From Hudson Yards to Long Island City: My allergies were ruining my life and now I'm breathing better

Dilip and his wife liked living in Hudson Yards, but something there triggered his allergies, leading to severe breathing issues. So he hunted for a rental in a brand-new, eco-friendly with a top-notch air filtration system and has been breathing easier ever since. Here’s his story. 

I was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. In November 2020, I relocated to New York City because my wife, who works in fashion retail, got a job offer here. 

We landed in a 760-square-foot rental apartment in Hudson Yards and paid $4,400 for a one-bedroom unit. The building had a ton of amenities: a pool, basketball court, gym, etc. 

It was a fantastic building and location. However, I have severe allergies—dust, pollen, animals, you name it. I had a lot of breathing issues while living there. I couldn’t sleep and was suffering really bad side effects.

As an entrepreneur in the beauty space—I own a wholesale company for hair extensions—I worked from home, so the allergies really plagued me all day, every day. 

[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.]

Still, I liked the area—outside. I took walks on the High Line and would shop and eat at the Hudson Yards Mall. I loved going to Think Coffee and  Hudson Yards Tavern.
 
I love walking, so I would take walks on the High Line, around the Vessel, or to the Meatpacking District.

If I needed to go somewhere I couldn’t walk to, Penn Station was close by. 

Why he left Hudson Yards despite loving the area

I finally reached a point where I couldn’t take my health issues anymore, and in June 2022, we decided to move. I wanted to be in a new building in the hopes it would have a better air filtration system. The unit needed to be at least 700 square feet. Our budget was $4,500 and amenities were essential—specifically a co-working space and ideally a great fitness center. 

We looked for apartments online through StreetEasy and toured apartments at six different buildings all around Long Island City, from the waterfront to Court Square to Queens Plaza. The neighborhood had a good inventory of new buildings with wonderful amenities.

When we saw an apartment that was available at Sven, we were sold! We immediately rented it. The process went quickly and was very easy. The building was new, so we were able to move in right away.

The views from our new place are breathtaking, allowing us to get an entire picture of the city from the top floor. The appliances are great, and the windows have a film that can be controlled from your phone to filter the light from coming through. It's so important that we get light in our apartment and with our unit, there is never a dull moment.

A state-of-the-art air filtration system and amenities

It’s a great value for the money. We are paying about the same rent as before but we have even more amenities now. There are so many options on different floors that I don't have time to experience them all. 

The first floor has a gym with all the latest equipment. It’s huge. A yoga room, boxing room, cardio room, locker room, steam room, and strength training room are all on that floor as well. And there’s another entertainment room with ping pong, a pool table, basketball court, and selfie station. On the second floor, there’s a movie theatre, entertainment area with ping pong, an outdoor pool, and a children’s playroom. 

There’s also a business center and two-level library with desks and plentiful outlets, making it easy to have a separate space to run my business.

The building is clean, and the staff is so responsive. I’m always there and everyone knows me. 

But it was the air filtration system—this building is environmentally friendly—that really won us over.

After moving to Sven, my breathing has been so much better—it was like night and day with my allergies. When New York had unhealthy air quality due to the wildfires and all my friends were suffering from the smoke, we didn't feel anything at Sven because of the filtration. It really makes a huge difference to me every day. 

Exploring the city from his new nabe

The subway accessibility was another big selling point, and one of the best things about the area. We are by the E, F, M, R, and 7 trains, and I can take the ferry to the city from Vernon Boulevard. 

Every day, I get on a train to explore new areas on foot, walking at least five miles. It’s great exercise but I’m balancing it out by also eating in every neighborhood. So far, I’ve seen all of Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan. I’ve gone to Jersey City and Hoboken, and even upstate New York and Connecticut with the quick ride to Metro North at Grand Central.
 
One of my favorite neighborhoods is DUMBO. I like areas with waterfront parks so I can breathe in the fresh air.

There are so many food options in Long Island City, and getting delivery is very easy. I especially love Spot Dessert Bar. And Murray’s Cheese, Apandi BBQ, and the JACX&CO food hall are right across the street from our building.

Family and friends love visiting us. There are two hotels—a Marriott and a Hilton—right across the street, so it’s very easy for people to stay nearby. Whenever my business partner comes into town, he stays at the Hilton. Some friends recently came in from Chicago for the U.S. Open and stayed at the Marriott. They were blown away by our apartment building—especially the amenities and access to public transit. We were able to get to the U.S. Open in 20 minutes using the train. 
 
I’ve made a ton of friends in the building. I talk to everyone and interact with almost every staff member since I’m always around.

My life is so much better in nearly every way because of my move into this building. We would only ever leave for another job relocation. 

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