Last July, a hot dog food cart vendor began selling food and drinks in front
of the Roosevelt Island F train subway station. Several local Roosevelt Island
Riverwalk Commons businesses raised objections about placing the Hot Dog Cart
so close to their stores and some residents thought the Cart was an eyesore
and created crowded conditions by the subway entrance and Red Bus Stop. Others
were happy to have another food option on Roosevelt Island.
Today, the vendor moved across the street from the subway entrance to the
sidewalk pathway on Main Street leading to the waterfront promenade.
I asked Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Shelton Haynes and Assistant Vice President of Communications
Akeem Jamal:
The hot dog food cart vendor who recently started selling in front of the subway entrance has moved the Cart to the pathway leading to the waterfront promenade.
Why was the food cart vendor moved to the new area from in front of the
subway?
What is RIOC’s policy on food cart permits?
Are there designated Roosevelt Island spots for food carts and a limit on
the total number of food carts?
What is the cost of a food cart permit?
What is RIOC’s policy on food trucks?
Are there designated spots for food trucks?
What is the cost of a food truck permit?
Who within Rioc is responsible for issuing these permits? Is it Public
Safety Department?
It would be helpful to the Roosevelt Island community to have an explanation
from RIOC on the Roosevelt Island Food Cart/Truck policy.
No response yet from RIOC.
The Hot Dog Food Cart appeared to have alot less customers at the new location
today than previously in front of the subway entrance.
As you might have seen lately, the RIHS is still fighting the
battle of the Hot Dog Vendor. The vendor has been parking his cart next
to the kiosk entrance for weeks. No matter of pleas or complaints to
RIOC will move him.
Our problem with this vendor is:
Dirty cart. He wears one glove when serving food and violates health rules.
Banners hanging from Cart
No license with letter rating, though yesterday one appeared stating that the cart was inspected in January!!
No price list
Our major complaint is that he has ruined our business. Beverage sales add up and we have hardly sold any since he is there.
The
Tram staff have made numerous complaints about him being in front of
the station (prior to construction fences) to no resolution. His cart
attracts rats and vermin also gives off charcoal and fuel odors.
There is no reason why RIOC cannot move him 100 feet away from our entrance so visitors have easy access to our kiosk.
It
is funny that RIOC defends the rights of this cart over an island
organization and kiosk that has served the community for 15 years.
Earlier today, I asked RIOC President Shelton Haynes:
I am preparing an article for today about the Hot Dog Vendor at Tram
Plaza operating and competing with the Roosevelt Island Historical
Society for sale of beverages
Does the Hot Dog Vendor's permit allow him to operate in that area? If
it does, why did RIOC give the Hot Dog Vendor a permit to operate so
closely to the RIHS Visitors Kiosk? Has RIOC responded to any of the
complaints about the Hot Dog Vendor from RIHS President Judy Berdy?
... as we discussed yesterday at the National Night Out, I just want to make
sure as much as possible that the story is fair and accurate so a
response from RIOC would be appreciated.
... Please let me know if RIOC will comment on this matter.
Will update if RIOC replies.
UPDATE 10:30 PM - Roosevelt Island resident Raye Schwartz adds:
The hot dog vendor is also blocking the red busstop access to and from the tram and impeding access for the elderly and disabled to have use of the tram!
because they did not have a
RIOC food vending permit, although they did have a NYC Food Truck permit.
Five week after Roosevelt Island first took a yummy bite from a Cousins Maine
Lobster dish, the Food Truck returned yesterday to a spot across from the Tram
Plaza and residents quickly started to line up.
So, were Roosevelt Island residents happy with the
Cousins Maine Lobster Food Truck
return? I think so. Some reviews from very happy customers:
Both the Connecticut and Maine lobster rolls were delicious! The location
worked for us!
Enjoyed my Connecticut Lobster Roll today, it was delicious.
Yes, the lobster tots& quesadilla was delish. The location was fine.
It was delicious for lunch and dinner!Location was perfect!
Indulged twice Delish! Hope they come back soon! They can be located
anywhere on the island, just not in front of our existing food vendors!
We will work with RIOC again to schedule a future visit. We will request a
location closer to the buildings but like last time, it's up to them to what
location they will allow us to be
Hopefully, it will be less than 5 weeks for their next visit.
Unfortunately, about 45 minutes after the Food Truck began serving hungry
residents, the
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp
(RIOC)
Public Safety Department ordered the Food Truck to shut down and leave Roosevelt Island.
