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.
Cheery Prospect Park condo is house-sized with a smart layout and sophisticated details
April 20, 2017

Cheery Prospect Park condo is house-sized with a smart layout and sophisticated details

By
You don't hear much about the "townhouse alternative," as homeowners are more focused on the space and freedom of having a house, even if it's a small "condo alternative." But this high-floor, graciously arranged and elegantly detailed pre-war condominium at the park's edge in prime Park Slope asking $1.895 million has as much living space as a small house, without the stairs and expensive repairs. The three-bedroom home at 163 Prospect Park West also boasts a collection of subtle, sophisticated renovations–like concrete sinks in the master bath and dark, elegant walls in the den.
Tour this most satisfying apartment
This bold corner loft will remind you of Williamsburg’s early artist outpost days
April 19, 2017

This bold corner loft will remind you of Williamsburg’s early artist outpost days

By
The 1,800-square-foot pre-war loft in the Northside Arts Industries Condominium is as classic as it gets, with impossibly high ceilings, exposed brick, wood beams and pipes and a flexible layout. The New York Times tells us that the building was developed back in 1983, when the neighborhood's north side was a burned-out jumble of factories, ethnic enclaves and a smattering of artists. The latter had come to escape Soho rents, taking over abandoned factories and warehouses and paying rents that averaged around $550 a month for a one-bedroom apartment. In 1986, a loft space in the building could be rented for $5 a square foot. Today, a sprawling home at 119 North 11th Street asks $8,500 a month ($57 a foot) and the trendy and amenity-packed neighborhood's artists have (mostly) escaped eastward once again.
Find out more about this totally 21st century loft
Robert A.M. Stern’s 520 Park Avenue, Upper East Side’s tallest building, hits pinnacle height
April 14, 2017

Robert A.M. Stern’s 520 Park Avenue, Upper East Side’s tallest building, hits pinnacle height

By
520 Park Avenue, well on its way to being the tallest skyscraper on the Upper East Side, is putting its final crowning members in place, CityRealty reports. The developer of the 54-story tower just off Park Avenue at East 60th Street is the multi-generational Zeckendorf real estate dynasty who brought us 50 U.N. Plaza, 15 Central Park West and the neighborhood-transforming Worldwide Plaza and Union Square's Zeckendorf Towers.
Find out more
$625K boho duplex is a cave-like East Village hideaway
April 14, 2017

$625K boho duplex is a cave-like East Village hideaway

By
The listing for this quirky little bohemian bolthole at 121 East 10th Street, near the iconic St. Marks Church in-the-Bowery, uses words like "special," "handpicked" and "salvaged," and there's a reason beyond salesmanship. Looking at this enchanted mini-loft does, in fact, make us feel "transported to another time and place." Another time, at least: The place is the old East Village of legend. Who knows, this could even be the apartment that invented exposed brick.
Have a look around this creative little pad
Emergency ferry route between N.J. and Midtown will become permanent this fall
April 13, 2017

Emergency ferry route between N.J. and Midtown will become permanent this fall

By
Following the recent Penn Station train derailment and subsequent delays during the busy weekday commute, NY Waterway launched an extra ferry route running from Hoboken to Midtown Manhattan. Now, NJ.com reports, that ferry service will become permanent starting in September of this year. The new ferry will run between between West 39th Street and Hoboken terminal according to NY Waterway president and founder Arthur Imperatore Sr.
Find out more about the new commuting option
For $375K, this Tudor City studio is old-world elegance with amenities
April 13, 2017

For $375K, this Tudor City studio is old-world elegance with amenities

By
On the eastern fringe of bustling Midtown, the (mostly) pre-war Tudor City complex was built as rentals by Fred French in the 1920s to give office workers easy access to their jobs while enjoying efficient and elegant living conditions. The buildings were converted to co-ops in the 1980s, and they've retained their elegance and compact efficiency. Woodstock Tower at 320 East 42nd Street is one of the most charming buildings among them, and this cheerful studio with city views, asking a pied-a-terre-friendly $375,000, is a fine example.
Lots of photos, this way
Perched on a Staten Island hillside with stunning bay views, this cute country cottage is only $739K
April 12, 2017

