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.

Park Slope modern home built from a former carriage house is back on the market for $7.9M

Photo courtesy of DD Reps–Donna Dotan

July 7, 2022

Park Slope modern home built from a former carriage house is back on the market for $7.9M

By Michelle Cohen

If you've strolled past it, you may have noticed the classic lines of the modernist home tucked among the brick apartment buildings and historic brownstones in Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood. The remarkable house at 77 Prospect Place, given its current form by architect Phillipe Baumann in 2004, was once a single-story carriage house, built in 1886. Baumann's renovations included a new upper floor, a 30-foot skylight, and a dazzling great room that opens onto an outdoor patio with a hot tub; custom architectural interiors incorporate warm wood, glass, steel, and plaster. The stunning home last changed hands in 2017 for $6.6 million; it's now back on the market for $7.9 million.
Take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

Hudson River rail tunnel project moves forward as NJ, NY reach agreement

Photo courtesy of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office.

July 6, 2022

Hudson River rail tunnel project moves forward as NJ, NY reach agreement

By Michelle Cohen

Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York and Gov. Philip D. Murphy of New Jersey announced Tuesday that they've agreed in a Memorandum of Understanding that they would split the local portion of the cost of the long-stalled Gateway Project's Hudson River tunnels, the New York Times reports. The agreement on who would pay the $14 billion tab for the project's first phase is a step ahead in one of the nation's most ambitious infrastructure plans.
Find out more

For $725K, this classic Upper East Side pre-war co-op is a perfect-sized first home or pied-a-terre

Photo credit: Coldwell Banker Warburg

July 6, 2022

For $725K, this classic Upper East Side pre-war co-op is a perfect-sized first home or pied-a-terre

By Michelle Cohen

Built in 1929 by Bing & Bing and designed by prolific architect Emery Roth, this bright one-bedroom co-op at 225 East 73rd Street is as classic as it gets. Part of the Eastgate complex, this Upper East Side home has plenty of pre-war charm in the form of beamed ceilings, original hardwood floors, and gracious proportions, with the cozy surprise of a wood-burning fireplace. It's now available for $725,000.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

For $3.3M, this turn-key Clinton Hill townhouse is light-filled and lovely, with historic charm intact

Photos courtesy of Compass.

July 5, 2022

For $3.3M, this turn-key Clinton Hill townhouse is light-filled and lovely, with historic charm intact

By Michelle Cohen

Among the brick homes and brownstones of Clinton Hill, this federal-style two-family townhouse at 240 Lafayette Avenue is currently configured as a single-family home. Asking $3,300,000, the four-story house has maintained its historic character, with five marble mantels, ornate ceiling medallions, exposed brick, tall ceilings, and full-height townhouse windows. Within the traditional layout are modern upgrades–like central heat and A/C–that make it a lovely and livable home–with the option of creating a rental apartment or suite.
Take the townhouse tour

Distinctive Homes

This $1.7M Prospect Heights co-op has city views, a terrace and penthouse potential

Photo credit: Russ Ross for The Corcoran Group

July 1, 2022

This $1.7M Prospect Heights co-op has city views, a terrace and penthouse potential

By Michelle Cohen

This top-floor co-op's current floor plan can be re-imagined almost as easily as its interiors, giving the two-bedroom home an additional bedroom; the dazzling city views, all-day sunlight and perfect sunsets expected of penthouse living are already here. Asking $1,695,000, the Prospect Heights co-op at 34 Plaza Street East –overlooking Grand Army Plaza and Prospect Park–also has a private terrace for beholding those panoramic views.
Take the top-floor tour

Distinctive Homes

Macy’s fireworks by the numbers: The tricks and stats behind the nation’s largest 4th of July show

Image via Flickr cc

June 30, 2022

Macy’s fireworks by the numbers: The tricks and stats behind the nation’s largest 4th of July show

By Michelle Cohen

America's largest 4th of July fireworks show is getting ready to light up the New York sky; Macy’s 46th annual Fourth of July live fireworks extravaganza happens Monday, July 4th at 8 P.M., Plans are being hatched to snag a spot at one of the city's better viewing locations (or in front of a bigger screen; the show is being broadcast live) to watch the amazing choreography of pyrotechnics throughout the two-hour display. The fireworks are set to sail skyward from five barges stationed on the East River centered around Midtown Manhattan starting at about 9:25 P.M.–and the numbers behind the show are even more impressive this year.
Check the figures behind the fireworks

For $7.5M, a two-condo combo means house-sized space and twice the high-floor views

Photo courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

June 30, 2022

For $7.5M, a two-condo combo means house-sized space and twice the high-floor views

