Dogs Banned From Roosevelt Island's Riverwalk Lawns By Related Management - Will RIOC Do Same For Riverwalk Commons?

Unleased Dog On Riverwalk Lawn Between 405 and 415 Main Street

Dogs pooping and running unleashed on the Riverwalk communal lawns continues to be a problem for the Roosevelt Island luxury Rental and Condominium complex. At first, Related Management sent out a warning memorandum:

...Dogs will continue to be permitted on the lawn as long as it remains a clean and safe environment for everyone. However, if concerns arise in the future the lawn will become a dog-free zone. Thank you for your anticipated cooperation.

Looks like there was not much cooperation because soon thereafter this memorandum came out from Related Management:

Re: Dogs on Lawns between 405, 415 and 425 Main Street

Effectively immediately, dogs are no longer permitted on the lawn between 405 and 415 Main Street or the lawn between 415 and 425 Main Street.

This decision was made for the safety of our residents and appearance of our landscaping.

Staff from both buildings will be monitoring this space to ensure that residents are adhering to this newly established policy.

Thank you for your anticipated cooperation.

Aerial View of Riverwalk Lawn Between 425 and 415 Main Street

I sent the following message to Related Management:

I saw the notice that dogs are no longer permitted in the grassy area between 405 -415 -425 Main Street which I think is a very good idea.

Will that prohibition be extended to the Commons Area. between 425-455 as well?

I certainly hope so.

The dog problem there is as bad if not worse than the other Riverwalk grassy areas.

Related's representative responded that the 425 -455 Riverwalk Commons area is not under their jurisdiction but is governed by RIOC.

Yesterday, I inquired of RIOC's Interim President Steve Chironis and VP of Operations Fernando Martinez:

...will RIOC follow the policy of Related and ban dogs from the Riverwalk Commons area between 425 - 455 Main Street in order to protect the safety of Roosevelt Island residents and the appearance of the lawn as well?...

Have not heard back yet but will let you know what RIOC's position is on the matter.

I witnessed another dog related incident last Monday. On the way through my building's lobby heading to the elevator I encountered two tiny dogs being admonished by their owner who was carrying a very smelly poop bag in his hands. Apparently, the dogs could not hold it in and crapped on the lobby rug.

Dog Crap Stain on the Building Lobby Rug

Not properly curbing your dog outside is bad enough but inside a building is particularly disgusting.

Unfortunately, responsible dog owners are being punished for those who are not.

There is a new Roosevelt Island Dog Owners Group being formed. It's called FIDO - Federation of Independent Dog Owners of Roosevelt Island. Perhaps they can come up with a solution.

Here's another Roosevelt Island dog encounter. It's going after it's owner's mom.

Looking Good On Stylish Roosevelt Island With A Korean Designer, Custom Guinea Outfit, Mini S J Parker Frilly Skirt & Frohawk- Where'd They Get That?

What New York City neighborhood would your typical stylish New Yorker visit to get the latest in fashion advice and tips in looking good? Perhaps The Lower East Side? Maybe the Meatpacking District or Soho? How about Alphabet City or Williamsburg?

Nah, none of those neighborhoods will do. At least not for this recent My Fox NY, Where'd You Get That From Feature by Good Day NY reporter Christal Young which profiled the fashionable residents of Roosevelt Island:

... The first person Christal checked out was a young woman from Korea, wearing a top and belt from Korean designer McGinn Knightsbridge. It was $100. Then a young woman in a custom made outfit told Christal she picked the fabric in Guinea in West Africa. Total cost for the outfit was $150. Two little girls who looked like mini-Sarah Jessica Parker's walked by with the most adorable frilly pink skirts on. They were purchased at H & M for just $3 each....

And let's not forget the young lady's FroHawk Hair Style.

Roosevelt Island On The Web Links

The Roosevelt Island on the Web Links feature did not make it into the July 3, 2010 Main Street WIRE. Here it is anyway.

