Memorial Day Weekend Read, Free Download Of Spy Thriller Dark Sky Written By Roosevelt Island Resident Joel Canfield Thru Sunday - Then Relax With Book On A Roosevelt Island Hammock

Memorial Day weekend is a good time to relax reading a suspenseful, mystery-thriller spy book. Even better if the book's hero lives on Roosevelt Island, the author is a Roosevelt Island resident and you can get a free download of the book through Sunday.

Author Joel Canfield tweets:

1st book in the saga of Roosevelt Island's most unlikely hero is now available through Sunday for free download! https://t.co/Yh9DNBxugJ

— JoelCanfield (@JoelCanfield) May 27, 2016

After downloading Dark Sky, have a relaxing read on one of the

Manhattan Park Lawn hammocks.

No Roosevelt Island F Train Service To Manhattan This Memorial Day Weekend

According to the MTA:

F Coney Island-bound trains run local via the E from 71 Av to Canal St, and via the A to Jay St-MetroTech

Weekend & Holiday , 11:45 PM Fri to 5 AM Tue, May 27 - 31

No Coney Island-bound service at 21 St-Queensbridge, Roosevelt Island, Lexington Av/63 St, 57, 47-50 Sts, 42 St-Bryant Pk, 34 St-Herald Sq, 23, 14, B'way-Lafayette Sts, 2 Av, Delancey St, East Broadway and York St.

Trains stop at W 4 St.

According to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC)

The MTA has issued a weekend service advisory for the F train, which may affect travel plans. The Tram will run on a rush hour schedule from 7:00 AM until 10:00 PM to accommodate any increase in traffic. Please plan your travel accordingly and visit mta.info/weekender or call 511 for more information.

For electronic updates on F Train service, sign up for MTA Alerts at mymtaalerts.com.

Roosevelt Island Day June 11 - Family Fun Day For Flower Planting, Petting Zoo, Blood Drive, Mobile Shredder, E Waste Collection, Concert, Pony Ride, Games & Rooftop Films Outdoor Movie

The annual family friendly Roosevelt Island Day will take place Saturday June 11.

Image From RIOC

Among the scheduled activities are:

9 AM -  Bagels and coffee - hosted by RIRA

9 AM - 12 PM =  Flower planting - hosted by A Living Library

10 AM - 12 PM - Petting Zoo sponsored by Island Kids

10 AM – 2 PM -  Mobile Shredder- sponsored by AARP (Plaza at 591 Main Street)

10 AM - 3 PM  Blood Drive - hosted by RIRA (Senior Center at 546 Main Street)

10 AM - 3 PM -  Creative Exploration at Blackwell Park - hosted by RI Explorers

10 AM – 4 PM -  E-Waste Collection- sponsored by LESEC (Plaza at 591 Main Street)

12 PM - 2:30 PM -  Pony Rides

12 PM - 3 PM Games and Rides

12 PM - 3 PM -  NY Life - Masonic ID Screening

1 PM - 3 PM -  Concert “DAVE BROWN AND THE VERSATILES”

At Dusk -  Rooftop Films presents Territory: Short Films About Turf Wars (Firefighter’s Field, across from the Tram)

Sponsored By Urban American, Roosevelt Island Operating Corp  and Roosevelt Island Youth Program.

Contributors -  ISLAND KIDS, RIRA, RISA, RIVAA, ISLAND HOUSE, WESTVIEW, RIVERCROSS, THE OCTAGON, RIVERWALK, CORNELL TECH

Also, Bike New York will have a Helmet Giveaway as well as a Bike repair shop for Roosevelt Island Day at Good Shepherd Plaza.

Roosevelt Island Day is always a terrific event to have fun with your family, friends and neighbors.

Mark your calendar.

Here are some scenes from the 2015 Roosevelt Island Day.

What's The Deal With All Those Traffic Cones Placed Next To Roosevelt Island Main Street Parking Spots?

Have you noticed all the traffic cones

placed next to Main Street parking spots

from Starbucks to Blackwell Turnaround in Southtown recently?

What's the deal with that?

Anybody know?

Roosevelt Island Residents Are Invited To Join The Manhattan Park Pool And Swim Club - Opens Saturday May 28, Fees Are Same For Roosevelt Island Residents

It sure feels like summer today and with the upcoming Memorial Day weekend temperatures expected to be in the high 80's, it's good to know that the Manhattan Park Pool, Swim Club and Sun Deck opens for the season on Saturday May 28.

