The Riviera,
790 Riverside Drive

Overview of The Riviera at 790 Riverside Drive

The Riviera, built in 1910 by Rouse and Goldstone, stands as a 13 story Beaux Arts masonry cooperative at 790 Riverside Drive on the corner of West 157th Street in the Audubon Park Historic District. This architecturally significant building features 199 cooperative apartments and boasts a grand marble lobby with stained glass windows, coffered ceilings, and gilt-iron staircases. The building's distinctive design includes a three story limestone base beneath eight stories of iron-flecked buff brick with limestone and terra-cotta details, making it the tallest building in the Audubon Terrace Historic District.

Notable residents have included Bennett Cerf, the publisher, and Stokely Carmichael, the civil rights leader. The building has also served as a filming location for several movies, including Salt (2009) with Angelina Jolie, Gloria (1980) directed by John Cassavetes (who was a resident), and Big Daddy (1999) with Adam Sandler. Entertainment industry figures have long called The Riviera home, with past residents including members of the Ronettes and various jazz musicians.

Apartments throughout the building feature classic pre-war details including high ceilings ranging from 9.5 to 10 feet, crown moldings, hardwood floors, and decorative fireplaces in many units. The building offers diverse layouts from studios to large multi-bedroom apartments, with many units providing Hudson River views. Several apartments feature in-unit washer/dryer installations, and the penthouse is a three bedroom triplex with a 70 foot roof deck. Common apartment features include angled rooms that follow the building's corner location, generous closet space, and windowed kitchens.

The Riviera provides full service amenities including a 24 hour doorman, live-in superintendent, central laundry room, bike storage, and individual storage units. The building is pet friendly and located just one block from the 1 train, with easy access to the Hudson River Greenway, Fort Washington Park, Riverside Park, and nearby institutions including Columbia University, City College, and New York Presbyterian Hospital.