We would like to invite you to the 5th workshop in the "Parents for Parents" series by the RI Parents' Network:
"G&T scores are out. Now what?"
The ad hoc workshop will take place this Sunday, April 17, 4:30 to 6pm.
Many RI parents just learned their children's Gifted & Talented (G&T) scores and have to decide soon which G&T schools or programs to apply to for their children. Other RI parents recently went through the same process and successfully placed their children in both district-wide and citywide G&T programs. They are willing to offer their experience both with the application process and with their current school to answer your questions and help you navigate the process. What are the differences between the citywide and district-wide programs? What are important specifics of the respective schools and programs? Which schools have a bus to RI? What is the commute like if there is no bus?
Parents with children in the following schools will be joining the panel: NEST+m, PS/IS217, Lower Lab school, PS85Q, PS11 and PS33.
We are looking for parents who can answer questions about the following schools and programs: Anderson, TAG, Q300, and any other G&T programs that RI parents send their children to and would like to tell about to other parents. Please let us know if you know of any.
2016 G&T program tours and open houses (please check the websites of the school to confirm and register (Click Image to Enlarge),
The city's summary of 2016 G&T results by district, grade and eligibility (Click Image to Enlarge),
and a chart showing a comparison of testers scoring 99 in 2015 and 2016 (Click Image to Enlarge).
The Parents Alliance for Citywide Education is hosting a panel discussion next Wednesday, April 20, at 6.30pm, where you can learn about the five citywide schools from other parents.
We would also like to let you know that PS/IS217 here on Roosevelt Island is offering tours on Monday and Tuesday at 8.45am, with a formal presentation from current parents, a teacher, and an administrator. 10-15 G&T parents from grades K-5 will be at each tour to answer questions and show families around the building.
Please reply to RSVPfor our Sunday "G&T scores are out. Now what?" workshop by tomorrow, Saturday April 16. The location of workshop will be sent to those who RSVP,
Thank you and we look forward to seeing you on Sunday!
Aiesha, Chaya, Firuza, Irena, Kristin, Michal and Eva
Susan Rosenthal reported to the April 14 Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board Of Directors meeting (Full video web cast here) on her first month as RIOC Acting President.
Image Of RIOC President Susan Rosenthal At 4/14 RIOC Board Meeting
Ms. Rosenthal said:
... We got alot of repairs going on, alot of capital improvements going on ... and alot of really fun activities going on...
The Roosevelt Island fun activities Ms Rosenthal mentioned during her report include:
April 28 Southpoint Park Stakeholders meeting to develop a plan for the park and Smallpox Hospital,
April 30 Cherry Blossom Festival and
May 17 Roosevelt Island Tram 40th Anniversary.
The Roosevelt Island infrastructure repairs and improvements include:
Repairs to Motorgate Helix potholes starting in next 2 weeks,
New boiler and roof installation for Sportspark starting on or about August 15 which will require closing of Sportspark for a period of time,
New Tram Station Elevators construction to begin in September 2016 that will take a year to construct and
Four Freedoms Park will pay for and install new bike racks for about 30 bicycles near their entrance.
Future projects include
Possibility of Bike path from the Motorgate Helix and
Face Lift for the Roosevelt Island Youth Center
In response to a question from RIOC Director Margie Smith, Ms. Rosenthal replied that there was no new information about plans for Coler Hospital Flood Mitigation Plan berm that was presented last November.
RIOC Director David Kraut asked about plans for the Sportspark facility and its future use by Cornell Tech. Ms Rosenthal said a renovation of Sportspark will require a huge amount of capital. Ms Rosenthal added:
...It's a gigantic project...
and RIOC will:
... have to enter into either a long term arrangement with some kind of health club facility that will infuse capital or do it ourselves which I don't think we are in a position to do....
According to Ms. Rosenthal, Cornell Tech is not going to take over responsibility for renovating Sportspark.
Part 1. Christopher Platt, Vice President Of NYPL Library Services, and a Roosevelt Island resident, introduced the Literary Landmark ceremony and congratulated the excellent staff at the Roosevelt Island branch library.
