The NY Times and NY Post recently reported on treasure hunters diving in the cold waters of the East River searching for prehistoric woolly mammoth tusks allegedly lying on the bottom of the East River, near East 65th street, across from Roosevelt Island.
That Time Joe Rogan's Podcast Inspired Divers to Search the East River for Woolly Mammoth Tusks: https://t.co/ZoILi4duBv
...Expeditions on the East River started after Alaskan gold miner and fossil enthusiast John Reeves appeared Dec. 30 on the popular podcast — and citied a draft of a report by a former American Museum of Natural History worker referencing fossils and bones dumped in the river in the 1940s....
... were drawn to their spot, near East 65th Street, not by scientific data or the boat’s keen instruments, but by a massively popular podcast: “The Joe Rogan Experience.” In a recent interview on that show, which has an estimated audience of 11 million listeners per episode on Spotify, a guest from Alaska presented an explosive discovery: There are tens of thousands of priceless woolly mammoth tusks lying on the river floor....
Recently a story has been circulating about a boatload of pre-historic bones being lost in the East River around 65th Street in 1940. The bones were supposedly on their way from Alaska to the American Museum of Natural History. To date no evidence of the shipment has been located.
Despite a lack of evidence to back up the story, treasure seekers using boats, diving apparatuses and technology like remote-operated cameras have gone searching in New York City's East River, in hopes the murky waters are hiding woolly mammoth tusks. https://t.co/y4rJMqtfst
An expert revealed that there could be thousands of woolly mammoth tusks sitting on the bottom of the east river.@DonnieDoesWorld and @Billyhottakes decided to dip their toes in the water and find out.
A Tipster shares beautiful Roosevelt Island East River sunrise this morning
above the Riverwalk building 9 construction site.
Sadly for the Tipster and a few others, the view will soon be lost.
Here's more info on the $187 Million, 28 story, market rate rental building which will have 357 units including 104 workforce housing apartments for employees of Memorial Sloan Kettering and 7 thousand square feet of office space for the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp.
As far back as 1991, Roosevelt Island disabled residents were allowed to park for free at the Motorgate Garage,
but not any longer.
Without any prior notice from the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC), invoices were received last month by disabled residents informing them that their Motorgate Garage parking fees were increasing from zero to $125 per month.
During the January 17, Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Public Safety Committee meeting, Co-Chair Erin Feely-Nahem asked RIOC Public Safety Department Chief Kevin Brown about the new charges for disabled people parking at the Motorgate Garage. According to Ms Feely-Nahem:
... what are we going to do if people can't afford to pay for their handicapped spots...
Ms Feely-Nahem also expressed concern about increased traffic congestion on Main Street caused by the parking increase at Motorgate Garage.
Here's the RIRA Public Safety Committee discussion on the issue.
Today, Roosevelt Island elected officials including Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, NY State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright, NY State Senator Liz Kreuger and NYC Council Member Julie Menin sent a letter to RIOC President Shelton Haynes regarding this issue. According to the letter:
We are writing to you regarding the recent monthly increase for disabled permit holders
at the Motorgate Garage at 688 Main Street. We ask that you pause on implementing this fare
increase and consider a more gradual approach which gives impacted members of the
community more time to plan financially and become familiar with the new payment structure....
Here's the entire letter.
On February 2, RIOC sent out this advisory regarding the Motorgate Parking rate increases.
Dear Resident,
RIOC has announced price increases for monthly permit holders at the Motorgate Garage at 688 Main Street. It is important to note that the decision to make increases was not made lightly. Critical infrastructure improvements have been made in the sum of a $20M investment to the Motorgate Parking Garage. With the rise of operating costs, upcoming projects, and worldwide inflation, RIOC has decided to raise its parking rates for the first time in over ten years.
RIOC's approach when examining parking rates centered around a fair and equitable increase for all monthly permit categories. The notification of rate increases began in September 2022. Recently, the disabled and handicapped parking monthly permits have sparked a discussion in the community. To clarify, while RIOC streamlined its monthly permit categories, we observed discrepancies among the rates for certain Island community members. The senior citizen rate is a total of $125. In the spirit of fairness, RIOC matched the senior citizen monthly parking rate to the disability/handicap category.
It should be noted that the average monthly parking permit in New York City is $570, nearly 360% more than what our seniors and handicapped population pay. While many New York City garages do not offer handicap or senior monthly permit rates. RIOC chose not to eliminate these categories as we recognize our incredible elderly and disabled communities.
