It occurred to me this morning that this week marks the tenth anniversary of the day I moved into my apartment community at Number 10 Main. I had lived in another community Downtown for the previous year, but when I visited Number 10 I knew I wanted to move there. The building offered above-average sized apartments, with washer/dryer in each unit. There was a nice gym with cable TV in the basement, a rooftop deck with a hot tub and two grills, and a very nice lobby where we could hold parties (for several years Amy LaVere played our Christmas party). I was lucky enough to apply when a unit with 12-foot ceilings (only two floors have them) and a river view was available.
Over the years I have met many wonderful friends there. Some have moved on to buy houses or condos, to take exciting jobs in other cities, to get married and have kids. Some are still in the building. The neighbors are a big part of the reason Number 10 has always been a great place to live.
Probably the pivotal year for me in the building was 2005. I started hanging out on the rooftop a lot that spring and summer. We had some really cute female residents who would sunbathe up there, and we had a gourmet chef who would cook extra food on the grills and share. That summer I met many of my neighbors. As it got toward winter I convinced my neighbors that they should start coming with me to Sleep Out Louie’s, where I had been hanging out quite a bit when not on the roof. That was the beginning of my current group of friends. I remember in particular a poker game on the ninth floor where a lot of people met for the first time.
Another great time in the building was 2007-08. I got a job as a web developer in the Falls Building, hardly more than across the street. I could leave work at 5 and be home at 5:01. There was one period where I didn’t drive the car for 28 days in a row. Unfortunately the startup business I worked for was hit hard by the fall ’08 recession and had to lay all their programmers off. Still, I’m glad I had the experience of living, working, AND playing Downtown for that year.
Never in my life did I think I’d live anywhere for ten years, unless I decided to do the wife/2.2 kids/dog/yard/white picket fence thing. And yet, here I am and I’m happy to be here. Cheers to all the neighbors I’ve had in Number 10 over the years, and all the great people who work/have worked there.
Is there one thing I would change about the building if I could? Yes. I’d bring Jay Hollingsworth back, but that of course is physically not possible. Otherwise, it’s a perfectly fine place to live, and perhaps I’ll be here ten years more… or even longer.
(One note: Number 10 is 10 South Main, as opposed to 10 North Main which is the Porter Building condos on Court Square.)