Roosevelt Island Southpoint Park Grand Opening August 2, Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Starts At 9 AM and All Are Invited - Latest Pictures From FDR Memorial Boondoggle Too

Image of Southpoint Park Rendering From RIOC Record (Page 12)

Received the following message from the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC):

On Tuesday, August 2, 2011, ALL Roosevelt Islanders are welcome to join the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation in the highly anticipated GRAND OPENING of Southpoint Park. The ribbon cutting ceremony will commence at 9:00 AM. There will be Red Bus service available to the park. We hope you join us for this memorable occasion and become Southpoint Park’s first guests.

The entrance to this new 7 acre East River waterfront park is a few feet south of the Goldwater Hospital campus and extends to the Renwick Ruins Smallpox Hospital. Soon the Ghost Hunters may return to get up close and personal with the Ruins again in search of Roosevelt Island spirits.

Wild Gardens Green Rooms had been the previous name for this project but it is now being called just Southpoint Park. Here's what Southpoint Park looked like last week from outside the construction fencing.

You Tube Video of Southpoint Park Behind Construction Fencing

Looking forward to having this portion of Southpoint Park open again.

The rest of the area of Southpoint Park south of the Renwick Ruins Smallpox Hospital is where the 3 acre Louis Kahn Memorial Boondoggle is being constructed - oops, it's official name is the FDR Four Freedoms Park Memorial. This area is still closed and will not open for several more years.

Here's the latest picture of the recently constructed Louis Kahn Death Box (or sculpture room) at the FDR Four Freedoms Memorial on Roosevelt Island's most southern tip.

Image From FDR Four Freedoms Park

Image From FDR Four Freedoms Park

Such a pity that this monstrosity has ruined what had been the beautiful southern tip of Roosevelt Island.

Southern Tip of Roosevelt Island Southpoint Park in 2008 from Walking off the Big Apple

UPDATE 8/1 - The FDR Hope Memorial depicting:

President Franklin D. Roosevelt seated in his wheelchair at his desk greeting a young disabled girl wearing braces on her leg...

Image of FDR Hope Memorial Rendering designed by Meredith Bergmann

will be located in a part of the new Southpoint Park.

Here's a wonderful profile of Roosevelt Island resident Nancy Brown, one of the FDR Hope Memorial organizers, explaining why it is so important to have such a representation of President Roosevelt, particularly on the New York City Island named after him.

You Tube Video on Power Of One Enabled Not Disabled From mntv

For purposes of clarity, the FDR Hope Memorial depicting President Roosevelt sitting in a wheelchair and the Louis Kahn designed so-called FDR Memorial are two different and separate projects. More information on the FDR Hope Memorial from previous posts.

If you wish to help or contribute to developing the FDR Hope Memorial, please visit their web site to learn more and for contact information.

UPDATE 8/2 - Here's what happened at the Grand Opening Celebration of the new Southpoint Park earlier today.

UPDATE 8/12 - Here's some more images from the Kahn/FDR Memorial Boondoggle.

Images are from FDR Four Freedoms Park

Unfortunately, it looks more like a cemetery to me than a waterfront park. What a pity that TPL's Master Plan for all of Southpoint Park, (including the area of what is now the location for the Kahn/FDR Boondoggle) was not accomplished.

A positive review of the Kahn FDR Memorial was published by Bloomberg today.

Can Two Maple Trees At The Entrance To Roosevelt Island's Southpoint Park Be Saved From Cutting Down? Here's A Sneak Peak At What Southpoint Park Looks Like Just Before It's July Opening - Hopefully

Image from Reader of Maple Trees At Southpoint Park Gate Entrance In Danger of Being Cut Down

I received the following plea from a Roosevelt Island resident hoping to save two Maple Trees in Front of the East Side entrance to Southpoint Park.

