You are cordially invited to the opening reception of RIVAA's another exciting show "Approach to a Portrait" on Saturday, September 20th from 6 - 9 PM at Gallery RIVAA.Come to Gallery RIVAA's Approach to a Portrait opening reception tonight. View some art and meet some new an old friends.
Date: September 20th, 2014
Time: 6-9pm
Venue: Gallery RIVAA, 527 Main Street, Roosevelt Island
According to the MTA Weekender, there will be Roosevelt Island F train service
A little bit of Roosevelt Island history. The Bowery Boys report:
... From a New York Times editorial, January 30, 1972:Click here for the entire Whatever Happened To Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt Island Bowery Boys article.
"It is astonishing, and becomes more disgraceful with every passing year, that within the city there is still no memorial to this great New Yorker (except for FDR Drive, a dubious honor). The opportunity is, however, immediately at hand. Welfare Island, now slowly undergoing a total reconstruction and rebirth, would take on a new symbolic significance if its name were changed to Franklin D. Roosevelt Island -- or, better yet, to Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Island in honor of that extraordinary woman who was even more closely identified with New York City than was the president himself."
By the following year Mayor Lindsay submitted a proposal to re-name Welfare Island for the president and the first lady. From Jan. 21, 1973:
The Roosevelt Island Twitterverse reports:
Massive game of "Capture The Flag" for adults coming to Roosevelt Island this weekend Sept 20, per @BloodSweatCheer: http://t.co/4AyPPZW1D9.
— CDN Association NY (@canadanyc) September 17, 2014According to the Roosevelt Island Capture The Flag event organizer Patchquilt:You’ve never playedRoosevelt Island Capture the Flag takes place between 11 AM - 2 PM and costs $20 to participate. Blood Sweat & Cheers adds:
… till you’ve played with us.
Capture the Flag takes on a whole new life as Patchquilt brings it to the streets of New York. Stealth and speed will aid you as you take captives, guard your flags, free your friends from peril, and battle to become Capture the Flag champions. The epic game takes on a new twist with multiple flags and territories made up of the actual parks and streets of New York’s Roosevelt Island.
Where is it?
(and what else should I know)
We’re turning Roosevelt Island, a narrow island situated in New York’s East River into a giant urban playground. You can take in the scenery and travel by tram or hop on the subway, it’s just one stop from midtown. When you sign up for Capture the Flag, you’ll get to choose a team color. On the day of the event be sure to dress proudly in your team’s color. Capture the Flag is just for players over the age of eighteen. It’s an athletic event and intended for individuals in good physical health.
... After working up a powerful thirst, players can retire to nearby Riverwalk Bar & Grill for an after-party with drink specials....Also, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) reports a 5K race about the same time as the Capture The Flag event:
Please be advised there will be a 5K Race on Saturday, September 20th, 2014, beginning at 9:00 AM that will take place around the perimeter of Roosevelt Island.
Please note that there will be No Parking from 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM Saturday, September 20th, 2014 on the West Roadway between the Tram and the Subway (rear of 405 to 455 Main Street).
The race will be completely contained to a protected perimeter of the Island. Expect minor disruptions in Q102 and Red Bus service during that time.
Sincerely,
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp Advisories Group
Construction UpdateMore details on Cornell NYC Tech demolition procedures of Roosevelt Island's Goldwater Hospital at this August 25 previous post.
September 12 - September 26 Look Ahead
Structural demolition of Building C is approximately 45% complete. In the coming weeks, work will continue to alternate between active demolition of the remaining columns and slabs and sorting of the rubble materials.
The scaffolding for Building F, the northernmost building, is fully erect. The removal of windows is underway. Hand demolition of the northern portion of the façade will begin late in the week of September 15th.
Interior demolition and abatement continues in Building E. Interior demolition is expected to be complete late in the week of September 15th. Interior abatement is ongoing on the upper floors and once interior demolition is complete, the work crews will move to the lower floors.
