Sponsored Post - 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season Is Here, NYC Emergency Management Department Wants You To Know Your Hurricane Zone, Be Ready And Be Prepared - Roosevelt Island In Zones 2 And 3

According to the NYC Emergency Management Department (NYCEM):

Coastal Storms & Hurricanes: Know Your Zone!

If a coastal storm or hurricane hits NYC, would you know what to do?

Know Your Zone!

If a big storm hits, The City may order residents in certain zones to evacuate depending on the hurricane's track and projected storm surge. Knowing your hurricane evacuation zone in advance can prevent stress and evacuation delays if you are asked to evacuate because of an incoming hurricane or coastal storm.

The Hurricane Evacuation Zone Finder will let you know if you’re located in a zone and will show you your nearest evacuaton center. You can also call 311 (212-639-9675 for Video Relay Service, or TTY: 212-504-4115) to find out if you live in a zone.

The Hurricane Evacuation Zone Finder also shows City evacuation centers which are all pet friendly.

Note: FEMA Flood zones are used to determine flood insurance requirements and building code. Residents should not use FEMA’s flood zones to determine the need to evacuate during coastal storms. The City will determine which of the hurricane evacuation zones (from zone 1 up through zone 6) should be evacuated based on the characteristics of an actual storm as it is approaching the city. For more information about flood zones, visit www.floodhelpny.org.

NYCEM adds:

... The 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season began on June 1. In New York City, peak hurricane season runs from August through October....

Roosevelt Island residents live in both Zones 2 

and 3 

depending upon the location of your building. As shown in the NYC Hurricane Evacuation Zone Finder below, the Roosevelt Island buildings colored in brown are in Zone 2 and those colored in Yellow are in Zone 3. The nearby Evacuation Centers are shown too.
 

The Octagon, Manhattan Park, Westview, Island House, Roosevelt Landings, Cornell Tech, Coler Hospital and Riverwalk 480, 475, 460 and 430 Main Street buildings are in Zone 2.

Riverwalk 405, 425, 455, 465 and Rivercross (531) buildings are in Zone 3.

Click here for the NYCEM Hurricane Zone Finder and Sign Up Here to get hurricane and other emergency alerts from NYCEM.

Here's some scenes of what Roosevelt Island looked like during Hurricane Sandy in October 2012

 Westview Promenade Image Courtesy of Brian Dorfman

 Roosevelt Island Lighthouse Park Under Water From Hurricane Sandy Via Kate Williams Tweet

and a report on Roosevelt Island damage caused by Hurricane Sandy.

Click here for more emergency hurrincane planning information

from the NYC Emergency Management Department.

Watch Video As Visitor Takes Us On A Tour Of Roosevelt Island Graduate NYC Hotel By Hilton, Take A Look At Rooms With Fantastic Views And Unique Decor, Rooftop Panorama Cocktail Bar, Anything At All Lobby Restaurant And Stroll To Southpoint And FDR Four Freedoms Park

The Retrospectrum You Tube Channel visited Roosevelt Island last June and stayed at the Graduate Hotel on the Cornell Tech campus. Follow along as they take us inside the Roosevelt Island Graduate Hotel, check out the rooms, Panorama Room Rooftop Cocktail bar, Anything At All lobby restaurant and walk around the south end of Roosevelt Island.

As reported last March, the Graduate Hotel brand, including the Roosevelt Island hotel, was sold to Hilton Hotels for $210 million.

Hilton Hotel Coming To Roosevelt Island With $210 Million Purchase Of Graduate Hotel Brand https://t.co/qzNUMx4kYQ pic.twitter.com/rGm8xs9BL0

— Roosevelt Islander (@Rooseveltisland) March 28, 2024

The transition to Graduate by Hilton brand for the Roosevelt Island hotel is expected to be complete by next week.

Here's the June 2, 2021 ribbon cutting ceremony

for the opening of the Roosevelt Island Graduate Hotel.

How To Keep Rosie The Roosevelt Island Turkey Safe From Car Traffic As She Crosses Main Street?

The folks at Manhattan Bird Alert are concerned for the safety of Rosie (A/K/A Astoria) the Roosevelt Island wild Turkey. 

Astoria the Wild Turkey climbs up from her below-street-level hideaway on Roosevelt Island. 🦃 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/mfnMGnuSJS

— Manhattan Bird Alert (@BirdCentralPark) August 26, 2024

According to a message they sent to me:

We wanted to raise a concern about the Turkey that you might be able to address. Astoria crosses streets every day and that is a bit dangerous. She sometimes appears to wait for traffic to move through. Sometimes people help her make it across safely. And the speed limit is low. 15 mph we believe. All good things.

Maybe you have some ideas on how to make her life even safer. Signage perhaps? Encouraging local drivers to watch out for her? Encouraging pedestrians to help her when she is near the road?