Roosevelt Islander - PS/IS 217 G & T Class Will Continue For Next Year
Roosevelt Islander - Census Workers Allowed In Riverwalk Buildings
Roosevelt Island School G & T Class Blog - On To 1st Grade
Vimeo - New Green Fuel Cell For RI's Octagon Building Coming In July
WSJ Blog- PS/IS 217 Gifted & Talented Class Will Continue
Inside Schools - PS/IS 217 Gifted & Talented Program
NY Post - Objections To Child School's Performance Of La Cage aux Folles
NY Times - Educating Disabled Coler Goldwater Patient
Hub Pages - David Stone Explains Roosevelt Island
RIOC - April/May 2010 Monthly Public Safety Blotter Incidents
RIOC - January - May 2010 Public Safety Incident Statistics
RIOC - June 2010 RIOC Board Of Directors Meeting
State Senator Serrano - New RIOC Governance Law Passes Senate
Assembly Member Kellner - Assembly Passes Electricity Submetering Bill
Twitpic - Roosevelt Island Outdoor Movie Night
You Tube - PS/IS 217 Kindergarten Song
Roosevelt Island Historical Society - Visitors Center Kiosk Renovation
Roosevelt Live - Summer Events On Riverwalk Commons
Gondola Project - Explains Funifor Tram Technology
Curbed - Roosevelt Island Tram Tower Top Done
Break The Illusion - Doesn't Like Roosevelt Island
My Fox NY - What Are You Wearing On Roosevelt Island?
RI 360 Twitpic - Two Ducks Hanging Around Roosevelt Island
Queens Gazette - July 4 Fireworks Won't Be Seen From Roosevelt Island
Allez Allie - Visits Roosevelt Island
10 Reasons To Hate NY - $2500 Roosevelt Island Studio Apartments
You Tube - Singer Early Clover Brings Motown to Roosevelt Island Day
You Tube - Fabulous Faustones Perform Outdoors At Trellis Restaurant
Sail Net - Navigating East River's Hell Gate Near Roosevelt Island
Straight - Nordic Jazz Star Give Interview From Roosevelt Island
You Tube - NYFD Boat Passes Roosevelt Island On East River

Message To Roosevelt Island Community From RIOC Director Jonathan Kalkin

Image of June 2010 RIOC Board of Directors Meeting

As reported earlier today:

I have offered the opportunity to members of the Roosevelt Island Board of Directors to use this blog as a vehicle to communicate to Roosevelt Island residents regarding issues of concern to the community in an unedited format and taking as much space as they wish. I am very happy that the newest Board Member, Margie Smith, decided to do so and hope that other Board Members follow her lead...

Just received this message from a second RIOC Director, Jonathan Kalkin. From Mr. Kalkin:

I believe in the hope of Roosevelt Island. I believe in the experiment. However, experiments need changes from time to time to get it right. More importantly, experiments need catalysts.

I believe in the hope of owning your own home no matter who you are. For too long, people in this community have been paying for affordable housing that they can’t call their own. It is a treadmill of never-ending rent, or uncertainty without any equity and security. Today, tenants do not know if a rent hike, or a landlord’s electricity scheme, or a market-rate privatization deal will cause them to lose their home. They also don’t have the financial security to sell and give the next person the opportunity to buy an affordable place. This cycle puts their fate in someone else’s hands. This is a statement that if you need affordable housing, you will never achieve the American Dream to say it’s yours.

As my first act as chair of the RIOC Board’s Real Estate committee, with the help of my tireless fellow Board members and our great Assemblymember Micah Kellner, I have set out to break that cycle for the first time. Too many plans had come before and were never acknowledged by the RIOC Board. So, I had it put on the agenda, and we approved the DHCR affordability plans for Rivercross, Island House, and (when the tenants approve one) Westview. It seemed inefficient that all the State and City agencies had never met together in one room, and so I asked the Assemblymember to help set up a meeting at City Hall, and he delivered. As a result, things have started to come together and movement is at hand. It may seem that the RIOC Board doesn’t believe in you, in the hope of owning your own home. This is not true. Your fight is our fight. Your hope is our hope.

I believe in the hope of choice and opportunity and prosperity in owning your own business, and the joy that brings in providing a service and employment for others. For too long, nine, three, or worse – one person – has decided what stores go on the Island. Government thinks it can plan what you want and need. It destroys the entrepreneurial spirit by putting it through a complex and expensive legal and government bidding process that makes it impossible to achieve another American Dream – owning a business. This robs the hope of employment for people on the Island in a time of economic uncertainty. Finally, government says that people of this Island don’t deserve the rich panoply of shops and opportunities of other areas because we are a mixed-income and affordable community.

