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Roosevelt Island - A Brief History

Roosevelt Island, now in its 40th year as a mixed income residential community, is managed by the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp. of the State of New York (RIOC). Currently, approximately 14,000 New Yorkers live and work on the 147 acre island in the middle of the East River. The island was previously known as Welfare Island, having been home to the City's welfare institutions during the 19th and early 20th centuries. By 1969 the landscape was primarily dominated by abandoned institutional buildings. It was re-envisioned by New York City and New York State via a 1969 General Development Plan (GDP) as a community for mixed income families with special emphasis placed on handicap accessibility. The City leased the island to the New York State Urban Development Corporation (UDC) for 99 years to build and manage this vision. Roosevelt Island is due to revert to City management in 2068.  RIOC, by 1984 State legislation, succeeded UDC to the responsibility for developing and operating the Roosevelt Island community.

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