The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Operations Advisory Committee is meeting 5:00 PM Wednesday May 1 at the Good Shepherd Community Center (543 Main Street).
Please be advised that a meeting of the Operations Advisory Committee of the RIOC Board of Directors will be held on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. at the Good Shepherd Community Center, 543 Main St, Roosevelt Island, New York 10044.
AGENDA:
Update by Hudson Related on the Commercial Spaces Availability and the Selection Process for Commercial Tenants;
Bus Contingency - Overview of an Option to Lease a Bus;
Update on Emergency Repairs (Eleanor’s Pier);
Update on Pipes Replacement for AVAC;
Presentation by Director Fhala on the Tram and the Motorgate Operations; and
Any Other Committee Business that May be Brought Before the Committee.
During the last RIOC Real Estate Development Advisory Committee meeting on March 14, 2024, RIOC Directors Fay Christian and Ben Fhala asked for information about how Main Street Retail Master Leaseholder Hudson Related selects tenants for any vacant stores.
Tomorrow they can ask their questions and we'll see how Hudson Related answers.
I am happy to announce that the same ownership team as Wholesome Market, is now opening a Discount/Hardware store similar to a Lot-Less location.
They are currently fixturing the space and I will share an opening date as soon as I have one.
The new Discount/Hardware store makes the 4th Roosevelt Island store for the Wholesome ownership including the Market, Wine Store and Mexican Restaurant.
Any update on the butcher opening? It’s specifically supposed to be a “high end” butcher, whatever that is. Where the “panini bar” was supposed to be?
They are especially interested in pre-prepared items.
Looks like they’ve got all the display cases in there and other furniture was being delivered.
Yesterday, I asked Hudson Related's David Kramer if:
Cafe Eleanor is going to be a “High End Butcher Shop” and that opening is imminent.
Has there been a change in the use of the space for what was Cafe Eleanor?
Any update or info?
A Hudson Related spokesperson replied:
The owners of Cafe Eleanor have changed concepts due to the pandemic and the restrains of indoor dining. With the restaurant industry's uncertainty, they have opted to change the use to an essential business.
It will be an Italian Butcher Shop selling high quality meats. No prepared foods. No seating.
Wholesome Macelleria is the name of the new Italian Butcher store.
A tentative opening date has been set for mid-February
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board Directors will hold a meeting tomorrow, April 23, not in person but by videoconference due to the Coronavirus Pandemic social distancing protocols.
According to Mr. Kramer, all the Main Street stores have been leased except for the former Bubble Tea Space and the former Urgent Care space which is currently occupied by Doctors Resnik and Grimm and seeking additional medical practitioners.
Mr Kramer noted that of the currently vacant space:
503 Main Street space in Rivercross will hopefully open at end of year as some type of restaurant food use. They are finalizing their concept. The space has been unoccupied for 40 years,
521 Main Street will be Yoga Studio hopefully open January 2020,
Tenant for the former Card shop at 563 Main Street has been secured but not ready to announce it yet,
548 main street plan for Mexican restaurant has changed to a Mediteranean restaurant, open early this spring
Judy Berdy asked Mr. Kramer to make sure that Roosevelt Island restaurants comply with applicable Health Department inspections and regulations He replied that it's not his responsibility as landlord to do so but indicated that if he is made aware of problems, he can apply pressure on the tenant to insure compliance.
Several very important local real estate issues will be discussed during the October 7 Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Real Estate Development Advisory Committee (REDAC).
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a meeting of the Real Estate Development Advisory Committee of the RIOC Board of Directors will be held on Monday, October 7, 2019 at 4:30 p.m. at RIOC’s Operations Office, 680 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, New York.
Amended Agenda:
Discussion of Transfer of Roosevelt Landings
Hudson Related Retail Presentation Regarding Main Street Commercial Spaces
Discussion of Southtown Building 9 Lot Reapportionment
Discussion of “RI” Sign
Langan Presentation of Southpoint Open Space Revetment Project
***
The Open Meetings Law of the State of New York requires that all public bodies conduct meetings, convened for the purpose of officially conducting public business, in a manner open to attendance by the general public to observe and listen.
During the September 5 RIOC Board of Directors Meeting Public Session, Roosevelt Island resident Janet Falk discussed the Giant RI Monument which residents were told was to be temporary and then voted upon by REDAC committee before a final decision to keep it permanently.
