Roosevelt Island
Encyclopedia
East River
The East River is a tidal strait in New York City. It connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island from the island of Manhattan and the Bronx on the North American mainland...
of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. It lies between the island of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
to its west and the borough of Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
to its east. Running from Manhattan's East 46th to East 85th streets, it is about two miles (3 km) long, with a maximum width of 800 feet (243.8 m), and a total area of 147 acre (0.59488842 km²). The island is part of the Borough of Manhattan (New York County). Together with Mill Rock
Mill Rock
Mill Rock is a small unpopulated island between Manhattan and Queens in New York City, in the U.S. state of New York. It lies about off Manhattan's East 96th Street, south of Randall's and Wards Island where the East River and Harlem River converge. The island forms Census Block 9000 of Census...
, Roosevelt Island constitutes Manhattan's Census Tract
Census tract
A census tract, census area, or census district is a geographic region defined for the purpose of taking a census. Usually these coincide with the limits of cities, towns or other administrative areas and several tracts commonly exist within a county...
238, which has a land area of 0.279 sq mi (0.72260668269 km²). and had a population of 9,520 in 2000 according to the US Census. The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation
Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation is a public-benefit corporation responsible for developing Roosevelt Island, a small strip of land in the East River, part of the borough of Manhattan....
estimated its population was about 12,000 in 2007.
Roosevelt Island is owned by the city, but was leased to the state of New York's Urban Development Corporation for 99 years in 1969. Most of the residential buildings on Roosevelt Island are rental buildings. There is also a cooperative (Rivercross) and a condominium building (Riverwalk). One rental building (Eastwood) has left New York State's Mitchell-Lama Housing Program, though current residents are still protected. Three other buildings are now working toward privatization, including the cooperative.
History timeline
The following is a timeline of the history of Roosevelt Island since European colonization:- 1637 – Dutch Governor Wouter Van TwillerWouter van TwillerWouter van Twiller was an employee of the Dutch West India Company and the Director-General of New Netherland from 1633 until 1638...
first purchases the island, then known as Hog Island, from the Canarsie Indians - 1666 – After the English defeat the Dutch, Captain John Manning seizes the island, which becomes known as Manning's Island.
- 1686 – Manning's son-in-law, Robert Blackwell, becomes the island's new owner and namesake
- 1796 – Blackwell's great-grandson Jacob Blackwell constructs the Blackwell HouseBlackwell HouseBlackwell House is an historic house on Roosevelt Island in New York, New York.It was built in 1796 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972....
, the island's oldest landmark, New York City's sixth oldest house and one of the city's few remaining examples of 18th-century architecture - 1828 – The City of New York purchases the island for $32,000
- 1832 – The city erects a penitentiaryPenitentiaryPenitentiary may refer to:* Prison or penitentiary, a correctional facility* Apostolic Penitentiary, a tribunal of mercy, responsible for issues relating to the forgiveness of sins in the Roman Catholic Church* Penitentiary...
on the island. - 1839 – The New York City Lunatic Asylum opens, including the Octagon TowerThe Octagon (Roosevelt Island, New York)The Octagon built in 1834 is an historic octagonal building located at 888 Main Street on Roosevelt Island in New York City. It originally served as the main entrance to the New York City Lunatic Asylum which opened in 1841. Designed by Alexander Jackson Davis, the five-story rotunda was made of...
, still standing. The Asylum, which was designed by Alexander Jackson DavisAlexander Jackson DavisAlexander Jackson Davis, or A. J. Davis , was one of the most successful and influential American architects of his generation, in particular his association with the Gothic Revival style....
, at one point holds 1,700 inmates, twice its designed capacity. - 1852 – A workhouseWorkhouseIn England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...
is built on the island to hold petty violators in 220 cells. - 1856 – The Smallpox HospitalSmallpox HospitalThe Smallpox Hospital is an abandoned hospital located on Roosevelt Island in New York City...
, designed by James Renwick Jr., opens; later, when it falls into disrepair, it will be known as the "Renwick Ruin" - 1858 – The Asylum burns down, and is rebuilt in the same location.
- 1872 – The Blackwell Island LightBlackwell Island LightBlackwell Island Lighthouse, which is also known as Welfare Island Lighthouse and Roosevelt Island Lighthouse is a stone lighthouse built by New York City in 1872. It is at the northeast tip of Roosevelt Island in the East River in Lighthouse Park...
, a 50 feet (15.2 m) Gothic styleGothic Revival architectureThe Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
lighthouseLighthouseA lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
now on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, is built by convict labor on the island's northern tip under Renwick's supervision. - 1889 – The Chapel of the Good Shepherd, designed by Frederick Clarke WithersFrederick Clarke WithersFrederick Clarke Withers was an successful English architect in America, especially renowned for his Gothic Revival church designs.-Biography:...
, opens. - 1895 – Inmates from the Asylum are transferred to Ward's IslandWard's IslandWards Island is situated in the East River in New York City. Administratively it is part of the borough of Manhattan. It is bridged by rail to the borough of Queens by the Hell Gate Bridge and it is joined to Randall's Island to the north by landfill...
, and patients from the hospital there are transferred to Blackwell's Island. The Asylum is renamed Metropolitan HospitalMetropolitan hospital centerMetropolitan Hospital Center was founded in 1875 in Manhattan. Metropolitan is located in an area where East Harlem merges with the Upper East Side and Yorkville. The physical plant extends from First to Second Avenues and from East 97th to East 99th Streets. The hospital caters to a wide spectra...
. - 1909 – The Queensboro Bridge, which passes over the island but does not provide direct vehicular access to it, opens.
- 1921 – Blackwell's Island is renamed Welfare Island
- 1935 – The penitentiary on Riker's Island opens, and the last convicts on Welfare Island are transferred there.
