The Real Deal New York

An interior shot of the Helmsley Park Lane hotel

The storied Helmsley Park Lane Hotel on Central Park South is headed to the auction block, with the estate of Leona Helmsley looking to cash in on the surging demand for high-end condominium conversion sites, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The 370,000-square-foot 46-story hotel has already attracted two serious suitors, sources told the Journal. Both developer Harry Macklowe and a consortium led by Steven Witkoff and CIM Group have put in nonbinding offers north of $600 million. [more]

Barclays Center

Converted townhouse at 226 West 71st Street lists for $15.9 million. Poor One57, only loved for the money. Queen’s Woodhaven gaining cachet with residents. What’s behind the Barclays Center’s signature smell?. City closes illegal Cobble Hill preschool, kids have classes in park instead. Read these stories and more after the jump.

Top stories over the weekend on The Real Deal:
1. New ACRIS will include co-op unit searches, more data
2. Rent or buy? It takes 6 years to recoup cost of purchasing a home in NYC 
3. Mission Real Estate: Rumored Tom Cruise brownstone hits the market for $28M 

Citi Bike station

Amid all the backlash and lawsuits over New York City’s bike-sharing program that is set to debut at month’s end, some proponents say the potential for a jump in real estate values is being missed in the bicycle brouhaha, OnEarth reported.

In London, many of the same complaints and predictions of doom were leveled against the city’s bike-sharing program before it launched in 2010. But Barclays Cycle Hire has defied expectations: 49 percent of users say they began cycling in London because of the system. [more]

The High Line

As new developments rise along the High Line in West Chelsea, families are flocking to them, the New York Times reported.

A lack of family-sized apartments Downtown has sent prices for luxury condominiums surging past those of Uptown and Midtown. One of the most sought-after neighborhoods is West Chelsea, as the High Line’s elevated parkland continues to drive development. [more]

Amanda Burden

As Amanda Burden’s decade-plus reign as planning commissioner begins to wind down, New York’s real estate watchers are already looking ahead to her potential successors, Crain’s reported.

Early successors include two ex-city planners: Vishaan Chakrabarti; Columbia University’s Center for Urban Real Estate director and a SHoP Architects partner; and Regina Myer, president of Brooklyn Bridge Park. Another hopeful is Anna Levin, a City Planning Commission member and former community board chairwoman. [more]

From left: Fredrik Eklund, John Gomes and the interior of 20 Greene Street

The week’s top sale was for unit 6A at 20 Greene Street. Fredrik Eklund and John Gomes of Douglas Elliman had the listing for the home, which traded for $9,600,000. See the other top sales and more after the jump.

From left: Barry Gosin, Joe Lhota and Anthony Weiner

Joseph Lhota may be a relative newcomer to the New York City mayoral race, but in the last two months he has captured the lion’s share of real estate contributions, beating out rivals Christine Quinn, Bill de Blasio and others for industry donations, a review of the latest city campaign finance records show. [more]

Copper Beech Farm in Greenwich, Conn. (Credit: David Ogilvy & Associates)

Greenwich, Conn., house asking $190 million could be priciest in U.S.. Tenant advocate blasts Anthony Weiner in letter. Renovated UES co-op penthouse once owned by Tommy Tune asks $14 million. Public space randomly opens near Holland Tunnel in Lower Manhattan. LES co-op uses massive natural gas boiler to heat 2,700 apartments. Read these stories and more after the jump.

TRD will be covering all the highlights of this year’s ICSC REcon event in Las Vegas

The International Council of Shopping Centers’ RECon event kicks off on Sunday, and The Real Deal will be on hand to cover all the panels, parties, networking and, most importantly, dealmaking that are the hallmarks of the annual global retail convention. [more]