ROOSEVELT ISLAND

Visited SET 2019

ROOSEVELT ISLAND is a narrow 3.2km (2 miles) long strip of land in the middle of the EAST RIVER adjacent the midtown high-rise area.

I stole this image from WIKIPEDIA - here you are looking south down the EAST RIVER. 
Mid-town MANHATTAN is to the right - QUEENS on the left. The bridge passing over the island is the QUEENSBORO (ED KOCH) BRIDGE. Those high-rise buildings left of the bridge are part of the LONG ISLAND CITY CBD - a sort of secondary business zone in an attempt to avoid MANHATTAN's murderous rents and land values.



ROOSEVELT ISLAND has a bunch of attractions - arts and performance areas, a university campus (CORNELL TECH), low income housing (also some high income riverside condos), old areas (hospitals, insane asylums yada) in ruins - some open to inspection, most barred to visitors, lotsa park areas and some good riverside walking paths. BUT.... 
....the main reason tourists will visit ROOSEVELT ISLAND are:
- TO RIDE THE ROOSEVELT ISLAND TRAM
- TO OBSERVE MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, QUEENS, THE EAST RIVER and the QUEENSBORO BRIDGE from a new perspective.



* THE TRAM

"TRAM" is misleading. I'm thinking CABLE CAR. Starts at a MANHATTAN station just left of the western QUEENSBORO approaches, runs parallel to the bridge for some distance and then drops to an island terminal about 200m south of the subway station. In this way it is possible to do a kinda loop - I came in on the TRAM, exited via the SUBWAY. Note it is also possible to use the Q 102 BUS from QUEENS via a road bridge (you could walk this if you are keen - I preferred to walk the QUEENSBORO from LONG ISLAND CITY to the MANHATTAN TRAM TERMINAL). You can also access the island via FERRIES from both sides of the river.

TRAM traversing the first half of the trip before dropping to the island.
TIDAL CURRENT NERDS should check the whitecaps in the channel - the narrowing of the EAST RIVER sure gets the water rushing thru here mid-tide.

Soon after takeoff - note BRIDGE pylons in background.

Running parallel to the bridge deck.

A famous guide book says some of the best MANHATTAN HIGHRISE views are from the tram. I disagree - bridge superstructure gets in the way of ICONS like the CHRYSLER (white) and the more distant EMPIRE STATE (yellow). Riverside icons like the UN BUILDING are similarly blocked. Thing is a lot of these are much better from the island itself.

However it is still a pretty scenic trip - this is the MANHATTAN shore north of the bridge. No iconic buildings along here - but I wouldn't mind some of those condos.

INFRASTRUCTURE and TRAFFIC WONKS will enjoy the outlook over the bridge. Note the QUEENSBORO is twin-deck.

The view up the west channel of the EAST RIVER aint shabby either.

Dropping towards the island. The trip only takes 4 minutes with a service every 7.5 minutes (so 15 minutes between rides each end). Cost is minimal - $2.25 and you can use your SUBWAY CARD - since I had an UNLIMITED RIDE card my trip was effectively free. There are also concessions - see online for details.


* GREAT VIEWS OF MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, QUEENS, THE EAST RIVER and the QUEENSBORO BRIDGE from a new perspective.

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN

Once down on the island those iconic riverside buildings south of the QUEENSBORO like the UN are in view. 

So too are mid-town classics further inland, although other buildings hide a lot - check the EMPIRE STATE far left and the art deco classic, THE CHRYSLER BUILDING at right.

QUEENS

The opposite QUEENS SHORE shows some impressive riverside condo developments - these are behind LONG ISLAND CITY's waterside GANTRY PLAZA STATE PARK.

Some of the high-rises at LONG ISLAND CITY's CBD are impressive too.


THE EAST RIVER

If watching passing river traffic is your thing, this is a good place. This is the western channel of the EAST RIVER between the island and MANHATTAN - it seemed to get the majority of river traffic.

This shot of the east channel of the EAST RIVER between the island and QUEENS is kinda confusing. The nearest bridge is the ROOSEVELT ISLAND BRIDGE bringing road traffic (including the afore-mentioned Q102 bus) from QUEENS onto the island. Behind it can be seen some of the spans of the QUEENSBORO (you may have to click-expand image). The GANTRY PLAZA riverside condos shown up-page can be seen middle-background. The power station at left belongs to TLC CON EDISON.

THE QUEENSBORO (ED KOCH) BRIDGE.

