Chelsea Now, May 1, 2013 by Schneps Media

VOLUME 5, NUMBER 17

THE WEST SIDE’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

MAY 1 - 14, 2013

Deconstructing the Design of Hudson Yards

See Page 12 Photo courtesy of Related Companies

May 1 - 14, 2013

Your doctor retired to where? Photo courtesy of the artist

Architect and Chelsea resident James Khamsi, of FIRM a.d., designed three renderings offering different scenarios for turning a city-owned lot into a “pocket park.” This option depicts plans for a community gathering space and small children's playground.

Multiple Visions for a Vacant Lot

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April 30’s “Picture Your Park” event, held from 6-8pm at the sympathetic Lyons Wier Gallery (542 W. 24th St.), contemplated a variety of scenarios for turning the city-owned lot at 136 W. 20th St. into a quarter-acre “pocket park.” Nearly three years since Friends of 20th Street Park (20thstreetpark.org) launched their campaign, the city-owned lot, according to the group, “sits locked and empty — a shameful lost opportunity to bring desperately needed open and green space to the people of Chelsea.” At the event,

several design scenarios were offered up, and a 3-D design “Make Your Own Park” kiosk encouraged attendees to do just that. “Friends” representative Matt Weiss called the evening a “conversation-starting event, meant to spark creativity.” Elected officials will ultimately decide if the space becomes a respite for residents and families in the high-density neighborhood, or is used for much-needed affordable housing. Look for a full report on the free-flowing ideas and opinions that came out of “Picture Your Park,” in the next issue of Chelsea Now.

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May 1 - 14, 2013

City Law Department Says Mayor’s Office Ordered Porn Busts BY DUNCAN OSBORNE Material unearthed in a federal lawsuit brought by a gay man who charges he was falsely arrested for prostitution in a Manhattan porn shop in 2008 suggests the Bloomberg administration was actively involved in directing such prostitution arrests at that time. Police arrested at least 30 men for prostitution in at least six Manhattan porn shops in 2008. The arrests, widely seen as false arrests in the queer community, were used in nuisance abatement lawsuits brought by the police department or the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement that were intended to shut the porn shops down. Robert Pinter, 57, was among 12 men arrested in Blue Door Video, an East Village porn shop. He sued the city in 2009. With discovery in Pinter’s case “largely completed,” his lawyer said in court on April 18, he learned that a still unidentified staffer in the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement called police on the day of his arrest and instructed officers in the Manhattan South Vice Enforcement Squad to go to Blue Door and arrest someone. “Her office called the commanding officer of Manhattan South and asked to go to the Blue Door and asked them to get

an arrest,” said James I. Meyerson, Pinter’s attorney, referring to Shari C. Hyman, then the director of the office. “There is no question that they would not have gone to the Blue Door, but for that call.” Dara Olds, an attorney in the city’s Law Department who is defending the city, said in court that the call was made. “That phone call, we don’t contest, was made from the mayor’s office,” Olds said. In 2009, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the police department was in charge of the effort. The police pointed to taxpayer complaints about prostitution in the porn shops as the impetus for the arrests. Activists who have followed the controversy suspect that the arrests were a pretext and the goal was to produce arrests that could be used in the nuisance abatement lawsuits. Starting in the Giuliani administration, City Hall has had an ongoing effort to eradicate porn shops in Manhattan. The circumstances of the arrests added further fuel to activists’ suspicions. Most of the men were in their 30s, 40s or 50s, unlikely ages for prostitutes. They were approached by young men, who turned out to be undercover vice cops, who aggressively flirted with them. After the men

Continued on page 19

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May 1 - 14, 2013

Innovative Pier 57 Plan Approved BY EILEEN STUKANE With City Council approval, a plan by Young Woo & Associates (YWA) is set to transform Pier 57 from an abandoned eyesore to a cultural and creative destination. The hulking structure, which juts out from its position on the shoreline of the Hudson River Park, west of Route 9A at West 15th Street, is the focal point of a project which includes approximately 425,000 square feet of space alloted for food, fashion, pop-up and permanent retail, educational and cultural uses — along with a Tribeca Film Festival venue on the open-spaced rooftop park, a water taxi landing, a 141-slip marina and more than 100,000 square feet of public open space. The area’s rebirth, which has the blessing of Community Board 4 (CB4) and the Hudson River Park Trust (HRPT) has been a long time coming. Pier 57 is unusual in that it is not supported by wooden pilings, but by three giant concrete boxes (also called caissons). In 2003, John Doswell wrote about the 4 10 GFiat Aprilhistory Sell-Offof4CPier GCN Page 1 574/5/13 in our12:50 sisterPM publication, The Villager. In 1947, a fire that lasted two days destroyed the $5 million Pier 57. A few months after the smoke settled, it was time to rebuild the pier — but make it less flammable. Continued on page 5

Photo courtesy of GettyImages

Pier 57, just south of Chelsea Piers, is set to become a dynamic center for fashion, food, film and the arts.

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Pier 57 to be Reborn, Repurposed Continued from page 4 The idea for the concrete caissons came from the use of floating concrete breakwaters for the invasion of Normandy during World War II. The concrete caissons were constructed at a manmade lake next to the Hudson River in Haverstraw, New York. In 1952, they were floated downriver to be put in the place where they sit today, supporting Pier 57. The ceremony to reopen Pier 57 was held in December 1954. The Metropolitan Transit Authority used the pier as a bus garage and maintenance facility until 2003, when Pier 57 was officially vacated. Proposals to overhaul the pier were submitted to the HRPT as far back as 2004. According to Madelyn Wils, HRPT’s President and CEO, another RFP (Request for Proposal) was sent out around 2007. “Young Woo had a very creative concept, to do a creative urban retail site that would be a destination,” recalled Wils. “But [it was] unlike what one would consider your usual mall, and would draw on creating interesting urban experiences.” Wils cited as a draw, the YWA concept of repurposing ship containers as pop-up or concept shops, something YWA calls “Incuboxes,” which the firm created for Brooklyn’s DeKalb Market — a year-long venture that ended in October 2012 with the ship-container-shops transported away whole. Incuboxes are moveable and offer flexibility for walls. “This is a concept that has worked in London and other cities quite well and it seemed like a unique way of utilizing what could be a beautiful space when it’s rehabbed, and be a cool destination for the park,” she said. YWA won out over proposals from real estate developers Douglas Durst and Related. It is the innovative firm that developed the Sky Garage condo at 200 11th Avenue, where an elevator brings the driver’s car to a garage adjacent to the living space. Although representatives from YWA were not available to speak with Chelsea Now for this article, it was reported in the Daily News that the firm, which won the right to develop in 2009, was planning to invest “just under $200 million in the total project.” Environmental and zoning issues had to be addressed before the plan could move forward. Through the entity

Hudson Eagle LLC, YWA now has a 49 year lease with the HRPT, which will receive approximately $2 million a year from the project once Pier 57 is up and running. CB4 had its concerns readily accommodated by the HRPT and YWA, in the form of assurances that there will be no hotel, big box or chain stores on Pier 57. There will be a clear notice that the parking is “accessory parking only” and pedestrian walkways and traffic patterns will be adjusted when the project is completed. Pier 57 will also provide job opportunities for Chelsea residents, and the chance for Chelsea schools to collaborate with tenants of Pier 57 on arts projects. As Robert Benfatto, CB4 District Manager, says, “Where Pier 57 is located, across from Chelsea Market, I think makes it a good fit for the community.” He also points out that it is unlikely that any future changes would be made to the approved plans for Pier 57, since

Madelyn Wils sees Pier 57 as a way of creating connectivity through the Hudson Park from the Village into Chelsea.

changes would have to go through another protracted review process. Madelyn Wils sees Pier 57 as a way of creating connectivity through the Hudson Park from the Village into Chelsea. The Meatpacking District, situated where it is, somewhat separates the Village and Chelsea. “This [Pier 57] will be a great opportunity for connecting Chelsea with the neighborhood south of it, by creating a beautiful esplanade and bikeway,” says Wils. “As we work to connect the entire park together, this is one step forward.” Construction is scheduled to begin in October, with the estimated completion in 2015.

