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.
Bought for Just $7,600 in the ’70s, Prospect Heights Co-op Returns 43 Years Later for $2.15M
November 18, 2015

Bought for Just $7,600 in the ’70s, Prospect Heights Co-op Returns 43 Years Later for $2.15M

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In the statuesque Art Deco-style Turner Towers co-op along what’s arguably the most picturesque stretch of the grand Olmsted and Vaux-designed boulevard in Prospect Heights, this sprawling four-bedroom residence at 135 Eastern Parkway has been a family home for 43 years. The current owner moved to–and fell in love with–the neighborhood in the early ‘70s, when it was on the cusp of far darker times. How she came to acquire the spacious 14th-floor apartment, with unobstructed views over the treetops, the park and to the Verrazano Bridge and beyond, for $7,600 (nope, that’s not a typo) is a classic New York story.
Read More on the brains, luck and community spirit of Brooklyn in the 70s
Actress, Writer, Singer and Real Estate Scion Isabel Rose Lists $14 million Tribeca ‘Paradise’
November 17, 2015

Actress, Writer, Singer and Real Estate Scion Isabel Rose Lists $14 million Tribeca ‘Paradise’

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You can add Tribeca pioneer and Mariah Carey neighbor to the long list of things that describe the ebullient seller of this 5,027-square-foot downtown mansion-in-the-sky at 90 Franklin Street. In an interview, Rose, a member of one of the city's most prominent real estate families (developing company Rose Associates manages more than 30,000 apartments and owns the Chelsea Landmark building among others) tells of how she moved to the pricey downtown neighborhood in 2000, when it was "filled with factories and a few brave artists," purchasing the apartment for (sitting down?) $3.4 million. The novelist, actress and singer who just released an album of classics and performs at venues like Joe's Pub, is the creative force behind the apartment's many art and music-related accents. The condominium residence, in one of Tribeca's many grand Deco-era buildings, needs no song and dance to give it legs. Its vast size (listed at five bedrooms, and there's room for at least two more), prime location on one of the neighborhood's most iconic streets, and luxurious no-detail-overlooked interiors do a fine job on their own of justifying the $14 million ask. In addition to Carey, notable building residents have include Ben Stiller and Bob Vila.
Check out the impressive space here
$2.5M Brooklyn Waterfront Condo Has a Gorgeous Garden and a Wall Made of Shipping Containers
November 16, 2015

$2.5M Brooklyn Waterfront Condo Has a Gorgeous Garden and a Wall Made of Shipping Containers

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The loft-like apartments at 360 Furman Street–known as One Brooklyn Bridge Park–have made headlines in the past; the building was among the first wave of luxury conversions of its kind in the borough; it’s surrounded by one of the city’s favorite waterfront parks; it contains what was for a time the most expensive apartment listing in Brooklyn, and the list goes on. The building’s most alluring features are the stunning Manhattan and East River views from some of the apartments (others have less-stunning views of the BQE), luxury finishes, and convenience to the best of Brooklyn and downtown Manhattan. Interiors tend to be sleek and contemporary; it's not the first place you’d expect to find a wall crafted from shipping containers. This spacious and versatile three-bedroom apartment, on the market for $2.5 million, feels more like a laid-back loft with high-end details than a sleek new condo, with creative custom additions and steel-framed walls of glass overlooking a verdant garden-filled 600-square-foot terrace.
Check out this lofty space
This Sprawling Park Slope Classic Seven in ‘Brooklyn’s Flatiron Building’ Asks $2.59M
November 13, 2015

This Sprawling Park Slope Classic Seven in ‘Brooklyn’s Flatiron Building’ Asks $2.59M

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Believe it or not, there are still some cases where your money goes farther in Brooklyn. Take this four-bedroom classic seven at 47 Plaza Street West in north Park Slope, a sprawling elegant pre-war co-op in the 1928 Rosario Candela-designed building sometimes referred to as “Brooklyn’s Flatiron” due to it's pizza-slice form–which gives the home's interior a unique, er, angle. The 2,350-square-foot apartment has been recently renovated, making it comparable to the size of a modest suburban house. It’s one of those co-ops where just looking at the floor plan makes you long for a time when tiny apartments weren't a thing (Yes, there’s a separate servants’ entrance as is often the case in these co-ops). And while the ask of $2.59 million might seem like a lot, a comparable Manhattan residence might easily be twice that much, if not more.
Tour this glamorous parkside pad
Pretty Pink Co-op Asking $435K Has Pre-War Potential
November 12, 2015

