The Glorious Lounge

Got a quiver in your liver? Read all about River Hall, a housing hall that I had no idea existed until I was assigned this story a few days ago.

Location: 628 West 114th Street between Broadway and Riverside Drive.

Nearby dorms: Shapiro, Broadway, Hogan, St. A’s, those Barnard 116 dorms.

Stores and restaurants: Best halal cart, Starbucks, Morton Williams, Sweetgreen, University Stationary.

Cost: Standardized to $9,292/year
Amenities:

  • Bathrooms: Four shared, gender inclusive, private bathrooms per floor.
  • AC/Heat: No AC; you’ll remain toasty year round.
  • Kitchen/Lounge: Two shared lounge-kitchens on every floor (one per suite), complete with seating, television, refrigerator, oven, microwave, and dishwasher (see photos). Perfect place to relax after a long night of studying/partying.
  • Laundry: Located in the basement with four washers/dryers, all free.
  • Computers/Printers: A computer lab is located in the basement with one shared printer.
  • Gym: Fitness room with treadmill, elliptical, and other various athletic equipment located in the basement.
  • Intra-transportation: One elevator and one stairwell for six floors, though the basement is only accessible by elevator.
  • Hardwood/Carpet: Hardwood.
  • Facilities: Residents are responsible to maintain kitchens and room/suite trash. Bathrooms are cleaned weekly be facilities, and recycling is removed on a weekly basis as well.
  • Bonus: Music practice room in the basement. Also a short walk away from Riverside!

Room Variety:

  • Total of 127 singles and one walk-through double on the first floor. There are around thirty “big” singles and 97 smaller singles. Room sizes range around 110-145 sq. ft.
  • Largest singles are the corner rooms, so those tend to go quickly.
  • Many of the larger rooms have river views. Alternatively, many of the side rooms are shafted.

Numbers

  • Last year’s cutoff for large singles (most of which have a river view) was 30/2484
  • Last year’s cutoff for other singles was 20/1652

Bwog Recommendation
For those with good enough numbers to get a room with a view and avoid being shafted, River is an underrated, if somewhat antisocial, housing option. The kitchen/lounge combo is a great place to unwind or prepare food and the gym/practice room are nice bonuses. We’re not sure what’s up with that window looking straight into the shower/bath though…

Resident Opinions

  • “It’s quiet. Possibly even more so than Furnald.”
  • “The single-occupancy showers are really nice—and it’s an actual tub/shower!”
  • I don’t think a lot of people know about it but more people should.”
  • “River’s a chill place to live.”