ESDC / DHCR: No FMV Tax Bills if Continuation of Mitchell-Lama Status

According to RIOC President Steve Shane, the NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal and the Empire State Development Corporation have jointly indicated that the Fair Market Value Tax Equivalency Bills issued earlier this Winter (to Westview, Island House, and Rivercross) will be rescinded so long as each building that received them stays within the Mitchell-Lama affordable housing program. Mr. Shane made this announcement informally following his attendance at the Community Board 8 Roosevelt Island Committee meeting held yesterday evening, January 22nd, at the Church of the Good Shepherd.

Once a building exits the Mitchell-Lama program the FMV bills will again be issued. Until that point each building would continue to be responsible for the subsidized tax equivalency bills they have been enjoying all these years. No word when each building is to be formally informed of this development, by either the DHCR or the ESDC, or if they already have been.

It is assumed that the Privatization Committee at Rivercross will continue to push for privatization as they had been prior to the ESDC FMV tax bill debacle claiming that knowing what the FMV tax bills will be gives them one more number for their exit calculations.

NYU Geography: Roosevelt Island sits in the Hudson River

I know it was just a simple mistake but I am sure the writer would not be thrilled by their grade in geography if their NYU professor saw the caption to the picture that accompanied the linked article. Contrary to that caption Roosevelt Island sits in the East River. I guess the Hudson River is more upscale and would help sell faculty apartments.


Update:

The photo caption was eventually corrected to the "East River". I guess my comments posted to the article were noticed. My apologies but I tend to get touchy about where our Island is placed.

NYT: Next Stop Commuter Series - Roosevelt Island

With all the fun last week I forgot to update everyone regarding the NY Times article on the Tram. Link through to the final article HERE.

I was glad to help out and happier that Billie Cohen, the reporter got to speak with Judy Berdy of the RIHS and Greg Paravati one of the Tram operators. So far the article has gotten positive responses and to be honest jumped this blog's hit count on a daily basis.

Rivercross Schedules 2nd Attempt at Privatization Vote

The Rivercross Tenants' Corporation has scheduled a new Privatization Vote for January 30, 2008 after its December 12, 2007 vote was cancelled by the DHCR. The rescheduled vote was announced to the Rivercross residents through a January 15, 2008 internal building memo.

DHCR claimed the Dec. 12th vote, which included votes by proxy, to be invalid. The Rivercross Board of Directors claimed that the proxy vote was valid as this was the second vote in a series that began in October 1996. DHCR invalidated the 2007 vote as reliance on the 1996 initial vote was stale.

The Privatization Committee has indicated that this vote is not the final vote but only one to authorize the committee to begin the paperwork to move forward towards privatization which does as part of the process notify DHCR of the building's intent. Once a "black book" is created which would be the final "plan" the residents would then post an actual vote on that plan. A percentage of Rivercross residents don't want to even begin this process based on their belief that all avenues have not been exhausted to solve the buildings financial needs without going the privatization route. The Main Street WIRE has covered the issues much more in depth than I can here and I encourage any reader to go the WIRE website to read the indepth coverage provided.

What I find interesting is the timing of the vote in light of DHCR Commissioner Van Amerongen's January 17th promise to get back to the Board within the week with information regarding the FMV ESDC tax bill which is in part pushing the Rivercross privatization process along. If the DHCR wants to be taken seriously the Commissioner better get back to Rivercross before the January 30th vote if the news is to have any impact on this rescheduled initial vote.

CB8 Roosevelt Island Meeting Tonight at 7pm at Good Shepherd

The agenda for this Community Board 8 meeting includes the following:

1. Coler-Goldwater Hospital
2. Transportation: Tramway-F Train
3. Discussion regarding future development of South Point Park with participation by Roosevelt Island Residents Association Members, Trust for Public Land Representatives, RIOC, and interested citizens. (Joint item with the Parks Committee) Deirdre Breslin and H. Patrick Stewart, Co-Chairs

Meeting Location:
Good Shepherd Church Community Center, 543 Main Street, Roosevelt Island
Meeting Time: 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

This meeting appears to be another opportunity for residents to express their views regarding the Kahn / FDR Memorial as well as concerns regarding transportation issues in light of the planned Tram rehabilitation in 2009.

RIOC Board Nominee Election Slate Set

The candidates wishing to be elected RIOC Board of Director Nominees have each filed the appropriate paperwork and the final slate has been set. Candidates wishing to run were required to file their paperwork by this past Friday, January 18, 2008.

