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.

For $10K/month this Cobble Hill townhouse rental has a private roof deck and a country house vibe

September 10, 2019

For $10K/month this Cobble Hill townhouse rental has a private roof deck and a country house vibe

By Michelle Cohen

This three-bedroom duplex at 9 Wyckoff Street is the upper of two units in a 24-foot-wide Cobble Hill two-family townhouse. Topped by a private garden-ready finished roof deck, the charming Brooklyn home, asking $10,000 a month, is getting a brand-new kitchen and updated baths in time for a late October move-in date. Rustic interiors and details like wood-beamed ceilings make the spacious townhouse look just right for autumn days and evenings.
Take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

See renderings of The Wing’s new Williamsburg location for design inspiration

September 10, 2019

See renderings of The Wing’s new Williamsburg location for design inspiration

By Michelle Cohen

Renderings were released this morning showing the gorgeously on-trend interiors at the much-anticipated Williamsburg location of The Wing–the women-centric community and work space's first location in that neighborhood and second in Brooklyn. The Williamsburg opening is part of a greater New York City expansion, which will bring the total number of locations in The Wing's home city to five by the end of 2019. Since launching less than three years ago, The Wing has opened eight locations across six U.S cities and raised $117.5 million in venture funding.
More renderings this way

MTA capital plan under scrutiny as Cuomo, transit watchdogs weigh in on top priorities

Image © 6sqft

September 10, 2019

MTA capital plan under scrutiny as Cuomo, transit watchdogs weigh in on top priorities

By Michelle Cohen

The MTA's five-year capital spending plan for major system-wide repairs from 2020 to 2024 has been under increasing scrutiny from public transportation watchdog groups, who have asked the MTA to provide more detailed priorities and policy goals for the project. The organizations–including the newly-formed Build Trust Campaign made up of TransitCenter, the Riders Alliance, the Tri-State Transportation Campaign and Reinvent Albany, released a report Monday asking that the MTA and Gov. Andrew Cuomo significantly improve transparency in planning the project and provide a fiscal roadmap to outline the plans for major repairs to the subway, Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North, and the bridges and tunnels that fall under MTA management, Curbed reports. Cuomo also issued a letter to the MTA board Monday outlining his own list of priorities for the Capital Plan.
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In prime East Williamsburg, this $875K ‘loft’ condo is fresh and functional

Photo credit: VHT courtesy of The Corcoran Group.

September 9, 2019

In prime East Williamsburg, this $875K ‘loft’ condo is fresh and functional

By Michelle Cohen

If you're looking for a sleek and contemporary east Williamsburg pad, this bi-level condominium at 142 Skillman Avenue, asking $875,000, might be just the place. It has 14-foot ceilings, a bedroom plus office/studio space, and nice new everything.
Have a look around

Distinctive Homes

Joe Namath lists Upper West Side duplex with deck and garden for $1.2M

Photo credit: DDreps courtesy of Compass.

September 9, 2019

Joe Namath lists Upper West Side duplex with deck and garden for $1.2M

By Michelle Cohen

Legendary New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath is selling his Upper West Side co-op. I Love the Upper West Side tells us that the football icon bought the 1,300-square-foot two-bedroom home at 345 West 70th Street for his daughter Jessica and her former husband in 2016. It's now on the market for $1.195 million. In addition to star athlete cachet, the highlights of this classic duplex home are an oversized custom wooden deck and a lower level garden.
Take the tour

Bette Midler lists her 14-room Upper East Side triplex penthouse for $50M

September 9, 2019

Bette Midler lists her 14-room Upper East Side triplex penthouse for $50M

By Michelle Cohen

The 14-room penthouse occupying the top three floors of one of Fifth Avenue's finest prewar co-op buildings is simply divine. This should come as no surprise–the 7,000-square-foot triplex with 3,000 square feet of landscaped terrace and Central Park and skyline views at 1125 Fifth Avenue belongs to Bette Midler. As the New York Times reports, the over-the-top entertainer and her husband, performance artist Martin von Haselberg, are selling the Upper East Side family home they purchased in 1996, asking a diva-worthy $50 million.
A penthouse fit for a diva, this way

This $2.8M ivy-covered Tudor in Forest Hills Gardens was the location for ‘Mildred Pierce’

September 6, 2019

This $2.8M ivy-covered Tudor in Forest Hills Gardens was the location for ‘Mildred Pierce’

