Future Of Roosevelt Island Mobile Food Trucks, Modification Of Pier NYC Waterfront Restaurant Permit and Island House Ground Lease On Agenda For Tonight's RIOC Real Estate Committee Meeting
Roosevelt Island Food Truck Image From Gothamist
According to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC):
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a meeting of the Real Estate Development Advisory Committee of the RIOC Board of Directors will be held on Thursday, July 19, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. at the RIOC administrative office, 591 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, New York.
AGENDA
1. Review and Discussion of Mobile Food Vendors' Activity During the July Open Access Trial, and Recommendation on Permit Terms Effective Thereafter;
2. Consideration of Modifications to the PierNYC Permit;
3. Chair's Motion for Executive Session to Review and Discuss Proposed Modifications to the Ground Lease for Island House; and
4. Any Other Committee Business That May be Brought Before the Committee.
The La Bella Torte
Image of La Bella Torte Cannoli From NY Street Food
and Eddie's Pizza Food Trucks
Image Of Eddie's Pizza Food Truck Spicy Chicken With Pepper 10 Inch Personal Bar
have been great additions to Roosevelt Island. I hope RIOC allows Mobile Food Trucks to continue operating on Roosevelt Island public streets just as mobile food trucks operate in other NYC neighborhoods - without having to pay additional fees to RIOC. At the very least, continue the current experimental policy of waiving $345 monthly fee to encourage La Bella Torte and Eddie's Pizza to stay and to provide incentives for other Mobile Food Trucks to join them on a rotating basis to serve the hungry for choice and variety Roosevelt Island community.
Also, Pier NYC
Image Of Pier NYC From RIHS President Judy Berdy
has been a wonderful amenity brought to a formerly underutilized public waterfront space on Roosevelt Island for this summer with BBQ provided by John Brown's Smokehouse and seafood from Santos Seafood Shack.
I asked RIOC President Leslie Torres:
What are the modifications to the Pier NYC permit being considered by RIOC that is on the Agenda for July 19 Real Estate Committee meeting?Have not received a response from RIOC.
Do the modifications being considered materially change the terms of the Waterfront Concession RFP that was issued by RIOC for the permit?
Thank you.
It would be great if other types of food were allowed to be served at Pier NYC such as those offered by the Mobile Food Trucks as well as other existing Roosevelt Island restaurants.
The Island House Ground Lease Agenda Item is in executive session so public will not be able to attend. More information on Island House privatization and Ground Lease available at this previous post.
19 comments :
I don't know why RIOC would waive the fee to encourage trucks to come to RI when it is clearly designed to discourage trucks from coming to RI.
I cannot make tonight's meeting, but I wanted to say how horrifying it is that those unhealthy "food" trucks are there. Their generators are messing up the healthier air here, which is one of the reasons my fiance and I moved here. Additionally, it's bemusing (although no less questionable) that on an island with hospitals for rehabilitation, we have more manufactured consumables available instead of foods to facilitate healing.
How about a green smoothie truck instead?
Speaking of which, the vendor on the pier should be encouraged to add a few things to the menu. I stopped by, excited to enjoy a lovely day being refreshed on the pier at one of these pretty tables, and the menu is nothing but junk food--fried items and sugars. I asked if there was any fruit dishes, smoothies, anything. The nice hostess said no.
Can we promote health here on the island? We all would like to sit on the pier or grab something quickly from a fast vendor...what if the RIOC folks put forth effort to find a smoothie truck/kiosk or demanded temporary vendors to offer TRULY healthy options (not sugary, dairy-filled smoothies, but actual pure fruit and veggie options--natural foods)? Let's build a community--not an offset of the impersonal habits of Manhattan.
Rick are serious with this comment??
"It would be great if other types of food were allowed to be served at Pier NYC such as those offered by the Mobile Food Trucks as well as other existing Roosevelt Island restaurants."
Do you not understand how business works? It's not enough that the food trucks are here. It's not enough that they show up to cut into the dinner push every night for the businesses on the isle who PAY RENT. Its not enough that we have brought 2 brand new options to the island in John Brown BBQ and the Seafood Shack. Now you want the customers of those trucks and competing businesses to come and sit in the space that we spent 10's of thousands of dollars renovating?? Not to mention the daily cost of staffing over a dozen employees, fuel for generators, porto potty leases, generator leases, ice, etc etc etc.
To maybe make this make sense for you I'll say this.
It would be great if I could live in the apartment that you and your lovely wife pay for and enjoy the furniture you paid for and the internet and cable you pay for and the air conditioning and electric you pay for and eat the food you stocked your cabinets and fridge with. Yea that would be GREAT, but can I ask you a question? How would you feel about that living arrangement?
Sal, - though you are a terrific person and fun company I would not like that arrangement much but the situation in not the same.(though my lovely wife might find that amusing).
My understanding of the agreement with RIOC was that some of the tables and chairs on the wooden pier area were originally supposed to be made available to the public and did not necessarily require purchasing anything form Pier NYC. In fact, I think you may have told me that as well, though am not sure.
Also, some Battery Park City outdoor restaurants have additional seating for the public available without having to make purchases from the restaurant.
I've not noticed an issue with generators in the area where the Food Trucks are parked.
I've enjoyed dining from Pier NYC (the shrimp rolls are far better than I expected), the Pizza Truck and from the Bakery Truck. The pizza is also quite interesting and tasty - I was amazed at how many veggies they were able to cram onto such a small pie.
We also - as you might have noticed - have an excellent fruit vendor on the island. It might be a cool idea to encourage him to by a blender and some ice. Smoothies are a great idea. Of course, if you're bothered by the generators on the street and water, I'm concerned you'd be bothered by the sound of a blender near the pharmacy.
