Want to live in a single by the park that has a peaceful, off-campus feel? River Hall might be for you, especially if you’re a senior or a junior with a half-decent lottery number!
Location: 628 West 114th Street, between Broadway and Riverside
- Nearby dorms: Schapiro, Broadway, Hogan, other dorms on the west side of campus
- Stores and restaurants: Starbucks, Morton Williams, Sweetgreen, Junzi Kitchen, Milano Market, Pret
- Cost: Standardized at $9,872/year
Amenities:
- Bathrooms: Four single-use, gender-neutral bathrooms per floor (each floor has about 22 residents)
- AC/Heat: No AC (you might need a fan in September)
- Kitchen/Lounge: Two common areas (kitchen + lounge) per floor – kitchen includes stove, oven, microwave, fridge, sink, and dishwasher; there is an additional building lounge in the basement of the building, containing lots of seating and tables
- Laundry: 4 washing machines and 4 dryers in the basement (a good ratio)
- Computers/Printers: 1 relatively reliable printer in the lobby, 4 computers in the basement computer room
- Gym: Small room with 1 treadmill, 1 elliptical, and 2 stationary bikes in the basement
- Intra-transportation: 1 elevator of medium speed, 1 staircase, unfortunately not ADA accessible due to steps in the lobby
- Wifi: Duh
- Hardwood/Carpet: Hardwood
- Facilities: Residents are responsible for cleaning the kitchen and their own rooms/suites; bathrooms are cleaned weekly
- Bonus: Small music room in the basement (ft. an electric keyboard)
Room Variety:
- 127 singles (and 1 walk-through double) spread out through 6 floors;
- Singles range from 110 to around 150 square feet, with the bigger singles usually occupying the building corners
- Room layouts vary from square floor plans to longer, more rectangular plans
- A few west-facing rooms on the top floors feature river views
Numbers from last year:
- Cutoff for big singles: 30/2137
- Cutoff for other singles: 20/1454
- Mostly a mix of seniors and juniors with lottery numbers that weren’t terrible
Bwog Recommendation:
- River Hall is a relatively quiet dorm, near the lush oasis of Riverside Park and far away from the bustle of Broadway. It’s a great option if you don’t want to live in a loud dorm with lots of parties.
- The large singles can be very spacious; not a bad choice if you’re a senior with a mediocre number.
- Yes, the wind tunnel on 114th Street will mess up your hair on your way to class, but it builds character (and it’s really only half a block to Broadway).
- River Hall is as social or as antisocial as you want it to be – the lounges are very conducive for hanging out with friends.
Resident opinions:
- Each floor is divided into two halves – over time, your half of the floor will start to have a more intimate suite-like feel.
- Be aware of the thin walls! Noise travels easily to your neighbors, especially since it can be such a quiet dorm.
- I honestly loved River Hall. There was a good ratio of amenities. I never felt like I had to wait too much to use the elevator, bathrooms, or laundry amenities.
- This is a dorm for extroverted introverts imo – I love it.