Also, the Good Shepherd Plaza location used by Cousins Maine Lobster Food Truck last month at Good Shepherd Plaza is a very good spot and convenient for residents..
Any comment from RIOC regarding selection of location for the Lobster Food Truck?
RIOC Public Information Officer Amy Smith replied:
During warmer months, we agree that other locations may be more convenient. Taking into consideration winter weather conditions, Tram Plaza offers the safest option.
The Cousins Maine Lobster Food Truck Operator added:
Location was allocated to us by RIOC. We requested the same location we were last but they didn't give it to us. I guess they wanted us to be somewhere that people could spread out and keep social distance, in regards to covid, and also away from other stores maybe?
But that's just our guess.
We are very excited to be back too, even at this location. Hopefully, the weather will be good and residents will enjoy it.
All reports from those who were able to order food from the Cousins Maine Lobster Food Truck in January before it was shut down say that it was delicious.
If a business offers an appealing and desirable product on Roosevelt Island,
residents will come out and spend money for quality offerings, even if
they have to stand on a long line in frigid temperatures.
That's what happened this afternoon as the
Cousins Main Lobster Food Truck
made an unexpected arrival at Roosevelt Island's Good Shepherd Plaza.
Unfortunately, about 45 minutes after the Food Truck began serving hungry
residents, the
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp
(RIOC)
Public Safety Department ordered the Food Truck to shut down and leave Roosevelt Island.
So they were forced to leave Roosevelt Island and set up on Vernon B'lvd in
Long Island City near the Roosevelt Island Bridge. Many frustrated and
disappointed Roosevelt Island residents waiting on line said they would follow
the Truck to Long Island City to order some food.
Matt Katz was the last resident to buy from the Cousins Main Lobster Food
Truck before they were shut down. Mr Katz wrote to RIOC Acting President
Shelton Haynes this afternoon:
I'm writing regarding an old problem that has reasserted itself. I learned
that there was a food truck, Cousins Maine Lobster, parked in front of the
Good Shepherd Plaza today. Not surprising, the line to take advantage of
this new treat stretched halfway down the block despite the cold weather and
bitter winds blowing off the river. As my wife and I finished receiving our
order, two Public Safety officers came over and told them to close up shop
as they didn't have RIOC permits. This has got to stop.
Many food trucks, providing foods not found in our few groceries or even
fewer restaurants, have left, unwilling to pay a second fee to RIOC despite
having already paid for a City permit. Roosevelt Island is, after all, owned
by New York City and only leased to the State for 99 years. City permits
should be sufficient for them to do business here. And further, RIOC needs
to live up to its designation as a "public benefit corporation" and find
more and better ways to serve Roosevelt Islanders. Chasing away food trucks
does not satisfy this requirement. The dozens of my neighbors willing to
brave the elements so as to buy a lobster roll (delicious!) should be
accommodated, not thwarted, by RIOC regulations. You can certainly afford
the piddling loss of revenue. ...
Could food trucks be offered a warning on the first day together with an
application for them to complete on site so that they can return the following
day or following week?
RIOC Acting Presdident Haynes replied to Mr Katz:
Good afternoon everyone,
Thank you for your email Mr. Katz. After looking into this matter, I was
informed that our Public Safety team responded to a complaint regarding a
food vendor blocking a fire hydrant.
The vendor presented PSD with a NYC permit, which is not applicable on R.I.
as we have a separate process from NYC. We are certainly open to exploring
the option of modifying our permit approval process when NYC permits are in
place while taking into consideration other factors like vendor location,
line monitoring and traffic control before approval.
Our team will work with this vendor to secure a permit and invite them back
to vend on the island.
Mr Haynes also replied to Mr Kallos:
We will explore all options as we examine our current permit process. Our team
is willing to work with any vendor to help expedite the approval process and
ensure that we have special locations in place for them. The ultimate goal is
to attract more vendors to Roosevelt Island and we feel that we can accomplish
that.
How tasty were the Lobster Rolls? Vicki Feinmel was one of the few lucky
residents who ordered
before the Food Truck was shut down and told me:
The food was delicious.
Matt Katz agreed reporting:
Having braved the bitter cold and long line in front of the Good Shepherd
Plaza, Sherie and I placed and received our order quickly. We scooted home
to sample our now-revised lunch.
