Roosevelt Island Youth Center Facility To Get Much Needed Repairs And Improvements - It's Our Top Priority Says RIOC President

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Real Estate Development Advisory Committee discussed the urgent need for repairs and improvements to the Roosevelt Island Youth Center facility at 506 Main Street during its April 26 meeting (full audio web cast of meeting here).

 Entrance To Roosevelt Island Youth Center

The meeting began with RIOC Director Howard Polivy distinguishing between the Roosevelt Island Youth Center facility space and the long time operator of the facility, the Roosevelt Island Youth Program (RIYP). Mr. Polivy said that the subject of the meeting was the facility space and not the Program Operator.

According to Mr. Polivy:

...It was not clear to me until fairly recently whose space it was. Part of that may be why it fell into its state of disrepair....

Acting RIOC President Susan Rosenthal said:

... If you go back to the original documentation ... the space was ours and always has been....

... We walked through the space and we realized how bad it is. It is a shame that this is Roosevelt Island's youth center....

... It needs a facelift. It needs some cosmetic help. ... It needs some painting. It needs a new floor. It's not in terrible shape....

... This is a project that in my view should be our top priority....

RIOC Director Margie Smith said that RIYP Executive Director Charlie Defino has been trying to get RIOC to help renovate the Youth Center facililty for many years. According to Ms. Smith, the RIYP had $2 million to renovate the Youth Center 15 years ago from NYC which was lost because of inaction from RIOC.

The RIOC Board agreed to repair the Youth Center facility. After the repairs are completed, RIOC will issue a Request For Proposals (RFP) for a Youth Center operator. The RIYP and any other qualified and experienced Youth Center Operator can submit bids on the RFP at that time.

RIOC President Rosenthal added:

 ... We need to have some input and monitoring of what the role is of the Youth Center. What are their programs and what do we want their programs to be....

Here's the full discussion.



More on the issue of Roosevelt Island youth services, including interview with RIYP Executive Director Charlie Defino at this previous post.