In a walk-up, is it better to be on the ground floor or the top floor?
Walk-ups are funny: The ground floor offers easy access to the outside, but also, often, dim light, a view of the building’s garbage cans and lots of street noise. On the flip side, a top-floor apartment means lugging groceries up stairs and worrying about roof leaks. We asked five New Yorkers if, given a choice, they'd prefer the ground floor or the top floor of a walk-up. Here's what they had to say:
When you've gone high, you learn to stay low
I once lived on the fifth floor of a sixth floor walk-up and I currently live on the ground floor. I can tell you this: Living high up means you’ll have amazing quads and learning to let go if you forget your umbrella on a rainy day.
When you live on the ground floor you hear all sorts of noise and I always assumed someone was either gonna break in or snoop. But I’m all about the ground floor. I'm getting older and I’m tired of getting wet 'cause I’m too lazy to go back upstairs for my umbrella.—Liz Miele, Kensington (pictured below)
Top floor, please
Hands down I would much rather live on the top floor of a walk-up. All those stairs will keep you in shape, not to mention the money you’ll save on a gym membership!—Denise Foley, Upper East Side
The higher the better
Having lived in a walk-up, I prefer the top floor. You get exercise, you generally hear less noise and only the bravest of delivery men reach you (just kidding). I actually prefer it and even lived once in a seventh floor walk-up!—Monique Lewis, Roosevelt Island
What about the garbage?
I currently live in a third floor walk-up and the only exercise I get is walking up to my apartment. It’s interesting: my fiance and I argue all the time about who has to take the garbage down. He’s a tuba player and he’s like, "ain't schlepping that down!"—Shani Lieberman, Bay Ridge
Flights of stairs are Fitbit-friendly
I’d much rather live on the top floor. Less noise, more natural light, and I live for Fitbit stair badges.—David Libby, Carroll Gardens
The verdict: The majority of our crew will take the stairs.
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