May 29, 2013 Chelsea Now by Schneps Media

THE WEST SIDE’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

VOLUME 5, NUMBER 19

MAY 29 - JUNE 11, 2013

Neighbors Begin Process to found Hudson Yards BID BY WINNIE McCROY With construction on the new Hudson Yards neighborhood well underway, local residents and business owners have set their sights on forming a Business Improvement District (BID). In a series of meetings last month, organizers solicited input from the community before submitting their proposal

to the Department of City Planning. “For about a year, we’ve met monthly, and in that period of time, this is as far as we’ve got. Now we’re taking this show on the road to see what our neighbors say,” said BID Planning Committee Co-Chair Kevin Singleton.

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Pipeline Radon fear Starting to Catch fire

Photo by Scott Stiffler

Curious about how to use Citi Bike? Google it!

Wheels in Motion, as Citi Bike Rolls Out BY YANAN WANG Following this week’s offi cial launch of Citi Bike, the new bike share program organized by the Department of Transportation (DOT), residents can expect to see cyclists take the city streets in full force — but at what cost? The program, which puts 6,000 bikes and over 300 docking stations across Manhattan and Brooklyn, is the largest of its kind in North America. Since its ubiquitous gray racks began appearing along streets

several weeks ago, Citi Bike has been the subject of both excitement and controversy, with Chelsea residents expressing reactions ranging from approval and enthusiasm to fervent opposition. “The concept of bike share is great. We need it in New York City,” said Steven Shore, an attorney leading a lawsuit against the DOT for the inappropriate placement of one docking rack in Greenwich Village. “But the implementation of the program has been grossly mishandled

and ill-conceived.” Community Board 4 (CB4) District Manager Bob Benfatto said the program has been “a long time coming,” adding that “at least two [CB4] meetings,” open to the public, have been held in regards to Citi Bike. During the initiative’s kick-off process, Benfatto noted, officials from the DOT attended board meetings to address public concerns. Many residents, however, have

BY EILEEN STUKANE Evidenced by the large turnout at the May 14 public forum “Lung Cancer and New York City Kitchens: Why Increased Radon in Natural Gas Could Be a Public Health Disaster,” local residents are growing increasingly concerned about seemingly high radon levels in the natural gas that the Spectra Energy pipeline will be bringing to New York City. The newly constructed pipeline enters Manhattan at Gansevoort

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Peninsula, near West 14th Street. The event, which was primarily sponsored by The Cooper Union Institute for Sustainable Design, along with six other organizations related to either health or the environment, had backing from a strong cohort of 60 other community, environmental, health and political organizations. About 350 people gathered in The Great

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editorial, letters PAGE 8

JaZZ & iNdie PAGE 12

May 29 - June 11, 2013

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Continued from page 1 There are more than 25 members on the BID Committee — among them, commercial property owners and tenants, residential owners, neighborhood association leaders, Community Board 4 (CB4) members and government representatives. The city of New York currently has 67 BIDS. A BID helps a community by having the city collect revenue from residential property and commercial business owners, and bringing 100 percent of those funds right back to the community to address traffic/pedestrian issues, sidewalk plantings, streetscaping, benches, trash cans, lighting, public art, buy-local programs, storefront improvements and additional sanitation officers, “to enhance existing sanitation services that are sometimes wanting.” According to a Planning Committee public online survey conducted December 2012–January 2013 and a mass mailing of 3,800 postcards, neighbors have indicated that advocating for pedestrian safety is the number one concern as this neighborhood develops. “We’re moving toward a mixed-use district, and the idea of having an advocate organization for this district is really important,” said BID Planning Committee Consultant Barbara Cohen. Among those involved on the Hudson Yards BID planning committee were Cohen, Singleton and BID co-chair Joshua Bernstein. Also in attendance at an April 23 meeting at The Orion Condo were Hudson Yards Development Corporation President Anne Weisbrod and Vice President for Development and Finance Peter Wertheim.

BID TO AffECT MORE THAN JUST NEW BUILDINGS

The boundaries of a neighborhood are different from those of a BID, and the Hudson Yards BID would go well beyond just Oxford and Related Companies’ property, to raise the profile of the entire

neighborhood. Well before Related opens its 1.7 million square foot South Tower commercial office building in mid-2015, the area will experience changes. By June 2014, the extension of the number 7 train will be complete, with the line extended to 34th Street and Eleventh Avenue — making Hudson Yards the nation’s largest transit-oriented project. According to reports, 89 percent of the construction is already completed. When the station opens, it will see a daily average of 30,000 riders during peak hours. “In many ways this area has been a drain on the neighborhood, dividing Hell’s Kitchen and Chelsea. But upon completion, this project will tie the West side together as one continuous neighborhood,” said Related’s Hudson Yards Planner, Michael Samuelian, during a phone interview with Chelsea Now. He noted that cosmetics company L’Oreal recently signed on as their second anchor tenant, with German enterprise software applications company SAP following suit. “The Hudson Yards area is well on its way to becoming a top-tier destination to live, work and visit,” said Mayor Michael Bloomberg in a press release. “Worldclass office space like the towers Related and Oxford are building will help keep New York City competitive in the global economy, and these commitments from leading corporations L’Oréal USA, SAP and Coach represent an important vote of confidence in our city’s future.” Work will also begin on the Hudson Park and Boulevard, the two-acre park running under the High Line, connecting Chelsea with Hudson Yards over the course of three blocks. The BID is communicating with Parks officials to make sure that the materials selected for benches and other public amenities are durable and weatherproof, eliminating the need for regular replacement. “Starting at 33rd Street, the two entrances to the new subway station will be within the park itself,” said Bernstein. “As far as

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May 29 - June 11, 2013

BNY Offering Citi Bike-Savvy Workshops The Nuts & Bolts of Citi Bike • Annual membership (includes key for all docking stations): $95 • Weekly pass (paid by credit or debit card at station): $25 • Daily pass (paid by credit or debit card at station): $9.95 • Weekly and daily pass holders receive a ride code at the kiosk, which can then be entered into the keypad on any dock. Keys for Annual Members will work in the key slot at any dock. Annual Members may ride for 45 minutes per trip, while weekly and daily pass holders may ride for 30 minutes. The bike can be returned to any station in the city within this period of time, after which the user incurs overtime fees for each following half hour. • If the user cannot return the bike because a dock is full, they may request a time credit of 15 minutes (no additional charge) at the kiosk, where they will be directed to the nearest station with available racks. The instructions on each bike’s handlebar read: “Yield to pedestrians,” “Stay off the sidewalk,” “Obey traffic lights” and “Ride with traffic.”

Photo by Scott Stiffler

Compromise on 22nd Street: This docking station was relocated from in front of historic homes to along Clement Clarke Moore Park.

Continued from page 1 expressed frustration with the way in which the bike racks have appeared — largely without forewarning to homeowners or businesses situated near the new stations. Annual memberships were activated on Memorial Day, and the program will launch for all users on June 2. Issues of public safety and the effectiveness of the program in eliminating automobile use will be just as pressing as the question of what impact the placement of Citi Bike docking stations will have on the layout and movement of the city.

BUILT TO LAST, NOT FOR SPEED

A Citi Bike is not your regular bike. Since the vehicles are heavier and have less maneuverability, it may take even the most seasoned cyclists a few tries before they can ride them with ease. According to Zoe Cheswick of Bike New York (BNY), an educational partner of Citi Bike, all of these design elements were carefully selected to make the program safer for its users. “Citi Bikes have a different turning radius, because they don’t want people weaving in and out of traffic,” Cheswick

explained. “They want it to be that wonderful bike that gets you from point A to point B.” Cheswick is one of the BNY instructors who is leading a workshop geared specifically toward introducing people to Citi Bike. Since April 10, these informational sessions (continuing indefinitely) have been running once a week in two different locations (Brooklyn and Bicycle Habitat in Manhattan), and they each host about 35 to 40 people. The class is a spin on BNY’s traditional “Street Skills” class, and attendees are taught the basics about the bike share program: how to take the bike out of a kiosk, what to look out for on the road, what options they have for using the bikes — annual membership is $95, a weekly pass is $25 and a daily pass is $9.95. As Chelsea Now went to press, an estimated 16,500 people had purchased annual memberships. The biggest safety concern, Cheswick noted, is that the city may experience a sudden influx of inexperienced riders — people who either have little experience with biking or who have not ridden bikes for some time. “We strongly encourage being predictable,” she said. “Know that you’re being considered just like a car, and obey

traffic laws.” Some prospective users are optimistic that Citi Bike will improve the relationship between drivers and cyclists on the road. Gary Roth, a Chelsea resident and an Adjunct Professor in the Urban Planning program at Columbia University, said he thinks an increase in bikes will make the city’s streets safer for all. When there are more cyclists on the road, Roth noted, drivers become more aware of them. As a result, cars will slow down and drive more cautiously. He added that as an avid bike rider, his level of automobile use is virtually zero. “The cars are the 800-pound gorillas,” said Roth. “Bikes want to share. We just want a little peace [on the road].” He observed that people do not ride bikes in New York City because they are frightened. Once the Citi Bike program gives the cycling community “strength in numbers,” there will be a healthier balance between automobiles and bikes, Roth said. While the goal of Citi Bike’s collaboration with BNY is to prepare people to use the program, it does not account for the tourists who will be taking advantage of bike share. Cheswick said the educational programming is still in its infancy, and they hope to do work with

• Annual Members receive helmet discounts with their registration. Launch for all users on June 2. Visit citibikenyc.com for a station map and further details. tourists in the future. In the May 23 edition of our sister publication, The Villager, Lincoln Anderson addressed the practical functions of the Citi Bike design. With just three standard gears, the bikes were built to prevent their users from going too fast. While Anderson wrote that the speed limitation left him “underwhelmed,” he was confident that the vehicles would not be “careening out of control,” as Citi Bike has opted for a combination of “safe and slow.” In further preparation for the new waves of bike riders, the DOT has given away more than 75,000 helmets, said department spokesman Nicholas Mosquera. Citi Bike will also be offering helmet discounts to new members and “learn to ride” workshops across the city.

STATIONS SUDDENLY APPEAR

When an Emergency Medical Services crew arrived in front of Greenwich Village’s Cambridge co-op building in response to a 911 call on May 19, they were met with an unexpected obstruction — a row of Citi Bike racks, installed a few weeks ago to the displeasure of the building’s owners, blocked the entrance to the building.

