Roosevelt Island

[Logiola]

Hey guys,

I will be in new york in a couple weeks, and one of the things we planned to do was visit Roosevelt Island... I heard the tram is down to fall, but you can still take a subway there, right?

i guess my question.. is it worth the trip? we are staying in the the upper west side, so it is pretty close location wise.. is there nice spots to have a little picnic and just view the sky line?

we want to have a nice picnic day and need to decide if we want to do the island, or maybe go to the red hook/dumbo area and have one around there..



Cheers,
Logiola

[ThomCat]

1. I wouldn't bother.

But that's just me. The whole reason to go is the ride on the tram. The island itself is no big deal.

[sabbat hunter]

7. the tram

was originally only supposed to be a temporary situation until the subway was brought to the island. but it became a permanent institution due to the views that it allowed. but now the tram has been down for months, will it ever reopen?

[Karenca]

2. Not worth it

There's nothing but housing there.

[smirkymonkey]

18. Ugly housing at that....

but isn't there an old abandoned mental hospital on the far southern end of the island? I would think that would be kind of interesting, although I am sure it's off limits.

[Karenca]

21. Isn't that mental hospital on the other island?

The island on the other side of the 59th St. Bridge?

[smirkymonkey]

22. Oh, it might be - I've just noticed it when I have taken a cab along

the FDR that there are some abandoned, dilapidated buildings along the southern tip of the island, however there are also ruins of an abandoned mental institution a little farther up near the Triborough bridge on Ward's Island, which is also connected to Randall's Island by landfill. It seems as though New York City has a history of shipping "undesirables" off to Islands in the East River.

As for Roosevelt Island, it was only named Roosevelt Island in 1973 and before that it was called "Welfare Island" "Blackwell Island" "Perkins Island" and "Hog Island".

Some history: http://www.rioc.com/history.htm and on landmarks on the island: http://www.rioc.com/landmarks.htm

And from the section on Landmarks...

"In 1835, under architect Alexander Jackson Davis, the New York City mental health facility was built. When it was completed in 1842 it was already considered to be one of New York's great buildings and was visited by Charles Dickens who wrote of the buildings' magnificent rotunda in his American Notes, but also commented on the distressing conditions. The building, now known as the Octagon Building gained further notoriety in 1887 when Elizabeth Cochrane, who wrote for the New York World under the name of Nellie Bly, feigned insanity to expose the deplorable conditions, which included prisoners from Blackwell Penitentiary serving as "nurses." In 1894, New York City built a new mental health facility on Ward's Island and the building was renovated and renamed Metropolitan Hospital. It remained in use until the 1950's when Metropolitan Hospital moved to East Harlem. It was partially demolished in th 1970's, and much of its remaining interior was damaged by an 1982 arson. On Labor Day, 1999, a second fire obliterated much of the building's upper portion and caused severe damage to the interior."

The one thing about New York, is that the history of this place is endlessly fascinating! :)

[Logiola]

3. thanks guys..

maybe we will scrap this off our to do list..

[readmoreoften]

4. Definitely not worth it.

It's just a hospital and some housing.

[nedbal]

5. view the sky line?

"we want to have a nice picnic day and need to decide if we want to do the island, or maybe go to the red hook/dumbo area and have one around there"

red hook NO, Not a place for a picnic as far as I know,
dumbo by the brooklyn bridge has a park and some decent places to eat some are $$$$$

sky line views - Statue of Liberty, Liberty State park and science museum in New Jersey, if you have a car and nerve you can stop in the right lane of the south-west bound brooklyn- queens expressway right at the Kosciusko <sp> bridge for a quick view , there is a bit of a emergency stopping spot right before and after the bridge for a GREAT VIEW of the sky line


on edit

take the Circle Line boat tour and bring lunch , well worth it for tourists

[Karenca]

6. From DUMBO, the view is beautiful

especially when the sun is setting.

[Logiola]

9. where is that new big Fairway market?

dumbo? or red hook? do they have good little pick ups for a picnic?

[Karenca]

10. I can't tell you that, I

live in Manhattan. All I know is the Fairway on the upper west side, and the one in Harlem.

As far as having good things for a picnic, they have really good stuff. If you happen to be on the upper west side,
you can also try Zabar's, which is a few blocks away from Fairway.

Zabar's even better!

[Karenca]

11. Where are you staying?

I'll tell you the best place to pick up your goodies.

[Logiola]

14. we are staying on 62nd and first ish..in the upper east side..

i guess that is why we thought we would do the island, since it is right there..

woo hoo.. got my ticket confirmation to see a Daily show taping on aug 3rd

[Karenca]

15. Gourmet Garage--64th btwn 1st and 2nd

little bit of everything (some interesting items)....right near your hotel.

if you want to take a little walk, I highly recommend
ESS-A-BAGEL....51st and 3rd, One of the best bagels in Manhattan
HUGE, and a fantastic variety of cream cheese, salad spreads, cold cuts, etc.
LOVE IT!

[Logiola]

16. cool, and thanks..

it sounds like there are a lot of good restaurants in that area.. not sure how much time we will actually spend around our hotel since it is mostly residential..

last year in new york we mostly ate our dinners on 9th.. tons of good tasty finds around there..

[Karenca]

17. Come on downtown for the best restaurants--

Seriously!:9

[liontamer]

12. it's in redhook but I wouldn't picnic in red hook

the waterfront is cool and all, but it's not very picnicy. I'd separate your picnic time from your skyline viewing time.

[Karenca]

13. I wouldn't picnic there either. ........nt

[smirkymonkey]

19. Best place for a picnic is Central Park or up at the Cloisters in

Fort Tyron park (northern tip of Manhattan - you can take a bus or the subway)

[Fredda Weinberg]

20. We had a great time on the great lawn

The southern part by turtle lake. What astonished me is that I came home without a single mosquito bite.

[smirkymonkey]

23. One of the things I love about NYC - very few flying insects compared

with places outside the city. I HATE mosquitos!

[Logiola]

8. we did do the full circle cruise last year

and are planning on doing it again..