Roosevelt island's RIVAA Gallery (527 Main Street) is celebrating Black History
Month with an exhibition titled "Essence Créations" from February 2 - February
26. You're invited to the exhibition's opening reception on Saturday, February 4 from 6 - 9 PM.
Beginning February 2, 2023 RIVAA Gallery will present work by a diverse group
of artists for Black History Month.
The exhibition “Essence Créations” focuses on positive and creative expression
in the visual arts.
Curated by Lorraine Williams, the exhibition includes the Pax Rawanda
Embroideries with Juliana Meehan, Andrew Nichols, Ida Owens, Albert Dépas,
Mona Coichy Haigler, Aziza and others.
We look forward to welcoming you either to our opening reception on February
4, from 6-9 or anytime throughout the exhibition which remains open until
February 27, 2023.
"Essence Creations" Thursday, February 2, 2023 - Sunday, February 26, 2023
Reception: Saturday, February 4, from 6-9 pm, 2023
Hours: Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 11am -5 pm Wednesday and Friday from
6-9 pm
... Black History Month started as black history week. It was founded by Carter G Woodson
in 1926. He chose a week in February because it also encapsulated the
birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass which were two days African Americans
have been celebrating going back to the 19th century. So for 50 years it
was a week long celebration. Then in 1976 as the nation was celebrating its
200th anniversary, people decided that this week long celebration should
encompass the entire month of February....
... We can trace African American history in New York all the way back to the period of
enslavement. Many people don’t realize that by 1700 New York had more enslaved people than any
of the other colonies. Most of the enslaved in New York worked as domestics and maids and butlers. Some of them worked on the dock, unloading ships. New York
abolished slavery in 1827, which was quite late for some of the northern states which had already taken that step
including places like Massachusetts....
Here's more on African American history in New York City
NBC New York reporter Ryan Baker recently visited the Roosevelt Island Smallpox Hospital Ruins. He reports on the fascinating history of the Smallpox Hospital and a possible future use of the site being proposed by Friends Of The Ruins as a Memorial to:
... those we lost to COVID-19 as well as scientific advances and the frontline workers fighting viral and infectious disease....
Learn more about the mysteries of the Roosevelt Island Smallpox Hospital and Friends Of The Ruins proposed memorial from this prior post.
... RIOC originally projected the Sportspark renovations to be completed by
the
Spring of 2022
but that was pushed back to September and then the Fall of 2022....
... During the September 29,2022 RIOC Board Of Directors Meeting, RIOC President Shelton Haynes reported
the Sportspark Facility substantially completed but target opening date delayed
until late Fall/Winter.
During the October 20, 2022 RIOC Board of Directors meeting,
Mr Haynes said the Sportspark renovation
is about 95% complete. RIOC is waiting for punch lists work to be
completed and Department of Buildings and FDNY inspections. Mr Haynes added that RIOC hopes to open
in a couple of months, if not sooner...
... The facility’s grand opening is slated for Late-Winter 2023, equipped with a new aquatics and management teams;...
... Sportspark, which I know everybody's excited about, is a project that we are sure the
community will love. We have a new team in place and enhanced services.
We're still working with
New York City agencies to get inspections done which will be easier after the holiday season.
We did send out a notification last week that in January we will provide a lot of
pertinent information so after the holidays please check your advisories.... updates on permitting, pricing and
other pertinent information will be provided at that time....
On December 29, I got a sneak peek at the renovated Sportspark swimming pool and basketball court from outside through the widows as well as the two new Pickleball courts and posted the video on Roosevelt Islander Instagram Page.
A few days later the Sportspark windows were completely covered up preventing anyone from looking inside.
The good news is that Sportspark may be opening sooner rather than much later. RIOC announced yesterday the appointment of new Sportspark management.
According to a RIOC Tweet today:
President & CEO @SheltonJHaynes announced the appointment of Joseph Natale as Director of Sportspark and Philip Flynn as General Manager of Sportspark at Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation.
Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation
(RIOC) President & CEO Shelton J. Haynes today announced the
appointment of Joseph Natale as Director of Sportspark and Philip Flynn
as General Manager of Sportspark at Roosevelt Island Operating
Corporation.
“Joseph and Philip both
bring their unique experience to RIOC, having been rising stars in their
respective roles in the private and public sector,” said RIOC President & CEO Shelton J.
Haynes. “Joe’s wealth of experience at Equinox has already paid
dividends as he shares his transformative ideas to bring Sportspark to
industry standards. Phil too brings to RIOC over a decade’s worth of
experience at premier not-for-profits – giving him a unique advantage in
navigating state government coupled with his astute background in
programming.
"First, I'd like to
thank RIOC President & CEO Mr. Shelton J. Haynes for the opportunity
to be a part of RIOC and join such a motivated team,” stated Joseph Natale.
“What excites me the most about overseeing the new and improved
Sportspark is the ability to offer our members best-in-class
programming, a high level of member service standards, and new amenities
never seen at Sportspark. The member experience will be at the
forefront of everything we do."
Natale
is an 11-year veteran of the fitness industry, initially starting as a
personal trainer and working his way up into management for nearly the
past decade. Most recently, Natale held various roles at Equinox,
including Assistant General Manager, General Manager, and Senior Manager
of Personal Training. Natale’s ability to lead and develop teams,
streamline operations, and create an exceptional member experience are
all values RIOC seeks for the future of Sport spark. Natale holds a
Bachelor of Science degree in Management of Sports Industries from the
University of New Haven and earned a number of certifications, including
NASM-CPT and NSCA-CSCS.
General Manager Philip Flynn commented,
"First and foremost, I want to thank RIOC and President & CEO
Shelton J. Haynes for giving me the opportunity to help uplift Roosevelt
Island in my new role. I am beyond excited for Sportspark to open and
show off all the new upgrades to the residents of Roosevelt Island. My
goal is to be another resource for the community with a strong focus on
health and wellness at the center."
Flynn
possesses over a decade’s worth of experience working in the
not-for-profit sector. Flynn served as the Athletic Director for Sid
Jacobson Jewish Community Center (JCC) in Roslyn, NY, the only
full-service JCC on Long Island’s North Shore dedicated to serving every
aspect of community wellness, regardless of age or ability. At the JCC,
Flynn was charged with the development and implementation of all sports
programs and activities. He promoted sports programming growth, safety,
member satisfaction, and member retention through sports program
participation and facility excellence. Flynn holds a Bachelor of Arts
degree in Sports Management and a Masters degree in Sports Management
with a Minor in Economics and Sports Marketing from the State University
of New York at Cortland. Flynn was a DIII athlete in both soccer and
track while attending the State University of New York at Cortland.
But still no information from RIOC on a Sportspark opening date, programming, scheduling or pricing.
On January 24, I asked RIOC President Shelton Haynes and Assistant VP of Communications Akeem Jamal:
I'm working on a story about the opening of the Sportspark facility.
I'd like to interview you about the project and RIOC plans for upcoming programs and community use schedules.
I would also like to take a tour of the facility and take video.
Could we do an interview at Sportspark in the next few days.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams submitted the op-ed article below to local NYC community media including Roosevelt Islander Online.
According to Mayor Eric Adams:
Community Op Ed: A Working People’s Agenda
Last week, in Queens — the borough I grew up in — I reported to New Yorkers on the state of our city. I outlined what we’ve accomplished in the year since I took office, and my vision for the future. We are going to build a city for working people, one that is more affordable, safer, cleaner, and more livable.
We focused on four essential pillars: jobs, safety, housing, and care.
Because without a strong working class, this city cannot survive.
Working people need good jobs and pathways to get those jobs. And those jobs need to be able to support a home for New Yorkers and their families.