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May 29 - June 11, 2013

Activists, Government Struggle to Stem Anti-Gay Crime Wave BY ANDY HUMM In the wake of the anti-gay murder of Mark Carson on May 18 and at least eight homophobic assaults across Manhattan this month, proposed initiatives to fight back have found their way into the mix along with plenty of heated rhetoric from LGBT leaders and elected officials proclaiming that this “will not stand.” At a West Village march and rally on May 20, ideas were put forward from the platform and discussed among participants in the crowd. And a new initiative to combat hate crimes has been ordered in the schools to take place before classes end for the summer in June. It ain’t enough to chant “Hey hey, ho ho, homophobia’s got to go” and “Whose streets? Our streets!” as more than 1,500 did at Monday’s march, but a diverse turnout such as occurred does send a signal that the community is not going to slink away in fear in the face of these attacks. Florine Bumpars, Carson’s aunt, stirred the crowd by declaring, “We want justice served so that Mark’s death will not be in vain,” describing him as “a loving and caring person, truly loved by his mother, father, friends and co-workers.” Marjorie Hill, CEO of the Gay Men’s Health Crisis, said, “We deserve to be out and proud on Staten Island,” likely still a tall order for those who want to walk the

Photo by Donna Acceto

Nick Porto addresses the May 20 rally, while partner Kevin Atkins looks on.

streets hand in hand — despite the emergence of the LGBT community there and the election of an out gay member of the Assembly, Matt Titone. Ira Manhoff, an ACT UP veteran, wants to revive a variation of the Pink

Panther community patrols that came out of Queer Nation in 1991, monitoring the East and West Village and the Ramble in Central Park after a rash of anti-gay assaults then. Jay Kallio, a transgender man who has been an activist since 1972, attributed the current backlash to the fact that the community is “winning” the fight for equal rights. “The tragedy is that some of us are going to get hit,” he said. Indeed, Kallio called police about one bias attack he suffered on April 23 but didn’t bother reporting a second one that happened this past week. “I’m lucky to be alive,” he said. “I’m going to go out with friends more than I did before.” For 15 years, Kallio was a member of the auxiliary police force where “I could be out there on my own behalf.” He urged others to follow suit. Sharon Stapel, executive director of the New York City Anti-Violence Project (AVP), said “all options are on the table,”

but hastened to rule out a return to the West Street Gang, immortalized by the late gay Doric Wilson in a 1977 play of that name (about the true story of gay men who organized to bash gay-bashers in order to get them to stop). “Look at how strong we are,” Stapel said. “We will not tolerate this kind of violence. You are saying you won’t take it either.” This kind of rhetoric of community empowerment dominated the rally. Practical solutions were less in evidence. AVP has scheduled Friday Community Safety Nights Out starting May 24 and running through LGBT Pride Month, when anti-gay violence often spikes. A release from Speaker Christine Quinn’s office said, “AVP will conduct outreach in the affected neighborhoods to raise awareness and provide people with information and safety tips.” The NYPD has committed to an increased police presence in the areas of the seven recent Manhattan attacks, including “setting up temporary headquarter command vehicles,” the speaker’s release said. Quinn also announced a hate crimes public awareness campaign and a “Speak Out Against Hate Interfaith Weekend” at 50 houses of worship to take place in the near future. Some religious leaders spoke at the rally, though none were of the stripe who claim to condemn anti-gay violence even as they teach that homosexual activity is evil. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, called out by some in the crowd at the Monday rally for not being there, said the following day, “The NYPD, however, can only do a certain amount to protect New Yorkers from violence. We’ll do everything that we can and we’ll prosecute, to the fullest extent of the law, anyone who commits hate crimes. But all of us can do our part as well to end hate crimes and spread tolerance — as parents, as teachers, as friends and as members of the community.” Comptroller John Liu issued a state-

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May 29 - June 11, 2013

Captain David S. Miller Now in Command, at 10th Precinct BY SCOTT STIFFLER At his first Community Council meeting since taking over the leadership position at Chelsea’s 10th Precinct, Captain David S. Miller repeatedly assured residents that all concerns brought to the attention of his officers would be taken seriously, and all leads aggressively pursued. This is Miller’s first command, having spent the last three years at the Seventh Precinct. Prior to that, he was at the 10th Precinct for six years. “What I embrace about this command,” said Miller, while comparing Chelsea to parts of the city shaped by the ebb and flow of nonresidential workers, “is that more than the Wall Street area, or Midtown, it’s all about community here.” Miller did note, however, that he returns to a Chelsea in which the expanded presence of tourists and nightlife patrons accounts for an unusually high rate of larceny crimes (when compared to other indexes such as assault). Although Miller’s predecessor (Deputy Inspector Elisa Cokkinos, now assigned to the Sixth Precinct) regularly urged Community Council attendees to use common sense precautions meant to discourage sidewalk café, pedestrian and clubland larceny, Miller used his inaugural appearance before the council to discuss the annual uptick in domestic theft. “We’re coming into the warm weather,” he said, advising residents to “Close your windows and lock them” before going out. “There are individuals out there who will take the things we’ve worked hard for,” he warned. Miller also appealed for ongoing cooperation between the community and his officers. “I look at this as a partnership,” he said, after vowing to build on the work of Cokkinos — who, during her 40 months at the 10th Precinct, used the monthly Community Council meetings as an opportunity to cite rises or drops in crime rates, and report on the status of issues discussed at previous meetings. “We can’t drive down crime ourselves,” said Miller, noting that he “wanted to build on ‘If you see something, say something.’ No matter how minute you think a problem may be, let us know. Even if it turns out to be a nothing job, it gives my guys practice.” Miller would reiterate that sentiment later in the meeting. “We respond to everything as if it’s real,” he said, when addressing the recent spike in bias attacks against LGBT people (including the assault of a gay couple near Madison Square Garden as well as this past weekend’s assault of a man exiting West 42nd Street’s XL Nightclub). “Along the Eighth Avenue corridor,” assured Miller, “you’ll see more officers out there. We don’t need the copycats. That’s what we’re trying to prevent.” Stanley Bulbach, of the West 15th Street Block Association (covering the 100 and 200 blocks), raised concerns about the proliferation of all-night parties

fiti, shoplifting, farebeating and vandalism). Hobbs invited the public to attend their “Community Court Site Visit,” to be held on Tuesday, June 4. The two-hour event (10:30am-12:30pm) will include a tour of the court, an observation of court proceedings and an introduction to key programs housed at the court — including Clinical Services and the Fatherhood & Workforce Development Program. After the visit, attendees are invited to stay for June’s edition of the Community Conditions Panel (at which the public can engage in a dialogue with Presiding Judge Felicia Mennin and Project Director Courtney Bryan). To register, visit midtowncommunitycourtsitevisit.eventbrite. com, or call 646-264-1377.

Photo by Scott Stiffler

Back at the 10th, and in command: Captain David S. Miller, at May 22’s Community Council meeting.

on rooftops and in backyards. “Why,” he asked, does the city “permit dozens of people on rooftops, with alcohol and few escape routes?” Miller and Bulbach spoke at length after the meeting. Responding to a local resident’s concerns about security issues on the block that houses the Bowery Residents’ Committee (BRC), Miller admitted he’s “not too familiar with it yet.” But he did briefly acknowledge the fact that the BRC’s location (127 West 25th Street, between Sixth and Seventh Avenues) puts the building itself outside of 10th Precinct boundaries. As a result, 13th Precinct officers respond to complaints at the BRC and on the block — while the 10th Precinct is responsible for the Seventh Avenue area. Larry O’Neill, President of the 10th Precinct Community Council and a regular attendee at the BRC’s monthly Community Advisory Committee meetings, noted that there were no complaints associated with BRC clients in the Penn South area. One of the precinct’s Community Affairs representatives, Officer Michael Petrillo, commented that the nearby Fashion Institute of Technology has its own security, and has not reported any difficulties with BRC clients. “We’re good on our [Seventh Avenue] side,” said Petrillo. Jeff Hobbs, Deputy Project Director of the Midtown Community Court (314 West 54th Street, between Eight and Ninth Avenues), noted that the court handles all quality of life cases originating in the 10th Precinct (such as prostitution, graf-

The 10th Precinct is located at 230 West 20th St. (between Seventh and Eighth Avenues.). Main number: 212741-8211. Community Affairs (officers Sonny Spellmann and Michael Petrillo): 212-741-8226. Crime Prevention: 212741-8226. Domestic Violence: 212-7418216. Youth Officer: 212-741-8211. 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 Wednesday of the month. The Council is currently on summer hiatus, and resumes on September 25.

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May 29 - June 11, 2013

CB4’s Santana Hopes to be a Voice for the Unheard BY SCOTT STIFFLER The eight new members of Community Board 4 (CB4) recently got the nod from Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer to serve — after going through an interview process during which they made a persuasive case as to why they sought an unpaid, volunteer position requiring long hours and the navigation of complicated land use, transportation, landmark, license, permit, housing and quality of life issues. The past two issues of Chelsea Now have featured Mike Noble, Tanya M. Odom, Eric Latzky and Ambur Nicosia. To access those profiles, visit chelseanow.com and enter their names into the search box (located at the top right, on our home page). Future print editions of this paper will finish off our series, with Rev. Keith Fennessy, Brad Pascarella and David Solnick.

GEORGE M. SANTANA, ESQ.

Currently in private practice in the fields of landlord/tenant law and matrimonial/family law, native New Yorker George M. Santana, Esq., grew up in Hell’s Kitchen and was educated at Guardian Angel School in Chelsea. He earned his law degree at City University School of Law at Queens College. Since then, Santana has acquired experience in a broad range of practice areas — including work as a contractor for the United States Department of Health

Photo by Nivia Montalvan, Esq.

find the changes in the area within the last 30 years amazing. I sought appointment to the Community Board because I have always believed that it is vital to be active in the community as it promotes collegiality amongst neighbors. I am concerned with maintaining affordable housing in the CB4 area, as many apartments have been deregulated over the years. While many changes have been positive, it is disturbing that the social services in the area available to low income families, vis-à-vis the affordable housing stock may be at risk. As a landlord-tenant lawyer, I encounter the power struggle between apartment deregulation and affordable housing maintenance on a daily basis, and am in a position to see the lasting effects of deregulation.”

feel that their voices are unheard, both in court and at the negotiation table.” To that end, he noted, “I would like to serve on the Housing, Health & Human Services committee.” Santana’s request for a seat on that committee was granted — and he was also appointed to the Quality of Life committee. In a recent email, Santana explained why he wanted to become a CB4 member, and what he hopes to accomplish: “As a lifelong resident of Hell’s Kitchen, I have personally witnessed the transformation of the CB4 catchment area and

COMMUNITY BOARD 4 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.

