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.
June 13, 2019

De Blasio plans to extend NYC’s limits on Lyft and Uber and make them permanent

As the city's for-hire vehicles (FHVs) rack up nearly 800,000 rides per day, Mayor Bill De Blasio announced on Wednesday the Taxi and Limousine Commission's new plan to extend last year's cap on for-hire vehicle licenses, the New York Post reports. A second cap will be placed on the length of time FHVs can let their cars cruise the city without passengers in the most congested part of Manhattan, below 96th Street. Last August, the city also suspended the issuance of new licenses. The new policies are expected to increase driver salaries by about 20 percent and make traffic in Manhattan below 60th Street six to 10 percent faster.
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June 12, 2019

New IKEA collaboration features robotic furniture for small space living

The way people live in their homes is constantly evolving, and IKEA manages to keep evolving to address our changing needs; case in point: a new collaboration between the Swedish furniture giant and Ori, an American startup that has been developing robotic furniture ideal for modern living, has resulted in a new IKEA line called ROGNAN. The new "robotic furniture solution for small space living," will help modern urbanites combine comfort and convenience in small spaces, without sacrificing style.
See robotic furniture in action, this way
June 12, 2019

New York reaches major deal to strengthen rent and tenant protections

Democratic leaders in Albany announced Tuesday that an agreement has been reached on a package of bills that will significantly strengthen New York’s rent laws and tenant protections. As the New York Times reports, contained in the legislative package headed to both chambers for a vote this week are landmark changes to current rent regulations, which expire on June 15. The new legislation is meant to address concerns about the high cost of housing and the sweeping inequality that has resulted from it. To that end, as the Times explains, "the changes would abolish rules that let building owners deregulate apartments, close a series of loopholes that permit them to raise rents and allow some tenant protections to expand statewide." These changes have long been opposed by the real estate industry, which lost some of its influence in Albany when its Republican allies became outnumbered in the State Senate in the November elections.
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June 11, 2019

The High Line’s final section, the Spur, is open

The High Line's newest section, the Spur, opened to the public last week following a ribbon-cutting celebration on Tuesday. Elected officials, artists, advocates, supporters, community members, and architects involved in the project were on hand for a speaking program that welcomed visitors to the new space. The Spur–the last section of the original elevated rail to be converted into public space–extends east along West 30th Street and ends above 10th Avenue; it's also home to the High Line Plinth, the first site on the High Line dedicated to a rotating series of contemporary art commissions. Simone Leigh’s "Brick House" is the first Plinth commission.
Photos and more, this way
June 11, 2019

Waldorf Astoria condos will launch sales in the fall

The redeveloped Waldorf Astoria residences have a new teaser website, and according to an announcement by the historic hotel's owner, Beijing-based Anbang Insurance Group Co., the new condos will be called The Towers of the Waldorf Astoria. The Wall Street Journal reports that sales of 375 private residences at the storied hotel will begin in the fall.
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June 10, 2019

Hell’s Angels East Village HQ to become rental apartments

Another touchstone of colorful East Village lore is becoming apartments: The Hell's Angels headquarters at 77 East 3rd Street, formerly the New York City home of the notorious motorcycle clan, was purchased for $10 million this week by Lower East Side property management company Better Living, the New York Post reports; Real estate investor Nathan Blatter had bought the building from the bikers back in February. After a year-long $2 million renovation, the developer plans to offer “standard, regular East Village apartments.” The six-story building will have retail spaces on the ground floor that formerly housed the biker clubhouse bar.
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June 7, 2019

New York City ‘scofflaw’ ice cream truck vendors get served for dodging $4.5M in traffic fines

In the "be careful what you wish for" department, you may be hearing a lot less of that annoying ice cream truck melody as summer heats up. The big news on the soft frozen dessert front this week has been "Operation Meltdown," in which, as the New York Times reports, dozens of ice cream truck vendors throughout New York City were busted for racking up $4.5 million in unpaid parking and traffic fines–and using a tricky shell game to avoid paying them.
Get the scoop, this way
June 6, 2019

Architectural artifacts from two demolished 1909 Upper East Side mansions will be for sale

New York City-based architectural salvage dealer The Demolition Depot has announced that numerous treasures that make up the historic interiors from two Upper East Side mansions--set to be demolished for a condo development-- will be available for sale, by appointment on a first come first served basis. A trove of original architectural ornaments is being offered by the dealer, including "magnificent complete paneled rooms, finely carved marble mantels, elegant stair railings in iron or carved wood, leaded glass windows, parquet flooring, and so on."
What will replace the mansions?
June 6, 2019

