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.
Fabulously flexible East Village duplex can be whatever you want it to be for $3M
May 5, 2017

Fabulously flexible East Village duplex can be whatever you want it to be for $3M

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This unique and dramatic two-bedrooom East Village duplex at 125 East 12th Street might not be quite as awe-inspiring as this East Village pad that has a retractable facade, but with its 16-foot ceilings, massive wall of windows and flexible spaces in every direction it reminds us a little of why these customized lofts are so cool. That other super-tall air-loft sold for $2.4 million three years ago; this one's asking $2.995 million right now. The latter has a lot more space, central air, a roof deck, an elevator and a doorman–and it's in a very cool-looking 1900-era loft building called The Zachary, which is pretty impressive all on its own.
Have a look
Terra cotta figures that adorned building demolished for One Vanderbilt construction seek a new home
May 4, 2017

Terra cotta figures that adorned building demolished for One Vanderbilt construction seek a new home

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A rescued collection of terra cotta building facade figures–including naked cherubs, smiling porpoises and the head of Neptune–that once adorned an 18-story office building next to Grand Central Station are in need of a new home. The building was demolished to make way for the under-construction One Vanderbilt skyscraper; at the urging of New York Landmarks Conservancy Chair Lloyd Zuckerberg, the new building's developer, SL Green Realty Corp., saved the three terra cotta panels from the facade of 51 East 42nd Street. Warren and Wetmore, the building's architects, also designed the station.
Find out more
Developer turns marketing new condos into a three-ring circus, complete with life-sized zoo animals

Photo: DBOX for Macklowe Properties

May 4, 2017

Developer turns marketing new condos into a three-ring circus, complete with life-sized zoo animals

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Harry Macklowe, the P.T. Barnum of developers and never one to miss a chance to nibble the tallest branches, has found an 18-foot fiberglass giraffe (plus elephants and rhinos) to do just that. And not to be outdone by the live giraffe used in marketing a Rem Koolhaas (the P.T. Barnum of starchitects, if you will) building outside Paris (Or by Richard Pandiscio’s now-retired beaver) Macklowe has decided that an entire life-sized safari of zoo animals is just the thing to remind people that the vast terraces at his new glass-walled condo at 200 East 59th Street with a “Miami Beach look” are big enough to house an entire circus, the Wall Street Journal reports. Macklowe said the idea was born in a staff meeting where said terraces were touted, and that the critters were sourced in Southampton, NY.
Step right up for more
Williamsburg townhouse with a colorful Scandi-funk interior asks $3.75M
May 4, 2017

Williamsburg townhouse with a colorful Scandi-funk interior asks $3.75M

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According to records, half of a certain early-aughts Danish dance-pop duo is selling this Scandi-funk-a-licious modern masterpiece of a 19th-century townhouse at 267 Berry Street, right in the middle of prime Williamsburg near the shores of the East River. The four-story, single-family brick townhouse spans 3,300 not-at-all-square feet and comes with some cool details like an open sunroom leading to a lovely roof deck, colorful minimalist kitchen, music room and media room, and master suite that spans an entire top floor. Even better, lots of original details have been preserved and invited to the party, which will set you back $3.75 million.
Move your feet this way for more
Bowerbird architects create a custom nest in a Boerum Hill loft with details in steel and reclaimed wood
May 3, 2017

Bowerbird architects create a custom nest in a Boerum Hill loft with details in steel and reclaimed wood

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"Everything evolves," begins the mission statement by architecture and design firm Bowerbird, explaining how their namesake (the bowerbird) evolved to design and decorate its home with an eye for detail. The firm explores the idea that good design and creativity similarly "does not spring forth in a single moment of inspired genius;" they work to produce an uncommon solution for each undertaking. Evolved design is definitely in effect in this Boerum Hill loft, resulting in a home with a fresh look that leaves crowded, overdone design and cold, unfinished lofts in the dust. Rooms are polished, elegant and comfortable without being fussy. And natural and reclaimed details aren’t contrived, but rather fit in well with the former factory’s big-shouldered loft bones.
See more of this timeless loft design
$825K Gramercy studio has 325 square feet of private outdoor space, great views included
May 3, 2017

$825K Gramercy studio has 325 square feet of private outdoor space, great views included

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If you're stuck on the idea of living in Manhattan, in a super-desirable neighborhood near just about everything great, but you're on a budget of under $1 million, you're probably checking out studios. And if you're good with studio living, this gorgeous little pre-war co-op at 1 Rutherford Place in Gramercy Park would be hard to turn down. Besides being in a lovely building and possessed of custom details like a wall of steel and glass, you get a private outdoor terrace that's almost as big as the apartment itself.
Check it out
Congress budget deal will reimburse NYC for Trump Tower security in ‘protection package’ split with Florida
May 2, 2017

