The annual Chabad Of Roosevelt IslandLag Ba'Omer Bonfire Celebration took place yesterday in Blackwell Park. Scott Piro shares these photos and video of the event.
I’m not a #chabadnik, but I sort of am when I hang with the Duchmans.
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I had a blast at their #LagBaOmer#bonfire. I had intended to stay only an hour...then that stretched into 90 minutes, and it wound up being a… https://t.co/5UCyrqecFb
According to this year's RIRA Roosevelt Island Blood Drive Committee Chair Janine Schaefer
RIRA Blood Drive
Sponsored by Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) and hosted by Roosevelt Island Seniors Association (RISA)
The Blood drive is a big part of Roosevelt Island Day and has been an annual event for years. Volunteers will be sitting at Farmer's Market every Saturday from May 18th until the day of the event June 8th, to help people to sign up to donate in person from 10am to 4pm at the Community Room Senior Center 546 Main Street.
RIRA donated 36 pints of blood positively affecting the lives of over 105 New Yorkers in June 2018. If each donor this year brings a colleague, a family member, a friend or foe. We can double these results.
WALK-INS WELCOME
All donors must provide identification and should eat and be well hydrated prior to blood donation. Appointments are appreciated, but walk-ins welcome.
Attn New York: we are experiencing a blood shortage! We need donors to step up and donate, just like our team members David and Kass, who are walkin' the walk and giving their all! Sign up to donate today: https://t.co/HhlMfkZgwepic.twitter.com/PXF7nNicmq
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Real Estate Advisory Committee (REDAC) is meeting next week to discuss the status of currently under construction
Riverwalk Building 8 (341 units of affordable housing) in a session open to the public. Followed by an Executive Session discussion, closed to the public, about ground lease negotiations for the future Riverwalk Building 9 (market rate rental) as well as amending the Manhattan Park ground lease.
According to the May 29 RIOC REDAC Agenda:
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a meeting of the Real Estate Development Advisory Committee of the RIOC Board of Directors will be held on Wednesday, May 29, 2019 at 5:30 P.M. at the RIOC Administrative Office, 591 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, New York.
AGENDA:
Status Report on Southtown Building 8
Chair’s Motion for Executive Session to Discuss:
Ground Lease Negotiations for Southtown Building 9
Ground Lease Amendment Negotiations for Manhattan Park
Any Other Committee Business That May be Brought Before the Committee.
Will update when more is learned about these matters.
Huge thanks to Chris @OBAstronomy 4 giving Roosevelt Island the moon, jupiter & its four visible moons & even 2 Int’l Space Station (ISS) flyovers! Smiles everywhere as neighbors came out to play. Moon photo taken by Laura Dutilloy #OptOutsidepic.twitter.com/5DV5U219Ca
Excited Roosevelt Island residents, young and a bit older,
gathered on a brisk Saturday evening at the Riverwalk Commons to gaze at the moon, stars and even the International Space Station from two large telescopes
— Roosevelt Islander (@Rooseveltisland) May 19, 2019
Christina Delfico, iDig2Learn’s founder who organized the event as part of the Celebrating Roosevelt Island’s Nature series reports over a hundred folks came out and definitely wants to invite Chris back. Ms Delfico adds:
Saturday night’s clear skies were all we needed for OBAstronomy’s visiting expert Chris Vallo to grab his high-powered telescope and set up on Roosevelt Island.
The night was cooler than expected but no one wanted to leave and with the telescope still on the hand truck crowds of curious residents of all ages were gathering wanting to look. Chris likes to say, patience and hope are key traits of budding astronomers and that was true as we waiting until 8:30 pm for the giant pink colored full moon to peak up
Image From Arsha Antony
over buildings in Long Island City.
Riverwalk Commons, the area between Fuji East restaurant and Duane Reade, provided great viewing grounds as old and new friends came out and patiently lined up twenty-five at a time behind each telescope for a glimpse of our Moon’s craters.
One very young viewer learning to talk uttered a few words as she squealed with delight saying, “Big, big, balloon,” and motioned her hands as if to hug the moon.
Friends we see on the sidewalk stopped and stayed for hours getting to know each other better.