Uber Copter coming to NYC this summer, will offer helicopter trips to JFK for $200

In 2017, Uber announced plans to begin testing four-passenger flying taxi services for a division called Uber Elevate in Dallas/Fort Worth, with more testing planned for Los Angeles in 2020 ahead of the 2028 Olympics. But the ride-hailing service will be bringing helicopter service to New York City much sooner. The New York Times reported on Wednesday that starting July 9, Uber will be offering Uber Copter, a new service, available via the Uber app, that will shuttle passengers between Lower Manhattan and JFK Airport.
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June 6, 2019

Judge halts Two Bridges development temporarily after hearing lawsuits

State Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron has extended a temporary halt on the Two Bridges high-rise development after hearing testimony on several lawsuits aimed at the controversial project in the Lower East Side and Chinatown, Gothamist reports. As 6sqft previously reported, several groups of Lower East Side residents and other community organizations filed a lawsuit against the city to stop four skyscrapers from rising in the Lower Manhattan neighborhood. The lawsuits accuse the city of illegally approving the multi-billion dollar project, claiming the City Planning Commission bypassed City Council authority regarding the land-use review process and that one of the towers violates a 32-year-old deed restriction that ensures housing for low-income residents with disabilities and the elderly.
'An 800-pound gorilla'
June 5, 2019

This loft-like Kensington townhouse with ground floor commercial space seeks $1.5M

Located in laid-back Kensington just a few blocks south of Prospect Park, this two-story building at 711 Church Avenue is neither a typical loft nor townhouse. The 2,590-square-foot building, asking $1.495M, may be compact, but it's full of opportunities. The building's ground floor is a commercial space perfect for an artist (it was formerly being used as a studio and gallery), doctor, dentist or retail shop and a great source of rental income. Upstairs the residential space is a chic, loft-like home.
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June 5, 2019

Plan to convert African burial ground in Harlem into cultural center and memorial moves forward

The city’s Economic Development Corporation (EDC) has said it will begin the search for a nonprofit organization to operate the long-in-the-works Harlem African Burial Ground in East Harlem this fall. A decade of research and planning has gone into the task of converting the city block–home to the unused MTA 126th Street bus depot–into a cultural center and outdoor memorial that will honor its past state as a burial ground for enslaved and free African people. City officials say the project will make use of new apartments rising on a newly-rezoned adjoining site as an ongoing source of funding, as first reported by THE CITY.
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June 4, 2019

$2.8M Greenwood townhouse comes with cinematic cemetery views

Listing photos by DDReps, courtesy of Compass Perched at the highest point in Brooklyn in Greenwood Heights, tucked into a quiet street surrounded by greenery, this contemporary townhouse at 614a 7th Avenue, asking $2.75 million, would be equally at home in California or the sun-baked tropics. Balcony doors can be thrown open for panoramic views, which include the Statue of Liberty–and the endless vistas of the adjacent Green Wood Cemetery. On the lucky additions side, there's a curb cut and a garage. Even better: A mural of Basquiat–a Brooklyn native–on the garage door.
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June 4, 2019

Williamsburg shuttle bus route to shrink as L train slowdown goes mostly unnoticed

The MTA's long-dreaded Canarsie Tunnel repairs are finally underway, and we're all still here. And, as AMNew York reports, we've even discovered other subway lines that function similarly enough to the beloved L train to meet our transportation needs. The result of the current transit non-apocalypse is that at least one of the backup solutions–the "Williamsburg Link" shuttle bus service intended to mitigate an anticipated crush of stranded riders–is being nixed and replaced by a shorter route after experiencing "extremely low" ridership.
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June 3, 2019

This $1.8M two-bedroom in the Ansonia clock factory is a loft lover’s South Slope dream

The Ansonia Court loft building at 420 12th Street, formerly a clock factory in Brooklyn's south Park Slope, has something of a cult following. Known for its European-style interior courtyard and rustic industrial-era interior architecture, the apartments within tend to be spacious, spare and cozy. Asking $1.775 million, this two-bedroom home is no exception.
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June 3, 2019

50 ways to celebrate Stonewall 50 and Pride Month in NYC

Fifty years have passed since the Stonewall Uprising changed New York City forever and gave the world a symbol of the struggle for LGBTQ rights and recognition. There are a seemingly endless number of ways to celebrate this milestone, learn about the history of the gay rights movement and enjoy a rainbow of diversity. Heritage of Pride, the nonprofit organization behind New York City’s official LGBTQIA+ WorldPride events, offers an interactive map to help navigate the many events planned this month. Below, you'll find 50 ways to celebrate Pride Month.
Pride, parades and parties, this way
May 31, 2019

