Weekend, April 17-18, 2021 – The Cherry Blossoms and visitors are back
340th Edition
WEEKEND EDITION
APRIL 17-18, 2021
CHERRY BLOSSOM
CONTENDER
A BUSY SUMMER AHEAD
WE ARE BACK
FROM “BLACKWELL’S ALMANAC” 2015, By Bobbie Slonevsky
It is well known that the more than 3,000 cherry blossom trees gracing the Potomac Tidal Basin in Washington DC were a gift of the city of Tokyo early in the 20th century. Less well known is how and when we acquired ours.
The name Mary Lasker reverberates in philanthropic circles, mostly in the field of medicine. But she had other interests too. Wife of advertising mogul Albert D. Lasker, Mrs. Lasker was determined to contribute, and inspire others to contribute, to the beautification of New York City. The two best-known programs of her Salute to the Seasons Fund, founded in 1957, are the Park Avenue Malls Planting Project and the Park Avenue Holiday Lighting. However, another donation may have proved even more consequential.
In 1975–76, at the dawn of the Roosevelt Island development, Lasker made a generous gift of cherry blossom trees to the community. They now constitute the magnificent allées along the west promenade across from what was Goldwater Hospital and will soon be Cornell Tech, and all along the east promenade. There is no doubt that their cloud-like masses of blossoms that bloom every April enriched our Island landscape.
But, just as important, they seem to have inspired RIOC, other RI organizations and Island developers to plant more. Additions over the years now embellish all of Roosevelt Island. Of particular historical note is the grove of less mature trees south of the Rivercross lawn, which was dedicated in 2011 to the people of Japan in the wake of the earthquake/tsunami. The trees were planted by RIOC and the Roosevelt Island Residents’ Association in coordination with the Roosevelt Island Tree Board. They anchored a fundraiser hosted by RIRA, the Japanese Association of Roosevelt Island and other groups to raise money for Japan Society’s Earthquake Relief Fund.
Roosevelt Island boasts several varieties of cherry blossoms. They all flower within a couple of weeks of one another, the white blossoming earlier than the heavier pink blooms. The exquisite blossoms that come and go so quickly are said to symbolize the Allée of cherry blossoms on the west promenade.
Trees planted after the earthquake/tsunami. A commemorative plaque on the rock reads: “Celebration of Hope: This grove of trees is dedicated in solidarity with the Japanese people.” 10 evanescence of life, the cycle of life, death and rebirth, an aspect of Asian cultural tradition often associated with Buddhist influence.
When the flowers burst out of their buds, the Asian people celebrate with food, dance and music— the very components of the Cherry Blossom Festival that took place in Four Freedoms Park on April 25, and has been an annual tradition since 2010. There are upwards of 400 cherry blossom trees on RI. This compares with 500 in Central Park and just 200 in the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. What’s more, the recent festival attracted several thousand visitors. Our celebrity may be in its infancy, but surely we have made it to the Cherry Blossom Big League.
*No more Cherry Blossom Festivals since 2019
UPDATES
VISITOR CENTER KIOSK EXPANDS HOURS
April
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
May
Wednesday-Sunday
OPEN
12:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Upcoming Events
with the NYPL Roosevelt Island Branch
Tuesday, April 20
“Mansions and Munificence: the Gilded Age on Fifth Avenue”
Guide, lecturer, author and teacher of art and architecture, Emma Guest-Consales leads a virtual tour of the great mansions of Fifth Avenue. Starting with the ex-home of Henry Clay Frick that now houses the Frick Collection, all the way up to the former home of Andrew Carnegie, now the Cooper-Hewitt Museum, she takes us through some of the most extravagant urban palaces the city has ever seen.
REGISTER WITH THIS LINK: https://www.nypl.org/events/programs/2021/04/20/mansions-and-munificence-gilded-age-fifth-avenue
Tuesday, May 18
“Saving America’s Cities”
Author and Harvard History Professor Lizabeth Cohen provides an eye-opening look at her award-winning book’s subtitle: Ed Logue and the Struggle to Renew Urban America in the Suburban Age. Tracing Logue’s career from the development of Roosevelt Island in the ‘70s, to the redevelopment of New Haven in the ‘50s, Boston in the’60s and the South Bronx from 1978–85, she focuses on Logue’s vision to revitalize post-war cities, the rise of the Urban Development Corporation, and the world of city planning
Jane’s Walk
on Zoom
Roosevelt Island: A Vibrant Sustainable Community
Monday, May 3
1:00 PM
1-2 hours
On Your Browser/ Register at MAS.ORG
TED BY THEODORE LIEBMAN, ARCHITECT, PERKINS EASTMAN, AND JUDITH BERDY, ROOSEVELT ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY
We will review the history of the island and its change from the infamous Welfare Island to today’s vibrant Roosevelt Island community and the 1969 Johnson Plan and its execution. We will review all the architecture, the restoration of landmarks, and sustainability features on the island, the tram and subway, the new Cornell Tech University and Four Freedoms Park created as a memorial to Franklin Delano Roosevelt and designed by Louis I. Kahn.
TUESDAY, MAY 18th
Health Fair & Senior Awareness Day.
11a.m. to 3 p.m.
Chapel Plaza
Sponsored by Carter Burden Senior Network
Watch for Details
ROOSEVELT ISLAND DAY RETURNS
SATURDAY, JUNE 12th
Watch for details about events throughout the island
FDR HOPE MEMORIAL
DEDICATION
SATURDAY, JULY 17th
Watch for details on the long-awaited opening of this memorial in Southpoint Park
WEEKEND PHOTO OF THE DAY
SEND YOUR SUBMISSION TO:
ROOSEVELTISLANDHISTORY@GMAIL.COM
FRIDAY PHOTO OF THE DAY
One of the original eagles that graced the old Penn station. This one is in front of Madison Square Garden, 2 Penn Plaza
Ed LItcher, Guy Ludwig, Andy Sparberg, Aron Eisenpreiss, Alexis Villefane all got it!
FROM GUY LUDWIG
good morning Mss berdy and the whole gazette team!
Tthe stone eagle depicted sits in front of two Penn Plaza, facing Seventh avenue. one of many, the proud bird sat atop the original penn station beginning in 1910
At the start of the station’s demolition in 1964, the eagle shown and several others were ceremoniously lowered off of the building for the press, radio and television to see. eventually – and some would say incongruously – the eagle in the picture was mounted in front of the new complex which replaced the old pennsylvania station. interestingly, right behind that eagle, in the lobby of the building she guards, is another statue from inside pennsylvania station – that of alexander cassett, the executive behind the massive effort which resulted in the original penn project.
it is a vivid, large bronze piece, and he looks like he might be hurrying to catch one of his own trains, home. if mr. Cassatt and his eagle could talk, i wonder what they would say about where they live now, versus the stunning surroundings for which they both conceived.
guy ludwig westview since 1980
p.s.
Alexander Cassatt’s was the seventh president of the Pennsylvania railroad and presided over the construction of the entire “New York terminal” project. and, for heaven’s sake, it is NOT Cassatt whose statue is behind the eagle. the one behind our eagle is that of Samuel Rea, who FOLLOWED mr. Cassatt as president of the Pennsylvania system. Cassatt IS cast in bronze as well, and this likeness, too, resided in the old Penn Station, but now rests at the railroad museum of Pennsylvania.
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
Edited by Melanie Colter and Deborah Dorff
Sources
BLACKWELL’S ALMANAC
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated
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