NY City Lens On Changing Scene Of Roosevelt Island Main Street Retail - Possible New Thai Restaurant, Day Care Center And Bank, Also 8 New Burgers From Trellis

 Image From Columbia Journalism School NY City Lens

NY City Lens is an online news site produced by Columbia University Graduate School Of Journalism students. NYC Lens recently profiled Roosevelt Island's Main Street retail scene with a story titled:

Roosevelt Island Gambles on a Brighter Future

Here comes Cornell and Riverwalk, and a renovated downtown is feeling optimistic.

According to NY City Lens:

... Hal Shapiro, managing director of Winick Realty Group, which does retail leasing, said the problem is that many people don’t really know the island. He needs to explain things about it, such as its beautiful scenery with open space and parks, its population and economic increase and in the past years with finished new residential buildings, and its potential growth since Cornell is coming. And most importantly, he pointed out, that the island is underserved. He said, now he is talking with three potential tenants—a Thai restaurant, a daycare center, and a bank, asking for 50 dollars per square feet.

“Things are happening,” said Shapiro. Saks-Rosenberg agrees. Five years ago the Main Street Retail Study said that Roosevelt Island residents do just 12% of their shopping on the Island, she said, “and now people start to really shop on the island and go to the stores, which was not the case two years ago. ”

However, many residents are still used to their off-the-Main-Street shopping habits. Rachelle Sumersford orders from Fresh Direct online, Fidel Lakew walks across the bridge to the Costco in Queens and gets a cab back, and Dorothy Jefferies goes to Fairway and Agata on Manhattan Island by public transportation....

and:

... Kaie Razaghi and his son Alex come to the island every day from Astoria to work on the renovation of Trellis Diner. He was excited and proud of what he is doing. “We are gonna provide a restaurant dining experience,” said Razaghi. “Now I only have three different burgers. I will have eight when I open up. When I say eight, I don’t mean eight beef burgers with different toppings; I mean eight different meats!”

Razaghi hopes people will come to the Main Street for what he is doing—the modern design of the storefront, the new menu, and the dining experience. “I haven’t been making money for the past two years. It’s either take the money and go buy somewhere else, or put the money in, and take a chance. I put the money in here, and take a chance.”...

Hezi Jiang is the reporter on the Roosevelt Island retail story. She did an excellent job. Click here for the full article.

At Long Last, Roosevelt Island's New Liquor Store Opens Today - Welcome Island Wine & Spirits To The Neighborhood

Roosevelt Island's long absence without a local liquor store is now officially over. Earlier today Island Wine and Spirits

opened it doors

for what they are describing as a soft opening.

Did anybody check out Roosevelt Island's new liquor store today?

Roosevelt Island Gristedes Supermarket Transformed, It's Beautiful Says Long Time Resident - Owner John Catsimatidis Kept His Promise For Gristedes Improvements And Much More

Roosevelt Island Gristedes Grand Re-Opening

The long awaited transformation of the much maligned Roosevelt Island Gristedes is finally completed and this week is the Grand Re-Opening of our local supermarket. Have you been in Gristedes recently - what do you think?

On Tuesday, I asked a long time Roosevelt Island resident, 39 years, what she thought of the new Gristedes and she said:

... it was beautiful. Roosevelt Island should be proud of this store...

Almost one year ago today, Gristedes owner John Catsimatidis spent several hours speaking with Roosevelt Island residents at a Town Hall meeting (video of meeting is here) and promised:

... improvements to be made at Roosevelt Island's Gristedes include offering more fresh produce and organic products at affordable prices....

During the March 12 Town Hall meeting, Mr. Catsimatidis heard:

... complaints expressed to Mr. Catsimatidis included expired products on shelves, dirty floors, inadequate product offerings, counter conveyor belts not working, long lines at checkout counter, lack of a full service pharmacy, leaking roof, poor lighting among others....

and Mr. Catimatidis resolved:

... to fix the problems described and urged any resident to contact him with specific complaints which will be addressed. He also asked for suggestions as to how to improve the store. I thought a great idea was suggested by resident Deborah Beck who recommended that the new store design include moving the store entrance from the dark tunnel like side entrance to better lit Main Street directly across from Manhattan Park....

Now that the Roosevelt Island Gristedes renovation is complete - how did Mr. Catsimatidis and his colleagues do? Commenting earlier this week, one resident said:

I really dig the new Gristedes. I also see an "upgrade" in staff. It was a very pleasant experience yesterday. The renovations are not quite done, though. The exit door is still being worked on.

another reported yesterday:

There's a party going on! Lots of free samples, some of which are good! The store is well-stocked and looks nice. Many of the items are lower in price than they were in the past -- sometimes down to normal. I hope they keep it up.