Perched on a Staten Island hillside with stunning bay views, this cute country cottage is only $739K

By
This single-family home in a storybook hillside setting with some of Staten Island's most attractive property below and Raritan Bay and the Atlantic Highlands beyond is a testament to the island's diversity of places. Built by an artist who made sure the home's windows were positioned to take advantage of the natural light, the crimson cottage at 298 Lighthouse Avenue, whose listing calls it a "Hansel & Gretel gingerbread home," sits on a half-acre lot, sharing Lighthouse Hill with the Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art (h/t Curbed). So much uniqueness comes at the relatively surprising price of $739,500.
Check it out
Optimism remains for Hudson River tunnel project despite threat of Trump cuts
April 12, 2017

Optimism remains for Hudson River tunnel project despite threat of Trump cuts

By
As 6sqft reported recently, President Trump may include two major New York transportation projects in his proposed budget cuts, including the Gateway Program that would build a new train tunnel under the Hudson River and a program which extends the Second Avenue subway in Manhattan to East Harlem. The Gateway Program, which would add a much-needed second rail tunnel beneath the Hudson River and upgrade aging rail infrastructure in New York and New Jersey, has been relying on the federal government for half of its estimated $24 billion cost. WNYC reports that even if the funding is pulled, the agency may look to funding from a public-private partnership.
Find out what the options are
Spend the summer creating in this Soho artists’ loft with a giant studio for $7,300 a month
April 11, 2017

Spend the summer creating in this Soho artists’ loft with a giant studio for $7,300 a month

By
This 2,500 square-foot full-floor space at 458 Broadway definitely captures the essence of the timeless Soho artists' loft, from the enormous window-lined studio to the sleek loft kitchen and colorful bath. It's available for rent from June through August for $7,300 a month; furnished and in the midst of non-stop Soho, it could be the perfect way to step into the loft life for the summer.
READ MORE
Contest winners suggest a car-free 14th Street with shuttles and bike lanes during L train shutdown
April 11, 2017

Contest winners suggest a car-free 14th Street with shuttles and bike lanes during L train shutdown

By
Advocacy group Transportation Alternatives has been trying to stay focused on grounded solutions–literally, as opposed to the tunnel and skyway ideas that are also being discussed–to mitigate the anticipated possible chaos when the dreaded 15-month L train shutdown hits. The organization is aiming for the ear of the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the MTA which control street design and bus expansion, respectively. The group recently held an "L-ternative" contest seeking pedestrian-centered proposals for main transit corridors along the L line, such as 14th street, Gothamist reports. The winning proposal, called 14TH ST.OPS, imagines a (car) traffic-free 14th Street with a six-stop shuttle bus using dedicated lanes, plus protected bike lanes.
Check out the winning post-L-Train vision
5Pointz graffiti artists whose work was destroyed will get a chance to face developer in court

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

April 10, 2017

5Pointz graffiti artists whose work was destroyed will get a chance to face developer in court

By
Photo via Wikimedia Commons Starting with the news that the iconic graffiti-covered warehouse known as 5Pointz in Long Island City, Queens, visible from passing trains since its beginnings the 1990s as an artists' studio and exhibition space, was being razed and replaced by rental apartments, the building has been the subject of heated controversy. As 6sqft previously reported, in 2013 the complex was whitewashed of its colorful exterior murals under cover of night, and renderings surfaced for the rental towers that would replace it; as if to add insult to injury, the building's owner, Jerry Wolkoff of G&M Realty, revealed plans to use the name 5Pointz as a marketing angle for the new development. Several attempts were made at intervention–and prevention of a similar fate for artists' spaces since then. Now, the New York Times reports, a federal lawsuit filed by 23 5Pointz artists against Wolkoff, who ordered the art destroyed, is getting its day in court. On March 31, Judge Frederic Block of Federal District Court in Brooklyn ruled that the federal lawsuit against Wolkoff, who ordered the artwork destroyed–could have a jury trial, an incremental legal victory for the artists and a chance to confront Wolkoff in court to seek redress.
Find out more
Village carriage house rented by Taylor Swift with a pool, garage and elevator asks $24.5M
April 10, 2017

