As the city sprawled away from Main Street in the 1980s, prime property was vacated. City leaders and developers created a plan for the area around the Old Post Office Plaza, and Riverfront Condominiums was born. Opened in 1988, the Riverside Drive complex took a while to attract interest, but eventually, well-heeled professionals and retirees saw its quality, convenience, and refinement.
To refresh the look and feel of the 36-unit building’s entrance, a facelift of the lobby and community room was ordered last year. Under the guidance of resident and designer Tay Ruthenburg, owner of 70-year-old firm Evaline Karges Interiors, modern accents sit among English style furnishings. Large pendant lights suspend above mahogany armchairs flanking a camelback couch reupholstered in a geometric print. Monochromatic lamps and contemporary wall art play against an antique console table and Karges baker desk, both made of English pine. Muted greens and blues mix with brass accents and minimalist, glass-topped coffee and breakfast tables.
“We wanted a new look that was bright yet welcoming,” Riverfront Condominiums board president Timothy Weir says. “Tay achieved a contemporary, upscale feel.”
Entry doors were repaneled with glass. Wood flooring has replaced the carpets.
“We changed a once very traditional interior into a transitional one while still maintaining its classic look,” Ruthenburg says.
