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.

Manhattan borough president sees the city’s vacancies as opportunities for creating new housing

Image courtesy of mari small on Unsplash

February 2, 2023

Manhattan borough president sees the city’s vacancies as opportunities for creating new housing

By Michelle Cohen

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine released a report this week outlining 171 locations in the borough he believes can be turned into more than 73,000 new homes. The report, titled "Housing Manhattanites," seeks to address Manhattan's housing shortage and answer a critical question: "Where in our borough can we build the housing that Manhattanites so desperately need?" Of these housing opportunities, Levine explained to the New York Times: "Some of it is hiding in plain sight. There has been a Post Office that has been closed. There’s an abandoned bus depot that is not being used. There’s manufacturing space which is empty. There are buildings that landlords surrendered to the city for back taxes decades ago."
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Lottery opens for 144 mixed-income units at new Chelsea rental with lots of green space, from $1,329/month

Rendering courtesy of NYC Housing Preservation and Development

February 2, 2023

Lottery opens for 144 mixed-income units at new Chelsea rental with lots of green space, from $1,329/month

By Michelle Cohen

Applications are now being accepted for 144 mixed-income apartments at the currently under-construction development known as Ruby at 241 West 28th Street in Chelsea. Upon completion later this year, the 25-story mixed-use building will have 480 rental apartments, 8,500 square feet of ground-floor retail, landscaped gardens, and an impressive menu of amenities including rooftop pools, terraces, and lounges. The affordable units are available to New Yorkers earning between 70 and 130 percent of the area median income, or between $48,138 for a single person and $130,046 for a five-person household. Apartments range from $1,329/month for studios to $3,793 for two bedrooms.
Find out if you're eligible

Affordable Housing

Latest casino proposed for NYC includes a giant Ferris wheel near the U.N.

Rendering of Freedom Plaza. Credit: Soloviev Group.

February 1, 2023

Latest casino proposed for NYC includes a giant Ferris wheel near the U.N.

By Michelle Cohen

As the competition for three New York City casino licenses heats up, the latest contender, Soloviev Group, announced this week a partnership with Mohegan in a plan that would include a partially subterranean casino anchoring a Midtown entertainment district near the United Nations headquarters. In addition to the casino, the mixed-use development known as Freedom Plaza would include a hotel, two residential towers, green space, a performance venue, a giant Ferris wheel, and–because nothing says "democracy" like a casino and a Ferris wheel–a museum dedicated to democracy.
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City Living

Army Corps of Engineers releases first renderings of NYC sea walls for coastal storm protection plan

This rendering shows a 20-foot-tall proposed floodwall along the Hudson River at Huron Street in the West Village. Image: Army Corps of Engineers.

January 31, 2023

Army Corps of Engineers releases first renderings of NYC sea walls for coastal storm protection plan

By Michelle Cohen

Late last year, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released the $52 billion proposal that will represent the most comprehensive effort to date to protect the city from storm surges and the only existing plan for protecting the entire New York Harbor area. The Army Corps recently revealed a new series of renderings that provide a visual glance at how some of these projects might transform the New York City waterfront. Renderings show barriers, gates, sea walls, and raised promenades at Flushing Bay in Queens, at Greenpoint Public Park, and Coney Island in Brooklyn, among others, as THE CITY first reported.
More renderings, this way

NYPL acquires archive of Joan Didion’s papers including personal photos, letters, and more

Joan Didion, undated.

January 27, 2023

NYPL acquires archive of Joan Didion’s papers including personal photos, letters, and more

By Michelle Cohen

The New York Public Library (NYPL) has acquired an extensive collection of papers and personal items belonging to writer Joan Didion and her husband, writer John Gregory Dunne. The archive of writings, correspondence, photographs, and ephemera provides a rich portrait of the celebrated couples' life and work.
Find out more about the collection

History

Plan to resurrect NYC’s iconic Brooklyn Banks skate park moves forward

The Brooklyn Banks in 2009. Photo credit: Rasmus Zwickson via Flickr

January 27, 2023

Plan to resurrect NYC’s iconic Brooklyn Banks skate park moves forward

By Michelle Cohen

Tony Hawk’s The Skatepark Project announced plans Thursday to bring the much-loved Brooklyn Banks skate park back to life in a partnership with the nonprofit Brooklyn Bridge Manhattan/Create Gotham Park project. The organizations have joined an ongoing initiative to develop Gotham Park and return the iconic skateboarding mecca to the community by creating a new public park under the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge. During his State of the City speech on Thursday, Mayor Eric Adams voiced his support for the new public space.
Find out more about bringing back the Banks