Pretty Pink Co-op Asking $435K Has Pre-War Potential

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Though we so often hear that an eye for interiors–or a good decorator–can make even the smallest apartment feel like a gracious home, we love to see real-life examples that aren't in magazines shot by highly-paid photographers. This slender Upper East Side one-bedroom co-op at 330 East 94th Street with a relatively manageable $435,000 price tag is an inspiring example. In addition to the fact that with ownership comes the right (co-op board willing of course) to transform the space with any number of clever solutions, it would take far less to create a charming pied-a-terre, for example, without that level of effort or expense.
Look around
For $3.45M This Unique UES Townhouse Condo Offers the Best of Both Worlds – and a Private Park
November 11, 2015

For $3.45M This Unique UES Townhouse Condo Offers the Best of Both Worlds – and a Private Park

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New York City in the 1980s saw an enormous building boom similar to the one we've recently been witnessing. And similarly, when it came to large residential developments, the emphasis was on the trendy and the luxurious to attract moneyed buyers. While the new-construction townhouse, integrated with apartment units as with The Greenwich Lane or left solo like Williamsburg's Wythe Lane, is today a growing trend in luxury residential development, at the time this handful of townhomes at 245 East 93rd Street wasn't, shall we say, as much of a thing. City folk wanted city apartments-and still felt doormen equalled safety. But as in a much earlier time, a house in the city represents a certain kind of luxury, a self-contained home without the limitations that come with apartments. And though we may hear mention of the Trump Towers (1983) and the One57s more often, it’s refreshing to see a variation in what’s available to the discerning buyer. Built in 1985, this 2,100 square-foot, three-story (plus lofts and terraces), three-bedroom townhouse, on the market for $3.45 million, is one of twelve that, along with a 33-story tower, comprise the 290-unit Astor Terrace condominium development. This unique home has a 20th-century-modern smartness–along with a spare, modernist look in dark red-grey brick and black-framed casement windows; a recent and thorough renovation has given it the benefit of contemporary luxury and convenience.
Explore this unusual Upper East Side home
Pretty West Village Duplex Wants a Pretty Penny for Design, Location and a Private Roof Deck
November 10, 2015

Pretty West Village Duplex Wants a Pretty Penny for Design, Location and a Private Roof Deck

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This one-bedroom, 872-square-foot duplex condominium at 387 Bleecker Street couldn’t possibly be cuter, or in a better location. Tucked above trendy luxury handbag shop Mulberry in a 1817 townhouse, on a postcard-ready historic West Village street, it radiates designer charm everywhere from its sleek, white kitchen to its private roof terrace. So if this picture-perfect apartment is perfect enough for you, and you’re in possession of $3.15 million, this could be your new home.
Take a look around
Noroof Architects Transformed This $1.6M Historic Bed-Stuy Home With Modern Appeal
November 9, 2015

Noroof Architects Transformed This $1.6M Historic Bed-Stuy Home With Modern Appeal

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No matter how lavish, developer and flipper renovations rarely hold a candle to the custom designs executed by architects for their clients' homes–even more so when the architects are the clients and the homes are their own. This unassuming townhouse at 702 Monroe Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant, on the market for $1.635 million, is a prime example. In this case, the innovative pair behind architecture firm noroof (they received national recognition for their "Slot House" and specialize in designing small spaces) worked their creative and practical magic on a comparatively compact historic Brooklyn townhouse with a unique front porch and a lot of potential charm. Based on love and respect for the porch as a gathering, sheltering and enhancing element, they've named the resulting project "porchouse," an elegantly-designed home with a clean, modern interior that's perfect for family living–with plenty of curb appeal.
See how the magic happened
Listings Launch for Nomad’s 212 Fifth Avenue Condo Conversion
November 6, 2015

Listings Launch for Nomad’s 212 Fifth Avenue Condo Conversion

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Though sales began a few weeks ago, listings are up for 212 Fifth Avenue, the highly-anticipated in-progress Nomad condo conversion by NYC-based firm Helpern consisting of 48 two-, three- and four-bedroom residences in a landmarked 1912 neo-Gothic building at the northwest corner of Madison Square Park. Listings with Town Residential–16 currently–range from 5C, a $3.9 million fifth-floor two-bedroom home, to $16.1 million for one of the building's 4,000-square-foot+ four-bedroom residences on the 15th floor. Floors 3-13 of the 24-story building offer three units per floor while floors 14-19 offer two; two immense triplex penthouses with Empire State Building and city skyline views are still to come. All homes boast multi-zoned heat and air, vented kitchens and bathrooms and smart home technology. Interior finishes were created by renowned designers Pembrooke & Ives and include eight-foot doors, book-matched marble, solid oak floors and custom cabinetry.
Floor plans and renderings this way
Spend Eight Months in This Picture-Perfect Prospect Heights Townhouse for $12K/Month
November 4, 2015

