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.

$2.4M Crown Heights townhouse enhances historic flourishes with modern comforts and craftsmanship

All photos courtesy of Hayley Ellen Day

April 11, 2025

$2.4M Crown Heights townhouse enhances historic flourishes with modern comforts and craftsmanship

By Michelle Cohen

In a week of featured townhouses with backyards awaiting spring plantings, this Renaissance Revival-style home at 259 New York Avenue might appear to come up short. But the 4,000-square-foot Crown Heights home with a pale limestone facade takes advantage of every inch of its significant interior space. A rare and elegant front porch–and a deck off the kitchen–allow outdoor living to be part of the picture. Asking $2,399,000, this pretty three-story townhouse is located on a historic Crown Heights block surrounded by similar beauties. Interiors have been given 21st-century updates while preserving a heavenly collection of original details.
get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

This old West Village firehouse is now a peerless $21M townhouse with a jazz club in the basement

Photo credit: Yale Wagner for Sotheby’s International Realty. Staging by Interior Marketing Group

April 10, 2025

This old West Village firehouse is now a peerless $21M townhouse with a jazz club in the basement

By Michelle Cohen

Lovely on its own, but even more interesting as a former firehouse, the five-story building at 78 Morton Street was built in the 1800s. In its current life, the 6,850-square-foot townhouse is a single-family residence that makes a remarkably strong case for living up to its $21 million ask. In addition to the peerless perk of a private, wood-paneled elevator that accesses each of its five floors, the exquisite home has a four-car garage/gallery space with a curb cut, a landscaped terrace garden, a glass-paneled penthouse level with a roof terrace, and an elegantly outfitted jazz club–complete with stage–in the basement.
step into the elevator for a tour

Distinctive Homes

This $5.5M Queen Anne townhouse in Park Slope finds room for modern life in historic geometry

Photos courtesy of Shannon Dupre, DD-Reps

April 9, 2025

This $5.5M Queen Anne townhouse in Park Slope finds room for modern life in historic geometry

By Michelle Cohen

This pale salmon brick-clad townhouse at 323 Garfield Place paints a pretty Park Slope picture, right down to having Prospect Park just steps away. Asking $5,500,000, the home is distinguished from the outside by arched windows and doorways, shingled gables, and a peaked roof. Within, historic character surrounds livable warmth, extending to a leafy rear yard and patio.
peek beneath the arches and gables

Distinctive Homes

$8M for ultra-modern townhouse living with a yard and six bedrooms in a Nomad condo

Photo courtesy of Michael Weinstein from MW- Studio

April 8, 2025

$8M for ultra-modern townhouse living with a yard and six bedrooms in a Nomad condo

By Michelle Cohen

It's not easy to find a Manhattan apartment with six full bedrooms and enough outdoor space for a summer full of barbecues without investing in a multi-story townhouse–and the maintenance burden that comes with it. Asking $7,985,000, this duplex condo at 120 East 29th Street is a study in contemporary design, surrounded by all the convenience and fun of the Nomad neighborhood and nearby Madison Square Park. Its six bedrooms are separated to give breathing space to family and guests; perhaps best of all, a wall of windows on the home's lower level opens onto 1,600 square feet of private landscaped backyard and patio space.
take the tour

Distinctive Homes

Angles, curves, and character define this $5M Winka Dubbeldam-designed Noho loft

All photos courtesy of Udom Surangsophon/MW Studio for The Corcoran Group

April 3, 2025

Angles, curves, and character define this $5M Winka Dubbeldam-designed Noho loft

By Michelle Cohen

If you can't bear the thought of living in a "cookie cutter" apartment, but you don't want to trade personality for outdated infrastructure or unwelcome quirks, look no further than this cool, creative co-op at 33 Bleecker Street. Thanks to design by noted Dutch architect Winka Dubbeldam, this top-floor loft, asking $4,995,000, has modern European style dialed in.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

A three-story penthouse atop an Emery Roth-designed Upper West Side co-op asks $6M

All photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

April 2, 2025

A three-story penthouse atop an Emery Roth-designed Upper West Side co-op asks $6M

By Michelle Cohen

This triplex co-op at the Oliver Cromwell at 12 West 72nd Street is classic Manhattan living with the added privilege of impressive outdoor space and dazzling, unobstructed Central Park views. Asking $5,995,000, the co-op, with its three floors of living space, feels like a townhouse. The pre-war details that come with the iconic Emery Roth-designed building are enhanced by interiors redesigned by Mutuus Studio; the home has even been featured in Architectural Digest.
take the three-floor tour

