NYC Doorman vs. Non-Doorman Buildings

Does having a doorman really warrant the extra rent charged for doorman buildings?

The doorman vs. non-doorman building debate has been going for on as long as there have been doormen. The proponents of doorman building living say that the extra expense is warranted due to increased security and the convenience of having someone to accept packages, screen callers, and administer concierge services. Opponents point out that people are robbed, raped, and killed in doorman buildings too and that the added expense (sometimes as much as an additional 35% of the rent price) simply doesn’t equal value for money. Do you receive enough packages to justify such a rent increase?

While it is true that people get robbed, raped, murdered, etc in doorman buildings too, one of the main benefits from a safety perspective is that a criminal has to work much harder to gain access to an apartment and go unnoticed in the common areas. Doorman buildings typically have someone who mans the entry way/lobby of the building and very often monitors the hallways/laundry area/stairways, etc via closed circuit television. Since tenants are most vulnerable in common areas (stairwells, laundry rooms, and unmanned entryways) there is clearly a benefit to having someone looking out for you.

One of the problems with the debate however, is that not all buildings are created equal. I have been to buildings that were billed as “doorman” buildings, when in reality there was “a guy” sitting on a bar stool in the vestibule. I have been to others where an entire team of people opened the doors, assisted with baggage, ordered car service, organized theatre tickets and dinner reservations, and even walked the dog. Surprisingly, the rental price for each of the units was almost the same! By the same token, a non-doorman building with poor lighting, a lot of blind spots, and old locks or security features is going to be much more attractive to a criminal than a modern, bright, well planned non-doorman building.

In my opinion, while there are some people who see a doorman building as a status symbol, most people will weigh up the convenience of a “full service” doorman building and find it worth the additional cost. What is perhaps a more important consideration however is that no matter what your budget; find the safest building that provides the best value for money. Paying top dollar for a poorly serviced “doorman” building is just as silly as paying for a poorly maintained non-doorman building.

originally posted August 17, 2007