Roosevelt Fast-Tracking Retail?

Im actually looking into buying at the Roosevelt, and from my understanding, the Sales Center is going to be there until the building opens, then it will be an upscale restaurant. The Sales Center was suppose to open at the end of Sept. but it looks as though its being pushed back a bit.

I wish the ground floor space can be more than just Restaurants, which the area is already saturated with. There are already so many food joints clustered around 7+Fig plaza and Macy’s Plaza.

We need more non-food services Downtown, like shoe stores, hair salons, video stores. These are services that Downtown residents have had to seek elsewhere.

I think the building managers should consider renting to a Fantastic Sam’s, a Blockbuster Video, Big 5 sporting goods, or even a tanning salon. Something else besides food can be profitable and add more variety to the street scene.

Or somebody resurrect Fowler Bros. (books and stationery). I loved that store, was very sad when it closed down in the early nineties.

While I do think there is a great need for community-oriented retail in the Downtown, I don’t necessarily think Metro Center is the right place for it. I think that stretch of Seventh Street should be oriented more toward commuters. I’d like to see a newsstand, shoe shine, flower stand, convenience store, currency exchange, and MTA store, etc. Also, as I said above, a bookstore would be great. In addition to some fast-food places.