According to Ms Falk:
I am a representative of Southtown to the RIRA Common Council.
Believe it or not, I am here at the invitation of Susan Rosenthal.
You probably don’t remember, but we had an email exchange in May and the RIOC Board was copied on the correspondence. The subject was the re-installation of the RI Monument on Tram Plaza. I had believed it was a temporary installation, a three-month trial, starting on October 8, which would have ended on January 8 of this year.
But in fact, it was SEVEN months in May and is about ELEVEN months today.
In May, I asked Susan to report on the impact of the monument.
To my surprise, she could not provide ONE STATISTIC to prove that the monument had attracted
visitors, enticed them to stay longer on the island, spend more money, be more active on social media, or generate more favorable comments by residents.
NOT ONE DATAPOINT.
She could only cite anecdotal reports by tram operators (and herself) that tourists enjoy it and took photos. Then she said, “But feel free to speak to the Board during any public comment period if you wish them to take action.” So here I am.
Susan, I have anecdotal evidence, too. HUNDREDS of people IGNORE the monument, and thousands actively detest it. RIRA voted UNANIMOUSLY AGAINST the monument.
Residents submitted comments AGAINST the monument and copied Judy Berdy of the RIHS, comments that RIOC and the board NEVER saw. Many wonder how those comments were misplaced.
This is background. Now, here are my FIVE QUESTIONS:
1. On what date did the RIOC Board decide the “temporary” RI Monument would become permanent?
2. What criteria were used to arrive at that decision of permanent installation?
3. RIRA, as you may recall, voted overwhelmingly AGAINST the monument. What input did the residents have in that decision of permanent installation?
4. When and how was this decision communicated to residents?
5. What criteria and what process would reverse that decision?
Roosevelt Island Main Street Retail Master Leaseholder David Kramer of Hudson Related spoke to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Real Estate Advisory Committee yesterday about status of under construction Riverwalk building 8 & the future Riverwalk building 9. (Stay tuned for story soon)
Mr Kramer also gave an update on Roosevelt Island retail. Starting with the good news, Mr Kramer gave a hint of what he calls exciting news to come about the vacant Dayspring Church space
in response to my question about rumors of a restaurant to open in the space. Mr Kramer expects an announcement this week about the Dayspring Church space which has been marketed as a restaurant/events space.
Other Roosevelt Island retail news - Eleanor's Cafe Panini Bar at 503 Main Street in the Riverwalk Building is expected to open this summer.
The plans for Mexican Restaurant Onda at 548 Main Street (projected to open in summer of 2017) have been revised. The same owners are changing the concept from a Mexican Restaurant to a Mediterranean restaurant due to gas capacity in the space. The margaritas and chips Roosevelt Island residents were hoping for is not to be.
The Bubble Tea Cafe will not re-open. The store was expected to be sold to new owners but that deal fell apart in the last couple of days.
No update on new tenant for former Riverwalk Bar space, closed since last Labor Day. Mr Kramer described the space as the jewel in Roosevelt Island retail crown that has received some nibbles from interested restaurants owners but nothing definite. Non-restaurant uses have been proposed but Mr. Kramer says Roosevelt Island needs a Restaurant Bar in that space.
Mr Kramer encourages Roosevelt Island residents to support Main Street retail. Here's what he had to say.
The Twitterverse reported David Kramer's Hudson Companies signed retail lease for rooftop bar at one of their Brooklyn properties.
Surprise, for one brief moment, a revolving rooftop bar was considered for the future 28 story Riverwalk building 9.
But was rejected.
UPDATE 6/3:
I’m eagerly awaiting more details on the Dayspring Church space. Puzzled by the change of plans from Mexican to Mediterranean stemming from a gas capacity issue. Not surprised about bubble tea. Never seemed like they were trying very hard.
According to this press release from Main Street Retail Master Leaseholder Hudson Related:
Hudson Related Retail LLC today announced the signing of Jupioca, a new juice, smoothie and tea shop to a 10-year, 700-square foot lease at 455 Main Street, located in the retail portion of the Riverwalk Place Apartments in a space previously housing the Swan Nail Salon. The addition of Jupioca will add to the growing, eclectic mix of storefronts on Roosevelt Island. Jupioca at 455 Main Street is expected to open in spring of 2019. Jupioca will serve juices, superfood green smoothies, protein shakes and Acai bowls, inspired by high-quality, fresh and nutritious natural ingredients.
