KVNY "The Downtown Cat"

Donald Torr Pervert Creep Landlord

2012-10-17T12:03:00.002-04:00

Creep alert!

Donald Torr recently rented his East Hampton vacation home to a family and created his own version of Sliver.

Torr put hidden cameras all over the property and created a live internet feed so he could watch the children shower and bathe. Cameras were also set up in bedrooms, living room, jacuzzi and everywhere else.

The family of five, who paid Torr $6,500 for a one month summer vacation noticed the first camera in the living room and then discovered all the others. They immediately called the cops, but had to stay in the house another night while they waited for police to get the search warrants.

Torr claims he put the cameras there to protect against squatters. He is being sued for $4.5 million.

Dog Owners Okay in NYC

2012-10-16T11:52:00.003-04:00

People in NYC love their dogs.

Sure it kind of sucks that they have to poop on the sidewalk and can only run free in cramped dog runs, but people in the city are still living with them anyhow.

It used to be a lot tougher to have a dog in your apartment, because many landlords put bans on pets. But in recent years developers and building owners have realized that by allowing pets they can draw more perspective tenants to their properties. Landlords aren't just allowing pets nowadays, they are embracing them. Many new developments now have on site dog runs, dog-washing stations, pet concierges and more.

For information on the most dog friendly buildings in the city, give us a call!

Bellhop at Bowery Hotel Busted For Dealing Pot

2012-10-15T11:33:00.001-04:00

A bellhop at the Bowery Hotel was arrested for selling pot inside the hotel yesterday.

Twenty-five year old Matthew Sullivan was still in his uniform and on duty when undercover cops lead him out of the hotel and into jail. Sullivan has no criminal record, and was released with charges of criminal possession of marijuana the same night. It's unclear if the cops were there specifically to bust Sullivan, but upon his arrest he told cops, "Come on, man. You're entrapping me." The picture to the left is priceless.

Swim To Work In London on Their High Line Substitute Proposal

2012-10-10T11:55:00.002-04:00

The High Line has created a buzz in NYC, and now other Metopolisis are looking for a High Line of their own.

London just put on an open call for designers and archetects to bring some sort of High Line for their city. Many suggested opening up covered rivers an creating green space, but london is already 38% parkland and open green space as it is. So one firm, Y/N, made the short list by proposing turning an 8 mile long canal into swimming lanes, so that people can swim to work in the summer and iceskate to work in the winter.

Good luck with that guys!

Moron Lets Rat Loose on Subway

2012-10-09T11:12:00.001-04:00

Some people need a little attention.

Some need that attention on the subway. Well, if you were on the Brooklyn bound L train last night, then you could have seen a moron on the train with a cage full of rats.

This idiot pulled out one of the rats and let him crawl around the subway. When a group of nearby teenagers began to back off and squeel, the Rat Man said, "I thought gangsters carry guns, but y'all n****** afraid of rats? Weak ass motherf**ckers." So it turns out he's not just a friendly eccentric that likes to take rats around with him, he's a jerk. He was also quoted saying, "touch my rat and I'll kill you." So try and stay clear of this guy.

Yooglers Hits NYC - Rest of US Coming Soon

2012-10-03T11:32:00.003-04:00

A new yogurt shop is opening just in time for the winter.

Yooglers Frozen yogurt, a popular Spanish company, will be opining it's fist of eight Manhattan locations this November. They just signed a lease for 791 Broadway which is on the corner of 10th St. in Greenwich Village.

The store's theme will be something like a mix between Alice in Wonderland meets Willy Wonka, said the stores owner. They will offer 70 kinds of exotic toppings and flavors to choose from.

They will also be opening up 30 other locations around the country, so get used to the name Yooglers, because your going to be hearing about it a lot.

Kenny's Castaways Closing After 40 Years On Bleecker Street

2012-10-02T11:46:00.004-04:00

RIP Kenny's.

That's right folks, one of KVNY Real Estate Agent's favorite watering hole is closing its doors after nearly 40 years in business. Due to rising rents , which nearly doubled over the last five years, the owners have made the decision to close it once and for all.

The bar has hosted acts such as Bruce Sprinsteen, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Patti Smith, the Fugees and many many more notable acts early in their careers.

