A year and a half ago, after Chris Romine finished his studies at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif., he took a position with the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, on 55th Street. His mission was “church planting,” or forming a new church.
“You start with a seed and nourish it,” he said.
The pastor and his wife, Jill Romine, who are both from New Jersey and met at church in Hoboken, knew they would be facing steep Manhattan housing prices. But he was set on renting a relatively new apartment in Hell’s Kitchen, a neighborhood he enjoyed, and where he thought his future church would be based.
“I am a pragmatist — it made sense to go to a building that required no work and had all these amenities,” he said. “My wife is creative; she wanted to get her hands dirty. We agreed to disagree.”
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Happily, the decision was made for them. A pastor from East Harlem got in touch and offered a free place to live, in a storefront church with three studios on the top floor. One was vacant, reserved for summer interns.
“We were more than welcome to stay there for free until we got settled in Manhattan,” said Ms. Romine, an interior designer.
The couple, both in their mid-30s, adjusted well to their little studio, where they started out sleeping on a mattress on the floor. Ms. Romine furnished and decorated it. “I am all about the small spaces,” she said. “I like the challenge.” They walked their dog, Lola, in Central Park.
When a summer intern didn’t arrive as planned, they were able to extend their stay. And they found themselves loving the area’s tight-knit, embracing community. “East Harlem was getting into my soul,” Mr. Romine said.
But their situation was temporary. Someone arriving in the fall for a hospital chaplaincy would be taking the studio.
Mr. Romine still hankered for an amenity-filled building in Hell’s Kitchen. Ms. Romine hoped to remain in East Harlem, where they could find a more modest place. She didn’t want to spend more than $3,200 a month, while her husband was willing to spend up to $3,600.
Ideally, their new place would have a Lola window. “In the studio, the windows were about 30 inches off the floor,” Ms. Romine said. “Lola was not able to look out.”
They also wanted space for entertaining. As a pastor, Mr. Romine is a frequent host. In California, the couple often gathered at other people’s homes. “You don’t bop around to restaurants the same way you do in New York,” Mr. Romine said. “You aren’t as mobile.”
He checked StreetEasy daily. “I was playing with the parameters left and right,” he said. “Could we tweak it up another 50 bucks, 100 bucks? Could we get rid of our gym membership?”
Among their Manhattan choices were:
No. 1
East Harlem Browntsone
In a traditional four-story brownstone, a renovated one-bedroom garden duplex was available for $3,300.
The unit had a working fireplace, a stacked washer-dryer and a large rec room downstairs with a sliding-glass door that opened to a yard of nearly 400 square feet.
No. 2
Hell’s Kitchen Complex
Mr. Romine liked the amenities at the 27-story Avalon Clinton North building on West 52nd Street, which included a gym and a landscaped roof deck. It was also half a block from the dog-friendly DeWitt Clinton Park.
Studios, with big windows and closets, were in the mid $2,000s to low $3,000s.
No. 3
Upper West Side Tower
The 16-story Westmont building on Columbus Avenue also offered a gym and a nicely landscaped roof deck. Studios, with granite countertops and walk-in closets, were in the low $3,000s.
The Romines liked the neighborhood, with Central Park one avenue away, and plenty of shopping.
Find out what happened next by answering these two questions:
Which Would You Choose?
East Harlem Browntsone
Hell’s Kitchen Complex
Upper West Side Tower
Which Did They Choose?
East Harlem Browntsone
Hell’s Kitchen Complex
Upper West Side Tower
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/07/04/realestate/04hunt-romine.html
2019-07-04 09:01:50Z
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