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.
For $11M, live in a Brooklyn Heights mansion with perfectly restored details and a literary past

All photos courtesy of SERHANT. Studios

July 31, 2023

For $11M, live in a Brooklyn Heights mansion with perfectly restored details and a literary past

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From the wine cellar to the landscaped roof deck, this 19th-century Greek Revival mansion represents five stories of pristine restoration, with historic flourishes accenting modern style and ease of living. Asking $11,500,000, the 6,094-square-foot two-family townhouse at 20 Remsen Street in the Brooklyn Heights Historic District has some notable literary history: Norman Mailer had his writing studio here. The house was also, according to the listing, the inspiration for Mailer's 1951 novel "Barbary Shore."
Take the tour
This $2M garden flat in Margaret Mead’s former home is the picture of cozy West Village charm

Photo credit: Compass

July 27, 2023

This $2M garden flat in Margaret Mead’s former home is the picture of cozy West Village charm

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On a postcard-perfect West Village street among the neighborhood's historic brownstones, this garden co-op at 72 Perry Street is a rare chance to live a bohemian dream not often found in today's New York City. Asking $1,995,000, the two-bedroom home in a restored townhouse has a landscaped private back garden as the almost-too-good-to-be-true addition to the elegance of its interior living spaces. The boutique co-op building is known as Mead House in honor of one-time resident Margaret Mead. The famous anthropologist lived in the townhouse with her husband Gregory Bateson and other colleagues from 1941 to 1955.
West Village charm, this way
Industrial chic and Soho street life meet in this $4.4M loft condo

Photo credit: Yale Wagner for Sotheby’s International Realty

July 25, 2023

Industrial chic and Soho street life meet in this $4.4M loft condo

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If you've often strolled the streets of Soho admiring the iconic former warehouses and tall-windowed lofts within, this concrete and steel-filled condominium at 487 Greenwich Street could be your dream come true. Asking $4,400,000, the sprawling 4,000-square-foot-plus renovated duplex in the former Tetley Tea Company warehouse offers open-plan living on a grand scale with impossibly high ceilings, concrete columns, and beams–and a sauna in the basement.
Loft living, this way
10 best under-the-radar picnic spots in NYC

Photo by Tatiana Rodriguez on Unsplash

July 25, 2023

10 best under-the-radar picnic spots in NYC

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The city is filled with picnic possibilities in the form of parks and gardens. New York City is also known for its accessible secrets, and our shortlist of urban escapes–whether hidden in plain sight or tucked away–are great to visit any time, but as off-the-beaten-path picnic spots, they shine.
Discover a new favorite picnic place
$7.9M Soho penthouse feels like a country estate with a magical rooftop garden, hot tub included

Photo credit: Nina Poon for The Corcoran Group

July 24, 2023

$7.9M Soho penthouse feels like a country estate with a magical rooftop garden, hot tub included

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This 3,121-square-foot Soho co-op at 80 Greene Street is the real downtown loft deal, disguised as a perfectly decorated home (enchanted 1,200-square-foot roof terrace with hot tub included). The three-bedroom triplex tops a classic Soho cast-iron building on a historic Belgian block street. Comprised of a designer-renovated main floor, mezzanine, and dramatic top-floor bedroom suite, the tranquil apartment, asking $7,900,000, is bathed in white, with outdoor space to rival a country manor.
Take the triplex tour
This $1.2M Princeton home is a modernist gem designed by Otto Kolb

Photo credit: Robert Manella/Callaway Henderson Sotheby’s International Realty

July 20, 2023

This $1.2M Princeton home is a modernist gem designed by Otto Kolb

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This Otto Kolb original home at 140 Heather Lane, asking $1,195,000, is tucked into a wooded 2.39-acre lot on a quiet Princeton street. The Swiss-born Modernist architect designed this one-of-a-kind jewel box of a single-story home in 1959. Rooms in the five-bedroom house wrap around two courtyards, surrounding them with nature and sunlight.
Get a closer look at this Modernist masterpiece
A retreat reborn in Bridgehampton, this $6M home has every detail covered–including the furniture

Photo credit: Ryan Scott Fitzgerald

July 18, 2023

A retreat reborn in Bridgehampton, this $6M home has every detail covered–including the furniture