Today is their last day in business, so head on over to 157 Bleecker to give them a little support tonight.

Firefighter Keys To New York City on Ebay

2012-10-01T12:13:00.001-04:00

Ab ex locksmith named, Daniel Ferraris, has been collection master keys that allow city firefighters to get access to almost anywhere in the city.

The problem is that Ferraris has been making copies of these master keys and selling them to random people on ebay since 2005. The city recently got news of this breach in security and are now thinking about all the nightmare scenarios that could happen because of this.

The keys open all the cities electrical panels, elevator controls, traffic-light relays, subway entrances, fireboxes, firehouses, construction sites and more. One key in particular, the 1620 key, is used by firefighters to send all elevators in high rise buildings down to the lobby. This could trap thousands of people in a building during a terror attack. So watch out for that.

107 W. 57th St. Super Skinny Building On the Way

2012-09-25T11:36:00.002-04:00

A super skinny residential building is coming to 107 W. 57th St.

The lot it will be built on is only 43 feet wide, but the tower itself will be 697 feet, or 51 floors high. The building will have a total of only 28 units. Some units on the lower floors will be full floor units and as you go up to floors 20-46, they will be full floor duplex units. The most appealing part is the four story quadraplex that will top off the building. The back of the building faces Central Park, and folks on the top floors will have a nice view of that from their terraces.

The construction dates are still unclear, but the renderings look amazing.

For more info, call 212-377-5757

Cocktail Bodega, Liquor Juice Bar Opens at 205 Chrystie Street

2012-09-24T11:37:00.000-04:00

All you guys on the juice bandwagon can head over to the new Cocktail Bodega to get a little extra in that acai berry smoothy.

That's because this juice bar is juicing things up will a little hard liquor in the drinks. It's a new concept by owner, Matt Levine, and he definitely has a unique approach to making drinks. He says, Cocktail Bodega, is mostly a juice and smoothy spot, but with the option of adding alcohol. Drinks start a $11 and go on up.

They also have a really good chef that is serving up Jamaican style street food, that pairs well with the drinks.

So head on over to 205 Chrystie St. to go check it out for yourself!

MTA Removes Trash Cans In Subway Stations - Not Working!

2012-09-19T11:48:00.000-04:00

To clean up a subway station, the first thing you need to do is remove the trash cans.

Wait, what?

Thats right folks, in an effort to reduce the rodent problems in several subway stations, the MTA has decided it would be a good idea for them to remove trash receptacles so that people will hold on to their trash and throw it away outside of the station. But guess what, when people in NYC don't want to hold on to the trash and they set it down anyway. The no trash can program has only been in effect at a few stations in Queens and Brooklyn, but it is already causing a headache to business owners outside of the underground stops who say straphangers are dumping trash in weird places all along the block and in the station as well. The rat problem seems to have increased, and this seems like a loose loose situation for everyone.

On another note, NYC has slipped from 5th dirtiest city in America last year to the number one dirtiest city this year. So maybe we should take some more trash cans out.

Voyeur Bathrooms At Boom Boom Room In Standard Hotel

2012-09-12T11:51:00.002-04:00

The Standard Hotel strikes again!

This time it's not voyeur sex acts at High Line level, or the new ad campaign featuring a woman urinating on a floor, no, this time its public urination and deification.

That's right folks! There is some sort of club on the 18th floor of the Standard called the Boom Boom Room. The Boom Boom Room has newly redesigned their restrooms to make it easier for passer buyers to watch you do your business. Some Boom Boom Room patrons were pretty peeved to realize that the glass is two way, not one way, and that the crowds below were there just for watching them go to the bathroom.

If you would like to watch a stranger go to the restroom, then head on over to Washington St. and W. 14th to get in on the action.

Replace Your Stoop

2012-09-11T11:20:00.000-04:00

The city will start seeing more and more stoops in the coming years.

That's because it's a new trend for the rich!

When you buy your own townhouse, the chances are that it originally had a stoop, but back in the 20's and 30's building owners would take the stoop off of single family buildings to make a ground floor entrance and turn the building into apartments.

