Roosevelt Island, formerly known as Welfare Island, is a narrow island in the East River of New York City. It lies between the island of Manhattan to its west and the borough of Queens on Long Island to its east. Running from Manhattan's East 46th to East 85th streets, it is about two miles (3 km) long, with a maximum width of 800 feet (240 m), and a total area of 147 acres (0.6 km²). The island is part of the Borough of Manhattan and New York County. Together with Mill Rock Island, Roosevelt Island comprises New York County's Census Tract 238, which had a population of 9,520[1] and a land area of 0.722 km² (0.279 sq mi). [2] The land is owned by the city, but was leased to the State of New York's Urban Development Corporation for 99 years in 1969. Several of the residences on Roosevelt Island are cooperatives; at least one is considering privatization.
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