I understand from your Main Street WIRE column that FERI has submitted a draft of a conditional site control agreement for the southern portion of Southpoint Park for the Kahn/FDR memorial.
Will you permit this proposed agreement to be made publicly available for review and comment by the RIOC Board as well as the Roosevelt Island community prior to execution? If so, I would be happy to post it on the Roosevelt Islander blog.
Also, given the recent financial meltdown in private markets and NY State and City budget crisis, will RIOC confirm with the NY City Council that the $4 million allocated in the next 2 years for FDR Memorial is still available and may reasonably be expected to remain available despite the expected State and City budget cuts in the near future. I think this is a very important factor to confirm since such funding played a large role in the RIOC Board's approval of conditional site control?
Mr. Shane replied:
No. We do not negotiate agreements in the public. We, as officers of the corporation are entrusted with the obligation to carry out the intent of the Board. If we breach our fiduciary obligation, we should be fired.
Looking for fun things to do on Roosevelt Island or in New York City this weekend? Here are some suggestions.
Are you food lovers and like to watch the TV Food Network? If so, this is your lucky weekend. From October 9 - 12 the Food Network is presenting The New York City Food & Wine Festival paying:
... homage to one of the greatest restaurant cities in the world and bring this weekend-long extravaganza to New York City.
The Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival is the only festival in New York to bring together both legendary culinary icons from around the globe and America’s most beloved television chefs. Mirroring the charitable component of South Beach, the New York City festival will benefit the hunger relief programs Food Bank for New York City and Share Our Strength. 100 percent of the net proceeds from the festival will go directly to these community based initiatives.
Taking place primarily in the fashionable Meatpacking District and select landmark settings such as the DUMBO section of Brooklyn, the festival will seamlessly integrate into the pace and lifestyle of the city. This year’s talents include Rachael Ray, Paula Deen, Giada De Laurentiis, Tyler Florence, Alton Brown, Masaharu Morimoto, Guy Fieri, Bobby Flay, Ferran Adria, Patrick & Gina Neely, Alain Ducasse, Gordon Ramsey and Nigella Lawson to name a few.
If being frightened rather than fattened is your goal this weekend, take a trip up to the Bronx Zoo for Boo at the Zoo and:
Celebrate a New York Halloween tradition! October weekends are packed with activities, including magic shows, spooky stories, costume parades, and musical hayrides. Best of all, come visit with our bats, cats, and creepiest critters. Also enjoy this special offer: One child in Halloween costume will receive a free child’s limited admission ticket with the purchase of one full price adult limited admission ticket.
Find out what lives in the waters under the Manhattan Bridge! Join experts from the Coastal Marine Resource Center as we use a 30-foot seining net to catch fish and other remarkable East River creatures. Families and kids can take a good look at the fish before we release them back to their homes and keep a tally of our catch. We provide field guides, identification keys, and plenty of fun to go around.
There are things to do on Roosevelt Island this weekend as well such as the second weekend of Roosevelt Island Kidfest on Saturday afternoon with the Broadway Babies performing on the Riverwalk Lawn. According to the MTA, Roosevelt Island F Train will be normal this weekend and RIOC reports no service interruptions for the Roosevelt Island Tram.
You Tube video of Poma double decker Vanoise Express aerial tramway
For those unable to attend or wishing to review the October 2 Roosevelt Island Tramway Modernization Town Hall meeting, RIOC has made available an online web cast of the proceeding. During the meeting the two competing bidders, current operator Dopplemayr and Roosevelt Island newcomer Leitner- Poma of America, made presentations to the audience. The Poma presentation was certainly more entertaining with examples of double deckerand continuous motion trams thought I am sure that the respective "wow" factor of each presentation will not be conclusive in determining the winning bidder. The Poma bid did cost approximately $10 million less than Dopplemayr's bid which could be a deciding factor assuming all other considerations are equal.
Another factor to consider may be this from the June 14, 2008 Ski Rebel Magazine. The double decker Vanoise Express:
... is to re-open on 20th December 2008 a year after the famous lift’s unexpected closure due to safety concerns.
... According to the Les Arcs website, some fibres on the original cable coating were found to have broken during a routine inspection last November. That lead to the immediate closure of the cable-car’s operation for the season....
Dopplemayr has experienced cable problems of a different sort with the Roosevelt Island Tram as well. From January 12, 2002 Main Street WIRE:
The Tram has been shut down since November 24, when American Tramways began a major repair and maintenance project. The work was nearly finished during the week of December 16 when the company’s technicians committed one of the nightmarish mistakes of the aerial Tramway and ski-lift industry: In connecting a new haul rope to the Tram cabin assemblies, they trimmed the excess cable too much, leaving it a little over eight feet short of the length necessary to allow both cabins to dock in their proper places.
