What's it really like living downtown??

[lofter1]

Just got back from City Hall Park on a beautiful Friday evening ... where there was free concert sponsored by J&R Music World with lots of folks having a great time.

I didn't plan this, just happened upon it. Another plus of downtown living.

[ron]

I’ve never posted here, but here’s my take…

I lived on the UES (76th & 2nd) for 5 years, then on the UWS (Broadway & 107) for 1½ years, and I moved to Gold St (between Fulton & John) a month ago. Although I’m new to the area, my initial take is that I really like it. As for your questions:



1.) Nightlife – I guess that depends on your definition. I like dive bars for my “local”, but when I go out, I only go to rock shows. It’s cool to be able to walk to the Knitting factory, although I’m not wild about that place. But, in my opinion, the Fulton St train station is the best in the city, and I’m less than a minute walk from it (on the 2/3 side)… so, I can get anywhere pretty fast. I haven’t found my “local” yet, but I’ve found a few that will suffice. If clubs are your thing, I can’t give advice, other than you can walk to TriBecca, which I guess has that sorta thing.

2.) Safety – I don’t think any parts of Manhattan are really unsafe, unless you’re in the far reaches, and walk around with cash taped to your back, and a map in your hands. In the Financial District, I guess the risk is, you fall down in the middle of the street on a Saturday, and there’s no one around to help. (Cobblestone streets can be dangerous.)

3.) Ghost Town – I’m over near the Seaport, so I probably see more traffic than you would get near Battery Park. But, yeah, stuff closes early. Luckily, there’s a [nice] 24-hour supermarket about 100 feet from my apt, but if you need a drug store at 11 pm, be prepared for a walk (or, a train ride). The good side is, you don’t have drunk tourists wandering around all hours, like on Bleeker, or the East Village.

4.) Restaurants – again, depends on your taste. I like diners (I actually considered writing a book about diners in NYC, which rates omelets around town, but I’m too lazy). And, there aren’t many around. That’s been the biggest bummer for me. However, there are plenty of good bar-food joints, fast-food, and “nice” places that my girlfriend always tries to get me to (like, Paris, near the Seaport). I’ll throw this out there… every place I’ve been in seems generally cleaner and better maintained than almost any other part of Manhattan (in a comparable place). For example, I ate in a place called Lisa’s (I think) 2 days ago- just a basic sub shop. My girlfriend commented on how there were no missing letters on the menu board, and the food was way better than we expected. And, cheaper. Everything was clean, and neat, and we decided that if the same shop were above 96th st, it would’ve been a dump.

5.) The general atmosphere – unless you’re walking in front of one of the few bars that happens to be open, it’s quiet. I sorta like the quietness, which contrasts the loudness from inside of whatever bar I’m leaving. But, fewer people mean fewer degenerates to bug you on your commute. I think I’m in one of the better pockets of the neighborhood, for what I like, so maybe I’m biased.



Some other thoughts… walking from the far east side of town to the far west is no big deal, because Manhattan is so narrow down there. Try walking from York to Westend! Also, other neighborhoods, like Tribecca, and the LES are an easy walk. I already mentioned how great the Fulton St station is, if you need a train. I also like the old buildings, and the narrow, crooked streets, as opposed to the cookie-cutter street topography uptown. There’s no such thing as the “perfect place”- you always have to concede something (whether it’s size, location, access to trains, etc). If you weigh the plusses and minuses of the Financial District, I think it’s a great place. Of course, you may be the complete opposite of me, so who knows?

[BrooklynRider]

What floor are you on and what's the rent (if you don't mind answering).

[Khurram]

Great post!

thaks for the info ron....
I"m pretty much like you, i like dives and stuff not to much into clubbing anymore but If i feel the need i'll just hop on the train and go to one. I also think the quietness of the area is a benefit..i mean i dont wanna hear cars honknig and sirens all night long outside my window!
couple questions for you ron
1. Are you at 2 Gold street? If so what do you think of the building...the units, and how much does a studio/ w home office rent for..what about a 1bdrm?

2. Ive been lookin online about 10 hanover square, it also seems like a nice place, but i'm worried about it being brand new cuz new buildings always have problems in the beginning...have you been there? seen any apartmetns in it? Seen teh building? what's the immediate area around it like?

