To the Editor:

I would like to add my “Amen” to the letter submitted by John Hafner published in the May 1 edition of The Main Street WIRE.  I, too, was maltreated, verbally abused, and inconvenienced by Platzer Productions in the filming of Dark Water.

I think we need answers to the problems this production has caused for the residents of Roosevelt Island and what RIOC and the production company intend to do to assuage the insults, verbal and otherwise, inflicted on us; namely:

•  The inability of the residents of 540 Main St. to enter or leave their building, pick up their mail or use the intercom system.
•  The halting of pedestrian and vehicular traffic on Main Street during the morning and evening rush hours.
•  The “coning off” of all the parking spaces on Main Street between the Deli and the Church for the use of the production company’s personal vehicles.
•  The parking of production company’s vehicles (including tractor-trailer trucks) in bus stops and in front of fire hydrants.
•  The absolute audacity and rudeness of the personnel of Platzer Productions to both the residents and Public Safety Officers.
•  The filming with bright lights and “rain” until 3:00 a.m. on a Friday night/Saturday morning.
•  The loss of TV reception to residents hooked up to the master antenna; the production company took down one of the antennae and placed a “phony water tower” on the roof of 540 Main Street, blocking reception.  It has not been remedied as of this date.
•  The interruption of service on the Tram and, by the way, the subway service to and from Roosevelt Island on several occasions.

We need this production company to contribute money to the Island’s capital needs for their privilege of using and abusing our Island.  We need, desperately, to have our sidewalks and Main Street roadway repaired.  The buildings on Main Street need to be “power-washed” and possibly re-pointed.  The windows that front on Main Street need to be washed, by use of a scaffold system.  The stores on Main Street could use beautification, awnings, etc.  And all the empty stores need to be leased by entities that provide services the Island requires and desires.
Maybe next time, the residents will be consulted; one can only hope.

 

To the Editor:

It is so depressing to see the state of the semicircular white bench at the southern end of the park along River Road. One part of it had been ripped off weeks ago. Now the other side is also missing. It is not clear if it is due to vandalism or just sheer decay and neglect. Now that the good season is here and it is such a pleasure to sit outside, we hope something will quickly be done to restore that bench for the joy of Islanders and visitors.

To the Editor:

It was two years ago that my wife and I moved from Roosevelt Island.  We had lived there for about ten years.  During that time the need to have the MetroCard as part of the Tram operation became more apparent with every passing day.  This past weekend I returned to the Island, not only for a visit, but to help in the distribution of The WIRE.  It was a pleasure to be able to swipe my MetroCard and ride the Tram.  I want to say that Mathew Katz, RIRA President, deserves all my thanks and those of all the Island residents for his hard work and persistence in seeing this happen.  From my point of view he should have, in his honor, a free MetroCard for life.  Thank you, Matt, for helping to make the quality of life just a little bit better for Roosevelt Islanders.