When I came to this Island, I examined this process and wrote an article in The WIRE outlining a solution – a master lease where the choice of what businesses exist here, and the dreams of the entrepreneurial spirit, are taken from us on the Board and given rightfully back to you. It was approved by the RIRA Common Council, endorsed in a RIRA election referendum, recommended by Senator Jose Serrano’s Hunter College study and even by a consultant study commissioned by RIOC – and then approved by the New York State Attorney General. It has been a long fight, but we are not giving up until a person who wants to open a shop here on Tuesday, and has the means and acumen, is allowed to sign their lease on Wednesday. That business owner will then employ people, provide services for you, and, because there are businesses everywhere on Main Street, will not take the customer for granted. At the same time, that healthy competition will allow our present and future businesses to prosper because, for the first time, there will be a reason to walk down Main Street and patronize the stores.

More importantly, if that business doesn’t survive, it can be replaced immediately. Currently, we have a race to the bottom. We are so afraid of anyone leaving that we allow any business to operate or open, whether or not they fulfill your needs. The current government-approval process is long and, therefore, we are desperate to keep or accept anyone who is interested under any circumstances, simply because we know the current bidding process requires months.

This process can’t be done piecemeal. We want a long-term solution. Also, no one wants to be the first business to invest if they are surrounded by an empty block of stores. The process that will exist will be simple. We give someone the opportunity if they can prove they deserve it; the business then survives if they prove to their customers that they can and will perform. If they perform, they are able to pay to stay in their location. If they can’t, someone else is immediately given the opportunity. It’s a contract that exists between the consumer and business owner, and it’s your right to be in control of it.

I believe that we can be a place of innovation. Our Island started with the idea that we would be a modern community with new technology and ideas. I have been proud to commission studies from Columbia and Cornell regarding transportation, technology, and our parks that have brought new life to this experiment. Ideas like GPS time-clocks for buses are installed. Next up is fiber-optic wi-fi internet in our parks, an Island 311-type information/complaint system with help from Frank Farance, efficient LED lighting, GPS time-clock signs, and bike sharing. I have spoken to companies about installing chargers for electric cars like the new Chevy Volt in Motorgate, powered by solar or tidal energy. These ideas are becoming a reality because the Board and residents believe this Island deserves better.

Finally, I believe in a true and diverse democracy – an Island of diverse incomes where people work together for a better life with true political representation. We are not Tribeca or Brooklyn Heights; we are better, we are diverse, we are special, we are an experiment worth fighting for.

We are the American Dream.

I hope Ms. Smith and Mr. Kalkin continue to share their thoughts with the Roosevelt Island community via Roosevelt Islander blog and that the other RIOC Board Directors do the same as well.

Message To Roosevelt Island Community From RIOC Board Director Margie Smith

Image Of June 2010 RIOC Board Of Directors Meeting

I have offered the opportunity to members of the Roosevelt Island Board of Directors to use this blog as a vehicle to communicate to Roosevelt Island residents regarding issues of concern to the community in an unedited format and taking as much space as they wish. I am very happy that the newest Board Member, Margie Smith, decided to do so and hope that other Board Members follow her lead.

I have also offered the same to Steve Chironis, the interim President/CEO of RIOC and he has agreed to do so. If former RIOC President Steve Shane wishes to share his views with the community on his departure, the blog is open for him as well.

I have asked RIOC Board Chairperson and DHCR Commissioner Brian Lawlor to comment on the reasons for Mr. Shane's departure and to date have received no reply.

From Ms. Smith:

I’ve been on the RIOC Board now for several months and as one of the newest members I thought I’d take this opportunity to say where I think we are right now and to look toward the future and what I hope we’ll be able to accomplish in the upcoming year(s).

The current board is composed primarily of residents elected by each of you. We recognize our responsibility to you and our responsibility to New York State. Those responsibilities, fortunately, are in perfect synchronization. The objectives of this community are still very much the objectives of this board. We want to continue the original plan for this Island, a community with mixed ethnicities, incomes and age groups.

We’re working to revitalize Main Street. We’ve put forward a plan to get a Master Leaseholder to take over the storefronts. We believe this will provide a long-term solution to an ongoing problem. While it takes longer upfront to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a Master Leaseholder than it would to issue an RFP for an individual store, once it’s done, it’s done forever. That means that in the future if a store becomes vacant, it can be filled instantly with whatever type of shop or service is needed, without RIOC having to issue an RFP, with its inherent delays, every time that happens. It also means closer management of the storefronts by people who know retail. I, personally, feel this approach will be a plus for the residents as well as the merchants. We appreciate your patience and completely understand the frustration felt by all of you. We feel it too and I want to assure you we’re doing everything in our power to breathe life into Main Street as quickly as we possibly can.

