Roosevelt Island Landmarked Late 18 Century Renovated Blackwell House Now Open To The Public - Come Visit Blackwell House And Explore Historical Treasures That Shaped Identity And Culture Of Roosevelt Island Says RIOC

As reported Wednesday, November 18:

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) hosted a social distancing ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of long awaited renovation of Roosevelt Island's late 18th, early19th century landmarked Blackwell House today. ...

You can now visit Blackwell House 

and see it for yourself. RIOC announced today: 

Just in time for the holiday season, RIOC has unveiled the newly renovated Blackwell House and opened its doors to the public! 

Take a moment to explore the rich and impactful historical treasures, records, and archives that have shaped the identity and culture of Roosevelt Island. Experience firsthand the historically accurate décor, as well as images of other landmarked structures and buildings on the island that are no longer standing. 

Blackwell House will be open to the public from Wednesday to Sunday, 11 AM – 5 PM, and will be closed on all major holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.).

As we express our excitement and enthusiasm to showcase an important landmark, we must also continue to respect and practice the current guidance from NY Forward regarding COVID-19. We urge all visitors to adhere to the following safety guidelines to ensure we keep each other safe and protected during the pandemic.

Safety Guidance 

• The maximum capacity for Blackwell House is 25% occupancy, or not more than seven (7) people. 
• All visitors over two (2) years of age must wear a mask. 
• All visitors must stay socially distant (a minimum of six feet apart). 
• All visitors must use hand sanitizer upon arrival.

 General Visitor Guidance

• There is no fee for entry. 
• There will be a 30 minute limit for all visitors. 
• Visitors are only permitted on the first floor of Blackwell House and encouraged not to linger. 
• No food or drinks (no open containers) are permitted in Blackwell House. 
• Bags may be checked upon entry.

We hope you enjoy your visit! For more info, please visit: rioc.ny.gov/176

Following the ribbon cutting ceremony, Roosevelt Island Historical Society (RIHS) President Judy Berdy gave a brief talk about history and future plans for Blackwell House.

 

Blackwell House is now open to the public! For information on hours and safety guidance, please visit https://t.co/lYfhPqP01r. #BlackwellHouse #WhatisOldisNewAgain pic.twitter.com/uS3cXmWnty

— RIOC NYS (@RIOCny) November 20, 2020

More info and video from the Blackwell House ribbon cutting ceremony here.

Sponsored Post - Get Ready For Thanksgiving, Check Out Roosevelt Island Foodtown Supermarket November 20 - November 26 Product Offerings, Specials & Sales Items - Online Shopping, Delivery Options, Digital Coupons, Nutritional Tips & Social Media Facebook And Instagram Too

The Roosevelt Island Foodtown Supermarket 

invites you to check out their November 20 - November 26 Weekly Flyer for Product Offerings, Specials & Sales Items

Click here to visit the Roosevelt Island Foodtown Supermarket web site for online shopping, delivery options, digital coupons, weekly flyer and more.

Follow Roosevelt Island Foodtown Supermarket on Facebook

 
and Instagram too.

Roosevelt Island Transportation This Weekend - Subway, Tram, Ferry & Citibike - Keep Your Social Distance And Wear Face Covering On Public Transportation - Tram Cabin Social Distancing Capacity Increased To 35 Passengers

According to the MTA, there is Roosevelt Island F train service to and from Manhattan this weekend. E train service too.

Remember: your mask goes over your mouth AND your nose.

Help stop the spread by wearing your mask (correctly).

Need a mask? Ask a station agent at any booth. pic.twitter.com/PVccD6ZnFn

— MTA. Wear a Mask. Stop the Spread. (@MTA) November 20, 2020

#HappeningNow: We’re at the #RooseveltIsland F train station with Roosevelt Island Public Safety distributing FREE masks and hand sanitizer. Let’s keep our communities healthy! @RIOCny pic.twitter.com/0f1Kv54wob

— Senator Jose M. Serrano (@SenatorSerrano) November 18, 2020

According to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC):

While we continue to follow social distancing and align our operations with New York Forward guidance, we also continue to incrementally increase the number of passengers permitted on the Tram. Tram capacity will increase on Sunday, November 1st, from 20 to 35 passengers per cabin, and we will continue to assess and gradually increase in phases. 

