Roosevelt Island Music and Memory Guitar Recital With Matt Katz at the RIVAA Gallery Saturday, March 26

Image From Gallery RIVAA

 Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) President Matt Katz will be performing a Music and Memory Guitar recital this Saturday, March 26 at the Gallery RIVAA (527 Main Street) starting at 4 PM. Admission is free. From Gallery RIVAA:

Matt Katz will offer a variety of songs, guitar music and reminiscences at a 4:00 P.M. recital on Saturday, March 26 at Gallery RIVAA. Katz, a twenty-two-year Roosevelt Island resident, has played the guitar for over fifty years.

He started playing as a twelve-year-old, after attending a summer camp at which Pete Seeger, a Beacon, New York neighbor of the camp, led the kids in al fresco songs. Matt, a piano student at the time, was relegated to playing castanets on the lawn, a role he found “unsatisfying.” He studied basic guitar technique at Brooklyn College and much later, classical guitar at the Guitar Study Center, operated by Paul Simon’s younger brother, Eddie.

He has performed in a variety of venues including the Lake Tarleton Club in Pike, New Hampshire, a summer resort that catered to a New York, Boston and Montreal clientele, where his primary job was lifeguard. He also has performed on cruise ships where his duties included squiring single young ladies in the evenings.

Katz began teaching guitar during his U.S. Army tenure (our of sheer boredom, he says) and this continued with his return to civilian life in New York, teaching privately, at community centers and settlement houses and at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music in Park Slope. While he adored teaching, he gave it up for, as he says, “a job that actually would support me.”

While stationed in Honolulu, he and a young Navy chaplain wrote and produced a service with an environmental theme and presented it at the Pearl Harbor Naval Base synagogue, a Quonset hut that the rabbi shared with the Seventh Day Adventists. Katz attributes the success of the program to the mountain of music with an ecological theme sent to him by Pete Seeger.

Katz has performed in an assortment of contexts here on Roosevelt Island. He presented a solo recital at Gallery RIVAA several years ago, and has played during the Fall for Arts Festival and during the RIRA 9/11 memorial observances. He participated in making the Roosevelt Island film, A Necessary Music, and contributed a guitar solo to the sound tract. In addition, and with Chris Fuller and Howie Leifer, the other two-thirds of the Bearded Bards, they have presented a half-dozen folk music concerts under the auspices of the Roosevelt Island branch of the New York Public Library. In their group bio, Matt claimed that the trio had been born in a Louisiana canebrake and were raised by wolves.

Matthew holds his opportunity to perform with Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul & Mary, at Peter’s home during a fundraiser for Island-based Orphans International, as a supreme highlight of his musical career. “For a baby-boomer folkie, it was a fantasy moment,” he said.

Saturday’s two-hour program will include folk, blues, classical, and ragtime music and of course, a large helping of his beloved Tom Lehrer songs. The concert is free and everyone is invited.

You Tube video of Matt Katz and Peter Yarrow playing for Orphans International benefit

Roosesvelt Island Residents Meet With The President - The Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer - Perhaps The Next Mayor Of New York City in 2013?

Yesterday morning, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer sat down with a group of Roosevelt Island residents for breakfast at the Trellis Diner for a discussion of Roosevelt Island issues. Mr. Stringer is pictured at top of image in suit and tie next to Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) President Matt Katz.

Image Of Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer With Roosevelt Island Residents At Trellis Diner

The group of residents and Mr. Stringer were brought together by Mr. Katz. Mr. Katz writes:

... this meeting was at the behest of Stringer, who has been more attentive to Roosevelt Island than any of his predecessors.  My goal in selecting the small group was to represent most of the building complexes, to include both veteran and first-term RIRA representatives as well as resident RIOC Board Members as well as Island media.  I was very happy with the quality of the questions and the responsiveness of the Borough President to our concerns.

RIRA Southtown Common Council Delegate and relative Roosevelt Island newcomer Dave Evans attended the meeting with Mr. Stringer and shares his thoughts on yesterday's:

BREAKFAST WITH THE PRESIDENT

Well, I did not eat my breakfast this morning and it is his fault. I lost interest in eating as soon as Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, in response to the very first question, said that Roosevelt Island IS a part of Manhattan. I believe I properly sensed similar pleasure in Matt Katz's face and among the other Roosevelt Island Residents Association and RIOC attendees. But, they ate while I couldn't contain my note-taking.

Mr. Stringer answered every question thoughtfully and appropriately and when there was an action to be taken, he turned to his well-prepared community liaison officer Kristen Ellis, who gladly took note of her homework. There remains much for me to learn about the key issues of Roosevelt Island, especially those with so many implications for the future.