At the same time we’re putting a high priority effort on finalizing the affordability plans outlined by the Department of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR). Those plans will insure that affordable housing will continue for the residents of Island House, Rivercross and Westview. We’ve been very fortunate to have the expertise of the DHCR staff in developing these plans and our objective now is to get them implemented as quickly as possible.

Then there’s the tram. By now you’ve all read that we’re behind schedule by about a month. We recognize the importance of getting the tram back as quickly as possible and we’re doing everything we can to make up the time. You’ve probably seen the after-hours work that’s being done to speed up the job, with safety always being our primary concern. I personally walk from my job on the West side to the tram every evening after work rather than going down into the subway. I miss that and want to get back to doing it while the weather is still nice. I also recognize the huge inconvenience this is to the disabled and senior population who can’t always depend on the elevator in the subway working. Bottom line, we understand the importance of getting the tram back in service as fast as is safely possible. We’re trying to do just that.

While there are a myriad of other projects going on right now, we’re also looking well into the future of the Island. Our first concern is to be sure that the Island will be financially stable in the years to come. That will be a challenge, but we believe we’re on the right road to making that happen. As a board member and Island resident I want tosee Roosevelt Island be in the forefront of innovation. That’s what we’ve always been about. We had the first commuter tramway in the United States; we have the only Automated Vacuum Collection (AVAC) system serving a residential complex in the United States; we had electric buses back in the ‘70’s. This board wants the Island to continue to innovate. We’re focusing on the areas of technology, energy, and communications. I’m looking forward to more community involvement in each of these areas to make the next decade one that’s marked with creativity and progress that will make us all proud.

RIRA President On RIOC President Shane's Departure, Master Leaseholder, Free Market Economics, Mitchell Lama Privatizations, Reunion & More

RIRA President Frank Farance Speaking At June RIOC Board Public Comment Session

Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) President Frank Farance sends the following report to Roosevelt Island residents. Mr. Farance addresses:

1. RIRA Blood Drive a huge success. Thank you to all participated. This year was our best effort ever. Thanks to Matt Katz for organizing this, vampires would have been proud.

2. Roosevelt Island Day was wonderful! This is such a great community day. Thank you to Doryne Isley, Charlie DeFino, the managing companies, RIOC, and others who supported, helped, and participated. RIRA was served hundreds of free bagels, coffee, and orange juice to residents — thanks to Trellis for the wide assortment of bagels. My children and I enjoyed the rides, the ponies, the little train ride, and the children's ID event. The Motown review band was excellent including watching PSD Deputy Director René Bryan work up the crowd. Mr. Bryan, you were having so much fun, you should have been in the band.

3. Roosevelt Island Reunion. Last weekend, we had a reunion of original residents circa 1976 to 1986. About 200 returned to picnic, swap stories, show off their children, and play music. I was in the last category, a keyboard player. In our younger days, us musicians would haul equipment on spring Saturday mornings to the water's steps at Motorgate and jam for a couple hours. (Or as one derisively put it: a loud tuning of guitars for four hours.) Over six hours of playing we covered Jeff Beck's Freeway Jam, Tom Petty's American Girl, Credence Clearwater Revival's Born on the Bayou, Wild Cherry's Play That Funky Music, James Brown's Papa's Got a Brand New Bag, Allman Brother's Statesboro Blues, Jimi Hendrix's Fire, and ending with Blind Faith's Can't Find My Way Home. Thanks to residents Dana Doyle, Olya Turcihin, and Brian Dorfmann for organizing the event. Thanks to RIOC staff Donna Masly, Carol Rubino, Mike Smith, and Fernando Martinez for their excellent help. Thanks to Public Safety for providing security who received many compliments from us old-timers.

4. RIRA Town Hall meeting on Main Street storefronts. We had our town hall meeting, unfortunately no one from the RIOC Board's Real Estate Development Advisory Committee attended. The whole idea was to be informed about the process to hear the multiple sides. RIOC President Steve Shane explained that we could have a 90-day process for renting storefronts. Cynthia Ahn, who runs a nail salon, and Julie Palermo, of the RI Chamber of Commerce. expressed concerns and dissatisfaction over the potential master lease process. Merchants are worried that when their leases expire will they be pushed out? Here's some of the main problems with the present master lease process:

- The big developers (Southtown and Octagon) are willing to invest millions in this because it will help with their rentals and sales. This is baloney. If spending a million dollars helped their rentals/sales, they'd spend the money now. But we have already learned that they won't spend money: for all the chatter from developers about getting a ferry while the tram is out, when it came to these developers putting up money, they balked. So we learned that the developer's sob story about rental/ssales is not true. The same applies here: they are piggy backing on residents' frustration with a plausible but phony story about a loss of rentals/sales. Yes, developers might be interested in the storefronts, but not because of loss of rentals/sales.