The Manhattan Park Pool Membership Fee Schedule is below. Fees are the same for Roosevelt Island residents. Non-Roosevelt Island residents pay more.

Contact Manhattan Park for more information and to join the Swim club at 212.759.8660 or info@manhattanpark.com

As reported last week, the Manhattan Park Swim Club initially listed higher fees for non-Manhattan Park Roosevelt Island residents to join than for Manhattan Park residents.

Frank Farance did some research and discovered a provision in the Manhattan Park ground lease with the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) which appears to require Manhattan Park Pool membership fees not to be based upon which Roosevelt Island building a resident lives in.  The revised Manhattan Park Pool fee schedule shown above was issued shortly thereafter.

Good job by Mr. Farance digging into this issue and good job by Manhattan Park revising it's Pool Fee policy.

Enjoy the Manhattan Park pool


12ozProphet Presents Hot Tea's "Asylum" from 12ozprophet on Vimeo.

and Special Events.



The Manhattan Park pool is one of two outdoor pools on Roosevelt Island. The Octagon building has a pool but is only open to it's residents.

Roosevelt Island 2016 Outdoor Summer Movie Schedule At Firefighters Field - Star Wars:The Force Awakens, Labryinth, Inside Out, Across The Universe, The Goonies And One More To Be Named Later

A reader asked:

do you have the schedule for the 2016 Roosevelt Island Summer Outdoor Movie?

 View From Above July 11, 2015 Mary Poppins Roosevelt Island Firefighters Field Outdoor Movie

I have an almost complete schedule of the Roosevelt Island 2016 Summer Outdoor Movie schedule at Firefighters Field.

Image Of July 12,2014 Showing Of Marvel's The Avengers At Firefighters Field

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Summer Outdoor Movie Series at Firefighters Field opens with:

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Friday June 24 (Rain Date July 1)



followed by Labryinth -  Saturday July 9,



Inside Out - Friday July 22 (Rain Date Friday July 29),



Across The Universe - Friday August 5 (Rain Date Friday August12)



and The Goonies - Saturday August 6 -(Rain Date Saturday August 13)



I asked RIOC for the complete Roosevelt Island Summer Outdoor Movie Schedule on May 4. RIOC declined to release the full schedule. Instead, RIOC announces one movie a week as a social media "tease" to the community.

The final Roosevelt Island Summer Outdoor Movie at Firefighters Field will be announced next week by RIOC.

Will include the name of that movie as an update when released.

UPDATE 6/7 - The final 2016 Roosevelt Island Outdoor Movie will be Indiana Jones and The Temple Of Doom Friday August 19 (Rain Date Saturday September 3).



Here's the full schedule.

Image From RIOC

Roosevelt Island's Only Comedy Show (RIOC) Brings Night Of Stand Up Comedy Friday May 27 To Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance - Come Join The Fun

Roosevelt Island Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance (MST&DA) presents Stand Up Comedy Night Friday May 27. According to the MST&DA):

R.I.O.C.s (Roosevelt Island's Only Comedy Show) brings some of the funniest and most original stand up to Roosevelt Island. From nationally touring headliners, to unique theme shows, to some of the best stand ups you've never heard of; each month will be hilarious, different, and right here on Main Street. The comedy is PG-13. Parents should use their discretion.

Hosted by Will Neville.

The May 27 Roosevelt Island Comedy night features:

• Leah Bonnema
• Jay Welch
• Sally Brooks and
• Roosevelt Island resident Dan Gessner.

Prices: All shows are

• $10 for Roosevelt Island residents and MST&DA students (adult);
• $5 for children and teens;
• $25 for the whole family (3 or more members);
• $15 for non-residents.

Doors open 8:30 PM. Show starts at 9 PM

Click here to get tickets.

The Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance is located in the Roosevelt Island Cultural Center at 548 Main Street.

FDR 4 Freedoms Park Conservancy Hires Structural Engineers And Historic Preservation Experts To Study Stability Of Roosevelt Island's Abandoned Smallpox Hospital - On Site This Week

Yesterday, a tipster reported seeing work being performed at Roosevelt Island's abandoned Smallpox Hospital

in Southpoint Park

I asked Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Acting President Susan Rosenthal:

There appears to be some work being done on the Smallpox Hospital today by Building Restoration Contractors Association.

