The Sanctuary Events Space On Roosevelt Island Featured In NY Times Article As An Unlikely NYC Hot Spot For A Getaway Destination Wedding Close To Home - What Do The Locals Think?

The Sanctuary Event Space and owner Frank (Turtle) Raffaele were featured in this May 20 NY Times article: 

 ... With a leafy outdoor dining space that offers a plum view of Manhattan’s skyline and an Instagrammable concrete pier that juts out into the East River, the Sanctuary has since become an unlikely matrimonial hot spot. Its pitch is that it is a destination wedding within city limits, reachable via a scenic tram ride from Midtown for the cost of a MetroCard swipe....

According to the Twitterverse

For Sunday NYT, an unlikely Styles tale set on Roosevelt Island.

My story about the Sanctuary, a new wedding venue on the island that has become a hot spot. But change doesn’t always sit well with the small waterfront community 🏝️🚇 https://t.co/q0OrrNv4w0

— Alex Vadukul (@AlexVadukul) May 20, 2023

@AlexVadukul gets the best quote award:

“I once lived in Manhattan, and unless you died and began to smell, no one would even notice you were dead,” Ms. Berdy said. “Here, it’s not like that. We know our neighbors. It’s like a small town." https://t.co/FPKl9l2C40

— Sarah Bahr (@smbahr14) May 21, 2023

The NY Times adds:

... With a partner, Alfonso Biondi, Mr. Raffaele initially opened the Sanctuary as a beer garden and speakeasy, but it didn’t take off. After he hosted a wedding bash for a young local couple, however, he reimagined his venue’s concept. The Sanctuary is now booked almost daily, Mr. Raffaele said, and he has inquiries as far out as 2026....

“Somehow, we’ve become this wedding hot spot, and it’s due to the island’s mystique,” he said....

Click here for the full NY Times article.

Follow along on this June 10, 2021 opening day tour of The Sanctuary with co-owner Alphonse Biondi.

More info on The Sanctuary at their web site. 

UPDATE 5/23 - Curbed reports on how The Sanctuary got the cats and raccoons to move out.

.@cliomiso spoke with the co-owner of The Sanctuary, a former church on Roosevelt Island’s north end that dates back to the 1920s, who oversaw the renovation, to talk about how he turned the space into one where only humans are allowed inside https://t.co/50jz28Ok0T

— Curbed (@Curbed) May 23, 2023

Eiizabeth P. W.'s "The Company You Keep" Album Release Party At The Sanctuary On Roosevelt Island Today - Take A Listen And Enjoy

Roosevelt Island's The Sanctuary Event Space/Cafe hosted an afternoon of live music and celebration today for the "Company You Keep" album release by singer and songwriter Elizabeth P.W.

Take a listen and enjoy.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Elizabeth P.W. (@elizabethpwmusic)

The Sanctuary on Roosevelt Island is a wonderful venue to host your party, wedding, corporate event, fundraiser or Album Release. 

UPDATE 9 PM - A resident adds: 

This is amazing. So glad to see this happening on the island. We need more. Much more.

Agreed.

Happy Saturday Night - Enjoy Video Of Stomp Society Swing Band Performing I Want You To Be My Baby By Louis Prima At The Roosevelt Island Sanctuary Events/Cafe Space

The Stomp Society Swing Band:

... is a high-energy, electrifying NYC-based swing band that specializes in the 1920s–1950s dance music which was known as the "Swing Era." They are a 5 to 6-piece mini big band that will captivate your attention with their amazing charismatic players! They are a throwback to the best decades where the showmanship of big bands focused on the players, each being an important solo voice. They are a showstopper!...

They recently performed at The Roosevelt Island Sancturay Events Space/Cafe.

Enjoy the Stomp Society playing I Want You To Be My Baby by Louis Prima at The Sanctuary.

