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Roosevelt Island Vital Designa Cradle to Cradle® Islands Project

Winter 2010Thanks to the Province of Fryslan &

Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation

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The viTal design wiki

roosevelTislandviTaldesign.wikispaces.com

• Multimedia Research Resource• Online Collaboration Platform (open source capability)• Presentation Tool

One year subscription paid for by the project Options• RIOC Internal Database • RIOC and Invited Partners Interactive Platform• Public/Private Open Source Website

wiki

Wiki Screenshots

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waTer accesshisTory

eXisTing

Historically the island had ferry connections to Manhattan and Queens, but with the opening of the 36th Avenue Bridge to Queens ferry transit largely died out in the mid 20th century • Growing demand exists for waterborne access • 2 Ferry landings in Manhattan within 10 minutes on the east side alone• Multiple locations to connect to in Queens, Brooklyn, and regionally • Tidal current speeds at their peak are almost 3x the Hudson — a challenge for small craft• The Oil Dock (see #2) most recently accomodated mid-sized vessels

Landfill Excavation• Recreational boating/small craft require a channel, basin, inlet • Target remaining development sites or underutilizied space • Consider marina functions

Ferries• Lobby for Phase 2 of NYC's Citywide Ferry Program• Oil Dock

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Roosevelt Island might be best thought of as a landing or layover, rather than an origin for large-scale public programs or anything for novices

Solar Powered Vessel, Hong Kong

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runoff & conservaTioneXisTing Urban Runoff

• A significant amount of the island is already designed to allow runoff from rain and snow to infiltrate and nourish the landscape. Still, there are many areas where capture rates could be improved

Water Conservation• Many buildings on the island pre-date newer conservation strategies such as LEED or USEPA’s “Water Sense” fixtures and appliances

Urban Runoff • Create a runoff recapture goal of 75% of the island’s surfaces. This calculation should include building roofs, planted areas, parking and transportation areas

Water Conservation• Create a baseline for current water consumption on the island — per resident, household, and per institution and establish a goal for reducing consumption by x% per year over the next xx years. A good milestone would be Roosevelt Island @ 50 years old.

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supply/generaTion eXisTing RIOC purchases electricity generated by hydropower (NYPA), but residential

buildings mostly purchase electricity from ConEd, which offers a mix of sources

Steam Plant • 95% of output serves hospitals• Runs on #6 fuel oil

Tidal Energy • Operated by Verdant Power, located on Roosevelt Island• First phase 30 turbines (1MW capacity) 2012• Two additional tidal energy installations are being planned for the East River (Natural Currents, LLC and NY Tidal Energy)

Solar• The Octagon has one of the city's largest arrays• Community gardens • Southern campus designed for passive solar

EnERgy

RITE: Water TurbineRITE: Verdant Power Octagon PV panels Community Garden PV

Steam Plant

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supply/generaTion recommended Steam Plant

• Energy and Resource Solutions study recommends Combined Heat and Power• Consider Combined Heat and Power (CoGen) plant (requires additional natural gas line) • Incentivise switch to ConEd renewable providers

Tidal Energy • Expand existing programs to serve Roosevelt Island• Phase 1 (30 East Channel turbines) = 5% of total load = all RIOC properties • Consider production/distribution of tidal energy systems on island

Other Renewable Sources• Anaerobic Digestion (see maTeRIals section) • Wind Turbines• Combined Heat and Power (CoGen)• Expand Photovoltaics: streetlights may cut consumption by > 50%• Smart Grid technology: monitor and manage energy consumption, savings and electricity/heat supply (Incentive bonus for buildings with greatest reductions)

EnERgy

Solar Park - find out where from Klaar Solar powered street fixture

Roosevelt Island Annual Electricity Consumption

Residential Buildings &

Racquet Club; 74%

Goldwater Hospital; 11%

Coler Hospital; 9%

RIOC Properties; 5%

Steam Plant & Misc.; 1%

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TransporTaTioneXisTing Autos

• Island is auto dependent• Parking is costly, obstruction of views • GPS tracking is available to users with smart phones

Bicycles/Peds• Lack of continuous path/clear pike baths • Bridge ramp unfriendly to cyclists

Public Transit• Red Bus vs. MTA bus: duplication • Overcrowded F train• Poor ADA accessibility

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Discontinued promenade New tram in action Bike racks at capacity

"…[A] modern urban environment that emphasizes its river setting and includes a complete ban on private cars…"Mayor V. Lindsay, 1973

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TransporTaTionrecommended Autos

• Convert RIOC fleet to electric • Encourage alternative modes• Develop carpooling/car sharing programs • Private electric vehicle incentives • Take advantage of available technology

Bicycles/Peds• Island-wide bike sharing• Encourage bike shops and ubiquitous parking • Offer discounts to cyclists at local businesses and on the tram • Improve continuity of the promenade around the island• Mark clear bike/pedestrian lanes where possible, esp. bridge access • Require all buildings to offer bike storage/racks • Reintroduce vertical access to Queensboro bridge, for pedestrians and cyclists

Public Transit• Countdown clocks for users without smart phones • Universal access for all modes of transportation• Pedestranize intermodal connections • Celebrate the tram! (tours, interactive maps/diagrams/timelines)

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Open Spot application

Trolley service to QB elevator

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deliverieseXisTing • Poor data on deliveries to island

• No current RIOC protocol for material delivery • Barges supplying marble to FDR Memorial