By Michelle Cohen

Located within the greater Queens neighborhood of Forest Hills, Forest Hills Gardens is one of America’s oldest planned communities. The ivy-covered three-story single-family home at 17 Bow Street, built in 1905, has been lovingly maintained by its owners over the last 35 years. From the outside it's a picture of storybook charm and Tudor architecture, garage included. Inside is original woodwork as well as six bedrooms. The home's historic cachet and unique early modernity made it a logical choice for filming "Mildred Pierce," a period HBO series about 1930’s Beverly Hills. It's asking $2.795 million.
Take the Tudor tour

Distinctive Homes

WTC Oculus skylight won’t open this year during 9/11 commemoration due to leak

September 6, 2019

WTC Oculus skylight won’t open this year during 9/11 commemoration due to leak

By Michelle Cohen

The skylight atop the $3.9 billion World Trade Center Transportation Hub Oculus won't open this year on September 11, according to the Port Authority. It was announced this week that the skylight–comprised of 224 panes of glass on 40 motorized panels designed by Spanish starchitect Santiago Calatrava–has a leaking problem and will remain closed for this year's anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The skylight was intended to open and close, releasing a beam of light into the Oculus space at precisely 10:28 A.M. each year to mark the moment the north tower of the World Trade Center fell.
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$2.7M Gowanus townhouse is an architect-designed modern gem

Photos by Rise Media and Devon Banks, courtesy of The Corcoran Group.

September 6, 2019

$2.7M Gowanus townhouse is an architect-designed modern gem

By Michelle Cohen

Photos by Rise Media and Devon Banks, courtesy of The Corcoran Group. Gowanus was until recently brownstone Brooklyn’s best kept secret for loft-industrial living in the midst of a historic neighborhood. Though the secret’s out, homes like this one at 467 Carroll Street embody the neighborhood's creative spirit and mix of old and new. Built from the ground up and designed by designer/architect Ted Kane in collaboration with the owner, also a designer, this 1,616-square-foot single-family home takes advantage of Brooklyn townhouse living, modern comforts included. Asking $2.7 million, the home is energy-efficient as well as luxury-filled, and the garden is a dream for outdoor living.
Take the townhouse tour

Distinctive Homes

High-floor views come with a low ask of $395K in this refreshing Upper East Side studio

Photo credit: Allyson Lubow, courtesy of The Corcoran Group

September 5, 2019

High-floor views come with a low ask of $395K in this refreshing Upper East Side studio

By Michelle Cohen

A full-service pre-war building at a classic Upper East Side address a few blocks from Central Park usually comes with a bigger price tag, but this $395,000 studio at 205 East 78th Street offers those perks, plus move-in ready convenience. Open western views from this compact 17th-floor home join hardwood floors, high beamed ceilings, and clever storage solutions to make the most of the minimal space.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

Popular Articles

For $595/night, you can go glamping in a 300-square-foot cabin on Governors Island

Photos courtesy of Collective Retreats – The Outlook Shelter, Collective Governors Island

August 29, 2019

For $595/night, you can go glamping in a 300-square-foot cabin on Governors Island

By Michelle Cohen

A well-rounded urban camping experience is a new summer option on Governors Island. Campers can choose an activity-packed agenda complete with private boats, dining, kids’ activities and wellness programs, and a chance to sleep under the stars surrounded by New York skyline views and 1,500 thread count sheets, private en-suite bathrooms and decks, electricity, and WiFi within. For modern design lovers, the island's cozy Summit and Journey tents from Collective Retreats will be joined by new Outlook shelters. These modular hotel rooms resemble tiny modern cabins with 225 square feet–plus 75 square feet of deck space–of indoor architecture that "seamlessly compliments outdoor grandeur with fully sheltered structures." And for this unique experience, prices will start at $595/night.
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For $1.2M, this stone Cotswold cottage in Greenwich, Connecticut has Anglophile appeal

August 26, 2019

For $1.2M, this stone Cotswold cottage in Greenwich, Connecticut has Anglophile appeal

By Michelle Cohen

On three magical acres landscaped with weeping willow trees and enchanting gardens, this Cotswold-style cottage isn't set in the rolling hills of rural England but in Greenwich, CT, less than an hour from New York City. Cotswold cottages are famous for their stone-clad beauty, and this one on Connecticut's gold coast, asking $1.195 million, is no exception.
Take a look inside

Taylor Swift name-checks former Greenwich Village rental house in new song ‘Cornelia Street’

Listing photos by Chris Riccio, courtesy of the Corcoran Group

August 26, 2019

Taylor Swift name-checks former Greenwich Village rental house in new song ‘Cornelia Street’

By Michelle Cohen

In all of Taylor Swift’s $84 million real estate portfolio–including almost $50 million worth of property in downtown NYC–only the pop megastar’s former rental at 23 Cornelia Street gets a mention on “Lover,” the just-released album enjoying a typically frenzied response from her vast and loyal fan base. In fact, the Greenwich Village address gets its own track: “Cornelia Street” references tender memories of the carriage house Swift was renting for $39,500 a month from Soho House executive David Aldea in 2016 while renovations were underway at an $18 million Tribeca townhouse she’d bought. In the song, she tells a new squeeze “I rent a place on Cornelia Street.”
Inside Cornelia Street, this way

Celebrities

This $745K co-op has historic vaulted ceilings and a present-day Billionaires’ Row location

Photo Credit: Zigna for Sotheby’s International Realty.

