Roosevelt Island Waterfront Comedy Night At Pier NYC Last Thursday

Roosevelt Island resident Jonathan Kalkin shares this photo from last Thursday's Comedy Night at Pier NYC

Image From Jonathan Kalkin via Twitter

and adds:

I actually saw @dzoldan from @standupny tweet about Roosevelt Island a year ago and asked him about having a comedy night here. I got him in contact with the Hoo brothers and the rest is history. Comedy night on the water at PierNYC has been very successful. It is great to see businesses on Roosevelt Island starting to become destination spots for food and entertainment.

Statements From RIOC Board Director Nominee Election Winners Kalkin, Polivy & Christian - Assembly Member Kellner Promises To Do All He Can To Ensure They Are Appointed To RIOC Board By Governor Cuomo

You Tube Video Of Counting The RIOC Board Director Nominee Election Vote

As reported earlier today. Roosevelt Island residents Jonathan Kalkin, Howard Polivy and Fay Christian were the three top vote getters in the February 7 RIOC Board of Director Nominee election.

I received the following statements from the winning candidates.

From Mr. Kalkin:

Roosevelt Island has proven again it can take on any challenge. I want to thank everyone who came out  to support our democracy. I'm eager to get back to work and I'm excited to help Roosevelt Island reach its potential as a place that not only leads the city, but the country as a center of reform and innovation. 

From Mr. Polivy,



and Ms. Christian:

I want to thank all the Island residents for coming out to vote and showing the Governor we care about our Island.  I hope this vote will lead to my reappointment so I can continue to serve on the Roosevelt  Island Operation Corporation Board of Directors. I extend my congratulations  to Jonathan and Howard and I thank all the other candidates for their participation.

Roosevelt Island Assembly Member Micah Kellner issued the following statement in support of the RIOC Board Nominee winners:

Once again, the Roosevelt Island Residents Association has shown their commitment to ensuring that Islanders be truly represented on the RIOC Board of Directors. After holding their third island-wide referendum to make clear the residents’ choices for filling three Board seats, the people have spoken.”

“I want to offer my congratulations to Jonathan Kalkin, Howard Polivy and Fay Christian for winning Tuesday’s election. All three individuals have a wealth of knowledge and experience when it comes to serving Roosevelt Island and will continue to make real contributions to the community. I will do all I can to ensure that they are reappointed by Governor Cuomo.

The ball is now in Governor Cuomo's court. We shall see if Governor Cuomo will respect Roosevelt Island democracy and appoint Mr. Kalkin to one of the three expired RIOC Board Director seats and reappoint Mr. Polivy and Ms. Christian to the RIOC Board seats they currently occupy.

UPDATE 2/9 - NYC Council Member Jessica Lappin adds:

First off, congrats to the winners. Now that the voters have spoken, I hope Governor Cuomo will respect their will in making his appointments.

Verdant Power Gets Approval To Proceed With Roosevelt Island East River Turbine Project - Comprehensive Green Energy Plan For Roosevelt Island Needed Says Former RIOC Director Jonathan Kalkin

You Tube Video Of Verdant Power East River Energy Project

An update on previous posts regarding Verdant Power Roosevelt Island East River Tidal Energy project. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission announced yesterday:

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) today issued its first pilot project license for a tidal energy project located in New York City’s East River.

The project, owned by Verdant Power and known as the Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy (RITE) Project, is 1,050-kilowatts and uses the East River’s natural tidal currents to generate electricity. Turbine generator units are mounted on the riverbed and capture energy from the tidal flow. The pilot license issued to Verdant Power is for 10 years.

“Issuing a pilot license for an innovative technology is a major step in the effort to help our country meet our renewable energy goals,” FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff said. “FERC’s pilot process is doing what it should: allow for exploration of new renewable technologies while protecting the environment.”

FERC developed the pilot license process in 2008 to allow developers to test new hydrokinetic technologies, to determine appropriate sites for these technologies and to confirm the technologies’ environmental effects without compromising FERC’s oversight....

According to Green Tech Media:

... About ten years in the making, the Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy (RITE) project is owned by Verdant Power and looks to mount turbines on the riverbed and use tidal currents to generate about a megawatt of electricity. The project will use up to 30 of Verdant's turbines, installed in stages.

The license allows Verdant Power to build out the RITE Project and to commercially deliver the energy generated by the turbines to local customers. Earlier phases of the project involved prototype testing from 2002 to 2006 and demonstration from 2006 to 2008. During the demonstration period, Verdant operated six full-scale turbines and delivered 70 megawatt-hours of energy to two end users in 9,000 turbine-hours of operation with no fouling or damage to the turbines from debris....

The RITE two end users were the Motorgate parking garage and Gristedes supermarket.

A few days prior to yesterday's Verdant RITE Project announcement, former Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board Director Jonathan Kalkin shared these ideas regarding future Roosevelt Island energy usage:

Roosevelt Island needs a comprehensive green energy plan. The Island has grappled with many issues that threaten the purpose and mission of this place. Energy and how we use it is really something that we have saved for another day while some larger issues were addressed. However I believe we have reached a moment and an opportunity where we can dramatically change the lives of every resident on the Island. Long term affordable housing has been an issue on this Island since the Mitchell-Lama clock has started ticking. However, a long term affordable housing plan will not be able to overcome the reality that we heat, cool, and power our homes in an inefficient way.This is also bad for the environment and thanks to modern solutions completely unnecessary. This creates the scenario of an affordable home without affordable power. A person should not lose their home because they can’t afford their electric bill.

Currently, most buildings on Roosevelt Island use electricity to provide heat. This system uses electricity to heat a coil in your unit which then heats your apartment. At first this sounds like a good method, but it is very inefficient. In fact it is probably one of the most expensive and inefficient ways to heat your apartment. It is basically just like heating your apartment using a hair dryer. There are three major goals when using energy. First is to waste the least amount of energy to heat, light, and cool your home. The second goal is to do it in the cleanest way possible. The final goal, hopefully in pursuit of the first two goals, results in a lower utility bill. The good news is that on Roosevelt Island we have options to achieve all three goals.

We can achieve part of the first goal by producing our own energy. The hospitals on the island produce their own heat via the steam plant,

Image of Roosevelt Island Steam Plant From Michael Minn

the Octagon produces heat and electricity via a fuel cell and even Motorgate has become partially independent by using tidal energy. Most of the other buildings rely on electric heat and are at the mercy of whatever rate Con Edison charges for electricity. In the 1970’s electricity was cheap and so this may have made sense at the time. Now, electricity prices in New York are some of the most expensive in the country and having electric heat is the equivalent of taking showers with bottled water. The most efficient way to meet our energy goals would be to have a central energy source for the Island. Or, we could adopt the same method as the Octagon fuel cell and each building or set of buildings could have its own energy plant near the building.


The Octagon, A Case Study for Fuel Cells in Multi-Family Buildings from Bill Kavanagh on Vimeo.

The second way we can reduce energy waste would be to find another way to heat and cool our homes. One method that has worked in New York and in Europe is called district energy. This approach uses hot and cold water in pipes distributed throughout the building to warm and cool the apartments. This hot and cold water is generated at a centrally located plant that supplies several buildings.

