All articles by Michelle Cohen

Michelle is a New York-based writer and content strategist who has worked extensively with lifestyle brands like Seventeen, Country Living, Harper’s Bazaar and iVillage. In addition to being a copywriter for a digital media agency she writes about culture, New York City neighborhoods, real estate, style, design and technology among other topics. She has lived in a number of major US cities on both coasts and in between and loves all things relating to urbanism and culture.

Plaza Hotel to close for a four-year exterior restoration

Photo via Pixabay

October 15, 2026

Plaza Hotel to close for a four-year exterior restoration

By Michelle Cohen

The facade of the iconic Plaza Hotel at 1 Central Park South will be getting a thorough revamp, according to its operators, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. The work will require that the hotel be shut down for four years, as the New York Times reported. The 119-year-old landmark will shutter in January, including the hotel’s event spaces and the Palm Court restaurant; it is not yet clear whether residents of the building's 181 condominiums will have to relocate.
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Photos courtesy of Russ Ross for The Corcoran Group

October 15, 2026

This $5M Soho co-op will give your friends loft envy

By Michelle Cohen

Reminding us of a time when Soho's lofts were practically a universal symbol for downtown New York City living, this three-bedroom co-op at 284 Lafayette Street is the real deal; it's for sale for the first time in 30 years, asking $4,995,000. While it has all the authenticity of a former industrial space, an elevator, central air, and kitchens and baths that are anything but DIY make it a 21st-century living space.
loft life, this way

Distinctive Homes

Photo credit: Oleg Davidoff for Corcoran

October 14, 2026

$5.2M ‘back to the studs’ Williamsburg home has a glass-walled garage, roof deck, courtyard, and heated sidewalks

By Michelle Cohen

This recently rebuilt two-unit townhouse at 19 Conselyea Street in the heart of Williamsburg is both understated and exceptional. Set on a 28-foot-wide lot with a legal curb cut, the 3,198-square-foot home, asking $5,200,000, has a private driveway, a detached garage/studio with a glass wall that opens onto a landscaped garden, and a finished roof deck. Behind a stylish deep blue facade, a considered renovation has a mid-century modern feel, with rich wood and stone adding depth every bit as substantial as the ornate 19th-century flourishes more often seen in the borough's townhouses.
get a closer look

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Horse-drawn carriages to be banned in Central Park after deal between Council and Mamdani

Credit: Bee on Unsplash

October 14, 2026

Horse-drawn carriages to be banned in Central Park after deal between Council and Mamdani

By Michelle Cohen

City Council Speaker Julie Menin and Mayor Zohran Mamdani have reached an agreement on legislation that would end the use of the horse-drawn carriages in Central Park by June 2028, the New York Times reported. The issue has been a contentious one for over 150 years and the subject of fierce debate between animal rights activists and labor unions that represent the industry's drivers and business owners. The topic once again came to the forefront when a visiting teen died after being thrown from a carriage in June; according to Menin, the bill is likely to pass with a veto-proof majority in a council vote scheduled for October 22.
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Policy

For $945K, this pretty pre-war co-op in Brooklyn Heights is steps from the Promenade

Photos by Alejandro Leon of DD-Reps

October 13, 2026

For $945K, this pretty pre-war co-op in Brooklyn Heights is steps from the Promenade

By Michelle Cohen

This one-bedroom co-op at 39 Remsen Street is in a perfect location, within a block from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade in an 1870s townhouse. The home is the picture of pre-war charm, endowed with well-preserved original details and beautifully designed modern updates. Asking $945,000, the fourth-floor walk-up is light-filled, with treetop views.
take the tour

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New ‘Debt Demolisher’ program will help New Yorkers reduce debt from city fines

Photo courtesy of Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

October 13, 2026

New ‘Debt Demolisher’ program will help New Yorkers reduce debt from city fines

By Michelle Cohen

Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the city's Department of Finance (DOF) Commissioner Richard Lee announced on Tuesday a new 90-day Debt Demolisher program that will allow New York businesses and homeowners to resolve outstanding city fines at a reduced cost and avoid future penalties. Under the program, participants with outstanding debt may be eligible to have accrued interest waived and resolve related debt at a discount.
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Policy

This extra-wide $8M Park Slope brownstone is a rare find with historic details intact

Photos courtesy of Alejandro Leon/ DD-reps

October 12, 2026

This extra-wide $8M Park Slope brownstone is a rare find with historic details intact

