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.

October 4, 2016

NYC bike lanes date back to 1899, and trucks blocked them then too

By Michelle Cohen

Vehicles parked smack in the middle of bike lanes are among the biggest scourges faced by city cyclists. It’s illegal (yes, there’s a $115 fine) though the law is rarely enforced–but it’s not just a modern obstruction. As it turns out, the main reason early bike lanes were created in the 1890s was because of lobbying by cyclists in the hopes getting more open riding space. New York City began paving whole streets and laying down asphalt strips specifically for cyclists–and, ironically, carts, wagons and other vehicles immediately began blocking them.
Naming and shaming the scofflaws

October 4, 2016

For $9.6M, an elegant Spanish Colonial condo awaits on the Upper East Side

By Michelle Cohen

On the one hand, you could say this mansion-esque 3,100-square-foot Spanish Colonial Revival-style home embodies classic Upper East Side pre-war co-op charm–at a condo price. A Park Avenue address in Carnegie Hill usually means the former, as do the home's 1928 bones, sprawling, palatial layout and stunning entry foyer. But this $9.6 million condo at 1235 Park Avenue is newly-renovated and though the price may be steeper, it comes with the flexibility a condominium generally affords.
Tour the rooms

Distinctive Homes

October 3, 2016

Artist brings 4,000 redwood trees to Downtown Brooklyn

By Michelle Cohen

A big green sign that greets drivers from Manhattan coming over the Williamsburg Bridge reads, "Name It...We Got It!" Among the many things to which the borough can now lay claim: A dense grove of 4,000 redwood trees in the middle of Downtown Brooklyn's Metrotech Commons. It's this unlikely juxtaposition that has brought the trees, with roots in prehistoric times and known to grow bigger than the Flatiron Building and longer than the Brooklyn Bridge, to this spot steps from Shake Shack. The mini-redwood forest is called "Lost Man Creek," an art installation by Brooklyn-based artist Spencer Finch that opened on October 1. It's a scaled-down (to one hundredth the size) replica of a 790-acre section of California's Redwood National Park, planted in partnership with the Save the Redwoods League.
See more of this magical mini-forest

Events & Things To Do

October 3, 2016

For $2.6M, this Village loft has a floor plan that’s definitely off the grid

By Michelle Cohen

On a tree-lined Village block that's somewhere between bustling and quiet, with a certain unchanged kind of old school elegance, this three-bedroom co-op loft at 30 East 10th Street is spacious enough at 1,600 square feet, but expensive at $2.6 million. On the other hand, it's a corner loft, and well-proportioned–the co-op's layout is anything but cookie-cutter with big bedrooms nestled in their own orbits on opposite sides of the apartment.
Tour the loft

Distinctive Homes

September 30, 2016

Hexagonal Frank Lloyd Wright ‘Usonian’ house for sale for $995K in Glen Ridge, New Jersey

By Michelle Cohen

This unique listing should definitely get the attention of modern house lovers and math geeks. One of three remaining New Jersey homes (a fourth was moved to Arkansas in 2014) designed by Frank Lloyd Wright is up for sale for $995,000. The home was purchased by the current owners in 1996 and restored to "purists' standards" in 2006. The house follows the architect’s “Usonian” plan which incorporates native materials and strong visual connections between interiors and the exterior landscape.
Check it out

September 30, 2016

Darling one-bedroom townhouse flat in Greenpoint asks just $660K

By Michelle Cohen

It's hard not to fall for Greenpoint's mix of waterfront loft energy and quaint, leafy old-school ethnic enclave. On a typically twee and tree-lined block in a prime spot between McCarren and McGolrick Parks, this one-bedroom-with-possibilities co-op at 100 Newel Street, asking $660K, is on the parlor floor of a totally charming building and has great prewar bones; the 800-square-foot apartment's layout, though, is somewhat in need of an update.
READ MORE

Distinctive Homes

September 29, 2016

MTA board member asks who will pay for Penn Station overhaul

By Michelle Cohen

As 6sqft previously reported, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced plans early this week for a $1.6 billion overhaul of Penn Station, and further details revealed that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority would be responsible for $150 of the project's costs. Since those plans were released, questions have been raised about where that organization's share of the tab would be coming from in an already stretched budget.
So where is this money coming from?

