No Riviera Or Other Residential Development For Roosevelt Island After the Completion of Southtown Riverwalk Buildings Says RIOC President

Image of Proposed Roosevelt Island Riviera project from SSJ Development

Following up on earlier post regarding developer Stephen Jemal's proposed Roosevelt Island Riviera development project for the area extending from the Tramway Plaza to Southpoint Point, including the Coler -Goldwater Hospital Campus, I asked RIOC President Steve Shane for comment. On July 24 Mr. Shane responded:

Absolutely no contact. A News story that is long out of date as far as anyone here knows. To my understanding, the 5500+/- units to exist on completion of Southtown will be the end of development.

If Mr. Shane's understanding is correct that completion of the Southtown Riverwalk residential complex will end any further residential development on Roosevelt Island, then not only is the Riviera at Roosevelt Island project not going to be built but the Coler-Goldwater Hospital South Campus will not be demolished for condos either.

Also, the threat of condo development at Southpoint Park has been used by many to justify supporting the Louis Kahn/FDR memorial. Advocates of the memorial, some opponents refer to it as the Louis Kahn death box, such as Councilmember Jessica Lappin have used the threat of Southpoint Park condo development to scare some Roosevelt Island residents into supporting this boondoggle. According to the AP story in the 11/25/07 Daily News, Lappin claimed:

If the FDR memorial doesn't happen, there's no other plan for those three acres. People could put up luxury condos. It's up for grabs, and that makes me nervous.

If no such condo threat exists, then the Kahn memorial can be judged on its own lack of merits without fear that it is the only alternative to huge condo towers at Southpoint Park. Any chance of that happening?

The big unanswered question is if RIOC President Shane's understanding regarding future real estate development on Roosevelt Island is correct for now and going forward in the future?

Incredible, Amazing, Unbelievable Waterfront Plans For Roosevelt lsland's Southpoint Park - But With Big Problems Too

Aerial View of Southpoint Park image from SSJ Development

Filed under the category of how did I miss this.

The July 1 Daily News published an article about Brooklyn real estate developer Stephen Jemal's plan for revitalizing abandoned and environmentally unsafe areas of South Brooklyn in Sheepshead Bay, Mill Basin and Gerritsen Beach. According to the Daily News article:

"I'm taking blighted land filled with warehouses, factories and abandoned marinas and bringing them back to life so people can live there," says Jemal, a brand builder who trademarked the name Riviera for his visionary waterfront revitalization strategy that he'll take global in its final phase. "Real estate might be cyclical, but the one constant in this world, historically speaking, even in a down market, is that waterfront property does not go down in value. They're not building it anymore. I just had to find it and improve it.

What does this have to do with Roosevelt Island and Southpoint Park? The Daily News article reports:

Phase two of Jemal's master plan for the Riviera residential real estate brand includes building the south side of Roosevelt Island and several large skyscrapers for mixed-use hotel, residential, retail and commercial facilities in Long Island City, Jersey City and South Street Seaport

And:

In his first foray after selling the Wiz, a plan Jemal conceived himself won a Request for Proposal bid to develop Roosevelt Island's southern tip. He beat out some of the world's most prestigious development companies.
"It takes a long time to build something like the Roosevelt Island project," says Jemal, who has spent more than $50 million without earning one dollar back. "I wanted to learn the ropes and get my feet wet out in Brooklyn first, so to speak."

According to the web site for Jemal's development company SSJ Development LLC:

The Riviera® at Roosevelt Island will actualize a long standing vision residents have had for the entire southern portion of the island. With its amazing views, tranquil setting and close proximity to Midtown this site is the most desirable, glorious and unparalleled piece of land in the city.

... Located slightly north of the Queensboro Bridge and extending to the south side of the bridge, this six-acre site takes up the entire width of the island from Main Street to East Road. SSJ Development's vision encompasses the Tram Site, the existing Goldwater Hospital Site, the Former City Hospital Site and embraces the Master Plan for a New Southpoint Park on Roosevelt Island as prepared by the Trust For Public Land. SSJ Development proposes creating a vibrant and lively community centered around a newly created transportation hub. A nchored by a new ferry terminal on each side of the island, a new pedestrian promenade is proposed just south of the tram. Complete with kiosks selling newspapers, coffee and snacks and benches offering the amazing views of the water, the city, the bridge and the tram, this space would serve as an urban gathering place. The tram station itself would be renovated by creating a glass enclosure on both sides of the tram so residents can enjoy the views while they wait. Just north of the site SSJ Development would also renovate the existing subway station.

Here are some preliminary images of the proposed Roosevelt Island Southpoint project.

This image is the most troubling and is what frightens those Roosevelt Islanders who see the Louis Kahn memorial (incorrectly labeled as a FDR memorial) as the only way to stop such condo development at Southpoint Park. Mr. Jemal says that his development plan:

embraces the Master Plan for a New Southpoint Park on Roosevelt Island as prepared by the Trust For Public Land

but it is hard to see how given this image below.

All Image from SSJ Development

Here is 1999 Main Street Wire column about the last time developer Jemal came to Roosevelt Island with a project for Southpoint Park:

Stephen Jemal is the principal of SSJ, the developer of the proposed Marriott project. He has met with the separate Planning and Development Committees of both RIOC and RIRA. He seems genuinely puzzled over why we wouldn't want a two-tower resort (26 stories each) with 350 first-class hotel rooms and 50 condominiums in a gated community in our back yard.

Blogger Gerritsen Beach has some information about Jemal's Brooklyn waterfront development projects.

The investment companies that fund the Jemal’s Brooklyn projects in Mill Basin, Gerritsen beach and Sheepshead Bay have filed a civil suit against Stephen S Jemal and Sharon E Jemal in Texas Northern District Court.

The companies “Gerritsen Beach Investments Ltd” and “Riviera Investments I Ltd” filed their complaint on 7/14/2008 the cause is stated as a “Contract Dispute“.

Image of developer Stephen Jemal from Daily News

And more from blogger Sheepshead Bites:

I'm no development naysayer. I have nothing against Jemal. In fact, I know surprisingly little about his work, and from what I read of his plans, they're not nearly as terrible, destructive or garish as some of the other work going on in the area. My problem here is with the Daily News. To the residents of Brooklyn's southern coast, development is one of the top issues. It's not to be taken lightly. But, unfortunately, the press too often serves as the number one cheerleader for the developers.

Let the fun begin.

UPDATE - 4PM: Forgot to include link to another skyscraper proposal for Southpoint Park - The Roosevelt Island Tower of Death

UPDATE - 7/23: Lawyers for the developer sent a letter to Blogger Gerritsen Beach demanding post linked to here be removed. More here.