Building Congress to host fundraiser for Christine Quinn, Ackman betting against Simon Property stock … and more

1. New York Building Congress, Frank Sciame to host fundraiser for City Council Speaker Christine Quinn [NYO]
2. Ackman betting against Simon Property stock as hedge against his General Growth stake [Bloomberg]
3. Madden’s Mitchell Hochberg in talks to buy debt on two New York-area hotels [NYT]
4. Brooklyn Heights developer to build new brownstone actually made out of brownstone [Brooklyn Paper]
5. Jersey City nabe counting on HUD funding for revitalization [NYT]

6. Traditional Dominican stronghold Hudson Heights now drawing diverse set of shops, new residents [WSJ]
7. To avoid refinancing costs after divorce, a little-known option called release of liability [NYT]
8. Kate Spade looks to expand Downtown office space [NYO]
9. Handy map shows how the housing double-dip is taking hold nationwide [Business Insider]
10. Will Grand Street’s former Ridley’s Department store site be sold as a landmark or a development site? [NYT]
11. Fraudster Ken Starr’s wife said to be illegally selling off the contents of her East 74th Street triplex, condo board filing suggests [Post]

12. Many of Long Island’s historic estates at risk of demolition [NYT]
13. With REIT mergers on the rise, real estate IPOs will be few and far between this year, AvalonBay CEO predicts [Bloomberg]
14. New condo, mixed-use rental complex rise in Westchester’s Mount Vernon [NYT]