Bitcoin Conference 2021 Miami

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BITCOIN CONFERENCE 2021 MIAMI

By Jadan Horyn

outh Florida played host to the largest gathering of crypto enthusiasts yet assembled on the planet this summer. Bitcoin Conference 2021 Miami took place in Wynwood amongst the warehouse and hipster vibe one thinks appropriate given both are part antique and part disruptor. Bitcoin seeks to take the world of finance and currency - an old and staid industry - and revolutionize it for the digital world of the future. Bitcoin Conference 2021 assembled Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency enthusiasts along with the ecosystem of companies that have sprung up in the space to cater to this new market. Entirely new modes of thinking have been employed in conceptualizing the companies and their business models. From Decentralized Finance - DeFi for short - companies like Celsius and Blockfi, to NFT exchanges that protect the authenticity of a product, to Crypto exchanges - companies that facilitate the conversion of one token to another or out to liquid currency. The conference was a menagerie of Burning Man types, traditional media and finance types, tech bros, and the countercultured all with vast new sums of wealth. Whole nightclubs were booked out by Bitcoin Whales (those with one thousand

Sbitcoin worth roughly $19Million) Yachts filled the slips in and around Miami as the new wealth flexed its muscle. Ubers, Hotels, and Restaurants were slammed with business. The infrastructure strained to handle the sudden influx of tenthousand people. Yet the conference and what it represents is the future. A future where finance is disrupted and democratized - often the vanguards of change appear different and anomalous to a normal person - yet their oddity becomes the new normal. This virtue of disruption to normalization is how the Bitcoin Conference crowd looks at the world. A world they are reshaping in real-time. Today, Miami, tomorrow, Bitcoin.

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez Jack Dorsey of Twitter

RENAISSANCE PROPERTIES RENTS SOHO LOFTS TO BUSINESSES IN POSTPANDEMIC NYC

By Cecille Langtry

n 2019 the father-son team of Kenneth and Bradley Fishel purchased the 12-story early 20th Century building located at 62 West 45th Street which was almost entirely rented. Then the pandemic hit. Tenants started dropping like flies and the team realized that their newest I acquisition was in trouble. So, the family sprang into action with a plan to re-tenant the building.

The building is located in the middle of Manhattan, a short walk to Grand Central Terminal, the Port

Authority Bus Terminal and Penn Station. Location was not the problem, rather, the market had dropped significantly, and vacancies abounded around them. The team needed to make their building distinctive among many similar buildings in the area. Thus, the concept of “SoHo Lofts in

Midtown” was born. Each floor was consolidated into a single-tenant 4,650 square foot space. The team reasoned that renters would value privacy as an important attribute in their evaluation of space. Next the spaces were renovated and restored to their original early 20th Century charm. Wide plank tongue and groove wood floors were installed. Brick was exposed and refinished. All dropped ceilings were removed and the original plaster was restored by hand. Leaky old windows were replaced with new metal monumental operable windows to maximize light and air. In short, the spaces were handsome with tall ceilings and reminiscent of loft spaces in SoHo.

The lobby was meticulously renovated as well. Midcentury stone was removed to expose beautiful terra cotta. Tasteful touches were added to welcome and entice new tenants into the property. The roof was renovated to include a gorgeous roof deck that included live plants and all tenants were invited to use it.

The JD Cohen leasing team at Newmark then went to work to rent the space. Terrific tenants soon followed, including Max Vanguard Jewelry, Axio Financial, EA Markets, and Super Jeweler (who leased the duplexed 2nd and 3rd floors). “These tenants are survivors of the pandemic. They had plenty of choice in this market, but they recognized the quality and the value of leasing at 62 West 45th Street,” said Kenneth Fishel, President of Renaissance Properties.

Only one floor remains for lease at 62 West 45 Street. Will it rent? “No doubt!” exclaimed Bradley Fishel, confident in the appeal of his hard work.