Mr. Stringer seems to know the issues and was very receptive to discussing them within the limited time availed. He addressed questions associated with future development, e.g., what is envisaged when the Island's southern hospital goes away and made us all feel even warmer when he cited the need for our community's involvement in this future land use matter. He adeptly handled other questions dealing with signage on the Island, and those in and around the city that require improvement so folks can get to the Island; the importance of us having a uniformed "real" (my word, not his) police officer presence; sensitivity to the needs of the physically challenged by acknowledging that Manhattan can do a better job with the curb cuts necessary for their safe movement around the city; the inclusion of our Island in discussions of the Manhattan grid (200th anniversary) and those involving potential future ferry service and waterfront planning; and the challenges of emergency evacuation. He promised to continue to practice his belief of getting the community involved and of being an advocate for Roosevelt Island.

No wonder he is such a promising, albeit unannounced but he certainly did not rule it out, candidate for Mayor. And, no pun intended, there were no strings attached to all the good words he directed our way - - no wonder I am now hungry - - there is so much good food on the plate.

Mr. Stringer also received questions regarding:

• Roosevelt Island not being part of New York City's 311 reporting system - he was told by residents of calls made to 311 Operators who had no idea where Roosevelt Island was or that it was part of NYC,  
• the proposed development of Coler Goldwater campus into a University advanced research center - he pledged to do all he could to make sure that any plan not make the site an exclusive enclave and to protect the interests of current Roosevelt Island residents through NYC's Land Use Process (ULURP) and 
• problems with the Roosevelt Island F Train Subway Station - during the meeting I received this blog comment about problem with water leaking at Manhattan bound platform. I read the comment to Mr. Stringer which led to a discussion of other subway problems including the broken doors and pigeon poop. Mr. Stringer directed his Community Relations Aide to contact the MTA and get these problems fixed.

The Editor of the Main Street WIRE followed up on my question to Mr. Stringer regarding the plans for the Coler Goldwater site asking if the Roosevelt Island community, through RIRA or some other entity, could be involved in the development process to represent the interest of the residents stating that RIOC was not competent to do so. At that point RIOC Director Jonathan Kalkin, who was present for the breakfast, spoke up describing his and RIOC's active participation in providing New York City with information and feedback on Roosevelt Island as a possible site for a new Applied Research and Engineering University campus.  Mr. Stringer answered by indicating that all Roosevelt Island viewpoints would be listened to in the land use approval process.

The final question of the hour long meeting was asked by our hungry correspondent Dave Evans who wanted to know of any 2013 Mayoral aspirations by Mr. Stringer. The Manhattan Borough President responded that he is not an announced candidate though he is exploring that option. Mr. Stringer emphasized  that New Yorkers are seeking a more collaborative government and, according to Mr. Stringer, a Mayor that doesn't tell them what to do but who will forge compromise and move issues forward.

I think the consensus of those Roosevelt Island residents attending the meeting was that Mr. Stringer was well prepared, knowledgeable about Roosevelt Island issues and that he will be a candidate for Mayor in 2013

Image Of Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer With Roosevelt Island Residents At Trellis Diner

Roosevelt Island's Loses Sole NYPD Officer and Position Will Not Be Replaced By 114th Precinct - January/February Public Safety Statistics Available

 Image From NY Daily News

Earlier this week I learned that Roosevelt Island's only assigned NYPD officer would no longer be patrolling our Island and that another NYPD officer would not be assigned as a replacement. During Monday's Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Island Services Committee meeting, RIRA President Matt Katz reported that it was his understanding that this was true.

I asked Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) for comment on Monday but have not yet received a reply though earlier this morning, RIOC VP of Operations Fernando Martinez indicated that he would be providing a statement on matter soon. In the past, statements regarding Roosevelt Island Public Safety issues would have come from Public Safety Department Director Guerra but I have been advised that from now on all public statements issued from RIOC staff will be coming from Mr. Martinez.

RIRA Public Safety Committee Chair Erin Feeley-Nahem provided the following information on the matter:

Director Guerra informed me that Officer Fernandez, the Officer assigned by the 114th precinct to patrol Roosevelt Island, had requested a transfer and has now been reassigned. Chief Guerra also informed me that because of our low crime rate Officer Fernandez will not be replaced. A couple of months ago when I discussed this possibility with a Lieutenant from the 114th I was assured that although Officer Fernandez' choice of vehicle made him an ideal fit for patrolling Roosevelt Island, the 114th would continue to patrol Roosevelt Island as part of Sector Robert.