- 1939 – John GarfieldJohn GarfieldJohn Garfield was an American actor adept at playing brooding, rebellious, working-class character roles. He grew up in poverty in Depression-era New York City and in the early 1930s became an important member of the Group Theater. In 1937 he moved to Hollywood, eventually becoming one of Warner...
stars in the Warner Bros.Warner Bros.Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
film Blackwell's Island. Also, Goldwater Memorial Hospital, a chronic careChronic careChronic care refers to medical care which addresses preexisting or long term illness, as opposed to acute care which is concerned with short term or severe illness of brief duration. Chronic medical conditions include, but are not limited to, asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, congestive heart...
facility, opens, with almost a thousand beds in 7 buildings on 9.9 acres (4 ha). - 1939 – the New York CubansNew York CubansThe New York Cubans were a Negro league baseball team that played during the 1930s and from 1939 to 1950. Despite playing in the Negro leagues, the team occasionally employed white-skinned Hispanic baseball players as well, because Hispanics in general were largely ignored by the major league...
of the Negro National League play their home games on a baseball diamond on the Island, known as the 59th Street Sandlot. - 1952 – Bird S. Coler Hospital, another chronic careChronic careChronic care refers to medical care which addresses preexisting or long term illness, as opposed to acute care which is concerned with short term or severe illness of brief duration. Chronic medical conditions include, but are not limited to, asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, congestive heart...
facility, opens. - 1955 – Metropolitan HospitalMetropolitan hospital centerMetropolitan Hospital Center was founded in 1875 in Manhattan. Metropolitan is located in an area where East Harlem merges with the Upper East Side and Yorkville. The physical plant extends from First to Second Avenues and from East 97th to East 99th Streets. The hospital caters to a wide spectra...
moves to ManhattanManhattanManhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, leaving the Lunatic Asylum buildings abandoned. Also, the Welfare Island BridgeRoosevelt Island BridgeThe Roosevelt Island Bridge is a lift bridge that connects Roosevelt Island to Astoria in Queens, crossing the East Channel of the East River. It is the sole route to the island for vehicular and foot traffic ....
from QueensQueensQueens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
opens, allowing automobile and truck access to the island. - 1968 – The Delacorte Fountain, opposite the United Nations Building, opens. Also, Mayor John V. Lindsay assembles a committee to determine the island's future use.
- 1969 – The New York State Urban Development Corporation (UDC) signs a 99-year lease for the island, and architects Philip JohnsonPhilip JohnsonPhilip Cortelyou Johnson was an influential American architect.In 1930, he founded the Department of Architecture and Design at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, and later , as a trustee, he was awarded an American Institute of Architects Gold Medal and the first Pritzker Architecture...
and John BurgeeJohn Burgee__notoc__John Burgee is an American architect noted for his contributions to Postmodern architecture. He was a partner of Philip Johnson from 1967 to 1991, creating together the partnership firm Johnson/Burgee Architects. Their landmark collaborations together included Pennzoil Place in Houston...
create a plan for apartment buildings to be constructed housing 20,000 residents. - 1973 – Welfare island is renamed Roosevelt Island after Franklin Delano Roosevelt
- 1976 – The Roosevelt Island TramwayRoosevelt Island TramwayThe Roosevelt Island Tramway is an aerial tramway in New York City that spans the East River and connects Roosevelt Island to Manhattan. Prior to the completion of the Mississippi Aerial River Transit in May 1984 and the Portland Aerial Tram in December 2006, it was the only commuter aerial tramway...
opens, connecting the island directly with ManhattanManhattanManhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. Originally intended as a temporary measure, it becomes a tourist attraction and an iconic symbol of the island. - 1984 – The New York State legislature creates the Roosevelt Island Operating CorporationRoosevelt Island Operating CorporationThe Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation is a public-benefit corporation responsible for developing Roosevelt Island, a small strip of land in the East River, part of the borough of Manhattan....
(RIOC), with a nine-person board of directors appointed by the Governor, two suggested by the Mayor of New York City, and three of whom are residents of the island. - 1989 – SubwayNew York City SubwayThe New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
service to the island begins, 13 years after originally scheduled. - 1998 – The Blackwell Island LightBlackwell Island LightBlackwell Island Lighthouse, which is also known as Welfare Island Lighthouse and Roosevelt Island Lighthouse is a stone lighthouse built by New York City in 1872. It is at the northeast tip of Roosevelt Island in the East River in Lighthouse Park...
is restored by an anonymous donor. - 2006 – The Octagon TowerThe Octagon (Roosevelt Island, New York)The Octagon built in 1834 is an historic octagonal building located at 888 Main Street on Roosevelt Island in New York City. It originally served as the main entrance to the New York City Lunatic Asylum which opened in 1841. Designed by Alexander Jackson Davis, the five-story rotunda was made of...
is restored as the central lobby of a two-wing, 500-unit apartment building. - 2010 – The Roosevelt Island TramwayRoosevelt Island TramwayThe Roosevelt Island Tramway is an aerial tramway in New York City that spans the East River and connects Roosevelt Island to Manhattan. Prior to the completion of the Mississippi Aerial River Transit in May 1984 and the Portland Aerial Tram in December 2006, it was the only commuter aerial tramway...
is modernized.
Architecture
Though small, Roosevelt Island has a distinguished architectural history. It has several architecturally significant buildings, and has been the site of numerous important unbuilt architectural competitions and proposals.The island's master plan, adopted by the New York State Urban Development Corporation in 1969, was developed by the firm of Philip Johnson
Philip Johnson
Philip Cortelyou Johnson was an influential American architect.In 1930, he founded the Department of Architecture and Design at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, and later , as a trustee, he was awarded an American Institute of Architects Gold Medal and the first Pritzker Architecture...
and John Burgee
John Burgee
__notoc__John Burgee is an American architect noted for his contributions to Postmodern architecture. He was a partner of Philip Johnson from 1967 to 1991, creating together the partnership firm Johnson/Burgee Architects. Their landmark collaborations together included Pennzoil Place in Houston...
. The plan divided the island into three residential communities, and is noteworthy because it forbade the use of automobiles on the island; the plan intended for residents to park their cars in a large garage and use public transportation to get around. Another innovation was the plan's development of a 'mini-school system,' in which classrooms for the island's public intermediate school were distributed among all the residential buildings in a campus-like fashion (as opposed to being centralized in one large building).
The first phase of Roosevelt Island's development was called "Northtown." It consists of four housing complexes: Westview, Island House, Rivercross, and Eastwood (also known as the WIRE buildings). Rivercross is a Mitchell-Lama co-op, while the rest of the buildings in Northtown are rentals. Eastwood, the largest apartment complex on the island, and Westview were designed by noted architect Josep Lluis Sert
Josep Lluís Sert
Josep Lluís Sert i López was a Spanish Catalan architect and city planner.- Biography :Born in Barcelona, he showed keen interest in the works of his painter uncle Josep Maria Sert and of Gaudí. He studied architecture at the Escola Superior d'Arquitectura in Barcelona and set up his own studio...
