Monday, August 17, 2009

Riverwalk Bar & Grill Opens TODAY


The Riverwalk Bar & Grill opens today per their new website which is worth checking out itself.

According to the Feed Blog on Time Out New York:

Co-owners and brothers Jonathan and Salvatore Hoo hope to fill a void in Roosevelt Island’s dining scene with this casual bar and eatery. Alfonse Dicioccio—who owns nearby Nonno’s Focacceria—is also involved, but you won’t find much pizza here: The staunchly all-American menu sticks to burgers, hefty salads and fried finger food. 425 Main St between Road 5 and West Rd (646-833-7050)

I am expecting like many island residents that this new entry to the few available establishments on the island to be warmly and enthusiastically received.

Will the bar regulars at Trellis migrate to this new watering hole? We shall see. Will a younger crowd claim the Bar & Grill as their own? Will families flock to it? Will this new bar entice Zog Sports teams to stay a bit on island after their games? Is that a plus or minus to residents?

All in all we all hope it succeeds as it will add choices and push competition all to improve the local fare which can only benefit everyone.

85 comments:

  1. I believe they should decide on the menu prices before they invite any guests

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  2. Please please please leave the Trellis folks at Trellis. Riverwalk is for the younger crowd.

    It'll be happy hour for the young professionals of Octagon, Manhattan Park and Riverwalk area.


    The clientele has definitely been nice so far.

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  3. The pizzaria is just plain awful. The food is terrible. The service is worse. If the owner is involved in the new restaurant as well, I'm pretty pessimistic about it.

    I'll be glad to be proven wrong.

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  4. THE HELL WITH ALL THE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS. LET THEM GO TO THE BARS IN MANN. WE WILL MAKE THIS A BAR FOR BLUE COLLAR PEOPLE. THE OLD TIMERS LIVING ON THE ISLAND .NOT THE NEW YOUNG PROFESSIONALS GET THE HELL OFF THE ISLAND .MOVE BACK TO MANN. TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HANG OUT IN JULIES BAR LETS ALL GO TO THIS BAR AND MAKE IT OUR BAR . NOT A BAR FOR THE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS..

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  5. WHERE THE HELL DOSES A PERSON WITH A FRIST NAME OF SALVATORE .GET A LAST NAME LIKE HOO ,

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  6. i agree the food in the pizzaria is terrible . but see the owner is luckey because the young professionals who eat there do not know what good food is most of then are not from new york so they dont know what the hell eating good food is . .

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  7. i was at the new bar monday nite there was one woman there who i went to her apartment with / i stayed over in her apartment .i must say this is a great place to pice up young professional woman who are so busy working they have no time for a relatinship[ . so a one nite stand must do.

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  8. Mike, Jane, Burt, and Marvin are one person. I am not sure what this person is trying to achieve here.

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  9. Their pizza shop is over priced. When you come in they have a different price depending on their mood. I went into the deli and who wants to pay almost 8 bucks for a HERO??? Give me a break they are tooooo over priced!

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  10. This is sad that any group would tell another group on this Island that a bar that is not theirs and is a free establishment to stay away!!

    Roosevelt Island was Never like this before the Newer Buildings went up in Riverwalk for the more affluent residents.

    We have all types of residents here, young, elderly, families, UN, etc.

    Anybody can go to any establishment on this Island whenever they want to.

    I just wish RIOC thought more before they "developed" Southtown and totally ruined the nice, everyone together community we had on the ENTIRE ISLAND.

    As usual, the Almighty Dollar is more important to NYS and RIOC.

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  11. Anonymous from 1:28am. At first you say that it "is sad that any group would tell another group on this island" to stay away from something. On the other hand you indirectly blame the development, i.e. the residents that came with it, of Southtown.

    AFAIK, it really began when the Octagon came online. The whole ridiculous complaints about the red bus, "rich" vs "poor", etc. etc. My island, your island, our island. Bah.

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  12. Oh Please, this is what I am talking about...

    I am not blaming the Southtown Residents.

    What I was trying to put across was the attitude of the poster saying keep the Trellis group at Trellis.

    AFAIK?

    I know all about the Octagon, I have been here for over 25 years, some of those apartment by law were supposed to be for Middle Class Residents that already resided here. The Mayor made a change in the GDP and changed that.

    The Octagon was not even supposed to be built according to the original GDP put in place in 1968.

    It is nobody's Island, it is or should be Everyone's Island, as it once was.

    There is problem with the red buses and the Octagon, I as a Westview resident, never have a bus at our Bus stop. I have to basically run to the Subway or Tram. It is not their Fault, it is RIOC.

    Bah to you also, this is what I was trying to point out.

    We, as original residents did not have a problem with the developing of Southtown, we knew about it. It was delayed for years, the large field where the new Buildings are on was empty for years.

    I didn't have a problem with MSK and Cornell building housing or the newer Buildings.

    It wasn't planned well and you may have noticed we have major Transportation troubles.

    This island is not large enough to support large amounts of Residents.

    The F train problem in the AM Rush hour has been going on for years and now it is very bad.

    When the Tram goes down in March, 2010, no one will be getting anywhere on and off this island in a prompt fashion.

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  13. RIOC is not developing Southtown. Hudson/Related is. That's the reason it's the only nice part of the island.

