From Riverdale to Yonkers: We wanted more space and better amenities with no rent increase

[ad_1] Terry and Bryan wished extra space and higher facilities than what they'd in Riverdale, in order that they went house searching in Westchester. They had been drawn to a brand new rental constructing from Extell, the developer of Brooklyn Level in Downtown Brooklyn, the place they already personal a unit. This is their story as informed to Kelly Kreth.

Bryan was born in Milwaukee and I used to be born and raised in a small city in Western Kentucky.

Bryan got here to New York Metropolis for his MBA at NYU and by no means left. I got here to NYC after spending 27 months within the Peace Corps, based mostly in Uralsk, Kazakhstan. We met one evening out in Hell’s Kitchen and have been collectively for 18 years.

[Editor's note: “Transitions” features first-person accounts of what it’s like to move from one NYC neighborhood to another (or in this case, from NYC to Westchester). Have a story to share? Drop us an email. We respect all requests for anonymity.]

Most lately we had been residing in The Henry in Riverdale, a 55-unit luxurious rental improvement on the southern tip of Riverdale close to the Spuyten Duyvil practice station. We dwell with our younger son and our pup, a white Bolognese we acquired through the pandemic. Our two-bedroom, two-bath, 900-square-foot unit was $4,795 monthly.

We cherished the comfort of the placement, significantly how shut it was to the Metro-North, which we used for commuting to work. It was additionally close to our son’s faculty, Riverdale Nation College, which made the placement very sensible. We appreciated the newer constructing design and the higher-end finishes contained in the house, but it surely felt a bit small.

The constructing itself additionally lacked facilities though it had a coworking area that was fairly loud. Parking was a serious subject; we frequently needed to park so far as six blocks away. The neighbors had been great, however the location and lack of parking made it much less best.

And there have been no actual facilities within the speedy space—no eating places, cafés or group areas close by. You would need to stroll half-hour to get to a restaurant. (A few of our favourite locations to eat in Riverdale had been Tobala, an upscale Mexican restaurant, Moss Café which is an effective espresso place in Riverdale, and Emiliano’s.) The realm did have good strolling paths, together with a route throughout the Henry Hudson Bridge.

I used to be the CEO of a division of a advertising communications agency; now I'm engaged on a brand new startup. Bryan is beginning a biotech enterprise within the healthcare area. It’s a consumer-facing longevity and well being span platform that he has spent the previous yr creating.

Why they determined to maneuver In spring, we determined to maneuver to Yonkers as a result of we wished an house that was nonetheless near the practice and supplied extra facilities. We had been in search of a constructing with parking, a doorman, and a extra vibrant group.

Our objective was to discover a two bed room, two tub that was a bit bigger than our earlier one—ideally greater than 1,000 sq. ft. We wished to remain near the identical lease.

We seen about 10 properties throughout our search. We seemed in a number of areas together with Tuckahoe, Bronxville, Dobbs Ferry, Mount Vernon, and New Rochelle.

Initially, we didn’t plan to deal with Yonkers, however we had been drawn to among the newer developments within the space, significantly Hudson Piers in downtown Yonkers from New York Metropolis-based Extell Improvement. The constructing was nonetheless beneath building on the time.

We had been already accustomed to Extell due to their Brooklyn Level improvement in Downtown Brooklyn. We personal a two-bedroom house there, and it’s a fantastic constructing. The facilities, companies, layouts, and qualities of the finishes at Brooklyn Level are excellent.

As a result of Hudson Piers is a more recent constructing, the [leasing] course of was easy—it was primarily about negotiating to get the month-to-month value to an inexpensive place.

What they like about their new place Our new house is a two-bedroom, two-bath unit with 1,000 sq. ft of area. We love the placement of our constructing—it’s proper on the Hudson River. From our bed room window, we will hear the waves, which is absolutely particular. The house additionally has an unimaginable view of Manhattan.

The constructing has a number of facilities that our earlier residence lacked, similar to a health middle, rooftop terrace, residents lounge, kids’s playroom, pool, and personal parking. With amenity charges and parking, our lease is round $4,600 monthly.

What they like concerning the space Considered one of our favourite elements of the neighborhood is the brand new riverfront esplanade. It's good for taking walks and having fun with the water views. There’s additionally a canine park close by, which has been a giant bonus for us and has turn into a part of our every day routine and is a good way to fulfill neighbors.

Laundry is way simpler now due to the constructing’s doorman and concierge service, which makes every day duties extra handy. Meals buying is about the identical as earlier than—we nonetheless order groceries from Complete Meals more often than not—however the total expertise is smoother.

The placement offers us easy accessibility to each native favorites and the close by Rivertowns. Considered one of our favourite locations to dine out is The Sea Hearth Grill, a unbelievable new restaurant that simply opened close by for seafood and steak. We love that we will stroll there, in addition to an area burger joint and a taco restaurant. The realm has a pleasant steadiness between upscale and relaxed eating.

We’re a few 10-minute stroll to the Metro North practice station and saved our automobile since we take pleasure in parking within the constructing. On weekends, we frequently drive over to Hastings-on-Hudson, which has a fantastic number of eating places. We additionally love spending time on the Hudson RiverWalk, which is ideal for taking walks and having fun with the water views.

Every little thing feels extra seamless and fewer aggravating in comparison with our earlier location.

Our family and friends are constantly impressed by the standard of the constructing, the extent of facilities, and the unimaginable views. Many have commented that it appears like a premium property for the realm, which makes us even happier with our determination.

We’ve met some very nice folks within the constructing. Everybody has been pleasant and welcoming. We had dinner lately with a neighbor who lives on the second flooring and moved in across the similar time we did in September. It’s been nice attending to know neighbors who're additionally new to the group.