I recommended contacting the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) about any signage or other measures to keep Rosie the Turkey safe.

This afternoon, Rosie was spotted crossing Main Street from Blackwell Park to the Rivercross lawn as cars waited for her to get onto the sidewalk.

Also today, a Roosevelt Island tipster shares these photos of the Canadian Geese stopping Main Street traffic. According to the Tipster:

This traffic jam made me laugh. 

A lady had to get out of the car to shoo them away.

They wouldn't budge.

Here's more of Rosie exploring Roosevelt Island and crossing streets.

Any ideas?

It appears that there are still some people harassing Rosie.

I just had to yell at some tourists to stop chasing the Roosevelt Island turkey. Not on my watch yo. https://t.co/QaHoM8r0Aa

— TCI (@timecrystalsinc) August 29, 2024

Sponsored Post - Ignite Your Child's Tennis Passion - Sign Up For The Fall Junior Tennis Program At The Roosevelt Racquet Club Led By Top Notch Experienced Coaches Teaching At Every Level, Come Visit Us Today

JOIN THE FUN.

FALL JUNIOR TENNIS

awaits at the Roosevelt Island Racquet Club

Ignite Your Child’s Tennis Passion

Enroll in Junior Programs Today!

SIGN UP

At Advantage Tennis Clubs, we pride ourselves on having guided children along a proven pathway to success for nearly five decades. Beginning with red balls for our youngest players (age 4), we gradually progress according to their skills and size.

Our program is led by top-notch coaches with experience teaching at every level. Whether they’re just starting or aiming for the pro circuit, we provide the tools to help them reach their full potential on the court.

Being in the right class is key to having a successful tennis experience! To ensure this, we offer free 15-minute on-court evaluations and virtual consultations for new players. Come visit us today!

Please contact us for more info.

play@advantagetennisclubs.com or  718.239.7917

And join The Club!

Members of the Advantage Junior Development Program receive full Roosevelt Island Racquet Club membership benefits for the period they are enrolled in the Junior Program. This means member prices on court rentals and private lessons with two-week in-advance reservation privileges.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Advantage Tennis Clubs (@playadvantage_)

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A post shared by Advantage Tennis Clubs (@playadvantage_)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Advantage Tennis Clubs (@playadvantage_)

For more info, please email play@advantagetennisclubs.com or call 718.239.7917

Roosevelt Island Tram Service Disruption This Afternoon - Very Crowded Tram Cabin Inched Very Slowly Over The East River To Roosevelt Island Station, Cabin Was Extremely Hot And Uncomfortable

Roosevelt Island Tram service was disrupted this afternoon. Watch as the South Tram Cabin inches very slowly over the East River on way to the Roosevelt Island station.

The Tram cabin was very crowded, mostly with tourists. As one resident noted:

You know everyone in there is hot as hell

Several tourists exiting the Tram on Roosevelt Island told me it was an extremely hot and uncomfortable ride.

The Tram was briefly taken out of service but resumed operation about an hour later.

UPDATE 9:35 PM - Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Communications Director Bryant Daniels adds:

According to POMA, there was a power fault that caused the WIFI and the Bluetooth to fail on the North and South Cabin at the same time. POMA fixed the issue and returned the cabin to service around 1pm.

POMA is the operator of the Tram.

Roosevelt Island Students Are Invited To Annual Back To School Free Backpack And School Supplies Giveaway Friday August 30 At Good Shepherd Plaza Hosted By RIOC PSD, RIDA And NYPD

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Public Safety Department (PSD), NYPD and Roosevelt Island Disabled Association (RIDA) are hosting their annual Back To School free backpack and school supplies giveaway Friday August 30 at Good Shepherd Plaza. 

According to RIOC:

Dear Roosevelt Island Community:

Summer is drawing to a close and that means the school year is right around the corner! Come join RIOC/PSD, RlDA and NYPD for an evening of music, treats, and fun as we distribute free backpacks and school supplies to island residents.

This year’s Back to School Giveaway will be held at Good Shepherd Plaza on Friday, August 30th, 2024, starting at 6PM.

Please arrive no earlier than 5:30pm to begin lining up for the event. Children must be accompanied by a guardian.

We look forward to seeing everyone this coming Friday!

-Team RIOC

RIDA President Wendy Hersh, RIOC PSD Chief Kevin Brown and resident volunteer Frank Farance

 

described what happened during the 2023 Roosevelt Island Back To School Giveaway.

Update On Roosevelt Island Red Bus Service Debacle - Still Only 1 Of 5 Working But RIOC Hopes To Have 2 Red Buses And One New Shuttle Bus On The Road By Start Of School Year Thursday September 6

 The Roosevelt Island Red Bus service problems continued this week.