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  14. The new Riverwalk Grill is OVERPRICED!!
    I ate their today and was shocked by the menu prices. They are charging more than some nice sports bars in Manhattan - ridiculous. We were looking forward to this bar opening, but we'd rather take the trip over to Manhattan.

    The wings are apparently 'oversized' - the smallest wings we have ever had! and the portions are small and the food presentation is so standard.

    VERY DISAPPOINTED!!!!

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  15. To Anonymous re: RIOC not developing Southtown,
    who do you think granted Hudson-Related the ability to develop it and RIOC and NYS own the Ground lease.

    Southtown is NOT the only nice part of the Island.

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  16. why the hell do you think the grill is over priced its because the owner knows that you people living in southtown pay high rents so he knows he can charge hige prices. i have been living here for 27 years and i loved it here .everyone one knew each other and would say hello when going to work but now all these new people have f..up this island this was a place for low and middle income not high income people who now are moving onto the island rioc can drop dead for letting this go on

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  17. i was at the new bar on friday nite and it was 90 per cent with all the young professionals who have now moved onto the island it made me sick . it looked like the bars you would find on the upper east side . so please .all the old time peolpe who have been living on this island before it became f...up with these new pepole come out to the bar. please do not let these new people have this bar as thier own, they want us to go to trellis. who the hell are they to tell us that this bar is for young people from octagon. mannattan park and riverwalk . please come out this was our island 1st. and will always be ours

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  18. Bravo Mike!!!

    I have been here for 27 years too and this once lovely Island, that I loved, it ruined forever.

    Thanks to the idiots in RIOC and NYS.

    It has been heartbreaking to see this.

    I agree about the bar or anywhere on this Island, it cannot be segregated.

    The "Wire" building part of Main street lost most of our services, Bakery, Pizzeria, still not replaced.

    We lived here and settled this Island for a reason, it was for the Middle Class and Working Class.

    It is making me sick, too and alot of other long-term residents.

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  19. You people are stuck in your ways and have nothing better to do than voice your old fashioned opinions on here.

    Clearly change and improvement is something your opposed to. The new investment on this island is only making it a more attractive place to live and gaining a better reputation. Do you want it known as Welfare Island forever???

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  20. We are not "stuck" in our old ways. I am not.

    I wasn't opposed to change and improvement. The new investments are in Soutown and the Octagon.

    The middle part of Main Street is not improving.

    We are named "Roosevelt Island" since 1975, after FDR.

    This Island has not been known as "Welfare Island" for years.

    The WIRE Buildings are not "Welfare" Buildings.

    Just to wait to the Tram goes down and see how you feel then.

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  21. You all have too much time on your hands. We all should welcome the restaurant with open hands. the pizza is actually GREAT, and unlike Trellis, they have passed their inspections with flying colors. People should welcome new opportunities, if you want the island to stay the way it was when I came in 1979, then move somewhere else. This is NY, change is like air here. Welcome all, and a special thanks to the owners of the new establishments, for risking your livelihoods to help develop and improve our island. Bravo!!

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  22. I am not unwelcoming any new establishment here.

    I don't have a problem with new stores, it was the attitude of a poster the other day saying leave the Trellis crowd at Trellis.

    I haven't tried the pizza yet, I have heard is good or bad or whatever to whomever you talk to.

    I came in 1982, I knew we were going to be further developed.

    To argue over a new Bar- restaurant is ridiculous.

    We have bigger concerns here on Roosevelt Island as we go nearer the end of 2009.

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  23. It's not middle and working classes though. 85% of Eastwood pays $300 a month, and the rest are paying $2700 a month. That's utterly ridiculous.

    It's project living in the middle of the island. I can't wait to move outta this place and into Southtown or Manhattan Park. They completely lied when they showed me my apartment.

    The Eastwood apartments are nicely redone, but the rif raff is out of control making us look like we're in LOW income housing, not middle.

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  24. I agree about Eastwood, it used to be and that is because it got messed up in a terrible deal.

    Westview and Island House remain still in some part for the middle Class.

    You must be a new resident.

    What RIOC and all the new owners are trying to do is get rid of most of the original Middle Class-working class Residents that first settled this Island.

    There are problems in Manhattan Park, also.

    What happened in Eastwood should never have happenend, the Residents weren't informed of a deal that had alot of the apartments go Market rate.

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  25. I am a 26-year resident of the Island, I am middle-aged, working, and can barely still afford to work here. The folks who are critizing the long-term residents who get most of the work done around here need to quiet down.

    Now, About the new restaurant/cafe. I ate lunch there yesterday. My food was OK - nothing special, and my check and tip was about $2 more than the same lunch at Trellis. The servers are young and trying hard. The menu is limited, and that could be a good thing. The space is new, a little sterile and not yet fully "decorated", and the flat screen TVs, supposedly there for sports lovers, are in the wrong spots to be easily seen by the crowd they hope to attract.

    The new cafe, pizza place and Asian restaurant among the newer buildings on the Island should serve to add a little social and "nutritional" diversity to our Island.

    Everyone however is turning this into a class and age war, and frankly, everyone needs to knock it off. Our Island is undergoing tremendous changes that are ruining the balance of age, ethnicity and economics that made this Island work just fine for the first 25 years.
    If we do not start talking to each other, working together to get the Tram, subway, bus and other infrastructure improvements we need for EVERYONE who LIVES and WORKS on this Island, we are screwed.

