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.
An art historian’s Village loft with pieces by Ai Weiwei and more asks $4.2M

Photo credit: H5 Photo

October 1, 2024

An art historian’s Village loft with pieces by Ai Weiwei and more asks $4.2M

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This classic loft at 55 East 11th Street is in a pre-war co-op building on an idyllic Greenwich Village block; it comes with the option to acquire works of art that accompany its creative pedigree. The bright, renovated co-op has been the home of noted art historian John Tanock and Christophe W. Mao, founder of the Chambers Fine Art Gallery. Asking $4,200,000, the unit includes art pieces by Ai Weiwei, Lu Shenzhong, and Martin Kline, all offered for sale.
get a closer look
This $25M Greenwich Village townhouse has been an artist’s refuge for well over a century

Photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

September 30, 2024

This $25M Greenwich Village townhouse has been an artist’s refuge for well over a century

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Built in 1849, the cheerful yellow townhouse at 125 West 11th Street in Greenwich Village adds a soft hit of color to the historic streetscape. Inside, this Greek revival home is a world unto itself. Owned by a family of artists for the past 70 years, the 7,878-square-foot home has just emerged from a three-year renovation that added pitch-perfect design details to this infinitely livable haven. Asking $25,000,000, the six-story single-family townhouse boasts an elevator that runs from its amazing garden-level studio to the rooftop terrace with cityscape views.
step in side this unique manhattan mansion
15 of New York City’s most atmospheric outdoor dining spots
September 26, 2024

15 of New York City’s most atmospheric outdoor dining spots

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New York City's outdoor dining scene is once again about to change: Restaurants that did not apply for the city’s new outdoor dining program by the August 3 deadline will need to remove the by-now-familiar "dining sheds" that have occupied city streets and sidewalks since 2020. Largely as a result of recently approved new program guidelines and regulations, only about 15 percent of the 13,000 or so establishments with outdoor dining structures have applied to keep them, as 6sqft previously reported. Though many sidewalk sheds may soon be gone, there will be no shortage of enchanting al fresco dining opportunities. Keep reading for a short list of some of the city's loveliest outdoor dining establishments with no plans to disappear.
find out more
$475K Bed-Stuy co-op is a cozy home in a historic mansion

Photos courtesy of Allyson Lubow Photography

September 25, 2024

$475K Bed-Stuy co-op is a cozy home in a historic mansion

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The Romanesque Renaissance Revival mansion at 237 Hancock Street, originally designed by architect Peter Lauritzen for clothier Wilson Randolph in 1890, possesses the curb appeal and historic charm coveted in landmarked Bedford-Stuyvesant. Within, this one-bedroom second-floor co-op, asking $475,000, offers a well-appointed refuge for modern life–surrounded by the neighborhood's vibrant social scene.
get a closer look
The corner terrace at this $4.4M Stella Tower condo puts the city skyline at your feet

Photo credit: DDReps | Hayley Ellen Day

September 24, 2024

The corner terrace at this $4.4M Stella Tower condo puts the city skyline at your feet

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Stella Tower at 425 West 50th Street was designed in 1927 by renowned Deco-era architect Ralph Walker for the New York Telephone Company. The landmarked 17-story building, redesigned as a 21st-century condominium residence, retains its pre-war charm while offering an elevated level of modern luxury. This split two-bedroom home, asking $4,400,000, spans 1,763 square feet, offering the rare perk of a private corner terrace with one of the world's most dazzling city skylines just beyond.
step out and behold the view
Data Vandals artist-activists bring data to life in NYC at colorful Cooper Union exhibition

Image credit: DataVandals.com

September 24, 2024

Data Vandals artist-activists bring data to life in NYC at colorful Cooper Union exhibition

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Not all New York City events are easy to categorize; a provocative program taking place at Cooper Union from Friday, September 27 to Sunday, September 29, straddles the worlds of art, technology, data science, and community participation. Showcasing the talents of NYC data-activist collective Data Vandals (artist Jen Ray and data visualization expert Jason Forrest), the exhibition's full title "Hello From The Data Vandals (or free as air and water, or whatsoever things are true)” highlights just how many things in our daily lives intersect with what we know as data.
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An artist’s Upper East Side condo is a palace-sized riot of joyful color for $8.75M

Photo credit: Nathan Patrick Media for Sotheby’s International Realty

September 23, 2024

An artist’s Upper East Side condo is a palace-sized riot of joyful color for $8.75M