Congress budget deal will reimburse NYC for Trump Tower security in ‘protection package’ split with Florida

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Congress agreed to a budget deal Sunday night that allocates money to pay New York City back for funds spent on protecting Trump Tower, reports the New York Daily News. The bipartisan agreement creates a $68 million "protection package," which will reportedly be split with Florida, where Trump's Palm Beach Mar-a-Lago mansion serves as his vacation home.
Find out more
On the market since 2009, $36.5M Upper East Side mansion has just about everything but a buyer
May 2, 2017

On the market since 2009, $36.5M Upper East Side mansion has just about everything but a buyer

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This undeniably grand home of pale carved limestone in the Beaux Arts style, designed by turn-of-the-20th-century architects Clinton & Russell, is in its element on what's known as the most valuable corridor on the Upper East Side just across from Central Park. And unlike many of its kind, the interiors of the 25-foot-wide, 11,500-square-foot mansion at 7 East 67th Street are neither overly opulent and intimidating nor tastelessly renovated. There's an elevator, gym, double-height library, two grand staircases, and decks and terraces around every turn. Why, then, has this home been seeking a buyer since 2009? It's certainly possible that when other houses like this are asking less than half its current price of $36.5 million, an ask of $37 million nearly a decade ago that hopped to $49.5, fell to $42.5, and steadily dropped since then might have less appeal for buyers when the choices are many.
Take the tour, from the gym to the roof deck
Asking $14.8M, this renovated 1875 townhouse on the Upper East Side might be just a little too perfect
May 1, 2017

Asking $14.8M, this renovated 1875 townhouse on the Upper East Side might be just a little too perfect

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Perfectly situated in the we-never-heard-of-it-either Treadwell Farms Historic District on the Upper East Side, this $14.79 million townhouse at 215 East 61st Street, originally built in 1875, survived a two-year renovation and emerged as a "seamlessly cohesive modern home encased within historic architecture." Within are five stories plus a finished basement and an elevator to navigate them. Five exterior spaces were created to match, including a bluestone-paved landscaped garden with a cedar fence, an automatic watering and lighting system, a sound system and a gas grill.
Take the five-story elevator tour
This $1.3M converted barn in Garrison, NY hails from the horse and buggy era with the modern feel of a loft
April 30, 2017

This $1.3M converted barn in Garrison, NY hails from the horse and buggy era with the modern feel of a loft

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Tucked away amid the dirt roads and country atmosphere of Garrison, NY, fifty miles from Manhattan in Putnam county, this 1840s brick carriage house at 65 Indian Brook Road is the kind of home you rarely find in either city or hamlet. The 4,000 square-foot, three-bedroom home (h/t Circa), asking $1.295 million, has open loft-like proportions, hand hewn beams, a cozy wood-burning stove and high ceilings, with modern details like floor-to-ceiling glass, central air and a gunite pool off the back patio. 
Take the tour, and check out the pool
Five million dead in Queens: The history of New York City’s ‘cemetery belt’
April 28, 2017

Five million dead in Queens: The history of New York City’s ‘cemetery belt’

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You may have noticed when driving from Queens to Brooklyn that at some point you find yourself surrounded by a sea of headstones in every direction. The city's "cemetery belt"–reportedly visible from space–stretches for two and a half miles along the Queens/Brooklyn border and is so populous that there are more than twice as many dead people in Queens than living ones. What's up with this cemetery city?
Find out why the dead outnumber the living in Queens
For $6.25M this classy classic 7 on Beekman Place has gorgeous bones and river views
April 28, 2017

For $6.25M this classy classic 7 on Beekman Place has gorgeous bones and river views

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Occupying the full fourth floor of the Campanile building at 450 East 52nd Street amid the understated old Manhattan elegance of Beekman Place on the East River, this renovated 3,000-square-foot three-bedroom home offers stunning river views from every room. The stately co-op building was the Mayfair Yacht Club until 1933 and later home to Greta Garbo, Rex Harrison, H.J. Heinz, Mary Martin and the Rothschilds among others. The apartment's rich original details have been impeccably maintained, while every modern luxury has been painstakingly added.
Check out these rooms with a view
Shop and nosh your way through 20 of NYC’s best flea and food markets
April 28, 2017

