Roosevelt Island 360: My Video

Roosevelt Island's Blackwell House Faces Queens but most residents know the back porch, which faces Manhattan, as the view of the house they see from Main Street. This video is the view from the back porch.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Videos of Escalators: Variable Speed and Standard

The first video below is a quick video showing the difference in speeds between slow at 15 feet per second to that of the standard 100 feet per second as taped on Roosevelt Island. I was not yet able to capture the transition from slow to standard. Direct YouTube link.

The second video is a quick tour of the upper escalators without venturing down to the track level. Watch for future updates. Note that construction currently is blocking off one pair of escalators ES 412 and ES 415 from the street down to the lower mezzanine.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Roosevelt Island - A Water View - Bottom to Top

I had been wanting to film the island from one end to the other ever since seeing the Edison 1903 video filmed from the East Channel looking West. I have already filmed and posted the Island from that view but from Southpoint to Lighthouse where the Edison video starts at the North end and heads South.

I am now presenting the following video from the West Channel looking East at the Island starting at Southpoint and finishing at Lighthouse Park.

Friday, June 6, 2008

Bike Ride: Lighthouse to Tram Plaza

OK, this bike ride still has some bumpy spots as I ride from Lighthouse Park down to the Roosevelt Island Tram station, along the East River, but how many 20 year bikes have shocks that can make a video camera look good.

Later in the week I'll post some other island shots and figure out the smoothest path to ride around the island.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

A Shaky Ride over the Roosevelt Island Bridge

At best this was a shaky ride over the Roosevelt Island Bridge. At worst I could have lost the vegetables I had tied in a milk crate on the back of the bike. Luckily that did not happen.

Pardon my choice of a song but it was late and the selection was not that great. OK, it's not the great "Taxi" theme song car ride across the bridge but few videos will attain that status and this is not one of them.

Friday, March 14, 2008

Typical FDNY Response to Apparent Non Emergency Call on Roosevelt Island

Any Roosevelt Island resident that lives here and certainly those residents whose apartments face into Main Street know that the Fire Department trucks are frequent visitors to Main Street and very often on false alarms or events that are less than originally called. I guess due to the size of our buildings and our semi-remote location they are required to send this many trucks.

The below video was shot at approximately 2:00 am on Wednesday March 12th. Seven fire trucks responded that morning including Ladder 115, Ladder 116, Engine 260 and Engine 262. I missed the units numbers for the remaining pieces of equipment. We greatly appreciate every time these firefighters come onto the island as younever know when one of the calls could be the real thing. we just hope one of these non emergency response takes the equipment from a real emergency.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

What is Fast Becoming a Typical Line for the Tram

My fellow blogger, the Roosevelt Islander, ran a post yesterday, Feb. 26th, discussing various reader responses and web commentary about living here on Roosevelt Island. Many of the comments are about issues regarding the lack of retail establishments and local entertainment venues, the quality of the existing businesses, and transportation issues.

In the past weeks I responded to a few web based inquiries, on Wired New York, where I focused again on transportation issues as well as to really get a feeling for a particular building here you need to speak to as many people that you can meet from that building.

I have often repeated my concerns regarding not so much the on-island transportation Red Bus issue but more in regard to getting to and from the island. With five new buildings either under construction or planned I periodically worry about whether the current subway / tram infrastructure we have can handle the growing traffic.

The above video is of what is becoming a pretty typical line to board the Tram during rush hour. Very often you can end up missing one tram and needing to wait for the next one. At only 4 to 6 minutes between arrivals and departures it moves pretty quick but where this video was shot in the Summer waiting in the cold gets old quite fast when the Winter winds are blowing in your face.

Monday, February 25, 2008

2008 Toy Fair - Solar Powered Tram

Each year I am fortunate enough to be able to attend the International Toy Fair. It is always an interesting event and has lead me to find some cool toys that I have recommended to others or purchased ourselves.

Later this year we hope that the Roosevelt Island Historical Society will be able to bring the above solar powered tram to market at the Visitors' Kiosk. The product is not yet available to the market and the boxes shown were just prototypes. Perhaps the RIHS can sell the toy with additional stickers so that the purchaser can add the Tram logo (old logo or new?) plus the distinctive Roosevelt Island name to the model's body.

This tram is cardboard and has no floor so it is best viewed from above or at eye level. The age range is ten and up based on the mechanical parts needed to be assembled.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

A 360˚ Video of Roosevelt Island’s Subway Station Plaza

This video shot on January 26, 2008 is of the plaza outside the Roosevelt Island Subway Station and includes the Red Bus, a NYCTA Q102 bus, a view through Riverwalk Plaza allowing the viewer to see the KeySpan Ravenswood Energy Plant, the Duane Reade at 425 Main Street, a view of the Queensboro Bridge and the East River.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

The Views from Goldwater Campus …

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Last July there were articles , news stories, as well as my own blog posts regarding a long term proposal that would result in the Goldwater Hospital campus being closed and the facilities merged with Coler Hospital at the North end of Roosevelt Island. The above video shot last month shows a brief glimpse of the views of the East River and Manhattan currently enjoyed by the Goldwater Hospital community.

If Goldwater were ever razed this property would be extremely valuable to NYC on the open market. As this is City property, occupied by a City Hospital, the usage of the land is not subject to the GDP that was signed by NYC when the bulk of the Island was rented to NYS.

Residents would be up in arms about infrastructure issues and the fact that the current transportation systems could not handle the added growth and patient advocates would have concerns egarding whether patients at both hospitals would suffer due to a merger.