Village carriage house rented by Taylor Swift with a pool, garage and elevator asks $24.5M

By
Last June, 6sqft reported that pop siren Taylor Swift was renting a carriage house at 23 Cornelia Street in the West Village for $40,000 a month while the Tribeca penthouse she'd purchased was undergoing a $535,000 renovation. The 1912 brick carriage house, which features a swimming pool, an elevator and a private garage, is now on the market for $24.5 million. The renovated home, owned by Soho House executive David Aldea who purchased it for $5.3 million in 2005, also boasts five bedrooms and several terraces in addition to its idyllic location and historic charm.
Take the tour
For $1M this Hell’s Kitchen duplex has lots of wood and brick and plenty of flexibility
April 8, 2017

For $1M this Hell’s Kitchen duplex has lots of wood and brick and plenty of flexibility

By
This two-bedroom duplex co-op at 357 West 55th Street in West Midtown has a lot going for it considering its $999,000 ask. With a double-height, exposed-brick wall and wood details such as the spiral stair that connects its two floors, there's a warmth that makes this apartment unique. Two full baths make the space guest-friendly, in addition to the fact that you can enter from either floor.
See more of both floors
What this $492K Chelsea studio lacks in size it makes up for in beauty and brains
April 7, 2017

What this $492K Chelsea studio lacks in size it makes up for in beauty and brains

By
On the top floor of a classic walk-up co-op building in the Chelsea Historic District, which happens to possess one of the loveliest roof decks in the neighborhood, this compact studio apartment at 333 West 21st Street offers old-world charm and some smart ways to make the small space work. For the first, high beamed ceilings, a wall of exposed brick, a decorative fireplace and large windows work their magic. For the second, a sleeping loft adds to the floor space. At $492,000 it's less than you'd expect to pay for any size Chelsea apartment that's well-appointed and ideally located.
Explore this small but smart apartment
Gorgeous $25M Village townhouse owned by Roy Lichtenstein’s son for sale for the first time in 170 years
April 7, 2017

Gorgeous $25M Village townhouse owned by Roy Lichtenstein’s son for sale for the first time in 170 years

By
In the heart of the beautiful Greenwich Village Historic District, this 24-foot-wide 1847 Greek Revival townhouse at 118 West 12th Street is on the public market for the first time in 170 years, asking $25 million. In addition to rare and perfectly restored historic details, the home has been renovated with a collector's eye for the eclectic and unique, incorporating the best in contemporary comforts, adding even more character to its already magical rooms. While we wish we could say the dizzying collection of Roy Lichtenstein works and other art that adorns the walls of this amazing home were part of the deal, we'd imagine the current owner, filmmaker Mitchell Lichtenstein–the Pop artist's son–and his husband Vincent Sanchez, will be holding on to those treasures.
View the rooms and collections of this remarkable home
Kwong Von Glinow’s new prototype for affordable housing can be stacked to fit any lot size
April 7, 2017

Kwong Von Glinow’s new prototype for affordable housing can be stacked to fit any lot size

By
The first place winners of the New York Affordable Housing Challenge, an architectural competition run by Bee Breeders, have been announced. Kwong Von Glinow Design Office received first prize for their entry “The Table Top,” a modular system that aggregates and stacks to provide density and diversity in a city as varied as New York. Designed as a prototype for affordable housing in New York City, the flexible system could accommodate the city's wide range of lot sizes and is adaptable to a variety of unit combinations for diverse types of residents. With an affordable housing crisis abetting an increasingly socially divided city with the majority of its residents spending over half of their annual income on rent, the project speaks to Mayor de Blasio’s emphasis on the dire need to create more affordable housing at both new and redeveloped existing sites.
Find out more about this flexible, scalable design for living
Outrageous Bronx mansion built for Jesus’ second coming finally sells
April 6, 2017