May 1 - 14, 2013

PS150 Parents Fight Effort to Evict School From Tribeca BY JOSH ROGERS April 7 was a happy day for Bettina Teodoro It was the Downtown Little League’s opening day, but more importantly, she read the letter accepting her 5-year-old son to her first choice elementary school, PS150 in Tribeca. “We were so excited we had a six-year plan,” she said. Like many parents, she was attracted to the small community of active parents at PS150. The school has just one class per grade. Not only did Teodoro think Henry had a secure spot, she knew that her 3-year-old daughter, as the sibling of a PS150 student, would be almost guaranteed a spot in the pre-K program in a year. She made sure to do two things the next day. She enrolled Henry in PS150, and then did something for someone she probably didn’t know: she gave up her spot in PS89 in Battery Park City. “We were told [holding both seats] wasn’t the right thing to do — we thought we’d save some agony for a family waiting for a spot,” she said. But last week her plans and many others were thrown for a loop. Principal Jenny Bonnet wrote an email to parents about a plan to move miles away to Chelsea for the 2014-5 school year. Teodoro went back to PS89 and now is 34th on the waiting list.

Photo by Jennifer Weisbord

PS150 families fight effort to evict school from Tribeca PS150 students chanted “save our school” Saturday at the Tribeca Film Festival’s family fair, which was near their entrance. The Dept. of Education has proposed moving the school to Chelsea.

The new school would be on the site of the former Foundling Hospital at 17th Street and Sixth Aveue. Parents and students already in the school are also upset. They painted “Save Our School” T-shirts and wore them for the student performance at the Tribeca Film Festival’s Family Festival Saturday. “By moving the school to a big building, you’re changing the foundation of what the school is all about,” said Jennifer Weisbord, a Tribeca mother. “We could’ve gone to PS234, we could’ve gone to PS11.” PS234, the Tribeca school always in high demand, this year has a wait list of 50. Weisbord said she considered PS11 in Chelsea because her daughter was accept-

ed to the gifted and talented program, She said the “small-knit community school” feeling close to her home is what makes the school so attractive. Bonnet wrote that the announcement came after a meeting between Superintendent Mariano Guzman and the School Leadership Team. She said it was “due to overcrowding issues in our downtown schools, questionable economic viability of a small school, concerns about professional development and lack of opportunity for collaboration for our teachers and expanded opportunities for our students…. “The Department of Education realizes

Continued on page 17

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Meet Two of Eight, New to CB4 BY SCOTT STIFFLER Long hours, no pay and a constantly expanding, complex universe of land use, transportation, landmark, license, permit, housing and quality of life issues that will impact urban living for decades to come — this is just the tip of what you’re in for when you sign up to serve on Community Board 4 (CB4). Literally. You have to sign up — by visiting the website of Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, then downloading an application, then going through an interview process during which you make your case to make an endless amount of lasting, strictly voluntary contributions to improve conditions on the street where you live. Eight enthusiastic locals recently got the BP’s thumbs up, and are now members of CB4. Over the next few issues of Chelsea Now, you’ll meet them and hear, in their own words, why they wanted to serve and what they hope to accomplish.

ERIC LATZKY

Photo by Stephen Greco

Photo by Jeremy Darty

Currently serving on the Chelsea Land Use and the Landmarks committees

Eric Latzky, on the High Line (at 18th St.).

Third generation Ambur Nicosia.

I’m a native New Yorker, born in Manhattan. I grew up in Riverdale and moved back into Manhattan when I was 15 years old. I’ve lived in West Chelsea for about four years now and prior to that, Downtown in various locations. This particular part of Manhattan has been a part of my life since childhood. My grandfather was a wholesale butcher who worked out of the Meat Market for 55 years (when I was growing up, it was called the Meat Market). I would go to work with him as boy, which was a special treat. The High Line was still operating as a freight rail. This part of Manhattan was a very different place — undeveloped and largely industrial… although by the 70s and 80s, a good deal of it was derelict or certainly underused. Years later, in the early 90s, I worked at The Kitchen, a performing arts center on 19th Street, between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues. At that point, it was still very desolate, although the art world was beginning to migrate to this part of Manhattan. Today, it’s very vibrant, having experienced an incredible renaissance over the last

10 to 15 years, perhaps a little longer. It’s wonderful to live here and be a part of that, but it also raises questions about further development of the area — and I think in the coming years, the final shape and disposition of this part of Manhattan will be determined. That’s why I became interested in joining CB4. I’ve just joined. So right now, I’m attending meetings, listening and spending my time learning about the state of development in the neighborhood. I’m particularly interested in historic preservation, in the context of progress.

with the LGBT organization we’ve started at Penn South, and I’m also on the parents committee. For me, CB4 is a meaningful way to remain active in the community. As a parent, making sure the neighborhood continues to be safe, stable and interesting becomes a

Chelsea

resident

powerful motivating factor, I want this to be a community my children are proud to inherit. We have an incredibly diverse population in this district, and that is our greatest strength. There’s a great deal of development happening in District 4 right now — and along with it, a really exciting opportunity to shape that development so we’re improving the quality of life for the residents, balanced with the long-term economic benefits. The Special West Chelsea District is a perfect example where the community board is trying to maintain some of the unique characteristics of the neighborhood, while supporting growth. I had read about that prior to applying, and I think they’ve done a great job with that balance. The Quality of Life Committee is something that’s near and dear to me. I’m interested in working on behalf of CB4 to see more partnerships between the local schools and the cultural institutions in the community. There’s a real opportunity there to build these sorts of channels. The issues being handled by the Waterfront, Parks and Environment Committee are also of interest to me. As a Chelsea native, I remember what those areas were like 10, 20, 30 years ago — and I think the community board, and locals, have done an absolutely amazing job of developing those areas, so they’re being utilized by the neighborhood. Who knew the piers would be family-friendly one day?

AMBUR NICOSIA

Currently serving on the Chelsea Land Use and the Quality of Life: ACES committees I am a native of Chelsea, third generation. Our granddaughter will be fourth generation (I have two daughters). I was raised in a family where advocacy is very important. As a tenant in Penn South, I’m a strong advocate of affordable housing. I’m involved

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editorial Scouts Earn Badge of Shame Perhaps after years of digging in their heels amidst mounting PR problems, the Boy Scouts of America thought they could garner some favorable press with the recent announcement that gay members would no longer be barred from their ranks. In late May, the 1,400 members of Scouting’s National Council will vote on a motion put forward by the group’s leadership stating, “No youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone.” Some frenzied critics, noting that a sizeable chunk of Scouting groups are sponsored by Catholic and Mormon congregations, warned of a catastrophe awaiting the organization. But whether or not a troop here or there loses its sponsor, it’s doubtful that a large number of Americans are troubled by the idea that gay kids will no longer be ostracized by the Scouts. However, the larger issue regarding gays and the BSA remains unresolved. And the message there may be more damaging to the psyches of gay youth than the policy being swept away. Openly gay men will continue to be barred from leadership positions in the Scouts. The implication couldn’t be clearer or uglier. The BSA is telling the parents of Scouts, “Your sons will be all right if there are gay fellow Scouts among them. But don’t worry, we’ll protect them from gay adults.” And that is exactly what they are saying as well to every gay boy who wants to join the Scouts. BSA officials, in fact, are making little effort to hide that motivation. Deron Smith, the group’s spokesperson, said the question of the role of gays in the Scouts is “among the most complex and challenging issues facing the BSA and society today.” Other Scouting officials around the country, however, pointed to surveys the BSA has conducted showing widespread unease about opening up the leadership ranks to gay men, suggesting the decision to continue the current policy on that question was an easy one. In explaining the “softened” position on gay youth joining the Scouts, the proposed May motion reads: “Youth are still developing, learning about themselves and who they are, developing their sense of right and wrong, and understanding their duty to God to live a moral life.” What’s more disturbing is the lead-up to the motion’s restatement that the BSA bars adult leaders “who are open or avowed homosexuals or who engage in behavior that would become a distraction to the mission of the BSA” A critical role played by Scout leaders, the motion explains, is in “teaching young people to make better choices over their lifetimes.” It’s all there in the motion that supposedly reflects progress in BSA thinking on gays. The “better choice” for youth is heterosexuality. The utter banality of the BSA’s position, however, becomes crystal clear when considering the example of Lucien and Pascal Tessier of Maryland, brothers who are both Scouts and gay. Before the BSA made its announcement, Lucien, 20, an Eagle Scout, was fighting to change Scouting’s policy after being told that Pascal, 16, his brother, would not be allowed to become an Eagle Scout if he said publicly that he, too, is gay. “I’m thrilled that under the proposed resolution, after years of service and dedication to the Boy Scouts, my brother would be eligible to earn his Eagle award,” said Lucien, whose initial effort to reform Scouting involved a petition drive on change. org. “But what I cannot understand is why the Boy Scouts of America believes that I’m not fit to lead my brother’s troop, even though I received the Boy Scouts’ highest honor just a few years ago. If a Scout has what it takes to earn his Eagle award, surely he has what it takes to serve as an adult leader.” A longer version of this editorial first ran in Gay City News, Chelsea Now’s sister paper.

