#east boston townhouse | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

notquitetwilight · 4 years

Text

THE CULLANOS: A TASTE OF BOSTON, PART ONE

The Cullanos head to Boston to take care of some business.

“Well?” Carlisle Cullano asked his wife from across the table. “How does Boston pizza compare to Jersey pizza?”

“It doesn’t,” Esme answered her husband automatically. “Especially not ours.”

“Typical Jersey girl,” he smirked. He looked to their daughter beside her. “Rosie?”

Rosalie wrinkled her nose, looking up at him from the slice she was chewing on. “It’s too thick. I don’t like it. But then again, Jersey pizza doesn’t compare to New York pizza, either.”

Esme gave a deep sigh and threw her daughter a look. “Really?”

“What? You know I’ll always be a Manhattanite.”

“You were born in Jersey City Med,” Esme pointedly reminded her.

“Where I was abandoned,” Rose said slowly. “…To be raised in Manhattan.”

“You weren’t abandoned at the hospital,” Carlisle countered.

“She wasn’t abandoned at all!” Esme hissed before he could continue. “How many times do we have to go through this?”

“I know, I know, you were just kids, younger than I am now,” Rose waved the hand that wasn’t holding a pizza slice dismissively. “I’m over it. But I don’t know why you always get mad at me for saying I’m a New Yorker when you’re the ones who chose not to raise me in Jersey. Well, chose not to raise me at all.”

A tense silence fell over them. Rose lowered her eyes to the table of their booth as she continued chewing. Esme glowered out the window, her jaw clenched. Carlisle nudged his foot against her leg in an attempt to comfort her, but she ignored him.

It was a little over a year since the couple had gotten their daughter back. Though she had left her adoptive family and seemed to have settled into their lifestyle, the topic of their lost time together still occasionally raised its head.

The couple had had her at the tender age of 17, unbeknownst to their families. Both of them decided they were too young, too broke and already too involved in the mafia game to raise her themselves. She was adopted by the Hales, a wealthy couple of lawyers who raised her in a Manhattan townhouse and gave her the finest private education New York City had to offer. Carlisle and Esme secretly watched her grow from park benches and the back of school auditoriums. They never interacted with her or allowed her to see them, but watching her grow up safe and happy from a distance filled the void that giving her up had left.

Well, it did, until it didn’t. A year and a half ago, right before the couple finally married, Esme’s sister gave birth to her first child. The family rejoiced in the arrival of the baby boy, with Esme’s mother proudly parading her “first grandchild” around. “Aren’t you jealous, Esme?” Mrs. Platt had asked at the wedding. “You hate it when others have something you don’t.”

“No, mom, I don’t get jealous,” came her answer. Carlisle stifled a laugh at that. The death certificate of his previous wife proved otherwise.

“I always thought you’d be the one to give me my first,” Mrs. Platt continued, causing her daughter to bristle. “But your little sister has beaten you to it.”

Esme’s knuckles went white around the champaign glass she held. “She’s just drunk, baby,” Carlisle muttered in her ear. “Fuggedaboutit.”

But it didn’t matter. Esme’s moods worsened in the weeks that followed as she grieved 17 years’ worth of parenting the daughter they tried to do right by. She stopped parking outside the Hales’ Upper East Side building in hopes of catching a glimpse of the girl, or regularly checking her social media pages for updates on how she was doing. Carlisle knew it had become too difficult for her, particularly when her sister got to be a mother so openly. Mrs. Platt was right; Esme hated going without what others had. And Carlisle could never let her go without.

So one day, he pulled his yellow Alfa Romeo into the garage of the couple’s home and paged Esme to meet him there. “Hey doll,” he greeted her from against the bonnet as she entered and closed the door behind her. “I gotcha somethin’.”

She looked around in confusion. Normally when he asked her to come to the garage it meant he had bought her a new car. “What?” She wondered, but before her husband could respond, she was answered by a chorus of thumping and muffled screaming from the trunk.

“Who’s in there?” Esme asked, bored. Visitors to their home arriving by car trunk wasn’t exactly new. He grinned at her smugly as the thumping continued. “What?” She said again, but he could tell he had piqued her interest. He sauntered over to the trunk and opened it, a flurry of blond immediately lunging at him from inside. Esme instinctively reacted with a raised gun, but as Carlisle restrained the girl, her eyes widened and she lowered her weapon. “Is that…?”

He beamed at her as Rosalie struggled in his arms. Her wrists and ankles were tied, but still she writhed around. Her eyes blazed with a mixture of anger and fear, and duct tape covered her mouth. “Take that thing off of her,” Esme commanded. “I wanna proper look.”

“Hold still or it’ll hurt,” Carlisle told the girl. She stopped wriggling long enough that he could gently remove the tape without ripping her skin. She immediately attempted to bite his hand, but he was too fast. Then came an ear-piercing screech that caused both adults to wince, but Esme was smiling.

“You wait,” Rosalie said once she was finished screaming, her voice hoarse. “Just you wait. If it’s money you want, good luck. You might as well kill me now.”

“She looks just like you,” Esme said as if she hadn’t heard her, though she didn’t take her eyes off the girl. “We knew it already, but up close, it’s crazy. I didn’t get a look-in.”

Rosalie’s face contorted to an expression of both confusion and disgust. “What the fuck…?”

Carlisle laughed at her exaggerated expressiveness; the narrowed eyes, the over-the-top frown, the grimace that caused her cheeks to apple. He had seen Esme pull that face a million times before. “I wouldn’t be so sure,” he told her as they both went back to staring at Rosalie — who was attempting to naw at the rope around her wrists — with the kind of fascination people usually reserved for newborn babies.

“Carl, untie her,” Esme instructed. He gave her a hard look, thinking it was a terrible idea. She arched an eyebrow in response, and he knew better than to argue with her.

“Wait ‘til my father hears about this,” Rose grumbled as he began cutting through the thick rope. That amused him, and he couldn’t help but grin. “What’s so funny?” She demanded.

He shook his head. “Nothin’,” he tried, but he heard Esme giggle and he started laughing again.

Rosalie’s face flushed angrily as she looked wildly from her almost-free hands to Esme and then to Carlisle. “I said, what’s. So. Funny?” She said it slowly and punctuated, as if she thought he was stupid. Esme’s laugh was turning into the loud cackle she gave when she was particularly thrilled. He sniffed with a smile and shook his head again.

Rosalie was then red-faced, her eyes flashing with rage. “What the fuck is so funny, you piece of shit?”

The couple collapsed into full belly-laughs for what had to have been at least a full minute as Rosalie could do nothing but glare. “It’s funny—“ Carlisle started, pausing to try and compose himself. “It’s funny that you said ‘wait ‘til my father hears about this,’ because I am your father.”

Rosalie rolled her eyes, irritated. She clearly thought that was his lame attempt at a joke.

“It’s true, saweetie,” Esme tried to turn her amusement into a sincere-looking smile. “Your our daughter. I’m your mommy! Were you ever told you were adopted?”

“What kind of weirdos are you?” Rosalie mused, her eyes still narrowed. “Don’t normal kidnappers just tie someone up and leave them be ‘til they’re paid ransom or get arrested? What is this, some sort of house-play shit? I saw something about that on TLC once.”

“Look, princess,” Carlisle started, struggling to get the blade through another bit of rope. “I know it’s a lot to take in, but it’s the truth. I didn’t bundle you up in my car for money, or to hurt you. I bundled you up in my car to bring ya home, where you belong. We’ve missed you your whole life, and now that you’re a lil’ older, we’d love to make up for lost time.”

She looked silently from one to the other. Carlisle could see that it would take a while to convince her. She was suspicious, defensive, and unyieldingly stubborn. Just like her parents.

“Whadiya say, kid?” He smiled at her. “Wontcha give your ol’ man a hug?”

The last of the rope snapped and Rosalie immediately punched him so hard in the nose that it made a horrible crack. He held it as she tried getting away, having seemingly forgotten about the rope around her ankles.

The pair of them allowed her to hop around the garage as both exits were locked. Esme handed him a tissue for his bloody nose and they stood side-by-side against the car, watching Rosalie noisily hunt for something she could either free her ankles or hurt them with. It took him a second to realise Esme was quietly crying.

“Don’t worry, doll,” he put a consoling arm around her and pulled her into him. “She’ll come round eventually. She just needs time. And maybe a car, or a pony, or whadevathefuck teen girls are into deeze days. Whadeva it takes, we’ll do it.”

“It’s not that,” Esme swiped at her tears and turned to him. He was surprised to see she was smiling.

“Then what? What is it, baby?”

Esme wiped another tear away as she proudly cried, “she’s got my uppercut!”

Getting the three of them to work as a family unit had been no easy feat. After showing her the paperwork that proved they were her biological parents, the couple brought Rosalie back to her adoptive home the same evening they had taken her from it in an attempt to show her they were no danger. She didn’t tell the Hales about what had happened, instead blaming her broken curfew on losing track of time while at a friend’s house. Carlisle knew that this was more out of anger at them for lying to her her whole life than it was out of loyalty to the Cullanos. The couple returned to watching her, but this time it was on a daily basis, and they made sure she saw them either by waving across the street or approaching her if she was alone. They often arrived with bribes, but she rolled her eyes each time.

“Hi, Rosalieeee,” Esme sung one day, the two of them having waited for her to get home at the corner of her block. “How was school?”

“Get lost,” Rose muttered as she went to walk past them as usual. Carlisle caught her arm, so she begrudgingly came to a halt and rounded on them with a glare. “What? What do you want?”

“I bought us matchin’ Birkins!” Esme said excitedly, unfazed by Rosalie’s attitude. She held up her arms, each hand gripping the handles of a bag.

“I already have expensive bags. I don’t need more. You know what? I already have parents, too.”

“Who had about as much of a hand in raisin’ you as we did,” Carlisle said. “Tell me, Rosie, which nanny was it you used to mistake for your motha?”

She flinched for a second before recovering her steely expression. “I told you not to call me that. You don’t get to give me a nickname. You don’t get to ask me how my day was. You don’t get to wait around for me every single day. Seriously, you’re both stalkers. You’re already breaking the law by seeking me out before I’m 18. Stop before I call the police and report you for harassment.”

“I don’t think you will,” Esme said gently.

“Oh yeah? What makes you so confident?”

“If that’s what you wanted, you’d have done it already.”

There was a pause. Esme took her chance to hand Carlisle a bag, freeing a hand to caress Rosalie’s arm. “Look, sweetheart. All we’re askin’ for is for you to get to know us. If you get to know us, and you decide you want nothin’ to do with us, we’ll walk away, no questions asked.”

Rosalie considered this for a moment, then looked back and forth at the two of them. “You swear?”

Carlisle traced the cross-my-heart motion on his chest. “Hope to die.”

“Promise,” Esme said firmly.

She let out a sigh. “Fine. But how will it work? I can’t just disappear to go live with you. I’m in my senior year, and my parents would have the mayor turn the city upside-down looking for me.”

“Well, they work ‘til late, right? So we’ll start pickin’ you up from school, and get you back before they come home,” Carlisle said.

“No, you can’t pick me up. Friends will see me getting into some random car. Plus, I’ll have homework...studying....that kinda thing.”

“Ahrite-ahrite,” he nodded. “Responsible, I like it. Education is very impawtant.”

Rosalie rolled her eyes again. “Yeah, it seems to have played a huge role in your life.”

“How about we get you a cell that you can use specifically for us?” Esme asked. “And you can call or text us whenever you’re finished with schoolwork? We can take ya out to eat or...well, do whateva you wanna do.”

Rosalie paused again. “Do I get to pick the phone?”

“Of course,” Esme smiled. She had told Carlisle the bribes would pay off eventually.

“What about your...business?” Rosalie asked curiously. They hadn’t explicitly told her what they did, but she was bright enough to guess.

“We do most of our work at night, anyway,” Esme answered.

And so the months that followed were filled with evening family bonding. Rosalie would call or text, they’d go out to eat, do different things around NYC or Jersey City, drop her home, go take care of business, get home either a little before or after dawn, and sleep while she was at school. She seemed to enjoy her time with them; she never said she was happy to continue allowing them to be in her life, but she never again brought up wanting them to leave her alone, either. So they continued the way they were as her 18th birthday drew closer.

One evening, when the family had gone go-karting, Carlisle noticed Rosalie’s ability to drive with extraordinary speed and precision. He decided to test it out in an actual car, just the two of them, and was thrilled to discover this skill was transferable.

“Guess what, baby?” He approached Esme from behind at their kitchen counter the next afternoon, wrapping his arms around her and resting his chin on her shoulder.

“What?” She smiled sleepily as she prepared breakfast, though it was 1pm.

“I think I’ve found us a driver.”

“Really? Who?”

“Rosie.”

She frowned and pulled away so she could properly look him in the face. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Remember how great she was when we went go-kartin’? Well, I brought her to a track last night and she was amazin’. Turns out she’s actually really into cars — kid knows more about ‘em than me!”