    A little advice to all who are complaining -- most of the accomplishments on this Island are made by a small group of people working with the appointed and elected powers that be -- so to the complainers -- shut up and get to work so the Island works for everyone who LIVES and WORKS here.

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  26. I believe the last poster (2:39 pm) is right that we all need to take this stuff back a few notches.

    Yes the island is changing and more should be done to ensure affordable housing in ALL new buildings while at the same time taking into account the changes in each of the WIRE buildings.

    I don't have any answers but from what I understand our elected officials and representatives are trying (Citywide and local) and comment wars such as this don't ghelp anybody and all cause greater division.

    I certainly did not post the news about the opening to fan these types of flames. At the same time I must admit referencing it in a Twitter post as this is what this post has become through these comments. I regret doing so now.

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  27. I agree with the last two posts.

    Everyone on this Island should try to work together and change what may be wrong or very important to any Resident on this Island.

    I was a member of my Building's Task Force for a few years, do something like that- Get involved in this small Community.

    Write your concerns, issues, fears to RIOC, elected official, appointed new Resident Board Members on RIOC. It took years for us to get Residents appointed on the Board of RIOC.

    Fighting and Class Wars on the Bloggers will not solve anything.

    We have serious issues and concerns we need to be paying attention to.

    The Tramway will go out of service on 3/1/10 until who knows. RIOC states until 12/10, but you never know.

    They don't have any good Contingency plans in place.

    The F train during the AM rush hour is a nightmare now and has been like that for years.

    I think things like this are more important than arguing over a Bar and Grill.

    We have major housing concerns here in Eastwood, Island House and Westview and Rivercross- those have to be dealt with too.

    Peace to Everyone who live on this lovely, special little Historic Island.

    Let us remember it is named for Franklin Delano Roosevelt, let us honor his memory by trying to work together and live together and keep this Community going for Everyone.

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  28. this island is for high income people. this island was build for low and middle income but now it is not. this island no longer takes sec.8 . if you are getting sec.8 now that is good but when you move out or die the apartment goes on the market which for my apartment is 4.000 . thats cazy . but this is the what is going on. the island in 10 years there will be less and less low and middle income people here as the old people die off thier apartments go on the market at market rent no more sec.8 which means only people making a very high income can afford these apartments soon this island will be like the upper east side. and there will be less black people here because i dont want to bulls...t here but lets be real the people moving on to this island are almost all white ,and you know this is true .because rioc is all white they are ones who have made this happend. also the eastwood buildind committe. ron vass and the rent of them. this island was at one time for mixed income. but no longer is . you want to know what is funny well , new people move into eastwood also called roosevelt landings they stay for 3 months see how bad it is and then move out. see there are alot of vacant apartments in eastwood. so the only way the owner is getting the rents he wants is thru sec,8 . sec 8 people are the ones who are keeping this moron alive, anyone who can afford to pay these high rents sure as hell wou not be paying that rent to live in roosevelt landings

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  29. every saturday domins pizza would be selling piuzza at 5 dollars a pie. but the owner of nonnos had domonos banned from selling pizza on the island .he told the police dominos did not have a permit to sell pizza . so now dominos must wait to school opens in sept . so they can get a permit from the p.t.a., i hope the p.t.a. gives it to them ,5 dollar pizza pie is a great deal. i have 3 kids to feed. nonnos gets like 17 dollars for a pie. good luck to dominos hope to see you back on saturdays soon

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  30. It's funny how the old-timer's view and ideas what Roosevelt Island is supposed to be are extremely different from those of newcomers. While the former made this place their home where they will most likely retire and maybe even die the latter will stay only as long as needed and then move on. The former live in apartments that have been priced in a way that makes it possible. The latter have to deal with unregulated rents that will drive them away eventually. The result is that the old-timers care about long-term issues and are extremely suspicious of the management of this island. The newcomers don't care so much and think management is doing an okay job and should be left in peace.

    Two worlds living on one island. Do they have to consolidate their views to make it work somehow? Of course. Can one group tell the other to shut up or call them idiots for just voicing their opinions? I sure hope not. I think both sides are guilty for all these "wars" on blogs like this.

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  31. why dont all you new young professionals who have moved to our island ,move to the upper east side ,that is where you all belong. us middle and low income people need a place to live we have been here a long time . now that you fools are willing to pay these high rents there is no more affordable apartments on this island i hate all of you

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  32. well i can go to work .but why hell should i . then my rent will go up . i act like i am cazy .i set ssi and pay a low sec. 8 rent. now if i go out and get a job my rent will be high so i sit on my ass and let the tax payers suport my lazy ass. and i live in a 2800 dollar apartment for 200 per month while these 2 young woman just moved in the next apartment next to me they are paying 3500. per month .i think they are cazy to be paying that kind of rent when most people in roosevelt landing are are welfare ssi soc sec god bless amereica.

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  33. to all the old timers on the island come out to the bar .we must make this our bar , not the new people on the island

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  34. i love when i walk thru the hallways of roosevelt landings it is a mess .