Pool sharks and party people: Don’t sleep on this $8M Soho pad

Photo credit: Eytan Stern Weber at Evan Joseph Images

January 26, 2023

Pool sharks and party people: Don’t sleep on this $8M Soho pad

By Michelle Cohen

Bachelor/ettes with a taste for a certain kind of downtown Manhattan living will be lining up for this classic loft co-op at 515 Broadway (also known as 84 Mercer Street): $8,000,000 snags a 6,100-square-foot party-ready spot in the heart of Soho, complete with Corinthian columns and soaring ceilings, a ballroom-sized living room, a music studio, home gym and billiards room, a burled walnut wet bar and a giant walk-in dressing room for your sneaker collection.
Classic Soho loft living, this way

Distinctive Homes

The best local chocolate shops in NYC

Photo credit clockwise: Jessica Minghi/Borough Chocolates, Jacques Torres Chocolates, Jessica Minghi/Borough Chocolates, Chocolate Noise.

January 25, 2023

The best local chocolate shops in NYC

By Michelle Cohen

It doesn't have to be Valentine's Day to crave chocolate. But the sugar-coated holiday certainly provides a good excuse to indulge. Far beyond the red-wrapped drugstore box, creating the sweet (or bitter) treat is now recognized as a craft all its own. Chocolate purveyors range from the old-fashioned to the eco-conscious to makers who hand-mix exotic ingredients and flavors. If you're really hooked, you can make an event of it at a chocolate-themed restaurant, factory tour, or private tasting. Whether you're looking for a last-minute gift for someone special or just a sweet snack, the New York City establishments listed here have something for every chocolate lover–and you can order online or visit the source right in your borough.
Find the chocolate of your dreams, this way

Live in Zaha Hadid’s Chelsea masterpiece with four bedrooms and a curvy balcony for $10.5M

Photo credit: Fortem Media for The Corcoran Group

January 25, 2023

Live in Zaha Hadid’s Chelsea masterpiece with four bedrooms and a curvy balcony for $10.5M

By Michelle Cohen

This four-bedroom condo in The Residences by Zaha Hadid at 520 West 28th Street is a rare opportunity to live in the late starchitect's residential masterpiece. The unique loft-like 3,840-square-foot residence, asking $10,495,000, features Hadid's signature curves, curated amenities, and a balcony with views of the architecturally significant Chelsea skyline. Details include 10-foot-wide motorized windows with distinctive curved detailing, high ceilings, and generous proportions.
Tour this curvy, curated Chelsea home

This $950K Midtown co-op has the colorful, creative look of a classic Manhattan loft

Photo credit: Kellen Houde for Sotheby’s International Realty

January 24, 2023

This $950K Midtown co-op has the colorful, creative look of a classic Manhattan loft

By Michelle Cohen

If this colorful studio at 529 West 42nd Street embodies the creative-industrial vibe of a classic New York City loft, it might be because the home's current owner, Lisa Menichino, is a downtown nightlife denizen; Menichino runs Cubbyhole in the West Village, the city's best-known lesbian bar. Located in The Armory, a true live/work building, the $950,000 co-op has pre-war charm and a clean, modern interior.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

Popular Articles

This $4.5M historic Riverdale home overlooks the Hudson River from an elegant veranda

Photo courtesy of Douglas Elliman

January 23, 2023

This $4.5M historic Riverdale home overlooks the Hudson River from an elegant veranda

By Michelle Cohen

Known as the Henry Atherton Villa, this extraordinary home at 5247 Independence Avenue was known at the turn of the 20th century as a gathering place for artists, poets, and society notables. Looking out over the Hudson River and the Palisades beyond, the property is 15 minutes away from Midtown Manhattan, surrounded by the verdant historic Bronx neighborhood of Riverdale. Built in 1830, the Gothic Revival style home received a Colonial Revival addition at the turn of the century. Asking $4,500,000, the home spans 10,000 square feet, with nine bedrooms, gracious lawns, a solarium, and a veranda with breathtaking river views.
See more of this historic Riverdale home

Everything’s big in this $3.75M Ditmas Park home, from the porch to the yard, driveway and garage

Photo credit: Allyson Lubow

January 20, 2023

Everything’s big in this $3.75M Ditmas Park home, from the porch to the yard, driveway and garage

By Michelle Cohen

This three-story house on a corner lot in historic Ditmas Park offers a perfect way to enjoy a lush yard, a sprawling wrap-around porch, a long driveway, and a spacious garage while living in the middle of bustling Brooklyn. Inside, you'll find 7,480 square feet of living space with eight bedrooms and a finished basement, all with historic details beautifully preserved and renovated for 21st-century living. Built in 1909, the Flatbush townhouse is asking $3,750,000.
Take a closer look

