Riverdale is truly an ideal place to live… it is safe, friendly, beautiful, convenient… suburban living in the northwest corner of a great city…. the best kept secret in New York City!
We are in historic Spuyten Duyvil, the southern section of Riverdale, and the following are some of our nearby features, all within easy and pleasant walking distance:
- Parks and walking trails: Our neighborhood park is Henry Hudson Park, which has the wonderful playground complex, including Paul’s Park, a kids’ baseball diamond, basketball courts, walking trails….all on a hilltop with views of the Hudson and Harlem Rivers, with the New Jersey Palisades and the George Washington Bridge in the distance. Continuing a few blocks north, you will see lively Seton Park, with its city tennis courts, baseball and soccer fields, basketball courts, playground, and open picnic and sitting areas; the Raoul Wallenberg Forrest is a little further north, continuing to Riverdale Park, which is a wild forested and protected greenbelt area along the Hudson, taking you all the way north past Wave Hill, to the city line with Yonkers.
And for biking, or long distance walking or running enthusiasts, you can also go south from the Knolls, by crossing the Henry Hudson Bridge, which abuts our property, and following the newly constructed path along the western side of the West Side Highway, all the way down Riverside Park, and to the lower end of Manhattan if you wish.
- Wave Hill: This magnificent hilltop mansion, sitting on a 28-acre estate, built in 1843 as a country home by William Lewis Morris, and once the home of Theodore Roosevelt, Arturro Toscannini, Mark Twain, and many other notables, is located at a breathtaking location high above the Hudson River. Since 1960 it has been a tranquil public garden and cultural center, a place to relax and enjoy the views of the Hudson and the Palisades. Its stated mission is to “celebrate the artistry and legacy of its gardens and landscapes, to preserve its magnificent views, and to explore human connections to the natural world through programs in horticulture, nature, education and the arts.” There are tranquil hidden garden oases, exotic and historic trees and plantings, a greenhouse, a gift shop, a pond, winding nature trails, sitting areas, a gallery, and lots of nooks and crannies to explore. It is also available for private functions and celebrations. It is open year round, and just a two-mile walk away from the Knolls. (NOTE: please see the Community section of this website for activities available there.)
- Public, private and parochial schools: Our well-rated local public elementary school is PS 24, and the Riverdale/Kingsbridge Academy serves our middle and high school students. The highly selective Bronx High School of Science is a bus-ride away, and many local children attend this impressive school. Private schools nearby include the renowned Fieldston School, Horace Mann, and Riverdale Country Day School. Kinneret Day School, across Kappock Street from the Knolls, and St. Gabriel’s School, which is a few blocks north, are the nearest parochial schools. Manhattan College, and the College of Mt. Saint Vincent are also in Riverdale, while a local bus gets students to Lehman College, and Fordham University. Nearby there are many excellent nursery schools, and other educational and day care programs for young children from the area.
- Fieldston: Nearby Fieldston is a privately owned beautifully wooded residential section of Riverdale, among the most exclusive in the City, with magnificent homes, mostly quite large, designed in a mix of styles, including colonial revivals, Tudors, and formal modernist. The streets are privately owned by the Fieldson community, with parking restricted to the residents, but they are open to walkers and drivers. The original developers, back in 1914, made a point of avoiding straight streets and square blocks, so no two blocks are the same, as streets and lanes maneuver around hills, huge trees, a pond, and outcroppings of rocks. Some families have remained in these homes for decades, many originally drawn by the elite schools on their borders. Fieldston has been home to a variety of prominent people, including the singer Carly Simon, who grew up there, the former Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia, and the famous architect Dwight James Baum.
- Houses of worship: Houses of worship of several denominations are conveniently located, serving many worshipers. Among the better known in the immediate area are the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, St Gabriel’s Roman Catholic Church, Riverdale Presbyterian Church, Church of the Visitation, Riverdale Jewish Center, Edgehill Church at Spuyten Duyvil, Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale, St Margaret’s of Cortona Church, Riverdale Temple.
- Johnson Avenue, and lower Riverdale Avenue restaurants and shopping: This commercial area, between 235th to 238th Streets, is in the center of Riverdale, a pleasant 10 to 15-minute stroll from the Knolls. There are many shops and services of all kinds, but this area is especially well known for its eateries.
Some of the more popular restaurants and cafes on Johnson Avenue are Liebman’s Deli (one of the few and best authentic Jewish delis left in the City), Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, Hunan Balcony, Metate Mexican Restaurant, Aoyu Sushi, Cumin Indian Cuisine, Fresco Tortillas il Taco, Riverdelight Delicatessen Grill and Middle Eastern Restaurant, Pizza Chef, Moon Star Grill (Asian Fusion), Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt, Palace of Japan, Second Helping Glatt Kosher, and Blue Bay Diner.
Nearby Riverdale Avenue has restaurants and cafes like the Corner Cafe, Yo Burger, Generico’s Pizzeria and Cafe, Greek Express, Riverdale City Grill (and Bar), Salvatore’s of Soho, Shoshi’s Market, Blackstone Bar & Grill, Rolen Bagels, Ginger Grill, Palumbo’s Bakery, Tiny’s Diner, and the lively Tin Marin Tapas Restaurant and Bar.
- More shopping….. a mile or more down the hill from the Knolls are the stores and services of busy Broadway, like the amazing Garden Gourmet Food Market (definitely worth a visit), Staples, Target’s, Marshall’s, other restaurants and shops of all kinds, the main district Post Office, and coming soon……BJ’s.
- Libraries: Within a pleasant walking distance of the Knolls is the Spuyten Duyvil Library, a great local favorite for children and adults alike, sitting at the northeast corner of Seton Park.