letters to the editor Letter on NID needs clarification To The Editor: Re “NID is flawed, abuses law” (letter, by Nicole Vianna, April 17): I am an owner of a co-op in the proposed neighborhood improvement district (NID) for Hudson River Park and also serve proudly as co-chairperson of the NID Steering Committee and as vice chairperson of Friends of Hudson River Park. I would like to address some concerns raised by Nicole Vianna in her letter to the editor. First, the NID is required to provide a minimum of 60 percent of its budget directly to the Hudson River Park Trust on a yearly basis as stated in the NID district plan. The money will be allocated for approved maintenance and operations items in the Hudson River Park Trust’s budget. This budget is created and approved yearly through meetings that are open to the public. Moreover, the board of directors of the NID can audit the Trust on a yearly basis to account for the funds provided. Second, debt service would not take precedence over budget items. The 60 percent of funds that are dedicated to the Trust cannot be superseded by debt service — this money is guaranteed to the Trust on a yearly basis. The option to borrow is an ability many improvement districts have in order to efficiently pay for cost-intensive capital projects. The NID foresees very few projects (if any) that would require borrowing — a pedestrian bridge over the highway might be one such project. However, the debt service on any project will never diminish the money that will go for park maintenance and operations. Third, the NID will actually strengthen the opportunity for neighborhoods to determine how resources are used. The NID’s board of directors will be composed of members from your local neighborhood — residential and commercial owners, residential and commercial tenants and community board representatives. Board members will be voted on at annual, open meetings. Moreover, the NID’s scope of services has been designed not to duplicate or replace the work that local groups and associations are already doing. Improvement districts actually empower local organizations, residents, and businesses by providing the resources to accomplish projects they identify to be of local need. I encourage everyone to visit our website, HRPNID. org, for more information and to sign our petition in support of this very important project. Scott M. Lawin Lawin is co-chairperson, Hudson River Park Neighborhood Improvement District Steering Committee

Statue independence To The Editor: When it was announced that the Statue of Liberty would be reopened this July 4th, Sen. Schumer said it was the perfect day to reopen this symbol of America’s freedom and New York’s resiliency.

OOAK FAOCWE.NBEW SP PER S ON U A.N D SE EL D CH A k.com/ faceboo

And the Battery Park Conservancy has just announced its wonderful plans for Battery Park. None include the Sphere. This is understandable since it was always the plan — both official and by popular fiat — from early ’02 on to return the Sphere to the 9/11 memorial at the WTC. So let’s make it a double celebration. July 4th would also be the perfect day to bring home to the National September 11 Memorial at the World Trade Center that other symbol of America’s freedom and New York’s resiliency: the iconic WTC Sphere. Nothing is preventing that but the intransigence of the Memorial Foundation, which gives not a hoot about the Sphere, but evidently also cares nothing for Battery Park, the conservancy plans and what Downtown residents need and want. Michael Burke Michael Burke is the brother of Captain William F. Burke, Jr., a firefighter with Engine Company 21 who was killed in the September 11 attacks.

Wils/Bergman plan too slow To The Editor: It is not feasible to build housing on Pier 40 and that concept has been abandoned. The Wils/Bergman plan is to build housing in the park west of Pier 40. Building housing in parks is an excellent idea for developers. Unfortunately, by the time the Hudson River Park Act is amended, the project plan is amended, the zoning is changed and the three public processes these entail are complete, it will be too late for Pier 40. Douglas Durst E-mail letters, not longer than 250 words in length, to scott@chelseanow.com or fax to 212-229-2790 or mail to Chelsea Now, Letters to the Editor, 515 Canal St., Suite 1C, NY, NY 10013. Please include phone number for confirmation purposes. Chelsea Now reserves the right to edit letters for space, grammar, clarity and libel. Chelsea Now does not publish anonymous letters.

Reader Comments From chelseanow.com Re “At Public Forum, Little New on USPS Plans for Old Chelsea Station” (news, April 17): It’s up to us to continue the fight. Letters must be sent, along with post cards. USPS owns the building. That is the key to saving the services in the neighborhood and monies for the USPS, unless another deal has been made. We all know real estate rules Manhattan. So, let’s not lose this one. Barbara

US FOLLOW NowNYC a e @Chels

P T SIGN U E-BLAS om U O R ott at scRott@chelseanow.c FO ail Sc Em

May 1 - 14, 2013

Community Contacts To be listed, email info to scott@chelseanow.com. COMMUNITY BOARD 4 (CB4) CB4 serves Manhattan’s West Side neighborhoods of Chelsea and Clinton/Hell’s Kitchen. Its boundaries are 14th St. on the south, 59/60th St. on the north, the Hudson River on the west, 6th Ave. on the east (south of 26th St.) and 8th Ave. on the east (north of 26th St.). The board meeting, open to the public, is the first Wednesday of the month. The next meeting is Wed., June 5, 6:30pm, at Fulton Auditorium (119 9th Ave., btw. 17th & 18th Sts.). Call 212-736-4536, visit nyc.gov/mcb4 or email them at info@manhattancb4.org. COMMUNITY BOARD 5 (CB5) CB5 represents the central business district of New York City. It includes midtown Manhattan, the Fashion, Flower, Flatiron and Diamond districts, as well as Bryant Park and Union Square Park. The district is at the center of New York’s tourism industry. The Theatre District, Times Square, Carnegie Hall, the Empire State Building and two of the region’s transportation hubs (Grand Central Station and Penn Station) fall within CB5. The board meeting, open to the public, happens on the second Thursday of the month. The next meeting is Thurs., May 9, 6pm, at Xavier High School (30 W. 16th St., btw. 5th and 6th Aves., 2nd fl.). Call 212-465-0907, visit cb5.org or email them at office@cb5.org. THE 300 WEST 23RD, 22ND & 21ST STREETS BLOCK ASSOCIATION Contact them at 300westblockassoc@prodigy.net. THE WEST 400 BLOCK ASSOCIATION Contact them at w400ba@gmail.com.

CHELSEA GARDEN CLUB Chelsea Garden Club cares for the bike lane tree pits in Chelsea. If you want to adopt a tree pit or join the group, please contact them at cgc.nyc@gmail.com or like them on Facebook. Also visit chelseagardenclub.blogspot.com. LOWER CHELSEA ALLIANCE (LoCal) This group is committed to protecting the residential blocks of Chelsea from overscale development. Contact them at LowerChelseaAlliance@gmail.com. THE GREENWICH VILLAGE-CHELSEA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Call 212-337-5912 or visit villagechelsea.com. THE MEATPACKING DISTRICT INITIATIVE Visit meatpacking-district.com or call 212-633-0185. PENN SOUTH The Penn South Program for Seniors provides recreation, education and social services — and welcomes volunteers. For info, call 212-2433670 or visit pennsouthlive.com. THE BOWERY RESIDENTS’ COMMITTEE: HOMELESS HELPLINE If you know of anyone who is in need of their services, call the Homeless Helpline at 212-533-5151, and the BRC will send someone to make contact. This number is staffed by outreach team leaders 24 hours a day. Callers may remain anonymous. For more info, visit brc.org. THE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL & TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY CENTER At 208 W. 13th St. (btw. 7th & 8th Aves.). Visit gaycenter.org or call 212620-7310. GAY MEN’S HEALTH CRISIS (GMHC) At 446 W. 33rd St. btw. 9th & 10th Aves. Visit gmhc.org. Call 212-367-1000.

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Member of the National Newspaper Association Chelsea Now is published biweekly by NYC Community Media LLC, 515 Canal St., Unit 1C, New York, NY 10013. (212) 229-1890. Annual subscription by mail in Manhattan and Brooklyn $75. Single copy price at office and newsstands is 50 cents. The entire contents of newspaper, including advertising, are copyrighted and no part may be reproduced without the express permission of the publisher - © 2010 NYC Community Media LLC, Postmaster: Send address changes to Chelsea Now, 145 Sixth Ave., First Fl., New York, N.Y. 10013.

PUBLISHER’S LIABILITY FOR ERROR

The Publisher shall not be liable for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement. The publisher’s liability for other errors or omissions in connection with an advertisement is strictly limited to publication of the advertisement in any subsequent issue.

