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serindeLooked at three more apartments last night. I intended to just look at the one I'd seen the post for, but there were two others in the same building complex available in my price range, so I permitted myself to be shown them as well.
It so proved that these were in a set of buildings I'd passed many a time when walking down by the river, ones that I had greatly admired--they're old pale pre-war brick with elaborate ironwork ornamentation on the fire escapes. And I'd always assumed that they were far, far above my touch, these lovely old but clearly well-kept buildings next to the river (though when you're talking 78th St, it's also "next to the FDR Drive", so it's not as all-that as it might be). Thus, I was mighty surprised to find that I Can, in fact, Haz.
The two studios I was shown were very nice, but too small. But it gave me an idea of what the place was like. And then, the 1-BR I'd actually come for...
Apartment #9, E. 79th and next-stop-the-river (call it East End): 1 BR, for the listed number of $TOOMUCH except it includes all utilities so works to a push. The apartment is awfully small, though it has a useable kitchen; the bedroom's probably, eh, 8' X 10', and the living room is maybe 10' square but it has egresses in each wall which makes the space complicated to use. Nice bathroom. Not enough window-age to delight me, but there is some, and it looks out over the interior courtyard rather than streets or, God love us, highway. 5th floor walk-up. In sum, its aggregate score wouldn't be high enough to make me stop and think, but...the building. Oh the building. You walk into the courtyard through a stone arched carriageway through an ornamented iron gate, and from there go into a corner and mount the also-ornamented stairs--which are outside, and look also out over the courtyard--to your domicile. It pleases me; oh, it pleases me greatly, the thought of coming home to that. And yes, the outdoor staircase probably sucks ass when you are trying to haul stuff up it, but still. But is it worth having to deal with a living room you can't rightly do much with? I just don't know.
So I asked the broker to let me know if more stuff there came up, and my amble back towards Penn became a very long walk of pondering; thinking about the apartment, thinking about my expectations, and then, in meta-fashion, thinking about the fact that I did not have to be anywhere, and I could walk about all night if it pleased me to do so. (This probably seems like a "well, duh" to most of you, but it's a new thought for me.) Eventually, I made it to Penn, missing the train by two minutes of course, and realized that it was also in my power to sit at the more decent of the two bar/restaurants and have a soup and a cocktail; and so I did that thing.
There was more introspection after I got home, on sundry other topics, but I have employed sufficient avoidance behavior for one morning.
It so proved that these were in a set of buildings I'd passed many a time when walking down by the river, ones that I had greatly admired--they're old pale pre-war brick with elaborate ironwork ornamentation on the fire escapes. And I'd always assumed that they were far, far above my touch, these lovely old but clearly well-kept buildings next to the river (though when you're talking 78th St, it's also "next to the FDR Drive", so it's not as all-that as it might be). Thus, I was mighty surprised to find that I Can, in fact, Haz.
The two studios I was shown were very nice, but too small. But it gave me an idea of what the place was like. And then, the 1-BR I'd actually come for...
Apartment #9, E. 79th and next-stop-the-river (call it East End): 1 BR, for the listed number of $TOOMUCH except it includes all utilities so works to a push. The apartment is awfully small, though it has a useable kitchen; the bedroom's probably, eh, 8' X 10', and the living room is maybe 10' square but it has egresses in each wall which makes the space complicated to use. Nice bathroom. Not enough window-age to delight me, but there is some, and it looks out over the interior courtyard rather than streets or, God love us, highway. 5th floor walk-up. In sum, its aggregate score wouldn't be high enough to make me stop and think, but...the building. Oh the building. You walk into the courtyard through a stone arched carriageway through an ornamented iron gate, and from there go into a corner and mount the also-ornamented stairs--which are outside, and look also out over the courtyard--to your domicile. It pleases me; oh, it pleases me greatly, the thought of coming home to that. And yes, the outdoor staircase probably sucks ass when you are trying to haul stuff up it, but still. But is it worth having to deal with a living room you can't rightly do much with? I just don't know.
So I asked the broker to let me know if more stuff there came up, and my amble back towards Penn became a very long walk of pondering; thinking about the apartment, thinking about my expectations, and then, in meta-fashion, thinking about the fact that I did not have to be anywhere, and I could walk about all night if it pleased me to do so. (This probably seems like a "well, duh" to most of you, but it's a new thought for me.) Eventually, I made it to Penn, missing the train by two minutes of course, and realized that it was also in my power to sit at the more decent of the two bar/restaurants and have a soup and a cocktail; and so I did that thing.
There was more introspection after I got home, on sundry other topics, but I have employed sufficient avoidance behavior for one morning.
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no subject
Date: 2009-03-04 12:48 pm (UTC)Agency. It's what's for dinner.
no subject
Date: 2009-03-04 01:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-04 03:11 pm (UTC)The bldg sounds delicious... pros and cons... it's all about weighing them against each other.
Goodluck with this one!!
Kasia
no subject
Date: 2009-03-04 04:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-04 05:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-04 05:09 pm (UTC)Anyway I have two words for you: cross ventilation.
H. told me that it was built in 1912 to house people recovering from TB and so *every apartment* has cross ventilation. You may not know it but in NYC this is one of the things you *never* get in an apartment. It's why we all sweat miserably all summer and have to put on the AC even though down on the sidewalk it's actually quite comfortable.
I think it's one of the most beautiful buildings I've ever been in and I've lived in the city for close on 20 years now.
As for the size. What is the total square footage of the apartment? I want to be gentle here but I think you may be being unrealistic about what you can get in Manhattan (even for $TOOMUCH). You can adjust to living in less space. It's not as easy to adjust to living in a shitty building and a neighborhood that has nothing to offer.
no subject
Date: 2009-03-04 05:41 pm (UTC)As for the ogresses in the living room, just keep them well-fed and I'm sure they'll be fine.
no subject
Date: 2009-03-04 06:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-04 06:17 pm (UTC)- "5th floor walk-up" Yucky if you ever had a temporary little injury type thing. Great for exercise under normal circumstances.
versus
- "It pleases me; oh, it pleases me greatly, the thought of coming home to that." This out-weighs lots. It would also be a nice 1st impression for guests.
no subject
Date: 2009-03-04 06:35 pm (UTC)On the other hand, you won't have to join a gym, 4 flights at least once per day is great exercise.
no subject
Date: 2009-03-04 07:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-04 06:23 pm (UTC)(I live to avoid regret, mostly.)
no subject
Date: 2009-03-04 09:34 pm (UTC)