By Michelle Cohen

This exceptional home at 870 President Street is one of only 19 of 4,500 Park Slope townhomes that measure 30 feet wide or more. The home, asking $7,995,000, sits on a prime north Slope lot, a block from Prospect Park. Behind a grand Romanesque Revival facade, the two-family townhouse has resisted the familiar contemporary aesthetic, keeping its intricate interior architecture preserved along with plenty of 19th-century charm.
historic home lovers, keep reading

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After Marble Hill ICE shooting, DHS head takes aim at Mamdani and New York’s sanctuary policies

Mayor Mamdani held a press conference on ICE shooting in Marble Hill on Thursday, October 8, 2026. Photo courtesy of Kara McCurdy | Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

October 9, 2026

After Marble Hill ICE shooting, DHS head takes aim at Mamdani and New York’s sanctuary policies

By Michelle Cohen

Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Thursday called for ICE to end its enforcement efforts in New York City after a federal ICE agent shot a man in a car with his five-year-old son in Manhattan. Department of Homeland Security head Markwayne Mullin, in a press conference Friday, attacked New York's sanctuary city policies, as the New York Times reports: "When you have sanctuary cities and sanctuary politicians, you endanger the safety of the public.”
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Policy

This $2.6M Brooklyn townhouse puts a designer’s touch into a compact historic frame

All photos by Allyson Lubow

October 8, 2026

This $2.6M Brooklyn townhouse puts a designer’s touch into a compact historic frame

By Michelle Cohen

This four-bedroom home on a landmarked block in Brooklyn's Prospect Lefferts Gardens has the curb appeal and interior good looks that characterize the borough's sought-after townhouses. Over three floors, two units offer plenty of living space and a backyard for outdoor living. Asking $2,649,000, the home at 250 Lefferts Avenue has been renovated from the lower-level flat to the solar panels on the roof with modern comforts and high-end fixtures and finishes.
take the townhouse tour

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For $1.4M, this renovated Midwood home has plenty of personality and lots of living space

All photos courtesy of Kristen Markoplis/Allyson Lubow Photography for The Corcoran Group

October 7, 2026

For $1.4M, this renovated Midwood home has plenty of personality and lots of living space

By Michelle Cohen

Built in 1910, this five-bedroom Brooklyn townhouse at 946 East 15th Street has old-school charm and colorful, livable interiors thanks to a considered renovation. Behind an understated slate-gray exterior, original Victorian-era details remain. Turn-key townhouse living is made easy by a wide front porch, rear deck, back garden, and flexible bonus space in the top floor and cellar. Asking $1,395,000, the 2,592-square-foot home sits on a residential Midwood street just a few blocks from the subway.
warmth, color and charm, this way

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Live within a former artists’ colony in this $3.5M Upper West Side co-op

Photo credit: Brown Harris Stevens

October 6, 2026

Live within a former artists’ colony in this $3.5M Upper West Side co-op

By Michelle Cohen

Though we're guessing few musicians can afford its prime location and generous proportions today, this top-floor home in the Musician’s Building at 50 West 67th Street has a unique footnote in New York City's creative history. Built in 1917 as an artists' colony with soundproof walls specifically for use by musicians and artists, the brick-and-terra-cotta residence on a Central Park block is recognizable by its Gothic entrance and ornate roof details. Within this top-floor home, asking $3.5 million, is the picture of pre-war charm, restored to 21st-century standard with graciously sized rooms, high ceilings, and extraordinary architectural details.
tour this classic co-op

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Village penthouse with rooftop ‘country cottage’ is for sale, asking $10.5M

All photos courtesy of Evan Joseph

October 1, 2026

Village penthouse with rooftop ‘country cottage’ is for sale, asking $10.5M

By Michelle Cohen

In 2015, 6sqft featured this charming rooftop cottage, an extension of the penthouse at 719 Greenwich Street. As one of a handful of rooftop cabins and cottages throughout the city, this remarkable residence is now on the market for the first time ever, asking $10,500,000. As part of a penthouse loft co-op, the 3,060-square-foot West Village home combines unique architectural character, cultural history, and peerless outdoor space with downtown Manhattan living in one of the city's most coveted historic neighborhoods.
tour the penthouse below and the cottage above

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For $2.4M, this artfully renovated Williamsburg duplex takes loft living to a new level

Photos courtesy of Jasmina Tomic for Allyson Lubow Photography

September 30, 2026

For $2.4M, this artfully renovated Williamsburg duplex takes loft living to a new level