By Michelle Cohen

Near the top of the sleek glass tower at 10 West End Avenue, this 3,383-square-foot condominium residence shares the floor with only one other apartment. The two-unit combination means there are two distinct wings–and two full kitchens–within its sprawling footprint, with a four-bedroom (with room for more) configuration that's perfect for entertaining while maintaining private living quarters. Glass-wrapped rooms with three exposures mean panoramic views of the Hudson River, the George Washington Bridge, and the Empire State Building through floor-to-ceiling windows.
See more of this sprawling glass-clad pad

Spend the summer entertaining outdoors on the terrace at this $9.2M Upper West Side condo

Photo courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

June 29, 2022

Spend the summer entertaining outdoors on the terrace at this $9.2M Upper West Side condo

By Michelle Cohen

Pre-war apartments with their high ceilings and gracious proportions rarely come in condo form, so this 3,200-square-foot condominium residence in The Olcott at 27 West 72nd Street is something of a find to start with. In addition to three-convertible-to-four bedrooms, the Upper West Side home, asking $9,200,000, has plenty of indoor entertaining space. But the best thing about it might be the sprawling terrace that's the size of a townhouse garden–all in a full-service building on a Central Park block.
Private outdoor living, this way

The ultimate guide to Dumbo, a neighborhood that led the way to Brooklyn’s 21st century

Photo credit: Caroline Culler via Wikimedia cc

June 28, 2022

The ultimate guide to Dumbo, a neighborhood that led the way to Brooklyn’s 21st century

By Michelle Cohen

Brooklyn's 25-block Dumbo neighborhood gets its name from where it can be found: Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, which explains not only the neighborhood’s location, but its cultural and residential evolution. The waterfront district’s iconic East River and Manhattan views and its stunning bridge-framed architectural vistas have defined it long before its current acronym and status as a coveted residential choice. Unlike many other Brooklyn neighborhoods, the area it occupies is quite small, but its architecture, infrastructure, and economic status are formidable.
Your guide to Dumbo, this way

Events & Things To Do

If you’re craving country life, this $875K 18th-century Hudson Valley stone farmhouse on 49 acres awaits

Photo credit: Thomas Kates at HomeTourVision

June 28, 2022

If you’re craving country life, this $875K 18th-century Hudson Valley stone farmhouse on 49 acres awaits

By Michelle Cohen

For cottage lovers or anyone who dreams of escaping to a bucolic country life, this circa 1782 stone farmhouse on 49 acres in the Hudson Valley village of Warwick, NY could be a dream come true. Asking $875,000, 297 Bellvale Lakes Road includes a historic 2,887-square-foot farmhouse, a horse barn, a garage and a workshop. The verdant property offers field acreage that abuts Wickham Lake, plus wetlands, marshes, farm fields and creeks.
Explore the farmhouse and 49 acres

Popular Articles

For $8.6M, this historic six-family Brooklyn Heights townhouse is huge–as a home and an opportunity

Photo courtesy of The Corcoran Group

June 27, 2022

For $8.6M, this historic six-family Brooklyn Heights townhouse is huge–as a home and an opportunity

By Michelle Cohen

The 25-foot-wide six-family townhouse at 118 Remsen Street in Brooklyn Heights has the classic good looks that define the neighborhood's covetable brownstones, complete with restored original interior details dating from 1900. Asking $8,599,000, the 10,200-square-foot property represents an opportunity for both living and earning–or creating a new space altogether. The house currently offers an owner's triplex and five separate market-rate one-bedroom apartments. Options include creating a single-family mansion or condominiums, or skipping the renovation effort and enjoying the home as-is, with income-producing units and a spacious residence.
Take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

Empty Financial District offices at 55 Broad will be converted to 571 apartments

Streetview of 55 Broad. © Google 2022

June 24, 2022

Empty Financial District offices at 55 Broad will be converted to 571 apartments

By Michelle Cohen

As many of New York City's workers remain remote and office vacancy shows no signs of reversing, many have suggested the city's empty offices be used for living. In one of the largest office-to-residential conversions to be launched during the pandemic, two local developers have purchased the one-third vacant 55 Broad Street with the intention of creating 571 market-rate apartments, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Find out more

Real Estate Trends

For $13.5M, live among the stars, oligarchs, and moguls at 15 Central Park West

Photo courtesy of Douglas Elliman Realty

June 23, 2022

For $13.5M, live among the stars, oligarchs, and moguls at 15 Central Park West

By Michelle Cohen

When an apartment at the iconic Robert A.M. Stern-designed 15 Central Park West hits the market, a certain kind of discerning buyer takes notice. There's a mansion-sized 8,000-square-foot combo unit available in the coveted building for $58,000,000, so this available half-floor two-bedroom residence seems like a downright steal at $13,450,000. With interiors designed by Axel Vervoordt, the 26th-floor unit spans 2,367 square feet, with the building's signature high ceilings and, best of all, views that sweep out over Central Park, the Hudson River, and beyond.
Get a closer look

