Tipsters report that Roosevelt Island Main Street Retail Master Leaseholder Hudson Related is close to signing a lease for a Cannabis Dispensary and Flower shop combination.
The potential Cannabis Dispensary/Flower shop would be located in the former medical offices at 520 Main Street in Roosevelt Landings
which has been empty since the retirement of Dr Jack Resnick in September 2023. To date, efforts by Hudson Related to lease the vacant space to another medical practice have been unsuccessful.
I asked Hudson Companies President David Kramer today if a Cannabis Dispensary is coming to Roosevelt Island. A Hudson Related spokesperson declined to comment.
According to the NYS Office of Cannabis Management Guidance for Adult Use Retail Dispensaries (Page 18-19), a Cannabis Dispensary cannot be located within 500 feet of a school or 200 feet of a religious institution.
Word spread quickly today about the possibility of a Roosevelt Island Cannabis Dispensary.
Residents reacted quickly to the possibility of a Cannabis Dispensary on Roosevelt Island.
Acccording to Amanda Brown:
As a parent and the co-President of the PS/IS 217 PTA, I’m very upset to hear about the possibility of a cannabis dispensary opening up on Roosevelt Island. In our very small community, the smell of marijuana is already pervasive, so people certainly have ways of obtaining it when desired. To open a dispensary in an area full of families and children walking to and from the Youth Center, the Catholic Church, the New York Public Library and Main Street Theater & Dance Alliance just proves how out of touch Mr. Kramer is with the actual day-to-day life of Roosevelt Island residents. Investing in the community with a business like a restaurant, shared work space, tutoring center or short-term pop-up retail incubator would add value to the Island and ultimately benefit Mr. Kramer’s business interests.
Gina Enock:
As a 30 year resident of Roosevelt Island who raised a family and dedicated more than 2 decades working for and holding board positions for non profit organizations on RI, presently holding the position of Board President of Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance, I am very concerned about the possibility of a cannabis shop opening on Main St. We are a family oriented community, there is no reason to have such a shop in our village. Cannabis is a drug regardless of if it’s legal status or not. It is not a shop, in my opinion, that should be for such a convenience in our community, like Bread and Butter or Foodtown or our local restaurants are. And also the idea of opening a flower shop in front of the shop will give the impression that there IS something to hide.
I can imagine the flower shop would attract a diverse crowd, forcing and exposing children, our cherished older generations and those who don’t partake in the cannabis community to a community they do not want to be exposed to. The whole idea is unacceptable.
The space is also in close proximity to afterschool programs, 2 churches, Main Street Theatre and Dance Alliance, the RI Synagogue and the Islamic Society of RI. All of which are family oriented organizations. And not to forget the special education students of Legacy High School.
Personally and professionally, I standby one of my all-time favorite quotes, “it takes a village to raise a child”. And a cannabis shop does not at all reflect that! I highly recommend taking the time to fill the space with a business the majority of the community would benefit from not just a very small percentage. Make it one that is a good influence to our most impressionable age group. I urge Hudson Related to send out a survey, a mass mailing , and/or QR Code on all kiosks, the Red buses, the tram, posting on social media, asking what the residents need or would like to see in our community. It is a large space to fill, I urge Hudson Related to bring in a business that the residents, business and organizations can fully embrace.
Jimmy Starace:
We at Island house had the horrible experience of trying to remove a marijuana business from our storefront property run by Hudson Related. It was a long nightmare with the courts and business owners. The customer base will travel from off island and bring traffic, potential parking, pedestrian conflicts. The fact that the dispensary will be so close to a Catholic Church, the meeting place for a synagogue, a mosque not too far away and of course Good Shepherd Church with multiple services including Hope Church. The Youth Center is next door, the public library, and not far from Blackwell Park all important hubs of a neighborhood of children. The customer base will be very undesirable in a neighborhood of children and families.
That David Kramer would allow this is quite frankly astounding. A disgusting farewell to a neighborhood he professed to love and support.
Stephen Quandt:
My only opposition assuming it’s licensed is that it wouldn’t be useful to most people and I’d rather see a business that would be helpful to a larger number of people. Having said that it’s hard to imagine it getting support, in fact I would imagine heated opposition to selling weed on Main Street.
A Roosevelt Island resident who wished to be anonymous when asked about a possible Cannabis Dispensary on Main Street responded with a big “YAY” but a few minutes later, upon thinking more about it said “a Cannabis Dispensary is probably not suitable for Roosevelt Island”.
Another resident suggested that if Hudson Related was unable to rent the space, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) should take back the space and allow it to be use by local non profit organizations.
RIOC had no comment at this time on a Roosevelt Island Cannabis Dispensary.