Free Samples At Roosevelt Island Grand Opening Preview Yesterday

though one skeptic expressed concern that improvements might not continue:

when they became a superstore a few years ago . the first few weeks the prices were low just to get people in as they were trying to fool everyone but then after a few weeks it was back to the same high prices so i am sure this will be the same .long live the shoppers bus.

I've been there the last couple of days and I think the Gristedes folks did a FANTASTIC JOB. Gristedes even listened to resident Deborah Beck's suggestion made at the Town Hall meeting and moved the store entrance to the better lit side of Main Street.

I spoke with Mr. Catsimatidis at yesterday's Grand Opening. He promised that:

 ...the quality will be there ...we guarantee everything...  I answer every email. If you have any complaints let me know...

About Gristedes pricing, a Gristedes representative said:

... you're not going to see we open up with real hot prices and all of a sudden we raise prices...  what the market bears we're going to give you the price when we can make a deal we're going to pass it on to you... we're trying to give you a fair but better quality package...

Main Street Retail Master Leaseholder David Kramer from Hudson Related attended yesterday's Gristedes Grand Opening Celebration as well. I asked Mr. Kramer what he thought of the Gristedes renovation and he said:

It's Big...  Gristedes is the anchor to Main Street... I think it is a great big step for Gristedes and great big step for Main Street retail... Gristedes becoming a more successful anchor is going to have a multiplier effect for the rest of the corridor.

 Mr. Kramer added:

...Trellis is starting renovation sometime this calendar year.... two more stores are about to open... three or four in the pipeline...

Here's the full interview with Mr. Catsimatidis and Mr. Kramer



and reactions from Roosevelt Island residents as well as Gristedes meatball vendor Mama Mancini's.



Meet the new Roosevelt Island Gristedes offerings.

The  delicatessen,

International Foods,

Organic, Natural and Sugar Free,

Vegetables,

Craft Beer,

Cafe,

with pizza, ice cream, fried chicken and meals to go

and the pharmacy.

It's a very good beginning for the Roosevelt Island Gristedes. Let's hope it continues.

Roosevelt Island Gristedes Beginning Long Awaited Renovation, Moving Entrance To Main Street, Adding Cafe, New Deli, Produce Section & More - Coach Scot's Main Street Sweets Ice Cream Store Almost Complete Says Hudson Related's David Kramer

I noticed that renovations appear to be starting at the Roosevelt Island Gristedes supermarket this week

so asked Gristedes owner John Catsimatidis:

what is the latest status on the renovation of the Roosevelt Island Gristedes? When will it begin and what changes are being made?

I understand that the entrance will be moved from the side beneath the garage to Main Street near the Post Office entrance. Is that true?

Mr. Catsimatidis replied:

Paperwork all signed and submitted to the building dept for permits. Due to hurricane a little behind

adding:

Entrance moved correct
Cafe added
New deli and produce
New floors
Prepared foods
New decor

Reported last month that a representative from Main Street Master Leaseholder Hudson Related told me that:

... Gristedes will soon be undergoing their promised and long awaited complete store renovation. Included in the renovation will be moving the gloomy and depressing store entrance from beneath the Motorgate Ramp

to the light and brightness of Main Street next to the Post Office.

Interestingly, the suggestion to move the Gristedes entrance came from Roosevelt Island resident Deborah Beck during March 12 Town Hall Meeting with Gristedes owner John Catsimatidis...

I also asked Hudson Related's David Kramer for an update on Main Street retail stores. Mr. Kramer replied:

We have 3-4 pending negotiations. The ice cream store is almost complete, which will be followed by the natural foods market and then the wine store. Trellis is developing their renovation plans. 

Future Home To Coach Scot's Main Street Sweets

 Check out the web page for the soon to open Coach Scot's Main Street Sweets

 Image From Coach Scot's Main Street Sweets

mmmmmm, tasty.

Image From Coach Scot's Main Street Sweets

Looking forward to Coach Scot's Main Street Sweets opening and the Gristedes renovation.

Also, here's recent interview of Gristedes owner John Catsimatidis from the Stoler Report.



Mr. Catsimatidis talks about Roosevelt Island at the 12 minute 30 second mark. He says the Roosevelt Island Tram "never really worked right".

Not sure what he meant by that.

