Anyone who has ever attended a community board meeting knows that New Yorkers aren't the type to stay quiet and keep their opinions to themselves. Whether it's supertall skyscrapers casting shadows over Central Park or a proposal to put a bike rack on a landmarked block, there's always room for debate. Curbed commenters love to share their thoughts, so as 2013 draws to a close, we're taking a look back at which stories got Curbed readers talking the most. Here now, the top ten Curbed NY posts that amassed the most comments:
10) West Village Co-op Sues City Over Bike Share Stations
Citi Bike was controversial before it even launched, but after the bike share hit the streets, dozens of NIMBYs came out to voice their opposition. The West Village co-op at 99 Bank Street was the first to take legal action against the city in regards to Citi Bike, inciting nearly 100 Curbed readers to spout their strong, and rather angry, feelings. "Deal with it. Seriously. There are sooo many things to complain about and you latch on to this?" said Captain Crankypants. "There is so much in NYC that we don't get a say in, but there WAS a chance for a say here. It's like bitching about the president and you didn't vote."
9) 5Pointz Owners Whitewash Graffiti Mecca Overnight
The Wolkoffs shocked the city when they white-washed 5Pointz over night in November. The developer's plans to redevelop the site with two luxury towers were approved earlier this year, but no one expected the owner to wipe away New York's beloved graffiti-covered warehouse before the wrecking ball came. Reaction from Curbed readers ranged from outraged over the art being taken awayKevin R. Medina called it "fucking infuriating"to defending the Wolkoffs for doing what they want with their property.
8) Tribeca's Long-Stalled 56 Leonard is Finally On the Market
Tribeca's 56 Leonard came roaring back to life this year, and everyone's heads exploded from excitement. The comments were so positive and adoring of the project, we thought everyone had eaten poisonous unicorn poop and fallen under some terrible I-only-see-rainbows-and-sunshine spell.
7) Chelsea Clinton Is Buying a $10.5M 4BR in NoMad
News that Chelsea Clinton bought in the Whitman was Curbed's most-read post of 2013, but the commenters didn't really care about the famed occupants. They were far more worked up about the floorplan. "I've got a shorter walk to my corner bodega than they have between the bedroom and kitchen," said one guest.
Any news about affordable housing always inspires a lot of debate, but the tendency was heightened this year thanks to the mayoral election. More than 120 readers had opinions to share about incoming mayor Bill de Blasio's proposal for mandatory inclusionary housing. Spoiler alert: most commenters were opposed to it.
5) The Sledgehammer
Notorious landlord and developer Ben Shaoul has never been, uh, well-liked in the East Village, but this year he won the hatred of many more with his craptastic treatment of Taylor Meade, the 88-year-old tenant who was a friend of Andy Warhol's. But what really got people talking was news that activist John Penley planned to camp out in front of Shaoul's office to protest his actions.
4) City Reacts to Midtown East Rezoning's Sudden Death
All year long, debate raged about whether or not skyscrapers in Midtown East should be allowed to grow taller with a rezoning, so when City Council effectively killed the plan, obviously, the debate became even more heated.
3) Two Trees' SHoP-Designed Domino Development, REVEALED!
The Barclays Center showed us that people either love or loathe SHoP Architects' work, and the reaction was no different when Two Trees revealed their SHoP-designed plans for the Domino Sugar Factory. Sky bridges, 60-story towers, and donut buildings don't really inspire indifference.
2) NYCHA Wants Luxury Apartments On Parking Lots, Playgrounds
Leave it to NYCHA to come up with the year's most controversial development plan. The public housing authority announced plans to lease chunks of property on public housing projects to private developers to building market rate housing, inciting outrage from residents and sparking a city-wide debate. The plan has since stalled, and it will be up to Mayor Bill de Blasio to decide what to do.
1) How Much Do You Pay for Your Place In NYC? Tell Us!
The Curbed post that garnered the most comments wasn't even a news story. It was our informal polling of how much you pay for rent. More than 200 people shared their rents, which graphing guru Jonathan Miller then turned into a series of colorful charts.
· From Chelsea Clinton to 56 Leonard, 2013's Most Popular Posts [Curbed]