Report From RIOC's President - Board Procedures, Tram Shutdown On Schedule, Red Bus Shuttle Schedule Changes & Other Roosevelt Island Issues

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RIOC President Steve Shane sends the following report to Roosevelt Island residents. Mr. Shane updates us on:

• RIOC Board Agenda and Procedures,
  
• Tram Modernization on schedule,
  
• Rush Hour Red Bus Shuttle to Queens Canceled,
  
• Southpoint Park, FDR Memorial,
  
• Roosevelt Island Bridge Helix Ramp project,
  
• Artificial surface for Octagon Playing Field,
  
• RIOC 2010 -11 Budget,
  
• Blackwell Park Master Plan,
  
• Motorgate Credit Card usage starts April 1,
  
• Mitchell Lama Privatizations and
  
• Status of Grog Liquor Shop

March 24, 2010
1.Board of Directors: Meeting on March 25 at 9:30 AM. On the agenda are many compliance items required to be adopted by the Board before forwarding to the various State entities having jurisdiction, the adoption of the Budget for fiscal year 2010/11, RIRA’s report to the Board on Public Purpose awards and Board action thereon, etc. A resolution as to scheduling change for Board meetings to all late afternoon meetings preceded by a short public comment period. Assuming its passage, RIOC will establish a registry on its website where persons interested in speaking before the Board meeting may sign up before the meeting in question. Each person will be limited to not more than two minutes.

2. Tram:
A. After 4 weeks since shutdown on March 1, the construction is proceeding apace, on schedule. We are monitoring closely.
B. Red Bus service:
(1) Shuttle to Queens Plaza. The ridership is very sparse. Because the F train seems to be filling the need and the very low demand, we are DISCONTINUING the shuttle to Queens during the morning rush after next Wednesday, March 31.
(2) Shuttle to Manhattan operating on the hour starting at 10 AM, pick-ups starting at Riverwalk Café, then 546 Main and finally on east side of Main opposite PS 217, returning from Manhattan on the half hour. Passenger drop off will be in front of PS 217, Good Shepherd and Riverwalk Cafe. The Manhattan stop is the west side of 2nd Avenue, at the northerly end of the 59-58th Street block. No shuttle into Manhattan during afternoon rush hours 3PM-6 PM EXCEPT there is one bus into Manhattan departing the Island at 3:30 PM and picking up in Manhattan at 4 PM to accommodate returning school children. Resumption of hourly service into Manhattan at 7 PM and returning until 11:30 PM. Weekends, shuttle service into Manhattan starting at 10 AM, hourly throughout the day until 11:00 PM, same pick-ups, returning on the half-hour with the last at 11:30 PM. See the schedules posted on RIOC’s web site and on in the posters throughout the Island. Note that if the F train is not in service, the frequency into and out of Manhattan will be increased to every half hour. Fares are $1.00, with Seniors, Disabled and Children (5-16) at $.50.
(3) The MTA continues to operate the Q 102 bus on the Island on its published schedule. Starting in April, there will be a route change to eliminate the alternating loops to Coler and Goldwater for those who would use the Q 102 and its transfer into the Metrocard system.
(4) Regular Red Bus service continues on the Island, but because of the increased construction activity at the Tram site and the elimination of the Tram stop during the outage, all regular Red Bus service runs a continuous loop southbound along the East Drive, stopping at Riverwalk Cafe, then looping around to the front of the subway station to resume a northbound run. Those that want to disembark for the subway at Riverwalk Cafe may do so; those who want to ride around to the subway may stay on a stop and do so.

We are keeping ridership statistics and will make further decisions about keeping these shuttle bus runs, in consultation with the Operations Committee, depending on utilization. It does appear that the F train and the MTA are servicing the needs of the residents so far and hope it will continue. I am aware of the discomfort, but it is temporary.

3. Southpoint-FDR Memorial: Legal work on NYC Funding and Development agreements is complete, with documents signed, but held in escrow until final details completed. Construction is to start very shortly. State Parks has concluded that it will do the maintenance work itself. The Division of the Budget has issued its Certificate of Approval of Availability as to the State’s $4 million. Upon the registration of the City’s Funding Agreement as to its $4.738 million with the City Comptroller and the deposit of the entire balance of private funds, all financing will be in place.

4. Southpoint-Green Rooms/Wild Gardens: In response to the RFP for the Phase II work to complete, the bids established a price within the budget with several hundred thousand dollars as cushion, to be able to provide some betterments. Final completion is expected by the fall.

5. Projects:
A. The contract for engineering study of the status of the helix leading to the Island from the Bridge is let and the study is underway.
B. Octagon Soccer Field resurfacing: Approved by the Board on January 14th, contract executed. Final design approved and commencement of work next week.
C. AVAC, Sportspark, Motorgate, fiber optic cabling, Good Shepherd HVAC, Octagon sewer, street lighting, tot lot improvements, etc. all keep engineering very busy.

6. Budget: The proposed 2010/11 Budget as published and posted on RIOC’s web site for public review and comment will have been presented to the Board for adoption, as it may be amended, at the March meeting. RIRA and other interested parties have held public discussions on the proposed Budget.

7. Blackwell Park: Community participation in the planning process continues, with a “less is more” conclusion. Other features desired are set forth in the resolution from RIRA. Planning meetings are continuing led by Matt Katz and Judy Berdy to reach final conclusion as to an acceptable treatment for the handicapped accessible ramp and suitable landscaping.

8. Credit cards use at Motorgate: Transient parkers will be able to use credit cards to pay the parking charges at Motorgate. Starting April 1, 2010.

9. Privatization of Mitchell-Lamas: With the extensive discussion and debate at the Board meeting to express the sense of the Board for ground lease extensions, RIOC has moved forward in preserving the long term affordability of the portion of the housing on the Island represented by Rivercross, Island House and Westview. Much work and many details remain to be resolved with the other governmental agencies who are stakeholders in Roosevelt Island. We met with the City and ESDC last week and outlined a task force approach to working on the issues. Stay tuned.

10. Grog Shop: The New York State Department of Taxation & Finance has shuttered the Grog Shop for non payment of franchise and sales taxes. I have been in touch with the attorney representing the estate of Archie Seale and have referred to him the several inquiries as to possible new store operators. If they can make a deal for assignment of the existing lease, could reestablish the operation after getting State Liquor Authority licensing approvals. We are well aware of the loss of an important service establishment and will do everything possible to facilitate a favorable resolution for Island residents.

This message also published as the RIOC column in the 3/27/10 Main Street WIRE.