HUDSON GUILD Founded in 1895, Hudson Guild is a multi-service, multi-generational community serving approximately 14,000 people annually with daycare, hot meals for senior citizens, low-cost professional counseling, community arts programs and recreational programming for teens. Visit them at hudsonguild.org. Email them at info@ hudsonguild.org. For the John Lovejoy Elliott Center (441 W. 26th St.), call 212-760-9800. For the Children’s Center (459 W. 26th St.), call 212-7609830. For the Education Center (447 W. 25th St.), call 212-760-9843. For the Fulton Center for Adult Services (119 9th Ave.), call 212-924-6710. THE CARTER BURDEN CENTER FOR THE AGING This organization promotes the wellbeing of individuals 60 and older through direct social services and volunteer programs oriented to individual, family and community needs. Call 212-879-7400 or visit burdencenter.org. FULTON YOUTH OF THE FUTURE Email them at fultonyouth@gmail. com or contact Miguel Acevedo, 646-671-0310. WEST SIDE NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE Visit westsidenyc.org or call 212956-2573. Email them at wsna@ hcc-nyc.org. CHELSEA COALITION ON HOUSING Tenant assistance every Thursday night at 7pm, at Hudson Guild (119 9th Ave.). Email them at chelseacoalition.cch@gmail.com. FRIENDS OF HUDSON RIVER PARK Visit fohrp.org or call 212-757-0981. HUDSON RIVER PARK TRUST Visit hudsonriverpark.org or call 212627-2020. SAVE CHELSEA Contact them at savechelseanyc@ gmail.com.

PUBLISHER Jennifer Goodstein ASSOCIATE EDITOR / ARTS EDITOR Scott Stiffler REPORTERS Lincoln Anderson EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS

Sean Egan Maeve Gately Kaitlyn Meade

PUBLISHER EMERITUS John W. Sutter

SR. V.P. OF SALES AND MARKETING Francesco Regini RETAIL AD MANAGER Colin Gregory ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Allison Greaker Julius Harrison Alex Morris Julio Tumbaco

CITY COUNCIL SPEAKER CHRISTINE QUINN Call 212-564-7757 or visit council.nyc. gov/d3/html/members/home.shtml. STATE SENATOR BRAD HOYLMAN Call 212-633-8052 or visit bradhoylman.com. CHELSEA REFORM DEMOCRATIC CLUB The CRDC (the home club of City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Assemblymember Richard N. Gottfried) meets monthly to exchange political ideas on protecting the rights and improving the lives of those residing in Chelsea. Visit crdcnyc.org or email them at info@crdcnyc.org. THE SAGE CENTER New York City’s first LGBT senior center offers hot meals, counseling and a cyber-center — as well as programs on arts and culture, fitness, nutrition, health and wellness. At 305 Seventh Ave. (15th floor, btw. 27th & 28th Sts.). Call 646-576-8669 or visit sageusa.org/ thesagecenter for menus and a calendar of programs. At 147 W. 24th St. (btw. 6th & 7th Aves.) THE SYLVIA RIVERA LAW PROJECT

works to guarantee that all people are free to self-determine their gender identity and expression without facing harassment, discrimination or violence. Visit srlp.org.

FIERCE (Fabulous Independent Educated

Radicals for Community Empowerment) builds the leadership and power of bisexual, transgender and queer youth of color in NYC. Visit fiercenyc.org.

QUEERS FOR ECONOMIC JUSTICE is a progressive organization committed to promoting economic justice in a context of sexual and gender liberation. Visit q4ej.org. THE AUDRE LORDE PROJECT is a les-

bian, gay, bisexual, two spirit, trans and gender non-conforming people of color center for community organizing. Visit alp.org.

ART / PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Troy Masters SENIOR DESIGNER Michael Shirey GRAPHIC DESIGNER Arnold Rozon CIRCULATION SALES MNGR. Marvin Rock DISTRIBUTION & CIRCULATION Cheryl Williamson

CONTRIBUTORS Ryan Buxton Martin Denton Lakshmi Gandhi Terese Loeb Kreuzer Kaitlyn Meade Duncan Osborne Paul Schindler PHOTOGRAPHERS Milo Hess J. B. Nicholas Jefferson Siegel

May 1 - 14, 2013

Police BLOTTER Grand Larceny: That SUV was no livery

Grand Larceny: Photo snap set him off

Lack of a yellow cab’s “on duty” light, and perhaps a few drinks, may have been behind a nightclub patron’s unwise decision to enter what she thought was a livery cab — after a night of West Chelsea partying. The incident happened at around 3am on Sat., April 4, when the young woman entered a black SUV parked at 335 W. 16th St., then stated to the driver that she wanted to go Uptown. At that point, a male (with a Russian accent) who was sitting in the back seat took the victim’s Chanel black leather purse from underneath her right arm. When the vehicle stopped, on the southeast corner of W. 18th St. & 7th Ave., the woman made a run for it — and the vehicle continued southbound. In describing the event to police, the victim noted that the driver and the man in the back seat seemed to know each other. She also noted that before she could cancel her debit card, it had been used for a $40 and an $80 transaction. Among the other stolen items in her purse: an iPhone 4S valued at $200, $100 worth of makeup and, strangely, a Cartier gold wedding band valued at $1,800.

This crazed cabbie managed to be lewd, rude, grabby and punchy — all without even getting behind the wheel. On Sun., April 21, at around 5:30pm, a woman was walking with her daughter — and spotted the man standing beside his cab, in public view, urinating into a bottle. Taking care of his business in this manner left his business end exposed, and the woman took a photo with her cell phone for some caught-in-the-act proof. The cab driver then demanded the photo — grabbing the woman from behind, in a bear hug, and attempting to remove the phone from her front right pocket. When the daughter intervened, she was punched in her face and had her left arm grabbed (causing swelling and bruising to the face, and swelling to the arm). Uniformed officers, responding to the scene (in front of 214 W. 29th St.), arrested the 52-year-old hack.

Petty Larceny: Rack up another bike swipe While the victim was shopping for groceries, others were checking “steal $350

black Diamondback bike” off of their weekend to-do list. At least the victim did everything he could to prevent the theft — including walking into the 10th Precinct to report the crime, which took place somewhere between 3pm and 3:15pm (while he was shopping at Whole Foods, his bike was locked to a nearby bike rack, at 250 7th Ave.). Upon exiting the store, he discovered that the lock was cut and the bike was gone.

Petty Larceny: Phone left to fend for itself Quick thinking came a bit too late for the victim whose $500 iPhone was stolen from a table at Electric Room (355 W. 16th St.). While enjoying a bit of early morning Chelsea nightlife, the forgetful Floridian left her phone on a table (and out of her sight) for 30 minutes. Upon returning to the table at around 3am on Fri., April 19, a sudden (albeit too-late) bout of competence inspired her to speak directly to the manager, ask if video footage was available, contact her carrier to cancel service and attempt to locate the phone’s whereabouts (a noble effort that failed, due to the fact that the phone had been powered off, presumably by its new “owner”).

CASH FOR GUNS $100 cash will be given (no questions asked) for each handgun, assault weapon or sawed-off shotgun, up to a maximum payment of $300. Guns are accepted at any Police Precinct, PSA or Transit District.

CRIME STOPPERS If you have info regarding a crime committed or a wanted person, call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS, text “TIP577” (plus your message) to “CRIMES” (274637) or submit a tip online at nypdcrimestoppers.com.

Grand Larceny: Outdoor seating scam back on the streets With warmer weather comes the return of a classic theft technique that relies on your carelessness while dining al fresco. That heads up comes too late for the customer who was sitting outside of Le Pain Quotidien (52 9th Ave.) at around 4:30pm on Fri., April 19. The woman had placed her pocketbook and jacket on her chair. Back turned, a man sat right behind her, and seemingly bumped into the chair by accident. A short time later, the victim discovered her bag was on the ground, and her wallet was gone (along with $40 cash, a monthly MTA pass, her driver’s license and a credit card which was cancelled before it could be used).

—Scott Stiffler

THE 10th PRECINCT Located at 230 W. 20th St. (btw. 7th & 8th Aves.). Deputy Inspector: Elisa Cokkinos. Main number: 212741-8211. Community Affairs: 212-741-8226. Crime Prevention: 212-741-8226. Domestic Violence: 212-741-8216. Youth Officer: 212741-8211. Auxiliary Coordinator: 212-741-8210. Detective Squad: 212-741-8245. The Community Council meeting, open to the public, takes place at 7pm on the last Wed. of the month.

