Frustrated by long lines waiting to get in, I was thrilled at getting this photo of Alice Neal’s Alice Childress portrait. Neal’s show is a blockbuster at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Note: Photo of Alice Childress painting courtesy of a friend who prefers to remain anonymous.

Childress was more than a literary giant at mid-century. Locally, from her apartment in a spanking new Wesview, among other things, Childress helped start the first Roosevelt Island Public Library.

And the circle goes around…

Alice Childress mentored actor Michael Rogers from Westview, and he settled here.

A few years back, I helped RiOC community relations director Erica Spencer-EL rescue a commemorative plaque abused by PS/IS 217. With a big assist from then president/CEO Susan Rosenthal, the plaque found a new home near the Meditation Steps.

When it was unveiled, Rogers shared stories of his friendship with Childress with the audience.

And a few months later, RIOC staged a Childress play in the Nancy and Worth Howe Theatre. Rogers directed.

I don’t know when or where Neal made this painting, but I prefer thinking of her gazing across the East River from her apartment in Westview.

More from the Roosevelt Island Daily

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  MTA Launches Six-Year Signal and Track Overhaul on A and C Subway Lines
  The MTA launches a six-year signal and track overhaul on A and C subway lines, bringing CBTC and major infrastructure upgrades to the Fulton and Liberty Avenue corridors through 2032.
• 
  Long Island City Rent Overcharge Lawsuit Seeks $50 Million Against Developer
  A Long Island City rent overcharge lawsuit seeks about $50 million from Rockrose Development, raising questions about billing practices, tenant protections, and legal oversight in NYC’s fast-changing rental market.
• 
  Astoria E-Scooter Rider Dies After Northern Boulevard Crash in Long Island City
  A 22-year-old Astoria e-scooter rider died after a Northern Boulevard crash in Long Island City. Details remain under investigation, highlighting micromobility risks on busy city streets.
• 
  Hate Crime Charges Filed After Vandalism at Fresh Meadows Kosher Bagel Shop
  Hate crime charges have been filed after vandalism at a kosher bagel shop in Fresh Meadows, with prosecutors alleging bias-motivated acts. Hearings are set in New York’s legal process.
• 
  Midtown Subway Shooting Leaves 26-Year-Old Dead; Queens Incidents Separate
  A shooting inside a Manhattan subway station left a 26-year-old dead. Police investigate the Midtown incident and separate shootings in Queens as commuters seek safety.

The Well-Funded Vision and the Silent Landlord

A capable nonprofit has done the work. The public corporation that controls the land has offered no position.

Theo Gobblevelt Jun 19, 2026

RIOC’s Real Estate Development Advisory Committee met last night. The Renwick Ruin was not on the agenda. A nonprofit that has spent eight years developing detailed plans for the site, raised more than a million dollars, and assembled a board with serious finance and legal credentials continues its work.

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