Does the Doorman know everything that goes on with building tenants?

I think you mean gentlemen callers, OP.

This is a job for Elaine Benes.

Just say this...

I do not have a doorman but a very nosy neighbor couple who always look outside the window whenever someone leaves the house. This is so fucking annoying. They do not seem to realize or care that this is very intrusive and makes people uncomfortable. I can't imagine living in a building with a doorman who knows everyone's schedule and business.

The key is to know when the change of shift occurs. Like the afternoon doorman comes on at 2pm, and the night doorman comes on at 10pm. So spread your activities out from early afternoon to after 10pm and you will span 3 different doormen, limiting the amount of knowledge any one doorman possesses.

R5 they keep a central count of how many whores the old bitch in 15B receives, and there is betting.

R5 Sound stressful to plan your activities around the doorman schedules. From my experience, rich people who can afford to live in buildings with a doorman usually don't even notice them unless they need something. Who cares about little people.

I sometimes don't leave my apartment for weeks when I'm depressed. It would make me really uncomfortable knowing there is someone in the lobby knowing this and probably gossiping about it with his colleagues or other tenants.

Samantha Jones was successful at it for awhile, until someone snuck into the building behind one of her tricks and bashed an elderly woman. The other tenants practically chased her with torches like she was Fuckenstein!

Exactly, R7!

It doesn't sound like a pleasant or relaxing environment, to live in a building where someone knows your every move.

Not only that, but it kind of sucks to feel obligated to interact with someone every single time you arrive at or leave your home.

I really love the anonymity of coming and going, as I please, without someone else watching my every move.

And to think you have to TIP them on top of that, during the holidays.

It sounds miserable.

R7 is was a joke. This is DL.

R5

Thread reminds me of Lobby Hero by Kenneth Lonergan

If you're a good tipper the doorman can be your best friend and confidant 😉

I got the doorman on my side when I lived in New York. I would go down real late and blow him in a utility closet.

R5

So you think none of the three shifts of doormen talk/compare notes?

Short answer is "yes" all doormen, porters, concierges, handyman and rest of staff know very well what goes on in building.

Even when there is just a doormen they all know what tenants are up to because in part that's their job.

Our building's policy is same as others; all guests must be announced by lobby staff. On one can get upstairs otherwise. If they go around back to trade/service entrance same thing happens plus they must show ID and sign.

People aren't stupid. They know just what sort of female or man arrives in a town car or cab to visit a male tenant at odd hours of evening or over night. They also know which tenants are "sluts" (male of female" that have constant or at least pretty regular gentleman or lady callers.

One reason so much money moved to lower Manhattan (Tribeca, SoHo, FiDi, etc...) is those new buildings largely do not have doormen. If they do it's only for one day shift M-F in aid of getting packages and other deliveries. Thus much like live out help that goes home at 6PM or whatever, once lobby staff is gone residents have a measure of privacy. They can buzz in whoever they want and no one knows. Things are recorded on security cameras, but that usually isn't watched unless something happened.

Who would even care what the doorman thinks?

Having a doorman seems like an obsolete concept.

What's the actual POINT of a doorman?

Doormen are a big help with packages, security and obviously opening the damn door. Think of it as a person waiting downstairs 24 hours a day in case you need something.

The downside is the knowledge they have of tenant visitors.

It’s why many single guys in doorman buildings on scruff or Grindr won’t host.

When people of means lived in houses they had 1 maid, up to an entire staff. The doorman is a vestige of that. Its a useful and appreciated service to the apartment dwellers. Security. And it maintains class divisions which apartment dwellers need in their identity.

Ah.

Well that explains why it's such an outdated concept, R18.

And totally obsolete in this day and age.

No one needs a doorman any more.

We have security cameras, RING devices on our smart phones, and delivery services to carry packages to your door.

And yet plenty of rich folks like to have real or imagined service people. The doorman is getting paid, the residents like it, so what is the issue?

When you move into a doorman building first thing you want to do is give him cash, say 2500 or so, and have him sign an NDA. Tip the doorman generously throughout the year.

Oh fuck that, R21.

It's cheaper just to get rid of the doorman.

Just put a good security system in the lobby.

Voila!

Then you can have Grindr visitors over at any time, without having to worry about some nosy, gossipy doorman telling everyone your business.

Some people don't want to live in a building where a doddering old rich yet cheap homosexualist is bringing in the roughest of rough trade, a real criminal element, who would never get past a flesh and blood doorman. You realise the rough trade leaves the old coot's apartment and is STILL IN THE BUILDING!

R23 is the gossipy old queen in the building, who cozies up to the doorman thinking he's going to get laid.

And they stand near the front door like two old spinsters, whispering about the tenants as they walk by.

"Oh, that one's a real whore." "Her husband beats her." "Do I have stories to tell about the lady in 1601." "I hear the couple in 1408 are getting divorced." "Did you know that the husband comes in drunk at 1 a.m.?"

Bitch, please.

Resident: My nephew is dropping by about 2AM, just send him up"

Doorman: "Wow. you have such a big family, that's the 8th nephew this month"

Are Doormen unionized?

It sounds like Doormen are in the perfect position to be able to blackmail tenants.

Some comments on this thread are just plain ignorant.

An attended lobby is *always* more secure than one without. Unless we're talking about a "security system" that involves 24/7 video monitoring, then there is jack shit a recording of activities can do to prevent something from happening. All a recording will do is aide LE or whoever is making an investigation afterwards.

There are ways of making unattended lobbies more secure, and they vary in terms of actual results, but largest weakness is what it always is; human behavior,

People will just stand outside a locked building until someone enters or leaves, and go in right behind or front of them. Delivery persons, USPS, UPS, whoever; worse many tenants or their guests will hold door open for anyone.

Next tenants, workmen and others routinely prop open doors to lobby and street. If someone is moving in or out, or workmen are on a long project door or doors can be left wide open for hours with no one or way to stop anyone from entering building.

All buildings both attended and unattended lobbies have a Chatty-Cathy or two. These are usually middle-aged to older if not elderly males and females who are single and lonely.

Doormen are in a tight spot when such a resident arrives to have a chat. Building management may have a policy that doormen aren't to be molested during their shifts by yapping residents, but doormen don't like pissing said tenant off/hurting their feelings.

In such situations usually it is the building (management, co-op or condo board) that will sent out a memo about "bothering" lobby staff.

For chatty people who live on block but not in building, doormen can shut that down by simply going inside.

R26

In NYC at least some doormen are union, others are not. It all really comes down to the building.

Trend is for past decade or so for new construction not to be union. Something 32BJ is working hard on reversing.

More...

Union versus non-union

I love Doormen and wouldn't mind Doorwomen. They are helpful with packages, calling when Uber/Lyft drivers show up. I don't care if they gossip, I love attention and they give it to me.

In London I had a doorman plus a guy at the lobby desk 24 hours, plus the concierge 24/7 if needed. Loved it. Of course I wasn't bringing hook ups in regularly. The building was charming and it felt secure and efficient.

