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.

Making the Cut: Is NYC Still the World’s Fashion Capital?

Via j-No via photopin cc

January 13, 2015

Making the Cut: Is NYC Still the World’s Fashion Capital?

By Michelle Cohen

Will 21st century New York City be able to retain its fashion capital status? How does an aspiring fashionista build a brilliant career? The answers come from a winning combination of education, innovation and inspiration, plus financial and media support. Though styles come and go with dizzying speed and designers fall in and out of favor, New York City has held the title of global fashion capital since the mid 20th century, when it rose to prominence with the unprecedented idea of developing sportswear as fashion. Today’s NYC is home to some of the world's top fashion schools whose famous graduates add to the city’s fashion culture and networks. Foreign designers choose to live and work here because of this status and creative energy, adding even more to the fabric. We may share this pedestal with quirky London–and trés chic Paris, the brainy Belgians, the stylish Scandinavians and the ascendant Aussies make things more interesting–but NYC is known as the place where style ideas and trends are born and exchanged.
But is NYC still the world's fashion capital?

Architecture And Design

January 13, 2015

Just Add Nature: You Can Buy This ‘Plug and Play’ Prefab Getaway Online

By Michelle Cohen

Danish home goods manufacturer Vipp, known for their sleek, modern trash bins and kitchen kit, has recently expanded their product line beyond iconic interiors with a thoroughly contemporary prefabricated dwelling that can be purchased online and delivered in six months’ time to the bucolic site of your choosing.
More about this little house in the woods

December 11, 2014

Family Fun: Where to Find the Best Winter Wonderlands and Santa-Centric Events in NY

By Michelle Cohen

Anyone with kids knows that there’s no such thing as too much when it comes to the sensory wonders of the holiday season. We've rounded up some Santa-centric events—from lap-climbing photo-ops to full-on wonderland to brunch with the holiday's most famous man—that aim to satisfy endless appetites for holiday cheer. We've even got a couple for your pets!
This way to the North Pole...

14 Hip Holiday Markets and Indie Pop-Up Shops in NYC

Capsule Market Square.

December 5, 2014

14 Hip Holiday Markets and Indie Pop-Up Shops in NYC

By Michelle Cohen

As December dawns, the holiday gift markets roll in, and it’s harder than ever to turn around in NYC without encountering a pop-up shop or makeshift mall offering everything anyone could ever want–whether they know it yet or not–for the body, mind, soul and home. We've assembled a list of smaller, cooler pop-ups and holiday markets that mix music, food and fun freebies like haircuts, goodie bags and beer with this year’s selection of clever, crafty gifts.
Find out where to get the goods, this way

December 4, 2014

Holiday Sparkle: Holiday Tree Alternatives with Modern Design Oopmh

By Michelle Cohen

If your ideas for decking the halls lean more toward Knoll, Eames and Adelman than red, gold and pine, you'll be happy to see that these non-traditional trees embody the winter holiday spirit with modern style. See what we've rounded up for you ahead!
More modern tree ideas this way

On Sale Now: An Unofficial Black Friday Bargain Hunt!

135 West 70th Street Penthouse BC; Listing photo Douglas Elliman.

November 28, 2014

On Sale Now: An Unofficial Black Friday Bargain Hunt!

By Michelle Cohen

Late November can be an anxious time for both buyers and sellers; unpleasant weather, family events and just plain seasonal shutdown mode can reduce the traffic at open houses to a trickle and get properties pulled off the market until after New Year’s Day or even springtime. Sellers may panic and prices get cut in the hopes of getting the deal done before year’s end; it’s a good time for intrepid buyers to stay in the game, though, because the competition factor is at a minimum. After reading about Leo DiCaprio who, like Macy’s, Wal-Mart and Kohl’s, jumped the gun on the traditional discount day by price-chopping his haute-holistic Delos Living penthouse, we rounded up some stellar dwellings that received significant markdowns just in time for the popular post-Thanksgiving Day shop-a-thon. So if you’re on the hunt–or you’ve got a two-bed-two-bath-with-killer-views-sized stocking to fill–check out our list of sale merch of the real estate persuasion that–we hope–won't require you to queue up at the crack of dawn.
10 more discounted deals that are better than lords a-leaping

November 25, 2014

NYC Volunteer Opportunities: Giving Thanks and Giving Back

By Michelle Cohen

The season of good cheer–and good food–has begun, but there are many who are left out in the cold. Share the abundance; volunteer your time, your food, or your funds (or all of the above) to help spread real warmth to all New Yorkers. We've rounded up Thanksgiving volunteer opportunities around the city to make it even simpler for you to give back.
Check out our list of ways to get involved

