Estimates of approximately 450 - 500 people attended this evening's Roosevelt Island Holiday/Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony on the Rivercross lawn. It was a wonderful evening.
Here's a small sammple - the arrival of Santa Claus and counting down to the Tree Lighting starting.
Click on the full screen icon at bottom right of video for better view.
The location of a new Roosevelt Island Dog run took another turn during the December 4 Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Real Estate Development Advisory Committee (REDAC) December 4 meeting. RIOC President Susan Rosental reported that RIOC had listened to some community opposition
about placing the new Dog Run in Blackwell Park and decided to cancel that plan and seek a location in Southtown.
Ms Rosenthal added that the new location being sought in Southtown requires approval by the building's condo board but did not reveal the specific site. I learned later from a reliable source that the site is located behind either 415-425
or 455-465 Main Street,
between Main Street and the building's hedges.
In the event that approval is not given, RIOC will try to locate the Dog Run in the public commons area between the under construction Building 8 and Building 9,, which has not started construction yet.
Also, Ms Rosenthal told the REDAC that RIOC will start from scratch regarding renovation of Blackwell Park including a new Request For Proposals.
After listening to public feedback, RIOC staff members and our partners at Hudson-Related are reviewing alternate locations for the proposed dog run at Blackwell Park.
One space under consideration will require co-operative board approval. We are also considering relocating the dog run back to the land between Riverwalk 8 and 9 where it was originally planned. While we continue to explore locations, we also intend to continue with previously announced improvements to the plaza at Blackwell House by replacing the pavers and by making incidental improvements.
RIOC will continue to keep the community informed on our progress.
Here's the REDAC Discussion of Dog Run issue.
Ms Rosenthal noted that the current Southtown Dog Run
will remain for a few more months because Riverwalk Building 9 construction has been delayed due to developer Hudson Related not yet ready to sign the Ground Lease. RIOC believes Hudson Related will be ready to sign ground lease by April. RIOC will collect a $1 million penalty from Hudson Related for not signing ground lease by end of this year.
Come join RIOC and the entire Roosevelt Island community at the island’s annual Tree Lighting Ceremony on Friday, December 6th, 7 PM at the lawn south of Rivercross.
Island residents will be able to enjoy a night of holiday music and celebration, featuring The Funktion band, island community performers, hot beverages, warm cookies, raffle prizes, goodie bags and maybe even a visit from a special guest from the North Pole!
Also, don't miss the Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance Carolers at the subway station tomorrow evening and later at the Tree Lighting ceremony.
Last evening's Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Common Council meeting was revealing of the long standing problems associated with the community organization.
For the third month in a row, the RIRA meeting lacked a quorum of members - only about 7 members showed up.
RIRA Common Council Alternate Frank Farance addressed those members present during the Public Session noting that there are problems with the organization that need to be addressed. He said December's meeting is the sixth this year without a quorum of Common Council Members present and added:
... we have to operate better....
RIRA President Lynn Strong-Shinozaki took strong exception to Mr. Farance's remarks blaming his behavior for the organization's loss of members and creating, what she describes as, a toxic atmosphere. Mr. Farance objected to Ms. Shinozaki's characterization and recited long standing complaints by him and others over lack of transparency, mismanagement of Cherry Blossom Festival and failure to properly inform RIRA members about recent financial mismanagement allegations
Following the contentious back and forth, Mr Farance left and Ms Shinozaki continued speaking with the remaining RIRA members, though this was not a formal meeting due to the lack of a quorum. Ms Shinozaki presented her President's report and various other issues including affordable housing and meeting with Roosevelt Landings new ownership/management.
RIRA is in real trouble and its a shame because despite much dysfunction, at times they do some worthwhile and important activities and representation for the Roosevelt Island community.
Cornell Tech received a grant that spearheads a year of community planning to promote environmental understanding and boost sustainable practices on Roosevelt Island - which basically means designing a healthy and beautiful neighborhood that is kind to us and the earth. Whether you attended or missed the Engaged RI kick-off event on Zero Waste at the Tata Innovation Center last month please Save the Date and stop by The Sanctuary next week to continue the conversation - Wed., 12/11 from 4:30p - 7p for free Hot Chocolate and to share your ideas and to learn more. Short presentations will happen throughout the event.
This is a Zero Waste event so please bring your own mug (extras will be on hand as well).
Starting on Saturday, December 7th, the new hours of operation for the Roosevelt Island Food Scrap Drop-off will be on:
Saturdays, from 9:00 AM-1:30 PM.
Starting on Saturday, December 7th, this site will be operated by our partner organization, GrowNYC. For more information about GrowNYC Compost Programs, please visit grownyc.org/compost.
We are truly grateful for the outstanding efforts that members of the Roosevelt Island community have made to live more sustainably and help rebuild NYC’s soil. To find more drop-off locations near you and other ways to compost your food scraps, please visit nyc.gov/dropfoodscraps.
The Public Safety Department is hosting its annual NY Cares Coat Drive. This program has brought warmth to many needy families during our frigid winters and it is with this thought in mind that we ask the Roosevelt Island Community to step up to the plate once again by dropping off a gently used winter coat.