, then dean of Harvard Graduate School of Design
Harvard Graduate School of Design
The Harvard Graduate School of Design is a graduate school at Harvard University offering degrees in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning and Design.-History:...
. Eastwood, along with Peabody Terrace (in Cambridge, Massachusetts), is a prime example of Sert's investigations into high-rise multiple-dwelling residential buildings. It achieves a remarkable level of efficiency by triple-loading corridors with duplex apartment units, such that elevators and public corridors are only needed every three floors. Island House and Rivercross were designed by Johansen & Bhavnani. The two developments were noteworthy for their use of pre-fabricated cladding systems.
Subsequent phases of the island's development have been less innovative, architecturally. Northtown Phase II was developed by the Starrett Corporation and designed by the firm, Gruzen Samton, in a pseudo-historical post-modern style. It was completed in 1989, over a decade after Northtown. Southtown, also designed by Gruzen Samton, is the third phase of the island's development. It was not started until 1998, and is still in the process of development.
As of February 2011, Buildings 1 through 6 have been completed. Residential development of Southtown has brought new retail businesses to Roosevelt Island, including a Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
and a Duane Reade
Duane Reade
Duane Reade Inc., a subsidiary of the Walgreen Company, is a chain of pharmacy and convenience stores, primarily located in New York City, known for its high volume small store layouts in densely populated Manhattan locations...
. Roosevelt Island, which is known for its limited variety of restaurants, has also gained two new restaurants as a result of Southtown development: Nonno's Foccaceria and Fuji East.
The Octagon
The Octagon (Roosevelt Island, New York)
The Octagon built in 1834 is an historic octagonal building located at 888 Main Street on Roosevelt Island in New York City. It originally served as the main entrance to the New York City Lunatic Asylum which opened in 1841. Designed by Alexander Jackson Davis, the five-story rotunda was made of...
, one of the island’s six landmarks, was restored in 2006. Originally designed by Alexander Jackson Davis in 1839 as part of the New York Lunatic Asylum. The national landmark and LEED Silver green building is now a high-end apartment community. It also houses the largest array of solar panels on any building in New York City.
In addition to Louis Kahn
Louis Kahn
Louis Isadore Kahn was an American architect, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. After working in various capacities for several firms in Philadelphia, he founded his own atelier in 1935...
's Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park
Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park
The Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park is a memorial to Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Four Freedoms, located at the southernmost point of Roosevelt Island, in the East River between Manhattan Island and Queens in New York City...
, the island has also been the site of numerous other architectural speculations. Rem Koolhaas
Rem Koolhaas
Remment Lucas Koolhaas is a Dutch architect, architectural theorist, urbanist and "Professor in Practice of Architecture and Urban Design" at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University, USA. Koolhaas studied at the Netherlands Film and Television Academy in Amsterdam, at the Architectural...
and the Office of Metropolitan Architecture proposed two projects for the Island in his book "Delirious New York": the Welfare Island Hotel and the Roosevelt Island Redevelopment Proposal (both in 1975-76). That proposal was Koolhaas's entry into a competition held for the development of Northtown Phase II. Other entrants included Peter Eisenman
Peter Eisenman
Peter Eisenman is an American architect. Eisenman's professional work is often referred to as formalist, deconstructive, late avant-garde, late or high modernist, etc...
, Robert A. M. Stern
Robert A. M. Stern
Robert Arthur Morton Stern, usually credited as Robert A. M. Stern, is an American architect and Dean of the Yale University School of Architecture....
, and Oswald Mathias Ungers
Oswald Mathias Ungers
Oswald Mathias Ungers was a German architect and architectural theorist, known for his rationalist designs and the use of cubic forms. Among his notable projects are museums in Frankfurt, Hamburg and Cologne....
.
In 2006, ENYA (Emerging New York Architects) made the island's abandoned southern end the subject of one of its annual competitions.
Transportation
Although Roosevelt Island is located directly under the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, it is not directly accessible from the bridge itself. A trolley used to connect passengers from Queens and Manhattan to a stop in the middle of the bridge, where passengers took an elevator down to the island. The trolley operated from the bridge's opening until April 7, 1957. Between 1930 and 1955, the only vehicular access to the island was provided by an elevator system in the Elevator Storehouse that transported cars and commuters between the bridge and the island. The elevator was closed to the public after the construction of the Roosevelt Island BridgeRoosevelt Island Bridge
The Roosevelt Island Bridge is a lift bridge that connects Roosevelt Island to Astoria in Queens, crossing the East Channel of the East River. It is the sole route to the island for vehicular and foot traffic ....
between the island and Astoria in 1955, and was finally demolished in 1970.
In 1976, the Roosevelt Island Tramway
Roosevelt Island Tramway
The Roosevelt Island Tramway is an aerial tramway in New York City that spans the East River and connects Roosevelt Island to Manhattan. Prior to the completion of the Mississippi Aerial River Transit in May 1984 and the Portland Aerial Tram in December 2006, it was the only commuter aerial tramway...
was constructed to provide access to Midtown Manhattan. New York City Subway
New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
access via the IND 63rd Street Line
IND 63rd Street Line
The IND 63rd Street Line is a rapid transit line of the IND division of the New York City Subway system. It runs from the IND Sixth Avenue Line at 57th Street east under 63rd Street and the East River through the 63rd Street Tunnel to the IND Queens Boulevard Line in Queens...
finally arrived in 1989. Located over 100 feet (30.5 m) below ground level, the Roosevelt Island station
Roosevelt Island (IND 63rd Street Line)
Roosevelt Island is a station on the IND 63rd Street Line of the New York City Subway. Located on Roosevelt Island in the East River, between Manhattan and Queens, it is served by the F train at all times. The station opened in 1989 in conjunction with the partial completion of the 63rd Street...
( train) is one of the deepest in New York City's subway system.
Roosevelt Island's residential community was not designed to support automobile traffic during its planning in the early 1970s. Automobile traffic has become common even though much of the island remains a car-free area. The MTA Bus Company
MTA Bus Company
MTA Bus Company is a service of MTA Regional Bus Operations used on routes previously controlled by the New York City Department of Transportation , and operated by private operators that provided service under contract to the NYCDOT...
Q102 route operating between the island and Astoria obviates the need for automobiles to some extent.
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation
Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation is a public-benefit corporation responsible for developing Roosevelt Island, a small strip of land in the East River, part of the borough of Manhattan....
(RIOC) operates an on-island shuttle bus service from apartment buildings to the subway and tramway for a fare of 25¢ (10¢ for seniors and disabled people). The bright red buses are highly visible.
