Two thousand.
When we started this petition on January 22, we had five demands and a community that had never been told the truth about what was happening to the Steam Plant. Four months later, 2,000 of you have signed. Gothamist, NPR, the New York Post, and amNewYork have covered the story. Community Board 8 voted unanimously to pause the demolition. Four elected officials demanded a Community Advisory Group. A leading NYC preservation institution has committed to reviewing the case and facilitating a conversation with the agencies.
And the case is stronger than it has ever been. In the weeks since our last update, we’ve obtained agency documents that contradict the “emergency” justification. We’ve confirmed critical facts about the building’s construction that undermine the basis for demolition. We’ve been told by a senior city official that the planning process for the site “hasn’t started in earnest yet” — while the demolition has. We’ve filed Freedom of Information requests across multiple agencies. And we’ve built an engineering team that includes some of the most respected names in historic building assessment in New York City.
More on all of this in the coming days. Right now, there is one thing that matters:
TOMORROW NIGHT — TUESDAY, MAY 12 RIOC Operations Advisory Committee 6:00 PM — 680 Main Street, Roosevelt Island Webcast link at rioc.ny.gov by noon on May 12
Agenda Item #1 is listed as: “Steam Plant — Brief Community Advisory Group Update.”
Brief. After five months. After eight public meetings. After a unanimous CB8 vote. After a joint letter from Congressman Nadler, Speaker Menin, Senator Krueger, and Assembly Member Seawright. After 2,000 petition signatures.
RIOC’s response is a “brief update” — sandwiched between pothole repairs and July 4th prep.
We are asking every person who can attend — in person or by webcast — to show up and demand that this “brief update” become the first real CAG meeting. The community doesn’t need to wait for permission.
The community is here. The community has been here since December 2nd.
Show up. Bring a neighbor. Be counted.
Can’t attend? Here’s what you can do right now:
Share this update — we just hit 2,000 but the next goal is 2,500. Every signature is leverage.
Contact RIOC directly: information@rioc.ny.gov or (212) 832-4540. Ask one question: Where is the Community Advisory Group?
Support the legal fight: gofund.me/de8f122d8
We’ll be back this week with a full briefing on everything that’s happened since April 22. The evidence is overwhelming. The agencies know it. Tomorrow night, we make sure they hear it from you.
Architectural Community Alliance
of Roosevelt Island (ArchRI)