Village townhouse once owned by Roy Lichtenstein’s son is back on the market for $30M

Image courtesy of Douglas Elliman Realty

June 22, 2022

Village townhouse once owned by Roy Lichtenstein’s son is back on the market for $30M

By Michelle Cohen

In 2017, 6sqft featured this charming Village townhouse at 118 West 12th Street, owned by Mitchell Lichtenstein, the son of famous pop artist Roy Lichtenstein, then listed for $25,000,000. A stunning balance between a historic 1840s home and a perfectly-curated modern art mansion made it a rare residence as unique as its former owner. The 24.5-foot-wide Greek revival home is once again on the market–this time for $29,950,000. A new $7,000,000 renovation has made the dramatic dwelling more triple-mint than its former impossibly chic version, much like the pricey neighborhood that surrounds it.
View the new version, this way

Distinctive Homes

This $1.65M Bed-Stuy brownstone is both renovation-ready and adorable as-is

Photo credit: Allyson Lubow Photography for The Corcoran Group

June 21, 2022

This $1.65M Bed-Stuy brownstone is both renovation-ready and adorable as-is

By Michelle Cohen

The listing calls this 1887 Bed-Stuy brownstone "Barbie's Bohemian Bed-Stuy Dreamhouse," and we can see why. Asking for $1,650,000, this three-story, single-family home on a tree-lined residential street has plenty of original details and lots of livable charm–including a pink fairytale kitchen and a tree-shaded backyard. With three bedrooms and space to create more, the Brooklyn townhouse offers plenty of opportunities to create your own dream house, or enjoy it as-is.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

See inside Central Park Tower’s newly-unveiled 100th floor amenities club

Photo credit: Evan Joseph

June 21, 2022

See inside Central Park Tower’s newly-unveiled 100th floor amenities club

By Michelle Cohen

Central Park Tower, the world's tallest residential building, has officially unveiled New York City's most elevated (literally) private club on the condominium tower's 100th floor. Perched more than 1,000 feet above Billionaires’ Row, the high-flying portion of the building's Central Park Club offers residents of the building's 179 condominiums a suite of private dining and entertaining spaces with incomparable views. Extell Development Company's 1,500-plus-foot-tall tower is also home to the Nordstrom flagship retail store located at its base.
Gaze at the city from the 100th floor

Real Estate Trends

Radio Park debuts summer garden dining series atop Radio City Music Hall

Radio Park above Radio City Music Hall. Photo credit: Rockefeller Center

June 20, 2022

Radio Park debuts summer garden dining series atop Radio City Music Hall

By Michelle Cohen

With the start of summer comes summer dining, and this July will mark the debut of an event that combines the excitement of Rockefeller Center with the experience of dining in a garden oasis high above New York City. Radio Park, the 24,000-square-foot landscaped rooftop that opened last year above Radio City Music Hall, will host "Dine at Radio Park," a new weekend dining series led by two celebrated local chefs.
Find out more

Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher’s former Upper East Side townhouse lists for $11.5M

Photo credit: Shannon Dupre/DDreps

June 17, 2022

Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher’s former Upper East Side townhouse lists for $11.5M

By Michelle Cohen

A quintessential Upper East Side townhouse with all the trimmings always makes a few waves when it hits the market–especially if it has a Hollywood connection. This 4,275-square-foot brownstone at 154 East 74th Street was once home to Debbie Reynolds and her daughter Carrie Fisher. According to the NY Post, Reynolds' son, Todd Fisher, recalls fond memories of growing up in the Manhattan townhouse–specifically the garden-level screening room, where the family spent many an evening--in his 2018 memoir. Asking $11.5 million, the four-story home has newly-renovated interiors that complement vintage craftsman details as well as luxurious additions like a wine cellar, fully-stocked gym, and landscaped rear patio.
Take the tour

For $1.99M, this charming Windsor Terrace home has three bedrooms, a multi-level garden, and a garage

Photos by Oleg Davidoff of Allyson Lubow Photography

June 16, 2022

For $1.99M, this charming Windsor Terrace home has three bedrooms, a multi-level garden, and a garage

