More good news. During June 13 Roosevelt Island Town Hall Meeting organized by Council Member Ben Kallos, MTA representative Markus Book reported that there are no planned Roosevelt Island F Train weekend disruptions until August 16 weekend.
Mr Book took questions on a variety of Roosevelt Island subway and bus
issues including morning rush hours overcrowding and promised to look
into suggested solutions to relieve overcrowding. Mr Book added that the MTA might consider adding a second entrance/exit at the north side of the Roosevelt Island F Train station to better handle large crowd situations (see 10 minute 20 second mark of video below)
though he advised that:
... nothing in the works yet...
Asked about the best way to receive info about service disruptions, escalator and elevator outages Mr. Book suggested following the MTA twitter feed or MyMTA app.
Also, the MTA is undergoing a redesign of the Queens Bus Network but Mr Book had no info on how that might effect Roosevelt Island residents using the Q102.
Here's video of Town Hall discussion with MTA's Mr. Book.
Outdoor grilling and BBQing is welcome here on Roosevelt Island but a Roosevelt Island restaurant cutting meat outdoors in an alley next to a bucket and mop is not a good thing. A Facebook video posted yesterday shows an employee of the recently opened Roosevelt Island Liukoushui Hot Pot Noodle Shop doing just that. According to the Facebook posting:
LiuKouShui hot pot noodle, I really don’t think the neighborhood is gonna enjoy this one. This is super unsanitary. And it was raining outside!!!
It sure looks like it. Are you sure they're cutting meat? Did you take photo?
— Roosevelt Islander (@Rooseveltisland) June 20, 2019
I asked the restaurant's representative:
There is a Twitter posting of what appears to be a Liukoshi Hot Pot employee cutting meat outside of the restaurant.
... Is this normal practice?
Any statement?
The spokesperson replied:
... first and foremost thank you so much for bringing this to my attention, we are going to get to the bottom of this. Of course hygiene and complying with NYS health code is our top priority.
We will make sure all of our staff adheres to the NYS health code and provides only the highest of quality in every aspect of our service.
A customer reacted:
I really love the food and I hope they can give a proper explanation of this...
According to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC):
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) kicks off its 2019 Outdoor Summer Movie Series this Friday, June 21st at Southpoint Park (south of the Tram and Cornell Tech) with Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse (Rated PG).
Movie night fun starts at 7 PM, with the film showing beginning at sundown. Food vendors will be on-hand throughout the night and a trivia contest with prizes will be held just before showtime!
Bring your chairs and blankets and get there early to pick out a great spot to enjoy the film. Event will be rescheduled in the case of inclement weather. Admission is free.
Here's the trailer from Spiderman- Into the Spider-verse
and the remaining schedule of movies for the 2019 Roosevelt Island Summer Movie Series at Southpoint Park:
Friday July 12 - Crazy Rich Asians,
Friday July 26 - Close Encounters of the Third Kind,
We have great new merchandise by designer Julia Gash.
We now have 24" X 36" print of the island poster, available at the RIHS Visitor Center Kiosk
Please see the Rivercross Display window for a sample of all our merchandise
Also: In the next window are the coloring book pages that were artistically filled in by our kids, and some adults...>Enjoy!!
Merchandise available at the Visitors Center Kiosk includes:
TEE SHIRTS ADULTS SMALL- 2XL$25
TOTE BAGS $20
APRON $24
MAGNETS $5
POSTCARD $1.50
KITCHEN TOWEL$10
ART PRINT 24” X 36” $100
Merchandise sales help support the mission and activities of the RIHS. Ms Berdy described what RIHS does during her May 29 Public Purpose Grants Community Review Presentation.
Jeffrey R. Escobar, Member, Board of Directors Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation
Conway S. Ekpo, Member, Board of Directors Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation
David E. Kapell, Member, Board of Directors Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation
Here's video of the confimation. RIOC Board members confirmation is at beginning of video.
Jeffrey Escobar is an attorney, Roosevelt Island resident and former President of Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) ending his 5 years as RIRA President in November 2018..
Conway S Ekpo is in-house counsel for Morgan Stanley. Do not know if he is a resident or not.
