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December 2, 2006 |
The RIRA Column
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So, here we go again. Since my last (first?) column I’ve held three orientations with both old and new RIRA Common Council members, Class of 2006, to define goals, set procedures and, basically, talk about how things get done in organizations. The exchange of ideas and information went both ways, of course. As Tom Daschle, former Democratic Senate Majority Leader, has said, "If you want to get elected, learn to speak. If you want to stay elected, learn to listen." Bottom line: The feedback has been terrific and your representatives are rarin’ to go.
The advent of a new administration is a time for making new contacts and shoring up old ones. The most critical political contact we have will be with Governor Spitzer and with his transition team. I’ve met with (then Attorney General and now, Governor-elect) Spitzer, both informally and in the context of an Island Town Meeting, as well as with his community and policy subordinates. On every occasion, our reception was cordial, concerned, knowledgeable and sometimes, outraged. We’ve been promised additional meetings now that the elections and Thanksgiving are behind us, and we shall use these opportunities to share with the Governor more of the Byzantine realities of life on Roosevelt Island.
RIOC President Herb Berman has invited me into RIOC’s temporary digs at the Blackwell School building twice since Election Day and I’ve been grateful to share his gripes and mine; I believe that learning from experience, both good and bad, is the only way to make progress. Realist that he is, Herb has made clear his understanding that, with a new administration in Albany, his retirement is in the offing. Many of us remember the changes in personnel both in RIOC and on the Board of Directors when George Pataki replaced Mario Cuomo in 1994. This process is a political reality as new regimes bring in their own people, and I would lay odds that DHCR Commissioner and RIOC Board Chair Judith Calogero will be replaced by a Spitzer appointee some time soon. The grapevine suggests that the RIOC Board will see some new faces soon as terms of office expire. We hope and expect that these new Directors will come from, and will reflect, this community.
Our discussions were far ranging, including the Red Bus routes, the new bus shelter in front of the M&D Deli and the status of Southpoint Park. Once again, I urged RIOC to be more proactive in communicating with Island residents. Case in point: Did you know that we now have a dog run that’s been built near the East Promenade just east of Riverwalk? Herb made mention of this in his last RIOC column but over the last two weeks, not one dog walker I queried on Main Street was aware of this. A dog run is a good idea and RIOC needs to shout it from the rooftops as well as providing the amenities (plastic bags, trash cans, benches) that will make this facility a social gathering venue like the one at Union Square as well as helping to keep the Island, both sidewalks and lawns, clean.
Herb and Ken Leitner, RIOC Counsel, explained to me the process whereby our Red Bus service will be replaced over time: Manhattan Park agreed to a $1.85 million payment for replacement buses that will keep the fleet rolling. This money helped defray the cost of our four diesel/hybrid buses with the help of grants from NYPA and NYSERDA. My understanding is that Manhattan Park will continue to pay the value of three new buses every six years, starting in 2011. Given the current difficulties with the bus schedules from Octagon during rush hours, I would like to see one new bus added now. Failing that, I hope that expert advice will be sought to apply modern traffic solutions to our one-street problem.
By the time you read this, Thursday’s RIOC Board of Directors meeting will be over. There is an agenda item to renew or extend the contract of Paul Mas and his company, Jones, Lang LaSalle, as sales representatives for the RIOC Board on the commercial development of Main Street, on new Southtown development and, most critically, the ground lease extensions for Island House and my own building, Westview. There has been much criticism of the empty storefronts on Main Street and the lack of interest in filling those stores and enhancing the retail life of Northtown. This criticism is justified. However, my hope is that the news pages of this issue of The WIRE will reflect at least an extension of Paul’s contract; the future of the Westview and Island House privatization efforts may depend on it. Over the past year both buildings have negotiated almost exclusively with Mr. Mas to extend ground leases and both buildings’ Letters of Intent require those leases in order to enter the next phase of negotiation. Should the JLL contract, which expired November 17, not be extended, the two building committees will have no one with whom to negotiate, at least until the Spitzer administration comes to power and appoints a new Board that will then be obliged to hire a new sales representative and bring them up to speed. This could mean a delay of months and the respective tenant associations’ agreements with ownership of both buildings have deadlines built into them. This Board must do the right thing for the sake of the 761 families involved. Our ability to remain on Roosevelt Island depends on this and I won’t have slept much between this writing and Thursday afternoon.
Many of our elected representatives have been watching us with concern and I’ve just met with Amy Martinez-Miller, community liaison for Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer. Amy has taken many of our concerns back to Scott, who will be offering a "transition memo" to the new Governor that, I suspect, will include an earful from us.
Amy and I have been in touch with the NYC Department of Transportation to get the latest skinny on the three-year renovation project for the Roosevelt Island Bridge. Here’s what you need to know: Final construction plans are being drawn as I write. The Pre-Stage work (prior to Stages I, II and III) will begin in March of 2007. DOT is recommending (although the contractor may opt to implement an alternative schedule) that this include removal of hazardous material, rehabilitating the abutments below the bridge deck and the construction of a dedicated right turn off the bridge onto Vernon Boulevard (southbound). Bridge deck and roadway replacement will follow over the next 16 months, culminating with major mechanical and electrical component replacements to be effected from October ’08, and the end of construction in June ’09. This is quite a big project but at no time will the bridge be closed to traffic. I’m looking forward to a decent paint job to replace the light pink color that fifty years of weather has produced.
Clearly, we have entered a period of transition. Anticipating this time, we have used the past year to establish relationships, educate new leaders and their staffs and push our agendas. The next few months will be critical as new policy is determined and new people come to the Island to carry out this policy. With the help of the RIRA Common Council you just elected, I intend to see that real, positive change is part of that agenda.
Stay tuned.