Several days after the Town Hall meeting I inquired of RIOC President Steve Shane:
Now that RIOC has received two competing bids on the Roosevelt Island Tram modernization project, met with the potential companies, discussed the various alternatives with your experts and consultants as well as conducted a public hearing on the matter, can you provide the community with an update on the progress made and plans for how the project is to proceed. Also, I was wondering if you thought the suggestion made by one of the residents at the Public hearing concerning replacing the Trams one at a time so that one of the trams would be able to operate during the Modernization Project was feasible.
RIOC President Steve Shane replied:
As soon as we have reached a conclusion and finalized the bid proposals (they are still being negotiated as to details), will have something to present to the Board at the 10/23 meeting. Not feasible to replace one side of the Tram at a time, as there is currently a jig-back system. As soon as one side is down, the whole thing is down (see justification for doing the dual haul system). Yes, the new system could be installed, one side at a time, but with great expense, duplication of effort and no apparent gain in economy of operation.
The September 27, Main Street WIRE has complete coverage of the Tram Modernization project.
an egalitarian non-affiliated synagogue founded in 1980. Our congregation is dedicated to providing Jewish spiritual support to all who seek it, regardless of their financial abilities.
We have a full schedule of High Holiday and Festival services, and we have Friday Night Shabbat services approximately every two weeks. Several times a year we have community Shabbat dinners after the service. We also offer two series of Adult Education classes during the winter and spring.
We encourage all in the community to join us for High Holiday, Sabbath and Festival Services and enjoy the company of your neighbors on Roosevelt Island.
Here is link to the Yom Kippur service schedule tonight and tomorrow at the Roosevelt Island Jewish Congregation and some reflections from David Hartman in the Jerusalem Post.
... Another theme of Yom Kippur, teshuva, is expressed in the call to return, to renew, to re-create one's self and in the appeal for divine forgiveness and atonement, in the recitation of "for the sin we have sinned..." and other confessional sections of the liturgy. The essence of teshuva - the crucial principle without which this concept would be empty of meaning - is the belief that the past need not define the future. A person can break the causal chain of habit and defy the seeming necessity of repetition that suffocates spontaneity and the joy of life.
And according to the Chicago Tribune, Yom Kippur services are available on the internet:
In services that will air Wednesday at 8 p.m., the JewishTVnetwork.com will broadcast a two-hour Kol Nidre service to mark the beginning of Yom Kippur. The service will be led by Rabbi Naomi Levy, in Brentwood, Calif. It is the second time the online Jewish network has aired a Yom Kippur service, but it's a first for Levy.
Jim Luce of Orphans International forwards the following invitation and challenge to Roosevelt Island residents.
Fellow Roosevelt Islanders! Come Over Wed., Oct. 8, at 7 pm
Oct. 4, 2008
Everyday hundreds of people pass by our window at 559 Main Street and smile and wave. Some bring in clothes or electronics or a check to donate. I took many of these gifts on my recent trip to Haiti.
It has been 14 months since we asked the whole of Roosevelt Island to step forward with funds to pay for our work. We must plan an event to engage our community again, and soon.
We cannot wait for the stock market to rebound, or for our corporate donors to write a check. The recent devastation in Haiti has left us with enormous budget shortfalls.
We want to reach out for ALL donations, large and small. We want an event here on Roosevelt Island. Interns and volunteers are inspired by our work... you can feel the same.
Helping Orphans International is the perfect antidote to the sense of helplessness recently cast over us all. We can help children... and we are. Come join us.
We have MANY OPPORTUNITIES to get involved this fall – and WE NEED HELP!
Our dynamic director Linda Stanley has unveiled to me her plans for “Roosevelt Island Cares”and she cannot do it alone. Here is her concept:
“200 x 200 Club” created to support our humanitarian work 200 committed Roosevelt Islanders committing $200 each year to our orphans care.
Mentors & Supervisors We had 22 interns over the summer, 16 interns now. We have no staff other than Linda Stanley & Jim Luce. We need volunteer middle management – one day a week!
Child Sponsors Increased Child Sponsorship on Roosevelt Island at $600 per year.
OI Winter Carnival & ART SALE To be held tentatively Sat., Dec. 27 – maybe at Manhattan Park Theater? We will need food, entertainment, help with kids, local business support!
