MCCAIN SURPRISES WITH SARAH PALIN AS RUNNING MATE
Moving quickly to replace the afterglow of Obama’s crowning at Invesco Field, Senator John McCain announced his pick for VP, Governor Sarah Palin, of Alaska. In doing so, McCain went off the shortlist of Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, dark horse Joesph Lieberman and GOP presidential contender Mitt Romney. [...]

There is one car showcased in a leaked slide presentation of future models by GM to employees that caught our eye.
It was the Chevrolet Cruze. A 40+ mpg looker that will be available to North American buyers sometime after it debuts at the Paris Motor Show. Not a bad grill, pleasant stance. [...]

15 Central Park West continues to impress buyers. City records published today indicated that a 4,271 square foot penthouse on the 41st floor sold for $19.4 million. The buyer was not identified and the contract was signed way back in October 2005. The unit closed June 18th.
The 3-bedroom penthouse, one of 15 [...]

Strong showing in North Brooklyn Condo Submarket Only Bright Spot
Well, the party’s over for Brooklyn housing. Despite many condos in North Brooklyn (Williamsburg/Greenpoint) still in the middle of a building frenzy, prices and sales borough-wide have cooled off significantly.
Highlights:

The number of home sales in Williamsburg-Greenpoint was down quarterly by 12.9% and annually by 30%.

The [...]

Once a model showcase of luxury home design, a Bridgehampton mansion is now being price-chopped from $27 million to $19.5 million. The credit mess is starting to affect the once unassailable high-end, as a foreclosure notice was recently filed against the home’s $4.4 million mortgage.
An unfortunate sign of the times, but if you’re in [...]

After first being rejected, a re-design for revamping the historic Domino Sugar factory into waterfront condos has been approved. The original design added five stories of glass condos to the top of the 1884 building. Its since been reduced to four stories and now features the Dominos Sugar sign (currently on an adjacent [...]

Russian fertilizer billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev is the new owner of Donald Trump’s oceanfront estate, Maison de L’Amitié in ritzy Palm Peach. Mr. Rybolovlev is 41, #59 on Forbes list of the world’s richest people at $12.8 billion, and with this purchase, breaks the area’s price record. The previous was set by Sidney Kimmel’s [...]

Billionaire Sheldon Adelson is the subject of an in-depth, non-authorized article by the New Yorker’s Connie Bruck. Mr. Adelson, or Sheldon Adelson III as he likes to be called, (and not because his father was Sheldon Adelson the II) was given the kind of non-descript physical stature that often drives men to build [...]

Loud protestors hooted, hollered and blew on plastic whistles, but to no avail. The Rent Guidelines Board still managed to raise one-year leases by 4.5% and two year leases by 8.5% more. Landlords had demanded even higher rates to cope with gas, water and other rising costs. The NY Post highlighted one Santiago Garza, who [...]

After the community rejected earlier plans, General Growth Properties has released a new “vision” for the South Street Seaport. CEO John Bucksbaum: “We are proud to work closely with the New York City Economic Development Corporation to preserve and restore the unique character of this historic area while addressing the immediate and long-term needs [...]