Back to Where They Once Belonged
As the gap narrows between Brooklyn and Manhattan housing prices, brokers are reportedly seeing waves of young Brooklynites relocating to “the City.” Often these folks lived in Manhattan to begin with and decamped across the East River only to save money, reports The Brooklyn Papers. One realtor describes how he recently sold a two-bedroom apartment…
As the gap narrows between Brooklyn and Manhattan housing prices, brokers are reportedly seeing waves of young Brooklynites relocating to “the City.” Often these folks lived in Manhattan to begin with and decamped across the East River only to save money, reports The Brooklyn Papers. One realtor describes how he recently sold a two-bedroom apartment on the Upper West Side to a couple in their 30s, who had moved to Cobble Hill just 18 months earlier:
“They quickly realized their quality of life suffered due to added commute times and less city conveniences, and they were sick of $40 cab rides.”
Sweet–more $40 cab rides for the rest of us, guys!
They’ll re-take Manhattan [The Brooklyn Papers]
Photo by pictureinfocus via Flickr.
provincial my ass, you just dont get it
I say good riddance! $40 cab rides? exaggerate a little more why don’t you?
And yes, I can attest, having grown up in Queens,and now living in Brooklyn, that “the city” (or sometimes “Manhattan”) is how we always referred to that destination over the bridge, and I still do.
I’ve rarely seen a hailable “cab” in Park Slope. I’ve taken a “car service” to Manhattan’s upper east side (had to get up to Mt Sinai Hospital recently): the fee was $31 … add the tunnel toll and the tip and the cost was well over $40.
I grew up on Staten Effin Island with parents who grew up in Brooklyn. Manhattan is always “the city.” My grandparents, who grew up in Queens and moved to Brooklyn, called it “the city.”
Funny, though, on the south shore of Staten Effin Island, we would “go to town” to shop for milk and eggs, or to visit the drug store or post office. The “town” was located around the nearest train station. In my case, that was Eltingville or Annadale station.
When I stayed at my grandparents house in Brooklyn (Bensonhurst, but we just called it “Brookyn”), I went to the “corner,” or “around the corner” to shop, depending on what store we had to shop at. No matter what, there was always one just a corner or two away.
But face it, if you live in one of the outer boroughs and someone asks you — while in the city or on vacation — where you’re from, you say “Brooklyn,” “Queens,” “The Bronx” or “Staten Effin Island.”
Then, when they look at you quizically, you roll your eyes and say “New York City.”
Re: “the city,” I think it’s all relative. I used to live on the UES just below 96th, and my roommates and I would sometimes say we were headed to “the city” on the weekends when we went downtown. I’m actually (significantly) closer to downtown now that I live in Brooklyn.
Oh, and I’m with Anon in comment #1 — where the hell where these people going? $17 MAX to Grand Central from Cobble Hill!
” also hate the term ‘the city’ or ‘duh city’ – sounds so provincial from natives and so
trying to sound hip-local from the young newcomers. Definitely hearing it much more is past few years. ”
– I think using the term “nabe” fits in too that too…no?
things may be/seem simpler in broooklyn, but certainly not less sophisticated… in the end its all opinion, and peronal preference,
BTW, 3:42 ,who are you responding to?….
to me one of those stupid articles about a handful of people that can make for interesting conversation but meaningless. Forever people have moved from one nabe to another – sometimes that means from one boro to another and back. Big deal. Just glad the people are staying in NYC and not moving out.
PS – also hate the term ‘the city’ or ‘duh city’ – sounds so provincial from natives and so
trying to sound hip-local from the young newcomers. Definitely hearing it much more is past few years. I think facilitates attitude that other-than-Manhattan is less sophisticated.
I work downtown (as in Court Street) and live pretty simply, so “added commute times and less city conveniences” aren’t really my concerns. But I moved to Brooklyn 25 years ago for the openness: sky, relative quiet and fewer people. As that changes, I am more and more inclined to just live in Manhattan, especially as the price differential evaporates.
Sorr you are wrong
Me- NYC all my life Queens, Manhattan, now Brooklyn
Where am I going when I cross that bridge – the city!