Waterline Square

Remember when having a group of teenagers with skateboards hang out at your building was considered a bad thing? Times have changed, skateboarding is an Olympic sport, and Waterline Square's skate park, complete with a custom mural by a local artist, is open. Located in the Upper West Side condo and rental complex's 100,000-square-foot amenity center, the Waterline Club, the skate park offers a half-pipe and mini ramp, plus hang-out space with seating. The new amenity is the first of its kind in a New York City residential development.
More photos, this way

Architecture And Design

December 2, 2020

VOTE for 6sqft’s 2020 Building of the Year!

It goes without saying that 2020 has been an unpredictable, challenging year. This March, COVID-19 brought New York City to a standstill, from the city's bustling street life to the plethora of construction projects that defined the prior year. The pandemic quickly changed the way we live and build, but ultimately didn't stop New Yorkers from doing either. The city is still a place with bold new construction projects, glittering towers and mega-developments, unique and creative amenities -- especially to respond to a year sticking close to home. 2020 brought the introduction of a new public park inside an Upper West Side mega-development, multi-million dollar condo sales along Billionaire's Row, the restoration of a classic NYC landmark, and impressive new architecture that promises to shape our ever-changing skyline. Our picks are down to 12 of the most notable residential structures this year. The only question is: Which do you think deserves 6sqft’s title of 2020 Building of the Year? To have your say, polls for our sixth annual competition will be open up until midnight on Sunday, December 13 and we will announce the winner on Monday, December 14.
Cast your vote!

New Developments

See New York City’s newest public park at the Upper West Side’s Waterline Square

All photos courtesy of Elizabeth Felicella

November 12, 2020

See New York City’s newest public park at the Upper West Side’s Waterline Square

New photos of the public park at the Waterline Square development were released this week, showing off the nearly three acres of green space designed by MNLA. Positioned in the middle of the three glassy Upper West Side towers, Waterline Square Park offers a tucked-away oasis for the community, along with a huge playground and unique water features. When it officially opened this summer, the park hosted a number of socially-distanced events including live music performances and yoga classes.
See it here

Architecture And Design

Waterline Square’s amenities include an indoor skate park, full tennis court, and a rock-climbing wall

All amenity photos credit: Evan Joseph

September 25, 2020

Waterline Square’s amenities include an indoor skate park, full tennis court, and a rock-climbing wall

By Dana Schulz

Waterline Square is often known for the starchitects who designed its three glassy towers--Richard Meier & Partners (One Waterline Square), Kohn Pedersen Fox (Two Waterline Square), and Rafael Viñoly (Three Waterline Square)--but another accolade the Upper West Side development holds is its incredible amenity package, which has been fully unveiled today. At 100,000 square feet and spread over three floors, it's one of New York City's largest indoor private amenity spaces and includes everything from an indoor skate park and full tennis court (both a first in NYC) to a 30-foot rock climbing wall to a gardening studio to an entire pet suite.
See more amenities

New Developments

Lottery launches for 22 affordable apartments at Waterline Square, from $741/month

Rendering courtesy of Noe & Associates with The Boundary. L to R: Two Waterline Square by KPF, Three Waterline Square by Rafael Vinoly, One Waterline Square by Richard Meier

May 22, 2020

Lottery launches for 22 affordable apartments at Waterline Square, from $741/month

Applications are now being accepted for 22 affordable apartments at the Waterline Square development on the Upper West Side. Stretching between West 59th Street and West 61st Streets, the three-tower complex is best known for the starchitects behind the high-rises: Richard Meier of One Waterline Square, Kohn Pedersen Fox of Two Waterline Square, and Rafael Viñoly of Three Waterline Square. New Yorkers earning 40 percent of the area median income can apply for the available $741/month one-bedrooms and $901/month two-bedrooms.
How to apply

Affordable Housing

Family drops $27M on eight Waterline Square apartments as ‘safe’ investment during coronavirus

Rendering courtesy of Noe & Associates with The Boundary. L to R: Two Waterline Square by KPF, Three Waterline Square by Rafael Vinoly, One Waterline Square by Richard Meier

April 15, 2020

Family drops $27M on eight Waterline Square apartments as ‘safe’ investment during coronavirus

A family from Peru has paid nearly $27 million for eight units at the new three-tower luxury complex Waterline Square on the Upper West Side, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. The buyers went into contract and closed on the all-cash deal on the same day, Douglas Elliman agent Maria Velazquez told the newspaper. Velazquez said the family who bought the condo units see it as an investment, opting to put their money into real estate instead of a bank during the coronavirus pandemic. "They felt their money was safer in an apartment in New York than in a bank," she said.
More on the deal

