It's Snowing On Roosevelt Island Tonight

At Good Shepherd Plaza

Photo: Roosevelt Island gets some snow tmblr.co/ZXvEYycdx_Ts
— TheRealTavie (@TheRealTavie) January 25, 2013

and Southtown.

No F Train Service From Manhattan To Roosevelt Island Again This Weekend

Image of Blurred, Moving F Train From Venus in Furs

According to the MTA:

F Jamaica-bound trains run via the M from 47-50 Sts to Roosevelt Av

Weekend, 9:45 PM Fri to 5 AM Mon, Jan 25 - 28

Trains run express from Queens Plaza to Roosevelt Av

No Jamaica-bound service at 57 St, Lexington Av/63 St, Roosevelt Island and 21 St-Queensbridge.

More information on subway service disruptions this weekend from the MTA's Weekender.

Roosevelt Island Exposure Arrest Reports RIOC Public Safety Department

I sent the following message yesterday to Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Acting President Don Lewis and Public Safety Department Director Keith Guerra:

According to 1/23 Public Safety Report, an arrest was made on Roosevelt Island for Exposure.

1/23/13 - 0415 - Exposure of a Person - PSD conducted Arrest

Please provide additional details regarding this incident including:

• where did it occur,
  

• did the incident occur at 4:15 AM or is that when the arrest took place

• what were the ages and gender of victim and suspect
  

• is the incident related to previous exposure incidents on Roosevelt Island and
  

• any other relevant information.

RIOC's Press Spokesperson replied:

The incident occurred at 11:44 pm in the lot of 900 Main St. (Coler Hospital) and it was unrelated to any prior incidents. (4:15 am is when the Incident Report was completed.) We can also tell you that there were no injuries.

RIOC's November Incident Blotter indicated an indecent exposure incident took place at the Roosevelt Island Manhattan Tram Station:

11/12/2012 62nd St & 2nd Avenue Manhattan Tram Plaza - Female reported male exposed himself to her while riding in the elevator on 11/12/12.

This Tram incident was discussed during the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) January Public Safety Committee meeting:

... Women's Safety: Laila voiced her concern, for the women on the Island, following the incident she experienced when a young man exposed himself to her while they were on the Manhattan side elevator of the Tram, then came across to the Island. She reported it to PSD but has not heard any updates. The Committee agreed that they would follow up with Director Guerra on what progress had been made on the case. Other ideas discussed for actions that might be explored were as follows: an educational campaign on Women's safety, creation of flyers for distribution within the community, a discussion with Director Guerra on what his department can do to make the women feel safer....

More information on the RIRA Public Safety Committee January meeting here.

Deception TV Show Filming On Roosevelt Island Tram Friday NIght - No Interruption In Service Says RIOC

Earlier this week Roosevelt Island was transformed into Berlin during a film shoot for the Person Of Interest TV program. Later tonight, the Roosevelt Island Tram will be used as a site for the new TV program Deception.

Not known at this time if there will be any jumping from Tram Cabin to Cabin as there was during an episode of White Collar.

Image Of White Collar Jump From Roosevelt Island Tram via You Tube

But back to tonight. According to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC):

Please be advised the NBC television crime drama series Deception will be filming on 1 of the Roosevelt Island Tramway cabins on Friday, January 25, 2013 from 8 PM to 12 Midnight. Regular Tram service will not be interrupted anytime during filming.

Sincerely,

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp Advisories Group

Here's some background on Deception.

Robbie Hershey Memorial Friday January 25 At Roosevelt Island's Good Shepherd Sanctuary

Main Street Theater & Dance Alliance Executive Director Owen Johnston sends the following message:

Hello MST&DA families and friends,

We would like to invite you to the Memorial Service honoring our dear friend and Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance,

Robbie Hershey.

The service will be held tomorrow, Friday January 25, at 7pm in the Sanctuary of the Church of the Good Shepherd.

Please join us to say goodbye to our dear friend.

Roosevelt Island Cornell NYC Tech Receives Conditional Approval By Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer Today - Recommendations Include Construction Mitigation, Open Campus, Red Bus Expansion And Study Pedestrian Access To Queensboro Bridge

Just received the following Press Release from Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer's office:

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer today issued conditional approval for the proposed Cornell NYC Tech campus on Roosevelt Island by Cornell University and the New York City Economic Development Corporation. In developing his Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) recommendation, Stringer secured commitments to pursue several modifications to the project, which include construction mitigation, the creation of a community advisory committee on open space, expanding the hours of the campus open space, expansion of the red bus line, and commitment to study co-generation and pedestrian access to the Queens Borough Bridge.

“I am proud today to announce my recommendation for conditional approval of the Cornell NYC Tech, which will help integrate this important economic development project with the local community,” Borough President Stringer said. “I believe the modifications agreed to today will bring this proposal further in line with sound planning and community preferences.”

