If ever there were reason for various contending resident groups to start working together despite their differences, today's decision by State Supreme Court Justice Harold Tompkins provides it.

When Roosevelt Islanders for Responsible Southtown Development set off on its legal course, its action was taken independent of that of the Alternative Southtown Design Committee, headed by attorney Robert Chira, who had been working on a case for some time.

It was also independent of the Roosevelt Island Residents Association, which had opted not to act, but later changed its mind and sought to be recognized as an "intervenor" in the cases, primarily so that its view of the General Development Plan (GDP) could be pressed in court. RIRA's legal action fund committee and its attorneys had concluded that, whatever the doubts about the RIRSD and Chira suits, it had an interest in securing a judicial ruling that RIOC and developers would have to abide by the GDP. The Hudson/Related plan didn't provide for the six-acre park called for in the GDP, so it seemed an appropriate issue.

But there are other issues, as well. There is that "wall" that could isolate the existing community from the new one, questions of population demographics, the potential transient nature of residents of the first building (in particular), and more. But above all, there is the question of the primacy of the GDP as the Island's founding and controlling document.

In disunity, residents have found weakness and discord.

In unity, there is the potential for a consolidated effort and, with a little luck, a chance to prevail in an appeal to a higher Court.

A Great Fourth

Well over 400 residents came out for the big band concert that River Music staged yesterday under the sponsorship of The WIRE and Housing Management, with help from the Historical Society, RIOC, the Roman Catholic Parish, Pepsi, Costco, and several friends from The Main Street Theatre.

So many entities worked together, in fact, that the concert could be considered one of the products of the kind of unity that Roosevelt Island so badly needs just now.

The concert was its own fully adequate reason for being, as the Ray Abrams Big Band lifted the non-existent figurative roof off Good Shepherd Plaza, but residents also dug deep into their pockets to provide a bit of support.

It didn't make money for The WIRE, as had been the frail hope, but the losses were minor, and that bodes well for a repeat next Fourth of July. So, a...

Thank You

...is in order to all those who helped, who are too many to be named and mostly too modest to care. Enough to say that on this Island, one finds a strong and super-dedicated corps of volunteers and contributors who make all things possible.

DL