While no one enjoys hearing the words "price increase," please know that RIOC hears the community's concerns and has considered them. With the Island community at the forefront, RIOC remains far below the city average. Notices for the handicapped/disabled and senior rates went out via email using the addresses on file from the vendor SP+ in December 2022, aligned with the vendor's obligation to give permit holders 30 days’ notice.
Also, to provide you a brief update, RIOC understands the growing need for additional parking on the Island, which is why President & CEO Haynes announced that RIOC has plans for a traffic study aimed to better understand and identify where areas on the Island that can be redesigned for additional designated parking areas and transform underutilized spaces.
We hope to have provided some clarity on the issue and appreciate your understanding in advance.
In February 2022, RIRA Committee Chairs toured the Motorgate Garage exploring ideas for increasing parking spots and RIRA's Frank Farance proposed expanding the garage by building an addition in the currently vacant quadrant of the area.
UPDATE 2/13 - This evening, RIOC sent out the following email announcement:
Dear Roosevelt Island Community,
I have spoken to countless Island residents and stakeholders and have had time to consider your feedback concerning the permit rate increases, specifically the disabled rate at the Motorgate Garage. RIOC remains committed to finding an equitable solution for all. However, RIOC cannot lower the $125 fee and adopt a more minor increase, as this would not be fair to our elderly constituents. In the spirit of impartiality, I must stand by my decision, as both groups should be treated fairly.
To that end, RIOC will compromise as today I am announcing that all Motorgate Garage rate increases will be postponed, to be effective April 1, to ensure ample time is given to all permit holders beyond SP+’s required 30-day notice. The ample notice should provide all permit holders, including our disabled community, more time to plan financially and become familiar with the new payment structure. In the coming weeks, SP+ will communicate the timeframe for crediting permit holders' accounts for those subject to the increase.
For more information or concerns, please contact SP Plus at 1-800-245-4714.
I appreciate your understanding.
Best wishes,
SHELTON J. HAYNES
President & CEO
UPDATE 4/10:
According to RIOC:
Motorgate Garage Monthly Parking Permit Holders,
After careful consideration, RIOC has adjusted the monthly permit rates
at the Motorgate Garage – aiming to be fair and equitable to all Island
permit holders.
General Update:
Monthly permit holder rates will experience an annual 2% increase to
accommodate rising operating expenses and allow for further upgrades to
the facility, effective May 1, 2024.
Disabled Monthly Parking Permit Holders:
Beginning May 1, 2023, the Disabled monthly parking permit rate will be
reduced from the proposed $125 rate to $62.50 only for existing enrolled
customers before April 6, 2023, at 11:59 PM for a period of one year
through May 1, 2024. On May 1, 2024, the Disabled monthly rate will be
aligned with the Senior Citizen parking rate. All new customers applying
for the Disabled monthly parking permit rate will be subject to the
proposed $125 rate.
Disabled monthly parking permit holders who were charged for April will be reimbursed by the Garage operator SP Plus.
RIOC remains committed to preserving and protecting the quality of life
for all community members while also providing the gold standard of
services to our Island community,” said RIOC President and CEO Shelton
Haynes. “The disabled community is the heart and soul of the Island, and
I thank them for their continued partnership. A special thank you to
the President of RIDA, Wendy Hersh, for furthering the discussion and
collaboratively working with RIOC to find a more fair solution for all
Disabled Parking Permit holders.”
“I want to thank President Haynes and the Roosevelt Island Operating
Corporation for listening to our concerns and working with us to develop
a more affordable parking permit rate for individuals with
disabilities,” stated Wendy Hersh, President of the Roosevelt Island
Disabled Association (RIDA). “We appreciated RIDA having a seat at the
table when it came time to re-evaluate these rates, and we look forward
to continuing this productive, open, and honest dialogue with RIOC in
the future.”
RIOC remains committed to preserving and protecting the quality of life
of all community members while providing the gold standard of services. A
special thank you to the Roosevelt Island Disabled Association for
furthering the dialogue and working with RIOC in a collaborative effort.
Thank you for your continued support and cooperation.
... Last March,
NYC Council Member Julie Menin
told me that the MTA and
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) assured her that the OMNY payment system will be installed on the Roosevelt
Island Tram within this year....
The Roosevelt Island Tramway still continues to lack OMNY. Can you tell us why
this has been delayed and when you expect it to be installed so that our
Roosevelt Island residents and visitors can benefit from this service?
Mr Janno replied:
The answer is it's projected to happen in the second half of this year... ...
We didn't have software in some of the specialty locations like Roosevelt
Island Tram, the Air Train in Jamaica Station and a few other places. The
software has to catch up and we are working on it but that right now the
projection it's going to be the scond half of this year....
