What’s Happening
The Roosevelt Island Steam Plant was built in 1939 by Starrett & van Vleck — the architects behind Bloomingdale’s flagship and Saks Fifth Avenue. It served the island’s residents for 75 years before being decommissioned in 2014.
In January 2023, the Department of Buildings inspected the plant and ordered repairs. HPD — the agency responsible — never performed those repairs. They didn’t even apply for permits. For 18 months, they let the building deteriorate.
Then in July 2024, DOB suddenly ordered full demolition instead of repairs. No structural report has ever been shown to anyone explaining why.
The most telling fact: in November 2025, Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams publicly announced plans for “possible redevelopment of the defunct Roosevelt Island Steam Plant site.” If this were really about emergency safety, they wouldn’t be marketing it as a development opportunity.