Distinctive Homes

For $4M, a terraced Park Slope townhouse, ready for spring gardening

Photos courtesy of Anastazia Swerer-McNutt/Allyson Lubow for The Corcoran Group

March 31, 2025

For $4M, a terraced Park Slope townhouse, ready for spring gardening

By Michelle Cohen

On a quintessential Park Slope block (just two blocks from the park), this 20-foot-wide red-brick townhouse at 428 7th Street is a perfect home base for anyone with a green thumb and outdoor aspirations. Asking $3,995,000, the two-family townhouse consists of a sunny garden flat topped by an owner's triplex, with a private back patio, a bedroom sun deck, and a landscaped front garden. Historic details like crown molding, tall windows, exposed brick, and interior archways from the home's turn-of-the-20th-century origins have been well-preserved, and there's plenty of space to work with if you have your own 21st-century vision.
backyard beauty, this way

Distinctive Homes

Miami meets Brooklyn in this $10M Williamsburg townhouse with a three-car garage

Photos courtesy of DDreps. Renderings courtesy of Masha Begun, Crosby Studios. Floorplans courtesy of Interiors by Kat.

March 28, 2025

Miami meets Brooklyn in this $10M Williamsburg townhouse with a three-car garage

By Michelle Cohen

Brought to you by the development team behind 112 India Street and The Bath Haus, Greenpoint, and designed by the visionaries at Crosby Studios (Opening Ceremony, Dover Street Market Paris, and immersive environments at Design Miami/2021), this single-family design masterpiece at 276 Berry Street is steps from the Williamsburg waterfront. But its architecturally distinct seven-level form, pale stone facade, modern windows–and the indulgent privacy of a three-car garage–wouldn't be out of place in Miami or Malibu. Asking $10,000,000, the corner home embodies modern design inside and out.
take the tour

Distinctive Homes

On her own: The legacy of women’s hotels in New York City

Women in the dining room of the Clara de Hirsch Home for Working Girls, undated. Photo courtesy of 92NY Archives

March 27, 2025

On her own: The legacy of women’s hotels in New York City

By Michelle Cohen

The tale of a woman on her own, arriving in New York City to find her fortune, began long before Mary Tyler Moore exuberantly tossed her hat into the air. The city's history is inseparable from international women's history, and a handful of residences that offered refuge for young ladies arriving solo is undoubtedly part of this story. With good moral intentions–and rules and regulations–they were gracious in the amenities and camaraderie offered. Introduced here are some of the historic hotels that helped generations of women gain a foothold in the big city–as well as one set to reopen this year as a modern women-only residence.
a room of one's own

History

For $1.3M, a 1926 apartment in the Bronx that feels like an Italian hillside villa

All photos courtesy of Rinze van Brug; some photos are virtually staged.

March 26, 2025

For $1.3M, a 1926 apartment in the Bronx that feels like an Italian hillside villa

By Michelle Cohen

With a hilltop view of the Hudson River and the Palisades, the romantically-named Villa Charlotte Bronte at 2501 Palisade Avenue is a hidden gem within New York City limits. Built in 1926, the 17-unit complex is perched along steep cliffs, surrounded by greenery, and blessed with several stone patios for private enjoyment. Asking $1,315,000, this three-bedroom home offers living on three floors, including a light-filled garret in keeping with its charm.
the villa awaits

Distinctive Homes

Popular Articles

Live like an early-aughts media icon in Nick Denton’s $3.5M Soho loft

Photo credit: Kate Glicksberg

March 25, 2025

Live like an early-aughts media icon in Nick Denton’s $3.5M Soho loft

By Michelle Cohen

Though Hungary might not be the first place that comes to mind when planning one's escape from 2025 America, Gawker founder Nick Denton is leaving his Soho home base and relocating his family to Europe, with precisely that destination in mind, according to New York magazine. European health care might be superior, but it will be hard to top his sexy loft at 76 Crosby Street. Asking $3,500,000, the two-bedroom loft condo is at the epicenter of downtown Manhattan living.
get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

Within this $10M Brooklyn Heights townhouse is a masterpiece of modern architectural design

All photos courtesy of Virginia Carey for Brown Harris Stevens

March 20, 2025

Within this $10M Brooklyn Heights townhouse is a masterpiece of modern architectural design