Later this fall, a new electrical duct bank will be installed along the west roadway. In preparation for this work, multiple test pits are being dug along the proposed location in order to verify underground conditions. As the proposed ductbank location falls mostly within the construction fence, the majority of test pits will be dug within the fence line. There will be a small number of test pits dug outside of the fence. During these times, flaggers will be used to ensure the safety of workers and any service vehicles utilizing the roadway.
Join us for our September membership meeting! This will be our first meeting following the Democratic primary, so we will have a lot to talk about! We will be joined by Rebecca Seawright, the Democratic nominee for State Assembly in the 76th district.Here is the Meeting Agenda:
This will also be our first regular meeting on Roosevelt Island and we are thrilled to be joined by Senator Jose M. Serrano who represents Roosevelt Island in the State Senate.
Join us for an exciting and informative meeting!
I. WelcomeMore information on the FFDC available at their web site.
II. Sen. Jose M. Serrano updates the club on issues affecting the district, and on efforts to win the State Senate in November
III. Rebecca Seawright, Democratic nominee for Assembly, talks about her general election campaign as well as her thoughts on various issues facing the district.
IV. Elections Update
V. Treasurer Update
VI. People’s Climate March:
VII. Illegal Hotel Coalition:
VIII. Right to Counsel bill:
IX. Member Time
X. Adjourn
#rooseveltisland lots of nypd outside in the air and water witha boat and copter flying low
— Analog Oddity (@analog_oddity) September 17, 2014
Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and the New York City Council announced the expansion of participatory budgeting to 23 districts that will designate over $25 million toward locally-developed projects, proposals, and initiatives in the next budgetary cycle.NYC Council District 5 (Roosevelt Island and the Upper East Side) represented by Ben Kallos is one of the districts included in the Participatory Budgeting process.
The expansion more than doubles the number of participating districts and represents a nearly 80% increase in funding allocated for participatory budgeting from the previous fiscal year.
"Participatory budgeting is a gateway to greater civic participation and leadership in our communities, encouraging collaboration between residents and local elected officials to find creative solutions to neighborhood needs,” said Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. “As we work toward a more inclusive, transparent city government, I am excited for 22 Council districts to take part in the participatory budgeting—more than doubling our participation from the previous cycle. This expanded process will give thousands of New Yorkers a hands-on role in making taxpayer dollars work for our communities.”
Participatory budgeting is a grassroots process through which district residents vote directly to allocate at least $1 million in capital funding toward proposals developed by the community to meet local needs. Through a series public meetings, residents work with elected officials for a year to identify neighborhood concerns and craft proposals to address them. Residents then decide which proposals to fund through a public vote.
Good government groups hail participatory budgeting as a powerful tool to increase civic participation and community engagement. The only identification requirement is proof of residency in the district; voting in participatory budgeting is open to all residents 16 years of age and older, removing traditional obstacles to full civic participation such as youth, income status, English-language proficiency and citizenship status.
How would you spend one million dollars?More information on Participatory Budgeting at PBNYC and video below.
I am excited to announce another round of participatory budgeting, which empowers you to decide how one million of your tax dollars will get spent.
Whether you’re passionate about green space, improving housing conditions or senior services, participatory budgeting allows you to come up with creative ideas and champion them for the good of the community.
This time, you will have the opportunity to brainstorm ideas that will be on the ballot--and could become reality.
I hope you can join us at an upcoming Neighborhood Assembly to become part of the process. The next one is this Sunday afternoon, September 21, at Stanley Isaacs Senior Center. If you can make it, please RSVP today.
If you can't make it this Sunday, I hope you can join us at an upcoming Assembly:
Sunday, 9/21: 1-4PM, Stanley Isaacs Senior Center, 415 East 93rd St. RSVP
Monday, 9/29: 6-9PM, Lenox Hill House, 331 East 70th St. RSVP
Tuesday, 10/07: 6-9PM, Roosevelt Island Senior Center, 546 Main Street. RSVP
Saturday, 10/18: 1-4PM, Knickberbocker Plaza, 1763 2nd Ave. RSVP
Thursday, 10/30: 5-8PM, Lexington Houses,1536 Lexington Ave. RSVP
You can visit BenKallos.com/PB to keep up to date on the process.