That is why we are reimagining our workforce system, connecting 30,000 New Yorkers to apprenticeships through a new Apprenticeship Accelerator. It’s also why we are creating the jobs for the future, through our first of its kind biotech start up incubator that will be home to the next generation of transformative companies, and our Kips Bay life sciences hub, which will help create jobs and train New Yorkers for high demand careers in the life sciences, healthcare, and public health.
And we are ensuring that more city dollars go to minority and women-owned businesses as well as creating a new Nursing Education Initiative to support 30,000 current and aspiring nurses over the next five years.
And while we are finally seeing crime begin to decline in New York City, we must continue to make our streets safe, and it starts with getting New York City’s Most Wanted off our streets.
We are going to get the roughly 1,700 known offenders responsible for a disproportionate amount of the city’s violent crime off the streets.
And we are going to keep our streets safe by holding reckless drivers accountable. We are going to go to Albany to get legislation passed that increases the penalties for serious crashes, running red lights, and impaired driving.
Our city cannot be livable unless it is clean and sustainable. So we are investing millions to make our city cleaner and greener.
Last year we launched the country’s largest curbside composting program in Queens in order to Get Stuff Clean, and by the end of 2024, composting will be citywide and year-round. We are electrifying our city vehicles, and we have reached a deal with Uber and Lyft to have a zero emissions fleet by 2030.
And we are going to build on the success of our Open Streets and Open Restaurants programs by creating permanent community spaces in each borough.
We must have homes for working people. We are working to add 500,000 more homes across all five boroughs—so that everyone has an affordable place to live. We are going to build in every borough and every neighborhood. And that means creating housing in areas that currently only allow manufacturing and office uses while protecting good jobs in the center of our city's economy. We are going to make Midtown Manhattan a true live-work community. And we are building more housing in high-opportunity neighborhoods and near transit hubs. I recently announced plans for 6,000 new homes and 10,000 new jobs around four new metro stations in the Bronx. And at Willets Point we're working to build the largest new 100 percent affordable housing development in 40 years — that’s 2,500 new, affordable homes for New Yorkers.
Building new houses is essential for our future, but we also need to address the housing crisis today. So we are going to protect tenants and help New Yorkers stay in their homes by investing over $22 million in tenant protection programs.
We must also ensure that the social safety net is there for working people, so we are expanding it; making it easier for New Yorkers to access public benefits and healthcare. This is an agenda for working people.
As we pursue these programs, we want to keep New Yorkers up to date on the very latest. That’s why we’re launching a new initiative to talk directly to New Yorkers about the issues you care most about. You can sign up for this email newsletter at nyc.gov/hearfromEric to receive breaking news and updates on city initiatives — all tailored to your personal interests. Whether it’s a new park opening, or a new Open Streets in your neighborhood, you’ll be the first to know.
Mayor Adams was asked about Roosevelt Island governance and other issues during a January 6, 2023 community press roundtable. Watch the video here.
Last Friday evening January 27, RIOC hosted a Blackwell Park Re-design
community meeting to share current plans and seek comments from the Roosevelt
Island community.
On very short notice, about 25 residents attended the meeting at the Good
Shepherd Chapel. RIOC President Shelton Haynes was not in attendance. Instead,
RIOC Director Of Capital Planning & Projects Prince Shah made the
presentation for the $5 million project which is, as of now, anticipated to
begin construction in the Fall of 2023.
Here's video of the meeting which began with an introduction by RIOC Assistant
Vice President of Communications Akeem Jamal and overview by Acting Chief Operating Officer Mary Cunneen.
The project and online community survey results are summarized in these slides
from the RIOC Presentation.
Mr Shah did an excellent job with the presentation and noted why this particular
project is so important to him personally.
Mr Shah said that RIOC intends to keep the Roosevelt Island community informed
as the Blackwell Park re-design project moves forward.