“First of all, drivin’ round an empty racetrack at night is very different from drivin’ the streets when you’re fleein’ a scene or bein’ chased,” Esme said, pulling fully out of his arms and heading for the sink. “Second, Rosie’s goin’ to college.”

“Whadiyamean, she’s goin’ to college?”

“I mean what the fuck I said: she’s goin’ to college!”

“We just got the kid back and now you’re gonna send her off to some otha parta the country to go to college?”

She turned back to him with a glare. “The whole reason we left her in the first place was so that she could have a normal life. College is a normal life.”

“Normal life? She was bounced around from nanny to nanny! We didn’t give her a life with normal parents, we gave her human cash cows and babysitters!”

“Well, at least she was safe.”

“We’d never let anyone hurt her.”

“We couldn’t guarantee that. We still can’t. That’s why she should go to college like the rest of her friends.”

“What, because college is so safe for young girls? Have you neva read a newspaper?”

“Don’t tell me about the dangers young women face,” she practically growled.

“She’d be with us,” he said, his tone much softer. “Where else could possibly be safer for her to be than with the two people who’d die for her?”

She stared at the counter for a moment. “Her 18th is comin’ up,” she said slowly. “That’s her opportunity to decide if she wants to come live with us or not. If she does, she does; if she doesn’t, she goes to college like the private-school kid she is should. But I don’t wanna force her like we did last time. If she chooses us, I want it to be because she chooses us.”

“Okay,” Carlisle smiled, then added, “and she will.”

And she did. She turned 18, deciding to finish out the school year where she had always lived. After graduation, she packed her bags, told the Hales she knew the truth and that she was leaving them for good, and came to live in the Cullano house. The Hales were a little persistent in trying to convince her to come back to them, but it was nothing that couldn’t be solved by sending Emmett, the most intimidating-looking member of the crew, over to their house to smash a couple of things up. As Carlisle had envisioned, Rose started driving for the Cullanos and their team, initially just the occasional, stress-free errand here and there. But she found it brought a certain amount of thrill and excitement her life had been missing, and so she worked her way up to riskier jobs. This trip to Boston would be her riskiest job yet.

“Is everyone done?” Carlisle now asked. Esme still had a slice left over while Rosalie sat with nothing but crust in front of her.

“Mmhmm,” Rose answered. Esme mumbled something about being full.

They gathered their things and headed back to the borrowed Bugatti that Emmett had arranged for them. Though Emmett was a Brooklyn boy, Boston was his father’s city, and he had relatives all around it. Relatives that would be more than happy to see the Cullanos through what they planned to do tonight.

Rosalie set the GPS to their hotel. “How many Ivanovs are there, again?”

“Six— well, 4 Ivanovs, a Petrov and a Ryan,” Esme answered from the back.

“Who’s the head?”

“Mmm, Tatiana. Or at least she thinks she is,” Esme smiled.

“Is she the one who...did she kill Emmett’s dad?” Rosalie met Esme’s eyes in the rear view mirror. She had developed a bit of a soft spot for Emmett over her time with them.

“No,” Carlisle answered instead. “That was Katarina and Garrett.”

“Garrett doesn’t sound very Russian.”

“Garrett is the Ryan. Irish mob, like Emmett’s dad,” Carlisle said.

“They worked together ‘til he fell for Katarina,” Esme added. “So it was a real blow when the two of them killed him. A big betrayal.”

“Then how come no one’s taken them out yet?”

“They’re powerful. Ruthless. Batshit crazy,” Carlisle said.

“Look who’s talking,” Rose said with a slight smile.

“That’s why Emmett’s mother left here and raised him in Brooklyn,” Esme said. “That’s where she grew up, so she knew she’d be safe. The Ivanovs have people everywhere around Boston. And with a target on the back of every McCarthy, stayin’ woulda been a death sentence.”

Rosalie frowned then. “If they’re that bad, what are we doing here? There’s three of us— two, technically, since I’m just the wheels. Those don’t seem like very good odds.”

“There’s also Alice, virtually,” Carlisle reminded. “She’ll be there behind every camera to tell us what we’re dealin’ with.”

“Cool, so she can say, ‘hey guys, you’re about to die’ right before we die. Helpful.”

“It is helpful,” Esme said. “Even the shortest of warnin’s can buy you just enough time to save your life.”

“Besides, we’re not plannin’ a massacre,” Carlisle said. “I’m expectin’ only one to be there. We hit ‘em, we go. Then we’re even for how they fucked us over with the Kiev deal they were supposed to facilitate.”

“So it’s...a blind hit? It doesn’t matter who you get, as long as you get one of them?”

Carlisle nodded. “But it would be...convenient, if it was Tatiana.”

Once they got back to the hotel, they freshened up and changed. The couple pulled out the stuffed bags Emmett had also organised for them. They took only what they needed, a couple of guns and knives each, and shoved the rest back under the bed.

“Don’t forget my favourite,” Carlisle smirked, waving Esme’s thigh holsters in the air.

“Never,” she said, holding up two pistols that were identical to her favourites back home. “Put them on for me?”

He knelt down, lifted up her skirt and strapped one around her right thigh. Then he moved to her left as she slotted her gun into it. After buckling the left one, he ran his hand down her inner thigh, causing her to giggle. Rosalie burst through the door of their adjoining rooms and froze as she registered them, her face immediately screwing up in disgust.

“Oh, for shit’s sake,” she said. “Get a room.”

“This is our room,” Carlisle pointed out.

She rolled her eyes. “Why aren’t you in all-black?”

She was wearing head-to-toe black like they taught her, as she always did. Carlisle was dressed like an office worker from Mad Men, while Esme looked like a housewife from the 50s. Neither of them said anything.

“This isn’t one of your weird sex things, is it? Like, you can’t possibly get off on killing people together?”

The silence continued. “Ugh, don’t answer that.”

They made their way down to the car and Rosalie silently drove them to a street two blocks down from the address they’d given her. As the pair got ready, she drummed her fingers against the wheel.

“You scared?” Carlisle asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“No,” she said, a little too forcefully.

Esme leaned forward into the gap between the two front seats and put a hand under Rosalie’s chin, directing her so she could look at her intently. “Remember the plan. Stay inside the car at all times. Stay put here, lights off, engine off. Only turn it on when you see us. Or when you see people who aren’t us carryin’ guns. If that happens, you drive and you drive and you don’t ever stop. Same goes if we’re gone past, mmm, a half hour. Forty minutes, tops. There’s a loaded gun in the glovebox if you need it. Got it?” Rosalie nodded. “Good.”

“Stay safe, princess,” Carlisle kissed her on the cheek, opening his door. “Love ya.”

He closed the door and Esme took her hand and squeezed it. “Everything will be fine. But in case it isn’t, you know what to do. I love you, sweetheart.”

She nodded wordlessly again. She never said it back; it was probably still too weird for her. But she swallowed tightly. Esme brought the hand she held onto up to her lips and kissed her knuckles. She then let go and opened the door.

“Esme?” Rose choked out just as she was about to close it.

“Yeah, honey?”

“Come back to me, like you did before.”

Now Esme was the one who could do nothing but nod. And with that, she closed the door, and the couple walked off into the night.

223 notes · View notes

mia-decorative · 3 years

Photo

Charleston Drawing Room, 1772, Minneapolis Institute of Art: Decorative Arts, Textiles and Sculpture

Woodwork from the interior of Colonel John Stuart's house at 104 Tradd Street, Charleston S.C. Cypress paneling from the drawing room showing doorways and fireplace with elaborate overmantle, showing French influence. The house was built in 1772. The architectural elements of the Charleston Drawing and Dining Rooms are from a commodious townhouse built in 1772 in Charleston, South Carolina, for Colonel John Stuart, the Commissioner of Indian Affairs for the British government. Like most fashionable houses erected in Charleston in the 18th century, the Stuart house was one room wide and flanked by a balcony - a spatial arrangement that allowed cooling ocean breezes to flow through the interior. This room was originally on the second floor and remains virtually intact. The closed door at the far end of the room initially led to the balcony, and there were windows where two passageways now connect this room with the Charleston Dining Room. This room, the largest in the house, was probably used for dinner parties, dances, and other entertainments. It was originally equipped with costly new furniture made in Charleston and other seaports along the East Coast, such as Boston, Newport, and Philadelphia. The furniture was in the rococo or Chippendale style, named for the English cabinetmaker and designer Thomas Chippendale, and is noted for its sinuous lines and beautifully carved organic ornament. The outstanding quality of the rococo carving over the fireplace and the precise classical proportions of the woodwork were probably executed by the English-trained craftsman Ezra Waite, who was responsible for numerous other pre-revolutionary Charleston interiors. The present arrangement of the room is similar to that of its 1931 installation, when the great silver collectors, James Ford Bell and his wife, Louise Heffelfinger, presented it to the museum. The furniture and decoration of the room reflect the 18th-century taste for fine objects made along the East Coast and England as well as items imported from China. In the 18th century, seating furniture lined the walls when not in use and the floors were left bare. Size: 487 1/2 x 365 1/2 in. (1238.25 x 928.37 cm) Medium: Cypress, paint

https://collections.artsmia.org/art/8024/

#museumarchive #artsmia #minneapolisinstituteofart

7 notes · View notes

jzmn8r · 3 years

Note

🌻

OK YES!!!!!!! HI ASH!!!!!!!

IM GOING TO TELL YOU ABOUT HOW MY (irish) ANCESTORS CAME TO AMERICA AND WHY ITS DRIVINF MW FUCKING INSANE

ok so we set the scene: it’s sometime in the 1840s, the British are being meanie pants to the Irish (as they always have been and still do) and people are fleeing Ireland to get away from those stinky Brits and the famine. Most of them end up on the east coast (primarily Boston but I think Baltimore was a big hub too). My own ancestors came to Baltimore (I think, they may have moved there later and first to new york). They start working for the railroad (b&o railroad represent😤) and are living in a small ass townhouse (if you want to see actual sizing, look for the Irish railroad workers museum in the city) in Baltimore. Years go on and they get a slightly bigger townhouse (we actually know where it was (Baltimore is notorious for tearing down perfectly good old townhouses and leaving up crumbling ones) and I can see where it was on google street view :’) ) where they lived for a while. They actually rented a summer house in the town I live in! We think we know what street it was on but alas we don’t know the address :’(. Sorry, I’m rambling I just love doing this! So yada yada Great Depression blah blah blah modern day: we’re (my mother (and me but later)) looking through old documents on ancestry.com for the Irish side of the family’s family tree. Ancestry was able to pin point the exact towns they were from so that helped a lot. Butttt there’s this one issue: TEHY SONT FUCKING EXIST

you may be thinking to yourself: how is this possible everyone comes from someone right? And you are right ✅✅✅. Except we (this time me too) have gone through every single church and census and ship manifest from the time they were coming over to ye olde America. And guess what: they’re not there. Half of the family doesn’t even show up on the census until 1910 a whole 45-50 years after they showed up in these godless lands!!!!! (We have looked into the possibility that we have the dates wrong for when they came over, and it still doesn’t make sense bc we know ages and they weren’t there anyways) We looked to see if we could any birth certificates and/or marriage certificates from Ireland and: nothing. We searched very census from 1830-1910 (when they first showed up) and nothing. The ship manifest (WE HAVE THE FUCKING MAME OF THE DAMM SHIP HWO IS THIS THAT FOMPLICATED) has nothing on them. These people just appeared in Baltimore. Now yes, there is a rational explanation to this. Simply, the records in Ireland went missing/caught on fire/were destroyed/were brought over to America and are sitting in someone’s attic/basement, and the census wasn’t put into the computer system correctly, and we have the wrong ship name. Buttttttt I like to think that they just spawned in Baltimore and said fuck it. But that is all I can squeeze out of my brain atm and if I think of more ill add it on!

If anyone knows anything about how to find old records or places where it would be good to see old records (besides ancestry) would you mind sharing them? I really want to look more into this :’)

#this is the problem with being a historian #you sometimes can’t find everything #but tbh I think it’s fun!#it’s like being a detective!#but for people who haven’t seen the light of day in 100+ years #everytime we find just the littlest piece of evidence I go apeshit #ash!!!!#thanks for the ask!!