George M. Santana, Esq. is among CB4’s eight new members.

and Human Services’ Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals, and as Assistant Law Clerk to retired Justice Phyllis Gangel-Jacob (of the Appellate Term, First Department). He was also a Court Attorney in the Criminal Court of the City of New York, Bronx County, and the Kings County Civil Court. Prior to practicing law, Santana was a freelance consultant and a residential real estate property manager. Shortly after he became a board member, Santana told Chelsea Now, “It is my hope to be a voice for those who often

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May 29 - June 11, 2013

Panel Pushes for Radon Bill, Before Assembly Session Ends Continued from page 1 Hall at Cooper Union to learn from a panel of five experts about radon: a tasteless, odorless, colorless gas — the leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers, and second leading cause among smokers — that may be arriving in our homes in unsafe levels to breathe. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates 21,000 U.S. lung cancer deaths a year are due to radon inhalation. Noting that sobering figure, the panelists — from the fields of environmental law and public and occupational health — explained just how the radon content will increase in the gas we are using to cook in our kitchens and heat our homes, and alerted everyone to the fact that this could potentially be a major public health issue. The forum concluded on a note of hope, however, as Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal made a powerful announcement of her sponsorship of a bill “to amend the public health law in relation to the protection of public health from exposure to radon in natural gas.” But first, everyone heard the facts. Jeff Zimmerman, an environmental lawyer with a degree in physics, has spent most of his career with the Environmental and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and now represents various environmental and citizen groups. He explained that radon gas results from the radioactive decay of uranium, thorium and radium, minerals present in significant quantity in the Marcellus Shale. The Marcellus Shale stretches thousands of feet below ground, from West Virginia, through Pennsylvania, into a bit of Ohio and along the west side of the Hudson River in New York. Hydraulic fracturing (hydrofracking) blasts open the underground rock by using an array of unspecified chemicals and tons of water and sand to release the gas from the shale’s uranium and radium-226. Gas from the disturbed minerals contains, as a side effect, radioactive radon. Radon is present in all natural gas, and Zimmerman, along with other panelists, decried the fact that there is little information, as very few studies have looked at radon levels in natural gas. The EPA considers 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/l) as the safe level in homes. The World Health Organization cites a lower 2.7 pCi/l as safe. Zimmerman explained that most of our New York City natural gas has come

from the Gulf Coast, and studies from offshore Louisiana wells have shown that this gas starts at 5 pCi/l. Radioactive radon has a relatively short halflife of 3.8 days, after which its concentration drops in half. After another 3.8 days, that half divides in half, so it’s a fourth of the original, and so on. It dissipates quickly. Radon in the gas New Yorkers have been receiving from the Texas-Louisiana coast takes six to eight days to travel through pipelines to get here, so it is diluted and the levels we are breathing in are considered safe. However, natural gas hydrofracked from the Marcellus Shale, which Zimmerman explained is a “dark shale” — indicating high uranium and therefore high radon content — will be mixed into the natural gas travelling through the Spectra Energy pipeline from the Gulf Coast and other locations. The Marcellus Shale is already being hydrofracked in nearby Pennsylvania and in certain locations in Upstate New York, and more locations may be approved in the future. Gas from the close-tohome Marcellus Shale area travels an estimated 10 miles per hour and can be here to fire our gas stoves in less than a day, not the usual six to eight days, and certainly not enough time for radon’s radioactivity to reduce to safer levels. A recent U.S. Geological Survey tested radon levels at 11 wellheads — chosen by the industry, according to Zimmerman — in the Marcellus Shale in Western Pennsylvania and found 37 pCi/l as the median radon reading. This is not anywhere near the EPA’s safe level of 4 pCi/l of radon in our homes. Another panel member, Elizabeth Glass Geltman of CUNY School of Public Health, also noted that based on reviews of natural gas from other parts of the country, which she did not see relating to more local natural gas, New York State’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Department of Health (DOH) have stated that they “do not believe that radon in Marcellus Shale gas poses a significant risk to residents in homes that utilize gas.” She remarked that, in “backwards thinking,” the DOH has stated that if New York State permits further hydrofracking of the Marcellus Shale, the DOH will assess radon levels through samplings, “in order to verify that they do not pose an unanticipated health risk to end-users of the gas.” Geltman added, “If you wait for that to happen, the infrastructure will be in place

and the argument will be that we can’t change the infrastructure.” Dr. Sheila Bushkin-Bedient of Concerned Health Professionals of New York highlighted those who would be most vulnerable to radon inhalation: children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. Jill Greenberg of the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health, and Heather Carlucci-Rodriguez, representing Chefs For The Marcellus, both emphasized the added risk to restaurant workers, as well as maintenance workers who service utilities, buildings, subways and schools. The evening’s highlight, however, came at the end when Assemblymember Rosenthal announced her sponsorship of a new bill to create a monitoring process for checking radon levels in natural gas at the city gates. Specifically, the bill requires the Bureau of Environmental Radiation Protection, which is under the State DOH, along with consultation with DEC and the Public Service Commission, to create a compliance assurance system to monitor levels of radon and its progeny at each city gate location in real time, as well as periodic inspection. Stipulations about acceptable radon levels, procedures to follow should these levels not be reached and the grounds for civil action by individuals, are all included in the bill. In the Assembly, the bill is Public Health Law A 6863, and is co-sponsored with state Senator Diane Savino, who presented it in the Senate as Public Health Law S 4921.

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These bill numbers are important because if the bill is to be signed into law, New Yorkers who support it must e-mail, snail mail, text or call their representatives, in both the Assembly and state Senate and cite support of the bill numbers. For Assembly representatives’ contact information, visit assembly.state.ny.us/mem. For state Senators’ contact information, visit nysenate.gov/senators. Rosenthal emphasized that before the Assembly’s session ends in six weeks, the bill needs as much support as possible to show Governor Cuomo and Mayor Bloomberg that public energy is behind it. “They need to be inundated,” she said. She recalled 2001, when after 9/11, EPA Director Christine Todd Whitman obstructed the truth and told Lower Manhattan residents the air was safe to breathe. Rosenthal believes that the government should be there to protect its citizens, and this bill is legislation for just such protection. City Councilmember Gale Brewer was not at the forum, but she is working with attorneys on a local level, to see what jurisdiction the city has to require radon testing. Her goal is to propose a resolution through the City Council. David Braun, co-founder of the anti-fracking group United For Action, was seated next to Rosenthal at the forum. He summed up the event and the risk at stake. “It’s up to us,” he said, “to raise our voices and say, ‘We are not your lab rats in a radon gas experiment.’ ”

May 29 - June 11, 2013

editorial We Will Fight Back Seven anti-gay attacks in 16 days. One, a shocking closerange shooting of Mark Carson in the face, resulting in the 32-year-old man’s death. The West Village, the East Village, Madison Square Garden, Union Square and Soho. The city’s elected leadership laudably stepped up to condemn the hatred, support the victims and mourn Carson. Mayor Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Kelly spoke unsparingly of their outrage at the murder. City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, an out lesbian and a leading mayoral contender, was the driving force behind a May 20 march in remembrance of Carson that drew an estimated 1,500 participants. All four of her Democratic mayoral rivals also joined the gathering. The gay community in New York has enjoyed equal marriage rights for nearly two years. As Quinn’s strong position in the mayoral race attests, gays and lesbians are rapping on the doors of some of the highest political offices. And still the hatred continues. It’s always ugly, sometimes brutal — and on the most tragic occasions, lethal. And the bigotry which helps fuel the hatred also continues. When gay marriage first headed for the floor of the Assembly in 2007, Assemblymember Dov Hikind said, “If we authorize gay marriage in the state of New York, those who want to live and love incestuously will be five steps closer to achieving their goals as well.” In April, Cardinal Timothy Dolan wrote that his parents welcomed anyone into his childhood home, so long as they remembered to “wash your hands.” A group of gay activists with dirty hands who attempted to enter St. Patrick’s Cathedral the following Sunday were met with determined NYPD resistance. More to the point, while New York has come so far in terms of LGBT civil rights, this recent wave of shocking violence — culminating in Carson’s senseless murder — shows us that the threats to safety, and to just being able to live one’s life, remain. Some say the upsurge in violence is precisely because gays and lesbians are more high profile than ever, now that the LGBT community is continuing to make great — long-overdue — strides on marriage equality. In other words, the fear is that there is a backlash against the advances of gays and lesbians. One speaker, a pastor, at the May 20 rally (at Eighth Street and Sixth Avenue, the site of Carson’s murder) noted the significance of basketball player Jason Collins having recently publicly come out, finally cracking the macho bastion of pro sports. As he put it, to the crowd’s cheering approval, pro hoops players are “taking off Jordans and putting on pumps!” At the same time, Carson’s death also points to the ongoing need for gun control. It was sadly far too easy for an inebriated, bigoted and twisted coward — who served time in jail previously on assault charges — to shoot Carson to death, after having initiated things by insulting the victim and his friends verbally. Guns need to be kept out of the hands of highly dangerous, unbalanced individuals like this. We were glad to see a strong, reassuring police presence posted along Sixth Avenue at Eighth Street on the Saturday after the shooting. Merchants on Eighth Street tell us the block is safe. Even so, alcohol, a gun and hate proved a volatile combination. We were inspired to see 1,500 people turn out for May 20’s anti-violence rally in the Village. “We will not be harassed! We will not be threatened!” one of the speakers exhorted the crowd. In shades of Stonewall, one man at the rally answered back with his own words, punctuating them by punching his fist repeatedly into the air, “We will fight back! We will fight back! We will fight back!” Backlash or not — we won’t let our society go backward. We will stand up to the hate. We will fight back. It’s up to all of us.

letters to the editor Complaints hold sway over SLA To The Editor Re “CB4 Mulls Nightlife vs. Quality of Life” (news, May 15): The SLA [State Liquor Authority] now looks long and hard at issuing new licenses in areas of oversaturation and the 500 foot rule also comes into play (3 or more licenses within 500 ft.) Residents should be calling 311 as much as possible with noise/crowd complaints so CB4 and SLA have a documented complaint history to take into account when license of offending establishments come up for renewal. If you can't get through to 311 (sometimes a long, long wait), at least file a complaint with CB4. Community Boards and local block associations can make a difference. It's happening in CB3/East Village.

to cabs in the case of emergencies or heavy loads. I too care about the environment. BUT, where I live at 300 West 17th Street, our entire building is blocked end-to-end by an enormous bike stand. Parking spaces are irrelevant to me. However, here's what is: • E mergency vehicles, such as fire trucks or ambulances, have no place to pull up. • B oth the front door and side basement door are blocked, making fuel delivery a big problem. • P eople who have trouble walking because of age or disabilities cannot get curbside taxi or Access-a-Ride service; they have to go around to get to the door.