August 23, 2019

This $745K co-op has historic vaulted ceilings and a present-day Billionaires’ Row location

By Michelle Cohen

This one-bedroom co-op in the Osborne at 205 West 57th Street is situated on what's now known as Billionaires' Row, and for well under $1 million you can include bragging rights to one of the New York City's finest historic residential buildings. Built in 1883 and designated an official city landmark in 1991, the Osborne also boasts one of the city's most sumptuous and dazzling lobbies.
Take a look

Distinctive Homes

Last available home in upstate ‘eco community’ Hudson Woods asks $1.18M

Image credit: Deborah De Graffenreid for Hudson Woods.

August 22, 2019

Last available home in upstate ‘eco community’ Hudson Woods asks $1.18M

By Michelle Cohen

The last house in the Hudson Woods modern development is for sale. The $1.18 million home was, like its neighbors in the 131-acre Hudson Valley community, designed by Lang Architecture with a modern aesthetic, quality craftsmanship and premium finishes. The 26-family community was constructed in a scenic corner of the Catskills characterized by wooded rolling hills and a large river; it's a two-hour drive from New York City.
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New 2.5-acre complex will bring 500+ rentals to the Astoria waterfront

30-77 Vernon Boulevard. Renderings by Pax Brooklyn, courtesy of Fogarty Finger

August 22, 2019

New 2.5-acre complex will bring 500+ rentals to the Astoria waterfront

By Michelle Cohen

A sprawling new residential development at 30-77 Vernon Boulevard from Cape Advisors and Wainbridge Capital will bring over 500 rental apartments to the Astoria waterfront area (h/t Yimby). The 522,000-square-foot construction site on two-and-a-half acres of land will be comprised of three adjacent buildings designed by Fogarty Finger. New renderings show a white and gray façade with rooftop recreation areas; amenity spaces will include a private courtyard, indoor and outdoor lounges, a fitness center and a rooftop pool East River and Manhattan skyline views.
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The future of retail: Museum of Ice Cream to launch 25,000-square-foot NYC Soho flagship

Rendering courtesy of Museum of Ice Cream

August 22, 2019

The future of retail: Museum of Ice Cream to launch 25,000-square-foot NYC Soho flagship

By Michelle Cohen

After a celebrity-sprinkled Meatpacking District pop-up three-years ago drew raves and Instagram likes from Beyonce and Kim Kardashian, The Museum of Ice Cream (MOIC) will open a 25,000-square-foot "flagship" location at 558 Broadway in Soho. The three-story permanent paean to frozen dessert will feature 13 installations devoted to creating "IRL experiences" in New York; the museum calls it "the future of retail" in a press release–and given the number of vacant storefronts in the neighborhood, they could well be right.
MMore MOIC this way

City Living

New renderings reveal Prospect-Lefferts tower with luxury amenities and Verrazano Bridge views

Renderings courtesy of the Moinian Group

August 21, 2019

New renderings reveal Prospect-Lefferts tower with luxury amenities and Verrazano Bridge views

By Michelle Cohen

The Moinian Group and Bushburg Properties have released interior renderings of the new 26-story tower with 467 rental residences at 123 Linden Boulevard in Brooklyn's Prospect Lefferts Gardens. The new rental tower, known as PLG, was designed by Hill West Architects and Whitehall Interiors and will offer more than 50,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenity space including indoor and rooftop pools, a lounge, a fitness center with a sauna and steam room, a dog run, a game room, a co-working lounge and a golf simulator. The new building also boasts Downtown Brooklyn, Manhattan and Verrazano Bridge views. Studios start at $2,300/month; one-bedrooms at $2,475/month; two-bedrooms at $3,600/month; and three-bedrooms from $4,500/month; 30 percent of the building's units will be below-market-rate housing.
Fancy amenities, this way