By Michelle Cohen

This duplex condo at 100 North Third Street is the essence of Williamsburg loft living reimagined as an unconventional three-bedroom home with a treehouse vibe. A creative custom renovation resulted in a 1,622-square-foot space with 15-foot ceilings and southern light. Asking $2,398,000, the North Side loft has the latest in contemporary comforts, a gracious layout, and plenty of privacy thanks to a garden-facing spot at the back of the building.
take the tour

Distinctive Homes

Photo credit: Regan Wood

September 29, 2026

$15M townhouse-sized Fifth Avenue maisonette was a billionaire’s pied-à-terre

By Michelle Cohen

This two-story maisonette anchors a corner spot in an iconic Upper East Side co-op at 810 Fifth Avenue. Asking $14,995,000, the home combines the expansive private living you'd find in a Manhattan mansion with the white-glove service of a pre-war co-op. As recently featured in the New York Times, the Renaissance Palazzo-style 1926 building, designed by noted architect J.E.R. Carpenter, has been home to bold-faced names from William Randolph Hearst, Richard Nixon, and Nelson Rockefeller to David Geffen and Charles Bronfman. The 5,600-square-foot duplex was most recently the pied-à-terre of billionaire investor and philanthropist David H. Murdock, who died last year at 102.
mansion-meets-co-op, this way

Distinctive Homes

Photo credit: Baarast project via pexels

September 25, 2026

A bunny cafe hops into East Harlem

By Michelle Cohen

If current events have you looking for news that's just plain fluff, here's some: NYC is getting a bunny cafe. Similar to the familiar cat cafe idea, The Carrot Cup Cafe at 354 Pleasant Avenue in East Harlem is a community space where you can enjoy coffee and other artisanal refreshments while learning about rabbit care (there really is a lot to learn!), adopt a new friend, purchase treats for small critters, and, of course, get some bunny cuddles in. The cafe is an extension of Bunnies & Beyond, a rabbit rescue founded in 2016 by Cindy Stutts; the grand opening will be Sunday, September 27, from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
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This $4M Harlem brownstone is picture-perfect and move-in ready

Photo credit: Francisco Rosario at DD-reps.

September 24, 2026

This $4M Harlem brownstone is picture-perfect and move-in ready

By Michelle Cohen

If you've been imagining the benefits of townhouse living in the city, but the words "renovation" and "restoration" aren't on your wish list, this turnkey brownstone at 237 West 120th Street may be just right. Asking $4 million, this thoroughly renovated four-bedroom townhouse with a landscaped rear garden and a second-floor terrace is an opportunity to settle in and enjoy life without a contractor in sight. You won't have to live with some developer's idea of high-end: Contemporary style choices and considered design set the tone.
modern brownstone living, this way

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French soccer star Thierry Henry seeks $25M for his Soho penthouse

Photo credit: DD Reps for Sotheby’s International Realty

September 23, 2026

French soccer star Thierry Henry seeks $25M for his Soho penthouse

By Michelle Cohen

French-born footballer Thierry Henry has put his New York penthouse on the market for $25 million, according to the Wall Street Journal. Henry bought the three-story penthouse for $14.85 million in 2010, when he was signed to the New York Red Bulls; after his retirement in 2014, he has stayed with the game as a manager and announcer. Now 16 years later, the penthouse at 39 Crosby Street (also known as 425 Broome) is once again on the market. The 6,086-square-foot condo with 3,400 square feet of outdoor space spans three levels, plus terraces overlooking the Hudson River and a rooftop deck that looks big enough for a soccer match.
take the tour

All photos courtesy of Allyson Lubow for The Corcoran Group

September 23, 2026

This $5M Sutton Place penthouse is wrapped in a garden terrace overlooking the city

By Michelle Cohen

The East River and Midtown views from this two-bedroom co-op at 30 Sutton Place are stunning enough. But a glass-wrapped solarium and two landscaped terraces take life at the top to a whole new level with all-season outdoor living. Asking $4,950,000, this pretty east side penthouse offers the elegance of pre-war architecture within, enhanced by lively interiors and endless sunshine.
see the view from inside and out

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Gilded Age grandeur never left this $14M Park Avenue co-op

All photos courtesy of Christie’s International Real Estate New York

September 21, 2026

Gilded Age grandeur never left this $14M Park Avenue co-op

By Michelle Cohen

With 4,700 square feet of living space, this classic seven spans the entire seventh floor of 660 Park Avenue, which elevates it to sky-mansion territory, but the sprawling co-op retains the quiet elegance of a bygone era. Asking $14 million, the co-op offers gracious room proportions, a generous layout, and a classic Upper East Side address, with 21st-century comforts quietly added behind the scenes.
take the tour