“Jupioca will be a fantastic complement to the other offerings on the island,” said Alex Kaplan, Project Manager at The Hudson Companies. “We are glad to have quickly occupied the former nail salon space with a new and exciting option for Roosevelt Island residents and visitors.”
“We are committed to introducing every American to incredibly nutritious drinks so that everyone can enjoy their benefits,” said Jin Zheng, owner of Jupioca. Just make our no-sugar, highly nutritious drinks a part of your daily routine and see the incredible difference they make to your lifestyle. And we are so happy to announce- we are going to have Thai Roll Ice cream, a very popular frozen dessert in Asia!”
Jupioca’s drinks will be sourced daily from fresh and locally grown vegetables and fruits. The drinks will support healthy diets, and help to detox and cleanse the body. With this lease signing, Jupioca adds to their eight locations in throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Joshua Strauss and Alex Arsenis of RKF represented both Hudson Related Retail LLC and Jupioca in the deal. The nearby Shops on Main also feature a salon, dry cleaner, wine shop, diner and Chinese restaurant, all of which add to the variety of retail along the corridor.
In March of 2018, Lisa Management, the property management arm of The Hudson Companies, Inc, took over all marketing and leasing for the remaining available storefront at the Shops on Main retail corridor. Since then, Lisa Management has signed two new retail tenants: the forthcoming Liukoshui hot pot restaurant and PupCulture pet care and spa service.
We are still searching for a new user for the former Riverwalk Bar & Grill space.
I asked Hudson Related regarding status of Mexican restaurant Onda which was supposed to open in 2016 but was last reported in March 2018 to still be working on obtaining their permits. Rumors are that Onda will not open but Ms Kaplan did not respond to inquires about Onda.
A tipster reported last week that the Dayspring Church, which occupied the stone cottage on the Roosevelt Island West Promenade next to the Octagon building,
was evicted from its premises.
by Main Street Master retail leaseholder Hudson Related for non-payment of rent.
In response to my inquiry, a Hudson Related representative replied:
They were evicted and we are actively looking for an exciting new use for the space.
... Dayspring church in the last couple of years have been through ministry travails and trials, ups and downs, twist and turns that resulted in a considerable decline of membership and attendance.
This put the church in a situation where we could not meet our financial obligations. During this period that stretched about four (4) years, the church was only able to meet 40% to 50% of her monthly bills leaving us with a minimum of 50% indebtedness each month. This is with respect to rent payments.
Today, the church stands indebted to our landlords in accumulated rent and interest of almost $60,000. Our current situation is that the church has been taken to court by the State of New York; the owners of the building, through their management agents. This is to recover the past due rent and interest, evict the church from the property and retake it back before the lease ends, if the accumulated rent of $60,000 is not paid by October 31st, 2018.
We are also in need of financial help in the tune of $50,000 for needed repairs and renovations on the church building, which we have not been able to do due to the financial situation we found ourselves in recent times. We are calling on the people of God to come to the aid of Dayspring Church Family. This church building was shut down and abandoned in 1973 until the church came to reactivate and reopen it for worship services in 1997. The church has spent nearly a million dollars in the past 21 years in rent, repairs and updates....
... services are held here by the congregants of the REDEEMED CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF GOD. The church refurbished and occupied the building in 1997 under minister and island resident Oloe Obed. It was originally the Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit, built in 1924 as a chapel for Metropolitan Hospital, with an attached rectory for the hospital's chaplain. The chapel was later rededicated to the Order of Saint Dennis.
When Metropolitan Hospital moved to Manhattan in 1955, the chapel stood abandoned for the next twenty years. In 1978 Richard Hemm, the chaplain of the relocated Metropolitan Hospital, occupied the rectory and remained there until the early 1990s.
Modeled on a church in England, the chapel's most noteworthy features are its stained- glass windows and steep- slate roof. It was the last of many island structures built out of island-quarried gray gneiss, and it blended nicely with Metropolitan Hospital's other buildings. Though its architecture is quite reserved, it maintains a handsome and charming distinction amidst the surrounding land....
