating a fire hazard.

If your neighbor's smoke routinely affects your air quality, it could be considered a breach of the warranty of habitability, which protects tenants' rights to a safe and livable home. (Read this to find out the next steps to take.)

Be prepared for a blackout

The August 2003 blackout happened without warning and lasted a couple of days. It was a pretty dramatic experience. To help you be prepared for the next time the grid fails, here are a few things to consider from a former Manhattanite who lived through the '03 blackout.

If the entrance to your apartment building uses an electronic keypad or keyfob, you’ll need another way to access the building during a blackout, like a key. Figuring this out now is a good idea.

Not someone who keeps a lot of food in their apartment? Consider stocking up on some shelf-stable nutrition. During the ’03 blackout, a restaurant in my neighborhood served a cheap buffet that was a lifesaver, but a nearby deli hiked its prices, which was super annoying.

Other things to have on hand: A radio with batteries so that you can get information, first aid kit, and flashlight with batteries, because you don’t want to drain the battery on your phone by using the light to climb stairs in a dark stairwell, for example.

Weird but true: If NYC has another major blackout, guess what you’ll have to do? Clean out the melting food from your fridge and freezer. (I did this on the second day of the blackout.) If there’s expired stuff in there you might as well pitch it now.

Have pets? Make a plan for where you would take them to escape an overheated apartment, like staying with a friend who has a cooler ground floor unit or outdoor space, or even decamping to the basement (usually cooler), if it is not too gross. In ’03, many people spent the night on the sidewalk, but I wouldn’t make that your primary plan.

Create white noise and add sound-absorbing furnishings

As someone who doesn’t tolerate noise very well, I pull out all the stops to make my own place as peaceful as possible, especially at night. (My building faces an expressway.)

Creating white noise with a fan works for me. I also pop in foam ear plugs when I work or sleep. I’ve been using cheap foam ones (10 pairs for $6), and they are adequate, but I have my eye on these Loop earplugs (one pair is $25).

Adding more soft furnishings to absorb sound can also help: Think thick rugs, wall hangings, and acoustic tiles. If you don’t want to spend a lot of cash check out thrift and second-hand stores.

Pick your noise battles

Sometimes everything you do inside your apartment is no match for what’s going on, noisewise, outside your apartment.

NYC has extensive rules about noise, aka the Noise Code, and you can download this overview, which says that most noise issues are neighbor complaints (and Brick has written extensively on this topic).

Keep in mind your best bet is to first try to address the problem with a neighbor in person and work things out before escalating the situation by going to building management or the police.

One big caveat here: There are the laws and building rules, but sometimes the culture in your building or in your neighborhood is to look the other way—for example being ok with loud gatherings late at night, or smoking on a building stoop.

Waging a one-person war, even if you are in the right, is not going to win you any friends, and you may not win, period.

And you may be surprised that sometimes people are not aware their behavior is impacting you. They may be willing to shut the party down at an earlier hour—if you ask respectfully. And sometimes your request is going to be denied or ignored. In that case you have to decide whether to make peace with the situation, fight it, or leave.

A Brooklyn tale about noise and smoking

Years ago I briefly sublet a Brooklyn duplex apartment from a friend who had recently moved to the neighborhood and was going to be away for the summer. She cautioned me that her longtime neighbors hung out on their stoop next door and smoked at night. I could expect to smell cigarette smoke wafting into the bedroom until late at night. (Affirmative.)

Even though the smell was really bad, she told me not to say anything to them during our stay.

Think of it this way, she said: They have lived here for several generations, and we just moved here. Who are we to tell them what to do?

She maintained this friendly attitude and grew to appreciate how her neighbors looked out for her family and her property. Eventually, she was able to win them over and they agreed to a curfew for hanging out on the stoop. But not long after they moved away, having sold the family home for a few million.

Now the block is quieter and her home is smoke-free but without its next door guardians.

How to kick a roommate out of your NYC apartment

Evelyn Battaglia — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:30:00 EDT

If you, like most people, have ever lived with roommates in New York City, you already know the honeymoon phase doesn't last forever. In a perfect world, you would all get along swimmingly; unfortunately, people change and relationships can sour.