Shop and nosh your way through 20 of NYC’s best flea and food markets

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With spring weather in full effect, the city's flea and food markets roll out the red carpet and the irresistible edibles, and it's pretty likely there's one happening near you. The shop-and-snack mecca Brooklyn Flea has changed locations yet again, a night market returns in Queens and antiquing, arts and local maker standbys in all corners of Manhattan offer more of what you didn't know you couldn't live without. The goods may be odd, but they're out there, and the list below rounds up 20 of the city's top food and flea picks. Just don't blame us for the tchotchke overload—or the calories.
Find a market this weekend
Second building in Domino Sugar megaproject to break ground next month; new renderings

260 Kent; rendering courtesy of COOKFOX

April 27, 2017

Second building in Domino Sugar megaproject to break ground next month; new renderings

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Two Trees Management will break ground next month on 260 Kent Avenue at the corner of Grand Street and Kent Avenue, the second building to rise at the Domino Sugar Williamsburg megaproject site. Designed by COOKFOX Architects, the 462,000 square-foot, 42-story mixed-use tower on the site of the former sugar manufacturing facility will create "a prominent visual corridor that leads to the East River waterfront," according to a press release.
Find out more, more renderings this way
NYPL’s ‘digital time travel’ maps let you compare today’s New York City with the past
April 27, 2017

NYPL’s ‘digital time travel’ maps let you compare today’s New York City with the past

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6sqft previously reported on the "time machine" map function that allowed users to navigate overlaid maps from 1600 to the present to see what used to occupy our favorite present-day places. Now, the New York Public Library has released the Space/Time Directory, a “digital time-travel service” that puts the library’s map collection–including more than 8,000 maps and 40,000 geo-referenced photos–to work along with geospatial tools to allow users to see the city’s development happen over more than a century, all in one convenient place. Hyperallergic reports that the project, supported by a grant from the Knight Foundation, plots 5,000 digitized street maps across the five boroughs, organized by decade from 1850 to 1950.
Find out more
This $28M Upper East Side multi-townhouse-garden-pool megamansion compound is not like the others
April 27, 2017

This $28M Upper East Side multi-townhouse-garden-pool megamansion compound is not like the others

By
6sqft has reported on the townhouse combo mega-mansion phenomenon before, such as when Roman Abramovich clashed with the DOB over a set of Upper East Side townhouses and when Sarah Jessica Parker and the unrelated but also loaded Sean Parker dropped a bundle on their respective two-and three-fers; now another stunning double scoop of insane townhouse living just hit the market at 166 East 81st Street and 179 East 80th Street (just down the street from Madonna's triple Georgian townhouse compound). The two contiguous houses comprise 8,000 square feet of gorgeous 1899 historic details and uptown opulence for the appropriately uptown ask of $28 million. Unlike those other Siamese townhouse siblings, though, these bad boys are adjoined back-to-back through a private 74-foot two-tiered landscaped garden with a swimming pool. Take that, Madonna.
Take the front to back tour, this way
City will spend $100M on a new esplanade to close the gap along Manhattan’s East River greenway
April 26, 2017

City will spend $100M on a new esplanade to close the gap along Manhattan’s East River greenway

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Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday that the city would develop the gap in the Manhattan waterfront greenway that runs between 41st and 61st Streets along the East River. The city has pledged to spend $100 million on closing the largest unfinished space in the 32-mile loop, including a new esplanade, with an additional $5 million to be spent on filling smaller gaps in East Harlem and Inwood. “The Hudson River Greenway has vastly improved quality of life on the West Side, and we want families in every corner in the borough to have that same access to bike, walk and play along the water,” said the mayor in a statement. “This is the first of many big investments we’ll make as we bring the full Greenway to reality.”
Find out more
Manhattan’s last intact Gilded Age mansion can be yours for $50M
April 26, 2017

Manhattan’s last intact Gilded Age mansion can be yours for $50M

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A few weeks ago the New York Post reported that the six-story Beaux Arts mansion at 854 Fifth Avenue that had belonged to the granddaughter of railroad baron Cornelius Vanderbilt and which most recently housed Serbia’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations was about to hit the market for $50 million. Built in 1905 for stockbroker and future governor of Rhode Island R. Livingston Beeckman and designed by the same firm that designed Grand Central Station, the building is virtually unchanged, including hand-carved balustrades of white marble, ceiling frescoes of angels and clouds and an original working stove. The opulent abode includes two elevators, eight bathrooms and 32 rooms in total. Now officially listed for sale, the storied Upper East Side manse reportedly already has six potential buyers.
Find out more about this rare piece of New York City history
+POOL may come to Brooklyn Bridge Park, scores a big-name backer

Renderings by PlayLab, courtesy of +POOL.