Thanks a lot bro
Khurarm

I’ve never posted here, but here’s my take…

I lived on the UES (76th & 2nd) for 5 years, then on the UWS (Broadway & 107) for 1½ years, and I moved to Gold St (between Fulton & John) a month ago. Although I’m new to the area, my initial take is that I really like it. As for your questions:



1.) Nightlife – I guess that depends on your definition. I like dive bars for my “local”, but when I go out, I only go to rock shows. It’s cool to be able to walk to the Knitting factory, although I’m not wild about that place. But, in my opinion, the Fulton St train station is the best in the city, and I’m less than a minute walk from it (on the 2/3 side)… so, I can get anywhere pretty fast. I haven’t found my “local” yet, but I’ve found a few that will suffice. If clubs are your thing, I can’t give advice, other than you can walk to TriBecca, which I guess has that sorta thing.

2.) Safety – I don’t think any parts of Manhattan are really unsafe, unless you’re in the far reaches, and walk around with cash taped to your back, and a map in your hands. In the Financial District, I guess the risk is, you fall down in the middle of the street on a Saturday, and there’s no one around to help. (Cobblestone streets can be dangerous.)

3.) Ghost Town – I’m over near the Seaport, so I probably see more traffic than you would get near Battery Park. But, yeah, stuff closes early. Luckily, there’s a [nice] 24-hour supermarket about 100 feet from my apt, but if you need a drug store at 11 pm, be prepared for a walk (or, a train ride). The good side is, you don’t have drunk tourists wandering around all hours, like on Bleeker, or the East Village.

4.) Restaurants – again, depends on your taste. I like diners (I actually considered writing a book about diners in NYC, which rates omelets around town, but I’m too lazy). And, there aren’t many around. That’s been the biggest bummer for me. However, there are plenty of good bar-food joints, fast-food, and “nice” places that my girlfriend always tries to get me to (like, Paris, near the Seaport). I’ll throw this out there… every place I’ve been in seems generally cleaner and better maintained than almost any other part of Manhattan (in a comparable place). For example, I ate in a place called Lisa’s (I think) 2 days ago- just a basic sub shop. My girlfriend commented on how there were no missing letters on the menu board, and the food was way better than we expected. And, cheaper. Everything was clean, and neat, and we decided that if the same shop were above 96th st, it would’ve been a dump.

5.) The general atmosphere – unless you’re walking in front of one of the few bars that happens to be open, it’s quiet. I sorta like the quietness, which contrasts the loudness from inside of whatever bar I’m leaving. But, fewer people mean fewer degenerates to bug you on your commute. I think I’m in one of the better pockets of the neighborhood, for what I like, so maybe I’m biased.



Some other thoughts… walking from the far east side of town to the far west is no big deal, because Manhattan is so narrow down there. Try walking from York to Westend! Also, other neighborhoods, like Tribecca, and the LES are an easy walk. I already mentioned how great the Fulton St station is, if you need a train. I also like the old buildings, and the narrow, crooked streets, as opposed to the cookie-cutter street topography uptown. There’s no such thing as the “perfect place”- you always have to concede something (whether it’s size, location, access to trains, etc). If you weigh the plusses and minuses of the Financial District, I think it’s a great place. Of course, you may be the complete opposite of me, so who knows?

[ron]

“What floor are you on and what's the rent (if you don't mind answering).”



I don’t mind, but I don’t feel like that doesn’t tell you much. I mean, I could be in a class A building, or a dump (you didn’t ask). Well, I’m 3 floors off the ground (although my address implies I’m on the second floor), but I like being close to the ground, so I can use the stairs vs. waiting for the elevator. My rent is $1800, but you need to see the place to understand what that buys. My girlfriend & I decided we live in the frat house of the Financial District. Before I found this place, I checked out a few (85 John, 1 West, some others) which were waay too stuffy [read: hotel-like] for me. I don’t need a doorman, although our building (33 Gold) has an “attended lobby”- that’s even more than I need.

My place has a really cool set-up… it’s a converted warehouse, and has a ho-hum lobby and elevator (which is fine by me), but my actual place is like a split-level. You walk in, and the bathroom is on that level, and a closet, and a little floor space. Then, you go up about 5 stairs to the main room, which has the kitchen, living room, and a shared terrace, which overlooks Ryan’s Bar. The ceilings are about 12 feet (I think), and behind the kitchen, there’s a small flight of steps, which leads to a loft bedroom. The ceiling is between 6 & 7 feet up there, so if you’re tall, it ain’t gonna be fun, but I’m short. We have a queen bed, some end tables, a big wardrobe thing, and some extra un-used (as of now) space. And, there’s a walk-in closet (!), which my girlfriend has taken over. That thing is about 7 X 9. It’s probably over 600 sq ft, overall.

Now, the downside… if it were “nice” inside, I couldn’t afford this place. It has carpet, cheap cabinets, cheap appliances, crappy paint, etc. They went super-cheap on the interior, although most of it IS new. Man, if I owned this place, I’d dump about $25k into it, and it would be killer… but, it’s a rental. (I recently sold my apt on the UWS… waiting for the bubble to burst.)