Among the more common scenarios are differing lifestyles—maybe you’re past the party-every-night phase of your life, while they’re not. Or perhaps you are having to do more than your fair share of cleaning. Worst of all, they might not be paying their share of the rent or utilities. Whatever the reason, you’ll know when it is time to cut ties, which could be a relief to both (or all) of you.

“Real nightmare roommates do exist,” said Matt Hutchinson, communications director at roommate search site SpareRoom. However, most situations are typically pretty tame. “For the most part, the other person is an OK person who you just don’t happen to click with."

In such cases, your best approach is to attempt to communicate and reach a mutually satisfactory resolution.

After all, finding another apartment in NYC is always challenging—and costly. You could also be on the line for their share of the rent. And there's no guarantee the next person will work out any better than the current one.

But if it has become clear that you and your roommate are not a good match, and you have no choice but to part ways, here’s how to avoid an uncomfortable and expensive scenario.

[Editor's note: An earlier version of this post was published in August 2025. We are presenting it again with updated information for July 2026.]

Know your legal rights

Before you say anything to your roommate, you'll want to figure out who's actually on the lease—because that determines how this plays out.

If you are not named on the lease, you’re the one who is out. If you’re both on the lease, you’re both on the hook for the rent, meaning you will need to negotiate your way out officially. In extreme cases, such as when a roommate has been charged with a violent crime, you can get an order of protection that requires someone to move out.

But what happens if you’re on the lease and they’re not?

According to the Metropolitan Council on Housing, a tenant advocacy organization, you can’t simply kick out a roommate if they have lived in the apartment for at least 30 days or paid you rent.

In the absence of a written agreement, a roommate who is not on the lease is considered month-to-month, and you can legally ask them to leave as long as you provide 30-days' notice.

That’s why Kelly Ringston, a real estate attorney at Braverman Greenspun, typically recommends a one- to three-month trial period until you’ve determined how well you live together as roommates.

“If you have a month-to-month roommate, you can terminate their tenancy at the end of any rental cycle, upon proper notice, for whatever reason—i.e., 'you’re weird, please leave,’” she said.

Plan for the financial fallout

Even if you've got the legal right to ask someone to go, it's worth pricing out what that actually costs you. Replacing a roommate in NYC isn't always quick or easy.

"If they agree to move out, the question is how easy would it be to replace that person," said Rory Bolger, a broker at Brown Harris Stevens. "Hypothetically, you might need to lower the rent by a couple of hundred dollars to make it more enticing for a new person to come in."

And remember: You're still liable for the full rent until you find someone new—with no guarantee that person will be any easier to live with.

Have an honest conversation

Once you've decided it's time, resist the urge to hint around the issue or wait for the "perfect" moment.

"The healthiest way is to just tell the truth,” Bolger said. “Don’t make it personal. Just tell them that it seems clear that you’re not a healthy match and you think they should find another place.”

Timing matters, too. As in, don't put this uncomfortable conversation off until you've mentally checked out—which only makes it harder.

"When that happens, your roommate might not see it coming, and things are harder to repair," said Dr. Lynn Saladino, a clinical psychologist and health and wellness consultant for Mirador Real Estate.

Most importantly, focus on the transactional aspect of your relationship.

"When you strip it down to the essentials, an apartment share is a financial transaction," Hutchinson said. "Make it about ending the financial relationship rather than saying you don't like them."

While some folks find it impossible to remain friends following such an ordeal, others do manage to find their way back to each other after the initial period of anger—but only if you don't make the split personal.

And remember, whether you and your roommate started off as friends or strangers, always treat them as you would want to be treated when you broach the topic of them leaving. "Have the courage to be firm about what you need, but treat the other person with respect, too," Hutchinson said.

Set expectations early (so this doesn't happen again)

Ringston always recommends creating a roommate agreement, given how quickly some of these situations can go south. “It’s better for all parties to have an agreement in writing,” she said, so that everyone is aware of the rules and expectations from the get-go.

Saladino stressed the need to make a thorough plan in advance for how you want to address your roommate issues, including having regularly scheduled “check-in” meetings with your roommate(s) to see how things are going, which could correct those issues early—and “set a precedent of communicating on things rather than pushing them down.” Plus, such chats could reduce any fear you may have about bringing problems up, “and ensure you’re catching each other at a time you’re both ready to listen,” she added.

Saladino also cautioned that you should not assume that because you’re friends with your roommate, living together will be a breeze.

