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Welfare Island

Roosevelt Island
Roosevelt Island-Main Street.jpg
Main Street on Roosevelt Island
Roosevelt Island is located in Manhattan
Roosevelt Island
Roosevelt Island
Roosevelt Island (Manhattan)
Roosevelt Island is located in New York City
Roosevelt Island
Roosevelt Island
Roosevelt Island (Manhattan)
Roosevelt Island is located in New York
Roosevelt Island
Roosevelt Island
Roosevelt Island (Manhattan)
Roosevelt Island is located in the US
Roosevelt Island
Roosevelt Island
Roosevelt Island (Manhattan)
Geography
Location East River, New York County, New York, United States
Coordinates 40°45′43″N 73°57′00″W / 40.76193°N 73.95009°W / 40.76193; -73.95009Coordinates: 40°45′43″N 73°57′00″W / 40.76193°N 73.95009°W / 40.76193; -73.95009
Area 0.23 sq mi (0.60 km2)
Length 2 mi (3 km)
Width 0.15 mi (0.24 km)
Highest elevation 5 ft (1.5 m)
Administration
State  New York
City New York City
Borough Manhattan
Demographics
Population 11,661 (2010)
Pop. density 50,700 /sq mi (19,580 /km2)
Ethnic groups 45% white, 27% black, 14% Hispanic, 11% Asian or Pacific Islander, and .3% other races (as of 2000)

Roosevelt Island is a narrow island in New York City's East River. It lies between Manhattan Island to its west and the borough of Queens on Long Island to its east, and is part of the borough of Manhattan. Running from the equivalent of East 46th to 85th Streets on Manhattan Island, it is about 2 miles (3.2 km) long, with a maximum width of 800 feet (240 m), and a total area of 147 acres (0.59 km2). Together with Mill Rock, Roosevelt Island constitutes Manhattan's Census Tract 238, which has a land area of 0.279 sq mi (0.72 km2), and had a population of 9,520 as of the 2000 United States Census. It had a population of 11,661 as of the 2010 United States Census.

The island was called Minnehanonck by the Lenape and Varkens Eylandt (Hog Island) by New Netherlanders, and during the colonial era and later as Blackwell's Island. It was known as Welfare Island when it was used principally for hospitals, from 1921 to 1971. It was renamed Roosevelt Island in 1971 after Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Roosevelt Island is owned by the city but was leased to the state of New York's Urban Development Corporation for 99 years in 1969. Most of the residential buildings on Roosevelt Island are rental buildings. There is also a cooperative (Rivercross) and a condominium building (Riverwalk). One rental building (Eastwood) has left New York State's Mitchell-Lama Housing Program, though current residents are still protected. Three other buildings are now working toward privatization, including the cooperative.


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