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.

Photo credit: Michael Weinstein for The Corcoran Group

December 21, 2023

A designer’s sophisticated Hell’s Kitchen loft in a former bakery asks $1.27M

By Michelle Cohen

This one-bedroom loft co-op at 521 West 47th Street gets loft authenticity from its former bakery exterior. Inside, dark, moody tones evoke a polished cave with a hint of disco sparkle. Ceilings that rise to over 11 feet frame the renovated space, asking $1,275,000. The lush design and color palette come courtesy of the home's current owner, designer Eddie Lee.
Take the tour

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Designer gift picks: 10 NYC creatives share what they’re giving (or hoping to get) this holiday season

Photo credits, clockwise from top left: Color block painting by Holly McWhorter; photo courtesy of Casa Dragones Tequila; photo courtesy of quistgaardpepper.com; photo by kathryn via Flickr; photo courtesy of Michele Varian shop; photo courtesy of Coming Soon.

December 19, 2023

Designer gift picks: 10 NYC creatives share what they’re giving (or hoping to get) this holiday season

By Michelle Cohen

6sqft once again questioned New York City designers, architects, and artists on which goodies they'd love to give–or, perhaps, receive. Read on for a covetable mix of unexpected items curated by some of the city’s most talented creatives. We hope you'll find some inspiring ideas among them if you happen to find yourself scrambling for one last (perfect) gift.
Great gift ideas, this way

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Watch the sunset over the NYC skyline from the balcony of this $1.7M Williamsburg waterfront loft

All photos courtesy of DDreps

December 19, 2023

Watch the sunset over the NYC skyline from the balcony of this $1.7M Williamsburg waterfront loft

By Michelle Cohen

Williamsburg is known for amenity-enhanced waterfront living and Austin Nichols House at 184 Kent Avenue is no exception. One of only a few landmarked buildings along the Brooklyn waterfront, the former grocery trade and bourbon distillery building has been converted to a full-service condominium. Asking $1,700,000, the building's only waterfront one-bedroom unit with a private balcony features loft bones, modern conveniences, and unfettered river and skyline views.
Skyline sunsets, this way

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After 20 years, Pacific Park faces foreclosure and an uncertain future

Photo credit: Amaury Laporte via Flickr.

December 19, 2023

After 20 years, Pacific Park faces foreclosure and an uncertain future

By Michelle Cohen

As the massive Brooklyn megadevelopment once known as Atlantic Yards reaches its 20th anniversary, news of the project's progress has been scarce. But recent changes affecting the development anchored by Barclays Center may put the 22-acre site–now known as Pacific Park–back in the spotlight. As The Real Deal reported in a wrap-up of its progress over the past two decades, current developer Greenland USA has defaulted on nearly $350 million in loans attached to the project's second phase. With foreclosure imminent, an auction, scheduled for next month, may mean a new developer will be responsible for fulfilling crucial affordable housing agreements and inherit penalties for unbuilt units.
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For $20M, one Tribeca townhouse, three condos, many options

Photo credit: Allyson Lubow Photography

December 13, 2023

For $20M, one Tribeca townhouse, three condos, many options

By Michelle Cohen

If you're interested in living large at 46 Laight Street in Tribeca's historic district, there are plenty of options to consider, assuming you've got plenty of money. Behind its charming brick facade, the 19th-century townhouse has been thoroughly re-imagined as three luxurious urban residences, each one a separate condominium. The building has also gained a curb-cut garage and a gym. The top floors of the home comprise a three-story "penthouse" asking $9 million; an $8 million three-story "maisonette" anchors the building; between the two is a single-floor flat can be included in either purchase. For the serious trophy-seeker, the entire building is asking $19,995,000. Once you've bought the building, you can combine the units, mansion-style, or enjoy a flexible investment property.
So many choices, so much $$$$

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For $750K, this Park Slope co-op has a working fireplace, lots of closets, laundry, and loads of charm

Photo credit: J. Alexander Photography for The Corcoran Group

December 12, 2023

For $750K, this Park Slope co-op has a working fireplace, lots of closets, laundry, and loads of charm

By Michelle Cohen

In many of New York City's pre-war co-ops, charm–and details like a cozy wood-burning fireplace in the bedroom–can mean a sacrifice in space and modern amenities. Asking $750,000, this one-bedroom home at 440 9th Street in Brooklyn's equally charming Park Slope neighborhood offers both delicious historic details and perks like a laundry room with an in-unit washer and dryer, a newly-renovated kitchen, and closets everywhere.
step inside