Part 2. Rocco Staino, Director of the Empire State Center For The Book described the Literary Landmark program. Mr Staino said that the Roosevelt Island library is the 17th Literary Landmark in NY State and 2 other Literary Landmarks are in our NYC Council District 5 - Carl Schurz Park for Harriet The Spy and Yorkville Community School for the children's book The House On East 88th Street.
Part 3. Roosevelt Island's NYC Council Member Ben Kallos remembers reading Harriet The Spy and encourages people to read. Mr. Kallos provided $5 Thousand in member item funding for the Roosevelt Island Literary Landmark plaque.
Part 4. NYPL's Christopher Platt reads a Proclamation from US Senator Kristin Gillibrand commemorating Roosevelt Island Library as a Literary Landmark.
Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright's Chief of Staff Katerina Matic congratulates Roosevelt Island NYPL branch staff on being named a Literary Landmark and reads a proclamation from Ms. Seawright.
Part 5. NY Historical Society representative Liz Stern spoke about journalist Nelly Bly, author of 10 Days In A Madhouse, one of the books cited for Roosevelt Island's Literary Landmark award.
We would like to invite you to another event in the free "Crafts with Kids" series by the Roosevelt Island Parents' Network.
Join us for "Spring Craft and On RI We..." next Saturday, April 16, 10-11 AM at the Senior Center, 546 Main Street.
Children of all ages and their parents are invited to participate in a discussion of what makes this Island a special place to live and then draw some contributions to the "On RI We..." initiative (more information about the initiative can be found further below).
As you can see in the attached drawings from two 4 year old girls, we already learned that "On RI We see the future"
Image From Aja
and "On RI We come together".
Image From Theresa
We are excited to see what else our children like, don't like, think about or wish for in regards to our Island! Posters with the children's work will be reproduced and distributed on Main Street and on the Red Bus.
In the second part of the craft we would like to welcome the Spring! We are sure all of us love watching the cherry blossom trees and wish that they could stay for a longer time. So let's make some more cherry blossom trees with our kids. The children will learn printmaking while creating beautiful pink flowers.
Our tiny toddlers can use their tiny fingers. Please bring along an old soda/pop bottle if you have one.
Special thank you goes to Leila Vujosevic and the RI Explorers for donating crayons for children who want to participate in the "On RI We.." project, to the HOPE Church for donating part of our supplies for the Spring Craft, and to Dolores Green, Barbara Parker, Wendy Hersh and Marylin Atkins from the Senior Center for letting us use their space for the event.
"Crafts with Kids" is a free workshop series for children organized by the Roosevelt Island Parents' Network. The monthly events included "Tram art and necklaces", "Matisse for Kids", "Valentine's Craft", "Black History Month Craft", "St. Patrick's Craft", "Earth Day Craft", "Easter Craft", "Mothers Day Craft", "Fathers Day Craft", "Summer craft - a lady bug", a "Back to school craft", a "Halloween craft", a "Lantern making workshop", a "Thanksgiving Craft" and a "Holiday Craft".
THE “ON ROOSEVELT ISLAND WE...” CAMPAIGN
Roosevelt Island Parents’ Network (RIPN) and the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) invite the children to participate in the ON ROOSEVELT ISLAND WE campaign by sharing ideas about what makes our Island so special! We believe in creative power of children and their genuine desire to be useful. We also know how much they appreciate Roosevelt Island and wish to make it a better place for all. Please use the space above to make a drawing and description of your proposal and deliver it to 455 Main Street front desk, attention: Leila. Posters with children’s work will be reproduced and distributed on Main Street and Red Bus.