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This full-floor home spanning the entire 29th floor of the Siena condominium at 188 East 76th Street on the Upper East Side offers luxury enough, arranged in a gracious circle over 4,000 square feet. Available for the first time in a quarter-century, the apartment, asking $8,750,000, offers 360-degree views of the city, but the interiors of this palace-sized home offer an equally stunning eyeful. This one-of-a-kind apartment is the longtime home of artist Apryl Miller, who has been its only owner. Miller designed every inch of the space to resemble a candy-colored castle filled with delight and creative energy. Dazzling patterns, bold hues, and surprising materials include Venetian plaster, painted wood, brilliant tiles, statement metallics, and swirling swaths of colored carpet, all beneath ceilings that soar above nine feet high.
add some color to your day
For $3.25M, this compact Boerum Hill townhouse goes beyond the condo alternative with three levels and a yard

Photos courtesy of Shannon Dupre at DDReps

September 20, 2024

For $3.25M, this compact Boerum Hill townhouse goes beyond the condo alternative with three levels and a yard

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On a landmarked block in Brooklyn's Boerum Hill neighborhood, this historic property is a petite, three-story space (including a fully-finished, windowed cellar), with the same appeal–and outdoor space–as any of the city's covetable townhomes. Asking $3,250,000, 112 Nevins Street is newly renovated with stunning finishes, designer details, and modern amenities in its chef's kitchen and two bathrooms. The full-height rear glazing on the main floor overlooks–and opens to–an enchanted landscaped back garden.
take the tour
This $5.6M Tribeca condo in a former spice-grinding factory brings warmth to loft proportions

Photo credit: Mike Tauber

September 19, 2024

This $5.6M Tribeca condo in a former spice-grinding factory brings warmth to loft proportions

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Converted industrial spaces often lack the warmth of other types of pre-war properties. This fourth-floor loft at 176 Duane Street, asking $5,600,000, is wrapped in warm wood and natural brick, with a wood-burning fireplace and burnished wood floors. Built in the 1800s and used as a spice and coffee grinding factory, the Neo-Grec building in the Tribeca West Historic District–just across from Duane Park–was converted to lofts in 1999. The two-bedroom loft doesn't sacrifice warmth for loft luxuries like open spaces and soaring ceilings.
take the tour
For $5.5M, this Flatiron condo with four-bedroom potential is a prize for loft-lovers

Photos courtesy of The Corcoran Group

September 18, 2024

For $5.5M, this Flatiron condo with four-bedroom potential is a prize for loft-lovers

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Located in the Flatiron District just off Madison Square Park at 35 West 23rd Street, this 3,400-square-foot, full-floor home checks all the boxes for classic Manhattan loft living. Asking $5,495,000, the sprawling space comes with the condo convenience lacking in the city's pre-war lofts. As an added perk, there's a balcony for a dose of outdoor enjoyment. All the good stuff is there, including ceilings of nearly 14 feet, tall cast-iron columns, and 10-foot-high windows. Spanning the building's entire third floor, the space is currently configured with two bedrooms and internal sleeping and office rooms, but an alternate floor plan shows the ease with which it can be made into a four-bedroom home.
loft living, this way
LES arts collective ABC No Rio breaks ground on new building in triumphant return to original home

Photo by Eden Janine and Jim via Flickr

September 17, 2024

LES arts collective ABC No Rio breaks ground on new building in triumphant return to original home

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A decade ago, New York City's creative community expressed alarm, tempered by a bit of hope, at the news that ABC No Rio, the iconic downtown DIY punk rock venue and arts/cultural space that had been a fixture on the Lower East Side's street scene since 1980, would be moving. What has been a 10-year journey has achieved a promising new milestone as construction began on a new space at 156 Rivington Street this summer. As Hyperallergic reports, the collective's new home, set to open in 2026, will mean a triumphant full-circle return to the group's original "art squat" address on Rivington Street after a long and arduous wait and many setbacks along the way.
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For $6.5M, this Sutton Place townhouse can be three apartments, one modernist mansion, or anything in between

Photo credit: Udi Almog and Anton Brookes/H5 photography

September 13, 2024

For $6.5M, this Sutton Place townhouse can be three apartments, one modernist mansion, or anything in between

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Townhouse living is a unique urban blessing, often with many options for a multi-family dwelling, usually with covetable outdoor space. Asking $6,500,000, this five-story townhouse at 419 East 50th Street in elegant, understated Sutton Place is particularly special on both counts. Built around 1878, the building was completely renovated in 1958, and it has retained its stunning mid-century modern appeal since then. The multi-unit townhouse can be reconfigured as a single-family or live/work home, or set up with a large owner's triplex with two income-producing units. But its finest asset may be its 32-foot-deep back garden–one of the most beautiful private gardens in Manhattan.
Take the tour
Bethenny Frankel lists her Bridgehampton property for $6M