"Even with a friend you know well, it's a good idea to go over a list of lifestyle necessities and deal breakers before signing a lease,” she said. “There may be more to consider than you think since you likely know your friend in a different context."

If you have to evict them

If they have violated the agreement or there is none, you have the right to require your roommate to leave.

“Essentially, you’re their landlord,” Ringston said. The first thing you’ll need to do is serve a notice of termination, notifying them that you’re ending their tenancy. If you can’t afford the services of a lawyer to draft one for you, you can do it yourself on the New York City Housing Court website.

According to Ringston, an uninvolved party must serve the notice, ideally by hiring a process server. Pricing is typically based on the number of times they need to return to serve the notice, with a range of a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. You can find one here.

You'll need to give your roommate one complete rental cycle's notice to vacate, whether it's a week-to-week or month-to-month arrangement.

Of course, co-existing can be uncomfortable during that time, so you may want to find friends or family to stay with for the time being. That said, you might not trust the person to leave the apartment in the same condition it was found.

In the rare case the person refuses to leave, it is essential to refuse any further rent money from them. “If I’ve said that your tenancy ends on a certain date and then I accept next month’s rent, I’m effectively extending their tenancy,” Ringston said. “Getting an eviction can take time, and since you can’t collect rent, which you probably need to afford the apartment, you can end up in a very difficult situation.”

Don't change the locks (yet)

You can (should) expect to garner a wide range of potential responses—some roommates might just be angry, while others could become threatening and dangerous.

“You have to keep yourself and your things as safe as possible,” Saladino said. She recommended telling a roommate who seems particularly upset, “Let’s just take time to cool off and let me know when you're ready to talk.”

If things become so contentious that you’re afraid that your belongings will be trashed, get a lock on your bedroom door, Ringston advised, but don't lock your roommate out of the apartment. Housing court judges won’t take kindly to it.

“You’ll be subject to criminal and civil penalties,” she said. “You’re subject to criminal fines up to $10,000, civil penalties up to $100 a day, and treble damages, meaning liability for three times the tenant’s actual damages, and yup, you could even end up in jail.”

If the situation is so bad that you need to lock up your stuff, maybe you should be the one to up and leave. Of course, that’s easier said than done—especially if you’re the leaseholder.

What if you fear the person will become violent? Get the police involved immediately and try to obtain a restraining order against them, Ringston said. Only then are you permitted to lock out your menacing roommate.

If all else fails, take them to court

If your roommate doesn’t leave on their own volition after the termination date is up, you can take them to housing court. The first step is to file a holdover petition, a type of legal action commenced when a tenant, or in this case a roommate, has overstayed the term of their tenancy.

“If the tenant/roommate does not vacate the apartment by the date set forth in the first notice, he/she is ‘holding over.' If you win your case, you get a judgment of possession, meaning you have the right to the apartment, and a warrant of eviction, which means that the other person has to get out,” Ringston said.

If hiring an attorney is beyond your budget, "having a lawyer is always a good idea, but landlord-tenant court is made to be accessible to pro se litigants, so it can be navigated without one," Ringston said, adding that the cost depends on many variables, including the complexity of the case.

“The majority of the time, you get together with the court to agree on a date that [your roommate has] to leave by,” she explained. And usually, they will leave once a judge has issued an eviction order. “It’s not often that you have to have someone physically removed,” she said. “If you don’t have a legal right to be there, most rational people will understand that it’s the end of the road.”

Because housing court can be time-consuming and stressful for all parties, it's worth avoiding it altogether. “The biggest weapon you have when it comes to roommate dealings is communication,” Hutchinson said. “Keep talking while you're living together. Don’t just wait till you’re so angry you can’t even look at each other.”

As uncomfortable as it can be to ask your roommate to move out, it’s a conversation you shouldn’t put off for long.

“Your living environment means everything—it’s crucial to your health,” Saladino said. “If it’s a really bad situation, you have to get out of it. Sometimes you have to put yourself first.”

—Earlier versions of this article contained reporting and writing by Alanna Schubach, Leah Hochbaum Rosner, and Nikki M. Mascali

Manhattan, Brooklyn median rents hit new records in June as renters chased fewer listings

Jennifer White Karp — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 13:30:00 EDT

Manhattan median rent climbed to a new high of $5,295 last month as apartment hunters competed for fewer available listings.