Lunchtime On A Skyscraper Mobile Sculpture Becoming Regular Visitor To Roosevelt Island - Meet Sculptor Sergio Furnari, Enjoy His The Heart Monument At The Sanctuary And Learn How He May Help SpaceX Take Us To Mars

The Lunchtime On A Skyscraper” mobile sculpture, inspired by a famous photograph of workers eating lunch on a beam during the 1932 construction of Rockefeller Center,

is becoming a regular visitor to Roosevelt Island. 

I recently spoke to the Lunchtime On A Skyscraper sculptor Sergio Furnari 

as he was collaborating on a new Roosevelt Island project at The Sanctuary Events/Cafe space where his The Heart Monument is currently installed.

Meet artist Sergio Funari.

Learn more about Sergio Furnari at his website.

Here's more on Mr Funari's Lunchtime On A Skyscraper 

and The Heart Monument

 sculptures.

Mr Funari also wants to help Take Us To Mars with the SpaceX  rocket

using his thermal tile technology.

Sponsored Post - You're Invited To A Roosevelt Island Evening Of Laughs And Drinks At The Sanctuary, Saturday September 18 With 2 Small 2 Fail Comedy

This Saturday September 18, The Sanctuary Cafe and Event Space on Roosevelt Island's East River Waterfront is hosting an evening of Comedy:

Have some drinks with a side of laughter with this amazing lineup of comedians, hosted by Anthony Mendieta and 2Small2Fail Comedy!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 2 Small 2 Fail Comedy (@2small2failcomedy)

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A post shared by 2 Small 2 Fail Comedy (@2small2failcomedy)

Click here for tickets and more info about the event. And take a tour of The Sanctuary Cafe and Event Space with co-owner Alphonse Biondi.

Here's more info about The Sanctuary including menu and upcoming events too.

Scenes From The Sanctuary's Glenrothes Single Malt Whiskey/Woodfired Flatbread Dinner Pairing Last Week - You're Invited To Stomp Society's Swing Band And Rose' Silent Disco Party This Roosevelt Island Labor Day Weekend At The Sanctuary

Last Thursday evening August 26, The Sanctuary Cafe and Event Space hosted a Chef Pairing Dinner Featuring Classic Woodfired Flatbreads alongside Glenrothes Single Malt Whiskey. 

Glenrothes representative Tom Mauriello showed a full house of Roosevelt Island residents and visitors how to enjoy and get the most taste from a good glass of whisky.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @rooseveltislander

Here's some more of what happened that evening.

The Sanctuary Co-owner Alphonse Biondi and Glenrothes Tom Mauriello welcomed guests to the dinner and described the paired Flatbread and Whisky offerings for the evening.

Mr Mauriello introduced the Glenrothes brand and detailed how the whisky is made.

The Sanctuary plans more special programs. Upcoming events include:

Tomorrow! Friday 9/3 7:00-10:00pm Free. Kick off your weekend with live music and dancing to New York famous Stomp Society's big band, in partnership with Wyoming Whiskey! Click the image to reserve your ticket, and get in the Roaring 20's mood! 

Also,

An end-of-summer bash! Labor Day Monday Sept 6, 2:00-6:00pm 

We're throwing a Summer Jams rosé + silent disco party, where you can sip the classic summer wine dancing to all the best summer jams spun by our guest DJ. 

What's a silent disco? Everyone gets a lit up set of headphones, where only party-goers can hear the DJ and their hits! Dance the summer day away with friends & family at our gorgeous waterfront! 

Your ticket includes headphones, 2 drinks, and appetizers to get your Labor Day 2021 afternoon going!

Click here for more info about The Sanctuary and Upcoming Events too.

Sponsored Post - You're Invited To A Roosevelt Island Special Event At The Sanctuary, Chef Pairing Dinner Featuring Classic Woodfired Flatbreads Alongside Glenrothes Single Malt Whiskey Thursday August 26 And Sunset Live Jazz With Local Artist Too

This Thursday, August 26, The Sanctuary Cafe and Event Space on Roosevelt Island's East River Waterfront is hosting:

An educational pairing dinner featuring wood-fired flatbreads and the Glenrothes Single Malt Whiskey

It's a special evening hosted by Glenrothes Distillery, who will do a guided tasting through some complex and delicious flatbread+whiskey pairings! Limited tickets available for $20; additional tickets available at the door for $35.