Real Estate Trends

A closer look inside Waterline Square’s starchitect-designed rentals, from $3,938/month

Living area inside an apartment at One Waterline Square; photo by Evan Joseph

February 4, 2020

A closer look inside Waterline Square’s starchitect-designed rentals, from $3,938/month

By Alexandra Alexa

When rental units at the Waterline Square development on the Upper West Side hit the market last fall it was clear that the price tags reflected the starchitect lineup involved with its design: The trio of glassy towers was designed by Richard Meier & Partners (One Waterline Square), Kohn Pedersen Fox (Two Waterline Square), and Rafael Viñoly (Three Waterline Square), with Hill West Architects serving as executive architect for the master plan. Located on Riverside Boulevard between 59th and 61st Streets, the complex holds 868 rental units (in addition to 263 condos), which start at $3,938/month for a studio and go up to $15,000/month for a four-bedroom. If you’re curious about what those pricey rentals look like inside, here’s a look at three model homes in each of the towers.
READ MORE

December 12, 2019

NYC’s 11 best starchitect-designed buildings that you can live in

By Lidia Ryan

The Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, One World Trade Center: all buildings that instantly come to mind when you think of the iconic New York City skyline. But more and more new skyscrapers are beginning to pop up in that classic view. And while it’s likely many an architects' dream to contribute a design to the most famous skyline in the world, only a handful of world-renowned "starchitects" get to do it. Ahead, 6sqft has rounded up 11 starchitect-designed condo buildings that you can actually live in, from veterans like Robert A.M. Stern and Renzo Piano to some more up-and-comers like David Adjaye and Bjarke Ingels.
See the list

December 5, 2019

VOTE for 6sqft’s 2019 Building of the Year

If you had to boil it down, 2019 has been an important year for advancing the city's most noteworthy residential projects. Perhaps no news was more important than the official opening of Hudson Yards, which introduced a collection of sleek towers to the Manhattan skyline. (Two Hudson Yards buildings, 15 and 35 Hudson Yards, have made this list.) But that still didn't overshadow other glittering towers now transforming the skyline: the world's tallest residential tower at Central Park Tower, the most expensive residential sale in the country at 220 Central Park South, and the highest infinity pool in the Western Hemisphere at Brooklyn Point. It's been a year of construction progress, eye-popping sales prices, and exceptionally luxurious apartments and amenities behind unique facades. Our picks are down to 12 of the most notable residential structures this year. Which do you think deserves 6sqft’s title of 2019 Building of the Year? To have your say, polls for our fifth annual competition will be open up until midnight on Friday, December 13th and we will announce the winner on Monday, December 16th.
Cast your vote!

New Developments

10 NYC residential buildings with the best amenities for dogs

By Michelle Sinclair Colman

There's no arguing that New York is a city of dog lovers, but when most of us don't have the convenience of letting our four-legged friends into the backyard, it can be a challenge. Thankfully, many of the city's newest residential developments have realized how important it is to keep both pets and their owners happy and are incorporating amenities like dog runs, pet grooming, training services, and even "yappy hours." Ahead, 6sqft has rounded up the top 10 buildings with the best amenities for dogs so that your pooch may always be tired and clean at the end of each day.
NYC's most paw-fect pads

Pricing revealed for starchitect-designed Waterline Square rentals, with studios from $3,938/month

Rendering courtesy of Noe & Associates with The Boundary

October 10, 2019

Pricing revealed for starchitect-designed Waterline Square rentals, with studios from $3,938/month

Update 10/10/19: More details about Waterline Square rentals were released on Tuesday, following the official lease launch last month. At the three-tower Upper West Side development, studios start at $3,938/month, one-bedrooms at $5,425/month, two-bedrooms at $8,625/month, three-bedrooms at $9,933/month, and four-bedrooms at $15,000/month. These prices include concessions for three months of free rent on a 12-month lease. Currently, the priciest unit available to rent is a $19,208/month four-bedroom at One Waterline Square, which measures just over 2,200 square feet. After topping out nearly two years ago, the trio of glassy high-rise towers known as Waterline Square on Monday kicked off leasing for its rental units. GID Development tapped three major architects, Richard Meier, Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), and Rafael Viñoly, to design the Upper West Side buildings, which include roughly 260 condos, 800 rental units, and 100,000 square feet of amenities. Rentals, ranging from studios to four-bedroom apartments, start at $4,130 per month, without concessions. Hill West Architects serve as the project's architect of record.
Get the details

Real Estate Trends

Ahead of summer opening, Waterline Square reveals first look at Italian food hall