We ordered two lobster rolls, a Maine (with mayonnaise) and a Connecticut
(with butter and lemon) that came to a total of just over $40. The rolls
were smallish but crammed with lobster and absolutely delicious.
I speak as one who has celebrated every birthday for 35 years with a lobster
dinner (I give my lobsters names, usually Hortense if they are
female).
I hope RIOC will have the good sense not to chase these folks off the Island
and that Cousins Maine Lobster will be impressed with our enthusiasm and
return on a regular basis.
There was a altercation yesterday between the ice cream truck driver and Roosevelt Island police. I think the complaint was in regards to a permit of some sort. Driver got a ticket. Doesn't look like the truck will be coming back anytime soon. @Rooseveltisland
It was a pretty intense argument. I should have recorded it, but yea, you're right. I'm struggling to find delivery apps that deliver to Roosevelt island 😣
I asked Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Pubic Safety Chief Kevin Brown what happened. RIOC Public Information Officer Terrence McCauley replied:
Last night, PSD officers enforced the permit process of RIOC. The ice cream truck operator was previously advised on more than one occasion that he needs a permit to sell ice cream on the island. The operator refused to stop selling ice cream and PSD called for assistance from the NYPD’s 114th precinct. RIOC welcomes the ice cream trucks as long as they follow the permit process.
Roosevelt Island offers several high-traffic locations for food vending. With limited food options on the island, residents always line up to experience any new delicacy. We welcome all kinds of cuisine!
Mobile food vending permits are available in both daily ($30 per day) and monthly ($345 per month) increments. A city-wide vending permit is not valid for Roosevelt Island. Proper city documentation and a certificate of liability must be submitted in order to receive a permit for vending on Roosevelt Island.
UPDATE 8:55 PM - A Resident reacts to RIOC's ice cream truck statement:
This is crazy! They chase away the ice cream truck and actually called REAL POLICE on it, but they are deaf and blind to the firecrackers and fireworks being fired a few feet from them
I am part of Tapan Parikh's Remaking the City class
My group is hosting an event at the Cornell Tech cafe with the goal of bridging our student body with the Roosevelt Island community. Multiple Roosevelt Island restaurants will be offering small treats so students can get a taste of the variety of foods the Island has to offer. We will also be playing Christmas music and hope to have some activities including arts and crafts at the event.
We’ve named the event “Let’s Eat RI” and will hold it this Friday (12/1) in the Cornell Tech cafe from 2-5pm. We’re hoping to attract people from all over Roosevelt Island.
Cornell Tech Remaking The City class professor Tapan Parikh is also a Roosevelt Island resident and a Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Common Council member.
This workshop-based service learning course will engage students in participatory design projects that use technology to re-imagine community services and infrastructure in urban contexts. Teams of 2-3 students will be paired with individuals and organizations working on Roosevelt Island and elsewhere in the city, to learn and apply user-centered and participatory design methodologies towards important challenges facing the city and its inhabitants....
During the November 27 Roosevelt Island Cornell Tech Town Hall Meeting
The conversation with our #RooseveltIsland community and @cornell_tech started five years ago. Together we have built a growing partnership with our schools, community organizations, and public spaces, in building Silicon Island. pic.twitter.com/zih8EWED5T
According to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC):
Summer Outdoor Movie Series: Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
Who can make the sunrise? The Candy Man can!
This Friday, Aug. 25th, the last film in the 2017 Outdoor Summer Movie Series! Showing on a giant screen at Firefighter’s Field (located across from the Tram). WEATHER PERMITTING.
The fun begins at 7 PM but the movie showing does not begin until sunset. Nathan's Food Cart and Wafels & Dinges will be on sight.
There will be a special viewing of The Four Freedoms Park Conservancy's 2016 Intergenerational Documentary Project Echoes of History before the movie showing.
at the Roosevelt Island Tram Plaza yesterday selling a variety of Hot Dogs and Fries with your choice of Chilli, Cheese, Saurerkraut and more. The Nathans Franks Kiosk was very popular with tourists getting off the Tram.
Take a look at the menu below.
The Nathan Franks vendor said he plans to be a regular on Roosevelt Island, returning every day.
I suggested that the Nathan Franks Kiosk move next to the subway across from Starbucks
Both food trucks serve very tasty food. So, what do you prefer, waffles or pizza.
Neapolitan Express Food Truck has been regularly serving Roosevelt Island for the last several months. Hope Wafles & Dinges does going forward this summer.