The final slate includes each of the candidates that appeared at the first Candidates's Night including Ms. Tammy Jackson-Culler who was unable to attend the Candidates Night due to illness. The list includes 1 candidate from the Octagon, 3 from Manhattan Park, 2 from Westview, 1 from Island House and 3 from Rivercross. No candidates submitted their paperwork from either Eastwood or Southtown.

PressHD Publishes Additional RIOC Board Nominee Q&A Videos

PressHD published on-line this evening four additional videos of the RIOC Board Nominees at last week's Candidate's Night held at the Church of the Good Shepherd. Each of the videos is from the Q&A segment of the evening. Of the videos presented three deal with questions that I was not able to transfer to video on this blog previously: (1) Privatization (2) Main Street Vendors and (3) RIOC Board Meeting attendance.

The videos I posted on July 17th captured the candidates' responses to questions posed regarding (a) Maintaining Open Space (b) Rental of Open Space / Sports Fields and (c) Southpoint and the Louis Kahn designed FDR Memorial. It should be noted that my Southpoint video cuts off Dr. Grimm mid-response and the full responses of both Michael Carew and Fay Christian. My apologies again.

The PressHD videos are not complete videos of each Q&A session as each ran about 1 minute per candidate but the videos appear to capture the key comment(s) or thoughts of each candidate.

As very few of the candidates appear to be advertising their campaigns and positions other than Jonathan Kalkin these videos (my own and those of PressHD) are perhaps your only views of the full slate of announced candidates to date. The deadline for filng paperwork was this past Friday night January 18th and I am awaiting confirmation as to the final candidate list. As noted earlier written statements are expected to be printed in this coming week's WIRE.

According to Jonathan Kalkin's website he was interviewed by the NY Daily News so look for links and coverage of that story once it is published. As noted on his site this is encouraging to see that the main stream media is picking up on this election. It will add pressure to the Spitzer adminstration to live up to the expectation that our duly elected nominees will be submitted as the Governor's recommendations for speedy confirmation before the legislature/

ESDC Update: DHCR’s VanAmerongen Promises Response Within Week

As previously reported the New York State Empire State Development Corporation issued FMV tax equivalency bills to the Westview, Island House and Rivercross buildings during the closing months of 2007.

On January 17, 2008 NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal Commissioner Deborah VanAmerongen met with members of the Rivercross Board of Directors. Subsequent to that meeting, the Rivercross Board issued an update memo (under its resident apartment doors) to its shareholders stating that “the DHCR Commissioner has been “charged with resolving” the ESDC tax bill program”.

As per the Rivercross Board memo,VanAmerongen stated she would be in contact with the ESDC and was committed to getting Rivercross a response by next week. Presumably her efforts would also impact the bills issued also to Westview and Island House.

Aerial View: Roosevelt Island and the City

Roosevelt Island can be seen in this aerial photo down by the lower left corner of the photo. This photo looks at NYC from the North looking South.

When you look at a photo like this and can see the topography of the area and the East River you just wonder how Roosevelt Island ever came to be and why the East River as an estuary formed as it did.

The full photo of this view was taken Lazarus6 and can be viewed on Flickr HERE. It is worth linking through to read the location info provided by the photographer if you are unfamiliar with the area.

Update: Roosevelt Island Bridge – Pedestrian Walkway

I had not checked in a few weeks regarding the status of the pedestrian walkway at the Roosevelt Island Bridge to LIC but the above cropped picture confirms that the temporary walkway is now open and in use by both wheeled and pedestrian traffic. The permanent walkway is now closed due to the construction.

The full uncropped photo was taken by Schneider31 on 2008Jan16 and can be found on Flickr HERE.

Wanted: Alfred Hitchcock’s Birds to Nest on Roosevelt Island?

I came upon a blog, RaeFried Beans, today which includes in a January 17th post artwork envisioning greater green spaces on Roosevelt Island with the hope of inducing migratory birds to make the island a pit stop on their journey to their Winter digs.

I had not heard of any such project and it appears to be an idea of the artist / Blogger based on her participation in an Audobon Society program that dealt with birds migrating that did not quite make it through glass encased cities.

I am not sure Roosevelt island residents are looking for the Island to be a rest stop for flocks of migratory geese. The ones that land on the Island already leave their marks all over the various ball fields.