As reported August 16:

... due to maintenance issues only 1 of 5 Roosevelt Island Red Buses are currently working. Roosevelt Island residents are experiencing long waiting times and overcrowding when the only working Red Bus does arrive at their stop....

and updated on August 24 with this statement from RIOC:

Dear Roosevelt Island Community: We are still only running 1 Red Bus on the island due to ongoing maintenance issue. We anticipate this will remain the case well into next week. We understand this has been deeply frustrating, but our team is working as hard as we can to restore more service soon....

Today, RIOC Communications Director Bryant Daniels responded to a resident's inquiry with another Red Bus update:

According to Mr Daniels:

I know it’s been a terrible hassle, especially for those on the north end of the island. Couple of quick things:

So, it’s still one bus for the moment. I’ve been hesitant to give too many public timelines on return to service for exactly this reason, but here’s the rosiest picture:

By the end of this week, we SHOULD have 2 more buses back from repair;

We should also have a new, shorter 14-seater that we’ve recently purchased on the island to help supplement service.

I could go on and on about how we got here over many years, but the bottom line for us right now is we need to fix it.

So, our target as an organization is next Thursday, when school starts. We want 2 buses and the shuttle on the road by then. That’s what we’re working towards. It’s probably cold comfort for you (and everyone else) but I can assure you this situation is almost the only thing we’re fixated on right now.

Roosevelt Island has been down to 1 or 2 Red Buses since late June. Here's more on the Roosevelt Island Red Bus problems.

Thrillist Travel Adventure Channel Features Roosevelt Island Tram And Interviews Tram Operator Greg Paravati At The Controls Since 1976 - Watch The Video For Some Great Tram Stories Over The Years

The Thrillist travel and adventure channel visited the Roosevelt Island Tram recently and interviewed Tram operator Gregg Paravati who has been at the helm of the Tram controls for the last 48 years from the very beginning of it's opening in 1976. Also interviewed were Tram Supervisor Gary Burstell and Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Acting Chief Operating Officer Mary Cunneen. 

The video is very informative and Mr Paravati tells a couple of interesting stories including:

... The manager called me and says, "Listen, we're training a new person, so we want you to train him."

I said, "All right."

So the young fella gets on the cabin, and we're alone, just as we are now. And I'm going through demo motions and explaining things, and he says, "You know, I know you, and you just don't remember me."

And I said, "Excuse me?"

He said, "18 years ago, my mother got on the cabin, she was pregnant, and she had to get to the hospital, and you made a special trip for her to get her to the hospital, and had the ambulance waiting there." He says, "I'm the child that was born."

Now I'm training him! How about that? And he still works here....

Watch the full video. You'll enjoy it.

Sponsored Post - Check Out The Roosevelt Island Café At Cornell Tech August 26 Weekly Menu For Breakfast, Lunch, Salad Bar, Coffee, Smoothies, Ice Cream, Wifi For Your Laptop & Much More - How Are We Doing? Send Your Feedback By Email Too

Check out the July 29 weekly menu at the Roosevelt Island Cornell Tech Café.

We want to hear from you. 

Feel free to email us with any questions or concerns. Thank you for taking the time to let us know how we are doing. Any feedback can be emailed to thecafefbservices@tech.cornell.edu 

The Cornell Tech Café is a great spot on Roosevelt Island for breakfast, Daily Hot Lunch Meals, Specialty & Grab and Go Sandwiches, 

Make Your Own Salads, Flatbread and Neapolitan Pizza, Salads, Soup, Coffee, Smoothies, beer, wine, ice cream, Sushi Thursday and more.

Bring your laptop if you wish. 

The Cafe has very good wi-fi connection and very relaxing outdoor patio seating.

The Cafe is open Monday thru Friday 8am to 7 pm. Saturday and Sundays 11am to 5pm. 

More info at the Cornell Tech Café website and Instagram Page. 

See you soon at the Cornell Tech Café

Watch Very Interesting Video About Roosevelt Island, A Unique And Historically Rich Area That Exemplifies Suburban Urbanism Feature Of City Planning - How About That?

Fourth Place is a You Tube channel that focuses on US geography, urbanism, transportation and city planning. Fourth Place recently published a very interesting video about our own Roosevelt Island. According to Fourth Place:

Roosevelt Island, located on New York City's East River between Manhattan and Queens is a unique and historically rich area that exemplifies one particular facet of urban planning, Suburban Urbanism. Wait, what does that even mean?

Well, Roosevelt Island may just be the only place located technically within the borough of Manhattan with both a suburban and urban Fabric and just how that was achieved and what exactly it looks like is quite extraordinary. if you're new here, this is Fourth Place your place to learn about US geography, urbanism, transportation city planning and more....

Watch the full video.