Little League Mom Shares A Perfect Day For Baseball At Roosevelt Island Capobianco Field - It's A Little Bit Of Heaven On Our Roosevelt Island Field Of Dreams, All Star Game Sunday June 5

Roosevelt Island Little League Mom Kaja Meade shares a perfect day for baseball at Capobianco Field:

Hours every weekend with friends… new and old… and seeing first hand how it does take a village to raise these small (and growing) people! Growing up on the island can be like living in a park! ❤️🚠. I even bought lawn chairs this year?!

All star game this weekend! Are you coming out to meet the neighbors, and watch some baseball!?

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kaja Meade (@rooseveltislandrealestate)

Roosevelt Island Little League Coach Danny Brasco adds:

The Roosevelt Island Little League All Star Game is one of the more special moments of the season. 

Four exemplary players are selected from each Minors & Majors division team. The game is played in a fun hybrid style, that combines age groups and teams. 

The older guys play one inning and then the younger guys play the next, switching on & off in a nine inning game. The young up & coming players get to be on a team with the Major league All Stars, who are both great players and great leaders/teammates. In turn, the older guys root for and encourage the Minors players and it makes for a fantastic game that has been an absolute home run these past 2 seasons 

The Roosevelt Island Little League All Star Game is 4 PM Sunday, June  5.

I spoke with Coach Danny, Coach Coach Arya Shirazi and NYC Council Member Julie Menin at the Roosevelt Island Little League Opening Day.

The Roosevelt Island Little League at Capobianco Field is a little bit of heaven on our Roosevelt Island Field Of Dreams.

Play Ball!

Roosevelt Island Boys of Summer Are Back At Capobianco Field Getting Ready For Upcoming Social Distancing Baseball Season - You Wanna Have A Catch

View this post on Instagram

Roosevelt Island Boys of Summer are back at Capobianco Field getting ready for upcoming social distancing Baseball Season

A post shared by @ rooseveltislander on Jun 28, 2020 at 1:35pm PDT

We all could use some baseball right now



You wanna have a catch?

Roosevelt Island Blackwell Park And Al Lewis Park Playgrounds Closing For Renovation August 13 - October 15, New Surface, Fencing & Picnic Tables To Be Installed - New Equipment Planned For Spring 2019

During the July 23 Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board of Directors Meeting (video of full meeting here), RIOC President Susan Rosenthal reported that both Al Lewis playground at Capobianco Field

and Blackwell Park Playground

will close for renovations in August.



RIOC Public Information Officer Alonza Robertson adds:

Community Update

The Grandpa Al Lewis Playground, at Capobianco Field, and the Blackwell Park Playground will be closed Aug. 13 - Oct. 15 due to ground surface renovations.

New padded-rubber flooring will replace the existing broken concrete, cracked asphalt and wood-chip ground surfaces. New fencing and picnic tables will also be installed.

The replacement and installation of some new playground equipment for those playgounds is planned for Phase 2 of the project to start in the spring of 2019.

While the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation understands the time concern of the closure, the playgrounds are in desperate need of attention from both equipment and flooring-safety standpoints.

The schedule has been reviewed and this approach timewise was found to be the least impactful due to the ability to complete the total amount of work with one closure, as opposed to staggering.

The time of year for the rubber flooring is also critical, as contractors are not able to pour the rubber material once it reaches a certain temperature in the fall.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

(FYI: The Grandpa Al Lewis Playground is named after an American character actor best known for his role as Count Dracula look-alike "Grandpa", opposite Fred Gwynne's and Yvonne De Carlo's characters, on the CBS television series "The Munsters" from 1964 to 1966 and its subsequent film versions. Mr. Lewis was a Roosevelt Island resident who later in life was also a restaurant owner, political candidate, and radio broadcaster).

UPDATE 8/14 - Correction, the older kids playground in Blackwell Park

 is being renovated, not the toddler playground.

Roosevelt Island Capobianco Field Basketball Court Closed This Week For Resurfacing Says RIOC - Al Lewis & Blackwell Park Playgrounds Will Get New Surfaces Soon Too

The Roosevelt Island Capobianco Field basketball courts are closed this week for resurfacing.

According to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC):

Please be advised that the Capobianco Basketball Court resurfacing project will commence on Monday, October 23rd, with contractors working daily from 7 AM to 4 PM. The project will conclude on Friday, October 27th. Protective fencing will be installed around the perimeter of the site for safety purposes. The court will re-open for play on Monday, October 30th.

The Blackwell Park Basketball Court

is open.

As previously reported, RIOC will also replace the flooring at Al Lewis and Blackwell Park playgrounds.