Dale Goodson

• T rash is building up in the space between the stands and the sidewalk, and it'll only get worse when the bikes are there.

Fan, since five: Thanks for keeping Dylan alive

• T here's no place to leave our garbage for the Sanitation Department that's on our property, and it's illegal to leave it on a neighboring property.

To The Editor: Re “Concert Celebrates 50 Years of Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan” (arts, May 15): This is a fantastic article filled with history and you did a great job writing it! This means a lot to me, as Bob Dylan is my absolute favorite. I have great respect for him as the man that he is, [from] his nonstop genius creativity to how he networked when he came to NYC! I first heard his music when I was like 5, and I knew then that one day l would meet him — and years later, I did. I also met Suzzy and loved her! Thank you for keeping it all alive! Susan Miller

• T he already-large population of non-residents sitting on our stoop will increase enormously, along with the noise level. No bike stand should block an entire building. It's just not right. Right down the street from me is a small park. If they divided the bike stand in two, they could move it so that it was in front of the park while still leaving the access drive for the Parks Department. I can only assume that the bike stand is right at the corner of Eighth Avenue because it's a more visible and, therefore, more profitable location. I urge the Department of Transportation to be more aware and thoughtful of community residents who are affected by these decisions.

CB4 asleep at the (bike) wheel?

Martha R. Gotwals

To The Editor: How in the world did those ugly plastic bike racks get a go-ahead from CB4 to be placed in the Chelsea Historic District or any other Historic District in our city, for that matter? My call to the office of CB4 is still unanswered on this subject. If Historic Districts are strictly governed even as to the color one can paint one's front door, how can these ugly ungainly things be hoisted into an Historic District? They appear to be an obvious violation. Where has the Landmarks Commission been in all of this? Asleep? I therefore demand they be immediately removed from the Chelsea Historic District.

Bike share will sock it to MTA riders

Carolynn Meinhardt Chelsea Historic District Council

Martha bashes bike share, with bullet points To The Editor: The bike enthusiasts are missing the point. I too have never owned a car in Manhattan, and truth be told, wish they were banned from the borough. I too take public transportation everywhere, only resorting

To The Editor: Much of the talk about bike shares is as an alternative to automobile traffic but in Manhattan bike shares will really be an alternative to subway and bus travel. People in Manhattan don't drive to the places that can be reached by bike in 30 minutes since there's unlikely to be parking at the other end. So, if the bike share succeeds, it will be at the expense of our public transportation. Lower bus and subway ridership will lead to higher fares, lower quality of service and lower maintenance. It may be a boon for those people in excellent physical shape, but for most of us it will make transportation more difficult and expensive. Virginia Pfeiffer 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.

May 29 - June 11, 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., June 13, 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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THE WEST SIDE’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Published by NYC COMMUNITY MEDIA, LLC WWW.GAYCITYNEWS.COM

14–20 FEB 2003

YOUR FREE � MARRIAGE PUSH WEEKLY NY advocates step NEWSPAPER up pressure P.4

� LOU HARRISON DIES AT 85

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Contemporary composer, Eastern music pioneer

Queer flicks worth waiting for

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515 Canal St., Unit 1C, New York, NY 10013 Phone: (212) 229-1890 • Fax: (212) 229-2790 On-line: www.chelseanow.com E-mail: scott@chelseanow.com head

BY DUNCAN OSBORNE

BY PAUL SCHINDLER

he 2004 federal budget proposed by the Bush administration on February 3 is drawing both praise and criticism from gay and AIDS groups. “Generally, we have a mixed reaction to it,” said Winnie Stachelberg, political director at the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), even as some leading AIDS groups, including the Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC), were more critical. The proposal includes a $100 million increase for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), a $5 million dollar increase in the Housing Opportunities for People With AIDS

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� BOOKSHOP SHUFFLE Oscar Wilde up, Bluestockings down

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� SIGNORILE There’s a place for us

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CREDIT

� BOOKS Gay spaghetti western

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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 Yanan Wang

PUBLISHER EMERITUS John W. Sutter

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.

SR. V.P. OF SALES AND MARKETING Francesco Regini

ART / PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Troy Masters

RETAIL AD MANAGER Colin Gregory

SENIOR DESIGNER

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Allison Greaker Julius Harrison Alex Morris Julio Tumbaco Andrew Regier

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Michael Shirey Arnold Rozon CIRCULATION SALES MNGR. Marvin Rock DISTRIBUTION & CIRCULATION Cheryl Williamson

CONTRIBUTORS Martin Denton Maeve Gately Duncan Osborne Paul Schindler Yanan Wang PHOTOGRAPHERS Milo Hess J. B. Nicholas Jefferson Siegel

May 29 - June 11, 2013

Police BLOTTER Going “Number 1” was their first mistake Uniformed officers from Chelsea’s 10th “Pee”-cint collared a pair of big-bladdered heavies — in two separate May 17 incidents, taking place within two blocks of each other. At 12:50am, officers were called to the scene of 225 W. 19th St., where a 55-year-old male had been blocking pedestrian traffic to the building (and urinating while monopolizing the doorway). Officers observed the man “causing individuals to attempt to go around him to enter and exit.” Upon checking the perp’s ID, officer discovered that he had an outstanding warrant. The man was brought to the 10th Precinct for processing. No word on whether he was given water, nor whether the liquid would have been considered a “flight risk.” In a second incident, taking place at 4:15am opposite of 400 W. 17th St., officers observed a 32-year-old man “urinating in public” and, upon inspection, discovered he was concealing “dangerous drugs.” The first man was booked on charges of Disorderly Conduct, while the second man’s stash earned him a Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance charge.

Murder on Eighth Ave. As Chelsea Now went to press, the murder of a 28-yearold man remained unsolved. The Brooklyn resident, whom a New York Post blotter item notes had been “arrested 71 times on charges ranging from possession of marijuana to assault and robbery,” was stabbed in the stomach at around 2am on Fri., May 24 — after a loud altercation heard by an employee of the Erotica video store (where the sidewalk incident took place; on Eighth Ave., near 26th St.). A cab driver on break, alerted to the stabbing, called 911. The victim was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he died.

Double Trouble on Eighth A man walking northbound on Eighth Ave. at around 2am on Sun., May 12, was approached by two individuals, who (according to a complaint filed at the 10th Precinct), asked him “to follow them into a phone booth”). That may be a typo, because the incident took place on the sidewalk in front of The Blue Store (206 Eighth Ave.,

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May 20 - July 1, 2013 S P O N S O R E D

B Y:

btw. 20th & 21st Sts.). As connoisseurs of exotic video know, this 24-hour establishment has many booths (in which the business at hand rarely involves phone calls). The exact location of the couple’s invite is moot, however, as the spooked victim refused to follow them. At the time of the incident, he noted that the pair were standing very close to him. After the encounter, he discovered that both his phone and his wallet were missing from his coat pocket. The wallet was valued at $75 by the victim, who did not specify the cost of his phone (a BlackBerry Torch). Thirty minutes into Mon., May 20, a man was walking northbound, approaching the southeast corner of 21st St. & Eighth Ave. — when a man standing nearby pulled a knife on him. The victim dropped his iPhone and ran towards W. 22nd St. He later returned to the scene of the incident to retrieve his phone, but it was nowhere to be found.

Petty Larceny: Unsolicited dance cost him dearly Walking home at around 2am on Fri., May 17 — from a club close to his W. 19th St. apartment — an admittedly intoxicated 23-year-old man discovered his $500 iPhone was missing. This sobering realization took place at the northeast corner of Ninth Ave. & W. 16th St., shortly after he exited the club. While still inside, the tipsy reveler had been approached by a female, who “started dancing with him and started to feel him up,” according to the hazy story he told police. The victim noted that it’s possible he left the phone on a table or at the bar. It’s also possible that the phone was abducted by aliens or exchanged for a handful of magic beans. The more likely

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.

scenario, however, points in the direction of the young man’s mysterious dance partner. A half-day later, at 3pm, the victim was able to track his missing phone (using iCloud), and got a hit in Union City, NJ.

Grand Larceny: Popped out window probably explains it A resident of W. 29th St. parked her 2009 Hyundai fourdoor sedan at around 11pm on Sun., May 19. When she returned to the car several hours later, she noticed her backpack was missing from the front passenger seat. The woman, who thought it was possible she’d left the backpack at work, told police that it was not there when she went back to check. One thing was for sure, though — the rubber doorframe, near the car’s passenger side mirror, had been popped out. There was no other damage to the car. The backpack, valued at $50, contained items worth $375 (including a Coach wristlet worth $100, $60 in cash and a $40 pair of sunglasses).

—Scott Stiffler

THE 10th PRECINCT Located at 230 W. 20th St. (btw. 7th & 8th Aves.). Commander: Captain David S. Miller. Main number: 212-741-8211. Community Affairs: 212-741-8226. Crime Prevention: 212-741-8226. Domestic Violence: 212-741-8216. Youth Officer: 212-741-8211. Auxiliary Coordinator: 212-741-8210. Detective Squad: 212741-8245. The Community Council meeting, open to the public, takes place at 7pm on the last Wed. of the month. The Council is currently on summer hiatus, and resumes on Sept. 25.

