What's Behind East Side Officials Asking for Green Manhattan Tram Station Roof?

In a joint letter signed by virtually every East Side elected official the request was made to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation to incorporate into the design of the new Manhattan Tram station a green roof.

Why is this request coming now? Yes, RIOC is still in the design phase but it is interesting that the chorus has just started when the process discussing the new Tram and its stations has been going on for well over a year to two. If the overhaul had kept to its original schedule this question would be way late and impossible to even consider. My fellow blogger the Roosevelt Islander infers that it is because East Siders perhaps don't like the current design in some form.

For me I am all for "greening" our neighborhoods and construction practices but I say to these elected officials if you are going to push this at this time RIOC has a right to ask for the additional cash to make it happen. Let's see who is first to float a bill to increase the funding for the Tram overhaul for a green roof over another project they are currently backing.

I am in a cranky mood today so I apologize to each of the elected officials as the goal is admirable but I question why this project and why now and not earlier.

Rendering - New Manhattan Tram Station

RIOC via Steve Shane has made public the first proposed rendering of the new Manhattan Roosevelt Island Tram station.


------Original Message------
From: Steve Shane
To: Roosevelt Island 360
Sent: May 12, 2009 3:51 PM
Subject: Re: Sketch Manhattan Tram Station

Does have a retractable roof look, but it does not retract. We must stay within the envelope of the present station or get into real difficulties with the Parks Dept. Functionally, interior will be much the same as the present station. There will be platform doors protecting the bays and we're trying to reorganize the exits to be more centrally positioned onto 2nd Avenue, but otherwise the same. Budget is very limiting.

Rendering of Riverwalk Complex - Southtown

Earlier this evening I had been replying to a number of posts on Wired New York where I posted the above image of the Southtown Riverwalk Complex. I thought I might as well share it here as well. I was responding to a request as to what are the names / addresses of the buildings closest to the Tram. Double click the image to enlarge it.

You have to admit the complex as itis shaping up is quite impressive and the plaza behind the subway station is becomming the new center of the Island from a retail / culinary perpective.

Gondola Renderings to Governor's Island

The Roosevelt Islander today references Mayor Bloomberg's desire to turn Governor's Island into a Public Health Institute which is kind of funny considering Roosevelt Island's history as "Welfare" Island and one of its original purposes to house hospitals and other health research facilties.

The Roosevelt Islander pointed out the proposals to build a larger scale tramway to/from Governor's Island to both Manhattan and Brooklyn. I could not resist wanting to oost direct images of Santiago Calatrava's renderings of what those trams might look like. Sort of a cross between the Verrazano Narrows Bridge and a Tram. The lower picture shows, I believe, in the foreground the Manhattan - Island span and in the background the Island - Brooklyn span.