Roosevelt Island Ferry Service Presentation, Seawall, Playground & Basketball Court Repair Among Agenda Items For August 9 RIOC Directors Board Meeting - New Red Buses & Tramway Platform Equipment Relocation Too

An August 9 Special Meeting of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board of Directors will take place August 9 starting 5:30 pm at the Cultural Center (548 Main Street).

 

Prior to the start of the RIOC Board meeting, there will be a public comment period. Sign up here to speak at the meeting.

Among the items on the Agenda are:

Seawall Railing Construction and Design Services,

Al Lewis and Blackwell Park Playground Flooring Replacement,

Resurface Capobianco Field Basketball Court

MTA Tramway Equipment Relocation 

New Red Buses

Tramway Station Renovations and

 Roosevelt Island Ferry Service Presentation NYC Ferry Operator Hornblower.

Starting August 29th, @NYCferry will connect New Yorkers from Astoria, Roosevelt Island, & Long Island City to Manhattan. pic.twitter.com/wJOr0z4Cfs

— NYCEDC (@NYCEDC) August 1, 2017

According to RIOC:

Read more »

In Memory Of Roosevelt Island Resident Brian Dorfmann, Mom Donates Chess Table And Benches For Capobianco Field - Memorial Service June 25

Roosevelt Island resident Brian Dorfmann passed away April 16, 2016.

Image From Olya Turcihin

During the May 25, Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board of Directors meeting (video of full meeting here), RIOC President Susan Rosenthal reported that Brian's mother, Florine, is donating a chess table and benches in Brian's memory. The Chess table and benches will be located at Capobianco Field where there will be a memorial service on June 25.



RIOC Director Michael Shinozaki added:

Brian was a good man.

Brian's friend Olya Turcihin remembers Brian at this previous post.

Hawk Spotted At Roosevelt Island Capobianco Field Today - What's For Lunch?

As I was walking/hobbling past Capobianco Field this afternoon, I noticed a crowd of people looking up in the Trees and taking pictures. What's going on I asked?

It turns out a hawk

Image From David Champoux

was spotted on a tree branch

Image From David Champoux

gazing out

Image From David Champoux

over it's Roosevelt Island domain.

Deciding on lunch?

Landscape Architect Nicholas Quennell Describes Early Development of Roosevelt Island Residential Community - Designed Capobianco Field Backstop, Lighthouse Park Wetlands & East River 60th Street Pavilion

Architect Nicholas Quennell talks about the early development of Roosevelt Island as a residential community including his role designing Capobianco Field



and Lighthouse Park.



Mr Quennell was also the architect for the East River 60th Street Pavilion that is often mistaken for a roller coaster, the East River Roundabout, beneath the  Roosevelt Island Tram.



More on landscape architect Nicholas Quennell from The Cultural Landscape Foundation.

Report From RIOC President Charlene Indelicato - Roosevelt Island Day Tomorrow, No Macy's July 4 Fireworks Viewing From RI But TV Simulcast Celebration At Firefighters Field, Possession Of Fireworks Will Be Prosecuted, Outdoor Movie Series Starts June 28, Accessibility Ramps Installed, New Outdoor Exercise Equipment, Capobianco Field Drainage & More

Image From Roosevelt Island Youth Program

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Charlene Indelicato sends the following report to the community.

Limited Parking & Visibility on July 4th

This coming Fourth of July, the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks display will take place near the Brooklyn Bridge, much further to the south than in previous years. Due to this location, visibility of the show will be extremely limited on Roosevelt Island. On this date, both Southpoint Park and the FDR Four Freedoms Park at the southern end of the Island will close at 7 PM. Parking for non-residents in the Motorgate Garage will also be limited on this date, so any visitors requiring parking should arrive early and plan accordingly.

As a reminder, unauthorized fireworks are not permitted in New York State, including on Roosevelt Island, at any time. In the interest of public safety, RIOC and the Public Safety Department are taking a strict “no tolerance” approach to fireworks this year. Anyone found in possession of explosives will be prosecuted. Thank you for your anticipated cooperation in this important matter.

Roosevelt Island Day, Outdoor Summer Movie Series & July 4th Events

Tomorrow, Roosevelt Island celebrates one of its best loved traditions. Roosevelt Island Day is kicking off at 8 a.m. with a community beautification effort at the Good Shepherd Plaza from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. Come early to volunteer, spruce up your neighborhood, and plant flowers with friends and family. Free games and rides will be offered from 12 p.m. until 3 p.m., a concert will take place in the evening. Kids’ art activities will be available along Main Street at Blackwell plaza and free yoga classes will take place on the lawn south of Rivercross at 8:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 1:30 p.m. This event is sponsored by Urban American in partnership with RIOC and the Roosevelt Island Youth Program. We hope to see you there.

