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Help me understand why someone wants to live in NYC

Jan 13, 2022, 1:06 PM

Came across this article in the NY Times today about this couple with an apartment moving dilemma. Kinda floored by the prices and their comments. Who would want this?

Link and article C&P

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/01/13/realestate/13hunt-brownstein.html

An Upper West Side Upgrade, but No Doorman, Please. Which Home Would You Choose?

For two young renters, moving from a fifth-floor walk-up to a ‘forever home’ meant heading north. Here’s what they found.

For nearly eight years, Nicole Brownstein and Zack Rhodes were mostly OK with their fifth-floor walk-up on the Upper West Side.

The couple paid $2,350 a month for a sunny one-bedroom overlooking other people’s backyards. For counter space, they balanced a cutting board on the sink. The hot water cut out regularly, sometimes for weeks, so they’d shower at friends’ places or the gym.

They were fine until the pandemic hit, “and then things became unbearable,” said Ms. Brownstein, 32. Both were constantly on the phone for work, and they felt trapped inside by the 79 steps.

“You wish you could rappel out the window,” said Mr. Rhodes, 33.

[Did you recently buy or rent a home in the New York metro area? We want to hear from you. Email: thehunt@nytimes.com]

Shortly before their wedding four years ago, they considered buying a place in Inwood, at the northern tip of Manhattan. There they encountered Lucas Callejas, an agent at Triplemint, who helped them define their goals. “He would say, ‘You don’t want a spiral staircase, and here are the reasons why,’” Ms. Brownstein said.

At that point, the couple couldn’t afford more than a one-bedroom. So they waited and watched the market, while their incomes and their budget rose. Ms. Brownstein handles external communications for a city agency, while Mr. Rhodes is in sales at a market research company.

They hoped to remain on the Upper West Side, but not too far south. “I am not a fan of the area around Lincoln Center,” Mr. Rhodes said. “I find it soulless.”

They wanted a building with history and a story to tell, and were eager for a dining area where they could have dinner parties, although they preferred a narrow galley kitchen that would discourage guests from volunteering to help. “They distract you, and then you burn something, or they are standing in front of the drawer with the utensil you need,” Ms. Brownstein said.

They also weren’t keen on having a doorman. Ms. Brownstein’s first city apartment was in Kips Bay Towers, with round-the-clock doormen. Once, when Mr. Rhodes was sick — he was living in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, with roommates at the time — he was unable to visit her for days. “The doorman brought me a chocolate bar and said, ‘I am so sorry about your breakup,’” Ms. Brownstein said. “I said, ‘No, he has the flu.’ The doormen know too much about you.”

For a sunny two-bedroom, one-bathroom co-op apartment within their budget — up to $1.3 million — they knew they would have to head north. During their search, they found that natural light came at a premium. But “we are looking at this apartment as a forever home,” Mr. Rhodes said.

Among their options:

No. 1

West 100s Two-Bedroom

Katherine Marks for The New York Times
This sunny two-bedroom was a freshly renovated sponsor unit on a high floor in a 1904 non-doorman building, facing mostly east, with a city view through big windows. The apartment was around 950 square feet, with a wide hallway and a separate kitchen and dining area. The asking price was $1.295 million, with monthly maintenance of around $1,900.

West 100s Two-Bedroom (virtually staged)
West 100s Two-Bedroom (virtually staged) Courtesy of Heilman & Miller/Brown Harris Stevens
No. 2

Morningside Heights Two-Bedroom

Katherine Marks for The New York Times
This two-bedroom was on a low floor in Morningside Gardens, a non-doorman complex of six buildings that opened in 1957. The recently renovated corner unit was 900 square feet, with big windows facing south and east, overlooking a Foodtown supermarket, and an open kitchen with a large island. The price was $775,000, with maintenance in the low $1,300s.

Morningside Heights Two-Bedroom
Morningside Heights Two-Bedroom Courtesy of The Corcoran Group
No. 3

Riverside Drive Two-Bedroom

Katherine Marks for The New York Times
This two-bedroom was on a middle floor with interior views, in a 1923 building with a doorman and a stunning lobby. It was 950 square feet, with French doors, archways, a foyer and a separate kitchen. The price was $1.095 million, with monthly maintenance of a little more than $1,800.

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It's living there that's a beast. I worked at Combustion during the early 70s and lived in Tiftonia. From my job at Sidney St I was the last exit going toward Tiftonia so working there was ok with that setup. 7 miles to work and never a traffic jam.

When I lived in Hixson I had to cross the ### to get to the Main St plant. There is a round about under the highway entering the ### now. At one time it was a four way stop. Hundreds of cars waited in the mornings to get through that. The people in Chatt then were the best city drivers I'd ever seen. We took turns one at a time getting through that 4 way.

After that we merged into a two lane to cross the ###. The people we merged into allowed one car per car to merge. In two years I never saw anyone violate the polite driving manners at either of those bottle necks. It was a joy to be involved with such a wonderful group.

Chattanooga is not like that today. Some polite people remain, a larger percentage than Greenville but nothing like it used to be there.

Help me understand why someone wants to live in NYC

It's unappealing because it's expensive, but it's expensive

Same in California.....

Murc, did you ever live in the city ?

No, but I lived in San Francisco from 2000-2002.

Dude I legit miss your posts of awesome cars you just

I don't see them quite as frequently as I used to.

You've lived in SanFran and New Hope?

Right now I live near New Hope, not in New Hope.

Looks like the only thing they used at the gym was the

Right ? 79 steps up & 79 steps down …… you’d think ……***

Well, the donut shop is on the 3rd floor.***

Idk which machine pumps up your fupa

Hey bawce.

I’m Weslichick

MOE FUGGIN NEW DC IN DA LOUNGE HOUSE!!!!

I love this place

F*CK OFF

Thanks for the warm

What was your user name prior to Dec 30 2021?

You are being seched in.

I’m always down to get seggsd in

Regulators??***

They really get you on the monthly maintenance fee, huh?

If you're a non-citizen, it would be so that you can vote

It's the perfect plan.

Re: If you're a non-citizen, it would be so that you can vote

I wish there was a way to deport you from this board.***

Would love to live there if economically feasible. The most

Re: Help me understand why someone wants to live in NYC

I am trying to be modern and more 2022-ish

Does it matter?***

Re: I am trying to be modern and more 2022-ish

A friend of mine's 23 year old recent college grad daughter

I have friends who live in the Bronx with 3 kids is a 2 bedr

I would love to live there if it werent so frigging cold

I'm with you on the cold.

Re: Help me understand why someone wants to live in NYC

I'm sorry, I can't help.

Chattanooga is a sneaky cool city

I could see myself living there, but I'll be @#@#$@#$@#

The river is still a mess if you work downtown.***

Down town is still fun in Chatt.

Re: Help me understand why someone wants to live in NYC

Went to visit once and I don't even care to do that again

I'll crank that qustion up a notch

Can't and won't.***

AND YA DON'T STOP!***

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