Would the Westview building ownership renew the retail lease space to RIOC or,would Westview ownership recover the space for themselves and to what extent does the retail lease negotiation impact the privatization negotiations?
In response to my question last Friday about the Westview Privatization status, a spokesperson for Roosevelt Island's NY State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright replied:
Assembly Member Seawright continues to work with State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) and the Westview Taskforce. A meeting is being held in the district office today with Westview Task Force leadership and HCR officials to discuss the status of negotiations.
I asked RIOC President Susan Rosenthal and HCR Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas:
The Westview residents have no idea what is going on.
My understanding is that the latest element in Westview privatization is the upcoming expiration in April 2018 of the Westview ownership retail space to RIOC which is subleased to Hudson Related as part of the Roosevelt Island Main Street Master Retail Lease.
What impact, if any, does the Westview ownership retail lease renewal negotiation with RIOC have on the Westview Building privatization?
What is the current status of Westview privatization?...
Ms.Rosenthal replied on yesterday:
I know you reached out to HCR and are anxious to know the terms of the proposed deal. As soon as we share the terms with the board members, we will share them with you. The good news: we reached a deal in principle and we are moving forward!
... My understanding is that the lease has not been renewed yet.
If Westview retail lease with RIOC is not renewed, what impact will that have on the Master Retail Lease with Hudson Related which includes the Westview stores?
Also, what impact will that have on Roosevelt Island retail leasing efforts and those current Westview retailers that have lease terms past April 2018?
What is the annual rental revenue from Westview retail tenants and how much revenue does RIOC receive under the Master Lease from Westview retail tenants?...
Mr. Kramer answered:
I think there are 2 substantive issues if the retail sublease is not extended.
First, it's a big hit to RIOC. They earn most of the revenue from the Westview stores (we earn a percentage of the upside over time). I'm not sure why anyone would want RIOC to have less recurring, annual money.
Second, I think there's a logic to the Master Lease having a greater point of view to help the island. Whether it's paying for the new way finding system, or holiday lights, we've tried to help all the retailers.
We've made plenty of non-economic choices, whether it's signing a lease with NYPL or working to keep RIVAA in their space that are good for the island but don't maximize profits.
Our JV pays them ground rent from the retail revenue plus profit participation ... it comes out to approx. 83% of net proceeds. So I don’t understand why the RIOC Board wouldn’t fight to retain that revenue source.
Westview building owner David Hirschorn declined to comment on the Westview privatization status or the retail lease renewal at this time.
The Westview Task Force sent this notice out last evening to residents:
Friends, Neighbors, Westview Tenants,
We are pleased to report that we met with HCR officials and representatives of our elected officials this past Friday.
We were informed that, after prolonged negotiations, the agencies (HCR, RIOC) and Owner are now on the same page regarding all terms related to the WV Affordability Plan. Details are expected to be formalized and released soon.
We will keep everyone informed as we learn more.
Thank you for your continued support.
Westview Taskforce Inc.
Below is an excerpt from a November 3, 2017 email from the Westview Task Force to HCR Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas supporting the return of Westview retail space to the Westview Building ownership (click text image for larger sized print).
Today, RIOC announced that the Real Estate Advisory Committee will meet April 3 in Executive Session (closed to the public) to discuss Westview as well as an apparent settlement of Rivercross ground lease arbitration. According to RIOC:
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a meeting of the Real Estate Development Advisory Committee of the RIOC Board of Directors will be held on Tuesday, April 3, 2018 at 5:30 P.M. at the RIOC Administrative Office, 591 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, New York.
Agenda:
1. Chair’s Motion for Executive Session to Discuss:
a. Rivercross Arbitration Settlement
b. Southtown 8 & 9 Environmental Assessment and Zoning Overrides
c. Westview Ground Lease Negotiations
2. Any Other Committee Business That May be Brought Before the Committee.
My understanding is that if the Westview retail space lease to RIOC is not renewed, the current retail tenants will have to renegotiate their agreements with Westview owner.
Reported October 17 that a new ethnic restaurant will soon sign a lease for Roosevelt Island's 548 Main Street.