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: 212-477-4380. Detective Squad: 212-477-7444. The Community Council meeting takes place at 6:30pm on the third Tues. of the month. The Council is on hiatus, and resumes Sept. 17.

now

Chelsea www.chelseanow.com

May 29 - June 11, 2013

Hudson Yards BID Will Improve Area for All Residents

Photo by Winnie McCroy

Image courtesy of Related Companies

A street-level view of the planned Hudson Yards project.

Continued from page 2 programmatic elements, the first park is largely green spaces and benches, the second park is more benches and a water feature, and the third park will feature a children’s playground, to have an amenity for all of the various constituencies in the area. It will be opened in phases during 2014.” Although the Parks Department will be responsible for taking care of this new thoroughfare and green space, the BID will also have a hand in making sure that it remains a safe and welcoming area as the neighborhood experiences its initial growth spurt. “The first influx will be at least 5,000 office workers, many of whom already live in the neighborhood, since Coach is already there,” said Samuelian. “Ultimately we are looking for completion by 2018–19, and with it a huge number of amenities for both food and shopping.” The Hudson Yards public plaza will tie together the Hudson Park and Boulevard and the High Line. This six-acre plaza will be open from 6am–8pm and will form a “new town square for the West Side.” The 170,000-square-foot Culture Shed project will front this plaza. Its features include a dynamic exhibition space to host a diverse lineup of visual and performing arts, and a retractable roof that can deploy in 15 minutes to provide protection from a sudden storm or winter cold. “The Culture Shed fronts onto the plaza, and we are a big supporter of it,” said Samuelian. “The same architect who is working on that project is also working on our first residential building, Tower D, which will be connected to the Culture Shed in the base of the building.” But because deploying this roof would cut 20,000 square foot of public park from the plaza, CB4 members are adamant that the City of New York provide an equal amount of unencumbered publicly-accessible park space, as agreed upon as part of the 2005 Hudson Yards rezoning. They also recommended no more than 34 days of Culture Shed closure for private events.

Those interested in learning more about how these buildings and public spaces will look can enjoy 3-D renderings at the two-month exhibition “Design(in) The New Heart of New York” through June 30 at the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter/Center for Architecture. An eight-week speaker series (currently underway) will complement the exhibit, enabling guests to hear from celebrated architects and designers working on the project. “I think it’s important for people to know how we’re working with the community to tie Hudson Yards to this neighborhood that is very underserved in terms of open space,” said Samuelian. “All of the new parks and open space are a huge benefit to the community, and an important connection to the High Line, as the plaza will connect it with the new number 7 train.”

HOW A BID BECOMES A LAW

Bringing the idea of a BID into fruition takes more than just talk. It involves a complicated process of filing paperwork and sitting through hearings in front of Community Board 4, the City Council, the Comptroller’s office, the Borough President and the Department of City Planning. The Committee is at the end of their planning process, but just beginning to prepare to dive into the maelstrom of city agency approvals that can create a BID. “We expect to get more feedback at these meetings, and as we move toward drafting an actual plan, we will make some modifications,” said Cohen. “The committee needs to figure out what we think is important, and then submit our application.” Later this year — once the committee has prepared their final plan and demonstrated local support for the BID — they will set up an Interagency Meeting to submit the application to the City Planning Commission. They will provide CB4 with the opportunity to hold a public hearing about the BID. (The Department of Small Business Services oversees this BID formation process, providing guidance to the Planning Committee, submitting the BID

Kevin Singleton, Barbara Cohen and Joshua Bernstein of the Hudson Yards BID Planning Committee.

legislation and securing a management contract with the BID once it is approved.) The Commission will then hold its own public hearing and issue a report to the City Council, who will review the BID legislation. Upon City Council approval, the legislation will move to the Mayor’s office to be signed, and the BID (represented by a non-profit District Management Association) can begin to implement projects. The Committee hopes that by the summer of 2014, the BID will be able to elect a Board of Directors and start this work.

WHO WILL PAY fOR THESE NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENTS?

Chances are if you’re a local resident, you won’t pay a dime for all of the improvements the BID will bring to your neighborhood. Commercial property owners will be responsible for contributions, depending on their size and use. “The BID is paid for through assessments on all properties, and for exist-

Continued on page 19

May 29 - June 11, 2013

chelsea: arts & ENTERTAINMENT The Downtown Diversity of Jazz and Indie Avant-garde, acoustic, other sounds make the coming months rock and swing BY SAM SPOKONY Whenever the seasons change, it’s like I’m seeing everything for the first time… again. Yes, maybe I could chalk that up to some rapid diminishment of long-term memory — a possible result of all those things I may or may not have done during high school and college — but I’d rather try to see something a little more uplifting there. Maybe it’s nice to have that feeling of a little rebirth of the consciousness every few months. It can remind us of the importance of spontaneous discovery and rediscovery. Anyway, we’re here to talk about music. Yes! This year, spring and summer (along with those long-awaited rays, warm breezes, etc.) bring great improvisers and musical performers to that wonderful portion of Manhattan below 14th Street, with something for everyone and, I would think, someone for everything. The question is, what do you want to explore? And what sounds do you feel like revisiting? It’s moments like these when I think, you know, maybe it’s not so bad to live amid the perpetual drone of city life and all its politicized, corporatized mayhem — because even when the absurdity seems too much to bear, when you can’t seem to find any semblance of understanding, you can just head Downtown and find all the right vibes. And you know you’re in the right place…again.

Photo courtesy of the artist

Challenge your perceptions of sound and design at the Music and Architecture Series, curated by Aruán Ortiz, at Drom.

JAZZ

I’d like to begin with an exciting Thursday night series that began in April at Drom (85 Avenue A, btw. Fifth & Sixth Sts.), and which includes one show every month through August. It’s the intriguingly titled “Music and Architecture Series,” curated by the equally intriguing Cuban-born pianist Aruán Ortiz — who has already done enough solid work composing and performing with his own quartet to make this a must-see for all our experimentally inclined listeners. According to Revive Music, the forward-thinking jazz collective that’s sponsoring the series, these concerts “intend to narrate different concepts and ritualism behind ancient architectures, deconstructing their forms, shapes and textures.” Sounds good enough for me. Each gig has its own distinct subtitle — so check out “Reflections as a Reality” on June 20, “A Piece Within a Piece” on July 18 and “The Alchemist and His Sacred Family” on August 29. All concerts start at 9:45pm. Tickets cost $10 in advance, and $15 at the door. To purchase,

Photo courtesy of the artist

Feast on the swinging wisdom of Joe Lovano, who will lead his nonet at the Village Vanguard from May 28 to June 2.

visit dromnyc.com. Few cats indeed have been able to match saxophonist Joe Lovano’s ability to channel the roots of swing and bop while

also helping to drive the free-thinking expression of 21st-century performance. Dig Mr. Lovano at the Village Vanguard (178 Seventh Ave. South, just below W.

11th St.), where he’ll be joined by his nonet from May 28 to June 2. This incarnation will be comprised of almost exactly the same personnel featured on his brilliant 2006 album “Streams of Expression” (including baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan and pianist James Weidman) and, happily, Lovano and company will be rehashing tunes from that record throughout their six-night stand. You’ll have a choice between two sets each night, at 8:30 and 10:30pm, and tickets cost $25. To purchase, visit villagevanguard.com. For those of you who’d rather take your avant-garde jazz with a healthy spoonful of soulfully foot-stomping church music, I would of course recommend clarinetist/saxophonist Don Byron and his New Gospel Quintet. The group’s first album, “Love, Peace and Soul,” which came out a little over a year ago, was rightly praised for its depth of exploration into the gospel idiom, along with Byron’s typically vibrant playing. Catch the quintet at 92YTribeca (200 Hudson St., just below Canal St.) on Wed., June 12, where they’ll be the featured act for a live presentation of WBGO 88.3 FM’s award-winning radio show, “The Checkout.” The show, which also includes opening act The Bridge Trio, begins at 8pm, and tickets cost $12. To purchase, visit 92y.org/tribeca. On an unfortunate side note, this will be one of the final events staged at the 92Y’s Tribeca location, as it’ll be closing later in June. From that point on, all 92Y events will take place at the organization’s Upper East Side headquarters, at 1395 Lexington Ave. Aside from the fact that I’ve always found him to be a generally insightful guy, saxophonist/flutist Ras Moshe represents an important element of the New York music scene — that which, in essence, refuses to compromise, remaining true to a very spiritually introspective core of freely improvised music. The ghosts of people like Albert Ayler and Pharoah Sanders truly do live on, and you’ll usually find them floating through the air at a Ras Moshe gig (the sound of which, while certainly not for squares, can send one on some incredibly powerful aural journeys). Moshe plays at the Downtown Music Gallery (13 Monroe St., btw. Catherine & Market Sts.) at 6pm on July 7, alongside vocalist Kyoko Kitamura, guitarist Anders Nilsson and bassist Shayna Dulberger, and there’s no cost to enter.

Continued on page 13

May 29 - June 11, 2013

Smooth Sounds & Dance Grooves

Sponsored by

www.ChelseaNow.com Continued from page 12

INDIE

The Thermals are a real throwback for me, if you’ll allow a 23-year-old to use that expression. Their haphazardly titled 2004 album “Fuckin A” was an integral part of my high school playlist. Now, a decade later, the post-punk trio is still going strong. Just last month, they released “Desperate Ground,” an album which is a self-described “brash and irresponsible ode to human violence.” You’ll probably hear plenty of those new tunes, full of punchy beats and urgent lyrics, during their back-toback dates at the Bowery Ballroom (6 Delancey St., btw. Bowery & Chrystie St.) on May 29. The show, which also features Screaming Females as the opening act, starts at 9pm. Tickets cost $16 in advance and $18 at the door. To purchase, visit boweryballroom.com. Some bands these days need all the production technology money can buy in order to sound bigger and more affecting — but the duo of Death From Above 1979 have made a career out of turning bass, drums and a well-placed synth into a colossal wall of sound. Whether you want to call them altrock, noise rock, electro-dance-punk or whatever else comes to mind, Jesse Keeler and Sebastien Grainger probably represent the best thing to come out of Canada since ice hockey. When this band broke up in 2006, I remember being heartbroken — not least of all because I’d just that week bought a super sweet band tee-shirt — but when they decided to reunite a couple of years ago, all was quickly forgiven. Check them out at Irving Plaza (17 Irving Pl., at E. 15th St.) on Fri., June 7, at 11pm. Tickets cost $32. To purchase, visitvenue.irvingplaza.com. I always like to include a little something for those acoustic singer/songwriter fans out there. With that in mind, I’ll introduce you to Maya Isacowitz, whose voice is very much the equal to her radiant beauty — which is to say that they both rank quite highly in my (rather self-professedly) esteemed opinion. Ms. Isacowitz first made a name for herself while performing throughout Israel, the country in which she was raised, and is now rightfully spreading her sphere of influence overseas, with sensitive guitar work, wonderfully penned tunes and a very balanced, low-key vibe. You can catch her at SubCulture (45 Bleecker St., btw. Mott & Mulberry Sts.) on Wed., June 26. The show starts at 7:30pm, and tickets cost $12. To purchase, visitsubculturenewyork.com. Now, if you’re looking for a real throwback — and this one actually goes way back, far beyond that happy accident that was my birth — I would suggest donning your best rude boy outfit and heading down to see those

PS33 CHELSEA PREP’S ANNUAL

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Photo courtesy 92nd Street Y

June 12: Catch Don Byron and his New Gospel Quartet, at 92YTribeca.