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Buy a piece of the NYC subway at the MTA’s memorabilia pop-up shop

Photo: Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashinhoto on Flickr

December 7, 2023

Buy a piece of the NYC subway at the MTA’s memorabilia pop-up shop

By Michelle Cohen

After two previous years as a holiday shopping success, New York City Transit is once again offering genuine used subway system items for sale at their Memorabilia and Collectibles Pop-Up Shop. You'll find subway signs, grabholds, and more, with no processing fees. Read on to find out how to score an authentic piece of transit history.
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Photo credit: Celeste Godoy

December 7, 2023

21st-century Williamsburg loft living looks like this, for $1.9M

By Michelle Cohen

If you've got your sights set on living in modern Williamsburg, your loft is ready: This contemporary condo at 72 Berry Street in Brooklyn's coveted urban hub, asking $1,900,000, has all of the elements of loft living in a compact, curated package. Rear-facing to avoid the sound of neighborhood jubilance, the space is framed by 10-foot ceilings, original wood beams and brick, and wide-plank wood floors.
take the tour

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Photo credit: Nina Poon/MW Studio for The Corcoran Group

December 5, 2023

James Beard Foundation foodie’s Gramercy penthouse with twin terraces asks $3.3M

By Michelle Cohen

"Chef's kitchen" is a common term when it comes to residential listings, but the current owner of this Gramercy co-op at 201 East 21st Street, former James Beard Foundation Chief Strategy Officer and (current) culinary consultant Mitchell Davis, has entertained some of the world's greatest chefs in his kitchen. Asking $3,295,000, the three-bedroom post-war penthouse has one terrace for drinks, another for dining, and a full menu of bespoke designer details in addition to its foodie pedigree.
Get a closer look

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Asking $1.9M, this Hudson Valley home once hosted George Washington

Photo credit: Andrea B. Swenson

December 4, 2023

Asking $1.9M, this Hudson Valley home once hosted George Washington

By Michelle Cohen

It's not often that "pre-war" refers to the 1700s. This cozy historic home in the Rockland County hamlet of Palisades (formerly known as Snedens Landing) lays claim to hosting George Washington at a 1780 dinner–along with Marquis de Lafayette and Baron von Steuben–during the Revolutionary War. Asking $1,895,000, the quaint Meeting House, as it is called, constructed of local stone, is ready for a new round of celebrity guests with a rambling, shaded front porch, five fireplaces, and a country kitchen.
tour the meeting house

For $1.7M, this compact Village loft is a sleek, seamless machine for city living

By Michelle Cohen

What this high-floor corner loft in the International Tailoring Company Building at 111 Fourth Avenue lacks in floor space, it makes up in well-designed form and function. The three-room co-op, asking $1,695,000, has been freshly renovated with an architect's expert eye; the result is sophisticated rather than small. Breathtaking city skyline vistas through massive loft windows–and 13-foot ceilings–add a definite boundless quality to the picture.
See how it all fits

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This $22.5M Chelsea townhouse is like living in your own private modern museum

Photo credit: REPN for Sotheby’s International Realty

November 29, 2023

This $22.5M Chelsea townhouse is like living in your own private modern museum

By Michelle Cohen

From the garage, gym, and sauna on the lower floors to a roof terrace that floats above the highest ones, this newly minted $22,500,000 Chelsea townhouse is an architectural wonder in the form of a massive modern mansion. Finally available after a lengthy design and construction phase helmed by renowned architect Andrea Steele, this 9,000-square-foot home at 217 West 20th Street goes beyond bold contemporary design to include a private parking garage, an elevator, and innovative glazing that fills all six floors with sunlight. The 25-foot-wide townhouse has 1,500 square feet of exterior space on two terraces and a subterranean garden. All of this effort hasn't gone unnoticed: The home received the Society of American Registered Architects' Award of Excellence.
tour this bold manhattan mansion

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Central Park views and a classic Upper East Side address for $2.5M

Photo courtesy of DDreps

November 28, 2023

Central Park views and a classic Upper East Side address for $2.5M

By Michelle Cohen

If you love the classic architecture and elegance of the Upper East Side, this charming co-op at 1 East 66th Street deserves a look. Located in a coveted Fifth Avenue full-service building designed by renowned architect Rosario Candela in 1949, the apartment benefits from five-star hotel services and plenty of amenities. Within, the turn-key home, asking $2,495,000, is bathed in south-facing light and blessed with Central Park views.
get a closer look

