Developer Diane Wilson brought her proposal to turn the Island's west shore mini-schools into luxury condominiums before the RIOC Board again Thursday morning.

And residents - 16 of them - once again lined up to oppose her plan.

Wilson's plan had not changed in the eight months since the RIOC Board's Capital Planning and Development Committee (CPDC) advised against accepting it eight months ago in a 6-1 vote.

Wilson didn't stay to hear residents voice opposition (none spoke in favor), but it didn't matter - their arguments against it hadn't changed much, either. ( Some history of the idea is available on Website NYC10044.)

No vote was taken in Thursday's RIOC Board meeting, but it could come up again in a month. RIRA President Patrick Stewart, who serves on the RIOC Board and sides with residents opposing the current version of the plan, has vowed to see the matter tabled or defeated.

The Wilson plan would create 16 luxury condos in the Rivercross, Island House, and Westview mini-schools, adding a second story to each. It's the second story that generates most resident opposition, because it would degrade the views from several apartments. But several Islanders spoke against the plan for fear it would eventually generate traffic on the promenade.

Wilson told the RIOC Board the project would produce $17 million in income for RIOC, and that her company would invest $8.5 million in the development. She and her architect, with occasional interjections from her attorney, said the condos would bring disposable income, an additional pool of resources for Island organizations and businesses, and would improve security on a newly reilluminated promenade.

But residents were having none of it. They paraded to the microphone, one after another, to urge the RIOC Board to reject the project once and for all. Most were applauded at least once as they called for a "no" vote.

Suzanne Wolfe: "In 1977 Roosevelt Island had very little history. We came here in good faith. We came for the long haul. We stayed and created the stability to allow this community to be what it is today. My apartment is one that is designated as officially negatively impacted... I have yet to hear how this proposal actually benefits our community."

Milt Marcus: "When I first came here, I was impressed with the design of the courtyard [of Rivercross] and the way in which the environment of the river was part of the whole complex. The schools were designed to be a privacy buffer for the courtyard. I asked, 'Can anything else be built here?' I was told, 'Oh, no, it's in the master plan. The way you see it is the way it must remain.' ... [You must consider] the emotional impact [of saying ] 'you who live in the buildings don't count. What counts is real estate and money.'"

Arnold Webb, a member of the Rivercross Board: "The physical facilities lend themselves to something on the [educational] cutting edge - magnet schools... or charter schools. Southtown and other developments are going to bring families and kids. The United Nations, across the river, is looking for school space now."

Richard Donovan: "A report was done, a full environmental impact assessment. That report concluded there was no significant impact on the environment of Roosevelt Island. It involves over 90 possible impacts... Incredibly, the firm [doing the report] said there was no impact whatsoever on each of these 90... If you were a cynical person, you might conclude that the person filling this out did not do it in good faith... This is a bad idea. It was a bad idea a year ago. It is still a bad idea."

Toni Spottswood, who broke down while speaking from her wheelchair: "If you build these I won't be able to see anything if I'm sitting down... It's immoral that you're considering these mini-school [condos]. I didn't intend to break down. A lot of other people are feeling the same way. They're just not crying about it."

Larry Parnes, a member of the Capital Planning and Development Committee: "It has been eight months. There's not a single change. I'm disappointed and upset about that. I've worked in the City Planning Agency for 30 years, and in that time even Donald Trump made significant adjustments. I think Ms. Wilson does herself a disservice by coming back without any changes after eight months, and I urge you to vote against it."

Harriet Katz: "It is imperative that we stick with the mission of a planned community, and come up with proposals that benefit not just a single person, but contribute to the development of the community over many years to come."

Byron Gaspard, a member of CPDC and the RIRA Common Council: "CPDC voted against this project because we saw that this two-story monstrosity is wrong. It didn't come easy... We met for months with Diane Wilson; she gave us presentation after presentation. We weren't arbitrary. We came up with a recommendation against this development because we feel that it is wrong for this community."

Eliza Kimball: "I have heard arguments, from the administrators of this Island, that in Manhattan, your view can be blocked by new construction. But we take an extra 20 to 30 minutes to get here, and we have a sense of community... [And] I object to having to come to an 11:00 a.m. meeting to protect my quality of life. We shouldn't be put under this strain... There are all kinds of things that can be done [with the mini-schools] - maybe even ministorage."

Ethel Romm: "This is just all wrong for so many reasons. Just $17 mil over life of contract... 68 years to go on the lease. That's not much of a deal. I wouldn't take that deal. This is the best real estate in the city. Maybe that's our problem. With Southtown, we have 2,000 apartments coming. That's a lot of children. It seems obvious that we could have a lab or a charter school... I even like the idea of storage. This is a bad plan. We very badly need more people here, but this is not the way to start along that road.

Joan Christianson, RIRA First Vice President: "Our school is approaching a crowded condition now. RIOC should look into reusing these buildings as they were originally intended. Luxury condos with an additional floor are not appropriate for this community."

Marc Diamond, an architect and a CPDC member, listed a series of "design deficiencies:" A long walk from Main Street, leading to a great incentive to drive cars onto the promenade; remote AVAC rooms requiring a long outdoor walk; ground floor windows on the promenade. "It would be embarrassing for RIOC to approve a project that couldn't then get financing... I ask you to look beyond the short-term financial problems [of RIOC]. I ask you to think ahead to 2010 and 2020..."

Deirdre Breslin, a member of the RIRA Common Council: "I was told this morning that there was a lot of back-and-forth between the developer and the community. I was astounded. I was at one meeting, and nobody stayed today to hear what we have to say. That tells you more than anything. When I came, this Island was for us working-class stiffs. Is RIOC now telling us that views are for the rich and famous, not for you working-class stiffs?"

Ed Igel: "You've picked the wrong architect and the wrong developer. That they came here today without one line of sight, mockup, model, is an insult to this Board and this community. How dare they come with such a lack of preparation? If this is the type of business organization that we are going to entrust our future to, then we had better choose somebody substantially better."

David Bauer: "I moved to this Island with an implied contract - a general plan of where the buildings were going to be. Now we're talking about changing the implied contract in a way that was not part of the original contract, and it involves changes in which I have had no input." violation of your function as a welcomed administrator of an Island where you listen."

 

Click for... Back to issue contents NYC10044 Contents LAST   NEXT Issue list