RIOC Board Of Directors To Decide Whether Kahn/FDR Memorial To Proceed Or Not - Has FERI Complied With Prior RIOC Agreement?

The Roosevelt Island Board of Directors may decide to approve, reject or postpone a decision regarding the proposal by the Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt Institute (FERI) to build the Louis Kahn Memorial (incorrectly described as the FDR Memorial) during the June 25 RIOC Board Meeting (See Item 6). The package of materials provided to the RIOC Board Members in support of the FERI proposal is embedded below as is the February 6, 2009 Conditional Designation Agreement (CDA) between RIOC and FERI for the FDR Memorial project which set forth the conditions that FERI had to meet prior to any future approval.

One would think that among the criteria to be used by the RIOC Directors in making their decision on this issue is whether FERI has complied with the requirements imposed by the CDA. Many questions remain unresolved including whether FERI has provided demonstrable evidence (and not mere statements) that they have secured the required funds from private non-public taxpayer sources (Page 6-7 of FERI Submission) and whether the State of New York has definitely committed to managing the site once completed (letter from NY State Parks Commissioner Carol Ash indicates that NY State management of Park is subject to creation of endowment not yet raised). There is also nothing in the materials relating to the ownership or disposition of the real estate that is contemplated to comprise the site as it pertains to the application of the Public Authorities Act.

Read the documents below and decide for yourself.
FDR Memorial Presentation By FERI To RIOC 6/25 Board Meeting


Conditional Designation Agreement between RIOC and FERI