Last week I spoke with the Khalfani, the new Café @ Cornell Tech Executive Chef about a new feature at the Café.
According to Khalfani:
Every Tuesday and
Wednesday and Thursday from 11:30 a.m.
to 2:00 p.m. we want to bring something
new and fresh to the Café so we created
the Action Station where once a week we're going
to choose a different style of Cuisine to do live cooking in front of
the students and the public so they
can get a little bit more excitement out
of the Café and also bring out something
delicious as well as the other Café offerings.
For example today we're
doing Vietnamese Crepes...
I asked Khalfani what's scheduled for this week and he replied:
... It's always a surprise - I have to leave it as a surprise...
Stop by the Café @ Cornell Tech this week and see what surprise Khalfani has cooked up for us.
Also, check out the the March 31 Cornell Tech Café weekly menu for breakfast, lunch, coffee, daily specials, fruit smoothies and much more.
The 2025 Roosevelt Island Cherry Blossom season has begun with trees blooming
next to the Roosevelt Island bridge on the east side of Capobianco Field
but not yet in most other areas of Roosevelt Island.
The blooming of the Roosevelt Island Cherry Blossoms will bring back the
hordes of tourists to Roosevelt Island with long lines for the Tram and
overcrowded cabins. During yesterday's beautiful warm afternoon weather, we
got a small taste of the long Tram lines to come as shown in screenshots from
the
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp
(RIOC)
Manhattan Tram station livestream cameras.
The warmer months always result in an uptick in visitor and pedestrian
traffic to the island. With Cherry Blossom season fast approaching, the
following controls have been activated and will remain in place through
the end of April:
Overcrowding Safety Controls:
Large crowds on the island will be managed by PSD officers with the
assistance of the 114th Precinct.
Parks will be monitored by PSD throughout the day. Please note that
parks will close in the occurrence of overcrowding on the island.
Additional signage will be placed near the entrances and exits of the
Tram on the Manhattan side to help ensure an orderly travel process.
Transportation & Island Services:
NOTE: Please plan your travel accordingly. While delays in Tram travel are
to be expected due to increased ridership, the Ferry is a viable option;
the F-Train remains a quick and efficient option for travelling to and
from the island.
Subway: F train service will run on normal weekend hours. Please plan your
travel accordingly and visit
mta.info/weekender or call 511 for
more information. For electronic updates on F Train service, sign up for
MTA Alerts at mymtaalerts.com.
Q102 Bus: The Q102 is also available to help riders traveling on and off
Roosevelt Island. You can check the
Q102 schedule here.
RIOC Weekend Mini-Shuttle Buses to Manhattan: RIOC’s Transportation
Department will once again run a Mini-Shuttle Bus from Roosevelt Island to
Manhattan on weekends during the month of April. Shuttles will run hourly
(traffic permitting) from 11AM to 7:30PM. The shuttle will depart at the
top of every hour from the Roosevelt Island Tramway. The shuttle will then
depart on the half hour from the Manhattan Tram station, from the corner
of 60th Street and Second Avenue to the Tram. The last shuttle trips will
depart from the Roosevelt Island Tram at 7 PM and Manhattan at 7:30 PM.
Tram: PSD officers will be present at each station. Passengers should plan
accordingly as they may experience long lines. Before traveling, make sure
to check the Tram cams on the RIOC website to see up to the second
conditions at the Manhattan station:
https://rioc.ny.gov/673/Roosevelt-Island-Tram-Station-Livestream
Ferry Service: Ferry service will run on normal weekend service hours. For
schedule info, visit: Ferry.nyc
Vehicular Traffic: In the event of overcrowding, vehicular access to the
island will be restricted to island residents and workers only. PSD and
NYPD will be stationed at the entryway of the bridge (Vernon and 36th
Ave.) to monitor and redirect, if needed.
Bicycles: Citations will be issued to any cyclist/motorized scooters who
do not adhere to NYC bike laws.
Garbage Removal: There will be an increase in waste management this
weekend to address any littering caused by overcrowding.
For more information, please call PSD at 212-832-4545.
