luxury?

[zimzima]

I had the chance to see a 1 br in the Pacific. I am just so shocked. I can't believe they call that "luxury." This seems to be a redundant topic on this website, however, i couldn't help but to start another thread after viewing the place with my own 2 eyes. I'm currently at the Lincoln, and am quite reluctant to fork up $400 more to live there. Besides the windows, EVERYTHING else was the same! There's NO difference even though it's newer. (by only about 3 yrs?) The kitchen countertops were black. I thught they were supposed to be granite? It wasn't an open kitchen. I thought I'd see a stainless steel refrigerator. Another perk, other than the windows, was the extra closet space. I SO did not think the place was in any way shape or form "luxury." Conclusion: location location location.. is what i'd be paying for if i moved there.

[Lenin]

zimzim,


Aww, your not being fair. Don't you consider it extremely luxurious that you can chat with several of your neighbors without using your phone or even opening your door?
Imagine a situation where you were in danger; you could run right through the thin walls to escape. You can't say that of a crummy tenement in New York, all that brick and plaster would trap you in your apartment.

And then there's the HEAT. You don't have to complain about your landlord not giving you enough heat, or too MUCH heat because you don't GET any.

And the Pacific has it's special luxuries like crowds of noisy people exiting drunk in the wee hours and all that nice roach food generated by the fab night club downstairs.
And the delightful sound of squealing children from the school next door.

The Pacific is paradise on Earth.

[zimzima]

hahaha

[BaroqueJim]

I find, especially in New York and Jersey, the term "luxury" is thrown around like confetti without actually meaning anything. Of course the Newport apartments aren't "luxury" at all. They're just reasonable. I guess by calling them "luxury" they were able to inflate the rents to the bloated levels they are now. Does anyone know whether there are any official criteria or guidelines regarding being allowed to call apartments "luxury"?

It's rather like how every deli in New York is described as "gourmet", no matter how skanky they are. And how so many of your groceries have things like "new and improved" plastered over the label.

[Lenin]

Jim,


I think the basic STANDARD sine qua non qualification for the word luxury is: A DOORMAN.

Without that amenity even real estate agents would laugh at the term (and they don't laugh at MUCH.;)
So by that standard we have LUXURY...even if they just sit there (or snooze there) and YOU have to open the door yourself!

WITHOUT doormen, Newport would have all the qualifications to be termed: THE PROJECTS!

[dell1]

Lenin you're very funny, sad to say you're also 110% correct. ;)

[ejm]

I live in John Adams and I get a lot of compliments on my apartment and how nice it is. The JA isn't even one of the more high end buildings in Newport, but the people I have met here are generally very nice, responsible, and have jobs/families.

I keep my apartment looking nice on the inside, and while it isn't the Upper East Side, you have to understand that there are a lot of people that are less fortunate that would consider these luxury apartments.

[BaroqueJim]

Jim,


I think the basic STANDARD sine qua non qualification for the word luxury is: A DOORMAN.

Without that amenity even real estate agents would laugh at the term (and they don't laugh at MUCH.;)
So by that standard we have LUXURY...even if they just sit there (or snooze there) and YOU have to open the door yourself!

WITHOUT doormen, Newport would have all the qualifications to be termed: THE PROJECTS!

The irony is, my job takes me into a lot of floor-through loft spaces in the Soho and TriBeCa areas of Manhattan, and these apartments are about 100 times more "luxurious" than any hi-rise I've ever seen - plus they generally have no doorman. Some are walk-ups. They also have thick walls, ceilings and floors. As well as VERY high ceilings (I've come to realize that high ceilings make ALL the difference to your perception of space and how "open" it feels).

But anyway, what is the definition of a "doorman"? I once offended a guy who worked in The Solaire in Battery Park City by referring to him as that - he insisted on being called "concierge". Some projects have door staff akin to those at Newport, and you wouldn't call those places "luxury". In the projects though, they're called "security".