The next step to achieve these goals would be to combine our heat and power production (CHP). Most power plants produce a large amount of excess heat during electricity production. Most of this heat is usually wasted, but if you distribute it throughout the island you now are producing electricity and powering your lights, perhaps running your air conditioning (if not using chilled water to do so) and heating your apartment mostly with the excess heat usually wasted in energy production.

You Tube Video on District Heating

Now this all seems very simple and will benefit both landlords and tenants and RIOC so why now and why hasn’t this come about before? Well, there are several things needed to move this forward. If we are using a distributed model where all the buildings have an energy source like the Octagon then each building can move at its own pace. However, the most efficient way would have some cooperation with RIOC and hopefully the new university that is coming to the Island. The good news is that Cornell has shown an interest in a green energy plan for the Island in their proposal and the RFP's 100 million dollar infrastructure plan talks about the natural gas and other energy changes that would be needed to sustain a world class university. This kind of infrastructure is crucial because we lack the natural gas supply to move this kind of project forward.

RIOC controls most of the land that can make this possible. The steam plant’s land is controlled by RIOC and this could be a great opportunity for RIOC to fulfill its development mission and affordable housing preservation goals at the same time. The university could simply provide the infrastructure and oversight of the project and would have to make just minor changes to its natural gas expansion plans. This energy plan could be supplemented by renewable and experimental projects (Solar, Geothermal) from the university in addition to our own like tidal energy.

Even if a university did not come to the Island, we should not ignore this opportunity. The landlords want to reduce their energy costs. Tenants need this to happen to preserve affordability. And, RIOC has the chance to fulfill its mission and purpose on the island. This is our moment to lead.

According to Fast Company Co Design, the Cornell Technion Roosevelt Island campus will have a net zero energy footprint:

... Net-zero energy would be achieved by sipping power from a 150,000-square-foot photovoltaic array (the largest in NYC, the architects say) and geothermal wells. It would also draw on passive heating and cooling strategies. “The [zig-zagging] layouts have to do with harvesting daylight and mitigating heat gain,” SOM partner Roger Duffy says. A caveat: The net-zero goal would be confined to the campus’s academic architecture. That’s because, as SOM’s Colin Koop explains, PVs aren’t efficient enough to generate adequate energy for proposed housing units and a hotel. Those structures would earn LEED Silver certification....

Proposed Cornell Energy Usage Image From Fastcodesign

The Cornell Chronicle adds:

... The campus's planned solar array will generate 1.8 megawatts at daily peak -- the largest such array in New York City. A four-acre geothermal well field -- composed of deep-earth wells -- exceeds any current geothermal heating system in New York City....

... the campus will take full advantage of power from the sun. It has been designed to face solar south, and its buildings will be situated to avoid shading each other. Electrical power from a fuel cell will further reduce the impact of the campus on the supply-limited electric grid.

The structures will be heated and cooled by a central, geothermal heat pump system, which provides heat more efficiently than boilers or electricity. Heat generated by the fuel cell will also be gleaned to supplement the non-academic campus needs, for added economy and energy savings.

The geothermal system -- an array of 400 wells spread out over four acres -- will use 500-foot deep holes to extract heat from the earth to warm buildings in the winter. During the summer, the system will transfer excess heat from inside the buildings back into the ground to provide air conditioning....

Roosevelt Island may be leading the way for clean, affordable energy.

UPDATE 6:30 PM - On the Verdant RITE project, DNA Info adds:

... Those six turbines produced energy that powered a Gristedes and a parking garage on Roosevelt Island. It has not yet been determined what the expanded grid of turbines will power, Taylor said, suggesting that some of it could power electric car stations inside Roosevelt Island's parking garages.

He also is looking forward to collaborating on research and design with faculty from Cornell University's new tech campus coming to Roosevelt Island. He's already had discussions with the school, he said.

Click here for entire DNA Info article.

UPDATE 2/2 - Roosevelt Island resident Trevre Andrews sends in this illustration of NYC Power Consumption.

According to Modi Research Group:

The map represents the total annual building energy consumption at the block level (zoom levels 11-15) and at the taxlot level (zoom levels 16-18) for New York City, and is expressed in kilowatt hours (k Wh) per square meter of land area. The data comes from a mathematical model based on statistics, not private information from utilities, to estimate the annual energy consumption values of buildings throughout the five boroughs. To see the break down of the type of energy being used, for which purpose and in what quantity, hover over or click on a block or taxlot.

Click here for the interactive map and Roosevelt Island power consumptions statistics.

Bike Sharing Definitely Coming To New York City - You Can Help Bring Alta Bicycle Sharing To Roosevelt Island By Voting For It Now

RIOC President Leslie Torres & Rivewalk Bar/Nonno's Pizza Owner Alphonse At Bike Sharing Demonstration Last Year

Streetsblog reported today:

Addressing a plaza full of reporters at Madison Square this afternoon, Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan announced that the city is entering the next phase of its initiative to launch a public bike system stretching from the Upper West Side to Bedford Stuyvesant. The system will be run by Alta Bike Share and consist of about 600 stations with 10,000 bicycles, creating a network of comparable size and density to bike-share systems in cities like London and Paris....

How does this New York City program effect Roosevelt Island's attempt to bring bike sharing to our neighborhood? I asked former Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Director Jonathan Kalkin who was involved in previous efforts to bring bike sharing to Roosevelt Island that question.

Former RIOC Director Kalkin and Current Director Faye Christian At Bike Sharing Demonstraton Last Year

Mr. Kalkin replied:

As many Islanders know Roosevelt Island tested bike sharing and did a survey after both Columbia and Hunter recommended a program like this on Roosevelt Island in their study. The response from the survey and residents trying it out was very positive. While I was on the RIOC Operations Committee we moved forward on an RFP for bike sharing. It was written and ready for distribution, but during subsequent meetings I set up with DOT we discussed having a station or two on the Upper East Side and/or in Queens. A lot of people in the survey had shown an interest in using the bikes off Island or to ride into other parts of the city and so I brought up that idea with DOT. DOT was also very interested in bike sharing at the time and they said to us that they liked the idea of Roosevelt Island having a bike sharing system that works with the NYC program. There were meetings and communication with DOT after that and RIOC was told that a  bike sharing vendor would be chosen around now and that if we waited we could have a compatible system. It is very exciting to hear this announcement and I'm looking forward to biking around Roosevelt Island and in the future other parts of the city.

According to NYC Bike Share:

...Bike share is a privately-funded & operated, city-supported, program that adds a new affordable option to getting around New York City. Think Zipcar with bikes, and you don’t have to bring the bike back to where you started! Alta Bicycle Share will run, manage and maintain the bike share system, while NYC DOT will coordinate community outreach and regulate station siting....

... NYC DOT and Alta Bicycle Share invite you to help craft a system that's designed for New York City. We invite you to attend special events, open houses and workshops throughout the city, try out the bikes and give your feedback. Get started now by dropping a pin on the map and telling us why you'd like a station there....

So here's what you can do to bring bike sharing to Roosevelt Island. Click on this link and say you want a bike sharing station on Roosevelt Island - do it now - please.

Here's how bike sharing works.


The Phenomenal Success of Capital Bikeshare from Streetfilms on Vimeo.

and for the planned New York City program:


Remember to click here and make your voice count to bring bike sharing to Roosevelt Island.