Khurram-

I haven’t seen 2 Gold.

If the weather doesn’t suck, I’ll walk to 10 Hanover Sq after work, and see what that looks like.

[Khurram]

Thanks,
take a look around inside and let me know what it's like, thing is, it is going to be very "hotel like" but that's actually what i'm looking for...just see how the quality of the place is and it would be great if they let you peak in on an apartment Also is the gym done there yet? (supposedly has a rock climbing wall?!?)
waiting for your reply...

“What floor are you on and what's the rent (if you don't mind answering).”



I don’t mind, but I don’t feel like that doesn’t tell you much. I mean, I could be in a class A building, or a dump (you didn’t ask). Well, I’m 3 floors off the ground (although my address implies I’m on the second floor), but I like being close to the ground, so I can use the stairs vs. waiting for the elevator. My rent is $1800, but you need to see the place to understand what that buys. My girlfriend & I decided we live in the frat house of the Financial District. Before I found this place, I checked out a few (85 John, 1 West, some others) which were waay too stuffy [read: hotel-like] for me. I don’t need a doorman, although our building (33 Gold) has an “attended lobby”- that’s even more than I need.

My place has a really cool set-up… it’s a converted warehouse, and has a ho-hum lobby and elevator (which is fine by me), but my actual place is like a split-level. You walk in, and the bathroom is on that level, and a closet, and a little floor space. Then, you go up about 5 stairs to the main room, which has the kitchen, living room, and a shared terrace, which overlooks Ryan’s Bar. The ceilings are about 12 feet (I think), and behind the kitchen, there’s a small flight of steps, which leads to a loft bedroom. The ceiling is between 6 & 7 feet up there, so if you’re tall, it ain’t gonna be fun, but I’m short. We have a queen bed, some end tables, a big wardrobe thing, and some extra un-used (as of now) space. And, there’s a walk-in closet (!), which my girlfriend has taken over. That thing is about 7 X 9. It’s probably over 600 sq ft, overall.

Now, the downside… if it were “nice” inside, I couldn’t afford this place. It has carpet, cheap cabinets, cheap appliances, crappy paint, etc. They went super-cheap on the interior, although most of it IS new. Man, if I owned this place, I’d dump about $25k into it, and it would be killer… but, it’s a rental. (I recently sold my apt on the UWS… waiting for the bubble to burst.)



Khurram-

I haven’t seen 2 Gold.

If the weather doesn’t suck, I’ll walk to 10 Hanover Sq after work, and see what that looks like.

[ron]

Well, I went to 10 Hanover last night, but just walked by. When I see the word “Luxury” in big letters on the side of the building, I know they don’t want my type inside. Outside, it looked just like an office building (which, I suppose it was), and the lobby looked quite refined. (But, when you’re renting, does the outside of the building really matter, anyway?) Not as hotel-ish as some buildings I’ve been in, but no personality, nonetheless. But, if that’s what you like, you’re set. The immediate surroundings were a bit more starched and sophisticated than where I live, but you would expect that, being closer to Wall St, whereas I’m next to Fulton. Actually, I like how a couple streets come together on the west side of the building- that gives a little more of the old NYC effect. You’ve got some Irish watering holes, a couple restaurants, which looked decent, and no noticeable eyesores within a couple hundred feet of the building.

Sorry for not going inside, but I’d feel like a hypocrite, since I could never afford to live there; plus, I probably wouldn’t have gotten past the doorman, anyway.

Their website made it look nice, but those “artist renditions” of what looked like a meth-head on the roof deck need to go.

[Khurram]

Your right on with the Meth-head on the rooftop!! Lol!!
Thank you for going by there for me i really appreciate it ron, very kind of you. And thanks for ure input on the building...
couple more questions if u dont mind..
was there an actual square in front of the buildng? someone posted earlier here that the ywere doing it up again in teh spring and making it nice but i dont really know what the deal was with that. Did the lobby look like the artist rendition on teh website or is everything way to exaggerated?

I know its' not ure style..but personally tha'st what i'm lookin for so it sounds good for me....

Anyways thanks again bro
cheers
khurram

Well, I went to 10 Hanover last night, but just walked by. When I see the word “Luxury” in big letters on the side of the building, I know they don’t want my type inside. Outside, it looked just like an office building (which, I suppose it was), and the lobby looked quite refined. (But, when you’re renting, does the outside of the building really matter, anyway?) Not as hotel-ish as some buildings I’ve been in, but no personality, nonetheless. But, if that’s what you like, you’re set. The immediate surroundings were a bit more starched and sophisticated than where I live, but you would expect that, being closer to Wall St, whereas I’m next to Fulton. Actually, I like how a couple streets come together on the west side of the building- that gives a little more of the old NYC effect. You’ve got some Irish watering holes, a couple restaurants, which looked decent, and no noticeable eyesores within a couple hundred feet of the building.

