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 $3M, this light-filled Midtown duplex loft is surrounded by Manhattan skyline views

All photos courtesy of Compass

March 9, 2023

For $3M, this light-filled Midtown duplex loft is surrounded by Manhattan skyline views

By Michelle Cohen

This sun-filled penthouse co-op at 241 West 36th Street, asking $3,000,000, has the kind of size and layout that make a classic loft apartment so special. Atop a Schwartz & Gross-designed former button factory completed in 1928, the space has plenty of authenticity, lots of natural light, and panoramic New York City views framed by 22 windows. The same views can be had outdoors on the 2,750-square-foot, three-bedroom apartment's terrace.
Take the penthouse tour

Distinctive Homes

Women’s History Month began in New York in 1909 to honor the city’s garment workers’ strike

(1917) Picketing in all sorts of weather. N.Y. Day Picket. United States Washington D.C. New York, 1917, [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress.

March 8, 2023

Women’s History Month began in New York in 1909 to honor the city’s garment workers’ strike

By Michelle Cohen

International Women's Day, and what later became Women's History Month, originated in New York City over 100 years ago. On February 28, 1909, “Women’s Day,” was celebrated as the one-year anniversary of the city’s garment industry strike led by the International Ladies' Garment Workers’ Union. The Socialist Party of America chose the day to honor the women who bravely protested miserable labor conditions. American socialist and feminist Charlotte Perkins Gilman addressed a New York crowd, saying: "It is true that a woman's duty is centered in her home and motherhood but home should mean the whole country and not be confined to three or four rooms of a city or a state.” At the time, women still couldn't vote.
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$1.75M co-op combines industrial loft vibes with West Village bohemian charm

All photos courtesy of Celeste Godoy for The Corcoran Group

March 7, 2023

$1.75M co-op combines industrial loft vibes with West Village bohemian charm

By Michelle Cohen

This maisonette co-op at 92 Horatio Street in the scenic West Village combines classic loft style and pre-war charm, with hidden perks and expansion potential. Asking $1,750,000, the co-op can easily be re-imagined as a two-bedroom. In its present one-bed, two-bath state, the apartment has a "mezzanine" sleeping loft accessed by a spiral stair.
Have a look around

Distinctive Homes

In this chic $1.4M Harlem condo, architectural built-ins invite light and banish clutter

Photos courtesy of Compass

March 3, 2023

In this chic $1.4M Harlem condo, architectural built-ins invite light and banish clutter

By Michelle Cohen

This two-bedroom home at 258 Saint Nicholas Avenue reveals an architect's eye for both clean lines and convenient living. Asking $1,395,000, the 1,331-square-foot apartment's interior was completely redesigned by the current owners with flexibility and modern design in mind: Two rooms become one via sliding panel; closets, electronics, and shelves recede into sleek white walls, and floor-to-ceiling glass fills spaces with sunlight and city views.
See it here

Distinctive Homes

If you love pattern and color, this $1.5M Williamsburg condo is for you

Photo courtesy of The Corcoran Group

March 2, 2023

If you love pattern and color, this $1.5M Williamsburg condo is for you

By Michelle Cohen

If you love closet space–you may want to look elsewhere. This two-bedroom, two-bath unit at 221 Devoe Street in Williamsburg has plenty of appeal. Asking $1,495,000, the modern north Brooklyn condo was featured in House Beautiful; the 1,108-square-foot penthouse has an impressive landscaped 300-square-foot terrace, a wealth of art-inspired interior design–and a notable dearth of closets.
Get a closer look

This $2M Ditmas Park two-family home is historic and updated, with four-car parking and a yard

Photo Credit: Allyson Lubow

March 1, 2023

This $2M Ditmas Park two-family home is historic and updated, with four-car parking and a yard

By Michelle Cohen

This two-family house at 986 Ocean Avenue in Ditmas Park is updated and ready for living and rental income as a triplex with an upper duplex unit, all while retaining its early-20th-century charm. Asking $1,999,000, the 4,305-square-foot home is in the heart of Victorian Flatbush, surrounded by the neighborhood's lovely architecture as well as its restaurants, bars, cafes, and shops. With plenty of covetable yard space, the home has the added bonus of space for four cars, with two driveway parking spots and a two-car garage.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

For $7.2M, this designer’s home is quite possibly the perfect Upper East Side apartment

Photo credit: DDreps for Sotheby’s International Realty

February 28, 2023

For $7.2M, this designer’s home is quite possibly the perfect Upper East Side apartment