‘She Built NYC’ Greenwich Village monument will honor two transgender activists

Days before the start of Pride Month, the city announced on Thursday that the next She Built NYC monument will honor two transgender activists, Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, key leaders in the Stonewall Uprising that sparked the gay and LGBTQ rights movement in America. The monument is currently planned for Ruth Wittenberg Triangle in the heart of the Village and near other important LGBTQ neighborhood landmarks including the Stonewall Inn. The city is seeking artists interested in creating the public monuments honoring Johnson and Rivera in an open call.
Statues will honor women who changed NYC
May 30, 2019

This $6.5M Brooklyn Heights carriage house has modern interiors, a basement studio and a garage

On a perfect narrow Heights mews lined with similar houses, this turn-of-the-century carriage house at 4 Hunts Lane is in mint condition, including a garage for your carriage (or car). Inside, bright white walls and mid-century modern design join maximum comfort in a mint-condition renovation designed with an eye towards maximum comfort, light and privacy. The home is currently configured as a three-bedroom home with a large artist’s studio/guest space in the cellar. Asking $6.5 million, this little carriage house has a lot more going on than the average "condo alternative," starting with private parking.
Take the tour
May 30, 2019

See new views of OMA’s first NYC building, with ‘prismatic’ details

The new L-shaped residential building at 121 East 22nd Street represents Rem Koolhaas's architecture firm OMA's first ground-up Manhattan project; developers Toll Brothers City Living have released new photos of the eye-catching structure on the border between the Gramercy and Madison Square Park neighborhoods, highlighting its unique design. The new condominium residence is comprised of two blocks that straddle an existing tower, the 11-story School of the Future, constructed in 1915. The building's north tower has two interlocking planes that meet to form a distinct, three-dimensional corner. The 13-story south tower features an "undulating grid of punched windows" overlooking 22nd Street.
More views this way
May 29, 2019

Staten Island’s New York Wheel may get its turn after all

The fabled and forsaken New York Wheel, Staten Island's ill-fated answer to the Eiffel Tower, may be getting yet another chance. Last October it was announced that the 630-foot would-be world’s tallest Ferris wheel, anchoring the borough’s North Shore, was a no-go, mired in years of court battles and pay disputes. Now, NY1 reports, plans for a scaled-down version of the wheel may be back on the table. The city's Economic Development Corporation (EDC), who set the original wheel idea in motion, is meeting with a new developer about the possibility of a smaller wheel.
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May 29, 2019

Asking $1.5M, this bright three-bedroom co-op in Brooklyn Heights overlooks an enchanting courtyard

The spacious and cheerful ground-floor apartment at 65 Montague Street--on a Brooklyn Heights block lined with elegant apartment buildings--is as classic as they come. The pre-war co-op, asking $1.495 million, overlooks a lovely landscaped courtyard and has been renovated to suit every whim of modern life.
Have a look around
May 28, 2019

Amazon is shopping for office space in Manhattan’s new west side towers

Retail disruptor Amazon has reportedly been looking at over 100,000 square feet of office space in the new One Manhattan West tower and supertall-to-be Two Manhattan West. According to the New York Post, the company is looking for “at least 100,000 square feet or much more” in the glassy skyscrapers that are part of a rapidly rising West Side development hot spot. When the Post asked Mayor de Blasio about the news, he told the paper that if Amazon moves forward with the plans, "they’re going to have to do it on their own."
Unlike Queens, Manhattan will hardly notice
May 28, 2019

For a girls’ school in Crown Heights, ODA upends the traditional school building

In designing a Crown Heights girls' school seeking an addition to their current campus, design and architecture firm ODA New York challenged the traditional American school building model, taking the future of urban density into account. The resulting design introduces a sixth facade, giving the structure a new set of faces to apply materials and create openings.
More views of the cool new-school design
May 24, 2019

This $1.1M duplex is on the main floor of an old Soho police precinct

Listing images by Rise Media, courtesy of Compass One of a lovely row of classic buildings at the crossroads of the Village and Soho, 196 Sixth Avenue, built in 1893, is a former police precinct with gorgeous tall arched windows overlooking newly-renovated Father Fagan Park. This loft-style one-bedroom duplex co-op, asking $1.1 million, comprises part of the building's main floor–which explains the soaring 14-foot ceilings–and the ground floor below.
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