The East River Greenway project, one of the newest attempts to provide further green areas within Manhattan’s East Side, and more specifically the Midtown East neighborhood, is continuing to grow in popularity. A recent poll, taken by the aptly named organization Friends of the East River Greenway reported that 73 percent of those living in the East Side support this new project, suggesting that it is getting ever closer to coming to fruition. Even with its expensive price-tag, this attempt to beautify one of NYC’s most historic areas is one that promises to make the East Side ever more popular as a place to rent luxury apartments.
Spanning from East 38th Street to East 60th Street, the East River Greenway is slated to fill this 22 block area along Manhattan’s East River. The impetus behind it, in the words of Friends of the East River Greenway spokesman David Cantor, is that “The greenway would create a far more open space out there than there is now.” At the present time, the project, which will cost over $200 million, will be funded by two different actions. First, the Robert Moses Playground, next to the U.N. and across First Avenue from NYC’s Tudor City will be sold. The next step will be the sale of two city-owned buildings that are now occupied by the U.N., and both land deals are poised to raise the necessary $200 million needed to complete the project. However, in order to reach the next phase of development, as signed legislation from Governor Andrew Cuomo mandates, a “memorandum of understanding” must first be signed by three people: State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
East Siders, however, remain optimistic, and see this as an opportunity to both increase open space as well as provide easier access to the waterfront. Those residing in luxury rental apartments, like River Tower on East 54th Street, stand poised to benefit greatly from the East River Greenway. Packed with amenities, including a doorman, 24 hour concierge and valet service, a fitness center as well as a wine cellar, River Tower would in fact have direct views of the greenway. With one bedrooms starting at $3,350 a month to three bedrooms at $13,500, residents of the luxury rentals at Le Triomphe on East 58th Street, who already enjoy hotel service as well as a state of the art health club, is a second example of a Midtown East luxury building that will also be positively affected once the greenway is completed. In the end, this promises to be an excellent development for the East Side, as well as a possible catalyst for increased interest in Manhattan luxury real estate in the area. With a spacious walkway and breathtaking river views, it would appear that NYC’s Midtown East neighborhood is about to get a little greener, with the East River Greenway adding to the elegance and sophistication of one of Manhattan’s most historically significant and exciting areas.