Sunset Live Jazz will also be playing feat. local artist Jonah Bobo!

Thu, August 26, 2021 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM EDT

The Sanctuary Roosevelt Island 851 Main Street New York, NY 10044

Click here for tickets and more info about the event.

And take a tour of The Sanctuary Cafe and Event Space with co-owner  Alphonse Biondi.

Here's more info about The Sanctuary including menu and upcoming events too.

Put On Your Dancing Shoes - Salsa Workshop At The Sanctuary Outdoor Cafe On Roosevelt Island East River Waterfront Saturday August 21

The Sanctuary Cafe and Event Space on Roosevelt Island East River Waterfront is hosting a Salsa Workshop Saturday evening, August 21: 

Join in on a salsa lesson and dance floor at The Sanctuary with live percussion, led by the local Martinez Dance Studio!

More info here.

Cool East River Breezes And Friday Night Jazz At The New Roosevelt Island Cafe And Event Space, The Sanctuary Tomorrow July 30 - Grab A Drink, Bite To Eat And Bring Your Friends To A Night Of Outdoor Roosevelt Island Jazz

Roosevelt Island resident and jazz musician Susheel Kurien has organized live Sunday afternoon Jazz Jams at Gallery RIVAA over the past several years and last month celebrated the return of live Jazz to Gallery RIVAA following more than a year long lapse due to the Covid pandemic.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by RIVAA Gallery (@rivaagallery)

This Friday evening, July 30, Mr Kurien is bringing live Jazz music outdoors to the cool breezes of the East River waterfront at the new Roosevelt Island Cafe and Event space, The Sanctuary.

According to Mr Kuriel:

Please come out and support some familiar faces from the RIVAA Jam sessions, Bring friends! 

Your support helps keep our jam sessions a destination for some very talented musicians. 

Please share this and encourage friends to stop by and grab a drink at this great venue. Awesome location for jazz! 

Friday Night Jazz at the Sanctuary, Roosevelt Island 

Friday 30th July 7pm to 10 pm 

Music and vocals ! 

Please do share with your friends and associates Peace and jazz.

Susheel Kurien Jazz Guitarist in Perpetual Learning (Flyer below by Roosevelt Island artist Tony Vita).

 Here's a snippet from the June 27 Jazz Jam at Gallery RIVAA.

The musicians were:

• Susheel Kurien Guitar 
• Steven Golub tenor, 
•  Erik Swimmer Tenor. 
• Nobu Yamasaki bass, 
• Nicole keys, 
• Christine Reisner vocal and violin, 
• Ron Kushner keys, 
• Kaz Oguro alto, 
• Dan Yalisove clarinet

See you tomorrow for Roosevelt Island Friday Night Jazz at The Sanctuary

Sponsored Post - The Sanctuary Restaurant Cafe & Events Space On Roosevelt Island East River Promenade Is Now Open, Take A Virtual Tour Of The Space - Check Out Food & Beverage Menu, Spectacular NYC Waterfront Skyline Views Too

The Sanctuary Cafe Restaurant and Events space. located in a century old restored stonewall church, opened for business yesterday on the Roosevelt Island East River Waterfront Promenade (851 Main Street).  

Before yesterday's 3 PM opening, co-owner Alphonse Biondi gave me a tour.

Take a look.

The Sanctuary Cafe outdoor and indoor seating space will initially offer a food menu including Brick Oven Pizza, Tapas and Salads with a Signature Cocktail Menu, Beer, Wine, Soda and Juices. Live music too. 

Check out The Sanctuary's current menu which will evolve over time. 

The Sanctuary Cafe Hours are Thursday/Friday 3 PM-10 PM and Saturday/Sunday 12 PM -10 PM.

Are you interested in hosting a Special Event or Celebration at The Sanctuary? Here's the rate sheet with more info.

Contact The Sanctuary for more info.

