According to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC):
Please be advised on Sunday, April, 19th, 2015, Tram Road has been permitted for a Film Shoot, which will involve the use of various prop weapons. Tram Road will be closed to vehicular traffic from 10 AM to 11 PM. All vehicular traffic will be directed to use the Transverse Road or Traffic Circle to travel North bound.
The Red Bus will disembark South bound passengers at the Tram as normal, but will pick up North bound passengers at the Q102 bus stop on the West Roadway. Expect intermittent traffic delays and increased pedestrian traffic in the area during this time.
According to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC)
Image From RIOC
You are cordially invited to attend the 2015 Motorgate Gallery Opening. The event will take place at the Motorgate Garage Atrium (628 Main St.) this Saturday, April 18th, at 11 AM. Come and celebrate the addition of new murals painted at the 2014 Fall for Arts Festival to the Gallery's collection! The Gallery opening is sponsored by the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation and curated by the Roosevelt Island Visual Art Association. Immediately following the opening, a reception will be held at Gallery RIVAA, located at 527 Main Street. Drinks and light refreshments will be served.
9AM - Volunteers needed for iDig2Learn hosted Earth day event tomorrow on the Tram lawn. Please show up at 9 AM to help with set up and sign in so the children and their families can enjoy all the activities from 10 AM to 1 PM on the Tram lawn.
Our sponsors at Riverwalk, Shops on Main, Manhattan Park, Rivercross Tenants’ Corporation, and Roosevelt Landings support this free event for all ages.
iDig2Learn is hosting an Earth Day event Saturday (April 18), 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the Tram lawn next to the Visitor Kiosk (rain or shine). Children and adults plant flowers and join in activities such as an archaeological dig box to hunt for shark’s teeth, a creative art activity for children with RIVAA gallery artist Connie Tanner, a “Jump-in!” exercise with Island mom Paulina Mansz, healthy food tastings courtesy of Laila Amatullah from the Roosevelt Island Women’s Health Organization, Book reading with Eva Bosbach, Earth-inspired art with Bonnie Goodman, a tree of life activity, and more. Special guests from NYC Parks, TreesCount! 2015, and you can learn more about joining a citywide initiative and tree stewardship.
This event is only possible with collaboration from RIOC, Girl Scouts, 217PTA, RI Youth Program, Beacon, RI Garden Club, RIRA, RIWHO, Roosevelt Island Historical Society, RIVAA Gallery, RI Parents' Network, LI Landscape Gardens, Fantastic Gardens, RI Explorers and countless volunteers.
Ms. Delfico spoke to the April 1 Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Common Council about the Earth Day Celebration.
Ms. Delfico adds:
Participatory Vote Bonus:
Concurrent with the Earth Day event, there will be the 2015 Participatory Voting site at the RI Historical Society Visitors Kiosk near the Tram, from 11AM to 5 PM. If you are a District 5 resident, you are 16 years or older you can support the two island projects that made the ballot, and you don’t need to be US citizen or registered voter.
The two Roosevelt Island Participatory Budget projects you can vote for are the PS/IS 217 Green Roof
and installation of hearing impaired technology at the Roosevelt Island Public Library.
Roosevelt Island Historical Society
Annual Cherry Blossom Walk
Saturday, April 25, 2015
11 a.m.
Meet at the RIHS Visitor Center Kiosk
Tram Plaza, Roosevelt Island
Suggested Donation $10-
r.s.v.p. to rooseveltislandhistory@gmail.com or 212-688-4836
Cornell Tech's Director of K-12 Education Jane Levitt reports that some of the Roosevelt Island Cherry Trees are blossoming now and tweets:
Saturday, 4/25 Cherry Blossom Walking Tour and Festival: Picnic, Food & Fun in Southpoint Park, plus Japanese Music and Dance at FDR Memorial.
Meet Island neighbors at a Community Picnic at Southpoint Park
Saturday, April 25 at 11:00 am
Bring a blanket, food and fun
See You There!!