The Cipriani food market, courtesy of Waterline Square

March 26, 2019

Ahead of summer opening, Waterline Square reveals first look at Italian food hall

By Dana Schulz

Earlier this year, we got the first taste of what's to come at Waterline Square's Cipriani-branded Italian food hall, including a pizza bar, pastry shop, and full-service restaurant. And now, we've got the first look. The vision of hospitality designer Martin Brudnizki, the 28,000-square-foot “experiential food market” appears to have a retro-glam vibe, complete with old-school banquettes, wood paneling, architectural light fixtures, and, as any true Italian food market would have, a display of hanging cured meats.
More details and another look

February 22, 2019

Waterline Square’s Italian food hall will open on the Upper West Side this summer

By Dana Schulz

If getting to 23rd Street is tricky for you (or you'd just rather not deal with the Eataly tourists), another Italian food mecca will be opening on the Upper West Side this July or August. As 6sqft previously reported, GID Development Group tapped the Cipriani family to create a 28,000-square-foot "experiential food market" for their Waterline Square mega-development. After attending a recent Community Board 7 meeting, West Side Rag got more details about what the food hall will offer, including a full-service restaurant, pasta lab, bellini bar, and, of course, cheese shop.
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December 5, 2018

VOTE for 6sqft’s 2018 Building of the Year

The city’s most important residential projects include a glittering showcase of superlatives that continue to eclipse all that came before, with claims that include tallest (Central Park Tower), skinniest (111 West 57th Street ), most expensive (a $250 million penthouse at 220 Central Park South) and loftiest outdoor lounge (Fifteen Hudson Yards) and pool (Brooklyn Point) almost being a requirement for selling the fabulously luxurious apartments and amenities that lie within. Though some of this year’s contenders appeared on previous years’ lists, their sales launches and toppings-out in 2018 proved that their arrivals on the city's skyline–and among its residential options–are no less impactful than the anticipation that preceded them. We’ve narrowed our picks down to a list of 12 headline-stealing residential structures for the year. Which do you think deserves 6sqft’s title of 2018 Building of the Year? To have your say, polls for our fourth annual competition will be open up until midnight on Wednesday, December 12th and we will announce the winner on the 13th.
VOTE HERE! And learn more about the choices.

New Developments

October 1, 2018

Live at Waterline Square for $1,041/month, lottery launches for 250+ affordable units

Applications are now being accepted for 269 affordable apartments across three buildings at a development on the Upper West Side known as Waterline Square. The trio of luxury high-rises is located between West 59th Street and West 61st Street on the Hudson River and contains a new 2.6-acre park. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, ranging from a $1,041/month studio to a $1,553/month three-bedroom. As 6sqft reported last week, construction at the five-acre waterfront site continues to wrap up.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Watch a time-lapse video of Waterline Square reaching the finish line

Via Field Condition

September 28, 2018

Watch a time-lapse video of Waterline Square reaching the finish line

Construction is wrapping up on a trio of glassy residential towers known as Waterline Square, located on the five-acre waterfront site between West 59th and 61st Streets. Three Waterline Square, designed by Rafael Viñoly, got its multi-faceted crystal-planed exterior earlier this month. Richard Meier, on a leave of absence from his firm after accusations of sexual harassment, designed One Waterline Square, the 37-story building that also recently reached its pinnacle. Finally Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates' Two Waterline Square culminates at 38 stories. After the jump, check out a video showing the entire project rise in under 90 seconds.
Check it out

Rafael Viñoly reveals new photos and video of Three Waterline Square

Image courtesy of CityRealty.

September 12, 2018

Rafael Viñoly reveals new photos and video of Three Waterline Square

Catching up with the rise of Waterline Square has been a pastime of skyline watchers since the project was announced. Now, CityRealty shares a recent Instagram post by designer Rafael Viñoly revealing the newly-installed final piece of the façade at Three Waterline Square, completing its multi-faceted crystal-planed exterior. On the inside, Three Waterline Square’s carefully expressed corners and gently sloping walls allow stunning panoramic river, park, and skyline views.
New images and video this way

September 6, 2018

Is 421-a dead? Where to find NYC’s remaining tax abatement deals

By Cait Etherington

In 1971, New York City launched a new program designed to encourage developers to build on vacant land. The program known as the 421-a tax abatement gave developers a ten-year exemption on paying taxes if they agreed to develop the underused land. At the time, the program made a lot of sense. In the 1970s, urban decay was rampant, even in many areas of Manhattan. But the program not only benefited developers. Owners who bought units in a 421-a tax abatement building also benefited since the bill effectively enabled developers to pass along their tax break to buyers who in turn could avoid paying taxes on their units for the first decade. While the original 421-a tax abatement is essentially dead, there are still a few 421-a deals left for buyers. This reflects the fact that several of the condo projects that secured a 421-a exemption before the program was phased out are only now coming to completion. To help buyers looking to take advantage of this final round of 421-a benefits, 6sqft has compiled a list of some of the best deals left on the market.
More here

