Former USA president Richard Nixon's mansion, which he owned nearly 11 years (1969-1980), put on market for US$ 75 million. The mansion, which the president dubbed La Casa Pacifica, is located in the first line in San Clemente, California. President Richard Nixon's so-called Western White House, family used for family retreats and strategic meetings, hosting guests such as Henry Kissinger and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. Nixon, a Southern California native, retreated to the home after his resignation in 1974, following the Watergate scandal, and wrote his memoir there. He sold the estate to Mr. Herbert, and partners, in 1980 in a private sale. The 22.3 thousand square meters estate in San Clemente has more than 1400 square meters of living space over a main house, guesthouses and staff quarters, and 140 meters of ocean frontage. The main residence was designed in the 1920s by Carl Lindbom for Mr. Cotton, a wealthy local businessman, who was inspired by the mayor's residence in San Sebastian, Spain. The inside has tiled and wood floors and wood-beamed ceilings; large arched windows overlook the ocean. The home is designed in a Spanish Colonial style-white stucco and red-tile roof, and living spaces around a central courtyard with a fountain. An outside staircase leads to an office with a fireplace that Mr. Nixon added. The dining room overlooks the home's ornamental and English gardens on the opposite side. The tranquil lot overlooks a popular surfing beach. It has flower and vegetable gardens, neatly trimmed hedges, and palm and cypress trees. Listing agent Rob Giem, of HOM Sotheby's International Realty, says the high price tag (US$ 75 million) is justified, even aside from the property's provenance, as it is the largest stretch of available residential oceanfront south of Los Angeles. Prices for vacant waterfront lots in Orange County typically sell for US$ 5 million to US$ 10 million for a 2,5 thousand square meters, he says. "It's one of a kind," he adds. Gavin Herbert, the retired founder and CEO of Allergan is selling the estate after 35 years of ownership and is looking for a buyer who will continue to care for the property. Mr. Herbert and his partners developed the property into a gated subdivision with 14 other homes. He also added an octagonal poolside pavilion, and decorated it with photos of visiting dignitaries. More recently, he remodeled the main house, rebuilding about 30% and putting in a basement. The master suite was expanded to include a bath and closets. He also replaced a living-room fireplace and donated the original to the Nixon library.

New York's first "micro apartment" building "My Micro NY" is constructed in Brooklyn Navy Yard (New York, USA). According to New York Times, the end of construction is planned for this spring and the building will begin leasing studios in summer. The project was designed by "nArchitects". The firm won a closely watched design competition in 2013 that was sponsored by the city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development and enthusiastically endorsed by former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. The city's first "micro" building will have 55 rental apartments, all ranging from 23-34 square meters with kitchenettes, wheelchair-accessible bathrooms, ceilings over 2.7 meters high and big windows. And to help make living in a small space more palatable, tenants will have access to storage units and common spaces scattered throughout the building. The building will begin leasing studios this summer for around US$ 2 - 3 thousand a month. The project is being watched with interest by both housing advocates and developers, and not just because of its modular construction. Housing advocates say the creation of more micro-apartments could open up many more reasonably priced living options. More units dedicated to singles could eventually bring down rent prices across the city, as more two- to four-bedroom apartments would then open up to families. The contest was developed to address the growing need in New York City for affordable studios, one person- and two person-households. It was originally a part of Mayor Bloomberg's New Housing Marketplace Plan, a multi-billion dollar initiative to finance 165 thousand units of affordable housing for an expected 500 thousand New Yorkers. Under current zoning laws enacted in 1987, all NYC apartments must be at least 37 square meters, but then-mayor Michael Bloomberg said in 2013 that the new micro-units would be an exception.

Apple is moving into Silicon Valley headquarters that look like a spaceship. Facebook is expanding its campus with a new building designed by Frank Gehry. Now it's Google's turn. Recently Google has announced about its new headquarters in Mountain View. Architectural firms Heatherwick Studio and BIG are collaborating on the design of Google's new Mountain View Campus named "Googleplex". The campus is designed with a strong emphasis on the natural environment, with office buildings contained within large dome-shaped greenhouses and abundant plant life present both inside and out. The campus will be open to the public so that the local community can enjoy the open green spaces. The development will also include wildlife habitats and will restore waterways that feed water to the Bay. Additionally, the new "Googleplex" will create an escape from the "parking lot" environment familiar to much of Silicon Valley. Roads will be designed for bikes and for pedestrians, with an urban environment that promotes a lively, stimulating energy. More details are still to come, and indeed more work is still to be done.

A two-story luxury condo in Manhattan has just become the most expensive apartment ever sold in New York City. A duplex penthouse spanning the top two floors of the One57 condominium tower was sold for $100.5 million, setting a record for the most expensive residential deal ever completed in Manhattan. The apartment, which spans all of the 89th and 90th floors of the 306-meter tower, with almost 1020 square meters, include 6 bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a steam room, a library, and an indoor movie theater. All apartments of this tower have soaring ceilings, rosewood flooring and custom Italian marble baths. Residents of the building also have access to a gaggle of uber luxe amenities, including a gym, a pool and Jacuzzi, a steam room, a library and a screening room. The trophy tower, which is nearly sold out, has attracted local and foreign buyers. Sales at One57 began in 2011 and reached US$ 1 billion in the first six months, including the last record deal. Another duplex at the building, spanning the 75th and 76th floors, is under contract to be sold for more than $90 million to an investment group that includes Bill Ackman. Earlier we reported, that the prime minister of Qatar was ready to plunk down nearly US$ 100 million for the city's most expensive penthouse - an ultra-luxe, two-story pad atop the under-construction One57 condominium. Now, the duplex penthouse owner name wasn't published. And though $100 million may seem like a lot, New York's priciest penthouse will most likely prove to be a savvy investment as more expensive homes continues to go on sale. Already, a tower on 520 Park Avenue has a penthouse on the market for $130 million, and prices are only expected to climb. Previous price record belonged to the Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev, who bought an apartment in New York for US$ 88 million for his student daughter.

Sheathed in scaffolding, the Capitol Dome looks less like a soaring symbol of American democracy these days than it does some giant Erector Set shining in the sun. That counts as progress, though, and officials announced on November 18 the next installment of a US$ 60 million repair is ready to begin. The 84 thousand of scaffolding pipe and two miles of decking will allow repair crews access to the dome at all levels, from the 36 columns at its base to the Statue of Freedom at its peak. Next, according to the Architect of the Capitol's website, 325 meters of cracked cast iron will be repaired, and more than a dozen layers of old paint removed. Decorative ornaments will be repaired or in some cases replaced. Then 1,215 gallons of paint will be applied in three coats - the last of which is "Dome White." The cast iron dome - actually a pair of them nestled inside one another and connected by cast iron braces - is more than 150 years old. The last restoration was completed in 1959 and 1960. Stephen T. Ayers, the Architect of the Capitol, told reporters invited to a rooftop news conference in cold, blustery weather than he hoped the current job would be good for 75 to 100 years. So far, he said, it is on schedule and on budget, and should be completed in time for the next presidential inaugural, on Jan. 20, 2017.