Sad Day For Roosevelt Island, Conditional Site Control For Kahn/FDR Boondoggle Approved - You Can Put Lipstick On A Pig, It's Still A Pig
Conditional Site control for the southern portion of Southpoint Park was granted to the Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt Institute (FERI) last night by the RIOC Board of Directors with a vote of 7 yays, 1 no and 1 abstention. I really am so disgusted that I can't say much more except that a great deal of the frustration is caused by the fact that opponents of site control were not permitted to speak to counter the statements made by FERI representatives. I know, I tried. A reader of this post in attendance at the meeting sums up the proceeding this way:
Apparently end of sale on cement and granite WAS the most important. The vote went along political line - this beautiful island is just a fodder and cash register for 3rd rate politicians, political deadwood, and connected crooks. Sheeple shlep around. Our own kookoo NEST..I don't agree with the crooks reference but understand the frustration.
All of the Board members voted for site control except newly elected Faye Fryer Christian who voted No and re-appointed member Patrick Stewart who abstained. Ms. Christian should be congratulated for being the only Board member with the guts and gumption to stand up for the residents of Roosevelt Island. Those Board members who voted for site control or abstained appeared to be more concerned with the financial problems of FERI than they were in exercising their fiduciary obligations to RIOC and the residents of Roosevelt Island. They owe it to their Roosevelt Island neighbors to explain why they voted for this blemish on Roosevelt Island and I would be happy to give them the space on Roosevelt Islander to do so.
To borrow a quote from the next President of the United States, Barack Obama, and apply it to the Kahn/FDR boondoggle:
You can put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig.
The Kahn/FDR memorial is still a pig for Roosevelt Island and FERI will be trying to feed at the public trough of taxpayers.
Opponents of this memorial to Louis Kahn will regroup and find a way to stop this thing.
The Board meeting should be available for viewing on the RIOC webcast here soon.
UPDATE - 11:30 AM : For one brief shining moment it appeared that the proposed site control for FERI was in trouble and might be voted down by the RIOC directors. Board member Shinozaki asked a series of challenging, skeptical questions of the FERI representatives regarding the qualifications of FERI to handle this project given the decrepit state of the FDR Library in New Hyde Park, as well as the proposed benchmarks and timetables. Also, Board member Stewart expressed exasperation with FERI for their continuous failure to live up to previous promises and deadlines over many years. At this point I noticed several representatives from FERI leave their seats to huddle up outside of the meeting room. They came back and one of the representatives whispered something in the ear of RIOC president Steve Shane. I have no idea what was said but I do know that neither I nor any other opponent of the conditional site control was allowed to speak in public during the meeting to the Board members much less whisper in the ear of any Board member or RIOC official.
When the time came to vote, the entire Board with the exception of Ms. Christian caved in to the alleged need for FERI to lock in a lower price for cement (Page 2 of vanden Heuvel letter to RIOC Board). There were some Board members that voted yes or abstained that appeared to believe that they could still vote no at a later date on FERI site control if the construction timetable and financing milestones negotiated by RIOC President Steve Shane did not satisfactorily protect what these Board members perceive to be the best interests of Roosevelt Island.
That is certainly not the view of Mr. Shane. It will be interesting to see what happens when these timetables and deadlines are negotiated if, as based upon prior history, they are overly generous to FERI. In that event, will the view of RIOC directors who believe they can revisit the conditional site control designation prevail or will the view of RIOC management prevail?
The RIOC Board members who are Roosevelt Island residents and voted for site control are Ms. Grimm, Mr. Kalkin, Mr. Kraut, Ms. Miller and Mr. Shinozaki, Mr. Stewart abstained and Ms. Christian voted No.
Below is RIOC President Steve Shane's memo regarding the "phased development" of the memorial.
Some Board members were highly skeptical of the contention that at no time would Roosevelt Island be left with an incomplete Park should FERI fail, as is likely based upon past performance, to live up to it obligations to Roosevelt Island.
Stay tune. It's not over yet!
