View 34,
401 East 34th Street

Overview of View 34 at 401 East 34th Street

View 34 is a 35-story, 706-unit rental building at 401 East 34th Street that served as a pioneer in the redevelopment of East Midtown near the Queens-Midtown Tunnel. Built in 1985 by the Zucker Organization on the site of a former Coca-Cola bottling plant, the building was originally known as Rivergate until 2014 when UDR, Inc. acquired it and rebranded it as View 34. The massive white-brick tower rises with three deep setbacks in a U-shaped plan facing the East River, creating a narrow courtyard that maximizes river views for residents.

The building's most distinctive feature is its atrium lobby with waterfall and fish ponds, which also houses Frank Stella's "Damascus Gate Variation I" (1969), a 32-by-8-foot artwork. The lobby sits above three retail floors, and the building originally featured a popular ice-skating rink on its First Avenue plaza that operated until 1996. Due to heavy traffic from the nearby FDR Drive and tunnel, all apartments are equipped with triple-glazed windows, and many units boast spectacular East River views. Select apartments feature 10-foot ceilings and fireplaces.

View 34 offers extensive amenities including 24-hour doorman and concierge services, valet service, a full-size fitness center, roof deck, and bicycle storage. The pet-friendly building also provides a children's playroom, outdoor playground, garage with circular driveway, and on-site laundry facilities. All units have been renovated with modern finishes including plank flooring, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, and new windows with custom roller shades. The building's transformation helped establish what was once a non-descript area into a thriving residential neighborhood, though it remains one of the area's most view-rich properties despite newer, flashier developments nearby.