Monday, April 13, 2020 – FIRST IMPRESSIONS AND YOUR MEMORIES

By admin

Monday, April 13, 2020

24th in our FROM THE ARCHIVES series

Ron Crawford’s 
ARTISTIC VIEWS OF NEW YORK

MEMORIES OF EARLY RESIDENTS

HOW DID WE AND HOW DO WE GET OUR WATER 
PART IV

NUPTIALS

NOTES FROM COLER

MOTORGATE ARCHITECT DIES

One day I spotted a man sketching outside the kiosk.  It was Ron Crawford. He captured the scene so beautifully and  we stock his artwork of the tram on prints and postcards. Special size orders are available.
Enjoy more of his artwork. rondraw.com
Text by Melanie Colter

The illustration of Vesuvio Bakery, the 100-year-old Soho bakery that had just reopened in early March of this year after an 11-year closure, is emblematic of the struggle felt by small businesses during the COVID pandemic throughout the nation. Though the artwork portrays the bakery in happier times, it reminds us of the efforts that many restaurants in the city have made in order to adapt to the “new normal” and continue to feed their neighbors.

Shows a bustling Chinatown storefront with fresh poultry visible through the store window, and a bushel of veggies out front with shoppers grabbing items by the handfuls. This is a typical scene on any day of the week for most neighborhood grocers. If, however, you have spent a low-key December holiday season in the city, and ventured out of the home for a meal, you would come to find most places in the city are closed in observance — most places, except the vibrant and always-hustling Chinatown restaurants.

In the late evening on Saturdays, sections of the Sunday New York Times would be delivered to new-stands, delis and vendors.  The whole staff or family would gather together to assemble the massive Sunday editions for early morning customers to pick up along with their fresh bagels. (Judy Berdy-old enough to remember)

MEMORIES OF EARLY RESIDENTS

Loved this issue – so fun to see the sales pitch, etc. Ours came from my dad, Sidney Rivkin. My dad was a major fan of RI, particularly the plans for a multi-ethnic, racial and economically diverse community. He was a consultant on commercial spaces on RI. He was involved in leasing to John of Bigelow Pharmacy, Larry Itskowitz, Sloan’s etc. to fill our small town’s needs. He also convinced Joel and me to tour the island (with two-month-old Rachel) when we were moving back to NY after Joel finished grad school in New Haven.

We despaired of finding a suitable and affordable apartment in Greenwich Village, our first choice. I remember driving from the city and going straight to Westview to look at a two-bedroom rental. It faced west and was larger than any two bedrooms we had seen in the city. We were thinking it could work. Joel suggested we walk south to get a feel for the island. As we pushed the stroller, walking on the cobble stones, looking at the “gas lamps” and the church, I felt as if I had stumbled onto a movie set, and that it would be torn down when the filming was completed.

Then we came upon Rivercross and the “model apartment sign” and Joel pushed me to go look. I was sure we couldn’t afford to buy something and didn’t want to be tempted. Thanks to Joel, we bought a two-bedroom in the orange wing and moved in on August 1, 1978. It’s still the best deal we ever made, not just the purchase but the incredible community we have loved and lived in these last 42 years.

Barbara and Joel Packer

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I remember taking the ferry to Wall Street to meet my then boyfriend/now husband after work. He worked in the Wall Street area. More often than not, I was the only traveler on the ferry. I loved that! I enthusiastically ran up to the top level, enjoying the fact I had a whold ferry all to myself. thoroughly enjoyed the experience of the wind in my hair and the sea spray on my face, along with the excitement of meeting him for a drink and dinner at the then, very cool – South Street Seaport. That’s why i was so happy when they announced the new East River Ferry stop and service to/from Roosevelt Island. I was able to relive a bit of those memories – of the first ferry that didn’t make it.

