415 Main St

Riverwalk Court

New York City’s planned communities have long been a hit with residents and investors alike. Co-op Village offers affordable homeownership in the Bronx; Tudor City preserves old-school architecture on the East River; StuyTown was most recently valued at over $5 billion after selling in 2015. Riverwalk, a nine-building community on Roosevelt Island — an oasis on the East River, situated between Manhattan and Queens — boasts an unobstructed panorama of the skyline in an inconspicuously convenient location. “It has a party room on the top of the building that’s surrounded by the roof terrace, which has the most spectacular view of the city,” says Natalia Gavrilov, a Compass real estate agent. As one of the community’s high-end condominiums, Riverwalk Court also delivers notably well-appointed interiors. “The appliances provided by the developer are actually really nice,” Gavrilov says. For residents who want to surround themselves with quiet green spaces while still being minutes from Midtown, this building is a smart opportunity. Most residences in the building are either one bedrooms or two bedrooms, and within unit lines, layouts don’t vary. “They have almost identical floor plans all the way up, which is unusual,” Gavrilov says. “The only difference in the penthouses is that they have higher ceilings.” In the one-bedroom units, kitchens have breakfast bars, and the rest of the layout can include either an extra half bathroom by the entrance or more closet space in the bedroom. Two bedrooms get both a full second bathroom and extra closets, and because of the building’s blocky shape, some living rooms have two pairs of corner windows. Three-bedroom units have double corner windows in the living room, a full-length window in the kitchen and differently sized bedrooms — small, medium and large. The few four bedrooms, which were created by owners combining one- and two-bedroom units, expand upon the three-bedroom floor plan. Interior finishes are well-maintained but not luxurious and are uniform throughout the building. “There are some units that are completely updated, but I’ve noticed owners who keep theirs, keep them in beautiful shape,” Gavrilov says. Kitchens have tiled floors, wooden cabinets and stainless-steel appliances, while bathrooms have a marble-inspired tile design with an earthtone border. Both dishwashers and in-unit washer-dryers are standard, as are built-in heating and cooling units below the windows. With one bedrooms that starts at around $800,000 for just under 700 square feet, the building offers buyers a fair but not overly generous value. Prices go up to $900,000 for one bedrooms on the highest floors, and two bedrooms are priced from $1.2 million to $1.4 million, depending on size. Three-bedroom prices range from $1.8 million to just over $2 million, and the rare four bedrooms are priced above $2.5 million. Owners can rent their unit to tenants with a one-year minimum, two-year maximum lease length. “That being said, it doesn’t mean you can’t extend. So, [renters] can live there for a long time,” Gavrilov says. One of the building’s main selling points is an unobstructed skyline view at a comfortable distance from Manhattan, and the rooftop is where residents take advantage of that amenity. An enclosed lounge in the center has seating for entertaining guests and a pool table, and outside, the patio has weather-resistant furniture and several private cabana areas that owners can buy, depending on availability. Lower levels have a fitness center and yoga studio, plus a kids’ playroom stocked with books and toys. Riverwalk Court is in the middle of Roosevelt Island’s southern dining area, so residents are steps from pizza, sushi, cocktails and a Starbucks. The island’s only Duane Reade is also around the corner, and a well-stocked bodega and supermarket are less than half a mile north. Open lawns, playgrounds and athletic spaces — for both dogs and humans — surround the building, and just north, the historic Blackwell House can teach residents all about this unique area of the city. Roosevelt Island may not be as convenient as Union Square or Midtown, but its central location offers remarkably quick access to popular areas in Manhattan and Queens. The F train, tram and ferry are all within a five-minute walk of the building. There’s also a free bus that makes loops around the island, so reaching the parks and grocery store is easy.