The Ritz Carlton is located right in the heart of the downtown of White Plains just one block away from the White Plains City Center.  It dominates the downtown skyline as well it should because as I posted previously, it is the tallest building between Manhattan and Albany.  The facade itself dwarfs everything in its path and is sleek and modern in with steel and glass all around.  Standing at 42 stories height it consists of a hotel at its base and luxury condominiums rising into the sky are contained in its two towers. This complex itself provides a new standard of luxury for our city in condominium residences with the lowest priced sold thus far passing title for $718,000. The unit itself was  a large 1 BR/1.5 BA unit  (over 1000 sq.ft.) on the 11th floor.  The penthouse area begins at the 36th floor with units over 5000 square feet and selling for $8 million.  Owners of these units have access to a variety of special amenities including access to a special club and a private pool. These residents also have access to service from the rooftop restaurant  “42” named for its location on the 42nd floor.

Speaking of restaurants, there is the BLT (Bistro Laurent Tourondel) which seats 105 and will eventually have additional seasonal outdoor seating.  42 – the 200 seat restaurant at the top of the Ritz Carlton is not part of the Ritz-Carlton facility specifically and is run by executive chef Anthony Goncalves.  The views on the 42nd floor are nothing short of spectacular and include a panorama that encompasses Manhattan, the Long Island Sound, and the Hudson River, and the Hudson River Valley depending on which direction you are facing.

The fabulous five star service that are a hallmark feature of the hotel carry over into the condominium residences as do all of the hotel’s fabulous amenities - which is why owning a residence at the Ritz Carlton is considered such a special experience.  The interior design elements from burnished silver leaf on the floating ceiling in the lobby, to Anegre paneling from West Africa to custom designed hand-knotted carpeting depicts a new level of luxury for our city. For more interior shots click HERE for an article in the White Plains Times.

The residence units themselves have  amenities worth noting including floor to ceiling windows with electronic shades and UV protection. Top-of-the line kitchens and appliances, hard-wood floors, Ritz Carlton managed concierge service with doorman service valet parking, rooftop pool and spa access.  

Cost of Living:

Most residents that come to live at the Ritz Carlton have considerable assets for a generous down payment, so I will mostly discuss taxes and common charges to give people a general idea. As stated in previously, the lowest priced unit sold for $718,000 with $8 million in the Penthouse area.  The cynic in me finds it amazing that these residences are actually selling after the debacle at Trump Tower in 2005-2006. But selling they are, so the adage if you build it they will come applies here. There was far more demand for this type of residence than I realized initially. 

The common charges on the lower priced units is averaging about $714/month and the tax bite without STAR is roughly $8000/year or  $525/month with STAR in round numbers.  Thus, without a mortgage, the cost of living before tax deductions would be roughly $1240/month.  Assuming a hefty down payment ($300,000)  and a mortgage of $400,000 @ 6% the monthly cost of living would be about $3000 after tax deductions and including the steep $200/month fee for valet parking for one car. A unit listed for $1,350,000 has a common charge of $961 and taxes of  close to $6450 without STAR. Monthly that would run the average buyer about $1448 after tax deductions and STAR are calculated and this of course would be before any mortgage payment is made. For the extremely high-priced residences over $5 million, I don’t have listing information on these, but suffice it to say that if you have to ask, you probably can’t afford it!

Pet-Friendly Status:

I am pleased to report that the Ritz Carlton residences are pet friendly, however, there is a weight restriction of 30 lbs. So small dogs are welcome and medium dogs up to a point.

*“Touring the Ritz: Art and Architecture Create a New Realm at Renaissance Square,” by Pat Casey, The White Plains Times, December 14, 2007 was used as a reference for this post.