The Italian side of Williamsburg: History, famous joints, and today’s culture

Photo via Flickr cc

August 21, 2019

The Italian side of Williamsburg: History, famous joints, and today’s culture

By Michelle Cohen

A bustling Brooklyn enclave that is today an impossibly trendy and diverse mix of glassy condos, hip new restaurants and storefronts, and unassuming multi-family homes in the northeast section of Williamsburg was one of New York City’s notable Italian-American neighborhoods for much of the 20th century. While it may not have the tourist cachet of Manhattan’s Little Italy–or the old-fashioned village-y coziness of Carroll Gardens–this swath of the ‘burg, bounded roughly by Montrose, Union, Richardson, and Humboldt Streets, was a little bit of Italy in its own right from the 1800s until as late as the 1990s. The north end of Graham Avenue was even christened Via Vespucci to commemorate the historic Italian-American community.
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This waterfront Connecticut home comes with a private island for $6.25M

August 21, 2019

This waterfront Connecticut home comes with a private island for $6.25M

By Michelle Cohen

Just in case panoramic water views from one of the East Coast's most sought-after spots isn't enough, this meticulously renovated traditional home at 16 Marlow Court at the mouth of Cos Cob harbor on Long Island Sound in Fairfield County, CT, comes with its own .15 acre private island. Consider it an extension of your back porch, just another part of your $6.25 million private estate on 200 feet of direct water frontage with views of the harbor and the Riverside Yacht Club.
Get an eyeful of those views

You can buy this house on a private island upstate for $850K, but you can only get there by boat

Images courtesy of Houlihan Lawrence

August 20, 2019

You can buy this house on a private island upstate for $850K, but you can only get there by boat

By Michelle Cohen

Though we've all probably dreamed at some point of owning a private island–and they're more common than you may think–the serene and very private Willow Island on Putnam Lake in Patterson, N.Y., on the market for $850,000, is less out of reach than some others. On the one hand, it's accessible only by boat. On the other, it's less than 60 miles north of New York City in Putnam County. There's a private driveway and garage on the mainland and multiple docks on the property. The lake is "non-motorized," but the island comes with a solar-powered boat.
See the whole island and go inside

Lyft will bring grocery access to Brownsville as part of program to supply ‘food deserts’ with healthy choices

Rockaway Avenue subway station in Brownsville. Image via Wikimedia cc.

August 20, 2019

Lyft will bring grocery access to Brownsville as part of program to supply ‘food deserts’ with healthy choices

By Michelle Cohen

Car hire company Lyft has announced that it will expand its Grocery Access Program to New York City. The program, first launched in Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, aims to provide access to healthy foods to residents who don't live near full-service grocery stores and farmers markets. Lyft, in partnership with GrowNYC and BMS Family Health and Wellness Centers, will launch the program in NYC by improving access to healthy food options for low-income residents in Brownsville, Brooklyn.
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Transit

Clean lines highlight this $810K Usonia home in Westchester by a Frank Lloyd Wright apprentice

August 19, 2019

Clean lines highlight this $810K Usonia home in Westchester by a Frank Lloyd Wright apprentice

By Michelle Cohen

The Usonia community in Pleasantville, NY, was created as a tribute to legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright to celebrate his "Usonian" home ideal–design that would integrate with a home's natural surroundings and live and grow with its inhabitants. The site plan, road system, and a handful of homes in the community were designed by Wright himself, but most of its houses were created by his associates and admirers, David Henken and Aaron Resnick. Henken designed the three-bedroom home at 6 Usonia Road in 1950. In true Wright style, this mid-century modern property, known as the Anderson House, is surrounded by greenery, with floor to ceiling windows and a wraparound deck. The house is now on the market for $810,000.
Get a closer look

$400K cozy upstate A-frame puts a modern angle on a lakeside cottage retreat

August 19, 2019

$400K cozy upstate A-frame puts a modern angle on a lakeside cottage retreat

By Michelle Cohen

This understated-yet-cool custom-crafted retreat, on the market for $395,000, isn't your average lakeside cottage. Built in 1965, the A-frame house at 39 Shore Road in the Columbia County hamlet of Ancram, N.Y. marries thorough modern renovations (central air, radiant heat, generator, washer/dryer, thermopane windows) and considered design for a completely unique hideaway.
Take a peek inside

Distinctive Homes

‘American Gigolo’ director Paul Schrader lists West Chelsea condo for $3.25M

August 16, 2019

‘American Gigolo’ director Paul Schrader lists West Chelsea condo for $3.25M

By Michelle Cohen

Oscar-nominated film director, screenwriter ("Taxi Driver," "Raging Bull," “American Gigolo” and “The Last Temptation of Christ”) and Martin Scorsese collaborator and pal Paul Schrader just put his three-bedroom Chelsea condo on the market for $3.25 million. The sleek, contemporary home in the building known as Modern 23 at 350 West 23rd Street is just a block from the High Line and near the Hudson River Park and the recently-opened Hudson Yards.
Get a closer look

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