Roosevelt Island Residents Ask For Full Service Pharmacy At Local Gristedes and Duane Reade - Main Street Master Leaseholder Hudson Related Says Its Up To Residents To Lobby Stores For Improvements

Some Roosevelt Island residents have expressed dissatisfaction with the inadequacies of the Gristedes

and Duane Reade pharmacy sections

and are seeking a full service drug store to serve the Roosevelt Island community. For instance, Duane Reade has this sign currently posted at it's cash register

As reported in this March post, the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Island Services Committee has taken notice of the situation:

Full-Services Pharmacy on RI

This is a new issue which ISC will pursue. In summary, RI no longer has a full-services pharmacy. Duane Reade will not accept prescriptions managed by Express Script drug plans. Soon this may be extended to Medco plans as Express Scripts is trying to acquire Medco. In addition, DR will no longer deliver. Gristedes will accept prescriptions from all plans and will deliver (but only to pre-registered customers). However, Gristedes maintains a limited variety of drugs in the store. So, many customers have to wait one or two days for the particular drug(s) to be delivered to the store.

We will initially attack this problem by dealing with Hudson-Related, the controllers of the leases for both Duane Reade and Gristedes.

and two weeks ago, Chair Aaron Hamburger sent this request to Hudson Related Master Leaseholder Principal David Kramer:

As mentioned in our brief conversation on Friday, we need your help in trying to restore a full-services pharmacy on RI.

We do not want a new pharmacy. We just need to improve/change the two exiting pharmacies.

Here's the situation:

Duane Reade no longer accepts prescriptions from Express Script (which affects 15-20% of their presciption business on RI and many customers) and DR has stopped delivering to customers. Gristedes carries a very limited inventory of drugs on-site, has limited Sunday hours and a limited delivery service.

What's needed at Gristedes is an expansion of their pharmacy space (when they renovate the entire store) so they can carry more drugs on-site, and a more liberal delivery service. At DR, they need to change their policy and again accept Express Script presciptions plus resume the delivery service that existed when they began operations on RI, but terminated deliveries (without notice) about 9 months ago.

Since you control the leases for both Gristedes and DR, we hope that you can put enough pressure on one or both of these stores to permit a return to a full-services pharmacy.

Thanks for doing whatever you believe is possible to relieve our pharmacy problems.

Yesterday I asked Mr. Kramer:

... is anything Hudson Related can do to improve the Roosevelt Island pharmacy offerings?

Mr. Kramer replied:

We don/can’t tell tenants how to run the specifics of their business. It’s up to residents to lobby these businesses.

During the March 12 Gristedes Town Hall meeting, Roosevelt Island resident Raye Schwartz  explained to Gristedes owner John Catsimatidis and David Kramer why she thought a full service pharmacy was needed for Roosevelt Island. Mr. Catsimatidis replied that he would look into the situation and that he recently hired a former Duane Reade employee to "beef up" the Gristedes Pharmacy, Health and Beauty sections.



UPDATE 6/27 - Mr. Hamburger sent the following reply to Mr. Kramer:

3 weeks ago, I sent you an e-mail on the full-services pharmacy issue on RI. Today, I learned about your response by reading the RooseveltIslander. Don't understand why you didn't respond directly to me.

Anyway, your response is both disappointing and a cop-out. We never asked or expected you to interfere in the business operations of your tenants. We simply wanted you to bring the issue of a full-services pharmacy to the attention of the management of Gristedes and to Duane Reade. In the case of Gristedes, you could have suggested that since they were about to under go a complete renovation of their store, they might provide more space for the pharmacy section so more drugs could be in the on-site inventory. For Duane Reade, you could have probed into why they will not accept Express Script prescriptions and ask if this policy will be extended to other prescription plans such as Medco. These small actions on your part would be very helpfull in alerting management that they have a real and growing problem in their RI stores. Perhaps, management might then be motivated to take some steps to relive the problem.

Report From RIOC President Leslie Torres - Roosevelt Island Gets Some New Main Street Retail Stores, Tram Station Improvements Update, RI 311 See Click Fix, Cherry Blossom Festival & More

You Tube Video of RIOC President's Report 

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Lesie Torres sends the following report to Roosevelt Island residents.

Greetings Roosevelt Islanders. I have a few updates and announcements about projects that will continue to improve life on the Island, so I’ll get right to it…

Main Street Redevelopment Moves Forward

Plans for the redevelopment of the Main Street retail corridor are moving forward.  Last summer, RIOC signed a 30-year lease with Hudson Related Retail LLC to improve the vibrancy and lure new business for the 100,000 square feet of retail space on Main Street.  Now, Hudson/Related is preparing to move into leases with retailers that will provide the Island with an expanded array of goods and services.  Among the new tenants will be organic market Wholesome Direct, a Subway sandwich store and a wine store.  Additionally, the Gristedes grocery store will be remodeled.