• Establish a target and methodology for reducing vehicle deliveries• Urban Consolidation Center, to coordinate island deliveries • Establish a protocol and encourage waterborne deliveries

mATERiAls

100% deliveries on Island are truck based

recommended

Waterborne marble delivery to construct the Four Freedoms Memorial Park

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wasTeeXisTing Residential/Commercial/Construction

• Non AVAC waste is collected by truck on Roosevelt Island• Food waste = 20% of waste stream in NYC (No recovery program: PlaNYC considering anaerobic digestion pilot in the Bronx)• No current RIOC protocol for material recovery

AVAC System• Collects residential and school municipal solid waste (MSW) without trucks• System has operated continuously since installation and every new building connects to the network• Innovative to this day, the system requires investment to handle sorting and to increase capacity

mATERiAls

Avac facility interior Roosevelt Island AVAC system

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wasTerecommended Residential/Commercial/Construction

• Establish a target of improving the recycling rate by 50% (for example)• Explore the feasibility of separating organic waste and processing it to generate energy (biogas) and compost with an anaerobic digestion facility, possibly the City’s first • Designate storing area such as the AVAC facility yard for material recovery• Waste management protocol of 75% recovery of construction debris (LEED)• Explore urban farming

AVAC• Establish a plan for the next 40 years, beginning with a feasibility study to explore upgrading the system to include recyclables and commercial waste• Establish knowledge sharing with AVAC operator at Summit Plaza in Jersey City, NJ.

mATERiAls

Separate inlets for recycling and organic waste - where is this?

R.I. Weekend Farmers Market Modern collection facility - where is this?

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hospiTalsNORTH Coler Goldwater kitchens were replaced by vending machines in 2007. Patient food is prepared off site. • Target hospital food: reopen the kitchens and plant gardens on hospital grounds to provide fresh ingredients. Improve the quality of the food options, encourage staff to eat together, encourage staff and patients to participate, and raise the profile of the facility.• Consolidate the two campuses into the Northern campus.

SOUTH The southern campus was built in the 1930s and will likely close if fire safety upgrades are not made by 2013. It was laid out to max solar benefits and to consider the roof for ulterior energies.Southern Campus is being considered for alternative uses.• Program the Southern Campus to support the health and hospital sector with programs such as assisted living facility, food service/production, laundry, and swing space for east side hospital renovations (consider initial design competition)

hospiTAls

Solar benefit configuration Hospital Cafeteria Hospital Corridor

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infrasTrucTure insTiTuTe • Innovation and environmental quality were part of Roosevelt Island’s development, but RIOC does not have the resources to establish long term planning and sustainability projects to ensure Roosevelt Island as a model for the future. • Roosevelt Island offers one of the best vantage points for understanding New York Harbor•

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overview

Exhibit at eco-development visitor's center in SwedenMain street storefronts Fast trash exhibit

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infrasTrucTure insTiTuTe recommended • Encourage creation of an independent “infrastructure institute” on the island to work with

RIOC, institutions, agencies and residents with four main roles: research, planning, cultural programming and outreach. A storefront would provide a cultural anchor on Main Street for residents and visitors. • A capital expense item that would take 3—5 years to realize • RI “Corps” (like AmeriCorps or Teaching Fellows) to bring experienced professionals to train island residents to play a more active role in the stewardship and maintenance of the island’s landscapes—current residents present untapped labor pool for landscape stewardship • Create an interpretive “Water Walk” along the East Channel with interpretive information about the Ravenswood Power Plant, NYCs’s combined sewer system, the Island’s steam infrastructure, “de-watering” pumps, the Channel’s tidal power potential, and the richness of life in the waters surrounding the island

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Green Apple Tours Collaboration

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PROmEnADEBuild continuous promenade with clear distinction for bikes vs. peds

TIDAl EnERgyexpand the RITe tidal energy project to serve Roosevelt Island. The 30 planned east Channel turbines would provide enough power (5%) to supply all RIOC properties with electricity

AnAEROBIC DIgESTIOnseparating organic waste and processing it to generate energy (biogas) and compost with an anaerobic digestion facility

STEAm PlAnTConsider expanding to a larger capacity, Combined Heat and Power plant, with new natural gas line

SOUTh hOSPITAlsupport the health and hospital sector with programs such as assisted living facility, food service/production, laundry, and swing space for east side hospital renovations

InfRASTRUCTURE InSTITUTEestablish an independent “Institute of Urban Infrastructure”. From Health and Hospitals to education, Parks, Transportation and Waste management, Roosevelt Island is a microcosm and a model location from which to learn about the natural and human infrastructure of New York City. Research, exchange, programming and funding could provide a focus for raising awareness and monies for recommenda-tions like those contained herein. a storefront…and visitors.

fERRy ACCESSConnect with NYC's Citywide ferry pilot program starting in spring 2011AVAC

Build on an impressive infra-structure. Designate storage area for construction materials

BIkE ShARIng STATIOnCombine bike parking with bike sharing, comparable with cities like D.C. and montreal

QUEEnSBORO BRIDgE VERTICAl TRAnSPORTATIOnFeasibility study + competition with high design aspirations and specific fiscal requirements can yield creative solutions. Gravity fed and renewably powered lifts, commercial programming at the pylon and connecting to the pedestrian infra-structure of the Tram.

COlER gOlDWATER hOSPITAl: nORThConsolidate all healthcare functions. Focus on food preparation, consumption and waste.

AnAEROBIC DIgESTIOnexplore the feasibility of separating organic waste and processing it to generate energy (biogas) and compost with an anaerobic digestion facility, possibly the City’s first