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.
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

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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
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
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
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
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
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

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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
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

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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
+POOL’s public art installation in the East River illuminates water quality

Rendering of + POOL Light. Designed by PlayLab and Family New York. Image courtesy Friends of + POOL

October 4, 2019

+POOL’s public art installation in the East River illuminates water quality

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Designed by PLAYLAB, INC. and Family New York in collaboration with Floating Point, a new project from the team behind the +POOL concept makes it possible for anyone to visualize water conditions in NYC's Harbor using a light installation and an interactive website. The 50-foot x 50-foot plus-shaped "+POOL Light" is installed at the Seaport District at Lower Manhattan's Pier 17, continuously changing color based on the condition of the water in which it floats, from great for swimming to not-so-great. The installation debuted last night and will be on view until January 3rd.
Find out more
A smart renovation made this $1.35M Upper West Side pre-war co-op feel like a 21st century home
October 4, 2019

A smart renovation made this $1.35M Upper West Side pre-war co-op feel like a 21st century home

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With a rustic look, a fresh renovation and pre-war bones, this bright, sunny two-bedroom co-op at 345 West 70th Street on the Upper West Side has the best of all apartment worlds. The move-in-ready space, asking $1.35 million has "smart house" comforts with open southern views. Sweet-spot design details include loft-like 10-foot beamed ceilings, wide plank pale grey hardwood floors, exposed brick, and lots or storage.
See more, this way
Behold photos of Williamsburg’s new commercial office development 25 Kent, now complete

Photo credit: Ty Cole

October 3, 2019

Behold photos of Williamsburg’s new commercial office development 25 Kent, now complete

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25 Kent Avenue, Williamsburg's first ground-up commercial office development in over 50 years, is now complete. The building spans a full city block and was designed by architects Hollwich Kushner (HWKN) and Gensler and to provide "a social campus for innovators, startup founders, and tech leaders." As 6sqft previously reported, the eight-story building holds 500,000 square feet of office space along the Williamsburg waterfront as well as retail at ground level and underground parking, with millennial-friendly rooftops and terraces and floor-to-ceiling windows.
Many more photos of 25 Kent, this way
The 2019 Open House New York Weekend schedule is here!

Photo courtesy of Open House New York

October 2, 2019

The 2019 Open House New York Weekend schedule is here!

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The annual Open House New York Weekend is around the corner, and the calendar and guide to tours, events, and access to typically off-limits sites have been released. OHNY Weekend is Friday, October 18, Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, October 20. Highlights include new sites like Pier 35 eco-park , the TWA Hotel, The Spur High Line (the last section of the original High Line rail structure to be converted into public space) and 277 Mott, a new core and shell project by Toshiko Mori Architect with a twisting facade that appears to shift as pedestrians approach. There are also featured sites like the Brooklyn Navy Yard and special curated series like Factory Fridays and Open Studios. Tools to help you plan your weekend include an event guide, an interactive map showing where "open access" sites and events are located throughout the five boroughs, and an itinerary planner.
Some highlights to look for during OHNY 2019 this way
Over 200 FDNY firehouses will welcome open house visitors this weekend

Image: Wikimedia cc

October 1, 2019

Over 200 FDNY firehouses will welcome open house visitors this weekend

By
If you–or your favorite fire truck-loving kid–would like a behind-the-scenes look at where New York's bravest get to work, keep your calendar open this weekend: On Saturday, October 5th, and Sunday, October 6th, the FDNY will be hosting their fifth annual citywide open house.  More than 200 firehouses and EMS stations will open their doors to the public from 11:00am to 1:00pm or 1:00pm to 3:00pm.
Find a participating firehouse near you, this way
Karlie Kloss lists cool and compact West Village townhouse for $2.75M

Photo credit: Donna Dotan courtesy of Compass.

