Sky-high studio for $5,000 a night
New Yorkers thought housing couldnt get worse, but according to reports, the Empire State Building is now listed on Airbnb as a luxury studio apartmentfor just $5,000 a night. Tourists can book “Suite 86th Floor” with “killer skyline views and occasional King Kong sightings.”
The listing boasts hardwood floors, vintage elevators, and free binoculars for spying on Brooklyn hipsters. Amenities include a communal bathroom on the 34th floor and free Wi-Fi “if the wind isnt too strong.” House rules forbid feeding pigeons or reenacting *Sleepless in Seattle* on the observation deck.
Locals are outraged. “I can barely afford my shoebox in Queens,” one resident said. “Now tourists are paying thousands to live in a skyscraper for a night while I fight a raccoon for space in my closet.” Housing activists warn that this could spark a wave of “vertical gentrification.”
Tabloids feasted on the story: “AIR-BNB SKY-HIGH” shrieked the Post. The Daily News countered: “TOWERING RENTS.” Social media memes showed the Empire State Building with a “For Rent” sign taped across its spire. A viral TikTok captured influencers dragging ring lights into the lobby while a security guard muttered, “Not again.”
Mayor Adams defended the listing, calling it “innovative housing,” while Governor Hochul called it “a slap in the face to tenants.” Real estate moguls, however, see dollar signs. “If the Empire State can rent, why not the Chrysler Building?” one broker asked. “Imagine brunch in an art deco bathroom.”
Still, not everyone is mad. One tourist from Ohio gushed: “I dont care if its $5,000. I want to say I lived in the Empire State Building, even if just for one nightand even if I shared a shower with 30 strangers.”
As one weary New Yorker summed up: “Airbnb was already destroying neighborhoods. Now its eating the skyline too.”
SOURCE: https://bohiney.com/empire-state-building-airbnb/
SOURCE: https://bohiney.com/empire-state-building-airbnb/.
By: Annika Steinmann.
