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Friday, July 11, 2014


According to the MTA:


Also, Judy Berdy reports:

 until February 15.


APS said...

what happened to getting food trucks on the island for "eleanors pier"?

Westviewer said...

My guess is that there was resistance to RIOC's attempt to shake down the vendors for a permit beyond the one they already paid for from NYC, achieving RIOC's no doubt intended result of being able to tell residents, "we tried," but still providing protectionism to existing RI food establishments.

Mark Lyon said...

After the hurricane, I attempted to reach out to several trucks in order to see if they'd come back to the island, even if only to serve a hot meal to the folks at the Hospital without power. Almost all of those I contacted had a very negative opinion and didn't want to work the island, even to help in an emergency. One told me that there were plenty of other places they could go where they would be appreciated. The only one who was willing to come would only do it if I bought the truck for the day as a catering event. I doubt Roosevelt Island will see any significant food truck activity for quite some time, even if RIOC changes their permitting policy.

CheshireKitty said...

The healthy smoothie truck and a fresh popcorn truck were at the Southpoint Park film presentation the other day - doing desultory business it seemed to me. Food trucks *lose* money coming to RI - compared to basically *guaranteed* profits they could make in densely populated areas such as Manhattan or W-burg. That's why RIOC should be encouraging to trucks coming to RI, rather than discouraging - simplify the process, and not charging a fee.

I think Westviewer is right: Probably, in a not-so-complicated way, the fix is in via Kramer: Keep permit fees high to discourage food trucks and keep the food monopoly in place at the pier. No trucks means visitors have no choice but to buy food at the ST Commons establishments to enjoy at the pier. This way, RIOC can blame the trucks, yet still keep Kramer (and his lessee restaurants) happy.

The pier food court season is brief - as summer is brief. It's a shame ST food establishments can't tolerate even a little bit of competition from trucks. Financially, although the food business is tough, these ST food establishments have a built-in guaranteed customer base on RI, especially the bar. It's almost as if these businesses have no choice but to succeed. They (at least the bar & sushi restaurant) have zero competition on RI.

The problem is, Kramer can't see the long-term connection between his residential lessees and short-term profit. Having the trucks is strategically good as it brings hipness - which money can't buy - to RI, even if only over the summer. It also makes the "odd isolation" of RI less so, by including RI, even if just slightly, in the food trends embodied by the trucks. Stories will be written about the trucks on RI, which are situated at an amazing E. River overlook, an advantage that is unique to RI; this positive press makes RI/ST more desirable to lessees. The short-term "loss" of profit to his commercial lessees over the summer is translated down the road into more residential leasing business. If Kramer was a nice guy, he might see that it's worth it to give the food-related ST businesses a break on rent when the food trucks are at the pier - he could almost consider that loss of profit to him as part of the cost of doing business/advertising, given the good press/PR the trucks will generate. This way, everyone is happy: RI residents get the trucks; ST businesses do not lose quite so much money; Kramer gets the benefit of an enhanced "image" i.e. hipness, by allowing the trucks and eventually makes more the money back by attracting more residential lessees later. Put simply, the trucks are good advertising for his development, even from a word-of-mouth standpoint even if no stories are ever written about them. Thus, it "pays" for Kramer to allow the trucks.

OldRossie said...

Did they explain why they were so down on the island?

APS said...

I agree, but would like a response from RIOC. How much are they spending on the table rentals? Seems like a BIG waste of funds.

OldRossie said...

Sorry... You're saying they specifically said the cost of the permits and people handing out fliers are the reasons they dont want to come to the island?

CheshireKitty said...

I think RIOC now owns the tables and chairs; they bought them from Sal and came up with the idea of the food court with food trucks, once Sal declined to have the pier food business again this year.

RooseveltIslander said...

RIOC is not spending any money on the tables. Hudson Related paid RIOC to be the Pier Concessionaire and HR is bringing in the vendors.

RooseveltIslander said...

RIOC paid about $4,500 to Riverwalk for the tables and chairs.