<b>Forest Hills Gardens: A Hidden NYC Haven of Historic Modernity</b>

Forest Hills Gardens via Joe Shlabotnik via photopin cc

November 20, 2014

Forest Hills Gardens: A Hidden NYC Haven of Historic Modernity

By Michelle Cohen

This unique sheltered enclave might be the perfect spot for residents who can handle the rules; just don't call it FoHiGa. Occupying a 175-acre wedge just south of the Forest Hills LIRR station and within the greater Queens neighborhood of Forest Hills, Forest Hills Gardens is one of America’s oldest planned communities. Modeled after England’s “garden cities,” originally intended to create an ideal environment that incorporated shared green space with urban convenience for the working classes, the Gardens (as it's known) is home to about 4,500 residents. The private community is managed by the Forest Hills Gardens Corporation, an organization made up of property owners. This unique community consisting of over 800 free-standing and attached houses and 11 apartment buildings as well as churches, parks and storefronts, dates from 1909, when architect Grosvenor Atterbury and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted Jr.–-son of Frederick Law Olmsted, landscape architect who helped design Central Park–-were commissioned to plan a new town. Though the community lies within the boundaries of one of the world’s most modern and populous cities, it has retained much of its co-operative, idyllic nature.
Find out more about this unique community

<b>Home and Away: Is Airbnb a Threat to the Affordable Housing Market?</b>

Photo courtesy of Airbnb via Facebook.

November 10, 2014

Home and Away: Is Airbnb a Threat to the Affordable Housing Market?

By Michelle Cohen

Controversial room-sharing startup Airbnb, one of the most visible players in what is being called the “sharing economy,” has recently awakened the innovation vs. regulation argument in all the usual ways–and a few new ones, including the accusation that these short-term rentals are depleting the already-scarce affordable housing stock in pricey metro areas like San Francisco and New York City.
What the latest data reveals–and what's being done about it

<b>Quooklyn: The Rise of Ridgewood and Why Your Friends Will be Moving There</b>

Photo © Cameron Baylock

November 10, 2014

Quooklyn: The Rise of Ridgewood and Why Your Friends Will be Moving There

By Michelle Cohen

Among neighborhoods primed to be the next untapped frontier, Ridgewood isn’t a newcomer. This low-key community on the western border of Queens has seen a steady migration of L-train riders, including the young and restless fleeing Williamsburg and professionals looking for a safe, accessible, quiet ‘hood to call home. In New York City, where every square foot vies for “next big thing” status, Ridgewood is a smart alternative to its headline-stealing North Brooklyn neighbors, Bushwick and Williamsburg, for anyone looking to invest in an up-and-coming residential area.
More on the rise of Ridgewood this way

Lights, Camera, Annoyance: Why NYC Is the New Hollywood and Not Everyone’s Happy About It

By Michelle Cohen

Film crews on your block: Yet another thing New Yorkers love to hate, whether it’s a case of grumble-brag or a genuine inconvenience. Some people love the opportunity to watch their favorite shows being made (and maybe get a peek at their favorite stars) and argue that it boosts the local economy. Others give the whole gig a big two thumbs down.
Find out who’s filming, where and when–and how you can make the most of it.

<b>Goldilocks Blocks: Hope Street in Williamsburg</b>

Between hyper-developed hotspots, main drags in up-and-comers, and those genuinely avoidable areas, there can often be found a city’s “just-right” zones. They aren’t commonly known, but these micro-neighborhoods often hide within them real estate gems coupled with perfectly offbeat vibes. Continuing our Goldilocks Blocks series, this week we look at Hope Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

October 22, 2014

Goldilocks Blocks: Hope Street in Williamsburg

By Michelle Cohen

It’s hard to imagine any corner of Williamsburg that doesn’t embody some form of the neighborhood’s upscale hipster paradise. With the opening of The Gorbals restaurant–to excellent reviews–atop the 6th Street Urban Outfitters on the North Side and the South Side sprouting condos and charter schools, the term “prime Williamsburg” has become meaningless. But in every district there are places that retain that charming, slightly unruly je ne sais quoi. The four blocks that comprise Hope Street fit this description.
What makes Hope Street so 'just right?'

October 20, 2014

Extraordinary Dwellings: These Amazing Homes Are Hidden in Plain Sight

By Michelle Cohen

It isn’t unusual to see old warehouses, churches and banks converted into luxury multi-unit condos and apartments. But far more rare, and often shrouded in myth and mystery, are one-of-a-kind buildings that had former lives as banks, schools, a synagogue, a public bath house, a Con Ed substation, even a public restroom and a hillside cave–and have more recently served as home and workspace for a lucky handful of bohemian dreamers (and hard-working homeowners).
Find out who lives behind the gates of those those cavernous, mysterious buildings

Architecture And Design

<b>Renovation Diary Part II: Choosing the Right Architect for the Job</b>

Image © Sarah Ross via flickr cc.