Hurricane Irene Heading Towards New York City, Emergency Alert Service Needed For Roosevelt Island - Building Lobby, Street Kiosk, Bus Stop Flyers Needed Too

Jonathan Kalkin suggests a simple emergency alert system for
Roosevelt Island residents. According to Mr. Kalkin:

Roosevelt Island needs an emergency alert system that notifies people via text. Most people don't have smartphones or quick access to email so RIOC advisories via email is not a comprehensive solution.

While I was on the RIOC Operations Committee I suggested a free and quick solution. RIOC can create a Twitter account and call it RIALERT or something like that. People without a Twitter account and just a cell phone could (note: this hasn't been created so don't do this yet) just follow @RIALERT by texting follow RIALERT to 40404 to get emergency alerts via text to their cell phones.

You would be able to opt in and opt out as you like. It would be simple and free for RIOC to do and at the minimum all the RIOC staff, PSD, and Tram operators could subscribe to it and be able to get quick instructions in an emergency.

The other day when we had the earthquake, I immediately ran down to the Tram after I couldn't reach anyone there via phone. They didn't know we had an earthquake and I was surprised that they were not aware and had not stopped service. It caught everyone off guard and I'm sure everyone did what they could at the time, but this could be a moment to learn from. In an emergency like this phone calls are hard to make and decisions have to be made quickly, so this may be a good solution moving forward.

HOW TO GET NYC OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ALERTS DURING THIS WEEKEND STORM USING THIS METHOD:

At the minimum all RIOC staff/PSD/Tram Operators should subscribe to @NYCNOTIFY - which is the alert system run by NYC Office of Emergency Management. It is how I knew very quickly what was happening during the earthquake and I recommend that everyone considering the weekend hurricane subscribe even if just for the time being. Please note that normal text message rates apply.

To get text alerts from the New York City’s office of emergency management (@NotifyNYC). Just text ‘follow NotifyNYC’to 40404 in the US.

To stop getting text alerts send 'OFF @NotifyNYC' to 40404 Nothing beats keeping your eyes open and alert so don't rely on this alone, but it is a good tool. Stay safe everyone.

Emergency preparedness communications for Hurricane Irene was the subject of this correspondence between Roosevelt Island resident Eric Schwartzman and Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Leslie Torres. From Mr. Schwartzman:

My name is Eric Schwartzman and I am a resident of the Rivercross building at 531 Main Street. I also used to write a blog on Roosevelt Island but have pulled back from actively blogging but still as a resident am keenly aware of issues affecting the island.

I am writing to say while I appreciate the PSD and other RIOC advisories sent out I wanted to suggest that current Hurricane Preparedness issues and information be posted on (1) the RIOC homepage and perhaps posted in the next day or two at (2) key poster kiosks, (3) every bus stop, Tram station and (4) every building lobby such that all residents, those who have Internet access and those that do not, have real time access to what RIOC is doing to protect our residents.

I appreciate your service to the island but ask that RIOC add to its service during weeks such as this as the residents appreciate all added efforts to reach them.

Ms. Torres replied:

We appreciate your email suggestion and plan to act on it.  I agree that clear communication is key and I will work with RIOC staff to convey information to island residents through signage.

However, since our advisories and web page can provide up to the minute information we will still encourage people to rely on them throughout the storm as electronic media can contain more timely information than any signs we post.
Thank you for your thoughtful email.

Mr. Schwartzman responded:

Thank you for your reply. I appreciate it very much.

Never intended to dissuade anyone from the web or email advisories. My point was the only info on the RIOC webpage, that I can see, is the Emergency Preparedness page way down the Public Safety drop down (labelled "Are you ready?") on the RIOC home page. Something should be posted, directly on point to this hurricane, this event, on the homepage itself giving direct info for those residents that do look to the website. Not just a link to somewhere else.

Thank you again for considering the paper signage suggestion as many residents who don't have email or PCs with internet connections, or even cells that receive text messages, will appreciate the effort and info. 

Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) President Matt Katz added:

Please note that the Roosevelt Island Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), under the leadership of RIOC Board Director, Howard Polivy, is in direct communication with NYC Office of Emergency Management.  If OEM designates Roosevelt Island for any attention, including evacuation, CERT will be activated through our phone tree.  Let’s hope we dodge this bullet,

Here's the latest Hurricane Advisory from RIOC as of 7:04 PM:

 Please be advised that as of this afternoon Governor Cuomo has declared a State of Emergency in New York in preparation for the potential impact of Hurricane Irene.

Please note, in a previous advisory we touched upon information that was provided by the New York City Office of Emergency Management regarding evacuations in New York City.  Roosevelt Island is in Evacuation Zone B, which means the likelihood of an actual evacuation in Zone B is minimal unless we are impacted by a major hurricane and advised by the Mayor's Office.

As previously stated, please continue to monitor the storm's progress on The Weather Channel, weather.com, your local news broadcast or the following link http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT09/refresh/AL0911W5_NL+gif/145713W5_NL_sm.gif.

Please feel free to call 3-1-1 for non-emergencies and 9-1-1 (or 212-832-4545) for emergencies.

Sincerely,

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp Advisories Group

and an earlier advisory from 2:40 PM

Please be advised that RIOC will be monitoring the progress of the storm scheduled to arrive in the New York City area this coming weekend. We are taking precautions to secure the operations of the island. Consequently, Transportation Services may be temporarily interrupted at some point. Subsequent advisories will follow as needed.

In preparation for the storm, we ask anyone who has potted plants on their window sills to bring them inside. Those having a terrace or an outdoor space, please make sure to bring in plants or any items that could be blown away by high winds which could potentially cause injury or property damage. Vehicles are discouraged from parking on Main Street, and we encourage you to utilize the Motorgate Parking Facility.

According to the NYC Office of Emergency Management (OEM), Roosevelt Island is not an Evacuation Area for Hurricanes. We are considered Zone B. Please note that RIOC does not declare a State of Emergency. The Governor of the State of New York and the Mayor of the City of New York have that authority. Neither has done so as of yet.

The Weather Channel is, however, predicting that this may be the worst hurricane to hit the East Coast in a decade. Please continue to monitor the storm's progress on The Weather Channel, weather.com, your local news broadcast or the following link http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT09/refresh/AL0911W5_NL+gif/145713W5_NL_sm.gif.

As always feel free to call 3-1-1 for non-emergencies and 9-1-1 (or 212-832-4545) for emergencies.

We thank you for your anticipated cooperation.

Sincerely,

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp Advisories Group

Will have more on Hurricane Irene tomorrow.

Roosevelt Island's Main Street Retail Corridor Now In The Hands Of Private Sector Developer Hudson Related - Take The Online Retail Survey And Tell Hudson Related What You Would Like On Main Street

Main Street Image Of Roosevelt Island Is The Village From Glark

As reported last Tuesday, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC, a NY State Public Benefit Corporation) is now out of the business of landlord to the commercial retail stores on Roosevelt Island's Main Street:

Just received word that the Roosevelt Island Main Street Master Leaseholder Agreement between the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) and Southtown developer Hudson/Related was signed earlier today. According to Hudson Principal David Kramer:

We finally signed the Master Retail Sublease today.

Main Street Image From Jones Lang LaSalle

Can we all shout out one big Hallelujah right now?