Where the Trust for Public Land’s Wild Gardens will establish and create usable park land for humans out of Southpoint I am not sure interested many humans will want to fight migratory birds for their picnic spots. The concept is nice but adding green space is not so much our concern on the Island as it is to keep what green space we have from future developers of overpriced apartments.

The Q102: Northtown's Transportation Safety Valve

Earlier this week there was another of those very cold days when we were waiting at the southbound bus stop outside the Church of the Good Shepherd when an Octagon Express went by barely half full. Sometimes you wish that on days like that that the driver be given the discretion to "go local" and pick up obviously frozen residents.

As much as Northtowners complain about Octagon Express buses they actually have a safety valve that Octagoners and residents of Manhattan Park don't have: the Q102.

The Q102 begins its Roosevelt Island run by heading South once it makes the turn off the bridge ramp. So except for a few passengers already on the bus it usually starts its run at Westview essentially empty and can be counted on for space on cold and rainy days for most Northtowners.

The Q102 after completing it's initial Southbound run from Westview all the way down to the Goldwater Hospital Campus only then threads its way North on Main Street to its Northern terminus at Coler Hospital. After departing Coler it only goes back down Main Street to 2-4-6 River Road and then exits the Island.

In effect, Octagoners and Manhattan Park residents are denied this safety valve.

So when I hear folks complaining about the Octagon Express I usually have to catch myself before joining them as I know if the Q102s are running Northtowners can always get on if their destination is the subway or Tram.

UPDATE & CORRECTION:

As pointed out to me in the comments I was not aware that the Q102's route on the Island switches between the bus (1) first heading to Coler then to Goldwater and then off Island and (2) first heading to Goldwater then to Coler and then off Island. Teaches me to not check the schedule first. Thank you for the comments and corrections. The main intent of the post stays the same that the Q102 does indeed provide an extra measure of service on the Island and at least half of the scheduled trips the extra service gives Northtowners the ability to enter buses not already filled by their Octagon neighbors.

The Red Bus Series: Looking Back on Main Street

Make an on-line slide show 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.

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

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

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 video montages 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

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

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.

Candidate's Night # 1 : Consensus for Change

As I sat through the first RIOC Board Nominee Candidate Night at the Church of the Good Shepherd it was clear each of the candidates present that evening wants to make a difference and are committed to learning more.

PressHD has put on line this evening thre great videos capturing the presentations better than I could with my little cameras. There were less than 100 Island residents in attendance which is a shame but thanks to PressHD you can watch the events on that website.

What I was struck by was that a number of the candidates were not aware of basic issues covered continuously in the WIRE, including the issue as to whether Southpoint Park should include a memorial for FDR and what the central issues are regarding that memorial. To give the candidate's the benefit of the doubt there are many issues that each of them can not have the experience of understanding until the elected six are formally vested in their positions.

The Q&A focused on the following issues: Main Street Stores, Transportation Issues, Open Spaces, Southpoint, Deteriorating Landmarks, Emergency Preparedness and Privatization.

We are not electing professional politcians which is good so don't expect the most polished of speakers although some are better than others. But on the flip side I would have hoped each would have at least an opinion on each of the issues as they are covered in the WIRE. I am not saying they should be experts but at least have some opinion if they expect us to vote for them. To simply expect them to reflect our own opinions is not enough although once they know the opinions of the populace they should work to meld both their views and ours in representing us on the Board.

So I encourage you to go to PressHD for their continuing video coverage provided of our first true taste of democracy. And don't forget to thank RIRA, The Maple Tree Group, and Matt Katz for a well run event.

Candidates Night # 2 is planned for Saturday Night February 2nd just before the election on Feb. 5th. Be there (at the Church) if you have questions and for a final chance to hear all the candidtaes.

Riots in the Streets? Former World Leaders Renting at Westview?

Apparently Kofi Annan, former Island House resident, recommended Roosevelt Island to the former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and we are rioting in the streets. Who knew? And I just thought some Northtowners were upset about the Red Bus schedule again.

In truth the story of Blair’s arrival and our discontent is based on an article online at The Spoof and was first published two days ago. No idea who the “reporter” is as the by-line only states Queen Mudder. I guess Blair’s borrowing some China from Buckingham before he left was not appreciated.

>>>>

Note: This post originally reported by mistake that Kofi Annan lived in Westview. Thank you to the anonymous commenter who corrected my error.