01/21/23 – 0120 – 22 North Loop Road – Assault – EMS, NYPD, and PSD Responded – Report
22 North Loop road is the address of The Graduate Hotel and Panorama Room on the Cornell Tech campus.
On Tuesday January 24, I asked RIOC PSD Chief Kevin Brown and Assistant Vice President of Communications Akeem Jamal:
What were the circumstances regarding the Assault listed in the Public Safety Blotter below? Did an assault actually occur?
Were there any injuries or weapons used?
There has been no response from RIOC.
In response to my inquiry, a NYPD spokesperson reported:
34 year old female aided found unconscious at the location. 911 was called. Aided has bruising to face and was removed to Cornell hospital for treatment. Aided does not know how she sustained injury.
A Graduate Roosevelt Island Hotel spokesperson adds:
We are aware of this very serious situation and are working closely with authorities as this remains an open investigation. The safety and well being of locals, guests and associates is our greatest priority at Graduate Roosevelt Island.
It's not clear if the incident occurred inside or outside the hotel.
Chief Brown participated in the January 17 Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Public Safety Committee (PSC) meeting discussion about various community issues. Chief Brown advised the PSC that RIOC President Shelton Haynes and Communications VP Akeem Jamal will not allow him to attend future meetings but instead RIOC will conduct their own Public Safety meetings.
Robert Buckley is having his first solo exhibition at RIVAA Gallery. We look forward to welcoming you to this great opportunity to see a large body of his work.
Bob Buckley has been drawing and painting for a few years. He had basically given up everything from his mid-thirties to his mid-fifties. He did a sketch of Rainy Park for his girlfriend and for Christmas and his birthday, she gifted him a month of classes at the Art Students League. He has not looked back. He has exhibited in many groups shows around New York City. “You Can Do This” is his first solo show.
He tries to start a conversation through his paintings. Hate and Homelessness are real and need to be talked about and dealt with in a positive way. Not all of his work holds a message. They are just pretty pictures to get him out of an unhealthy space. Creating is what gives his life purpose.
The opening reception will be on January 28th from 6-9 pm. At the RIVAA Gallery 527 Main Street Roosevelt Island, NY 10044
Wednesday Jan 25th- Sunday29th,
Reception Jan 28th, 6-9 pm
The historic Blackwell Park, located at the intersection of West Road and Main Street, is among the most utilized recreation spaces on Roosevelt Island. As the Island continues to develop, so has the need for public parks and other amenities. The increased demand highlights a glaring need to expand the existing playground area and green space within Blackwell Park. As RIOC celebrates over four decades of the storied Blackwell Park, it's known that the originally constructed area requires a transformative redesign to meet the current standards and is aligned with other New York City parks. In Phase I, RIOC announced an upgrade to the west parcel of the park, including a brand-new sidewalk, vibrant trees, fresh landscaping, and an open seating area outside of the New York Public Library.
As President & CEO Shelton J. Haynes recently announced, your input is at the forefront of the design phase. RIOC hopes to achieve the same results at the east parcel of Blackwell Park during Phase II. Areas of improvement include equipment upgrades to be ADA compliant, infrastructure updates including utility and drainage systems, and beautifying other highly frequented areas such as the pergola area, plaza pavement and fountain, water play area, basketball courts, hardscape, and landscape areas throughout. As RIOC moves forward with Phase II of Blackwell Park, your input is valued as it will provide the framework and direction for the Masterplan of the Blackwell Park project....
... RIOC will host a community presentation on Friday, 1/27 at The Chapel of Good Shepherd (543 Main Street) to have a discussion about the vision for Phase II of Blackwell Park.
@NYCTSubway
neither of the metrocard machines are working on the Roosevelt Island tram
and no OMNY so NO WAY to access the tram if need to refill card - no sign on
machines either. YOU SUCK!!
Utterly insane. Several instances of “coins only”, as well.
Ridiculous
It's unbelievable that the Tram still doesn't have the OMNY system installed. It's as if we come LAST in NYC. It causes unreasonable lines, at least on the Manhattan side. IT'S WAY PAST DUE. We're dealing with less than 10 turnstiles at 2 locations, why does it take so long???
