Roosevelt Island $5.4 Million McManus Field Comfort Station Opens Last Friday, Restrooms Closed And Out Of Service Until Further Notice Today, Concession Area Planned For Area - Remembering Chief Jack McManus Too
Last Friday, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) opened a much needed $5.4 million Comfort Station
and seating areas
named for the former Roosevelt Island
Public Safety Chief Jack McManus.
Unfortunately, RIOC reported today:Nothing was more welcoming than the smile of Jack McManus. A staunch supporter of youth sports and beloved Chief of the Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department from 2013 to 2019, you could always count on seeing Jack enthusiastically greet the soccer players he coached on the field that now bears his name.
With the opening of the McManus Field Welcome Station, we hope that there will, once again, be a steadfast welcoming presence on a field that Jack loved so much.
Originally built in 1994, the $5.4M renovated McManus Field Welcome Station, designed by landscape architects, Abel Bainnson & Butz and building architects, Jack L. Gordon Architects, offers artful and energy-efficient upgrades that transform the dated comfort station and surrounding area into an inviting, accessible, and holistic focal point.
The most notable enhancement to the building is the 2,000 square foot green roof covered in a mix of sedum plants. This roof has already begun to serve as a habitat for natural wildlife, increasing local biodiversity. It will mitigate storm water by retaining rainfall and acting as a filtration system that will help purify and evaporate rainwater before it reaches sewers. Additionally, it will provide shade, reduce urban heat, improve air quality, and extend the life of the roof by protecting it from extreme temperatures and direct ultraviolet radiation.
The building and surrounding area are now completely ADA accessible and include an expanded communal area with added picnic tables and natural seating created from existing stones, allowing approximately 150 individuals to enjoy the area where, previously, only 20 would be accommodated. Recycled wood that sustainably and visually relates to the surrounding recreational green space clads the exterior. The incorporation of natural elements continues with the addition of over 1300 shrubs, new trees, ornamental grasses, and perennials that together shape a lush, 8,000 square foot urban oasis.
Area pathways have been improved for safer travel while drinking fountains, an irrigation system, and storage for field grooming equipment have been added. Concessions are expected to open in the fall of 2021.
The McManus Welcome Station restrooms are currently closed for servicing. We will let you know when the facilities have reopened.
I asked RIOC why the restrooms needed servicing days after they opened. No response yet.
Chief Jack McManus was beloved by many members of the Roosevelt Island community. As reported in 2019:
... On Tuesday June 25, members of the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Public Safety Committee and other residents gathered together to tell Chief McManus how much he has meant to our community and to thank him for his service. It was a remarkable occasion of residents expressing their deep personal affection and respect for Chief McManus and appreciation for the positive transformation and professionalism he brought to the Roosevelt Island PSD after years of tension and conflict between many in the community and the PSD. There was much love, laughter and even tears in the room.
Watch the video of what happened. It was a wonderful time and Chief McManus deserves all the respect, appreciation and love that was shown in the room...
UPDATE 9/9 - From RIOC:
Restrooms at the McManus Welcome Station are now open. We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you kindly for your patience.
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