In the event that we find that adequate coverage is not provided by the 114th, endangering the continued safety of Roosevelt Island residents, RIRA's President Matthew Katz and myself will voice the Island's concern to those in a position to assist us. We will continue to advocate for a police presence on Roosevelt Island as we have in the past. I am confident that Chief Guerra and our 38 Public Safety Officers will continue to maintain law and order on the Island, but I am also aware of how important Officer Fernandez was to their team and to this community. The Public safety Committee would like to thank and express our appreciation to Officer Fernandez for his years of dedicated service in our community, and wish him success in all his future endeavors.

Below are the January/February 2011 Roosevelt Island Public Safety Call for Services/Responses and Index Crimes statistics.

Feb Public Safety Stats

Roosevelt Island is in Queens 114th NYPD precinct.

The 114th Precinct is located in the northwestern portion of Queens patrolling the neighborhoods of Astoria, Long Island City, Woodside, and Jackson Heights. A very large Greek community resides within the confines of this precinct. There are single and multiple family homes, including four housing developments. The primary commercial locations are Steinway Street, Broadway, Ditmars Blvd, 30th Avenue and Northern Boulevard.

The most recent crime statistics for the 114th are here.

UPDATE - 3/24 - Officer Fernandez sends a message to the Roosevelt Island community.

Roosevelt Island Donates To Japanese Earthquake Relief Fund

Nikki Leopold, the President of Roosevelt Island's PS/IS 217 PTA provides the following report:

On Saturday, March 19, the Japanese community on the island called for donations. This is to help the people of Japan in the aftermath of massive earthquake, followed by a tsunami and nuclear power plant crisis. The half-day drive, supported by the RIOC, Mr.Hirsch (PS/IS 217 ESL teacher) and PS/IS 217 PTA, raised almost US$3360 which will be sent to Japan through Japan Society’s Earthquake Relief Fund.

Here's a dramatic You Tube video showing people running away from the tsunami:

A local Japanese news team have filmed the moment they attempted to run for safety, just before the tsunami hit Sendai.

The reporter and his team are filmed climbing the stairs of a house just as the tsunami hits and the local roads and paths are flooded. Moments later debris including cars and houses float past.
The team then attempt to rescue a woman trapped in a tree with a fire-hose...

And a dog looking out for his injured friend.



Yahoo News has an English translation of the video 

According to Global Animal:

... CNN and The Telegraph UK are reporting that both dogs received medical attention. The injured dog is currently at a veteranarian in Mito and the loyal white and brown spaniel friend is at a shelter with vet services in the same town. Everybody is hopeful for their full recovery....

No Manhattan Bound F Train From Roosevelt Island Tuesday Thru Friday from 12:01 AM - 5 AM - Plan Accordingly

The MTA is reporting that there will be no Manhattan bound F trains from Roosevelt Island starting at 12:01 AM - 5 AM beginning Tuesday March 22 through Friday March 25. From the MTA:

F Coney Island-bound trains are rerouted via the M from Roosevelt Av to 47-50 Sts

Nights, 12:01 AM to 5 AM, Tue to Fri, Mar 22 - 25

Trains run express from Roosevelt Av to Queens Plaza.

Trains skip the 21 St-Queensbridge, Roosevelt Island, Lexington Av-63 St, and 57 St Stations.

For service to these stations, take the F to 47-50 Sts and transfer to a Jamaica-bound F

For service from these stations, take Jamaica-bound F to Roosevelt Av and transfer to a Coney Island-bound F.

Roosevelt Island Community Meeting on the Renovation of Good Shepherd Chapel and Plaza Thursday March 24. 7 PM - Come Learn What Is Happening, Comment and Ask Questions

Image From RIOC

Commenting on an earlier post regarding the Red Bus, Roosevelt Island resident Gregor suggested:

I think there should be a RI residents open forum with Mr. Martinez making a presentation on exactly how the red buses are run, especially with regard to meeting the tram and picking up tram passengers ...

Well Gregor, there will be an open forum this week for Roosevelt Island residents to learn from Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) staff not about the Red Bus, but about the Good Shepherd Chapel and Plaza restoration status. According to RIOC:

Members of the RIOC Staff will be presenting an update on the renovations of the Good Shepherd Community Center Chapel and Plaza 

All members of the Roosevelt Island community are welcome to come, learn what is happening, comment and ask questions. The meeting will be held Thursday, March 24, 7 PM at the Good Shepherd Community Center lower level. Yesterday,  I asked RIOC's VP of Operations Fernando Martinez for some information about the renovation update prior to the meeting so that members of the community could come prepared with comments and questions.  Have not received a reply yet but if I do, will include that as an update to this post.