September 29, 2016

Except for the $475K price, this charming studio embodies the old East Village spirit

By Michelle Cohen

Anyone who's been around long enough to remember what the East Village used to be like–before the days of shiny condos and SoulCycle–might say this rather romantic little 425-square-foot co-op studio at 88 East Third Street is just about as old school as you can get without having your bathtub in the kitchen. Yes, there’s a Starbucks on the corner, but this quintessentially quirky-cool block is still home to the infamous Hell’s Angels East Village clubhouse at number 77 (right next door to the New York Law School dorm). They won’t cause you any trouble, but those bad boys still ride, so we hope you like the sound of motorcycle engines.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

September 28, 2016

Not too big, not too small, turnkey Prospect-Lefferts townhouse is just right–and just $1.95M

By Michelle Cohen

On a quiet block of Prospect-Lefferts Gardens--lined with similar round-fronted row houses and low-rise brick apartments--this thoughtfully-renovated, 20-foot-wide limestone townhouse is move-in ready, no contractor required. Asking $1.95 million, 176 Lefferts Avenue changed hands in 2014 for $1.6 million, and just before that in 2013 for $830,000 to a local developer–so you can see how much property values in this neighborhood have changed in recent years. Though the home has been renovated for use as a one-family, it's legally a two-family if you wanted to take advantage of the income–or other expansion–potential.
Explore all three floors

Distinctive Homes

September 28, 2016

REVEALED: Governor Cuomo unveils plans for new Penn Station-Moynihan Train Hall complex

By Michelle Cohen

In a presentation (pdf) Tuesday at the Association for a Better New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that plans for transforming a revamped Penn Station-Moynihan Train Hall complex into a "world-class 21st century transportation hub" were back on track and ready to roll, complete with a slew of new renderings and the selection of a developer-builder team including the Related Companies, Vornado, and Skanska AB, to redevelop the Farley Building.
Find out all the details

New bill would guarantee a lawyer for tenants facing eviction

By Michelle Cohen

The City Council held a hearing Monday on a bill that would guarantee lawyers for all low-income residents facing eviction. The New York Times reports that the bill, which has the support of an overwhelming majority of council members, would make New York City the country's first jurisdiction to do so. Currently more than 70 percent of low-income tenants in New York City head to Housing Court without legal representation according to a recent report by the city's Office of Civil Justice, while landlords are almost always represented by lawyers. This leaves tenants at a disadvantage from the start, say tenant advocates. Last year nearly 22,000 tenants were evicted from their homes across the city.
Find out more

Policy

September 27, 2016

1890s carriage house fronts a glass-walled Gramercy home with six terraces for $16.8M

By Michelle Cohen

A block from Gramercy Park, 150 East 22nd Street lies just outside the borders of the Gramercy Park Historic District, but the property's owners have preserved and restored one of the most substantial carriage houses still in existence in the coveted neighborhood. The original carriage house, commissioned by one Miss E.L. Breese, a prominent New York socialite known for her rare (for the time) level of independence, was constructed in the Neo-Flemish style in 1893. It now functions as a private garage for the home, its uniquely decorative façade enveloping the front of a thoroughly modern five-story townhouse–on the market for $16.8 million–that spans nearly 7,000 square feet and boasts an elevator, six bedrooms and six terraces including an amazing rooftop paradise.
Check out this amazing combination

September 26, 2016

NYC Transit paid $431M in settlements to people injured by trains or buses in last five years

By Michelle Cohen

We’re frequently reminded of the MTA’s efforts to tighten security and keep us safe from terrorists; now the Daily News reports that errors in safety procedures have led to an alarming number of accidental injuries over the past several years. And victims are definitely saying something–at an average of $86.2 million in settlement payments per year, totaling $431 million over the last five years.
Take a look at the numbers

Transit

September 26, 2016

$14M Noho penthouse is mindfully designed, feng shui-enhanced and Architectural Digest-approved

