Ritz-Carlton Residences celebrates grand opening of phase II building

Jed Hendrixson
The Ritz-Carlton Residences, North Hills has completely filled the units in phase one and will now begin filling phase two. (Photo courtesy Ritz-Carlton Residences)

The new luxury condominiums at 3000 Royal Court, designed as part of phase II of the development project at the Ritz-Carlton Residences in North Hills will officially open Dec. 5.

RXR Realty, Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty, and community members gathered in the club room of the newly opened building last Wednesday to celebrate the project’s completion and sales on many of the 244 total multimillion-dollar condos.

“Most importantly for me this evening, is how proud I am of this project and how proud I am of the people that work for me,” RXR Realty Executive Vice President of Residential Development and Construction Joe Graziose said.

Amenities at the residences, the Ritz-Carlton’s 47th residential development, include 24-hour concierge service, doormen and porters that deliver guests directly to your door and a 25,000 square foot clubhouse in the center of the complex, featuring a private theatre, golf simulator and indoor and outdoor pools, among tons of others.

RXR Realty, the developer of the residences, named Daniel Gale Sotheby’s as the project’s exclusive marketing and sales team at its inception.

“What they’re selling here isn’t square footage, rooms and bathrooms,” Daniel Gale Sotheby’s CEO Deirdre O’Connell said. “They’re really selling lifestyle.

“That’s what the Ritz-Carlton has to offer and that’s why people are attracted here. They want to come and experience the carefree life behind the gates,” O’Connell said.

Some 50 percent of 120 units in phase II of the development are in contract to sell and will begin closing in December, O’Connell said.

The project began more than a decade ago, when RXR purchased the nearly 18-acre plot on the Long Island Expressway South Service Road. It was then divided into two phases as a result of the 2008 financial crisis, with phase one completed in May 2016.

Phase one featured 124 units in the first two buildings, ranging in size from 1,500 to 3,800 square feet and donning a price tag of $2.1 million.

Since phase one’s completion more than a year ago, 119 of the 124 units have been filled and the residents that have moved in have developed a strong sense of community, RXR and Daniel Gale officials said.

“The most amazing part is they actually love each other,” said Darryll Adams, general manager of the residences. “They all show up at the functions and they’ve really come together as a community.”

Adams said he does everything for residents from booking hotels to Asia to fixing a flat tire.

“Beside the management and administrative aspects, what I focus on is the Ritz-Carlton lifestyle,” Adams said. “The part I enjoy the most is providing different events and entertainment to keep them energetic.”

The spaces at the residences are conducive for large gatherings and events like wine tastings, breakfasts, a happy hour for dogs and community bonding all times of the week, RXR Director of Marketing Emily Bock said.

One of the condos part of phase II of the project, furnished and decorated by Ethan Allen. (Photo by Jed Hendrixson)

The condos themselves are the epitome of opulent, casual living.

Soaring 10- and 12-foot ceilings, open-concept floor plans and generous spacing give residents optimal area perfect for downsizing but not feeling cramped, RXR and Daniel Gale officials said.

Every unit is outfitted with marble countertops, stainless steel appliances, washer and dryers and cavernous walk-in closets.

The first of the phase II residents will begin moving in as early as next week, Bock said, and will continue to move in through the winter.

The condos were originally marketed to those in the five- to 10-mile vicinity looking to downsize and unload the burden of home maintenance, but the reality of who is moving isn’t so black and white, Bock said.

Residents from Manhattan, Brooklyn and beyond are beginning to express interest in buying, many that are already accustomed to apartment-style living.

“We’ve found that a majority of these [condos] have sold to people within a 20 mile radius,” O’Connell said. “They’re committed to Long Island and living here but they may not want their large homes anymore and want carefree living.”

In fact, RXR decided to build a playground behind the phase one buildings because of the number of families with children moving into the area, Bock said.

“They aren’t just dropped off at the gate,” Bock said. “The school bus pulls right up to the portico to pick kids up and drop them off.”

The allure of Great Neck school district is one factor, Bock and O’Connell said.

For working adults who commute, a complimentary Cadillac Escalade car service transports residents to and from the nearby Long Island Rail Road Manhasset station. The expansion of the MTA East Side Access project, which will provide additional LIRR service to the east side of Manhattan, is only going to further incentivize buyers to consider the location, Bock said.

The location of the development, nestled between the Northern State Parkway and LIE on New Hyde Park Road, was an initial concern for North Hills residents and RXR, but it has actually resulted in boosted interest in the property.

“Obviously everyone discusses the positives and negatives of every project before you start and we were all concerned with the impact of this location and what we found was that quality and lifestyle trumped what we thought might be negatives,” O’Connell said. “Many of the people living here want that easier access to the highways and to transportation, they may work in the city or in the hospitals and it provides that.”

Phase II and the development in its entirety is slated to be done by summer 2019.

 

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