By Michelle Cohen

Along historic Willow Place in Brooklyn Heights, the pretty carriage house at number 17 fits in perfectly; you'd never know that only the facade and sidewalls remain of the early-19th-century former stable. Architect Robert Kahn reconstructed the 4,600-square-foot building from the inside out in 2012, creating a modernist home for the ages, with three private garden spaces–including a stunning top-floor atrium courtyard–and a garage.
take the tour

Distinctive Homes

For $1.75M, your own private oculus with skyline views on the Upper West Side

All photos courtesy of Celeste Godoy for The Corcoran Group

March 19, 2025

For $1.75M, your own private oculus with skyline views on the Upper West Side

By Michelle Cohen

Tucked under the eaves at the Ansonia condo at 2109 Broadway, this petite penthouse offers a unique way to experience panoramic city vistas. The circular windows that punctuate the Upper West Side building's signature Beaux-Arts architecture create an oculus effect that brings in light and provides a birds-eye view of Manhattan. Asking $1,750,000, the two-bedroom home has the air of a Parisian garret (without the stair climb), with the added condo convenience of the iconic address.
high-floor heaven, this way

Distinctive Homes

A newsroom icon’s sprawling Upper West Side co-op asks $5.5M

Photo credit: Jon Nissenbaum

March 18, 2025

A newsroom icon’s sprawling Upper West Side co-op asks $5.5M

By Michelle Cohen

A year after the passing of PBS journalist Robert "Robin" MacNeil (of MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour fame) the Canadian-American TV journalist's nine-room home at 44 West 77th Street is for sale. Asking $5,500,000, the pre-war co-op on the Upper West Side is the kind of classic Manhattan residence that feels like a rambling country estate, where you could throw lavish parties–or hide from just about everyone (even the news).
take the tour

Distinctive Homes

Take home an armful of free tulips when Tulip Day pops up in Union Square

All photos courtesy of TulipDay.eu

March 13, 2025

Take home an armful of free tulips when Tulip Day pops up in Union Square

By Michelle Cohen

For the second year in a row, Union Square will host a colorful display of 170,000 tulips, with visitors invited to pick a bouquet for free. As a perfect way to welcome spring to the city–and your home–the event takes place on March 30 in the downtown Manhattan park, with advance registration required.
find out more

Events & Things To Do

Amazing light, East River views, and a private terrace for $2M on the Lower East Side

Photo credit: Allyson Lubow for The Corcoran Group

March 12, 2025

Amazing light, East River views, and a private terrace for $2M on the Lower East Side

By Michelle Cohen

Homes in the classic East River Co-op at 572 Grand Street on the Lower East Side are known for offering great value when it comes to location and space. Asking $1,999,000, this three-bedroom residence is a fine example, with the additional perk of a private terrace and dazzling river and city views. Architect-designed interiors mean modern style and convenience on a par with the city's newly-minted condo towers.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

Tudor charm frames a $2.1M pre-war duplex on the Upper East Side

Photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

March 11, 2025

Tudor charm frames a $2.1M pre-war duplex on the Upper East Side

By Michelle Cohen

Within the enchanting walls of a 1928 neo-Tudor style co-op a block from Central Park on the Upper East Side, this three-bedroom duplex at 71 East 77th Street offers two floors of classic Manhattan living. Asking $2,100,000, this iconic residence has been renovated, but leaves lots of room for your own improvements and flexibility for bedrooms, lounge spaces, and home offices.
take the tour

Distinctive Homes

For $2.75M, a two-family house in Greenpoint with a pool in the backyard

Photo credit: Anastassios Mentis and Valantis Skoufris

March 7, 2025

For $2.75M, a two-family house in Greenpoint with a pool in the backyard

By Michelle Cohen

You don't have to move to the suburbs to have a private backyard pool and solar panels on the roof. This townhouse in everybody's favorite Brooklyn neighborhood of Greenpoint has those perks, plus a two-unit setup that allows for rental income in addition to living–and swimming–space. Asking $2,745,000, the 2,500-square-foot house at 214 Eagle Street has been renovated and well-maintained, with attractive additions and convenient advantages on all three floors.
pool party, this way

Distinctive Homes

$2M Park Slope loft has a layout that’s great for gathering and a private terrace for your garden

All photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

March 6, 2025

$2M Park Slope loft has a layout that’s great for gathering and a private terrace for your garden

