The move downtown

The answer to your question is yes! Even six or seven years ago my friends who lived in the Village were complaining that the "Republicans" were infiltrating the neighborhood and the rents were rising accordingly. So it's not surprising that the trend has simply continued and grown. I am surprised however that it would actually be costlier than Tribecca. That seems hard to believe.

@Uraniumfish I think they have based their assumptions on recent home sales in various areas of the country. If you follow the link to Forbes magazine it shows you an entire table of home sales and price increase/decreases in various areas. Maybe its too simplistic an example but then Forbes is quite a respected business magazine and not some airy-fairy rag even then I would be most upset if the East Village soon lost its 'unique character.' Most people love the West Village but somehow I prefer the gritty,old world New York feel of the East Village.

@Uraniumfish: Nothing in NYC surprises me. The downside to living is a very famous city is high prices.

No! Not my lovely, unique, gritty East Village! Okay, so it's not exactly "gritty," but I love it just the sae!

I worked at an East Village eatery, and I have to say I've noticed this trend for years as well. I don't find it hard to believe that people prefer to live in the East Village over Tribeca, though, as the latter neighborhood is too shopping district-y.

Little Village is really filthy. I walked through there and found many streets to be disgusting looking. Why would anyone want to live there is beyond me. I guess, people don't look at that part. As long as they are part of a culture, that is all they care about.

Yeah, I don't know how gritty the East Village is any more. Have you guys walked down St Marks recently?

St Mark's Square is definitely very commercialized almost like a bazaar in Asia what with all those tiny shops which sell all sorts of gimmicky accessories and apparel but some streets in and around Alphabet city still have that old New York feel to them. I remember we were walking around the East Village one afternoon and decided to go and check out an Open house in one of the streets just before avenue A, the main building doorway had a lot of graffiti on it but the stairwell of the walk up was immaculate though it was painted a bile green, the apartment itself was a well appointed junior four which had been converted into a two bedroom , two bathroom space and at that time it carried a price tag of over a million. I had been truly surprised at the price at that time as though the apartment was nice enough, it was in a non-doorman building with no facilities to speak off and none too nice surroundings but I guess it would have been a great investment property for the right buyer.

@hhusted What's Little Village?

@everyone East Village does not equal gritty. And I've never seen it in any kind of gritty state. I completely missed the days when Alphabet City served as the eventual inspiration for Rent. I think there are still some public housing projects in the area, but trendy bars and restaurants have even popped up alongside them.

@NeverSleeps when I used the term 'gritty' I was referring to some streets which are anointed with some ugly graffiti .. I wish I can remember exactly where but I do agree about the restaurants and boutiques. Some of my favorite restaurants are in the East Village( The Wine Bar, Moustache, Taralucci e Vino, Sigiri-Sri Lankan) and I usually head there rather than the West Village when I plan to go out to dinner.

@uptowngirl Ah. The East Village does attract a younger crowd to its nightlife spots, at least. I actually remember being with a bunch of dumb friends who felt the need to jump out of a cab every few blocks and put their stupid tags on the wall. Boys. The West Village does feel ritzier and more grown up. It's my choice of the two as well.

@NeverSleeps Except I always get lost in the West Village. Definitely more the place for adults, but I was going to events there earlier this year all the time and always had to budget in "lost" time into my travel time. I always got there late for shows. Grrr...

NeverSleeps: Sorry, I meant East Village.

Me too Uraniumfish, I still havent figured out the various streets that make up the West Village..and the restaurants located there are always so packed. GrrrI remember once we had reservations for a meal at Commerce on commerce street in the West Village . Our reservations were for 9pm and we got there well in time but the place was packed and it didnt look like we were going to get our table anytime soon. We waited until 10 pm and then finally walked across to a Brazilian restaurant, Casa which was also full but which agreed to accommodate us for an hour otherwise we would not have eaten that night.

What's funny is the thought fo going hungry in Manhattan...a totally likely experience if you don't have reservations...

@Uraniumfish.. so true , the restaurant was so busy as were other restaurants in the area that we couldn' t help but ask recession???this is no recession with people dining out in hordes. As you know most of the West Village restaurants are no fast food joints but expensive, upscale eateries.

@Uptowngirl: Recession or not, there are three things people need and will always need - food, clothing, and shelter. Anything beyond these is just a luxury. So don't be surprised if you find restaurants packed at times. Many people still have jobs and don't have time to eat.

I was talking to a friend recently that, although people will certainly drink in tough times, they may not necessarily drink in bars. So one of the obvious casualties of a recession isn't the restaurant scene but the bar scene.

...Really? I would think bars would be more attractive in a recession, at least for single people. I actually know all the local bars to go on the cheap, and there's always the open bar thing for those who are particularly desperately broke. I definitely spend less money at a bar than at a restaurant....

@Uraniumfish @NeverSleeps I thought casinos and dives were the two businesses that never had to worry about a recession. Like NeverSleeps says, bars are about more than drinking because there's socialization involved. Of course you can do the same at home but it's not like I can fit that many friends in my apartment.

@Neversleeps - I didn't mean "gritty" as in dangerous - but I'd argue that the East Village certainly isn't as well-kept as other areas - it's a bit dirty and run-down, and the storefronts don't always look...super-chrome-clean! But I like it that way.

Funny - one never thinks of how the recession affects more...lascivious businesses. But I suppose the economy works in a similar fashion all over society...

@Uraniumfish LOL bet you've heard of a certain Eliot Spitzer?