Location: 455 Main Street, Roosevelt Island
Size: 124 units, 18 stories
Prices: From $.6 million – $1.3 million
Occupancy: 2006
Developer: The Hudson Companies Inc.
Architect: Costas Kondylis and Partners
Landscape Architect: Mathews Nielsen
Interior Designer: Kondylis Design
Sales & Marketing: Related Companies

Overview: Small-Town Utopia in NYC
Even though it has a 212 area code and is only one subway stop or a tram ride away from Manhattan, Roosevelt Island is still nearly invisible to New Yorkers who do not live there or have no friends there. Strange, given that it is such a spectacular waterfront site.

With a moving landscape of boats in the river, this island may be the best of both worlds – the cosmopolitan lifestyle combined with a truly serene and relaxing environment, removed from Manhattan yet a mere 20 minutes away. The ambience here is modernly utopian: within yards of the city, a waterfront paradise with abundant open space and high degree of community-mindedness.

Owned by the city, Roosevelt Island was leased to the State of New York’s Urban Development Corporation for 99 years in 1969 and became the site of a utopian housing experiment in the 1970s. With the corporation’s approval of the Riverwalk, the first luxury condo, Roosevelt Island has been transformed from a subsidized housing collective into an upscale residential neighborhood with small-town ambience.

Compared with Manhattan’s luxury condos, this one has more open space and more recreational opportunities. Thirty percent of Riverwalk’s buyers were already island residents before Riverwalk was born, so they understand the value of what they’re getting: an ideal residential lifestyle in a striking waterfront park setting with unmatched Manhattan skyline and river views, priced 30% below comparable offerings in Manhattan. In addition to individual buyers, Cornell has bought four floors in Riverwalk Court for faculty residences.

Amenities include:

• Floor-to-ceiling windows with wonderful views
• Kitchens with granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances
• Kitchen garbage disposals
• Marble baths
• Hardwood plank flooring
• Washers and dryers in units
• 24/7 attended lobby
• Fitness center with state-of-the-art equipment
• Children’s play room
• Rooftop entertaining lounge
• Landscaped sundeck
• Bicycle room
• Storage lockers

Raves & Faves
These apartments are prewired for high-speed Internet. Talk about smart building!

Not So Hot
The drawbacks of living on Roosevelt Island are the lack of nightlife and the very limited retail outlets – but let’s hope the addition of new luxury condominiums on the island will change all that. Also, if you’re looking for one of those palatial apartments featured in some new condos, you’re not going to find it here – these apartments are ordinary in terms of layout, and the largest is about 1,400 square feet. And no terraces!

Units: Layout, Pricing and Availability
Condominium apartments at Riverwalk Court range from 1-bedroom to 3-bedroom units. As of this writing, there are 17 apartments on the market:

1-bedroom condo apartments (682-885 square feet) – $595,000 to $680,000
2-bedroom condo apartments (1019-1153 square feet) – $790,000 to $935,000
3-bedroom condo apartments (1433 square feet) – $1,225,000 to $1,305,000

Come See for Yourself
Interested in buying at the Riverwalk? Give us a call at 212-220-4633 or 917-603-6224, or email us. As a buyer broker, our services are free to you, and we represent your interests. We’ll be delighted to show you apartments at Riverwalk Court and other comparable properties. Be sure to ask about our rebate program.

Location & Neighborhood
Riverwalk Court is steps away from the F-line subway station and the Tramway. It’s only one stop to 63rd Street and Lexington Avenue on the F train, and five minutes by tram to 59th Street and 2nd Avenue. Riverwalk Place is also accessible by car on the Queensboro Bridge Upper Level to the Roosevelt Island Bridge.

In addition to being convenient to Manhattan, Riverwalk Park has all the advantages of Roosevelt Island’s vital community, which boasts its own newspaper, post office, library and two schools serving grades K-8. Two thirds of the island’s 147 acres are devoted to parks, promenades and open spaces. The Roosevelt Island Racquet Club, outdoor soccer and baseball fields, and plentiful jogging and biking trails provide plenty of opportunities for sports enthusiasts.

No Comments »

Trackback URI | Comments RSS