By Michelle Cohen

A $14 million price tag for a 3,000-square-foot, four-bedroom penthouse at an address like 7 Bond Street in Noho wouldn't be much of a surprise–even without 1,200 square feet of outdoor space, a perfectly-proportioned floor plan and a floor of glass-enclosed sunrooms. A feature spread in Architectural Digest reveals that this is no ordinary large and luxurious downtown pad but a "healthy living retreat," and as the listing puts it, a "veritable sanctuary of comfort and serenity." Portfolio manager Jason Pickard's home takes mindful design beyond the mere visual. A thorough renovation by AD 100 designer James Huniford, feng shui master Dee Kelly and "certified Building-Biology consultant" Matthew Waletzke of Healthy Dwellings used resources like reclaimed building materials and innovative air and water filtration systems to create a peaceful, luxurious and environmentally-friendly space.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

September 23, 2016

Sales have launched for LES luxury condos next door to Katz’s deli for $1.075M and up

By Michelle Cohen

Developer Ben Shaoul's new Lower East Side condos adjacent to Katz's famous deli at 196 Orchard Street have just hit the market. Definitely in line with the 21st century version of the storied neighborhood, the 96 newly-minted apartments have luxurious finishes, expansive views and enviable amenities, with units starting at $1.075 million for a studio.
This way for more details and lots of interior renderings

$7.75M penthouse with huge roof deck tops Tribeca’s Pearl Paint-replacing condos

Inside the penthouse (L); The former facade of the building still as Pearl Paint (R)

September 23, 2016

$7.75M penthouse with huge roof deck tops Tribeca’s Pearl Paint-replacing condos

By Michelle Cohen

Tribeca artists' mecca Pearl Paint--the 80-year-old art supply retailer at 308 Canal Street--closed just over two years ago, and in May, Trans World Equities filed permits to convert one of the buildings into four "bespoke full-floor lofts" and build a two-story addition above the 150-year-old cast-iron structure, now going by 42 Lispenard Street. Two are already in contract, but the newly-listed penthouse awaits, with a prospective winter 2016 occupancy date.
See more expensive sheetrock

September 23, 2016

Construction has officially begun for citywide ferry system; first boats to arrive in 2017

By Michelle Cohen

Mayor Bill de Blasio, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and Citywide Ferry operator Hornblower have announced that construction has officially begun on 19 vessels that will kick off New York City's first citywide ferry system, with vessels sporting the latest in 21st century maritime technology. The mayor said in a statement, “We are moving full steam ahead and bringing modern ferry boats, outfitted with the latest technology and safety features, to our waterways. This new fleet will help us connect commuters and visitors alike to neighborhoods throughout the city.”
Find out more

Transit

September 22, 2016

Combine Gwyneth Paltrow’s Tribeca penthouse with downstairs loft for the ultimate duplex

By Michelle Cohen

The 4,400 square-foot penthouse at the River Lofts at 416 Washington Street in Tribeca that Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin kept as a Manhattan landing spot before their conscious uncoupling has yet to find a buyer. The New York Post reminds us that Gwynnie's loft is still available, along with the 1,900 square foot apartment downstairs owned by restaurateur Reika Yo Alexander (her EN Japanese Brasserie is a celebrity fave, and fashion luminaries like Karl Lagerfeld and Alexander Wang have hosted events at the chic Izakaya), and that the two units might be consciously coupled in a stellar package deal.
Have a look at the Tribeca loft possibilities

September 22, 2016

It may be small, but this $445K Chelsea studio is cute as a button and a block from the High Line

By Michelle Cohen

Chelsea may not be the first place anyone looks for bargains, but this sunny pre-war studio with 10-foot ceilings, exposed brick walls and a huge overhead loft space for storage or sleep is as cute as the neighborhood is pricey. Tucked into a turn-of-the-century townhouse at 356 West 23rd Street in the heart of the popular gallery-, food market- and shop-filled neighborhood, this tranquil studio overlooks charming brownstone gardens for peace and quiet, and it's near a collection of subway lines for convenience and a block from the High Line for High Line awesomeness.
Take a peek inside

Distinctive Homes

September 21, 2016

Debt-beleaguered site of Norman Foster’s 3 Sutton Place condo tower is cleared for sale

