# Question for New Yorkers - The Jeffersons? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 27, 2018, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-new-yorkers-the-jeffersons/809680 "2018-02-27T17:14:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-new-yorkers-the-jeffersons/809680/1 "2018-02-27T17:14:21Z")
In the show the Jeffersons “moved on up” from what was a brownstone home in Queens to a Park Avenue apartment in Manhattan. I’d like to ask you people who know New York: Was it really such a big “Move up”? I mean to me they are trading the security of a brownstone home they own which always increases in value (and assumed is located near some of Georges cleaning stores) to a very high rent apartment area. It seems to me that in the show part of the reason was that George wanted to mix with a wealthier clientele. Also living next to other top business owners would increase his chances are landing more business accounts. But then I dont know NYC. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-new-yorkers-the-jeffersons/809680/2 "2018-02-27T17:34:03Z")
I thought they lived next door to the Bunkers in a duplex:confused: ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-new-yorkers-the-jeffersons/809680/3 "2018-02-27T17:34:59Z")
I don’t know if he owned that apartment or just rented, but it really doesn’t matter. His old brownstone in Queens wasn’t worth much in comparison to is dry cleaning business. George hit it big and wanted to live with the rich folks in a deluxe apartment in the sky. It’s definitely moving up. I doubt he cares about finding dry cleaning customers in that building, or even business contacts, he just wanted to hobnob with other successful rich people. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-new-yorkers-the-jeffersons/809680/4 "2018-02-27T17:53:58Z")
Also note that the idea that property in New York always increases in value certainly wasn’t true back in the 70s. Urban decay was a big thing back then. And if the property was increasing in value, George could have kept owning it and rented it out. Except that’s a side business, and if he was smart he would have focused on his core dry cleaning businesses. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-new-yorkers-the-jeffersons/809680/5 "2018-02-27T19:33:26Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > in a deluxe apartment in the sky. Don’t you mean: A deeeluxe apartment in the sky-y-y! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-new-yorkers-the-jeffersons/809680/6 "2018-02-27T19:39:19Z")
Generally speaking in the 70s and 80s moving from the outer boroughs to Manhattan was looked at as a sign of success and “making it”. In some ways it still is but the outer boroughs (especially Brooklyn) can be just as expensive these days so the line isn’t quite as clear. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-new-yorkers-the-jeffersons/809680/7 "2018-02-27T19:42:40Z")
George didn’t sell the house, he rented it to Mike and Gloria, if you’ll remember. At an absurdly low rate just to piss Archie off. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-new-yorkers-the-jeffersons/809680/8 "2018-02-27T19:51:59Z")
[This](https://roadtrippers.com/us/queens-ny/points-of-interest/archie-bunkers-house-all-in-the-family) is supposed to be the Bunkers house. Strange, I always pictured it as one of a row house but I guess it was a duplex. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-new-yorkers-the-jeffersons/809680/9 "2018-02-27T19:54:49Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I don’t know if he owned that apartment or just rented, but it really doesn’t matter. His old brownstone in Queens wasn’t worth much in comparison to is dry cleaning business. George hit it big and wanted to live with the rich folks in a deluxe apartment in the sky. It’s definitely moving up. I doubt he cares about finding dry cleaning customers in that building, or even business contacts, he just wanted to hobnob with other successful rich people. Well yes actually. Several episodes are about George cosying up to someone whom he hopes to land a new contract with and often they lived in the same building or nearby. Thing is that his new address gave him some credit as a big time player to meet such people especially when you look at all the people he had come visit. ---
**Author:** ![Shinna\_Minna\_Ma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@Shinna\_Minna\_Ma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shinna_Minna_Ma)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-new-yorkers-the-jeffersons/809680/10 "2018-02-27T19:55:38Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > In the show the Jeffersons “moved on up” from what was a brownstone home in Queens to a Park Avenue apartment in Manhattan. I’m pretty sure it was not a brownstone. The Bunkers did not live in that kind of neighborhood. