Roosevelt Island

Nestled in the East River between Manhattan & Queens, Roosevelt Island has experienced many incarnations, and consequently many names; Minnahononck, Blackwell Island, Welfare Island. Once fertile farmland, Roosevelt Island served as a home for asylums, various hospitals, and correctional facilities throughout the 19th century. 

In the late 20th century, the island was the site of heavy residential development, including the transition of a prominent asylum, The Octagon, into a high-rise residential community. This transition led to increased public transportation into Manhattan, including a subway stop and a gondola tramway into the Upper East Side.