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.

After 16 years and $5B, New Jersey’s American Dream mall is now (partially) open

Renderings courtesy of Triple Five/ American Dream.

October 25, 2019

After 16 years and $5B, New Jersey’s American Dream mall is now (partially) open

By Michelle Cohen

As 6sqft reported in July, the three-million-square-foot American Dream mega-mall with an indoor water park, amusement rides, and a ski slope adjacent East Rutherford, New Jersey's Met Life Stadium, had announced an October 25 opening. Now, after what may add up to $1 billion in taxpayer incentives, the mall that was formerly known as Xanadu is open, the New York Times reports. The opening may disappoint anyone waiting to shop: The property's owner, Canadian real estate firm Triple Five Group, says the mall's first phase consists of an ice-skating rink, a Nickelodeon amusement park, and regular "slime" shows–with the rest to come in subsequent "chapters."
Find out more

New Developments

Plan to honor historic black settlement Seneca Village with statue in Central Park faces backlash

Photo by Si B on Flickr

October 24, 2019

Plan to honor historic black settlement Seneca Village with statue in Central Park faces backlash

By Michelle Cohen

As part of the city's plan to diversify public art and recognize figures overlooked by history in New York City, Central Park is getting another statue, as the New York Times reports. The privately-funded monument will commemorate Seneca Village, the predominantly black community that was thriving until the 1850s in what became Central Park. Once again, however, the city's commemorative statue planning has fallen afoul of historians. The proposed structure won’t be located at the site of Seneca Village, which for nearly three decades stretched between West 83rd and 89th streets in Central Park. Instead, the monument’s home will be in the park, but 20 blocks to the north on 106th street.
Find out more

This $275K Tudor City studio co-op is in one of the world’s first residential skyscrapers

Photo credit: Russ Ross courtesy of Compass.

October 24, 2019

This $275K Tudor City studio co-op is in one of the world’s first residential skyscrapers

By Michelle Cohen

Completed in 1929, Tudor Tower at 25 Tudor City Place in Murray Hill's Tudor City historic district was one of the world's first three residential skyscrapers. Asking $275,000, this studio is among the least expensive units in the landmarked prewar co-op complex.
See more of this small wonder

Distinctive Homes

Tickets on sale today for Edge, Hudson Yards’ 1,100-foot-high observation deck

Image courtesy of Related Oxford.

October 24, 2019

Tickets on sale today for Edge, Hudson Yards’ 1,100-foot-high observation deck

By Michelle Cohen

6sqft reported back in March that Hudson Yards had opened a reservation list to experience Edge, the observation platform perched at a record-setting 1,100 feet in the sky. Now you can officially buy tickets to the Western Hemisphere's highest outdoor sky deck. Visitors can gaze out on a 360-degree view of New York City's iconic skyline from the champagne bar, or peer down through a glass floor. The platform-in-the-clouds will open on March 11, 2020; you'll be able to sip cocktails or get a light bite at the 100th-floor bar or dine at Peak, the 101st-floor restaurant, café and event space.
Tickets and more this way

Uncategorized

For $3.4M, this Dobbs Ferry Colonial has a terraced garden with a stone pool and grape arbor

Images courtesy of Houlihan Lawrence.

October 23, 2019

For $3.4M, this Dobbs Ferry Colonial has a terraced garden with a stone pool and grape arbor

By Michelle Cohen

Even in the Westchester County village of Dobbs Ferry, NY, the 4.2 acre Cricket Hill estate seems a world removed from modern life 20 miles away in New York City. The 6,000-square-foot stone and shingle country house is both characterful and updated for modern living, but the enchanted grounds, including a terraced walled garden, free-form pool and grape arbor, appear unaltered by time.
Tour the home and grounds

Distinctive Homes

This year’s best NYC neighborhoods for Halloween trick-or-treating

The Halloween scarescape on West 69th Street in Manhattan. Photo © 6sqft

October 23, 2019

This year’s best NYC neighborhoods for Halloween trick-or-treating

By Michelle Cohen

October 31 brings New Yorkers of all sizes out of their crypts and crannies in search of treats and fun. This year, long-running favorite neighborhoods rise to the occasion once again, with a few recent additions. Trick-or-treating in the big city has its advantages: Apartment buildings can be like hitting the jackpot and friendly neighbors, stores, businesses and neighborhood events keep the little tricksters busy. Technology helps keep things safe and fun: Local-social site Nextdoor's annual trick-or-treat map is back; neighbors can add themselves to if they're handing out candy. Like so many other topics, New Yorkers love to argue over which neighborhoods offer the best bounty. Below are a few picks for the best treats.
Score more treats this Halloween

Will Midtown’s Lord & Taylor building be back on the market after multibillion-dollar WeWork bailout?

