Roosevelt Island residents and Public Safety Officers standing in the vicinity
of Nisi Restaurant at about 3 PM this afternoon were shocked, amazed and
surprised to hear a very loud "Plopping" sound and then saw that a Hawk fell
from the sky in the middle of Main Street.
Fortunately, the hawk did not
fall on anyone but was stunned and unable to fly away, occasionally shaking
one of it's wings.
A Roosevelt Island Public Safety Officer said that the Hawk was chasing some pigeons for lunch, flew into
side of the Roosevelt Landings building and fell to the ground on Main Street. The
Roosevelt Island Public Safety Officers did a great job directing Main Street
traffic making sure the hawk was not run over by cars and immediately called
Wildlife Freedom Foundation President Rossana Ceruzzi to aid the injured
hawk. Ms Ceruzzi is a
NY State Wildlife Animal Rehabilitator.
As Ms Ceruzzi approached the hawk, it flew away but very low to the ground and
hit a store window before flying away again to the top of the Nisi Restaurant
storefront.
Ms Ceruzzi, with the help of Roosevelt Island Public Safety and Grounds crew, climbed up a ladder trying to aid the injured hawk.
After a few more minutes the hawk was able to fly up, up and away without hitting any buildings.
Ms Ceruzzi explains that the hawk received a concussion when colliding with the building but recovered and was able to fly away.
The Carter Burden Network Roosevelt Island Senior Center invites you to do some of your Holiday Shopping at their Pop-Up market tomorrow (546 Main Street)
Roosevelt Island Disabled Association (RIDA) President gave us a tour today and shows off some of the Pop Up Market vendors.
Stop by tomorrow, take a look and pick up some unique gifts for your family and friends. Try out the food too. I hear it's delicious.
What do Charles Dickens, Nelly Bly, Scrooge and the people of Roosevelt
Island all have in common? They will all be appearing live this holiday
season on Roosevelt Island! The ghosts of Roosevelt Island will be coming to
life to tell a tale in which worlds are interwoven in a gripping and
meaningful story of equality, human connection and compassion, just in time
for the season of giving!
Composer and Co-writer, Fadner has been riding a ghostly train of thought
similar to the “greatest writer in English history”, Charles John Huffman
Dickens. Jonathan Fadner’s driving musical score ranges from totally rockin’
to heartbreakingly beautiful.
The musical is set on Roosevelt Island, featuring landmarks such as the
Smallpox Hospital and The Octagon (formerly the NYC Insane Asylum). Even the
Roosevelt Island Red Public Bus plays a role! Every year, since her husband
William (played by Gabriel Portuondo) died, the struggling yet optimistic
single mother Cheryl Makepeace (played by Kimbirdlee) reads “A Christmas
Carol” to her three young children, hoping to teach her kids goodwill and
kindness. This year, the family moved to Roosevelt Island, and Cheryl works
for the modern day Scrooge and real estate tycoon, Potiphar Stingyas (played
by Russ Cusick.) Circumstances arise to reveal inequalities and painful
pasts which lead to self-examination, redemption and valuable life lessons,
as the ghosts of the past try to break through and a memorable story is told
and sung.
... 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.”...
Tomorrow, December 10, The Girl Puzzle will open to the public.
Join us for the opening of The Girl Puzzle Monument honoring Nellie Bly
tomorrow, Friday, December 10th, starting at 12 PM in Lighthouse Park.
The monument, opening to coincide with Human Rights Day and designed by
Amanda Matthews of Prometheus Art, illuminates women who have endured
hardship but are stronger for it.
This is a free public event. Please note that there will be limited seating
but standing room only space will be available. Kindly wear warm clothing as
we expect cold weather.
We look forward to seeing you at this important celebration of women’s
empowerment, diversity, and inclusivity.
Here's former RIOC President Susan Rosenthal presenting the initial idea of The Girl Puzzle Nelly Bly memorial to the October 7, 2019 RIOC Board Real Estate committee meeting.
According to Ms Rosenthal:
... This came about as a result of the discussions we had with Judy Berdy of the Historical Society about the importance of Nellie Bly as well as a program that our Community Affairs Department did with the New York Public Library...
Ms Mathews Girl Puzzle presentation to RIOC Board followed Ms Rosenthal.
“The Girl Puzzle” honors journalist Nellie Bly, one of the island’s most famous, albeit temporary, residents. In 1887, at age 23, Bly acted her way into being committed to the Blackwell’s Island insane asylum to report on the conditions there. https://t.co/RSrQ3bRslA
A brand new art exhibit was unveiled in New York City on Friday of a monument to Nellie Bly, regarded by many as America’s first investigative journalist. It’s one of only a handful of public monuments in the U.S. that depict women. pic.twitter.com/qJ8X2skmg9
An immersive, multidisciplinary art experience & GALA celebration!