As if the bright full moon weren’t enough, seeing Jupiter rising added to the excitement. One freelance casting agent said she had been at the home office all week and she just had to come out to see this. As she looked through the lens she noticed that the four moons of Jupiter were visible.
Luke a young resident savvy to all things space including the International Space Station’s flyover times and about 40 viewers shouted and pointed as it’s bright lights whizzed by making the arch between buildings in less than two minutes.
Roosevelt Island is hosting the 2019 Figment NYC Participatory Art Project at Lighthouse Park on June 1-2. The event is expected to draw large numbers of visitors to Roosevelt Island which is of great concern to residents who do not want a repeat of the Cherry Blossom Festival Transportation disaster with:
dangerously long lines at the Tram, Subway, Ferry,
closure of the Roosevelt Island Bridge to traffic,
lack of bathrooms, food and water for the visitors.
Estimates of visitors for the Cherry Blossom Festival ranged from 35 - 40 thousand people overwhelming Roosevelt Island that day.
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Susan Rosenthal reported during the May 9 Board Meeting that the Figment NYC event will be a test case to see if Roosevelt Island can handle large crowd events.
Ms Rosenthal said that the 2018 Figment NYC Festival at Governor's Island drew 12 thousand people but that they have no idea how many visitors may come to Roosevelt Island this year. Ms Rosenthal added that the Figment NYC Lighthouse Park event will be using tickets for entry.
Following the Cherry Blossom Festival Transportation disaster, RIOC has been in discussions with NYC Emergency Management, NYPD, FDNY, MTA and Figment NYC organizers to develop safety procedures for the June 1-2 Lighthouse Park event.
On May 23, the RIOC Public Safety Department will host a community Town Hall Meeting to discuss safety preparations for the June 1-2 Figment NYC Lighthouse Park event.
COMMUNITY TOWN HALL DISCUSSION WITH PSD ON THE SAFETY AND PREPARATIONS FOR FIGMENT NY
THURSDAY, MAY 23rd at 6 PM
The Chapel of the Good Shepherd
543 Main Street ADA accessible
Invited Guests:
NYC Emergency Management (NYCEM), NYPD, Figment NYC, Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright, Council Member Ben Kallos
What: Figment NYC is a free participatory arts event that celebrates creativity by challenging artists and participants to find new ways to create, share, and dream.
When: Saturday, June 1st and Sunday, June 2nd
Where: Various Island locations, including Lighthouse Park, along the West Promenade, the Motorgate Atrium, and the lawn south of Rivercross.
Here's May 7 RIOC Operations Advisory Committee meeting discussion of plans
Roosevelt Island Historical Society (RIHS) President Judy Berdy reported last Friday that May 17 was the Roosevelt Island Tram's 43rd birthday having started service on May 17, 1976.
At the 2016 Tram Birthday Ms Berdy talked about the history of the Tram:
... Way back in 1972, an architect of this soon to be community discovered that the MTA subway would not be completed in time to be ready for this new community. An alternate mode of transportation had to be developed.
The architect's name was Bill Chaffee, and apparently he was a ski enthusiast, who envisioned a gondola-style car connecting the two islands of Roosevelt and Manhattan.
Manhattan streets were surveyed to determine where to build a temporary tram station. East 72 St was a possibility, because it was wide and could accommodate a station in the middle of the road.
Luckily there was a vacant lot at East 59th Street, opposite the entrance to the Queensboro Bridge. This spot was the stage upon which the tram station would be built.
The tram, then called an aerial gondola, was ready in less than 3 years.
The history of the tram has been interesting; consider some of these highlights after it opened in 1976:
It was the site of many movies and TV shows
Night Hawks
Fear Factor
City Slickers
Turk 183 And, of course,
Spiderman !
In the 1980s, it seemed to run out of insurance and closed down for two weeks.
The first system was counterbalance, requiring both cabins to shut down simultaneously every week for maintenance.
In 2003, it finally accepted Metrocards.
Our new Poma system opened November 30th, 2010, on time.
While the tram was being re-built, the Roosevelt Island Historical Society’s Visitor Center kiosk was restored and our garden was planted to enhance the “neighborhood.”