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While older Hamptons properties are often torn down to make way for new construction, this modern estate at 325 Mitchell Lane was reimagined with architectural finesse in a complete renovation. Now on the market for $5,995,000, the iconic Bridgehampton house, grounds, and pool were painstakingly redesigned with every detail considered, right down to the furniture, which is available to purchase as well.
Take the tour
For $2.8M, this two-family Red Hook home with endless outdoor space is a modern townhouse dream

Photo credit: Anastazia Swerer-McNutt for The Corcoran Group

July 14, 2023

For $2.8M, this two-family Red Hook home with endless outdoor space is a modern townhouse dream

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The Brooklyn waterfront neighborhood of Red Hook is known for its architect-designed modern townhouses; if you've ever admired their sleek interiors and unique facades, 138 Coffey Street is just what you're looking for. Asking $2,800,000, this three-story home with several decks, a landscaped backyard, and a roof terrace includes a two-bedroom garden apartment. A carefully considered renovation transformed the 1899 townhouse into a 21st-century multi-family home with 2,000 square feet of outdoor space. You can use the apartment for rental income or as a guest suite–or use the entire space as a single-family home.
Take the modern townhouse tour
Stephen Sondheim’s Turtle Bay townhouse is on the market for $7M

Photo credit: Compass

July 13, 2023

Stephen Sondheim’s Turtle Bay townhouse is on the market for $7M

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The Turtle Bay townhouse at 246 East 49th Street that was home to late songwriter Stephen Sondheim is now on the market, asking $7,000,000. The celebrated songsmith, who received eight Tonys, eight Grammys, an Oscar, and a Pulitzer for the iconic words and melodies to Broadway hits like “West Side Story,” "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," and many more, bought the historic townhouse in 1960. Sondheim needed the privacy of a townhouse, according to Curbed, so he could finesse melodies on the piano without bothering the neighbors.
A home filled with Broadway history, this way
Spend summer in your rooftop garden with a wet bar and shower in this $12.95M Chelsea penthouse loft

Images by Rinze

July 12, 2023

Spend summer in your rooftop garden with a wet bar and shower in this $12.95M Chelsea penthouse loft

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The 4,800-square-foot full-floor penthouse atop the prewar co-op at 227 West 17th Street is a perfect summertime paradise, featuring a fully irrigated private rooftop garden space with a bar and outdoor shower. Asking $12,950,000, this renovated three-bedroom home is an all-season refuge as well; in addition to the warm-weather haven, there's a massive great room with a wood-burning fireplace for cozy winter nights.
Tour the loft
Live at the Plaza with hotel-style service and condo convenience for $9.5M; minimalists need not apply

Photo credit: Rich Caplan

July 10, 2023

Live at the Plaza with hotel-style service and condo convenience for $9.5M; minimalists need not apply

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This  two-bedroom condominium in the Plaza Private Residences at 1 Central Park South offers one of New York City's most iconic addresses and suitably lavish interiors by AD 100 designer Richard Keith Langham. Pristine and newly-renovated, this parkside home, asking $9,500,000, has 12-foot ceilings and all of the conveniences of modern living, along with the peerless hotel services available to Plaza residents.
Step inside for a tour
For $1.9M, this compact, renovated brick townhouse is a turn-key home in the heart of Stuyvesant Heights

Photo credit: Allyson Lubow

July 7, 2023

For $1.9M, this compact, renovated brick townhouse is a turn-key home in the heart of Stuyvesant Heights

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This compact three-story townhouse at 703 Monroe Street in Bed-Stuy's historic Stuyvesant Heights district packs a lot of modern function and form into its 2,478 square feet. In addition to three stories above, the single-family property, asking $1,850,000, features a finished basement with a rec room and bath. There are four bedrooms within and a covetable freshly landscaped yard in the back.
More Bed-Stuy townhouse, this way
There’s a room for everyone in this $4.7M Museum Mile co-op

Photo credit: Eitan Gamliely for Sotheby’s International Realty

July 6, 2023

There’s a room for everyone in this $4.7M Museum Mile co-op

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This elegant Upper East Side residence at 980 Fifth Avenue starts with the building's reputation for spectacular views; within are four bedrooms and an amount of living space most New Yorkers only dream of. Steps away you'll find Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim Museum, and other destinations that have immortalized the iconic neighborhood in film and legend. Asking $4,650,000, this sprawling co-op currently offers a cozy media room, plus numerous closets, a laundry room, a large pantry, central A/C, and fabulous city and park views.
Explore this iconic uptown apartment
This $5M home is a rare early 20th-century hidden architectural gem on the Hudson River