Image of Roosevelt Island's 548 Main Street Empty Storefront
Well, it actually happened!!!! A new restaurant will open this summer on Roosevelt Island's Main Street in a long time vacant space. According to Main Street Retail Master Leaseholder Hudson Related:
Hudson Related Retail LLC has signed a lease to bring a new contemporary Mexican restaurant and bar to 548 Main Street on Roosevelt Island. Onda will occupy an approximately 2,000 sq. ft. storefront in the Island’s retail center— known as the Shops on Main— and will be operated by D&D Restaurant Group. As the Island’s first sit-down Mexican restaurant-bar, Onda will serve authentic, rustic cuisine and offer both small and large plates in a modern setting. The restaurant, which plans to apply for a liquor license, is anticipated to open in Summer 2017.
“We are excited to help meet the desire of Roosevelt Island residents for more sit-down dining establishments and a wider diversity of food options,” said Alexandra Kaplan, Associate Project Manager at The Hudson Companies, on behalf of Hudson Related Retail LLC. “This restaurant will not only serve the existing residents of Roosevelt Island, but also the incoming students and faculty of the Cornell Tech Campus.”
"We are thrilled that another restaurant will soon open on Main Street, which has reestablished itself as the heart and soul of Roosevelt Island," said Susan Rosenthal, President/CEO of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC).
Cushman & Wakefield represented Hudson Related Retail LLC in this transaction.
In 2011, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation designated Hudson Related Retail LLC, a joint venture between development firms The Hudson Companies and The Related Companies, to help revitalize Roosevelt Island’s Main Street retail corridor and bring in new amenities. This has included completing major arcade and storefront renovations, along with other capital improvements.
RIRA's MSTRAC Chair Anne Kanninen provides the following summary of the meeting. According to Ms. Kanninen:
Trellis (Nisi) is scheduled for fire department inspection to be able to start its operations. The waiting list is long, we were told, therefore impossible to say when the restaurant will open.
Urgent Care is looking for practitioners for the space which will require some negotiations and legal work before opening. At this point unclear when the place opens.
The PopUp Gallery has been very successful and this model of operation will be used for other business ideas in the future.
503 Main St. Cafe ( at the south end of Rivercross) has applied for liquor license to serve beer and wine on the premises. Their business model consists of offering coffee and breakfast in the morning, lunch in midday and beer/wine combined with light snacks during the evening hours. There will be no cooking in the premises, the food will be mainly salads, crepes and similar produce.
The owners are the same people who also own the Wholesome Food Factory and the model for this particular Cafe is “Carnegie Cup Cafe” on upper east side (88St.& Park Ave.) Since the Cafe is located in a residential building the opening hours will take that fact into consideration.
548 Main St. (the former bakery space) is/will be leased very soon for an ethnic restaurant. Since the lease was not yet signed when we had our meeting Azarian did not reveal to us what kind of ethnic food it will be. The food will be prepared in that space and there will be sit down tables despite the fact that the space is small.
To attract more businesses to the Main St., Hudson has started to improve the vacant spaces. Some of them have been painted white to create so called “white box effect” and you can see the effect for example the PopUp Gallery. These spaces include 507, 521, 544 and 563 Main St.
Both Kaplan and Azarian mentioned that Hudson has been generous and has provided allowances for the tenants in addition to other negotiations regarding rents and some infrastructure improvements on the space.
It appears that the Main St. is becoming more active.
Next meeting will be in December.
Hudson Related's Alexendra Kaplan adds:
Nisi is working on scheduling their fire department inspection (a date has not already been assigned)
UPDATE 4:25 PM - A tipster adds regarding the liquor license for 503 Main Street Cafe:
The approval of the license on October 13 was only by the Street Life Committee of CB 8.The full board will vote Wednesday night and then State Liquor Authority must approve.
Image Of Roosevelt Island's Vacant 503 Main Street
RIRA's MSTRAC Chair Anne Kanninen provides the following summary of the meeting. According to Ms. Kanninen
Summary:
Cushman & Wakefield (C&W) is negotiating a lease regarding the space at 501 Main St. with a light food/coffee shop operator. C&W feels very positive and under the best scenario if the deal is successful the operations would start in the beginning of next year.
Nisi (new name of Trellis Diner) is expected to open in June. There was a discussion about possible price increases and Mr. Azarian told us that Nisi is supposed to stay as a diner meaning huge price increases are not expected. He also informed us that the company (Nisi) appears to have deep pockets and can easily carry the one and a half year losses from the renovation/construction.
