Carter's Review

This 33-story apartment tower at 50 Riverside Boulevard is the southernmost building of the Riverside South development that stretches south from 72^nd Street to the Riverside Center development between 59^th and 61^st Streets.

The building was originally known as 40 Riverside Drive. However, Extell changed the name to 50 Riverside Drive following media reports related to the building’s so-called “poor door."

It contains 219 condominium apartments and was built by Extell Development and designed by Goldstein, Hill & West.  Shamir Shah did the interiors.

It was scheduled for completion in 2015.

Bottom Line

An amenity-rich and snazzy looking bulk of an apartment tower with large units that is the southernmost building of the Riverside South development overlooking the Hudson River just above the planned Riverside Center project.

Description

With its crazy-quilt base and very glassy tower, this building looks like it was designed by a champion Tetris player adept at arranging large blocks and clearing up a central alley.

It is rather startling and quite sprightly.

It is glassier than its predecessors along Riverside Boulevard and according to architect Stephen  Hill “the original buildings were governed by zoning and design guidelines that were restrictive in the amount of glass and stone use” and the guidelines expired in 2005, according to an article by Amanda Fung in the Juy 25, 2011 edition of Crain’s.

The broad-shouldered base gives way to a pin-striped top.

Amenities

The building has a concierge, a doorman, a gym, a swimming pool, a 38-foot-high climbing wall, a two-lane bowling alley, a golf simulator, and a full-size basketball court, squash courts, a garden and is linked by an underground tunnel to a La Palestra spa at the Aldyn across 62^nd Street.

Apartments

Apartment A on the 21st and 22^nd floor is a 7-bedroom duplex unit with a 28-foot-long, double-height, living room opening onto a 18-foot-long dining room next to a 16-foot-long, enclosed kitchen with an island and a 16-foot-long, breakfast room.  The living room and the breakfast room open onto a 94-foot-long, corner terrace with a 24-foot-long pool on the lower level that also has a 19-foot-long library with a wet bar and two small bedrooms.  The upper level has five more bedrooms.

The 6-bedroom, full-floor, penthouse has 6,168 square feet with a 14-foot-long entry foyer that leads to a 30-foot-wide, corner living room facing the Hudson River that has a fireplace island and opens onto a 23-foot-long dining room next to a 24-foot-long breakfast room and a 21-foot- wide, open kitchen with an island.  The 23-foot-long, master bedroom also has a 14-foot-long, sitting room and there is also a 14-foot-long, media room and a 17-foot-long library.

Apartment 17E is a 5-bedroom unit with 4,224 square feet and an angled entry foyer that leads to a 25-foot-long living room that opens onto a 15-foot-wide dining room that opens onto a 166-foot-long terrace facing 61^st Street that is also accessed from the 22-foot-wide breakfast room and a 14-foot-wide kitchen with an island.  The eastern end of the 3,620-square-foot terrace has a pool.

Apartment B on floor 24 through 30 is a four-bedroom unit with 3,348 square feet and a 13-foot-wide entry foyer that leads to a 29-foot-long living room that opens onto a 19-foot-long, windowed, dining room next to an enclosed, 18-foot-long kitchen with an island and a 20-foot-wide breakfast room.

Apartment B on the 18^th and 19^th floor is a four-bedroom unit with 3,407 square feet and a 12-footwide entry foyer that leads to a  31-foot-long living room that opens onto a  18-foot-long dining room next to a 19-foot-long, angled, breakfast room and a 18-foot-long kitchen with an island.

Apartment D on floors 10 through 15 is a three-bedroom unit with 2,005 square feet and a 26-foot-long living/dining room facing 62nd street and is adjacent to a 12-foot-long, open kitchen with an island and a long entry foyer.

Apartment G on floors 3 through 8 is a  two-bedroom unit with 1,464 square feet and a 29-foot-long living/dining room that faces a courtyard and is adjacent to a 9-foot-wide, open, pass-through kitchen.