Tables were never going to be allowed use for public space. We discussed that we weren't taking up all of the boardwalk waterfront space and that the public would still have access to the entire railing. The bench in the right corner when u come down the ramp is all public space as well. We certainly never discussed any outside food being allowed to be served there.
@hibachiheaven just tweeted: Done with lunch. On the way to Roosevelt Island for dinner. Very excited
Seems like a lost opportunity to sell some drinks, but as long as your tables are staying busy, it's up to you to use them as you see fit. Thanks for all the hard work you guys put into offering this great option.
I appreciate the positive feedback Mr. Lyon. The issue with the just selling drinks is that there is no line then and there has to be. People would show up with outside food and buy a $2 water and sit for an hour or more which obviously isn't beneficial for our business.
"Horrifying" is an uneducated statement. Eddies pizza offers thin-crust whole wheat pizzas loaded with veggies, hibachi truck offers brown rice bowls with tofu and veggies. Pier NYC has delicious, local oysters and fresh ceviche! These are fine healthy alternatives considering!
But even with that, it's not their responsibility to make you eat healthy by over-taking their menus with these things. I drink all-veggie smoothies, eat salads, etc, everyday, but that's not what I always expect out of vendors. I go to the vendors for a TREAT, an occasional meal, and it is often served with by friendly owner or serviceperson who is developing a creative small business. Even if it offers a little bit of competition for other businesses, which some can argue is a healthy thing. And really, I don't eat at some of the on-island restaurants anyway, so no business lost if I pick up dinner from a truck.
And truly, if the unhealthy air generated by a couple of idle trucks (compared to, oh say, the constant traffic of food delivery vehicles that come on and off the island for 1 meal at a time), well then, maybe you are asking a lot of a major metropolitan area, of which we are indeed considered apart of. Portland is nice this time of year, except ... I did hear that food trucks are becoming very trendy out there as well.
Sal, RIer,
I don't think RIer was implying that the food trucks should get to use Pier NYC space, I think he was saying it would be nice if there was seating (like in time square along broadway) and people could bring there food truck purchases there. I can see why you wouldn't think this is fair competition, they already don't have to really pay for real estate and now we are going to provide an area and seating to them for free as well? That being said you are on a screwed up island run by the most backwards and least efficient organization I have ever layed eyes on. You don't have to verbally agree with me here, I know you probably need to work with them no matter how screwed up they are. That being said this is all RIOCs fault. It is their fault they didn't manage leasing out property better, their fault they underutilize island resources, their fault they didn't always have the same food truck policies as the rest of NYC, and their fault that they seem to change the rules on businesses every year with total unpredictability that defies any logic. Some of this is changing, but for most residents it is too little to late.
Your business signed up to operate in this crazy place and all the crazy stuff that goes with it. That is no excuse for some of the things RIOC does, but it does say that you should have seen it coming. Residents of the island should have the same options they would get living on either side of the river, food trucks, and park/prominade seating included. Frankly their food is expensive and there is no way for them to provide restaraunt service or beer, so you are already coming out pretty far ahead. I think it would be great if you could get RIOC to install one (or both) of those tram cars (that are being wasted) down on Pier NYC and have them lease the space to you (or the highest bidder) year round. It would make a sweet little pub and maybe they could get some dedicated power and water down there as well.
Please, please, please, improve the drinks. I would be there all the time if you did.
Trevre, you must either be related to Rick or you guys are BFF's. You always seem to agree with what he says, and when he sticks his foot in his mouth - like with that idiotic statement about Pier NYC and the tables - you come to his defense. You also seem to take pot-shots at the RIOC whenever you can, as if you know everything they have to go through to actually get things done around here. Well, you really don't know squat. I worked for DHCR before moving to my current position in the private sector, and the Board of Directors here meddle in everything they look to do. It doesn't work that way anywhere else - but R.I. I commend the folks currently at the helm at the RIOC for turning this island around for the better. Over the last 5 years or so this place has changed for the better.
Have you had the frozen drinks recently? Or just 1st weekend?
Well not sure if I am going BFF here, but yes I do give Rick a lot of credit for maintaining this blog which has saved me countless hours in finding information about the island. And RIOC deserves pot-shots, which I sometimes include with constructive criticism. If it bothers them, maybe they should not make themselves such an easy target, but I doubt they even read this blog. The fact that they have to go through a lot to get anything done only demonstrates they have not communicated effectively with the state to resolve the difficulties they have with accomplishing island goals. I have emailed RIOC dozens of times asking for changes and you know how many times they have responded? Once. A corporation that runs the island should at the very least respond to their residents. Instead they waste their time with LED lighting and deciding whether to subsidize electric car charging stations, come up with excuses as to why things are delayed or ignore delays occurred altogether. Please do provide some examples of all the things RIOC is doing right, I am all ears.
Just the first weekend - have they gotten any better? I don't want to spend $12 if they haven't. I had a great mojito for $12 at 5 points yesterday, that was well worth the price.
Yes, the Island is full of junk food vendors that are actually owned by the same management/group of people. Surely, they know what fine dining is but are not rushing to spend any money on better quality ingredients. They also have no incentive to change their menu to something other than fried everything. Subway is opening here also, not thrilled about this either. We need a mom's and pop's store or something owned by a younger generation that understands what good food actually is. Organic, gluten-free, vegetarian, etc.
Unfortunately the fruit vendor:
1.is not the owner of the stand
2.is by law not allowed to serve anything other than what he has a license to sell
3.needs a special license to make "food", i.e smoothies
They are doing it so they can say, when no trucks want to pay the extra $$$ next month, that they listened to the residents' desires for food trucks, but the food trucks were not interested.
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