Spend Eight Months in This Picture-Perfect Prospect Heights Townhouse for $12K/Month

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There's not much about this townhouse triplex at 159 Prospect Place, available for short-term rental, that doesn't embody the brownstone Brooklyn ideal. On a beautiful block near the corner of Carlton Avenue and Prospect Place in heart of the neighborhood, this bright, sun-filled and renovated home also has the pretty historic details that give these big old houses such charm, and the private outdoor space we dream of–including one of those extra-long backyards unique to Prospect and Crown Heights.
Tour this lovely townhouse
This Little East Village Co-op Is Big on Style and Custom Details
November 3, 2015

This Little East Village Co-op Is Big on Style and Custom Details

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This charming Bowery bolthole at 32 East 2nd Street may not be huge, but it has everything you need for a great downtown life (unless you need a queen-sized bed in your actual bedroom). The one-bedroom co-op has benefitted from a tasteful, chic and well-considered custom renovation, resulting in finishes that are both creative and convenient, and the building is in a perfect location to enjoy both the friendly East Village vibe and the hip, downtown Manhattan location near just about everything you'd want to see, do, or buy.
Take a peek inside
For $699K, a Private Backyard and Tons of Charm in the Heart of Hell’s Kitchen
November 2, 2015

For $699K, a Private Backyard and Tons of Charm in the Heart of Hell’s Kitchen

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Have you ever gazed out of your office window with envy at a sweet private back garden or cool roof deck right in the middle of Manhattan? This one-bedroom co-op at 315 West 55th Street is one of those. On a beloved residential block in Hell's Kitchen on the city's West Side, this updated apartment has enough room for comfort and the added bonus of a landscaped, full-sized back garden oasis. It's perfect in spring and summer, but magical year-round as it's visible through a pair of sliding glass doors whenever you enter the living room.
Get a closer look
Buyer of Andy Warhol’s Montauk Estate Lists Nearby Home for $29.5M
October 30, 2015

Buyer of Andy Warhol’s Montauk Estate Lists Nearby Home for $29.5M

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Though it may seem unlikely, there are some similarities between art and real estate, one of the biggest being that with big fish come big numbers. That's definitely the case for billionaire art collector and gallery owner Adam Lindemann–buyer of Andy Warhol’s former Montauk estate, Eothen, which was listed for $85 million. The contemporary art world high-roller recently listed his nearby property at 406 Old Montauk Highway for $29.5 million. The home was built in 2004; After he acquired it, Lindemann–who is married to gallerist Amalia Dayan, granddaughter of the late Israeli politician Moshe Dayan–hired British architect David Adjaye to take on a complete redesign. The 5,000- square-foot, six-bedroom home is now a unique residence in the far-east end of Long Island affectionately referred to as “the end of the world,” though the former fishing enclave has in recent years become a more-chill-than-the-Hamptons hip celebrity party spot.
Check it out
Surreal Estate: NYC Listings That Are Scary, Hairy, and Totally Hideous
October 28, 2015

Surreal Estate: NYC Listings That Are Scary, Hairy, and Totally Hideous

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As if New York City home prices, monthly rents and apartment sizes weren’t scary enough. Between the horrors of Airbnb, overpriced dorm-style “co-living,” super-expensive micro-apartments, and Donald Trump, it’s hard to imagine we'd need Halloween to scare ourselves silly. But scare we do. Because of listings like these that know no season. Because sometimes real estate gets a little too real. From spookily dilapidated to eerily obscure to downright hideous, 6sqft has rounded up some of the most horrifying listings out there.
Be very afraid
This $8M Tribeca Loft Is a Real Eye-Opener
October 27, 2015

This $8M Tribeca Loft Is a Real Eye-Opener

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Though you might wish you left them closed. As the listing says, this full-floor condominium at 408 Greenwich Street is indeed a quintessential Tribeca loft–over 3,500 square feet of space, two bedrooms, a private key-locked elevator, ten-foot floor-to-ceiling arched windows looking out over beautiful Greenwich and Hubert Streets...they're all there. "The moment that you step inside you are surrounded by pure opulence." That's the part that makes this home a little more unique. Is it $8 million unique (it's also available as a rental for $26.5K/month)? You decide. "Hit one button for your programmable lighting system and let the experience begin."
Hit it, Maestro
Live in a Landmarked Fairytale Castle With Round Rooms and a Storied Past for $10M
October 26, 2015

Live in a Landmarked Fairytale Castle With Round Rooms and a Storied Past for $10M