I asked the Hudson Related team:

Do you have any comment to make for Roosevelt Islander Blog regarding the signing of the Roosevelt Island Main Street Master Leasehold Agreement?

In particular can you describe what next steps Hudson Related will be taking regarding community input for the future of Main Street Stores, the type of new tenants Hudson Related will be seeking out, what will happen to existing tenants and any other information you care to share with the Roosevelt Island community.

Hudson Principal David Kramer replied:

We're going to start immediately surveying the entire island with an online retail survey.

We've assembled a design team with Rogers Marvel Architects in the lead to propose upgrades for the streetscape, storefronts, signage and street furniture.

We've hired Winick to solicit interest and respond to inquiries.

We look forward to conducting public meetings to get feedback from the community after Labor Day.

We hope to start signing new tenants for the vacant spaces; a realistic time frame is for new tenants to be in place by early next year.

Here's the online survey. Please get the word out

www.surveymonkey.com/s/RooseveltIslandRetailSurvey2011

Mr. Kramer added:

We're going to enforce the current leases and work with the retailers to improve the retail corridor for everyone.

Hey, Gristedes, do you hear that about enforcing current leases? Better start making improvements in your Roosevelt Island store. The other current tenants too.

Below is a picture of Mr. Kramer pointing towards the future of Roosevelt Island with his Hudson Related team as they began a tour of Roosevelt Island several weeks ago. It's now up to Hudson Related to demonstrate that they can make the long sought improvements to the Main Street retail corridor that residents have been waiting for so long.

Take the online Main Street Retail Survey and tell Hudson/Related what you would like to see happen on the new Roosevelt Island Main Street. (If possible, please send your comments to the Roosevelt Islander Blog as well so your ideas can also be shared with the rest of the community).

I asked former RIOC Director Jonathan Kalkin to comment. Mr. Kalkin proposed the Master Leaseholder idea way back in 2007 and diligently worked to make it happen despite persistent opposition from former RIOC President Steve Shane.

From Mr. Kalkin:

Main Street retail has been a problem for decades, and it was one of the first things I tried to work on as a resident and then as a board member. The Retail Master Lease is proof that an idea can come from a resident and be approved by the Residents Association, move to the board, and become a solution that is mutually beneficial for the government and private business. This secures the present revenue stream for RIOC and shares profits above that, benefits the community with a competitive and vibrant retail environment, and takes government (and the long and onerous RFP process that goes with it) out of the business of retail management for the Island.

There will also be significant investment in the spaces to make them look great for tenants and for the community. However, to be especially successful, I recommend that you go to your favorite off-Island stores and restaurants, and tell them that Roosevelt Island is finally ready to rent stores. The more of you who reach out to entrepreneurs and businesses that you love and bring them to the Island, the better the choices we will have in the future.

This plan will not only bring jobs and money into our economy, but Hudson-Related has significant retail experience, and the success of Main Street Retail helps promote the completion of the final buildings of Southtown. That will bring significant revenue for RIOC, which can help secure our promise of long-term affordability for the buildings in Northtown and help pay for our infrastructure and operational needs going forward. It also makes us attractive for a world class university.

Many on the RIOC staff and board worked tirelessly to see this completed and they should be commended for their hard work. Make no mistake, this is our turning point, and a great example how community ideas and democracy can make a difference. Roosevelt Island is place of beauty, strength and determination and I look forward to seeing it live up to its potential.

RIOC issued this press release today:

This week the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) and Hudson Related Retail LLC (HRR) executed a 30-year net sub-lease for over 35 storefronts located throughout Roosevelt Island.

"We at the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation are very much looking forward to working with Hudson Related to revitalize Main Street on Roosevelt Island, " said RIOC President and CEO Leslie Torres. The agreement is retroactive to August 1, 2011.

The net lease includes both guaranteed rent and a 50/50 net profit split between HRR and RIOC, after HRR's invested capital plus interest is returned. HRR has also agreed to make substantial capital investments within the first five years of the lease to improve the retail corridor on Roosevelt Island’s Main Street. David Kramer of Hudson Related Retail LLC said, "Hudson/Related is excited to oversee the operations and development of the Roosevelt Island Main Street retail corridor. We envision a new experience for customers and pedestrians alike and look forward to working with Rogers Marvel Architects to create a vibrant retail environment."



HRR was selected through a Request for Proposals (RFP) process based on their economic proposal, their commitment to address the needs of all of the retail space, and the strength of their program to turn around and improve the island retail sector for all residents, workers and visitors on Roosevelt Island.

About The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation of the State of New York (RIOC) is a public benefit corporation and a political subdivision of the State of New York.  Since 1984, RIOC has been responsible for realization of the 1968 Roosevelt Island General Development Plan (GDP).  RIOC’s authority to implement the GDP stems from a 99 year lease from New York City to New York State for the development and operation of the 147 acres comprising the former Welfare Island, located in New York City’s East River.  For more information, please visit www.rioc.ny.gov.

About Hudson Related Retail LLC.

Hudson/Related Retail LLC is a joint venture between two New York City based development companies, The Hudson Companies, Inc. and The Related Companies LP. These two companies have been partners on Roosevelt Island since 1997 when they were designated to develop 2,000 apartments on Roosevelt Island. Together, the joint venture has completed Fireman's Field, a combined soccer and baseball field on the island, followed by 6 residential buildings, a town square called Riverwalk Commons, and 8 retail stores. The housing has included staff housing for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medical College and NYU. Market rate housing has included condominiums at Riverwalk Place and Riverwalk Court as well as rental housing at the newly completed Riverwalk Crossing.


After receiving the Press Release, I inquired of RIOC President Leslie Torres and Mr. Kramer:

The press release states that Hudson Related has agreed to make substantial capital investments to improve Main Street over the next 5 years.

How much money has Hudson/Related agreed to invest per the Master Leaseholder Agreement?

Also what is the interest rate referred on capital investment that must be returned prior to the 50-50 net profit split mentioned in the press release.

 What is known about the deal so far is:

... a 30-year lease on Main Street's approximately 100,000 square feet, Hudson-Related would guarantee RIOC the existing revenue it collects from the Main Street stores (about $900,000) and split any additional income and Hudson Related would invest capital in the physical appearance of Main Street...

More on the Roosevelt Island Main Street Retail Master Leaseholder process from these previous posts.

UPDATE 6:10 PM - In response to my question regarding the amount that Hudson Related has agreed to invest in capital improvements to Main Street and the interest rate agreed to prior to the 50-50 split, Mr. Kramer replies:

$2.7M

9%

UPDATE 8/30 - According to RIOC President Leslie Torres:

... Hudson/Related has already begun speaking with residents and community leaders about possible ideas for renovation. They issued a survey to island residents that should conclude in early September and has already garnered an enthusiastic response from over 1,000 residents. While opinions have varied, most people would like to see the addition of retail spaces including a new bakery, an Asian restaurant, a health food store, and a wine/liquor store. Other suggested additions include a new bank branch, book store and yoga/pilates studio. Hudson/ Related is currently talking with potential vendors, many of whom have expressed interest in opening new retail stores. They will continue to collect feedback to make sure that the wants and needs of the community are well represented.