- Some RIOC Board members claim that only "free market" economics works and government can do no good. Recent US economic history tells us that "free market" doesn't always work. Not only will it not work here, we are NOT getting "free market" economics with the master plan. According to RIOC Board member Mr. Jonathan Kalkin, developers would allow the stores to run at a loss. So if RIOC allows their stores to run at a loss, it's bad government; but if a private enterprise does it, it's "free market". Furthermore, the deals that brought Duane Reade and Starbucks to the Island were not standalone profit operations, they were trades (as described by RIOC's real estate advisor Jones Lange Lasalle) where the developer would allow the merchant some prime location OFF of Roosevelt Island, but in exchange the merchant has to put a store on Roosevelt Island. These kind of arrangements aren't "free market" economics, they are merely choosing between two kinds of artificial/non-market economies: one is chosen by a government entity (RIOC, of which we have some influence) and one is chosen by a private entity (master lessee, of which we have no influence).

- Roosevelt Island is intended to be an economically diverse community. This is very different from most other communities. As Mr. Shane pointed out, we have a nail salon whose rent is $45/sq-ft in Southtown and a nail salon whose rent is $15/sq-ft in Roosevelt Landings with clienteles for both. In the master lease process, it might easily be economically viable to replace the $15/sq-ft nail salon with another service at $22/sq-ft (which is unaffordable by the nail salon). The outcome is: businesses and services lost for a lower economic segment are replaced by businesses and services for a higher economic segment. This is what normal "free market" economics do and, normally, some kind of out-of-market entity (e.g., government) is necessary to reduce this imbalance. Essentially, this is the argument that our current merchants are making.

- The storefronts could be rented right now with leases subject to the master lease, which is how it is done in shopping malls, but the RIOC Board does not want to do that. They say that will reduce the value of any master lease RFP process. This makes no sense: either your investment horizon is short-term, in which case you only care about the 10,000 sq-ft available, which is so small it is of little interest; or you care about the long-term, i.e., when big spaces like Gristede's become available in 2032, in which case the tenants rentable within 90 days are not your investment concern.

- What happens when the master lease doesn't work? For example, what if residents are really really unhappy with the outcome. The only way to unwind the deal is litigation or concessions, which will cost the Island (and a future RIOC Board). This is an all-lose situation and the RIOC Board has not said how they will handle this.

The RIOC Board is unwilling to permit a hybrid: lease storefronts now (could be done in 90 days) with leases subject to the master lease, meanwhile work through community concerns. As RIRA's Vice President Ellen Polivy said regarding the 2008 Island referendum question on a master lease, "I don't think we literally meant that [it had to be a master lease], what we wanted was the storefronts rented right away". About two months ago, RIOC Board Member Jonathan Kalkin said that merchants would be able to rent as soon as June. June has come and gone. It appears that Mr. Shane's predictions seem to be more accurate. After all, he is a real estate attorney that has worked with many commercial properties over the years.

I think experience is important. For example, When RIOC Board member Mr. Mike Shinozaki talks about operations, it is clear that his background brings vital experience to RIOC's efforts. For the Real Estate committee, there is nothing inherently wrong with a insurance agent, a grade school teacher, and a pediatrician being involved, but if this were any other organization that weren't so close to home, one would say "Gee, given the experience of your committee and the fact that you have a real estate attorney whose done commercial properties, I think I'd like to hear his point, too". And I've heard that two independent studies, including one by DHCR, recommended against the master lease process. So that's the point here: the board seemed to be upset that it was important to hear Mr. Shane's point of view, and it was important for these and other differing points to be discussed within the community (which the RIOC President chose to do, but the Real Estate committee declined).