The new record reflected an 8 percent annual increase from June 2025, according to a new report from Corcoran.

Rents are rising as a result of falling inventory. Manhattan listings were down 16 percent compared to a year ago, the lowest June inventory in three years. Lease signings were down too, a year-over-year drop of 7 percent.

“Manhattan renters are chasing a shrinking pool of available apartments, and the result has become predictable—record rents,” said Gary Malin, chief operating officer at Corcoran. He attributed lower leasing activity to the lack of inventory as well.

June marked one year since the implementation of the FARE Act, which shifted responsibility for most broker fees to landlords instead of renters. Some owners said they would raise rents to cover the new cost.

Malin said the new law “may still be influencing pricing trends, particularly within the non-doorman market.”

Median rent for non-doorman rental units, a proxy for the lower half of the rental market, was $4,695, an 18 percent over June 2025, while the median rent for doorman units was $5,500, reflecting a rise of 4 percent over the same period.

The average Manhattan apartment took 36 days to find a tenant in June, a 29 percent quicker pace annually, as per Corcoran.

Pricier new developments in Brooklyn

It was a similar story in Brooklyn, where median rent hit a new all-time high of $4,350 in June, an 8 percent year-over-year jump that surpassed the previous record of $4,347 set in May. A great number of higher-priced new developments helped pushed rents up, the report said.

Inventory was nearly unchanged compared to a year ago and lease signings declined by 11 percent over a year ago but were up 6 percent from May.

Apartments spent an average of 37 days on the market, 30 percent fewer than a year ago. Malin said the steep drop “underscores how tight the market has become, with flat inventory and strong demand causing available units to rent far faster than a year ago.”

He noted that leasing activity picked up from May “as renters moved quickly to secure apartments ahead of the busiest stretch of the summer season.”

Median sales price for Brooklyn condos jumped to $1.49 million in the second quarter

Jennifer White Karp — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:30:00 EDT

The Brooklyn sales market in the second quarter saw a robust increase in transactions and median sales price fueled by demand for luxury and larger properties.

Deals for co-ops, condos, and one- to three-family houses rose 5.9 percent compared to the year-ago quarter and the median sales price for all three types of properties rose 4.1 percent annually to $1.36 million, according to a new report from Douglas Elliman.

All price metrics for condos increased, including the median sales price of $1.49 million, an annual jump of 14.8 percent. The median sales price for co-ops declined 3 percent year over year to $728,000 and ticked up 0.2 percent to $2.1 million for one- to three-family houses.

Contract activity, an early indicator of where sales are headed, was nearly on par with last year.

Brooklyn is “holding close to prior-year levels despite a slight dip in signed contracts compared to the same period last year,” said Richard Ferrari, president and CEO of brokerage, New York City and the northeast region of Douglas Elliman. Signed contracts declined slightly on an annual basis (down 0.7 percent) but climbed 33.9 percent quarter over quarter, driven by strong demand for luxury and family-sized homes, Ferrari said.

A faster market

Days on market in the second quarter fell to 72 days, according to Corcoran’s Brooklyn sales market report for co-ops and condos. It was the fastest second-quarter pace in a decade and an indication “well-priced listings are still moving quickly,” said Michael Sorrentino, senior vice president and general sales manager for New York at The Corcoran Group.

Compared to last year, days on market decreased in all price segments except over $2 million, which reported a 3 percent increase, as per Corcoran’s report. The $750,000 to $1 million segment had the largest percentage decline and the shortest average marketing time, down 27 percent to 49 days, as buyers felt pressure to make a move in a price range that remains in high demand.

The under $350,000 segment averaged 118 days on market, four days fewer than a year ago, yet still the slowest-moving price category, the report said.

Condo deals: ‘The driving force’

A second quarter sales market report from Compass said Brooklyn condos “remained the driving force behind the market,” with deals rising 7.2 percent year over year and accounting for 35.3 percent of all Brooklyn closings.

Activity was particularly robust for luxury condo closings above $3 million, which surged 32.1 percent. Transactions in the $2 million–$3 million bracket were up 8.9 percent year over year, as per Compass.

Compass also released a report for the Queens sales market, which noted closed sales increased 4.1 percent year over year in the second quarter, representing just over half of all transactions, while contract activity climbed 13.3 percent.

