If a New Yorker wants to be buried within the city limits of his or her beloved Big Apple, they better strike while the iron is hot and be ready to write a big check. The director of the New York State Division of Cemeteries reported this weekend that “there is serious shrinkage in the available grave space”[1]. In fact, some cemeteries have already run out of space entirely, or expect to do so in the next five years. And although cemeteries can take over plots purchased more than 75 years ago and re-sell them to new owners, once that space is gone, it’s gone forever since the “homeowner” never leaves.
There are still mausoleum options available if you are willing to pay as much as $1,000 per square foot, but a traditional grave site is getting pretty hard to come by. As the director put it, “Space is definitely getting tight.”
Would you (or have you) ever invest in cemetery space other than with your own personal use in mind?
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[1] http://gothamist.com/2010/08/15/real_estate_hard_to_come_by_when_yo.php