Down at the new Park, at South Point, I believe they are calling it Wild Gardens there are 2 beautiful Maple trees left untouched by the bulldozers. A lot of wildlife has disappeared since all the park construction as well as the beautiful trees and bushes that were down there....well, I have attached a picture of 2 Maples trees that are there at the left of the big new black iron gates as you approach the entrance...they are such nice trees. If you go down there, they have placed some rusted iron columns at the entrance to the gate, maybe an artistic touch, not sure, but the trees are so perfect right there at the gate.

They are so beautiful framing the entrance to the park there...it is on the South Eastern side if you walk down behind Gold Water Hospital. The trees have been there many years and I hear they are tearing them down in the coming days...they have leveled every other tree and bush down there...I wonder why they would tear down 2 beautiful trees that frame the entrance to the park?

Several of us that are concerned about the trees being torn down. If you could post the picture and maybe just shed some light on saving some of the natural and wild trees and fauna at the new park that would be so cool.

I notice how barren and sterile the 1st part of the park looks, no shade to sit under, no fountain sending water up into the sky, not benches or places to have a picnic ... Have you been down there and check it out?

I hope that those 2 Maples that have been there 20 or 30 years will continue to live and provide shade and beauty to not just us that live here, but for others to visit and see and provide many memories about people meeting at the Maple tree on Roosevelt Island.

The reader's message was slightly edited by me.

After receiving the reader's message, I took a walk down to Southpoint Park. The gate was open

and a Roosevelt Island Public Safety Officer was stationed just outside of the Gate. I asked the Officer for permission to enter so I could take some photos but the Officer politely informed me that I could not at that time.

I did manage to take some photos of the new Wild Gardens/Green Room Park from just a couple of feet past the gate and did see some wildlife, these geese,

young trees and

and a grass lawn

as well as the two Maple Trees just in front of the Southpoint Park entrance framing the Citigroup Building in Long Island City.

Another reader asked when Southpoint Park was scheduled to open. I replied:

The northern portion of Southpoint Park, called Wild Gardens Green Room, is scheduled to open in July.

The southern portion of the Park, site of the Kahn/FDR Memorial, is not scheduled to open for at least another couple of years.

Did this post on the opening of Wild Gardens.

I am very much looking forward to the opening of Wild Gardens/Green Room on Roosevelt Island, although I think it may have a different name now but am not sure about that.

Here are some more pictures from just inside the gate of Southpoint Park and leaning over the top of the fence on the Western side of the park.

Roosevelt Island Wild Garden's Green Room Park At Southpoint Park Opening Delayed From Spring Until Mid July

Image of Wild Gardens/Green Rooms Rendering From RIOC Record (Page 12)

Commenting on Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Leslie Torres Report to the community last Friday, an observant reader notes:

In the 2/25/2011 report, Ms. Torres clearly states "We will manage to make final investments and open up Southpoint Park in the spring". Two weeks later (in the 3/11/2011 report), she casually slips in the phrase "slated for opening in mid-summer" in reference to Southpoint Park. It would have been appropriate for Ms. Torres to explain the delay, not just simply restate a new projected time frame. Delays are understandable; not keeping RI residents adequately informed is a disservice to the community.

I noticed that too and asked RIOC Vice President for Operations Fernando Martinez:

Can you advise why that portion of the park's opening has been pushed back from the spring, as planned earlier. to mid summer.

Mr. Martinez replied:

We recently had a kick-off meeting regarding the Wild Garden's/ Green Room project at South Point Park.  The contractor presented an updated scope and associated schedule for the remaining work.  The projected date of completion is mid-July.  However, if the contractor finishes the work earlier than expected, then we will open the park sooner.

The 3/10 - 3/11 daily Public Safety Report also mentioned an incident at Southpoint Park.

Investigation- Unauthorized workers denied access to Four Freedoms Park.

Mr. Martinez explains what happened:

On occasion, individuals try to gain access to the job sites in order to speak to the foreman or contractor.  The individuals are looking for work.  Since the individuals are not authorized by the foreman or contractor, they are denied access.