There is an urban myth that Roosevelt Islanders single-handedly fund this island-based organization. Community support is less than 20% of our budget. We would love to involve more of you. We need you to help get us there!
We will meet next Wednesday, October 8 in my home (540 #418, Buzzer 157) from 7-9 pm to move forward. SHOW UP & HELP OUT!
Here are the Roosevelt Island Daily Public Safety Reports for September 23 - October 7 2008. Incidents included:
Shoplifting (9/23, 24)
8 subjects arrested for open containers (9/23)
Reckless Driving (9/23)
Criminal Possession of a weapon (10/2)
2 subjects arrested for Burglary/Assault/Robbery (9/30)
Taxi Cab driver assaulted by passenger who did not want to pay full fare (10/3)
broken car window and window left open at Motorgate Garage ( (9/25, 26, 29) and
Siphoning half a tank of gasoline from vehicle (9/29)
Also, at the September RIRA Common Council Meeting, it was agreed to submit a referendum to the Roosevelt Island voters concerning the establishment of a Civilian Complaint Review Board.
Below are the complete public safety reports for September 23 - October 7, 2008.
9/23/08-7:00 AM to 9/24/08-7:00 AM
Aided- An ill person was taken to the Hospital by EMS.
Missing Property- Credit card. Reporter stated it was used without authorization. he was referred to NYPD.
Graffiti- In building. Search for the subject yielded negative results. UA notified.
Shop lift/ Petit larceny- PSD responded and subject told not to come to the store. shop lifting deposition form filed.
Custody Issue- mother of child not home to receive child and adult sister took custody of child.
Criminal Mischief- Broken Window- Search for the subject yielded negative results. UA notified.
Found Property- A Bag with property. It was secured in PSD.
Aided- Youth was crying excessively over broken computer. EMS refused.
Unlawful Possession of Marijuana- PSD arrested subject.
Open Container- 8 subjects arrested by PSD.
Reckless Driving- Subject arrested by PSD.
Criminal Mischief- Bucket of paint not sealed was turned over. UA notified. Search for the subject yielded negative results.
Aided- An ill person was taken to the Hospital by EMS.
Found Property a check. It was returned to the Owner by PSD.
9/24/08-7:00 AM to 9/25/08-7:00 AM
Investigation- Resident requested another be notified not to deliver food to him. Message left for resident.
Investigation- Female believed another was following. NYPD refused .
Petit larceny- Involves two youths . Parents notified and left with youth. NYPD refused.
Shop Lifting- 2 Youths involved. Parents notified and left with youth. NYPD refused and Trespass notice filed.
Littering- Motorist threw summons on the ground and received another summons for littering.
Harassment- PSD and NYPD responded. Resident reported another threatened her. NYPD report done.
Aided- Intoxicated female taken to the Hospital by EMS
0700 hrs. 09/25/08 - 0700 hrs. 09/26/08
Investigation/Harassment- Irritate male entered PSD, left before sgt responded.
Summons served- Court paper served by PSD to Island Residen.
Vehicle accident- On Main Street between Tractor trailer and SUV, NO injuries NYPD notified
Aided-Female fell on Main Street sufer several Injuries,Transported to Cormell HOspital.
Unsecured Vehicle-Vehicle Parked in Motor Gate with driver side window
open. unable to contackt owner
Criminal mischief- Hallway door shattered in Eastwood, super notified, negative result on possible subject.
Aided- female complaining leg pains 911 ntfd aided left before ems respond
Investgation- report two suspicious male in eastwood psd made search with negative results
9/26- 9/27
Unsecured Vehicle- Window left open. PSD conducted periodic check of the vehicle. No record of owner at Central Parking.
Child Custody matter- Father went to see children. mother did not open the door. The matter was referred to Family Court.
Resisting arrest- Subject arrested by PSD.
Disorderly Conduct- Subject arrested by PSD.
Disabled Vehicle- A MTA bus. MTA towed it.
Aided- An ill person was taken to the Hospital by EMS.
9/27/08-7:00 AM to 9/28/08-7:00 AM
Graffiti- In building. Search for the subject yielded negative results. UA Notified.
Graffiti- In Park. Search for the subject yielded negative results. RIOC notified.
Multiple Vehicle Violations- PSD issued the motorist multiple violations.
Aided- Female fell in apt. Son had to break lock to gain entry. UA notified. Son will replace the locks. Female assisted up. EMS refused.
Hazardous Condition- Male fell and had back pain but refused EMS.
He will see his private doctor.
