The RiverTop

Turns out the promise of Manhattan’s riverfront was hiding in plain sight all along. Linked to downtown by Blue Earth Plaza, The RiverTop is now a vibrant destination for residents and visitors year-round.

It’s impossible to ignore the energy of the courtyard. Most days, artists gather, displaying work and performing. A jazz group plays on Thursday nights and a local improv crew likes to involve tourists and convention attendees in their productions. An enormous lighted tree is placed here during the holiday season and the friendly rivalry with Blue Earth Plaza’s trees leads to more grandiose displays every year.

Like the famed Spanish Steps of Rome, Manhattan’s Spanish Steps are a selfie hot spot. You’ll often find students reading there on warm days and couples canoodling on chilly evenings. The spot seems so natural, it’s easy to forget the train tracks that run beneath—except when the engine rumbles through, of course.

For residents in the riverfront apartments and condominiums, the energy of the space was the selling point. Many retirees have relocated here from larger metros and they’re regulars at the sunrise yoga session that overlooks the river. With regular ATA bus pickups, autonomous ride shares, and close proximity to bike boulevards, many have forgone car ownership. There’s even talk of a sky bridge between the second fl oor of the apartments and a fl oor in the new parking garage at the main intersections at this vibrant development.