Roosevelt Island Main Street Retail Update On Vacant Storefront Windows, Pop Up Art, Urgent Care Facility Opening, Newstand Status And Trellis Construction - Also Goodbye Nonno's, Hello New Pizza From Piccolo Trattoria

During last night's March 19 meeting of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board of Directors Real Estate Advisory Committee (full audio web cast here and here), RIOC Director Howard Polivy provided this update from Main Street Retail Master Leaseholder Hudson Related.



According to Hudson Related:

• The new vinyl in vacant windows should be installed by the end of the week and should add to the attractiveness of the corridor experience.
• The new art work in the old hardware store is getting installed this month and should also add to the attractiveness of the arcade area storefront windows. We are talking with RIVAA about changing the art work monthly, to keep it active and engaging as long as the installation runs.
• We are looking into potentially getting another pop up art installation in one of the other vacant spaces, something that a resident brought up at the last meeting. This is in very early stages.
• We should be done with our work at the Urgent Care space by the end of this month and turning over possession to the tenant who will be moving forward with the renovation work. We expect the Urgent Care to open this summer.
• We are working on a renewal with Island Newsstand. We will know if they are staying or leaving by the end of this month. They are working out business plans before getting back to us.
• Trellis is in the process of redesigning their bar area so they do not need to remove the structural wall they were previously proposing to remove. We are waiting to hear back from them when they will restart their work.

Also, as reported March 3, Nonno's Pizzeria was sold to long time employee Oscar and a partner. Yesterday the Nonno's Pizzeria sign was removed and up went

the sign for Piccolo  Trattoria.

I spoke with Oscar last night who promises a new menu in the next couple of weeks.

Good Luck to Oscar and Piccolo Trattoria.

Latest Info On Roosevelt island Main Street Retail From Master Leaseholder Hudson Related - Trellis Renovation Delay, Possible Move Of Card Shop To Smaller Space, New Day Care Tenant, No More Summer Eleanor's Pier On Waterfront & More

 Image Of Trellis Diner Behind Construction

Here's the latest on Roosevelt Island Main Street retail store news.

Main Street Retail Master Leaseholder Hudson Related's representative Arianna Sacks Rosenberg briefed and answered questions from the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board of Directors and members of the community during last night's RIOC Real Estate Advisory Committee meeting (audio web cast of meeting will be here).

The meeting began with RIOC Director Howard Polivy establishing the ground rules for the meeting and introducing Ms. Rosenberg.



Ms. Rosenberg reviewed progress made  to date including signing 9 new leases with these tenants:

• Wholesome Factory,
• New York Public Library,
• Island Wines,
• Subway Sandwiches,
• Main Street Sweets,
• Urgent Care Medical Center,
• the Trellis and Gallery RIVAA renewals and

confirmed the signing of a new lease with a Day Care Center at 568 Main Street.

Ms. Rosenberg said they are talking with other retailers including restaurants and "non profit types" for the 6 existing vacant spaces.

Among the other issues discussed were:

• Is the rent sought by Hudson Related too high for potential Roosevelt Island tenants? Ms Rosenberg said no.
• Ugly empty storefront windows - asked Hudson Related to make windows more attractive with signage or temporary installations
• Card and Gift Shop lease expired and being offered smaller space at 615 Main Street (former Boy Scout Storage Space) and 507 Main Street (former Chiropractor's office)
• Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Main Street Retail Committee input.

• Ugly Trellis plywood construction shed,
• Concern that Hudson Related leasing program is waiting for completion of Cornell Campus,
• Bleak view down Main Street Arcade,
• Deterioration Of Main Street Arcade, new paint is chipping,
• Benches at Roosevelt Landings should be turned around facing street instead of facing building,
• Fresh new sidewalks for Northtown, remove the Z Bricks,
• Trellis renovation construction problems caused by discovery of unknown structural wall,
• Perception by some that Hudson Related Main Street retail improvements were being done for the benefit of their Southtown buildings

• Neither H-R, Trellis or Island House owner knew about the structural wall before demolition began and
• New Day Care tenant at 546 Main Street is a woman who has operated day care facility in Roosevelt Island apartment but may not be currently doing so.