June 1 • 11 am - 4 pm PS33 School Yard - West 26th St (btwn 9th and 10th Aves) A day for the community to come together with friends & family A great chance to meet the staff, teachers and PTA of PS33

Bouncy Castles, Giant Slide, Games, Music, Arts & Activities, & Great Food Photo courtesy of the artist

Enjoy the warm tones of singer/songwriter Maya Isacowitz at SubCulture on June 26.

living legends of ska and rocksteady, those inimitable Brits, The Specials. Yes, it’s been a while, and the current lineup certainly doesn’t include all of the group’s original personnel. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth giving a nod to one of the hippest socio-politically minded bands to ever hit the stage. The performance I’ll now direct your attention to represents a particularly special chance to see these guys live, because it’ll be an outdoor gig at Pier 26 in Hudson River Park (located off of West St., btw. Hubert & N. Moore Sts.). The Wed., July 17 show starts at 6pm, and tickets cost $35 in advance and $40 on the day of the show. To purchase, visit bowerypresents.com. Happy listening, and enjoy the weather! If you have any suggestions or hidden secrets about sweet shows on and under the Downtown radar, drop me a line at samspokony@gmail.com.

RAFFLE DRAWING at 3 pm 1st Prize: iPad3 2nd Prize: iPod Touch 3rd prize: Kindle Fire and many other prizes. Tickets sold throughout the day. Need not be present to win! Delicious Food-for-Sale donated by PS33 neighbor, Union Square Events $2 entry fee. Children 3 and under are free.

Tickets must be purchased for rides, food and activities For more information, please contact the PS33 PTA at ps33pta@gmail.com.

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May 29 - June 11, 2013

Busy Planet ‘Connections’ kicks off summer theater fest season THEATER PLANET CONNECTiONS THEATRE FESTIVITY

May 29-June 23 At the Robert Moss Theatre (440 Lafayette St., near Astor Place) And the Gene Frankel Theatre (24 Bond St., corner of Lafayette St.) For tickets ($18), call 866-811-4111 or visit planetconnections.org Photo by Ashley Marinaccio

BY MARTIN DENTON (of nytheatre.com and indietheaternow.com) New York City’s busy summer theater

Photo courtesy of Articulate Theatre Company

Breani Michele, in Girl Be Heard’s production of “9mm America.”

Articulate Theatre Company launches with Jenny Connell Davis’ “Dragon.”

festival season kicks off on May 29 with Planet Connections, a four-week celebration of independent theater and social consciousness that is now in its fifth year.

Its official moniker is “Planet Connections Theatre Festivity” — and that last word is just one thing that sets this event apart from the many other theatrical marathons that dot (dominate!) our landscape here in the Big Apple from June through August. So what’s different about Planet Connections? This: All of the shows presented, in addition to being interesting new works spanning many genres and styles of the indie theater landscape, also champion specific causes. Each show is a benefactor of a nonprofit organization — and these entities will be represented in talkbacks, promotions, information sessions and fundraising throughout the Festivity. Among the recipients of Planet Connections shows’ largesse this year are my own (The New York Theatre Experience, Inc.) along with many others — ranging from The LIT Fund to The Ali Forney Center to The Blue Green Alliance to the ASCPA. You should definitely check out the information about these charitable groups on Planet Connections’ website (planetconections.org). But of course, artistically, the Festivity is well worth your time! I’ve been a regular attendee at all the previous editions, and I’ve met some truly exceptional playwrights, directors, actors and other theater artists along the way. Works by a diverse and talented roster of playwrights, ranging from Yvette Heyliger and Duncan Pflaster, to Jason S. Grossman and Kimberly Pau have been seen at Planet Connections, and many of the best scripts from past years are assembled at Indie Theater Now (indietheaternow.com/ Collection/Index/planet-connections). This year’s Festivity runs from May 29 through June 23 at two East Village venues — the Robert Moss Theater and the Gene Frankel Theater. This is a fun, vibrant neighborhood

with many shops, bars and restaurants where you can fill the time before, after and inbetween the shows you catch at the festival. There are 30 mainstage productions in Planet Connections 2013, along with a variety of special events and readings (including a special gala event on June 16th featuring readings of short plays by Neil LaBute, John Patrick Shanley and Winter Miller, at the Signature Center at Pershing Square). Because this is a relatively compact event, in terms of geography and size (but not in terms of timeframe), it is very possible for an audience member to see virtually everything the Festivity has to offer. Here are a few of the works in this year’s Festivity that I know enough about to comment on, based on experience with the artists and companies involved. Don’t limit yourself to what I talk about here, though. Check out the variety and range of work and find subjects, styles and worthy causes that appeal to your sensibilities. “9mm America” — This devised theater piece from Girl Be Heard, about violence in America, was created by 10 young women of high-school age. Director Ashley Marinaccio, a passionate and dedicated activist/artist, is a Planet Connections veteran. Expect thoughtprovoking, raw, documentary-style theater. “Artaud…mon momo” — Roi “Bubi” Escudero is a one-of-a-kind artist, with a deep knowledge of the avant-garde, a limitless imagination and a penchant for never repeating herself. This is her second look at the ethos of “Theater of Cruelty” inventor Antonin Artaud. There won’t be anything in the festival remotely like it. “Dragon” — Articulate Theatre Company is launching with this new play by Jenny Connell Davis that looks to blend realism and mythology within the framework of a timeless love story. Director and company founder Cat Parker has been responsible for some excellent productions over the years, including the NYC premiere of “Sister Cities” back in 2007. “Fix Number Six” — If nytheatre.com’s annual Person of the Year recognition means anything to you, then this is a show to see. This new play by Jerry Polner is about a travel agent who longs to be a spy. It’s directed by Michael Criscuolo, and its cast includes Arthur Aulisi and Alyssa Simon. All three of these luminaries have been People of the Year, which means that we think they’re top-notch artists. “Straight Faced Lies” — This is the fourth year in a row that Mark Jason Williams will have a new script in Planet Connections (each of the other three was nominated for a playwriting award, with 2011’s “The Other Day” winning that honor). Mark is a smart, sensitive, courageous writer — and I expect this new piece, set at a family Thanksgiving dinner, to be one of this year’s highlights. “Subject 62” — Rhode Island-based Lenny Schwartz is another four-time Festivity contributor. His latest play, which he calls his most

Continued on page 15

May 29 - June 11, 2013

Fifth Year of ‘Festivity’ Set to Connect With Audiences Continued from page 14 personal, follows last year’s somewhat sensational “Accidental Incest,” 2011’s “Fidelity” and 2010’s “The Six Month Cure.” Expect an earnest treatment of a serious topic — how the onset of illness affects one family’s life. “The Greatest Pirate Story (N)ever Told!” — On a lighter note we find this new musical by Christopher Leidenfrost, whose contributions to Planet Connections over the years include his award-winning starring roles as Whizzer in last year’s revival of “Falsettos” and appearing in drag in the gay marriage drama “The Declaration.” This new show ought to be just as it sounds — a fun, musical romp with plenty of audience interaction. “What Do You Mean” — This entry from Ego Actus marks my first time see-

ing a play written by Bruce A! Kraemer. He is usually a designer and producer, so I’m excited to see him stretch in this meta tale of a person who is writing a play for a festival but doesn’t know what to write about. His longtime partner, Joan Kane, directs. As I said, these represent just a sampling of what’s on offer at the Festivity. Browse their websites, check out previews and reviews on nytheatre.com and elsewhere and keep your eyes and ears open as you shuttle between the festival venues for audience buzz. Planet Connections is a fun event that’s much less intense than FringeNYC, yet still packed with entertainment value. I’m hoping to do one or more talkbacks and am looking forward to taking in as much as I can during the festival’s four weeks. Enjoy!

Photo by Samir Abady Photography

Moira Stone and Mateo Moreno, in Jerry Polner’s “Fix Number Six.”

Contract No. A4440 • Category: 03 A4400 – Segment 5 – Bloomfield to West 17th St. – Architect of Record Services

Photo by Marcus Yi

A gay couple must decide between love or liberty, in Marcus Yi’s “The Procedure.”

