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.

LES arts collective ABC No Rio breaks ground on new building in triumphant return to original home

Photo by Eden Janine and Jim via Flickr

September 17, 2024

LES arts collective ABC No Rio breaks ground on new building in triumphant return to original home

By Michelle Cohen

A decade ago, New York City's creative community expressed alarm, tempered by a bit of hope, at the news that ABC No Rio, the iconic downtown DIY punk rock venue and arts/cultural space that had been a fixture on the Lower East Side's street scene since 1980, would be moving. What has been a 10-year journey has achieved a promising new milestone as construction began on a new space at 156 Rivington Street this summer. As Hyperallergic reports, the collective's new home, set to open in 2026, will mean a triumphant full-circle return to the group's original "art squat" address on Rivington Street after a long and arduous wait and many setbacks along the way.
find out more

For $6.5M, this Sutton Place townhouse can be three apartments, one modernist mansion, or anything in between

Photo credit: Udi Almog and Anton Brookes/H5 photography

September 13, 2024

For $6.5M, this Sutton Place townhouse can be three apartments, one modernist mansion, or anything in between

By Michelle Cohen

Townhouse living is a unique urban blessing, often with many options for a multi-family dwelling, usually with covetable outdoor space. Asking $6,500,000, this five-story townhouse at 419 East 50th Street in elegant, understated Sutton Place is particularly special on both counts. Built around 1878, the building was completely renovated in 1958, and it has retained its stunning mid-century modern appeal since then. The multi-unit townhouse can be reconfigured as a single-family or live/work home, or set up with a large owner's triplex with two income-producing units. But its finest asset may be its 32-foot-deep back garden–one of the most beautiful private gardens in Manhattan.
Take the tour

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Bethenny Frankel lists her Bridgehampton property for $6M

Photos courtesy of Rise Media

September 12, 2024

Bethenny Frankel lists her Bridgehampton property for $6M

By Michelle Cohen

The multi-hyphenate media star Bethenny Frankel has hit the Hamptons real estate headlines again; she just listed her Bridgehampton property at 346 Lumber Lane for $5,995,000. The "Real Housewives of New York" alum, author, and entrepreneur previously sold a seven-room house–also in Bridgehampton–in 2020 for $2.28 million. The Skinnygirl founder's current listing is a sprawling property with a 2,500-square-foot, five-bedroom house, a pool, a guest cottage, and an adjoining 40 acres of open fields.
details, this way

Milk Bar founder Christina Tosi lists Chelsea condo for $5.9M

Photo credit: Brown Harris Stevens

September 11, 2024

Milk Bar founder Christina Tosi lists Chelsea condo for $5.9M

By Michelle Cohen

Manhattan living doesn't always mean giving up indoor and outdoor space. Asking $5,895,000, this sunny, sprawling full-floor Chelsea condo at 532 West 20th Street is a 2,703-square-foot, three-bedroom home. On a high floor in a modern 11-story building, warm wood accents and high ceilings frame Scandi-style interiors, accessed by a private keyed elevator, and a south-facing terrace is perfect for skyline-gazing and big enough for outdoor dining. And about that dining: Husband/wife culinary team Will Guidara and Christina Tosi are the home's current owners. He's the former owner of Eleven Madison Park and NOMAD and she founded Milk Bar and hosts “Bake Squad” on Netflix among other accomplishments, so you can bet the kitchen won't disappoint.
let's see what's cooking

Every inch of this $1.8M Fieldston home was hand-crafted by an artist resident

Photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

September 10, 2024

Every inch of this $1.8M Fieldston home was hand-crafted by an artist resident

By Michelle Cohen

You could say this unusual house at 4675 Tibbett Avenue in the Fieldston section of Riverdale in the Bronx is the opposite of a cookie-cutter home. Its current owners, a textile designer who has worked for Martha Stewart and a noted contemporary artist, renovated the property themselves, giving their creative turn to its hand-carved stairs, hand-crafted kitchen cabinets, stained-glass windows, and hidden doors. Asking $1,800,000, the home mixes art and comfort, including cozy perks like an artist studio in its lofty garret.
take the tour

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Architecture & Design Film Festival brings top documentaries from around the world to NYC

Film poster photos courtesy of ADFF

September 10, 2024

Architecture & Design Film Festival brings top documentaries from around the world to NYC

By Michelle Cohen

The Architecture & Design Film Festival was founded in 2009 to celebrate the creative universe of architecture and design. The event has grown into the world’s largest annual film festival devoted to the subject, bringing a curated selection of films, events, and panel discussions to cities around the world, to the delight of all who are excited about architecture and design. ADFF New York is in town from September 25 through 28 to kick off the festival's 16th season. This year brings a full slate of excellent documentaries in a carefully selected program that focuses on sustainability, culture, and the power of personal and public space.
more about the film festival

