Every neighborhood, every town, has that restaurant or bar. Local families have been coming for generations. Walking into this bar or restaurant is akin to walking into the home of a close friend or family member. It’s more than the food or the staff, it’s an extension of home and family.
Coogan’s Restaurant has been a staple of Washington Heights, a neighborhood in the Northern portion of Manhattan for over 30 years. It was on the brink of closing due to an extreme rent increase by the landlord. Thankfully, a deal was made between the restaurants owners and the landlord and restaurant will remain open.
I don’t know about other cities, but this is a problem for New York City. While I understand that landlords have bill to pay, raising rents beyond what is reasonable hurts both the city and the residents who call the city home. New York City should not just be the city where only thing earning a six figure income and above call home. It should be a city (like all cities) where residents of all income levels can call the city home. Unfortunately, with rents (and prices in general) going up, I fear that one day that middle class in New York City will be a thing of the past and those who call the city home will either be very rich or very poor.
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