What type of work is going on?

Is there a Smallpox Hospital restoration project starting?

Ms. Rosenthal replied:

We have not started any project. FFP has commissioned a study and have various third parties testing, etc. the structure.

FFP is the FDR Four Freedoms Park.

I followed up asking Ms. Rosenthal and Four Freedoms Park Conservancy (FFP) President Sally Minard:

Why is Four Freedoms Park conducting a study of the Smallpox Hospital in Southpoint Park which is RIOC property?

Why was there not a RFP seeking bidders to conduct the study?

Sally, what is the purpose of the Four Freedoms Park Smallpox Hospital study?

FFP's Stephen Martin has the answer:

The Conservancy is in the middle of a structural study of the Ruin. Funding comes through a grant we received in 2012 from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation.

Several of the interior walls of the building were damaged during Super Storm Sandy. The State (as is the Conservancy) is very concerned for its stability. We’ve all seen it age significantly in just the past few years. As its neighbor, anything we can do to advocate for its longstanding, we will! (The timing is also nice, the result of this study should coincide with RIOC's Southpoint Park community planning study. Knowing how stable the structure is should be of great assistance to both RIOC and the community.)

This study will produce a round of engineering drawings, as well as soil profiles, floodplain review, etc. The team you may have seen on site are structural engineers and historic preservation experts. Their boom will be here until Friday.

In terms of the RFP, it was published a year ago and was widely publicized: http://www.theruin.org/rfp. The scope is very clear. Selection (which was decided by a team of preservation experts, RIOC, and others) went to a terrific firm known as Walter B. Melvin Architects. They have extensive experience working on Renwick structures. They recently stabilized the failing steeple of Renwick’s Grace Church.

Mr Martin shares these pictures adding:

The articulated boom allows structural and historic preservation team to look closely at upper floors and building core

Image From FDR Four Freedoms Park Conservancy

and photograph the building core with Cornell Tech and 59th Street bridge in the distance.

Image From FDR Four Freedoms Park Conservancy

RIOC Acting President Susan Rosenthal commented:

Stephen, thanks for the background and details. RIOC looks forward to the findings ( we passionately want to preserve the ruins) and it is great that the timing coincides with the proposal of the facilitator.

More information on the Southpoint Park Open Space Community Facilitator referred to by Ms. Rosenthal available at this previous post.

Check out this excellent history of the Roosevelt Island Smallpox Hospital.

Here's a gorgeous view from a drone flying over the Smallpox Hospital, FDR Park and Roosevelt Island East River waterfront.



Click on the full screen icon for better view.

Early Warning - No Roosevelt Island F Train Service To Manhattan This Weekend Says MTA

According to this flyer posted on the Roosevelt Island F train subway station window

there will be no Roosevelt Island F Train service to Manhattan this upcoming Memorial Day Weekend.

The MTA Weekender web site currently has no information about Roosevelt Island F Train service for the Memorial Day weekend.

Two Days Of Bike New York Freebies On Roosevelt Island - Helmet Giveaway May 26 And June 11 Bike Repair And Helmet Giveaway For Roosevelt Island Day

Bike New York will host a Helmet Giveaway on Thursday May 26 at Good Shepherd Plaza from 3:30 PM - 6:30 PM.

Also, on June 11, Bike New York will have another Helmet Giveaway as well as a Bike repair shop for Roosevelt Island Day at Good Shepherd Plaza.

Children and Adult helmets will be available while supplies last. One helmet per person.

Take a virtual bike ride around Roosevelt Island.

A @Rooseveltisland bike ride. https://t.co/aPGiRYNCP9

— Mark Lyon (@markhlyon) April 21, 2016

Click on the You Tube Full Screen icon for a great view.

Roosevelt Island Living Library & NY Public Library Free Spring Gardening Program For Parents Children & Caregivers Starts Thursday May 26 - Registration Now At Roosevelt Island NYPL

A Living Library (A.L.L.) founder Bonnie Sherk reports:

PARENTS & CHILDREN TOGETHER !!

