Comments on: Roosevelt Island Residents Want Pedestrian Access to QBB http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/20/roosevelt-island-residents-want-pedestrian-access-to-qbb/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:01:47 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Rob http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/20/roosevelt-island-residents-want-pedestrian-access-to-qbb/comment-page-1/#comment-31063 Rob Mon, 23 Apr 2007 21:39:52 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/20/roosevelt-island-residents-want-pedestrian-access-to-qbb/#comment-31063 It was removed in 1970 It was removed in 1970

]]> By: Mitch http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/20/roosevelt-island-residents-want-pedestrian-access-to-qbb/comment-page-1/#comment-31017 Mitch Sun, 22 Apr 2007 14:58:49 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/20/roosevelt-island-residents-want-pedestrian-access-to-qbb/#comment-31017 That elevator building must have been around past 1956; I remember taking the elevator from bridge to the island (it was Welfare Island then) during the summer of 1966. I had a job that required me to interview Practical Nurses at city hospitals around town, including Welfare Island. So, one afternoon I walked to middle of the bridge, took the elevator, and walked over to Goldwater Hospital. It was fascinating walking around the island, especially exploring the ruins of Metropolitan Hospital. It's worth noting that there used to be a general hospital, with an emergency room, on Welfare/Roosevelt Island, and ambulances used the elevator to get to the hospital. I guess the elevator was no longer absolutely necessary once they built the bridge to Queens, but I seem to recall (though I'm hardly an authority on the subject) that it stayed in place until they built the tramway. That elevator building must have been around past 1956; I remember taking the elevator from bridge to the island (it was Welfare Island then) during the summer of 1966.

I had a job that required me to interview Practical Nurses at city hospitals around town, including Welfare Island. So, one afternoon I walked to middle of the bridge, took the elevator, and walked over to Goldwater Hospital.

It was fascinating walking around the island, especially exploring the ruins of Metropolitan Hospital. It's worth noting that there used to be a general hospital, with an emergency room, on Welfare/Roosevelt Island, and ambulances used the elevator to get to the hospital.

I guess the elevator was no longer absolutely necessary once they built the bridge to Queens, but I seem to recall (though I'm hardly an authority on the subject) that it stayed in place until they built the tramway.

]]> By: Ed Ravin http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/20/roosevelt-island-residents-want-pedestrian-access-to-qbb/comment-page-1/#comment-31014 Ed Ravin Sun, 22 Apr 2007 02:07:43 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/20/roosevelt-island-residents-want-pedestrian-access-to-qbb/#comment-31014 I note that the QB's landmark status did not stop the DoT from putting ugly fencing on the bicycle/pedestrian path. Also, what's this about closing a lane to the bridge? Based on that photo above, it doesn't look like they would need to close any lanes to connect to the North Outer Roadway. I note that the QB's landmark status did not stop the DoT from putting ugly fencing on the bicycle/pedestrian path. Also, what's this about closing a lane to the bridge? Based on that photo above, it doesn't look like they would need to close any lanes to connect to the North Outer Roadway.

]]> By: rfr http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/20/roosevelt-island-residents-want-pedestrian-access-to-qbb/comment-page-1/#comment-30998 rfr Fri, 20 Apr 2007 21:53:18 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/20/roosevelt-island-residents-want-pedestrian-access-to-qbb/#comment-30998 Your dissection of DOT's "objections" is right on. What about taking this idea further: Instead of just building a stair/elevator tower, why not incorporate bridge access into a building, as was the case historically? Whether limited to apartments, or opened up to some kind of broader mix of uses (educational, office space, Cirque du Soleil?), such a structure could be a unique urbanistic opportunity. (Paging Santiago Calatrava? Rem Koolhas?) Roosevelt Island is already a collage of new and not-so-new housing, interspersed with active, ruined, and demolished hospital buildings, ; there's no reason why the next phases of the community's "build-out" couldn't be imaginative enough to incorporate some kind of bridge access. Your dissection of DOT's "objections" is right on. What about taking this idea further: Instead of just building a stair/elevator tower, why not incorporate bridge access into a building, as was the case historically? Whether limited to apartments, or opened up to some kind of broader mix of uses (educational, office space, Cirque du Soleil?), such a structure could be a unique urbanistic opportunity. (Paging Santiago Calatrava? Rem Koolhas?) Roosevelt Island is already a collage of new and not-so-new housing, interspersed with active, ruined, and demolished hospital buildings, ; there's no reason why the next phases of the community's "build-out" couldn't be imaginative enough to incorporate some kind of bridge access.

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