Great News, The Sanctuary Restaurant Cafe & Events Space Opening Tomorrow On Roosevelt Island East River Promenade - Check Out Food & Beverage Menu, Spectacular NYC Waterfront Skyline Views Too

The Sanctuary Cafe Restaurant and Events space. located in a century old restored stonewall church, is opening for business tomorrow, June 10, on the Roosevelt Island East River Waterfront Promenade (851 Main Street).

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Sanctuary (@thesanctuaryri)

The Sanctuary Cafe outdoor and indoor seating space will initially offer a food menu including Brick Oven Pizza, Tapas and Salads with a Signature Cocktail Menu, Beer, Wine, Soda and Juices. Live music too.

Check out The Sanctuary's current menu which will evolve over time.

The Sanctuary Cafe Hours are Thursday/Friday 3 PM-10 PM and Saturday/Sunday 12 PM -10 PM.

I've got my seats picked out. See you at The Sanctuary.

Are you interested in hosting a Special Event or Celebration at The Sanctuary? Here's the rate sheet with more info.

Contact The Sanctuary for more info.

Roosevelt Island's New Outdoor East River Waterfront Event Space And Outdoor Restaurant Cafe The Sanctuary Will Open In Early May

Roosevelt Island's new event space and outdoor restaurant cafe, The Sanctuary,

located on the East River West Promenade next to the Octagon building, is about to open. Owner Frank (Turtle) Rafaelle says The Sanctuary event space and outdoor restaurant cafe will start with a "soft opening" in early May.

The outdoor restaurant cafe will offer custom wood fired pizza, sandwiches, salads, vegan offerings and bar service.

Are you interested in hosting an event at the Sanctuary? Here's the rate sheet.

Meet The Sanctuary owner Turtle who spoke during the September 2019 pre-Covid Pandemic opening night event fundraiser for Queens based Titan Theater Group. Turtle described his intent to develop The Sanctuary as a Roosevelt Island "community centric space" as well as his strong interest in helping local non profit organizations.

Stay tuned for more info as The Sanctuary opening date gets closer.

More info available at The Sancturay website.

Sponsored Post - Happy Holidays Roosevelt Island From The Sanctuary - We Look Forward To Serving Your Private Events And Wedding At The Sanctuary

Happy Holidays Roosevelt Island From The Sanctuary.

 We Look Forward To Serving You, Private Events, Wedding At The Sanctuary

Roosevelt Island The Sanctuary Event Space Hosting Silent Spooky Halloween Party Saturday November 2 - But Party Last Friday Night Drew Complaints Of Late Night Blasting Music And Traffic Problems, RIOC PSD Says Music Did Not Seem Abnormally Loud

Roosevelt Island's new events space, The Sanctuary, is hosting a Quiet Events Halloween Party on Saturday November 2.

According to Quiet Events:

What could be more thrilling than a Halloween Party in an abandoned CHURCH?! Be one of the first to experience All Hallows Eve at this a newly renovated church turned night club just for our Silent Spooky Party!...

... Your 3 live DJs are spinning all night:
DJ 1 (Green): Soca/Reggae/Afro-Beat
DJ 2 (Red): 80’s, 90’s & 2K Throwbacks
DJ 3 (Blue): Hip Hop/R&B...

... How it works:
With your pair of Quiet Events headphones you can adjust the volume and choose between our three DJ’s with the flick of a switch. Each headset has a color LED that shows which channel you’re listening to. You can dance along with those tuning into the same DJ as you; it’s super social. There’s no loud music to talk over and there’s no ringing in your ears when you leave!...

Tickets range from $15 - $50.

Click here for tickets and more info.

But, last Friday evening, The Sanctuary hosted an event which was not silent, drawing 3 complaints to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Public Safety Department of loud noise and a social media Twitter post.

Hey @Rooseveltisland, any knowledge of the noise laws here? Glad to see this below party being advertised as “quiet” but last night was blasting music till 4am at the Sanctuary. I’m not sure how the Octagon residents weren’t out with pitchforks. Uncool. pic.twitter.com/0UIMqugZO8

— Asha Curran (@RadioFreeAsha) October 26, 2019

We have good windows, no problem at all.

