The media and local stories is that New York City is a ghost town with everybody leaving…
But the New York Times does apiece on how some people are STILL migrating TO the city….
This spring, public schools had closed, offices had started sending employees to work from home, and restaurants had closed indoor dining. Newcomers had to adjust their expectations for a New York that could be dissatisfying, disappointing or even lonely.
Ms. Gruenert, 25, found an apartment on her drive down from Maine, and didn’t leave it for 14 days. Her social life was limited to walks along Brooklyn’s Eastern Parkway, Atlantic Avenue and Empire Boulevard — thoroughfares of the Crown Heights neighborhood that are usually packed with pedestrians, all turned quiet.
Many people took the rumors of an exodus from the city as an invitation: If New York was really “over,” rent must be pretty cheap.
“It’s a perfect moment for young people to come to the city,” said Stephanie Diamond, who runs The Listings Project, a listserv of open apartments and work spaces. “It’s definitely easier, because of decreased rent and increased vacancies, and there are apartments that are furnished, so you don’t have to move with moving trucks and all of your belongings.”…
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Ms. Boden, 22, moved to the Upper West Side this summer. She said she found a vibrant New York that others could not see.
“A lot of people saying that New York was wiped out were very wealthy older people who, if they can’t go to the super expensive restaurant and sit inside, then it’s not worth it for them, but that’s not what it’s about for me,” Ms. Boden said.
“I just didn’t believe that New York was dead.”…