Did not receive report for 9/28-29
9/29/08-7:00 AM to 9/30/08-7:00 AM
Verbal Dispute- Over $5.00. PSD responded and it ceased. NYPD refused.
Investigation- NYPD special unit responded to apt regarding a jury case and access denied by tenant. Referred to ADA for a warrant.
Disorderly Conduct/Fail To Comply-Bus obstructed other buses and failed to comply with PSD officer and was disorderly. Subject issued summons by PSD.
Disabled vehicle- School Bus. PSD responded. It was pushed out of the way. Mechanic notified and other Bus picked up children.
Aided- An ill person was taken to the Hospital by EMS.
Criminal Mischief- Broken Window in a vehicle. NYPD refused. Central Parking Manager notified.. Search for the subject yielded negative results.
Petit Larceny- Half a tank of gas was siphon out of a vehicle. NYPD report done. Search for the subject yielded negative results.
Criminal Mischief- In building. Broken light bulbs in building. Search for the subject yielded negative results. UA Notified.
9/30/08-7:00 AM to 10/1/08-7:00 AM
Aided- Female fell in the subway and was taken to the Hospital by EMS.
Petit Larceny- Subject took items previous day. Incident viewed on camera. Merchant refused to persue the matter. NYPD refused.
Smoke Condition- Small Garbage can fire. FDNY responded and extinguished it. No property damage or injuries.
Missing person- Youth. NYPD and PSD conducted a search of the Island for the youth with negative results. NYPD report done.
Investigation- Youth irate He was escorted to PSD. Mother retrieved youth.
Criminal Mischief- Male broke window in building. Subject arrested by PSD.
Burglary/Assault/Robbery/Disorderly Conduct- 2 subjects arrested by PSD.
Investigation- Prophylactics thrown on to patio by unknown subject.
Incident occurred three days ago. Search of the area yielded negative results for the subject.
Aided-An ill person was taken to the Hospital by EMS.
10/1/08-7:00 AM to 10/2/08-7:00 AM
Vehicle Accident Between 2 private vehicles. Parties referred to NYPD. No injuries.
Aided- An ill person was taken to the Hospital by EMS.
Trespass- Subject arrested by PSD.
Water leak Tenant not in apt . UA and PSD responded. The apt was locked and secured. The source was another apt.
Missing Child- PSD responded and found the child.
Aggravated Harassment-Via Telephone threats made to tenant's daughter. NYPD report done.
Criminal Mischief- Tampered lock. UA notified. search for the subject yielded negative results.
Found Property- A wallet. It was secured in PSD.
0700 hrs 10/02/08 - 0700 hrs 10/03/08
Aided - Tenant walked into PSD to report he was not feeling well. EMS responded and transported aided to hospital.
Criminal Poss Weapon/Criminal Poss Marijuana - PSD Stopped two male subjects. One was issued summons for Poss. of Marijuana and the other was taken to 114 pct for arrest processing for Criminal Poss. of Weapon and Criminal Poss. of Marijuana.
0700 October 3rd, 2008 to 0700 October 4th, 2008
Unsecured Premise - Location found unsecured during patrol. Area searched with negative results. Door unable to be secured, PSD notified RIOC personnel so it could be repaired. An officer was posted at location.
Vehicle Accident - Female feel asleep at the wheel of her vehicle and ran into a light pole, causing damages to vehicle and pole. Female transported to hospital and RIOC personnel disconnected wires on light pole to prevent any hazardous conditions.
Family Dispute - Between mother and daughter. Daughter was escorted to apartment to remove her belongings and then left apartment without incident.
Criminal Possession - NYPD Officer and PSD Officer observed 2 males, one of them with illegal substance. One subject arrested by NYPD, second subject released.
Robbery 2nd Degree - Taxi driver reports he was punched by one of his 4 passengers and he then took money from him because they did not want to pay full amount of the fare. Search was conducted for subjects with negative results. Driver was uncooperative and refused NYPD.
0700HRS 10/04/08 to 0700HRS 10/05/08
Criminal Mischief - Tenant reports unknown object thrown into window causing glass to break. Service responds to clean up glass. PSD conducted search with negative results.
Violation of Court Order - Male wanted to report that his ex-wife that did not show to bring their son for court scheduled visit.
Graffiti - Unreadable black ink on window at location. Search yielded negative results and service was notified.
Hazardous Condition - Broken door handle on stairwell door. Service notified.
Criminal Mischief - Crack window observed in hallway. Urban American notified.