In the meantime, developers are working with architects to discuss improvements to Main Street with the concept of creating a bright, vibrant new look. Some of the ideas in discussion include new lighting and signage for the streets along with new street furniture, bike racks and benches for convenience. This should make the area more appealing to look at and easier to navigate. In addition, developers are working with contractors to cleanout old stores in anticipation of the renovations.

The revitalization of Main Street will be an on-going process but residents can expect to see improvements throughout 2012 with initial construction beginning in the spring....

Roosevelt Island Elected Officials and Community Leaders Urge Engineering Schools To Apply Here - We Will Welcome You, We Will Work With You and We Want You, World Class Engineering School

 Image from Today's Press Conference

Earlier today, Roosevelt Island's city (NYC Council Member Jessica Lappin), state (Assembly Member Micah Kellner and Senator Jose Serrano) and federal elected officials (representative from Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney's office)  joined with Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Leslie Torres and community leaders at the Manhattan Tram Station Plaza to urge that Roosevelt Island be selected as the site for New York City's state-of-the-art- Applied Sciences and Engineering School proposed by Mayor Bloomberg and the subject of this Applied Sciences NYC Request For Proposals.

During the press conference held at a noisy Manhattan Tramway Plaza next to the Queensboro Bridge, Ms Lappin presented some of the benefits for a University selecting Roosevelt Island as the site for it's facility - easy public transportation access with the F Train and Tramway, wonderful parks, revitalized Main Street Retail, including a Starbucks for coffee drinking students, an excellent public school with a gifted/talented program and noted  that Governors Island and the Brooklyn Navy Yard just can't compete with Roosevelt Island.

Ms Lappin acknowledged that development in New York City can sometimes be contentious but in the case of a world class engineering school located on Roosevelt Island she promised:

We will welcome you, we will work with you and we want you. We did not want a hotel when that was proposed, we didn't want a big box store or luxury condos, but a world class engineering school- We Want You

Here's the video from the entire press conference

You Tube Video Of Roosevelt Island as Silicon Island Part 1

You Tube Video Of Roosevelt Island as Silicon Island Part 2

Sorry about the background noise from the traffic.

More information on the possibility of a world class engineering school being located on Roosevelt Island available from previous posts, including proposals by Stanford University and Cornell University.

Below is press release from Ms. Lappin's office:

Council Member Jessica Lappin, Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney, Assembly Member Micah Kellner, and State Senator Jose M. Serrano are officially supporting the city’s efforts to bring a world class engineering school to New York City - and want it to be located on Roosevelt Island.  They have formed a coalition in support of an engineering and applied sciences campus where Goldwater Hospital currently sits and were joined at a press conference today by Roosevelt Island Operating Corp President Leslie Torres, Roosevelt Island Resident Association President Matthew Katz, and other community leaders.

Last week, when Mayor Bloomberg issued a Request for Proposals and invited universities to submit bids, he offered the option of a privately owned site or one of three city-owned parcels: Goldwater Hospital on the southern tip of Roosevelt Island, part of Governor’s Island, or a portion of the Brooklyn Navy Yard. He has also pledged up to $100 million in infrastructure upgrades for the project.

“Roosevelt Island wants to become Silicon Island,” Councilwoman Lappin said. “It’s a perfect fit for a top-tier engineering school. It’s accessible, has great amenities, and already has partnerships with world-class scientific institutions. And while development in New York City can be fraught with contention, we want interested universities to know that we welcome you.”

"Roosevelt Island is an ideal setting for a top-flight institution of higher education,” said Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney. “With its geographical proximity to the many world-class scientific research institutions on Manhattan’s East Side, the current site of Goldwater Hospital would provide an excellent home for a campus dedicated to engineering and the applied sciences.  I am proud to join with Councilwoman Lappin and other local civic and government leaders in pledging our whole-hearted support to welcome such a facility to Roosevelt Island.”

“This applied sciences campus is a fantastic way of letting the high-tech world know that New York City is open for business,” said Assembly Member Kellner. “Roosevelt Island is such a wonderful and diverse community with so much to offer – I could not think of a better place for a New York school to locate its technology hub. Even more exciting is that thousands of new jobs will be just a tram ride away.”

“The Roosevelt Island community has been extremely receptive to the idea of bringing a competitive engineering school to the island,” said Senator José M. Serrano. “Its access to mass transit, proximity to midtown Manhattan, and welcoming residents will ensure a smooth adjustment for any school coming into the area. Roosevelt Island is truly looking forward to helping to strengthen the fields of science and health in New York City." 

“Roosevelt Island residents have been concerned about the use of the Goldwater Hospital site since we learned that it would close by 2014,” said Matthew Katz, President of the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA). “A research facility has the potential to be a good fit for that ten-acre site and to enhance the quality of life within this planned community. To that end, the Roosevelt Island Residents Association has created a committee to liaise with the prospective academic institutions and with the City Economic Development Corporation and we look forward to a productive process.”

               

            "We are excited at the prospect of a world class research university on Roosevelt Island," said Leslie Torres, President of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation. "The Island's location and reputation for innovation make it an ideal spot for any institution."

“Hudson & Related have been developing and investing in Roosevelt Island since 1997, including six new residential buildings and subleasing the retail corridor on Main Street,” said David Kramer of The Hudson Companies, Inc. “We couldn’t think of a better neighbor to the south than an applied sciences campus. Such a campus would have a tremendous economic impact on the City as a whole and Roosevelt Island in particular.”

            “Roosevelt Island is the perfect environment for a world-class institution of higher education,” said Peter Gray of Manhattan Park Associates. “A facility of that caliber would bring increased economic vitality and prestige to the island and would be a wonderful addition to the rich diversity of people who live and work here.”

A representative of Community Board 8, members of the RIOC Board and Roosevelt Island Disabilities Association President Jim Bates also lent their support for bringing an engineering school to Roosevelt Island. 

Before issuing this RFP, the city received 18 less formal “expressions of interest” from 27 schools around the globe. The NYC Economic Development Corporation estimates the project will generate $6 billion in economic activity, hundreds of new companies, and more than 22,000 permanent jobs for New Yorkers over the next 35 years.  Proposals are due by October 28^th and the city is expected to select a bidder before the end of the year.

Former Roosevelt Island Operating Corp Director Jonathan Kalkin Sums Up Experience As RIOC Board Member - Cites Accomplishments and Future Challenges

Image of Former RIOC Director Jonathan Kalkin

Former Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board Director Jonathan Kalkin reviews his tenure on the Board and reports:

Democracy is fragile. As the son of an immigrant who was born in the Dominican Republic and lived under a dictator part of her life, I am reminded of this all the time. The things we take for granted, like voting for our leaders and being able to openly disagree with them and sometimes influence their decisions, is a gift that we miss only when we start to lose it.

Over the past couple of years, I have tried to take the lead on many of the issues that have plagued Roosevelt Island for most of the time we have been here. I took them on because they were difficult. My strong fellow board members followed me into uncharted territory and with little promise of success. Together, we moved forward to reform the way our government and Island worked, with the hope of making this a better place to live.