Monday, February 11, 2008

Cow Happy? Roosevelt Island’s Last Cow…

I don’t really know if the last cow on Roosevelt Island is truly happy. We pass her every week and see her standing there in the window at PS / IS 217 and we wonder if she longs for the days when she was outside standing among the City she was created for. If she does, she is being teased as she stands by her window day in and day out facing the East River watching life go by.

She may or may not be comforted by the students of the school within which she is kept. Students in the K-8 school do look at her as their own. I am sure the kindergartners show her much more love than the eighth graders but I am sure there are many older kids that love her too. I know my own kids love her and we always must say hello as we pass her.

Wind Rips Construction Canopy Off Roosevelt Island Bridge

The winds, yesterday, Sunday, February 10, 2008 were so striong that the force partially ripped the construction canopy off of the Roosevelt Island Bridge. Traffic was not effected but the sound was amazing as the canopy ripped in the strong winds. No word as to how long Skanska will need to repair the canopy or its effect on the ongoing construction project.

Monday, January 28, 2008

Red Bus Series – The Riverwalk / Southtown Tram Loop

This set of videos are all of the same subject the Red Bus and provides three different views of the Red Bus, in the evening, as it leaves the Tram station and winds its way around the newly constructed Southtown traffic loop / circle.

The first video is of the Red Bus from the outside. The second is from the inside looking out from the rear seat. The third is from the rear interior exit door looking forward through the bus. Each video is about a minute or less.

Friday, January 18, 2008

The Red Bus Series: Looking Back on Main Street

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

My second experience ever on Roosevelt Island after taking the Tram here in July 2005 was taking the Red Bus up the Octagon Gardens Loop by the FDNY Special Operations Command. Ever since then I have been as enamored of this route as I am of the Tram. I recall the ride North and saying who knew all of this was here and how did I get on this ride.

Where else in NYC can you travel approximately 25 blocks for a quarter. Essentially a free ride.

I believe this is my 5th posted video of the Red Bus. And I have more waiting to be posted. When you step into the Red Bus and look out its windows the Island almost does not seem real. When you head South on Main Street and just pass Rivercross and the views of the East River and Manhattan come into view, they do not seem real almost like you are looking out from a ride at a theme park.

But Main Street is very real and the reliance on these buses for every commuter is absolute on any cold Wintry or rainy day. So to the gentlemen and ladies that drive them I say thank you.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

RIOC Candidate's Q&A: FDR Memorial at Southpoint

This video of the RIOC Board Nominee candidate's Q&A focuses on each candidate's opinions regarding the planned FDR memorial to be built at Southpoint Park just South of the former smallpox hospital. It was the 5th question asked by the audience. I have posted already the videos for #4 (Renting Out Public Spaces) and #3 (Preserving public Spaces) below.

The candidates were seated alphabetically from left to right with those individuals who had submitted their formal paperwork on the left (6 of the 9) and those whose paperwork was in process to the right (3 of the 9). They are Michael Carew, Fay Christian, Kathie Grimm, Adrienne Grist, Howard Polivy, Lynne Strong-Shinozaki, Frank Farance, Erin Feely-Nahem, and Jonathan Kalkin.

I should note and apologize as this video cuts off Dr. Grimm and completely missed the last two candidate opinions as my camera's batteries just died and I did not have any additional batteries. Again my apologies to Dr. Grimm and both Michael Carew and Fay Christian.

RIOC Candidates Q&A: Renting Out Fields

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

This video is of the 4th question posed to the RIOC Board Nominee Candidates and focuses on their views regarding RIOC's ability and actions of renting out public ball fields and space to organizations from off the Island. This video was shot on 1/15/08 at the first of two candidate nights. The second is Saturday night February 2nd.

The candidates were seated alphabetically from left to right with those individuals who had submitted their formal paperwork on the left (6 of the 9) and those whose paperwork was in process (3 pf the 9) to the right. They are Michael Carew, Fay Christian, Kathie Grimm, Adrienne Grist, Howard Polivy, Lynne Strong-Shinozaki, Frank Farance, Erin Feely-Nahem, and Jonathan Kalkin.

RIOC Candidates Q & A: Open Spaces / Parkland

The above video is from the Q & A segment of the first of two RIOC Board Nominee Candidate Nights. This video focuses solely on the question asking for each candidate's view of preserving open spaces and parkland on the Island. It was the third question posed to the candidates that evening.

The candidates were seated alphabetically from left to right with those individuals who had submitted their formal paperwork on the left (6 of the 9) and those whose paperwork was in process to the right. They are Michael Carew, Fay Christian, Kathie Grimm, Adrienne Grist, Howard Polivy, Lynne Strong-Shinozaki, Frank Farance, Erin Feely-Nahem, and Jonathan Kalkin.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

F Subway Train Trackwork – Roosevelt Island – Work or Break?

This weekend was the first of four weeks in a row that Roosevelt Island is losing Queens Bound F subway train service. As I reported a week or so back these disruptions mean that each and every weekend of the first five weeks of 2008 are being subjected to service disruptions.

By chance this morning while heading into Manhattan we caught a number of track workers at the Roosevelt Island station. It was unclear what work they were doing as many were on the Queens bound platform while others were standing around in the flatbed cars that were in the station. At either end of these cars sat two engines.

Part of me was happy to see these workers as it proves something is happening. Not sure how much work was happening at 8:00 am but I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt. At least we have service in one direction as the 7 Line passengers have lost service in both direction for the next several weeks. If we did not have the Tram though this would be a much larger issue.

Direct YouTube Link

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

My Roosvelt Island Tram Video - 360 Degree View