Roosevelt Island
As a third generation Upper East Sider, I have deep roots in the community including on Roosevelt Island where my grandfather, Dr. Andrew Kallos, served patients at Coler-Goldwater Memorial Hospital upon completing his distinguished service in the United States Armed services during World War II.
As a Chief of Staff to an Upper East Side Assembly Member and longtime member of Community Board 8 Manhattan, I have kept the needs of Roosevelt Island residents at the forefront of my agenda. Working alongside resident leaders to fight for "Democracy on Roosevelt Island" through recognition of the Governor of elections for Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) Board Members and "Access Roosevelt Island" to provide transportation alternatives for Roosevelt Island.
I will continue to fight for responsible development on Roosevelt Island of the infrastructure improvements that will be required to better support the existing 12,000 residents as well as the 2,780 new students and faculty that Cornell NYC Tech will bring.
“New Yorkers are exhausted by overdevelopment,” said Ben Kallos, the city councilman who represents the area and a leading opponent of the tall tower. “This is about standing up and showing the city that there’s another way to do things.”
Critics of the project say that supertall towers in residential areas tend to overwhelm the neighborhood and displace less wealthy residents. Still, both Mayor Bill de Blasio and his predecessor, Michael R. Bloomberg, rezoned large sections of the city for ever taller buildings.
The zoning change, which was proposed by Mr. Kallos and other elected officials as well as neighborhood residents, has been in the works for two years. The proposed rezoning was recently approved by the Manhattan borough president, Gale Brewer, and unanimously endorsed by the local community board. Mr. Kallos hopes that the City Council will approve the proposal after the city’s Planning Department holds a public hearing on the matter in August.
Roosevelt Island, NY – Today forty-nine 4-year-olds will be able to attend free pre-kindergarten at Roosevelt Island Day Nursery thanks to the advocacy from Council Member Ben Kallos, organizing by Roosevelt Island Parents Network, and last minute intervention from Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation.
Roosevelt Island Parents Network’s Eva Bosbach and Susana del Campo helped to organize a list of more than 90 families that agreed to send their children to Universal Pre-Kindergarten on Roosevelt Island. Council Member Kallos reached out to every Pre-Kindergarten and childcare provider on Roosevelt Island and the East Side to ask them to participate in Universal Pre-Kindergarten. Roosevelt Island Day Nursery led by Executive Director Pamela Stark was the only provider on Roosevelt Island to stand up for their community to serve their needs. Council Member Kallos helped Roosevelt Island Day Nursery through the bureaucratic Department of Education application process through approval. Once approval was obtained an obstacle arose that Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation’s President Susan Rosenthal was able remedy leading to the on-time opening of Roosevelt Island Day Nursery to serve forty-nine 4-year olds on Roosevelt Island.
My Issues:
Affordable Housing
Good Government
Marine Transfer Station
Tax Reform
Community
Health
Public Safety
Technology
Education
Israel
Roosevelt Island
Transportation
Elections
Jobs
Second Avenue Subway Construction
Other
Environment