One of New York City's historic chapels is transformed into an elegant salon for a special evening of intimate chamber music, dance performance and art exhibit.
December 11th is the International Day of Tango which celebrates the history
and nature of a genre born from a mixture of multiple cultures. This Gala
celebrates our mission of unity through the arts and is a unique opportunity
to connect with artists of Leonardo Suarez Paz's PIAZZOLLA 100, who brought
numerous free concerts and classes to Roosevelt Island over the past several
years and to connect with community members.
The evening's program will showcase works in progress by the musicians of
PIAZZOLLA 100 and Nuevo Tango Ballet and feature artwork from "Paint the
Music" workshop, wines, meet the artists, and more. Featured artists include
Leonardo Suarez Paz, guitarist Greg Skaff and members of Nuevo Tango Ballet -
Olga Suarez Paz, Francesca Antonacci, Mathilde Guerrero and Brianna
Rivera.
WHEN: DECEMBER 11th, 2021 - 5-7 PM
WHERE: Historic Chapel of the Good Shepherd, 543 Main Street, New York NY
10044
Leonardo & Olga Suarez Paz were featured in the
Dear New York TV program last September. Watch this video to learn more about the artistic
Roosevelt Island couple.
Adib Mansour teams up with Marlene Steiner who has 30+ years of Real Estate experience in the New York
Metro area. Combining Adib’s passion and dedication towards Roosevelt Island, with Marlene’s long standing
experience in Real Estate, as well as COMPASS’ sophisticated tools and unique technologies, we will provide
you the answers to guide you through your Real Estate journey. By working with an expert COMPASS agent
we can put you ahead of the competition and provide you with personalized guidance.
Adib’s commitment to Roosevelt Island goes back to the first time he rented an apartment in Manhattan Park,
before the construction was even completed. He made Roosevelt Island his home in 1989 where he raised his family
and has been working passionately in the community as a youth advocate, fusing sports with education and
community engagement. He is fluent in French, and Arabic, and can converse in Italian. He has developed a
deep appreciation of different cultures, as well as a keen eye for design and detail through his previous 30+ yrs
career in Advertising and Design that spanned the US, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Adib has worked with
clients such as American Express, Chanel, and The Stock Market Photo. He is immediately recognizable by his
Blue Beard.
Adib is an avid Juventus fan and has an appreciation for great food and Friuli wines (North Eastern Italy). Adib
is always willing to recommend great restaurants and wines. His favorite cities are New York, Venice, and Paris. Adib values integrity, out of the box thinking, and connecting with people. He works diligently for the benefit
of his clients.
Whether you are planning to sell your apartment or purchase a new home, as COMPASS agents, we are able
to tap into numerous proprietary services. We will help you determine which services can deliver the greatest
return on your investment.
COMPASS Concierge is the
hassle-free way to sell your home faster and for a higher price with services like staging, flooring, painting, and
more. The entire process is designed for speed, so that work can begin and your home can sell as quickly as
possible. You’ll never have to worry about upfront costs or interest because, as your COMPASS agents, we will
be by your side throughout the process, advising you along the way. Julia, a happy COMPASS customer said it best: “The thing that was the most daunting for me about selling the home was how would I get it to market,
based on being retired and have limited income. And that’s where the COMPASS Concierge service was absolutely remarkable.” Her home was on the market for 12 days and she got 47% over ask price.
We offer the Bridge Loan Services Program to seamlessly move you into your next home. COMPASS Bridge
Loan Services provides access to competitive rates and dedicated support from well established industry lenders, with the exclusive option to get up to six months of your bridge loan payments fronted when you sell your
home with a Compass agent.
As a team, we will guide you step by step with extensive marketing designed by leaders in the industry, ensure
all closing paperwork is uploaded to Skyslope or relevant Deal Management system, confirm with attorney/title
company that all steps have been taken care of to prepare for closing.
If you’re looking to rent, most renters ask themselves “how can you search smarter for rentals?” By working
with The Marlene Steiner Group we can put you ahead of the competition and provide you with personalized
guidance and advanced search technologies on Roosevelt Island, or throughout the 5 boroughs.
A spectacular one bedroom home with grand proportions; This home sports a large, gracious entrance leading to a wide living room/dining combination. There is a separate renovated cooks kitchen. The bathroom is exquisitely renovated. The Bedroom is huge with two custom fitted closets. There are beautiful builti-ns for a TV and dresser and six closets in total. The apartment has city views with abundance of light, steps from Central Park and close to all modes of transportation, restaurants and stores.