We also learned the unfortunate news that Hudson Related is not bringing back the Eleanor's Pier waterfront restaurant this summer.



I hope RIOC has some plans for bringing another restaurant or food service of some kind to the Pier this summer.

No More Construction Scaffolding For Roosevelt Landings Main Street Arcade, Windows Gone And New Ceiling Installed - Do You Like The New Look?

Image Of New Roosevelt Island Roosevelt Landings/Eastwood Main Street Arcade

As reported last week, the construction scaffolding over the Roosevelt Landings Arcade

Roosevelt Landings Scaffolding For Arcade Renovation

was scheduled to be completely removed by yesterday.

It was - here's what the Main Street Arcade now looks like

with new ceilings, fresh paint

and without the Arcade windows.

What do you think?

Westview Arcade renovation is about to start.

Hudson Related's David Kramer Provides RIOC With Update On Roosevelt Island Main Street Retail Progress - Arcade Transformation, Window Removal, Trellis Renovation, Public Library Lease, Signage & More

During April 2 Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Real Estate Advisory Committee meeting (audio web cast of meeting is here), Roosevelt Island Main Street Master Leaseholder Hudson Related's David Kramer provided an update on Main Street retail retail progress.

Mr. Kramer reported that the big news is that Hudson Related will immediately begin to:

... transform the Arcade Experience with wood ceiling, different light fixtures and opening up the space... provide some lighting for the signage...

Here's Mr. Kramer on the Arcade Transformation.



Later in the meeting Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Retail Subcommittee Chair Susan Marcus asked Mr. Kramer what the best strategy would be to fight him on removing the Westview Arcade Windows. After some laughter Mr. Kramer jokingly suggested some

... Civil Disobedience...

and then stated his long held position for removing the Arcade windows:

... we need the approval of the building owner and to the extent the building owner doesn't grant the approval, that would stop us in our tracks us and that would be a huge mistake...

...I would suggest you and your band of advocates wait until you see how it looks at Eastwood...  I have never  been particularly swayed by the argument that the diagonally slanting rain needs to be protected by intermittent window panels where there is space in between where there isn't window panels and at some point you leave the Arcade and then you are not protected at all...

... I encourage you guys to have an open mind before you hold rallies in front of Westview owners residence to take a look at how it turns out at Eastwood...

Here's Mr. Kramer on the removal of window arcades.



Ms. Marcus provides this summary of Mr. Kramer's full presentation.

• construction on new lights and wood ceilings should begin very soon
• lights will be put behind signs
• signs must be same shape but store owner can use own colors and designs
• Eastwood is being insulated
• empty store front windows will have new film put on them like the deli
• Trellis' plans were rejected because they went beyond the actual store to the street. H/R is giving Trellis generous amount of time to come up with new plans.
• New Market will be opening soon. What soon is was unclear.
• Liquor store has license but will not be worked on until market is open
• Library lease is moving forward but still an issue with windows at 504. Lease has yet to be signed.
• H/R is willing to partition the top of 504
• Kiosks are still in the planning stage. H/R is thinking of using a vendor the city is using. Will be fancy electronic ones. Not sure about concrete ones that we are using now. May take a handful of years to install the new electronic ones.
• a bakery may be close to signing a lease
• Hardware store is still in the middle of a slow eviction process
• No news on Thrift Store and is not a big concern of H/R at this time.

Here's the full discussion on Roosevelt Island Main Street retail update with Mr. Kramer.

