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.

NYC Council passes bills to curb and compost dog waste

Photo credit: John McCarten/NYC Council Media Unit on Flickr

August 14, 2026

NYC Council passes bills to curb and compost dog waste

By Michelle Cohen

The New York City Council passed a package of bills Thursday that take aim at the proliferation of dog poop on city sidewalks and parks. Among them is a measure that would create a composting program that turns dog droppings into compost rather than ending up in landfills. The Safe and Clean Outdoor Ownership Practices (SCOOP) Act was created to address growing complaints about the notably unscooped piles that remained after the blizzard this past winter.
cleaner sidewalks, this way

Policy

New York provides $7.25M for legal services for immigrant children facing removal proceedings

Photo credit: Office of Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

August 13, 2026

New York provides $7.25M for legal services for immigrant children facing removal proceedings

By Michelle Cohen

New York will fund legal services for approximately 1,400 unaccompanied immigrant children who are facing active removal proceedings, including the more than 250 young people who are currently detained, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Wednesday. The $7.25 million in funding will help vulnerable children access legal representation after the Trump administration allowed a nationwide federal contract providing legal services for over 24,000 unaccompanied migrant children to expire on July 31. The new state funding will ensure all children in active removal proceedings have access to representation.
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Policy

Two bedrooms plus a home office for $1.7M in this FiDi duplex loft

Photo credit: Vistabee for The Corcoran Group

August 13, 2026

Two bedrooms plus a home office for $1.7M in this FiDi duplex loft

By Michelle Cohen

Though it's in the historic Cotton Exchange building, there's nothing old-fashioned about this loft co-op at 3 Hanover Square, asking $1,675,000. With a shiny modern renovation in place, the two-bedroom Financial District co-op still has loft perks like 18-foot ceilings on the lower level and oversized windows; a flexible layout provides options—like adding an additional bedroom.
loft proportions, luxe additions

Distinctive Homes

For $775K, residents of this renovated Bed-Stuy loft get a rooftop gym and terrace with city views

Photo credit: Anton Brookes for The Corcoran Group

August 12, 2026

For $775K, residents of this renovated Bed-Stuy loft get a rooftop gym and terrace with city views

By Michelle Cohen

This newly renovated Bed-Stuy condo, currently configured as a two-bedroom, exemplifies loft living in the iconic Chocolate Factory building at 689 Myrtle Avenue. Asking $775,000, the bright, open space offers modern conveniences not always found in a classic loft, including a gorgeous rooftop gym and terrace.
Brooklyn loft living, this way

Distinctive Homes

Data Vandals turns facts about NYC into art and conversation in an abandoned subway kiosk

Photo credit: Mark Shaw

August 12, 2026

Data Vandals turns facts about NYC into art and conversation in an abandoned subway kiosk

By Michelle Cohen

Some New Yorkers have complained that they miss the old subway platform kiosks that were recently replaced by vending machines, seeing the change as a sign that human interaction is becoming a thing of the past. Data Vandals has an even better idea: As part of the MTA’s Vacant Unit Activation Program, the artist-activists created the Data Vandals Newsstand, a data-art gallery on the downtown 6-train platform at 51st Street and Lexington Avenue. A colorful mural outside the former kiosk reveals New York’s history in fascinating detail for the 52,000 riders that pass through the station daily. Creative visualization of vital data includes the country of origin for each of the city's 8.8 million residents anchored by a freshly updated Statue of Liberty and a six-foot-tall rat mascot offering facts about the 6-train stops. Inside, the kiosk turns into a center for community conversation, with rotating surveys, changing exhibitions, in-person events, talks, music, and a free newspaper.
find out more

Events & Things To Do

This $15M Westchester home is a work of modern architecture that reflects the surrounding forest

Photo credit: Peter Aaron/Otto

August 11, 2026

This $15M Westchester home is a work of modern architecture that reflects the surrounding forest

By Michelle Cohen

This architecturally significant residence at 51 Old Stone Hill Road in Pound Ridge, New York, was designed by renowned firm Kieran Timberlake. Sheltered by the woods, this rare example of modern architecture sits high on a secluded knoll. A glass bridge and a reflective facade have a uniquely interactive relationship with the surrounding greenery, as described in a recent feature in the Wall Street Journal. The 19.5-acre wooded property, asking $15 million, offers a natural bounty of dramatic granite outcroppings, forest, and meadows, bordered by 40 acres of unspoiled land conservancy.
timeless design behind walls of glass