Mr. Azarian also told us that there are several companies interested in coming to the island but many of them are not financially sound or do not have successful track records, thus cannot be considered as tenants....
... 544 and 548 Main St. spaces are marketed as good sites for food business. Now when Trellis became clearly Mediterranean Nisi (Island in Greek) maybe some other than Mediterranean food restaurants would be attractive thus expanding the variety of food offerings on Roosevelt Island.
The CDM Kids pre-school continues to operate on a reduced schedule because the required window screens are still missing.
It was explained by both Ms. Kaplan and Mr. Azarian that the delays which for example the Urgent Care has experienced are very typical right now in the city due to high number of buildings constructed affecting Con Edison’s and the Department of Building inspections and certifications.
It was mentioned by Anne Kanninen who visited the Urgent Care site today that there appeared to be a dentist’s chair in the premises. It seemed that Ms. Kaplan did not know anything about a plan that included a dentist in the urgent care operations since the island already has a dentist.
The Urgent Care space consists of several treatment rooms which were already partially furnished with treatment tables. The clinic is a major investment for the owner(s).
According to Ms. Kaplan and Mr. Azarian the clinic will open any day now.
Ms. Kaplan told us that the directional signs are under discussions with RIOC.
There was a request once again to place the benches to the walls of the buildings on the Main St. so that people could face Main St. Ms. Kaplan promised to look at the issue and maybe something could be done.
There was a complaint about the lights which are out in the arcade. Ms. Kaplan promised to take care of the issue.
The wall next to the subway entrance has become a messy bulletin board which could perhaps be better organized and cleaned. There was some opinion differences regarding this issue.
The rotting cement walls under the windows on the the Roosevelt Landing side will be taken care according to Ms. Kaplan.
There was a question of a temporary art gallery filling the empty spaces on the Main St. Both Ms. Kaplan and Mr. Azarian thought it as a good idea but did not elaborate further except that they are discussing with the person who wants to do it.
Wholesome Food is doing very well which we all can easily verify just visiting the always packed store. According to Ms. Kaplan the Subway store, Deli, Liquor store and Ice cream parlor are performing well as well. However, Ms. Kaplan’s analysis is based only on paid rents which tells only the partial story of a company’s performance. H-R does not have access to the lessors’ financials.
H-R and RIOC have started discussions about the two new buildings which will be built on the east side of Southtown. Both of the buildings are going to be rentals and building no. 8 is planned to have large number of affordable apartments. These discussions typically take a year or two. The next building’s start up will be in two to four years according to Ms. Kaplan.
Cynthia Ahn had been talking with Ms. Kaplan earlier about some kind of leaflet to be distributed to the Southtown residents to promote the businesses in the Northtown. This issue was not really discussed in the meeting despite the fact that Cynthia tried to take it up with Ms. Kaplan.
It was decided that the quarterly meetings with MSTRAC, Hudson-Related and Cushman - Wakefield will continue but timing will be switched to 9 am.
Following up on the Roosevelt Island retail meeting discussion, Cushman & Wakefield's Michael Azarian reports about the renaming of Trellis to Nisi:
Hudson Related spoke to Trellis. It has yet to be confirmed that they are changing their name to Nisi, but it is presently being discussed. Also, Trellis' lease states that they must remain a "first class diner." Trellis is finalizing their new menu now, but they are maintain the position that they will be an "upscale diner" with quality options.
And:
Hudson Related spoke with the Urgent Care tenant. That chair you saw is not a dentist chair. It is for sutures and people with broken arms!
RIOC Director Howard Polivy read portions of a statement from Hudson Related Main Street Retail Master Leaseholder David Kramer. According to the statement read by Mr. Polivy:
... tenants actively working on renovating their spaces - NY Public Library, Archdiocese, Urgent Care, CDM Kids...
and:
.... we have a a very exciting lease proposal we are negotiating for one of our most high profile retail locations which we hopefully can talk about soon....
followed by laughter among those present.
Mr. Polivy added that RIOC's interest in Main Street retail is limited to Hudson Related paying their rent to RIOC, which is being done.