Photo credit: Jump Visual/Ellis Sotheby’s International Realty

July 5, 2023

This $5M home is a rare early 20th-century hidden architectural gem on the Hudson River

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This private architectural masterpiece at 99 Corbett Lane in the historic Palisades, NY enclave of Snedens Landing occupies a secluded spot overlooking the Hudson River. Known as Moon River, the historic house has a creative and modern sensibility along with its five bedrooms, a pool, and a garage. The 4,252-square-foot home is certainly a trophy property for anyone with an eye for modern architecture–and the $4,995,000 required to purchase it–but it's definitely no McMansion.
Stroll around the grounds, check out the pool and the view
Asking $2.25M, this modern townhouse is a two-floor home in a converted Bed-Stuy garage

Photo credit: M William Studio for The Corcoran Group

July 3, 2023

Asking $2.25M, this modern townhouse is a two-floor home in a converted Bed-Stuy garage

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This unique converted garage at 222 Madison Street Brooklyn's buzzing Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood has the open, industrial feel of a loft and the privacy and space of a 3,000-square-foot townhouse, with two separate outdoor spaces. Bonus perk: Drive into your own private garage, all for $2,250,000.
Tour this unique Brooklyn home
Manhattan Park’s annual Pop-Up Pool Party gets new art that imagines a bright and sustainable future

Photo credit: Michael Alley with Allyson Lubow Photography

June 30, 2023

Manhattan Park’s annual Pop-Up Pool Party gets new art that imagines a bright and sustainable future

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Roosevelt Island luxury rental community Manhattan Park has unveiled its ninth annual outdoor pool art transformation. Colorful, transformative art has graced the community’s Pop-Up Pool Party each summer, beginning on Memorial Day. This year's artist, James Gortner, was selected for his artistic and colorful vision; Gortner's themes for this year's art are the joy of existence and sustainability.
See more of the pool's colorful murals
With Deco details and dazzling interiors on the Upper East Side, The Harper launches sales

Images courtesy of The Harper

June 29, 2023

With Deco details and dazzling interiors on the Upper East Side, The Harper launches sales

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The Upper East Side residence The Harper at 310 East 86th Street has begun sales of its 63 two-, three-, and four-bedroom homes. The new condominium project was designed by the renowned architectural practice ODA, known internationally for innovative and skyline-changing designs. For the latest addition to the iconic Manhattan neighborhood, the firm used large format windows with stepped framing, creating a stunning Art Deco vibe inspired by classic New York City architecture. With occupancy expected this year–a furnished model is available now–the new building features interiors also designed by ODA and an impressive suite of state-of-the-art amenities.
See the interiors and amenities at the Harper
This $6.5M Montrose Morris-designed Clinton Hill corner mansion has a three-story round tower

Photo courtesy of Chapoteau Real Estate

June 28, 2023

This $6.5M Montrose Morris-designed Clinton Hill corner mansion has a three-story round tower

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Even among its historic, landmarked Clinton Hill neighbors, architectural distinctions like a three-story round tower set this $6,500,000 Montrose Morris-designed corner mansion at 289 Dekalb Avenue apart. Built in 1891, the brick home, with its conical-roof-topped castle tower, is one of a trio of American Romanesque Revival-style row houses. Inside the 6,342-square-foot property you'll find beautifully preserved elegant interiors and seven bedrooms across three floors. There's also a deck and a modern parking garage.
Explore this romantic mansion
An architect’s $3M Chelsea townhouse duplex gets every detail right, including a fantasy roof garden

Photos courtesy of Al Siedman / VHT

June 28, 2023

An architect’s $3M Chelsea townhouse duplex gets every detail right, including a fantasy roof garden

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This townhouse upper duplex at 332 West 19th Street is currently owned by one of New York City's most sought-after architects, James Corner, principal of James Corner Field Operations. The firm is known for high-profile projects like the High Line and Domino Park, among many others. An architectural eye is evident here, as the two-bedroom home's interiors are not only easy on the eyes, but configured so that every inch of space is just right for living. Asking $2,995,000, the perfectly-designed duplex is capped by a gardener's dream of a private roof deck; this idyllic outdoor space is on another level both literally and figuratively.
More Chelsea duplex perfection this way
This $3.6M Bed-Stuy townhouse has bay windows, a full-floor bedroom suite, and a basement speakeasy

