This massive, white-brick rental apartment building was a pioneer in the redevelopment of the East Midtown area near the Queens-Midtown Tunnel. It rises with three setbacks to its 35-story height facing the East River and FDR Drive. View 34 doorman attends a 6,000-square-foot, three-story glass-covered atrium lobby embellished by waterfalls and koi fish-filled ponds.

The Water Club restaurant is a few blocks south along the river. Most of the apartments in this building have spectacular views due to its unique U-shape design, which maximizes the East river skyline. The building has a large plaza on First Avenue, part of which is used as an ice-skating rink in the winter. Rivergate apartments offer marble baths, greenhouse windows, eat-in kitchens with imported French cabinetry, wood-burning fireplaces, and both balconies and huge terraces. Many homes present spectacular river and/or skyline views.

View 34 residents enjoy a health club, garage, concierge, bicycle room, outdoor playground and garden, video security, many balconies, some terraces, storage space, balconies, icemakers, triple-glazed windows, sundeck and valet service. There are entrances to FDR Drive nearby. The building has 706 rental apartments, some with 10-foot-high ceilings and some with fireplaces, and it was renovated in 1997, turning it into the miracle on 34th Street we enjoy today.