Brooklynites Jumping Ship to Manhattan?
Could it be that many self-proclaimed Brooklyn loyalists are ready to trade it all in at the first sign of a recession? Was the borough’s surging popularity in recent years merely a function of Manhattan becoming unaffordable? Or is Brooklyn still a first choice for many? The Real Estate section cover story from yesterday’s New…
Could it be that many self-proclaimed Brooklyn loyalists are ready to trade it all in at the first sign of a recession? Was the borough’s surging popularity in recent years merely a function of Manhattan becoming unaffordable? Or is Brooklyn still a first choice for many? The Real Estate section cover story from yesterday’s New York Times certainly tries to create the impression that, given the chance, a number of folks who professed to like Brooklyn in recent years are finding the lure of affordable rents and proximity to work just too much to resists. Take Andrew Baisley, who describes himself as a “cheerleader for Brooklyn.” The Bushwick resident, though, just last month jumped at the chance to rent a $2,100-a-month one-bedroom in Chelsea. When you go to Manhattan, there’s an air of selling out, he says. I’ve accepted that. Let’s try to get a sense of how many fair-weather Brooklynites there really are out there:
Manhattan Calling [NY Times]
“add the cost of taxis onto your Brooklyn rental”
What an asinine statement. People in Manhattan seriously think the east river is like 20 miles wide or something. My cab ride from Soho/Nolita/LES to Williamsburg is 8-12 bucks compared to, what, 17-20 to go to the UES/UWS. Sure, if I lived in Soho I wouldn’t need to take a taxi – but that savings would be moot when I’m paying 4k a month for a faux “loft-like” space.
Man I will be glad when neighborhood go back to being their original names!
Stuyvesant Heights —> Bed Stuy.
North Crown Heights (WTF!) —> Crown F***ing Hieights
Greenwood Heights (WTF is up with all the “Heights”)—> Sunset Park
BoCaDo????!!!!!!—-> DownF****ingtown!!!!!!!!
The What
Someday this war is gonna end….
mopar,
You lost me. Do you hate Manhattan or do you want to live near the union square greemarket (which I use to — and, yes, it is great)?
And “every apartment in the city has become $1900” hurts my brain.
But I’m admittedly operating on too little sleep and something witty probably just went over my head.
nsr
mopar…what kind of book business???
I loved this article. Absolutely true, and full of priceless lines. The only thing missing was “taxi math.” Though one guy alluded to it — add the cost of taxis onto your Brooklyn rental, and see all the money you will save by moving to Manhattan! (Not really, since you will still take taxis in Manhattan. You will also eat out at many sucky restaurants and pay through the nose.)
Ever since rent control was abolished, every apartment in the city has become $1900. The only difference is they become progressively smaller the closer you get to Manhattan.
Our lives would be so much easier if we lived within walking distance of the Union Square greenmarket or Citarella, but we need a ridiculous amount of space for the book business. We also need a loading zone and parking, so — no way.
Hamiton Heights is nice – Is Striver’s Row considered part of HH? That’s probably one of my fav blocks in the whole city.
rob, one person’s hell is another’s heaven. The parts of Hamilton Heights I’m thinking of certainly don’t suck, by any definition of the term. Still and all, I’ll take Brooklyn, anyway.
“I was working in Midtown at the time, so I would have to switch to the uptown 4/5/6. That was truly hell during morning rush hour.”
Eesh Snark – yeah I would want to gouge my eyes out if I had to do the L -> 4,5,6 even now. I avoid the “green” trains like the plague. the L -> R/W downtown is a pretty tame commute.
“the L train is the absolutely worst nightmare of a train in entire nyc. dipster is lying out of his ass in previous post. every single person i know and work with who takes the L says it’s a nightmare at ALL hours. plus it’s filled with vile people. i’d rather go poor and take a cab than take the L train. ”
Do your friends have jobs Rob? – I take it every morning during rush hour(except when it’s nice – bike) and it’s fine. Some mornings it sucks and about once a month all hell breaks loose and I walk down to the J.