This is one of NYC'S busiest bridges giving a straight shot from mid-town MANHATTAN onto LONG ISLAND which not only has the crowded boroughs of QUEENS and BROOKLYN, the 2  main airports (JFK and LA GUARDIA), but a whole rash of commuter towns further up island.
You can get good views of the bridge from the TRAM, walking across it, from the LONG ISLAND side and of course from passing river cruises and water taxis, but the island itself gives a new perspective. The above is across the western channel of the EAST RIVER (so you are seeing abt. 40% of the bridge) from near the southern tip of the island.

From near underneath

From the RED BUS



GETTING AROUND


THE RED BUS

The RED BUS is FREE and runs a loop from near one end of the island to the other, via of course the SUBWAY STATION and TRAM TERMINAL.

RED BUS is kinda popular. Most passengers seemed (low income) seniors. Noted lack of students, but I think term had not started.

WALKING

With only 3.5km from one end to the other, keen visitors will take advantage of the RIVERSIDE PATHS both sides of the island to check the place on foot.





OTHER


LIGHTHOUSE PARK

The northern end of the island has a 3.5 acre park the outstanding feature of which is this lighthouse built to warn shipping back in the day. 
Good views to the north up the river are assured, but to tell the truth this happy camper's arthritic knees were hurting such from the 300m walk from the RED BUS's northern turn-around point to where I snapped this pic, that I was not prepared to walk the last 150m to get the money shot.
I was not too upset, having seen the EAST RIVER both north and south of the island on the AROUND MANHATTAN CRUISE the day before.

The southern end is similarly marked by a park - the FRANKLIN D ROOSEVELT FOUR FREEDOMS STATE PARK.This is the section right off the bus - once up those stairs....

....we have this rather nice section to the far end. Once again my knees cried NO despite it being only 150 extra meters.


SMALLPOX MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

History and old building nerds may find this southern island ruin flats their boat. Maybe not - it was closed to visitors (I'm not sure of plans post restoration).

This is the island's subway station entrance a little south of mid-island, reasonably close to both the BRIDGE and TRAM. On the F line, frequent trains can have you in MANHATTAN in 2 minutes, LONG ISLAND CITY a little longer.

----------------------------------------------------

ATTENTION - IF YOU SEE MISTAKES OR HAVE EXTRA INFO PLEASE POST BELOW - BUT ANY QUESTIONS SHOULD BE ASKED ON THE FORUM WHICH I CHECK FAIRLY FREQUENTLY - WHEREAS I SELDOM REVISIT THESE INDIVIDUAL PLACE PAGES.

GOVERNORS ISLAND

GOVERNOR'S ISLAND - visited SEPT 2019

This small island has a great location - less than 1km off the crowded southern tip of MANHATTAN (and even closer to BROOKLYN) guarding the entrances to both the EAST RIVER and WEST (HUDSON) RIVER.

GOVERNOR'S ISLAND seen from SOUTH MANHATTAN'S ONE WORLD OBSERVATION DECK. Background is the VERRAZZANO NARROWS BRIDGE joining STATEN ISLAND at right to the BAY RIDGE area of SOUTH BROOKLYN. Closer is BROOKLYN'S RED HOOK dock area.

Kinda shaped like an ice-cram cone. Interestingly the ice cream part is the ORIGINAL ISLAND - the cone handle is A LATER EXTENSION done by dumping spoil from NYC subway construction. 
In all, a pretty compact island - longest axis 1350m : widest 800m : average width 500m


SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
Although it has enjoyed periods of singular purpose over the years, the island today has attractions which will appeal to many types of visitor, both local and from further afield.

1 - HISTORY AND MILITARY BUFFS - the strategic location makes the island a natural for defensive installations to guard the approaches to NYC. Once established, the military went nuts building all sorts of installations - admin buildings, schools, barracks/officer housing, hospitals, jails, forts, leisure areas. The military has now gone, but the installations remain. Visitors who are into military history and history in general will love this.

CASTLE WILLIAMS

CASTLE WILLIAMS - with a shoreline aspect looking right up the WEST RIVER, this is a natural defensive position. 

In later years the place was used as a military prison. 

Lotsa explanatory placards etc for cheapskates like me want to do a self-tour: 

NATIONAL PARK staff put on periodic tours.


FORT JAY

FORT JAY was the main defensive position - right at the top of the (slight) hill. You are looking at its dry moat and walls. Scaffolding covers renovations to the entrance.