THE 13th PRECINCT Located at 230 E. 21st St. (btw. 2nd & 3rd Aves.). Deputy Inspector: Ted Bernsted. Call 212-477-7411. Community Affairs: 212-477-7427. Crime Prevention: 212-477-7427. Domestic Violence: 212-477-3863. Youth Officer: 212-477-7411. Auxiliary Coordinator: 212-4774380. Detective Squad: 212-4777444. The Community Council meeting takes place at 6:30pm on the third Tues. of the month.

now

Chelsea www.chelseanow.com

May 1 - 14, 2013

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

BY SCOTT STIFFLER

ANNUAL COMMUNITY STOOP SALE

Photo by Andra Gabrielle

Is it that time already? Every year, just as the darling buds of May begin to do their thing, we find ourselves knocking those cookie cutter, block-hogging street fairs — and instead singing the praises of a Community Stoop Sale, sponsored by the 300 West 23rd, 22nd, 21st and 20th Streets Block Association. With its “no commercial vendors, no food or large furniture” policy, you can walk the streets (well, the sidewalks, actually) secure in the knowledge that what this annual event lacks in funnel cake concessions, it more than makes up for in camaraderie and eclectic treasures. It’s even good for one’s career. Last year, the gentleman in the photo and his daughter, Silvia,

made a few purchases — and now Brad Hoylman is our New York State Senator. Coincidence? Difficult to say…although Melanie LaRocca, in the yellow scarf, is taking no chances. Thrilled with the poster she purchased from Hilda Reiger in 2012, LaRocca (Speaker Quinn’s savvy District Office Chief of Staff) has already checked in with event organizers to verify the start time, so as to minimize the “you snooze, you lose” risk factor. The quest for books, toys, clothes and all manner of small items begins at 11am and lasts until 4pm, on Saturday, May 4 (rain date May 5) — on 22nd Street, from Seventh to Tenth Avenues, and on the West 400 blocks of 21st and 23rd Streets. For info: 300westblockassoc@prodigy.net.

WEST CHELSEA ARTISTS OPEN STUDIOS

Photo by Scotto Mycklebust

David Hales’s studio, at 526 W. 26th St., Studio 717.

Dozens of West Chelsea artists who operate out of private studios are opening their doors, and inviting the public to step inside — then look, learn and linger at their own pace. The unique open format of this art walk encourages dialogue between artists and enthusiasts, allowing visitors to gain first-hand knowledge about the creative process (and pick up some bargains right off the walls). “This year,” says organizer Scotto Mycklebust, “we are able to take the event to a new level with the addition of Westbeth Artist Housing opening their studios to the public and potential buyers.” Located at 55 Bethune Street (mere blocks from the beginning of the High Line, at Ganesvoort St., south of 14th St.), Westbeth Housing is the perfect point at which to start your free, self-guided tour. Or, begin at the other end — by picking up a map at the West Chelsea Arts Building (526 W. 26th St., btw 10th & 11th Aves.). To preview the participating artists, and custom-make your own tour, visit westchelseaartists.com.

Photo by Scotto Mycklebust

Adrienne Leban’s studio, at 278 W. 25th St., 2nd floor.

HUDSON RIVER PARK’S PIER 84 REOPENS

Photo courtesy of Hudson River Park

During Superstorm Sandy, its western edge pavers buckled — and ever since, Hudson River Park has been buckling down to ensure that 44th Street’s Pier 84 would be back in shape for the spring and summer season. Now officially open, this tranquil, recreation-ready Hell’s Kitchen oasis is once again offering a variety of rowing and boatbuilding programs (through Floating the Apple), as well as opportunities for people to use the dock for launching small human-powered, hand-carried boats. Before long, Pier 84 will be home to three immensely popular signature events (RiverRocks concerts, the MoonDance series and the Blues BBQ Festival). For now, though, stop by to enjoy the cool breeze against your face, take a Water Taxi ride, give Fido his workout at the Dog Run, let the kids run wild at the Children’s Play Area or fortify yourself at P.D. O’Hurley’s restaurant. Visit hudsonriverpark.org or call 212-627-2121 for the sweet lowdown on these and other Pier 84 activities.

Photo courtesy of Hudson River Park

May 1 - 14, 2013

Exhibit, Speakers Detail the Grand Design of Hudson Yards BY SCOTT SITFFLER “This is going to be the Gold Coast for the city,” said Mayor Michael Bloomberg at a December 4, 2012 public unveiling of the Hudson Yards development — where he also dubbed it “Manhattan’s final frontier” (and has since called it New York City’s “Next Great Neighborhood”). Such grand and confident predictions, in this case at least, are hardly the stuff of hyperbole. When complete, the 26-acre site will accommodate over 13 million square feet — including more than 6 million square feet of commercial space, 750,000 square feet of destination retail space, cinemas, specialty restaurants, markets and bars, with 14 acres of new open spaces and parks. It will also be home to approximately 5,000 residences, a new school and a luxury hotel. The 1.7 million square foot South Tower (currently under construction, slated to open in 2015) will be the world headquarters of Coach, Inc. If those raw numbers seem difficult to fathom, imagine being tasked with the challenge of coming up with a plan of action to take Hudson Yards from a hole in the ground to a gleaming forest of towering structures. Others have, of course — and now they’re pulling the curtain back. “Design(in) The New Heart of New York” is a two-month exhibit revealing the art behind the architecture. An eight-week speaker series will com-

Manhattan’s west side (with a focus on the creation of the High Line and Hudson River Park). The lecture series concludes on June 25, when Elizabeth Diller, Principal at Diller Scofidio + Renfro, joins David Rockwell, President of the Rockwell Group, to discuss the conceptual and technical development of the 72-story Hudson Yards residential tower.

Images courtesy of Related Companies

plement the exhibit, offering visitors the chance to hear directly from (and interact with) architects, designers, civic leaders, developers and city partners. Included in the speaker series: On May 16, prominent architectural writer Joseph Giovannini and Bill Pedersen,

founding design partner of Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF), will discuss the evolution of the urban, high-rise commercial office building (at Hudson Yards and around the world). On May 30, David Childs, FAIA, Consulting Design Partner at Skidmore Owings & Merrill, talks about the complexities of designing a mixed-use building in a mixed-use development. On June 11, Holly Leicht, Executive Director of New Yorkers for Parks, joins Matthew Johnson, Senior Associate at Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Lisa Switkin, Associate Partner at James Corner Field Operations, Peter Mullan, Vice President for Planning & Design at Friends of the High Line and Matthew Urbanski, Principal at Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates for a discussion about the evolution of parks on

The exhibit, which runs from May 1 through June 30 at the American Institute of Architects, New York Center for Architecture (536 LaGuardia Place, btw. Bleecker St. & W. 3rd St.), will feature never-before-seen architecture and design elements. To commemorate the opening of the exhibit, Open House New York will host two guided tours of the exhibit on Saturday, May 4. The first 5,000 visitors to the exhibit (and other Hudson Yards AIA events) will receive a “Build our Own Hudson Yards” postcard set designed by world-renowned paper engineer Keisuke Saka. For more information, visit hudsonyardsnewyork.com, aiany.org and nycdesign.com.

May 1 - 14, 2013

A Visit to the Thames River Barrier

When raised by the yellow cranes, 10 steel gates protect 125 square kilometers of central London from flooding caused by tidal surges.

Bob Trentlyon, left, with Martin Earlam (chief engineer on the Thames River Barrier), in the control house for one of the 10 barriers.

Manhattan Chamber of Commerce LGBT-2-B Committee Presents…

Funding Your Business Ambition

This sign is part of a continuing educational campaign run by the London Environment Agency (environment-agency.gov.uk/flood).

BY BOB TRENTLYON I was fortunate to visit the Thames River Barrier last month. My family and I were the visiting party and Martin Earlam, Chief Engineer of the Thames River Barrier, was our guide for a two-hour tour. The Barrier was created in response to a natural disaster. In 1953, there was severe flooding in the Thames Estuary, resulting in the drowning deaths of over 300 people. Twenty years later, after studying of multiple possibilities, the Thames River Barrier at Woolwich Reach, east of Central London, commenced. It took eight years to build the 10 barriers across the river. During that same period, the banks of the river were raised substantially. The cost of building the barriers was shared. The national government paid 75 percent, and Greater London paid 25 percent. I asked Earlam what the cost benefit/risk factor was. He said that it was $1 billion cost benefit, with a risk factor of $164 billion.