We understand the need for this mode of transportation, however, the health and safety of our riders and operators are our priority. We appreciate your cooperation.

Dear @RIOCny, if you're going to allow dozens of people on the Roosevelt Island Tram, wouldn't it be safer for everyone involved to keep the roof windows open?https://t.co/Vq0BDrLWeh

— Philip Boroff (@PhilipBoroff) November 20, 2020

Here's the NYC Ferry Roosevelt Island Astoria Route Schedule which now extends to East 90th street on the Upper East Side.

Also, Roosevelt Island Citbike docking stations.

Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance Roosevelt Island Thanksgiving Food Drive Is Asking For Your Help - Make A Difference In A Neighbor's Life And Drop Your Grocery Items At 507 Main Street

According to Roosevelt Island's Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance (MST&DA): 

MSTDA is proud to announce its first Thanksgiving Food Drive! 

Starting this week and throughout the whole month of November, help us make a difference in someone’s life.

While you are out grocery shopping, consider picking up some extra items from the list below. 

Our designated drop-off center is located at 507 Main Street (Music & Play Station) during the times of 4-6pm Tues, Thur & 10:30am-12pm Tues, Thur & Sat.

Or bring it when your child attends class! If class is in session, please kindly leave your items outside the door and do not enter the space during classes.

   

 Please donate items by November 22nd. Here is a list of needed items:

Canned goods with pop-top lids are better than canned goods that require a can opener. Avoid foods packaged in glass. Do not donate foods that are past the expiration date.)  

Applesauce 

Brown Rice 

Read more »

Watch Ribbon Cutting Ceremony For Roosevelt Island's Landmarked Late 18th Century Renovated Blackwell House - Take A Virtual Tour Inside With RI Historical Society, Was That Mrs Blackwell On Porch Today Too?

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) hosted a social distancing ribbon cutting ceremony

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @rooseveltislander

celebrating the completion of long awaited renovation of Roosevelt Island's late 18th, early19th century landmarked Blackwell House

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @rooseveltislander

today.

Read more »

RIOC President Announces Sportspark Pool Reopening Saturday November 21 During Town Hall Meeting Yesterday, Local Swimmer Overjoyed With News - Watch Video Of The Town Hall Hosted By Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright

During yesterday's Roosevelt Island Town Hall hosted by Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright, Roosevelt island Operating Corp (RIOC) Acting President Shelton Haynes announced that the Sportspark Pool, 

closed due to lack of lifeguards since last November 6, will reopen Saturday November 21.

According to a RIOC advisory this afternoon:

Please be advised, the Sportspark Pool will reopen this Sat., Nov. 19th, with its regular operating hours.

Pool Operating Hours:

Monday – Wednesday: 7:30 AM – 3:00 PM

Saturday – Sunday: 10:30 AM – 6:00 PM

Closed Thursday and Friday.

We thank you for your patience during this time and apologize for any inconvenience.

The date in advisory should be Saturday November 21.

Upon learning of the Sportspark Pool reopening, swimmer Roberta Kleinman remarked:

OMG!!! I am overjoyed with the news!

Here's the full Town Hall Meeting hosted by Ms Seawright with:

• Mr. Haynes, 
• Coler resident and activist Vincent Pierce, 
• Cornell Tech Assistant Director of Community And Government Affairs Jane Swanson,
• Roosevelt Island Historical Society President Judy Berdy and
• Roosevelt Island Residents Association President Rossana Ceruzzi

Read 1977 NY Times Article On Beginning Of Roosevelt Island As A Residential Community - Rivercross Coop Buyers Eager For Utopia To Begin Says Headline

 Read about Roosevelt Island 1977 pioneers in this fascinating NY Times article.