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-new-yorkers-the-jeffersons/809680/11 "2018-02-27T20:11:41Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > [This](https://roadtrippers.com/us/queens-ny/points-of-interest/archie-bunkers-house-all-in-the-family) is supposed to be the Bunkers house. > > Strange, I always pictured it as one of a row house but I guess it was a duplex. Most definitions I’ve seen of duplex define it as a single house on single lot with two living units and separate front doors. That’s not what the pictured houses are. They are two separate semi-detached houses that share a common wall on two separate lots. They (and the shared driveways) are very common in the outer boroughs of NYC , although perhaps not in most other places. And if he owned that apartment, it was worth a lot more than that semi-detached house in Queens. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-new-yorkers-the-jeffersons/809680/12 "2018-02-27T20:16:50Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > Generally speaking in the 70s and 80s moving from the outer boroughs to Manhattan was looked at as a sign of success and “making it”. In some ways it still is but the outer boroughs (especially Brooklyn) can be just as expensive these days so the line isn’t quite as clear. This was also a theme of _Saturday Night Fever_. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-new-yorkers-the-jeffersons/809680/13 "2018-02-27T20:31:59Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > [This](https://roadtrippers.com/us/queens-ny/points-of-interest/archie-bunkers-house-all-in-the-family) is supposed to be the Bunkers house. Which is actually on Staten Island, so really, any move would be up from there. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-new-yorkers-the-jeffersons/809680/14 "2018-02-27T20:38:44Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > Which is actually on Staten Island, so really, any move would be up from there. > > Stranger What’s actually on Staten Island? The house shown in the link is in Queens. I think there’s a Cooper Avenue in Staten Island, but the Bunker’s house is in Queens- I live 5 minutes from it. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-new-yorkers-the-jeffersons/809680/15 "2018-02-27T23:16:34Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > [This](https://roadtrippers.com/us/queens-ny/points-of-interest/archie-bunkers-house-all-in-the-family) is supposed to be the Bunkers house. > > Strange, I always pictured it as one of a row house but I guess it was a duplex. That’s not the house. Their house had more of a front porch. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-new-yorkers-the-jeffersons/809680/16 "2018-02-27T23:30:17Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > That’s not the house. Their house had more of a front porch. The set had a front porch - but the house featured in the opening credits didn’t. ( at 0:46) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/0d8FTPv955I/hqdefault.jpg "All in the Family / Archie Bunker's Place Opening Credits") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d8FTPv955I) ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-new-yorkers-the-jeffersons/809680/17 "2018-02-28T00:26:36Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > What’s actually on Staten Island? The house shown in the link is in Queens. I think there’s a Cooper Avenue in Staten Island, but the Bunker’s house is in Queens- I live 5 minutes from it. Huh…I couldn’t find it on Maps but I’ll take your word for it. Mea culpa. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-new-yorkers-the-jeffersons/809680/18 "2018-02-28T00:43:09Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > Huh…I couldn’t find it on Maps but I’ll take your word for it. Mea culpa. > > Stranger [Here](https://www.google.com/maps/place/89-70+Cooper+Ave,+Flushing,+NY+11374/@40.7112195,-73.862256,15z/data=!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x89c25e13f25aa1f9:0xe1b5ada9033105da!2s89-70+Cooper+Ave,+Flushing,+NY+11374!3b1!8m2!3d40.712474!4d-73.860795!3m4!1s0x89c25e13f25aa1f9:0xe1b5ada9033105da!8m2!3d40.712474!4d-73.860795) it is -although you would have to know Flushing is in Queens to understand that from the address on the map ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-new-yorkers-the-jeffersons/809680/19 "2018-02-28T03:49:48Z")
> [@Shinna\_Minna\_Ma](#): > > I’m pretty sure it was not a brownstone. The Bunkers did not live in that kind of neighborhood. While we’re speaking of NYC houses on TV, I always assumed brownstones were more like the [Huxtable’s house](https://www.travelblog.org/Photos/5645465). Not only is the exterior much nicer than the Bunker’s house, but the difference in the interior was staggering–which you’d assume is the difference between a doctor/lawyer couple and a one-income laborer. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-new-yorkers-the-jeffersons/809680/20 "2018-02-28T13:59:16Z")
Yeah I was confused also. Now I realize they and the Jeffersons owned a duplex. Also I dont remember in the show but I think the Jeffersons new place on Park Avenue would have been a rental not like say a condo which you actually own. But I may be wrong but they do sometimes mention a tenants group. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-new-yorkers-the-jeffersons/809680.md?page=2)