It’s sad that so many of the cool things about my neighborhood are illegal today. Like the former Chelsea Hotel. Wouldn’t it be nice to walk over for brandy in the hotel bar?

You might say "A hotel is an incompatible use in a residential zone." Well, guess what? A lot of people live next to hotels and it's totally fine.

In fact, I live deep in single-family-land and the house next door is an Airbnb, so I already live next to a hotel...and it is totally fine, except for the conspicuous lack of brandy.

Another cool thing is this tiny commercial area—classic four floors and corner stores—which is also outlawed in most of my neighborhood.

Wouldn't it be nice to have tiny commercial areas wherever they are useful? A spot where neighbors can gather, reachable by foot or bike, serving your daily needs.

This particular tiny commercial area has a spa, a yoga place, an interior designer, an architect, a nonprofit, a daycare, a brunch spot/bodega, and a coffee shop run by Turkish immigrants who built a thriving business. Why do we make these illegal?

Some of the most interesting people you (you! dear reader) know live or lived near here in rental housing that would be illegal to build today. I won't name names but they include a local TV star, an MSNBC pundit, a city council member, a US congressman...

Neighbors reflexively fight this kind of development thinking it ruins the neighborhood but ours would sort of suck without it...and could be improved with more of it.