Take It Or Leave It

Take It or Leave It: Does this Chelsea Two-Bedroom's Location Make It Worth the Climb?

By Leah Hochbaum Rosner  | October 23, 2013 - 11:07AM
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In this edition of Take It or Leave It, our trio of renters mulls over the merits of this no-fee, gut-renovated Chelsea 2-bedroom. Our panel—who have 43 years of collective rental experience between them—consists of RentHackr founder Zeb Dropkin, freelance writer Lambeth Hochwald, and BrickUnderground’s own senior editor, Lucy Cohen Blatter.

The Apartment:

Size: 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
Location: 457 W. 17th St. between 9th and 10th Aves. in Chelsea
Cost & concessions: $4,250/month+1 month free on 13-month lease, no broker’s fee
Flexible Layout: No
Subway: A, C, E, L at 14th St.-8th Ave.; C, E at 23rd St.; 1 at 18th St.; F, M, L, 1, 2, 3 at 14th St.; PATH at 14th St. Station

Pros and Cons:

Zeb: “This apartment has a couple of things going for it. First, it’s in a really great location—near Chelsea Market, Hudson River Park and the High Line. Second, there’s no broker fee. As for the cons, the only ones I can think of are that it’s a walk-up and there’s only one bathroom for two bedrooms.” 

Lambeth:  “A no-fee, $4,250/month, renovated 2-bedroom with one month free on a 13-month lease that’s located just steps from the High Line? This place looks almost too good to be true. But there are a few issues: the layout looks awkward and there’s only one bathroom--gorgeous as it is. Also, the views don’t seem all that grand, and the building has both a bar and a pizza place--however delicious Artichoke Basille’s is--on the ground floor.”

Lucy: “One pro is definitely location, as it looks like this is mere steps from the High Line. That's also a con, since it's slightly out-of-the-way transportation-wise, and you might only find yourself taking advantage of the High Line during warmer months. But back to the pros... the apartment looks like it’s in good condition, has nice appliances, floors and a well-renovated bathroom. Plus, the living area seems open and airy. Oh, and there’s no broker fee. On the con side, the bedrooms appear to be small and on top of each other. Plus, there’s no real kitchen, but rather an appliance wall. And it appears as though the building is a walk-up (and from the view, maybe it's three or four flights up?). Also, it’s above Artichoke Basille Pizza, which, though delicious, is likely to draw crowds at all hours.”

Who would this apartment be perfect for?

Zeb: “A family. It’s actually pretty perfect for my sister and her family—her, her husband, their 2-year-old and two dogs. I sent this listing to her to check out. It could also be a great share for two professionals.”

Lambeth:  “A couple who live for sunset strolls on The High Line or two college roomies who don’t mind having to hike to the subway.”

Lucy: “Roommates who want to party and take advantage of Chelsea more than they want to spend time in their apartment.”

The Verdict(s):

TAKE IT “I want it. If you can think of a reason not to take this one, let me know in the comments.” —Zeb  

TAKE IT “After all, if you don’t want to mess up that gorgeously renovated one-walled kitchen, it’ll take only seconds for pizza to arrive at your doorstep.” —Lambeth

LEAVE IT “…unless you’re so enamored with the High Line that it’s worth all the sacrifices.” —Lucy

Ready to rent? Check out our How to Rent Guide...and if the apartment you like requires a guarantor that you don’t have, see if the landlord accepts Insurent, a guarantor solution from one of BrickUnderground’s sponsors.


Take It Or Leave It is a weekly column in which a panel of long-time renters weighs in on the pros and cons of an apartment that’s currently on the market.

Brick Underground articles occasionally include the expertise of, or information about, advertising partners when relevant to the story. We will never promote an advertiser's product without making the relationship clear to our readers.

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