Distinctive Homes

Enjoy panoramic Manhattan views from the bath in this $20M Flatiron duplex

Photos courtesy of The Corcoran Group

January 18, 2023

Enjoy panoramic Manhattan views from the bath in this $20M Flatiron duplex

By Michelle Cohen

Is nearly 6,000 square feet of living space and 360-degree New York City vistas from the bath worth $20 million to you? If so, this dramatic duplex in the sky at 45 East 22nd Street in the Madison Square Park Tower awaits. Asking $19,995,000, the four-bedroom condominium offers iconic river-to-river views that will never fail to impress.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

NYC signs $275M deal to provide hotel rooms for migrants

Mayor Eric Adams tours the Asylum Seeker Resource Navigation Center in Manhattan on September 15, 2022. Photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

January 18, 2023

NYC signs $275M deal to provide hotel rooms for migrants

By Michelle Cohen

Mayor Eric Adams has agreed to a $275 million contract with the Hotel Association of New York City to provide housing for at least 5,000 migrants–$55,000 per asylum-seeker–the New York Post reports. The emergency agreement between the city's Department of Homeless Services and the Hotel Association, which put in a formal bid to provide shelter amid the current migrant crisis, will include up to 55 smaller hotels, according to the association's president, Vijay Dandapani.
Find out more

For $895K, this one-bedroom condo in the heart of Williamsburg isn’t missing a thing

Photo credit: Rosemarie Fiore/RIS Media for The Corcoran Group

January 13, 2023

For $895K, this one-bedroom condo in the heart of Williamsburg isn’t missing a thing

By Michelle Cohen

Amid the colorful bustle of Williamsburg in North Brooklyn, this 21st-century-built one-bedroom condo at 230 North 8th Street has the contemporary features you'd want–for less than $1 million. Clean lines, lots of windows and natural light, a Juliet balcony, and an in-unit washer/dryer are just a few examples.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

Tech and media power couple’s West Village townhouse asks $11M

Photo credit: Al Siedman/VHT for The Corcoran Group

January 11, 2023

Tech and media power couple’s West Village townhouse asks $11M

By Michelle Cohen

Who wouldn't want a townhouse in the West Village with a $2.5 million renovation and a glass-enclosed rooftop office and deck? Beth Comstock, the current owner of the house at 62 Jane Street, has been lucky enough to live in the five-story home since she and her husband, tech executive Chris Travers, bought it for $5.75 million in 2012. Comstock was the first woman to be named vice chair of General Electric, a position she held after a long career as a media executive. The couple has listed the property for $10.995 million, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Take the townhouse tour

Distinctive Homes

This $2.5M classic six is the definition of understated Upper East Side elegance

Photo credit: Compass

January 10, 2023

This $2.5M classic six is the definition of understated Upper East Side elegance

By Michelle Cohen

Asking $2,500,000, this three-bedroom "classic six" co-op at 333 East 68th Street is the very picture of Upper East Side prewar charm and historic beauty. The apartment has been home to acclaimed landscape artist, photographer, and former model Kate Cordsen for 13 years.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

NYC’s plan to convert office space into housing could create 20,000 homes

Photo by Tomas Anton Escobar on Unsplash

January 10, 2023

NYC’s plan to convert office space into housing could create 20,000 homes

By Michelle Cohen

In December, Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a plan to address the needs of post-pandemic New York by creating mixed-use neighborhoods in central business districts to draw more residents, businesses, and tourists. The plan advocated for the much-discussed idea of converting vacant office buildings into homes, a solution that tackles both the city's housing crisis and lagging retail growth by making zoning laws more flexible. On Monday, Adams announced a list of specific recommendations for converting underused offices into 20,000 homes for 40,000 New Yorkers over the next decade.
Find out more

Everyone can have their own room in this charming $2M Brooklyn house with parking and a yard

Photo credit: Allyson Lubow Photography

January 6, 2023

Everyone can have their own room in this charming $2M Brooklyn house with parking and a yard

By Michelle Cohen

For just under $2 million–$1,995,000, to be exact–this detached house at 525 East 3rd Street in the Kensington neighborhood of Brooklyn has plenty of room for family and friends, plus a deck, a front porch and a spacious yard and parking for three cars. The four-bedroom Victorian home is sun-filled and bright, with original details like heart-of-pine floors, stained glass windows, and ceiling medallions and moldings.
Come on in