Outrageous Bronx mansion built for Jesus’ second coming finally sells

By
Atop the city's second-highest peak, in Riverdale, the Bronx, this opulent mansion has been beckoning the heavens–and seeking a buyer–since 2009 when it hit the market with an ask of $14 million; As 6sqft previously reported, the 17-room 1home was built in 1928 for an eccentric owner who never actually lived there herself, but rather constructed it for Jesus’ second coming. The house was asking $11 million in 2013 and re-listed with a $10 million price tag in 2015. Welcome2TheBronx reports that the home finally sold for $6,250,000 on January 9th of this year.
Tour this unusual home
Sale of $79.5M Upper East Side mansion sets new record for Manhattan’s most expensive townhouse

Image via Google Street View

April 6, 2017

Sale of $79.5M Upper East Side mansion sets new record for Manhattan’s most expensive townhouse

By
Image via Google Street View 6sqft reported in November that the 25,000-square-foot, 41-foot-wide townhouse at 19 East 64th Street belonging to art heir David Wildenstein had gone into contract for $81 million. The sale has closed for $79.5 million–$3,180 a foot–according to public records, setting a new record for Manhattan's priciest townhouse sale; the previous record was held by the Harkness mansion at 4 East 75th Street, which sold for $53 million in 2006. According to The Real Deal, the buyer, listed as 19-21 East 64th Holding LLC, is affiliated with HNA Holdings Group CEO Roy Liao. HNA Holdings Group is also behind the $2.2 billion deal to purchase 245 Park Avenue. The 1930s townhouse is the former home of the Wildenstein gallery.
Find out more
Plans revealed for new creative office hub above revamped Downtown Brooklyn Macy’s
April 5, 2017

Plans revealed for new creative office hub above revamped Downtown Brooklyn Macy’s

By
Tishman Speyer has released plans for the 422 Fulton Street Macy's renovation that will turn a new 10-story space above the department store into a 620,000 square foot creative office hub called The Wheeler. Reflecting a recent trend in snazzy work spaces that attract TAMI (technology, advertising, media and information) clients, the space will comprise "620,000 square feet of opportunity in the center of downtown Brooklyn," according to the developer. On offer will be the largest floor plates in Brooklyn with 15+ foot ceilings that "leave plenty of room for huge ideas," and a sprawling rooftop terrace, part of an acre of outdoor space that "provides fresh air for fresher thinking." There will also be 130 subterranean bike stations with lockers and showers for workers who bike to work.
Find out more
Laguardia Airport expansion could replace jail at Rikers Island, report suggests
April 5, 2017

Laguardia Airport expansion could replace jail at Rikers Island, report suggests

By
On Friday 6sqft reported Mayor Bill De Blasio's announcement that the Rikers Island jail complex will be closed, following a report by the Independent Commission on New York City Criminal Justice and Incarceration Reform. “New York City has always been better than Rikers Island,” said the mayor when he announced the decision. The report also included ideas for the future of a post-jail Rikers. One such idea suggests that the island be used for the expansion of nearby LaGuardia Airport, raising the possibility of a new runway and additional terminal space, according to USA Today. “The Island is uniquely positioned to accommodate an expanded LaGuardia Airport that would reduce delays and could serve as many as 12 million more passengers annually,” the report states.
Find out more
Massive high-rise complex with 900 apartments, retail, offices and schools coming to Downtown Brooklyn

View south down Flatbush Avenue

April 4, 2017

Massive high-rise complex with 900 apartments, retail, offices and schools coming to Downtown Brooklyn