Minimally, the RIOC Board needs to interact with the community and they should start by showing us what the RFP drafts look like. Had present resident board members not been on the RIOC Board, as outsiders they would have demanded: you should share this with the community. Although there were some initial bumps in the road, RIOC's Rosina Abramson's approach to have RIRA provide a Blackwell Park Committee produced the best outcome: (1) it satisfied RIOC's needs, (2) it satisfied the developer's needs, (3) it satisfied the residents' needs. The RIOC Board should choose the same approach, which will benefit everyone.

5. RIOC Board fires President Steve Shane. [Preface: These are my personal comments, RIRA has not yet met to discuss this, so I don't know their opinions.] At the Roosevelt Island Reunion on Saturday, the reporter who did the Newsweek article 30 years ago was doing a follow-up on Roosevelt Island and she was looking for juicy dirt to report. In that discussion, I was quoted as saying "I think Steve Shane has been the best RIOC President we've had in the past 15 years". On Monday, I found out his board was going to fire him. Considering the number of disagreements I've had with Mr. Shave over the years, you'll probably find it odd that I was strongly supportive of Mr. Shane continuing in his role.

Let me be clear, I think the RIOC Board made a serious mistake. Mr. Shane had approximately six months left in his term with the present governor. There are many major projects that need to be completed in the next 4-6 months, including the tram project that is a month behind schedule, the park work and memorial work at Southpoint, the privatization efforts for the three remaining Mitchell-Lama buildings (disclosure: I am the corporate secretary for the tenant association in the one of those buildings.) While there might have been other times for the board to assert itself (such as the wasteful dual-tram approach that could have saved us $10 million), this was the wrong time and for the wrong reason.

Given the risk of completing these efforts (including the inevitable litigation/mediation that will come from the tram delay), it seems foolish to lose the knowledge base of a key executive who was central to all of this. I checked the minutes of the RIOC Board meetings since January 2009 and I can find no actual impropriety or violation of the board's directives. If the RIOC Board really felt they needed to be clear about their direction, they could have adopted a specific board resolutions, but they chose not to -- until then, Mr. Shane had a fiduciary responsibility to report the truth, which he did. It seems that it was all about a personality issue, which is fine for clubs of teenagers, but not for corporate governance of a state public benefit corporation. The personal (non-business) aspect of this was clear: after the board forced his retirement in executive session, they then asked him to leave the table in the board meeting because board members "felt uncomfortable" with him being there. The RIOC Board looked like a bunch of amateurs, not serious executives. After Mr. Shane left, they then had a public beauty contest where the CFO and VP of Operations were treated as children: a face-off, including each describing the other's strengths and weakness. It was disgusting and non-professional. I, like many others in attendance, thought: Why couldn't you have discussed this in private? Why do you force your CFO to explain in public why he himself might not be good for the job of Acting President/CEO? Amateurs -- not a criticism of their lack of real estate experience, a criticism of their lack of professional courtesy.

Part of why Mr. Shane fired was his willingness to tell the truth to us on the master lease process. This is not a McChrystal moment (who was clearly disrespecting his boss), this was a RIOC Board that didn't want him to interact with the community to hear differing perspectives. At the RIRA Town Hall Meeting, it was clear that there was dissatisfaction with the RIOC Board and they wanted to express it.

Mr. Shane caused some friction elsewhere in privatization: the nature of exiting Mitchell-Lama housing for three of the remaining buildings is determining a variety of things, including how much profit tenants and building owners will make as the buildings become market-rate. (Note: Exiting Mitchell-Lama is essential for the survivability of all three buildings and keeping their present tenants; I have consistently supported privatization.) Considering the significant potential self-dealing conflicts of interest when a majority of the resident members of the RIOC Board are all effected by this pecuniary interest, you can see that Mr. Shane had to walk a fine line while satisfying his corporate obligations. Mr. Shane has said, which is completely proper for his role, he wanted to preserve affordable housing (post conversion), he wanted to make sure the owners and tenants would not walk away with obscene profits (which might put him on the front page of the New York Times), and he wanted to make sure that the Island's finances would improve long term (possibly to the detriment of the owners' and tenants' profits). A very tough job for Mr. Shane, but he seemed to be making steady progress.