We partnered with Hudson/Related for this project because of their excellent track record, including the wonderful work they have done developing the buildings and commercial space in Southtown.  Now, with their plans for a retail makeover on Main Street, the Island will have a beautiful retail corridor that offers quality services to the entire community.

SeeClickFix Provides Island with Custom Mobile And Online Platform

Earlier this week we announced our innovative partnership with SeeClickFix to allow Roosevelt Island residents to report non-emergency issues and request Island services through its online and mobile platform. Launched last year, the place-based reporting platform allows residents to document neighborhood concerns and improvements alike, ranging from potholes and graffiti to litter and broken streetlights.  During the soft launch phase, which began in July 2011, 70 requests for service and other issues were reported to RIOC via SeeClickFix.

We are leveraging this comprehensive platform to increase efficiency when responding to service requests and more efficiently improve the Island’s infrastructure.  SeeClickFix helps us empower the citizens we serve and encourage them to actively engage with each other, their neighborhoods, and us.

With the online and mobile reporting platform, residents can report quality-of-life concerns through service request categories via the RIOC website, custom mobile applications (iPhone, Android, Blackberry), and SeeClickFix.com. When submitting issues via mobile app, for example, residents can provide locational, descriptive, and photographic information as they see the issue in real time. Once the resident submits an issue, RI311, and anyone ‘watching’ the area will receive an alert. RI311 can then acknowledge the service request, route it to the proper department, and update the request—and residents following the issue—once it’s been resolved.

The partnership allows residents to not only report community issues, but also view, comment on, and vote to fix problems submitted by their neighbors. Citizens can even create their own “watch areas” to receive notifications about all issues reported in their community, enabling them to follow the progress of all service requests – not just the ones they report.

RIOC’s SeeClickFix website can be found here: http://rioc.ny.gov/RI311.htm and residents can download iPhone, Android, and Blackberry apps here: http://www.seeclickfix.com/apps

Tram Station Updates

This week we started work on the Roosevelt Island and Manhattan Tram stations.  Work to modernize, beautify, and make the stations more comfortable for riders will be an ongoing project: We are doing our best to minimize disruptions for riders.

What can you expect when we're done?  I think the biggest change you'll see is an enclosure of the platforms and turnstiles.  For all of us who have taken the subway on a windy, cold day, we know what a relief enclosures will bring.  We'll also repair the stairs and repair, patch and paint the stations.

In the meantime, please use caution when walking near construction and have a safe ride.

Roosevelt Island Town Hall Meeting On Gristedes Supermarket With Hudson Related's David Kramer and Gristedes Owner John Catsimatidis Scheduled For March 12 - First Tangible Benefit Of Main Street Retail Master Lease Agreement

Roosevelt Island Gristedes Image From Roosevelt Island 360

Here's the first tangible benefit of the Roosevelt Island Master Retail Leasehold Agreement with Hudson Related Companies. I spoke with Hudson Related principal David Kramer today who reports that a town Hall Meeting with Gristedes owner John Catsimatidis will take place on Monday March 12, 7 PM at the Good Shepherd Community Center.

This will be an opportunity for Roosevelt Island residents to tell the Gristedes owner what we would like to see happen with our local supermarket. So, come and ask questions, make comments and listen to what Mr. Catsimatidis has to say. Consider this Town Hall Meeting your chance to participate in a Roosevelt Island Gristedes Supermarket Customer Focus Group.

According to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC)

Hudson/Related and Gristedes invite the community to a public meeting to get input and feedback in anticipation of Gristedes’ planned renovation and redesign of the Roosevelt Island supermarket.

Monday, March 12 at 7 PM at the Good Shepherd Community Center.

Here's what Roosevelt Island residents had to say about the Gristedes Supermarket at October 20, 2011 Main Street Retail Town Hall Meeting.

As to the remaining Main Street Retail Stores, Mr. Kramer said that he does not wish to make any announcements until leases are signed which has not yet occured.

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.

You Tube Video of Roosevelt Island Restaurant Discussion

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.

You Tube Video of Trellis Owner Addressing Retail Town Hall Meeting

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.

Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) President Critical of Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Failing To Provide Promised Assistance For Main Street Retail Town Hall Meeting

The Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) did a great job organizing the October 20 Main Street Retail Town Hall Meeting. Here's a video of the Town Hall Meeting.