By Michelle Cohen

This compact single-family home at 636 17th Street in Windsor Terrace just a few blocks from Prospect Park may only have 1,600 square feet of interior space, but it offers so much more than an "equivalent" condo of similar size. With a fresh and stylish renovation, the two-story home, now asking $1,995,000, has three bedrooms, two living spaces, 1,100 square feet of landscaped outdoor space, and that rare urban bonus: a driveway and a garage.
See it here

Distinctive Homes

Keep the party going all summer atop this $6.5M Village penthouse with an outdoor kitchen

Image courtesy of Douglas Elliman Realty

June 15, 2022

Keep the party going all summer atop this $6.5M Village penthouse with an outdoor kitchen

By Michelle Cohen

The two-bedroom condo at the top of 134 West 10th Street in the West Village is a perfect pad for the 21st-century bachelor/bachelorette. It's already in a prime spot, with the benefit of the kind of luxury finishes discerning penthouse buyers love. But the best part of this unique duplex may be its three private outdoor spaces, including a landscaped roof deck with an outdoor kitchen. Asking $6,500,000, the renovated sweet spot in the sky spans 3,500 square feet of indoor and outdoor living space.
Penthouse tour, this way

$4.5M modern treehouse in Westchester is surrounded by woods, ponds, and a pool

All photos courtesy of Houlihan Lawrence

June 14, 2022

$4.5M modern treehouse in Westchester is surrounded by woods, ponds, and a pool

By Michelle Cohen

Situated on 12 acres in Bedford, New York this contemporary Westchester County estate at 270 Cantitoe Street is a unique forest retreat surrounded by nature and architecture inspired by it. Asking $4.5 million, the property is comprised of the main house, two guest houses, and a heated three-car garage. On the private grounds are a heated gunite pool and a spa/jacuzzi, and several ponds.
More hereThe forest awaits, this way

Distinctive Homes

You can buy the Pride rainbow heart decals that adorn NYC subway cars

Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit

June 14, 2022

You can buy the Pride rainbow heart decals that adorn NYC subway cars

By Michelle Cohen

Happy Pride Month, New York City. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has been showing off its Pride logo decal on select subway cars since they rolled out the design in 2019. The heart-shaped decal was created as part of “50 cars for 50 years after Stonewall,” marking the historic event's 50th anniversary.
Find out where to get the merch

This $7.25M Sutton Place co-op was Greta Garbo’s home for 40 years

Photo credit: Rob Bregman/Flashframe Productions; DDreps

June 14, 2022

This $7.25M Sutton Place co-op was Greta Garbo’s home for 40 years

By Michelle Cohen

This elegant fifth-floor co-op at 450 East 52nd Street has a rare level of star cachet; Swedish-born Hollywood screen legend Greta Garbo called the pre-war apartment home for 40 years, from 1954 until her death in 1990. The three-bedroom Sutton Place co-op last changed hands in 2017, when it was purchased by John and Marjorie McGraw. John is the former chairman of the publishing house McGraw-Hill. The couple is a fan of Garbo, which may be the reason they purchased the apartment for $8.5 million–$2.5 million over its $5.95 million ask. The east side aerie is now back on the market for $7.25 million.
Step into the Hollywood legend's former home

From outdoor kitchen to rooftop garden, this $3.7M Bed-Stuy townhouse could be your summer retreat

Photo credit: Allyson Lubow for The Corcoran Group

June 13, 2022

From outdoor kitchen to rooftop garden, this $3.7M Bed-Stuy townhouse could be your summer retreat

By Michelle Cohen

This two-family Bed-Stuy townhouse at 333 Gates Avenue is comprised of nearly 5,000 square feet of interior living space in the form of a 2,800-square-foot triplex above a garden-level apartment with a fully finished basement. But "Backyard Envy" might be the key attribute of this covetable brownstone. The team from the hit Bravo series by the same name designed the home's back patio with a full kitchen and gas fireplace–part of 1,400 square feet of fabulously finished outdoor space including a roof garden and a 175-square-foot deck off the kitchen. All of it can be yours for $3,700,000.
Outdoor living in Brooklyn, this way

Distinctive Homes

The Coney Island Mermaid Parade turns 40, returns to the boardwalk this year

Photo credit: © Norman Blake

June 10, 2022

The Coney Island Mermaid Parade turns 40, returns to the boardwalk this year

By Michelle Cohen

Even a pandemic can't sink the zany spirit of the Coney Island Mermaid Parade. The event, now in its 40th year, is the nation's biggest art parade and the largest annual event in Coney Island. After a two-year hiatus, the parade will return "fin-person" this year to welcome summer, co-presented by Coney Island USA and Coney Island Brewery, on Saturday, June 18, rain or shine.
Details here

Events & Things To Do

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