A Long Time Roosevelt Island resident shares this message to RIOC Director of Communications and Community Affairs Bryant Daniels:
Is that Mini-Shuttle you refer to that same, awful, not completely
barrier-free & accessible vehicle that looks like a truck? If it is, it
is not usable for a variety of folks with physical challenges ... Why can’t
RIOC use one of the Red Buses, especially now with 2 new buses (and the rest
in pretty good condition). They are safe, barrier-free and accessible....
Mr Daniels replied:
Thanks for the feedback. Yes, it’s the shorter bus—taking a 40-footer
off-island right now is a bad move. Maintaining Red Bus service on the
island has to be the priority, and the amount of people who utilize this
shuttle generally doesn’t exceed what the shorter bus can accommodate.
The shorter bus is also much easier to navigate for our drivers on Queens
and Manhattan roads, and with the roadwork going on just off the island,
that’s an important consideration, too.
I also think, generally speaking, we need to be thoughtful about not
repeating history with the Red Buses. That’s a lot of extra wear and tear
going off-island, just when we got our fleet back into shape.
Two of the buses are also about to have mid-life overhauls which will take
them out of commission for a few weeks each.
Following the release of our
2025 Island Travel Advisory, RIOC will be hosting a special online community meeting to discuss
preparations for the upcoming Cherry Blossom season on the island.
This online meeting
will be held next Tuesday, April 1st at 6pm via Teams.
The meeting will include a discussion about operational adjustments made
to help accommodate for the added foot-traffic to the island during the
busy spring season, and will offer residents an opportunity to provide
feedback and suggestions to RIOC leadership.
During the March 11 2025 RIOC Public Safety Department (PSD) Community
Engagement meeting, Chief Kevin Brown spoke about how PSD will handle the
large crowds at the Tram with the warmer weather arriving.
According to Chief Brown:
... Warm weather is coming. With the warm weather there's long lines at the
Tram. We will be out there. Public Safety will ensure that people are
safe on the Tram. We've limited to 50 persons on the platform so that
everybody can be safe....
... if you need the elevator for any reason you are allowed to take
the elevator. You don't have to prove that you're a certain age.
Whoever you are, if you need the elevator you will be allowed to take the
elevator and if anybody stops you tell them that you spoke to Chief Brown...
When asked, Chief Brown added that people will have to wait on the long line before
using the elevator although PSD Officers have discretion to use "common
sense" to allow some people to skip the line and go directly to the
elevator.
Here are Chief Brown's full remarks on the subject from the 24 minute mark
until 33 minute 50 second mark.
We are excited to announce that we are still accepting spots for Little
League! As of right now, registration is open for T-Ball and Majors
divisions. To ensure your child’s spot, please submit all the required
documents as soon as possible.
Important Reminders:
If your child is already enrolled in the Beacon after-school program, you
don’t need to submit a new application. Simply email the required
documents and complete the survey.
Registration is in high demand this year, so don’t wait—sign up as soon as
possible!
Contact Us:
For questions or concerns, email us at
beacon217@childcenterny.org
.You’ll receive a confirmation email from the Beacon admin team regarding
your child’s acceptance into the Little League program.
We’re looking forward to another exciting, safe, and competitive baseball
season. Let’s play ball!
Age Groups:
The league will include two divisions:
T-Ball (5–6 years)
Majors (11–15 years)
Note: Beginner 7-year-olds may be placed in T-Ball.
Season Highlights:
The season kicks off with a 10-game schedule beginning on April 5th, with
games on Saturdays and 1–2 weeknights. Special events include:
All-Star Game
Team Picture Day
Playoffs & Championship Game
All-Girls Game to conclude the season
We are committed to recruiting dedicated parents, young professionals, and
community leaders as coaches to ensure a meaningful and enriching experience
for all players.
Please note: All league event dates are subject to change.
Registration Steps:
To register your child, please complete the following steps:
Fill out the online registration form at Discover DYCD.
There was a large NYPD and FDNY response this morning to an incident at the
Roosevelt Island 460 Main Street
Riverwalk Park
affordable housing building including officers from the 114 precinct, the
Emergency Services Unit (ESU), Technical Assistance Response Unit (TARU) and the Roosevelt Island
Public Safety Department.