The MTA reported last November that the Roosevelt Island Tram will be integrated with the Roosevelt Island Tram sometime in 2023.
"Written in the early 1950s, Arthur Miller’s play "The Crucible" takes place in Salem, Massachusetts, during the 1692 Salem witch trials. This was a time when paranoia, hysteria, and deceit gripped the Puritan towns of New England. Miller captured the events in a riveting story that is now considered a modern classic in the theatre. He wrote it during the "Red Scare" of the 1950's and used the Salem witch trials as a metaphor for the "witch hunts" of communists in America.” - Thoughtco
Winner of the 1953 Tony Award for Best Play. This exciting drama about the Puritan purge of witchcraft in old Salem is both a gripping historical play and a timely parable of our contemporary society. “A powerful drama.” —NY Times. “Strongly written.” —NY Daily News.
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Public Safety Department Chief
Kevin Brown usually meets once a month with members of the Roosevelt
Island Residents Association (RIRA) Public Safety Committee (PSC) to
listen and discuss community issues and concerns.
This practice of the RIOC PSD Director meeting with the RIRA Public Safety Committee began in 2014 following discussions with former RIOC President Charlene Indelicato, former RIOC PSD Chief Jack McManus and RIRA PSC Chair Erin Feely-Nahem.
Chief Brown, who was Deputy PSD Chief under Chief McManus, has continued the practice of meeting with the RIRA PSC.
But not next month or afterwards either. RIOC has decided to discontinue meeting with the RIRA PSC.
During the January 17 RIRA PSC meeting, Chief Brown announced that he will no longer be meeting with the RIRA Public Safety committee. Instead, Chief Brown said that RIOC will be organizing it's own monthly in person Public Safety meeting at Good Shepherd Chapel.
This plan is another example of RIOC's new Vice President of Communications Akeem Jamal plan to have RIOC:
Other issues discussed at the January 17 RIRA PSC meeting include:
RIOC's plan to begin charging fees for disabled people to use the Motorgate Parking garage. Several residents have been told this will start in February but when Chief Brown was asked if it was true, he said he did not know.
Review of 2022 crime
Shoplifting at Duane Reade
Building Vertical Patrols
PSD Staffing Levels
Quality of Life problems at 460 Main Street affordable housing building
January Grand Larceny and Assault
Parking/Loading and Unloading
Here's the discussion from the January 17 RIRA PSC meeting with Chief Brown.
The Roosevelt Island
Café at Cornell Tech has returned to its regular hours. Check out this week’s Menu for Breakfast, Grab & Go Specials, Daily Dish Hotline items, Pizza Station, Salads, Coffee, Tea, Smoothies & more.
In the past 5+ years the Café has not had a price increase. Due to
the current economic pressures, we will be raising prices slightly to soften the
café’s inflationary pressures.
As we are increasing prices we will be also enhancing our menus and the
quality of our products.
For example, Grab-and-go sandwiches would go from 6.25 – 7 to 8 dollars for a bigger sandwich with enhanced proteins such as (chicken,
steak, and more protein ounces in every sandwich)
Our daily hotline will now have dishes with a price range of 12- 16 dollars and be
enhanced with the current bowl concepts, carving stations, world flavors, and
partner restaurants.
The pizza station will now offer Neapolitan-style personal pizzas in addition to
some of our current flatbreads.
And the prices in the coffee bar will go up across the board by about ten
percent.
We look forward to serving our neighbors in the Roosevelt Island community.
We are open Monday thru Friday 8am to 7 pm. Saturday and Sundays 11am to 5pm.
Roosevelt Island resident and Main Street Dems founder Joyce Short was a leader in the successful organizing efforts last year to keep Roosevelt
Island in the traditional Manhattan NYC City Council District which had been moved to Queens in the Draft redistricting proposal.
Ms Short reports:
Just as Roosevelt Islanders felt comfortably secure in Manhattan, the State of NY has thrown us a curveball!