Policy

June 7, 2018

Lincoln Square’s grand finale: From slum clearance to a new master plan

By Michelle Sinclair Colman

Lincoln Square, a part of the Upper West Side, is a literal square of approximately 50 blocks that runs east-west from Central Park West to the West Side Drive and north-south from 59th to 72nd Streets. The neighborhood, which is bisected by Broadway and contains the Lincoln Center “superblock,” has an enormous amount of culture, loads of prestigious schools, tons of old-school luxury residences lining the park, and a massive, five-acre, four-building new development called Waterline Square, finalizing a decades-long master plan for the neighborhood. Ahead, we take a look at the neighborhood's history, from its Dutch roots to Robert Moses' slum clearance, modern residential development, and all the amenities that make this area more fun than one may think.
Your guide to Lincoln Square

Events & Things To Do

April 12, 2018

The 15 best gyms in NYC residential buildings

By Michelle Sinclair Colman

Jay Wright, founder and CEO of The Wright Fit, a gym design and management consultancy, is behind many of the gorgeous gyms in high-end NYC residential buildings, from 15 Central Park West to 56 Leonard. The Wright Fit has a very specific philosophy that guides their design and programming for their clients’ facilities. “That philosophy is called centerpoint strategy. The goal of is to create balance, functional longevity, and optimal quality of life for our clients and the residents of the building. We are trying to get people off of fixed path motion machines, where the actual machines define the path of motion, and teach people about their bodies. We like to challenge people to evolve their way of thinking.” Wright says that time and proximity are the biggest barriers to working out. By creating gorgeous gyms in residential buildings, those two barriers are eliminated. So if you live one of these buildings with amazing gyms, let us envy you as you run down the stairs (forget the elevator) and start sweating. Ahead, we've rounded up the 15 best residential gyms that are getting New Yorkers' heart rates pumping.
Check out our list without breaking a sweat

Real Estate Trends

Bruce Willis ‘downsizes’ to a new four-bedroom Riverside Center condo

Photo: Evan Joseph Photography; Bruce Willis photo: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

February 16, 2018

Bruce Willis ‘downsizes’ to a new four-bedroom Riverside Center condo

Bruce Willis and his wife Emma Heming Willis found a buyer for their home at 271 Central Park West for $17.75 million within a week of listing the six-bedroom co-op after deciding to downsize a bit. According to reports the pair have just bought a new Upper West Side aerie at One West End at 1 West End Avenue. The four-bedroom condominium in the 41-story tower, part of the in the massive Riverside Center project designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli and Hill West Architects, spans over 3,000 square feet and was last listed for $7.9 million.
Take a look

December 12, 2017

Waterline Square mega-development tops out on the Upper West Side

Waterline Square, a mega-development consisting of three luxury residential high-rises and measuring 2.2 million square feet, officially topped out this week, one of the most ambitious projects to hit the Upper West Side in decades. GID Development Group commissioned three major New York City architecture firms, Richard Meier & Partners, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates and Rafael Viñoly, to design One Waterline Square, Two Waterline Square and Three Waterline Square, respectively. The 263 condominiums of the development, located between West 59th Street and West 61st Street on the Hudson River, will commence closings in late 2018. There will also be 800 rental units available, with 20 percent of them below market rate. Hill West Architects serves as the executive architect on the project.
More this way

December 11, 2017

Last day to vote for 6sqft’s 2017 Building of the Year!

This year was all about new development redefining the New York City skyline. Construction moved along at a rapid pace, whether it be the topping out of Richard Meier's tower at 685 First Avenue or foundational work kicking off at Brooklyn's first supertall 9 Dekalb. In the next several years we'll see these buildings open and show off apartments at sky-high prices, but for now, we get to enjoy the construction process on some of the most notable new architecture to come to New York. We’ve narrowed down a list of 12 news-making residential structures for the year. Which do you think deserves 6sqft’s title of 2017 Building of the Year? To have your say, polls for our third annual competition will be open up until midnight on Monday, December 11th and we will announce the winner on Tuesday, December 12th.
VOTE HERE! And learn more about the choices.

New Developments

Two Waterline Square; Image: Noe & Associates with The Boundary

June 19, 2017

Waterline Square mega-development to get first Cipriani ‘experiential food market’