RIRA Raises Election Banner Anouncing RIOC Election

PressHD issues second video related to RIOC elections. This one covers Matt Katz and RIRA installing two banners above Main Street notifying residents and visitors alike of the Feb. 5 plenary election.

Matt Katz looks incredibly happy. In the annals of RI history if this election comes off without a hitch and Spitzer installs the elected reps Matt Katz will be remembered as one of the key individuals who kept pushing for this day and got us there.

It's a fun day when Roosevelt Island bloggers can link to other Roosevelt Island web sites and blogs.

Roosevelt Island Placard Parking Issue Makes Daily News

Link HERE for story at the Daily News.

NYT Commuting Series “Next Stop” : Roosevelt Island

Today started with meeting Billie Cohen, the New York Times reporter, who is currently spending each day this month commuting by every known method into NYC and sharing her stories within the Next Stop series.

Ms. Cohen found me via my blog and the public comments I submitted to the NYT regarding commuting via Tram. Knowing that I could only spend a few minutes before and during the Tram trip with her I invited along Judy Berdy, President of the Roosevelt Island Historical Society.

We also timed our trip to take Cabin 2 with Greg Parvati, one of the long time tram operators. Greg has been with RIOC for over twenty years now and if anyone has interesting Tram stories to share it is him as well as Judy Berdy. My understanding is that Ms. Cohen took several tram trips this morning so I expect she gathered plenty of stories and insights about the Island, our Tram and transportation to/from Roosevelt Island.

So look for a story about commuting via Tram over the next few days in the New York Times.

Forget Watching Primary Debates Come On Down to Roosevelt Island's First RIOC Board Candidate Night

Interested in true democracy on Roosevelt Island? GREAT !!! Plan on voting in the plenary election on February 5 to choose the first democratically elected members to the RIOC Board of Directors? GREAT !!!

Think you can rely alone on the candidate statements planned to be printed in the WIRE? Maybe.

But to really be informed who each of your neighbors are running for election and their positions you should show up tomorrow night at 7:00 pm at the Good Shepherd Community Center to not only hear them speak live BUT TO ASK YOUR QUESTIONS DIRECTLY and hear their answers.

Columbia Grad Student Starts Video Website to Cover Roosevelt Island RIOC Elections

Double Click Picture to Link to Site

The below e-mail says it all. Maybe I don’t need to videotape Candidate’s Night with my puny little camera. Stay tuned.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

From: Kimberly Lengle

Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2008 16:31:54
To:RooseveltIsland360@gmail.com
Subject: PressHD.com RIOC Nomination Coverage

Hello,

I want to inform you about my new website, PressHD.com, which will have video coverage of the Roosevelt Island Elections. I'm an island resident and also a graduate student at the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism. I interviewed RIRA President, Matt Katz, for the first story which explain how the island got to this point. The first story was shot in standard definition but subsequent stories will be shot and will stream in full high definition. I'm launching an island-wide advertising campaign, so you'll see posters and ads going up.

Sincerely,
Kim Lengle

PressHD.com
See what happens.

Rain, Snow, Nor'Easter ? Overboard Predictions ?

By 9:00 am tomorrow morning the weather casters are predicting a truly lousy commute with the possibility of a Nor'easter to follow.

As a reminder of Winter's past Catherine Grieco brings us the image above of what Roosevelt Island looked like back in the mid 1990's when NYC would be ppounded by snowstorm after snowstorm.

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

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

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

RIOC Board Election – Meet the Candidate Night – 2008 Jan 15

Double Click to Enlarge
This Tuesday night at Roosevelt Island’s Good Shepherd Community Center, Island residents will get the chance to hear from each of the candidates and have the ability to ask questions. According to this weekend’s WIRE four more candidates have declared their intention to run. According to Matt Katz, President of the Roosevelt island Residents Association, it is expected that by election day the candidate field will swell to between 12-16 candidates from across the Island.

As of today the announced candidates include alphabetically:

Michael Carew, Fay Christian, Dimaura Cole, Frank Farance, Erin Feely-Nahem, Katherine Grimm, Adrienne Grist, Jonathan Kalkin, Howard Polivy.

As discussed in my January 7th post I now expect to video each of the candidates at this event and post the statements here and on YouTube. Matt Katz thought it best that I video the Q & A as that would give viewers a better feel for how candidates react as opposed to simply their prewritten speeches they each will give that night. This may make sense as the WIRE will be presenting all written statements in the issue issed before the election. I hope to video it all but we shall see.

