Room for Improvement

Room for Improvement: These New Yorkers want more cable options, quieter heat and thicker walls

By Philip Posillipo  | November 19, 2012 - 2:31PM
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From architectural woes to inflated rent costs and (yes) even a lack of choice in cable providers, six city dwellers told us what annoys them most about their apartments, and what they wish they had:

  • Better TV access: “I wish my apartment was able to get DirectTV and not just Time Warner. That way I could have the NFL package where I can have access to every game.” – Rishi, Upper East Side
  • More outdoor space: “A cheaper rent would be best but also having some outdoor space would be nice.” –Justin, Park Slope
  • Thicker walls, quieter pipes: “I live in an old building. I would say the building needs some improvement and some new amenities. The heat is really loud when it turns on due to old pipes and it wakes me up sometimes. The walls are also thin, so I have trouble having people over without annoying our neighbors.”—Robb, Murray Hill
  • Just a little more space: “My apartment lacks sufficient space. Things are pretty tight down on the Lower East Side and it would be nice to have some more room to live.”—Matt, Chinatown
  • A better heating system: “Like many New Yorkers who live in pre-war buildings, we have no choice but to cope with steam-heat. This means oil is heated in a boiler and the produced steam is distributed throughout the building. Consequently, residents cannot regulate their own apartment's temperature. Opening a window or shutting the heating pipes off provides a quick and easy work-around.  But if the heat comes on in the middle of the night, you will wake up drenched in sweat.” —Patricia, Inwood 
  • A prettier exterior: “I would change my apartment building's exterior. With an orange brick front on an Aztec-inspired design, complete with vinyl siding, it's aesthetically unappealing in a brownstone populated area.”—Lauren, Bedford-Stuyvesant

See all Room for Improvement

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