Research:
- Roosevelt Island is a neighborhood of Manhattan floating in the middle of the East River.
- Seen as an oasis only a few minutes from Midtown
- The island once belonged to the Blackwell family and the family’s home still remains on the island today.
- The Blackwell house was built in 1796 and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since the 1970’s.
- The Blackwell’s didn’t own the area for long though and the island soon became city property.
- In the 1800’s the island became a quarantine zone due to its ideal location isolated from the city and became known for its abundance in hospitals, a prison, and even an insane asylum.
- Due to the character of the establishments on the island its name changed to Welfare Island.
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- The Renwick Ruins on Roosevelt Island still partially remains today and it is what once was a smallpox hospital that ran from 1856 up until the 1950’s when a vaccine was created.
in the late 1800’s when prisoners began being transported to Ward’s Island and then by 1935 the remaining prisoners were transported to Rickers Island when a new prison opened.
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- later in 1973 the island was renamed Roosevelt Island after Franklin D. Roosevelt and shortly after the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park was developed.
To even further the changes on Roosevelt Island in 1976 the Roosevelt Island Tramway opened and subway service to and from the island began in 1989.
- After the Queensboro bridge was developed in 1909 an vehicle elevator was created in 1930 and allowed access to the island.
- In 1955 the Welfare Island Bridge opened up and for the first time cars were allowed direct access to the island outside of aquatic transportation.
- In 1968 Mayor John. V Lindsey created a committee to aid in the island’s development and soon after a 99 year lease was signed by the New York Urban Development Corporation which led to a plan for development of apartments to house 20,000 residents.
Process photos:
For this project I joined the group after they they had done most the research and found an idea so I mostly helped for the physical making of the piece, I did some painting and helped anyone who needed it.
Carson, Shaan, Noya, Tanner, Luana
08/09/2019
Roosevelt Island is a neighborhood of Manhattan floating in the middle of the East River. Today, it’s seen as an oasis only a few minutes from Midtown but it wasn’t always the attraction it is today. The island once belonged to the Blackwell family and the family’s home still remains on the island today. The Blackwell house was built in 1796 and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since the 1970’s. The Blackwell’s didn’t own the area for long though and the island soon became city property. In the 1800’s the island became a quarantine zone due to its ideal location isolated from the city and became known for its abundance in hospitals, a prison, and even an insane asylum. Due to the character of the establishments on the island its name changed to Welfare Island. The Renwick Ruins on Roosevelt Island still partially remains today and it is what once was a smallpox hospital that ran from 1856 up until the 1950’s when a vaccine was created.
With such a dark past what has made Roosevelt Island the serene and sought after location it is today? The initial mark for the change seemed to be back in the late 1800’s when prisoners began being transported to Ward’s Island and then by 1935 the remaining prisoners were transported to Rickers Island when a new prison opened. After the Queensboro bridge was developed in 1909 a vehicle elevator was created in 1930 and allowed access to the island. In 1955 the Welfare Island Bridge opened up and for the first time cars were allowed direct access to the island outside of aquatic transportation. After the improvement in transportation more changes occurred aiding in the change and growth of the island. In 1968 Mayor John. V Lindsey created a committee to aid in the island’s development and soon after a 99 year lease was signed by the New York Urban Development Corporation which led to a plan for development of apartments to house 20,000 residents. The transition from a removed erie island to a residential place was at this time. A few years later in 1973 the island was renamed Roosevelt Island after Franklin D. Roosevelt and shortly after the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park was developed. To even further the changes on Roosevelt Island in 1976 the Roosevelt Island Tramway opened and subway service to and from the island began in 1989.
With so many changes and Roosevelt Island pivoting from its original reputation gentrification became more apparent in the 21st century. Many old structures were restored and some like the Octagon Tower were utilized in modern structures. The Octagon Tower now serves as a lobby for a double winged 500 unit apartment building. The Blackwell Island Lighthouse was also restored and is now a very popular tourist attraction along with the tram which was also restored and now serves as a fun tourist attraction bringing people to the island. Additionally, more parks opened creating this serene environment just outside of Manhattan with all the greenery and tranquility all the city dwellers lack in their urban environment. The growth however didn’t stop there in 2014 Cornell opened Cornell Tech on the island as a joint venture with Israel Institute of Technology. The school began classes in 2017.
Today, the island even with its dark and questionable past has become a sought after neighborhood. The water that was known to isolate the island now is what causes most of the attraction. The water has served as the perfect opportunity to isolate the unwanted of our society and define the island’s past . The water carved Roosevelt Island into what it was: hospitals, asylums, prisons, and disease. However, the water continues to redefine the island today as it now creates a secluded small town oasis within Manhattan.