During that earlier post, Sherie Helstien, Secretary, RIRA, and a member of the Maple Tree Group (MTG) corrected me and pointed out that there will be three (3) locations across the Island where residents can vote. Octagoners will have their own machine or polling station at their building, as opposed to the general primary elections, Super Tuesday where they will vote as always at Coler Hospital. Southtowners will vote in the RIOC election at 455 Main Street and everyone else at PS / IS 217.

As noted on the poster above, Island residents who are non-US citizens are allowed to vote in the RIOC Board election.

NY1 Update re City Water Tunnel That Is Beneath Roosevelt Island

Many recent Roosevelt Island residents may not be aware that City Water Tunnel # 3 passes right under the Island but it is and the above video is an update from NY1 about the overall construction project.

Nothing specific about Roosevelt Island. I am sure once the Chlorine Trucks start coming onto the Island the story will once again pick up legs. We have all been assured that the chlorine that will be dumped into the tunnel to help purify the water will be in an inert form harmless to residents as the trucks enter and exit the island.

Riverwalk Buildings 5 and 6: Not Exactly Overnight But….

Creiger over at the Hungry Hyaena provided the above pictures on his blog as part of his larger commentary about the changing times. The photos were both taken from his East River facing office. the original of the bottom photo can be seen in its full size version at Flickr. I though they were worth showing here as this is a photographic angle of the construction we rarely see. Mostly we see Tram of 59th Street Bridge views.

My apologies as I just realized I mispelled Creiger's name in the photo image.

Congestion Pricing & Roosevelt Island Car Owners. Non-Issue?

Do Roosevelt Island car owners drive their cars on a frequent basis into Manhattan during rush hour? Will the proposal to change the “border” from 86th Street to 60th Street make any difference?

How would it work if you drive over the bridge and head straight on East 60th Street itself but then make a right hand turn onto one of the avenues heading North would you avoid the charge? This question would apply to anyone coming over the Bridge not just Roosevelt Island drivers. I have not seen the answer on any of the site and articles so far.

Conceivably some residents do drive their cars into Manhattan during the rush and business hours. Is it a high percentage? Very unlikely. One of the reasons residents live here is to take advantage of the mass transit we have and the proximity to Manhattan. But I am sure somebody on the Island worries about these issues.

Would Queensboro Bridge Windmills Threaten the Tram?

Apparently there is a video on YouTube according to the website WorldChanging that proposes to transform the Queensboro Bridge into a "site for gathering clean, renewable energy". The video is based on Andrea Polli's projects titled "The Queensbridge Wind Power Project".

OK, I don’t want to become one of those “not in my backyard” folks and I know the project is just a proposal but as resident that takes the Tram daily having one of those giant turbines in a position that close to the cables just scares the heck out of me.

Don’t get me wrong I love the concept and if the Tram was not there I would not even question it but the Tram is there. I don’t even care how much extra noise it would create. Residents on the two Riverwalk buildings under construction probably will though. And you know Sutton Place residents won’t want it on the Superstructure on their side of the span.

City Flushes First, Roosevelt Island Still Holding It.

Well the City has its first official “flush” according to the news release issued today. The first of the Cemusa Public Toilets has been christened. No word yet whether RIOC ever submitted an application for one of the 20 annointed toilets commissioned by NYC through Cemusa for Roosevelt Island.


According to the Trust for Public Land’s Wild Gardens planned schematic two public loo’s are planned. No idea if they are to be of the same design but each appears to be part of structures created for the park.



I still vote to place one additional public toilet just North of Capobianco Field and Grandpa Al Lewis Playground perhaps just under the circular ramp onto and off the Island.

As noted in prior posts the only publicly toilets currently accessible on the Island are located at the Tram station on the Island (ask the operators to unlock the doors) and just across from the FDNY Special Operations Command by the Public Gardens and the Octagon Soccer Field.

Whole Lot a Jumpin’ Over Here on Roosevelt Island

The above photo is part of a larger set of photos on Flickr taken by Brooklyn Hilary titled “Jumpology” which I found through the blog "Hillary's Hideaway". The pictures are worth viewing, as a slideshow, to see the exuberance of the individuals photographed and for the views of Southpoint Park without the proposed FDR Memorial.

Check it out.

The Exhausted Butt End of the Modernist Movement?