However, RIRA President Matt Katz was critical of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) for failing to provide the assistance they promised for the event.

Below is a message Mr. Katz sent to RIOC President Leslie Torres and other RIOC Staff explaining why.

I am very disappointed that the arrangements we discussed and agreed upon (see below) were not accomplished.  Erica, I’ve tried to contact you all day today, by phone, email and in person, but without success, to confirm these arrangements.  Finally, at 5:00 p.m., I asked Public Safety to let me into Good Shepherd to check on the set-up.  Nothing had been set up.  We carried out our meeting with microphones provided by Island organizations and with two hours notice.  We moved our own furniture, which is usually no problem, but is when I am recuperating from abdominal surgery.

Erica, had you told us that you would not provide the meeting props we required, we would have made our own arrangements, but with two weeks notice instead of two hours.  You are Community Liaison; I am the elected representative of the community.  I expect to have my phone calls returned, especially as I don’t abuse the privilege.  I don’t’ expect my wife, who is an officer of RIRA, to be told she doesn’t have an appointment when she drops in at 591 Main Street to ask if you have a spare moment on the day of an important event.

We had a standing room only crowd this evening, with well over 300 residents in attendance.  My comments to them about the lack of cooperation from RIOC were not the only barbs thrown your way this evening.  RIOC has been painted as incompetent, given the inability to maintain a commercial sector on Main Street.  This evening’s failure has not enhanced your reputation.

Matthew M. Katz

President, RIRA

The email referenced in Mr. Katz's message was a RIOC staff person agreeing to provide the necessary equipment for the Town Hall Meeting.

I asked RIOC to comment but have received no reply yet. Will update if RIOC chooses to reply.

Here's what Mr. Katz said at the Town Hall Meeting on this subject.

You Tube Video of Main Street Retail Town Hall Meeting

UPDATE 10/26 - Mr. Katz adds:

I wanted to follow up my email sent post-Town Meeting last Thursday. Today, I met with Leslie, Fernando and Erica to air my issues regarding the set-up for the meeting. We compared email communications, and it was clear that the cause of our difficulties was a series of miscommunications, incorrect assumptions and unclear language on the part of all the participants, including Hudson/Related, during the days leading up to the event. I believe we are on the same page now and that we can use our mistakes as a learning experience to prevent similar glitches in the future. We shall all strive to be more specific when discussing the elements, including tech support, of future programs. RIRA and RIOC have been producing excellent programs together (the 9/11 Memorial being the most recent) for many years now, and we agreed that it is essential that our efficient working relationship be maintained. Regards,

Matthew Katz

President, RIRA

Mr. Katz met with RIOC staff yesterday.

Roosevelt Island Main Street Retail Town Hall Presentation By New Landlord Hudson/Related - Here's What Happened

The gloomy, dreary, depressing and empty presence of Roosevelt Island's Main Street retail corridor will soon be nothing more than a bad memory. The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC), a NY State Public Benefit Corporation, that operated as the Landlord for our Main Street Stores turning Main Street into a replica of a commercial corridor in the former Soviet Union is now out of the Roosevelt Island retail business. RIOC has been replaced by a private sector developer, Hudson/Related, the developers of Southtown Riverwalk Buildings, as the Master Leaseholder for Main Street.

David Kramer, a principal of Hudson, and his retail team presented their vision of a revitalized and thriving Main Street last night at a Town Hall Meeting organized by the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA). Here's what Mr. Kramer had to say.

You Tube Video of Main Street Retail Town Hall Meeting (Part 1)

Following Mr. Kramer's remarks, Hudson/Related's architect and brand designer spoke of the physical changes they were considering for Main Street.

You Tube Video of Main Street Retail Town Hall Meeting (Part 2)

And then came a question and answer session with Roosevelt Island residents, organization leaders and merchants.

You Tube Video of Main Street Retail Town Hall Meeting (Part 3)

You Tube Video of Main Street Retail Town Hall Meeting (Part 4) Audio/Video is out of Synch

Will have more on this later.

UPDATE 10/22- Here are some before and possible after scenes of the new Roosevelt Island Main Street from Hudson/Related.

East Arcade Store Before

East Arcade Ice Cream Store After - wood ceilings, better lighting, open view of arcade.

West Side of the Street Before,

West Side of the Street After - appears to be a restaurant in the Cleaners Space.

 

East Arcade Corridor Before - dark, dreary and dirty,

East Arcade Corridor After - wood ceilings, better lighting, colorful signage and clean.

View of East Side of Main Street From West Side of Main Street Before

and after. Open view of the East Arcade