Next week, RIOC’s annual Outdoor Summer Movie Series begins on Saturday, June 28 at 7 p.m. with music, trivia and a screening of Disney’s Frozen. We welcome all residents to join us for this free event series at Southpoint Park. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. Bring a blanket or chair and enjoy a family favorite movie under the stars. Visit our website at rioc.ny.gov to view the list of upcoming movies at Southpoint Park.

On July 4th at 7 PM, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation will be hosting a free community celebration. Residents are invited to join the festivities, which will include a free karaoke contest, giveaways and a live simulcast of New York City's July 4th fireworks display on a large outdoor screen. Please note that while food and drink will be available for purchase from local restaurants; alcohol is not permitted at this event. More information will available on our website, rioc.ny.gov, as the event date draws near.

Accessibility Ramps Installed at Motorgate Garage Bus Turnaround

Last week, the Engineering department worked with contractors at the Motorgate Garage bus turnaround to install four new pedestrian ramps. Thanks to these improvements, the sidewalks in the area now accommodate wheelchairs, strollers, and shopping carts more easily. As always, be sure to use caution and be alert for vehicular traffic when crossing roadways.

AVAC Yard Cleaning

Earlier this month, RIOC, the Department of Sanitation and employees from The Octagon, Manhattan Park, Island House, Rivercross, Eastwood and Urban American cleaned the yard outside of AVAC, Roosevelt Island's trash and recycling facility. All those involved understand the importance of maintaining the facility’s cleanliness, so these departments and building management companies will continue to work together to keep the AVAC yard clean until a long-term solution is put in place. Again, we commend these companies for volunteering their assistance for this important project.

New Outdoor Exercise Equipment

Along the northern section of the West Promenade, to the west of the Octagon Soccer Field, RIOC has installed and maintains several pieces of outdoor exercise equipment. This equipment has proven popular with residents looking for a way to incorporate strength training into their outdoor fitness routine. This month, RIOC will install three new machines: a combination Chest Press and Lat Pull-down for the development of arm strength, a double Ski Walker, which functions similarly to an elliptical machine, and a Leg Press station with three levels of resistance. This expansion of outdoor exercise options should prove especially useful during the upcoming summer months. Once the new machines are installed, we encourage you to visit the area and try out the new equipment.

Capobianco Field Drainage Project

At Capobianco Field, work on a new drainage project is underway. To avoid issues that can detract from the enjoyment of the field, such as puddle formation and persistently damp turf, RIOC’s Engineering department is installing perforated pipes underneath the field’s surface. These pipes form a drainage system that should help keep the field dry and in top playing condition.

Bike New York & RIVAA’s Painting Party

Last Saturday, June 14, Bike New York and the Roosevelt Island Visual Art Association joined together to decorate the bike nonprofit’s storage container, which is located underneath the Helix Ramp. Members of the community came out to express their creativity and decorate the container with bicycle and Roosevelt Island themed imagery. The newly-decorated container will remain on display near the Motorgate Garage bus turnaround for the rest of the summer.

Capobianco Field Retaining Wall Reconstruction Completed - Red Bus Stop Adjacent To Crosswalk Opposite Westview Entrance Tomorrow

 Image of Capobianca Field Sidewalk Opposite Westview

A reader asks:

When work on the retaining wall around Capobianca Park blocked the sidewalk and street, a stop on the red bus was moved from opposite the entry at 625 Main Street to somewhere between the P.S. 217 and Gristede's. The work has been completed and the sidewalk and street are no longer blocked, but the bus continues to stop in the middle of nowhere. It should revert to the previous location, nearly opposite the 625 door, which is the entry to both 625 and 595 Main Street.

I asked Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Vice President Of Operations Fernando Martinez to comment. Mr. Martinez replied:

We recently received confirmation from our Engineering Department that work on the retaining wall has been completed.

The bus stop will be relocated to approximately 15 feet north of the original stop location.  The decision was made to re-locate the stop to coincide with the crosswalk adjacent to 625 Main Streets entrance for safety reasons.  We expect that improved proximity will encourage use of the crosswalk.

The bus stop is scheduled to be installed on Tuesday, January 10th.

This previous post reported on Capobianco Retaining Wall reconstruction.

Roosevelt Island Capabianco Park Retaining Wall Reconstruction Should Be Fixed Within Next 2 Weeks, With Seating Space Too - Future Plans For Improved Capabianco Ballfield

Image of Capabianco Field Retaining Wall Construction From Last Sunday

On October 27 a Roosevelt Island resident sent this question to Roosevelt Island 311 See Click Fix:

Why is it taking months to replace retaining wall? Never more than 2 or 3 workers. This is a disgrace.