What do you think – a Roosevelt Island Cannabis Dispensary or not?
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Roosevelt Island does not need a cannabis dispensary.
Our community is small, family-oriented, and filled with children. Main Street is the heart of Roosevelt Island — a place where neighbors come together and where new, positive businesses are finally beginning to thrive. Bringing a cannabis dispensary here would not serve our community’s needs or values.
We should continue to build on the good things already happening on Main Street — the welcoming shops, the family-friendly spaces, and the community spirit that make Roosevelt Island so special. A dispensary does not belong here.
Donna Chenkin
A bad idea and I doubt there wouls be a market for marijuana here. Are we that desperate to rent a store the a dispensary? How many dispensaries are there in other Hudson buildings?
This is a bad idea and the community will not accept this dispensary.
I am against a cannabis store. After it was made legal, the air started smelling awful. It is unbearable for me to stay even outdoors when they use it. We should have right to have smoke free clean air. The island needs stores that benefit more users. I like the idea of a veterinary or another restaurant. This is a family oriented neighborhood. We should collectively make sure such a store will not open on RI.
I would rather see an empty store then the cannabis dispensary
Yes to flower shop but big no to cannabis dispensary we do not need it period
They definitely must go to CB 8 before applying for a license. Will follow-up with more information about the process.
Didn’t they try this once before? It didn’t go so well and brought nothing good to the community, as I recall.
Roosevelt Island would do well with a nice bakery for the community – not another smoke shop.
Is RIOC really okay with allowing this kind of a business to open on an small island known for its family friendly ethos? Are Hudson Properties so desperate to turn a profit that they will rent to any business willing to pay the ridiculously over-priced rents on this island? What’s next, a casino? How about a “Gentlemen’s Club”, complete with lap dancers? Won’t that be a great way to attract off-island residents? It’s a slippery slope, but if profit is the only criteria, than to hell with the community. There goes the neighbourhood…
Let the empty former medical offices be used to bring back the thrift shop! That was really useful, and is missed.
They say that they’ve had trouble getting other medical practices interested in leading, I wonder if they’ve expanded the scope to veterinary clinics. Having an on-island vet would be VERY beneficial to RI residents.
Obviously I meant leaSing, not leaDing. An edit function would be nice lol
Thats complete bullshit on their part. I have a close relative who has inquired about the medical office to start a multi-discipline medical practice (OBGYN, Pedeatrics, Internal Medicine, and Geriatrics). The docs would be on rotation and would clearly be able to clear the rent there even if it took a few years to take off. They called the number on the signage and they didn’t get a response until they had called a few times over two weeks. When they finally agreed on a time to show the medical office to the doctors, the real estate agent showed up 20 minutes late and said, “Sorry, we can’t find the keys.”
I’m not kidding. It makes no sense. After the “keys” incident, they decided to look elsewhere. They would have been able to provide care to literally any segment of the island for most general appointments… its a shame.
We have a liquor store, why is that so much better than a cannabis dispensary. Marijuana users are not worse than alcohol drinkers.
Definitely NO Cannabis Dispensary on Roosevelt Island !
Please no! Hopefully whoever decides this will keep the character and needs of the majority of our family-oriented community in mind and decline.
No, no, no!! Surely there is a legal way to stop this.
A friend suggested, and I agree that a vet practice could be an amazing use of that space. It’s already divided up into exam rooms, waiting area, etc, and there are a LOT of cats and dogs on RI! No more trips to vets in Queens or Manhattan!
If you need marijuana there is a licensed dispensary 1 block from the tram in Manhattan. That is close enough to the island.
While I’m hearing some very valid concerns, it’s important to remember that regulated dispensaries are tightly controlled. If a dispensary reduces illegal cannabis sales, neighborhood safety could actually be improved. Plus dispensaries have strict ID checks, cameras, security—often none of these are present at our local bars—which I don’t notice anyone claiming could also serve as pharmacies. Marijuana is medicine, and Islanders are going to buy pot either way—would you rather they buy pot in a store and pay taxes, or buy pot in a park while my daughter plays kickball?
I get your sentiment. That being said, why do we need improved neighborhood safety? RI literally has one of the lowest crime rates of any area of the city already.
Also, comparing a bar (which one? Granny Anne’s?) to a dispensary is a false equivalence: A bar with food and drinks is controlled by the staff and patrons are cut off if they are overserved. A dispensary checks your ID too, but then the patrons are able to take their purchase outside and use it on the streets of RI without any oversight (sharing with underage folks, overconsumption themselves, etc.). I’m all for legalizing weed, but this post is rediculous.
Mowgli- RIOC is the real estate management arm of the State of New York. One of the most damaging impacts on real estate values is crime stats. PSD is the “security” arm of RIOC that has oversight over crime stats here and buries crime to maintain stats that support the island’s real estate values.