— Anton Slyusar (@AntonSlyusar) October 26, 2019

On Saturday, I asked Sanctuary owner Frank Rafaelle:

What was going on at The Sanctuary last night.

Received complaint of very loud noise blasting music until 4 am last night.

Mr. Rafaelle replied:

There was a private party yesterday. It was very tame, orderly, upscale, and uneventful. We had security at the clients request. The security team was instructed to monitor for loud music but they found no issues. PSD came by on their rounds multiple times and also found no issues. It was a beautiful and stunning event... Nothing happened.

Yesterday, the Roosevelt Island Daily published this video



taken by an Octagon resident and added:

... Between 5:00 and 5:30 a.m. Saturday, a traffic jam of cars, many for hire, clogged the fire lane bordering The Octagon. Partygoers weaved between vehicles on the dimly lit alley while a civilian struggled to direct chaotic traffic...

Yesterday, I asked RIOC about what happened at the Sanctuary on Friday night and:

... Does RIOC have any policy as to how late restaurants, bar and event spaces can stay open? I believe, but not sure, that the former Riverwalkl Bar was told to close by midnight. Does RIOC have any plans to limit late night hours of the Sanctuary?...

A RIOC Spokesperson replied:

Chief Brown has conducted a thorough investigation of the event that took place at The Sanctuary from Friday, October 25th through Saturday, October 26th.

PSD officers became aware of an event when the first noise complaint came in at approximately 11:15 PM. PSD officers patrolled the site until the event ended at 2:00 AM and people began to disburse. An officer also returned to investigate noise complaints at 4:30 AM, but at that time, the only people on site were the workers who were finishing their clean up after the event. A third complaint was registered around 5:15 AM when workers were leaving the premises.

PSD has discussed the incident with The Sanctuary. Chief Brown has a meeting scheduled with the owner/manager tomorrow afternoon to review all local noise and traffic ordinances. The chief will also establish measures which, among other things, will keep traffic and pedestrians restricted to certain areas.

I followed up asking RIOC:

To clarify, did the PSD officers hear loud noise coming from the event?

Did the PSD officers notice any traffic issues?

Were the event organizers asked to lower the noise?

How many complaints did PSD received about the event?

The RIOC Spokesperson answered:

We received three complaints and investigated them all. The manager was aware of the complaints when PSD made contact with him and the music did not seem abnormally loud to the responding officer.

They noticed traffic issues when the event was ending at 2am and addressed them. Some people disobeyed traffic laws throughout the night. The video shows that.

One of they key reasons for tomorrow’s meeting is to inform The Sanctuary about how PSD will be working with the community to address this issue for all future events. Stay tuned.

Will update with more info after today's meeting between RIOC and The Sanctuary owner.

During the October 7, 2019 RIOC Real Estate Development Advisory Committee (REDAC) meeting, owner Frank (Turtle) Rafaelle described some of his plans for The Sanctuary and added:

... We're super happy to be on the Island. Thank you so much. Everyone has been super kind. Many of you have stopped by to ask me what's going on, give words advice,  teach me a bit about the island

I've been in New York 46 years, Queens and Manhattan, but never lived on the Island, never worked on the Island.

 I'm very familiar with the Island but it's very different to be familiar with the island and  then live here or work here or run a  business here and I'm learning and I know there will be some hiccups along the way....

Stay tuned.

A Wonderful Time At La Nueva Mesa Beta Pop Up Roosevelt Island Dinner Exploration Of Plant Kingdom Says Resident - More Pop Up Dinner Events Planned For Roosevelt Island's The Sanctuary Space

 As reported October 8:

... On October 14, La Nueva Mesa kicks off a pop-up dinner series with a wine-paired six-course locally sourced plant based meal crafted by Drew Shives, Matthew Taber and Amir Dholakia- the three ex-Jean-George culinary wizards behind Beta, the wait-list only popup in Queens...