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New York City’s best holiday markets of 2023

The Holiday Shops at Bank of America Winter Village 2022, credit Jacob Wiliamson

November 22, 2023

New York City’s best holiday markets of 2023

By Michelle Cohen

The holiday season has hit New York City in full force, and despite the convenience of online buying, the city's streets are bustling with shoppers scurrying to find unique gifts and goodies. Popping up to meet the winter frenzy is a triumphant trove of festive markets offering one-of-a-kind creations–and a chance to mingle, jingle, nibble, and nosh. Read on for our picks of the best holiday markets and pop-up shops, from the familiar holiday hubs at Union Square and Bryant Park to an upstate farm and flea affair in Hudson.
Shop local, this way

Artist Jasper Johns’ former home and studio in the Hudson Valley is back on the market for $750K

Photo credit: Scott McMenamin/Ellis Sotheby’s International Realty

November 21, 2023

Artist Jasper Johns’ former home and studio in the Hudson Valley is back on the market for $750K

By Michelle Cohen

The former Hudson Valley home of American artist Jasper Johns is back on the market with a bigger price tag. The home was originally listed for $600,000 in May, but the buyer was unable to close. The new $750,000 ask "reflects the tremendous demand for the home following its brief time on the market," according to Richard Ellis, owner of Ellis Sotheby's International Realty. Located at 160 West Main Street, the property, built in the 1930s, includes a spacious art studio, a detached garage, and a separate efficiency guest house, surrounded by stone walls and tall grasses that sheltered one of the most influential artists of our time.
Explore this creative retreat

Escape to a tropical paradise in the solarium of this $3.3M Park Slope townhouse

Photo by Paul Widdowson

November 20, 2023

Escape to a tropical paradise in the solarium of this $3.3M Park Slope townhouse

By Michelle Cohen

Behind an ordinary brownstone facade, the four-floor home at 364 Douglass Street is a bit different from what you'd expect to find in a historic Park Slope townhouse. Asking $3.3 million, the home's interiors range from rustic industrial spaces with exposed brick and wood beams to a solarium that feels like a private Mediterranean terrace. The townhouse offers four bedrooms, and–in addition to the all-season solarium–surprising details that include brick arches, reclaimed wood joists, custom millwork, central A/C, a basement gym, a landscaped garden, a bedroom terrace, and a fabulously-finished roof deck.
Step into the solarium

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Warm up by the fireplace in this cozy $1.4M Brooklyn Heights co-op

Photo credit: DDREPS for The Corcoran Group

November 17, 2023

Warm up by the fireplace in this cozy $1.4M Brooklyn Heights co-op

By Michelle Cohen

Asking $1,399,000, this two-bedroom home at 54 Willow Street in historic Brooklyn Heights definitely has location going for it. And though it may not be huge, the classic co-op has central air and a wood-burning fireplace for all-season comfort. Two baths and an in-unit washer and dryer make it all you really need for a compact and carefree home base.
see more, this way

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Behind a classic Soho facade, there’s nothing raw about this $4.25M loft triplex

Photo courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

November 16, 2023

Behind a classic Soho facade, there’s nothing raw about this $4.25M loft triplex

By Michelle Cohen

Behind a classic cast iron loft facade at 123 Prince Street in the heart of Soho, this triplex loft expands to three levels, with all-new interiors that include three bedrooms and plenty of living space. Asking $4,250,000, the downtown co-op has been outfitted with high-end custom finishes, including a rear wall of glass that overlooks a private vertical garden.
Soho loft living, this way

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An 1870s Clinton Hill carriage house, rebuilt to Passive House standards, asks $7.5M

Photo credit: Frank Frances

November 15, 2023

An 1870s Clinton Hill carriage house, rebuilt to Passive House standards, asks $7.5M

By Michelle Cohen

This one-of-a-kind townhouse at 329 Vanderbilt Avenue on the border between Clinton Hill and Fort Greene, Brooklyn, is a showcase of innovative architecture and peerless modern design, undertaken by architecture firm Schiller Projects. The directive: re-imagining an 1870s carriage house with a focus on sustainability, design, and efficient engineering, in accordance with Passive House standards. The result is Brooklyn’s first mass timber single-family residence, currently asking $7,500,000.
tour this stunning and sustainable home

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New-York Historical Society expansion will feature new Democracy Wing

The New-York Historical Society new wing and renovation by Robert A.M. Stern Architects as viewed from 76th Street. Image courtesy of Alden Studios for Robert A.M. Stern Architects.