RIOC Director Michael Shinozaki noted that RIOC's interest may be greater than just accepting rent from Hudson Related. Mr. Shinozaki thought there was a "claw-back" clause in the Master Lease in the event a tenant does not open within a certain period of time. The other Directors were not sure about any "claw-back" provision for tenants. RIOC President Indelicato said they would check to see if there was such a provision.
RIOC Director Fay Christian said that the Trellis Diner owner told her the long under renovation Trellis would be open in about a month. More laughter followed.
Mr. Polivy concluded:
...Apologies to the public - we wish it would work faster, better....
Here's the full Main Street retail discussion
and latest update from Hudson Related and retail broker Cushman Wakefield given in February.
We are making progress and continue to tour the island with tenants on a regular basis. We have received a proposal from an interested tenant who we are in the process of qualifying their stability. They fall in the above mentioned categories.
Tenants see that the Island is growing. They are curious to see how the Cornell Tech development will create points of sale for their businesses. Most tenants who are interested continue to conduct their due diligence visiting the Island at various hours of the day on different days of the week. Most interested tenants are service driven and have a personal connection to the Island either through friends, family or previous residential tenancy.
The Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Main Street Retail Committee met January 27 with Hudson Related representative Pedram Mahdavi for an update on Main Street leasing progress.
Mr. Mahdavi was asked by members of the RIRA Retail Committee to explain what the problem was in renting the Roosevelt Island Main Street stores. Mr. Mahdavi replied that it was not the asking rents for the premises nor the lack of foot traffic that was holding back potential tenants from signing leases. Mr. Mahdavi said the main hurdle expressed by potential tenants for signing new leases was the scope of construction work needed for the vacant spaces.
Mr. Mahdavi described potential Main Street retailers feedback received from Cushman & Wakefield
A frustrated Roosevelt Island Historical Society President Judy Berdy said of Main Street that it:
... is so damn dead. There's no reason to tell people to come to Main Street...
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board Member Margie Smith was skeptical that store construction difficulties was the main obstacle to leasing the stores but she thought it was the lack of Main Street foot traffic as compared to other areas of NYC. Other residents noted that the Wholesome Factory Organic Market does very well and is always crowded. The question is what other types of stores will draw a crowd on Roosevelt Island?
Here's the full January 27 RIRA Main Street Retail Committee discussion with Hudson Related representative Pedram Mahdavi.
Part 1.
Part 2.
Part 3.
RIRA Main Street Retail Committee Chair Anne Kanninen summarized the meeting as follows:
1) It was recognized that only one lease was signed during 2015 (the Child Care Center)
2) A new realtor Cushman & Wakefield (C&W), was hired by Hudson Related in 2015.
3) According to Mr. Mahdavi from Hudson Related (HR) they did not give any guidelines for the new realtor (Michael Azarian) and the the realtor receives his income only based on the signed leases.
4) HR is in charge of the Main St. properties and according to Mr. Mahdavi pays the leases from the empty spaces.
5) Union Medical will open at the end of February. The Child Care Center is currently operating on a limited capacity while waiting for the Department of Health inspection approval.
6) Trellis construction continues but, no specific estimation of the completion of the project was given.
7) All tenants on the Main St. are current with their leases.
8) It was asked what is the reason for the delays in leasing? Is it too high $/sf or something else? Mr. Mahdavi assured us that it is not the $/sf but declined to give us the amount while mentioning that the there is always a range for negotiation for the price. The delay in Union Medical was caused by the utility company.
9) Mr. Mahdavi told us that there has been several client visits on the island looking for the available spaces, some have come even several times but, no commitments so far. One problem appears to be the unfinished interior spaces. HR provides the basic infrastructure consisting of water, gas electricity and heat but there will be a start up investment consisting of finishing the interior floors, walls, doors, lightning, cabinets etc.
10) We were told that the companies the realtor tries to attract to the island include a hardware store, some kind of food related store, possibly a pet store and a diner/bakery/coffee shop
11) It was mentioned that Trellis had a very important function for the community. Residents had their social/professional, connections/meetings there. The community needs some sort of diner/coffee shop ASAP. It was mentioned by a participant of the meeting that the new Trellis when it is completed will become a white table cloth restaurant thus with much pricier menu. The question remains is Trellis ever going to be able to fill in its neighborhood diner function again?