Photo courtesy of Lord & Taylor

October 23, 2019

Will Midtown’s Lord & Taylor building be back on the market after multibillion-dollar WeWork bailout?

By Michelle Cohen

The biggest news to surface in the turbulent waters of the WeWork saga may be the multibillion-dollar bailout and takeover by Japanese company SoftBank following a failed IPO and a company valuation that skidded from a reported $48 billion to $8 billion in a matter of months. And as part of a scramble for cash, the office space sublease and coworking disruptor has been expected to divest of the Lord & Taylor building at 424 Fifth Avenue; WeWork purchased the high-profile property–the former home of the department store's flagship location–with partners Rhone Capital and Hudson’s Bay for $850 million earlier this year. But, as Crain's reports, the company may be trying to lease the 660,000-square-foot property to high-paying office tenants as a way to raise the needed funds.
Will the building be back on the market soon?

Real Estate Trends

This East Village co-op packs plenty of small-space ideas into a $640K one-bedroom

Image credit: VHT courtesy of The Corcoran Group.

October 18, 2019

This East Village co-op packs plenty of small-space ideas into a $640K one-bedroom

By Michelle Cohen

This renovated one-bedroom co-op at 322 East 14th Street makes the best of a compact space with ceilings over 10 feet, well-designed details, and splashes of color. Asking $640,000, it's in the heart of it all in the East Village near Union Square, Nomad, and endless transportation options.
Take a look

Distinctive Homes

This $1.5M condo is a study in modern architecture tucked into a historic Village townhouse

October 17, 2019

This $1.5M condo is a study in modern architecture tucked into a historic Village townhouse

By Michelle Cohen

This one-bedroom condo at 131 West 11th Street, asking $1.495 million, is situated within a classic row house on a postcard-perfect Village street. Within are the 20-foot ceilings of a loft, with 1,200 square feet of living space and an open layout to match. The apartment's interiors are the work of award-winning architect Timmy Aziz of DOMA, and have been featured in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Architectural Digest among other notable design magazines. Another unique feature: The home boasts an 18-foot-tall brick wall that was constructed by renowned Italian sculptor Albino Manca, who once lived and worked in the space.
Have a look around

Every day could be a camping adventure at this $998K Connecticut log and stone country home

Photo credit: Weston Photos, courtesy of Compass.

October 16, 2019

Every day could be a camping adventure at this $998K Connecticut log and stone country home

By Michelle Cohen

Located in Weston, Connecticut, this unique home was built of log and stone in 1920 and has been completely restored by its current owners to offer the same cabin-in-the-woods charm it undoubtedly had back then. Asking $998,000, the house has the necessary modern amenities plus bonus additions like a detached garage with a studio/in-law space above it–and a picture perfect country setting complete with a pond and stream. The house doesn't just look cabin-like: There's an actual heated cabin on the property, with a campsite and a fire pit.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

Popular Articles

NY senator proposes tax relief program for New Yorkers who spend over 30 percent of income on rent

Image via Pexels

October 15, 2019

NY senator proposes tax relief program for New Yorkers who spend over 30 percent of income on rent

By Michelle Cohen

State Sen. Brian Benjamin has proposed a bill that aims to give New York renters a much-needed break. The Harlem Democrat's bill is modeled after the federal version proposed by Sen. Kamala Harris and would entitle lower-income tenants to a refundable tax credit if their rent and utilities account for a significant portion–over 30 percent–of their income, the Daily News reports.
Find out more

This handsome $2.25M Midwood Park Victorian has enough room for guests to stay a while

Photos by Melanie Greene, Courtesy of Compass

October 15, 2019

This handsome $2.25M Midwood Park Victorian has enough room for guests to stay a while

By Michelle Cohen

Built around 1910, this charming Victorian home at 699 East 18th Street in the Fiske Terrace-Midwood Park Historic District of Brooklyn has over 4,900 square feet of interior space–more than enough room for family and friends on four floors. With a basement greenhouse and home office, a two-car garage and private driveway, a lovely back patio, and a gracious front porch, there's room for everyone's hobbies, too. The house, asking $2.25 million, is filled with well-preserved architectural details like high beamed and coffered ceilings, stained glass, and working gas fireplaces.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

This $1.4M Chelsea loft is filled with storage and opportunity

Rendering: Spotless Agency, courtesy of Compass

October 14, 2019

This $1.4M Chelsea loft is filled with storage and opportunity

By Michelle Cohen

This light-filled Chelsea loft co-op at 100 West 15th Street offers original details remaining from its early factory days, like soaring 12-foot ceilings, massive windows, exposed brick, exposed wood beams, and an original metal column. The apartment, asking $1.39 million, is the result of combining two studios, with plenty of open loft space for creating a home, plus a level of lofted storage above.
Lofty ideas, this way

Distinctive Homes

Skyline Tower, NYC’s tallest building outside Manhattan, tops out

Rendering: Binyan Studios.