Demographics
As of the 2000 census, Roosevelt Island had a population of 9,520. Fifty-two percent of the population (4,995) were female, and 4,525, or 48%, were male. The population was spread out with 5% under the age of 5, 20% under the age of 18, 67% between the ages of 18 and 65, and 15% over the age of 65.The racial makeup of the island was 45% white (non-Hispanic)
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
, 27% black (non-Hispanic)
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 14% Hispanics or Latinos
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
of any race, 11% Asian
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
or Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander American
Pacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...
, and .3% other races.
The median income was $49,976. 37% had an income under $35,000. 40% had incomes between $35,001 and $99,999, and 23% had an income over $100,000.
55% of the total households were family households, and 45% were non-family households. 17% of the residents were married couples with children, and 19% were married couples without children. 36% of the households were one-person households, and 9% were two or more non-family households. 3% were male-based households with related and unrelated children, and 16% were female-based households with related and unrelated children.
In April 2006, The Octagon
The Octagon (Roosevelt Island, New York)
The Octagon built in 1834 is an historic octagonal building located at 888 Main Street on Roosevelt Island in New York City. It originally served as the main entrance to the New York City Lunatic Asylum which opened in 1841. Designed by Alexander Jackson Davis, the five-story rotunda was made of...
, a 500-unit luxury rental building, opened its doors. Many young, affluent tenants occupy the studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units. 100 of the units therein are set aside for middle-income residents. Also in 2006, a multi-building luxury condominium called Riverwalk completed construction of its first buildings.
Government and infrastructure
The Roosevelt Island Operating CorporationRoosevelt Island Operating Corporation
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation is a public-benefit corporation responsible for developing Roosevelt Island, a small strip of land in the East River, part of the borough of Manhattan....
operates and maintains the island's government and infrastructure. The United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
operates the Roosevelt Island Station at 694 Main Street.
Waste on Roosevelt Island is collected by an automated vacuum collection
Automated Vacuum Collection
The Automated Vacuum Waste Collection System, also known as pneumatic refuse collection, or Automated Vacuum Collection system, transports waste at high speed through underground tunnels to a collection station where it is compacted and sealed in containers. When the container is full, it is...
(AVAC) system. This is the only AVAC system serving a residential complex in the United States.
Education
Roosevelt Island, as with all parts of New York City, is served by the New York City Department of EducationNew York City Department of Education
The New York City Department of Education is the branch of municipal government in New York City that manages the city's public school system. It is the largest school system in the United States, with over 1.1 million students taught in more than 1,700 separate schools...
. Residents are zoned to P.S. 217/I.S. 217 Roosevelt Island School, which opened in 1992, combining together schools at various locations on the island. The Child School and Legacy High School
The Child School
The Child School / Legacy High School is a state chartered private school for children who have learning disabilities. It is located on Roosevelt Island, New York City where it was founded. The founder, Maari De Souza, was born in India and holds a degree in psychology.- History :The Child School...
serve K–12 special needs children with learning and emotional disabilities.
Public libraries
The New York Public LibraryNew York Public Library
The New York Public Library is the largest public library in North America and is one of the United States' most significant research libraries...
operates the Roosevelt Island Branch at 524 Main Street. The library began in a community room, then moved to its own building in 1979. In 1998, the library became a branch of the NYPL system.
Media
Roosevelt Island has its own community newspaper, The Main Street WIREThe Main Street WIRE
The Main Street WIRE is the community newspaper of Roosevelt Island, part of Manhattan in New York City. The name is an acronym based on the names of the island’s first four residential buildings: Westview, Island House, Rivercross, and Eastwood. It is published every two weeks and is distributed...
, founded in 1979 and published every two weeks. The WIRE derives its name from the first four residential buildings constructed on Roosevelt Island: Westview, Island House, Rivercross, and Eastwood. Current and back issues are available online. Volunteers deliver the newspaper to every residential door in the community.
The newspaper confines its coverage to Roosevelt Island matters, reporting on community concerns ignored by other New York City media, including issues that arise by virtue of Roosevelt Island being a community within New York City which is operated by the State (not the City) of New York, with a local "authority" called the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) in charge. For several years, The WIRE has editorialized in favor of a stronger element of elected home rule for the community, and various small steps have been taken in that general direction. Most recently, the Residents Association (RIRA) has been in the process of mounting an election which will serve to nominate members to the Board of Directors of the RIOC. The Governor will retain the final nominating power, however.
Notable residents and visitors
.jpg)
Prisoners on Blackwell's and Welfare Island
- George Washington DixonGeorge Washington DixonGeorge Washington Dixon was an American singer, stage actor, and newspaper editor. He rose to prominence as a blackface performer after performing "Coal Black Rose", "Zip Coon", and similar songs...
— served six months for libel against Reverend Francis L. HawksFrancis L. HawksDr. Francis Lister Hawks was an American priest of the Episcopal Church, and a politician in North Carolina.... - Becky Edelson — for "using threatening language" during a speech
- Emma GoldmanEmma GoldmanEmma Goldman was an anarchist known for her political activism, writing and speeches. She played a pivotal role in the development of anarchist political philosophy in North America and Europe in the first half of the twentieth century....
— several times, for activities in support of anarchismAnarchismAnarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
and birth controlBirth controlBirth control is an umbrella term for several techniques and methods used to prevent fertilization or to interrupt pregnancy at various stages. Birth control techniques and methods include contraception , contragestion and abortion...
and against the World War IWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
draftConscription in the United StatesConscription in the United States has been employed several times, usually during war but also during the nominal peace of the Cold War... - Peter H. MatthewsPeter H. MatthewsPeter H. Matthews was an operator of policy games in New York City.-Biography:In 1915, agents of Charles Henry Parkhurst's Society for the Prevention of Crime and 45 police officers raided his gambling operations and rounded up a number of persons connected with this crime. Many were known...
— for operating policy games (illegal lotteries) all over New York City - Madame RestellMadame RestellAnn Trow , better known as Madame Restell, was an early-19th-century abortionist who practiced in New York City.-Biography:...
— for performing abortionAbortionAbortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
s - Ida CraddockIda CraddockIda C. Craddock was a 19th-century American advocate of free speech and women's rights.-Early life:Ida Craddock was born in Philadelphia; her father died when she was two years old...
