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.
This compact $2M Red Hook home embodies the neighborhood’s unique, inventive spirit

Photo credit: Shannon Dupre/DDreps

April 16, 2024

This compact $2M Red Hook home embodies the neighborhood’s unique, inventive spirit

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The waterfront community of Red Hook is known for the fresh, unconventional vibe represented by the industrial-era buildings and wood-frame homes that line its streets. Built in the 1920s, this single-family home at 145 Van Dyke Street, asking $1,995,000, is simple and compact, yet offers the flexibility of city townhouse living. Set back from the street, modern architectural flourishes define the home's nearly 1,500 square feet. Perks include a private garage/studio, outdoor space, and four bedrooms.
see it here
$8.2M Soho penthouse loft feels like an airy beach house surrounded by terraces

Photo credit: Tim Waltman of Evan Joseph’s Photography

April 15, 2024

$8.2M Soho penthouse loft feels like an airy beach house surrounded by terraces

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The five-story loft building at 85 Mercer Street sits at the heart of Soho's Cast-Iron Historic District; the iconic co-op residence embodies the essence of a half-century of downtown loft living. Occupying the top floor, this stunning duplex penthouse, asking $8,180,000, adds the sort of luxury and outdoor living you'd find in a modern Hamptons beach house, lifted high above downtown New York City.
Outdoor living, penthouse views
This $1.4M Astoria home is all about flexible, fabulous, and fun townhouse living

Photo credit: Russ Ross Photography for The Corcoran Group

April 10, 2024

This $1.4M Astoria home is all about flexible, fabulous, and fun townhouse living

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Astoria has become a favorite for home buyers seeking urban townhouse living and a (relatively) affordable chance to expand beyond cramped quarters while staying in a vibrant New York City neighborhood. This multi-family townhouse at 23-23 33rd Road, asking $1,399,000, checks all the boxes. Built in 1945, this three-floor brick home offers incredible flexibility: Currently configured as a floor-through one-bedroom atop an owner's duplex, it could easily work as a single four-bedroom home, or a single residence with a separate garden-floor guest/in-law/teen suite. Completing the picture are a back garden, patios, a private parking spot, and a heated garage.
take the townhouse tour
This $6M Tribeca loft has bedrooms surrounded by terrace and sky

Photo credit: Yale Wagner for Sotheby’s International Realty – Downtown Manhattan Brokerage

April 9, 2024

This $6M Tribeca loft has bedrooms surrounded by terrace and sky

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If you're looking for a classic Tribeca loft, this duplex penthouse condominium atop 355 Greenwich Street offers 3,400 square feet of perfection. On the top two floors of an 1891 building, this iconic residence has the luxurious bonus of a top floor surrounded by 1,100 square feet of terrace overlooking downtown New York City. Asking $5,995,000, the three-bedroom home has thoroughly modern interiors, massive skylights, and state-of-the-art technology, framed by the prewar authenticity of brick walls and original wood beams.
tribeca loft living, this way
Book fair will feature rare photos of the chaotic and complex early construction of the NYC subway

Broadway & 116th Street. All photos courtesy of Capitol Hill Books

April 4, 2024

Book fair will feature rare photos of the chaotic and complex early construction of the NYC subway

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The ABAA New York International Antiquarian Book Fair (NYIABF) will be back at the Park Avenue Armory for its 64th year this month. A highlight of the fair is Capitol Hill Books' photographic archive of 37 albumen photographs that show the very first branch of the NYC subway system being built. Taken in 1901 and 1902, the photos reveal the complex first stages of the city's transit system, which has been running without interruption since it opened to the public in 1904. The rare photos show now-defunct sections like the Elm Street Route and the laborers who built the system, largely by hand.
More NYC Subway construction photos
A diplomat’s lofty home in a historic FiDi co-op asks $2.9M

Photo credit: Anastassios Mentis for Brown Harris Stevens

April 2, 2024

A diplomat’s lofty home in a historic FiDi co-op asks $2.9M

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John Berry, the former Ambassador to Australia under President Obama, has just listed his renovated FiDi co-op at 145 Nassau Street for $2,895,000. Located in the landmarked cast-iron, terra cotta, and red brick Potter Building, constructed in 1886 near City Hall (then known as Newspaper Row), this one-bedroom-plus-mezzanine apartment combines downtown loft living with the opulence of the city's grandest residences.
Tour the quintessential downtown manhattan home
Take the elevator from the gym and English garden to the roof terrace in this $13.5M UES townhouse