It makes me wonder what the role of a doorman actually is. Once, I was leaving my friend's place at 45 Wall St and there was a serious fight taking place in an apartment bewteen a couple - she was screaming hysterically. I got down to the lobby and told the "doorman" to call the police since I didn't have my telephone, and he refused, saying a fight in an apartment was none of his business.

Likewise, did you hear about the guy who blew his family up on the LES the other day? I saw the whole thing from start to finish as I was coming off Delancy St, from the explosion to the wife being carried out on a stretcher with her head bandaged up where he'd stabbed her before she managed to escape. She was smiling - obviously under very heavy sedation. I had no idea what the circumstances were then. That inferno was the worst thing I ever saw, and when I later found out 3 people were in there dead, I felt sick. Anyway, I read the next day that "security" had been called twice because of the severity of the fighting on the 21st floor, but they did nothing. Makes me wonder what would happen in a similar situation in Newport....Would the door staff get involved?

[zimzima]

firstoff, NO jim. don't think the doormen would even acknowledge that there was something going on. just like how i awaited for 4 whole days for a very importatn package that i had overnight delivery for. the doorguy then blamed it on kids. saying that they probably took out the package slip from my mailbox. well, if that happened couldn't he put another slip for me? or just hand it to me? it's not like the lincoln has SO many tenants that get OVERNIGHT packages.. maybe not even a handful.. ARGH. so oblivious.

anyway, i was just checking out some sites of nyc "luxury" apt rentals online. MY GOODNESS. they ALL have granite kitchen countertops, stainless steel everything, high ceilings, detailed kitchen cabinets that look like they're made of real wood, not compressed (ikea) wood, the nice windows, and marble bathrooms. although i've never lived in a luxury apt in nyc, it DOES seem like a necessity to have all these features to have it called "luxury." oh and of course, the doorman. i agree with lenin. haha. the doorman is about it in newport.. that is, doorman that do not bother to hold the door for you even if you have a stroller and 5 bags in your hands. the dinky kitchen cabinets, the thin walls.. etc. so WHY are the prices so jacked up? forget the fact that they call these apts "luxury" since we all know they're not. can we at least price accordingly?? guess not. and jim, i think the windows do make such a difference. maybe that's what i was expecting when walking into that 1 br in the pacific.. i'm still not over the shock. i JUST can not believe the fact that it looks JUST like our place here at the lincoln. i've now come to appreciate my place.. i feel like i'm getting a bargain, paying $400 less.. haha. :)

[NOmoreLIES]

the cheapest 1 br highrise built in the last 10 years with elevator & doorman that you will find in manhattan starts at $2500/month now. There is typically a 30% savings between newport and new york. Plus taxes etc.. That is the biggest difference - price.

[Jean Lafitte]

Stop being such sticklers. So "luxury" is loosely used, my place in Pacific is still the nicest apartment I've ever lived in. Beats a broom closet with a leaky roof and prostitutes next door for the same price in Manhattan.

Someone earlier compared Newport to The Projects. Have you ever been to the Projects? Or were you exaggerating for the sake of "comedy?" I think some folks don't realize how good they have it here. Could be better of course, but it could be so much worse.

[tjmax]

I have no issues with Newport being termed "luxury" so long as they do their job well of providing the "luxurious" services they say they will. Unfortunately that isnt the case (I speak from the perspective of living in TJ).

- Package and letter receiving: A luxury no doubt, but with the doorman leaving these slips of paper hanging from mailboxes, they sometimes fall off or get misplaced. And I have no way of knowing I have a package if there isnt a slip of paper hanging out of my mailbox. In my old apartment they used to put notes everyday if the packages werent collected. This way even if a mistake is made the first time, it isnt likely to be made again.

- Prompt services to apartments: No sign of the exterminators in ages, even though we have complained to management abt roaches in our apartment.

- Good amenties: Heating... dont even get me started.... close to $600 spent on a small studio in the 4 months I have been here.

