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June 2, 2007 |
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Two holiday shortened weeks. Memorial Day should have stopped us all to consider the sacrifices made by those who have served and those who are now serving and express our gratitude.
Matters of interest:
1. Blackwell House: After much pushing, cajoling, and threatening, the work appears actively underway. Hopefully, the good weather will encourage a speedy completion.
2. Sportspark: RIOC has hired an additional person for the facility so that henceforth, the pool will stay open on holiday weekends.
3. Teleconferencing: RIOC’s capability for teleconferencing and web broadcasting of all Board of Directors meetings is now set to comply with Governor Spitzer’s Executive Order No. 3. As a side benefit, the plaza around the Good Shepherd Chapel has free wireless (wi-fi) capability, and all are welcome to bring their laptops and enjoy the outdoors while doing Roosevelt Island web surfing.
4. Roosevelt Island Day: June 9 promises to be another great day for Islanders to get together and enjoy the benefits of the community. Lots of activities planned and if the weather cooperates, should be a wonderful experience. There will be a blood drive sponsored by RIRA on both June 2 and 9 at the Farmer’s Market. Very worthy cause. Come on out!
5. Barbeque grills: The BBQ grills at Lighthouse Park are in operation. The additional BBQ grills west of Octagon have been ordered and will be installed as soon as they arrive. Promised before July 4. Note that BBQ pits 1 & 2 at Lighthouse Park may be reserved by contacting Donna Masly at RIOC. See diagram on page 22.
6. Hybrid Buses: For those interested in green technology and its efficiency, see the New York Post of May 21, where the MTA, owner of 600 Orion VII buses (same as RIOC’s), was quoted "good for the environment, but really good for mechanics… repeatedly suffered power-generator breakdowns." RIOC experience is the same, with replacement parts for the electric motors becoming increasingly difficult to find and, as a result, more expensive.
7. Lighting: RIOC continues to pursue Con Edison and the wiring bugs in the system. The lights will function.
8. Retail Spaces: A crew has started the process of cleaning out the vacant stores to put them into rentable condition. A most unsavory task. A retail-stores consultant has visited the Island and surveyed the stores and as many of the residents as she could speak to. A plan for the types of stores that will function together for the benefit of the residents in a service-store environment is being prepared. After RFPs for the specific store types, rating and ranking, lease negotiation, Board approval, Public Authorities’ approval, and lease signing, there will be stores opening in the now-vacant places.
9. Seawall repair: The responses to the RFP for repair of the seawall where struck by the barge at Lighthouse Point have been received, opened, and evaluated. Background checking of the most responsive bidders now being undertaken and contracts to be awarded soon with work to follow immediately. Railings and gratings have been repaired and replaced in part, with their maintenance regularly scheduled. Please report any areas where there are safety hazards so they can be promptly repaired.
10. RIOC Board of Directors: RIRA’s Maple Tree group, working on the democratization of the selection process, met with the Commissioner of Housing, Deborah VanAmerongen, and me to discuss a broad range of issues being worked on by the group, represented by Matthew Katz, Margie Smith, and David Bauer. The issues are complex, as trying to have a representative group of candidates to represent the Island’s different constituencies is not simple.
11. Ground-lease extensions and Mitchell Lama buy-outs: The representatives of Island House, Westview, and Rivercross have all continued discussions with DHCR, RIOC, and other governmental agencies to search for a result acceptable to all that would protect existing residents, deal with required capital improvements, provide for affordability for existing and future residents, respect the requirements of the Master Lease and the General Development Plan and, of course, for the rental buildings, at a price the present owners would accept within the limits of the laws under which RIOC operates. Discussions continue.
12. Fourth of July: Planning for the annual celebration of our nation’s birth is being done with the aid of an event planner and under the supervision of Erica Wilder and Donna Masly. Promises to be another great event on the Island and, with the cooperation of the weather and the MTA (hopefully extra F-train cars), most enjoyable for all.
13. Roosevelt Island Seniors: Big gathering today (Saturday, June 2). I plan to attend to see if it’s true that "Seniors do it best!" Also, Gallery RIVAA is holding an exhibition of Art from the Heart, produced by the patients and staff at Coler and Goldwater Hospitals. I’ve seen some of the works on exhibit and it’s well worth the time to look in on the exhibit.
14. Red Bus scheduling: Unhappiness has apparently abated over changes in routing caused by the shutdown of the turnaround loop on commencement of construction of buildings 5 & 6 in Southtown. People have accommodated to the changes. Complaints about the rule requiring strollers to be folded during rush hours have also subsided, as both the user public and the drivers have come to understand that the policy is rush hours only. Sorry for confusion if the time period was misunderstood.