Distinctive Homes

New York will test new thermal tech that cools down NYC subway platforms

All photos courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

August 11, 2026

New York will test new thermal tech that cools down NYC subway platforms

By Michelle Cohen

Mayor Zohran Mamdani and state officials this week announced plans to cool New York City subway platforms that turn into saunas during the summer. The mayor, Gov. Kathy Hochul, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority are teaming up to study thermal energy networks (TENs) at the Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall and Chamber Street complex, among the city's hottest subway platforms. The technology, the first in the nation installed in a transit system, involves capturing, storing, and recycling the excess heat to surrounding buildings in the winter. The TENs study will be part of a thorough renovation of the Chambers Street station, one of the city's oldest.
find out more

Transit

Camp out overnight in NYC parks with the Urban Park Rangers

All photos courtesy of NYC Parks

August 11, 2026

Camp out overnight in NYC parks with the Urban Park Rangers

By Michelle Cohen

Here's a chance to pitch a tent under the stars in parks around New York City. First launched over 20 years ago, the NYC Parks Department's Family Camping program provides a free way for New Yorkers to experience overnight camping without leaving the five boroughs. The events, hosted by the Urban Park Rangers, include night hikes, storytelling, and, of course, s’mores. As space is very limited, with just 30 participants per program, according to Gothamist, interested campers must enter a lottery for each event. While registration for the Central Park event has passed, there are plenty of opportunities in other parks across New York, like Inwood Hill Park in Manhattan and Orchard Beach in the Bronx.
gone camping

Events & Things To Do

NYC homeowners sue the city for ‘mass confusion’ over pied-à-terre tax

Billionaires’ Row from Harlem. Photo by joiseyshowaa on Wikimedia

August 10, 2026

NYC homeowners sue the city for ‘mass confusion’ over pied-à-terre tax

By Michelle Cohen

A handful of property owners have begun a legal challenge against New York City over Mayor Zohran Mamdani's rollout of the new pied-à-terre tax, claiming the "chaotic" rollout of the measure caused mass confusion, as Gothamist reported. The surcharge, aimed at people who own second homes valued at over $5 million for one-to-three family homes and over $1 million for condos or co-ops, began with the publication of a Department of Finance (DOF) database of 900,000 properties, many of which were not actually subject to the tax. The complaint alleges that the city violated state law by subsequently sending 17,000 letters to homeowners alerting them that they may be subject to the high-value property tax. On Monday, a State Supreme Court judge on Staten Island granted a temporary restraining order on behalf of the homeowners, briefly putting a pause on the tax rollout, but city officials quickly filed an appeal, which served to block the judge's order pending review by a higher court.
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Policy

This $4.6M upstate New York property is a modern woodland sanctuary

Photos: Brown Harris Stevens

August 7, 2026

This $4.6M upstate New York property is a modern woodland sanctuary

By Michelle Cohen

On 16 secluded acres in the historic hamlet of Red Rock in East Chatham, New York, Red Rock House at 205 County Route 24 is an example of modern architecture that integrates seamlessly with the forest that surrounds it. Designed by Anmahian Winton Architects with landscapes by Studio Reed-Hilderbrand, the compound offers every contemporary comfort while maintaining harmony with the natural landscape. Asking $4.6 million, the homes and grounds represent as much a restorative experience as a secluded getaway, with a saltwater pool, guest cabins–even a tree house.
modern woodland sanctuary, this way

Distinctive Homes

For $1.95M, live in a Victorian house with a two-car garage without leaving city life behind

By Michelle Cohen

This historic three-story home at 674 East 24th Street is on a tree-shaded block in Ditmas Park, the Brooklyn neighborhood, also known as Victorian Flatbush. In addition to curb appeal, gracious proportions, and seven bedrooms, this classic late-19th-century home, asking $1.95 million, has the rare city perk of a private driveway and a two-car garage.
Victorian house in the city, this way

Distinctive Homes

Live in a fashion designer’s historic atelier and studio in the Catskills for $645K

Photo credit: Sean Scherer

July 30, 2026

Live in a fashion designer’s historic atelier and studio in the Catskills for $645K

By Michelle Cohen

Surrounded by the wilderness of the western Catskills in Franklin Village, New York, this unique mixed-use property at 422 Main Street has both history and charm. Built in 1878 as the town bank and post office, it was the creative workplace and showroom of interior designer Sean Scherer of Kabinett & Kammer and fashion designer Gary Graham. The creative duo created a live/work opportunity that is as flexible as it is livable.
get creative in the catskills