Clog Editors Discuss Brutalism Architecture At Roosevelt Island's Gallery RIVAA - Roosevelt Island Is A Unique And Amazing Place They Say

Image From Clog

As previously reported, following the opening of the Roosevelt Island Motorgate Art Gallery

Image of Motorgate Art Gallery Mural

the editors of Clog Magazine celebrated the launching of their latest issue with a discussion of Brutalism

Image From Clog

at Gallery RIVAA.

John Lee of the Stewardship Report shares this video of Clog Magazine's talk about Brutalism.



Among the topics discussed was the wisdom, or lack thereof, of Main Street Master Leaseholder Hudson Related's plan to remove the glass window partitions from the Main Street Arcade. In response to a question from the architects whether the glass partitions were useful, the audience at Gallery RIVAA said that the windows were useful which, according to the architects, was more important than any opinion they may have.

You can buy Clog's Brutalism issue here.

Roosevelt Island Retail Signage Going Up -Subway Sandwich Shop Signage and Arcade Shops On Main Street Logo In Place

Work is progressing on the interior of the new Roosevelt Island Main Street Subway Sandwich Shop and today I noticed signage placed in the window.

Also, Hudson Related has new signage in the Main Street Arcade

and facing out towards the street.

What do you think?

Update On Roosevelt Island Main Street Arcade Prototype - Windows Removed, Ceiling Wood Paneling, Light Fixtures, Signage Installed And Fresh Coat Of Paint - What Do You Think?

An update on Master Leaseholder Hudson Related's proposed mockup of the Roosevelt Island Main Street Arcade.

The ceiling wood paneling, lighting fixtures and signage have been installed as well as a fresh coat of paint applied to the walls and

can be compared to the current look a few feet away.

Here's view from across the street

and inside a store.

More on the Roosevelt Island Main Street arcade from previous post.

Roosevelt Island Main Street Arcade Prototype Nearly Complete - Window Panels Removed And New Ceiling In Place

Image Of 568 Main Street Arcade Yesterday Without Window and Scaffolding

Reported last June 21:

... Hudson Related has removed the glass window from Main Street Arcade at 568 Main

and is constructing a prototype in the area to test possible designs of what the Arcade might look like.The proposed mockup should be completed in a few weeks....

As I was walking past the area yesterday, it appears that the proposed mockup is almost completed. Here's the windowless arcade viewed from across the street,

looking out to the street from the Main Street Arcade

and the new wooden ceiling

compared to the present ceiling.

Lighting still needs to be added as well as new street furniture. The prototype for Roosevelt Island Main Street Arcade will soon be ready for community evaluation.

Sure Would Be Nice To Have A Roosevelt Island Main Street Ice Cream Store On Hot Days Like Today

Ice Cream Cone Image From Bentnorthrup

Guess what - that will soon happen. Several reliable sources have told me that Hudson Related is about to sign a lease with a Roosevelt Island resident for an Ice Cream Store on Main Street. Hopefully this will occur in the next few days but just to be clear, the lease has not been signed and Hudson Related has not confirmed the accuracy of this report.

In other Roosevelt Island Main Street retail news, Hudson Related has removed the glass window from Main Street Arcade at 568 Main

and is constructing a prototype in the area to test possible designs of what the Arcade might look like.The proposed mockup should be completed in a few weeks.

Some residents have expressed unhappiness with Hudson Related's plan to remove the Arcade windows. For instance, resident Raye Schwartz writes:

Please consider this.