Thanks Judy for these emails – I am throughly enjoying them. So many building gone and forgotten. I do remember the church where the tennis courts are. What a beautiful church it was! There was also a building to the south of that church – I was told it was a leprosy house. It was just an open space with a dirt floor. Are there any pictures of the inside of the church or of the leprosy house? I remember there was a sale and/or give away of the contents of the church that included the pews and stained glass. I remember so wanting one of those church pews, but alas it was too big for our apartment and my parents gave me an emphatic ‘no’ to the request. Oh, I still wish I had one now. I also enjoyed the article about the few families that were living on the island, prior to the ‘new city’ being built. How absolutely lucky they were!

Thanks again Judy. Looking forward to more. Stay safe …

Olya Turcihin

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REMINISCENCES OF A PIONEER

When I was a single woman working in New York City in 1969 I decided to take a night course at the New School on city planning, taught by a former city planning commissioner, Elinor Guggenheimer. One of her guest speakers was architect Philip Johnson, who described to the class his master plan for what was then known as Welfare Island. Johnson envisioned apartment buildings, office buildings, a marina, hotels, restaurants. It all sounded enchanting.

Five years later, after I had married and was pregnant with our first child, Mark and I were driving over the 59th Street bridge when I noticed construction equipment and major digging on the island under the bridge. Wow! This plan was actually going to happen. Within a few months, Mark and I got in touch with those who were marketing the housing that was being built on the Island. We were told that before we could sign up for a future apartment, we would need to meet with a lawyer representing the New York State Urban Development Corporation, the agency that was leasing the land and building the structures.

This lawyer kindly advised us that there was a good chance that the state agency could go bankrupt (this was the recession of 1975 after all), and so we might not ever live on the Island. This gloomy prognosis didn’t deter us in the least, nor the other participants that day, who included a young dentist coming to the Island to open his practice, Larry Ishkowitz. (Later we would learn that the very nice lawyer who talked with us that day was the father of Barbara Packer, who became our good friend when she moved to the Island.)

We moved into brand new Island House, the only building completed, on the last day of 1975. We were thrilled with our paradise island. Beautiful water and city views, lovely walkways, wonderful neighbors (numbering around 50 families—we got to know everyone). It didn’t matter that there were no stores, no mass transit. Two buses took commuters into the city in the morning and two buses brought them back at the end of the day. A shuttle bus took us into Queens to grocery shop. Within 6 months of our moving there the tram opened. At the time, the tram was thought to be a temporary measure, until the subway opened. But it took several more years for the subway to be finished, and by that time the tram was part of the Island DNA.

Some of my favorite early recollections: hearing the chapel bell ring each day, watching the 1976 big ship fleet of boats cruise past our building, being able to greet all my fellow residents by name, parking for free on Main Street (no Motorgate), celebrating the opening of the tram with speeches and refreshments and a free ride, shopping in our first grocery store (our first store!)—a few shelves and a counter in what is now the senior center. I also vividly recall the rip-roaring RIRA meetings, where the residents would shout, “WHEN is the subway opening??”

After one year, we left Roosevelt Island to move to England. We were back on the Island just one year later, this time moving into Rivercross on the last day of 1977. Words can’t describe the change the Island had undergone in that year. I no longer knew everybody! There were strangers living on the Island; the sidewalks seemed so crowded. More buildings were opening. Our pioneer sensibility was crushed. But I have to say that we did find our happy place in these new circumstances, and we came to cheer on the growth of the Island as we raised our family in this magical setting.

Jinny Ewald

HOW DID WE AND HOW DO WE GET OUR WATER
PART IV
BOBBIE SLONEVSKY

Bobbie Slonevsky

Part IV

How Did We and How Do We Get Our Water?

Catskill Region, Delaware River Once the Board of Water Supply decided on the Catskill and Delaware River plan, there was no stopping them. First they constructed the Ashokan Reservoir and impounded the waters of the Esopus Creek. By 1915, this water was being delivered to the city via the Catskill Aqueduct, and the entire system was turned over to the city for operation and maintenance.

