Read this before moving near THAT
Ever walk past a concert hall, baseball stadium or barrel down the FDR drive and thought, "I wonder what it would be like to live next to this"?
Well, wonder no more! This week's SurvivalList focuses on our Living Next To column, a collection of first-hand accounts about living near something that others might rather not.
Of course, we've found our fair share of optimists who see a silver lining in any neighbor, like the woman who learned to appreciate her life while living next to a funeral home and one who thinks the the pros (convenience mostly) outweigh the cons (noise, foot traffic) of living near Herald Square.
There's even a couple that bought a pied-a-terre directly adjacent to the FDR--with a balcony--and relish the grit and the noise.
But we've got plenty of cautionary tales, too, like the couple who live next door to the Beacon Theater and have had to contend with clouds of pot smoke and public urination on occasion, and the pair above Zabar's who smell onions all day long.
Then there's the man who lives next to a school's "play street" that can't get an ounce of work done between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Many chroniclers say they have mixed feelings about their location -- like the woman who lives next to the United Nations and appreciates the international vibe but not the lack of parking.
We've also learned that living next to the very young (e.g. a schoolyard) can be just as loud as living next to the youngish (e.g. NYU students) and the old (e.g. a senior center).
What can we say? In this densely populated city, chances are you may find yourself near a noisy, smelly building at some point. To be prepared, click on the posts below:
Living next to a concert hall: Camp-outs, pot smoke and public urination
Living next to Herald Square isn't as bad as you think
Living next to the FDR: It's isolated, it's noisy, it's dirty,"it's where we want to be"
Living next to a 'play street': Don't even think about working from home
Living next to the United Nations: "After 25 years, I've gotten used to it"
Living next to a grocery store: Convenience with a healthy dose of noise
Living next to a taxi watering hole: Smoke clouds and loud phone conversations from 10 p.m.- 2 a.m.
Living next to a stadium: We thought we were being shot at
Living next to an elevated subway track: First the train, then the car alarms
Living next to a church bell tower: The shock of discovery occured on a Sunday morning
Living next to an all-night bodega: Earplugs, blackout shades and a little bit of patience
Living next to a schoolyard: Even our fish were traumatized
Living next to a senior center: Quiet it is not
Living next to a gas station: Empty cabs, warm beer
Living next to a bridge-and-tunnel club: KY Jelly wrestling, all-night noise, no regrets