Photos courtesy of Rise Media

September 12, 2024

Bethenny Frankel lists her Bridgehampton property for $6M

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The multi-hyphenate media star Bethenny Frankel has hit the Hamptons real estate headlines again; she just listed her Bridgehampton property at 346 Lumber Lane for $5,995,000. The "Real Housewives of New York" alum, author, and entrepreneur previously sold a seven-room house–also in Bridgehampton–in 2020 for $2.28 million. The Skinnygirl founder's current listing is a sprawling property with a 2,500-square-foot, five-bedroom house, a pool, a guest cottage, and an adjoining 40 acres of open fields.
details, this way
Milk Bar founder Christina Tosi lists Chelsea condo for $5.9M

Photo credit: Brown Harris Stevens

September 11, 2024

Milk Bar founder Christina Tosi lists Chelsea condo for $5.9M

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Manhattan living doesn't always mean giving up indoor and outdoor space. Asking $5,895,000, this sunny, sprawling full-floor Chelsea condo at 532 West 20th Street is a 2,703-square-foot, three-bedroom home. On a high floor in a modern 11-story building, warm wood accents and high ceilings frame Scandi-style interiors, accessed by a private keyed elevator, and a south-facing terrace is perfect for skyline-gazing and big enough for outdoor dining. And about that dining: Husband/wife culinary team Will Guidara and Christina Tosi are the home's current owners. He's the former owner of Eleven Madison Park and NOMAD and she founded Milk Bar and hosts “Bake Squad” on Netflix among other accomplishments, so you can bet the kitchen won't disappoint.
let's see what's cooking
Every inch of this $1.8M Fieldston home was hand-crafted by an artist resident

Photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

September 10, 2024

Every inch of this $1.8M Fieldston home was hand-crafted by an artist resident

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You could say this unusual house at 4675 Tibbett Avenue in the Fieldston section of Riverdale in the Bronx is the opposite of a cookie-cutter home. Its current owners, a textile designer who has worked for Martha Stewart and a noted contemporary artist, renovated the property themselves, giving their creative turn to its hand-carved stairs, hand-crafted kitchen cabinets, stained-glass windows, and hidden doors. Asking $1,800,000, the home mixes art and comfort, including cozy perks like an artist studio in its lofty garret.
take the tour
Architecture & Design Film Festival brings top documentaries from around the world to NYC

Film poster photos courtesy of ADFF

September 10, 2024

Architecture & Design Film Festival brings top documentaries from around the world to NYC

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The Architecture & Design Film Festival was founded in 2009 to celebrate the creative universe of architecture and design. The event has grown into the world’s largest annual film festival devoted to the subject, bringing a curated selection of films, events, and panel discussions to cities around the world, to the delight of all who are excited about architecture and design. ADFF New York is in town from September 25 through 28 to kick off the festival's 16th season. This year brings a full slate of excellent documentaries in a carefully selected program that focuses on sustainability, culture, and the power of personal and public space.
more about the film festival
Archtober 2024: Your guide to this year’s celebration of architecture and design

Pollinator Lounge, photo by Liz Ligon, courtesy of Brooklyn Botanic Garden; AIANY Classic Harbor Line Boat Tour; The Refinery at Domino, photo by Max Touhey; Green-Wood Cemetery

September 9, 2024

Archtober 2024: Your guide to this year’s celebration of architecture and design

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Archtober, New York City's annual fall festival celebrating all things architecture and design, is once again upon us. The festival, in its 14th year, will run from October 1 through October 31, with more than 100 partners and sponsors and over 400 events city-wide. This year's theme, "Tracing the Future," focuses on the city's changing landscape in the context of affordable housing, sustainable design, infrastructure, and more. The festival offers a chance to attend events, exhibitions, and talks, join neighborhood tours across the five boroughs, and become more deeply acquainted with New York City's singular architecture and design contributions to history–and the future.
things to see and do during Archtober, this way
For $1.65M, this Prospect Heights pre-war co-op can expand to hold a classic six

Photo credit: Joel Pitra @ DD Reps

September 6, 2024

For $1.65M, this Prospect Heights pre-war co-op can expand to hold a classic six

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It's hard to avoid the word "classic" when describing this pretty pre-war co-op at 41 Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn's Prospect Heights neighborhood. In an elegant residence known as Copley Plaza, the (currently) two-bedroom flat has the enviable bones befitting its Deco-era origins, with a floor plan that offers the flexibility of adding a third bedroom. The co-op, asking $1,650,000, has been renovated to reflect an airy, Scandinavian vibe, highlighted by understated luxuries like stone worktops and recessed lighting.
take the toor
This $7.75M West Village home updates 1828 Federal style with a perfect country kitchen

Photo credit: MW Studios for Sotheby’s International Realty

September 5, 2024

This $7.75M West Village home updates 1828 Federal style with a perfect country kitchen