Lack of privacy is part of apartment living. Just ask yourself, how much do you know about your neighbor in the adjoining apartment?

"It doesn't sound like a pleasant or relaxing environment, to live in a building where someone knows your every move. Not only that, but it kind of sucks to feel obligated to interact with someone every single time you arrive at or leave your home. I really love the anonymity of coming and going, as I please, without someone else watching my every move. And to think you have to TIP them on top of that, during the holidays."

Doormen like other building staff don't know residents "every move". Only their coming and going out of the building and or perhaps common areas.

Tipping is not mandatory nor does every resident bother. This includes those in white glove buildings on UES/UWS/Sutton or Beekman Place. Then again if you don't tip staff it goes both ways; don't expect them to do things that aren't in their job description such as spot and hold parking spaces, walk your pooch, warn if the wife (or husband) is on way upstairs while you're banging (or being banged) by someone...

Not interacting with building staff is common enough, again even in high end white glove buildings. Staff know who those persons are and just do what is required, no more. They say "hello" or 'good evening" because that's part of their job, then shut things down. It's not like they don't have other things to do.

If it all seems like too much bother, then by all means live in a non-doorman building. Wouldn't want you offing yourself because added stress was just too much.

[quote]Who would even care what the doorman thinks?

Exactly that. If you have time and inclination to worry about what the doormen in your building think of your comings and goings or, knock yourself out caring about stupid shit.

I always liked living in apartments with doormen. A package arrives, your luggage arrives a day late from the airport, you can't easily be home for a morning delivery of a reupholstered chair... The doorman and/or the day desk person takes care of it all. No fuss. I'm not bent out of shape giving a greeting to the doorman when I exit or leave; I'm glad to see him. Glad because I know that the people in my building live there, work there, or have reason to be there. You tell the doorman that you are expecting a few guests and he welcomes them; or tell him that you will be away for a week and to give the keys for the cat sitter once a day, or the maid once a week. You treat him well, tip him well at Xmas as well as if you ask anything special of him. You know that he knows your business and he knows that you know, but that's part of the scheme. He understands that the two-thirds of the building are in their 80s and 90s and that you are not, that you keep crazy hours, come home late sometimes looking a little worse for the evening, or have a guest arrive while most of the building is hours asleep already. I'm not embarrassed to be who I am and keep the hours and habits that I do, and I've never gotten any sort of bad looks from a doorman. Treat your doorman respectfully and remember him at Xmas and he's your friend at the front door who works for you. Same with the janitor, the front desk staff, the elevator operator, whoever works in your building and home.

I've never had a doorman be anything but kind and helpful, even when I had to buzz at some crazy hour and woke him up. I have noticed slightly more tense relations between a doorman and a resident whose specialty is scolding and tattling and causing trouble when a simple kindly placed word would have done the trick handily.

Definitely I would prefer and old fashioned building with a doorman to some double airlock chambered, cameras everywhere security system. They have some benefits, and clearly they make sense for a building of just a few units and some building conversions where there isn't an entrance lobby and a mail room and reception rooms. But a human presence at the front door is a welcoming and reassuring thing and can let the dogwalker in, the dry cleaning, sign for a delivery, and look out that the building is safe and feels like home from the front door, not just inside your apartment.

I lived in 2 different high rises with doormen...This was in boystown in Chicago and I was popular with the gentleman callers....But I could care less what they thought about me having visitors

Andy Cohen's doorman must've leaked the Blind Item that he takes tricks to basement Bicycle Room for sex, instead of inviting them to the apartment. Maybe that's why Andy's moving.

Yes, they know everything and you'd be shocked at how little they care/judge/gossip. They care about tips and complaints. Sex does happen, of course, but most mature adults don't want to "shit where they eat".

The Dooooooorman certainly has a wild imagination!

@Shirley, there must be a doorman or two on here. Spill.

[quote] And totally obsolete in this day and age. No one needs a doorman any more.

No it's not. NY is not the only place in the world that has this. On the Wilshire corridor in Los Angels where I work it's called "white glove service". Basically the more upscale residential high-rise buildings have a staff of men who valet park your car, open the door, bring anything you want from your car upstairs, call the elevator, call you when a guess arrives in the lobby, and of course 24/7 Security. And a lot more.

It's old-timey but I can imagine it must be wonderful to have a doorman. Sure, they know all your business, but that comes with the territory. I imagine most of them are relatively discreet, as those jobs seem to pay very well for what amounts to relatively little, stress-free work.

Yes the doorman knows exactly who have Grindr hooks ups show up at 2 am

Lived in NYC for many years, can't imagine living there without a doorman. Most don't care what you are doing, most don't care about anything but helping your and getting tipped. The most important thing is to acknowledge them when entering or exciting...you would be surprised at how many people who lived in my apartment building didn't take the time to know their names and say hello. I knew them all, they new me and my dogs and would always help if I needed something. It's about the packages, getting a taxi, helping with luggage, unloading the cars...I could go on.

The building I live in has such massive turnover no one cares. Only have one guy that's been there for about 5 years, the others come and go about every 3 months. If you are lucky some have a good sense of humor. One time my mother came to visit for the first time and when he called to let me know she was in the lobby he said "your mother is on her way up, HIDE EVERYTHING!" 🤣

[quote] Not only that, but it kind of sucks to feel obligated to interact with someone every single time you arrive at or leave your home. I really love the anonymity of coming and going, as I please, without someone else watching my every move.

This 1000X.

But unfortunately, in Manhattan all the decent apartments are in doorman buildings. It's usually just older walk-ups that are doormen free.

@r44, "Yes the doorman knows exactly who have Grindr hooks ups show up at 2 am "

They're my nephews! 😠

[quote] Andy Cohen's doorman must've leaked the Blind Item that he takes tricks to basement Bicycle Room for sex, instead of inviting them to the apartment. Maybe that's why Andy's moving.

Seriously??

How trashy!

Get a fucking hotel, or a pied-a-terre, for fuck's sake.

He can afford it.

[Quote]call the elevator

Call the elevator? People are too stupid or lazy to press a button?

It was edgy 15 years ago to have hookups in apartment building attics and basements. Among the younger, working class set.

R4- I never liked Mr. and Mrs. Kravitz either.

OP- Tricks?

It’s not 1977 anymore.

^ They're called "gentlemen callers"

[quote]Not only that, but it kind of sucks to feel obligated to interact with someone every single time you arrive at or leave your home. I really love the anonymity of coming and going, as I please, without someone else watching my every move.

It kills you to say, "Good afternoon," "Thank you," or maybe "Hello Ted"? Fucking Christ.

He's "watching your every move" because it's his job to look after the safety and well-being of the building and its residents. Trust me, if you want to be high hat about it and just do a little grunt or ignore him and pretend that he's not there, he will catch on and quickly and go along with your quirks or cuntiness.

Of course the doorman knows what goes on in a building, it's his fucking job. Does he care? No. And most especially he doesn't especially if you treat him not as some nosy interloper but as a real person with a real job. You don't have to be friends, you don't have to suck his dick, just be a human who's not fucked up in the head and takes it out on everyone else.