Fascinating to read this piece about Rivercross and Roosevelt Island 43 years on. I think a lot has stayed the same, despite all the obvious change. #rooseveltisland https://t.co/MVbW5priEI

— Minnehanonck (@minnehanonck) November 17, 2020

The changing nature of Roosevelt Island affordability for middle income and working class people was the subject of this excerpt from a very interesting video previously posted last week by You Tuber Black In The Core showcasing what he describes as:

Roosevelt Island Gentrification - Stealing The Dream

 

One does not necessarily have to agree with all of the reporting in this video but the issues raised of gentrification and affordability are real. The video does not mention the new 340 unit Hudson Related Riverwalk Park affordable housing building in the process of opening on Roosevelt Island or the hard fought affordability plans negotiated for privatization of the original Mitchell Lama buildings.

Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance Best Roosevelt Island Egg Nog Recipe Contest - Winning Recipes Featured In MST&DA Holiday Season Musical The Ghosts All Around Us

Kimbirdlee Fadner, Assistant Executive Director of the Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance (MST&DA) reports:

The 1st Annual Cheryl Makepeace Egg Nog Recipe Contest
 

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS! The 1st Annual Cheryl Makepeace Egg Nog Recipe Contest! Email your best egg nog recipes to info@mstda.org. Deadline is midnight on Monday, Nov 23rd. Top 3 winners will be announced on Dec 4th at the MSTDA Annual Fundraiser: "THE GHOSTS ALL AROUND US": A Sneak Peek to the making of a musical. The selected recipes will be served at the performances on Dec 11-13, 2020. All events will be Live & Live Streamed through Youtube and Facebook. More details coming soon! 

 THE GHOSTS ALL AROUND US was commissioned by MSTDA for the Roosevelt Island community for the 2020 holiday season. Written by Jonathan Fadner and starring a multi-generational and diverse cast, this new musical will present its first staged reading on Dec 11-13th. 

*Egg Nog recipes can be alcoholic, non-alcoholic, dairy or non-dairy.

Roosevelt Island's Landmarked 18th Century Blackwell House Having Virtual Ribbon Cutting Ceremony November 18 Following Long Awaited Completion Of Exterior And Interior Renovation

A virtual ribbon cutting ceremony for the long awaited completion of Roosevelt Island's landmarked Blackwell House exterior

and interior

Images From RIOC

 renovation project is taking place tomorrow, November 18.  

 

According to the Roosevelt Island Historical Society (RIHS):

... This simple well-proportioned house, built for James Blackwell between 1796 and 1804, is the sole surviving building on Roosevelt Island which dates from the period when the island was still privately held property. The Blackwell family owned and farmed the island from the late 17th century until 1828, when it was sold to the City of New York. Blackwell’s Island, as it was long known, had been inherited by Mary Manningham Blackwell from her stepfather, Captain John Manning... 

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) reported yesterday:

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) today announced the ribbon cutting for the newly renovated Blackwell House. Located at 500 Main Street, this two-story landmark is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is home to some of the island’s most historical treasures, records, and archives. This socially distanced, special invite only event will take place on Wednesday, November 18th at 11:30 AM, and will be live streamed on RIOC’s Instagram page (rooseveltislandrioc).

“We are pleased to bring this well-loved island landmark back to life, using it to tell the history of Roosevelt Island through exhibition, as well as through community stories and experiences,” said RIOC Acting President & CEO, Shelton J. Haynes.

Established around 1796, the Blackwell House’s renovated interior features historically accurate décor from the 18th Century and includes images of other landmarked structures and buildings on the island that are no longer standing. The first floor of Blackwell House will be open to the public during specified times for viewings and tours.

The Blackwell House Interior Project was a jointly funded project by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) and RIOC, with a total project cost of $2.9 million. The work included installation of new partitions, stairs, ceilings, doors, trimming, heating and ventilation system, and as well as electrical, plumbing and fixtures. A new ADA compliant access ramp was also added to the exterior, providing access next to the front porch, which was also given an upgrade.

Roosevelt Island Historical Society President, Judy Berdy said, “Blackwell House serves as a concrete link to our past. If you have never taken a really good look at the house, you should note the delicate decorative work under the eaves of the roof and appreciate the scale and proportion.”