Yesterday, I asked Ms Seawright:
Thank you for asking the MTA Chair Janno Lieber about when the OMNY payment
system will be installed on the Roosevelt Island Tram and why it has been
delayed.
Mr Lieber said OMNY is projected to be installed on the Tram in the second
half of the year which is another in a long line of delays. He blamed
software and vendor delays as the reason for OMNY not being installed on the
Tram.
He did not say anything about issues agreeing to a new revenue sharing
arrangement with RIOC which RIOC has previously said was an obstacle with
the MTA to install OMNY on the Tram. Mr Janno said he "would be happy to get
in a specific dialogue with you".
Can you ask him if there are any issues other than software and vendor
problems to installing OMNY on the Tram and specifically including any issue
agreeing to a revenue sharing arrangement with RIOC for payment by riders
using OMNY on the Tram as well as transfers from the Tram to the subway and
bus.
Ms Seawright replied:
At yesterday’s legislative hearing in Albany, I asked MTA Chair Janno Lieber
about the effort to enable OMNY card holders to use their cards to transfer
onto or off the Roosevelt Island Tram — because the long delay in implementing
this capability is simply unacceptable. We need better answers from the agency
officials responsible. I’ll be following up to press for solutions that get us
past inter-agency squabbling and instead address the needs of Roosevelt Island
residents and New York City riders.
Roosevelt Island has been waiting for the MTA OMNY payment system to be
installed at the Roosevelt Island Tram stations as far back as 2020.
Former RIOC Chief Financial Officer spoke to Manhattan Community Board 8 in
September 2021 about
efforts to get the OMNY system
installed at the Roosevelt Island Tram
and during a June 8, 2022 RIOC audit committee meeting
(at 7 minute mark),
CFO O'Reilly reported that RIOC receives only $2.00 of the $2.75 Roosevelt
Island Tram fare.
On February 18, 2022, a MTA spokesperson responded to my inquiry saying:
The Roosevelt Island Tramway is an essential part of the city’s transit
network and it has been the MTA’s plan to have OMNY available to everyone
including riders of the tramway by integrating the contactless payment system
to help New Yorkers and visitors travel to and from Roosevelt Island. The MTA
is thrilled that our transit partners at the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp
(RIOC) want to join the OMNY team and we are working with them to offer OMNY
to those who use the Tramway.
In November 2022 a MTA spokesperson added:
The Roosevelt Island tram will be integrated with OMNY sometime in 2023. The
MTA is building out OMNY functionality for New York City Transit first, before
addressing other agencies, however we look forward to welcoming tram riders to
OMNY next year.
Over the last several years, the Roosevelt Island Twitterverse comments on the
lack of OMNY at the Tram.
This is great. But I can’t wait for OMNY to come to the Roosevelt Island
tram! 🚠https://t.co/zPoJpFZkdO
Good afternoon. The Roosevelt Island Tram is not operated by the MTA. As
outlined in our OMNY rollout plan, OMNY expansion to outside agencies will
take place later on in the rollout pending those agencies' agreements to
adopt OMNY. We encourage you to reach out to
@RIOCny. ^JTG
while we're complaining it's the stupidest thing that the tram doesn't
acccept
#omny
yet. Every subway station and bus, yes, but those ~six turnstiles at two
stops is too much to ask?
Heck, if you wanted to cheap out you
could do it with *one* turnstile each stop.
Hello Christopher, the Roosevelt Island Tram is operated by the Roosevelt
Island Operating Corp. (RIOC). It would be up to the organization to add
OMNY to their fare collection systems. ^JG
🚨🚨🚨BIG WIN FOR ROOSEVELT ISLAND: Last week, my office sent a letter
to @RiocCeo asking them to expedite the adoption of OMNY on the Roosevelt
Island Tram. Today, RIOC and
@MTA told our
office that in response they have made changes to plans and will now
expedite this. (1/3)
pic.twitter.com/wAxC8AofBy
@NYCTSubway
neither of the metrocard machines are working on the Roosevelt Island tram
and no OMNY so NO WAY to access the tram if need to refill card - no sign on
machines either. YOU SUCK!!
@NYCTSubway@RIOCny second
weekend in a row (at least) that neither metro card machine at the tram on
Roosevelt Island is accepting credit cards. One isn’t taking cash either. Do
we really have to wait 6+ more months for the Omny? This is ridiculous.
UPDATE 2/9 - On February 7, I followed up on a November 28, 2022
email inquiry to RIOC President Shelton Haynes and Communications Assistant Vice
President Akeem Jamal about the status of OMNY installation on the Roosevelt
Island Tram. I asked:
I am following up on email below regarding installation of MTA OMNY system
on the Roosevelt Island Tram.