So if you buy a stoopless building you can easily get a new one back on for anywhere from $35,000 to well over $100,000. If it pokes onto a public sidewalk, then the city charges the owner a fee of $1,000 a year for the space or only $25 a year it it's in a Historic Landmark District.

The stoop improvement might be a hefty cost, but if you can afford to buy a building then you can usually afford to put the stoop back, and it will also increase the value of the property anyway.

FiDi Real Estate Hot and Getting Hotter

2012-09-10T11:38:00.003-04:00

In the Financial District, more than 57,000 residents live in 27,722 units spread across 318 residential buildings with an average income of $188,000.

Before 9/11 there were only six hotels in the area and now there are 18. The area has really taken off in the past few years and its only going to keep getting better once all the commercial space is up and running at the new WTC and WFC. The city is also focusing on the waterfront and is working hard to complete a walking path along the East River up to the Brooklyn Bridge. There is also a 36 acre waterfront park at Battery Park City and another great park at the lower tip of the island.

Downtown is looking like a great place to pick up some real estate at a decent price while you can, because prices are only going to continue to clime. So give us a call!!!

Yogo Vs. Mister Softee and Other Vendor Disputes on the Rise

2012-09-05T11:55:00.001-04:00

Selling hotdogs and ice cream on a nice summers day isn't all it's crack up to be.

That's because no matter what your trying to sell on the street, you first need to find a spot. And finding that spot might be easier than holding onto it.

Just last month two vendors were killed when a clothing vendor, Horace Coleman, pulled out a pistol and shot two vendors that were competing for his sidewalk space near Yankee Stadium.

Also, there was a recent investigation into Mister Softee truck drivers for running more like the mob than like someone pushing ice-cream. Mister Softee is apparently in a turf war with Yogo trucks that sell yogurt. Gun pullings and death threats are part of the daily life of almost any street peddler with a decent spot.

Restaurant Space Hard To Find Downtown

2012-09-04T12:01:00.001-04:00

Far downtown residents in the FiDi are all ready for a few new dining options to come to the area.

Restauranteurs want to be there too to take advantage of the called for demand, but they are having a tough time finding the right space. Roti Mediterranean Grill recently found a space at a former HSBC bank. Other restaurants are not so lucky, and claim that a majority of the potential restaurant locations are too small and narrow. Most of the new restaurant momentum has been limited to quality chains such as: Pret A manger, Financier and Chipotle. Fulton Street has also seen some action with a new Greek Restaurant and a 23,000 SF supermarket at 55 Fulton St.

Tavern On the Green New Owners Not Qualified At All

2012-08-29T12:20:00.002-04:00

Tavern on the Green is starting to smell a little fishy.

Thats because out of all the people the city could have chosen to run the eatery, they have picked two brothers who run a crepe shop in Philadelphia. That's the only experience they have; a crepe shop!

So why did Bloomberg give these two guys without any fine dining or high volume kitchens a 20-year license deal to run Tavern On the Green? One reason could be that one of the crepe guy's sisters is married to the mayors advisor.

The crepe shop sits half empty on most nights, and is more comparable to some late night snack shop than to a fine New York Restaurant.

Anyhow, they have the twenty year deal, so I guess we'll see what happens.

New Barclays Center Already Rusting - On Purpose!

2012-08-28T12:00:00.001-04:00

The Barclays Center, a new landmark sports and entertainment venue, also home to the Nets, is soon to be open in Brooklyn.

A unique feature of the building is it's rusty looking facade. It's called weathering steel, and has not been used in may NYC buildings due to excessive rust staining sidewalks and streets. This problem will be avoided in the Barclays center, because the steel has endured dozens of wet and dry cycles a day in a facility where it was manufactured so the rust on it should stay on it. The rust will in turn protect the steel from further corrosion.

The designers admit that it is a challenging material to use in the city, but it will also make for a unique look, since only two other buildings in the five boroughs have used weathering steel before.

In-Ground Cemetery Grave Harder to Find Than Apartment In NYC

2012-08-27T12:22:00.003-04:00

It's tough to find an apartment in the city, but it's even tougher if your looking to find a final resting spot underground.

