Where the Rich People Fall Out in 10021 Split

Ah, we knew the NY Times graphics department would come up with something fun after the NY Sun broke news that the posh Upper East 10021 zip code would be assigned to only some residents while others would get new zip codes 10065 and 10075.

Anyway, the Times think the biggest winners will be stationers, as future 10065 and 10076 residents trying to play it cool: Tom Wolfe said he will "try to take it like a man" and Gay Talese took comfort in the 212 area code. But Michael Gross, author of 740 Park, suspects, "I think ZIP codes matter a great deal, at least as much as area codes, and possibly much more."

But doesn't this all seem really like something only old people are worried about? Maybe that's why the last two numbers of the new UES zips are -65 and -75! Given that the wealthiest zip code these days is actually in Tribeca and that people just rely on a cell phone, what's the big deal?

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By Jen Chung in Miscellaneous, News on March 21, 2007 9:39 AM

Comments [rss]

luke

BIG UP 10075

Ed

The postal service could have avoided alot of angst by going for an east-west split instead of a north south split. David Rockefeller notwithstanding, the real superwealthy part of the Upper East Side is between Lexington Avenue and Central Park. As you get closer to the river, the area becomes almost middle class.

The people between Lexington Avenue and the park are the ones used to getting their way all the time. Let them keep their damn zipcode.

Speaking of David Rockefeller, is anyone else surprised he is still alive?

neighborhood

The PollDaddy results are interesting; neighborhood and apartment are virtually tied. My hunch is that the neighborhood people live in the city, the apartment people live in Brooklyn.

OlympusNYC

Being one of those impacted and forced to change, it is annoying but I'll get through it. I guess I am not as well-off as my rich neighbors to worry about stationary changes....I will make my updates in MS-Word. Of course, all the crappy free address labels that come around Christmas will for sure be all wrong. Also, no mention how long the old zip code will be grandfathered and/or managed. What is annoying is the stupid split on E. 76th...my block. The south side is 10021 and the north side is 10075..why make an already complicated change even more complicated? Betcha someone influential lives on the south side of E.76th and didn't want to be inconvenienced or status-shaken (low self-esteem I suppose). Where's an investigative reporter when I need one?

Not amused

Who the hell cares what the rich folk in the city are dealing with ! As long as they don't come to my area,(The [34]out in Qns.) I'm cool with it !

assistant

I care because I work for someone in the soon-to-be 10075 and it's going to be a pain in the ass to explain this change to her and convince her that there's nothing she can do about it. Yes, we'll have to update the stationery, which will be annoying, but it's more about the aggravation of dealing with people who always get what they want and don't stand for "no."

Murray Hillster

"But doesn't this all seem really like something only old people are worried about?"

Sort of. Only old rich people in the allegedly exclusive zip codes. Nobody else gives a shit.

Michael Gross's comment reflects the sentiments of his exceedingly tiny circle of friends, associates, and acquaintances (although he's not all that old). The types of friends, associates, and acquaintances who sit and wonder about what happens at 740 Park Avenue, the subject of his recent book.

Michele

Why does it matter? Because the power base of New York City and much of the US isn't living in Tribeca. Money does not necessarily mean power. Those 'old people' influence the real power-brokers of America, whose names aren't even printed n magazines.