FDR Four Freedoms Park Billboard ?

I have not been over to the East River from the Manhattan side to see if the FDR Four Freedoms Billboard is back again this year but with the park construction and the UN in session I am assuming it is somewhere.

And with the United Nations back in session I am also assuming the US Coast Guard gun boats are back as well. The picture above was taken last year during this time.

Will President Obama Visit Roosevelt Island for a FDR Park Dedication?

According to a New York Social Diary posting, President Obama will be invited to a dedication of the FDR Four Freedoms Park which organizers hope to be schedule for the week of the 2009 United Nations General Assembly. The Social Diary post focused, in part, on a reception last month in Philadelphia honoring the planned memorial and Kahn titled “Louis I. Kahn: The Making of a Room”.

If this does happen, security will be amazingly tight on our little island and you can bet we’ll be in partial lockdown mode. I disagree with parts of the park’s design but it would be an honor for the President to visit the island. My bet is that residents would be squeezed out attending the event. Despite this blog being a pseudo member of our local press I have no illusions of receiving an invite but they sure as hell better invite Dick Lutz of the Main Street WIRE and Judy Berdy from the Historical Society.

FERI wants Stimulus Money to Build FDR Park

Updated: 2:51pm for addition of City Council Member Lappin's Response

As reported on Crain New York Business.com the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt institute is applying for $25 million in Federal stimulus monies to supplement the funds they themselves could not raise in 30 plus years for the planned Four Freedoms Park to be built on Roosevelt Island. While the creation of the park will create jobs in the short term I still don't believe this is the best use of public monies at this time.

Per Crains:

"The Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute wants roughly $25 million to create a park on Roosevelt Island that was designed years ago by legendary architect Louis Kahn to honor the 32nd president.

“We can begin construction in June, provide 300 jobs and be an incredible tourist attraction for New York,” says former diplomat William vanden Heuvel, who founded the institute.

Mr. vanden Heuvel has dispatched detailed applications to Gov. David Paterson, Sen. Charles Schumer and other power brokers, but he has no idea when to expect an answer. "

Other than City Council Member Jessica Lappin's (D - 5th District) comments below no word yet from our other elected officials as to whether they support this request by FERI.

If any monies are allocated to the Park out of the stimulus funds it would be shocking if they were to receive all $25M they are asking for. As such if these monies are so allocated it should be stipulated that the public areas of the park and not the memorial site and "room" be built first for fear that the FERI folks will never raise the entire $40M plus they project the Parks creation will require.

City Council Member Jessica Lappin's comments re FERI's request (courtesy of the council member's Press Secretary, John Moore):

“I do support the use of federal stimulus money to support this project. In the short term, the construction of the park will directly create 200 construction jobs over the 30 months that it will take to complete the project. In the longer term, the completion of this project will make Roosevelt Island a destination for tourists and others who wish to visit the only memorial to Franklin Roosevelt in his home state. With the design of the park completed, this is a “shovel-ready” project that will have both short and long term benefits for the Island and for our city.”