Houses were the standout in the Queens market, with 1,979 sales, up 4.1 percent year over year, accounting for just over half the market at a 50.4 percent share. The $750,000–$1 million bracket, which represents 38.9 percent of house sales, grew 10 percent year over year

Sales of Queens three-bedroom houses rose 7.5 percent and four-plus-bedroom sales rose 8.6 percent, with the four-plus-bedroom median price up 10.6 percent, according to Compass

More new development inventory

After shrinking for 18 months, Brooklyn new development total inventory expanded for the second consecutive quarter, with 331 new sponsor residences launched in the second quarter, as per a report from Brown Harris Stevens Development Marketing. This expanded the new development total to 1,585 units.

This is good news for Brooklyn buyers, said Robin Schneiderman, managing director at BHSDM. “It means more options and more opportunity in a market that has been lacking new product,” she said.

The closing price per square foot for Brooklyn new development in the second quarter was $1,370, on par with the year ago quarter, the report said.

Ask Altagracia: Can I take over my grandmother's rent-stabilized apartment if I’m not on the lease?

Brick Underground — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 11:30:00 EDT

The 1890 William Baldwin House at 53 West 74th St: An ambitious design for a series of ambitious owners

Tom Miller — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 12:30:00 EDT

The architectural and developer firm of Colleran & Brother & Hughes in 1890 completed a row of four, high-end residences on West 74th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue. The 20-foot-wide houses were four stories tall above high English basements and faced in brownstone.

The deeply rusticated parlor and second floors of 53 West 74th St. were distinguished by a pronounced rounded bay. A dog-legged box stoop meandered up to the arched doorway, which was protected by iron-and-glass doors and outlined by delicate rope molding. A fearsome lion's head decorated its keystone. Intricate Renaissance Revival panels embellished these levels and also appeared at the bases of the parlor openings.

The architect turned to neo-Grec for the planar faced upper floors. The windows sat within elaborate carved architraves. Equally ambitious was the pressed metal cornice with its paired, scrolled corbels and decorated fascia panels.

Max Weil purchased all four houses in January 1891. When he sold them at auction on July 3rd William Burnet Baldwin placed the winning bid of $43,900 for No. 53. The price would translate to just over $1.5 million in 2026.

William Burnet Baldwin and his wife Irene, had at least one son, William R. Also moving into the house was his mother, Phebe Baldwin.

Baldwin was a builder and just two months after moving into 53 West 74th St. he began construction on two stables on West 76th Street. Phebe Ann Baldwin died in the house at the age of 84 on April 13th, 1894. Her funeral was held in the parlor three days later.

Somewhat surprisingly, William and Irene sold 53 West 74th St. for a tidy profit to their son, William R. Baldwin in March 1896 for $47,250. The transaction initiated a flurry of deed transfers. The same day, William R. Baldwin transferred the title to Samuel F. Adams who sold it almost immediately to Jacques Richard Simon, the head of the silk importing firm J. R. Simon & Co.

The property changed hands several more times in the decades to come.

On May 26th, 1925, The New York Times reported that 53 West 74th St. had been sold for $50,000. The buyer was Jeannette M. Thurber, known nationally as a patron of classical music. In 1884, Thurber sponsored the city's first Wagner festival and the following year founded the National Conservatory of Music of America and the American Opera Company.

A renovation completed in 1969 resulted in a duplex in the basement and parlor levels, and apartments and furnished rooms in the upper floors. The configuration lasted until 1980 when the three upper floors were converted to two apartments each.

For more on this property and its inhabitants, check out the full article.

9 hacks to lower your NYC energy bill during a heatwave

Emily Myers — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 14:00:00 EDT

Summer heatwaves don't just drive up temperatures—they can send your apartment’s electricity bills soaring.

Fortunately, there are multiple ways individual New York City renters and owners can cut energy use, earn cash through Con Edison programs, and help reduce strain on the grid, as well as building-wide strategies for condo and co–op buildings.

Here are nine strategies to lower your energy costs this summer.

1) Get paid to use less power

Con Edison partners with companies that pay customers to reduce electricity use during periods of high demand. One option is GridRewards, an app from Logical Buildings that alerts you when to cut back during demand response events—typically about 10 afternoons each summer during heat waves.