April 25, 2017

+POOL may come to Brooklyn Bridge Park, scores a big-name backer

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Seven years ago the team behind +POOL floated the fanciful–but completely fun–sounding idea of building a pool submerged in NYC's East River that would filter the polluted waterway in addition to being a cool-off spot for New Yorkers. Curbed reports that though the official line is that all options are still being looked at, project designers hope the city will allow +POOL to be located off a pier at Brooklyn Bridge Park.
More the floating pool's progress and new renderings this way
NYC will get 70 new subway cars before the end of the year
April 25, 2017

NYC will get 70 new subway cars before the end of the year

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The long-anticipated–and long-delayed–batch of about 70 shiny new subway cars will roll into stations before the end of the year according to the MTA as reported by AM New York. The new cars will replace the system's oldest–and most breakdown-prone–cars on the J, Z and C lines. Another 230 more are scheduled to hit the MTA rails over the course of 2018. Steve Plochochi, the MTA’s vice president of procurement and material, called the cars' arrival "long-awaited good news,” and outlined MTA plans for a “major design change” in subway cars for future models.
What about those future models
$24M full-floor condo in the historic Apthorp would be the building’s largest and most expensive sale ever
April 25, 2017

$24M full-floor condo in the historic Apthorp would be the building’s largest and most expensive sale ever

By
Back when Billionaires' Row was little more than Central Park South, the newly-converted historic Apthorp condominium building at 390 West End Avenue in the heart of the Upper West Side was said to be one of the city's most expensive apartment buildings. Built for William Waldorf Astor in 1908, the building surrounds an interior courtyard, setting it apart from Manhattan’s many other regal residences. Converted to condominiums after being sold in 2006, the building’s most luxurious units arrived on the market in 2013, and new Manhattan sales records were set. The Apthorp may enjoy a moment in the headlines again: Its most expensive unit just hit the market asking $23.995 million. That number–or anything near it–will set a new record for residential units in the building. The larger of the two units in this combined sale is also the building's largest renovated home, spanning a jaw-dropping 8,000 square feet.
Take a tour of this unparalleled residence
The LeGrow modular ‘smart garden’ is a LEGO-like system that makes indoor planting easy
April 24, 2017

The LeGrow modular ‘smart garden’ is a LEGO-like system that makes indoor planting easy

By
Spring has us thinking about greenery, with roots and shoots popping everywhere we turn–but most city dwellers don't have a garden to grow. Enter the smart planter from LeGrow. These snappy planters fit together like LEGO blocks for plants, making our design sensibilities happy by adding a cool modular element while allowing us to add living greenery to our indoor surroundings.
Find out more
Quintessential West Village pad comes with private outdoor space, asks $5K a month
April 24, 2017

Quintessential West Village pad comes with private outdoor space, asks $5K a month

By
On the kind of West Village street that makes you curse Google for taking the photos on such a sunny day, this quintessential historic brick townhouse is surrounded by others like it on a block we can’t see ever wanting to leave. The one-bedroom rental apartment on the second floor of 191 West 10th Street has the usual charms of a Village aerie: exposed brick, high ceilings, big windows–but the unexpected win is that rare and coveted city haven, private outdoor space in the form of a large and lovely terrace (which likely helps to sell the prospect of $5,050 a month rent.)
Get a closer look
Gramercy maisonette with a gorgeous garden and wine cellar asks $3.2M
April 23, 2017

Gramercy maisonette with a gorgeous garden and wine cellar asks $3.2M

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This two-floor two-bedroom garden apartment in an elegant Gramercy townhouse at 134 East 16th Street makes great use of subterranean space for more than just laundry, adding a cedar wine cellar, screening room and more for $3.15 million. The main garden floor is even more impressive with a gorgeous hinged glass wall that opens onto 1,000 square feet of pretty city garden.
See more of this amazing maisonette
For $1.8M this pint-sized Park Slope townhouse sets the standard for renovated rustic chic
April 21, 2017

For $1.8M this pint-sized Park Slope townhouse sets the standard for renovated rustic chic

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At a mere 15 feet wide and two stories high, this compact townhouse at 629 President Street is priced to compete with–and beat–many a smaller condo at $1.825 million. Hiding in plain sight on a street of similarly cute and compact brick townhomes at the spot where Park Slope meets Gowanus (making it also home to just about every amazing amenity in Brooklyn) this otherwise nondescript 1900s home becomes a surprise of a sweet, spacious and bright farmhouse once you step inside. It's a pretty neat trick.
Have a look
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