It's always the people who are the most uptight about their "privacy" and "anonymity" who are the most boring weirdos that draw breath.

The doormen in my building also double as dog-walkers. Some residents use them regularly at shift change (2pm doorman comes in 1/2 hour early and walks the dogs in 301, 708, and 905). Others use them when unexpectedly stuck at work and I can't make it back home in time.

And they water my plants when I am away!

They know everything. Tip them very well and they won’t care.

People who think a doorman’s an invasion of privacy, willingly put every minute detail of their lives (including Grindr preferences) on an phone or a laptop.

Yes he knows you are a WHORE

[QUOTE] No one needs a doorman any more.

You sound poor.

Yes, I do need one. Ours is a concierge who sits at a desk in the lobby of my building and buzzes in people and deals with deliveries and packages which are sorted in a mailroom, gives spare keys to dog walkers and housekeepers (for residents who are at work or on vacation), and let’s in guests and buzzes them up our elevator which requires a fob.

Both R9 and R61 are correct. There are positives and negatives to having a doorman. It's a tradeoff you have to make.

[Quote]Yes, I do need one. Ours is a concierge who sits at a desk in the lobby of my building and buzzes in people and deals with deliveries and packages which are sorted in a mailroom, gives spare keys to dog walkers and housekeepers (for residents who are at work or on vacation), and let’s in guests and buzzes them up our elevator which requires a fob.

This is very funny bc you actually don't need a human doorman for any of these activities. There're doorbells, most housekeepers and dog walkers have their own key and all my packages are delivered to a mail box where I can easily pick them up 24/7.

I'm frugal and I think it's unnecessary to pay several people a high salary to basically open a door and sit in a lobby. These are thousands of dollars every year tenants can easily save. Convenient? Maybe. But definitely not something most people need or want to pay for.

I serviced the doorman for years. It’s one way to cut down on gossip.

You could try not caring about what someone thinks of you

After having lived in buildings with a doorman and buildings without, I mostly appreciate the security. I’ve never had a package stolen. Never walked out of my apartment to find a homeless person sleeping in the hallway, never had my apartment robbed.

[Quote] I’ve never had a package stolen. Never walked out of my apartment to find a homeless person sleeping in the hallway, never had my apartment robbed.

My building does not have a doorman. I've never experienced any of those things. I live in a big metro area.

When Madonna became a new resident in a building with a doorman back 8n the day (90s?), he ended up winning several million dollars in the NY state lottery, and he claimed his luck changed for the better soon after she moved in. Coincidence?

The people who keep yelling at those of us who have doormen sound fucking manic. Why do you care so much?

You sound jealous and poor. Doormen and 24/7 concierge are de rigueur in my city.

If you don’t want a doorman or on-site concierge, don’t have one.

Better to be a doorman than a doormat.

Some of you elitist cunts are just too much.

"You must be poor."

"You sound jealous and poor."

Is that really the best you can do?

Tell us more about Andy Cohen fucking his Grindr "dates" in the bicycle room!!!

I love hearing the dirt on this trash bag.

It's an interesting question. Related: folks used to have "visitors" arrive at their hotel rooms... now so many hotels have elevators that require room keys to access them. Would seem to be a little odd to go down to the lobby to meet the visitor to bring them up. If you are there on business having co-workers see you shepherd the little tart to your room would be a little odd...

[QUOTE] Some of you elitist cunts are just too much.

Okay, but this DL. We’re allowed to be cunts. Are you new here?

Why are the posters who have some issue with doormen so intent are telling us how purposeless they are? First of all, why are you denigrating someone who provides such a service and adds to the culture of a building? Do you want to put people out of a job?

Second, what is it TO YOU? If you don’t want to live in a building with a doorman or 24/7 concierge, then don’t live in one. Simply repeating over and over how everything that a doorman or concierge does can easily be done by the owner or tenant is a stupid, no-shit-you-dumb-bitch argument. Is that the best that YOU can do?

Yes, packages can be delivered elsewhere and held for pickup. Certainly we can open our own doors.

But when I lived in a buzzer building, we’d have people just buzz anyone in, people could enter behind someone unlocking the door, etc. Food delivery people are escorted to the apartment and back out, so there aren’t random people just roaming the hallways. The building is really strict about who comes and goes.

Of course there are some wackos who live here and can’t be kept out. One neighbor had a psychotic break and was found wandering undressed and ranting about various government conspiracies. She was ringing people’s doorbells to warn them. She’s a millionaire.

R75's point is very important to some. I like to know that when I come home I won't see someone dodgy inside my building staring at their phone or somebody's door, trying not to look suspicious. I don't want the neighbors upstairs to leave the night door and the vestibule gates open because they are having a party and can't be bothered to ring in guests as they arrive; or the neighbor downstairs to leave the place wide open because he thinks locking doors is elitist. I don't like to have a knock at my door and answer only to find it's not a neighbor but a bunch of young people with clipboards soliciting on behalf of dome noble cause on another continent. I don't want to have to install doorbell cams and elaborate security systems to keep out people who don't get in when you have a doorman.

Knowing that the doorman takes his job seriously and doesn't let anyone in without checking with the apartment owner first, that he doesn't just send them wandering around to find you if he does let them in, that if a piece of furniture is delivered he escorts the movers in and out of your apartment while you are not home.

I get that some people prefer not to have a doorman, and for reasons not always financial. But for me, living in an apartment building a doorman makes the place both safe and created a sense of home from the front door at the street, not just inside thevfoorbthst connects your apartment to the corridor.

Even if a Doorman knows everyone's business, do you think he cares? It's HIS business to know who is coming and going but beyond that I doubt he gives a shit.

^^What's he going to do? Blackmail you?

I have a doorman fetish!

Carlton, our doorman, had a problem with the drink.

When I first moved to NY we had a doorman. Some of the ones who didn't know me thought I was a baby thug with my cornrows and durag.

[quote]Call the elevator? People are too stupid or lazy to press a button?

You type poor.

Most modern high-rise residential buildings use the door as a security measure. You cant get up to a different floor unless use a special key fob or the door man recognizes and triggers it for you before you even get into the elevator. If I am walking my dog or have my hands full with work stuff it's nice not to have to struggle getting my keys out to call the elevator. But that's not way it's really important, it's about security. If you don't live there, no reason you should be able to stroll in pretending you live there and take the elevator to someone's floor to rob or murder them. Security, Security, Security.

[quote] You type poor.

You type CUNT!

[quote]You type CUNT!

You type JEALOUS!

I live in SoCa in our version of a "doorman" highrise condo. He or she doesn't actually open the door for people, but staffs the front desk. I like that they sign for packages and keep them secure until we pick them up, get guests situated in guest parking and call before sending anyone up, coordinate use of the service/freight elevator for large deliveries or contractors doing work in my unit, serve as first point of contact if there's a maintenance emergency (like a plumbing leak), and serve as eyes and ears from a security perspective. Even simple things like sending people up in the elevator is great whether it's guests or food deliveries.....they are key fob controlled so you can't get anywhere without being sent up unless you have a fob. And even if you live in the building you can only get to your own floor. It's worth the higher HOA dues to me. People who buy here don't usually complain about the cost because we bought here expecting a certain level of service and don't want service levels reduced just to keep costs low. There are plenty of other buildings that do that.