Connect the app to your Con Edison account and, when notified, pre-cool your apartment ahead of the peak demand period, then switch off unnecessary appliances, unplug electronics and chargers, and reduce AC use if it's safe to do so. The less electricity you use, the more you can earn.

You can enroll year-round, but rewards are available from May 1st through September 30th.

Co-ops and condos can also participate through SmartKit AI, a building-wide version of the program that can generate thousands of dollars in annual rebates. Marat Olfir, AKAM resident manager at a 165-unit condo in Kips Bay, annually earns rewards by temporarily closing amenities such as gyms or laundry rooms and asking residents to unplug unnecessary devices during peak periods.

Here's another tip: “I tell the unit owners, unplug everything—when you unplug everything you actually save the building a lot,” Olfir said. Many types of modern appliances continue to draw a small amount of electricity even when they are turned off, but that phantom power use can add up to as much as $100 a year.

2) Shift your energy use

The demand for electricity is highest on hot afternoons and evenings. This pushes up the supply and delivery costs you see on your bill. Whenever possible, run dishwashers, washers and dryers, and other major appliances outside the 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. window on hot days.

New Yorkers love their AC, but if you have multiple air conditioners, try running just one at peak times, or use fans to stay comfortable—when possible.

“Fans lower the perception of the air temperature by about five degrees,” said David Bergman, architect at David Bergman Eco and a sustainability educator. “A fan also uses much less energy than an air conditioner.”

Co-ops and condos will pay a peak demand charge so reducing electricity use when demand is high helps to lower the building's overall utility costs. Olfir has made it his mission to educate residents in his building about how billing works, the costs associated with peak demand, and how small changes can have a big impact.

“My goal is to stop the electric waste, simple as that,” Olfir said.

3) Get paid to power your AC use with a battery

Con Edison partner Every Electric provides free battery packs that you can connect to your air conditioners. The batteries charge when electricity demand is low and power your AC during peak periods.

Participants can earn up to $150 per year for each AC unit while helping reduce strain on the electric grid.

4) Install a smart thermostat

If you have an eligible smart thermostat, Con Edison offers an $85 rebate for enrolling in its smart thermostat program. Customers who regularly participate in demand response events can earn an additional $25 per year for the first three years.

Keep in mind you generally can't combine this incentive with other demand response programs such as GridRewards.

5) Seal air leaks

Older buildings often lose cooled air through gaps around windows, doors, and air conditioners. Sealing air leaks is equally important to retain heat in winter. Advice from the Department of Energy includes installing weatherstripping or a door sweep to seal drafts, and checking that your window AC is tightly fitted.

At the building-wide level, fixing leaky exhaust pipes and ventilation shafts can cut a building’s heating demand and save thousands in utility costs.

“Some are brick shafts, sheetrock, or sometimes concrete,” said Amit Gupta, founder and CEO at Aeroseal, a company specializing in ductwork sealing. When shafts are not airtight, rooftop fans work harder and the air extracted doesn’t come exclusively from the shaft, making the system inefficient and expensive to operate.

“You make the building work and it pays for itself in three to four and a half years depending on incentives,” Gupta said.

6) Keep cool air inside

Keep blinds and curtains closed during the day to block heat—Con Edison estimates that about 40 percent of unwanted summer heat enters through windows.

“The ideal is probably a blackout blind to stop heat coming further into the apartment,” Bergman said.

7) Clean or replace your AC

A dirty air conditioner works harder and uses more electricity. Cleaning the filter and coils regularly improves efficiency and can lower your energy bill. “When the coils are clogged there is no heat transfer,” Olfir said.

If your unit is old, replacing it with a high-efficiency model can reduce electricity use even further. “Look for Energy Star appliances,” Bergman said. Energy Star is a label ensuring the highest standard of efficiency.

8) Switch to LED bulbs

LED light bulbs use up to 90 percent less electricity than traditional incandescent bulbs and last much longer, making them one of the easiest ways to lower energy costs. At the building-wide level, Local Law 88 mandates LED lighting upgrades for buildings larger than 25,000 square feet.

9) Sign up for community solar

Community solar lets you get credits on your electric bill without having to install rooftop panels. By subscribing to a shared solar project, you receive a portion of the clean electricity it generates in the form of bill credits. Providers can be found through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).