The Tram is people, the professionals who daily climb the towers at 5 a.m. to check conditions, the cabin attendants who drive the cabins and deal with every kind of person, packed into the cabins, thankfully for just 4 minutes at a time.
The tram is Roosevelt Island. No matter who came with the message to cut or shorten service; that leader learned that our tram is sacred – and that person is gone.
The tram is here. It is curiously romantic, at all hours of the day and night. It is the site of marriage proposals, engagements and even weddings. One recent Sunday morning, 100 people cheered as their friends disembarked from the cabin, she wearing a new ring on her finger.
The tram brings us the world, dozens at a time. Since 2007, the Roosevelt Island Historical Society has welcomed thousands of people at the kiosk, from every state, country and continent. The tram is the attraction. Every week, Manhattanites tell us they are here out of curiosity. Some come into the kiosk, walk up Main Street, become enamored of our community and soon are our neighbors.
Many residents say the Roosevelt Island Historical Society’s Visitor Center kiosk is for tourists, which is partly true. Really, the visitor Center kiosk is for all of us.
Our staff complements the tram and makes every visitor welcome.
The history of Roosevelt Island emerges from the people who ride the tram and tell us their stories, their families, the who and why of a community.
The secret is long out. The tram is it.
Its loyal staff and riders make it part of our being.
Greg Paravati has been operating the Roosevelt Island Tram since it began service in 1976. He has watched generations of Roosevelt Island children grow up and even attended some of their weddings.
Mr. Paravati says the Tram is a wonderful way to travel. He tells us about it in this 2012 interview.
Motorgate Garage Improvements to Begin Week of June 3rd
As announced on April 30, 2019, a phased renovation for the Motorgate garage will be starting shortly. The improvements will address deficiencies in the space. The work will be phased to allow for the continued use of the garage as construction progresses.
What’s happening:
Repair concrete surfaces to remove cracked, spalled, and delaminated concrete.
Install slip resistant topping coating as needed.
Replace the existing expansion joint material.
Repair & upgrade the existing drainage system.
Apply a waterproofing system on the parking deck, ramps, walkways, and curbs.
Re-stripe the parking spaces and install new wayfinding signage.
Install electric car charging stations.
What to expect and when:
Effective June 1, 2019 and throughout construction of sections 3D, 4D, 5D, 6D, 7D & 8D, monthly rates for patrons with reserved parking spaces will be adjusted accordingly.
Beginning June 3, 2019, sections 3D, 4D, 5D, 6D, 7D & 8D in the south building will be closed. No parking is allowed in these sections after midnight on June 2, 2019. Violators will be towed.
As a reminder, we expect phase 1 work to be completed in the fall of 2019. No work will occur during the winter months. Construction activities will resume in spring 2020. We anticipate completion of all construction activities in the fall of 2020.
What residents can do to help:
Your continued patience and cooperation is appreciated as we require residents to temporarily relocate their vehicles within the garage.
Please observe and comply with temporary modifications to both vehicular and pedestrian traffic patterns.
For your safety, please stay out of construction areas and other areas as posted.
Community advisories with detailed updates on the Motorgate garage improvements will be sent out as the project progresses. To receive alerts visit rioc.ny.gov and sign up for Island Community Advisories.
Here's the May 9 RIOC Operations Advisory Committee meeting discussion
11 months later than what was originally announced to Octagon residents via email, the fences at Octagon Park have been removed at last @Rooseveltislandpic.twitter.com/N0EoMbpIhX
SUMMER IS COMING! COME CHECK OUT THE OUTDOOR GRILLING STATION MANNED BY THE CONSTELLATION CULINARY TEAM. CREATIVE & DELICIOUS MEALS PAIRED W/ THE PERFECT BEER!
HATCH GREEN CHILI CHEESEBURGERS AND MODELO ESPECIAL
CHILI CHEESEBURGER - $7
MODELO ESPECIAL - $5
BEER & BURGER - $10
Come enjoy Wednesday afternoon outdoor grilling and a beer, or two,
with the folks from Cafe @Cornell Tech Constellation Culinary Team on the spacious Roosevelt Island campus patio
and enjoy the gorgeous East River waterfront views.
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.