About Renaissance Properties:

With an eye towards distressed assets, Renaissance specializes in value-add investments with a focus on Prewar Prime Properties. From commercial & retail building ownership, to leasing, management and construction, Renaissance has built its reputation on the superior capabilities and efficiency of its people, its most important resource. With an emphasis on quality and attention to detail, Renaissance brings a high level of comfort and modern technology, including the most elegant build-outs and the fastest services to all of their treasured tenants.

renaissancepropertiesny.com

RENOVATED HISTORICAL SAMUEL SLOAN ESTATE

WITH STUNNING COUNTRYSIDE VIEWS

By Peter Elston

150-year-old historical mansion, originally built for a railroad magnate, is merging the past with the future in an authentic and impactful way. Built in 1864, the Samuel Sloan Estate is a 16+ acre masterpiece that provides incredible views of the Catskills, West Point Academy, and the surrounding countryside along the Hudson River. While the breathtaking property has always been noted for its beauty and design, it is now also a real estate treasure with remarkable Silver LEED® certification. The ingenuity of the modernization is both poignant and dynamic for a homeowner looking for a planet friendly but luxurious setting.

AThe storied, fully renovated Philipstown estate is represented by Kenneth J. Moore, President of Classiques Modernes International Realty, who has listed it at $11.25 mil together with Richard Phan of Douglas Elliman. “The first thing that hits you is its impressive scale. The original structure had ballrooms that needed to be adapted to today’s more intimate entertaining style. The volume remains magnificent. But the new residence now enjoys both formal and casual living spaces.” The new Greek Revival facade features a twostory portico with imposing columns serving as foreground to a full-width second floor loggia. The sprawling interior spans approximately 11,800 of livable square footage. Additionally, the full-sized cellar and attic offer 10,000 sq. ft. of supplementary amenity, storage, and utility spaces. Six bedrooms, six full and three half baths, and a full floor allocated to entertaining and recreation ensure plenty of room for sumptuous living. The 3500 sq. ft. carriage house may also be transformed into a three-story auxiliary house for guest and staff suites.

Even among best-in-class properties, the home’s innovative Silver LEED® approved upgrades make it a rare gem. “It strikes an ideal periodic balance,” observes lifestyle expert and Classiques Modernes co-founder, Loy Carlos. “This house pays homage to its history, is equipped with the conveniences and

luxuries of today, while exhibiting great care for the future. It promotes an evolutionary and principled lifestyle.”

Unlike most restored estates, new modifications have made operations both economical and practical. This includes maintenance free roofing that will last 100 years. In addition, an energy recovery ventilation system optimizes air quality, filters out particulates, and delivers fresh air throughout. A rainwater harvesting system captures water off the roof and retains it for landscape irrigation. Solar panels provide onsite renewable power. The house also has a system that addresses natural radon emissions. Originally known as Oulagisket, the railroad magnate’s house built in 1864 underwent notable transformations. In 1910 Samuel Sloane Jr. and his wife Katherine redesigned the home (renamed Lisburne Grange) from its original Carpenter Gothic to Italianate. At the same time Fletcher Steele, one of the 20th century’s most glorified landscape architects, was commissioned to augment the surroundings with beautiful gardens and lookouts.

Famous among remaining exterior structures include “The Ruins,” a “Forum-inspired” area complete with columns and a weathered fountain a la “Vestal Virgins,” which now overlook the newly built pool pavilion and the great lawn. But most unique of all is the 100-year-old swimming pool waiting to be restored or repurposed. “The grotto reminds me of Italian fountains and pools with water flowing from the dragon mouths at the top, down the edge over cupped hands, to the pool below,” says Moore. Adds Carlos, “Some say it reminds them of Hadrian’s pool in Tivoli. It’s not as large, but perhaps just as dramatic and breathtaking considering where we are. It’s unforgettable.”

From entertaining to weekends away from New York City just an hour away, this estate–a stone’s throw away from Bear Mountain, Cold Spring and many other destinations–simply offers so much for the nature-loving, environmentally-conscious homeowner. This historical mansion, modernized with LEED® Certified upgrades, is not just about improvement. It serves as a stepping-stone to the future of real estate.

For more information, please visit www.classiquesmodernes.com.