The New York Sun today discusses the reconstituted Kaufman Center but within the article discusses the architecture of Roosevelt Island:

“Mr. Bhavnani is not from the Soviet Union but from India, and the only other projects associated with his name in New York are Island House and Rivercross, on Roosevelt Island. There is a certain suggestiveness to his being associated with that community: Just as Lincoln Center is New York's foremost architectural artifact of the 1960s, such is the status that, for better or worse, Roosevelt Island occupied in the decade that followed. Usually insipid to one degree or another, the architecture there, by Jose Luis Sert, Philip Johnson, and others, represents the exhausted butt end of the Modern movement.”

I submitted a comment to the article which approximately stated the following:

“I will not try to defend the designs of the buildings built on Roosevelt Island when they wewre erected in the 1970’s just because I live there as I have no knowledge of architecture. But somehow I feel I should be defending something after my home has been referred to as “the exhausted butt end of the modernist movement”. I feel so violated”

Roosevelt Island: Land Without Dogs - Now Online !

A few months ago I saw a YouTube short featuring clips from various films Jefrey Powers had worked on. One of these films was "Roosevelt Island: Land Without Dogs". I had only heard about this film from other island residents who had seen it at local film festival sponsored by the RI Historical Society. Well after a few e-mails and the pleading of this bloggist the film has been brought into the digital age. Enjoy the fun and let us know back here what you think and to thank Mr. Powers (photography & producer)and Mr. Jeffrey Pickett (writer, director, and producer)for digitizing the film and making it available here.

Times have changed and we now see plenty of pooches on the Island but once there was a dark age when man's best friend was not welcome. Double Click the above still photo to link to the film. Did I mention that the film is great travelogue for the Island.

Description from the film's creators: 16 min 2 sec - May 25, 2001

"This film examines a peculiar place that remains surprisingly anonymous despite its location in the heart of the most talked-about city in the world. Roosevelt Island sits just a stone's throw from New York's Upper East Side, nestled in the East River between Manhattan and Queens. What makes it so peculiar is not only its anonymity but its by-law stating that no dogs are to be allowed on the island at any time, for any reason. The absurdity of this issue is eclipsed only by the impassioned feelings of many of Roosevelt Island's citizens concerning the specter of canine rights, or, in this case, an acute lack thereof."

Should the RIOC Elections Enter the YouTube Age?

Earlier today I sent an e-mail to RIOC Board candidates Jonathan Kalkin and Frank Farance offering them the opportunity to present up to a 3 minutes video statement on my blog. I stated I would offer each candidate the same courtesy. I copied Dick Lutz of the Main Street WIRE and Matthew Katz, the President of the Roosevelt Island Residents Association. Mr. Lutz responded with a lengthy list of email addresses for each of the individuals he knows are interested in running as candidates for the Board positions. Not all have made their final decision to run. Had I bit off more than I could chew? If the list of candidates was 12 or under I had thought to volunteer my video taping services and the ability to upload the statement onto the Internet where I can host the video.

The response I received from Mr. Kalkin, who by the way has started his own candidate website “VoteKalkin.com” (as reported on today’s Roosevelt Islander blog), was “Sounds like an interesting idea. In the name of fairness and equal time, I think the best way to do this is on candidates night when we all make a speech.” Mr. Kalkin is probably right as who knows if my schedule will meet each candidate’s schedule and I’d hate to have issues of not every candidate getting the opportunity.

If individuals are interested and think this a good idea I can still take this project on, perhaps in partnership with the Roosevelt Islander, creating a new stand alone blog for this purpose with the caveat that all candidates get equal treatment and presentation.

Note: The above photos are only of the individuals that announced their candidacies prior to the close of 2007 in the WIRE and the photos are courtesy of the WIRE.

Five Weeks of Subway Disruptions for Roosevelt Island - Out of Five Total Weeks

The fun just doesn't stop. As reported last week I am tracking how many weeks Roosevelt Island residents have to endure F train subway disruptions. Well the above poster confirms that in addition to disruption week one this past weekend we are now to endure with no subway service in one direction for the next four weeks. That brings the total so far to 5 possible weeks all being disrupted in some fashion.

RIOC better start budgeting more overtime as the Tram will end up going on rush hour schedules each of these future weekends to keep the natives happy. I did not experience the loss of one Tram car this past weekend during the Giamatti film use of that Tram so I am unsure how that went. Hopefully with limited issues.