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Such is the state of real estate in New York City that there is no shortage of homes of every size and stripe upon which you could drop $10 million. And though the ask may seem relatively ambitious for a single-story residence, this particular listing at 455 Central Park West doesn't need to reach far for the adjectives required to command such an outlay (Just for starters: It looks like a fairytale castle). And while the Manhattan Valley location may be a little "far uptown" for some late-to-the party folks, its village-y vibe is getting lots of love of late, and, really, Central Park West is Central Park West. Between the amazing architecture and fascinating–if somewhat macabre–history as the former New York City Cancer Hospital, 2,360 square feet of space including two enormous circular opposite wings, private courtyards, and a peerless menu of building amenities including a pool, spa and drive-up entry courtyard, very few boxes remain unchecked in this unquestionably unique four-bedroom condominium.
Take a look a...round
Dramatically Angular West Village Penthouse Rental Wants $18K a Month
October 23, 2015

Dramatically Angular West Village Penthouse Rental Wants $18K a Month

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Whether Rogers Marvel Architects, designer of the dramatically-angled building atop which this 3,000-square-foot pad is perched, were inspired by the convergent lines of the Flatiron Building, had some tricky space issues to navigate, or just wanted to make a point, this triangular triplex at 1 Seventh Avenue South does its best to avoid looking like a contemporary interpretation of a ‘50s corner diner, and to some degree, succeeds. To be fair, the building conforms perfectly to its similarly-angled lot, undoubtedly no small feat. This high-floor haven offers three bedrooms, multi-floor terraces, a host of modern amenities (smart wiring, multi-zone heating and central air, to name a few) and the kind of big views–and neighborhood–that command big rents, so the $18K a month is no surprise. Though much of the apartment's decor and furnishings seem out of place for a glass-walled Downtown penthouse, as they say, there’s no accounting for taste. We don’t know if the rental is available furnished or mercifully emptied of its late-20th century Z Gallerie closeout haul, but with three floors and lots of outdoors, there's plenty of room, literally, for improvement.
Let's point out some highlights
Wine-Making Artists Called This $6.8M UWS Townhouse Home for Over 50 Years
October 22, 2015

Wine-Making Artists Called This $6.8M UWS Townhouse Home for Over 50 Years

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Like many a New York City address, this classic townhouse at 307 West 103rd Street has a creative legacy as well as a rich history as a family home. The Queen Anne bow-front on a tree-lined Upper West Side block was, since 1956, the family home of Leonard and Chiarina "Cherie" Tredanari, a sculptor couple who also happened to be winemakers (as per the listing, The New York Times called theirs "one of the rarest Italian wine labels in the world"). Leonard's career could have been right out of "Mad Men:" He was a live TV director in the '60s for JFK's presidential campaign and president of the advertising agency Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB), where he created The Director's Studio. Leonard passed away in 2003 and his wife followed in February of this year at the age of 96. The family's longtime home is now on the market for $6.795 million. While the historic four-story townhouse with so many original details intact is a treasure in its own right, its artistic and artisan past add a compelling energy, from the unassumingly creative decor to a cellar filled with wine casks and vintners' equipment.
Have a look inside
Tribeca ‘Suburban’ Mansion With Pool and Three-Car Garage Chops Price to $44.5M
October 21, 2015

Tribeca ‘Suburban’ Mansion With Pool and Three-Car Garage Chops Price to $44.5M

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When you think about a home with a pool, a full-house backup generator and a three-car garage, downtown Manhattan probably isn't the first location you think of–but this off-the-hook urban mansion at 2 North Moore Street in the heart of Tribeca could rival many a compound in the Hamptons. The turnkey billionaire’s bunker was built in 2008 and purchased in 2010 by financier Mark Zittman for $24 million, who hit recycle and put it back on the market unchanged in 2014 for $48M; after having no luck finding a buyer, the price was reduced to $46 million, 50-foot skylit lap pool pool, three-car garage and all. Now, with a $1.5M reduction, the search continues. The fact that you could fit an entire hotel inside this 11,200 square-foot dusky-hued modern masterpiece (whose facade actually does resemble a chic downtown boutique hotel a bit) will surely appeal to someone, though there’s definitely a limited market for eight-figure suburb-in-the-city dwellings, so it may take a while.
More inside this way
Quirky East Williamsburg Artist’s Loft Offers a Bygone Authenticity for $3M
October 20, 2015

