At RIOC's evening Board meeting March 12, reprsentatives of Morse Diesel presented a projected timeline for development of Southtown. Morse is representing the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation as owner's representative, with the developers, The Related Companies and The Hudson Companies.

The schedule suggests a community comment period could begin in the Fall. The Roosevelt Island Residents Association has been seeking an ongoing role in the planning of Southtown, so far without success. RIOC has formed a Southtown Comittee of residents, but has given RIRA no special role.

Two phases of construction are shown, with first apartments slated to be ready for occupancy in about three and a half years. Construction, according to the plan presented, would not be completed until well into the fifth year.

At the RIOC meeting, residents raised questions about how building materials will be transported to the site, which lies between the Tramway and the fork in Main Street just south of Blackwell House. Plans call for most materials to be brought to the Island by barge, but traffic increases can be expected throughout the construction period as workers come and go.