October 14, 2014

Renovation Diary Part II: Choosing the Right Architect for the Job

By Michelle Cohen

Our Renovation Diary series follows 6sqft writer Michelle Cohen as she takes on the challenge of transforming her historic Clinton Hill townhouse into a site-sensitive modern home. In Part I she shared her experience of defining a plan of action and getting started and this week she takes on the all important task of choosing an architect. One of the first steps in our renovation project was to hire an architect. The house is in a historic district, so we have to submit all alteration plans to the Landmarks Preservation Commission; we wanted to find someone who was very familiar with that process. We also wanted to find someone who was familiar with working on renovating old brownstones, and someone whose style we liked. Someone who comes with lots of good recommendations. And, not least of all, someone we could even close to afford. In our case he or she would be our main point person on the project, and, ostensibly, our advocate in any dispute that would occur later on.
Find out how to choose the right architect for your project and your budget.

Photo courtesy of Beyer Blinder Belle

October 11, 2014

An Architect’s Gift from the Jet Age: The TWA Flight Center at JFK International Airport

By Michelle Cohen

The TWA Flight Center at what is today John F. Kennedy International airport represents both the ephemeral and the ageless; our vulnerability at the end of the "American century" and the enduring beauty of inspired modern design. The work of mid-20th century Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen, the historic terminal is among the city’s most beloved architectural treasures. It first opened in 1962, a year after the architect’s death, and Saarinen posthumously received the AIA Gold Medal award for the design in 1962. Despite its storied past and widespread reverence, since the demise of TWA and its subsequent purchase by American Airlines in 2001, the terminal’s iconic “head house” has remained eerily vacant, and its future continues to be a point of contention.
More on the terminal's past and uncertain future

<b>Renovation Diary: Defining a Dream, Assembling a Team</b>

The one that didn’t get away.

October 8, 2014

Renovation Diary: Defining a Dream, Assembling a Team

By Michelle Cohen

Our Renovation Diary series follows 6sqft writer Michelle Cohen as she takes on the challenge of transforming her historic Clinton Hill townhouse into a site-sensitive modern home. This week she shares her plans for the storied structure and the first big step she's taken to make her dream home a reality: assembling the professionals needed to make it happen. After two years of tireless searching, we finally took the big, scary step of buying an old townhouse on a leafy block in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Clinton Hill. We loved the house at first sight; but to understate matters a bit, it needs some work. It’s a fixer-upper, though far from a wreck. This renovation diary is an attempt to share what we learn over the next many months as this terrifying adventure unfolds, and let others learn from our mistakes!
Find out more about the huge renovation adventure we have ahead of us and what the first important decisions are.

NYC Guides

October 3, 2014

The Flowerbox Building: A Sustainable Gem in a Storied Setting

By Michelle Cohen

Built in 2007, The Flowerbox condo building at 259 East Seventh Street, about mid-way between Avenues C and D, is considered by many to be one of the city’s most beautiful new developments–and definitely a neighborhood standout, featuring a vertical garden that waters itself. The building boom that started with the 21st century and has continued apace since the end of the most recent economic downturn has given Downtown Manhattan an impressive collection of starchitect-designed creations, complete with Sky Garages, Boxwood Mazes and plenty of glass curtain walls. But the Flowerbox Building continues to charm with its design, quality and curb appeal.
Find out about the vertical

October 1, 2014

21st Street Loft: Past-Era Panache Gets a Modern Update

By Michelle Cohen

This townhouse duplex may have been built at the turn of the century, but you'd never guess that from its distinct bohemian vibe. A clean, contemporary makeover gave the 21st Street Loft space a new life back in the 1960s, when two early 1900s townhouses were turned into a mid-century masterpiece that spans two levels with a modern floor plan. The older renovation featured a number of unique handmade solutions geared towards the challenges of daily life, and much care was taken to preserve them. But Ensemble Architecture's most recent refresh has brought this home to a whole new level, drastically transforming the loft into a much brighter and more inviting space for modern family living.
See how the space gets a fresh new look while keeping its warmth and creative vibe

September 29, 2014

Goldilocks Blocks: Vanderbilt Avenue in Wallabout, Brooklyn

By Michelle Cohen

The culturally rich, architecturally stunning Brooklyn neighborhoods of Fort Greene and Clinton Hill need little introduction. The Brooklyn Navy Yard to the north is busily growing as a start-up business incubator and creative and commercial hub. An “in-between” zone—the sort of area that engenders a question mark and a furrowed brow when perusing neighborhood maps—lies just north of Myrtle Avenue and south of the Navy Yard. Known as Wallabout, the area was named for Wallabout Bay to the north, much of which was filled in to create the Navy Yard in the 19th century. Unique among its neighbors, a block-long stretch of this border district feels more like a small-town side street than a growing urban crossroads.
Find out what makes this historic block so special, and why it’s likely to stay that way.

