Comments by "" (@hewitc) on "This NYC Apartment’s Shower Is In The Kitchen… Why?" video.

  1.  @RnR-Rebel  I lived in one also, but I paid $140/mo. I overpaid. Just to be clear, "Pre-War" with these buildings means pre-World War I, in fact pre-Spanish-Aamerican War. These tenements were built before 1900. Kitchen sink doubles for bath sink, shower in the kitchen, toilet in a little room, sometimes out side of the apartment, down the hall. Hot in the Summer, cold in the Winter. Whole place on one 15 amp non-tamp fuse (so you can't put in a 20 amp one, so you blow the fuse with a hair dryer. No breaker, so you have to buy anonther fuse. Rodents and roaches. We had fun though!
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  2. Originally the tub was in the kitchen because there was only cold running water. You had to heat the water over the stove for a bath. "Cold water flat". Some early ones had DC voltage. Early Edison (Thomas, pre-Consolidated) electricity.
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  3. like some dormitories.
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  4. Great flowers but messy when the fruit falls and rots.
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  5. The tub was near the stove. The apartments did not have hot water. You had to make your own.
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  6. No one who has a choice wants it. Make sure all the dishes are washed before you shave over the sink.
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  7. They were rented to poor people.
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  8. Assuming you can get building department approval to combine these. Factor in compliance with handicapped access laws, possible need for self closing fire doors, amending the C of O. NYC contractor prices are not low and turn around times for these jobs is not like the ridiculous estimates on HGTV. If it's allowable at all under the law it would take over one year minimum.
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  9.  @Liz-2146  I wouldn't assume the broker or seller have done any due diligence. It's not intheir self-interest. Yes they can be "sold together" as two separate deeds. Can they legally be combined into one home that anyone would want to live in? that's the question. I've seen combinations that legally required you to maintain both kitchens and front doors so that technically there were two "homes". I seen Fire Dept requirements that a fire door be between the units at the opening. That's a door on a spring that shuts automatically when the smoke detector is triggered. I've seen combinations that required the unit holder to amend the Certificate of Occupancy for the entire building so that it reflected the new reduced number of apartments on the floor. The Buildings Dept would only accept the amendment if there were no violations in the entire building and the front door lobby was ramped for handicapped access. All that so a Studio could be added to a one bedroom on a condominium in midtown. Buyer beware.
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  10.  @Liz-2146  No. Just trying to add information for people who are interested in this sort of thing. The brokers make it sound easy. I've done it twice in Manhattan. It's not so easy as the salesmen imply, by a long shot.
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  11. Who picks up all those apples when they fall all over the roof and start to rot? Not that guy.
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  12. Not for rent, just sale. "Easily blow out this wall" Don't believe that. Combining units is a major job under the building code.
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  13. Combining those two units looks like a major headache. Building code and Fire code issues. Amending the building C of O, which requires compliance with handicapped access rules. No thanks. Just to get approvals 6 months before building.
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