Distinctive Homes

Paris garret and rooftop cabin meet in this unique Nomad penthouse, asking $2.5M

Photo credit: Kristina Crane with Evan Joseph Studios

January 5, 2023

Paris garret and rooftop cabin meet in this unique Nomad penthouse, asking $2.5M

By Michelle Cohen

The penthouse at 66 Madison Avenue is one of those unusual apartments that resembles nothing so much as a charming cabin in the sky, surrounded by 700 square feet of outdoor terrace space. This 1,100-square-foot one-bedroom co-op–located in the building's original rooftop machine room–is perched atop a 1918 Beaux Arts building in the popular Nomad neighborhood. 6sqft featured the rooftop aerie when the previous owner, designer and fashion PR exec Leslie Klotz, listed it for $2,450,000 in 2016; it sold for $2,260,000 in early 2017. House Beautiful called the light-filled home, now asking $2,500,000, "a wonderful mashup of Manhattan and Montmartre."
Take a look

Distinctive Homes

For $1.9M, this cozy Chelsea prewar co-op is surrounded by beauty

Photo credit: Al Siedman/VHT for The Corcoran Group

January 4, 2023

For $1.9M, this cozy Chelsea prewar co-op is surrounded by beauty

By Michelle Cohen

On a tree-lined Chelsea street near the Theological Seminary with its beautiful gardens and historic, neighborhood-defining architecture, this two-bedroom co-op is a lovely refuge on Manhattan's growing west side. Asking $1,895,000, the cozy third-floor walk-up at 463 West 21st Street offers prewar charm, a wood-burning fireplace, high ceilings, and pretty views.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

Take the elevator from the pool to the home theater and wine bar in this $17.5M UWS townhouse

Photo credit: Evan Joseph

January 3, 2023

Take the elevator from the pool to the home theater and wine bar in this $17.5M UWS townhouse

By Michelle Cohen

Though it comes with its own luxuries, townhouse living often means sacrificing perks like an elevator, pool, and gym. This $17.5 million Central Park West home at 45 West 70th Street has just about everything you could want, all under one gracious, Neo-Romanesque roof. Built in 1891, the house has been thoroughly renovated from stem to stern with every of-the-moment design flourish and 21st-century amenity–including a 33-foot-long, six-foot deep freshwater lap pool/jacuzzi in the cellar.
Take the six-floor townhouse tour

Distinctive Homes

This $10.7M brick townhouse reflects the history and luxury of the surrounding West Village neighborhood

Photo courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

December 22, 2022

This $10.7M brick townhouse reflects the history and luxury of the surrounding West Village neighborhood

By Michelle Cohen

Built in 1846, this move-in ready Greek Revival townhouse at 53 Jane Street, asking $10,725,000, is one among many graceful, classic brick homes on a pretty West Village street. Behind the original brick facade and stone stoop with cast iron railings, the home's interiors are a contemporary showcase of newly-installed luxury, from the fully-appointed chef's kitchen to the glazed rear wall overlooking the back patio. A one-bedroom garden-level apartment can be integrated into the triplex above, or used as a separate unit for income, guest quarters, or a home office.
Take the townhouse tour

Distinctive Homes

On this day in 1912, the nation’s first public Christmas tree went up in Madison Square Park

Bain News Service, Publisher. Xmas tree in Madison Sq. Park, N.Y.C. , ca. 1910. [Between and Ca. 1915] Photograph. Library of Congress Digital Collections.

December 21, 2022

On this day in 1912, the nation’s first public Christmas tree went up in Madison Square Park

By Michelle Cohen

On December 21, 1912, a 60-foot-tall tree arrived by horse-drawn truck from the Adirondacks to provide Manhattan's Madison Square Park with the glow of 2,300 colored electric bulbs. The twinklers were donated by the Edison Company, and the tree was the first of its kind: Having a Christmas tree in one's living room was a familiar custom, but a tree outside in a public park was something new.
Get the whole history right this way

Designer gift guide: 11 NYC creatives share what they’re giving (and what they want) this holiday

December 19, 2022

Designer gift guide: 11 NYC creatives share what they’re giving (and what they want) this holiday

By Michelle Cohen

6sqft has once again asked a handful of New York City designers, architects, and artists to share a few things they plan on gifting–or, perhaps, hope to receive–this season. Read on for dozens of unique and unexpected items curated by some of the city’s most talented creatives. We promise a bounty of ideas and inspiration to choose from if you happen to find yourself scrambling for a gift.
This year's coolest gifts, this way

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