R85

Technically even here in NYC there are "lobby attendants" and "doormen".

First is just that; someone who staffs lobby (usually the only person) who announces and directs guests/tradesmen, signs for packages, etc.. Depending upon official job description he or she *may* also be responsible for opening door, greeting guests...

The second does all a lobby attendant would do but main job is to staff the door.

In large white glove buildings on UES, UWS, Greenwich Village, Sutton and Beekman Place there is small army on duty at lobby, at least until 11PM or Midnight. Doorman, concierge, porter (once would have been a "hall boy". This means regardless of what's going on the door is never left unattended.

Jumped up middle class buildings who don't want to spring for extra staff make lobby attendant a "doorman" as well. During day when things are busy this is an awkward situation.

If something happens and say building handyman or some other relief cannot be found, door must be locked until doorman/lobby attendant returns. As you might imagine that pisses off residents no end.

Overnight many buildings, even fancy white gloves only have the porter on duty at door. In addition to watching lobby he also vacuums/tidies up lobby area, polishes the brass work (indoors and out), etc...

Many doormen and other building staff work well beyond their 60's. Many of such staff one knows personally live far better lives than good number of sad old DL incels. They are homeowners (usually outside of Manhattan), put one or more children through school and college...

[quote] he called to let me know she was in the lobby he said "your mother is on her way up, HIDE EVERYTHING!" 🤣

That's funny!

Doormen know ev.ry.thing.

To be clear domestic servant of all sorts always 'knew' everything.

Downstairs staff may have been less in the loop, but upstairs was an entirely different story.

People wanted upstairs staff to be quiet, unobtrusive and so forth as they went about their business, but families were still surrounded by servants. Best one could do was speak in hushed tones or perhaps in a foreign language.

Post WWI and certainly WWII as it became socially acceptable to have staff that lived out gave families a sigh of relief. At least part of day they had a measure of privacy.

Interesting R86. I never lived in NYC so didn't realize the extent of the staffing. We have a total staff of 11 here, including 5 for 24/7 coverage of the front desk/lobby (sometimes referred to as the "doorman" but usually "front desk attendant"), on site property manager, building engineer, engineering staff, and maintenance/janitorial staff. We don't have anyone who opens the door, valet parks cars, or brings packages or luggage up to our units. But the front desk attendant will do helpful things like walk with us to the elevator to "send us up to our floor" if we have our hands full with packages (key fob is needed), and if we use the luggage cart sometimes they will tell us to just "send it down" in the elevator instead of bringing it back down and putting it back in the designated spot. So we're sort of a hybrid I guess. I don't know of any buildings in LA that have the full white glove level of service you described but there might be a few on Wilshire Blvd or in Beverly Hills. I think there's one on Wilshire where the mantra is that the HOA dues are in the "if you have to ask, you can't afford it" level.

{quote]When I first moved to NY we had a doorman. Some of the ones who didn't know me thought I was a baby thug with my cornrows and durag.

R81 Is that like a doo-rag?

Believe what constitutes "white glove" service in apartment buildings varies by location and how market evolved.

Here in NYC what became "white glove" buildings were all built to lure wealthy persons out of their townhouses or mansions. To do this developers/landlords promised all sorts of amenities that were same or better than townhouse or mansion living.

Staff manned front door, greeted and announced visitors, etc.. So when places like the Dakota or great white glove buildings rose along Fifth and Park avenue they emulated that sort of cocoon existence.

Difference is those living in such buildings instead of paying their own personal house staff, largely only worry about maids, cooks and others who work inside their home. They pay monthly fees to building that covers doormen, porters, and rest.

I knew someone whose doorman for fired because he seduced him. This guy was a jerk lawyer.

The doorman or the resident?

Everyone knows about your cumdump whore ways.

@r79, "I have a doorman fetish! "

Funny, I have a footman fetish 😜

R93 The resident was the douche.

I worked for a woman who lived on the Wilshire Corridor in LA and all those "door men" were hot 25 something white guys. Not a single one was over 30. The old ladies who mostly lived there loved that. Even though it wasn't part of their job, those ladies were always having "problems with their TV or internet" asking one of those boys if they could come up and fix it.

OP everyday is a walk of shame (twice at least) if you're a slut and you live in a fireman building. I know.

Your story needs more details, R93.

Men in their 20s are not “boys.”

^^To an older, experienced woman, all men are boys.

In New York, the doorman thing is desirable for packages alone. You want UPS leaving things in an unsecured lobby or worse, outside? In New York?

[quote] You want UPS leaving things in an unsecured lobby or worse, outside? In New York?

It's either that or chasing them around with those doortags all week.

R102, Yes.

Maybe you are on a better block , R104. Most of the time my lobby is fine but I have had a couple of things misdelivered or disappeared in Brooklyn and it's an annoyance.

Don't know where some of you all live, but at least in NYC UPS, USPS, FedEX, Amazon and rest all leave packages in lobbies of "unsecured" buildings.

By law multi-family buildings here must have locked doors leading into lobby from street. If that counts as "unsecured", then have at it.

Even with buildings that have dedicated package rooms things go walk about. Unless they are staffed by someone from building and locked otherwise. Our building as a "package room" which is staffed and locked. Laundry, deliveries and everything else comes through service entrance and goes to said room. Residents either go down to pick up things themselves, or (more commonly) staff takes things apartment's back service door.

Have found USPS, UPS, FedEx rarely leave door tags. Unless package has some sort of restricted delivery which requires signature, it is left somewhere in building.

People complain now that UPS, FedEx, USPS, don't even bring packages to front doors of apartments any longer. They leave everything in lobbies for people to pick up..

CA native here. Doormans are not a thing here. Lived in Mexico City for a bit earlier this year, where many live in apartments with doormen. It was awkward on a variety of levels as they clearly know everyone's coming and goings (it's their job). One doorman recognized me from three months earlier when I stayed for a weekend to check out the place before committing (it's an Airbnb).

Not gonna lie, it someone chilled partner and I's home sextivities a bit. These guys HAVE to open the door for everyone (building's rules) and you can't sneak anyone past them because they don't stand at the door, but rather at a desk, so they physically have to get up to open the door.

There were only two guys - day and night shifts - so when we'd come home anywhere from 2am-6am on the weekends, one would be asleep bundled up and we'd have to wake him to get his attention. They were friendly and helpful all around, still.

The times we brought someone over, and they left after an hour or so (especially in the middle of the night), I'd walk them out as my partner doesn't speak Spanish. They handled it like pros, no big deal, but still, we didn't want to be obvious whores trying to sneak as much verga in as possible during our brief time. We found other outlets for that, creativity and ingenuity are the spice of life.

