Lincoln

Lincoln

Competitive, Hustler, Real Estate Wiz

“I do think that the whole subject of gentrification and people getting pushed out is really loaded. Part of being a New Yorker to me is adapting. You constantly have to adapt to things, and rising rent is part of it. I do think it is important to protect local businesses, though. I grew up in the Village, which basically got rolled over by this whole thing, so I do see both sides. Working in real-estate, obviously, I have like many pro-pro-pro-development people who are in my ear all day.”

“ I used to be able to find one-bedrooms for people under a $1 million below 96th St. when I started seven years back. It’s crept up to about $2 million. The average rental was like $3,000 for a one bedroom. Today it’s more like $3,800. There might be a little more runaway, but I think it’s at a very high point.”

“People don’t understand that we live in tight spaces. If you want to live close to all the hot restaurants downtown, you have to compromise. You might have a shower in the kitchen. There might have been 10 people in that apartment. Be happy it’s now two.”

“The Village was a whole different animal when I grew up. The Meatpacking District was far from The Whitney Museum, The Standard Hotel and High Line. We used to climb up the High Line when I was a little kid. One time they were shooting gay porn up there. It was crazy, man. The city used to be just a little wilder. You rarely walk into shit like that anymore.”

“Every subway car you get in is the United Nations. I love that. In New York, we have what you call a ‘no-bullshit diversity.’ It is diverse here, but people remain in their groups. When you go to other places, it feels fake. People are forced to become part of that location’s identity. Let’s say you’re Polish, and you don’t want to learn English. You can find places in Greenpoint where you can survive your entire life. You’ll get a job, be able to operate completely, do your taxes—everything. You come here and keep your identity, but also become part of a community, and the fabric of the city.”

“ She is relentless, commanding and addictive. She’s going to cheat on you, play you — but you’re going to keep coming back because New York’s the top chick. This lady will teach you about perseverance. The need to elevate yourself. That’s my relationship to New York, for you.”

What neighborhood do you live in? Harlem.

Best thing about living there? The sense of community.

Favorite neighborhood in NYC? Tribeca.

Favorite street to stroll? Broadway, but riding my bike.

Why? You can experience every neighborhood of Manhattan in that stretch.

Favorite restaurant? ILILI

Favorite bar? It’s constantly changing. Puffy’s by my office in Tribeca is always solid, however.

Hidden gem? Zabar’s deli section on the Upper West Side has a lot of real New Yorker characters trying to cut the line.

How to be(come) a New Yorker? Adapt. Move with the city, not against it.

Your New York soundtrack? Honestly, my New York anthem is the streets, aka, the sounds of the subway, people shuffling and cars honking. Otherwise, somehow the past two years this song has had me always stoked, “Conjure Balearia” by Maceo Plex.

5 THINGS THAT TELL A STORY ABOUT LINCOLN

DRAWING “When I originally moved in here I was absolutely OCD. I drew a plan for the house obviously. I laid it out in multiple dimensions.”

BIKE “I use this to do all of my errands outside of work, like, go to the supermarket, get coffee in the mornings and to look for new listings. I’ll use this for getting anywhere within probably a five-mile radius.”

TOILET PAPER “As a person with Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Inflammatory Bowel Disease, you always want to have a nice roll of toilet paper. It needs to be soft.”

AWARD “Competition has always been a thing for me. I like being the best in what I do. I don’t have a higher education qualification. I don’t have a bachelor’s degree. I don’t have a doctorate. I am a regular dude who went hard for a couple of years, and it paid off.”

GOPRO “This guy is significant because it’s my GoPro. I like to film things. I put it on my motorbike or my bicycle. I have to stop doing dumb things in traffic, though.