David E Kappel is a Director of State of New York Mortgage Agency Board (SONYMA). According to his SONYMA bio:
... Mr. Kapell is also president of Kapell Real Estate, Inc., a boutique family-run brokerage in Greenport that he founded in 1981.
He has three grown children and lives in Greenport and on Roosevelt Island with his wife, Eileen Kapell....
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a meeting of the Operations Advisory Committee of the RIOC Board of Directors will be held on Thursday, June 20, 2019 at 5:30 P.M. at RIOC’s Operations Office, 680 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, New York.
AGENDA:
Discussion of:
MTA Flood Mitigation Work License Amendment
Capital Projects – Key Projects Review
Octagon Comfort Station & Site Work
Blackwell House Roof Repairs
Any Other Committee Business that May be Brought Before the Committee
Chair’s Motion for Executive Session to Discuss Personnel Matter
Later today the RIOC Audit Committee is meeting:
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a meeting of the Audit Committee of the RIOC Board of Directors will be held on Tuesday, June 18, 2019 at 4:30 P.M. at the RIOC Administrative Office, 591 Main Street, Roosevelt Island New York
AMENDED AGENDA:
Discussion of:
RIOC's Audited Financial Statements for Fiscal Year 2018-19
Report on Procurement Contracts for Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2019 Report on Investments for Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2019
Property Report for Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2019
Annual Report for Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2019
Any Other Committee Business That May be Brought Before the Committee
Chair’s Motion for Executive Session to Discuss Personnel Matter
UPDATE 6/20 - From RIOC:
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a meeting of the Operations Advisory Committee of the RIOC Board of Directors will be held on Thursday, June 20, 2019 at 4:30 P.M. at RIOC’s Operations Office, 680 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, New York.
... Phase I of the Motorgate Improvement Project will be starting this week. Please click the following link for details from past releases that discuss the scope of work taking place. rioc.ny.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=116
Sections 3D, 4D, 5D, 6D, 7D & 8D in the south building are now closed to parking. Cars found parked in these sections will be towed. Please note that the rooftop will remain open throughout construction.
RIOC staff has scheduled the work to occur in a way that allows the facility to remain open throughout construction. Work will take place Mondays through Fridays only between the hours of 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM. We do not anticipate night or weekend work to be necessary at this time. If that changes, we will let you know.
Please note that the traffic pattern on the fourth floor of the garage has been changed significantly to accommodate this closure. The below graphic demonstrates the new traffic pattern.
For the safety of all patrons and pedestrians, please drive slowly while in the garage. Adhere to all traffic signs posted throughout the garage and watch for new signage. Please follow the directions of the contractor’s flagman, PSD, and Motorgate personnel.
We expect Phase I of this important project to be completed in the fall of 2019. Since this kind of work cannot be performed during the winter months, Phase II will begin in spring 2020. All construction is expected to be completed in late 2020....
Roosevelt Island resident, activist and Motorgate user Frank Farance believes changes to the Motorgate traffic pattern and installation of speed bumps in Motorgate during the renovation creates unsafe conditions. According to this excerpt from June 10 message sent by Mr. Farance to RIOC and posted as a comment to this post:
... imagine how you'll feel when a motorist, during the morning rush, hits a speed bump and pulls down the conduit that impales and kills another motorist, or a child in the passenger seat. And then think about how easily it will be to demonstrate RIOC's culpability, via some expert witness citing (say) some of the sources below. Absolutely dangerous, Motorgate staff have already received complaints, but they say this is RIOC's work.
The speed bumps in Motorgate should be immediately removed because:
(1) Speed bumps are dangerous because there isn't enough clearance.
(2) According to NYC Building Code, RIOC would need to change the height advertised at Motorgate's entrance from 6'10" (82 inches) to 6'2" (74 inches), which would exclude many vehicles, including park-and-ride vans used for car pools.
(3) A vehicle can hit the beam because the speed bumps are installed directly below the beams, which maximizes the hazard
(4) Speed bumps should not be used in a facility with Low Clearance.
(5) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recommends distance of 200-300 feet between speed bumps, these speed bumps are installed approx 50 feet apart, i.e., too close.
(6) Conduit from the cameras was originally installed wrong, i.e., in the middle of the roadway which reduces clearance by 2 inches, which further aggravates the Low Clearance problem.