I hope you'll join us to contribute your ideas and energy to shaping the future of our neighborhoods.
Sincerely,
Ben Kallos
The Roosevelt Island Moms on the Move walking
Our next free Roosevelt Island Moms on the Move (RI MoM) walk and exercise will take place this Thursday, September 18, starting at 9 AM at the Tram kiosk.
We will walk to the south of the island on the Manhattan side and back, and end with some exercise by our fitness coach Paulina Mansz on the grassy area above the Meditation steps, in front of Dr. Grimm's office.
Looking forward to seeing you and your little ones there! :)
Please send me a short e-mail if you are interested in joining us.
... The East River Skyway is a proposal for a multi-phase urban gondola to connect the growing residential and commercial corridors between Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. The proposal calls for an aerial transit system to be built out in stages, with the first line connecting the Lower East Side and Williamsburg. Subsequent lines might include a connection between Lower Manhattan, Dumbo, and Brooklyn Navy Yard, as well as a line threading between Midtown, Roosevelt Island, Long Island City, and Williamsburg.
The Skyway is the brainchild of Daniel Levy, president of CityRealty, an online real-estate company—though it is not his idea alone, of course. The Skyway builds off the successes of the Roosevelt Island Tram, which Creative Urban Projects president (and Gondola Project evangelist) Steven Dale describes in a release as "the most reliable piece of transportation in New York."....
At the Forum For Urban Design Next New York held last spring, architects Claire Weisz, Mark Yoes and Jacob Dugopolski of WXY Architecture +Urban Design proposed:The 2010 Roosevelt Island Tram Modernization Project cost about $25 million. No word on the estimated costs of the East River Skyway but Citylab adds:
Imagine new uninterrupted connections across the river, linking major destinations across the five boroughs.
First, we could extend the Roosevelt Island tram in both directions, creating a new link from Queens Plaza to Central Park. The tram could be a high-visibility attraction, steering tourists from Central Park to the museums and galleries of Long Island City. And it would serve commuters as an above-grade transit option with a fantastic view that links Queens Plaza with Midtown Manhattan or the new Roosevelt Island campus and innovation hub....
... "Running subway lines under a city can cost about $400 million per mile," said Michael McDaniel, a designer with the firm looking to bring the gondola to Austin, in an interview with Marketplace. "Light rails systems run about $36 million per mile. But the aerial ropeways required to run gondolas cost just $3 million to $12 million to install per mile."...I think Jerry Seinfeld
From the Roosevelt Island Women's Movie Group:
Speak out against sexual harassment with our next film: Anita: Speaking Truth to Power, Thursday, September 18, 2014 at 7:00 pm in Gallery RIVAA at 527 Main Street.Here's the trailer for the film.
An entire country watched as a poised, beautiful African-American woman sat before a Senate committee of 14 white men and with a clear, unwavering voice recounted the repeated acts of sexual harassment she had endured while working with U.S. Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas. Anita Hill's graphic testimony in 1991 was a turning point for gender equality in the U.S. and ignited a political firestorm about sexual harassment and power in the workplace that resonates still today.
Image From AnitaHill-Film
Anita: Speaking Truth to Power
Suggested minimum donation is $7 to cover our room rental and movie purchase costs.
Bring a friend.
Please reply and RSVP to riwomenmovie@gmail.com and plan to bring healthy snacks or drinks for six guests.