1 note · View note

mrsdr-ethan-ramsey · 5 years

Note

Open Heart MC

full name and why I chose it - Parker B. Kennedy. I love gender neutral names so I picked something where you wouldn’t know her gender just reading it. For the last name, I was going to have her from the East Coast so I gave her a old school lastname, but she’s from the midwest now so she’s an off-brand Kennedy lol

pronouns - She/Her

alignment - Chaotic Good. She means the best but she’s sloppy yet somehow manages to stick the landing?

zodiac sign - Taurus

favourite movie/tv show - Parker lovesss Gilmore Girls and anything happy. It has to be something that will lift her up after a hard day at work. Mystic Pizza is her favorite movie because her mother showed it to her when she was young, so she dreamed about moving to Mystic, CT (She settled for Boston though)

weapon of choice - Ooof, she’s a klutz so probably a flight of stairs to knock someone over like a bowling pin?

love interest(s), if they have one - Ethan Jonah Ramsey 💕

sexuality - Straight, but let's be real not that straight

favourite holiday - Thanksgiving. Parker loves being surrounded by her built family and trying to cook for them (Eventually they just tell her to bring canned cranberries and not try to cook a Turkey)

ideal day - Spending a day with Ethan doing anything. Preferably waking up late and having nothing to do and no one to answer to. After they finally get out of bed, she’d want to go to museums in the area and nerd out with her man.

how is their dream house - A townhouse in Boston that’s super cozy. Parker has always dreamed of owning a real home to make her own, and she loves walking down streets lined with townhouses.

favourite mythological figure - She’s a sucker for Athena. Athena’s a badass and Parker wants to be like her.

comfort food, if they have one - Like a true midwesterner, it’s Chicken Wild Rice Soup and Tater Tot Hotdish (now i really want some..)

description of their favourite outfit - Fall is her favorite season, so she loves being able to wear a pair of jeans, a light sweater, and a pair of sperry sneakers.

faceclaim - Emily VanCamp (Thanks to my roomie watching The Resident I could only see her as my MC)

Thank you for asking (and the others who asked for my OH MC!) 💕

5 notes · View notes

keyprimerealty · 2 months

Text

Discovering Homes for Sale in Walpole, MA

Nestled in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, Walpole offers a blend of suburban charm and modern conveniences, making it an attractive location for homebuyers. Known for its picturesque landscapes, strong community spirit, and excellent school system, Walpole is a prime destination for those seeking a tranquil yet vibrant place to live. If you're considering buying a home in this idyllic town, here's what you need to know about the real estate market in Walpole, MA.

A Glimpse of Walpole

Walpole boasts a rich history dating back to the early 18th century. With its tree-lined streets, beautiful parks, and well-preserved historic buildings, the town exudes a quaint New England charm. Residents enjoy a high quality of life with access to numerous recreational facilities, including the expansive Francis William Bird Park, which offers trails, picnic areas, and playgrounds. The town's proximity to Boston, just 13 miles to the northeast, adds to its appeal, providing easy access to the city's cultural and employment opportunities while maintaining a peaceful suburban atmosphere.

The Real Estate Market

The housing market in Walpole is diverse, offering a range of options from historic Homes For Sale in Walpole MA. As of recent trends, the median home price in Walpole is around $600,000, reflecting the area's desirability and competitive market. The town features a mix of single-family homes, condominiums, and townhouses, catering to different preferences and budgets.

One of the key factors driving demand in Walpole is the town's excellent school system. Walpole Public Schools are highly rated, with a strong emphasis on academic achievement and extracurricular activities. This makes the town particularly attractive to families with school-aged children.

Popular Neighborhoods

Walpole is divided into several neighborhoods, each with its own unique character. East Walpole is known for its historic homes and proximity to Bird Park, offering a blend of old-world charm and modern amenities. North Walpole features more contemporary developments and is conveniently located near major highways, making it ideal for commuters. South Walpole, on the other hand, offers a quieter, more rural atmosphere, with larger lots and a close-knit community feel.

Market Insights and Trends

The real estate market in Walpole has been robust, with steady demand and limited inventory driving home prices up. Buyers should be prepared for a competitive market, where Homes For Sale in Boston MA often receive multiple offers shortly after being listed. Working with a knowledgeable local real estate agent can be a significant advantage, providing insights into market trends, pricing strategies, and negotiation tactics.

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in sustainable and energy-efficient homes. Many new constructions in Walpole incorporate green building practices, such as solar panels, energy-efficient appliances, and environmentally friendly materials. This trend not only aligns with the increasing environmental consciousness of homebuyers but also offers long-term cost savings on utilities.

Final Thoughts

Walpole, MA, is a vibrant and welcoming community that offers a high quality of life, excellent schools, and a variety of housing options. Whether you're looking for a historic home with character or a modern, energy-efficient property, Walpole has something to suit your needs. The town's strong sense of community, combined with its convenient location and beautiful surroundings, makes it an ideal place to call home.

0 notes

prevsapphism · 5 years

Text

An Extremely Detailed Guide to Writing A Character In DC

hey what’s up its ur gal queen morgaine comin atcha live with another Extremely Detailed Guide!

in the wake of shows like veep and house of cards, tons of political and adjacent characters have sprung up round the rpc, many of whom live in Our Nation’s Capital™. i’ve seen guides for how to write characters that live in nyc, la, san francisco and lots of other places, but not for how to write characters that live in dc. but Fear Not! i live here! i’ve been living here for well over five years! i can’t wait to leave!

so here is a LONG-- and i DO mean LONG-- list of Spicy DC Shibboleths you can use to make your character realistic, straight from the mouth of a grudging native. ready?

IF YOUR CHARACTER’S IN DC, THEY SHOULD....

use the metro. the metrorail, called ‘the metro’ by locals, is our version of the t ( boston, ) the tube ( london ) or the subway ( nyc, ) and most locals rely on it to get from point a to point b. much like the other commuter systems listed above, most people use a plastic card, called a SMARTRIP CARD, to pay for fare, which is anywhere from $2 to $6 depending on the time of day. ( the metro charges more for ‘peak hours,’ which is the afternoon / rush hour time period between four and eight pm. ) the metro has numerous stops all throughout washington dc proper, maryland and virginia, and we usually refer to the lines on it by their colour ( eg red, yellow, green. ) unless your character is the queen of sheba and gets carried by servants or has Nerves of Steel and drives everywhere, they probably use the metro to get where they need to go.

.....complain about the metro. this is a huge one. however much your character currently complains about the metro? it’s not enough. they need to complain more. for a system supposed to make travelling easier, the metro sure is awful at working consistently. the metro is a dumpster fire on wheels. and there is always some Bulled Shite going on with it, i promise you. your character’s train is late. your character’s train stopped for no reason on the way to a station. some drunk frat bros from au just got on and they’re being loud and drunk. it’s late and the trains are only running every twenty minutes. your character’s metro track might Literally catch fire. the train your character thought was their train dumped them out at a certain stop and now they have to wait fifteen minutes for another one. the metro SUCKS and we ALL hate it, but we’re STILL Beholden to get on it every Focking day to try to go to work or school because Deep In Our Heart of Hearts, we know that driving here is way worse. so yeah, we accept our fates to get on the HellRail9000 every day, but we’re gonna bitch about it the whole time.

probably not live in dc proper. ‘but queen morgaine, my character is a sexy rich 54-year-old illustrious powerlez politician! she has to have the Best Pad around for miles!!’ i hear ya ( also, is she single? ) but The Fact of The Matter Is, it’s really hard to find somewhere to live in dc proper for a multitude of reasons. for one thing, it’s WICKED expensive. ( though that also means, of course, if your character is loaded, don’t worry about this part. ) for another, dc has succumbed to a terrible gentrification problem, which means that more and more regions in the city are being forcibly transformed in order to make them ‘nicer’ for young up-and-comers, displacing longtime residents in the process. it’s Not Unheard Of for your character to live in dc proper, but it would be more realistic for them to live in its outskirts instead ; and people who live in surrounding areas all say they live in dc anyway. popular areas ( especially for politicians or other well-off characters ) include:

bethesda, maryland. the $8 Coffee Snob Epicentre of the dc metro area. LOTS of rich people here. expensive to live in. tons of Chic Fancy Restaurants, lots of cutesy expensive boutique shops ( like sugarfina, lululemon, anthropologie and sweetgreen ) lots of wealthy older ladies walking dogs in Athleisure. very expensive and prestigious private schools here too, like stone ridge and sidwell friends school, but also a few very large public ones, such as bethesda-chevy chase ( bcc. ) the national institute of health headquarters are also here. probably your top-tier best bet for a rich or otherwise Well-Off character. about fifteen minutes into dc proper via metro.

chevy chase, maryland. super nice, though a little on the Pricey side. people here tend to be more Modest about their money, so this area is pretty affluent, it’s not as hoity-toity as bethesda. awesome shopping-- right next to friendship heights in dc, which has lots of high-end stores like jimmy choo, bloomingdale’s, whole foods, etc. about five to ten minutes to friendship heights, fifteen to twenty minutes via metro into downtown dc. ( it’s also right next to the region with the same name in dc. )

kensington and garett park, maryland. i used to live here!! quiet and VERY cute. kensington has an adorable historic district down a hill, with a tea room and 'antique row,’ a block of vintage shops. east of bethesda, about ten minutes there by car. beautiful brightly-coloured victorian houses here. has a Small Town Feel and lots of kid-friendly Wholesome activities, so lots of older people and families with young kids live in these areas. huge beautiful art and music venue, strathmore, is here as well. about thirty-five to forty minutes into dc proper via metro.

arlington, virginia. i don’t go here very often so i can’t Vouch for it as hard but my dad used to work here so i’ll try. probably the most Work-Focused and Capital-G Government area outside dc. mid-tier expensive, but not a whole lot to do other than work or go to school from the Overwhelming Presence of federal buildings, colleges, and businesses here which makes it a less popular choice. big area, proximity to dc ranges depending on what part of arlington you’re in-- anywhere from five or ten minutes or half an hour away via metro.

alexandria, virginia. sort of like arlington, but prettier. i don’t go here much either, but it’s also a popular choice for those working in dc but wanting to stay in virginia. its Main Hangout, old town alexandria, sits right on the potomac waterfront, and supplies most of the area’s non-work activities. has lots of ~Small Town Charm~, cute bars and restaurants and a couple niche museums, like the apothecary musuem. lots of bakeries here as well. also mid-tier expensive. about forty minutes away from dc via metro.

if your character isn’t a rich politician or is otherwise just Dead-Set on living IN dc, here are some popular areas in the city itself, from most to least expensive.

georgetown. EASILY the Most Elite, Absolute Ritziest and overall Top-Tier Prestigious neighbourhood in the district. means most of its denizens are wealthy snobs, and the cost of living here is astronomical-- if bethesda has $8 coffee, georgetown’s are $8.50, before tax. georgetown is very hilly, full of townhouses and paved with cobblestones, so your character will probably do a lot of walking and stair-climbing. it’s always busy, and even though the snobby people irritate me every time i go, the shops ( lush!! sephora!! dr. martens!! ) and 700 bakeries with adorable treats ( sprinkles cupcakes!! baked and wired!! ) keep me from staying away completely.

jinx proof, a wicked good tattoo parlour, is here as well!!

downtown dc. probably what you think of when you think of ‘washington dc,’ because most of what makes dc dc is down here, as you might imagine. has the capitol building, most of the museums, chinatown, the white house and ford’s theatre. SUPER expensive because of this.

dupont circle. my personal favourite area of dc, just a few minutes down the block from downtown. lots of great food and shopping-- fantom comics, my favourite comic book store, beefsteak, a vegan restaurant are some of my Usual Haunts here. mid-tier expensive.

it’s also a historic Gaybourhood: one of the earliest lgbt protest marches and the first real dyke march Ever was held here in 1993! capital pride is also hosted here every year.

capitol hill. despite the name, not the austere, cutthroat Essence of DC Politics you’d probably think. pretty quiet, lots of row houses ( something dc is famous for, see the ‘bits and bobs’ section at the end here. ) lots of ~Indie~ businesses and coffee shops. was home to phase 1, the area’s oldest lesbian bar, till it closed in 2016 ( rip mama!!!! ) mid-to-lower-tier expensive.

u street / cardozo. ah, U Street, my Other Home. great food here, like sugar shack donuts and ben’s chilli bowl. but u street’s Star Attraction is most of dc’s music scene, most notably All Flavours of rock ( esp punk, ) indie and alternative--i spent almost all of my teenage years Cavorting About till the wee hours of the morning on school nights at concerts, parties and diy shows on u street. mid-to-lower-tier expensive.

adams morgan. also an Artsy Hangout in dc. lots of restaurants and bars, lots of Weird Shops, has the adam’s morgan festival every year. home to a gay bar, pitcher’s, and dc’s newest lesbian bar, a league of her own! mid-to-lower tier expensive.

georgia avenue / petworth. most of my friends who live in dc proper live here. not a Designated Gaybourhood but lots of gay people, there’s a lesbian party at a bar here every month. lots of animal shelters. good bar scene and ample public transport. right next to howard university, so quite student-heavy, but pretty quiet. lower-tier expensive.

takoma park. i also love it here. ~Technically~ just called takoma, but since it’s mixed with the super-close town in maryland, takoma park, locals tend to just. call it that. quiet and relaxed HippieTown, called ‘the berkeley of the east’ and ‘the people’s republic of takoma park’ with good reason-- lots of Greenie Boutique Places, lots of hybrid cars and ~Progressive~ ally lawn signs. adorable food co-op and tons of bookstores. pretty inexpensive.

