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1. Plenty of “luxury” buildings have window-unit-type air conditioners put through the wall, instead of having central air conditioning. In Normal America, apartments have their own central air conditioning.
2. Plenty of expensive pre-war buildings don’t even have central air conditioning. In Normal America, even pre-war buildings are updated to have modern conveniences.
3. Lots of aging buildings have dirty, aging exteriors. In Normal America, decent buildings are painted and kept clean on the outside.
Why do people tolerate this nonsense in NYC when any middle-class person elsewhere in the USA wouldn’t?
Central air can be added to pretty much any building and is added even to old buildings and small apartments outside of NYC.
Lots of leftist New Yorkers tell themselves buzzword excuses such as 'diversity' and 'culture' to justify the low qol that they put up with. Have a coworker who worked in the south bronx the other day and said he saw transplant white girls walking their poodles by themselves. Said she was showing lots of skin too. He googled the price of those new waterfront buildings and "affordable" studios start at 2k/month. There's a sucker born every minute.
First off, you definitely cannot always tell how good an apartment you get here by the building facade. It may look like a tenement on the outside, but have newly renovated apartments inside w dishwashers and washer/dryer. Apartments here are constantly renovated on a tenant’s moving out—and landlords often hasten the process, legally (with buyouts) or illegally. Renovated places can get substantially higher rents.
Many older buildings have also been converted to condo or co-op status, which means there can be the money for substantial facade, building, and HVAC improvements, though this definitely does not always happen.
Many older buildings also don’t have the infrastructure for central AC, thus the window units. Responsible landlords and HOAs make sure that these are properly installed. After all, the price of one accidentally falling can be high.
And yes, we accept this because we are NOT like other cities—who have their own particular things we consider loony. We are New York and most of us know the benefits of living her far outweigh the way our building facades look.
It is not that they tolerate it, it is the fact that it takes a referral from baby Jesus to the Department of Building to get anything done. Then when it is, it is prohibitively expensive and time consuming. There are less bureaucracy and union labor requirements outside of NYC. So it is easier to construct/renovate and update buildings elsewhere.
In addition, many of these luxury manhattan buildings are Co-ops. They have their own layer of bureaucracy.
It is easier to get things done in a more right to work friendly state.
That is why it is taking 25 years to fix the Vanwyck in comparison to out of state locations that would have had it done in 3 years.
P.S. The space needed for duct work and other mechanicals to update a building to all central air is also not available. In NYC where space is at a premium many would rather take higher ceilings, not have bumped out walls or a room dedicated to mechanical for central air. I converted my attic to a one bedroom suite, bathroom and sitting area included. My neighbor used his attic for central air.
I am sure I can sell my house much easier, for at minimum $100K more, because I converted it to usable space rather than use it for central air that is only needed maybe 4 months out of the year if that.
First off, you definitely cannot always tell how good an apartment you get here by the building facade. It may look like a tenement on the outside, but have newly renovated apartments inside w dishwashers and washer/dryer. Apartments here are constantly renovated on a tenant’s moving out—and landlords often hasten the process, legally (with buyouts) or illegally. Renovated places can get substantially higher rents.
Many older buildings have also been converted to condo or co-op status, which means there can be the money for substantial facade, building, and HVAC improvements, though this definitely does not always happen.
Many older buildings also don’t have the infrastructure for central AC, thus the window units. Responsible landlords and HOAs make sure that these are properly installed. After all, the price of one accidentally falling can be high.
And yes, we accept this because we are NOT like other cities—who have their own particular things we consider loony. We are New York and most of us know the benefits of living her far outweigh the way our building facades look.
Fair points; however, living in an attractive and comfortable home makes life better. NYC housing could be much better.
Because who you consider affluent are merely upper middle class by NY standards. The truly affluent have some breathtaking apartments.
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