Description: Request for Qualifications (RFQ) - the Hudson River Park Trust (“Trust”), a public benefit corporation of the State of New York, is seeking to retain a landscape architectural firm / team to provide design and architect of record services for the development of schematic level construction documents in support of a separate lead design firm. In addition the landscape architectural firm / team will provide design coordination and project management services to the Trust during the construction of the park by a separate design / build contractor. The firm / team shall be multi-disciplinary and shall provide construction document services, site lighting engineering; site / civil engineering; roadway / traffic engineering; cost estimating; and shall assist the Trust in the implementation of design controls related to scope, quality, cost, and schedule; and any other services necessary for the completion of the project. Professional firms, including small, minority and women-owned firms interested in performing the services described above, are invited to submit their qualifications. This submission consists of the following documents: NYS Modified or GSA Standard Form (SF) 255, Standard Form (SF) 254, and other materials, at the discretion of the firm, that relate to or establish the firm’s qualifications based on projects of similar size, scope and complexity. A cover letter may also accompany your submission. For purposes of responding to the advertisement for consultant services, each prime firm (principal) is limited to one submission. The schedule for design through construction is estimated to be four years, subject to all necessary approvals. Selection of the firm / team shall be based on performance on previously completed projects; relevant experience of the firm / team in similar size and types of projects; firm / team’s ability to perform including capacity, experience of personnel, and managerial quality / continuity; capacity of the firm to advance the project in the required time frame; sufficient staffing in the appropriate disciplines; geographic proximity to the project; and other criteria which may be unique to this particular project. Requirements: Licensed New York State landscape architect/engineer. HRPT is an equal opportunity contracting agency. Any resulting contracts will include provisions mandating compliance with Executive Law Article 15A and the regulations promulgated there under. Minority Sub-Contracting Goal: 10% Women Owned Sub-Contracting Goal: 10 % Proposal Due: 05/23/2013 5:00 p.m. Contract Term: Not Applicable

Contact: Lupe Frattini Hudson River Park Trust Project Management Field Office 353 West Street, Pier 40 – 2PndP Floor New York, NY 10014 (917) 661 8740 phone (917) 661 8787 fax Submit To: Same As Above

May 29 - June 11, 2013

Some Residents Suffer From (Citi) Bike Envy

Photos by Scott Stiffler

Up for grabs, on 14th St. and Tenth Ave.

Continued from page 3 The New York Post reported that due to the length of the racks, the ambulance had to find parking a distance away from the building, slowing down the process of getting Edward Liss, a resident who had suffered from a heart attack, into the emergency vehicle. Steven Shore of Ganfer & Shore, LLP, the law firm that represents the building, criticized the DOT for poor choice of placement. “Whoever determined the location of these stations could not have been making a reasoned decision,” Shore told Chelsea Now. While the racks in front of the entrance were removed shortly after the EMS incident, Shore noted that The Cambridge will be going ahead with its lawsuit against the DOT, citing the department’s “failure to comply with a host of regulations.” In the case’s official petition, the firm argues both that “the DOT’s decision was arbitrary and capricious” and that it “failed to conduct the required environmental review.” The report mentions traffic guideline violations, the lack of prior notice given to the building’s residents and the use of advertising on what could be categorized as “street furniture.” Shore added that the racks were removed only after he had threatened the city with an emergency order with the court. As a member of Save Chelsea, Shore has received a number of requests from other people seeking to launch lawsuits against the DOT for the bike stations. One such individual is Carolynn Meinhardt, a longtime Chelsea resident and head of the Chelsea Historic District Council. She said the placement of two docking stations within the historic district

Get a grip on it: These rules of the road appear between the handles of each Citi Bike.

came as a shock to her. “They just snuck in during the middle of the night. Nobody even saw the construction,” Meinhardt said, adding that it “could not be more inappropriate” for racks to be placed in a community otherwise governed by stringent regulations in line with its historic district designation. “When you live in a historic district,” she noted, “you are governed by every possible control — the color that you paint your windows, the color that you paint your door, how you deal with the iron fence. If you want to build a new building, that all has to be reviewed by the landmark commission.” Meinhardt said she “blames CB4,” adding that her calls to the board have gone unanswered. But Benfatto said the board is forwarding all Citi Bike-related complaints to the DOT, as well as sending in specific

through with the DOT in which the two parties discussed possible rack locations. “In some cases they did what we asked, some cases they didn’t,” Benfatto remarked, adding that he was hopeful the DOT will be open to further negotiation once the program is up and running. “The stations are moveable,” Benfatto emphasized. “The truck can come, pull them out of the ground and take them away. It’s not a big deal.”

NIMBY FOR SOME, ENVY FOR OTHERS

Stephanie Gartner was out walking her dog last Wednesday when she noticed a Citi Bike docking station outside the Google Building (formerly the Port Authority Building on West 16th Street and Ninth Avenue). A longtime Chelsea resident, Gartner is wary of the impact

For individuals with storefronts not directly affected by the racks, there is the hope that nearby Citi Bike stations will be a boon to business. requests for the removal of stations from certain sites around the neighborhood. Benfatto estimated that they have received around 20 complaints. “The two most vociferous,” he said, were “from people on 20th Street, where there is the historic block, and 47th Street.” In the second case, the Citi Bike station had been placed on the street side rather than the avenue side — the latter being the placement Benfatto and other CB4 members had requested during a walk-

that the bike share program will have on a community she holds dear. “I think [the racks] are obtrusive,” said Gartner. “They make the streets dirty, and a lot of people are going to get killed.” While many people would be more than happy to see the bikes removed from their block, others are envious. “There’s no docking station near my house, and that’s a problem,” Roth lamented. “If they want to move them from 22nd, I’d be happy to have them on

24th.” He referred to the racks currently located along Clement Clarke Moore Park, where they were moved last Wednesday after originally being placed along a row of homes on the north side of 22nd Street. For individuals with storefronts not directly affected by the racks, there is the hope that nearby Citi Bike stations will be a boon to business. Deanna Tutta, the manager of Flor de Sol Tapas Restaurant and Bar (on West 16th Street and 10th Avenue), said she hopes that people stopping at the bike station along the side of the restaurant will also be inclined to come in for a bite to eat. Tutta noted as well that even though it is unfortunate the program “sucks up all the parking,” it is important to do “whatever is healthier for the city.” The owner of the MRK Halal Food cart (on Ninth Avenue and West 16th Street, near the docking station outside of the Google building) was inclined to agree. “It’s good for us,” said Sayed Alandour. “People chilling by the bike station might be hungry and want to come buy food.” Some people have taken issue with the bike share program’s connection to a large, privately-owned business entity. Although it maintains a visual presence on the bikes and docking stations, corporate sponsor Citibank has no involvement in the program’s daily operations (which are managed by NYC Bike Share LLC). Citibank reportedly paid $41 million to be the program’s head sponsor for the next five years — a title that not only allowed it to impact the naming of the initiative, but also virtually gives it advertising space on every bike and docking station, where Citi Bike’s emblazoned logo is reminiscent of the bank’s own. “[Citi Bike] is not a bike ‘share’ program any more than Hertz Rent-A-Car is a car ‘share’ program,” said Stanley Bulbach, head of the West 15th Street 100 & 200 Block Association. Because of the initiative’s close relationship with a commercial operation, Bulbach advocated for a change in vocabulary, arguing that it should instead be referred to as a “bike rental.” According to Shore, Citibank’s business tactic means that some docking stations are in direct violation of the law. “The landmark law states that advertising shouldn’t be on the side streets of historic districts,” Shore said. “Why are they there? There’s plenty of space in other areas.” It might be a matter of simply getting rid of a station or two. Bill Borock, President of the Council of Chelsea Block Associations, pointed out that most of the community opposition is not directed at the bike program itself, nor is it a battle between cyclists and drivers: “I’m a car owner, but I have no problem with bike riders,” Borock said. “We just think there are too many bike stations. One of the ongoing problems with city services is enforcement. If the DOT doesn’t follow up with some of these concerns, it becomes a quality of life issue.”

May 29 - June 11, 2013

Penn South to flea Market Patrons: Claim Our Clutter

Photos courtesy of Penn South

With over 2,800 units full of people and their stuff (and precious little closet space), the sheer amount of clothes, household goods, books and art accumulated by Penn South residents is staggering. But what to do with it all? For the past 28 years, their annual rain or shine open-air sale has proven that one person’s beloved (but disposable) property is another person’s reasonably priced treasure. The 29th Annual Penn South Flea Market ﬁlls the stretch of West 26th Street (between Eighth and Ninth Avenues) with 200 tables featuring the wares of area residents. In addition to the aforementioned booty, vendors will be offering handmade crafts — including pottery made at the Penn South Ceramics Studio. Happening from 10am-4:30pm on Saturday, June 1, the event raises funds for the Penn South Parents Committee (which runs free sports programs, dance classes and other activities and events for youth living at Penn South).

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Maslow 6 Wine Bar offers a fun by-the-glass list, 2 dozen beers by the bottle, and an extensive bottle l i s t . S e a s o n a l A m e r i c a n f a r e b y C h e f N i c k o l a s K i p p e r.

May 29 - June 11, 2013

BID Budget to Start at $1.2M, Rise Over Time Continued from page 11 ing residents, there will be a $1-per-year symbolic payment,” said Bernstein. “If you own your own condo, non-profit or pre-dated apartment, tenants won’t have to pay anything at all — the landlord will pay this symbolic contribution.” The Hudson Yards BID has currently identified 1,100 tax lots, 226 of which will be paying to support the BID. Most are commercial buildings, although some apartment buildings (not condominiums) will also pay. According to Bernstein, office buildings will pay at 100 percent of the rate, while apartments will pay at 60 percent. For example, a commercial building at Tenth Avenue and 36th Street will pay the full rate assessed per square foot, to a total annual BID payment of $7,243. A mixed-use commercial/residential building at 531 Ninth Avenue will pay for only the commercial property, to the tune of $518 5 22 GFiat WOF GCN 5/17/13 12:51 PM Page 1 a 4C year. And although the commercial/residential property at 431 W. 37th Street will pay $10,489, the residential condo owners will only be responsible for a symbolic payment of $1-per-year. Best of all, as the neighborhood grows and more properties are built, this assessment will get lower and lower.

Image courtesy of Related Companies

Renderings of the reception area for the second anchor tenant, L'Oreal USA

SLOWLY RAISING BUDGET WILL HELP CURRENT RESIDENTS

The BID has set its initial two-year budget at $1.2 million. As the area develops and more vacant land is built upon, those buildings can contribute to the budget, eventually raising it to a maximum of $3 million over the first five years. “We cannot go a penny more without City Council approval,” said Cohen. “What the Planning Committee has done is realize that we don’t need $3 million on day one, and that when you allocate the assessments to various properties, you have to

be able to balance what you want to do and what people are comfortable in paying toward it.” This graduating budget and cap will benefit current residents, because as more new buildings buy in to the BID, the cost for existing residents will go down. “The thinking was that the new apartment buildings are going to be market rate, and the developers are on notice and can factor the BID into their cost structure,” said Bernstein. “Many of the residential buildings in the neighborhood now have been here a very long time, and

may not have that flexibility.” For the first year, the $1.2 million budget will be broken down in the following way: Park maintenance will comprise 37 percent of the budget, for a total of $445,000. District-wide services will comprise another 36 percent, or $430,000. And finally, advocacy and administration will take up 27 percent of the budget, or $325,000. “With a BID and the budget that is there every year to apply to the various issues that are important, this organization will have regular funding to apply to the District about those issues,” said Cohen. Ideas about what to do with these funds can be brought forward by speaking to the BID representative on the board of CB4 — at a recent meeting, CB4 members present included Christine Berthet, Betty Mackintosh, Robert Benfatto and Joe Restuccia. Cohen welcomes all prospective BID constituents who have the time for these lengthy monthly meetings to inquire about joining the Hudson Yards BID Planning Committee. She also promises the organization will maintain an interactive, updated website and hold regular meetings to determine what issues are most important to the residents of the new Hudson Yards BID. For more information, visit hudsonyardsnyc.org.