Photo credit: DDreps & Hovey Design

June 26, 2023

This $3.6M Bed-Stuy townhouse has bay windows, a full-floor bedroom suite, and a basement speakeasy

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Surrounded by the historic homes of Bedford-Stuyvesant, this 1893 limestone townhouse has been impeccably restored with loads of historic glamor intact. Filled with fabulous design flourishes, the 4,635-square-foot two-family house, asking $3,600,000, is fronted by carved octagonal bay windows. Within, chic, modern elements are right at home among classic architectural details. Configured as a one-bedroom garden apartment with a triplex above, the home has an unusual secret: A speakeasy room in the basement.
READ MORE
$9.9M four-bedroom Upper West Side co-op makes a charming case for living large

Photo courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

June 23, 2023

$9.9M four-bedroom Upper West Side co-op makes a charming case for living large

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Occupying over 3,500 square feet on the 6th floor of the Beaux Arts building at 285 Central Park West known as The St. Urban, this rare corner unit has (at least) four bedrooms and space to spare. Designed with a fabulous eye for style and color, this Upper West Side home has retained all of its pre-war charms, but it's anything but stuffy. Impressive Central Park vistas and open exposures add up to a $9,900,000 HQ for a big, busy family, grand-scale entertaining–or both.
Stylish sprawl at the St. Urban, this way
From firehouse to Spike Lee’s movie HQ, this $4.35M Fort Greene home has a century of stories to tell

Photos courtesy of The Corcoran Group

June 22, 2023

From firehouse to Spike Lee’s movie HQ, this $4.35M Fort Greene home has a century of stories to tell

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This decommissioned firehouse at 124 Dekalb Avenue–currently asking $4,350,000–has a fascinating history that began in 1895, when it was built as a water tower. Converted into a neighborhood firehouse in 1903, the building's cellar was fortified as a bomb shelter at some point in the 20th century. After the firehouse was disbanded in 1974, the building became a live/work space for celebrated filmmaker Spike Lee, who headquartered his 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks studio here. In the mid-1980s, the building was converted into two duplex loft apartments–and a multi-car garage.
The full eyeful, this way
A 110-acre woodland sanctuary surrounds this $6M Hudson Valley hilltop estate

Photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

June 20, 2023

A 110-acre woodland sanctuary surrounds this $6M Hudson Valley hilltop estate

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Looking for all the world like the cover of a magazine filled with dream estates surrounded by woods and water, this singular property, asking $5,950,000, spans 110 acres high on a hill in the Hudson Highlands of Garrison, New York. The architecturally stunning main house at 236 Old Albany Post Road, known as La Formentera, is joined by a studio/guest house with a three-car garage and a circa 1800s caretakers' cottage (also with a garage), adding up to five structures in all. The surrounding property includes a private lake, waterfall, and brook, an outdoor fireplace, and a 60-foot pool served by a stone pool house pavilion, all just an hour from New York City.
Tour this idyllic country estate
This $2.4M Brooklyn Heights co-op is a turnkey classic six with a private balcony and skyline views

All photos courtesy of DDReps

June 19, 2023

This $2.4M Brooklyn Heights co-op is a turnkey classic six with a private balcony and skyline views

By
This spacious co-op at 75 Henry Street in one of the city's most sought-after neighborhoods is ready for whatever life brings. Asking $2,395,000, the three-bedroom home has three baths and a layout that provides privacy and plenty of work-from-home space, as well as closets to keep clutter out of the way. A private double balcony and bridge and city views are an inspiration in every season; an on-site parking garage adds rare convenience.
More details, this way
Asking $2.5M, this classic Tribeca loft was starchitect Rafael Viñoly’s studio and pied-à-terre

All photos courtesy of Udi Almog/H5 for the Corcoran Group

June 16, 2023

Asking $2.5M, this classic Tribeca loft was starchitect Rafael Viñoly’s studio and pied-à-terre

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Now on the market asking $2,500,000, this full-floor loft co-op at 137 West Broadway in Tribeca recently served as the office, art studio, and pied-à-terre of renowned late architect Rafael Viñoly. Viñoly, who designed notable buildings like 432 Park Avenue, 277 Fifth Avenue, and Three Waterline Square, kept the space until his passing in March of this year, overseeing renovations and using the living room walls to create life-sized figure drawings on wall-sized sketch pads.
Get the details
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