Would you rather have a great lobby or roof deck?

Was the common space in your building one of the reasons for choosing your place? Did you have visions of rooftop gatherings or making a grand entrance in the lobby? But now that you live there, what do find yourself actually using? How much does your first impression match up with reality?

Compare your own experience to these five New Yorkers, who we asked if they prefer having a great lobby or a great roof deck:

There’s so much to see from a rooftop vantage point

“100 percent I would rather have a really nice roof deck. Having a nice lobby would not allow me to watch crimes go down from an ideal height under the stars while smoking a cigar and drinking Heineken, the finest of beers.”—Ralph Marino, Staten Island

Make them jelly

“I'd pick the nice roof deck every time. The lobby’s just there to make sidewalk gawkers green with envy while the roof deck is my second living room (or bedroom if you've got a Yurt).” –Elizabeth Josephs, Brooklyn 

Create some memories

“Lobbies are for first impressions. Roof decks are for memories.”—Virginia Anagnos, Astoria

Quintessential summer spot

“If you’d like to have a couple of drinks with friends but can’t afford $20 cocktails, a sweet roof deck is your answer. Yes, your packages might get stolen because you don’t have a doorman, but you have an outdoor hangout place instead. In addition, every decent day party takes place on a roof deck. It is truly the most quintessential summer spot in the city.”—Jana Cholakovska, Chelsea

Brag about your view

“Who needs a fancy lobby when you can brag to your friends about your NYC skyline view? I’d much rather hurry my guests through a dingy, doorman-less lobby and up to my tricked-out roof deck where we can barbecue and get a tan.”—Lexi Levine, Astoria

Verdict: These New Yorkers don’t care one bit about a fab lobby just give them a rooftop they can hang on.