"Borough President Stringer has been a true leader in supporting and guiding the growth of New York's tech sector and we're extremely grateful for his support of Cornell Tech," said Cornell President David J. Skorton. "Cornell Tech will help drive economic development in New York for years to come, but we know the campus will only be a success if we are good neighbors. We are grateful for the Borough President's support, and are committed to addressing the matters he raised as part of our ongoing effort to ensure that this campus respects and partners with the Roosevelt Island community”

In his comments, Borough President Stringer cited the need to focus on expanding and strengthening the technology sector. New York City has become one of the nation’s fastest growing technology markets and universities play a key role in advancing research and development in those fields. He further acknowledged that the Cornell University has already committed to working with local middle schools to create a new pilot program tech education program, which was a key recommendation in the Borough President’s recently-issued Start-up City report.

Among Borough President Stringer's recommendations are:

• Mitigate construction by actively pursuing barging, and agreeing that if it is not feasible, protocols will be developed to limit noisy deliveries; to have independent monitoring and air quality monitoring through demolition and excavation; and pursue a construction remediation plan for potential soil contaminants;
• Increase Red Bus service on the island through construction, develop programs to encourage its employees to use mass transit; and study pedestrian access improvements to the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge;
• Ensure the proposed open space on the campus remains open until 10 PM, cannot have private café seating, and its design will be informed by a new community advisory committee;
• Continue to work on potential parking impacts, conduct a study of potential parking impacts from the hotel and corporate co-location building, create a new certification process to evaluate parking impacts if no parking is created,
• Commit that all new laboratories will comply with all performance standards outlined in the zoning resolution for M1 zoning districts to minimize impact on surrounding residents.

and:

“The proposed project will have significant benefits to New York City as it will expand our ever-growing tech sector,” said Borough President Stringer. "I am pleased that Cornell University has been willing to work with our office and the local community."

In December, Community Board 8 voted to conditionally approve the proposed actions based on similar issues of concern. The project will continue to move through the City's Uniform Land Use Review Procedure; the next step will be a review by the City Planning Commission and then final review by the City Council.

Click here for Borough President Stringer's full recommendations on the Roosevelt Island Cornell NYC Tech project.

The Roosevelt Island Community Coalition (RICC) provided this update on the status of negotiations between Cornell and Roosevelt Island community residents during January 21 meeting



followed by questions and answers.



Part 2 of Q and A. (a few moments between part 1 and 2 of Q and A are missing.



The Cornell NYC Tech project was conditionally approved last December 19 by Community Board 8 prior to Borough President Stringer's approval today. Next step in ULURP process is

Image From Manhattan Borough President's Office Presentation (Page 19)

review by the NYC Planning Commission.

A Plea For Compassion And Better Prices To Gristedes Owner John Catsimatidis From A Roosevelt Island Resident - Mr. C Says We Will Like The New Renovated Supermarket When Finished In A Few Weeks

Roosevelt Island Gristedes Supermarket Renovations

Roosevelt Island resident Nina Lubin shares this plea she sent to Roosevelt Island Gristedes

 owner John Catsimatidis earlier today regarding ongoing renovations

Roosevelt Island Gristedes Supermarket Renovations

and pricing at our local supermarket. From Ms. Lubin:

Good Morning Mr. C.

Or perhaps not.

I came to your construction site -- oops, I mean the Roosevelt Island Gristedes -- at 5 pm last night. The store remains one big, hot mess.

At the front, near the pharmacy, was an open, unsecured construction area with no barricades, tape, or any markings to prevent someone from walking or tripping. The floor at the pharmacy remains uneven and bumpy, and someone could easily trip or fall -- please remember we are an Island of people with many motor disabilities and challenges.

The relocated meat and poultry area could only be reached by walking past open ladders with no protections, and again, active construction with dust and debris unprotected by any plastic or vinyl sheeting. The temperature in the relocated poultry case was not cold enough to safely store anything perishable (and was reported to one of the managers).

We are now in the 3rd or 4th month of being held captive by your senior staff and disorganized demolition and construction crew and it is unfair and not safe for the staff and your customers.

Really, Mr. C, have a little compassion for us on Roosevelt Island. Because this morning, it sure seems like you have more compassion for the folks in Kips Bay and on the Upper East Side than for us Islanders who have few choices. With your big full page ad in today's New York Post, declaring WAR ON INFLATION, it is clear that you are really declaring war on the new Fairway store on East 30th Street and 2nd Avenue, conveniently located in between two of your stores, in the midst of a big residential neighborhood and 3 major hospitals, as well as the Fairway on E.86th Street. Some of those prices in that ad are the same prices we on Roosevelt Island have been hoping for for many years and are still waiting:

Corn Flakes - $ 1.49 for 18 oz
Cheerios - $2.99
Bumble Bee Solid White Tuna - $ 5 for 4 cans
Chicken Cutlets - $ 1.99 / lb

A start -- with a $ 5 off coupon -- but only for the 3 stores in in Manhattan in direct competition with Fairway. Unfair to us, who should be getting some price breaks while our store is a construction site and for many the only place we can shop.

If you really are the businessman you claim to be, if you are thinking about running for Mayor, if you really want to declare war on inflation, if you really want to not further alienate or aggravate the Roosevelt Island residents, show us a little concern and favoritism and get the work done already, lower some prices, and work to get us back in the store.

Mr. Catsimatidis replied:

You will Have a New store in a Few weeks that we will all be Proud of

A corporate Gristedes official told me that the renovations should be completed by middle of February.