A previous Town Hall meeting on the Good Shepherd renovation was held last March 25.  A brief summary by Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) President (then Planning Committee Chair) Matt Katz from an earlier post follows:

... Turcic, RIOC Chief Engineer, presented the plan. He said there was little change involved, and that the proposed HVAC upgrade was the only element that requires approval from the Landmarks Preservation Commission. The cooling tower in the Chapel belfry is to be replaced by a ground-level condenser just west of the side entrance that will be covered by a wooden barrier. The red slate pavers are to be replaced, drainage will be reconfigured, bench locations are to be reconsidered and the tall lights will be replaced by ten-foot lights similar to the ones on Main Street and with new eight-foot lights at the west entrance doors. Russem said the Plaza is dim and asked if three lights each on the north and south sides would be sufficient to make the area brighter.

Turcic indicated that subsidence has caused drainage problems. The north-south-running drains on the east and west sides of the Chapel will remain, but the other north-west-running drain, located near the back of the Chapel, would be replaced by east-west-running trench drains where the concrete stripes now break up the red tile pattern. In addition, the squared-off concrete apron at the eastern (apse) end of the structure would be rounded to conform to the shape of the building. Chirivas asked if there would be any interior Chapel work and Turcic responded, “No.”...

 Click thru for the entire report.


View Larger Map

Con Ed Proposed Building Nuclear Reactor Next Door To Roosevelt Island At Ravenswood Power Plant in Long Island City, Queens

Image Of NY Times Article From Murmurs of Earth

The  proposed Con Ed Nuclear Power plant in Long Island City across the East River from Roosevelt Island was projected to generate a capacity of 1 million kilowatts.

OK - stop freaking out - the proposal was made in 1963 and rejected. Read more about the plan from 1963 articles in the NY Times and Village Voice.

According to the NY Times:

... If New Yorkers will accept fission for profit as a neighbor, most city-dwelling Americans may expect to do so one day. But if New Yorkers banish it to the countryside, the cities of tomorrow may be bypassed by the industrial development of the atomic age Which risk should a city take?...

Via patrickdijusto tweet:

1963 New York Times story on the proposed nuclear power plant in New York City.

The Ravenswood power plant is now known as Big Allis. More about Big Allis from previous posts.

What To Do With Your Discontinued 30 Day MTA Metro Card and When Will Roosevelt Island F Train Subway Entrance Ever Be Fixed?

Image Of Metro Card Machine From Pixel Punchout

Did you buy a 30 day MTA Metro Card before the price hikes went into effect at the end of 2010 only to discover when trying to use it for the first time recently that the Metro Card would not work? Roosevelt Island resident Trevre reports (on March 17) what happened to him when he tried to use such a card:

March 1st as I went to swipe my monthly metrocard the meter said “see agent”. I went to see the agent and told me I needed to send in my card for a claim. Apparently because the card was purchased prior to 12/31/10 via wageworks (a paycheck program that automatically deducts and purchases your metrocard), it was no longer usable.

First I thought this was deceiving of the MTA to sell 30 day cars prior to the end of 2010, which wouldn’t work in 2011, when their expiration data is not until the end of 2011, and second what am I supposed to do while I send in my card in the mean time. I had to purchase another 30 day card. I submitted the claim on 3/1/2011. I called the MTA today and spoke with Anthony Samuel a supervisor who indicated the claim has not even been entered and the soonest it would be addressed is 4/1/2011. I asked him if he thought this was acceptable to which he responded it is what it is. I asked him who was responsible and he said, “I guess the president of the MTA.” I would go after him, but I doubt he would respond.

Apparently thousands of other customers are in this same predicament. I bet I don’t get a refund until early summer.

The Daily News reported a time limit in which Metro Cards purchased in 2010 could be used in 2011:

 A 30-day MetroCard, which will rise from $89 to $104, is valid until Feb. 8.

Second Avenue Sagas reported on February 8:

... To remind customers of this sunset date, the MTA sent out a press release yesterday with information on refunds. The authority says that customers still holding 30-day cards can get a pro-rated refund by mailing cards along with a questionnaire back to New York City Transit. The forms are available at subway station booths — if you can find one with a station agent — and on buses throughout the city. They’re also available as a PDF right here. For those who want to take care of their return in person, head to the MetroCard Customer Service Center at 3 Stone Street in Manhattan. I wonder how many people will find their remaining fare cards inactive tomorrow morning....