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May 29 - June 11, 2013

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May 29 - June 11, 2013

Homophobic Assaults: What Can Be Done? Continued from page 4 ment that read, “The recent spate of antigay crimes tarnishes our city’s reputation as a beacon of diversity and tolerance — and we must fight back by working even harder to achieve equal rights and treatment for all.” But New York City has passed essentially all the sexual orientation and gender identity protections possible under municipal law. The key issue is implementation — and on that score, the city is often found wanting. At a press conference on May 20, hours before the West Village march, Quinn stood with Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott to announce an emergency “anti-hate crime initiative.” According to Quinn, every school is mandated to “take time out of their day and organize an event” before the end of the school year that teaches that “hate violence is unacceptable.” “We are committed to doing what we can beyond Respect for All,” the current anti-bullying program in the schools, Walcott said. “We need to take it to the next level.” However, details of that new program promised by the Department of Education (in response to a follow-up question from our sister publication, Gay City News)

had not delivered as of press time the following evening. Others spoke to the problems that continue on the ground in the schools. City Councilman Daniel Dromm of Queens, an out gay former teacher, said, “I’m glad the Department of Education is doing this, but unless they tell everyone to use the words lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, the message is not clear to the students that homophobic remarks are wrong.” Dromm also said that even today only a “handful” of LGBT teachers in the system are out to their students — a characterization Walcott disputed, noting that teachers are protected under the law no matter what their “sexual persuasion.” But teachers often shy away from being honest about their lives in ways that heterosexual teachers take for granted for fear of losing control of their classrooms and not being backed up by administrators. Frank Jump, who teaches at PS 119, an elementary school in Brooklyn, said that while “it rarely comes up,” he will be out when a student presses him. Teaching since 1990, he was pictured on the front page of the New York Post after marrying his husband, Vincenzo Aiso, in 2004. “They wanted to fire me at my old job,” he said. “The principal called the district office and said, ‘One of my teachers went

to Canada to get married. What should I do?’ The district rep said, ‘You should congratulate him.’” In his current job, Jump feels supported by his principal. “But I live in a bubble,” he said. “We have a great school. I imagine it is very hard to come out for most teachers.” And, he explained, “I don’t have time to become a full-time gay teacher. I teach by example. If the Board of Ed wants to hire me to be a spokesperson for gay teachers, fine.” Homophobia, Jump said, “has to be targeted from Day One in schools — spoken about very publicly, as embracing us the way President Obama does. We are part of the fabric of the community and not just any thread. We hold the community together.” Marie Baker of the Lesbian and Gay Teachers Association is a librarian at Bronx In-Tech Academy and said that in 1991, when she started in the schools, telling a colleague she was a lesbian was unthinkable. She now feels “the atmosphere is better,” at least in her school, and that increasing numbers of students are also out. Randi Weingarten, the out lesbian former head of the United Federation of Teachers, issued a directive that gay and lesbian teachers would be supported by the union, and Baker said “a statement

from the chancellor would be useful — to help students and teachers come out safely.” She complained that in the school system’s anti-cyberbullying program, “there wasn’t a specific reference to gay kids in it.” Similarly, Jump said, the mandatory AIDS curricula is woefully lacking in gay content, despite the fact that isolated LGBT youth are at highest risk for HIV. Thomas Krever, executive director at the Hetrick-Martin Institute for LGBT youth, told me at the rally that in the schools, “I tend to think there is more of a climate to broach the subject. Now the challenge for us as adults and young people is to come out” to make it safer. The other challenge, of course, is following through on the expectations that marches and rallies like May 20’s create. Nick Porto, who survived a May 5 attack by Knick fans outside of Madison Square Garden, worries that the sense of urgency around his case is already fading. “We don’t know what’s going on,” he said, though AVP’s Stapel, standing nearby, chimed in, “We’re going to do everything we can to follow up.” Two years ago, at the LGBT Pride March in June, the community exploded in joy at the passage of marriage equality. When Porto had the mike at the rally, he said, “Gay rights is a lot more than just marriage.”

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May 29 - June 11, 2013

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May 29 - June 11, 2013

Dear Curbed:

Dear Aunt Chelsea: We were all so very relieved (no pun intended) when the Poop Scoop law finally went into effect, oh so many years ago. Lately, though, I wonder whatever happened to “CURB YOUR DOG?” Is this still a law? As you know, dear Aunt Chelsea, the entire city (and Chelsea in particular) is overrun with pooches — some cute, some not so much. But in either event, so-called “animal lovers” seem to think it perfectly fine to let Fifi pee-pee in the middle of the sidewalk. I witness this almost daily. Why is this? In November, two young men let their medium-sized pooch pee on one of those canvas construction sheds that restaurants erect in winter to keep cold out. This enraged me. I said to said pooch owners, “Oh, and you would think it would be just so cute if someone’s dog peed on your front door?” Not surprisingly, their response to me is unprintable. A few seconds later, a worker from the restaurant came out and poured boiling water on the shed. These same dog owners let their pets pee on the wonderful flower arrangements that many of our local Mom & Pop delis own. Walking down the street to see these flowers is a breath of fresh air for us all — and these shop owners work 24/7 to keep them that way. Is it fair to have them be literally pissed on by inconsiderate or brain dead pet owners? Aunt Chelsea, I don’t expect you have an answer to this conundrum. I just wanted to know your take on it all. Thanks.

How on earth could you present Aunt Chelsea with such a classic (yet utterly contemporary) urban conundrum and not expect her to have an answer? Giving my readers the straight poop is what I’m here for, dear. So let’s see if we can’t clean up your “Number One” problem. Be they cute poodles or homely pugs, the simple fact is that our beloved four-legged friends are doing nothing more than heeding nature’s call. Unfortunately, this means the sidewalks, flower beds and canvas sheds of Chelsea end up absorbing the business end of their business. So it’s no wonder that you’re still fuming about a bitter November exchange with those two jumbo-sized boneheads and their medium-sized pooch. Pouring hot water on the problem didn’t seem to help matters, so it’s time to deploy a special blend of “poop” psychology. As Aunt Chelsea’s plethora of Jewish and Catholic friends have told her time and time again, one should never underestimate the power of shame to move mountains. But sometimes, even shame in and of itself isn’t enough. So leave it to Aunt Chelsea’s beloved cadre of neighborhood gay boys to fill in the blank, so to speak, with the missing piece of our strategy puzzle (by lifting a song title from that immortal musical, “Gypsy.”). In short, hon, “You Gotta Get a Gimmick.” The next time you see a dog owner out for a walk and poised to make a mess in an inappropriate location, you (and a friend or two) should fan out in front of them, with brooms at the ready. Then sweep them to and fro, as if you were coaxing a curling stone towards its rightful place in the center ring. This makes absolutely no sense, of course, since anyone batting cleanup would be trailing Fido instead of standing in front of his owner in full froth mode. But how else are you going to look them in the eye, with righteous shouts of “Shame, Shame, Shame?” I’ll just bet you the utterly surreal public humiliation you’ve just subjected the poor pooch owner to will ensure that they adhere to the rules of common courtesy — or, at the very least, take their business elsewhere. Good luck, hon… and if this merry prank backfires on you, please don’t call Aunt Chelsea to post bail. I’ll be in for the night, cleaning my kitty’s litter box!

Aries This is an excellent week for penning a love letter — but don’t deliver it until the next full moon. Lucky belt notch: Third. Taurus A highway exit, mistakenly taken, leads to a charming diner with horrible food. Stick with the milkshake! Lucky critter: Raccoon. Gemini Your window for mending hurt feelings is shorter than lunch hour. Start crafting a sincere apology! Lucky punctuation mark: Em Dash. Cancer Discouraging words inspire an effort that surpasses that of your detractor. Don’t gloat, and earn the respect of silent witnesses. Lucky Number: 78. Leo Look skyward and thank Venus. Its orbit is about to kick your wacky money-making scheme into high gear. Lucky Stooge: Curly. Virgo You will struggle all day to interpret a strange dream involving fish. A co-worker’s hunch holds the key. Lucky thickening agent: Cornstarch.

Libra A street fair vendor is amenable to your skilled haggling, late in a cloudy day or mid-way through a drizzly morning. Lucky snack: Pistachios. Scorpio The final piece of an elaborate plan

reveals itself this Thursday, at precisely 3:17pm. Pay attention! Lucky percentage: Seven and a half.

Sagittarius The theme of an ethnic pride parade Do you have a personal problem at work, the gym, the bar or the corner coffee shop? Is there a domestic dispute that needs the sage counsel of an uninvolved third party? Then Ask Aunt Chelsea! Contact her via askauntchelsea@chelseanow.com, and feel free to end your pensive missive with a clever, anonymous moniker (aka “Troubled on 23rd Street,” or “Ferklempt in the Fashion District”).

float compels you to rush home and thumb through your high school yearbook. Lucky ill-advised hairstyle: Perm.

Capricorn Feel no guilt over keeping an expensive wedding gift for yourself. Give them a blender instead! Lucky Greek God: Apollo. Aquarius You will wrestle with the notion that oversized hats and loud print shirts belong in your summertime wardrobe. Lucky frosting: Buttercream.

now

Chelsea www.chelseanow.com

Pissed (aka, Curb My Enthusiasm)

Ho r osc o p e s

Pisces A wrong number phone caller may present you with a lucrative business opportunity. Chat them up! Lucky gender-neutral baby name: Pat.

May 29 - June 11, 2013

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