Virginia K. Smith

As a rule, there are people in this world who get more of our sympathy than a real-life princess (albeit a deposed one) who has lucked into a 1,600-square-foot apartment on the Upper East Side, for which she pays $390 a month.

The ups—and downs—of leaving Manhattan for good (Thrillist)

Is life without windows a fair trade for a $1,250/month apartment in Park Slope? (Curbed NY)

Given the premium New Yorkers put on our outdoor space—even a particularly roomy fire escape—we can understand why someone would be less than thrilled to have their outdoor access suddenly revoked. But even if your terrace is closed for years, you may have little recourse or compensation. Or at least, that's the upshot from a recent court decision involving a resident of a Brooklyn Heights co-op building.