I’m not saying that we’re riddled with crime, but there’s far more than what’s reported by our “catch and kill” PSD.
I have no problem with the legalization of cannabis. Too many good people were impacted by an unpopular law. I don’t think a dispensary, however, is even among the top ten commercial needs of Islanders. And, we surely don’t need another lure for tourists to clog up our Tram. A medical or veterinary clinic makes sense to me.
Everyone needs to chill out! Our community is strong enough to handle a LEGAL dispensary.
This is a safe and regulated industry, and Islanders have as much of a right as other New Yorkers to get legal marijuana if we want. Plus, it’s good to hear that Hudson is finally getting a new business to fill up the empty store… It’s been too long
We’re the only building on the island that does not have door stations. Put them in a doorman protected building; not in a building with 49 unprotected doorways where intruders have committed stabbings, shootings, push-in robberies, and has a long history of loitering problems on our sidewalk.
That’s not to say I would even favor putting them in a doorman building. I would not. But putting them in a non-doorway building is a disaster looking for a place to happen!
Absolutely NOT I will attend any meeting to get this not to happen. If it moves forward we need to band together against it.
We do not need or want a dispensary. It is a legal business but there are plenty in the city, we would rather not have on the island. There must be other alternatives for the space. It would be great to get a medical practice again, perhaps from one of the hospitals.
I join my neighbors in saying NO — we do not need a dispensary on this island! There are plenty elsewhere for those who want it. Why not add something beneficial for the community — a thrift store, another cultural arts or educational organization, creative gift/book store, hardware store, medical or veterinary center — something that will add value to the community. Survey the community and find out what we want!
As a mother of three young children who live directly across the street from the proposed cannabis dispensary site, I am writing to express my deep concern about the potential safety risks it poses. Regardless of its legal status, cannabis remains a drug that can have harmful effects on individuals—especially on young children.
Our neighborhood is a small, family-oriented community, and we cannot accept a business that could negatively impact our children’s well-being on a daily basis. The proposed location is particularly troubling as it sits right next to the NYPL public library, which is frequently visited by children, as well as near the Main Street Theatre and several residential buildings filled with young families.
We urge the consideration of a business that would contribute positively to the community and benefit the majority of residents, rather than one that could cause potential harm.
I also join our neighbors in saying NO!
It’s hard to believe that they would allow a dispensary to be opened when only a few steps away is a youth center, a library and a church across the street that houses an after school program 5 days a week.
It’s hard to believe that they would allow a dispensary to be opened when only a few steps away is a youth center, a library and a church across the street that houses an after school program 5 days a week.
It sounds like Kramer’s trial balloon has popped.
As a long-time member of this community, I am deeply concerned about the proposed opening of a cannabis store near our neighborhood, particularly on a street that houses both a church and a middle and high school. We’ve seen firsthand the negative consequences of a similar attempt in the past—especially its impact on our youth.
While I respect the legal status of cannabis and the rights of business owners, placing such a store in close proximity to children and families sends the wrong message and poses unnecessary risks. I urge you to consider the long-term well-being of our community and explore more appropriate locations for this business. Our community is so small and in such close proximity, I am sure this can be placed outside the island.
With so few shops on the Island, how about a store that can meet wider community needs? A quality bakery, for example. If residents were consulted, I’m sure a cannabis store would not make the top ten.
That’s really not suitable for Roosevelt Island! Our island isn’t big, yet we have three day nurseries and two schools. Opening such a place would be a huge harm to all the children on the island! Many choose to live on Roosevelt Island because of its comfortable and safe living environment — especially families with children. This decision will greatly affect the choices of current residents as well as those who are considering moving here in the future.
It is unbelievable that a proposal to bring a marijuana dispensary on Roosevelt Island’s Main Street can even be entertained. This is not the kind of business that a small community like ours needs. Residents should be consulted to determine what kind of store would be beneficial to the majority of residents.
Definitely NO Cannabis Dispensary on Roosevelt Island ! Even it got legal, but nothing good to anyone on island, especially for older and younger!
A big NO !!!!
Please look at the geographical area , the families who live here and their parents & grandparents who STILL live here .
It is a big wonderful community where we have still tried to keep it that way.
We don’t want people walking down the street smoking which is done but it will be worse . We don’t need any additional problems .
People are waking with their children and carriages and dogs and we don’t need the additional fumes in the air for them to inhale etc .
Rioc is busy enough with the influx of tourists, and with our day to day issues that arise .
Roosevelt Island has so many events held outside right across the street of this shop and all of them are family oriented.
This is not the area for this here ,
We want to and have strived very hard to keep it this way .