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Food Trucks Rolling Into Battery Park City for Lunch

By Julie Shapiro | December 9, 2011 7:29am

BATTERY PARK CITY — Food trucks rarely make stops in Battery Park City, but that's about to change.

A rotating group of five trucks per day — possibly including the popular Wafels & Dinges, Mexicue, Frites 'N' Meats and more — will soon park near the World Financial Center to serve lunch crowds hungry for more dining options.

"There's clearly a lack of food that's served in Battery Park City today," said David Cheikin, director of leasing for Brookfield Properties, which owns the World Financial Center.

"The more dining options we can bring down, the better off it is for anyone."

Cheikin is working with the New York City Food Truck Association to pick a regular rotation of its 30 members to serve Battery Park City.

Other possible vendors include Souvlaki GR, Schnitzel & Things, Taim Mobile, Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream, Frying Dutchmen and Red Hook Lobster.

The trucks will park on North End Avenue, near 4 World Financial Center, seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Cheikin said.

Brookfield is just beginning a $250 million renovation of the World Financial Center that will add a food court and new sit-down restaurants. But that won't open for another several years, and Cheikin said he wanted to give Downtown workers and residents more food choices in the meantime.

When he presented the proposal to Community Board 1's Battery Park City Committee Tuesday night, several board members expressed concerns about smoke from the food trucks and the cleanliness of the food.

"You don't think it looks cheesy?" asked Bob Townley, a CB1 member who lives in Battery Park City.

Cheikin replied that the food trucks would serve gourmet eats, not the typical city street food.

"We'd never let dirty-water dogs down here," he added. "We think it will be a good amenity."

Cheikin expects to launch the food trucks soon, once he finalizes the details of the plan with the Battery Park City Authority.

"[The food trucks] are ready to start as soon as we can," he said.