Sorry for not going inside, but I’d feel like a hypocrite, since I could never afford to live there; plus, I probably wouldn’t have gotten past the doorman, anyway.

Their website made it look nice, but those “artist renditions” of what looked like a meth-head on the roof deck need to go.

[NewYorkYankee]

OT- Is "Cheers" NY lingo? Ive noticed several people on here say it. I dont hear it down here. Well... CHEERS!

[Khurram]

OT- Is "Cheers" NY lingo? Ive noticed several people on here say it. I dont hear it down here. Well... CHEERS!

I dont know if it is or not but....Cheers!

[ebrigham]

I first heard it from the British. I think NYers may have stolen it!

[llynch]

I am a broker downtown and I can tell you guys a little what it is like. Now first off 2 Gold right now is at 100% capacity. That was my favorite building down there to rent because it was just BEAUTIFUL!! That roof deck was like an oasis in the sky.

As others have mentioned there is alot going on down there Seaport, Battery Park, etc. But because it is so small and borders all the great neighboorhoods (Soho, Nolita, L.E.S) I think it's the best of all world. Me personally I live on the L.E.S and now I am even looking to move to the Financial District. Better value without being totally isolated.

Just my $0.02

P.S English folks usually say Cheers..

[j0cy0223]

oh yeah, i forgot about that rule...

Haha. =]

[TonyO]

December 1, 2005 Edition

Report Labels Lower Manhattan Model for American Downtowns

BY DAVID LOMBINO - Staff Reporter of the Sun
December 1, 2005
URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/23772

The model for downtown renewal across America? Lower Manhattan, according to the author of a Brookings study released this November, "Who Lives Downtown."

"It's New York. Absolutely. It has been happening in New York since 1960, and it's so far ahead of the crowd," Eugenie Birch told The New York Sun.

Ms. Birch, a University of Pennsylvania professor of city and regional planning, traveled to each of the 44 downtown areas cited in her report, from Chicago and Los Angeles to Des Moines, Iowa; Shreveport, La., and Mesa, Ariz.

Studying census data and analyzing demographic trends, the report said that downtown living is generally on the rise across the country, with a rise in homeownership, racial and ethnic diversity, and level of education in those areas.

Ms. Birch said that development in Lower Manhattan benefited from smart public policy decisions and a unique partnership between the public and private sectors. She cited tax abatements that began in the 1990s as leading to the conversion of office space to residential housing. Ms. Birch said that this policy had the dual effect of lowering the commercial vacancy rate and raising residential consumption, particularly among younger, working couples.

"It takes a long time to convert from one use to another. The downtown story is one of a place that has successfully done that. It has taken three or four decades for that to happen, but it is a lesson for other cities to learn from," Ms. Birch said.

She also said that investments in infrastructure - building schools, and improving security and sanitation - helped revitalization.

"It doesn't happen naturally. It happens through a conscious effort," Ms. Birch said. "Once it gets started, once developers have seen a market, they get involved."

Ms. Birch said that the lack of development at ground zero was relatively isolated from the rest of Lower Manhattan. The professor said that the residential consumption rate since September 11, 2001, has been "nothing short of miraculous."

Still, she said, relative to other downtown areas, the center of Lower Manhattan lacked open space, with dark, narrow streets, and suffered from being farther away from the city's major cultural attractions.

Lower Manhattan and Midtown were counted separately in the report. Ms. Birch said that while most of the new housing in Lower Manhattan is converted office space - the kind of conditions many American downtowns will likely face - most of the new housing in Midtown came from new construction. Because Lower Manhattan includes Chinatown and Battery Park City, where she said many families live, its composition was more diverse than other downtown areas, including Midtown.

"Midtown is more like the rest of the nation. The young single person, childless couples, empty-nesters, and all highly educated. It's more diverse than suburbs, less diverse than the city," she said.

The report's national findings included:

* During the 1990s, downtown populations grew by 10%, a rebound following 20 years of overall decline.

* Downtown homeownership rates more than doubled from 1970 to 2000.

* Downtowns are more racially and ethnically diverse than 20 years ago.

* In general, downtowns boast a higher percentage of both young adults and college-educated residents than the nation's cities and suburbs.

* The composition of downtown households has changed to include a greater percentage of single people, unrelated couples living together, and childless married couples.

[deanc]

english and australians (I'm one) say cheers.

It's pretty common in both countries.

no it didn't come from Boston.


Dean