Riverdale

i rented in riverdale (skyview on the hudson) back in 2000-2001. riverdale overall is a great neighborhood and very easy to get to grand central by metro north (< 30 minute ride). it's also relatively easy to drive into manhattan on the weekends. you will get to midtown/chelsea/village faster than many living on the east side/queens/bklyn. subway connections are not great. the 1 train is the only train that is reasonably close to riverdale, and even that is a bit beyond walking distance. the bright side is that the 1 terminates in riverdale, so you are guaranteed a seat! i would stick with metro north for your commuting needs.

i would stick to the south part of riverdale (spuyten duyvil) and stay west of parkway.

parkway = henry hudson parkway

Martin - If you stay west of Riverdale, there is no easy way to get to the 1 Train, is there i.e. you have to take the bus to the subway stop? Also, do you get cabs to take you there i.e. late nights?

Martin - Sorry re-read your note, and noticed the point about the 1 train walk.

I considered buying in riverdale...it's beautiful, especially spuyten duyvil area. I don't drive so it was too limiting for me but you can't beat it for location, price and great apartments.

I know Riverdale extremely well and used to commute to lower manhattan-which was difficult--took the bus to the A train in Inwood-they have Express buses, too--takes at least one hour. It is a leafy, nice neighborhood-good parks,and large apartments. The down side is that there is very little parking anywhere and it's only getting worse--They ticket like crazy on the main shopping areas-Johnson Avenue and Riverdale Avenue. The demograhics are predominantly the elderly and families, particularly very observant Orthodox Jews--a number of stores are closed on Saturday. It is not a particularly hip area, but around Manhattan College and Broadway there are some bars.

Thanks.

As to getting cabs back from Manhattan - just remember that so long as you are traveling within the 5 boroughs they cannot decline to take you. If they do tell them you will report them and take down the cab number. The T&LC consider this a serious offense and the cabbies know it. (I grew up in Riverdale. The best way was to get in a cab and tell them to start heading up the Westside Highway while saying you were looking for the address, then in Riverdale you had to assure them it was still in the 5 boroughs as they looked wide eyed at all the trees.)