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  35. i get sick when i am at the bus stop waiting for the red bus to come . as it is raining and the red octagon express bus passes me and my kids bye . in the rain. all you people in octagon can go to hell this is our island not yours/ those buses are for everyone to ride / i miss the good old days when this island was for low and middle income people .not for you uppely up people . move the hell off the island .see .if you all refuse to pay these high rents the owners will sell and hopefully these building will go back to affordable apartments so please move .thanks.

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  36. please get kicked out of your apartments so the rent that im paying can go towards making the buildings clean and safe. thank you.

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  37. All these rich young professionals are paying regular rents now instead of sec8 handouts. These market rate rent payers are making it possible for Roosevelt Landings to upgrade the lobby and hallway areas for the first time in many many years. Aren't you old, poor, welfare people tired of living in a dirty, musty building? You should be thanking the influx of people with jobs and money for improving your quality of life around here.

    Same goes for the restaurants. For years all you had was Trellis. They had no competition and no incentive to make the place better. Now another place opens up that is CLEAN and gives a little free market competition on the island. It's a good thing! Maybe Trellis will finally get around to doing that big renovation that was promised so long ago....

    In 10 years Roosevelt Island will be such a better place. Thanks to market rate competition and NO thanks to RIOC and all the other RI_A red tape gangs around here. Either way I wont be here. I'll be paying less $ for a better apartment in a better location with better neighbors.

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  38. As a new resident to RI I'm shocked to see such resentment and bitterness posted here in response to a new bar/restaurant. I've met many wonderful people but now I feel unsure of our decision to live here. I heard it was a wonderful-open-welcoming community. Unfortunately-I don't see that reflected here in any of the posts. I hope my personal experience continues to reflect the good parts of the island and not this negative attitude expressed here.

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  39. To the above poster, don't be alarmed. Most of the dialogue on this post is done by a few disgruntled people. I know you see alot of different names, but they are the same person - who quite frankly doesn't get it. This is America, land of the free. We are free to live where we want, eat where we want and hang out where we want. Don't pay attention to the banter about classes and rents. That is not the opinion of the majority here. Don't listen to the nonsense about blaming RIOC for everything that is not right here. This new regime of RIOC is the best we've had in the 24 years I've lived here. I welcome you. So does the majority of my island neighbors. You picked a great place to live, despite what the above Blogger with the many first names says.

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  40. We are not all the same blogger, how ridiculous.

    There are many different residents in different buildings here.

    I posted more than once here about this issue and other major issues.

    I also posted on the Main Blogger- "Roosevelt Islander" on the 14 % rent hike and the history behind the development of this Island, etc.


    The Current RIOC is slightly better, I know after being here for 27 years.

    There is still now new stores on the Eastwood side of Main Street.

    The Pizzeria has been gone for years, the Bakery, the Fish Store.

    The middle of Main Street is in disrepair, etc.

    They are not- i.e. RIOC trying to preserve much affordability here any longer.

    It is a great place to live, but we have major issued here that have to and should be dealt with.

    RIOC, for instance has no good Contingency plans for when the Tramway is taken out of Service on 3/1/10- ?

    The Red Bus schedule is still a mess, as a Westview Resident, I never get a bus, I have to race walk- run to either the Subway or Tram.

    I don't have a problem with new residents or stores, but the older residents who settled this Island are being ignore and their major concerns pushed aside.

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  41. to all the new people on the island please move to the upper east side . so we can have affordable rents back on the island. if the owners see he can not rent at high rents he will hopefully go back to affordable rents or sell the buildings. so us low and middle income people can have a place to live.

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  42. Mike and the rest of the different first names you're using, instead of telling other people to move to the upper east side, why don't you just move to the projects. If not, there are 2 shelters on the next island just north of here.

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  43. Everyone wants something for free. It's amazing.

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  44. This is really terrible to read on this Blogger.

    I am not the "same" blogger with a different name.

    My Name is Jean and I have lived in Westview for over 25 years.

    I cannot believe the last two posts.

    The first one suggesting that people here- Residents go and live "in the Projects" or up the River-by the way that is Riker's in a shelter, it is a Prison is so mean and ludicrous and not what this Community stands for or did.

    The Second poster, here in Westview, we don't anything for free.

    Eastwood Residents, btw-they have 1,000 apartments and are largest complex of the "WIRE" buildings have the right to state their views, just like you do.

    They are not living there "free".

    Get involved in YOUR COMMUNITY, Go to RIRA- Roosevelt Island Resident Association Meetings, show up at RIOC meetings, etc.

    We are all on this small, island community together and we ALL face alot of the same issues.

    This AM, the F train was out again at the Station and people had to cram onto the Tram.

    When the Tram goes down-on 3/1/10, there are no good Contingency plans and that affects EVERYONE HERE.

    So-Everybody try to come together as a Community like we used to instead of resorting to this...

    PS- I have tried to post with my Blogger Account, but it doesn't take it.

    Trust me I am not "Mike" or anybody else.

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  45. You know what the contingency plan for that time is going to be? Leave for work an hour earlier than usual. Trust me, it will work out just fine. We all have to pull together for the new tram which is long time overdue.

