Brick Underground Could Shutter, Publisher Says

Brick Underground, the 15-year-old outlet focused on navigating New York City real estate, could be nearing the end of its road.

The dark forecast came in a LinkedIn post by the publication’s boss, Teri Karush Rogers. The site’s founder and chief executive officer said this would be the final month of publishing unless it lands a buyer.

“Despite our passion and commitment, the economic reality of running an independent media site has caught up with us,” Rogers wrote. “The evolving digital advertising landscape has only compounded these challenges, making it increasingly difficult for us to sustain our operations.”

But it’s not curtains quite yet, Rogers said in a statement to The Real Deal.

“We’ve had a number of feelers from potential buyers so far today and I’m hopeful Brick will land in good hands,” she said.

The outlet has been a mainstay in the market since 2009, producing original articles, newsletters and a podcast largely centered on the Big Apple’s rental market.

The publication counted more than 3 million annual visitors, according to its website, and secured several accolades over its run, including the National Association of Real Estate Editors’ award for best real estate website three times.

In the day after her LinkedIn post, Brick Underground’s site was still active and publishing new articles.

The site wouldn’t be the first in its niche to stop operating, after long-running trade publication Real Estate Weekly quietly went dark late last year after seven decades of tracking New York real estate. The publication’s website was offline and print operations ceased for months with no public explanation.

The publisher of REW doesn’t appear to be making an effort to revive the publication, but as of January is said to be open to offers for the website’s assets.