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board of Directors will be meeting 5:30 PM today, April 14. It is the first RIOC Board meeting with Susan Rosenthal as Acting President. Below is the Agenda:
AGENDA
APRIL 14, 2016 MEETING OF
THE ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
THE MANHATTAN PARK COMMUNITY CENTER, 8 RIVER ROAD,
ROOSEVELT ISLAND, NEW YORK
5:30 P.M.[1]
I. Call to Order
II. Roll Call
III. Approval of Minutes
1. March 7, 2016 Special Board Meeting (Board Action Required)
2. March 10, 2016 Board Meeting (Board Action Required)
IV. Old Business
V. New Business
1. Ratification of Insurance Binders for FY 2016-17 (Board Action Required)
2. Approval of Amendments to Procurement Guidelines (Board Action Required)
3. Approval of Extension of the FY 15-16 Public Purpose Grants Period (Board Action Required)
4. Authorization to Amend the Contract with Saratoga Associates Landscape Architects, Architects, Engineers and Planners, P.C. in Connection with the Blackwell House Interior Restoration Project (Board Action Required)
5. Authorization to Amend the License Agreement for Octagon Composting Site (Board Action Required)
6. Authorization to Amend the Contract with U. Arias, Corp for Landscaping and Maintenance Services (Board Action Required)
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
A video web cast of the meeting will be available shortly thereafter.
UPDATE 5/23 - Resident Helen Chirivas attended the Tram Station elevator presentation and reports:
The meeting gave RIOC an opportunity to present to the Roosevelt Island Committee of CB8 the design RIOC has selected, by CG Eng & Associates. It’s not a bad design, although it does look like it’s slapped on to the tram station structure rather than being integrated into it design-wise, i.e., either conforming in some way to the old 40 year old structure or the old 40 year old structure being updated in some way to conform to the brand-new glass elevator design.
Why wouldn’t the stairs be enclosed by glass if the elevator is enclosed by glass – the stairs will look a little incongruous beside the new glassy elevator structure. These questions were the essence of my remarks. There were other critiques as well.
A Manhattan resident complained about the possibility of light disturbing the residents of that intersection, including those who live above the bar at the NE corner of 60th & 2nd Ave. Also, Larry Parnes, Co-Chair of the CB8 Roosevelt Island Committee, indicated that the park would lose some space – and since it’s a mapped park, various permissions would be needed before the public parkland could be taken over for the elevator structure.
Also, four trees would need to be removed from the park to make way for the elevator structure or perhaps removed and relocated within the park. A possible trade-off of RIOC installing a fountain at the center of the swirl pattern in the decorative pavement of the park – evidently a fountain there was always part of the original plan – to compensate the public for the loss of parkland, was discussed.
Let’s see if RIOC goes for this, because when a water feature at Southpoint Park was suggested, RIOC turned the idea down saying a water feature would only promote the propagation of potentially harmful mosquitoes – this despite the fact that RIOC actually operates fountains at Blackwell House and at the tram turnaround! If RIOC does provide a fountain at the tram plaza park, it’ll have no excuse to deny us a fountain at Soutpoint Park. The Manhattan resident also questioned whether pedestrian traffic would be hindered or facilitated at the tram plaza by the addition by the elevator structure.
In the end, Jeff Escobar and Lawrence Parnes – co-Chairs of the RI Cttee of Manhattan CB8 did not take a vote on the RIOC proposal, and instead resolved to invite CG Eng & RIOC to a joint meeting of the CB8 Parks and Transportation Committees to be scheduled at some future date. The RFP has not yet been issued, and if various permits are needed to encroach on parkland, remove trees, and so forth, it may take another year before these permits are obtained. The lack of Park Department permission made me scratch my head – since it’s pretty obvious this permission must be obtained before RIOC touches the tram plaza, which is a mapped park.
So the next step is for Mr. Eng and RIOC to present the plan, which includes removing some of tramway park from the public domain, that is, from use as a public park for use as an elevator structure, to the CB8 joint Parks and Transportation Committee meeting TBA.
Joint Meeting of Transportation, Parks & Recreation, and Roosevelt Island Committees
Parks and Recreation Committee Roosevelt Island Committee Transportation Committee
Meeting Date:
Tuesday, May 24, 2016 - 7:00pm
Meeting Location:
New York Blood Center
310 East 67th Street, Auditorium**,
New York, NY
Presentation by Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) and consultants GC Eng & Associates, PC regarding RIOC's Manhattan Tram Station Elevator Modernization Project. This project involves the replacement of the existing elevator and stair lift with 2 new ADA Compliant Elevators relocated adjacent to the Manhattan Tram Station at 60th Street and 2nd Avenue, and impacts Tramway Plaza.