“It’s great that its savings, it's renewable and you don’t have to do anything, all you have to do is sign up,” Bergman said.

For co-ops and condos with appropriate roof space, a solar installation can reap rewards. NYSERDA’s NY-Sun program offers incentives for solar projects where the array either produces power for the grid and generates credits on the monthly electric bills or offsets the cost of a building’s common area electricity usage.

From Dumbo to Coney Island: We were tired of paying so much rent and wanted a place that made sense

Kelly Kreth — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 09:30:00 EDT

Jodie, Gregg, and their young daughter lived in an amenity-laden building in tony Dumbo. When their rent increased by $1,000 per month, they decided to look elsewhere to save money. The family landed in a new development with even more amenities (two pickleball courts)! They have longer commutes but love the ocean views and walks on the boardwalk. Here’s Jodie’s story as told to Kelly Kreth.

I was raised in Melbourne, Australia. I moved to NYC in 1998 for modeling opportunities with Ford Models.

My husband Gregg and I met like all storybook love stories, on an app. The first time we met in person was at a Starbucks under the Empire State Building. It didn’t go so well but we tried again and the second meeting was life changing. This was over eight years ago.

Most recently, we were living with our seven-year-old daughter Ocean in Dumbo in a two-bedroom apartment that was under 1,000 square feet. The building amenities were incredible; they included a 24-hour doorman; indoor saltwater pool and steam room, gym, residents’ lounge and co-working space, children’s playroom, 7,000-square-foot roof deck with three separate outdoor kitchens, and an outdoor gym with beautiful views.

[Editor's note: “Transitions” features first-person accounts of what it’s like to move from one NYC neighborhood to another. Have a story to share? Drop us an email. We respect all requests for anonymity.]

We loved the location. It was convenient to our jobs and we could walk our daughter to school, however it’s getting a little overrun by tourists.

I have my own business, Fusion Models BK, which is an immigrant- and woman-owned modeling agency. My husband is a personal trainer and artist.

We went to DUMBO House a lot, ABC Kitchen when it opened, and Time Out Market food mall. We love walking along the water and taking our daughter to parks there. We loved ordering pizza on Friday Nights. We tried different places every few weeks.

Why they decided to move

This April, our landlord wanted to raise our rent by an extreme amount: Over a thousand dollars a month! It broke the camel’s back. I said to my husband, ‘I'm tired of paying all this rent. I want to save some money.’

I knew our next home had to make sense. The cost of rent in most places in NYC isn't reasonable. We wanted a place that would tick the right boxes: safe, clean, updated, and with some modern conveniences.

Gregg is from a family of Italian immigrants. His father’s family is from Bed Stuy and his mother lived close by. His grandfather worked the Cyclone and met his grandmother there. So we always had a connection to the Coney Island area. We’d go there for the aquarium and to the nearby Rockaways to surf.

We searched for a home in the area and then reached out to Sky Three Residences Club in West Brighton directly after learning about it on Apartments.com. Everyone there has been wonderful. We viewed all the two-bedroom and three-bedroom units available. We were rather annoying to be quite honest: We made five separate appointments. It was a very big decision for us so we wanted to be sure by spending time there.

We chose a three-bedroom, two-bath unit with a balcony facing the city skyline. It is approximately 1,200 square feet. We pay $5,475 a month and have a laundry room in our apartment, which is a very nice luxury indeed. We have a car so use the garage for $350 per month.

What they like about their new place

Everything is brand new and the amenities are the best I've seen in any building in NYC (and I've seen a lot)! The amenities are what really sold us—all 100,000 square feet of them: Heated saltwater junior Olympic pool; spa with sauna and massage room; running track; recording studio; state-of-the-art coworking space including phone booths, full offices and conference rooms; indoor/outdoor basketball court; two pickleball courts; community garden; children’s playroom; outdoor play area; dining room with catering kitchen; pet spa; rooftop with grill; 24/7 concierge; and 839 parking spaces across four levels including 150 EV charging stations.

We can’t believe we now live in Coney Island—I certainly didn’t see that coming but I am so happy about the change.

We love that everything in our home and building is new and that we can see the water from our place. We are excited for our daughter to enjoy summer with her friends here and our long walks on the boardwalk. There is simply nothing we don’t like.