September 30, 2019

Karlie Kloss lists cool and compact West Village townhouse for $2.75M

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Model Karlie Kloss is selling her chic and petite West Village townhouse co-op at 151 Charles Street, the Wall Street Journal reports. The three-story, two-bedroom-plus-den home was just listed for $2.75M. Though it's a co-op, the triplex has all the perks of townhouse living–a front garden, a second-floor terrace, high ceilings, and skylit bedrooms to name a few–in addition to supermodel cachet and a prime West Village spot.
Tour Karlie's townhouse, this way
Report suggests looking to zoning to speed up subway accessibility; map shows which lines lag

Photo via Carl Mikoy / Flickr cc

September 30, 2019

Report suggests looking to zoning to speed up subway accessibility; map shows which lines lag

By
Despite recent progress–and a federal lawsuit–only 23 percent of New York City's 493 subway and Staten Island Railway (SIR) stations are fully ADA-accessible, a statistic which puts the city dead last among the country’s 10 largest metro systems for accessibility of its transit stations. The MTA has made a commitment to funding accessibility in its much-discussed Capital Plan, but hundreds of stations are still without without plans for ADA access. On Friday Speaker Corey Johnson and the City Council released a report showing that the use of zoning tools to incentivize or require private development projects to address subway station access could speed up progress toward the goal of system-wide ADA access–and simultaneously cut public expense. The report, and an interactive map, show the current system, future plans and what the use of zoning tools could accomplish.
Find out more
Get to know Bay Ridge in the Urban Archive scavenger hunt

Photo: NYC Department of Records courtesy of Urban Archive.

September 27, 2019

Get to know Bay Ridge in the Urban Archive scavenger hunt

By
A scavenger hunt can be a great way to get to know a new neighborhood–or discover things about its history that you might never have learned. Join Urban Archive, the Historic Districts Council, and the New York City Department of Records for a scavenger hunt using the Urban Archive app in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn on Sunday, October 6th.
Start hunting, this way
Mod Montauk retreat with surf-inspired interiors asks $1.95M

Photo credit: Nicole Franzen.

September 27, 2019

Mod Montauk retreat with surf-inspired interiors asks $1.95M

By
A mere five minutes from Ditch Plains beach, this surf-inspired Montauk house at 48 South Federal Street was designed by Studio Robert McKinley, known for interiors with laid-back style, including the venerable Surf Lodge. This fetching four-bedroom, 4,000-square-foot getaway on a half-acre hilltop lot has a heated pool outside and lots of light and space indoors. It's the kind of move-in ready summer spot that seems well worth its $1.95 million ask.
Take a tour of this beachy retreat
Archtober 2019: Top 10 events and program highlights
September 27, 2019

Archtober 2019: Top 10 events and program highlights

By
Archtober is an annual architecture and design festival consisting of tours, events, films, lectures and exhibitions celebrating New York City's love affair with the built environment. During the month of October, a full calendar of events puts a focus on the importance–and the future–of architecture and design. Organized by the Center for Architecture, over 80 partner and sponsor organizations across the city add their voices to the festival. Now in its ninth year, Archtober offers something for everyone—from the arch-intellectual with a love for concept to the armchair designer with a thing for waterways, parks or sustainable design—in the 100+ event roster. Below, we pick 10 intriguing highlights from this year’s offerings.
Celebrate architecture and NYC at these cool events
Cuomo breaks ground on Belmont Park arena; see new renderings of Islanders’ future home
September 26, 2019

Cuomo breaks ground on Belmont Park arena; see new renderings of Islanders’ future home

By
In a ground-breaking ceremony that included the New York Islanders, National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman, local leaders and hockey fans, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo this week heralded construction of the New York Islanders' new arena at Belmont Park. The arena will anchor the $1.3 billion Belmont Park redevelopment project that promises to create 10,000 jobs and generate $2.7 billion in economic activity for the region. The new 19,000-seat arena, which will host the hockey team and other events, is part of the governor's effort to transform 43 acres of parking lots into a top destination for sports, hospitality and retail, with a 250-key hotel, a retail village and office and community space to come.
More new renderings, this way
Famed Clinton Hill Pfizer Mansion with a rock-n-roll past and a $5M renovation lowers ask to $10M

Photo credit: Rayon Richards and Connie Zhou, courtesy The Corcoran Group

September 25, 2019

Famed Clinton Hill Pfizer Mansion with a rock-n-roll past and a $5M renovation lowers ask to $10M