Fourth Annual Cherry Blossom Festival
Roosevelt Island Historical Society
11:00am - 1:00pm Cherry Blossom Walk
Meet at the Visitor Center Kiosk at Tram Plaza
Suggested donation $10
Southpoint Park
11:00am - Community Picnic (bring your own food and blanket)
FDR Memorial Four Freedoms Park
1:00 pm Shamisen (Kicho Kai) Japanese String Ensemble
1:30 pm Japanese classical Dance (IchiFuji-kai Dance Association)
3:05 pm Koto (Masayo Ishigure and Koto Shamisen Ensemble)
3:40 pm Japanese blues (Kayo Yoshioka of Neo blues maki)
4:15 pm Japanese Taiko Drummers (Sohdaiko)
Gallery RIVAA (527 Main Street)
3:00 pm Japanese Ink Painting Workshop (open to all ages)
4:25 pm Gerald Starlight (Japanese flute)
Produced by The Roosevelt Island Residents Association
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board Of Directors meet later today.
Image Of March 2015 RIOC Board Of Directors Meeting
A public comment session is held prior to the start of the meeting. Here is the Agenda:
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a Board of Directors meeting will be held on Thursday, April 16, 2015 at 5:30 p.m. at the Cultural Center Theater, 548 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, New York, for the purpose of transacting such business as shall come before the Board.
AGENDA
APRIL 16, 2015 MEETING OF
THE ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
THE CULTURAL CENTER THEATER, 548 MAIN STREET,
ROOSEVELT ISLAND, NEW YORK
5:30 P.M.[1]
I. Call to Order
II. Roll Call
III. Approval of Minutes
1. March 26, 2015 Board Meeting (Board Action Required)
IV. Old Business
V. New Business
1. Authorization to Amend License Agreement with the Roosevelt Island Garden Club, LTD (RIGC) (Board Action Required)
2. Authorization to Ratify and Amend License Agreement for Zipcar Parking at Southtown (Board Action Required)
3. Authorization to Install the Kraitz Sculpture on Roosevelt Island (Board Action Required)
4. Authorization of Expenditure of Funds for Roosevelt Island Youth Center (Board Action Required)
5. Authorization to Enter into Contract with U. Arias, Corp for Landscaping and Maintenance Services (Board Action Required)
6. Authorization to Enter into Contract with Architecture and Engineering Group, PC for Motorgate Garage Repairs Design (Board Action Required – Materials to Follow)
7. President’s Report
8. Committee Reports
a. Audit Committee
b. Governance Committee
c. Operations Advisory Committee
d. Real Estate Development Advisory Committee
9. Public Safety Report
VI. Adjournment
[1] The RIOC Board Meeting will commence following a public comment period. The public comment period is not part of the meeting.
Below is March 31 memo from RIOC staff to RIOC President Charlene Indelicato and the RIOC Board in support of funding allocation to the Roosevelt Island Youth Center.
As you are aware, included in the Board approved FY 15-16 (April 1, 2015 – March 31, 2016) Budget is a $175,000 disbursement for the Roosevelt Island Youth Center (“Youth Center”) — currently being operated by the Roosevelt Island Youth Program (“RIYP”). The Youth Center through RIYP offers programs vital to the Island and its youth, consistent with the General Development Plan and RIOC’s Mission Statement.
Programs provided by RIYP include a summer day camp, fitness activities, computer lab access and music instruction. RIYP also manages extensive after school activities, an organized sports curriculum and other recreational programs as part of the PS/IS 217 Beacon Program, for which it receives NYC funding.
RIOC intends to issue a Request for Proposals in the fall of this year for an entity to operate the Youth Center. However, in order to provide for efficient continuity of these programs, the budgeted funds for the current fiscal year should be pro-rated to the RIYP through December 31, 2015, in the amount of $131,250. RIOC would also require RIYP to continue to provide an appropriate accounting of the funds.
Based on the foregoing, we recommend the approval of the disbursement of $131,250 to the Roosevelt Island Youth Program.
UPDATE 11 PM - The authorization to approve funding for the Roosevelt Island Youth Center was approved by the RIOC Board earlier this evening.
RIOC staffer Sean Singh briefed the RIOC Board followed by a discussion among the Board members before approving the funding authorization.
RIOC Board member Margie Smith concluded the discussion on the subject by saying:
... The take away for the community is there's no danger that we will not have a Youth Center. We will. We will have one probably ad infinitum. Some of the State restrictions are getting tighter and we are working through that stuff now. We are very confident that we will work something out and that there will be very little, if any, disruption, to the Youth Center. There will be a Youth Center continuing on the Island....
Here's the discussion.
The Zipcar, Landscaping and Motorgate authorizations were also approved. The Kraitz sculpture authorization and Garden Club license agreement were postponed.