Affordable housing and privatization is probably the most complex issue that we face on the Island. Due to a constant shift in leadership and administrations, and the loaded nature of the issue, it starts and stops and is never completed. During my tenure as the chair of the Real Estate Advisory Committee, I tried to get the dialogue going between the agencies involved, any questions resolved, and, most importantly, moving forward to completion. I started by setting up a meeting at City Hall with every agency involved, to share documents and resolve any issues going forward. Since the board had never passed a resolution in favor of DHCR’s affordable housing plans, I put that on the agenda and we passed it as a commitment to moving forward in favor of long-term affordability for all Mitchell-Lama buildings. The end result is that the board has passed a lease extension that ensures long-term affordability for Rivercross and, most recently, moved forward in committee with the DHCR affordability plan for Island House. It pleases me that these milestones have been achieved, and I have confidence that our board will make sure that the last portion of this work is completed. I’m proud of our commitment to affordability, and that our resolution and work led to real results.

Main Street retail has been a problem for years, and it was one of the first things I tried to work on as a resident and then as a board member. The Retail Master Lease is proof that an idea can come from a resident and be approved by the Residents Association, move to the board, and become a solution that is mutually beneficial for the government and private business. It secures the present revenue stream for RIOC and shares profits above that, benefits the community with a competitive and vibrant retail environment, and takes government (and the long and onerous RFP process that goes with it) out of the business of retail management for the Island.

There will also be significant investment in the spaces to make them look great for tenants and for the community. However, to be especially successful, I recommend that you go to your favorite off-Island stores and restaurants, and tell them that Roosevelt Island is finally ready to rent stores. The more of you who reach out to entrepreneurs and businesses that you love and bring them to the Island, the better the choices we will have in the future. This plan will not only bring jobs and money into our economy, but Hudson-Related has significant retail experience, and the success of Main Street Retail helps promote the completion of the final buildings of Southtown. That will bring significant revenue for RIOC, which can help secure our promise of long-term affordability for the buildings in Northtown and help pay for our infrastructure and operational needs going forward.

Transportation on this Island has always had a dependability problem, and now it appears to be turning a corner. During my term as chair of the Operations Committee, we installed the Nextbus bus-tracking system, and a consistent schedule. Islanders have developed mobile apps to track the Red Bus Nextbus system, and many of these mobile apps will soon be posted with download instructions and websites at each bus stop. I had RIOC staff and myself meet at Google Headquarters to work on maps and screens at each bus stop so you can see when the next Red Bus is arriving even if you don’t own a mobile device.

 I’ve secured funding for electric-car charging stations for Motorgate, so we can get around greener on the Island. Verdant Power is working with the Island to power this with Tidal Energy. This, coupled with our new transportation manager, should make our transportation system more reliable around the Island. It will take time to get it right, but the foundation is in place to make it work.

Parking enforcement and availability will begin to improve with our smart-parking sensor system, which will hopefully be deployed throughout the Island. This, coupled with lower short-term parking prices at Motorgate, will make sure that people use short-term parking for its intended purpose – to drop off and pick up without double-parking. Public Safety officers are being trained with iPhones so that they can handle violations indicated by the sensors while focusing on keeping the Island safe. Improved parking systems will also make sure our new and improved retail corridor has the ample parking spaces that merchants need to thrive. Less double-parking and additional enforcement of parking rules will make sure that the Red Bus can keep on schedule. Also, a mobile app and street signage will indicate if there is parking available ahead, and allow payment so you don’t have to circle the Island.

Many of these suggestions and issues have been brought up on RIOC’s new RI311 issue-tracking system that is being tested. It is powered by the citizen-311 system SeeClickFix.com. It will soon be on the RIOC website, and it will help the community indicate the issues on the Island and vote up, comment, and take photos of these issues. When issues are resolved, everyone who indicated an interest will get an email notification that it has been closed.

I’m excited to start the next chapter of my life on Roosevelt Island by working on a team that will negotiate a community-benefit agreement with the new university planned for the southern end of Roosevelt Island. I believe this is a unique moment to work on a number of infrastructure improvements, like green affordable energy for everyone on Roosevelt Island, and an extension of the free Island-wide wi-fi Internet plan like the one that I worked on with Verizon and is being completed for Southpoint Park. Ferry service may prove feasible with university help, and a dock study is currently being completed. Ideas like a science school, scholarships for local students, and an advanced library will be negotiated to make sure that this university and Roosevelt Island mutually benefit from our relationship.

Community input and an independent elected board led to these improvements and ensure that they will continue. Ideas like Tram straps and a more stable ride, better stores, and other suggestions that led to a better Island came from the grassroots level. It is that commitment to the community that is threatened each time an unelected board member takes a seat. It unravels the fabric of our community, and despite the best intentions, it is a blow to our democracy and independence. Roosevelt Island is the embodiment of the American Dream, and no part of that dream should be compromised. Don’t let it happen.

The reason for Mr. Kalkin no longer being on the RIOC Board is discussed fully at previous post.

Roosevelt Island Residents Plan Revolt Against Albany Colonial Master In NY State Government - Reject Non Elected, Non Resident, Conflict Ridden Appointment By Governor and Want Return of Effective RIOC Director

Roosevelt Island residents gathered together last night to devise a strategy that would prevent Child School/Legacy High School Executive Director Sal Fererra from serving as a member of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board of Directors. The reasons expressed during the meeting for opposing Mr. Fererra's appointment as RIOC Director were not personal against him or out of any antagonism towards the Child School but are based upon the following facts:

• he is not a resident of Roosevelt Island,
• did not participate in the election process for RIOC Board Nominees which was only recently established after more than 15 years of hard work by the Roosevelt Island community. Mr. Fererra's appointment and acceptance of the RIOC Board position will kill any hope for Roosevelt Island residents to be governed on a local basis by elective representatives. Instead, Roosevelt Island will once again be controlled by appointees of our Albany Colonial Masters in New York State Government. Roosevelt Island will again be a dumping ground for political cronyism and hacks,
• the enormous conflict of interests that will be set in motion by having a RIOC Director who also works for an organization that leases more than 50 thousand square feet of space from RIOC and is seeking even more real estate on Roosevelt Island. Also,
• Mr. Fererra is replacing Jonathan Kalkin as RIOC Director who is an extraordinary public servant for Roosevelt Island devoting many hours of his time to bring innovative ideas for the benefit of our community and individual residents.

There was a remarkable collection of Roosevelt Island residents present in this meeting, many of whom have had past disagreements with each other, but all united on this issue - Sal Fererra and anyone else must not be appointed to the RIOC Board without going through the Roosevelt Island community nomination election process and Jonathan Kalkin must be returned to the RIOC Board. It was really quite extraordinary to observe the passion and determination of this group of Roosevelt Island residents.

Roosevelt Island resident Denise Shull was present and shares these thoughts:

It is clear from the attendance, the ideas expressed and even how late the meeting went, that a whole new group of Island activists came together to retain our emerging right to elect the people who have so much influence on our lives. New and young voices from both ends of the Island joined those who have fought this fight for 14 years.

This group will not stand for backroom, late-night deals that can impact our lives - particularly in light of the June 7 announcement from the Governor's office the "Public Integrity Reform Act of 2011". This is a new Roosevelt Island and neither Governor Cuomo, nor the republicans in Albany nor anyone who circumvents our move towards democracy should think that can do so without an enormous community response.

This is in contrast to where a similar group - the Southern Development committee - is planning to work with NY City on the re-development of the Goldwater Hospital site.That group is thrilled with the way the city is moving forward and looking forward to a joint furtherance of the island's progress.