Two Food Trucks are serving Roosevelt Island today. Wings N Things joined Neapolitan Express parked near the F subway station across from the Starbucks in Southtown this afternoon.
Wings N Things Food Truck has been on Roosevelt Island in the past and will be here for the rest of today and back on Monday. Depending on business, they will return often.
Here's the Wings N Things menu.
With warmer weather coming soon (hopefully), looking forward to a variety of more food trucks coming to Roosevelt Island.
Unfortunately, the Wafles & Dinges Food Truck serving free breakfast to the Octagon residents got shut down by the Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department for not having a food truck permit.
An Octagon resident reported on March 30:
This morning the Octagon sponsored a Waffles & Dinges food truck event giving residents a free breakfast from 8:00am - 10:00am in front of the building. Nice Right ?
As we residents were lined up patiently awaiting our complimentary breakfast, Public safety roles up and starts barking about permits etc. and telling the Dinges truck he needs to shut it down and move on - even after explanation that this was a private event catered by the building management and that no money was being collected, there was still continued insistence that the serving halt...
Management trying to talk the officer down off the ledge... then it appeared as though the matter would resolve and they began continuing to serve - as I got to my next in line, it was determined the copy of the permit shown to the officer was dated 2015. He then insisted the truck be closed up and pull out......sorry folks.
THIS is what Public Safety is concerning themselves with?? A catered event held on private property... drinking and pot smoking around children and graffiti on the waterfront are less of a concern than a waffle truck in front of the Octagon ??? !!! It was almost 9:30 when it was shut down and the event was scheduled to close at 10:00am anyway.
This was truly a Barney Fife moment here in Mayberry.
What happened to the days when the cops would have rolled up gotten a free waffle and moved on to more important threats to the community?
Where is the common sense of looking the other way as there were no significant traffic obstructions, health or safety violations - simply some people getting a free treat in front of a building they live in and a pay a premium to reside.
This was beyond the pale of common sense, decency and good community relations.
I thought someone with a voice should be made aware of this demonstration of utter ridiculousness.
and:
... it was just a bunch of people cued up along side the waffle truck. No brawl or anything just a bunch of dumbfounded people pissed off for waiting a half hour or so and not getting their free breakfast.
I asked Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department Director McManus about the Octagon Wafles & Dinges Food Truck Incident. After looking into the matter, PSD Director McManus said that a Food Truck permit was required for the Octagon Wafles & Dinges free breakfast even if it was a private event on private property.
Director McManus reported that after the Food Truck incident, he and Acting RIOC President Susan Rosenthal went to meet with the new Octagon building management and spoke about improving communications between the building management and RIOC.
According to Dirctor McManus, the meeting went very well with Octagon Management and in the future there will be better communications between them. Octagon Management acknowledged they should have told RIOC about the Food Truck before it arrived.
Launched in New York City by legendary energy magnate, T. Boone Pickens, and former mayor, Mike Bloomberg, Neapolitan Express started by creating the first eco-friendly food truck, powered by Clean Energy Fuels. Neapolitan Express' business model encompasses the fast casual dining movement in the culinary world and the sustainable, environmental, and social responsibility movement of today's consumer. Our mantras "Fast food should be good food" and "Doing well by doing good" guide the decisions we make, from choosing only the highest quality organic, 100% non-GMO ingredients to our commitment to cleaner, greener planet.
Our Culinary Director is renowned master pizzaiolo Giulio Adriani, who brings 30 years of experience to the table. Born and raised in Naples, Adriani is considered one of the best pizza makers alive and the world's leading expert in dough and flour innovation. Unlike traditional coal and wood burning ovens, we use the only open mouth electric oven, uniquely designed and hand build in Italy, to reach 900 degrees with zero emissions. Our highly-trained pizza makers and innovative approach & technology give our customers authentic Neapolitan pizza in 60 seconds.
Roosevelt Island is a very eco friendly neighborhood at the forefront of clean energy development.
Reported previously that Roosevelt Island is a leader in clean energy development including the:
Roosevelt Island is a mixed income, racially diverse waterfront community situated in the East River of New York City between Manhattan and Queens and is jurisdictionally part of Manhattan. The Roosevelt Island Tramway, which connects Roosevelt Island to the rest of Manhattan, has become the iconic symbol of Roosevelt Island to its residents.
The Purpose of this Blog is to provide accurate and timely information about Roosevelt Island as well as a forum for residents to express opinions and engage in a dialogue to improve our community.