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  46. to the moron who told me to move to the projects.well i am living in the projects . they are called roosevelt landings. but thank god i am not paying the cazy rents that people like you are paying. see roosevelt landings is nothing but high rent projects. but see mostin which i love people dont know that until they move in . than within 6 months they move right the hell out. and i am happy this is happendings because sooner or later this owner can not make his payments to the bank and he will be forced to start taking sec. 8 again . because they are the only ones paying these high rents. with the rents this high in roosevelt landings a person can go to southtown man .part onagon why the hell would anyone live in roosevelt landings and pay this rent you got to be cazy.

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  47. That is a good Idea- I doubt it will work with all these new residents and we have F train problems now.

    That has been going on for years.

    Even if you leave for work an hour earlier, I think it may be doubtful you can jam on the Train if it comes.

    I, right now, like many other people in the NYC area don't have jobs- very scary.

    I have a lease due to expire right around the time the Tram goes down.

    Maybe after more than 25 years, it is a sign to leave.

    We are facing a double digit rent hike in Westview.

    Even our elected officials have been trying to work on some better contingency plans for the Tram outage.

    There have been discussions for years and concerns over the Tram going out.

    There also have been questions about whether there was real validity about whether the Tram even has to be totally overdone and the Tram station rebuilt in Manhattan.

    Frankly, I think it is just more marketing for the newer buildings to attract people walking by in the city.

    Oh Well, I may be relocating by then, who knows.

    I agree, that we all have to ban together.

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  48. to the person who says that because of the high rents a him or she are paying is the reason why roosevelt landings is being fixed up .well this is not true. there are not enough apartments being rented by people paying high rents .its the people getting sec 8 that is keeping these building alive. thats why he may be forced to take in sec.8 people i hope so . i hope he sells the building or loses it to the bank and the bank sells it to someone who than puts it back into affordable housing . by the way i hope all you high income people get layed off and be forced to move off the island.

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  49. After reading all the above, I wonder who would want to open a business on this island.
    Stop crabbing. If you do not like a restaurant don't go there.

    It is apparent a lot of you have nothing better
    to do than complain.

    Get lives!!!!

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  50. I thought this section of the blog was supposed to be about a new restaurant, and yet there's all this banter about Roosevelt Landings, Westview, moving and projects. Stick to the topics. There is a place for how you feel about rents. This isn't it. By the way, the island north of here is Randall's Island - not Riker's Island. Back to the topic.... I like the new Bar & Grill.

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  51. Good for you- that is good that you like the new Bar & Grill.

    People started airing their views here when someone suggested that all the "old-timers" stay at Trellis.

    BTW-the Island directly north of here is Riker's Island, not Randalls.

    NYC resident and long-term RI resident.

    Have fun in the new bar and grill.

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  52. Uh, no, Mr (or Mrs?) lomg-term RI resident. The island that is geographically north of Roosevelt Island is, of course, Manhattan. The next island that is upstream in the East River is Mill Rock (which is tiny and inhabitated) and the one you see form the light house is Ward's Island which is connected to Randall's Island via landfill. Ryker's Island is not visible from Roosevelt Island.

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  53. I'm just glad that someone actually took an interest in the island in this terrible economic crisis. It was an empty space for a long time and now it's a place to go and hang out, sit and have a nice meal. I was at Riverwalk last Saturday and it was a real mix of people from the island old and young and everyone seemed to be having a good time. They obviously put alot of money into the place for us and I just wanted to say thank you. Everyone should really cheer up and not be so bitter.

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  54. what hell are you saying.they put alot of money into this place for us. who the hell is us. you fool. they put alot of money into this place for them . to make money.

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  55. i was so very happy to hear that tishman speyer the owners of stuyvesant town and peter cooper village . have been losing lots and lots of money .good. a 3.2 billion loss .. at the time when they bought the property for nearly 5.4. billion ..the new owners had grandplans to convert 60 percent of the complexs more than 11.000 units to higher earning market rate rentals by 2011. but the tenants fought tishmans plan tooth and nail , forcing the new landlord to shell out more money than expected to nconvert fewer apartments than planned currently just 39 percent of the apartments are highter priced rentals . if tishman loses the case brought by the angry tenants , it could be forced to reverse its hard won conversions and say goodbye forever to the money it spent evicting tenants and renovating their apartments for higher paying renters. so good luck to the tenants of stuy town and peter cooper village . this is what should have been done at eastwood. but we had the eastwood building committe led by ron vass and rioc . they sold out the tenants of eastwood so they could get a good deal for themseles.

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  56. Us is we the people who live on this island you jackass! Obviously they are trying to make money, no one opens a buisness not to, but that space was an eyesore for a while and now it gives us something to do without having to leave the island. Why are you so against people trying to make money and convenience us at the same time? I was there yesterday for nfl football and they were running a 0.25 cent wing special and beer specials. So for $17 i had a pitcher of beer and 20 wings. Being the only place around to see all the games I thought it was a great deal, they didn't have to do that.

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  57. Not a bad place to watch a game. Unfortunately they are venting their exhaust on the south side of the building at the ground floor and the odor of grease is now filling the lobby and a number of the apartments.

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  58. great news . public service commission rules against submiting. now lets all hope he now sells eastwood and the new owner will put it back into affordable apartments like it was always meant to be .