12) There will not be any food operators this summer on the Southtown river front and even the food trucks, according to Mr. Mahdavi, were not profitable.
13) Other issues:
The benches on the Roosevelt Landings side are wrongly positioned and unkept. HR is responsible for their maintenance. Mr. Mahdavi did not show any interest in relocating the benches. (A simple thing to understand this issue is, do you want your back to face a door in your office? Try it, does it feel comfortable? or do you rather face the door? That feels more comfortable, right? Same thing with the benches, your back is facing the street where all the activity happens. For humans it feels more comfortable to protect your back.)
The longstanding issues of the missing direction signs was taken up again without any resolution.
The Catholic Church which,will take the floor above the new library space, is still in the drawing board. There will be no thrift shop, possibly some other kind of arrangement.
There was a complaint of the liquor store using ugly looking cardboard pieces on its window facing the Main St. Mr. Mahdavi will contact them.
Summary:
Year 2015 achievements: Child Care Center lease.
We have to start operating in a better way and we surely can. I am suggesting that we start setting goals in each of our quarterly meetings and then we discuss in the meetings how to reach them and divide the work among us.
Our first goals are:
I simple direction signs, contact with RIOC
II bench maintenance, contact HR
III flower pots on the arcade, contact Roosevelt Landings
These are very small goals but, when achieved, will give us energy to tackle bigger ones.
The January 28 RIOC Board Of Directors meeting public session including a discussion of Main Street retail as well.
RIOC Director Michael Shinozaki said that despite the slowness in leasing Main Street Stores by Hudson Related, the process is much better than it was when RIOC controlled the retail space.
The Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Main Street Retail Committee met September 25 with Hudson Related representative Pedram Mahdavi and Main Street Retail Stores new leasing broker Michael Azarian from Cushman & Wakefield to get a status update.
I asked Mr. Azarian how Cushman & Wakefield will market Roosevelt Island Main Street stores to retailers and overcome the problem of potential store owners coming to Roosevelt Island on a weekday afternoon and seeing very few people on the street.
Mr. Azarian and Mr. Mahdavi spoke with the RIRA Main Street Retail Committee for about an hour.
Rendering Of New Trellis When Open From Kickstarter
One of the most frequent questions I get asked by Roosevelt Island residents is when will the Trellis Diner complete their renovations, which began in September 2014, and re-open?
Image Of Trellis Construction Fence & New Exterior Top
Trellis Diner owner Alex Razaghi sends in this update today:
Just an update in regards to Trellis, we are getting a lot of work done and will hopefully get the restaurant up and running soon. A rough estimate would be around January.
Along with every venture in life, the threat of risks and challenges is always present. However nothing is impossible to those that dare. In attempting to see our dream come to fruition we did indeed dare. This project was not taken lightly. Countless hours of research and hard work have gone into preparing for this endeavor. After 17 years of running a successful business, we decided that the 50 year old establishment did not live up to the standards we strive to offer our customers. So we closed down September 9th 2014 to start our project.
We almost immediately started to run into problems. However due to our preparation we quickly resolved issues as they arrived. Until the most profound issue arrived, a stop works order. The order was due to a structural weight bearing wall that was previously not found in the original blueprints. Having encountered the wall we had to wait on multiple entities for approval, until ultimately we were forced to change the blueprints to accommodate the wall and rearrange the interior layout of the store. This new layout also required approval.
In total the issue postponed work on the restaurant by well over 6 months. The suspension of work led to other issues. Contractor prices rose, we had to continue paying premium rent, and personal expenses added up. Through all the issues our resolve remains, if anything it has been strengthened. We feel that this is not only our chance to give back to the community but also a chance to be a part of its history. We have been fortunate enough to be provided with the unique ability to grow with our community, with all the recent changes and future developments coming in the near future, we want to do our part. We would like to extend the opportunity to our neighbors as well as investors to join in, and contribute to the future of Roosevelt Island through us.
Although we have set the goal at $50,000 we have hopes of achieving our real goal of $250,000. With that kind of pledge we would be able to finish the project within two months of receiving the funds. Regardless of the outcome I would like to thank everyone for simply taking the time to visit this page. I hope you have enjoyed our vision of the future Trellis on Roosevelt Island.
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.