none of these Jive with your character and you Really wanna get Spicy, they could could always live in baltimore and get the marc train ( another lightrail serving the dc, maryland and west virginia areas ) every day for a half-hour commute to dc.

have Opinions about food. greater dc has a very strong restaurant and food scene, made easily accessible by the metro. there’s ALWAYS something cool to eat in dc anywhere you go, and we love telling people about it.

said Food Opinions are often very divisive, and people argue their side with as much Fervour as those debating pineapple on pizza. for example, one thing people fight about here is mumbo sauce: ‘are you for or against,’ ‘what exactly is it and what do you put it on,’ etc. the one i get dragged into is ‘georgetown cupcake vs baked and wired.’ my dad’s staunchly pro-baked and wired and anti-georgetown cupcake, i love ‘em both, but every time we’re in georgetown we bicker.

never fall short of things to do. like i said, dc is ALWAYS bustling on any given day. sure, a lot of it’s expensive and very often alcohol-focused ( like nyc, we do a lot of wine and beer tastings, cocktail parties and galas ) or otherwise geared towards adults, but if you hop on the metro or a bus, you’re almost guaranteed to find something. see the ‘places of note’ bullet here for some ideas.

have gone to a museum at least once. the area surrounding the national mall and capitol building also has our museums, which are owned by the smithsonian institution. they’re the first place i reach for when i want something to do, and i’ve been going to them so frequently and for so long that james smithson is practically my third parent lol. they are free, which is what makes them so hugely popular, and the Big Three are the national museum of natural history, the national air and space museum, and the national gallery of art. everyone who comes to dc goes to at least one, even if they never go again, and if your character lives here, they’ll probably go to several. ( they also make great date spots, fyi. )

have Opinions about the national cherry blossom festival. dc has lots of cherry blossom trees along the tidal basin and potomac river, given to us as a token of friendship by japan in march of 1912. to celebrate, the national cherry blossom festival is held every spring from late march to early april when the trees are in peak bloom. it isn’t so much a Hard and Fast Festival but more of a fourteen-day period with various cherry blossom- and japanese-themed events, like kite-flying, marathons and sake-tasting with a Great Big Street Fair at the end. people flock to dc every spring just for the cherry blossoms, and most locals either love it, take five billion photos and celebrate with thematic cupcakes and cocktails, or Loudly hate it and call it an overhyped tourist trap ( while still sneaking their annual cherry blossom pic for facebook On The Sly. ) your character should probably be one or the other, i don’t know a lot of neutrals.

probably not call it ‘washington dc.’ if your character does call it that, it should be a defining trait and / or signify that they’re new or visiting. no one here calls it that, we either call it just ‘dc’ or ‘the district.’ it’s not Sacrilege, like calling boston ‘beantown’ ( yuck ) or san francisco ‘frisco,’ more like calling nyc ‘the big apple’-- we just think you sound like a dweeb.

complain a LOT. however much your character is complaining, it’s not enough. they need to complain more. dc locals are ALWAYS complaining about something, in a way similar to a cranky new yorker. i’ve never known a dc local, especially an office worker, who wasn’t complaining every five seconds about one thing or another, and this is largely attributed to its wealthy, ambitious and politically-driven population-- most of us here are Important Individuals, or think we are ; so unfortunately lots of people look down upon those who are not also doing Important People Things.......and end up acting like entitled brats as a result. the metro, like i said, is the biggest one, but other topics of District Annoyance include--

the president’s motorcade. not super common, but takes forever and holds up traffic.

the beltway. the interstate 495, typically just called the beltway, is a highway that makes a loop around dc, as well as the surrounding areas of maryland and virginia. almost always road construction, an accident or traffic no matter what time of day it is and it’s just Generally Terrible. if your character is driving, they’ll probably complain about the beltway.

interns. dc has TONS of interns, especially in the spring and summer. most of them are between the ages of twenty-two to twenty-five, and they come here to work in government buildings or for specific senators and representatives. the most popular place to intern is capitol hill, so ‘interning on the hill’ is something your character will hear or say a lot. most locals don’t like them because they’re super arrogant about what they’re doing and can’t go five seconds without bringing it up.

DC’S STREET SYSTEM AND THE QUADRANTS.

the city of dc is shaped like a broken diamond, and split into four sections, called quadrants: northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest, with the capitol building marking the middle.

maryland borders the north half of the quadrant, generally, and virginia the south.

dc streets run three ways: east-west, north-south, and diagonally, and the streets are named with numbers, letters ( excluding j, x, and z, ) states or a combination.

lettered streets go east-west, numbered streets go north-south, and diagonal streets have state names.

the national mall runs west and east, respectively, away from the capitol so all the east-west letter streets run next to or parallel to them.

starting with the capitol, the first east-west streets north and south of the capitol are called a st, the second east-west streets north and south of the capitol are called b st, the third is c st, etc.

because there are two of the same number or letter street, you should include the quadrant if you’re mailing something or giving an address. like ‘555 k street nw, washington dc 42069.’

if that sounds confusing, it is. here’s a diagram that might help.

now that i’m done with specific traits, here are some Places of Note in dc you can set your threads in and your character can frequent!!

the smithsonian museums. i can’t make this list without putting my Beloved smithsonian museums first, sorry! they’re all wicked sick, but i’m particularly fond of the natural history museum ( which recently got new ocean and fossil halls i’ve been obsessed with, ) all of the art galleries ( we have five ) and the brand new african-american museum!

politics and prose and kramerbooks. politics and prose is a dc-based bookstore with its Main Store in chevy chase, but has locations in a couple other parts of dc. it also has smaller satellite stores that are part of busboys and poets, a combination restaurant and spoken-word venue. kramerbooks is a single independent bookstore in dupont circle. it’s open super late and has a cafe, called afterwords, on top!!

georgetown cupcake. like i said, it’s a cupcake bakery headquartered in georgetown, with a bethesda location as well! known for its Cute Ass Pink Boxes.

the wharf. waterfront entertainment district in southwest, popular with rich people. awesome music venue, the anthem, where i’ve seen florence + the machine and kt tunstall but it’s primarily fancy restaurants, high-end shopping and cocktail bars, including a milk bar.

baked and wired. like i said, georgetown cupcake’s rival. REALLY BIG cupcakes, which it calls ‘cakecups,’ with flavours like ‘uniporn and rainhoes’ and ‘chocolate doom.’

the black cat. goth / punk music venue and entertainment space on u street. i went to my first ever Capital-G Goth Event here shortly after i turned fourteen!! i love this place a lot and i hung out here all the time in high school. lots of great diy or less-mainstream artists play here, like waxahatchee, ex hex and daughter, and i go to their smiths vs the cure and depeche mode-themed parties every year.

the 9.30 club. the black cat’s cleaner and slightly hipper older sister, just a few blocks away on u street. i also love this place dearly and saw most of the concerts i’ve been to here, including haim, kate nash, new politics, the vaccines and sleigh bells. this is where most big indie and alternative bands play when they come to dc. there’s a coffee bar on the topmost area!!

the satellite room. 1960s-themed diner right behind the 9.30 club. open really late, awesome food especially vegan milkshakes and really cool arcade games in the back!! been here after many a concert In My Day.

nellie’s sports bar. gay sports bar across the street from the 9.30 club. great food and awesome drag brunch!! can be really crowded on weekend evenings though, so proceed with caution.

pitchers / a league of her own. gay bar and lesbian bar in the basement of said gay bar respectively in adams morgan. i’ve not been yet, but i’ve heard it’s fantastic!

strathmore. art and music venue in bethesda / kensington. has a mansion, for small concerts and a tea room, and a huge beautiful concert hall that seats over a thousand people for symphonic and other bigger concerts.

eastern market. craft fair in capitol hill that sells handmade goods, artisan food and fresh produce from may to october, roughly. great Wares, but hot and miserable unless you go early.

fantom comics. adorable comic book store in dupont circle. i’ve also been coming here for ages!! it has mainstream comics and indie ones, and it hosts events as well!

bits and bobs / miscellaneous info--

montgomery county in maryland, where i live, has a five-cent charge for plastic bags in grocery stores. it’s really annoying and your character will probably lie to the self-checkout machines when they buy stuff or complain about it to cashiers.

the grocery stores here are giant ( litcherally just stop and shop with a different name, ) safeway, and wegmans. we also have smaller region-specific ones like mom’s organic market, magruders and yes!

ocean city in maryland, virginia beach in, Well, Virginia, and rehoboth, dewey, lewes and bethany beaches, which are all in delaware, are where most locals go for summer vacations.

almost everyone who says they live in dc, doesn’t actually live in dc. they usually live in a surrounding area, like bethesda or silver spring, and say ‘dc’ for brevity’s sake.

you can’t buy alcohol at a grocery store in maryland, but you can in dc and virginia.

sometimes metro stops will Randomly shut down for maintenance, which means that sometimes you have to get off at that stop and wait for a ‘shuttle’ ( aka a free bus ) to take you to the next one. it’s the worst thing ever.

most of the houses in dc proper are row houses, which more closely resemble nyc’s brownstones than row houses elsewhere. maryland and virginia tend to have more Real Live Houses, townhouses and apartments.

marylanders LOVE their state flag for some reason, and because so many of them live and work in dc, you’re bound to see it there too. the maryland flag is absolutely FUCK-UGLY and they plaster it on EVERYTHING. bumper stickers, keychains, phone cases, you name it, even board shorts and tank tops.

those cameras on traffic lights that take pix of you when you speed? everywhere. you WILL end up with a ticket from one eventually.

we have three international airports, reagan international, dulles international and bwi. dulles and reagan are metro accessible, but bwi is in baltimore, so it’s not.

so there you have it!! a Comprehensive List of DC Shibboleths from a dc local!! have fun, and feel free to tag me in or tell me about your headcanons you use this post for, i’d love to see them!!

#⚢ ♡ mondo mama brains!! ( ooc. )#i worked rlly hard on this and if it flops im gna b pissed lmfao.#okay now tags for static -#halechief #caustis #political rp #house of cards rp #veep rp #political animals rp #rph #roleplay help #dearindies #thewelshbitchrph #washington dc #dc #dmv #maryland #virginia #dc rp

23 notes · View notes

bountyofbeads · 5 years

Text

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7352813/amp/Ghislaine-Maxwell-consort-Jeffrey-Epstein-living-mansion-outside-Boston.html

EXCLUSIVE: Ghislaine Maxwell's respectable new life: Jeffrey Epstein's long-time consort and the alleged procurer of his underage victims has been living with 43-year-old tech CEO at his secluded $3M oceanfront mansion outside of Boston(PHOTOS)

By Louise Boyle In New York | 13:47 14 Aug 2019, updated 22:38 14 Aug 2019 |

Dailymail.com | Posted August 14, 2019

Ghislaine Maxwell, 57, has been hiding out at a secluded $3M oceanfront property in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal

The property is owned by her tech CEO boyfriend Scott Borgerson, 43, who has been seen running errands in the area and walking Maxwell's dog

The British socialite was a long-time consort of Jeffrey Epstein and the alleged procurer of victims in his underage sex trafficking ring

Maxwell hasn't been seen publicly in three years and hasn't left the home amid new focus on Epstein's alleged co-conspirators following his apparent suicide on Saturday

'She's become a real homebody, rarely ventures out. She's the antithesis of the woman who traveled extensively and partied constantly with Epstein,' a source familiar with Maxwell's new life exclusively told DailyMail.com

Maxwell is alleged to be one of the main players in a network of recruiters and enablers who provided Epstein with underage girls to sexually abuse

In July, Maxwell filed a request to stop the unsealing of 2,000 pages connected to a defamation lawsuit filed against her by Virginia Giuffre, who has accused Epstein of keeping her as a sex slave when she was a teenager

Giuffre claimed Maxwell directed her to have sex with people including former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, former U.S. Senator George Mitchell, modeling agent Jean Luc Brunel and financier Glenn Dubin

Maxwell called the claims 'entirely false' and the case was settled out of court

Ghislaine Maxwell, long-time consort of Jeffrey Epstein and the alleged procurer of victims in his underage sex trafficking ring, has been laying low in a New England beach town, DailyMail.com has learned exclusively.

Maxwell, 57, is in a relationship with Scott Borgerson, 43, and has been living with him at his secluded oceanfront property at the end of a long private road in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts.

The British socialite has been loath to leave the $3 million mansion, a source told DailyMail.com amid heightened focus on Epstein's alleged co-conspirators following the convicted pedophile's apparent suicide on Saturday.

'She's become a real homebody, rarely ventures out. She's the antithesis of the woman who traveled extensively and partied constantly with Epstein,' said a source familiar with Maxwell's new life.

Little was known of Maxwell's whereabouts since she was last seen publicly three years ago as a multitude of reports claimed she had been living abroad, perhaps in London.