Roosevelt Island Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) member Frank Farance reports on and shares photos from Roosevelt Island Tram Evacuation Drill held Sunday April 12.
Roosevelt Island Tram Evacuation Drill: As Tram staff explained: there are many redundant and backup systems to return tram cabins to stations, including having the second tram pull up side-by-side -- evacuation like this is a last resort.
Mr. Farance explains evacuation procedure for lowering Tram Riders to the ground from the Tram Cabin.
The passengers are first fitted into a "diaper" that is attached to the pulley (which holds 9000 lbs), then they would drop down (slowed by centrifugal braking) while rescue workers on the ground use guide ropes to reduce swaying, and they land on the ground (the 5 mm cable supports passengers up to 900 pounds). Notice that while the diaper holding the passenger going down, a second diaper on the other side of the pulley goes up to ready the next passenger. See passenger drop video below.
Photo 2/4: Passenger descends as second "diaper" returns upward on other side of the pulley.
Posted by Frank Farance on Sunday, April 12, 2015
Photo 3/4: Passenger descends, workers below holding guide ropes so passenger doesn't sway.
Posted by Frank Farance on Sunday, April 12, 2015
Photo 4/4: Passenger lands, workers on the ground detach "diaper" to release passenger, workers above are readying the next passenger with second "diaper".
Posted by Frank Farance on Sunday, April 12, 2015
Pulley holds 9000 pounds, has centrifugal brake that limits passenger drop speed, 5 mm drop cable holds 900 pounds.
Posted by Frank Farance on Sunday, April 12, 2015
The second part of the emergency drill is pulling the tram's haul cables back and swapping drive wheels (big orange gear) -- think of pulling a rubber band off a pulley. Here workers are bolting on sleeves onto the cables that are pulled back via hydraulic jack, which gives them enough slack to thread the haul rope on the backup drive adjacent to it (big yellow gear behind big orange gear). Truly amazing.
Main drive wheel (orange), backup drive wheel (yellow) is behind. Haul rope (the cable) is swapped onto the backup drive.
Posted by Frank Farance on Sunday, April 12, 2015
In order to pull the haul rope (cable) off the drive wheel, there must be some slack to pull it back. Workers bolting...
Posted by Frank Farance on Sunday, April 12, 2015
Roosevelt Island CERT team members: Georganna Galateau (Deputy Team Chief), Howard Polivy (Team Chief), Lynda Marmara (RIOC Public Safety Department Deputy Director), Frank Farance
Posted by Frank Farance on Sunday, April 12, 2015
The AiA and Four Freedoms Park Conservancy will jointly offer a special guided boat tour around Roosevelt Island. The tour will focus on Four Freedoms Park and the past, present, and future of Roosevelt Island. Stephen Martin, Conservancy Director of Design and Planning, will chronicle the fascinating and painstaking team effort that led to the faithful 2012 completion of Louis Kahn’s 1973 design for the FDR Four Freedoms Park located at the island’s Southern tip. Specific design goals and construction details of this uncompromising memorial will be clearly identified and discussed.
It's a two hour tour starting at 1:30 with the boat departing from the Chelsea Piers. Cost is $58 per person. More information here.
Here's a boat ride I took in 2013 on the Hudson and East River.
On March 1, 2004, the NY Times reported on the last day of use for the Roosevelt Island Tram token.
Yesterday afternoon, as people traveling on the Roosevelt Island Tramway used subway tokens to pass through turnstiles, they were taking the tokens on their last commutes. Starting this morning, riders on the tram will need to use MetroCards for the first time.
Although MetroCards replaced tokens on New York City subways last May, the tokens had remained the only way to ride the tram between Roosevelt Island and Manhattan. Special buses with giant MetroCards emblazoned on the side are scheduled to arrive at the Roosevelt Island station at 7:30 a.m. today, and transit system employees will help commuters exchange their tokens for the cards....
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Operations Advisory Committee is meeting tomorrow. Among the items on the meeting agenda are a discussion of the seawall railings
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a meeting of the Operations Advisory Committee of the RIOC Board of Directors will be held on Wednesday, April 15, 2015 at 5:30 p.m. at the RIOC administrative office, 591 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, New York.
