The Aldyn on the UWS: Disneyland for fitness buffs, overwhelming for others
Each week, our intrepid Perk Check correspondent Polly Mosendz surveys those who live in New York's most amenity-laden buildings to find out which extras are actually useful and which ones barely get a try.
The building: The Aldyn, a rental-condo hybrid at 60 Riverside Boulevard
What you'll pay: Rentals available now start at $4,799 a month for a one-bedroom, while larger apartments go up to as much as $19,000 per month. Condos range from $1.325 million for a one-bedroom to $5.79 million for a four-bedroom.
Amenities: Concierge, doorman, athletic club, spa, rock climbing wall, basketball court, bowling alley, squash court, PGA golf simulator (sort of like a fancy video game for the putting green diehard), spin studio, yoga, pilates and kinesis movement classes, personal training, lounge, game room, indoor swimming pool, outdoor courtyard with "relaxation pods/nooks," parking, playroom, entertainment room with catering kitchen, Riverside South shuttle bus, bike room, lounge.
For renters, the amenities fee is $500 a year, due at the time of leasing, and for buyers, it's included in monthly common charges. Parking spots are $425 a month.
Which amenities do you swear by?
Devidas: The playroom, my kids love it. It's easy on the parents because it's a built-in play date.
Jason: The golf simulator is very cool. I should use it more than I do, it's just awesome.
Ann: Just the basic concierge. It's nice to call down and know they'll arrange whatever for me--deliveries, tailoring, even help with events.
Iell: I don’t have time to use many so I stick to the necessities: doorman, super, gym, car and occasionally I call to the concierge if I don’t have time to run an errand myself.
Tanner: My husband is an amenities junkie, but I think they’re a little excessive. I moved in here because he loved it, not because I really wanted a rock wall. I do like the fitness center though. It’s very large and the machines are spaced out so you’re never on top of anyone.
Which do you rarely use?
Devidas: Most of those things I don't use. I don't really think of them as conveniences because I don't know where half of them are.
Ann: I don't use whatever a relaxation pod is.
Iell: I tried the golf simulator once and that wasn’t really my thing. I don’t think I’d use that again. I never use the spa either, or the game rooms. I think the courts are really fun for people that like those sports but I’m about as co-ordinated as a calf.
Tanner: I never use most of them, except the gym. I think overall, though, people use them all the time. There are some girls I see in work out gear constantly, they must live in the fitness center and just sleep in their apartments. I have never heard of anyone using the kitchen though.
Anything surprise you?
Devidas: Well, this guy [Jason] just told me we have a golf simulator. That's pretty wild.
Jason: Actually that's really surprising. I'm an avid golfer, so it's really shocking to find something that's perfect for me in a residential space.
Ann: All the athletic options we have are surprising--rock wall, classes, studios. Overwhelming options, better than a gym membership.
Iell: I didn’t realize the building didn’t own the garage [when I moved in]. I would have preferred if they were the same company because then I could just pay for everything all at once, like another maintenance fee basically. The garage is also, for the neighborhood, a decent price. And they let me store my bike there [as part of the fee] which is cool.
Tanner: I really wanted to be able to take the shuttle more but I was surprised that it doesn’t run more often. It doesn’t bug me though because we can walk just about everywhere.
Did you move here for the amenities?
Devidas: Not really. I wanted a reliable, well-known place, but nothing really grabbed me besides the kids' room.
Jason: Golf! All about the golf.
Ann: I would say they drew me in a little. But I knew I wanted to live in the area anyways.
Iell: I wanted a full-service building, but I wasn’t looking to swim Olympic laps every day. It is cool to have people over though, they’re always impressed. Some people say I live in a hotel, and I’m just fine with that.
Tanner: I moved in with my partner, so I didn’t really have a choice in the matter. Now that I have them I would miss them, I think. I don’t see myself going from this place to a walk-up building but I could live without all the courts, alleys, fanciness.
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