Due to a totally unexpected (and as far as I'm concerned unannounced) little government* project, my apartment is now about six blocks from a "beach." In Jersey shore terms this would increase it's value infinitely since previously it was probably five to ten miles from anything that could be called a beach. Maybe more, since I'm not even sure where the nearest so-called beach would be.

Pros:
It exists
It isn't full of tourists or NYU students or even people in general like every other sunbathing location in the city
There are two (2) Dunkin Donuts on the way
There seems to be a snack stand

Cons:
It will likely become super crowded once people realize it's here, tucked strangely behind the Express on pier 17
There's no clear precedent w/r/t wearing a bathing suit or laying down so I'm going to end up unevenly cooked
Even if one wanted to wear a bathing suit, the beach is right under a second story viewing deck, making it ripe for voyeurism and having things thrown at you
It's pretty small

All in all though, it will definitely suffice until global warming renders my street more literally beach front. At which point, I'll thank god I'm on the fifth floor.

*That's who does things like this, right? If it were private sector I'm guessing it would be the Lincoln Financial beach or the Gatorade beach or something. Is the Water Taxi public or private? Maybe they've branded it so sneakily I didn't even realize.