AGENDA:
Review of Current Projects
Discussion of Seawall Railings
Discussion of Operational Issues Related to Upcoming Main Street Construction
Any Other Committee Business That May be Brought Before the Committee
***
The Open Meetings Law of the State of New York requires that all public bodies conduct meetings, convened for the purpose of officially conducting public business, in a manner open to attendance by the general public to observe and listen.
Here's a discussion of necessary Roosevelt Island seawall improvements by RIOC President Charlene Indelicato and RIOC Director David Kraut during October 22, 2014 RIOC Audit Committee meeting on RIOC's Proposed 2015-16 Fiscal Year budget.
An audio web cast of the meeting will be available soon after the meeting.
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Public Safety Officer Jeff Laszczych met with Roosevelt Island Brownie Troop 3001 last night to teach about calling the emergency 911 system.
Image Of Officer Laszczych With Brownie Troop 3001 From Aiesha Eleusizov
Last night public safety officer Jeff Laszczych visited our troop of second and third grade girls to talk about emergencies and when you should (and should not) call 911. The girls learned about the importance of calling 911 in emergencies and how to make the call. Special thank you to Jeff for his time with our Roosevelt Island Girl Scouts!
Officer Laszczych's visit with the local Brownie Troop is an example of community policing efforts being made by the Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department (PSD). During the March 31 meeting of the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Public Safety Committee, PSD Chief Jack McManus and Deputy Chief Lynda Marmara described their philosophy of community policing in response to a question from resident Ron Davidson.
Participatory Budget Voting began this morning on Roosevelt Island to help allocate $1 million in NYC taxpayer capital funds for Council District 5 which includes Roosevelt Island, the Upper East Side, Midtown East and El Barrio.
... you will be empowered through direct democracy to vote on how $1 million in taxpayer dollars get spent in our neighborhood.
Through participatory budgeting, you can vote on five projects that you believe in. Those with the most votes up to $1 million will win and receive funding. To participate, you must live in Council District Five and be 16 or older....
Audio/Visual equipment with audio induction looping for the New York Public Library Roosevelt Island branch.
504 Main Street (Roosevelt Island)
and:
Green Roof for PS/IS 217 $500,000 (#5 on ballot)
Build a green roof for environmental education at PS/IS 217.
645 Main Street (Roosevelt Island)
During the April 1 Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Common Council Public Session, Christina Delfico and Sharon Berman urged support for the Roosevelt Island Participatory Budget projects. Here's what they said.
More on the PS/IS 217 Green Roof and hearing impaired technology projects at this previous post.
MON, APRIL 13:PS/IS 217, 645 Main St., 7:30 A.M. - 10:30 A.M.
TUES, APRIL 14:RI Senior Center, 546 Main St., 10 A.M. - 1 P.M.
WED, APRIL 15:RI Public Library, 524 Main St., 3P.M. - 7 P.M.
SAT, APRIL 18: RI Historical Society Visitors Kiosk Tram 11 A.M - 5 P.M.
Also, WEEKDAYS, APRIL 13-17: District Office, 244 East 93rd St. 9 A.M. – 6 P.M. WEEKENDS, APRIL 11/12 & 18/19: District Office, 244 East 93rd St. 12 P.M. – 4 P.M.
Libraries
1. Cool Reading: $500,000 Upgrade the cooling system for the New York Public Library Webster branch. 1465 York Ave.
2. Bright Minds: $280,000 Replace and improve the exterior lighting on the New York Public Library East 67th Street branch. 328 E. 67th St.