September 26, 2014

Michelle Williams Lists Her Boerum Hill Townhouse for $7.5 Million

By Michelle Cohen

Michelle Williams’s gorgeous ivy-covered Boerum Hill townhouse just hit the market. And it comes with a three-car garage. The listing calls it “the one and only,” and for someone looking for a huge single-family home in this coveted South Brooklyn neighborhood, it just might be–assuming they can cover the steep asking price. First, the size factor: The corner townhouse is 22 feet wide, offering four stories, four and a half baths, at least six bedrooms, 12-foot-ceilings and a three-car garage that currently includes a rec room.
Find out what else makes this home so exceptional

September 23, 2014

City Kids: Why Parents Pick City Living Over the Suburbs

By Michelle Cohen

The 'American Dream' may have dominated the last few decades, causing a mass exodus to the suburbs, but today's families are reversing the trend and turning their attention back to the city. The reasons are many: An appreciation for cultural offerings, the camaraderie and creative cross-pollination of networks of colleagues, friends and family, the convenience of being able to walk or bike to school, work or child care without a long commute—just to name a few. New York City has always been a haven for the forward-thinking, albeit a challenging one. And its newly-”discovered” outer boroughs as well as an unprecedentedly low crime rate have made the city a prime choice for family living. But what is it about those city kids—the ones with parents who planned from the start to raise their kids in a non-stop urban environment? We interrupted the busy schedules of five families currently raising school-age (or soon-to-be) children in New York City's many diverse and multifaceted neighborhoods to get some insight about why they wouldn’t have it any other way.
Hear what five parents of city kids have to say

September 22, 2014

Goldilocks Blocks: (Far) East 7th Street in Alphabet City

By Michelle Cohen

Between hyper-developed hotspots, main drags in up-and-comers, big-ticket townhouse enclaves, and those genuinely avoidable areas, there can often be found a city's "just-right" zones. Free from corner menace, sticker shock and boom-time developer schlock, these special spots often span only a few blocks in each direction and are close enough to the center of their 'cool destination' nabes to legitimately bear their names. They aren't commonly known, and are best found by pounding the pavement, but these micro-neighborhoods often hide within them real estate gems coupled with perfectly offbeat vibes—you just have to be willing to do a little legwork. But when you do find them, don’t sleep on them... Winners like the Columbia Street Waterfront District were once Goldilocks blocks. Today we'll look at a unique 7th Street stretch hidden in Alphabet City.
Find out what makes this Alphabet City block so special.

September 17, 2014

Sunset Park: How Creativity and Commerce are Transforming This Waterfront Neighborhood

By Michelle Cohen

With plans in place that call for a public waterfront bustling with creative industry and commerce rather than luxury residential developments, Sunset Park is not on its way to becoming the next hip NYC residential neighborhood–and that’s a good thing. Located on Brooklyn's western waterfront flank, there are really two sides to Sunset Park. The neighborhood, generally defined as the area between 65th Street, the Prospect Expressway, Eighth Avenue and the East River, has long been a thriving residential community. Sunset Park is also home to about 15 million square feet of warehouse and light industrial space. The key to the neighborhood’s future may be the point at which the two meet.
Find Out How Fashion May Give Sunset Park a Chance to Shine As the New Garment District

City Living

September 16, 2014

A Brooklyn Heights Loft in an Old YMCA Building Makes Room for Books, Art and Entertaining

By Michelle Cohen

The owners of this Brooklyn Heights loft on the top two floors of a converted YMCA building wanted to remodel their space to accommodate both of their individual, extensive book and art collections; they also needed a home that would be great for dinner parties and entertaining. Rather than settling on boring built-ins, they turned to Ensemble Architecture to create a solution that would put their most treasured items on show.
Tour the renovated space here

September 15, 2014

Lovitt Loft: Space for Living, Art and Commerce in a Former Tribeca Garage

By Michelle Cohen

Many of us entertain fantasies about loft living in a former garage or an old warehouse, but few of us would dare take on the task of turning one into a comfortable space. That's why when the owner of this Tribeca automotive garage wanted to create a live-work-gallery space, he turned to architect Elizabeth Roberts to take on the task. Roberts, known for her stylish townhouse interiors, managed to not only carve out several beautiful spaces for living, but functional and flexible areas for display and commerce for the owner who wanted to rent out the majority of the ground floor space as a photo studio.
Take a tour inside here

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