NEW YORK — If you’re considering celebrating Carrie Bradshaw with a cosmopolitan on the steps of her iconic Manhattan brownstone from “Sex and the City,” you might want to reconsider your plans.
The city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission has given the green light to a proposal for a gate, following the owner Barbara Lorber’s comments about the constant stream of visitors to her property. Lorber, who has owned the building since 1978, has expressed concern over what she described as the “endless presence of interest” in her famous staircase. The three-story structure is located in Greenwich Village and has been featured prominently for exterior scenes of the apartment inhabited by Bradshaw, a character portrayed by Sarah Jessica Parker.
During an emotional statement to the commission, Lorber shared her long-standing desire for this measure to be approved, acknowledging that even she, with her determination, has to face the reality that the situation is not going to change anytime soon. Currently, the stoop is closed off with a “no trespassing” sign, but neighbors have reported that this has not stopped fans from visiting and causing disturbances.
The commission members unanimously supported the application, a vital process for the historic West Village neighborhood. The architect representing Lorber will collaborate with the commission staff to finalize the design of the new gate.
“Sex and the City” aired for six seasons starting in 1998, following the lives and romances of Carrie and her three close friends. Although Carrie Bradshaw was depicted as living on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, the actual building used for filming is quite distant from that location. The series also resulted in two feature films and a follow-up show titled “And Just Like That …”
On Wednesday, Anthony Gillbee from Melbourne, Australia, took a photo with his teenage son in front of the brownstone to send back home. He acknowledged the inconvenience of fans loitering outside the residence but noted, “It’s an iconic venue. If you put a gate at the front, it would alter its whole appearance. It wouldn’t feel like Carrie Bradshaw’s house anymore.”
