I recently renewed my lease in Gateway and am now paying $440 less per month than I was last year ($2900 compared with $3340) for my 1 BR. Although Heller isn't all that responsive to emails - only to emails he finds are worth responding to it seems - he was unopposed to negotiating my rent further even after he offered an initial $340 reduction (which was an offer of $3000 per month).
I suspect (wholly unsupported other than by intuition) that many of the current tenants who demand lower rents when they renew their lease are probably requesting reductions that are not realistic. When Heller receives what he considers an unreasonable request for a rent reduction, he ignores it (example: I offered $2700 per month to him over email - he only negotiates over email - and my email was ignored. $2700 was lower than what a new tenant would have paid by nearly $100 per monthy. I had to write back nine days later with a new offer). One should keep in mind that lease renegotiation is essentially a business transaction, and Heller plays hardball.
A new tenant has more leverage than a current tenant because he or she could simply walk away with little cost (the only cost being that he or she has to continue looking for an apartment in other buildings). A current tenant, like myself, has HUGE costs associated with not renewing his lease. I not only would have to find another apartment (which I would not have to do if I renewed) but also would have to move - which is a huge cost in monetary and non-monetary terms. Because my position is fundamentally different from that of a prospective tenant, I couldn't have expected to negotiate as good a deal as a prospective tenant could (life does not mirror one of those "priceline negotiator" commercials where you name a ridiculously low price and charm your way to an agreement), and that in large part explains why current tenants are never offered as good of a deal as prospective tenants.
I believe that I was treated fairly, and the rent that Heller finally agreed to was reasonable for both me and him. $2900 per month means I save $100 compared to what he offered initially, and he makes $100 more than he would if another tenant moved in (a new tenant would have paid approx. $2800). So, all in all, he acted reasonably by accepting my offer.
This is not to say I got a warm, fuzzy feeling from my experience negotiating a lower rent. If that is a big deal for you, that is fine of course, but you may want to consider living in another building.
My apartment is huge, updated, quiet, GREAT views (our guests have a hard time walking away from the window), and much much cheaper than what I could get in any other building in BPC that had a comparable apartment for rent (my view is so good that no other buidling had a vacancy that boasted something as magnificent - and I took my time looking in EVERY rental building in BPC).

I am not necessarily saying that Heller treats everyone well, but I am suggesting that he may in fact be reasonable when it comes to lease renewals. Just don't expect to talk to him over the phone or in person.

Read more: http://www.apartmentratings.com/rate/NY-New-York-Gateway-Plaza-963632.html#ixzz0Ok2mDZKZ

User Responses
From: Anonymous	Date: 05/07/2009
A shill! hardly. I'm a lawyer. what is an "11 year rent extension"? I am assuming it is great because you say so.
From: Anonymous	Date: 05/07/2009
The first post is a shill, the second one of the current disgruntled, and neither is correct. I lived here since 2002 and it's good, but has it's drawbacks. Move in before July to get 11 year rent extension, which is great. My rent is lower than most, bc been rent stabilized since I moved in. Don't listen to the elderly disgruntled, but ignore the shill too.
From: LondonJim	Date: 05/08/2009
I've lived in Gateway Plaza for 2.5 years. The original post is definitely closer to the mark than the disgruntled tenant in the follow-up. For Manhattan, the apartments are very spacious and VERY quiet. If you're in the 400 building facing south, the best views in the world. It is a bit of a hike to the subway (if it take more than 10 or 11 minutes, you're probably disabled or elderly) and the local shops are overpriced, but all in all, definitely a fine place to live.
From: Anonymous	Date: 05/09/2009
Are you management or a real estate agent?? You can't possibly be for real. This is not the paradise you describe.
From: Anonymous	Date: 05/09/2009
I moved into the 400 building a few months ago and have no issues besides the high electric (heat) bills and distance from subways. However I checked out a few vacant units on my floor recently and the non-renovated units definitely don't compare to my renovated one. That has a strong bearing on whether or not people like it here. You either need to have an awesome rent stabilized deal or a modern, gut-renovated apartment with a river view. Anything outside of that is probably not worth it.
From: marie5123	Date: 12/08/2009
They're offering 2 bedrooms (compare to your 1) for $2150 --- still think you got a good deal from Mr. Heller? http://realestate.nytimes.com/rentals/detail/1501-NYTDB19/10280-NEW-YORK-NY-USA/2-bed/0-2300-price/PRICE-HIGH-sort/1501-NYTDB19-ls/1-t

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