October 14, 2019

Skyline Tower, NYC’s tallest building outside Manhattan, tops out

By Michelle Cohen

Skyline Tower in Long Island City, Queens, has officially become the city's tallest building outside of Manhattan. The luxury condo tower has now topped out at 778 feet. As 6sqft recently reported, the 67-story building surpassed its neighbor and previous record-holder, the 673-foot-tall Citigroup Building, in September. Located at 23-15 44th Drive, the new Long Island City tower will offer about 800 studio to four-bedroom condominium apartments, priced between $500,000 and $4 million.
But it won't hold the title for long

WeWork’s private NYC elementary school, WeGrow, will close after current school year

Photo by Laurian Ghinitoiu courtesy of WeWork

October 14, 2019

WeWork’s private NYC elementary school, WeGrow, will close after current school year

By Michelle Cohen

Following a failed IPO and an impending takeover by Japanese parent company SoftBank amid an exodus of investors, office space sublease and coworking brand leader WeWork informed parents that the 2019-2020 school year would be the last for the newly-launched Manhattan elementary school, HuffPost reports. Rebekah Neumann, the co-founder of the company and wife of its recently-ousted CEO, Adam Neumann (and first cousin of Gwyneth Paltrow), had helmed the educational program for children ages three to nine, titled WeGrow, with a focus on education through play and interaction. The small New York City private school opened in 2018 with a tuition bill of between $22,000 and $42,000 a year. On the curriculum were yoga, dance and martial arts and weekly trips to an upstate farm to learn how to plant and harvest crops–in addition to fundamental courses, all with a heavy emphasis on creative expression and immersion in nature.
Find out more

Is this gorgeous two-bedroom Upper West Side co-op in the Dorilton a steal at $1.9M?

Images courtesy of Douglas Elliman.

October 11, 2019

Is this gorgeous two-bedroom Upper West Side co-op in the Dorilton a steal at $1.9M?

By Michelle Cohen

The gated side street entrance at the 12-story pre-war Dorilton at 171 West 71st Street on the Upper West Side is considered to be among the grandest in New York. The building, an official city landmark since the 1970s, has undergone a careful restoration that has brought its intricate façade and rich interior spaces back to their original Edwardian splendor; intricate wood molding, wainscoting and marble mantles can still be found in many apartments. This classic style gets an upgrade with modern good looks and comfort in this gracious two (with potential for more) bedroom unit. Starting with the fireplace and stained glass bay windows in the entrance foyer, the apartment radiates elegance and charm. Add a large landscaped terrace, and its $1.925 million ask seems like quite a bargain.
Check out this gorgeous Upper West Side home

Distinctive Homes

Completed report announced following East Side Coastal Resiliency Project consultant review

Preliminary design of Corlears shared use path; via DDC.

October 11, 2019

Completed report announced following East Side Coastal Resiliency Project consultant review

By Michelle Cohen

Borough President Gale A. Brewer and Council Member Carlina Rivera announced Thursday the completed report by independent consulting firm Deltares on the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project (ESCR). As 6sqft previously reported, the project was first developed in the wake of Hurricane Sandy and is intended to protect 2.2 miles of Manhattan’s East Side, between East 25th Street and Montgomery Street, from flooding and improve access to waterfront space. According to the city, the ESCR project would protect over 110,000 New Yorkers in the area.
Find out more and read the report

The East River prison barge, intended to be temporary, draws ire amid plans to close Rikers

Photo via Wiki Commons

October 10, 2019

The East River prison barge, intended to be temporary, draws ire amid plans to close Rikers

By Michelle Cohen

The Vernon C. Bain Center, an 800-capacity floating jail in the East River, costs $24 million a year to operate and was supposed to be permanently shut down decades ago. Opened in 1992 to help with an overcrowded prison system due in part to the crack epidemic, the 625-foot-long motorless barge has been docked along New York City's shoreline since then, the New York Times reports. And as the city plans to shut down Rikers Island, overhaul the criminal justice system, and create more humane jails with fewer inmates, advocates say the barge has to go. The city has pledged to close the facility once the City Council votes on the prison reform plan; both Rikers and Bain would close by 2026.
What happened to 'temporary?'

Policy

Asking $650K, this renovated classic Village co-op boasts fine materials and attention to detail

Image courtesy of Douglas Elliman.

