NY Observer > Toni Schlesinger

Lord & Taylor, Meet Developer

Observer Staff — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 14:02:46 -0500

Will the famous store get sacked?

Crain's reports today that beleaguered retailer Lord & Taylor's sprawling flagship store on Fifth Avenue might be converted into condos. Makes sense to us. As The Observer's own Toni Schlesinger previously reported, the store is already a pretty popular place to rest one's head. - Chris Shott

Tuesday: A Good Book, A Weird Series, A Bad Map, and Vultures

Observer Staff — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 04:30:07 -0400

A 'New York Apartment Story'

AM New York, everyone's favorite daily, breaks through with a week-long "interactive housing feature." Ever wondered about the "borough identity" of Marble Hill residents? Or the proverbial "1,000-square-foot carpet made of $100 bills"? It's your lucky week. AM will dedicate daily issues to info on buying, renting, developments, etc; plus some history, some numbers, and some personal anecdotes. Especially personal anecdotes. (AM New York)
What's more important than memorizing this week's quasi-thorough map to Manhattan celebrity--except for keeping up-to-date on the status of Hilary Swank and Chad Lowe's Charles Street love nest. After all, the $8.25 million pad even has--or had?--its own website. (New York)
The Believer says Toni Schlesinger's Five Flights Up and Other New York Apartment Stories is as good as the Velvet Underground and Faberge eggs. Five Flights compiles Ms. Schlesinger's Village Voice "Shelter" columns from 1997-2006, which provides for a lot of pristine real estate free-association (Greenwich Village=squid, Chinatown=High Times, the East Village=the Arctic.) So true. (Believer)
Caring about construction height, community integrity, and architectural preservation is all the rage: East Villagers say they aren't pleased about the 26-story NYU dorm going up on 12th Street. It's a pity they aren't more welcoming to 700 more NYU kids. (NY1)
What do we learn when The Times runs two stories on one day about painters and DUMBO real estate? Nothing. (New York Times)
What do we learn when Prudential Douglas Elliman senior VP Leonard Steinberg says real estate vultures "are already out and about in Manhattan"? That a bloody burst is around the bend. But have no fear: Corcoran CEO Pam Liebman promises that everything's still fine (sort of). (CNN/Money)

Max Abelson

Toni Schlesinger Reading Tonight

Observer Staff — Wed, 10 May 2006 11:17:53 -0400

She's no longer at the Village Voice, but former "Shelter" columnist Toni Schlesinger will be reading tonight in the Village. The reading will be held at the Barnes and Noble on Astor, between Broadway and Lafayette, beginning at 7 p.m.

About a month ago, we mentioned Five Flights Up, the book she'll be reading from.

Toni Schlesinger: Back In Print

Observer Staff — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 11:59:57 -0400

Just as we were really missing Toni Schlesinger's "Shelter" column that was published in the Village Voice since 1997, this 300-plus page anthology of her writings crosses our desk.

It should be noted that the original cover, from the spring Princeton Architectural Press catalog, is comparatively more tame. Just a doorbell smack in the middle of a blue cover. This new and improved version, which hits stores next month, should appeal more to the Sex and the City box set contingent.

But you can't judge a book by the cover, and inside there numerous columns aggregated by chapter titles like "utopia," "haunted," and "fantastic." Fantastic!

- Michael Calderone Full release from the publisher is after the jump. read more »