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  59. What a lost opportunity to have put in a slightly better restaurant and a more upscale food store. I wish some enterprising businessperson would take a look at the shopping bags of people exiting the subway and see that many residents regularly shop at Dean & DeLuca, Citarella, Whole Foods, Garden of Eden and the Union Square Greenmarket. We didn't need yet another downmarket food store and that's all the Riverwalk deli is.

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  60. yes you are so right .now move the hell off the island and back to the upper eastside where all you high income people belong. this island was always for low and middle income new yorkers not for people like you so please move .

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  61. the new bar sucks its very boring , the type of people there are young prof. bankers .wall street types. how boring it belongs on the upper east side . i miss the old days in julies bar when these new people did not live here.

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  62. fall for arts ,what a joke . its for the new people on the island . high income people. . thats who its for. not for low and middle class people.

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  63. yes you are right ,there never was a fall for arts .until these new buildings went up and these new people moved on to the island . i miss the good old days.

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  64. so the people living in southtown are upset because theres no where to park. well thats too bad. who the hell told you people to move here . go move to the upper eastside. that is where you all belong with the high income you get paid. we old time people who have lived on this island for years are getting pushed off because of you , willing to pay these high cazy rents . us low and middle class people have lived here for years . go live some where like the upper east side.and stop crying about parking who cares

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  65. fall for arts what b,s,

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  66. Let us EVERYONE HERE ON THIS ISLAND TRY TO BE A COMMUNITY AGAIN!!!!

    We lost a treasured person two weeks ago, Archie Seale- the owner of the Grog shop-Liquor Store.

    He fought for many things on this Island and he would say to ALL of us if he was still here- to Stand Together as a TOTAL COMMUNITY AND FIGHT FOR THE IMPORTANT COMMON ISSUES THAT AFFECT US ALL.

    I have lived here for 27 years and we should not allow this Island to all splintered, not what it was meant to be- EVER.

    Let us try to stay as ONE COMMUNITY and Honor Archie Seale's visions and ideas and honor the Memory of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, whose name is on this Island since 1975.

    We have had lots of name changes going way back to Blackwell's Island, etc.

    Please don't let us become "us" against "them".

    Jean M. Shea
    (27 year resident of Westview.)

    We all have to fight for affordable housing to remain here, the Transportation problems, the Tramway, etc.

    Thank you.

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  67. yes if fdr were alive today ,he would not let happend to this island what is happening today on this island . fdr was a rich man but he was always for the people with less not the rich. there is no more affordable housing on this island,i hope you know that this island no longer takes sec8 . do you know that a person coming to this island looking for a 1 bedroom apartment will be paying 1900 and more, the days of affordable housing on this island are gone . we cannot fight anymore becouse it has been done. the low and middle class have lost affordable housing on this island thanks to rioc and the eastwood building committee. do you see any mitcell lama buildings going up on this island. of couse not because there are none. we have lose the fight because we never put up a fight thanks to rioc and the eastwood building committe. when my 90 year old mother dies her apartment will be put on the market. what about renting it to a disable person or a low income persome or even to a middle in come person or a person on sec.8 . . because the owner is going to get the full rent for the apartment but no little by little the low and middle income people will not be living on this island. how sad. i dont know how the hell rico and the ebc let this happend they should all go the hell you know who you are.

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  68. to jean shea . where have you been for the last few years.i dont think you been living on this island because you say we must fight to keep affordable housing on the island well we no longer have affordable housing we lose it a few years ago . why dont you take a walk to each building and say you are looking to rent an apartment then you will see there is no more affordable housing on this island. wake up.

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  69. I live in Westview, where I have been for 27 years and we are fighting for it over here.

    I know all about it. I am ready to leave, as this Island is ruined in terms of "affordable" Housing.

    We know all about the Mess in Eastwood and the bad deal.

    I know about the expensive buildings North of us and South of us and in what is now known as "Roosevelt Landings".


    I am very woken up and very saddened to see this once, thriving, nice community ruined.

    JMS

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  70. well jean, all i can say to you is keep on fighting i wish all of you in westview good luck as for us in eastwood we got a very bad deal. dont let this happend to you . we had the eastwood building committee. and they did a very bad job, my rent now is 2200 per month. what the hell did they do for me . so jean keep your eyes and ears open. just thank god you dont have the people who were on the ebc working on a deal for you and rioc is no better they let this happend they should all go to hell

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  71. to all the people who got the lapp. i ask you would you like to pay the rent you are paying now or 30 percent of your income. you know what i am saying. you all pulled a fast one i pay more rent then you .and i am in sec8 . cazy right but you and the owner let this happend .go to hell.

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  72. Hi- Yes, we in Westview all about it- disgusting, revolting, I don't have the right words for what happened in Eastwood.

    Who knows what will happen here, it is so hard with all the different layers of Admin. over our heads.

    We in WV were shocked and disgusted when we all heard what happened in Eastwood or should I say " Roosevelt Landings".

    They all belong in Jail for letting that deal go through without letting all the tenants see it first before it got approved.

    This whole Island is so totally turned around after 27 years, there are days I barely recognize it any longer, especially around Riverwalk, The Octagon, etc.

    Now, RIOC wants to build three more Buildings- this Island CANNOT handle any more new residents.

    More than one of us is really scared about when the Tram goes down.

