Meh - you couldn't pay me enough to live in NY - MA too. Apparently some people like it (only a few millions!). That's good, more from LA need to move there.

In all seriousness though, Shaun, go with your heart and maximize your happiness!

G

DUMBO is so year 2000.... Like Williamsburg was in the late 1990s...

Redhook..... is almost at the peak of cool hip about to change 'hoods...

My cousin, her hubby and 6 kids live in a 3000 sf loft overlooking upper NY bay (over Fairway Market) amazing views of lower Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty etc... they have an amazing loft..

My cuz and her hubby both work in Media, both have been published a few times and one has a gig on talk radio...... they can afford the astronomical rent that I imagine they pay

I could not live in NYC... but it is an amazingly vibrant place....

I work in the Hamptons raising and rehabbing some railroad bridges that were built around 1907...

Today on my way to work the road was shut down because of an accident between a farm tractor and a cidiot going to the Hamptons for the weekend... just an hour drive from the financial center of the world..

I have only been there once in the late 80's.... It smelled like a garbage dump above ground and the subways all smelled like urine. I was visiting my mother and little sister who rented a tiny apartment there for a couple summers while Little sis was modeling for the Ford modeling agency. I positively hated it. Luckily my motorcycle I rode there did not get stolen at night while shoehorned into a parking spot on the street.

Even if it is cleaner now, I could never live there (or in any city again for that matter). I lived in a city in college when my lifestyle consisted of partying and chasing girls, but even then I missed having a suitable workshop. In my 40's, I value my privacy and freedom to enjoy my shop, house and 9 acres any way I want. I truly do not understand how adul men can enjoy living in such tiny residences with no yard, no shop, no privacy.... nothing but some walls and a TV.

Good point Denis. I have friends who have been in the city all their lives and are still obsessed with everything about it. I just never was all that crazy about it. Yeah there are alot of thing to do there, and there is places I do like to go, but to me, most of it was always just overpriced hype.

Yeah its amazing, how the hipsters move from neighborhood to neighborhood. Once too many of them move to an area, it is no longer cool. I remember when I was working in wiliamsburg I seen it change practically overnight from a trashed, dirty, dump, into prime real estate.
Im originally from Bensonhurst/Bath Beach. Ive watched that unfortunately change for the worst. :(

Shaun, how about the jersey side? Hoboken, Jersey City, Weehawken rents are way cheaper.

Shaun - Just a quick, serious question: Why couldn't you run this business from BumFauck, Wym? Why do you have to be in the city?

He likes the energy of the big apple, he already said.

I could never live somewhere I could not have a garden and a few fruit trees. I dig the fresh produce too much.

A good suggestion, but Jersey just doesn't do much for me.



With changes to how we manufacture, I could operate out of a shoebox. and places on my list to move have included: Minnesota, Los Angeles, NY, PA and NH. Each place has its own charm. Boston...never really liked it here other than having great friends. Another thing that keeps me here is the space I have for the company, me and the cars.


Plenty of places in Brooklyn with backyards. Fast search on CL commercial found several. old GF I had in Park Slope (what a firecracker) had a serious garden in her back yard. Which reminds me, how are the peaches coming along?

But the farmers markets dotting the city allow for better, local produce than most places in the country. one of the real benefits of NYC is the entire state of NY.

Thanks JT,

Why did they fold? Any idea?

I'm sure between us we'd have more tools than your average shop. if I could find a place big enough and cheap enough, I'd love to set-up a membership-based Porsche/VW/BMW/Benz club shop. Always been a side dream. If I could find 4K sq ft for $4K/month, could do it, but I think $6K is probably more reasonable, and that prices out the idea.

Peaches are getting close, another few weeks, looking a little small though:(

If you can grow decent peaches in Brooklyn I would be shocked

harlem is the next best place to live.I was there the other day completely changed ....

harlem is the next best place to live.I was there the other day completely changed ....west of lenox ave of course

Been there several times with "local" people. Never could figure out what people see in it.

A lot of people seem to have this mindset, but the truth is that Jersey City & Hoboken have much more in common with Manhattan and the Boroughs than they do with the rest of NJ. My commute to midtown is the same length or shorter than many people who live on the island of Manhattan. Downtown and Greenwich village are about a ten-minute ride. 24 hour access via PATH train just 500 feet from my front stoop.

Private garages, while not particularly common in my 'hood, are available if you look around.

http://asbury.smugmug.com/By-Land/Pr.../DSC5949-L.jpg

One of the things I appreciate the most about living on the western shore of the Hudson (aside of proximity to NYC and availability of garage/workshop space) is that when I want to head out to the country (Western Jersey and Pennsylvania) I don't have to run the gauntlet of Hudson river crossings.

Anyway, I love living in the NYC metro area.

You make a very compelling argument there, Jacob.

Shaun,, Jacob has a killer sailboat,, I'd put him on your "new best friend" list :-)

Another benefit of living in Jersey City. Not only is Manhattan 10 minutes away, so is the marina (on foot...shorter on bicycle).

http://asbury.smugmug.com/By-Sea/Win...55_Zv4ea-L.jpg
http://asbury.smugmug.com/By-Sea/Win...96_BtstJ-L.jpg

so definitely don't look into jersey...it sucks:D

Lot of fruit trees on Christopher street.

View from the closet. :cool:

Brooklyn born and raised, 57 years. I cannot imagine living anywhere else, mainly because of the food! Shaun, right now everywhere in north Brooklyn is very expensive, but way cool. My shop is on the edge of Williamsburg and Greenpoint and one stop from Manhattan on the L train. I live in the suburban part of Brooklyn, Bergen Beach.

The diversity of the city is the best part of this city. You'll find us very friendly and helpfully, but you know that already. Good luck with the move.