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Jay Manuel’s $4.7M Connecticut estate is like a modern spa retreat

Photo credit: Daniel Milstein

September 17, 2026

Jay Manuel’s $4.7M Connecticut estate is like a modern spa retreat

By Michelle Cohen

This resort-like estate at 300 Sturges Ridge Road in Fairfield County, Connecticut, is the embodiment of a certain kind of modern dream life. Asking $4,695,000, the home on 2.6 acres leaves nothing to chance, though it's surrounded by nature. Currently owned by creative director and makeup artist Jay Manuel, known for his role as a judge on "America's Next Top Model," the property is the architectural version of a runway for modern living.
this home has no bad angles

A historic LES synagogue, now an artist’s studio, asks $10.95M

Photo credit: Yoo Jean Han

September 15, 2026

A historic LES synagogue, now an artist’s studio, asks $10.95M

By Michelle Cohen

Within what was once a well-known synagogue at 80 Forsyth Street on Manhattan's Lower East Side, the magnetism of this impossible-to-define property goes beyond its rich public history. The three-story space can be used as a live/work studio, gallery, or museum, with many more creative options due to the block's flexible zoning. Recently featured in the New York Times, the building is currently the studio of artist Dana Barnes, a former fashion designer known for creating large-scale fiber sculptures and wall hangings. Charmed by the space and its history, she and her husband, Dale Westhoff, purchased it in 2013 for $6.4 million. Asking $10.95 million, the 6,800-square-foot building's scale and architectural details require no embellishment beyond what meets the eye.
see the space from all angles

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NYC sues Trump over new rule that may deny green cards to immigrants using public assistance

Photo credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

September 14, 2026

NYC sues Trump over new rule that may deny green cards to immigrants using public assistance

By Michelle Cohen

Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Monday that New York City will join several cities in a lawsuit against the Trump administration over a new rule that lets officials deny green cards to immigrants who use government‑funded assistance programs. The new public charge rule, which will take effect on Friday, September 18, would affect immigrants using Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), public housing assistance, and other public assistance programs. As reported by Pix 11, the Department of Homeland Security states that the rule is intended to ensure that immigrants remain self‑sufficient rather than being dependent on taxpayer‑funded benefits. City officials called the new rule “an assault on immigrant families.”
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Policy

This $2.3M Murray Hill co-op offers historic townhouse living without the price, upkeep, and daily stair-climbing

Photo courtesy of The Corcoran Group

September 11, 2026

This $2.3M Murray Hill co-op offers historic townhouse living without the price, upkeep, and daily stair-climbing

By Michelle Cohen

This two-bedroom co-op is a history buff's dream, comprised of two previously separate units in an 1862 brownstone at 23 East 37th Street. The building's historic facade matches its neighbors on the historic Murray Hill block; the apartments within have modern conveniences like an elevator, central A/C, and in-unit laundry, along with a gracious layout, 11-foot ceilings, original fireplaces, and other historic details. Asking $2,295,000, the home has all of the joys of classic Manhattan townhouse living without the full townhouse price tag and endless flights of stairs.
manhattan brownstone living within reach, this way

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NYC’s biggest Himalayan food festival returns with $1 momos and more

Photo of momos courtesy of Jeff on Flickr

September 10, 2026

NYC’s biggest Himalayan food festival returns with $1 momos and more

By Michelle Cohen

This weekend, dumpling devotees have yet another reason to head to Jackson Heights, Queens. The 14th annual Momo Crawl, NYC’s largest Himalayan food and cultural festival, is happening on Sunday, September 13. The event will showcase the Himalayan favorite snack as well as live music and dance performances. Purchase a passport and enjoy dumplings from over 30 local vendors for one dollar each.
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This $1.8M Park Slope co-op feels like a townhouse, private deck included

Photo credit: Rachel Kuzma (photographer) / Carol Wang & Paul Murphy at Compass

September 9, 2026

This $1.8M Park Slope co-op feels like a townhouse, private deck included

By Michelle Cohen

Across from the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music on a picture-perfect Park Slope block, this three-bedroom, two-bath co-op at 160 Lincoln Place, asking $1.8 million, feels more like a house than a city apartment. Two units were combined to create a classic six with gracious proportions and expansive outdoor space in the form of a private rear deck. Framed by pre-war details like wood beams and high ceilings, there's plenty of room to create your own ideal layout.
get a closer look

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