Now that Related / Hudson has indicated that the last retail space at 425 Main Street is planned for some sort of “food” related tenant it puts to bed some of the rumors that the Roosevelt Island Branch of the New York Public Library will be moving to that space. I now find myself coming back to the need for increased public bathrooms centrally located on the Island.I first starting making noise on this blog regarding this need, back in August, in regards to the local NYPL branch NOT making available to the public the sole bathroom on their premises. It was hoped that if the NYPL Branch moved to a new space on the Island that access to a public bathroom on the premises would be made available. Currently if a parent has a child needing to go that they either have to run home or go to Trellis and quickly try to descend those slippery worn steps to their bathroom. Running South to the Tram or North to Octagon Park are not options.
The Roosevelt Islander picked up on this same theme in a number of posts and also put forth my suggestion that RIOC apply for one of the planned twenty stand alone public toilets the City intends to construct around the five boroughs. I guess it is time to start making inquiries again. For users of the library it would be so much easier if the bathroom at the library could at least be made available to them.
Perhaps a portion of 504 Main Street once it is converted to the Public Safety offices could be set aside and turned into a publicly accessible restroom. With the public safety officers onsite at least we would be assured that the restrooms would be safe and not used for any illicit purposes. Perhaps when the Charmin toilet paper folks leave their now annual Time Square facilities they could be talked into sponsoring a public lieu here on Roosevelt Island?
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the NYPL was never planned for 425 main street (the duane reade building). it is being discussed for one of the 3 remaining buildings which are coming up along the Queens side of the island.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info. If I may can I ask what the source of your info is?
ReplyDeleteboard meetings for 455 main st.
ReplyDeleteDoes the visitor's kiosk at the tram have plumbing? I realize that the kiosk is far from other island facilities but is it possible to add a public restroom there? How about the tram terminal itself?
ReplyDeleteTh tram terminal does have public bathrooms which RIOC promised would be accessible to interested parties but that does nothing when a toddler is in Northtown at the library's current location. My understanding is even if the Tram bathrooms are locked a member of the Tram staff will open them up.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I forgot to answer your question. The kiosk does NOT have any plumbing or enough space to be honest for a bathroom.
ReplyDeleteWhen I wrote about the kiosk I was thinking about a separate toilet next to it, like those designed by Cemusa. But you are right, the location is not convenient for anyone north of the subway station. I did not know that there are restrooms at the tram terminal.
ReplyDelete