DIRECTIONS - Driving and Subway
BILL NEILL ~ River Arts Apartments
159-00 Riverside Drive West #4L-70
New York, NY 10032
(212) 927-2631 ~ cell (646) 808-5959
DRIVING – it is usually very easy to find parking on the street in front of River Arts Apartments (alternate side parking 11:30 to 1:00 – east side Monday & Thursday or west side Tuesday & Friday). Heading west from Long Island or New England – take Interstate 87 or 95 West as though planning to cross the George Washington Bridge – only, don’t do it! Exit instead onto Riverside Drive South (downtown)! Heading east from New Jersey, Pennsylvania or Upstate NY – take the upper level of the GWB, always staying to the far right and eventually reaching Riverside Drive, where you will then continue south (downtown), having just made a full circle underneath the bridge. From the lower level of the GWB, follow directions for Riverside Drive Downtown – continue south – after 165th Street and past the park area, you will see to your right an open and unobstructed view of the Hudson River and New Jersey – River Arts Apartments is the first building immediately on your left.
TAXI – from downtown or midtown Manhattan – Henry Hudson Parkway North to 158th Street Exit – heading east on 158th Street – driver must take a hard or sharp right (south) at the first light (Riverside Drive). Follow that street all the way around the curve to the right – at the 155th Street light, where you are actually facing west, turn right again (north) onto Riverside Drive West. Though it will probably take longer, one can simply come straight up (north) on Riverside Drive, staying always to the left (outer drive) and keeping New Jersey, the Hudson River and the George Washington Bridge in sight. River Arts Apartments are a series of connected reddish-brown brick buildings that appear to be only about 7 or 8 stories tall – the small sunken garden Main Entrance is located in the center.
The best and least expensive car services in this particular part of the city – Washington Heights – are either Kennedy (212) 283-1111 or Reyno (212) 923-6800. Call and they will pick you up and/or take you most anywhere you want to go in Manhattan – not sure about the boroughs – but assume that they frequently go there as well. Bus is always a possibility – but would take forever!
SUBWAY – take the IRT Broadway Local (#1) to the 157th Street station – you can also take the Uptown Express to 96th Street and change there to the #1. As you exit the station – located at the intersection of Broadway and 157th Street – walk west and continue a short distance west-northwest (away from Broadway and toward the Hudson River) to the intersection of 158th Street and the “inner” Riverside Drive, where THREE streets intersect and there are five corners. As you stand there totally confused, face due west down 158th toward the river (do not go that way – it leads directly onto the Henry Hudson Parkway). DO however walk northwest about 45 degrees to your right – name of street is “Riverside Drive” – sign on lamppost points toward George Washington Bridge. On your left, you will pass a building with white columns, several apartment buildings and townhouses – on your right up the embankment is another roadway. Continue walking past a building with brick courtyard and black wrought iron fence trimmed in gold – at this point, looking ahead, each building has its own metal fence. When you reach the white one, you can see a traffic light at the end of the street as well as a small piece of park. The next and last property has yet another tall wrought iron fence, large open gate and small gatehouse – it is the rear entrance to River Arts Apartments. The stairway leads down to a wide deck and walkway, obviously attached along a long reddish brown brick building about 7 stories high – the front actually facing west and away from you toward the Hudson and the “outer” Riverside Drive. A large deeply sunken and rather wildly overgrown garden area separates those buildings from the townhouses you have just passed. Go down the steps and walk along that deck to the middle of the building until you reach glass doors leading to the rear entrance of our lobby – the doorman will let you in. If you get lost or need help – call my landline (212) 927-2631. This area is quite safe – surveillance cameras are focused all along the route from the subway station, street, deck and stairway into the back entrance of the building.
Heading UPTOWN (north): this bit of trivia is something I learned only two years ago when we returned to NYC, having lived only 2 or 3 blocks from here for nearly 12 years! There is no cross street on Riverside Drive WEST. Heading north from the traffic light at the western-most corner of 155th Street at RSD, well above the Henry Hudson Parkway (formerly known as the West Side Highway), this section of roadway was frequently referred to as the outer Riverside Drive. It is actually a viaduct, constructed c.1900 over a low area sloping down to the river. In their great wisdom, they opted to retain the original "loopy" Riverside Drive name, and instead called the new extension from 155th due north toward the intersection at 165th Street, "Riverside Drive West"! River Arts Apartments is located an equivalent of approximately three blocks north of the 155th Street intersection – the Hudson River, New Jersey and the George Washington Bridge are readily visible to the left. Google maps of the area show clearly that the original "Riverside Drive” makes a loop to the right, eastward toward Broadway – ergo, the inner "Riverside Drive"! Suffice it to say, this can all be rather confusing - that is, until you actually see it for yourself! J
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