Archtober 2024: Your guide to this year’s celebration of architecture and design

Pollinator Lounge, photo by Liz Ligon, courtesy of Brooklyn Botanic Garden; AIANY Classic Harbor Line Boat Tour; The Refinery at Domino, photo by Max Touhey; Green-Wood Cemetery

September 9, 2024

Archtober 2024: Your guide to this year’s celebration of architecture and design

By Michelle Cohen

Archtober, New York City's annual fall festival celebrating all things architecture and design, is once again upon us. The festival, in its 14th year, will run from October 1 through October 31, with more than 100 partners and sponsors and over 400 events city-wide. This year's theme, "Tracing the Future," focuses on the city's changing landscape in the context of affordable housing, sustainable design, infrastructure, and more. The festival offers a chance to attend events, exhibitions, and talks, join neighborhood tours across the five boroughs, and become more deeply acquainted with New York City's singular architecture and design contributions to history–and the future.
things to see and do during Archtober, this way

For $1.65M, this Prospect Heights pre-war co-op can expand to hold a classic six

Photo credit: Joel Pitra @ DD Reps

September 6, 2024

For $1.65M, this Prospect Heights pre-war co-op can expand to hold a classic six

By Michelle Cohen

It's hard to avoid the word "classic" when describing this pretty pre-war co-op at 41 Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn's Prospect Heights neighborhood. In an elegant residence known as Copley Plaza, the (currently) two-bedroom flat has the enviable bones befitting its Deco-era origins, with a floor plan that offers the flexibility of adding a third bedroom. The co-op, asking $1,650,000, has been renovated to reflect an airy, Scandinavian vibe, highlighted by understated luxuries like stone worktops and recessed lighting.
take the toor

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This $7.75M West Village home updates 1828 Federal style with a perfect country kitchen

Photo credit: MW Studios for Sotheby’s International Realty

September 5, 2024

This $7.75M West Village home updates 1828 Federal style with a perfect country kitchen

By Michelle Cohen

Surrounded by the historic homes and winding streets of the West Village, the 21-foot-wide townhouse at 45 Barrow Street is the very picture of curb appeal. Built in 1828, the Federal-style row house, asking $7,750,000, is a piece of neighborhood history, reborn in the 21st century via a two-year renovation. Inside, the four-story brick home has the comfortably elegant charm of a country estate, filled with well-chosen color and texture framed by modern amenities.
four floors of restored historic charm, this way

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A world traveler’s Catskills haven is now a $2M mountaintop home

Photo credit: Gabriel Zimmer / Catskill Image

August 27, 2024

A world traveler’s Catskills haven is now a $2M mountaintop home

By Michelle Cohen

Just 15 minutes from trendy Hudson, N.Y., and five minutes from the town of Catskill, this unusual Arts-and-Crafts-style property at 5280 Cauterskill Road has roots in modern architecture and international travel. Asking $1,975,000, this Catskills mountaintop aerie stands on a 32-acre lot, offering a main house, a separate guest house, a heated saltwater gunite pool, and acres of secluded rock paths and lush gardens. The home was built in 1920 for Alleyne Ireland, a British author known for his well-documented travel throughout Asia; his friendship with architect Frank Lloyd Wright inspired the design of this upstate estate.
tour this catskills home

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For $5.1M, this pretty Gramercy condo comes with a key to the private park

Photo credit: Tim Waltman with Evan Joseph for Douglas Elliman

August 26, 2024

For $5.1M, this pretty Gramercy condo comes with a key to the private park

By Michelle Cohen

From the outside, the ornate, historic building at 36 Gramercy Park East is a neighborhood icon; its stunning pre-war architecture is enhanced by the surrounding 19th-century townhouses and the greenery of Gramercy Park just across the street. Only a few hundred New Yorkers possess keys to that rare private oasis, and this parkside residence offers a chance to be among them. The four-bedroom home, asking $5,100,000, brings modern comfort and style to a classic frame, with sophisticated finishes, big windows, and light-filled open spaces.
take the tour

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For $32.5K/month, rent a five-story designer townhouse in Gramercy

Photo credit: Zoe Wetherall for Duplex Imaging

August 22, 2024

For $32.5K/month, rent a five-story designer townhouse in Gramercy

By Michelle Cohen

Even for those with plenty to spend, renting is often preferred for the flexibility it offers, especially in uncertain financial times. This gorgeous Italianate townhouse at 238 East 19th Street in Gramercy Park, asking $32,500 per month, awaits a renter who needs plenty of space and a turnkey experience. The restored 19th-century home's interiors have been featured in Architectural Digest as a showcase of historic beauty and modern style. Architectural flourishes and designer details include steel-framed rear glazing, landscaped outdoor space, iconic lighting, and high-end fixtures and finishes in every room.
gramercy townhouse luxury, this way