— convicted for obscenity under the Comstock laws - Boss TweedBoss TweedWilliam Magear Tweed – often erroneously referred to as William Marcy Tweed , and widely known as "Boss" Tweed – was an American politician most notable for being the "boss" of Tammany Hall, the Democratic Party political machine that played a major role in the politics of 19th century...
— served one year on corruptionPolitical corruptionPolitical corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
-related charges - Mae WestMae WestMae West was an American actress, playwright, screenwriter and sex symbol whose entertainment career spanned seven decades....
— served eight days on public obscenityObscenityAn obscenity is any statement or act which strongly offends the prevalent morality of the time, is a profanity, or is otherwise taboo, indecent, abhorrent, or disgusting, or is especially inauspicious...
charges for her play Sex - Billie HolidayBillie HolidayBillie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing...
— served on prostitution charges - Fritz Joubert Duquesne — Nazi spy and leader of the Duquesne Spy RingDuquesne Spy RingThe Duquesne Spy Ring is the largest espionage case in United States history that ended in convictions. A total of thirty-three members of a German espionage network headed by Frederick "Fritz" Joubert Duquesne were convicted after a lengthy espionage investigation by the Federal Bureau of...
, the largest convicted espionageEspionageEspionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
case in United States history - Dutch SchultzDutch SchultzDutch Schultz was a New York City-area Jewish American gangster of the 1920s and 1930s who made his fortune in organized crime-related activities such as bootlegging alcohol and the numbers racket...
— arrested for burglary
Visitors who exposed conditions on Blackwell's Island
- Nellie BlyNellie BlyNellie Bly was the pen name of American pioneer female journalist Elizabeth Jane Cochran. She remains notable for two feats: a record-breaking trip around the world in emulation of Jules Verne's character Phileas Fogg, and an exposé in which she faked insanity to study a mental institution from...
— went undercover as a patient in the Women's Lunatic Asylum and reported what happened in the New York WorldNew York WorldThe New York World was a newspaper published in New York City from 1860 until 1931. The paper played a major role in the history of American newspapers...
as well as her book Ten Days in a Mad-HouseTen Days in a Mad-HouseTen Days in a Mad-House is a book written by newspaper reporter Nellie Bly and published by Ian L. Munro in New York City in 1887. The book comprised Bly's reportage for the New York World while on an undercover assignment in which she feigned insanity to investigate reports of brutality and...
(1887) - Charles DickensCharles DickensCharles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
— described conditions at the "Octagon", an asylumPsychiatric hospitalPsychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
for the mentally ill then located on the northern portion of the island, in his American NotesAmerican NotesAmerican Notes for General Circulation is a travelogue by Charles Dickens detailing his trip to North America from January to June, 1842. While there he acted as a critical observer of these societies almost as if returning a status report on their progress...
(1842)
Former residents of Roosevelt Island
- Kofi AnnanKofi AnnanKofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
— former United NationsUnited NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Secretary-General - Buddy HackettBuddy HackettBuddy Hackett was an American comedian and actor.-Early life:Hackett was born in Brooklyn, New York, New York, the son of a Jewish upholsterer. He grew up on 54th and 14th Ave in Borough Park, Brooklyn, across from Public School 103...
— comedian, now deceased - "Grandpa" Al Lewis — of The MunstersThe MunstersThe Munsters is a 1960s American family television sitcom depicting the home life of a family of monsters. It starred Fred Gwynne as Herman Munster and Yvonne De Carlo as his wife, Lily Munster. The series was a satire of both traditional monster movies and popular family entertainment of the era,...
, now deceased - Sarah Jessica ParkerSarah Jessica ParkerSarah Jessica Parker is an American film, television, and theater actress and producer.She is best known for her leading role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City , for which she won four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Emmy Awards...
— Sex and the CitySex and the CitySex and the City is an American television comedy-drama series created by Darren Star and produced by HBO. Broadcast from 1998 until 2004, the original run of the show had a total of ninety-four episodes...
actress - Andrea RosenAndrea RosenAndrea Rosen is an American comedian and actress most notable for her work with comedy troupes Stella and , and for her appearances in numerous television commercials.-Biography:...
— comedian - Fez WhatleyFez WhatleyFez Marie Whatley , is an American talk radio host and comedian who co-hosts The Ron and Fez Show. From October 9, 2007 to June 27, 2008, Whatley also served as the Executive Producer....
— co-host of The Ron and Fez Show on Sirius XM satellite radioSatellite radioSatellite radio is an analogue or digital radio signal that is relayed through one or more satellites and thus can be received in a much wider geographical area than terrestrial FM radio stations...
Current residents of Roosevelt Island
- Jonah BoboJonah Bobo-Life and career:Bobo was born in Roosevelt Island, New York. His mother, Denise Raimi, is a physical therapist and personal trainer , and his father, Scot, works in software. He has a younger sister named Georgia. His great-grandmother was Tampa businesswoman and philanthropist Salha "Mama" Bobo...
— actor - Sonia BragaSônia BragaSônia Maria Campos Braga is a Brazilian actress. She has been nominated for both a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award.-Early life:...
- Tim Keller — Christian author and minister
In popular culture
Literature- 1867: In chapter 13 of Horatio Alger's novel Ragged Dick: Or, Street Life in New York with the Boot BlacksRagged DickRagged Dick; or, Street Life in New York with the Boot Blacks is a Bildungsroman by Horatio Alger, Jr. serialized in Student and Schoolmate in 1867, and released as a full length novel in May 1868 by A. K. Loring. It was the first volume in the six volume Ragged Dick Series, and became Alger's...
, the character Mickey Maguire, a young tough from Five PointsFive Points, ManhattanFive Points was a neighborhood in central lower Manhattan in New York City. The neighborhood was generally defined as being bound by Centre Street in the west, The Bowery in the east, Canal Street in the north and Park Row in the south...
"had acquired an ascendency [sic] among his fellow professionals, and had a gang of subservient followers, whom he led on to acts of ruffianism, not infrequently terminating in a month or two at Blackwell's Island." - 1893: In the opening chapter of Stephen CraneStephen CraneStephen Crane was an American novelist, short story writer, poet and journalist. Prolific throughout his short life, he wrote notable works in the Realist tradition as well as early examples of American Naturalism and Impressionism...
's noveletteNoveletteA novelette is a piece of short prose fiction. The distinction between a novelette and other literary forms is usually based upon word count, with a novelette being longer than a short story, but shorter than a novella...