Photos courtesy of Francisco Rosario at DDReps and Douglas Elliman

April 1, 2024

Take the elevator from the gym and English garden to the roof terrace in this $13.5M UES townhouse

By
Once forest and farmland, the Jones Wood section of Lenox Hill is known for its "secret" gardens and historic townhouses. This five-story, 6,000-square-foot corner townhouse at 157 East 65th Street embodies the neighborhood's beauty, with a London-style private garden at the back and top-floor terraces in front and rear. Asking $13,450,000, the townhouse has been thoroughly renovated, with an elevator that travels to all floors, from the basement gym to the top-level loft.
take the townhouse tour
$3.4M Park Slope triplex condo has a roof terrace with heavenly views

All photos courtesy of Francisco Rosario, DDreps

March 29, 2024

$3.4M Park Slope triplex condo has a roof terrace with heavenly views

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This impeccably designed, 2,017-square-foot triplex at 390 9th Street is a house-sized apartment in a charming 1920s Arts and Crafts townhouse. It received a thorough renovation by the previous owner, who created unique living spaces–including a fabulous private roof deck–and modern amenities that complement its historic provenance. Located in prime Park Slope just a few blocks from Prospect Park, the condo, asking $3,400,000, has been featured in interior magazines like Elle Decor.
Tour the triplex
Kips Bay Decorator Show House New York announces 2024 designers

The 2023 NYC Show House at River Mansion, a Beaux Arts townhouse on Riverside Drive. Room design by GV Interiors. Photo © Nickolas Sargent Photography.

March 28, 2024

Kips Bay Decorator Show House New York announces 2024 designers

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The Kips Bay Decorator Show House New York has just announced the 24 top designers and architects who will be helping to transform a historic Upper East Side townhouse at 125 East 65th Street. The annual Show House, a fundraiser for the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, is one of the city's favorite design events, just ahead of spring's bounty of design and art offerings. The 2024 Show House will open to the public on Thursday, May 2nd. Read on for this year's participants and more information.
Find out more
This $5.75M Clinton Hill two-family home is five floors of brownstone perfection

Photo credit: Russ Ross and Douglas Elliman

March 28, 2024

This $5.75M Clinton Hill two-family home is five floors of brownstone perfection

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Brooklyn townhouses can seem like fairytale castles from the outside, but they often disappoint when it comes to interiors and livability. This massive 4,300-square-foot brownstone residence at 211 Greene Avenue in Clinton Hill is as much of a dream home on the inside as appears from the curb. Asking $5,750,000, the 19th-century townhouse has been thoroughly renovated with maximum architecture and design expertise. Five stories of living space include a two-bedroom garden apartment, a four-level upper unit, and a lovely landscaped backyard.
you'll want to see this
This $795K Hudson Valley farmhouse has clean, classic curb appeal–and a guest house in the back

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

March 25, 2024

This $795K Hudson Valley farmhouse has clean, classic curb appeal–and a guest house in the back

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While architecture trends change with the times, there's something about the simple lines and stunning surroundings of a classic upstate farmhouse that endures. This circa 1840 eyebrow colonial at 720 Center Hill Road in Copake, New York, embodies that aesthetic. Carefully considered design details make this historic property–asking $795,000–both modern and timeless. As an irresistible bonus, there's a fully outfitted–and utterly charming–guest house just out back.
take the tour
This $19M sky palace high above Park Avenue has a manor house-worthy terrace garden

Photo credit: David Paler for The Corcoran Group

March 21, 2024

This $19M sky palace high above Park Avenue has a manor house-worthy terrace garden

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This penthouse duplex at 895 Park Avenue is every bit of what you'd expect in an Upper East Side co-op asking $19,000,000, from private passenger and service elevators to an endless landscaped wrap terrace to a dramatic, sweeping stair. Pre-war grandeur is a given, and the home's interiors are as palatial as its proportions. With six bedrooms on one sprawling floor and a living and entertaining level surrounded by breathtaking city views, this classic sky mansion embodies the opulence of a long-gone Gilded Age.
Get lost in the gilded age, this way
For $2.95M, this parlor floor Chelsea co-op has brownstone charm and a private terrace