By Michelle Cohen

In the heart of Park Slope just a block from Prospect Park, this well-appointed co-op has pre-war loft bones, plenty of light, and a long list of just-right custom amenities and features. Asking $1,990,000, the two-bedroom loft in a former horse stable at 499 12th Street is arranged around a perfectly-appointed central kitchen, with a private terrace that feels like it's just outside a woodland home.
take the tour

Distinctive Homes

This unusual $2.8M co-op is a compact triplex in a historic West Village townhouse

Photo credit: Jon Nissenbaum

March 5, 2025

This unusual $2.8M co-op is a compact triplex in a historic West Village townhouse

By Michelle Cohen

Tucked into the lower levels of an 1880s townhouse at 239 1/2 Waverly Place, this restored residence mixes original details, modern interiors and townhouse living. Asking $2,795,000, this unique maisonette triplex co-op unfolds within a historic building on a beautiful West Village street. With the feel of a townhouse-within-a-townhouse, living space is spread over three floors, with its own street-level entrance and two private outdoor spaces, including a roof deck with ivy-covered walls.
take the three-floor tour

Distinctive Homes

For $650K, watch spring arrive in the city from this bright Upper East Side co-op

Photos courtesy of Hayley Ellen Day | DDreps

March 4, 2025

For $650K, watch spring arrive in the city from this bright Upper East Side co-op

By Michelle Cohen

Spring is right around the corner, and this sun-filled one-bedroom Yorkville co-op at 10 East End Avenue, asking $650,000, has corner windows in every room for East River and city skyline views. Call it a front row seat to a fresh start.
Take a closer look

Distinctive Homes

Frank Lloyd Wright’s palatial former Plaza suite asks $18.9M

Photo credit: The Charlie Attias Team / Compass

February 13, 2025

Frank Lloyd Wright’s palatial former Plaza suite asks $18.9M

By Michelle Cohen

Once known as the Frank Lloyd Wright Suite–the architect lived in the corner apartment at the Plaza Hotel while he was working on the Guggenheim Museum from 1954 to 1959–this impressive condominium residence at 1 Central Park South occupies the rare level of Manhattan homes that just may justify its towering price tag. Asking $18,900,000, the 4,000-square-foot home adds up to a living space as dazzling as the park and city views it offers. Featured in Architectural Digest in 2014 as a media power pair's pied-a-terre, this extraordinary apartment offers the five-star hotel amenities of the iconic Plaza along with those views.
the tour starts here

Distinctive Homes

This $4M condo feels like a fresh start in a new addition to the Upper East Side

Photo credit: Andrew Werner at Andrew Werner Photography

February 12, 2025

This $4M condo feels like a fresh start in a new addition to the Upper East Side

By Michelle Cohen

It's hard to name a more classic Manhattan neighborhood than Lenox Hill on Manhattan's Upper East Side. At the heart of this prime residential spot, the six-story boutique condominium residence at 420 East 75th Street recently launched sales, offering pristine 21st-century interiors and a dazzling menu of amenities to match the building's sought-after address. Asking $3,995,000, this three-bedroom home offers dual balconies, a cozy library, an additional "accessory room," and the understandable draw of fresh new...everything.
get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

Behind a stately Village brownstone facade, a massive six-story mansion asks $35M

Photo credit: DD-Reps for Sotheby’s International Realty

February 11, 2025

Behind a stately Village brownstone facade, a massive six-story mansion asks $35M

By Michelle Cohen

From a basement gym to a fully landscaped roof terrace–and the elevator that shuttles between them–the six-floor townhouse at 34 West 12th Street has all the trimmings of a contemporary suburban mansion. From the outside, the 1860s home maintains the genteel tone of the neighborhood, its perfectly preserved brownstone facade blending with neighbors on a tree-lined Greenwich Village block. Though a no-expenses-spared three-year renovation has endowed the home's interiors with over 7,000 square feet of luxury finishes and 2,000 square feet of private gardens and terraces, its $35,000,000 ask represents a tall order.
six-floor townhouse tour ahead

Distinctive Homes

20+ memorable, affordable NYC date ideas for Valentine’s Day (or any day)

Xanadu Roller Arts. Photo credit: Dave Jeffers

February 10, 2025

20+ memorable, affordable NYC date ideas for Valentine’s Day (or any day)

By Michelle Cohen

Official Valentine's Day events can be overrated and often come with a decidedly un-lovable price tag. Skip the spendy seatings and contrived celebrations and take advantage of the many inspiring, exciting, offbeat, and romantic events the city has to offer.
great date ideas, this way

Events & Things To Do

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