By Michelle Cohen

Published in House Beautiful, and looking every bit the part, this four-bedroom pre-war co-op, owned by interior designer Eliza Dyson, is about as turn-key as it gets. Asking $7,200,000, this Upper East Side refuge at 1160 Park Avenue added a smaller unit, resulting in an impeccably-designed, sophisticated eight-room home with plenty of space to spare.
Tour this perfect Park Avenue pad

Distinctive Homes

Asking $3.5M, this rare modernist Adirondack lake house was designed by Philip Johnson in 1948

Photos courtesy of Covered Bridge Realty

February 27, 2023

Asking $3.5M, this rare modernist Adirondack lake house was designed by Philip Johnson in 1948

By Michelle Cohen

This early modernist home tucked away on the western shores of Lake Champlain in the Adirondacks was designed by Philip Johnson in 1948, the same year the noted architect designed his iconic Glass House. Asking $3,500,000, this unusual property at 314 Point Road in the northern New York town of Willsboro, which Johnson designed with partner Landis Gores (both were members of the famed Harvard Five architectural group that also included Marcel Breuer, John Johansen, and Eliot Noyes) appears in the book "Houses of Philip Johnson." Known as Paine House, the home's two subsequent owners have maintained it in its original state. Situated on 20 acres surrounded by forest and lake (with 850 feet of waterfront), the home's seclusion has kept it from the public eye.
Tour this rare modern lake houe

This $1.3M Upper East Side co-op has a secret powder room tucked behind a library wall

Photos courtesy of The Corcoran Group

February 23, 2023

This $1.3M Upper East Side co-op has a secret powder room tucked behind a library wall

By Michelle Cohen

This classic one-bedroom-plus-loft co-op at 71 East 77th Street, asking $1,295,000, has definitely seen the benefits of a designer and architect. Rooms retain their gracious pre-war proportions and high beamed ceilings, plus extras like closets and an entry foyer. The living room offers a wood-burning fireplace and there are one-and-a-half baths–including a secret powder room tucked behind a library bookshelf wall. The comfort factor is up-to-date, with central A/C and a renovated kitchen and bathrooms.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

Your guide to Nomad: A new chapter for a historic Manhattan neighborhood

Photo by Jeffrey Zeldman on Flickr

February 22, 2023

Your guide to Nomad: A new chapter for a historic Manhattan neighborhood

By Michelle Cohen

No matter how old or established they may be, New York City neighborhoods are in a constant state of change. With each new chapter, boundaries shift and new architecture and commerce arrive. The Manhattan neighborhood known as Nomad (for its location north of Madison Square Park) is a fine example. Nomad became a top residential choice, as well as an international dining destination and an all-around rising star, at the beginning of the 21st century. The neighborhood stretches from approximately 25th Street to 30th Street between Sixth and Lexington Avenues, but the bounty that surrounds it in the neighborhoods of Chelsea, Midtown, Union Square, and Gramercy knows no bounds.
What to do and see, and where to live in Nomad

Events & Things To Do

Popular Articles

Design perfection and ideal location meet in this $1.25M pre-war Gramercy co-op

Photo credit: Douglas Elliman Realty

February 21, 2023

Design perfection and ideal location meet in this $1.25M pre-war Gramercy co-op

By Michelle Cohen

This stunningly-designed high-floor one-bedroom home in a pre-war building is surrounded by beauty, inside and out. The Art Deco building at 235 East 22nd Street, known as Gramercy House, is just two blocks from Gramercy Park, near Union Square, Nomad, the East Village, Midtown, and more. Southern light, stunning city views–and a wood-burning fireplace–make this jewel-box co-op, asking $1,250,000, a tempting choice for anyone seeking visual inspiration and creature comforts in a renovated and move-in-ready package.
Explore this classic Gramercy co-op

Distinctive Homes

$695K home in the woods of upstate NY has old-house looks without old-house problems

Photo credit: Annabel Taylor/Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Realty

February 13, 2023

$695K home in the woods of upstate NY has old-house looks without old-house problems

By Michelle Cohen

Down a tree-lined drive in the deep woods of East Chatham, New York, this shaker-style farmhouse looks every inch the traditional side-hall colonial. In reality, this 1,680-square-foot home was built in 1991. Situated on a private five-acre site surrounded by forest, the house, asking $695,000, has the clean lines, gabled roof, and classic fenestration of a historic country home.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

For $2.1M, this beautiful townhouse in Hudson will make you feel like you never left Brooklyn

Photo credit: Annabel Taylor/Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Realty

February 10, 2023

For $2.1M, this beautiful townhouse in Hudson will make you feel like you never left Brooklyn