In short, if you care about Roosevelt Island and/or you care about democracy, stay tuned! 

What is the current status? Well, as reported earlier, Mr. Fererra had previously promised to inform the community whether he intends to remain on the Board by Monday June 20. However, he has not yet made a decision advising yesterday in an email to RIRA President Matt Katz:

 I did tell you I would let you know my decision re: my appt to RIOC however I have received many phone calls and emails. I need some more time to consider

The consensus of the meeting was that residents should continue to send him emails and phone calls politely informing him that he should resign from the RIOC Board. RIRA President Matt Katz writes to me:

... you might include his phone number (212-223-8276 and ask people to call Monday morning requesting his resignation from the Board.  I intend to ask the Common Council to do the same...

If you have not already called, do so today or tomorrow.

Another idea was to call the Child School Board of Directors to encourage them to ask Mr. Fererra to remove himself from the RIOC Board for all the reasons stated before.

Here's some of what happened at the meeting.

Replaced RIOC Director Jonathan Kalkin explains what the consequences of Mr. Fererra's appointment to the RIOC Board may entail.

Here is the link to the video Mr. Kalkin describes showing how the NY State Senate Finance Committee made various appointments last June 15. Note the video shows at approximately the 31 minute 15 second mark, that Mr. Fererra's appointment was withdrawn to be dealt with at a later time according to the Committee Chair. Nothing else was mentioned about Mr. Fererra for the rest of the meeting. Later that night, he somehow got appointed to the RIOC Board - imagine that.

Roosevelt Island residents express their opinion on what to do next below



and here as well.



RIOC Director Doctor Kathy Grimm describes the non-elected appointment of Child School's Mr. Fererra to the RIOC Board and the removal of Mr. Kalkin from the RIOC Board as a "travesty".  RIOC Dirctor Doctor Grimm said that Mr. Kalkin always goes the extra mile and that losing him on the RIOC Board is a major loss to the Roosevelt Island community. Doctor Grimm wonders, as do many of us, whether there is something else going on in Albany that is behind all of this due to Mr. Kalkin's effectiveness as a RIOC Director. Doctor Grimm also offered to resign her position if she would be replaced with Mr. Kalkin who she feels was stabbed in the back by somebody. Bottom line from Doctor Grimm:

We don't know what is going on behind the scenes. We don't know if money is being placed in one pocket into another pocket. We don't know what deals are being made.

The events surrounding Mr. Fererra's appointment to the RIOC Board are a disgusting abuse of power.

Governor Cuomo and NY State Senate Spit In The Eye Of Roosevelt island Residents By Appointing Unelected, Conflict Ridden, Non Resident to RIOC Board of Directors -Horrible Way To Start Your Ethics and Good Government Agenda Mr. Cuomo

Image of Rotting Fish From NY Daily News

Something stinks like rotting fish in the way the New York State Senate and Governor Andrew Cuomo are attempting to bring back colonial rule to Roosevelt Island with the apparent naming of Salvatore Fererra, currently Executive Director of the Child School/Legacy High School, to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board of Directors.

Mr. Fererra, who does not live on Roosevelt Island and has worked here for less than a year, is being shoved down the throats of Roosevelt Island residents as a RIOC Board Director without having been elected by the community as have 6 of the 7 current resident RIOC Board Directors. The only Resident Board Director not elected by the community is David Kraut who was an existing Board member before the new RIOC election procedure was implemented. The 2 other RIOC Board Members are representatives of NY State government. Notice how the non-NY State government RIOC Board members are residents of Roosevelt Island which Mr. Fererra is not.

I learned about the naming of Mr. Fererra to the RIOC Board yesterday. According to the NY State Senate Finance Committee

Senate Standing Committee on Finance
Senator John A. DeFrancisco, Chair
  Wednesday, June 15, 2011
MEETING WILL BE CALLED OFF THE FLOOR

The Senate Finance Committee will consider the following nominations (TO APPEAR):
... Salvatore Ferrera as a Member of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation
(pending confirmation by the Committee on Transportation)...

Later that evening the Albany Citizen One Blog reported:

All of the appointments presented in the Senate chamber were confirmed, ... The following were confirmed...
... Salvatore Ferrera as a Member of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation...

Last night, I sent the following inquiry to Mr. Fererra:

I understand that you were just appointed as a Board Director of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp. (RIOC).

Do you wish to make any statement regarding your appointment that I can publish on the Roosevelt Islander Blog and share with the Roosevelt Island community?

For instance, as Executive Director of the Child School/Legacy High School do you think it is proper for you to be on the RIOC Board when the Child School/Legacy High School is a tenant of RIOC, may be seeking additional space on Roosevelt Island for an Arts Center, Equestrian Center and Boat House as well as being the recipient of an extremely below market rent for your school space of almost 50,000 sq ft. on the Waterfront Promenade at $6 sq ft.?

Do you think that such real estate entanglements represent a conflict of interest to your fiduciary obligations as a RIOC Board Member?  If not, why?

In the past, RIOC Board members had to resign from other Roosevelt Island organizations in order to be on the RIOC Board. Do you intend to resign from the Child School/Legacy High School in order to serve on the RIOC Board?

Do you think it is proper for you to accept an appointment to the RIOC Board without participating in the election process for a RIOC Board seat which many Roosevelt Island residents have fought so hard for many years to achieve at least a small measure of democracy on Roosevelt Island?

Roosevelt Island residents would be very interested in learning exactly what your qualifications are for being a RIOC Director.

As of this morning, I have not received a response from Mr. Fererra.

If Mr. Fererra's appointment to the RIOC Board is not reversed, that means that a current RIOC Board member will have to be replaced. Checking the RIOC web site it shows that the term of three current RIOC Board members have expired.

They are:

• Faye Fryer Christian - term expired May 19, 2010
• Jonathan Kalkin - term expired June 10 2011
• David Kraut - term expired June 10 2011

It will be outrageous if any of these RIOC Directors are replaced by the unelected Mr. Fererra but it will be a gigantic travesty and injustice if Mr. Kalkin is the RIOC Director replaced.

I may not always agree with Mr. Kalkin on a particular issue but he is an extraordinary public servant for Roosevelt Island devoting many hours of his time and innovative ideas for the benefit of our community and individual residents. Through his persistent efforts the Roosevelt Island Retail Main Street Master Leaseholder was accomplished, many companies think of Roosevelt Island as a place to experiment with innovative solutions to municipal problems and Mr. Kalkin is always ready to respond to questions from Roosevelt Island residents as well as this blog and to help residents with any problem or issue they may have.

Something really, really stinks here. Questions need to be asked and truthful answers obtained as to how Mr. Fererra, out of nowhere, managed to be named as a RIOC Board Director. Why? Whose interests does this serve?

UPDATE 1:25 PM - I am now advised that Jonathan Kalkin was the RIOC Director replaced. According to Assembly Member Micah Kellner:

I’m extremely disappointed that Jonathan Kalkin was removed from the RIOC board. Jonathans energy and ingenuity brought terrific innovation to Roosevelt Island and there’s no way that he can be replaced. This is a great loss for everyone who cares about Roosevelt Island.

This is disgusting and a blatant abuse of Roosevelt Island by the NY State Senate and Governor Cuomo. One can only ask WHY? What is going on?

Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) President Matt Katz adds:

Your blog says it all and in the appropriate outraged language.  Salvatore Ferrera’s appointment to the RIOC Board of Directors was a stealth campaign that maliciously and deliberately took place behind our backs.   Having been one of the workers who created and executed the highly successful elections that placed six Island residents on the nine-member RIOC Board of Directors, I am astounded at the arrogance of our colonial masters in Albany and the insult to this community that this step encompasses.  A decade’s slog towards democratic government has been upset in a day.  I await a response from the current resident Board members, whose seats are now all in jeopardy.  We will devise an appropriate community response as we learn the full import of this calamity.

          Matthew Katz

          President, RIRA 

UPDATE 2:05 PM - Sherrie Helstien, Secretary of RIRA Common Council and the person in charge of PR for Maple Tree Group’s (MTG) two Community Elections writes:

Those of us who have worked our asses off to get two impeccable elections created for, and on behalf of this community in order to bring us some small semblance of local, democratic governance, are stunned, disturbed, infuriated, and utterly nauseated by this turn of events.  We had the help and  support of the Spitzer and Paterson administrations, as well as former DHCR Chair, Deborah van Amerongen and RIOC President/CEO, Steve Shane in our election endeavors.  Former Governor Pataki (Rep.), initiated the concept of having local residents participate in determining the direction of the community’s development and  its varied issues in his “Open Spaces Law”, passed by the NY State legislature:  it states that the RIOC Board must be comprised of a majority of ISLAND RESIDENTS.  The current Governor and Senate Republicans who supported this nomination need to be reminded of their obligation to follow the law and to honor past precedents put into place by past Governors.

We have yet to find out exactly who else on the current Board this community chose may be getting replaced and by whom.  This is a continuation of past assaults on a community that has lived under the grave assault of “taxation without representation” for far too long and it is UN-DEMOCRATIC. 

We have troops in two countries (as far as we know), and if our federal reps vote on it, the (any) President of the U.S. may be given the right to decide unilaterally to declare war anywhere in the world, at any time, to “support democracy”—but what about here at HOME?  Where is this small community’s DEMOCRACY???   Will Roosevelt Island residents unite and start thinking like the people in Iran, Egypt, Syria, Libya, Yemen, & Bahrain? 

We need to open our eyes and see  ourselves as we are seen by these state legislators: as a housing development with people who have no legal standing which translates into having no local representative democracy.  It is that simple.  And it is that hard.  Will our new residents see and understand what this means to them when, for instance, the parkland they thought was theirs/ours, is given away (and for a pittance at that), yet again without meaningful community input?  We’ll have to see… 

Shame on this Governor and shame on the MONEY and deal-making  that has probably been behind this extremely aggressive act.

Sherrie is right - who economically benefits from replacing Mr. Kalkin on the RIOC Board? In almost every scandal involving government appointments - follow the money, follow the money and let's see where that leads. 

UPDATE: 11:55 PM - Roosevelt Island's NY State Senator Jose Serrano comments:

The controversy regarding the recent RIOC Board appointment highlights the need for legislation, like the bill (S4405) I’m sponsoring with Assembly Member Kellner, that would give Roosevelt Island residents a higher degree of self-governance. Roosevelt Island has distinctive needs that are specific to the area, and its residents uniquely qualified to play an active role in its leadership.

UPDATE 6/17 - Here is the video minutes for the meeting dated June 15, 2011 at 5 PM - 5:51 PM of:

SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA*
The Senate Finance Committee will consider the following nomination:
Salvatore Ferrera as a Member of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation 

The video shows at approximately the 31 minute 15 second mark,  that Mr. Fererra's appointment was withdrawn to be dealt with at a later time according to the Committee Chair. Nothing else was mentioned about Mr. Fererra for the rest of the meeting so unless there was another committee meeting later in the evening, I can't tell when the appointment to the RIOC Board was approved by the Committee.

Also, Mr. Fererra advises in response to a question from me:

As far as my appointment it went thru the office of Senate Majority leader Dean Skelos.

UPDATE 6/17 -RIOC Director Margie Smith comments:

Yesterday’s appointment of Salvatore Ferrera to the RIOC Board is outrageous on so many levels.  This community has worked tirelessly for over a decade to have elected representation on the RIOC Board.  In the last two rounds of board appointments, Island residents gave their neighbors a voice by running for election rather than just accepting appointments without any input from the community.  That set a precedent, or so we hoped, for future appointments.  Yesterday’s action ignores that precedent and shows a total disregard for the community’s wishes.

To add insult to injury, Mr. Ferrera will be taking the place of resident Board Member Jonathan Kalkin.  Jonathan has been one of the most active members in the history of the board.  He has initiated, and is currently managing, a number of crucial projects, and, because of his special expertise in technology, and his forward-thinking, these projects could be in serious jeopardy.  The remaining board members will do our best to see these projects through to fruition, but Jonathan will be sorely missed at the helm of these initiatives.

Bottom line, I personally believe it's a privilege being on the RIOC Board, but only if you hold that seat because the residents of the Island vote you in.

and so does RIOC Director Howard Polivy:

Without touching on all the issues of this recent Albany action, I just want to react to the end of Jonathan's tenure on the RIOC board.

He worked tirelessly to improve our shared quality of life. These broad efforts ranged from the details necessary to assure smooth operations of the complex urban ecology that this Island represents in miniature, with all the balancing of competing interests, to the notion that our community may model new interesting technologies to benefit all New Yorkers.

Most importantly, as Chair of the Real Estate Committee, he gave a great deal of his time and energy to two key developments. Much has been made of the Master Lease which will soon become effective. However, and much less in the public eye, Jonathan took the lead in efforts preserve effective affordable housing for the middle class. I am confident that as details emerge his vision will be vindicated and it's success will prove useful in other areas in the state.

UPDATE 6 PM - Roosevelt Island's New York City Council Member Jessica Lappin comments:

No disrespect to the new incoming member, but it’s outrageous that the Governor’s office didn’t consult or inform any of us before making this appointment.  I don’t understand why he disregarded the electoral process we had previously hammered out.  It’s sad to lose both Jonathan and the more transparent and democratic process we’d worked out for selecting RIOC board members.

UPDATE 10 PM - Jonathan Kalkin comments:

I appreciate the huge amount of support from the community that I have been getting not only today, but for the last several years. This decision is a threat to our democracy on Roosevelt Island and ignores the hard fought democratic process that so many have worked tirelessly for so many years. Roosevelt Island is closer than ever to having a vibrant Main Street and long term affordable housing and we must not let anything disrupt that progress. I challenge the current and incoming board members to continue and complete the reform initiatives I have fought so hard for and I know they are up to the task. Public service can take many different forms and I will continue to be a voice for a better quality of life and democracy for this community.

UPDATE 6/18 - Roosevelt Island Maple Tree Group met with Mr. Fererra to urge him to resign or not accept appointment as RIOC Director. More Here.

UPDATE 6/20 - Latest on whether Mr. Fererra will accept the appointment to RIOC Board or resign his seat.

UPDATE 6/30 - Roosevelt Island residents and RIOC Directors urge Mr. Ferrera to resign during June RIOC Board Meeting (includes video of statements)