More Restaurants Needed For Roosevelt Island's 14,000 Residents Says New Main Street Landlord Hudson Related - Indian, Mexican Asian, Maybe Even A White Cloth Restaurant - Standing Ovation For Trellis Diner At Retail Town Hall Meeting
Can Roosevelt Island support more restaurants than currently exist? We have the Riverwalk Bar & Grill (Sports Bar), Fuji East (Japanese), Nonno's Focacceria (Italian, and they have recently added a Mexican menu as well), Trellis Diner and China 1 Take Out. Starbucks, though not a restaurant almost counts as one in the context of Roosevelt Island options.
During the Roosevelt Island Main Street Retail Town Hall Meeting, a resident spoke in opposition to the notion of a "white table cloth restaurant" being opened on Roosevelt Island. (Video of remark is here at the 43 minute 55 second mark of the third video in post).
In response, David Kramer of the Hudson/Related Main Street Retail Master Leaseholder partnership indicated that the new landord is open for business and it is up to the free market to determine if a white table cloth restaurant, Mexican, Indian or any other type of restaurant opens on Roosevelt Island. Mr. Kramer added that it is up to the free marketplace to decide, not him, whether any particular restaurant can pay the $35 -50 per square foot in rent that Hudson will be seeking for new Main Street retail tenants and that 14,000 people can support more than the existing restaurants.
Mr. Kramer also indicated he believes that Roosevelt Island Main Street rents have been too low which created an environment in which retailers did not have to be on their "A game" and that with market rents better retailers will be providing service to Roosevelt Island residents.
Here's Mr. Kramer's remarks on this issue.
Video of the entire Main Street Retail Town Hall Meeting is here.
During the Town Hall Meeting, Trellis Diner owner Kaie Razaghi was given a standing ovation by many of those attending when he got up to speak including shouts of Go Trellis followed by more applause. His son Alex thanked the crowd for their support and said that he was proud to have grown up on Roosevelt Island, keeping their prices low and doors opened despite blackouts and other emergencies. Alex said that they would like to stay in the community and secure a new lease.
Whatever you think of the Trellis Diner, it was a very touching moment. Roosevelt Island Residents Association President (RIRA) President Matt Katz added that if you are what you eat he is at least 2/3 Trellis parts.