By
Photo credit: Rayon Richards and Connie Zhou, courtesy The Corcoran Group In brownstone Brooklyn, there are dozens of grand homes that have historic significance and even more that are dazzling showcases of considered design. The unique 10,000-square-foot double mansion at 280 Washington Avenue in Clinton Hill happens to be one of Brooklyn's finest examples of both. Known as the Pfizer Mansion–it was built in 1887 by Charles Erhart, co-founder of the Pfizer pharmaceutical company and brother-in-law to Charles Pfizer–the block-through property had a full slate of interesting inhabitants, from a library to industrial band rockers, before receiving an epic renovation from its current owner. That same owner, designer Jessica Warren, who purchased the property in 2007 for $3.2 million, spent many years and many millions restoring the house to a stunning degree that surpassed even its former glory. The home, which has been featured in numerous design publications, has most recently been a beloved B & B known as The Notorious B.N.B. The current owners put the house on the market in 2018 for $13.5 million. After a year and a broker switch, it's now asking $9.995 million–and it's worth every penny, from its graceful, curving windows to a working Otis elevator and private parking space.
Tour this colorful and beautiful Brooklyn home
Own a 6,670-square-foot Tribeca townhouse with a garden, private garage and condo amenities for $15M
September 24, 2019

Own a 6,670-square-foot Tribeca townhouse with a garden, private garage and condo amenities for $15M

By
From the outside, the five-story townhouse at 3 Collister Street gives the appearance of being a modernist  loft building, customized with a facade wall of windows to provide lucky homeowners with light and views. Within, the Tribeca home is a 6,670-square-foot mansion of a luxury home, with five bedrooms, a private garage, a private elevator, a back garden and a roof deck. But unlike even the most tricked-out of city townhouses, this home, asking $14.995 million and offered to the public for the first time, comes with the amenities of a full-service condominium–in this case one designed by BKSK Architects.
The best of all possible worlds, this way
The best architecture and design events in NYC this fall
September 24, 2019

The best architecture and design events in NYC this fall

By
Though spring may bring New York City's biggest collection of international design events, some of the most interesting happenings for followers of architecture and design both old and new take place in the fall. Archtober, for example is a month-long love affair with the built environment, and Open House New York introduces visitors to some of the city's most important and rarely-seen (at least by the public) places. Add to that a designer show house and some fabulous fashion retrospectives–and much more.
Fall design events, this way
The original honeycomb skylight shines at this $2.65M Soho loft
September 23, 2019

The original honeycomb skylight shines at this $2.65M Soho loft

By
If you're looking for a quintessential downtown loft, 16-foot ceilings, exposed brick, lofted bedrooms and all, but don't want to deal with renovations and taming a raw space, this two-bedroom co-op at 41 Crosby Street  (also known as 428 Broome Street) fits the bill. Traditional loft proportions and 1870s detail frame modern necessities like central air, heated floors, custom closets and a mansion-worthy kitchen. Asking $2.65 million, this Soho home spans 2,452 square feet, with a layout that emphasizes privacy (for a loft, that is) and comfort.
Tour the loft
Urban Archive’s new History Crush feature lets you swipe right on your favorite images of NYC’s past

Image courtesy of Urban Archive.

September 20, 2019

Urban Archive’s new History Crush feature lets you swipe right on your favorite images of NYC’s past

By
6sqft previously featured Urban Archive, the technology nonprofit that has been building (no pun intended) connections 
between people, places, and historical institutions through a growing map of New York City’s unique architecture, culture, and stories for several years. Last February saw the launch of their citywide project seeking crowd-sourced histories and photographs to be included in the UA app. Now, the Urban Archive app has a fun new feature: History Crush serves users a steady randomized supply of historic images of NYC buildings, places and events. You can weigh in with a swipe left or right on each new image; yes, it's like the dating app (without the stress). This Adderall-era add-on actually makes the app even more addictive–and encourages users to check out more images. Even better, right-swiped and liked images are saved to a folder in your My Archive collection for future investigation.
Every picture tells a story
$5.9M townhouse on Prospect Park comes fully loaded with a garage, gym, sauna, & so much more
September 20, 2019

$5.9M townhouse on Prospect Park comes fully loaded with a garage, gym, sauna, & so much more

By
Starting with a semi-private driveway and private garage, the attractive if unassuming neo-Federal townhouse at 31 Prospect Park West, built in 1919 by Brooklyn architect W. J. McCarthy, has just about every luxury you could imagine under its roof, and 600 square feet of irrigated, landscaped terrace on the actual rooftop. Recently given a truly spare-nothing renovation by local design duo Delson or Sherman Architects, this townhouse is already blessed with a prime Park Slope location across from Prospect Park. Asking $5.895 million, the home packs perks that include a fully-stocked gym and sauna to a wet bar and dual gas and wood-burning fireplace into its 2,800+ square feet of interior space. And that's without the fountain in the backyard.
Step inside this amazing townhouse
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