Operators Of Taco Vista Selected To Create New Restaurant And Event Venue At Historic Building 140

The Trust for Governors Island today announced today that the team behind long-time Governors Island vendor Taco Vista is just 60 minutes from Uptown.

Including David Hitchner and Zach Mack of Alphabet City Beer Co. and Michelin-Star Executive Chef Eduard Frauneder – will be expanding to develop a year-round, three-part dining and events concept within the waterfront historic building adjacent to their existing seasonal restaurant.

The team was awarded the project following a Request for Proposals released in July 2022 inviting operators of event, food and beverage, and hospitality venues to ground lease, redevelop and operate the building. The project announced today builds upon the Trust’s recent milestone of opening Governors Island to the public year-round and supports the long-term vision to expand visitor amenities while breathing new life into fifty landmarked former military buildings. 

“Governors Island continues to be a unique destination for innovation, open space, and art in the middle of New York Harbor, attracting nearly a million visitors a year,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer. “Taco Vista’s expansion into this historic space will be a wonderful asset for visitors year-round. The Adams administration is proud to support the growth of this small business on the island with City capital funding.”

“Since opening to the public year-round in 2021, Governors Island has grown into a destination for all seasons for nearly one million visitors each year,” said Clare Newman, President and CEO of the Trust for Governors Island. “We are excited to announce this new, expanded vision from the Taco Vista team that will increase delicious, affordable year-round food offerings for visitors while restoring one of Governors Island’s most treasured historic structures at Soissons Landing.” 

“Governors Island is a year-round destination, so it should have great year-round food options,” said New York State Senator Andrew Gounardes. “By creating this new venue while revitalizing a historic building, the Trust continues to expand the Island’s cultural offerings while preserving and uplifting its past. Governors Island is such a unique space for New Yorkers to learn, explore, study our climate and simply enjoy the outdoors—these new food offerings make that already-rich experience even richer. I can’t wait to stop by to see the finished project.”

Expanding beyond their seasonal waterfront concept Taco Vista, which has operated on Governors Island since 2018, the team will be undertaking a careful historic restoration neighboring Building 140, while completely renovating the interior to create a modern, multi-use food and beverage concept.

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The 10,000 SF project will include three distinct venues: Priscilla’s, a year-round café serving coffee, pastries, and light lunch fare on a daily basis, with an expanded menu on its waterfront terrace pairing carefully crafted cocktails, local beers, and small production wines with a coastal Mediterranean-inspired menu;  The Riverline, an indoor-outdoor full-service restaurant that will have the ability to host special events; and a reimagined Taco Vista serving family-friendly Mexican fare and drinks. 

The building is located adjacent to Governors Island’s primary ferry dock with 7-minute service to Lower Manhattan, and features unobstructed views of the Lower Manhattan skyline, Brooklyn Bridge, and New York Harbor. Construction is anticipated to begin in Winter 2024 and be completed in Fall 2025.

The project will carefully restore historic Building 140, originally constructed in the mid-1800s as a munitions warehouse and used over the years as a bank and a post office during the Island’s history as a US Army and Coast Guard Base. The design team, led by SHoP Architects, will preserve and restore the historical detail of the building’s exterior, while creating new ADA accessibility and improving the adjacent waterfront landscapes. The building will be one of the first adaptive reuse project on Governors Island with 100% electric operations, including an electrified commercial kitchen, and will include several sustainability and resiliency improvements with the potential for generating solar power on the roof.

In July 2022, the Trust released a Request for Proposals seeking food developers and operators of food and beverage concepts and event venues to ground lease, redevelop, and operate Building 140. Proposals were evaluated based on the Respondent’s proposed program and vision, including serving a broad and diverse audience and aligning with the Trust’s climate and sustainability goals, team and feasibility, proposed terms, and quality of design. 

Governors Island has undergone a tremendous transformation over the last decade, including the creation of a resilient 43-acre park, a growing arts and cultural program, and remarkable growth in audience. Since the Island’s transfer to local control, the Trust has overseen the renovation and leasing of more than 500,000 SF of historic buildings. The Island is home to diverse number of year-round tenants, including the Urban Assembly New York Harbor School, the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, the Billion Oyster Project, Beam Center, the Institute for Public Architecture, and QC NY, as well as Buttermilk Labs — a new multi-tenant hub for coastal climate solutions announced in Fall 2021. The New York Climate Exchange, a research and educational institution led by Stony Brook University and a cross-sector consortium of universities, businesses, and nonprofit organizations, was announced as the anchor partner for the Center for Climate Solutions by Mayor Eric Adams and the Trust for Governors Island in April 2023. 

Now open to the public year-round, Governors Island is home to a robust calendar of free public programs and events, outdoor recreation activities, diverse arts and cultural experiences, and more to explore.

Visit www.govisland.org/things-to-do for more information and to view all upcoming events and programs.

The Trust for Governors Island

The Trust for Governors Island is a nonprofit corporation created by the City of New York that is responsible for the redevelopment and operation of 150 acres of Governors Island. The Trust’s mission is to realize the full potential of Governors Island for the inspiration and enjoyment of all New Yorkers, demonstrating a bold vision for public space. For more information, visit www.govisland.org.

Photo credit: The Trust for Governors Island.