RIOC Staffers Develop Plan With NYC Sanitation Department And Roosevelt Island Building Management To Clean Up Filthy AVAC Garbage Area And Maintain It

Image Of Filthy Roosevelt Island AVAC Garbage Area Seen From Manhattan Park Apartment

The Roosevelt Island AVAC Garbage compound is located between the Motorgate Garage and the FDNY Firehouse below the Manhattan Park apartments facing Queens.

Image of AVAC Garbage Area Entrance

The area is a dirty mess and has been so for a long time. A Manhattan Park resident shares these photos and reports:

There is no one who passes the garbage area from either side and does not find it distasteful and disgusting.

Why can't the people who handle the garbage

be required to keep the area clean by tidying it and sweeping it daily?

Roosevelt Island Historical Society (RIHS) President Judy Berdy asked that same question during May 12 meeting of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Operations Advisory Committee meeting (full audio web cast of meeting here). Ms. Berdy asked:

Is there any peace treaty between RIOC and the Sanitation Department so that the yard can get cleaned up?

RIOC President Charlene Indelicato replied to Ms. Berdy stating that the responsibility for cleaning inside the AVAC Garbage area belongs to the NYC Sanitation Department and Roosevelt Island building management.

Here's the discussion.



Soon after the May 12 RIOC Operations Advisory Committee meeting, I received the report and photos about the dirty mess at the AVAC Garbage area from the Manhattan Park resident above and asked RIOC President Indelicato:

I understand there is some sort of jurisdiction issue between RIOC and the NYC Sanitation Department over who is responsible for cleaning the area.

Does RIOC have any comment or statement on the situation.

Ms. Indelicato replied that RIOC Grounds Manager Fernando Vargas, Facilities Maintenance Manager Santa Verta and Director Of Island Operations Cy Opperman were meeting with NYC Sanitation and the Roosevelt Island Building managements to develop a plan for cleaning up and maintaining the AVAC Garbage area.

Mr. Vargas told me last week that a plan has been worked out between RIOC, NYC Sanitation and Roosevelt Island building managements for the area to be cleaned on a weekly basis and to bring an additional dumpster container to the area.

RIOC President Indelicato praised the work done by RIOC staffers Vargas, Verta and Opperman in finding a solution to cleaning the area adding:

RIOC is hopeful that this collaborative effort on the part of RIOC, R I Building Management teams and Department of Sanitation will result in a cleaner, healthier environment for the residents of Roosevelt Island.

The residents are hopeful the area will be cleaned and maintained as well.

We shall see.

UPDATE 6/8 -  The area was cleaned up

on Wednesday June 4.