Report From RIOC President Charlene Indelicato - Roosevelt Island Hate Crime Investigation, Fall For Arts Festival Planning, Security Cameras Operational, Cultural Center Renovation, Helix Upgrades, Emergency Preparedness & More

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Charlene Indelicato sends the following report to the community.

 Image From 2012 Roosevelt Island Fall For Arts Festival

In recent weeks, an incident that took place on Roosevelt Island has been portrayed as a test of the characteristic openness and acceptance that our community is known for. Our community has made it clear that we will not endure discriminatory or prejudiced acts in our neighborhood, and we thank those of you who have reached out to us with your concerns. This Island has a long history of openness and diversity that remains strong to this day, and we will continue to work alongside the community in support of tolerance.

Summer Movie Series

Thank you to all who came out to the final screening in Roosevelt Island’s Outdoor Summer Movie Series, Goldfinger. This year’s movie series was a great success, drawing hundreds of attendees to Southpoint Park and Firefighter’s Field. If you would like to help decide what will be shown next year, please visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/RIOCny and vote on next year’s theme.

Fall for Arts

Although the movie series has ended, planning has already begun for Roosevelt Island’s annual Fall for Arts Festival. This free community event will take place on Saturday, October 11 from 11 AM until 4 PM at Southpoint Park. This year, the festival’s theme will be “A Multicultural Renaissance,” highlighting the arts and creativity of the middle ages as well as the many cultural groups that live together on Roosevelt Island.

For those interested in getting involved: RIOC is seeking individuals and community groups who would like to participate. If you or your organization is interested in painting a mural during the Festival, providing an interactive art activity, theatrical or musical performance, or if you’d simply like to volunteer at one of RIOC’s art activity booths, please contact Anna Rankin at anna.rankin@rioc.ny.gov. This is a wonderful opportunity to reach out to and engage with members of our community, encourage creativity and to celebrate the arts.

Preparedness Month

September is National Preparedness Month, and the best way to be prepared is to stay informed. All Roosevelt Island residents are urged to sign up for RIOC Advisories, the island’s emergency and community alert system, for up-to-date information on emergencies, disruptions and other important information. If you have not already signed up, you can subscribe to RIOC Advisories online at rioc.ny.gov/advisorybody.htm. In addition, New York City’s Office of Emergency Management provides Notify NYC, the official citywide emergency alert system. Sign up at www.nyc.gov/notifynyc.

Does your family have a plan in case of emergency? If you missed last month’s Citizens Preparedness Training on Roosevelt Island, we encourage you to sign up for another of New York State’s training sessions online at prepare ny.gov/training-events. These sessions provide valuable instruction and information about how to keep yourself and your family safe, as well as how to recover quickly from a disaster situation. All participants also receive a free “Go Bag” containing supplies and useful items, such as a first aid kit and emergency radio.

Helix Ramp

The Helix Ramp, which connects Main Street with the Roosevelt Island Bridge, underwent a thorough evaluation and structural analysis last year. Contractors inspected the ramp and made recommendations for improvements, repairs and maintenance. RIOC recently released a Request for Proposals seeking a contractor to perform these upgrades. Bids were received last week on August 20; RIOC will review all submissions and select the most qualified vendor to perform the work next year.

Cultural Center

Restoration is progressing at the Cultural Center. Construction on the interior of the building has moved forward with the completion of duct alterations and electrical roughing. The walls of the Center have been framed and a percentage of the sheetrock has already been installed. We anticipate the completion of construction by the end of the year and look forward to reopening this valuable community space.

Seawall Improvements

After Hurricane Sandy, repairs and improvements to the seawall which surrounds Roosevelt Island became necessary. Design work for the east seawall near Southpoint Park is now almost complete. Once the design is finalized, a permit from the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will be required before a Request for Proposals can be issued. Once responses to the RFP are received, RIOC’s Procurement Guidelines will be followed to determine which vendor will perform the work.

Camera System

The newly installed island-wide security camera system is substantially complete and currently operational. Right now, the system is undergoing a 30-day monitoring period to determine and address any potential issues. After this period is complete and any problems are resolved, the next phase of the project will begin. During this time, Public Safety will work with the IT department to identify additional locations for camera placement. A Request for Proposals will be released seeking qualified vendors to complete the last phase of installation.