Donated coats will be accepted at the Public Safety Department
550 Main Street
24 Hours a day.
Now until December 27th
We thank you and your family for your continued generosity.
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) will be hosting a community Town Hall meeting tomorrow evening, December 3, starting 6 PM at Good Shepherd Community Center (543 Main Street) to discuss the details of the planned Nellie Bly Memorial with artist Amanda Matthews.
... The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) has selected Amanda Matthews/Prometheus Art to construct the Nellie Bly Monument on the northern end of Roosevelt Island at Lighthouse Park. The sculptural installation will be known as “The Girl Puzzle” and invites the viewer to experience many facets of Nellie Bly’s talent, conviction and compassion. The ground-breaking journalist and women’s rights advocate exposed the horrors of the Blackwell Island Insane Asylum in 1887 on Roosevelt Island.
“I am proud of the selection committee’s dedication to choosing such a passionate artist to honor the accomplishments of a woman who was truly ahead of her time,” said Susan Rosenthal, President and CEO of RIOC. “The committee, made up of RIOC employees and community leaders, unanimously selected this bold installation that will not only represent Nellie Bly’s time here, but her impact on the world.”
The installation will allow the viewer to enter a long walkway where they will encounter four, seven-foot-tall female faces, representing different ages and ethnicities, cast in bronze. A fifth face at the far end of the walkway will represent Nellie Bly. Each face will show the depth of emotion and the complexity of being broken and repaired, which was significant to the conditions Ms. Bly encountered when she posed as a mental patient to report on the conditions inside the mental hospital where the Octagon now stands. Construction of the installation is scheduled to be completed in the Summer 2020.
“It is my great honor to represent Nellie Bly’s life and legacy,” said artist Amanda Matthews, “and to celebrate her passion for diversity and inclusion. Her voice remains timely and significant today.”...
... Judith Berdy, historical society president; Rebecca Baker, SPJ president-elect; and Andrew Seaman, SPJ Ethics Committee chair, will discuss the historical significance of the site during the dedication at 1 p.m. EDT Sunday (Aug. 13) at the Roosevelt Island Historical Society’s Visitor Center kiosk.
"All of New York City obviously has a romantic history with journalism, but no other place has captured my attention more than Roosevelt Island.” Seaman said. “Each time I visit, I can't help but think of Nellie Bly's journey to the 'madhouse' and her contributions to the profession. I'm so happy that the Society of Professional Journalists decided to recognize Roosevelt Island with this honor."
The Octagon, which is located on the north end of the island, is an ornate stone building built in 1841 to house psychiatric patients in its two L-shaped wings. Patients brought to the island by boat were separated from the rest of society in what Charles Dickens referred to as a “lounging, listless, madhouse air.”...
... Since 1942, SPJ has honored the people and places that have played important roles in the history of journalism through the Historic Sites program. Some honorees include: Freedom’s Journal, the first Black newspaper published in the United States, and The Wheeling Intelligencer, the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in West Virginia.
See a complete list of past winners – and the 2017 winner -- here.
Here's the August 13, 2017 dedication and plaque unveiling
According to The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC), the RIOC Real Estate Development Advisory Committee (REDAC) will meet Wednesday December 4. The following items are on the 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, December 4, 2019 at 5:30 p.m. at the RIOC Operations Office, 680 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, New York.
Agenda:
Presentation regarding Memorial to Nelly Bly
Discussion of Dog Run Location
Discussion of Southtown Building 9 Closing Documents
Discussion of Transfer of Equity Interest regarding Roosevelt Landings
Any Other Committee Business That May be Brought Before the Committee
Some background on the Agenda items.
The Roosevelt Landings sale (valued at $340 Million as part of a $1.16 Billion multi apartment building portfolio sale) was approved by the RIOC Board of Directors during the October 17 Board meeting. According to this October 15, 2019 memo form RIOC President Susan Rosenthal in support of the Lease assignment, the new owner, L&M Fund Management:
... will enter into a Preservation Plan to preserve affordable housing at Roosevelt Landings, which will remain in effect throughout the remainder of the term of the Eastwood Lease. This plan will preserve 67% of Roosevelt Landings at rents ranging from 80% - 150% of AMI, with the remainder of the property at market rates. Tenants with market rate apartments at the time of closing will receive renewal leases with rent increases tied to the Rent Guideline Board increases, until these in-place tenants vacate their apartments. Section 8 and LAP (Landlord Assistance Program) tenants will remain in place....
... The Purchaser plans to perform over $25MM of capital improvements at Roosevelt Landings. These funds are financed with private capital coming from the Purchaser....
The new manager of the property will be C&C Apartment Management LLC replacing the current manager Urban American.
RIOC will receive a Transaction payment for the Roosevelt Landings lease assignment of $1,788,429.73.
Here's the discussion during October 17 RIOC Board meeting.
Representatives of the new Roosevelt Landings ownership (L&M Development) discussed the affordability plan during October 7, 2019 RIOC REDAC meeting.
Also, RIOC will be hosting a Nellie Bly Memorial Community Town Hall Meeting tomorrow December 3
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.