Her former townhouse on the Upper East Side of Manhattan was sold for $15 million in 2016, by a company with the same address as Epstein's New York office.

The spotlight has now swung to Maxwell, and other alleged co-conspirators of Epstein, following the convicted pedophile's apparent suicide in a Manhattan jail cell on Saturday.

Attorney General Bill Barr issued a stark warning to Epstein's cronies on Monday and made clear that federal investigators were coming for them.

'Let me assure you that this case will continue on against anyone who was complicit with Epstein. Any co-conspirators should not rest easy,' Barr said. 'The victims deserve justice and they will get it.'

Epstein, 66, was accused of arranging for girls, some as young as 14, to perform nude 'massages' and other sex acts, and of paying some of those girls to recruit others, between 2002 and 2005.

Epstein had employees who helped bring him girls, prosecutors have said, though none have been criminally charged.

Maxwell, 57, described as the 'madam of the house' by a former housekeeper at Epstein's mansion in Palm Beach, Florida, has strenuously denied any wrongdoing but reports now suggest she may be ready to co-operate with the authorities.

However, following Epstein's death, legal sources have said that many of those deals could now be off the table.

Former federal prosecutor, Jacob S. Frenkel, told the AP: 'Those who had leverage as potential cooperators in the case now find themselves as the primary targets.

'They no longer have anyone against whom to cooperate.'

Maxwell's lawyer, Jeff Pagliuca, has not responded to requests for an interview with Maxwell by DailyMail.com.

The socialite's New England hideaway is an imposing three-story colonial property with five-bedrooms, wraparound terraces and sweeping grounds which reach to the ocean. The property is owned by tech CEO and maritime academic Dr Scott Borgerson.

Borgerson was seen by DailyMail.com in July running errands in the affluent community of Manchester-by-the-Sea, a half-hour drive from Boston.

Later, he was seen walking Maxwell's dog on Boston Common near his apartment where he lives during the week while running his company, Cargometrics, an investment management firm that specializes in analyzing data on global shipping.

The former Coast Guard officer, is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He was married and is believed to have two children.

Borgenson did not respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment when first contacted, but following publication he claimed: 'I'm traveling abroad for business. Ghislaine Maxwell is not at my home and I don't know where she is.'

Maxwell has not been seen publicly in around three years since she faded from the New York social scene she once reveled in with Epstein.

The British aristocrat facilitated Epstein's entry to the rarefied worlds of royalty, politics and celebrity, cementing his friendships with Prince Andrew, Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Woody Allen, to name a few.

Maxwell is the youngest child of the late newspaper magnate Robert Maxwell. She attended the boarding school Marlborough College in Wiltshire, England, a favorite of the British elite, and went on to study at Oxford University.

In her twenties, she was a well-known face on London's social scene and founded the Kit Kat Club, an alternative to the old-school-tie network for high-powered women.

She worked for her father's newspaper, The European, and as the director of Oxford United Football Club while her father was owner.

In 1991, Robert Maxwell drowned in mysterious circumstances after falling off his yacht named the Lady Ghislaine.

It emerged that his newspaper empire was built on the proceeds of epic criminality, which had seen him defraud its pension fund of almost half a billion pounds.

Vilified in the UK, where Robert Maxwell's victims were angered by the lavish lifestyle his family had enjoyed at their expense, his youngest daughter relocated to New York, where she took up residence in a small apartment, and set about re-inventing herself.

In the early Nineties, she took up with Epstein, a Gatsby-like financial whiz, who reportedly only managed the money of clients who could invest $1 billion. His sole publicly-named client is Les Wexner, the owner of L Brands which includes Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works.

In 1991, Robert Maxwell drowned in mysterious circumstances after falling off his yacht named the Lady Ghislaine.

It emerged that his newspaper empire was built on the proceeds of epic criminality, which had seen him defraud its pension fund of almost half a billion pounds.

Maxwell operated as part-girlfriend, part-employee, orchestrating Epstein's social life. Epstein supported Maxwell and helped her remain in the social position she had grown accustom to from her upbringing.

'Ghislaine floated in and out of the house with the keys, and even though Jeffrey told me they didn't have a sexual relationship, she'd drop under her breath that she was sleeping in his bed from time to time' one Epstein ex-girlfriend told Vanity Fair this week.

The pair partied with Donald Trump and Melania at Mar-A-Lago and threw lavish dinners at Epstein's Upper East Side townhouse, attended by Woody Allen, Katie Couric, Chelsea Handler, David Blaine and Google co-founder Sergey Brin, among others.

The jet-setting financier also hobnobbed with Trump allies Wilbur Ross, Steve Mnuchin and Rudy Giuliani at a Hamptons film screening in 2010, just two months after his release from prison in Florida.

It was revealed on Monday that Epstein bragged last year to a New York Times columnist about having 'dirt' on his rich and powerful associates.

The overriding impression I took away from our roughly 90-minute conversation was that Mr Epstein knew an astonishing number of rich, famous and powerful people, and had photos to prove it,' Times staffer James B. Stewart wrote.

'He also claimed to know a great deal about these people, some of it potentially damaging or embarrassing, including details about their supposed sexual proclivities and recreational drug use.'

In 2008, Epstein was offered a secret deal to avoid federal prosecution and pleaded guilty to state charges of soliciting an underage girl for sex.

As part of that deal, federal prosecutors agreed not to charge 'any potential co-conspirators of Epstein'.

He served 13 months in county jail in Palm Beach, Florida and registered as a sex offender. During his sentence, he was allowed to work from his office most days.

The deal was cut by Alex Acosta, then U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. He resigned from his current role as Trump's Secretary of Labor in the fallout from the Epstein case.

On July 6, FBI investigators broke down the doors of Epstein's $77 million New York home after he was arrested on his private jet at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey following a flight from Paris.

A search of Epstein's home turned up hundreds of pictures of nude women, some of them minors, along with cash, diamonds, valuable art and an expired Austrian passport with Epstein's face but someone else's name, claiming Saudi Arabia as place of residence, according Geoffrey Berman, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.

Maxwell is alleged to be one of the main players in a network of recruiters and enablers who provided Epstein with those underage girls to sexually abuse.

In July, Maxwell filed a request with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit asking them to reconsider a decision made earlier in the month to unseal 2,000 pages connected to a civil defamation lawsuit filed against her by Virginia Giuffre, who has accused Epstein of keeping her as a sex slave when she was a teenager.

#jeffrey epstein #latest news #news #trending news #u. s. politics #u.s. news #uknews #uk #uk news

4 notes · View notes

hennyjolzen · 5 years

Link

Bridget Bate Tichenor (born Bridget Pamela Arkwright Bate) (November 22, 1917 – October 20, 1990), also known as Bridget Tichenor or B.B.T., was a Mexican surrealist painter of fantastic art in the school of magic realism and a fashion editor. Born in Paris and of British descent, she later embraced Mexico as her home.[1]

Bate was the daughter of Frederick Blantford Bate (c. 1886–1970) and Vera Nina Arkwright (1883–1948), who was also known as Vera Bate Lombardi. Although born in France, she spent her youth in England and attended schools in England, France, and Italy. She moved to Paris at age 16, to live with her mother, where she worked as a model for Coco Chanel.[2] She lived between Rome and Paris from 1930 until 1938.

Fred Bate carefully guided his daughter with her art. He recommended she attend the Slade School in London, and visited her later at the Contembo Ranch in Mexico. Fred Bate's close friend, surrealist photographer Man Ray, photographed her at different stages of her modeling career from Paris to New York.[3][4]

Vera Bate Lombardi is said to have been the public relations liaison to the royal families of Europe for Coco Chanel between 1925 and 1938.[2] Her grandmother, Rosa Frederica Baring (1854–1927) was a member of the Baring banking family, being a great-granddaughter of Sir Francis Baring (1740–1810), the founder of Barings Bank, and Bridget Bate was therefore related to many British and European aristocratic families.[5]

Bate married Hugh Joseph Chisholm at the Chisholm family home, Strathgrass in Port Chester, New York on October 14, 1939.[6] It was an arranged marriage, devised by her mother Vera through Cole Porter and his wife Linda's introduction, in order to remove Bate from Europe and the looming threat of the World War II.[7] They had a son in Beverly Hills, California on December 21, 1940 named Jeremy Chisholm.[8] H. Jeremy Chisholm was a noted businessman and equestrian in the US, United Kingdom and Europe, who was married to Jeanne Vallely-Lang Suydam and father to James Lang-Suydam Chisholm when he died in Boston in 1982.[9]

In 1943, Bate was a student at the Art Students League of New York and studying under Reginald Marsh along with her friends, the painters Paul Cadmus and George Tooker.[10] Acquaintances have described Bate during this time as "striking",[11] "glamorous",[10] and a "long-stemmed beauty with large azure eyes and sumptuous black hair".[12] She lived in an apartment at the Plaza Hotel and wore clothes by Manhattan couturier Hattie Carnegie.[13] It was around this time that the author Anaïs Nin wrote about her infatuation with Bate in her personal diary.[14][15] Bate was at a party in the Park Avenue apartment of photographer George Platt Lynes, a friend who used her as a subject in his photographs, when she met Lynes' assistant, Jonathan Tichenor, in 1943.[13] They started an affair in 1944 when her husband was away and working overseas for the US government. She divorced Chisholm on December 11, 1944 and moved into an Upper East Sidetownhouse in Manhattan that she shared with art patron Peggy Guggenheim.[16] She married Jonathan Tichenor in 1945, taking his last name to become known as Bridget Bate Tichenor, and they moved into an artist's studio at 105 MacDougal Street in Manhattan.[16]

Bate Tichenor's painting technique was based upon 16th-century Italian tempera formulas that artist Paul Cadmus taught her in New York in 1945, where she would prepare an eggshell-finished gesso ground on masonite board and apply (instead of tempera) multiple transparent oil glazes defined through chiaroscurowith sometimes one hair of a #00 sable brush.[14] Bate Tichenor considered her work to be of a spiritual nature, reflecting ancient occult religions, magic, alchemy, and Mesoamerican mythology in her Italian Renaissance style of painting.[17]

The cultures of Mesoamerica and her international background would influence the style and themes of Bate Tichenor's work as a magic realist painter in Mexico.[18] She was among a group of surrealist and magic realist female artists who came to live in Mexico in the late 1940s and early 1950s.[7] Her introduction to Mexico was through a cousin she had first met in Paris in the 1930s: Edward James, the British surrealist art collector and sponsor of the magazine Minotaure. James lived in Las Pozas, San Luis Potosí, and his home in Mexico had an enormous surrealist sculpture garden with natural waterfalls, pools and surrealist sculptures in concrete.[19] In 1947, James invited her to visit him again at his home Xilitia, near Tampico in the rich Black Olmec culture of the Gulf Coast. He had urged her for many years to receive secret spiritual initiations that he had undergone, and a lifetime change and new artistic direction resulted from her epiphanies during this trip.[11] After visiting Mexico, Bate Tichenor obtained a divorce in 1953 from her second husband, Jonathan Tichenor, and moved to Mexico in the same year, where she made her permanent home and lived for the rest of her life.[14] She left her marriage and job as a professional fashion and accessories editor for Vogue[12] behind and was now alongside expatriate painters such as Leonora Carrington, Remedios Varo, Alice Rahon, and photographer Kati Horna.[1]

Having lived in varied European and American cultures with multiple identities reflecting her life passages, Bate Tichenor recognized the Pre-Columbian cycles of creation, destruction, and resurrection that echoed the events of the catastrophes of her own life mounted within the dismantling and reconstructive context of two World Wars.[14] The openness of Mexico at that time fueled her personal expectations of a future filled with endless artistic inspiration in a truly new world founded upon metaphysics, where a movement of societal, political, and spiritual ideals were being immortalized in the arts.[14]

At the time of Bate Tichenor's move to Mexico in 1953, she began what would become a lifetime journey through her art and mysticism, inspired by her belief in ancestral spirits, to achieve self-realization.[14] While painting alone and in isolation, she removed her familiar and societal masks to find her own personal human and spiritual identities; she would then reposition those hidden identities with new masks and characters in her paintings that represented her own sacred beliefs and truths.[14] This guarded internal process of self-discovery and fulfillment was allegorically portrayed with a cast of mythological characters engaged in magical settings. She painted a dramatization of her own life and quests on canvas through an expressive visual language and an artistic vocabulary that she kept secret.[14]

In 1958, she participated in the First Salon of Women's Art at the Galerías Excelsior of Mexico, together with Carrington, Rahon, Varo, and other contemporarywomen painters of her era.[20] That same year, she bought the Contembo ranch near the remote village of Ario de Rosales, Michoacán where she painted reclusively with her extensive menagerie of pets until 1978.[7]

Bate Tichenor counted painters Carrington, Alan Glass, Zachary Selig and artist Pedro Friedeberg among her closest friends and artistic contemporaries in Mexico.[21]

Between 1982 and 1984, Bate Tichenor lived in Rome and painted a series of paintings titled Masks, Spiritual Guides, and Dual Deities.[14] Her final years were spent at her home in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico.[14]

4 notes · View notes

partwildflower · 5 years

Text

10 of London’s must-visit secret art galleries

Whether you’re looking for on-the-rise artists or the Western world’s most esteemed Old Masters, London’s art trail never disappoints. Its landmark museums and galleries are strangers to no-one – but swap a day at the Tate for a clutch of lesser-known galleries, to experience the city’s creative flair from a cutting-edge, and often far less crowded angle.