For now I will keep up the tally but this is ridiculous after most of the Summer we had disruptions we all figured this would stop until the warmer months. I guess we were not on the MTA / NYCTA's list of 2008 resolutions to stop annoying.

Giamatti Flick - Another Roosevelt Island Supernatural Horrow Show?

According to a member of the crew working on the film currently being shot on Roosevelt Island , starring Paul Giamatti, the film's title is "Cold Souls". This info was reported on the Octagon residents website.

According to the above website image the film "Cold Souls" involves some sort of laboratory / clinic where you can be "relieved" of your soul for a period of time. I guess the filming that was done at the Octagon is appropriate based on the site's history as a former NYC Lunatic Asylum.

I wonder if the filimng this past Saturday in the Tram involve some great confrontation between Paul Giamatti and the lead bad guy in the film? Maybe Stallone reprised his "Nighthawks" role and flew in with a helicopter to rescue / provide aid to Giamatti. Maybe Jennifer Connelly's upstairs neighbor's soul ("Dark Water") was in storage as well.

All I can say is Roosevelt Island does not need another horror / supernatural genre film to further place it in audiences's memories as a place for wackos. Will I watch the film when it is released based on the above info. You betcha!

Roosevelt Island for Sale - Part 2

Apparently there is a blog related to the Private Islands Online real estate website offering that Montana Roosevelt Island for sale. The blog Islomania is restating the "history" that the Island was bought by Teddy Roosevelt's great great grandfather Frederick.

The problem is that according to Genealogy.com I see no great great grandfather for Teddy named Frederick. Also the years don’t seem correct if Teddy was born in 1858. This fact was pointed out to me in the comments to my earlier "For Sale" post. I think Private Islands Online needs to check their history if their are using such info to sell that island and I sent them an e-mail pointing out the discrepancy.

1. Theodore Roosevelt1 [Jr.] (Theodore2 Roosevelt, Cornelius Van Schaack3, James Jacobus4, Jacobus5, Johannes6, Nicholas7, Claes Martenszen8 Van Rosenvelt), son of Theodore Roosevelt and Martha Bulloch, was born in New York, New York, New York 27 Oct 1858.

http://www.genealogy.com/famousfolks/theodore-roosevelt/d0/i0000001.htm#s1

Renwick's Small Pox Hospital - Partial Wall Collapse

I am embarrassed to say that I learned of the wall collapse via the Internet and the post put up by Gothamist this morning. Immediately afterwards I called Judy Berdy, the Roosevelt Island Historical Society's President, about the collapse. I am a member of the RIHS and am quite interested in helping where I can. Ms. Berdy indicated that the Roosevelt Island operating Corporation and the Trust for Public Land are focused on stabilizing the remaining structure and determining what needs to be done so we should expect to see action within the next week.

The above pictures were taken by Ms. Berdy soon after she learned of the collapse on Wednesday.

Update 12:00 pm

From: Stephen Shane
Date: Fri, 04 Jan 2008 10:38:19
To: RooseveltIsland360@gmail.com
Subject: Re: Timing of Renwick Stabilization

Eric:

We are working with TPL's engineers and they have planned a site visit for Monday to assess the problem and to formulate a plan. I have asked that whatever can be done in the context of stabilization that would have been included in the work scheduled to begin this summer as part of the Southpoint Park project, be immediately identified so that when performed on an emergency basis, further deterioration can be avoided. All of this requires some time with plans, permitting and fabrication before installation can occur. We are guessing late February to mid-March. We will know better after next week. Will let everyone know when we know.

Stephen H. Shane
President & CEO
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp.

Update 2:45 pm:

The following e-mail is from Andy Stone, the Director of TPL's New York City programs:

From: Andy Stone
Date: Fri, 04 Jan 2008 11:26:25
To: rooseveltisland360@gmail.com
Subject: Re: Fw: Timing of Renwick Stabilization

Hi Eric. We are coordinating this closely with Steve Shane at RIOC, as indicated in his email. Preserving the ruin as a centerpiece for the new park, as well as preventing any further deterioration in the short term, are both very high priorities for The Trust for Public Land.

Best regards,
Andy

Update: 4:20 pm:

The New York Times posted a story about the collapse which can be linked to HERE. Accompanying the Times story is a photo slide show linked HERE.