All city cemeteries seem to be facing the same plight. They are all running out of burial space for folks who want to be buried in the city.

Some are starting to use less desirable spots in the cemetery to burry folks and most are trying to talk people in to being cremated or buried above ground in a mausoleum.

There is only one active cemetery on Manhattan, the Trinity Cemetery on Riverside Drive. There are no in ground spots left, but there is still a little space in the crypt for bodies and there are niches in the crypt for cremated remains to be placed.

So don't delay, give NYC Johnny a call and get your no fee in ground plot today!

Some Williamsburg Market Plans by Spacecutter

2012-08-21T12:06:00.002-04:00

Spacecutter, a design studio, has just released a proposal for a new market in Williamsburg.

They say it will be like the Chelsea Market but better. It is a 60,000 SF warehouse that will be converted into a two floor interior space and a rooftop with plants and greenery on it.

The first floor of the market would have food vendors and local grocers, and the second floor would have more of a nightlife and bar feel.

The space is located next to McCarren Park. The exact address has not been disclosed and there status of the project is not immediately know.

Apartment Broker Steals Video Games for Heroin

2012-08-20T11:56:00.000-04:00

When you live in NYC you want to change your door locks often.

If it's not your supper popping in to snoop around, then it's probably some drugged up apartment broker looking to steal your video games.

Thats exactly what Piotr Pasciak did with his almighty power as a commission only apartment finder. He kept the keys to a vacant apartment and when the tenants moved in, he was craving some heroin so he paid the apartment a visit again and took a few things with him.

The owner couldn't figure out who could have gotten in, so he set up a video camera with hopes that the burglar would return. Two weeks later Pasciak needed a little more heroin money, so he went back to the apartment where he was caught on video.

Two days later he was arrested at his parents house in Greenpoint.

117 E. 57th St. Penthouse Looks Cool

2012-08-15T11:48:00.002-04:00

NYC Johnny wants this one.

Check out this futuristic looking penthouse on top of 117 E. 57th St. It's four stories and 16,000 SF. It was built for Stewart Mott, who is an heir to the General Motors fortune. Mott was into growing plants in his house, so thats why it has a greenhouse like look to it. The strange thing is that Mott never moved into the house and it sat idle for years. But, in 1997 magicial David Copperfield purchased the property for an undisclosed amount.

Check out the stairway leading from the top level down to the garden! It looks like so much fun!

WTC Tours a New Status Symbol

2012-08-14T12:03:00.001-04:00

WTC tours are the latest status symbol for elite New Yorkers.

Barack Obama, Buzz Aldrin, sports figures and industry leaders have all got a chance to check out the new building firsthand.

The trick is to have some sort of connection with the port authority of New York and New Jersey. The port Authority says they are happy to give tours when schedules permit them to give access to the project. A port authority agent will then take you up in a service elevator to the latest completed floor.

If your not super rich or famous, but would like to take a tour, then try bribing a construction worker. This usually works too!

Tatzu Nishi's "Discovering Columbus"

2012-08-13T12:16:00.002-04:00

If you have a good idea and a little drive you can do almost anything, and Japanese artist Tatzu Nishi is doing just that.

Nishi has permission from the city to construct a living room around the statue of Christopher Columbus in Columbus Circle.

The only kink in the plan is that the statue of Columbus is on a pedestal over 6 stories high. Thats why the scaffolding is being put up and the living room will be on top of that and decorated to look like a real living room with the statue popping throughout he floor.

The project, "Discovering Columbus," will open to the public on September 20th and fun for a couple of months. It's definitely an original idea, so go check it!

Woolworth Building To Be Topped With 40 Luxury Apartments

2012-08-08T11:32:00.002-04:00

The top 30 floors of the Woolworth Building are being converted into 40 luxury condominiums.

The top floors have remained empty for over a decade, but once the $68 million renovation is done, those floors will house some of the nicest and most unique apartments in the city.

NYC Johnny hopes he wins the lottery tonight, so he can pick up the 8,000 SF penthouse that occupies the top three floors of the building including the copper cupola with original observation deck. The pool in the basement of the building, originally built by Frank Woolworth himself, will be fully restored to its original grander.

The renovations will be completed by 2015. So look out for that!