Pedro Reyes at the Lisson Gallery, 27 Bell Street, London. Image courtesy of Lisson Gallery/Pedro Reyes

Lisson Gallery

Since its opening in 1967, Lisson Gallery has brought celebrated artists to the forefront of London’s art scene, with Anish Kapoor, Lee Ufan, Ai Weiwei and Richard Deacon just some of the internationally-acclaimed names to have made their mark within its clean, all-white interiors. Perfectly placed between Edgware Road station and Regent’s Park, it’s a must-visit for anyone making their rounds of Marylebone’s upscale boutiques and landmark museums.

Address: 67 Lisson St, Marylebone, London NW1 5DA

Maureen Paley

Wander east of the capital’s hip-and-happening Shoreditch to find this small gem of a gallery, hidden away in a warehouse-style building so discreet and nondescript, that anyone searching for it would almost certainly walk right past its door. A moment’s walk from Bethnal Green station and garden, its red-brick façade conceals fascinating interiors, however, as it shows off the ground-breaking multimedia works of contemporary artists, including Turner prize winners Wolfgang Tillmans and Gillian Wearing.

Address: 21 Herald St, London E2 6JT

Dulwich Picture Gallery, London. Image courtesy of Dulwich Picture Gallery/Adam Scott

Dulwich Picture Gallery

Founded in 1811, this quaint Dulwich hub is the world’s first purpose-built art gallery that houses more than 600 paintings to date. From the works of Rembrandt, Canaletto, Rubens and Fragonard across its permanent collection, to its fascinating themed exhibitions, talks and community-led learning programmes, it’s an institution within its local community and a landmark destination for fine art-lovers – yet retains its under-the-radar status, particularly by way of its location, tucked away near Dulwich Park in leafy southeast London.

Address: Gallery Rd, London SE21 7AD

Victoria Miro

Spread across a former furniture factory in Hoxton and a classic red-brick building behind Sotheby’s in Mayfair, Victoria Miro is perhaps best known amongst modern art fanatics for housing the playfully dotted sculptures of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. Since its conception in the 1980s, it has also been graced by the works of Grayson Perry, Isaac Julien, Idris Khan, and more international names boasting varied portfolios of paintings, sculptures, photography and cinematic installations.

Address: 16 Wharf Rd, Hoxton, London N1 7RW

‘Leaving the Theatre’ by Carlo Carra (1910) at the Estorick Collection, London. Image courtesy of Estorick Collection

Estorick Collection

A London go-to for acquainting yourself with modern Italian art at its finest, the Estorick Collection opened in 1998 within the walls of a Grade II listed Georgian townhouse, to exhibit Futurist artwork alongside figurative art and sculptures from the late 1800s to the 1950s. Its carefully curated exhibitions are thoughtful and exemplary, with famous names such as Modigliani, Emilio Greco and Marcello Geppetti displaying the influence and power of Italian art and culture.

Address: 39A Canonbury Square, London N1 2AN

Hauser & Wirth

Though it has no fewer than nine venues across the world, set in everything from an impressive Gstaad chalet to a converted Somerset farm, Hauser & Wirth remains an independent gallery offering a refreshing take on contemporary art. Located in a sought-after central London location – the prestigious Savile Row – it presents the works of both emerging and established talent, with an impressive roster that includes Paul McCarthy, Fausto Melotti and Fabio Mauri. Expect spectacular diversity across the board – from the themes explored, to the mediums showcased, to the many origins and stories of its international artists.

Address: 23 Savile Row, Mayfair, London W1S 2ET

‘Loie Hollowell: Dominant / Recessive’ at Pace Gallery, London. Image courtesy of Pace Gallery/Damian Griffiths

Pace Gallery

Situated between Piccadilly Circus and Green Park tube stations, Pace Gallery enjoys a central location in a wing of the Royal Academy of Arts. Founded in Boston in 1960, you’ll find its venues across New York, Hong Kong, Beijing, Seoul, Palo Alto and Geneva – making it rather well-known amongst seasoned art followers, yet unknown enough for you to enjoy a relatively crowd-free day of art-viewing in the Big Smoke.

Address: 6 Burlington Gardens, Mayfair, London W1S 3ET

The Crypt Gallery

A goose bump-inducing site of historic wonder, the Crypt of St Pancras Paris Church has been used throughout its 200-year-old history as a burial site and air raid shelter, before its most recent transformation into a gallery space – leading the way for imaginative art venues in central London. Wander its vaulted underground pathways to explore its thought-provoking programme of 21st-century art exhibitions and immersive dance performances.

Address: Euston Rd, Kings Cross, London NW1 2BA

‘A Coin in Nine Hands – Part 1’ (2017) at Large Glass, London. Image courtesy of Large Glass

Large Glass Gallery

Open Wednesday to Saturday, this Caledonian Road hotspot offers a unique and innovative approach to its curation of contemporary art, with photography, sculpture and abstract paintings all featuring highly across its all-grey walls. Named after and inspired by the mind of Marcel Duchamp, it has housed the works of American visionary Sol LeWitt, Italian artist Guido Guidi and more, across a series of thoughtful thematic exhibitions since its opening in 2011.

Address: 392 Caledonian Rd, London N1 1DN

Banner Repeater

Housed along platform one of Hackney Downs railway station (yes, you read that correctly), Banner Repeater is an artist-run library and exhibition space set in the most unique of locations – a project which, funded by the Art in Empty Spaces government initiative, has helped introduce a rich cultural offering to the local community, as well as bring disused premises back to life. Just be mindful of its opening times when planning your visit: 8-11am Tuesday to Thursday, 11am-6pm on Friday, and 12-6pm on weekends.

Address: Hackney Downs Network Rail, Platform 1 Dalston Ln, London E8 1LA

Written for Secret Escapes’ blog, The Great Escape, published 18 September 2018.

#England #work

2 notes · View notes

architectnews · 3 years

Text

Gallery 64, Washington, D.C. housing + museum

Gallery 64, Washington, D.C. Residential Building, New Eye Street Housing, Architecture Design USA

Gallery 64, Washington, D.C.

September 22, 2021

Design: Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners

Location: 65 Eye Street, SW, Washington, D.C., USA

rendering courtesy Beyer Blinder Belle

Gallery 64, Washington, D.C. Housing and Museum

Beyer Blinder Belle Announce Groundbreaking of Gallery 64, Mixed-Use Multifamily Development And Future Home of Rubell Museum on Historic Site

The renovation, adaptive reuse, and redevelopment of the historic, former Randall Junior High School and site will create a vibrant arts campus with a contemporary art museum and Gallery 64, a new 12-story apartment building.

rendering courtesy MAQE

September 21, 2021 (Washington, DC) — Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners (BBB) announce the design and groundbreaking of Gallery 64, a new 12-story residential building providing 492 units of housing. Gallery 64 will anchor the renovation and redevelopment of the historic 2.7-acre Randall Junior High School site located at 65 Eye Street, SW, in Washington, DC, with the existing former school buildings transformed into the Rubell Museum DC, a world-class contemporary art museum. National real estate firm Lowe is the developer along with joint venture partner on the project, Mitsui Fudosan America.

Constructed in 1906, with two significant wings added in 1927, the Randall Junior High School historically served African American public-school students in southwest Washington, DC until its closing in 1978. The Rubell Museum will fill the central building and east wing of the school buildings which will be preserved and repurposed, presenting internationally renowned contemporary paintings, sculptures, photography, and installations.

A dynamic glass addition at the east wing will create an inviting museum entry, with a bookstore, café, and an outdoor dining terrace that enriches street activity along Eye Street. The West Randall building will provide approximately 18,000 SF of creative workspace aimed at variety of potential tenants including nonprofits, cultural institutions, technology incubators, and coworking businesses. The concept design for the redevelopment of the historic Randall School has received unanimous approval from the Historic Preservation Review Board and from the Advisory Neighborhood Commission. With Gallery 64 sited north of the historic buildings, the redevelopment will result in over 500,000 SF of usable space.

rendering courtesy Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners

Gallery 64’s apartment residences are configured as studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units of which 98 are designated affordable. Nineteen two-level, townhouse-style residences activate the street with increased pedestrian connectivity and visual interest. Amenities include rooftop gathering spaces with fire pits, grilling stations, and outdoor kitchens; a dog walk; and a resort-style pool. Indoor communal areas include a spacious lounge with fireplace, game room, fitness center, a maker space, and a sound studio.

Gallery 64 is designed to LEED Gold standards, and the renovation of the historic school buildings will comply with LEED Silver guidelines. Gallery 64 and the overall campus redevelopment are anticipated to be completed by year-end 2022. Project visuals can be accessed here.

The 20-story infill residential tower includes ground-floor and cellar retail space, 121 rental units on the second through twentieth floors, and amenities including a landscaped rooftop terrace, private rear yard terraces, fitness and yoga rooms, resident lounge space, children’s playroom, general and bicycle storage, communal laundry, and pet wash. Located within the Borough Hall Skyscraper Historic District, the development was approved by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. The project’s foundation was completed in March, and the superstructure was completed in late summer 2021.

The unit interiors will boast a clean modern palette with oversized windows. The building’s distinctive design pays subtle homage to the area’s historic architecture with its verticality, rhythmic dark facade, including a polished black granite base, profiled Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete (GFRC) piers, bronze-tone metal detailing and charcoal-grey colored window frames.

image courtesy Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners

About Beyer Blinder Belle

Founded in 1968, Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners (BBB) is an award-winning architecture, planning, and interiors practice of 170 professionals in New York City, Washington, DC, and Boston with a longstanding commitment to design excellence, social integrity, and sustainable practices. The firm’s multi-faceted portfolio encompasses preservation, urban design, and new construction projects that span a wide spectrum of building typologies and sectors, including cultural, civic, educational, residential, and commercial.

Planning and design for educational institutions is central to the firm’s practice— and is based on a commitment to understanding mission and responding to the unique physical, historical, and cultural context of each campus.

BBB has designed the renovation and restoration of existing buildings as well as the addition of new buildings for numerous educational institutions including Harvard University, Columbia University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, General Theological Seminary, Denison University, and Stony Brook University. BBB has also provided comprehensive campus planning and facilities planning studies for Dartmouth College, Princeton University, and Amherst College, among others.

About Lowe

Los Angeles-based Lowe, formerly known as Lowe Enterprises, is a leading national real estate investment, development and management firm. Over the past 49 years, it has developed, acquired or managed more than $32 billion of real estate assets nationwide as it pursued its mission to build value in real estate by creating innovative, lasting environments and meaningful experiences that connect people and place.

Lowe established its Washington, DC area office in 1980 and has been an active developer of commercial real estate throughout the region. Among Lowe’s signature projects in the area is The Hepburn, ultra-luxury apartments developed adjacent to the famed Washington Hilton Hotel where the firm completed a $150 million restoration, development of the 700,000-square-foot National Science Foundation headquarters building on Alexandria, Virginia, and CityVista, a transformative mixed-use development in the Mount Vernon Triangle area of Washington DC.

Lowe maintains offices in Los Angeles (headquarters), Southern California, Northern California, Charleston, Denver, Seattle, and Washington, DC. For more information visit www.Lowe-RE.com

About Mitsui Fudosan America

Mitsui Fudosan America, Inc. (MFA) is the U.S. subsidiary of Japan’s largest real estate company, Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd., a publicly traded company with approximately $ 70 billion of assets. MFA is responsible for Mitsui Fudosan’s real estate investment and development activities in North America, and is headquartered in New York, with branch offices in Washington DC, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Honolulu.

MFA has been active in the United States since the 1970s, and currently owns assets in the New York, Washington DC, Boston, Denver, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Honolulu metropolitan areas. MFA’s U.S. portfolio includes 5.6 million square feet of office space, 6.0 million square feet of office space under development, 1,600 residential apartments, 5,300 additional rental units under development, 350 condominiums and townhomes under development, and 753 hotel rooms.

About Rubell Museum

The Rubell Museum is a 501 c3 non-profit foundation based in Miami, Florida since 1994. The museum presents exhibitions drawn from one of the world’s largest privately owned and publicly accessible collections of contemporary art.

The collection is constantly expanding and includes over 7,400 artworks by more than 1,100 artists including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Jeff Koons, Yayoi Kusama, Kerry James Marshall, Cindy Sherman and Kara Walker. In addition to displaying internationally established artists, the Rubell Museum actively commissions, acquires, exhibits and champions emerging artists working at the forefront of contemporary art.

