455 Main St

Riverwalk Place

As one of the first condominiums in the Riverwalk planned community, Riverwalk Place set the standard for modern, high-end living on Roosevelt Island. From its hotel-style lobby with marble floors, stone accent walls and warm wood finishes, to its residences that often offer corner floor-to-ceiling windows, Riverwalk Place is a serious upgrade from the 1970s-era Rivercross and Westview co-op buildings nearby. “There’s the updated lobby, updated party room, new furniture on the roof terrace, as well as the adjacent ground-floor patio,” says Natalia Gavrilov, a Compass real estate agent who lives in the building. “It’s really nice to have additional space for the residents to enjoy.” Riverwalk Place is more affordable than the Upper East Side right across the river, and surrounding green spaces help residents take a breather from the city. But subway and tram stations still get them to Manhattan in minutes. Compact living is the name of the game, with studios that start at 500 square feet and two bedrooms that start at 829 square feet. Thankfully, sleeping alcoves and occasional dressing areas create a sense of privacy in the studios, and corner windows light up the living room and open kitchens in two bedrooms. One-bedroom units make up the bulk of the building’s housing stock, and they maximize available space by adding breakfast bars to the kitchens and putting additional closets in the foyer or hallway leading to the bedroom. Two bedrooms have three or four different layouts, not all with second bathrooms, and three bedrooms have multiple sets of corner windows to maximize natural light. Select two- and three-bedroom units also have private terraces up to 2,000 square feet in size — which can be bigger than the residences themselves. While the developer kept appliances and finishes consistent, previous owners may have updated details in certain units since the building opened in 2004. The reddish-brown wood floors and cabinets echo the building’s red-brick exterior, and black granite kitchen counters pair well with the stainless-steel appliances. Bathrooms have simple white tiling with a brown marbled border, and every residence has a washer-dryer. “Even the studios have washer-dryers, which is really hard to come by,” Gavrilov says. Prices for studios start around $600,000, and one-bedroom prices range from the high $800,000s to $1.1 million. Two bedrooms are priced from $1 million to $1.4 million, except for units with large private patios, which go for over $2 million. Three bedrooms, which don’t appear on the market often, are priced closer to $3 million. Owners can rent their units to tenants with leases that are one to two years long. The shared rooftop deck, with lounge chairs and multiple seating areas with tables, is the building’s star amenity. Residents can take in East River and Manhattan skyline views, and host get-togethers in the enclosed clubhouse. A private, ground-floor patio offers extra outdoor space, and the fitness center, laundry room and children’s playroom add even greater convenience. The ground floor has multiple restaurants, a dry cleaner and a Starbucks, and Gavrilov says they don’t cause unwanted noise or foot traffic “because they all close down relatively early.” Roosevelt Island’s only Duane Reade pharmacy is in the neighboring Riverwalk building, and beyond that are open lawns, parks, athletic fields and a dog run. Half a mile north is the island’s central dining and shopping drag, and a little farther north is the supermarket. The F train, tram and ferry stations are all within a five-minute walk from the building — so residents have multiple options for getting into Manhattan and Queens. Driving isn’t the most direct route, because the Roosevelt Island Bridge only connects to Queens, and although the tram is charming, it can become crowded with tourists. “It’s exciting for them, but when you’re in a rush, it’s a bit tough,” Gavrilov says.