Quirky East Williamsburg Artist’s Loft Offers a Bygone Authenticity for $3M

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This converted East Williamsburg warehouse at 139 Powers Street is of the sort you don't come by too often anymore. It's one of those really cool-looking spaces you'd walk by maybe ten or twenty years ago and think, "hey, I'd like to live in this neighborhood" and wonder who lived there and what it looked like inside. As the listing says, it offers "authenticity that is difficult to find." The immediate neighborhood is that rare "unspoiled" old-school slice of what was once the 'burg's Italian enclave, and still has the vibe of being a mix of old, new, neighborhood-y and Vice-era cool. The two-story property, currently used as a single-family home, spans 3,600 interior square feet in a 25 x 100-foot building and is listed at $2.95 million; the loft currently belongs to local artist Joanne Ungar, and it definitely reflects the owner's creative tendencies–and green thumb.
Take a look around
Eeeek! This Frightful $550K Village Fixer-Upper Is a Diamond in the (Very) Rough
October 19, 2015

Eeeek! This Frightful $550K Village Fixer-Upper Is a Diamond in the (Very) Rough

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To kick off Halloween season, 6sqft has found a listing that will strike terror in the heart of anyone looking to move right in; this underdressed underachiever of a "one-bedroom" co-op at 138 West 10th Street looks just a fright. The listing throws in the towel and offers, "West Village pre war one bedroom wreck in beautifully preserved building on one of the most sought after tree lined blocks.” Which, if you think about it, is only one word away from lots of folks' dream apartment. Once you get past the completely spooky condition of the small but well-located space, it's worth noting that it actually has quite a bit going for it given its $550,000 ask, which, though more than the price of a Brooklyn cemetery plot, is far less than you'd pay for the average Village one-bedroom apartment. But it’s clearly up to you, brave buyer–plus an architect, a contractor and a lot of patience–to clear away the cobwebs and make the dream happen.
Follow the screams
Rather Modest UES Townhouse Has Five Floors, Seven Fireplaces, Two Kitchens, Mail Center and Elevator
October 16, 2015

Rather Modest UES Townhouse Has Five Floors, Seven Fireplaces, Two Kitchens, Mail Center and Elevator

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We've pretty much seen it all when it comes to no-holds-barred luxury in an Upper East Side townhouse, and this five-story, 7,000 square-foot specimen at 17 East 83rd Street is by no means the most opulent. But when the listing starts with "elevator townhouse," you know you're probably not in for a lot of skimping. And when you learn there's a "separate service entrance/mudroom with paw washer," and a "mail center," well, Billionaire's Row is looking a just a bit like Dogpatch... The current owners of this Manhattan mansion—an investor and an interior designer—purchased it for $2.9 million in 1998, which, sure, was 20 years ago, but if they get anywhere close to their ask of $24.5 million, it's still quite a payday. A tidy sum, it's true, must have been spent on renovations in this townhouse-that-treats-you-like-a five-star-hotel–though now that we think of it, where's the pool?
Take the tour (good thing there's an elevator)
For $1.5M, a Neon Yellow Spiral Staircase and Private Roof Deck in a Chelsea Modernist Gem
October 15, 2015

For $1.5M, a Neon Yellow Spiral Staircase and Private Roof Deck in a Chelsea Modernist Gem

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We don't know the exact size of this Chelsea duplex-plus-roof-deck penthouse at 365 West 19th Street, but it's configured as a one-bedroom with office space, and from the floor plan there's not much extra room to spare. That said, the spaces that have been created in this out-of-the-box home are as easy on the eyes as they'd be to live in. And its price tag of $1.5 million—especially given its prime location and architectural uniqueness—seems almost reasonable.
Explore all three levels, this way
Spiffed-Up Williamsburg Loft Has Killer Views and Brilliant Built-Ins for $6,500 a Month
October 14, 2015

Spiffed-Up Williamsburg Loft Has Killer Views and Brilliant Built-Ins for $6,500 a Month

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Williamsburg was once a neighborhood known for its big, open loft spaces. While those lofts may have gone condo and acquired dog-washing stations and compost centers, they’re still very much in existence. Case in point: this cavernous loft in the totally 21st century Esquire Lofts at 330 Wythe Avenue, just a hair south of the 'burg's decidedly factory-to-fancy Northside, on the rental market for $6,500 a month. This impressive space in a former shoe polish factory–built in 1914 and converted to condos in 2000–is listed as a one-bedroom, but it’s a duplex (in the loft sense of the word), and though there’s no floor plan, it claims a sizable 1,600 square feet. One of the best things about lofts–even well-groomed ones–is that no two are alike; former residents have carved out unique living and sometimes working spaces, and this is no exception. The standout feature here would have to be that custom-milled raised wooden storage platform.
See what else is cool in this loft
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