Distinctive Homes

This $6.5M Hell’s Kitchen townhouse has a heavenly rooftop oasis

Credit: Alejandro Leon of DD Reps

July 28, 2026

This $6.5M Hell’s Kitchen townhouse has a heavenly rooftop oasis

By Michelle Cohen

This 20-foot-wide 1920 brick townhouse at 445 West 44th Street is itself a bit of an oasis in busy Midtown. Set within the timeless architecture of a historic Hell's Kitchen block, the renovated turnkey home, asking $6,500,000, has interiors that invite the light, but not the city grit, inside. Its 3,886 square feet of living space comes with 2,000 square feet of private outdoor space–including a glass-clad rooftop oasis.
tour the midtown townhouse

Distinctive Homes

Is this $4M NJ farmhouse your ‘Green Acres’?

Photo credit: Rich J. Weinberger

July 27, 2026

Is this $4M NJ farmhouse your ‘Green Acres’?

By Michelle Cohen

Just 50 miles beyond New York City, this bucolic 10-acre property at 89 Fairmount Road West is home to By Pond Farm, a four-bedroom home that looks to be part modern farmhouse, part Adirondack lodge. But it's not in the Adirondacks (it's in Tewksbury Township, New Jersey), and though it offers every modern comfort, the original home was constructed in 1900. Recent renovations (as seen in House Beautiful) have brought what the listing refers to as a "gentleman's farm" into the 21st century with state-of-the-art appliances in the kitchen, a movie theater, and a saltwater pool. There's even a glass elevator. In addition to the farmhouse, the property, asking $3,995,000, features a party barn, a pond, outbuildings and barns, and beautifully landscaped grounds.
is by pond farm the place to be?

Distinctive Homes

All photos by Ethan Herrington

July 23, 2026

This $9.7M Nolita loft is a luxury confection in a former chocolate factory

By Michelle Cohen

If you're looking for a classic loft with 21st-century convenience, this corner condo at 285 Lafayette Street checks the boxes. Located at the border of Nolita and Soho, the one-time chocolate factory was among the neighborhood’s first full-service condominiums. Within, the two-bedroom loft, asking $9,745,000, has exposed original beams and columns, 10-foot ceilings, and oversized windows that frame unfettered views of Old Saint Patrick's Cathedral. This historic frame adds a backdrop of simplicity for design flourishes like Venetian plaster, statement marble, and dramatic designer lighting.
downtown loft living, this way

Distinctive Homes

Find your new favorite from 600 dining spots during this summer’s NYC Restaurant Week

Jue Lan Club, Flatiron District. Photo: Lanna Apishukh

July 22, 2026

Find your new favorite from 600 dining spots during this summer’s NYC Restaurant Week

By Michelle Cohen

New York City's NYC Restaurant Week Summer 2026 is on, offering a chance to sample top culinary offerings throughout the five boroughs for a fraction of regular restaurant prices. It's no secret that NYC's Restaurant Weeks stretch well beyond seven days, so if you're ready to leave stadium beer and hot dogs behind, you're in luck: More than 600 dining destinations will offer prix-fixe lunches and dinners for $30, $45, and $60 through August 16.
taste the world, take the subway

Food & Dining

Asking $26M and $33M, a pair of Tribeca penthouses top a Ralph Walker Art Deco palace

All images courtesy of The Corcoran Group

July 17, 2026

Asking $26M and $33M, a pair of Tribeca penthouses top a Ralph Walker Art Deco palace

By Michelle Cohen

Designed in 1927 by legendary Art Deco architect Ralph Walker and given new life as 21st-century condo residences, One Hundred Barclay remains an icon of New York design. Asking $25,950,000 and $32,950,000, a pair of duplex penthouses offer the opportunity to breathe the rarified air of turnkey penthouse living in dramatic Paris Forino-designed style at the zenith of this Tribeca landmark.
penthouse perfection, this way

Distinctive Homes

For $3.8M, this Queen Anne mansion in Crown Heights is a neighborhood landmark

Photo courtesy of Dan Osborne

July 16, 2026

For $3.8M, this Queen Anne mansion in Crown Heights is a neighborhood landmark

By Michelle Cohen

Instantly recognizable from the street for its rounded turret and Spanish clay-tiled roof, the townhouse at 1094 Park Place is among the iconic mansions that give Crown Heights its appeal. The beautifully preserved home has another covetable feature unique to the Brooklyn neighborhood: a deep 120-foot lot for a back yard that stretches farther than most. Asking $3,845,000, this landmarked home is ready for 21st-century living behind its stunning original details and standout facade.
get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

