1) Our recent check-in at Midtown's new Enrique Norten-designed condo/hotel Cassa NY revealed the 48-story concrete tower's inspiration: an Egyptian obelisk. But now, the developer reveals Cassa's (yes, just Cassa now) real inspiration: rich foreigners. The random window pattern was meant to encourage the combination of units. Sounds like nonsense, but apparently it's working: 17 of 57 units have sold, the developer claims, at prices around $2,000 per square foot. One buyer bought four units, and two each bought three. [Posting/'A Neighborhood’s Three-Way Switch']
2) Rent stabilization gets folks riled up, and here's a case that both sides can take issue with. A Brooklyn Heights man took over his parents' townhouse apartment in the '70s, and now pays $212 per month in rent. The president of Vandenberg Real Estate bought the house for $2 million, and wants the guy out. Cue the court battles, the digging up of 20+ year old documents, the anger, the bitterness, and finally, a buy-out. [Big Deal/'Rent-Control Rights Stripped Away']
3) Co-op boards are like nasty little high school cliques, and the poor economic times ratchet up the tension between the Mean Girls and the nerds. So how to run a good board? Treat it like a marriage! Communicate, be honest, and don't spend oodles of money without telling your partner. ['In Tough Times, Conflicts Rise on Co-op Boards']
4) Cute dogs alert! Single White Female renter (with Boston Terrier and boxer in tow) seeks apartment with outdoor space near the Tompkins Square Park dog run. She ends up on Avenue D. Lady, don't tell your parents. [The Hunt/'A Home Gets Drools of Approval']
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