For Pete's sake, I'm moving again!

Yesterday I signed a lease for a new apartment. Yep, I'm moving downtown, all the way to 123rd St., the heart of Harlem.

I've only been in my place since December 1st, so I really didn't want to move again so soon. But a good buddy of mine, who's apartment I've coveted for years, decided to abandon Manhattan for Brooklyn, and as well as getting his apartment, I'm doing him a big favour by helping him get out of his lease. He's a star tenant in that neighbourhood, and by bringing someone in that is responsible, trustworthy and rent-dependable (me), the landlord will release him from his lease without penalty. My problem is that my lease ends at the end of August, so I'll have one-and-a-third month of rent overlap to shoulder. My landlord gave me a good rental reference, but was unsympathetic to allowing me to sublet for a month, or letting me out of my lease early. Others have suggested that the friend getting out of his lease should have made an offer to split it with me, but I wouldn't expect that, and frankly, if the shoe was on the other foot, I doubt that I would make an offer like that myself. The financial burden somewhat reduces the excitement I might otherwise have for moving into a new, and hopefully better, address.

And it is a better address, I think. It's less than a half mile from Central Park, so when I am finally on my feet again, there will be a lot fewer streets to cross to get there. Access to 125th St. Station and the 4,5 & 6 will be more reasonable for getting to east side events, but I'll still be closer to the west side subways, which I like better. The neighbourhood is about the same quality as where I live now, which isn't great, but it's getting better: "The New Harlem".

My current apartment is 275 square feet, with no closets. When one walks in, just about everything I own is in full view. It has a wardrobe unit bolted to the wall, inconveniently in the middle of the room. The bathroom is 2'9" wide, with a shower stall at the far end. Imagine yourself using the bathroom facilities as I say the words "knees against the wall". The new place, although I'm not sure about the square footage (and it is still a studio) is somewhat larger and, seriously, has more closets than I will know what to do with, 5 of them. It also has a large bathroom and separate kitchen, all for only 55 bucks more than what I pay now. If I include the rent overlap for the year, it's much more, but still not really expensive, and rent stabilized to boot. I actually am getting excited.

When I was in Montclair, I was in the same place for 5 years. It was a sweet little apartment, and I have great memories from living there. Then I decided to move into the city in '04. This will be the third time I've moved in less than two years. Ugh. I suppose one good thing about being in this teeny place, is that I've purged a LOT of stuff, so the move shouldn't be that bad. Plus I have many friends who owe me moving help that hopefully I can cash in on this time. Hopefully I'll stay in the next place for awhile, but you never know, I might end up in that sweet little penthouse in Tribeca. Yeah, right.