A.L.L. Gardening, Literacy, Multi-Arts, Science, Nutrition, Local History/Ecology FREE

PROGRAM with A LIVING LIBRARY & RI BRANCH PUBLIC LIBRARY

Thursdays May 26 – June 29 4:00-5:00 p.m. RI Living Library & Think Park (summer schedule TBD)

Register Now at the RI Library - 524 Main Street, Roosevelt Island Enrollment Limited to 25 Families (Caregivers included) with Children (ages 4-14)

TALK, THINK, FEEL & DO !!!!

Come Grow With Us!

Contact: Nicole Nelson: 212-308-6243/Bonnie Ora Sherk: 212-242-1700/Prem Dixit Nag: 845-443-0386

More on A Living Library at their web site

Roosevelt Island Tram Attracting More And More Visitors Causing Overcrowding On Platform And Cabins - Tourists Pushing To Take Pictures Big Pain For Residents

The Roosevelt Island Twitterverse reports:

Roosevelt Island tram cabin platform packed with tourists at 2:50 pm. Popularity is a pain for residents. pic.twitter.com/KcPXCefMBN

— Roosevelt Islander (@Rooseveltisland) May 23, 2016

@Rooseveltisland it's great that people are coming to the island more! But agree, people on the tram pushing to take pics🙅🏼big pain on ride

— scottie douglas (@scottie_douglas) May 23, 2016

UPDATE 5/24:

I'm hoping its a result of the press from the 40th Anniversary and the crowds will die down soon. https://t.co/zULAUiAcDY

— NamelyNorm (@NamelyNorm) May 24, 2016

@Rooseveltisland I know it's been crazy but these last 2 weeks have been too much. Today's evening rush hour was absurdly over crowded.

— NamelyNorm (@NamelyNorm) May 24, 2016

You're Invited To Community Board 8 Roosevelt Island Tram Station Elevator Replacement Presentation May 24 - Come Share Your Thoughts And Concerns

Manhattan Community Board 8 (CB 8) will meet tomorrow, May 24, for a Roosevelt Island Tram Station elevator presentation update.

Image of GC Eng Eng & Associates Tram Station Elevator Rendering From CB 8

According to CB 8:

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

 Image of GC Eng Eng & Associates Tram Station Elevator Rendering From CB 8

Below is the Roosevelt Island Tram Station elevator plan presented to April 12 meeting of CB 8's Roosevelt Island by GC Eng & Associates. According to the presentation. the new Roosevelt Island Tram Station will have:

• Two New Glass Elevators
• Increased User Capacity
• ADA Compliant Elevators
• Enhanced Destination Visibility
• Greater Reliability & Maintainability  
• Increased Lighting and Security
• Improved Circulation

Roosevelt Island Tram Station Elevator Presentation

More on the April 12 presentation, including video, at this previous post.

... 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....

Come to the CB 8 meeting tomorrow to learn what is going on and to ask any questions you may have.

More Scenes From The Roosevelt Island Tram 40th Anniversary Celebration - Interview With Residents, Longest Serving Tram Operator Retiring Soon And Cardboard Trams On Display In Main Street Window

NY 1 has more on the Roosevelt Island Tram 40th Anniversary Celebration including comments from residents riding the tram. Kristi Towey told NY !:

... Seeing the skyline every day, it kind of gives you chills...

and Joyce Short:

... I don't think I sat down for the first 3 or 4 weeks because the view was so exhilarating...

Roosevelt Island Tram Turns 40 from Michael Scotto on Vimeo.

The NY Post interviewed long time Roosevelt Island Tram Operator Greg Paravati who reports about meeting Sylvester Stallone, Harrison Ford and Faith Evans on the Tram.

This man is the only remaining original Roosevelt Island Tramway operator https://t.co/3OJoVEAg4j

— New York Post Metro (@nypmetro) May 22, 2016

Mr. Paravati added:

... "I love talking to people and making new friends. And I never get tired of these views,” he said, gazing out the window. “You should see the skyline when it’s all lit up at night. It’s breathtaking.”

This will likely be his last year.

“I haven’t even told my boss, but I think it’s time,” he said. “I’m sad to say it, but sometimes you have to move on."...

Also, Roosevelt Island Historical Society President (RIHS) President Judy Berdy reports that the Tram Cardboard Cabins

at the Visitors Center Kiosk

Image From Judy Berdy

made by Roosevelt Island children are now on display in the window of the former hardware store on Main Street. According to Ms Berdy:

The Model Trams have been moved up Main Street to the windows in the former hardware store

Images From Judy Berdy

They will be on view until June 15th.