Layout of FORT JAY - check the moat, outer wall, inner wall. Once again you can organise an expert-led tour but I just did my thing.

The greater area around the top of the island had an abundance of old administrative and residential buildings - some restored, some not. You can tour some. A few were being used currently as admin areas for NATIONAL PARKS and the island authority.

The NEW YORK HARBOR SCHOOL is in some of those buildings. Part of NYC's high school system, this one has a bunch of subjects specialising in nautical stuff.

A big area at the top of the island is given over to OFFICER ACCOMMODATION and adjacent leisure areas. Some of these places had been restored, others not.
Lower ranks tended to be housed in apartment blocks like 3 shots up.

At least 3 churches in this zone.


2 - SIGHT-SEEERS
People wishing to view or photograph NYC icons from a unique perspective will not be disappointed.

THE LADY

You will get closer (but not much) from passing ferries, but won't get a static shot as above - from the island's lower west coast walkway.


THE FINANCIAL DISTRICT

There are ample opportunities to view some of the most expensive real estate in the world. Above is from a neat cafe near the ferry dock.

....this one is from one of the artificial hills in the southern part of the island.

BROOKLYN BRIDGE

Kinda mixed in with the MANHATTAN BRIDGE behind. Tall building is the Lower East-side's ONE MANHATTAN SQUARE condos - kinda a neat place to live.

JERSEY CITY

NJ's equivalent to the MANHATTAN FINANCIAL DISTRICT at JERSEY CITY directly across the HUDSON.

Of course there are equally good views (but not as spectacular) of BROOKLYN, STATEN ISLAND, THE VERRAZZANO BRIDGE etc.

In the reshaping of the southern half for leisure activities, several hills and paths were put in - this one leads to a viewpoint with pic opportunities like 2 shots up, or....

....by swinging the camera 40 degrees, this one of lower playing fields and in the distance, downtown BROOKLYN.

3 - LEISURE SEEKERS
      When the island was extended south in the early 1900s almost all the new area was given over to the military. At one stage there were barracks to house many thousand soldiers not to mention airstrips and  a whole bunch of other military facilities. The COAST GUARD also established itself here.
In 1966 the military and Coast Guard withdrew. For a time argument reigned about the island's future but eventually it was decided to run it as a public park and historic area. To this end most of the southern section was cleared of structures and remodeled into what could be called a general leisure area including extensive lawned area for picnics, corporate events, sporting activities, concerts, displays. playgrounds, gardens - all traversed by winding asphalt paths great for cycling (although distances are relatively short making walking the island easy).

CORPORATE EVENTS

The day of my visit saw a whole bunch of happy people from a MANHATTAN wholesale firm on the ferry across headed for the south lawn where hospitality tents had been set up for their "picnic day".


PLAYING FIELDS

The southern half includes several playing fields - this one being used for SOCCER, but is okay for other uses ranging from BASEBALL thru CULTURAL FESTIVALS to ROCK CONCERTS.

FLYING FOX

This FLYING FOX was not being used on a slow Fall Monday.


GLAMPING

If you fancy a night or more in a tent, this can be done. Prices vary according to size etc but aint cheap.

GETTING AROUND

My rental bicycle from BLAZING SADDLES bargain basement model with fixed gear (this proved okay on all but the steepest section of the island's small hills) but in very good condition. Lots of other models to choose from.
Note base of THE LADY in the background.
The island has 11km of bike paths.

CITYBIKE had 3 rental stations - this one near ferry terminal from BROOKLYN.

GETTING THERE
GOVERNORS ISLAND has good inexpensive ferry trips from SOUTH FERRY in MANHATTAN'S FINANCIAL DISTRICT and from BROOKLYN. 
A few services are free. Check online.

 MANHATTAN FERRY arrives at SOISSONS LANDING in the island's north. Note short distance and lack of vehicles (I think private vehicles are banned - not so bicycles)

BROOKLYN FERRY at YANKEE PIER in the island's mid-east. ONLY 400m across to BROOKLYN.



CAVEAT - SEASONAL 
To avoid disappointment, note GOVERNORS ISLAND does not operate in the low season - is open between the beginning of MAY until the end of SEPTEMBER. Check online.



ATTENTION - If you see mistakes or have extra information, please post below. But for questions, please ask on THE FORUM page which I check reasonably often whereas I revisit these individual place pages infrequently