I think this is an important moment in the Island's drive for self-governance. Some well-known advocates of self-governance believe that firing Mr. Shane is the pinnacle of our self-governance effort. I have been a strong supporter of self-governance and continue to be. However, if we really want people to respect the Island's ability to govern, then we cannot be of the mind "everything from Albany is Bad, everything by Island residents is Good". We have to demonstrate that we have better thinking, honesty, fairness, and transparency about Roosevelt Island. Which means that we need to feel free about being able to criticize your own neighbors on their mistakes — that is what will make us better, not a blind demonstration of power; and not blind support of board members just because they are our neighbors and we elected them. At the next RIOC Board election, hopefully some of those residents who expressed their unhappiness about the present RIOC Board will become candidates and remind voters that they won't make the same power grab, will have more executive management experience, and will be more cooperative about interacting with their constituents. Let the public decide.

Goodbye Mr. Shane. Thank you for reorganizing RIOC to be a much better organization that responsive to the Island; for reducing the prior "bunker mentality"; for giving us the experiment of elected resident members to the RIOC board (who just thanked you by firing you); for insisting upon a better Public Safety Department (which has improved substantially); for your many conversations (although we weren't always in agreement). I still stand by my statement "You're the best RIOC President we've had in the past 15 years" and it is our loss that you could not finish your term.

7. Upcoming RIRA meetings. The next meeting is on September 15 at 8:00 p.m. in the Good Shepherd Community Center; future meeting is October 6. Have a great summer!

The RIRA President's message is also published as the RIRA column in the 7/3/10 Main Street WIRE.

No Fourth Of July East River Fireworks Viewing From Roosevelt Island For 2010 - On Hudson River Again But This Is What It Was Like In 2008

You Tube Video of July 4 2008 Fireworks at Southpoint Park Roosevelt Island

There will be no viewing of the July 4 Independence Day celebration from Roosevelt Island again this year as the Macy's Fireworks Celebration will be set off from barges in the Hudson instead of East River for the second straight year. As NewYorkology reported back in April:

... For the second year in a row, the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks will light up the skies above the Hudson River, again snubbing the East River which had been the most frequent location for decades....

and NewYorkology received this response from Macy's as to the reason for this year's move to the Hudson River:

...The Hudson allows us to put on the massive show we planned this year celebrating the nation’s independence and the its unique musical heritage. With 6 extra long barges, positioned end to end we are able to cover more than 30 city blocks and heights of up to 1000 feet with multi-tiered fireworks. The public viewing is also great for this design on the west side with its non elevated highway and various piers and parks that allow for increased viewing of the show’s multi level effects...

Take a look at the video of the 2008 East River Fireworks from Southpoint Park. Simply spectacular!

Roosevelt Island 360 shows us what it was like trying to evacuate the Island of guests following the 2008 July 4 Fireworks Celebration.

Time Out New York shows us the best places to watch the fireworks and other things to do on the July 4 weekend.

Scenes From The Rock Reunion Year 2010 - Roosevelt Island Teens From Late 70's Return To Lighthouse Park For Fun Times & Good Memories

Group RI

Lighthouse Park was the site last Saturday for the "Rock Reunion 2010", a return of the original Roosevelt Island teenagers from the years 1976 - 1980. The reunion was organized by Dana Doyle (family lived on RI until 2001), Olya Turcihin, Brian Dorfmann (both past and current residents), and Frank Farance (current RIRA President - he was an original island kid as well).

RI Reunion Planning Team

It was an opportunity for old friends to get together,

Mike, Darrick & Rodney

remember old times,

Jennifer and Esrin

catch up on current situations


and have a great time.

McGee & Jessica

Hope & Frank

One of the organizers, Dana Doyle, commented:

There was so much love shared on the day of the reunion. Growing up together on Roosevelt Island remains in our hearts and we continue to be good friends as of today. Ours is a very special and unique bond.

Rebecca, Ramona & Jen

There was a "Rock" ing band playing most of the day

The Band.

and night

Brotherhood Band

Ms. Doyle described the band as:

... a bunch of old friends that used to play together as teens and reunited for this event. They had such an incredible bonding experience playing together this past Saturday that they named themselves "The Rock Reunion Brotherhood Band". It was a "love festival" that day, so it makes sense :) Some of them are current professional musicians or in the music business. They definately rocked!

Here's the band in action. On keyboard is our very own RIRA President Frank Farance.



The Roosevelt Island Reunion photos were taken by several different people.

There's More!










The photos after the jump and video were provided Rebecca Knell.

I also received old 1970's pictures from some of the Reunion kids of Roosevelt Island back in the day that I will be posting soon. Stay tuned for those pictures.

