I always say living in New York City would be awesome. And it is for a lot of people –but it’s only truly awesome if you can actually afford the lifestyle you want to live there. Most people are scraping together funds for rent, public transport and..avocado toast, but they make it work, right?
Then there’s the million and billionaires ballin’ out and taking full advantage of one of the greatest cities in the world. I’d much prefer the latter if I’m going to commit to city living, because there is no way I could avoid walking into every retail storefront unless I just wore Solar Eclipse glasses for the rest of my life.
But now there’s a new group of people living large in the Big Apple, and they’re not who you think they are.
They’re hippies.
URBY Staten Island is an apartment complex providing luxury living to the folks who traditionally couldn’t be bothered with things like dishwashers or AC units. It is extremely upscale, and offers amenities that prove to be important to the hippie-esque crowd who reside in the city that is the polar opposite of their entire existence.
URBY offers a rooftop community garden –a 5,000 square foot urban farm, to be exact. There’s a communal kitchen with a resident chef, a kombucha workshop in the making and oh yeah, a beehive. A freakin’ beehive? Just let that sink in for a second.
An aerial view of the URBY Staten Island rooftop (via Instagram @urbylife)
It makes a lot of sense, though, that people are being pushed out of big cities not only for the rising cost of living, but the quality of life issues that arise when green, outdoor space is hard to come by on the street let alone at your residence.
While there was a time (and is still a time) where impressive fitness facilities and beautiful lobbies are sought after, millennials and young professionals place even more value on those healthy, trendy things like eco-friendly electronics, chia seeds and top-notch water filters.
Communal kitchen (urbystatenisland.com)
But how expensive is luxury hippie living? Here’s what a few different units would run you:
Studio XS: $1,995/month
One Bedroom: $2,150 –to $2,250/month
Two Bedroom: $3,125/month
urbystatenisland.com
Yes, people are judging hard that classified ‘hippies ‘are spending thousands per month to live in Staten Island, listen to Jimi Hendrix and make organic smoothies together, but I guess this is a little better than the alternative, the dreaded and complexing tiny house trend.
For the record, I am so in on this. There is a lot to be said for the power of a good space: bright, airy and super hip is like a triple threat, man. Living in NYC is stressful from the moment you step on the sidewalk, so if Staten Island is offering a place with “peace and quiet,” community and Instagram-worthy spaces, they’re doing something right.
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