When I asked him whether there were other barriers of a similar nature, he said that both South Korea and Germany have used the same design (a “Rising Sector Gate”) for water control. Parliament has also passed a law providing sea walls can be raised whenever there is the need. There is now a 100-year plan. Calculations have been made to estimate how high the water level will rise in a set period. The British engineers will build to the needed height, which is expected to be needed around 2050. As for the Thames Barriers currently in place, every fortnight a different barrier is examined to make sure it is working properly. Quick simultaneous examination of all 10 barriers is done monthly, with a thorough test done annually. London got its storm surge barriers in 1983. New York City is now 30 years behind London, and our problem is infinitely greater and our population is much more in harm’s way. We have to act now!

Looking to raise capital to expand your business? Are you aware of all your options? Join Manhattan Chamber of Commerce on May 23rd for the final program of its Business Accelerator Series and network over cocktails as a panel of specialists and experienced business owners discuss the factors affecting capital raising such as: • • •

The JOBs Act and the new rules on private offerings Debt financing, venture capital and angel investors Crowd funding and public offerings

WHEN:

Thursday, May 23, 2013 6:00pm –8:00pm (Panel discussion and Q&A @6:30pm)

WHERE:

Morgan Stanley 1585 Broadway (4th Floor Auditorium) @ Times Square, NYC

RSVP:

Email events@manhattancc.org, call 212-473-7875 or visit http://bit.ly/17ZR29U

COST:

Free for Manhattan Chamber of Commerce and StartOut members $15 for non-members

May 1 - 14, 2013

At Visiting Neighbors Street Fair, Talent is Ageless

Photos courtesy of Visiting Neighbors

Second Place winner Jim Porter throws Mardi Gras trinkets to the crowd.

BY LAURA SCHARF Director of Community Visiting Neighbors, Inc.

Development,

Competition was fierce on at Visiting Neighbors’ 19th Annual Senior Talent Show — the highlight of the Chelsea Day Festival (held on Eighth Avenue, from 14th to 23rd Streets on Saturday, April 27). Enthusiastic onlookers of all ages cheered for their favorite performers — some of whom flirted shamelessly with the judges, who had the difficult task of picking the winners. The talented performers ranged in age from their late seventies to their nineties. Dr. Cynthia Maurer, Visiting Neighbors’ Executive Director, said, “To us, all of the performers are winners. Their exuberance and positive attitudes inspire all of us.”

The Ban Lon Chinese Dancers win First Prize for their traditional Blossom Dance.

Visiting Neighbors, a non-profit community agency that provides support services that help seniors in lower Manhattan stay independent, began the Senior Talent Show 19 years ago as a way to help promote a positive image of aging. “Too many people think of elderly people as needy, rather than marveling at how much we can learn from them,” says Dr. Maurer. “We’ve had performers well into their nineties get up on stage and amaze the audience. And believe me, New York audiences can be tough!” First Prize this year went to The Ban Lon Chinese Dancers who performed a traditional “Blossom” dance. In their light blue costumes, the graceful dancers looked like blue flowers waving in a field. Second Prize went to Jim Porter, who

The gang’s all here: performers gather on stage for the grand finale.

won top honors in last year’s competition for his amazing tap dancing skills. This year, he chose a Mardi Gras theme. He danced to recorded zydeco music, as he played a traditional New Orleans rubboard. Audience members from toddlers to seniors clamored to catch the Mardi Gras trinkets he threw to the audience. Among the crowd’s favorites were belly dancer Julia Piters and salsa dancers Maria Corea and Gloria Ortiz (all in colorful costumes). The lively rhythms and talented dancers inspired several audience members to dance along from their places on the street. For a grand finale, all of the performers came back onstage and led the audience in singing “You Are My Sunshine.” The Senior Talent Show was sponsored by The NYC Dept. for the Aging - Aging

in New York Fund, McDonald’s (682 Sixth Avenue), Chase Manhattan Bank, Con Edison and the Chelsea Reform Democratic Club. Refreshments for the performers were provided by Starbucks, Murray’s Bagels and Chipotle Mexican Grill. Visiting Neighbors’ services are open to anyone 60 and older, living from 30th Street south to the tip of Manhattan. Services include friendly visiting to relieve isolation and loneliness, help with shopping and errands, escorts to medical appointments, health advocacy and referrals to needed services. No fees are charged for services, but contributions are welcome. For more information about Visiting Neighbors’ services, or to become a volunteer, call 212-260-6200 or visit website at visitingneighbors.org.

Enthusiastic crowds cheer for the performers.

May 1 - 14, 2013

99 Cents Creation Returns to Chelsea After 14 years in Chelsea, a handwritten sign behind the front counter of 99 Cents Creation read, “We’re deeply sorry to close this store.” High rent (and two years of operating month-to-month without a lease) meant the end of reasonably priced batteries, garbage bags, toiletries, kitchenware and hundreds of other essentials. But there was a ray of hope: “We’ll keep fighting,” the sign vowed, to return “to this neighborhood we love.” Two months later, an “Available Space” sign is the only thing occupying its former home on 23rd St. (btw. 7th & 8th Aves.). A few blocks away, however, “Creation” is back in business — with the same friendly staff, an expanded selection of bargains and a Grand Opening sale lasting through May 31. Stop by to see the new store (with higher ceilings and wider aisles than the old place), at 149 W. 24th St. (btw. 6th & 7th Aves.). For info, call 212-627-2983.

presents

BRINGING COMMUNITY BUSINESS DOWNTOWN Photo by Scott Stifﬂer

Tuesday, May 07, 2013, 6 - 8 pm

Back in business: 99 Cents Creation owner Afsar Khan, left, and essential employee Diamon.

JOIN US AND “TOOT YOUR OWN HORN” AT

205 Hudson Street (corner of Hudson and Canal)

Funds raised at “From Farm to Tray” will help provide nutritious meals to those in need.

Chefs Cook up Benefit for Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen The Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, the city’s largest emergency food program, will soon be entering its busy summer season — when children and families join the ranks of those seeking a nutritious meal. To help meet this need, some of New York’s top chefs will lend their talents to “From Farm to Tray.” Taking place in the beautiful sanctuary of the landmark Holy Apostles Church (where the soup kitchen serves its daily meals), this benefit gala offers a tasting menu of food and beverages from ingredients sourced within a 100-mile radius. The featured chefs include Colt

Taylor (One If By Land, Two If By Sea), Kurt Kretschmar (Cocktail Caterers) and Preston Madson & Ginger Pierce (Freemans, Peels & Isa). Thurs. May 16, at the Church of the Holy Apostles, (296 Ninth Ave., at 28th St.). Tickets to the gala (7-9pm) are $150. For $250, a VIP Gold Tray ticket gets you admission to the gala and a 6-7pm VIP Reception. For $500, a Platinum Tray Supporter ticket gets you VIP and gala admission, plus photo ops with the featured chefs. For reservations and info, call 212-924-0167 or visit farmtotray.org.

Come sample delicious amazing flatbreads! Drink specials on selected beer $4 & wine $5

Space is Limited! Please reserve at rsvp@downtownexpress.com BCBD Regularly Schedules Networking Events to Help Increase Your Business Downtown

May 1 - 14, 2013

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The complete offering terms are in an offering plan available from sponsor: File No. CD 06-0209. Sponsor: RDO 225 Rector Place, LLC. Equal Housing Opportunity.

May 1 - 14, 2013

Photo by Milo Hess

PS150 Fights Move to Chelsea Continued from page 6 that this will be an unexpected inconvenience and shock for many of you.” The agency has pledged to maintain the kindergarten space in Lower Manhattan, but Tricia Joyce, and other Downtown school advocates say the expected decision has exacerbated the overcrowding problem because many PS150 families are trying to find space in the other Lower Manhattan schools. The school, which has seven classrooms from pre-K – 5, could possibly serve as a pre-K center, which would open up space in PS89, 276, Spruce Street School and Peck Slip School. It could also “incubate” a new school if space were found elsewhere Downtown, but no final plan has been set. Superintendent Guzman has cited two main reasons for the proposed move, said Joyce and Paul Hovitz, respectively the chairperson and co-chairperson of Community Board 1’s Youth and Education committee. One reason is the city’s concern about the high cost of paying a principal’s salary for a school with only about 190 students. The other is worry about the new standardized tests based on a new curriculum, according to Hovitz and Joyce, who have discussed the matter with Guzman. The city plan is to have each teacher in a grade get training in one aspect of the new curriculum, and then share the info with his or her colleagues in the same grade. PS150 does not fit that model. Guzman met with parents Tuesday night at a meeting closed to the press. Buxton Midyette, who organized the t-shirt campaign, said “a lot of the issues he raised we are already dealing with,” citing a recent change in the math cur-

riculum. Midyette said he was hopeful after the meeting because it seemed like Guzman was listening to parent concerns. He said a dramatic moment that may have turned the tide at the beginning was when PTA leader Wendy Chapman asked how many parents planned to transfer to a neighborhood school. “Every hand in the room went up,” said Midyette. One hand that was not in the room was Adrienne Lytton, a Battery Park City mom, who is now busy house hunting in the suburbs. She said PS150’s smallness would have kept her in the city. Her son got a PS150 kindergarten slot, and she was hoping her daughter would attend as well, but the announcement’s timing is prompting her family to move. “They take something special,” she said, “and they try to destroy it.”

is out galavanting on vacation But Fear Not! She will be back in our next issue!

