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May 8, 1999 |
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Francis R. Angelino, Esq. Dear Frank, At the last meeting of RIOC's Advisory Committee on Capital Planning & Development I made a suggestion that RIOC explore the feasibility of establishing a Marina and Boathouse on the east side of Roosevelt Island. The original Master Plan for our island's development included plans for such a Marina and Boathouse to be located just north of the Queensborough bridge where there is a rudimentary dock at present. I made that suggestion because as "Resident Advisors" we do not wish to always be in the position of opposing plans for development on Roosevelt Island. Rather, we wish to propose development projects that are in keeping with the residential nature of our community, as well as providing enhancement of the quality of life not only for residents of Roosevelt Island, but also for residents in the greater New York City area. What could be nicer than to have lots of pleasure boats bobbing in the waters of the East River? How convenient for boat owners and renters on Manhattan island if a Marina were located a few steps away from our aerial tram! What a great recreational opportunity Roosevelt Island could offer! How educational for children, teens and adults to have access to a sailing school here! Perhaps a good fish and seafood restaurant could be located in the Boathouse? Yes, I know this kind of development will not bring the millions of dollars that RIOC wants to get from a skyscraper hotel and conference center complex at Southpoint. But a Marina is much more in keeping with the residential nature of our community. It would mean far less traffic on our Main Street - during construction and after - and it would increase passenger traffic on our unique aerial tram. Certainly boat owners would be much more interested in living on Roosevelt Island. The attached article makes clear that there is a need for a Marina, though we could do better than park a barge here for that purpose. Mary Camper-Titsingh
To the Editor: I believe that in the interest of fairness, I must take strong exception to the conclusions drawn in your Island Observer column of April 24, "Read the face of the event." Although you open the column by specifically stating that "What seems obvious may not be the truth," the speculative conclusions you put forward seem to me to be at best counterproductive. The initial unavoidable postponement of the May RIOC Board of Directors Meeting was handled in a timely manner by DHCR. The cancellation of the second meeting was due to a family medical emergency of Commissioner Lynch' s. In each case, RIOC's handling of the public notices of these events was deplorable and high-handed, and entirely typical of RIOC. To take what we know to be typical of RIOC and, on the basis of no evidence whatsoever, broadly assign the same underhanded motivations to others seems to me just as high-handed and just as deplorable. I am baffled by your analysis of the Planning and Development Committee meeting, since you were there yourself. There is no room for speculation on why a vote was not taken. It was not taken because I introduced the Point of Order regarding RIOC's failure to produce relevant documents for the committee, without which we are unable to vote. This Point of Order will prevent any vote on the matter until RIOC provides these documents. Without a vote, the matter cannot move to consideration by the Board of Directors. Surely, this is a position you favor. I have been dealing with Commissioner Lynch for two and a half years, through difficult times, and I have found him to be at all times a man of unimpeachable integrity. To my knowledge, he has never once failed to deliver upon any commitment he has given, nor has he once withheld a commitment he knew to be the community's due. Think, for a moment, where we might be, were it not for Commissioner Lynch's direct intervention in Island affairs. We face dragons aplenty in what promises to continue to be a long, arduous and delicate struggle to protect our community from callous political self-interest. Our community is not served by publicly painting a friend a foe on the basis of anything but his own behavior, let alone the basis of unsupported speculation.
H. Patrick Stewart
I disagree with Stewart's assertion that his point of order stopped a vote at the Planning and Development Committee meeting. Its Chair, Frank Angelino, announced early in the meeting that no vote would be taken, well before the point of order. He also appeared to accept Attorney Espejo's explanation that leases are not finalized until after a RIOC Board vote, and I doubt that the point of order, or the absence of a lease in final form, will be a factor in whether a vote is taken. In any case, a lease in hand would not satisfy all objections to the minicondos proposal. | |||||||||||||||