Need FIDI advice - renting next month

Hi Atlanta - I just moved about a month ago to the area (I am in Tribeca, so slightly north but looked very seriously at a number of the buildings you mention), so I hope I can help. I was able to prorate my lease for 2 weeks. The going agreement seems to be 2 months, no broker's fee. I was able to negotiate an additional rent discount on top of that, small but worth the five seconds it took to ask for it. I would recommend checking out a couple of other addresses: 41 River Terrace - same company as 22 River Terrace, and I thought a nicer building - 21 West, and 90 West. All had pros and cons. If you're looking for a non-fratty adult lifestyle, I'd avoid the Wall St. residences. I know an adult someone at 20 Pine who likes it well. Frankly, I like Battery Park a LOT. Being on the water is really a different experience than I've had in other parts of the city. I'd recommend it if you're looking for an adult life with quick access to the hipper parts of the city. Try to look for something near the Whole Foods in Tribeca as the grocery shopping situation can be dicey in FiDi otherwise, unless you're okay with having your groceries delivered via Fresh Direct.

Welcome, and good luck with your move!

Welcome Atlanta, you will of course get pro-rated for the partial month, it's not an issue, don't know how it was back in 2002, but that's a given now, particularly in the financial district. You should add 10 Liberty to your list, we lived there for 2-1/2 years, fantastic building, fantastic management.

Thanks for the feedback - I really appreciate it. Keep it coming!

You should also look at the District at 60 Ann/ 111 Fulton. Recently completed, amenities all done. There are at least a dozen rentals.

211 North End Avenue (Verdesian) - clean, safe rental, low ceilings because it truly was built as a corporate-ish rental; determine if you want to cross the west side highway during the winter - of course it is nice during the summer
22 River Terrace - clean, safe rental, not as new as above
100 Maiden Lane - area is probably good, I don't know the building.
10 Hanover Square - may be a bit too south and east and a bit too quiet
20 Exchange Place - young may become frattish or maybe already is, new conversion which may mean service problems
37 Wall Street - too young for you
350 Albany Street - be sure to check out the area. It is kind of no-man's land, very far south and west. Definitely opposite of say 37 Wall from that POV
20 Pine Street - nice building, be careful of your views - you don't want West, you don't want North looking directly at Chase, you don't want a low south floor. If you want a real kitchen or washer/dryer, this isn't for you
88 Greenwich (Greenwich Club) - decent building because it is a condo; haven't been inside though
15-23 William - no opinion
75 Wall Street - definitely too far east
15 Broad Street - very nice, top pick, but probably fewer choices and higher cost

BPC is much nicer than FiDi, especially in sunny times. But rather from subways, generally.

Thanks SO much - this definitely helps me target my search a little better when I arrive next week to go look!

Hi Atl - I definitely agree that the Wall St. area will trend younger than BPC. There are a bunch of buildings around the Verdesian that I would also consider, including the Solaire, 41 River Terrace (as someone mentioned above) and 400 Chambers (Tribeca Park). If you can swing a rental from an owner in the Riverhouse, that's also a great building. The Verdesian is by far the best building in BPC (in my opinion) and the only one that offers a W/D in the unit (although the Solaire might - can't quite remember). The Verdesian also has nice hardwood floors, unlike the parquet disaster that is the rest of BPC. Tribeca Park is the only building (I think) that has W/Ds on all of the floors (all of the other BPC buildings have basement units). Do NOT be afraid to ask for discounts on the rent.

350 Albany is a decent building although it is in that area of BPC South that's kind of empty. The buildings on Rector (like Liberty Court etc.) are even worse. I've always liked 20 Pine (and it's in a decent not too far east location) although the amenities are not done. District is a better option for an amenity-filled building in a similar location.

Good luck!

http://downtowny.blogspot.com/2009/04/20-pine-street-1006.html
http://downtowny.blogspot.com/2009/04/1-river-terrace-8b-920000-865-sq-ft.html

"22 River Terrace - clean, safe rental, not as new as above"

That building also has really fantastic river views, as do several of the others mentioned here (41 RT, Solaire, maybe Verdesian? I haven't seen that one). If budget is an issue, though, it might be worth considering apartments with city views. I think they can be just as nice, and with a lower price point. The only thing to watch out for is a higher floor, or that side can get kind of dark, especially in winter. Most of the buildings you're considering have roof decks if you want to spend some time gazing at the river.

Happy hunting!

> Hi Atl - I definitely agree that the Wall St. area will trend younger than BPC.

Absolutely. A bunch of the rental buildings on Wall Street are completely filled with kiddies... (the just out of college kind). Check out 2 Gold.

Welcome to NY Atl

I've lived in 15 broad with my wife for more than 2 years and think its the best building on the list though FIDI is more congested than BPC. In my opinion the building and apts are substantially nicer than the rest downtown, tenants are a friendly bunch and building staff is great. Best of luck.

Atl....good luck with your move to NYC. I've lived in Battery Park City for almost 16 years and own 2 apts. I moved from the suburbs and have always appreciated this lovely area. I call it the cul de sac and "Venice" of Manhattan with the most beautiful waterfront parks. If you want more action...it's just a short walk/taxi/train ride away!