Roosevelt Island Little League Advances In Tournament With NY Yankee Style Win - Wear Down Starting Pitcher, Score On Relievers - Next Game Tonight

Roosevelt Island Little League Team warming up

Reported last week on the return of Little League Baseball to Roosevelt Island and the exciting 12 -11 walk off extra inning win by the Roosevelt Island team. Here's the latest, as of last night, on the Roosevelt Island Little League from Special Correspondent Charlie DeFino, Executive Director of the Roosevelt Island Youth Center.

ROOSEVELT ISLAND YOUTH PROGRAM LITTLE LEAGUE FANS!

On Monday our 9 and 10 years banged out 21 runs on 17 hits to beat the North Riverdale team after wearing down their star pitcher (65 pitch LL limit) to advance to round 4 on Thursday. They will play at 5:30 pm against a gutsy Greenwich Village team also facing elimination at Inwood Hill Park Diamond 6 adjacent to Wien Stadium (Columbia University Field) 218th Street in Northern Manhattan. If you would to support our youth call the Roosevelt Island Youth Program Inc. for directions

Our 11 & 12 year old team played tonight and after battling back from an 8 run deficit to tie the game at 11 had their game suspended because of darkness and be resumed in the top of the 7th (extra innings) down 15 to 11 with no outs and a runner on first. At this time we do not know of the field and game time, we will keep you posted.

Below are some pictures taken by Roosevelt Island resident Don Smith at second game played against the Stuyvesant A team. Unfortunately, Roosevelt Island lost that game 18 to 0.

# 12 Alex (AJ) Franquie is caught stealing 2nd base

# 33 Thomas Guzman 1st base made several excellent catches from infielders

#1 DJ Smith 2nd baseman throws out runner on a ground ball

Grounder To Shortstop

#2 Jaden Perry catches fly ball in center field

Here's the magic of baseball as explained by James Earl Jones in Field Of Dreams.



UPDATE 7/2 - Special Correspondent Charlie DeFino, reports on Thursday's game:

The Roosevelt Island Little league All-Star Team 9 and 10 Division lost Thursday night in Inwood to a feisty Greenwich Village team also facing elimination 7 to 4 in a well played game. The RI youth lost the lead in the 4th inning and squandered opportunities with the bases loaded in the 4th and 5th innings and are eliminated from the Official Little League Tournament with a record of 2-2. The young boys and girls and their coaches deserve a big hand for competing in a tough tournament and representing the Roosevelt Island Youth Program and their community beyond even our high expectations. The team will continue to compete over the summer in other tournaments and exhibition games.

Council Member Jessica Lappin Secures Funds For Roosevelt Island PTA, Seniors, Disabled, Youth, Patients, History Organizations From NYC 2011 Budget

Image of Council Member Jessica Lappin & Mayor Bloomberg From NY Real Estate Law

The June 29 NY Times reported:

The City Council voted 48 to 1 on Tuesday to approve a $63.1 billion budget that would raise no taxes but drastically reduce spending on a variety of programs, from senior centers to schools.

The vote was expected, and it followed a deal last week between the Council and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg for the fiscal year that begins on Thursday...

I received the following message from the office of Roosevelt Island's New York City Council Member Jessica Lappin:

Council Member Jessica Lappin was able to secure $82,200 in expense funding for organizations serving Roosevelt Island in the FY11 New York City budget passed by the Council on June 29. Funds were granted to eight different organizations and, among other things, will go toward community service projects for teenage girls, support for seniors and disabled residents, and arts in the local school.

“Each of these organizations provides a valuable service for Roosevelt Island residents,” Council Member Lappin said. “I’m glad to be able to help support them and the great work they do for the Island.”

Council Member Lappin was able to allocate money to the following groups:

• Roosevelt Island Senior Association - $25,000 for educational and recreational activities
• PS/IS 217 PTA - $20,000 for in-school Spanish language and arts program for grades K-5 and in-school enrichment programming for grades K-8
• Roosevelt Island Youth Program - $10,000 to support continuing work with teenage girls in community service and leadership program and continue to open Youth Center on weekends during winter months
• Angelica Patient Assistance Program - $7,200 for Goldwater Hospital activity room, which is used by patients with mobility issues
• Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts - $7,000 to support Lincoln Center’s arts education programs at PS/IS 217
• Roosevelt Island Disabled Society - $6,000 to support wheelchair basketball
• Island Kids - $3,500 to expand program offerings and expansion of summer camp
• Roosevelt Island Historical Society - $3,500 to support educational programs for schools, tours, community groups, and hospital residents