    JMS

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  73. well to the people in westview keep on fighting. the ebc and rioc sold out the people in eastwood. because they got a good deal for them. everyone on the ebc went into the lapp the middle income people got xxxxx . see, sec8 is for low income people not for middle income people. they put me in sec8 . i am middle income i pay 30 percent of my income i now pay 2200 permonth. now my son just got out of school he begins a new job , now with his income my rent is going up to 3100 per month. this is cazy this is what ron vass and others agree to but he and others on the ebc went into the lapp. they all should go to hell sec 8 was made for low income people not for middle income think about. this. would you like to pay 30 percent of your income for rent. this is what is happending to me and it keeps going up .until i am at the market rent which is 3500. thanks to ron vass and others on the ebc and rioc.hey ron and joyce how would you like to pay 30 percent of your income for rent. i am doing it .why not you. its funny everyone on the ebc went into the lapp . now i know why. .iam paying much more rent then you are and i make much less money than. you. go to hell the . there should be an investion you should all be in jail for what you did. this was a deal that was good for the people on the ebc. and low income people but what about us middle income people you did not protect us at all. go to hell ebc and rioc.i am thinking of going to andrew cumo about this . in face i think i will go to him,

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  74. yes i agree with you .sec.8 was made fore low income people . not middle income people.many people have moved out of eastwood and off the island because they were middle income and were placed into sec.8 . so the rents were too high and getting higher as they made more money on their jobs and they had kids getting out of school getting jobs so all this income went up and so did the rent with it. .and it doses not stop until you are paying market rent. i do not understand how the hell the ebc and rioc agreed to this.

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  75. ron vass and the rent of them in the ebc should be all locked up. for doing what they did to the people of eastwood. they got what they wanted so the hell with everyone else. people who are middle income and were put into sec 8 i am telling you now we must do something about this. it is not right what the ebc agreed to . everyone on the ebc i say to you drop dead . you got your lapp and lefe the rest of the middle income people with sec8 . go to hell i like for all of you to pay 30 percent of your income for rent i have 3 kids and they just got out of school i tell them do not get a job until you move out of this apartment because the rent will go over 3000 per month . thanks to ron vass and the ebc this is how i must live but ron and the rent of the people on the ebc can make as much as they want and do not have to worry about the rent going up base on you income . nice job ron

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  76. would you like to have a rent stabilizated aparment on roosevelt island , i know i would. the people who were on the ebc all got a rent stabilzate apartment . see 870 apartments were put into sec 8 130 were put into the lapp . which is rent stabilization. because you had to have a certin income. o.k. thats great if you are on a fixed income . but what about the middle income people , who still work and have kids at home getting out of school going to work . well of couse your income is not going to stay the same forever. so why didnt the ebc ask about this. well i will tell you why because they were all going into the lapp . the apartments they were living in are going to be rent stabilizated. while the other 870 apartments went into the fair market . so this is what happend. so see the apartment i am in now rents for 3800 per month . i pay 30 percent of my income . i pay 20000 per month and now my son got a job and with his job my rent will be 2600 per month. and then my other son is getting a job so now my rent will be 3100 per month . now how did this happend well when the ebc agreeed to this agreement they let the owner put my apartment at the fair market while the people in the ebc apartments went into rent stabilization now i will keep on paying 30 percent of my income until i get up to the market rent for this apartment which is 3800 , see dont you agree i have a right to be upset . i gave money to the ebc for a lawyer and so did many other people and this is what we got this was a under handed deal made by the ebc. i wish i can have a rent stabilized apartment . my apartment is at fair market see as long as the people on the ebc were taken care of they did not care about the people like me and many others like me who are in this mess . if you are in the same mess i am ,in please contact micah kellner you can go to his thursday office on thursdays at 3 to 7 pm at the rioc office please go he is willing to help us

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  77. I've lived here for 33 years, since right after the tram started working, so I think I have some perspective. I never lived on the Upper East Side and I've never had the income that would have permitted to leave this dismal housing project. The island, by the way, was never designed for only one income level. It was conceived as a mixed income development from the beginning. What is happening now is that the population is returning more to what it was originally, with demographics that can support retail and other programs that benefit everyone. After a long period of decline, there may be a glimmer of improvement. What is it you like so much about the way the island is now? Gristede's? the empty storefronts? Public Safety having the largest presence on Main Street, as if this were the dangerous neighborhood that the out-of-control director of that agency likes to pretend it is? What is is? Tell me, I'd like to like it here, too.

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  78. yes 870 familys in eastwood got a bad deal by lett ing the owners put all those apartments into fair market. i agree this was a under handed deal.by ronn vass and others on the e b c they did a very bad thing for eastwood . but hey they sure got themselves a good deal .

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  79. when stuy town and peter cooper village came out of michell lama . all the people who were already living there got rent rent stabiliztion , this is what eastwood should have gotten . but the ebc and rioc made a under handed deal with the owner and .f..... the middle income people of eastwood.

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  80. if you're complaining about the divide between "rich" and "poor" roosevelt island residents, you're likely one of the deadbeats who currently lives here. i think its great that the likes of you are being driven out. roosevelt island has been a shitty place to live for far too long, and im happy its finally starting to improve.

