North Riverdale Coop Question- Skyview Complex in Particular (Yonkers, Albany: apartments, rent stabilized apartments)

[Ms.Esq.]

I apologize if this is repetitive (although I did a preemptive search and could not find the exact answer I was looking for).

I am a single mother of a toddler, looking to purchase in Riverdale in the not so distance future, the Skyview complex immediately caught my eye. I found complex specs fairly easy online but not much about the demographics. I would like to know how diverse is the complex as far as age, race and families vs. couples or singles. I would also like to know the same for the North Riverdale area in general. I am aware that there is a Jewish presence there, which I have no problem with, but being that I am Latina, I am curious if there are other cultures prevalent in the area. Also is it particularly difficult to get board approval in this complex? My financials are stable, but I am a first time buyer.

Ps: I am familiar with Riverdale in general (I live in the Bedford Park area).

One more question: are there comparable coops in the area near Skyview i.e. 24 hr. doorman/ pool/ health club?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Songbird42]

I think there is a large turnover at the Skyview, and I heard that there are more rentals there then owners. Maybe someone else can give you a better idea of the place.

What about The Century? More expensive, higher maintence, on Netherlands Ave.

[bmwguydc]

The Century is a rental building, owned by the Olnicks. Skyview has had its share of ups and downs over the years. And, there is a lot of turnover in the complex. At its inception, there were issues with occupancy, which is likely why there are a good number of rentals for a co-op.

Riverdale may not be the most multi-hued neighborhood in the city, on the surface, but there is diversity in the area. People there care more about the ability to maintain the standards of the building and neighborhood than a particular ethnicity which you represent. If you are not embodying a negative stereotypical attitude to the neighbors, the vast majority will not do the same to you.

Aside from Skyview, there are a good number of complexes that might be attractive to you, everything from tall towers to smaller scale multi-level co-ops. I am not saying to avoid Skyview at all, but just look at the place with open eyes, and find out the number of rentals. There have been crime issues in the parking areas at times, as well, but that can happen in any open lot. Where the difference comes into play is how the building's management works to provide active and passive security in such situations. Skyview is very large, and that can mean a large number of units on the market, which is great if you're buying for the long-term, but can be a little more difficult when you want to sell, owing to a perpetual supply of "A," "B," or "Z" units with which you must compete. That said, Skyview is fairly comprehensive with amenities, whereas some small buildings have few amenities, necessitating joining a pool club or health club outside of the complex, which can be a hassle.

Near The Century, there are numerous complexes in Spuyten Duyvil that are both convenient and well managed. On Kappock, Johnson, and Netherland there are several large-and small-scale developments that might be of interest, some with views. And then Central Riverdale has some nice buildings as well, though some boards are pains in the neck in some of the buildings. If you have a good agent who knows the neighborhood, they should be able to clue you in as to the board and its degree of friendliness.

Anecdotally, I can think of three people whom I have known over the years who resided in Skyview who were of Latin descent, and I cannot believe that they were the only people living there who fit that description. So, overall, I would not worry about the demographics of the community, though it's not going to be as diverse as other areas in the city, there is a degree of diversity.

Riverdale is a great neighborhood for children, however, so wherever you choose to reside, you cannot go wrong with the schools, parks, activities, etc.

[Ms.Esq.]

Thank you both for your input, I will take it into consideration. The high number of rentals is definitely an issue. As for the positive characteristics of Riverdale, the great schools and parks are some of the reasons for me choosing this neighborhood. I asked about other comparable complexes because whenever I do an internet search on properties in the North Riverdale area, I would get Skyview apartments or smaller scale buildings without the amenities. I am not interested in South Riverdale, but would consider Central Riverdale.

Thanks again.

[bmwguydc]

In Central Riverdale, look at Hudson Manor Terrace, which is a little west of the Parkway, behind The Whitehall. The Whitehall has everything, but it can be expensive, and maintenance does run a little high too. Also, there are some great buildings on Oxford and Cambridge, between 231st and Riverdale, east of the parkway. Again, some of the amenities are likely to be missing in terms of a straight comparison with Skyview, though not at the Whitehall. There's another complex a little north of the Whitehall, on the west side of the parkway as well, whose name escapes me, but I believe that it, too, has amenities. And, there's a building on Douglas, Hayden-on-Hudson that has amenities, but it also tends toward the higher end, and is condo, I believe.

[FGolden]

Riverdale is a good place to live! The area is diverse across both racial and ethnic lines. It has 2 of the best schools in the city and is close to shopping and transportation. The board at Skyview is not considered to be "tough". There are no other North Riverdale co-ops that have the level of amenity offered by Skyview. In Central Riverdale, only the Whitehall comes close. However, the Whitehall's financials currently make it difficult to to get a mortgage for a purchase in the building.

[vlorske]

I loved it! When I got married, I needed to upgrade to a bigger apartment, and couldn't afford one in skyview. It's a really nice complex, the staff is very friendly and so are the people that live there. There are some rentals there, some of them are people who are in rent stabilized apartments and pay something crazy like 700 for a one bedroom with a balcony. Also, owners are able to rent out their apartment (which is what I am doing), but only for two years out of five years. After the two years, you can't rent it for another three. I wouldn't say that there are a lot of renters, just more than expected in a co-op. The complex is mixed, you see people of all ethnicity's, so you wouldn't be uncomfortable. Somebody mentioned cars being broken into, I heard about that too when I first moved in, but never had a problem myself in six years. If you have children, it's a great building. They have two movie nights, one for children and one for adults, they have a toddler room as well. The park is adorable, and your children would easily be able to make plenty of friends in the complex. As for the age of the various occupants, that's also mixed. It's primarily families and elderly. Not many singles or college kids. When I have kids, I'll prob look for something there as opposed to a house (not a house person at all!). Hope this helps! BTW- i heard from several people that the third building (5900) has the most noise. Why this is, I have no idea. Just what I heard.

[jaddster]

I love the place. It has some many things to make you part of a community. I like the people and the maintenance people are great. I think it is a great place to live

[Mark Dworkin]

I have a quick question about Skyview.
Are there trains that go up and back to Albany that run right behind the building, and do they make much noise?
I'm looking to buy a quiet two bedroom coop.

Thanks for your help.

[rlrl]

on the Hudson shoreline under the apartments i don't know if you can get a train to Albany from Riverdale unless you go to Yonkers or Gr Central

i live east of the Hudson in Riverdale (B'way and 252 street) and i can hear the trains going by from a distance so I'll bet you can hear them from Skyview but it's a calming sound