Whether or not we, Kramer, H-R or the current RIOC or RIRA likes or dislikes the aesthetics of glass partitions is irrelevant. Roosevelt Island was built as a planned community to integrate a variety of levels of housing and a diverse population into a multi-everything community: income, age, mobility, physically challengedm, ethnicity, etc.. That meant that disabled people and seniors would have more mobility and freedom than in any other place in New York, and probably even the country. So to compare it to other places that manage without glass partition protection in spite of inclement weather is missing the point...unless one wants to ignore the intent of this community

While it is essential to improve the retail corridor, removing the glass partitions will wipe out everything this island stands for, or at least was meant to stand for. And the argument about sanitation is absurd too...not when Kramer is entertaining the notion to place a "Subway" store at 531 Main Street and Public Safety will not do a damn thing to get people to stop feeding the pigeons, squirrels and rats because "it's a city ordinance and they work for the state"! Same is true for ignoring the trash the people throw on the ground, the lawns and into planters, not only on Main Street, but outside of Starbucks and Motorgate as well. It seems as if RIOC and Kramer are catering to the trust fund babies and yuppies as they are making efforts to obliterate and override everything this island was meant to be, rather than incorporating new ideas and improvements into the current model. Yes Virginia, improvements, not obliteration, are needed.

Those glass partitions should not be removed. However, they could be improved. Perhaps they could be replaced with larger shatterproof and non-reflective glass panels and the ugly and dirty metal partitions could be removed. The store windows should also be revamped. And instead of the enormous red mastheads, make those smaller and install better lighting so that the storefronts are visible through the glass both day and night. Directories should also be installed on both sides of Main Street, such as the "you are here" directories they have in malls, with maps and store listings as well as arrows. Thos directories should be on both the north end and south end of Main Street, as well as at the tram and the mall at Southtown. They should be all inclusive of the entire retail corridor, from Motorgate and the post office, all the way down to Southpoint Park.

Another thing to consider, not only for seniors or the disabled, is that Main Street is a wind tunnel and those glass panels provide safety and protection for everyone on rainy or stormy days, not just when there's snow. That protection is not only for seniors and the disabled, but also for the kids who attend PS 217, The Child School and even the day nursery.

And as a matter of fact, there should also be some standards for the window displays of all the shopkeepers, i.e. the video/general store which thankfully is somewhat hidden by those partitions! And in addition, when is Urban America going to remove thos hideous chartreuse signs from Eastwood?

I therefore submit the idea that a better aesthetic and the needs of the people of this community can exist in a symbiotic relationship without one sacrificing the other. Just in case RIOC forgot to tell Kramer about the needs of this community, someone please tell him to go back to the drawing board and come up with a better solution that will work for both the people and retail.

Let's not throw out the baby when we simply need to change the bath water!

Roosevelt Island resident Fred Plastino, who chairs Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Main Street Retail subcommittee, has a different point of view on the window arcade removal:

Let me start off by saying, I have walked many nights in the cold and rain to and from the garage to my home. And while I appreciate the protection of the overhang, I can't say removing the glass and planters will significantly change things under most conditions.

The intent is to open up views, light, and visibility to and from the store fronts. Hudson and their architects feel this is a step in the right direction towards improving street appeal, and I happen to agree. Opposition to this change has been voiced many times, and David Kramer is aware.

They've been hired to revitalize the retail corridor, I think we should give them a chance to implement their ideas for improvement. It's not beyond the realm of possibility they might consider re-establishing the original design if things don't work out. However, if you disagree you can contact David Kramer directly. He has extended this invitation to everyone.

For now, I am just happy about the Ice Cream store!!!

Roosevelt Island Main Street Vacant Stores Get Historical Window Treatments

More progress has been made in making the long-vacant Main Street retail stores less of an ugly eyesore. In addition to the frosted windows installed last week, historical Roosevelt Island photographs and images have been placed in two windows panes of the former pizza place creating a more attractive storefront area than the previous orange drapery window coverings.

Some of the historical images include the Welfare Island Trolley that traveled along the 59th Street Bridge dropping passengers off at an elevator that took them down to Welfare (Roosevelt) Island, cartoons and mug shots of prisons inmate such as Boss Tweed and old pictures of Blackwell's and Welfare Island before it was re-named Roosevelt Island. The Roosevelt Island Historical Society has more images here.

Good job by those residents who came up with this idea and RIOC for implementing it. Now let's do something similar with the other vacant Main Street store windows.