November 14, 2023

New-York Historical Society expansion will feature new Democracy Wing

By Michelle Cohen

New York's oldest museum, the New-York Historical Society Museum and Library, begins construction this month on an 80,000-square-foot renovation and expansion project. As 6sqft previously reported, the $140 million five-story extension at the rear of the museum's Upper West Side location will be designed by architect Robert A.M. Stern. New-York Historical president and CEO Louise Mirrer announced Monday the new addition will feature a Democracy Wing. When construction is completed in 2026–just in time for the nation's 250th anniversary–the new wing will offer educational programs and a home for valuable materials on American democracy.
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Stephen Sondheim’s Connecticut country retreat lists for $3.25M

All photos courtesy of Klemm Real Estate & Michael Bowman Photography

November 13, 2023

Stephen Sondheim’s Connecticut country retreat lists for $3.25M

By Michelle Cohen

The Roxbury, Connecticut home of late Broadway icon Stephen Sondheim is now on the market, asking $3,250,000. The celebrated composer and lyricist's retreat is for sale for the first time in nearly 40 years. Situated on nine secluded country acres, the historic 1792 property features a three-bedroom main house, a pool, a one-bedroom pool house, and a detached garage. Within, the home boasts a 21st-century renovation, with more than a passing nod to its former owner's remarkable creativity.
elegance and country charm, this way

Yankees legend Bernie Williams’ Westchester apartment asks $2M

Photo credit: Mike Cinelli of Jump Visual

November 10, 2023

Yankees legend Bernie Williams’ Westchester apartment asks $2M

By Michelle Cohen

Longtime center fielder for the New York Yankees and World Series champ Bernie Williams just put his Westchester condo on the market for $1,999,000. The two-bedroom apartment at 10 City Place in White Plains is the kind of home base any celebrity–or busy New Yorker–would appreciate: In addition to indoor and outdoor entertaining space, the full-service residential tower is packed with amenities, from a kids' playroom to a pool and tennis courts.
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Fire up your outdoor kitchen while looking out on the Hudson River in this $6M Bronx home

Photos courtesy of Coldwell Banker

November 9, 2023

Fire up your outdoor kitchen while looking out on the Hudson River in this $6M Bronx home

By Michelle Cohen

In the Bronx neighborhood of Spuyten Duyvil overlooking the Hudson River, this unusual mini-mansion at 3061 Scenic Place offers a chance to live the manor life without leaving New York City. Asking $5,990,000, this 5,872-square-foot recently-renovated Georgian Colonial home is a different kind of townhouse, breathtaking river views included. A full outdoor kitchen takes full advantage of the views, while a home movie theater keeps everyone entertained when the weather says, "stay indoors."
take the tour

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Photo courtesy of Douglas Elliman

November 8, 2023

Sally Jessy Raphael’s $6.5M upstate manor comes with 17 bedrooms and 30 hand-carved mythical creatures

By Michelle Cohen

Former tabloid talk show host Sally Jessy Raphael's 25.5-acre equestrian estate just hit the market for $6,500,000. Even without the fame connection, this fanciful and fabulous property is worthy of its own TV show. The property consists of a 43-room Elizabethan manor house, two caretaker homes, a carriage house with groom's quarters, a yoga studio, a 12,000-square-foot stable, a greenhouse, and more. Known as Elmwood Farm, the Pawling, NY, estate is the town's most expensive listing. The main house, built in 1860 is itself an architectural event, with 17 bedrooms, 10 fireplaces, and endless ornate and whimsical details.
meet the many details within

This $18.5M modern Village mansion has a hot tub on the roof and a private garage

Photo credit: Tim Waltman

November 7, 2023

This $18.5M modern Village mansion has a hot tub on the roof and a private garage

By Michelle Cohen

Living in Greenwich Village comes at a premium regardless of size, so the $18,500,000 ask for a 7,198-square-foot townhouse at 9 Minetta Street comes as no surprise. For that jumbo price tag, you get mansion-sized measurements and an over-the-top collection of perks rarely found in Manhattan real estate. The contemporary townhouse spans seven floors, with a garage below and an elevator accessing all levels. The new construction home is topped with a rooftop retreat with a hot tub, and there's a rear garden with a water wall.
hop in the elevator, take the tour

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