"Maggie: A Girl of the StreetsMaggie: A Girl of the StreetsMaggie: A Girl of the Streets is an 1893 novel by American author Stephen Crane. Often called a novella because of its short length, it was Crane's first published book of fiction. Because the work was considered too risqué by publishers, Crane, who was 21 years old at the time, had to finance...
", "a worm of yellow convicts" is seen emerging from a prison building on Roosevelt Island. - 1922: Yank, the main character in Eugene O'NeillEugene O'NeillEugene Gladstone O'Neill was an American playwright and Nobel laureate in Literature. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into American drama techniques of realism earlier associated with Russian playwright Anton Chekhov, Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, and Swedish...
's comedy The Hairy ApeThe Hairy Ape-Plot :The play tells the story of a brutish, unthinking laborer known as Yank, as he searches for a sense of belonging in a world controlled by the rich...
, is imprisoned in Blackwell's Island prison, in chapter VI. - 1925: Roosevelt Island appears in F. Scott FitzgeraldF. Scott FitzgeraldFrancis Scott Key Fitzgerald was an American author of novels and short stories, whose works are the paradigm writings of the Jazz Age, a term he coined himself. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century. Fitzgerald is considered a member of the "Lost...
's classic novel The Great GatsbyThe Great GatsbyThe Great Gatsby is a novel by the American author F. Scott Fitzgerald. First published in1925, it is set on Long Island's North Shore and in New York City from spring to autumn of 1922....
as Blackwell's Island, in Chapter Four, when Nick and Jay drive into Manhattan via the Queensboro BridgeQueensboro BridgeThe Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, also known as the 59th Street Bridge – because its Manhattan end is located between 59th and 60th Streets – or simply the Queensboro Bridge, is a cantilever bridge over the East River in New York City that was completed in 1909...
. - 2001: Roosevelt Island's ruins, particularly the Smallpox HospitalSmallpox HospitalThe Smallpox Hospital is an abandoned hospital located on Roosevelt Island in New York City...
and the Strecker Memorial LaboratoryStrecker Memorial LaboratoryStrecker Memorial Laboratory is an historic laboratory on Roosevelt Island in New York City.- History :Built in 1892, it was "the first institution in the nation for pathological and bacteriological research." The building was designed by architects Frederick Clarke Withers and Walter Dickson in...
, play a central role in Linda FairsteinLinda FairsteinLinda Fairstein is an American feminist author and former prosecutor focusing on crimes of violence against women and children. She served as head of the sex crimes unit of the Manhattan District Attorney's office from 1976 until 2002 and is the author of a series of novels featuring Manhattan...
's police procedural novel The Dead House (Scribner 2001). - 2004: A significant scene in Caitlin R. KiernanCaitlin R. KiernanCaitlín Rebekah Kiernan is the author of many science fiction and dark fantasy works, including seven novels, many comic books, more than one hundred published short stories, novellas, and vignettes, and numerous scientific papers.- Overview :Born in Dublin, Ireland, she moved to the United States...
's story "Riding The White Bull" takes place on Roosevelt Island. - 2005: In the novel by Caroline B. CooneyCaroline B. CooneyCaroline B. Cooney is an American author of suspense, romance, horror and mystery books for young adults. She currently resides in Fort Mill, South Carolina....
, Code OrangeCode Orange (book)Code Orange is a young adult novel by Caroline B. Cooney. It is about a teen boy who lives in New York City by the name of Mitchell "Mitty" Blake who is care-free, and does not worry much about his grades or school. His biology teacher Mr. Lynch assigns a report on an infectious disease...
, the main character, Mitty, is studying smallpoxSmallpoxSmallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
for his own survival. He goes and visits the Smallpox HospitalSmallpox HospitalThe Smallpox Hospital is an abandoned hospital located on Roosevelt Island in New York City...
ruins on Roosevelt Island. - 2007: In the novel by Cassandra ClareCassandra ClareCassandra Clare is an American author who has written the bestselling young adult saga The Mortal Instruments.- Personal life :Cassandra Clare was born to American parents in Tehran. As a child Clare traveled frequently, spending time in Switzerland, England, and France...
, City of BonesCity of Bones (Mortal Instruments)City of Bones is the first book in The Mortal Instruments series, a young adult urban fantasy series set in New York written by Cassandra Clare. It was originally published in the US in hardcover on March 27, 2007, and was released in the UK on July 2, 2007. It was also released in paperback in the...
, the protagonist is drawn to the island for a showdown with the elusive villain, Valentine.
Film
- 1932: A Paramount PicturesParamount PicturesParamount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
film entitled No Man of Her OwnNo Man of Her OwnNo Man of Her Own is a 1950 drama starring Barbara Stanwyck.It was the second she made with director Mitchell Leisen. It was based on a Cornell Woolrich novel, I Married a Dead Man. Woolrich is credited as William Irish in the film's opening credits.The film was later remade in 1996 as Mrs....
is released, a light comedy film starring Clark Gable and Carole Lombard. Upon learning that Gable's character is not in South America, but instead learns he has negotiated a deal to serve 90 days and "he's across the river", Lombard's character then looks out of her hotel window to a view across the East River and the Queensboro BridgeQueensboro BridgeThe Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, also known as the 59th Street Bridge – because its Manhattan end is located between 59th and 60th Streets – or simply the Queensboro Bridge, is a cantilever bridge over the East River in New York City that was completed in 1909...
, later referring to this as "Blackwell's Island". - 1939: A Warner Bros.Warner Bros.Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
film entitled Blackwell's Island is released. It stars John GarfieldJohn GarfieldJohn Garfield was an American actor adept at playing brooding, rebellious, working-class character roles. He grew up in poverty in Depression-era New York City and in the early 1930s became an important member of the Group Theater. In 1937 he moved to Hollywood, eventually becoming one of Warner...
as a crusading reporter investigating corruption in the island's prison. - 1966: In the film Mister BuddwingMister BuddwingMister Buddwing is a 1966 American film drama starring James Garner, directed by Delbert Mann.It is the story of a well-dressed man who finds himself on a bench in Central Park with no idea of who he is...
, a sign posted on a bridge in the film reads: "Stairway to Welfare Island." Suzanne PleshetteSuzanne PleshetteSuzanne Pleshette was an American actress, on stage, screen and television.After beginning her career in theatre, she began appearing in films in the early 1960s, such as Rome Adventure and Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds...
, playing the character Grace, tries to throw herself off the bridge wearing nothing but a fitted trench coat and white ankle boots, before James GarnerJames GarnerJames Garner is an American film and television actor, one of the first Hollywood actors to excel in both media. He has starred in several television series spanning a career of more than five decades...
