Image of Southpoint Park Rendering From RIOC Record (Page 12)
Received the following message from the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp ( RIOC ):
On Tuesday, August 2, 2011, ALL Roosevelt Islanders are welcome to join the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation in the highly anticipated GRAND OPENING of Southpoint Park. The ribbon cutting ceremony will commence at 9:00 AM. There will be Red Bus service available to the park. We hope you join us for this memorable occasion and become Southpoint Parks first guests.
The entrance to this new 7 acre East River waterfront park is a few feet south of the Goldwater Hospital campus and extends to the Renwick Ruins Smallpox Hospital. Soon the Ghost Hunters may return to get up close and personal with the Ruins again in search of Roosevelt Island spirits.
Wild Gardens Green Rooms had been the previous name for this project but it is now being called just Southpoint Park. Here’s what Southpoint Park looked like last week from outside the construction fencing.
You Tube Video of Southpoint Park Behind Construction Fencing
Looking forward to having this portion of Southpoint Park open again.
The rest of the area of Southpoint Park south of the Renwick Ruins Smallpox Hospital is where the 3 acre Louis Kahn Memorial Boondoggle is being constructed – oops, it’s official name is the FDR Four Freedoms Park Memorial. This area is still closed and will not open for several more years.
Here’s the latest picture of the recently constructed Louis Kahn Death Box (or sculpture room) at the FDR Four Freedoms Memorial on Roosevelt Island’s most southern tip.
Image From FDR Four Freedoms Park
Image From FDR Four Freedoms Park
Such a pity that this monstrosity has ruined what had been the beautiful southern tip of Roosevelt Island.
UPDATE 8/1 – The FDR Hope Memorial depicting:
President Franklin D. Roosevelt seated in his wheelchair at his desk greeting a young disabled girl wearing braces on her leg…
Image of FDR Hope Memorial Rendering designed by Meredith Bergmann
will be located in a part of the new Southpoint Park.
Here’s a wonderful profile of Roosevelt Island resident Nancy Brown, one of the FDR Hope Memorial organizers, explaining why it is so important to have such a representation of President Roosevelt, particularly on the New York City Island named after him.
You Tube Video on Power Of One Enabled Not Disabled From mntv
For purposes of clarity, the FDR Hope Memorial depicting President Roosevelt sitting in a wheelchair and the Louis Kahn designed so-called FDR Memorial are two different and separate projects. More information on the FDR Hope Memoria l from previous posts.
If you wish to help or contribute to developing the FDR Hope Memorial, please visit their web site to learn more and for contact information.
UPDATE 8/2 – Here’s what happened at the Grand Opening Celebration of the new Southpoint Park earlier today.
UPDATE 8/12 – Here’s some more images from the Kahn/FDR Memorial Boondoggle.
Images are from FDR Four Freedoms Park
Unfortunately, it looks more like a cemetery to me than a waterfront park. What a pity that TPL’s Master Plan for all of Southpoint Park, (including the area of what is now the location for the Kahn/FDR Boondoggle) was not accomplished.
A positive review of the Kahn FDR Memorial was published by Bloomberg today.