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) replied to RI311 question the next day:

Issue Closed The contractor has been notified regarding the pace of work, and will take steps to speed up construction.
Thank you

Commenting on RIOC President Leslie Torres report of the Blackwell Plaza restoration delay, a Roosevelt Island resident asks:

Any idea when the construction will be done at Capabianco Field and if they're planning on replacing the seats that was once there or removing them all together (as they love to do around here!) ? I really hope they plan on replacing them. Many need the rest stop and it's a wonderful spot to socialize with our neighbors. 

Image of Capabianco Field Retaining Wall Construction From Last Sunday

Ms. Torres provides the following update on Capabianco Retaining Wall:

We anticipate that the contractor will complete the work within the next two weeks. Aside from reconstructing the wall, the contractor will also lay a limestone ledge on top of the brick and create sitting space along the structure.

A second contractor will make repairs to the z-brick sidewalk. Repairs to the wall are being conducted now in order to accommodate future plans to construct professional size and quality ballpark at Capobianco field.

While walking by Capabianco Field last Sunday afternoon I noticed that even this squirrel was willing to pitch in trying to speed up the retaining wall construction by working the construction digging equipment.

 Image of Squirrel On Heavy Lifter

Roosevelt Island Residents Slow Pitch Softball League Being Formed

You Tube Video of Slow Pitch Softball Hitting Tips

RIRA President Frank Farance has obtained the required permits for a Roosevelt Island Softball League. From Mr. Farance:

Folks-

I have the permits, based upon our discussions last Sunday.

Here's the summary:

- Co-ed league
- Slow pitch, 6-12 arc, 1-1 staring count
- Play at Capobianco Field (across from PS/IS 217)
- Sundays, 9AM-1PM
- May: 17, 31
- June: 7, 14, 21, 28
- July: 12 (championship)

Shortly, I'll have more information about team registration.

Play Ball!

Some Hope For Residents Use of Roosevelt Island Playing Fields Over Corporate Zog

Sign at Capobianco Field

An issue of great concern and resentment by many Roosevelt Islanders has been RIOC's policy that use of the Roosevelt Island playing fields is by permit only. The result of this policy has been that these fields are rented out to corporate groups and leagues, such as Zog, effectively locking out resident adults and children from using these fields during prime playing hours.

This subject came up at the RIOC Board Nominee Candidate's Forum as reported by Press HD.

What is your position on renting out the island's green space? from PressHD

Responding to these concerns RIOC has developed a schedule that permits residents to use the fields without permits.

riplayingfieldavailability - Upload a Document to Scribd

Read this document on Scribd: riplayingfieldavailability

Green = Available for Residents

Red = Permitted Out

I do not know if the playing times for residents without permits is available only so long as these times are not permitted out to Zog and others or if these playing times are precluded from being reserved by permits.

Are Roosevelt Island Ghosts & Spirits Jinxing NY Times Softball Team for Support of Louis Kahn Memorial?

Image of the Encampment from the Weblicist

The ghosts and spirits brought back by the Encampment and now inhabiting Roosevelt Island may be fighting against the New York Times for that newspaper's support of the Louis Kahn/FDR memorial at Southpoint Park. How you may ask? By jinxing the New York Times Digital softball team whenever they play on Roosevelt Island. From NYTD Softball:

... the NYTD team was not looking forward to returning to their least favorite softball field – Roosevelt Island's Copobiancco Field. With an all-time record of 1 win and 3 losses on that field, needless to say we were not feeling very confident going into the game either.

The Times softball team lost another game to make their record on Roosevelt Island 1-4 with one more Roosevelt Island game to play. They are looking forward to playing elsewhere:

After another game on a field that makes Mr. Hankey from South Park look good, we will finally have our first of 4 games in Central Park...

All the Times needs to do in order to win their softball games is to turn away from the Dark Force and join the forces of Light and Goodness opposing the Kahn memorial, thereby saving these magnificent waterfront views from destruction and parkland from concrete.

Has Descendant of Pale Male Found a Home on Roosevelt Island?

The Main Street Wire published the above photograph of a red-tailed hawk at Capobianco Field on Roosevelt Island taken on Sunday, September 2. It is speculated that the hawk could be a descendant of the famous Pale Male who resides on Fifth Avenue and dines in Central Park.
More on Pale Male here.
Update - NY Magazine Daily Intelligencer Neighborhood Watch comments that:

Roosevelt Island:The winged progeny of Central Park West celebuhawk Pale Male may be roosting here. Talk about generational downward mobility.