May 1 - 14, 2013

Special Enforcement Unit Directed Arrest Continued from page 3 agreed to consensual sex, the undercover cops said they would pay for the sex. The men were then arrested for prostitution. Eight of the 12 men arrested in Blue Door were between the ages of 42 and 54. Some of the arrests appeared ridiculous. Four of the men arrested in Blue Door were from out of state, from as far away as California and Virginia. Two men were a couple, 37 and 44, who traveled to New York City from Europe and were staying in the Astor on the Park Hotel on Central Park West. Allegedly, they agreed to accept $20 each for anal sex. Other facts in the Blue Door nuisance abatement lawsuit suggest that the special enforcement office was directing the work of the police. The shop was temporarily closed in June 2008 after police made 10 prostitution arrests there. To reopen, the owner agreed to pay hefty fines and to bar “lewdness, assignation, or prostitution” in the shop, according to an agreement he signed with the city. Assignation could be two men meeting in the shop and agreeing to have sex elsewhere, an entirely legal activity. In August of that year, an undercover officer reported looking through a glory hole in a buddy booth in the shop and seeing two men engaging in oral sex. He did not make an arrest. When that same officer later solicited one of those two men, the man said, “No, I don’t want your money, only your body.” The activities observed by the officer violated the agreement Blue Door inked with the city, so the undercover’s report of those occurrences suggest that officers were instructed by the special enforcement office to look for and document such violations. In 2011, a federal appeals panel eliminated some of the defendants named in Pinter’s lawsuit and some of his claims. He is now pursuing multiple claims, including excessive force resulting from his being handcuffed for three hours following his arrest and malicious prosecution stemming from the phone call that led to his arrest.

Photo courtesy of Robert Pinter

Robert Pinter, left, with his attorneys Jeffrey A. Rothman and James I. Meyerson outside the US District Court on Pearl Street in Manhattan.

The city’s position in court was that Blue Door’s owner could complain that the phone call led to harm because the act was directed against the shop, but that Pinter could not because the instruction was not to arrest him specifically. “I don’t think there is any evidence of malicious prosecution with respect to his

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May 1 - 14, 2013

chelsea: arts & ENTERTAINMENT Cumming’s ‘Macbeth’ Not Quite Worth Going To This Scottish play is a bunny on the run

And why does our Macbeth now have mimed sexual intercourse with his hospital bed? The last person I saw doing that was Lenny Bruce, a somewhat different cup of tea. Adding it all up, when Macbeth informs his lady: “I have done the deed,” you could fool me. Let him go play with his voices, and his dog-trots and the doll that is his son in its oldfashioned, full-length nightgown. Not murder a monarch. What is lost, or buried, or subsumed is the greatness and the fierceness and the immortality of the language, from “Who would have thought the old man had so much blood in him” to “She should have died hereafter” to:

THEATER MACBETH

Written by William Shakespeare Directed by John Tiffany & Andrew Goldberg Through June 30 At the Ethel Barrymore Theatre 243 West 47th St. (btw. Broadway & Eighth Ave.) Mon., Tues., Thurs. at 7pm Fri. & Sat. at 8 pm Sun. at 3pm For tickets ($69.50-135, $199 for VIP), call 212-239-6200 or visit telecharge.com Photo by Jeremy Daniel

Have apple, will emote: Alan Cumming’s “Macbeth’ is totally mental.

BY JERRY TALLMER Is this a dagger I see before me? Oh no, it is an apple. The apple that Alan Cumming tosses from hand to hand, nervously, ritualistically, throughout much of his one-man “Macbeth,” is like Cagney or Bogart or George Raft flipflopping a silver dollar against tedium and the fates in something less auspicious than Shakespeare. One also thinks of Nina in Chekhov’s “The Seagull” — the young runaway would-be actress who never knew what to do on stage with her hands. Here, Nina, here’s an apple to occupy your hands. “One-man” means that at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre — in a “Macbeth” that has been chopped down to a longish two hours running time — the Scottish born-and-bred 48-year-old all-purpose actor plays all the roles, male and female (i.e., Lady Macbeth) with the nominal support of one actual living male (Brendan Titley) and one actual female (Jenny Sterlin) who speak only a few lines each, but are otherwise omnipresent as a doctor and his lab assistant in some unidentified Dunsinane of a nuthouse — where the only patient seems to be our hallucinating friend, Mr. Macbeth. The whole drama is set in one large clinical room of that mental institution — a metallic hospital bed to our left, a locked door at the head of a metal flight of stairs to our right, a large observation window for the doc and his

assistant to peer through at dead center and three pretty useless television screens above all that. Also, upstage, beneath the observation window, an old-fashioned free-standing bathtub. Keep your eyes on that bathtub. The sound and lighting effects are to suit — loud, intermittent, illogical, scary alarums of varying shock effect. As the patient strips down, the lab assistant draws blood from his arm, the doctor takes a few notes and the drama (as reconceived by directors John Tiffany and Andrew Goldberg) begins with Macbeth/ Cumming speaking the lines of the three witches — “When shall we three meet again?” — as he runs around in little puppy-dog circles to indicate changes of time and place. Watching this, I had a flashback to a happier “Macbeth” experience, way back in the 1950s in Central Park, when Joe Papp's youthful New York Shakespeare Festival company, long before there was any such thing as a Delacorte Amphitheater, dared defy the elements by opening its everything-on-a-truck production of the Scottish play in the teeth of a gathering thunderstorm. Precisely on the line “So foul and fair a day I have not seen,” the heavens opened wide, the lightning struck, the thunder cannonaded upon us and the rain flooded down as a laughing Lady Macbeth — lovely Colleen Dewhurst — led everybody else in a frantic footrace back to the shelter of the truck.

Would that anything as exciting as that was happening these nights and matinees on West 47th Street. There is a lot of dressing and undressing in this production, sometimes to indicate changes in gender, sometimes not, but it also comes permeated with what I should think is a very un-Scottish petulance. And by the way, I cannot believe that Stratford Will hurled forth this most virile thunderbolt of the English language with a knotty Scots intonation in mind. I mean, we know he could do that when he wanted to (“Henry V”). Speaking in an exaggerated manner that reminds me of my mother playing “Funny English Lady,” it was difficult, at least for me, to tell whom this versatile actor was playing at any given moment. Who is he now? And now? And now? Ah yes, now he’s in the bathtub saying: “Take my milk for gall” and “I have given suck and know how tender it is to love the babe that milks me” — that has to be Lady Macbeth, yes — who now is commanding her husband to screw his courage to the sticking place and murder their effeminate guest, the king? Why effeminate? Your speculation is as good as mine. The last time I ever saw a bathtub on stage was at director Ivo van Hove’s assault on “A Streetcar Named Desire,” for East Fourth Street’s New York Theatre Workshop. Blanche Dubois took a lot of baths, so why shouldn’t Elizabeth Marvel take one right there on stage?

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow Creeps in this petty pace from day to day To the last syllable of recorded time, And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more: it is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing. If that was good enough for William Faulkner (“The Sound and the Fury”), it’s good enough for me. But you have to hunt for it at the Barrymore. Alan Cumming has been everywhere in British films and television for some 20 years. He did good work on stage, mostly through silences, as the master of ceremonies — the Joel Grey role — in the 1998 “Cabaret” revival that starred Natasha Richardson. One cannot say the same for Joe Mantello’s overobvious “Design for Living” of 2001, in which Cumming had to soul-kiss his male counterpart for emphasis. And now we have this “Macbeth.” The audience the night I attended the show gave it a double standing ovation at final curtain, so mine is a minority vote. Mr. Cumming’s tragic hero of many voices puts me in mind of nothing so much as the Energizer Bunny darting frenziedly here, there, everywhere. I am reminded of the injunction of Dr. Samuel Johnson (1709-1784): “Sir, a woman’s preaching is like a dog’s walking on his hind legs. It is not done well, but you are surprised to find it done at all.” Just so.

