90 Years In The Same Apartment

People in this town are famous for holding on to their apartments forever. As proof, the NY Daily News has a cute story today about Elsa Barnouw, a 102 year-old woman who has lived in her 3 bedroom Manhattan apartment for 90 years. Her parents’ rent in 1919: $5. Her rent today $397. The story notes that her apartment features several Obama photos, whom she thinks “is good for the country.”

My building’s super is a bit like the above woman. He was brought home from the hospital 50-some years ago to the apartment on my floor that he still lives in today. The only native Manhattanite that I know (I think), is leaving his East Village apartment next month after 28 years. And moving to New Jersey. And here we thought he was gonna be another Elsa.