There is one hassle: Even though the subway is close by we now wake at 4:40 am because our commutes are much longer now. It takes me 55 minutes to drive my daughter to school. Gregg starts work at 6 a.m. most days, which is typical in the fitness industry. We like to enjoy a cup of coffee together before we venture into the city that never sleeps.

How to move in NYC during the summer

Brick Underground — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:30:00 EDT

"Summer in the City" might be a catchy song, but if you are moving in New York City during the warmest months, the heat can add extra discomfort and risks.

Daytime temperatures are expected to break 90 degrees most days in July and August this year, so before the rubber hits the hot asphalt on moving day, here are a few things you can do to make the day go smoother for yourself, your movers, and your possessions.

1. Start as early as possible

The most critical strategy for a summer move is timing. Beat the peak heat by starting your move-out at the earliest possible hour. Temperatures typically follow a predictable curve, climbing steadily after 10:00 a.m. and peaking in the late afternoon. By starting the move out as early as your building will let you, you can complete the most physically demanding labor before the sun reaches its full strength.

Additionally, an early start help you avoid afternoon traffic, reducing the risk that your moving truck gets stuck idling in the heat with all of your belongings inside.

Smart step: Ask your current building management about how early they will let you start the move and if they can have elevators, Certificate of Insurance checks, and any other steps completed ahead of time so you can jump right into it.

2. Prioritize hydration

Staying hydrated is not just a comfort measure—it is a safety necessity. Keep cold water available for yourself and your family throughout the day. It is also a kind gesture to offer cold water to your moving team, who are performing heavy labor in taxing conditions.

To remain environmentally conscious, you can provide eco-friendly disposable cups, or have sufficient reusable cups clean and set aside from everything you packed up in your kitchen. Place the cups in a spot that is conveniently out of the way of the moving path but easily accessible to everyone involved and let your movers know where they can get water.

Moving companies do a number of things to protect their crews. “We provide water bottles throughout the day and make sure crews have lightweight uniforms, including shorts and hats, to help protect them from the sun and heat,” said Dejon Reid, VP of Sales for FlatRate Moving.

Smart step: If you want to avoid using plastic bottles, you can pre-fill extra jars or jugs with water and keep them in your fridge the night before. This will keep you from running out of cold water during the move.

3. Manage the apartment temperature

Even with the door frequently open for the movers, you can take steps to keep the climate manageable. Lower shades and blinds in rooms not currently being cleared to block out direct sunlight and greenhouse heating. While the move is underway, focus on minimizing heavy physical exertion for yourself where possible. By letting the professionals handle the heavy lifting, you reduce the risk of heat exhaustion.

“We recommend keeping the apartment cooled to around 68–72 degrees before and during the move. Even if the door is opening frequently, starting with a cool apartment helps make the move safer and more comfortable,” said Dor Klein, a partner at Big Apple Moving.

If the building has an elevator, ensure it is reserved to reduce the amount of stair climbing required, which significantly raises body temperature.

Smart step: If your place has stairs, it is also be helpful to have the majority of your boxes already on the ground floor before the movers arrive.

4. Prevent food waste

Summer heat can spoil perishables in a matter of minutes during transit. Plan ahead to manage your food waste by using high-quality coolers or insulated boxes for food items that must move with you. This is especially important if you have a long drive between apartments.

Try to consume as much of your refrigerated items as possible in the week leading up to the move to minimize the amount of temperature-sensitive food to be transported.

You can buy a water-resistant, insulated food delivery bag for under $20 on Amazon like this one from Bodaon, or you can get aluminum lined and insulated boxes like these from Simple Deluxe Store.

Smart step: Remember to separate the aluminum from the cardboard boxes for recycling.

5. Pre-cool your destination

There is nothing more exhausting than arriving at a sweltering new home after a long day of moving. If possible, visit your new apartment a day early to lower the blinds and set the AC to a reasonable temperature.

If you cannot access the unit beforehand, consider requesting the landlord or building manager to set the cooling system for you. Arriving at a pre-cooled space allows you to begin the unpacking process in a safe, comfortable environment. It also wouldn’t hurt to have a pre-filled water filter or other cold water in the refrigerator at your new home.

Smart step: Coordinate with your new landlord or building ahead of time to get the apartment comfortable before you arrive.

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