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  81. I SEE MANY VACANT APARTMENTS IN EASTWOOD . SO ALL IS NOT LOSE . LETS HOPE THE OWNER CAN NOT MAKE MONEY. TOO MANY VAVANT APARTMENTS . HE MAY BE FORCED TO GO BACK INTO MICHELL LAMA . I HOPE SO . HE THOUGHT THAT HE WAS GOING TO MAKE ALOT OF MONEY BY BUYING THESE BUILDINGS AND GETTING MARKRT RENT . BUT IT IS NOT HAPPENDING . TOO BAD FOR HIM BUT GREAT FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME . SO I HOPE HE KEEPS LOSING MONEY. . . AND I HATE ALL YOU NEW PEOPLE ON THE ISLAND YOU ALL CAN GO TO HELL YOU ALL WITH YOUR SIX FIGER INCOMES GO MOVE TO THE UPPER EAST SIDE .

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  82. the pizza s---s at nonnos dont eat there

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  83. I have just spent about 1/2 hour reading all these postings. My response is this:

    I am happy to see the new bar & grill, Duane Reade, and the pizzaria here. I'm not a fan of the pizza, but at least it's an option. (We still have the opportunity to get delivery from Queens...) The staff at the bar & grill are very friendly and really seem to be trying to cover all bases to entertain ALL residents. Costs are probably a little high due to start-up costs and intent to add more amenities. (A few lounge chairs/sofas would be nice if there's room.) Julie's was great, but got pretty run down towards the end. Trellis is not equipped to be a bar and grill, proximity to the bar crowd is too close for comfort for diners! But it is a Roosevlet Island staple, the owner contibutes to many events, and we have a soft spot for the place. And I for one would only want upscale stores here if they balanced it out with afforable stores for the less affluent (especially those on fixed incomes...) and those with simpler tastes. I have a good job, but prefer not to shop in WHOLE FOODS or DEAN AND DeLUCA...Those who do can always stop there on the way home from work in the city! Many residents here cannot travel conveniently. We need affordability here.

    Eastwood DID get a very bad deal. However, everything was discussed and explained in a series of meetings which only a small representation of people attended (I myself did not attend a lot of them). I DID read the documents and understood the scope of what was happening, and the rent structure and plans for the future rental deals was laid out. Many people did not participate nor even contribute to the legal fund, but expected everything to happen in their favor (by magic?). Stuvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village residents stepped up to the plate and fought tooth and nail. We did not. Don't put all the blame on the Resident's Association! (I, by the way, am not politically active here, so don't assume I'm speaking on behalf of them!) We do still have vested interest in our buildings, however, so how many are ACTIVELY fighting for their rights to better service? For example, the conditions in the laundry rooms are at an all time low, and have been for MONTHS. Anybody saying or doing anything? There are rumors that the Management does not buy adequate supplies for the maintenance staff to properly do their jobs. Anyone looking into that?

    As for kicking the "deadbeats" out...whether you realize it or not, the owner gets the full amount of rent on even Sec. 8 apartments; the tenants pay some and the Gov't pays the rest. So there is no reason to blame low-income tenants for the overall conditions. The owneer is getting big money on ALL the rented apartments! By the way, I see residents of EVERY income level not picking up after themselves. "Rich" people can be big slobs,too! (Have you seen the little piggies living piggie lives...) And I have seen residents of ALL income levels letting their children run amuk at all hours of the day and night, unsupervised. Even the more upscale buildings have their share of unsavory tenants. It's not about economics, except when poor people lose their sense of caring and rich people have that sense of "entitlement". It's a matter of manners, morals and breeding. I've been witness to jackasses on every level.

    And their are some very decent tenants here, long-term and newly-arrived, rich, middle and low income, young, middle age, and elderly, of every nationality. That's what made this place special years ago...not so much anymore.

    Personally, I like meeting new people and expanding my horizons. I hope on some level, even despite the inevitable changes life brings about, a way is found for this Rock to continue to be home for the melting pot of people it was meant to be for.

    That's my story, and I'm sticking to it...

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  84. WELL SAID . DO YOU KNOW THAT THE ONLY REASON EASTWOOD IS STANDING IS BECAUSE MOST OF THE APARTMENTS ARE GETTING SEC 8 . SEE SEC 8 IS PAYING FULL RENT 3 TO 4OOO PER APARTMENT.PER MONTH . THE PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD TO PAY MARKET RENT .WELL THEY MOVE IN AND WITHIN 3 MONTHS THEY MOVE OUT . THERE ARE OVER 300 VACANT APARTMENT IN EASTWOOD I AM SO HAPPY . I AM HAPPY THAT THIS OWNER IS LOSING MONEY HE IS A GREEDY YOU KNOW WHAT .SOON HE WILL HAVE TO PUT EASTWOOD BACK INTO MICHELL LAMA , BECAUSE HE IS LOSING TOO MUCH MONEY .

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  85. I AM PUTTING THE BLAME ON RON VASS AND THE EBC THEY ARE THE ONES WHO SIGNED OFF ON THIS THEY SHOULD ALL GO THE HELL RON MADE SURE ANY AGREEMENT HE SIGNED OFF ON WAS BEST FOR HIM AND PEOPLE IN THE SAME BOAT AS HIM .AND THE HELL WITH THE REST OF THE PEOPLE

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