May 1 - 14, 2013

Just Do Art!

Ho r osc o p e s Aries The spring thaw takes your heart from frozen

to tender, leaving it equally vulnerable to hurt and love. Lucky lipstick: Midnight Moonlight.

Taurus A comely greenmarket vendor’s innocent flirtation causes you to purchase three pounds of that vegetable you’re allergic to. Lucky jam: Blackberry. Gemini Wild oats are for sowing, not placing in warm water and eating for breakfast. Figure that one out for yourself! Lucky change: $1.27. Photo courtesy of Rachel Eliza Griffiths, for the Dark Room Collective

Get to know the Dark Room Collective: May 11, at Poets House.

LADY AT THE O.K. CORRAL

Leo That thing that used to get you all hot under the collar is losing its luster. Time to trade in old tricks for new techniques! Lucky pen color: Green.

Rustle up your questions and mosey on down to the Museum of Jewish Heritage — because Ann Kirschner, author of “Lady at the O.K. Corral: The True Story of Josephine Marcus Earp,” will be appearing in conversation with MJH’s Manager of Institutional Projects. That’s Caroline Earp, pilgrim, and she’s a descendant of Wyatt Earp — which makes her the perfect moderator for this evening in which Kirschner will discuss her new biography of Wyatt’s fourth and final wife. A New York-born daughter of Prussian Jews (and an aspiring actress), Josephine became a frontierswoman. Although she lived with the legendary gunslinger for nearly 50 years, she’s been all but erased from Western lore. Kirschner aims to change that, and we’re pretty sure she’s going to hit her target. Wed., May 8, at 7pm. At the Museum of Jewish Heritage — A Living Memorial to the Holocaust (Edmond J. Safra Plaza, 36 Battery Place). Free with suggested donation. Tickets will be available at the box office on a first come, first served basis starting at 4pm on the day of the program. For info, call 646-4374337/4202 or visit mjh.org.

Virgo A series of ill-advised concessions made to

make a relationship work won’t work. Cut your losses and move on! Lucky Mark: Twain.

Libra Some enchanted evening, you will stay in and

watch PBS instead of enjoying NYC nightlife. Don’t make a habit of it! Lucky couple: The Lockhorns.

Scorpio You will be tempted to send a

complimentary drink over to an attractive stranger — momentarily forgetting that you’re in a public park. Lucky direction: Up.

Sagittarius A coworker’s favorable reaction to a

whimsical fashion choice inspires the purchase of a bold new wardrobe. Lucky sound effect: Ping!

NOTHING PERSONAL: AN AFTERNOON WITH THE DARK ROOM COLLECTIVE

Founded in Boston in 1988 by a group of African American poets led by Thomas Sayers Ellis and Sharan Strange, The Dark Room Collective (based in Cambridge, Massachusetts) was a forum to promote, exchange and foster community between emerging and established writers of color. Originally conceived as a reading series, the Collective became a small community of poets. This Poets House event features a panel moderated by Rochelle Spencer, then a reading with Tisa Bryant, Major Jackson, John Keene and Sharan Strange. After that, a musical interlude with Janice Lowe is followed by a reading with Thomas Sayers Ellis, Tracy K. Smith, Sharan Strange and Natasha Trethewey.

Cancer Out of spite, you will consider changing your Facebook relationship status to make a former flame jealous. Let it go! Lucky mountain: Blue Ridge.

Capricorn An overdue return to the deep end of the dating pool will work wonders, if you wear your heart on your sleeve…and flattering swim trunks. Lucky Dog: Poodle. Image courtesy of the publisher (Harper)

Who knew? Author Ann Kirschner reveals “The True Story of Josephine Marcus Earp,” May 8, at the Museum of Jewish Heritage.

Aquarius A subway rider’s sexy wink is being caused by something caught in their eye. Look to their left, and find your true love. Lucky pattern: Striped.

Sat., May 11, from 12-6pm. At Poets House (10 River Terrace, at Murray St.). $10 for adults, $7 for students/seniors and free to Poets House members. For more info, call 212-431-7920 or visit poetshouse.org.

Pisces A habit or hobby frequently mocked by your soulmate will suddenly become endearing to them. Don’t ask why, just enjoy it! Lucky size: Medium.

May 1 - 14, 2013

Buhmann on Art Spring gallery offerings addrress military, celebrity, domestic concerns BY STEPHANIE BUHMANN

EXHIBITION SPACE

Organized by Greg Allen, this exhibition features multiple images and objects from the Palomar Observatory Sky Survey and Project Echo. Both were prominent projects from the early days of the Space Race. Including one object and two seemingly unrelated series of photographs, the show reveals the sudden transition in mankind’s perception of outer space. As the launch of Sputnik heightened the Cold War’s contentious dynamic, the U.S.’s aggressive and highly visual response transformed space into a site of military, political and cultural activity. Through May 8, at apexart (291 Church St., btw. Walker & White Sts.). Hours: Tues.Sat., 11am-6pm. Call 212-431-5270 or visit apexart.org.

collaboration with a city utility locator. Demarcating various lines of flow throughout the gallery space, the work reflects the Brooklyn-based artist’s thesis that, “We are abstractions swimming through a concrete haze; constantly excavating, constantly sifting.” Through May 12, at KANSAS (59 Franklin St., btw. Lafayette & Broadway). Hours: Tues.-Sat., 11am-6pm. Call 646559-1423 or visit kansasgallery.com.

ELIZABETH PEYTON

DAVID J. MERRITT

Image courtesy of artist and Gasser Grunert Gallery Image courtesy of the artist and apexart

Beacon satellites on display in the US Pavilion at Expo67, Montreal. See “Exhibition Space.”

From “Engines of War,” Benjamin Lowy’s “Iraq | Perspectives I” (taken from 20032008; Digital C-Print; 20 x 24 in., edition of 10 + 2 AP).

Since the mid-1990s, when Peyton reached critical acclaim, she has been one of the most influential figurative painters of our time. Her subjects range from close friends and boyfriends to European monarchy and celebrities. Many of her stylized portraits of rock stars such as David Bowie and Kurt Cobain have become well-known and frequently publicized images in the media landscape. Small-scale, these works are usually executed in oil paint, applied with washy glazes, watercolor, pencilz and etching. This show features new works by the artist, who splits her time between Long Island and Berlin. Through May 13, at Gavin Brown’s enterprise (620 Greenwich St., at Morton St.). Hours: Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. Call 212-6275258 or visit gavinbrown.biz.

ENGINES OF WAR Image courtesy of KANSAS, New York

David J. Merritt’s “Instrument” (2013, single-channel video generated by a custom software algorithm, sound of artist breathing digitally and floor monitor speaker; an eight-hour timed sequence that auto-plays).

For his first solo exhibition with the gallery, Merritt presents new work from his “Templates for a Machine Made From Earth” series. In addition to the featured gypsum cement tablets and objects made of wax, aluminum and magnesium, Merritt also works with sound and video. One of his site-specific projects involved

In this exhibition, curators Charles Dee Mitchell and Cynthia Mulcahy explore how the United States of America conducts war in the 21st century. Though images of drones and other material military equipment make up much of the content, Mitchell and Mulcahy’s show stresses that it is still the men and women serving in the armed forces who remain the primary, highly trained yet fragile weapons of the United States military. Contributing artists to the exhibition employ a wide range of approaches. Through May 4, at Klemens Gasser & Tanja Grunert, Inc. (524 W. 19th St., btw. 10th & 11th Aves.). Hours: Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. Call 646-944-6197 or visit gassergrunert.net.

Image courtesy Robert Mann Gallery, New York

Margaret Watkins’ “Pan Lids” (1919).

MARGARET WATKINS: DOMESTIC SYMPHONY

In the 1920s, Margaret Watkins (18841969) was an instructor at the Clarence H. White School of Photography — the most prominent American pedagogical institution for pictorialism at the time. Her photographs are characterized by the nuanced interplay of light and shade. Inspired by Cubism, their overall aesthetic is distinctly modernist, while their subject matter is usually rooted

in the domestic environment. Born in Canada, Watkins’ professional success in New York in the 1920s was cut short when she moved to Scotland in 1929 to care for elderly relatives. Stranded by circumstance and then the arrival of war, she never returned to North America. Through May 11 at Robert Mann Gallery (525 W. 26th St., btw. 10th & 11th Aves.). Hours: Tues.-Fri., 10am6pm and Sat., 11am-6pm. Call 212-9897600 or visit robertmann.com.

May 1 - 14, 2013

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