's character saves her. - 1981: A Roosevelt Island Tramway car is held hostage in the Sylvester StalloneSylvester StalloneMichael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed...
film NighthawksNighthawks (film)Nighthawks is a 1981 thriller film starring Sylvester Stallone, Billy Dee Williams, Rutger Hauer, Lindsay Wagner, Persis Khambatta, and Nigel Davenport. It was directed by Bruce Malmuth. The original music score was composed by Keith Emerson.-Storyline:...
. - 1983: The 1983 Italian B movieB movieA B movie is a low-budget commercial motion picture that is not definitively an arthouse or pornographic film. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified a film intended for distribution as the less-publicized, bottom half of a double feature....
Fuga dal Bronx has a scene filmed at the north end of the island. - 1985: In the final scenes of the film Turk 182Turk 182Turk 182! is a 1985 film starring Timothy Hutton, Robert Urich, Kim Cattrall, Robert Culp and Peter Boyle. It is also one of the first movies to receive a PG-13 rating.-Film synopsis:...
the Timothy HuttonTimothy HuttonTimothy Tarquin Hutton is an American actor. He is the youngest actor to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, which he won at the age of 20 for his performance as Conrad Jarrett in Ordinary People . He currently stars as Nathan "Nate" Ford on the TNT series Leverage.-Early life:Timothy...
character swings above Roosevelt Island on the Queensboro Bridge. - 1990: In the first Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesTeenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesThe Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are a fictional team of four teenage anthropomorphic turtles, who were trained by their anthropomorphic rat sensei in the art of ninjutsu and named after four Renaissance artists...
film, outside shots of the Renwick Ruins are used as the fictitious location for the Foot ClanFoot ClanThe Foot Clan is a fictional ninjutsu clan in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe and the Turtles' main antagonists. It is usually led by the Shredder. The Foot Clan was originally a parody of the criminal ninja clan the Hand in the Daredevil comics...
's secret hideout. A youth clan member informs the police at the end of the film to "check the east warehouses on Lairdman's Island." The name of the island is fictitious – it is a reference to Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, the creators of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series. - 1991: In the opening scene of City SlickersCity SlickersCity Slickers is a 1991 American comedy film directed by Ron Underwood and starring Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern, Bruno Kirby, Helen Slater and Jack Palance. Palance won an Academy Award for his performance....
Billy CrystalBilly CrystalWilliam Edward "Billy" Crystal is an American actor, writer, producer, comedian and film director. He gained prominence in the 1970s for playing Jodie Dallas on the ABC sitcom Soap and became a Hollywood film star during the late 1980s and 1990s, appearing in the critical and box office successes...
's character "Mitch Robbins" is shown commuting to work via the Roosevelt Island tram. - 1993: In the film For Love or Money, Doug Ireland (played by Michael J. FoxMichael J. FoxMichael J. Fox, OC is a Canadian American actor, author, producer, activist and voice-over artist. With a film and television career spanning from the late 1970s, Fox's roles have included Marty McFly from the Back to the Future trilogy ; Alex P...
) wants to buy the "abandoned hotel" at the south end of Roosevelt Island, referring to the ruins of the Smallpox HospitalSmallpox HospitalThe Smallpox Hospital is an abandoned hospital located on Roosevelt Island in New York City...
. - 1994: In The ProfessionalLéon (film)Léon is a 1994 French thriller film written and directed by Luc Besson...
Mathilda Lando (played by Natalie PortmanNatalie PortmanNatalie Hershlag , better known by her stage name Natalie Portman, is an actress with dual American and Israeli citizenship. Her first role was as an orphan taken in by a hitman in the 1994 French action film Léon, but major success came when she was cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel...
) takes the Tramway to Roosevelt Island to seek asylum at the Spenser School. - 1997: The film Conspiracy TheoryConspiracy Theory (film)Conspiracy Theory is a 1997 American action thriller film directed by Richard Donner.The original screenplay by Brian Helgeland centers on an eccentric taxi driver who believes many world events are triggered by government conspiracies, and the U.S...
was shot on location in and around New York City. Sites included Times SquareTimes SquareTimes Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
, Union SquareUnion Square (New York City)Union Square is a public square in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York.It is an important and historic intersection, located where Broadway and the former Bowery Road – now Fourth Avenue – came together in the early 19th century; its name celebrates neither the...
, Greenwich VillageGreenwich VillageGreenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
, the Queensboro Bridge, Roosevelt Island, and the Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, New YorkValhalla, New YorkValhalla is an unincorporated hamlet and census-designated place that is located within the town of Mount Pleasant, New York, in Westchester County. Its population was 3,162 at the 2010 U.S. Census...
. - 2002: Near the end of the film Spider-ManSpider-Man (film)Spider-Man is a 2002 American superhero film, the first in the Spider-Man film series based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. It was directed by Sam Raimi and written by David Koepp...
, the Green GoblinGreen GoblinThe Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....
blows up the Roosevelt Island side tram station and leaves a group of children hanging inside one car. He also brings Spider-ManSpider-ManSpider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
down to fight with him in the abandoned Smallpox HospitalSmallpox HospitalThe Smallpox Hospital is an abandoned hospital located on Roosevelt Island in New York City...
on the island. The tram and the island make other appearances in Spider-Man media. The island is featured in the video game Spider-Man 2Spider-Man 2 (video game)Spider-Man 2 is the name of several computer and video games based on the Spider-Man universe and particularly the Spider-Man 2 film. It is a follow up to the game Spider-Man: The Movie and was followed by Spider-Man 3 to promote the release of the third film in 2007...
. In The Amazing Spider-ManThe Amazing Spider-ManThe Amazing Spider-Man is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics, featuring the adventures of the fictional superhero Spider-Man. Being the mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a monthly periodical and was published continuously until it was...
#161 and #162, appearing on the cover of the latter, and Spider-Man and Hulk fight on Roosevelt Island in The Amazing Spider-Man #328. - 2002: In the film Gangs of New YorkGangs of New YorkGangs of New York is a 2002 historical film set in the mid-19th century in the Five Points district of New York City. It was directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Jay Cocks, Steven Zaillian, and Kenneth Lonergan. The film was inspired by Herbert Asbury's 1928 nonfiction book, The Gangs of New...