Trevre also emailed the MTA's F line General Manager Dwayne Anglero:

The street level door at the Roosevelt Island F train station has been broken for more than a year now.  Could we please have it fixed?  Thanks.

See below, it looked about the same this morning.

Image Of Roosevelt Island F Train Subway Broken Door Entrance

The photo was not part of Trevre's message to F Train Line General Manager. The "See below" was referencing the link.

Super Moon Over Roosevelt Island and New York City East River Waterfront Last Saturday Night- Learn About the Super Moon From NASA

You Tube Image Of Super Moon Over Roosevelt Island & NYC East River

Did any of you happen to see the Super Moon over Roosevelt Island last Saturday night/Sunday morning? If not, you can thank debnewman who uploaded a short video to You Tube for this view of the Super Moon over Roosevelt Island and reports:

Short video of the "Super Moon" taken at 9:30pm on March 19, 2011 on the footbridge at 71st Street and the East River in NYC. Taken with a shaky Flip camera facing east towards Roosevelt Island, with a pan up the river to the Triboro bridge, and back down again to the super moon

NASA's Science News explains a Super Moon:

... On March 19th, a full Moon of rare size and beauty will rise in the east at sunset. It's a super "perigee moon"--the biggest in almost 20 years.

"The last full Moon so big and close to Earth occurred in March of 1993," says Geoff Chester of the US Naval Observatory in Washington DC. "I'd say it's worth a look."

Full Moons vary in size because of the oval shape of the Moon's orbit. It is an ellipse with one side (perigee) about 50,000 km closer to Earth than the other (apogee): diagram. Nearby perigee moons are about 14% bigger and 30% brighter than lesser moons that occur on the apogee side of the Moon's orbit

"The full Moon of March 19th occurs less than one hour away from perigee--a near-perfect coincidence¹ that happens only 18 years or so," adds Chester....

You Tube Super Moon Video From NASA

Testing On Newly Rehabilitated Roosevelt Island Bridge Begins Monday, March 21 Thru Mid April - Daily Intermittent Full Closings For Up To 15 minutes, Will Emergency Vehicles Be Stationed On Island During This Time?

Image Of Raised Roosevelt Island Bridge

Be advised that there will be traffic disruptions driving to and from Roosevelt Island via the Roosevelt Island Bridge beginning tomorrow until mid April. According to RIOC:

As a reminder, per the attached notice, the DOT will be performing test openings of the Roosevelt Island Bridge between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., weekdays, from Monday, March 21st to Friday, April 15th.

Sincerely,

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp Advisories Group

Click On Image To Enlarge

The NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) adds:

The New York City Department of Transportation Division of Bridges will begin testing the newly rehabilitated Roosevelt Island Bridge on Monday March 21st at 10:00 a.m. The bridge will be fully closed for up to 15 minutes. All testing will be concluded daily by 2:00 p.m. The testing program is expected to be completed on or before April 15th. Testing requires intermittent closures of the bridge to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

The work is weather sensitive and inclement weather may cause the work to be rescheduled or delayed. Should this occur, additional notification of the revised schedule will be provided. Variable message boards will inform motorists and pedestrians of the closures. NYPDC Traffic Enforcement Agents will assist with traffic control at Vernon Blvd and 36th Avenue. During the bridge testing, NYPD, NYFD and EMS units will be available to Roosevelt Island residents and visitors by dialing 911.
FOR MORE INFORMATION

Questions regarding the bridge closure may be addressed to Fred Herschkowitz, Community Liaison at 212-839-6307 or fherschkowitz@dot.nyc.gov. You may also call the New York City Government Services and Information Hotline at 311.    Please be prepared to give your name, your borough, and the project number, HBM1117, to be routed to the project management team.

Does the DOT's notice characterizing the Roosevelt Island Bridge as:

 ... the newly rehabilitated Roosevelt Island Bridge...

 mean that the rehabilitation of the Bridge is completed except for testing?

No word yet on whether the DOT's Roosevelt Island Reconstruction $86.5 million project will  include a pedestrian safety barrier for the Queens side of the Bridge as reported on in this earlier post.

Also, with testing being done on the Roosevelt Island Bridge and vehicle access denied during this time, will emergency service vehicles be stationed on Roosevelt Island in case they are needed? I hope RIOC, the DOT or whoever the appropriate authority is will be ready for the possible need of an ambulance, FDNY or NYPD response to Roosevelt Island during the time the Bridge is not passable. The DOT notice states that such service will be available by dialing 911.