A beautiful, large alcove studio completely renovated on East 61st Street off Third Avenue with newly renovated kitchen and bathroom.The apartment has gorgeous open Eastern views with light all day long. This is a full-service doorman building west of third avenue. Near Central Park and the world's finest retail Stores and restaurants.
Rentals:
401 East 60th Street, Unit 25B:
A magnificent 2 Bedrooms / 2 Baths, East 60's home in the sky!
Welcome to 11 foot ceilings and stunning city views. Light all day long. The living room is a large square room with 11 foot floor to ceiling windows, a south west exposure. The main bedroom sports 2 large closets including a walk-in. There is an ensuite marble bathroom. The second bedroom is magical with floor to ceiling windows and a southeastern exposure, as well as
a chef's kitchen with lots of cabinets and granite counters. There is a washer dryer in the unit as well. (This home is also available with furnishings if needed.)
Bridge Tower is a full service building with a doorman, concierge and a gym, a brand new roof-deck with beautiful furnishings and plantings, a playroom, and an additional laundry room.
Mr Kruvi plans to open the restaurant in the Spring of 2022.
Stay tuned for more info on the new Roosevelt Island Mediterranean restaurant.
Also, the space at 559 Main Street has been leased.
According to a Hudson Related representative:
559 is leased to a Stationary / Cards/ Gifts/ Electronics store. The tenant
will be focused around doing multi services related to mailing, similar to an
LJ Hub, including Western
Union, gifts, chargers, EarPods, bluetooth speakers, etc.
A New Addition To The Roosevelt Island Culinary Scene!
Chef/Owner Alon Kruvi, a Roosevelt Islander himself, will be opening a fast
casual Mediterranean outlet serving fresh homemade authentic sandwiches and
bowls in a contemporary cozy setting.
Food For All!
Vegan friendly, gluten free, along with traditional chicken, beef and lamb
will be available.
Locally sourced, prepared and baked in house, daily and fresh!
Ethel Romm was a wonderful woman who contributed greatly to the Roosevelt Island community. Sadly, Ethel Romm died last month. Daniel Romm shares the obituary of his mother, Ethel Romm.
Ethel Grodzins Romm (March 3, 1925 – November 9, 2021)
On November 9, 2021, Ethel Grodzins Romm died after an extraordinary life that encompassed careers as an engineer, interior designer, educator, author, journalist, construction manager, and technology company CEO. For 15 years she was Co-Chair of the Lyceum Society of the New York Academy of Sciences. She is also remembered as a lively raconteur, creative entertainer, and loving mother. She was 96 years old.
Early Life
Romm was born on March 3, 1925, in Lowell, Massachusetts, the oldest child of David Melvin Grodzins and his wife Taube Grodzins, eastern European Jewish immigrants. She grew up in Manchester, New Hampshire, and graduated from Manchester Central High School in 1942. Her brother Lee became a physicist and inventor, and her sister Anne Lipow was a librarian and library science expert.
Upon graduating from high school, Romm was trained as a mechanical engineering draftsman at Bausch Machine Tool Company in Massachusetts. With many men away from home serving in the war, she was quickly hired by the U.S. Air Force at Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts as a civilian draftsman, where she stayed for the rest of World War II, becoming a project supervisor. When the men returned, the Air Force fired the women whom they had trained. Romm later said wryly, “They couldn’t teach drafting to monkeys, so they had to hire women.” She worked for Associate Engineers, Inc., in Agawam, Massachusetts, from 1946 to 1954, where she headed crews that designed power transformers for General Electric.
Middletown, New York
She married newspaper reporter Al Romm (1926–1999) and moved, in 1957, to Middletown, New York, where her husband became the first editor of the Times Herald-Record newspaper. The couple had three sons: David, the host and producer of Shockwave Radio Theater on KFAI-FM; Daniel, a rehabilitative physician; and Joseph, a writer, physicist, and climate expert. Romm and her husband threw large, colorful parties at their home in Middletown, often for the casts of Broadway touring companies or politicians. Romm’s 50th birthday celebration had a “half century” theme. The invitation was printed half in gold and half in silver; it asked guests to “bring half a covered dish, so you don’t go home half-starved”.
During her 25 years in Middletown, Romm became an author, journalist, and interior and construction designer, and lectured on those subjects at Orange County Community College. In 1960, she won her third Dorothy Dawes Awards for excellence in home furnishings reporting. Romm has had articles published in Editor & Publisher, the ABA Journal, Esquire, New York Magazine, and Huffington Post, among others. She has written about '60s counterculture and the underground press (The Open Conspiracy (1970)), writing and editing style.
In 1972, Romm and her husband were invited to the White House as part of a gathering of the American Society of Newspaper Editors. The Secret Service became aware that Romm had a reputation for speaking her mind and was opposed to the war in Vietnam. While the couple was waiting in the reception line to meet President Richard Nixon, a Secret Service Agent asked Romm her intentions regarding any statements that she might make to the president. Romm and her husband left the White House without meeting the president and later received an apology from the White House.