The redistricting map which was approved for the recent Assembly election was vetoed by NY State’s appellate court. While, for now, Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright remains our representative, if the new map prevails, we will have a Queens Assembly Member, not a Manhattan Assembly Member from the 2024 election.
Important steps for Roosevelt Islanders…..
The next meeting to plan the community’s presentation at the NYIRC hearing (at 4 PM on February 7th) will take place Thursday, January 19th at the Senior Center at 546 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, at 7 PM. You do not need to be affiliated with any party or be a registered voter to participate in our resistance to change.
Redistricting our community to Queens spells disaster for several reasons. By NY State’s own redistricting rules:
Districts must consist of contiguous territory and shall be as compact in form as possible.
The commission must take into account the maintenance of existing districts, pre-existing political subdivisions, including counties, cities, towns, and communities of interest.
Commissioners on New York's redistricting panel recently voted to advance a new proposed map for state Assembly legislative boundaries. I am very disappointed to see that the proposal for our AD76 would eliminate Roosevelt Island and redistrict it to a Queens Assembly District. I am committed to fighting alongside constituents to keep Roosevelt Island where it belongs.
Roosevelt Islanders were so powerful in their testimony during the New York City Council districting process, I believe together we can make an unequivocally strong argument to keep Manhattan's Roosevelt Island with our Manhattan Assembly District 76. The process for state redistricting requires rigorous scrutiny, consistent with a process that ensures fairness, provides a platform for all voices, and carefully reviews all options.
The next steps are a series of public hearings around the State. The hearing in Manhattan will be on February 7, 2023 at the Hunter College Kaye Playhouse. I urge all concerned to share their views by testifying in person or submitting comments to the Commission directly at www.nyirc.gov/participate.
Here is January 12 Main Street Dems Zoom meeting on the NY State Assembly redistricting issue.
Join us on Thursday, January 19, at 6:30 PM for a special event to celebrate
the life of our beloved colleague, Yolanda Fay Boggan, She was a valued member
of our Library community, serving in multiple roles, for 35 years and served
the Roosevelt Island community since 2011.
Share your memories, poems and prose, be a part of creating vision boards, a
weaving scroll, and a special jazz performance.
The third Monday in January is a Federal holiday in
honor of the birthday of
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1983.
Dr King was born on January 15, 1929 and assassinated April 4, 1968.
... Almost 50 years after his death, we remember MLK as the transcendent
figure who helped lift the South out of Jim Crow. We also remember him as
almost preternaturally calm in the face of great pressure and danger. He was
indeed all of these things. But the passage of time has obscured his
dimensionality. In the last years of his life, King expanded his vision beyond
the former Confederacy and took on a broader struggle to dismantle America’s
jigsaw edifice of racial and economic discrimination—a struggle that took him
deep into northern states and cities, where onetime allies became bitter
enemies. He did so even as he strained to keep a fractious civil rights
movement unified, and in the face of unremitting sabotage from federal
authorities.
He was a young man, still in his 30s—foisted onto the national stage with
actors many years or decades his senior, suspect in the eyes of both younger
and older civil rights leaders—and the burdens of leadership took their toll
on him....
An original copy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "Letter from
Birmingham Jail" has a home at Samford University. In honor of
#MLKDay2022, learn about the significance of this piece of history.
"For most Republicans, Dr King is just the guy who said to forget about skin color; they basically just know one quote of his, out of context, & they repeat it ad nauseam."
Roosevelt Island is a mixed income, racially diverse waterfront community situated in the East River of New York City between Manhattan and Queens and is jurisdictionally part of Manhattan. The Roosevelt Island Tramway, which connects Roosevelt Island to the rest of Manhattan, has become the iconic symbol of Roosevelt Island to its residents.
The Purpose of this Blog is to provide accurate and timely information about Roosevelt Island as well as a forum for residents to express opinions and engage in a dialogue to improve our community.
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