The coronavirus may forever change American cities. What does that mean for designers?
In Rowayton, Connecticut, locals can tell that the summer season has truly arrived when the New York license plates start showing up. The picturesque coastal village has long been a magnet for affluent city dwellers looking to escape the stifling Manhattan heat and spend a few months by the water. This spring, however, local designer Elena Phillips noticed something different: There were a lot more bright orange plates than usual. New Yorkers fleeing the COVID-stricken city were flocking to the town—and storming the real estate market.
“People are knocking on doors, asking to rent homes that aren’t even for rent—and they’re offering obscene amounts of money,” she says. “You hear stories about people taking the deal, then scrambling to find an RV to rent for the summer.”
BOH subscribers and BOH Insiders.