Japanese gardens and a koi pond surround the clean geometric forms of this modern Hudson Valley home, asking $4.2M

Photo credit: Bret Wills

July 15, 2026

Japanese gardens and a koi pond surround the clean geometric forms of this modern Hudson Valley home, asking $4.2M

By Michelle Cohen

KoiHaus, a mid-century modern home on three-and-a-quarter acres near Piermont, New York, rises from a secluded road near the banks of the Hudson River. In the style of Frank Lloyd Wright, KoiHaus in the Hudson Valley consists of clean lines and geometric shapes, surrounded by Japanese-inspired gardens and landscape. The 6,800 square feet of living space is composed of five interconnected boxes constructed of concrete, stucco, stone, and hardwood, topped by a 50-year roof. Asking $4,195,000, the precision of KoiHaus is contrasted by natural bluestone pathways and hefty stone steps found throughout the enchanted gardens.
spend an afternoon watching the koi swimming

Distinctive Homes

Throw garden parties all summer long at this $1.8M Brooklyn Heights co-op

All photos courtesy of The Corcoran Group

July 14, 2026

Throw garden parties all summer long at this $1.8M Brooklyn Heights co-op

By Michelle Cohen

In a 25-foot-wide brick Italianate townhouse on a coveted Brooklyn Heights block, this two-bedroom co-op at 60 Pierrepont Street illustrates the charm of the historic neighborhood. Asking $1,795,000, the home is framed by pre-war elegance preserved through a comprehensive renovation, elevated further by a 500-square-foot south-facing terrace that offers a rare opportunity for real outdoor living.
take the tour

Distinctive Homes

$1.25M two-family Williamsburg townhouse has lots of options for less than a condo

All photos courtesy of Interiors by Kat for The Corcoran Group

July 13, 2026

$1.25M two-family Williamsburg townhouse has lots of options for less than a condo

By Michelle Cohen

On a leafy residential block that straddles the border of Greenpoint and East Williamsburg, this compact brick home at 110 Beadel Street has townhouse flexibility. Currently configured as a two-unit dwelling with a full basement, the property could be converted to a single-family home or offer market-rate rental income on one or both units. Asking $1.25 million, the home competes with any one-bedroom condo in this sought-after neighborhood, with many more options.
Find out more

Distinctive Homes

For $2.75M, this West Village co-op exemplifies timeless, sophisticated design

Credit: Allyson Lubow for The Corcoran Group

July 10, 2026

For $2.75M, this West Village co-op exemplifies timeless, sophisticated design

By Michelle Cohen

On a tree-shaded West Village street, this elegant co-op at 104 Bedford Street takes pre-war bones and out-of-the-box angles and adds sophisticated interiors that landed it in the pages of Architectural Digest. Asking $2.75 million, the home's highlights include two wood-burning fireplaces, a cozy dining nook, generous closets, and a guest room optimized with a built-in bed.
take the tour

Distinctive Homes

185-acre equestrian estate that once belonged to the Carnegie family heads to auction

Photo credit: Alon Koppel and Tim Lee

July 8, 2026

185-acre equestrian estate that once belonged to the Carnegie family heads to auction

By Michelle Cohen

Previously asking $20 million, this private Hudson Valley estate on 185 acres heads for auction this month, starting at or above $7.95 million. Located in Millbrook Hunt Country, the property, which offers mountain views in every direction, once served as the rural retreat of Andrew Carnegie’s daughter, Margaret Carnegie. In addition to that legacy, the estate’s top-tier equestrian facilities include a 10-stall barn with a tack room, staff housing, and paddocks enclosed with post-and-rail fencing, some with field shelters. The property also features miles of fenced pasture and private riding trails.
homes, hills, and horses, this way

Distinctive Homes

This $6.75M Gowanus compound combines a townhouse, gallery, garage, and lofts in one unusual property

All photos courtesy of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

July 7, 2026

This $6.75M Gowanus compound combines a townhouse, gallery, garage, and lofts in one unusual property

By Michelle Cohen

On an unassuming Brooklyn block near the banks of the re-emergent Gowanus Canal, this one-of-a-kind property at 128 2nd Street includes two free-standing buildings connected by a common backyard. The resulting 4,500 square feet of interior space on an L-shaped double lot adds up to a modern urban compound that goes beyond townhouse living. Asking $6,750,000, the property includes a beautifully renovated three-story townhouse plus a garage, open studio space, and two residential lofts for rental income opportunities.
three units, two buildings, one surprise after another

Distinctive Homes

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