By
Alloy Development announced plans to build a pair of towers at 80 Flatbush Avenue, a 61,000-square-foot parcel of land between Flatbush Avenue, Schermerhorn Street, Third Avenue and State Street. The developer–who, with the Department of Education, owns the land–has been selected by the city’s Educational Construction Fund to build the mixed-use complex as part of the redevelopment of the Khalil Gibran International Academy, which will move into one of the two new school buildings that will be part of the project. The second of the two will be a 350-seat elementary school. The project will also offer 900 apartments (200 of which will be affordable), a 15,000-square-foot cultural facility, 200,000 square feet of office space and 40,000 square feet of retail space.
Find out more about what's coming to the neighborhood
This $499K East Village co-op serves up modern rustic and cozy chic
April 4, 2017

This $499K East Village co-op serves up modern rustic and cozy chic

By
Though it shares a neighborhood with celebrities and models, this charming East Village flat at 633 East 11th Street may not break the bank at $499,000. The sunny one-bedroom home boasts historic details like stained glass pocket doors, exposed brick, original moldings and high ceilings, with custom contemporary updates in the kitchen and bath. Its classic railroad layout—the bath is at one end of the apartment, behind the bedroom—is definitely best for one or a cozy couple.
C'mon in
Queens Astoria Cove waterfront site on the market for $350 million ahead of expected 421-a renewal

Image courtesy of STUDIO V Architecture

April 3, 2017

Queens Astoria Cove waterfront site on the market for $350 million ahead of expected 421-a renewal

By
A 2.2 million-square-foot mixed-use development site known as Astoria Cove, on nearly nine acres along the East River in Astoria, is seeking a buyer, asking $350 million, Crain's reports. The site hit the market in mid-March in anticipation of the reinstatement of the 421-a affordable housing tax credit program that had languished since its expiration over a year ago amid debates between the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) and unions on whether to require higher wages in certain cases. Alma Realty Corp. hired Cushman & Wakefield investment company to market the site; according to sales executive Bob Knakal, "We wouldn't have hit the market with Astoria Cove in the past 16 months because of the uncertainty around 421-a, but there's been a sense of optimism in recent weeks that 421-a will be back and with it, the land market will strengthen."
Find out more
$4.75M Soho loft in an artists’ co-op is authentic but not outdated
April 3, 2017

$4.75M Soho loft in an artists’ co-op is authentic but not outdated

By
This $4.75 million Soho loft at 138 Grand Street--in one of the neighborhood's original artists’ co-op buildings--is an authentic 1977 conversion that's completely updated for today’s live/work demands. The Ironclad Artists' loft building is a six-story icon with a rich architectural history that's significant to the neighborhood, distinguishable by features like a cast iron facade and a mansard roof. Within, this fifth-floor home is quiet and serene while also surrounded by the heart of Soho.
Tour the loft
Pitch a story icon

Pitch a Story

We love to hear from you!

"*" indicates required fields

Interested in seeing the property in person?

It’s free, with no obligation.

CityRealty Logo

"*" indicates required fields

or Call (212) 755-5544

Interested in seeing the property in person?

It’s free, with no obligation.

CityRealty Logo

Distinctive Post Form

"*" indicates required fields

or Call (212) 755-5544
Contact us image

Get in Touch

We love to hear from you!

"*" indicates required fields

Send us a tip image
Delivering New York stories focused on design, lifestyle & real estate.

Send us a Tip

We love to hear from you!

"*" indicates required fields

Interesting in learning more about purchasing a new home?

Let us know what you are looking for and we’ll help you find the home of your dreams. It’s free, with no obligation.

CityRealty Logo
or Call (212) 755-5544

Thinking about selling your home?

We’ll provide current market comps and connect you with a trusted expert.

CityRealty Logo

Sell a Home (Footer)

"*" indicates required fields

or Call (212) 755-5544

Before You Move On
from this Page.

Subscribe for NYC's Lastest Design, Lifestyle,
and Real Estate Trends!

No Worries. We Don’t Spam.

By providing your email address, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Your Passport to NYC:
Subscribe for Local Insights and Stories!

No Worries. We Don’t Spam.

By providing your email address, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
You can unsubscribe at any time.