When do you anticipate the OMNY system to be installed on the Roosevelt
Island Tram?
What is the reason for the long delay?
Former RIOC CFO John O'Reilly has reported that a reason for the delay
installing OMNY on the Roosevelt Island Tram is because RIOC and the MTA
have not reached an agreement on a revenue sharing arrangement for payment
by riders using the Tram and switching from the Tram to the subway or bus.
Is that true?
Does RIOC have any comment to the Roosevelt Island community on installing
OMNY at the Roosevelt Island Tram?
There has been no response from RIOC about the status of OMNY installation
on the Tram, continuing the practice of Mr Haynes and Mr Jamal in refusing
to answer questions by local press in order for RIOC to:
Roosevelt Island resident Verna Fitzpatrick invites you to the Church Of The Good Shepherd February 12 Black History Month Celebration.
According to Ms Fitzpatrick:
The Church of the Good Shepherd is dedicated to reach out to the Roosevelt Island community in multiple ways. As you many know, in addition to regular
Sunday morning services, we sponsor a Candlelight service during the
Christmas season, a Youth Choir, Blessing of the Animals during the
month of October and this month we are Celebrating Black History Month.
Our Black History Month Celebration features Roosevelt Island residents including the
well known musician Roy Eaton and Jackie Moscou, who worked as an actress in
Seattle. In addition, Elena F. Sifford is a former Roosevelt Island
resident who is currently Associate Professor of Art History and
Director of Latin American and Caribbean Studies at Muhlenberg College;
Leandrew Hill, a member of our congregation has spent over 13 years at
the Metropolitan Opera of New York, Stacey Robinson an Operatic
Baritone, is a Julliard trained singer who has performed in multiple
Broadway productions including Phantom of the Opera. Mr. Robinson also
does voiceovers, commercials and television. Mr. Piniella is also a
Broadway actor with multiple credits to his name.
The
program is scheduled on Sunday, February 12th from 3pm to 4:30pm with a
reception following the event in the lower community room. Come one, come all and join us in music, spoken word history and more to celebrate Black History Month at the Roosevelt Island Church Of The Good Shepherd.
... Roosevelt Island resident Joyce Short was a leader in the successful organizing efforts to keep Roosevelt Island in the traditional Manhattan State
Senate and City Council Districts. Ms Short is getting ready to organize
against the draft Assembly map removing Roosevelt Island from the rest of
Manhattan....
Ms Short reports today:
Tomorrow is the day for the NY State Independent Redistricting Commission's
hearing on whether Roosevelt Island's Assembly District will be drop kicked
to Queens.
As a Manhattan Island with strong ties to the mainland of Manhattan for
close to 50 years, and a government infrastructure from the State of NY
where Manhattan representation is essential to voice our interests in
Albany, this change could be extremely harmful for our community.... for our
school, for operating our tram, for construction during the expansion of
Cornell Tech, for our policing, and more.
The public is invited to testify beginning at 4 PM tomorrow afternoon. 4 PM
today is the cutoff for written comments.
Commissioners on New York's redistricting panel voted Thursday to advance a
new proposed map for state Assembly legislative boundaries. I am very
disappointed to see that the proposal for our AD76 would eliminate Roosevelt
Island and redistrict it to a Queens Assembly District. I am committed to
fighting alongside constituents to keep Roosevelt Island where it belongs.
Roosevelt Islanders were so powerful in their testimony during the New York
City Council districting process, I believe together we can make an
unequivocally strong argument to keep Manhattan's Roosevelt Island with our
Manhattan Assembly District 76. The process for state redistricting requires
rigorous scrutiny, consistent with a process that ensures fairness, provides
a platform for all voices, and carefully reviews all options.
The next steps are a series of public hearings around the State. The hearing
in Manhattan will be on February 7, 2023 at the Hunter College Kaye
Playhouse. I urge all concerned to share their views by testifying in person
or submitting comments to the Commission directly at
www.nyirc.gov/participate.
Roosevelt Island and Upper East Side Democratic Party leaders oppose splitting
Roosevelt Island Assembly District representation from the Upper East Side.
We can do this! Wear your best Roosevelt Island RED and show up for our
community even if you don't want to speak. Travel with the "Group Meet",
F train, RI station, 3 PM Tuesday, 2/7.
Here's the proposed NY State Assembly map moving Roosevelt Island from the
Manhattan 76 AD to the mostly 36 AD.
UPDATE 2/8 - Here's the testimony delivered on behalf of Assembly Member Seawright at the NYS Independent Redistricting Commission hearing yesterday afternoon at Hunter College. Ms Seawright was in Albany for the legislative session.
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.