The Roosevelt Island NY Public Library Book Group discusses Spies Of Mississippi by Rick Bowers
The Spies of Mississippi is a compelling story of how state spies tried to block voting rights for African Americans during the Civil Rights era. This book sheds new light on one of the most momentous periods in American history.Spies of Mississippi was also made into a documentary. Here the trailer
Author Rick Bowers has combed through primary-source materials and interviewed surviving activists named in once-secret files, as well as the writings and oral histories of Mississippi civil rights leaders. Readers get first-hand accounts of how neighbors spied on neighbors, teachers spied on students, ministers spied on church-goers, and spies even spied on spies....
BOOK DISCUSSIONYou can buy Spies Of Mississippi at Amazon and watch talk by author Rick Bowers on C-Span.
Sept. 18th, 2014 Spies of Mississippi by Rick Bowers
Oct. 16th, 2014 I am Malala by Yousafzai, Malala
Nov. 20th, 2014 My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor
Dec. 18th, 2014 Prague Winter by Madeline Albright
Jan. 15th, 2015 Duty by Robert Gates
Feb. 19th, 2015 Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny
March 19th, 2015 Capital in the 21st Century by Thomas Piketty
April 16th, 2015 Vacationland by Sarah Stonich
May 21st, 2015 Black, White & Jewish by Rebecca Walker
June 18th, 2015 Half A Life by V.S. Naipaul
6:30 PM
Roosevelt Island Branch
524 Main Street
New York, N.Y. 10044
(212) 308-6243
THIS EVENT IS FREE TO THE PUBLIC.
It's that time of year again for Roosevelt Island - the opening of the 2014 United Nations General Assembly Session
The NYC Department of Transportation’s Division of Bridges has informed that from Monday, September 22nd until Friday, September 26th, the Roosevelt Island bridge will open on demand from 7 AM- 7 PM to accommodate river traffic during the UN General Assembly. Each opening should take about 8-12 minutes to be completed; expect intermittent traffic delays.
While @UN General Assembly is in session next week the Roosevelt Island Bridge may close intermittently for 15min http://t.co/95cKR2zqCj
— NYC DOT (@NYC_DOT) September 15, 2014
UPDATE 9/17 - Heather Cameron shares her experience dealing with intermittent Roosevelt Island Bridge closing:Five years ago, on September 23rd, I was in labor and on my way to St. Vincent's where I ended up having an emergency cesarean. I spent an excruciating hour and 25 minutes in a car trying to get from the Octagon to the hospital. The bridge had just gone up and we found ourselves in a line of cars. My husband got out and ran to talk to someone...it felt like an eternity later, but the bridge lowered and we were allowed across. (In my haze, I didn't notice if they only let us across, or allowed all the cars to go.) With all the street closings on the east side, the drive there was impossible. I can't remember why we opted not to call an ambulance, but I have to wonder if that would have made much difference. The sea of cars everywhere we went was astounding. My daughter probably would not have been born in the car, given the fact that I ultimately needed a cesarean, but if I'd encountered any other complications in the course of that birth, I shudder to think what the outcome would have been.
As September is National Preparedness Month, I would like to encourage all residents to sign up for the RIOC Advisories email alert system. RIOC and the Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department issue frequent advisories that keep subscribers up to date on issues that affect the community, such as traffic disruptions, public meetings, emergency situations, Tram service changes and other important events and situations. We’re constantly working to improve our alert system and welcome your feedback as we implement changes. Keep an eye out for improvements to the system in the coming months.Ms. Indelicato gave this report
Fall for Arts
As a reminder, the annual Roosevelt Island Fall for Arts Festival will take place on Saturday, October 11. RIOC is seeking artists and groups to paint their own outdoor murals during the Festival. These murals will remain on public display for several weeks and may be selected for the annual Motorgate Gallery exhibit at the Motorgate Garage. We invite you to submit a sketch of your design or any inquiries to Anna.Rankin@rioc.ny.gov along with a title and short description. Sketches should be sized according to a 6-by-8 ratio. The submission deadline is September 26, 2014. Participation in this event is free; paints, brushes, and a primed surface are provided. All participating artists will also receive a free festival t-shirt. If you have not yet seen the murals that were painted last year, I encourage you to take a trip to the Motorgate Gallery (628 Main St.) to view the artwork currently on display.
