60 Riverside Drive

Overview of 60 Riverside Drive

60 Riverside Drive, erected in 1965 at the northeast corner of 78th Street, is a distinctive 20-story white-brick apartment building designed by the architectural firm Wechsler & Schimenti, who also designed 1050 Fifth Avenue. The building, originally known as River View, was converted to a cooperative in 1983.

The structure is particularly notable for its unique architectural design, featuring an angled façade along Riverside Drive and numerous balconies. The building's exterior is characterized by discrete air-conditioners and a polished black granite entrance surround with canopy on the side street.

One of the building's most distinctive features is its unusual apartment layouts, particularly above the 16th floor setback. The upper floors contain dome apartments with almost triangular rooms, trapezoidal spaces, and five-sided rooms meeting at unexpected angles. Notably, one apartment on the 20th floor was designed with no square or rectangular rooms.

The building houses 151 apartments and offers residents a full-time doorman, concierge service, garage, and laundry facilities. Many units feature balconies, some with striking geometric designs, such as the six-sided balcony found in unit 17F.

Apartment configurations vary significantly throughout the building. Typical layouts include generously sized entry foyers, corner windows, and angled balconies. Many units offer views of the Hudson River, the Palisades, and Riverside Park.

The building's location directly across from Riverside Park places it near the Boat Basin and provides easy access to Upper West Side amenities. The surrounding neighborhood offers abundant shopping, dining, and cultural destinations.

The property has an interesting celebrity history, with notable past residents including Tom Cruise, Harry Belafonte, comedian Steven Wright, and Mia Farrow, who maintained an apartment there following her separation from Frank Sinatra.