**Wheelchair-accessible access is through the Blood Center’s garage entrance at303-319 E. 66th Street (betw. 1st & 2nd Ave.). Security will guide you to the Auditorium.
A Scott Falk and Charles Warren, Transportation Committee Co-Chairs
Susan Evans and Margaret Price, Parks & Recreation Committee Co-Chairs
Jeffrey Escobar and Larry Parnes, Roosevelt Island Committee Co-Chairs
Are you a woman 18 years of age or older and in good physical condition interested in a NYC construction industry job? If yes, come to the Non Traditional Employment For Women (NEW) Roosevelt Island Recruitment Event 6:30 PM Thursday April 14 at Gallery RIVAA (527 Main Street).
Cornell Tech's Assistant Director of Government and Community Relations Jane Swanson reports:
Nontraditional Employment for Women (NEW), is a wonderful organization that trains, and places women in construction careers – including carpentry, plumbing, and electricity. NEW serves as a direct pipeline for construction trades unions, providing women with skills and access to high paying jobs.
Cornell Tech, in conjunction with the Cornell Tech Community and Construction Task Force, is hosting a free outreach/recruitment event for women on Roosevelt Island. All are welcome! The event will be held on Thursday, April 14th 6:30 pm at Gallery RIVAA, 527 Main Street. Please note that you must rsvp to 212-627-6252.
Founded in 1978, NEW is a sector-based workforce development program that prepares women for careers in the construction, transportation, energy, and facilities maintenance industries. NEW focuses on skilled, unionized jobs in the trades with starting wages averaging $15 per hour, benefits, and a path to higher-wage employment. NEW primarily serves low-income minority women from all five boroughs in New York City. These careers enable NEW graduates to provide a secure future for themselves and their families.
The number of women construction workers in New York City has grown substantially as a result of a coordinated effort between NEW, labor unions, contractors, and government. With a commitment by these partners to place women in 10 percent of all new apprenticeship slots, more than 600 NEW graduates have found work as electricians, carpenters, plumbers, painters, ironworkers, operating engineers, and sheetmetal workers since 2005. An additional 225 women have found careers in the energy, transportation, and facilities maintenance industries. These women are changing their lives and the skyline of New York City.
Representatives of NEW, Kathleen Culhane and Jessica Suarez, spoke about construction job opportunities during the January 25 meeting of the Roosevelt Island Cornell Tech Community & Construction Task Force meeting. Here's the very interesting discussion.
NEW also has a construction summer apprenticeship program for High School students as well.
If you or anyone you know is interested in attending the Thursday April 14 Roosevelt Island NEW Recruitment event at Gallery RIVAA (527 Main Street), please RSVP to to 212-627-6252
Developers Hudson Companies and Related Companies refinanced Riverwalk Point on Roosevelt Island with a $75 million mortgage from MUFG Union Bank, both developers confirmed to Commercial Observer.
The financing, which closed on March 24, replaces the original $64.3 million construction loan Union Bank and Bank of America Merrill Lynch provided in November 2013 on the 22-story rental tower, according to David Kramer, the president of Hudson Companies. The new loan carries a seven-year term.
“We completed construction [and] leased up the building, so it was time to refinance out the construction loan,” Mr. Kramer said....
Click here for the full Commercial Observer article.
Hudson Related is currently negotiating with the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) to develop the final 2 sites in Southtown - Riverwalk Buildings 8 & 9.
No information available yet on the terms for developing Buildings 8 & 9.
I spoke with David Kramer in July 2014 at the topping out ceremony for Riverwalk Point Building 7. Here's what he had to say about the new building construction, plans for a large percentage of affordable housing to be included in future Riverwalk building 8
and the layout
for Riverwalk Buildings 7-9.
UPDATE 5:45 PM - I asked RIOC:
Does RIOC get a fee for this transaction similar to what happened at Manhattan Park, Octagon & Roosevelt Landings when there was a refinancing?
A RIOC representative replied:
No. The original deal with Southtown is different and it does not require a payment to RIOC in this instance.
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.
