Wed. 4/15: Steam Plant Demolition Town Hall, 6PM @Good Shepherd Chapel
Dear Roosevelt Island Community: Join representatives from the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), New York City Department of Buildings (DOB), New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and RIOC for a town hall discussion on the demolition of the city's old steam plant building. The town hall will be held on Wednesday, April 15 from 6:00 - 7:30 PM at Good Shepherd Chapel, located at 543 Main Street. If you'd like to submit questions in advance for the Q&A, please email them to Rldemolition@hpd.nyc.gov with the subject line "Steam Plant Townhall". Thank you, Team RIOC
Friday, April 3, 2026
Next RIOC Board Meeting - April 9 @5:30PM
Dear Roosevelt Island Community: Please be advised that a meeting of the RIOC Board of Directors will be held on Thursday, April 9, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. at the Good Shepherd Community Center, 543 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, New York 10044. AGENDA APRIL 9, 2026 MEETING OF THE ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS THE GOOD SHEPHERD COMMUNITY CENTER, 543 MAIN ST., ROOSEVELT ISLAND, NEW YORK1 5:30 P.M.2 I. Call to Order II. Roll Call III. Approval of Minutes 1. January 22, 2026 Board Meeting (Board Action Required) IV. Old Business V. New Business 1. Ratification of Insurance Binders for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 (Board Action Required) 2. Authorization to Enter into a Contract Extension with G&G Process Services Inc. d/b/a G&G Municipal Consulting & Grant Writing (Board Action Required) 3. Authorization to Enter into Task Order with Leitner-Poma of America O&M, Inc. for the Aerial Tramway Carriage and Brakes Overhaul (Board Action Required) VI. President’s Report VII. Committee Reports a. Audit Committee b. Governance Committee c. Real Estate Development Advisory Committee d. Operations Advisory Committee VIII. Public Safety Report IX. Adjournment To speak during the public comment period, please complete “Speak at a meeting” form at https://www.rioc.ny.gov/about/board-meetings/speak and submit it by 10:00 a.m. on April 9, 2026. Please note that per the Open Meetings Law, the RIOC Board only holds in-person meetings.
Thursday, April 2, 2026
Farmers Market Returns to Good Shepherd Plaza This Saturday (4/4)
Dear Roosevelt Island Community: Please note that the Farmers Market will return to its spring location at Good Shepherd Plaza starting this Saturday, April 4. As a reminder, Roosevelt Island’s all volunteer-led Haki Compost Collective operates year-round at Motorgate Plaza each Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., collecting food scraps for community composting. Please bring your fruit and vegetable scraps to our green bins to help feed spring flowers in partnership with Big Reuse and RIOC. Thank you! -Team RIOC
Thursday, April 2, 2026
East Main Street Closed Due to Disabled Vehicle
Dear Roosevelt Island Community: Please be advised that East Main Street is currently closed due to a disabled vehicle. PSD personnel are on site and will be directing traffic to allow vehicles to access the Cornell loop from the west side. We appreciate your patience and will provide updates as they become available. -PSD
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Tomorrow (3/31): Tram Morning Rush Hour Service Ending Early at 8 AM
Dear Roosevelt Island Community: Please be advised that morning rush hour Tram service will end early tomorrow at 8:00 AM (Tuesday, March 31) to accommodate maintenance work. One cabin will remain in operation after 8:00 AM until afternoon rush hour service begins. Afternoon rush hour service will operate as normal and will not be affected. We appreciate your understanding and encourage riders to plan accordingly. Thank you. -RIOC Transportation
Monday, March 30, 2026
🌸 Join the Cherry Blossom Petal Protectors – Volunteer This Spring!
Dear Roosevelt Island Community, As spring blossoms across Roosevelt Island, our beloved cherry trees are once again taking center stage—drawing visitors from near and far to admire their beauty. Following the success of last year’s program, we’re bringing back our Cherry Blossom Petal Protectors volunteer initiative to help preserve these iconic trees for future generations. We’re calling on community members to sign up for 2-hour volunteer shifts—especially on weekends—during peak bloom season throughout April and early May. As a Petal Protector, your mission will be simple but meaningful: • Greet visitors and hand out palm cards encouraging respectful behavior • Remind guests to look, not touch—no climbing or picking from the trees • Help visitors discover Roosevelt Island by encouraging them to explore ALL of the Island’s parks, promenades, and public spaces • Support our local community by pointing visitors toward Roosevelt Island businesses along Main Street • Help us keep the cherry blossom experience safe, welcoming, and beautiful for everyone Volunteers will be stationed along the West and East Promenades where foot traffic runs highest. All volunteers will be required to register online, review our Petal Protector Guide Deck, and complete a waiver before participating. If you love the cherry blossoms and want to help protect them while also welcoming visitors to Roosevelt Island, we’d love to have you join us. 👉 Click here to sign up and learn more: https://calendly.com/petalprotectors What Do I Do on the Day I Volunteer? You've selected your date and time for volunteering through our online portal—thanks again! On the day of your Petal Protector shift, here's what to do: • Arrive at the front desk of Sportspark’s west side entrance (250 Main Street) about 5–10 minutes before your shift begins. • Check in with the Sportspark front desk team, review the Petal Protector Guide Deck, and sign your waiver. • Once you’ve signed your waiver, you’ll receive your Petal Protector pink vest, cherry blossom palm cards, and sunglasses. Then you’re all set to head out and keep an eye on our beautiful cherry blossoms while welcoming visitors to the Island. • At the end of your shift, please return the vest and any remaining palm cards to the Sportspark front desk. (You get to keep the sunglasses as a THANK YOU!)
Thursday, March 26, 2026
Date Change: Thurs. 3/26 - One Lane of Helix Closed From 8:00am to 2:00pm
Dear Roosevelt Island Community: Please be advised that on Thursday, March 26th from 8:00am to 2:00pm one lane of the helix leading to and from the Roosevelt Island Bridge will be closed for survey work. This work was originally scheduled for Friday, 3/27. PSD officers will be stationed at the top and bottom of the helix for traffic control while the work takes place. Thank you. -PSD
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Fri. 3/27: One Lane of Helix Closed From 8:00am to 2:00pm
Dear Roosevelt Island Community: Please be advised that on Friday, March 27th from 8:00am to 2:00pm one lane of the helix leading to and from the Roosevelt Island Bridge will be closed for survey work. PSD officers will be stationed at the top and bottom of the helix for traffic control while the work takes place. Motorists should expect delays during this time, so please plan off island travel accordingly. Thank you. -PSD
Friday, March 20, 2026
West Side AVAC Service Restored
Dear Roosevelt Island Community: AVAC service on the west side line has been fully restored. Please remember that only household trash should be disposed of through the AVAC system. Prohibited items can cause clogs and service interruptions. —RIOC Maintenance
Thursday, March 19, 2026
West side AVAC Line Currently Offline Due to Clog
Dear Roosevelt Island Community: The west side line of the AVAC system is currently offline due to a clog. Management at all affected buildings has been notified and asked to close their chutes until further notice. The Department of Sanitation (DSNY) will begin daily garbage pickups for affected buildings starting Thursday, March 19. Building managers have been instructed to place garbage at the curb after 7:00 PM for 6:00 AM pickup. We apologize for the inconvenience and are working with DSNY to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. —RIOC Maintenance
Wednesday, March 18, 2026