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Surrounded by the historic homes and winding streets of the West Village, the 21-foot-wide townhouse at 45 Barrow Street is the very picture of curb appeal. Built in 1828, the Federal-style row house, asking $7,750,000, is a piece of neighborhood history, reborn in the 21st century via a two-year renovation. Inside, the four-story brick home has the comfortably elegant charm of a country estate, filled with well-chosen color and texture framed by modern amenities.
four floors of restored historic charm, this way
A world traveler’s Catskills haven is now a $2M mountaintop home

Photo credit: Gabriel Zimmer / Catskill Image

August 27, 2024

A world traveler’s Catskills haven is now a $2M mountaintop home

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Just 15 minutes from trendy Hudson, N.Y., and five minutes from the town of Catskill, this unusual Arts-and-Crafts-style property at 5280 Cauterskill Road has roots in modern architecture and international travel. Asking $1,975,000, this Catskills mountaintop aerie stands on a 32-acre lot, offering a main house, a separate guest house, a heated saltwater gunite pool, and acres of secluded rock paths and lush gardens. The home was built in 1920 for Alleyne Ireland, a British author known for his well-documented travel throughout Asia; his friendship with architect Frank Lloyd Wright inspired the design of this upstate estate.
tour this catskills home
For $5.1M, this pretty Gramercy condo comes with a key to the private park

Photo credit: Tim Waltman with Evan Joseph for Douglas Elliman

August 26, 2024

For $5.1M, this pretty Gramercy condo comes with a key to the private park

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From the outside, the ornate, historic building at 36 Gramercy Park East is a neighborhood icon; its stunning pre-war architecture is enhanced by the surrounding 19th-century townhouses and the greenery of Gramercy Park just across the street. Only a few hundred New Yorkers possess keys to that rare private oasis, and this parkside residence offers a chance to be among them. The four-bedroom home, asking $5,100,000, brings modern comfort and style to a classic frame, with sophisticated finishes, big windows, and light-filled open spaces.
take the tour
For $32.5K/month, rent a five-story designer townhouse in Gramercy

Photo credit: Zoe Wetherall for Duplex Imaging

August 22, 2024

For $32.5K/month, rent a five-story designer townhouse in Gramercy

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Even for those with plenty to spend, renting is often preferred for the flexibility it offers, especially in uncertain financial times. This gorgeous Italianate townhouse at 238 East 19th Street in Gramercy Park, asking $32,500 per month, awaits a renter who needs plenty of space and a turnkey experience. The restored 19th-century home's interiors have been featured in Architectural Digest as a showcase of historic beauty and modern style. Architectural flourishes and designer details include steel-framed rear glazing, landscaped outdoor space, iconic lighting, and high-end fixtures and finishes in every room.
gramercy townhouse luxury, this way
From rental income to solar panels, this $3.5M Bed-Stuy brownstone checks all the boxes

Photo credit: Anton Brookes/H5 Property for The Corcoran Group

August 21, 2024

From rental income to solar panels, this $3.5M Bed-Stuy brownstone checks all the boxes

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Brooklyn brownstone dreams often involve transforming historic properties into 21st-century dream homes. Adding sustainable features and luxurious amenities means lots of work and a big investment. The classic 20-foot-wide townhouse at 508 Madison Street in Bed-Stuy, asking $3,495,000, offers the end result, complete with solar panels for sustainable energy, a garden apartment for rental income, and lots of outdoor space, in a move-in-ready package. Built in 1931, the 4,000-square-foot home even has a finished basement, for five stories of living space.
take the townhouse tour
This $1.5M Ansonia Court co-op is an old-school classic loft in prime Park Slope

Photo credit: Romy Rodiek, RARE Photography

August 20, 2024

This $1.5M Ansonia Court co-op is an old-school classic loft in prime Park Slope

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Whenever an apartment in Park Slope's coveted Ansonia Court at 420 12th Street pops up on the market, it gets noticed. The former Ansonia Clock Company factory is a favorite in the idyllic Brooklyn neighborhood, with its industrial buildings arranged around a verdant courtyard. The charming co-op apartments within offer rustic 11-foot beamed ceilings, exposed brick walls, and arched loft windows; this two-bedroom residence–a one-flight walk-up asking $1,495,000–is a fine example.
Brooklyn loft goodness, this way
For $8.5M, this Gramercy townhouse is a slender slice of reclaimed history

Photo credit: Shannon Dupre and Francisco Rosario / DD-Reps

August 19, 2024

For $8.5M, this Gramercy townhouse is a slender slice of reclaimed history

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From seven working fireplaces to reclaimed pine floors, this Gramercy Park townhouse at 143 East 18th Street puts its 1854 origins into a 21st-century context for maximum appreciation. Asking $8,499,000, the brick-fronted Anglo-Italianate-style home, like many of its neighbors in the historic Manhattan district, has been restored to its graceful best. Five floors of living space give the 14-foot-wide home a vertical space advantage, and a compact backyard provides an enviable outdoor urban oasis.
take the manhattan townhouse tour
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