RIOC is also seeking volunteers to hand out materials and assist with art activities during the Festival. Volunteers are eligible to receive community service hours and will also receive a Festival t-shirt. Please email Anna.Rankin@rioc.ny.gov for more information.
Cultural Center
Contractors at the Cultural Center continue to work with RIOC’s Engineering department to renovate and restore the community facility. The installation of sheetrock and concrete board on all interior walls has been completed. Workers are currently installing door frames at the site and will move forward during the coming weeks. While repairing the damage done by Hurricane Sandy, we have taken advantage of the opportunity to improve upon the existing space. The new theater area will have increased seating capacity for performances, and a new mezzanine level will be created above the dance studio. Once work is completed, we look forward to opening a new and improved Cultural Center for community use.
504 Main Street
At 504 Main Street, the fabrication and installation of new windows is underway. Now that the windows have been manufactured to specifications, installation has begun. Installation work is currently scheduled to be completed in November.
Sportspark Permanent Heating System
Work on the design for Sportspark’s permanent heating system is in progress and currently under review by the NYC Department of Buildings. Once the review process is complete, RIOC will issue a Request for Proposals to solicit bids from qualified vendors to perform the actual installation of the new system. In preparation for a possible shutdown of the Steam Plant, RIOC has already installed a temporary heating system at the facility. The temporary system is ready to be turned on at short notice as necessary.
Sportspark Classes
If you’re looking for a cost-effective way to stay active, low-cost and free fitness classes are available at the Sportspark Pool and gymnasium. Swim classes available at the pool include a popular “Mommy & Me” water safety class, which teaches children aged six months to three years old basic swimming skills and introduces them to moving around in the water. Twice-weekly “Master Swim” classes focus on more advanced swimming skills, including a variety of strokes and techniques. The pool is also open for “Open Swim” twice a day, seven days a week. Zumba and Yoga classes, as well as free ping pong play, are available throughout the week in the gymnasium. For more information on these classes or to see a calendar or what Sportspark offers, visit our website at rioc.recdesk.com or send an email to Eddie.Perez@rioc.ny.gov.
Did you know you could walk from Roosevelt Island to 59th street and Lexington Avenue in 21 minutes across the East River? At least Google Maps says you can. According to the Roosevelt Island Twitterverse:
@Rooseveltisland google suggestion to go to Manhattan! No more worries about the F train! Just walk! pic.twitter.com/qvUp1sSp6Y
— zioasb (@zioasb) September 14, 2014Google's mapping of Roosevelt Island transportation has not improved much since 2010 when they made the same suggestion to walk across Roosevelt Island to Manhattan.
The Relay For Life of Roosevelt Island is seeking volunteers for our planning committee! Relay For Life is the signature fundraiser of the American Cancer Society, but it is also so much more than just fundraising event.Ms. Schoeneck explained more about the ACS Relay For Life during September 10 Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Common Council Public Session
Relay is a daylong, team-based walking event where we celebrate survivors and caregivers, remember those lost to cancer, and fight back against a disease that has caused too much pain for far too long. Last April, over 100 community members came together at the Relay For Life of Roosevelt Island to raise over $27,000 for the American Cancer Society.
We are proud of what we accomplished, but we need your help to accomplish even more. We are looking for volunteers with marketing skills and people skills, volunteers with social media know-how, volunteers who are compassionate, creative, and friendly. But above all, if you are passionate about the fight against cancer, we want you to join our planning committee!
We are holding a general interest meeting on Monday, September 15th at 8pm in the Good Shepherd Chapel. Come learn more about Relay For Life and how you can get involved! If you’re unable to attend but want to learn more, you can contact Alex Schoeneck by phone (212.237.3886) or email (alex.schoeneck@cancer.org). Together, we can finish the fight!