By Michelle Cohen

From the bold geometric-tile vestibule to the designer print wallpaper and statement marble kitchen, this sweet upstate home at 516 Warren Street in Hudson, New York is every bit the elegant city townhouse–without the city. At the center of the small-town atmosphere in the sought-after upstate village, this 1882 Queen Anne Victorian, asking $2,100,000, reflects a keen design eye and a nose for the best interior trends of today. The masterfully-restored three-story home has made great use of the compact space, while preserving its historic details, including original tin ceilings, Second Empire light fixtures, onyx mantels, and original crown molding.
Tour this Hudson beauty

Distinctive Homes

This $10M historic wood-frame in Brooklyn Heights is one of the neighborhood’s oldest homes

Photo courtesy of Douglas Elliman

February 9, 2023

This $10M historic wood-frame in Brooklyn Heights is one of the neighborhood’s oldest homes

By Michelle Cohen

Listed for a Heights-priced $9,950,000, this compact wood-frame home at 69 Orange Street makes up in history and location what it may lack in size. Charming inside and out, the 1829 townhouse on a covetable, picturesque "fruit street" is on the market for the first time in nearly a century. Though the home could use some TLC from what we can see, there are plenty of period details, and it has been equipped with a central A/C and a washer and dryer.
Brooklyn history, this way

Distinctive Homes

NYC begins citywide expansion of on-street carshare parking program

Photo: NYC DOT via Flickr

February 8, 2023

NYC begins citywide expansion of on-street carshare parking program

By Michelle Cohen

New York City's Department of Transportation (DOT) announced Tuesday the installation of 80 new dedicated curbside parking spaces that will be reserved for carshare vehicles throughout the city. The parking spots are part of a program intended to increase access to convenient carshare vehicles after a successful five-year pilot was shown to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and personal car ownership. Over the next two weeks, signs for the dedicated parking spaces will be installed across Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Queens.
Find out more

This $7M Sutton Place co-op honors the pre-war building’s Rosario Candela design

Photo credit: Evan Joseph

February 8, 2023

This $7M Sutton Place co-op honors the pre-war building’s Rosario Candela design

By Michelle Cohen

The 1928 co-op at 447 East 57th Street in quietly elegant Sutton Place is about as classic pre-war Manhattan as it gets. The 15-story building, designed by notable architect Rosario Candela, contains only 23 apartments, and this available sprawling four-bedroom co-op occupies the entire top floor. Asking $6,950,000, the nine-room residence is currently home to architect Stephen Corelli, who redesigned the space with an eye to Candela's legacy, while installing 21st-century amenities and timeless style.
Tour this Sutton Place home

Distinctive Homes

For $5.6M, the perfect Park Slope brownstone, from the bay windows to the backyard

Photo credit: Allyson Lubow

February 7, 2023

For $5.6M, the perfect Park Slope brownstone, from the bay windows to the backyard

By Michelle Cohen

Built in 1888 by architect William Flanagan as one of 10 four-story townhomes with curving bay windows, 854 President Street is among the prettiest homes in historic Park Slope. Located a block from Prospect Park, the two-family home, asking $5,600,000, is the picture of Brooklyn brownstone elegance. Although modernized with central air, updated electrical wiring, and plumbing, the 4,200-square-foot, six-bedroom home's interiors offer a wealth of exquisite period detail.
Beautiful brownstone tour, this way

Distinctive Homes

22 local and unique Valentine’s Day gift ideas

February 6, 2023

22 local and unique Valentine’s Day gift ideas

By Michelle Cohen

It's easy to find a heart-shaped box of candy around Valentine's Day. Locating a box of caviar paired with modern glassware, a private tasting of locally-brewed craft beer, or dinner at 1,776 feet above lower Manhattan might take a bit of doing. We've done the legwork and picked a list of beyond-the-ordinary ways to say "I love you," while staying in a New York state of mind (plus a few global finds).
Find romance in retail, this way

New food hall at Hudson River Park’s Pier 57 announces full vendor lineup

Image courtesy of S9 Architecture

February 3, 2023

New food hall at Hudson River Park’s Pier 57 announces full vendor lineup

By Michelle Cohen

Market 57, New York City's newest food hall, is set to open this spring at Pier 57 at 15th Street in Hudson River Park. Curated by the culinary nonprofit organization James Beard Foundation (JBF) in cooperation with developer Jamestown, the new waterfront dining destination announced its full vendor list this week. With support from Google, the new food hall hopes to be an incubator for emerging culinary and entrepreneurial talent that has traditionally been underrepresented in the culinary industry, with a focus on women- and BIPOC-owned dining destinations.
See who's serving at Pier 57

Food & Dining

For $5.7M, this renovated Soho loft has the layout and luxurious finishes of a townhouse