Dangerous Condition- Resident complained a ledge in the southtown park has no fence. No dangerous condition observed, child appeared to small to play in area.
Criminal Mischief- Pellet gun holes observed in hallway,search made with negative results.
Trespass- Three males arrested for trespass in 540 Main St. 19th floor.
Hazardous Condition- Two wide holes were observed on sidewalk. RIOC personnel notified. Suspicious Male- One male stopped for videotaping the United nations, CPOP on scene, male stopped, questioned and released.
10/5 -10/6
Possible Aided - Urban American and PSD responded to check on tenant for Home attendant. Resident had gone to the hospital.
Aided - Female entered building lobby not feeling well and concierge called PSD. PSD responds and calls EMS. Aided transported to hospital.
Alarm - At the Cultural Center. PSD responded and all in order. Cultural Center personnel notified.
0700HRS 10/06/08 to0700HRS 10/07/08
Aided - Male suffering from dizziness and stomach pains, EMS was called and he was transported to the hospital.
Aided - PSD responds with EMS for a male with back pains. Aided transported to hospital.
Found Property - Female found a ATM card in the street. Card Company was contacted and officer was advised card had been canceled and could be destroyed. Card was shredded.
Confiscated Property - Driver made a u-turn and produced PBA cards which were confiscated.
Found Property - Male found a red and black female handbag on red bus. Secured in Sgts closet.
The Daily Roosevelt Island Public Safety reports from January 19 - April 30 2008 are here and from May 1 - October 5 2008 here.
According to his web site, Senator Serrano has provided $5000 each to the Roosevelt Island Residents Association and Roosevelt Island Seniors Association during the 2008-09 Appropriations Fiscal Year.
How much of our humanity are we prepared to cede to machines? This is a dilemma of the future, but it's not much of a concern for Erik Ramsey. Erik can't move. He can't blink his eyes. And he hasn't said a word since 1999. But now, thanks to an electrode that was surgically implanted in his brain and linked to a computer, his nine-year silence is about to end.
Locked-in syndrome is a rare neurological disorder characterized by complete paralysis of voluntary muscles in all parts of the body except for those that control eye movement. It may result from traumatic brain injury, diseases of the circulatory system, diseases that destroy the myelin sheath surrounding nerve cells, or medication overdose. Individuals with locked-in syndrome are conscious and can think and reason, but are unable to speak or move. The disorder leaves individuals completely mute and paralyzed. Communication may be possible with blinking eye movements
The Esquire article references a patient at Roosevelt Island's Goldwater Hospital whose locked-in syndrome was finally recognized and she became a poet and author.
... There are stories of people being locked-in for years before anyone notices the fully conscious person hiding inside the paralyzed body. In 1966, a thirty-two-year-old woman named Julia Tavalaro became locked-in after a brain hemorrhage and was sent to Goldwater Memorial Hospital on Roosevelt Island, New York, where the staff took to calling her "the vegetable." It wasn't until six years later that a family member noticed Tavalaro trying to smile after she heard a dirty joke. She was immediately taught to communicate with eye blinks and became a poet and author. She died in 2003 at the age of sixty-eight, having never spoken for thirty-seven years....
Once Julia had been thought incognizant. For six long years, while her caretakers at Goldwater Hospital assumed her brain had died, she had been kept alive, overhearing the talk of the nurses who hated the odious task of attending to one who seemed so dead.
Only after six years did a speech therapist think of asking her to lift her eyes if she understood and then started eye spelling with her. Now in a kind of Helen Keller story, only more so, with the help of Richard Tayson, a young poet, she has written a book about her journey back to being able to communicate and take charge of some quite important things in her life.
Their book, ''Look Up For Yes,'' will be published in April by Kodansha America, the publishing house that brought out ''The Delaney Sisters.''
More progress has been made in making the long-vacant Main Street retail stores less of an ugly eyesore. In addition to the frosted windows installed last week, historical Roosevelt Island photographs and images have been placed in two windows panes of the former pizza place creating a more attractive storefront area than the previous orange drapery window coverings.
Some of the historical images include the Welfare Island Trolley that traveled along the 59th Street Bridge dropping passengers off at an elevator that took them down to Welfare (Roosevelt) Island, cartoons and mug shots of prisons inmate such as Boss Tweed and old pictures of Blackwell's and Welfare Island before it was re-named Roosevelt Island. The Roosevelt Island Historical Society has more images here.
Good job by those residents who came up with this idea and RIOC for implementing it. Now let's do something similar with the other vacant Main Street store windows.
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.
