With the great digital vs. print debate ramping up in light of the rising popularity of e-books, writers and literature lovers alike have expressed concern that this new technology will be the downfall of us all. Leon Reid IV, the Brooklyn based artist who used a Kickstarter campaign to bring George Washington the Tourist to Union Square last summer, and recently announced big plans to hang a 60 foot spider from the Brooklyn Bridge, is out to bring the bound book back to the forefront with his and documentary film producer Julia Marchesi's newest interactive public art project, the Hundred Story House. more ›

Remember that raccoon that broke into a Park Slope brownstone only to stumble upon death in a silverware drawer whilst trying to navigate the kitchen? Well, one woman that resides there just sent us along this video, saying, "My cousin Toby, her 2-year old daughter Cleo and I share the 3rd and 4th floor of the brownstone where the poor little guy got trapped in the silverware drawer. Thought you might be interested to know the raccoon caper continues. Last night 2 more raccoons attempted to break in and we caught them on video!" Maybe they were looking for their friend? more ›

Raccoons are either preparing for some kind of animal takeover of the human race (what else were they in the library for), or they just really want our cereal and prime Brooklyn real estate. Either way, this story might put the fear in some Brownstone-dwellers. A FIPS reader sent in this photo with an equally crazy story; head over here for the full tale, but to summarize: the raccoon is calling from inside the building! more ›

According to one resident, there has been a rash of rooftop break-ins in brownstones in Bed-Stuy. He wrote BedStuyBlog, "Just yesterday, we were burglarized by someone breaking through the entrance to our roof and literally taking our belongings, including a flat screen TV, out through the roof and over to a “safe house” a few doors down...I've heard that we were the latest in a line of victims." The crime statistics for Bed-Stuy's 81st Precinct says that burglaries are down 25% from last year, with two in the past week and 70 in the year-to-date. Do those numbers count as a "rash"? more ›

There's a new font in town. Designers Ale Paul and Jon Parker created a Brooklyn-inspired typeface called Brownstone, which they describe as, "an original 21st-century design, yet subtly infused with historical and cultural references—keen observers might spot influences from decorative typefaces of 19th-century foundries. And just as faces from that era were influenced by contemporary architecture, the frames included with Brownstone echo the ornate iron railings of Park Slope's row houses." They also say it has an "old-meets-new aesthetic of the DIY craft culture." more ›

In an article spanning all sorts of subway security, the Brooklyn Eagle takes a look at secret emergency exits throughout the system. Did you know that in Brooklyn Heights, there's a fake brownstone leading into the underground? They report that the three-story building "looks like any other on the cobblestone block, but it isn’t. It leads directly down to the nation’s largest subway system. If you opened the door [to exit], you would find yourself on a stoop, which is just part of the façade." (Kind of like Sesame Street?) The Heights in particular is home to many secret exits, unknown to most except for some locals. If you want to find the brownstone, it's the one armed with silent alarms, motion detectors and other hidden security. Better stick to the regular way out. UPDATE: Curbed threatens our city's security by posting photos of the decoy brownstone! more ›

As we enter a new year, let's take a look back at what we looked back at in 2009! Here are some of our favorite flashbacks of an older New York. more ›

Yesterday we posted an old photo of a lone brownstone located somewhere in the East 60s, which in 1959 was about to be demolished for a future development. So where was the brownstone when it met its end? Our commenters figured it out... good job! The building was at 215 East 68th Street. more ›

We happened upon this photo in the LIFE magazine archives. The caption reads: "Construction in NYC: land being cleared for 20 story building in East 60s — still occupied brownstone is soon to go." It was still occupied! The photo was taken in 1959... any guesses as to what block it was on? more ›

Step right up, this beauty could be yours. Owner Bernie Henry coated his four-story brownstone on Garfield Place with this Pepto-pink color just three years ago (about 47 years after he moved in). The retired tailor told the Daily News, "I'm 92. It's time to get rid of it. It's a lot of money to keep it up ... I'm going to buy a smaller house around the corner." He says his new home will not get the same color treatment; in fact, he tells the paper he never meant to paint this one in such a garish hue, saying: "They sent me the wrong paint. It was painted this color accidentally." more ›

Brownstone Brooklyn, you never cease to amaze us. Long story short: Man buys brownstone in recently landmarked district of Prospect Heights from old woman. Old woman continues to live in the garden apartment. Man decides he wants to put a garage in there. LPC says they have no applications for Landmark approval for the address. more ›

Jeffrey and Michelle Feig's charming Central Park West apartment has gone from urban oasis to noisy nightmare, and someone's got to pay. In a $4.5 million lawsuit filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, the Feigs accuse the neighbor, Michel Kadoe, of turning his backyard into a "shantytown," by renting out the garden apartment in his brownstone to unruly tourists. more ›

Is your home safe from deed fraud? Oh, you rent? Well, is your landlord's home safe? New York prosecutors say deed fraud is on the rise, and they're citing one recent indictment as proof: Brooklyn contractor Enrique Castillo has been charged with forging documents claiming that the deceased owner of a vacant Harlem brownstone had signed the deed over to him. Manhattan DA Robert Morgenthau says, "He wanted to make money on the property by selling it," and accuses Castillo of also filing fake mortgage records with the city. According to Morgethau, "This mortgage, in which no money actually changed hands, was in effect a lien on the building so nobody else could get it, sell it." Castillo was caught, prosecutors say, after he tried filing bogus power of attorney forms with the city to wrest control of the brownstone from the dead woman's cousin, who had inherited it. That backfired, and he faces up to seven years in prison if convicted. The scheme is reminiscent of that stunt in which a Daily News reporter forged documents to transfer ownership of the Empire State Building to a non-existent company, just to teach people a lesson... People like Castillo. more ›

It's never been a better time to be a nerd in CUNY's Honors College; besides the free tuition, the free admission to dozens of institutions like the Metropolitan Opera and the Museum of Modern Art, the braniacs now get to take classes at a fancy four-story brownstone on the Upper West Side. The university bought the Gothic revival Steinhardt Building (pictured) from the 92nd Street Y and started holding seminars there this semester. According to the Times, this is the first Manhattan outpost for the Honors College, which this year accepted 320 new students out of 3,200 applicants. For reference, first year students in the program have an average SAT score of 1399. more ›

The Observer, keeping with their trend-watching, is reporting that 20-somethings are moving back in with their parents after college...that is, if the parents own prime New York real estate (aka: Brownstone Boomers). Didn't we all see this coming with The Royal Tenenbaums? more ›