Photo credit: Michael Weinstein studio/ The Corcoran Group

March 20, 2024

For $2.95M, this parlor floor Chelsea co-op has brownstone charm and a private terrace

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In the heart of Chelsea's historic district on a tree-lined brownstone street, this just-right-sized two-bedroom co-op at 347 West 22nd Street offers the best of townhouse charm. With 12-foot ceilings and the elegant proportions often found on the parlor floor of a brownstone, this carefully renovated home, asking $2,950,000, offers a wood-burning fireplace and a private terrace overlooking the tranquil back garden, along with room for a bedroom, office, or guest room, and plenty of open entertaining and living space.
chelsea townhouse co-op tour, this way
19th-century townhouse in Hudson, NY has three units, retail space, and a three-bay garage for $2M

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

March 20, 2024

19th-century townhouse in Hudson, NY has three units, retail space, and a three-bay garage for $2M

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Located in a prime spot in cultured, quirky, and trendy Hudson, New York, this brick Federal Style townhouse at 239 Warren Street, built circa 1820, has curb appeal galore in the form of historic charm. A lot is going on beyond the property's fetching bay windows and smart black trim; inside are three separate units on a double lot, including retail space and a garage. Behind the home is a wide backyard with idyllic planted gardens. Asking $1,995,000, the downtown townhouse is a chance to create the upstate life of your dreams, all in one place.
tour this unique upstate property
Behind this $9.9M Chelsea townhouse, a secret path leads to a backyard carriage house

Photo credit: Brown Harris Stevens

March 15, 2024

Behind this $9.9M Chelsea townhouse, a secret path leads to a backyard carriage house

By
If you love the idea of an 1848 brick townhouse restored to its original glory, with a back garden, a roof terrace, and a pretty carriage house down a hidden "horse walk," the middle of Manhattan might not be the first place you'd look. This three-unit townhouse at 331 West 20th Street, asking $9,900,000, is like having a private country estate right in the heart of Chelsea. The 25-foot-wide, five-story Greek Revival home is large enough to contain three large private units. A two-story rear carriage house is an unexpected surprise.
townhouse and carriage house tour, this way
Step from the glass-clad conservatory onto a magical tea porch in this $7.25M Brooklyn Heights townhouse

Photo credit: Kellen Houde/REPN for The Corcoran Group

March 14, 2024

Step from the glass-clad conservatory onto a magical tea porch in this $7.25M Brooklyn Heights townhouse

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With its stately brick facade and charming front garden, this 19th-century townhouse at 163 State Street, asking $7,250,000, fits in perfectly among its neighbors on a historic Brooklyn Heights block. Inside, the five-bedroom home unfolds to reveal dramatic details like a light-filled parlor beneath a glass ceiling, original wide plank floors, and exposed brick and wooden beams. A stem-to-stern renovation has framed classic architectural details with a modern framework of functionality and style.
Tour this stunning townhouse
Focus on 57th Street: Manhattan real estate insiders Leslie Hirsch and Howard Morrel chart the rise of Billionaires’ Row

Photo by Martti Salmi on Unsplash

March 13, 2024

Focus on 57th Street: Manhattan real estate insiders Leslie Hirsch and Howard Morrel chart the rise of Billionaires’ Row

By
New York City’s most successful real estate agents make it their business to know the city’s highlights, hot spots, secrets, and specialties; many are NYC natives or longtime residents whose love for the city’s streets and avenues adds indisputable value to their career of choice. We’ve asked a few top agents to tell us about their favorite neighborhoods and share their views on what the city's future may hold. Read on for insights from Leslie Hirsch, an insider with an enviable view from Billionaires' Row.
find out more
This $3.5M Westchester estate is a private refuge surrounded by village life

Photos courtesy of Compass-Westchester

March 13, 2024

This $3.5M Westchester estate is a private refuge surrounded by village life

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This gated six-acre estate in Chappaqua, N.Y., asking $3,500,000, is elevated in more ways than one. Atop a gentle hill at 280 Douglas Road, a winding drive leads to the main house and surrounding grounds. A tennis complex, pool, gym, and sauna bring a wealth of amenities into your everyday home life; beautifully curated formal gardens, rolling lawns, and wooded groves offer a level of outdoor living you might not expect in such a civilized location.
tour the home and garden
This $2.6M apartment offers classic Upper East Side elegance with condo simplicity

