Wall Street Journal And NY Post Profile Roosevelt Island Retail - What Happens Next To Main Street Stores, Find Out At October 20 Town Hall Meeting With Master Leaseholder Hudson Related

Roosevelt Island Main Street retail was the subject of two articles this week - from the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post.

According to the Wall Street Journal:

... "The one missing piece is having good retail on the island. To us that has always been the Achilles' heel," said David Kramer, the head of Hudson Cos., which built and runs Riverwalk together with Related Cos., another developer. "Improving the retail will help our residents, but as an investment it's got to work as a stand-alone project as well, which we expect will be the case."...

and in addition to a wine store, Mr. Kramer said:

... a pet store and ice-cream shop also got high marks.

"We are quite bullish that if we can be successful with our eight stores in Riverwalk, then we can be equally, if not more, successful with our stores on Main Street. There is more foot traffic on Main Street," he said....

Click here for the entire Wall Street Journal article.

Under an article headlined:

Deserted island
Roosevelt suffers as shops close up

 Image of Trellis Owner Kaie Razaghi From NY Post

 the NY Post reported:

... Because of the dearth of eateries, many residents order takeout from Jackson Heights.
“Everyone is dying on this island,” said Kaie Razaghi, owner of Trellis Diner. “I’m the living room and the dining room of the island.”...

and:

... Currently, residents spend 85 cents of every dollar off the island, said Kramer, who oversaw the opening of the island’s first Duane Reade and Starbucks and six other retail stores.

But residents worry that the remaining stores will be pushed out and nothing will replace them.

Even Razaghi fears his lease won’t be renewed in April.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said. “If I have to fight, I will.”

Across the street, the island’s only hardware store has set up a petition for a state bailout. The owners haven’t paid rent to the RIOC in seven months and said they are worried for their future under a new landlord....

Click here for the entire NY Post article.

According to this previous report on Hudson Related's future plans for Main Street retail, Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) President Matt Katz reported:

The Roosevelt Island Residents Association has arranged a Town Meeting to supplement the retail surveys distributed throughout the Island by the Hudson Company. The purpose is to offer residents an opportunity to meet with the Master Lease holders and to engage in a conversation as to what kind of shopping and restaurants we want and how to make our retail corridor more attractive. We have set Thursday, October 20 at 7:30 p.m. for this important meeting, which will be held in the main sanctuary of the Good Shepherd Community Center. This forum may be the only opportunity for the Roosevelt Island community to share their needs and preferences with the developers and we hope for a large turnout.

Below is video from September 19 RIRA Island Services Committee discussion with Mr. Hamburger, Katz and Farance reporting on the Main Street retail meeting with Mr. Kramer.

You Tube Video of RIRA's ISC Main Street Retail Discussion