Tipsters reported a woman wielding a hammer or pipe barricaded herself in a
6th floor apartment and smoke was smelled in the hallway. After several hours
the woman was taken away on a stretcher by FDNY.
Riverwalk Park management sent an email notice to residents saying this was an
isolated incident.
According to many residents, this was not an isolated incident but only one
example of many longstanding problem incidents at the building.
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Communications & Community Affairs Director Bryant Daniels
reports:
At 7:21AM, PSD responded to a report of an individual experiencing a
mental health issue at 460 Main Street. Upon arrival, PSD requested
assistance from the NYPD, who responded to the scene and corrected the
situation. DCPI can provide additional information as needed.
As Chief Brown has consistently stated over the past two years, Roosevelt
Island is not immune to the mental health crisis affecting our city. PSD
will continue to work with the residents of 460 Main Street to support the
building in providing compassionate care to those in need.
A NYPD spokesperson added:
An emotionally disturbed woman was taken to the hospital. There were no
injuries reported.
Residents of Riverwalk Park spoke about their issues of concern during the
March 11, 2025 Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department Community
Engagement meeting with RIOC Public Safety Chief Kevin Brown. According to
residents:
... three things that we are very concerned about still to this day is the
safety, security and cleanliness of the building. We have a very very
serious problem in this building...
and:
... some of the biggest issues is the domestic violence in the building. and
we've had several people who have been attacked, assaults. My understanding is
that at least one of the two is still in the courts, this is 4 years later...
I asked Riverwalk Park management for:
... comment on this incident today and the longstanding safety and security
problems described by residents?
Riverwalk Park Management asked for additional time to answer. I will update
story with their response.
Last January, a group of Roosevelt Island parents began organizing and lobbying to increase the number of early childhood 3 K seats allocated to Roosevelt Island. Roosevelt Island parents Sunny & Tanya Singh explained the importance of increasing the number of Pre K seats located on Roosevelt Island. According to the Singh's:
We moved to Roosevelt Island in 2022 in hopes to settle in this beautiful lush green neighborhood and raise our future child here. While researching the best places in New York City to start a family, we strongly leaned towards Roosevelt Island with the abundance of child friendly spaces, activities, playgrounds, a large school, and daycare centers that we saw during our walks.
Unbeknownst to us, 3k facilities on the island could not accommodate more than 30 children in total. There are at least one hundred local little Roosevelt Islanders that need access to the 3k program. Yet, we are being forced to commute with the most vulnerable little toddlers miles away to find appropriate schooling options elsewhere. I wish we had known about the 3k seats shortage prior to settling on the island and becoming permanent residents here.
Most of the children in each age group know each other and it would be great to let our children play together and stay in the safe environment in their own neighborhood instead of dragging them to separate inaccessible 3k facilities off of the island....
According to Roosevelt Island parents and the Roosevelt Island Day Nursery (RIDN), there are dozens, if not more, of Roosevelt Island parents seeking 3 K program seats for their children located on Roosevelt Island and have been put on a waiting list. I'm told approximately 100 children are on waiting list to attend a 3K program on Roosevelt Island.
RIDN has been allocated one 3K class of 15 students and three classes for Pre K of 16 seats each. RIDN has requested that one of the Pre K seats be switched to a 3K seat so that there are 2 classes each of 3K and Pre K.
Also, I understand that PS/IS 217 on Roosevelt Island is also allocated three Pre K classes and one 3K...
... Is it possible to switch one of the RIDN Pre K classes to 3 K in order to accomodate more Roosevelt Island children in the 3K program?...
A DOE spokesperson replied:
... Seat allocations for 3-K and Pre-K programs are determined based on multiple factors, including utilization trends, demand, and funding. We continue to assess capacity needs and look forward to exploring opportunities to engage with the community on updated needs....
I asked the DOE today:
I’m following up on the request by Roosevelt Island parents for an additional 3K class.
I’m told that the DOE has agreed to an additional 3 k class being allocated to the Roosevelt Island Day Nursery for the upcoming year.
Is that true?
Any statement from DOE on the matter?