 The Pop Up dinner was hosted at The Sanctuary,

Image From The Sanctuary

Roosevelt Island's new event space and restaurant that will open in the Spring.

Roosevelt Island resident Christine Delfico tweeted at the dinner

Happening now on Roosevelt Island - pop up celebration - Exploration of the Plant Kingdom @EdibleQueens #supportlocal #farmers pic.twitter.com/hCOq7QNjmo

— iDig2Learn (@iDig2Learn) October 15, 2019

and told me afterwards:

Event was great

Another Roosevelt Island resident who attended the dinner tweeted:

Thanks for alerting me to this lovely evening right here on Roosevelt Island at The Sanctuary - lovely food, drinks and people right here on #rooseveltisland thanks to #ediblequeens https://t.co/ZFfKeMfxUX pic.twitter.com/079SRBgFW6

— Minnehanonck (@minnehanonck) October 15, 2019

and reported a few days later:

It was a lovely, very diverse group of New Yorkers gathered together on the Island for what proved to be a great vegetarian dinner by some dedicated young chefs, paired with really good Spanish wines. Most of the food was grown by a young first generation Chinese American farmer who runs a small vegetable farm in Astoria.

The venue has the potential to be a fabulous and popular with islanders once it’s up and running - it seems special enough that if they do it well, people might also regularly come from off Island to visit.

For this event, most people didn’t know where they were going in advance and were only told the location the day of. The people I spoke to were pleasantly surprised, and had either not been to Roosevelt Island ever before or not for a decade. (One woman, who lives in Manhattan, recalled that the last time she visited, about 13 years ago, she thought the island had a somewhat “spooky” feeling but that she didn’t have that impression at all this time.)

Only one other person looked familiar to me - Christina from IDig2Learn - I’m not sure if other islanders but most seemed to be from off island. The people I spoke to came on subway and planned to take the tram back. One asked me about getting a cab.

A La Nueva Mesa spokesperson adds:

We were thrilled with how the event turned out. The Beta team did an exceptional job, and it's such a special space. We had the very talented William Elliott from Maison Premiere and PM Spirits behind the bar, as well.

There were 32 guests at the table, and while we don't have exact numbers on who was from the neighborhood, I got the sense that it was an even split. It was encouraging to see that support from both residents, who are eager to welcome something like this to the community, and non-residents, who treated the dinner like a destination in itself. With that in mind, we do plan on doing more events at Roosevelt Island and The Sanctuary!

More photos from the event here and some contrasting comments from prior post about the event.

Unique Beta Pop Up Dinner Event Comes To The Sanctuary On Roosevelt Island, An Exploration Of The Plant Kingdom, 6 Courses Each Paired With Exquisite Wine - Get Your Ticket For Monday October 14 Event

Snag your ticket to the hottest pop-up dinner in NYC 🍝 - https://t.co/eUS0gSViSk

— Edible Queens (@EdibleQueens) September 25, 2019

Roosevelt Island's new event space, The Sanctuary,

will be the venue for a unique Pop Un Dinner experience

on Monday, October 14:

An Exploration Of The Plant Kingdom

According to Edible Queens:

Japanese eggplants lacquered with berry kosho tare, baby potatoes cooked in a massam melon curry beurre blanc, each paired with exquisite wines, served at an intimate pop-up dinner on New York’s most intimate island. We're planning a very special Monday evening and you're invited.

On October 14, La Nueva Mesa kicks off a pop-up dinner series with a wine-paired six-course locally sourced plant based meal crafted by Drew Shives, Matthew Taber and Amir Dholakia- the three ex-Jean-George culinary wizards behind Beta, the wait-list only popup in Queens.

Indulge in a night to remember. Better act fast, there's limited seating and the location will only be given at time of purchase.

Date: October 14, 2019 6:30 PM-9:30 PM

Location: An Exploration of the Plant Kingdom | Manhattan

Admission:

$125 per person, 30 seat limit

Click here for tickets.