From rental income to solar panels, this $3.5M Bed-Stuy brownstone checks all the boxes

Photo credit: Anton Brookes/H5 Property for The Corcoran Group

August 21, 2024

From rental income to solar panels, this $3.5M Bed-Stuy brownstone checks all the boxes

By Michelle Cohen

Brooklyn brownstone dreams often involve transforming historic properties into 21st-century dream homes. Adding sustainable features and luxurious amenities means lots of work and a big investment. The classic 20-foot-wide townhouse at 508 Madison Street in Bed-Stuy, asking $3,495,000, offers the end result, complete with solar panels for sustainable energy, a garden apartment for rental income, and lots of outdoor space, in a move-in-ready package. Built in 1931, the 4,000-square-foot home even has a finished basement, for five stories of living space.
take the townhouse tour

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This $1.5M Ansonia Court co-op is an old-school classic loft in prime Park Slope

Photo credit: Romy Rodiek, RARE Photography

August 20, 2024

This $1.5M Ansonia Court co-op is an old-school classic loft in prime Park Slope

By Michelle Cohen

Whenever an apartment in Park Slope's coveted Ansonia Court at 420 12th Street pops up on the market, it gets noticed. The former Ansonia Clock Company factory is a favorite in the idyllic Brooklyn neighborhood, with its industrial buildings arranged around a verdant courtyard. The charming co-op apartments within offer rustic 11-foot beamed ceilings, exposed brick walls, and arched loft windows; this two-bedroom residence–a one-flight walk-up asking $1,495,000–is a fine example.
Brooklyn loft goodness, this way

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For $8.5M, this Gramercy townhouse is a slender slice of reclaimed history

Photo credit: Shannon Dupre and Francisco Rosario / DD-Reps

August 19, 2024

For $8.5M, this Gramercy townhouse is a slender slice of reclaimed history

By Michelle Cohen

From seven working fireplaces to reclaimed pine floors, this Gramercy Park townhouse at 143 East 18th Street puts its 1854 origins into a 21st-century context for maximum appreciation. Asking $8,499,000, the brick-fronted Anglo-Italianate-style home, like many of its neighbors in the historic Manhattan district, has been restored to its graceful best. Five floors of living space give the 14-foot-wide home a vertical space advantage, and a compact backyard provides an enviable outdoor urban oasis.
take the manhattan townhouse tour

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This $3M Ditmas Park Victorian surprises with bold and delightful interiors

Photos courtesy of Joel Pitra of DD Reps and Douglas Elliman

August 15, 2024

This $3M Ditmas Park Victorian surprises with bold and delightful interiors

By Michelle Cohen

From the outside, the dove-gray Victorian house at 231 Argyle Road in Ditmas Park has all the historic charm for which the Brooklyn neighborhood is known. A wraparound porch shaded by a roof and vines, a verdant front yard with trees and flowering bushes, and a driveway and garage make it an enviable urban refuge even from the curb. Inside, the single-family home, asking $3,000,000, continues to impress, but with a clever and colorful modern design that elegantly complements the historic architecture.
take the townhouse tour

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For $3.25M, this West Village duplex puts angles and corners in their best light

Photo courtesy of The Agency Brokerage

August 14, 2024

For $3.25M, this West Village duplex puts angles and corners in their best light

By Michelle Cohen

On a charming, tree-shaded West Village street, this duplex co-op at 104 Bedford Street takes a pre-war home with a mix of odd angles and floods it with sunlight. Asking $3,250,000, the 1,500-square-foot apartment boasts a recent renovation, gracious proportions, three bedrooms, 18 windows, and several skylights.
get a closer look

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Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy are selling their West Village townhouse for $9.75M

Photos courtesy of Alejandro Leon/DD Rep

August 12, 2024

Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy are selling their West Village townhouse for $9.75M

By Michelle Cohen

From the wine cellar to the terraces, roof deck, and outdoor kitchen, the West Village home of actors Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy is a dreamy four-story urban refuge. But according to the New York Times, the celebrity pair is seeking even more space for their family; they've put the 3,890-square-foot home at 19 Downing Street on the market for $9,750,000. To complement its timeless beauty, prize-winning interiors by the architecture firm of BKSK added modern luxury to the Greek revival townhouse. Three outdoor spaces make it an all-season natural for entertaining Hollywood royalty or just friends and family.
Take the townhouse tour

Colors, prints, and patterns give this $850K pre-war Murray Hill co-op a country cottage vibe

Photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

August 12, 2024

Colors, prints, and patterns give this $850K pre-war Murray Hill co-op a country cottage vibe