Hartz, Niton and Later Years
Romm divorced and moved to New York City, where she continued to write. She was a project and construction manager for Hartz Mountain Industries from 1984 to 1988.
From 1988 to 2005, Romm was President, Chief Executive Officer and co-owner of Niton Corporation in Bedford, Massachusetts, founded by her brother Lee, which designed, built and sold lead and radon detectors, portable X-ray analyzers, and other environmental science equipment. Romm and her family sold Niton to a publicly traded company in 2005. Now 80 years old, she retired, returning to live in New York City.
From 2001 to 2016, she was Co-Chair of the Lyceum Society of the New York Academy of Sciences, which arranges lectures, discussions and other events for retired and semi-retired members of the Academy. She was also a member of the Roosevelt Island Resident Association Common Council. In 2016, the Jewish organization Workmen’s Circle devoted its annual winter benefit to a presentation on Romm’s life and work. She lived for the last few years in Washington, D.C.
Romm is survived by her sons Daniel and Joseph, granddaughter Antonia, grandson Jake and brother Lee.
Matt Katz captures the Ethel Romm known to Roosevelt Island residents:
Ethel and I were linked both by our love for Roosevelt Island and for our association at The New York Academy of Sciences where I ran the local lecture series for over twenty years and she hosted the Lyceum Society for retired members.
I will never forget my first foray into Roosevelt Island politics when I ran for the presidency of the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) representing this community through Island-wide elections. In 2000, running for my first term as RIRA Prez against an incumbent and as an unknown, I campaigned hard.
Having set up a table in Island House to greet my neighbors there, Ethel joined me and, when residents passed me by (as they sometimes did), she raced down the hall, shanghaied the miscreants, and brought them back to be harangued (excuse me persuaded) by... ME.
You want a shaker and mover like Ethel in your corner and my victory that year owed much to Ethel Romm!
Here's Ethel Romm describing her experiences working as a woman in the construction industry during an April 14, 2016 Non-Traditional Employment For Women/Cornell Tech job apprenticeship presentation.
Also, the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) singing Happy Birthday to Ethel on her 91st birthday
and an 88 year old Ethel Romm explaining that she stays healthy and fit by walking up 20 flights of stairs daily in her Rivercross building.
Happy to announce that on December 6, @nycHealthy Test and Trace Corps will deploy a mobile testing van to Roosevelt Island to meet the COVID testing needs of residents. The van will be there Dec 6-12th and come back as needed.
I'm delighted the city responded quickly to my call for a much needed testing unit starting next week on Roosevelt Island.
My
compliments to resident Susy Del Campo, Wendy Hirsch of Roosevelt
Island Disabled Association, and the Roosevelt Islander for their
advocacy efforts to keep the community safe as we navigate through the
evolving pandemic.
I have responded to constituents requests and I am pleased to announce that a mobile COVID-19 testing van has been secured to start on December 6th for several weeks at Good Shepherd Church.
— Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright (@SeawrightForNY) December 3, 2021
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) reports today:
On Monday, December 6th through Sunday, December 12th, the New York City Health + Hospital (NYCHH) mobile COVID testing unit will be at Good Shepherd Plaza from 8 AM to 7 PM (closing for lunch from 12:30 PM – 1 PM). NYCHH’s mobile unit will be offering PCR and Rapid Antigen tests at no cost, and no insurance is needed. Results of the Rapid Antigen test will be available in 15-20 minutes. No appointments are needed. The mobile unit will operate on a first-come, first-serve basis.
According to NYC Health Departmen, the most recent 7 Day Covid Testing Data from November 24 - November 30 for Roosevelt Island Zip Code 10044 shows 578 people tested and 15 Positive Case for a rate of 2.6%.
Residents lined up today at Good Shepherd Plaza to get Covid 19 Test from the The NYC Health & Hospitals Test & Trace
Cornell Tech Assistant Director of Government and Community relations Jane Swanson reports:
Please join us virtually for Community Conversations with Cornell Tech: Urban Tech. This event will be held on Monday, December 6th from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Register HERE.
The Urban Tech Hub at Cornell Tech was established in 2020 to leverage the power of technology to make cities stronger, fairer and more resilient. The mission of the Hub is to be a bridge between industry, government and academia. You will hear from Michael Samuelian, the Founding Director of the Urban Tech Hub, on the latest work of this exciting new initiative at Cornell Tech. In addition, Michael will describe two of the Hub’s latest initiatives, Rebooting New York: An Urban Tech Agenda for NYC and a new 10 Year Horizon Scan which forecasts trends in the future of cities and technology.
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.