, Leonardo Di Caprio's character Amsterdam Vallon is seen leaving "Hellgate House of Reform, Blackwell's Island, New York City". - 2003: In the film Anything ElseAnything ElseAnything Else is a 2003 romantic comedy film. The film was written and directed by Woody Allen, produced by his sister Letty Aronson, and stars Jason Biggs, Christina Ricci, Woody Allen, Stockard Channing, Danny DeVito, Jimmy Fallon and KaDee Strickland....
, Woody AllenWoody AllenWoody Allen is an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician, author, and playwright. Allen's films draw heavily on literature, sexuality, philosophy, psychology, Jewish identity, and the history of cinema...
's character, David Dobel, is a schoolteacher who lives on the island. - 2005: Roosevelt Island is the setting for the film Dark WaterDark Water (2005 film)Dark Water is a 2005 American horror-thriller film directed by Walter Salles, starring Jennifer Connelly and Tim Roth. The film is a remake of the 2002 Japanese film of the same name, and also stars John C. Reilly, Pete Postlethwaite, Perla Haney-Jardine and Ariel Gade...
by Brazilian director Walter SallesWalter SallesWalter Moreira Salles, Jr. is a Brazilian filmmaker and film producer of international prominence.-Life and career:Salles was born in Rio de Janeiro. He is the son of Elizinha Goncalves and Walter Moreira Salles, a Brazilian banker and ambassador, and the brother of João Moreira Salles, also a...
, where Dahlia (Jennifer ConnellyJennifer ConnellyJennifer Lynn Connelly is an American film actress, who began her career as a child model. She appeared in magazine, newspaper and television advertising, before making her motion picture debut in the 1984 crime film Once Upon a Time in America...
) moves into a low-rent apartment with her daughter and then is terrorized by the ghost of a girl that used to live upstairs. - 2007: In the film The Brave OneThe Brave One (2007 film)The Brave One is a 2007 crime-drama/psychological thriller film directed by Neil Jordan, produced by Joel Silver, and starring Jodie Foster. It was released in the United States on September 14, 2007...
, starring Jodie FosterJodie FosterAlicia Christian "Jodie" Foster is an American actress, film director, producer as well as a former child actress....
, a memorable scene takes place at the Roosevelt Island parking lot. The film mentions the island several times.
Television
- 2005: In the second seasonCSI: NY (season 2)The second season of CSI: NY originally aired on CBS between September 2005 and May 2006. It consisted of 24 episodes. The season introduced a new regular character, Lindsay Monroe, after regular Aiden Burn was fired. Vanessa Ferlito, who played Burn, wanted to leave the series.CSI: NY The Complete...
episode of CSI: NYCSI: NYCSI: NY is an American police procedural television series that premiered on September 22, 2004, on CBS. The show follows the investigations of a team of NYPD forensic scientists and police officers as they unveil the circumstances behind mysterious and unusual deaths as well as other crimes...
called "Dancing with the Fishes", a crime is committed inside the Roosevelt Island tramTramA tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
. - 2010: On the TV show 2424 (TV series)24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
, NY CTU is based on Roosevelt Island. - 2010: The reality TV show America's Next Top ModelAmerica's Next Top ModelAmerica's Next Top Model is a reality television show in which a number of women compete for the title of America's Next Top Model and a chance to start their career in the modeling industry....
filmed a photo shoot on the Roosevelt Island tram on April 7. - 2011: The television series UnforgettableUnforgettable (TV series)Unforgettable is an American crime/mystery television series about a police detective with an unusually detailed memory. The hour-long program, which is based on J...
takes place in part on Roosevelt Island.
Video games
- 1992: In the final level of the video game Atomic Runner for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis the level takes place on Roosevelt Island Southpoint Park.
- 2008: In the video game Grand Theft Auto IVGrand Theft Auto IVGrand Theft Auto IV is a 2008 open world action video game published by Rockstar Games, and developed by British games developer Rockstar North. It has been released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 video game consoles, and for the Windows operating system...
there is an island resembling Roosevelt Island, named Colony Island. It also includes the ruins of a hospital, similar to the Smallpox HospitalSmallpox HospitalThe Smallpox Hospital is an abandoned hospital located on Roosevelt Island in New York City...
. - 2011: Parts of the video game Crysis 2Crysis 2Crysis 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Crytek, published by Electronic Arts and released in North America, Australia, and Europe in March 2011 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360...
take place on Roosevelt Island.
Other
- 1973: In most Pink FloydPink FloydPink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
Dark Side of the MoonThe Dark Side of the MoonThe Dark Side of the Moon is the eighth studio album by English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released in March 1973. It built on ideas explored in the band's earlier recordings and live shows, but lacks the extended instrumental excursions that characterised their work following the departure...
videos, Roosevelt Island can be seen during a sequence in the song "Us and Them" with footage taken on top of the Queensboro Bridge. - 1986: The King KongKing KongKing Kong is a fictional character, a giant movie monster resembling a gorilla, that has appeared in several movies since 1933. These include the groundbreaking 1933 movie, the film remakes of 1976 and 2005, as well as various sequels of the first two films...
Tramway ride at Universal StudiosUniversal StudiosUniversal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
opens in Orlando, FloridaOrlando, FloridaOrlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, featuring the Roosevelt Island Tram. - 2006: The fictional high school which the main characters attend in the GONZO animeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series Red GardenRed Gardenis a Japanese animated television program produced by Gonzo studios and broadcast in Japan on TV Asahi since October 3, 2006. The plot revolves around four girls who become involved in a series of supernatural murders happening throughout the vicinity of a fictional depiction of New York City...
is on Roosevelt Island. - 2009: On May 23, the island was the site of Improv EverywhereImprov EverywhereImprov Everywhere is a comedic performance art group based in New York City, formed in 2001 by Charlie Todd. Its slogan is "We Cause Scenes."The group carries out pranks, which they call "missions", in public places...
's "MP3 Experiment Six". Approximately 4,500 people traveled to the island to take part in a performance art piece where the southernmost point of the island became a "battleground" for the re-enactment of a fictional melee between townspeople and an ancient wolf.
See also
- Theodore Roosevelt IslandTheodore Roosevelt IslandTheodore Roosevelt Island is a island and a national memorial located in the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. The island was given to the American people by the Theodore Roosevelt Association in memory of the 26th U.S. president, Theodore Roosevelt....
, Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution.... - United States Presidential MemorialUnited States presidential memorialThe Presidential memorials in the United States honor the various Presidents of the United States and seek to perpetuate their legacies.-Living and physical elements:...