Some will undoubtedly say that the fact that two of the elected six nominees for the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation Board of Directors are not seated is a loss. While it is a loss it is certainly not a defeat. The Main Street WIRE is reporting this afternoon that the Office of the Mayor of New York will be announcing that it will appoint Howard Polivy, of the elected RIOC Six, as one of Mayor Bloomberg’s two appointees to the RIOC Board.The fact that now collectively four individuals directly elected by their fellow island residents will be seated on the Board is a great step forward and certainly progress that should be built upon. The Maple Tree Group has worked for this event for years and they should be heartily congratulated for getting us there.
It may be years, if ever, that direct elections will ever result in seating a full slate of residents but the fact that the door has been opened alone signifies a change worth celebrating. No other State Authority has such a Board as no other Authority directly affects the lives of residents as part of their domain so it was only right and time for this time to come but it should be expected that an Authority such as RIOC will always be subject to the decisions of the Governors and Mayors that can make these appointments so it should never be a surprise when they exert their power limiting such gains. But it can not be argued this is not a gain and as such this appointment and confirmations should be celebrated.
Our thanks go out to Frank Farance and Erin Feely-Nahem even though they will not serve in the positions we elected them for. We appreciate their participation and I am sure like them we all will be paying attention to the actions of their appointed colleagues as down the road there will be future elections that this accomplishment has opened the door to.
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Hey 360, I want to ask you something totally unrelated to this post but adhoc since you seem incredibly well informed about anything in Roosevelt Island. My understanding is that the whole Riverwalk project included six or seven buildings. There's two completed 455 and 425 Main st. and two half way, 415 and 405. Have they broken ground in any of the others? Will they lose there tax abatement if they haven't? are they still planning to build them?
ReplyDeleteThanks
Mario
Just appoint Frank Farance and Erin Feely-Nahem to paid RIOC positions.
ReplyDeleteNot sure what the requirements are for Hudson / Related to receive the tax breals but my understanding is that the devlopers have not even supplied the construction managers with any plans regarding buildings 7 through 9. Ground has not been broken at all on these sites.
ReplyDeleteSpeculation is they, Hudson / Related, are in no rush taking into account the current economy and are waiting to fully sell 405 and 415 which are both still under construction and to my understanding 425, whie complete and occupied, is not yet fully sold either.
Thanks, RI 360
ReplyDeleteMario
i hate what has become of this great island .this was for mixed income but no more the low and middle class are getting pushed off the island .they want the new upper middle class to live here , why dont all you new people go live on the upper east side there are 2 new buildings being build on 86 street and 3rd ave. also 86st and lex. please let the middle income people have a place to live in this city. i hate all you new people. you are willing to pay these cazy rents and buy a condo. go some place else please in 10 years there will be no more middle class here . no more senor building as they die the apartment goes on the market. so sad.
ReplyDeleteTo the 7:28pm poster: If I was able to afford the rents in Manhattan for a similar type of building I am in here on RI I would not be living here. Fact is that the rents here are still by far cheaper than across the river. Plus we have the greatest views. So, all us who got priced out of Manhattan and moved to RI had no other choice.
ReplyDeletejust a few years ago people on this island said hello to each other, now there are so many new people here all you upper upper middle class . you are all rude go live in man. please let the low income and middle income people have a place to live in new york ciy . all you new people you are making this island a place jush for upper middle class to live here .and most of you are not from new york you come here because the pat is better in new york than any place else.i hate all of you .all you people are rude you all look down on the low income people who live on this island. but this island was build for low and middle class people. not for you people who can afford 3000,and 4000 dollar rents go live some place else and pay those rents.not here .thats why the low and middle class is being pushed off the island .because of you. i hate all of you .you are the new face of roosevelt island and i hate it.there will no longer be a building for the old people as they die off the apartments go on the market at 2000 and 3000 and 4000, .so just you people can pay that rent we cannot .how sad is this, i see all the new people now living in the senior building,this building was build for senior housing citzens.who many are on sec.8 housing not for people who are making over 100.000 per year and much more than that, with tax payers money. when i see you new people in trellis restaurant.you look like a fish out of water. you dont belong here you should be eating down town in so-ho or the upper east side. see trellis is a place where all the oldtimers who have lived on this island for years and years. and we sit there and drink and talk. and sometimes we get loud. and i see you people getting upset because we are too loud. because you are accustomed to places, that you type of people go to with incomes 100,00 and better go to where you must be very silent. and act like you have a lot of class .see this place was like mayberry before you all began moving here .
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