New York City residents pay to live the suburban life.

New York City residents pay to live the suburban life.
Updated on

Summary Don't have a backyard. No problem. Now, you can rent a backyard in the middle of Manhattan.

In a city with eight million people, most living in small apartments, finding an open place to relax can be a challenge. But now, cramped New Yorkers can rent a backyard and live life like in the suburbs.A small company in New York began offering what they call a backyard timeshare.The backyard used to be just a vacant lot overrun with weeds, nestled between two buildings in Manhattan. Now, it is a field of lush grass, albeit surrounded by graffiti, that is customizable and available for rent.With prices starting at $50 (USD) and hour, anyone with yard-envy can experience a luxury many homeowners take for granted.You can come in and you pay 50 dollars an hour, whatever you want to do, its up to you, or you receive our menu of add-ons, which range from popsicles to a slip n slide, to the play pool, to a barbecue, to anything. Also, pitch us something and well make sure that it happens. Hula hoops, anything you could ever want in your backyard, said Jacqui Kavanagh, the brains behind the backyard.The backyard is located in Manhattans Lower East Side, and the project is the latest gathering space for a neighborhood that has long attracted young, trendy artists.The Lower East Side has a special place in our hearts because our office is down here and its an amazing community, extremely busy, especially on the weekends, a lot of nightclubs, bars, restaurants. It is the last place where you would ever find a suburban backyard with a grill in the back and people chilling on a deck. Its amazing when people walk by and they look in and its like something was just dropped down here and will be gone in about three weeks time, she added.Kavanagh said there has been a lot of interest in the backyard, and it is nearly booked for the rest of the summer.
Browse Topics