(7) A vehicle making contact with the conduit can bring down the whole line of conduit (approx 500 in the A aisle), which can impale other vehicles driving in the lane causing injury or death
(8) With section 4D closed off, there is no signage for detours, and vehicles are crossing over from 4C (garage entrance) to 4A with traffic in both directions, including over the speed bumps.
(9) The speed bumps reduce the surface area (36.75 sq-in/wheel, Vehicle Dynamics Institute) where the wheel touches the ground and, thus, increases the load from 3000 lbs/sq-ft/axle to 6,000 to 9,000 lbs/sq-ft and, thus, further deteriorates the surface, e.g., a 6000 pound car does as much damage as an 18,000 pound vehicle.
(10) Vertical acceleration at the speed bump is approx 8 m/sec/sec (gravity is 9.8 m/sec/sec), thus a 3000 lbs/sq-ft/axle is compressed into (say) 9,000 lbs/sq-ft and further amplified by vertical acceleration, a factor of (8+9.8)/9.8, i.e., 16,350 lbs/sq-ft-/axle, or as if the vehicle had weight approx 33,000 pounds.
(11) Speed bumps can grab/drag undercarriage of low suspension vehicles, such as sports cars. If this happens, it will completely block the aisle and jam up Motorgate.
(12) A vehicle can impact the beam, possibly with dangerous or catastrophic consequences to the structure.
(13) There is no signage indicating a speed bump.
(14) Residents will suffer damage to their vehicles as these speed bumps are equivalent to driving over 4-inch curbs....
Another Roosevelt Island resident and Motorgate Garage user Cheshire Kitty added:
I asked RIOC President Susan Rosenthal:
Do you have any comment on Frank Farance's June 10 email regarding potential safety hazard of speed bumps recently installed on the 4th floor of Motorgate garage....
... What was the reason for installing the speed bumps?
Does RIOC intend to reconsider the placement of the 4th floor speed bumps? Or will they remain in place?
RIOC Chief Operating Officer Shelton Haynes replied with the following statement late Friday afternoon June 14:
As RIOC enters the final stages of contract negotiation with the contractor who will be doing the necessary repair work on the Motorgate structure, I wanted to update the community on a few items.
We expect work to begin in about a week or so. Please note that all work will be done in strict adherence of New York City Building Code regulations. At least two fire exits will remain accessible near the work area at all times during construction.
Speed bumps have been installed at various locations in the garage to control speed throughout the parking facility once construction begins. Required clearances between the top of the speed bump and the ceiling structure have been maintained. These temporary speed bumps have been installed for the safety of Motorgate customers, parking garage staff, construction crews and RIOC/PSD personnel during construction. Two-way traffic in these areas is necessary to allow Motorgate to remain open while the necessary repair work takes place. This traffic pattern has been thoroughly reviewed and approved by RIOC, its subcontractors and consultants.
All signage that is contrary to the new traffic flow is already in the process of being blocked. New signage is in the process of being installed. Please note that traffic flow through Motorgate will continue to be monitored throughout construction. All safety measures and signage will be adjusted accordingly as conditions and realities dictate. In the meantime, we encourage all customers to go slow and be careful while they drive through the garage.
We appreciate your ongoing cooperation throughout this project.
Here's the May 9 RIOC Operations Advisory Committee meeting discussion
of the Motorgate Garage Improvements Project.
UPDATE 6:45 PM - Just heard from another Roosevelt Island resident:
My car bottomed out on the speed bumps!!
I reported it on line.
UPDATE 6/18 - And another resident:
Every time I go by now, even at 4 miles an hour, everything in my car shakes!!!
It’s not a smooth bump, it’s too ruff of a bump and too high.
SUMMER IS COMING! COME CHECK OUT THE OUTDOOR GRILLING STATION MANNED BY THE CONSTELLATION CULINARY TEAM. CREATIVE & DELICIOUS MEALS PAIRED W/ THE PERFECT BEER!
The Wednesday June 19 Menu Is:
Martin's Potato Cheeseburger -$7
Paired Beer - $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.
Outdoor Grilling is weather dependent and will be cancelled if raining at time.
If bad weather on Wednesday, event will be moved to Thursday.
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.
