From Greenwich Village to the East Village: I was moving in with my partner and wanted an elevator building for our dog

When Will Kuchins and his partner decided to move in together, he didn't have to head far. He left Greenwich Village for the East Village, where he found a place with an elevator for his Corgi’s convenience—and a roof deck for entertaining. Here's his story.

I was born and raised in Potomac, Maryland, attended Indiana University, and lived in Chicago for two years before deciding to return to the East Coast to be closer to my family. In 2019, I received a great opportunity to work in New York City, which was perfect as I was only a train ride away from Maryland. My time in the Midwest was officially over. 

Most recently, I was living in a fourth-floor walkup on 10th Street and Fifth Avenue in Greenwich Village with two of my best friends from college. It was 1,000 square feet and had three bedrooms and two baths. I was paying $1,750 a month for my portion, which was very reasonable given the location. There was no laundry in the building, so I would drop off loads at Village Bleachers for their wash-and-fold service and do dry cleaning at Tower Cleaners. Those costs added up!

I work as a real estate agent at Development Marketing Team (my Instagram account is @willkuch) and my commute to the office at 30th Street and Fifth Avenue was fairly easy—I would walk 20 blocks north to catch the 6 train to Union Square, which took a total of 30 to 35 minutes.

[Editor's Note: Brick Underground's series “Transitions” features first-person accounts of what it’s like to move from one New York City neighborhood to another. Have a story to share? Drop us an email. We respect all requests for anonymity.]

What living in Greenwich Village was like

I loved the neighborhood. On weekends in the late spring through early fall, University Street would be closed to traffic and have farmers markets, art galleries, food fairs, and other activities that made it feel like a true neighborhood. It was also very central to everywhere I needed to be. I would walk four blocks north to Union Square for my transportation needs and head a couple blocks south to enjoy everything Washington Square Park has to offer. There were lots of great restaurants and bars on Thompson Street and Greenwich Avenue, all within a 10-minute walk. 

What I disliked about this neighborhood was that it is on the NYU campus, so I was surrounded by dorms. In addition, fast lunch or dinner options were pretty limited as everything is mostly dine-in or has a long wait for take-out.

On weekends I would always order from Brooklyn Bagel for my breakfast—I tell everyone it's the best bagel in the city, and it was only a five-minute walk from my apartment. 

My go-to spot for dinner was Village Taverna. It is the best Greek cuisine and bang for your buck due to the large portions; they also have amazing specials. Angelo (the manager) is great, and the staff is superb and very friendly. They would always take care of me and my friends. I was considered a regular because I went three times a week. Nothing like waiting at the bar with a cold beer and talking to other locals while they prepare my order. It's a great way to meet your neighbors. 

On other nights I would order in from Karakatta (Japanese), Tipsy Shanghai, Tortaria (Mexican), and Taboonette (quick Mediterranean). 

For a social scene, we would always walk toward Greenwich Avenue to hit Fiddlesticks Pub, Wogies, and The Happiest Hour. We would go to 4 Charles Prime Rib or American Bar whenever we could get a reservation. In addition, my friends and I loved playing darts and pool at Amsterdam Billiards. 

Wanted: A Downtown one bedroom for $4,500 max

In April 2022 I decided to move in with my partner, who works in Gramercy—we both wanted to be in the Downtown area. We also wanted to live in a building with a doorman and elevator where we would feel safe, and our Corgi wouldn't have to climb stairs. We were looking to spend between $4,000 and $4,500 per month for a one bedroom with enough space for a home office since I have a flexible schedule. 

One of the perks of being an agent is you can do it all yourself! Being in the industry, I was aware that summer is the hottest time for rentals and that we had to move quickly to avoid losing out on an apartment. We toured three properties before deciding on a wonderful building on the Bowery and 1st Street in the East Village where my partner used to live. We started the process in late April 2022 and signed a lease in May for a June move-in.  

It is a mid-size doorman building that recently renovated many of its amenity spaces, including a roof deck with grills. I now have an in-unit washer/dryer and there is also laundry in building, so that is an exceptional perk.

Loving the new location—friends and family agree

We are a stone's throw from Whole Foods and still walkable to many great restaurants and bars that I am already familiar with. I also enjoy being close to Sara D. Roosevelt Park where we can play basketball.

However, I dislike how loud it is all night as the neighborhood seems to attract a younger scene. 

I especially love that we can walk to three nearby neighborhoods—the Lower East Side, Soho, and Noho—and experience everything they have to offer.

We are right next to two of my favorite rooftops/outdoor venues: Public Hotel and Make Believe at 60 LES. We are also close to a Sweetgreen location as well as Bowery Meat Company and Baar Baar, a hidden gem that serves modern Indian food and is the best brunch spot for large groups because their dishes are meant to be shared and they have cocktail pitchers and live music/DJs. My favorite new place to eat is Los Tacos No.1. It is hands down the best Mexican cuisine that is considered fast food. 

I now take the 6 train from Bleecker Street when I need to be at the office, so my commute takes the same amount of time. 

Friends love coming over for the rooftop and grill. My family loves having more affordable hotel options compared to Greenwich Village. My partner's brother has even moved into the building! 

We have made many new friends, too—given it's a pet-friendly building, our neighbors go on walks together with our dogs or run into each other while we are out and about. 

Weighing all the pros and cons, I am very satisfied with my move to this building in the East Village. It was a great idea as I am now in a bigger and cleaner space while still near some of my favorite places to go to in the city. I plan on staying another year at least. 

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