As an aside, unrelated to the text of the NYT article, if you look at the URL, web link code, to the NYT article or slide show you will note the word "asylum" as a reference to this article. This is a mistake on the part of the NYT as the Smallpox Hospital was not an asylum. The City Lunatic Asylum, or rather its remains now transformed are at the Northern end of Roosevelt Island, and is known as the Octagon, a residential apartment complex.

Related Linkage:

The Roosevelt Islander; Lost City; Curbed; Tropolism; Going Coastal;

Roosevelt Island's First Vote for Direct Representation - A Month Away

Today's Iowa caucuses made me think about own "election" for positions on the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation's Board of Directors scheduled for just over one month from today. As Dick Lutz writes as Editor of the Main Street WIRE the turnout needed for Governor Spitzer to take this election seriously must be impressive.

This is our first oportunity at direct representation on this Island and we must exercise this newly provided right or else it may never be provided to us again. We live in probably the only part of New York State that is not represented and controlled by direct elections. After many years of fighting through the efforts of RIRA and public opinion broadcast through the WIRE we have the ability to change history.

So when your neighbor comes knocking on your door asking you to vote please get up out of your chair and make history. It's a heck of lot easier than dumping British Tea into the East River especially if the weather is anything like today.

And while you are voting for our RIOC rep on February 5th you might as well vote for your favorite U.S. Presidential candidate in the primary also being held that day.

Water Main Break Forces F Train Onto V Line By-Passing Roosevelt Island

According to 7online.com a water main break is forcing the Brooklyn Bound F Train to run on the V Line bypassing Roosevelt Island. NBC4 online is also running the same story.

No "Service Alert" has been posted yet by the MTA.

The stations being by passed are: 21st Street-Queensbridge, Roosevelt Island, Lexington Avenue-63rd Street and 57th Street.

Roosevelt Island for Sale

For a cool $1.8 Million you can buy Roosevelt Island. Unfortunately the Tram will never stop there nor will the F Train as this Roosevelt Island is in Montana. I had known about Theodore Roosevelt Island in DC but was not aware of this Roosevelt Island.

According to the website Private Islands Online the history of the island is as follows:

"Roosevelt Island was purchased by Fredrick Roosevelt (great-great grandfather of President Theodore Roosevelt) on October 5th, 1876 for the price of $200. Fredrick farmed and resided on the island for six years along with his wife, during which time he was elected Mayor of nearby Fort Benton, Montana. He opened a furniture store which burned to the ground in 1885. After the store burned, he sold the island and moved to Armington, Montana. he resigned as Fort Benton Mayor in December of 1885. as he was then residing outside of the city limits. While in Armington, he opened a hardware store. It was there that Fredrick lived out the rest of his days to the ripe age of 85 years until passing away on Deecember 10, 1923.

It is said (although not confirmed) that Roosevelt Island was then sold to a lumber company and was the site of a saw mill. Logs were supposedly floated down the Missouri River to the island, where they would then be cut into lumber. Since that time, Roosevelt Island has had many private owners, but has remained virtually unchanged since the early 1900's.

Today, the only evidence of Fredrick Roosevelt's life on the island is exemplified by a few bricks and remnants of stone foundation, which still remain from the homes he once built there. The island is now host to a variety of plants and wildlife that thrive along the Missouri River. "

Update 2007 Jan 6 - 8:11 am

According to Genealogy.com Teddy Roosevelt had no paternal great great grandfather named Frederick . As noted in the first comment the years cannot be correct if Teddy was born in 1858. I think Private Islands Online needs to check their history if their are using such info to sell that island.

1. Theodore Roosevelt1 [Jr.] (Theodore2 Roosevelt, Cornelius Van Schaack3, James Jacobus4, Jacobus5, Johannes6, Nicholas7, Claes Martenszen8 Van Rosenvelt), son of Theodore Roosevelt and Martha Bulloch, was born in New York, New York, New York 27 Oct 1858.

Tram Advisory - Jan. 5th - Film Production

As per the RIOC Advisory webpage:

On Saturday, January 5, a film crew will be occupying one tram car from noon to 6 pm. There will be NO DISRUPTION in tram service, but please be aware that a film shoot will be taking place.

No word yet what film this is for or who the principal actors are. Recall that in the past month we have had Paul Giamatti up at the Octagon and additional filming at 504 Main Street.

Update: 10:30 am

According to Ms. Erica Wilder, RIOC Community Relations Specialist, this weekend's filming is the same production starring Paul Giamatti which had been filming at the Octagon and at the former Lillies School located at 504 Main Street.