Throughout the years, the house served as residential quarters for local almshouse wardens and hospital directors, and was used for small community celebrations in the 1970s. The original resident of the home was James Blackwell, whose father inherited the island from his wife's stepfather, Captain John Manning, the Sheriff of New York. New York City purchased the island from the Blackwell family in 1823 to build institutions for the most populous city in the country. 

Read more »

Reelected NY State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright Hosting Roosevelt Island Virtual Town Hall Tuesday November 17 With RIOC President, Coler Community Activist, Cornell Tech Rep & RIHS President - Register To Attend And Submit Questions

NY State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright is hosting a virtual Roosevelt Island Town Hall meeting on Facebook Tuesday, November 17 starting at 7 PM.

Registration is required and you can submit questions in advance here.

Ms Seawright announced in a press release today:

Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright clinched a historic victory today as the first candidate ever to win re-election to the State legislature on an independent party ballot line, representing the Upper East Side, Yorkville, and Roosevelt Island. 

With all precincts reporting and all absentee ballots counted, Seawright carried nearly 60 percent of the votes in the 76th Assembly District, handily defeating a Republican Party- endorsed candidate who also ran with the backing of the Liberal Party.  

Read more »

Seagull Having Fresh East River Fish For Lunch On Roosevelt Island Shoreline Rocks

Kristin GoldMansour spotted this seagull lunching on East River fresh fish yesterday afternoon on the Roosevelt Island shoreline rocks between Island House and Westview.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @rooseveltislander

UPDATE 5:20 PM:

The gulls have been out circling so much on the river the last few days!

— engaged worm 💍 | bIm (@indigogurt) November 16, 2020

You're Invited To Roosevelt Island Virtual Seminar - What Does It Mean To Age Successfully: Myths & Realities Hosted By Cornell Tech & Weill Cornell Medicine Monday November 16

Weill Cornell Medicine and Cornell Tech are hosting a virtual seminar on;

What Does It Mean To Age Successfully: Myths & Realities

tomorrow.

According to Weill Cornell Medicine/Cornell Tech:

Register for the virtual seminar here. Zoom information provided following registration. We hope you will join us virtually!

What Does it Mean to Age Successfully: Myths & Realities hosted by Weill Cornell Medicine and Cornell Tech. 

When: Monday, November 16, 2020 at 4:00 PM 

This session will discuss recent findings about what it means to age successfully, and review basic information about “population aging.” The seminar will provide an understanding about the myths and realities of aging, as well as highlight the activities currently happening at the Weill Cornell Medicine’s Center on Aging and Behavioral Research. 

Presented by: Sara J. Czaja, Ph.D. Professor of Gerontology Director, Center on Aging and Behavioral Research Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine

Here's more info on the Weill Cornell Medicine Center on Aging and Behavioral Research

Gorgeous Photos Of Roosevelt Island Waterfront Promenade Autumnal Colors And Sunrise Seen From Tram By Local Artist Georgette Sinclair

Roosevelt Island artist Georgette Sinclair shares these photos

taken of Roosevelt Island's beautiful autumnal colors

 and Waterfront Promenade as she was walking home recently

Ms Sinclair's photos of an October Sunrise seen from the Roosevelt Island Tram are stunning too.

According to Ms Sinclair:

I am a Roosevelt Islander Islander for more then 30 years. I am in love with this Island that never stops amazing me with its beauty. I am an artist at my soul, I belong to different art organizations, including Gallery RIVAA.

I paint and photographed moments in time of the Island and it is never enough. I am into poetic scapes and I wish I could paint more. I work full time as a Doctor of Audiology and I am just stealing time for painting.

I am also a member of the Salmagundi Club since 2000, and I served as one of the Vice Presidents for 4 years, and continue to be part of the art committee. The club has 2 art auctions per year. At the spring auction they sold one of my paintings of a beautiful tree from 4 Freedom Park 

which I painted last year in full autumn colors.

This past weekend I went to see my beloved tree that inspired me, and I was heartbroken to see that it was cut off completely, they killed it along with the other beautiful trees from the Manhattan side. 

I love the Island and I experience so many of the changes during the years, but I did not expect this.

You can learn more of Ms Sinclair's art work at Gallery RIVAA, Roosevelt Island Historical Society (RIHS) and her website.