Weekend, December 15-19, 2023 – IT ONLY TOOK 4 YEARS AND FINALLY OPENS NEXT WEEK

By admin

FROM THE ARCHIVES

WEEKEND, DECEMBER 15-19,  2023

EAST RIVER GREENWAY

TO OPEN TUESDAY

ISSUE  #1147

Despite officials telling Community Board 8 a month ago that the opening would be closer to January or February of next year, the opening date is now back on track for its long-held December deadline. (Peter Senzamici/Patch)

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — Under promise and over deliver.

While a classic maxim for guaranteeing customer satisfaction, it could have been also been the motivation behind a decision to tell a Community Board 8 Parks Committee last month that the wait for the much anticipated opening of the $100 million East Midtown Greenway would be suddenly extend until early next year.

Now, an official from the New York City Economic Development Corporation tells Patch that the opening is back on its long-held December opening date, with a confirmed grand opening on Dec. 19.

In November at a Community Board 8 Parks Committee meeting,members were thrilled to learn more about the project’s progress and how their feedback had been integrated into design decisions.

“We’re getting a really beautiful park and greenway and I think the community is going to love it,” said Community Board 8 Park Committee co-chair Judith Schneider at the meeting.

But when pressed by committee members about an opening date, EDC officials were reluctant to commit to one, except to say that they would most likely blow past their December estimated opening, a deadline long listed on the project’s timeline, and anticipate the opening to be sometime after the new year.

“It could be earlier,” said NYC Parks project administrator Michael Bradley at the meeting, “but we can’t promise it today.”

A tram’s-eye view of the Alice Aycock Pavilion in July — the final phase of the project. (Peter Senzamici/Patch)

Work on the $100 million project began in 2019 and it extends the East River Esplanade 1.1 miles from Andrew Haswell Green to Clara Coffey Park on East 54th Street in Sutton Place began in 2019.

In 2020, the pandemic put the project on pause for several months, and in 2022, NYCEDC first announced their December 2023 opening date, a delay from a previously announce fall 2023 opening.

And after Dec. 19, more work will be on the way — once the project can find about $38 million.

That’s how much it’s going to cost to enact any of the ideas Community Board 8 had for the space under Andrew Haswell Green Park, according to Bradley.

Those ideas pitched in 2018 included a bathroom or a cafe as well as a new ADA compliant ramp.

WEEKEND PHOTO OF THE DAY

SEND YOUR RESPONSE TO:
ROOSEVELTISLANDHISTORY@GMAIL.COM

THURSDAY PHOTO OF THE DAY

1070’S  VIEW OF TRAM WITH ORIGINAL LONG STAIRCASE AND
ALEXANDER’S DEPARTMENT STORE IN BACKGROUND.
GLORIA HERMAN, NINA LUBLIN AND SHARON BERMON GOT IT RIGHT!

CREDITS

UPPER EAST SIDE PATCH

MAYA LEVANON-PHOTOS TIK TOK & INSTAGRAM

All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated

www.tiktok.com/@rooseveltislandhsociety
Instagram roosevelt_island_history

THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.

Copyright © 2022 Roosevelt Island Historical Society, All rights reserved.Our mailing address is:
rooseveltislandhistory@gmail.com