On another note, it was just weird not to be able to open your own front door. Our place here in The City has a 24/7 front desk for packages and security, but they don't control access - we have fobs and keys for that. Sometimes we'd walk across the street (literally) for coffee or a snack and we'd only be gone 5 minutes. The guy would still have to get up and down. Or I'd forget my mask - same deal. Or I changed my mind about what I wanted to wear because the weather was different from what I expected - same thing.

Still don't get the appeal of a doorman.

[quote] it was just weird not to be able to open your own front door

That would be awful.

If you can't get into your own home without someone letting you in, then it's not your own home.

The lack of privacy in having a doorman, is something I would loathe.

It's amazing how many of you are willing to give that up.

OP is in his finest craftan and watching reruns of I Love Lucy and the Jeffersons. He has the nicest condo in Witchita Falls and dreams of living in the big apple where he can splurge on rent boys.

R73

Many hotels past a certain hour will ask guest to come down and sign in or whatever a guest.

Here in NYS post 9/11/01 hotels went into lock down. No one besides registered guests often could get upstairs.

For the record like doormen in multi-family lobby staff at hotels know usually fully well who is a whore/escort/rent boy or whatever.

Same as with apartment buildings, the escort can say they are whatever they wish, but lobby staff know fully well what time it is. More so when this "nephew" or "secretary" leaves in about an hour or maybe two after arriving, and has a car waiting outside.

Then again prostitutes and hotels have gone together for ages. If they don't work out of them, they're calling upon guests to conduct business.

Most guys I know who come into NYC and hook-up with a rent boy or trans always do outcall. They just don't want hassle of escort coming to their hotel room.

I always wondered how hotel staff deals with the meth whores. They must know what is going on. And I am not talking of the skank motels but NYC boutique hotels where this is also happening.

^ They probably think it's typical fag behavior. Hence, why monkeypox is a gay issue.

But we can't say that, because what will people think????

[QUOTE] The times we brought someone over, and they left after an hour or so (especially in the middle of the night), I'd walk them out as my partner doesn't speak Spanish. They handled it like pros, no big deal, but still, we didn't want to be obvious whores trying to sneak as much verga in as possible during our brief time. We found other outlets for that, creativity and ingenuity are the spice of life.

You’re one of those people who exclusively speak in “We” aren’t you?

Some of us have partners, R114, as discussed in that quote you cite. Should we say "They/Them?" Or "Us/Ours?"

R112

There's nothing hotel staff can do about "meth whores". It's not their place to judge or supervise who visit paying guests.

Yes, security or front desk can make things difficult by insisting registered guest come down to lobby and sign his visitor in, but that has consequences. No one wants to piss off a guest, more so in high end accommodations where such persons then to be high net worth individuals with major juice.

[Quote]The times we brought someone over, and they left after an hour

FFS

^ About what? The hour?

Do you need more time? To cuddle, exchange cupcake recipes, talk about each other's hopes and dreams?

The prudes and cunts who are always chastising others for having random NSA hook-ups and “gentlemen callers” are typically the perpetually UN-FUCKED.

We really don’t really care what you think, grandmas.

R13 and R64 how did you initiate sucking off the doormen?

They are great, I saw one who helped an elderly man fend off a robber.

I guess their service is limited if you are an old Asian woman who is blindsided by thugs.

Far as NYC goes find most doormen/lobby staff strike good balance between being professional and staying out of resident's business. They great residents, guests, etc.. and will make small talk, but that's far as things go.

Yes, some people who have been with building for years and are well known to certain residents will be engaged in longer conversations. This may include things beyond events of the day.

What you do have a larger issue of is doormen/lobby staff who are Chatty-Cathies and also indiscreet, They say things they shouldn't to people they really ought not, this includes repeating tittle tattle, becoming far to intimate and so on.

Those sorts are either sat down, or simply terminated. In a union building where firing may not be possible they will be moved onto somewhere else.

Yes, you can be " too nice" as a doorman or building staff, and it may cost someone their job.

[quote]You want UPS leaving things in an unsecured lobby or worse, outside? In New York?

Stuck in the past bitches? What kind of low rent buildings do you live in? Most building these days have digital package lockers similar to Amazon. You get an email an just scan in your QR code from your iPhone. You can even send out the same way just by scanning your package label.

R124

You don't know what the fuck you're talking about.

There is no "most" about it; vast numbers of NYC apartment buildings do *NOT* have digital storage or whatever lockers.

Scores if not hundreds of buildings from five/six floor non-doorman buildings of all sorts (tenements ages old to buildings that went up in 1960's through 1990's) don't have any such thing.

May many buildings have installed are things like Carson or other virtual doormen type services that give delivery persons access. Where packages go after that is another matter.

Friends live in a loft building down in Tribeca, there isn't a package room of any sort, but building now has virtual doorman service. Packages are simply left in lobby as they are in many, many other NYC buildings.

As with everything else NYC is a city of people who moan, and don't like change.

Not everyone is keen on virtual doormen sort of services, especially those who have human beings doing the job currently.

Actually R125, you have no clue what you are talking about.

Package Concierge is not the same as a virtual doormen. It's a locker system that can easily be installed into an existing mail room. It has nothing to do with security or doormen. UPS, and others still have to gain access to the building like they normally do past security. It just alleviates the issue of large packages being left in the mail room floor, behind a security desk or at the doorstep. I didn't say most buildings have this, but the better ones do. The building I am in is almost 30 years old. It's not that hard to retrofit a mail room. Get with the times grandpa.

R124 / R127 - you sound like a total asshole (“bitches” / “grandpa”). And you totally changed your tune when you got called out. Your original post did imply that, yes, MOST buildings had a “virtual locker” something I’ve never even heard of.

So sorry that you can’t afford a building with a real doorman or 24/7 concierge.

R127

Either night nurse is late again on her med rounds, or you cannot read your own posts.

Whatever it is no where near "most" NYC apartment buildings have such a system. Many apartment buildings don't even have "mailrooms" either. Mail boxes are in or just off lobby, and that is where packages go as well.

There is a huge number multi-family housing that does not have a doorman, real or "virtual", nor do they have any of what you're rabbiting on about.

You obviously don't live in NYC or maybe do but in your parent's basement somewhere in outer boroughs.

Can walk about my area and see building after building with packages in lobbies or even just inside locked (hopefully) vestibules.

R127 is Lauren Pazienza.

Why do you guys even have packages delivered to your home? I ALWAYS use the storage boxes from Amazon etc. or have my packages delivered to a store if the delivery company does not have a box in my neighborhood. Most people are not home during the day so I usually just pick up my packages after work. It's also not a big deal unless you ordered dog food or a 65' TV. I do not want to search for my packages in the neighborhood and I certainly don't trust my neighbors or "the lobby". It's usually not a big deal to get a refund if a package disappears, but still inconvenient.

r120, You ask them "What time do you get off? And how?