By Michelle Cohen

A US Bankruptcy Court judge has approved a plan to sell the 3 Sutton Place site at at 426-432 East 58th Street, one of the city's most luxurious old enclaves, reports the New York Post. Brokers have been selected to conduct the marketing of the 262,000-square-foot project that includes plans for a 900-foot-tall condominium tower drawn up by British architect Sir Norman Foster of Foster + Partners.
Find out more

September 21, 2016

UWS duplex is both a ‘Tuscan villa’ and ‘Swiss chalet’ with three fireplaces and roof garden

By Michelle Cohen

According to the listing, this brownstone duplex at 316 West 90th Street on the Upper West Side is "a Tuscan villa in the warmer months and a romantic Swiss chalet in the winter." That sounds like a pretty tall order for a two-bedroom co-op, even for $1.8 million. But upon closer inspection, three toasty fireplaces definitely have fall and winter dialed in, and two decidedly Tuscan villa-esque decks await once al fresco season arrives.
Pick a room, pick a season, this way

Distinctive Homes

September 20, 2016

Sales begin at Annabelle Selldorf’s 42 Crosby Street, Soho condo with $1M parking spots

By Michelle Cohen

Sales officially launched today at 42 Crosby Street, Atlas Capital Group's 50,000-square-foot Soho condominium designed by Annabelle Selldorf of Selldorf Architects. Nine three-bedroom residences and a penthouse at the seven-story luxury residence will start at $8,250,000 (the penthouse is going for $25 million). According to the press release, the building's design offers "a contemporary interpretation of the Soho neighborhood’s cast iron architecture," and of course, there's those $1 million parking spots.
Find out more and see renderings

September 20, 2016

Fort Greene brownstone from ‘Girls’ looks even better in real life, asks $5.6M

By Michelle Cohen

Remember that season on Girls where Lena Dunham's character falls for a handsome doctor with a gorgeous, pristine renovated brownstone? The townhouse that hosted those episodes is, in fact, the same 5,600-square-foot landmarked home that just hit the market for $5.6 million. Located at 52 Oxford Street in leafy, historic Fort Greene, it's currently owned by actor, screenwriter, and sometimes interior designer, Billy Morrissette, and according to the listing, also did star turns on Elementary, SNL and Difficult People. But the five-story 19th-century beauty with thoughtfully chosen and luxurious finishes, a sprawling deck, a deep landscaped yard and an industrial-chic glass-walled sun room has plenty of star power even when the cameras aren't rolling.
Tour all five star-quality stories of townhouse glory

September 19, 2016

A Trump empire built on $885 million in tax breaks has cost the city a fortune

By Michelle Cohen

If you've followed Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump's gold-plated real estate career, you might already know how much of his success has been due to his family's extensive political connections–and generous tax breaks, grants and incentives from the government and taxpayers. In case you haven't read Trump's 1987 bestseller "The Art of the Deal," the New York Times illuminates the role that hundreds of millions in tax breaks have played in the Trump empire. While Trump may not be much different from other developers in seeking tax breaks, the candidate vociferously paints a picture of a rigged system and a fixed game. But these very fixes have enabled him to achieve a net worth estimated at 4.5 billion and the opportunity to indulge a run for the nation’s highest office.
So what's been going on here?

The ‘empty mansions’ of Huguette Clark: Luxury and mystery of an era past

Photo courtesy of Emptymansionsbook.com.

September 19, 2016

The ‘empty mansions’ of Huguette Clark: Luxury and mystery of an era past

By Michelle Cohen

Reclusive copper heiress Huguette M. Clark died in 2011 at the age of 104; in the years preceding and after her demise, obsessive followers of her story puzzled over her decision to remain in a small hospital room for the last 20 years of her life after having rarely left her apartment in the decades before. In this day of heiresses who run fashion companies and give house tours, Huguette Clark’s wealth and her retreat from the public eye—despite being by all accounts entirely lucid—have made her the target of endless fascination. But almost as fascinating are the storybook-grand properties that still stand as remnants of a gilded age long past and what remains of one of its biggest fortunes, barely touched and preserved as if in aspic until their recent acquisition by a new generation of magnates and heirs.
See more of Huguette Clark's abandoned Gilded Age opulence

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