Each year the foundation presents thematic exhibitions drawn from the collection and these exhibitions often travel to museums around the world. Recent exhibitions have been presented at the Detroit Institute of Arts, San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum, the San Antonio Museum of Art, Madrid’s Fundación Santander, Kansas City’s Nelson-Atkins Museum and the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia.

Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners

Museum building designs

Gallery 64, Washington, D.C. Housing images / information received 220921 from Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners (BBB)

Location: Washington, D.C., United States of America

Washington, D.C. Architecture

Washington DC Architecture Tours

Planet Word Museum Building Design: Beyer Blinder Belle photographs in the Carol M. Highsmith Archive, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division Planet Word Museum

National Museum of African American History and Culture Design: Freelon Adjaye Bond Smith Group image courtesy Freelon Adjaye Bond Smith Group National Museum of African American History and Culture Building

Five rejected White House designs that were never built, brought to life image : HouseFresh White House Alternative Designs

Eisenhower Memorial Design Design: Frank Gehry / AECOM image courtesy of architects Eisenhower Memorial Design in Washington DC

’The Weight of Sacrifice’ Memorial Design, Washington, D.C Design: Joseph Weishaar with sculptor Sabin Howard image courtesy of architects The Weight of Sacrifice Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The United States Capitol United States Capitol Washington, D.C.

Smithsonian Museum Redevelopment – Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard Design: Foster + Partners Smithsonian Institute

US Architectural Designs

American Architects

American Architecture

USA

Comments / photos for the Gallery 64, Washington, D.C. Housing Building design by Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners (BBB) USA, page welcome

The post Gallery 64, Washington, D.C. housing + museum appeared first on e-architect.

#e-architect

0 notes

berniesrevolution · 7 years

Photo

NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE

Before he had even made his first movie, Spike Lee used to fantasize about three things: season tickets at the Garden, a brownstone in Fort Greene like the one that he was raised in and a house in the historically black Oak Bluffs section of Martha’s Vineyard. In 1986, after writing, producing, directing and acting in his infectious debut, “She’s Gotta Have It,” a stylish, edgy rom-com about a libidinous young woman juggling three lovers, those Knicks seats came first. The two homes swiftly followed, and within a decade, Lee’s status and celebrity had catapulted him, practically against his will, from Da Republic of Brooklyn, as he likes to call it in emails, into a 8,200-square-foot Upper East Side townhouse that was previously home to Jasper Johns. But the getaway in Massachusetts, situated next to the 18th hole at the Farm Neck Golf Club, has never required upgrading.

As I was preparing to visit him there this summer, Lee warned me that the second week of August is when “everybody” descends on the Vineyard. He did not lie. The annual African-American Film Festival was happening, and the sheer saturation of black achievement on display — on an 87-square-mile strip of land that is home to some of the first integrated beaches in the country and also synonymous with the liliest-lily-white establishment — was something to behold. In the previous 24 hours, both Barack Obama and the two-time N.B.A. champion Ray Allen had teed off behind Lee’s house; as my Uber turned down Lee’s dirt driveway, Henry Louis Gates Jr. pedaled past on a tricycle. Lee has long been a fixture at the festival, and this year he would be previewing his latest project, a 10-episode Netflix reboot of the very film that made him a star: “She’s Gotta Have It.” A late-career foray into prestige television, the series, released this week, marks a homecoming of sorts, as well as a risky departure.

My driver, an amiable 6-foot-8 Jamaican man who grew up in Canarsie, became star-struck when Lee came to meet our car and did not want to pull away. “What high school you go to?” Lee asked him by way of greeting. Schools and sports teams are the kinds of affiliations that genuinely mean a lot to him. The driver’s answer seemed satisfactory, but then Lee noticed his backward baseball cap and asked to see the front of it. The driver sheepishly swiveled it around. “It’s a B for Brooklyn,” he tried.

“That ain’t no Brooklyn! That B is for Boston!” Lee erupted, only half-jokingly. “Do you see the flag?” He pointed to an enormous navy-blue-and-white New York Yankees standard hoisted high above his property, so large it flapped in slow motion, as if underwater. “Look at the flag!”

Lee was dressed more or less as himself, with a white Yankees cap, blue plastic frames and a diamond stud gleaming in his left earlobe. He had draped bright blue-and-orange plastic necklaces and two long gold chains suspending a chunky crucifix over a dark blue Yankees jersey. He also had on Knicks-colored Nikes, a Knicks-colored G-Shock watch, numerous matching blue-and-orange plastic bracelets and a beautiful one made out of solid gold. The sheer quantity of flair on his person was Pharaonic.

He led me to the wraparound porch off the main house, to a white table with his papers spread on it. When he had checked and silenced his BlackBerry — he still uses one — I brought up Kathryn Bigelow’s latest movie, “Detroit,” which opened the African-American Film Festival two days earlier. The film, about the violence inflicted by white police officers on black residents of Detroit during the 1967 riots, had upset audiences. Many black critics, and some white ones, had been making the case that it wasn’t Bigelow’s right as a white person to tell such a story in the first place — that her lingering and detailed depiction of the violence took on the qualities of pornography. I asked Lee if he agreed with that assessment.

“I haven’t seen it,” Lee said. “She’s a very good director. She knows what she’s doing.” He thought for a moment, then added: “But I do understand the flip side. Black folks get kind of funny now with other people telling our stories.” Lee himself has long been one of the most outspoken critics of such work. He has famously feuded with Quentin Tarantino over what he views as Tarantino’s appropriation and exploitation of blackness, particularly in “Django Unchained.” “American Slavery Was Not a Sergio Leone Spaghetti Western,” Lee wrote on Twitter. “It Was a Holocaust.” And he wrested “Malcolm X” away from the director Norman Jewison on the grounds, according to Jewison, that he lacked “the deep understanding of the black psyche” required to handle the subject. Sitting on his porch, Lee lifted his cap and ran a hand across his freshly buzzed scalp. “I don’t want to sound like a cliché,” he said, laughing, “but people are kind of woke.”

Cliché or not, it’s true: People are kind of woke these days. And it must be vindicating and also somewhat disorienting for a figure like Lee, a man who hasn’t changed one bit but whom the wider culture has increasingly come to resemble. Beginning with his third film, the masterpiece “Do the Right Thing” (1989), about a feverish day in Bedford-Stuyvesant that culminates in a deadly race riot; intensifying in his fifth film, “Jungle Fever” (1991), a blunt cautionary tragedy of interracial romance; and culminating in his sixth movie, “Malcolm X” (1992), a three-hour biopic brought to fruition through force of will alone, Lee has earned and never really shaken the reputation of a talented but polarizing director — something of a professional black crank.

For much of his career, Lee was either the black — or the only serious black — filmmaker around, and this combination of gravity and rarity allowed him to navigate a singular course both inside and outside the studio system, telling artistically ambitious, unapologetically black stories and reaping significant financial and critical rewards in the process, practically in a vacuum.

(Continue Reading)

#politics #the left #spike lee #new york times

42 notes · View notes

jobsearchtips02 · 4 years

Text

What Buildings Will Look Like After Covid…

Someday, years from now, a resident will wake up in their luxury condominium at developer Gregg Covin’s The Cedars Lodge & Spa in Hendersonville, N.C. They’ll make breakfast on the island in their big kitchen and sit on their heated balcony. They’ll walk out of their private entrance and use an elevator that serves only three other units. They’ll work out in a series of small exercise rooms and gather with friends at a restaurant in a glass atrium.

Hopefully, Covid-19 will be a distant memory. But every aspect of these homes will have been shaped by the pandemic.

Developer Gregg Covin had to rethink his design for The Cedars Lodge & Spa in Hendersonville, N.C., to meet new demands in a pandemic-rattled world, starting with bigger kitchens and more access to outdoor space.

Photo: Cedars Lodge & Spa (Rendering)

Mr. Covin tore up his original plan for a part-hotel, part-condo project with small kitchens, few balconies and large amenity spaces, and began redrawing the concept in March. “For sure, there are going to be long-term changes in behavior because of this,” said Mr. Covin, who still aims to break ground this year.

One of the trickiest parts of a luxury real-estate developer’s job is divining what buyers and renters will value—and pay top dollar for—in the three, four or even five years it takes to go from design to completion. Covid-19 has made that more complex, as developers try to tease out which parts of the pandemic experience will fade away and which will remain as part of the culture.

Some costs can be passed on to the renters or buyers who want the changes enough to pay more for them. Mr. Covin, for example, was originally planning units in the $300,000 to $500,000 range, but now thinks buyers will pay $350,000 to $750,000 for larger units that can be used as second homes.

Illustration: CHIARA VERCESI

Rental developers also are betting the postcrisis market will reward them for adding or installing specialized furniture that can make a small space seem larger so residents can work from home more comfortably. Other changes aimed at improving air quality or enabling distancing from other residents—such as re-engineering ventilation systems, adding elevator banks, or reconfiguring common areas—may help lower resistance to high-rise living, a lifestyle that has taken a beating in this crisis.

There is evidence already that the amenities and elements valued by the rental market have changed since the pandemic hit. Luke, a conversation-friendly real-estate chatbot that texts listings to apartment hunters in New York City, analyzed 30,000 messages from potential renters between December and February and compared them with those between March and May.

In San Francisco, the 30 Van Ness building, set to be completed in late 2023, will feature roomy, decorated staircases and partitioned common areas.

Photo: SCB/Steelblue (RENDERING)

The New York-based company found that requests for home offices rose from 0.5% of messages prepandemic to 3% once the pandemic hit. Private outdoor space requests jumped by 20%, while requests for in-unit laundry (a rarity in New York City) went up 17%. Interest in gyms plummeted. Requests fell by 10% for in-building gyms and by 50% for gyms nearby.

Ventilation systems are a major target for change, with developers looking to confine air circulation to units rather than through entire buildings.

Illustration: Chiara Vercesi; SOURCE: Meyers+ Engineers

Share Your Thoughts

Would you be interested in a property that has been “future-proofed” against infectious disease? Why or why not?

In San Francisco, 30 Van Ness, a 47-story multiuse building with 333 condos located a block from

Twitter’s

headquarters, is slated for completion in late 2023, said Arden Hearing, executive general manager, West Coast, for Lendlease. Even with that distant time horizon, the pandemic prompted numerous design changes.

“Because of Covid, we’ve thought a lot more about stairs,” he said. To encourage residents to use them, and decrease elevator density, the project will now have stairs that are wider and carpeted, with art and natural light, he said.

Until March 15, the amenity plan also featured an open 12,000-square-foot space for co-working by day and lounging by night. New blueprints, Mr. Hearing said, divide that space to include a music studio, a fitness area, art space, a cooking-and-dining area and a screening lounge.

Developer MaryAnne Gilmartin has decided to add upgraded air filters, create a separate entry for deliveries and install touchless features such as using phones to call elevators and open doors at 241 West 28th Street, a 480-unit Manhattan rental building set to begin construction later this year.

Photo: COOKFOX Architects (Rendering)

Some sections will have glass partitions, to give a sense of togetherness while creating physical separation. Many will exit to an outdoor area. The building also will include horizontal ventilation, with each residential unit having its own system, as opposed to the traditional vertical system that filters air throughout a tower, he said.

The HVAC upgrades alone will add several million dollars to the project, Mr. Hearing said. The investment is expected to differentiate the project from older buildings and help with marketability, he added.

In New York, MaryAnne Gilmartin, founder and chief executive of MAG Partners, plans to begin construction later this year on 241 West 28th Street, a 480-unit rental building in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood.

Developer John Farina’s Ocean Delray will have 19 units, each with a private, air-conditioned garage and four with private elevators.

Photo: U.S. Construction (Rendering)

Mr. Farina intends to incorporate similar elements for his planned 14-unit project, Echelon, in the design phase in Delray Beach. The new project will have double the number of elevators initially planned, to cut down on shared space.

Photo: U.S. Construction (Rendering)

She said much of the original plan should play well in the postcrisis era, citing its two towers connected by a garden, allowing for shorter and less-crowded elevator rides than with a single tower, and more outdoor space. Still, the crisis has inspired her to upgrade air filters, create a separate entry for deliveries, and add touchless elements that let residents use their phones to call elevators and open doors.

At Echelon, a 14-unit project in the design phase in Delray Beach, Fla., developer John Farina had planned four elevators. In early April, he changed to eight elevators, so that no resident would have to share an elevator with more than two other units.

Developer Scott Brennan has reconceived a planned development, opting to build two homes in Boca Raton, Fla., on a lot he had set for double that number. He’ll use similar elements to those in this home he completed on an adjacent lot.

Photo: Living Proof Photography

Mr. Brennan says the retractable doors, seen closed, ‘suits the Covid discussion perfectly.’

