From the September issue: In Manhattan, a doorman is a marker of luxury and status.
But as rents rise in a tough economy, tenants are increasingly willing to go without that friendly face to screen visitors and accept packages if it means staying in New York’s most exclusive borough, industry experts said.
Data shows that the premium that renters are willing to pay for doormen has shrunk dramatically in the past two years. Between 2010 and mid-year 2011, the premium for rental apartments in buildings with attended lobbies dropped 36 percent for studios, 21 percent for one-bedrooms and 18 percent for two-bedrooms, according to a market report compiled by real estate consulting firm and brokerage Nancy Packes Inc., in collaboration with StreetEasy. [more]