R131 If you live in a building with a front desk, there is definitely no point in an Amazon locker. One more errand, that's unecessary, especially if you work from home. You can

R129 is right. I live in a doorman building (in NYC), but just a few days ago I sent a package to a friend in a brownstone. Amazon delivered it, and tracking sent me a photograph of the package in its blue-and-white envelope sitting IN THE BUILDING'S VESTIBULE WHERE ANYO0NE COU/LKD STEAL IT.

This then led to a series of emails between the addressee and me while I tried to ensure that he got the package (he was out of town).

This is not exceptional. It's standard Amazon operating procedure, and it's why it's smart to live in a doorman building, especially now that New Yorkers have things delivered more than they used to.

And just in case the jackass who calls anyone who disagrees with him "Grandpa" doesn't get it: NYC brownstones don't have space for a mailroom. They don't have lobbies. You enter, you use your key, and you're in the hallway with the stairs. There's literally no place for anything else.

And you can shove "Grandpa" up your fucking ass.

if you don't have a doorman, the delivery people like Amazon, UPS etc will just buzz all the apts until one answers to let them in, they dump it in the lobby. I've been to friends apt and this happened while I was there.

R19 Is someone forcing you to live in a doorman building?

My Mom’s co-op loft building had an arrangement with a cleaners next door, so packages were left there.

Still waiting about initiating blowing the doorman. Cough up, bitches

^Regardless of occupation or station in life, you either know how to do this or you don't. There's no specialized doorman seduction technique.

The times that this has happened to me in the past, ALL were signaled by the doorman/valet/super/handyman first in the following ways; they let you see them adjust their cock indicating that they are getting hard, or, they look at your cock or linger after the task. A couple of times I've been taken off guard and missed my chances when they've asked "Let me know if you need anything, really anything" while they maintain eye contact.

That's it, that's all you get. You either have a high sex drive or you don't.

[quote] The key is to know when the change of shift occurs with 3 different doormen

Great idea. But all 3 still know you're a whore.

Mention to your doorman that you come from a VERY large family and that you often have nephews stopping by to visit.

[quote] Mention to your doorman that you come from a VERY large family and that you often have nephews stopping by to visit.

Your family is so diverse!

I've seen black, chinese, puerto rican, german, and french nephews coming and going at all hours of the night!

*

The upside to doormen…they’re usually the first to know when you’re missing. On more than one occasion the doormen in my building were the first to call in wellness checks after not seeing a resident and saved a few lives as a result (as well as saved the rest of us from the unpleasant odor that comes with a rotting corpse in at least two cases.)

I’m sorry r127 but why would I want some silly package system when my doorman brings everything directly to my door? Nice buildings don’t have mail or package rooms - we have doormen who bring everything directly to our doorsteps. Do we pay for this service in our maintenance? Yes, quite happily.

[quote]You obviously don't live in NYC .......There is a huge number multi-family housing that does not have a doorman, real or "virtual", nor do they have any of what you're rabbiting on about. MOST buildings had a “virtual locker” something I’ve never even heard of.......So sorry that you can’t afford a building with a real doorman or 24/7 concierge.

I never said I lived in NYC you silly pissed off queen. Secondly, what's with your obsession with "virtual" bullshit? I have normal doormen and security guards 24/7. The digital lockers we have are right off the side of the mail room. When they remodeled, they took over some storage space and reconfigured the lobby to accommodate it. It's not impossible to do that. And most NEW buildings have this feature. They are not "virtual" they are just lockers that help keep packages safe with digital access. You know like Amazon? That futuristic company that magically delivers your packages in just 2 days after typing something on a this futuristic virtual shopping thing called a computer.

R146, yup, I looked at a new build apartment where I am. They did away with the doormen in favor of all high tech.

I live in a pretty big doorman rental building.

It's fantastic, I love it and have no idea how I managed without a doorman all my life.

It's safer, pleasant and wonderful. They are wonderful in my building and I never feel "spied on" although I'm sure many of my fellow tenants certainly are.

How much do you tip your doorman?

Seinfeld captured "The Doorman" perfectly.

You dont tip doorman R149, it's their job and they are paid well as part of your monthly HOA fee. Mine is about 3,000 a month. Although around Christmas time, it is considered customary to tip for the year of service. Where I live, they pool the tips. So something about 1,500 to 3,000 is kind of expected but not required. You can of course do side tips as well to special ones you really like.

[Quote]So something about 1,500 to 3,000 is kind of expected but not required.

3k total from all residents or everyone is expected to pay 1,5-3k?

Unless you are deeply in the closet why would you care if your doorman knew you sometimes had guys over for sex?

Do you think the straight singles aren't having people come over too?

Doormen know everything that is going on in the building but part of the job is to be discreet.

If they were DL style gossips they'd be out of a job

Where I live, White Glove service means that the Doorman jacks me off.

[quote] they are paid well as part of your monthly HOA fee. Mine is about 3,000 a month. Although around Christmas time, it is considered customary to tip for the year of service. Where I live, they pool the tips. So something about 1,500 to 3,000 is kind of expected but not required

FUCK.

THAT.

Just the thought of paying these people $3000 a month is ridiculous.

R159: Co-ops and condos typically have very different monthly fees, with coop fees (typically) much higher because they include property tax but also because they tend to maintain large reserves and more staff (typically, again - of course there are exceptions.)

The 3000/month fee sounds like a co-op (or a co-op like condo) usually covers staff, management overhead for the company that provides and vets the staff, water, possibly heat, property, reserve funds, insurance, 24/7 doormen, elevator operators for some older buildings, reception desk staff, janitorial, routine scheduled maintenance, legal fees, etc, etc.

Condos typically operate on a much leaner system, property tax is dealt with directly by the owner of each unit as are utilities, staffing is leaner, public spaces are fewer, maintenance costs simpler, lower reserves, fewer amenities like the staff bringing packages to your door, etc.

It's different things arriving to different prices, and if course you will find some condos with very high fees and some co-ops with low fees, but generally co-ops assume more expenses overall that the residents then pay. High monthly fees have a direct impact on cost: a condo often costs more but has small monthly fees, with a co-op the high fees may lower the overall cost because there may be thousands rather than hundreds in monthly fees to consider.

3000 isn't just paying for the guy in the forest green blazer at the door.

Taxes R156

The biggest part of your monthly maintenance in a co-op goes to taxes, which are a separate fee in a condo

And as you correctly state, things like heat and AC, water and gas are also routinely covered. Some buildings even throw in broadband and cable.

No, R150–not perfectly. Doorman are more ethnic than that. And it’s illegal to keep mail in open boxes like an old hotel reception desk.

No. Another reason co-ops have higher fees is that they can borrow money to make repairs. The co-op legally owns the units. The interest payments are included in the fees. Condos can’t borrow, since they don’t own apartments.

Co-op owners get a tax deduction for the portion of their fees that go to interest and real estate taxes.

[quote]3k total from all residents or everyone is expected to pay 1,5-3k?

Our buildings pools as well and only a couple of hundred is expected. $3000 is more than I give my own family.

