doormen

Editor's note: There are corrections for this story at the end of it.

For Robert, life as a doorman at a new luxury condominium entails the usual mundane and managerial work for which members of his profession are known. He accepts deliveries for residents in his building, helps them move unwieldy packages and luggage, signs guests in and out, and sees to it that everyone is greeted with a smile.

But, in certain ways, the job is different for Robert. He is not unionized. He does not receive benefits, raises, or paid holidays from his employers. He gets overtime only “when they [the management company] feel like it.” He does not wear a uniform, apart from a suit he bought himself.

The biggest difference of all? Robert works in Brooklyn.

As New Yorkers fleeing Manhattan’s skyrocketing prices and congestion have streamed across the East River in the last decade, developers have scrambled to keep up, erecting pricey condos with names like the Lotus and Aqua in a play for residents who have brought certain Manhattan expectations with them. High on the list is having a doorman.  read more »