Photo credit: Evan Joseph for The Corcoran Group

February 3, 2023

For $5.7M, this renovated Soho loft has the layout and luxurious finishes of a townhouse

By Michelle Cohen

This magnificently renovated Soho co-op at 14 Wooster Street has the bones–and the beams–of the downtown neighborhood's old-school loft spaces, with wide-plank oak floors and 40 feet of windows overlooking the cobblestones of Wooster Street. Though the sprawling 3,800-square-foot space spans the building's entire second floor, it offers the privacy and convenient configuration of a Village townhouse. The $5,700,000 co-op has been designed with a sophisticated mix of lacquered wood-paneled walls, marble and plaster details, and 21st-century conveniences.
Take the townhouse-in-a-loft tour

Distinctive Homes

Manhattan borough president sees the city’s vacancies as opportunities for creating new housing

Image courtesy of mari small on Unsplash

February 2, 2023

Manhattan borough president sees the city’s vacancies as opportunities for creating new housing

By Michelle Cohen

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine released a report this week outlining 171 locations in the borough he believes can be turned into more than 73,000 new homes. The report, titled "Housing Manhattanites," seeks to address Manhattan's housing shortage and answer a critical question: "Where in our borough can we build the housing that Manhattanites so desperately need?" Of these housing opportunities, Levine explained to the New York Times: "Some of it is hiding in plain sight. There has been a Post Office that has been closed. There’s an abandoned bus depot that is not being used. There’s manufacturing space which is empty. There are buildings that landlords surrendered to the city for back taxes decades ago."
Find out more

Lottery opens for 144 mixed-income units at new Chelsea rental with lots of green space, from $1,329/month

Rendering courtesy of the

February 2, 2023

Lottery opens for 144 mixed-income units at new Chelsea rental with lots of green space, from $1,329/month

By Michelle Cohen

NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development Applications are now being accepted for 144 mixed-income apartments at the currently-under-construction development known as Ruby at 241 West 28th Street in Chelsea. Upon completion later this year, the 25-story mixed-use building will have 480 rental apartments, 8,500 square feet of ground-floor retail, landscaped gardens, and an impressive menu of amenities including rooftop pools, terraces, and lounges. The affordable units are available to New Yorkers earning between 70 and 130 percent of the area median income, or between $48,138 for a single person and $130,046 for a five-person household. Apartments range from $1,329/month for studios to $3,793 for two bedrooms.
Find out if you're eligible

Affordable Housing

Latest casino proposed for NYC includes a giant Ferris wheel near the U.N.

Rendering of Freedom Plaza. Credit: Soloviev Group.

February 1, 2023

Latest casino proposed for NYC includes a giant Ferris wheel near the U.N.

By Michelle Cohen

As the competition for three New York City casino licenses heats up, the latest contender, Soloviev Group, announced this week a partnership with Mohegan in a plan that would include a partially subterranean casino anchoring a Midtown entertainment district near the United Nations headquarters. In addition to the casino, the mixed-use development known as Freedom Plaza would include a hotel, two residential towers, green space, a performance venue, a giant Ferris wheel, and–because nothing says "democracy" like a casino and a Ferris wheel–a museum dedicated to democracy.
Find out more

City Living

Army Corps of Engineers releases first renderings of NYC sea walls for coastal storm protection plan

This rendering shows a 20-foot-tall proposed floodwall along the Hudson River at Huron Street in the West Village. Image: Army Corps of Engineers.

January 31, 2023

Army Corps of Engineers releases first renderings of NYC sea walls for coastal storm protection plan

By Michelle Cohen

Late last year, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released the $52 billion proposal that will represent the most comprehensive effort to date to protect the city from storm surges and the only existing plan for protecting the entire New York Harbor area. The Army Corps recently revealed a new series of renderings that provide a visual glance at how some of these projects might transform the New York City waterfront. Renderings show barriers, gates, sea walls, and raised promenades at Flushing Bay in Queens, at Greenpoint Public Park, and Coney Island in Brooklyn, among others, as THE CITY first reported.
More renderings, this way

NYPL acquires archive of Joan Didion’s papers including personal photos, letters, and more

Joan Didion, undated.

January 27, 2023

NYPL acquires archive of Joan Didion’s papers including personal photos, letters, and more

By Michelle Cohen

The New York Public Library (NYPL) has acquired an extensive collection of papers and personal items belonging to writer Joan Didion and her husband, writer John Gregory Dunne. The archive of writings, correspondence, photographs, and ephemera provides a rich portrait of the celebrated couples' life and work.
Find out more about the collection

History

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