Opening Night At The Sanctuary, Roosevelt Island New Event Space A Jam Packed Success For Titan Theater Group Fundraiser - Invited RI Residents Liked It Too

The Sanctuary,

Roosevelt Island's new community event space and restaurant (restaurant starting in Spring) had it's debut opening night Monday, September 30  as a venue for the Queens based Titan Theater Group Gala Fundraiser. The space was jam packed with supporters of Titan Theater as well as invited Roosevelt Island residents.

Inside The Sanctuary Space tonight pic.twitter.com/CbEMNZbvg4

— Roosevelt Islander (@Rooseveltisland) October 1, 2019

Meet The Sanctuary owner Frank (Turtle) Raffaele who spoke at the opening and describes his intent to develop The Sanctuary as a "community centric space" as well as his strong interest in helping local non profit organizations.



Among the local Roosevelt Island residents attending The Sanctuary's opening event were Main Street Theater & Dance Alliance Executive Director Kristi Towey, Assistant Executive Director Kimbirdlee Fadner and Director Jacki Lucid-Cusick. Ms Towey describes the opening night:

The event at The Sanctuary was very nice. It is a beautiful building. The space is still bare bones so the only complaint would be there were not chairs for most of the guests but I know that will change.

The event on Monday was quickly put together in that space from what I understand. I love that there is a little stage for musicians/singers to perform. The singers that performed Monday night at the event were great.

We were invited by Titan Theatre Company to attend. The company does amazing work in the Queens area producing classical theatre. We love supporting our theatre family and plan to meet with them soon to discuss future collaborations.

I really enjoyed meeting Frank Rafaelle, the charismatic owner of Glow Group and new manager of the space. He is on the board of Titan Theatre Company and is obviously passionate about the arts. His mission in other areas he has restaurants is to give a portion of the profits to local non-profits. I read a very interesting article about him and his company in Crain’s New York Business.

I look forward to hearing more about his mission and plan here on Roosevelt Island.

Roosevelt Island Historical Society President Judy Berdy was at the event too: Ms Berdy reports:

I was pleasantly surprised the see "The Sanctuary" Monday evening at it's premiere event.

I have known Holy Spirit Chapel since I moved to the island It was built in the 1920's to serve the Protestant patients at Metropolitan Hospital. It was closed as a house of worship many years ago. The minister who was still a chaplain at Metropolitan Hospital Reverend Hemm lived there with his family (and dogs) until the late 1970's or early 1980's/ He was eventually evicted by RIOC.

The building lay empty until the Redeemed Christian Church of God moved in. Later it was renamed Dayspring Church. It had many structural issues and was flooded in Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The congregation has now left and anew chapter will be told. with that this building be used for various activities and that the owners support our community. From my brief meeting it seems that our goals are conforming. When all the start up chores are complete the building may offer a new gathering place.

We look forward to having a venue that the community can use and enjoying the improvements made. Time will tell the outcome.

We will be included a full history of the building in our November 1 issue of "Blackwell's Almanac To subscribe for free e-mail rooseveltislandhistory@gmail.com.

Roosevelt Island resident and Founder of Wildlife Freedom Foundation Rossana Ceruzzi added:

Congratulations to Frank Raffaele on a wonderful event! It was a pleasure meeting him and Francesca.

I asked Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Susan Rosenthal if there were any issues at The Sanctuary's opening event:

Any Public Safety problems with traffic, parking, noise complaints etc.

A RIOC spokesperson replied:

No issues, no complaints and everything went smooth thanks to the dedicated men and women of the Public Safety Department.

Here are some scenes from inside The Sanctuary's opening night fundraiser for the Titan Theater Company including wonderful performances by Bailey Seeker and Evan Harrington,





an overview of Titan by former NFL player Tony Richardson, currently on Titan's Advisory Board and Titan Artistic Director Lenny Banovez encouraging supporters to donate funds



and NYC Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer showing his support for Titan and the Arts.



This was a great event and am looking forward to more Roosevelt Island events at The Sanctuary as well as opening the restaurant in the Spring.