After failing at luring a bank for Main Street , Roosevelt Island, “We took them on tours,” RIOC president/CEO Shelton J. Haynes said. But why was that doomed? Take a virtual walk along with us, and see it through a bank vice president’s eyes.
By David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
Before setting off on our virtual tour of Main Street, Roosevelt Island, two items of note…
First, we decided on bank vice-presidents because, back when we had friends in banking, we learned that the industry was low on wages and high on titles. Vice presidents were everywhere; so, they’re a fit.
Second, for our purposes here, Main Street is the traditional canyon, where one bank or another always served residents until Amalgamated closed up shop, last year.
And the problem we have is that, after conducting a tour or tours, RIOC’s now picked Sportspark, well south of 90% of the population as ideal for local banking.
Everyone generally agrees that Sportspark is a poor choice for a bank. Everyone outside RIOC’s brainstrust, that is.
If they reach an agreement and some bank takes space in such an unlikely location, it will fail, soon enough. So, this tour may lead to ideas for making the next ones better.
Or at least not sucky.
The virtual bank vice presidents’ Main Street, Roosevelt Island, tour
Of course, any impressive tour must start with Blackwell House, the historic gem, finally restored with hundreds of thousands invested.
But you’d never know it’s a wonder inside, would you? There is no welcome of any kind. No flags or bunting.
Not even visiting hours posted.
It almost looks like a place Haynes might want for himself, the heck with the tourists, if only there was some good parking nearby.
But, hey, let’s walk on anyway.
What bank vice president’s going to worry about deteriorated sidewalks and the weeds outside the community’s proudest symbol?
And who’s getting petty over a street so littered with potholes the water can’t drain?
Note: It hadn’t rained in a couple of days, and we don’t know where the standing water came from. It’s the sort of mystery bank vice-presidents get a kick out of.
Going on…
Haynes or a tour guide probably had a good story about street conditions. Maybe they bragged about how patches over patches over patches shows their commitment to, well… to repair work.
Sometimes, there are no words, and we assume, this is one of them.
Established fact: Buyers and investors prefer lining up with existing success because it suggests security and offers future prospects. Shops On Main had these to offer. In the heart of town.
With a little luck, the vice presidents won’t ask, “How long?”
Foot traffic is key for any retail business.
Where banks found a home on Main Street, Roosevelt Island… until they didn’t
Whoever led the tour was probably eager to showcase how well RIOC treated their valued business partners. With scenes like these.
Z-bricks, once a Main Street, Roosevelt Island, signature feature, are falling apart, almost everywhere. But should a bank fault RIOC for gross neglect?
What do you think?
Who wouldn’t feel welcome here?
And since the collapsed curb, the broken Z-brick pattern that goes with it and the filth-filled potholes outside the bank space were like this only for a few years, RIOC probably didn’t have enough time to notice.
After all, their about to be abandoned headquarters is way, like, a hundred feet away.
But at least there’s great parking available…
…on weekends and at night on Main Street, Roosevelt Island.
Let’s close with thoughts the irrepressible Judith Berdy shared with RIOC’s braintrust.
“Let’s involve the community in talks with banks, not just RIOC. We are the customers. The organizations that keep their accounts and the merchants that have to scurry to find banking services.”
Enough said.
Also from the Roosevelt Island Daily News
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- Far Rockaway House Fire and Shooting Leaves Two DeadA Far Rockaway house fire and shooting left two dead and shocked the community as police and firefighters responded to the tragic scene. Read how the events unfolded and what comes next.
- Queens chain-snatching spree prompts multi-precinct responseA chain-snatching spree in Queens has sparked coordinated police action and renewed conversations about neighborhood safety. Learn what steps you can take.
- 140 Rentals Proposed for Mixed-Use Building at 50-01 Queens BoulevardA 13-story mixed-use development is planned for 50-01 Queens Boulevard in Woodside, featuring ground-floor retail and 140 rental units, with a portion reserved as affordable housing. Learn about the proposal, affordable housing details, and the next steps for this evolving Queens neighborhood.
You Can’t Be All Three
April 9, 2026, during the full board meeting of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation, Fay Christian said something that should have landed harder than it did. She wished RIOC were not responsible for the tram. Then she asked what it would look like if it were given to the MTA. That was not a passing comment.
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