I think you can also check out a few buildings on the southern end (close to 3 major subway lines...#1 -R - 4,5.

I live in the Millennium at 30 West St. and there are many apts for rent in the building.
You can also look at the Ritz Carlton Residences next door and at the Visionaire which is brand new and has some rentals already.

The city is now building the first green school behind my building which will be wonderful for children lucky enough to attend.

It really is a privilege to live in lower Manhattan no matter which building you choose...it's a very historical area. Again, good luck.

Why not also consider 21 West st Le Rivage and Gateway Plaza? One West st. (The Ocean) is also nice but more expensive. I find you get much more for your money at these buldings. 21 West st has a website where you can look at the prices and floorplans of available apartments. Prices are now negotiable. If you are moving here for more than one year, I would try to get lower rent instead of the several months free deal which is common now (or try to get both) because the free months do not carry over for the following year. I find that all the apartments that are East of Broadway are tiny for the same amount of money and have horrible views. You can get views of the river at the three I mentioned in this post. The downside of a lot of the apartments in 21 West st is that some of them have bad views (city views) if you care about that. On the other hand, the A and the B lines have views of the water (and some L's and K's in higher floors).

Also, I think all of these buildings have lease offices inside the buildings (and numbers at which they can be reached). Brokers in Fidi/Battery Park are superfluous. (I've rented here for almost five years).

Gateway plaza is the ugliest doorman bulding below Chambers inside and out. Only the rent controll makes it slightly worth it.

I won't argue with jason10006. It's true that it is post-war and thus has low ceilings and it is not super luxury but the location and the views are really nice for the price, no? North Cove is my favorite place in all of downtown- the restaurants by the water, the yachts visiting from the Carribean from the summer, the playgrounds full of kids, people playing volley ball.

Thanks again to everyone for such great feedback! Wow - I'm so glad I posted. When I lived in NYC from 2002-2005, I lived in Midtown East and then lower Chelsea. So it's an entirely new neighborhood for me to explore, but I think we'll be very happy down there, especially since my fiance is going to want to join a sailing team and I will be working at One NY Plaza....hopefully a short distance from whatever building we choose.

Many thanks!

prada:
It really is a privilege to live in lower Manhattan no matter which building you choose...it's a very historical area. Again, good luck.

That's pretty funny if you include Battery Park City.

Anyway, also take a look at the Glenwood building a couple blocks up from Wall St. Or even the one by City Hall (may be too north for you). They tend to be a good management company, good amenities, and are definitely not for the post-college frat-type.

Gateway is ugly, but I considered it pretty seriously because of the reasonable rent and the spacious apartments. Just make sure you do some research; apparently the heating and cooling system is wildly inefficient and people sometimes get slapped with $500 electric bills or have really cold apartments in winter. You'll probably want to get familiar with weatherizing your windows if you choose that option.

I love it down here, it's like rediscovering the city. Welcome!

> If you want more action...it's just a short walk/taxi/train ride away!

I would avoid BPC if you can. Being on the *other* side of the highway is a pretty big factor. That can add serious time to any trip (including to any subway) given you have to use one of the bridges most of the time. And the stuff within BPC is pretty lacking.

My personal take... for all the added expense and hassle of living in NYC, we do it for a reason... and BPC just doesn't have many of those reasons.

Quick access to other parts of Manhattan... well, Hoboken has that, too.

gleeclub....how stupid of you to make such a comment....Lower Manhattan is the most historical area of Manhattan, that's a fact!

Let me describe living in Battery Park City.... If you like to live in a beautiful setting, safe, waterfront, with gorgeous plants, flowers and parks this is for you. If you don't like that qauality of life, then it's not for you.

If you live on the southern part of BPC (like I do) the subways are just a few minutes walk (R, 1, 4,5).

I don't like Gateway either, the rents are lower for people that have been living there from the onset but not so low now. The services are very limited along with the upkeep of the apts and interior/exterior of the buildings.
The water views can still be amazing though and they are starting to renovate apts and paint the outer walls of buildings.
Police Commissioner Kelly has lived there for many years!

"the space is really important to us, over the neighborhood." - mistake

"I am looking to do this without a broker which should be fairly simple these days" - not really.

I was in your position not long ago, reloed from out of town (though I grew up here so i knew a thing or too about the city). Stayed in a corporate place in FiDi. Hated it. Now am in Grammercy. A REAL neighnorhood. My advice is to give up the space (you can always store your stuff in NJ and visit it) but be in a neighborhood where, when you walk out your door, you say "This is what living in Manhattan is all about!".

If you want to do this without a broker and you have time, go for it, but if you end up wanting a broker, call me .. .I have placed some happy rental customers through searches like you're suggesting, including one couple I met through this board.

The only addition to your list I would make is the new condo devs in "Triburbia" -- 200 Chambers, 101 Warren, etc. They will be pricier than the list you've got, but they are very attractive properties.

ali r.
{downtown broker}

admiral - interesting. different strokes for different folks. quality of apartment/building is more important to me than actual neighborhood. atl - just my two cents, but i think bpc is one of the nicest areas in manhattan. good luck with your move.