DOE Associate Press Secretary Dominique Ellison answered:
We can confirm the additional 3K class allocation to the Roosevelt Island Day Nursery for the upcoming school year (SY25-26). This cost-neutral swap will adjust the current seat allocation from 15 3K seats and 48 pre-K seats to a balanced offering of 30 3K and 30 pre-K seats. Our primary concern is continuing high-quality education services, and this seat swap provides a consistent and uninterrupted learning environment for Roosevelt Island families.
Great job by these parents demonstrating that people can organize, petition and improve our Roosevelt Island community.
What's next?
UPDATE 9:40 PM - Maybe not a win for everybody. Another Roosevelt Island parent raises this concern:
As a parent of a 2 year old, this is great news but unfortunately the island has lost an entire PreK class. So this is still a bit worrisome for families on the island who may now need to go off island for PreK and a new building opening - it’s too bad that the 3K could not have just been additional and not a swap.
As part of Open Data Week 2025, Cornell Tech is hosting 2 workshops Wednesday March 26 on the subject. You're invited to attend the workshops to learn the fundamentals of using NYC Open Data.
Did you know there is free data about nearly every aspect of our city? Come learn how to use it with the NYC Open Data Ambassadors! Join us for an in-person workshop hosted at Cornell Tech where you’ll learn the fundamentals of using NYC Open Data. This event is part of an Open Data Week series hosted by Cornell Tech— learn more below.
You will gain an understanding of:
What NYC Open Data is!
How to find specific datasets
How to filter a dataset
How to visualize data in charts and graphs
Tools and Applications of Open Data
How to stay involved
Who should attend?
Anyone! No experience is necessary.
Roosevelt Island Community Members
Educators & Students
Librarians & Non-Profit Professionals
Local Organizers & Decision-Makers
City Planners and Mappers
The session will be taught by Hebah Emara, a member of NYC’s Open Data Ambassadors, a program that trains volunteers to share Open Data with their fellow New Yorkers. Joining us as a special guest and co-presenter will be NYC’s Chief Analytics Officer, Martha Norrick. The Ambassadors program is a collaboration between NYC Open Data and BetaNYC. To learn more, visit nyc.gov/discoveropendata.
This event is part of an Open Data Week series hosted by Cornell Tech on Wednesday, March 26 from 5-8pm. We’d love for you to join us for both sessions— though it is not required! We’ll kick off at 5:00 pm with a hands-on Discovering NYC Open Data class from the Open Data Ambassadors, where you’ll learn the fundamentals of NYC Open Data. Following that, at 6:30 pm, Cornell Tech researchers and experts will discuss their real-world applications of open data, during Open Data in Action: Driving Academic Research and Government Collaboration at Cornell Tech. Join us for a post-event happy hour next door at Anything at All!
This fills a longstanding need, and thanks to all the leaders who pulled it together. For balance now, we need resident leadership to come up with something similar. RIRA is a wreck waiting for...
Jesus Christ. Give it up. The priority boarding is not going to happen. If the line is too long, take the subway. It's not that far from the tram station on either end of the trip.
The protections from Public Safety for tram safety diminish the man hours of protection that Roosevelt Islanders pay for to protect us right here in our community. While It's necessary,...
It good idea but need to think about a limit number of passes per person or some other control to stop people trying to grab multiples for sale. Also have to think where/when do you get the daily...
There is no extra fee for the annual Fast Line Pass. The idea is the same thing as what your are calling Priority Boarding. The idea that is different is that anyone (residents/workers/visitors)...
Re. the 8:30 update: The Roosevelt Landings Residents Association determined that at least 22 heater sparkings and fires had taken place in our building in recent months. I personally experienced 3...
Roosevelt Island is a mixed income, racially diverse waterfront community situated in the East River of New York City between Manhattan and Queens and is jurisdictionally part of Manhattan. The Roosevelt Island Tramway, which connects Roosevelt Island to the rest of Manhattan, has become the iconic symbol of Roosevelt Island to its residents.
The Purpose of this Blog is to provide accurate and timely information about Roosevelt Island as well as a forum for residents to express opinions and engage in a dialogue to improve our community.
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