[quote]Condos typically operate on a much leaner system, property tax is dealt with directly by the owner of each unit as are utilities, staffing is leaner, public spaces are fewer, maintenance costs simpler, lower reserves, fewer amenities like the staff bringing packages to your door, etc.

True on the property tax. Staffing, like a coop, depends on the type of building. I came from an 8 staff co-op to a 20 staff condo. There is no rule on staffing. Public spaces are about the same. Maintenance costs are simpler in a condo because a co-op carries property tax and likely a mortgage while a condo doesn’t. A condo is more likely to have a higher reserve fund for two reason 1) requirement and 2) unlike a co-op you can’t take out a mortgage to pay for repairs. And amenities are about the same. Bringing packages to your door doesn’t happen in every co-op…like a condo, it depends on the building.

^Thanks for taking the time to explain that.

Condos often will bulk up reserves because unlike co-ops their only recourse when resident wishes to sell is right of first refusal. Either condo board meets seller's price or otherwise does a deal, or they must step aside.

Co-ops OTOH can (and have) prevented sale of shares for a host of reasons. This includes if board believes unit is being sold for too little money.

As for public spaces it varies. New construction condos at least here in NYC have all sorts of amenities including public spaces. This is what market expects nowadays, especially at luxury levels.

Many of the old grand pre-war apartment buildings (that often became co-ops) had libraries, dining rooms, lounges, etc... Over years many of those spaces were deemed surplus to requirements as lifestyles changed, so they were turned into other uses such as apartments.

[quote]Condos often will bulk up reserves because unlike co-ops their only recourse when resident wishes to sell is right of first refusal. Either condo board meets seller's price or otherwise does a deal, or they must step aside.

No….this isn’t why they have large reserves. Most condo boards don’t get involved in the sale at all.

[quote]3k total from all residents or everyone is expected to pay 1,5-3k?

No you cheapskate, that's per person per unit. It gets shared with all the doorman and staff, not just one guy. In a building with 200 unites it could be a lot of money, but don't forget, some people don't tip at all. Usually the cunty Fraus that demand the most service too.

Bottom line if you can afford to live in a building where every unit is over 2 million dollars, and you pay 3,000 a month on top of that for HOA fees and maintenance, it's not a big ask to cough up some cash for the people who actually work hard all day to keep it safe and clean for you.

This thread was killed with all these coop maintenance and package delivery details. Thanks a lot.

R164 is correct, that's not now condo HOAs work. They don't care what the price of a unit sells for. Their main job is to manage the money collected and to run and maintain the building. This includes long term planning of decades not years. Things like remolding the lobby, resurfacing the pool, repairing the elevators, plumbing etc.

Good HOAs manage it well, bad HOAs let everything slide until there is a big problem. Typically, that means not fixing things to keep the monthly HOA fees very low. You know, it's easier to sell your condo if the monthly fees are only 200 dollars vs 800 dollars. Often times the owners VOTE to keep them low figuring they will sell before things need fixing. But then when something does go wrong, they don't have the money in reserve. So then everyone gets an assessment of thousands of dollars they have to cough up or get a loan to pay off. If you dont pay up, they can attach it to your property before you can sell it.

[Quote]No you cheapskate, that's per person per unit. It gets shared with all the doorman and staff, not just one guy. In a building with 200 unites it could be a lot of money, but don't forget, some people don't tip at all.

I'm guessing you're also the person who repeatedly posted "you sound/type poor" etc. upthread.

You're a massive cunt and I have no doubt a tremendously unpleasant person in real life. And tipping random doormen $3000 does not change your unpleasantness. You're still a silly cunt.

I was walking down Park Avenue once when a doorman came out of a building and walked alongside me insisting that I was the actor who played Eldin on Murphy Brown (Robert Pastorelli). I told him, No, I'm not that actor, but he just kept walking along beside me insisting that I was Robert Pastorelli. He just wouldn't believe me. I thought, What kind of fucking idiots do they hire as doormen in these buildings?

I was walking down Park Avenue once when a doorman came out of a building and walked alongside me insisting that I was the actor who played Eldin on Murphy Brown (Robert Pastorelli). I told him, No, I'm not that actor, but he just kept walking along beside me insisting that I was Robert Pastorelli. He just wouldn't believe me. I thought, What kind of fucking idiots do they hire as doormen in these buildings?

And then he died.

[quote]Just the thought of paying these people $3000 a month is ridiculous.

How DARE anyone earn $36,000/yr!

Datalounge is full of gay fascist idiots!

Reading is fundamental, R171

Your mailman knows almost as much about you as your doorman.

USPS (mailmen) know sometimes more than building staff, or less, so there is quite a range.

By virtue of sorting and delivering mail postal carriers know when legal action has begun against someone (your doorman won't until or unless process server shows up demanding admittance to building).

Mail carrier knows who has moved out or in (divorce, relationship break-up) by change of address notices, or mail marked "Return To Sender...".

Though not as much since much communication nowadays as moved online, mail carriers know by greeting cards and other personal mail about family, friends, and other relationships.

What your mail carrier doesn't know but doorman would is that Instahoe bit of rough trade who comes calling at wee hours of the night.

Sure the mailman and the doorman know some things but only your hairdresser knows for sure.

[quote]Your mailman knows almost as much about you as your doorman.

[quote]USPS (mailmen) know sometimes more than building staff, or less, so there is quite a range.

The mail deliverers (not USPS where I live) wouldn't have a clue. They deliver bills for electric, water, and gas every two or three months, one magazine subscription, and the annual property tax bill. That's it. I think the days of revealing mail are mostly gone unless you're receiving court notices.

Many mail carriers these days are contract, and criminals. In our neighborhood, one was fired for dumping ballots in the trash.

When you have an IQ of 8, I'm pretty sure you don't care about what some queen is doing, much less analyze her incoming mail.

Growing up, my family had the same mailman for 20 years.

He knew everything about everyone.

I'm sure he read postcards sent to us, back when people mailed postcards while on vacation.

Most mail carriers in the big cities are immigrants. Last thing on their mind are random white people things.

When I was a child/teen we also had the same mailman for years. I never actually met this guy and we lived in a huge neighborhood. I had a friend at that time I met on vacation and was desperately waiting for his next letter. When I saw the mailman in a different neighborhood, I asked him if there was any mail for my family. Not only did he know who I was, he also knew I had a long distance bf and had read his postcards. I thought that was fucking creepy since that was basically the first time I had talked to him.

You had a boyfriend sending you post cards with writhing that all the public could see and you are blaming your postman for being creepy? MARY!

^We were teenagers. What did you think he exchanged on these postcards? Yes, I think it's creepy to read people's mail.

You didn't know how to write a letter and put it in an envelope as a teenager?

Jesus Christ, I stated above that I was waiting for a letter. We sometimes also exchange postcards and that is probably how the creepy mailman knew about us.

Who the fuck gets mail these days? Even bills are electronic. The only thing I get by USPS is junk mail and government things (DMV, jury summons, things like that).

[quote] Your story needs more details, [R93].