Next came development of the Schoharie Reservoir and Shandaken Tunnel, completed in 1928. And this was followed by the appropriation of two other Catskill watersheds. As it turned out, the second half of the plan wasn’t quite so easy. The Board now turned its attention to the upper portion of the Rondout watershed and tributaries of the Delaware River that flowed within New York State. The project was approved in 1928, but the actual work was stymied: the State of New Jersey brought an action in the U.S. Supreme Court to enjoin New York City from claiming any portion of the river.

Fortunately for the thirsty citizens of the city, in 1931, the Supreme Court decided in favor of New York and construction was begun several years later. The Delaware system became operational in stages: the Delaware Aqueduct began service in 1944, while the Rondout and four other reservoirs were completed from 1950 to 1964. Over 55 years later, the same three upstate watersheds—Croton, Catskill and Delaware—constitute our water supply.

Today the water is impounded in 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes, with a daily provision of over 1.2 billion gallons of drinking water and a total storage capacity of about 580 billion gallons. But performance does not depend on capacity alone. The overall system’s utility is further enhanced by its very practical design. The three collection systems are interconnected so that water can be exchanged among them. That means a localized drought can be relieved with excess water from another area.

What’s more, approximately 95% of our water is delivered by gravity, an enormous savings of energy that would otherwise be required for pumping. So, how does the water get to your home? Tune in tomorrow for Part V.

NUPTIALS

FROM COLER

THE STAFF IS GRATEFUL FOR DONATIONS OF FOOD
AND REFRESHMENTS. THE GOODIES ARE SERVED 
IN A BREAK ROOM WHERE STAFF TAKE A  REST FROM LONG HOURS AND TOUGH WORK.
THANKS SO MUCH TO OUR COLER STAFF!!

OBITUARY

Michael McKinnell, Architect of Motorgate Dies

Michael McKinnell, 84, Dies; Architect of a Monumental City Hall. His and Gerhard Kallmann’s sculptural and public-minded design for Boston helped spur the cityscape’s revival in the late 1960s. He died of the coronavirus.
His obituary link:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/04/arts/design/michael-mckinnell-dead-coronavirus.html

Blossoming trees outside Motorgate. These trees can be a tribute to our landmark design.

EDITORIAL
A weekend of contrasts.   A joyous moment was meeting this young couple on the pier, having their photo taken before their wedding ceremony.

The Packers, who have struggled with Covid-19 recounting their arrival on the island.

Watching “Sunday Morning” and seeing a familiar name, Michael McKInnell.  He was part of a partnership with Gerhard Kallmann who designed Motorgate. He died of Covid-19.

Last night I zoomed my cousin’s Seder from Los Angeles.  It is interesting to see and hear of the pandemic news from them.   As always, New Yorkers seem more into the crisis and intimacy of our physically tight city.  Our world is far from theirs.

I am not used to being in the kitchen. The dishwasher seems to be going every other day, and I am only one person (the cat washes her own dishes). I am lucky to receive food from the Senior Center. When we get boxes from one caterer all the veggies are fresh and the meals are made just for our delivery.  We are truly grateful to be able to get good food from DFTA thru Carter Burden Senior Center.  I share my boxes with neighbors. Nothing goes to waste.

Many of my neighbors snub the center, “for old people”  NOT TRUE.  There is a camaraderie there and even now that it is closed. they reach out to us to make sure all is well.  The programming may have stopped but not the caring and commitment of the staff.(Lisa, Ulisa, Fred, Iris, Pat and Brenda).

I miss my Jewels With Judy classes.  We get together make necklaces, chat and socialize.   Maybe we can Zoom  a beading class?


Thank you,
Judith Berdy
jbird134@aol.com
212-688-4836
917 744 3721

Text by Judith Berdy
Thanks to Bobbie Slonevsky for her dedication to Blackwell’s Almanac and the RIHS
Thanks to Deborah Dorff for maintaining our website
and downloading to rihs.us daily
Edited by Melanie Colter