- Security: I have never once in the last 4 months received a call from downstairs abt a visitor - any and everybody is allowed into the building

- Cleanliness: Sometimes see the hallways being vacuumed but overall they are always dirty

The only "luxury" amenity I am thankful for is the dishwasher. If it werent for that I would live in Manhattan in a heartbeat.

[bonacera]

This may sound silly, but the carts in the lobby look kind of nice.

The gold, hotel-style cart is kind of common elsewhere, but I am talking about the red cart here. I lived in luxury buildings before, but I never had that kind of cute shopping cart before.

The sign clearly shows that it is custom ordered, and that it is not from a random supermarket. I think it conveys little bit of luxury feeling, I think. Besides, it is much more useful than the gold cart which I used only once since I moved in. Hee hee. :p

[BaroqueJim]

Stop being such sticklers. So "luxury" is loosely used, my place in Pacific is still the nicest apartment I've ever lived in. Beats a broom closet with a leaky roof and prostitutes next door for the same price in Manhattan.

Someone earlier compared Newport to The Projects. Have you ever been to the Projects? Or were you exaggerating for the sake of "comedy?" I think some folks don't realize how good they have it here. Could be better of course, but it could be so much worse.


I didn't compare Newport itself to the projects, rather I meant that the build quality of some of the Newport apartments (especially Presidential Plaza) is akin to some project apartments I've been in. Except that a lot of the time, the walls aren't so thin in the projects.

[bonacera]

Speaking of a housing project, I saw quite few Direct TV dishes installed outside of a public housing project. I understand they have to watch TV as well, but it looks wrong to me.

They use our tax money to live there, but they have a better cable than us. :eek: I always thought they would watch basic cable which is less than $10 per month. Isn't basic Direct TV $39.99 per month? :p

[Stinky]

........ basic cable which is less than $10 per month.Where can you get basic cable for $10 a month? From RCN it's $35.95 and from Comcast, basic service is $32.95 each month.

Why shouldn't anyone be able to spend their disposable income as they like? Is a month of satellite TV less worthy than going out for a meal? Why shouldn't residents of a project have discretionary funds to do with as they like? If you are going that far then I am not convinced that TV is necessary so why allow TVs at all?

[jerseygirl]

I agree with zimzimma, Lincoln is definetly worth the bargain. And Where i save $400 a year, i have no problems walking extra 5 minutes to the Path. But as for the doorman in Lincoln, we had many doormans in past few months. The current one is by no means help to the tenants. He has been really annoying and also very rude at times.

[Gaga]

i was looking to purchase some apts in forest hills(queens) last weekend and was very surprised by the doormen there, we went to about 4 different buildings and every one of them the doorman actually opens the door(they stand by the entrance) for you, checkin all visitors before they are allowed to go up, and showed us where the elvators are. All very friendly. It was night and day compared to the ones in newport, who just sat on their lazy butt and not do anything.

The building itself are similar to the ones in newport - luxury(?) high rise. Minus all the problems- has thick wall, warm apts (central heat/ac) etc.

[zimzima]

I agree with zimzimma, Lincoln is definetly worth the bargain. And Where i save $400 a year, i have no problems walking extra 5 minutes to the Path. But as for the doorman in Lincoln, we had many doormans in past few months. The current one is by no means help to the tenants. He has been really annoying and also very rude at times.

HA! and all along we thought WE were the only ones that found the doorman (kobe bryant look alike) useless. are we talking about the same guy? rolando the chubby guy at least makes an effort and DOES hold the door many times.

in response to gaga.
BOY do i miss central air/heat.

[jerseygirl]

i am glad you think the same way. For sure its the KOBE look alike, he does nothing at all, as for holding the dorr, me and my husbund were moving in some furniture the other day, he didn't even bother to move from his seat. As for Ronaldo, i agree, he does make some effort.
We should take some kind of step to make our voice heard about the kobe lool alike...maybe can put up a note in the laundry room for ariel...don't know if it will work? We pay to live here, and for the services.....we deserve better.