Photo: Living Proof Photography

Mr. Farina, president and chief executive of U.S. Construction, said he made the change in light of how successful another Delray Beach project, called Ocean Delray, has been. The 19 units, priced from $5 million to $9 million and slated for completion in early 2021, are half sold, he said. Each unit will have a private air-conditioned garage, and four will have private elevators.

The pandemic has made some developers re-evaluate the economics underpinning their projects. Mr. Covin said that after a long career developing luxury projects in downtown Miami, he is switching to North Carolina because he believes there will be heavy demand for second homes at the midpoint of the East Coast—and less interest in dense city living.

Scott Brennan sees a strong market for luxury single-family homes in Florida. He developed an 8,000-square-foot house on the market for $14.5 million in Boca Raton. He had an additional piece of land on which he planned four townhouses with a common pool and green space.

Now, because the pandemic has reduced interest in shared amenities, he plans to build just two homes, with private yards and space for home gyms and offices.

“The original house suits the Covid discussion perfectly,” said Mr. Brennan, who happened to have opted for expanses of retractable glass doors that give the home plenty of flexible indoor-outdoor space. The new homes will be similarly designed, he said.

Construction was under way at 1900 Broadway in Oakland, Calif., when developer Colin Behring planned alterations: more units with furniture from Ori, of Boston, that lets residents push a button to switch from sleeping space to working space.

Photo: Behring Co. and Ori, Inc. (Rendering)

Colin Behring, chief executive of Behring Co., based in San Ramon, Calif., already has 1900 Broadway in Oakland under construction, but he has planned alterations.

He said working from home will be increasingly important, but it isn’t financially viable to make the apartments larger. Instead, more units—25% rather than 5%—will have furniture by a Boston-based startup called Ori. Designs include beds that drop from the ceiling to the floor at the push of a button, or that retract into a home-office module. The 39-story building is set to be completed in late 2022.

A rental complex in Quincy, Mass., in the permit stage, had to be altered to allow for more access to the outdoors.

Photo: LBC Boston and PCA (Rendering)

The solution was to add balconies that will give some tenants a way to get fresh air and sunshine.

Photo: LBC Boston and PCA (Rendering)

Among the most common design changes made by developers is adding outdoor space or increasing access to those spaces. In a rental project in Quincy, Mass., now in the permit phase, developer LBC Boston is adding balconies to about a quarter of the units, said Margarita Kvacheva, senior vice president. “We are strategically placing the balconies on the south side, because those get the daylight and that’s where people can go out and get vitamin D,” she said.

At Natiivo Miami, a 51-story multiuse building in the Florida city slated to break ground this year and to be completed by late 2022, developer Keith Menin is planning retractable glass walls. Though expensive, he said they would be valuable in linking common areas—such as a gym and a walkway to the pool—to outdoor spaces.

Natiivo Miami, a planned 51-story multiuse building, will have retractable glass walls, which developer Keith Menin sees linking common areas to outdoor spaces.

Photo: Natiivo Miami (Rendering)

“This could be the new norm,” Mr. Menin said.

Touchless systems, already a luxury amenity, are becoming necessities, developers said. Ric Campo, chairman and chief executive of Camden Property Trust, began rolling out Chirp, a virtual leasing platform, in the company’s 164 rental buildings last year.

The system lets prospective renters set up an appointment, be guided by a map from a parking space to the unit, gain entry via a code, tour the unit alone, and sign the lease online. Residents can use fobs or their phones instead of keys, Mr. Campo said.

Home is Where the Stethoscope Is

Photo: iStock

Several Florida developers are linking projects to the medical industry, giving buyers technology, service and access to special care.

Buy a House, Get a Year of Telemedicine

Miami-based developer CC Homes, which builds about 500 single-family homes a year, will provide buyers at its Canarias in Downtown Doral development with a year subscription to Baptist Health Care on Demand, said chief executive Jim Carr, who is also chairman of the board at Baptist Health South Florida. Buyers of the $500,000 to $2 million houses will receive a home-exam kit with stethoscope, tongue depressor, otoscope for ear exams and a thermometer that feeds information to telemedicine providers at Baptist. The year’s subscription costs about $1,000 per family, Mr. Carr said.

Someone Hot Just Entered the Building

2000 Ocean, a 64-unit condo building in Hallandale Beach, Fla., will have infrared cameras in the lobby to detect when someone walks in with an elevated temperature, said developer Shahab Karmely, of KAR Properties. Buyers of units, opening in May 2021 at $2.7 million to $12 million, will also receive an iPad and home medical kit. The developer said he won’t dictate how the fever information will be used, nor will he link the iPad to a telemedicine service. “We are supplying the technology,” he said. “How it will be used is up to the homeowners themselves.”

Neighbors in Scrubs

Developer Daniel Kodsi is negotiating with a medical center to occupy the 100,000-square-foot medical building abutting his 55-story Legacy Hotel & Residences in Miami World Center. The project, due in 2023, was originally meant to capitalize on the booming medical-tourism industry. Now that coronavirus is upon us, Mr. Kodsi believes it will be viewed as a benefit to buyers of the $300,000 to $2 million condos. “Imagine a shelter-in-place situation, and having doctors, nurses and a pharmacy right downstairs,” Mr. Kodsi said. “Health is the new wealth,” reads the website for the project.

Write to Katy McLaughlin at [email protected]

from Job Search Tips https://jobsearchtips.net/what-buildings-will-look-like-after-covid/

0 notes

nightmare-afton-cosplay · 4 years

Text

Is an Exodus From High-Priced Cities Looming, as More Folks Work From Home?

Jaskaran Kooner / LeoPatrizi / Getty Images

When Lauren Woulard traveled to New Orleans for Mardi Gras and then to Orlando, FL, to visit an old friend, the New York–based publicist thought she’d be back in her itty-bitty Bronx studio by the end of March. She was wrong.

Instead, Woulard, 31, wound up crashing with her friend as COVID-19 tore through New York City. By May—after working remotely for three months—she decided to make the move to Central Florida permanent. She discovered she enjoyed living in a smaller city with a slower pace of life. Finding a three-bed, 2.5-bath townhouse in East Orlando for the same $1,600-a-month price of her Bronx apartment clinched the deal. She moved in last month.

“People are reconsidering living in these high-priced places, especially now that it’s been proven you can work from home,” Woulard says. Her spacious rental has amenities like an in-unit washer and dryer, a two-car garage, and lake views. “I sometimes walk into the house and go, ‘Should I do cartwheels? What do I do with all the space?'”

Woulard is far from alone. The new realities of pandemic life is leading more and more city-dwelling Americans to reevaluate their living situations—and the long-term ramifications for the nation’s hottest urban hubs could be vast and transformational.

With no access to the usual perks of urban life (nightlife, museums, sports events), spending a small fortune for a cramped apartment or condo seems to make a lot less sense, and early, preliminary data suggests more die-hard urbanites are seeking new homes in towns or smaller cities. That, together with the fact that big employers, including tech titans Facebook and Twitter, are more amenable to their employees working from home, means that workers may be loosening their ties to hugely expensive, job-rich cities like New York or Seattle.

“That conversation is occurring in a lot of households in America right now: Why are we living here at this high cost, in this intense, stressful, crowded environment when we can take our jobs and move someplace less crowded and less expensive?” says Patrick Carlisle, chief market analyst in the San Francisco Bay Area for real estate brokerage Compass.

Left: Lauren Woulard at her new home in Orlando, FL. The three-bed, 2.5-bath townhouse costs the same as her tiny New York City studio apartment. Right, downtown Orlando.

Lauren Woulard / aphotostory / iStock

Renters and the very wealthy—who can more easily change residences on short notice—are leading the charge in seeking out safe, stand-alone homes with yards and enough space to school the kids, work in a real home office, and entertain friends (someday).

Estimates vary wildly on how many Americans are working remotely during the pandemic. The National Bureau of Economic Research found that 37% of jobs can be performed from home, with higher percentages in expensive, tech-centric cities like San Francisco, Silicon Valley’s San Jose, and Boston. These tend to be higher-paying jobs.

The great work-from-home experiment seems to have been successful enough that some companies, including Square (Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey‘s other company), are pledging to make it a permanent perk. Nationwide, a financial services company, is closing just over half of its offices. Those who worked in those locations will now be able to telecommute permanently.

About half of remote workers polled by Gallup recently, 49%, would prefer to continue working from home even once their offices reopen. (More than 1,300 people working remotely were surveyed, from May 11 through May 17.)

“Since I didn’t have to go into an office, I didn’t need to be pinned to a certain city,” says Woulard.

Early telltale sign of urban exodus: Falling rental prices

There likely won’t be a mass exodus from the big cities in the short term. But there are signs the landscape is already shifting, as housing prices are beginning to fall in the most expensive, bellwether cities.

In notoriously high-priced San Francisco, the median rent for a one-bedroom apartment dropped 11.8%, to $3,280, in July compared with a year ago, according to rental site Zumper. Rents were down 8% in Silicon Valley’s San Jose, CA, to $2,300; 3.6% in Los Angeles, to $2,150; and 2.7% in Seattle, to $1,800. They also dipped 1.7% annually, to $2,890, in New York City. Prices typically slip when demand falls.

“People are paying these high rents, and right now they don’t have any of the advantages of living in the city,” says Carlisle.

What’s unclear is whether homeowners will follow suit. They typically move slower than renters, since they have to worry about selling their property, or at least renting it out. These days, they might also be concerned about having potentially infected buyers tramp through.

“Selling one’s house and finding another place to live is not something you can do at the drop of a hat,” says Carlisle. “For people who own houses … they’re thinking, ‘Is this the time I want to be selling my biggest asset?'”

In Manhattan, median co-op and condo sales prices fell 17.7%, to $1,000,000 in the second quarter of the year, according a recent Douglas Elliman report. (The report did not look at Northern Manhattan, which includes Harlem and beyond.) The large drop may be at least partly due to fewer sales and more big-ticket purchases in the previous year to avoid a mansion tax that made luxury home sales more expensive for buyers.

It was a bit more complicated in San Francisco. House prices rose about 3% year over year, to reach an all-time median high of $1.8 million, in June, according to Compass. Condos didn’t fare as well. Prices dropped 4%, to $1,195,000, as the market for them cooled a bit.

“These trends will unfold slowly,” says realtor.com® Chief Economist Danielle Hale. “You’re talking about people uprooting their whole lives.”

Employers may rethink office policies and location

Many companies are looking into creating a hybrid work-from-home model, where employees come to the office for only part of the week, says Brian Kropp, chief of research in the human resources practice at Gartner, a research consultancy. This will limit exposure to the virus and make it easier to maintain social distance.

But with fewer people using shared office space, some executives will likely realize they can downsize the amount of space they need. While it may be tough to break long-term commercial leases, they may choose to at least partly shut down some of that space to cut maintenance costs.

Kropp estimates that it costs companies about 20% of each employee’s salary in overhead costs to have them come into an office five days a week.

Businesses might also choose to get rid of centralized corporate offices and open smaller offices in less expensive, more far-flung locations.

Even after a COVID-19 vaccine becomes readily available, offering workers the option of telecommuting could give businesses more flexibility to hire talent in other parts of the country—or the world.

Meanwhile, workers can get a larger house with more land for a lower price the farther from the city center they go—and an extreme commute may not be so bad if it’s only once or twice a week.

“You’ll see spreading out to the suburbs and even farther out,” says Kropp. “If you’re working remotely, there’s no difference between being 30 miles and 300 miles away.”

Many of real estate agent James Harris‘ clients were living in apartments or condos in Los Angeles or even in East Coast cities, until the pandemic made that unbearable. Now they’re seeking bigger, single-family houses farther out where they don’t have to share common spaces with the neighbors.

“Buyers and renters are having a heightened appreciation for space,” he says.

Don’t count out the big cities yet

Still, some of the appeal of working from home in a more remote location will likely wear thin eventually.

“Most workers and companies will learn that it’s harder to do team building or develop effective leadership when you’re not [working] with people in person,” says Randall Dunham, director of executive global studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

He anticipates only a quarter of workers will want to stay 100% remote—and those are the folks who may be tempted to move.

Plus, big cities have weathered natural disasters and human-made crises before and come out on the other side.

“Right now we’re at peak hysteria, so there are many, many doomsday scenarios for the fall of New York,” says New York City–based real estate appraiser Jonathan Miller. “After 9/11, the same thing happened. Within about three years the urban-suburban move reversed.”

Once a vaccine becomes widely available, those who left urban areas may feel safe enough to return.

“People wanted to move to New York. People wanted to move into San Francisco. That was their dream,” says Compass’ Carlisle. “Some of the magic has definitely worn very thin over the last couple of months. Whether that magic will come back … I don’t know.”

The post Is an Exodus From High-Priced Cities Looming, as More Folks Work From Home? appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

from https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/remote-work-could-spur-exodus-from-high-priced-cities/

0 notes