I didn't ask as i felt bad to hear the doorman lost his job. He was a cute Irish guy. The guy i knew was older, a jew. This was on park Avenue.

[quote] Who the fuck gets mail these days?

You must be new here

[quote] Who the fuck gets mail these days?

I still send telegrams and cables, and use my rotary phone.

When he sends me a letter I begin to go into a dance!

[quote] A woman who bought a $19 million penthouse in NYC is suing a real-estate agency after she says they tricked her into thinking the building had a full-time doorman

A woman is suing a New York City real-estate agency that she said tricked her into purchasing a $19 million penthouse without a full-time doorman, the New York Post initially reported.

In a complaint filed Wednesday with the Manhattan Supreme Court and obtained by Insider, a legal representative for the unnamed woman said she purchased the penthouse at 37 Warren Street, Tribeca, in March.

The buyer — who is described in the legal document as a single mother of three — terminated the contract in August and demanded a refund of her $1.9 million deposit after learning that the seller and brokers had concealed that there was a part-time doorman and virtual doorman in the evenings, according to the complaint. Now, the complaint says, she's seeking punitive damages in excess of $2.5 million as well as the reimbursement of her legal fees.

The complaint was filed by Kara Dille, an accountant who runs the unidentified woman's estate, according to the New York Post. It names The Corcoran Group, Catherine L Juraciah (an agent at the real-estate firm), and Zoelle LLC (the seller of the property).

According to the complaint, The Corcoran Group and Zoelle LLC represented the doorman in an "intentionally false" way with the clear intention to "fraudulently induce" the woman into purchasing the home.

The complaint says The Corcoran Group misrepresented the property by writing that there was a doorman in the online listing and on various other websites that published the information. It adds that the agency and its representatives "went so far as to position themselves in front of the virtual doorman interface" during viewings of the property so she could not ask questions about what it was and why it would be required if there was a full-time doorman.

The buyer would never have purchased the property had she known there was no full-time doorman, according to the complaint. "After all, the settlor-beneficiary sought a home where she, a single mother with three children, could reside in comfort and security knowing that there was a fulltime doorman," the document reads.

Howard M. Brickner, an attorney for Zoelle LLC, wrote in a letter to the court that the seller isn't responsible for the alleged actions or written statements of the real-estate agency, the New York Post reports.

"The Seller is not liable or bound in any manner by any verbal or written statements, representations, real estate broker 'set-ups' or information pertaining to the above premises furnished by a real estate broker nor by any agent, employee, servant or other person," the letter states, according to the New York Post.

Howard M. Brickner, Catherine L Juraciah (the agent at The Corcoran Group named in the complaint), and Steven I. Fox, an attorney at New York-based law firm Wrobel Markham LLP representing Dille, did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

are these part time doormen part of the Union? I'm guess No.

That's interesting, R190, and if the buyer's claims hold up even in part, I don't blame her a bit for suing and for damages - even the amount she's seeking, while a lot of money, is not wildly out of proportion to the damage in terms of having to begin her search again.

Completely shitty if the realtors did indeed make an effort to conceal the part-time "virtual doorman."

Old limestone fronted co-ops have their own issues, buy I would be exceptionally wary buying into some if the newer buildings, co-op or condo. There's just more opportunity for surprise. And for $19M, I wouldn't want my doorman to click out at 6pm or 12am or 4am, but want somebody 24bhours in addition to security technology.

yes, but don't you check out the building yourself without the brokers? I would go there at night, noon and morning. to see what the neighborhood is like etc.

[quote]yes, but don't you check out the building yourself without the brokers? I would go there at night, noon and morning. to see what the neighborhood is like etc.

To the extent that you can. You'll see if the street is dodgy at night or if there's a doorman in sight from the front door, but you won't get inside for a wander around.

The detail in the woman's complaint about the estate agents strategically placing themselves to obscure the virtual doorman device in the elevator was interesting -- either a compelling small detail that paints her as truthful or a very clever lie.

Why didn't she just ask if there was a doorman available 24/7 before she signed the contract? If this was so important to her, she could have just asked (preferably while her lawyer was present). I would also talk to other residents before signing a $19 million contract. See if they're happy with the building management and neighborhood.

But I guess this is too easy. Rich cunts feel betrayed and prefer to sue AFTER they signed a contract.

I don't care if she's approaches "Queen of Mean" levels of rich cunt or if she's nice as pie, if she's buying an apartment advertised as having a doorman, and she's seen a living doorman when she viewed the property, at some point it's the responsibility of the selling agents to explain, verbally and in the official listing materials provided to potential buyers, that the doorman service is provided from X to Y hours, and to explain the virtual doorman system is in place for the rest of the time.

To advertise a doorman as a selling feature and then to in any way conceal the fact that a position that is traditionally staffed 24 hours a day is only staffed for 8 or 12 hours, or by one guy who comes by for 45 minutes each day en route to 7 other buildings where's he's also the doorman.

Do you think she bothered to ask if the elevator works 24 hours a day? The water supply? Does the janitorial service normally take the month of August off for holidays? Or should she have thought to ask those questions as well?

And while it is a good idea, good luck with finding other residents to talk to in a condo. At least with a co-op you have a chance to meet a few board members and ask questions. With a condo (as here) , unless you have some connection to someone in the building, you're at the mercy of the listing agents who are not always helpful at anything other than a hard sell.

It seems like it would be cheaper to hire another doorman than pay a bunch of lawyers to sue each other for millions but I was never very good at math.

Sorry r195, but residents in swanky New York co-ops and condos barely talk to each other once they live under the same roof. They certainly aren’t going to talk to random potential purchasers.

I can't get Elaine Benes out of my head, because of this thread!

"And, pray tell, what did the DOORMAN say??"

Jerry was such a pussy. Even afraid of a doorman and his big mouth.

[quote] The complaint was filed by Kara Dille, ...... names The Corcoran Group.

Swim with Sharks, going to get bit.

Yeah, I always found that episode odd, R200. Couldn't understand why Jerry was so intimidated. I would've told that doorman to go fuck himself.

I’ve lived in the same building for 30 years and the four doormen have been around for 20+. One of them absolutely despises me (not that I care). In my youth I would have hookups come over all hours of the day and night and one of my neighbors confided in me that this jerk told everyone that I was a whore. Which I was but that’s beside the point. The other day I picked up a package from him and, as I walked away, he muttered ‘asshole’ under his breath. I never complain to management because they don’t give a fuck and would take his side. So, at holiday time I tip all of the doormen except him. Why should I tip someone who’s openly hostile toward me.

R203 You do right. But why doesn't he like you? Does he secretly lust after you, jealous of all the action you get?

[Quote]One of them absolutely despises me (not that I care).

One of the reasons I'm glad I don't have a doorman. I would HATE to see someone I despise every day at my home. Would hate to interact, see or greet that person when I get home or leave. Especially knowing that he's also unprofessional and gossiping about people. I would dread leaving my home knowing this jerk is waiting downstairs. I wanna be happy and untroubled at my home. Knowing some malicious jerk is waiting downstairs is the opposite.