An Odd Lot for Sale in Murray Hill

The New York Times profiled a bizarre piece of land now up for sale in Murray Hill, between 161st and 162nd Streets off Northern Boulevard. It’s a 500-foot-long, three-foot-wide parcel that runs down the middle of the block and through numerous backyards. According to the Times, “There is no access to the street without scurrying across somebody’s tidy front lawn.” The city owns it and considers this a vacant lot, despite backyards, fences, trees and lawn furniture backing into the space. While the city oftentimes sells off these weirdly-sized lots at auction, it’s likely the city will approach the neighbors and try to sell the land for as low as $1 per square foot. It’s unclear how this sliver of land came into the city’s hands; it’s possible that the land was part of private properties taken over by the city after owners neglected to pay their taxes. Despite its size and inaccessibility, the property must be appraised and submitted to a lengthy review process.

For Sale in Queens: A Ribbon of Land, Three Feet Wide [NY Times]

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