Photo credit: Richard Caplan for Douglas Elliman

March 12, 2024

This $2.6M apartment offers classic Upper East Side elegance with condo simplicity

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Located just off Madison Avenue and two blocks from Central Park, this two-bedroom condo at 44 East 67th Street gets classic Manhattan cachet from being in a Rosario Candela building on a tree-lined townhouse block. But the bright, updated Lenox Hill home has the ease of living that comes with a condo purchase–in this case, for $2,595,000.
take the tour
For $665K, this little upstate home is the answer to your log cabin fantasies

Photos courtesy of Sotheby’s International Realty

March 11, 2024

For $665K, this little upstate home is the answer to your log cabin fantasies

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Surrounded by eight wooded acres and a long private driveway in Austerlitz, New York, this petite and picturesque property embodies the log cabin dream. Inside, the charming house offers a thoroughly livable, colorful, contemporary cabin style. Asking $665,000, the 1,697-square-foot home holds three bedrooms, two full baths, and lots of bright spaces and delicious design details.
Livable log cabin tour, this way
For $995K, this dreamy upstate farmhouse gets every detail just right

Photos courtesy of Sotheby’s International Realty

March 8, 2024

For $995K, this dreamy upstate farmhouse gets every detail just right

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Though many attempt to create a "modern farmhouse" aesthetic, few find as much success as this circa 1880 home in Rhinecliff, in the town of Rhinebeck, New York. Surrounded by a wooded lot and Hudson River views, this postcard-pretty property at 42 Kelly Street, asking $995,000, has undergone a considered renovation that features just-right design details for maximum comfort and charm.
get a closer look
This new $14.75M Cobble Hill townhouse looks like it’s been standing for a century

Photo credit: Donna Dotan

March 7, 2024

This new $14.75M Cobble Hill townhouse looks like it’s been standing for a century

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Built by its current owners in 2016, the five-story, 8,000-square-foot townhouse at 435 Henry Street occupies a corner lot in the charming brownstone neighborhood of Cobble Hill. From the outside, the newly-constructed home fits right in with its historic neighbors with its stately brick facade, two-over-two windows, and bay window detail. Designed by The Brooklyn Studio, the mansion-sized home with a private garage, yard, and roof deck puts all the modern design firepower on the inside. Asking a very 21st century $14,750,000, the seven-bedroom single-family townhouse features dramatic open spaces for entertaining and family living, light from three exposures, outdoor terraces with skyline views, a separate guest or work studio, and a garage.
A stunning brick mansion in brooklyn, this way
Interview: Famous photojournalist Steve McCurry on authenticity, truth, and trust in today’s world

Steve McCurry, “Monks Praying at Golden Rock,” Kyaikto, Myanmar, 1994. Courtesy Cavalier Galleries

March 5, 2024

Interview: Famous photojournalist Steve McCurry on authenticity, truth, and trust in today’s world

By
As the spring arts season awakens, an exhibition of note will be ending its run at the Cavalier Galleries in Chelsea: Now through March 30, take the opportunity to experience work by American photojournalist Steve McCurry. As one of our most celebrated contemporary photographers, McCurry is best known for his unforgettable portrait of 12-year-old Afghan refugee Sharbat Gula, the "Afghan Girl" who gazed from the cover of National Geographic magazine in 1985. The current solo exhibition marks the release of McCurry’s new book, "Devotion: Love and Spirituality" (Prestel, 2024). The show features over 30 photos that span more than four decades, captured during McCurry's visits to Cuba, Ethiopia, India, Myanmar, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Tibet. The images are both timeless and current, featuring human struggles and daily lives.
find out more
For $4.6M, this classic Park Slope limestone updates history without erasing the details

Photo credit: Allyson Lubow for The Corcoran Group

March 5, 2024

For $4.6M, this classic Park Slope limestone updates history without erasing the details

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On a leafy Park Slope block, the townhouse at 351 Fourth Street embodies the neighborhood's historic elegance. Built in 1909, the restored limestone residence consists of a two-bedroom garden flat and a gracious upper duplex. Behind a charming bay window, interiors have been renovated for the 21st century with a careful hand, while preserving details like original millwork and plaster walls and moldings. Asking $4,595,000, the 20-foot-wide home offers a total of five bedrooms, a rear garden and a deck.
take the townhouse tour
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