Stop by and see if you can find yours!

Check out video of the full May 17 Roosevelt Island Tram 40th Anniversary Celebration

Roosevelt Island Wengerd Farmers Market Helps Reduce Plastic Waste By Giving Out Free Tote Bags Last Saturday

Christina Delfico reports:

Our own Roosevelt Island Wengerd Farms is ahead of the curve with tote bags given out for free at Saturday's Farmers Market to help us reduce our use of plastic bags!

According to BagitNYC:

On May 5, 2016, the New York City Council adopted the #BYOBag bill (Int. No. 209-A) that will require a 5-cent minimum fee on all carryout bags provided at check-out at all retailers in NYC. The bill goes into effect on October 1, 2016.

Thank you to all of our coalition members that made this happen!

To keep up to date on the NYC bill, follow BagItNYC on Facebook or @BagItNYC on Twitter.

Roosevelt Island's NYC Council Member Ben Kallos supported the bill.

Since I signed onto #BYOBag bill, I have joined @CitizensNYC to distribute over 500 reusable bags to get my constituents ready to @BagItNYC.

— Ben Kallos (@BenKallos) May 5, 2016

.@CMReynoso34: Plastic bags account for 7,500 garbage truck trips every year. #BYOBag bill helps environmental justice communities.

— NYLCV (@nylcv) May 5, 2016

There is still opposition to the 5 cent fee for plastic grocery bags.

New York Lawmakers Try To Prevent 5-Cent Fee For Plastic, Paper Bags « CBS New York https://t.co/MKM0HvjFrS

— Jack Quinn (@JackQuinn3) May 16, 2016

What do you think?

One Lane Of Roosevelt Island Main Street Traffic Between Island House And Westview 8 AM - 6 PM May 23 To May 27 For Con Ed High Pressure Gas Line Upgrade And Roosevelt Landings Building Facade Work Says RIOC - No Parking In Area Too

Image Of May 16 Con Ed Main Street Traffic Diversions In Front Of Westview

According to this May 22 Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) traffic advisory:

Due to continued Con Edison Gas Main Riser work there will be traffic diversions on Main Street, for the week of Monday, May 23rd, 2016 through Friday, May 27th, 2016. Therefore; there will be “No Parking, No Stopping or No Standing” in front of 591-625 Main Street (Westview Buildings) beginning 12:00AM, Monday, May 23rd, 2016 through 11:00PM, Friday, May 27th, 2016.

Vehicles parked in this area during this time will be summonsed and/or towed.

Further, the sidewalk on the East side of Main Street, in front of Capobianco Field, will be closed to pedestrian traffic. Pedestrians may cross over to the West side of Main Street either at the crosswalk near 591 or 625 Main Street.

Con Edison will continue to provide RIOC with a projected work schedule, which will be made available to residents and merchants in future Everbridge Advisories.

Thank you for your cooperation during this time.

 Location Of Con Ed Roosevelt Island Main Street Gas Riser Work

Also today, RIOC issued this additional Main Street traffic advisory:

Urban American Management has advised that due to building facade work, Main St. will be reduced to one lane of traffic between 575 Main St. (Island House Bldg.) and 599 Main St. (Westview Bldg.), DAILY beginning Monday, May 23rd, 2016 THROUGH Friday, May 27th, 2016, from 8AM to 6PM.

In order to facilitate this work, there will be NO PARKING, NO STOPPING, OR NO STANDING on the West side of Main St. between 575 Main St. (Island House Bldg.) and 599 Main St. (Westview Bldg.), Monday THROUGH Friday from 7AM - 7PM.

Vehicles not moved by 7AM on these days will be summonsed and/or towed.

Flag persons will be on site to redirect traffic during these times.

Further, during this work, from 8AM to 6PM the crosswalk at 580 Main Street will be closed to pedestrian and vehicular traffic; please utilize the crosswalks at 560 or the temporary crosswalk located opposite 595 Main Street.

Thank you for your cooperation during this time.

As reported May 16, Main Street reduced to one traffic lane for the Con Ed and Urban American

Image From Frank Farance

work caused a huge traffic jam during that morning's rush hour from Main Street over the Roosevelt Island Bridge to Vernon B'lvd in Long Island City.