3. Study of Sight and Sound: $35,000 Audio/Visual equipment with audio induction looping for the New York Public Library’s Roosevelt Island branch. 504 Main St. (Roosevelt Island)
Schools
4. Rooftop Recreation for PS 151: $500,000
Create a necessary outdoor play space on the roof with the opportunity to add a greenhouse and Edible School Yard for PS 151. 421 E88th Street (Upper East Side)
5. Green Roof for PS/IS 217: $500,000
Build a green roof for environmental education at PS/IS 217. 645 Main Street (Roosevelt Island)
6. School Stage for Eleanor Roosevelt High: $500,000 Upgrade the stage, seating, floor, lighting, audio with looping for hearing loss, in order to support more performance uses and an orchestra at Eleanor Roosevelt High School. 411 E76th Street (Upper East Side)
7. School’s Cool for PS198/PS 77: $500,000 Air conditioning renovation for building wide cooling in hot summer months at PS198/PS77. 1700 Third Ave (Upper East Side)
8. STEM Education for High School: $280,000 Laptop carts to provide Science Technology Engineering and Math(STEM) education for Title I High Schools serving low-income students at Vanguard and Life Sciences. 317 E67th St & 320 E96th St (Upper East Side & El Barrio)
Community
9. Security Cameras for Holmes Towers: $500,000 Add new security cameras for increased safety for residents of Holmes Towers. E93 & First Ave (Upper East Side)
10. Security Cameras for Lexington Houses: $500,000 Add new security cameras for increased safety for residents of Lexington Houses. E98th to E99th & Park to Third (El Barrio)
11. Community Garden for Lexington Houses: $385,000 New planters and gates so that residents can grow plants in a community garden with additional plantings throughout the grounds. E98th to E99th & Park to Third (El Barrio)
Our Parks
12. Full Court Press: $400,000 Renovate basketball courts at John Jay Park including new backboards, hoops and sports coating. E76 to E78 & FDR Drive (Upper East Side)
13. Irrigate the Esplanade: $300,000 Irrigation for the East River Esplanade to allow for increased access to water for trees and vegetation along walkway. East River Esplanade (District wide)
14. Esplanade Greenway: $200,000 Create and improve the tree beds along the East River Esplanade and complete construction of unfinished sites. East River Esplanade (District wide)
15. Fun Fountain at St. Catherine’s Park: $200,000 Replace the fountain and spray shower with new plumbing, interactive spray heads and sports-coating for children to play in at St. Catherine’s Park. E67 to E68 & First Ave. (Upper East Side)
Streets
16. Bus Bulbs on East 86th Street: $150,000 Bus bulbs with streetscape improvements to support pedestrian safety and off-board payment on E86th St at Lexington and Third Aves.
Roosevelt Island resident Frank Farance is critical of the PS/IS 217 Green Roof selection for Participatory Budget funds and the lack of funding for an air quality monitoring study. He writes a comment to this post:
... In short, someone should ask Council Member Ben Kallos why he wants to spend a half-million on the school when the real budgetary needs are elsewhere. We have many Island organizations that could use a fraction of that money, our neighborhood is still approximately 2/3 affordable housing. Meanwhile, the Upper East Side is swimming in money ... an extra half-million? No problem when there is money for everything else on the UES.
As a PBV delegate, on Roosevelt Island, we listed a variety of ideas. You'd recognize all the names and that we all have major differences, but there was one thing everyone agreed upon: Air Quality Monitoring, which would benefit our community and the adjacent communities of the East Side, Astoria, and Long Island City. We even added a sixth monitoring point to Lighthouse Park so we could include monitoring of the Upper East Side's Marine Transfer Station (an important AQ issue for East Siders)...
... our Councilmember should be more it touch with the Island's organizations and their needs, not an expensive shrine to the needs of a few.
And spend money on Air Quality Monitoring, a really important benefit to everyone.
Roosevelt Island Brownie Girl Scout Troop 3001 likes the idea of a PS/IS 217 Green Roof
and asks for your vote.
UPDATE 4/14 - A spokesperson for Council Member Kallos responds:
Both rank and feasibility are the determining factors of what gets on the ballot -- and, in this case, the agency that would handle the project, DOHMH, was not in the pb process (and DEP was not the right agency to administer this project). We are happy that 2 of 16 proposals this year are from the Roosevelt Island delegates, so RI will be very well represented on the ballot!
The commemoration began as Four Freedoms Park Conservancy Vice President of Operations Suzy Brown welcomed visitors and introduced Roosevelt Island Disabled Association President Jim Bates and Roosevelt Island resident Judith Abebe who laid
Image Of Jim Bates And Judith Abebe Laying Wreath At Four Freedom Park
a wreath in honor of President Roosevelt. Following the wreath laying, historian Harvey Kaye, author of The Fight For The Four Freedoms, spoke about the legacy of President Roosevelt Island and the New Deal.
The Falling Stars perform 'Going Home' the song famously played as FDR's funeral train left Warm Springs pic.twitter.com/I0G6VKtCxF
— Four Freedoms Park (@4FreedomsPark) April 12, 2015
The Falling Stars then played Happy Days Are Hear Again,
I Shall Not Be Moved,
I Am A Pilgrim and Will The Circle Be Unbroken.
Ms. Brown closed the commemoration and invited everyone to come back to visit and support the Four Freedoms Park.
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.