I was considering the same neighborhoods, among others. In the end, I think that the only thing FiDi and BPC have in common is that they are relatively cheap. If this is the main criteria you should probably consider Hoboken (as nyc1022 sarcastically suggested) and parts of Brooklyn.

On buildings, I saw a thread on another board (maybe wired?) about living in 88 Greenwich and how many problems there were during the conversion. I'm not sure if that is ongoing and I haven't been there myself. 20 Pine feels like a ghost building.

I probably wasn't clear as I should have been - I will be working at South & Whitehall and already work very long hours. So I am looking for something where I can absolutely minimize my commuting time (preferably within walking distance or only 1 subway stop) and FiDi does the trick. I appreciate all the feedback though! I'm happy with the neighborhood selection - was just looking for feedback on the buildings themselves. Thanks everyone!

atl2009fidi--I think 'Admiral' is expressing an opinion, not facts. Just want you to understand that NYC has a place for everyone's taste and needs. It comes down to what you want.

In my case, I moved in from Philadelphia in 2004. I started looking for a place with a broker and was completely put off by the whole experience. No value-add. I even considered building a website called 'kill the broker', but Streeteasy beat me to the punch.

From that day on my wife and I would only look at buildings where I could go directly to the leasing office. Maybe that segmented our search to a specific type of building, usually pricier. But then again, we spent our search time more efficiently. Less time looking at dumps and more on units my wife would actually agree living in. My rationale was that if I ended paying a monthly premium the money was going to a place I would enjoy living in and not the broker's pocket.

We have always lived on the west side of Manhattan. First on the 42nd street in Hell's Kitchen while I was a student (convenient but not so great because too close to Times Square). Then on the Upper West Side at 66th street, by the Hudson River. Last year we had a kid, and I finally bought a 2 bedroom condo in North Battery Park City. For my wife and I one of the biggest joys of living in Manhattan has been to be near the Hudson River Park and Battery Park City offers some of the best parts and convenient access to Tribeca with great restaurants--the best of both worlds.

In full agreement with Avery, for me Battery Park City is one of the nicest places to live in the city. Especially if you have kids and need the additional space.

So, to give you some hope; I have rented twice, bought once, never hired a broker.

And don't take me wrong. I am more than happy to pay for quality service, I just have not yet had a satisfying experience with the NYC residential brokerage sector.

Good luck!

Brooklyn Hgts is one stop away from your office, atl. I've never lived there, but its generally perceived as more appealing than FiDi and has its own history. Good luck with whatever you choose. I'd be interested as well to hear some of your feedback as you look at those buildings.

" I've never lived there, but its generally perceived as more appealing than FiDi and has its own history. "

1) Downtown Manhattan is as historical as it gets in this town...

2) In terms of "more appealing"... pricing simply doesn't support that. As cheap as FiDi is relative to other parts of Manhattan, still more expensive than BH (and has some room to grow, relatively)

Hoboken is NOT about the same as FiDi or BPC. Brooklyn Heights I could buy, because like the are below Chambers its fairly easy to get to most subway lines including all express trains goign north/south...HOWEVER, its still easier from FiDi than from Brooklyn Heights, as the lines bunch up together their. BPC is about as easy. Nonetheless, FiDi and BPC are still easier, especially late at night via taxi, if most of what you do is in Manhattan. Hoboken (and by the same logic, LIC and WBurg) are not nearly as accessible because you HAVE to transfer in almost all cases of travelling to and from Manhattan, and your taxi fare goes up consideribly (and your trip time increases in some cases dramtically) when you HAVE to go bridge/tunnel.

In other words, don't listen to these people. Besides, you have lived in Manhattan already so you knwo what I mean.

Sorry, I just don't like BPC at all... and my high school is there!

To me, its just missing so much of what the rest of Manhattan has. It might be great for kids, but so is DUMBO, Kansas, and parts of Cleveland...

I said if all he was considering was price, he should consider Hoboken and Brooklyn Heights. He clarified his point and so did I. I think you guys missed your meds today.

On pricing, last I checked FiDi was dropping like a rock and Brooklyn Hgts was holding up pretty well, so we will see.

I just got a great deal on a one-bedroom plus home office at 100 John for $3150 and the broker's fee was paid by the building. I've been researching FiDi for months and never heard of this building until a broker who lived there told me about it.

but malthus, he's looking for a place to rent, not to buy. i think that's kind of an important distinction. he knows where he'd like to rent and asked for advice regarding buildings.

nyc10022
about 2 hours ago
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Sorry, I just don't like BPC at all... and my high school is there!

oh fantastic, more personal information from "Eddie Wilson".

But now that I think about it, hasn't 6 months passed. Can't Eddie Wilson "return" to show he was right? He's so smart with his Stuyvesant High School and Cornell education. Unfortunately he's long unemployed.

"he's looking for a place to rent, not to buy. i think that's kind of an important distinction." I do too. That is what I was referring to. The rental prices in FiDi have been dropping pretty fast, which is what is drawing people to look there.

I love BPC and its a lot nicer to me vs. FiDi. And its "missing" what NYC has less than Dumbo, since its at least in Manhattan.