Post ATFSftKSmlLbBOBKbo by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
 (DIR) More posts by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
 (DIR) Post #ATFRlRL9f0GI9zaSlU by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
       2023-03-03T19:25:07Z
       
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       My handful of trips to New York City over my lifetime have been fascinating (keeping in mind that the most recent one was MANY years ago. Have I ever told my story here about being trapped on the observation floor of one of the original World Trade Center towers when they were new, even before the antennas were activated on the other tower? But I digress.)Anyway, I've recently been down the rabbit hole on #YouTube watching this young realtor who shows NYC area apartments. And frankly, as a born and bred L.A. boy, who has lived in L.A. my entire life, I have literally had nightmares about those apartments.There, I said it.
       
 (DIR) Post #ATFSRO1aNV4q2VR3s8 by DarcMoughty@infosec.exchange
       2023-03-03T19:32:34Z
       
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       @lauren I was in NYC a few days a week in a long distance relationship, and I loved the weird stuff my wife and I did to make 500sqft work for us. She definitely had some horror stories, but eventually found a building with so much quirky charm that the space restrictions didn't bug us.Meanwhile, every time I visit L.A., I just feel like I'm trapped in an endless sprawling suburb; it gives me the heebie-jeebies that the travel between any two points that I want to be at is going to need 40 minutes in a car. My LA friends thought it was weird that I walked a mile to get to the store, "what if you want... to go somewhere else? You're just stuck or have to Uber!"
       
 (DIR) Post #ATFSftKSmlLbBOBKbo by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
       2023-03-03T19:35:20Z
       
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       @DarcMoughty Seems to me that those walk up apartments would get very tiring to deal with, very fast. I'm also pondering how these NY mandates to convert to heat pumps are possibly going to work with all those tiny apartments that have been using central steam radiators systems forever.
       
 (DIR) Post #ATFT7FovGtRgkzTbY8 by DarcMoughty@infosec.exchange
       2023-03-03T19:40:16Z
       
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       @lauren most old NYC apartments are retrofitted with AC units in the windows, and there's usually slight negative pressure from a vent near the shower (to suck moisture/bathroom smells out and pull fresh air in). I imagine the ACs will be replaced with mini-split heat pumps. Shouldn't be too hard to do, and might even free up valuable window area if it's done right. Still, very expensive and it'll potentially negatively affect indoor air quality compared to the current 'radiator on, window cracked' winter vibe.
       
 (DIR) Post #ATFTKfhENPeWm4HD4S by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
       2023-03-03T19:42:43Z
       
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       @DarcMoughty I see an occasional a/c window unit in some subset of the apartments. But clearly radiators are *everywhere*.  I doubt many of those buildings could even handle the electrical load involved in a widespread switch to heat pumps.
       
 (DIR) Post #ATFUm8GQN38l9FOcu8 by DarcMoughty@infosec.exchange
       2023-03-03T19:58:50Z
       
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       @lauren I have no idea if they're thinking clearly, I worry about the same thing. Seems to me like places hooked up to and using the steam grid ought to be able to get an exemption.I fear we're going to run into big electrical and gas capacity issues in dense areas with cold winters pretty soon. Politics is getting in the way of required energy capacity projects.Heck, my local operator had to flip on oil and coal generation recently. Blocking the natural gas pipeline and storage projects here was considered a big win for some, but it's not going the way they imagined.
       
 (DIR) Post #ATFX9T3VQxfECWbnWa by PJ_Evans@mastodon.social
       2023-03-03T20:25:21Z
       
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       @lauren I was in NYC when those still had construction fence around them. I liked the way the vertical ribs fanned out from single pillars at the bottom.
       
 (DIR) Post #ATFYA62ia1FD4X6UtM by spamvictim@infosec.exchange
       2023-03-03T20:36:46Z
       
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       @lauren I went up in one of the WTC towers while it was under construction, exterior walls and floors done but no internal finishes. It was pretty interesting, and the elevator did work. Re apartments, I spent one summer in one in L.A. (you doubtless remember when) and that was plenty of L.A.
       
 (DIR) Post #ATFYXDayfL719l9ak4 by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
       2023-03-03T20:40:40Z
       
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       @spamvictim https://youtu.be/nWVpeXN5b5k?t=220
       
 (DIR) Post #ATFYgLifpVZkxX6jJo by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
       2023-03-03T20:42:39Z
       
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       @spamvictim There's a YT video (all nat sound) showing the installation of the elevators there. Definitely worth watching. You hear one of the guys saying that the mechanical system used was reliable but already obsolete as they were installing it (the mechanical control slider that mirrored the elevator movements was two stories high).