By Michelle Cohen

This full-sized two-bedroom co-op on Manhattan's east side at 144 East 36th Street is a classic pre-war home, with high, beamed ceilings and generous proportions. Asking $850,000, the cozy, colorful apartment's decor surrounds graceful arches and molding, hardwood floors–and Chrysler Building views–with pretty prints and floral chintz, bringing the cheerfulness of a country meadow to the historic Deco residence.
step inside

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Luxury finishes take this $4.4M landmarked Soho loft beyond the white box

Photo credit: Oleg Davidoff for The Corcoran Group

August 8, 2024

Luxury finishes take this $4.4M landmarked Soho loft beyond the white box

By Michelle Cohen

Quirks and character get plenty of attention, but they aren't always easy to live with. Asking $4,400,000, this 2,275-square-foot co-op at 53 Crosby Street makes a case for turn-key living. It checks all the "loft" boxes, with pre-war details, curb appeal, and a spot on a classic Soho street. Inside, a design-aware renovation has graced every inch of the two-bedroom home with the latest and greatest fixtures, finishes, and modern convenience.
take a look around

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This $2.2M Bed-Stuy townhouse is a 19th-century beauty seeking a 21st-century life

Photo credit: Oleg Davidoff for The Corcoran Group

August 7, 2024

This $2.2M Bed-Stuy townhouse is a 19th-century beauty seeking a 21st-century life

By Michelle Cohen

Unspoiled 19th-century brownstones with intact period details are becoming rare in the 21st century, as sweeping renovations render many of the city's historic homes luxurious and livable–often at the expense of vintage character. Built in 1893, this elegant white-painted townhouse at 102 Decatur Street on a landmarked Bed-Stuy block is a treasure trove of architectural details on each of its four floors, ready for restoration or transformation. Asking $2,200,000, the home has an equally storied cultural pedigree: Former tenants include Brooklyn Dodgers baseball legend Joe Black; notable neighbors and visitors gathered here during its years as an artistic, musical, and intellectual salon.
take the townhouse tour

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Architect-designed Bushwick carriage house with a yard and private garage asks $2.4M

Photo credit: Oleg March

August 1, 2024

Architect-designed Bushwick carriage house with a yard and private garage asks $2.4M

By Michelle Cohen

Dubbed "Red Spiral House" for the distinctive tomato-red steel staircase that anchors the space from top to bottom, this architect-designed converted Bushwick carriage house at 290 Bleecker Street is a standout. The colorful home was created within a narrow, rectangular space–albeit one with a private yard and garage. Previously featured in Architectural Digest, its industrial proportions are highlighted by high ceilings, skylights, and steel-framed glass walls that offer a loft vibe and an eyeful of the outdoors. Asking $2,390,000, the home is for sale by the current owner, who also listed it as a rental for $9,900 a month.
get a closer look

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$1.95M duplex co-op is an East Village idyll gone luxe

Photo credit: DD-reps

August 1, 2024

$1.95M duplex co-op is an East Village idyll gone luxe

By Michelle Cohen

This designer-detailed penthouse co-op in the part of the East Village that was once known as Alphabet City embodies funky downtown living with high-end luxury appeal. Atop a pre-war building at 224 East 7th Street, surrounded by the neighborhood's vibrant street life and charming community gardens, this two-bedroom home features interiors by Leyden Lewis Design Studio. Asking $1,950,000, the penthouse is all about modern comfort, while providing a visual feast of stunning materials and finishes.
take the tour

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For $1.99M, this just-right co-op is on the parlor floor of a pretty Brooklyn Heights townhouse

Photo credit: Yale Wagner

July 31, 2024

For $1.99M, this just-right co-op is on the parlor floor of a pretty Brooklyn Heights townhouse

By Michelle Cohen

On a postcard-worthy brownstone-lined Brooklyn Heights street, this two-bedroom parlor-floor co-op at 283 Hicks Street, asking $1,990,000, embodies townhouse living in a manageable size. Beneath ceilings of nearly 12 feet, the apartment's 19th-century details like crown moldings, exposed brick, and a wood-burning fireplace frame a renovated, elegant interior that needs no updates or additions.
Take a closer look

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Look out on the best of the West Village from the terrace of this $4.5M penthouse

Photo credit: DD-reps

July 30, 2024

Look out on the best of the West Village from the terrace of this $4.5M penthouse

By Michelle Cohen

From atop a covetable Bing and Bing building at 302 West 12th Street, the view from this charming penthouse condo is elevated even more by a sprawling wrap-around terrace. Asking $4,500,000, the one-bedroom home is a classic Village gem, and it's on the market for the first time since the iconic 1931 building was converted to condos in 1986.
check out the village views

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