October 10, 2019

Asking $650K, this renovated classic Village co-op boasts fine materials and attention to detail

By Michelle Cohen

Bleecker Court at 77 Bleecker Street in the Village/Noho is mid-20th-century modernist in appearance, but it's a neighborhood classic. This "loft" apartment has benefitted from a recent gut renovation and, asking $650,000, is 21st-century-ready. The home's designer/owner created a magazine-worthy interior within the open, airy space, making the best of high ceilings and a wall of windows overlooking Mercer Street.
Look both ways

Distinctive Homes

$1.75M Tribeca loft was once the Engine 29 firehouse

Images courtesy of Douglas Elliman

October 9, 2019

$1.75M Tribeca loft was once the Engine 29 firehouse

By Michelle Cohen

Images courtesy of Douglas Elliman This 1,500-square-foot classic loft co-op, asking $1.75 million, is in a neighborhood filled with lofts. What makes this Tribeca home at 160 Chambers Street a bit different is its former life as the Engine 29 firehouse. Loft lovers will be happy to note that though it has been recently renovated, 12-foot tin ceilings, exposed brick walls, hardwood floors and oversized windows remain. Currently a walk-up, the coop plans to install an elevator.
Get an inside view of this historic space

Distinctive Homes

All the cool and spooky Halloween happenings in NYC this year

Image courtesy of the Central Park Conservancy.

October 9, 2019

All the cool and spooky Halloween happenings in NYC this year

By Michelle Cohen

Some say Halloween is New York City’s favorite holiday. And while those who indulge in its fright-fraught fun may celebrate in different ways, there’s a scare out there for everyone. We’re all under the spell of the fabulous Village Halloween Parade, from its history to its most avid participants; if that doesn’t satisfy your craving for fright-week fun, peruse our list of Halloween happenings from family-friendly to extra freaky.
Find something to BOO

Events & Things To Do

This $765K Brooklyn Heights co-op may be narrow, but a private garden offers the great outdoors

Image credit: VHT, courtesy of The Corcoran Group

October 8, 2019

This $765K Brooklyn Heights co-op may be narrow, but a private garden offers the great outdoors

By Michelle Cohen

Image credit: VHT, courtesy of The Corcoran Group Steps from the Promenade and Brooklyn Bridge Park in Brooklyn Heights, this one-bedroom co-op at 73 Columbia Heights, asking $765,000, doesn't transcend the average New York City shoebox. But a magical 335-square-foot private garden just out back is an urban outdoor space with room to roam.
Check out the private garden getaway

Distinctive Homes

Lottery opens for 399 units at newly-constructed East Harlem rental complex two blocks from Central Park

The building is near Central Park’s Conservatory Garden; Photo by Cultivar 413 / Flickr cc

October 7, 2019

Lottery opens for 399 units at newly-constructed East Harlem rental complex two blocks from Central Park

By Michelle Cohen

399 affordable units are becoming available at a newly constructed building at 1465 Park Avenue and 128 East 108th Street in East Harlem in the rental building known as The Carolina (formerly Lexington Gardens II). The 15-floor building also contains 4,000 square feet of retail space and 38,000 square feet of community space. A solid collection of amenities includes an on-site superintendent, a fitness center, landscaped courtyards, roof terraces, on-site laundry, bicycle storage and Amazon hub lockers. Qualifying applicants earning 30, 60, and 165 percent of the area median income can apply for units that range from $680/month studios to $3,316/month three-bedrooms. There are also eight project-based Section 8 units for which eligible residents pay 30 percent of income.
Find out how to apply

Affordable Housing

Chase Bank and vegan restaurant confirmed for former Union Square Coffee Shop location

Via alphabetjenn on Flickr

October 7, 2019

Chase Bank and vegan restaurant confirmed for former Union Square Coffee Shop location

By Michelle Cohen

Last fall 6sqft reported rumors that late-night Union Square model-spotting icon The Coffee Shop would be replaced with three new restaurants and possibly a Chase Bank. In June, Jeremiah's Vanishing New York confirmed the rumors after learning that an application by the bank to open a branch on the 16th Street and Union Square West corner was approved by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Now, Gothamist tells us that the bank will be joined by fast-casual vegan spot by CHLOE, shooting down rumors that an Outback Steakhouse was moving in. The two spots are planning to open in December.
Find out more

Food & Dining

Townhouse? Loft? This $599K co-op off Central Park West has elements of both

October 7, 2019

Townhouse? Loft? This $599K co-op off Central Park West has elements of both

By Michelle Cohen

Even if this one-bedroom co-op at 22 West 76th Street were just another pre-war loft-like home, its location on one of the Upper West Side's prettiest blocks just seconds from Central Park would make it a find at $599,000. The fact that it sits within an elegant historic limestone townhouse with a gracefully curving front makes it even more unique.
Explore this cozy, quirky home

Distinctive Homes

29
30
31
32
33